Rookie of the Year: Scott Williamson, 1999

Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  23

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195

 

Prior to 1999:

Born in Louisiana, Williamson grew up in Friendswood, Texas, where he was a star pitcher on the high school team. As a senior he produced a 0.68 ERA and went on to college at Tulane University. He transferred to Oklahoma State and received first-team All-Big 12 recognition after posting a 7-3 record in 1997. Chosen by the Reds in the ninth round of the ’97 amateur draft he was first assigned to Billings of the Rookie-level Pioneer League and posted an 8-2 tally with a 1.78 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. He was named a league All-Star. Advancing to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern League in 1998, Williamson started 18 games and went 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 100 innings before being promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA International League where he produced no decisions in five starts before a hand injury ended his season. The hard-throwing Williamson made the jump to the Reds in 1999 despite his lack of experience beyond Class AA and shared the bullpen closer role with RHP Danny Graves. He excelled with a fastball and slider as his primary pitches.

 

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in 62 games

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Pitching

Games – 62

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 12

Losses – 7

PCT - .632 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 19 [15, tied with Wayne Gomes & John Franco]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 93.1

Hits – 54

Runs – 29

Earned Runs – 25

Home Runs – 8

Bases on Balls – 43

Strikeouts – 107

ERA – 2.41 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 13 [3, tied with Russ Ortiz & Darryl Kile]

 

Midseason Snapshot: 7-4, ERA - 1.66, G – 37, SV – 11, SO - 70 in 59.2 IP

 

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 3 IP) at San Diego 5/23, (in 2 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 5/27

10+ strikeout games – 0

 

Batting

PA – 11, AB – 7, R – 0, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 1, SO – 6, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – 0

 

Fielding

Chances – 10

Put Outs – 2

Assists – 7

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .900

 

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

 

NL ROY Voting:

Scott Williamson, Cin.: 118 pts. – 17 of 32 first place votes, 74% share

Preston Wilson, Fla.: 88 pts. – 9 first place votes, 55% share

Warren Morris, Pitt.: 69 pts. –  6 first place votes, 43% share

Kris Benson, Pitt.: 5 pts. – 3% share

Joe McEwing, StL.: 3 pts. – 2% share

Kevin McGlinchy, Atl.: 1 pt. – 1% share

 

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Reds went 96-67 to finish second in the NL Central Division, 1.5 games behind the division-winning Houston Astros, following a season-extending single-game playoff with the New York Mets for a wild card playoff berth, which they lost 5-0. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (11), saves (55), and fewest hits allowed (1309). The Reds were a game ahead of the Astros on Sept. 28 but lost three of their last four games to force the playoff.

 

Aftermath of ‘99:

Williamson started out in the bullpen in 2000 before being moved into the starting rotation. He struggled to control the split-fingered fastball and set a club record by throwing 21 wild pitches. Beset by injuries, he produced a 5-8 record with a 3.29 ERA and 136 strikeouts over 112 innings. Returned to the bullpen in 2001, he made only two appearances before being shelved for “Tommy John” surgery. Returning in 2002, Williamson appeared in 63 games as a reliever and compiled a 3-4 tally with 8 saves and a 2.92 ERA while striking out 84 batters over 74 innings. Utilized as the closer for a poor Cincinnati club in 2003, Williamson had a 5-3 record with 21 saves and a 3.19 ERA when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox at the end of July. Part of a late-innings tandem with RHP Mike Timlin, Williamson struggled down the stretch and went 0-1 with a 6.20 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 20.1 innings for the postseason-bound Red Sox. Effective in the playoffs, he appeared in 8 games and was 2-0 with three saves and a 1.13 ERA. Still with Boston in 2004, he appeared in 28 games before injury ended his season and he finished at 0-1 with a save and a 1.26 ERA. Not on the roster for the postseason run that ended with a World Series victory, Williamson, who needed a second “Tommy John” surgery, moved on to the Cubs in 2005. He appeared in just 17 games and was unimpressive. Back with the Cubs in 2006, he was used as a middle reliever until he was dealt to San Diego in July. For the year he posted a 2-4 tally with a 5.72 ERA in 42 appearances. Williamson saw his last major league action with Baltimore in 2007, where he appeared in 16 games, had no decisions or saves, and posted a 4.40 ERA. He bounced around with several minor league teams between 2007 and 2011, when he finished up with the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League, before retiring. For his major league career, he appeared in 344 games and posted a 28-28 record with 55 saves and a 3.36 ERA. He further compiled 510 strikeouts while pitching 439.1 innings. With the Reds he went 25-22 in 217 games, 10 of them starts, with 54 saves, a 2.93 ERA, and 380 strikeouts over 322.1 innings. His postseason record with the Red Sox in 2003 marked the extent of his postseason action. He had the one All-Star selection as a rookie.  

