Rookie of the Year: Benito Santiago, 1987

Catcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  22

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1987:

A native of Puerto Rico, Santiago began playing baseball as a shortstop before switching to catcher in Little League. Following high school, where his coach was a scout for the Padres, Santiago signed with San Diego as an amateur free agent. Initially assigned to Miami of the Class A Florida State League in 1983 he batted .247 in 122 games with 5 home runs and 56 RBIs. Moving on to Reno of the Class A California League in 1984, Santiago hit .279 with 16 home runs and 83 RBIs and was named to the league All-Star team. Promoted to Beaumont of the Class AA Texas League in 1985, Santiago hit .298 with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 5 home runs, and 52 RBIs and was once again a league All-Star. Moving up to the Las Vegas Stars of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1986, Santiago batted .286 with 17 home runs and 71 RBIs, which earned him a late-season call-up to the Padres. Having impressed with his development both offensively and defensively, he took over as San Diego’s starting catcher in 1987.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 146 games

C – 146, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 572

At Bats – 546

Runs – 64

Hits – 164 [20]

Doubles – 33 [15, tied with Bobby Bonilla & Glenn Hubbard]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 18

RBI – 79

Bases on Balls – 16

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 112 [10]

Stolen Bases – 21

Caught Stealing – 12 [5, tied with Tony Gwynn, Darryl Strawberry & Terry Pendleton]

Average - .300 [10, tied with Bobby Bonilla]

OBP - .324

Slugging Pct. - .467

Total Bases – 255

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 5 [14, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: HR - 7, RBI - 32, AVG - .283, OBP - .307

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Most hits, game – 3 on ten occasions

Longest hitting streak – 34 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 6 AB) at Philadelphia 8/18 – 11 innings

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Philadelphia 8/18 – 11 innings

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 919

Put Outs – 817

Assists – 80

Errors – 22

DP - 12

Pct. - .976

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Benito Santiago, SD: 120 pts. – 24 of 24 first place votes, 100% share

Mike Dunne, Pitt.: 66 pts. – 55% share

Joe Magrane, StL.: 10 pts. – 8% share

Casey Candaele, Mon.: 9 pts. – 8% share

Gerald Young, Hou.: 7 pts. – 6% share

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Padres went 65-97 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 25 games behind the division-winning San Francisco Giants. Despite efforts to shake up the team during the season, the Padres started slowly and never got it together. Santiago’s performance which was highlighted by his rookie record 34-game hitting streak provided some cause for optimism.

Aftermath of ‘87:

Santiago’s batting average dropped to .248 in 1988 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs, but he won his first Gold Glove due to his outstanding defense that included 8 pickoffs and throwing out 45 percent of the runners who attempted to steal on him, thanks to his strong arm and ability to throw well from his knees. Santiago was an All-Star for the first time in 1989 while hitting .236 with 16 home runs and 62 RBIs. In 1990 he suffered a broken left forearm that not only kept him out of the All-Star Game but held him to 100 appearances with a .270 average, 11 home runs, and 53 RBIs. Santiago rebounded in 1991 with 17 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a .267 average while continuing to perform well defensively. Dealing with a broken finger in 1992, Santiago played in 106 games and batted .251 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs. With the Padres cutting costs and jettisoning front-line talent, Santiago became a free agent in the offseason and signed with the expansion Florida Marlins in 1993. Despite hitting the first home run in franchise history Santiago had a difficult year in ’93 in which he drew the ire of the new club’s fans. He batted just .230 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs, and had uncharacteristic fielding problems, being charged with 11 errors and 23 passed balls. His hitting improved in the strike shortened 1994 season to .273 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs. With an excellent catching prospect in Charles Johnson ready to take over, Santiago was once more a free agent and signed with Cincinnati. Splitting time behind the plate with Ed Taubensee and Damon Berryhill, Santiago played in only 81 games in 1995 and hit .286 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs for the division-winning Reds. A free agent in the offseason, he spent 1996 with the Philadelphia Phillies where he achieved a career high with 30 home runs and drove in 85 RBIs while hitting .264 and performing well defensively. Released by the Phillies in the offseason, Santiago moved on to the Toronto Blue Jays where he signed for three years and $10 million. He was a major disappointment in the first half of the1997 season and ended up appearing in 97 games and batting .243 with just 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. Injuries due to a car accident in the offseason limited Santiago to only 15 games in 1998, after which he was released by the Blue Jays. No longer an elite catcher, he spent a year apiece with the Cubs in 1999 and Reds in 2000 with insignificant results. With the San Francisco Giants in 2001 he batted .262 with 6 home runs and 45 RBIs while appearing in 133 games at age 36 and being steady behind the plate. He was an All-Star once more in 2002 on his way to a .278 average with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs. In the postseason he was MVP of the NLCS triumph over St. Louis in which he accounted for two home runs and 6 RBIs. Santiago added another five RBIs in the seven-game World Series loss to the Angels. He spent one more season with the Giants in 2003 in which he hit .279 with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs. After the 2004 season with the Kansas City Royals in which he suffered a broken hand, Santiago was traded to Pittsburgh in the offseason. He caught in only six games for the Pirates prior to being released. Signed to a minor league contract by the Mets in July, he didn’t last long before being let go again, which effectively ended his career. Overall, in the major leagues, Santiago batted .263 with 1830 hits that included 323 doubles, 41 triples, and 217 home runs. He further scored 755 runs and compiled 920 RBIs. With the Padres he batted .264 with 758 hits, 124 doubles, 15 triples, 85 home runs, 375 RBIs, and 312 runs scored. Likeliest his greatest contributions came behind the plate, where he led NL catchers in assists three times, once in fielding percentage, and once in baserunners caught stealing. He appeared in 28 postseason games and hit .250 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. A three-time Gold Glove winner and four-time Silver Slugger recipient, Santiago was a five-time All-Star (four with the Padres). He was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 2015. His legacy has been tainted by allegations of steroid use late in his career.

