MVP Profile: Hank Sauer, 1952

Outfielder, Chicago Cubs

Age:  35

4^th season with Cubs (third complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 198

Prior to 1952:

A native of the Pittsburgh area, Sauer grew up in a working class household and played baseball informally in his town while growing into a rugged athlete with a soft-spoken manner. After finishing high school he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps to help support his family during the Depression. Later he played baseball on weekends and came to the attention of a scout for the Yankees and signed with Butler of the Class D Pennsylvania State Association for $75 per month. Playing first base he batted .268 in 68 games with three home runs and 38 RBIs. Returning to Butler in 1938 he had a much bigger season, hitting .351 with 135 hits that included 29 doubles and 12 home runs. Moving on to Akron of the Class C Middle Atlantic League in 1939 he batted .301 with 13 home runs and 92 RBIs. Lanky and strong while lacking speed, Sauer demonstrated solid hitting ability and moved up to Birmingham of the Southern Association in 1940 where he hit .292 with 9 home runs and 79 RBIs. Again with Birmingham in 1941, he had an outstanding year at the plate, batting .330 with 19 home runs and 114 RBIs. But in the field he committed 26 errors, which led all of the league’s first basemen. Having been drafted away from the Yankee organization by the Cincinnati Reds, Sauer received a September call-up to the Reds and was shifted to left field. Appearing in nine games he hit .303. Assigned to Syracuse of the International League in 1942, he suffered through an injury-plagued season and hit just .213 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs while developing his outfield skills. Sauer had a much more productive season with Syracuse in 1943, batting .275 with 12 home runs and 75 RBIs. Afterward he joined the Coast Guard for the remainder of World War II, returning to baseball in 1945. Back with the Reds late in the ’45 season Sauer appeared in 31 games and hit .293 with 5 home runs and 20 RBIs. In the minors with Syracuse again in 1946, he batted .282 with 21 home runs and 90 RBIs. Now using a heavier bat, Sauer began to realize his power potential. Still with Syracuse in 1947 he batted .336 with 50 home runs and 141 RBIs and was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. The regular left fielder for the Reds in 1948, Sauer hit .260 with 35 home runs and 97 RBIs. Off to a slow start in 1949, he was traded to the Cubs in June and his production improved. For the year he batted .275 with 31 home runs and 99 RBIs. Sauer was an All-Star for the first time in 1950 on the way to hitting .274 with 32 home runs and 103 RBIs. His batting production was solid again in 1951 as he hit .263 with 30 home runs and 89 RBIs.

1952 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

LF – 151

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 649 [12]

At Bats – 567 [13]

Runs – 89 [11, tied with Bobby Thomson]

Hits – 153 [15, tied with Solly Hemus & Enos Slaughter]

Doubles – 31 [4, tied with Richie Ashburn]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 37 [1, tied with Ralph Kiner]

RBI – 121 [1]

Bases on Balls – 77 [8, tied with Sid Gordon]

Int. BB – 9 [8, tied with Enos Slaughter, Duke Snider & Del Ennis]

Strikeouts – 92 [3]

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .270 [20, tied with Bobby Thomson]

OBP - .361 [15]

Slugging Pct. - .531 [2]

Total Bases – 301 [2]

GDP – 14 [13, tied with four others]

Hit By Pitches – 4 [13, tied with seven others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading RBIs were +13 ahead of runner-up Bobby Thomson

Midseason snapshot: HR – 23, RBI – 69, AVG - .290, SLG – .604

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. NY Giants 5/4 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 6 games

Most HR, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 6/11

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 14

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. NY Giants 8/21

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 350

Put Outs – 327

Assists – 17

Errors – 6

DP - 3

Pct. - .983

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (started for NL in LF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Hank Sauer, ChiC.: 226 pts. – 8 of 24 first place votes, 67% share

Robin Roberts, PhilaP.: 211 pts. – 7 first place votes, 63% share

Joe Black, Brook.: 208 pts. – 8 first place votes, 62% share

Hoyt Wilhelm, NYG: 133 pts. – 40% share

Stan Musial, StLC.: 127 pts. – 38% share

(1 first place vote for Duke Snider, Brook., who ranked eighth)

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Cubs went 77-77 to finish fifth in the NL, 19.5 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers, while leading the league in hits (1408).

