MVP Profile: Dave Parker, 1978

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  27 (June 9)

6^th season with Pirates

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 230

Prior to 1978:

A native of Mississippi, Parker moved with his family to Cincinnati where he starred at Courter Technical High School in football and basketball, in addition to baseball. A knee injury as a senior that required surgery finished him as a football player and wiped out his senior year of baseball. The Pirates still chose him in the 1970 amateur draft. A catcher in high school, Parker was shifted to the outfield when he reported to the Pirates of the rookie-level Gulf Coast League in ’70. In 61 games he batted .314 with 6 home runs and 41 RBIs and was selected as a league All-Star. Advanced to Waterbury of the Class AA Eastern League in 1971, Parker hit only .228 in 30 games before being sent down to Monroe of the Class A Western Carolinas League where over 71 games he batted .358 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs. In 1972 he was with Salem of the Class A Carolina League and hit .310 with 22 home runs and 101 RBIs and was once more a league All-Star. He got off to a strong start with Charleston of the Class AAA International League in 1973 and was called up to the Pirates in July where he batted .288 the rest of the way with 9 home runs and 57 RBIs in a platoon role. Parker was on the disabled list with a hamstring injury for a significant stretch in 1974 and was again platooned when healthy and over 73 games he hit .282 with four home runs and 29 RBIs. Finally an every day player in 1975 he led the NL with a .541 slugging percentage while batting .308 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 25 home runs, and 101 RBIs. He finished third in league MVP voting as a result. Nicknamed “The Cobra”, Parker was a big man with a big and boisterous personality. He hit .313 in 1976 with 13 home runs and 90 RBIs although hindered by a knee injury. Parker was an All-Star for the first time in 1977 during a season in which he topped the NL in hits (215), doubles (44), and batting (.338) while also accounting for 21 home runs and 88 RBIs. He also received his first Gold Glove for his fine play in right field that included 26 assists, a testament to his strong throwing arm. He also placed third in league MVP balloting.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

RF – 147, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 642

At Bats – 581

Runs – 102 [3]

Hits – 194 [4]

Doubles – 32 [14, tied with six others]

Triples – 12 [2, tied with Gene Richards]

Home Runs – 30 [3]

RBI – 117 [2]

Bases on Balls – 57

Int. BB – 23 [1]

Strikeouts – 92 [16, tied with Willie Montanez, Jeff Burroughs & Gary Matthews]

Stolen Bases – 20

Caught Stealing – 7

Average - .334 [1]

OBP - .394 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .585 [1]

Total Bases – 340 [1]

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

League-leading intentional bases on balls drawn were +3 ahead of runner-up Dave Winfield

League-leading batting average was +.018 ahead of runner-up Steve Garvey

League-leading slugging pct was +.026 ahead of runner-up Reggie Smith

League-leading total bases were +10 ahead of runner-up George Foster

Midseason snapshot: HR - 13, RBI - 47, AVG. - .316, SLG - .535

Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Chicago Cubs 8/8

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Cincinnati 8/16, (in 4 AB) at Philadelphia 9/12, (in 6 AB) at Chi. Cubs 9/19 – 11 innings

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 16

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cincinnati 8/16

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 0 (.000) with 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 327

Put Outs – 302

Assists – 12

Errors – 13

DP - 3

Pct. - .960

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Dave Parker, Pitt.: 320 pts. – 21 of 24 first place votes, 95% share

Steve Garvey, LAD: 194 pts. – 58% share

Larry Bowa, Phila.: 189 pts. – 3 first place votes, 56% share

Reggie Smith, LAD: 164 pts. – 49% share

Jack Clark, SF: 107 pts. – 32% share

Pirates went 88-73 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 1.5 games behind the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies while leading the league in triples (54) & stolen bases (213). Mired in fourth place on August 12, 11.5 games behind the Phillies, the Pirates turned hot with 10-game and 11-game winning streaks to close the gap, only being eliminated from contention in the season’s final weekend. Parker was briefly disabled by a fractured cheekbone at midseason (which eliminated him from All-Star Game consideration), but wearing a batting helmet with a facemask allowed him to ultimately play through the injury.