 

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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: Frank Thomas, 1994

First Baseman, Chicago White Sox

Age:  26 (May 27)

5^th season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 240

 

Prior to 1994:

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 he 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. He achieved his first MVP season in ’93 by batting .317 with 41 home runs and 128 RBIs while the White Sox won the AL West title.

 

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in 113 games

1B – 99, DH – 13, PH – 1

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 517 [5]

At Bats – 399

Runs – 106 [1]

Hits – 141 [4]

Doubles – 34 [3, tied with Travis Fryman]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 38 [2]

RBI – 101 [3, tied with Albert Belle]

Bases on Balls – 109 [1]

Int. BB – 12 [5, tied with John Olerud]

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .353 [3]

OBP - .487 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .729 [1]

Total Bases – 291 [3]

GDP – 15 [6, tied with Ruben Sierra & Andre Dawson]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [7, tied with Kirby Puckett & Geronimo Berroa]

 

League-leading runs scored were +1 ahead of runner-up Kenny Lofton

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +12 ahead of runner-up Mickey Tettleton

League-leading OBP was +.027 ahead of runner-up Paul O’Neill

League-leading slugging percentage was +.015 ahead of runner-up Albert Belle

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

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 32, RBI – 78, AVG – .383., SLG - .795

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Minnesota 5/25, (in 5 AB) at Minnesota 6/10 – 10 innings, (in 4 AB) at Detroit 7/7

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 16

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. Minnesota 5/25, (in 4 AB) vs. Texas 6/21 – 10 innings

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Minnesota 5/25, at Milwaukee 7/9

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

 

Fielding

Chances - 787

Put Outs – 735

Assists – 45

Errors – 7

DP – 74

Pct. - .991

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL at 1B)

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Frank Thomas, ChiWS.: 372 pts. - 24 of 28 first place votes, 95% share

Ken Griffey Jr., Sea.: 233 pts. – 3 first place votes, 59% share

Albert Belle, Clev.: 225 pts. – 57% share

Kenny Lofton, Clev.: 181 pts. – 1 first place vote, 46% share

Paul O’Neill, NYY: 150 pts. – 38% share

 

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White Sox went 67-46 to finish first in the AL Central Division, 1 game ahead of the Cleveland Indians, at the point in August that a players’ strike prematurely shut down the season and eliminated the postseason. They led the league in triples (39) and fewest batter strikeouts (568). Ahead in the AL Central by as many as four games following a surge in the second half of May, and behind by six after a June swoon, the White Sox split a four-game series with Cleveland in July that boosted the club into first to stay.

 

Aftermath of ‘94:

Another strong season for Thomas 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 AL MVP voting. In 1996 “the Big Hurt” 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.

 

Cy Young Profile: Rick Sutcliffe, 1984

Pitcher, Cleveland Indians/Chicago Cubs

Age:  28 (June 21)

3^rd season with Indians

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’7”    Weight: 215

 

Prior to 1984:

A native of Independence, Missouri, Sutcliffe was a three-sport star in high school (football and basketball as well as baseball). Chosen by the Dodgers in the 1974 amateur draft, the 18-year-old pitching prospect was initially assigned to Bellingham of the Class A Northwest League where he posted a 10-3 record with a 3.32 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 95 innings pitched. He was named to the league All-Star team. Moving on to Bakersfield of the Class A California League in 1975, he went 8-16 with a 4.15 ERA and 91 strikeouts while pitching 193 innings. Sutcliffe’s next stop was Waterbury of the Class AA Eastern League in 1976 where his record was 10-11 with a 3.18 ERA prior to advancing to Albuquerque of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He finished the year with a late-season appearance with the Dodgers in which he pitched five innings with no decision. Back with Albuquerque in 1977, he had a rough year in which he went 3-10 with a 6.43 ERA. It was better in 1978 with Albuquerque, where Sutcliffe posted a 13-6 mark with a 4.45 ERA and 99 strikeouts over 184 innings. A late-season call-up to the Dodgers set the stage for the tall righthander to make it into the rotation in 1979, where a strong finish propelled him to a 17-10 record and selection as National League Rookie of the Year. Dealing with arm problems in 1980, Sutcliffe lost his spot in the starting rotation in May and dropped to 3-9 with a 5.56 ERA. Following a stint in Arizona over the winter he had another difficult year during the strike-interrupted 1981 season. He appeared in just 14 games, six of them starts, and produced a 2-2 record with a 4.02 ERA. Left off the club’s postseason roster, he trashed manager Tommy Lasorda’s office and was dealt to Cleveland in the offseason. Sutcliffe started slowly as a starting pitcher with his new club in 1982 but was very effective after adding a slider to his repertoire and finished at 14-8 with a league-leading 2.96 ERA and 142 strikeouts. With command of a fastball (although he was never a power pitcher, despite his size), slider, curve, and changeup Sutcliffe was an All-Star with the Indians in 1983, producing a 17-11 record with a 4.29 ERA and 160 strikeouts. A slow start in 1984 led to his being dealt back to the NL with the Cubs in June.