Aftermath of ‘52:

Having received a salary increase to $37,500, Sauer endured an injury-riddled season in 1953 in which he batted .263 with just 19 home runs and 60 RBIs. He bounced back in 1954 by hitting .288 with 41 home runs and 103 RBIs. Popular with Cub fans, he came to be known as “the Mayor of Wrigley Field”. The 38-year-old Sauer was no longer an everyday player in 1955 and he batted only .211 with 12 home runs and 28 RBIs while appearing in 79 games. Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in the spring of 1956 he appeared in 75 games in a backup role and hit .298 with 5 home runs and 24 RBIs. Released by the Cardinals in the offseason, he moved on to the New York Giants in 1957 and was productive, batting .259 with 26 home runs and 76 RBIs. Moving to San Francisco with the team in 1958, he hit 12 home runs with 46 RBIs in his last full season. He started the 1959 season with the Giants and was made a coach at midseason, as he ended his playing career. For his major league career Sauer batted .266 with 1278 hits that included 200 doubles, 19 triples, and 288 home runs. He also compiled 876 RBIs. With the Cubs he batted .269 with 141 doubles, 17 triples, 198 home runs, and 587 RBIs. Sauer was a two-time All-Star and received MVP votes following six seasons. His brother Ed was a major league outfielder with three teams, including the Cubs, in the 1940s. Sauer was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 2008, seven years after his death at age 84.

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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 Rice, 1978

Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Age:  25

4^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1978:

A native of South Carolina, Rice played football and basketball in addition to baseball in high school. Having received recognition for his play in the defensive backfield, and as a kick returner, he received college football scholarship offers. But he chose to sign with the Red Sox for $45,000, who had picked him in the first round of the 1971 amateur draft. As an 18-year-old in ’71 he appeared in 60 games with Williamsport of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League and batted .256 with 5 home runs and 27 RBIs while struggling to hit curveballs. He improved in 1972 with Winter Haven of the Class A Florida State League, hitting .291 with 17 home runs and 87 RBIs and made the league All-Star team. Promoted to Bristol of the Class AA Eastern League in 1973, Rice was again a league All-Star as he topped the circuit with a .317 batting average while also compiling 27 home runs and 93 RBIs. He joined Pawtucket of the Class AAA International League late in the season and provided a boost to the team in the league playoffs. Remaining with Pawtucket in 1974 Rice was again a batting champion by hitting .337 with league-leading totals of 25 home runs and 93 RBIs. He was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News and received an August call-up to the Red Sox in which he hit his first major league home run and batted .269 in 67 at bats. A hot rookie prospect entering the 1975 season with Boston, along with centerfielder, Fred Lynn, it was anticipated that Rice would primarily be used as a Designated Hitter, although he was initially blocked in that role by Tony Conigliaro, who was attempting to make a comeback with the Red Sox. He ended up seeing considerable action in left field, where he proved to be a good fit, and hit .309 with 22 home runs and 102 RBIs, although he was overshadowed by Lynn, who he lost to in Rookie of the Year voting. A broken hand suffered in September cut his season short and he missed the postseason as a result, with Boston going on to win the AL pennant but losing the World Series to Cincinnati. Splitting time between left field and DH in 1976, Rice had a somewhat lesser season, batting .282 with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs. He produced far more in 1977, hitting .320 with 114 RBIs while leading the league with 39 home runs and a .593 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the first time and finished fourth in MVP balloting.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in 163 games

LF – 101, DH – 49, RF – 15, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 746 [1]

At Bats – 677 [1]

Runs – 121 [2]

Hits – 213 [1]

Doubles – 25

Triples – 15 [1]

Home Runs – 46 [1]

RBI – 139 [1]

Bases on Balls – 58

Int. BB – 7 [10, tied with seven others]

Strikeouts – 126 [4]

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .315 [3]

OBP - .370 [12, tied with Ben Oglivie]

Slugging Pct. - .600 [1]

Total Bases – 406 [1]

GDP – 15 [17, tied with nine others]

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 5

League-leading plate appearances were +5 ahead of runner-up Ron LeFlore

League-leading at bats were +11 ahead of runner-up Ron LeFlore

League-leading hits were +15 ahead of runner-up Ron LeFlore

League-leading triples were +5 ahead of runners-up Dan Ford & Rod Carew

League-leading home runs were +12 ahead of runners-up Don Baylor & Larry Hisle

League-leading RBIs were +18 ahead of runner-up Rusty Staub

League-leading slugging pct was +.067 ahead of runner-up Larry Hisle

League-leading total bases were +113 ahead of runner-up Eddie Murray

Midseason snapshot: HR – 23, RBI – 74, AVG - .323, SLG – .628

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 8/8, (in 5 AB) vs. Milwaukee 8/12, (in 5 AB) at Oakland 8/18

