MVP Profile: Joe Morgan, 1976

Second Baseman, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  33 (Sept. 19)

5^th season with Reds

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 160

Prior to 1976:

Born in Texas, Morgan moved to Oakland, California with his family as a child. He played basketball as well as baseball at Castlemont High School. Following two outstanding seasons at Oakland City College, Morgan signed with the expansion Houston Colt .45s for $500 per month and a $3000 signing bonus in 1962. Assigned to Modesto of the Class A California League in 1963 he batted .263 in 45 games with 5 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. Advancing to the Durham Bulls of the Class A Carolina League later in the season, he benefited from the coaching of manager Billy Goodman, a former major league batting star, who helped him learn patience at the plate. He hit .332 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. Called up to Houston in September, the diminutive “Little Joe” appeared in eight games and batted .240. Moving on to the San Antonio Bullets of the Class AA Texas League in 1964, Morgan batted .323 with 42 doubles, 8 triples, 12 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 47 stolen bases. He was named league MVP and again received a September call-up to the Colt .45s. He stayed with the renamed Astros in 1965 and became the regular second baseman. He hit .271 with 14 home runs, 40 RBIs, 100 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases, placing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. His speed and surprising power considering his size, made Morgan appear to be a star in the making. He developed a distinctive arm flap that served as a reminder to keep his back elbow up when at the plate. He missed 40 games in 1966 due to a fractured kneecap which kept him from appearing in his first All-Star Game. Playing in 122 games he batted .285 with 8 triples, 5 home runs, 42 RBIs, 60 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. Morgan rebounded in 1967 by playing in 133 games and hitting .275 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases while performing well in the field. He was limited to ten games in 1968 due to torn knee ligaments that required surgery. Morgan returned in 1969 to bat .236 with 15 home runs, 43 RBIs, 94 runs scored, and 49 stolen bases as the Astros proved to be surprise contenders in the new NL Western Division. He was an All-Star in 1970 on his way to hitting .268 with 8 home runs, 52 RBIs, 102 runs scored, and 42 stolen bases. Morgan remained productive in 1971, batting .256 with a league-leading 11 triples, 13 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases, while committing only 12 errors at second base. He also clashed with manager Harry Walker, who criticized his attitude, and in the offseason he was dealt to the Reds along with four other players for second baseman Tommy Helms, first baseman Lee May, and utilityman Jimmy Stewart. Morgan proved to be a solid addition to a pennant-winning team in 1972, leading the NL in runs scored (122), walks drawn (115), and on-base percentage (.417) while hitting .292 with 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 58 stolen bases. In addition to being chosen as an All-Star he placed fourth in league MVP voting. He received his first Gold Glove in 1973 and batted .290 with 26 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 67 stolen bases for the division-winning Reds. In 1974 he topped the NL with a .427 on-base percentage while hitting .293 with 22 home runs, 67 RBIs, 107 runs scored, and 58 stolen bases. Cincinnati returned to the top of the NL West in 1975 and Morgan was the league MVP as he hit .327 with 17 home runs, 94 RBIs, 67 stolen bases, and led the league in walks drawn (132) and OBP (.466). The Reds advanced to the World Series and defeated the Boston Red Sox in a drama-filled seven games that came down to Morgan’s RBI single in the climactic game.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

2B – 133, PH – 8, PR – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 599

At Bats – 472

Runs – 113 [2]

Hits – 151

Doubles – 30 [13]

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 27 [5]

RBI – 111 [2]

Bases on Balls – 114 [2]

Int. BB – 8 [20, tied with eight others]

Strikeouts – 41

Stolen Bases – 60 [2]

Caught Stealing – 9 [16, tied with four others]

Average - .320 [5]

OBP - .444 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .576 [1]

Total Bases – 272 [5, tied with Willie Montanez]

GDP – 2

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 12 [1]

League-leading OBP was +.032 ahead of runner-up Bill Madlock

League-leading slugging pct was +.046 ahead of runner-up George Foster

League-leading sac flies were +1 ahead of runner-up Greg Luzinski

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR - 14, RBI - 62, SB – 23, AVG - .330, OBP - .463, SLG - .612 

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Most hits, game – 3 on nine occasions

Longest hitting streak – 19 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 14

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at Pittsburgh 6/7, (in 3 AB) at Pittsburgh 6/8, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 8/23

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Montreal 7/5

Pinch-hitting/running – 0 for 5 (.000) with 2 R, 1 SB, 1 RBI & 3 BB

Fielding

Chances – 690

Put Outs – 342

Assists – 335

Errors – 13

DP – 85

Pct. - .981

Postseason Batting: 7 G (NLCS vs. Philadelphia – 3 G; World Series vs. NY Yankees – 4 G)

PA – 30, AB – 22, R – 5, H – 5, 2B – 1,3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 8, IBB – 3, SO – 3, SB – 4, CS – 0, AVG - .227, OBP - .433, SLG - .500, TB – 11, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for NL at 2B)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Joe Morgan, Cin.: 311 pts. - 19 of 24 first place votes, 93% share

