Rookie of the Year: Butch Metzger, 1976

Pitcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  24 (May 23)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1976:

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Clarence Edward Metzger, who acquired the nickname “Butch” in his youth, grew up in Sacramento, California. Excelling in American Legion baseball and at John F. Kennedy High School, where he also played football, Metzger, whose best pitch was a rising fastball, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1970 and signed for a $27,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Great Falls of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, he started 13 games and produced a 2-9 record with a 4.17 ERA and 92 strikeouts over 82 innings pitched. Starting the 1971 season with the Decatur Commodores of the Class A Midwest League, he encountered difficulty, going 3-7 with a 6.49 ERA and 48 walks and 65 strikeouts over 68 innings before being demoted back to the Pioneer League, this time with the Magic Valley Cowboys where he was 6-5 with a 3.91 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 106 innings pitched. His control improved in 1972, which he split between Decatur and Amarillo of the Class AA Texas League. His combined record was 6-7 with a 3.15 ERA and 152 strikeouts over 140 innings. Returning to Amarillo in 1973, Metzger was 10-3 with a 2.75 ERA and 117 strikeouts before being promoted to Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he again encountered difficulties and was 2-5 with a 4.63 ERA. Back with Phoenix in 1974 after failing to catch on with the Giants in the spring, he compiled a 12-10 tally with a 4.72 ERA and 148 strikeouts while pitching 204 innings. He received a September call-up to San Francisco and was 1-0 in ten relief outings with a 3.55 ERA. In the offseason Metzger was dealt to the Padres along with veteran second baseman Tito Fuentes for second baseman Derrel Thomas. Assigned to the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League in 1975, Metzger was utilized primarily as a reliever and was 15-7 with a 3.62 ERA, 5 saves, and 114 strikeouts over 169 innings. Receiving a late call-up to the Padres, he made four relief appearances and was 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA. Metzger pitched extremely well during the 1976 Cactus League season and earned a spot in the San Diego bullpen.   

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 77 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 77 [2, tied with Charlie Hough]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 11

Losses – 4

PCT - .733 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 16 [5]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 123.1

Hits – 119

Runs – 44

Earned Runs – 40

Home Runs – 5

Bases on Balls – 52

Strikeouts – 89

ERA – 2.92 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 0

Midseason Snapshot: 5-0, ERA - 2.09, G – 38, SV – 8, SO - 46 in 64.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 2 IP) at Philadelphia 7/10, (in 2 IP) at Montreal 8/14

Batting

PA – 12, AB – 8, R – 1, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 2, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 23

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 17

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .957

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA (co-winner)

3^rd in NL Cy Young voting (62 points, 1 first place vote, 30% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Butch Metzger, SD: 11 of 24 votes, 46% share

Pat Zachry, Cin.: 11 votes, 46% share

Hector Cruz, StL.: 2 votes, 8% share

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Padres went 73-89 to finish fifth in the NL Western Division, 29 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds. The Padres started the season well and were surprisingly in second place, just five games behind the Reds, on June 22. With a lack of hitting they slumped in the season’s second half.

Aftermath of ‘76:

The signing of ace closer Rollie Fingers in the offseason by the Padres caused Metzger to become trade bait. Following a rough spring in 1977, Metzger appeared in 17 games, one of them his only major league start, and had no decisions and a 5.56 ERA when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for RHP John D’Acquisto and infielder Pat Scanlon in May. In 58 relief appearances for St. Louis the rest of the way, he was 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA and 7 saves. The Cardinals release Metzger prior to the 1978 season and he was picked up by the New York Mets. Unimpressive in 25 appearances with the Mets, Metzger was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies in July, who assigned him to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA American Association where he was utilized as a starter and struggled to a 3-7 record with a 4.50 ERA. After failing to make the Phillies in 1979, Metzger pitched for Caracas of the Inter-American League and had two wins in as many appearances. He spent his final professional season with Richmond of the Class AAA International League where he returned to the bullpen and went 3-6 with a 3.26 ERA. Overall in his brief major league career, Metzger appeared in 191 games and was 18-9 with a 3.74 ERA, 23 saves, and 175 strikeouts over 293.1 innings pitched. He went 12-4 with a 3.46 ERA, 16 saves, and 101 strikeouts for the Padres. Following his baseball career, he returned to Sacramento and became a firefighter and, later, a scout for the Texas Rangers.

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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: Vince Coleman, 1985

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  24 (Sept. 22)

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1985:

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Coleman played baseball at that city’s Raines High School before going to college at Florida A & M. There, he was a punter and placekicker on the football team, following in the footsteps of his cousin Greg Coleman, who became a punter with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. As a baseball player, he was sidelined during his sophomore year by a broken wrist, but as a junior in 1981 he hit .383 and stole 65 bases in 66 games. He batted .407 with 42 stolen bases in 28 games as a senior. Due to his great speed, pro football’s Washington Redskins invited him to minicamp in 1982 to audition as a wide receiver. Coleman, who had first been drafted by the Phillies in 1981, was chosen by the Cardinals in the ’82 amateur draft and signed. First assigned to Johnson City of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, Coleman appeared in 58 games and co-led the league (along with future Twins great Kirby Puckett) in stolen bases with 43 while hitting .250. Making the conversion from a right-handed batter into a switch-hitter, he advanced to Macon of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1983 where he was the batting champion with a .350 average, despite missing time with a broken right hand, and also stole 145 bases to set a professional baseball record. Coleman moved on to the Louisville Redbirds of the Class AAA American Association in 1984 where he batted .257 and stole 101 bases. Coleman had difficulty at the plate during spring training in 1985 and started the season with Louisville. When reserve outfielder Tito Landrum suffered an injury in April, Coleman was called up and soon took over the starting job in left field.  