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 28

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/1, (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 8/8, (in 5 AB) vs. Toronto 8/30, (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 9/11

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Cleveland 7/7

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 261

Put Outs – 245

Assists – 13

Errors – 3

DP – 1

Pct. - .989

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL in LF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Jim Rice, Bos.: 352 pts. – 20 of 28 first place votes, 90% share

Ron Guidry, NYY: 291 pts. – 8 first place votes, 74% share

Larry Hisle, Mil.: 201 pts. – 51% share

Amos Otis, KC.: 90 pts. – 23% share

Rusty Staub, Det.: 88 pts. – 22% share

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Red Sox went 99-63 to finish tied for first in the AL Eastern Division with the New York Yankees, which necessitated a season-extending single-game playoff, won by the Yankees. As a result, Boston finished second in the AL East with a final record of 99-64. The Red Sox started fast and held a 10-game lead in the division on July 8. A second-half collapse allowed the slow-starting Yankees, who went 39-15 after falling 14 games behind in July to move into first in mid-September. Boston then needed an 8-game winning streak to force the climactic playoff.

Aftermath of ‘78:

Rice maintained his outstanding production in 1979 by batting .325 with 39 home runs and 130 RBIs. In addition to being an All-Star for the third straight season he placed fifth in AL MVP voting. Rice missed time with a broken wrist in 1980 but still hit .294 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs. He had a down year during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, batting .284 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs. Often characterized as moody and surly by sportswriters, Rice was a quiet and intense person, but he showed another side during a game in 1982 when he went to the aid of a four-year-old boy who had suffered a fractured skull when hit by a foul ball and carried the injured youngster to the clubhouse where he received medical attention. For the year he hit .309 with 24 home runs and 97 RBIs during a season in which he suffered two severe hamstring pulls. Rice bounced back in 1983 to bat .305 with a league-leading 39 home runs and 126 RBIs while also performing very well defensively. He was an All-Star again following a two-year absence and finished fourth in league MVP balloting. Rice was productive again in 1984 as he hit .280 with 28 home runs and 122 RBIs. With a tendency to hit into double plays, he set a record by grounding into 36 that year. Plagued by injuries in 1985, Rice still batted .291 with 27 home runs and 103 RBIs. 1986 was a pennant-winning year for the Red Sox and Rice contributed a .324 average and 200 hits along with 39 doubles, 20 home runs, and 110 RBIs. In his first taste of postseason action he batted .333 in the seven-game World Series loss to the Mets. With his production dropping off in 1987 and ’88. He was released during the 1989 season, which ended his career. For his major league career, played entirely with the Red Sox, Rice batted .298 with 2452 hits that included 373 doubles, 79 triples, and 382 home runs. He further compiled 1451 RBIs and scored 1249 runs. Appearing in 18 postseason games, he hit .225 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. An eight-time All-Star, Rice finished in the top five in AL All-Star voting six times including the one win. The Red Sox retired his #14 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.

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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 Profile: Jim Palmer, 1973

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  27

8^th season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1973:

A native of New York City, Palmer was adopted and originally named James Alvin Wiesen. Upon his father’s death the family moved to California and he was adopted by his mother’s second husband, whose last name was Palmer. Now Jim Palmer, he played Little League, Pony League, and Babe Ruth League baseball as a youth. The family relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona where Palmer attended high school and played football and basketball as well as baseball, where he pitched and also appeared in center field. While playing summer ball in South Dakota following his high school graduation, Palmer drew the interest of the Orioles, who signed him to a $50,000 contract. He had already suffered a knee injury in a car accident that required surgery. Assigned to Aberdeen of the Class A Northern League in 1964, Palmer started 19 games and posted an 11-3 record with a 2.51 ERA and 107 strikeouts, although he had problems with his control, as he issued 130 walks over 129 innings. But still he pitched a no-hitter and, after a winter stint in the Florida Instructional League, Palmer advanced to the Orioles in 1965. Utilized as a reliever and spot starter, he appeared in 27 games (6 of them starts) and went 5-4 with a 3.72 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 92 innings, while walking 56 batters. Palmer moved into the starting rotation in 1966 and contributed a 15-10 record to Baltimore’s pennant-winning season, along with a 3.46 ERA and 147 strikeouts. He also acquired the nickname “Cakes” as the result of his habit of eating pancakes on the mornings of his starts. The Orioles swept the Dodgers in the World Series and the 20-year old out-dueled LA’s star LHP Sandy Koufax in Game 2 for a complete game shutout. Palmer started the 1967 season well at 2-1, including a one-hit shutout of the Yankees, until arm trouble reduced his effectiveness and resulted in his being sent down to the minors for most of the season, returning to the Orioles in September. He finished with a 3-1 major league tally and a 2.94 ERA over 49 innings. With continued arm soreness, Palmer spent all of 1968 in the minors, appearing with three different teams with poor results. The Orioles expected him to pitch through the pain and during a winter stint in Puerto Rico the soreness disappeared. He regained his spot in the Baltimore rotation in 1969 and was 16-4, despite missing time due to a back injury, with a 2.34 ERA and a no-hitter against Oakland. In the first year of divisional play in major league baseball, the Orioles topped the new AL East and Palmer beat the Minnesota Twins in the third, and final, game of the ALCS. In the World Series he lost his only start against the New York Mets, who upset Baltimore in five games. The Orioles had three 20-game winners in 1970, with Palmer (20-10) joining lefthanders Mike Cuellar (24-8) and Dave McNally (24-9) as Baltimore again finished first in the AL East. Palmer also led the AL with 305 innings pitched. He and the team had better luck in the postseason, again sweeping the Twins as Palmer again won the deciding contest, and this time the Orioles won the World Series against Cincinnati, and Palmer won the opener and was pulled from Game 4 with a lead that reliever Eddie Watt couldn’t hold, which led to the only win for the Reds. The Orioles had an unprecedented four 20-game winners in 1971 on the way to a third straight AL pennant. Newly-acquired RHP Pat Dobson (20-8) joined Palmer (20-9), Cuellar (20-9), and McNally (21-5). Palmer battled shoulder stiffness along the way to 20 complete games and 282 innings pitched with a 2.68 ERA and 184 strikeouts. He was 2-0 in the postseason that resulted in a World Series loss to Pittsburgh. The Orioles dropped to third place in 1972, but Palmer had a third consecutive All-Star season on his way to a 21-10 record with a 2.07 ERA and 184 strikeouts. With an outstanding high fastball as his best pitch, Palmer also had command of a slow curve and slider. He also had an occasionally tempestuous relationship with manager Earl Weaver, who appreciated his righthanded ace’s talent if not always his baseball opinions.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared in 38 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38

Games Started – 37 [16, tied with Vida Blue & Steve Busby]

Complete Games – 19 [7, tied with Bill Singer & Mel Stottlemyre]

Wins – 22 [3]

Losses – 9

PCT - .710 [2]

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 6 [3]

Innings Pitched – 296.1 [9]

Hits – 225

Runs – 86

Earned Runs – 79

Home Runs – 16

Bases on Balls – 113 [5]

Strikeouts – 158 [10, tied with Vida Blue]

ERA – 2.40 [1]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7

League-leading ERA was -0.12 lower than runner-up Bert Blyleven

Midseason Snapshot: 11-6, ERA - 2.86, SO - 91 in 169.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Boston 8/4

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 7/27

Fielding

Chances – 61

Put Outs – 24

Assists – 35

Errors – 2

DP – 3

Pct. - .967

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. Oakland)

G – 3, GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 14.2, H – 11, R – 3, ER – 3, HR – 0, BB – 8, SO – 15, ERA – 1.84, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

2^nd in AL MVP voting (172 points, 51% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 88 pts. – 14 of 24 first place votes, 73% share

Nolan Ryan, Cal.: 62 pts. – 9 first place votes, 52% share

Jim Hunter, Oak.: 52 pts. – 1 first place vote, 43% share

John Hiller, Det.: 6 pts. – 5% share

Wilbur Wood, ChiWS.: 3 pts. – 3% share

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Orioles went 97-65 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 8 games over the Boston Red Sox for their fourth division title in five years. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.07), fewest hits allowed (1297), and fewest earned runs allowed (498). The Orioles pulled away from the pack in the AL East thanks to a 14-game winning streak in August. Lost ALCS to the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘73:

Following four consecutive 20-win seasons and a Cy Young Award-winning effort in 1973, Palmer had an off-year in 1974 while hindered by arm soreness. His record dropped to 7-12 although his ERA was still respectable at 3.27. He returned to form in 1975 by posting a 23-11 mark with a league-leading 2.09 ERA and 10 shutouts among his 25 complete games. He received his second AL Cy Young Award as a result. Palmer won his third Cy Young Award in 1976 following a 22-13 effort with a 2.51 ERA and league-leading 315 innings pitched. He was the Cy Young runner-up in 1977 when he went 20-11 with a 2.91 ERA and 22 complete games and 319 innings pitched, which were both AL-leading figures. Palmer topped the American League in innings pitched for the third straight year with 296 in 1978, on his way to a 21-12 record with a 2.46 ERA. Twice on the disabled list with a sore arm in 1979, he finished at 10-6 with a 3.30 ERA as the Orioles topped the AL East for the first time since 1974. He was 0-1 in the postseason which ended in a World Series loss to Pittsburgh. Palmer had a solid 1980 season, compiling a 16-10 record with a 3.98 ERA. He dipped to 7-8 with a 7-8 tally in strike-interrupted 1981. Following a slow start in 1982, Palmer was briefly exiled to the bullpen but recovered to end up at 15-5 with a 3.13 ERA. He went 5-4 in an injury-plagued 1983 season which concluded with a World Series win in a relief appearance which gave him World Series wins in three different decades. Still, the end was near as Palmer was released by the Orioles during the 1984 season following an 0-3 start. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Orioles, Palmer produced a 268-152 record that included eight 20-win seasons and two ERA titles. His ERA was 2.86 and he compiled 211 complete games that included 53 shutouts. He also struck out 2212 batters over the course of 3948 innings. In addition to three Cy Young Awards he was a six-time All-Star who received four Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess as well. Pitching in 17 postseason games, he was 8-3 with a 2.61 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Palmer attempted a comeback with Baltimore in 1991 that ended during spring training. Following his playing career, the intelligent and articulate Palmer went into broadcasting, which he had first involved himself with while still a player, as well as being a model in underwear ads. The Orioles retired his #22 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.

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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.  

Rookie of the Year: Sam Jethroe, 1950

Outfielder, Boston Braves

Age:  33

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 178

Prior to 1950:

Born in Mississippi, Jethroe moved with his family to East St. Louis, Illinois, where he played semipro baseball until joining the Negro League Indianapolis Clowns in 1938 while still in high school. He returned to semipro ball until returning to the Negro American League in 1942 with the Cincinnati/Cleveland Buckeyes. Despite the incomplete nature of Negro League statistics to provide clear evidence, Jethroe played well for the Buckeyes, who were exclusively a Cleveland-based club while he was with them from 1943 through 1948. Widely considered to be the fastest player in baseball, he was selected to Negro League East-West All-Star Games in 1942, ’44, ’46, and ’47. He led the league with a .353 batting average in 1944. Jethroe was given a tryout, along with Jackie Robinson and Marvin Williams, by the Boston Red Sox in 1945, who were coming under heavy pressure to integrate. The tryout did not lead to a signing (major league baseball remained segregated until 1947, and the Red Sox for well after that) and Jethroe returned to the Buckeyes, where he led the Negro American League with a .393 batting average. Known as “Jet Propelled Jethroe” which was shortened to “The Jet”, his contract was purchased from the Buckeyes by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948, who assigned him to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League. In 76 games with Montreal, Jethroe batted .322, scored 52 runs, and stole 18 bases. He had a much bigger year with Montreal in 1949 as he hit .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. “The Jet” also topped the International League with 19 triples and 89 stolen bases. Having demonstrated that he was clearly ready to advance to the major leagues and blocked by the presence of Duke Snider in center field with the Dodgers, Jethroe was dealt to the Braves, where he became the first black player in franchise history and overcame a poor spring to become the starting center fielder in 1950 as a 33-year-old rookie.

1950 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

CF – 141

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 641 [15]

At Bats – 582 [10]

Runs – 100 [7, tied with Willie Jones]

Hits – 159 [16, tied with Gil Hodges]

Doubles – 28 [16, tied with Willie Jones, Bob Elliott & Whitey Lockman]

Triples – 8 [6, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 18 [20, tied with Carl Furillo]

RBI – 58

Bases on Balls – 52

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 93 [2]

Stolen Bases – 35 [1]

Caught Stealing – 9 [3, tied with Earl Torgeson & Richie Ashburn]

Average - .273

OBP - .338

Slugging Pct. - .442 [20, tied with Dick Sisler]

Total Bases – 257 [17]

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 5 [7, tied with eight others

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading stolen bases were +18 ahead of runner-up Pee Wee Reese

Midseason snapshot: HR – 9, RBI - 29, SB – 25, AVG - .286, OBP – .355

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 5/6, (in 5 AB) at Phila. Phillies 7/4, (in 4 AB) vs. Brooklyn 9/4

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eighteen occasions

HR at home – 8

HR on road – 10

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Pittsburgh 6/17

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 384

Put Outs – 355

Assists – 17

Errors – 12

DP – 6

Pct. - .969

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

27^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Earl Torgeson, Bos. Braves (6 points, 2% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Sam Jethroe, BosB.: 11 of 23 votes, 46% share

Bob Miller, PhilaP.: 5 votes, 21% share

Danny O’Connell, Pitt.: 4 votes, 17% share

Bubba Church, PhilaP.: 2 votes, 8% share

Bill Serena, ChiC.: 1 vote, 4% share

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Braves went 83-71 to finish fourth in the NL, 8 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Phillies.

