Rookie of the Year: Jacob deGrom, 2014

Pitcher, New York Mets

Age:  26 (June 19)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 180

Prior to 2014:

A Florida native, deGrom played basketball as well as baseball in high school at Calvary Christian Academy in Ormond Beach. Initially he played shortstop until he was converted into a pitcher at Stetson University. He developed a change-up and slider in addition to his fastball while in college. Chosen by the Mets in the ninth round of the 2010 amateur draft, deGrom started his professional career that year with Kingsport of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, where he went 1-1 in six starts with a 5.19 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 26 innings pitched until he was diagnosed with an elbow injury . He missed all of 2011 after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery and spent 2012 with two teams at the Class A level, producing a combined 9-3 record with a 2.43 ERA and 96 strikeouts over 111.1 innings. He advanced from Class A to AAA in 2013. His combined production with three teams was 7-7 with a 4.51 ERA and 120 strikeouts. deGrom started the 2014 season with Las Vegas of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and joined the Mets in May.

2014 Season Summary

Appeared in 22 games

P – 22, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 22

Games Started – 22

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 9

Losses – 6

PCT - .600 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 140.1

Hits – 117

Runs – 44

Earned Runs – 42

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 43

Strikeouts – 144

ERA – 2.69 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 1

Midseason Snapshot: 3-5, ERA - 3.18, SO - 72 in 73.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 7 IP) vs. Miami 9/15

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 8 IP) vs. Colorado 9/9

Batting

PA – 53, AB – 46, R – 3, H – 10, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 1, SO – 13, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .217, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 26

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 20

Errors – 0

DP – 4

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Jacob deGrom, NYM.: 142 pts. – 26 of 30 first place votes, 95% share

Billy Hamilton, Cin.: 92 pts. – 4 first place votes, 61% share

Kolten Wong, StL.: 14 pts. – 9% share

Ken Giles, Phila.: 8 pts. – 5% share

Ender Inciarte, Ariz.: 4 pts. – 3% share

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Mets went 79-83 to finish tied for second place in the NL Eastern Division with the Atlanta Braves, 17 games behind the division-winning Washington Nationals.

Aftermath of 2014:

deGrom followed up in 2015 with a season in which he was an All-Star for the first time on his way to a 14-8 record with a 2.54 ERA and 205 strikeouts. The Mets topped the NL East and advanced to the World Series with the second-year pitcher contributing a 3-1 postseason record, including a 13-strikeout performance in a win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS, but also a loss in Game 2 of the World Series against the ultimate victor, the Kansas City Royals. deGrom was 7-8 with a 3.04 ERA during a 2016 season when he was shut down in September as a result of an elbow injury that required surgery. During the season he pitched a complete game one-hitter against the Phillies. He finished with 143 strikeouts over 148 innings pitched. deGrom came back with a strong season in 2017 in which he compiled a 15-10 record with a 3.53 ERA and 239 strikeouts. He received the NL Cy Young Award in 2018 thanks to a league-leading 1.70 ERA that offset a 10-9 record that was the product of insufficient run support. He also struck out 269 batters. For his career thus far, through June 23, 2019, deGrom has produced a 59-47 record with a 2.72 ERA and 1121 strikeouts over 994.2 innings pitched. He has been a two-time All-Star in addition to winning Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award honors.  

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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: Walter Johnson, 1913

Pitcher, Washington Senators

Age:  25

7^th season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1913:

Born in Kansas, Johnson’s family moved west to California where he first began pitching in sandlot games. A sidearm pitcher who threw from a short windmill windup, Johnson relied on his impressive fastball and moved on to Tacoma of the Northwestern League, where he failed to catch on. Playing semiprofessionally in 1906 for $90 per week with Weiser of the Southern Idaho League, he went 7-1 before returning home to California.  Returning to Weiser the next year, he went 14-2 with a 0.55 ERA and 214 strikeouts over the course of 146 innings pitched. The 19-year-old phenom drew the attention of major league teams and signed with the Senators, who he joined in July. In his first taste of major league action, Johnson produced a 5-9 record over 14 games during the second half of the 1907 season, with a 1.88 ERA and 71 strikeouts over 110.1 innings pitched. With the seventh-place Senators in 1908 he was 14-14 with a 1.65 ERA and 160 strikeouts. With the club dropping into the cellar in 1909 and providing inadequate run support, Johnson had a fine 2.22 ERA over 296.1 innings but compiled only a 13-25 record with 164 strikeouts. He improved to 25-17 with a 1.36 ERA in 1910 while leading the AL with 370 innings pitched and 313 strikeouts. Nicknamed “The Big Train” as the result of the sound his legendary fastball made, and “Barney” after racecar driver Barney Oldfield, due to his driving habits, Johnson continued to pitch brilliantly for a mediocre team, going 25-13 with a 1.90 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 1911 and 33-12 while leading the league in ERA (1.39) and strikeouts (303) in 1912. By 1913, he had added a curve to his pitching arsenal that ultimately depended on his overpowering speed.

