Highlighted Year: Don Mincher, 1969

First Baseman, Seattle Pilots

Age: 31 (June 24)

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1969:

A native of Huntsville, Alabama Mincher played football and basketball as well as baseball at Butler High School, captaining the football and baseball teams as a senior. All-State in football, he turned down a football scholarship to the University of Alabama to pursue a baseball career. Having also played American Legion baseball, he was signed by the Chicago White Sox in 1956 for $4000. Initially assigned to Duluth-Superior of the Class C Northern League in ’56, the 18-year-old first baseman batted .282 in 78 games with 19 extra-base hits, 49 RBIs, and a .398 on-base percentage. With Duluth-Superior again in 1957, Mincher hit .288 with 21 doubles, 4 triples, 13 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .387 OBP, and a .440 slugging percentage. He also led the league’s first basemen in putouts (1103), assists (62), and double plays (99). Moving up to Davenport of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1958, Mincher was a league All-Star as he batted .330 with 29 doubles, 23 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .544 slugging percentage. Advancing to Charleston of the Class A South Atlantic (or Sally) League in 1959 he hit .272 with 22 home runs, 92 RBIs, a .353 OBP, and a .442 slugging percentage. Prior to the 1960 season he was traded to the Washington Senators as part of the deal for first baseman Roy Sievers. Mincher started the season with the Senators but with his average at .230 he was sent to the Charleston Senators of the Class AAA American Association where he batted .306 with 32 doubles, 12 home runs, 65 RBIs, a .374 OBP, and a .489 slugging percentage. Recalled to the Senators in September his totals in 27 major league games were .241 with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs, and a .330 OBP. With the franchise becoming the Minnesota Twins in 1961, Mincher again spent most of the season in Class AAA, this time with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, hitting .257 with 24 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .349 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. In 35 games with the Twins he hit .188 with 5 homers and 11 RBIs. With Minnesota in 1962, while newly-acquired veteran Vic Power handled regular duty at first base, Mincher appeared in 86 games, pinch-hitting in 63 of them. He had two homers and 5 RBIs in a late April game at Cleveland and went on to bat .240 with 9 home runs, 29 RBIs, a .406 OBP thanks to 34 walks in 157 plate appearances, and a .488 slugging percentage. Getting more action at first base in 1963, Mincher hit .258 with 17 home runs, 42 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a .520 slugging percentage. In 1964, Mincher was one of six Twins to hit at least 20 home runs as he finished with 23 while batting .237 with 56 RBIs, a .300 OBP, and a .547 slugging percentage. Described as an introvert and intense, he again found himself vying for playing time at first base, this time platooning with Bob Allison, who had been shifted from the outfield. Minnesota won the AL pennant in 1965. With Allison back in the outfield, Mincher saw most of the action at first base, splitting time with Harmon Killebrew, who was signifcantly sidelined by an injury. Mincher hit .251 with 17 doubles, 22 home runs, 65 RBIs, a .344 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. In the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers he homered in his first at bat, which was one of three hits that he managed for the entire Series that the Dodgers won in seven games. Used regularly at first base in 1966, Mincher’s power production dropped off somewhat to 14 home runs along with 30 doubles, 62 RBIs, a .251 average, a .340 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was traded to the California Angels as part of the package for RHP Dean Chance. He filled a need at first base for the Angels in 1967 and had his first ever All-Star season while hitting .273 with 23 doubles, 25 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .367 OBP, and a .487 slugging percentage. Trouble struck in the second game of the 1968 season when Mincher was beaned by a pitch from Cleveland’s fireballing LHP Sam McDowell. He was bothered by dizziness and headaches for long after the beaning and his batting dropped off to .236 with 12 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and a .368 slugging percentage. Having lost the confidence of Angels manager Bill Rigney, he was left unprotected for the AL expansion draft in the offseason and was taken by the Pilots with their first overall pick.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 140 games

1B – 122, PH – 19

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 514

At Bats – 427

Runs – 53

Hits – 105

Doubles – 14

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 25 [16, tied with Jim Northrup & Reggie Smith]

RBI – 78

Bases on Balls – 78 [16]

Int. BB – 13 [4, tied with Rico Petrocelli]

Strikeouts – 69

Stolen Bases – 10

Caught Stealing – 11 [10]

Average - .246

OBP - .366 [15]

Slugging Pct. - .454 [19, tied with Bobby Murcer]

Total Bases – 194

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 5 [17, tied with thirteen others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

Midseason snapshot: HR – 17, RBI – 51, AVG – .240, SLG – .455, OBP – .361

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at KC Royals 7/6, (in 3 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/17, (in 4 AB) vs. Minnesota 9/28

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 12

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at KC Royals 7/6

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at KC Royals 7/6, at Cleveland 8/11

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 9 (.222) with 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI & 7 BB

Fielding

Chances – 1132

Put Outs – 1033

Assists – 93

Errors – 6

DP – 98

Pct. - .995

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they still managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated.