Aftermath of 1950:

A disruptive force on the basepaths with his speed, Jethroe again led the NL in stolen bases with another 35 in 1951 to go along with a .280 average, 29 doubles, 10 triples, 18 home runs, and 65 RBIs while scoring 101 runs. However, vision problems and an unexceptional throwing arm caused him to be substandard in the field, where he led center fielders in errors. Recovering from intestinal surgery in 1952, Jethroe’s performance dropped off to .232 with 13 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases, and his strikeout total rose to 112. With the move of the Braves to Milwaukee in 1953, Jethroe was instead demoted to Toledo of the Class AAA American Association where he batted .309 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, 28 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases. In the offseason he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He appeared in two games for the Pirates in 1954. Jethroe spent the rest of the season in the International League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, hitting .305 with 36 doubles, 8 triples, 21 home runs, 84 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases. He played for Toronto until 1958, when he retired at age 41. His hitting dropped off during his final seasons, but he still drew a fair number of walks and hit 19 home runs in 1956, a total that he never again exceeded. He also stole 24 bases in 1955 and ’57. For his brief major league career, played almost entirely with the Braves, Jethroe batted .261 with 460 hits that included 80 doubles, 25 triples, and 49 home runs. He also scored 280 runs and compiled 181 RBIs and 98 stolen bases. He encountered financial difficulties in retirement, not helped by his inability to qualify for a pension from major league baseball. Clearly an exciting and productive performer in his prime, one wonders what he could have accomplished had he been allowed to play major league baseball sooner. Jethroe died in 2001 at age 84.

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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: Juan Gonzalez, 1998

Outfielder, Texas Rangers

Age:  28

9^th season with Rangers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1998:

A native of Puerto Rico, the lanky Gonzalez drew attention while playing youth baseball and signed with the Rangers as a 16-year-old in 1986. He appeared in 60 games that year in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and hit .240. Gonzalez moved on to Gastonia of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1987 where he produced 21 doubles, 14 home runs, and 74 RBIs with a .265 batting average over the course of 127 games. In 1988 he was with Port Charlotte of the Class A Florida State League and hit .256 with 8 home runs and 43 RBIs in 77 games. Gonzalez moved up to the Tulsa Drillers of the Class AA Texas League in 1989 where he improved to .293 with 30 doubles, 21 home runs, and 85 RBIs while leading the league with 254 total bases. He was named to the Texas League All-Star team for his performance. He also received a late-season call-up to the Rangers where he batted only .150 in 24 games but hit his first major league home run. Gonzalez was with the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA American Association in 1990, where he hit .258 with 29 home runs and 101 RBIs (the home run and RBI totals led the league). Named MVP of the American Association, Gonzalez received another call-up to the Rangers and batted .289 with 4 home runs and 12 RBIs in 25 games. Sticking with Texas in 1991, despite struggling with a back injury, he split his time between center and left fields and hit .264 with 27 home runs and 102 RBIs. A line-drive hitter with power, Gonzalez, regularly playing center field in 1992, led the AL with 43 home runs and also compiled 109 RBIs and batted .260. “Juan-Gone” topped the league in home runs once again in 1993 with 46 to go along with 118 RBIs and a .310 batting average while also leading the AL with a .632 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the first time and placed fourth in league MVP balloting. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, while adjusting to The Ballpark in Arlington, Gonzalez dropped to 19 home runs and 85 RBIs with a .275 average. In an injury-plagued 1995 season, he appeared in 90 games, primarily as a Designated Hitter, and slugged 27 home runs with 82 RBIs and a .295 average. In 1996 he was utilized in right field, his natural position, although he was not an exceptional fielder. Gonzalez was the league MVP in ‘96 as the Rangers won their first division title in franchise history. He batted .314 with 47 home runs and 144 RBIs. In the NLDS loss to the Yankees he hit .438 with 5 home runs and 9 RBIs. He missed the first 24 games of the 1997 season due to a thumb injury but still had another strong year at bat by hitting 42 home runs with 131 RBIs and a .296 average. 