1913 Season Summary

Appeared in 55 games

P – 48, 2B – 1, CF – 1, PH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 48 [2, tied with Chief Bender & Jim Scott]

Games Started – 36 [2, tied with Reb Russell, Cy Falkenberg & Bob Groom]

Complete Games – 29 [1]

Wins – 36 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .837 [1]

Saves – 2 [11, tied with five others]

Shutouts – 11 [1]

Innings Pitched – 346 [1]

Hits – 232 [16]

Runs – 56

Earned Runs – 44

Home Runs – 9 [1, tied with Russ Ford]

Bases on Balls – 38

Strikeouts – 243 [1]

ERA – 1.14 [1]

Hit Batters – 9 [10, tied with five others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading complete games were +3 ahead of runner-up Reb Russell

League-leading wins were +13 ahead of runner-up Cy Falkenberg

League-leading win percentage was +.123 ahead of runner-up Joe Bush

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Reb Russell

League-leading innings pitched were +29.1 ahead of runner-up Reb Russell

League-leading strikeouts were +77 ahead of runners-up Vean Gregg & Cy Falkenberg]

League-leading ERA was -0.44 lower than runner-up Eddie Cicotte

Most strikeouts, game – 15 (in 11.1 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/25

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Red Sox 4/23, at Chi. White Sox 5/10, vs. Detroit 6/10, vs. NY Yankees 6/21

Batting

PA – 144, AB – 134, R – 12, H – 35, 2B – 5, 3B – 6, HR – 2, RBI – 14, BB – 5, SO – 14, SB – 2, CS – N/A, AVG - .261, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 1, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 103

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 82

Errors – 0

DP – 7

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: Chalmers Award

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Walter Johnson, Wash.: 54 pts. - 84% share

Joe Jackson, Clev.: 43 pts. – 67% share

Eddie Collins, PhilaA.: 30 pts. – 47% share

Tris Speaker, BosRS.: 26 pts. – 41% share

Frank Baker, PhilaA.: 21 pts. – 33% share

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Senators went 90-64 to finish second in the AL, 6.5 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (23) and strikeouts (758).

Aftermath of 1913:

The gentlemanly Johnson was esteemed for his modesty and sportsmanship, in addition to his pitching talent. He never brushed back opposing batters out of a fear of inflicting a fatal injury, nor did he engage in disputes with umpires and avoided brawls. His careful pacing allowed him to pitch many innings without injury. In 1914 “the Big Train” posted a 28-18 record with a 1.72 ERA and league-leading 225 strikeouts over the course of 371.2 innings. His success continued for the remainder of the decade, as he never won fewer than 20 games in any season from 1910 to ’19. He also topped the AL twice more in ERA during the same time period. He regularly paced the circuit in strikeouts as well. The Senators finished as high as second twice during the decade, and third on two more occasions, primarily on the basis of Johnson’s pitching success. He finally had an off-year in 1920, due to sickness, a sore arm, and leg injuries. His record dropped to 8-10 with a 3.13 ERA and only 78 strikeouts over 143.2 innings pitched, his fewest since his rookie year. Nevertheless, he also pitched the only no-hitter of his career against the Boston Red Sox. He rebounded with a 17-14 tally in 1921, topping the AL with 143 strikeouts. Following 15-16 and 17-12 records in 1922 and ’23 and contemplating retirement, he was 23-7 in 1924 as he won the League Award as AL MVP and the Senators won their first league pennant. In the World Series against the New York Giants, Johnson lost twice before winning the dramatic seventh game in relief.  He returned in 1925 and was 20-7 with a 3.07 ERA as Washington again topped the American League. This time he was 2-1 in the World Series against Pittsburgh, taking the loss in a rainy Game 7. Johnson played two more seasons before retiring in 1927. Over the course of a 21-year career with the Senators, “the Big Train” produced a 417-279 record with a 2.17 ERA and then-record 3509 strikeouts over 5914.1 innings pitched. He hurled 531 complete games that included 110 shutouts. He had two 30-win seasons and 12 with 20 or more wins. Pitching for a club that often provided minimal run support, he notched a record 38 wins by a score of 1-0 and suffered 26 losses by the same score. Johnson topped the AL in strikeouts 12 times and his career total remained the major league record until 1983. Twice during his career he struck out three straight batters on nine pitches with the bases loaded, highlighting his ability to bear down in clutch situations. Following a year of minor league managing with the Newark Bears of the International League in 1928, Johnson managed the Senators from 1929 to ’32 and the Cleveland Indians from 1933 to ’35. His major league teams compiled a record of 529-432 with the Senators finishing second in the AL in 1930 and third in 1931 and ’32. He later became a county commissioner in Maryland and lost an election for the US House of Representatives. Johnson was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, ten years before his death at age 59.

