MVP Profile: Thurman Munson, 1976

Catcher, New York Yankees

Age:  29 (June 7)

7^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190 

Prior to 1976:

A native of Akron, Ohio, Munson began playing midget league baseball before moving on to junior boys and American Legion ball. At Canton’s Lehman High School he played football and basketball, as well as baseball, where he first was utilized as a catcher, although his primary position was shortstop. After batting .581 as a senior, he was named to the All-Ohio high school team. Offered numerous college football scholarships, he instead accepted a baseball scholarship to Kent State University where he excelled and received College All-America recognition. Selected fourth overall by the Yankees in the 1969 amateur draft, Munson signed for a $70,000 bonus. Initially assigned to the Binghamton Triplets of the Class AA Eastern League he hit .301 in 71 games along with 6 home runs and 37 RBIs while also developing his skills behind the plate. Promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League in 1969, he was also inducted into the Army Reserve, serving at Fort Dix in New Jersey and playing with Syracuse when possible (and compiling a .363 average in 28 games). Promoted to the Yankees in August to fill in for catcher Frank Fernandez, Munson batted .256 in 26 games and hit his first major league home run. After a brief return to Syracuse, he was called back up to the Yankees in September and threw out 7 base runners during the final month. With Fernandez traded to Oakland, Munson was set to take over the primary catching duties in 1970. Overcoming a slow start at the plate, he batted .302 with 25 doubles, 6 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .386 on-base percentage. Cocky and talented, he quickly became popular with teammates. After the season he was a near-unanimous AL Rookie of the Year selection. During the 1971 season, Munson was knocked unconscious and hospitalized following a collision at the plate with Baltimore catcher Andy Etchebarren but missed minimal time as he demonstrated his toughness and determination. He was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .251 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 OBP. Additionally, he led AL catchers with a .998 fielding percentage and by throwing out 61 % of runners attempting to steal against him. In 1972 a long-running feud with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk was ignited when Fisk slid hard into Munson in a play at the plate (the two would ignite a major brawl the following year as their rivalry intensified). For the year, Munson continued to establish himself as a top all-around backstop as his average rebounded to .280 with a .343 OBP and 7 home runs with 46 RBIs. Defensively he placed second in the league with 71 assists. A very methodical hitter, in 1973 Munson batted .301 with 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .362 OBP while receiving his first Gold Glove for his defensive performance. He finished twelfth in league MVP voting. Bothered by injuries in 1974, Munson’s average dipped to .261 and his OBP to .316 while he totaled 13 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a strained forearm hindered his throwing ability. His production rebounded in 1975 to .318 with a .366 OBP, 24 doubles, 12 home runs, and 102 RBIs. He was named team captain by manager Billy Martin in 1976 in recognition of his role as a team leader.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

C – 121, DH – 21, RF – 9, PH – 4, LF – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 665 [14, tied with Amos Otis]

At Bats – 616 [6]

Runs – 79 [15, tied with Chris Chambliss]

Hits – 186 [4]

Doubles – 27 [19, tied with Rick Burleson & Reggie Jackson]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 17 [14, tied with five others]

RBI – 105 [2]

Bases on Balls – 29

Int. BB – 6 [19, tied with eight others]

Strikeouts – 38

Stolen Bases – 14

Caught Stealing – 11

Average - .302 [9]

OBP - .337

Slugging Pct. - .432 [16, tied with Carl Yastrzemski & Mickey Rivers]

Total Bases – 266 [6]

GDP – 17 [8, tied with Reggie Jackson, Toby Harrah & Gene Clines]

Hit by Pitches – 9 [4]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 10 [5, tied with Joe Rudi & Fred Lynn] 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR - 8, RBI – 50, AVG - .319, OBP - .354, SLG - .455

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) vs. Oakland 6/4 – 11 innings, (in 4 AB) at Minnesota 6/15, (in 4 AB) at Cleveland 7/2, (in 5 AB) vs. Oakland 7/21

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on seventeen occasions

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Oakland 7/21

Pinch-hitting – 3 for 4 (.750) with 1 2B & 3 RBI

Fielding (C )

Chances – 627

Put Outs – 537

Assists – 78

Errors – 12

Passed Balls – 12

DP – 8

Pct. - .981

Postseason Batting: 9 G (ALCS vs. KC Royals – 5 G, World Series vs. Cincinnati – 4 G)

PA – 40, AB – 40, R – 5, H – 19, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 5, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 1, AVG - .475, OBP - .475, SLG - .525, TB – 21, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL at C)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Thurman Munson, NYY: 304 points – 18 of 24 first place votes, 90% share

George Brett, KCR: 217 points – 2 first place votes, 65% share

Mickey Rivers, NYY: 179 points – 1 first place vote, 53% share

Hal McRae, KCR: 99 points – 29% share

Rod Carew, Min.: 71 points – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Chris Chambliss, NYY: 71 points – 21% share

(1 first place vote apiece for Amos Otis, KCR who ranked seventh & Mark Fidrych, Det who ranked eleventh)

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The Yankees went 97-62 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 10.5 games over the Baltimore Orioles, while leading the league in fewest batting strikeouts (616). Returning to the renovated Yankee Stadium, the Yankees rode a 10-3 April into first place and never looked back, easily taking the AL East title. Won ALCS over the Kansas City Royals, 3 games to 2, won by a walk-off home run by first baseman Chris Chambliss in the deciding fifth game. Lost World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 0.