George Foster, Cin.: 221 pts. – 5 first place votes, 66% share

Mike Schmidt, Phila.: 179 pts. – 53% share

Pete Rose, Cin.: 131 pts. – 39% share

Garry Maddox, Phila.: 98 pts. – 29% share

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Reds went 102-60 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 10 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers, while leading the league in runs scored (857), hits (1599), doubles (271), triples (63), home runs (141), RBIs (802), stolen bases (210), bases on balls drawn (681), batter strikeouts (902), batting (.280), OBP (.357), slugging (.424), and total bases (2419). The Reds were 28-17 by the end of May and coasted to a second straight NL West title. Won NLCS over the Philadelphia Phillies, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0, making them the first NL club to win back-to-back World Series championships since the 1921-22 Giants.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Cincinnati was a second-place club in 1977 but Morgan hit .288 with 22 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 49 stolen bases. Hampered by a pulled stomach muscle in 1978, Morgan’s batting average dropped to .236 with 13 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases. Injuries slowed Morgan again in 1979 and he batted .250 with 9 home runs, 32 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases for the division-winning Reds. In the offseason, the fading 36-year-old returned to the Astros as a free agent. Following a slow start in 1980 Morgan became a key to Houston winning its first NL West title, batting .243 with a .367 on-base percentage fueled by his league-leading 93 walks drawn. He also produced 11 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. Moving on to the San Francisco Giants in 1981 he helped to solidify the infield defensively while providing leadership during the strike-interrupted season. “The Little General” hit .240 with a .371 on-base percentage, 66 walks drawn, 8 home runs, and 31 RBIs. He followed up with an impressive season in 1982, by the end of which he was 39 years old, batting .289 with 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases while the Giants contended in the NL West. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason, which reunited him with former Cincinnati teammates Pete Rose and Tony Perez. The Phillies won the division and NL pennant as Morgan contributed a .230 average with 16 home runs and 59 RBIs. He added two home runs in the World Series loss to Baltimore. Released by the Phillies in the offseason, Morgan played one last year with the Oakland Athletics in 1984 in which he hit .244 with 6 home runs and 43 RBIs. Overall for his major league career, he batted .271 with 2517 hits that included 449 doubles, 96 triples, and 268 home runs. He further compiled 1650 runs, 1133 RBIs, 689 stolen bases, and 1865 walks drawn. With the Reds he batted .288 with 1155 hits, 816 runs scored, 220 doubles, 27 triples, 152 home runs, 612 RBIs, 406 stolen bases, and 881 walks drawn. In 50 postseason games he hit just .182 with 5 home runs, 13 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Morgan was a 10-time All-Star (8 straight with the Reds) and received five Gold Gloves. The Reds retired his #8 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. In retirement he went into broadcasting. He died in 2020 at the age of 77.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player. 

Rookie of the Year: Billy Williams, 1961

Outfielder, Chicago Cubs

 

Age:  23 (June 15)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1961:

A native of Whistler, Alabama (hence his later nickname, “Sweet Swingin’ Billy from Whistler”), Williams was the son of a semi-pro baseball player. He and his brothers played sandlot ball. In a high school without a baseball team, he also played basketball and football, and ran track. Offered a football scholarship to Grambling, he instead signed with the Cubs out of high school in 1956. An infielder throughout his youth, Williams was immediately switched to the outfield when assigned to Ponca City in the Class D Sooner State League where he batted .235 in 13 games. Still with Ponca City in 1957, he hit .310 with 40 doubles, 17 home runs, and 95 RBIs while struggling defensively. In 1958 with teams at the Class B and A levels, although hindered by illness, he batted a combined .289 with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs. Moving up to San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League in 1959, Williams was hitting .318 with 22 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, and 79 RBIs when he left the club due to the overt racism he encountered. He returned and was soon promoted to the Fort Worth Cats of the Class AAA American Association from where he was called up by the Cubs, where he made just 18 plate appearances and hit .152. In 1960 he was assigned to Houston of the American Association and batted .323 with 26 home runs and 80 RBIs. Once again receiving a late call-up to the Cubs. He batted .277 and hit his first two major league home runs. Williams made it to the Cubs to stay in 1961 and, despite a slow start, was the regular left fielder by mid-June.  

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 146 games

LF – 111, RF – 26, PH – 13

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 584 [20]

At Bats – 529 [19]

Runs – 75 [19, tied with Ernie Banks]

Hits – 147

Doubles – 20

Triples – 7 [13, tied with Frank Robinson & Don Hoak]

Home Runs – 25 [13]

RBI – 86 [16]

Bases on Balls – 45

Int. BB – 11 [6, tied with Gordy Coleman & Orlando Cepeda]

Strikeouts – 70

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .278 [20, tied with Tommy Davis, Jim Davenport & Ernie Banks]

OBP - .338

Slugging Pct. - .484 [16]

Total Bases – 256 [17]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 5 [6, tied with five others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, HR - 10, RBI - 43, AVG - .297, SLG - .487, OBP - .355

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. San Francisco 5/2, (in 6 AB) vs. San Franciscoo 5/26 – 13 innings, (in 4 AB) at Milwaukee 6/25

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 7/14 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) vs. Milwaukee 8/2 – 11 innings

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 8

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. San Francisco 5/2

Pinch-hitting – 6 for 13 (.462) with 4 R, 1 2B & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 240

Put Outs – 220

Assists – 9

Errors – 11

DP – 3

Pct. – .954 

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Billy Williams, ChiC.: 10 of 16 votes, 63% share

Joe Torre, Mil.: 5 votes, 31% share

Jack Curtis, ChiC.: 1 vote, 6% share

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Cubs went 64-90 to finish in seventh place in the NL, 29 games behind the pennant-winning Cincinnati Reds, while leading the league in batter strikeouts (1027) and total bases (2232). Utilizing a unique ten-coach system with a rotating head coach and no manager, the Cubs were 15-26 by the end of May but perked up during the summer to show slight improvement over the previous season, benefiting from an infusion of young talent that included Williams.

