MVP Profile: Roger Maris, 1960

Outfielder, New York Yankees

 

Age:  26 (Sept. 10)

1^st season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 197

Prior to 1960:

Born in Minnesota, Maris moved with his family to Fargo, North Dakota at a young age. A star athlete at Bishop Shanley High School, in football he once returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in a single game. Playing American Legion baseball, he impressed scouts with his all-around ability. Signed by the Cleveland Indians at age 18 in 1953, he was initially assigned to Fargo-Morehead of the Class C Northern League where he appeared in 114 games and batted .325 with 9 home runs and 80 RBIs. Advancing to the Keokuk Kernels of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1954, Maris hit .315 with 32 home runs and 111 RBIs. In the field he tied the league record for put outs by an outfielder with 305. Having gone from being a contact hitter to a pull hitter who could hit for power, he hit a total of 20 home runs in 1955 for Reading of the Class A Eastern League and Tulsa of the Class AA Texas League while batting a combined .278. Promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1956, Maris batted .293 with 17 home runs and 75 RBIs. The team won the Junior World Series and Maris made it to the Indians in 1957 where he flashed more of his potential by hitting 14 home runs with 51 RBIs while batting a disappointing .235 as he played in pain from broken ribs suffered in May. He appeared in 116 games, 99 of them starts. During the 1958 season, Maris was traded to the Kansas City Athletics where he moved into right field and proved to be a star in the making as he batted a combined .240 with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs. An All-Star for the first time in 1959, Maris hit .273 with 16 home runs and 72 RBIs. In the offseason, the Yankees swung a deal for him, and it was anticipated that he would take over Hank Bauer’s vacated spot in right field and pair up well with star center fielder Mickey Mantle in the middle of the batting order.  

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 136 games

RF – 127, CF – 8, PH – 5

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 578

At Bats – 499

Runs – 98 [2]

Hits – 141

Doubles – 18

Triples – 7 [3, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 39 [2]

RBI – 112 [1]

Bases on Balls – 70 [11]

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 65

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .283 [12, tied with Gene Woodling]

OBP - .371 [11]

Slugging Pct. - .581 [1]

Total Bases – 290 [2]

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 5 [15, tied with ten others]

League-leading RBIs were +7 ahead of runner-up Minnie Minoso

League-leading slugging percentage was +.023 ahead of runner-up Mickey Mantle

Midseason snapshot: HR - 27, RBI - 69, AVG - .320, SLG PCT - .703

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Boston 4/19, (in 5 AB) at KC A’s 6/15 – 12 innings

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 26

Most home runs, game – 2 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 6

Most RBIs, game – 6 at KC A’s 8/6

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 4 (.250) with 1 RBI & 1 BB

 

Fielding

Chances – 273

Put Outs – 263

Assists – 6

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .985

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Pittsburgh)

PA – 32, AB – 30, R – 6, H – 8, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 2, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .267, OBP - .313, SLG - .500, TB – 15, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for AL in RF in both games)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Roger Maris, NYY.: 225 pts. - 8 of 24 first place votes, 67% share

Mickey Mantle, NYY: 222 pts. – 10 first place votes, 66% share

Brooks Robinson, Balt.: 211 pts. – 3 first place votes, 63% share

Minnie Minoso, ChiWS.: 141 pts. – 2 first place votes, 42% share

Ron Hansen, Balt.: 110 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

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Yankees went 97-57 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Baltimore Orioles while leading the league in runs scored (746), home runs (193), RBIs (699), slugging (.426), and total bases (2251). The Yankees got hot in June but slumped to fall behind the White Sox and upstart Orioles. Regaining the lead, the Yanks held on in September, winning 19 of their last 21 games, to nail down their last pennant under manager Casey Stengel. Along the way, Maris and Mantle combined for 79 home runs. Lost World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 games to 3. The back-and-forth Series in which the Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27 was capped by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off home run.

