Highlighted Year: Rolando Arrojo, 1998

Pitcher, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

 

Age:  33 (July 18)

1^st season with Devil Rays

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 215 

Prior to 1998:

A native of Cuba where he was the son of an impoverished sugar cane worker in San Juan de las Yeras, Arrojo taught himself to pitch by throwing rag balls toward a target on the side of a barn and played soccer for exercise. He joined the Villa Clara team in the Cuban National Series, the country’s top baseball league, as a 19-year-old. Appearing in 15 games during his first season (1985-86) he posted an 8-2 record with a 3.15 ERA, 7 complete games, and 49 strikeouts over 91.1 innings pitched. He ended up spending 10 seasons with Villa Clara and produced a 75-34 record with a 3.10 ERA, 59 complete games, 13 shutouts, and 467 strikeouts over 822.1 innings. He also pitched for the Cuban National team that won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. He had an impressive fastball and an array of off-speed pitches which he threw from a variety of different arm angles. Arrojo defected to the United States while with the Cuban National team for an international tournament in Georgia just prior to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. His wife and children soon joined him by escaping from Cuba and, claiming to be 27 when he was actually at least four years older, he received a $7 million signing bonus from the Devil Rays in 1997, who had a minor league organization a year prior to the club’s AL debut. Assigned to St. Petersburg of the advanced Class A Florida State League, he went 5-6 with a 3.43 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 89.1 innings pitched. He excelled in the Arizona Fall League, posting a 5-0 tally with a 1.35 ERA, which persuaded the Devil Rays to move him directly into the starting rotation for 1998.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in 32 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 32

Games Started – 32 [19, tied with eight others]

Complete Games – 2

Wins – 14 [15, tied with four others]

Losses – 12 [18, tied with Jeff Fassero]

PCT - .538

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [5, tied with seven others]

Innings Pitched – 202

Hits – 195

Runs – 84

Earned Runs – 80

Home Runs – 21

Bases on Balls – 65

Strikeouts – 152 [16]

ERA – 3.56 [9]

Hit Batters – 19 [1]

Balks – 1 [10, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading hit batters were +4 ahead of runner-up David Cone

Midseason Snapshot: 10-5, ERA – 3.06, SO - 96 in 120.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 7 IP) vs. Texas 6/1, (in 7 IP) at Boston 6/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Minnesota 4/30, (in 9 IP) at KC Royals 5/6, (in 7 IP) at Anaheim 7/16, (in 7 IP) at Detroit 8/30

Batting

PA – 3, AB – 3, 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 – 61

Put Outs – 17

Assists – 40

Errors – 4

DP – 5

Pct. - .934

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

2^nd in AL Rookie of the Year voting (61 points - 4 first place votes, 44% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Devil Rays went 63-99 to finish fifth (last) in the AL Eastern Division, 51 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in bases on balls issued (643) and fewest saves (28). The Devil Rays got off to a 10-6 start before losing 8 of their next 9 games. They struggled the rest of the way. They drew 2,506,293 fans to Tropicana Field. After his fine first half of the season, Arrojo wore down in the second half, going 1-7 in one stretch.

Aftermath of 1998:

Arrojo’s performance dropped off significantly in 1999 as he posted a 7-12 record with a 5.18 ERA and 107 strikeouts over 140.2 innings. He encountered injury problems, struggled against lefthanded batters, and hitters who found his delivery so baffling in 1998 appeared to adjust to him. In the offseason he was traded to the Colorado Rockies along with infielder Aaron Ledesma for third baseman Vinny Castilla. Experiencing difficulty in adjusting to pitching in Denver, Arrojo started 19 games for the Rockies in 2000 and was 5-9 with a 6.04 ERA when he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in July as part of a seven-player deal. He went 5-2 with a 5.05 ERA in 13 starts for Boston to finish with a combined 10-11 tally with a 5.63 ERA, 68 walks, and 124 strikeouts across 172.2 innings. Working primarily out of the bullpen in 2001 (9 starts in 41 appearances), Arrojo compiled a 5-4 record and 3.48 ERA with 78 strikeouts over 103.1 innings pitched. Following a lesser performance in 2002 (4-3 record with a 4.98 ERA in 29 appearances, 8 of them starts), he was waived by the Red Sox in the offseason and signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003. Failing to make the club in the spring, he was released and signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees in May. He made four appearances with the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League before his career came to an end. For his major league career, Arrojo posted a 40-42 record and a 4.55 ERA with 6 saves and 512 strikeouts over 700 innings pitched. His first season with Tampa Bay was by far his best and he was plagued by injuries and inconsistency thereafter as he was never again able to perform at the level he attained in Cuba.  

