Rookie of the Year: Joe Charboneau, 1980

Outfielder, Cleveland Indians

Age:  25 (June 17)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1980:

Born in Illinois and raised in Santa Clara, California, Charboneau played baseball at Buchser High School without distinction. Moving on to West Valley College, where he excelled in his first season, hitting .373 with 12 home runs he was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the January 1976 amateur draft, but chose to return to college play for a second year and was then picked by the Philadelphia Phillies in the secondary phase draft in June. Signed for a $5000 bonus, Charboneau initially was assigned to Spartanburg of the Class A Western Carolinas League where he batted .298 with 4 home runs and 18 RBIs over 43 games. Moving on to Peninsula of the Class A Carolina League in 1977, Charboneau performed poorly and hit .172 over 12 games. Frustrated because the Phillies would not return him to Spartanburg, he quit and went home to Santa Clara. He returned to baseball in 1978 and batted a league-leading .350 with Visalia of the Class A California League, in addition to hitting 18 home runs and driving in 116 RBIs. In the offseason the Phillies traded Charboneau to the Indians who assigned him to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern League where he won another batting championship by hitting .352 along with 21 home runs and 78 RBIs. Already notable for quirky behavior and a volatile temper as well as batting talent, Charboneau went to spring training with the Indians in 1980 with the expectation that he would spend the season in Class AAA. A season-ending knee injury to first baseman Andre Thornton led to left fielder Mike Hargrove being shifted to first, thus opening a spot for Charboneau, who quickly had an impact on the team and became a fan favorite.

1980 Season Summary

Appeared in 131 games

LF – 67, DH – 56, RF – 1, PH – 11, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 512

At Bats – 453

Runs – 76

Hits – 131

Doubles – 17

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 23 [13, tied with Robin Yount]

RBI – 87 [14, tied with Robin Yount]

Bases on Balls – 49

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 70

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .289

OBP - .358

Slugging Pct. - .488 [11]

Total Bases – 221

GDP – 24 [2, tied with Lance Parrish, Steve Kemp & Rick Burleson]

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 6

Midseason snapshot: HR - 11, RBI - 42, AVG - .291, SLG PCT - .465

---

Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Seattle 7/23 – 11 innings

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 10

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Seattle 7/23 – 11 innings

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

Fielding

Chances – 136

Put Outs – 125

Assists – 6

Errors – 5

DP - 1

Pct. - .963

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Joe Charboneau, Clev.: 102 pts. – 15 of 28 first place votes, 73% share

Dave Stapleton, Bos.: 40 pts. – 3 first place votes, 29% share

Doug Corbett, Min.: 38 pts. – 3 first place votes, 27% share

Damaso Garcia, Tor.: 35 pts. – 3 first place votes, 25% share

Britt Burns, ChiWS.: 33 pts. – 4 first place votes, 24% share

Indians went 79-81 to finish sixth in the AL Eastern Division, 23 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees while hitting the fewest home runs in the league (89). It was the club’s third straight sixth-place finish.

Aftermath of ‘80:

The player who was given the nickname “Super Joe” by a Cleveland sportswriter during his big rookie season fell back to earth in 1981. A back injury caused his hitting to suffer, he was defensively limited in left field, and he ended up spending part of the strike-interrupted season with the Charleston Charlies of the Class AAA International League. He ended up batting a lowly .217 for Charleston and .210 for the Indians with just 4 home runs and 18 RBIs. In the offseason he had the first of multiple back surgeries and got off to another poor start with the Indians in 1982. Charboneau was hitting .214 with only two home runs when he was sent down to Charleston again in June. His performance continued its decline and he ended the year back in Class AA with Chattanooga. In 1983 he was assigned to the Buffalo Bisons of the Class AA Eastern League and hit .200 in 11 games before he was released after making an obscene gesture toward jeering fans. In 1984 Charboneau appeared as a member of the fictional New York Knights in the movie The Natural. He then signed a minor-league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who sent him to Prince William of the Carolina League where he batted .289 with just 8 home runs over the course of 108 games. Moving on to Hawaii of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League following the end of Prince William’s season, he hit .224 in 15 games, thus ending his career. In his brief time with Cleveland, Charboneau appeared in 201 games and batted .266 with 172 hits that included 26 doubles, 4 triples, and 29 home runs along with 114 RBIs. He went on to manage a summer collegiate league team and coach at the collegiate and independent minor league levels. The much-storied Charboneau, who was a colorful presence with the Indians, ended up becoming an ambassador for the team, trading on the notoriety he achieved during his outstanding rookie year. 