Aftermath of ‘78:

In the wake of his MVP season, Parker received a five-year contract extension worth $7.75 million. After three straight second place finishes in the NL East, the Pirates returned to the top in 1979 and went on to win the World Series. Parker contributed a .310 average along with 45 doubles, 7 triples, 25 home runs, and 94 RBIs along with continued Gold Glove play in the field. He placed tenth in league MVP voting. He also hit .345 in the hard-fought World Series triumph over Baltimore. Pittsburgh dropped to third place in 1980 and Parker, playing on a sore knee and further dogged by off-field problems and an increasingly rancorous relationship with the team’s fans, dropped to .295 with 17 home runs and 79 RBIs. Knee surgery was performed prior to the 1981 season but “The Cobra” appeared in just 67 games during the strike-interrupted campaign and batted .258 with 9 home runs and 48 RBIs. His significantly increased weight also became an issue. Increasingly injury prone, Parker appeared in only 73 games in 1982 and hit .270 with 6 home runs and 29 RBIs. Relatively healthy in 1983 and having lost weight, he played in 144 games and batted .279 with 12 home runs and 69 RBIs, overcoming a slow start with a strong second half. A free agent in the offseason, Parker signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Returning to his hometown seemed to reinvigorate his career and in 1984 he hit .285 with 16 home runs and 94 RBIs. He followed up with a bigger year in 1985 in which he led the NL in RBIs (125), doubles (42), and total bases (350) while also hitting 34 home runs and batting .312. He was an All-Star for the first time since 1981 and placed second in league MVP voting. Off the field, in a federal drug trial in Pittsburgh Parker testified to his cocaine use while with the Pirates and was sued by the team for violating the terms of his big 1979 contract as a result. Parker had another productive season in 1986 in which he appeared in every game and batted .273 with 31 home runs and 116 RBIs while leading the league with 304 total bases. This time he was fifth in NL MVP balloting. Parker dropped to .253 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in 1987, after which he was traded to Oakland for LHP Tim Birtsas and RHP Jose Rijo. Utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter and left fielder by the pennant-winning A’s in 1988 he batted .257 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs. The A’s again topped the AL in 1989 on the way to winning the World Series and Parker contributed 22 home runs, 97 RBIs, and a .264 average as the regular DH. He signed a two-year free agent contract with Milwaukee in the offseason. In 1990 with the Brewers he was again almost exclusively a DH and hit .289 with 21 home runs and 92 RBIs. At age 39 he was dealt in the offseason to the California Angels, where he struggled in 1991. Released in September after batting .232 with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs in 119 games, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and hit .333 in 13 games, which marked the end of his major league career. Overall, Parker batted .290 with 2712 hits that included 526 doubles, 75 triples, and 339 home runs. He further scored 1272 runs and compiled 1493 RBIs. With the Pirates he batted .305 with 296 doubles, 62 triples, 166 home runs, and 758 RBIs. A seven-time All-Star (four with Pittsburgh), Parker finished in the top ten in league MVP voting on six occasions (winning once). He also received three Gold Gloves and three Silver Slugger Awards. In 30 postseason games he batted .234 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Parker was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2014.

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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: Chuck Klein, 1932

Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  27

5^th season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1932:

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Klein was notable at Southport High School for his pitching and power hitting. Working at a steel mill following high school, he played semipro baseball where he was an outfielder for the next three years. In 1927 he was signed by Evansville of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League. 15 games into the season he broke his ankle and was sidelined for the remainder of the year. At the time he was batting .327 with six extra base hits. His contract was sold to the Fort Wayne Chiefs of the Class B Central League for $200 in 1928 and in 88 games Klein hit .331 with 26 home runs. He was signed by the Phillies in July, who purchased his contract for $7500. Over the course of 64 games the powerfully built young slugger hit .360 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs for a team that lost 109 games and finished at the bottom of the NL standings. He quickly learned to take advantage of the Baker Bowl’s right field wall that stood just 281 feet from home plate and was topped by a screen that raised its overall height to 60 feet (balls hit off the wall remained in play). Overcoming a slow start in 1929, Klein topped the league with 43 home runs to go along with 126 runs scored and 145 RBIs. He tied for eleventh in NL MVP voting while the Phillies rose to fifth place. The team returned to the cellar in 1930 (despite a .315 team batting average) although Klein topped the circuit with 158 runs scored,59 doubles, and 445 total bases. He also clubbed 40 home runs (26 at home) and compiled 170 RBIs. In 1931 he topped the NL with 121 runs scored, 31 home runs, 121 RBIs, and a .584 slugging percentage. He placed second in NL MVP balloting and the Phillies rose to sixth. By 1932 Klein was one of the most productive hitters in the National League.

1932 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 154

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 711 [3]

At Bats – 650 [3]

Runs – 152 [1]

Hits – 226 [1]

Doubles – 50 [2]

Triples – 15 [3]

Home Runs – 38 [1, tied with Mel Ott]

RBI – 137 [2]

Bases on Balls – 60 [5, tied with Babe Herman]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 49 [12]

Stolen Bases – 20 [1]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .348 [3]

OBP - .404 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .646 [1]

Total Bases – 420 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +28 ahead of runner-up Bill Terry

League-leading hits were +1 ahead of runner-up Bill Terry

League-leading stolen bases were +1 ahead of runner-up Tony Piet

League-leading slugging pct. was +.045 ahead of runner-up Mel Ott

League-leading total bases were +47 ahead of runner-up Bill Terry

Midseason snapshot: HR – 25, RBI – 85, AVG - .359, SLG PCT - .722

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Brooklyn 4/29, (in 5 AB) vs. NY Giants 6/24, (in 4 AB) vs. Boston Braves 7/4

Longest hitting streak – 20 games

HR at home – 29

HR on road – 9

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. Brooklyn 6/30, (in 4 AB) at Pittsburgh 7/20, (in 4 AB) vs. Boston Braves 8/12

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Brooklyn 4/29

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 375

Put Outs – 331

Assists – 29

Errors – 15

DP – 3

Pct. - .960

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Chuck Klein, Phila.: 78 pts. - 98% share

Lon Warneke, ChiC.: 68 pts. – 85% share

Lefty O’Doul, Brook.: 58 pts. – 73% share

Paul Waner, Pitt.: 37 pts. – 46% share

Riggs Stephenson, ChiC.: 32 pts. – 40% share

Phillies went 78-76 to finish fourth in the NL, 12 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago Cubs, while leading the league in runs scored (844), hits (1608), doubles (330), home runs (122), RBIs (780), walks drawn (446), batting (.292), on-base percentage (.348), slugging (.442) & total bases (2438). It was the team’s best finish between 1917 and 1949.

Aftermath of ‘32:

Klein followed up in 1932 by winning the NL Triple Crown with 28 home runs, 120 RBIs, and a .368 batting average. The Phillies dropped back to seventh place and he placed second in league MVP voting. He also started in right field for the National League in the first All-Star Game. With the team in serious financial trouble, he was dealt in the offseason to the Chicago Cubs for $65,000 and three players. Hindered by a leg injury in 1934, Klein dropped to 20 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .301 average, although he was once again an All-Star. Still bothered by the injured leg, he got off to a slow start in 1935, but his bat and the Cubs turned hot along with the weather and he ended up hitting .293 with 21 home runs and 73 RBIs. In the World Series loss to Detroit he batted .333 with a home run and two RBIs. 29 games into the 1936 season, Klein was traded back to the Phillies and hit a combined .306 with 25 home runs and 104 RBIs, which included a four-home run game for the Phillies at Pittsburgh. Injuries limited Klein to 115 games in 1937 and he ended up with 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .325 average. During the 1938 season the Phillies moved to the more spacious Shibe Park and Klein’s numbers dropped to 8 home runs, 61 RBIs, and a .247 average. Struggling in 1939, Klein was released in June and signed with Pittsburgh. His bat initially came alive for the Pirates but he cooled off and ended up hitting .284 with 12 home runs and 56 RBIs. Released prior to the 1940 season he returned to the Phillies and appeared to be washed up at 35 as he batted .218 with just 7 home runs. Klein remained with the Phillies until 1944 when he retired as a player and coached for the club for another year. For his major league career he batted .320 with 2076 hits that included 398 doubles, 74 triples, and 300 home runs. He further accumulated 1201 RBIs and scored 1168 runs. With the Phillies he produced 1705 hits, 963 runs, 336 doubles, 64 triples, and 243 home runs with a .326 average and 983 RBIs. In the field he accounted for 194 assists, with a high of 44 in 1930. A two-time All-Star, Klein finished in the top five in National League MVP voting three times. He was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980, 22 years after his death at age 53. He has also been honored with a plaque on the Phillies Wall of Fame.

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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: Bobby Crosby, 2004

Shortstop, Oakland Athletics

Age:  24

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 210

Prior to 2004:

The son of 1970s major league infielder Ed Crosby, Crosby was a California native. After playing at Pacifica and La Quinta High Schools, he was selected by the Anaheim Angels in the 1998 amateur draft. Passing up on the Angels to attend California State, Long Beach, Crosby was an outstanding collegiate performer who was a first-team All-Big West selection in 2000, when he was also the starting shortstop for Team USA in the Olympics, and 2001. For his four seasons he batted .324 with 21 home runs and a .412 on-base percentage. Chosen by the A’s in the first round of the 2001 amateur draft, he played for Modesto of the advanced Class A California League in 2001 and, limited to 11 games by a hip injury, he hit .395. With Modesto and Midland of the Class AA Texas League in 2002 he batted a combined .295 with 9 home runs and 69 RBIs. Advancing to Sacramento of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2003, Crosby hit .308 with 32 doubles, 6 triples, and 22 home runs. He was named to the PCL All-Star team. Earning a September call-up to the A’s, Crosby was hitless in 12 at bats. With the departure of starting shortstop, and 2002 league MVP, Miguel Tejada as a free agent, Crosby took over as Oakland’s starting shortstop in 2004.

2004 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

SS – 151

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 623

At Bats – 545

Runs – 70

Hits – 130

Doubles – 34

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 22

RBI – 64

Bases on Balls – 58

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 141 [4]

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .239

OBP - .319

Slugging Pct. - .426

Total Bases – 232

GDP – 20 [7, tied with Toby Hall]

Hit by Pitches – 9

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 6 [20, tied with fourteen others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, HR - 11, RBI - 35, AVG - .266, OBP – .326

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 6/15

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Kansas City 5/21

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 11

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Texas 4/14, at Anaheim 4/18, vs. Kansas City 5/21, vs. Texas 9/16

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 765

Put Outs – 241

Assists – 505

Errors – 19

DP - 107

Pct. - .975

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Bobby Crosby, Oak.: 138 pts. – 27 of 28 first place votes, 99% share

Shingo Takatsu, ChiWS.: 44 pts. –1 first place vote, 31% share

Daniel Cabrera, Balt.: 29 pts. – 21% share

Zack Greinke, KC: 16 pts. – 11% share

Alex Rios, Tor.: 12 pts. – 9% share

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A’s went 91-71 to finish second in the AL Western Division, 1 game behind the division-winning Anaheim Angels. Tied with the Angels going into the season’s final weekend, the A’s lost two of three games to Anaheim to finish second.