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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.

MVP Profile: Robin Yount, 1982

Shortstop, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  27 (Sept. 16)

9^th season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 165

Prior to 1982:

Born in Illinois, Yount grew up in Woodland Hills, California, where he excelled in playing shortstop at Taft High School and was the third overall pick by the Brewers in the 1973 amateur draft. Assigned to the Newark Co-Pilots of the Class A NewYork-Pennsylvania League, he batted .285 in 64 games and made the jump to the shortstop-deficient Brewers at age 18 in 1974. “The Kid” showed his potential while honing his craft at the major league level, hitting .250 in 107 games until he was sidelined by a foot injury. His range and throwing arm at short was also very satisfactory. Yount started off strong in 1975 until he was again hindered by a foot injury and tailed off in the field, where he committed 44 errors, as well as at the plate where he batted .267 with 28 doubles, 8 home runs, and 52 RBIs.  He stayed healthy in 1976, appearing in 161 games, and hit .252 while leading AL shortstops in total chances (831) and put outs (290), and dropped his errors to 31 for the last place Brewers. A 1977 season in which his batting average rose to .288 was followed by his walking out of spring training in 1978, indicating that he might prefer to become a professional golfer rather than continue with baseball. Returning to the Brewers, Yount missed the first month of the season but still hit .293 with 9 home runs and 71 RBIs. The Brewers rose to second place in the AL East in 1979 and Yount contributed a .267 average with 8 home runs and 51 RBIs along with steady play in the field. With the team desiring greater power production out of his bat, he engaged in a weight-training program in the offseason that paid off with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, and 87 RBIs, his first All-Star selection, and a Silver Slugger in 1980. The Brewers reached the postseason for the first time in the strike-interrupted 1981 season and “Rockin’ Robin” hit well down the stretch while batting .273 overall with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. In the field he committed only 8 errors.  

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

SS – 154, DH – 1, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 704 [8]

At Bats – 635 [4]

Runs – 129 [2]

Hits – 210 [1]

Doubles – 46 [1, tied with Hal McRae]

Triples – 12 [3]

Home Runs – 29 [11]

RBI – 114 [4]

Bases on Balls – 54

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 63

Stolen Bases – 14

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .331 [2]

OBP - .379 [10]

Slugging Pct. - .578 [1]

Total Bases – 367 [1]

GDP – 19 [10, tied with Greg Luzinski & Willie Aikens]

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 10 [2]

League-leading hits were +5 ahead of runner-up Cecil Cooper

League-leading slugging pct. was +.018 ahead of runner-up Dave Winfield

League-leading total bases were +22 ahead of runner-up Cecil Cooper

Midseason snapshot: HR - 15, RBI - 57, AVG - .327, SLG - .585

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Boston 7/2

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 2 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Baltimore 9/24

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

Fielding

Chances - 766

Put Outs – 253

Assists – 489

Errors – 24

DP – 95

Pct. - .969

Postseason Batting: 12 G (ALCS vs. California – 5 G; World Series vs. St. Louis – 7 G)

PA – 52, AB – 45, R – 7, H – 16, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 6, BB – 3, IBB – 1, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .356, OBP - .396, SLG -.489, TB – 22, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for AL at SS)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Robin Yount, Mil.: 385 pts. - 27 of 28 first place votes, 98% share

Eddie Murray, Balt.: 228 pts. – 58% share

Doug DeCinces, Cal.: 178 pts. – 45% share

Hal McRae, KC: 175 pts. – 45% share

Cecil Cooper, Mil.: 152 pts. – 39% share

(1 first place vote for Reggie Jackson, Cal., who ranked sixth)

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Brewers went 95-67 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 1 game over the Baltimore Orioles, while leading the league in runs scored (891), home runs (216), RBIs (843), slugging (.455), and total bases (2606). The struggling Brewers came to life after manager Buck Rodgers was replaced by Harvey Kuenn in June. “Harvey’s Wallbangers” were primarily heralded for their hitting and went 72-43 the rest of the way, surviving the loss of bullpen ace Rollie Fingers in the final month and a surge by the Orioles, who they defeated in the season’s last game to clinch the division title. Won ALCS over the California Angels, 3 games to 2. Lost World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3 despite Milwaukee’s batting heroics.

