MVP Profile: Walter Johnson, 1924

Pitcher, Washington Senators

Age:  36

18^th season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1924:

Born in Kansas, Johnson’s family moved west to California where he first began pitching in sandlot games. A sidearm pitcher who threw from a short windmill windup, Johnson relied on his impressive fastball and moved on to Tacoma of the Northwestern League, where he failed to catch on. Playing semiprofessionally in 1906 for $90 per week with Weiser of the Southern Idaho League, he went 7-1 before returning home to California.  Returning to Weiser the next year, he went 14-2 with a 0.55 ERA and 214 strikeouts over the course of 146 innings pitched. The 19-year-old phenom drew the attention of major league teams and signed with the Senators, who he joined in July. In his first taste of major league action, Johnson produced a 5-9 record over 14 games during the second half of the 1907 season, with a 1.88 ERA and 71 strikeouts over 110.1 innings pitched. With the seventh-place Senators in 1908 he was 14-14 with a 1.65 ERA and 160 strikeouts. With the club dropping into the cellar in 1909 and providing inadequate run support, Johnson had a fine 2.22 ERA over 296.1 innings but compiled only a 13-25 record with 164 strikeouts. He improved to 25-17 with a 1.36 ERA in 1910 while leading the AL with 370 innings pitched and 313 strikeouts. Nicknamed “The Big Train” as the result of the sound his legendary fastball made, and “Barney” after racecar driver Barney Oldfield, due to his driving habits, Johnson continued to pitch brilliantly for a mediocre team, going 25-13 with a 1.90 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 1911 and 33-12 while leading the league in ERA (1.39) and strikeouts (303) in 1912. By 1913, he had added a curve to his pitching arsenal that ultimately depended on his overpowering speed. Johnson again topped 30 wins in 1913 with a 36-7 record and also led the league in complete games (29), shutous (11), ERA (1.14), innings pitched (346), and strikeouts (243) while lifting the Senators to a second place finish. He received league MVP recognition for his performance. The gentlemanly Johnson was esteemed for his modesty and sportsmanship, in addition to his pitching talent. He never brushed back opposing batters out of a fear of inflicting a fatal injury, nor did he engage in disputes with umpires and avoided brawls. His careful pacing allowed him to pitch many innings without injury. In 1914 “the Big Train” posted a 28-18 record with a 1.72 ERA and league-leading 225 strikeouts over the course of 371.2 innings. His success continued for the remainder of the decade, as he never won fewer than 20 games in any season from 1910 to ’19. He also topped the AL twice more in ERA during the same period. He regularly paced the circuit in strikeouts as well. The Senators finished as high as second twice during the decade, and third on two more occasions, primarily on Johnson’s pitching success. He finally had an off year in 1920, due to sickness, a sore arm, and leg injuries. His record dropped to 8-10 with a 3.13 ERA and only 78 strikeouts over 143.2 innings pitched, his fewest since his rookie year. Nevertheless, he also pitched the only no-hitter of his career against the Boston Red Sox. He rebounded with a 17-14 tally in 1921, topping the AL with 143 strikeouts. Following 15-16 and 17-12 records in 1922 and ’23 he was contemplating retirement due to lingering arm pain. Recognizing that the club had the talent to contend in 1924, he put off his retirement plans for at least another year.

1924 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

P – 38, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38 [19, tied with Bob Shawkey & Hollis Thurston]

Games Started – 38 [1]

Complete Games – 20 [5, tied with Ed Rommel & Sherry Smith]

Wins – 23 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .767 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [1]

Innings Pitched – 277.2 [6]

Hits – 233 [19]

Runs – 97

Earned Runs – 84

Home Runs – 10 [7, tied with Ted Lyons, Elam Vangilder & Jack Quinn]

Bases on Balls – 77 [10]

Strikeouts – 158 [1]

ERA – 2.72 [1]

Hit Batters – 10 [5, tied with Bill Piercy]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4 [9, tied with ten others]

League-leading games started were +2 ahead of runners-up Howard Ehmke & Hollis Thurston

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Herb Pennock

League-leading win percentage was +.067 ahead of runners-up Herb Pennock & Ken Holloway

League-leading shutouts were +1 ahead of runner-up Dixie Davis

League-leading strikeouts were +39 ahead of runner-up Howard Ehmke

League-leading ERA was -0.03 lower than runner-up Tom Zachary

Midseason Snapshot: 10-6, ERA - 2.76, SO - 90 in 146.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. White Sox 5/23

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 7 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 8/25

Batting

PA – 119, AB – 113, R – 18, H – 32, 2B – 9, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 14, BB – 3, SO – 11, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .283, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 2, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 62

Put Outs – 9

Assists – 53

Errors – 0

DP – 2

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (World Series vs. NY Giants)

GS – 2, CG – 2, Record – 1-2, PCT – .333, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 24, H – 30, R – 10, ER – 8, HR – 3, BB – 11, SO – 20, ERA – 3.00, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: League Award

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Walter Johnson, Wash.: 55 points – 86% share

Eddie Collins, ChiWS.: 49 points – 77% share

Charlie Jamieson, Clev.: 25 points – 39% share

Herb Pennock, NYY: 24 points – 38% share

Johnny Bassler, Det.: 22 points – 34% share

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Senators went 92-62 to win the AL pennant by 2 games over the New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.34), shutouts (13, tied with the Yankees), and saves (25). Under the guidance of second baseman/manager Bucky Harris, the Senators struggled until a 10-game June winning streak propelled them into first place. Gradually increasing their lead through the summer, an 18-7 September allowed them to hold off the Yankees and nail down the first pennant in franchise history. Won World Series over the New York Giants, 4 games to 3. After two starts ended in defeat, Johnson came on in relief in Game 7 and came away with the Series-clinching win when a 12^th-inning ground ball down the third base line struck a pebble and hopped over 3B Fred Lindstrom’s head, allowing the winning run to score.

