Cy Young Profile: John Smoltz, 1996

Pitcher, Atlanta Braves

 

Age:  29 (May 15)

9^th season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 210

Prior to 1996:

A Michigan native, Smoltz developed into a star pitcher at Lansing’s Waverly High School and participated in the 1985 Junior Olympics. Intending to attend Michigan State, he was a low-round selection of the Detroit Tigers in the 1985 amateur draft. Signing with the Tigers immediately prior to the college school year, he was initially assigned to Lakeland of the Class A Florida State League in 1986 where he went 7-8 with a 3.56 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 96 innings pitched. With Glens Falls of the Class AA Eastern League in 1987 he posted a 4-10 mark with a 5.68 ERA and 86 strikeouts, as well as 81 walks, over 130 innings. In August he was traded to the Braves as part of the deal that brought RHP Doyle Alexander to Detroit. Finishing the season with Richmond of the Class AAA International League, where he began receiving instruction from minor league pitching coach Leo Mazzone (who would go on to become his major league pitching coach), who was impressed with Smoltz’s mechanics. A hard, if not always accurate, thrower, he developed his curve and slider under Mazzone’s tutelage. With Richmond in 1988, he was 10-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 115 strikeouts when he was called up to the Braves in July. As one of seven rookies to pitch for the rebuilding Braves that year, he posted a 2-7 record with a 5.48 ERA. As part of a promising young pitching staff in 1989, Smoltz was an All-Star for the first time on his way to a 12-11 tally with a 2.94 ERA and 168 strikeouts. Atlanta was still a last-place club in 1990 as Smoltz went 14-11 with a 3.85 ERA and 170 strikeouts. In 1991 the Braves went from worst to first in the NL West and Smoltz overcame a poor first half to contribute a 14-13 record with a 3.80 ERA and 148 strikeouts. His shutout of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh game of the NLCS sent Atlanta to the World Series against Minnesota. Smoltz again started the seventh game but, although he pitched well, RHP Jack Morris of the Twins won in ten innings. As part of a starting rotation that included LHPs Tom Glavine, Steve Avery, and Charlie Leibrandt, as well as RHPs Mike Bielecki and Pete Smith, Smoltz and the Braves again topped the division in 1992 on the way to another pennant. He contributed a 15-12 mark with a 2.85 ERA and league-leading 215 strikeouts. He again beat Pittsburgh twice in the NLCS and was named series MVP and had a win in the World Series vs. Toronto, ultimately won by the Blue Jays. RHP Greg Maddux joined Atlanta in 1993, giving the Braves an extremely potent rotation. They again topped the NL West and Smoltz went 15-11 with a 3.62 ERA and 208 strikeouts. The club was defeated by the Phillies in the NLCS and Smoltz lost his lone start. 1994 was a down season for Smoltz, who was shut down prior to the season-ending strike due to elbow surgery. His record was 6-10 with a 4.14 ERA and 113 strikeouts over 134.2 innings. Returning to action in 1995, he posted a 12-7 mark with a 3.18 ERA and 193 strikeouts. The Braves finished atop the NL East and Smoltz had no decisions in three postseason starts while Atlanta achieved a World Series triumph over Cleveland.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [2, tied with four others]

Complete Games – 6 [2]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 8

PCT - .750 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [2, tied with six others]

Innings Pitched – 253.2 [1]

Hits – 199

Runs – 93

Earned Runs – 83

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 55

Strikeouts – 276 [1]

ERA – 2.94 [4]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 10 [8, tied with six others]

League-leading wins were +6 ahead of runner-up Andy Benes

League-leading win percentage was +.036 ahead of runner-up Ramon Martinez

League-leading innings pitched were +8.2 ahead of runner-up Greg Maddux

League-leading strikeouts were +42 ahead of runner-up Hideo Nomo

Midseason Snapshot: 14-4, ERA - 3.16, SO - 149 in 134 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 8 IP) at San Diego 4/14, (in 9 IP) at Chi. Cubs 5/29, (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 9/7

10+ strikeout games – 12

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 8 IP) at San Diego 4/14

Batting

PA – 98, AB – 78, R – 3, H – 17, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 12, BB – 3, SO – 26, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .218, GDP – 0, HBP – 1, SH – 15, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 55

Put Outs – 27

Assists – 27

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .982

Postseason Pitching: G – 5 (NLDS vs. LA Dodgers – 1 G; NLCS vs. St. Louis – 2 G; World Series vs. NY Yankees – 2 G)

GS – 5, CG – 0, Record – 4-1, PCT – .800, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 38, H – 22, R – 5, ER – 4, HR – 0, BB – 13, SO – 33, ERA – 0.95, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 2

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for NL)

11^th in NL MVP voting (33 points, 8% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

John Smoltz, Atl.: 136 pts. – 26 of 28 first place votes, 97% share

Kevin Brown, Fla.: 88 pts. – 2 first place votes, 63% share

Andy Benes, StL.: 9 pts. – 6% share

Hideo Nomo, LAD: 5 pts. – 4% share

Trevor Hoffman, SD: 4 pts. – 3% share

Greg Maddux, Atl.: 4 pts. – 3% share

Todd Worrell, LAD: 4 pts. – 3% share

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Braves went 96-66 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 8 games over the Montreal Expos. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (14), strikeouts (1245), and fewest walks (451). The Braves tarted fast and were 35-17, and 5 games up in the NL East, by the end of May. Surviving a September slump in which they suffered three three-game series sweeps, they finished strong against the Expos to clinch the division on Sept. 22. Won NLDS over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 0. Won NLCS over the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3, overcoming a 3-1 deficit as Smoltz pitched 7 shutout innings in the critical Game 5 blowout win. Lost World Series to the /New York Yankees, 4 games to 2, with Smoltz splitting his two decisions.