Aftermath of ‘82:

Yount followed up with another strong season in 1983, even though he was hampered by a back injury while the Brewers dropped to fifth in the AL East. Bothered by a sore shoulder in 1984, he finished the season as a Designated Hitter and hit .298 with 27 doubles, 7 triples, 16 home runs and 80 RBIs. Yount was shifted to the outfield in 1985 and was limited to 122 games as his shoulder injury required surgery. Still, he batted .277 with 15 home runs and 68 RBIs. Installed in center field in 1986, the position he would play for the remainder of his career, Yount hit .312 with 9 home runs and 46 RBIs while scoring a team-leading 82 runs. He was better offensively in 1987, again batting .312 with 21 home runs and 103 RBIs. In 1988 Yount tied for the AL lead with 11 triples to go along with 38 doubles, 13 home runs, 91 RBIs, and a .306 average. He placed eleventh in league MVP voting. He won his second MVP award in 1989 as he batted .318 with 38 doubles, 9 triples, and 21 home runs with 103 RBIs. Yount remained with the Brewers, his only major league team, until 1993, after which he retired at age 38. For his 20-year career he batted .285 with 3142 hits that included 583 doubles, 126 triples, and 251 home runs. He further accumulated 1406 RBIs and 271 stolen bases. The two-time AL MVP was also a three-time All-Star who won a Gold Glove at shortstop and was awarded three Silver Sluggers. The Brewers retired his #19 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

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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: Don Drysdale, 1962

Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  26 (July 23)

7^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1962:

A native of Van Nuys, California, Drysdale originally played second base in high school until he took up pitching as a senior and posted a 10-1 record. Signed by the then-Brooklyn Dodgers to a $4000 bonus contract, he was initially assigned to Bakersfield of the Class C California League where he went 8-5 with a 3.46 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 112 innings pitched. Drysdale advanced to Montreal of the Class AAA International League in 1955 but, hindered by a hand injury, he broke even at 11-11 with a 3.33 ERA. With his good fastball and with the Dodgers short on pitching, he joined the parent club in 1956. Utilized as a reliever and spot starter during his rookie year, Drysdale appeared in 25 games and compiled a 5-5 record with a 2.64 ERA. Moved into the starting rotation, he broke out in 1957 with a 17-9 tally and a 2.69 ERA with 148 strikeouts. With his fine fastball, curve, slider, and change-up, “Big D” was also an intimidating pitcher who quickly established a reputation for throwing inside and hitting batters. The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958 and, playing home games at the Memorial Coliseum, a football venue reconfigured for baseball, proved difficult for the pitching staff. Drysdale dropped to 12-13 with a 4.17 ERA and 131 strikeouts. 1959 was a better year for the Dodgers, who won the NL pennant. Drysdale contributed a 17-13 record with a 3.46 ERA and league-leading 242 strikeouts and 4 shutouts and was an All-Star for the first time. He also started and won a game in the World Series victory over the White Sox. Drysdale led the NL in strikeouts again in 1960 with 246 to go along with a 15-14 record and 2.84 ERA. By 1961 hard-throwing LHP Sandy Koufax had emerged as a star in his own right and would combine with Drysdale to create a formidable tandem. During the ’61 season, the fourth straight in which he led the NL in hit batters, he was suspended for five games for throwing at batters. He finished with 20 hit batters to go with his record of 13-10 with a 3.69 ERA and 182 strikeouts for the second place Dodgers.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 43 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 43 [20, tied with four others]

Games Started – 41 [1]

Complete Games – 19 [4]

Wins – 25 [1]

Losses – 9

PCT - .735 [3]

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 2 [10, tied with fourteen others]

Innings Pitched – 314.1 [1]

Hits – 272 [3]

Runs – 122 [7]

Earned Runs – 99 [13]

Home Runs – 21 [17, tied with Dick Farrell & Vern Law]

Bases on Balls – 78 [14, tied with Al Jackson]

Strikeouts – 232 [1]

ERA – 2.83 [4]

Hit Batters – 11 [5]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 8 [14, tied with seven others]

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runner-up Johnny Podres

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Jack Sanford

League-leading innings pitched were +26 ahead of runner-up Bob Purkey

League-leading strikeouts were +16 ahead of runner-up Sandy Koufax

Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 7/1

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Houston 5/10, at Cincinnati 8/19, (in 8 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/10, (in 7 IP) at Cincinnati 7/18

Batting

PA – 126, AB – 111, R – 9, H – 22, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 14, BB – 5, SO – 29, SB – 0, CS – 1, AVG - .198, GDP – 4, HBP – 2, SH – 8, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 77

Put Outs – 10

Assists – 60

Errors – 7

DP – 5

Pct. - .909

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News (co-winner with teammate Maury Wills)

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (starting P for NL in first game)

5^th in NL MVP voting (85 points, 30% share)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Don Drysdale, LAD: 14 of 20 votes, 70% share

Jack Sanford, SF: 4 votes, 20% share

Billy Pierce, SF: 1 vote, 5% share

Bob Purkey, Cin.: 1 vote, 5% share

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Dodgers went 101-61 to finish tied for first in the NL with the San Francisco Giants, which necessitated a season-extending best-of-3 playoff. The teams split the first two contests, but the Giants won the deciding game. LA finished second in the NL with a final record of 102-63. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (1104) and fewest hits allowed (1386). In their first season in Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers were in first place in September despite the loss of LHP Sandy Koufax with an index finger injury. They slumped badly, going 1-6 to close out the schedule while the Giants finished at 5-2 to catch LA and force the climactic playoff.