Aftermath of ‘24:

Johnson returned in 1925 and was 20-7 with a 3.07 ERA as Washington again topped the American League. This time he was 2-1 in the World Series against Pittsburgh, taking the loss in a rainy Game 7. Johnson played two more seasons before retiring in 1927. Over the course of a 21-year career with the Senators, “the Big Train” produced a 417-279 record with a 2.17 ERA and then-record 3509 strikeouts over 5914.1 innings pitched. He hurled 531 complete games that included 110 shutouts. He had two 30-win seasons and 12 with 20 or more wins. Pitching for a club that often provided minimal run support, he notched a record 38 wins by a score of 1-0 and suffered 26 losses by the same score. Johnson topped the AL in strikeouts 12 times and his career total remained the major league record until 1983. Twice during his career, he struck out three straight batters on nine pitches with the bases loaded, highlighting his ability to bear down in clutch situations. Following a year of minor league managing with the Newark Bears of the International League in 1928, Johnson managed the Senators from 1929 to ’32 and the Cleveland Indians from 1933 to ’35. His major league teams compiled a record of 529-432 with the Senators finishing second in the AL in 1930 and third in 1931 and ’32. He later became a county commissioner in Maryland and lost an election for the US House of Representatives. Johnson was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, ten years before his death at age 59.

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

 

 

Rookie of the Year: Raul Mondesi, 1994

Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  23

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 202 

Prior to 1994:

A native of the Dominican Republic, Mondesi was signed by the Dodgers at age 17 in 1988. Following two years of preparation in his native country, he was assigned to Great Falls of the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 1990 where he batted .303 in 44 games with 10 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases, showing off his combination of power and speed. With three teams in 1991, from Class A to AA and AAA, he hit a combined .277 with 18 doubles, 8 triples, 8 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. Playing in Class AA and AAA in 1992, he batted a combined .296 with 9 triples, 6 home runs, and 29 RBIs. Mondesi spent the 1993 season with the Albuquerque Dukes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and had two stints with the Dodgers, the first briefly from July to August and the second in September. In a total of 42 games with the Dodgers, he hit .291 with 4 home runs and 10 RBIs, and with the club seeking to re-tool with youth in 1994, he earned a spot on the roster.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in 112 games

RF – 109, CF – 15

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 454

At Bats – 434 [8, tied with Roberto Kelly & Derek Bell]

Runs – 63

Hits – 133 [11, tied with Andres Galarraga]

Doubles – 27 [12, tied with Jeff Conine, Gregg Jefferies & Mike Kingery]

Triples – 8 [3, tied with Mike Kingery & Reggie Sanders]

Home Runs – 16

RBI – 56

Bases on Balls – 16

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 78 [19]

Stolen Bases – 11

Caught Stealing – 8 [11, tied with seven others]

Average - .306 [19]

OBP - .333

Slugging Pct. - .516 [16]

Total Bases – 224 [12]

GDP – 9

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 22, 3B – 5, HR - 15, RBI - 49, AVG - .321, SLG - .549

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at Pittsburgh 4/17

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 1 on sixteen occasions

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 6

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. NY Mets 7/9

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 230

Put Outs – 206

Assists – 16

Errors – 8

DP – 1

Pct. - .965

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA 

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Raul Mondesi, LAD: 140 points – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

John Hudek, Hou.: 27 points – 19% share

Ryan Klesko, Atl.: 25 points – 18% share

Steve Trachsel, ChiC.: 22 points – 16% share

Cliff Floyd, Mon.: 10 points – 7% share

Joey Hamilton, SD: 10 points – 7% share

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Dodgers went 58-56 to finish first in the NL Western Division, 3.5 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants, at the point in August that a players’ strike prematurely shut down the season and eliminated the postseason. Following a 14-17 start, the Dodgers won 7 straight and moved into first place in May. Although they faltered in late July, they rallied to enhance their narrow lead over the Giants.

Aftermath of ‘94:

Mondesi followed up on his impressive rookie season by batting .285 in 1995 with 26 home runs, 88 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases. He also led all major league outfielders for the second straight year with 16 assists and was awarded a Gold Glove. Along the way he was also chosen as an All-Star for the first, and only, time in his career. His two-run home run in the next-to-last game of the season against San Diego was the key to a division-clinching win for LA although he hit only .222 in the NLDS loss to Cincinnati. In 1996 his production remained strong as he batted .297 with a .334 OBP, 40 doubles, 7 triples, 24 home runs, and 88 RBIs. In 1997 Mondesi became the first player in Dodgers history to reach 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season with totals of an even 30 homers and 32 steals. Along with that he hit .310 with a .360 OBP, 42 doubles, 87 RBIs, and a .541 slugging percentage. He received a Gold Glove for his continued fine defensive performance which included 10 outfield assists while many baserunners chose not to challenge his excellent throwing arm. He placed fifteenth in NL MVP voting. Playing significant time in center field in 1998, Mondesi hit another 30 home runs, but his average dropped to .279, his OBP to .316, his stolen bases to 16, and his doubles to 26. Back in right field in 1999, Mondesi batted .253 with 33 home runs, 99 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .332 OBP, but he also came into conflict with manager Dave Johnson and GM Kevin Malone and demanded to be dealt. In the offseason he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in a deal that brought outfielder Shawn Green to LA. With his new club in 2000 Mondesi played well until August elbow surgery limited his season to 96 games in which he hit .271 with 24 home runs, 67 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, and a .329 OBP and .523 slugging percentage. The player nicknamed “the Buffalo” due to his broad shoulders and large head got off to a strong start in 2001, but a poor second half left his overall production at .252 with 27 home runs, 84 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, a .342 OBP, and .453 slugging percentage. He was criticized for impatience at the plate, his high strikeout total of 128, and was shopped during the offseason. Mondesi started the 2002 season with Toronto but was hitting only .224 with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs, and had been benched, when he was traded to the New York Yankees at the beginning of July for a minor league pitcher. In search of help in right field, the Yankees failed to get more production out of Mondesi, who finished with a combined batting average of .232 and a .308 OBP along with 34 doubles, 26 home runs, 88 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Still valued for his defense, he was the starting right fielder for the Yankees at the start of 2003 in which he had a good April but tailed off thereafter and was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks in late July following an incident where, upset at being lifted for a pinch-hitter in a game in Boston, he dressed and left Fenway Park while the game was still in progress. His hitting improved in Arizona, and he finished the year with a combined .272 average, .343 OBP, 24 home runs, 71 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases. In the offseason Mondesi signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates who released him in May after he left the club due to legal issues in the Dominican Republic. He signed with the Anaheim Angels a few days later which set off an investigation by Major League Baseball to determine if he was skirting the rules to leave the last-place Pirates and land with a better team, of which he was absolved. Placed on the disabled list due to a quadriceps injury, Mondesi was released by the Angels for not attending his rehab therapy. Signed by the Atlanta Braves in 2005, he was released at the end of May, thus ending his major league career. For his major league career, Mondesi batted .273 with 1589 hits that included 319 doubles, 49 triples, and 271 home runs. He scored 909 runs and compiled 860 RBIs, 229 stolen bases, a .331 OBP, and a .485 slugging percentage. With the Dodgers his totals were a .288 batting average, 1004 hits, 190 doubles, 37 triples, 163 home runs, 518 RBIs, 543 runs scored, 140 stolen bases, a .334 OBP, and .504 slugging percentage. He appeared in 10 postseason games and hit .219 with 3 RBIs. A one-time All-Star, Mondesi was awarded two Gold Gloves. Following his baseball career, Mondesi became involved in politics in the Dominican Republic, winning election to the Chamber of Deputies. He was elected mayor of his hometown of San Cristobal in 2010 but was charged with corruption involving the misuse of funds in 2017, which resulted in his being imprisoned and fined. Skillful on the ballfield, Mondesi became caught up in controversies both during and after his playing career, which began with tremendous promise. His son Adelberto has been an infielder for the Kansas City Royals.

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

MVP & Cy Young Profile: Justin Verlander, 2011

Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

Age:  28

6^th season with Tigers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 225 

Prior to 2011:

A native of Virginia, Verlander was impressive pitching at Goochland High School where he struck out 394 batters over three varsity seasons. A bout with strep throat as a senior damaged his draft prospects. Moving on to Old Dominion University, the lanky hurler’s velocity increased and he was 7-6 with a 1.90 ERA as a freshman. In 2003, his record dropped to 7-6 with a 2.40 ERA, although he led the Colonial Athletic Association in strikeouts with 139 in 116 innings. He pitched for the silver medal-winning USA team in the Pan American Games as well. An all-conference selection as a junior in 2004, Verlander was chosen by the Tigers in the amateur draft with the second overall pick. Signing with Detroit, he was initially assigned to Lakeland of the high Class A Florida State League in 2005 where he posted a 9-2 tally with a 1.67 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 86 innings pitched. Promoted to the Erie SeaWolves of the Class AA Eastern League later in the season, he was 2-0 in seven starts with a 0.28 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Demonstrating excellent control, his repertoire featured a fastball and breaking ball. Verlander received a late call-up to the Tigers and after going 0-2 with a 7.15 ERA, he was shut down due to a tired arm. He joined Detroit’s rotation for the 2006 season where he had an outstanding year with a club that won the AL pennant. He went 17-9 wirh a 3.63 ERA, struck out 124 batters in 186 innings pitched, and received league Rookie of the Year recognition. The Tigers dropped to second place in the AL Central in 2007, but Verlander continued his development as he pitched a no-hitter against the Brewers and was an All-Star for the first time on his way to an 18-6 record with a 3.66 ERA and 183 strikeouts. Detroit struggled in 2008 and Verlander ended up leading the AL in losses with his 11-17 record and his ERA rose to 4.84. He still registered 163 strikeouts while pitching 201 innings. He rebounded in 2009 with a 19-9 tally and 3.45 ERA while topping the league in innings pitched (240) and strikeouts (269). Verlander had another strong season in 2010 in which he went 18-9 with a 3.37 ERA and 219 strikeouts.

