MVP & Cy Young Profile: Willie Hernandez, 1984

Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

AKA Guillermo Hernandez

Age:  29

1^st season with Tigers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1984:

A native of Aguada, Puerto Rico, Hernandez played first base and in the outfield in high school. Playing semi-pro baseball the summer after he graduated from high school, he tried pitching with excellent results and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973 for a $25,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Spartanburg of the Class A Western Carolinas League in 1974, Hernandez was utilized as a starting pitcher and went 11-11 with a 2.75 ERA and 179 strikeouts over 190 innings pitched. In addition, he led the league with 26 starts and 13 complete games. Advancing to Reading of the Class AA Eastern League in 1975, Hernandez was 8-2 with a 2.97 ERA when promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League, where he started 13 games and compiled a 6-4 record with a 3.26 ERA. Still in Class AAA in 1976 with Oklahoma City of the American Association, his record was 8-9 with a disappointing 4.53 ERA. Exposed to the Rule 5 draft following the season, he was selected by the Chicago Cubs. Hernandez joined Chicago’s bullpen in 1977 and appeared in 67 games, accumulating 110 innings and 78 strikeouts while recording four saves, a 3.03 ERA, and an 8-7 record. The record was 8-2 in 1978, although his ERA climbed to 3.77 in 59.2 innings pitched over 54 games. He struck out 38 batters and recorded three saves. Hernandez endured a disappointing 1979 season in which he appeared in 51 games and produced a 5.01 ERA and 4-4 record. In 1980 he appeared in 53 games, starting seven of them, and was 1-9 with a 4.40 ERA. He was back in Class AAA in 1981 with Iowa of the American Association, where he started 8 of his 18 games and went 4-5 with a 3.89 ERA and two saves. Recalled to the Cubs following the resolution of the players’ strike, he was back exclusively in the bullpen and appeared in 12 games, two in which he recorded saves, and compiled a 3.95 ERA. Hernandez followed up with a solid year in 1982 in which he appeared in 75 games and compiled a 4-6 record with a 3.00 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 75 innings with 10 saves. To a standard repertoire that included a “sneaky” fastball, curve, slider, and changeup, in 1983 he added a screwball and cut fastball which added significantly to his effectiveness. In May, he was traded to the Phillies where he performed well as a lefthanded setup man for closer Al Holland and produced an 8-4 tally in 63 games for the Phillies with a 3.29 ERA and 7 saves. Philadelphia went on to win the NL pennant and Hernandez continued to perform well in the postseason which concluded with defeat in the World Series. The Tigers, looking for a lefthander to complement their star right-handed reliever, Aurelio Lopez, swung a late March deal with the Phillies prior to the 1984 season in order to obtain Hernandez.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 80 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 80 [1]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 9

Losses – 3

PCT - .750 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 32 [3]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 140.1

Hits – 96

Runs – 30

Earned Runs – 30

Home Runs – 6

Bases on Balls – 36

Strikeouts – 112

ERA – 1.92 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading games pitched were +8 ahead of runner-up Dan Quisenberry

Midseason Snapshot: 4-0, ERA - 2.15, G – 40, SV – 16, SO - 69 in 75.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 3.2 IP) vs. California 8/16

Fielding

Chances – 19

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 14

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. Detroit – 3 G, World Series vs. San Diego – 3 G)

G – 6,GS – 0,CG – 0, Record – 0-0 PCT – .000, SV – 3, ShO – 0, IP – 9.1, H – 7, R – 2, ER – 2, HR – 1 BB – 1, SO – 3, ERA – 1.93, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

AL Cy Young Award:BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Willie Hernandez, Det. 339 pts. – 16 of 28 first place votes, 78% share

Kent Hrbek, Min.: 247 pts. – 5 first place votes, 63% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC: 235 pts. – 5 first place votes, 60% share

Eddie Murray, Balt.: 197 pts. – 2 first place votes, 50% share

Don Mattingly, NYY: 113 pts. – 29% share

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Willie Hernandez, Det.: 88 pts. – 12 of 28 first place votes, 63% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC: 71 pts. – 9 first place votes, 51% share