--

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: Ernie Lombardi, 1938

Catcher, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  30 (Apr. 6)

7^th season with Reds

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 230

Prior to 1938:

The son of Italian immigrants and a native of Oakland, California, Lombardi played sandlot baseball as a boy and joined a semipro team at age 12 where his size (he would prove to be excellent at blocking the plate), large hands, and strong throwing arm made him a welcome addition as a catcher. He joined the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League at age 18 in 1926, appearing in four games and getting two hits. Following another brief stint with the Oaks in 1927, Lombardi joined the Ogden Gunners of the Class C Utah-Idaho League where he batted .398 in 50 games. Returning to Oakland from 1928 to ’30, the good-natured backstop acquired the nickname “Schnozz” due to his prominent nose. He averaged .377, .366, and .370 over the three seasons, with 24 home runs in 1929 and 22 in 1930. He also performed well defensively, leading PCL catchers with 95 assists in 1929 and 102 in 1930. Brooklyn acquired Lombardi for two players and $50,000 in 1931. As backup to Al Lopez, he appeared in 73 games and hit .297 with his unorthodox batting grip in which he placed his left index finger over the little finger of his right hand. Lombardi was traded to the Reds in 1932 as part of a six-player deal and became Cincinnati’s starting catcher. A notoriously slow runner who was also very strong, had a keen batting eye, and hit the ball hard, Lombardi batted .303 in 1932 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 11 home runs, and 68 RBIs. After hitting .283 in 1933, his average jumped back up to .305 with 9 home runs and 62 RBIs in 1934. In 1935 he tied a NL record with four doubles in a game against the Phillies on his way to 23 doubles for the season, along with 12 home runs, 64 RBIs, and a .343 batting average. Lombardi was an All-Star selection in 1936, when he hit .333 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs, and 1937, when his average was .334 with 9 home runs and 59 RBIs. Despite any defensive limitations, he was considered a good handler of pitchers.   

1938 Season Summary

Appeared in 129 games

C – 123, PH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 529

At Bats – 489

Runs – 60

Hits – 167 [9, tied with Johnny Rizzo]

Doubles – 30 [13]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 19 [7]

RBI – 95 [7]

Bases on Balls – 40

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 14

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .342 [1]

OBP - .391 [7]

Slugging Pct. - .524 [5]

Total Bases – 256 [8, tied with Harry Craft]

GDP – 30 [1]

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading batting average was +.005 ahead of runner-up Johnny Mize

League-leading times batted into double plays were +5 ahead of runner-up Al Todd

Midseason snapshot: HR - 10, RBI – 42, AVG – .360, SLG PCT - .570

--

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Cards 8/22, (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 10/1

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 9

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Brooklyn 9/14

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Brooklyn 9/14

Pinch-hitting – 3 of 7 (.429) with 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 594

Put Outs – 512

Assists – 73

Errors – 9

DP – 8

Pct. - .985

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for NL at C)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Ernie Lombardi, Cin.: 229 pts. - 10 of 15 first place votes, 68% share

Bill Lee, ChiC.: 166 pts. – 5 first place votes, 49% share

Arky Vaughan, Pitt.: 163 pts. – 49% share

Mel Ott, NYG.: 132 pts. – 39% share

Frank McCormick, Cin.: 130 pts. – 39% share

Reds went 82-68 to finish fourth in the NL, 6 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago Cubs for the team’s best finish since 1926.

Aftermath of ‘38:

Lombardi had another solid season for the pennant-winning Reds in 1939, batting .287 with 20 home runs and 85 RBIs and garnering All-Star recognition for the fourth straight year. In the ensuing four-game sweep in which Cincinnati lost to the Yankees, Lombardi suffered an ignominious moment in the decisive Game 4. With the score tied at 4-4 in the tenth inning and two Yankees on base, outfielder Joe DiMaggio slashed a hit that drove in the go-ahead run and outfielder Charlie Keller collided with Lombardi while scoring another run and causing the big catcher to lose control of the ball while he lay sprawled behind the plate. DiMaggio circled the bases and slid safely home past Lombardi’s attempted tag as he regained his senses. The play came to be referred to as “Lombardi’s Snooze” and ultimately resulted in a 7-4 Series-winning victory for New York. The Reds recovered to again top the NL in 1940, with Lombardi contributing a .319 average with 14 home runs and 74 RBIs. A sprained ankle limited Lombardi to one game in the World Series triumph over Detroit. He had a down year in 1941 in which his batting average dropped to .264 along with 10 home runs and 60 RBIs. Sold to the Boston Braves in 1942, Lombardi won a second batting title by hitting .330 with 11 home runs and 46 RBIs for the seventh-place club. Holding out for a trade in 1943, he was dealt to the New York Giants for catcher Hugh Poland and second baseman Connie Ryan. He was an All-Star for the last time in 1943 during a season in which he hit .305 with 10 home runs and 51 RBIs. Turned down by the Army for World War II military service, the overweight Lombardi batted .255 in 1944 although he rebounded to .307 in 1945. The arrival of another catcher, Walker Cooper from the Cardinals, in 1946 cost Lombardi his starting job. Appearing in 88 games, he hit .290 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. Lombardi spent one more season with the Giants in 1947, continuing to back up Cooper and playing in only 48 games, in which he batted .282. Released by the Giants, he returned to the Pacific Coast League in 1948, playing for Oakland and Sacramento. Overall for his major league career, Lombardi batted .306 with 1792 hits that included 277 doubles, 27 triples, and 190 home runs. He also produced 990 RBIs. With the Reds, his totals were a .311 average with 1238 hits, 220 doubles, 24 triples, 120 home runs, and 682 RBIs. A seven-time All-Star, Lombardi was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986, nine years after his death at age 69. He was previously inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1958 and the Reds have placed a statue of Lombardi outside of Great American Ballpark.