Aftermath of ‘96:

Following his 1996 Cy Young season, Smoltz signed a four-year contract extension with the Braves that averaged $7.75 million per year. He again led the NL in innings pitched in 1997 with 256. He produced a 15-12 record with a 3.02 ERA and 241 strikeouts. Atlanta again finished first in the NL East but lost to the Florida Marlins in the NLCS, in which Smoltz lost in his only start. Pitching in pain for most of the season, he had surgery on his elbow in the offseason. Despite two stints on the disabled list in 1998, “Smoltzie” still went 17-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 173 strikeouts. In 1999 he adjusted his delivery and had an 11-8 tally with a 3.19 ERA while pitching 186.1 innings. Major elbow surgery in 2000 cost Smoltz the entire season. He lasted five starts in 2001 before returning to the DL. Shifted to the bullpen, he became the closer and recorded 10 saves. Accepting a three-year, $30 million deal to return to Atlanta as the closer, Smoltz topped the NL with 55 saves in 2002. More dominant in 2003, his ERA was 1.12 while his save total was 45 in 49 tries. After saving 44 games in 2004, he returned to the rotation in 2005. Helped by his admirable conditioning and off-field habits, Smoltz pitched 229.2 innings in ’05 and went 14-7 with a 3.06 ERA and 169 strikeouts. In 2006 he tied for the league lead in wins with his 16-9 record while his ERA was 3.49 and he struck out 211 batters. Smoltz remained effective in 2007 with a 14-8 tally, 3.11 ERA, and 197 strikeouts. In 2008, shoulder pain that led to surgery in June limited Smoltz to six starts and a 3-2 record. The Braves allowed him to depart as a free agent at age 41 and in uncertain physical condition. He signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2009 and pitched poorly until his release in August. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, he finished out the year and was not invited to return in 2010, thus concluding his career. In the major leagues, he compiled a 213-155 record with a 3.33 ERA, 154 saves, and 3084 strikeouts in 3473 innings pitched. With the Braves he went 210-147 with a 3.26 ERA, all 154 saves, and 3011 strikeouts in 3395 innings. Appearing in 41 postseason games, 27 as a starting pitcher, he posted a 15-4 record with a 2.67 ERA, 4 saves, and 199 strikeouts over 209 innings. An eight-time All-Star, the Braves retired his #29 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, where he joined Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Smoltz went into broadcasting following his playing career.

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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: Barry Bonds, 2001

Outfielder, San Francisco Giants

 

Age:  37 (July 24)

9^th season with Giants

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185

Prior to 2001:

The son of major league outfielder Bobby Bonds was born in Riverside, California and hit .476 with 14 home runs as a senior at Junipero Serra High School where he also played football and basketball. Initially he was drafted as an amateur by the Giants in 1982 but rejected a $70,000 offer and instead attended Arizona State where he was criticized for being a rule-breaker with a poor attitude as well as lauded for outstanding all-around ability. Bonds was chosen by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 1985 amateur draft. He batted .299 with 13 home runs for Prince William of the Carolina League in ’85, moved up to Hawaii in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1986 but was called up to the Pirates after 44 games. He was inserted in center field and batted only.223 but showed flashes of future greatness with 16 home runs, 36 stolen bases, and 48 RBIs in 113 games. Bonds was shifted to left field in 1987 and improved to 25 home runs, 32 stolen bases, and 59 RBIs, and a .261 batting average. The numbers continued to rise over the next two seasons until he broke through with an MVP year in 1990 as Pittsburgh won the NL East. Bonds batted .301 with 33 home runs, 52 stolen bases, and a .301 batting average to go with his league-leading .565 slugging percentage. He was also selected to his first All-Star Game and received a Gold Glove for his play in left field. He finished second in NL MVP voting in 1991 following a season in which he batted .292 with 25 home runs, 43 stolen bases, and 116 RBIs. Pittsburgh again topped the NL East and fell in the NLCS while Bonds hit only .148. It was a similar situation in 1992 as Bonds batted .311 with 34 home runs, 39 stolen bases, and 103 RBIs in his final year with the Pirates. The club won a third straight NL East pennant and lost once more in the NLCS. In three NLCS appearances with the Pirates, Bonds hit only .191 in 20 games with one home run. Having garnered his second NL MVP award in three years he left the Pirates as a free agent and signed a six-year $43 million contract with the Giants. Bonds won his third MVP award in 1993 as the Giants contended and he led the NL with 46 home runs, 123 RBIs, a .458 on-base percentage, .677 slugging percentage, and 365 total bases to go along with a .336 batting average and 29 stolen bases. He continued to be a strong performer, gaining seven consecutive All-Star selections from 1992 through ’98 and six Gold Gloves during the same time span. The Giants reached the postseason only once during that period. Bonds became the second player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season in 1996 and regularly led the NL in walks and intentional walks. Following a 1998 season in which the home run race between Mark McGwire of St. Louis and Sammy Sosa of the Cubs drew headlines, Bonds (who homered 37 times that year) apparently turned to steroid use to improve his already impressive power-hitting. Initially this was problematic in that his 1999 season was limited to 102 games due to a torn triceps that required surgery. He came back with a 49-home run season in 2000.

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

LF – 143, DH – 6, PH – 5

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 664

At Bats – 476

Runs – 129 [3]

Hits – 156

Doubles – 32

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 73 [1]

RBI – 137 [4]

Bases on Balls – 177 [1]

Int. BB – 35 [2]

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 13

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .328 [7, tied with Sammy Sosa]

OBP - .515 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .863 [1]

Total Bases – 411 [3]

GDP – 5

Hit by Pitches – 9

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

League-leading home runs were +9 ahead of runner-up Sammy Sosa

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +61 ahead of runner-up Sammy Sosa

League-leading OBP was +.066 ahead of runner-up Larry Walker

League-leading slugging percentage was +.126 ahead of runner-up Sammy Sosa

Midseason snapshot: HR – 39, RBI - 73, AVG - .305, SLG – .826, OBP – .487

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Atlanta 5/19

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 37

HR on road – 36

Most home runs, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Atlanta 5/19, (in 5 AB) at Colorado 9/9

Multi-HR games – 10

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Arizona 7/26, at Colorado 9/9

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 5 (.400) with 1 HR & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances - 260

Put Outs – 246

Assists – 8

Errors – 6

DP – 1

Pct. - .977

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for NL in LF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Barry Bonds, SF: 438 pts. - 30 of 32 first place votes, 98% share

Sammy Sosa, ChiC.: 278 pts. – 2 first place votes, 62% share

Luis Gonzalez, Ariz.: 261 pts. – 58% share

Albert Pujols, StL.: 222 pts. – 50% share

Lance Berkman, Hou.:125 pts. – 28% share

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Giants went 90-72 to finish second in the NL Western Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Arizona Diamondbacks while leading the league in home runs (235). A half-game out of first place on July 29, the Giants stayed close but ultimately fell short.

