MVP Profile: Dustin Pedroia, 2008

Second Baseman, Boston Red Sox

Age:  25 (Aug. 17)

2^nd season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 2008:

A native of Woodland, California, Pedroia played Little League baseball, where he pitched and played shortstop. Small but a tough competitor (which would prove to be lasting traits), he also played quarterback on his high school football team until suffering a broken ankle. As a freshman at Arizona State in 2002, he batted .347 and in 2003 he led the Pacific-10 Conference in runs scored (83), hits (120), and doubles (34). He was selected as a second-team All-American by Baseball America. Pedroia also played in the Pan American Games with Team USA. After hitting .394 with ASU in 2004, he was selected by the Red Sox in the amateur draft and signed for a $575,000 bonus. Splitting time in 2004 with Class A Augusta and advanced Class A Sarasota he batted a combined .357 in 42 games. In 2005 he played for the Portland Sea Dogs of the Class AA Eastern League and the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Class AAA International League and hit a combined .294 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, and 64 RBIs along with a .385 on-base percentage. Furthermore, he was rated as the best defensive second baseman in the Eastern League by Baseball America. Pedroia was also named to the International League All-Star team as a utility player (he appeared at second and third base as well as shortstop for Pawtucket). With Pawtucket in 2006, he batted .305 in 111 games and received a late-callup to Boston. Appearing in 31 games, mostly at second base, he batted just .191 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. Impressed with his progress through the minor leagues and his excellent batting discipline as well as defensive skill, the Red Sox projected Pedroia to be the starting second baseman in 2007. He had a Rookie of the Year season for the World Series-winning club, batting .317 with 39 doubles, 8 home runs, and 50 RBIs

2008 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

2B – 157, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 726 [4]

At Bats – 653 [3]

Runs – 118 [1]

Hits – 213 [1, tied with Ichiro Suzuki]

Doubles – 54 [1]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 17

RBI – 83

Bases on Balls – 50

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 52

Stolen Bases – 20 [15, tied with Jason Bartlett & Coco Crisp]

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .326 [2]

OBP - .376 [10, tied with Magglio Ordonez]

Slugging Pct. - .493 [19]

Total Bases – 322 [4]

GDP – 17 [20, tied with Jim Thome & Paul Konerko]

Hit by Pitches – 7

Sac Hits – 7 [12, tied with five others]

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

League-leading runs scored were +6 ahead of runner-up Curtis Granderson

League-leading doubles were +3 ahead of runner-up Brian Roberts

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 28, HR – 9, RBI – 47, SB – 9, AVG - .314, OBP - .358, SLG - .458

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) vs. Texas 8/12

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

Most HR, game – 1 on seventeen occasions

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 10

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Baltimore 9/2

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 2 (1.000) with 1 R, 1 2B & 2 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 733

Put Outs – 279

Assists – 448

Errors – 6

DP - 101

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 11 G (ALDS vs. LAA 4 G; ALCS vs. TB – 7 G)

PA – 52, AB – 43, R – 9, H – 10, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 3, RBI – 6, BB – 7, IBB – 0, SO – 5, SB – 2, CS – 1, AVG - .233, OBP - .365, SLG - .488, TB – 21, GDP – 1, HBP – 2, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL at 2B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Dustin Pedroia, Bos.: 317 points - 16 of 28 first place votes, 81% share

Justin Morneau, Min.: 257 points – 7 first place votes, 66% share

Kevin Youkilis, Bos.: 201 points – 2 first place votes, 51% share

Joe Mauer, Min.: 188 points – 2 first place votes, 48% share

Carlos Quentin, ChiWS.: 160 points – 41% share

(1 first place vote for Francisco Rodriguez, LAA, who ranked sixth)

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Red Sox went 95-67 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Tampa Bay Rays and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the league in bases on balls drawn (646) and OBP (.358). The Red Sox had a 57-40 first half and spent 63 days in first place until losing two of three games at Tampa Bay in mid-September, taking the wild card slot instead. Won ALDS over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 3 games to 1. Lost ALCS to the Tampa Bay Rays, 4 games to 3.

Aftermath of 2008:

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

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

Cy Young Profile: Greg Maddux, 1995

Pitcher, Atlanta Braves

Age:  29 (April 14)

3^rd season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 1995:

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 changeup, 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 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. Maddux won another Cy Young Award following the strike-shortened 1994 season when he went 16-6 with a 1.56 ERA. 10 complete games, and 3 shutouts.