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

LF – 138, CF – 17, RF – 10, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 692 [6]

At Bats – 636 [3]

Runs – 107 [5]

Hits – 170 [12]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 10 [4, tied with Phil Garner]

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 40

Bases on Balls – 50

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 115 [6]

Stolen Bases – 110 [1]

Caught Stealing – 25 [1]

Average - .267

OBP - .320

Slugging Pct. - .335

Total Bases – 213

GDP – 3

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 1

League-leading stolen bases were +40 ahead of runner-up Tim Raines

League-leading times caught stealing were +6 ahead of runner-up Juan Samuel

Midseason snapshot: HR – 1, R – 64, SB – 63, RBI – 16, AVG - .278, OBP - .340

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 4/19, (in 4 AB) vs. Houston 6/4, in 5 AB) at San Diego 7/25, (in 7 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/1 – 14 innings

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. Atlanta 5/21

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 0

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 on eight occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 328

Put Outs – 305

Assists – 16

Errors – 7

DP - 1

Pct. - .979

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLCS vs. LA Dodgers)

PA – 14, AB – 14, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – 1, AVG - .286, OBP - .286, SLG -.286, TB – 4, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Missed World Series due to injury

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

11^th in NL MVP voting (16 points, 5% share)

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Vince Coleman, StL.: 120 pts. – 24 of 24 first place votes, 100% share

Tom Browning, Cin.: 72 pts. – 60% share

Mariano Duncan, LAD: 9 pts. – 8% share

Chris Brown, SF: 7 pts. – 6% share

Glenn Davis, Hou.: 3 pts. – 3% share

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Cardinals went 101-61 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 3 games over the New York Mets while leading the league in runs scored (747), triples (59),  RBIs (687), stolen bases (314), walks drawn (586), batting (.264), and on-base percentage (.335). The Cardinals battled the Mets into September when a 14-1 stretch put them in a position to maintain control of the NL East. Won NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2. Lost World Series to the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 3, after leading by 3 games to 1. Coleman missed the Series after the automatic tarpaulin at Busch Memorial Stadium injured his knee while warming up for Game 1.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Coleman slumped at the plate in 1986 and batted .232, although he still accumulated a league-leading 107 stolen bases. He also continued to be a solid defensive left fielder. He made it three straight hundred-steal seasons in 1987 with 109 to go with a .289 batting average and 10 triples. Coleman was an All-Star for the first time in 1988, in a season in which his stolen base total dropped to 81, which was still enough to top the National League. He legged out another 10 triples on his way to a .260 average, while striking out 111 times, far too often for a leadoff hitter. Coleman led the NL in stolen bases twice more in 1989 and ’90, with totals of 65 and 77 respectively. His batting averages were .254 in 1989 and .292 in ’90. Following six years in St. Louis, the player nicknamed “Vincent Van Go” signed as a free agent with the New York Mets in 1991 for four years and $11.95 million. He lasted for three difficult seasons in New York in which his batting averages were .255, .275, and .279, and his stolen base totals 37, 24, and 38. Injuries and suspensions for bad behavior cut deeply into his playing time. In 1994 Coleman was traded to the Kansas City Royals where he batted .240 during the strike-shortened season and stole 50 bases. Returning to the Royals in 1995, he was traded to Seattle in August and, for the year, hit a combined .288 with 42 stolen bases. Coleman had unimpressive stints with Cincinnati in 1996 and Detroit in ’97 and failed to make a comeback with the Cardinals in 1998, leading to his retirement. Overall, Coleman batted .264 with 1425 hits that included 176 doubles, 89 triples, and 28 home runs. Most notably he compiled 752 stolen bases, leading the NL six times. His RBI total was 346. With the Cardinals he stole 549 bases, batted .265, and accumulated 937 hits, 106 doubles, 56 triples, 15 home runs, and 217 RBIs. Coleman was a two-time All-Star (both with the Cards). In 28 postseason games he hit .198 and stole 13 bases. Coleman was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

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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: Dick Groat, 1960

Shortstop, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  29

7^th season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 180

Prior to 1960:

A Pennsylvania native who lettered in basketball and volleyball as well as baseball at Swissvale High School, Groat went to Duke University on a basketball scholarship. He was a two-time All-American in basketball as well as baseball. He set a then-NCAA basketball record by scoring 831 points in a season as a junior and was a first-round draft pick by the NBA’s Fort Wayne Pistons in 1952, but signed with the Pirates the same year, once his college baseball season was concluded. Receiving a bonus contract he bypassed the minor leagues and went to the Pirates immediately, and started at shortstop. In 95 games with Pittsburgh in ’52 he batted .284 and tied for third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting. In the offseason, Groat played basketball with the Pistons. Drafted into the Army, he missed the 1953 and ’54 baseball seasons (he never returned to the NBA). Coming back to the Pirates in 1955, Groat regained his starting job at shortstop and hit .267 after a slow start at the plate. He also teamed up well with second baseman Bill Mazeroski in the field. A contact hitter with little power, he batted .273 with only 22 extra base hits in 1956. A vocal team leader and steady fielder, Groat helped fuel Pittsburgh’s rise to respectability after many years of mostly losing seasons. He hit .315 in 1957 with 30 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and 54 RBIs. Groat followed up in 1958 with 36 doubles, 9 triples, 3 home runs, 66 RBIs, and a .300 average. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1959 in a season in which he batted .275 with 22 doubles, 7 triples, 5 home runs, and 51 RBIs. In the field he led all NL shortstops with 803 chances, 301 put outs, and 97 double plays, as well as 29 errors.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

SS – 136, PH – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 629 [12]

At Bats – 573 [7]

Runs – 85 [13]

Hits – 186 [3]

Doubles – 26 [10, tied with Ken Boyer, Pancho Herrera & Norm Larker]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 50

Bases on Balls – 39

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 35

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .325 [1]

OBP - .371 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .394

Total Bases – 226 [18]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 4 [9, tied with eleven others]

Sac Hits – 12 [3]

Sac Flies – 1

League-leading batting average was +.002 ahead of runner-up Norm Larker

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, HR- 0, RBI- 29, AVG - .315, OBP - .359

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Most hits, game – 6 (in 6 AB) at Milwaukee 5/13

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 1

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis 8/12, (in 5 AB) at LA Dodgers 8/30

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 on eleven occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 704

Put Outs – 237

Assists – 443

Errors – 24

DP – 92

Pct. - .966

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 28, AB – 28, R – 3, H – 6, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .214, OBP - .214, SLG - .286, TB – 8, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

MLB Lou Gehrig Memorial Award

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Dick Groat, Pitt.: 276 pts. - 16 of 22 first place votes, 82% share

Don Hoak, Pitt.: 162 pts. – 5 first place votes, 48% share

Willie Mays, SF: 115 pts. – 34% share

Ernie Banks, ChiC.: 100 pts. – 30% share

Lindy McDaniel, StL.: 95 pts. – 28% share

(1 first place vote for Roberto Clemente, Pitt., who ranked eighth)

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Pirates went 95-59 to win NL pennant by 7 games over the Milwaukee Braves for their first pennant since 1927. They led the NL in runs scored (734), hits (1493), doubles (236), RBIs (689), batting (.276), OBP (.335), and total bases (2201). Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, capped by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off home run.

Aftermath of ‘60:

The Pirates dropped to sixth place in 1961 and Groat batted .275 with 25 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, and 55 RBIs. An intelligent player without great range who was a master at positioning himself in the field, he also led NL shortstops with 117 double plays and was near the top in chances (740) and assists (473). Groat’s batting average rose to .294 in 1962, along with 34 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, and 61 RBIs, although in the field he topped all NL shortstops with 38 errors, as well as 873 chances, 314 put outs, 521 assists, and 126 double plays. Trade bait after the season, he was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1963, all four starting infielders for the Cardinals (including Groat), started for the NL in the All-Star Game (1B Bill White, 2B Julian Javier, and 3B Ken Boyer were the others). Groat’s leadership qualities were considered to be a factor in the Cards’ contending for most of the season and he ended up placing second in NL MVP voting after leading the circuit with 43 doubles, to go along with 201 hits, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .319 batting average. In the field he placed second among NL shortstops with 731 chances and 448 assists. The Cardinals came from behind to win the NL pennant in 1964, and then beat the Yankees in the World Series. Groat contributed a .292 batting average and 35 doubles, along with 6 triples, a home run, and 70 RBIs along with steady play in the field. The team slumped in 1965, and so did Groat, whose batting average dropped to .254 with 26 doubles, 5 triples, and 52 RBIs. The Cards cleaned house in the offseason and Groat was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies along with first baseman Bill White, and backup catcher Bob Uecker for RHP Art Mahaffey, catcher Pat Corrales, and outfielder Alex Johnson. He struggled at the plate during most of the 1966 season and finished with a .260 average. Groat was hindered by a sore ankle in 1967 and played sparingly for the Phillies before being dealt to San Francisco in June. He played in only 44 games overall and hit .156. He retired after the season. For his major league career, Groat batted .286 with 2138 hits that included 352 doubles, 67 triples, and 39 home runs. He also accumulated 707 RBIs. With the Pirates his average was .290 with 1435 hits, 225 doubles, 40 triples, 30 home runs, and 454 RBIs. He was a five-time All-Star. He has been inducted into the College Baseball and College Basketball Halls of Fame.

