MVP Profile: Albert Pujols, 2005

First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  25

5^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 240 

Prior to 2005:

A native of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Pujols immigrated to Independence, Missouri with his father and grandmother at age 16. Impressive in high school and after attending Metropolitan Community College – Maple Woods, he was drafted by the Cardinals in the 1999 amateur draft. He spent most of 2000 with the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League and batted .324 with 32 doubles, 17 home runs, and 84 RBIs, earning quick advancement to the Carolina League and Memphis of the Pacific Coast League to finish out the year. He primarily played third base in his quick rise through the minors. Entering 2001 he was expected to be a reserve for the Cardinals but played his way into the lineup. He started out fast by driving in 27 RBIs in April on the way to batting .329 with a .403 on-base percentage, 47 doubles, 37 home runs, and 130 RBIs. In addition to his hitting prowess, Pujols displayed versatility in filling four positions, primarily appearing at third base, first base, and in the outfield. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors in addition to being an All-Star and placing fourth in league MVP voting. Playing primarily in left field in 2002 following his outstanding rookie season, Pujols again produced impressively at the plate, batting .314 with a .394 on-base percentage along with 40 doubles, 34 home runs, and 127 RBIs. He placed second in league MVP voting. Settling in at first base in 2003, Pujols was an All-Star for the second time as he topped the National League in runs scored (137), hits (212), doubles (51), batting (.359), and total bases (394). He again was the runner-up for MVP in the NL and received a Silver Slugger. He also proved to be a good fit defensively at first base (defense had been considered the weakest aspect of his game in the earliest part of his career). The Cardinals topped the NL Central and won the league pennant in 2004 as Pujols again led the NL in runs scored (133) and total bases (389) to go along with 51 doubles, 46 home runs, 123 RBIs, a .331 average,.415 OBP, and a .657 slugging percentage. This time he placed third in MVP balloting. In the postseason Pujols was the MVP of the NLCS win over Houston with his .500 average, 4 home runs, and 9 RBIs in the seven games.

2005 Season Summary

Appeared in 161 games

1B – 157, PH – 6

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 700 [7]

At Bats – 591 [13]

Runs – 129 [1]

Hits – 195 [4]

Doubles – 38 [15, tied with Jimmy Rollins & Brian Giles]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 41 [3]

RBI – 117 [2, tied with Pat Burrell]

Bases on Balls – 97 [6]

Int. BB – 27 [1]

Strikeouts – 65

Stolen Bases – 16 [18, tied with Chase Utley & Marcus Giles]

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .330 [2]

OBP - .430 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .609 [2]

Total Bases – 360 [2]

GDP – 19 [6, tied with four others]

Hit by Pitches – 9 [19, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading runs scored were +9 ahead of runner-up Derrek Lee

League-leading int. bases on balls drawn were +4 ahead of runner-up Derrek Lee

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 20, HR – 22, RBI – 69, AVG - .337, SLG – .594, OBP – .423

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Most hits, game – 3 on seventeen occasions

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 2 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 5/9, (in 4 AB) vs. NY Mets 9/8

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 18

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cincinnati 9/30

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 5 (.400) with 2 RBI & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 1708

Put Outs – 1597

Assists – 97

Errors – 14

DP - 175

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 9 G (NLDS vs. San Diego – 3 G, NLCS vs. Houston – 6 G)

PA – 38, AB – 32, R – 7, H – 12, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 5, IBB – 3, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .375, OBP - .447, SLG -.625, TB – 20, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for NL at DH)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Albert Pujols, StL.: 378 points – 18 of 32 first place votes, 84% share

Andruw Jones, Atl.: 351 points – 13 first place votes, 78% share

Derrek Lee, ChiC.: 263 points – 1 first place vote, 59% share

Morgan Ensberg, Hou.: 160 points – 36% share

Miguel Cabrera, Fla.: 146 points – 33% share

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Cardinals went 100-62 to finish first in the NL Central Division by 11 games over the Houston Astros. Won NLDS over the San Diego Padres, 3 games to 0. Lost NLCS to the Houston Astros, 4 games to 2, but Pujols’ ninth inning three-run home run in Game 5 extended the series to a sixth game.

Aftermath of 2005:

The Cardinals topped the NL Central in 2006 with a mediocre 83-78 record, which was only the fifth best in the league, and went on to win the NL pennant and the World Series. Pujols had a typically productive season, leading the league in slugging (.671) while hitting .331 with 49 home runs, 137 RBIs, and a .431 OBP. He even received a Gold Glove for his defensive performance at first base while placing second in league MVP voting. In a down year for the team in 2007 in the wake of the improbable championship season, Pujols remained a steady force in the lineup batting .327 with 32 home runs, 103 RBIs, a .429 OBP, and a .568 slugging percentage. He received MVP recognition for a second time in 2008 as he hit .357 with 44 doubles, 37 home runs, 116 RBIs, a .462 OBP, and NL-leading totals in slugging (.653) and total bases (342). Pujols repeated as NL MVP in 2009, leading the league in runs scored (124), home runs (47), OBP (.443), slugging percentage (.658), and total bases (374) while batting .327 with 45 doubles and 135 RBIs. In the field he recorded a record 185 assists at first base. With the Cardinals trying to lock up their star first baseman with a contract extension (which failed) he had another excellent season in 2010, topping the NL in runs scored (115), home runs (42), and RBIs (118) while hitting .312 with a .414 OBP and .596 slugging percentage. He placed second in league MVP voting. The wild card-qualifying Cardinals won the NL pennant and the World Series in 2011 with Pujols contributing 37 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .299 average, .366 OBP, and .541 slugging percentage. He had a three-home run, 6-RBI performance in Game 3 of the World Series against Texas. A free agent in the offseason, he rejected a 10-year, $210 million offer from the Cardinals and signed with the Los Angeles Angels for 10 years and $254 million. Off to a slow start with his new club in 2012 that had home fans booing him, he rallied to finish at .285 with 50 doubles, 30 home runs, 105 RBIs, a.343 OBP, and a .516 slugging percentage. In the offseason he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Pujols followed up with a poor season in 2013 in which a foot injury limited him to 99 games and he hit .258 with 17 home runs, 64 RBIs, and a .330 OBP. He was utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter. Pujols performed better in 2014, appearing more regularly at first base and batting .272 with 37 doubles, 28 home runs, 105 RBIs, and a .324 OBP. Hitting well in 2015, Pujols was among the American League’s home run leaders in June and was an All-Star for the only time with the Angels. Although hindered by a foot injury that required offseason surgery, he hit .244 for the year with 40 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a .307 OBP while appearing in 157 games (95 at first base and 62 as a DH due to the foot injury). Primarily a DH in 2016, Pujols batted .268 with 31 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a .323 on-base percentage. He had one last 100-RBI season in 2017 (totaling 101) and his production continued to dwindle until he was dealt to the Dodgers during the 2021 season. A free agent in the offseason Pujols returned to the Cardinals for one last season in 2022 where, with the universal DH now in play, the 42-year-old could continue to contribute with his bat, overcoming a slow first half of the season to hit .270 with 24 home runs, 68 RBIs, a.345 OBP, and a .550 slugging percentage. Upon retirement, for his major league career Pujols batted .296 with 3384 hits that included 686 doubles, 16 triples, and 703 home runs. He scored 1914 runs and compiled 2218 RBIs and drew 1373 walks. His OBP was .374 and his slugging percentage .544. Usually able to make contact during his at bats, his strikeout total of 1404 included no 100-strikeout seasons, a rarity for sluggers in the modern era. With the Cardinals his totals were a .326 batting average with 2156 hits, 469 doubles, 15 triples, 451 home runs, 1349 RBIs, a .417OBP, a .614 slugging percentage, and 1003 walks drawn. Pujols appeared in 88 postseason games and hit .319 with 19 home runs and 54 RBIs. An 11-time All-Star, he received six Silver Sluggers. Along with winning three MVP awards, he finished in the top 10 eleven times. 

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

Cy Young Profile: Roger Clemens, 2001

Pitcher, New York Yankees

Age:  39 (Aug. 4)

3^rd season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 2001:

A native of Ohio who moved to Texas in high school, Clemens attended San Jacinto Junior College, which had a strong baseball program, before moving on to the University of Texas, passing up a contract offer from the New York Mets, who drafted him as an amateur in 1981. He was a power-pitching member of the Texas squad that won the 1983 College World Series before signing with the Red Sox, who made him a first-round draft pick that year. The highly driven Clemens climbed readily through Boston’s minor league system and joined the parent club in 1984. Somewhat unsteady as a rookie, Clemens compiled a 9-4 record with a 4.32 ERA and was shut down in September due to a tendon injury in his pitching arm. Several injuries marred his 1985 season that concluded with surgery on his right shoulder after posting a 7-5 record with 3.29 ERA in just 15 starts. “The Rocket” broke out with a dominating season in 1986 as he compiled a 24-4 record with an AL-leading 2.48 ERA. His 238 strikeouts included a single-game record 20 against Seattle. Clemens was the league MVP as well as Cy Young Award recipient. He spent ten more seasons with the Red Sox, often highlighted by controversy. He briefly walked out during spring training in 1987 over a contract dispute and overcame a slow 4-6 start to end up with another Cy Young Award-winning season, ultimately posting a 20-9 record with the fifth-place Red Sox. In 1988 he was an All-Star once again and compiled an 18-12 tally and topped the AL in complete games (18) and shutouts (7). Boston returned to the top of the AL East. Clemens led the AL in ERA in 1990 (1.93) to go along with a 21-6 mark and 209 strikeouts. Clemens led the AL in ERA for three straight years from 1990 to ’92 and won a third Cy Young Award in 1991. Clemens led the AL with a 2.41 ERA in 1992, his third straight ERA title, while also compiling an 18-11 record and 5 shutouts with 208 strikeouts. His performance slipped thereafter as his record dropped to 11-14 with a 4.46 ERA in 1993, and after a fair year in 1994, he slipped badly again in ’95. Clemens had another 20-strikeout single-game performance in 1996 on his way to a 10-13 record with a league-leading 257 strikeouts. “The Rocket” signed a three-year free agent contract worth $24.75 million with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 and won the AL Cy Young Award that year, going 21-7 with a league-best 2.05 ERA and 292 strikeouts with a fifth-place team that went 76-86 and again in 1998, when he was 20-6 and topped the circuit again in ERA (2.65) and strikeouts (271). The Blue Jays rose to third at 88-74 and Clemens requested a trade to a contending team and was dealt to the Yankees just prior to the 1999 season. He posted a 14-10 tally for the ’99 Yankees. At age 36 he was showing signs of wear as he completed only one of his 30 starts while dropping to under 200 innings pitched, and his ERA rose to 4.60. He picked up a win in the World Series triumph over Atlanta. Clemens improved in 2000 to 13-8 with a 3.70 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 204.1 innings. The Yankees were again division champs and Clemens pitched a one-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts against Seattle in the ALCS. In the World Series against the cross-town Mets, he pitched 8 shutout innings in a game better remembered for an odd altercation with Met catcher Mike Piazza who broke his bat on a play in which Clemens threw the barrel of the broken bat at him as he ran toward first as the ball rolled foul, infuriating Piazza and causing the benches to clear. The Yankees won the Series and Clemens was fined $50,000 for the broken bat incident.

