MVP Profile: Joe Mauer, 2009

Catcher, Minnesota Twins

Age:  26 (April 19)

6^th season with Twins

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 225

Prior to 2009:

A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Mauer was a product of that city’s baseball youth leagues who grew up as a Twins fan. He starred in football (where he was an excellent quarterback) as well as baseball at Cretin-Derham Hall High School. In 1999 at age 16 he was selected to an international youth baseball team that won a Gold medal in Taiwan. In his senior year Mauer batted .600 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. Recruited by colleges to play football, the strong-armed catcher was chosen first overall by the Twins in the 2001 amateur draft. Signing with his hometown team for $5 million, the 18-year-old was first assigned to Elizabethton of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he hit .400 in 32 games. Moving on to Quad City of the Class A Midwest League in 2002 he batted .302 with 4 home runs and 62 RBIs until he went down with a hernia injury in August that required surgery. He was still named to the league’s All-Star team and was also chosen as Prospect of the Year. Mauer spent 2003 with teams at the high Class A and AA levels and hit a combined .338 with 5 home runs and 85 RBIs. In 2004 he moved up to the Twins, who had traded starting catcher A.J. Pierzynski, thus creating a spot in the lineup for him. Mauer injured his left knee and his rookie season was cut short in July after he had batted .308 with 6 home runs and 17 RBIs. Healthy in 2005, he hit .294 with 9 home runs and 55 RBIs. He won his first batting title in 2006 (the first AL catcher to do so), with a .347 average to go along with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs. He finished sixth in league MVP voting and was an All-Star for the first time. Dealing with a left quadriceps injury in 2007 Mauer’s production dropped to .293 with 7 home runs and 60 RBIs while he appeared in just 109 games. He rebounded in 2008 with 9 home runs, 85 RBIs, and a .328 average, which gained him another AL batting championship. In the offseason Mauer had kidney surgery which, combined with a back injury, caused him to spend April of the 2009 season on the Disabled List. Healthy upon his return to action, he began to hit for power in addition to his ability to hit to all fields. Defensively he had proven to be an able handler of pitchers as well as skillful behind the plate.

2009 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

C – 109, DH – 28, PH – 5

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 606

At Bats – 523

Runs – 94 [18, tied with Nick Markakis & Jacoby Ellsbury]

Hits – 191 [6]

Doubles – 30

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 28 [17, tied with four others]

RBI – 96 [16, tied with Jose Lopez]

Bases on Balls – 76 [14]

Int. BB – 14 [2, tied with Miguel Cabrera]

Strikeouts – 63

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .365 [1]

OBP - .444 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .587 [1]

Total Bases – 307 [7, tied with Evan Longoria]

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 5

League-leading batting average was +.013 ahead of runner-up Ichiro Suzuki

League-leading OBP was +.031 ahead of runner-up Kevin Youkilis

League-leading slugging pct was +.018 ahead of runner-up Kendrys Morales

Midseason snapshot: HR - 15, RBI - 49, AVG - .373, OBP - .447, SLG - .622

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) vs. Kansas City 5/2, (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 6/16, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 8/7

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 12

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at LA Angels 7/24, (in 5 AB) at Texas 8/18

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Chi. White Sox 5/21

Pinch-hitting – 3 of 5 AB (.600) with 1 HR & 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances - 758

Put Outs – 724

Assists – 31

Errors – 3

DP – 3

Pct. - .996

Postseason: 3 G (ALDS vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 14, AB – 12, R – 1, H – 5, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .417, OBP - .500, SLG -.500, TB – 6, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL at C)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Joe Mauer, Min.: 387 pts. - 27 of 28 first place votes, 99% share

Mark Teixeira, NYY: 225 pts. – 57% share

Derek Jeter, NYY: 193 pts. – 49% share

Miguel Cabrera, Det.: 171 pts. – 1 first place vote, 44% share

Kendrys Morales, LAA: 170 pts. – 43% share

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Twins went 86-76 to finish tied for first in the AL Central Division with the Detroit Tigers, which necessitated a season-extending single-game playoff, won by the Twins, who topped the AL Central with a final record of 87-76. With the Tigers in front by 7 games in early September, the Twins closed out the season at 20-11 to grab a share of first place and force the climactic playoff. Lost ALDS to the New York Yankees, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘09:

In the spring of 2010 Mauer signed an eight-year contract extension to remain with the Twins and went on to bat .327 with lesser totals of 9 home runs and 75 RBIs. Beset with a leg injury in 2011, he was limited to 82 games and ended up hitting .287 with 3 home runs and 30 RBIs. He also appeared at first base for the first time. Mauer returned with a strong 2012 season in which he hit .319 with 10 home runs and 85 RBIs, and thanks to drawing 90 walks he led the AL with a .416 on-base percentage. He was solid again in 2013 as he batted .324 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs in a season cut short by injuries. Mauer moved from catcher to first base in 2014 due to the effects of concussions and other wear and tear while playing catcher, and while again hindered by injuries, he hit .277 with 4 home runs and 55 RBIs. His average dropped to .265 in 2015 while he homered 10 times and drove in 66 RBIs while appearing in 158 games. He remained with the Twins through 2018, after which he retired. For his career, Mauer batted .306 with 2123 hits that included 428 doubles, 30 triples, and 143 home runs. He scored 1018 runs and further compiled 923 RBIs and 939 walks. In ten postseason games he hit .275 with one RBI. A six-time All-Star, he also was awarded three Gold Gloves (all as a catcher) and five Silver Sluggers. The Twins retired his #7.

