Rookie of the Year: Kerry Wood, 1998

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age:  21 (June 16)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1998:

A Texas native, Wood initially played shortstop as a freshman at MacArthur High School in Irving before becoming a pitcher. With a 90 mph fastball, he received all-district recognition. Transferring to Grand Prairie High School as a senior, Wood went 14-0 with a 0.77 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 81.1 innings pitched. Selected by the Cubs fourth overall in the 1995 amateur draft, he received a $1.2 million signing bonus. In ’96 with Daytona of the Class A Florida State League, Wood produced a 10-2 record with a 2.91 ERA, 136 strikeouts, and 70 walks in 114.1 innings. In 1997 with Orlando of the Class AA Southern League and Iowa of the Class AAA American Association, he produced a combined 10-9 tally with a 4.57 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 151.2 innings in addition to 131 walks and 18 wild pitches. Wood started the 1998 season with Iowa and was quickly promoted to the Cubs.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in 26 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 26

Games Started – 26

Complete Games – 1

Wins – 13 [20, tied with six others]

Losses – 6

PCT - .684 [6, tied with Mark Gardner]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [14, tied with 23 others]

Innings Pitched – 166.2

Hits – 117

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 14

Bases on Balls – 85 [9, tied with Tyler Green & Orel Hershiser]

Strikeouts – 233 [3]

ERA – 3.40 [13]

Hit Batters – 11 [3, tied with five others]

Balks – 3 [5, tied with nine others]

Wild Pitches – 6

Midseason Snapshot: 8-3, ERA - 3.38, SO - 139 in 93.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 20 (in 9 IP) vs. Houston 5/6 (Tied MLB record)

10+ strikeout games – 9

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Houston 5/6

Batting

PA – 63, AB – 54, R – 3, H – 7, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 1, SO – 16, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .130, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 8, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 13

Put Outs – 4

Assists – 9

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 1 (NLDS vs. Atlanta)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 5, H – 3, R – 1, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 4, SO – 5, ERA – 1.80, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Kerry Wood, ChiC.: 128 pts. – 16 of 32 first place votes, 80% share

Todd Helton, Col.: 119 pts. – 15 first place votes, 74% share

Travis Lee, Ariz.: 21 pts. – 13% share

Kerry Ligtenberg, Atl.: 18 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11% share

Brad Fullmer, Mon.: 2 pts. – 1% share

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Cubs went 90-73 to finish second in the NL Central Division, 12.5 games behind the division-winning Houston Astros and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot after defeating the San Francisco Giants 5-3 in a season-extending single-game playoff. In a season in which the home run race between Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire of the Cardinals dominated attention, the Cubs, spurred by Sosa’s hitting and Wood’s pitching, went on a 21-9 run in May and stayed in the Wild Card race until the end, although a sore elbow sidelined Wood in September. They came from behind for 49 of their wins. Lost NLDS to the Atlanta Braves, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘98:

The sore elbow that curtailed Wood’s outstanding rookie season resulted in “Tommy John” surgery that cost him the entire 1999 season. In 2000, he made his first start for the Cubs in May. With less velocity on his fastball and difficulty in controlling his breaking pitches, he produced an 8-7 record in 23 starts with a 4.80 ERA, 132 strikeouts, 87 walks, and 137 innings pitched. Wood returned to form in 2001 as he pitched 174.1 innings and posted a 12-6 record with a 3.36 ERA and 217 strikeouts. Along the way he threw a one-hit shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in which he faced 30 batters and struck out 14 of them. Shoulder tendinitis curtailed his season in August. Wood in 2002 went on to a 12-11 tally with a 3.66 ERA and 217 strikeouts while compiling 213.2 innings. He also added a slider to his repertoire during the second half of the season to go along with his fastball, curve, and changeup. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2003 and led the NL with 266 strikeouts to go with his 14-11 record, four complete games, and two shutouts. In 2004 a strained triceps cost Wood nearly two months of the season and he finished at 8-9 with a 3.72 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 140.1 innings pitched. Elbow trouble limited him to 10 starts in 2005 and he was shifted to the bullpen on his way to a 3-4 tally in 21 appearances with a 4.23 ERA and 77 strikeouts over 66 innings. Further injuries limited Wood to four starts in 2006 and he was utilized exclusively as a reliever in 2007, pitching in 22 games and posting a 1-1 record with a 3.33 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 24.1 innings. Taking over the role of closer out of the bullpen in 2008, he stayed healthy and produced a 5-4 mark and 34 saves in 65 appearances, along with a 3.26 ERA and 84 strikeouts. He was an All-Star for the second time. In the offseason he signed a two-year, $20 million free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians. Wood started out effectively with his new club in 2009, recording 15 saves in 20 opportunities before encountering problems with consistency. He finished with a 3-3 tally and 20 saves along with a 4.25 ERA. During spring training in 2010, a back injury put him on the disabled list for the thirteenth time in his career. Returning to action with Cleveland in May, Wood had a 1-4 tally with 8 saves prior to returning to the DL in July and being traded to the New York Yankees. Used as a setup man out of the bullpen, he went 2-0 the rest of the way with an 0.69 ERA in 24 appearances. A free agent once again in the offseason, Wood returned to the Cubs in 2011 and made 55 relief appearances, posting a 3-5 record with a 3.35 ERA. He made 10 appearances in 2012 before retiring in May. For his major league career, Wood produced an 86-75 record with a 3.67 ERA and 1582 strikeouts in 1380 innings. He also recorded 63 saves along with 11 complete games and 5 shutouts. With the Cubs, he was 80-68 with a 3.67 ERA, 1470 strikeouts in 1279 innings, 35 saves, and all his complete games and shutouts. Pitching in 15 postseason games, he was 2-2 with a 3.43 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 44.2 innings. A two-time All-Star during his injury-plagued career, Wood was at his best during his 1998 rookie season and in 2003. An enormous talent when he first joined the Cubs, he showed great determination despite the many physical setbacks.    