--

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: LaMarr Hoyt, 1983

Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Age:  28

4^th season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 250

Prior to 1983:

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Hoyt played quarterback and middle linebacker on the Keenan High School football team as well as shortstop, outfielder, and pitcher on the baseball squad. He was chosen by the New York Yankees as a pitcher in the 1973 amateur draft. Initially assigned to Johnson City of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, Hoyt produced a 6-6 record in 12 starts with a 3.91 ERA. Moving on to Fort Lauderdale of the Class A Florida State League in 1974, he went 13-4 with a 2.40 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 161 innings pitched. With teams at the Class A and AA levels in 1975, he compiled a combined 4-5 record with a 3.60 ERA. Hoyt spent 1976 with West Haven of the Class AA Eastern League where he went 15-8 with a 2.50 ERA and 103 strikeouts. In 1977, Hoyt was traded to the White Sox as part of the deal that brought shortstop Bucky Dent to the Yankees. He started off poorly for Iowa of the Class AAA American Association and was sent down to Knoxville of the Class AA Southern League where he was 4-13 with a 4.23 ERA. Demoted to Appleton of the Class A Midwest League in 1978, Hoyt compiled an 18-4 record with a 2.90 ERA and 115 strikeouts. In the winter he played in the Dominican Republic under his eventual major league manager with the White Sox, Tony LaRussa, and he developed into a finesse pitcher who could work the corners of the strike zone. Playing in the Class AA and AAA levels in 1979, Hoyt was a combined 10-9 with a 3.53 ERA. He started the 1980 season in Class AAA with Iowa and utilized primarily as a reliever until called up by the White Sox in June. Appearing in 24 games, 13 of them starts, Hoyt was 9-3 with a 4.57 ERA. Utilized almost exclusively out of the bullpen during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, he was again 9-3 with a 3.57 ERA and 10 saves. As a member of the starting rotation in 1982, he led the AL in wins with his 19-15 record and had a 3.53 ERA and 124 strikeouts. With a slider, curve, and sinker he was an integral part of a fine rotation that included Richard Dotson, Floyd Bannister, Britt Burns, and Jerry Koosman coming into the 1983 season.  

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36

Games Started – 36 [3, tied with Scott McGregor & Dave Stieb]

Complete Games – 11 [6, tied with four others]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 10

PCT - .706 [4]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 260.2 [4]

Hits – 236 [12, tied with John Tudor]

Runs – 115 [10, tied with Jim Clancy & Chris Codiroli]

Earned Runs – 106 [10]

Home Runs – 27 [7, tied with Dennis Eckersley]

Bases on Balls – 31

Strikeouts – 148 [8]

ERA – 3.66 [17]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Richard Dotson

Midseason Snapshot: 9-8, ERA - 4.14, SO - 80 in 132.2 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. Seattle 6/20, (in 7.1 IP) vs. Minnesota 6/25, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 8/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at NY Yankees 8/17

Fielding

Chances – 79

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 56

Errors – 2

DP – 4

Pct. - .975

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

G – 1, GS – 1, CG – 1, Record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 9, H – 5, R – 1, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 0, SO – 4, ERA – 1.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

13^th in AL MVP voting (24 points, 6% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

LaMarr Hoyt, ChiWS: 116 pts. – 17 of 28 first place votes, 83% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC.: 81 pts. – 9 first place votes, 58% share

Jack Morris, Det.: 38 pts. – 2 first place votes, 27% share

Richard Dotson, ChiWS.: 9 pts. – 6% share

Ron Guidry, NYY: 5 pts. – 4% share

Scott McGregor, Balt.: 3 pts. – 2% share

---

White Sox went 99-63 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 20 games over the Kansas City Royals. The pitching staff led the league in fewest walks allowed (447). Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1, with Hoyt’s Game 1 complete game Chicago’s only victory.

