MVP Profile: Lefty Grove, 1931

Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  31

7^th season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190

 

Prior to 1931:

A native of Lonaconing, Maryland, Robert Moses Grove didn’t play organized baseball until he was 19 in 1919. The following year he took a leave from his job with the B & O Railroad to play with Martinsburg of the Class D Blue Ridge League for $125 per month. After producing a 6-6 record with a 1.68 ERA, Grove was sold to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League where he received $175 per month and went 12-2 with a 3.80 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 123 innings pitched. Grove had an outstanding 25-10 record with Baltimore in 1921 as well as a 2.56 ERA, but he struggled with wildness and issued 179 walks. His 1922 tally was 18-8 with a 2.80 ERA, and in 1923 he was 27-10 with a 3.12 ERA and 186 walks. Grove spent one more season with Baltimore in 1924 and posted a 26-6 mark and 3.01 ERA with his walks down to 108 over 236 innings despite missing six weeks due to a wrist injury. Receiving lucrative offers from major league teams to buy Grove’s contract, the A’s purchased his services for $100,600. In his first year with the A’s in 1925, Grove struggled to a 10-12 record with a 4.75 ERA while leading the AL in walks (131) as well as strikeouts (116). Primarily a fastball pitcher when he joined the A’s, “Lefty” soon added a curve and changeup to good effect and led the league in ERA (2.51) and strikeouts (194) in 1926 to go along with a 13-13 tally. Grove was a 20-game winner for the first time in 1927, as he went 20-13 with a 3.19 ERA and once again topped the AL in strikeouts with 174. He was at the top in wins in 1928 with his 24-8 record to go along with a 2.58 ERA and league best 183 strikeouts. The A’s won the pennant in 1929, with Grove contributing a 20-6 mark while leading the AL in ERA (2.81) and strikeouts (170). Used in relief in the World Series against the Cubs, due to their strong group of righthanded batters, Grove gave up no runs in 6.1 innings pitched, struck out 10 batters, and picked up two saves as Philadelphia won in five games. The A’s repeated in 1930 and the ace lefthander went 28-5 to lead the AL in winning percentage (.848) as well as wins, games pitched (50), ERA (2.54), and strikeouts (209). He got to start in the World Series this time and posted a 2-1 record with a 1.42 ERA and 10 strikeouts as the A’s defeated the St. Louis Cardinals. Known for his temper as well as his pitching talent, he was a fierce competitor who would often trash the locker room following a loss. By 1931 he had won three ERA titles and had led the AL in strikeouts six seasons in a row.  

 

1931 Season Summary

Appeared in 41 games

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Pitching

Games – 41 [16, tied with Hod Lisenbee]

Games Started – 30 [15, tied with George Earnshaw & Red Ruffing]

Complete Games – 27 [1, tied with Wes Ferrell]

Wins – 31 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .886 [1]

Saves – 5 [6]

Shutouts – 4 [1]

Innings Pitched – 288.2 [2]

Hits – 249 [19]

Runs – 84

Earned Runs – 66

Home Runs – 10

Bases on Balls – 62

Strikeouts – 175 [1]

ERA – 2.06 [1]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

 

League-leading wins were +9 ahead of runner-up Wes Ferrell

League-leading win percentage was +.086 ahead of runner-up Firpo Marberry

League-leading shutouts were +1 ahead of runner-up George Earnshaw

League-leading strikeouts were +23 ahead of runner-up George Earnshaw

League-leading ERA was -0.61 lower than runner-up Lefty Gomez

 

Midseason Snapshot: 17-2, ERA - 2.12, 100 SO in 161 IP

 

Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 8 IP) at Washington 4/18, (in 7 IP) vs. Bos. Red Sox 7/4

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at St. Louis Browns 6/23

 

Batting

 

PA – 122, AB – 115, R – 8, H – 23, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 12, BB – 3, SO – 48, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 4, SF – N/A

 

Fielding

Chances - 49

Put Outs – 2

Assists – 47

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

 

