Rookie of the Year: Bob Horner, 1978

Third Baseman, Atlanta Braves

Age:  21 (Aug. 6)

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1978:

Born in Kansas, Horner moved with his family to southern California, and later Arizona, where he was a shortstop at Apollo High School in Glendale. Drafted by the Oakland A’s in 1975, he chose instead to attend Arizona State Univ. He was shifted to second base as a freshman and hit the first 9 of his then-record career 58 home runs. Horner played third base in his sophomore and junior seasons. As a junior in 1978 he batted .412 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs and was the first recipient of the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s best amateur player. He was chosen by the Braves with the first overall pick in the ’78 amateur draft and signed and bypassed the minor leagues to move directly into the Atlanta lineup.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in 89 games

3B – 89

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 359

At Bats – 323

Runs – 50

Hits – 86

Doubles – 17

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 23 [11, tied with four others]

RBI – 63

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 42

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .266

OBP - .313

Slugging Pct. - .539 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 174

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 9 [6, tied with Jack Clark & Willie Montanez]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 4, RBI – 15, AVG – .267, SLG - .500

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 9/9

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Montreal 7/28, (in 4 AB) vs. Montreal 7/29, (in 4 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/14, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 8/25

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 4

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. St. Louis 8/25

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 293

Put Outs – 81

Assists – 199

Errors – 13

DP - 17

Pct. - .956

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Bob Horner, Atl.: 12 of 23 votes, 50% share

Ozzie Smith, SD: 8 votes, 33% share

Don Robinson, Pitt.: 3 votes, 13% share

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Braves went 69-93 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 26 games behind the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers while leading the league in fewest hits (1313) and lowest batting average (.244). While finishing in the cellar for the third straight year the Braves received a midseason lift due to the arrival of Horner and LHP Larry McWilliams.

Aftermath of ‘78:

Horner followed up his impressive rookie season by hitting .314 in 1979 with 33 home runs and 98 RBIs. When he got off to a poor start in 1980, batting just .059 after ten games, owner Ted Turner ordered his demotion to the minors. Horner sought legal recourse, while fans and media complained about the move, and eventually the Braves reinstated him. He went on to hit .268 with 35 home runs and 89 RBIs in 124 games. Struggling with his weight and injuries during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Horner dropped to 15 home runs and 42 RBIs with a .277 average. The Braves topped the NL West in 1982, and despite an elbow injury, Horner, who was an All-Star for the only time in his career, contributed a .261 average with 32 home runs and 97 RBIs. He batted only .091 as the Braves were swept by the Cardinals in the NLCS. Signing a contract extension that provided incentives if he kept his weight under 215 pounds, he was hitting .303 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs in 1983 when he broke his right wrist in August and was lost for the remainder of the season. Horner broke the same wrist again in May of 1984 while diving for a foul ball and again was lost for the rest of the year. In 32 games he hit .274 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. Lacking range at third base, Horner was shifted to first base during the 1985 season, during which his numbers rebounded to .267 with 27 home runs and 89 RBIs. He hit another 27 home runs in 1986, which included a record-tying four in one game against Montreal, which was won by the Expos, making Horner just the second major league player to perform the feat in a game that his team lost. He also ended up with 87 RBIs and a .273 average. A free agent in the offseason, Horner was unable to come to terms on a suitable contract and signed with the Yakult Swallows of the Japan Central League for one year at $2 million. Popular in Japan, he batted .327 in 93 games with 31 home runs and 73 RBIs. Resisting a lucrative offer to stay in Japan, Horner returned to the National League with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988, who hoped he could adequately replace departed free agent Jack Clark. A shoulder injury limited him to 60 games. Invited to spring training by the Baltimore Orioles in 1989 he chose to retire. For his major league career, Horner batted .277 with 1047 hits that included 169 doubles, 8 triples, and 218 home runs. He further compiled 685 RBIs and scored 560 runs. With the Braves he batted .278 with 994 hits, 160 doubles, 7 triples, 215 home runs, 652 RBIs, and 545 runs scored. A one-time All-Star, he finished in the top ten in league MVP voting once as well. Horner was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

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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. 