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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: Kirk Gibson, 1988

Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  31 (May 28)

1^st season with Dodgers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 215

Prior to 1988:

A Michigan native, Gibson played football, basketball, and ran track in addition to baseball at Waterford-Kettering High School. Attending Michigan State on a football scholarship he became a starting flanker as a freshman. Later approached about playing baseball as well, Gibson excelled with his speed and power. In one season of baseball he hit .390 in 48 games with 16 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. Selected by the Detroit Tigers with the twelfth overall pick in the 1978 amateur draft and recognizing that baseball had better long-term career potential than pro football, Gibson signed with the Tigers for six years and $200,000. Initially assigned to Lakeland of the Class A Florida State League, in 54 games he batted .240 with 8 home runs and 40 RBIs. With his contract allowing him to return to Michigan State for his final football season, he performed well and was chosen by the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL draft. Assigned to Evansville of the Class AAA American Association in 1979, he suffered a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery and appeared in only 89 games in which he hit .245 with 9 home runs and 42 RBIs. His average improved toward the end of the season, and Gibson excelled in the American Association playoffs, won by Evansville. A late-season call-up to the Tigers resulted in 39 plate appearances with a home run, four RBIs, and three stolen bases. Gibson impressed manager Sparky Anderson enough to remain with the club in 1980. Placed in center field, he showed promise until sidelined by a wrist injury that required surgery and limited his rookie season to 51 games in which he batted .263 with 9 home runs and 16 RBIs. Primarily playing in right field before being moved back to center field during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Gibson started slowly until catching fire following the strike and ended up hitting .328 with 9 home runs, 40 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. Various injuries limited him to 69 games in 1982 in which he batted .278 with 8 home runs and 35 RBIs. Utilized significantly as a Designated Hitter in 1983 Gibson hit .227 in an uneven season with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs. The Tigers won the World Series in 1984 and Gibson, with an improved attitude and performance, contributed significantly to the championship season by hitting .282 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs while starting in right field. In the postseason he was the MVP of the ALCS triumph over Kansas City by batting .417 with a home run and significantly contributing defensively. In the five-game World Series victory against San Diego he hit .333 with two home runs, including the clincher in Game 5, and 7 RBIs. He finished sixth in American League MVP voting. The team dropped to third in the AL East in 1985 although Gibson had another solid season in which he hit .277 with 29 home runs and 97 RBIs. He started the 1986 season fast until sidelined for 33 games due to an ankle injury. Appearing in 119 games he batted .268 with 28 home runs and 86 RBIs. “Gibby” started the 1987 season on the DL due to a torn rib muscle. Shifted to left field upon his return to the lineup he batted .277 with 24 home runs and 79 RBIs as the Tigers returned to the top of the AL East. In the offseason he signed a three-year, $4.5 million contract with the Dodgers, where he quickly established himself as a team leader.

1988 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

LF – 148, CF – 1, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 632 [20]

At Bats – 542

Runs – 106 [2]

Hits – 157 [19]

Doubles – 28 [20, tied with Ron Gant & Von Hayes]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 25 [7, tied with Andy Van Slyke]

RBI – 76 [16]

Bases on Balls – 73 [11]

Int. BB – 14 [7, tied with Barry Bonds & Tim Raines]

Strikeouts – 120 [9]

Stolen Bases – 31 [14, tied with Kevin Bass]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .290 [11]

OBP - .377 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .483 [9]

Total Bases – 262 [11]

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 7 [8, tied with Mike Marshall, Candy Maldonado & Gary Carter]

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 7 [13, tied with seven others]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 15, RBI – 46, AVG - .299, SLG - .517

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 8/11 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 11

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/14

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Atlanta 4/9

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 3 (.000) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 329

Put Outs – 311

Assists – 6

Errors – 12

DP – 3

Pct. - .964

Postseason: 8 G (NLCS vs. NY Mets – 7 G; World Series vs. Oakland – 1 G)

PA – 31, AB – 27, R – 3, H – 5, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 3, RBI – 8, BB – 3, IBB – 2, SO – 6, SB – 2, CS – 0, AVG - .185, OBP - .258, SLG - .519, TB – 14, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Kirk Gibson, LAD: 272 pts. - 13 of 24 first place votes, 81% share

Darryl Strawberry, NYM: 236 pts. – 7 first place votes, 70% share

Kevin McReynolds, NYM: 162 pts. – 4 first place votes, 48% share

Andy Van Slyke, Pitt.: 160 pts. – 48% share

Will Clark, SF: 135 pts. – 40% share

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Dodgers went 94-67 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 7 games over the Cincinnati Reds. The revamped Dodgers, benefiting from the presence of Gibson, strong pitching and a deep bench, won with regularity and took control of the NL West race in August and September. Won NLCS over the New York Mets, 4 games to 3. The series turned on Gibson’s 12^th inning home run that capped a dramatic Game 4 win. Won World Series over the Oakland Athletics, 4 games to 1. Gibson was felled by a leg injury suffered during the NLCS but sparked the underdog Dodgers with a dramatic pinch home run that won Game 1.