 

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games (Cleveland – 15/Chi. Cubs – 20)

 

American League with Cleveland

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Pitching

Games – 15

Games Started – 15

Complete Games – 2

Wins – 4

Losses – 5

PCT - .444

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 94.1

Hits – 111

Runs – 60

Earned Runs – 54

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 46

Strikeouts – 58

ERA – 5.15

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 3

 

National League with Chicago Cubs

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Pitching

Games – 20

Games Started – 20

Complete Games – 7 [9, tied with Larry McWilliams & Dwight Gooden]

Wins – 16 [4, tied with Joe Niekro]

Losses – 1

PCT - .941 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [4, tied with Dwight Gooden, Rick Rhoden & Bob Knepper]

Innings Pitched – 150.1

Hits – 123

Runs – 53

Earned Runs – 45

Home Runs – 9

Bases on Balls – 39

Strikeouts – 155 [6]

ERA – 2.69 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 2

Wild Pitches – 3

 

Midseason Snapshot: 8-6, ERA - 4.26, SO - 94 in 131 IP

 

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Most strikeouts, game – 15 (in 8 IP) at Philadelphia 9/3

10+ strikeout games – 5

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Pittsburgh 9/24

 

Batting (all NL)

PA – 63, AB – 56, R – 3, H – 14, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 6, BB – 2, SO – 18, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .250, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – 0

 

Fielding (combined)

Chances – 56

Put Outs – 19

Assists – 35

Errors – 2

DP – 1

Pct. - .964

 

Postseason Pitching: (NLCS vs. San Diego)

G – 2, GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 1-1, PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 13.1, H – 9, R – 6, ER – 5, HR – 0, BB – 8, SO – 10, ERA – 3.38, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

 

Awards & Honors: 

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

4^th in NL MVP voting (151 points, 45% share)

 

NL Cy Young voting (Top 3):

Rick Sutcliffe, ChiC.: 120 pts. – 24 of 24 first place votes, 100% share

Dwight Gooden, NYM: 45 pts. – 38% share

Bruce Sutter, StL.: 33 pts. – 28% share

 

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Indians went 75-87 to finish sixth in the AL Eastern Division, 29 games behind the division-winning Detroit Tigers. Following a poor start in which the Indians had difficulty scoring runs, the club benefited from the arrival of outfielders Joe Carter and Mel Hall, who came from the Cubs in the June trade for Sutcliffe.

 

Cubs went 96-65 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 6.5 games over the New York Mets. The pitching staff led the league in fewest walks issued (442). The Cubs reached the postseason for the first time since 1945 by battling the Mets until moving into first place to stay on August 1. Lost NLCS to the San Diego Padres, 3 games to 2 after taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

 

Aftermath of ‘84:

Sutcliffe was beset by injuries in 1985, and while effective when healthy, he ended up with a disappointing 8-8 record and a 3.18 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 130 innings. In 1986 a sore shoulder caused him to lose eight straight decisions on his way to a 5-14 tally and a 4.64 ERA with 122 strikeouts. “The Red Baron” returned to All-Star form in 1987 with a last-place club, topping the NL in wins with his 18-10 record while posting a 3.68 ERA and 174 strikeouts. While the Cubs improved in 1988, Sutcliffe did not, finishing at 13-14 with a 3.86 ERA and 144 strikeouts. The team topped the NL East in 1989 and “the Red Baron”, who was bothered by shoulder stiffness during the second half of the season, contributed a 16-11 mark with a 3.66 ERA and 153 strikeouts. The shoulder injury kept Sutcliffe out of action in 1990 until the end of August and he made only five appearances with no wins among them. Disabled twice in 1991 due to weakness in his shoulder, he produced a 6-5 tally with a 4.10 ERA. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Sutcliffe put together a respectable season for the Orioles in 1992 finishing with a 16-15 record and 4.47 ERA while compiling 237.1 innings. Knee surgery in 1993 limited him to 166 innings and a 10-10 mark with a 5.75 ERA. Sutcliffe finished his career in 1994 with an inconsequential performance with St. Louis during the strike-shortened season. For his major league career Sutcliffe had a 171-139 record with a 4.08 ERA and 1679 strikeouts over 2697.2 innings. He totaled 72 complete games with 18 shutouts. With the Cubs his record was 82-65 with a 3.74 ERA and 40 complete games, 11 shutouts, and 909 strikeouts over 1267.1 innings. Sutcliffe started three postseason games and went 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA. He was a three-time All-Star, all with the Cubs. Following his playing career Sutcliffe served as a minor league pitching coach and went into broadcasting.  