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in 28 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 28

Games Started – 28

Complete Games – 10 [1]

Wins – 19 [1]

Losses – 2

PCT - .905 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [1, tied with Hideo Nomo]

Innings Pitched – 209.2 [1, tied with Denny Neagle]

Hits – 147

Runs – 39

Earned Runs – 38

Home Runs – 8

Bases on Balls – 23

Strikeouts – 181 [3]

ERA – 1.63 [1]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading complete games were +3 ahead of runner-up Mark Leiter

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Pete Schourek

League-leading win pct was +.185 ahead of runner-up Pete Schourek

League-leading ERA was -0.91 lower than runner-up Hideo Nomo

Midseason Snapshot: 8-1, ERA - 1.64, SO - 86 in 104.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 7/1

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Houston 5/28

Batting

PA – 81, AB – 72, R – 8, H – 11, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 3, SO – 22, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .153, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 71

Put Outs – 18

Assists – 53

Errors – 0

DP – 3

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 5 (NLDS vs. Colorado – 2 G, NLCS vs. Cincinnati – 1 G, World Series vs. Cleveland – 2 G)

GS – 5, CG – 1, Record – 3-1, PCT – .750, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 38, H – 35, R – 14, ER – 12, HR – 4, BB – 7, SO – 19, ERA – 2.84, HB – 2, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star

3^rd in NL MVP voting (249 points, 7 first place votes, 64% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

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

Pete Schourek, Cin.: 55 points – 39% share

Tom Glavine, Atl.: 30 points – 21% share

Hideo Nomo, LAD: 29 points – 21% share

Ramon Martinez, LAD: 8 points – 6% share

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Braves went 90-54 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 21 games over the New York Mets & Philadelphia Phillies. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.44), complete games (18), strikeouts (1087), and fewest hits allowed (1184). Falling five games behind the division-leading Phillies in June, the Braves put together a 20-7 July that started with a 9-game winning streak and ended with the club in first place by 8.5 games. They coasted to the NL East title. Won NLDS over the Colorado Rockies, 3 games to 1. Won NLCS over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 0. Won World Series over the Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 1995:

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.   

Cy Young Profile: Randy Johnson, 2002

Pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks

Age:  39 (Sept. 10)

4^th season with Diamondbacks

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’10” Weight: 225 

Prior to 2002:

A native of California, Johnson starred in baseball and basketball in high school. He received a scholarship to USC for both sports and was originally drafted as an amateur by the Braves in 1982, without signing a contract. Johnson spent three seasons playing college baseball and was drafted by Montreal in 1985, this time signing. With his great pitching speed, he moved up quickly through the minor league system, where he worked on his control. Johnson made his first major league appearance with the Expos late in the 1988 season, after having gone 8-7 with a 3.26 ERA for Class AAA Indianapolis, and started four games, compiling a 3-0 record and 2.42 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. Off to an 0-4 start in 1989, “The Big Unit” was traded to Seattle in May and went 7-9 in 22 starts with his new club and had a 4.40 ERA. In 1990, Johnson pitched the first no-hitter in franchise history against Detroit as part of a breakout season in which he compiled a 14-11 record with 3.65 ERA and continued to struggle with his control while leading the AL with 120 walks to go along with 194 strikeouts in 219.2 innings. He was also an All-Star for the first time. Continuing to improve, Johnson accumulated over 200 strikeouts for the first time in 1991 (228) and led the league for the first of four consecutive years with 241 in ’92 (the last of three straight seasons in which he topped the circuit in walks). He was again an All-Star in 1993, a year in which he compiled a 19-8 record and was 13-6 during the strike-abbreviated 1994 season. In 1995 the Mariners reached the postseason for the first time in franchise history and Johnson contributed an 18-2 record and AL-leading 294 strikeouts and 2.48 ERA. He received the AL Cy Young Award for his performance. In 1996 major back surgery limited “The Big Unit” to eight games, but he rebounded with a 20-4 record and 291 strikeouts in ’97. With talk of a trade swirling throughout the 1998 season, Johnson got off to a 9-10 record and 4.33 ERA before being dealt to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline. He helped his new club to a division title with a 10-1 record and 1.28 ERA. Entering the free agent market, Johnson signed a four-year contract worth $52 million with the second-year Diamondbacks in 1999. He had an excellent season for Arizona in ’99, posting a 17-9 record while leading the NL in ERA (2.48), strikeouts (364), innings pitched (271.2), and complete games (12), garnering another Cy Young Award. The team topped the NL West, although the Diamondbacks lost to the Mets in the NLDS. Johnson followed up with another Cy Young Award-winning season in 2000, compiling a 19-7 record with 347 strikeouts and a 2.64 ERA for the 85-77 Diamondbacks. “The Big Unit” made it three straight Cy Young awards in 2001, going 21-6 with a 2.49 ERA and 372 strikeouts. He created a productive tandem with RHP Curt Schilling, who had been acquired midway through the 2000 season, and Arizona went on to win the World Series, in which Johnson and Schilling were co-MVPs, with Johnson winning Game 7 in relief.