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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 Profile: John Denny, 1983

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  30

2^nd season with Phillies (1^st complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1983:

A native of Prescott, Arizona, Denny starred in baseball and football in high school, after which he was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1970 amateur draft. Initially assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, he appeared in 11 games in ’70 and went 2-2 with a 1.29 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 42 innings pitched. Advancing to St. Petersburg of the Class A Florida State League in 1971, Denny produced an 8-13 record with a 3.04 ERA and 77 strikeouts over the course of 139 innings. He spent 1972 with Modesto of the Class A California League where he started 14 games and had a 7-5 tally with a 4.40 ERA. Moving on to the Arkansas Travelers of the Class AA Texas League in 1973 he started 20 games and compiled a 10-6 record with a 3.12 ERA and 81 strikeouts. Advancing to the Tulsa Oilers of the Class AAA American Association in 1974, Denny went 9-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 79 strikeouts, earning a September call-up to the Cardinals in which he appeared in two games and generated no decisions. Starting the 1975 season with the Cards, he was sent back to Tulsa, where he went 3-1 before returning to St. Louis. Prone to ankle injuries while in the minors, Denny pitched well after being recalled by the Cardinals until he was hindered by a leg injury. He ended up with a 10-7 record and 3.97 ERA with 72 strikeouts for the Cards. With command of a fastball, hard curve, and change-up, Denny was a bright spot on a fifth-place club in 1976, leading the NL with a 2.52 ERA, although lack of run support limited his record to 11-9. He dropped to 8-8 with a 4.51 ERA during an injury-riddled 1977. Denny bounced back with a 14-11 tally and 2.96 ERA in 1978. In addition to his pitching talent he also became known for his temper that could be directed against umpires and teammates, as well as opponents. His 1979 performance dropped to 8-11 with a 4.85 ERA and he was traded to Cleveland in the offseason. He suffered a heel injury midway through the 1980 season that sidelined him for the rest of the way and left him with an 8-6 record and 4.39 ERA. Denny performed well during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, going 10-6 with a 3.15 ERA. Bothered by a sore shoulder in 1982, he had a 6-11 record with a 5.01 ERA when he was traded to the Phillies in September, where he was 0-2 the rest of the way.    

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36

Games Started – 36 [3, tied with Steve Rogers]

Complete Games – 7 [11, tied with Rick Rhoden, Pascual Perez & Jerry Reuss]

Wins – 19 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .760 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 242.2 [7]

Hits – 229 [8]

Runs – 77

Earned Runs – 64

Home Runs – 9

Bases on Balls – 53

Strikeouts – 139 [14]

ERA – 2.37 [2]

Hit Batters – 4 [12, tied with twelve others]

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 6 [20, tied with seven others]

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runners-up Mario Soto, Steve Rogers & Bill Gullickson

League-leading win percentage was +.108 ahead of runners-up Larry McWilliams, Pascual Perez & John Candelaria

Midseason Snapshot: 6-4, ERA - 2.13, SO - 52 in 109.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 7 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 8/9

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Houston 4/30, (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 7/1

Batting

PA – 96, AB – 77, R – 7, H – 13, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 2, SO – 16, SB – 2, CS – 0, AVG - .169, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 17, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 66

Put Outs – 16

Assists – 42

Errors – 8

DP – 6

Pct. - .879

Postseason Pitching:

G – 3 (NLCS vs. LA Dodgers – 1 G; World Series vs. Baltimore – 2 G)

GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 1-2, PCT – .333, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 19, H – 17, R – 8, ER – 5, HR – 1, BB – 6, SO – 12, ERA – 2.37, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0,

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

13^th in NL MVP voting (24 points, 7% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

John Denny, Phila.: 103 pts. – 20 of 24 first place votes, 86% share

Mario Soto, Cin.: 61 pts. – 2 first place votes, 51% share

Jesse Orosco, NYM: 19 pts. – 1 first place vote, 16% share

Steve Rogers, Mon.: 15 pts. – 1 first place vote, 13% share

Larry McWilliams, Pitt.: 7 pts. – 6% share

Phillies went 90-72 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 6 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (1092). The Phillies were at 43-42 in July when GM Paul Owens fired manager Pat Corrales and took over as field manager. They went 47-30 the rest of the way to secure the NL East title. Won NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 1. Lost World Series to the Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 1, with Denny’s Game 1 victory Philadelphia’s only win.

Aftermath of ‘83:

An elbow injury sidelined Denny for more than two months during the 1984 season and he finished at 7-7 with a 2.45 ERA. He came back in 1985 with an 11-14 record and 3.82 ERA and 123 strikeouts over 230.2 innings pitched. Dealt to the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, he produced an 11-10 record with a 4.20 ERA and 115 strikeouts before retiring at age 33. Overall for his career, he compiled a 123-108 record with a 3.59 ERA and 1146 strikeouts over 2148.2 innings pitched. With the Phillies he was 37-29 with a 2.96 ERA and 375 strikeouts over 650 innings pitched. His only postseason action came with the Phillies in 1983.