Aftermath of ‘83:

The White Sox faded in 1984 and Hoyt went from leading the AL in wins two seasons in a row to topping the circuit in losses with a 13-18 record along with a 4.47 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the San Diego Padres as part of the deal that brought shortstop prospect Ozzie Guillen to Chicago. Following a slow start with his new team in 1985, he won 11 straight decisions on his way to a 16-8 record with a 3.47 ERA and the only All-Star selection of his career. In 1986, Hoyt entered rehab for alcoholism and missed the first month of the season. He went on to post an 8-11 record with a 5.15 ERA. Suspended for 1987 due to drug-related issues, he re-signed with the White Sox, but further drug problems finished his career. Overall in the major leagues, Hoyt compiled a 98-68 record with a 3.99 ERA and 681 strikeouts over 1311.1 innings pitched. He pitched 48 complete games that included 8 shutouts. With the White Sox, he was 74-49 with a 3.92 ERA and 513 strikeouts over 942 innings with 39 complete games and 5 shutouts.

--

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.  

Cy Young Profile: Ferguson Jenkins, 1971

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age:  28

6^th season with Cubs (5^th complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1971:

Jenkins was a native of Chatham, Ontario in Canada who was descended from Bahamian immigrants on his father’s side, and escaped slaves from the American South on his mother’s side. Lanky with long arms, he competed in several sports other than baseball in school and proved to be a fine athlete. Developing his talent as a pitcher, Jenkins was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies following his high school graduation in 1962. In ’62 he played with Miami of the Class D Florida State League and Buffalo of the Class AAA International League and produced a combined record of 8-3 with a 1.73 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 78 innings pitched. In 1963 he again was with Miami and then the Arkansas Travelers of the International League. He was a combined 12-6 with a 3.60 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 150 innings. After playing winter ball in Nicaragua, Jenkins split 1964 with two more teams, at the Class AA and AAA levels, and went 15-11 with a 3.12 ERA and 198 strikeouts. In 1965 he was primarily a reliever with Arkansas and compiled an 8-6 record with a 2.95 ERA and 112 strikeouts over the course of 122 innings. This earned him a call-up to the Phillies where he made 7 relief appearances and produced a 2-1 record with a 2.19 ERA. Jenkins started the 1966 season with the Phillies and had appeared in just one game when he was traded to the Cubs along with outfielder/first baseman John Herrnstein and outfielder Adolfo Phillips for veteran RHPs Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson. He continued to be utilized as a reliever until given the opportunity to start later in the season and he ended up going 6-8 with two complete games and a shutout and a 3.31 ERA with 148 strikeouts over 182 innings pitched for the Cubs. Following an offseason of winter baseball and exhibition basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters, Jenkins was part of the rotation from the start in 1967 and was 20-13 with a 2.80 ERA and league-leading 20 complete games. His 236 strikeouts set a new franchise record. He was an All-Star for the first time and tied for second in NL Cy Young Award voting. The Cubs jumped from the cellar in 1966 to third place, benefiting greatly from the performance of their young pitchers, including Jenkins. With command of both a rising and sinking fastball, slider, and curve, Jenkins was a 20-game winner again in 1968, posting a 20-15 record with a 2.63 ERA over the course of a league-leading 40 starts with another 20 complete games and 260 strikeouts. In a 1969 season in which the Cubs came up short to the Mets in the new NL East, Jenkins was 21-15 with a 3.21 ERA and a league-leading 273 strikeouts. He topped the NL with 24 complete games in 1970 on his way to a 22-16 record with a 3.39 ERA and 274 strikeouts.  

1971 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 39 [1]

Complete Games – 30 [1]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 13 [20, tied with Bob Gibson & Clay Kirby]

PCT - .649 [7]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [13, tied with ten others]

Innings Pitched – 325 [1]

Hits – 304 [1]

Runs – 114 [6, tied with Steve Arlin]

Earned Runs – 100 [8]

Home Runs – 29 [1]

Bases on Balls – 37

Strikeouts – 263 [2]

ERA – 2.77 [9]

Hit Batters – 5 [18, tied with eight others]

Balks – 4 [1]

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runners-up Bill Stoneman & Claude Osteen

League-leading complete games were +9 ahead of runner-up Tom Seaver

League-leading wins were +4 ahead of runners-up Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton & Al Downing

League-leading innings pitched were +30.1 ahead of runner-up Bill Stoneman

League-leading hits allowed were +25 ahead of runner-up Milt Pappas

League-leading home runs allowed were +1 ahead of runner-up Barry Lersch

League-leading balks were +2 ahead of five runners-up

Midseason Snapshot: 13-8, ERA - 2.83, SO - 146 in 174.2 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 7/24, (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 9/19

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Atlanta 8/16, (in 7 IP) at San Francisco 6/22

Batting

PA – 132, AB – 115, R – 13, H – 28, 2B – 7, 3B – 1, HR – 6, RBI – 20, BB – 7, SO – 40, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .243, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 8, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 86

Put Outs – 31

Assists – 48

Errors – 7

DP – 1

Pct. - .919

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

7^th in NL MVP voting (71 points, 21% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Ferguson Jenkins, ChiC.: 97 pts. – 17 of 24 first place votes, 81% share

Tom Seaver, NYM: 61 pts. – 6 first place votes, 51% share

Al Downing, LAD: 40 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

Dock Ellis, Pitt.: 9 pts. – 8% share

Bob Gibson, StL.: 3 pts. – 3% share

---

Cubs went 83-79 to finish tied for third place in the NL Eastern Division with the New York Mets, 14 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (75).