Aftermath of ‘61:

Williams was an All-Star for the first time in 1962 on his way to batting .298 with 22 home runs and 91 RBIs. While the Cubs nudged a bit over .500 in 1963, Williams contributed 25 home runs, 95 RBIs, a .286 average, and a .358 on-base percentage. A fast start in 1964 had Williams flirting with a .400 average by May, but he finished at .312 with 201 hits, 39 doubles, 33 home runs, 98 RBIs, and a .370 OBP. Off to a slower start in 1965, he still hit .315 with 203 hits, 39 doubles, 34 home runs, and 108 RBIs along with a .377 OBP. Quiet, dignified, and not inclined to seek publicity, Williams had a somewhat lesser season in 1966 in which his production dropped to .276 with 29 home runs, 91 RBIs, and a .347 OBP with a slugging percentage under .500. The Cubs were a surprise third-place club in 1967 and Williams hit .278 with 28 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .346 on-base percentage. In 1968 he finished eighth in league MVP voting after batting .288 with 30 home runs and 98 RBIs while leading the NL with 321 total bases. In the first year of divisional play in 1969, the Cubs led the NL East for most of the season until being overtaken by the surprising Mets. Williams was solid as always, hitting .293 with 33 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, 95 RBIs, with a .355 OBP. He continued along impressively in 1970 by batting .322 with a league-leading 205 hits, 137 runs scored, and 373 total bases, along with 42 home runs and 129 RBIs. He placed second in National League MVP balloting. The durable Williams finished a NL record 1117-consecutive game streak in September, when he chose to sit out a game. His 1971 production was .301 with 28 home runs and 93 RBIs, which was pretty much an average year by his standards. He had an outstanding season in 1972 in which he won the NL batting title (.333) while also leading in slugging (.606) and total bases (348) while hitting 37 home runs and compiling 122 RBIs and a .398 OBP. He finished second in league MVP voting for the second time in three years and was named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Still productive with a club in transition in 1973 and ’74, his average went from .288 to .280, his home runs from 20 to 16, and his RBIs from 86 to 68. Sidelined by an ankle injury in ’74, Williams appeared in only 117 games, most of which he played first base, an experiment that was deemed a failure. In the offseason he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. The A’s topped the AL West for the fifth straight year in 1975 and Williams, utilized as the regular Designated Hitter, batted .244 with 23 home runs and 81 RBIs. In the only postseason action of his career, he went hitless in seven at bats in the ALCS loss to the Boston Red Sox. A poor season in 1976 led to his release and retirement. For his major league career, Williams batted .290 with 2711 hits that included 434 doubles, 88 triples, and 426 home runs. He scored 1410 runs and compiled 1475 RBIs, a .361 OBP, and a .492 slugging percentage. With the Cubs he batted .296 with 1306 runs scored, 2510 hits, 402 doubles, 87 triples, 392 home runs, and 1353 RBIs with a .364 OBP and .503 slugging percentage. A six-time All-Star, Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. The Cubs retired his #26 and erected a statue of him outside Wrigley Field.

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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.  

Cy Young Profile: Pedro Martinez, 1999

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Age: 27

2^nd season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1999:

A native of the Dominican Republic who grew up in a town near Santo Domingo, Martinez followed his older brother Ramon, also a pitcher, in signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers at age 16 in 1988. He spent 1988 and ’89 with LA’s Dominican Summer League team, where he compiled an overall 12-3 record. At 18 in 1990 he was assigned to Great Falls of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where Martinez started 14 games and compiled an 8-3 record with 82 strikeouts over 77 innings pitched. In 1991 he advanced from Class A Bakersfield to Class AA San Antonio and finally Class AAA Albuquerque and had an overall record of 18-8 with a 2.28 ERA and 192 strikeouts. He received Minor League Player of the Year recognition from The Sporting News for his performance.  The Dodgers returned Martinez to Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League in 1992 where he went 7-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 125.1 innings pitched. He received a September call-up to the Dodgers and went the distance in losing his first major league start to Cincinnati. He started the 1993 season with Albuquerque but was soon called up to the parent club where his first appearance was in relief of his brother Ramon. For the year Martinez pitched in 65 games, almost exclusively in relief, and posted a 10-5 record with a 2.61 ERA and 119 strikeouts over 107 innings.  After the season the Dodgers traded Martinez to the Montreal Expos for second baseman Delino DeShields. The Dodgers had questioned whether he had the size and stamina to succeed as a starting pitcher, but he moved directly into Montreal’s rotation in 1994. The Expos had the best record in the NL when the season ended prematurely due to the players’ strike. Martinez, with his outstanding fastball and changeup, contributed an 11-5 tally with a 3.42 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 144.2 innings pitched. With his tendency to pitch high and inside he became known as a “headhunter” and hit a league-leading 11 batters and was ejected from 12 games and involved in three fights. The Expos lost several key players to free agency and were less competitive in 1995, although Martinez compiled a solid 14-10 record with a 3.51 ERA and 174 strikeouts. In a game against San Diego, he became the second pitcher in major league history to take a perfect game into extra innings but lost the perfect game in the tenth inning and was relieved (Montreal still managed to win the game). The Expos finished second in the NL East in 1996, narrowly missing a Wild Card spot and Martinez was 13-10 with a 3.70 ERA and 222 strikeouts. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time. He had an outstanding season in 1997, posting a 17-8 tally and league-leading ERA (1.90) and complete games (13), as well as 305 strikeouts (which ranked second) for the fourth-place Expos. He won the NL Cy Young Award as a result. With one more year until he became a free agent, Martinez was traded by the cash-strapped Expos to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. The Red Sox immediately signed him to a six-year contract extension, worth $75 million. He was 19-7 with his new club in 1998 with a 2.89 ERA and 251 strikeouts. He was an All-Star once again and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting. He also saw his first postseason action as Boston placed second in the AL East and claimed the wild card slot.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in 31 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 31