Aftermath of ‘88:

Still bothered by his knee injury from the 1988 postseason, Gibson appeared in just 71 games in 1989 and batted .213 with 9 home runs and 28 RBIs before undergoing surgery. He returned to action with the Dodgers in June of 1990 and over the course of 89 games hit .260 with 8 home runs and 38 RBIs, although he stole 26 bases in 28 attempts. Gibson departed the Dodgers as a free agent in the offseason, joining the Kansas City Royals, who signed him to a two-year contract. With the Royals in 1991 he batted .236 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs. Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the spring of 1992, he was released in May after playing in only 16 games. Gibson returned to the Tigers in 1993 where he hit .261 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. Never regarded as an outstanding defensive player, he was primarily a DH in ’93 and again in 1994 when Gibson batted .276 with 23 home runs and 72 RBIs in the strike-shortened season. He retired in August of the 1995 season at age 38 while hitting .260 with 9 home runs and 35 RBIs. For his career, Gibson batted .268 with 1553 hits that included 260 doubles, 54 triples, and 255 home runs. He further scored 985 runs and compiled 870 RBIs and 284 stolen bases. In 310 games with the Dodgers he batted .264 with 293 hits, 56 doubles, 3 triples, 42 home runs, 142 RBIs, and 69 stolen bases. Appearing in 21 postseason games Gibson hit .282 with 7 home runs and 21 RBIs. He placed in the Top 20 in MVP balloting on four occasions and also was awarded one Silver Slugger. After returning to major league baseball as a coach, he went on to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks for all or parts of five seasons and compiled a 353-375 record that included one division title.

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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: Bret Saberhagen, 1985

Pitcher, Kansas City Royals

Age:  21 (Apr. 11)

2^nd season with Royals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 160

Prior to 1985:

Born in Chicago, Saberhagen was raised in California. He played baseball at Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda where he pitched and played shortstop. He compiled a 24-2 high school pitching record that was capped by a no-hitter in the West Valley League championship game. Despite questions regarding his velocity he was chosen by the Royals in the nineteenth round of the 1982 amateur draft, Saberhagen first was assigned to the Florida Instructional League where he posted a 7-2 record with a 2.35 ERA. With teams at the Class A and AA levels in 1983 he was a combined 16-7 with a 2.55 ERA and 130 strikeouts. He advanced to the Royals at age 20 in 1984 and appeared in 38 games, 18 of them starts, finishing with a 10-11 tally and 3.48 ERA. A control pitcher with a fastball, curve, slider, and changeup he entered 1985 as part of a promising pitching rotation.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 32 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 32

Games Started – 32

Complete Games – 10 [8]

Wins – 20 [2]

Losses – 6

PCT - .769 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [18, tied with 25 others]

Innings Pitched – 235.1 [15]

Hits – 211

Runs – 79

Earned Runs – 75

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 38

Strikeouts – 158 [9]

ERA – 2.87 [3]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 3 [2, tied with eleven others]

Wild Pitches – 1

Midseason Snapshot: 10-4, ERA - 2.78, SO – 73 in 126.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) at Oakland 9/14

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Milwaukee 5/17

Fielding

Chances – 62

Put Outs – 22

Assists – 38

Errors – 2

DP – 4

Pct. - .968

Postseason Pitching:

G – 4, GS – 4 (ALCS vs. Toronto – 2 G; World Series vs. St. Louis – 2 G)

CG – 2, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 25.1, H – 23, R – 6, ER – 6, HR – 2, BB – 3, SO – 16, ERA – 2.13, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0  World Series MVP

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

10^th in AL MVP voting (45 points, 11% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Bret Saberhagen, KC: 127 pts. – 23 of 28 first place votes, 91% share

Ron Guidry, NYY: 88 pts. – 4 first place votes, 63% share

Bert Blyleven, Clev./Min.: 9 pts. – 1 first place vote, 6% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC: 9 pts. – 6% share