Aftermath of ‘01:

In the offseason, Bonds was signed to a five-year $90 million deal by the Giants despite being 37 years old. Bonds batted a league-leading .370 in 2002, and also led the NL in walks drawn (198), OBP (.582), and slugging percentage (.799), while also hitting 46 home runs and compiling 110 RBIs. The Giants reached the postseason and he finally got to play in a World Series and hit .471 with four home runs in a losing cause against the Angels. He was the NL MVP a total of seven times, the last in 2004. His career, which became plagued by injuries in its late stages finally came to an end in 2007. Overall, Bonds hit a major league record 762 home runs, 586 of which were compiled as a member of the Giants. He stole 514 bases, 263 with San Francisco, and knocked in 1996 runs, 1440 as a Giant, and batted .298, .312 with San Francisco. He walked 2558 times, 688 intentionally, which are all-time major league records, as well as his single-season highs of 232 total walks and 120 intentional walks in 2004. A 14-time All-Star, the lingering suspicions regarding performance enhancing drugs have thus far kept him from election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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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: Willie McGee, 1985

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

 

Age:  26

4^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1985:

A California native, McGee developed a passion for baseball early on. From a deeply religious family, and shy and sensitive as a youth, he starred at Henry Ells High School in Richmond where he batted .408 as a senior and received All-Northern California Baseball Team recognition. Selected by the White Sox in the 1976 amateur draft, McGee instead enrolled at Diablo Valley College from where he was chosen by the New York Yankees in the 1977 secondary draft. After playing for Diablo Valley in the spring he signed with the Yankees for $7500. Assigned to Oneanta of the short-season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League, McGee hit .236 with nine extra base hits in 65 games. Naturally a right-handed batter, he began to switch-hit in 1978 with Fort Lauderdale of the Class A Florida State League and hit .251 with little power, although his on-base percentage improved to .331 thanks to drawing 50 walks. He opened 1979 with West Haven of the Class AA Eastern League and, suffering from a foot injury and struggling to hit curveballs, he was sent back to Fort Lauderdale where he batted .318 with a .378 OBP and stole 16 bases in 46 games. Back in Class AA in 1980 with the Nashville Sounds of the Southern League, he broke his jaw in a collision with a teammate but hit .283 in 78 games. The Yankees had a glut of outfielders entering 1981 and McGee returned to Nashville where a hip injury sidelined him for five weeks, derailing a strong start to the season, and he ended up batting .322 in 100 games with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and 63 RBIs. In the offseason the Yankees traded McGee to the Cardinals for nondescript LHP Bob Sykes. Impressive during spring training in 1982, he started the season with Louisville of the Class AAA American Association but was called up to St. Louis in May because the Cards had a need for a center fielder. He quickly moved into the lineup and played well in the field while hitting .296 with 24 extra-base hits, 56 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. St. Louis won the NL East title. In the NLCS sweep of the Atlanta Braves, McGee stopped at third base for a triple which could easily have been an inside-the-park home run in Game 1 and misplayed a ball in Game 2 which was scored a single and three-base error as Atlanta shortstop Rafael Ramirez circled the bases. The mistakes didn’t cost the Cardinals, who advanced to the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. In the Cards’ Game 3 win, McGee hit two home runs and made a spectacular catch in center field. He also expressed annoyance with the media giving him the tag “E.T.” due to a perception that he resembled the movie character. The Cardinals defeated the Brewers in seven games helped along by McGee’s two home runs, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. He finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. The team had a lesser season in 1983 but the second-year centerfielder was an All-Star for the first time as he hit .286 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 5 home runs, and 75 RBIs while stealing 39 bases. He also received a Gold Glove for his defensive play. The Cardinals led the NL with a club record 220 stolen bases in 1984 and McGee contributed 43 while also batting .291 with 11 triples, 6 home runs, 82 runs scored, and 50 RBIs.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

CF – 146, PH – 4, LF – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 652 [13, tied with Hubie Brooks & Johnny Ray]

At Bats – 612 [7]

Runs – 114 [3]

Hits – 216 [1]

Doubles – 26

Triples – 18 [1]

Home Runs – 10

RBI – 82 [16]

Bases on Balls – 34

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 86

Stolen Bases – 56 [3]

Caught Stealing – 16 [3]

Average - .353 [1]

OBP - .384 [6, tied with Keith Hernandez]

Slugging Pct. - .503 [7]

Total Bases – 308 [3]

GDP – 3

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 5 [18, tied with thirteen others]

League-leading hits were +18 ahead of runner-up Dave Parker

League-leading triples were +5 ahead of runners-up Juan Samuel & Tim Raines

League-leading batting average was +.033 ahead of runners-up Tim Raines & Pedro Guerrero

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 10, HR – 3, SB – 36, RBI – 39, AVG - .339, SLG – .472, OBP - .369

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/30

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on ten occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Atlanta 5/20

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 4 (.500) with 1 R

Fielding

Chances – 402

Put Outs – 382

Assists – 11

Errors – 9

DP - 2

Pct. - .978

Postseason Batting: 13 G (NLCS vs. LA Dodgers – 6 G; World Series vs. KC Royals – 7 G)

PA – 57, AB – 53, R – 8, H – 14, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 5, BB – 4, IBB – 1, SO – 9, SB – 3, CS – 5, AVG - .264, OBP - .316, SLG - .377, TB – 20, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Willie McGee, StL.: 280 pts. - 14 of 24 first place votes, 83% share