Aftermath of ‘60:

 In 1961, under new manager Ralph Houk, the Yankees again won the AL pennant and Maris, who started off slowly, combined with Mantle in an epic home run race. From May 17 to June 22, Maris hit 24 home runs in 38 games, taking the lead over his teammate. The low-key Maris became tense and testy from the pressure fed by the media frenzy. His hair began falling out and he became short-tempered. With expansion having caused the AL to expand the schedule from 154 to 162 games (the NL would follow in 1962), commissioner Ford Frick ruled that any home run record would need to be accomplished in 154 games or would be accompanied by an asterisk in the record books. Maris entered September with 51 homers, but his pace began to slow down the stretch. An injury took Mantle out of the race, putting the spotlight entirely on Maris. He hit his 59^th home run at Baltimore in the 154^th game of the season. Number 60 came at Yankee Stadium on September 26 and the record-breaking 61^st in the season finale at home against the Red Sox and RHP Tracy Stallard. Beyond the 61 home runs he topped the league in runs scored (132) and total bases (366) and tied for the lead in RBIs with Baltimore’s Jim Gentile with 141. In addition, he batted .269 with a .372 on-base percentage and .620 slugging percentage. He was pretty much a non-factor in the five-game World Series triumph over Cincinnati, but he was once again the AL MVP. Maris followed up with a respectable season in 1962 in which he hit .256 with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs. He also made a big defensive play in the World Series against the Giants wnen, in the ninth inning with two outs, a one-run lead, and the fleet-footed Matty Alou on first, batter Willie Mays hit a ball into the right field corner. Maris cut the ball off and threw to second baseman Bobby Richardson to force Alou to hold at third. First baseman Willie McCovey lined out to end the game and the Series in the Yanks’ favor. Limited to 90 games in 1963 due to an assortment of injuries, Maris still managed to slug 23 home runs along with 53 RBIs and a .269 average. Rebounding somewhat in 1964, when he occasionally filled in for the ailing Mantle in center field, Maris batted .281 with 26 home runs and 71 RBIs. With the drop of the Yankees to sixth place in 1965, Maris, who was limited to 46 games by a hand injury, hit just .239 with 8 home runs. Following another injury-marred season in 1966, in which he batted .233 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs while playing in 119 games, the Yankees traded Maris to the St. Louis Cardinals for nondescript third baseman Charley Smith. Pleased with the opportunity for a fresh start, he was an effective player for a pennant-winning club in 1967, hitting .261 with 18 doubles, 7 triples, 9 home runs, and 55 RBIs. He also batted .385 with 7 RBIs in the seven-game World Series victory over the Red Sox. Dealing with injuries again in 1968, he hit .255 in 100 games and retired following one last World Series appearance at age 34. For his major league career, Maris batted .260 with 1325 hits that included 195 doubles, 42 triples, and 275 home runs. He further scored 826 runs and compiled 850 RBIs and drew 652 walks. With the Yankees he hit .265 with 797 hits, 520 runs scored, 110 doubles, 17 triples, 203 home runs, 547 RBIs, and a .356 OBP with 413 walks drawn. Appearing in 41 World Series games, Maris hit .217 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. An All-Star during four seasons as well as a two-time MVP, the Yankees eventually retired his #9 and placed a plaque in his honor at Monument Park in Yankee Stadium. In retirement, Cardinals owner Gussie Busch set Maris up with a beer distributorship in Florida that he operated until his death from cancer at age 51 in 1985. A player too-often dismissed as a one-year wonder, Maris was a productive hitter and very good outfielder. A small-town man, he was uncomfortable dealing with newfound notoriety in New York, although he came to be held in greater esteem in retrospect. His 61 home runs in 1961 remain the AL record to date. 

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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: Zoilo Versalles, 1965

Shortstop, Minnesota Twins

Age:  25

6^th season with Senators/Twins

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 146

Prior to 1965:

A native of Cuba, Versalles broke into organized baseball with the Fortuna Sports Club team in the Cuban Amateur Athletic Union as a 16-year-old in 1956. He went on to play for two clubs in the Cuban Winter League and was signed by the Washington Senators in 1958. Dealing with the language barrier and homesickness, the 18-year-old shortstop batted .292 for the Elmira Pioneers of the Class D New York-Pennsylvania League in ’58 with 18 doubles, 7 triples, 5 home runs, and 50 RBIs. Advancing to the Fox City Foxes of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1959, Versalles hit .278 with 19 doubles, 9 home runs, and 47 RBIs, although he committed 34 errors in the field. He received an August call-up to the Senators, where he hit .153 with one extra base hit in 29 games. With the Charleston Senators of the Class AAA American Association in 1960, he committed 42 errors while batting a solid .278 with 33 doubles, 12 triples, 8 home runs, and 50 RBIs along with 24 stolen bases. Receiving another late-season trial with the Senators, Versalles hit only .133 in 45 at bats. The Senators moved to the Twin Cities in 1961 and were rechristened the Minnesota Twins. Versalles, nicknamed “Zorro” (a play on his first name. The pronunciation of his last name also came to be Americanized), showed steady improvement in the field during his rookie season and hit .280 with 25 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and 53 RBIs. With a reputation for brashness and moodiness (covering his ongoing frustration with learning a new language), he continued to improve in 1962, hitting for greater power, with 17 home runs, while his average dipped to .241 with 67 RBIs and a .287 on-base-percentage. Versalles was an All-Star for the first time in 1963 as he batted .261 with 31 doubles, a league-leading 13 triples, 10 home runs, and 54 RBIs. He received a Gold Glove for his flashy, if inconsistent, fielding (30 errors). In 1964 his home runs totaled 20 while he again led the AL in triples with 10 and hit .259.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

SS – 160

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 728 [1]

At Bats – 666 [1]

Runs – 126 [1]

Hits – 182 [2]

Doubles – 45 [1, tied with Carl Yastrzemski]

Triples – 12 [1, tied with Bert Campaneris]

Home Runs – 19 [18, tied with Mickey Mantle]

RBI – 77 [14]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 122 [1]

Stolen Bases – 27 [3]

Caught Stealing – 5 [18, tied with five others]

Average - .273 [14, tied with Willie Horton]

OBP - .319

Slugging Pct. - .462 [13]

Total Bases – 308 [1]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 7 [4, tied with Bill Freehan]

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – 8 [2, tied with Jim Fregosi, Ron Hansen & Bob Rodgers]

League-leading plate appearances were +15 ahead of runner-up Bobby Richardson

League-leading at bats were +2 ahead of runner-up Bobby Richardson

League-leading runs scored were +19 ahead of runner-up Tony Oliva

League-leading batter strikeouts were +1 ahead of runner-up Max Alvis

League-leading total bases were +21 ahead of runner-up Tom Tresh

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, 3B – 6, HR - 10, RBI - 44, AVG - .246, OBP - .291, SLG - .428

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/5, (in 5 AB) at Washington 9/25

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 8

Most home runs, game – 1 on nineteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Baltimore 5/5, at Baltimore 9/30

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances - 774

Put Outs – 248

Assists – 487

Errors – 39

DP – 105

Pct. - .950

 Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. LA Dodgers)

PA – 30, AB – 28, R – 3, H – 8, 2B – 1,3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 4, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 7, SB – 1, CS – 1, AVG - .286, OBP - .333, SLG -.500, TB – 14, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Zoilo Versalles, Min.: 275 pts. - 19 of 20 first place votes, 98% share

Tony Oliva, Min.: 174 pts. – 1 first place vote, 62% share

Brooks Robinson, Balt.: 150 pts. – 54% share

Eddie Fisher, ChiWS.: 122 pts. – 44% share

Rocky Colavito, Clev.: 89 pts. – 32% share

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Twins went 102-60 to win the AL pennant by 7 games over the Chicago White Sox while leading the league in runs scored (774), hits (1396), doubles (257), RBIs (711) and batting (.254). Versalles quarreled with manager Sam Mele in the spring, insisting that he only took direction from coach Billy Martin, and was fined $300. From that unpromising beginning, Versalles and the Twins excelled. Their impressive hitting and improved pitching had them in first place by early July and they cruised to the pennant. Lost World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 3. After beating Dodger aces Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax in the first two games, LA LHP Claude Osteen shut Minnesota out in Game 3 and, except for a Game 6 win by RHP Jim “Mudcat” Grant, Koufax and Drysdale shut the Twins down the rest of the way.