Aftermath of ‘04:

In an injury-riddled 2005 season, Crosby was limited to only 84 games and batted .276 with 9 home runs and 38 RBIs. Injuries remained an issue in 2006 and ’07, limiting him to 96 and 93 games respectively. In 2008 he appeared in 145 games and hit .237 with 66 runs scored, 7 home runs, and 61 RBIs. Displaced by the arrival of shortstop Orlando Cabrera in 2009, he moved into a utility role and saw significant action at third and first base, batting .223 in 272 plate appearances with 6 home runs and 29 RBIs. Crosby moved on to the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent in 2010 and as a utility player and pinch-hitter, hit .224 in 61 games before being traded to Arizona in August. Batting just .167 for the Diamondbacks, he was released in August. He had one last shot in the major leagues when he was signed by the Milwaukee brewers in 2013. He was released during spring training, thus ending his career. Crosby’s major league career consisted of 747 games and he batted .236 with 605 hits that included 146 doubles, 8 triples, and 62 home runs. He further scored 329 runs and compiled 276 RBIs. He saw most of his action with Oakland, where he hit .238 with 136 doubles, 8 triples, and 61 home runs with 320 runs scored and 263 RBIs. His award-winning rookie season remained the best of his injury-derailed career. Crosby has since become a minor league coach and manager. He was inducted into the Long Beach State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. His younger brother Blake was also drafted by the A’s and never made it to the major leagues.

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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: Lou Gehrig, 1927

First Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  24 (June 19)

3^rd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1927:

A New York City native, Gehrig played sandlot baseball as a youth, and starred at Commerce High School before receiving a scholarship to attend Columbia University. His college baseball career was interrupted by being suspended for a year due to playing under an assumed name for the Hartford Senators of the Class A Eastern League in 1921 following a failed tryout with the major league Giants. Despite that setback he performed brilliantly when he took the field for Columbia, both as a hitter and as a pitcher. Gehrig signed with the Yankees in 1923 but following a brief trial with the Yankees he was sent to the minors, where he was once again with Hartford, minus any subterfuge. In 59 games with Hartford, the 20-year-old Gehrig batted .304 with 24 home runs. Returning to the Yankees late in the season, he hit impressively in six games. With no spot available for him in the lineup in 1924, Gehrig was again sent to Hartford and batted .369 with 40 doubles, 13 triples, and 37 home runs. He had another brief September appearance with the Yankees and he stuck with the Yanks in 1925 as a reserve first baseman. With the club mired in seventh place and regular first baseman Wally Pipp hitting poorly (the reality as opposed to mythology that later developed as to how Gehrig came to replace Pipp), manager Miller Huggins inserted Gehrig in the lineup and he went on to hit .295 for the year with 23 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs, and 68 RBIs. Gehrig continued to develop in 1926 as the Yankees returned to the top in the American League, batting .313 with a league-leading 20 triples, along with 47 doubles, 16 home runs, and 109 RBIs. He also hit .348 in the seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals. He finished tenth in AL MVP voting, tied with teammate Tony Lazzeri. Lou Gehrig was very much a young player on the rise entering the 1927 season.

1927 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

1B – 155

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 717 [2]

At Bats – 584 [5]

Runs – 149 [2]

Hits – 218 [2]

Doubles – 52 [1]

Triples – 18 [2, tied with Heinie Manush]

Home Runs – 47 [2]

RBI – 173 [1]

Bases on Balls – 109 [2]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 84 [2]

Stolen Bases – 10

Caught Stealing – 8 [13, tied with eight others]

Average - .373 [2]

OBP - .474 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .765 [2]

Total Bases – 447 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 21 [19, tied with Buddy Myer, Bob Meusel & Tony Lazzeri]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading doubles were +1 ahead of runner-up George Burns

League-leading RBIs were +8 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

League-leading total bases were +30 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 28, 3B – 11, HR – 29, RBI – 102, AVG - .397, SLG PCT - .830

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 24

HR on road – 23

/Most home runs, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Boston Red Sox 6/23

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Bos. Red Sox 4/17

Fielding

Chances – 1765

Put Outs – 1662

Assists – 88

Errors – 15

DP – 108

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. Pittsburgh)

PA – 18, AB – 13, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 2, 3B – 2, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 3, IBB – N/A, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .308, OBP - .438, SLG - .769, TB – 10, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: League Award

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 56 pts. - 88% share

Harry Heilmann, Det.: 35 pts. – 55% share

Ted Lyons, ChiWS.: 34 pts. – 53% share

Mickey Cochrane, PhilaA.: 18 pts. – 28% share

Al Simmons, PhilaA.: 18 pts. – 28% share

(ineligible for consideration as prior AL League Award winners: George Sisler, StLB; Babe Ruth, NYY; Walter Johnson, Wash.; Roger Peckinpaugh, ChiWS., George Burns, Clev.)

