MVP & Cy Young Profile: Vida Blue, 1971

Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

Age:  22 (July 28)

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Both, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 189

Prior to 1971:

A native of Mansfield, Louisiana, Blue was a talented if erratic pitcher at De Soto High School, where he once struck out 21 batters in a seven-inning game that he ended up losing due to issuing 10 walks as well. An excellent athlete who also excelled as a quarterback on the football team, he was drafted by the then-Kansas City Athletics in the 1967 amateur draft and signed a two-year contract that paid $25,000. He appeared in 9 games in the Arizona Instructional League in ’67 and compiled a 1-1 record and 2.65 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 22 walks in 34 innings pitched. Blue moved on to the Burlington Bees of the Class A Midwest League in 1968 and recorded 17 strikeouts in his first start on the way to an 8-11 record with a 2.49 ERA, 231 strikeouts, and 80 walks over the course of 152 innings pitched. He also pitched a seven-inning no-hitter as well. Blue improved his control during the season and developed a curveball in addition to his outstanding fastball. He advanced to Birmingham of the Class AA Southern League in 1969 where in 15 games he went 10-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 112 strikeouts with 52 walks. He was rushed up to the now Oakland A’s in July where he started four games before being relegated to the bullpen. With Oakland he produced a 1-1 record with a 6.64 ERA and 24 strikeouts and 18 walks over the course of 42 innings. He was sent to Iowa of the Class AAA American Association for further seasoning in 1970. While he missed time due to injury at midseason, Blue posted a 12-3 record with a 2.17 ERA and 165 strikeouts. Receiving a September call-up to the A’s, Blue started six games, pitched a one-hitter against the Royals and a no-hitter vs. the Minnesota Twins in which he issued only one walk. Altogether with Oakland he was 2-0 with a 2.09 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched. He thus earned a spot in Oakland’s pitching rotation for the 1971 season.     

1971 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 39 [3, tied with Tom Bradley & Jim Perry]

Complete Games – 24 [2]

Wins – 24 [2]

Losses – 8

PCT - .750 [2, tied with Chuck Dobson]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 8 [1]

Innings Pitched – 312 [3]

Hits – 209

Runs – 73

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 88 [12]

Strikeouts – 301 [2]

ERA – 1.82 [1]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 1 [10, tied with 24 others]

Wild Pitches – 10 [5, tied with Pete Broberg & Tommy John]

League-leading shutouts were +1 ahead of runners-up Wilbur Wood & Mel Stottlemyre

League-leading ERA was -0.09 lower than runner-up Wilbur Wood

Midseason Snapshot: 17-3, ERA - 1.42, SO – 188 in 184.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 17 (in 11 IP) vs. California 7/9

10+ strikeout games – 11

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Detroit 7/16

Batting

PA – 121, AB – 102, R – 6, H – 12, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 4, SO – 63, SB – 0, CS – 1, AVG - .118, GDP – 0, HBP – 2, SH – 13, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 39

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 24

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching:

G – 1 (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 7, H – 7, R – 5, ER – 5, HR – 0, BB – 2, SO – 8, ERA – 6.43, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Vida Blue, Oak. 268 pts. – 14 of 24 first place votes, 80% share

Sal Bando, Oak.: 182 pts. – 4 first place votes, 54% share

Frank Robinson, Balt.: 170 pts. – 2 first place votes, 51% share

Brooks Robinson, Balt.: 163 pts. – 3 first place votes, 49% share

Mickey Lolich, Det.: 155 pts. – 1 first place vote, 46% share

AL Cy Young voting:

Vida Blue, Oak.: 98 pts. – 14 of 24 first place votes, 82% share

Mickey Lolich, Det.: 85 pts. – 9 first place votes, 71% share

Wilbur Wood, ChiWS.: 23 pts. – 1 first place vote, 19% share

Dave McNally, Balt.: 8 pts., 7% share

Dick Drago, KC: 1 pt. – 1% share

Andy Messersmith, Cal.: 1 pt. – 1% share

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A’s  went 101-60 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 16 games over the Kansas City Royals. The pitching staff led the league in fewest hits allowed (1229). Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘71:

Blue, whose 1971 salary was $14,750 held out for a big raise from penurious owner Charlie Finley in 1972 and finally settled for $63,000 after missing the first month of the season. He was not in top condition upon his return and went 6-10 with a 2.80 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched. Oakland topped the AL West and won the pennant and World Series with Blue’s postseason activity primarily coming from the bullpen. The A’s repeated in ’73 while Blue produced a 20-9 record with 158 strikeouts. As the A’s made it three straight titles in 1974, Blue compiled a 17-15 tally with 174 strikeouts and a 3.25 ERA. A fast-paced pitcher, Blue came to rely less on overpowering hitters as his career progressed. With the departure of RHP Jim “Catfish” Hunter following the ’74 season, he became the ace of the pitching staff for the A’s, who still managed to win the AL West in 1975 although they failed to advance to the World Series. Blue contributed a 22-11 record with a 3.01 ERA, 13 complete games, and 189 strikeouts, and was part of a combined no-hitter with three other pitchers in the season finale. During the 1976 season, owner Finley signed Blue to a four-year contract extension and then tried to sell him to the New York Yankees in a deal that was voided by commissioner Bowie Kuhn. He finished out the year with an 18-13 record for the declining A’s with a 2.35 ERA and 166 strikeouts. Unable to join the free agent exodus from Oakland, Blue had a 14-19 record with a 63-98 club in 1977 and was traded to the San Francisco Giants in ’78. He bounced back during an All-Star season with the Giants to produce an 18-10 record with a 2.79 ERA and 171 strikeouts. He was named NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News and placed third in NL Cy Young Award voting. San Francisco’s fortunes declined in 1979 and Blue dropped off to 14-14 with a 5.01 ERA. He rebounded in 1980 to 14-10 with a 2.97 ERA and in the strike interrupted 1981 season was 8-6 with an ERA of 2.45. Blue was traded to the Kansas City Royals just prior to the 1982 season and was 13-12 with a 3.78 ERA in 181 innings pitched. He struggled during a 1983 season in which he was relegated to the bullpen and implicated with three teammates in a drug scandal. After pleading guilty to cocaine possession he served time in prison. He was also suspended from baseball for a year by Commissioner Kuhn. Reinstated in 1985 Blue spent two mediocre seasons with the Giants, his last in major league baseball. Overall, Blue had a 209-161 major league record with 2175 strikeouts over 3343.1 innings pitched and a 3.27 ERA. With Oakland he was 124-86 with a 2.95 ERA and 1315 strikeouts over 1945.2 innings pitched. He was a six-time All-Star (three with Oakland).  

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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.

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. 

MVP Profile: Yogi Berra, 1951

Catcher, New York Yankees

Age:  26 (May 12)

5^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1951:

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri Lawrence Berra, who dropped out of high school, starred on his American Legion baseball team along with his neighbor Joe Garagiola. Christened with the nickname “Yogi” as a youth, Berra was short and stocky and had an awkward batting style. The Cardinals signed Garagiola to a contract with a bonus and when they made an offer to Berra that didn’t include a bonus, he turned them down. He also turned down the other St. Louis team, the Browns of the AL. The Yankees offered a $500 bonus along with a salary of $90 per month, so Berra signed with them in 1942. He played for the Norfolk Tars of the Class B Piedmont League in 1943, hitting .253 in 111 games, after which he enlisted in the Navy. Following the completion of his World War II military service, Berra reported to the Newark Bears of the Class AAA International League in 1946 where he hit .314 with 15 home runs and 59 RBIs in 77 games. A raw talent who was defensively limited as a catcher at this point, he received a late September call-up to the Yankees following the completion of Newark’s season. Appearing in seven games, Berra hit .364 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. He was used primarily as an outfielder during spring training in 1947, where he was a defensive liability. Splitting time between the outfield and catcher, he played in 83 games and hit .280 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs.  In the World Series against the Dodgers, Berra was benched after getting off to an 0-for-7 start at the plate in the first two games, but came on to hit the first pinch home run in World Series history as he batted .158 overall. He followed up with a .305 average with 14 home runs and 98 RBIs in 1948 and was chosen to his first All-Star Game along the way, while appearing in 125 games (71 at catcher) for the third place Yanks. With the arrival of Casey Stengel as manager in 1949, ex-Yankee great Bill Dickey was given the task of tutoring Berra on his technique behind the plate. Berra hit .277 that season with 20 home runs and 91 RBIs and was again selected as an All-Star. Much improved as a catcher, Berra had a strong year in 1950, producing 28 home runs and 124 RBIs with a .322 batting average. He placed third in AL MVP voting in addition to garnering All-Star honors once again.

1951 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

C – 141, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 594 [20, tied with Sam Mele]

At Bats – 547 [12]

Runs – 92 [8, tied with George Kell, Gus Zernial & Billy Goodman]

Hits – 161 [9, tied with Eddie Yost]

Doubles – 19

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 27 [4, tied with Luke Easter & Vic Wertz]

RBI – 88 [8]

Bases on Balls – 44

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 20

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .294 [13]

OBP - .350

Slugging Pct. - .492 [7]

Total Bases – 269 [4]

GDP – 16 [6, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: HR - 12, RBI - 40, AVG - .302, OBP - .367

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at St. Louis Browns 5/5

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 15

Most home runs, game – 1 on 27 occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. St. Louis Browns 8/4, at Washington 8/15, vs. Detroit 9/14

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 788

Put Outs – 693

Assists – 82

Errors – 13

DP – 25

Pct. - .984

Postseason Batting: 6 G (World Series vs. NY Giants)

