MVP Profile: Bobby Shantz, 1952

Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  27 (Sept. 26)

4^th season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 5’6”    Weight: 139 

Prior to 1952:

A native of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Shantz was a diver on the high school swim team as well as an outfielder on the baseball team. He was actively discouraged from pitching by his coach due to his small size. Moving to Philadelphia with his family, he played sandlot baseball and Pop Warner football. Although small in stature, Shantz was strong and a good athlete. Initially too short for World War II military service, he began playing center field in the Quaker City League along with his brother Billy, a catcher. Impressing his manager while throwing batting practice thanks to his overhand curveball that broke downward, he became a member of the pitching staff. After growing an inch, he joined the Army in 1944 where he pitched for a service team. Returning home, he played sandlot ball in the East Penn League with Souderton where he posted an 8-0 record and pitched a four-hitter to win the league championship. While considered to be too short to be a major league pitcher by most scouts, the Athletics signed Shantz and his brother Billy. With Lincoln of the Class A Western League in 1948, he produced an 18-7 record with a 2.82 ERA and 212 strikeouts while pitching 214 innings. Moving up to the A’s in 1949, Shantz went 6-8 with a 3.40 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 127 innings primarily out of the bullpen for the fifth-place club. With a fine pitching repertoire of a fastball, curve, and changeup, he continued his development in 1950 by compiling an 8-14 tally and 4.61 ERA with 93 strikeouts while starting in 23 of his 36 appearances for a 52-102 last-place team. Adding a knuckleball to his repertoire in 1951, he went 18-10 with a 3.94 ERA and 77 strikeouts while receiving his first All-Star selection. Now used primarily as a starting pitcher, by 1952 Shantz was on the rise after showing improvement in each of his seasons thus far.  

1952 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

P – 33, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [3, tied with Early Wynn & Alex Kellner]

Complete Games – 27 [2]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .774 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [3, tied with Bob Lemon]

Innings Pitched – 279.2 [4]

Hits – 230 [5]

Runs – 87 [16]

Earned Runs – 77 [16, tied with Mike Garcia & Carl Scheib]

Home Runs – 21 [2, tied with Alex Kellner, Ted Gray & Carl Scheib]

Bases on Balls – 63

Strikeouts – 152 [3]

ERA – 2.48 [3]

Hit Batters – 4 [19, tied with twelve others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 0

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Early Wynn

League-leading win percentage was +.047 ahead of runner-up Vic Raschi

Midseason Snapshot: 14-3, ERA – 1.75, SO – 87 in 149 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 14 IP) at NY Yankees 5/30

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at NY Yankees 6/28

Batting

PA – 116, AB – 96, R – 13, H – 19, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 12, BB – 5, SO – 9, SB – 0, CS – 2, AVG - .198, GDP – 0, HBP – 2, SH – 13, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 78

Put Outs – 29

Assists – 49

Errors – 0

DP – 3

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Bobby Shantz, PhilaA.: 280 pts. – 16 of 24 first place votes, 83% share

Allie Reynolds, NYY: 183 pts. – 4 first place votes, 54% share

Mickey Mantle, NYY: 143 pts. – 3 first place votes, 43% share

Yogi Berra, NYY: 104 pts. – 31% share

Early Wynn, Clev.: 99 pts. – 29% share

(1 first place vote for Nellie Fox, ChiWS., who ranked seventh)

---

Athletics went 79-75 to finish fourth in the AL, 16 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. Buoyed by the pitching of Shantz and Rookie of the Year RHP Harry Byrd, the talent-thin A’s finished in the first division. It was the franchise’s last winning record while based in Philadelphia.

Aftermath of ‘52:

A shoulder injury derailed Shantz’s 1953 season, limiting him to 16 starts and a 5-9 record with a 4.09 ERA. Reinjuring the shoulder on the opening day of the 1954 season, he pitched in only two games all season. The franchise moved to Kansas City in 1955 and Shantz continued to struggle as he posted a 5-10 tally with a 4.54 ERA although he pitched his first shutout since the MVP 1952 season. Utilized almost exclusively as a reliever in 1956 he compiled a 2-7 record along with 9 saves and a 4.35 ERA. Part of a 13-player trade with the New York Yankees prior to the 1957 season, Shantz, now healthy, was pressed into service as a starting pitcher due to an injury to LHP Whitey Ford and got off to a 9-1 start on his way to an 11-5 tally with a league-leading 2.45 ERA plus 72 strikeouts in 173 innings pitched. An excellent fielder, he received a Gold Glove in the first year they were awarded. Pitching coach Jim Turner also taught him to throw a sinker and lay off his sidearm curve. Utilized as a reliever and occasional starter in 1958, Shantz produced a 7-6 record with a 3.36 ERA, three complete games, and 80 strikeouts in 186 innings pitched, although a finger injury kept him out of the World Series. Almost exclusively a reliever in 1959, he was 7-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 33 appearances (four of them starts) and he struck out 66 batters in 94.2 innings. He spent one more season with the Yankees in 1960, working out of the bullpen and posting a 5-4 mark with a 2.79 ERA and 11 saves. Selected by the Washington Senators in the expansion draft for the 1961 season, Shantz was immediately dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he started in 6 of his 43 appearances and compiled a 6-3 tally with a 3.32 tally and 61 strikeouts in 89.1 innings. With the National League expanding in 1962, he was selected by the Houston Colt .45s and started the franchise’s first game in which he five-hit the Chicago Cubs for a win. Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in May, working exclusively as a reliever for the rest of the year he went a combined 6-4 with a 1.95 ERA. Starting off the 1964 season less impressively, the 38-year-old reliever was traded to the Cubs as part of the package to obtain outfielder Lou Brock. Pitching poorly for Chicago, Shantz was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies, who were attempting to lock down the NL pennant. The Phillies collapsed down the stretch and Shantz finished up with a 2-5 record and 3.12 ERA in 50 appearances. He retired after the season. For his major league career, Shantz compiled a 119-99 record with a 3.38 ERA, along with 78 complete games, 15 shutouts, 48 saves, and 1072 strikeouts in 1935.2 innings pitched. With the Athletics he was 69-65 with a 3.80 ERA, 61 complete games, 11 shutouts, 11 saves, and 566 strikeouts in 1166.2 innings pitched. Appearing in six World Series games, all with the Yankees, he was 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 8 strikeouts in 13 innings. A three-time All-Star, twice with the A’s, he received eight Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess. Originally considered too small to succeed as a pitcher, Shantz was talented, with excellent control and savvy, and overcame chronic arm pain to perform ably as a starter and reliever, although never again approaching his 1952 dominance. He has received a plaque on the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame at Citizens Bank Park and the renovated baseball field at Pottstown High School is named for him. His brother Billy saw action as a catcher in 1954 and ’55 with the A’s.

---

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: Don Mattingly, 1985

First Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  24 (April 20)

3^rd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1985:

A native of Evansville, Indiana, Mattingly was a three-sport star at Reitz Memorial High School in football and basketball as well as baseball. With an excellent work ethic, he drew much attention from scouts and was chosen by the Yankees in the 1979 amateur draft. He signed and was initially assigned to Oneonta of the short-season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League where the 18-year-old batted .349 in 53 games. Advancing to Greensboro of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1980 where he hit a league-leading .358 with 32 doubles, 9 home runs, and 105 RBIs. Moving up to the Nashville Sounds of the Class AA Southern League in 1981, Mattingly batted .316 with 35 doubles, 7 home runs, and 98 RBIs. Appreciated as much for his defensive play in the outfield and at first base as well as his hitting, he was promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League in 1982, where he hit .315 with 24 doubles, 10 home runs, and 75 RBIs, earning a September trial with the Yankees where he appeared in seven games and produced two hits. Gaining a roster spot with the Yankees in 1983, he was rarely used and was sent back to Columbus, where he hit .340 until getting another shot with the Yankees in June when reserve DH/pinch-hitter Bobby Murcer retired. Filling in as a reserve outfielder and first baseman, Mattingly appeared in 91 games for the Yanks and batted .283. He became the starting first baseman in 1984 thanks to a strong spring and got off to a hot start. Showing more power than he had during his climb up the minor league ladder, he finished with 23 home runs to go along with a league-leading 44 doubles and edged teammate Dave Winfield for the batting title (.343 to .340) in the season finale. He also topped the AL with 207 hits. His RBIs totaled 110 and he had a .381 OBP and .537 slugging percentage while performing ably at first base. Mattingly placed fifth in league MVP voting.  

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

1B – 159

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 727 [4]

At Bats – 652 [4]

Runs – 107 [6, tied with Wade Boggs]

Hits – 211 [2]

Doubles – 48 [1]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 35 [4]

RBI – 145 [1]

Bases on Balls – 56

Int. BB – 13 [3]

Strikeouts – 41

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .324 [3]

OBP - .371 [10, tied with Rod Carew & Brian Downing]

Slugging Pct. - .567 [2]

Total Bases – 370 [1]

GDP – 15

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 15 [1]

League-leading doubles were +2 ahead of runner-up Bill Buckner

League-leading RBIs were +21 ahead of runner-up Eddie Murray

League-leading total bases were +48 ahead of runner-up George Brett

League-leading sac flies were +2 ahead of runner-up Tom Brunansky

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 27, HR - 9, RBI - 69, AVG - .309, SLG - .481, OBP - .348

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Oakland 5/25, (in 7 AB) at Oakland 8/26 – 15 innings, (in 6 AB) at Milwaukee 9/9 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) at Toronto 10/6

Longest hitting streak – 20 games

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 13

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 4 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 1412

Put Outs – 1318

Assists – 87

Errors – 7

DP – 154

Pct. - .995

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Don Mattingly, NYY.: 367 pts. - 23 of 28 first place votes, 94% share

