Rookie of the Year: Tony Kubek, 1957

Shortstop/Outfielder/Third Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  21

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190

 

Prior to 1957:

A Milwaukee native, Kubek was the son of a minor league outfielder. He excelled in football, basketball, and track at Bay View High School, which dropped baseball after his freshman year. Playing in sandlot leagues, he drew attention from scouts and signed with the Yankees for a $1500 bonus after completing high school in 1954. He attended manager Casey Stengel’s instructional school for top prospects prior to spring training for the next three years while advancing through the minor leagues. Starting out with Owensboro of the Class D Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee (or Kitty) League in ’54 he played shortstop and batted .344. Advancing to Quincy of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1955, he hit .334 with 14 home runs and was promoted to Denver of the Class AAA American Association for seven games. He remained at Denver in 1956 and batted .331 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 6 home runs, and 85 RBIs. Ready for the Yankees, but blocked by Gil McDougald at shortstop, Kubek made the club for 1957 while manager Stengel utilized him in the outfield as well as at short and third base.

 

1957 Season Summary

Appeared in 127 games

SS – 41, 3B – 38, LF – 31, CF – 22, 2B – 1, PH – 8, PR – 3

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 475

At Bats – 431

Runs – 56

Hits – 128

Doubles – 21

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 3

RBI – 39

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 48

Stolen Bases – 6 [17, tied with Joe DeMaestri & Jim Busby]

Caught Stealing – 6 [10, tied with six others]

Average - .297 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .335 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .381

Total Bases – 164

GDP – 4

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 13 [3]

Sac Flies – 4

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 7, HR - 1, RBI - 12, AVG - .296., OBP - .325

 

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 7/23

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 5 AB) at Detroit 5/1, (in 6 AB) at Detroit 7/16 – 10 innings, (in 4 AB) vs. KC A’s 9/15

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Boston 5/27

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 8 (.125)

 

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 188

Put Outs – 74

Assists – 108

Errors – 6

DP - 26

Pct. - .968

 

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Milwaukee Braves)

PA – 29, AB – 28, R – 4, H – 8, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 4, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .286, OBP - .286, SLG -.500, TB – 14, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

26^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Bobby Shantz, NYY (1 point, 0% share)

 

AL ROY Voting :

Tony Kubek, NYY: 23 of 24 votes, 96% share

Frank Malzone, Bos.: 1 vote, 4% share

 

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Yankees went 98-56 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Chicago White Sox, while leading the league in runs scored (723), hits (1412), triples (54), batting (.268), slugging (.409), and total bases (2155). Benefiting from solid hitting led by CF Mickey Mantle and the addition of the versatile Kubek, as well as excellent pitching, the Yankees won their third straight AL pennant. They lost the World Series to the Milwaukee Braves, 4 games to 3, as Milwaukee RHP Lew Burdette won all three of his starts.

 

Aftermath of ‘57:

Kubek took over as the starting shortstop in 1958 and dealt with injuries on his way to being selected as an All-Star and batting .265. The Yankees won the pennant and the World Series, after which Kubek was inducted into the US Army Reserve. Discharged prior to the 1959 season, he split time at shortstop, third base, and the outfield while hitting .279 during a disappointing year for the Yanks. Back primarily at shortstop in 1960, he batted .273 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs. The Yankees returned to the top of the American League. In the World Series against Pittsburgh, Kubek hit well, but in the eighth inning of the climactic Game 7, he was struck in the throat by a ground ball that took a bad hop, thus deterring a likely double play and sending Kubek to the hospital, which opened the door for a Pirate rally and eventual walk-off victory. The club repeated under new manager Ralph Houk in 1961, and Kubek contributed a .276 average along with 38 doubles, 6 triples, 8 home runs, and 46 RBIs. He hit only .227 in the World Series against Cincinnati, but it was inconsequential as the Bronx Bombers won in five games. Recalled to active military service in November, with the expectation that he would miss the 1962 season, he returned to baseball in August and hit .314 in 45 games while performing ably at short. He added eight hits in the seven-game World Series triumph over the San Francisco Giants. With good range in the field and having overcome an early issue with throwing inaccurately to first base, Kubek had developed into a dependable defensive contributor. In 1963, he injured his back in spring training and, while still adroit in the field, his hitting dropped off to .257 for the season. Back and neck problems were an issue in 1964 and he batted .229 in 106 games, until a wrist injury finished him for the season, including the World Series. An injured shoulder in 1965 limited Kubek to 109 games and a .218 average with only 13 extra base hits. Diagnosed with nerve damage at the top of his spinal column in the offseason, Kubek retired at age 29. For his injury-shortened major league career, played entirely with the Yankees, he batted .266 with 1109 hits that included 178 doubles, 30 triples, and 57 home runs. He scored 522 runs and compiled 373 RBIs and 29 stolen bases and was a three-time All-Star. Appearing in 37 World Series games, he hit .240 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Following his playing career Kubek went into broadcasting for 24 years.

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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.