Cy Young Profile: Jim Palmer, 1976

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  30

11^th season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1976:

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 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. He returned to form in 1975 by posting a 23-11 mark with a league-leading 2.09 ERA and 10 shutouts among his 25 complete games. He received his second AL Cy Young Award as a result.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 40 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 40

Games Started – 40 [1]

Complete Games – 23 [2, tied with Frank Tanana]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 13 [15, tied with Vida Blue, Eduardo Rodriguez & Mike Cuellar]

PCT - .629 [11]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [2, tied with Vida Blue & Bert Blyleven]

Innings Pitched – 315 [1]

Hits – 255 [7]

Runs – 101 [15, tied with Ed Figueroa]

Earned Runs – 88 [17, tied with Rick Wise]

Home Runs – 20 [5, tied with Jim Colborn & Ferguson Jenkins]

Bases on Balls – 84 [9]

Strikeouts – 159 [7]

ERA – 2.51 [5]

Hit Batters – 8 [7, tied with Bill Travers, Jim Hughes & Jim Willoughby]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runners-up Nolan Ryan & Mike Torrez

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Luis Tiant

League-leading innings pitched were +16.2 ahead of runner-up Jim Hunter

Midseason Snapshot: 11-8, ERA - 3.00, SO - 88 in 174 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) at Texas 6/19

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Minnesota 8/10

Fielding

Chances – 77

Put Outs – 27

Assists – 49

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .987

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

10^th in AL MVP voting (47 points, 14% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 108 points – 19 of 24 first place votes, 90% share

Mark Fidrych, Det.: 51 points – 5 first place votes, 43% share

Frank Tanana, Cal.: 18 points – 15% share

Ed Figueroa, NYY.: 12 points – 10% share

Luis Tiant, Bos.: 10 points – 8% share

---

Orioles went 88-74 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 10.5 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. Starting off slowly, the Orioles were 40-42 in the season’s first half. A second-half surge capped by a 20-13 record after September 1 was not enough to contend but allowed for a second-place finish.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Palmer 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 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.

---

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: Craig Kimbrel, 2011

Pitcher, Atlanta Braves

Age:  23 (May 28)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 215

Prior to 2011:

A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Kimbrel played quarterback with his high school’s football team as well as baseball. Moving on to Wallace State Community College, he was utilized as a bullpen closer and spot starter and posted an 8-0 record as a freshman in 2007. Primarily a reliever in 2008, he went 9-3 with a 2.88 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched. Selected by the Braves in the 33^rd round of the 2008 amateur draft, Kimbrel signed for a $391,000 bonus. With three minor league teams in ’08 he appeared in a total of 24 games and compiled a 3-2 tally with 10 saves, an 0.51 ERA, and 56 strikeouts in 35.1 innings, displaying an impressive explosive fastball. With four teams from Class A to AAA in 2009, Kimbrel pitched in 49 games and went 2-3 with 18 saves, a 2.85 ERA, and 103 strikeouts in 60 innings. On the downside he gave up 45 walks and threw 10 wild pitches as he had difficulty with his control. Pitching in the Arizona Fall League with the Peoria Saguaros he struck out 18 batters in 10.1 innings but also walked 16 batters on his way to a 10.45 ERA. Opening 2010 with Gwinnett of the Class AAA International League, Kimbrel was pitching effectively with 6 saves in the first 11 games along with a 1.20 ERA and 21 strikeouts when he was called up to the Braves due to an injury opening on the pitching staff. Making 21 major league appearances he recorded four wins and a save as well as producing a 0.44 ERA with 40 strikeouts (of 88 batters faced) in 20.2 innings pitched. He also appeared in four postseason games during the NLDS vs. the San Francisco Giants where he was charged with a loss. He entered 2011 as Atlanta’s bullpen closer.