Rookie of the Year: Neftali Feliz, 2010

Pitcher, Texas Rangers

Age:  22 (May 2)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 235

Prior to 2010:

A native of Azua in the Dominican Republic, where he attended Sofia Benitez High School and developed into a pitching prospect, Feliz signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2005 for a $100,000 bonus at age 17 and first pitched for the Dominican Braves before moving on to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2006 where he appeared in 11 games (5 of them starts) and was 0-2 with a 4.03 ERA and 42 strikeouts over the course of 29 innings. In 2007 he was traded to the Rangers in July and saw action at the Rookie and Class A levels, where he went a combined 2-2 with a 2.55 ERA and 55 strikeouts over 42.1 innings pitched. Used exclusively as a starting pitcher in 2008, Feliz was 6-3 with Clinton of the Class A Midwest League and had a 2.52 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 82 innings and, moving on to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Class AA Texas League he further compiled a 4-3 record with a 2.98 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 45.1 innings. He advanced to Oklahoma City of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2009 and, starting 13 of his 25 games, was 4-6 with a 3.49 ERA and 75 strikeouts. Called up to the Rangers in August, Feliz relieved in 20 games and produced a 1-0 record with a 1.74 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 31 innings. An aggressive competitor with an excellent fastball, he was developing his changeup and curveball. He replaced the faltering Frank Francisco as the bullpen closer early during the 2010 season.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 70 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 70 [11, tied with four others]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 4

Losses – 3

PCT - .571 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 40 [3]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 69.1

Hits – 43

Runs – 21

Earned Runs – 21

Home Runs – 5

Bases on Balls – 18

Strikeouts – 71

ERA – 2.73 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 5

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

Midseason Snapshot: 1-2, ERA - 3.82, G – 39, SV – 23, SO - 42 in 37.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 3 on five occasions

Fielding

Chances – 5

Put Outs – 3

Assists – 2

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching:

G – 7 (ALDS vs. Tampa Bay – 2 G; ALCS vs. NY Yankees – 3 G; World Series vs. San Francisco – 2 G)

GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 0-0, PCT – .000, SV – 1, ShO – 0, IP – 7.1, H – 3, R – 1, ER – 1, HR – 1 BB – 5, SO – 11, ERA – 1.23, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

AL ROY Voting (Top 4):

Neftali Feliz, Tex.: 122 pts. – 20 of 28 first place votes, 87% share

Austin Jackson, Det.: 98 pts. – 8 first place votes, 70% share

Danny Valencia, Min.: 12 pts. –  9% share

Wade Davis, TB: 11 pts. – 8% share

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Rangers went 90-72 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 9 games over the Oakland Athletics. Won ALDS over the Tampa Bay Rays, 3 games to 2 & ALCS over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2 for the first league pennant in franchise history. Lost World Series to the San Francisco Giants, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of 2010:

After becoming the first major league rookie pitcher to record 40 saves in a season, Feliz followed up in 2011 with 32 saves and a 2-3 record and 71 strikeouts over 69.1 innings. The Rangers again won the AL pennant and Feliz failed to close out Game 6 of the World Series against St. Louis, surrendering a game-tying two-run triple in the ninth inning in the contest eventually won by the Cardinals, who also won the deciding seventh game. Moved into the starting rotation in 2012, he was 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA when he went on the disabled list with an arm injury and underwent “Tommy John” surgery, which cost him the remainder of the season. Still recovering from surgery in 2013, Feliz returned to the Rangers in September and appeared in six games with no decisions. In an injury-interrupted 2014 season, he split time between the set-up and closer roles and in 30 appearances ended up with a 2-1 record and 13 saves with a 1.99 ERA. In 2015 he was released in July and signed with the Detroit Tigers, finishing with a combined 3-4 tally and 10 saves and a 6.38 ERA. Feliz signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016, appeared in 62 games and posted a 4-2 record with two saves and a 3.52 ERA. He split 2017 between the Brewers and Royals and was a combined 2-5 with 8 saves and a 5.48 ERA in 49 appearances. Signing a minor league deal with Arizona for 2018, Feliz was 6-5 as a starter and reliever for the Reno Aces of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He was still toiling in the minors in 2019. For his major league career, Feliz posted a 21-19 record and 107 saves while appearing in 357 games, with a 3.49 ERA and 363 strikeouts over 389.1 innings pitched. With the Rangers he was 13-10 with 93 saves and 242 strikeouts over 261.1 innings. In 18 postseason games, he had no decisions and recorded 7 saves along with a 1.93 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 18 innings. Widely considered to be a tremendous pitching prospect during his rise to the major leagues, he showed great promise in his early seasons with the Rangers but has not been able to regain that form.

