Cy Young Profile: Early Wynn, 1959

 Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Age:  39

2^nd season with White Sox

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 190

 

Prior to 1959:

A native of Hartford, Alabama, Wynn was the son of an auto mechanic who had been a semipro baseball player. After attending a baseball camp operated by the Washington Senators in 1937, the 17-year-old pitcher signed with the Senators and dropped out of high school. Starting out with Sanford of the Class D Florida State League, Wynn produced a 16-11 record with a 3.41 ERA. Moving up to Charlotte of the Class B Piedmont League in 1938, he went 10-11 with a 5.28 ERA. Still with Charlotte in 1939, Wynn improved to 15-14 with a 3.96 ERA, which earned him a late-season call-up with the Senators. After going 0-2 with a 5.75 ERA in three games, he returned to Charlotte in 1940 and was 9-7 with a 4.25 ERA. Advancing to Springfield of the Class A Eastern League in 1941, Wynn compiled a 16-12 mark with a 2.56 ERA. Finishing the season with the Senators, he started five games and was 3-1 with a 1.58 ERA. Sticking with the Senators in 1942, Wynn (who was nicknamed “Gus”) posted a 10-16 tally with a 5.12 ERA and 58 strikeouts for the seventh-place club. Possessor of a good fastball and mediocre changeup, he improved to 18-12 in 1943 with a 2.91 ERA and 89 strikeouts. Dropping to 8-17 with a 3.38 ERA in 1944, he missed the 1945 season due to Army service. Returning to the Senators during the 1946 season, Wynn went 8-5 over the course of 17 appearances (12 of them starts) with a 3.11 ERA. In 1947 Wynn was an All-Star for the first time on his way to a 17-15 record with a 3.64 ERA and 73 strikeouts over the course of 247 innings pitched. Washington finished in seventh place in 1948 and Wynn slipped to 8-19 with a 5.82 ERA. In the offseason he was obtained by the Cleveland Indians as part of a four-player deal. Believing that he had the talent to win more consistently if he added more pitches to his repertoire, pitching coach Mel Harder worked with Wynn to develop a curve and slider with a knuckleball as his off-speed pitch. In 1949 he went 11-7 with a 4.15 ERA and improved to 18-8 with a league-leading 3.20 ERA in 1950. He became a 20-game winner for the first time in 1951, finishing at 20-13 with a 3.02 ERA and 133 strikeouts. As part of an excellent starting rotation in Cleveland, he followed up at 23-12 with a 2.90 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 1952. Stocky and maintaining a grim countenance on the mound, Wynn was a tough and intimidating competitor who was quick to throw brushback pitches at batters who crowded the plate. His 1953 tally was 17-12 with a 3.93 ERA and 138 strikeouts. The Indians won the AL pennant in 1954 and Wynn contributed a 23-11 record and 2.73 ERA with 155 strikeouts over a league-leading 270.2 innings. With the second-place Indians in 1955 he produced a 17-11 record with a 2.82 ERA and 122 strikeouts while pitching 230 innings. Wynn followed up with a 20-9 mark in 1956 along with a 2.72 ERA and 158 strikeouts. His record dropped to 14-17 in 1957 with a 4.31 ERA. He still led the AL with 184 strikeouts. Still a tough competitor who hated to be removed from games, Wynn needed to be relieved more often at age 37 and suffering from gout, although he still accumulated 263 innings and 13 complete games. In the offseason he was traded to the White Sox as part of a four-player deal, thus reuniting him with former Cleveland manager Al Lopez. Wynn again led the league in strikeouts in 1958, with 179, although, while still an All-Star, his final record was 14-16 with a 4.13 ERA. Despite speculation that Lopez might move the aging pitcher to the bullpen, he remained as the team’s number one starter in 1959.

 

1959 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Pitching

Games – 37

Games Started – 37 [1, tied with Paul Foytack]

Complete Games – 14 [4, tied with Jim Bunning]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 10 [20, tied with ten others]

PCT - .688 [3]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [2]

Innings Pitched – 255.2 [1]

Hits – 202 [15, tied with Camilo Pascual]

Runs – 106 [9]

Earned Runs – 90 [8, tied with Billy Pierce & Tom Brewer]

Home Runs – 20 [14, tied with Russ Kemmerer, Jerry Casale & Don Mossi]

Bases on Balls – 119 [1]

Strikeouts – 179 [3]

ERA – 3.17 [9]

Hit Batters – 9 [6, tied with Pedro Ramos]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [10, tied with five others]

 

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runner-up Cal McLish

League-leading innings pitched were +6 ahead of runner-up Jim Bunning

League-leading bases on balls allowed were +4 ahead of runner-up Herb Score

 

Midseason Snapshot: 11-5, ERA - 3.82, SO – 101 in 127.1 IP

 