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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. 

 

Highlighted Year: Ruppert Jones, 1977

Outfielder, Seattle Mariners

Age:  22

1^st season with Mariners

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1977:

Born in Dallas, Texas, Jones moved with his family to Berkeley, California just as he was entering his teens. In his senior year at Berkeley High School the fleet-footed outfielder batted .457 with 7 home runs and received All-Alameda County, All-East Bay, and All-Northern California recognition. He also performed well in football and basketball. Jones was chosen as East Bay Athlete of the Year for 1972-73. While he received football scholarship offers, he chose to pursue baseball instead. He signed with the Kansas City Royals in 1973, after they selected him in the third round of that year’s amateur draft. First assigned to the Billings Mustangs of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, Jones hit .301 in 61 games with 18 extra-base hits, 31 RBIs, a .404 on-base percentage, and 13 stolen bases. He was selected to the league All-Star team. Playing for two teams at the Class A level in 1974, Jones batted a combined .321 with 21 home runs, 88 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, a .404 OBP, and a .527 slugging percentage. Advancing to Omaha of the Class AAA American Association in 1975, he hit .243 with 25 doubles, 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. Still with Omaha in 1976, he hit .262 with 19 home runs, 73 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, and a .366 OBP. Called up to the Royals in August, he had difficulty while appearing in 28 games and batting ,216 with 7 RBIs. The Royals made a tough decision to leave Jones unprotected in the AL expansion draft and the Mariners chose him with their first pick.

1977 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

CF – 155, DH – 4, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 664 [16, tied with Graig Nettles]

At Bats – 597 [14]

Runs – 85

Hits – 157

Doubles – 26

Triples – 8 [12, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 24

RBI – 76

Bases on Balls – 55

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 120 [5, tied with Jim Rice]

Stolen Bases – 13

Caught Stealing – 9

Average - .263

OBP - .324

Slugging Pct. - .454

Total Bases – 271

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 6

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, 3B – 4, HR - 17, RBI - 50, AVG. - .256, SLG – .466, OBP – .314

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Boston 5/14, (in 4 AB) at Boston 8/13

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 7

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at Milwaukee 6/25

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. California 4/9, vs. Cleveland 6/5, at Milwaukee 6/25

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances - 485

Put Outs – 465

Assists – 11

Errors – 9

DP – 3

Pct. - .981 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Mariners went 64-98 to finish sixth in the AL Western Division, 38 games behind the division-winning Kansas City Royals while leading the league in fewest walks drawn (426). The Mariners were more successful on the road (35-46) than at home (29-52) and, hindered early by injuries to pitchers, avoided finishing in the AL West cellar by winning two of their last three games. They drew 1,338,511 fans to the Kingdome. Jones quickly became a fan favorite, as much for his excellence in center field as for his hitting and was regularly greeted with chants of “Rupe, Rupe, Rupe” when he came to bat.

Aftermath of 1977:

Having undergone knee surgery in the offseason, Jones was subpar at the plate in 1978, not helped by a June appendectomy that cost him a month of action and a 15-pound loss in weight. He remained outstanding defensively in center field and in a 16-inning game against Detroit he accounted for a record-tying 12 putouts in center field. He finished at .235 with 6 home runs, 46 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, and a .312 OBP. “Rupe” made a strong comeback in 1979, appearing in every game and batting .267 with 29 doubles, 9 triples, 21 home runs, 78 RBIs, 33 stolen bases, a .356 OBP, and a .444 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was traded along with RHP Jim Lewis to the New York Yankees for four players. Brought in to replace the departed Mickey Rivers in center field, Jones got off to a slow start prior to having emergency stomach surgery in May. He appeared in only 83 games and was hitting .223 with 9 home runs, 42 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, and a .299 OBP when his season ended on August 25 due to a shoulder separation and concussion suffered when he ran into the wall while attempting to catch a fly ball in Oakland. During spring training in 1981 Jones was dealt once again, this time to the San Diego Padres. Once again getting off to a slow start at the plate in the strike-interrupted season, he ended up batting .249 with 34 doubles, 4 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .318 OBP. In the outfield, he finished second among AL center fielders with 9 assists. Working hard on his batting technique in the offseason, Jones had an All-Star season in 1982 fueled by a strong start in which he was hitting .312 with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs at the All-Star break. Two weeks later an ankle injury sidelined him for nearly a month and he finished at .283 with 12 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .373 OBP, and a .425 slugging percentage. A disappointing season in 1983 ended with Jones batting .233 with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .305 OBP. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates but was cut prior to the 1984 season. Signed by the Detroit Tigers, he started the season with the Evansville Triplets of the Class AAA American Association. Called up by the Tigers in early June, Jones ended up appearing in 79 games as a role player for the division-winning club and hit .284 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, a .346 OBP, and a .516 slugging percentage. Appearing in the postseason for the first time, he appeared in four games as Detroit went on to win the World Series. Once again a free agent in the offseason, he next signed with the California Angels in 1985. He was a streaky contributor at the plate for a club that was a surprise contender in the AL West, batting .231 with 21 home runs, 67 RBIs, and a .328 OBP. The Angels topped the division in 1986 and Jones, still a capable defensive outfielder, saw most of his action in right field while he hit .229 with 17 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .339 OBP helped by drawing 64 walks. Appearing in only 85 games in 1987 and unable to perform as well off the bench as he did the previous year, he raised his average to .245 while his home run total dropped to 8 and his RBIs to 28. Released after the season Jones signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1988 but failed to make the club once a shoulder injury rendered him unable to play in the outfield. The Texas Rangers signed him and he played for their Class AAA farm team, the Oklahoma City 89ers of the American Association where he appeared in 50 games and hit .253 with 7 home runs, 30 RBIs, and a .332 OBP. He left at midseason to play for the Hanshin Tigers of the Japan Central League where his production was similar to his Oklahoma City performance. A last stint with Oklahoma City in 1989 lasted 27 games before he retired at age 34. For his major league career Jones batted .250 with 1103 hits that included 215 doubles, 38 triples, and 147 home runs. He scored 643 runs and compiled 579 RBIs, 143 stolen bases, a .330 OBP, and a .416 slugging percentage. With the Mariners he batted .257 with 434 hits, 242 runs scored, 79 doubles, 20 triples, 51 home runs, 200 RBIs, 68 stolen bases, a .333 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage. Appearing in 10 postseason games, he hit .120 with a double, no homers, and 2 RBIs. A two-time All-Star, he was a talented player when healthy, which was not often enough.

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Johnny Antonelli, 1958

Pitcher, San Francisco Giants

Age:  28 (April 12)

5^th season with Giants

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1958:

A native of Rochester, New York, Antonelli starred in three sports at Jefferson High School (basketball and football in addition to baseball). While playing semipro baseball in the Vermont League in 1947 he developed an outstanding curveball. Tossing three no-hitters in high school he drew the attention of prominent major league scouts. Taken to observe spring training by his father, he learned a great deal and his father rented out Silver Stadium, Rochester’s minor league ballpark to showcase his son’s pitching talent against a good semipro team after he had graduated from high school. Nine scouts and 7000 fans attended and Antonelli put on an impressive performance. He was signed by the Boston Braves for a near $50,000 bonus, a record amount at the time. Forced by the rules of the time to go directly to the major league roster for at least two years he initially rode the bench as the Braves battled for the 1948 NL pennant. The so-called “bonus baby” pitched a total of four innings in ’48, giving up two hits and a run. The Braves dropped to fourth place in 1949 but Antonelli saw more action, appearing in 22 games, 10 of them starts. He posted a 3-7 record and a 3.56 ERA with three complete games and 48 strikeouts. Following a 1950 season in which his innings dropped to 57.2 on his way to a 2-3 tally, Antonelli went into the Army for two years, missing all of 1951 and ’52. Playing service baseball at Fort Myer, Virginia during his military stint, he went 42-2 and revived his pitching career. With an effective fastball, curve, and changeup he returned to the Braves in 1953, who were now transplanted to Milwaukee. He got off to an 8-4 start but a bout with pneumonia sapped his strength in the second half of the season and he finished at 12-12 with a 3.18 ERA and 11 complete games that included two shutouts. In 1954 he was traded to the New York Giants as part of a six-player deal. The Giants won the NL pennant and Antonelli displayed tremendous poise and skill in posting a 21-7 record along with a league-leading 2.30 ERA, 18 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 152 strikeouts. In the World Series sweep of the Cleveland Indians, he went the distance in winning Game 2 and saved the decisive Game 4 by retiring the last five Cleveland batters. He received NL Pitcher of the Year honors from The Sporting News two years before the creation of the Cy Young Award. Antonelli and the Giants had a more difficult year in 1955. The Giants dropped to fifth and the star southpaw compiled a 14-16 tally and a 3.33 ERA with 14 complete games, two shutouts, and 143 strikeouts. He returned to All-Star form in 1956 by going 20-13 with a 2.86 ERA, 15 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 145 strikeouts. In 1957, the club’s last year in New York, his record was a disappointing 12-18 with a 3.77 ERA, 8 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 114 strikeouts over the course of 212.1 innings. The Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in 47 games