Bert Blyleven, Clev.: 45 pts. – 4 first place votes, 32% share

Mike Boddicker, Balt.: 41 pts. – 3 first place votes, 29% share

Dan Petry, Det.: 3 pts. – 2% share

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Tigers went 104-58 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 15 games over the Toronto Blue Jays. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.49), saves (51), fewest hits allowed (1358), and fewest runs allowed (643). The Tigers got off to a 35-5 start and coasted to the AL East title. The bullpen tandem of Hernandez and Aurelio Lopez was a combined 19-4 with 46 saves while Hernandez blew only one save opportunity all year. Won ALCS over the Kansas City Royals, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the San Diego Padres, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘84:

Hernandez followed up with another solid season in 1985 and endured booing from the disappointed home fans because the Tigers failed to repeat and the All-Star lefthanded closer wasn’t as dominant as in ’84, going 8-10 with a 2.70 ERA and 31 saves while appearing in 74 games. The situation worsened in 1986 as Hernandez appeared in 64 games and compiled an 8-7 record with 24 saves and a 3.55 ERA. He blew 5 of 13 save opportunities in 1987 as two stints on the disabled list caused him to lose his closer role and he finished at 3-4 with a 3.67 ERA and 8 saves. In 1988, Hernandez, preferring to be called by his given first name of Guillermo rather than Willie, bounced back with a season in which he appeared in 63 games and went 6-5 with 10 saves and a 3.06 ERA. Suffering from a sore elbow in 1989 he was 2-2 in 32 games with a 5.74 ERA and 15 saves. Released by the Tigers in the offseason, Hernandez never returned to the major leagues although there were several abortive attempts at a comeback over the next several years. Overall for his major league career, Hernandez appeared in 744 games and posted a 70-63 record with 147 saves, a 3.38 ERA, and 788 strikeouts over 1044.2 innings pitched. In his six years with Detroit he appeared in 358 games and was 36-31 with a 2.98 ERA and 384 strikeouts. He relieved in ten postseason games and registered three saves with no decisions and 7 strikeouts over 13.2 innings. He was a three-time All-Star.

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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 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: Cliff Lee, 2008

Pitcher, Cleveland Indians

Age:  30 (Aug. 30)

6^th season with Indians

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205

Prior to 2008:

A native of Benton, Arkansas, Lee played American Legion baseball as a teenager as well as for his high school team. An outstanding pitcher, he was known for his cockiness as well as skill. Chosen by the Florida Marlins in the 1997 amateur draft, he chose to go to college instead at Meridian Community College in Mississippi which had a strong baseball program. Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1998, he again passed on turning professional at that point to continue instead at the Univ. of Arkansas Following a fair college season in 1999 Lee was drafted by the Montreal Expos. He signed this time and was first assigned to Cape Fear of the Class A South Atlantic League. He was a mediocre 1-4 with a 5.24 ERA in 11 starts but still moved up to Jupiter of the advanced Class A Florida State League in 2001 where he was 6-7 with a 2.79 ERA over 109.2 innings. He also struck out 129 batters. Lee advanced to the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League in 2002 where he was 7-2 with a 3.23 ERA by late June when he was traded to the Indians as part of the deal that sent RHP Bartolo Colon to Montreal. Initially reassigned by his new team to Akron, also in the Eastern League, he quickly was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons of the Class AAA International League where he was 3-2 with a 3.77 ERA over the course of eight starts. Earning a late-season call-up to the Indians, Lee started two games and went 0-1 with a 1.74 ERA. Back with Buffalo in 2003, he produced a very solid 6-1 record and a 3.27 ERA and returned to Cleveland to stay in August. Lee became a member of the rotation in 2004 and got off to a fast 5-0 start before fading in the season’s second half to finish at 14-8 with a 5.43 ERA and 161 strikeouts while pitching 179 innings. The Indians narrowly missed the postseason in 2005 and Lee was 18-5 with a 3.79 ERA and 143 strikeouts. He demonstrated excellent command of his fastball and off-speed pitches and placed fourth in AL Cy Young voting. He followed up in 2006 with a 14-11 record and mediocre 4.40 ERA with 129 strikeouts over 200.2 innings. An abdominal strain suffered during spring training had Lee on the disabled list to start the season and he pitched poorly after he was activated, leading to his demotion to Buffalo for five weeks where he went 1-3 with a 3.51 ERA prior to being recalled to Cleveland in September. He was 5-8 overall with the Indians with a 6.29 ERA. There was little reason to anticipate a big performance in 2008.