Aftermath of 1976:

The arrival of slugging outfielder Reggie Jackson in 1977 ignited discord between he and Munson, especially when critical comments appeared in print. The Yankees repeated as AL pennant winners and Munson batted .308 with 18 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .351 OBP. In the World Series triumph over the Dodgers in which Jackson starred, Munson hit .320 to contribute to achieving a championship. Heading into 1978, the veteran backstop expressed a desire to be traded, preferably to Cleveland, to be closer to his Ohio home, a desire that the Yankee front office did not follow up on, not wanting to send away a popular and productive player. The ensuing season was tumultuous and ended with the Yankees beating Boston in a tie-breaking playoff to win the AL East. Munson batted .297 with 27 doubles, 6 home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .332 on-base percentage. Advancing to another World Series matchup with the Dodgers, New York won four straight games after losing the first two to take the title. Munson again hit well in the Series with a .320 average, 3 doubles, and 7 RBIs. Intense and insecure, Munson had a strained relationship with the New York media but was an effective team leader. In 1979 he was dealing with severe shoulder and knee pain but was hitting .288 with a .340 OBP when his career, and life, came to a tragic end in August when the private jet he was flying crashed while he attempted to land at Akron-Canton Airport. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, Munson batted .292 with 1558 hits that included 229 doubles, 32 triples, and 113 home runs. He scored 696 runs and compiled 701 RBIs and a .346 OBP. Appearing in 30 postseason games, he hit .357 with 3 home runs and 22 RBIs. A seven-time All-Star, he also was awarded three Gold Gloves and placed in the top 20 in AL MVP voting five times. The Yankees retired his #15 and placed a plaque in his honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

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

Cy Young Profile: Jim Palmer, 1976

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  30

11^th season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1976:

A native of New York City, Palmer was adopted and originally named James Alvin Wiesen. Upon his father’s death the family moved to California and he was adopted by his mother’s second husband, whose last name was Palmer. Now Jim Palmer, he played Little League, Pony League, and Babe Ruth League baseball as a youth. The family relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona where Palmer attended high school and played football and basketball as well as baseball, where he pitched and appeared in center field. While playing summer ball in South Dakota following his high school graduation, Palmer drew the interest of the Orioles, who signed him to a $50,000 contract. He had already suffered a knee injury in a car accident that required surgery. Assigned to Aberdeen of the Class A Northern League in 1964, Palmer started 19 games and posted an 11-3 record with a 2.51 ERA and 107 strikeouts, although he had problems with his control, as he issued 130 walks over 129 innings. But still he pitched a no-hitter and, after a winter stint in the Florida Instructional League, Palmer advanced to the Orioles in 1965. Utilized as a reliever and spot starter, he appeared in 27 games (6 of them starts) and went 5-4 with a 3.72 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 92 innings, while walking 56 batters. Palmer moved into the starting rotation in 1966 and contributed a 15-10 record to Baltimore’s pennant-winning season, along with a 3.46 ERA and 147 strikeouts. He also acquired the nickname “Cakes” as the result of his habit of eating pancakes on the mornings of his starts. The Orioles swept the Dodgers in the World Series and the 20-year-old out-dueled LA’s star LHP Sandy Koufax in Game 2 for a complete game shutout. Palmer started the 1967 season well at 2-1, including a one-hit shutout of the Yankees, until arm trouble reduced his effectiveness and resulted in his being sent down to the minors for most of the season, returning to the Orioles in September. He finished with a 3-1 major league tally and a 2.94 ERA over 49 innings. With continued arm soreness, Palmer spent all of 1968 in the minors, appearing with three different teams with poor results. The Orioles expected him to pitch through the pain and during a winter stint in Puerto Rico the soreness disappeared. He regained his spot in the Baltimore rotation in 1969 and was 16-4, despite missing time due to a back injury, with a 2.34 ERA and a no-hitter against Oakland. In the first year of divisional play in major league baseball, the Orioles topped the new AL East and Palmer beat the Minnesota Twins in the third, and final, game of the ALCS. In the World Series he lost his only start against the New York Mets, who upset Baltimore in five games. The Orioles had three 20-game winners in 1970, with Palmer (20-10) joining lefthanders Mike Cuellar (24-8) and Dave McNally (24-9) as Baltimore again finished first in the AL East. Palmer also led the AL with 305 innings pitched. He and the team had better luck in the postseason, again sweeping the Twins as Palmer again won the deciding contest, and this time the Orioles won the World Series against Cincinnati, and Palmer won the opener and was pulled from Game 4 with a lead that reliever Eddie Watt couldn’t hold, which led to the only win for the Reds. The Orioles had an unprecedented four 20-game winners in 1971 on the way to a third straight AL pennant. Newly-acquired RHP Pat Dobson (20-8) joined Palmer (20-9), Cuellar (20-9), and McNally (21-5). Palmer battled shoulder stiffness along the way to 20 complete games and 282 innings pitched with a 2.68 ERA and 184 strikeouts. He was 2-0 in the postseason that resulted in a World Series loss to Pittsburgh. The Orioles dropped to third place in 1972, but Palmer had a third consecutive All-Star season on his way to a 21-10 record with a 2.07 ERA and 184 strikeouts. With an outstanding high fastball as his best pitch, Palmer also had command of a slow curve and slider. He also had an occasionally tempestuous relationship with manager Earl Weaver, who appreciated his righthanded ace’s talent if not always his baseball opinions. Baltimore returned to the top of the AL East in 1973 and Palmer contributed a 22-9 record with a league-leading 2.40 ERA and 158 strikeouts and received his first AL Cy Young Award. He pitched a five-hit shutout against Oakland in the ALCS, which the A’s ultimately won. Following four consecutive 20-win seasons capped by a Cy Young Award-winning effort in 1973, Palmer had an off-year in 1974 while hindered by arm soreness. His record dropped to 7-12 although his ERA was still respectable at 3.27. He returned to form in 1975 by posting a 23-11 mark with a league-leading 2.09 ERA and 10 shutouts among his 25 complete games. He received his second AL Cy Young Award as a result.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 40 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 40

