Cy Young Profile: Jake Peavy, 2007

Pitcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  26 (May 31)

6^th season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195

Prior to 2007:

An Alabama native, Peavy early displayed all-around athletic ability and became a star pitcher at St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile. With an outstanding fastball and change-up, he went 13-0 as a senior and the team won a state championship. Originally intending to continue to college, Peavy signed with the Padres, who selected him in the fifteenth round of the 1999 amateur draft. Initially assigned to the Padres rookie-level team in the Arizona League in ’99, the 18-year-old went 7-1 with a 1.34 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 73.2 innings pitched and moved on to Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League where he continued to dominate, winning his two starts and not giving up any runs. Peavy moved on to the Fort Wayne Wizards of the Class A Midwest League in 2000 and was 13-8 with a 2.90 ERA and a league-leading 164 strikeouts over 133.2 innings. He also overcame a bout with viral meningitis. Peavy split 2001 with Lake Elsinore of the advanced Class A California League and Mobile of the Class AA Southern League and produced a combined record of 9-6 with a 2.97 ERA and 188 strikeouts. He started the 2002 season with Mobile and was called up to the injury-depleted Padres in June to make an emergency start and stayed in the rotation the rest of the way. He posted a 6-7 record and 4.52 ERA with 90 strikeouts over 97.2 innings pitched. He continued his development with the Padres in 2003 by going 12-11 with a 4.11 ERA and 156 strikeouts. Dealing with a sore arm in 2004, which had him spend some time on the disabled list, Peavy produced a 15-6 record and NL best 2.27 ERA along with 173 strikeouts. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2005 on his way to a 13-7 tally and 2.88 ERA while leading the NL with 216 strikeouts. The Padres topped the NL West and fell to St. Louis in the NLDS. Peavy compiled an 11-14 mark in 2006 with a 4.09 ERA and 215 strikeouts. His pitching repertoire primarily consisted of a fastball, slider, curve and change-up.

2007 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

P – 34, PH – 2, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 34 [2, tied with ten others]

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 19 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .760 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 223.1 [4]

Hits – 169

Runs – 67

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 13

Bases on Balls – 68 [19, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 240 [1]

ERA – 2.54 [1]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runners-up Brandon Webb & Carlos Zambrano

League-leading strikeouts were +22 ahead of runner-up Aaron Harang

League-leading ERA was -0.47 lower than runner-up Brandon Webb

Midseason Snapshot: 9-3, ERA - 2.19, SO - 125 in 119 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 7 IP) at Arizona 4/25

10+ strikeout games – 9

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 7 IP) at Florida 5/6

Batting

PA – 84, AB – 73, R – 8, H – 17, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 7, BB – 2, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .233, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 8, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 48

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 27

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for NL)

7^th in NL MVP voting (97 points, 22% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jake Peavy, SD: 160 pts. – 32 of 32 first place votes, 100% share

Brandon Webb, Ariz.: 94 pts. – 59% share

Brad Penny, LAD: 14 pts. – 9% share

Aaron Harang, Cin.: 10 pts. – 6% share

Carlos Zambrano, ChiC.: 3 pts. – 2% share

Padres went 89-73 to finish tied for second in the NL Western Division with the Colorado Rockies, which necessitated a season-extending one-game playoff in Denver to determine the league Wild Card playoff entry. They lost to the Rockies 9-8 in 13 innings as Peavy started and gave up 6 runs in 6.1 innings, to finish third in the division with a final record of 89-74. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.70), shutouts (20), fewest runs allowed (666), and fewest earned runs allowed (611).

Aftermath of ‘07:

Peavy followed up in 2008 with a 10-11 record and 2.85 ERA with 166 strikeouts as the Padres dropped to fifth place. During the 2009 season he was dealt to the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline for four players. He spent time on the disabled list as the result of an ankle injury and was a combined 9-6 with a 3.45 ERA and 110 strikeouts over the course of 101.2 innings pitched. A season-ending shoulder injury in July of 2010 limited Peavy to 17 starts and a 7-6 mark with a 4.63 ERA and 93 strikeouts over 107 innings. He began the 2011 season on the disabled list as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Peavy ended up starting 18 games and went 7-7 with a 4.92 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 111.2 innings pitched. In 2012 he was selected as an All-Star in a season in which he compiled an 11-12 record with a 3.37 ERA and 194 strikeouts. He also received a Gold Glove for his fielding performance. Peavy started 2013 with the White Sox and was 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox at the end of July. He finished with a combined record of 12-5 with a 4.17 ERA and 121 strikeouts. He started three games in the postseason and was 0-1. Peavy was once again traded in July in 2014, moving from the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants. 1-9 with a 4.72 ERA for Boston, he was 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA for the Giants the rest of the way. San Francisco qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card entry and won the World Series. Peavy was 1-2 in the postseason, losing both of his World Series starts. He spent time on the disabled list due to back and hip problems in 2015 and ended up at 8-6 in 19 starts with a 3.58 ERA. Peavy spent one last season with the Giants in 2016. Overall for his career, he posted a 152-126 record and 3.63 ERA with 2207 strikeouts over 2377 innings pitched. He hurled 15 complete games and 6 shutouts. With the Padres he was 92-68 with a 3.29 ERA and 1348 strikeouts. In postseason play he was 1-5 in 9 starts with a 7.98 ERA and 21 strikeouts. He was a three-time All-Star, twice with San Diego.      

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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: Mort Cooper, 1942

Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  29

4^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210

Prior to 1942:

A Missouri native from a rural community 25 miles east of Kansas City, Cooper played American Legion baseball and then pitched for a local club in 1932 and was signed by the Kansas City Blues of the American Association in 1933. Optioned to the Des Moines Demons of the Class A Western League, he was released after suffering a broken leg and moved on to the Springfield Cardinals of the same league and, for the year, he compiled a 7-5 record in 26 pitching appearances. St. Louis signed Cooper for $75 and he started the 1934 season with the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association. Struggling with his control, he was sent down to Elmira of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League where he went 10-12 with a 4.43 ERA and 128 walks in 185 innings pitched. Coping with the effects of injuries from an off-season auto accident, Cooper was just 6-7 for Columbus in 1935 with a 3.65 ERA in 101 innings pitched. He started the 1936 season with Asheville of the Class B Piedmont League before returning to Columbus, where both his control and his fastball improved as he posted a 5-7 record with a 4.76 ERA while pitching just 85 innings as he continued to regain his strength and stamina. With Columbus again in 1937, the burly Cooper struggled with a sore elbow and finished at 13-13 with a 4.10 ERA. Demoted to the Houston Buffaloes of the Class A Texas League in 1938, he learned to throw a screwball and compiled a 13-10 record with a 2.72 ERA and league-leading 201 strikeouts. The Cardinals called him up in September and he was 2-1 in four appearances, with a 3.04 ERA. Cooper struggled during his first full season with the Cards in 1939 while utilized as a reliever and spot starter. Once moved into the rotation, he put together a 12-6 record with a 3.25 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 210.2 innings pitched. With the Cardinals finishing third in 1940, Cooper was 11-12 with a 3.63 ERA and 95 strikeouts while pitching 230.2 innings. Furthermore, his younger brother Walker Cooper joined the club and developed into an outstanding catcher over his tenure in St. Louis. In 1941 Cooper had surgery to remove bone spurs and produced a 13-9 record with a 3.91 ERA and 118 strikeouts for the second place Redbirds.  With a good fastball augmented by a screwball, curve, and forkball, Cooper was poised to become the ace of a talented pitching staff for the Cardinals.

1942 Season Summary

Appeared in 45 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37 [18, tied with Bob Klinger, Ray Starr & Jim Tobin]

Games Started – 35 [2]

Complete Games – 22 [3]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .759 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 10 [1]

Innings Pitched – 278.2 [2]

Hits – 207 [10]

Runs – 73

Earned Runs – 55

Home Runs – 9 [19, tied with six others]

Bases on Balls – 68 [18]

Strikeouts – 152 [2]

ERA – 1.78 [1]

Hit Batters – 5 [5, tied with four others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [4, tied with four others]

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Johnny Beazley

League-leading shutouts were +5 ahead of runners-up Curt Davis, Rip Sewell & Al Javery

League-leading ERA was -0.35 lower than runner-up Johnny Beazley

Midseason Snapshot: 11-4, ERA - 1.52, SO - 79 in 142 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) at Chi. Cubs 9/20

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Brooklyn 5/20, (in 9 IP) at Boston Braves 6/25, (in 9 IP) vs. Cincinnati 8/14, (in 9 IP) vs. Cincinnati 9/24

Batting

PA – 113, AB – 103, R – 6, H – 19, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 7, BB – 3, SO – 21, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .184, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 7, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 52