2008 Season Summary

Appeared in 31 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 31

Games Started – 31 [20, tied with Felix Hernandez, Edwin Jackson & Joe Saunders]

Complete Games – 4 [2]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 3

PCT - .880 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [1, tied with seven others]

Innings Pitched – 223.1 [2]

Hits – 214 [9, tied with Javier Vazquez & Mike Mussina]

Runs – 68

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 12

Bases on Balls – 34

Strikeouts – 170 [9]

ERA – 2.54 [1]

Hit Batters – 5

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runners-up Roy Halladay & Mike Mussina

League-leading won-lost percentage was +.023 ahead of runner-up Daisuke Matsuzaka

League-leading ERA was -0.24 lower than runner-up Roy Halladay

Midseason Snapshot: 12-2, ERA - 2.31, SO - 106 in 124.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 8 IP) vs. San Francisco 6/26

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 8 IP) vs. Oakland 4/13, (in 8 IP) at Minnesota 4/18

Batting

PA – 5, AB – 5, R – 0, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 31

Put Outs – 16

Assists – 14

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .968

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

AL Comeback Player of the Year: MLB

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

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

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Cliff Lee, Clev.: 132 pts. – 24 of 28 first place votes, 94% share

Roy Halladay, Tor.: 71 pts. – 4 first place votes, 51% share

Francisco Rodriguez, LAA.: 32 pts. – 23% share

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Bos.: 10 pts. – 7% share

Mariano Rivera, NYY: 3 pts. – 2% share

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Indians went 81-81 to finish third in the AL Central Division, 7.5 games behind the division-winning Chicago White Sox.

Aftermath of ‘08:

Lee continued to be an effective pitcher for an ineffective Cleveland team in 2009 and had a 7-9 record and 3.14 ERA by late July when he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies along with a reserve outfielder for prospects. He went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA the rest of the way for the pennant-winning Phillies to finish with a combined tally of 14-13 and a 3.22 ERA with 181 strikeouts. In his first taste of postseason action he was 2-0 combined in the NLDS and NLCS and 2-0 in the World Series loss to the Yankees. In the offseason the Phillies dealt Lee to the Seattle Mariners for three players. He was 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA for the struggling Mariners and was an All-Star selection prior to being traded once again in July, this time to the Texas Rangers, a playoff-bound club. Lee was 4-6 the rest of the way to finish with a 12-9 overall record and 3.18 ERA with 185 strikeouts. Texas topped the AL West and in the ALDS win against Tampa Bay, Lee won two games and recorded a total of 21 strikeouts. He won another game while striking out 13 batters over 8 innings in the ALCS triumph over the Yankees. He lost his two World Series starts against the Giants, including the decisive fifth game. A free agent in the offseason, he returned to the Phillies for five years and $120 million. In 2011 he became part of a highly-regarded starting rotation along with RHPs Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Vance Worley, and with LHP Cole Hamels and produced a 17-8 record with a 2.40 ERA and 238 strikeouts. Philadelphia won the NL East but was eliminated by St. Louis in the NLDS. Lee lost his only postseason start. He was hindered by an oblique injury that put him on the disabled list in 2012 and ended up at 6-9 with a 3.16 ERA. Lee rebounded with an All-Star season in 2013 in which he went 14-8 with a 2.87 ERA and 222 strikeouts in as many innings. A sore elbow hindered his performance in 2014 and he ended up at 4-5 in 13 starts with a 3.65 ERA. After missing all of 2015 due to injury, Lee became a free agent and his career came to an end. Overall he compiled a 143-91 major league record with a 3.52 ERA and 1824 strikeouts over 2156.2 innings. With the Indians he was 83-48 with a 4.01 ERA and 826 strikeouts over 1117 innings pitched. He had a total of 29 complete games that included 12 shutouts. In 11 postseason starts Lee had a 7-3 record and a 2.52 ERA with 89 strikeouts over 82 innings.