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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: Jose Canseco, 1986

Outfielder, Oakland Athletics

Age:  22 (July 2)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 240

Prior to 1986:

A native of Cuba, Canseco and his family resettled in Opa-Locka, Florida, near Miami. He played baseball at the junior-varsity level until he was a senior in high school, at which point he was chosen by the Athletics in the fifteenth round of the 1982 amateur draft. Playing for teams in two leagues at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’82 he batted a combined .242 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs in 34 games. In 1983 he started the season with Medford of the short-season Class A Northwest League where he was an All-Star selection after hitting .269 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs. Canseco moved on to Madison of the Class A Midwest League to finish out the year and hit a measly .159 with 3 home runs and 10 RBIs over the course of 34 games. Playing for Modesto of the Class A California League in 1984, he batted .276 with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs. In the offseason he had his first admitted use of steroids as part of a weight training regimen in which he added several pounds of muscle. What followed in 1985 was a big performance with the Huntsville Stars of the Class AA Southern League in which he belted 25 home runs in only 58 games, along with a .318 average and 80 RBIs. Moving up to Tacoma of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League he hit another 11 home runs along with 47 RBIs and a .348 average in 60 games. Receiving a September call-up to the A’s, Canseco appeared in 29 games and hit .302 with 5 home runs and 13 RBIs. He was inserted into left field for Oakland in 1986.

1986 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

LF – 124, RF – 46, DH – 1, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 682 [13]

At Bats – 600 [13]

Runs – 85

Hits – 144

Doubles – 29

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 33 [4, tied with Rob Deer]

RBI – 117 [2]

Bases on Balls – 65

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 175 [3]

Stolen Bases – 15

Caught Stealing – 7

Average - .240

OBP - .318

Slugging Pct. - .457

Total Bases – 274 [13]

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 8 [5, tied with Chet Lemon, Jesse Barfield & Phil Bradley]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 9 [3, tied with Dick Schofield & Jim Rice]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 23, RBI – 78, AVG - .274, SLG PCT - .526

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. NY Yankees 9/1

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at California 4/21

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 19

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. California 4/13

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 1 (1.000) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 337

Put Outs – 319

Assists – 4

Errors – 14

DP - 1

Pct. - .958

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

20^th in AL MVP voting (3 points, 1% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Jose Canseco, Oak.: 110 pts. – 16 of 28 first place votes, 79% share

Wally Joyner, Cal.: 98 pts. – 12 first place votes, 70% share

Mark Eichhorn, Tor.: 23 pts. – 16% share

Cory Snyder, Clev.: 16 pts. – 11% share

Danny Tartabull, Sea.: 4 pts. – 3% share

Ruben Sierra, Tex.: 1 pt. – 1% share

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A’s went 76-86 to finish tied for third in the AL Western Division along with the Kansas City Royals, 16 games behind the division-winning California Angels. The injury depleted A’s improved following the firing of manager Jackie Moore, who was replaced in the interim by Jeff Newman and then by Tony LaRussa, who would guide the team’s development into a winner over the next few seasons.

Aftermath of ‘86:

Canseco followed up with another strong season in 1987 as he hit .257 with 31 home runs and 113 RBIs. He was overshadowed by rookie first baseman Mark McGwire’s 49-home run performance. The two sluggers came to be known as “the Bash Brothers” and fueled the club’s 1988 drive to the top of the AL West and the league pennant as well. Canseco made good on his stated objective of becoming the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season. His totals were a league-leading 42 home runs and an even 40 stolen bases. He also topped the circuit with 124 RBIs and a .569 slugging percentage while hitting .307. Shifted to right field he also accounted for 11 assists. An All-Star for the second time, he received the AL MVP award for his performance. Heading into 1989, off-field issues began to tarnish his image in addition to his being sidelined by a stress fracture in his left wrist that required surgery. When he finally took to the field for the A’s, he played well, batting .269 in 65 games with 17 home runs and 57 RBIs. The team again won its division and the AL pennant, as well as the World Series, in which Canseco batted .357 with a home run. He had a solid season in 1990 in which he batted .274 with 37 home runs and 101 RBIs. Oakland won a third straight pennant and was swept by Cincinnati in the World Series, where Canseco’s hitting was negligible. He topped the AL with 44 home runs in 1991, in addition to batting .266 with 122 RBIs for the fourth place A’s. Having run afoul of the Oakland front office and manager Tony LaRussa, Canseco was traded to the Texas Rangers on August 31, 1992 for outfielder Ruben Sierra, RHP Jeff Russell, RHP Bobby Witt, and cash. For the year he ended up with 26 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a .244 batting average. In 1993 Canseco was embarrassed in the outfield by having a fly ball hit him on the head and bounce over the wall for a home run. More seriously, a few days later in a runaway loss to the Red Sox in Boston, he was used as a pitcher and injured his arm to the extent that he required surgery. Appearing in only 60 games, he batted .255 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs. Coming back to the Rangers during the strike-shortened 1994 season, he was utilized as a Designated Hitter and batted .282 with 31 home runs and 90 RBIs. In the offseason Canseco was dealt to the Boston Red Sox where he DH’d and hit .306 with 24 home runs and 81 RBIs in 1995. He was again productive at bat in 1996 where he batted .289 with 28 home runs and 82 RBIs. Traded back to Oakland in 1997, Canseco appeared in 108 games and hit .235 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent in 1998 and had a big year with 46 home runs, 107 RBIs, and a .237 batting average. With the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999 he was an All-Star for the last time in his career, hitting 34 home runs with 95 RBIs and a .279 average. Waived by Tampa Bay during the 2000 season, he bounced around among a few major and minor league clubs in 2001 and ’02 to finish out his career. Overall, Canseco batted .266 in the major leagues with 1877 hits that included 340 doubles, 14 triples, and 462 home runs. He also accumulated 1407 RBIs and 200 stolen bases. With Oakland he batted .264 with 1048 hits, including 186 doubles, 8 triples, and 254 home runs as well as 793 RBIs and 135 stolen bases. He was a six-time All-Star (5 with the A’s), won four Silver Slugger awards, and twice led the AL in home runs. In 30 postseason games he hit .184 with 7 home runs and 18 RBIs. His life post baseball continued to be filled with controversy, particularly after the publishing of his tell-all book Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big, that discussed the alleged extent of steroid use in the major leagues during Canseco’s playing career and fueled the investigation of performance enhancing drugs in baseball. Canseco’s twin brother Ozzie also briefly played major league baseball.    

