MVP Profile: Don Mattingly, 1985

First Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  24 (April 20)

3^rd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1985:

A native of Evansville, Indiana, Mattingly was a three-sport star at Reitz Memorial High School in football and basketball as well as baseball. With an excellent work ethic, he drew much attention from scouts and was chosen by the Yankees in the 1979 amateur draft. He signed and was initially assigned to Oneonta of the short-season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League where the 18-year-old batted .349 in 53 games. Advancing to Greensboro of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1980 where he hit a league-leading .358 with 32 doubles, 9 home runs, and 105 RBIs. Moving up to the Nashville Sounds of the Class AA Southern League in 1981, Mattingly batted .316 with 35 doubles, 7 home runs, and 98 RBIs. Appreciated as much for his defensive play in the outfield and at first base as well as his hitting, he was promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League in 1982, where he hit .315 with 24 doubles, 10 home runs, and 75 RBIs, earning a September trial with the Yankees where he appeared in seven games and produced two hits. Gaining a roster spot with the Yankees in 1983, he was rarely used and was sent back to Columbus, where he hit .340 until getting another shot with the Yankees in June when reserve DH/pinch-hitter Bobby Murcer retired. Filling in as a reserve outfielder and first baseman, Mattingly appeared in 91 games for the Yanks and batted .283. He became the starting first baseman in 1984 thanks to a strong spring and got off to a hot start. Showing more power than he had during his climb up the minor league ladder, he finished with 23 home runs to go along with a league-leading 44 doubles and edged teammate Dave Winfield for the batting title (.343 to .340) in the season finale. He also topped the AL with 207 hits. His RBIs totaled 110 and he had a .381 OBP and .537 slugging percentage while performing ably at first base. Mattingly placed fifth in league MVP voting.  

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

1B – 159

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 727 [4]

At Bats – 652 [4]

Runs – 107 [6, tied with Wade Boggs]

Hits – 211 [2]

Doubles – 48 [1]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 35 [4]

RBI – 145 [1]

Bases on Balls – 56

Int. BB – 13 [3]

Strikeouts – 41

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .324 [3]

OBP - .371 [10, tied with Rod Carew & Brian Downing]

Slugging Pct. - .567 [2]

Total Bases – 370 [1]

GDP – 15

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 15 [1]

League-leading doubles were +2 ahead of runner-up Bill Buckner

League-leading RBIs were +21 ahead of runner-up Eddie Murray

League-leading total bases were +48 ahead of runner-up George Brett

League-leading sac flies were +2 ahead of runner-up Tom Brunansky

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 27, HR - 9, RBI - 69, AVG - .309, SLG - .481, OBP - .348

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Oakland 5/25, (in 7 AB) at Oakland 8/26 – 15 innings, (in 6 AB) at Milwaukee 9/9 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) at Toronto 10/6

Longest hitting streak – 20 games

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 13

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 4 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 1412

Put Outs – 1318

Assists – 87

Errors – 7

DP – 154

Pct. - .995

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Don Mattingly, NYY.: 367 pts. - 23 of 28 first place votes, 94% share

George Brett, KCR: 274 pts. – 5 first place votes, 70% share

Rickey Henderson, NYY: 174 pts. – 44% share

Wade Boggs, Bos.: 159 pts. – 41% share

Eddie Murray, Balt.: 130 pts. – 33% share

---

Yankees went 97-64 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Toronto Blue Jays, while leading the league in runs scored (839), RBIs (793), and stolen bases (155). Owner George Steinbrenner replaced manager Yogi Berra with Billy Martin 16 games into the season and the club struggled until the second half of June into July, when they were 2.5 games out at the All-Star break. Another slump was followed by a surge that had the Yanks closely trailing the Blue Jays until derailed by an eight-game September losing streak, although they won 10 of their next 12 to fall short of Toronto at season’s end. The addition of CF Rickey Henderson and Mattingly’s hitting spurred the club’s impressive offensive production. 