Dave Parker, Cin.: 220 pts. – 6 first place votes, 65% share

Pedro Guerrero, LAD: 208 pts. – 3 first place votes, 62% share

Dwight Gooden, NYM: 162 pts. – 1 first place vote, 48% share

Tom Herr, StL.: 119 pts. – 35% share

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Cardinals went 101-61 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 3 games over the New York Mets while leading the league in runs scored (747), triples (59), RBIs (687), stolen bases (314), walks drawn (586), batting (.264), and on-base percentage (.335). The Cardinals battled the Mets into September when a 14-1 stretch put them in a position to maintain control of the NL East. Won NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2. Lost World Series to the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 3, after leading by 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Leg injuries hindered McGee in 1986, limiting him to 124 games in which he batted .256, although he still received a Gold Glove for his play in center field. In the offseason he had arthroscopic knee surgery. The Cardinals returned to the top of the NL East in 1987 and McGee returned to form as he hit .285 with 37 doubles, 11 triples, 11 home runs, and 105 RBIs. He hit .308 in the seven-game NLCS win over the Giants and .370 with 10 hits and 4 RBIs in a seven-game World Series loss to Minnesota. The Cardinals re-signed him for three years and $4.1 million in the offseason. The club wasn’t as productive offensively in 1988 on the way to a fifth-place finish, but McGee batted a solid .292 although with his RBI total dropping to 50. He stole 41 bases after being less active on the basepaths in 1986 and ’87. In an injury-riddled 1989 season he played in only 58 games and hit .236 with 17 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. Rebounding in 1990 with a team that was heading toward a last-place finish, McGee was hitting .335 when he was traded to Oakland in late August. He batted .274 in 29 games in the American League, but his .335 National League average remained high enough to win another batting championship. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the San Francisco Giants for four years and $13 million. He hit a solid .312 for the Giants in 1991, with 30 doubles, a .357 OBP, and 67 runs scored. McGee hit .297 in 1992 and .301 in ’93. Still dependable at bat although lacking his former speed, he reached the end of the line with the Giants during the 1994 season. Sidelined in June by a torn Achilles tendon that required surgery he was released in the offseason. He caught on with the Boston Red Sox in June of 1995. After a brief minor league stint, McGee joined the Red Sox and appeared in 67 games in which he hit .285. He returned to the Cardinals in 1996, where he remained for four seasons as a popular veteran leader with a potent bat, retiring following the 1999 season at age 40. For his major league career, he batted .295 with 2254 hits that included 350 doubles, 94 triples, and 79 home runs. He scored 1010 runs and compiled 856 RBIs and 352 stolen bases. His OBP was .333 and he had a .396 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals, McGee batted .294 with 1683 hits, 255 doubles, 83 triples, 63 home runs, 678 RBIs, 760 runs scored, 301 stolen bases, a .329 OBP, and .400 slugging percentage. Appearing in 54 postseason games, McGee hit .276 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, and 23 RBIs. A two-time batting champion, he was a four-time All-Star, and won three Gold Gloves. McGee was elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014. He has served the organization as an assistant to the general manager and as a coach.

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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: Roy Halladay, 2010

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

 

Age:  33 (May 14)

1^st season with Phillies

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’6”    Weight: 225

Prior to 2010:

A native of Colorado, Halladay played baseball at the Little League, Babe Ruth, and American Legion levels while growing up. Coached in pitching by Bus Campbell, a long-time youth instructor in the Denver area, he was highly successful at Arvada West High School, producing a 26-2 record that included two no-hitters. Halladay was also second-team All-State in basketball. He was chosen by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round of the 1995 amateur draft and signed for $895,000. Halladay was first assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and produced a 3-5 record with a 3.40 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 50.1 innings pitched. Moving on to Dunedin of the advanced Class A Florida State League in 1996 he started 27 games and went 15-7 with a 2.73 ERA and 109 strikeouts. He also added a change-up to his pitching repertoire along with his fastball. Halladay spent 1997 with Knoxville of the Class AA Southern League and Syracuse of the Class AAA International League, compiling a 9-13 overall record with a 4.77 ERA and 94 strikeouts. Back with Syracuse in 1998 he missed a month due to a strained pitching shoulder but still finished with a 9-5 record and 3.79 ERA. Earning a September call-up to the Blue Jays, he started two games and won one of them in which he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Detroit before giving up a two-out home run and still completed the 2-1 win. Utilized as both a starter and reliever in 1999 Halladay pitched 149.1 innings and was 8-7 with a 3.92 ERA and a save and 82 strikeouts. He encountered difficulties in 2000 which had him going back-and-forth between Toronto and Syracuse. With the Blue Jays he started 13 of his 19 games and compiled a 4-7 record with an ungainly 10.64 ERA. He was demoted back to Class A Dunedin to start the 2001 season and at Class AA Tennessee he worked on his mechanics and delivery and went 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA in five games. Moving back up to Syracuse, Halladay appeared in two games before returning to the Blue Jays in July. Over the remainder of the season he produced a 5-3 record with a 3.16 ERA and 96 strikeouts over 105.1 innings pitched. Halladay broke out in 2002 with a 19-7 tally and 2.93 ERA while striking out 168 batters over the course of a league-leading 239.1 innings pitched. With a strong sinker to go along with his cutter and curve Halladay was effective at generating ground ball outs. Furthermore, he was christened with the nickname “Doc” after the legendary Wild West figure Doc Holliday. In 2003 he topped the AL with his 22-7 mark, 9 complete games, and 266 innings pitched, while also compiling a 3.25 ERA and 204 strikeouts. As a result, he received the AL Cy Young Award. Halladay was hampered by a sore shoulder in 2004 and dropped to 8-8 with a 4.20 ERA. His performance was stronger in 2005 until a leg fracture ended his season in July. He finished with a 12-4 tally and 2.41 ERA and his five complete games still ended up leading the AL. He had already been named to the AL All-Star team as well. Back healthy in 2006 Halladay was again an All-Star on his way to a 16-5 record, which gave him a league-leading .762 winning percentage, with a 3.19 ERA and 132 strikeouts over 220 innings pitched. 2007 was another strong year for Halladay in which he was 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA and league-leading 7 complete games while pitching 225.1 innings and accumulating 139 strikeouts. In 2008 he was a 20-game winner with a 20-11 record and 2.78 ERA, also topping the AL in innings pitched (246) and complete games (9). He struck out 206 batters and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting in addition to being an All-Star. Halladay had another outstanding season in 2009 amid trade rumors due to Toronto’s recent lack of success on the field and at the gate and the pitcher being a year away from free agency. He finished the season with the Blue Jays and was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA and a league-leading 9 complete games and 4 shutouts. Following the season Halladay was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for three players and his new club extended his contract through 2013.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [6, tied with fifteen others]