P – 41, PH – 5, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 41 [18, tied with Jim Brosnan, Stu Miller & Willard Schmidt]

Games Started – 34 [5, tied with Bob Purkey & Robin Roberts]

Complete Games – 13 [7]

Wins – 16 [6]

Losses – 13 [7, tied with six others]

PCT - .552 [8]

Saves – 3 [18, tied with four others]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 241.2 [7]

Hits – 216 [8]

Runs – 101 [14]

Earned Runs – 88 [15]

Home Runs – 31 [1, tied with Don Newcombe]

Bases on Balls – 87 [7]

Strikeouts – 143 [3, tied with Johnny Podres]

ERA – 3.28 [6]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4 [20, tied with five others]

Midseason Snapshot: 8-7, ERA - 3.32, SO – 76 in 127.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) at Chi. Cubs 5/18, (in 10 IP) vs. Cincinnati 8/19, (in 8.2 IP) vs. St. Louis 9/26

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Milwaukee 5/23

Batting

PA – 91, AB – 84, R – 9, H – 19, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 7, BB – 2, SO – 26, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .226, GDP – 4, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 41

Put Outs – 10

Assists – 27

Errors – 4

DP – 3

Pct. - .902

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Giants went 80-74 in their first San Francisco season to finish third in the NL, 12 games behind the pennant-winning Milwaukee Braves. The Giants got off to a strong start and were in first place for all but two days from May 18 to June 10. They remained close to the top and were last in first on July 29. They dropped into third place to stay during a 14-17 August and drew a total of 1,272,625 fans to their temporary home at Seals Stadium, nearly doubling the attendance from their last year at New York’s Polo Grounds.

Aftermath of 1958:

Antonelli had another solid season with the contending Giants in 1959, posting a 19-10 record and 3.10 ERA with 17 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 165 strikeouts while going over 200 innings (282) for the sixth straight year. It would be the last time. Rumored to be unhappy in San Francisco, Antonelli faltered following a good start in 1960 and became a target of booing from the home fans and criticism in the press. Pulled from the starting rotation later in the season, he appeared in 41 games (31 in relief) and finished with a 6-7 tally, 3.77 ERA, along with 11 saves and 57 strikeouts over 112.1 innings. In the offseason he was traded along with outfielder Willie Kirkland to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Harvey Kuenn. He failed to regain his form with the Indians in 1961 and after an 0-4 start with a 6.56 ERA, he was dealt to the Milwaukee Braves where he made only nine appearances (all in relief). Sold to the expansion New York Mets in 1962, he chose to retire. For his major league career, Antonelli produced a 126-110 record with a 3.34 ERA, 102 complete games, 25 shutouts, 21 saves, and 1162 strikeouts in 1992.1 innings pitched. With the Giants he was 108-84 with a 3.13 ERA, 86 complete games, 21 shutouts, 19 saves, and 919 strikeouts over 1600.2 innings. Antonelli appeared in two World Series games, both in 1954, and posted a 1-0 tally with an 0.84 ERA, one save, and 12 strikeouts in 10.2 innings pitched. A six-time All-Star, he twice received league MVP votes. After leaving baseball he operated a tire distributorship and died in 2020 at age 89.

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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.     

