Rookie of the Year: Carl Morton, 1970

Pitcher, Montreal Expos

Age:  26

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1970:

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Morton grew up in West Tulsa, Oklahoma where he starred in basketball and football as well as baseball in high school. He moved on to the Univ. of Oklahoma where he was a standout in the outfield and was signed by the Braves in 1964. Playing in the outfield for two Class A teams in 1965 Morton batted .250 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs. With Kinston of the Class A Carolina League in 1966 his average dropped to .227 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs. The decision was made to convert him into a pitcher in 1967 where, still with Kinston, he produced a 10-9 record in 22 starts with a 3.19 ERA and 125 strikeouts over 161 innings pitched. Moving up to Shreveport of the Class AA Texas League in 1968 he was 13-5 with a 2.72 ERA and 130 strikeouts over the course of 179 innings pitched. Chosen by the Expos in the expansion draft for the 1969 season, Morton started and finished the season with Montreal but was with the Vancouver Mounties of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in between, compiling an 8-6 record with a 3.52 ERA and 86 strikeouts over 133 innings pitched. With the Expos in his first taste of major league action he was 0-3 in 8 games with a 4.60 ERA. Reliant on his fastball, Morton joined the youthful pitching rotation in 1970.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 43 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 43

Games Started – 37 [6, tied with Gary Nolan & Claude Osteen]

Complete Games – 10 [13, tied with Don Sutton, Phil Niekro & Wayne Simpson]

Wins – 18 [5, tied with Tom Seaver, Bill Hands & Gary Nolan]

Losses – 11

PCT - .621 [9]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [2, tied with Dock Ellis, Don Sutton & Claude Osteen]

Innings Pitched – 284.2 [6]

Hits – 281 [2]

Runs – 123 [9, tied with Steve Carlton]

Earned Runs – 114 [5]

Home Runs – 27 [9, tied with Gaylord Perry, Steve Renko & George Stone]

Bases on Balls – 125 [1]

Strikeouts – 154 [16, tied with Clay Kirby]

ERA – 3.60 [16]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 3 [1, tied with Ron Herbel, Jerry Koosman & Woodie Fryman]

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading bases on balls were +5 ahead of runner-up Clay Kirby

Midseason Snapshot: 10-6, ERA - 3.79, SO - 75 in 130.2 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 5/20

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 9/11

Batting

PA – 112, AB – 93, R – 6, H – 15, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 7, BB – 6, SO – 29, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .161, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 11, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 73

Put Outs – 29

Assists – 42

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .973

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

27th in NL MVP voting, tied with Bob Robertson, Pitt. (3 points, 1% share)

9^th in NL Cy Young voting (2 points, 2% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Carl Morton, Mon.: 11 of 24 votes, 46% share

Bernie Carbo, Cin.: 8 votes, 33% share

Larry Bowa, Phila.: 3 votes, 13% share

Cesar Cedeno, Hou.: 1 vote, 4% share

Wayne Simpson, Cin.: 1 vote, 4% share

The second-year Expos went 73-89 to finish sixth in the NL Eastern Division, 16 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in walks issued (716).

Aftermath of ‘70:

Bothered by a sore elbow in 1971, Morton’s record dropped to 10-18 with a 4.80 ERA. Limited to 27 starts in 1972 he finished at 7-13 with a 3.92 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the Braves for RHP Pat Jarvis. Morton rebounded to 15-10 with a 3.41 ERA in 1973 and improved to 16-12 with a 3.15 ERA in 1974. Morton developed a screwball and straight change-up in 1975 and produced a 17-16 record for the 67-94 Braves with a 3.50 ERA. He then endured a 22-game winless streak that lasted through the first half of 1976 on his way to a 4-9 tally and 4.17 ERA in 1976 with the last-place Braves. Morton was dealt to the Texas Rangers in the offseason as part of the trade that brought slugging outfielder Jeff Burroughs to Atlanta. Failing to make the Rangers in 1977 he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and was 9-12 for their Class AAA club, the Oklahoma City 89ers of the American Association. Released by the Phillies he then failed to catch on with Pittsburgh in 1978, which marked the end of his career. Over the course of his major league career that started with such promise, Morton compiled an 87-92 record with a 3.73 ERA and 650 strikeouts over 1648.2 innings pitched. With the Expos he was 35-45 with a 4.09 ERA and 305 strikeouts over 699.2 innings. He died of a heart attack after jogging at age 39 in 1983.

--

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.