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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: Frankie Frisch, 1931

Second Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  34 (Sept. 9)

5^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 165

Prior to 1931:

A native of New York City who was born and raised in the Bronx, Frisch proved to be an outstanding all-around athlete at Fordham Prep and Fordham University, where he earned the nickname “the Fordham Flash” for his track and football exploits, as well as excelling at shortstop on the baseball team. Signed by the Giants just prior to his graduation from college in 1919, Frisch bypassed the minors and, under the supervision of manager John McGraw, he received coaching to develop his skills while with the Giants. A switch-hitter, Frisch batted .226 while appearing in 54 games during the 1919 season, splitting time between second and third base. Playing at third base in 1920, the energetic and aggressive young player improved his batting average to .280. Frisch broke out in 1921, a season in which the Giants won the NL pennant, and he contributed a .341 average with 31 doubles, 17 triples, and a league-leading 49 stolen bases. Frisch batted .300 in the World Series triumph over the Yankees, the Giants’ co-tenants at the Polo Grounds. Primarily a second baseman by 1922, Frisch still often appeared at third base. Using his speed and entire body to knock down batted balls in the field and throw out baserunners, he lacked finesse in the middle of the infield. A natural leader with a good head for baseball, McGraw made Frisch the team captain. An effective clutch hitter who lacked power and was a good bunter, he batted .327 in 1922 with 5 home runs, 51 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and 101 runs scored. The Giants again won the NL pennant and “the Fordham Flash” hit .471 in another World Series triumph over the Yankees. Frisch topped the NL with 223 hits in 1923 and also compiled 32 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 29 stolen bases, 116 runs, 111 RBIs, and a .348 average. The Giants won a third straight pennant but lost to the Yankees in the World Series, although Frisch hit .400 over the six games. In 1924 he topped the NL in runs scored with 121 while batting .328 with 33 doubles, 15 triples, 7 home runs, and 69 RBIs. The Giants were once again pennant winners but this time lost to the Washington Senators in the World Series where Frisch hit .333. The team dropped to second place in 1925 but “the Fordham Flash” batted .331 with 11 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 89 runs scored. In the field he split his time almost equally at second, third, and short. In 1926 the situation with the temperamental McGraw came to a head when the manager berated Frisch, who was playing hurt, after a tough loss after which the star second baseman briefly jumped the team in response. He finished up by hitting .314 in 135 games. With relations with McGraw strained beyond the breaking point, in the offseason the Giants engineered a blockbuster trade with the Cardinals that chiefly involved two future Hall of Fame second basemen, with Frisch being exchanged for Rogers Hornsby, a great hitter who had directed St. Louis to a World Series title as player/manager in 1926, but who also wore out his welcome with the team’s owner. Frisch had an excellent first season with the Cardinals in 1927, batting .337 with 208 hits, 10 home runs, 78 RBIs, 112 runs scored, and a league-leading 48 stolen bases. In the field he set a record for second basemen with 641 assists. Frisch placed second in NL MVP voting. The Redbirds returned to the top in the National League standings in 1928 and Frisch hit .300 with 10 home runs and 86 RBIs. He was a .334 hitter in 1929 for the fourth place Cardinals. As he had been in New York, Frisch was the team’s leader on the field and they won the NL pennant in 1930, a year in which he batted .346 with 46 doubles, 9 triples, 10 home runs, 114 RBIs, and 121 runs scored. He hit .208 in the six-game World Series loss to the Philadelphia Athletics.