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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. He was a four-time All-Star.  

MVP Profile: Frank McCormick, 1940

First Baseman, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  29 (June 9)

4^th season with Reds

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1940:

A native of New York City, McCormick grew up playing sandlot baseball as well as in high school. He failed in tryouts with three teams after high school and then was signed by the Reds in 1934. Initially assigned to the Beckley Black Knights of the Class C Middle Atlantic League, he hit .347 and received a late-season call-up to the Reds. He batted .313 in 12 games but was back in the minors in 1935. McCormick played for five teams in as many different leagues from Class C to Class AA and hit a combined .277. He spent 1936 with the Durham Bulls of the Class B Piedmont League and after adjusting his batting grip he led the league with a .381 batting average. McCormick opened the 1937 season with the Reds, who used him at second base and in the outfield as well as at first, until sending him down to Syracuse of the Class AA International League, where there was a need for a first baseman and he could be guaranteed regular playing time. He hit .322 with 33 doubles, 6 triples, and 6 home runs for Syracuse and returned to Cincinnati in September. In 24 major league games he batted .325 and took over as the regular first baseman for the Reds in 1938. Tall and gangly, McCormick was also graceful and an excellent fielder at first base. He was an All-Star in his first full major league season and hit .327 while leading the NL with 209 hits. Lacking power, he hit just 5 home runs to go along with his 40 doubles and 4 triples. He placed fifth in league MVP voting. The Reds won the NL pennant in 1939 and McCormick topped the circuit again in hits (209) as well as RBIs (128). His home run total rose to 18 and he was fourth in MVP balloting. He also hit .400 as the Reds were swept by the Yankees in the World Series. While it had taken him awhile to find his niche in major league baseball, by 1940 McCormick was an established star with a winning team.

1940 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

1B – 155

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 676 [3]

At Bats – 618 [1]

Runs – 93 [8]

Hits – 191 [1, tied with Stan Hack]

Doubles – 44 [1]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 19 [5, tied with Mel Ott & Vince DiMaggio]

RBI – 127 [2]

Bases on Balls – 52 [19]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 26

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .309 [4]

OBP - .367 [12, tied with Babe Young]

Slugging Pct. - .482 [5, tied with Hank Leiber & Joe Medwick]

Total Bases – 298 [2]

GDP – 23 [1]

Hit by Pitches – 5 [8, tied with five others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading at bats were +15 ahead of runner-up Stan Hack

League-leading doubles were +4 ahead of runner-up Arky Vaughan

League-leading times grounded into DPs were +4 ahead of runner-up Joe Medwick

Midseason snapshot: HR - 9, RBI - 48, AVG - .295, OBP - .351, SLG PCT - .470

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) vs. Brooklyn 6/8, (in 5 AB) at Boston Bees 8/4

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 9

Most home runs, game – 1 on nineteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Boston Bees 8/4

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 1693

Put Outs – 1587

Assists – 98

Errors – 8

DP – 146

Pct. - .995

Postseason: 7 G (World Series vs. Detroit)

PA – 29, AB – 28, R – 2, H – 6, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 1, IBB – N/A, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .214, OBP - .241, SLG - .250, TB – 7, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Frank McCormick, Cin.: 274 pts. - 16 of 24 first place votes, 82% share

Johnny Mize, StLC.: 209 pts. – 6 first place votes, 62% share

Bucky Walters, Cin.: 146 pts. – 43% share

Paul Derringer, Cin.: 121 pts. – 1 first place vote, 36% share

Fred Fitzsimmons, Brook.: 84 pts. – 25% share

(1 first place vote for Ernie Lombardi, Cin., who ranked ninth)

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Reds went 100-53 to win the NL pennant by 12 games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Won World Series over the Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 3.