George Brett, KCR: 274 pts. – 5 first place votes, 70% share

Rickey Henderson, NYY: 174 pts. – 44% share

Wade Boggs, Bos.: 159 pts. – 41% share

Eddie Murray, Balt.: 130 pts. – 33% share

---

Yankees went 97-64 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Toronto Blue Jays, while leading the league in runs scored (839), RBIs (793), and stolen bases (155). Owner George Steinbrenner replaced manager Yogi Berra with Billy Martin 16 games into the season and the club struggled until the second half of June into July, when they were 2.5 games out at the All-Star break. Another slump was followed by a surge that had the Yanks closely trailing the Blue Jays until derailed by an eight-game September losing streak, although they won 10 of their next 12 to fall short of Toronto at season’s end. The addition of CF Rickey Henderson and Mattingly’s hitting spurred the club’s impressive offensive production. 

Aftermath of ‘85:

Mattingly followed up with another strong season in 1986, batting .352 with 31 home runs and 113 RBIs while leading the AL with 238 hits, 53 doubles, a .573 slugging percentage, and 388 total bases. He placed second in league MVP balloting. Starting off in a slump in 1987 he was back in his usual hitting groove when he was sidelined by a back injury in June. Returning to action after three weeks on the shelf, he went on a hitting tear that included home runs in a record-tying eight consecutive games. He went on to hit a record six grand slams during the season, after having never hit one during his major league career previously. At season’s end, despite missing 21 games to injury, he batted .327 with 30 home runs and 115 RBIs and placed seventh in American League MVP voting. Mattingly’s production dropped somewhat in 1988 to .311 with 37 doubles, 18 home runs, and 88 RBIs although he remained an All-Star and Gold Glove recipient at first base. The numbers were similar in 1989 as “Donnie Baseball” batted .303 with 37 doubles, 23 home runs, and 113 RBIs. In 1990 he was rewarded with a five-year, $19.3 million contract extension. Chronic back trouble (which would affect the remainder of his playing career) limited him to 102 games in which he hit .256 with just 5 home runs and 42 RBIs. Following a rigorous offseason training regimen, Mattingly was named team captain for 1991. While taking his leadership role very seriously, he also feuded with Yankee management, asking to be traded and sanctioned for his failure to get a haircut in accordance with club rules, which proved to be a public relations fiasco for the team. His production at the plate was .288 with 35 doubles, 9 home runs, and 68 RBIs. The floundering Yankees showed slight improvement in 1992 and Mattingly again batted .288 while hitting 40 doubles and 14 home runs along with 86 RBIs. Further improvement came in 1993 and Mattingly batted .291 with 17 home runs and 86 RBIs. During the strike-shortened 1994 season, he hit .304 with 6 home runs and 51 RBIs. The Yankees reached the postseason for the only time in Mattingly’s career in 1995, and he contributed a .288 average, .341 on-base percentage, 7 home runs and 49 RBIs. In his only taste of postseason action, he hit .417 with a home run and 6 RBIs in the ALDS loss to the Seattle Mariners. Choosing to sit out the 1996 season, Mattingly retired in 1997. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, “The Hit Man” batted .307 with 2153 hits that included 442 doubles, 20 triples, and 222 home runs. He scored 1007 runs and compiled 1099 RBIs while producing a .358 OBP and .471 slugging percentage. A six-time All-Star, Mattingly also was awarded nine Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers. He finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting four times, winning once, and the Yankees retired his #23. Mattingly has utilized his leadership ability and baseball knowledge as a manager, thus far with the Dodgers and Marlins. Through 2021 his teams have produced a record of 446-363 and he was NL Manager of the Year in 2020.

---

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

Cy Young Profile: Frank Viola, 1988

Pitcher, Minnesota Twins

 

Age:  28 (April 19)

7^th season with Twins

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1988:

A native of New York’s Long Island, Viola was an All-Nassau County first baseman at East Meadow High School. He began pitching as a junior and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1978. He passed on the Royals to accept a scholarship to St. John’s University where he improved his mechanics and produced a 26-2 record. Selected by the Twins in the 1981 amateur draft, he signed and was initially assigned to Orlando of the Class AA Southern League where he went 5-4 with a 3.43 ERA. Viola started the 1982 season in Class AAA with the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League but was called up by the struggling Twins and, following a promising start, he lost his last six decisions on the way to a 4-10 tally with a 5.21 ERA for a last-place club that lost 102 games. 1983 was another difficult year in which Viola went 7-15 with a 5.49 ERA, a league-leading 128 earned runs surrendered, and further gave up 34 home runs. Improvement came in 1984 as he posted an 18-12 mark with a 3.21 ERA and 149 strikeouts. Under the guidance of pitching coach Johnny Podres he added a changeup to go along with his fastball and curve, which made a difference, and he also picked up the nickname “Sweet Music” thanks to a Twins fan who regularly hung a sign from the upper deck at the Metrodome that read “Frankie Sweet Music Viola”. In 1985 he overcame a slow start to produce an 18-14 record with a 4.09 ERA and 135 strikeouts. His 1986 tally was 16-13 with a 4.51 ERA and 191 strikeouts. Easily derailed by adversity, he took a page from veteran teammate Bert Blyleven and better mastered his emotions while also improving his changeup. The result was encouraging in 1987 as Viola compiled a 17-10 record for the division-winning Twins, along with a 2.90 ERA and 197 strikeouts. He won a game in the ALCS defeat of the Detroit Tigers and was 2-1 in the seven-game World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, earning MVP honors.   