AB – 23, R – 4, H – 6, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .261, OBP - .320, SLG - .304, TB – 7, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL at C)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Yogi Berra, NYY.: 184 pts. - 6 of 24 first place votes, 55% share

Ned Garver, St.LB.: 157 pts. – 6 first place votes, 47% share

Allie Reynolds, NYY.: 125 pts. – 6 first place votes, 37% share

Minnie Minoso, Clev/Chi.WS.: 120 pts. – 1 first place vote, 36% share

Bob Feller, Clev.: 118 pts. – 35% share

(2 first place votes for Ellis Kinder, BosRS, who ranked seventh, 1 first place vote apiece for Ferris Fain, PhilaA's., who ranked sixth, Phil Rizzuto, NYY, who ranked 11^th & Ed Lopat, NYY, who ranked 12th)

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Yankees went 98-56 to win the AL pennant by 5 games over the Cleveland Indians while leading the league in home runs (140) and slugging (.408). Won World Series over the New York Giants, 4 games to 2. 

Aftermath of ‘51:

Berra had another strong season in 1952, hitting 30 home runs with 98 RBIs and a .273 average. The Yankees won their fourth straight pennant and World Series and Berra finished fourth in the AL MVP balloting. The Yanks made it five straight in 1953 with Berra contributing 27 home runs, 108 RBIs, and a .296 average, placing second in the league MVP vote. The ungainly-looking Berra was a notorious “bad-ball” hitter who rarely struck out and performed well in clutch situations. While the Yankees lost the AL pennant to the Indians in 1954, Berra won his second MVP award after batting .307 with 22 home runs and 125 RBIs, also performing well behind the plate. He made it three MVP awards in 1955, as the Yankees returned to the top of the American League and the star catcher hit .272 with 27 home runs and 108 RBIs. He was also the highest-paid player on the team that year at $48,000. An amiable and colorful character noted for his malapropisms that came to be known as “Yogi-isms”, he was also referred to as the “assistant manager” by manager Casey Stengel in recognition of his level of baseball knowledge. Berra tied his career high with 30 home runs in 1956 and hit .298 with 105 RBIs while finishing second to teammate Mickey Mantle in AL MVP voting. In the World Series he caught Don Larsen’s Game 5 perfect game. He continued to be a perennial All-Star with a team that typically topped the American League until his retirement following the 1963 season. In later years he was utilized more in the outfield as Elston Howard became the team’s primary catcher. Overall with the Yankees Berra hit .285 with 2148 hits that included 321 doubles, 49 triples, and 358 home runs. He drove in 1430 runs and scored 1174, while only striking out 411 times. Thanks to the team’s success, Berra appeared in a record 75 World Series games and produced 71 hits in 259 at bats (also records) for a .274 average with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. He excelled as a fielder after his rough start behind the plate and in one stretch of 148 games handled 950 chances without an error. Berra was an 18-time All-Star and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. After his initial retirement in 1963 he became manager of the Yankees in 1964 and was fired following their World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He was hired by the Mets as a player/coach in 1965 and played in just four games, hitting .222 in what proved to be his final year as a player. He remained a coach with the Mets until being elevated to manager in 1972 after the death of Gil Hodges during spring training. The Mets won the NL pennant in 1973 and Berra stayed on as manager until being relieved during the ’75 season, the club having produced an overall record of 292-296 under his guidance. He returned to the Yankees as a coach for several years until being elevated once again to manager in 1984. His tenure came to a bitter end 16 games into the ’85 season. Overall in two stints with the Yankees Berra’s managerial record was 192-148. He returned to coaching with the Houston Astros through 1989 until finally retiring from baseball for good. An iconic and popular figure, Berra lived until 2015 when he died at age 90 after which he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. The Yankees retired his #8 and further honored him with a plaque in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

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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: Jon Matlack, 1972

Pitcher, New York Mets

Age:  22

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1972:

A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania Matlack began pitching in Little League. After high school and a successful stint playing American Legion baseball, he was drafted by the Mets in 1967 as the fourth overall pick. In his first brief minor league assignment with Williamsport of the Class AA Eastern League in ’67 he was unimpressive with an 0-1 record and 14.40 ERA in two starts. It got better from there. In 1968 Matlack was with Raleigh-Durham of the Class A Carolina League where he produced a 13-6 tally with a 2.76 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 173 innings pitched. In 1969 he moved up to the Tidewater Tides of the Class AAA International League, where his record was 14-7 with a 4.14 ERA. He spent 1970 with Tidewater as well and went 12-11 with a 4.13 ERA. Matlack started the 1971 season with Tidewater prior to a mid-season stint with the Mets. He had an 0-3 record in 7 major league games and was 11-7 with a 3.97 ERA for Tidewater. Matlack played in Puerto Rico that winter and stuck with the Mets in the spring of ’72.