Aftermath of ‘40:

In 1941, McCormick injured his back while diving into a hotel swimming pool and needed to wear a back brace. His performance on the field suffered, although he was still an All-Star, and he batted .269 with 17 home runs and 97 RBIs. Likely exempted from World War II military service due to the back injury, he hit .277 in 1942 with 13 home runs and 89 RBIs. He reached .303 in 1943 with 8 home runs and 59 RBIs and in 1944 batted .305 with 20 home runs and 102 RBIs. The Reds were no longer a contending team and following the 1945 season, he was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies for $30,000. McCormick had one last All-Star year in 1946, batting .284 with 11 home runs and 66 RBIs. He was released by the Phillies in May of 1947 while hitting just .225 and was signed by the Boston Braves, where he was platooned at first base along with Earl Torgeson. His production picked up in Boston and he ended up batting .333 for the season. Used as a sub and pinch-hitter by the pennant-winning Braves in 1948, the player nicknamed “Buck” hit .250 in his final major league season. Overall for his career, he batted .299 with 1711 hits that included 334 doubles, 26 triples, and 128 RBIs. He further compiled 954 RBIs. With the Reds he batted .301 with 1439 hits, 285 doubles, 20 triples, 110 home runs, and 803 RBIs. An eight-time All-Star, McCormick finished in the Top 10 in NL MVP voting four times, including his one year when he won the award. Very durable after being considered injury-prone in the minors, he had a 682-consecutive-game playing streak at one point during his career. He remained in organized baseball after his playing career as a minor league manager, coach, scout, and broadcaster for the Reds. He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1958, 24 years before his death at age 71.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

Rookie of the Year: Ron Kittle, 1983

Outfielder, Chicago White Sox

Age:  25

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1983:

A native of Gary, Indiana, Kittle was a multi-sport star athlete in high school who went undrafted by major league baseball teams. Prepared to follow his father into the ironworking trade, he successfully tried out with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed him at age 18 in 1976. Initially assigned to Clinton of the Class A Midwest League in 1977, Kittle was injured in a home plate collision which left him with paralysis in his right arm. Batting just .189 he was sent to Lethbridge of the Rookie-level Pioneer League where he hit .250 with 7 home runs and 21 RBIs in 34 games. Diagnosed with two crushed neck vertebrae, he underwent spinal fusion surgery. Suffering from the effects of the injury, Kittle returned to Clinton in 1978 where he batted only .143 in 13 games and was released by the Dodgers. Back in Gary where he rejoined his father in the iron mill, Kittle played semipro baseball as he regained his strength and came to the attention of the White Sox, who signed him in 1979 following a tryout where he put on a prodigious power display. Playing at the Class A and AA levels in ’79, he hit a combined .267 with 8 home runs and 38 RBIs. In 1980 with teams at the Class A and AA levels Kittle batted .314 with 16 home runs and 65 RBIs. Playing for Glens Falls of the Class AA Eastern League in 1981, he hit .326 with a league-leading 40 home runs and 103 RBIs, and was named league MVP. Advancing to Edmonton of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1982, he topped the circuit with 121 runs, 50 home runs, and 144 RBIs while hitting .345 and was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Brought up to the White Sox in September, Kittle appeared in 20 games and hit his first major league home run. Amid great anticipation, he prepared to be the regular left fielder for the Chisox in 1983.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 145 games

LF – 138, DH – 2, CF – 1, PH – 6, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 570

At Bats – 520

Runs – 75

Hits – 132

Doubles – 19

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 35 [3]

RBI – 100 [10]

Bases on Balls – 39

Int. BB – 8 [14, tied with seven others]

Strikeouts – 150 [1]

Stolen Bases – 8

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .254

OBP - .314

Slugging Pct. - .504 [9]

Total Bases – 262 [20]

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 8 [5]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading batter strikeouts were +2 ahead of runner-up Gorman Thomas

Midseason snapshot: HR – 18, RBI – 56, AVG - .266, SLG PCT - .517

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 5/6, (in 4 AB) vs. Minnesota 6/24, (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 7/12