Aftermath of ‘85:

Mattingly followed up with another strong season in 1986, batting .352 with 31 home runs and 113 RBIs while leading the AL with 238 hits, 53 doubles, a .573 slugging percentage, and 388 total bases. He placed second in league MVP balloting. Starting off in a slump in 1987 he was back in his usual hitting groove when he was sidelined by a back injury in June. Returning to action after three weeks on the shelf, he went on a hitting tear that included home runs in a record-tying eight consecutive games. He went on to hit a record six grand slams during the season, after having never hit one during his major league career previously. At season’s end, despite missing 21 games to injury, he batted .327 with 30 home runs and 115 RBIs and placed seventh in American League MVP voting. Mattingly’s production dropped somewhat in 1988 to .311 with 37 doubles, 18 home runs, and 88 RBIs although he remained an All-Star and Gold Glove recipient at first base. The numbers were similar in 1989 as “Donnie Baseball” batted .303 with 37 doubles, 23 home runs, and 113 RBIs. In 1990 he was rewarded with a five-year, $19.3 million contract extension. Chronic back trouble (which would affect the remainder of his playing career) limited him to 102 games in which he hit .256 with just 5 home runs and 42 RBIs. Following a rigorous offseason training regimen, Mattingly was named team captain for 1991. While taking his leadership role very seriously, he also feuded with Yankee management, asking to be traded and sanctioned for his failure to get a haircut in accordance with club rules, which proved to be a public relations fiasco for the team. His production at the plate was .288 with 35 doubles, 9 home runs, and 68 RBIs. The floundering Yankees showed slight improvement in 1992 and Mattingly again batted .288 while hitting 40 doubles and 14 home runs along with 86 RBIs. Further improvement came in 1993 and Mattingly batted .291 with 17 home runs and 86 RBIs. During the strike-shortened 1994 season, he hit .304 with 6 home runs and 51 RBIs. The Yankees reached the postseason for the only time in Mattingly’s career in 1995, and he contributed a .288 average, .341 on-base percentage, 7 home runs and 49 RBIs. In his only taste of postseason action, he hit .417 with a home run and 6 RBIs in the ALDS loss to the Seattle Mariners. Choosing to sit out the 1996 season, Mattingly retired in 1997. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, “The Hit Man” batted .307 with 2153 hits that included 442 doubles, 20 triples, and 222 home runs. He scored 1007 runs and compiled 1099 RBIs while producing a .358 OBP and .471 slugging percentage. A six-time All-Star, Mattingly also was awarded nine Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers. He finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting four times, winning once, and the Yankees retired his #23. Mattingly has utilized his leadership ability and baseball knowledge as a manager, thus far with the Dodgers and Marlins. Through 2021 his teams have produced a record of 446-363 and he was NL Manager of the Year in 2020.

---

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

MVP Profile: Willie McGee, 1985

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

 

Age:  26

4^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1985:

A California native, McGee developed a passion for baseball early on. From a deeply religious family, and shy and sensitive as a youth, he starred at Henry Ells High School in Richmond where he batted .408 as a senior and received All-Northern California Baseball Team recognition. Selected by the White Sox in the 1976 amateur draft, McGee instead enrolled at Diablo Valley College from where he was chosen by the New York Yankees in the 1977 secondary draft. After playing for Diablo Valley in the spring he signed with the Yankees for $7500. Assigned to Oneanta of the short-season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League, McGee hit .236 with nine extra base hits in 65 games. Naturally a right-handed batter, he began to switch-hit in 1978 with Fort Lauderdale of the Class A Florida State League and hit .251 with little power, although his on-base percentage improved to .331 thanks to drawing 50 walks. He opened 1979 with West Haven of the Class AA Eastern League and, suffering from a foot injury and struggling to hit curveballs, he was sent back to Fort Lauderdale where he batted .318 with a .378 OBP and stole 16 bases in 46 games. Back in Class AA in 1980 with the Nashville Sounds of the Southern League, he broke his jaw in a collision with a teammate but hit .283 in 78 games. The Yankees had a glut of outfielders entering 1981 and McGee returned to Nashville where a hip injury sidelined him for five weeks, derailing a strong start to the season, and he ended up batting .322 in 100 games with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and 63 RBIs. In the offseason the Yankees traded McGee to the Cardinals for nondescript LHP Bob Sykes. Impressive during spring training in 1982, he started the season with Louisville of the Class AAA American Association but was called up to St. Louis in May because the Cards had a need for a center fielder. He quickly moved into the lineup and played well in the field while hitting .296 with 24 extra-base hits, 56 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. St. Louis won the NL East title. In the NLCS sweep of the Atlanta Braves, McGee stopped at third base for a triple which could easily have been an inside-the-park home run in Game 1 and misplayed a ball in Game 2 which was scored a single and three-base error as Atlanta shortstop Rafael Ramirez circled the bases. The mistakes didn’t cost the Cardinals, who advanced to the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. In the Cards’ Game 3 win, McGee hit two home runs and made a spectacular catch in center field. He also expressed annoyance with the media giving him the tag “E.T.” due to a perception that he resembled the movie character. The Cardinals defeated the Brewers in seven games helped along by McGee’s two home runs, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. He finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. The team had a lesser season in 1983 but the second-year centerfielder was an All-Star for the first time as he hit .286 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 5 home runs, and 75 RBIs while stealing 39 bases. He also received a Gold Glove for his defensive play. The Cardinals led the NL with a club record 220 stolen bases in 1984 and McGee contributed 43 while also batting .291 with 11 triples, 6 home runs, 82 runs scored, and 50 RBIs.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