Aftermath of ‘62:

The Dodgers won the NL pennant in 1963 and Drysdale contributed a 19-17 record with a 2.63 ERA and 251 strikeouts, adding another win in the World Series sweep of the Yankees. “Airedale” had another strong season in 1964, going 18-16 with a 2.18 ERA and 237 strikeouts while the Dodgers fell to sixth place. But the club returned to the top of the NL in 1965 as Drysdale and Koufax won 49 games between them. Drysdale was 23-12 with a 2.77 ERA and 210 strikeouts. He went 1-1 in the World Series triumph against Minnesota. Always a good hitting pitcher, he batted .300 during the ’65 season with 7 home runs and 19 RBIs. Following a joint holdout with Koufax during spring training in 1966, Drysdale slipped to 13-16 with a 3.42 ERA and 177 strikeouts, although he dropped under 300 innings for the first time since 1961. The Dodgers won the NL pennant once more and Drysdale lost twice in the World Series sweep to Baltimore. Koufax retired after the season and “Big D” was 13-16 again in 1967 with a 2.74 ERA and 196 strikeouts while pitching 282 innings. The Dodgers dropped to eighth with a 73-89 mark. In 1968 Drysdale set a then-major league record by pitching 58.2 consecutive scoreless innings on his way to a 14-12 record with a 2.15 ERA, 8 shutouts, and 155 strikeouts. A torn rotator cuff finished Drysdale’s career after 12 starts in 1969. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Dodgers, he compiled a 209-166 record with a 2.95 ERA and 2486 strikeouts over 3432 innings. He pitched 167 complete games and 49 shutouts. Furthermore, he led the NL in hit batters a total of five times and his career total was 154. He was also 3-3 in World Series action with a 2.95 ERA and 36 strikeouts over the course of 39.2 innings. As a batter he hit a total of 29 career home runs. An eight-time All-Star, the Dodgers retired his #53 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Drysdale moved to the broadcast booth after his playing career, where he remained until his death by a heart attack in 1993.

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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: Tim Salmon, 1993

Outfielder, California Angels

Age:  25 (Aug. 24)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1993:

Born in Long Beach, California, Salmon grew up in a broken home and attended Greenway High School in Phoenix, Arizona where he starred on the baseball team, batting .381 as a senior in 1986. Drafted that year by the Atlanta Braves, he chose to attend Grand Canyon University, where he had three outstanding seasons. Chosen by the Angels in the third round of the 1989 amateur draft, Salmon signed for $60,000 and was first assigned to the Bend Bucks of the short-season Class A Northwest League where he batted .245 in 55 games and hit 6 home runs with 31 RBIs. Moving on to Palm Springs of the advanced Class A California League in 1990, his career almost ended when he was hit in the face by a pitch, necessitating plastic surgery to repair the damage. Three months later, he resumed his career with Midland of the Class AA Texas League, where he batted .268 in 27 games. Salmon continued on with Midland in 1991 where his hitting was streaky and he was prone to striking out (166 times in 131 games). He hit .245 with 23 home runs and 94 RBIs. Working with minor league batting instructor Gene Richards, he improved significantly in 1992 with Edmonton of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, hitting .347 with 29 home runs and 105 RBIs, thus earning a late-season call-up to the Angels, where in 23 games he batted .177. He stuck with the Angels in 1993, impressing with his defensive skills in right field as well as his bat.    

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in 142 games

RF – 140, CF – 1, DH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 610

At Bats – 515

Runs – 93 [17, tied with Albert Belle]

Hits – 146

Doubles – 35 [15, tied with Roberto Alomar]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 31 [9, tied with Danny Tartabull]

RBI – 95 [20]

Bases on Balls – 82 [12, tied with Brady Anderson]

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 135 [6, tied with Chili Davis]

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .283

OBP - .382 [11]

Slugging Pct. - .536 [8]

Total Bases – 276 [14]

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 8 [10, tied with seven others]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 17, RBI – 58, AVG - .282, SLG PCT - .519

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Oakland 7/27, (in 5 AB) vs. Detroit 8/18

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 8

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Texas 5/23, vs. Oakland 7/27, vs. Seattle 9/15

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 354

Put Outs – 335

Assists – 12

Errors – 7

DP - 2

Pct. - .980

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Tim Salmon, Cal.: 140 pts. – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Jason Bere, ChiWS.: 59 pts. – 42% share

Aaron Sele, Bos.: 19 pts. – 14% share

Wayne Kirby, Clev.: 12 pts. – 9% share

Rich Amaral, Sea.: 8 pts. – 6% share

Angels went 71-91 to finish tied for fifth in the AL Western Division with the Minnesota Twins, 23 games behind the division-winning Chicago White Sox while leading the league in fewest hits (1399). The Angels got off to a 13-5 start and were at .500 at the All-Star break before fading in the season’s second half.