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 35 occasions

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Baltimore 4/14

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 6 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 250

Put Outs – 234

Assists – 7

Errors – 9

DPs - 0

Pct. - .964

Postseason Batting: 3 G (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

PA – 9, AB – 7, R – 1, H – 2, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .286, OBP - .444, SLG - .429, TB – 3, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

AL ROY Voting:

Ron Kittle, ChiWS: 104 pts. – 15 of 28 first place votes, 74% share

Julio Franco, Clev.: 78 pts. – 8 first place votes, 56% share

Mike Boddicker, Balt.: 70 pts. – 5 first place votes, 50% share

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White Sox went 99-63 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 20 games over the Kansas City Royals, while leading the league in runs scored (800), RBIs (762) & batter strikeouts (888). Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘83:

The White Sox dropped to fifth place in 1984 and Kittle’s batting average plummeted to .215 and RBIs to 74 although he still slugged 32 home runs. Never impressive in the outfield and suffering from a sore shoulder, he was utilized significantly as a Designated Hitter as well as left fielder in 1985, hitting .230 with 26 home runs and 58 RBIs. Batting .213 with 17 home runs in 1986, Kittle was dealt to the New York Yankees in July where he appeared in 30 games and added just four home runs and 12 RBIs with a .238 average the rest of the way. Utilized primarily as the DH during 1987, Kittle was sidelined by a neck injury that limited him to 59 games and a .277 average with 12 home runs and 28 RBIs. Released by the Yankees in the offseason he signed with the Cleveland Indians for 1988. Again used as a Designated Hitter, Kittle appeared in 75 games and batted .258 with 18 home runs and 43 RBIs. He returned to the White Sox as a free agent in 1989. Bouncing between the White Sox and Orioles, Kittle finished his injury-plagued career back in Chicago in 1991. Overall in a major league career that was limited to 843 games, he batted .239 with 648 hits that included 100 doubles, 3 triples, and 176 home runs. He further compiled 460 RBIs and struck out 744 times. With the White Sox he hit .237 with 140 home runs and 374 RBIs. A one-time All-Star, Kittle was an award winner only during his rookie season, although he remained a popular figure with White Sox fans long afterward, eventually becoming an ambassador for the team in retirement.

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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: Greg Maddux, 1992

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age:  26 (Apr. 14)

6^th season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1992:

Maddux was born in Texas, where his father was stationed in the Air Force at the time. Growing up in several different locations due to his father’s postings, Maddux played football and basketball as well as baseball during his youth. Later transferred to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas where he retired from the USAF and settled down. Maddux began to concentrate on his pitching at Valley High School. Not possessed of overwhelming speed, he concentrated on developing his control, which came to serve him well. Chosen by the Cubs in the second round of the 1984 amateur draft, Maddux passed up on college to accept a bonus contract from the Cubs. Initially assigned to Pikeville of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, he appeared in 14 games (12 of them starts) and produced a 6-2 record with a 2.63 ERA and 62 strikeouts over 85.2 innings. With Peoria of the Class A Midwest League in 1985 he was 13-9 with a 3.19 ERA and 125 strikeouts. Maddux jumped from Class AA to AAA in 1986 and was a combined 14-4 with a 2.91 ERA, earning a September call-up to the Cubs. Back in Class AAA with Iowa of the American Association in 1987 he was soon recalled to the Cubs where he was a rocky 6-14 with a 5.61 ERA. A strong first half in his breakout season of 1988 garnered Maddux his first All-Star selection on the way to a record of 18-8 with a 3.18 ERA. He started slower in 1989 but finished at 19-12 with a 2.95 ERA, placing third in NL Cy Young Award voting. The Cubs won the NL East and Maddux lost his only NLCS decision in his first taste of postseason action. He was a .500 pitcher at 15-15 with a fourth-place club in 1990, registering a 3.46 ERA and 144 strikeouts. Maddux topped the NL with 263 innings pitched in 1991 as he compiled a 15-11 record with a 3.35 ERA and 198 strikeouts. With command of a large repertoire of pitches, including a fastball, circle change-up, slider, sinker, and curve, Maddux was known for his intelligent and fearless approach to pitching, in which he would throw any pitch in any situation.