1931 Season Summary

Appeared in 131 games

2B – 129, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 570

At Bats – 518

Runs – 96 [7]

Hits – 161 [18]

Doubles – 24

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 82 [13]

Bases on Balls – 45

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 13

Stolen Bases – 28 [1]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .311 [14]

OBP - .368 [15]

Slugging Pct. - .396

Total Bases – 205

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading stolen bases were +11 ahead of runner-up Babe Herman

Midseason snapshot: HR - 2, RBI - 33, SB – 8, AVG - .274, OBP - .339

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Brooklyn 6/9, (in 5 AB) vs. Chicago Cubs 8/8

Longest hitting streak – 23 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 6/16, (in 5 AB) at NY Giants 6/30, (in 4 AB) at Brooklyn 8/13, (in 4 AB) at NY Giants 8/16

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 3

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at NY Giants 6/30

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 733

Put Outs – 290

Assists – 424

Errors – 19

DP - 93

Pct. - .974

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Phila. A’s)

PA – 29, AB – 27, R – 2, H – 7, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 1, IBB – N/A, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .259, OBP - .286, SLG - .333, TB – 9, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Frankie Frisch, StLC.: 65 pts. – 81% share

Chuck Klein, PhilaP.: 55 pts. – 69% share

Bill Terry, NYG: 53 pts. – 66% share

Woody English, ChiC.: 30 pts. – 38% share

Chick Hafey, StLC.: 29 pts. – 36% share

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Cardinals went 101-53 to win the NL pennant by 13 games over the New York Giants while leading the league in doubles (353) and stolen bases (114). Won World Series over the Philadelphia Athletics, 4 games to 3. In a Series dominated by the exciting play of rookie outfielder Pepper Martin, the Cardinals avenged their World Series loss to the A’s of the previous year.

Aftermath of ‘31:

The Cardinals dropped to sixth place in 1932 and Frisch batted .292 while playing in 115 games. Having taken an around-the-world tour in the offseason after the World Series triumph, he was out of shape and failed to get on track in ’32. He rebounded in 1933 to hit .303 with 32 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, and 66 RBIs. He was selected for the first All-Star Game and hit a home run during that contest. Shortly after the All-Star Game Frisch became player/manager of the Cardinals. Only a game over .500 when he took over the managerial reins, the Cards went 36-26 the rest of the way to finish fifth in the NL standings. In 1934 the Frisch-managed team known as the “Gas House Gang” won the pennant while the player/manager batted .305 while scoring 74 runs and knocking in 75 RBIs. Still a formidable fielder he placed second among the league’s second basemen with 294 put outs and 74 double plays. Frisch most significantly set the tone for the aggressive group of colorful characters who went on to defeat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. He spent three more seasons as a playing manager with his production and playing time declining until he ended his playing career in 1937, a year before his managerial tenure in St. Louis came to an end. For his playing career, Frisch batted .316 with 2880 hits that included 466 doubles, 138 triples, and 105 home runs. He further scored 1532 runs and compiled 1244 RBIs as well as 419 stolen bases and struck out only 272 times. With the Cardinals he batted .312 with 1577 hits, 286 doubles, 61 triples, 51 home runs, 720 RBIs, 831 runs scored, and 195 stolen bases. Frisch appeared in eight World Series (four each with the Giants and Cardinals), totaling 50 games in which he batted .294 with 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Selected to each of the first three All-Star Games, Frisch was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. Following his retirement as a player and additional year as field manager of the Cardinals, Frisch went on to manage three other teams, with his longest tenure being seven years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His overall managerial record was 1138-1078, and the victory in the 1934 World Series remained the only such title won by any of his teams. A popular figure in the baseball world thanks to his good humor and talent for telling stories, he went on to become a member of the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee until his death as the result of a car accident in 1973 at age 75.

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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: Willie Stargell, 1979

First Baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  39

17^th season with Pirates

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 225

Prior to 1979:

Born in Oklahoma, Stargell lived for a time in Florida before moving to Alameda, California. Strong and athletic, he played football at Encinal High School until he suffered a serious knee injury. He played baseball with future major leaguers Tommy Harper and Curt Motton and performed well enough to be signed by the Pirates for $1500 in 1958. Assigned to San Angelo/Roswell of the Class D Sophomore League in 1959 he endured harsh segregation in eastern New Mexico and western Texas and batted .274 with 7 home runs and 87 RBIs while appearing in 118 games. Initially a first baseman, he moved to the outfield at his next minor league stop, Grand Forks of the Class C Northern League in 1960, where he hit .260 with 11 home runs and 61 RBIs. Advancing to the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1961, he batted .289 with 8 home runs and 89 RBIs. With the Columbus Jets of the Class AAA International League in 1962 Stargell hit .276 with 27 home runs and 82 RBIs to earn a late-season promotion to the Pirates, where he appeared in ten games and batted .290. He stuck with the Pirates in 1963 where he became part of the outfield platoon and occasionally played at first base and hit a disappointing .243 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs, while struggling against lefthanded pitchers. Stargell was an All-Star for the first time in 1964 as he raised his batting average to .273 while clubbing 21 home runs and driving in 78 RBIs and splitting his time almost evenly between left field and first base. Almost exclusively an outfielder in 1965, he batted .272 with 27 home runs and 107 RBIs. His home run total included a three-home run game at LA’s Dodger Stadium. The Pirates were pennant contenders in 1966 and Stargell contributed 33 home runs and 102 RBIs along with a .315 average. With his bad knees he lacked range in the spacious Forbes Field outfield but he could not displace Donn Clendenon as the regular first baseman. Following three All-Star seasons, Stargell’s performance dropped off in 1967 to .271 with 20 home runs and 73 RBIs and .237 in 1968 with 24 home runs and 67 RBIs. The two injury-plagued years, where he also struggled with his weight, were followed by a 29-home run season in 1969 along with 92 RBIs and a .307 average. Pittsburgh topped the NL East in 1970 and while Stargell’s average dropped to .264, his power production remained strong with 31 home runs and 85 RBIs. 1971 marked the first full season for the Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium, a ballpark more conducive to Stargell’s power, and he batted .295 with a league-leading 48 home runs along with 125 RBIs. He placed second in NL MVP voting as the Pirates again topped their division and went on to win the World Series. He followed up in 1972 with 33 home runs, 112 RBIs, and a .293 batting average. Stargell also saw considerable action at first base, appearing in just 32 games in left field. He was exclusively a left fielder in 1973 while hitting .299 and topping the National League with 43 doubles, 44 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a .646 slugging percentage. He placed second in MVP balloting. Physically imposing with a colorful personality, he became a popular figure in Pittsburgh, and a team leader. In 1974 he batted .301 with 25 home runs and 96 RBIs while the Pirates narrowly returned to the top in the NL East after missing in ’73. Shifted to first base full-time in 1975, he was hindered by a broken rib and still hit .295 with 22 home runs and 90 RBIs, while limited to 124 games. His wife’s illness led to his having a mediocre year in 1976 in which his average dropped to .257 with 20 home runs and 65 RBIs. Stargell’s 1977 season ended in July after appearing in 63 games due to a pinched nerve in his left elbow. He rebounded in 1978 by batting .295 with 28 home runs and 97 RBIs and finished ninth in NL MVP voting. A paternal figure to many of his teammates at age 38, he came to be known as “Pops”.

1979 Season Summary

Appeared in 126 games

1B – 113, PH – 16

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 480

At Bats – 424

Runs – 60

Hits – 119

Doubles – 19

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 32 [5]

RBI – 82 [17, tied with Larry Parrish & Ellis Valentine]

Bases on Balls – 47

Int. BB – 12 [9, tied with Mike Schmidt]

Strikeouts – 105 [5, tied with George Foster]

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .281

OBP - .352

Slugging Pct. - .552 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 234

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 6 [18,tied with ten others]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 18, RBI – 41, AVG – .306, SLG - .617

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 16

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. NY Mets 5/17, (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 7/4, (in 4 AB) at San Francisco 9/1, (in 4 AB) vs Montreal 9/25

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Houston 4/27 – 11 innings, vs. Houston 4/29, vs. NY Mets 5/17, vs. Montreal 9/25

Pinch-hitting – 7 of 15 (.467) with 1 HR, 2 R, 1 BB & 6 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 999

Put Outs – 949

Assists – 47

Errors – 3

DP – 102

Pct. - .997

Postseason: 10 G (NLCS vs. Cincinnati – 3 G; World Series vs. Baltimore – 7 G)

PA – 46, AB – 41, R – 9, H – 17, 2B – 6,3B – 0, HR – 5, RBI – 13, BB – 3, IBB – 1, SO – 8, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .415, OBP - .435, SLG - .927, TB – 38, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 2  NLCS MVP & World Series MVP

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA (co-winner)

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Willie Stargell, Pitt.: 216 pts. - 10 of 24 first place votes, 64% share

Keith Hernandez, StL.: 216 pts. – 4 first place votes, 64% share

Dave Winfield, SD.: 155 pts. – 4 first place votes, 46% share

Larry Parrish, Mon.: 128 pts. – 38% share

Ray Knight, Cin.: 82 pts. – 2 first place votes, 24% share

(1 first place vote apiece for Joe Niekro, Hou., who ranked sixth, Kent Tekulve, Pitt., who ranked eighth, Gary Carter, Mon., who ranked 17^th  & Bill Madlock, SF/Pitt., who ranked 18th)

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Pirates went 98-64 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 2 games over the Montreal Expos, while leading the league in runs scored (775), slugging (.416) & total bases (2353). The Pirates started slowly and were 6 games back in mid-June but benefited from in-season trades for shortstop Tim Foli and third baseman Bill Madlock in addition to Stargell’s leadership. Buoyed down the stretch by their theme song, Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family”, they outdistanced the Expos, clinching the NL East on the season’s final day. Won NLCS over the Cincinnati Reds, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 3, recovering from a 3-games-to-1 deficit, with Stargell’s Game 7 home run effectively capping the comeback.