Aftermath of 1969:

Following his fine comeback season in 1969 with the lowly Pilots, Mincher was traded to the Oakland Athletics in the offseason along with infielder Ron Clark for four players. He had a solid season for the A’s in 1970, hitting .246 with 27 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .327 OBP, and a .460 slugging percentage. Early during the 1971 season Mincher was dealt again, this time to the Washington Senators along with two other players for first baseman Mike Epstein and reliever Darold Knowles. For the year he batted .280 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .427 slugging percentage. The franchise shifted to Arlington, Texas in 1972 and was renamed the Texas Rangers. Mincher was hitting .236 with 6 home runs and 39 RBIs when he was traded back to Oakland in July. Backing up at first base and pinch-hitting as the A’s headed for the AL West title, Mincher batted .148 with a .281 OBP and no homers. He made two postseason plate appearances as Oakland advanced to winning a World Series title. He retired after the season and for his major league career he batted .249 with 1003 hits that included 176 doubles, 16 triples, and 200 home runs. He scored 530 runs and compiled 643 RBIs, a .348 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. Appearing in 11 postseason games he hit .160 with one home run and 2 RBIs. He was a two-time All-Star. Mincher operated a sporting goods store until returning to baseball in 1985 as general manager of the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League. He helped to keep the team in Huntsville and he later became president of the Southern League. Mincher was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, four years before his death in 2012 at age 73.

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

Highlighted Year: Rusty Staub, 1969

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age:  25 (April 1)

1^st season with Expos

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1969:

A native of New Orleans, the red-haired Daniel Joseph Staub received the nickname of “Rusty” as an infant. He played on the New Orleans Jesuit High School baseball team as a first baseman while his brother Chuck was in center field. His American Legion team won the national championship in 1960 and Jesuit High School won the Louisiana AAA title in 1961. He signed a contract with the Houston Colt .45s, who were a year away from joining the National League as an expansion team, for a $100,000 bonus. After hitting well in the Arizona Fall League in ’61, Staub was assigned to the Durham Bulls of the Class B Carolina League where he had an excellent season, batting .293 with a league-leading 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .483 slugging percentage. The 19-year-old Staub started the 1963 season with Houston following a strong spring showing, and with veteran Pete Runnels at first base, Staub started the year in right field. He struggled during his rookie season and hit .224 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. A poor start in 1964 caused Staub to be sent down to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .314 in 71 games with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .646 slugging percentage. Returning to the Colt .45s in September he finished the major league portion of his season with a .216 batting average (up from .202 when he was demoted), 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .272 OBP. Houston had been emphasizing youth in its team building, of which Staub was a key component. The renamed club moved into the Astrodome in 1965 and Staub started off slowly but came on to hit .281 in the season’s second half to finish at .256 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. His batting production was far better on the road than in the spacious new ballpark, and like other outfielders he struggled to keep track of fly balls against the dome’s background. Staub showed great improvement in 1966, batting .280 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .345 OBP. In the field, his 13 assists placed second among NL right fielders and demonstrated the strength of his throwing arm. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1967 as, with his outstanding swing and line-drive power, he led the NL with 44 doubles while hitting .333 with 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .398 OBP, and .473 slugging percentage. As the Astrodome was not conducive to home run hitters, Staub tailored his swing accordingly. Staub held out for eight days in 1968 before signing a $45,000 contract. Shifted to first base he batted .291 with 37 doubles, 6 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .373 OBP, and was again an All-Star. Having run afoul of manager Harry Walker, Staub was traded during the offseason to the expansion Expos, where he returned to right field.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

RF – 156, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 673 [13]

At Bats – 549

Runs – 89 [17, tied with Willie Stargell]

Hits – 166 [14, tied with Ron Santo]

Doubles – 26 [17, tied with Willie McCovey, Curt Blefary & Gary Sutherland]

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 29 [8, tied with Willie Stargell & Ron Santo]

