Rookie of the Year: Dave Righetti, 1981

Pitcher, New York Yankees

Age:  22

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1981:

A native of San Jose, California Righetti was the son of a former Yankee minor league infielder. He was an outfielder in high school until becoming a pitcher as a senior and going 7-0. Moving on to San Jose City College, Righetti was selected by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 1977 amateur draft (tenth overall). Initially assigned to the Asheville Tourists of the Class A Western Carolinas League in ‘77, he produced an 11-3 record and 3.14 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched. Advancing to the Tulsa Drillers of the Class AA Texas League in 1978, he compiled a mediocre 5-5 tally although his ERA was a very respectable 3.16 and he recorded 127 strikeouts over 91 innings that included 21 in a game against Midland. In the offseason Righetti was traded to the Yankees as part of the deal that brought LHP Sparky Lyle to Texas. Assigned to West Haven of the Class AA Eastern League in 1979, he continued to develop his fastball, changeup, and slider, and went 4-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 69 innings. Promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League, he added a 3-2 tally to his record as well as another 44 strikeouts while pitching 40 innings with a 2.93 ERA. It earned him a late-season call-up to the Yankees where he was winless in three starts. It was back to Columbus in 1980, where his record was a disappointing 6-10 with a 4.63 ERA along with 139 strikeouts and 101 walks over the course of 142 innings. Righetti got off to a strong start with Columbus in 1981 and found himself back with the Yankees.

1981 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 15

Games Started – 15

Complete Games – 2

Wins – 8

Losses – 4

PCT - .667 [6, tied with Steve McCatty & Jack Morris]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 105.1

Hits – 75

Runs – 25

Earned Runs – 24

Home Runs – 1

Bases on Balls – 38

Strikeouts – 89 [10, tied with Dave Stieb]

ERA – 2.05 [1]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 1 [18, tied with 27 others]

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading ERA was -0.27 lower than runner-up Sammy Stewart

Midseason Snapshot: 3-0, ERA - 1.50, SO – 23 in 30 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 7 IP) vs. Boston 9/11

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) vs. Minnesota 8/26, (in 7 IP) vs. Boston 9/11

Fielding

Chances – 16

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 9

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .938

Postseason Pitching: G – 4, (ALDS vs. Milwaukee 2 G; ALCS vs. Oakland 1 G; World Series vs. LA Dodgers 1 G)

GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 3-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 17, H – 17, R – 4, ER – 4, HR – 1, BB – 7, SO – 18, ERA – 2.12, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

 

NL ROY Voting (Top 4):

Dave Righetti, NYY.: 127 points – 23 of 28 first place votes, 91% share

Rich Gedman, Bos.: 64 points – 5 first place votes, 46% share

Bob Ojeda, Bos.: 36 points – 26% share

Mike Jones, KCR: 8 points – 6% share

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In a season in which was interrupted by a players’ strike for nearly two months, the Yankees went 34-22 in the first half, finishing first in the AL Eastern Division by 2 games over the Baltimore Orioles. In the second season that followed the strike, they were 25-26 to finish sixth in the division, 5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. Compiling an overall record of 59-48 the pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.90), shutouts (13 tied with Detroit & Texas), strikeouts (606), fewest hits allowed (827) & fewest runs allowed (343). The Yankees, carried by pitching and defense, went on a spurt just prior to the strike to assure a playoff spot in the revised format. Struggling a bit after the strike, manager Gene Michael was replaced by Bob Lemon during a 13-14 September. Won ALDS over the Milwaukee Brewers, 3 games to 2, helped along by Righetti’s two wins (a 6-inning, 10 strikeout start in Game 2 & a relief stint in Game 5). Won ALCS over the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 0. Lost World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2, as the Dodgers overcame a 2-games-to-0 deficit.

Aftermath of ‘81:

Righetti encountered difficulties with his control in 1982 and was briefly sent down to Columbus. He went on to an 11-10 record with a 3.79 ERA and 163 strikeouts, although he led the AL by issuing 108 walks. 1983 was a better year as Righetti posted a 14-8 tally that included a July 4 no-hitter against the arch-rival Boston Red Sox. He pitched a career-high 217 innings and posted a 3.44 ERA and 169 strikeouts. In 1984, with bullpen closer Rich Gossage having departed as a free agent, manager Yogi Berra made the controversial decision to move Righetti to the closer role. The result was 31 saves and a 5-6 record with a 2.34 ERA. The pitcher nicknamed “Rags” combined with rookie righthander Brian Fisher to compile 43 saves in 1985 (29 by Righetti, 14 by Fisher) and Righetti’s record was 12-7 with a 2.78 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 107 innings. In 1986, he set what was then a major league record by recording 46 saves to go along with an 8-8 tally and 2.45 ERA with 83 strikeouts over 106.2 innings. He placed fourth in league Cy Young voting and tenth in the MVP balloting and received AL Fireman of the Year recognition from The Sporting News and was the Rolaids AL Relief Man of the Year. Righetti won both awards again in 1987 as he went 8-6 with 31 saves, a 3.51 ERA, and 77 strikeouts in 95 innings over 60 appearances. A sore arm in 1988 led to a lesser performance with 25 saves, a 5-4 record, 3.52 ERA, and 70 strikeouts while pitching 87 innings over 60 games. Righetti played two more seasons with the Yankees and saved 25 games for the fading team in 1989 and 36 in 1990. A free agent following the 1990 season, he signed with the San Francisco Giants for four years and $10 million. Righetti appeared in 61 games for the Giants in 1991 and went 2-7 with 24 saves, a 3.39 ERA, and 51 strikeouts. With his fastball showing a loss of velocity in 1992, Righetti dropped to three saves as his closer role was taken over by Rod Beck. A return to starting yielded unimpressive results and the once-feared southpaw ended up appearing in 54 games and producing another 2-7 tally with a miserable 5.06 ERA. Righetti appeared in 51 games in 1993 and had a 5.70 ERA. Released by the Giants after the season, he joined the Oakland Athletics in 1994 but failed to last through April as he was released once again and moved on to Toronto where he was initially assigned to Class AA Knoxville before being promoted to the Blue Jays. Prior to the season-ending strike, he appeared in 13 games and compiled a 6.75 ERA. Let go in the offseason, he joined the Chicago White Sox in 1995 where he was utilized as a starter and finished his major league career with a 3-2 tally and 4.20 ERA. Released by the White Sox, he retired. For his major league career, Righetti compiled an 82-79 record with a 3.46 ERA, 252 saves, 89 starts, 13 complete games, and 1112 strikeouts in 1403.2 innings pitched. With the Yankees he was 74-61 with a 3.11 ERA, 224 saves, 76 starts, 13 complete games, and 940 strikeouts in 1136.2 innings pitched. He saw his only postseason action in 1981. Following his retirement as a player, Righetti returned to the Giants as a pitching coach.   

