Rookie of the Year: Al Bumbry, 1973

Outfielder, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  26 (Apr.21)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1973:

A Virginia native, Bumbry first excelled athletically in basketball at Ralph Bunche High School in King George County. He went to Virginia State College (now University) on a basketball scholarship and also played baseball, batting .578 as a senior. Bumbry was chosen by the Orioles in the eleventh round of the 1968 amateur draft. He appeared in 35 games with Stockton of the Class A California League in 1969 and batted an unimpressive .178, following which he entered the Army and was awarded a Silver Star for his service in Vietnam. Returning from the military in 1971, Bumbry played for Aberdeen of the Short Season Class A Northern League and hit .336 with 14 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, and 34 stolen bases in 66 games. He spent 1972 with Asheville of the Class AA Southern League and Rochester of the Class AAA International League and hit a combined .345 with 33 doubles, 19 triples, 10 home runs, 57 RBIs, and stole 32 bases. Bumbry batted .364 in a nine-game late-season call-up to Baltimore and stuck with the Orioles for 1973.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared in 110 games

LF – 63, RF – 29, PH – 9, DH – 8, CF – 1, PR – 12

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 395

At Bats – 356

Runs – 73

Hits – 120

Doubles – 15

Triples – 11 [1, tied with Rod Carew]

Home Runs – 7

RBI – 34

Bases on Balls – 34

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 49

Stolen Bases – 23 [9]

Caught Stealing – 10 [9, tied with four others]

Average - .337 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .398 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .500 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 178

GDP – 5

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 7, HR – 7, RBI - 23, AVG - .304, OBP - .373

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at Milwaukee 6/25 – 12 innings

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on seven occasions

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Cleveland 9/8

Pinch-hitting/running – 5 of 8 (.625) with 2 R, 2 SB & 1 RBI

Postseason Batting: 2 G (ALCS vs. Oakland)

PA – 9, AB – 7, R – 1, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .000, OBP - .222, SLG - .000, TB – 0, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances - 139

Put Outs – 134

Assists – 2

Errors – 3

DP – 0

Pct. – .978

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting:

Al Bumbry, Balt.: 13 of 23 votes, 54% share

Pedro Garcia, Mil.: 3 votes, 13% share

Steve Busby, KC: 2 votes, 8% share

George Medich, NYY: 2 votes, 8% share

Darrell Porter, Mil.: 2 votes, 8% share

Rich Coggins, Balt.: 1 vote, 4% share

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Orioles went 97-65 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 8 games over the Boston Red Sox for their fourth division title in five years. The team led the league in triples (48), stolen bases (146), walks drawn (648), and on-base percentage (.345). The Orioles pulled away from the pack in the AL East thanks to a 14-game winning streak in August. Lost ALCS to the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘73:

Bumbry slumped in 1974, batting just .233 with 12 stolen bases in 94 games. In a part-time role in ’75 he appeared in 114 games, mostly in left field and at DH, and hit .269 with 94 hits and 16 stolen bases. Bumbry saw more action in left and center fields in 1976 and, as a testament to his being considered the fastest player on the club, stole a team-leading 42 bases. As the primary center fielder and leadoff hitter for the Orioles in 1977, Bumbry had a fine season, batting .317 with 31 doubles, 19 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored. He was limited to 33 games in 1978 due to a major ankle injury but bounced back in Baltimore’s pennant-winning 1979 season to hit .285 with 80 runs scored and 37 stolen bases. Bumbry was an All-Star for the only time in his career in 1980, a season in which he compiled 205 hits on the way to batting .318 with 29 doubles, 9 triples, 9 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. A popular player known as “The Bumblebee” or simply “The Bee”, Bumbry continued with the Orioles through 1984, including 1983 when the team won the World Series. Overall with Baltimore, he hit .281 with 1422 hits that included 217 doubles, 52 triples, and 53 home runs. He stole 252 bases and knocked in 392 runs as well. Bumbry signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent in 1985 and in his last major league season added 19 hits, 3 doubles, a home run, 10 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases to his career totals. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. 