2002 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [2, tied with Curt Schilling]

Complete Games – 8 [1]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 5

PCT - .828 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [2]

Innings Pitched – 260 [1]

Hits – 197 [19, tied with Kip Wells]

Runs – 78

Earned Runs – 67

Home Runs – 26 [11, tied with four others]

Bases on Balls – 71 [18, tied with Kip Wells & Livan Hernandez]

Strikeouts – 334 [1]

ERA – 2.32 [1]

Hit Batters – 13 [5]

Balks – 2 [3, tied with thirteen others]

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runner-up A.J. Burnett

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Curt Schilling

League-leading win percentage was +.039 ahead of runner-up Wade Miller

League-leading innings pitched were +.9 ahead of runner-up Curt Schilling

League-leading strikeouts were +18 ahead of runner-up Curt Schilling

League-leading ERA was -0.30 lower than runner-up Greg Maddux

Midseason Snapshot: 12-3, ERA - 2.47, SO - 171 in 138.2 IP 

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Most strikeouts, game – 17 (in 9 IP) vs. Colorado 4/21/ (in 9 IP) vs. Milwaukee 9/14

10+ strikeout games – 15

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Colorado 4/21, (in 9 IP) at NY Mets 8/5, (in 8 IP) at Cincinnati 8/15

Batting

PA – 99, AB – 89, R – 4, H – 12, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 40, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .135, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 27

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 20

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .926

 

Postseason Pitching: G – 1 (NLDS vs. St. Louis)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 6, H – 10, R – 6, ER – 5, HR – 2, BB – 2, SO – 4, ERA – 7.50, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award; BBWAA

All-Star

7^th in NL MVP voting (127 points, 28% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Randy Johnson, Ariz: 160 points – 32 of 32 first place votes, 100% share

Curt Schilling, Ariz.: 90 points – 56% share

John Smoltz, Atl.: 21 points – 13% share

Eric Gagne, LAD: 8 points – 5% share

Roy Oswalt, Hou.: 8 points – 5% share

Bartolo Colon, Mon.: 1 point – 1% share

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Diamondbacks went 98-64 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 2.5 games over the San Francisco Giants. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (14), and fewest walks issued (421). Off to a 34-20 start and first in the NL West by the end of May, the Diamondbacks were five games up by July’s end. Battling the Dodgers and Giants, they cooled off briefly in September but finally wrapped up the division title on Sept. 28. Lost NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘02:

Knee surgery cut short Johnson’s 2003 season and his record dropped to 6-8 with a 4.26 ERA.  Off to a 3-4 start at age 40 in 2004, Johnson pitched a perfect game against Atlanta. He went on to a 16-14 record and 2.60 ERA and league-leading 290 strikeouts. Looking to shed salary in 2005, the Diamondbacks dealt Johnson to the New York Yankees where he won another 34 games over two seasons before returning to Arizona in 2007. Johnson spent 2007 and ’08 with the Diamondbacks before finishing out his career with San Francisco in 2009. For his major league career, Johnson appeared in 618 games, 603 of which were starts, and compiled 303 wins and 166 losses with a 3.29 ERA and 4875 strikeouts, the second highest total in MLB history to date. His record with Arizona alone was 118-62 with a 2.83 ERA and 2077 strikeouts.  He added another 14 wins in the postseason against 18 losses. He compiled five 300-strikeout seasons, was chosen to ten All-Star Games and won five Cy Young Awards (one in the AL and 4 in the NL with the Diamondbacks). Johnson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. His #51 was retired by the Diamondbacks.