1992 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [1, tied with Steve Avery & John Smoltz]

Complete Games – 9 [4, tied with John Smoltz]

Wins – 20 [1, tied with Tom Glavine]

Losses – 11 [14, tied with nine others]

PCT - .645 [7]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [3, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 268 [1]

Hits – 201 [13, tied with Tim Belcher]

Runs – 68

Earned Runs – 65

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 70 [11, tied with Dwight Gooden & Tom Glavine]

Strikeouts – 199 [3]

ERA – 2.18 [3]

Hit Batters – 14 [1]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading innings pitched were +11.1 ahead of runner-up Doug Drabek

League-leading hit batters were +5 ahead of runners-up David Cone, Dennis Martinez & Mark Gardner

Midseason Snapshot: 10-8, ERA - 2.40, SO - 106 in 142.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 6/30, (in 8 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 7/27

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 7 IP) at St. Louis 6/10

Batting

PA – 102, AB – 88, R – 6, H – 15, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 8, BB – 1, SO – 22, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .170, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 13, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 97

Put Outs – 30

Assists – 64

Errors – 3

DP – 1

Pct. - .969

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star

11^th in NL MVP voting (14 points, 4% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Greg Maddux, ChiC.: 112 pts. – 20 of 24 first place votes, 93% share

Tom Glavine, Atl.: 78 pts. – 4 first place votes, 65% share

Bob Tewksbury, StL.: 22 pts. – 18% share

Lee Smith, StL.: 3 pts. – 3% share

Doug Drabek, Pitt.: 1 pt. – 1% share

Cubs went 78-84 to finish fourth in the NL Eastern Division, 18 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in walks surrendered (575). Just 3.5 games out of first on July 29 the Cubs were finished off by a 9-20 September record.

Aftermath of ‘92:

A highly sought free agent following his Cy Young Award-winning 1992 season, Maddux turned down a large contract offer that would have kept him with the Cubs and signed with the Atlanta Braves for $28 million. He also resisted a larger offer from the Yankees to go to Atlanta. In 1993 he stepped into a solid pitching rotation that already included LHP Tom Glavine, RHP John Smoltz, and LHP Steve Avery. The Braves were coming off back-to-back pennants and won the NL West in ’93 with Maddux contributing a 20-10 record with a league-leading 2.36 ERA and 267 innings pitched, along with 197 strikeouts. He received his second NL Cy Young Award. An excellent fielding pitcher, he also won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove. He went 1-1 in the NLCS loss to Philadelphia. Maddux won another Cy Young Award following the strike-shortened 1994 season when he went 16-6 with a 1.56 ERA. 10 complete games, and 3 shutouts. In 1995 he made it four straight with a 19-2 record, 1.63 ERA, 10 complete games, and 209.2 innings pitched. The Braves won the NL pennant and Maddux was 3-1 in the postseason as they went on to win the World Series. The cerebral pitcher known as “the Professor” remained with the Braves through 2003, continuing to be one of the National League’s best pitchers throughout his tenure. In 2004 he returned to the Cubs as a free agent and was 16-11 with a 4.02 ERA. He had a losing 13-15 record in 2005 and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2006 season. He signed with San Diego in 2007, and after posting a 14-11 record at age 41, Maddux was 6-9 in 2008 when he was dealt back to the Dodgers in August, where he finished out his career. Overall, Maddux compiled a 355-227 major league record with a 3.16 ERA and 3371 strikeouts over 5008.1 innings pitched. He also hurled 109 complete games that included 35 shutouts. With the Cubs he was 133-112 with a 3.61 ERA and 1305 strikeouts. In 35 postseason games, his record was 11-14 with a 3.27 ERA and 125 strikeouts over 198 innings. In addition to winning four Cy Young Awards, Maddux was an eight-time All-Star and 18-time Gold Glove recipient. The Cubs retired his #31 as did the Braves. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Maddux was also inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2009. His brother Mike pitched for nine major league teams over 15 years.

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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.