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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: Johan Santana, 2006

Pitcher, Minnesota Twins

Age:  27

7^th season with Twins

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 2006:

A native of Venezuela, where his engineer father was also a semipro baseball player, Santana sought to emulate his father by playing shortstop in his youth, learning to throw right-handed so he could properly field the position. Playing for his local team, the Chiquilines, as a teenager, he was utilized in center field, where he lacked speed and was not a proficient hitter. Signed by the Houston Astros as a 17-year-old in 1995, he was converted into a pitcher and performed well in the Dominican Summer League in 1996. Promoted to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1997, he struggled while appearing in nine games and posted an 0-4 record with a 7.93 ERA. He finished the year with Auburn of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League where he stayed in 1998 and in 15 starts went 7-5 with a 4.36 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 86.2 innings pitched. Santana, whose fastball, curve, and changeup were improving along with his arm strength, finished up the year by appearing in two games with Quad Cities in the Class A Midwest League in ’98. In 1999 he remained in the Midwest League and pitched for the Michigan Battle Cats where he went 8-8 with a 4.66 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 160 innings. Exposed by the Astros in the 1999 Rule 5 draft, Santana was obtained by the Twins, who were compelled to keep him on the major league roster. Used out of the bullpen with Minnesota in 2000, he appeared in 30 games (five of them starts) and produced a 2-3 mark with a 6.49 ERA. He reduced his ERA to 4.74 in 2001 and spent two months in 2002 with Edmonton of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he worked on his changeup before returning to the Twins and going 8-6 in 27 appearances (14 starts) with a 2.99 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 108.1 innings while also leading the league with 15 wild pitches. Valued for his ability out of the bullpen, Santana was moved into the starting rotation in July of 2003 and went on to finish with a 12-3 record and 3.07 ERA with 169 strikeouts while compiling 158.1 innings. The Twins topped the AL Central Division but lost to the Yankees in the ALDS while a sore hamstring hindered Santana’s performance. Heading into 2004, he was the team’s breakout pitching star, and he delivered a Cy Young Award-winning season. He led the American League with a 2.61 ERA and 265 strikeouts to go along with a 20-6 tally and 228 innings pitched for the division-winning Twins. He started the only win for Minnesota in the ALDS loss to the Yankees in the postseason. Santana followed up with another strong season in 2005, going 16-7 with a 2.87 ERA and again leading the circuit with 238 strikeouts while the Twins dropped to third place in the division. The star lefthander placed third in American League Cy Young voting.   

2006 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 – 1 [17, tied with 24 others]

Wins – 19 [1, tied with Chien-Ming Wang]

Losses – 6

PCT - .760 [2, tied with Chien-Ming Wang]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 233.2 [1]

Hits – 186

Runs – 79

Earned Runs – 72

Home Runs – 24 [20, tied with Gil Meche & Brad Radke]

Bases on Balls – 47

Strikeouts – 245 [1]

ERA – 2.77 [1]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 1 [15, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading innings pitched were +10.2 ahead of runner-up Dan Haren

League-leading strikeouts were +43 ahead of runner-up Jeremy Bonderman

League-leading ERA was -0.42 lower than runner-up Roy Halladay

Midseason Snapshot: 9-5, ERA - 2.95, SO – 138 in 131 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 8 IP) vs. Boston 6/13

10+ strikeout games – 9

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 8 IP) at Oakland 6/2, (in 8 IP) at Tampa Bay 9/5, (in 7 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 6/28

 Batting

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

Fielding

Chances – 45

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 32

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .978

Postseason Pitching: G – 1, (ALDS vs. Oakland)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 8, H – 5, R – 2, ER – 2, HR – 1, BB – 1, SO – 8, ERA – 2.25, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

7^th in AL MVP voting (114 points, 1 first place vote, 29% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 4):

Johan Santana, Min.: 140 points – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Chien-Ming Wang, NYY: 51 points – 36% share

Roy Halladay, Tor.: 48 points – 34% share

Francisco Rodriguez, LAA.: 5 points – 4% share

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Twins went 96-66 to finish first in the AL Central Division by 1 game over the Detroit Tigers. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (4.03) and strikeouts (1164, tied with the Angels), while issuing the fewest walks (356). Off to a slow start that had the Twins at 24-28 and 10.5 games behind the Tigers by the end of May, they surged in the second half to catch Detroit on Sept. 28 and clinched the AL Central title on the season’s last day. Lost ALDS to the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘06:

Santana had one last All-Star season with the Twins in 2007, posting a 15-13 mark with a 3.33 ERA and 235 strikeouts. He also received a Gold Glove for his fielding prowess. Facing difficult decisions on payroll, the Twins traded Santana to the New York Mets for four young players in 2008. The Mets signed him to a seven-year, $137.5 million contract extension. He performed well in ’08 with a 16-7 tally (including 8-0 in the season’s second half) and NL-best 2.53 ERA and 234.1 innings pitched while also striking out 206 batters. Limited to 25 starts due to injury in 2009, Santana was still an All-Star on his way to producing a 13-9 record with a 3.13 ERA and 146 strikeouts while pitching 166.2 innings. A shoulder injury that required surgery knocked him out of action in September of 2010 and he finished at 11-9 with a still-respectable 2.98 ERA, although his strikeouts dropped to 144 in 199 innings pitched. Santana missed all of 2011 due to recovery from his surgery, much to the consternation of Mets fans. Returning to action in 2012, he produced a 6-9 record that included the first no-hitter in franchise history. In an uneven year that included two stints on the disabled list due to an ankle and back injuries, his ERA was 4.85 and he recorded 111 strikeouts while pitching 117 innings. Further shoulder surgery cost Santana the entire 2013 season and the Mets bought out the remainder of his contract, rendering him a free agent. He had abortive minor league trials with the Orioles and Blue Jays but never made it back to the major leagues. For his major league career, Santana compiled a 139-78 record with a 3.20 ERA, 15 complete games, 10 shutouts, and 1988 strikeouts in 2025.2 innings. With the Twins he was 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA, 6 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 1381 strikeouts in 1308.2 innings. Pitching in 11 postseason games, he had a 1-3 record with a 3.97 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 34 innings. In addition to receiving two Cy Young Awards, Santana was a four-time All-Star. He was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2018.

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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: Don Newcombe, 1949

Pitcher, Brooklyn Dodgers

Age:  23 (June 14)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 220 

Prior to 1949:

A New Jersey native, Newcombe began playing semi-pro baseball while in high school, which didn’t field a baseball team, and was mentored by a neighbor, who taught him the pitching windup featuring a high leg kick that he utilized throughout his career. Always big for his age, Newcombe dropped out of high school to sign with the Negro National League Newark Eagles for $170 per month in 1944. The 18-year-old was 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in his first season and 3-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 1945. In October of ’45, he and catcher Roy Campanella played in an exhibition series at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field that featured Negro League players against white major leaguers and were signed by Brooklyn to follow up the integration of organized baseball that would start with Jackie Robinson. Robinson mentored the two players with regard to what they faced as they prepared to join (and integrate) Nashua of the Class B New England League in 1946. Temperamental and insecure, Newcombe had a solid season for Nashua, producing a 14-4 record with a 2.21 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 155 innings pitched. He also was impressive as a batter as he hit .311 and proved to be a good pinch-hitter. Returning to Nashua in 1947 he improved to 19-6 with a 2.91 ERA and 186 strikeouts. Earning a promotion to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League in 1948, Newcombe compiled a 17-6 tally with a 3.14 ERA and 144 strikeouts over the course of 189 innings, and he also threw a no-hitter. Newcombe improved his control as he developed his outstanding fastball along with a looping curve and slider. Much to his chagrin, he started the 1949 season back with Montreal. He was called up to the Dodgers in May.  

1949 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

P – 38, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38 [19, tied with seven others]

Games Started – 31 [8, tied with Robin Roberts, Johnny Schmitz & Harry Brecheen]

Complete Games – 19 [3]

Wins – 17 [4, tied with Ken Heintzelman & Russ Meyer]

Losses – 8

PCT - .680 [4, tied with Russ Meyer]

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 5 [1, tied with Howie Pollet, Ken Heintzelman & Ken Raffensberger]

Innings Pitched – 244.1 [5]

Hits – 223 [11]

Runs – 89

Earned Runs – 86 [17, tied with Clint Hartung]

Home Runs – 17 [14, tied with Clint Hartung & Murry Dickson]

Bases on Balls – 73

Strikeouts – 149 [2]

ERA – 3.17 [8]

Hit Batters – 3 [19, tied with nine others]

Balks – 2 [2, tied with Emil Kush & Russ Meyer]

Wild Pitches – 4 [12, tied with seven others]

Midseason Snapshot: 6-2, ERA - 3.59, SO - 52 in 92.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 6/6

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 6/6, (in 9 IP) vs. NY Giants 8/8, (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 8/28, (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. Phillies 9/24

Batting

PA – 102, AB – 96, R – 8, H – 22, 2B – 4, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 10, BB – 5, SO – 16, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .229, GDP – 4, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 57

Put Outs – 17

Assists – 40

Errors – 0

DP – 2

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 0-2, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 11.2, H – 10, R – 4, ER – 4, HR – 1, BB – 3, SO – 11, ERA – 3.09, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

8^th in NL MVP voting (55 points, 16% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Don Newcombe, Brook.: 21 of 24 votes, 88% share

Del Crandall, BosB.: 3 votes, 13% share

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Dodgers went 97-57 to win the NL pennant by 1 game over the St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the NL in shutouts (15), strikeouts (743), and fewest hits allowed (1306). In a tight race with the Cardinals down the stretch, the Dodgers benefited from Newcombe’s 8-5 performance in August and September that included four shutouts. A win over the Phillies in the season finale allowed them to win the pennant by just a single game. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 1. Newcombe started two game games, both losses, that made him the first African-American pitcher to start a World Series game.