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 44

Errors – 2

DP – 3

Pct. - .962

Postseason Pitching: (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

G – 2 GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 13, H – 17, R – 10, ER – 8, HR – 1, BB – 4, SO – 9, ERA – 5.54, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Starting P for NL)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Mort Cooper, StLC.: 263 pts. – 13 of 24 first place votes, 78% share

Enos Slaughter, StLC.: 200 pts. – 6 first place votes, 60% share

Mel Ott, NYG: 190 pts. – 4 first place votes, 57% share

Mickey Owen, Brook.: 103 pts. – 31% share

Johnny Mize, NYG: 97 pts. – 29% share

(1 first place vote for Marty Marion, St.LC., who ranked seventh)

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Cardinals went 106-48 to win the NL pennant by two games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.55), shutouts (18), strikeouts (651), fewest hits allowed (1192), and fewest runs allowed (480). The Cards won 43 of their last 51 games to surpass the Brooklyn Dodgers and secure the pennant. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘42:

Cooper followed up with another outstanding season in 1943, producing a 21-8 record with a 2.30 ERA, 24 complete games that included two consecutive one-hitters, and 141 strikeouts, while chewing on aspirin as he pitched to deal with chronic arm pain. The Cardinals repeated as NL champions and again faced the Yankees in the World Series. Scheduled to start Game 2, he learned that his father had died that morning. He and his brother Walker decided to play and Cooper came through with a six-hit 4-3 win, which proved to be the only victory in the Series for the Cards.  St. Louis made it three straight pennants in 1944 and Cooper, who was exempted from the World War II military draft due to an old knee injury, was excellent once again with a 22-7 record, 2.46 ERA, league-leading 7 shutouts, and 97 strikeouts. In the all-St. Louis World Series triumph over the Browns, he was 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA. He and his brother Walker held out for higher salaries in 1945 and both were traded early in the season as a result. Mort was sent to the Boston Braves for RHP Red Barrett and $60,000. The sore elbow limited him to a 7-4 record with the Braves and a 3.35 ERA. He had surgery to remove bone spurs again and, despite lingering effects from the surgery, Cooper produced a 13-11 record in 1946 with a 3.12 ERA. Significantly overweight in 1947 and with his arm damaged from surgery, he had a 2-5 tally when the Braves dealt him to the New York Giants for RHP Bill Voiselle. Cooper went 1-5 with a 7.12 ERA the rest of the way. Having had further surgery on his elbow, he retired during spring training in 1948. An abortive comeback attempt with the Cubs in 1949 lasted for just one game before he was released. Cooper finished his career with a 128-75 record, a 2.97 ERA, and 913 strikeouts over 1840.2 innings pitched. He compiled 128 complete games that included 33 shutouts. With the Cardinals he went 105-50 with a 2.77 ERA and 758 strikeouts over 1480.1 innings. A three-time All-Star, he finished among the top ten in NL MVP voting three times, including the one win. In six World Series starts he produced a 2-3 record with a 3.00 ERA. The hard-working and hard-living Cooper died from the effects of cirrhosis of the liver, pneumonia, and diabetes in 1958 at the age of 45. The ace pitcher for a team that won three consecutive NL pennants was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2019.

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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: Vern Law, 1960

Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  30

9^th season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1960:

The son of devout Mormons, Law was a native of Meridian, Idaho, and excelled at football and basketball, as well as baseball in high school. He also played well in American Legion baseball and caught the attention of future US Senator Herman Welker, who contacted entertainer Bing Crosby, who had been a college classmate and was then a part-owner of the Pirates. The Pirates signed both Law and his brother Evan, an aspiring catcher, who was released in 1949. The brothers were assigned to Santa Rosa of the Class D Far West League. Vern appeared in 21 games and posted an 8-5 record with a 4.66 ERA. He moved up to Davenport of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1949 and was 5-11 with a fine 2.94 ERA. The next stop for Law in 1950 was with the New Orleans Pelicans of the Class AA Southern Association, where he produced a 6-4 record in 12 games and a 2.67 ERA. He was promoted to the Pirates in June and, appearing in 27 games (17 starts), was 7-9 with a 4.92 ERA for a last place club. In 1951 he started in half of his 28 appearances and compiled a 6-9 record with a 4.50 ERA for the seventh place Pirates. Law missed the 1952 and ’53 seasons due to Army service in which he played service baseball. Back with Pittsburgh in 1954, he was still utilized as both a starter and reliever for the cellar-dwelling club and went 9-13 with a 5.51 ERA. He improved to 10-10 in 1955, with a 3.81 ERA while reaching 200 innings pitched for the first time. In a game against the Braves that went into extra innings, Law lasted 18 innings until he was lifted for a pinch hitter (the Pirates won in the 19^th). He suffered through a difficult 8-16 season (4.32 ERA) in 1956 but he progressed to 10-8 with a 2.87 ERA in 1957. The devoutly religious pitcher, who was nicknamed “Deacon” and “Preacher”, usually avoided throwing brush-back pitches on moral grounds. His repertoire included a modest fastball (he was never a power pitcher), curve, and slider. With the Pirates surging to second place in 1958, Law contributed a 14-12 record and 3.96 ERA. He improved to 18-9 in 1959 with a 2.98 ERA and 20 complete games.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [5, tied with Sam Jones]