RBI – 79

Bases on Balls – 110 [3, tied with Joe Morgan]

Int. BB – 11 [14, tied with Johnny Callison, Julian Javier & Al Oliver]

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .302 [10]

OBP - .426 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .526 [7, tied with Tony Perez]

Total Bases – 289 [10]

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 9 [6, tied with Alex Johnson]

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, HR – 13, RBI – 41, AVG – .292, OBP - .408, SLG – .466

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Philadelphia 4/17

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 1 on twenty-nine occasions occasions

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at NY Mets 7/13

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 3 (.333) with 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 291

Put Outs – 265

Assists – 16

Errors – 10

DP – 2

Pct. - .966

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

36^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Orlando Cepeda, Atl. & John Edwards, Hou. (1 point, 0% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Expos went 52-110 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Eastern Division, 48 games behind the division-winning New York Mets while drawing 1,212,608 fans to little Jarry Park (Parc Jarry). The Expos were 7-13 at the end of April, despite a no-hitter by RHP Bill Stoneman. Typically, they were pitching challenged, unable to make the most of the power displayed by outfielders Staub and Mack Jones, plus the surprising rookie third baseman Coco Laboy. They settled into the NL East cellar and were at their best during an 11-15 September.

Aftermath of 1969: 

Immensely popular in Montreal and called “Le Grand Orange” by the French-speaking fans, Staub followed up with another outstanding season in 1970. He batted .274 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBIs, a .394 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. He became an active promoter of the young club throughout Canada, developed several business sidelines in the city,  took classes in French, and even became a wine connoisseur and chef. He played in all 162 games for the Expos in 1971 despite a wrist injury and hit .311 with 34 doubles, 19 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .392 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the fifth straight year (including all three in Montreal. But while he was prospering on the field, the Expos were not and in 1972 Staub was dealt to the New York Mets for three young players (SS Tim Foli, 1B Mike Jorgensen, and OF Ken Singleton). He performed well for the Mets until suffering a broken wrist when hit by a pitch in June. The injury required surgery that effectively ended his season. Limited to 66 games he batted .293 with 9 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. Back in action in 1973, Staub hit .279 with 36 doubles, 15 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .361 OBP. The Mets, who were in last place in the NL East in early August, surged to the division title, albeit with only an 82-79 record. They defeated Cincinnati in the NLCS, helped in no small part by Staub’s three home runs. Injuring his shoulder when hitting the outfield fence following a key catch in Game 4, his throwing was hindered in the seven-game World Series loss to the Oakland Athletics, although he batted .423 with 11 hits that included a home run. In 1974, struggling with his weight and an assortment of injuries, he hit a disappointing .258 with 19 home runs, 78 RBIs, and a .347 OBP. His production improved in 1975 to .282 with 19 home runs, 105 RBIs, a .371 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. In the offseason, the Mets dealt Staub to the Detroit Tigers in a four-player trade that most prominently included LHP Mickey Lolich, going from Detroit to New York. While Lolich flopped with the Mets in 1976, Staub prospered with his new club, batting .299 with 28 doubles, 15 home runs, 96 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. Utilized exclusively as a Designated Hitter in 1977, but despite being unhappy at not playing in the outfield, his bat remained productive as he hit .278 with 34 doubles, 22 home runs, 101 RBIs, a .336 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. Staub was still a DH exclusively in 1978 and was again productive, batting .273 with 30 doubles, 24 home runs, 121 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a slugging percentage of .435. Seeking a contract extension, Staub held out in 1979 and threatened to retire to run his restaurant in New York. He eventually rejoined the club in May but by July 20 he was hitting only .236 with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs. Staub was traded back to the Expos at that point, who were now contenders in the NL East. Used primarily as a first baseman and pinch-hitter upon his return to Montreal, he batted .267 in 38 games with 3 homers and 14 RBIs. During spring training in 1980, Staub was dealt once again, this time to the Texas Rangers where he again found himself typically appearing as a DH. Playing in 109 games he hit .300 with 23 doubles, 9 home runs, 55 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .459 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason, Staub finished out his career with the Mets from 1981 to ’85 as a pinch-hitter and backup at first base. His .317 batting average in 1981 was his best of those last seasons with the Mets, and he hit a total of 13 home runs with 102 RBIs during those seasons as well. For his major league career, Staub batted .279 with 2716 hits that included 499 doubles, 47 triples, and 292 home runs. He scored 1189 runs and compiled 1466 RBIs, a .362 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. With the Expos he batted .295 with 290 runs scored, 531 hits, 86 doubles, 18 triples, 81 home runs, 284 RBIs, a .402 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. Appearing in 11 postseason games he hit .341 with 4 homers and 11 RBIs. A six-time All-Star, Staub finished in the top 20 in league MVP voting four times. He also became the first major league player to reach 500 hits with four different teams. The Expos (now Washington Nationals) retired his #10 and he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, the New York Mets Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Beyond his playing career he operated two restaurants in New York and became a broadcaster for radio and telecasts of Mets games for several seasons. He also set up two charitable foundations, the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children Benefit Fund and the Rusty Staub Foundation to assist food pantries. Staub died in 2018 at the age of 73.