Games Started – 29

Complete Games – 5 [4, tied with Eric Milton & Jose Rosado]

Wins – 23 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .852 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [6, tied with fifteen others]

Innings Pitched – 213.1 [8, tied with Chuck Finley]

Hits – 160

Runs – 56

Earned Runs – 49

Home Runs – 9

Bases on Balls – 37

Strikeouts – 313 [1]

ERA – 2.07 [1]

Hit Batters – 9 [12, tied with seven others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6

League-leading wins were +5 ahead of runners-up Bartolo Colon, Mike Mussina & Aaron Sele

League-leading win percentage was +.069 ahead of runner-up Bartolo Colon

League-leading strikeouts were +113 ahead of runner-up Chuck Finley

League-leading ERA was -1.37 lower than runner-up David Cone

Midseason Snapshot: 15-3, ERA - 2.10, SO - 184 in 132.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 17 (in 9 IP) at NY Yankees 9/10

10+ strikeout games – 19

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at NY Yankees 9/10

Batting

PA – 2, AB – 2, R – 0, H – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 29

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 15

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .966

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (ALDS vs. Cleveland – 2 G; ALCS vs. NY Yankees – 1 G)

GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 17, H – 5, R – 0, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 6, SO – 23, ERA – 0.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors: 

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

2^nd in AL MVP voting (239 points, 8 first place votes, 61% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

Pedro Martinez, Bos.: 140 pts. – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Mike Mussina, Balt.: 54 pts. – 39% share

Mariano Rivera, NYY: 27 pts. – 19% share

Bartolo Colon, Clev.: 14 pts. – 10% share

Aaron Sele, Tex.: 4 pts. – 3% share

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Red Sox went 94-68 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 4 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the league in ERA (4.00), shutouts (12) & saves (50, tied with the Yankees). In a close wild card race, the Red Sox put together a 9-3 September road stretch to clinch a postseason berth. Won ALDS over the Cleveland Indians, 3 games to 2, overcoming a 2-0 deficit capped by Martinez’s Game 5 win. Lost ALCS to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 1, with Martinez’s Game 3 win providing the only victory for the Red Sox.

Aftermath of ‘99:

Martinez won another Cy Young Award in 2000 with an 18-6 record, and a league-leading 1.74 ERA, 284 strikeouts, and 4 shutouts. The Red Sox once again ended up second in the AL East but did not qualify for the postseason. Martinez was sidelined with a minor rotator cuff tear in 2001 which limited him to 18 starts and a 7-3 record. He came back with a 20-4 record in 2002 and led the AL in ERA (2.26) and strikeouts (239), and he finished second in the league’s Cy Young Award voting. Martinez topped the AL in ERA again in 2003 with a 2.22 mark to go with his 14-4 record and 206 strikeouts. Boston made the postseason as a Wild Card entry and reached the ALCS vs. the arch-rival Yankees, where Martinez became involved in some controversy. During his Game 3 start and having struck a batter and blown a lead he became involved in a shouting match with members of New York’s dugout. When Yankee RHP Roger Clemens threw at Boston LF Manny Ramirez, the benches cleared and 72-year-old Yankee coach Don Zimmer ran at Ramirez, who tossed him to the ground. In Game 7, he pitched into trouble and convinced manager Grady Little to leave him in the game, leading to four successive hits and a tie score that was decided in favor of the Yanks in extra innings. In 2004 Martinez contributed a 16-9 record to Boston’s season that culminated in a World Series victory for the first time since 1918. His 3.90 ERA was far less impressive than usual, but he went 2-1 in the postseason including a win in the World Series. As a free agent in the offseason Martinez signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the New York Mets. He posted a 15-8 record in 2005 with a 2.82 ERA and 208 strikeouts. He was an All-Star selection for the third-place Mets as well. He was an All-Star once again in 2006, although he suffered through an injury-riddled season that limited him to a 9-8 record with a 4.48 ERA before a torn rotator cuff that required surgery ended his season, keeping him out of New York’s postseason run. The recovery from the surgery was lengthy and seemed to diminish his fastball. He appeared in five games late in the 2007 season and was 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Martinez had a dreadful year in 2008, going 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA. He was an unwanted free agent in apparent decline who finally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies midway through the 2009 season. He had a 5-1 record with a 3.63 ERA for the NL East champions in what was his final season. Overall, in the major leagues Martinez compiled a 219-100 record with a 2.93 ERA and 3154 strikeouts in 2827.1 innings pitched. He was 117-37 with a 2.52 ERA and 1683 strikeouts for the Red Sox. In the postseason he had a 6-4 tally with a 3.46 ERA and 96 strikeouts. He was an eight-time All-Star and won three Cy Young Awards.  He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. Martinez was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. The Red Sox retired his #45.