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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: Roger Clemens, 1987

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

 

Age:  25 (Aug. 4)

4^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1987:

A native of Ohio who moved to Texas in high school, Clemens attended San Jacinto Junior College, which had a strong baseball program, before moving on to the University of Texas, passing up a contract offer from the New York Mets, who drafted him as an amateur in 1981. He was a power-pitching member of the Texas squad that won the 1983 College World Series before signing with the Red Sox, who made him a first round draft pick that year. The highly driven Clemens climbed readily through Boston’s minor league system and joined the parent club in 1984. Somewhat unsteady as a rookie, Clemens compiled a 9-4 record with a 4.32 ERA and was shut down in September due to a tendon injury in his pitching arm. Several injuries marred his 1985 season that concluded with surgery on his right shoulder after posting a 7-5 record with 3.29 ERA in just 15 starts. In his fourth start of the 1986 season against Seattle, Clemens struck out a record 20 batters and set the stage for a dominating season in which he went 24-4 and led the AL in ERA (2.48) while compiling 238 strikeouts in 254 innings pitched. The Red Sox topped the AL East and won the pennant, although losing to the New York Mets in the World Series. Clemens was pulled from his Game 6 start after eight innings due to a blister on his right hand and the Red Sox blew a 3-2 lead and lost in excruciating fashion in the tenth inning, setting the stage for the Mets to win the Series in seven games. Still, Clemens ended up as the American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36

Games Started – 36 [5, tied with Jimmy Key, Frank Viola & Mike Witt]

Complete Games – 18 [1]

Wins – 20 [1, tied with Dave Stewart]

Losses – 9

PCT - .690 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 7 [1]

Innings Pitched – 281.2 [2]

Hits – 248 [5]

Runs – 100

Earned Runs – 93

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 83 [20]

Strikeouts – 256 [2]

ERA – 2.97 [3]

Hit Batters – 9 [5, tied with Bert Blyleven & Mike Smithson]

Balks – 3 [8, tied with six others]

Wild Pitches – 4

 

League-leading complete games were +3 ahead of runners-up Bruce Hurst & Bret Saberhagen

League-leading win percentage was +.006 ahead of runner-up Tommy John

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Bret Saberhagen

Midseason Snapshot: 8-6, ERA - 3.66, SO - 120 in 145 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) vs. Seattle 7/26

10+ strikeout games – 9

Fewest hits allowed, game – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Milwaukee 10/4

Fielding

Chances – 40

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 25

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

19^th in AL MVP voting (7 points, 2% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Roger Clemens, Bos.: 124 pts. – 21 of 28 first place votes, 89% share

Jimmy Key, Tor.: 64 pts. – 4 first place votes, 46% share

Dave Stewart, Oak.: 32 pts. – 2 first place votes, 23% share

Doyle Alexander, Det.: 8 pts. – 1 first place vote, 6% share

Mark Langston, Sea.: 7 pts. – 5% share

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Red Sox went 78-84 to finish fifth in the AL Eastern Division, 20 games behind the division-winning Detroit Tigers while the pitching staff lead the league in complete games (47), shutouts (13), and hits allowed (1584). Clemens briefly walked out on the club during spring training over a contract dispute and got off to a slow 4-6 start before returning to form. The Red Sox were out of contention by June and unloaded some veteran players as part of a youth movement which led to a .500 second-half record and provided hope for the future.

Aftermath of ‘87:

“The Rocket” spent nine more seasons with the Red Sox, often highlighted by controversy both on and off the field. Boston returned to the top of the AL East in 1988 and Clemens contributed an 18-12 record, 2.93 ERA, and led the league in strikeouts (291), complete games (14), and shutouts (8). He led the AL in ERA for three straight years from 1990 to ’92 and won a third Cy Young Award in 1991 with an 18-10 tally, 2.62 ERA, 241 strikeouts, and 271.1 innings pitched. His performance slipped thereafter as his record dropped to 11-14 with a 4.46 ERA in 1993, and after a fair year in 1994, he slipped badly again in ’95. Clemens had another 20-strikeout single-game performance in 1996 on his way to a 10-13 record with a league-leading 257 strikeouts. “The Rocket” signed a three-year free agent contract worth $24.75 million with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 and won the AL Cy Young Award that year with a fifth-place team that went 76-86 and again in 1998, when he was 20-6 and topped the circuit in ERA (2.65) and strikeouts (271). The Blue Jays rose to third at 88-74 and Clemens requested a trade to a contending team and was dealt to the New York Yankees just prior to the ’99 season. Clemens spent five years with the Yanks, who won three AL pennants and two World Series titles during that time. “The Rocket” won another Cy Young Award in 2001 and compiled 77 wins in all during that period. Hinting at retirement in 2003, he moved on to the Houston Astros as a free agent in 2004 and had an 18-4 record with a 2.98 ERA and received a seventh Cy Young Award. At age 43 in 2005, he led the NL with a 1.87 ERA as the Astros won the league pennant for the first time in franchise history. Clemens re-signed with Houston in ’06 and ended up with a 7-6 record and 2.30 ERA while the club failed to reach the postseason. Clemens returned to the Yankees for one final year in 2007. He later returned to organized baseball in 2012 at the age of 50, appearing with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. He started two games and had no decisions.  Overall, in the major leagues he had a 354-184 record and 3.12 ERA with 4672 strikeouts over the course of 4916.2 innings. In the postseason he was 12-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 173 strikeouts. His numbers with Boston alone were 192-111 with a 3.06 ERA and 2590 strikeouts. Controversy erupted over his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs during the later stages of his career, thus far keeping him from achieving election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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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 Palmer, 1975