1988 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [3, tied with six others]

Complete Games – 7 [17, tied with Charlie Leibrandt, Bert Blyleven & Bruce Hurst]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .774 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [8, tied with thirteen others]

Innings Pitched – 255.1 [6]

Hits – 236 [9]

Runs – 80

Earned Runs – 75

Home Runs – 20

Bases on Balls – 54

Strikeouts – 193 [3]

ERA – 2.64 [3]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runner-up Dave Stewart

League-leading win percentage was +.024 ahead of runner-up Bruce Hurst

 

Midseason Snapshot: 14-2, ERA - 2.24, SO - 104 in 140.1 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. Texas 8/20

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. California 6/22, (in 9 IP) vs. Boston 7/6, (in 7 IP) vs. Baltimore 4/26

 Fielding

Chances – 37

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 30

Errors – 2

DP – 1

Pct. - .946

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

10^th in AL MVP voting (39 points, 10% share)

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

AL Cy Young voting:

Frank Viola, Min.: 138 pts. – 27 of 28 first place votes, 99% share

Dennis Eckersley, Oak.: 52 pts. – 1 first place vote, 37% share

Mark Gubicza, KCR.: 26 pts. – 19% share

Dave Stewart, Oak.: 16 pts. – 11% share

Bruce Hurst, Bos.: 12 pts. – 9% share

Roger Clemens, Bos.: 8 pts. – 6% share

---

Twins went 91-71 to finish second in the AL Western Division, 13 games behind the division-winning Oakland Athletics. The slow-starting Twins were 11-18 by May 9 but went 80-53 the rest of the way and were unable to gain ground on Oakland in the division race.

Aftermath of ‘88:

Following bitter negotiations, in 1989 Viola signed a contract extension with the Twins. He got off to a poor start, losing his first five decisions, and being booed by the home fans as a result. On July 31 he was traded to the New York Mets for five players that included pitchers Rick Aguilera and Kevin Tapani. At 8-12 with a 3.79 ERA at the time of the deal, Viola went 5-5 with a 3.38 ERA the rest of the way for the Mets, giving him a combined record of 13-17 with a 3.66 ERA and 211 strikeouts. With the Mets in 1990 he returned to form with a 20-12 tally and 2.67 ERA with 182 strikeouts while topping the National League with 249.2 innings pitched. Having been diagnosed with bone spurs in his left elbow, Viola still got off to a 10-5 start in 1991 before fading in the second half and finishing up at 13-15 with a 3.97 ERA and 132 strikeouts. A free agent in the offseason he signed with the Boston Red Sox for three years and $13.9 million. In 1992 Viola posted a 13-12 tally with a 3.44 ERA and 121 strikeouts. Despite chronic elbow problems in 1993 which caused the club to shut him down by mid-September, he finished at 11-8 with a 3.14 ERA. Viola had offseason elbow surgery and started the 1994 season but was done by May when it became necessary to have further surgery on his elbow. After spending time with the Toronto and Cincinnati minor league organizations in 1995 and making one last major league appearance with the Blue Jays in 1996, Viola retired. For his major league career, “Sweet Music” posted a 176-150 record with a 3.73 ERA, 74 complete games, 16 shutouts, and 1844 strikeouts in 2836.1 innings pitched. With the Twins he was 112-93 with a 3.86 ERA, 54 complete games, 10 shutouts, and 1214 strikeouts in 1772.2 innings. In five postseason games, all in 1987, he posted a 3-1 tally with 4.31 ERA and 25 strikeouts. A three-time All-Star he received Cy Young votes after four seasons, winning once. Viola was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. He has worked as a pitching coach for several minor league teams.

---

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: Jim Lefebvre, 1965

Second Baseman, Los Angeles Dodgers

 

Age:  23

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1965:

A native of Inglewood, California, Lefebvre (pronounced Leh-FEE-ver) was the son of an American Legion and college baseball coach and hitting instructor. Encouraged by his father to switch-hit, he starred at Morningside High School and was signed by the Dodgers for $11,000 in 1962. Nicknamed “Frenchy”, he was first assigned to the Reno Silver Sox of the Class C California League where he batted .327 with 33 doubles, 39 home runs, and 130 RBIs. He was also named by The Sporting News as second baseman on the Class C Minor League All-Star team. Advancing to Salem of the Class A Northwest League in 1963, Lefebvre hit .283 with 29 doubles, 9 triples, 17 home runs, and 92 RBIs. A military commitment caused Lefebvre to miss spring training in 1964, which he spent with Spokane of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he batted .265 in 55 games. Further play in the Arizona Instructional League earned him praise for his defensive play at second base as well as his hitting. A non-roster invitee to Dodger spring training in 1965, Lefebvre expected to spend another year at Spokane but played himself onto the club where he was named the starting second baseman as part of an unprecedented all-switch-hitting infield along with 1B Wes Parker, SS Maury Wills, and 3B Jim Gilliam.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

