Cy Young Profile: Greg Maddux, 1994

Pitcher, Atlanta Braves

Age:  28 (April 14)

2^nd season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 1994:

Maddux was born in Texas, where his father was stationed in the Air Force at the time. Growing up in several different locations due to his father’s postings, Maddux played football and basketball as well as baseball during his youth. Later his father transferred to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas where he retired from the USAF and settled down. Maddux began to concentrate on his pitching at Valley High School. Not possessed of overwhelming speed, he concentrated on developing his control, which came to serve him well. Chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 1984 amateur draft, Maddux passed up on college to accept a bonus contract from the Cubs. Initially assigned to Pikeville of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, he appeared in 14 games (12 of them starts) and produced a 6-2 record with a 2.63 ERA and 62 strikeouts over 85.2 innings. With Peoria of the Class A Midwest League in 1985 he was 13-9 with a 3.19 ERA and 125 strikeouts. Maddux jumped from Class AA to AAA in 1986 and was a combined 14-4 with a 2.91 ERA, earning a September call-up to the Cubs. Back in Class AAA with Iowa of the American Association in 1987 he was soon recalled to the Cubs where he was a rocky 6-14 with a 5.61 ERA. A strong first half in his breakout season of 1988 garnered Maddux his first All-Star selection on the way to a record of 18-8 with a 3.18 ERA. He started slower in 1989 but finished at 19-12 with a 2.95 ERA, placing third in NL Cy Young Award voting. The Cubs won the NL East and Maddux lost his only NLCS decision in his first taste of postseason action. He was a .500 pitcher at 15-15 with a fourth-place club in 1990, registering a 3.46 ERA and 144 strikeouts. Maddux topped the NL with 263 innings pitched in 1991 as he compiled a 15-11 record with a 3.35 ERA and 198 strikeouts. With command of a large repertoire of pitches, including a fastball, circle change-up, slider, sinker, and curve, Maddux was known for his intelligent and fearless approach to pitching, in which he would throw any pitch in any situation. He was the NL Cy Young recipient in 1992 after posting a 20-11 record with a 2.18 ERA, again leading the circuit in innings pitched with 268. In addition, he recorded 199 strikeouts. A highly sought free agent following his Cy Young Award-winning season, Maddux turned down a large contract offer that would have kept him with the Cubs and signed with the Atlanta Braves for $28 million. He also resisted a larger offer from the Yankees to go to Atlanta. In 1993 he stepped into a solid pitching rotation that already included LHP Tom Glavine, RHP John Smoltz, and LHP Steve Avery. The Braves were coming off back-to-back pennants and won the NL West in ’93 with Maddux contributing a 20-10 record with a league-leading 2.36 ERA and 267 innings pitched, along with 197 strikeouts. He received his second NL Cy Young Award. An excellent fielding pitcher, he also won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove. He was 1-1 in the NLCS loss to Philadelphia.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in 25 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 25

Games Started – 25 [2, tied with four others]

Complete Games – 10 [1]

Wins – 16 [1, tied with Ken Hill]

Losses – 6

PCT - .727 [4, tied with Steve Avery]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [1, tied with Ramon Martinez]

Innings Pitched – 202 [1]

Hits – 150 [18]

Runs – 44

Earned Runs – 35

Home Runs – 4

Bases on Balls – 31

Strikeouts – 156 [3]

ERA – 1.56 [1]

Hit Batters – 6 [9, tied with ten others]

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading complete games were +4 ahead of runner-up Doug Drabek

League-leading innings pitched were +22.2 ahead of runner-up Danny Jackson

League-leading ERA was -1.18 lower than runner-up Bret Saberhagen

Midseason Snapshot: 11-5, ERA - 1.80, SO - 118 in 150 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 4/24

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 4/14, (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 4/24, (in 9 IP) at Colorado 8/11, (in 8 IP) at Cincinnati 8/6

Batting

PA – 73, AB – 63, R – 5, H – 14, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 1, SO – 19, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .222, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 9, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 62

Put Outs – 20

Assists – 38

Errors – 4

DP – 4

Pct. - .935

 

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star

5^th in NL MVP voting (133 points, 34% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Greg Maddux, Atl.: 140 points – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Ken Hill, Mon.: 56 points – 40% share

Bret Saberhagen, NYM: 42 points – 30% share

Doug Drabek, Hou.: 4 points – 3% share

Marvin Freeman, Col.: 4 points – 3% share

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Braves went 68-46 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 6 games behind the first place Montreal Expos, at the point in August that a players’ strike prematurely shut down the season and eliminated the postseason. The Braves got off to a 13-1 start and led the NL East until just prior to the All-Star break. They fell behind the Expos for good on July 22 while going 16-13 from the All-Star break until the strike.