Aftermath of ‘71:

“Fergie” made it six straight 20-win seasons in 1972 to tie the club record, going 20-12 with a 3.20 ERA and 184 strikeouts. Having pitched over 300 innings in four of those six seasons, Jenkins dropped to 271 in 1973 as he struggled with knee and shoulder injuries to finish with a 14-16 record with a 3.89 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Traded to the Texas Rangers in the offseason as part of the deal that brought third baseman Bill Madlock to the Cubs, Jenkins rebounded with an outstanding 25-12 record and an AL-leading 29 complete games plus 225 strikeouts and placed second in league Cy Young Award balloting. He followed up with a 17-18 tally in 1975 with a 3.93 ERA and was dealt to the Boston Red Sox afterward. Inconsistent with Boston in 1976, Jenkins produced a 12-11 record with a 3.27 ERA and 142 strikeouts. His luck was little better in a 1977 season in which he was 10-10 with a 3.68 ERA and 105 strikeouts. He was dealt back to Texas in the offseason and bounced back at age 34 with an 18-8 record in 1978 with a 3.04 ERA and 157 strikeouts. In 1979, Jenkins dropped to 16-14 with a 4.07 ERA and 164 strikeouts. He was suspended for 20 games in 1980 after drugs were found in his luggage during a road trip to Toronto. He still finished with a 12-12 record and 3.77 ERA. During the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Jenkins lost his spot in the starting rotation and ended up at 5-8 with a 4.50 ERA. Returning to the Cubs as a free agent after the season, Jenkins was a respectable 14-15 with a 3.15 ERA in 1982 and 6-9 with a 4.30 ERA in 1983. He was released in the spring of 1984, thus finishing his long career at age 41. Overall, Jenkins produced a 284-226 major league record with seven 20-win seasons and a 3.34 ERA, striking out 3192 batters over the course of 4500.2 innings pitched. Playing so many seasons with Chicago’s Wrigley Field as his home ballpark, he topped the NL in home runs allowed five times and the AL another two times. He also accumulated 267 complete games and 49 shutouts. With the Cubs, he was 167-132 with a 3.20 ERA and 2038 strikeouts. A fair hitting pitcher during his NL years, Jenkins hit .165 with 13 home runs and 85 RBIs. A three-time All-Star (all with the Cubs), his #31 was retired by the Cubs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2004.

--

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: Jackie Jensen, 1958

Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Age:  31

5^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190

Prior to 1958:

A San Francisco native, Jensen starred in baseball and football at Oakland Technical High School. He enlisted in the Navy after graduation in 1945 and was discharged the following year. Entering the Univ. of California, Jensen again played both football and baseball with distinction. As a fullback on the football team, he was a consensus first-team All-American in 1948, as California went undefeated to top the Pacific Coast Conference but lost the Rose Bowl to Northwestern. An equally fine pitcher and outfielder on the baseball team he was a key figure on California’s College World Series-winning squad in 1947. Signing with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League for $75,000 in 1949, he batted .261 with 9 home runs and 77 RBIs while appearing in 125 games. After the season, in a highly publicized wedding, he married Zoe Ann Olsen, an Olympic silver medal diver. The Oaks sold Jensen’s contract to the New York Yankees, where it was anticipated that he would be the successor to aging star center fielder Joe DiMaggio. Utilized as a pinch hitter and reserve outfielder in 1950, the blond-haired “Golden Boy” appeared in 45 games and hit .171 with a home run and 5 RBIs. Jensen started off better at the plate for the Yankees in 1951 but was sent down to the Kansas City Blues of the Class AAA American Association at the end of July, where he batted .263 in 42 games with 9 home runs and 26 RBIs before returning to New York in September. He hit .298 over the course of 56 games for the Yankees with 8 home runs and 25 RBIs and found himself in a battle with rookie Mickey Mantle for playing time in the outfield. Jensen started the 1952 season in center field with Mantle in right, but off to a slow start at the plate, he was traded to the Washington Senators in May along with three other players for outfielder Irv Noren. Inserted into right field with the Senators, he earned an All-Star selection and went on to hit .280 in his breakout season with 10 home runs and 82 RBIs. Jensen followed up in 1953 by batting .266 with 32 doubles, 8 triples, 10 home runs, 84 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. In the offseason he was dealt to the Red Sox where he primarily played in center field in 1954. Hindered by spacious Griffith Stadium in Washington, Jensen began to achieve his power potential with Boston, belting 25 home runs in ’54 along with 25 doubles and 7 triples while hitting .276 with 117 RBIs. He also led the AL with 22 stolen bases. Returning to right field in 1955, he hit .275 with 26 home runs and a league-leading 116 RBIs. An All-Star for the second time, he also finished tenth in league MVP voting. Jensen had another strong season in 1956, batting .315 with 23 doubles, a league-leading 11 triples, 20 home runs, and 97 RBIs, and was a solid member of an outstanding outfield that included Ted Williams in left and Jim Piersall in center field. The fine performance continued in 1957 as he hit .281 with 23 home runs and 103 RBIs.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 153, LF – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 654 [5, tied with Mickey Mantle]