2011 Season Summary

Appeared in 79 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 79 [2, tied with Bill Bray & Jose Veras]

Games Started – 0

Games Finished - 64

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 4

Losses – 3

PCT - .571 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 46 [1, tied with John Axford]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 77

Hits – 48

Runs – 19

Earned Runs – 18

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 32

Strikeouts – 127

ERA – 2.10 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading games finished were +1ahead of runners-up John Axford & Francisco Cordero

Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 2 IP) at LA Dodgers 4/21

 

Midseason Snapshot: G – 47, 2-2, ERA - 2.35, SV – 28, SO - 70 in 46 IP

 

---

 

Fielding

Chances – 11

Put Outs – 4

Assists – 7

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

23^rd in NL MVP voting, tied with Starlin Castro, ChiC., Carlos Ruiz, Phila. & Giancarlo Stanton, Fla. (1 point, 0% share)

9^th in NL Cy Young voting, tied with John Axford, Mil. (2 points, 1% share)

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Craig Kimbrel, Atl.: 160 points – 32 of 32 first place votes, 100% share

Freddie Freeman, Atl.: 70 points – 44% share

Vance Worley, Phila.: 40 points –  25% share

Wilson Ramos, Wash.: 6 points – 4% share

Josh Collmenter, Ariz.: 5 points – 3% share

---

Braves went 89-73 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 13 games behind the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies. Lifted by the arrival of rookies Kimbrel and first baseman Freddie Freeman, the Braves appeared headed for a wild card playoff berth, entering September with an 8.5-game lead in the NL wild card race before losing 18 of their last 26 games to finish behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the wild card standings.

Aftermath of ‘11:

In 2012 Kimbrel followed up on his excellent rookie season by again co-leading the NL in saves with 42 to go along with a 1.01 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 62.2 innings. With his excellent four-seam fastball and power curve, 2013 proved to be another outstanding season for Kimbrel as he topped the NL with 50 saves while recording a 1.21 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched. The Braves signed him to a four-year contract extension for $42 million in 2014 and he went on to lead the NL in saves once again with 47 while striking out 95 batters in 61.2 innings and compiling a 1.61 ERA. In addition to being an All-Star for the fourth consecutive year, he received the Trevor Hoffman Award as the NL’s best relief pitcher. Just prior to the 2015 season, the Braves traded Kimbrel to San Diego along with disappointing outfielder Melvin Upton. His first blown save with the Padres, following nine saves in succession for his new club, ended a streak of 35 straight saves with no failures. He ended up having a relative down year with the disappointing Padres, going 4-2 with 39 saves in 61 appearances, along with a 2.58 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. In the offseason he was dealt again for prospects to the Boston Red Sox. Kimbrel had a strong first half with the Red Sox in 2016, recording 17 saves and earning another All-Star selection. A knee injury that required surgery knocked him out of action for several weeks and he finished with 57 total appearances and 31 saves in 33 appearances along with a 3.40 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 53 innings. In 2017 he followed up with a 5-0 record and 35 saves in 67 appearances, along with a 1.43 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 69 innings. He received the Mariano Rivera Award as the American League’s top reliever in addition to his sixth All-Star selection. Along the way he also pitched an immaculate inning, with three strikeouts on the minimum nine pitches in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2018, and during the season Kimbrel contributed a 5-1 tally and 42 saves along with a 2.74 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 62.1 innings. He struggled in the ALDS against the Yankees, recorded 3 saves in the ALCS win over Houston, and picked up a save in four appearances in the World Series against the Dodgers. A free agent in the offseason, Kimbrel eventually signed with the Chicago Cubs for three years and $43 million. Struggling with knee inflammation that caused him to struggle down the stretch, he appeared in only 23 games in 2019 and produced an 0-4 mark with 13 saves and a 6.53 ERA. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Kimbrel got off to a poor start before improving his performance enough to appear in 18 games and record two saves with a 5.28 ERA. In 2021 he returned to outstanding form and was 2-3 with 23 saves and a 0.49 ERA for the Cubs and closed out a combined no-hitter in June against the Dodgers. With the Cubs unloading players prior to the trade deadline, Kimbrel was dealt across town to the White Sox who utilized him as a setup man. His performance dropped off and he finished up by appearing in a combined 63 games and going 4-5 with 24 saves, a 2.26 ERA, and 100 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched. With his role uncertain entering 2022, he was traded once again to the Los Angeles Dodgers where he regained the role of bullpen closer. For his career through his first 13 appearances in 2022 for the Dodgers, Kimbrel has compiled a 35-29 record and 381 saves while pitching in 659 games, along with a 2.19 ERA and 1043 strikeouts in 640.1 innings pitched. With the Braves he was 15-10 with 186 saves, a 1.43 ERA, and 476 strikeouts in 289 innings. Appearing in 23 postseason games, his record is 0-1 with 7 saves, a 4.13 ERA, and 27 strikeouts in 24 innings. He has been an eight-time All-Star (four with Atlanta) and has led the NL in saves four times.