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Rookie of the Year: Alvin Dark, 1948

Shortstop, Boston Braves

Age:  26

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 185

Prior to 1948:

An Oklahoma native, Dark starred in football and basketball in high school, which didn’t field a baseball team, so he played American Legion baseball as a teen. He enrolled at LSU in 1940, where he lettered in football, baseball, and basketball. In 1943 with World War II well underway, Dark entered a Marine Corps program which allowed him to stay in school for another year. The Marines sent him to Southwestern Louisiana Institute where he continued to display his all-around athletic prowess until his Marine training began. Once his military commitment was completed, Dark considered his options, including an offer from pro football’s Philadelphia Eagles, who had chosen him in the third round of the 1945 NFL draft. Preferring to play baseball he signed a $50,000 contract with the Braves in 1946. Dark appeared in 15 games with the Braves in ’46 and hit .231 with three doubles in 13 at bats. He spent 1947 with Milwaukee of the Class AAA American Association where he batted .303 with 49 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs and 66 RBIs. Dark made the Braves for the 1948 season, initially as a backup to veteran SS Sibby Sisti, who he replaced in the lineup in short order.

1948 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

SS – 115

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 581 [19, tied with Bill Nicholson]

At Bats – 543 [14]

Runs – 85 [12, tied with Stan Rojek & Tommy Holmes]

Hits – 175 [5]

Doubles – 39 [3]

Triples – 6 [14, tied with Ed Stevens, Wally Westlake & Duke Snider]

Home Runs – 3

RBI – 48

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 36

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .322 [4]

OBP - .353 [18]

Slugging Pct. - .433 [16]

Total Bases – 235 [13, tied with Stan Rojek]

GDP – 4

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 10 [6, tied with Earl Torgeson]

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, HR - 2, RBI - 23, AVG - .333, OBP – .375

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Cards 7/23, (in 5 AB) vs. NY Giants 8/10

Longest hitting streak – 23 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 6/25, (in 3 AB) at Phila. Phillies 7/4, (in 4 AB) at Pittsburgh 7/18

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. NY Giants 4/24

Pinch-hitting – 3 of 4 (.750)

Fielding

Chances – 671

Put Outs – 253

Assists – 393

Errors – 25

DP – 66

Pct. - .963

Postseason Batting: 6 G (World Series vs. Cleveland)

PA – 25, AB – 24, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .167, OBP - .167, SLG - .208, TB – 5, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

MLB Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

3^rd in NL MVP voting (174 points, 1 first place vote, 52% share)

MLB ROY Voting:

Al Dark, BosB.: 27 of 48 votes, 56% share

Gene Bearden, Clev.: 8 votes, 17% share

Richie Ashburn, PhilaP.: 7 votes, 15% share

Lou Brissie, PhilaA.: 3 votes, 6% share

Billy Goodman, BosRS.: 3 votes, 6% share

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Braves went 91-62 to win the NL pennant by 6.5 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. They led the NL in hits (1458), doubles (272), walks drawn (667), batting (.275), and on-base percentage (.358). Benefiting from the arrival of newcomers like the rookie Dark and veteran 2B Eddie Stanky, obtained from the Dodgers, as well as the pitching of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain, the Braves moved into the lead thanks to a hot stretch in June and July and remained there until late August when a slump bumped them out of first, which they regained on Sept. 2. They clinched the pennant on Sept. 26 and lost the World Series to the Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘48:

The Braves dropped to fourth place in 1949, although Dark had another solid season, batting .276. He and second baseman Eddie Stanky were traded to the New York Giants in the offseason, where Manager Leo Durocher named him team captain, making good use of his leadership qualities. Dark hit .279 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs in 1950. A natural #2 hitter with speed on the basepaths, Dark was prone to making errors in the field, although he had good range, continued to team well with Stanky in the middle of the infield, and led NL shortstops in assists (465) in 1951 and was named an All-Star for the first time. Dark hit .303 with a league-leading 41 doubles, plus 14 home runs and 69 RBIs for the Giants, who forced a season-extending playoff by tying the Brooklyn Dodgers atop the NL standings, winning the pennant in dramatic fashion. Dark hit .417 in the ensuing loss to the Yankees in the World Series. He remained a highly regarded player and team leader with the Giants, who finished second in 1952 and sank to fifth in ’53 before surging to the NL pennant in 1954. He hit .293 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs for the first-place club and .412 in the stunning four-game sweep of Cleveland in the World Series. Dark suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1955, appearing in just 115 games and batting .282 with 9 home runs and 45 RBIs. An eight-player midseason trade in 1956 sent Dark to the St. Louis Cardinals and he batted .275 for the year. He hit .290 for the Redbirds in 1957 and was shifted to third base in 1958, a season during which he was traded once again, this time to the Chicago Cubs for RHP Jim Brosnan in May. He hit .295 the rest of the way for the Cubs and .264 in 1959, after which he was dealt again, this time to the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Richie Ashburn. Dark appeared in 55 games for the Phillies in 1960 before being dealt to the Braves in June where he finished the season and his playing career as a utility infielder, backup outfielder, and pinch-hitter. Overall for his major league career Dark hit .289 with 2089 hits that included 358 doubles, 72 triples, and 126 home runs. He knocked in 757 runs and was a three-time All-Star, all with the Giants.  Dark didn’t stay away from the game for long, as he was hired to manage the Giants, now in San Francisco, in 1961 guiding them to the 1962 NL pennant. Fired following a third-place finish in 1964, he next managed the Kansas City Athletics in 1966 and part of ’67. His next stop was the Cleveland Indians from 1968 to ’71. He returned to the Athletics in 1974, now in Oakland and winners of two consecutive World Series titles under Dick Williams, who had resigned due to conflicts with owner Charlie Finley. The A’s made it three straight championships in ’74 and were division winners under Dark in 1975, falling to Boston in the ALCS, after which Dark was terminated by Finley. Dark next managed the San Diego Padres in 1977, his last managerial stop. His overall record as a major league manager was 994-954 with two league pennants and a World Series title. Dark was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.   

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Cy Young Profile: Brandon Webb, 2006

Pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks

Age:  27 (May 9)

4^th season with Diamondbacks

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 230

Prior to 2006:

A native of Ashland, Kentucky, Webb excelled in Little League and as a high school pitcher, earning a scholarship to the Univ. of Kentucky, where he developed an effective slider to go with his sinking fastball. He was chosen by the Diamondbacks in the eighth round of the 2000 amateur draft. He had a brief stint in the Arizona Rookie League and South Bend of the Class A Midwest League in 2000 until sidelined by a sore arm. Webb moved up to Lancaster of the Class A California League in 2001 where he set a club record with 16 strikeouts in a game on his way to a 6-10 record with 158 strikeouts and a 3.99 ERA. He also walked 44 batters as he dealt with control issues. Webb moved up to El Paso of the Class AA Texas League in 2002 where he started 25 games and compiled a 10-6 record with 122 strikeouts in 152 innings and a 3.14 ERA. He made one appearance with Class AAA Tucson, where he also started the 2003 season. After three starts he was promoted to the Diamondbacks and moved into the starting rotation following one relief appearance. He ended up with a 10-9 record and 2.84 ERA and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. With a defensively-deficient last-place team in 2004, Webb had a respectable performance, going 7-16 with a 3.59 ERA, although leading the NL with 119 walks. He emerged as the ace of the staff in 2005, posting a 14-12 tally and a 3.54 ERA in his 33 starts while also striking out 172 batters in 229 innings. In the offseason he was rewarded with a four-year $19.5 million contract extension.   

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [13, tied with six others]

Complete Games – 5 [2, tied with Chris Carpenter]

Wins – 16 [1, tied with four others]

Losses – 8

PCT - .667 [4, tied with Derek Lowe]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [1, tied with Chris Carpenter]

Innings Pitched – 235 [2]

Hits – 216 [18]

Runs – 91

Earned Runs – 81

Home Runs – 15

Bases on Balls – 50

Strikeouts – 178 [10, tied with Andy Pettitte]

ERA – 3.10 [3]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 2 [5, tied with five others]

Wild Pitches – 5

Midseason Snapshot: 9-3, ERA - 2.65, SO – 103 in 139.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 7 IP) vs. Milwaukee 7/15, (in 9 IP) vs. Colorado 9/15

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis 9/9

Batting

PA – 86, AB – 73, R – 4, H – 11, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR- 0, RBI – 9, BB – 2, SO – 33, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .151, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 66

Put Outs – 17

Assists – 46

Errors – 3

DP – 3

Pct. - .955

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

All-Star

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Brandon Webb, Ariz.: 103 pts. – 15 of 32 first place votes, 64% share

Trevor Hoffman, SD: 77 pts. – 12 first place votes, 48% share

Chris Carpenter, StL.: 63 pts. – 2 first place votes, 39% share

Roy Oswalt, Hou.: 31 pts. – 3 first place votes, 19% share

Carlos Zambrano, ChiC.: 6 pts. – 4% share

Diamondbacks went 75-87 to finish fourth in the NL Western Division, 12 games behind the division-winning San Diego Padres.  