Complete Games – 18 [1, tied with Warren Spahn & Lew Burdette]

Wins – 20 [3]

Losses – 9

PCT - .690 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [8, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 271.2 [4]

Hits – 266 [3, tied with Bob Friend]

Runs – 104 [12]

Earned Runs – 93 [9, tied with Jack Sanford & Bob Anderson]

Home Runs – 25 [7, tied with Johnny Podres]

Bases on Balls – 40

Strikeouts – 120 [18]

ERA – 3.08 [7, tied with Johnny Podres]

Hit Batters – 4 [15, tied with nine others]

Balks – 1 [7, tied with fifteen others]

Wild Pitches – 2

Midseason Snapshot: 11-4, ERA - 2.52, SO - 64 in 150 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 10 IP) vs. San Francisco 8/6

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 8/10

Batting

PA – 105, AB – 94, R – 10, H – 17, 2B – 5, 3B – 2, HR – 1, RBI – 7, BB – 2, SO – 19, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .181, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 7, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 80

Put Outs – 28

Assists – 50

Errors – 2

DP – 6

Pct. - .975

Postseason Pitching: (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

G – 3, GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 18.1, H – 22, R – 7, ER – 7, HR – 3, BB – 3, SO – 8, ERA – 3.44, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award:BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for NL in 2^nd game)

6^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Ken Boyer, StL. (80 points, 24% share)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Vern Law, Pitt.: 8 of 14 votes, 92% share

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 4 votes, 25% share

Ernie Broglio, StL.: 1 vote, 6% share

Lindy McDaniel, StL.: 1 vote, 6% share

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Pirates went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by 7 games over the Milwaukee Braves for their first pennant since 1927. The pitching staff led the NL in fewest walks surrendered (386). Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, capped by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off home run. Despite suffering from a sprained ankle, Law was 2-0 in his three starts.

Aftermath of ‘60:

Having torn muscles in his back due to compensating for his ankle injury during the 1960 World Series, Law appeared in only 11 games in 1961 and was 3-4 with a 4.70 ERA. Dealing with lingering arm injuries in 1962, he went 10-7 with a 3.94 ERA while pitching 139.1 innings. Law retired during the 1963 season when he was 4-5 with a 4.93 ERA in August. Feeling that his arm had recovered by the offseason, he made a comeback with the Pirates in 1964, appearing in 35 games and compiling a 12-13 record with a 3.61 ERA and 7 complete games that included 5 shutouts. Law overcame a slow start in 1965 to go 17-9 with a 2.15 ERA in what proved to be his last effective season. He stayed with the Pirates until 1967 when he retired for good. Over the course of a career spent entirely with Pittsburgh, Law posted a 162-147 record with 1092 strikeouts over 2672 innings pitched, along with 119 complete games that included 28 shutouts. A decent hitting pitcher, he batted .216 with 11 home runs and 90 RBIs. He was also considered to be a good baserunner, occasionally being utilized as a pinch runner between pitching assignments. He was an All-Star during one season. His son Vance was primarily a third baseman for five major league teams, including the Pirates.    