Complete Games – 9 [1]

Wins – 21 [1]

Losses – 10

PCT - .677 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [1]

Innings Pitched – 250.2 [1]

Hits – 231 [1]

Runs – 74

Earned Runs – 68

Home Runs – 24 [12, tied with Ricky Nolasco & Wade LeBlanc]

Bases on Balls – 30

Strikeouts – 219 [2]

ERA – 2.44 [3]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 1 [19, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading complete games were +4 ahead of runner-up Adam Wainwright

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Adam Wainwright

League-leading shutouts were +2 ahead of six runners-up

League-leading innings pitched were +15.2 ahead of runner-up Chris Carpenter

League-leading hits allowed were +3 ahead of runner-up Paul Maholm

 

Midseason Snapshot: 10-7, ERA – 2.19, SO – 128 in 148 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) at Florida 5/29

10+ strikeout games – 3

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 9 IP) at Florida 5/29 (Perfect Game with 11 strikeouts. Phillies won 1-0)

Batting

Chances – 57

Put Outs – 16

Assists – 40

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .982

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (NLDS vs. Cincinnati – 1; NLCS vs. San Francisco – 2)

GS – 3, CG – 1, Record – 2-1, PCT – .667, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 22, H – 14, R – 6, ER – 6, HR – 2, BB – 3, SO – 20, ERA – 2.45, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0  (No-hitter in NLDS Game 1 with 1 BB & 8 strikeouts. Phillies won 4-0)

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

6^th in NL MVP voting (130 points, 29% share)

NL Cy Young voting (top 5):

Roy Halladay, Phila.: 224 pts. – 32 of 32 first place votes, 100% share

Adam Wainwright, StL.: 122 pts. – 54% share

Ubaldo Jimenez, Col.: 90 pts. – 40% share

Tim Hudson, Atl.: 39 pts. – 17% share

Josh Johnson, Fla.: 34 pts. – 15% share

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Phillies went 97-65 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 6 games over the Atlanta Braves. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (14), shutouts (21), and fewest walks issued (416). The Phillies who were 26-15 on May 15, fell off the pace over the next two months before recovering in July to finish at 49-19 and win their fourth straight NL East title. Won NLDS over the Cincinnati Reds, 3 games to 0, highlighted by Halladay’s no-hitter. Lost NLCS to the San Francisco Giants, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 2010:

Halladay was outstanding once again in 2011, compiling a 19-6 record with a 2.35 ERA and 220 strikeouts while again topping the league with 8 complete games. The Phillies once again finished first in the NL East but lost the NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals. Halladay was hindered by a sore back in 2012 and stumbled to an 11-8 tally with a 4.49 ERA and 132 strikeouts over the course of 156.1 innings pitched. Suffering from several injuries in 2013 Halladay started only 13 games and went 4-5 with a 6.82 ERA. It marked the end of his pitching career. Overall in the major leagues, he compiled a 203-105 record with a 3.38 ERA. 20 of his 67 complete games were shutouts. Halladay was 55-29 with the Phillies with a 3.25 ERA, 5 shutouts, and 622 strikeouts. He was an eight-time All-Star as well as two-time Cy Young Award-winner. He died in the crash of his amphibious airplane in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast in 2017 at age 40. The Blue Jays retired Halladay’s #32 and the Phillies named him to their Wall of Fame. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017. 

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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.  

 

Cy Young Profile: Jim “Catfish” Hunter, 1974

Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

Age:  28 (April 8)

10^th season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1974:

A native of rural Hertford, North Carolina, Hunter excelled in football and track as well as baseball at Perquimans County High School. He posted an 8-5 pitching record as a sophomore, followed by 13-1 on his way to a Class AA state championship as a junior. Hunter also pitched two no-hitters playing American Legion ball. He was accidentally shot in the right foot while hunting on Thanksgiving Day of his senior year in 1963, suffering broken bones while multiple pellets remained lodged in the foot. While there were doubts as to his athletic future, he returned to the baseball team in the spring where he shut out his first eight opponents, including a perfect game. He put together another 13-1 record and signed with the Kansas City Athletics for a $75,000 bonus. In an effort to promote his new signee, A’s owner Charlie Finley concocted the nickname “Catfish” (and an accompanying origin story), although his friends and family called him Jim or Jimmy. Finley arranged to send him to the Mayo Clinic to have more pellets and bone fragments removed from his foot. Bypassing the minors, the 19-year-old Hunter, with a fine fastball and curve supplemented by his competitive drive, showed off his potential in 1965 by going 8-8 with a 4.26 ERA in 32 appearances (20 of them starts). Lacking an overpowering fastball, he developed a slider and relied on control to challenge hitters. In 1966, he was an All-Star for the first time on his way to a 9-11 tally with a 4.02 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 176.2 innings pitched. Hunter continued his development in 1967 by turning in a 13-17 mark with a 2.81 ERA and 196 strikeouts. The club moved to Oakland in 1968 and Hunter continued to develop along with the rest of the young players on the club. His record was 13-13, which included a perfect game against Minnesota in which he also drove in three runs in his own cause. His ERA was 3.35 and he struck out 172 batters. The A’s created some excitement in 1969 before tailing off and finishing second in the new AL West and Hunter produced a 12-15 tally with a 3.35 ERA and 150 strikeouts. His record improved to 18-14 in 1970 with a 3.81 ERA and 178 strikeouts. The A’s topped the AL West in 1971 and Hunter contributed a 21-11 record and a 2.96 ERA with 181 strikeouts. His first taste of postseason action ended in defeat against the Orioles, who swept the ALCS. Oakland again won the division in 1972 and Hunter provided a 21-7 mark along with five shutouts, a 2.04 ERA, and 191 strikeouts. He placed fourth in AL Cy Young voting. In the World Series against Cincinnati, he won two games, including the decisive seventh thanks to 2.2 innings of relief. The success continued in 1973 as Hunter posted a 21-5 record with a 3.34 ERA and 124 strikeouts as the A’s again topped the AL West. He was excellent in the postseason as well, with two wins that included a shutout against Baltimore in the ALCS and a win in the World Series triumph over the Mets. Hunter signed a two-year contract extension with the A’s in the offseason which stipulated that half of his $100,000 per year should be placed in insurance annuities, a point that would come into contention with significant results.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 41 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 41