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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 will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason.

Highlighted Year: Mike Hegan, 1969

Outfielder/First Baseman, Seattle Pilots

Age:  27 (July 21)  

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 188 

Prior to 1969:

The son of major league catcher Jim Hegan, Hegan was a native of Cleveland, Ohio, where his father played most of his career for the Indians. Hegan played football and basketball, as well as baseball, at St. Ignatius High School. Following his high school graduation, Hegan accepted a football and baseball scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross. Following an outstanding freshman season, Hegan was heavily pursued by major league teams and signed with the New York Yankees, where his father had become a coach, in August of 1961, under the stipulation from his parents that he would continue his college education, which he did at John Carroll University. With Fort Lauderdale of the Class D Florida State League in 1962, the young first baseman batted .306 with 11 doubles, 3 home runs, 43 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, and a .438 on-base percentage thanks to drawing 99 walks. In 1963 he was assigned to Idaho Falls of the Class A Pioneer League where he led the league with 123 runs scored while hitting .323 with 24 doubles, 9 triples, 28 home runs, 98 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .457 OBP thanks to drawing 112 walks. In 1964 he was promoted to Columbus of the Class AA Southern League where he batted .233 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 10 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .333 OBP. Called up to the Yankees in September, Hegan went hitless in five at bats. Added to the World Series roster as a replacement for injured shortstop Tony Kubek, Hegan scored a run when inserted into Game 1 as a pinch-runner, which pretty much represented the extent of his offensive production. Returning to Columbus in 1965, he was promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League where, in 128 games ended up with combined totals of .210 with 7 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 OBP. Still with Toledo in 1966, Hegan batted .265 with 27 doubles, a league-leading 11 triples, 11 home runs, 44 RBIs, and a .393 OBP boosted by his league-leading 98 walks drawn. Once more a late-season call-up to the Yankees, he appeared in 13 games and hit .205. Offseason service in the Army National Guard caused Hegan to join the Yankees late in 1967. Having proven to be a good fielder, he backed up the aging and injury-plagued Mickey Mantle at first base and hit .136 with 6 extra-base hits (including a home run) and a .266 OBP. Sent down to the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League in 1968, Hegan batted .304 with 15 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 39 RBIs, a .413 OBP, and a .465 slugging percentage. He was sold to the expansion Pilots. A strong spring performance had him starting in right field for the club’s first game in 1969.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 95 games

RF – 61, 1B – 19, PH – 11, PR – 10, LF – 2, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 334

At Bats – 267

Runs – 54

Hits – 78

Doubles – 9

Triples – 6 [4, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 8

RBI – 37

Bases on Balls – 62

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .292 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .427 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .461 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 123

GDP – 1

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 0 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, 3B – 5, HR – 7, RBI – 30, AVG – .293, OBP – .426

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Oakland 5/4, (in 4 AB) vs. Washington 5/10, (in 3 AB) vs. Cleveland 6/2, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/11 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Cleveland 6/2

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Washington 5/10, at NY Yankees 9/1 – 13 innings

Pinch-hitting/running – 2 for 8 (.250) with 7 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI & 3 BB

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 112

Put Outs – 100

Assists – 7

Errors – 5

DP – 1

Pct. - .955

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they still managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated. While Hegan was an All-Star selection he was forced to miss the game due to an injured hamstring.