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Yankees went 110-44 to win the AL pennant by 19 games over the Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in runs scored (976), hits (1644), triples (103), home runs (158), RBIs (907), batting (.307), OBP(.384), slugging (.488), and total bases (2615). With their “Murderers’ Row” lineup of potent hitters anchored by Babe Ruth, who hit a record 60 home runs, and Gehrig, the league runner-up and RBI champ, the Yankees were never seriously challenged for supremacy in the American League. Won World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 games to 0. 

Aftermath of ‘27:

In the offseason, Gehrig and Babe Ruth partnered in a barnstorming tour in which they captained teams of local all-stars named the “Bustin’ Babes” and the “Larrupin’ Lous” that proved lucrative for both players. Gehrig also signed a three-year contract extension with the Yankees for $25,000 per year. New York again won the AL pennant and Gehrig contributed a .374 batting average along with a league-leading 47 doubles (tied with Heinie Manush of the Browns) and 147 RBIs, along with 13 triples and 27 home runs. In the ensuing four-game World Series sweep of the Cardinals, he batted .545 with 4 home runs and 9 RBIs. Another strong season for Gehrig followed in 1929, this despite playing with a broken finger and bone chips in his left elbow, both of which required off-season surgery, as well as the death of manager Miller Huggins. He once more appeared in every game and hit .300 with 35 home runs and 125 RBIs. Gehrig led the league in RBIs in both 1930 (173) and ‘31 (185). His 46 home runs also topped the AL in 1931. Despite his league-leading numbers in 1931, he took a $2000 pay cut due to effects of the Great Depression on Yankee finances. Gehrig hit 34 home runs in 1932, including a record-tying four in one game against the Athletics, and drove in 151 RBIs while batting .349. The Yankees returned to the top of the AL standings for the first time since 1928, and Gehrig had another outstanding performance in the sweep of the Cubs. He finished second in league MVP voting. Gehrig reached a milestone in 1933 as he appeared in a record 1308^th consecutive game, setting a major league record at the time. He also appeared in the first All-Star Game, where he started at first base for the American League. He finished the season with 41 doubles, 12 triples, 32 home runs, 140 RBIs, and a .334 batting average, and placed fourth in MVP balloting. 1934 marked the last season in which Gehrig and Babe Ruth were teammates, and while Ruth was fading, Gehrig won the AL Triple Crown with 49 home runs, 166 RBIs, and a .363 average. He was an All-Star once again and placed fifth in league MVP voting. With the second-place Yankees in 1935 Gehrig led the league in runs scored (125), walks drawn (132), and on base percentage (.466) while batting .329 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs. He finished fifth in MVP voting again. In 1936 the Yankees returned to the top of the American League with a lineup bolstered by the arrival of rookie center fielder Joe DiMaggio. Gehrig was league MVP on the basis of hitting a circuit-topping 49 home runs and scoring 167 runs as well as compiling 152 RBIs and hitting .354. The classy, dignified, and highly-respected team captain batted .292 with two home runs and 7 more RBIs in the six-game World Series victory over the Giants. The Yankees repeated as champs in 1937 and Gehrig contributed 37 home runs, 158 RBIs, and a .351 average and ranked fourth in league MVP balloting. “The Iron Horse” dealt with nagging injuries and a prolongued slump in 1938 and ended up hitting .295 with 29 home runs and 114 RBIs. By spring training of 1939 it was apparent that Gehrig was seriously off his game, both at the plate and in the field. After getting off to a poor start during the season, he opted to sit out and end his consecutive game streak at 2130 games. He did not return to the lineup and announced his retirement in June, after he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) an incurable neuromuscular disease. The Yankees honored him with a sendoff between games of a July 4 doubleheader in which he delivered a memorable address to the crowd. He died two years later at age 37 from the malady that would forever after be referred to as “Lou Gehrig disease”. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, he batted .340 with 2721 hits that included 534 doubles, 163 triples, and 493 home runs. He further scored 1888 runs and compiled 1995 RBIs. In addition to the 2130-game streak, which remained the major league record until surpassed by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995, Gehrig also retired as the career leader in grand slams with 23, a record which lasted until 2013. He finished with 150 or more RBIs in seven seasons. Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, including 1939 when he was a non-playing reserve and AL team captain. Appearing in 34 World Series games, he hit .361 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. He was a two-time league MVP who finished in the top ten on nine occasions. The Yankees retired his #4 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by special election in 1939. The team further honored him with a monument in center field at Yankee Stadium. A biographical movie, The Pride of the Yankees in which Gehrig was portrayed by actor Gary Cooper, was released in 1942.