Charlie Leibrandt, KC: 7 pts. – 5% share

Royals went 91-71 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 1 game over the California Angels. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (11, tied with Detroit) and fewest home runs allowed (103). 7.5 games behind the Angels at the All-Star break, the Royals surged in the last six weeks of the season and clinched their seventh division title in 10 years in the final game. Won ALCS over the Toronto Blue Jays, 4 games to 3. Won World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3. The Royals overcame 3-games-to-1 deficits in both the ALCS and World Series to gain their first World Series title.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Saberhagen and the Royals experienced difficulties in 1986, with the team dropping under .500 in a third-place finish and the pitcher posting a 7-12 record in an injury-riddled season. Saberhagen got off to a 15-3 start in 1987 on his way to an 18-10 tally with a 3.36 ERA and 163 strikeouts. He was an All-Star for the first time. He had a rough year in 1988 in which he compiled a disappointing 14-16 record with a 3.80 ERA and 171 strikeouts while leading the league by giving up 271 hits over 260.2 innings. Saberhagen rebounded in 1989 with a 23-6 record, 2.16 ERA, and 193 strikeouts and received his second AL Cy Young Award. 1990 was a down year, although he was an All-Star selection, and he missed time due to elbow surgery. He ended up at 5-9 with a 3.27 ERA while starting just 20 games. A shoulder injury put Saberhagen on the Disabled List for a time in 1991, but he was effective when he did pitch, going 13-8 with a 3.07 ERA that included a no-hitter against the White Sox in August. Having made $2.95 million in ’91 as part of a long-term contract that the Royals wanted to unload, Saberhagen was traded to the New York Mets in the offseason as part of a five-player deal. In his first year with the Mets in 1992, he started slowly and caught fire until suffering a finger injury. Saberhagen ended up appearing in only 17 games and posted a 3-5 record with a 3.50 ERA. He was awarded a three-year contract extension for $15.4 million, Always prone to be a prankster, he got himself in trouble in 1993 for setting off a firecracker in the vicinity of reporters and for spraying bleach at reporters in the clubhouse, which resulted in a fine and suspension. He was further hindered by a knee injury that required surgery and ended up at 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA while starting 19 games. Saberhagen rebounded in the strike-shortened 1994 season with a 14-4 record and 2.74 ERA with 143 strikeouts while walking only 13 batters over the course of 177.1 innings pitched. He was an All-Star and placed third in NL Cy Young voting. With the Mets performing badly in 1995, Saberhagen was dealt to the playoff-bound Colorado Rockies at the end of July and went a combined 7-6 with a 4.18 ERA and 100 strikeouts over 153 innings. Following major shoulder surgery, he missed the entire 1996 season. Saberhagen returned in 1997 as a member of the Red Sox organization, pitching for three minor league clubs before joining Boston late in the season. He was effective for the Red Sox in 1998, going 15-8 in 31 starts with a 3.96 ERA and 100 strikeouts. In an injury-plagued 1999 season Saberhagen was 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA and 81 strikeouts. Hindered by injuries, he rehabbed at the minor league level in 2000 and finished out his major league career by appearing in three games with the Red Sox in 2001, after which he called it quits. For his major league career Saberhagen compiled a record of 167-117 with a 3.34 ERA, 76 complete games, 16 shutouts, and 1715 strikeouts over 2562.2 innings. With the Royals he was 110-78 with a 3.21 ERA, 64 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 1093 strikeouts over 1660.1 innings. In 10 postseason starts he posted a 2-4 record with a 4.67 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 54 innings. Saberhagen was, in addition to being a two-time Cy Young Award-winner, a three-time All-Star. He received one Gold Glove for his fielding prowess.

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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 & Cy Young Profile: Denny McLain, 1968

Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

Age:  24

5^th season with Tigers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1968:

A Chicago native, McLain grew up in the suburb of Markham, where he played youth baseball. He received a baseball scholarship to attend Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School where he pitched his way to a 38-7 record. Upon graduation in 1962 he was signed by the Chicago White Sox for a $10,000 bonus. Initially assigned to the Harlan Smokies of the Class D Appalachian League he threw a no-hitter in his first professional start while striking out 16 batters. In two games with Harlan he went 1-1 with 32 strikeouts over 18 innings. Promoted to Clinton of the Midwest League McLain was 4-7 with a 3.56 ERA and 93 strikeouts over 91 innings. During his first minor league season he also began to exhibit the carefree and reckless behavior that would become more pronounced over time. Drafted away from the White Sox by Detroit in the offseason, he pitched with teams at the Class A and AA level in 1963 and was 18-6 with a 2.89 ERA and 239 strikeouts. Called up to the Tigers in September, McLain pitched a complete game for a win in his debut against the White Sox on his way to a 2-1 record in his first taste of major league action with a 4.29 ERA. He started the 1964 season with the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League and, after getting off to a 3-1 start, he was promoted to the Tigers in June, joining the starting rotation and going 4-5 with a 4.05 ERA the rest of the way. After a good performance playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, McLain followed up in 1965 with a 16-6 mark and a 2.61 ERA with 192 strikeouts. With command of a high fastball, curve, and changeup he got off to a 13-4 start in 1966 and was an All-Star for the first time. His performance declined during the second half of the season as he became prone to giving up home runs and his final record was 20-14 with a 3.92 ERA and 192 strikeouts. McLain became known for his flamboyant and brash personality and he also was an organist, playing solo and with groups. His 1967 season was ultimately disappointing as he produced a 17-16 tally with a 3.79 ERA and 161 strikeouts. With the Tigers locked in a wild four-team pennant race, McLain was winless in September when he missed time with a foot injury and Detroit came up a game short at season’s end.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 44 games

P – 41, PR – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 41

Games Started – 41 [1]

Complete Games – 28 [1]

Wins – 31 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .838 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [2, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 336 [1]

Hits – 241 [2]

Runs – 86 [7, tied with Mel Stottlemyre]

Earned Runs – 73 [11, tied with Steve Hargan]

Home Runs – 31 [1]

Bases on Balls – 63

Strikeouts – 280 [2]

ERA – 1.96 [4]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading games started were +2 ahead of runner-up Dean Chance

League-leading complete games were +9 ahead of runners-up Mel Stottlemyre & Luis Tiant

League-leading wins were +9 ahead of runner-up Dave McNally

League-leading win percentage was +.111 ahead of runner-up Ray Culp

League-leading innings pitched were +44 ahead of runner-up Dean Chance

League-leading home runs allowed were +2 ahead of runner-up Jim Hunter

Midseason Snapshot: 16-2, ERA - 2.09, SO - 142 in 172 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) at California 5/29

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) vs. Washington 9/28

Batting

PA – 128, AB – 111, R – 7, H – 18, 2B – 1, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 1, SO – 37, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .162, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 16 [1], SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 77

Put Outs – 36

Assists – 40

Errors – 1

DP – 3

Pct. - .987

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (World Series vs. St. Louis)

GS – 3, CG – 1, Record – 1-2, PCT – .333, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 16.2, H – 18, R – 8, ER – 6, HR – 1, BB – 4, SO – 13, ERA – 3.24, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Denny McLain, Det.: 280 pts. – 20 of 20 first place votes, 100% share