---

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: Willie McCovey, 1969

First Baseman, San Francisco Giants

Age:  31

11^th season with Giants

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 198 

Prior to 1969:

A native of Mobile, Alabama McCovey played baseball, softball, basketball, and football in his youth. Quitting high school in 1954 to help with the family finances, he moved to Los Angeles to stay with his brother. Contacted by the Giants, the 17-year-old McCovey attended a tryout camp in Florida. Tall and thin, he signed for $175 per month and reported to Sandersville of the Class D Georgia State League in 1955 where he batted .305 with 19 home runs and 113 RBIs. Advancing to Danville of the Class B Carolina League in 1956, McCovey hit .310 with 29 home runs. His next stop was Dallas of the Class AA Texas League in 1957 where he batted .281 with 21 doubles, 9 triples, 11 home runs and 65 RBIs. He spent 1958 with Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and hit .319 with 37 doubles, 10 triples, 14 home runs and 89 RBIs while dealing with an injured knee. McCovey started the 1959 season with Phoenix and was batting .372 with 29 home runs and 92 RBIs after 95 games before being called up to the Giants in late July where he shunted the previous NL Rookie of the Year, Orlando Cepeda, to the outfield while he handled first base. The result was Rookie of the Year recognition for McCovey, who batted .354 in 52 games with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs along with a .656 slugging percentage and .429 OBP. McCovey started well in 1960 with 7 home runs in the first 15 games, but his hitting dropped off significantly thereafter and he was batting .244 in July when he was briefly sent down to Tacoma of the Pacific Coast League. Upon his return to the Giants, he continued to have difficulty at bat as well as defensively at first base and finished up at .238 with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs. Alternating at first base with Orlando Cepeda in 1961, McCovey hit .271 with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs. Typically sitting against lefthanders in 1962, he put in some time in the outfield and in a pennant-winning year for the Giants he batted .293 in 91 games with 20 home runs and 54 RBIs. He made the final out in the seven-game World Series loss to the Yankees. In 1963, manager Alvin Dark chose to keep McCovey’s bat in the lineup as much as possible, which meant playing out of position in left field most of the time and going with Cepeda at first. The result was McCovey’s first All-Star season in which he batted .280 and tied for the league lead in home runs with 44 while also contributing 102 RBIs. The lanky player known as “Stretch” had a lesser season in 1964, hitting .220 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs while dealing with an injury to his left foot. With Cepeda sidelined by a knee injury in 1965, McCovey returned to first base and batted .276 with 39 home runs and 92 RBIs. Cepeda was dealt to St. Louis early during the 1966 season and, firmly set at first base, McCovey hit .295 with 36 home runs and 96 RBIs. Quiet and humble, he was hindered by knee problems in 1967 and batted .276 with 31 home runs and 91 RBIs. In 1968 “Stretch” topped the NL with 36 home runs, 105 RBIs, and a .545 slugging percentage while also compiling a .293 average.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 149 games

1B – 148, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 623

At Bats – 491

Runs – 101 [9]

Hits – 157

Doubles – 26 [17, tied with Rusty Staub, Curt Blefary & Gary Sutherland]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 45 [1]

RBI – 126 [1]

Bases on Balls – 121 [2]

Int. BB – 45 [1]

Strikeouts – 66

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .320 [5]

OBP - .453 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .656 [1]

Total Bases – 322 [3]

GDP – 11

Hit By Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [6, tied with four others]

League-leading home runs were +1 ahead of runner-up Hank Aaron

League-leading RBIs were +3 ahead of runner-up Ron Santo

League-leading int. bases on balls drawn were +26 ahead of runner-up Hank Aaron

League-leading OBP was +.017 ahead of runner-up Jim Wynn

League-leading slugging percentage was +.049 ahead of runner-up Hank Aaron

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, HR - 30, RBI - 79, AVG - .325, SLG - .710, OBP – .448

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 9/21 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

Most HR, game – 2 on five occasions

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 23

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Cincinnati 6/28, vs. Philadelphia 8/26

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 1483

Put Outs – 1392

Assists – 79

Errors – 12

DP – 116

Pct. - .992 

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for NL at 1B)

 

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Willie McCovey, SF: 265 points – 11 of 24 first place votes, 79% share

Tom Seaver, NYM.: 243 points – 11 first place votes, 72% share

Hank Aaron, Atl.: 188 points – 2 first place votes, 56% share

Pete Rose, Cin.: 127 points – 38% share

Ron Santo, ChiC.: 124 points – 37% share

---

Giants went 90-72 to finish second in the new NL Western Division, 3 games behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves, while leading the league in walks drawn (711). Under the guidance of new manager Clyde King in the first year of divisional play, the Giants were in and out of first place after August 5 until two straight late-September losses at San Diego dropped them into second to stay. McCovey was the club’s batting star despite being hindered by several injuries.