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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: Joe DiMaggio, 1939

Outfielder, New York Yankees

Age:  24

4^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 193

Prior to 1939:

Born in California as the son of an Italian immigrant fisherman, DiMaggio was raised in San Francisco where he played for several amateur and semi-pro baseball teams before he followed his older brother Vince onto the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League near the end of the 1932 season. Signed for $225 per month to play for the Seals in 1933 he was shifted from shortstop to the outfield. His 1933 season was highlighted by a PCL-record 61-game hitting streak on his way to a .340 average with 28 home runs and 169 RBIs. DiMaggio hit .341 in 101 games for the Seals in 1934 until he was sidelined by a knee injury that made major league teams leery of pursuing him. The Yankees offered the Seals five players and $25,000 for DiMaggio’s contract, under the provision that he would play for the Seals in 1935 and prove that his knee was healthy. He had a big year with 34 home runs, 154 RBIs, and a .398 batting average. Joining the Yankees in 1936 he made an immediate impact, batting .323 with 44 doubles, a league-leading 15 triples, 29 home runs, and 125 RBIs. He also led AL outfielders with 22 assists and started for the AL in the All-Star Game and finished eighth in league MVP voting while the Yankees returned to the top of the AL for the first time in four years and won the World Series. DiMaggio had a bigger year in 1937, placing second in AL MVP voting while leading the circuit in runs scored (151), home runs (46), slugging percentage (.673), and total bases (418) while also hitting .346 and accounting for 18 outfield assists. He had a third straight All-Star season in 1938 in which he batted .324 with 32 doubles, 13 triples, 32 home runs, and 140 RBIs. In the field he contributed 20 assists. He ranked sixth in AL MVP voting as the Yankees made it three straight World Series titles. An excellent all-around batter who hit for power and average out of a wide stance, DiMaggio was also a formidable baserunner and covered much ground in center field with his speed and as his outfield assist numbers reveal, he had a strong throwing arm.  

1939 Season Summary

Appeared in 120 games

CF – 117, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 524

At Bats – 462

Runs – 108 [9]

Hits – 176 [8]

Doubles – 32 [9, tied with Joe Gordon]

Triples – 6

Home Runs – 30 [4]

RBI – 126 [2]

Bases on Balls – 52

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 20

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .381 [1]

OBP - .448 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .671 [2]

Total Bases – 310 [6]

GDP – 11 [20, tied with six others]

Hit by Pitches – 4 [5, tied with Billy Sullivan, Bill Dickey & Dario Lodigiani]

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading batting average was +.021 ahead of runner-up Jimmie Foxx

Midseason snapshot: HR - 8, RBI - 42, AVG - .435, SLG PCT - .695

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Bos. Red Sox 7/9, (in 5 AB) at Phila. A’s 8/13

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Phila. A’s 6/28, (in 5 AB) vs. Detroit 8/3, (in 5 AB) at Phila. A’s 8/13, (in 4 AB) at Detroit 8/28

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 8 at Detroit 8/28

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 1 (1.000) with 2 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 346

Put Outs – 328

Assists – 13

Errors – 5

DP – 2

Pct. - .986

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. Cincinnati)

PA – 17,AB – 16, R – 3, H – 5, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 1, IBB – 1, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .313, OBP - .353, SLG - .500, TB – 8, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL in CF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Joe DiMaggio, NYY.: 280 pts. - 15 of 24 first place votes, 83% share