Aftermath of ‘65:

Versalles was rewarded for his MVP season with a raise in salary to $42,000. In 1966, a severe case of the flu and nagging injuries led to a far lesser performance. He batted .249 with just 7 home runs, 73 runs scored, and 36 RBIs. Hindered by chronic back pain in 1967, his average dropped to .200 with 29 extra base hits. Limited mobility caused his defense to suffer as well. In the offseason Versalles was traded to the Dodgers along with RHP Jim “Mudcat” Grant as part of a major deal for catcher John Roseboro and relief pitchers Bob Miller and Ron Perranoski. His performance nosedived further in 1968 as he hit .196 and committed 28 errors at shortstop. Exposed in the expansion draft in the offseason, he was selected by the San Diego Padres, who dealt him to the Cleveland Indians. Used more at second and third base than at shortstop, Versalles was batting .226 when he was sold to the Washington Senators in July. Finishing out the year as a backup infielder, he hit .267 for the Senators. Released prior to the 1970 season, Versalles played in the Mexican League in 1970, hitting .326 for Union Laguna. He joined the Atlanta Braves in 1971, appearing in 66 games and batting .191 with 22 RBIs. It proved to be the end of his major league career. He did play in the Mexican League and Japan in 1972 and ’73, reaching the end of the line with Poza Rica in the Mexican League in 1974. For his major league career, Versalles batted .242 with 1246 hits that included 230 doubles, 63 triples, and 95 home runs. He scored 650 runs and compiled 471 RBIs. With the Twins he batted .250 with 570 runs scored and 1061 hits, 190 doubles, 58 triples, 87 home runs, 406 RBIs, and a .296 OBP. His appearance in the 1965 World Series marked his only postseason action. A two-time All-Star, Versalles was awarded two Gold Gloves and was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2006, 11 years after his death at age 55.

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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 & Cy Young Profile: Sandy Koufax, 1963

Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

 

Age:  27

8^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210

Prior to 1963:

A native of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Koufax (who was originally named Sanford Braun until he took his stepfather’s name), excelled at basketball in high school and played sandlot baseball where his pitching talent was first exhibited. Following high school he attended the Univ. of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship. He performed well at basketball in college but caught the interest of major league baseball scouts by posting a 3-1 record with 51 strikeouts in 30 innings, with blazing speed, although having difficulty with his control he walked 30 batters as well. While all three New York teams were interested (not least because his being Jewish would add to his fan appeal), and he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 for $6000 plus a $14,000 bonus. He transferred to Columbia University to continue his college education but dropped out due to the problem of having to fulfill his military obligation during the offseason. The bonus rules of the time required him to play for the major league club rather than spend time in the minors. Following an ankle injury that put him on the disabled list early during the 1955 season, the 19-year-old Koufax saw his first action as a reliever in June. His first start was derailed by wildness but he struck out 14 batters in a later game against Cincinnati. In his first two seasons he made 28 appearances (15 of them starts) and went 4-6 with 60 strikeouts and 57 walks in 100.1 innings pitched. He saw no World Series action in either 1955 or ’56. Playing winter ball in Puerto Rico helped in his development. He saw more action in 1957, the last year for the Dodgers in Brooklyn, going 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA and 122 strikeouts with 51 walks while pitching 104.1 innings. Moving with the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1958, he started 26 of 40 games and compiled an 11-11 tally with a 4.48 ERA and 131 strikeouts with 105 walks in 158.2 innings pitched. He got off to a poor start in 1959 until he strung together three straight complete game wins in June and had an 18-strikeout performance against the Giants at the end of August on his way to an 8-6 mark with a 4.05 ERA and 173 strikeouts with 92 walks over the course of 153.1 innings. The Dodgers won the NL pennant and Koufax saw his first World Series action against the Chicago White Sox, appearing in two games, losing a 1-0 decision in Game 5 in which he pitched 7 innings and surrendered just five hits while striking out 6 batters before a crowd of 92,706 at the LA Coliseum. 1960 was a more disappointing season in which he pitched 175 innings and went 8-13 with a 3.91 ERA and 197 strikeouts while issuing 100 walks. Frustrated with his career thus far, Koufax worked to improve his delivery, mechanics, and control. Strong, with long arms and fingers, he refined his rising fastball and developed an excellent overhand curve. The result in 1961 was an 18-13 record with a 3.52 ERA, 15 complete games, and a league-leading 269 strikeouts. He also was an All-Star for the first time. The move by the Dodgers from the LA Coliseum to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium in 1962 also proved beneficial. Off to a strong start in 1962, Koufax suffered a career-threatening circulatory problem with his index finger which went numb as a result. He still managed his first career no-hitter against the expansion New York Mets shortly before being shelved until September at the cost of his endurance and effectiveness. The Dodgers faded down the stretch and ended up tied for first with the Giants, necessitating a season-extending playoff, won by San Francisco. In his abbreviated season, Koufax went 14-7 with a league-leading 2.54 ERA while striking out 216 batters in 184.1 innings pitched. Entering 1963 there were concerns about Koufax’s condition, although he had finally developed into an outstanding pitcher.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in 40 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 40