 

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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: Ted Williams, 1946

Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Age:  28 (Aug. 30)

5^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205

 

Prior to 1946:

A San Diego native, Williams played youth baseball prior to excelling as a hitter and pitcher at Herbert Hoover High School. While still in high school he signed with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1936. Used exclusively as an outfielder, he batted .271 in 42 games. Still with the Padres in 1937, he improved his average to .291 with 23 home runs. He signed with the Red Sox and was assigned to the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1938. Brash and cocky as well as talented, Williams hit .366 with 43 home runs and 142 RBIs to win the league Triple Crown. The player called “The Kid” at that time was promoted to the Red Sox in 1939, where he was a highly publicized phenom with his picture-perfect swing that generated power and average. Playing in right field as a rookie, “The Splendid Splinter” batted .327 with 44 doubles, 11 triples, and 31 home runs and led the AL with 145 RBIs and 344 total bases. He finished fourth in league MVP voting. Shifted to left field in 1940, Williams hit .344 with 23 home runs and 113 RBIs while leading the circuit in runs scored (134) and on-base percentage (.442), aided by his 96 walks to go along with 193 hits. He was an All-Star for the first time. But he began to feud with reporters and fans that he perceived as being too fickle. Williams would stand in the outfield and swing an imaginary bat rather than concentrate on fielding, which drew criticism. Quick-tempered, arrogant, and argumentative, he also refused to abide by norms of standard attire for formal occasions, which further raised questions as to his maturity and judgment. He had a superb season in 1941 when he became the last .400 hitter to date, batting .406 and leading the league in runs scored (135), home runs (37), walks drawn (147), OBP (.553), and slugging percentage (.735). He finished second in league MVP voting, likely not helped by his unpopularity with the baseball writers (as opposed to the winner, Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees, whose 56-game hitting streak overshadowed “Teddy Ballgame’s” .406 average). The situation was similar in 1942 as Williams won the AL Triple Crown, batting .356 with 36 home runs and 137 RBIs. He also topped the circuit in runs scored (141), walks drawn (145), OBP (.499), slugging (.648), and total bases (338). He again placed second in MVP balloting to another Yankee (Joe Gordon). He then joined the Navy to train as a pilot during World War II, where his superior eyesight and reflexes also served him well. He spent the remainder of the war as a Navy and Marine Corps pilot. With the war over, he returned to the Red Sox in 1946.

 

1946 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

LF – 150

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 672 [3, tied with Tommy Henrich]

At Bats – 514 [17]

Runs – 142 [1]

Hits – 176 [4]

Doubles – 37 [4]

Triples – 8 [8, tied with Mickey Vernon, Jerry Priddy & Joe DiMaggio]

Home Runs – 38 [2]

RBI – 123 [2]

Bases on Balls – 156 [1]

Int. BB – 29 [1]

Strikeouts – 44

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .342 [2]

OBP - .497 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .667 [1]

Total Bases – 343 [1]

GDP – 12 [20, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 2 [15, tied with eighteen others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

 

League-leading runs scored were +27 ahead of runner-up Johnny Pesky

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +43 ahead of runner-up Charlie Keller

League-leading int. BB drawn were +13 ahead of runner-up Hal Wagner

League-leading OBP was +.092 ahead of runner-up Charlie Keller

League-leading slugging pct was +.063 ahead of runner-up Hank Greenberg

League-leading total bases were +27 ahead of runner-up Hank Greenberg

 

Midseason snapshot: HR - 23, RBI - 72, AVG - .347, SLG - .693

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 7/14, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/21, (in 4 AB) at Detroit 9/11

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 3 (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 7/14

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 8 vs. Cleveland 7/14

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 

Fielding

Chances – 342

Put Outs – 325

Assists – 7

Errors – 10

DP – 2

Pct. - .971

 

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. St. Louis Cardinals)

PA – 30, AB – 25, R – 2, H – 5, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 5, IBB – 1, SO – 5, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, OBP - .333, SLG -.200, TB – 5, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL in LF)

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Ted Williams, BosRS.: 224 pts. – 9 of 24 first place votes, 67% share