Bill Freehan, Det.: 161 pts. – 58% share

Ken Harrelson, Bos.: 103 pts. – 37% share

Willie Horton, Det.: 102 pts. – 36% share

Dave McNally, Balt.: 78 pts. – 28% share

Luis Tiant, Clev.: 78 pts. – 28% share

AL Cy Young voting:

Denny McLain, Det.: 20 of 20 votes, 100% share

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Tigers went 103-59 to win the AL pennant by 12 games over the Baltimore Orioles. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (59). The Tigers led the AL for all but 15 days during the season on their way to their first pennant since 1945. Won World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3, rallying from a 3-games-to-1 deficit. LHP Mickey Lolich won three games to fuel the Detroit triumph while McLain was disappointing until winning Game 6.

Aftermath of ‘68:

McLain followed up with another strong season in 1969, compiling a 24-9 record with a 2.80 ERA and 181 strikeouts while topping the AL in wins and innings pitched (325). He was co-winner of the league Cy Young Award with Baltimore’s Mike Cuellar. During the offseason, an investigative report in Sports Illustrated linked him to mob bookmaking activities leading to his suspension by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for the first half of the 1970 season. He received further disciplinary action following his return to action and ended up with a 3-5 tally over 14 starts and a 4.63 ERA. In the offseason McLain was traded to the Washington Senators as part of an eight-player transaction. In an ineffective year with the Senators, he led the league only in losses with his 10-22 record along with a 4.28 ERA, while he battled with manager Ted Williams. With the Senators becoming the Texas Rangers in 1972, McLain was dealt to Oakland where he performed poorly both at the major and minor league levels. Following a similar brief trial with Atlanta, McLain, who had a sore arm, was out of condition, and had put on weight, found himself out of baseball at age 29. For his briefly brilliant major league career, he produced a 131-91 record with a 3.39 ERA and 1282 strikeouts over 1886 innings pitched that included 105 complete games and 29 shutouts. With the Tigers he was 117-62 with a 3.13 ERA and 1150 strikeouts. In addition to being AL MVP once and a two-time Cy Young Award winner, McLain was a three-time All-Star. After his baseball career he encountered significant financial and legal problems that caused him to spend several years in prison. Talented and determined to live life according to his own rules, his fall from the pinnacle of baseball stardom was most abrupt.

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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.  

Cy Young Profile: C.C. Sabathia, 2007

Pitcher, Cleveland Indians

Age:  27 (July 21)

7^th season with Indians

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’6”    Weight: 290

Prior to 2007:

A native of Vallejo, California, Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. (his family began referring to him by his first two initials in his youth) pitched in Little League and excelled in football and basketball as well as baseball in high school. A good hitter as well as excellent pitcher, Sabathia played in left field or at first base when not pitching. After going 6-0 with an 0.77 ERA as a senior he was chosen by the Indians with the twentieth pick in the 1998 amateur draft. First assigned to Burlington of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in ’98 he started five games and went 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 18 innings pitched. After initially being sidelined by a sore elbow in 1999, Sabathia played for three teams from low to advanced Class A and compiled a combined record of 5-3 over 16 starts with a 3.29 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 68.1 innings pitched. Starting off with Kinston of the Carolina League in 2000 he was 3-2 with a 3.54 ERA when he was promoted to the Akron Aeros of the Class AA Eastern League and went 3-7 with a 3.59 ERA and 90 strikeouts. The 20-year-old Sabathia joined the Indians in 2001 and with command of a fastball, curve, and changeup had an impressive rookie season, producing a 17-5 record with a 4.39 ERA and 171 strikeouts. With expectations high in 2002, he got off to a slow start, despite a near no-hitter at Detroit in April, before finishing strong to end up with a 13-11 tally with a 4.37 ERA and 149 strikeouts over 210 innings. Sabathia was an All-Star for the first time in 2003 on the way to a 13-9 mark with a 3.60 ERA and 141 strikeouts. Less consistent in 2004, Sabathia produced an 11-10 record with a 4.12 ERA and 139 strikeouts. Displaying greater maturity in 2005 he went 15-10 with a 4.03 ERA and 161 strikeouts. Sabathia pitched well with mediocre run support in 2006 on the way to a 12-11 tally and 3.22 ERA with 172 strikeouts. Through 2006 he had become the first lefthander in team history to record six double-digit win totals to start his career and only the second Cleveland pitcher overall.

2007 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 34 [1, tied with seven others]

Complete Games – 4 [2]

Wins – 19 [2, tied with John Lackey, Roberto Hernandez & Chien-Ming Wang]

Losses – 7

PCT - .731 [3, tied with Chien-Ming Wang]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [5, tied with eighteen others]

Innings Pitched – 241 [1]

Hits – 238 [3, tied with Andy Pettitte]

Runs – 94

Earned Runs – 86

Home Runs – 20

Bases on Balls – 37

Strikeouts – 209 [5]

ERA – 3.21 [5]

Hit Batters – 8 [10, tied with nine others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading innings pitched were +11 ahead of runner-up Joe Blanton

Midseason Snapshot: 12-3, ERA - 3.58, SO – 119 in 133.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 7 IP) vs. Kansas City 9/14

10+ strikeout games – 3

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Cincinnati 6/10

Batting

PA – 3, AB – 3, R – 0, H – 2, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 0, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .667, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 26