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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: Ryan Howard, 2005

First Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  25

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 250

Prior to 2005:

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Howard began to display his power potential in Little League and continued to play well in high school. Moving on to college at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State University), Howard broke out as a junior in 2001, when he hit 19 home runs but also set a school record by striking out 74 times, demonstrating his career-long propensity for having a productive power bat while whiffing at a prodigious rate. He was selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of that year’s amateur draft and signed for a $235,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Batavia of the short-season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League, he batted .272 in 48 games with 6 home runs and 35 RBIs. Moving to the Lakewood BlueClaws of the Class A South Atlantic League in 2002, he hit .280 with 19 home runs and 87 RBIs while striking out 145 times. He advanced to Clearwater of the advanced Class A Florida State League in 2003 where he won the league batting championship with a .304 average and also topped the circuit with 23 home runs. He was named league MVP for his run-producing prowess despite also leading the circuit by striking out 151 times. Howard advanced to Reading of the Class AA Eastern League in 2004 where he hit 37 home runs in 102 games before being promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Class AAA International League where he slugged another 9 home runs in 29 games. Called up to the Phillies in September, he hit his first two major league home runs. Blocked by the presence of star first baseman Jim Thome in Philadelphia, Howard became a prime subject of trade speculation. He started the 2005 season at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but was called up by the Phils when an elbow injury put Thome on the disabled list. Following a brief major league stint, Howard returned to Class AAA, where he went on a 24-game hitting streak. When Thome returned to the DL, Howard was recalled to the Phillies to stay.  

2005 Season Summary

Appeared in 88 games

1B – 84, PH – 8

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 348

At Bats – 312

Runs – 52

Hits – 90

Doubles – 17

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 22

RBI – 63

Bases on Balls – 33

Int. BB – 8

Strikeouts – 100

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .288

OBP - .356

Slugging Pct. - .567 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 177

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: HR – 3, RBI – 11, AVG - .250, SLG PCT - .453

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at San Francisco 8/23

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 22 occasions      

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 11

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 at LA Dodgers 8/10

Pinch-hitting – 2 of 7 (.286) with 1 2B & 2 R

Fielding

Chances – 752

Put Outs – 707

Assists – 40

Errors – 5

DP - 53

Pct. - .993

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Ryan Howard, Phila.: 109 pts. – 19 of 32 first place votes, 68% share

Willy Taveras, Hou.: 78 pts. – 7 first place votes, 49% share

Jeff Francoeur, Atl.: 60 pts. – 2 first place votes, 38% share

Garrett Atkins, Col.:17 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11 % share

Zach Duke, Pitt.: 16 pts. – 3 first place votes, 10% share

Phillies went 88-74 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves, while leading the league in walks drawn (639) and on-base percentage (.348). The Phillies contended in the NL East, just falling short of the division title and the wild card playoff spot.

Aftermath of ‘05:

The Phillies traded Jim Thome to the White Sox in the offseason, thus assuring Howard of a regular job at first base in 2006. He went on to bat .313 with a league-leading 58 home runs and 149 RBIs. In addition to being named an All-Star for the first time, he received National League MVP honors for his performance. In 2007 the Phillies reached the postseason for the first time since 1993 and Howard, who started slowly, contributed 47 home runs, 136 RBIs, and a .268 batting average, while also leading the league by striking out a then-record 199 times. Philadelphia lost to Colorado in the NLDS round. In 2008 the “Big Piece” led the NL with 48 home runs and 146 RBIs while hitting .251 and placed second in league MVP voting. The NL East-winning Phillies went on to win the pennant and World Series. Howard batted .286 in the Series against Tampa Bay along with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs, with 2 homers and 5 RBIs coming in one game. The Phillies repeated as NL pennant winners in 2009 before falling to the Yankees in the World Series. Howard contributed 45 home runs, a league-leading 141 RBIs, and a .279 batting average and placed third in MVP balloting. In 2010, after years of impressive durability, Howard spent time on the disabled list with an ankle sprain. He still hit .276 with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs. He played in 152 games for the first place Phillies in 2011 and hit .253 with 33 home runs and 116 RBIs. In the deciding game of the NLDS loss to St. Louis, Howard made the final out and suffered a torn Achilles tendon, which required surgery. Unable to start the 2012 season until July, it was cut short in September by a broken toe. He was limited to 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 71 games played. A knee injury cut Howard’s 2013 season short after appearing in 80 games and batting .266 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs. Returning to action in 2014, he appeared in 153 games and hit .223 with 23 home runs and 95 RBIs while leading the NL by striking out 190 times. Howard missed the last three weeks of the 2015 season due to another knee injury and finished with 23 home runs, 77 RBIs, and a .229 average. Benched during the 2016 season, he became a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves for 2017. Performing poorly for Gwinnett of the Class AAA International League, he was released in May and signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies that had him playing for Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League for the rest of the year, after which he again became a free agent, effectively ending his career. He announced his retirement in 2018. For his major league career that was spent entirely with the Phillies, Howard batted .258 with 1475 hits that included 277 doubles, 21 triples, and 382 home runs. He further compiled 1194 RBIs and struck out 1843 times. In 46 postseason games he hit .259 with 13 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, and 33 RBIs. He led the NL twice in home runs and three times in RBIs. A one-time league MVP, he finished in the top five a total of four times and was a three-time All-Star.