Highlighted Year: Al “Kip” Selbach, 1900

Outfielder, New York Giants

Age:  28

1^st season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1900:

The son of German immigrants, Albert Karl Selbach was a native of Columbus, Ohio. After first playing baseball in the Columbus League, he entered organized baseball with the Chattanooga Warriors of the Southern Association in 1893. He appeared at several different positions over 77 games, mostly in the outfield and at catcher, and batted .244. Moving on to the Washington Senators of the National League in 1894, the 22-year-old played in the outfield and shortstop and hit .306 with 21 doubles, 17 triples, 7 home runs, and 71 RBIs, along with 21 stolen bases, a .390 on-base percentage, and a .511 slugging percentage. Selbach followed up with another strong season in 1895, batting .324 and leading the NL with 22 triples. A fine defensive outfielder who was often lauded for his spectacular catches, he continued to be an excellent player on a losing team in 1896, hitting .304 with 17 doubles, 13 triples, 5 home runs, 100 RBIs, 49 stolen bases, and a .405 OBP. He was especially appreciated for his speed, especially when running to first, and his defensive skill, which was often noted in the press. Known as Al or “Kip”, he was also nicknamed “the German Ambassador” and was a fan favorite in Washington. In January of 1897 he suffered burns as the result of a fire in his home, leading to questions as to whether he would be able to play that season. He recovered enough to play in 1897 but was bothered by nagging injuries. Selbach still batted .313 with 25 doubles, 16 triples, 5 home runs, 59 RBIs, 46 stolen bases, and a .414 OBP due to drawing 80 walks. A lesser performance in 1898 resulted in his hitting .303 with a .383 OBP and he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds for $5000, a significant amount for the time. Unhappy with Cincinnati, where he was criticized for his time-consuming batting ritual, he batted .297 in 1899 with a .386 OBP and 38 stolen bases. The Giants purchased his contract in 1900.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

LF – 141

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 611 [14]

At Bats – 523 [16, tied with Tommy Corcoran]

Runs – 98 [12, tied with Jake Beckley]

Hits – 176 [8]

Doubles – 29 [6, tied with Harry Steinfeldt]

Triples – 12 [9, tied with Nap Lajoie, Fred Clarke & Willie Keeler]

Home Runs – 4 [20, tied with nine others]

RBI – 68 [16, tied with Jesse Burkett, Jimmy Williams & Willie Keeler]

Bases on Balls – 72 [5, tied with Jimmy Barrett]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 25

Stolen Bases – 36 [8]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .337 [7, tied with Nap Lajoie]

OBP - .425 [7]

Slugging Pct. - .461 [7]

Total Bases – 241 [6]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 8 [15, tied with Honus Wagner, Nap Lajoie & Mike Grady]

Sac Hits – 8

Sac Flies – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 370

Put Outs – 327

Assists – 25

Errors – 18

DP – 8

Pct. – .951

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The Giants went 60-78 to finish eighth in the NL, 23 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas while leading the league in fewest home runs (23). The slow-starting Giants only got worse in May and June, after which they were firmly ensconced in the NL cellar, from which they never emerged the rest of the way.

Aftermath of 1900:

Selbach had a decent but lesser season for the Giants in 1901, batting .289 with a .350 OBP and team-leading 89 runs scored. He jumped to the Baltimore Orioles of the American League in 1902 when offered $3200 and hit .320 with 27 doubles, 9 triples, 60 RBIs, and a .393 OBP. On a down note, he committed five errors in an August game, which was an AL record for outfielders until 2012. With the Orioles being replaced by the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) in 1903, Selbach signed a two-year contract with the Washington Senators, taking advantage of his popularity in Washington from his NL years. In the offseason prior to 1903, Selbach, who was an excellent bowler, was part of a two-man team that won the All-American Bowling tournament in Indianapolis. He ended up having an off year with the ’03 Senators, hitting .251 with a .305 OBP. Back with the Senators in 1904, he was batting .275 with a .361 OBP when he was dealt to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) at the end of June, at a point that the Senators had suspended him for indifferent play. Having regularly played for poor teams thus far during his career, he found himself involved in a pennant race with Boston, which the Americans won (although they didn’t have the opportunity to achieve further success in the postseason due to the refusal of the owner of the NL champion New York Giants to face the AL champs in the World Series). Selbach contributed a .258 average and .347 OBP in 98 games with Boston along with 19 doubles and 8 triples. He also made a key defensive play in the pennant-deciding game against the New York Highlanders (now Yankees). Boston dropped in the standings in 1905 and Selbach hit .246 with a .355 OBP. The team was even worse in 1906 and Selbach was released at the end of June, thus concluding his major league career, although he played and managed in the minor leagues until 1912. For his major league career, he batted .293 with 1807 hits that included 301 doubles, 149 triples, and 44 home runs. He scored 1066 runs and compiled 779 RBIs, 334 stolen bases, and drew 785 walks, which boosted him to a .377 OBP. With the Giants he batted .313 with 321 hits, 187 runs scored, 58 doubles, 18 triples, 5 home runs, 124 RBIs, 44 stolen bases, 117 walks drawn, and a .389 OBP. Following his baseball career, he managed a bowling alley and was a stenographer in a law office. He died in 1956 at age 83. 

