MVP Profile: Frank Thomas, 1993

First Baseman, Chicago White Sox

Age:  25 (May 27)

4^th season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 240

Prior to 1993:

A native of Columbus, Georgia, Thomas was a football as well as baseball standout in high school. Entering Auburn University, he played tight end on the freshman football team and batted .359 on the baseball squad in the spring of 1987, earning a spot on the US team for the Pan-American Games. After suffering an injury in the subsequent football season, he turned his concentration fully to baseball and was named Southeast Conference MVP in 1989. Selected by the White Sox as the seventh overall pick in the ’89 amateur draft he played for teams at the Rookie and Class A levels and hit .296 with 5 home runs and 41 RBIs in 72 games. Advancing to the Birmingham Barons of the Class AA Southern League in 1990 Thomas batted .323 with 18 home runs and 71 RBIs. Called up for a late-season trial with the White Sox, he hit .330 with 7 home runs and 31 RBIs while appearing in 60 games. Playing primarily as a Designated Hitter during his first full season in 1991, Thomas established himself by batting .318 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs. He also drew a league-leading 138 walks and topped the AL with a .453 on-base percentage. He was awarded his first Silver Slugger and placed third in league MVP voting. Installed at first base in 1992, Thomas again led the AL by drawing 122 walks and with a .439 on-base percentage. He also topped the circuit with 46 doubles while hitting .323 with 24 home runs and 115 RBIs. Nicknamed “The Big Hurt” for the damage he did to opposing pitchers, by 1993 Thomas was already an offensive force to be reckoned with.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

1B – 150, DH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 676 [16]

At Bats – 549

Runs – 106 [10]

Hits – 174 [12]

Doubles – 36 [11, tied with Albert Belle, Brady Anderson & Wally Joyner]

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 41 [3]

RBI – 128 [2]

Bases on Balls – 112 [4]

Int. BB – 23 [3, tied with Mo Vaughn]

Strikeouts – 54

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .317 [6]

OBP - .426 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .607 [3]

Total Bases – 333 [3]

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 13 [2, tied with Carlos Baerga]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 20, RBI – 68, AVG – .302, SLG – .559

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Texas 5/16, (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 7/27, (in 5 AB) at Texas 8/3

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 26

HR on road – 15

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Baltimore 7/11, (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 7/27, (in 4 AB) vs. NY Yankees 8/23 – 10 innings

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Toronto 4/30, at Baltimore 7/11, vs. Cleveland 7/27

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances - 1320

Put Outs – 1222

Assists – 83

Errors – 15

DP – 128

Pct. - .989

Postseason: 6 G (ALCS vs. Toronto)

PA – 27, AB – 17, R – 2, H – 6, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 10, IBB – 2, SO – 5, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .353, OBP - .593, SLG -.529, TB – 9, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Frank Thomas, ChiWS.: 392 pts. - 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Paul Molitor, Tor.: 209 pts. – 53% share

John Olerud, Tor.: 198 pts. – 51% share

Juan Gonzalez, Tex.: 185 pts. – 47% share

Ken Griffey Jr, Sea.: 182 pts. – 46% share

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White Sox went 94-68 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 8 games over the Texas Rangers, while leading the league in triples (44) and fewest batter strikeouts (834). The White Sox moved into first place to stay on July 7 and coasted to the AL West title. Lost ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘93:

Thomas followed up with another outstanding season during the strike-shortened 1994 campaign, batting .353 with 38 home runs and 101 RBIs while also leading the American League in runs scored (106), walks drawn (109), on-base percentage (.487), and slugging percentage (.729). He was once again voted the league MVP. Another strong season in 1995 made him the first player in baseball history to bat .300 with at least 20 home runs, 100 RBIs, 100 runs scored, and 100 walks drawn over five consecutive seasons. His totals were a .308 average, 102 runs, 40 home runs, 111 RBIs, and a league-leading 136 walks drawn (29 intentional). He placed eighth in MVP voting. In 1996 Thomas suffered a stress fracture in his left foot that cost him 18 games, but still ended up batting .349 with 110 runs scored, 40 home runs, 134 RBIs, and 109 walks drawn. Thomas won the AL batting title in 1997 by hitting .347 along with 110 runs, 35 home runs, 125 RBIs, and 109 bases on balls. “The Big Hurt” followed up with a relative off-year in 1998, batting just .265 with 29 home runs and 109 RBIs while still drawing 110 walks while used almost exclusively as a DH. Bothered by a foot injury that required surgery in 1999, and splitting time between DH and first base, his batting average rebounded to .305 with just 15 home runs and 77 RBIs. In 2000 Thomas, now typically a Designated Hitter, returned to form by batting .328 with 43 home runs and 143 RBIs. He finished a close second in league MVP balloting. A triceps tear that required surgery limited Thomas to 20 games in 2001 and when he returned in 2002 he batted only .252 with 28 home runs and 92 RBIs. While his average remained low at .267 in 2003, his productivity was strong at 42 home runs and 105 RBIs. Limited to a total of 108 games due to injuries in 2004 and ’05, Thomas was not on the postseason roster that culminated in World Series triumph for the White Sox in 2005. Departing for the Oakland A's as a free agent, he was the regular DH in 2006 and hit .270 with 39 home runs and 114 RBIs. Moving on to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007 he batted .277 with 26 home runs and 95 RBIs. Released by Toronto early in the 2008 season, he returned to Oakland where he hit .263 in his final season. After not playing in 2009, Thomas retired. For his major league career, he batted .301 with 2468 hits that included 495 doubles, 12 triples, and 521 home runs. He scored 1494 runs, reaching 100 in a season nine times, and compiled 1704 RBIs, reaching 100 in a season eleven times. He further drew 1667 walks and had a .419 on-base percentage. With the White Sox he batted .307 with 2136 hits, 1327 runs, 447 doubles, 11 triples, 448 home runs, 1465 RBIs, 1466 bases on balls, and a .427 OBP and .568 slugging percentage. Appearing in 16 postseason games, Thomas hit .224 with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs. A five-time All-Star, he was in the top ten of MVP voting nine times, including the two wins. He further was awarded four Silver Sluggers. The White Sox retired his #35 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

MVP Profile: Frank “Wildfire” Schulte, 1911

Outfielder, Chicago Cubs

Age:  29 (Sept. 17)

8^th season with Cubs

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170

Prior to 1911:

A native of Cochecton, New York, Schulte played for local independent baseball teams despite his father’s efforts to coax him into joining his contracting business. In 1902 he joined the Syracuse Stars of the New York State League. He batted .280 and followed up with .294 in 1903 and .286 in 1904 when his contract was purchased by the Cubs. Schulte appeared in 20 games for the Cubs in ’04 and hit .286 with 13 RBIs. He appeared in 123 games in 1905 and produced a .274 average with 14 doubles, 14 triples, a home run, 16 stolen basses, and 47 RBIs. The Cubs won 116 games and the NL pennant in 1906, and Schulte batted .281 with 18 doubles, a league-leading 13 triples, 7 home runs, 25 stolen bases, and 60 RBIs. The Cubs repeated as NL champs in 1907 and 1908, and, unlike 1906 when they were upset by the cross-town White Sox, also won the World Series  and the star right fielder remained a key contributor, despite missing significant time during each of those seasons. In 1909, the Cubs won 104 games and finished in second place while Schulte hit .264 with 16 doubles, 11 triples, 4 home runs, 23 stolen bases, and 60 RBIs. An eccentric character who searched the streets looking for hairpins, which he believed to be harbingers of his future hitting success, he was friendly with sportswriter Ring Lardner. It was said that he obtained the nickname “Wildfire” after he and other Cub players attended a play by that name starring actress Lillian Russell, a favorite of Schulte’s. Owner of several racehorses, he named one Wildfire in tribute and teammates and writers transferred the name to him. Not previously known for his home run totals, he co-led the NL with 10 in 1910 while also batting .301 with 29 doubles, 15 triples, 22 stolen bases, and 68 RBIs.  