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [12, tied with seven others]

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 20 [2, tied with Jamie Moyer]

Losses – 3

PCT - .870 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 220.1 [12]

Hits – 205 [18, tied with Joe Mays]

Runs – 94

Earned Runs – 86

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 72 [14]

Strikeouts – 213 [3]

ERA – 3.51 [9]

Hit Batters – 5

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 14 [1, tied with Kip Wells]

League-leading win percentage was +.060 ahead of runner-up Paul Abbott

Midseason Snapshot: 12-1, ERA - 3.55, SO - 122 in 124.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 8 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/7, (in 7 IP) at Boston 8/31

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 8 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/7

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 – 46

Put Outs – 11

Assists – 33

Errors – 2

DP – 3

Pct. - .957

Postseason Pitching: G – 5 (ALDS vs. Oakland – 2; ALCS vs. Seattle – 1; World Series vs. Arizona – 2 G)

GS – 5, CG – 0, Record – 1-1, PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 26.2, H – 20, R – 7, ER – 7, HR – 1, BB – 12, SO – 32, ERA – 2.36, HB – 3, BLK – 0, WP – 2

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL)

8^th  in AL MVP voting (67 points, 17% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 4):

Roger Clemens, NYY: 122 points – 21 of 28 first place votes, 87% share

Mark Mulder, Oak.: 60 points – 2 first place votes, 43% share

Freddy Garcia, Sea.: 55 points – 4 first place votes, 39% share

Jamie Moyer, Sea.: 12 points – 1 first place vote, 9% share

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Yankees went 95-65 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 13.5 games over the Boston Red Sox. The pitching staff led the league in saves (57) and strikeouts (1266). With Clemens sparking the pitching staff, the Yankees were 52-34 over the first half. A three-game sweep of the Red Sox to start September effectively sealed the AL East title. Won ALDS over the Oakland Athletics, 3 games to 2. Won ALCS over the Seattle Mariners, 4 games to 1. Lost World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4 games to 3. In a Series played in the shadow of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Clemens pitched 7 innings of 3-hit ball to win Game 3 as the Yankees built up a 3-games-to-2 lead.  In Game 7, in which Clemens started, the Diamondbacks overcame a 2-1 ninth inning deficit as New York’s star closer Mariano Rivera gave up 2 runs and Arizona LHP Randy Johnson, who relieved Series co-MVP Curt Schilling a day after starting and winning Game 6, came away with a 3-2 Series-clinching win.

Aftermath of 2001:

Clemens followed up with a 13-6 record in 2002 with a 4.35 ERA and 192 strikeouts while pitching 180 innings. Hinting at retirement in 2003, in which he went 17-9 with a 3.91 ERA, he followed LHP Andy Pettitte, a teammate and friend with the Yankees, to the Houston Astros as a free agent in 2004 and had an 18-4 record with a 2.98 ERA and received a seventh Cy Young Award. At age 43 in 2005, he led the NL with a 1.87 ERA as the Astros won the league pennant for the first time in franchise history. Clemens re-signed with Houston in ’06 and ended up with a 7-6 record and 2.30 ERA while the club failed to reach the postseason. Clemens returned to the Yankees for one final year in 2007. He later returned to organized baseball in 2012 at the age of 50, appearing with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. He started two games and had no decisions.  Overall, in the major leagues, he compiled a 354-184 record and 3.12 ERA with 4672 strikeouts over the course of 4916.2 innings. In the postseason he was 12-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 173 strikeouts. His numbers with Yankees were 83-42 with a 4.01 ERA and 1014 strikeouts. Controversy erupted over his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs during the later stages of his career, thus far keeping him from achieving election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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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: Fernando Valenzuela, 1981

Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  20

1^st season with Dodgers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’11” Weight: 180 

Prior to 1981:

A native of Navojoa, Mexico, Valenzuela was playing baseball professionally in 1978 at age 17 with the Guanajuato Tuzos of the Mexican Center League where he posted a 5-6 record with a 2.23 ERA and 91 strikeouts. With the league absorbed into the Mexican League in 1979, Valenzuela produced a 10-12 tally for the Yucatan Lions along with a 2.49 ERA and 141 strikeouts. The Dodgers bought his contract in 1980 and he was assigned to Lodi of the Class A California League, where he went 1-2 with a 1.13 ERA before moving up to San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League where he compiled a 13-9 record with a 3.10 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 174 innings pitched. Receiving a late-season call-up to the Dodgers he became a sensation in 10 relief appearances covering 17.2 innings in which he allowed 8 hits and no earned runs while going 2-0 with a save. An injury to LHP Jerry Reuss made Valenzuela the opening day starter in 1981.With a screwball in addition to a fastball, curve, and slider, the stocky 20-year-old utilized a novel pitching motion in which he would look straight up at one point before returning his gaze toward the batter and completing his delivery.

1981 Season Summary

Appeared in 25 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 25

Games Started – 25 [1, tied with Mike Krukow & Mario Soto]

Complete Games – 11 [1]

Wins – 13 [2, tied with Steve Carlton]

Losses – 7 [20, tied with fourteen others]

PCT - .650 [7]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 8 [1]

Innings Pitched – 192.1 [1]

Hits – 140 [15, tied with Tommy Boggs]

Runs – 55

Earned Runs – 53 [16, tied with Mike LaCoss]

Home Runs – 11 [3, tied with eight others]

Bases on Balls – 61 [6, tied with Mario Soto]

Strikeouts – 180 [1]

ERA – 2.48 [7]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runners-up Mario Soto & Steve Carlton

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Bob Knepper

League-leading innings pitched were +2.1 ahead of runner-up Steve Carlton

League-leading strikeouts were +1 ahead of runner-up Steve Carlton

Midseason Snapshot: 9-4, ERA - 2.45, SO - 103 in 110 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 8.2 IP) at St. Louis 8/22

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. Montreal 5/14, (in 9 IP) vs. Atlanta 9/17, (in 7 IP) vs. Philadelphia 5/18

Batting

PA – 71, AB – 64, R – 3, H – 16, 2B – 0, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 7, BB – 1, SO – 9, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .250, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances - 48