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Chris Cannizzaro, 1969

Catcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  31 (May 3)

1^st season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1969:

A California native, Cannizzaro was the son of a police officer who had once been a semipro shortstop. An uncle who managed a Boys Club team convinced the 11-year-old Cannizzaro to become a catcher due to his lack of speed. He became an all-state backstop at San Leandro High School and played American Legion ball during the summers. Heavily scouted in high school, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals following his graduation in 1956. Cannizzaro was initially assigned to the Decatur Commodores of the Class D Midwest League in ’56 where he batted .212 with 13 RBIs in 40 games. With teams at the Class D and C level in 1957 he hit .257 with a .366 on-base percentage. He spent 1958 with Omaha of the Class AAA American Association where he batted .273 with 6 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .340 OBP. A six-month Army stint delayed his entry into spring training in 1959 and he was reassigned to Omaha where he was beset by injuries which limited him to 101 games in which he hit .231 with a .306 OBP. A strong spring performance in 1960 led to his making the Cardinals as a fourth-string catcher. He started three straight games in April but was ejected and suspended in the last one for pushing an umpire while arguing a call over a play at the plate. Demoted to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League, Cannizzaro showed off his strong throwing arm but had difficulties with errors and passed balls. He batted .251 with a .340 OBP and received a September call-up to the Cardinals. 1961 proved to be a difficult year for the young backstop. Expected to compete for a spot on the major league roster, a mediocre spring performance had him initially assigned to Houston of the American Association where a bout with appendicitis sidelined him for a month. Never appearing with Houston, he was instead sent to the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League where he hit a disappointing .203 over the course of 41 games before being promoted to the Cardinals where he finished the season. Unprotected in the NL expansion draft for 1962, Cannizzaro was selected by the New York Mets. The Mets used a total of seven catchers during their inaugural season, and Cannizzaro saw the most action of any of them, appearing in 56 games behind the plate despite spending some time in the minors. His defense outweighed his offensive contributions as he batted .241 with a .335 OBP. He led the NL in percentage of runners caught stealing (56%). The acquisition of catchers Norm Sherry and Jesse Gonder cut into Cannizzaro’s playing time in 1963, not helped by his suffering a broken finger on his throwing hand that caused him to be demoted to the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, where he batted .266 in 93 games with 26 extra-base hits and a .324 OBP. In just 16 games with the Mets he hit .242 with a .257 OBP. Little utilized by the Mets early in 1964, Cannizzaro came on strong during the second half and finished at .311 with 10 RBIs and a .367 OBP. Defensively he threw out 59 % of baserunners attempting to steal against him. His overall defense showed improvement and in a May game he pulled off an unassisted double play, a rarity for a catcher. Manager Casey Stengel appreciated his savvy and tended to put him behind the plate when a young pitcher was on the mound. His performance slipped in 1965 as his production dropped to .183 with a .270 OBP. Late in the season, Wes Westrum, Stengel’s in-season successor as manager, publicly announced that he was giving up on Cannizzaro. In 1966 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves, who assigned him to Richmond of the International League. There, he hit .227 with 8 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .289 OBP.  He spent 1967 with the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League after being obtained by the Detroit Tigers. He was a league All-Star, batting .255 with 8 home runs, 36 RBIs, and a .346 OBP. Obtained by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason, Cannizzaro again found himself in the International League in 1968, this time with the Columbus Jets. Called up to the Pirates in August, he appeared in 25 games and batted ,241 with a .343 OBP and five extra-base hits that included his first major-league home run. In March of 1969 he was part of a four-player trade that sent him to the expansion Padres and became the new club’s starting catcher.  

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 134 games

C – 132, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 469

At Bats – 418

Runs – 23

Hits – 92

Doubles – 14

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 33

Bases on Balls – 42

Int. BB – 8

Strikeouts – 81

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .220

OBP - .290

Slugging Pct. - .297

Total Bases – 124

GDP – 16 [10, tied with Clete Boyer, Don Money & Hal Lanier]

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 7

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 11, 3B – 2, HR - 2, RBI – 23, AVG - .246, OBP - .324

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 5/25, (in 5 AB) vs. Houston 7/5

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 1

Most home runs, game – 1 on four occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 3 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 722