1972 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 32 [15, tied with Steve Blass]

Complete Games – 8

Wins – 15 [12, tied with four others]

Losses – 10

PCT - .600 [16]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [6, tied with seven others]

Innings Pitched – 244 [12]

Hits – 215 [12, tied with Tom Seaver & Mike Torrez]

Runs – 79

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 14

Bases on Balls – 71 [16, tied with Rick Wise & Ernie McAnally]

Strikeouts – 169 [10]

ERA – 2.32 [4]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 1 [16, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 7

Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 7 IP) vs. St. Louis 6/25, (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 7/12, (in 8 IP) at San Francisco 7/22, (in 8 IP) vs. Chicago 9/4, (in 8.1 IP) at Montreal 10/4

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 8 IP) at San Francisco 7/22

Batting

PA – 93, AB – 78, R – 6, H – 10, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 10, SO – 44, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .128, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 42

Put Outs – 8

Assists – 33

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .976

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Jon Matlack, NYM.: 19 of 24 votes, 79% share

Dave Rader, SF.: 4 votes, 17% share

John Milner, NYM.: 1 vote, 4% share

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Mets went 83-73 to finish third in the NL Eastern Division, 13.5 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while the pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (1059).   

Aftermath of ‘72:

Matlack suffered a fractured skull during the 1973 season when he was hit in the head by a line drive by Atlanta’s Marty Perez, but he recovered to compile a 14-16 record with a 3.20 ERA and 205 strikeouts. He was at his best from mid-August until the end of the season as he went 5-1 as the Mets surged to the NL East title. He won a game against Cincinnati in the NLCS and was 1-2 with a 2.16 ERA in the World Series loss to Oakland. While his record was a mediocre 13-15 in 1974, Matlack’s ERA was a very respectable 2.41, and he was an All-Star selection who compiled a league-leading 7 shutouts and also struck out 195 batters. He was 16-12 for the 82-80 Mets in 1975 with a 3.38 ERA, again being chosen for the All-Star Game. Matlack went 17-10 in 1976 with a 2.95 ERA, 153 strikeouts, and 16 complete games, representing the Mets in a third straight All-Star Game.  He struggled with a sore shoulder to a 7-15 record with a 64-98 team in 1977 and his ERA rose to 4.21. In the offseason the Mets traded Matlack to the Texas Rangers as part of a four-team deal. In 1978 he bounced back to 15-13 with a 2.27 ERA. Elbow surgery reduced him to 13 appearances and a 5-4 tally in 1979. Matlack was a .500 pitcher in 1980 with a 10-10 record as well as a 3.68 ERA and 142 strikeouts. He dropped to 4-7 during the strike-interrupted 1981 season and lost his spot in the starting rotation to John Butcher in ’82. As a reliever and occasional starter Matlack appeared in 33 games and compiled a 7-7 record with a 3.53 ERA. He played one more season with the Rangers in 1983 with mediocre results and was released, thus ending his career.  Matlack’s overall major league record was 125-126. He totaled 2363 innings pitched with a 3.18 ERA and 1516 strikeouts. With the Mets he went 82-81 with a 3.03 ERA and 1023 strikeouts over the course of 1448 innings pitched and was a three-time All-Star. He later became a minor league pitching coach.     

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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: Rod Carew, 1967

Second Baseman, Minnesota Twins

Age:  22 (Oct. 1)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1967:

A native of Panama, Carew started out playing Little League baseball in his home town of Gamboa. He moved with his mother to New York and played sandlot baseball, where he drew attention for his hitting ability. Following graduation from high school in 1964 Carew signed with the Twins for $400 per month plus a $5000 bonus. He was initially assigned to the Cocoa Rookie League in Florida where he batted .325 in 37 games. In 1965 he moved on to Orlando of the Class A Florida State League where he hit .303 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, 1 home run, 52 RBIs, and 52 stolen bases. Carew was with Wilson of the Class A Carolina League in 1966 where he batted .292 and stole 28 bases. In the spring of 1967 the Twins made the determination that he was ready to make the leap from Class A to the parent club and installed him as the starting second baseman.