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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: Willie Mays, 1965

Outfielder, San Francisco Giants

Age:  34 (May 6)

14^th season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1965:

An Alabama native, Mays was the son of a father who played semipro baseball and a mother who was a high school track and basketball star. His high school lacking a baseball team, Mays played second base and center field as a teammate of his father with a club in the Fairfield Industrial League. He also played semipro ball and briefly was with the Chattanooga Choo-Choos in 1947, which was a minor affiliate of the Negro American League Birmingham Black Barons. In 1948, at age 17, he joined the Black Barons on a part-time basis while he finished high school and batted .262 in 61 at bats. Still with Birmingham in 1949, Mays hit .311 in 75 games and was impressive defensively in center field. Following a strong start with Birmingham in 1950, Mays was signed by the Giants for $250 per month with a $4000 signing bonus. Initially assigned to Trenton of the Class B Interstate League, where he was the first black player, over the course of 81 games he hit .353 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, and 4 home runs. Mays started the 1951 season with the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AAA American Association and was batting .477 after 35 games, when he was called up to the Giants at the behest of manager Leo Durocher. He was immediately installed in center field and, despite a slow start, he went on to bat .274 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs as the club got hot down the stretch and forced a season-extending playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers to decide the pennant. The Giants won thanks to a walk-off home run by Bobby Thomson and went on to lose the World Series to the New York Yankees. Mays received NL Rookie of the Year recognition. He was limited to 34 games in 1952 before being inducted into the Army. Mays missed the remainder of the ’52 season and all of 1953, but he played service baseball. Returning to the Giants in 1954 he went on a home run tear to start the season on the way to batting a league-leading .345 with 33 doubles, a NL-high 13 triples, 41 home runs, and 110 RBIs. The Giants won the pennant and Mays was the league MVP. In the World Series sweep of the Cleveland Indians, he made a brilliant defensive play in Game 1 at the Polo Grounds to chase a ball hit over his head by Cleveland first baseman Vic Wertz, making an over-the shoulder catch and whirling to make a throw to the infield that kept runners from advancing. The Giants dropped to third in 1955 but Mays hit .319 with 127 RBIs and topped the league with 13 triples, 51 home runs, a .659 slugging percentage, and 382 total bases. He also led all NL outfielders in assists (23) and double plays (8). The home runs dropped to 36 in 1956, but with his speed and daring on the basepaths he led the league with 40 stolen bases. He further compiled 84 RBIs and hit .296. In the Giants’ final season in New York in 1957, Mays led the NL in triples (20), slugging (.625), and stolen bases (38), while hitting 35 home runs with 97 RBIs and a .333 batting average. With the move to San Francisco in 1958, he was joined in the lineup by power-hitting rookie first baseman Orlando Cepeda and Mays led the NL with 121 runs scored and 31 stolen bases to go along with 33 doubles, 11 triples, 29 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a .347 average. After being enormously popular in New York, he found the San Francisco fans slow to warm up to him and there was a racial incident when he sought to buy a house in the city. The local sportswriters were slow to warm up as well and he had a less pleasant relationship with manager Bill Rigney than the one he had enjoyed with Leo Durocher. A charismatic, enthusiastic, and energetic player known as “the Sey Hey Kid” due to his standard greeting, who did flashy things on the field like utilize a basket catch, he was prone to bouts of nervous exhaustion throughout his career and was briefly hospitalized during the season for rest. Another power-hitting rookie first baseman, Willie McCovey, joined the Giants during the 1959 season and the team contended for the NL pennant (McCovey would later go on to become the strong lefthanded bat behind Mays in the lineup). Mays contributed a .313 average, 34 home runs, 104 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, and his usual impressive play in center field, despite suffering leg and hand injuries. The move into Candlestick Park in 1960 diminished Mays’ power numbers, although he hit well on the road and led the NL with 190 hits while also batting .319 with 29 home runs and 103 RBIs. In 1961 he had his greatest single-game hitting performance as he homered a record-tying four times in a game against the Braves at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. Benefiting from the presence of Cepeda batting behind him, Mays hit .308 with 40 home runs, 123 RBIs, and scored a league-leading 129 runs. The Giants won the NL pennant in 1962 and “the Say Hey Kid” contributed a league-high 49 home runs along with 141 RBIs and a .304 average. He was at his best down the stretch, despite passing out in the dugout in Cincinnati as a result of fatigue, as the Giants battled the Dodgers and ended up facing off in a season-extending playoff. He was narrowly edged out in the league MVP voting by LA shortstop Maury Wills. Mays, now the highest paid player at $105,000, had a rough first half in 1963 that led some observers to speculate that he was slowing down at age 32. He picked up the pace in the season’s second half to finish at .314 with 38 home runs and 103 RBIs. With the Giants contending in 1964, Mays led the NL with 47 home runs and a .607 slugging percentage while batting .296 with 111 RBIs.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