2011 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 34 [1, tied with four others]

Complete Games – 4 [4, tied with six others]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 5

PCT - .828 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [5, tied with Jered Weaver & Ricky Romero]

Innings Pitched – 251 [1]

Hits – 174

Runs – 73

Earned Runs – 67

Home Runs – 24 [9, tied with Brad Penny & Josh Tomlin]

Bases on Balls – 57

Strikeouts – 250 [1]

ERA – 2.40 [1]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 2 [1, tied with seven others]

Wild Pitches – 7

League-leading wins were +5 ahead of runner-up CC Sabathia

League-leading win percentage was +.028 ahead of runner-up Ivan Nova

League-leading innings pitched were +1.2 ahead of runner-up James Shields

League-leading strikeouts were +20 ahead of runner-up CC Sabathia

League-leading ERA was -0.01 lower than runner-up Jered Weaver

Midseason Snapshot: 12-4, ERA - 2.15, SO - 147 in 151 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 8 IP) vs. Arizona 6/25

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 9 IP) at Toronto 5/7 (No-hitter with 1 BB & 4 strikeouts. Tigers won 9-0)

Batting

PA – 4, AB – 4, R – 0, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 50

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 33

Errors – 5

DP – 2

Pct. - .900

Postseason Pitching: G – 4 (ALDS vs. NY Yankees – 2 G; ALCS vs. Texas – 2 G)

GS – 4, CG – 0, Record – 2-1, PCT – .667, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 20.1, H – 19, R – 12, ER – 12, HR – 2, BB – 10, SO – 25, ERA – 5.31, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 2

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Justin Verlander, Det.: 280 points – 13 of 28 first place votes, 71% share

Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos.: 242 points – 4 first place votes, 62% share

Jose Bautista, Tor.: 231 points – 5 first place votes, 59% share

Curtis Granderson, NYY: 215 points – 3 first place votes, 55% share

Miguel Cabrera, Det.: 193 points – 2 first place votes, 49% share

(1 first place vote for Michael Young, Tex., who ranked eighth)

AL Cy Young voting:

Justin Verlander, Det.: 196 points – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Jered Weaver, LAA: 97 points – 49% share

James Shields, TB: 66 points – 34% share

CC Sabathia, NYY: 63 points – 32% share

Jose Valverde, Det.: 28 points – 14% share

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Tigers went 95-67 to finish first in the AL Central Division by 15 games over the Cleveland Indians. The pitching staff led the league in saves (52). The Tigers, led by Verlander’s pitching and 1B Miguel Cabrera’s hitting, further helped themselves by adding RHP Doug Fister in a July trade with Seattle and nailed down their first division title since 1987 with a 12-game September winning streak. Won ALDS over the New York Yankees, 3 games to 2. Lost ALCS to the Texas Rangers, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘11:

Moving on to 2012, Verlander posted a 17-8 record while topping the circuit with 238.1 innings pitched and 239 strikeouts. Along the way took a no-hit bid against Pittsburgh into the ninth inning before having to settle for a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts He finished a close second in AL Cy Young balloting. The Tigers advanced to the World Series, helped by Verlander’s fine pitching in the ALDS and ALCS, but were swept by the Giants in the Series. Prior to the 2013 season, he signed a five-year, $140 million contract extension. He went 13-12 for the AL Central champs with a 3.46 ERA and 217 strikeouts and was also impressive in the postseason which resulted in the Tigers beating Oakland in the ALDS before coming up short against the Red Sox in the ALCS. In the offseason he underwent surgery to treat a sports hernia that was suffered during his conditioning regimen. He started off slowly in 2014 but finished strong to end up with a 15-12 tally and 4.54 ERA and 159 strikeouts while pitching 206 innings. Verlander missed the first two months of the 2015 season due to a right triceps strain. The result was a 5-8 mark with a 3.38 ERA and 113 strikeouts over the course of 133.1 innings. He rebounded in 2016 with a 16-9 record and 3.04 ERA while topping the AL with 254 strikeouts. He placed second in league Cy Young Award voting. With the Tigers struggling in 2017 and looking to re-tool, Verlander was dealt to the Houston Astros on August 31. 10-8 with Detroit, he went 5-0 the rest of the way to finish at 15-8 with a 3.36 ERA and 219 strikeouts. Houston topped the AL West and Verlander won two games in the ALDS victory over Boston and was MVP of the ALCS triumph over the Yankees thanks to another two wins. He suffered his first loss as an Astro in the World Series against the Dodgers, won by Houston in seven games (which later became tainted by allegations that the Astros stole opponents’ signs by use of electronic means). Houston won the AL West again in 2018 and Verlander contributed a 16-9 record with a 2.52 ERA and a league-leading 290 strikeouts. He placed second in league Cy Young voting. In 2019 he won the Cy Young Award due to a 21-6 tally with a 2.58 ERA and 300 strikeouts while leading the AL with 223 innings pitched. He had groin surgery in 2020 and pitched one game in the pandemic-shortened season due to an elbow injury that required “Tommy John” surgery and sidelined him for all of 2021. Overcoming concerns regarding his ability to recover and come back in good form at age 39, his start in 2022 has been very successful. To date through his first 12 appearances in 2022, Verlander has a 234-131 career major league record with a 3.33 ERA, 26 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 3091 strikeouts in 3066.2 innings pitched. With Detroit his record was 183-114 with a 3.29 ERA, 26 complete games, 9 shutouts, and 2373 strikeouts in 2511 innings. A two-time Cy Young Award winner, he has also been an eight-time All-Star (6 with the Tigers). Appearing in 31 postseason games, he has posted a 14-11 tally with a 3.40 ERA and 205 strikeouts over 187.2 innings. Verlander has established himself as one of the elite pitchers of his era.

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

 

 

Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.  