Hal Newhouser, Det.: 197 pts. – 3 first place votes, 59% share

Bobby Doerr, BosRS.: 158 pts. – 5 first place votes, 47% share

Johnny Pesky, BosRS.: 141 pts. – 2 first place votes, 42% share

Mickey Vernon, Wash.: 134 pts. – 1 first place vote, 40% share

(2 first place votes for Hank Greenberg, Det., who ranked eighth, and one apiece for Bob Feller, Clev., who ranked sixth & Dave Ferriss, BosRS, who ranked seventh)

 

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Red Sox went 104-50 to win the AL pennant by 12 games over the Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in runs scored (792), hits (1441), doubles (268), RBI (737), walks drawn (687), batting (.271), OBP (.356), slugging (.402), and total bases (2136). The Red Sox dominated the AL from start to finish in winning their first pennant since 1918. Cleveland manager Lou Boudreau devised a shift to defense Williams which did not slow the club down, although Williams tailed off in September. Lost World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3. Williams, who was hindered by an elbow injury and also facing a defensive shift by the Cards, had a subpar performance. St. Louis won Game 7 thanks to the baserunning heroics of RF Enos Slaughter and relief pitching of LHP Harry Brecheen.

 

Aftermath of ‘46:

“The Thumper” (he was known by several nicknames) followed up with his second Triple Crown-winning season in 1947, batting .343 with 32 home runs and 114 RBIs. Williams also topped the circuit in runs scored (125), walks drawn (162), OBP (.499), slugging (.634), and total bases (335). Just as in 1941, he placed second to DiMaggio in MVP voting. He hit a league-leading .369 in 1948, a season in which the Red Sox barely missed out on another pennant, to go along with 25 home runs and 127 RBIs. He further paced the AL in doubles (44), walks drawn (126), OBP (.497), and slugging (.615) and placed third in league MVP balloting. In 1949, the Red Sox battled the Yankees to the season’s last game before falling short and Williams barely missed out on a third Triple Crown as he batted .343 while leading the American League in home runs (43), RBIs (159), runs scored (150), doubles (39), walks drawn (162), OBP (.490), slugging (.650), and total bases (368). He received his second MVP award. On his way to another outstanding year in 1950, he severely injured his elbow when he crashed into the wall during the All-Star Game and ended up being limited to 89 games in which he hit .317 with 28 home runs and 97 RBIs. Returning to action in 1951, Williams batted .318 with 30 home runs and 126 RBIs while leading the AL in walks drawn (144), OBP (.464), slugging (.556), and total bases (295). He was limited to six games in 1952 when he was called back to active military duty during the Korean War. Trained to fly jets, he saw action in the same Marine squadron as future astronaut John Glenn. Having encountered problems with ear infections in 1953, he was mustered out of the service and returned to the Red Sox during the second half of the season and hit .407 in 37 games with 13 home runs and 34 RBIs. Williams suffered a broken collar bone during spring training in 1954 and was further limited to 117 games by a bout with pneumonia and fell short of another batting title due to the criteria at that time, hitting .345 with 29 home runs, 89 RBIs, a .513 OBP, .635 slugging percentage, and league-leading 136 walks drawn. He still placed seventh in league MVP voting. “The Splendid Splinter” said he was retiring in 1955 but returned to action in late May and went on to hit .356 in 98 games with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs, finishing fourth in AL MVP balloting. Williams was still a force in 1956 as he led the league with a .479 on-base percentage. He turned 39 during the 1957 season and topped the AL in batting (.388), OBP (.526), and slugging (.731). He won one last batting championship in 1958, hitting .328 along with 26 home runs and 85 RBIs. Williams dropped off badly in 1959 to .254 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs while appearing in just 103 games. Taking a cut in pay from his high of around $125,000, he returned for one last season in 1960, in which he batted .316 with 29 home runs and 72 RBIs. After homering in his last at bat, Williams retired. For his career, spent entirely with the Red Sox, he batted .344 with 2654 hits that included 525 doubles, 71 triples, and 521 home runs. He further scored 1798 runs, compiled 1839 RBIs, and drew 2021 walks. His career OBP was .482 and he had a .634 slugging percentage. Williams won six batting championships and two Triple Crowns. The 1946 World Series was his only postseason appearance. A 19-time All-Star, the Red Sox retired his #9 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. Following his retirement as a player, he returned to the game in 1969 as manager of the Washington Senators. He stayed on until 1972, the club’s first year as the Texas Rangers, and compiled a 273-364 managerial record. Boisterous and opinionated, Williams was always a contentious and controversial figure who engendered strong opinions in return. Few players in the game’s history have approached his performance as a hitter.