Aftermath of ‘93:

“Kingfish” followed up with another solid performance during the strike-shortened 1994 season, in which he batted .287 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs. In 1995 Salmon improved to .330 with 34 home runs and 105 RBIs and he received a Silver Slugger Award and finished seventh in AL MVP voting while the Angels placed second in the AL West. Salmon hit .286 with 30 home runs and 98 RBIs in 1996 and .296 with 33 home runs and 129 RBIs in ’97. A severe wrist sprain sidelined him during the 1999 season. Limited to 98 games, he batted .266 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs. Salmon bounced back to .290 with 34 home runs and 97 RBIs in 2000. Receiving a four-year, $40 million contract extension from the Angels in 2001, he struggled through a major slump and batted just .227 with 17 home runs and 49 RBIs. Salmon bounced back in 2002 with a .286 average, 22 home runs, and 88 RBIs despite missing nearly a month with a hand injury. The Angels reached the postseason and won the World Series. Salmon played a major role in the team’s success, batting .288 in the 16 games with 4 home runs and 12 RBIs. In 2003 the 34-year-old (at the start of the season) began to show signs of age and wear, although he was still effective with a .275 average and 19 home runs with 72 RBIs. He spent significant time as a Designated Hitter rather than in the field. Various injuries limited Salmon to only 60 games in 2004, with the arrival of free agent right fielder Vladimir Guerrero shifting him to largely a DH and pinch-hitting role. Recovery from multiple surgeries cost him the entire 2005 season and he was considered a longshot to make the team in 2006. He succeeded in playing one last season for the Angels, batting .265 in 76 games. Overall, in a career spent entirely with the Angels, Salmon batted .282 with 1674 hits that included 339 doubles, 24 triples, and 299 home runs. He drove in 1016 RBIs and, while never an All-Star, he finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting twice.

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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. 

Cy Young Profile: Zack Greinke, 2009

Pitcher, Kansas City Royals

Age:  25

6^th season with Royals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 200

Prior to 2009:

A native of suburban Orlando, Florida, Greinke first established himself as a power-hitting infielder at Apopka High School. Taking advantage of his hard throwing ability, he became a pitcher. As a senior he posted a 9-2 record with a 0.55 ERA for a team that went 30-3. Afterward he was chosen by the Royals as the sixth overall pick in the 2002 amateur draft. Playing for three teams at the Rookie to Class A levels in ’02, Greinke showed potential although he lacked finesse. In 2003, he started the season with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the advanced Class A Carolina League and compiled an 11-1 record with a 1.14 ERA and 78 strikeouts over 87 innings to achieve league Player of the Year recognition. Promoted to Wichita of the Class AA Texas League, Greinke, who had developed a fine change-up, started nine games and went 4-3 with a 3.23 ERA. He started the 2004 season with Omaha of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and was promoted to the Royals in May. He had a solid rookie campaign for Kansas City, starting 24 games and posting an 8-11 record with a 3.97 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 145 innings pitched. Greinke started out well with a poor club in 2005, but the lack of run support took its toll as he stumbled to a 5-17 mark with a 5.80 ERA and 114 strikeouts. He also tied a team record by hitting 13 batters. Greinke started the 2006 season on the disabled list as he was treated for depression and social anxiety. Sent back to Wichita upon his return, he went 8-3 with a 4.34 ERA and was called back to Kansas City in September where he won his lone start. With the Royals in 2007, Greinke struggled initially as a starting pitcher and was sent to the bullpen where, over the course of 38 relief appearances, he was 4-1 with one save and had a 3.54 ERA. He returned to the starting rotation in August and overall finished with a 7-7 record with a 3.69 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 122 innings. Having signed a four-year contract extension, Greinke had a fine season in 2008, starting 32 games and going 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA and 183 strikeouts for the fourth-place Royals. With an arsenal of pitches that included a fastball, slider, curve, and change-up, he was set to become a top major league pitcher.       