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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: Steve Stone, 1980

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

 

Age:  33 (July 14)

2^nd season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 175

Prior to 1980:

An Ohio native, born to an Orthodox Jewish family, Stone started out as a Little League catcher in suburban Cleveland who took up pitching at age 9. At Charles F. Brush High School, he excelled at tennis and golf as well as baseball. Moving on to Kent State University, he was captain of the baseball team where his catcher was future Yankee Thurman Munson. Graduating college in 1970, Stone was chosen by the San Francisco Giants in the fourth round of the 1969 amateur draft. Initially assigned to Fresno of the Class A California League, he won seven consecutive decisions on his way to a 12-13 record with a 3.61 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 167 innings pitched. Starting the 1970 season with Amarillo of the Class AA Texas League, he was 9-5 with a 3.95 ERA when he was promoted to Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he went 5-3 with a 1.71 ERA in eight starts. Starting the 1971 season with the Giants Stone went 5-9 in 24 appearances (19 of them starts) before being sent down to Phoenix where he had a 6-3 tally with a 3.98 ERA. Back with the Giants in 1972, he started in 16 of his 27 appearances and produced a 6-8 mark and a 2.98 ERA with 85 strikeouts. Traded to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, Stone was primarily a reliever in 1973 and produced a 6-11 tally with 4.24 ERA and 138 strikeouts. Dealt again in the offseason, this time across town to the Cubs as part of the trade for veteran third baseman Ron Santo, Stone appeared in 38 games for the last-place Cubs in 1974, 23 of them starts, and turned in an 8-6 record with a 4.14 ERA. Despite missing a month with a back injury in 1975, Stone improved to 12-8 with a 3.95 ERA and 139 strikeouts. Refusing to accept a pay cut for 1976, he suffered a torn rotator cuff and ended up finishing at 3-6 with a 4.08 ERA. The injury was resolved without surgery and, as a free agent in the offseason, he returned to the White Sox for $60,000. Thus far, with his decent fastball and curve, he appeared to be a journeyman pitcher. In 1977 “Stoney” produced a 15-12 mark and a 4.51 ERA along with 124 strikeouts while pitching 207 innings. He followed up with a 12-12 record in 1978 with a 4.37 ERA and 118 strikeouts. A free agent once again, he signed with the Orioles for four years and $760,000. Prospering with a pennant-winning club in 1979, Stone went 11-7 as the fifth starter with a 3.77 ERA. In the only postseason action of his career, he relieved in one World Series game and was a non-factor as Baltimore lost to Pittsburgh in seven games. There was no reason to expect Stone to do anything spectacular entering the 1980 season. 

1980 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37

Games Started – 37 [2, tied with Mike Flanagan]

Complete Games – 9 [19, tied with four others]

Wins – 25 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .781 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 250.2 [9, tied with Jim Clancy]

Hits – 224

Runs – 103

Earned Runs – 90

Home Runs – 22 [16, tied with Rick Honeycutt & Ferguson Jenkins]

Bases on Balls – 101 [2]

Strikeouts – 149 [7, tied with Jerry Koosman]

ERA – 3.23 [7]

Hit Batters – 6 [7, tied with seven others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [16, tied with six others]

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runners-up Mike Norris & Tommy John

League-leading win percentage was +.031 ahead of runner-up Rudy May

Midseason Snapshot: 12-3, ERA - 3.10, SO - 70 in 119 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. California 6/17

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Yankees 8/14, (in 7.1 IP) at California 8/19

Fielding

Chances – 42

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 26

Errors – 2

DP – 1

Pct. - .952

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

9^th in AL MVP voting (53 points, 14% share) 

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Steve Stone, Balt.: 100 pts. – 13 of 28 first place votes, 71% share

Mike Norris, Oak.: 91 pts. – 13 first place votes, 65% share

Rich Gossage, NYY: 37 pts. – 2 first place votes, 26% share

Tommy John, NYY: 14 pts. – 10% share

Dan Quisenberry, KCR: 7 pts. – 5% share

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Orioles went 100-62 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 3 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. The slow-starting Orioles went 58-26 after the All-Star break and benefited from Stone’s pitching that included 14 straight wins at one point. Despite winning 14 of their last 18 games, they fell short of the Yankees in the end.