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

 

Age:  29

10^th season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1975:

A native of New York City, Palmer was adopted and originally named James Alvin Wiesen. Upon his father’s death the family moved to California and he was adopted by his mother’s second husband, whose last name was Palmer. Now Jim Palmer, he played Little League, Pony League, and Babe Ruth League baseball as a youth. The family relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona where Palmer attended high school and played football and basketball as well as baseball, where he pitched and also appeared in center field. While playing summer ball in South Dakota following his high school graduation, Palmer drew the interest of the Orioles, who signed him to a $50,000 contract. He had already suffered a knee injury in a car accident that required surgery. Assigned to Aberdeen of the Class A Northern League in 1964, Palmer started 19 games and posted an 11-3 record with a 2.51 ERA and 107 strikeouts, although he had problems with his control, as he issued 130 walks over 129 innings. But still he pitched a no-hitter and, after a winter stint in the Florida Instructional League, Palmer advanced to the Orioles in 1965. Utilized as a reliever and spot starter, he appeared in 27 games (6 of them starts) and went 5-4 with a 3.72 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 92 innings, while walking 56 batters. Palmer moved into the starting rotation in 1966 and contributed a 15-10 record to Baltimore’s pennant-winning season, along with a 3.46 ERA and 147 strikeouts. He also acquired the nickname “Cakes” as the result of his habit of eating pancakes on the mornings of his starts. The Orioles swept the Dodgers in the World Series and the 20-year old out-dueled LA’s star LHP Sandy Koufax in Game 2 for a complete game shutout. Palmer started the 1967 season well at 2-1, including a one-hit shutout of the Yankees, until arm trouble reduced his effectiveness and resulted in his being sent down to the minors for most of the season, returning to the Orioles in September. He finished with a 3-1 major league tally and a 2.94 ERA over 49 innings. With continued arm soreness, Palmer spent all of 1968 in the minors, appearing with three different teams with poor results. The Orioles expected him to pitch through the pain and during a winter stint in Puerto Rico the soreness disappeared. He regained his spot in the Baltimore rotation in 1969 and was 16-4, despite missing time due to a back injury, with a 2.34 ERA and a no-hitter against Oakland. In the first year of divisional play in major league baseball, the Orioles topped the new AL East and Palmer beat the Minnesota Twins in the third, and final, game of the ALCS. In the World Series he lost his only start against the New York Mets, who upset Baltimore in five games. The Orioles had three 20-game winners in 1970, with Palmer (20-10) joining lefthanders Mike Cuellar (24-8) and Dave McNally (24-9) as Baltimore again finished first in the AL East. Palmer also led the AL with 305 innings pitched. He and the team had better luck in the postseason, again sweeping the Twins as Palmer again won the deciding contest, and this time the Orioles won the World Series against Cincinnati, and Palmer won the opener and was pulled from Game 4 with a lead that reliever Eddie Watt couldn’t hold, which led to the only win for the Reds. The Orioles had an unprecedented four 20-game winners in 1971 on the way to a third straight AL pennant. Newly-acquired RHP Pat Dobson (20-8) joined Palmer (20-9), Cuellar (20-9), and McNally (21-5). Palmer battled shoulder stiffness along the way to 20 complete games and 282 innings pitched with a 2.68 ERA and 184 strikeouts. He was 2-0 in the postseason that resulted in a World Series loss to Pittsburgh. The Orioles dropped to third place in 1972, but Palmer had a third consecutive All-Star season on his way to a 21-10 record with a 2.07 ERA and 184 strikeouts. With an outstanding high fastball as his best pitch, Palmer also had command of a slow curve and slider. He also had an occasionally tempestuous relationship with manager Earl Weaver, who appreciated his righthanded ace’s talent if not always his baseball opinions. Baltimore returned to the top of the AL East in 1973 and Palmer contributed a 22-9 record with a league-leading 2.40 ERA and 158 strikeouts, and received his first AL Cy Young Award. He pitched a five-hit shutout against Oakland in the ALCS, which the A’s ultimately won. Following four consecutive 20-win seasons capped by a Cy Young Award-winning effort in 1973, Palmer had an off-year in 1974 while hindered by arm soreness. His record dropped to 7-12 although his ERA was still respectable at 3.27.