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

GS – 3, CG – 2, Record – 2-1, PCT – .667, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 26, H – 28, R – 7, ER – 7, HR – 0, BB – 2, SO – 16, ERA – 2.42, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP:BBWAA

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Lefty Grove, PhilaA.: 78 pts. – 98% share

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 59 pts. – 74% share

Al Simmons, PhilaA.: 51 pts. – 64% share

Earl Averill, Clev.: 43 pts. – 54% share

Babe Ruth, NYY: 40 pts. – 50% share

 

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A’s went 107-45 to win the AL pennant by 13.5 games over the New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.47), complete games (97) & shutouts (12). Following a 17-game May winning streak, the A’s rolled to a third consecutive pennant. Grove’s 31 wins, 16 of them consecutive, were a key to the club’s success. They lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3. In a Series dominated by the performance of St. Louis CF Pepper Martin, Grove won the first and sixth games, but Cardinal RHP Burleigh Grimes won the decisive seventh.

 

Aftermath of ‘31:

The A’s dropped to second place in 1932 but Grove had another strong season, posting a 25-10 record and leading the American League with a 2.84 ERA, 27 complete games, and four shutouts (tied with Detroit’s Tommy Bridges). His 188 strikeouts placed second, breaking his string of league-leading totals. Grove was chosen for the first All-Star Game in 1933 on his way to a 24-8 mark with a 3.20 ERA and a big drop in strikeouts to 114, which fueled rumors that his arm was giving out. With owner/manager Connie Mack unloading talent, Grove was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. A sore arm held him to 8-8 with a 6.50 ERA in 1934. Grove rebounded in 1935, as he improved his curve, added a forkball, and became more of a control pitcher and went 20-12 with a league-leading 2.70 ERA plus 121 strikeouts in 273 innings. He won another ERA title in 1936 (2.81) to go along with a 17-12 tally, 6 shutouts, and 130 strikeouts. Grove won another 17 games in 1937, against 9 losses, and registered a 3.02 ERA along with 21 complete games and 153 strikeouts. In 1938 his 14-4 record allowed him to top the AL in winning percentage (.778) as well as ERA (3.08), while his innings pitched dropped under 200 for the first time since 1934, and only the third time since he arrived in the American League. He won one last ERA title in 1939 with a 2.54 mark as he recorded a 15-4 tally. Following a 7-6 campaign in 1940, Grove played one last season in 1941, going 7-7 with a 4.37 ERA and becoming the twelfth 300-game winner in AL/NL history. For his major league career, Grove posted a 300-141 record with a 3.06 ERA, 298 complete games, 35 shutouts, and 2266 strikeouts in 3940.2 innings pitched. He led the AL in ERA nine times, in wins four times, and in strikeouts seven times. With the A’s he was 195-79 with a 2.88 ERA, 179 complete games, 20 shutouts, and 1523 strikeouts in 2401 innings pitched. Frequently utilized as a reliever between starts, he unofficially compiled 54 saves, 50 of them with the A’s. Appearing in eight World Series games, all with the A’s, he posted a 4-2 record with a 1.75 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. A six-time All-Star, Grove was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. In retirement he supported youth baseball teams, and served on the council and as police chief in his hometown of Lonaconing, Maryland. He died in 1975 at age 75. A memorial park has been created in his honor in Lonaconing.

 

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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: Derek Jeter, 1996

Shortstop, New York Yankees

Age:  22 (June 26)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 195

 

Prior to 1996:

A New Jersey native, Jeter moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan with his family. He starred in basketball, as well as baseball, at Kalamazoo Central High School, batting over .500 in his junior and senior seasons. A top shortstop prospect with an outstanding throwing arm, Jeter was selected by the Yankees as the sixth overall pick in the 1992 amateur draft and he signed for $800,000, passing up on a scholarship offer from the Univ. of Michigan. Initially assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, he struggled at bat and in the field, hitting .202 in 47 games but leading the team with 10 doubles, 3 home runs, and 25 RBIs. He finished the year by playing 11 games with Greensboro of the South Atlantic League where he hit .243. Still with Greensboro in 1993, Jeter batted .295 with 14 doubles, 11 triples, 5 home runs, and 71 RBIs. He was chosen to the league’s All-Star team. In 1994 he advanced from Class A to AA and AAA, batting a combined .344 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 5 home runs, 68 RBIs, and 50 stolen bases. He was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Jeter started the 1995 season with the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League (where he had finished in 1994). Called up to the Yankees in May due to injuries, Jeter appeared in 13 games before being returned to Columbus. For the year in Class AAA he batted .317. In 15 appearances with the Yankees (he was recalled in September and played in just two games) he hit .250. Despite any concerns about his readiness, Jeter opened the 1996 season at shortstop for the Yankees.

 

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

SS – 157

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 654

At Bats – 582 [20, tied with Dean Palmer]

Runs – 104 [19, tied with Mark McGwire]

Hits – 183 [13]

Doubles – 25

Triples – 6 [11, tied with Rusty Greer, Joey Cora & B.J. Surhoff]

Home Runs – 10

RBI – 78

Bases on Balls – 48

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 102

Stolen Bases – 14

Caught Stealing – 7 [20, tied with Fernando Vina, Dave Martinez & Randy Velarde]

Average - .314 [14, tied with Juan Gonzalez]

OBP - .370

Slugging Pct. - .430

Total Bases – 250

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 9 [10, tied with five others]

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – 9 [8, tied with six others]

 

Midseason snapshot:#B – 3, HR – 4, RBI – 38, AVG – .277., OBP – .355

 

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

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

Most HR, game – 1 on ten occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at California 8/31

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 

Fielding

Chances – 710

Put Outs – 244

Assists – 444

Errors – 22

DP - 83

Pct. - .969

 

Postseason Batting: 15 G (ALDS vs. Texas – 4 G; ALCS vs. Baltimore – 5 G; World Series vs. Atlanta – 6 G)

PA – 67, AB – 61, R – 12, H – 22, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 13, SB – 3, CS – 0, AVG - .361, OBP - .409, SLG -.459, TB – 28, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 1, SF – 0

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

 

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Derek Jeter, NYY: 140 pts. – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

James Baldwin, ChiWS.: 64 pts. – 46% share

Tony Clark, Det.: 30 pts. – 21% share

Rocky Coppinger, Balt.: 6 pts. – 4% share

Jose Rosado, KCR: 6 pts. – 4% share

 

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Yankees went 92-70 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 4 games over the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees took control of the AL East with a four-game sweep of the Orioles right after the All-Star break. Won ALDS over the Texas Rangers, 3 games to 1. Won ALCS over the Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 1. Won World Series over the Atlanta Braves, 4 games to 2.

 

Aftermath of ‘96:

Jeter followed up with another solid season in 1997, batting .291 with 31 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a .370 OBP. The Yankees put together an outstanding 114-48 record in 1998 and Jeter had his first All-Star season as he contributed a league-leading 127 runs to go along with 203 hits, 25 doubles, 8 triples, 19 home runs, 84 RBIs, a .324 batting average, and .384 OBP. He placed third in AL MVP voting. He hit .353 in the four-game World Series sweep of the Padres. Having established himself as a team leader, Jeter contributed to another title in 1999 by batting .349 with a league-leading 219 hits to go along with 134 runs scored, 37 doubles, 9 triples, 24 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a .438 on-base percentage. He finished sixth in MVP balloting and again hit well in the postseason, batting .353 in another World Series sweep. The winning continued in 2000 as Jeter batted .339 with 201 hits, 119 runs scored, 31 doubles, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .416 OBP. He was MVP of the World Series victory over the crosstown Mets, hitting .409 and highlighted by a Game 4 performance in which Jeter homered and tripled to propel the Yankees to a key win. The Yanks won another pennant in 2001 and Jeter batted .311 with 35 doubles, 21 home runs, 110 runs scored, 74 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases in 30 attempts. His offensive and defensive heroics continued in the postseason which ended with defeat in the World Series. By this point Jeter was a New York celebrity as well as one of baseball’s top players. Jeter’s average dipped to .297 in 2002, accompanied by 124 runs scored, 191 hits, 26 doubles, 18 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases in 35 tries. In 2003, a dislocated shoulder suffered in the opening game cost Jeter 36 games but he still ended up hitting .324 with 25 doubles, 10 home runs, and 52 RBIs while scoring 87 runs. The Yankees returned to the World Series after a year’s absence and the team captain hit .346 in a losing cause. Getting off to a poor start in 2004, Jeter rebounded as the season continued to hit .292 with 111 runs scored, 44 doubles, 23 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases in 27 attempts. Not always highly esteemed for his defense, he also received his first Gold Glove for his play at shortstop. The failure to win championships since 2000 became an issue for Jeter and the Yankees, although he continued to be an All-Star and received MVP votes from 2005 to ’08. He remained a .300 hitter and all-around strong performer. In 2009 the Yankees returned to the top and Jeter batted .334 with 212 hits, 107 runs scored, 27 doubles, 18 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases in 35 attempts. He hit .407 in the World Series triumph over the Phillies, placed third in AL MVP voting, and was named Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated. In 2010 his batting average dropped to .270, but he still scored 111 runs with 30 doubles, 10 home runs, and 67 RBIs. In 2011 Jeter reached 3000 career hits in a year in which he batted .297 with 24 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 84 runs scored, while missing time due to injuries. Jeter had one last big year in 2012 in which he led the AL with 216 hits while batting .316 with 32 doubles, 15 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 99 runs scored. He placed seventh in league MVP voting, the last time he received MVP votes. A broken ankle suffered in the postseason effectively curtailed his long career. Jeter was limited to 17 games in 2013 and announced that 2014 would be his final season. He appeared in 145 games and hit .256 to finish a major league career spent entirely with the Yankees. For his career he batted .310 with 3465 hits that included 544 doubles, 66 triples, and 260 home runs. He also scored 1923 runs and compiled 1311 RBIs as well as 358 stolen bases and a .377 OBP. Appearing in 158 postseason games he hit .308 with 20 home runs, 111 runs scored, and 61 RBIs. A 14-time All-Star, the Yankees retired his #2 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. A five-time Gold Glove winner, he finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting seven times. In 2017 he became part of the ownership group that purchased the Miami Marlins, and was named CEO.  

 

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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: Albie Pearson, 1958

Outfielder, Washington Senators

 

Age:  24 (Sept. 12)

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’5”    Weight: 140

 

Prior to 1958:

A native of Alhambra, California, Pearson was named Albie for Yale football star Albie Booth, who excelled despite small stature. The son of diminutive parents, Pearson topped out at 5’4 7/8”. After lettering in four sports in high school, where he was a pitcher/outfielder on the baseball team, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox out of Pomona Junior College in 1953. Initially assigned to San Jose of the Class C California League, the 18-year-old hit .334. Advancing to Albany of the Class A Eastern League in 1954, he batted .269 with 19 doubles, 8 triples, 3 home runs, 91 runs scored, and 38 RBIs. Notable for his hustling and determination, he moved on to the Montgomery Rebels of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1955 where he hit .305 with 27 doubles, 9 triples, and 4 home runs. With Oklahoma City in the Texas League in 1956 he batted .371 in 122 games and finished the season with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League, where over the course of 31 games he hit .297. Returning to the Seals in 1957 Pearson batted .297 with 22 doubles, 11 triples, 5 home runs, and 50 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Senators, where, thanks to his good range in center field, he made it into Washington’s opening-day lineup in 1958 despite the concerns about his size.