Aftermath of ‘94:

In 1995 Maddux made it four straight Cy Young Awards with a 19-2 record, 1.63 ERA, 10 complete games, and 209.2 innings pitched. The Braves won the NL pennant and Maddux was 3-1 in the postseason as they went on to win the World Series. The cerebral pitcher known as “the Professor” remained with the Braves through 2003, continuing to be one of the National League’s best pitchers throughout his tenure. In 2004 he returned to the Cubs as a free agent and was 16-11 with a 4.02 ERA. He had a losing 13-15 record in 2005 and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2006 season. He signed with San Diego in 2007, and after posting a 14-11 record at age 41, Maddux was 6-9 in 2008 when he was dealt back to the Dodgers in August, where he finished out his career. Overall, Maddux compiled a 355-227 major league record with a 3.16 ERA and 3371 strikeouts over 5008.1 innings pitched. He also hurled 109 complete games that included 35 shutouts. With the Braves he was 194-88 with a 2.63 ERA and 1828 strikeouts. In 35 postseason games, his record was 11-14 with a 3.27 ERA and 125 strikeouts over 198 innings. In addition to winning four Cy Young Awards, Maddux was an eight-time All-Star and 18-time Gold Glove recipient. The Cubs retired his #31 as did the Braves. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Maddux was also inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2009. His brother Mike pitched for nine major league teams over 15 years.

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

Rookie of the Year: Buster Posey, 2010

Catcher/First Baseman, San Francisco Giants

Age:  23

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 2010:

A native of Leesburg, Georgia, Gerald Dempsey Posey inherited the nickname “Buster” from his father. A star pitcher and shortstop at Lee County High School, Posey chose to attend Florida State University in 2005 rather than sign with the Angels, who drafted him in the 50^th round that year. He shifted to catcher as a sophomore and won the Golden Spikes Award as a junior as the top collegiate baseball player as he batted .346 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs. In one 2008 game, he was the starting catcher and went on to play all nine positions. Chosen by the Giants fifth overall in the 2008 amateur draft, he signed for a $6.2 million bonus. Playing 10 games with teams at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’08, Posey batted .351 with a home run and 6 RBIs. He also played winter ball in Hawaii and in 2009 went from advanced Class A to AAA, hitting a combined .325 with 18 home runs and 80 RBIs, earning a late-season call-up to the Giants. He started the 2010 season in Class AAA until promoted due to an injury to starting catcher Bengie Molina, who he quickly supplanted.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 108 games

C – 76, 1B – 30, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 443

At Bats – 406

Runs – 58

Hits – 124

Doubles – 23

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 18

RBI – 67

Bases on Balls – 30

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 55

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .305 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .357

Slugging Pct. - .505 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 205

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 5, HR – 7, RBI – 25, AVG. - .350, SLG - .569, OBP -- .389

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Milwaukee 7/7, (in 5 AB) at Washington 7/10, (in 5 AB) at Arizona 7/25

Longest hitting streak – 21 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Milwaukee 7/7

HR at home – 6

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Milwaukee 7/7

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 3 (.000) with 2 R

Fielding (C )

Chances – 662

Put Outs – 615

Assists – 41

Errors – 6

Passed Balls – 1

DP – 4

Pct. - .991

Postseason Batting: 15 G (NLDS vs. Atlanta – 4 G; NLCS vs. Philadelphia – 6 G; World Series vs. Texas – 5 G)

PA – 65, AB – 59, R – 6, H – 17, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 5, BB – 6, IBB – 1, SO – 18, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .288, OBP - .354, SLG - .390, TB – 23, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

11^th in NL MVP voting (40 points, 9% share)

 

 

NL ROY Voting (Top 4):

Buster Posey, SF: 129 points – 20 of 32 first place votes, 81% share

Jason Heyward, Atl.: 107 points – 9 first place votes, 67% share

Jaime Garcia, StL: 24 points – 1 first place vote, 15% share

Gaby Sanchez, Fla.: 18 points – 2 first place votes, 11% share

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Giants went 92-70 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 2 games over the San Diego Padres. The Giants chased the Padres and were 6.5 games behind in late August. Picking up ground as San Diego faltered down the stretch, the Giants were up by three games as the Padres arrived in San Francisco to finish out the season with a 3-game series. The visitors won the first two games, but the Giants won the finale to nail down the NL West title. Won NLDS over the Atlanta Braves, 3 games to 1 as Posey batted .375. Won NLCS over the Philadelphia Phillies, 4 games to 2. Won World Series over the Texas Rangers, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of 2010:

Posey had impressed as a rookie with his strong throwing arm and ability to handle the pitching staff. His 2011 season was cut short when he suffered a broken leg in a home plate collision in May after only 45 games. He thus finished at .284 with 4 home runs and 21 RBIs. Posey came back strong in 2012 having an MVP season for the division-winning Giants as he batted a league-leading .336, which made him the first catcher to win the NL batting title in 70 years, while also compiling 39 doubles, 24 home runs, and 103 RBIs. His three home runs and 9 RBIs in the postseason helped the Giants to a second World Series title in three years. In 2013 Posey signed an eight-year contract extension for $159 million. He had a poor second half as San Francisco fell out of contention. Posey finished at .294 with 34 doubles, 15 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .371 on-base percentage, and still placed 20^th in league MVP balloting. The Giants returned to the postseason as a wild card entry in 2014 and went on to win the World Series. Posey hit .311 with 22 home runs, 89 RBIs, and a .364 OBP while remaining a quality defensive backstop. He placed sixth in NL MVP voting. San Francisco missed the postseason in 2015 but Posey batted .318 with 19 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a .379 OBP while being used more at first base to reduce wear and tear. He received his only Gold Glove in 2016, in a year in which he hit .288 with 14 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .362 OBP. The Giants were a last-place club in 2017 despite Posey batting .320 with a .400 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 67 RBIs. Following injury-riddled seasons in 2018 and ’19, Posey sat out the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Posey returned for one last season in 2021, in which he hit .304 with 18 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .390 OBP for a Giants team that won 107 games. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Giants, he batted .302 with 1500 hits that included 293 doubles, 9 triples, and 158 home runs. He scored 663 runs and compiled 729 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .460 slugging percentage. Appearing in 58 postseason games, Posey hit .252 with 5 home runs and 25 RBIs. Posey was a seven-time All-Star and received five Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove. A key member of championship teams, his all-around ability as a hitter and catcher made him a much-appreciated player.

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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.  

Rookie of the Year: Albert Pujols, 2001

Outfielder/Third Baseman/First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  21

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 240 

Prior to 2001:

A native of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Pujols immigrated to Independence, Missouri with his father and grandmother at age 16. Impressive in high school and after attending Metropolitan Community College – Maple Woods, he was drafted by the Cardinals in the 1999 amateur draft. He spent most of 2000 with the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League and batted .324 with 32 doubles, 17 home runs, and 84 RBIs, earning quick advancement to the Carolina League and Memphis of the Pacific Coast League to finish out the year. He primarily played third base in his quick rise through the minors. Entering 2001 he was expected to be a reserve but played his way into the lineup.

 

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in 161 games

3B – 55, 1B – 42, RF – 39, LF – 39, DH – 2, PH – 2

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 676 [17]

At Bats – 590 [18]

Runs – 112 [13]

Hits – 194 [5]

Doubles – 47 [5]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 37 [11, tied with Brian Giles & Rich Aurilia]

RBI – 130 [5, tied with Jeff Bagwell]

Bases on Balls – 69

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .329 [6]

OBP - .403 [11]

Slugging Pct. - .610 [7]

Total Bases – 360 [7]

GDP – 21 [5]

Hit by Pitches – 9

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 7 [17, tied with six others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, HR – 21, RBI – 66, AVG - .323, SLG - .594, OBP - .391

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Most hits, game – 3 on twelve occasions

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Houston 4/22, (in 4 AB) vs. Milwaukee 5/28

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 19

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Milwaukee 9/18, at Pittsburgh 9/21

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 2 (.000)

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 139

Put Outs – 128

Assists – 6

Errors – 5

DP - 0

Pct. - .964

Postseason Batting: 5 G (NLDS vs. Arizona)

PA – 20, AB – 18, R – 1, H – 2, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .111, OBP - .200, SLG -.278, TB – 5, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star

4^th in NL MVP voting (222 points, 50% share)

 

NL ROY Voting:

Albert Pujols, StL.: 160 points – 32 of 32 first place votes, 100% share

Roy Oswalt, Hou.: 82 points – 51% share

Jimmy Rollins, Phila.: 44 points – 28% share

Adam Dunn, Cin.: 1 point – 1% share

Bud Smith, StL: 1 point – 1% share

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Cardinals went 93-69 to finish tied for first in the NL Central Division with the Houston Astros, who won the division title due to the head-to-head tiebreaker, thus relegating St. Louis to second place and the Wild Card playoff slot. The Cardinals stumbled in June and were a disappointing 43-43 at the All-Star break. A 12-1 stretch from late August into September that included a no-hitter by rookie LHP Bud Smith pulled the club into contention. In addition to his slugging prowess, Pujols displayed versatility in filling four positions. Lost NLDS to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘01:

Playing primarily in left field in 2002 following his outstanding rookie season, Pujols again produced impressively at the plate, batting .314 with a .394 on-base percentage along with 40 doubles, 34 home runs, and 127 RBIs. He placed second in league MVP voting. Settling in at first base in 2003, Pujols was an All-Star for the second time as he topped the National League in runs scored (137), hits (212), doubles (51), batting (.359), and total bases (394). He again was the runner-up for MVP in the NL and received a Silver Slugger. He also proved to be a good fit defensively at first base. The Cardinals topped the NL Central and won the league pennant in 2004 as Pujols again led the NL in runs scored (133) and total bases (389) to go along with 51 doubles, 46 home runs, 123 RBIs, a .331 average,.415 OBP, and a .657 slugging percentage. This time he placed third in MVP balloting. In the postseason Pujols was the MVP of the NLCS win over Houston with his .500 average, 4 home runs, and 9 RBIs in the seven games. St. Louis again won the NL Central title in 2005 but came up short against Houston in the NLCS. Pujols topped the league in runs scored (129) while batting .330 with 41 home runs, 117 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .609 slugging percentage. This time he also gained selection as the NL MVP. The Cardinals topped the NL Central in 2006 with a mediocre 83-78 record, which was only the fifth best in the league, and went on to win the NL pennant and the World Series. Pujols had a typically productive season, leading the league in slugging (.671) while hitting .331 with 49 home runs, 137 RBIs, and a .431 OBP. He even received a Gold Glove for his defensive performance at first base while placing second in league MVP voting. In a down year for the team in 2007 in the wake of the improbable championship season, Pujols remained a steady force in the lineup batting .327 with 32 home runs, 103 RBIs, a .429 OBP, and a .568 slugging percentage. He received MVP recognition for a second time in 2008 as he hit .357 with 44 doubles, 37 home runs, 116 RBIs, a .462 OBP, and NL-leading totals in slugging (.653) and total bases (342). Pujols repeated as NL MVP in 2009, leading the league in runs scored (124), home runs (47), OBP (.443), slugging percentage (.658), and total bases (374) while batting .327 with 45 doubles and 135 RBIs. In the field he recorded a record 185 assists at first base. With the Cardinals trying to lock up their star first baseman with a contract extension (which failed) he had another excellent season in 2010, topping the NL in runs scored (115), home runs (42), and RBIs (118) while hitting .312 with a .414 OBP and .596 slugging percentage. He placed second in league MVP voting. The wild card-qualifying Cardinals won the NL pennant and the World Series in 2011 with Pujols contributing 37 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .299 average, .366 OBP, and .541 slugging percentage. He had a three-home run, 6-RBI performance in Game 3 of the World Series against Texas. A free agent in the offseason, he rejected a 10-year, $210 million offer from the Cardinals and signed with the Los Angeles Angels for 10 years and $254 million. Off to a slow start with his new club in 2012 that had home fans booing him, he rallied to finish at .285 with 50 doubles, 30 home runs, 105 RBIs, a.343 OBP, and a .516 slugging percentage. In the offseason he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Pujols followed up with a poor season in 2013 in which a foot injury limited him to 99 games and he hit .258 with 17 home runs, 64 RBIs, and a .330 OBP. He was utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter. Pujols performed better in 2014, appearing more regularly at first base and batting .272 with 37 doubles, 28 home runs, 105 RBIs, and a .324 OBP. Hitting well in 2015, Pujols was among the American League’s home run leaders in June and was an All-Star for the only time with the Angels. Although hindered by a foot injury that required offseason surgery, he hit .244 for the year with 40 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a .307 OBP while appearing in 157 games (95 t first base and 62 as a DH due to the foot injury). Primarily a DH in 2016, Pujols batted .268 with 31 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a .323 on-base percentage. He had one last 100-RBI season in 2017 (totaling 101) and his production continued to dwindle until he was dealt to the Dodgers during the 2021 season. A free agent in the offseason Pujols returned to the Cardinals for one last season in 2022 where, with the universal DH now in play, the 42-year-old could continue to contribute with his bat. As of the 2022 All-Star break, his major league totals are a .296 average with 3333 hits that include 678 doubles, 16 triples, and 685 home runs. He has scored 1889 runs and compiled 2170 RBIs and drawn 1361 walks. His OBP is .374 and his slugging percentage is .541. Usually able to make contact during his at bats, his strikeout total of 1380 includes no 100-strikeout seasons, a rarity for sluggers in the modern era. With the Cardinals his totals are a .326 batting average with 2105 hits, 461 doubles, 15 triples, 451 home runs, 1349 RBIs, a .418 OBP, a .611 slugging percentage, and 991 walks drawn. Pujols has appeared in 86 postseason games and hit .321 with 19 home runs and 54 RBIs. An 11-time All-Star, he has received six Silver Sluggers. Along with winning three MVP awards, he has finished in the top 10 eleven times. 

   

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

 

Cy Young Profile: Steve Carlton, 1982

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  37

11^th season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1982:

A native of Miami, Florida Carlton played basketball as well as baseball at North Miami High School. Moving on to Miami-Dade College he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1964 he was first assigned to Rock Hill of the Class A Western Carolinas League where he excelled by compiling a 10-1 record in 11 games with a 1.03 ERA and 91 strikeouts over 79 innings pitched. He was sent next to Winnipeg of the advanced Class A Northern League where he went 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 12 appearances. Carlton finished up the year with Tulsa of the Class AA Texas League where he was 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA. He moved up to the Cardinals in 1965 in order to protect him from his being taken by another team in the Rule 5 draft. Encountering arm trouble, he was used sparingly and appeared in 15 games, almost exclusively in relief, and had no decisions and a 2.52 ERA. Carlton opened the 1966 season in Tulsa and was 9-5 with a 3.59 ERA when he was promoted back to the Cardinals. For the remainder of the season, he started nine games and went 3-3 with a 3.12 ERA and 25 strikeouts over the course of 52 innings pitched. He joined the starting rotation in 1967, a year in which the Cards won the NL pennant and World Series. He contributed a 14-9 record and 2.98 ERA while striking out 168 batters over 193 innings pitched. He also benefited from his proximity to ace RHP Bob Gibson and his fierce approach to pitching. Carlton lost his only start in the World Series against the Red Sox while giving up three hits and an unearned run over six innings. The Cardinals won the NL pennant again in 1968 and Carlton was an All-Star for the first time on his way to compiling a 13-11 tally with a 2.99 ERA and 162 strikeouts. He added a slider to his pitching repertoire that already included a rising fastball and curve in 1969 and improved to 17-11 with a 2.17 ERA and 210 strikeouts, including 19 in a loss to the Mets which set what was then the major league record for a nine-inning game. Once more an All-Star he sought a significant raise from his $26,000 salary and he held out in 1970 for a large part of spring training. He had a down year in ’70, with a 10-19 record and 3.73 ERA. Carlton bounced back in 1971 going 20-9 with a 3.56 ERA and 172 strikeouts while pitching 273.1 innings and completing 18 games. An All-Star for the third time he demanded a significant raise and antagonized owner Gussie Busch, who ordered that he be traded during spring training of 1972. He was dealt to the Phillies for RHP Rick Wise. The result was a spectacular season for the 27-year-old pitcher with a poor club in ’72. While Philadelphia only won 59 games on the way to the NL East cellar, Carlton posted a 27-10 record with a 1.97 ERA and 310 strikeouts, which earned him the NL Cy Young Award. Carlton dropped to 13-20 with a 3.90 ERA in 1973, although he again led the league with 18 complete games and 293.1 innings pitched. By the end of the season, he had stopped speaking to reporters, a position he upheld for the remainder of his career. He improved to 16-13 with a 3.22 ERA and a NL-leading 240 strikeouts in 1974 and was 15-14 with a 3.56 ERA and 192 strikeouts in 1975. During this period Carlton developed a workout regimen with trainer Gus Hoefling designed to improve his concentration and stamina, building upon his established interests in martial arts and Eastern religion. His efforts bore fruit in 1976 with a 20-7 record and 3.13 ERA and 192 strikeouts for a Phillies team that topped the NL East. He was 23-10 in 1977 with a 2.64 ERA and 198 strikeouts and won his second Cy Young Award as the Phils again finished atop the division. The Phillies won the NL East once more in 1978 while their eccentric pitching ace known as “Lefty” compiled a 16-13 record with a 2.84 ERA and 161 strikeouts. He had an 18-11 tally for the fourth place Phils in 1979 with a 3.62 ERA and 213 strikeouts. The Phillies rebounded in 1980 to win the NL East and the league pennant as well as a franchise-first World Series. Carlton produced a 24-9 record and 2.34 ERA while also leading the league in innings pitched (304) and strikeouts (286). His performance earned him a third Cy Young Award. In the World Series vs. the Royals he won two games including the decisive sixth contest. In the strike-shortened 1981 season Carlton was 13-4 with a 2.42 ERA and 179 strikeouts over 190 innings pitched and placed third in NL Cy Young Award balloting.

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 38 games

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38

Games Started – 38 [1]

Complete Games – 19 [1]

Wins – 23 [1]

Losses – 11

PCT - .676 [4]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [1]

Innings Pitched – 295.2 [1]

Hits – 253 [1]

Runs – 114 [4]

Earned Runs – 102 [4]

Home Runs – 17 [17, tied with John Montefusco, Randy Martz & Bob Shirley]

Bases on Balls – 86 [6]

Strikeouts – 286 [1]

ERA – 3.10 [8]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 9 [1]

Wild Pitches – 9 [9, tied with Rick Rhoden, Jim Kern & Steve Mura]

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runners-up Jerry Reuss, Joaquin Andujar & Fernando Valenzuela

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runner-up Fernando Valenzuela

League-leading wins were +4 ahead of runners-up Fernando Valenzuela & Steve Rogers

League-leading shutouts were +1 ahead of runners-up Joaquin Andujar & Joe Niekro

League-leading innings pitched were +10.2 ahead of runner-up Fernando Valenzuela

League-leading hits allowed were +6 ahead of runner-up Fernando Valenzuela

League-leading strikeouts were +12 ahead of runner-up Mario Soto

League-leading balks were +3 ahead of runner-up Dickie Noles

Midseason Snapshot: 11-7, ERA - 3.68, SO - 147 in 149.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/9

10+ strikeout games – 11

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 5/14, (in 9 IP) vs. Houston 9/3, (in 9 IP) vs. Montreal 9/29

Batting

PA – 109, AB – 101, R – 8, H – 22, 2B – 4, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 0, SO – 13, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .218, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 8, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 47

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 37

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. - .915

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

9^th in NL MVP voting (41 points, 12% share)

 

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Steve Carlton, Phila.: 112 points – 20 of 24 first place votes, 93% share

Steve Rogers, Mon.: 29 points – 1 first place vote, 24% share

Bruce Sutter, StL: 25 points – 2 first place votes, 21% share

Fernando Valenzuela, LAD: 25 points – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Phil Niekro, Atl.: 18 points – 15% share

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Phillies went 89-73 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 3 games behind the division-winning St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (38) and strikeouts (1002). The Phillies lost 11 of their first 14 games, as Carlton got off to an 0-4 start, before turning things around and going 76-50 through Sept. 10 to contend for the NL East title. A 5-11 September stretch dropped them into second place to stay.