 

MVP Profile: Joey Votto, 2010

First Baseman, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  27 (Sept. 10)

3^rd season with Reds

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 220 

Prior to 2010:

A native of Canada from Toronto, Votto was a fine all-around athlete in high school. Initially a catcher, he was chosen by the Reds directly out of high school in the second round of the 2002 amateur draft and received a $600,000 bonus to sign. Initially assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, the 18-year-old Votto batted .269 with 9 home runs and 33 RBIs in 50 games while primarily being used as a Designated Hitter and third baseman along with seven appearances behind the plate and six in the outfield. He started out in 2003 with Dayton of the Class A Midwest League but was sent down to Billings of the Pioneer League after hitting only .231 in 60 games. At Billings his production improved to .317 with a .452 on-base percentage thanks to drawing 56 walks in addition to his improved batting. Now set as a first baseman, he topped the Pioneer League first sackers with a .979 fielding percentage. With teams at the A and advanced A levels in 2004, Votto hit a combined .301 with 33 doubles, 19 home runs, 92 RBIs, and a .413 OBP, although he also struck out 131 times. He had a lesser season in 2005 with Sarasota of the advanced Class A Florida State League where he batted .257 with 17 home runs, 83 RBIs, and a .330 OBP. Votto hit well for Team Canada in the 2005 Baseball World Cup which was followed by a strong 2006 performance with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern League where he hit .319 with 46 doubles, 22 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .409 OBP, and a .547 slugging percentage. He received Southern League MVP recognition and advanced to Louisville of the Class AAA International League in 2007. Votto batted .294 with 22 home runs, 92 RBIs, and a .381 OBP to earn a September call-up to the Reds where he hit .321 in 24 games and slugged his first four major league home runs. As Cincinnati’s starting first baseman in 2008, Votto batted .297 with 32 doubles, 24 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .368 OBP. Along the way he hit three home runs in a game against the Cubs. He placed second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Votto performed well again in 2009 despite spending time on the DL, hitting .322 with 25 home runs, 84 RBIs, a .414 OBP, and a .567 slugging percentage.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

1B – 148, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 648

At Bats – 547

Runs – 106 [4, tied with Jayson Werth]

Hits – 177 [6]

Doubles – 36 [14, tied with Kelly Johnson, David Wright & Adam Dunn]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 37 [3]

RBI – 113 [3]

Bases on Balls – 91 [4, tied with Jason Heyward]

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

Strikeouts – 125

Stolen Bases – 16

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .324 [2]

OBP - .424 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .600 [1]

Total Bases – 328 [3]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 7

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading OBP was +.010 ahead of runner-up Albert Pujols

League-leading slugging percentage was +.002 ahead of runner-up Carlos Gonzalez

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, HR - 22, RBI - 60, AVG - .314, SLG – .589, OBP - .422

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis 6/1, (in 6 AB) at Milwaukee 7/27, (in 7 AB) at San Francisco 8/25 – 12 innings

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 19

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. KC Royals 6/13, (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 7/5, (in 7 AB) at San Francisco 8/25 – 12 innings

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Atlanta 5/20, at San Francisco 8/25 – 12 innings

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

Fielding

Chances – 1265

Put Outs – 1132

Assists – 128

Errors – 5

DP – 101

Pct. - .996 

Postseason: 3 G (NLDS vs. Philadelphia)

PA – 11, AB – 10, R – 0, H – 1, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .100, OBP - .091, SLG - .100, TB – 1, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

NL Hank Aaron Award: MLB

All-Star 

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Joey Votto, Cin.: 443 points - 31 of 32 first place votes, 99% share

Albert Pujols, StL: 279 points – 1 first place vote, 62% share

Carlos Gonzalez, Col.: 240 points – 54% share

Adrian Gonzalez, SD: 197 points – 44% share

Troy Tulowitzki, Col.: 132 points – 29% share

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Reds went 91-71 to finish first in the NL Central Division by 5 games over the St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in runs scored (790), hits (1515), home runs (188), RBIs (761), batting (.272), slugging (.436) and total bases (2432). With solid hitting and a deep pitching staff, the Reds led the NL Central for 115 days and opened up an 8-game September lead before slumping briefly, but still easily winning the division. Lost NLDS to the Philadelphia Phillies, 3 games to 0 as Phillies ace Roy Halladay no-hit the Reds in Game 1.

Aftermath of 2010:

The Reds posted a losing record in 2011, but Votto batted .309 and led the NL in doubles (40), walks drawn (110), and OBP (.416), while also hitting 29 home runs with 103 RBIs and a .531 slugging percentage. He also received a Gold Glove for his defensive performance at first base. The club rewarded him with a 12-year contract extension worth $251.5 million. Votto had an outstanding first half in 2012 but in mid-July underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee which sidelined him until September. Limited to 111 games, he batted .337 with 44 doubles, 14 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .567 slugging percentage while again leading the league in walks drawn (94) and on-base percentage (.474). Cincinnati returned to the top of the division but lost to the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS despite Votto’s seven-hit, .389 production. In 2013 he led the NL in walks drawn (135) and OBP (.435) once more while hitting .305 with 30 doubles, 24 home runs, and 73 RBIs, finishing sixth in league MVP balloting. Hindered by a knee injury in 2014, Votto was limited to 62 games and a .255 average with only 6 home runs, drawing criticism for his unwillingness to discuss his injury with the media and his sagging power production. He returned in fine form in 2015, appearing in 158 games and batting .314 with 29 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .459 OBP, and drawing a league-high 143 walks. Votto had another solid season in 2016, although Cincinnati finished in last place. He hit .326 with 29 home runs and 97 RBIs while leading the NL with a .434 OBP and came in seventh in NL MVP voting. It was more of the same in 2017, performing well with a mediocre club, and he totaled .320 with 36 home runs and 100 RBIs while topping the circuit in walks drawn (134) and OBP (.454). He finished a close second in a tight league MVP vote to Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton. Votto got off to a slow start in 2018 and got caught up in controversy with remarks he made to reporters. Later he went on the disabled list after being hit in the knee by a pitch. His power production dropped to 12 home runs and 67 RBIs while he hit .284 and once again led the NL in OBP (.417) thanks to drawing 108 walks. Votto’s performance dropped off further in 2019 to .261 with 32 doubles, 15 home runs, and 47 RBIs. His OBP of .357 was respectable but low by his previous standards. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season he batted .226 in 54 games with 11 home runs and 22 RBIs as the Reds qualified for the postseason. In the two-game Wild Card Series loss to Atlanta he managed only two hits. Despite missing 33 games due to a broken thumb in 2021, Votto hit 36 home runs with 99 RBIs while batting .266 with a .375 OBP. For his career through his first 42 games in 2022, all spent with the Reds, Votto has batted .300 with 2057 hits that include 445 doubles, 22 triples, and 336 home runs. He has scored 1130 runs and compiled 1087 RBIs, 1319 walks drawn, a .415 OBP, and a .518 slugging percentage. He has led the NL in OBP seven times, and in walks drawn five times. Appearing in 11 postseason games, he has hit .244 with one RBI. A six-time All-Star, he has placed in the top 10 in league MVP voting six times as well. Votto has also received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete twice and the Tip O’Neill Award as the best Canadian baseball player seven times.