Cy Young Profile: R.A. Dickey, 2012

Pitcher, New York Mets

Age:  37

3^rd season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 215

Prior to 2012:

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Dickey excelled in football as well as baseball at Montgomery Bell Academy. He went 15-3 with 218 strikeouts as a senior and passed on an offer from the Detroit Tigers to attend the Univ. of Tennessee where he continued to pitch impressively. He was chosen by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 1996 amateur draft. Found to have a congenital abnormality in his right elbow, Dickey signed for a reduced bonus. First assigned to Port Charlotte of the advanced Class A Florida State League, he made a poor showing with a 1-4 record and 6.94 ERA. He was made Port Charlotte’s bullpen closer in 1998 and was 1-5 with 38 saves and a 3.30 ERA in 57 appearances. Dickey advanced to the Tulsa Drillers of the Class AA Texas League in 1999 and was utilized as both a starter and reliever, producing a 6-7 record with 10 saves and a 4.55 ERA. He moved on to the Oklahoma RedHawks of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where in 2000 he posted an 8-9 record with a 4.49 ERA in 30 games, 23 of them starts. Dickey was back with Oklahoma in 2001, where he went 11-7 in 24 starts with a 3.75 ERA and 120 strikeouts. He had a brief trial with the Rangers in May and in four relief outings he went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. With a mediocre fastball, curve, and forkball, his future did not appear to be promising. Dickey was again with Oklahoma in 2002, where utilized as a starter and reliever he produced an 8-7 tally with a 4.09 ERA over 154 innings pitched. He started off the 2003 season in the Texas bullpen until advancing to the starting rotation in July. Appearing in 38 games (13 of them starts) for the last-place Rangers Dickey was 9-8 with a 5.09 ERA. He hurled one shutout and struck out 94 batters. He followed up with a lesser performance in an injury-plagued 2004 season in which he compiled a 6-7 record and 5.61 ERA in 25 games, 15 of them starts. It was even rougher in 2005 when Dickey was demoted to Oklahoma following a poor start to the season, where he went 10-6 with a 5.99 ERA. While back in Class AAA Dickey began to experiment with throwing a knuckleball. He started the 2006 season with the Rangers but was demoted to Oklahoma after giving up six home runs in his first start. With the RedHawks he was 9-8 with a 4.92 ERA and in the offseason he departed Texas as a free agent. Signed by the Milwaukee Brewers, he was assigned to the Nashville Sounds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2007. With improved performance of the knuckleball he posted a 13-6 record with a 3.72 ERA and was named PCL Pitcher of the Year. Moving on to the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, Dickey split 2008 between Tacoma of the PCL, where he started seven games and went 2-5 with a 3.44 ERA, and the Mariners, where he started in 14 of his 32 appearances and produced a 5-8 record with a 5.21 ERA. As a free agent once more in the offseason, Dickey next signed with the Minnesota Twins and, working out of the bullpen, he pitched in 35 games and was 1-1 with a 4.62 ERA in 2009 at age 34. He signed a minor league contract with the Mets for 2010. He started the season at Buffalo of the Class AAA International League where he dominated with his knuckleball for eight starts and compiled a 4-2 record with a 2.23 ERA before being called up to the Mets and inserted into the rotation. He got off to a 6-0 start for the Mets on his way to an 11-9 tally with a 2.84 ERA. Dickey received a boost in pay for 2011 and he was a hard-luck pitcher for a losing team, posting an 8-13 record with a 3.28 ERA and 134 strikeouts. Heading into 2012, Dickey’s career thus far had been largely filled with disappointment.