Put Outs – 644

Assists – 69

Errors – 9

Passed Balls – 14

DP – 8

Pct. - .988 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star 

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In their inaugural season, the Padres went 52-110 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 41 games behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1143), fewest runs scored (468), fewest hits (1203), fewest doubles (180), fewest bases on balls drawn (423), lowest batting average (.225), lowest OBP (.285), lowest slugging percentage (.329), and fewest total bases (1764), while drawing a disappointing 512,970 fans to San Diego Stadium. The Padres started off well with a three-game sweep of Houston at home to start the season. They then lost their next six consecutive games and ended April at 9-14. They stayed well off the pace in the new NL West but became a factor in September when they dealt decisive blows to division contenders. First, they swept the visiting Dodgers in four straight games that effectively ended their division title hopes. They split their remaining four games apiece against Cincinnati and the Astros, who also ended up falling short. They ended up the campaign by winning two of three games at San Francisco, which ended the Giants’ title hopes. The one team they couldn’t handle was the Braves, who beat them six straight times down the stretch and ended up in first place.

Aftermath of 1969:

Cannizzaro started off well in 1970 with hitting streaks of 9 and 13 games between April 24 and May 30. He spent most of the season hitting around .300 and finished at .279 with 5 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .366 OBP. He remained solid defensively. He started the 1971 season with the Padres but was dealt to the Chicago Cubs in May. An injury to starting catcher Randy Hundley had Cannizzaro handling most of the backstop duty for the Cubs and for the year he batted a disappointing .208 with 6 home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .314 OBP. Waived during the offseason he was picked up by the Los Angeles Dodgers and again handled most of the catching for his new team in 1972 and hit .240 in 73 games with 8 extra-base hits and a .341 OBP. He also mentored promising young catchers Steve Yeager and Joe Ferguson. He was a little-used backup in 1973, but still appreciated for his leadership skills. Moving on to the Houston organization in 1974, Cannizzaro served as a player-coach with the Denver Bears of the Class AAA American Association. He was sold to San Diego in August where he concluded his major league career at age 36. For his major league career he batted .235 with 458 hits that included 66 doubles, 12 triples, and 18 home runs. He scored 132 runs and compiled 169 RBIs and a .319 OBP. With the Padres he batted .238 with 210 hits, 54 runs scored, 29 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a .320 OBP. Defensively, he threw out 37 % of baserunners who attempted to steal against him. Cannizzaro never appeared in the postseason and was an All-Star only the one time in 1969. Appreciated for his leadership ability, baseball knowledge, and mentoring skill he acted as a player-coach for the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League immediately following his major league playing career in 1975 and then coached for the Atlanta Braves and California Angels. He later managed at the minor league level and died at age 78 in 2016, a few months after being honored for having been the first All-Star representative of the Padres when San Diego hosted the game.

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Jesse Burkett, 1901

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  32

3^rd season with Cardinals

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 155 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, Burkett first excelled as a pitcher with local town teams. Signed by Scranton of the Central League for $85 per month in 1888, the young southpaw moved on to Worcester of the Atlantic Association in 1889, where he won 30 games and recorded 240 strikeouts while also hitting .267. Acquired by the National League’s Indianapolis Hoosiers, the franchise folded prior to the 1890 season and he joined the New York Giants. Burkett pitched poorly in 1890, compiling a 3-10 record with a 5.57 ERA. He hit well enough to start in right field, batting .309 with 23 doubles, 13 triples, 4 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a .366 on-base percentage. A poor fielder who was unable to stick with the Giants in 1891, Burkett joined the Cleveland Spiders in 1891 where he got off to a slow start and was assigned to the Lincoln Rustlers of the Western Association in order to improve his fielding. After batting .316 in 93 games, he returned to Cleveland as a part-time outfielder and hit .269 with a .358 OBP while appearing in 40 games. Never a good defensive outfielder due to limited range and a weak arm, Burkett was shifted to left field in 1892. His batting improved to .275 with 15 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, and 66 RBIs along with 36 stolen bases and a .348 OBP. His hitting, which made up for his defensive lapses, continued to improve in 1893 to .348 with 25 doubles, 15 triples, 6 home runs, and 82 RBIs along with 39 stolen bases and a .459 OBP. In 1894 he batted .358 with 27 doubles, 14 triples, 8 home runs, and 94 RBIs along with 28 stolen bases, 84 walks drawn, a .447 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. An excellent bunter who was adept at fouling off pitches to extend at bats during a period when foul balls didn’t count as strikes, he regularly ranked high in walks drawn. Burkett was also hot-tempered and had a sharp tongue, which made him highly unpopular with opposing players and fans and gained him a reputation for being mean. The Spiders had a reputation for rowdy behavior, but Burkett’s behavior stood out and caused him to be nicknamed “The Crab”. In 1895 Burkett led the NL in hits (225) and batting (.405) while also producing a .482 OBP. In 1896 he led the league in hits (240), runs scored (160), batting (.410), and total bases (317). In the first game of a double-header in 1897, “The Crab” refused to leave the field after being ejected, causing the Spiders to forfeit. Ejected again in the second game, the umpire had two policemen forcibly remove Burkett from the field. He continued to be a top hitter in his last two years with Cleveland before the team was expelled from the contracting NL. Assigned to the Cardinals in 1899 he batted .396 with a .463 OBP and .500 slugging percentage. He hit .363 with a .429 OBP in 1900, still wielding one of the most potent bats in the National League.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 142 games