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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: Tim Lincecum, 2008

Pitcher, San Francisco Giants

Age:  24 (June 15)

2^nd season with Giants

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170

Prior to 2008:

Born in Bellevue, Washington, Lincecum was small and wiry growing up. Only 4’11” when he entered Renton’s Liberty High School but was surprisingly strong for his small stature. A growth spurt had him at nearly a foot taller by the time he was a junior and became a varsity pitcher. With a unique windup that resolved in a long stride forward on the mound prior to release, Lincecum compiled a 4-2 record in that first varsity season with a 0.73 ERA and 86 strikeouts over the course of 49 innings. He was 12-1 for a state championship team as a senior and he passed up an offer from the Chicago Cubs, who selected him in the 2003 amateur draft, to attend the Univ. of Washington. He continued his development in college and received the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s best collegiate player in 2006, when he pitched 125.1 innings and posted a 12-4 tally with a 1.94 ERA and 199 strikeouts. He was the tenth overall selection by the Giants in that year’s amateur draft and Lincecum signed for a $2.025 million bonus. Playing for two teams at the Class A level in ’06 he pitched 31.2 innings and went 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 58 strikeouts. He advanced to Fresno of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2007 and in five games posted a 4-0 record and 0.29 ERA with 46 strikeouts. Called up to the Giants in May Lincecum took over the spot in the rotation of injured RHP Russ Ortiz and compiled a 7-5 tally with a 4.00 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 146.1 innings pitched. Able to throw consistently at high velocity from his odd windup and despite his slender frame, his repertoire included a four-seam fastball, curve, changeup, and slider.

2008 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 33 [9, tied with ten others]

Complete Games – 2 [6, tied with six others]

Wins – 18 [2]

Losses – 5

PCT - .783 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [7, tied with fifteen others]

Innings Pitched – 227 [3]

Hits – 182

Runs – 72

Earned Runs – 66

Home Runs – 11

Bases on Balls – 84 [7]

Strikeouts – 265 [1]

ERA – 2.62 [2]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 2 [5, tied with nine others

Wild Pitches – 17 [1, tied with Manny Parra]

League-leading winning pct. was +.024 ahead of runner-up Brandon Webb

League-leading strikeouts were +59 ahead of runners-up Edinson Volquez, Johan Santana & Dan Haren

Midseason Snapshot: 11-2, ERA - 2.57, SO - 135 in 129.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 7 IP) vs. Arizona 7/26, (in 7 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 9/28

10+ strikeout games – 9

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 7 IP) at San Diego 8/1, (in 7.2 IP) at Atlanta 8/17

Batting

PA – 81, AB – 70, R – 7, H – 11, 2B – 1, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 5, BB – 5, SO – 32, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .157, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 26

Put Outs – 9

Assists – 17

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

23^rd in NL MVP voting (9 points, 2% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Tim Lincecum, SF: 137 pts. – 23 of 32 first place votes, 86% share

Brandon Webb, Ariz.: 73 pts. – 4 first place votes, 46% share

Johan Santana, NYM: 55 pts. – 4 first place votes, 34% share

Brad Lidge, Phila.: 10 pts. – 6% share

C.C. Sabathia, Mil.: 9 pts. – 1 first place vote, 6% share

Ryan Dempster, ChiC.: 4 pts. – 3% share

Giants went 72-90 to finish fourth in the NL Western Division, 12 games behind the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

Aftermath of ‘08:

Lincecum followed up with another Cy Young-winning season in 2009 in which he produced a 15-7 record and 2.48 ERA, again leading the NL in strikeouts with 261. “The Freak” was again an All-Star and placed eighteenth in MVP voting. With a fine starting rotation that featured Lincecum, RHP Matt Cain, and LHP Jonathan Sanchez, the Giants won the NL West in 2010 and Lincecum contributed a 16-10 tally with a 3.43 ERA and league-leading 231 strikeouts. He was 3-1 in the postseason, including two wins in the World Series victory over Texas. San Francisco dropped to second place in 2011 and Lincecum’s record fell to 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA and 220 strikeouts, although he was an All-Star for the fourth straight year. Lincecum went 10-15 in 2012 with a 5.18 ERA and 190 strikeouts as the Giants returned to the top of the NL West. He started only one game in the postseason as the club won the NL pennant. Relegated to the bullpen during the World Series sweep of Detroit, he struck out eight of the 16 batters he faced in two relief appearances. He generated another losing record in 2013 at 10-14 although he threw a no-hitter against the Padres at San Diego. His ERA for the season was 4.37 and he struck out 193 batters. In 2014 Lincecum pitched another no-hitter against the Padres, this time at home. Otherwise it was a season that involved more struggles, that eventually forced his move to the bullpen, on the way to a 12-9 record with a 4.74 ERA, 134 strikeouts, and a league-leading 15 wild pitches. He started out well in 2015 but ended up with a 7-4 tally in just 15 starts and a 4.13 ERA. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Los Angeles Angels for 2016. He was a disappointing 2-6 for the Angels with a dreadful 9.16 ERA, and spent time back in Class AAA before being let go in August. After sitting out the 2017 season, Lincecum signed with the Texas Rangers in 2018, but went on the disabled list in the spring and never appeared with the Rangers, who released him during the season, thus ending his career. Overall during his major league career, Lincecum produced a 110-89 record with a 3.74 ERA and 1736 strikeouts over 1682 innings pitched. He was 108-83 with the Giants with a 3.61 ERA and 1704 strikeouts. He further compiled 10 complete games that included 7 shutouts and two no-hitters. In 13 postseason appearances he went 5-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 65 strikeouts over 56.1 innings. In addition to two Cy Young Awards, Lincecum was a four-time All-Star.

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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.  

Cy Young Profile: Gaylord Perry, 1978

Pitcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  40 (Sept. 15)

1^st season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1978:

A native of Williamston, North Carolina, Perry played football and basketball as well as baseball. in high school. He started out as a third baseman who began pitching in tandem with his older brother Jim (who also went on to have a long major league career) with great success (he compiled a high school record of 33-5). After high school he signed with the San Francisco Giants for a $60,000 bonus. He was first assigned to St. Cloud of the Class C Northern League in 1958, where he was 9-5 with a 2.39 ERA. He had a more difficult time in 1959 with Corpus Christi of the Class AA Texas League, compiling a 10-11 record with a 4.05 ERA. Perry was back in the Texas League in 1960, this time with the Rio Grande Valley Giants. His record was a mediocre 9-13, but he led the league with a 2.82 ERA. He moved on to Tacoma of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1961, where he was outstanding with a 16-10 tally and a 2.55 ERA. Making it to the Giants in 1962 as a reliever and spot starter, Perry struggled and was 1-6 with a 6.25 ERA when he was sent down to Tacoma in June. Back in the PCL, Perry was 10-7 with a 2.48 ERA. His fastball was highly effective and he returned to the Giants, who were locked in a hot pennant race with the Dodgers. He ended up posting a 3-1 major league record with a 5.23 ERA. In 1963 with the Giants, he was a seldom-used reliever who appeared in 31 games, four of them starts, and went 1-6 with a 4.03 ERA. Following a strong Dominican League performance in the winter, Perry learned how to throw a spitball during the spring from RHP Bob Shaw. The illegal pitch was in wide use and Perry developed it along with a slider to supplement his fastball and curve. Appearing in 44 games in 1964 (19 of them starts) he was 12-11 with a 2.75 ERA and 155 strikeouts. In 1965, still utilized as a starter and reliever, Perry dropped to 8-12 with a 4.19 ERA and 170 strikeouts. In 1966, having adjusted from a three-quarters pitching motion to straight over-the-top, he added a hard slider to his repertoire (in addition to his regular slider) and moved firmly into the starting rotation. He delivered a 21-8 record with a 2.99 ERA and 201 strikeouts. He was also an All-Star selection for the first time. His ERA was 2.61 in 1967 although his record dropped to 15-17 with 230 strikeouts. By this point he had added an elaborate ritual of hand motions to distract from how he was applying foreign substances to the ball to throw the spitball. In 1968 Perry’s record was only 16-15 despite a 2.45 ERA that included a no-hitter against the pennant-winning Cardinals (whose RHP Ray Washburn returned the favor the next day). Now part of an effective one-two punch with RHP Juan Marichal, the staff ace, Perry continued in 1969 with a 19-14 record and 2.49 ERA with 233 strikeouts. He also compiled 26 complete games and a league-leading 325.1 innings pitched. Routinely checked by umpires for foreign substances, he remained highly effective and unsanctioned. Perry had a big year in 1970, as he added a forkball to his repertoire, in which he went 23-13 to lead the NL in wins, along with a 3.20 ERA and 214 strikeouts. He again topped the circuit with 328.2 innings pitched that included 23 complete games and 5 shutouts. The Giants won the NL West in 1971 and Perry contributed a 16-12 mark with a 2.76 ERA and 158 strikeouts. He was 1-1 in the only postseason action of his career. In the offseason Perry was dealt to the Cleveland Indians along with shortstop Frank Duffy for LHP Sam McDowell. He had an excellent year for his new team in 1972, producing a 24-16 record with a 1.92 ERA , 29 complete games, and 234 strikeouts and received the AL Cy Young Award as a result. Allegations of throwing illegal pitches continued to follow Perry, who seemed to embrace the controversy and the psychological effect on opposing batters. He went 19-19 with the last-place Indians in 1973 with a 3.38 ERA, 29 complete games, and 238 strikeouts. Perry had a strong season in 1974, the same year in which he released Me and the Spitter, An Autobiographical Confession in which he claimed to no longer be using the illegal pitch, which did not allay the suspicions. He compiled a 21-13 record in ’74 that included a 15-game winning streak. The 1975 season was highlighted by feuding with new manager Frank Robinson. He had a 6-9 record when he was traded to the Texas Rangers in June. He finished with a combined tally of 18-17 with a 3.24 ERA and 233 strikeouts while still completing 25 games, five of them shutouts. In 1976 he went 15-14 with a 3.24 ERA and 143 strikeouts while pitching 250 innings and completing 21 games. In 1977 the Rangers finished a surprising second in the AL West and the 38-year-old Perry was 15-12 with a 3.37 ERA and 177 strikeouts over 238 innings. Seeking an infusion of youth, the Rangers traded Perry to the Padres just prior to spring training.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37

Games Started – 37 [2]

Complete Games – 5

Wins – 21 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .778 [1]

SV – 0

Shutouts – 2 [18, tied with thirteen others]

Innings Pitched – 260.2 [4]

Hits – 241 [3]

Runs – 96 [17, tied with Dennis Lamp]

Earned Runs – 79

Home Runs – 9

Bases on Balls – 66

Strikeouts – 154 [9, tied with Don Sutton]

ERA – 2.73 [6]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 3 [11, tied with twelve others]

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Ross Grimsley

League-leading winning pct was +.078 ahead of runner-up Don Robinson

Midseason Snapshot: 9-4, ERA - 3.11, SO - 79 in 127.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 10 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 10/1

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Montreal 6/14, (in 9 IP) vs. Houston 6/23, (in 7 IP) vs. San Francisco 9/21

Batting

PA – 102, AB – 87, R – 5, H – 8, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 2, SO – 31, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .092, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 13, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 55

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 40

Errors – 2

DP – 6

Pct. - .964

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

8^th in NL MVP voting (45 points, 13% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Gaylord Perry, SD: 116 pts. – 22 of 24 first place votes, 97% share

Burt Hooton, LAD: 38 pts. – 32% share

Vida Blue, SF: 17 pts. – 1 first place vote, 14% share

J.R. Richard, Hou.: 13 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11% share

Kent Tekulve, Pitt.: 12 pts. – 10% share

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Padres went 84-78 to finish fourth in the NL Western Division, 11 games behind the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers, for the first winning record in franchise history. The pitching staff led the league in saves (55).