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 33

Errors – 3

DP – 2

Pct. - .938

Postseason Pitching: G – 5 (NLDS vs. Houston – 2 G, NLCS vs. Montreal – 2 G, World Series vs. NY Yankees – 1 G)

GS – 5, CG – 2, Record – 3-1, PCT –.750, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 40.2, H – 29, R – 10, ER – 10, HR – 2, BB – 15, SO – 26, ERA – 2.21, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 1 

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for NL)

5^th in NL MVP voting (90 points, 1 first place vote, 27% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Fernando Valenzuela, LAD: 70 points – 8 of 24 first place votes, 58% share

Tom Seaver, Cin.: 67 points – 8 first place votes, 56% share

Steve Carlton, Phila.: 50 points – 5 first place votes, 42% share

Nolan Ryan, Hou.: 28 points – 3 first place votes, 23% share

Bruce Sutter, StL.: 1 point – 1% share

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Fernando Valenzuela, LAD: 107 points – 17.5 of 24 first place votes, 89% share

Tim Raines, Mon.: 85 points – 6.5 first place votes, 71% share

Hubie Brooks, NYM: 8.5 points – 7% share

Jason Isringhausen, NYM: 4 points – 3% share

Bruce Berenyi, Cin.: 5 points – 4% share

Juan Bonilla, SD: 5 points – 4% share

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In a season which was interrupted by a players’ strike for nearly two months, the Dodgers went 36-21 in the first half, finishing first in the NL Western Division by a half game over the Cincinnati Reds. In the second season that followed the strike, they were 27-26 to finish fourth in the division, 6 games behind the first-place Houston Astros. Compiling an overall record of 63-47 the pitching staff led the league in complete games (26), shutouts (19 tied with Houston), strikeouts (606), fewest hits allowed (827) & fewest runs allowed (343). With Valenzuela creating an immediate sensation as he won his first eight starts, five of them shutouts, the Dodgers were 33-15 by the end of May, although they cooled off enough to have only the narrowest of leads over the Reds at the time of the strike. “Fernandomania” led to large crowds at Dodger Stadium for his starts. Won NLDS over the Houston Astros, 3 games to 2, overcoming a 2 games-to 0 deficit, helped along by Valenzuela’s win in Game 4. Won NLCS over the Montreal Expos, 3 games to 2, as Valenzuela won the deciding Game 5. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2, as the Dodgers overcame a 2-games-to-1 deficit which turned on Valenzuela’s tough complete game win in Game 3.

Aftermath of 1981:

The stocky pitcher known as “El Toro” held out for a raise in salary for three weeks in the spring of 1982 and followed up with a 19-13 record, 2.87 ERA, 18 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 199 strikeouts while accumulating 285 innings. He was again an All-Star and placed third in NL Cy Young voting. Valenzuela started off strong in 1983 but tailed off in the second half to finish at 15-10 with a 3.75 ERA and 189 strikeouts. The Dodgers returned to the top of the NL West after falling short in ’82 and “El Toro” won his only start in the NLCS against the Phillies, who went on to win the pennant. LA dropped to fourth in 1984, but while Valenzuela’s ERA was a respectable 3.03 his record dipped to 12-17 with 240 strikeouts in 261 innings pitched as he continued to maintain a heavy workload. The pudgy southpaw rebounded to 17-10 in 1985 as the Dodgers topped the division. Valenzuela’s ERA was 2.45 and he recorded 5 shutouts among his 14 complete games, while striking out 208 batters. The club again dropped in the standings in 1986, but Valenzuela had a solid 21-11 tally with a 3.14 ERA, 20 complete games, and 242 strikeouts. In another down year for the team in 1987, Valenzuela accumulated over 250 innings for the sixth straight year with 251 and topped the NL with 12 complete games, but his record was only 14-14 with a 3.98 ERA and 190 strikeouts. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1988, but Valenzuela played a negligible role in the club’s success. An injured shoulder limited him to 22 starts and a 5-8 tally with a 4.24 ERA. Starting off slowly in 1989, he recovered to finish at 10-13 with a 3.43 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 196.2 innings pitched. The highlight of an otherwise unimpressive 1990 season was a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. Overall for the season, he turned in a 13-13 record with a 4.59 ERA and 115 strikeouts over the course of 204 innings. Released by the Dodgers during spring training in 1991, he was picked up by the California Angels during the season but was let go after two winless starts. Signed by Detroit in 1992, his contract was sold to Jalisco of the Mexican League where, following a slow start, he went 10-9 with a 3.86 ERA, ending the season with a two-hit performance. Returning to the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles in 1993, Valenzuela was a respectable 8-10 with a 4.94 ERA and 78 strikeouts over 178.2 innings. Back in Mexico in 1994, he pitched well and saw major league action later with the Phillies. Joining the San Diego Padres in 1995, “El Toro” was a surprising 8-3, although with a high 4.98 ERA. In 1996 he went 13-8 for the division-winning club with a respectable 3.62 ERA. Starting off poorly for the Padres in 1997, Valenzuela was traded to St. Louis, who released him in July, thus ending his major league career at age 36, although he pitched in Mexico and Caribbean winter leagues for several more seasons. For his major league career, Valenzuela compiled a 173-153 record with a 3.54 ERA, 113 complete games, 31 shutouts, and 2074 strikeouts in 2930 innings pitched. With the Dodgers, his record was 141-116 with a 3.31 ERA, 107 complete games, 29 shutouts, and 1759 strikeouts in 2348.2 innings. Pitching in 9 postseason games, he went 5-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 63.2 innings pitched. A six-time All-Star, he also received two Silver Sluggers as the NL’s best hitting pitcher (for his career he batted .200 with 10 home runs and 84 RBIs). A good athlete, he was also awarded a Gold Glove for his fielding prowess in 1986. Following his retirement as a player, the jovial Valenzuela became a commentator for Spanish language broadcasts of Dodger games, overcoming years of bitterness over the manner of his release from the team as a player. The Dodgers intend to retire his #34 in 2023. The Mexican League retired his number league-wide in recognition of his raising the profile of Mexican baseball over the course of his career. He also became the league’s commissioner in 2019 and has been inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame and the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame.