Aftermath of 1969:

With the move of the Pilots to Milwaukee in 1970 and the departure of first baseman Don Mincher, Hegan became the regular at the position and batted .244 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .336 OBP. He started the 1971 season with the Brewers but was purchased by the Oakland Athletics in June. Backing up at first base and used as a late-innings defensive replacement for Mike Epstein, Hegan hit .236 for the division-winning A’s with a .300 OBP. Utilized in similar fashion in 1972, he appeared in 98 games and batted .329 with a .375 OBP and was typically sure-handed in the field. Hegan started the 1973 season backing up Gene Tenace at first base but his consecutive game errorless streak ended at 178 games, at the time an AL record. He was dealt back to the Yankees in August and went on to bat a combined .243 with 7 home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .284 OBP. The acquisition of Chris Chambliss in May of 1974 placed Hegan back in a strictly reserve role at first base and he was sold to the Brewers soon after. Backing up George Scott at first and also seeing significant time as a DH and pinch-hitter, he batted a combined .235 with 9 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .340 OBP. Hegan played three more years with the Brewers with declining offensive production and retired during the 1977 season. A fine defensive player with limited hitting ability, for his major league career he batted .242 with 504 hits that included 73 doubles, 18 triples, and 53 home runs. He scored 281 runs and accounted for 229 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and a .341 OBP. With the Pilots/Brewers his batting production was .249 with 380 hits, 221 runs scored, 56 doubles, 13 triples, 42 home runs, 188 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .355 OBP. Appearing in 13 postseason games he hit .125. His record errorless streak at first base remained as the AL mark until 2010. Following his playing career he went into broadcasting and also owned a company which provided indoor baseball and softball batting cages as well as instruction in batting, pitching and fielding. Inducted into the St. Ignatius High School Athletic Hall of Fame, he died in 2013 at age 71.

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

Highlighted Year: Jose “Coco” Laboy, 1969

Third Baseman, Montreal Expos

Age:  29 (July 4)

1^st season with Expos

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 165 

Prior to 1969:

A native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Jose Laboy (who was nicknamed “Coco” in his youth) began playing baseball professionally with the Ponce Leones (Lions) at age 18 during the 1958-59 winter season. Signed by the San Francisco Giants in 1959, the young shortstop played for teams at the Class D and C levels in ’59 and batted a combined .280 with 23 doubles, 12 home runs, 61 RBIs, and a .358 on-base percentage. Following another winter season with Ponce, he returned to Fresno of the Class C California League (his second stop the previous year) and now playing regularly at second base hit .305 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, 83 RBIs, and a .411 OBP in 1960. In 1961 Laboy advanced to Springfield of the Class A Eastern League and batted .311 with 15 doubles, 7 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .369 OBP. A back injury during the 1962 season while playing for the El Paso Sun Kings of the Class AA Texas League limited him to 13 games and nearly ended his career. Released by the Giants after doctors advised him to quit baseball, Laboy instead signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1963. He started the season with Tulsa in the Texas League but was soon sent down to the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Class A Northern League where he hit .292 with 21 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .343 OBP, and a .508 slugging percentage. Another abortive stint with Tulsa in 1964 caused him to be sent back to Class A and Raleigh of the Carolina League where he hit .340 with 29 doubles, 24 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .443 OBP, and a .630 slugging percentage while displaying good strike zone recognition and the ability to hit to both left and right fields. An unfortunate situation occurred in August when, believing an opposing pitcher was throwing at him, he bunted down the first base line and when the pitcher came over to field the ball, Laboy chased after him with his bat, igniting an extended brawl. Arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, he pled guilty and was fined by a city judge. He was also suspended and fined by the league but was soon promoted to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AAA International League where he finished the season. Despite the bat-wielding incident, Laboy still received several Carolina League honors and he was named as third baseman on the Class A All-Star team. After failing to make the Cardinals during the spring of 1965, Laboy returned to Jacksonville where he hit .278 with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 8 home runs, 44 RBIs, and a .320 OBP. Unable to stick with the Cardinals once again in 1966, he was assigned to Tulsa, now in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .308 with 25 doubles, 16 home runs, 56 RBIs, a .388 OBP, and a .518 slugging percentage. Laboy spent 1967 and ’68 with Tulsa, batting .298 and .292 respectively, with 12 and 15 home runs, 54 and 100 RBIs, and OBPs of .352 and .343. With expansion in 1969, Laboy was selected by the Expos and became the starting third baseman following his long minor league trek.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

3B – 156, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 616

At Bats – 562

Runs – 53

Hits – 145

Doubles – 29 [11, tied with Joe Torre & Johnny Callison]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 18

RBI – 83 [19, tied with Doug Rader]

Bases on Balls – 40

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 96 [18]

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .258

OBP - .308

Slugging Pct. - .409

Total Bases – 230

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 8 [5]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, HR – 13, RBI – 49, AVG – .275, OBP - .322