2B – 156, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 631

At Bats – 544

Runs – 57

Hits – 136

Doubles – 21

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 12

RBI – 69

Bases on Balls – 71 [11]

Int. BB – 7

Strikeouts – 92

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .250

OBP - .337

Slugging Pct. - .369

Total Bases – 201

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 10 [9, tied with Don Cardwell]

Sac Flies – 4

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, HR - 5, RBI - 30, AVG. - .226, OBP – .310

---

Most hits, game – 3 on seven occasions

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 1 on twelve occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 9

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Cincinnati 7/7, at Pittsburgh 9/2

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

Fielding

Chances – 802

Put Outs – 349

Assists – 429

Errors – 24

DP - 91

Pct. - .970

Postseason Batting: 3 G (World Series vs. Minnesota)

PA – 10, AB – 10, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 0, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .400, OBP - .400, SLG - .400, TB – 4, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

21^st in NL MVP voting, tied with Leo Cardenas, Cin. & Jim Maloney, Cin. (7 points, 3% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Jim Lefebvre, LAD.: 14 of 21 votes, 65% share

Joe Morgan, Hou.: 4 votes, 20% share

Frank Linzy, SF: 3 votes, 15% share

---

Dodgers went 97-65 to win the NL pennant by 2 games over the San Francisco Giants while leading the league in stolen bases (172). The light-hitting Dodgers benefited from pitching, speed, and defense to keep pace in a torrid pennant race with the Giants, countering a 14-game San Francisco winning streak in September with a 13-game streak of their own to nail down the pennant. Won World Series over the Minnesota Twins, 4 games to 3, rebounding after losing the first two games thanks to LHP Claude Osteen’s Game 3 shutout and, except for a Game 6 win by Minnesota RHP Jim “Mudcat” Grant, LHP Sandy Koufax and RHP Don Drysdale shut the Twins down the rest of the way. A heel injury knocked Lefebvre out of the Series in Game 3.

Aftermath of ‘65:

Receiving a salary boost to $15,000 for 1966, the hard-working Lefebvre was tried out at third base in the spring but returned to regular play at second base during the season, although he saw considerable action at third as well. He batted a team-leading .274 and further topped the Dodgers with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs. LA again held off the Giants to win the pennant and Lefebvre was an All-Star for the only time. The Dodgers sank to eighth in 1967 and Lefebvre, hindered by nagging injuries, hit .261 with 8 home runs and 50 RBIs while playing more regularly at third base than at second and making a few appearances at first base while manager Walt Alston juggled the lineup. Off the field, he made some minor television acting appearances. Typically appearing at second base in 1968 Lefebvre encountered more injury problems while being limited to 84 games and batting .241. An ankle injury suffered early during the 1969 season caused Lefebvre to lose playing time at second base to eventual Rookie of the Year Ted Sizemore and at third base to another promising rookie, Bill Sudakis. Poor early hitting doomed him to a .236 average for the year along with 15 doubles, 4 home runs, and 44 RBIs. Trade bait during 1970 spring training, he stayed with LA and saw substantial action at second base when Sizemore was injured as well as at third. He hit .252 in 109 games with identical totals for doubles, home runs, and RBIs as he had generated in ’69. Following an arm injury in 1971 Lefebvre returned to being the regular second baseman and batted .245 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs. A dreadful year in 1972 in which he hit just .201 in 70 games led to Lefebvre’s release by the Dodgers and he played for the Lotte Orions in Japan where he primarily appeared at first base and batted .265 in 1973 with 29 home runs and 63 RBIs. With Lotte in 1974 he hit .283 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs and became the first player to play for a World Series-and Japan Series-winner when the Orions defeated the Chunichi Dragons. He spent two more years as a player in Japan with less success before retiring. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Dodgers, Lefebvre batted .251 with 756 hits that included 126 doubles, 18 triples, and 74 home runs. He scored 313 runs and compiled 404 RBIs along with a .323 OBP. Appearing in seven World Series games he hit .273 with a home run and one RBI. Following his playing career, he became a scout, coach, and minor league manager in the Dodger system before being fired by his one-time friend Tommy Lasorda following the 1979 season, which led to an altercation between the two at a television studio. Lefebvre later became manager of the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers between 1989 and ’99, with an overall record of 417-442. His last job in baseball was as hitting coach for the San Diego Padres.