Aftermath of 2006:

Webb followed up with another strong season in 2007, compiling an 18-10 record with a 3.01 ERA and 194 strikeouts in a league-leading 236.1 innings, which included a string of 42 consecutive shutout innings. Webb was runner-up to San Diego’s Jake Peavy in NL Cy Young voting. Arizona topped the NL West and Webb was 1-1 in the postseason as the Diamondbacks advanced to the NLCS. In 2008, Webb was the winningest pitcher in the NL with a 22-7 record. His ERA was 3.30 and he struck out 183 batters and once again placed second in NL Cy Young Award voting. Webb opened the 2009 season by pitching four innings and giving up six runs before being lifted. It would prove to be his last major league appearance due to shoulder bursitis that required surgery and finished off a short career that was outstanding for a brief period. An attempted comeback with the Texas Rangers ended with rotator cuff surgery. In all, Webb started 198 games for the Diamondbacks and had an 87-62 record with 1065 strikeouts and a 3.27 ERA. He was a three-time All-Star.   

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.  

Rookie of the Year: Andre Dawson, 1977

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age:  23 (July 10)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1977:

A native of Miami, Florida Dawson earned the nickname “The Hawk” as a Little Leaguer due to his keen batting eye. A knee injury suffered while playing football for Southwest Miami High School resulted in surgery (the first of many) and caused him to concentrate on baseball. He went on to Florida A & M University and was drafted by the Expos as an amateur in 1975. Dawson played for Lethbridge of the Pioneer League in ’75 and hit .330 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs. He spent 1976 with Class AA Quebec and Class AAA Denver and batted a combined .352 with 28 home runs and 73 RBIs. He earned a September call-up to the Expos and hit .235 in 24 games. Dawson became the team’s starting center fielder in 1977.

1977 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

CF – 129, LF – 14, RF – 3, PH – 6

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 566

At Bats – 525

Runs – 64

Hits – 148

Doubles – 26

Triples – 9 [11, tied with Omar Moreno]

Home Runs – 19

RBI – 65

Bases on Balls – 34

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 93 [17]

Stolen Bases – 21

Caught Stealing – 7

Average - .282

OBP - .326

Slugging Pct. - .474 [20]

Total Bases – 249

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: HR – 11, RBI – 39, AVG. - .295, SLG PCT – .511

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/29

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/5

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Chi. Cubs 7/4

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 5 (.000) with 1 SB

Fielding

Chances – 365

Put Outs – 352

Assists – 9

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .989

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Andre Dawson, Mon.: 10 of 24 votes, 42% share

Steve Henderson, NYM.: 9 votes, 38% share

Gene Richards, SD.: 4 votes, 17% share

Floyd Bannister, Hou.: 1 vote, 4% share

Expos went 75-87 to finish fifth in the NL Eastern Division, 26 games behind the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies while leading the NL in doubles (294).

   

Aftermath of ‘77:

Dawson followed up in 1978 by hitting .253 with 25 home runs and 72 RBIs. He also topped the NL by being hit by 12 pitches. While his batting average rose to .275 in 1979, and his RBIs to 92, his home run total was again 25, along with 8 triples and 35 stolen bases. Dawson won his first Gold Glove in 1980 while he also batted .308 with 17 home runs, 34 stolen bases, and 87 RBIs. He followed up with another strong performance in the strike-interrupted 1981 season, finishing second in the National League’s MVP voting as he hit .302 with 24 home runs and 64 RBIs. Dawson was chosen to his first All-Star Game and won another Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. The Expos also reached the postseason for the only time during their Montreal tenure. In 1982 Dawson batted .301 with 23 home runs and 83 RBIs, received another Gold Glove, and was again an All-Star while the Expos dropped to third place. He led the NL with 189 hits in 1983 to go with 36 doubles, 10 triples, 32 home runs, and 113 RBIs. Dawson was once again the second-place finisher for the league’s MVP award in addition to being an All-Star, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger recipient. The toll taken on his knees from playing on artificial turf in the outfield began to become apparent in 1984 as he appeared in just 138 games and batted .248 with 17 home runs and 86 RBIs. Shifted to right field to take best advantage of his strong throwing arm while reducing stress on his knees, he still won a Gold Glove. With his numbers dropping further in 1985 and ’86, Dawson departed the Expos following the 1986 season and signed with the Chicago Cubs, where he was the NL MVP with a last-place club in 1987, based on his 49 home runs, 137 RBIs, and .287 batting average. He spent six seasons with the Cubs and was a five-time All-Star although his numbers, while respectable, never again approached those of his 1987 MVP year. The Cubs improved to reach the postseason in ’89, where Dawson hit .105 in a five-game NLCS loss to the Giants. He joined the Boston Red Sox as a free agent in 1993, and with the move to the AL was able to be a Designated Hitter as well as right fielder. Dawson returned to the National League with the Florida Marlins in 1995 and retired after the ’96 season. Overall for his major league career, Dawson batted .279 with 2774 hits that included 503 doubles, 98 triples, and 438 home runs. He also totaled 1591 RBIs. Dawson, a popular and classy player with strong leadership skills who prevailed despite numerous knee surgeries, was an eight-time All-Star who also received eight Gold Gloves and was a four-time Silver Slugger recipient. Of his career totals, 1575 hits, 295 doubles, 67 triples, and 225 home runs were compiled with Montreal. He knocked in 838 runs and hit .280 for the Expos, who retired his #10. Dawson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

MVP Profile: George Bell, 1987

Outfielder, Toronto Blue Jays

Age:  27

6^th season with Blue Jays

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1987:

A native of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, Bell signed with the Philadelphia Phillies at age 18 in 1978 and batted .311 in 33 games with Helena of the Pioneer League. He moved on to Spartanburg of the Class A Western Carolinas League in 1979, where he hit .305 with 24 doubles, 15 triples, and 22 home runs with 102 RBIs. Bell was promoted to Reading of the Class AA Eastern League in 1980 until taken by the Blue Jays in the Rule 5 draft, which required him to be placed on the major league roster. He appeared in 60 games with Toronto in 1981 and batted .233 with 5 home runs and 12 RBIs. Bell went back and forth between the Blue Jays and Class AAA Syracuse of the International League in 1982 and ’83 to hone his skills before moving into the outfield in 1984, seeing action in both right and left fields. He hit .292 with 26 home runs and 87 RBIs. Together with CF Lloyd Moseby and RF Jesse Barfield, Bell was part of a potent and highly-regarded outfield. The club topped the AL East in 1985 with Bell contributing 28 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a .275 batting average. He followed up in 1986 with 31 home runs, 108 RBIs, and a .309 average for the fourth-place Blue Jays.   

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

LF – 148, DH – 7, 2B – 1, 3B – 1, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 667 [15, tied with Wade Boggs & Danny Tartabull]

At Bats – 610 [9, tied with Willie Wilson]

Runs – 111 [2]

Hits – 188 [6]

Doubles – 32 [18, tied with Kirby Puckett, Frank White & Mike Davis]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 47 [2]

RBI – 134 [1]

Bases on Balls – 39

Int. BB – 9 [8, tied with Mike Pagliarulo]

Strikeouts – 75

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .308 [12]

OBP - .352

Slugging Pct. - .605 [2]

Total Bases – 369 [1]

GDP – 17 [12, tied with Alvin Davis, Chet Lemon & Ernie Whitt]

Hit by Pitches – 7 [12, tied with Jim Rice & Kelly Gruber]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 9 [5, tied with Jose Canseco & B.J. Surhoff]

League-leading RBIs were +11 ahead of runner-up Dwight Evans

League-leading total bases were +25 ahead of runner-up Mark McGwire

Midseason snapshot: HR – 29, RBI - 76, AVG - .293, SLG PCT – .609

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Minnesota 7/26

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 28

Most home runs, game – 2 on nine occasions

Multi-HR games – 9

Most RBIs, game – 7 at Texas 5/9

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 273

Put Outs – 248

Assists – 14

Errors – 11

DP – 1

Pct. - .960

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for AL in LF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