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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 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.  

 

Highlighted Year: Hank Aaron, 1966

Outfielder, Atlanta Braves

Age:  32

13^th season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1966:

A native of Mobile, Alabama Aaron started out with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League in 1952, utilizing a cross-handed batting grip that he eliminated before moving on to the majors. He signed with the Braves and joined the club in 1954 after two minor league seasons, one in which he led the Class A South Atlantic League in batting (.362). He was selected to his first All-Star Game in 1955, a season in which he led the NL in doubles (37). in 1956 he topped the league in batting (.328) and hits (200), and once again in doubles (34). The Braves won the NL pennant in 1957 and Aaron batted .322 with a .378 on-base percentage while leading the league with 44 home runs, 132 RBIs, and 369 total bases, and received league MVP recognition. In the seven-game World Series triumph over the New York Yankees, he hit 3 home runs with 7 RBIs and batted .393. Aaron hit 30 home runs, with 95 RBIs, and batted .326 as the Braves again won the NL pennant in 1958. He finished third in league MVP balloting and received a Gold Glove for his play in right field. Highly consistent, he had over 100 RBIs in each of the next five seasons. Aaron also won a second batting title in 1959 (.355) while also topping the circuit in hits (223), slugging (.636), and total bases (400). In 1960 he batted .292 with a .352 OBP, 40 home runs, and a league-leading 126 RBIs and 334 total bases. His 1961 production was .327 with a .381 OBP, 34 home runs, and 120 RBIs, while he led the NL with 39 doubles and 358 total bases. In 1962 Aaron hit .323 with a .390 OBP and .618 slugging percentage while slugging 45 home runs and driving in 128 RBIs. He led the NL with 44 home runs, 130 RBIs, a .586 slugging percentage, and 370 total bases in 1963. Solidly productive again in 1964 and ’65 he moved with the Braves to Atlanta in 1966. A perennial All-Star, he had twice topped the NL in home runs by this point in his career, three times in RBIs, and had two batting championships to his credit.

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

RF – 158, CF – 5, 2B – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 688 [6]

At Bats – 603 [13]

Runs – 117 [2]

Hits – 168 [17, tied with Cookie Rojas]

Doubles – 23

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 44 [1]

RBI – 127 [1]

Bases on Balls – 76 [3, tied with Willie McCovey]

Int. BB – 15 [4]

Strikeouts – 96 [13]

Stolen Bases – 21 [7, tied with Willie Davis]

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .279

OBP - .356 [14, tied with Ron Hunt]

Slugging Pct. - .539 [6]

Total Bases – 325 [4]

GDP – 14 [15, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 8 [2, tied with Ron Santo & Rusty Staub]

League-leading home runs were +4 ahead of runner-up Dick Allen

League-leading RBIs were +8 ahead of runner-up Roberto Clemente

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR – 26, RBI – 67, AVG – .289., SLG – .587, OBP – .376

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 5/22, (in 5 AB) at NY Mets 6/8, (in 5 AB) at Pittsburgh 9/7

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

HR at home – 21

HR on road – 23

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 at NY Mets 6/8

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 HR & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 331

Put Outs – 315

Assists – 12

Errors – 4

DP – 5

Pct. - .988

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (Started for NL in LF)

8^th in NL MVP voting (57 points, 20% share)

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In their first season in Atlanta, the Braves went 85-77 to finish fifth in the NL, 10 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers while drawing 1,539,801 spectators to Atlanta Stadium and leading the league in runs scored (782), home runs (207), RBIs (734), and walks drawn (512). The hard-hitting Braves, taking advantage of their new power-friendly home venue, and lacking quality pitching, were at 52-59 when manager Bobby Bragan was replaced by Billy Hitchcock in August. The club caught fire and went 33-18 the rest of the way to finish with a winning record.

Aftermath of 1966:

“Hammerin’ Hank” led the NL in home runs again in 1967 with 39, and in slugging with a .573 percentage. His consistency propelled him up the major league home run list until he surpassed Babe Ruth as the all-time career leader in 1974, his last season with the Braves. Along the way, he hit a career-high 47 homers in 1971. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers after the ’74 season where he played in 1975 and ’76 when he retired at age 42 with a total of 755 home runs, which remained as the MLB record until 2007. His 3771 hits ranked second at the time his career ended, and 2297 RBIs placed first. Aaron also reached 100 runs scored a total of 15 times. His career batting average was .305 (.310 with the Braves alone). He hit at least 20 home runs over the course of 20 consecutive seasons, reached 30 15 times, and 40 in eight seasons. Aaron’s base stealing reached double figures in every season from 1960 to ’68, with a high of 31 in 1963. He was chosen to 25 All-Star Games and won three Gold Gloves for his play in right field. Appearing in 17 postseason games, Aaron hit .362 with 6 home runs and 16 RBIs. The Braves and Brewers both retired his #44. The unpretentious and workmanlike Aaron was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. His brother Tommie, primarily an outfielder and first baseman, played in 437 games with the Braves spread out over seven years. He hit 13 home runs, giving the siblings a combined total of 768. Aaron served as vice president of player development for the Braves following his retirement as a player. Among many honors he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. A respected baseball elder statesman, he died in 2021 at the age of 86.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

MVP Profile: Stan Musial, 1946

First Baseman/Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  25

4^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1946:

A native of Donora, Pennsylvania, the sports-minded Musial excelled in basketball, as well as baseball, in his youth, where his pleasant personality and friendly disposition were first on display as well. Signed by the Cardinals against his immigrant father’s wishes, he started out as a pitcher. With Williamson of the Class D Mountain State League in 1938, the 17-year-old southpaw went 6-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 20 appearances. Returning to Williamson in 1939 he produced a 9-2 tally and 4.30 ERA while issuing 85 walks in 92 innings. Playing in the outfield between starts he batted .352. Sent to Daytona Beach of the Class D Florida State League in 1940, his record improved to 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA, although he still walked 145 batters over the course of 223 innings. He also batted .311. While playing center field in an August game, Musial attempted to make a diving catch and landed on his left shoulder, causing an injury that finished his pitching career and turned him into a full-time outfielder, although he never regained full strength in his throwing arm. Moving on to Springfield of the Class C Western Association in 1941, he hit .379 with 26 home runs as a full-time outfielder before advancing to Rochester of the International League where he batted .326 in 54 games. The Cardinals, who were battling Brooklyn for the NL pennant, called Musial up in September and, appearing in 12 games in place of injured right fielder Enos Slaughter, he hit .426 with a home run and 7 RBIs. Moving into the St. Louis lineup in left field in 1942, he batted .315 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, and 72 RBIs. The Cardinals won 106 games and the pennant and World Series, and the 21-year-old rookie placed twelfth in league MVP voting. Musial had an unusual, closed batting stance in which he started out crouched in the back of the batter’s box from which he uncoiled to powerfully hit line drives to all fields while rarely striking out. With excellent speed on the bases and in the outfield, he compensated for his weakened throwing arm by getting rid of the ball quickly and accurately. St. Louis again won the NL pennant in 1943 and Musial led the league in batting (.357), on-base percentage (.425), slugging (.562), hits (220), doubles (48), triples (20), and total bases (347) while also contributing 13 home runs and 81 RBIs. He was chosen league MVP. The Cards lost the World Series rematch with the Yankees in which Musial hit .278 with no extra base hits. In the offseason, Musial returned to Donora to do war industry work at the American Steel & Wire Company. The Cardinals won a third straight pennant in 1944 and “the Donora Greyhound” batted .347 while leading the NL in hits (197), doubles (51), OBP (.440), and slugging (.549). He also collected 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 94 RBIs, and drew 90 walks. The Cards defeated the St. Louis Browns, who they shared Sportsman’s Park with, in six games with Musial hitting .304 and slugging a key home run. He also finished fourth in league MVP balloting. Musial joined the Navy in 1945 and spent most of the year playing service baseball. Discharged early in 1946, he was tempted by an offer from the Mexican League, which was attempting to buy up major league players and offered him $50,000. Remaining with the Cardinals, he was shifted to first base early in the season.

1946 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

1B – 114, LF – 42

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 702 [1]

At Bats – 624 [1]

Runs – 124 [1]

Hits – 228 [1]

Doubles – 50 [1]

Triples – 20 [1]

Home Runs – 16 [5, tied with Ron Northey]

RBI – 103 [3]

Bases on Balls – 73 [7]

Int. BB – 9 [11, tied with Bill Nicholson & Ferrell Anderson]

Strikeouts – 31

Stolen Bases – 7 [17, tied with seven others]

Caught Stealing – 9 [6, tied with Red Schoendienst, Dick Culler & Andy Seminick]

Average - .365 [1]

OBP - .434 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .587 [1]

Total Bases – 366 [1]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 3 [10, tied with fourteen others]

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading plate appearances were +17 ahead of runner-up Enos Slaughter

League-leading at bats were +15 ahead of runner-up Enos Slaughter

League-leading runs scored were +24 ahead of runner-up Enos Slaughter

League-leading hits were +44 ahead of runner-up Dixie Walker

League-leading doubles were +15 ahead of runner-up Tommy Holmes

League-leading triples were +10 ahead of runners-up Phil Cavarretta & Pee Wee Reese

League-leading batting average was +.032 ahead of runner-up Johnny Hopp

League-leading slugging percentage was +.102 ahead of runner-up Del Ennis

League-leading total bases were +83 ahead of runner-up Enos Slaughter

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 24, 3B – 7, HR - 6, RBI - 55, AVG - .350, SLG - .537, OBP – .411

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Bos. Braves 9/19

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 6

Most home runs, game – 1 on sixteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on six occasions

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 1134

Put Outs – 1056

Assists – 65

Errors – 13

DP – 119

Pct. - .989 

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Bos. Red Sox)

PA – 31, AB – 27, R – 3, H – 6, 2B – 4,3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .222, OBP - .323, SLG - .444, TB – 12, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for NL in LF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Stan Musial, StLC: 319 points - 22 of 24 first place votes, 95% share

Dixie Walker, Brook.: 159 points – 47% share

Enos Slaughter, StLC: 144 points – 2 first place votes, 43% share

Howie Pollet, StLC: 116 points – 35% share

Johnny Sain, BosB: 95 points – 28% share

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Cardinals went 96-58 to finish tied for first in the NL with the Brooklyn Dodgers, which necessitated a season-extending best-of-3 playoff. The Cardinals won the first two games to clinch the NL pennant with a final record of 98-58. The Cardinals led the league in runs scored (712), hits (1426), doubles (265), RBIs (665), batting (.265), slugging (.381) & total bases (2046). Under new manager Eddie Dyer, the Cards started fast but were 2.5 games behind the Dodgers on May 26 as the league lead switched between the two clubs throughout May. St. Louis fell 7.5 games back on July 2 but clawed back into contention. Going 31-14 from August 18 to the end of the schedule allowed the Cardinals to end up tied with the Dodgers, forcing the playoff. Won World Series over the Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 3. St. Louis won Game 7 thanks to the baserunning heroics of RF Enos Slaughter and relief pitching of LHP Harry Brecheen. The highly anticipated matchup between Musial and Boston slugger Ted Williams failed to meet expectations as Musial hit .222 with five extra-base hits and four RBIs and Williams was hindered by an elbow injury and facing a defensive shift by the Cards batted .200 with one RBI.