Games Started – 40 [1]

Complete Games – 23 [2, tied with Frank Tanana]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 13 [15, tied with Vida Blue, Eduardo Rodriguez & Mike Cuellar]

PCT - .629 [11]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [2, tied with Vida Blue & Bert Blyleven]

Innings Pitched – 315 [1]

Hits – 255 [7]

Runs – 101 [15, tied with Ed Figueroa]

Earned Runs – 88 [17, tied with Rick Wise]

Home Runs – 20 [5, tied with Jim Colborn & Ferguson Jenkins]

Bases on Balls – 84 [9]

Strikeouts – 159 [7]

ERA – 2.51 [5]

Hit Batters – 8 [7, tied with Bill Travers, Jim Hughes & Jim Willoughby]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runners-up Nolan Ryan & Mike Torrez

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runner-up Luis Tiant

League-leading innings pitched were +16.2 ahead of runner-up Jim Hunter

Midseason Snapshot: 11-8, ERA - 3.00, SO - 88 in 174 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) at Texas 6/19

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Minnesota 8/10

Fielding

Chances – 77

Put Outs – 27

Assists – 49

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .987

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

10^th in AL MVP voting (47 points, 14% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 108 points – 19 of 24 first place votes, 90% share

Mark Fidrych, Det.: 51 points – 5 first place votes, 43% share

Frank Tanana, Cal.: 18 points – 15% share

Ed Figueroa, NYY.: 12 points – 10% share

Luis Tiant, Bos.: 10 points – 8% share

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Orioles went 88-74 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 10.5 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. Starting off slowly, the Orioles were 40-42 in the season’s first half. A second-half surge capped by a 20-13 record after September 1 was not enough to contend but allowed for a second-place finish.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Palmer was the Cy Young runner-up in 1977 when he went 20-11 with a 2.91 ERA and 22 complete games and 319 innings pitched, which were both AL-leading figures. Palmer topped the American League in innings pitched for the third straight year with 296 in 1978, on his way to a 21-12 record with a 2.46 ERA. Twice on the disabled list with a sore arm in 1979, he finished at 10-6 with a 3.30 ERA as the Orioles topped the AL East for the first time since 1974. He was 0-1 in the postseason which ended in a World Series loss to Pittsburgh. Palmer had a solid 1980 season, compiling a 16-10 record with a 3.98 ERA. He dipped to a 7-8 tally in strike-interrupted 1981. Following a slow start in 1982, Palmer was briefly exiled to the bullpen but recovered to end up at 15-5 with a 3.13 ERA. He went 5-4 in an injury-plagued 1983 season which concluded with a World Series win in a relief appearance which gave him World Series wins in three different decades. Still, the end was near as Palmer was released by the Orioles during the 1984 season following an 0-3 start. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Orioles, Palmer produced a 268-152 record that included eight 20-win seasons and two ERA titles. His ERA was 2.86 and he compiled 211 complete games that included 53 shutouts. He also struck out 2212 batters over the course of 3948 innings. In addition to three Cy Young Awards, he was a six-time All-Star who received four Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess as well. Pitching in 17 postseason games, he was 8-3 with a 2.61 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Palmer attempted a comeback with Baltimore in 1991 that ended during spring training. Following his playing career, the intelligent and articulate Palmer went into broadcasting, which he had first involved himself with while still a player, as well as being a model in underwear ads. The Orioles retired his #22 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.   