1975 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 38 [4, tied with Vida Blue & Ken Holtzman]

Complete Games – 25 [2, tied with Gaylord Perry]

Wins – 23 [1, tied with Jim Hunter]

Losses – 11

PCT - .676 [3]

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 10 [1]

Innings Pitched – 323 [2]

Hits – 253 [10]

Runs – 87

Earned Runs – 75

Home Runs – 20 [15, tied with Bill Lee & Jim Kaat]

Bases on Balls – 80

Strikeouts – 193 [4]

ERA – 2.09 [1]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Jim Hunter

League-leading ERA was -0.49 lower than runner-up Jim Hunter

Midseason Snapshot: 13-6, ERA - 2.26, SO - 105 in 175.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 10 IP) vs. Boston 9/3

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. KC Royals 6/8

 

Fielding

Chances – 88

Put Outs – 30

Assists – 52

Errors – 6

DP – 7

Pct. - .932

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

6^th in AL MVP voting (82 points, 24% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 98 pts. – 15 of 24 first place votes, 82% share

Jim Hunter, NYY: 74 pts. – 7 first place votes, 62% share

Rollie Fingers, Oak.: 25 pts. – 2 first place votes, 21% share

Jim Kaat, ChiWS.: 7 pts. – 6% share

Frank Tanana, Cal.: 7 pts. – 6% share

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Orioles went 90-69 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 4.5 games behind the division-winning Boston Red Sox. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.17), complete games (70, tied with the New York Yankees) and shutouts (19, tied with the California Angels). Starting off slowly, the Orioles were in the AL East cellar after an 11-17 May. Improvement over the summer months still left them 9.5 games out in early August, but a 15-3 run down the stretch pulled them into second place, where they ultimately finished.

Aftermath of ‘75:

Palmer won his third Cy Young Award in 1976 following a 22-13 effort with a 2.51 ERA and league-leading 315 innings pitched. He was the Cy Young runner-up in 1977 when he went 20-11 with a 2.91 ERA and 22 complete games and 319 innings pitched, which were both AL-leading figures. Palmer topped the American League in innings pitched for the third straight year with 296 in 1978, on his way to a 21-12 record with a 2.46 ERA. Twice on the disabled list with a sore arm in 1979, he finished at 10-6 with a 3.30 ERA as the Orioles topped the AL East for the first time since 1974. He was 0-1 in the postseason which ended in a World Series loss to Pittsburgh. Palmer had a solid 1980 season, compiling a 16-10 record with a 3.98 ERA. He dipped to 7-8 with a 7-8 tally in strike-interrupted 1981. Following a slow start in 1982, Palmer was briefly exiled to the bullpen but recovered to end up at 15-5 with a 3.13 ERA. He went 5-4 in an injury-plagued 1983 season which concluded with a World Series win in a relief appearance which gave him World Series wins in three different decades. Still, the end was near as Palmer was released by the Orioles during the 1984 season following an 0-3 start. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Orioles, Palmer produced a 268-152 record that included eight 20-win seasons and two ERA titles. His ERA was 2.86 and he compiled 211 complete games that included 53 shutouts. He also struck out 2212 batters over the course of 3948 innings. In addition to three Cy Young Awards, he was a six-time All-Star who received four Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess as well. Pitching in 17 postseason games, he was 8-3 with a 2.61 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Palmer attempted a comeback with Baltimore in 1991 that ended during spring training. Following his playing career, the intelligent and articulate Palmer went into broadcasting, which he had first involved himself with while still a player, as well as being a model in underwear ads. The Orioles retired his #22 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.

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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.   

Rookie of the Year: Earl Williams, 1971

Catcher, Atlanta Braves

Age:  23 (July 14)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 215

Prior to 1971:

A New Jersey native, Williams played Little League ball in his youth and was a star athlete at Montclair High School (basketball as well as baseball). A star pitcher, he also played American Legion ball. Chosen by the Braves with the sixth overall pick of the 1965 amateur draft, Williams passed up a basketball scholarship but still attended Ithaca College to study broadcasting and journalism. In his first year of minor league action in 1966, he appeared in 31 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (22 at first base and 11 as a pitcher) and batted .211 along with a 1-0 pitching record and 3.10 ERA in 61 innings pitched. Giving up pitching and splitting time between first base and the outfield in 1967, Williams hit .251 with 7 home runs and 27 RBIs for West Palm Beach of the Class A Florida State League. An offseason knee injury cost him two months of the 1968 season, still with West Palm Beach, and he hit only .236 with no home runs in 50 games before finishing up with Greenwood of the Class A Western Carolinas League. In 1969, Williams put off school to fully commit to baseball and had a huge season, batting .340 with 33 home runs and 107 RBIs. The Braves decided to convert him into a catcher, and he was sent to the Arizona Instructional League to begin that process. Starting 1970 with Shreveport of the Class AA Texas League, Williams hit .318 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs before moving up to Richmond of the Class AAA International League where he batted .265 with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs in 22 games. Called up to the Braves in September, he appeared in 10 games and hit .368, setting the stage for Williams to make the club in 1971 as a backup catcher and first and third baseman.

1971 Season Summary

Appeared in 145 games

C – 72, 3B – 42, 1B – 31, PH – 14

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 550

At Bats – 497

Runs – 64

Hits – 129

Doubles – 14

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 33 [5, tied with Bobby Bonds]

RBI – 87 [13]

Bases on Balls – 42

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 80

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .260

OBP - .324

Slugging Pct. - .491 [8]

Total Bases – 244 [19]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 7 [3, tied with George Foster, Chris Speier & Willie Stargell]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: HR - 15, RBI - 44, AVG - .242, SLG – .458 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Houston 8/12

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 2 on five occasions

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 19

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Houston 6/13

Pinch-hitting – 3 for 12 (.250) with 2 R & 2 BB

Fielding (C )

Chances – 418

Put Outs – 375

Assists – 35

Errors – 8

Passed Balls – 15

DP – 4

Pct. - .981

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Earl Williams, Atl.: 18 of 24 votes, 75% share

Willie Montanez, Phila.: 6 votes, 25% share

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Braves went 82-80 to finish third in the NL Western Division, 8 games behind the division-winning San Francisco Giants. The slow-starting Braves caught fire at the end of June, winning 21 of 29 games and 46 of their last 81 to secure a third-place finish. The initial surge coincided with the stationing of Williams as the regular catcher.