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) vs. Boston 5/1

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Boston 5/1

 

Batting

PA – 103, AB – 90, R – 11, H – 22, 2B – 7, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 9, SO – 18, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .244, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 2, SF – 1

 

Fielding

Chances – 47

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 39

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .957

 

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (World Series vs. LA Dodgers)

GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 1-1, PCT – .500, SV – 0, SH – 0, IP – 13, H – 19, R – 9, ER – 8, HR – 1, BB – 4, SO – 10, ERA – 5.54, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

 

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL in first game)

3^rd in AL MVP voting (123 points, 37% share)

 

MLB Cy Young voting:

Early Wynn, ChiWS.: 13 of 16 votes, 81% share

Sam Jones, SF: 2 votes, 13% share

Bob Shaw, ChiWS.: 1 vote, 6% share

 

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White Sox went 94-60 to win the AL pennant by 5 games over the Cleveland Indians, their first pennant in 40 years.The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.29), saves (37), and fewest runs allowed (588). The White Sox moved into first place for good on July 28 but still had to fend off the Indians, solidifying their lead with a late-August four-game sweep of Cleveland. Lost World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2, as Wynn won Game 1, was knocked out in the third inning of Game 4 and took the loss in the climactic Game 6.

 

Aftermath of ‘59:

Wynn turned 40 in 1960 and his record dropped to 13-12 with a 3.49 ERA and 158 strikeouts, although he tied for the league lead in shutouts with four. He declared his intention to remain active until he reached 300 wins (he was at 284 following the ’60 season). He retained his reputation for intimidating opposing batters, even throwing a knockdown pitch at his 17-year-old son, an aspiring outfielder, who accompanied him to Comiskey Park for some morning batting practice, and dug in and hit a couple of line drives off of his father. Wynn pitched well in 1961 until arm soreness ended his year at midseason with a record of 8-2 over 17 appearances and a 3.51 ERA. By 1962 he was reliant primarily on his slider and knuckleball and posted a 7-15 mark with a 4.46 ERA. Released by the White Sox in the offseason, Wynn received no offers and tried to make the White Sox in the spring without success. He stayed in shape while seeking a suitable deal, and in June the Indians signed him and he joined the starting rotation. He picked up his 300^th win in July, which ended up being the final one of his career. He appeared in 20 games for Cleveland in ’63 (five of them starts) and had a 1-2 tally and 2.28 ERA. For his major league career, Wynn compiled a 300-244 record with a 3.54 ERA, 289 complete games, 49 shutouts, and 2334 strikeouts over 4564 innings. A fair hitting pitcher, he batted .214 with 17 home runs and 173 RBIs. With the White Sox, his record was 64-55 with a 3.72 ERA, 53 complete games, 16 shutouts, and 671 strikeouts over 1010.2 innings pitched. A nine-time All-Star, Wynn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Following his playing career, he succeeded his mentor, Mel Harder, as pitching coach with the Indians. He also served in the same capacity with the Minnesota Twins. He later went into broadcasting and died in 1999 at age 79.

 

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.  

MVP Profile: Sammy Sosa, 1998

 Outfielder, Chicago Cubs

Age:  29

7^th season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

 

Prior to 1998:

A native of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, Sosa shined shoes as a boy following his father’s death. He turned to baseball after his mother quashed his boxing ambitions and quit school at 14 to join a traveling baseball team. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies at 15, but the contract was voided due to his being underage. Following several tryouts when he reached 16, Sosa signed with the Texas Rangers for $3500. Initially assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1986, the lithe 17-year-old outfielder batted .275 with 19 doubles, 4 home runs, and 28 RBIs in 61 games. Moving up to Gastonia of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1987 he hit .279 with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs. Sosa’s next stop was Port Charlotte of the high Class A Florida State League in 1988. His average dropped to .229 and he struck out 106 times while hitting 13 doubles, 12 triples, and 9 home runs with 51 RBIs and 42 stolen bases. He started 1989 with Tulsa of the Class AA Texas League where he was batting .297 with 7 home runs and 31 RBIs when he was called up to the Rangers in June to fill in for injured outfielder Pete Incaviglia. After getting off to a hot start, he cooled off as he struggled to hit breaking pitches and was demoted to Oklahoma City of the Class AAA American Association where he moped and hit poorly until he was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with LHP Wilson Alvarez and infielder Scott Fletcher for OF Harold Baines and 2B Fred Manrique. Assigned to Vancouver of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, Sosa hit .367 in 13 games before being called up by the White Sox. In 33 games with Chicago he batted .273 with three home runs and 10 RBIs and drew praise for his play in the outfield. Still very much a raw talent in 1990, Sosa started in right field but struggled under the direction of hitting coach Walt Hriniak and batted just .233 with 15 home runs and 70 RBIs while striking out 150 times. He also had 14 assists in right field as well as 13 errors. Off the field his first marriage ended in divorce after eight months. He hit poorly while being platooned in 1991 and was sent down to Vancouver in July. Recalled in August he ended up batting .203 in 116 games with the White Sox. During 1992 spring training Sosa was dealt across town to the Cubs along with LHP Ken Patterson for OF George Bell. Installed in center field due to the presence of Andre Dawson in right field, he began to show off his power potential but was sidelined for six weeks with a broken wrist. Playing in a total of 67 games he hit .260 with 8 home runs and 25 RBIs. 1993 proved to be his breakout year. Playing regularly in right field he batted .261 with 33 home runs, 93 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases, becoming the first Cub to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in a season. He drew some criticism for his free-swinging tendencies at bat leading to many strikeouts and accusations of putting his statistics ahead of the team’s success. In the strike-shortened 1994 season he hit .300 with 25 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases. 1995 proved to be Sosa’s first All-Star season, on his way to batting .268 with 36 home runs, 119 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases. He also placed eighth in league MVP voting and was awarded a Silver Slugger. Receiving a three-year, $16 million contract extension prior to the 1996 season, the bulked-up Sosa hit .273 with 40 home runs and 100 RBIs, despite missing the last six weeks of the season with a broken hand. During the 1997 season, a poor one for the Cubs, Sosa was signed to a four-year, $42 million contract extension on the way to batting .251 with 36 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a league-leading 174 batter strikeouts.  

 

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

RF – 156, CF – 7

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 722 [3, tied with Fernando Vina]

At Bats – 643 [7]

Runs – 134 [1]

Hits – 198 [5, tied with Derek Bell & Fernando Vina]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 66 [2]

RBI – 158 [1]

Bases on Balls – 73 [20]

Int. BB – 14 [3, tied with Bobby Abreu & Mike Piazza]

Strikeouts – 171 [1]

Stolen Bases – 18

Caught Stealing – 9 [11, tied with five others]

Average - .308

OBP - .377

Slugging Pct. - .647 [2]

Total Bases – 416 [1]

GDP – 20 [7, tied with Kevin Young & Ricky Gutierrez]

Hit By Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 5

 

League-leading runs scored were +4 ahead of runner-up Mark McGwire

League-leading RBIs were +11 ahead of runner-up Mark McGwire

League-leading batter strikeouts were +13 ahead of runner-up Jeromy Burnitz

League-leading total bases were +33 ahead of runner-up Mark McGwire

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 33, RBI – 81, AVG – .324, SLG – .667

 

Most hits, game – 3 on fourteen occasions

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Milwaukee 6/15

HR at home – 35

HR on road – 31

Multi-HR games – 11

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Arizona 7/27, at San Diego 9/16

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 

Fielding

Chances – 357

Put Outs – 334

Assists – 14

Errors – 9

DP - 2

Pct. - .975

 

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLDS vs. Atlanta)

PA – 12, AB – 11, R – 0, H – 2, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 2, AVG - .182, OBP - .250, SLG -.273, TB – 3, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

 

 

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star

 

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Sammy Sosa, ChiC.: 438 pts. – 30 of 32 first place votes, 98% share

Mark McGwire, StL.: 272 pts. – 2 first place votes, 61% share

Moises Alou, Hou.: 215 pts. – 48% share

Greg Vaughn, SD: 185 pts. – 41% share

Craig Biggio, Hou.: 163 pts. – 36% share

 

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Cubs went 90-73 to finish second in the NL Central Division, 12.5 games behind the division-winning Houston Astros and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot after defeating the San Francisco Giants 5-3 in a season-extending single-game playoff. In a season in which the home run race between Sosa (who hit a record 20 home runs in June) and Mark McGwire of the Cardinals dominated attention, the Cubs went on a 21-9 run in May and stayed in the Wild Card race until the end. They came from behind for 49 of their wins. Lost NLDS to the Atlanta Braves, 3 games to 0.