MVP Profile: Joe Morgan, 1976

Second Baseman, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  33 (Sept. 19)

5^th season with Reds

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 160

Prior to 1976:

Born in Texas, Morgan moved to Oakland, California with his family as a child. He played basketball as well as baseball at Castlemont High School. Following two outstanding seasons at Oakland City College, Morgan signed with the expansion Houston Colt .45s for $500 per month and a $3000 signing bonus in 1962. Assigned to Modesto of the Class A California League in 1963 he batted .263 in 45 games with 5 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. Advancing to the Durham Bulls of the Class A Carolina League later in the season, he benefited from the coaching of manager Billy Goodman, a former major league batting star, who helped him learn patience at the plate. He hit .332 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. Called up to Houston in September, the diminutive “Little Joe” appeared in eight games and batted .240. Moving on to the San Antonio Bullets of the Class AA Texas League in 1964, Morgan batted .323 with 42 doubles, 8 triples, 12 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 47 stolen bases. He was named league MVP and again received a September call-up to the Colt .45s. He stayed with the renamed Astros in 1965 and became the regular second baseman. He hit .271 with 14 home runs, 40 RBIs, 100 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases, placing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. His speed and surprising power considering his size, made Morgan appear to be a star in the making. He developed a distinctive arm flap that served as a reminder to keep his back elbow up when at the plate. He missed 40 games in 1966 due to a fractured kneecap which kept him from appearing in his first All-Star Game. Playing in 122 games he batted .285 with 8 triples, 5 home runs, 42 RBIs, 60 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. Morgan rebounded in 1967 by playing in 133 games and hitting .275 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases while performing well in the field. He was limited to ten games in 1968 due to torn knee ligaments that required surgery. Morgan returned in 1969 to bat .236 with 15 home runs, 43 RBIs, 94 runs scored, and 49 stolen bases as the Astros proved to be surprise contenders in the new NL Western Division. He was an All-Star in 1970 on his way to hitting .268 with 8 home runs, 52 RBIs, 102 runs scored, and 42 stolen bases. Morgan remained productive in 1971, batting .256 with a league-leading 11 triples, 13 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases, while committing only 12 errors at second base. He also clashed with manager Harry Walker, who criticized his attitude, and in the offseason he was dealt to the Reds along with four other players for second baseman Tommy Helms, first baseman Lee May, and utilityman Jimmy Stewart. Morgan proved to be a solid addition to a pennant-winning team in 1972, leading the NL in runs scored (122), walks drawn (115), and on-base percentage (.417) while hitting .292 with 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 58 stolen bases. In addition to being chosen as an All-Star he placed fourth in league MVP voting. He received his first Gold Glove in 1973 and batted .290 with 26 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 67 stolen bases for the division-winning Reds. In 1974 he topped the NL with a .427 on-base percentage while hitting .293 with 22 home runs, 67 RBIs, 107 runs scored, and 58 stolen bases. Cincinnati returned to the top of the NL West in 1975 and Morgan was the league MVP as he hit .327 with 17 home runs, 94 RBIs, 67 stolen bases, and led the league in walks drawn (132) and OBP (.466). The Reds advanced to the World Series and defeated the Boston Red Sox in a drama-filled seven games that came down to Morgan’s RBI single in the climactic game.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

2B – 133, PH – 8, PR – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 599

At Bats – 472

Runs – 113 [2]

Hits – 151

Doubles – 30 [13]

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 27 [5]

RBI – 111 [2]

Bases on Balls – 114 [2]

Int. BB – 8 [20, tied with eight others]

Strikeouts – 41

Stolen Bases – 60 [2]

Caught Stealing – 9 [16, tied with four others]

Average - .320 [5]

OBP - .444 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .576 [1]

Total Bases – 272 [5, tied with Willie Montanez]

GDP – 2

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 12 [1]

League-leading OBP was +.032 ahead of runner-up Bill Madlock

League-leading slugging pct was +.046 ahead of runner-up George Foster

League-leading sac flies were +1 ahead of runner-up Greg Luzinski

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR - 14, RBI - 62, SB – 23, AVG - .330, OBP - .463, SLG - .612 

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Most hits, game – 3 on nine occasions

Longest hitting streak – 19 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 14

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at Pittsburgh 6/7, (in 3 AB) at Pittsburgh 6/8, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 8/23

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Montreal 7/5

Pinch-hitting/running – 0 for 5 (.000) with 2 R, 1 SB, 1 RBI & 3 BB

Fielding

Chances – 690

Put Outs – 342

Assists – 335

Errors – 13

DP – 85

Pct. - .981

Postseason Batting: 7 G (NLCS vs. Philadelphia – 3 G; World Series vs. NY Yankees – 4 G)

PA – 30, AB – 22, R – 5, H – 5, 2B – 1,3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 8, IBB – 3, SO – 3, SB – 4, CS – 0, AVG - .227, OBP - .433, SLG - .500, TB – 11, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for NL at 2B)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Joe Morgan, Cin.: 311 pts. - 19 of 24 first place votes, 93% share