Aftermath of ‘82:

In 1983, a pennant-winning year for Philadelphia, Carlton’s record dropped to 15-16 with a 3.11 ERA although he topped the league with 283.2 innings pitched and 275 strikeouts. He had a fair, but not outstanding, performance in 1984 that produced a 13-7 record and 3.58 ERA along with 163 strikeouts over 229 innings. He slipped considerably in 1985 at age 40, finding himself on the disabled list with a strained rotator cuff on his way to a 1-8 tally and 3.33 ERA in only 16 starts. He lasted until June in 1986 when he was released by the Phillies with a 4-8 record and 6.18 ERA in 16 starts. Signed by the San Francisco Giants, the situation showed no improvement as he went 1-3 with a 5.10 ERA prior to being let go in August, shortly after recording his 4000^th career strikeout. Carlton announced that he was retiring but ended up finishing the season with the Chicago White Sox. He was 4-3 in 10 starts for his third club in ‘86 with a 3.69 ERA. Carlton spent 1987 with the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins, generating a combined record of 6-14. Re-signed by the Twins for 1988 Carlton made just four appearances before being released, thus ending his career, although he continued to seek opportunities to catch on with another team. Overall, in the major leagues Carlton compiled a 329-244 record with a 3.22 ERA and 4136 strikeouts in 5217.2 innings pitched. With the Phillies he was 241-161 with a 3.09 ERA and 3031 strikeouts over 3697.1 innings pitched. While he pitched 254 complete games that included 55 shutouts, he didn’t pitch any no-hitters although he recorded 6 one-hitters. He was also called for a record 90 balks over the course of his career. In the postseason Carlton went 6-6 with a 3.26 ERA and 84 strikeouts over 99.1 innings pitched. 13 of his 16 appearances came with the Phillies. He was a 10-time All-Star (7 with Philadelphia) and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. The Phillies retired his #32 and honored him on their Wall of Fame at Citizens Bank Park, outside of which a statue of him was erected.

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

 

MVP Profile: Miguel Tejada, 2002

Shortstop, Oakland Athletics

Age:  28 (May 25)

5^th season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 220 

Prior to 2002:

A native of the Dominican Republic, Tejada grew up in the small town of Bani, a backwater in terms of uncovering Dominican baseball talent. Helping his family by performing construction work from a young age, he joined a baseball clinic run by Oakland scout Enrique Soto. Physically unimpressive with his slight build, he displayed a tremendous drive. Shaving two years off of his actual age to appear to be younger than he was, he signed with the A’s for $2000 in 1993. Debuting in the Dominican Summer League in 1994, Tejada batted .294 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs over the course of 67 games. Moving on to Southern Oregon in the low Class A Northwest League in 1995, the young shortstop hit .245 with 15 doubles, 5 triples, 8 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases while appearing in 74 games. Advancing to Modesto of the advanced Class A California League in 1996, he batted .280 with a .352 on-base percentage, 20 home runs, 72 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases. Assigned to the Huntsville Stars of the Class AA Southern League in 1997, Tejada hit .275 with a .344 OBP, 20 doubles, 22 home runs, and 97 RBIs resulting in an August call-up to the A’s in which he appeared in 26 games and batted only .202 for the last-place club. A broken finger kept him from starting the 1998 season with Oakland where he wasn’t expected to start. Still, he quickly established himself with the A’s with his bat and glove, producing 20 doubles, 11 home runs, and 45 RBIs with a .233 average and .298 OBP as he struggled against lefthanded pitchers. In 1999 he performed reasonably well for a much-improved team by batting .251 with 33 doubles, 21 home runs, and 84 RBIs. Defensively he led AL shortstops with 292 put outs and was second with 471 assists. 2000 was a division-winning season for the Athletics and Tejada contributed 30 home runs and 115 RBIs while hitting .275 with a .349 OBP, and his defense remained solid. He placed sixteenth in league MVP voting. In his first taste of postseason action, a five-game ALDS loss to the Yankees, Tejada hit .350 with two doubles and an RBI. He had another strong season in 2001, batting .267 with 31 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBIs, and a .326 OBP. A streaky hitter and dependable fielder, Tejada entered 2002 as a player on the verge of joining the elite at his position.

2002 Season Summary

Appeared in 162 games

SS – 162, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 715 [6]

At Bats – 662 [2]

Runs – 108 [10]

Hits – 204 [3, tied with Bernie Williams]

Doubles – 30

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 34 [7, tied with Eric Chavez]

RBI – 131 [3]

Bases on Balls – 38

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 84

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .308 [9]

OBP - .354

Slugging Pct. - .508 [17]

Total Bases – 336 [5]

GDP – 21 [2, tied with Magglio Ordonez]

Hit By Pitches – 11 [9, tied with A.J. Pierzynski, Tony Batista & Damion Easley]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, HR - 15, RBI - 59, AVG - .294, SLG - .472, OBP - .334

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at Tampa Bay 5/31, (in 5 AB) at Seattle 9/26 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 24 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. Minnesota 9/1, (in 3 AB) at Texas 9/28