Aftermath of ‘49:

“Newk” followed up with another solid season in 1950. With the Dodgers locked in a tight pennant race with the Phillies, he pitched five straight complete-game wins between August 21 to Sept. 6, when he was asked to start both games of a double-header against Philadelphia, winning the first game and trailing 2-0, in a game Brooklyn eventually won, when he left in the seventh inning. With the NL pennant on the line on Oct. 1, Newcombe faced off against Philadelphia’s ace RHP Robin Roberts and pitched 10 innings in defeat. He finished the season with a record of 19-11 and a 3.70 ERA with 130 strikeouts. In 1951, the Dodgers appeared to be on the way to an easy pennant when a second-half surge by the arch-rival New York Giants resulted in a season-extending best-of-three playoff. After the teams split the first two games, Newcombe started the decisive third game at the Polo Grounds and pitched into the ninth inning, when he was relieved by RHP Ralph Branca with a 4-2 lead and runners on second and third. New York slugger Bobby Thomson homered off Branca to win the game and pennant for the Giants. Newcombe’s final record for the season was 20-9 with a 3.28 ERA and league-leading 164 strikeouts. He missed the next two years due to military service, and struggled upon his return in 1954, compiling a 9-8 tally with a 4.55 ERA and 82 strikeouts over the course of 144.1 innings. Newcombe became embroiled in controversy early in the 1955 season when he was fined for walking out on the team when refusing to pitch batting practice prior to a game. It was all better when he pitched a one-hit shutout against the Cubs in his next start on his way to a 14-1 mark at the All-Star break and 20-5 season record for the pennant-winning Dodgers with a 3.20 ERA and 143 strikeouts while accumulating 233.2 innings. He also had an outstanding year at the plate, batting .359 with 7 home runs and 23 RBIs. Newcombe was 0-1 in the World Series triumph over the Yankees but placed seventh in National League MVP voting. In 1956, “Newk” spurred Brooklyn to another pennant with a 27-7 record and 3.06 ERA while striking out 139 batters over 268 innings pitched. He was not only the league MVP but the first recipient of the Cy Young Award, which went to a single major league pitcher at the time. In the World Series loss to the Yankees, he was pulled from his Game 2 start and lost the decisive seventh game. Leaving Ebbets Field after being relieved in the second game, he had an altercation with a parking lot attendant. During 1957 there was more off-field controversy during a year in which Newcombe dropped to 11-12 with a 3.49 ERA. With the franchise’s move to Los Angeles in 1958 he got off to an 0-6 start and was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, where he went 7-7 with a 3.85 ERA the rest of the way. Newcombe rebounded somewhat in 1959, posting a 13-8 tally and a 3.16 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 222 innings. Off to a mediocre start with the Reds in 1960, he was sold to the Cleveland Indians where he was relegated to the bullpen in his last major league season. Released prior to the 1961 season he played for Spokane in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and went 9-8 with a 4.96 ERA. Moving on to Japan in 1962, he was utilized primarily as an outfielder and first baseman by the Chunichi Dragons and hit .262 with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs in his final professional season. For his major league career, Newcombe compiled a 153-96 record with a 3.57 ERA, 145 complete games, 24 shutouts, and 1187 strikeouts in 2251.2 innings pitched. Appearing in 5 World Series games, typically with disappointing results, his tally was 0-4 with an 8.59 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched. With the Dodgers his record was 123-66 with a 3.51 ERA, 111 complete games, 22 shutouts, and 913 strikeouts over the course of 1662.2 innings. Overall as a batter he hit .268 with 15 home runs and 109 RBIs. Newcombe was a four-time All-Star and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting three times, winning once. In retirement he admitted to years of alcoholic drinking, which likely contributed to his off-field problems. After dealing with his own problem, he became director of Community Relations for the Dodgers and regularly made the rounds of major league teams during spring training to share his experience and warn of the dangers of alcohol abuse. He died at the age of 92 in 2019.

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

MVP Profile: Johnny Bench, 1972

Catcher, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  24

5^th season with Reds

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1972:

Bench, a native of Oklahoma, was an All-State performer in both baseball and basketball in high school and was his class valedictorian as well. He was chosen by the Reds in the first amateur free agent draft in 1965 and followed up a promising season with Tampa of the Class A Florida State League by achieving Player of the Year recognition after batting .294 with 22 home runs with the Peninsula Grays of the Class A Carolina League in 1966. Following promotion to Class AAA Buffalo, he suffered a broken thumb that ended his ’66 campaign. Returning to Buffalo in 1967 Bench hit 23 home runs while batting .259 and impressed with his defensive play behind the plate. He was selected as Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News after the season and was promoted to the Reds for the last month of the ’67 season, hitting a meager .163 with a home run and 6 RBIs in 26 games. Impressive in his first full season in 1968, Bench was an All-Star for the first time and became the first catcher to receive Rookie of the Year honors after batting .275 with 40 doubles, 15 home runs, and 82 RBIs. He also received a Gold Glove for his play behind the plate. Bench followed up in 1969 with 26 home runs, 90 RBIs, and a .293 batting average, again receiving an All-Star selection and Gold Glove. He broke out in a big way in 1970, leading the NL in home runs (45) and RBIs (148) and being chosen as league MVP. The heavy-hitting Reds won the NL pennant as well. In a lesser season for the Reds in 1971, Bench batted .238 with 27 home runs and 61 RBIs while continuing his Gold Glove play defensively.