Games Started – 40 [3, tied with Juan Marichal]

Complete Games – 20 [2]

Wins – 25 [1, tied with Juan Marichal]

Losses – 5

PCT - .833 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 11 [1]

Innings Pitched – 311 [3]

Hits – 214 [13]

Runs – 68

Earned Runs – 65

Home Runs – 18 [19, tied with Art Mahaffey]

Bases on Balls – 58

Strikeouts – 306 [1]

ERA – 1.88 [1]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 6

League-leading win percentage was +.066 ahead of runners-up Warren Spahn & Jim Maloney

League-leading shutouts were +4 ahead of runner-up Warren Spahn

League-leading strikeouts were +41 ahead of runner-up Jim Maloney

League-leading ERA was -0.23 lower than runner-up Dick Ellsworth

Midseason Snapshot: 14-3, ERA - 1.73, SO - 150 in 156.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) vs. Houston 4/19

10+ strikeout games – 11

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 5/11 (No-hitter with 2 BB & 4 strikeouts. Dodgers won 8-0)

Batting

PA – 124, AB – 110, R – 3, H – 7, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 7, BB – 6, SO – 51, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .064, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 7, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances - 41

Put Outs – 4

Assists – 34

Errors – 3

DP – 1

Pct. - .927

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

GS – 2, CG – 2, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 18, H – 12, R – 3, ER – 3, HR – 2, BB – 3, SO – 23, ERA – 1.50, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0  World Series MVP

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Sandy Koufax, LAD.: 237 pts. – 14 of 20 first place votes, 85% share

Dick Groat, StL.: 190 pts. – 4 first place votes, 68% share

Hank Aaron, Mil.: 135 pts. – 1 first place vote, 48% share

Ron Perranoski, LAD: 130 pts. – 46% share

Willie Mays, SF: 102 pts. – 36% share

(1 first place vote cast for Jim Gilliam, LAD, who ranked sixth)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Sandy Koufax, LAD: 20 of 20 votes, 100% share

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Dodgers went 99-63 to win the NL pennant by 6 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.85), shutouts (24), strikeouts (1095), and fewest runs allowed (550). The Dodgers, benefiting from speed and defense in addition to excellent pitching led by Koufax, RHP Don Drysdale, and LHP Johnny Podres, moved into first place to stay in July and effectively ended the pennant race with a three-game sweep of the Cardinals at St. Louis in September. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0, highlighted by Koufax’s record 15-strikeout performance in Game 1.

Aftermath of ‘63:

Already bothered by arthritis in his left arm that required special treatment, in 1964 Koufax remained extremely effective until a sore elbow finished him for the season in August. He still finished with a 19-5 record in just 28 starts and won his third straight National League ERA title with a 1.74 ERA while pitching 223 innings. He also pitched his third career no-hitter, this time against the Phillies, and struck out 223 batters while hurling seven shutouts and 15 complete games. The Dodgers dropped to sixth place but returned to the top of the NL in 1965. Utilizing ice baths to reduce swelling in his elbow, Koufax contributed a 26-8 record that included his then-record fourth no-hitter, a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs. He also set a major league strikeout record with 382 while topping the NL for a fourth consecutive time with his 2.04 ERA and leading the league with 27 complete games and 335.2 innings pitched. In the midst of a hot pennant race against the Giants, he threw four complete game wins in his final five starts. In the World Series against Minnesota, Koufax refused to pitch on the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur but went on to post a 2-1 tally with a 0.38 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 24 innings as the Dodgers won in seven games. He was named the Series MVP and went on to receive his second Cy Young Award while placing second in league MVP voting. In 1966, he and star RHP Don Drysdale staged a spring joint contract holdout which resulted in a raise for Koufax from $110,000 to $130,000. That season he topped the NL in wins with his 27-9 mark, in ERA for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year (1.73), in complete games (27), shutouts (5), innings pitched (323), and strikeouts (317). LA won another pennant, although the Dodgers were swept by Baltimore in the World Series. “The Left Arm of God”, as he was sometimes referred to, won a third Cy Young Award and placed a close second in NL MVP balloting. Fearful that the arthritis would cripple him for life if he continued to pitch, Koufax retired at age 30 while still at the top of his game. Efforts by the Dodgers to lure him back failed, and the quiet and unassuming Koufax went on to a short broadcasting career. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Dodgers, he compiled a 165-87 record with a 2.76 ERA and 2396 strikeouts in 2324.1 innings pitched. He further pitched 137 complete games with 40 shutouts, including the four no-hitters. Concerned about causing serious injury, he avoided throwing knockdown pitches and hit only 18 batters during his career. In World Series action, he appeared in 8 games (7 of them starts) and produced a 4-3 record with a 0.95 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 57 innings, and he was a two-time World Series MVP. His Series record of 15 strikeouts in a game lasted until 1968. A seven-time All-Star, Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 at age 36, making him the youngest person to become a Hall of Famer. The Dodgers retired his #32. In retirement he spent time as a special pitching instructor for the Dodgers. He also maintained a low public profile.