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 116, DH – 38, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 669

At Bats – 606 [15]

Runs – 110 [11]

Hits – 193 [6]

Doubles – 50 [1]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 45 [4, tied with Manny Ramirez]

RBI – 157 [1]

Bases on Balls – 46

Int. BB – 9 [6, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 126 [11]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .318 [10]

OBP - .366

Slugging Pct. - .630 [2]

Total Bases – 382 [4]

GDP – 20 [3, tied with Nomar Garciaparra]

Hit by Pitches – 6

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 11 [3, tied with Frank Thomas & Paul O’Neill]

League-leading doubles were +2 ahead of runner-up Albert Belle

League-leading RBIs were +5 ahead of runner-up Albert Belle

Midseason snapshot: HR – 26, RBI - 101, AVG - .293, SLG – .590

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Detroit 8/31

Longest hitting streak – 20 games

HR at home – 21

HR on road – 24

Most home runs, game – 2 on six occasions

Multi-home run games – 6

Most RBIs, game – 7 at Detroit 8/31

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 225

Put Outs – 213

Assists – 8

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. - .982

Postseason: 3 G (ALDS vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 12, AB – 12, R – 1, H – 1, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .083, OBP - .083, SLG - .167, TB – 2, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL in RF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Juan Gonzalez, Tex.: 357 pts. - 21 of 28 first place votes, 91% share

Nomar Garciaparra, Bos.: 232 pts. – 5 first place votes, 59% share

Derek Jeter, NYY: 180 pts. – 2 first place votes, 46% share

Ken Griffey Jr, Sea.: 135 pts. – 34% share

Mo Vaughn, Bos.: 135 pts. – 34% share

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Rangers went 88-74 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 3 games over the Anaheim Angels while leading the league in hits (1637) and batting (.289). The Rangers, who were at or near the top of the AL West throughout the season faced off with the Angels five times in the final two weeks, winning all of the games, to take control of the division race. Lost ALDS to the New York Yankees, 3 games to 0.  

Aftermath of ‘98:

The numbers dropped to 39 home runs with 128 RBIs and a .326 average in 1999, following which he was traded to the Detroit Tigers as part of a nine-player deal. Bothered by a foot injury and playing home games at spacious Comerica Park, Gonzalez had a down year in 2000, hitting just 22 home runs with 67 RBIs and a .289 average. He still received a one-year, $10 million contract to join the Cleveland Indians in 2001. He hit .325 with 35 home runs and 140 RBIs and was voted to the All-Star Game as well as placing fifth in league MVP balloting and receiving a Silver Slugger. In the offseason he signed a two-year, $24 million contract to return to the Rangers. Gonzalez suffered through an injury plagued 2002 season in which he was limited to 70 games and hit just 8 home runs and his 2003 season was cut short by a leg injury that held him to 24 home runs and 70 RBIs in 82 games. Moving on to the Kansas City Royals as a free agent in 2004, Gonzalez played in 33 games due to a bad back and ended up with a mere 5 home runs and 17 RBIs. He signed with Cleveland in 2005 but appeared in only one game. Thus ended his major league career, despite getting a feeler from the St. Louis Cardinals to attempt a comeback in 2008. He did play in 36 games for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League in 2006, hitting 6 home runs and batting .323. Overall for his major league career Gonzalez batted .295 with 1936 hits that included 388 doubles, 25 triples, and 434 home runs. He also compiled 1404 RBIs. With Texas he batted .293 with 320 doubles, 21 triples, and 372 home runs, and knocked in 1180 runs as well. Appearing in 15 postseason games, Gonzalez hit .290 with 8 home runs and 15 RBIs. He was a three-time All-Star as well as two-time AL MVP and six-time Silver Slugger Award recipient. Gonzalez was elected to the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2015, but his legacy has been clouded by allegations of steroid use during his career.  

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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: Gary Matthews, 1973

Outfielder, San Francisco Giants

Age:  23 (July 5)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1973:

A native of San Fernando, California Matthews performed well on the high school baseball team, drawing praise for his speed, hitting, character, and work ethic. Selected by the Giants in the first round of the 1968 amateur draft (17^th overall), the 18-year-old was first assigned to Decatur of the Class A Midwest League in 1969 where over the course of 53 games he batted .322 with 8 home runs and 30 RBIs and was named to the league’s All-Star team. In 1970 he moved on to Fresno of the Class A California League where he hit .279 with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs and defensively compiled 15 outfield assists. Advancing to Amarillo of the Class AA Dixie Association in 1971, Matthews batted .280 with 15 home runs and 86 RBIs. With Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1972 he hit .313 with 21 home runs and 108 RBIs to earn not only league All-Star recognition but a September call-up to the Giants where he hit .290 in 20 games. Initially platooning in left field with Gary Thomasson in 1973, Matthews had the position to himself by May and was part of the NL’s fastest starting outfield along with Garry Maddox in center and Bobby Bonds in right.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