1967 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

2B – 134, PH – 3, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 561

At Bats – 514

Runs – 66

Hits – 150 [10]

Doubles – 22

Triples – 7 [3, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 8

RBI – 51

Bases on Balls – 37

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 91

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 9 [7]

Average - .292 [6]

OBP - .341 [16]

Slugging Pct. - .409 [18]

Total Bases – 210 [20, tied with Norm Cash]

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 7 [15, tied with twelve others]

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: HR - 6, RBI – 31, AVG. - .313, OBP – .362

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Washington 5/8

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eight occasions

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at California 5/19, at Baltimore 6/19

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 2 (.500) with 1 R & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 618

Put Outs – 289

Assists – 314

Errors – 15

DP – 60

Pct. - .976

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL at 2B)

AL ROY Voting:

Rod Carew, Min.: 19 of 20 votes, 95% share

Reggie Smith, Bos.: 1 vote, 5% share

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Twins went 91-71 to finish tied for second in the AL with the Detroit Tigers, one game behind the pennant-winning Boston Red Sox. Having replaced manager Sam Mele with Cal Ermer in June, Minnesota became involved in a dramatic four-team pennant race with the Red Sox, Tigers & White Sox. All four clubs were in first on Sept. 6 and the Twins stayed at or near the top the rest of the way. By the season’s final weekend the Twins were in first by one game and heading into Boston. The Red Sox, who were one behind, swept both games to take the flag.

Aftermath of ‘67:

Carew followed up in 1968 by hitting .273 and again starting for the AL at second base in the All-Star Game. With manager Billy Martin advocating aggressive base-running in 1969, Carew stole home a total of 7 times (among his stolen base total of 19), coming within one of Ty Cobb’s league record, and also won his first AL batting title with a .332 average as well as hitting 30 doubles and 8 home runs. Once more an All-Star, Carew also placed tenth in league MVP voting with the division-winning Twins. An intelligent player and bat control specialist who hit to all fields, Carew suffered a broken leg midway through the 1970 season that required surgery and limited him to 51 games, during which he batted .366. He continued to be a consistent .300 hitter and All-Star and won four straight AL batting titles from 1972 to ’75. Not a bad fielder at second base, but not outstanding either, he was given a brief trial at first base in 1975 that became a permanent position change in ’76. In 1977 Carew was the MVP in the AL while leading the league in batting (.388), hits (239), and triples (16), and tied his career high with 14 home runs while reaching 100 RBIs. He spent one more season with Minnesota in 1978 and won another batting championship (.333). With a year left on his contract and the likelihood that he would be lost to free agency, the Twins traded Carew to the California Angels in 1979. In seven seasons with the Angels, he continued to be a productive hitter while playing first base. He batted .314 over that span, with a high of .339 in 1983, and was a six-time All-Star. California won two AL West titles, in 1979 and ’82. Carew retired following the 1985 season. Overall, he batted .328 with 3053 hits that included 445 doubles, 112 triples, and 92 home runs. He also accumulated 1015 RBIs and 353 stolen bases (17 of which were steals of home). With the Twins he hit .334 with 2085 hits, including 305 doubles, 90 triples, and 74 home runs, to go with 733 RBIs and 271 stolen bases. He was an All-Star selection 18 times (12 with the Twins). Carew was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 and both the Twins and Angels retired his #29, and he was named to their team Halls of Fame as well.      

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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 & Cy Young Profile: Rollie Fingers, 1981

Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  35 (Aug. 25)

1^st season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1981:

A native of Ohio whose family moved to California, Fingers played American Legion baseball as well as for his high school team, where he pitched and played left field. After his American Legion team won the 1964 national championship Fingers received offers from several major league teams and signed with the Kansas City Athletics for $13,000. The A’s were initially more interested in him as an outfielder but determined to use him as a pitcher during his first spring training in 1965. That year he was assigned to Leesburg of the Class A Florida State League where he went 8-15 with a 2.98 ERA. He moved on to Modesto of the Class A California League in 1966 and compiled an 11-6 record with a 2.77 ERA. His next step up the minor league ladder brought him to Birmingham of the Class AA Southern League in 1967. In the season-opening game he took a line drive to the face and suffered both a broken cheekbone and jawbone which kept him out of action for two months. Upon his return he went 6-5 with a 2.21 ERA. He put in further work in the Arizona Instructional League. Fingers returned to Birmingham in 1968 and was 10-4 with a 3.00 ERA, earning a September call-up to the A’s, newly relocated to Oakland, where he appeared in one game. Following an offseason playing in the Venezuelan Winter League Fingers was utilized as a reliever and spot starter with the A’s in 1969. He appeared in 60 games and produced a 6-7 record with a 3.71 ERA and 12 saves. Fingers appeared in 45 games in 1970, 19 as a starter, and went 7-9 with a 3.65 ERA and just two saves. Under new manager Dick Williams in 1971, Fingers began the season as part of the starting rotation before becoming the closer in the bullpen in May. With the team on the way to winning the AL West, he contributed 17 saves. In 1972, with owner Charlie Finley encouraging the players to grow facial hair as a publicity stunt, Fingers grew the handlebar mustache that became his trademark. Fingers appeared in 65 games that year and produced an 11-9 record with 21 saves and a 2.51 ERA as Oakland won its first of three straight World Series titles. Utilizing a sinking fastball and slider to consistently good effect, Fingers saved 22 games in 1973 and 18 in a league-leading 76 appearances in ’74, after which he was named World Series MVP after saving two games and winning one other in the victory over the Dodgers. The fiercely competitive Fingers, who was an intimidating mound presence, continued to be a top reliever in 1975 and ’76 while, like many of his teammates, he was dissatisfied with his contract. In June of 1976, with the prospect of losing top players in free agency, owner Finley sold Fingers and outfielder Joe Rudi to the Red Sox in a deal that was voided by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. After the season Fingers departed the A’s for the San Diego Padres as a free agent. He led the NL in saves with 35 in 1977 and 37 in ’78. Fingers had a lesser year with the mediocre Padres in 1979 and in 1980 he compiled 23 saves with a 2.80 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a ten-player deal, and then was dealt by the Cards to the Brewers along with catcher Ted Simmons and RHP Pete Vuckovich, where he filled a pressing need for a reliable closer in the bullpen.   