George Foster, Cin.: 221 pts. – 5 first place votes, 66% share

Mike Schmidt, Phila.: 179 pts. – 53% share

Pete Rose, Cin.: 131 pts. – 39% share

Garry Maddox, Phila.: 98 pts. – 29% share

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Reds went 102-60 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 10 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers, while leading the league in runs scored (857), hits (1599), doubles (271), triples (63), home runs (141), RBIs (802), stolen bases (210), bases on balls drawn (681), batter strikeouts (902), batting (.280), OBP (.357), slugging (.424), and total bases (2419). The Reds were 28-17 by the end of May and coasted to a second straight NL West title. Won NLCS over the Philadelphia Phillies, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0, making them the first NL club to win back-to-back World Series championships since the 1921-22 Giants.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Cincinnati was a second-place club in 1977 but Morgan hit .288 with 22 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 49 stolen bases. Hampered by a pulled stomach muscle in 1978, Morgan’s batting average dropped to .236 with 13 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases. Injuries slowed Morgan again in 1979 and he batted .250 with 9 home runs, 32 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases for the division-winning Reds. In the offseason, the fading 36-year-old returned to the Astros as a free agent. Following a slow start in 1980 Morgan became a key to Houston winning its first NL West title, batting .243 with a .367 on-base percentage fueled by his league-leading 93 walks drawn. He also produced 11 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. Moving on to the San Francisco Giants in 1981 he helped to solidify the infield defensively while providing leadership during the strike-interrupted season. “The Little General” hit .240 with a .371 on-base percentage, 66 walks drawn, 8 home runs, and 31 RBIs. He followed up with an impressive season in 1982, by the end of which he was 39 years old, batting .289 with 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases while the Giants contended in the NL West. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason, which reunited him with former Cincinnati teammates Pete Rose and Tony Perez. The Phillies won the division and NL pennant as Morgan contributed a .230 average with 16 home runs and 59 RBIs. He added two home runs in the World Series loss to Baltimore. Released by the Phillies in the offseason, Morgan played one last year with the Oakland Athletics in 1984 in which he hit .244 with 6 home runs and 43 RBIs. Overall for his major league career, he batted .271 with 2517 hits that included 449 doubles, 96 triples, and 268 home runs. He further compiled 1650 runs, 1133 RBIs, 689 stolen bases, and 1865 walks drawn. With the Reds he batted .288 with 1155 hits, 816 runs scored, 220 doubles, 27 triples, 152 home runs, 612 RBIs, 406 stolen bases, and 881 walks drawn. In 50 postseason games he hit just .182 with 5 home runs, 13 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Morgan was a 10-time All-Star (8 straight with the Reds) and received five Gold Gloves. The Reds retired his #8 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. In retirement he went into broadcasting. He died in 2020 at the age of 77.

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

Rookie of the Year: Pat Zachry, 1976

Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  24 (Apr. 24)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1976:

A Texas native, Zachry survived a gunshot wound at 14 and pitched on the baseball team at Richfield High School in Waco. After throwing three no-hitters in summer league action he was selected by the Reds in the 1970 amateur draft. Signing for a $3500 bonus, he played for two teams at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’70 and produced a combined 3-5 record with a 2.76 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 75 innings pitched. Advancing to Tampa of the Class A Florida State League in 1971, he posted a 12-4 mark with a 3.21 ERA and 115 strikeouts over 143 innings. Sent to Quebec’s Trois Rivieres Aigles of the Class AA Eastern League in 1972, Zachry went 7-7 with a 2.64 ERA and 102 strikeouts while pitching 133 innings. Still with Trois Rivieres in 1973, he was utilized as both a starter and reliever and had a 12-12 tally with a 3.29 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 178 innings. Promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1974, Zachry, who started in 17 of his 33 games, produced a 10-7 record with a 3.52 ERA, although his strikeouts fell to 98 in 151 innings. With Indianapolis again in 1975, he again went 10-7 with a league-leading 2.43 ERA and 100 strikeouts. He was a league All-Star selection. Zachry made the staff of the defending World Series champion Reds for 1976. 

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 38 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38

Games Started – 28

Complete Games – 6

Wins – 14 [16, tied with five others]

Losses – 7

PCT - .667 [6]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 204

Hits – 170

Runs – 70

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 8

Bases on Balls – 83 [8]

Strikeouts – 143 [11]

ERA – 2.74 [5, tied with Randy Jones]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 3 [4, tied with six others]

Wild Pitches – 5

Midseason Snapshot: 7-3, ERA – 2.66, SO – 77 in 101.1 IP

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 Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 5/28, (in 9 IP) vs. San Diego 9/21

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Atlanta 9/4

Batting

PA – 77, AB – 62, R – 1, H – 7, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 3, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .113, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 12, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 34

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 20

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .971

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (NLCS vs. Philadelphia – 1; World Series vs. NY Yankees – 1)

 GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 11.2, H – 12, R – 4, ER – 4, HR – 2, BB – 8, SO – 9, ERA – 3.09, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA (co-winner)

NL ROY Voting:

Pat Zachry, Cin.: 11 of 24 votes, 46% share

Butch Metzger, SD.: 11 votes, 46% share

Hector Cruz, StL.: 2 votes, 8% share

 