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Philadelphia 4/17

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eighteen occasions

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 6

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on six occasions

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 4 (.500) with 2 R, 2 2B & 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 447

Put Outs – 115

Assists – 307

Errors – 25

DP – 28

Pct. - .944

Awards & Honors:

2^nd in NL Rookie of the Year voting, tied with Al Oliver, Pitt. (3 votes, 13% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Expos went 52-110 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Eastern Division, 48 games behind the division-winning New York Mets while drawing 1,212,608 fans to little Jarry Park (Parc Jarry). The Expos were 7-13 at the end of April, despite a no-hitter by RHP Bill Stoneman. Typically, they were pitching challenged, unable to make the most of the power displayed by outfielders Rusty Staub and Mack Jones, plus the surprising rookie Laboy. They settled into the NL East cellar and were at their best during an 11-15 September.

Aftermath of 1969:

Laboy got off to a slow start in 1970 and was benched for a time before reclaiming his spot in the lineup. He remained streaky for the remainder of the season, batting a lowly .199 with 26 doubles, 5 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .254 OBP. In 1971 he lost his starting job to Bob Bailey and hit .252 in a backup role. Laboy played two more seasons for the Expos with increasingly diminishing returns and spent part of 1973 back in the minors. For his major league career which was spent entirely with Montreal, he batted .233 with 291 hits that included 62 doubles, 2 triples, and 28 home runs. He scored 108 runs and compiled 166 RBIs, a .289 OBP, and a .354 slugging percentage. Following his major league career, he continued to play winter ball in Puerto Rico until 1975. He had routinely played in the Puerto Rican Winter League throughout his professional career and went on to coach and manage in the league. His long minor league apprenticeship led to one good major league season with the expansion Expos.

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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: Tommy Harper, 1969

Second Baseman/Third Baseman/Outfielder, Seattle Pilots

Age:  28

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 165 

Prior to 1969:

Born in Louisiana, Harper moved with his family to Alameda, California at age 4. An excellent all-around athlete, in addition to baseball, he was a star quarterback at Encinal High School and also captained the basketball team and was a track & field sprinter. Following high school he enrolled at San Francisco State to pursue a physical education degree. After his first year, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1960. Initially assigned to Topeka of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League, the 19-year-old second baseman batted .254 with 22 extra-base hits, 26 stolen bases, and drew 76 walks to give him a .429 on-base percentage. Still with Topeka in 1961, Harper hit .324 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .488 OBP thanks to his drawing 136 walks. In addition to being the league’s all-star second baseman, Harper was named MVP as well. He started the 1962 season with the Reds, but when his hitting slumped he was sent down to San Diego of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .333 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 26 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He also stole 22 bases, drew 105 walks, and produced a .450 OBP, and a .569 slugging percentage. Harper was back with the Reds in 1963 where he was shifted to the outfield. Appearing at all three outfield positions, he hit .260 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, 12 stolen bases in 13 tries, and a .335 OBP. He was named a Topps Rookie All-Star. Platooned primarily in left field in 1964, Harper had a disappointing season, batting .243 with 11 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .326 OBP. In the offseason he did reserve duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Playing regularly in left field in 1965, where he proved to be a good fit defensively, Harper displayed more power by hitting 18 home runs with 64 RBIs while batting .257 and drawing 78 walks for a .340 OBP. He also scored a league-leading 126 runs and stole 35 bases, but his 127 strikeouts were a cause of concern. He performed a different sort of service in the offseason, teaching sports to boys in detention at the Montgomery County Family Court Center in Dayton. In 1966 Harper had hitting streaks of 17 and 24 games but a late-season slump combined with poor hitting on the road (he batted .231 on the road and .327 at home) left him at .278 with a .348 OBP. His home run total dropped to 5, along with 22 doubles and 5 triples and he stole 29 bases while drawing 57 walks and whiffing 85 times. In 1967 a broken right wrist cost Harper two months of action and, limited to 103 games. He ended up hitting .225 with 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, and a .306 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to Cleveland for three players. Platooned once again with the Indians (much to his displeasure), he hit .217 in 1968 with 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a .295 OBP. Left unprotected in the AL expansion draft, Harper was chosen by the Pilots, who had him starting the 1969 season at second base, although he would end up playing an equal number of games at third.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

2B – 59, 3B – 59, CF – 22, PH – 8, LF – 4, RF – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 640