1911 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 154

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 690 [4]

At Bats – 577 [4, tied with Doc Miller]

Runs – 105 [4]

Hits – 173 [4]

Doubles – 30 [8]

Triples – 21 [3]

Home Runs – 21 [1]

RBI – 107 [1, tied with Owen Wilson]

Bases on Balls – 76 [9]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 71 [5]

Stolen Bases – 23

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .300 [8, tied with Owen Wilson]

OBP - .384 [9, tied with Ed Konetchy]

Slugging Pct. - .534 [1]

Total Bases – 308 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 31 [2]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading home runs were +5 ahead of runner-up Fred Luderus

League-leading slugging pct was +.007 ahead of runner-up Larry Doyle

League-leading total bases were +31 ahead of runner-up Larry Doyle

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 10, HR - 7, RBI - 54, AVG - .303, SLG - .510

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. NY Giants 9/27

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 10

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Cards 8/12

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. St. Louis Cards 8/12, at Boston Braves 8/16

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 273

Put Outs – 246

Assists – 19

Errors – 8

DP – 8

Pct. - .971

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: Chalmers Award

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Frank Schulte, ChiC.: 29 pts. - 45% share

Christy Mathewson, NYG: 25 pts. – 39% share

G.C. “Pete” Alexander, PhilaP.: 23 pts. – 36% share

Larry Doyle, NYG: 23 pts. – 36% share

Honus Wagner, Pitt.: 23 pts. – 36% share

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Cubs went 99-54 to finish second in the NL, 7.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants, while leading the league in runs scored (757). The Cubs spent 40 days in first place, helped by a 10-game July winning streak, before dropping behind the Giants in late August.

Aftermath of 1911:

Schulte followed up his big MVP season by batting .264 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, and 65 RBIs in 1912. In 1913 Schulte hit .278 with 9 home runs and 68 RBIs. His performance dropped off in 1914, a year in which he had difficulties with manager Hank O’Day and moved over to left field. He also nearly jumped to the rival Federal League. He was back among the NL’s leading power hitters in 1915 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs to go along with a .249 average. The last of the stars from Frank Chance’s championship teams of 1907 and ’08, who was making about $4000 per year, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates at midseason in 1916 as his production began to drop. During 1917 he was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies as he hit just .214 for the year. After one last major league season with the Washington Senators in 1918, the 35-year-old Schulte found himself playing in the minors in 1919. That year he was player/manager for the Binghamton Bingoes of the International League and remained in the International League with Toronto, Syracuse, and Buffalo over the next two years. He finished up in the Pacific Coast League with the Oakland Oaks in 1922. For his major league career, Schulte batted .270 with 1766 hits that included 288 doubles, 124 triples, and 92 home runs. He scored 906 runs and compiled 793 RBIs and 233 stolen bases, which included 22 steals of home. With the Cubs the totals were a .272 average with 1590 hits, 254 doubles, 117 triples, 91 home runs, 827 runs scored, 713 RBIs, and 214 stolen bases. Appearing in 21 World Series games, “Wildfire” hit .321 with 9 RBIs and had a 13-game hitting streak. He settled in Oakland, California following his playing career and died in 1949 at age 67. 

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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: Don Schwall, 1961

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Age:  25

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’6”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1961:

Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Schwall moved with his family to Michigan during World War II where his father was involved with military production. He played basketball and football at Ypsilanti High School. Afterward he moved on to the Univ. of Oklahoma on a basketball scholarship. Averaging 15.1 points-per-game Schwall was an All Big Eight selection in 1956 and ’57, on three occasions outscoring and outrebounding star Kansas center Wilt Chamberlain. He pitched on the baseball team as well and signed with the Red Sox for $65,000 in 1958. Initially assigned to the Waterloo Hawks of the Class D Midwest League, Schwall posted a 7-5 record with a 4.68 ERA and 70 strikeouts over 98 innings. Next assigned to the Alpine Cowboys of the Class D Sophomore League in 1959, he went 23-6 with a 3.36 ERA and 199 strikeouts with 120 walks over 228 innings. In 1960 Schwall moved up to Minneapolis of the Class AAA American Association and compiled a 16-9 tally with a 3.59 ERA and 109 strikeouts while his walks dropped to 81 over 193 innings. He was sent back to Class AAA to start the 1961 season with the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League. Off to a 3-1 start and with RHP Tom Brewer injured, Schwall was called up to the Red Sox in May. With command of a sinkerball, he quickly became an effective member of the starting rotation.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 27 games

P – 25, PR – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 25

Games Started – 25

Complete Games – 10 [16, tied with Jack Fisher]