Aftermath of ‘79:

A knee injury limited Stargell to 67 games in 1980 as the Pirates slipped to third in the NL East. He ended up batting .262 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs. No longer an every-day player, he remained with the club until 1982. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Pirates, he batted .282 with 2232 hits that included 423 doubles, 55 triples, and 475 home runs. He further scored 1194 runs and compiled 1540 RBIs. Appearing in 36 postseason games, Stargell batted .278 with 7 home runs and 20 RBIs, having his best performances in the 1979 NLCS and World Series. A seven-time All-Star, the Pirates retired Stargell’s #8 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. His statue stands outside PNC Park. Following his retirement, in addition to numerous charitable activities, he became a coach for the Pirates and Braves. His health steadily declined until his death in 2001 at the age of 61.

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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: Jim Konstanty, 1950

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  33

3^rd season with Phillies (2^nd complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 202

Prior to 1950:

A native of the Buffalo, New York area, Konstanty played basketball as well as baseball at Arcade High School. Moving on to Syracuse University, he lettered in four sports (basketball, boxing, and soccer in addition to baseball). A slow runner, he played at third and first base collegiately while occasionally pitching. After graduation Konstanty became a high school gym teacher who played semipro baseball on the side. After making the conversion to pitching full time, he signed with the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League who farmed him out to Springfield of the Class A Eastern League in 1941 where he posted a 4-19 record and 4.55 ERA with a last place team. Playing for Syracuse in 1942, Konstanty was used sparingly, appearing in just five games. Due to his teaching he did not join Syracuse in 1943 until July 1 but pitched a one-hitter in his first start. With a mediocre fastball that caused him to rely on off-speed and breaking pitches, Konstanty appeared in 29 games and went 8-12 with a 3.42 ERA. In 1944 he compiled an 8-6 tally with a 3.21 ERA before he was called up to the Cincinnati Reds where he was 6-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 20 appearances. Joining the Navy in 1945 he was discharged the following year and went to spring training with the Reds. Shortly after the start of the 1946 season Konstanty was traded to the Boston Braves, encountering difficulties while appearing in ten games, mostly in relief. After going 0-1 with a 5.28 ERA he was sent to Toronto of the International League where he went 4-9 the rest of the way with a 3.88 ERA. In the offseason, with the help of a neighbor who became his personal pitching coach, he developed a palm ball which became his best pitch along with a slider. Still with Toronto in 1947, Konstanty started 26 of his 33 games and was 13-13 with a 3.47 ERA. Back again with Toronto in 1948, manager Eddie Sawyer utilized the 31-year old Konstanty mostly in relief and he was 10-10 with a 4.06 ERA. With Sawyer taking over as manager of the Phillies in July, he had the Phils purchase Konstanty’s contract and he performed well in six late-season appearances. Exclusively a reliever in 1949, he appeared in 53 games and posted a 9-5 tally with a 3.25 ERA for the up-and-coming Phillies.

1950 Season Summary

Appeared in 74 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 74 [1]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 16 [11]

Losses – 7

PCT - .696 [2]

Saves – 22 [1]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 152

Hits – 108

Runs – 51

Earned Runs – 45

Home Runs – 11

Bases on Balls – 50

Strikeouts – 56

ERA – 2.66 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 3 [4, tied with six others]

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading games pitched were +23 ahead of runner-up Murry Dickson

League-leading saves were +14 ahead of runner-up Bill Werle

Midseason Snapshot: 7-3, ERA - 3.21, G – 36, SV – 11, SO - 33 in 67.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 3 on six occasions

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 5 (in 9 IP) at Pittsburgh 8/25 – pitched last 9 innings of 15-inning game

Batting

PA – 39, AB – 37, R – 0, H – 4, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 0, SO – 13, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .108, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 36

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 22

Errors – 2

DP – 3

Pct. - .944

Postseason Pitching: (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

G – 3, GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 15, H – 9, R – 4, ER – 4, HR – 1, BB – 4, SO – 3, ERA – 5.54, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP:BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Jim Konstanty, PhilaP.: 286 pts. – 18 of 24 first place votes, 85% share

Stan Musial, StLC.: 158 pts. – 1 first place vote, 47% share

Eddie Stanky, NYG: 144 pts. – 2 first place votes, 43% share

Del Ennis, PhilaP.: 104 pts. – 31% share

Ralph Kiner, Pitt.: 91 pts. – 1 first place vote, 27% share

(2 first place votes for Granny Hamner, PhilaP., who ranked sixth)

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Phillies went 91-63 to win NL pennant by 2 games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.50), saves (27), fewest runs allowed (624), fewest earned runs allowed (546), and fewest walks (530). “The Whiz Kids”, benefiting from the fine pitching of RHP Robin Roberts and LHP Curt Simmons, in addition to Konstanty in relief, as well as capable hitting, survived a late-season slump following the induction of Simmons into the military, which brought the surging Dodgers to within a game of the Phillies, who won the season finale at Brooklyn to secure their first pennant in 35 years. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0. Konstanty drew the Game One start and gave up only one run, but Yankee RHP Vic Raschi hurled a shutout for the win, setting the stage for the sweep.