George Bell, Tor.: 332 pts. - 16 of 28 first place votes, 85% share

Alan Trammell, Det.: 311 pts. – 12 first place votes, 79% share

Kirby Puckett, Min.: 201 pts. – 51% share

Dwight Evans, Bos.: 127 pts. – 32% share

Paul Molitor, Mil.: 125 pts. – 32% share

Blue Jays went 96-66 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Detroit Tigers. Toronto was in first place by 3.5 games as late as September 26 before losing seven straight games to finish the season including being swept by the Tigers in a three-game series on the final weekend that determined the club’s fate. During the losing streak Bell hit .111 with one RBI.  

Aftermath of ‘87:

Bell started off the 1988 season strongly by hitting three home runs in the opening game, but he became involved in controversy over the decision by Manager Jimy Williams to use him primarily as a Designated Hitter rather than in left field, where he was never a strong fielder, in order to lessen stress on his knees, which were causing him trouble. Bell ended up hitting only .269 with 24 home runs and 97 RBIs. He bounced back in 1989 to bat .297 with 18 home runs and 104 RBIs. Following a 1990 season that saw him gain selection as an All-Star on his way to a .265 batting average with 21 home runs, Bell signed with the Chicago Cubs as a free agent in 1991. He had a solid year with 25 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a .285 average before being traded across town to the White Sox where he batted .255 with 25 home runs and 112 RBIs in 1992 and following a lesser year in 1993 in which his skills were clearly eroding, he retired. Overall in the major leagues, Bell hit .278 with 1702 hits, 265 home runs, and 1002 RBIs. With the Blue Jays alone he compiled a .286 average with 1294 hits, 202 home runs, and 740 RBIs. He was a three-time All-Star, twice with Toronto, and won three Silver Sluggers. Bell was an inaugural selection to the Blue Jays’ Level of Excellence in 1996 and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

MVP Profile: Jeff Burroughs, 1974

Outfielder, Texas Rangers

Age:  23

4th season with Senators/Texans 

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1974:

A native of Long Beach, California Burroughs was chosen by the then-Washington Senators as the first overall pick in the 1969 major league amateur draft and received an $88,000 contract. With his fine batting stroke that allowed him to spray hits to all fields, he hit .355 with 8 home runs and 48 RBIs in 52 games with Wytheville of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in ’69. He advanced to Denver of the Class AAA American Association in 1970 when he also had a brief call-up to the Senators and hit .167 in six games. Burroughs batted .269 with 17 home runs and 71 RBIs during his time with Denver that year and bounced between Denver and Washington again in 1971. With the move of the Senators to Arlington, Texas in 1972 it was more of the same for the temperamental Burroughs who hit .303 with 24 home runs in Class AAA and .185 for the Rangers. He made it to the Rangers to stay in 1973 and hit 30 home runs with a .279 average and 85 RBIs.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

RF – 150, 1B – 2, DH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 662 [8]

At Bats – 554 [17, tied with John Briggs]

Runs – 84 [7, tied with Sal Bando & Dick Allen]

Hits – 167 [7, tied with Hal McRae]

Doubles – 33 [5]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 25 [4, tied with Bobby Darwin]

RBI – 118 [1]

Bases on Balls – 91 [3]

Int. BB – 12 [5, tied with Thurman Munson]

Strikeouts – 104 [8]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .301 [7, tied with Carl Yastrzemski & Dick Allen]

OBP - .397 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .504 [3]

Total Bases – 279 [3]

GDP – 17 [7, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 5 [13, tied with thirteen others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 12 [2, tied with Amos Otis & Bobby Murcer]

League-leading RBIs were +15 ahead of runner-up Sal Bando

Midseason snapshot: HR – 16, RBI – 73, AVG – .285, SLG PCT – .486

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Kansas City 5/19, (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 8/3, (in 6 AB) at Oakland 9/6 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 8

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at Chi. White Sox 8/4

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Chi. White Sox 8/3

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 248

Put Outs – 231

Assists – 10

Errors – 7

DP – 5

Pct. - .972

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL in LF)

Top 6 in AL MVP Voting:

Jeff Burroughs, Tex.: 248 pts. - 10 of 23 first place votes, 74% share

Joe Rudi, Oak.: 161 pts. – 5 first place votes, 48% share

Sal Bando, Oak.: 143 pts. – 3 first place votes, 43% share

Reggie Jackson, Oak.: 119 pts. – 1 first place vote, 35% share

Ferguson Jenkins, Tex.: 118 pts. – 3 first place votes, 35% share

Jim Hunter, Oak.: 107 pts. – 1 first place vote, 32% share

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Rangers went 84-76 to finish second in the AL Western Division, 5 games behind the division-winning Oakland Athletics.  