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

MVP Profile: Rogers Hornsby, 1929

Second Baseman, Chicago Cubs

Age:  33 (April 27)

1^st season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1929:

A Texas native, Hornsby grew up in Fort Worth where he played youth baseball with a local team in his neighborhood. At 15 he joined an adult team in the Fort Worth City League. He would occasionally hire out to play for other area teams. In 1909 Hornsby entered North Side High School where he played football in addition to baseball. Tall and skinny, at this point he was more adept as a fielder than as a hitter. Following a short, failed trial with the Dallas Steers of the Texas League in 1914, Hornsby caught on with a team in Hugo, Oklahoma that was part of the Class D Texas-Oklahoma League. He played shortstop at $75 per month until the club folded after 51 games. The Denison Champions of the same circuit purchased his contract. He remained with Denison, now in the Class D Western Association, in 1915 where he batted .277. Despite committing 58 errors at shortstop, he received a late-season call-up to the Cardinals where he hit .246 in 18 games and remained error-prone in the field. After an offseason of building himself up working on his uncle’s farm, Hornsby made the Cardinals in 1916, the cocky 20-year-old impressing with his exuberant attitude and hustle. Choking up on the bat and standing deep in the batter’s box, he began hitting effectively to all fields. He split time in the field between shortstop and third base. For the year he batted .313 with 17 doubles, 15 triples, 6 home runs, and 65 RBIs. Playing exclusively at shortstop in 1917, Hornsby topped the NL with 17 triples, a .484 slugging percentage, and 253 total bases, to go along with 8 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .327 batting average, and a .385 on-base percentage. The Cards were a last-place club in 1918 and Hornsby’s performance dropped off to .281 with 19 doubles, 11 triples, 5 home runs, and 60 RBIs. Still primarily playing at shortstop, he committed 46 errors in the war-shortened 115-game season. Hornsby followed up with a better season in 1919, hitting .318 with 9 triples, 8 home runs, and 71 RBIs while splitting time at third base, shortstop, and second base. His defense remained the weakest part of his game. He was the full-time second baseman in 1920, leading the league in hits (218), doubles (44), RBIs (94), batting (.370), OBP (.431), slugging (.559), and total bases (329). He also led all NL second basemen by committing 34 errors, but his offensive production more than made up for it. 1920 marked the beginning of a stretch of six consecutive batting titles for Hornsby (.397 in 1921, .401 in 1922, .384 in 1923, .424 in 1924, and .403 in 1925). In 1921 and ’22 he also led the circuit in runs scored (131 and 141, respectively), hits (235 and 250), doubles (44 and 46), RBIs (126 and 152), and total bases (378 and 450). Hitting more for power as well as average, Hornsby led the NL with 42 home runs in 1922, the first season in which he won the Triple Crown with league-leading totals of 152 RBIs and a .401 average. Off the field, his first marriage ended in divorce amid a flurry of legal actions. In addition, he feuded with Cardinals management and was fined $500 and suspended for five games during the 1923 season. A fanatic for conditioning, he consumed red meat in copious amounts, and abstained from drinking and tobacco, refusing to attend movies because he feared they would damage his eyesight. Following the 1924 season he was rewarded with a three-year, $100,000 contract which made him one of the four highest paid players in the National and American Leagues. In 1925 he replaced manager Branch Rickey (who stayed on as general manager) following a 13-25 start. The Cardinals went 64-51 the rest of the way while player/manager Hornsby won his second Triple Crown by leading the NL with 39 home runs, 143 RBIs, and a .403 average. He also topped the circuit in OBP (.489), slugging (.756), and total bases (381). Remaining as player/manager in 1926, “the Rajah” (short for “Rajah of Swat” in contrast to contemporary Babe Ruth’s “Sultan of Swat”) guided the Cardinals to their first pennant while hindered by various injuries. He batted .317 with 11 home runs and 93 RBIs. St. Louis went on to defeat the Yankees in the World Series. Having received accolades for his performance as player/manager, Hornsby sought a major raise and angrily rejected a counteroffer from owner Sam Breadon. The result was that the Cardinals dealt the cantankerous Hornsby to the New York Giants for star second baseman Frankie Frisch. Hornsby hit well for his new club in 1927, batting .361 with 26 home runs and 125 RBIs. He also drew a league-leading 86 walks, which helped him to a NL-high .448 on-base percentage. He also clashed with manager John McGraw and owner Horace Stoneham. Hornsby enjoyed horse racing and tended to bet heavily on the horses, which got him called on the carpet by Commissioner Landis, who he dressed down for his stock market investing. Despite his solid season with the bat (he was much improved with the glove by this point as well), Hornsby was traded again, this time to the Boston Braves for 1928. The Braves were a weak team and Hornsby became player/manager during the season on his way to winning his seventh NL batting championship at .387, along with 21 home runs and 94 RBIs. In the offseason he was dealt once again, this time to the Cubs.