Aftermath of ‘69:

McCovey had another strong season in 1970, batting .289 with 39 home runs and 126 RBIs while topping the NL in slugging (.612), walks drawn (137), and intentional walks drawn (40). He placed ninth in league MVP voting. Playing with a severe knee injury in 1971, McCovey was limited to 105 games and hit .277 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs. Suffering a broken arm in the fourth game of 1972, he missed two months of action and had difficulty upon his return, ending up with a .213 average, 14 home runs, and 35 RBIs in 81 games. Hindered by arthritic knees, “Stretch” appeared in 130 games in 1973, 13 as a pinch-hitter, and batted .266 with 29 home runs and 75 RBIs. With the Giants shedding older, high-priced players, McCovey was traded to the San Diego Padres in the offseason. Taking on a leadership role with the lowly Padres in 1974, he hit .253 with 22 home runs and 63 RBIs, while struggling in the field. The production was similar in 1975, with 23 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a .252 batting average. At age 38 in 1976, the physical struggles were more challenging, and McCovey lost his starting job at first base to young Mike Ivie. He was batting .203 with 7 home runs and 36 RBIs when he was sold to the Oakland Athletics at the end of August. His performance was no stronger in the season’s final month. He returned to the Giants as a free agent in 1977 and enjoyed a resurgence, hitting .280 with 28 home runs and 86 RBIs. McCovey spent two more seasons with the Giants, with playing time steadily decreasing until his retirement in 1980 at age 42. For his major league career, he batted .270 with 2211 hits that included 353 doubles, 46 triples, and 521 home runs. He scored 1229 runs and compiled 1555 RBIs, 1345 walks, a .374 on-base percentage, and a .515 slugging percentage. With the Giants the totals were .274, with 1113 runs scored, 1974 hits, 308 doubles, 45 triples, 469 home runs, 1388 RBIs, 1168 walks drawn, a .377 OBP, and a .524 slugging percentage. Appearing in eight postseason games, McCovey hit .310 with three home runs and 7 RBIs. A six-time All-Star, the Giants retired his #44 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986. The inlet beyond the right field fence at Oracle Park has been named McCovey Cove in his honor and a statue of the slugger was placed at the entrance to the cove. The Giants have presented the Willie Mac Award annually to the player who best exemplifies McCovey’s leadership and inspirational value to the club. He died in 2018 at the age of 80.

---

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: Bob O’Farrell, 1926

Catcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  29

2^nd season with Cardinals (1^st complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1926:

A native of Waukegan, Illinois, O’Farrell participated in sports throughout his youth up through high school. Joining Waukegan’s semipro baseball team after high school he showed enough talent as a catcher to gain the notice of future Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan, who was finishing his career with the Chicago Cubs when they arrived for an exhibition game against the Waukegan team in 1915. Signed by the Cubs, O’Farrell appeared in two late-season games. Acting as a bullpen catcher for the Cubs in 1916, he was sent down to Peoria of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League where he batted .287 and honed his skills behind the plate. Still with Peoria in 1917, O’Farrell hit .300 with 28 doubles and 5 triples. Returning to the Cubs in 1918, he was backup to regular catcher Bill Killefer and saw action in 52 games and batted .283 during the war-shortened season. The Cubs won the NL pennant and O’Farrell was hitless in three at bats during the World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox. He was again the backup catcher in 1919 and hit just .216 while appearing in 49 games. An injury to Killefer in 1920 allowed O’Farrell to start in 75 games and he went on to bat .248 with 29 runs scored and 19 RBIs while performing well defensively. Killefer became player/manager of the Cubs during the 1921 season and O’Farrell saw more action behind the plate. He hit .250 with 23 extra-base hits and 32 RBIs. Laid-back and not prone to arguing with umpires, he became known for his defensive prowess which included a strong throwing arm and the ability to block pitches in the dirt. He was also an able handler of pitchers. In 1922 his batting average rose to .324 while he produced 18 doubles, 8 triples, 4 home runs, and 60 RBIs. He also led NL catchers with 119 starts, 446 putouts, 143 assists, and 22 double plays while also throwing out 66% of baserunners attempting to steal. O’Farrell followed up with another strong season in 1923, batting .319 with 25 doubles, 12 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He again led NL catchers by appearing in 124 games and totaling 118 assists. During the 1924 season, a concussion knocked him out of action for three weeks and he lost his starting job to Gabby Hartnett. Limited to 71 games, his average dropped to .240. During the 1925 season the Cubs traded O’Farrell to the Cardinals for two players. Back in a starting role in St. Louis, he hit .278 in 94 games for his new club and impressed with his defensive prowess as well. The Cardinals were very much a team on the rise heading into 1926.   