Aftermath of '74:

Burroughs followed up by hitting 29 home runs and knocking in 94 runs in 1975, although his average dropped to .226 as he began to pull the ball and swing for the fences at Arlington Stadium, which was not a venue conducive to the long ball. His productivity dropped off further in 1976, with 18 home runs and 86 RBIs to go with a .237 batting average. Burroughs was traded to the Atlanta Braves and hit .271 with 41 home runs and 114 RBIs in 1977. He was an All-Star with the Braves in 1978 when he hit 23 home runs with 77 RBIs and a .301 average while leading the NL in walks drawn (117) and on-base percentage (.432). Lesser seasons in 1979 and ’80 led to his being traded to the Seattle Mariners in 1981. Following another mediocre year (10 home runs, 41 RBIs, .254 average) Burroughs moved on to Oakland in ’82 where he was utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter who batted .277 with 16 home runs and 48 RBIs. His production dropped in 1983 to 10 home runs and a .269 average and Burroughs bottomed out in 1984 with the A’s by hitting just .211 in 58 games. He finished his career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985, batting .257 with 6 home runs and 28 RBIs. Never fully reaching the heights that were anticipated for him, overall in the major leagues Burroughs hit .261 with 240 home runs and 882 RBIs. Of those totals, 108 home runs, 412 RBIs, and a .255 batting average were achieved with the Senators/Rangers. His son Sean, who he coached in Little League, went on to play third base for San Diego and Tampa Bay.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Hellickson, 2011

Pitcher, Tampa Bay Rays

Age:  24 (Apr. 8)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 190

Prior to 2011:

A native of Iowa, Hellickson starred at Hoover High School in Des Moines and was drafted by what were then the Devil Rays in 2005. Following a brief Rookie League stint in ’05 he spent 2006 in the Short-Season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League in 2007, going 4-3 with Hudson Valley before moving up to the Columbus Catfish of the South Atlantic League where he compiled a 13-3 record with a 2.67 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 21 starts. Hellickson split 2009 with Columbus and the Durham Bulls of the Class AAA International League where he had a 6-1 record in 9 starts with a 2.51 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 57.1 innings. He was back with Durham in 2010 prior to a call-up to the Rays to make one start before being sent down to Charlotte of the Class High-A Florida State League to work out of the bullpen before returning to the Rays in September where he was used primarily as a reliever and finished up at 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA in 10 games. Hellickson was awarded the fifth starting slot for the Rays in the spring of 2011.

2011 Season Summary

Appeared in 29 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 29

Games Started – 29

Complete Games – 2 [15, tied with four others]

Wins – 13 [17, tied with Josh Beckett, Alexi Ogando & Mark Buehrle]

Losses – 10

PCT - .565 [20]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [8, tied with eighteen others]

Innings Pitched – 189

Hits – 146

Runs – 64

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 21

Bases on Balls – 72 [8, tied with Ervin Santana]

Strikeouts – 117

ERA – 2.95 [8]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 1 [9, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 8 [20, tied with Jered Weaver]

Midseason Snapshot: 8-7, ERA - 3.21, SO - 68 in 103.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 5.2 IP) vs. LA Angels 4/6

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at NY Yankees 9/21

Batting

PA – 2, AB – 2, R – 0, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 31

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 16

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching:

G – 1 (ALDS vs. Texas)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4, H – 4, R – 3, ER – 3, HR – 3, BB – 1, SO – 1, ERA – 6.75, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 6):

Jeremy Hellickson, TB.: 102 pts. – 17 of 28 first place votes, 73% share

Mark Trumbo, LAA.: 63 pts. – 5 first place votes, 45% share

Eric Hosmer, KC.: 38 pts. – 4 first place votes, 27% share

Ivan Nova, NYY.: 30 pts. – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Michael Pineda, Sea.: 11 pts. – 8% share