Games Started – 41 [2, tied with five others]

Complete Games – 23 [6]

Wins – 25 [1, tied with Ferguson Jenkins]

Losses – 12

PCT - .676 [3, tied with Ferguson Jenkins]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [2, tied with Ferguson Jenkins]

Innings Pitched – 318.1 [5]

Hits – 268 [11]

Runs – 97

Earned Runs – 88

Home Runs – 25 [8, tied with four others]

Bases on Balls – 46

Strikeouts – 143 [17]

ERA – 2.49 [1]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading ERA was +0.02 lower than of runner-up Gaylord Perry

Midseason Snapshot: 14-8, ERA - 2.62, SO - 73 in 185.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 8 IP) vs. Texas 4/14, (in 8.1 IP) at Milwaukee 8/28

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 7/9, (in 9 IP) vs. Milwaukee 8/20, (in 8 IP) at Cleveland 4/23

Fielding

Chances – 55

Put Outs – 25

Assists – 27

Errors – 3

DP – 1

Pct. - .945

Postseason Pitching: G – 4 (ALCS vs. Baltimore – 2G; World Series vs. LA Dodgers – 2 G)

GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 2-1, PCT – .667, SV – 1, ShO – 0, IP – 19.1, H – 16, R – 7, ER – 7, HR – 4, BB – 4, SO – 11, ERA – 3.26, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

6^th in AL MVP voting (107 points, 1 first place vote, 32% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jim Hunter, Oak.: 90 pts. – 12 of 24 first place votes, 75% share

Ferguson Jenkins, Tex.: 75 pts. – 10 first place votes, 63% share

Nolan Ryan, Cal.: 28 pts. – 1 first place vote, 23% share

Gaylord Perry, Clev.: 8 pts. – 1 first place vote, 7% share

Luis Tiant, Bos.: 8 pts. – 7% share

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A’s went 90-72 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 5 games over the Texas Rangers. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.95), fewest hits allowed (1322), fewest earned runs allowed (472), and fewest walks allowed (430). With Alvin Dark taking over as manager, the tempestuous and talented A’s relied on pitching and power hitting to lead the AL West from May 20 to the end of the season for their fourth straight division title. Won ALCS over the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1 and World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 1, to become the second team to win the World Series three years in succession.

Aftermath of ‘74:

During the ’74 season, Hunter’s attorney sent letters to A’s owner Charlie Finley requesting that he comply with the deferred compensation arrangement in the contract he signed prior to the season. Failing to receive a satisfactory response, the attorney turned to the Major League Players Association which took the position that Finley had violated the terms of the contract and that it should be terminated following the 1974 season. An arbitration panel agreed, and Hunter was declared to be a free agent. An unprecedented free-for-all erupted among the major league teams bidding for his services, which was won by the New York Yankees, who signed him for five years and $3.2 million.  In 1975, Hunter continued his winning ways with a 23-14 record and 2.58 ERA with 177 strikeouts and a league-leading 30 complete games and 328 innings pitched. He finished second in AL Cy Young voting. The Yankees won the AL East in 1976 although Hunter failed to extend his string of five 20-win seasons, posting a 17-15 tally with a 3.53 ERA and 173 strikeouts while pitching 298.2 innings and 21 complete games. He won a game against the Royals in the ALCS but lost his only World Series start as the Yanks were swept by Cincinnati. While New York won back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and ’78, Hunter appeared in a total of only 43 games with records of 9-9 and a 4.71 ERA in ’77 and 12-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 1978, due to shoulder fatigue and the effects of diabetes. He still showed flashes of his old form with a strong 6-0 stretch with a 1.64 ERA in August of ’78 and a World Series-clinching win against the Dodgers. He played one more season in 1979 and retired, as planned, to his 1000-acre farm in North Carolina. For his major league career, Hunter posted a 224-166 record with a 3.26 ERA, 181 complete games, 42 shutouts, and 2012 strikeouts over 3449.1 innings. Appearing in 22 postseason games, he produced a 9-6 tally with a 3.26 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 132.1 innings. His record with the Athletics was 161-113 with a 3.13 ERA, 116 complete games, 31 shutouts, and 1520 strikeouts in 2456.1 innings. An eight-time All-Star as well as five-time 20-game winner, Hunter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. The A’s retired his #27. An avid outdoorsman, he was also known for his humility and down-to-earth nature. Hunter died of ALS at the age of 53 in 1999.

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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.   

Cy Young Profile: Sparky Lyle, 1977

Pitcher, New York Yankees

 

Age:  33 (July 22)

6^th season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 182

Prior to 1977:

A Pennsylvania native, Albert Lyle, who obtained the nickname “Sparky” from his family, tried out for a local teen team at age 13 and was told that he didn’t throw hard enough to be a pitcher. At Reynoldsville-Sykesville High School, he starred in football and basketball and began pitching for an American Legion team in DuBois. Throwing primarily fastballs and curveballs, Lyle ran up high strikeout totals. Signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 1964 for $400 per month, he was initially assigned to Bluefield of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he pitched in seven games, four of them starts, and went 3-2 with a 4.36 ERA before finishing the year with Fox Cities of the Class A Midwest League, where in six starts he posted a 3-1 record and a 2.31 ERA with 51 strikeouts over 35 innings pitched. Drafted away from Baltimore by the Boston Red Sox in the offseason, Lyle spent 1965 with Winston-Salem of the Class A Carolina League, where for all but five of his 37 appearances, he was utilized as a reliever. Struggling with his control, he issued 55 walks and tossed 10 wild pitches over 87 innings and went 5-5 with a 4.24 ERA. Thanks to input he received from former Boston hitting great Ted Williams, Lyle worked on developing his slider, which became his best pitch. Advancing to Pittsfield of the Class AA Eastern League in 1966, he was almost exclusively a relief pitcher and over 40 appearances produced a 4-2 tally with a 3.65 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 74 innings. Lyle started the 1967 season with Toronto of the Class AAA International League and was 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 16 games when he was called up to the Red Sox in July. As Boston battled to a closely-won pennant, Lyle appeared in 27 games and went 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 5 saves, and 42 strikeouts over 43.1 innings. A sore arm kept him out of the World Series loss to St. Louis. As the club’s top lefthanded reliever in 1968, he posted a 6-1 tally and 11 saves with a 2.74 ERA while appearing in 49 games and striking out 52 batters over 65.2 innings. Lyle led the Red Sox with 17 saves in 1969, to go along with an 8-3 record and 2.54 ERA in 71 appearances. The save total rose to 20 in 1970, but otherwise Lyle had a lesser season with a 1-7 tally and 3.88 ERA in 63 appearances. 1971 started on a sour note when Lyle was fined $500 for showing up to spring training overweight. He went on to appear in 50 games and produced a 6-4 mark with 16 saves and a 2.75 ERA. In the spring of 1972 Lyle was traded to the Yankees for first baseman Danny Cater and shortstop prospect Mario Guerrero. He had an outstanding ’72 season, leading the AL with 35 saves to go along with a 9-5 record and 1.92 ERA in 59 appearances. He helped the Yankees to stay in contention until the season’s final week and placed third in league MVP balloting, while also being named AL Fireman of the Year by The Sporting News. Lyle continued to be the ace of the bullpen in 1973, recording 27 saves with a 2.51 ERA and 5-9 tally in 51 appearances. He was an All-Star for the first time. In 1974 his record was 9-3 with 15 saves and a 1.66 ERA in 66 appearances. In 1975 the numbers slipped to 6 saves and a 5-7 mark in 49 appearances, along with a 3.12 ERA. The Yankees compiled 70 complete games and only 20 saves in all (LHP Tippy Martinez topped the staff with 8). The Yanks won the AL East and the pennant in 1976 and Lyle contributed a league-leading 23 saves along with a 7-8 record and 2.26 ERA in 64 appearances, although his performance was less impressive down the stretch. With the club favored to repeat in 1977, Lyle was well established as a top relief pitcher.

1977 Season Summary

Appeared in 72 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 72 [1]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 13

Losses – 5

PCT - .722 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 26 [2]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 137

Hits – 131

Runs – 41

Earned Runs – 33

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 33

Strikeouts – 68

ERA – 2.17 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 10 [9, tied with Steve Stone & Tom Johnson]

League-leading games pitched were +1 ahead of runner-up Tom Johnson

Midseason Snapshot: 7-3, G – 41, ERA - 1.59, SV – 15, SO - 44 in 85 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 5 (in 4 IP) at Baltimore 4/27

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fielding

Chances – 26

Put Outs – 2

Assists – 22

Errors – 2

DP – 0

Pct. - .923

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. KC Royals – 4; World Series vs. LA Dodgers – 2)

G – 6, GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 3-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 14, H – 9, R – 2, ER – 2, HR – 1, BB – 0, SO – 5, ERA – 1.29, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

All-Star

6^th in AL MVP voting (79 points, 1 first place vote, 20% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 6):

Sparky Lyle, NYY: 56 pts. – 9 of 28 first place votes, 40% share

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 48 pts. – 6 first place votes, 34% share

Nolan Ryan, Cal.: 46 pts. – 6 first place votes, 33% share

Dennis Leonard, KCR: 45 pts. – 5 first place votes, 32% share

Bill Campbell, Bos.: 25 pts. – 1 first place vote, 18% share

Dave Goltz, Min.: 19 pts. – 1 first place vote, 14% share

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Yankees went 100-62 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 2.5 games over the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox. In a season filled with tumult, including a nationally-televised dugout confrontation in a game at Boston between manager Billy Martin and RF Reggie Jackson (the club’s most high profile free agent acquisition coming into the season), the Yankees stuck close to the top of the division until taking over first place for good on August 23 and finishing strong while the Orioles and Red Sox fell short. Won ALCS over the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 2. Won World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2, highlighted by Jackson’s three-home run performance in the decisive game.

Aftermath of ‘77:

The arrival of free agent RHP Rich Gossage in the offseason reduced Lyle’s role in 1978. Gossage took over as the bullpen closer and recorded 27 saves to Lyle’s 9. The frustrated Lyle appeared in 59 games and produced a 9-3 record and 3.47 ERA as the Yankees again won the World Series. In the offseason, he was traded to the Texas Rangers as part of a ten-player deal. As part of a Texas bullpen where RHP Jim Kern was the closer, Lyle appeared in 67 games and went 5-8 with 13 saves and a 3.13 ERA. He played most of 1980 with the Rangers until he was dealt to Philadelphia in September. Effective in 14 innings of action, he helped the Phillies wrap up the NL East title. Ineligible for the postseason that produced a World Series victory, Lyle returned to Philadelphia for the strike-interrupted 1981 season and went 9-6 with two saves and a 4.44 ERA in 48 appearances. He started 1982 with the Phillies and was sold to the Chicago White Sox in August. In what proved to be his last season, he pitched in a total of 45 games and produced a 3-3 tally (all with the Phils) and 3 saves with a 4.62 ERA. Released by the White Sox in the offseason he retired after having pitched in 899 major league games (all in relief) in which he compiled a 99-76 record with 238 saves and a 2.88 ERA with 873 strikeouts in 1390.1 innings. Appearing in 13 postseason games, Lyle was 3-0 with one save and 9 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched. With the Yankees he appeared in 420 games and went 57-40 with 141 saves, a 2.41 ERA, and 454 strikeouts over 745.2 innings pitched. Lyle was a three-time All-Star and twice led the American League in saves. In 1998 he became manager of the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League. The club won five league titles under his direction. A sculpture of Lyle and Patriots founding owner Steve Kalafer was placed outside the team’s home ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

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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. 