1981 Season Summary

Appeared in 47 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 47 [3]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 6

Losses – 3

PCT - .667 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 28 [1]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 78

Hits – 55

Runs – 9

Earned Runs – 9

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 13

Strikeouts – 61

ERA – 1.04 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading saves were +8 ahead of runner-up Rich Gossage

Midseason Snapshot: 1-2, ERA - 1.34, G – 23, SV – 12, SO - 36 in 40.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 3.2 IP) at Toronto 4/20, (in 2 IP) vs. Oakland 5/16, (in 4 IP) vs. Boston 5/24

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fielding

Chances – 16

Put Outs – 2

Assists – 13

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .938

Postseason Pitching:

G – 3 (ALDS vs. NY Yankees)

GS – 0, CG – 0, record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 1, ShO – 0, IP – 4.2, H – 7, R – 3, ER – 2, HR – 0, BB – 1, SO – 5, ERA – 3.86, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP:BBWAA

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Rollie Fingers, Mil. 319 pts. – 15 of 28 first place votes, 81% share

Rickey Henderson, Oak.: 308 pts. – 12 first place votes, 79% share

Dwight Evans, Bos.: 140 pts. – 36% share

Tony Armas, Oak.: 139 pts. – 1 first place vote, 35% share

Eddie Murray, Balt.: 137 pts. – 35% share

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Rollie Fingers, Mil.: 126 pts. – 22 of 28 first place votes, 90% share

Steve McCatty, Oak.: 84 pts. – 6 first place votes, 60% share

Jack Morris, Det.: 21 pts. – 15% share

Pete Vuckovich, Mil.: 8 pts. – 6% share

Rich Gossage, NYY: 3 pts. – 2% share

Dennis Martinez, Balt.: 3 pts. – 2% share

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In a season in which was interrupted by a players’ strike for nearly two months, the Brewers went 31-25 in the first half, placing third in the AL Eastern Division. In the second season that followed the strike, they were 31-22 to finish first in the division by 1.5 games over the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers while leading the league in saves (35). Lost ALDS to the New York Yankees, 3 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘81:

Fingers performed well again in 1982 up until he suffered a muscle tear in his right arm that prevented him from appearing in the postseason for the Brewers, who won the AL pennant. He finished up with 29 saves and a 2.60 ERA. He missed the entire 1983 season due to tendinitis but returned in 1984 to save 23 games with a 1.96 ERA before being sidelined by a back injury. His performance deteriorated significantly in 1985 and the Brewers released him. He retired rather than accept an offer from the Cincinnati Reds for 1986 that, due to their policy against facial hair, would have forced him to shave his mustache. Overall in the major leagues Fingers appeared in 944 games and compiled a 114-118 record with 341 saves, a 2.90 ERA, and 1299 strikeouts. With the Brewers he was 13-17 with 97 saves in 177 games and a 2.54 ERA. He was a seven-time All-Star and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992. The Brewers and A’s both retired his #34.

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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.

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: Dontrelle Willis, 2003

Pitcher, Florida Marlins

Age:  21

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 230

Prior to 2003:

A California native who grew up in Alameda, he starred in baseball at Encinal High School. As a senior he produced a 12-1 record with an 0.82 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched. Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 2000 amateur draft, Willis played at the rookie level in the Arizona League where he appeared in 9 games and had a 3-1 record with a 3.86 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched.  Moving up to the Boise Hawks of the Short-Season Class A Northwest League in 2001, Willis was 8-2 with a 2.98 ERA. He was traded by the Cubs to the Marlins during the spring of 2002 and played for two Class A clubs where he had a combined record of 10-2 with a 1.83 ERA and 128 strikeouts. He started the 2003 season in the Class AA Southern League with the Carolina Mudcats where he was 4-0 with 1.49 ERA, thus earning a call-up to the Marlins. With his unorthodox, high-kick delivery, Willis had command of a fastball, changeup, and slider, and the affable lefthander quickly became a fan favorite as he got off to an outstanding start at the major league level.