2009 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [4, tied with nine others]

Complete Games – 6 [2]

Wins – 16 [7, tied with Jered Weaver & Joe Saunders]

Losses – 8

PCT - .667 [8, tied with Jered Weaver]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [2]

Innings Pitched – 229.1 [5]

Hits – 195 [14, tied with Kevin Millwood]

Runs – 64

Earned Runs – 55

Home Runs – 11

Bases on Balls – 51

Strikeouts – 242 [2]

ERA – 2.16 [1]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading ERA was -0.33 lower than runner-up Felix Hernandez

Midseason Snapshot: 10-5, ERA - 2.12, SO – 129 in 127.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 15 (in 8 IP) vs. Cleveland 8/25

10+ strikeout games – 5

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Seattle 8/30

Batting

PA – 6, AB – 6, R – 0, H – 1, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .167, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 47

Put Outs – 11

Assists – 35

Errors – 1

DP – 4

Pct. - .979

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

17^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Robinson Cano, NYY (12 points, 3% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

Zack Greinke, KC: 134 pts. – 25 of 28 first place votes, 96% share

Felix Hernandez, Sea.: 80 pts. – 2 first place votes, 57% share

Justin Verlander, Det.: 14 pts. – 1 first place vote, 10% share

C.C. Sabathia, NYY: 13 pts. – 9% share

Roy Halladay, Tor.: 11 pts. – 8% share

Royals went 65-97 to finish tied for fourth in the AL Central Division with the Cleveland Indians, 21.5 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (10, tied with the Toronto Blue Jays) and walks (600).

Aftermath of ‘09:

Greinke followed up with a 10-14 record with a 4.17 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 2010. In the offseason he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a six-player deal. He started the 2011 season on the disabled list due to a rib injury and went on to compile a 16-6 record with a 3.83 ERA and 201 strikeouts. In his first taste of postseason action, he was 1-1 in the NLCS vs. St. Louis. In 2012 he got off to a 9-3 start with a 3.44 ERA before being dealt to the Los Angeles Angels in July. He went 6-2 with a 3.53 ERA the rest of the way to finish with a combined record of 15-5 over 34 starts with a 3.48 ERA and 200 strikeouts. Greinke joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in the offseason, having signed for $147 million. He spent part of the 2013 season on the disabled list as the result of a broken left collarbone, suffered when Carlos Quentin of San Diego charged the mound after being hit by a pitch, which set off a brawl. Greinke returned to post a 15-4 record with a 2.63 ERA and 148 strikeouts. He also received a Silver Slugger award for batting .328, to lead NL pitchers. In three postseason starts for the division-winning Dodgers he was 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA. In 2014 he was an All-Star for the second time in his career on his way to a 17-8 mark with a 2.71 ERA and 207 strikeouts. He also received a Gold Glove for the first time in recognition of his fielding prowess. The Dodgers again topped the NL West and Greinke started one postseason game in which he did not get a decision. He led the NL with a 1.66 ERA in 2015, a year in which he went 19-3, which included an 8-game winning streak, with 200 strikeouts for first-place LA. He placed second in NL Cy Young Award voting, was an All-Star, and again received a Gold Glove. Greinke was 1-1 in the NLDS loss to the Mets, including the loss in the decisive Game 5. In the offseason, he signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he has continued to experience success that has included two more All-Star selections and three more Gold Gloves. His best record for Arizona thus far has been 17-7 in 2017, with a 3.20 ERA. Overall for his career through June 1, 2019, Greinke has compiled a 193-120 record with a 3.38 ERA and 2510 strikeouts over 2745 innings pitched. He has hurled 16 complete games and 5 shutouts and has been a five-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner. His postseason record has been 3-4 with a 4.03 ERA and 59 strikeouts. With the Royals he was 60-67 with a 3.82 ERA and 931 strikeouts.      

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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.  

MVP Profile: Hank Greenberg, 1935

First Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Age:  24

3^rd season with Tigers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 210

Prior to 1935:

A native of New York City, who was born on New Year’s Day in 1911, Greenberg began playing baseball on the fields at Crotona Park in the Bronx. An outstanding athlete at James Monroe High School, he excelled at basketball, soccer, and track, as well as baseball. Greenberg signed with the Tigers following his graduation from high school in 1929. First assigned to Raleigh of the Class C Piedmont League in 1930, the Jewish first baseman endured anti-Semitic slurs on his way to batting .314 with 26 doubles, 14 triples, and 19 home runs. He also saw action with Hartford of the Class A Eastern League and appeared in one late-season game with the Tigers. Playing for the Evansville Hubs of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three-I) League in 1931, Greenberg hit .318 with 41 doubles, 10 triples, and 15 home runs. 1932 was spent with the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League, where he continued to impress at the plate with a .290 average, 31 doubles, 11 triples, and 39 home runs. Initially an awkward first baseman, the gangly and hard-working Greenberg developed his craft and made it to the Tigers to stay in 1933. That year he appeared in 117 games and batted .301 with 33 doubles, 3 triples, 12 home runs, and 85 RBIs. He broke out during a 1934 season in which Detroit won the AL pennant and contributed a league-leading 63 doubles along with 7 triples, 26 home runs, and 139 RBIs. He placed sixth in league MVP voting and hit .321 with a home run and 7 RBIs in the seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals.