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Reds went 102-60 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 10 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The pitching staff led the league in saves (45). The Reds were 28-17 by the end of May and coasted to a second straight NL West title. Won NLCS over the Philadelphia Phillies, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0, making them the first NL club to win back-to-back World Series championships since the 1921-22 New York Giants.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Zachry had a hernia operation in the offseason and missed much of spring training in 1977, which caused him to get off to a slow start, further hindered by a sore arm. He had a 3-7 record and 5.04 ERA in June when he was traded to the New York Mets as part of the deal for star RHP Tom Seaver. His performance improved the rest of the way with his new club, going 7-6 with a 3.76 ERA for an overall record of 10-13 and a 4.25 ERA. With command of a slider, changeup, and fastball, Zachry started well in 1978 and was an All-Star for the only time in his major league career. But when pulled from a late July game against the Reds, he kicked the dugout step and broke a bone in his foot, thus ending his season. His record was 10-6 with a 3.33 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched. Hindered by a sore elbow in 1979, Zachry got off to a 5-1 start before going on the disabled list and having surgery. He returned to action in May of 1980 and had an uneven season in which he posted a 6-10 tally and a 3.01 ERA with 88 strikeouts. During the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Zachry went 7-14 with a 4.14 ERA. In 1982 he started in only 16 of his 36 appearances and had a 6-9 record and a 4.05 ERA. Dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason, he was utilized almost exclusively as a reliever in 1983 and was 6-1 with a 2.49 ERA. Strictly working out of the bullpen in 1984, Zachry appeared in 58 games and had a 5-6 tally along with a 3.81 ERA and two saves. Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1985, he made 10 relief appearances until being released in June, which ended his career. Overall, in the major leagues, Zachry compiled a 69-67 record with a 3.52 ERA. He pitched 29 complete games with 7 shutouts and recorded 669 strikeouts over 1177.1 innings. With the Reds he went 17-14 with a 3.35 ERA, 9 complete games, and 179 strikeouts over 279 innings pitched. He appeared in four postseason games with the Reds and Dodgers and was 2-0 with a 2.87 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. Following his major league playing career, Zachry coached for a time at the minor league level. He later pitched in the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989 and ’90. He has been inducted into the Waco Independent School District Athletic Hall of Fame.   

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

  

Rookie of the Year: Butch Metzger, 1976

Pitcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  24 (May 23)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1976:

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Clarence Edward Metzger, who acquired the nickname “Butch” in his youth, grew up in Sacramento, California. Excelling in American Legion baseball and at John F. Kennedy High School, where he also played football, Metzger, whose best pitch was a rising fastball, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1970 and signed for a $27,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Great Falls of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, he started 13 games and produced a 2-9 record with a 4.17 ERA and 92 strikeouts over 82 innings pitched. Starting the 1971 season with the Decatur Commodores of the Class A Midwest League, he encountered difficulty, going 3-7 with a 6.49 ERA and 48 walks and 65 strikeouts over 68 innings before being demoted back to the Pioneer League, this time with the Magic Valley Cowboys where he was 6-5 with a 3.91 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 106 innings pitched. His control improved in 1972, which he split between Decatur and Amarillo of the Class AA Texas League. His combined record was 6-7 with a 3.15 ERA and 152 strikeouts over 140 innings. Returning to Amarillo in 1973, Metzger was 10-3 with a 2.75 ERA and 117 strikeouts before being promoted to Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he again encountered difficulties and was 2-5 with a 4.63 ERA. Back with Phoenix in 1974 after failing to catch on with the Giants in the spring, he compiled a 12-10 tally with a 4.72 ERA and 148 strikeouts while pitching 204 innings. He received a September call-up to San Francisco and was 1-0 in ten relief outings with a 3.55 ERA. In the offseason Metzger was dealt to the Padres along with veteran second baseman Tito Fuentes for second baseman Derrel Thomas. Assigned to the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League in 1975, Metzger was utilized primarily as a reliever and was 15-7 with a 3.62 ERA, 5 saves, and 114 strikeouts over 169 innings. Receiving a late call-up to the Padres, he made four relief appearances and was 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA. Metzger pitched extremely well during the 1976 Cactus League season and earned a spot in the San Diego bullpen.   

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 77 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 77 [2, tied with Charlie Hough]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 11

Losses – 4

PCT - .733 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 16 [5]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 123.1

Hits – 119

Runs – 44

Earned Runs – 40

Home Runs – 5

Bases on Balls – 52

Strikeouts – 89

ERA – 2.92 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 0

Midseason Snapshot: 5-0, ERA - 2.09, G – 38, SV – 8, SO - 46 in 64.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 2 IP) at Philadelphia 7/10, (in 2 IP) at Montreal 8/14

Batting

PA – 12, AB – 8, R – 1, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 2, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 23

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 17

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .957

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA (co-winner)

3^rd in NL Cy Young voting (62 points, 1 first place vote, 30% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Butch Metzger, SD: 11 of 24 votes, 46% share

Pat Zachry, Cin.: 11 votes, 46% share

Hector Cruz, StL.: 2 votes, 8% share

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Padres went 73-89 to finish fifth in the NL Western Division, 29 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds. The Padres started the season well and were surprisingly in second place, just five games behind the Reds, on June 22. With a lack of hitting they slumped in the season’s second half.