1972 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

C – 129, RF – 17, 1B – 8, 3B – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 653 [10]

At Bats – 538

Runs – 87 [10, tied with Lee May, Nate Colbert & Ralph Garr]

Hits – 145

Doubles – 22

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 40 [1]

RBI – 125 [1]

Bases on Balls – 100 [3]

Int. BB – 23 [1]

Strikeouts – 84

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .270

OBP - .379 [10]

Slugging Pct. - .541 [3]

Total Bases – 291 [3]

GDP – 18 [3, tied with Ted Simmons, Doug Rader & Tommie Agee]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 12 [1]

League-leading home runs were +2 ahead of runner-up Nate Colbert

League-leading RBIs were +3 ahead of runner-up Billy Williams

League-leading int. bases on balls drawn were +3 ahead of runner-up Billy Williams

League-leading sac flies were +2 ahead of runner-up Tommy Helms

Midseason snapshot: HR - 24, RBI - 72, AVG - .283, SLG - .556, OBP - .377

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at Montreal 6/11, (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 7/11

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Houston 5/30, (in 7 AB) at Philadelphia 6/2 – 17 innings, (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 7/12, (in 5 AB) vs. Atlanta 9/26

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 24

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Atlanta 8/14, at Atlanta 9/12

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (C )

Chances – 797

Put Outs – 735

Assists – 56

Errors – 6

DP – 9

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 12 G (NLCS vs. Pittsburgh 5 G; World Series vs. Oakland 7 G)

PA – 48, AB – 41, R – 7, H – 12, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 3, BB – 6, IBB – 3, SO – 8, SB – 4, CS – 0, AVG - .293, OBP - .375, SLG - .537, TB – 22, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for NL at C)

 

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Johnny Bench, Cin.: 263 points – 11 of 24 first place votes, 78% share

Billy Williams, ChiC.: 211 points – 5 first place votes, 63% share

Willie Stargell, Pitt.: 201 points – 2 first place votes, 60% share

Joe Morgan, Cin.: 197 points – 5 first place votes, 59% share

Steve Carlton, Phila.: 124 points – 1 first place vote, 37% share

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Reds went 95-59, to finish first in the NL Western Division by 10.5 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers & Houston Astros while leading the league in stolen bases (140), bases on balls drawn (606), and on-base percentage (.330, tied with the Cubs) The Reds started the strike-delayed season slowly but surged in late May and took over first place in the NL West to stay on June 25, boosted by Bench’s home run heroics that included a stretch of 7 homers in a span of five games. Won NLCS over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 games to 2, with Bench tying the decisive 5^th game with a ninth-inning home run followed by OF George Foster scoring on a wild pitch to win the game and series. Lost World Series to the Oakland Athletics, 4 games to 3.

Aftermath of ‘72:

Bench followed up with another solid, if less spectacular, season with the division-winning Reds in 1973, batting .253 with 25 home runs and 104 RBIs. He placed tenth in league MVP voting. With outstanding ability behind the plate that included an excellent throwing arm, Bench won 10 Gold Gloves and was selected to 14 All-Star Games over the course of a career that lasted until 1983 and included being part of two World Series-winning Cincinnati squads. Capable of playing at first base and in the outfield to reduce wear on his body from catching, Bench ultimately ended up appearing primarily at third and first base in the final stages of his Hall of Fame career (he was elected in 1989).  Overall, in a tenure spent entirely with the Reds, who retired his #5, he hit 389 home runs with 1376 RBIs and a .267 batting average. Bench had another 10 home runs and 20 RBIs in 45 postseason games and was named MVP of the 1976 World Series.

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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: Ernie Banks, 1959

Shortstop, Chicago Cubs

Age: 28

6^th season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1959:

Banks, a native of Dallas, Texas, was the son of a Negro League catcher. He starred in football and basketball at Booker T. Washington High School, which did not have a baseball team, so he played softball instead to develop a similar skill set. Shy and introverted, Banks signed to play baseball with a traveling team during the summers after his sophomore and junior years. Catching the attention of the Negro League Kansas City Monarchs, he signed following his high school graduation in 1950 and performed well at shortstop. After a stint in the Army, Banks signed with the Cubs, who bought his contract from the Monarchs. Moving directly to the major league club, he played in the last ten games for the Cubs in 1953 and took over at shortstop in ’54. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time in 1955, a season in which he totaled 44 home runs (a record 5 of them grand slams) and 117 RBIs. After playing in 424 straight games, an infection in his right hand sidelined him for part of the ’56 season and his numbers dropped accordingly. But he was back over forty home runs in 1957 (43) and a hundred RBIs (102) while playing in every contest. In 1958 Banks led the NL in home runs (47), RBIs (129), slugging percentage (.614), and total bases (379), while batting .313 with 193 hits and 119 runs scored. He was named league MVP for the first time despite playing for a fifth-place Cubs team.

1959 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

SS – 154, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 671 [8]

At Bats – 589 [10]

Runs – 97 [8]

Hits – 179 [7]

Doubles – 25 [19]

Triples – 6 [15, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 45 [2]

RBI – 143 [1]

Bases on Balls – 64 [14]

Int. BB – 20 [1]

Strikeouts – 72 [20]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .304 [10]

OBP - .374 [11, tied with Don Hoak]

Slugging Pct. - .596 [2]

Total Bases – 351 [3]

GDP – 18 [6, tied with Don Hoak]

Hit by Pitches – 7 [2, tied with George Altman]

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 9 [2, tied with Frank Robinson & Hank Aaron]

 

League-leading RBIs were +18 ahead of runner-up Frank Robinson

League-leading int. bases on balls drawn were +3 ahead of runner-up Hank Aaron

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 11, 3B – 4, HR – 23, RBI - 76, AVG. – 302, SLG - 588, OBP - .361

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 9/21

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 24

HR on road – 21

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at San Francisco 4/14, (in 3 AB) at Milwaukee 7/29

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cincinnati 5/13, vs. St. Louis 9/13

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding 

Chances – 802

Put Outs – 271

Assists – 519

Errors – 12

DP – 95

Pct. - .985 

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (started for NL at SS in both games)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Ernie Banks, ChiC.: 232 points - 10 of 21 first place votes, 69% share

Eddie Mathews, MilB: 189 points – 5 first place votes, 56% share

Hank Aaron, MilB: 174 points – 2 first place votes, 52% share

Wally Moon, LAD: 161 points – 4 first place votes, 48% share

Sam Jones, SF: 130 points – 39% share

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Cubs went 74-80 to finish tied for fifth place in the NL with the Cincinnati Reds, 13 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers, while leading the league in batter strikeouts (911). The Cubs played .500 ball in June and July and were only 4 games out on July 29, but a subsequent seven-game losing streak dropped them back into the second division, where they stayed despite Banks’ heroics.