1935 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

1B – 152

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 710 [3]

At Bats – 619 [8]

Runs – 120 [3]

Hits – 203 [4]

Doubles – 46 [2]

Triples – 16 [3]

Home Runs – 36 [1, tied with Jimmie Foxx]

RBI – 168 [1]

Bases on Balls – 87 [6]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 91 [3]

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .328 [7]

OBP - .411 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .628 [2]

Total Bases – 389 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading RBIs were +48 ahead of runner-up Lou Gehrig

League-leading total bases were +49 ahead of runner-up Jimmie Foxx

Midseason snapshot: HR – 25, RBI – 101, AVG - .317, SLG PCT - .671

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at NY Yankees 5/28, (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/5, (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 7/28, (in 5 AB) at Washington 9/11 – 12 innings

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at NY Yankees 5/28, (in 4 AB) at St. Louis Browns 6/28, (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/5, (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 8/3 – 12 innings

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at St. Louis Browns 8/29

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances - 1549

Put Outs – 1437

Assists – 99

Errors – 13

DP – 142

Pct. - .992

Postseason: 2 G (World Series vs. Chi. Cubs)

PA – 8, AB – 6, R – 1, H – 1, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 0, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .167, OBP - .375, SLG -.667, TB – 4, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Hank Greenberg, Det.: 80 pts. – 8 of 8 first place votes, 100% share

Wes Ferrell, BosRS.: 62 pts. – 78% share

Joe Vosmik, Clev.: 39 pts. – 49% share

Buddy Myer, Wash.: 36 pts. – 45% share

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 29 pts. – 36% share

Tigers went 93-58 to win the AL pennant by 3 games over the New York Yankees while leading the league in runs scored (918), RBIs (841), walks drawn (628), batting (.290), on-base percentage (.366) total bases (2358), and slugging (.435). With excellent hitting, fielding, and pitching, the Tigers held off the Yankees to win a second straight pennant. Won World Series over the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 2, despite losing Greenberg to a broken wrist in Game 2.

Aftermath of ‘35:

Greenberg reinjured the wrist that curtailed his 1935 World Series participation early in 1936 and was limited to just 12 games. He rebounded in 1937 to hit .337 with 49 doubles, 14 triples, 40 home runs, and a league-high 184 RBIs. In addition to being an All-Star selection for the first time, he finished third in AL MVP balloting. In 1938 Greenberg challenged Babe Ruth’s then single season record by clubbing 58 home runs, along with 147 RBIs, and a .315 batting average. He also drew an AL-high 119 walks and again placed third in league MVP voting. “Hammerin’ Hank” had solid but lower numbers in 1939 as he hit .312 with 33 home runs and 113 RBIs. Never an outstanding defensive first baseman, he was moved to left field in 1940 to accommodate Rudy York, a young slugging first baseman. The result was a pennant for the Tigers and Greenberg led the AL with 50 doubles, 41 home runs, 150 RBIs, a .670 slugging percentage, and 384 total bases, to go along with a .340 batting average. He also hit .357 in the seven-game World Series loss to Cincinnati and received his second American League MVP award. He started the 1941 season and appeared in 19 games before entering the Army. He missed the 1942, ’43, and ’44 seasons entirely due to World War II military service, returning to the Tigers in July of 1945, following his discharge. Still playing left field, he played a key role in spurring the club to another pennant. Appearing in 78 games, Greenberg batted .311 with 13 home runs and 60 RBIs. His home run in the season’s final game clinched the pennant. In the World Series victory over the Chicago Cubs, he hit .304 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. At age 35 in 1946 and showing signs of wear, Greenberg’s batting average dropped to .277, but he still topped the league with 44 home runs and 127 RBIs. In the offseason he was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates for $75,000. His new club moved him back to first base in 1947 and he acted as a mentor to slugging young outfielder Ralph Kiner. They also pulled the left field fence in for his benefit. Greenberg batted .249 with 25 home runs and 74 RBIs, following which he retired. Overall with the Tigers, he batted .319 with 1528 hits that included 366 doubles, 69 triples, and 306 home runs while driving in 1200 RBIs. His major league totals were a .313 average with 1628 hits, 379 doubles, 71 triples, and 331 home runs and 1274 RBIs. His lifetime slugging percentage was .605. He led the AL in home runs and RBIs four times. In addition to being a two-time MVP he was a four-time All-Star. The Tigers retired his #5 and he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. Following his retirement as a player, owner Bill Veeck of the Cleveland Indians hired the articulate and intelligent Greenberg to be the team’s farm director and then general manager. Later, when Veeck first bought the Chicago White Sox, Greenberg became a part-owner and vice president until leaving to become an investment banker. He lived until 1986, when he died at age 75.

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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.