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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 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.

  

Rookie of the Year: Justin Verlander, 2006

Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

 

Age:  23

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 235

Prior to 2006:

A native of Virginia, Verlander was impressive pitching at Goochland High School where he struck out 394 batters over three varsity seasons. A bout with strep throat as a senior damaged his draft prospects. Moving on to Old Dominion University, the lanky hurler’s velocity increased and he was 7-6 with a 1.90 ERA as a freshman. In 2003, his record dropped to 7-6 with a 2.40 ERA, although he led the Colonial Athletic Association in strikeouts with 139 in 116 innings. He pitched for the silver medal-winning USA team in the Pan American Games as well. An all-conference selection as a junior in 2004, Verlander was chosen by the Tigers in the amateur draft with the second overall pick. Signing with Detroit, he was initially assigned to Lakeland of the high Class A Florida State League in 2005 where he posted a 9-2 tally with a 1.67 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 86 innings pitched. Promoted to the Erie SeaWolves of the Class AA Eastern League later in the season, he was 2-0 in seven starts with a 0.28 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Demonstrating excellent control, his repertoire featured a fastball and breaking ball. Verlander received a late call-up to the Tigers and after going 0-2 with a 7.15 ERA, he was shut down due to a tired arm. He joined Detroit’s rotation for the 2006 season.

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in 30 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 30

Games Started – 30

Complete Games – 1 [17, tied with 24 others]

Wins – 17 [4, tied with Randy Johnson, Freddy Garcia & Kenny Rogers]

Losses – 9

PCT - .654 [9, tied with Freddy Garcia]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [5, tied with sixteen others]

Innings Pitched – 186

Hits – 187

Runs – 78

Earned Runs – 75

Home Runs – 21

Bases on Balls – 60 [18, tied with Randy Johnson & Felix Hernandez]

Strikeouts – 124

ERA – 3.63 [7, tied with Chien-Ming Wang]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 1 [15, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 5 

Midseason Snapshot: 10-4, ERA - 3.01, SO - 69 in 110.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 6.2 IP) at Cleveland 7/26

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at Texas 4/8, (in 7 IP) vs. KC Royals 7/15

Batting

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

Fielding

Chances – 38

Put Outs – 11

Assists – 24

Errors – 3

DP – 4

Pct. - .921

Postseason Pitching: G – 4 (ALDS vs. NY Yankees – 1 G; ALCS vs. Oakland – 1 G; World Series vs. St. Louis – 2 G)

GS – 4, CG – 0, Record – 1-2, PCT – .333, SV – 0, SHO – 0, IP – 21.2, H – 26, R – 17, ER – 14, HR – 5, BB – 10, SO – 23, ERA – 5.82, HB – 0, BLK – 1, WP – 3

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

15^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Johnny Damon, NYY & Ichiro Suzuki, Sea. (7 points, 2% share)

7^th in AL Cy Young voting (2 points, 1% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Justin Verlander, Det.: 133 pts. – 26 of 28 first place votes, 95% share

Jonathan Papelbon, Bos.: 63 pts. – 45% share

Francisco Liriano, Min.: 30 pts. – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Kenji Johjima, Sea.: 10 pts. –  7% share

Jered Weaver, LAA: 8 pts. – 6% share

Nick Markakis, Balt.: 7 pts. – 1 first place vote, 5% share

Ian Kinsler, Tex.: 1 pt. – 1% share

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Tigers went 95-67 to finish second in the AL Central Division by 1 game behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.84), shutouts (16), and fewest runs allowed (675). The resurgent Tigers, under new manager Jim Leyland, put together a 59-29 first half to take the AL Central lead but faded enough during the second half to allow the Twins to beat them out for the division title on the season’s final day, although they still secured a wild card slot in the postseason. Won ALDS over the New York Yankees, 3 games to 1. Won ALCS over the Oakland Athletics, 4 games to 0. Lost World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 1 as Verlander lost both of his starts, including an unprecedented all-rookie matchup against St. Louis’ Anthony Reyes in the opening game.