  

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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: Eddie Collins, 1914

Second Baseman, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  27 (May 2)

8^th season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1914:

A native of upstate New York, Collins was raised in Tarrytown before entering Columbia University, where he played football, despite his small size, as well as baseball. While in college, he also played baseball on a semipro basis. The Athletics signed him to a contract in 1907, at the point he had been declared ineligible to continue his college ballplaying due to his semipro activities, although he had already briefly played for the A’s under an assumed name in 1906. Collins appeared in 14 games in ’07 as a shortstop, his original position. He played more regularly for the A’s in 1908, appearing in 102 games at second base, shortstop, and in the outfield. He batted .273. He became the regular second baseman in 1909, hitting .347 with 30 doubles, 10 triples, 3 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 63 stolen bases. The A’s won the AL pennant in 1910 and Collins topped the circuit with 81 stolen bases as well as contributing a .324 average with 16 doubles, 15 triples, 3 home runs, and 81 RBIs. In the World Series triumph over the Cubs he hit .429. As part of “the $100,000 infield” along with first baseman Stuffy McInnis, shortstop Jack Barry, and third baseman Frank “Home Run” Baker in 1911, Collins batted .365 with 22 doubles, 13 triples, 3 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases as the A’s repeated as AL and World Series champions. Nicknamed “Cocky” due to his demeanor, Collins was an intelligent as well as highly skilled player, with an excellent batting eye and speed on the base paths as well as excellent defensive ability. His overly self-confident behavior alienated some teammates and caused dissension on the club. The A’s dropped to third place in 1912, although Collins had another outstanding season, batting .348 and topping the league with 137 runs scored. The club returned to the pinnacle in 1913 with the star second baseman hitting .345 and again leading the AL in runs scored with 125 while also knocking in 73 RBIs and stealing 55 bases. 

1914 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

2B – 152

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 659 [7]

At Bats – 526 [20, tied with Chick Gandil]

Runs – 122 [1]

Hits – 181 [4, tied with Stuffy McInnis]

Doubles – 23 [8, tied with four others]

Triples – 14 [6, tied with Bobby Veach]

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 85 [5]

Bases on Balls – 97 [2]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 31

Stolen Bases – 58 [2]

Caught Stealing – 30 [4]

Average - .344 [1]

OBP - .452 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .452 [4]

Total Bases – 238 [5]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 6 [11, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 28 [8]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +21 ahead of runners-up Eddie Murphy & Tris Speaker

League-leading batting avg. was +.006 ahead of runners-up Tris Speaker & Joe Jackson

League-leading OBP was +.029 ahead of runner-up Tris Speaker

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 10, 3B – 6, HR - 1, RBI - 24, AVG - .328, OBP - .428

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 6/12

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 2 AB) vs. Bos. Red Sox 6/29, (in 4 AB) vs. Detroit 8/20

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Detroit 8/20

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 764

Put Outs – 354

Assists – 387

Errors – 23

DP – 55

Pct. - .970

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. Boston Braves)

PA – 17, AB – 14, R – 0, H – 3, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 2, IBB – N/A, SO – 1, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .214, OBP - .313, SLG - .214, TB – 3, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: Chalmers Award

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Eddie Collins, PhilaA.: 63 pts. - 98% share

Sam Crawford, Det.: 35 pts. – 55% share

Frank Baker, PhilaA.: 17 pts. – 27% share

Donie Bush, Det.: 17 pts. – 27% share

Joe Jackson, Clev.: 15 pts. – 23% share

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A’s went 99-53 to win the AL pennant by 8.5 games over the Boston Red Sox while leading the league in runs scored (749), hits (1392), home runs (29), RBIs (627), batting (.272), on-base percentage (.348), slugging (.352), and total bases (1804). Lost World Series to the Boston Braves, 4 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘14:

Following the stunning World Series defeat, Connie Mack began dismantling the A’s, part of which involved selling Collins to the Chicago White Sox for $50,000. With his new team in 1915, he continued to excel, hitting .332 with 77 RBIs and 118 runs scored. He also led all AL second basemen with 487 assists and a .974 fielding percentage. The White Sox contended in 1916, finishing a close second to the Red Sox. Collins contributed a .308 average along with 17 triples, 40 stolen bases, 52 RBIs, and 87 runs scored. In the field he topped all AL second basemen with 75 DPs and a .976 fielding percentage. The team won the pennant in 1917 while Collins batted .289, scored 91 runs, and was once again outstanding in the field. He hit .409 in the six-game World Series triumph over the New York Giants. He and the White Sox had a lesser year during the war-shortened 1918 season, after which he joined the Marines for the wrap-up to World War I. Discharged just prior to spring training in 1919, Collins was captain of the White Sox team that won the AL pennant and contained players that conspired to throw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, although he was not one of the conspirators. While the franchise reeled from the effects of the “Black Sox” scandal after 1920, Collins remained an effective player for several more seasons, even being the team’s player/manager for a time in 1924 and then full-time in 1925 and ’26. Following his dismissal as both manager and player after the 1926 season, he returned to the Athletics, where he was a reserve and pinch-hitter primarily in 1927, and a coach and occasional player from 1928 to ’30, after which he retired as a player at age 43.  Overall for his career, Collins batted .333 with 3315 hits that included 438 doubles, 187 triples, and 47 home runs. He further accumulated 1299 RBIs, scored 1821 runs, and stole 741 bases. With the A’s his numbers were a .337 average with 1308 hits, 172 doubles, 85 triples, 16 home runs, 496 RBIs, 756 runs scored, and 373 stolen bases. In World Series play he hit .328 in 34 games. Following his playing career, he became vice-president and general manager of the Boston Red Sox until 1947, four years prior to his death at 63. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. His son Eddie Jr. played for three undistinguished seasons for the Athletics.     

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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: Whitey Ford, 1961

Pitcher, New York Yankees

Age:  32

10^th season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’10” Weight: 178

Prior to 1961:

A New York City native, Ford played first base in high school at the Manhattan School of Aviation Trades, becoming a pitcher during his junior year. Pitching for a neighborhood semipro team after high school, he drew the attention of major league scouts and signed with the Yankees for $7000. Initially assigned to Butler of the Class C Middle Atlantic League in 1947, Ford appeared in 24 games and went 13-4 with a 3.84 ERA. Having added some weight to his slight frame, he moved on to Norfolk of the Class B Piedmont League in 1948 where he compiled a 16-8 record with a 2.58 ERA and 171 strikeouts, which led the league. Ford played winter ball in Mexico and, in addition to adding a change-up to his repertoire, he contracted a severe case of dysentery. He moved up to the Binghamton Triplets of the Class A Eastern League in 1949 and compiled a 16-5 record with a 1.61 ERA and 151 strikeouts. The cocky 20-year-old was eager to join the Yankees but started the 1950 season with the Kansas City Blues of the Class AAA American Association. Having produced a 6-3 record with a 3.22 ERA by the end of June, he was promoted to the Yankees, where the light-haired blond received his nickname of “Whitey” on his way to a 9-1 tally in 20 games, with a 2.81 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 112 innings pitched. He picked up another win in the World Series to nail down a sweep of the Phillies. He was drafted into the Army after the season and missed all of 1951 and ’52. Returning to the Yankees in 1953, Ford regained his spot in the starting rotation and went 18-6 with a 3.00 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He was 0-1 in two World Series starts against Brooklyn. Despite a slow start in 1954, he was an All-Star selection for the first time on his way to a 16-8 record and 2.82 ERA with 125 strikeouts. He acquired a second nickname from manager Casey Stengel, who referred to him along with teammates Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin as “Slick” due to their carousing together and being “city slick”. The Yankees, who fell to second place in ’54 despite winning 103 games, regained the top spot in the AL in 1955 and Ford contributed an 18-7 record with a 2.63 ERA, 18 complete games, and 137 strikeouts. He was 2-0 in the World Series that was ultimately lost to the Dodgers. Following a 6-0 start in 1956, Ford was slowed by hand and shoulder injuries but still ended up with a 19-6 record and league-leading 2.47 ERA. He again totaled 18 complete games, although he missed time due to the injuries, and he struck out 141 batters. He broke even at 1-1 in the World Series triumph over the Dodgers. Ford encountered physical issues in 1957, spending time on the disabled list as a result of shoulder problems. He ended up with a respectable 11-5 record and 2.57 ERA, along with 84 strikeouts in just 129.1 innings pitched. The Yankees won the AL pennant and Ford was 1-1 in the seven-game World Series loss to the Braves. The club topped the league again in 1958 and Ford, despite a sore elbow during the season’s second half, contributed a 14-7 tally and led the AL with a 2.01 ERA. The Yankees rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit in the World Series rematch with the Braves to win, although Ford was 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA in his three starts. The club struggled in 1959, but the ace southpaw was 16-10 with a 3.04 ERA and 114 strikeouts while pitching 204 innings. Shoulder problems were an issue again in 1960, but Ford contributed a 12-9 record in 33 appearances along with a 3.08 ERA as the Yanks returned to the top of the American League. He pitched very well in winning his two World Series starts against Pittsburgh, the ultimate victor. An unflappable clutch performer, Ford was the ace of the top team in baseball’s pitching staff with a new manager, Ralph Houk, agreeing to start him every fourth day, rather than every fifth, or more, as under Casey Stengel, who preferred to use him strategically. And he had developed a slider to add to his repertoire.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 39 [1]