Put Outs – 1

Assists – 24

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .962

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (ALDS vs. NY Yankees – 1 G; ALCS vs. Boston – 2 G)

GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 1-2, PCT –.333, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 15.1, H – 21, R – 15, ER – 15, HR – 3, BB – 13, SO – 14, ERA – 8.80, HB – 3, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

14^th in AL MVP voting (11 points, 3% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 4):

C.C. Sabathia, Clev.: 119 pts. – 19 of 28 first place votes, 85% share

Josh Beckett, Bos.: 86 pts. – 8 first place votes, 61% share

John Lackey, LAA.: 36 pts. – 1 first place vote, 26% share

Roberto Hernandez, Clev.: 7 pts. – 5% share

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Indians went 96-66 to finish first in the AL Central Division by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers. The pitching staff led the league in saves (49) and fewest walks surrendered (410). Won ALDS over the New York Yankees, 3 games to 1. Lost ALCS to the Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 3. The Indians blew a 3-games-to-1 lead as the Red Sox dominated Games 5 through 7.

Aftermath of ‘07:

With the Indians not performing as well in 2008, Sabathia, who was off to a 6-8 start and in the final year of his contract, was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in July where he went 11-2 the rest of the way for an overall record of 17-10 and a 2.70 ERA with 251 strikeouts. In the offseason he signed with the New York Yankees for seven years and $161 million. He put together a 19-8 tally for his new team in 2009 and was MVP of the ALCS triumph over the Angels in which he won both of his starts. Sabathia followed up with a 21-7 season in 2010 with a 3.18 ERA and 197 strikeouts. He placed third in AL Cy Young voting. Sabathia had another outstanding season in 2011 in which he posted a 19-8 record with a 3.00 ERA and 230 strikeouts, reaching double digits in a game five times. He was 15-6 in 2012 with a 3.38 ERA and 197 strikeouts and was among the top four in Cy Young Award voting for the third consecutive year. He added a complete game win against Baltimore in the ALDS but lost his only ALCS start against Detroit. Sabathia underwent surgery in the offseason to remove a bone spur. He struggled in 2013 before ending the season on the disabled list to end up at 14-13 with a 4.78 ERA and 175 strikeouts. He suffered through injury-plagued seasons, while also struggling with his weight, in 2014 and ’15, posting records of just 3-4 in eight starts in 2014 and 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA in ’15. With injuries still a problem in 2016, Sabathia improved his ERA to 3.91 but still posted a losing tally of 9-12. Despite lingering injuries, he improved to 14-5 in 2017 with a 3.69 ERA and 120 strikeouts. Re-signing with the Yankees in 2018 for one year and $10 million, Sabathia produced a 9-7 record with a 3.65 ERA and 140 strikeouts over 153 innings. Having had a heart procedure in the offseason, he returned to the Yankees for one more year in 2019 and was 5-8 with a 4.95 ERA to close out his career. Overall in the major leagues, Sabathia posted a 251-161 record with a 3.74 ERA, 38 complete games, 12 shutouts, and 3093 strikeouts over 3577.1 innings pitched. With the Indians he went 106-71 with a 3.83 ERA, 19 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 1265 strikeouts over 1528.2 innings. Sabathia appeared in 26 postseason games and compiled a 10-7 tally with a 4.28 ERA and 121 strikeouts over the course of 130.1 innings. He pitched one complete postseason game. He was a six-time All-Star (three apiece with Cleveland and the Yankees) and received Cy Young Award votes five times (including the one win).

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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: Frank Robinson, 1956

Outfielder, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  21 (Aug. 31)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 183

Prior to 1956:

Born in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson moved with his family to California at a young age. He first played organized baseball with an American Legion team in Oakland prior to starring at McClymonds High School. Signed by the Reds upon his graduation in 1953, he was first assigned to Ogden of the Class C Pioneer League where he appeared in 72 games and batted .348 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. Moving on to Columbia of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1954 following a brief stint with Tulsa of the Texas League, Robinson hit .336 with 25 home runs. Back with Columbia in 1955 he was bothered by a shoulder injury that briefly caused his move from the outfield to first base and played in only 80 games in which he hit .263 with 12 home runs. His shoulder having recovered following extended rest, Robinson made the jump to the Reds and became the starting left fielder in 1956.

1956 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

LF – 146, CF – 8, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 667 [6]

At Bats – 572 [14, tied with Pee Wee Reese]

Runs – 122 [1]

Hits – 166 [12, tied with Frank Thomas]

Doubles – 27 [10, tied with Willie Mays, Johnny Logan & Walt Moryn]

Triples – 6

Home Runs – 38 [2, tied with Joe Adcock]

RBI – 83 [15, tied with Wally Post & Carl Furillo]

Bases on Balls – 64 [15]

Int. BB – 7 [19, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 95 [3]

Stolen Bases – 8 [11, tied with five others]

Caught Stealing – 4 [17, tied with eight others]

Average - .290 [16]

OBP - .379 [7]

Slugging Pct. - .558 [3, tied with Hank Aaron]

Total Bases – 319 [4]

GDP – 14 [15, tied with seven others]

Hit By Pitches – 20 [1]

Sac Hits – 8 [15, tied with seven others]

Sac Flies – 4 [18, tied with twenty others]