 

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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 Robinson, 1966

Outfielder, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  31 (Aug. 31)

1^st season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 183

 

Prior to 1966:

Born in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson moved with his family to California at a young age. He first played organized baseball with an American Legion team in Oakland prior to starring at McClymonds High School. Signed by the Reds upon his graduation in 1953, he was first assigned to Ogden of the Class C Pioneer League where he appeared in 72 games and batted .348 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. Moving on to Columbia of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1954 following a brief stint with Tulsa of the Texas League, Robinson hit .336 with 25 home runs. Back with Columbia in 1955 he was bothered by a shoulder injury that briefly caused his move from the outfield to first base and played in only 80 games in which he hit .263 with 12 home runs. His shoulder having recovered following extended rest, Robinson made the jump to the Reds and became the starting left fielder in 1956. The club tied the existing major league team record for home runs helped by Robinson’s tying of the rookie record with 38, to go along with 83 RBIs and a .290 average. He received NL Rookie of the Year recognition. He followed up with another strong season in 1957 in which he batted .322 with 29 home runs and 75 RBIs. With a batting stance that had him leaning over the plate, he drew many inside pitches and was among the leaders in being hit by pitches. Robinson received a Gold Glove for his outfield play in 1958, a year in which, following a beaning during the spring that caused him headaches, he also hit .269 with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. His batting average came back up to .311 in 1959 along with 36 home runs and 125 RBIs. Robinson’s tendency to slide hard into bases, which often resulted in his spiking opposing fielders, led to a notable brawl against the Braves when he slid hard into third baseman Ed Mathews. Despite several nagging injuries he went on to hit .297 for the year along with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs and a league-leading .595 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was arrested for pulling a gun on a short order cook who had refused to serve him, which led to a fine. Shifted to right field in 1961, Robinson had another big year at the plate for the pennant-winning Reds, batting .323 with 37 home runs and 124 RBIs, and, previously prone to being an introvert, he also provided fiery team leadership. He was voted the National League MVP for his performance. Robinson followed up with another outstanding season in 1962, topping the NL in slugging percentage for the third straight year at .624. He also paced the circuit with 134 runs scored and 51 doubles. In addition, he hit .342 with 39 home runs and 136 RBIs and placed fourth in league MVP balloting. Nagging injuries led to a down year in 1963 as Robinson was limited to 140 games and batted .259 with 21 home runs and 91 RBIs. He furthermore expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s front office. Robinson rebounded with the contending Reds in 1964, hitting .306 with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs and finishing fourth in MVP voting. He was still solid in 1965, batting .296 with 33 home runs and 113 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in a blockbuster transaction in which Cincinnati received three players, the most significant being RHP Milt Pappas.

 

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

RF – 133, LF – 22, 1B – 3, PH – 1

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 680 [8, tied with Carl Yastrzemski]

At Bats – 576 [15]

Runs – 122 [1]

Hits – 182 [2, tied with Luis Aparicio]

Doubles – 34 [3]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 49 [1]

RBI – 122 [1]

Bases on Balls – 87 [3]

Int. BB – 11 [4, tied with Brooks Robinson]

Strikeouts – 90 [18]

Stolen Bases – 8

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .316 [1]

OBP - .410 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .637 [1]

Total Bases – 367 [1]

GDP – 24 [3]

Hit By Pitches – 10 [2, tied with Tommie Agee & Fred Valentine]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [1, tied with six others]

 

League-leading runs scored were +23 ahead of runner-up Tony Oliva

League-leading home runs were +10 ahead of runner-up Harmon Killebrew

League-leading RBIs were +12 ahead of runner-up Harmon Killebrew

League-leading batting average was +.009 ahead of runner-up Tony Oliva

League-leading OBP was +.018 ahead of runner-up Al Kaline

League-leading slugging percentage was +.099 ahead of runner-up Harmon Killebrew

League-leading total bases were +55 ahead of runner-up Tony Oliva

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 21, RBI – 56, AVG – .312., SLG – .591

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) vs. Washington 6/7 – 12 innings, (in 5 AB) at California 6/26, (in 4 AB) vs. Detroit 7/21, (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 8/31

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 2 on seven occasions

HR at home – 27

HR on road – 22

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Detroit 7/19, vs. California 9/19

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 RBI

 

Fielding

Chances – 262

Put Outs – 254

Assists – 4

Errors – 4

DP – 0

Pct. - .985

 

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. LA Dodgers)

PA – 16, AB – 14, R – 4, H – 4, 2B – 0,3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 3, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .286, OBP - .375, SLG -.857, TB – 12, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0 World Series MVP

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL in LF)

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Frank Robinson, Balt.: 280 pts. – 20 of 20 first place votes, 100% share

Brooks Robinson, Balt.: 153 pts. – 55% share

Boog Powell, Balt.: 122 pts.  – 44% share

Harmon Killebrew, Min.: 96 pts. – 34% share

Jim Kaat, Min.: 84 pts. – 30% share

 

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Orioles went 97-63 to win the AL pennant by 9 games over the Minnesota Twins while leading the league in runs scored (755), hits (1426), doubles (243), RBIs (703), batting (.258), on-base percentage (.324), slugging (.409), and total bases (2264). With Robinson’s Triple Crown-winning bat and outstanding leadership, the Orioles cruised to the pennant. The top fielding club as well as the best batting squad, Baltimore also featured the AL’s best bullpen. Won World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 0, in a Series dominated by Baltimore’s pitching.