 

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in 146 games

CF – 136, RF – 6, PH – 6

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 610 [13]

At Bats – 530 [16]

Runs – 63

Hits – 146 [17]

Doubles – 25 [10, tied with Minnie Minoso, Frank Bolling & Don Buddin]

Triples – 5 [13, tied with seven others]

Home Runs – 3

RBI – 33

Bases on Balls – 64 [11, tied with Charlie Maxwell]

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 31

Stolen Bases – 7 [10, tied with four others]

Caught Stealing – 8 [4, tied with Norm Siebern & Bob Nieman]

Average - .275 [17]

OBP - .354 [16]

Slugging Pct. - .358

Total Bases – 190

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 11 [4, tied with Dave Sisler]

Sac Flies – 3

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, HR – 0, RBI - 13, AVG - .266, OBP – .361

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. KC A’s 5/4, (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 6/21

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) at Chi. White Sox 7/28, (in 3 AB) vs. Baltimore 9/2, (in 5 AB) at NY Yankees 9/5

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Baltimore 9/2

Pinch-hitting – 2 of 4 (.500) with 1 BB

 

Fielding

Chances – 351

Put Outs – 338

Assists – 6

Errors – 7

DP - 1

Pct. - .980

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

 

AL ROY Voting:

Albie Pearson, Wash.: 14 of 24 votes, 58% share

Ryne Duren, NYY: 7 votes, 29% share

Gary Bell, Clev.: 3 votes, 13% share

 

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Senators went 61-93 to finish eighth in the AL, their third consecutive last-place finish, 31 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees.

 

Aftermath of ‘58:

Bothered by a hernia and illness in 1959, Pearson lost weight, which he could ill afford, and he slumped at bat as well as in the field. Pushed aside in the outfield by Bob Allison, who succeeded him as Rookie of the Year, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in June. Utilized as a reserve outfielder, he batted a combined .216 for the year. He started off well for the Orioles in 1960 but was hitting .231 in June when he was sent down to Miami of the International League where he batted .301 over 53 games before returning to Baltimore in September. In 48 major league games Pearson hit .244. With the AL expanding to Los Angeles in 1961, Pearson wrote to GM Fred Haney of the new Angels franchise asking to be selected in the expansion draft. The Angels did select him, and he made the most of his new opportunity by making the club as the regular center fielder in 1961. He batted .288 and drew 96 walks while also scoring 92 runs. His revived career continued with another fine showing in 1962 in which he led the AL in runs scored (115) while hitting .261 and drawing 95 walks which helped him to a .360 on-base percentage. In addition to his small size, the devout Baptist was known for not smoking, drinking, or swearing (“rat-fink” was his strongest curse). He also did some singing and acting on the side and was an outstanding off-season golfer. Pearson was an All-Star and received MVP votes for the only time in 1963 as he batted .304 with 92 runs scored as well as 92 walks drawn. His performance dropped off in 1964 as he hit .223 with eight extra base hits and he found himself reduced to a part-time role. Pearson was back in the reserve role to start off the 1965 season but was platooned with Lou Clinton in right field and rebounded to .278 with 17 doubles, four home runs, 100 hits, and 41 runs scored. A back injury during spring training in 1966 limited him to two games and Pearson retired following the season. For his major league career, he batted .270 with 831 hits that included 130 doubles, 24 triples, and 28 home runs. He further scored 485 runs and compiled 214 RBIs, 77 stolen bases, and drew 477 walks. With the Senators his production was .264 with 72 runs scored, 161 hits, 26 doubles, 5 triples, 3 home runs, 35 RBIs, 8 stolen bases, and 78 walks drawn. An example of how much hard work and determination could overcome small stature, he ended up being an All-Star once and was a key player for the Angels, as well as a fan favorite, in their early years. In retirement he became involved in work with non-profit organizations and remained heavily active in church-related activities.

 

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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: Todd Hollandsworth, 1996

Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  23 (April 20)

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 193

 

Prior to 1996:

Born in Dayton, Ohio, Hollandsworth moved with his family to New Jersey, where he began playing baseball at age 8. The family then moved to Bellevue, Washington by way of Billings, Montana. Hollandsworth was a standout all-around athlete at Bellevue’s Newport High School, excelling in football and basketball as well as baseball. Noteworthy for his work ethic and attitude, as well as athletic prowess, he was chosen by the Dodgers in the third round of the 1991 amateur draft. Playing for teams at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’91, Hollandsworth appeared in a total of 62 games and batted .242 with 8 home runs and 33 RBIs while stealing 11 bases. In 1992 he advanced to Bakersfield of the advanced Class A California League and hit .258 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs. Moving on to San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League in 1993 Hollandsworth improved on his output by batting .251 with 24 doubles, 9 triples, 17 home runs, and 63 RBIs. With the Albuquerque Dukes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1994, he hit .285 with 31 doubles, 5 triples, 19 home runs, and 91 RBIs. With the Dodgers entering 1995 due to a lack of outfield depth, Hollandsworth made the club but broke his wrist after making only six appearances. He returned after a brief stint with Albuquerque, and batted .233 in 41 games, thus maintaining his rookie status for 1996. He batted twice in the NLDS against Cincinnati, going hitless, and came into ’96 again as an outfield reserve.

 

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in 149 games

LF – 122, CF – 18, RF – 9, PH – 14, PR – 2

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 526

At Bats – 478

Runs – 64

Hits – 139

Doubles – 26

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 12

RBI – 59

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 21

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .291

OBP - .348

Slugging Pct. - .437

Total Bases – 209

GDP – 2

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 2

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, HR – 5, RBI – 29, AVG – .287, OBP – .360

 

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at San Diego 7/1

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 5/11

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 10

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 3 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting/running – 6 of 14 (.429) with 4 R, 2 2B & 3 RBI

 

Fielding

Chances – 229

Put Outs – 217

Assists – 7

Errors – 5

DP - 1

Pct. - .978

 

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLDS vs. Atlanta)

PA – 12, AB – 12, R – 1, H – 4, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .333, OBP - .333, SLG -.583, TB – 7, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

 

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

 

NL ROY Voting (top 5):

Todd Hollandsworth, LAD: 105 pts. – 15 of 28 first place votes, 75% share

Edgar Renteria, Fla.: 84 pts. – 10 first place votes, 60% share

Jason Kendall, Pitt.: 30 pts. – 1 first place vote, 21% share

F.P. Santangelo, Mon.: 15 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11% share

Rey Ordonez, NYM: 7 pts. – 1 first place vote, 5% share

 

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Dodgers went 90-72 to finish second in the NL Western Division, 1 game behind the division-winning San Diego Padres, qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card while leading the league in batter strikeouts (1190). CF Brett Butler’s illness opened the leadoff spot for Hollandsworth, who delivered a strong second-half performance. The Dodgers spent most of September in first place in the NL West but lost their last four games to finish second, settling for the wild card. Lost NLDS to the Atlanta Braves, 3 games to 0.

 

Aftermath of ‘96:

Hindered by knee and elbow injuries in 1997, Hollandsworth slumped at bat and was limited to 106 games, batting .247 with 20 doubles, four home runs, and 31 RBIs. Injuries derailed him again in 1998, when he appeared in just 55 games and hit .269 with 13 extra base hits. Playing in a limited role in 1999, Hollandsworth appeared in 92 games, splitting time at first base and all three outfield positions, and hit .284 with 9 home runs and 32 RBIs. Unhappy in LA, he was dealt to the Colorado Rockies during the 2000 season. Batting .234 at the time of the July 31 trade, he adjusted his swing and was outstanding in September, finishing at .323 in 56 games with his new club with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs. Re-signed as a free agent by the Rockies, he was hitting .368 with 6 home runs and 19 RBIs in 2001 when a leg injury ended his season in May after appearing in just 33 games. Back healthy in 2002, he was batting .295 with a disappointing 11 home runs and 48 RBIs when he was again dealt at the trade deadline, this time to the Texas Rangers. Injured again following the trade, he played in 39 games for the Rangers. In the off-season Hollandsworth returned to the National League by signing with the Florida Marlins. In 2003, with the arrival of rookie Miguel Cabrera in June, Hollandsworth’s playing time in left field dropped off and he was primarily a pinch-hitter, batting .254 with 23 doubles and three home runs. In the NLCS vs. the Cubs, he went three-for-three in pinch-hitting appearances although he was less successful during the World Series triumph over the Yankees. His next stop was the Chicago Cubs as an outfield reserve and pinch-hitter in 2004 where he hit .318 with 8 home runs and 22 RBIs until again felled by injury. He split 2005 between the Cubs and Braves and hit a combined .244. His career reached its end in 2006 in stints with Cleveland and Cincinnati. For his ultimately disappointing major league career, Hollandsworth batted .273 with 871 hits that included 192 doubles, 22 triples, and 98 home runs. He scored 451 runs and compiled 401 RBIs and 75 stolen bases. With the Dodgers his production was .266 with 223 runs scored, 418 hits, 78 doubles, 12 triples, 41 home runs, 179 RBIs, and 48 stolen bases. Appearing in 14 postseason games, he hit .364 with three RBIs. His rookie season remained the best of his injury-marred career, in which he occasionally showed brief glimpses of his initial promise. Hollandsworth has since gone on to be a television analyst and broadcaster.