Aftermath of ‘76:

The signing of ace closer Rollie Fingers in the offseason by the Padres caused Metzger to become trade bait. Following a rough spring in 1977, Metzger appeared in 17 games, one of them his only major league start, and had no decisions and a 5.56 ERA when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for RHP John D’Acquisto and infielder Pat Scanlon in May. In 58 relief appearances for St. Louis the rest of the way, he was 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA and 7 saves. The Cardinals release Metzger prior to the 1978 season and he was picked up by the New York Mets. Unimpressive in 25 appearances with the Mets, Metzger was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies in July, who assigned him to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA American Association where he was utilized as a starter and struggled to a 3-7 record with a 4.50 ERA. After failing to make the Phillies in 1979, Metzger pitched for Caracas of the Inter-American League and had two wins in as many appearances. He spent his final professional season with Richmond of the Class AAA International League where he returned to the bullpen and went 3-6 with a 3.26 ERA. Overall in his brief major league career, Metzger appeared in 191 games and was 18-9 with a 3.74 ERA, 23 saves, and 175 strikeouts over 293.1 innings pitched. He went 12-4 with a 3.46 ERA, 16 saves, and 101 strikeouts for the Padres. Following his baseball career, he returned to Sacramento and became a firefighter and, later, a scout for the Texas Rangers.

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

Cy Young Profile: Randy Jones, 1976

Pitcher, San Diego Padres

Age:  26

4^th season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 178

Prior to 1976:

A native Californian, Jones was selected to the Irvine League All-Star team as a senior at Brea-Olinda High School after he compiled an 8-2 record with a 0.91 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He moved on to Chapman University where he injured tendons in his elbow but still excelled on the mound and played summer ball in Alaska during two offseasons with good results and twice participated in National Baseball Congress tournaments in Wichita, Kansas, where he performed impressively. With excellent control Jones was effective at Chapman University despite the lack of a good fastball and was drafted by the Padres in 1972. Initially assigned to Tri-City of the short-season Class A Northwest League in ’72 he was quickly promoted to the Alexandria Aces of the Class AA Texas League where he went 3-5 with a 2.91 ERA over 68 innings pitched. Jones started the 1973 season back with Alexandria and had an 8-1 record with a 2.01 ERA when he was called up to the Padres in June. Having mastered a sinkerball to go with his fastball and slider he compiled a 7-6 tally over the remainder of ’73 with a 3.16 ERA and six complete games. He suffered through a difficult season with the last-place Padres in 1974, going 8-22 to lead the NL in losses and generating a 4.45 ERA while pitching 208.1 innings, the last few in relief. He adjusted his pitching mechanics in 1975 and improved significantly to post a 20-12 record with 18 complete games and a league-leading 2.24 ERA. He was an All-Star for the first time and placed second in NL Cy Young Award balloting. Although he was lacking speed on his fastball, with his sinker, slider, and outstanding control Jones was especially tough on right-handed batters and was a quick worker on the mound.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 40 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 40

Games Started – 40 [1]

Complete Games – 25 [1]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 14 [8, tied with four others]

PCT - .611 [13]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [3, tied with Tom Seaver]

Innings Pitched – 315.1 [1]

Hits – 274 [1]

Runs – 109 [5]

Earned Runs – 96 [4]

Home Runs – 15 [18, tied with Brent Strom]

Bases on Balls – 50

Strikeouts – 93

ERA – 2.74 [5, tied with Pat Zachry]

Hit Batters – 4 [16, tied with eleven others]

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 0

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runner-up J.R. Richard

League-leading complete games were +8 ahead of runner-up Jerry Koosman

League-leading wins were +1 ahead of runners-up Jerry Koosman & Don Sutton

League-leading innings pitched were +24.1 ahead of runner-up J.R. Richard

League-leading hits allowed were +14 ahead of runners-up Rick Reuschel & Jim Barr

Midseason Snapshot: 16-3, ERA - 2.53, SO - 57 in 174 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 9 IP) at LA Dodgers 4/14, (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis 4/23

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis 4/23, (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 6/22, (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 7/20

Batting

PA – 123, AB – 103, R – 6, H – 6, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 5, SO – 39, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .058, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 15, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 112

Put Outs – 31

Assists – 81

Errors – 0

DP – 12

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (starting P for NL)

10^th in NL MVP voting (48 points, 14% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Randy Jones, SD: 96 pts. – 15 of 24 first place votes, 80% share

Jerry Koosman, NYM: 69 pts. – 7 first place votes, 58% share

Don Sutton, LAD: 25 pts. – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Steve Carlton, Phila.: 11 pts. – 9% share

Rawly Eastwick, Cin.: 6 pts. – 5% share

(1 first place vote cast for Jon Matlack, NYM, who placed sixth)

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Padres went 73-89 to finish fifth in the NL Western Division, 29 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds. The Padres started the season well and were surprisingly in second place, just five games behind the Reds, on June 22. With a lack of hitting they slumped in the season’s second half.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Jones had offseason surgery to repair nerve damage to his left arm and his performance dropped off to 6-12 in 1977 with a 4.58 ERA in only 147.1 innings pitched. In an inconsistent 1978 season he went 13-14 with a 2.88 ERA while accumulating 253 innings for the fourth place Padres. 1979 was another rough year in which Jones produced an 11-12 record with a 3.63 ERA in 39 starts covering 263 innings while San Diego dropped from 84-78 to 68-93. In an injury-plagued 1980 season, Jones started only 24 games and was 5-13 with a 3.91 ERA for the last-place Padres. In the offseason he was dealt to the New York Mets for two undistinguished prospects and in the strike-shortened 1981 season he fell to 1-8 with a 4.85 ERA. After undergoing a major conditioning program in the offseason he started well in 1982 and was 6-2 in his first eight decisions. His good fortune failed to hold up and he pitched especially poorly at home and finished with a 7-10 tally and 4.60 ERA. Released at his own request after the season, Jones failed to catch on with Pittsburgh in 1983 and retired. Overall Jones compiled a 100-123 record with a 3.42 ERA while pitching 1933 innings with 73 complete games and 19 shutouts. With typically low strikeout totals he fanned 735 batters in all. With the Padres he was 92-105 with a 3.30 ERA, 71 complete games and 18 shutouts. He also was a two-time 20-game winner and All-Star with his outstanding 1975 and ’76 seasons marking the height of his career. The Padres retired his #35 and Jones was inducted into the the team’s Hall of Fame in 1999.