Jimmie Foxx, BosRS.: 170 pts. – 1 first place vote, 51% share

Bob Feller, Clev.: 155 pts. – 3 first place votes, 46% share

Ted Williams, BosRS.: 126 pts. – 38% share

Red Ruffing, NYY: 116 pts. – 35% share

(3 first place votes for Bill Dickey, NYY, who ranked sixth, and one apiece for Dutch Leonard, Wash., who ranked seventh & Mike Kreevich, ChiWS, who ranked tenth)

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Yankees went 106-45 to win the AL pennant by 17 games over the Boston Red Sox while leading the league in runs scored (967), home runs (166), RBIs (904), walks drawn (701), OBP (.374), total bases (2388), and slugging (.451). The Yankees weathered the sad conclusion of first baseman Lou Gehrig’s great career to dominate the AL on the way to a fourth consecutive pennant. Won World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 0. The sweep and fourth straight championship was sealed when DiMaggio scored the winning run in Game 4 as Cincinnati catcher Ernie Lombardi lay dazed next to home plate following a collision with another scoring baserunner.

Aftermath of ‘39:

The Yankees dropped to third place in the AL in 1940, but DiMaggio was not at fault as he again topped the league’s batters with a .352 average while also compiling 28 doubles, 9 triples, 31 home runs, and 133 RBIs. His 1941 season was highlighted by a record 56-game hitting streak and he finished with a .357 average along with 43 doubles, 11 triples, 30 home runs, and a league-leading 125 RBIs. The Yankees won the pennant and World Series and DiMaggio, known as “Joltin’ Joe” and “the Yankee Clipper”, received his second AL MVP award. In 1942 his batting average dropped to .305 while he still contributed 29 doubles, 13 triples, 21 home runs, and 114 RBIs. He missed the next three seasons as a result of World War II duty in the Army Air Force. Returning to the Yankees in 1946 he had a relative off-year, batting .290 with 25 home runs and 95 RBIs for the third-place team. In the off-season, a bone spur was surgically removed from his left heel. Further surgery kept DiMaggio out of action until mid-April of the 1947 season. He ended up hitting .315 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs, and 97 RBIs for the pennant-winning Yankees, and in the outfield committed only one error and had a league-best .997 fielding percentage. He won his third AL MVP award by a single vote over Boston’s Triple Crown-winning Ted Williams. In the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, DiMaggio hit two home runs and most memorably was robbed of a potential third in Game 6 on a spectacular catch by obscure reserve outfielder Al Gionfriddo, eliciting a rare display of emotion from the typically reserved and undemonstrative DiMaggio, who kicked the dirt near second base in frustration upon seeing the catch had been made. The Yankees finished third in a torrid AL pennant race in 1948 although DiMaggio batted .320 and topped the league in home runs (39), RBIs (155), and total bases (355). He placed second in league MVP voting. The chronic heel injury caused him to miss the first 65 games of the 1949 season and a bout with pneumonia put him in the hospital in September. Appearing in just 76 games he hit .346 with 14 home runs and 67 RBIs. DiMaggio played in 139 games in 1950 and batted .301 with 32 home runs and 122 RBIs. With age and injuries catching up to him, he played one more season in 1951, hitting .263 with 12 home runs and 71 RBIs. He retired and for his major league career that was spent entirely with the Yankees, DiMaggio batted .325 with 2214 hits that included 389 doubles, 131 triples, and 361 home runs. He also accumulated 1537 RBIs. Playing in ten World Series (9 of which the Yanks won), “the Yankee Clipper” hit .271 with 8 home runs and 30 RBIs. DiMaggio, generally recognized as the best ballplayer of his era, was a 13-time All-Star and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. The Yankees retired his #5 and after his death in 1999 a monument was placed in his honor at Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. Classy and dignified, DiMaggio personified the Yankee championship teams of his time. In retirement he had a short marriage to glamorous actress Marilyn Monroe that kept his name in the public eye and fell victim to his private nature and discomfort with the trappings of celebrity. He later served as a vice president and coach for the Oakland Athletics and a commercial spokesperson for several businesses. His brothers Vince and Dom also played major league baseball and were fine center fielders in their own right.

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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: Darryl Strawberry, 1983

Outfielder, New York Mets

Age:  21

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’6”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1983:

A native of the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles, Strawberry was drawn to sports as a potential ticket out of difficult circumstances. With great natural baseball talent, the tall and rangy Strawberry excelled with a strong Crenshaw High School team both as a pitcher and outfielder. Following high school, he was chosen first overall by the Mets in the 1980 amateur draft. Receiving a $200,000 signing bonus he was first assigned to Kingsport of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he appeared in 44 games and batted .268 with 5 home runs and 20 RBIs. Advancing to Lynchburg of the Class A Carolina League in 1981 Strawberry struggled at the plate and hit .255 with 13 home runs and 78 RBIs. Moving up to Jackson of the Class AA Texas League in 1982, he began to flash the form that had been expected of him, batting .283 with a league-leading 34 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 45 stolen bases. As a result he was named to the league All-Star team. Strawberry played winter ball in Venezuela and began the 1983 season with the Tidewater Tides of the Class AAA International League and was hitting .333 when he was called up to the struggling Mets in May.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 122 games