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 33 [1, tied with eleven others]

Complete Games – 5 [1]

Wins – 20 [2]

Losses – 6

PCT - .769 [3]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [1]

Innings Pitched – 233.2 [1]

Hits – 192 [14, tied with Kyle Lohse]

Runs – 78

Earned Runs – 71

Home Runs – 24 [15, tied with Cole Hamels]

Bases on Balls – 54

Strikeouts – 230 [1]

ERA – 2.73 [2]

Hit Batters – 9 [7, tied with four others]

Balks – 1 [14, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading complete games were +2 ahead of runners-up Adam Wainwright & Ricky Nolasco

League-leading shutouts were +1 ahead of six runners-up

League-leading innings pitched were +6 ahead of runner-up Clayton Kershaw

League-leading strikeouts were +1 ahead of runner-up Clayton Kershaw

Midseason Snapshot: 12-1, ERA - 2.40, SO - 123 in 120 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/18, (in 7.2 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 9/27

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Tampa Bay 6/13, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/18

Batting

PA – 83, AB – 72, R – 3, H – 11, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 0, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .153, GDP – 3, HBP – 1, SH – 10, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 60

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 44

Errors – 4

DP – 6

Pct. - .933

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award:BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

14^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Joey Votto, Cin. (16 points, 4% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

R.A. Dickey, NYM: 209 pts. – 27 of 32 first place votes, 93% share

Clayton Kershaw, LAD: 96 pts. – 2 first place votes, 43% share

Gio Gonzalez, Wash.: 93 pts. – 1 first place vote, 42% share

Johnny Cueto, Cin.: 75 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

Craig Kimbrel, Atl.: 41 pts. – 1 first place vote, 18% share

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Mets went 74-88 to finish fourth in the NL Eastern Division, 24 games behind the division-winning Washington Nationals. Dickey’s heroics, which included the two one-hitters in consecutive starts, provided the team’s primary highlights.

Aftermath of 2012:

In the offseason following his outstanding 2012 performance, the Mets traded Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays, who gave him a two-year $25 million contract extension. In 2013 he finished with a 14-13 record and 4.21 ERA with 177 strikeouts. An outstanding fielding pitcher, he also won a Gold Glove. In 2014 he was 14-13 again with a 3.71 ERA and 173 strikeouts. Off to a slow start in 2015 he went on to post an 11-11 record with a 3.91 ERA and 126 strikeouts. The Blue Jays exercised their option to keep Dickey in 2016 and he had surgery on his right knee. His 2016 record slipped to 10-15 and a 4.46 ERA and 126 strikeouts. A free agent in the offseason he moved on to the Atlanta Braves for 2017, where at age 42 he went 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA and 136 strikeouts. Unsigned for 2018 and receiving no offers, Dickey retired. Overall in the major leagues he compiled a 120-118 record with a 4.04 ERA and 1477 strikeouts over 2073.2 innings. With the Mets, where he experienced his greatest success, he was 39-28 with a 2.95 ERA and 468 strikeouts. He started 300 of his 400 appearances and pitched 15 complete games that included 6 shutouts. Dickey started two postseason games, both with Toronto, and was 0-1 with a 7.11 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched.

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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.