At Bats – 548 [14]

Runs – 83 [11]

Hits – 157 [11, tied with Bob Cerv]

Doubles – 31 [5]

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 35 [5]

RBI – 122 [1]

Bases on Balls – 99 [2]

Int. BB – 7 [5]

Strikeouts – 65 [16, tied with Gus Triandos]

Stolen Bases – 9 [9]

Caught Stealing – 4 [15, tied with nine others]

Average - .286 [14]

OBP - .396 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .535 [6]

Total Bases – 293 [5]

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 3 [20, tied with eleven others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

League-leading RBIs were +9 ahead of runner-up Rocky Colavito

Midseason snapshot: HR – 24, RBI – 68, AVG – .311, SLG PCT – .640

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/18

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 6/8 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/28 – 12 innings

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Washington 5/13

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 313

Put Outs – 293

Assists – 14

Errors – 6

DP – 3

Pct. - .981

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL in RF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Jackie Jensen, Bos.: 233 pts. - 9 of 24 first place votes, 69% share

Bob Turley, NYY: 191 pts. – 7 first place votes, 57% share

Rocky Colavito, Clev.: 181 pts. – 4 first place votes, 54% share

Bob Cerv, KCA: 164 pts. – 3 first place votes, 49% share

Mickey Mantle, NYY: 127 pts. – 38% share

(1 first place vote for Nellie Fox, ChiWS., who ranked eighth)

---

Red Sox went 79-75 to finish third in the AL, 13 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in doubles (229, tied with Detroit), walks drawn (638), batter strikeouts (820), and on-base percentage (.338).

Aftermath of ‘58:

Jensen again led the AL in RBIs in 1959 with 112 to go with 28 home runs and a .277 batting average. He ranked tenth in league MVP balloting and won a Gold Glove for his outfield play. In the offseason he announced his retirement while still apparently in his prime at the age of 32. While news reports indicated that his well-established fear of flying was the culprit in his premature exit from the game, family considerations played the more significant role. He returned to the Red Sox in 1961, a step slower and less adept in the field, and hit .263 with 13 home runs and 66 RBIs, after which he retired for good. Overall, Jensen batted .279 in his major league career with 1463 hits, 259 doubles, 45 triples, 199 home runs, 929 RBIs, and 143 stolen bases. With the Red Sox his batting production was a .282 average with 1089 hits, 187 doubles, 28 triples, 170 home runs, 733 RBIs, and 95 stolen bases. He led the AL in RBIs three times and was a three-time All-Star. Following his playing career, Jensen became a color commentator on college football telecasts and later returned to the Univ. of California as baseball coach. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984, two years after his death at age 55, and was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000.

--

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: Ron Hansen, 1960

Shortstop, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  22 (Apr. 5)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1960:

Born in Nebraska, Hansen and his family moved to Albany, California shortly thereafter. In high school he was a star third baseman on the baseball team and outstanding football and basketball player as well. Turning down a scholarship to the Univ. of California after graduation, he signed with the Orioles in 1956. He started out with the Stockton Ports of the Class C California League that year where he was shifted to shortstop. He batted .289 with 20 doubles, 9 triples, and 8 home runs. Following a winter playing in the Mexican League, Hansen went to spring training in 1957 with the Orioles. A major back injury that required surgery cost him the entire ’57 season but he started the 1958 season with the Orioles. Having lost his batting stroke, Hansen was quickly sent down to Knoxville of the Class A South Atlantic League where he was sidelined for a time due to a hand injury and hit just .216 with 6 home runs and 36 RBIs. Tall for a shortstop during that era, he had good range, a strong throwing arm, and was sure-handed in the field. After a good winter performance in Nicaragua, Hansen was promoted to the Vancouver Mounties of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1959. He hit .256 with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs, and also led PCL shortstops with 321 put outs, 496 assists, and 96 double plays. Receiving a late call-up to the Orioles, he went hitless in two games. Thanks to a strong spring performance in 1960, Hansen earned the starting shortstop job for the Orioles.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