RF – 117, PH – 4, PR – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 473

At Bats – 420

Runs – 63

Hits – 108

Doubles – 15

Triples – 7 [13, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 26 [7]

RBI – 74 [20]

Bases on Balls – 47

Int. BB – 9

Strikeouts – 128 [2, tied with Jason Thompson]

Stolen Bases – 19

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .257

OBP - .336

Slugging Pct. - .512 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 215

GDP – 5

Hit by Pitches – 4 [11, tied with ten others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: HR – 8, RBI – 28, AVG – .202, SLG PCT – .399

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Most hits, game – 3 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis 6/28, (in 5 AB) at Atlanta 7/19, (in 4 AB) at San Diego 8/22, (in 4 AB) vs. San Francisco 8/27

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 16

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at St. Louis 6/28

Pinch-hitting/running – 0 of 4 (.000) with 2 R, 1 SB

Fielding

Chances – 244

Put Outs – 232

Assists – 8

Errors – 4

DP - 0

Pct. - .984

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Darryl Strawberry, NYM: 106 pts. – 18 of 24 first place votes, 88% share

Craig McMurtry, Atl.: 49 pts. – 6 first place votes, 41% share

Mel Hall, ChiC..: 32 pts. – 27% share

Gary Redus, Cin.: 8 pts. – 7% share

Bill Doran, Hou.: 7 pts. – 6% share

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Mets went 68-94 to finish sixth in the NL Eastern Division, 22 games behind the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies while leading the league in fewest runs scored (575) among other offensive categories. Manager George Bamberger quit in early June while the club was at 16-30 and was replaced on an interim basis by Frank Howard, which briefly lifted the Mets until they slid to a second straight last-place finish (and seventh consecutive losing record).

Aftermath of ‘83:

The Mets rose to second place in the NL East in 1984 and Strawberry contributed 26 home runs, once again, along with 97 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, and a .251 batting average. He was chosen as an All-Star for the first time but also took criticism for a dreadful August slump and for occasionally lackadaisical play in the outfield. The Mets again finished a close second in the division in 1985 and Strawberry was limited to 111 games due to a thumb injury but still hit .277 with 29 home runs and 79 RBIs. In 1986 the Mets won the NL East and the league pennant and proceeded to defeat the Red Sox in the World Series. In his third straight All-Star season, Strawberry batted .259 with 27 home runs and 93 RBIs. The team fell back to second place in 1987 while Strawberry hit .284 with 39 home runs and 104 RBIs, placing sixth in NL MVP voting. With the Mets returning to the top of the NL East in 1988 Strawberry topped the league with 39 home runs and a .545 slugging percentage while further producing 101 RBIs and a .269 batting average. This time he finished second in league MVP balloting. New York fell back to second place in 1989 and Strawberry suffered through a difficult year, hitting just .225 with 29 home runs and 77 RBIs and dealing with numerous off-field troubles, including conflicts with some of his teammates. Affected by some turmoil in 1990, the Mets were again a second place club, although Strawberry returned to form with 37 home runs, 108 RBIs, and a .277 batting average. In the offseason he signed a five-year, $20.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had a fine first season with LA in 1991, batting .265 with 28 home runs and 99 RBIs. A back injury that required surgery limited him to 43 games in 1992. An injury-marred 1993 season saw Strawberry hit just .140 in 32 games. Confirming rumors of years of drug and alcohol abuse he was sent to the Betty Ford Clinic for treatment. Released by the Dodgers, he caught on with the San Francisco Giants during the 1994 season and hit four home runs with 17 RBIs before the players’ strike wiped out the remainder of the schedule. Facing tax evasion as well as renewed drug charges, Strawberry returned to New York with the Yankees in 1995, although he started the season in the minors. He joined the Yankees for 32 games late in the year, hitting .276 with 3 home runs and 13 RBIs. Strawberry appeared in 63 games in 1996 for the Yanks, splitting most of his time between left field and DH. He hit .262 with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs and was a key contributor in the postseason, where he accounted for 3 home runs and 5 RBIs in the ALCS victory over Baltimore. Following an injury-marred 1997 season in which he appeared in only 11 games for the Yankees, Strawberry returned in 1998 to play in 101 games, batting .247 with 24 home runs and 57 RBIs. The Yanks won the World Series but without Strawberry, who was diagnosed with colon cancer and began treatment. Cancer treatment and a drug suspension limited Strawberry to 24 games and three home runs in 1999, although he connected with a key three-run home run in the ALDS vs. Texas. He retired after the season having batted .259 with 1401 hits for his major league career that included 256 doubles, 38 triples, and 335 home runs. Of that, he batted .263 with 1025 hits for the Mets, which included 187 doubles, 30 triples, and 252 home runs. Overall, he further compiled 1000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases, with 733 RBIs and 191 stolen bases accumulated with the Mets. Strawberry was an eight-time All-Star (seven with the Mets) and received two Silver Slugger awards. In 40 postseason games he hit .254 with 9 home runs and 22 RBIs. A player who came to the major leagues with huge potential and hype, Strawberry achieved a fair amount of success, but was also hindered by off-field issues.

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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.