 

Aftermath of ‘98:

The enthusiastic and ever-smiling “Slammin’ Sammy” followed up with another huge season in 1999, swatting 63 home runs (again second to Mark McGwire),driving in 141 RBIs, and batting .288 while topping the NL in strikeouts for the third consecutive year with 171. He was the league leader in home runs in 2000 with 50, to go along with 138 RBIs and a .320 average, although he was no longer much of a threat to steal and his play in right field also dropped off. In 2001 Sosa became the first player to have three 60-home run seasons, as he clubbed 64 four-baggers (coming in second to San Francisco’s Barry Bonds). He also led the NL with 146 runs scored, 160 RBIs, 425 total bases, and 37 intentional walks drawn (out of a total of 116). In addition, he batted .328 with a .437 OBP and remained a fan favorite despite rumors of steroid use and dissension in the clubhouse. In 2002 Sosa led the NL with lesser numbers in home runs (49) and runs scored (122) while hitting .288 with 108 RBIs. His early production in 2003 was slowed after he was hit in the head with a pitch. Furthermore, he was suspended for seven games after a bat that he was using in a game broke and was found to be corked. While others of his bats were X-rayed and declared cork free, his credibility took a major hit. The rumors of PED use became more prevalent. His performance picked up in the second half of the season and he finished with 40 home runs, 103 RBIs, and a .279 average. Back spasms put Sosa on the disabled list in 2004, and over the course of 126 games he batted .253 with 35 home runs and 80 RBIs. With the Cubs falling out of contention in the season’s final week, Sosa asked to sit out the final game and apparently left while it was in progress, much to the anger of his teammates. The incident marked a sad end to his tenure with the Cubs. Dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in 2005, Sosa appeared in only 102 games and hit .221 with 14 home runs. A free agent after the season, he sat out 2006 but returned with the Texas Rangers in 2007. Playing in 114 games he batted .252 with 21 home runs and 92 RBIs while being used primarily as a DH. His career thus ended at age 38. For his major league career, Sosa batted .273 with 2408 hits that included 379 doubles, 45 triples, and 609 home runs. He scored 1475 runs and compiled 1667 RBIs along with 234 stolen bases. He drew 929 walks, struck out 2306 times, and had a career on-base percentage of .344. With the Cubs he batted .284 with 1985 hits, 296 doubles, 32 triples, 545 home runs, 1245 runs scored, 1414 RBIs, 181 stolen bases, 798 walks drawn, and 1815 batter strikeouts. Appearing in 15 postseason games, Sosa hit .245 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. He was a seven-time All-Star who received six Silver Sluggers. Sosa finished in the top ten of league MVP voting seven times, with the one win. Allegations of steroid use have tarnished his reputation, including a published report that he failed a random drug test in 2003. He denied using performance-enhancing drugs in testimony before Congress in 2005. Charismatic but controversial, Sosa leaves a mixed legacy.

 

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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: Tris Speaker, 1912

 Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Age:  24 (April 4)

5^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’11” Weight: 193

 

Prior to 1912:

A native of Hubbard, Texas, Speaker taught himself to throw and bat lefthanded in his youth following twice breaking his right arm in ranching injuries. He played football as well as baseball in high school. He pitched, and also was captain, on the baseball team, and in 1905 moved on to the Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute (now Texas Wesleyan University), where he continued to pitch on the baseball team while playing semipro ball on the side in addition to being a telegraph lineman and cowpuncher. Signed by Cleburne of the Texas League in 1906 at $65 per month, Speaker failed as a pitcher, but hit well as an outfielder. Still in the Texas League with Houston in 1907, he batted a league-leading .314 while stealing 36 bases. The Red Sox purchased his contract but he hit only .158 in a seven-game trial and was not offered a contract for 1908. Rebuffed by several other major league teams, Speaker paid his way to Little Rock, where the Red Sox were in spring training. The Red Sox sold his contract to the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association at the conclusion of spring training, and he led the league by batting .350 and drew favorable attention for his play in the outfield. Several clubs showed interest in Speaker after his fine showing in 1908 but Little Rock sold him back to the Red Sox where he still didn’t hit consistently but performed impressively in the field. Installed in center field in 1909 he hit .309 with 26 doubles, 13 triples, 7 home runs, and 77 RBIs. He benefited from the assistance of star pitcher Cy Young, who spent hours hitting fungoes to him to help hone his technique in the outfield. Playing a shallow center field, he proved adept at chasing down balls hit over his head thanks to his great speed, leading AL center fielders with 319 put outs and 35 assists in ’09. His batting average rose to .340 in 1910 with a .404 on-base percentage while he again topped league center fielders in put outs (337). By this point he was part of an excellent defensive outfield that also consisted of left fielder Duffy Lewis and right fielder Harry Hooper. His performance remained strong in 1911 as he hit .334 with 34 doubles, 13 triples, 8 home runs, and 70 RBIs while stealing 25 bases and continuing to be a top performer in the outfield.