 

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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: Miguel Cabrera, 2012

Third Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Age:  29 (April 18)

5^th season with Tigers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 249

 

Prior to 2012:

A native of Venezuela, Cabrera became a top baseball prospect as a teenager and signed with the Florida Marlins in 1999 at age 16 for $1.8 million. Initially assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2000, he played shortstop and batted .260 over the course of 57 games and finished the season with Utica of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League where he appeared in eight games and hit .250. In 2001 Cabrera was assigned to the Kane County Cougars of the Class A Midwest League where he batted .268 with 19 doubles, 4 triples, 7 home runs, and 66 RBIs and was selected as a league All-Star. Moving on to Jupiter of the advanced Class A Florida State League in 2002, Cabrera shifted from shortstop to third base and hit .274 with 43 doubles, 9 home runs, and 75 RBIs and played in the Radio Shack All-Star Futures Game. Moving up to Carolina of the Class AA Southern League in 2003, he was batting .365 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, and 59 RBIs when he was called up to the Marlins in June. He hit a walk-off home run in his first game and had hits in five of his first six major league games on his way to hitting .268 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs while splitting time between left field and third base. Appearing in both right and left field in 2004, Cabrera was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .294 with 33 home runs and 112 RBIs. Not a natural fit in the outfield, he saw action in 29 games at third base in 2005, while regularly starting in left field, but his offense remained strong as he hit .323 with 43 doubles, 33 home runs, and 116 RBIs. Playing third base full-time in 2006, Cabrera contended for the NL batting title as he hit .339 with 50 doubles, 26 home runs, and 114 RBIs. His 2007 production was .320 with 34 home runs and 119 RBIs. He also had a fine season defensively at third base. In the offseason the penurious Marlins traded Cabrera to the Tigers along with LHP Dontrelle Willis as part of a blockbuster deal. With his new club in 2008, who signed him to an eight-year, $152.3 million contract , he was moved to first base and, following a slow start, batted .292 with a league-leading 37 home runs, plus 127 RBIs. In 2009 he hit .324 with 34 home runs and 103 RBIs, but a domestic disturbance late in the season caused him to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse. The Tigers collapsed down the stretch to blow a seven-game lead in the AL Central and missed the postseason. 2010 was another outstanding season for the player nicknamed “Miggy” as he led the AL in RBIs (126) and OBP (.420) while batting .328 with 45 doubles, 38 home runs, and a .622 slugging percentage. He finished second in league MVP voting. In 2011 Cabrera led the league in batting (.344), OBP (.448), and doubles (48), while also compiling 30 home runs and 105 RBIs. This time he placed fifth in AL MVP balloting. Coming into the 2012 season Cabrera was a six-time All-Star who was well-established as one of baseball’s best hitters and was returning to third base to make room for the newly-acquired Prince Fielder at first.