Wins – 15 [6, tied with five others]

Losses – 7

PCT - .682 [6, tied with Don Mossi]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [11, tied with twelve others]

Innings Pitched – 178.2

Hits – 167

Runs – 76

Earned Runs – 64

Home Runs – 8

Bases on Balls – 110 [4]

Strikeouts – 91

ERA – 3.22 [11]

Hit Batters – 6 [12, tied with Frank Lary, Gary Bell & Jim Perry]

Balks – 1 [5, tied with nineteen others

Wild Pitches – 6 [18, tied with seven others]

Midseason Snapshot: 7-2, ERA - 3.34, SO – 43 in 70 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) at Baltimore 5/28, (in 6 IP) at LA Angels 6/21

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. LA Angels 8/3

Batting

PA – 73, AB – 61, R – 5, H – 11, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 6, BB – 1, SO – 10, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .180, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 11, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 44

Put Outs – 8

Assists – 33

Errors – 3

DP – 4

Pct. - .932

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

14^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Steve Barber, Balt. & Norm Siebern, KCA (7 points, 3% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Don Schwall, Bos.: 7  of 20 votes, 35% share

Dick Howser, KCA: 6 votes, 30% share

Floyd Robinson, ChiWS.: 2 votes, 10% share

Chuck Schilling, Bos.: 2 votes, 10% share

Lee Thomas, NYY/LAA: 2 votes, 10% share

Jake Wood, Det.: 1 vote, 5% share

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Red Sox went 76-86 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. Dominant at Fenway Park but a losing team on the road, the Red Sox were buoyed by a good rookie crop that included Schwall, outfielder Carl Yastrzemski, and second baseman Chuck Schilling.

Aftermath of ‘61:

Schwall struggled with his control in 1962 and his record dropped to 9-15 with a 4.94 ERA and 89 strikeouts plus 121 walks over 182 innings. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason as part of the deal that brought first baseman Dick Stuart to Boston. Schwall started well in 1962 but tailed off due to a lack of consistent run support on the eighth-place club and finished at 6-12 with a 3.33 ERA. Dealing with injuries in 1964, he spent time with the Columbus Jets of the Class AAA International League and was used sparingly upon his return to the Pirates. With Pittsburgh he was 4-3 with a 4.35 ERA. Shifted to the bullpen in 1965, Schwall appeared in 43 games as both a long and short reliever and produced a 9-6 record with a 2.92 ERA and four saves along with 55 strikeouts over 77 innings. During the 1966 season he was dealt to the Atlanta Braves, where he was used sparingly, primarily as a starting pitcher. For the season he finished at 6-5 with a 3.31 ERA. He made one appearance with the Braves in 1967 before being optioned to Richmond of the Class AAA International League. He had a 5.79 ERA in six relief appearances before being released, ending his career. Overall, in the major leagues Schwall compiled a 49-48 record with a 3.72 ERA and 408 strikeouts over 743 innings pitched. With the Red Sox he was 24-22 with a 4.09 ERA and 180 strikeouts. His outstanding rookie season that included an All-Star appearance, proved to be his best.  

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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: Boog Powell, 1970

First Baseman, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  29 (Aug. 17)

9^th season with Orioles

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 230

Prior to 1970:

A Florida native, John Wesley Powell acquired his nickname “Boog” in his youth. At 12 he pitched for the Lakeland team that advanced to the Little League World Series. Going to high school in Key West he played football and basketball in addition to baseball. Coming out of high school in 1959 at age 17 Powell signed with the Orioles for a $35,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Bluefield of the Class D Appalachian League he played in the outfield and in 56 games batted .351 with 14 home runs and 59 RBIs. In 1960, advancing to Fox Cities of the Class B Illinois-Indiana–Iowa (or “Three I”) League, he was shifted to first base and hit .312 with 13 home runs and 100 RBIs. Promoted to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League in 1961, Powell batted .321 with a league-leading 32 home runs in addition to 92 RBIs. In a late-season stint with the Orioles he appeared in four games and produced his first major league hit. Highly touted coming into his rookie year in 1962, Powell was blocked at first base by veteran slugger Jim Gentile, forcing a move to left field to find him a spot in the lineup. He hit a disappointing .243 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. An offseason of winter ball in Puerto Rico seemed to help as he batted .265 in 1963 with 25 home runs and 82 RBIs. Powell had a big year in 1964, batting .290 with 39 home runs and 99 RBIs while leading the AL with a .606 slugging percentage. He placed eleventh in league MVP voting. 1965 was a tougher year as he was moved to first base and suffered through various injuries while hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. Often struggling with his weight during his career, Powell was fined by manager Hank Bauer for being overweight. He rebounded in 1966, a pennant-winning season for the Orioles, by batting .287 with 34 home runs and 109 RBIs. In a World Series triumph over the Dodgers that was spurred by Baltimore’s dominant pitching, Powell hit .357 during the four-game sweep. The Orioles dropped to sixth in 1967 and the big first baseman was benched for much of the season’s second half as he dropped to .234 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1968, a year in which he topped the club with 22 home runs and 85 RBIs while batting .249. With Baltimore regaining pennant-winning form in 1969, Powell improved to .304 with 37 home runs and 121 RBIs although he contributed little in the World Series loss to the Mets.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

1B – 145, PH – 11

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 643

At Bats – 526

Runs – 82

Hits – 156

Doubles – 28 [14, tied with four others]

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 35 [5]

RBI – 114 [3]

Bases on Balls – 104 [6]

Int. BB – 18 [3]

Strikeouts – 80

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .297 [11]

OBP - .412 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .549 [2]

Total Bases – 289 [5]

GDP – 14

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 8 [4, tied with Harmon Killebrew & Ted Uhlaender]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 23, RBI – 73, AVG – .320, SLG - .605

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Washington 6/19

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 6/30

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Minnesota 7/26

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 8 (.125) with 3 BB

Fielding

Chances – 1308

Put Outs – 1209

Assists – 89

Errors – 10

DP – 107

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 8 G (ALCS vs. Minnesota – 3 G; World Series vs. Cincinnati – 5 G)

PA – 36, AB – 31, R – 8, H – 11, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 3, RBI – 11, BB – 5, IBB – 0, SO – 5, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .355, OBP - .444, SLG - .742, TB – 23, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL at 1B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Boog Powell, Balt.: 234 pts. - 11 of 24 first place votes, 70% share

Tony Oliva, Min.: 157 pts. – 5 first place votes, 47% share

Harmon Killebrew, Min.: 152 pts. – 1 first place vote, 45% share

Carl Yastrzemski, Bos.: 136 pts. – 2 first place votes, 40% share

Frank Howard, Wash.: 91 pts. – 1 first place vote, 27% share

(2 first place votes for Brooks Robinson, Balt., who ranked 7^th & 1 first place vote apiece for Tommy Harper, Mil., who ranked sixth & Ron Perranoski, Min., who ranked 12^th)

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Orioles went 108-54 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 15 games over the New York Yankees, while leading the league in runs scored (792), RBIs (748), stolen bases (168), walks drawn (717), and OBP (.344). In first place for all but eight days during the season, the Orioles dominated the AL East for their second straight division title. Won ALCS over the Minnesota Twins, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘70:

Powell slumped midway through the 1971 season and then suffered a broken wrist on his way to batting .256 with 22 home runs and 92 RBIs. In 1972 he produced a .252 average with 21 home runs and 81 RBIs. Dealing with a sore shoulder in 1973 Powell batted .265 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs. Having difficulty in trying to trade Powell, he continued with the Orioles in 1974 and, while benched for a time, he hit .265 again with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs. In the offseason he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians, which reunited him with former teammate Frank Robinson, the new Cleveland manager. He had a fine comeback season in 1975 as he batted .297 with 27 home runs and 86 RBIs and committed only three errors in the field. In 1976, injuries limited Powell to 89 games and his production dropped off to .215 with 9 home runs and 33 RBIs. Released in the spring of 1977, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a little-used backup to first baseman Steve Garvey. Released at the end of August he retired at age 35. Overall, in the major leagues Powell batted .266 with 1776 hits that included 270 doubles, 11 triples, and 339 home runs. Additionally, he scored 889 runs and compiled 1187 RBIs. A slow runner, he stole just 20 bases. With the Orioles he batted .266 with 1574 hits, 243 doubles, 11 triples, 303 home runs, 1063 RBIs, and 796 runs scored. Appearing in 33 postseason games he batted .262 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. A four-time All-Star, Powell was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1979.