 

1912 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

CF – 153

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 675 [6]

At Bats – 580 [7, tied with Burt Shotton]

Runs – 136 [2]

Hits – 222 [3]

Doubles – 53 [1]

Triples – 12 [9, tied with Harry Hooper, Harry Lord & Amos Strunk]

Home Runs – 10 [1, tied with Frank Baker]

RBI – 90 [5, tied with Joe Jackson & Nap Lajoie]

Bases on Balls – 82 [5]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 36

Stolen Bases – 52 [4]

Caught Stealing – 28 [5, tied with Rollie Zeider]

Average - .383 [3]

OBP - .464 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .567 [3]

Total Bases – 329 [2]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 6 [13, tied with five others]

Sac Hits – 7

Sac Flies – N/A

 

League-leading doubles were +9 ahead of runner-up Joe Jackson

League-leading OBP was +.006 ahead of runner-up Joe Jackson

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 31, HR –5, RBI – 54, SB – 25, AVG - .399, SLG – .583

 

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Washington 5/4, (in 5 AB) at St. L. Browns 6/9, (in 5 AB) at Chi. WS 6/17, (in 4 AB) vs. Detroit 8/19

Longest hitting streak – 30 games

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 6

Most home runs, game – 1 on ten occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. St. Louis Browns 5/13, vs. Chi. White Sox 8/27 – 12 innings

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 

Fielding

Chances – 425

Put Outs – 372

Assists – 35

Errors – 18

DP – 9

Pct. - .958

 

Postseason Batting: 8 G (World Series vs. NY Giants)

PA – 34, AB – 30, R – 4, H – 9, 2B – 1, 3B – 2, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .300, OBP - .382, SLG - .467, TB – 14, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: Chalmers Award

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Tris Speaker, BosRS.: 59 pts. - 92% share

Ed Walsh, ChiWS.: 30 pts. – 47% share

Walter Johnson, Wash.: 28 pts. – 44% share

Clyde Milan, Wash.: 23 pts. – 36% share

Joe Wood, BosRS.: 22 pts. – 34% share

 

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Red Sox went 105-47 to win the AL pennant by 14 games over the Washington Senators while leading the league in runs scored (799), doubles (269), home runs (29), RBIs (654), bases on balls drawn (565), OBP (.355), and slugging (.380). With an outstanding lineup and pitching staff led by “Smoky Joe” Wood, the Red Sox dominated the AL. Won World Series over the New York Giants, 4 games to 3 with 1 tie. A dropped fly ball by New York CF Fred Snodgrass in the deciding game allowed the Red Sox to win 3-2.

 

Aftermath of 1912:

The Red Sox dropped to fourth in 1913 but Speaker batted .363 with 35 doubles, 22 triples, three home runs, and 71 RBIs while also stealing 46 bases and putting up impressive defensive numbers as well. In 1914 he led the AL in hits (193), doubles (46), and total bases (287) while also hitting .338 with 90 RBIs. Boston won the 1915 pennant (and subsequent World Series) and “Spoke”(a play on his last name) hit .322 and led all AL outfielders with 378 put outs and eight double plays. All had not been well in the Boston clubhouse despite the winning, and Speaker got caught up in the cliquishness. Being paid about $18,000 per year since 1914 to keep him from jumping to the rival Federal League, Boston’s owner sought to cut his salary for 1916 which led to a prolonged holdout and his being dealt to the Cleveland Indians for two players and $55,000. With his new team he led the league in hits (211), doubles (41), batting (.386), OBP (.470), and slugging (.502). “The Gray Eagle’s” performance remained strong in 1917 and ’18, a season in which he twice during April pulled off unassisted double plays at second base after catching low line drives in shallow center field while running at full speed and beating the baserunner on second back to the bag. For the year he hit .318 with a league-leading 33 doubles. In 1919 Speaker became player/manager of the Indians and his average dropped to .296, but still he accounted for 38 doubles and 12 triples. In 1920 he rallied the Indians to the AL pennant in a close three-team race. He contributed a league-leading 50 doubles while batting .388 with 107 RBIs. At one point he set a record with 11 consecutive hits. Cleveland defeated Brooklyn in the World Series and Speaker hit .320. “The Gray Eagle” remained highly effective in 1921, again pacing the league in doubles with 52 while batting .362. He led the AL in doubles (48) and OBP (.474) in 1922 and doubles (59) and RBIs (130) in 1923. While the livelier ball forced him to play deeper in center field, Speaker still remained among the leaders in outfield assists, and was first with 28 in ’23. He hit .344 in 1924 and a career-high .389 in 1925 when he also led the AL with a .479 on-base percentage. Following the 1926 season, Speaker and his long-time batting rival Ty Cobb of Detroit, were accused of having fixed a game in 1919. While cleared by Commissioner Landis, AL President Ban Johnson forced them both to resign as player/managers. Signed as a player by the Washington Senators in 1927, Speaker hit a solid .327. He finished his career in 1928 as a teammate of Cobb with the Philadelphia Athletics, hitting .267 in 64 games at age 40. For his major league career Speaker batted .345 with 3514 hits that included a record 792 doubles, 222 triples, and 117 home runs. He scored 1882 runs and compiled 1531 RBIs and 436 stolen bases while producing a .428 OBP and .500 slugging percentage. On his way to the career leadership in doubles, he led the AL eight times. In testament to his outstanding defensive play in center field, Speaker ranks first all-time with 449 assists and 143 double plays. With the Red Sox he batted .337 with 1327 hits, 241 doubles, 106 triples, 39 home runs, 542 RBIs, 267 stolen bases, a .337 average, and .414 OBP. Appearing in 20 World Series games with Boston and Cleveland, he hit .306. Following his major league career, Speaker played and managed in the minor leagues. He went into broadcasting for a time and was a special coach for the Indians in 1947, helping to convert former Negro League second baseman Larry Doby into a center fielder. A frequent speaker on the banquet circuit, he also continued to help young Cleveland players during spring training. In 1937 Speaker was one of the first eight inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He died in 1958 at age 70.