2003 Season Summary

Appeared in 27 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 27

Games Started – 27

Complete Games – 2 [12, tied with eleven others]

Wins – 14 [12, tied with ten others]

Losses – 6

PCT - .700 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [4, tied with six others]

Innings Pitched – 160.2

Hits – 148

Runs – 61

Earned Runs – 59

Home Runs – 13

Bases on Balls – 58

Strikeouts – 142

ERA – 3.30 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 1 [16, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 7

Midseason Snapshot: 9-1, ERA - 2.08, SO - 79 in 82.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 8 IP) at Cincinnati 5/25

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 6/16

Batting

PA – 63, AB – 58, R – 2, H – 14, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 4, BB – 3, SO – 8, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .241, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 23

Put Outs – 2

Assists – 17

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. - .826

Postseason Pitching:

G – 7 (NLDS vs. San Francisco – 2 G, NLCS vs. Chi. Cubs 2 G, World Series vs. NY Yankees – 3 G)

GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 12.2, H – 15, R – 12, ER – 12, HR – 1, BB – 10, SO – 10, ERA – 8.53, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 1 

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

34^th in NL MVP voting (1 point, 0% share)

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Dontrelle Willis, Fla.: 118 pts. – 17 of 32 first place votes, 74% share

Scott Podsednik, Mil.: 81 pts. – 8 first place votes, 51% share

Brandon Webb, Ariz.: 73 pts. – 7 first place botes, 46% share

Marlon Byrd, Phila..: 6 pts. –4% share

Miguel Cabrera, Fla.: 3 pts. – 2% share

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Marlins went 91-71 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 10 games behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot. Off to a 16-22 start, 72-year-old Jack McKeon replaced Jeff Torborg as manager. After bottoming out at 19-29, personnel changes that included the arrival of Willis fueled a second-half surge that moved them into second place for good on Sept. 20 and they clinched the Wild Card spot on Sept. 26 in the midst of winning 18 games in the season’s last month. Won NLDS over the San Francisco Giants, 3 games to 1. Won NLCS over the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 3. The turning point of the NLCS came in Game 6 when the Marlins scored 8 runs in the eighth inning on the way to tying the series at 3 games apiece. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 2003:

“The D-Train” dropped to 10-11 with a 4.02 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 2004 as the Marlins started fast and ended up in third place in the NL East. He rebounded to 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA in 2005 and was an All-Star and placed second in NL Cy Young Award voting. Willis fell back to 12-12 with a 3.87 ERA in 2006. He dropped further in 2007 to 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA, leading the NL in earned runs surrendered (118), after which he was traded to the Detroit Tigers along with third baseman Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers signed Willis to a three-year contract extension worth $29 million. He proceeded to struggle during a 2008 season in which he spent time on the disabled list due to a knee injury and then had issues with his control that at one point caused him to be sent down to Lakeland of the Florida State League. He finished out the year with the Tigers by going 0-2 with a 9.38 ERA. Willis landed on the disabled list twice in 2009 and he had another overall poor season, with a 1-4 record and 7.49 ERA in 33.2 innings pitched. He was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010, and the performance continued to be poor, and he was released at mid-season and picked up by the Giants, who assigned him to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. His next stop was with the Cincinnati Reds in 2011, who sent him down to Class AAA Louisville, from where he was recalled in July. Willis put together a 1-6 record with a 5.00 ERA for Cincinnati. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 and didn’t make it beyond spring training before being released. Further comeback attempts with the Orioles and Cubs in 2012 and ’13 also failed. Willis went next to the independent Atlantic League, pitching for the Long Island Ducks in 2013 and the Bridgeport Bluefish in 2014. He was 5-4 with a 2.57 ERA with the Ducks and 0-2 with a 6.39 ERA at Bridgeport. After one last failed attempt at a return to the major leagues with the Brewers in 2015 Willis retired. For his major league career, he was 72-69 with a 4.17 ERA and 896 strikeouts in 1221.2 innings pitched. He started 162 games for the Marlins and had a 68-54 record with a 3.78 ERA, 757 strikeouts, and 8 shutouts. “The D-Train” was twice selected as an All-Star.  As a batter he hit 9 home runs, including a grand slam, and averaged .244.