Aftermath of ‘58:

Banks had his fourth straight 40-home run season in 1960 (a league-leading 41) and placed fourth in league MVP voting. Sure-handed at shortstop but without much range, Banks was moved to first base full time in 1962, following a trial in left field in ‘61. Despite issues with injuries and illness, he played until age 40 in 1971, ending up with a total of 512 home runs, 2583 hits, and a .274 lifetime batting average. He had 30 or more home runs in seven seasons and reached 100 RBIs eight times. With a pleasant and friendly personality, Banks was highly popular with Cubs fans, a team he played with for all his 19 NL seasons (without ever seeing postseason action), and his #14 was retired by the club. The player known as “Mr. Cub” was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. Banks died in 2015 at the age of 83.

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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: Ted Williams, 1949

Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Age:  31 (Aug. 30)

8^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1949:

A San Diego native, Williams played youth baseball prior to excelling as a hitter and pitcher at Herbert Hoover High School. While still in high school he signed with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1936. Used exclusively as an outfielder, he batted .271 in 42 games. Still with the Padres in 1937, he improved his average to .291 with 23 home runs. He signed with the Red Sox and was assigned to the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1938. Brash and cocky as well as talented, Williams hit .366 with 43 home runs and 142 RBIs to win the league Triple Crown. The player called “The Kid” at that time was promoted to the Red Sox in 1939, where he was a highly publicized phenom with his picture-perfect swing that generated power and average. Playing in right field as a rookie, “The Splendid Splinter” batted .327 with 44 doubles, 11 triples, and 31 home runs and led the AL with 145 RBIs and 344 total bases. He finished fourth in league MVP voting. Shifted to left field in 1940, Williams hit .344 with 23 home runs and 113 RBIs while leading the circuit in runs scored (134) and on-base percentage (.442), aided by his 96 walks to go along with 193 hits. He was an All-Star for the first time. But he began to feud with reporters and fans that he perceived as being too fickle. Williams would stand in the outfield and swing an imaginary bat rather than concentrate on fielding, which drew criticism. Quick-tempered, arrogant, and argumentative, he also refused to abide by norms of standard attire for formal occasions, which further raised questions as to his maturity and judgment. He had a superb season in 1941 when he became the last .400 hitter (to date), batting .406 and leading the league in runs scored (135), home runs (37), walks drawn (147), OBP (.553), and slugging percentage (.735). He finished second in league MVP voting, likely not helped by his unpopularity with the baseball writers (as opposed to the winner, Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees, whose 56-game hitting streak overshadowed “Teddy Ballgame’s” .406 average). The situation was similar in 1942 as Williams won the AL Triple Crown, batting .356 with 36 home runs and 137 RBIs. He also topped the circuit in runs scored (141), walks drawn (145), OBP (.499), slugging (.648), and total bases (338). He again placed second in MVP balloting to another Yankee (Joe Gordon). He then joined the Navy to train as a pilot during World War II, where his superior eyesight and reflexes also served him well. He spent the remainder of the war as a Navy and Marine Corps pilot. With the war over, he returned to the Red Sox in 1946. The result was an MVP season in which Williams topped the AL in runs scored (142), walks drawn (156), OBP (.497), slugging (.667), and total bases (343) while also batting .342 with 38 home runs and 123 RBIs. The Red Sox won the pennant but lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, in which Williams, hindered by an elbow injury, and facing a defensive shift (as manager Lou Boudreau of Cleveland had employed during the regular season) was held to a .200 batting average with one RBI. “The Thumper” (he was known by several nicknames) followed up with his second Triple Crown-winning season in 1947, batting .343 with 32 home runs and 114 RBIs. Williams also topped the circuit in runs scored (125), walks drawn (162), OBP (.499), slugging (.634), and total bases (335). Just as in 1941, he placed second to DiMaggio in MVP voting. He hit a league-leading .369 in 1948, a season in which the Red Sox barely missed out on another pennant, to go along with 25 home runs and 127 RBIs. He further paced the AL in doubles (44), walks drawn (126), OBP (.497), and slugging (.615) and placed third in league MVP balloting.

1949 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

LF – 155

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 730 [1]

At Bats – 566 [11]

Runs – 150 [1]

Hits – 194 [2]

Doubles – 39 [1]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 43 [1]

RBI – 159 [1, tied with Vern Stephens]

Bases on Balls – 162 [1]

Int. BB – 11 [2]

Strikeouts – 48 [20, tied with Sam Mele]

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .343 [2]

OBP - .490 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .650 [1]

Total Bases – 368 [1]

GDP – 22 [4]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading plate appearances were +17 ahead of runner-up Johnny Pesky

League-leading runs scored were +22 ahead of runner-up Eddie Joost

League-leading doubles were +1 ahead of runner-up George Kell

League-leading home runs were +4 ahead of runner-up Vern Stephens

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +13 ahead of runner-up Eddie Joost