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Texas 7/28

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 752

Put Outs – 229

Assists – 504

Errors – 19

DP – 106

Pct. - .975

Postseason Batting: 5 G (ALDS vs. Minnesota)

PA – 23, AB – 21, R – 3, H – 3, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 4, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 7, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .143, OBP - .174, SLG -.333, TB – 7, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 1

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Miguel Tejada, Oak.: 356 points – 21 of 28 first place votes, 91% share

Alex Rodriguez, Tex.: 254 points – 5 first place votes, 65% share

Alfonso Soriano, NYY: 234 points – 2 first place votes, 60% share

Garret Anderson, Ana.: 184 points – 47% share

Jason Giambi, NYY: 162 points – 41% share

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Athletics went 103-59 to finish first in the AL West by 4 games over the Anaheim Angels. In making it to the postseason for the third straight year, the A’s were in fourth place on May 23, 10 games behind the division-leading Seattle Mariners, before going 83-33 the rest of the way to take over first place on August 22 and held off the Angels down the stretch. Lost ALDS to the Minnesota Twins, 3 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘02:

Tejada spent one more productive season with Oakland in 2003, appearing in all 162 games for the third consecutive year and batting .278 with 42 doubles, 27 home runs, 106 RBIs, and a .336 OBP. He placed eleventh in league MVP voting, although he hit poorly in the postseason. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles for six years and $72 million. In 2004 he again appeared in all 162 games and hit .311 with a .360 OBP, 40 doubles, 34 home runs, and a league-leading 150 RBIs. Tejada received a Silver Slugger and finished fifth in the American League MVP race. While accused of steroid use entering the 2005 season, he put together another solid performance, batting .304 with a .349 OBP and .515 slugging percentage while leading the AL with 50 doubles to go along with 26 home runs and 98 RBIs. The Orioles started well but faded badly in the second half on the way to a 74-88 finish. After demanding a trade in the offseason that didn’t happen, Tejada had another fine season for the Orioles in 2006 despite concerns about his level of motivation. He hit .330 with a .379 OBP as well as 37 doubles, 24 home runs, and 100 RBIs. In 2007 his streak of 1152 consecutive games came to an end in June due to a broken wrist. Limited to 133 games he batted .296 with a .357 OBP, 18 home runs, and 81 RBIs. His fielding also suffered, and the Orioles traded him to the Houston Astros in the offseason. Prior to the 2008 season his age-altering prior to his initially signing with Oakland was exposed during an interview on ESPN. While it was hardly a practice unique to Tejada, combined with continuing steroid allegations, it placed the veteran star in a controversial light. Following a fast start during the 2008 season, his production dropped to .283 with a .314 OBP, 13 home runs, and 66 RBIs although he was still an All-Star selection and he played in 158 games. In early 2009 Tejada was charged for lying to the House Oversight Committee that was investigating steroid use in baseball. Pleading guilty he received a $5000 fine along with a year of probation and was required to perform 100 hours of community service. During the season the Astros did poorly but Tejada batted .313 with a league-best 46 doubles along with 14 home runs and 86 RBIs. Returning to Baltimore in 2010, he played third base and was hitting .269 when traded to San Diego in late July. He finished with a combined average of .269 with 15 home runs and 71 RBIs. Signing with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent in 2011, the fading third baseman/shortstop appeared in 91 games due to injury and hit .239 with 4 home runs and 26 RBIs. Back with the Orioles in 2012, he was assigned to Norfolk of the Class AAA International League until being released in June at his request. An unimpressive stint with the Royals in 2013 ended with his suspension for steroid use, resulting in the end of his major league career. During his time in the major leagues, Tejada batted .285 with 2407 hits that included 468 doubles, 23 triples, and 307 home runs. He scored 1230 runs and compiled 1302 RBIs with a .336 OBP and .456 slugging percentage. With Oakland he batted .270 with 968 hits, 191 doubles, 11 triples, 156 home runs, 574 runs scored, 604 RBIs, a .331 OBP, and .460 slugging percentage. Tejada appeared in 20 postseason games (all with Oakland) and hit .212 with a home run and 8 RBIs. A six-time All-Star, he placed in the top 20 in league MVP voting seven times, winning once. A player who rose from extreme poverty to become an outstanding and durable all-around shortstop, Tejada’s reputation has been stained by steroid use. Enigmatic and mercurial off the field, he appeared to be most happy when playing baseball.