Aftermath of ‘50:

Konstanty and the Phillies both slumped in 1951, with the team dropping to fifth place and the pitcher appearing in 58 games and producing a 4-11 record with 9 saves and a 4.05 ERA. He pitched in 42 games in 1952 and went 5-3 with 6 saves and a 3.94 ERA. Konstanty started 19 of his 48 games pitched in 1953 and ended up with a 14-10 tally with five saves and seven complete games. Back to being almost exclusively a reliever in 1954 he was 2-3 with three saves and a 3.75 ERA before being waived in August. Picked up by the Yankees, he performed well down the stretch going 1-1 with two saves and a 0.98 ERA in nine appearances. Konstanty had a solid year for the Yankees in 1955, pitching in 45 games and compiling a 7-2 record with 12 saves and a 2.32 ERA. At age 39 in 1956, he struggled early in the season and was released in May, to be picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals. For the year he was 1-1 with 8 saves and a 4.65 ERA. Let go by the Cardinals in the offseason, Konstanty signed with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1957, where he pitched in four games before being released, and he retired. For his major league career, Konstanty produced a 66-48 record with a 3.46 ERA, 76 saves, and 268 strikeouts over 945.2 innings pitched. With the Phillies he pitched in 314 games and went 51-39 with 54 saves, a 3.64 ERA, and 205 strikeouts over 675.1 innings. The 1950 World Series marked his only postseason action. A stickler for physical conditioning, Konstanty, who looked professorial in his trademark glasses, endured a long road to his MVP season, which proved to be the highlight of his career. He ran a sporting goods store in retirement and also served as a minor league pitching coach. He died of cancer in 1976 at age 59. Konstanty’s modern (since 1900) major league record of 74 games pitched in 1950 lasted until 1964.

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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 & Cy Young Profile: Dennis Eckersley, 1992

Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

Age:  37

6^th season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1992:

A native Californian, Eckersley starred as a pitcher at Washington High School in Fremont before signing with the Cleveland Indians, who chose him in the 1972 amateur draft. The 17-year-old was assigned to Reno of the Class A California League where he started 12 games and went 5-5 with a 4.80 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 75 innings. Back with Reno in 1973 Eckersley improved to 12-8 with a 3.65 ERA and 218 strikeouts over 202 innings pitched. Advancing to San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League in 1974, he got off to a fast 8-0 start on his way to 14-3 with a 3.40 ERA and 163 strikeouts. “Eck” made it to the Indians in 1975, starting the season as a reliever before quickly moving into the starting rotation. He produced a 13-7 record with a 2.60 ERA and 152 strikeouts while pitching 186.2 innings. He was named AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News. With a side-winding delivery and high leg kick, his repertoire included a fastball, curve, and slider. Overcoming a poor start in 1976 Eckersley ended up at 13-12 with a 3.43 ERA and 200 strikeouts. He was an All-Star in 1977, a season in which he pitched a no-hitter against the Angels as part of a 22.1 consecutive innings hitless streak. For the year he posted a 14-13 mark with a 3.53 ERA and 191 strikeouts, but he also gave up 31 home runs, to the distress of the Cleveland front office. The following spring he was traded to the Boston Red Sox along with catcher Fred Kendall for RHP Rick Wise, RHP Mike Paxton, catcher Bo Diaz, and outfielder Ted Cox. With a stronger club in Boston Eckersley compiled a 20-8 record with a 2.99 ERA and 162 strikeouts. He followed up in 1979 by going 17-10 with a 2.99 ERA and 150 strikeouts although he was bothered by a sore arm after winning eight straight games that included seven complete games. Back and shoulder injuries hindered his performance during the remainder of his tenure with the Red Sox. He was 12-14 with a 4.28 ERA in 1980, 9-8 with a 4.27 ERA during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, 13-13 with a 3.73 ERA in 1982 (a year in which he was an All-Star thanks to his nine wins in the season’s first half), and 9-13 with a 5.61 ERA in 1983. During the first half of the 1984 season Eckersley was dealt to the Chicago Cubs for first baseman Bill Buckner. He contributed a 10-8 record with a 3.03 ERA in 24 starts for the NL East-winning Cubs. Hindered by shoulder tendinitis in 1985 “Eck” was 11-7 with a 3.08 ERA. Continuing shoulder soreness caused him to drop to 6-11 with a 4.57 ERA in 1986 and he was dealt to the A’s just prior to the 1987 season, where he was shifted to the bullpen. Utilized as a setup man and closer, featuring his fastball, slider, and excellent control, he appeared in 54 games and produced a 6-8 record with 16 saves and a 3.03 ERA. For the pennant winning A’s in 1988 Eckersley topped the AL with 45 saves and was MVP of the ALCS triumph over Boston as he saved all four of Oakland’s wins. But in the World Series loss to the Dodgers he gave up a memorable game-winning home run to pinch-hitter Kirk Gibson in Game One. Despite a long stretch on the disabled list in 1989, Eckersley saved 33 games and was a key contributor to bringing a World Series title to Oakland. The A’s won a third straight AL pennant in 1990 and Eckersley saved 48 games. Clearly established as one of the best bullpen closers in baseball, he recorded 43 saves in 1991, although he gave up 11 home runs.