 

Aftermath of ‘66:

The Orioles dropped in the standings in 1967 and Robinson missed several weeks following a collision with second baseman Al Weis of the White Sox, which caused a concussion and ensuing double vision. He still ended up batting .311 with 30 home runs and 94 RBIs while appearing in 129 games. Hindered by injuries and illness in 1968, he hit only .268 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. In the offseason he managed in the Puerto Rican Winter League, setting the stage for his post-playing career. 1969 marked the beginning of divisional play in major league baseball and the Orioles topped the new AL East. Robinson contributed 32 home runs, 100 RBIs, a .308 batting average, and outstanding leadership. He hit two more home runs in the postseason which ended with Baltimore losing to the upstart New York Mets. The Orioles again won the AL East in 1970 and this time won the World Series. Robinson batted .306 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. Baltimore made it three straight pennants in 1971 and Robinson hit .281 with 28 home runs and 99 RBIs. It proved to be the end of the road for him as an Oriole. In the offseason he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a six-player trade. He batted .251 in an injury-plagued season in 1972 with 19 home runs and 59 RBIs over 103 games. He was traded once again in the offseason, this time to nearby Anaheim and the California Angels, which reunited him with former Baltimore GM Harry Dalton. The once-outstanding outfielder was primarily utilized as a Designated Hitter in 1973 and batted .266 with 30 home runs and 97 RBIs. He had a lesser season in 1974 in which he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians in September. Overall, he hit .245 with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs. In the offseason he was named manager of the Indians, becoming the first African-American manager in AL/NL history. He finished his playing career in 1975 and ’76 as a player/manager for the Indians. He played rarely and almost exclusively as a DH or pinch-hitter. For his major league career, Robinson batted .294 with 2943 hits that included 528 doubles, 72 triples, and 586 home runs. He further scored 1829 runs and compiled 1812 RBIs and 204 stolen bases. He was hit by pitches 198 times, a category which he led either the NL or AL seven times. A 14-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Robinson finished in the Top 10 in MVP voting eleven times. With the Orioles he batted .300 with 882 hits, 143doubles, 18 triples, 179home runs, 545 RBIs, 555 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases. Appearing in 35 postseason games, he hit .238 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs. The Reds, Orioles, and Indians retired Robinson’s #20 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. In addition to the Indians, Robinson managed the Giants, Orioles, and Expos/Nationals, his teams compiling a record of 1065-1176. He was an assistant general manager for the Orioles and major league baseball’s Vice-President of On-Field Operations from 1999-2002. The Reds further honored him with a statue at Great American Ballpark and induction into their team Hall of Fame. The Orioles honored him in similar fashion. Robinson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. He died at age 83 in 2019.

 

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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: Dale Murphy, 1982

Outfielder, Atlanta Braves

Age:  26

6^th season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 210

 

Prior to 1982:

A native of Portland, Oregon, Murphy was a catcher in high school who batted .465 as a senior. Tall, fast, and with impressive power potential, he was chosen by the Braves fifth overall in the 1974 amateur draft, passing up on Arizona State to turn pro. Initially assigned to Kingsport of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, he hit .254 in 54 games with 5 home runs and 31 RBIs. Moving on to Greenwood of the Class A Western Carolinas League in 1975, Murphy batted .228 with 5 home runs and 48 RBIs. He converted to Mormonism after the season which fit his puritanical values. With Savannah of the Class AA Southern League in 1976 he hit .267 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs before moving on to Richmond of the Class AAA International League, where he batted .260 in 18 games, prior to receiving a late-season call-up to the Braves. He started 17 games at catcher and hit .262. Back with Richmond in 1977, Murphy’s batting improved to .305 with 22 home runs and 90 RBIs. His defense went bad as his strong throwing arm proved to be erratic from behind the plate. He received a trial at first base before receiving another September call-up to the Braves where he was utilized as a catcher. He stuck with the Braves in 1978 as a first baseman, where his throwing problems persisted. Murphy hit .226 with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs while leading the NL in batter strikeouts with 145. He was hindered by a knee injury that required surgery in 1979 but, appearing in 104 games and helped by a hot start at the plate, his batting average improved to .276 along with 21 home runs and 57 RBIs. He started the season at catcher and was back at first base following his return to the lineup. Murphy had a new position in 1980, thanks to the acquisition of veteran first baseman Chris Chambliss. Shifted to center field, he adapted well and was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .281 with 33 home runs and 89 RBIs. Murphy’s production dropped off during the strike-interrupted 1981 season to .247 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs. The soft-spoken, clean-living, and even-tempered center fielder was very much a player on the rise by 1982, although his disappointing 1981 performance led to a pay cut with many incentives added to his contract.