1929 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

2B – 156

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 712 [4]

At Bats – 602 [13]

Runs – 156 [1]

Hits – 229 [3]

Doubles – 47 [2, tied with Chick Hafey]

Triples – 8

Home Runs – 39 [3, tied with Hack Wilson]

RBI – 149 [3]

Bases on Balls – 87 [4]

Int. BB – 5 [7, tied with seven others]

Strikeouts – 65 [2]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .380 [3]

OBP - .459 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .679 [1]

Total Bases – 409 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 22 [5, tied with four others]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +4 ahead of runner-up Lefty O’Doul

League-leading slugging pct was +.022 ahead of runner-up Chuck Klein

League-leading total bases were +4 ahead of runner-up Chuck Klein

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, HR - 16, RBI - 66, AVG - .354., SLG - .616, OBP – .453

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Most hits, game – 4 on six occasions

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 16

Most home runs, game – 1 on 39 occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Pittsburgh 4/17, vs. Phila. Phillies 6/15 – 10 innings, vs. St. Louis Cards 9/2, vs. Bos. Braves 9/8

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 856

Put Outs – 286

Assists – 547

Errors – 23

DP – 106

Pct. - .973

Postseason: 5 G (World Series vs. Phila. A’s)

PA – 22, AB – 21, R – 4, H – 5, 2B – 1, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 8, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .238, OBP - .273, SLG - .381, TB – 8, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: League Award 

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Rogers Hornsby, ChiC.: 60 points - 75% share

Lefty O’Doul, PhilaP: 54 points – 68% share

Bill Terry, NYG: 48 points – 60% share

Burleigh Grimes, Pitt.: 35 points – 44% share

Lloyd Waner, Pitt.: 30 points – 38% share

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Cubs went 98-54 to win the NL pennant by 10.5 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in runs scored (982), doubles (310, tied with the Cardinals), RBIs (933), walks drawn (589), and batter strikeouts (567). With their strong group of righthanded hitters (including Hornsby), the Cubs went 35-23 from August 1 to season’s end to easily outdistance the Pirates. Lost World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics, 4 games to 1, highlighted by little-used veteran Philadelphia RHP Howard Ehmke’s 13-strikeout win in Game 1 and Philadelphia’s 10-run seventh inning rally in Game 4 that overcame an 8-0 Cub lead, to take command of the Series.

Aftermath of ‘29:

Following surgery to remove bone spurs from his heel in the offseason, Hornsby had difficulty in 1930, further exacerbated by a broken ankle, and ended up appearing in only 42 games in which he batted .308 with just eight extra base hits. He played in 100 games in 1931 and hit .331 with 16 home runs and 90 RBIs. Hornsby was named player/manager of the Cubs for 1932 and clashed with many of his best players prior to being fired with the club in second place, just five games off the lead. He had played in 19 games during the season which ended with the Cubs winning the pennant under the direction of Hornsby’s successor, Charlie Grimm, a far more genial person (the Cubs lost the World Series and refused to vote Hornsby a share of their World Series money). The 37-year-old Hornsby found himself back with the Cardinals in 1933, where he appeared in 46 games, primarily as a pinch-hitter, and hit .325 while dealing with foot and leg injuries prior to being waived at midseason. Picked up by the AL’s St. Louis Browns he was made manager and played minimally the rest of the way. Hornsby remained as manager of the Browns until 1937, playing occasionally until the conclusion of his managerial tenure. For his major league career, he batted .358 with 2930 hits that included 541 doubles, 169 triples, and 301 home runs. Hornsby further scored 1579 runs and compiled 1584 RBIs, 135 stolen bases, and drew 1038 walks, ending up with a .434 OBP. With the Cardinals he batted .359 with 1089 runs scored, 2110 hits, 367 doubles, 143 triples, 193 home runs, 1072 RBIs, 118 stolen bases, 660 walks drawn, and a .427 OBP. He won seven batting titles, two Triple Crowns, and was a two-time league MVP. Appearing in 12 World Series games, “the Rajah” hit .245 with 5 RBIs. Hornsby was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942. He coached and managed with minor league teams after leaving the Browns and operated a baseball school in Arkansas. He also became a major league hitting instructor prior to returning to the Browns as manager in 1952, a stint that lasted only 51 games. Hired to manage the seventh-place Cincinnati Reds a few weeks later, he became mired in controversy as well as losing in his last managerial position. Hornsby remained an irascible presence in the baseball world until his death in 1963 at age 66. Often considered the greatest righthanded hitter in baseball history, he had difficulty dealing with teammates, managers, owners, and even the commissioner of baseball. His major league managerial record was only 701-812, despite the one World Series title-winning year with the Cardinals.