Aftermath of 1946:

In 1947 Musial was hindered by an inflamed appendix that was removed following the season and he batted .312 with 30 doubles, 13 triples, 19 home runs, and 95 RBIs. A player who took offseason conditioning very seriously, he rebounded in 1948 by hitting a league-leading (and career-best) .376 while also topping the NL in runs scored (135), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18), RBIs (131), OBP (.450), slugging percentage (.702), and total bases (429). His 39 home runs were just one behind league-co-leaders Johnny Mize of the Giants and Ralph Kiner of Pittsburgh, depriving him of the batting Triple Crown. He was still the NL MVP for the third time with the second-place Cardinals (they would not win another pennant during his long tenure with the club). Dubbed “Stan the Man” by New York fans and sportswriters due to his superlative performances at Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds (he was regularly referred to as “that man” for the way he dominated the Dodgers and Giants), Musial, who returned to the outfield in ’48, continued his outstanding play in 1949 by batting .338 and leading the NL in hits (207), doubles (41), triples (13), OBP (.438), and total bases (429). He further compiled 36 home runs and 123 RBIs while drawing 107 walks. He finished second in the NL MVP race. His outstanding hitting continued in 1950, ’51, and ’52. Musial won three straight batting titles and led the NL in runs scored, slugging, and total bases twice and hits once. He also placed second in league MVP voting in 1950 and ’51, so that over the course of four consecutive years he either received the MVP award or finished second. “Stan the Man” also split his time between first base and the outfield, with satisfactory results. In 1953 he placed eighth in NL MVP voting, leading the league in doubles (53), walks drawn (105), and OBP (.437) while batting .337 with 200 hits, 9 doubles, 30 home runs, and 113 RBIs, while striking out just 32 times. In 1954 against the Giants at home in Busch Stadium (the renamed Sportsman’s Park), Musial set a record with five home runs in a doubleheader. The Cardinals were a mediocre, seventh-place club in 1955 but Musial kept up his steady batting production by hitting .319 with 33 home runs and 108 RBIs. His twelfth-inning home run in the All-Star Game propelled the National League to a 6-5 win. “Stan the Man” led the NL with 109 RBIs in 1956 while also batting .310 with 33 doubles, 27 home runs, and a .522 slugging percentage. In 1957, his consecutive game streak dating back to 1952 ended at 895 due to torn shoulder ligaments, but he still won his seventh league batting title by hitting .351 and finished second in MVP voting. By 1958 he was 37 and making $100,000 per year and piling up significant career statistics. He reached 3000 hits in a May game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on his way to batting .337 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs. Despite his excellent conditioning, age appeared to be catching up to Musial in 1959 as his average plummeted to .255 along with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. He rebounded somewhat in 1960 by hitting .275 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. In the spring of 1961, the Cardinals rented an entire motel in segregated St. Petersburg, Florida, so the entire team, white and black, could live together with their families. Musial, who typically rented a house for his family, stayed at the motel in his role as an esteemed team leader who supported the club’s action. He went on to hit .288 in 1961 and contended for another batting championship in 1962 at age 41 as he finished at .330 with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs. Musial played one last season in 1963 and batted .255 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Cardinals, “Stan the Man” batted .331 with 3630 hits that included 725 doubles, 177 triples, and 475 home runs. He scored 1949 runs and further compiled 1951 RBIs along with a .417 OBP and .559 slugging percentage. Appearing in 23 World Series games, he hit .256 with a home run and 8 RBIs. A 24-time All-Star, Musial hit a record six home runs in All-Star play. He finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting 14 times, winning three times. The Cardinals retired his #6 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. Esteemed for his dignity and class, both on and off the field he was never ejected from a game during his major league career. Personable and popular, Musial operated a restaurant in St. Louis and remained in the public eye long after his playing career ended. He also served the Cardinals as a vice-president and was general manager during the 1967 season that concluded with a World Series title. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s advisor on physical fitness, he was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by President Barack Obama. The Cardinals erected a statue of Musial outside Busch Stadium in his honor. Musial died in 2013 at the age of 92.

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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: Jimmie Foxx, 1933

First Baseman, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  25

7^th season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1933:

A native of Maryland (hence one of his later nicknames, “the Maryland Strong Boy”), Foxx was the son of tenant farmers and played baseball for a town team in his youth. A strong and powerfully-built athlete who was a deceptively fast runner, he excelled in soccer and track as well as baseball in school. Signed as a catcher by the nearby Easton team of the Class D Eastern Shore League, the 16-year-old Foxx appeared in 76 games and batted .296 with 10 home runs. Manager Frank “Home Run” Baker recommended him to his former team, the A’s, who he joined in 1925. With no question as to his ability to hit while playing as a reserve catcher and pinch-hitter, Foxx was sent to Newark/Providence of the International League to get more playing time. He hit .327 while missing time due to an injured shoulder. Sticking with the A’s in 1926, Foxx was stuck behind up-and-coming star catcher Mickey Cochrane and was occasionally used in the outfield. Appearing in 26 games he batted .313. Still a part-time player in 1927, Foxx began to be used at first base and hit .323 with three home runs and 20 RBIs while accumulating 130 at bats. Splitting time at first and third base in 1928, he batted .328 with 29 doubles, 10 triples, 13 home runs, and 79 RBIs. He received MVP votes for the first time as the rising A’s contended for the pennant. The A’s won the pennant in 1929 with Foxx as the regular first baseman and he contributed 33 home runs, 118 RBIs, and a .354 batting average and league-leading .463 on-base percentage. In the five-game World Series triumph over the Cubs Foxx hit .350 with two home runs and 5 RBIs. 1930 was another pennant-winning year for the A’s and Foxx batted .335 with 37 home runs and 156 RBIs. In the six-game World Series triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals, Foxx’s two-run ninth inning home run in Game 5 broke up a scoreless game and put Philadelphia in command of the Series. The A’s made it three straight pennants in 1931 while the slugging first baseman hit .291 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs. He added a home run, three RBIs, and .348 average in the World Series rematch with the Cardinals, won by St. Louis in seven games. Good-natured and generous to a fault off the field, Foxx earned the nickname “The Beast” for his prodigious hitting on the field, including long and towering home runs that rivaled those of Babe Ruth of the Yankees. The A’s dropped to second in 1932 but Foxx received AL MVP honors as he batted .364 while leading the league with 151 runs scored, 58 home runs, 169 RBIs, a .749 slugging percentage, and 438 total bases.