1926 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

C – 146, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 567

At Bats – 492

Runs – 63

Hits – 144

Doubles – 30 [13, tied with Heinie Sand & Charlie Grimm]

Triples – 9 [18, tied with Fred Lindstrom, Rube Bressler & Bill Marriott]

Home Runs – 7

RBI – 68

Bases on Balls – 61 [6, tied with Rogers Hornsby]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 44 [12, tied with Johnny Butler]

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .293

OBP - .371 [12]

Slugging Pct. - .433 [17]

Total Bases – 213

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitch – 0

Sac Hits – 14

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, 3B – 5, HR - 4, RBI - 30, AVG - .268, OBP – .362

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 5/31

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 3

/Most home runs, game – 1 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Phila. Phillies 5/21

Pinch-hitting: 1 for 2 (.500) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 593

Put Outs – 466

Assists – 117

Errors – 10

Passed Balls – 4

DP – 12

Pct. - .983

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 26, AB – 23, R – 2, H – 7, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .304, OBP - .360, SLG - .348, TB – 8, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: League Award

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Bob O’Farrell, St.LC.: 79 points – 99% share

Hughie Critz, Cin.: 60 points – 75% share

Ray Kremer, Pitt.: 32 points – 40% share

Tommy Thevenow, StLC.: 30 points – 38% share

Hack Wilson, ChiC.: 25 points – 31% share

---

Cardinals went 89-65 to win the NL pennant by two games over the Cincinnati Reds, while leading the league in runs scored (817), hits (1541), home runs (90), RBIs (756), bases on balls drawn (478), and slugging (.415). The Cardinals, locked in a tight race with the Reds, benefited from the acquisition of 39-year-old, but still effective RHP Grover Cleveland “Pete” Alexander from the Cubs in June, who was utilized as a spot starter and reliever. A game up on the Reds on Sept. 1, the Cards finished the regular season with 24 straight road games and went 13-11 to hold off Cincinnati and nail down the franchise’s first pennant. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3. Alexander’s complete game win in Game 6 was followed by his entering Game 7 with the bases loaded in the seventh inning; he struck out hard-hitting 2B Tony Lazzeri and finished the game, which ended with O’Farrell throwing out a stealing Babe Ruth to nail down the Series.

Aftermath of ‘26:

With the trade of player/manager Rogers Hornsby to the Giants in the offseason, O’Farrell was named player/manager of the Cardinals for 1927. Battling shoulder and thumb injuries, he was limited to 61 games and batted .264 while guiding the Cardinals to a second-place finish, close behind Pittsburgh. Relieved of his managerial duties in 1928, he was dealt to the Giants where he backed up starting catcher Shanty Hogan, and while still an adept fielder, his average dropped to .200. He rebounded to .306 in 91 games in 1929 and .301 in 94 games in 1930. O’Farrell remained with the Giants through 1932 after which he was traded back to the Cardinals. A backup catcher for the Cards in 1933, he was dealt to Cincinnati in 1934, where he once again became a player/manager. With the Reds at 30-60 in late July, O’Farrell was fired and joined the Cubs in August. For the year he played in a total of 66 games and hit .237. He returned to the Cardinals in 1935, appeared in only 14 games and retired at age 39. For his major league career, O’Farrell batted .273 with 1120 hits that included 201 doubles, 58 triples, and 51 home runs. He scored 517 runs and compiled 549 RBIs along with a .360 on-base percentage and .388 slugging percentage. Always valued for his defensive prowess, he had a lifetime fielding percentage of .976 and threw out 48% of baserunners who attempted to steal against him. With the Cardinals he batted .271 with 329 hits, 58 doubles, 14 triples, 12 home runs, 142 RBIs, 141 runs scored, a .357 OBP, and a .372 slugging percentage. Appearing in 10 World Series games with the Cubs and Cardinals, he hit .269 with two RBIs. Following his playing career, he returned to Waukegan where the avid bowler operated a bowling and billiards hall. O’Farrell died in 1988 at the age of 91.   