1992 Season Summary

Appeared in 69 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 69 [6]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 7

Losses – 1

PCT - .875 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 51 [1]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 80

Hits – 62

Runs – 17

Earned Runs – 17

Home Runs – 5

Bases on Balls – 11

Strikeouts – 93

ERA – 1.91 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 0

League-leading saves were +10 ahead of runner-up Rick Aguilera

Midseason Snapshot: 2-0, ERA - 1.67, G – 37, SV – 30, SO - 50 in 43 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 5 (in 2 IP) vs. California 4/20

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fielding

Chances – 13

Put Outs – 3

Assists – 10

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (ALCS vs. Toronto)

GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 0-0, PCT – .000, SV – 1, ShO – 0, IP – 3, H – 8, R – 2, ER – 2, HR – 1, BB – 0, SO – 2, ERA – 6.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

AL Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year: MLB

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Dennis Eckersley, Oak.: 306 pts. – 15 of 28 first place votes, 78% share

Kirby Puckett, Min.: 209 pts. – 3 first place votes, 53% share

Joe Carter, Tor.: 201 pts. – 4 first place votes, 51% share

Mark McGwire, Oak.: 155 pts. – 1 first place vote, 40% share

Dave Winfield, Tor.: 141 pts. – 2 first place votes, 36% share

(3 first place votes for Roberto Alomar, Tor,.who ranked 6^th)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Dennis Eckersley, Oak.: 107 pts. – 19 of 28 first place votes, 76% share

Jack McDowell, ChiWS.: 51 pts. – 2 first place votes, 36% share

Roger Clemens, Bos.: 48 pts. – 4 first place votes, 34% share

Mike Mussina, Balt.: 26 pts. – 2 first place votes, 19% share

Jack Morris, Tor.: 10 pts. – 1 first place vote, 7% share

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A’s went 96-66 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 6 games over the Minnesota Twins. The pitching staff led the league in saves (58). The A’s rode a seven-game August winning streak to take over first place in the AL West and never relinquished that spot. Lost ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays, 4 games to 2. Eckersley blew a 6-2 eighth inning lead in Game 4, leading to Toronto winning in 11 innings, which proved to be the turning point of the series.

Aftermath of ‘92:

Eckersley endured a more difficult season in 1993 as he blew 10 saves on his way to recording 36 with a 4.16 ERA. His effectiveness dropped further during the strike-shortened 1994 season when he became far more hittable and his ERA rose to 4.26 while his saves fell to 19. Eckersley’s save total rose to 29 in 1995 at age 40, with a 4.83 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals where he was reunited with former Oakland manager Tony LaRussa. The Cardinals topped the NL Central in 1996 and “Eck” contributed 30 saves despite missing time with a back injury. He saved three more games in the NLDS triumph over San Diego and had a win and a save in the NLCS loss to Atlanta. Eckersley saved 36 games in 1997 before returning to the Red Sox as a free agent in 1998. He appeared in 50 games in his last season, where he was utilized in a setup role and finished with a 4-1 record and one save with a 4.76 ERA. Overall for his major league career, Eckersley pitched in a then-record 1071 games and posted a 197-171 record with 390 saves, a 3.50 ERA, and 2401 strikeouts over 3285.2 innings pitched. As a starter he pitched 100 complete games that included 20 shutouts. With the A’s he was 41-31 with 320 saves and a 2.74 ERA with 658 strikeouts over 637 innings. Appearing in 28 postseason games Eckersley was 1-3 with 15 saves and a 3.00 ERA. A six-time All-Star (four with Oakland), the A’s retired his #43 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.

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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. 

MVP Profile: Joe Gordon, 1942

Second Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  27

5^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 180

Prior to 1942:

Born in Los Angeles, Gordon grew up in Arizona and Portland, Oregon, where he played center field at Jefferson High School. Moving on to the University of Oregon, he played shortstop and batted .380 in 1934 and .415 in ’35. Nicknamed “Flash”, Gordon was also a member of the gymnastics team where he developed the acrobatic skills that would help to make him an exceptional second baseman. After playing winter ball in Los Angeles, he signed with the Yankees in 1936. That year he was assigned to the Oakland Oaks of the Class AA Pacific Coast League. An injury to the starting shortstop gave him an opportunity to appear in the starting lineup and Gordon hit .300 with 33 doubles and 6 home runs. Groomed to replace the aging Tony Lazzeri at second base for the Yankees, Gordon was sent to the Newark Bears of the International League in 1937. While honing his skills as a second baseman, Gordon batted .280 with 26 home runs as a leadoff hitter. He took over for Lazzeri in 1938, hitting .255 with 25 home runs and 97 RBIs. The quick and agile Gordon also quickly established himself as one of the AL’s best defensive second basemen and placed twelfth in league MVP voting. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1939 as he batted .284 with 28 home runs and 111 RBIs for a Yankee team that won its fourth straight World Series title. In 1940 Gordon hit .281 with 30 home runs, 103 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases while scoring 112 runs. Having dealt first baseman Babe Dahlgren in the offseason, the Yankees shifted Gordon to first in 1941 before returning him to second base in May (where his successor had fallen short) and he had another fine year with the bat posting a .276 average with 24 home runs and 87 RBIs. By 1942 he was a three-time All-Star with speed and a potent bat who had demonstrated excellence in the field.