Aftermath of ‘71:

Reporting to spring training in 1972 a bit overweight, Williams again displayed solid power during the season, batting .258 with 28 home runs and 87 RBIs. His skill as a catcher, lauded in ’71, came under criticism in his second year. The Braves traded him and a minor leaguer to the Baltimore Orioles for second baseman Dave Johnson, catcher Johnny Oates, and pitchers Pat Dobson and Roric Harrison. As a power-hitting catcher/first baseman, Williams hit .237 with 22 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also became embroiled in controversies over behavioral issues. The issues between player and team continued in 1974 as he continued to split time between catcher and first base, appearing in 118 games and batting .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs. Dealt back to the Braves just prior to the 1975 season, Williams was utilized primarily as a first baseman while appearing in 111 games and hit .240 with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs. Seeing more action behind the plate in 1976, Williams was batting .212 with 9 home runs and 26 RBIs when he was traded to the Montreal Expos in July. He finished the season with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs to go along with a .225 average and was released by the Expos in the offseason. Joining the Oakland Athletics in 1977, Williams was a catcher/first baseman/DH for a last-place club and hit .241 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs while feuding with manager Bobby Winkles. Released in 1978 after starting the season on the disabled list with a broken thumb, he never returned to the major leagues, although he played in the Mexican League in 1979 and ’80, leading the league in RBIs in 1979. For his major league career, that commenced with much promise and became mired in controversy, Williams batted .247 with 756 hits that included 115 doubles, 6 triples, and 138 home runs. He scored 361 runs and compiled 457 RBIs and a .424 slugging percentage. With the Braves he batted .251 with 200 runs scored, 413 hits, 58 doubles, 3 triples, 81 home runs, 255 RBIs, and a .437 slugging percentage. Appearing in seven postseason games (all with the Orioles), he hit .208 with a home run and four RBIs. Williams died in 2013 at the age of 64.   

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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: Tim Lincecum, 2009

Pitcher, San Francisco Giants

 

Age:  25 (June 15)

3^rd season with Giants

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170

Prior to 2009:

Born in Bellevue, Washington, Lincecum was small and wiry growing up. Only 4’11” when he entered Renton’s Liberty High School he was surprisingly strong for his small stature. A growth spurt had him at nearly a foot taller by the time he was a junior and became a varsity pitcher. With a unique windup that resolved in a long stride forward on the mound prior to release, Lincecum compiled a 4-2 record in that first varsity season with a 0.73 ERA and 86 strikeouts over the course of 49 innings. He was 12-1 for a state championship team as a senior and he passed up an offer from the Chicago Cubs, who selected him in the 2003 amateur draft, to attend the Univ. of Washington. He continued his development in college and received the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s best collegiate player in 2006, when he pitched 125.1 innings and posted a 12-4 tally with a 1.94 ERA and 199 strikeouts. He was the tenth overall selection by the Giants in that year’s amateur draft and Lincecum signed for a $2.025 million bonus. Playing for two teams at the Class A level in ’06 he pitched 31.2 innings and went 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 58 strikeouts. He advanced to Fresno of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2007 and in five games posted a 4-0 record and 0.29 ERA with 46 strikeouts. Called up to the Giants in May Lincecum took over the spot in the rotation of injured RHP Russ Ortiz and compiled a 7-5 tally with a 4.00 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 146.1 innings pitched. Able to throw consistently at high velocity from his odd windup and despite his slender frame, his repertoire included a four-seam fastball, curve, changeup, and slider. Posting an 18-5 record in 2008 with a 2.62 ERA and league-leading 265 strikeouts, the pitcher known as “The Freak” received his first NL Cy Young Award.

2009 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

P – 32, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 32

Games Started – 32 [18, tied with six others]

Complete Games – 4 [1, tied with Matt Cain]

Wins – 15 [4, tied with seven others]

Losses – 7

PCT - .682 [5]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [1, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 225.1 [3]

Hits – 168

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 10

Bases on Balls – 68 [15, tied with John Lannan]

Strikeouts – 261 [1]

ERA – 2.48 [2]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 11 [6, tied with six others]

 

League-leading strikeouts were +23 ahead of runner-up Javier Vazquez

 

Midseason Snapshot: 10-2, ERA - 2.33, SO - 149 in 127.2 IP

 

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Most strikeouts, game – 15 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 7/27

10+ strikeout games – 8

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at St. Louis 6/29, (in 7 IP) vs. Arizona 10/1

Batting

PA – 86, AB – 66, R – 8, H – 10, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 6, SO – 36, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .152, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 13, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 40

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 25

Errors – 2

DP – 3

Pct. - .950

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for NL)

18^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Shane Victorino, Phila. (8 points, 2% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Tim Lincecum, SF: 100 pts. – 11 of 32 first place votes, 63% share

Chris Carpenter, StL.: 94 pts. – 9 first place votes, 59% share

Adam Wainwright, StL.: 90 pts. – 12 first place votes, 56% share

Javier Vazquez, Atl.: 3 pts. – 2% share

Dan Haren, Ariz.: 1 pt. – 1% share

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Giants went 88-74 to finish third in the NL Western Division, 7 games behind the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. Bolstered by strong pitching, led by Lincecum, the Giants put together a solid 49-39 first half but ended up losing out on a possible wild card playoff slot by fading in September.