Dustin Ackley, Sea.: 6 pts. – 1 first place vote, 4% share

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Rays went 91-71 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 6 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the league in fewest hits allowed (1263) and fewest runs allowed (614). Lost ALDS to Texas Rangers, 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of 2011:

Nicknamed “Hellboy” by Tampa Bay fans, Hellickson followed up with a 10-11 record and 3.10 ERA in 2012 and also received a Gold Glove for his fielding prowess. The unassuming low-strikeout pitcher spent two more years with the Rays, undergoing surgery on his throwing elbow following the 2013 season. Overall with Tampa Bay he compiled a 40-36 record with 463 strikeouts in 640 innings and a 3.78 ERA. Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2014 season, Hellickson started 27 games in 2015 and was 9-12 with a 4.62 ERA. He was traded once again to the Philadelphia Phillies where he compiled a 12-10 tally with a 3.71 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 2016. He started the 2017 season with Philadelphia before being dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in July. Overall with the two clubs Hellickson was a disappointing 8-11 with a 5.43 ERA. A free agent following the season, he signed with the Washington Nationals in 2018. Through 2017 his record was 69-69 with a 4.12 ERA in 197 starts. Following the promise of his rookie season, Hellickson had settled into being a mid-level starting pitcher.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Rookie of the Year: Alvin Davis, 1984

First Baseman, Seattle Mariners

Age:  24 (Sept. 9)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1984:

A native of Riverside, California, Davis was first drafted as an amateur by the San Francisco Giants in 1978 but chose to attend college at Arizona State and was a sixth-round pick by Oakland in 1981 following a junior year in which his performance suffered due to a lung infection. Bouncing back with 13 home runs and a .351 average as a senior in 1982 he was drafted once more, by the Mariners, and this time he signed. Davis batted .284 with 12 home runs and 56 RBIs with the Lynn Sailors of the Class AA Eastern League in 74 games in ’82 and moved on to the Southern League’s Chattanooga Lookouts in 1983 where he batted .296 with 18 home runs and 83 RBIs. He appeared in one Class AAA game in 1984 with Salt Lake City of the Pacific Coast League before being called up to the Mariners.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

1B – 147, DH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 678 [13]

At Bats – 567

Runs – 80

Hits – 161

Doubles – 34 [8, tied with four others]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 27 [13, tied with five others]

RBI – 116 [4]

Bases on Balls – 97 [2]

Int. BB – 16 [2]

Strikeouts – 78

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .284

OBP - .391 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .497 [13]

Total Bases – 282 [14]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 7 [8, tied with Brian Downing, Chet Lemon & Mike Young]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [18, tied with ten others]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 18, RBI - 65, AVG. - .287, SLG PCT – .536

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Most hits, game – 3 on seven occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – one on 27 occasions

HR at home – 15

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Oakland 4/18, vs. Cleveland 6/23, vs. Toronto 7/20, at Oakland 8/3

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 1376

Put Outs – 1271

Assists – 94

Errors – 11

DP - 108

Pct. - .992

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

12^th in AL MVP voting (26 points, 7% share)

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Alvin Davis, Sea.: 134 pts. – 25 of 28 first place votes, 96% share

Mark Langston, Sea.: 82 pts. – 3 first place votes, 59% share

Kirby Puckett, Min.: 23 pts. – 16% share

Tim Teufel, Min.: 5 pts. – 4% share

Mike Young, Balt.: 3 pts. – 2% share

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Mariners went 74-88 to finish tied for fifth in the AL Western Division with the Chicago White Sox, 10 games behind the division-winning Kansas City Royals.  

Aftermath of ‘84:

Davis followed up in 1985 by hitting .287 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs. He remained with Seattle, where he was a fan favorite, through 1991, a total of eight seasons. With the Mariners he batted .281 with 1163 hits that included 212 doubles and 160 home runs, and he drove in 683 runs. He twice reached 100 RBIs in a season and had over 20 home runs on three occasions and was a one-time All-Star. He moved on to the California Angels as a free agent in 1992, where he was released after 40 games in his last major league season. He ended up in Japan with the Kintetsu Buffaloes where he hit .275 in 40 games to finish his professional playing career. For his overall major league career Davis batted .280 with 160 home runs and 683 RBIs. He was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 1997.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.