---

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: Mike Schmidt, 1986

Third Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  37 (Sept. 27)

14^th season with Phillies

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1986:

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. Schmidt followed up with another MVP year during the strike-shortened 1981 season as he batted .316 with a NL-high 31 home runs, 91 RBIs, 78 runs scored, 73 walks drawn, a .435 OBP, a .644 slugging percentage, and 228 total bases. The Phillies reached the postseason but fell to Montreal in the first round. 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.

1986 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

3B – 124, 1B – 35, PH – 8

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 657 [9]

At Bats – 552

Runs – 97 [3, tied with Eric Davis]

Hits – 160 [13]

Doubles – 29

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 37 [1]

RBI – 119 [1]

Bases on Balls – 89 [2]

Int. BB – 25 [1]

Strikeouts – 84

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .290 [9, tied with Mitch Webster]

OBP - .390 [3, tied with Steve Sax]

Slugging Pct. - .547 [1]

Total Bases – 302 [2]

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 7 [5]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 9 [4, tied with Darryl Strawberry, Glenn Wilson & Kevin McReynolds]

 

League-leading home runs were +6 ahead of runners-up Glenn Davis & Dave Parker

League-leading RBIs were +3 ahead of runner-up Dave Parker

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

League-leading slugging percentage was +.040 ahead of runner-up Darryl Strawberry

Midseason snapshot: HR - 19, RBI - 66, AVG - .285, SLG - .533, OBP – .366

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 7 AB) vs. NY Mets 4/12 – 14 innings

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

HR at home – 20

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at Pittsburgh 4/24, (in 5 AB) at Houston 7/13 – 11 innings, (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 9/10

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Pittsburgh 4/24, vs. Houston 4/29, at Houston 7/13 – 11 innings, at Chi. Cubs 9/9 – 10 innings

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 8 (.250) with 1 R & 1 RBI

Fielding (3B)

Chances – 304

Put Outs – 78

Assists – 220

Errors – 6

DP – 27

Pct. - .980

 

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for NL at 3B)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Mike Schmidt, Phila.: 287 points - 15 of 24 first place votes, 85% share

Glenn Davis, Hou.: 231 points – 6 first place votes, 69% share

Gary Carter, NYM: 181 points – 1 first place vote, 54% share

Keith Hernandez, NYM: 179 points – 2 first place votes, 53% share

Dave Parker, Cin.: 144 pts. – 43% share

---

Phillies went 86-75 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 21.5 games behind the division-winning New York Mets, while leading the league in batter strikeouts (1154). The Phillies were placed in a deep hole by a 15-24 start but were 42-43 at the All-Star break. A good second half put them second to the Mets, the runaway NL East winners. Schmidt, whose batting production remained potent started the season at first base but was shifted back to third.

Aftermath of ‘86:

Schmidt 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.

---

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

Rookie of the Year: Huston Street, 2005

Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

Age:  22 (Aug. 2)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 2005:

Son of former star Univ. of Texas quarterback and pitcher James Street, Street was a native of Austin, Texas and began pitching in Little League. An all-state safety on the Westlake High School football team, Street lettered in baseball as well. Moving on to the Univ. of Texas, he distinguished himself as a closer out of the bullpen, receiving All-American honors three times as he compiled 41 saves and a 1.31 ERA. In addition, he was named MVP of the 2002 College World Series. Chosen by the A’s with the fortieth pick of the 2004 amateur draft, relying on his slider/sinker combination he worked his way up from Class A to AA and AAA with three teams in ’04, producing a combined 8 saves and 1.38 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. He was called up to the A’s early in the 2005 season and took over as closer in May when RHP Octavio Dotel went down with an elbow injury. With his fine control and fastball, slider, and changeup, Street proved to be very effective at the major league level.