Aftermath of ‘09:

With a fine starting rotation that featured Lincecum, RHP Matt Cain, and LHP Jonathan Sanchez, the Giants topped the NL West in 2010 and Lincecum contributed a 16-10 tally with a 3.43 ERA and league-leading 231 strikeouts. He was 3-1 in the postseason, including two wins in the World Series victory over Texas. San Francisco dropped to second place in 2011 and Lincecum’s record fell to 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA and 220 strikeouts, although he was an All-Star for the fourth straight year. Lincecum went 10-15 in 2012 with a 5.18 ERA and 190 strikeouts as the Giants returned to the top of the NL West. He started only one game in the postseason as the club won the NL pennant. Relegated to the bullpen during the World Series sweep of Detroit, he struck out eight of the 16 batters he faced in two relief appearances. He generated another losing record in 2013 at 10-14 although he threw a no-hitter against the Padres at San Diego. His ERA for the season was 4.37 and he struck out 193 batters. In 2014 Lincecum pitched another no-hitter against the Padres, this time at home. Otherwise, it was a season that involved more struggles, that eventually forced his move to the bullpen, on the way to a 12-9 record with a 4.74 ERA, 134 strikeouts, and a league-leading 15 wild pitches. He started out well in 2015 but ended up with a 7-4 tally in just 15 starts and a 4.13 ERA. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Los Angeles Angels for 2016. He was a disappointing 2-6 for the Angels with a dreadful 9.16 ERA and spent time back in Class AAA before being let go in August. After sitting out the 2017 season, Lincecum signed with the Texas Rangers in 2018, but went on the disabled list in the spring and never appeared with the Rangers, who released him during the season, thus ending his career. Overall, during his major league career, Lincecum produced a 110-89 record with a 3.74 ERA and 1736 strikeouts over 1682 innings pitched. He was 108-83 with the Giants with a 3.61 ERA and 1704 strikeouts. He further compiled 10 complete games that included 7 shutouts and two no-hitters. In 13 postseason appearances he went 5-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 65 strikeouts over 56.1 innings. In addition to two Cy Young Awards, Lincecum was a four-time All-Star.

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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.   

Rookie of the Year: Wally Moon, 1954

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

 

Age:  24 (April 3)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 169

Prior to 1954:

A native of Bay, Arkansas, Moon was named by his sports-loving father after Wallace Wade, the successful Univ. of Alabama head football coach at the time. He excelled in American Legion baseball as well as high school basketball and received an offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates which he passed up to go to college at Texas A & M. An All-Southwest Conference outfielder, he signed with the Cardinals for a $6000 bonus while continuing his education. In his first pro season in 1950, Moon batted .315 in 82 games with Omaha of the Class A Western League. Returning to school to complete his master’s degree, he played for Omaha briefly in 1951 and for a full season in 1952, hitting .255 with 10 home runs. Advancing to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League in 1953, Moon batted .307 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 12 home runs, and 61 RBIs. After playing winter ball in Venezuela, he played well with the Cardinals in spring training in 1954 and gained a starting job in the outfield after veteran Enos Slaughter was traded just before the start of the season.  

1954 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

CF – 140, LF – 9, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 716 [1]

At Bats – 635 [2]

Runs – 106 [6, tied with Gil Hodges]

Hits – 193 [5]

Doubles – 29 [15]

Triples – 9 [4, tied with Stan Musial & Bob Skinner]

Home Runs – 12

RBI – 76

Bases on Balls – 71 [12]

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 73 [10]

Stolen Bases – 18 [4]

Caught Stealing – 10 [2, tied with Rip Repulski & Ernie Banks]

Average - .304 [11, tied with Gil Hodges]

OBP - .371 [12, tied with Ralph Kiner]

Slugging Pct. - .435

Total Bases – 276 [13]

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 7 [13, tied with five others]

League-leading plate appearances were +11 ahead of runner-up Stan Musial

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, 3B – 6, HR - 7, RBI - 40, AVG - .333, OBP – .394

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Mil. Braves 4/23 – 14 innings, (in 6 AB) at Pittsburgh 5/12

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

Most HR, game – 1 on twelve occasions

HR at home – 8

HR on road – 4

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Pittsburgh 5/12, vs. Brooklyn 6/8, vs. Brooklyn 7/24, at Cincinnati 8/13

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 2 (.000) with 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 407

Put Outs – 387

Assists – 11

Errors – 9

DP – 2

Pct. - .978

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

 

NL ROY Voting:

Wally Moon, StL.: 17 of 24 votes, 71% share

Ernie Banks, ChiC.: 4 votes, 17% share

Gene Conley, Mil.: 2 votes, 8% share

Hank Aaron, Mil.: 1 vote, 4% share

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Cardinals went 72-82 to finish sixth in the NL, 25 games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants, while leading the league in runs scored (799), hits (1518), doubles (285), triples (58, tied with the Philadelphia Phillies), RBIs (748), stolen bases (63), batting (.281), and OBP (.350). The hard-hitting Cardinals were done in by subpar pitching.