Aftermath of ‘80:

Stone was unable to duplicate his 1980 success in 1981. His over-reliance on throwing curves caused major injury to his arm. In the strike-interrupted season, he appeared in only 15 games and produced a 4-7 record and a 4.60 ERA, after which he retired at age 34. For his major league career, in which the 1980 season was the chief highlight, he compiled a 107-93 tally with a 3.97 ERA, 43 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 1065 strikeouts in 1788.1 innings pitched. With the Orioles he was 40-21 with a 3.60 ERA, 12 complete games, one shutout, and 275 strikeouts while pitching 499.1 innings. Following his retirement as a player, the articulate and intelligent Stone 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. 

Cy Young Profile: Warren Spahn, 1957

Pitcher, Milwaukee Braves

 

Age:  36 (Apr. 23)

12^th season with Braves

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 172

Prior to 1957:

A native of Buffalo, New York, Spahn, who was named after President Warren G. Harding, was trained to pitch by his father, a semipro ballplayer. The young southpaw developed a fluid pitching motion while utilizing a high leg kick. Spahn participated in midget baseball and with an American Legion team where he played first base. At South Park High School, he was blocked at first base by an all-scholastic player and devoted himself to pitching full-time. The school won two city championships his last two seasons and Spahn threw a no-hitter as a senior. Failing to draw much interest from major league teams due to his thin frame, his control impressed a scout for the Boston Braves, and he signed in 1940 for $80 per month. Initially assigned to Bradford of the Class D PONY League, he went 5-4 with a 2.73 ERA until tearing tendons in his left shoulder. Having shown promise during his brief time with Bradford, he went to spring training with the Braves and suffered a broken nose that not only resulted in permanent disfigurement, but also to unfortunate nicknames like “Hooks” and “The Great Profile”. Assigned to Evansville of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League, Spahn topped the league in wins with his 19-6 record, shutouts (7), and ERA (1.83). Initially catching on with the Braves in 1942, he was quickly sent down to Hartford of the Class A Eastern League, where he posted a 17-12 tally with a 1.96 ERA. He received a late-season call-up to the Braves and had no decisions in his four appearances. Following the season he enlisted in the Army for World War II military service, and saw significant action in Europe, earning a Bronze Star. Having missed all of three seasons, Spahn returned to the Braves in June of 1946, at which point he was in the major leagues to stay. He went 8-5 in ’46 with a 2.94 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 125.2 innings pitched. Primarily throwing a fastball with a curve and changeup, he was an All-Star for the first time in 1947 as he produced a 21-10 record while leading the league-in ERA (2.33), shutouts (7), and innings pitched (289.2) while striking out 123 batters. The Braves won the NL pennant in 1948 fueled by the pitching of Spahn and 24-win RHP Johnny Sain (which led to the popular rhyme of “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain”). Dealing with an erratic fastball at times, Spahn’s record was only 15-12 for the year with a 3.71 ERA and 114 strikeouts. Down the stretch from September 6, he and Sain started 11 of 16 games with Spahn going 4-1 and Sain 5-1. In a 14-inning win against Brooklyn, Spahn went the distance and twice picked off basestealing threat Jackie Robinson. In the World Series against Cleveland, won by the Indians in six games, Spahn lost his only start and picked up a win in relief in Game 5. The Braves went into decline in 1949, although Spahn was 21-14 with a 3.07 ERA and led the league in complete games (25), innings pitched (302.1), and strikeouts (151). Respected for his poise, as well as his pitching skill, he posted a 21-17 tally for the fourth-place Braves in 1950 along with a 3.16 ERA while again topping the circuit in strikeouts with 191. “Spahnie” remained consistent in 1951 by going 22-14 with a 2.98 ERA, again leading the NL with 164 strikeouts in addition to 26 complete games and 7 shutouts. For the seventh-place Braves in 1952, Spahn’s tally dropped to 14-19, but his ERA was again 2.98 and he pitched 5 shutouts while again leading the league in strikeouts with 183. The move to Milwaukee in 1953 rejuvenated the club and Spahn, playing with a knee injury that required offseason surgery, returned to winning form with a 23-7 record and league-leading 2.10 ERA while hurling another 5 shutouts and striking out 148 batters over the course of 265.2 innings. He continued his consistent pitching excellence in 1954 with a 21-12 mark and 3.14 ERA with 23 complete games and 136 strikeouts. Spahn overcame a slow start in 1955 to finish at 17-14 with a 3.26 ERA and 110 strikeouts. The Braves narrowly missed winning the pennant in 1956. Spahn was strong down the stretch but suffered a crucial loss when going the distance in a 12-inning game against the Cardinals in his last start of the season in which he gave up just five hits and two runs. He finished at 20-11 with a 2.78 ERA and 128 strikeouts. By 1957 he was well established as one of the National League’s premier pitchers with eight All-Star selections and three finishes in the top 10 in league MVP voting.