 

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in 161 games

3B – 154, DH – 7, 1B – 2

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 697 [6, tied with Robinson Cano & Adam Jones]

At Bats – 622 [9]

Runs – 109 [2]

Hits – 205 [2]

Doubles – 40 [7]

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 44 [1]

RBI – 139 [1]

Bases on Balls – 66 [17]

Int. BB – 17 [2]

Strikeouts – 98

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .330 [1]

OBP - .393 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .606 [1]

Total Bases – 377 [1]

GDP – 28 [1]

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 6 [15, tied with nine others]

 

League-leading home runs were +1 ahead of runners-up Josh Hamilton & Curtis Granderson

League-leading RBIs were +11 ahead of runner-up Josh Hamilton

League-leading batting average was +.004 ahead of runner-up Mike Trout

League-leading slugging percentage was +.029 ahead of runner-up Josh Hamilton

League-leading total bases were +32 ahead of runner-up Robinson Cano

League-leading times grounded into double plays were +2 ahead of runners-up Michael Young & Howie Kendrick

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 18, RBI – 71, AVG – .324, SLG – .557

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Oakland 5/10, (in 5 AB) at Boston 5/30, (in 5 AB) at Tampa Bay 6/28, (in 5 AB) at Kansas City 10/1

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

HR at home – 28

HR on road – 16

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Oakland 9/18

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 

Fielding

Chances - 383

Put Outs – 127

Assists – 243

Errors – 13

DP – 31

Pct. - .966

 

Postseason: 13 G (ALDS vs. Oakland – 5 G; ALCS vs. NY Yankees – 4 G; World Series vs. San Francisco – 4 G)

PA – 57, AB – 49, R – 5, H – 13, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 7, IBB – 1, SO – 7, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .265, OBP - .368, SLG -.449, TB – 22, GDP – 2, HBP – 1, 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:

Miguel Cabrera, Det.: 362 pts. - 22 of 28 first place votes, 92% share

Mike Trout, LAA: 281 pts. – 6 first place votes, 72% share

Adrian Beltre, Tex.: 210 pts. – 54% share

Robinson Cano, NYY: 149 pts. – 38% share

Josh Hamilton, Tex.: 127 pts. – 32% share

 

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Tigers went 88-74 to finish first in the AL Central Division by 3 games over the Chicago White Sox, while leading the league in triples (39). The slow-starting Tigers maintained a narrow lead over the White Sox in September until a 10-5 finish nailed down the division title. Won ALDS over the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 2. Won ALCS over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0. Lost World Series to the San Francisco Giants, 4 games to 0.

 

Aftermath of 2012:

Cabrera repeated as AL MVP in 2013 as he won his third straight batting title (.348) while hitting 44 home runs with 137 RBIs. He also topped the circuit with a .442 on-base percentage and .636 slugging percentage. The Tigers again won the AL Central and advanced to the ALCS before falling. In 2014 he batted .313 with a league-leading 52 doubles to go along with 25 home runs and 109 RBIs. Back at first base, in the offseason Cabrera had ankle surgery and never again played regularly at third base. Hindered by the sore ankle and also out for six weeks with a calf injury in 2015, he still won another batting championship (.338) but his power production dropped to 18 home runs and 76 RBIs. Cabrera also led the AL with a .440 OBP. His power production rebounded to 38 home runs and 108 RBIs in 2016, to go along with a .316 average and .563 slugging percentage. In an injury-riddled season in 2017, he missed being an All-Star for the first time since 2009 and limited to 130 games he batted just .249 with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs. In 2018 injuries held Cabrera to 38 games and he hit .299. He appeared in 136 games in 2019, primarily as a Designated Hitter, and batted .282 with 12 home runs and 59 RBIs. Strictly a DH during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he hit .250 in 57 games with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. For his major league career through 2020, Cabrera has batted .313 with 2866 hits that include 581 doubles, 17 triples, and 487 home runs. He has also scored 1457 runs and compiled 1729 RBIs, a .391 OBP, and a .540 slugging percentage. With the Tigers the numbers have been .313 with 1008 runs scored, 2024 hits, 398 doubles, 7 triples, 349 home runs, 1206 RBIs, a .392 OBP, and .539 slugging percentage. Appearing in 55 postseason games he has hit .278 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. He is a four-time batting champion and 11-time All-Star (7 with Detroit).

 

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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.