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.