Aftermath of ‘54:

The serious and ever-hustling Moon, a slashing hitter with some power and good speed, followed up in 1955 by splitting time between first base and the outfield and batted .295 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 19 home runs, and 76 RBIs. Continuing to play in the outfield and at first base in 1956, Moon hit .298 with 11 triples, 16 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a .390 on-base percentage. A devout Methodist, Moon avoided alcohol and foul language. On the field in 1957, he played at all three outfield positions and batted .295 with 24 home runs and 73 RBIs. Moon had a down year in 1958 due to an elbow injury, hitting just .238 with 7 home runs and 38 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a three-player deal. In 1959, he proved to be a key component in the Dodgers winning their first pennant on the West Coast. He hit consistently (without his typical late-season slump) on the way to batting .302, a NL-leading 11 triples (tied with teammate Charlie Neal), 19 home runs (14 of them “Moon shots” at the spacious LA Coliseum), and 74 RBIs. He was especially productive down the stretch in a tight pennant race, slugging six homers in six games at one point. In addition to being in All-Star, Moon finished fourth in the NL MVP voting. The Dodgers beat the White Sox in the World Series, as Moon hit a two-run home run in the deciding sixth game. While the Dodgers had a lesser season in 1960, Moon hit .299 with 13 home runs and 69 RBIs, receiving his only career Gold Glove for his play in left field, where he accounted for 15 assists. He remained a solid contributor in 1961, leading the league in on-base percentage (.434) while batting .328 with 17 home runs and 88 RBIs. A victim of LA’s youth movement, Moon split time at first base and the outfield in 1962, hitting .242 with just four home runs. Effective in a utility role as the Dodgers topped the NL in 1963, Moon hit .262 over the course of 122 games with 8 home runs and 48 RBIs. He lasted two more years as a veteran backup and pinch-hitter in 1964 and ’65, retiring after playing for another World Series-winning club. A useful and dedicated player, for his major league career Moon batted .289 with 1399 hits that included 212 doubles, 60 triples, and 142 home runs. He scored 737 runs and compiled 661 RBIs and a .371 OBP. With the Cardinals he batted .291 with 750 hits, 400 runs scored, 113 doubles, 36 triples, 78 home runs, 331 RBIs, and a .366 OBP. Appearing in 8 World Series games (all with the Dodgers), he hit .240 with a home run and two RBIs. Following his playing career, Moon coached baseball collegiately and was hitting coach for the expansion San Diego Padres in 1969. He later served as a hitting instructor in the Baltimore Orioles organization and died in 2018 at age 87.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.  

MVP Profile: Mike Schmidt, 1981

Third Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies

 

Age:  32 (Sept. 27)

9^th season with Phillies

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1981:

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Schmidt starred in football as well as baseball at Fairview High School. Knee injuries in high school narrowed his focus to baseball and he became a two-time All-American at Ohio University, where he had gone to study architecture. A shortstop who produced a .640 career slugging percentage in college, he was chosen by the Phillies in the second round of the 1971 amateur draft. Starting off at Reading of the Class AA Eastern League, Schmidt batted a mere .211 with 8 home runs and 31 RBIs over the course of 74 games in ’71. Promoted to the Eugene Emeralds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1972, Schmidt played primarily at second and third base and his average jumped to .291 with 26 home runs and 91 RBIs. He was chosen as second baseman on the PCL All-Star team and received a late-season call-up to the Phillies where he hit his first major league home run. The Phillies, rebuilding with youth, opened a spot in the lineup for Schmidt in 1973 by trading third baseman Don Money. Schmidt proved to be capable at third and showed off his power potential with 18 home runs but batted an anemic .196 and struck out 136 times. He improved to .282 with a league-leading 36 home runs and .546 slugging percentage in 1974. He also compiled 116 RBIs and was an All-Star for the first time. Schmidt followed up in 1975 by again topping the NL in home runs with 38, to go along with 95 RBIs, a .249 average, .523 slugging percentage, and 29 stolen bases. He also led the league in batter strikeouts (180) for the second straight year, but also was second in assists by a third baseman with 368 and third in putouts (132). The Phillies, who contended in ’75, won the AL East in 1976 and Schmidt contributed another 38 home runs, including a record-tying four in a wild ten-inning, 18-16 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. In addition to leading the NL in homers for the third year in a row, he also led in total bases (306) while hitting .262 with 107 RBIs and a .524 slugging percentage. “Schmitty” or “Captain Cool” due to his calm and typically unemotional demeanor, also received his first Gold Glove for his play at third base. Philadelphia went quietly in the NLCS vs. Cincinnati, but Schmidt hit .308 and drove in two runs. He remained productive in 1977 although his 38 home runs failed to lead the league. But he batted .274 with 101 RBIs and a .574 slugging percentage. Hindered by a hamstring injury during 1978, Schmidt had a lesser season at bat, hitting .251 with only 21 home runs and 78 RBIs, although defensively he still received another Gold Glove. He rebounded in 1979 by batting .253 with 45 home runs, 114 RBIs, a .564 slugging percentage, and drawing a league-high 120 walks. Through his first seven years with the Phillies, Schmidt had been a four-time All-Star who led the NL in home runs three times and received four Gold Gloves. Following a down year in 1979, the Phillies returned to the top of the NL East and went on to win the first World Series title in team history in 1980, and Schmidt was a big part of it, leading the NL in home runs (48), RBIs (121), slugging (.624), and total bases (342) while also hitting .286 with 104 runs scored, earning league MVP recognition for the first time. He was also MVP of the World Series victory over the Kansas City Royals, batting .381 with two home runs and 7 RBIs in the six games.