---

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: Miguel Cabrera, 2013

Third Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Age:  30 (April 18)

6^th season with Tigers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 250 

Prior to 2013:

A native of Venezuela, Cabrera became a top baseball prospect as a teenager and signed with the Florida Marlins in 1999 at age 16 for $1.8 million. Initially assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2000, he played shortstop and batted .260 over the course of 57 games and finished the season with Utica of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League where he appeared in eight games and hit .250. In 2001 Cabrera was assigned to the Kane County Cougars of the Class A Midwest League where he batted .268 with 19 doubles, 4 triples, 7 home runs, and 66 RBIs and was selected as a league All-Star. Moving on to Jupiter of the advanced Class A Florida State League in 2002, Cabrera shifted from shortstop to third base and hit .274 with 43 doubles, 9 home runs, and 75 RBIs and played in the Radio Shack All-Star Futures Game. Moving up to Carolina of the Class AA Southern League in 2003, he was batting .365 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, and 59 RBIs when he was called up to the Marlins in June. He hit a walk-off home run in his first game and had hits in five of his first six major league games on his way to hitting .268 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs while splitting time between left field and third base. Appearing in both right and left field in 2004, Cabrera was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .294 with 33 home runs and 112 RBIs. Not a natural fit in the outfield, he saw action in 29 games at third base in 2005, while regularly starting in left field, but his offense remained strong as he hit .323 with 43 doubles, 33 home runs, and 116 RBIs. Playing third base full-time in 2006, Cabrera contended for the NL batting title as he hit .339 with 50 doubles, 26 home runs, and 114 RBIs. His 2007 production was .320 with 34 home runs and 119 RBIs. He also had a fine season defensively at third base. In the offseason the penurious Marlins traded Cabrera to the Tigers along with LHP Dontrelle Willis as part of a blockbuster deal. With his new club in 2008, who signed him to an eight-year, $152.3 million contract, he was moved to first base and, following a slow start, batted .292 with a league-leading 37 home runs, plus 127 RBIs. In 2009 he hit .324 with 34 home runs and 103 RBIs, but a domestic disturbance late in the season caused him to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse. The Tigers collapsed down the stretch to blow a seven-game lead in the AL Central and missed the postseason. 2010 was another outstanding season for the player nicknamed “Miggy” as he led the AL in RBIs (126) and OBP (.420) while batting .328 with 45 doubles, 38 home runs, and a .622 slugging percentage. He finished second in league MVP voting. In 2011 Cabrera led the league in batting (.344), OBP (.448), and doubles (48), while also compiling 30 home runs and 105 RBIs. This time he placed fifth in AL MVP balloting. Coming into the 2012 season Cabrera was a six-time All-Star who was well-established as one of baseball’s best hitters and was returning to third base to make room for the newly-acquired Prince Fielder at first. He proceeded to become the first Triple Crown winner in either league since 1967 by leading the AL with 44 home runs, 139 RBIs, and a .330 batting average. He also topped the circuit in slugging (.606) and total bases (377). Detroit topped the AL Central, won the pennant, but was swept in the World Series by the San Francisco Giants.

2013 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

3B – 145, DH – 1, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 652

At Bats – 555

Runs – 103 [2, tied with Chris Davis]

Hits – 193 [2, tied with Dustin Pedroia]

Doubles – 26

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 44 [2]

RBI – 137 [2]

Bases on Balls – 90 [3]

Int. BB – 19 [2]

Strikeouts – 94

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .348 [1]

OBP - .442 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .636 [1]

Total Bases – 353 [2]

GDP – 19 [10, tied with Elvis Andrus & Yunel Escobar]

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

League-leading batting average was +.024 ahead of runner-up Joe Mauer

League-leading OBP was +.010 ahead of runner-up Mike Trout

League-leading slugging percentage was +.002 ahead of runner-up Chris Davis

Midseason snapshot: HR - 30, RBI - 95, AVG - .365, SLG - .674, OBP - .458

---

Most hits, game – 4 on seven occasions

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 27

Most home runs, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at Texas 5/19

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Houston 5/4

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 2 (.500)

 Fielding

Chances - 283

Put Outs – 87

Assists – 184

Errors – 12

DP – 24

Pct. - .958

Postseason: 11 G (ALDS vs. Oakland – 5 G; ALCS vs. Boston – 6 G)

PA – 45, AB – 42, R – 4, H – 11, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 7, BB – 3, IBB – 1, SO – 9, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .262, OBP - .311, SLG -.405, TB – 17, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Hank Aaron Award: MLB

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL at 3B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Miguel Cabrera, Det.: 385 pts. – 23 of 30 first place votes, 92% share

Mike Trout, LAA: 282 pts. – 5 first place votes, 67% share

Chris Davis, Balt.: 232 pts. – 1 first place vote, 55% share

Josh Donaldson, Oak.: 222 pts. – 1 first place vote, 53% share

Robinson Cano, NYY: 150 pts. – 36% share

---

Tigers went 93-69 to finish first in the AL Central Division by 1 game over the Cleveland Indians, while leading the league in hits (1625) and batting (.283). With outstanding hitting and starting pitching, the Tigers put together a 52-42 first half, but the club faded a bit in September when nagging injuries slowed Cabrera, holding on to win the division by just one game. Won ALDS over the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 2. Lost ALCS to the Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘13:

In 2014 Cabrera batted .313 with a league-leading 52 doubles to go along with 25 home runs and 109 RBIs. Back at first base, in the offseason Cabrera had ankle surgery and never again played regularly at third base. Hindered by the sore ankle and also out for six weeks with a calf injury in 2015, he still won another batting championship (.338) but his power production dropped to 18 home runs and 76 RBIs. Cabrera also led the AL with a .440 OBP. His power production rebounded to 38 home runs and 108 RBIs in 2016, to go along with a .316 average and .563 slugging percentage. In an injury-riddled season in 2017, he missed being an All-Star for the first time since 2009 and limited to 130 games he batted just .249 with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs. In 2018 injuries held Cabrera to 38 games and he hit .299. He appeared in 136 games in 2019, primarily as a Designated Hitter, and batted .282 with 12 home runs and 59 RBIs. Strictly a DH during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he hit .250 in 57 games with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. Splitting time at DH and first base in 2021, Cabrera hit .256 with 15 home runs and 75 RBIs. For his major league career through 2021, Cabrera has batted .310 with 2987 hits that include 597 doubles, 17 triples, and 502 home runs. He has also scored 1505 runs and compiled 1804 RBIs, a .387 OBP, and a .540 slugging percentage. With the Tigers the numbers have been .309 with 1056 runs scored, 2145 hits, 414 doubles, 7 triples, 364 home runs, 1281 RBIs, a .387 OBP, and .529 slugging percentage. Appearing in 55 postseason games he has hit .278 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. In addition to being a two-time MVP, he is a four-time batting champion and 11-time All-Star (7 with Detroit).

---

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: Frank Robinson, 1961

Outfielder, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  26 (Aug. 31)

6^th season with Reds

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 183 

Prior to 1961:

Born in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson moved with his family to California at a young age. He first played organized baseball with an American Legion team in Oakland prior to starring at McClymonds High School. Signed by the Reds upon his graduation in 1953, he was first assigned to Ogden of the Class C Pioneer League where he appeared in 72 games and batted .348 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. Moving on to Columbia of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1954 following a brief stint with Tulsa of the Texas League, Robinson hit .336 with 25 home runs. Back with Columbia in 1955 he was bothered by a shoulder injury that briefly caused his move from the outfield to first base and played in only 80 games in which he hit .263 with 12 home runs. His shoulder having recovered following extended rest, Robinson made the jump to the Reds and became the starting left fielder in 1956. The club tied the existing major league team record for home runs helped by Robinson’s tying of the rookie record with 38, to go along with 83 RBIs and a .290 average. He received NL Rookie of the Year recognition. He followed up with another strong season in 1957 in which he batted .322 with 29 home runs and 75 RBIs. With a batting stance that had him leaning over the plate, he drew many inside pitches and was among the leaders in being hit by pitches. Robinson received a Gold Glove for his outfield play in 1958, a year in which, following a beaning during the spring that caused him headaches, he also hit .269 with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. His batting average came back up to .311 in 1959 along with 36 home runs and 125 RBIs. Robinson’s tendency to slide hard into bases, which often resulted in his spiking opposing fielders, led to a notable brawl against the Braves when he slid hard into third baseman Eddie Mathews. Despite several nagging injuries he went on to hit .297 for the year along with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs and a league-leading .595 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was arrested for pulling a gun on a short order cook who had refused to serve him, which led to a fine. Robinson was shifted to right field for the 1961 season.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

RF – 92, LF – 59, CF – 4, PH – 4, 3B – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 636 [13]

At Bats – 545 [17]

Runs – 117 [2]

Hits – 176 [6, tied with Willie Mays]

Doubles – 32 [3, tied with Willie Mays & Ron Santo]

Triples – 7 [13, tied with Don Hoak & Billy Williams]

Home Runs – 37 [3]

RBI – 124 [2]

Bases on Balls – 71 [7]

Int. BB – 23 [1]

Strikeouts – 64

Stolen Bases – 22 [3]

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .323 [6]

OBP - .404 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .611 [1]

Total Bases – 333 [4]

GDP – 15 [14, tied with Harvey Kuenn]

Hit by Pitches – 10 [2]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 10 [1]

League-leading int. bases on balls drawn were +2 ahead of runner-up Ernie Banks

League-leading slugging pct was +.002 ahead of runner-up Orlando Cepeda

League-leading sac flies were +1 ahead of runners-up Hank Aaron & Gus Bell

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, 3B – 5, HR – 23, RBI – 70, AVG - .328, . SLG – .642, OBP – .422

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 6/11, (in 4 AB) at LA Dodgers 7/9

Longest hitting streak – 19 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Pittsburgh 5/14, (in 4 AB) at LA Dodgers 7/9, (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/28

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 20

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 7 at LA Dodgers 7/9

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 4 (.500) with 1 3B, 1 R & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 302