Complete Games – 11 [9, tied with six others]

Wins – 25 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .862 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [6, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 283 [1]

Hits – 242 [7]

Runs – 108 [16]

Earned Runs – 101 [9]

Home Runs – 23 [17, tied with Bud Daley, Jerry Walker & Barry Latman]

Bases on Balls – 92 [12]

Strikeouts – 209 [2]

ERA – 3.21 [10]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 8 [6, tied with seven others]

League-leading games started were +2 ahead of runner-up Jim Bunning

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Frank Lary

League-leading win percentage was +.020 ahead of runner-up Ralph Terry

League-leading innings pitched were +7.2 ahead of runner-up Frank Lary

Midseason Snapshot: 16-2, ERA - 3.15, SO - 122 in 160 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 8 IP) at Detroit 6/18

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. Kansas City A’s 4/17, (in 7.1 IP) vs. Minnesota 6/6

Batting

PA – 114, AB – 96, R – 11, H – 17, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 10, BB – 12, SO – 17, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .177, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 62

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 45

Errors – 5

DP – 5

Pct. - .919

Postseason Pitching: (World Series vs. Cincinnati)

G – 2, GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 14, H – 6, R – 0, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 1, SO – 7, ERA – 0.00, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

World Series MVP

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL in 1^st game)

5^th in AL MVP voting (102 points, 36% share)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Whitey Ford, NYY.: 9 of 17 votes, 50% share

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 6 votes, 33% share

Frank Lary, Det.: 2 votes, 11% share

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Yankees went 109-53 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers. The pitching staff led the league in saves (39). The Yankees surged to the pennant in a season dominated by the home run race between outfielders Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Won World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1. The Series was highlighted by Ford’s record string of 33 consecutive shutout innings pitched.

Aftermath of ‘61:

Ford continued with the Yankees until 1967. He was part of another World Series championship in ’62, when he was 17-8 with a 2.90 ERA, and two more pennant-winning clubs in 1963 and ’64. The Yankees fell into a prolonged slump thereafter. Ford himself, facing physical decline that included circulatory problems in addition to the diminution of his fastball, began to scuff and otherwise doctor the ball on occasion. By 1967, bone chips in his elbow forced his retirement at the end of May. Over the course of his long career, entirely played with the Yankees, Ford compiled a 236-106 record (.690 pct.) with a 2.75 ERA and 1956 strikeouts over 3170.1 innings pitched. In World Series play, he set career records with his 10 wins, 8 losses, 22 starts, 146 innings pitched, and 94 strikeouts, as well as his 33 consecutive scoreless innings. He also posted a 2.71 ERA with 7 complete games and 3 shutouts in World Series action. Ford was an All-Star selection during eight seasons (for a total of 10 games). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. The Yankees retired his #16 and erected a plaque in his honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. Ford served for a time as pitching coach for the Yankees. A serious student of his craft, he was much appreciated for his confident professionalism that served him well as a key contributor to 11 pennant-winning teams and six World Series winners.

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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.