1981 Season Summary

Appeared in 102 games

3B – 101, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 434 [20]

At Bats – 354

Runs – 78 [1]

Hits – 112 [14, tied with George Hendrick]

Doubles – 19 [19, tied with seven others]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 31 [1]

RBI – 91 [1]

Bases on Balls – 73 [1]

Int. BB – 18 [1]

Strikeouts – 71 [8]

Stolen Bases – 12

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .316 [4]

OBP - .435 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .644 [1]

Total Bases – 228 [1]

GDP – 9 [20, tied with ten others]

Hit by Pitches – 4 [5, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading runs scored were +5 ahead of runner-up Pete Rose

League-leading home runs were +7 ahead of runner-up Andre Dawson

League-leading RBIs were +1 ahead of runner-up George Foster

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +7 ahead of runner-up Joe Morgan

League-leading intentional bases on balls drawn were +4 ahead of runner-up Andre Dawson

League-leading OBP was +.022 ahead of runner-up Bill Madlock

League-leading slugging percentage was +.091 ahead of runner-up Andre Dawson

League-leading total bases were +10 ahead of runner-up Andre Dawson

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Midseason snapshot: HR - 14, RBI - 41, AVG - .284, SLG - .582, OBP – .381

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. San Diego 5/8

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 14

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. San Francisco 5/3, (in 5 AB) vs. San Diego 5/8

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. San Diego 5/8

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 HR & 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 338

Put Outs – 74

Assists – 249

Errors – 15

DP – 20

Pct. - .956

Postseason Batting: 5 G (NLDS vs. Montreal)

PA – 20, AB – 16, R – 3, H – 4, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 4, IBB – 1, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .250, OBP - .400, SLG - .500, TB – 8, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started at 3B for NL)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Mike Schmidt, Phila.: 321 pts. - 21 of 24 first place votes, 96% share

Andre Dawson, Mon.: 215 pts. – 2 first place votes, 64% share

George Foster, Cin.: 146 pts. – 43% share

Dave Concepcion, Cin.: 108 pts. – 32% share

Fernando Valenzuela, LAD.: 90 pts. – 1 first place vote, 27% share

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In a season in which was interrupted by a players’ strike for nearly two months, the Phillies went 34-21 in the first half, finishing first in the NL Eastern Division, 1.5 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. In the second half of the season that followed the strike, they were 25-27 to finish third in the division by 4.5 games behind the Montreal Expos. Compiling an overall record of 59-48, they led the league in runs scored (491), hits (1002), RBIs (453), batting (.273), OBP (.341), slugging (.389), and total bases (1424). Paced by Schmidt’s hitting and the pitching of LHP Steve Carlton, as during the previous season, the Phillies were rolling along at the time of the strike and never regained their footing when the season resumed. Lost NLDS to the Montreal Expos, 3 games to 2, as the Expos won the first two games in Montreal, the Phillies won the next two in Philadelphia, and Game 5 in Philadelphia went to the Expos behind the shutout pitching of RHP Steve Rogers.

Aftermath of ‘81:

Hampered by various injuries in 1982, Schmidt hit .280 with 35 home runs and 87 RBIs, leading the NL in walks drawn (107), OBP (.403), and slugging percentage (.547). Philadelphia returned to the top of the NL East in 1983 and Schmidt won the NL home run crown with 40, while hitting .255 with 109 RBIs. His .399 on-base percentage also topped the league as did his 128 bases on balls and 148 batter strikeouts. The Phillies won the pennant but lost the World Series. The star third baseman placed third in league MVP balloting. In 1984 he tied Atlanta’s Dale Murphy for the league lead in home runs with 36 while topping the circuit along with Montreal’s Gary Carter in RBIs with 106 while batting .277. During the 1985 season Schmidt was shifted to first base in an effort to reduce wear and extend his career. Following a slow start at the plate, he again hit .277, with 33 home runs and 93 RBIs. He adapted well defensively at first base. Schmidt returned to third base in 1986 and received his third NL MVP award after batting .290 and leading the league with 37 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a .547 slugging percentage. He had one last big season in 1987, hitting .293 with 35 home runs and 113 RBIs. Various ailments limited Schmidt to 108 games in 1988, in which he produced 12 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .249 batting average. At the end of May in 1989, while struggling to come back from surgery for a torn rotator cuff, Schmidt retired. Fans still voted him to the All-Star Game which he appeared at as a uniformed non-participant. For his career, spent entirely with the Phillies, Schmidt batted .267 with 2234 hits that included 408 doubles, 59 triples, and 548 home runs. He scored 1506 runs and compiled 1595 RBIs, 174 stolen bases, and drew 1507 walks. He had a career on-base percentage of .380 and a .527 slugging percentage. Schmidt hit over 30 home runs in 13 seasons, reached 40 three times, and led the NL on eight occasions. Appearing in 36 postseason games he hit .236 with 4 home runs and 16 RBIs. A 12-time All-Star, Schmidt received 10 Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess at third base, six Silver Slugger awards, and finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting nine times. The Phillies retired his #20 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995. A statue has been erected in his honor outside of Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

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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.