League-leading runs scored were +10 ahead of runner-up Duke Snider

League-leading times hit by pitches were +12 ahead of runner-up Solly Hemus

Midseason snapshot: HR – 18, RBI – 39, AVG - .313, SLG – .544

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Milwaukee 8/13

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Milwaukee 8/18, (in 5 AB) vs. NY Giants 8/28

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 16

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Milwaukee 8/18, vs. NY Giants 8/28

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 336

Put Outs – 323

Assists – 5

Errors – 8

DP - 1

Pct. - .976

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for NL in LF)

7^th in NL MVP voting (79 points, 24% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Frank Robinson, Cin.: 24 of 24 votes, 100% share

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Reds went 91-63 to finish third in the NL, 2 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers, while leading the league in runs scored (775), home runs (221), RBIs (734), slugging (.441), and total bases (2334). The Reds, while tying the existing major league team record for home runs, helped by Robinson’s tying of the rookie record, contended until the season’s final week.

Aftermath of ‘56:

Robinson followed up with another strong season in 1957 in which he batted .322 with 29 home runs and 75 RBIs. With a batting stance that had him leaning over the plate, he drew many inside pitches and was once again among the leaders in being hit by pitches. Robinson received a Gold Glove for his outfield play in 1958, a year in which, following a beaning during the spring that caused him headaches, he also hit .269 with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. His batting average came back up to .311 in 1959 along with 36 home runs and 125 RBIs. Robinson’s tendency to slide hard into bases, which often resulted in his spiking opposing fielders, led to a notable brawl against the Braves when he slid hard into third baseman Ed Mathews. Despite several nagging injuries he went on to hit .297 for the year along with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs and a league-leading .595 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was arrested for pulling a gun on a short order cook who had refused to serve him, which led to a fine. Shifted to right field in 1961, Robinson had another big year at the plate for the pennant-winning Reds, batting .323 with 37 home runs and 124 RBIs, and, previously prone to being an introvert, he also provided fiery team leadership. He was voted the National League MVP for his performance. Robinson followed up with another outstanding season in 1962, topping the NL in slugging percentage for the third straight year at .624. He also paced the circuit with 134 runs scored and 51 doubles. In addition he hit .342 with 39 home runs and 136 RBIs and placed fourth in league MVP balloting. Nagging injuries led to a down year in 1963 as Robinson was limited to 140 games and batted .259 with 21 home runs and 91 RBIs. He furthermore expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s front office. Robinson rebounded with the contending Reds in 1964, hitting .306 with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs and finishing fourth in MVP voting. He was still solid in 1965, batting .296 with 33 home runs and 113 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in a blockbuster transaction in which Cincinnati received three players, the most significant being RHP Milt Pappas. Bringing his intensity, leadership, and talent to the Orioles Robinson won the AL Triple Crown in 1966 by hitting .316 with 49 home runs and 122 RBIs. Baltimore won the AL pennant and swept the Dodgers in the World Series in which Robinson was named MVP after hitting .286 with two home runs and three RBIs in a Series dominated by Baltimore’s pitching. He was league MVP also, becoming the first player to become MVP in both the NL and AL. The Orioles dropped in the standings in 1967 and Robinson missed several weeks following a collision with second baseman Al Weis of the White Sox, which caused a concussion and ensuing double vision. He still ended up batting .311 with 30 home runs and 94 RBIs while appearing in 129 games. Hindered by injuries and illness in 1968, he hit only .268 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. In the offseason he managed in the Puerto Rican Winter League, setting the stage for his post-playing career. 1969 marked the beginning of divisional play in major league baseball and the Orioles topped the new AL East. Robinson contributed 32 home runs, 100 RBIs, a .308 batting average, and outstanding leadership. He hit two more home runs in the postseason which ended with Baltimore losing to the upstart New York Mets. The Orioles again won the AL East in 1970 and this time won the World Series. Robinson batted .306 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. Baltimore made it three straight pennants in 1971 and Robinson hit .281 with 28 home runs and 99 RBIs. It proved to be the end of the road for him as an Oriole. In the offseason he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a six-player trade. He batted .251 in an injury-plagued season in 1972 with 19 home runs and 59 RBIs over 103 games. He was traded once again in the offseason, this time to nearby Anaheim and the California Angels, which reunited him with former Baltimore GM Harry Dalton. The once-outstanding outfielder was primarily utilized as a Designated Hitter in 1973 and batted .266 with 30 home runs and 97 RBIs. He had a lesser season in 1974 in which he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians in September. Overall he hit .245 with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs. In the offseason he was named manager of the Indians, becoming the first African-American manager in major league history. He finished his playing career in 1975 and ’76 as a player/manager for the Indians. He played rarely and almost exclusively as a DH or pinch-hitter. For his major league career, Robinson batted .294 with 2943 hits that included 528 doubles, 72 triples, and 586 home runs. He further scored 1829 runs and compiled 1812 RBIs and 204 stolen bases. He was hit by pitches 198 times, a category which he led either the NL or AL seven times. A 14-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Robinson finished in the Top 10 in MVP voting eleven times. With the Reds he batted .303 with 1673 hits, 318 doubles, 50 triples, 324 home runs, 1009 RBIs, 1043 runs scored, and 161 stolen bases. Appearing in 35 postseason games, he hit .238 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs. The Reds, Orioles, and Indians retired Robinson’s #20 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. In addition to the Indians, Robinson managed the Giants, Orioles, and Expos/Nationals, his teams compiling a record of 1065-1176. He was an assistant general manager for the Orioles and major league baseball’s Vice-President of On-Field Operations from 1999-2002. The Reds further honored him with a statue at Great American Ballpark and induction into their team Hall of Fame. The Orioles honored him in similar fashion. Robinson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. He died at age 83 in 2019.