SS – 153, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 606 [18]

At Bats – 530 [18]

Runs – 72

Hits – 135

Doubles – 22

Triples – 5 [14, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 22 [10]

RBI – 86 [11]

Bases on Balls – 69 [12]

Int. BB – 5 [14, tied with nine others]

Strikeouts – 94 [5, tied with Bob Allison]

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .255

OBP - .342

Slugging Pct. - .440 [14, tied with Brooks Robinson & Charlie Maxwell]

Total Bases – 233 [15]

GDP – 18 [5, tied with Al Smith & Al Kaline]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: HR – 9, RBI – 51, AVG – .254, SLG PCT – .424

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Boston 8/14

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 22 occasions

HR at home – 8

HR on road – 14

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on eight occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 810

Put Outs – 325

Assists – 456

Errors – 29

DP – 110

Pct. - .964

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL at SS in both games)

5^th in AL MVP voting (110 points, 1 first place vote, 33% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Ron Hansen, Balt.: 22 of 24 votes, 92% share

Chuck Estrada, Balt.: 1 vote, 4% share

Jim Gentile, Balt.: 1 vote, 4% share

---

Orioles went 89-65 to finish second in the AL, eight games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, which was the club’s best performance since it won the AL pennant in 1944 while still located in St. Louis.

Aftermath of ‘60:

Following an offseason of Army Reserve duty that cut into his spring training preparation, Hansen’s batting production dropped off in 1961 as he hit .248 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs but he still ranked among the league leaders defensively at shortstop. His 1962 production declined due to being limited to playing weekends as a result of again being called up for Army Reserve service and a broken hand suffered in August; he finished with a .173 average and 3 home runs with 17 RBIs. Once again, his play in the field did not suffer. In the offseason Hansen was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with outfielders Dave Nicholson and Pete Ward and RHP Hoyt Wilhelm for shortstop Luis Aparicio and outfielder/third baseman Al Smith. His power production improved to 17 doubles, 13 home runs, and 67 RBIs in 1963, while his batting average remained low at .226. He led AL shortstops with 483 assists and was second with 95 double plays. The White Sox were pennant contenders in 1964 and Hansen contributed a .261 batting average with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs. In the field he led AL shortstops in total chances (827), put outs (292), assists (514), and DPs (105). He remained a top fielder in 1965 as he again topped AL shortstops in chances (840, including a record 28 in a double header against the Red Sox) and assists (527). His batting production dropped to a.235 average with 11 home runs and 66 RBIs. A back injury that required surgery limited Hansen to 23 games in 1966, but he returned to play in 157 games in 1967 and led AL shortstops in chances (752) and assists (482). He batted .233 with just 8 home runs and 51 RBIs. In the offseason, shortstop Luis Aparicio returned to the White Sox by trade and Hansen was part of a six-player deal that sent him to the Washington Senators. During the 1968 season with Washington, he pulled off an unassisted triple play during a game against Cleveland. Two days later, he was traded back to the White Sox, where due to Aparicio’s presence, he was shifted to third base. Overall at the plate, Hansen hit .196 with 9 home runs and 32 RBIs. Utilized as a utility infielder in 1969, he appeared in 85 games and batted .259. He was sold to the New York Yankees in 1970 where he spent two seasons as a utility player and pinch-hitter. Released by the Yankees in 1972, he finished his career with the Kansas City Royals. Overall in the major leagues, Hansen batted .234 with 1007 hits that included 156 doubles, 17 triples, and 106 home runs. He also compiled 501 RBIs. With the Orioles, his production was a .235 average with 301 hits, 42 doubles, 7 triples, 37 home runs, and 155 RBIs. His rookie batting production remained the best of his career. More impressive in the field, he had a lifetime .968 fielding percentage.

--

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: Rafael Furcal, 2000

Shortstop, Atlanta Braves

Age:  22

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 195

Prior to 2000:

A native of the Dominican Republic, Furcal played basketball as well as baseball at Jose Cabrera High School in Loma de Cabrera. He was signed by the Braves as an amateur free agent in 1996 and initially was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1997 where he played second base and batted .258 and stole 15 bases while leading the league’s second basemen with 257 total chances. Moving on to Danville of the advance Rookie-level Appalachian League in 1998, he stole a league-record 60 bases while hitting .328. Furcal played at Class A in 1999 with Macon of the South Atlantic League and Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League. Overall, he stole 96 bases in 126 games and batted .322 while also transitioning to shortstop. Thanks to an injury to Atlanta’s veteran shortstop Walt Weiss, Furcal made the jump from Class A to the Braves in 2000.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in 131 games