LF – 144, RF – 1, PH – 1, PR – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 605

At Bats – 540

Runs – 74

Hits – 162

Doubles – 22

Triples – 10 [2, tied with Garry Maddox]

Home Runs – 12

RBI – 58

Bases on Balls – 58

Int. BB – 7

Strikeouts – 83

Stolen Bases – 17 [11, tied with Willie Davis]

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .300 [9]

OBP - .367 [20]

Slugging Pct. - .444

Total Bases – 240

GDP – 12

Hit By Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 3

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 8, HR - 6, RBI – 38, AVG – .316, OBP - .391

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Most hits, game – 3 on ten occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on twelve occasions

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Atlanta 7/2, at St. Louis 7/18, at Philadelphia 8/27

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 1 (1.000)

Fielding

Chances – 293

Put Outs – 277

Assists – 11

Errors – 5

DP - 0

Pct. - .983

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Gary Matthews, SF: 11 of 23 first place votes, 46% share

Steve Rogers, Mon.: 3 votes, 13% share

Bob Boone, Phila.: 2 votes, 8% share

Dan Driessen, Cin.: 2 votes, 8% share

Elias Sosa, SF: 2 votes, 8% share

(1 vote apiece for Ron Cey, LAD; Johnny Grubb, SD & Dave Lopes, LAD, who tied for sixth)

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Giants went 88-74 to finish third in the NL Western Division, 11 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds while leading the league in triples (52).

Aftermath of ‘73:

Matthews followed up with another solid season in 1974, batting .287 with 16 home runs and 82 RBIs. He was limited to 116 games in 1975 due to a broken thumb suffered when shadow boxing with a teammate, although he still hit .280, but with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. Matthews rebounded in 1976 by batting .279 with 20 home runs and 84 RBIs. In the offseason he fled the financially strapped Giants for the Atlanta Braves as a free agent, in a transaction which led to tampering charges against Atlanta owner Ted Turner. Despite injury problems, Matthews was productive for the last-place Braves in 1977, hitting .283 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs. Sidelined for five weeks with a shoulder separation in 1978, he batted .285 in 129 games with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs. Matthews was an All-Star in 1979 on his way to batting .304 with 27 home runs and 90 RBIs. Overcoming a slow start in 1980 he ended up hitting .278 with 19 home runs and 75 RBIs. During spring training in 1981 Matthews was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for RHP Bob Walk and, in the strike-interrupted season, hit .301 with 9 home runs and 67 RBIs. He also saw his first postseason action, batting .400 in the five-game first round loss to Montreal. Matthews followed up with another solid year in 1982, batting .281 with 19 home runs and 83 RBIs. The Phillies won the NL East in 1983 and Matthews contributed just 10 home runs and 50 RBIs along with a .258 average, but in the NLCS victory over the Dodgers he was MVP after batting .429 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs in the four games. In another spring training trade Matthews was dealt to the Chicago Cubs in 1984. In addition to hard-nosed leadership, the player known as “Sarge” brought a potent bat to his new club, hitting .291 with 14 home runs and 82 RBIs, while drawing a league-high 103 walks. The Cubs won the NL East but lost to San Diego in the NLCS, where Matthews added two more home runs and five RBIs. A knee injury that required surgery limited him to 97 games in 1985 and his production dropped to .235 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs. With his fielding ability also dropping off in 1986 Matthews became a part-time player, batting .259 with a club-leading 21 home runs plus 46 RBIs. He was dealt to Seattle midway through the 1987 season and was primarily utilized as a Designated Hitter. For his last year he hit a combined .242 with three home runs and 23 RBIs. Overall in the major leagues Matthews batted .281 with 2011 hits that included 319 doubles, 51 triples, and 234 home runs. He further scored 1083 runs and compiled 978 RBIs and 183 stolen bases. With the Giants he batted .287 with 624 hits, 100 doubles, 24 triples, 64 home runs, 296 RBIs, 53 stolen bases, and 318 runs scored. Appearing in 19 postseason games, he hit .323 with 7 home runs and 15 RBIs. Matthews was an All-Star on one occasion and received MVP votes following four seasons, finishing as high as fifth once. After his playing career “Sarge” spent some time as a coach and went into broadcasting. His son Gary Jr. was an outfielder with seven major league teams.

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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.