CF – 148, PH – 9, RF – 4, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 638

At Bats – 558

Runs – 118 [2]

Hits – 177 [11, tied with Deron Johnson & Jim Ray Hart]

Doubles – 21

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 52 [1]

RBI – 112 [3]

Bases on Balls – 76 [6, tied with Ron Fairly]

Int. BB – 16 [4, tied with John Edwards]

Strikeouts – 71

Stolen Bases – 9 [20, tied with Donn Clendenon, Curt Flood & Jim Gilliam]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .317 [3]

OBP - .398 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .645 [1]

Total Bases – 360 [1]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 2

League-leading home runs were +13 ahead of runner-up Willie McCovey

League-leading OBP was +.012 ahead of runner-up Frank Robinson

League-leading slugging percentage was +.085 ahead of runner-up Hank Aaron

League-leading total bases were +4 ahead of runner-up Billy Williams

Midseason snapshot: HR – 23, RBI – 59, AVG - .339, SLG - .657, OBP - .414

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at St. Louis 5/5 – 10 innings, (in 6 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 6/20 – 15 innings

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 5/7, (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 8/5, (in 3 AB) at St. Louis 8/7, (in 5 AB) vs. Houston 9/8

HR at home – 24

HR on road – 28

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at St. Louis 8/7, vs. Houston 9/8

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 6 (.000) with 3 BB

Fielding

Chances – 356

Put Outs – 337

Assists – 13

Errors – 6

DP – 4

Pct. - .983

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for NL in CF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Willie Mays, SF: 224 points – 9 of 20 first place votes, 80% share

Sandy Koufax, LAD: 177 points – 6 first place votes, 63% share

Maury Wills, LAD: 164 points – 5 first place votes, 59% share

Deron Johnson, Cin.: 108 points – 39% share

Don Drysdale, LAD: 77 points – 28% share

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Giants went 95-67 to finish second in the NL, 2 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers while leading the league in fewest batter strikeouts (844). Locked in a tight race with the Dodgers, the Giants moved 4.5 games ahead of LA thanks to a 14-game September winning streak. The Dodgers responded with a 13-game streak of their own while the Giants closed out at 7-8, allowing LA to win the pennant.

Aftermath of ‘65:

Mays remained highly productive in 1966, hitting .288 with 37 home runs and 103 RBIs. Along the way he passed Jimmie Foxx to reach second on the all-time home run list at the time. Problems with injury and illness limited him to a .263 average with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs in 1967, although he still was an All-Star and received a Gold Glove. His average rebounded to .289 in 1968 along with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs. Mays reached 600 career home runs in 1969 in a year in which he totaled only 13 with 58 RBIs and a .283 average. He reached 3000 hits in 1970 as he batted .291 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs. The Giants won the NL West in 1971 and Mays contributed 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, and league-leading totals in walks drawn (112) and on-base percentage (.425). He played 48 games at first base in addition to 84 in center field to rest his aging legs. Seeking a long-term contract entering 1972, and now making $160,000 per year, he was dealt to the New York Mets in May. In his return to New York he homered in his first at bat, one of 8 for the year for the 41-year-old slugger. He again split his time between center field and first base and received a salary boost from his new club to $175,000 with a guarantee of $50,000 per year following his retirement if he remained a coach for the team. He lasted one more year as a player in 1973, struggling with rib and knee injuries and appearing in 66 games. For his career, Mays batted .302 with 3283 hits that included 523 doubles, 140 triples, and 660 home runs. He further scored 2062 runs and compiled 1903 RBIs and 338 stolen bases, as well as drawing 1464 walks. He compiled twelve 100-run seasons, eleven 30-home run seasons, which included two over 50 and six with at least 40, and ten 100-RBI years. With the Giants he batted .304 with 3187 hits, 504 doubles, 139 triples, 646 home runs, 1859 RBIs, 336 stolen bases, and 2011 runs scored. Appearing in 25 postseason games, Mays hit .247 with a home run and 10 RBIs. A 24-time All-Star (where he often showcased his impressive talents) he placed in the top ten in NL MVP voting twelve times, including two wins. He also received 12 Gold Gloves. The Giants retired his #24 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.