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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: Dolph Camilli, 1941

First Baseman, Brooklyn Dodgers

Age:  34 (April 23)

4^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’10” Weight: 185

Prior to 1941:

A native of San Francisco, Camilli first played professionally at age 19 in 1926 with the Logan Collegians of the Class C Utah-Idaho League where he hit .311 in 68 games and then returned home to the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League where he batted .312 in 81 games. He split his time between both teams again in 1927 and while he again hit .311 for Logan he dropped to .244 with the Seals. Moving on to Salt Lake City of the Utah-Idaho League in 1928 and slugging 20 home runs on his way to a .333 average, Camilli returned to the Pacific Coast League, this time with the Sacramento Senators. He spent five years with Sacramento, from 1929 to ’33, and averaged .297 during that time and hit 82 home runs with a high of 20 in 1933, after which he was signed by the Chicago Cubs, who he joined in September. He appeared in 16 games with the Cubs and batted .224 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. He started the 1934 season with the Cubs but was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in June. In 102 games with the Phils Camilli batted .265 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs. A fixture at first base with the lowly Phillies, he appeared in every game in 1935 and hit .261 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs, also leading the NL by striking out 113 times.  Camilli followed up in 1936 with 28 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a .315 average, also drawing 116 walks as pitchers, wary of his power, tended to pitch around him. A good fielder as well as productive hitter, Camilli achieved a career high in 1937 by batting .339 and also hit 27 home runs with 80 RBIs. Drawing 90 walks, his .446 on-base percentage was the highest in the NL. Holding out for a better contract in 1938, the Phillies traded Camilli to the Dodgers for $45,000 and a marginal player. He hit .251 with 24 home runs and 100 RBIs in his first season with the Dodgers as he provided much-needed punch in the middle of the batting order. He followed up with another strong season in 1939, hitting .290 with 26 home runs and 104 RBIs. Camilli also topped the NL in walks drawn (110) and batter strikeouts (107) and was named as an All-Star for the first time. The Dodgers finished in third place as well. They finished second in 1940 with Camilli contributing 13 triples, 23 home runs, and 96 RBIs while batting .287.   

1941 Season Summary

Appeared in 149 games

1B – 148, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 641 [7, tied with Elbie Fletcher]

At Bats – 529

Runs – 92 [6]

Hits – 151 [13]

Doubles – 29 [11, tied with four others]

Triples – 6 [16, tied with Danny Litwhiler & Bama Rowell]

Home Runs – 34 [1]

RBI – 120 [1]

Bases on Balls – 104 [2]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 115 [1]

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .285 [18, tied with Billy Herman]

OBP - .407 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .556 [2]

Total Bases – 294 [2]

GDP – 5

Hit by Pitches – 4 [5, tied with five others]

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading home runs were +7 ahead of runner-up Mel Ott

League-leading RBIs were +16 ahead of runner-up Babe Young

League-leading batter strikeouts were +15 ahead of runner-up Vince DiMaggio

Midseason snapshot: HR – 16, RBI – 54, AVG – .283, SLG PCT – .538

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 7 AB) vs. Bos. Braves 9/1 – 15 innings

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 15

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at St. Louis Cards 7/29 – 12 innings, (in 4 AB) vs. NY Giants 9/7

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 at NY Giants 4/22, vs. NY Giants 9/7

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 1493

Put Outs – 1379

Assists – 98

Errors – 16

DP – 107

Pct. - .989

Postseason Batting: 5 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 19, AB – 18, R – 1, H – 3, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 6, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .167, OBP - .211, SLG - .222, TB – 4, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Dolph Camilli, Brook. : 300 pts. - 19 of 23 first place votes, 89% share

Pete Reiser, Brook.: 183 pts. – 2 first place votes, 54% share

Whit Wyatt, Brook.: 151 pts. – 45% share

Jimmy Brown, StLC.: 107 pts. – 1 first place vote, 32% share

Elmer Riddle, Cin.: 98 pts. – 29% share

(1 first place vote for Dixie Walker, Brook., who ranked tenth)

Dodgers went 100-54 to win NL pennant by 2.5 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. They led the NL in runs scored (800), hits (1494), doubles (286), triples (69) home runs (101), batting (.272), OBP (.347), and slugging (.405) on the way to winning their first pennant in 21 years. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3. The turning point in the Series came in the 9^th inning of Game 4 when, on the cusp of victory with a 4-3 lead a third strike passed ball by Brooklyn catcher Mickey Owen sparked a 4-run Yankee rally that put the Yanks up by a 3-games-to-1 margin from which there was no coming back.

Aftermath of ‘41:

Camilli followed up with another strong season for the second place Dodgers in 1942, hitting .252 with 26 home runs and 109 RBIs. Midway through the 1943 season he was traded to the Giants and refused to report to Brooklyn’s arch rival. His rights were traded to the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League who made him player/manager in 1944. Fired as manager in 1945, he signed with the Boston Red Sox in the last World War II-affected season, after which he was released, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career Camilli batted .277 with 1482 hits that included 261 doubles, 86 triples, and 239 home runs. He also accumulated 950 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. With the Dodgers he hit .270 with 809 hits, 151 doubles, 55 triples, 139 home runs, 572 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. He was a two-time All-Star, both while with Brooklyn. Following his playing career, he managed a few more times at the minor league level, and was later a scout for the Yankees, A’s, and Angels. His son Doug was a catcher for the Dodgers and expansion Senators in the 1960s.

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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.