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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: Chipper Jones, 1999

Third Baseman, Atlanta Braves

Age:  27 (April 24)

5^th season with Braves

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 210

Prior to 1999:

A Florida native, Larry Wayne Jones, Jr. picked up the nickname “Chipper” in his youth. Coached in hitting by his baseball coach father, the switch-hitting Jones excelled in Little League play and was sent to the private Bolles School in Jacksonville for high school. Heavily scouted he was selected first overall in the 1990 amateur draft by the Braves and signed for a $275,000 signing bonus. Hampered initially by a hand injury, Jones hit only .229 in his first minor league stop in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in ’90. Advised by minor league hitting instructor Willie Stargell to switch to a heavier bat, his batting improved in 1991 with Macon of the Class A South Atlantic League where he hit .326 with 24 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, and 98 RBIs in 136 games. But he had difficulty with his fielding at shortstop where he committed 71 errors. on the basis of his hitting he was still named a league All-Star. He went from high Class A to Greenville of the AA Southern League in 1992 where he batted .346 in 67 games with 17 doubles, 11 triples, 9 home runs, and 42 RBIs while stealing 14 bases, and was once again a league All-Star. In 1993 with Richmond of the Class AAA International League he was an All-Star once more who hit .325 with 31 doubles, 12 triples, 13 home runs, and 89 RBIs and received a September call-up to the Braves. He was used sparingly but was slated to start in left field for Atlanta in 1994 until he was sidelined for the year after suffering a major left knee injury in spring training. Taking over for the departed Terry Pendleton at third base in 1995, Jones had a fine rookie year, batting .265 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs. He placed second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He performed well in the postseason for the division-winning Braves, who went on to win the World Series. Signed to a four-year contract extension for $8.25 million, Jones hit .309 in 1996 with 30 home runs and 110 RBIs and was an All-Star for the first time. Jones remained a solid performer on the field in 1997 as he hit .295 with a drop in home runs to 21 and a rise in doubles to 41, to go along with 111 RBIs. With the rivalry with the NL East rival Mets heating up in 1998, Jones became a target of Met fans at New York’s Shea Stadium, where he tended to play especially well. For the year he hit .313 with 34 home runs and 107 RBIs. Problems in his personal life came to the surface, but by 1999 Jones was well-established as a star who had been selected to three straight All-Star Games and was coming off of three consecutive 100-RBI seasons.  

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

3B – 156, SS – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 701 [7]

At Bats – 567

Runs – 116 [7]

Hits – 181 [13]

Doubles – 41 [7, tied with Edgardo Alfonzo & Kevin Young]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 45 [3, tied with Greg Vaughn]

RBI – 110 [17]

Bases on Balls – 126 [3]

Int. BB – 18 [2]

Strikeouts – 94

Stolen Bases – 25

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .319 [10]

OBP - .441 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .633 [4]

Total Bases – 359 [4]

GDP – 20 [3, tied with Derek Bell]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 6

Midseason snapshot: HR – 21, RBI - 57, AVG - .313, SLG– .589, OBP – .422

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Milwaukee 7/28

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 25

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 2 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 6

Most RBIs, game – 4 at LA Dodgers 4/21 – 12 innings, at NY Mets 7/2

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 343

Put Outs – 88

Assists – 238

Errors – 17

DP – 10

Pct. - .950

Postseason Batting: 14 G (NLDS vs. Houston – 4 G; NLCS vs. NY Mets – 6 G; World Series vs. NY Yankees – 4 G)

PA – 65, AB – 45, R – 7, H – 11, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 4, BB – 18, IBB – 6, SO – 11, SB – 3, CS – 1, AVG - .244, OBP - .462, SLG - .356, TB – 16, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Chipper Jones, Atl.: 432 pts. - 29 of 32 first place votes, 96% share