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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: Bill Virdon, 1955

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  24 (June 9)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1955:

Born in Michigan, Virdon moved with his family to Missouri during the Depression and excelled in basketball, football, and track at West Plains High School, which didn’t have a baseball team. Having played baseball in informal leagues, he went to Kansas following his junior year and successfully tried out for an American Amateur Baseball Congress squad, initially playing shortstop until being moved to center field due to his speed and athletic ability. Signed by the New York Yankees for an $1800 bonus, Virdon began his pro career in 1950 with Independence of the Class D Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League where he refined his skills in center field and batted .268 with 29 doubles, 10 triples, and 6 home runs. Promoted to the Kansas City Blues of the Class AAA American Association later in the season, he hit .342 in 14 games. Assigned to the Norfolk Tars of the Class B Piedmont League in 1951 he hit .286 with 30 extra-base hits. Moving on to Binghamton of the Class A Eastern League in 1952, Virdon batted just .261 but was impressive in the outfield. One of many outfield prospects for the Yankees, he started 1953 with Birmingham of the Class AA Southern Association where his hitting improved as he concentrated on spraying line drives to all fields. Batting .317 in 42 games, he moved up to Class AAA Kansas City once more, where he hit only .233, but with a .305 on-base percentage. Dealt to the Cardinals in a spring trade in 1954, Virdon was assigned to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League where he hit a league-leading .333 with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 22 home runs, and 98 RBIs., With his trademark round, wire-rimmed glasses, which Virdon credited with helping his hitting, and following a successful winter season in Cuba he made the Cardinals in 1955 as the starting center fielder.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in 144 games

CF – 110, RF – 33, PH – 8, LF – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 586

At Bats – 534

Runs – 58

Hits – 150

Doubles – 18

Triples – 6 [17, tied with Duke Snider, Gus Bell & Jerry Lynch]

Home Runs – 17

RBI – 68

Bases on Balls – 36

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 64 [17]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 4 [19, tied with ten others]

Average - .281

OBP - .322

Slugging Pct. - .433

Total Bases – 231

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 6 [16, tied with ten others]

Sac Flies – 9 [2, tied with Willie Jones, Roy Campanella & Del Ennis]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 12, 3B – 2, HR - 10, RBI - 35, AVG - .307, OBP – .360

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Milwaukee 5/6

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. NY Giants 8/3

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 4

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 3 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 6 (.167) with 1 RBI & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 358

Put Outs – 339

Assists – 7

Errors – 12

DP – 1

Pct. - .966

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA 

NL ROY Voting:

Bill Virdon, StL: 15 of 24 votes, 63% share

Jack Meyer, Phila.: 7 votes, 29% share

Don Bessent, Brook.: 2 votes, 8% share

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Cardinals went 68-86 to finish seventh in the NL, 30.5 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers. The Cardinals were off to a disappointing 17-19 start when manager Eddie Stanky was replaced by Harry Walker in May, but the club still slid to its lowest finish since 1919.

Aftermath of ‘55:

Virdon slumped at the plate at the start of the 1956 season and was batting .211 when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in May. Joining a perennially losing club, his bat suddenly turned potent and he ended up hitting a combined .319 with 23 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .361 OBP. He picked up the nickname “Quail” from radio broadcaster Bob Prince due to his propensity for bloop hits and became one of the young players that helped the Pirates to rise in the standings. Adding his glove in center field to Roberto Clemente in right and Lee Walls in left made for a formidable defensive outfield. Although his average dropped to .251 in 1957, Virdon delivered 28 doubles, 11 triples, and 8 home runs and remained highly capable in the outfield, now joined by Bob Skinner in left. Pittsburgh finished second in the NL in 1958 and Virdon batted .267 with 24 doubles, 11 triples, 9 home runs, and 46 RBIs. He added 10 assists and 396 put outs as he skillfully patrolled the spacious center field in Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field. He led NL outfielders with 16 assists in 1959, when he also hit .254 with 24 doubles and 8 home runs. The Pirates won the National League pennant in 1960 and Virdon contributed 8 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .264 average along with a .326 OBP and .406 slugging percentage. In the seven-game World Series victory over the Yankees (his only postseason appearance), he added 7 hits and 5 RBIs while making several outstanding defensive plays. Pittsburgh dropped to sixth place in 1961 but Virdon hit .260 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 9 home runs, 58 RBIs, and a .313 OBP while still providing quality defense in center field. He received his only career Gold Glove in 1962, a year in which, offensively, he led the league with 10 triples while batting .247 with 6 home runs, 47 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. In three more seasons with the Pirates, he became more erratic at the plate, although still appreciated for his defense. He retired after the 1965 season, with the intent of going into coaching, although he was briefly activated in 1968, during which time he hit his last home run. For his major league career, he batted .267 with 1596 hits that included 237 doubles, 81 triples, and 91 home runs. Virdon scored 735 runs and further compiled 502 RBIs, 47 stolen bases, a .316 OBP, and .379 slugging percentage. In his brief time with the Cardinals, he batted .273 with 68 runs scored, 165 hits, 20 doubles, 6 triples, 19 home runs, 77 RBIs, 2 stolen bases, a .316 OBP, and a .420 slugging percentage. A talented player, most appreciated for his defense, the low-key and cerebral Virdon made clear his intention to become a coach or manager following his playing career. After spending two years as a coach in the Mets organization, he returned to the Pirates as a coach in 1968. He became manager in 1972, following Danny Murtaugh’s retirement after the ’71 World Series-winning season (and after managing in the Puerto Rican winter league). After a division-winning season in ’72, he was fired in 1973 near the end of a disappointing campaign. Virdon next managed the New York Yankees in 1974 and most of 1975, when he was replaced with the fiery Billy Martin. Hired by the Houston Astros the week following his dismissal in New York, he managed the club until 1982, during which time Houston reached the postseason for the first time in 1980. His final managerial stop was with the Montreal Expos in 1983 and ’84, although he acted as a coach with the Pirates, Astros, and Cardinals in later years. His major league managerial record was 995-921. He received Manager of the Year recognition with the Yankees in 1974 and the Astros in 1980. Virdon died in 2021 at age 90.

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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: Bob Welch, 1990

Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

Age:  33

3^rd season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1990:

A Michigan native, Welch excelled in basketball, as well as baseball, at Hazel Park High School. The lanky pitcher with an outstanding fastball was chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the 1974 amateur draft. Accepting a scholarship offer from Eastern Michigan University instead of turning professional at that time, he pitched two no-hitters (one of them a perfect game) as a sophomore. Traveling to Japan as part of a collegiate All-Star team during the ensuing summer, he pitched well but also engaged in reckless behavior due to heavy drinking. Hindered by a sore arm as a junior, he was still selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers 20^th overall in the 1977 amateur draft. Signing with the Dodgers, Welch was initially assigned to San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League where he went 4-5 in 14 starts with a 4.44 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched. In 1978 with the Albuquerque Dukes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, he showed improvement as he got off to a 5-1 start and a 3.78 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 69 innings. Called up to the Dodgers in June, he made an immediate impact as a starter and reliever, pitching three shutouts as part of his 7-4 record with a 2.02 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 111.1 innings. He impressed teammates and manager Tommy Lasorda with his competitive drive and temperament. The Dodgers won their second straight NL West title and Welch was utilized out of the bullpen in the postseason as the club advanced to a World Series rematch with the New York Yankees. The 20-year-old rookie closed out Game 2 by striking out Yankee slugger Reggie Jackson with two runners on base and two out to preserve a 4-3 win and put LA ahead by 2 games to none. That would prove to be the high point for the Dodgers and Welch. New York won the next four games and the title and Welch gave up three runs in four innings, including a home run to Jackson. In 1979, arm problems combined with entering a rehab to deal with his problem drinking limited Welch to 25 appearances (12 of them starts) and a 5-6 record with a 3.98 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. He bounced back in 1980 and was an All-Star on his way to a 14-9 tally (that included a one-hit shutout against Atlanta) with a 3.29 ERA and 141 strikeouts while accumulating 213.2 innings, although arm soreness hindered him during the season’s second half. Welch was again solid during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, posting a 9-5 mark in 23 starts along with a 3.44 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 141.1 innings. The Dodgers won the World Series against the Yankees although Welch failed to record an out in his one Series start. In 1982, the Dodgers fell short in the NL West although Welch went 16-11 with a 3.36 ERA and 176 strikeouts. LA returned to the top of the division in 1983 and Welch was consistently effective in posting a 15-12 record with a 2.65 ERA with three shutouts and 156 strikeouts over 204 innings. The club lost to the Phillies in the NLCS and Welch lost in his one start. In a rough year for the Dodgers in 1984, Welch went 13-13 with a 3.78 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 178.2 innings pitched. The Dodgers won the NL West in 1985 and Welch, who made only one start during the first two months of the season due to a sore elbow, contributed a 14-4 record with a 2.31 ERA and 96 strikeouts while compiling 167.1 innings along with 8 complete games and 3 shutouts. He had a rough outing in his only start during the NLCS loss to St. Louis. The club dropped to fifth place in 1986, and while Welch produced a decent 3.28 ERA, his record was only 7-13. In 1987 his tally improved to 15-9 along with a 3.22 ERA and 196 strikeouts. In the offseason he was traded to Oakland, an up-and -coming team in the AL West. Welch proved to be a valuable contributor to a pennant-winning club in 1988, posting a 17-9 tally with a 3.64 ERA and 158 strikeouts over 244.2 innings pitched. He also developed a forkball to complement his fastball, curve, and changeup. Oakland again topped the AL in 1989 and Welch went 17-8 with a 3.00 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 209.2 innings. He did not pitch in the earthquake-interrupted World Series triumph over the San Francisco Giants, although he had been scheduled to start the opening game which was preempted by the quake. By 1990 Welch was a successful starting pitcher for an outstanding team.  