 

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 162 games

CF – 115, LF – 66, RF – 10, PH – 1

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 698 [8]

At Bats – 598 [16]

Runs – 113 [2]

Hits – 168 [19, tied with Leon Durham]

Doubles – 23

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 36 [2]

RBI – 109 [1, tied with Al Oliver]

Bases on Balls – 93 [4]

Int. BB – 9

Strikeouts – 134 [2]

Stolen Bases – 23

Caught Stealing – 11 [19, tied with four others]

Average - .281

OBP - .378 [10, tied with Pedro Guerrero]

Slugging Pct. - .507 [7]

Total Bases – 303 [3, tied with Andre Dawson]

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 23, RBI – 62, AVG – .285, SLG – .551

 

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/16 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 24

HR on road – 12

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 5/13, (in 4 AB) vs. San Diego 7/29

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. St. Louis 5/13, vs. NY Mets 8/22

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 2B

 

Fielding

Chances – 422

Put Outs – 407

Assists – 6

Errors – 9

DP – 2

Pct. - .979

 

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLCS vs. St. Louis)

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

 

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for NL in RF)

 

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Dale Murphy, Atl.: 283 pts. - 14 of 24 first place votes, 84% share

Lonnie Smith, StL.: 218 pts. – 8 first place votes, 65% share

Pedro Guerrero, LAD: 175 pts. – 52% share

Al Oliver, Mon.: 175 pts. – 52% share

Bruce Sutter, StL.: 134 pts. – 2 first place votes, 40% share

 

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Braves went 89-73 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 1 game over the Los Angeles Dodgers, while leading the league in runs scored (739) and home runs (146). The Braves got off to a 13-0 start and despite a midseason slump, went on to hold off the Dodgers in the final week to win their first division title since 1969. Lost NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 3 games to 0.

 

Aftermath of ‘82:

Murphy had another MVP season in 1983, batting .302 with 36 home runs while leading the NL in RBIs (121) and slugging percentage (.540). “The Murph” was solid again in 1984, hitting .290 with 100 RBIs and tying for the league lead in home runs with 36 while again pacing the circuit in slugging percentage (.547). He placed ninth in league MVP voting. While the Braves were sinking in the standings, Murphy continued his strong production in 1985, leading the NL in runs scored (118), home runs (37), and walks drawn (90), as well as batter strikeouts (141), while batting .300 with 111 RBIs and a .388 on-base percentage. He remained a Gold Glove performer in center field and finished seventh in MVP voting. In 1986, he hit .265 with 29 home runs and 83 RBIs. He slumped badly in July as Atlanta toppled out of contention and sat out a game, closing out a 740-consecutive games streak. Murphy had one last big year in 1987, batting .295 with 44 home runs and 105 RBIs. He was shifted to right field and remained an All-Star who finished eleventh in league MVP balloting. With a 106-loss, last-place club in 1988, his production dropped off to .226 with 24 home runs and 77 RBIs. Murphy’s situation was no better in 1989 as he batted .228 with 20 home runs and 84 RBIs. He lasted 97 more games with the Braves in 1990 and was hitting .232 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs when he was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies in August as part of a five-player trade. The Phillies signed him to a two-year contract following his arrival and he improved to .266 with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs in the last 57 games of the season. His 1991 production was .252 with 18 home runs and 81 RBIs. Limited to 18 games by injury in 1992, Murphy failed to make the team in 1993. He finished his career with the expansion Colorado Rockies, where he played in 26 games and hit .143 before calling it quits. For his major league career, Murphy batted .265 with 2111 hits that included 350 doubles, 39 triples, and 398 home runs. He scored 1197 runs and compiled 1266 RBIs and a .346 OBP. With the Braves he posted a .268 average with 1901 hits, 1103 runs scored, 306 doubles, 37 triples, 371 home runs, 1143 RBI, and a .351 OBP. The 1982 NLCS marked his only postseason appearance. A seven-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner as well as a two-time MVP, the Braves retired his #3. An outspoken critic of steroid users after his playing days, Murphy created an organization called I Don’t Cheat that warns young athletes against using performance-enhancing drugs. He has also been involved in charity work.   

 

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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.