Put Outs – 284

Assists – 15

Errors – 3

DP – 3

Pct. - .990

Postseason Batting: 5 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 20, AB – 15, R – 3, H – 3, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 4, BB – 3, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, OBP - .400, SLG -.533, TB – 8, GDP – 0, HBP – 2, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Frank Robinson, Cin.: 219 pts. – 15 of 16 first place votes, 98% share

Orlando Cepeda, SF: 117 pts. – 52% share

Vada Pinson, Cin.: 104 pts.  – 46% share

Roberto Clemente, Pitt.: 81 pts. – 36% share

Joey Jay, Cin.: 74 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

---

Reds went 93-61 to win the NL pennant by 4 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers, while leading the league in doubles (247). The lightly regarded Reds were paced by their formidable hitting, led by Robinson, and decent starting pitching that featured righthanders Joey Jay and Bob Purkey, and LHP Jim O’Toole, supported by relievers Jim Brosnan and Bill Henry. They put together a 54-30 first half and remained strong down the stretch to hold off the Dodgers and nail down the first Cincinnati pennant since 1940. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘61:

Robinson followed up with another outstanding season in 1962, topping the NL in slugging percentage for the third straight year at .624. He also paced the circuit with 134 runs scored and 51 doubles. In addition, he hit .342 with 39 home runs and 136 RBIs and placed fourth in league MVP balloting. Nagging injuries led to a down year in 1963 as Robinson was limited to 140 games and batted .259 with 21 home runs and 91 RBIs. He furthermore expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s front office. Robinson rebounded with the contending Reds in 1964, hitting .306 with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs and finishing fourth in MVP voting. He was still solid in 1965, batting .296 with 33 home runs and 113 RBIs. In the offseason he was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in a blockbuster trade in which Cincinnati received three players, the most significant being RHP Milt Pappas. Bringing his intensity, leadership, and talent to the Orioles Robinson won the AL Triple Crown in 1966 by hitting .316 with 49 home runs and 122 RBIs. Baltimore won the AL pennant and swept the Dodgers in the World Series in which Robinson was named MVP after hitting .286 with two home runs and three RBIs in a Series dominated by Baltimore’s pitching. He was league MVP also, becoming the first player to become MVP in both the NL and AL. The Orioles dropped in the standings in 1967 and Robinson missed several weeks following a collision with second baseman Al Weis of the White Sox, which caused a concussion and ensuing double vision. He still ended up batting .311 with 30 home runs and 94 RBIs while appearing in 129 games. Hindered by injuries and illness in 1968, he hit only .268 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. In the offseason he managed in the Puerto Rican Winter League, setting the stage for his post-playing career. 1969 marked the beginning of divisional play in major league baseball and the Orioles topped the new AL East. Robinson contributed 32 home runs, 100 RBIs, a .308 batting average, and outstanding leadership. He hit two more home runs in the postseason which ended with Baltimore losing to the upstart New York Mets. The Orioles again won the AL East in 1970 and this time won the World Series. Robinson batted .306 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. Baltimore made it three straight pennants in 1971 and Robinson hit .281 with 28 home runs and 99 RBIs. It proved to be the end of the road for him as an Oriole. In the offseason he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a six-player trade. He batted .251 in an injury-plagued season in 1972 with 19 home runs and 59 RBIs over 103 games. He was traded once again in the offseason, this time to nearby Anaheim and the California Angels, which reunited him with former Baltimore GM Harry Dalton. The once-outstanding outfielder was primarily utilized as a Designated Hitter in 1973 and batted .266 with 30 home runs and 97 RBIs. He had a lesser season in 1974 in which he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians in September. Overall, he hit .245 with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs. In the offseason he was named manager of the Indians, becoming the first African-American manager in AL/NL history. He finished his playing career in 1975 and ’76 as a player/manager for the Indians. He played rarely and almost exclusively as a DH or pinch-hitter. For his major league career, Robinson batted .294 with 2943 hits that included 528 doubles, 72 triples, and 586 home runs. He further scored 1829 runs and compiled 1812 RBIs and 204 stolen bases. He was hit by pitches 198 times, a category which he led either the NL or AL seven times. A 14-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Robinson finished in the Top 10 in MVP voting eleven times. With the Reds he batted .303 with 1673 hits, 318 doubles, 50 triples, 324 home runs, 1009 RBIs, 1043 runs scored, and 161 stolen bases. Appearing in 35 postseason games, he hit .238 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs. The Reds, Orioles, and Indians retired Robinson’s #20 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. In addition to the Indians, Robinson managed the Giants, Orioles, and Expos/Nationals, his teams compiling a record of 1065-1176. He was an assistant general manager for the Orioles and major league baseball’s Vice-President of On-Field Operations from 1999-2002. The Reds further honored him with a statue at Great American Ballpark and induction into their team Hall of Fame. The Orioles honored him in similar fashion. Robinson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. He died at age 83 in 2019.

---

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.