Aftermath of ‘78:

Perry followed up in 1979 with another solid season in which he posted a 12-11 record with a 3.06 ERA and 140 strikeouts. However, he feuded with manager Roger Craig and, never one to tolerate defensive miscues, publicly berated the poor defensive play behind him. Desiring to be traded, Perry quit the club in September and got his wish just prior to spring training in 1980 when he was dealt back to the Texas Rangers for first baseman Willie Montanez. Perry started 24 games for the Rangers, battled with another manager (Pat Corrales) and was 6-9 with a 3.43 ERA when he was traded to the New York Yankees in August. He went 4-4 the rest of the way with a 4.44 ERA. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Atlanta Braves for 1981 and was 8-9 during the strike-interrupted season with a 3.94 ERA. He signed with the Seattle Mariners for 1982 and compiled a 10-12 record that included his 300^th career win, along with a 4.40 ERA. He was also ejected from a game for allegedly throwing illegal pitches for the only time in his long career. He split the 1983 season between Seattle and the Kansas City Royals, posting a combined record of 7-14 with a 4.64 ERA, after which he retired. Overall for his major league career, Perry was 314-265 with a 3.11 ERA and struck out 3534 batters over 5350 innings pitched. He further hurled 303 complete games that included 53 shutouts. With the Padres he went 33-17 with a 2.88 ERA and 294 strikeouts over the course of 493.1 innings. A five-time All-Star who won a Cy Young Award in each league, Perry was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. His #36 was retired by the San Francisco Giants.

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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: Dizzy Dean, 1934

Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  24

3^rd season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 182

Prior to 1934:

A native of Arkansas, Jay (which he later changed to Jerome) Hanna Dean was raised in a family of migrant farmers whose regular moving kept him from obtaining much steady formal schooling. Dean became schooled in hard work picking cotton and playing baseball. While still underage he joined the Army in 1926 and, playing barracks league baseball, he put his outstanding fastball, which he called “fogger” to good use and also developed a fine curve. He also picked up the nickname “Dizzy”. Upon leaving the Army, Dean joined the San Antonio Public Service Corp. where he was a meter reader and pitcher for the company’s team. Signed by a scout for the Cardinals for $100 per month, he was first assigned to St. Joseph of the Class A Western League in 1930 where he went 17-8 with a 3.69 ERA before being promoted to the Houston Buffaloes of the Class A Texas League, where he produced an 8-2 record with a 2.86 ERA. Called up to the Cardinals in late September, Dean pitched a complete game victory in his lone start for the NL pennant-winning club. Brash and carefree, Dean was returned to Houston in 1931 and went 26-10 with a 1.57 ERA. He was promoted to the Cardinals to stay in 1932, earning a spot in the rotation and posting an 18-15 record with a 3.30 ERA and a league-leading 191 strikeouts. The Cards contended in 1933 and finished fifth, and Dean went 20-18 and topped the NL with 26 complete games and 199 strikeouts (including 17 in one game) to go with his 3.04 ERA. For 1934 he was joined in the rotation by his brother Paul, a righthander and quieter person who was ironically tagged with the nickname “Daffy”.

1934 Season Summary

Appeared in 51 games

P – 50, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 50 [2, tied with Snipe Hansen]

Games Started – 33 [7]

Complete Games – 24 [2]

Wins – 30 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .811 [1]

Saves – 7 [2, tied with Dolf Luque]

Shutouts – 7 [1]

Innings Pitched – 311.2 [3]

Hits – 288 [5, tied with Benny Frey]

Runs – 110 [15]

Earned Runs – 92 [15]

Home Runs – 14 [13, tied with four others]

Bases on Balls – 75 [7]

Strikeouts – 195 [1]

ERA – 2.66 [2]

Hit Batters – 6 [5, tied with Ed Holley & Roy Parmelee]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading wins were +7 ahead of runner-up Hal Schumacher

League-leading winning percentage was +.097 ahead of runner-up Waite Hoyt

League-leading shutouts were +2 ahead of runners-up Carl Hubbell & Paul Dean

League-leading strikeouts were +11 ahead of runner-up Van Lingle Mungo

Midseason Snapshot: 14-3, ERA - 5.53, SO - 90 in 155.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. Cincinnati 7/8