Jeff Bagwell, Hou.: 276 pts. – 1 first place vote, 62% share

Matt Williams, Ari.: 269 pts. – 2 first place votes, 60% share

Greg Vaughn, Cin.: 121 pts. – 27% share

Mark McGwire, StL.: 115 pts. – 26% share

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Braves went 103-59 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 6.5 games over the New York Mets, for their eighth consecutive division title. The Braves swept a three-game September home series against the Mets to boost their lead to four games and then swept Montreal to clinch the division crown. Won NLDS over the Houston Astros, 3 games to 1. Won NLCS over the New York Mets, 4 games to 2. Lost World Series to the /New York Yankees, 4 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘99:

Following his MVP season, Jones agreed to a six-year, $90 million contract extension. He batted .311 in 2000 with 36 home runs and 111 RBIs as the Braves remained atop the NL East. He continued to be solid in 2001 as he hit .330 with 38 home runs and 102 RBIs. In 2002 Jones shifted to left field and batted .327 with 26 home runs and 100 RBIs and in 2003 hit .305 with 27 home runs and 106 RBIs. With the Braves off to a slow start in 2004 and Jones not hitting well while plagued by injuries, he was moved back to third base with favorable results. He finished at .248 with 30 home runs and 96 RBIs as Atlanta cruised to another division title. Jones missed 30 games in 2005 due to a torn ligament in his left foot and ended up batting .296 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs. The Braves missed the postseason for the first time in Jones’ career in 2006 but while still dealing with nagging injuries he batted .324 (helped by a 20-game hitting streak) with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs. He followed up with a 2007 season in which he hit .337 with 29 home runs and 102 RBIs. A fast start in 2008 led to Jones winning the NL batting title with a .364 average despite suffering a shoulder injury that limited him to pinch-hitting during the season’s last two weeks, along with 22 home runs and 75 RBIs. He dropped to .264 with 18 home runs in 2009 and a major knee injury cut short his 2010 season. Jones played two more seasons, choosing to retire at age 40 in 2012. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Braves, he batted .303 with 2726 hits that included 549 doubles, 38 triples, and 468 home runs. He further scored 1619 runs and compiled 1623 RBIs and 150 stolen bases. Typically a fine hitter in the postseason, he appeared in 93 postseason games and batted .287 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. An eight-time All-Star, the Braves retired his #10 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.

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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: Josh Hamilton, 2010

Outfielder, Texas Rangers

Age: 29 (May 21)

3^rd season with Rangers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 240

Prior to 2010:

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Hamilton came from an athletic family. A top hitter and pitcher at Athens Drive High School, he was honored as North Carolina Player of the Year as a senior. Chosen by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as the first overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft, Hamilton signed for a $3.96 million bonus and, initially assigned to Princeton of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, the 18-year-old phenom played center field and batted .347 over 56 games with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs. He was named to the league All-Star team. In August he moved up to Hudson Valley of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League and hit .429 in the postseason as Hudson Valley won the league championship. In 2000 he was with the Charleston River Dogs of the Class A South Atlantic League and batted .302 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs in 96 games until he went down with an injury to his right knee that required season-ending surgery. He was still selected to the league All-Star team despite his shortened season. In the offseason he was involved in a motor vehicle accident that injured his back. He began to drink heavily and use drugs, resulting in his being sent to the Betty Ford Clinic. Sent back to Charleston when he came off the disabled list, Hamilton suffered further injury that again ended his season prematurely. Assigned to the Arizona Fall League, he lasted only two games before another injury. Hamilton was next assigned to Bakersfield of the high Class A California League in 2002 and batted .303 in 56 games with 9 home runs and 44 RBIs while utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter. Following surgery on his elbow and shoulder, he reported to spring training in 2003 and failed a drug test, leading to his suspension. Unable to pass drug tests later in 2003 or in 2004, Hamilton found himself out of baseball. Finally cleaning up his act and getting back into training, he was chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the 2006 Rule 5 draft. Sold to the Cincinnati Reds, who were seeking outfield depth, he spent time in Class A. He caught on with the Reds in 2007 where, over the course of 90 games he hit .292 with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs. The Rangers obtained Hamilton in the offseason by dealing two pitching prospects to Cincinnati. He had an outstanding season for his new team in 2008, both hitting and in the field, as he batted .304 with 32 home runs and led the AL with both 130 RBIs and 331 total bases. An All-Star for the first time, he also placed seventh in league MVP voting and was awarded a Silver Slugger. The Rangers were a second-place team in 2009 although Hamilton suffered through an injury-plagued season in which he underwent surgery for an abdominal tear. Returning to action in time for the All-Star Game, he went on to appear in 89 games and hit .268 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs. With expectations high for 2010, Hamilton agreed to shift to left field due to the presence of promising young center fielder Julio Borbon.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 133 games