 

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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: Cal Ripken Jr., 1982

 Shortstop/Third Baseman, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  22 (Aug. 24)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 200

 

Prior to 1982:

The son and namesake of a former catching prospect for the Orioles who went on to become a minor league manager and coach in the organization, Ripken was a Maryland native and regularly attended Orioles home games once his father became part of the coaching staff. He played soccer as well as baseball at Aberdeen High School. He proved to be a standout as a pitcher and shortstop, batting .496 as a senior as well as posting a 7-2 pitching record for a squad that won the Maryland state championship. Ripken was chosen by the Orioles in the second round of the 1978 amateur draft. While there was interest in developing his pitching talent, Ripken started out professionally as a shortstop with Bluefield of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he hit .264 in 63 games. He spent 1979 with teams at the Class A and AA level, batting a combined .286 with 8 home runs and 62 RBIs. With Charlotte of the Class AA Southern League, which had been his second stop in ’79, Ripken hit .276 in 1980 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. Assigned to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League in 1981, he batted .288 with 23 home runs and 75 RBIs and was the league’s All-Star third baseman. Ripken received a late-season call-up to the Orioles where he hit only .128 in 39 at bats. The Orioles still dealt veteran third baseman Doug DeCinces in the offseason to make room for Ripken in 1982, and despite a slow start he remained in the lineup and was shifted to shortstop in July.

 

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

SS – 94, 3B – 70, PR – 1

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 655

At Bats – 598 [13]

Runs – 90 [16, tied with Andre Thornton & Tony Bernazard]

Hits – 158

Doubles – 32 [13, tied with Damaso Garcia & George Brett]

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 28 [12, tied with Gary Ward, Brian Downing & Tony Armas]

RBI – 93 [18, tied with Don Baylor]

Bases on Balls – 46

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 95 [17, tied with Harold Baines & Todd Cruz]

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .264

OBP - .317

Slugging Pct. - .475

Total Bases – 284 [16]

GDP – 16

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 6

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 11, RBI – 46, AVG - .269, SLG – .471

 

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Texas 8/22

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 28 occasions

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Cleveland 6/21, vs. NY Yankees 9/14

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 457

Put Outs – 155

Assists – 289

Errors – 13

DP - 47

Pct. - .972

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

30^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Buddy Bell, Tex. (3 points, 1% share)

 

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Cal Ripken, Balt.: 132 pts. – 24 of 28 first place votes, 94% share

Kent Hrbek, Min.: 90 pts. –4 first place votes, 64% share

Wade Boggs, Bos.: 10 pts. – 7% share

Ed Vande Berg, Sea.: 9 pts. – 6% share

Gary Gaetti, Min.: 4 pts. – 3% share

 

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Orioles went 94-68 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, one game behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers. The Orioles pursued the Brewers throughout the second half of the season, coming back from a 7.5-game deficit to tie Milwaukee on the season’s next-to-last day. At home and facing the Brewers, who they had defeated in five straight games, in the season finale, they lost 10-2.

 

Aftermath of ‘82:

Ripken followed up with an AL MVP season in 1983 as the Orioles topped the AL East and went on to capture the World Series. The young shortstop led the league in hits (211), runs scored (121), and doubles (47) while also batting .318 with 27 home runs and 102 RBIs. Taller and heavier than most shortstops, Ripken was also agile with quick reflexes and a good throwing arm and led AL shortstops in total chances (831), assists (534), and double plays (113) while playing every inning of the season at the position. He followed up with another strong season for a less-accomplished Orioles club in 1984, hitting .304 with 27 home runs and 86 RBIs. He remained a steady presence at shortstop. The high-scoring Orioles finished fourth in 1985 while Ripken contributed 26 home runs, 110 RBIs, a .282 batting average, and a .347 on-base percentage. In 1986 he compiled 25 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .282 average while leading AL shortstops with 482 assists and committing only 13 errors. In 1987 Ripken’s father, Cal Sr. took over as manager of the fading Orioles. In July he was joined by his brother Billy, who took over as the starting second baseman and played well alongside his older sibling. Additionally, in September, manager Ripken pulled shortstop Ripken late in a hopeless game, thus ending Ripken’s consecutive innings streak at 8264 while the consecutive games streak stayed alive, reaching 925 by season’s end. For the year Ripken’s average dropped to .252 with 27 home runs and 98 RBIs. When the 1988 season started off with six losses, Cal Sr. was fired as manager, much to the distress of his two ballplayer sons. The losing streak extended to 21 under their father’s successor, Frank Robinson, on the way to a last place finish. Cal Jr. batted .264 with 23 home runs and 81 RBIs. The Orioles bounced back with a strong second place finish in 1989 and Ripken contributed 21 home runs, 93 RBIs, and a .257 batting average in addition to leading AL shortstops in total chances (815), put outs (276), assists (531) and DPs (119). In 1990 he posted a record .996 fielding average at shortstop as he committed only three errors in 680 total chances. At bat he hit .250 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs. His hitting improved in 1991 to .323 with 34 home runs and 114 RBIs while in the field he won his first Gold Glove. He ended up receiving his second league MVP award and a Silver Slugger. The Orioles moved to a new stadium at Camden Yards in 1992 but Ripken’s batting dropped to .251 with 14 home runs and 72 RBIs. He remained a Gold Glove performer in the field. A sprained knee put his consecutive game streak at risk in 1993 but he played through the injury and hit .257 with 24 home runs and 90 RBIs while still performing well in the field. In the strike-shortened 1994 season Ripken’s average rose to .315 with 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. The focus in 1995 was the pursuit of Gehrig’s consecutive game record which he surpassed by playing in his 2131st straight game on September 6. It was a much-needed bright spot at a time in which labor issues were significantly denting baseball’s popularity. For the year, Ripken.batted. 262 with 17 home runs and 88 RBIs. The streak continued into 1996 as Ripken passed Japan’s Sachio Kinugasa, who held the world record of 2215 consecutive games played. He was also briefly shifted to third base in 1997. Dealing with back problems he hit .278 with 26 home runs and 102 RBIs. The move to third base became full-time in 1997, a year in which he batted .270 with 17 home runs and 84 RBIs while still appearing in every game and committing just eight errors at third base. The consecutive game streak finally came to an end at Ripken’s request in September of 1998, having reached a total of 2632. His batting production dropped to .271 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs. He played three more seasons until retiring in 2001. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Orioles, Ripken, over the course of 3001 games, batted .276 with 3184 hits that included 603 doubles, 44 triples, and 431 home runs. He further scored 1647 runs and compiled 1695 RBIs and a .340 on-base percentage. Appearing in 28 postseason games, he hit .336 with one home run and 8 RBIs. A 19-time All-Star, Ripken was also a two-time MVP and Gold Glove recipient. The Orioles retired his #8 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The consecutive game streak stands as a testament to Ripken’s dedication and consistency. He remained involved in philanthropic activities following his retirement, as well as youth baseball activities. He also owns a minor league team that is affiliated with the Orioles, the Aberdeen IronBirds. His brother Billy remained his teammate until 1992, and again in 1996, on his way to a twelve-year career that ended in 1998.

 

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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: David Justice, 1990

 First Baseman/Outfielder, Atlanta Braves

 

Age:  24 (Apr. 14)

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 195

 

Prior to 1990:

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Justice attended Covington Latin School in nearby Kentucky where he excelled in basketball as well as academics. Receiving a full scholarship to Thomas More College, he joined the baseball team as a sophomore and proved to be a natural talent. Chosen by the Braves in the fourth round of the 1985 amateur draft, the 19-year-old Justice began his pro career with Pulaski of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he played in the outfield and batted .245 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs while appearing in 66 games in ’85. Playing with two teams at the Class A level in 1986 he hit .290 with 22 home runs and 105 RBIs. Moving on to Greenville of the Class AA Southern League in 1987 Justice hit only .227 with 6 home runs and 40 RBIs. Still with Greenville in 1988, he batted .278 with 9 home runs and 37 RBIs before advancing to Richmond of the Class AAA International League where he hit .203 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs over 70 games. Still with Richmond in 1989, Justice batted .261 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs and received a call-up to the Braves where he appeared in 16 games and hit .235 with a home run and three RBIs. He started the 1990 season with Richmond until called up in May to play first base in place of the injured Nick Esasky.