Aftermath of ‘06:

The Tigers dropped to second place in the AL Central in 2007, but Verlander continued his development as he pitched a no-hitter against the Brewers and was an All-Star for the first time on his way to an 18-6 record with a 3.66 ERA and 183 strikeouts. Detroit struggled in 2008 and Verlander ended up leading the AL in losses with his 11-17 record and his ERA rose to 4.84. He still registered 163 strikeouts while pitching 201 innings. He rebounded in 2009 with a 19-9 tally and 3.45 ERA while topping the league in innings pitched (240) and strikeouts (269). Verlander had another strong season in 2010 in which he went 18-9 with a 3.37 ERA and 219 strikeouts. He had a big year in 2011 as the Tigers topped the division and he contributed a 24-5 record while leading the AL in ERA (2.40), innings pitched (251), and strikeouts (250). Along the way he no-hit Toronto in May. His reward was to receive both the league MVP and the Cy Young Award. In 2012, he took a no-hit bid against Pittsburgh into the ninth inning before having to settle for a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. He went on to post a 17-8 mark while topping the circuit with 238.1 innings pitched and 239 strikeouts. He finished a close second in AL Cy Young balloting. The Tigers advanced to the World Series, helped by Verlander’s fine pitching in the ALDS and ALCS, but were swept by the Giants in the Series. Prior to the 2013 season, he signed a five-year, $140 million contract extension. He went 13-12 for the AL Central champs with a 3.46 ERA and 217 strikeouts and was also impressive in the postseason which resulted in the Tigers beating Oakland in the ALDS before coming up short against the Red Sox in the ALCS. In the offseason he underwent surgery to treat a sports hernia that was suffered during his conditioning regimen. He started off slowly in 2014 but finished strong to end up with a 15-12 tally and 4.54 ERA and 159 strikeouts while pitching 206 innings. Verlander missed the first two months of the 2015 season due to a right triceps strain. The result was a 5-8 mark with a 3.38 ERA and 113 strikeouts over the course of 133.1 innings. He rebounded in 2016 with a 16-9 record and 3.04 ERA while topping the AL with 254 strikeouts. He placed second in league Cy Young Award voting. With the Tigers struggling in 2017 and looking to re-tool, Verlander was dealt to the Houston Astros on August 31. 10-8 with Detroit, he went 5-0 the rest of the way to finish at 15-8 with a 3.36 ERA and 219 strikeouts. Houston topped the AL West and Verlander won two games in the ALDS victory over Boston and was MVP of the ALCS triumph over the Yankees thanks to another two wins. He suffered his first loss as an Astro in the World Series against the Dodgers, won by Houston in seven games (which later became tainted by allegations that the Astros stole opponents’ signs by use of electronic means). Houston won the AL West again in 2018 and Verlander contributed a 16-9 record with a 2.52 ERA and a league-leading 290 strikeouts. He placed second in league Cy Young voting. In 2019 he won the Cy Young Award due to a 21-6 tally with a 2.58 ERA and 300 strikeouts while leading the AL with 223 innings pitched. He had groin surgery in 2020 and pitched one game in the pandemic-shortened season due to an elbow injury that required “Tommy John” surgery and sidelined him for all of 2021. To date, Verlander has a 226-129 career major league record with a 3.33 ERA, 26 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 3013 strikeouts in 2988 innings pitched. With Detroit his record was 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA, 23 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 2373 strikeouts in 2511 innings. A two-time Cy Young Award winner, he has also been an eight-time All-Star (6 with the Tigers). Appearing in 31 postseason games, he has posted a 14-11 tally with a 3.40 ERA and 205 strikeouts over 187.2 innings. While his future remains uncertain, he has already proven to be one of the elite pitchers of his era. 

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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.