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Brooklyn 9/5, (in 9 IP) at Brooklyn 9/21

Batting

PA – 126, AB – 118, R – 15, H – 29, 2B – 3, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 9, BB – 1, SO – 15, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .246, GDP – 5, HBP – 0, SH – 7, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 66

Put Outs – 18

Assists – 46

Errors – 2

DP – 1

Pct. - .970

Postseason Pitching: (World Series vs. Detroit)

G – 3 GS – 3

CG – 2, Record – 2-1, PCT – .667, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 26, H – 20, R – 6, ER – 5, HR – 2, BB – 5, SO – 17, ERA – 1.73, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP:BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Dizzy Dean, StLC.: 78 pts. – 98% share

Paul Waner, Pitt.: 50 pts. – 63% share

Jo-Jo Moore, NYG: 42 pts. – 53% share

Travis Jackson, NYG.: 39 pts. – 49% share

Mel Ott, NYG: 37 pts. – 46% share

Cardinals went 95-58 to win the NL pennant by two games over the New York Giants. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (78), shutouts (15) and strikeouts (689). The “Gas House Gang” trailed the Giants throughout the summer, not helped when the Dean brothers (who ended up winning 49 games) briefly quit the team after being fined for insubordination. A 13-2 finish allowed them to catch and surpass the Giants. Won World Series over the Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 3 as the Dean brothers won two games apiece. The Cardinals had a scare in Game 4 when Dizzy was knocked unconscious by a thrown ball while pinch running.

Aftermath of ‘34:

A natural public speaker and raconteur, Dean was not shy about talking off-the-cuff to sportswriters and presenting himself to the public. In the offseason he went barnstorming several times with a group of players that included Negro League stars such as RHP Satchel Paige, whose abilities Dean much admired. Following up on his big 1934 season, Dean produced a 28-12 record in 1935 while leading the NL in complete games (29), innings pitched (325.1) and strikeouts (190), to go along with a 3.04 ERA. He placed second in league MVP voting while the Cardinals finished second in the standings, four games out of first place. Dean had another strong season in 1936, going 24-13 with a 3.17 ERA and 195 strikeouts, and again leading the league in complete games (28) and innings pitched (315). He started well in 1937 and was selected to start the All-Star Game for the NL. In the third inning Cleveland outfielder Earl Averill hit a line drive that broke a toe on Dean’s left foot that forced him out of the lineup for several weeks. When he returned, he changed his pitching motion, which resulted in a sore arm and cost him his fastball and effectiveness. He finished the season with a 13-10 record and 2.69 ERA. In the offseason Dean was dealt to the Chicago Cubs for three players and cash. Used as a spot starter and relying on his curve and changeup, he was 7-1 with a 1.81 ERA for the pennant-winning Cubs. In 1939 he was 6-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 19 games and spent some time in the minors in 1940 trying to develop a new sidearm motion. With the Cubs he was ineffective and finished at 3-3 with a 5.17 ERA, after which he retired at age 30. He was lured out of retirement for one game, the 1947 season finale, by the St. Louis Browns, and pitched four shutout innings. For his all-too-brief career, Dean produced a 150-83 record with a 3.02 ERA, 154 complete games, and 26 shutouts along with 1163 strikeouts over 1967.1 innings pitched. He led the NL in strikeouts in four consecutive seasons. With the Cardinals he was 134-75 with a 2.99 ERA and 1095 strikeouts over 1737.1 innings. In five World Series games he had a 2-2 record with a 2.88 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. Dean was a four-time All-Star who finished in the top two in NL MVP voting on three occasions, with the one win. The Cardinals retired his #17 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953. He was later elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in its inaugural class. Following his playing career, Dean became a radio broadcaster, initially for St. Louis Cardinals and Browns games. Popular with the public, he drew the ire of English teachers for his poor grammar and colloquial speech. Moving on to television in the 1950s he was color commentator for the Saturday Game of the Week, first on ABC and later CBS. Dean died in 1974 at the age of 64.

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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.