1957 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 35 [3]

Complete Games – 18 [1]

Wins – 21 [1]

Losses – 11 [13, tied with six others]

PCT - .656 [3]

Saves – 3 [20, tied with four others]

Shutouts – 4 [2, tied with Don Drysdale & Don Newcombe]

Innings Pitched – 271 [2]

Hits – 241 [4]

Runs – 94 [13, tied with Jack Sanford]

Earned Runs – 81 [14, tied with Jack Sanford, Curt Simmons & Larry Jackson]

Home Runs – 23 [11]

Bases on Balls – 78 [5]

Strikeouts – 111 [13]

ERA – 2.69 [2, tied with Don Drysdale]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runner-up Bob Friend

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Jack Sanford

Midseason Snapshot: 8-7, ERA - 3.30, SO - 54 in 125.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 6/28, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/7, (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis 9/24, (in 8.1 IP) at Pittsburgh 7/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 6/14, (in 7 IP) at NY Giants 7/21

Batting

PA – 103, AB – 94, R – 3, H – 13, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 4, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .138, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 65

Put Outs – 18

Assists – 47

Errors – 0

DP – 4

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 2(World Series vs. NY Yankees)

GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 1-1, PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 15.1, H – 18, R – 8, ER – 8, HR – 1, BB – 2, SO – 2, ERA – 4.70, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

5^th in NL MVP voting (131 points, 1 first place vote, 39% share)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 15 of 16 votes, 94% share

Dick Donovan, ChiWS.: 1 vote, 6% share

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Braves went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by 8 games over the St. Louis Cardinals after finishing second the previous two years. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (60). In the midst of a tight NL pennant race, the Braves swung a midseason trade with the Giants for veteran second baseman Red Schoendienst that resolved a weakness in the lineup and added leadership as well. The club surged during a 10-game August winning streak and wrapped up the pennant in September. Won World Series over New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, as RHP Lew Burdette went 3-0 and Spahn won Game 4.  

Aftermath of ‘57:

The Braves repeated as National League pennant winners in 1958 and Spahn contributed a 22-11 record and 3.07 ERA along with league-leading totals in complete games (23) and innings pitched (290). His strikeout total was 150 as he added a slider and screwball to his repertoire to augment his diminishing fastball. In the World Series rematch with the Yankees, Spahn was 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA as Milwaukee fell to the Bronx Bombers in seven games. The Braves failed to make it three straight pennants in 1959, losing a playoff to the Dodgers. Spahn posted a 21-15 tally with a 2.96 ERA and again topped the circuit with 292 innings pitched while striking out 143 batters. For the second place Braves in 1960, Spahn pitched his first no-hitter (after two near misses in 1951 and ’53) at age 39 on his way to a 21-10 mark with a 3.50 ERA, 18 complete games, and 154 strikeouts. He threw another no-hitter in 1961, at 40, on his way to a 21-13 record, that included his 300^th career win, with a league-leading 3.02 ERA, 21 complete games, and 115 strikeouts. He dipped in 1962 to 18-14 with a 3.04 ERA and 118 strikeouts, although he still had the league high in complete games with 22. In 1963 Spahn posted a 23-7 tally at age 42 along with a 2.60 ERA, again topping the NL with 22 complete games despite dealing with a sore elbow. In a July matchup against 25-year-old RHP Juan Marichal of the Giants, both pitchers went the distance until San Francisco won on a Willie Mays home run in the bottom of the 16^th. In 1964, the 43-year old southpaw’s knees gave out and his record dropped to 6-13 with a 5.29 ERA. It marked the end of his tenure with the Braves who sold him to the New York Mets in the offseason, thus reuniting him with his first major league manager from 1942, Casey Stengel. Spahn didn’t last the season with the woeful Mets, being released at midseason with a 4-12 tally and 4.36 ERA. Signed by the Giants, he went 3-4 the rest of the way to finish off his last major league season at age 44. For his major league career, Spahn compiled a 363-245 record, making him the winningest major league lefthander, along with a 3.09 ERA, 382 complete games, 63 shutouts, and 2583 strikeouts in 5243.2 innings pitched. He led the NL in wins eight times, in ERA three times, in innings pitched on four occasions, and in strikeouts four times. With the Braves he was 356-229 with a 3.05 ERA, 374 complete games, all 63 shutouts, and 2493 strikeouts over 5046 innings. Later a vocal critic of the Designated Hitter rule, he also hit 35 home runs over the course of his career. Appearing in eight World Series games, he posted a 4-3 tally with three complete games and a shutout, while striking out 32 batters over 56 innings. A 17-time All-Star, Spahn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. The Braves retired his #21 and erected a statue of him that stands outside Sun Trust Park. Before retiring to his ranch in Oklahoma for good, he coached (and pitched for briefly) a team in the Mexican League, coached in Japan, and managed and coached with minor league teams. Spahn died in 2003 at the age of 82.

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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: Carl Hubbell, 1936

Pitcher, New York Giants

Age:  33 (June 22)

9^th season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1936:

Born in Missouri, Hubbell grew up in Meeker, Oklahoma, where he pitched well in high school with a fastball and curve. Following graduation, he joined Cushing of the Oklahoma State League in 1923. By 1925 Hubbell was with Oklahoma City of the Class A Western League where, having added a screwball to his repertoire, he produced a 17-13 record with a 4.01 ERA. The Detroit Tigers purchased his contract after the season, but during 1926 spring training he was forbidden from using the screwball due to the increased prospect of suffering an arm injury. Sent to Toronto of the Class AA International League, Hubbell was a disappointing 7-7 with a 3.77 ERA while disallowed from throwing the screwball. Demoted to Decatur of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three-I) League in 1927, Hubbell was a respectable 14-7 with a 2.53 ERA, but the Tigers sold his contract to the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League in 1928 where he was able to again utilize the screwball. Compiling a 12-9 record with a 2.97 ERA by midseason his contract was purchased by the Giants for $30,000. Hubbell ended up going 10-6 for the Giants with a 2.83 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 124 innings pitched.  He followed up with an 18-11 record in 1929 with a 3.69 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 268 innings. Along the way he pitched a no-hitter against Pittsburgh.  The lanky southpaw was 17-12 for the third place Giants in 1930, with a 3.87 ERA (which ranked second in the NL in a year dominated by hitting in which the league mien ERA was 4.97) and 117 strikeouts. His 1931 record was 14-12 with a 2.65 ERA and 155 strikeouts. 1932 was a year of transition for the Giants as the talented but irascible long-time manager John McGraw was replaced by Bill Terry during the season. Hubbell contributed an 18-11 record for the sixth-place club with a 2.50 ERA and 137 strikeouts. The Giants won the pennant in 1933 and Hubbell led the NL in wins with his 23-12 tally and topped the circuit with 10 shutouts and a 1.66 ERA. He was selected as league MVP for the first time and won two more games in the World Series victory over the Washington Senators. The Giants were strong contenders again in 1934 and Hubbell compiled a 21-12 record with a league-leading 2.30 ERA and 25 complete games. During the All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds, he struck out five consecutive future Hall of Fame batters (Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of the Yankees, Jimmie Foxx of the A’s, Al Simmons of the White Sox & Joe Cronin of the Senators). Hubbell, who came to be referred to as “King Carl” and “the Meal Ticket” due to his consistency and reliability, was outstanding again in 1935 as he went 23-12 with a 3.27 ERA and 150 strikeouts while pitching 302.2 innings.   

1936 Season Summary

Appeared in 42 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 42 [12, tied with Dick Coffman & Ed Heusser]

 Games Started – 34 [3, tied with Dizzy Dean]

Complete Games – 25 [2]

Wins – 26 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .813 [1]

Saves – 3 [10, tied with six others]

Shutouts – 3 [8]

Innings Pitched – 304 [3]

Hits – 265 [8]

Runs – 81

Earned Runs – 78

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 57

Strikeouts – 123 [4]

ERA – 2.31 [1]

Hit Batters – 5 [9, tied with nine others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading win percentage was +.024 ahead of runner-up Red Lucas

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Hal Schumacher

League-leading innings pitched were +15.2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading ERA was -0.56 lower than runner-up Danny MacFayden

Midseason Snapshot: 10-5, ERA - 2.67, SO - 61 in 145 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 7 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/28

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 8/2, (in 9 IP) at St. Louis Cards 9/3, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/11, (in 9 IP) at Brooklyn 9/19, (in 8.2 IP) at Cincinnati 5/4

Batting

PA – 123, AB – 110, R – 9, H – 25, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .227, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 81

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 65

Errors – 2

DP – 7

Pct. - .975

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (World Series vs. NY Yankees) 

GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 1-1 PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 16, H – 15, R – 5, ER – 4, HR – 2, BB – 2, SO – 10, ERA – 2.25, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Carl Hubbell, NYG: 60 pts. – 100% share

Dizzy Dean, StLC.: 53 pts. – 88% share

Billy Herman, ChiC.: 37 pts. – 62% share

Joe Medwick, StLC.: 30 pts. – 50% share

Paul Waner, Pitt.: 29 pts. – 48% share

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Giants went 92-62 to win the NL pennant by 5 games over the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.46). In fifth place on July 1, the Giants exploded in August, propelled by a 15-game winning streak and Hubbell winning 16 straight decisions to close out the season while overtaking the Cubs and Cardinals. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2. Lou Gehrig’s 2-run home run off of Hubbell in Game 4 helped the Yankees take a commanding 3-games-to-1 lead.

Aftermath of ‘36:

The Giants made it two straight pennants in 1937 as Hubbell’s regular season winning streak reached 24 games as he prevailed in his first 8 decisions on his way to a 22-8 tally and 3.20 ERA while topping the NL with 159 strikeouts. In 1938, elbow pain due to throwing the screwball prematurely ended Hubbell’s season with a 13-10 record and 3.07 ERA as he needed surgery to remove bone chips. He remained with the Giants until 1943 and continued to be an effective, if no longer dominant, pitcher. He won 11 games each year from 1939 to ’42, and his 11-12 record in 1940 was the only sub-.500 performance of his career. His 2.75 ERA in 1939 was his best during the same four-year timeperiod. His career came to an end after the 1943 season, by which point his left hand was deformed from years of throwing the screwball. Upon his retirement following 16 seasons with the Giants, Hubbell had a 253-154 record with five 20-win records, a 2.98 ERA, 36 shutouts, and 1677 strikeouts over 3590.1 innings pitched. In the postseason, he produced a 4-2 record with four complete games and 32 strikeouts over 50.1 innings. In addition to being a two-time MVP, he was a nine-time All-Star. Hubbell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947 and the Giants retired his #11. Upon the end of his playing career, the Giants made Hubbell the team’s director of player development, a position he held for 35 years, well after the franchise’s move to San Francisco. He remained a scout for the club until his death in 1988 at the age of 85.

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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.