At Bats – 537

Runs – 78

Hits – 126

Doubles – 10

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 9

RBI – 41

Bases on Balls – 95 [9]

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 90 [17]

Stolen Bases – 73 [1]

Caught Stealing – 18 [1, tied with Don Buford]

Average - .235

OBP - .349

Slugging Pct. - .311

Total Bases – 167

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading stolen bases were +11 ahead of runner-up Bert Campaneris

Midseason snapshot: HR – 5, RBI – 20, SB – 44, AVG – .236, OBP – .359

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on nine occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Detroit 6/1, vs. Cleveland 8/24

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 5 (.200) with 1 R, 1 RBI & 2 BB

Fielding (2B)

Chances – 269

Put Outs – 113

Assists – 145

Errors – 11

DP – 33

Pct. - .959

Awards & Honors:

29^th in AL MVP voting, tied with five others (2 points, 1% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated.

Aftermath of 1969:

The bankrupt Pilots were moved to Milwaukee and re-named the Brewers in 1970. Harper, now primarily playing at third base, had an outstanding season as he batted .296 with 31 home runs, 82 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, 77 walks drawn, and a .377 OBP, becoming the fifth NL/AL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season. Along the way he was an All-Star for the only time in his career. He got off to a slow start in 1971 and his batting average bottomed out at .155 in May. His hitting improved when he was moved from third base to left field and he finished at .258 with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, 65 walks drawn, and a .333 OBP. Following the season, he was dealt as part of a major multi-player trade with the Boston Red Sox. Regularly playing in center field, in 1972 Harper hit .254 with 29 doubles, 14 home runs, 92 runs scored, 49 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and a .341 OBP. With Carl Yastrzemski moving to first base in 1973, Harper was shifted to left field and, following a slow start, he went on a batting tear from July onward to finish at .281 with 17 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a league-leading 54 stolen bases. He placed 13^th in AL MVP voting. Despite his fine performance, Harper entered the 1974 season dealing with much uncertainty. Having made some major offseason trades, and with some talented outfielders making their way through the minors, the Red Sox had some questions regarding where the 33-year-old veteran fit in. Hindered by injuries, he made 61 appearances in left field and 51 as Designated Hitter to end up batting .237 with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and 28 stolen bases. Dealt to the California Angels in the offseason, he was utilized primarily as a DH in 1975 and was hitting .239 when he was sold to the Oakland Athletics in August. He finished with a combined .254 average with 5 homers, 38 RBIs, a .337 OBP, and 26 stolen bases. Oakland topped the AL West and Harper saw his only taste of postseason action in the ALCS loss to the Red Sox, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance. Released by the A’s in the offseason, Harper spent one last major league season with the Baltimore Orioles in 1976, mostly appearing as a DH, pinch-hitter, or pinch-runner and batting .234. Waived by the Orioles and failing to make the A’s in 1977, Harper became a minor league instructor and scout with the New York Yankees. For his major league career he batted .257 with 1609 hits that included 256 doubles, 36 triples, and 146 home runs. He scored 972 runs and compiled 567 RBIs, 408 stolen bases, drawing 753 walks and posting a .338 OBP. With the Pilots/Brewers he batted .264 with 456 hits, 261 runs scored, 71 doubles, 9 triples, 54 home runs, 136 stolen bases, and a .354 OBP. A one-time All-Star, he received league MVP votes on four occasions, with his highest finish being sixth in 1970 with the Brewers. Following his time with the Yankees organization, Harper worked in several different capacities for the Red Sox, sometimes laced with controversy due to issues pertaining to racial discrimination. He also coached for the Montreal Expos. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2010.

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

Highlighted Year: Ellie Rodriguez, 1969

Catcher, Kansas City Royals

Age:  23 (May 24)

1^st season with Royals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 185 

Prior to 1969:

Born in Puerto Rico, Eliseo Rodriguez moved to New York City with his family in 1953 where he played stickball in his youth. He attended Yankee games and became a fan of star catcher Yogi Berra. Rodriguez boxed and played baseball. After winning two bouts in a Golden Gloves competition, a broken finger caused him to shift his focus to baseball. Following his high school graduation in 1964, he played for a Spanish League team that won 16 straight games and defeated a Puerto Rican squad for the championship. Rodriguez’s performance drew the interest of major league scouts and he signed with the Kansas City Athletics. Appearing in 17 games with Daytona Beach of the Class A Florida State League in 1964, he batted .238 and was shifted to Wytheville of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he hit .354 in 56 games, while also developing his technique behind the plate. Taken by the Yankees in the first-year draft, he was assigned to Greensboro of the Carolina League in 1965 and batted .272 with 45 RBIs and a .386 on-base percentage. Advancing to Columbus of the Class AA Southern League in 1966, he was a league All-Star while hitting .233 with a .322 OBP. Rodriguez split 1967 between Binghamton of the Class AA Eastern League and Syracuse of the Class AAA International League and batted a combined .246 with a .321 OBP. He spent the 1967-68 offseason playing in Puerto Rico with the champion Caguas Criollos. Rodriguez split 1968 between Syracuse and the Yankees. In 45 games with Syracuse he hit .291 with a .396 OBP and in nine games with the Yankees he batted .208 with a .296 OBP and performed well defensively. In the offseason he was chosen by the Royals in the AL expansion draft.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 95 games

C – 90, PH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 308

At Bats – 267

Runs – 27

Hits – 63

Doubles – 10

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 20

Bases on Balls – 31

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 26

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .236

OBP - .333

Slugging Pct. - .296

Total Bases – 79

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 8

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 0

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, HR - 2, RBI - 14, AVG - .260, OBP - .342

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at California 5/3, (in 4 AB) vs. Oakland 6/18, (in 4 AB) at Minnesota 7/8, (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 7/20

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) at Boston 6/8, (in 4 AB) at NY Yankees 6/9

HR at home – 0

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at NY Yankees 6/9

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 7 (.143)

Fielding

Chances – 477

Put Outs – 433

Assists – 39

Errors – 5

Passed Balls – 8

DP - 2

Pct. - .990 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Royals went 69-93 to finish fourth in the AL Western Division, 28 games behind the division-winning Minneesota Twins, giving them the best record of any of the four major league expansion teams that year while drawing 902,414 fans to Municipal Stadium. Rodriguez had a strong first half as the club’s regular catcher, but a batting slump in the season’s second half had him splitting time with Buck Martinez.

Aftermath of 1969:

Rodriguez was platooned with Ed Kirkpatrick, who hit with more power, in 1970. Appearing in 80 games he batted .225 with a .312 OBP while hitting only one home run, as opposed to Kirkpatrick’s 18. In 1971 he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, where he became the starting catcher and led the league by throwing out 58 % of baserunners who attempted to steal on him. His hitting remained a weakness as he batted .210 with a .311 OBP and 12 extra-base hits. An adjustment to his batting stance led to a stronger performance in 1972, as he hit .285 with a .382 OBP and was an All-Star for the second time. The Brewers briefly contended in 1973, leading the AL East on June 17. Rodriguez overcame a broken left wrist and proved to be an effective team leader during the surge. The club slumped thereafter, Rodriguez’s batting average dropped as well, and the highly-touted Darrell Porter took over the regular catching duties. Rodriguez ended up batting .269 with a .376 OBP and 9 extra base hits while throwing out 52 % of baserunners attempting to steal. Following the season, he was dealt to the California Angels where he took over as the starting backstop in 1974. He responded by hitting .253 with a .373 OBP, 20 doubles, 7 home runs, and 36 RBIs. Defensively he led AL catchers with 782 putouts, 75 assists, and 56 runners caught stealing. Having drawn criticism from Dick Williams, who took over as manager midway through the season, Rodriguez found himself in competition with veteran Andy Etchebarren, a trade deadline pickup, for playing time. For the year he appeared in 90 games and batted .235 with a .380 OBP and 9 extra-base hits. Prior to the 1976 season he was traded to the Dodgers where he saw limited action and hit .212. A broken collarbone suffered in winter action in Puerto Rico had Rodriguez starting the 1977 season on the disabled list. Released by the Dodgers in May, he signed with Pittsburgh and was assigned to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League where he batted .224 in 49 games. He spent the next three seasons in the Mexican League  where he co-managed the Coatzacoalcos Azules in 1979. Following his last active season as a player in 1982, he retired. For his major league career, Rodriguez batted .245 with 533 hits that included 76 doubles, 6 triples, and 16 home runs. He scored 220 runs and compiled 203 RBIs and a .356 OBP. With the Royals he batted .231 with 115 hits, 18 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 35 RBIs, 52 runs scored, and a .323 OBP. The two-time All-Star was more appreciated for his defense, although his batting was occasionally, but not consistently, productive. Following his playing career, he scouted and coached in Puerto Rico.

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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.