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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: Gary Peters, 1963

Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Age:  26 (Apr. 21)

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1963:

A Pennsylvania native, Peters was an All-State basketball player in a high school that did not field a baseball team. He played sandlot and semipro ball, where he played first base. A tryout with the White Sox led to a contract and he was first assigned to Holdrege of the Class D Nebraska State League in 1956 where he was converted into a pitcher and posted a 10-5 record with a 2.81 ERA while also leading the league with 128 innings pitched and 142 strikeouts. Moving on to the Dubuque Packers of the Class D Midwest League in 1957, Peters compiled a 10-6 tally with a 2.75 ERA and 103 strikeouts over 131 innings. He started 1958 with Colorado Springs of the Class A Western League but following a poor start he was reassigned to Davenport of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League where he went 12-8 with a 3.99 ERA. Promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1959, Peters continued to develop his slider and curve and produced a 13-11 record that included a no-hitter along with a 3.56 ERA. He received a late-season call-up to the White Sox that resulted in two undistinguished appearances. He was back in Class AAA in 1960 with San Diego of the Pacific Coast League and was 12-9 with a 4.34 ERA and 127 strikeouts. He again was called up to the White Sox in September with unimpressive results. Back with San Diego in 1961 Peters was 13-10 with a 3.59 ERA and another 127 strikeouts. Receiving another September trial with the White Sox, he recorded a save in three relief appearances. Peters started the 1962 season with Chicago but was sent down to Indianapolis in May where he started 23 games and posted an 8-10 record with a 3.69 ERA. He started 1963 in the White Sox bullpen until given an emergency start in May and he found himself in the starting rotation by June. With a naturally sinking fastball, slider, curve, and changeup he proved to be a very effective pitcher following his long minor league development period.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in 50 games

P – 41, PH – 2, PR – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 41

Games Started – 30 [19, tied with Jim Bouton & Dick Donovan]

Complete Games – 13 [6, tied with Whitey Ford & Bill Monbouquette]

Wins – 19 [6]

Losses – 8

PCT - .704 [5]

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 4 [3, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 243 [11]

Hits – 192 [20]

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 9

Bases on Balls – 68 [17, tied with Hank Aguirre]

Strikeouts – 189 [4, tied with Whitey Ford]

ERA – 2.33 [1]

Hit Batters – 8 [7, tied with Hank Aguirre, Moe Drabowsky & Arnold Earley]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading ERA was -0.06 lower than runner-up Juan Pizarro

Midseason Snapshot: 5-5, ERA - 2.54, SO - 85 in 92 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/15

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/15

Batting

PA – 89, AB – 81, R – 12, H – 21, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 3, RBI – 12, BB – 3, SO – 19, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .259, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 2, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 49

Put Outs – 17

Assists – 30

Errors – 2

DP – 4

Pct. - .959

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

8^th in AL MVP voting (55 points, 20% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Gary Peters, ChiWS.: 10 of 20 votes, 50% share

Pete Ward, ChiWS.: 6 votes, 30% share

Jim Hall, Min.: 4 votes, 20% share

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White Sox went 94-68 to finish second in the AL, 10.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.97), shutouts (21), fewest earned runs allowed (485), fewest home runs allowed (100), and fewest walks surrendered (440). With their outstanding pitching and buoyed by the arrival of rookies Peters and third baseman Pete Ward, the White Sox contended during the first half of the season before the Yankees pulled away.

Aftermath of ‘63:

Peters followed up his impressive rookie season by posting a 20-8 record for the contending White Sox in 1964, along with a 2.50 ERA and 205 strikeouts. His win total included a run of 11 straight, he was chosen as an All-Star for the first time, and he tied for seventh in league MVP voting. Peters was also a good hitting pitcher, having slugged seven home runs in his first two seasons and was utilized occasionally as a pinch-hitter between starts. Hindered by a groin injury in 1965 Peters struggled to a 10-12 record with a 3.62 ERA. He came back in 1966 to win his second ERA title at 1.98 although his record with the notoriously poor-hitting White Sox was only 12-10. With the White Sox in a hot four-team pennant race in 1967 Peters contributed a 16-11 tally with a 2.28 ERA, which placed him second to teammate Joe Horlen in the AL, and 215 strikeouts. The White Sox dropped well below .500 in 1968 and Peters, suffering with back and elbow injuries, was 4-13 with a 3.76 ERA. With a sore arm in 1969 he went 10-15 with a 4.53 ERA. Traded to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason he had an uneven year in 1970 as his record improved to 16-11, but with a still high 4.06 ERA. His 1971 production was 14-11 with a 4.37 ERA. Losing his spot in the rotation in 1972, Peters appeared in 33 games and finished at 3-3 with a 4.32 ERA, after which he was released. A failed spring trial with the Royals in 1973 finished his career at age 35. Overall in the major leagues, Peters produced a 124-103 record with a 3.25 ERA, 79 complete games that included 23 shutouts, and 1420 strikeouts over the course of 2081 innings pitched. With the White Sox he was 91-78 with a 2.92 ERA, 60 complete games, 18 shutouts, and 1098 strikeouts over 1560 innings. He was a two-time All-Star and finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting three times.

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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.