Cy Young Profile: Jim Perry, 1970

Pitcher, Minnesota Twins

Age:  34

8^th season with Twins (7^th complete)

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1970:

A native of Williamston, North Carolina, Perry pitched for his high school team and was eventually joined by younger brother Gaylord (who also went on to a long major league pitching career), who played third base and also pitched. Moving on to Campbell College, he was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1956. Assigned to North Platte of the Class D Nebraska State League he went 7-8 in his first taste of professional action with a 4.80 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched. Moving along to Fargo-Moorhead of the Class C Northern League in 1957 Perry improved to 15-12 with a 2.88 ERA and 150 strikeouts over 231 innings. His next stop was Reading of the Class A Eastern League in 1958, where he produced a 16-8 record and 2.79 ERA with 135 strikeouts. Invited to spring training with the Indians in 1959, he made the pitching staff and was used primarily as a reliever during the first half of the season on his way to a 12-10 tally with a 2.65 ERA, 4 saves, and 79 strikeouts in 153 innings pitched. He placed second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Fully in the starting rotation in 1960, Perry, who relied on a fastball, curve, and slider, tied for the league lead in wins with his 18-10 record. He also had a 3.62 ERA and 120 strikeouts while showing a tendency to give up home runs, leading the AL by allowing 35 homers. Although an All-Star in 1961, Perry suffered from inconsistency and his record dropped to 10-17 with a 4.71 ERA. He broke even at 12-12 with a 4.14 ERA in 1962. Back in the Cleveland bullpen at the start of 1963, he was dealt to the Twins in May and utilized primarily as a starter finished at 9-9 with a 3.83 ERA. Almost exclusively a reliever in 1964, Perry was 6-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 42 appearances. Working with new pitching coach Johnny Sain in 1965, he improved his fastball and curve and, when RHP Camilo Pascual was out for an extended period, Perry took his place in the rotation. For the year he appeared in 36 games, 19 of them starts, and compiled a 12-7 record with a 2.63 ERA. The Twins won the AL pennant and Perry made two relief appearances in the World Series loss to the Dodgers. Primarily a spot starter in 1966, he produced an 11-7 mark with a 2.54 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 184.1 innings. Sain departed for Detroit following the ’66 season, and Perry continued to be a starter/reliever in 1967 and ’68, posting an 8-7 tally with a 3.03 ERA in 37 appearances in ’67 and going 8-6 with a 2.27 ERA in 1968. In 1969, new manager Billy Martin put Perry in the rotation with good results, as he contributed a 20-6 record for the division-winning Twins along with a 2.82 ERA and 153 strikeouts. Another new manager, Bill Rigney, kept him in place as the ace of the staff in 1970. 

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 41 games

P – 40, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 40

Games Started – 40 [1, tied with four others]

Complete Games – 13 [7, tied with Chuck Dobson & Mickey Lolich]

Wins – 24 [1, tied with Mike Cuellar & Dave McNally]

Losses – 12

PCT - .667 [3, tied with Jim Palmer]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [3, tied with Mike Cuellar & Gary Peters]

Innings Pitched – 278.2 [5]

Hits – 258 [6]

Runs – 112 [11]

Earned Runs – 94 [15]

Home Runs – 20

Bases on Balls – 57

Strikeouts – 168 [10]

ERA – 3.04 [8, tied with Ray Culp]

Hit Batters – 9 [3, tied with four others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

Midseason Snapshot: 13-7, ERA - 3.42, SO - 88 in 142 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) at Milwaukee Brewers 9/1

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at KC Royals 9/25, (in 7.2 IP) vs. Detroit 7/22

Batting

PA – 109, AB – 97, R – 9, H – 24, 2B – 4, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 6, BB – 1, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .247, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 59

Put Outs – 11

Assists – 47

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .983

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

G – 2, GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 5.1, H – 10, R – 9, ER – 8, HR – 3, BB – 1, SO – 3, ERA – 13.50, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

9^th in AL MVP voting (63 points, 19% share)

All-Star

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jim Perry, Min.: 55 pts. – 6 of 24 first place votes, 46% share

Dave McNally, Balt.: 47 pts. – 5 first place votes, 39% share

Sam McDowell, Clev.: 45 pts. – 4 first place votes, 38% share

Mike Cuellar, Balt.: 44 pts. – 6 first place votes, 37% share

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 11 pts. – 1 first place vote, 9% share

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Twins went 98-64 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 9 games over the Oakland Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in saves (58). A refurbished club under new manager Bill Rigney, the Twins started fast and were 31-13 by the end of May. They struggled during the summer and endured an 8-game August losing streak. Rebounding in September they coasted to a second straight division title. Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘70:

The Twins sank in the standings in 1971 and Perry’s record dropped to 17-17 with a 4.23 ERA and he again had problems giving up the long ball, surrendering a league-high 39 home runs. In 1972 he went 13-16 with a 3.35 ERA and he was traded to Detroit just prior to the 1973 season, reuniting him with manager Billy Martin. Martin didn’t last the year with the Tigers and Perry went 14-13 with a 4.03 ERA. Dealt back to Cleveland in 1974, Perry was now teamed with his brother Gaylord, and the Perry brothers won 38 games between them, as Gaylord went 21-13 and Jim added a 17-12 tally with a 2.96 ERA. The rest of the staff was disappointing, and when Jim got off to a 1-6 start in 1975, he was traded to Oakland, where he went 3-4 the rest of the way, including a one-hitter against Baltimore. Released in August, Perry retired. For his major league career, he posted a 215-174 record with a 3.45 ERA, 109 complete games, 32 shutouts, and 1576 strikeouts over 3285.2 innings. With the Twins he was 128-90 with a 3.15 ERA and 1025 strikeouts in 1883.1 innings pitched, along with 61 complete games and 17 shutouts. Appearing in five postseason games (two starts) he was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. He was a three-time All-Star and was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2011.

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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.