1933 Season Summary

Appeared in 149 games

1B – 149, SS – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 670 [10]

At Bats – 573 [13]

Runs – 125 [2]

Hits – 204 [2, tied with Charlie Gehringer]

Doubles – 37 [9]

Triples – 9 [20, tied with Marv Owen]

Home Runs – 48 [1]

RBI – 163 [1]

Bases on Balls – 96 [4]

Int. BB – 9 [1, tied with Bill Dickey]

Strikeouts – 93 [1]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .356 [1]

OBP - .449 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .703 [1]

Total Bases – 403 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading home runs were +14 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

League-leading RBIs were +23 ahead of runner-up Lou Gehrig

League-leading batter strikeouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

League-leading batting average was +.020 ahead of runner-up Heinie Manush

League-leading slugging percentage was +.098 ahead of runner-up Lou Gehrig

League-leading total bases were +44 ahead of runner-up Lou Gehrig

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, 3B – 4, HR – 24, RBI – 69, AVG - .365, SLG - .744, OBP - .462

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Bos. Red Sox 4/24, (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Browns 6/30

Longest hitting streak – 19 games

HR at home – 31

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. NY Yankees 6/8

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 9 at Cleveland 8/14

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 1510

Put Outs – 1402

Assists – 93

Errors – 15

DP – 98

Pct. - .990

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Jimmie Foxx, PhilaA.: 74 points – 4 of 8 first place votes, 93% share

Joe Cronin, Wash.: 62 points – 2 first place votes, 78% share

Heinie Manush, Wash.: 54 points – 2 first place votes, 68% share

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 39 points – 49% share

Lefty Grove, PhilaA.: 35 points – 44% share

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Athletics went 79-72 to finish third in the AL, 19.5 games behind the pennant-winning Washington Senators while leading the league in doubles (298), batter strikeouts (620), slugging (.441), and total bases (2348). The A’s started slowly during a 6-10 April but pulled into contention in May. Mediocre during the summer months, an 18-9 finish and Foxx’s Triple Crown performance couldn’t pull the good-hitting but error-prone and pitching-challenged club above third place.

Aftermath of 1933:

With the Athletics selling off talent due to the Depression, the club dropped to fifth in 1934 when “Double X” batted .334 with 44 home runs and 130 RBIs while drawing 111 walks. He started at third base in the All-Star Game due to the presence of New York’s Lou Gehrig at first, although he rarely played that position. He was back at catcher to start the 1935 season, although he later returned to first base in a year in which he hit .346 while tying for the AL lead in home runs with 36 and accumulating 115 RBIs. The A’s dropped into last place, after which they dealt Foxx, the last remaining star from the 1929-30-31 pennant-winning teams, to the Boston Red Sox for two players and $150,000. In 1936 with his new club, where he received a raise in pay to $25,000, “The Beast” batted .338 with 41 home runs and 143 RBIs, while leading the AL by striking out 119 times. Troubled by sinus problems in 1937 he dropped to .285 with 36 home runs and 127 RBIs as speculation grew that he was on the downside of his career at age 29. Foxx followed up with his third MVP season in 1938 as he led the league by batting .349 with 175 RBIs and he also clubbed 50 home runs for the second place Red Sox. He was MVP runner-up in 1939 when he topped the circuit with 35 home runs and further hit .360 with 105 RBIs. His .464 on-base percentage and .694 slugging percentage were also AL-topping numbers in a year in which he was joined in the lineup by rookie outfielder Ted Williams. “Double X” remained a solid, All-Star caliber player in 1940, when he batted .297 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs, and 1941 when he hit .300 with 19 home runs and 105 RBIs, although he was drinking heavily and having sinus and vision difficulties. Challenged for the starting first base job in 1942 by young Tony Lupien, Foxx also suffered a broken rib and was waived by the Red Sox on June 1. Sold to the Chicago Cubs, he appeared in 100 games during the season and hit a combined .226 with 8 home runs and 33 RBIs. After announcing his retirement, Foxx missed the 1943 season before returning to the Cubs in 1944. He was released in July and returned to Philadelphia, this time with the Phillies, in 1945, where he finished his career by batting .268 with 7 home runs and 38 RBIs. For his major league career, Foxx batted .325 with 2646 hits that included 458 doubles, 125 triples, and 534 home runs, which were the second most in major league history until 1966. He scored 1751 runs and compiled 1922 RBIs while drawing 1452 walks. He had a .428 on-base percentage and .609 slugging percentage. With the A’s his totals were .339 with 1492 hits, 257 doubles, 79 triples, 302 home runs, 975 runs scored, 1075 RBIs, and 781 walks. He reached 50 home runs twice, 40 on five occasions, and 30 twelve times. In 18 World Series games (all with the A’s) he hit .344 with 4 home runs and 11 RBIs. In addition to his three MVP awards, Foxx was a nine-time All-Star (the first nine ever played, three with the A’s). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. After his playing career he briefly coached and managed in the minor leagues and also managed the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1952. He drifted from job to job and struggled financially until his death at age 59 in 1967.

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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.