 

1990 Season Summary

Appeared in 127 games

1B – 69, RF – 60, LF – 1, PH – 6, PR – 2

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 504

At Bats – 439

Runs – 76

Hits – 124

Doubles – 23

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 28 [8]

RBI – 78

Bases on Balls – 64

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 92

Stolen Bases – 11

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .282

OBP - .373 [14]

Slugging Pct. - .535 [5, tied with Andre Dawson]

Total Bases – 235

GDP – 2

Hit By Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 1

 

Midseason snapshot: HR - 5, RBI – 20, AVG - .261, SLG – .429, OBP - .346

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. San Diego 8/7

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. San Diego 8/7, (in 4 AB) vs. San Diego 8/8, (in 3 AB) vs. Cincinnati 9/4

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 9

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. San Diego 8/7, at Cincinnati 9/25

Pinch-hitting/running – 2 of 5 (.400) with 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HR & 1 RBI

 

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 536

Put Outs – 488

Assists – 38

Errors – 10

DP – 43

Pct. - .981

 

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

24^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Brett Butler, SF & Pedro Guerrero, StL (2 points, 1% share)

 

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

David Justice, Atl.: 118 pts. – 23 of 24 first place votes, 98% share

Delino DeShields, Mon.: 60 pts. – 1 first place vote, 50% share

Hal Morris, Cin.: 13 pts. – 11% share

John Burkett, SF: 12 pts. – 10% share

Mike Harkey, ChiC.: 7 pts. – 6% share

 

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Braves went 65-97 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 26 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds, while leading the league in lowest on-base percentage (.311). In finishing in the NL West cellar for the third straight year, manager Russ Nixon was replaced by Bobby Cox in June. The youth movement that included Justice and CF Ron Gant were among the bright spots for the Braves, who traded long-time star outfielder Dale Murphy in August which allowed the move of Justice, who struggled at first base, to his natural position in right field.

 

Aftermath of ‘90:

Justice followed up by batting .275 with 21 home runs and 87 RBIs in 1991, despite spending two months on the disabled list due to a stress fracture in his lower back. He drew criticism for being aloof and uncooperative with sports journalists and fans. The Braves, benefiting from an influx of young talent that included Justice, went from the cellar in 1990 to the top of the NL West and reached the World Series, which they lost in seven games to Minnesota. Justice contributed three postseason home runs. Atlanta was a division and pennant winner again in 1992, and Justice hit .256 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs. His public image began to improve as well. Justice married actress Halle Berry in the offseason (which ended in a contentious divorce in 1997) and he had his first All-Star season in 1993, batting .270 with 40 home runs and 120 RBIs. The team finished atop the NL West for the third straight year but failed to advance in the NLCS. Justice placed third in NL MVP voting. In the strike-shortened 1994 season he hit .313 with 19 home runs and 59 RBIs. He suffered a shoulder injury in 1995 and his production dropped to .253 with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs. The Braves reached the World Series and Justice hit a Game 6 home run that ultimately won both the game and the Series. He got off to a strong start in 1996 and was batting .321 with 6 home runs and 25 RBIs when a shoulder injury finished him for the year in May after 40 games. Just prior to the 1997 season Justice was involved in a major trade with the Cleveland Indians when he and CF Marquis Grissom were dealt for CF Kenny Lofton and LHP Alan Embree. Starting the ’97 season in left field with his new team, Justice returned to All-Star form but was relegated to DH duty by knee and elbow injuries. He ended up hitting .329 with 33 home runs and 101 RBIs and received Comeback Player of the Year recognition. Primarily a Designated Hitter in 1998 and recovering from knee surgery and a variety of minor injuries, Justice batted .280 with 21 home runs and 88 RBIs. Still dealing with nagging injuries in 1999, he saw more action in left field and again produced 21 home runs and 88 RBIs while hitting .287. Off to a strong start in 2000, he was batting .265 with 21 home runs and 58 RBIs after 68 games when he was dealt to the New York Yankees. He continued to hit well with the Yankees and finished up batting a combined .286 with 41 home runs and 118 RBIs. He went on to be MVP of the ALCS win over Seattle thanks to his timely hitting that produced two home runs and 8 RBIs. Justice’s production tailed off in 2001 to .241 with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Mets, who in turn dealt him to the Oakland A’s where he hit .266 with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs in 2002, following which he retired. Overall, for his major league career Justice batted .279 with 1571 hits that included 280 doubles, 24 triples, and 305 home runs. He also scored 929 runs and compiled 1017 RBIs and 903 walks. His career slugging percentage was .500 with a .378 OBP. With the Braves he batted .275 with 786 hits, 127 doubles, 16 triples, 160 home runs, 475 runs scored, 522 RBIs, and drew 452 bases on balls. Appearing in 112 postseason games with four teams, Justice hit .224 with 14 home runs and 63 RBIs. A three-time All-Star, he was also awarded two Silver Sluggers. In retirement Justice went into broadcasting for a few years. Named in the Mitchell Report, he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

 

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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.