2005 Season Summary

Appeared in 67 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 67 [18, tied with seven others]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 5

Losses – 1

PCT - .833 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 23 [11]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 78.1

Hits – 53

Runs – 17

Earned Runs – 15

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 26

Strikeouts – 72

ERA – 1.72 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 1

Midseason Snapshot: 3-1, ERA - 1.67, G – 35, SV – 5, SO - 44 in 43 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 2 IP) vs. Toronto 4/11

Fielding

Chances – 19

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 12

Errors – 0

DP – 2

Pct. - 1.000

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

23rd in AL MVP voting, tied with Bartolo Colon, LAA & Grady Sizemore, Clev. (3 points, 1% share)

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Huston Street, Oak.: 97 points – 15 of 28 first place votes, 69% share

Robinson Cano, NYY: 57 points – 4 first place votes, 41% share

Jonny Gomes, TB: 39 points – 2 first place votes, 28% share

Tadahito Iguchi, ChiWS.: 30 points – 5 first place votes, 21% share

Gustavo Chacin, Tor.: 14 points – 2 first place votes, 10% share

---

Athletics went 88-74 to finish second in the AL Western Division, 7 games behind the division-winning Los Angeles Angels. The pitching staff led the league in fewest hits allowed (1315). Following a 12-12 April with a 7-20 May, the A’s surged into contention during the summer but came up short in September.

Aftermath of ‘05:

Street followed up in 2006 by going 4-4 with 37 saves and a 3.31 ERA in 69 appearances, striking out 67 batters in 70.2 innings. Oakland topped the AL West and advanced to the ALCS where Street surrendered a walk-off three-run home run to Detroit’s Magglio Ordonez that sealed the series defeat for the A’s. He spent two months on the disabled list in 2007, limiting him to 48 appearances during the season that resulted in a 5-2 record and 16 saves with a 2.88 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched (an average of 11.3 per nine innings). Street started 2008 as Oakland’s closer but dealing with nagging injuries he lost his closer role following a poor stretch after the All-Star Game. He ended up appearing in 63 games and recording 18 saves to go along with a 7-5 tally and 3.73 ERA. He had 7 blown saves but pitched better in the second half in a lesser bullpen role. In the offseason he was traded to the Colorado Rockies as part of a major deal for outfielder Matt Holliday. Overcoming some early rough spots with his new club in 2009, he regained the closer role and went 4-1 with 35 saves in 64 appearances along with a 3.06 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 61.2 innings pitched. Rewarded with a three-year, $22.5 million contract extension by the Rockies, Street was sidelined by shoulder stiffness for a large portion of the 2010 season but appeared in 44 games and compiled a 4-4 mark with 20 saves, a 3.61 ERA, and 45 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. During 2011 he saved 29 games in 32 opportunities until August when a triceps strain put him on the DL. Upon his return he was utilized as a setup man and for the year he ended up at 1-4 with 29 saves in 62 appearances along with a 3.86 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 58.1 innings. Dealt to the San Diego Padres in the offseason, he had an excellent first half in 2012 until suffering a calf injury in August. He finished with 23 saves in 24 opportunities and a 2-1 record with a 1.85 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched. In 2013 Street was prone to giving up the long ball during the season’s first half before putting together a long scoreless streak on his way to a 2-5 mark with 33 saves and a 2.70 ERA while pitching in 58 games. He had recorded 24 saves with a 1.09 ERA in 2014 when the Padres dealt him to the Los Angeles Angels. He added 17 more saves the rest of the way for the Angels to finish with a combined 41 and a 1.37 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. Signed to a two-year contract extension by the Angels, Street had another fine season in 2015 to go 3-3 with 40 saves and a 3.18 ERA. He had a difficult year in 2016 until being shelved for knee surgery in August, ending up with just 26 appearances and 9 saves with a 6.45 ERA. He pitched in only four games for the Angels in 2017 and retired in the offseason due to his injury problems. For his major league career, Street pitched in 668 games and produced a 42-34 record with 324 saves and a 2.95 ERA along with 665 strikeouts in 680 innings pitched. With Oakland he appeared in 247 games with a 21-12 tally, 94 saves, a 2.88 ERA, and 271 strikeouts in 269 innings. Street appeared in 10 postseason games and was 0-3 with 3 saves, a 6.75 ERA, and 8 strikeouts in 12 innings. He was a two-time All-Star. He has been named to the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor and the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame.  

---

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.