LF – 142

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 676 [1]

At Bats – 601 [1]

Runs – 142 [1]

Hits – 226 [1]

Doubles – 20 [19, tied with Sam Crawford, Claude Ritchey & Charlie Hickman]

Triples – 15 [7, tied with Bobby Wallace & Fred Clarke]

Home Runs – 10 [3]

RBI – 75 [12]

Bases on Balls – 59 [6, tied with Sammy Strang]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 70 [3]

Stolen Bases – 27 [13, tied with Roy Thomas, George Davis & Frank Chance]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .376 [1]

OBP - .440 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .509 [4]

Total Bases – 306 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 10 [5, tied with Fred Clarke, Art Nichols & Fred Crolius]

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading plate appearances were +31 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading at bats were +6 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading runs scored were +19 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading hits were +24 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading batting average was +.022 ahead of runners-up Jimmy Sheckard & Ed Delahanty

League-leading OBP was +.003 ahead of runner-up Roy Thomas

League-leading total bases were +10 ahead of runner-up Jimmy Sheckard

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 11, 3B – 10, HR - 3, RBI - 36, SB – 15, AVG. - .379, SLG - .505

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Cincinnati 7/21

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 1 on ten occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Cincinnati 10/6

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 351

Put Outs – 307

Assists – 17

Errors – 27

DP – 4

Pct. - .923 

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The Cardinals went 76-64 to finish fourth in the NL, 14.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in runs scored (792), hits (1430), triples (94), home runs (39), RBIs (657), and total bases (1922). The Cardinals finished April in first place at 5-3 but quickly dropped in the standings during an 8-14 May that included a six-game losing streak. During a 35-20 June and July run, the club moved back into contention but faded in August and was too far back to make headway during a 9-2 September run that included a six-game winning streak.

Aftermath of 1901:

Burkett jumped to the American League’s St. Louis Browns in 1902. His average dropped to .306 while he compiled 29 doubles, 9 triples, 5 home runs, and 52 RBIs, along with a .390 OBP, boosted by his 71 walks. In 1903 he hit .293 with 30 extra-base hits and a .361 OBP. His average dropped further in 1904 to .271, although his OBP was .363 thanks to 78 walks. In the offseason the 36-year old Burkett was traded to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) for outfielder George Stone, who would prove to be a productive hitter for the Browns. “The Crab” batted a disappointing .257 in 1905 with 29 extra-base hits, 47 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. It marked the end of his major league career. He managed his money well and bought a franchise in the New England League which he moved to Worcester and acted as player/manager. His .344 average in 1906 led the league and Worcester won the first of four consecutive pennants. He operated the Worcester club until selling and becoming head coach at Holy Cross in 1917. Returning to the NL and the New York Giants as a coach in 1920, he alienated players on the team until leaving after the 1922 season. He returned to minor league managing thereafter. For his major league career Burkett batted .338 with 2850 hits that included 320 doubles, 182 triples, and 75 home runs. He scored 1720 runs (leading the NL twice), and compiled 952 RBIs, 389 stolen bases, 1029 walks drawn, a .415 OBP, and a .446 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals he batted .378 with 650 hits, 346 runs scored, 52 doubles, 38 triples, 24 home runs, 214 RBIs, 84 stolen bases, 188 walks drawn, a .444 OBP, and a .495 slugging percentage. A three-time batting champion, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. Following his minor league managerial career, he became a scout and instructor during spring training. “The Crab” died in 1953 at age 84.  

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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.