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.  

Rookie of the Year: Mark Fidrych, 1976

Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

Age:  22 (Aug. 14)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 175

Prior to & including 1976:

A native of Massachusetts, Fidrych played basketball and football in addition to baseball at Algonquin High School in Northborough. Not an exceptional high school pitcher, he still drew the attention of major league scouts with his fastball and was chosen by the Tigers in the 10^th round of the 1974 amateur draft. Tall and lanky with a head of blonde, curly hair, he was given the nickname “The Bird”, due to his perceived resemblance to the character Big Bird from Sesame Street while at his first minor league stop with Bristol of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he was utilized as a reliever and went 3-0 with 7 saves and a 2.38 ERA. After a stint playing winter ball in the Florida Instructional League, Fidrych started the 1975 season with Lakeland of the Class A Florida State League where he started 16 games and produced a 5-9 record with a 3.77 ERA. At midseason he moved on to the Montgomery Rebels of the Class AA Southern League for a short stint as a reliever in which he appeared in seven games and was 2-0 with 4 saves. From there it was on to the Evansville Triplets of the Class AAA American Association where he worked on developing a change-up to complement his fastball and improved his control. He performed well in Class AAA as he started six games and produced a 4-1 record with a 1.58 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. After another winter in the Florida Instructional League, Fidrych was promoted to the Tigers and began the 1976 season in the bullpen before being given the opportunity to start after just two relief appearances. By this point he had developed into a control pitcher with a good fastball and slider. In addition to his pitching success, Fidrych became popular with Detroit fans not only for his pitching success but also due to his odd rituals that included talking to the ball, gesturing toward home plate, patting the dirt on the pitcher’s mound with his hand, strutting in a circle and applauding his teammates following each out as well. He regularly received curtain calls after winning games at home, where he proved to be a boon for attendance. The fast-working pitcher indicated that the antics helped his concentration.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 31 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 31

Games Started – 29

Complete Games – 24 [1]

Wins – 19 [4, tied with Frank Tanana & Ed Figueroa]

Losses – 9

PCT - .679 [4]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [5, tied with seven others]

Innings Pitched – 250.1 [13, tied with Gaylord Perry]

Hits – 217

Runs – 76

Earned Runs – 65

Home Runs – 12

Bases on Balls – 53

Strikeouts – 97

ERA – 2.34 [1]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6 [18, tied with sixteen others]

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runners-up Jim Palmer & Frank Tanana

League-leading ERA was -0.01 lower than runner-up Vida Blue

Midseason Snapshot: 9-2, ERA - 1.78, SO - 43 in 101.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 11 IP) vs. Milwaukee 5/31, (in 11 IP) at Texas 6/5, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/29

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 5/15

Fielding

Chances – 78

Put Outs – 19

Assists – 59

Errors – 0

DP – 4

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star (starting P for AL)

11^th in AL MVP voting (41 points, 1 first place vote, 12% share)

2^nd in AL Cy Young voting (51 points, 5 first place votes, 43%share)

AL ROY Voting:

Mark Fidrych, Det.: 22 of 24 votes, 92% share

Butch Wynegar, Min.: 2 votes, 8% share

Tigers went 74-87 to finish fifth in the AL Eastern Division, 24 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. They drew 605,677 fans in Fidrych’s home starts.

Aftermath of ‘76:

In the wake of his remarkable rookie season, Fidrych accepted a retroactive raise from the Tigers that increased his $19,000 salary (the major league minimum) to $30,000 and further received a three-year contract extension. During 1977 spring training he injured his knee while working out in the outfield but started out well as the season commenced, with six straight wins following losses in his first two decisions. Named an All-Star once again he felt arm pain and was shut down with a 6-4 record and 2.89 ERA in 81 innings pitched. Problems with recurring tightness in his arm limited Fidrych to three games in 1978, four in ’79, and 9 in 1980 when he was demoted to Class AAA Evansville. After spending most of the next three years with minor league teams (he was released by the Tigers after the 1981 season and signed with the Red Sox) with unimpressive results, Fidrych retired in 1983 at age 28. Later diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff that was surgically repaired, his initially promising pitching career was over. Overall for his short major league career with the Tigers he compiled a 29-19 record with a 3.10 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 412.1 innings pitched. He started 56 games and completed 34 of them with 5 shutouts. Following his retirement from baseball Fidrych tragically died in 2009 at age 54 in an accident while working under a truck on his farm.  

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