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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: Thurman Munson, 1970

Catcher, New York Yankees

Age:  23 (June 7)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of Akron, Ohio, Munson began playing midget league baseball before moving on to junior boys and American Legion ball. At Canton’s Lehman High School he played football and basketball, as well as baseball, where he first was utilized as a catcher, although his primary position was shortstop. After batting .581 as a senior, he was named to the All-Ohio high school team. Offered numerous college football scholarships, he instead accepted a baseball scholarship to Kent State University where he excelled and received College All-America recognition. Selected fourth overall by the Yankees in the 1969 amateur draft, Munson signed for a $70,000 bonus. Initially assigned to the Binghamton Triplets of the Class AA Eastern League he hit .301 in 71 games along with 6 home runs and 37 RBIs while also developing his skills behind the plate. Promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League in 1969, he was also inducted into the Army Reserve, serving at Fort Dix in New Jersey and playing with Syracuse when possible (and compiling a .363 average in 28 games). Promoted to the Yankees in August to fill in for catcher Frank Fernandez, Munson batted .256 in 26 games and hit his first major league home run. After a brief return to Syracuse, he was called back up to the Yankees in September and threw out 7 base runners during the final month. With Fernandez traded to Oakland, Munson was set to take over the primary catching duties in 1970.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 132 games

C – 125, PH – 12

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 526

At Bats – 453

Runs – 59

Hits – 137

Doubles – 25

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 6

RBI – 53

Bases on Balls – 57

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 56

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 7 [18, tied with six others]

Average - .302 [7]

OBP - .386 [9]

Slugging Pct. - .415

Total Bases – 188

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 7 [10, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, HR - 3, RBI – 28, AVG - .263, OBP - .381

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 5/24, (in 4 AB) at Baltimore 7/8, (in 4 AB) at California 7/28, (in 5 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/8

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 1 on six occasions

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Baltimore 5/18, at Boston 6/21 – 11 innings, at Baltimore 7/8

Pinch-hitting/running – 3 for 9 (.333) with 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI & 2 BB

Fielding

Chances – 719

Put Outs – 631

Assists – 80

Errors – 8

Passed Balls – 10

DP – 11

Pct. - .989

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

19^th in AL MVP voting (15 points, 4% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Thurman Munson, NYY: 23 of 24 votes, 96% share

Roy Foster, Clev.: 1 vote, 4% share

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Yankees went 93-69 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 15 games behind the division-winning Baltimore Orioles, while leading the league in triples (41, tied with the Minnesota Twins & Kansas City Royals). The slow-starting Yankees went on a 17-7 tear in June that brought them within three games of the first-place Orioles, but a July batting slump kept them from coming any closer, although a strong August kept them in second to stay for the club’s best finish since 1964.

Aftermath of ‘70:

During the 1971 season, Munson was knocked unconscious and hospitalized following a collision at the plate with Baltimore catcher Andy Etchebarren but missed minimal time as he demonstrated his toughness and determination. He was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .251 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 on-base percentage. Additionally, he led AL catchers with a .998 fielding percentage and by throwing out 61 % of runners attempting to steal against him. In 1972 a long-running feud with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk was ignited when Fisk slid hard into Munson in a play at the plate (the two would ignite a major brawl the following year as their rivalry intensified). For the year, Munson continued to establish himself as a top all-around backstop as his average rebounded to .280 with a .343 OBP and 7 home runs with 46 RBIs. Defensively he placed second in the league with 71 assists. A very methodical hitter, in 1973 Munson batted .301 with 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .362 OBP while receiving his first Gold Glove for his defensive performance. He finished twelfth in league MVP voting. Bothered by injuries in 1974, Munson’s average dipped to .261 and his OBP to .316 while he totaled 13 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a strained forearm hindered his throwing ability. His production rebounded in 1975 to .318 with a .366 OBP, 24 doubles, 12 home runs, and 102 RBIs. Named team captain by manager Billy Martin in 1976 in recognition of his role as a team leader, Munson had an MVP season, batting .302 with 27 doubles, 17 home runs, 105 RBIs, and a .337 OBP. The Yankees topped the AL East on their way to winning their first pennant since 1964. He hit .475 in his first taste of postseason action that ended with being swept by Cincinnati in the World Series. The arrival of slugging outfielder Reggie Jackson in 1977 ignited discord between the two, especially when critical comments appeared in print. The Yankees repeated as AL pennant winners and Munson batted .308 with 18 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .351 OBP. In the World Series triumph over the Dodgers in which Jackson starred, Munson hit .320 to contribute to achieving a championship. Heading into 1978, the veteran backstop expressed a desire to be traded, preferably to Cleveland, to be closer to his Ohio home, a desire that the Yankee front office did not follow up on, not desiring to send away a popular and productive player. The ensuing season was tumultuous and ended with the Yankees beating Boston in a tie-breaking playoff to win the AL East. Munson batted .297 with 27 doubles, 6 home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .332 on-base percentage. Advancing to another World Series matchup with the Dodgers, New York won four straight games after losing the first two to take the title. Munson again hit well in the Series with a .320 average, 3 doubles, and 7 RBIs. Intense and insecure, Munson had a strained relationship with the New York media but was an effective team leader. In 1979 he was dealing with severe shoulder and knee pain but was hitting .288 with a .340 OBP when his career, and life, came to a tragic end in August when the private jet he was flying crashed while he attempted to land at Akron-Canton Airport. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, Munson batted .292 with 1558 hits that included 229 doubles, 32 triples, and 113 home runs. He scored 696 runs and compiled 701 RBIs and a .346 OBP. Appearing in 30 postseason games, he hit .357 with 3 home runs and 22 RBIs. A seven-time All-Star, he also was awarded three Gold Gloves and placed in the top 20 in AL MVP voting five times. The Yankees retired his #15 and placed a plaque in his honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

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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.