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

Rookie of the Year: Dustin Pedroia, 2007

Second Baseman, Boston Red Sox

Age:  24 (Aug. 17)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 2007:

A native of Woodland, California, Pedroia played Little League baseball, where he pitched and played shortstop. Small but a tough competitor (which would prove to be lasting traits), he also played quarterback on his high school football team until suffering a broken ankle. As a freshman at Arizona State in 2002, he batted .347 and in 2003 he led the Pacific-10 Conference in runs scored (83), hits (120), and doubles (34). He was selected as a second-team All-American by Baseball America. Pedroia also played in the Pan American Games with Team USA. After hitting .394 with ASU in 2004, he was selected by the Red Sox in the amateur draft and signed for a $575,000 bonus. Splitting time in 2004 with Class A Augusta and advanced Class A Sarasota he batted a combined .357 in 42 games. In 2005 he played for the Portland Sea Dogs of the Class AA Eastern League and the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Class AAA International League and hit a combined .294 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, and 64 RBIs along with a .385 on-base percentage. Furthermore, he was rated as the best defensive second baseman in the Eastern League by Baseball America. Pedroia was also named to the International League All-Star team as a utility player (he appeared at second and third base as well as shortstop for Pawtucket). With Pawtucket in 2006, he batted .305 in 111 games and received a late-callup to Boston. Appearing in 31 games, mostly at second base, he batted just .191 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. Impressed with his progress through the minor leagues and his excellent batting discipline as well as defensive skill, the Red Sox projected Pedroia to be the starting second baseman in 2007.

2007 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

2B – 137, PH – 3, DH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 581

At Bats – 520

Runs – 86

Hits – 165

Doubles – 39 [14, tied with Derek Jeter]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 8

RBI – 50

Bases on Balls – 47

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 42

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .317 [10]

OBP - .380

Slugging Pct. - .442

Total Bases – 230

GDP – 8

Hit By Pitches – 7

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, HR – 3, RBI – 25, AVG - .318, OBP - .400

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. San Francisco 6/15

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eight occasions

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 3

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. San Francisco 6/15

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 3 (.333) with 1 2B & 1 RBI

 Fielding

Chances – 625

Put Outs – 259

Assists – 360

Errors – 6

DP - 78

Pct. - .990

Postseason Batting: 14 G (ALDS vs. LA Angels – 3 G; ALCS vs. Cleveland – 7 G; World Series vs. Colorado – 4 G)

PA – 67, AB – 60, R – 12, H – 17, 2B – 6,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 10, BB – 6, IBB – 0, SO – 7, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .283, OBP - .349, SLG - .483, TB – 29, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Dustin Pedroia, Bos.: 132 points – 24 of 28 first place votes, 94% share

Delmon Young, TB: 56 points – 3 first place votes, 40% share

Brian Bannister, KCR: 36 points – 1 first place vote, 26% share

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Bos.: 12 points – 9% share

Reggie Willits, LAA: 11 points – 8% share 

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Red Sox went 96-66 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 2 games over the New York Yankees, while leading the league in doubles (352, tied with Detroit) & walks drawn (689). The steady Red Sox took over first place in the AL East in mid-April and held it until season’s end. Won ALDS over the Los Angeles Angels, 3 games to 0. Won ALCS over the Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 3, overcoming a 3-games to 1 deficit as RHP Josh Beckett outpitched Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia in Game 5 on the road to change the momentum, and Pedroia capped the Game 7 finale with a 5-RBI performance. Won World Series over the Colorado Rockies, 4 games to 0, with Pedroia’s Game 1 lead-off home run in the bottom of the first inning in Game 1 at Fenway Park setting the tone.

Aftermath of ‘07:

Pedroia followed up with an MVP season in 2008 in which he batted .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs while leading the American League in runs scored (118), hits (213), and doubles (54) while compiling a .376 OBP and .493 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the first time and furthermore received a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Pedroia again topped the AL in runs scored in 2009 with 115 while hitting .296 with a .371 OBP, 185 hits, 15 home runs, 72 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. The feisty and outspoken Pedroia was performing well again in 2010 until suffering a broken bone in his foot. Limited to 75 games he ended up batting .288 with 12 home runs (including three in one game at Colorado, 41 RBIs, 9 stolen bases in 10 attempts, and a .367 OBP. Pedroia came back strong in 2011, hitting .307 with a .387 OBP, 21 home runs, 91 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases. Clearly established as a team leader, he won a second Gold Glove and placed ninth in league MVP voting. Along the way he put together a 25-game July hitting streak. Having suffered a major collapse to conclude the 2011 season, the Red Sox went through a 93-loss 2012 campaign. Pedroia hit .290 with a .347 OBP,15 home runs, and 65 RBIs and finished the season playing with a broken finger. Boston returned to the top of the AL East and won the World Series in 2013 and Pedroia, playing with a thumb injury that required surgery was signed to an eight-year, $110 million contract extension during a season in which he batted .301 with 42 doubles, 9 home runs, 84 RBIs, 193 hits, and a .372 OBP. He tied for seventh in league MVP balloting as well as being an All-Star and Gold Glove recipient. He added two home runs and 10 RBIs during the postseason run to a championship. Boston suffered through a down year in 2014 and Pedroia, dealing with hand and wrist injuries that shortened his season, hit .278 with 33 doubles, 7 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .337 OBP. In an injury-riddled 2015 season, he was limited to 93 games and finished with a .291 average, 12 home runs, and 42 RBIs. Staying in good health in 2016, he batted .318 with 36 doubles, 15 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .376 on-base percentage. Injuries ate away at Pedroia’s playing time in 2017, and while still effective when healthy, he was limited to 105 games and hit .293. Following knee surgery, he played in only three games in 2018. Continuing knee problems that required further surgery held him to six games with the Red Sox in 2019. He did not return during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and retired afterward. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Red Sox, Pedroia batted .299 with 1805 hits that included 394 doubles, 15 triples, and 140 home runs. He scored 922 runs and compiled 725 RBIs, 138 stolen bases, and a .365 OBP. He appeared in 51 postseason games and hit .233 with 5 home runs and 25 RBIs. A four-time All-Star, he finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting three times, winning the award once. Pedroia also received four Gold Gloves for his play at second base and one Silver Slugger. A solid player whose major league career got off to an outstanding beginning, injuries ultimately derailed him.

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