League-leading OBP was +.051 ahead of runner-up Luke Appling

League-leading slugging pct was +.111 ahead of runner-up Vern Stephens

League-leading total bases were +39 ahead of runner-up Vern Stephens

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 24, HR - 20, RBI - 85, AVG - .325, SLG - .623

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Phila. A’s 8/17 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 6/24, (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 8/26, (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 8/27, (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 9/18

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 7 vs. St. Louis Browns 6/24

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 355

Put Outs – 337

Assists – 12

Errors – 6

DP – 3

Pct. - .983

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL in LF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Ted Williams, BosRS.: 272 points – 13 of 24 first place votes, 81% share

Phil Rizzuto, NYY: 175 points – 5 first place votes, 52% share

Joe Page, NYY: 166 points – 3 first place votes, 49% share

Mel Parnell, BosRS.: 151 points – 1 first place vote, 45% share

Ellis Kinder, BosRS.: 122 points – 36% share

(1 first place vote apiece for Tommy Henrich, NYY., who ranked sixth & Vern Stephens, BosRS, who ranked seventh)

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Red Sox went 96-58 to finish second in the AL, one game behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees while leading the league in runs scored (896), hits (1500), doubles (272), home runs (131), RBIs (835), batting (.282), bases on balls drawn (835), on-base percentage (.381), slugging (.420), and total bases (2237). The hard-hitting Red Sox used two 7-game winning streaks and an 11-game streak to overcome a 12-game deficit in the last three months and pass the Yankees in late September. Having lost one of three games at Washington, they traveled to Yankee Stadium for the season’s last two games, lost both and ended up second to the Yankees. Williams also lost the AL batting title to Detroit’s George Kell by the narrowest of margins.

Aftermath of ‘49:

On his way to another outstanding year in 1950, Williams severely injured his elbow when he crashed into the wall during the All-Star Game and ended up being limited to 89 games in which he hit .317 with 28 home runs and 97 RBIs. Returning to action in 1951, Williams batted .318 with 30 home runs and 126 RBIs while leading the AL in walks drawn (144), OBP (.464), slugging (.556), and total bases (295). He was limited to six games in 1952 when he was called back to active military duty during the Korean War. Trained to fly jets, he saw action in the same Marine squadron as future astronaut John Glenn. Having encountered problems with ear infections in 1953, he was mustered out of the service and returned to the Red Sox during the second half of the season and hit .407 in 37 games with 13 home runs and 34 RBIs. Williams suffered a broken collar bone during spring training in 1954 and was further limited to 117 games by a bout with pneumonia and fell short of another batting title due to the criteria in use at that time, hitting .345 with 29 home runs, 89 RBIs, a .513 OBP, .635 slugging percentage, and league-leading 136 walks drawn. He still placed seventh in league MVP voting. “The Splendid Splinter” said he was retiring in 1955 but returned to action in late May and went on to hit .356 in 98 games with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs, finishing fourth in AL MVP balloting. Williams was still a force in 1956 as he led the league with a .479 on-base percentage. “The Splendid Splinter” turned 39 during the 1957 season and topped the AL in batting (.388), OBP (.526), and slugging (.731). He won one last batting championship in 1958, hitting .328 along with 26 home runs and 85 RBIs. Williams dropped off badly in 1959 to .254 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs while appearing in just 103 games. Taking a cut in pay from his high of around $125,000, he returned for one last season in 1960, in which he batted .316 with 29 home runs and 72 RBIs. After homering in his last at bat, Williams retired. For his career, spent entirely with the Red Sox, he batted .344 with 2654 hits that included 525 doubles, 71 triples, and 521 home runs. He further scored 1798 runs, compiled 1839 RBIs, and drew 2021 walks. His career OBP was .482 and he had a .634 slugging percentage. Williams won six batting championships and two Triple Crowns. The 1946 World Series was his only postseason appearance. A 19-time All-Star, the Red Sox retired his #9 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. Following his retirement as a player, he returned to the game in 1969 as manager of the Washington Senators. He stayed on until 1972, the club’s first year as the Texas Rangers, and compiled a 273-364 managerial record. Boisterous and opinionated, Williams was always a contentious and controversial figure who engendered strong opinions in return. Few players in the game’s history have approached his performance as a hitter.

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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: Cal Ripken Jr., 1991

Shortstop, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  31 (Aug. 24)

10^th season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1991:

The son and namesake of a former catching prospect for the Orioles who went on to become a minor league manager and coach in the organization, Ripken was a Maryland native and regularly attended Orioles home games once his father became part of the coaching staff. He played soccer as well as baseball at Aberdeen High School. He proved to be a standout as a pitcher and shortstop, batting .496 as a senior as well as posting a 7-2 pitching record for a squad that won the Maryland state championship. Ripken was chosen by the Orioles in the second round of the 1978 amateur draft. While there was interest in developing his pitching talent, Ripken started out professionally as a shortstop with Bluefield of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he hit .264 in 63 games. He spent 1979 with teams at the Class A and AA levels, batting a combined .286 with 8 home runs and 62 RBIs. With Charlotte of the Class AA Southern League, which had been his second stop in ’79, Ripken hit .276 in 1980 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. Assigned to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League in 1981, he batted .288 with 23 home runs and 75 RBIs and was the league’s All-Star third baseman. Ripken received a late-season call-up to the Orioles where he hit only .128 in 39 at bats. The Orioles still dealt veteran third baseman Doug DeCinces in the offseason to make room for Ripken in 1982, and despite a slow start he remained in the lineup and was shifted to shortstop in July. The result was a fine season in which he batted .264 with 28 home runs and 93 RBIs. He received AL Rookie of the Year honors. Ripken followed up with an MVP season in 1983 as the Orioles topped the AL East and went on to capture the World Series. The young shortstop led the league in hits (211), runs scored (121), and doubles (47) while also batting .318 with 27 home runs and 102 RBIs. Ripken followed up with another strong season for a less-accomplished Orioles club in 1984, hitting .304 with 27 home runs and 86 RBIs. Taller and heavier than most shortstops, Ripken was also agile with quick reflexes and a good throwing arm. He remained a steady presence at the position. The high-scoring Orioles finished fourth in 1985 while Ripken contributed 26 home runs, 110 RBIs, a .282 batting average, and a .347 on-base percentage. In 1986 he compiled 25 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .282 average while leading AL shortstops with 482 assists and committing only 13 errors. In 1987 Ripken’s father, Cal Sr. took over as manager of the fading Orioles. In July he was joined by his brother Billy, who took over as the starting second baseman and played well alongside his older sibling. Additionally, in September, manager Ripken pulled shortstop Ripken late in a hopeless game, thus ending Ripken’s record consecutive innings streak at 8264 while the consecutive games streak stayed alive, reaching 925 by season’s end. For the year Ripken’s average dropped to .252 with 27 home runs and 98 RBIs. When the 1988 season started off with six losses, Cal Sr. was fired as manager, much to the distress of his two ballplayer sons. The losing streak extended to 21 under their father’s successor, Frank Robinson, on the way to a last place finish. Cal Jr. batted .264 with 23 home runs and 81 RBIs. The Orioles bounced back with a strong second place finish in 1989 and Ripken contributed 21 home runs, 93 RBIs, and a .257 batting average in addition to leading AL shortstops in total chances (815), put outs (276), assists (531) and DPs (119). In 1990 he posted a record .996 fielding average at shortstop as he committed only three errors in 680 total chances. At bat he hit .250 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs.

1991 Season Summary

Appeared in 162 games

SS – 162

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 717 [5]

At Bats – 650 [4]

Runs – 99 [11]

Hits – 210 [2]

Doubles – 46 [2]

Triples – 5 [20, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 34 [3]

RBI – 114 [4]

Bases on Balls – 53

Int. BB – 15 [5]

Strikeouts – 46

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .323 [6]

OBP - .374 [16, tied with Jack Clark]

Slugging Pct. - .566 [2]

Total Bases – 368 [1]

GDP – 19 [11, tied with Edgar Martinez, Carlton Fisk & Dave Valle]

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 9 [3, tied with eight others]

 

League-leading total bases were +32 ahead of runner-up Rafael Palmeiro

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, HR – 18, RBI – 54, AVG - .348, SLG - .596

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Texas 4/13, (in 6 AB) at KC Royals 6/23 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 9/29

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Texas 4/13, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 9/29

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 18

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 7 at Texas 4/13

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 806

Put Outs – 267

Assists – 528

Errors – 11

DP - 114

Pct. - .986

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL at SS)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Cal Ripken Jr., Balt.: 318 points – 15 of 28 first place votes, 81% share

Cecil Fielder, Det.: 286 points – 9 first place votes, 73% share

Frank Thomas, ChiWS.: 181 points – 1 first place vote, 46% share

Jose Canseco, Oak.: 145 points – 37% share

Joe Carter, Tor.: 136 points – 1 first place vote, 35% share

(2 first place votes for Roberto Alomar, Tor., who ranked sixth)

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Orioles went 67-95 to finish sixth in the AL Eastern Division, 24 games behind the division-winning Toronto Blue Jays. A 6-14 stretch in April into May dropped the Orioles into the AL East cellar. Manager Frank Robinson was replaced by John Oates on May 23 which yielded no immediate improvement, but a 14-14 June gave the club it’s only non-losing month on the way to a sixth-place finish.

Aftermath of ‘91:

The Orioles moved to a new stadium at Camden Yards in 1992 and Ripken’s batting dropped to .251 with 14 home runs and 72 RBIs. He remained a Gold Glove performer in the field. A sprained knee put his consecutive game streak at risk in 1993 but he played through the injury and hit .257 with 24 home runs and 90 RBIs while still performing well in the field. In the strike-shortened 1994 season Ripken’s average rose to .315 with 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. The focus in 1995 was the pursuit of Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game record which he surpassed by playing in his 2131st straight game on September 6. It was a much-needed bright spot at a time in which labor issues were significantly denting baseball’s popularity. For the year, Ripken batted 262 with 17 home runs and 88 RBIs. The streak continued into 1996 as Ripken passed Japan’s Sachio Kinugasa, who held the world record of 2215 consecutive games played. He was also briefly shifted to third base in 1997. Dealing with back problems he hit .278 with 26 home runs and 102 RBIs. The move to third base became full-time in 1997, a year in which he batted .270 with 17 home runs and 84 RBIs while still appearing in every game and committing just eight errors at third base. The consecutive game streak finally came to an end at Ripken’s request in September of 1998, having reached a total of 2632. His batting production dropped to .271 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs. He played three more seasons until retiring in 2001. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Orioles, Ripken, over the course of 3001 games, batted .276 with 3184 hits that included 603 doubles, 44 triples, and 431 home runs. He further scored 1647 runs and compiled 1695 RBIs and a .340 on-base percentage. Appearing in 28 postseason games, he hit .336 with one home run and 8 RBIs. A 19-time All-Star, Ripken was also a two-time MVP and Gold Glove recipient. The Orioles retired his #8 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The consecutive game streak stands as a testament to Ripken’s dedication and consistency. He remained involved in philanthropic activities following his retirement, as well as youth baseball activities. He also owns a minor league team that is affiliated with the Orioles, the Aberdeen IronBirds. His brother Billy remained his teammate until 1992, and again in 1996, on his way to a twelve-year career that ended in 1998.

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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.