1942 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

2B – 147

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 625 [22, tied with Bobby Doerr]

At Bats – 538

Runs – 88 [11]

Hits – 173 [8]

Doubles – 29 [14, tied with Johnny Pesky & Joe DiMaggio]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 18 [6]

RBI – 103 [4]

Bases on Balls – 79 [9]

Int. BB – 7 [9, tied with Bob Johnson, Phil Rizzuto & Bill Dickey]

Strikeouts – 95 [1]

Stolen Bases – 12 [13, tied with Oris Hockett & Johnny Pesky]

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .322 [4]

OBP - .409 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .491 [6]

Total Bases – 264 [6]

GDP – 22 [1]

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 7

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading batter strikeouts were +7 ahead of runner-up Chet Laabs

League-leading times grounded into DPs were +1 ahead of runners-up Pinky Higgins & Glenn McQuillen

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 6/13, (in 4 AB) vs. Detroit 7/13, (in 5 AB) at Washington 9/6

Longest hitting streak – 29 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 11

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Chicago White Sox 5/20

Multi-HR games – 1

Grand Slams – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cleveland 6/7, at St. Louis Browns 9/9

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances - 824

Put Outs – 354

Assists – 442

Errors – 28

DP – 121

Pct. - .966

Postseason Batting: 5 G (World Series vs. St. Louis Cardinals)

PA – 21, AB – 21, R – 1, H – 2, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 7, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .095, OBP - .095, SLG -.143, TB – 3, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL at 2B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Joe Gordon, NYY: 270 pts. - 12 of 24 first place votes, 80% share

Ted Williams, BosRS.: 249 pts. –9 first place votes, 74% share

Johnny Pesky, BosRS.: 143 pts. – 2 first place votes, 43% share

Vern Stephens, StLB.: 140 pts. – 1 first place vote, 42% share

Ernie Bonham, NYY: 102 pts. – 30% share

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Yankees went 103-51 to win the AL pennant by 9 games over the Boston Red Sox, while leading the league in home runs (108) and RBIs (744). Lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘42:

The Yankees won the AL pennant again in 1943 and Gordon contributed a .249 batting average, 17 home runs, and 69 RBIs, as well as outstanding play at second base. He added a home run and two RBIs in the World Series rematch with the Cardinals, won by the Yanks in five games. He joined the Army Air Force in 1944 and missed the ’44 and 1945 seasons due to World War II service. Returning to the Yankees in 1946, Gordon had a poor season at the plate, batting just .210 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs, although he was still an All-Star selection in an injury-riddled year in which he appeared in only 112 games. In the offseason Gordon was traded to the Cleveland Indians for RHP Allie Reynolds. He rebounded in 1947 to hit .272 with 29 home runs and 93 RBIs, while also leading AL second basemen with 466 assists. A classy team leader, he also helped smooth the arrival of infielder Larry Doby, the first black player in the American League, who joined the club during the season. Part of an outstanding middle infield with shortstop Lou Boudreau, Gordon contributed to a pennant in 1948 as he batted .280 with 32 home runs and 124 RBIs. In 1949, his last All-Star season, he hit .251 with 20 home runs and 84 RBIs. Gordon played one last major league season in 1950, hitting .236 in 119 games with 19 home runs and 57 RBIs. Giving way to the up-and-coming Bobby Avila at second base, Gordon was released in the offseason. He was player/manager of the Sacramento Solons in the Pacific Coast League in 1951 where he led the circuit with 43 home runs and 136 RBIs. Following a lesser year in 1952, he became a scout for the Detroit Tigers and later returned to the Indians as manager until he was dealt to Detroit during the 1960 season for manager Jimmy Dykes in an unusual managerial swap. Gordon later managed the Kansas City Athletics and was the original manager of the Kansas City Royals. For his major league playing career he batted .268 with 1530 hits that included 264 doubles, 52 triples, and 253 home runs. Gordon also scored 914 runs and compiled 975 RBIs and 89 stolen bases. With the Yankees he accumulated 1000 hits over 1000 games, for a .271 average with 186 doubles, 38 triples, and 153 home runs. He further scored 596 runs for the Yanks with 617 RBIs and 68 stolen bases. Appearing in 29 World Series games he hit .243 with four home runs and 16 RBIs. A nine-time All-Star, Gordon finished in the Top 10 in MVP voting five times. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009, 31 years after his death at age 63.

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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.