Rookie of the Year: Marty Cordova, 1995

Outfielder, Minnesota Twins

Age:  26 (July 10)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1995:

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Cordova came out of the strong baseball program at that city’s Bishop Gorman High School. Initially drafted as an amateur by the San Diego Padres he chose to go to college instead. He played collegiately at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and at Orange Coast Community College where he was a shortstop with inaccurate throwing ability. The Twins drafted him as a third baseman in 1989 and he signed for a $28,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Elizabethton of the Rookie level Appalachian League, Cordova was quickly shifted to the outfield. In 38 games he hit .284 with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs. Moving up to Kenosha of the Class A Midwest League in 1990 he batted just .216 with 7 home runs and 25 RBIs. He spent 1991 and ’92 with Visalia of the advanced Class A California League and was the league MVP in ’92 after hitting .341 with 28 home runs and 131 RBIs. In the outfield he had 10 assists and only three errors. Moving on to Nashville of the Class AA Southern League in 1993 his batting average dropped to .250 and he hit 19 home runs with 77 RBIs. Cordova’s fielding remained strong and he advanced to Salt Lake of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1994. A broken arm suffered during spring training delayed his entry into the PCL season, but he still batted .358 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs in 103 games. A spot in the Minnesota outfield was created in 1995 with the departure of free agent Shane Mack to Japan and Cordova opened the season as the starting left fielder.

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

LF – 132, CF – 11

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 579

At Bats – 512

Runs – 81

Hits – 142

Doubles – 27

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 24

RBI – 84

Bases on Balls – 52

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 111 [11, tied with Brady Anderson & Tim Salmon]

Stolen Bases – 20 [16, tied with John Valentin]

Caught Stealing – 7 [17, tied with Brady Anderson, Joey Cora & Ozzie Guillen]

Average - .277

OBP - .352

Slugging Pct. - .486

Total Bases – 249

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 10 [6, tied with Chuck Knoblauch, John Valentin & Brady Anderson]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 5

Most hits, game – 4 (in 8 AB) at Cleveland 5/7

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 24 occasions

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 8

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Seattle 5/19

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 363

Put Outs – 346

Assists – 12

Errors – 5

DP - 3

Pct. - .986

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Marty Cordova, Min.: 105 pts. – 13 of 28 first place votes, 75% share

Garret Anderson, Cal.: 99 pts. –13 first place votes, 71% share

Andy Pettitte, NYY.: 16 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11% share

Troy Percival, Cal.: 13 pts. – 1 first place vote, 9% share

Shawn Green, Tor.: 8 pts. – 6% share

Twins went 56-88 to finish fifth in the AL Central Division, 44 games behind the division-winning Cleveland Indians and finished last in the league in walks drawn (471).

Aftermath of ‘95:

Cordova followed up with a stronger season in 1996 in which he batted .309 with 46 doubles, 16 home runs, and 111 RBIs. In 1997 a foot injury limited him to 103 games and his production dropped to 15 home runs and 51 RBIs with a .246 batting average. A strained neck hindered him in 1998 and his average dropped to .253 with just 10 home runs and 69 RBIs. In 1999 Cordova was utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter while rookie Chad Allen supplanted him in left field. His average improved to .285 with 14 home runs and 70 RBIs. A free agent after the season he signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2000 but was released after suffering a broken rib during spring training. Catching on with the Toronto Blue Jays, Cordova appeared in only 62 games and hit .245. His next stop was the Cleveland Indians in 2001, where he became the starting left fielder and produced 20 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .301 average. The Indians won the AL Central title and Cordova appeared in the postseason for the only time in his career, batting .250 in the ALDS loss to Seattle. He signed a three-year, $9.1 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles in 2002, when he produced a .253 average with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. A major elbow injury limited him to nine games in 2003, his last major league season. Overall, in a career that commenced with much promise, Cordova batted .274 with 938 hits, 480 runs, 192 doubles, 18 triples, 122 home runs, and 540 RBIs. Of those totals, a .277 average with 643 hits, 336 runs, 139 doubles, 14 triples, 79 home runs, and 385 RBIs were compiled with the Twins.     

--

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.