LF – 92, CF – 40, DH – 13, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 571

At Bats – 518

Runs – 95 [12]

Hits – 186 [6, tied with Michael Young]

Doubles – 40 [12]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 32 [5, tied with David Ortiz]

RBI – 100 [12]

Bases on Balls – 43

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 95

Stolen Bases – 8

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .359 [1]

OBP - .411 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .633 [1]

Total Bases – 328 [4]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

League-leading batting average was +.031 ahead of runner-up Miguel Cabrera

League-leading slugging percentage was +.011 ahead of runner-up Miguel Cabrera

Midseason snapshot: HR – 22, RBI – 64, AVG - .346, SLG – .625

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at Houston 6/20 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 23 games

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 10

Most home runs, game – 1 on 32 occasions

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Boston 4/21 – 12 innings

Pinch-hitting – 2 of 2 (1.000) with 2 BB & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 267

Put Outs – 254

Assists – 9

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. - .985

Postseason: 16 G (ALDS vs. Tampa Bay – 5 G; ALCS vs. NY Yankees – 6 G; World Series vs. San Francisco – 5 G)

PA – 69, AB – 58, R – 9, H – 11, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 5, RBI – 9, BB – 11, IBB – 5, SO – 13, SB – 4, CS – 1, AVG - .190, OBP - .319, SLG - .466, TB – 27, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

ALCS MVP

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL in CF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Josh Hamilton, Tex.: 358 pts. - 22 of 28 first place votes, 91% share

Miguel Cabrera, Det.: 262 pts. – 5 first place votes, 67% share

Robinson Cano, NYY.: 229 pts. – 58% share

Jose Bautista, Tor.: 165 pts. – 1 first place vote, 42% share

Paul Konerko, ChiWS.: 130 pts. – 33% share

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Rangers went 90-72 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 9 games over the Oakland Athletics while leading the league in hits (1556) and batting (.276). Won ALDS over the Tampa Bay Rays, 3 games to 2 & ALCS over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2 for the first league pennant in franchise history. Lost World Series to the San Francisco Giants, 4 games to 1.  

Aftermath of 2010:

The Rangers won the AL pennant again in 2011 and Hamilton, who had signed a two-year, $24 million contract extension, contributed 25 home runs, 94 RBIs, and a .298 batting average while appearing in 121 games during another injury-interrupted season. In the World Series, his towering home run in the tenth inning of Game 6 gave the Rangers a two-run lead that they were unable to hold, as the St. Louis Cardinals went on to win the game and, the next night, the Series. In 2012 Hamilton hit a record-tying four home runs in a game at Baltimore on his way to 43 for the year along with 128 RBIs and a .285 average. In the offseason he signed a five-year, $125 million free agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Hamilton had a disappointing 2013 season as he batted .250 with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs. Injuries in 2014, including one to his left thumb that required surgery, limited him to 89 games in which he hit .263 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. Traded back to the Rangers in the spring of 2015, Hamilton was limited to 50 games by injuries and batted only .253 with 8 home runs. Knee problems that required multiple surgeries kept him out of major league action in 2016 and he was released by Texas in August. An attempt to return to the Rangers as a first baseman failed in the spring of 2017 as he suffered further knee problems, thus effectively ending his career. Overall for his major league career Hamilton batted .290 with 1134 hits that included 234 doubles, 24 triples, and 200 home runs. He further scored 609 runs and compiled 701 RBIs and 50 stolen bases and had a .516 career slugging percentage. With the Rangers he batted .302 with 814 hits, 164 doubles, 17 triples, 150 home runs, 531 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases. Appearing in 42 postseason games he hit .202 with 6 home runs and 23 RBIs. Hamilton was a five-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger recipient. Although he never failed a drug test after reaching the major leagues, he did admit to relapses with both drugs and alcohol during his playing career and has encountered legal problems in retirement.

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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.