1990 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [3, tied with Melido Perez]

Complete Games – 2

Wins – 27 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .818 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [6, tied with ten others]

Innings Pitched – 238 [3]

Hits – 214 [7, tied with Todd Stottlemyre & Allan Anderson]

Runs – 90

Earned Runs – 78

Home Runs – 26 [4, tied with Jack Morris & Randy Johnson]

Bases on Balls – 77 [17, tied with Jack McDowell, Dan Petry & Greg Harris]

Strikeouts – 127

ERA – 2.95 [6]

Hit Batters – 5

Balks – 2 [8, tied with eleven others]

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading wins were +5 ahead of runner-up Dave Stewart

League-leading win percentage was +0.4 ahead of runner-up Roger Clemens

 

Midseason Snapshot: 13-3, ERA - 2.91, SO - 58 in 123.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 on five occasions

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 8 IP) vs. Minnesota 9/15

Fielding

Chances – 51

Put Outs – 20

Assists – 31

Errors – 0

DP – 2

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (ALCS vs. Boston, 1 G, World Series vs. Cincinnati, 1 G)

GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 14.2, H – 15, R – 5, ER – 5, HR – 0, BB – 5, SO – 6, ERA – 3.07, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL)

9^th in AL MVP voting (54 points, 14% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 4):

Bob Welch, Oak.: 107 points – 15 of 28 first place votes, 76% share

Roger Clemens, Bos.: 77 points – 8 first place votes, 55% share

Dave Stewart, Oak.: 43 points – 3 first place votes, 31% share

Bobby Thigpen, ChiWS.: 20 points – 2 first place votes, 14% share

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Athletics went 103-59 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 9 games over the Chicago White Sox. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.18), shutouts (16), fewest hits allowed (1287), and fewest runs allowed (570). The A’s started and ended fast on their way to a third straight AL West title, and despite significant injuries that allowed their depth and pitching strength to be highlighted. Won ALCS over the Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 0, for their third straight pennant. Lost World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘90:

Welch suffered through a 12-13 season in 1991 with a 4.58 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 220 innings pitched. In 1992, shoulder and knee injuries sidelined him until May and in 20 starts he posted an 11-7 tally with 47 strikeouts. His 1993 output dropped to 9-11 with a 5.29 ERA and 63 strikeouts while pitching 166.2 innings. Welch lasted just one more mediocre season in 1994 prior to retiring. For his major league career his record was 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA, 61 complete games, 28 shutouts, 8 saves, and 1969 strikeouts while accumulating 3092 innings. With Oakland he was 96-60 with a 3.94 ERA, 14 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 677 strikeouts in 1271.1 innings. Pitching in 17 postseason games (9 of them starts) he was 3-3 with a 4.56 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 49.1 innings. Welch was a two-time All-Star and received Cy Young Award votes three times, winning once. Following his playing career he managed the Valley Vipers of the independent minor Western League in 2000 and was pitching coach for The Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Welch died after a fall in his California home in 2014 at age 57.

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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.