SS – 110, 2B – 31, PR – 6, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 542

At Bats – 455

Runs – 87

Hits – 134

Doubles – 20

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 37

Bases on Balls – 73

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 80

Stolen Bases – 40 [5]

Caught Stealing – 14 [2, tied with Preston Wilson & Eric Owens]

Average - .295

OBP - .394 [18, tied with Mark Grace]

Slugging Pct. - .382

Total Bases – 174

GDP – 2

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 9 [16, tied with nine others]

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: HR – 0, RBI – 12, SB – 12, AVG - .304, SLG PCT - .387

---

Most hits, game – 3 on nine occasions

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 3 AB) at Houston 9/2, (in 4 AB) at Arizona 9/16, (in 5 AB) vs. NY Mets 9/19, (in 5 AB) at Montreal 9/24

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 3

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. San Diego 5/20, at Arizona 9/16

Pinch-hitting/running – 0 of 1 (.000) with 1 SB & 5 R

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 459

Put Outs – 147

Assists – 289

Errors – 23

DP - 54

Pct. - .950

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLDS vs. St. Louis)

PA – 14, AB – 11, R – 2, H – 1, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 3, IBB – 0, SO – 0, SB – 1, CS – 1, AVG - .091, OBP - .286, SLG -.091, TB – 1, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (top 5):

Rafael Furcal, Atl.: 144 pts. – 25 of 32 first place votes, 90% share

Rick Ankiel, StL.: 87 pts. – 6 first place votes, 54% share

Jay Payton, NYM: 37 pts. – 1 first place vote, 23% share

Pat Burrell, Phila.: 10 pts. – 6% share

Mitch Meluskey, Hou.: 7 pts. – 4% share

---

Braves went 95-67 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 1 game over the New York Mets, for their ninth consecutive division title. The Braves battled the Mets into September, with the offense benefiting from the insertion of Furcal into the leadoff spot in July, finally securing the NL East title with a Sept. 26 win over New York. Lost NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of 2000:

A dislocated shoulder that required surgery ended Furcal’s 2001 season in July. In 79 games he batted .275 and stole 22 bases. In 2002 he tied the modern major league record with three triples in a game against Florida. He ended up hitting .275 with 31 doubles, 8 triples, and 8 home runs. After having problems in the field during the season’s first two months (13 errors in 38 games), he ended up with 27 errors for the year. In a 2003 game against St. Louis, Furcal turned an unassisted triple play. He had a fine offensive season, batting .292 with 194 hits and 130 runs scored while tying for the NL lead with 10 triples to go along with 35 doubles, 15 home runs, and 61 RBIs. Hindered by injuries in 2004, he appeared in 143 games and hit .279 with 14 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases. Furcal hit .284 in 2005 with 31 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 100 runs scored. In the field he led NL shortstops with 255 put outs. In the offseason he underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery after signing a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Furcal had a fine year with his new team in 2006, batting .300 with 196 hits that included 32 doubles, 9 triples, 15 home runs, 37 stolen bases, and 63 RBIs. In the field he topped NL shortstops with 788 total chances, 269 put outs, 492 assists, and 117 double plays. Hindered by a sprained ankle at the start of the 2007 season, Furcal hit .270 over the course of 138 games. After a back injury limited him to 36 games in 2008, he came back in 2009 to bat .269 while appearing in 150 games, with 9 home runs and 47 RBIs, while stealing only 12 bases. He was still among the league leaders defensively at shortstop. Furcal was an All-Star for the second time in 2010 during an injury-plagued season in which he batted .300 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 8 home runs, 43 RBIs, and stole 22 bases. He spent most of the first half of the 2011 season on the disabled list before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in July. For the year he hit .231 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs while helping the Cardinals to the NL pennant and a World Series title. He contributed two triples to the NLDS victory over Philadelphia and scored 5 runs in the NLCS win against the Brewers. Furcal had an All-Star season with the Cardinals in 2012, although he finished the year on the DL and missed the postseason. He ended up batting .264 over 121 games. Furcal missed the entire 2013 season due to “Tommy John” surgery. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Miami Marlins. He appeared in eight games at second base in 2014 and hit .171. Furcal signed a minor league contract with Kansas City in 2015 and played in just seven minor league contests before retiring. For his major league career, Furcal batted .281 with 1817 hits that included 311 doubles, 69 triples, and 113 home runs. He also compiled 1063 runs scored, 587 RBIs, and 314 stolen bases. With the Braves he produced a .284 average, 924 hits, 160 doubles, 38 triples, 57 home runs, 292 RBIs, and 189 stolen bases. Furcal was a three-time All-Star. He played for one World Series-winning team and appeared in a total of 59 postseason games in which he batted .227 with 5 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 16 RBIs, 33 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases.        

--

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.