CF – 146, PH – 4, LF – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 652 [13, tied with Hubie Brooks & Johnny Ray]

At Bats – 612 [7]

Runs – 114 [3]

Hits – 216 [1]

Doubles – 26

Triples – 18 [1]

Home Runs – 10

RBI – 82 [16]

Bases on Balls – 34

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 86

Stolen Bases – 56 [3]

Caught Stealing – 16 [3]

Average - .353 [1]

OBP - .384 [6, tied with Keith Hernandez]

Slugging Pct. - .503 [7]

Total Bases – 308 [3]

GDP – 3

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 5 [18, tied with thirteen others]

League-leading hits were +18 ahead of runner-up Dave Parker

League-leading triples were +5 ahead of runners-up Juan Samuel & Tim Raines

League-leading batting average was +.033 ahead of runners-up Tim Raines & Pedro Guerrero

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 10, HR – 3, SB – 36, RBI – 39, AVG - .339, SLG – .472, OBP - .369

---

Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/30

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on ten occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Atlanta 5/20

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 4 (.500) with 1 R

Fielding

Chances – 402

Put Outs – 382

Assists – 11

Errors – 9

DP - 2

Pct. - .978

Postseason Batting: 13 G (NLCS vs. LA Dodgers – 6 G; World Series vs. KC Royals – 7 G)

PA – 57, AB – 53, R – 8, H – 14, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 5, BB – 4, IBB – 1, SO – 9, SB – 3, CS – 5, AVG - .264, OBP - .316, SLG - .377, TB – 20, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Willie McGee, StL.: 280 pts. - 14 of 24 first place votes, 83% share

Dave Parker, Cin.: 220 pts. – 6 first place votes, 65% share

Pedro Guerrero, LAD: 208 pts. – 3 first place votes, 62% share

Dwight Gooden, NYM: 162 pts. – 1 first place vote, 48% share

Tom Herr, StL.: 119 pts. – 35% share

---

Cardinals went 101-61 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 3 games over the New York Mets while leading the league in runs scored (747), triples (59), RBIs (687), stolen bases (314), walks drawn (586), batting (.264), and on-base percentage (.335). The Cardinals battled the Mets into September when a 14-1 stretch put them in a position to maintain control of the NL East. Won NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2. Lost World Series to the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 3, after leading by 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Leg injuries hindered McGee in 1986, limiting him to 124 games in which he batted .256, although he still received a Gold Glove for his play in center field. In the offseason he had arthroscopic knee surgery. The Cardinals returned to the top of the NL East in 1987 and McGee returned to form as he hit .285 with 37 doubles, 11 triples, 11 home runs, and 105 RBIs. He hit .308 in the seven-game NLCS win over the Giants and .370 with 10 hits and 4 RBIs in a seven-game World Series loss to Minnesota. The Cardinals re-signed him for three years and $4.1 million in the offseason. The club wasn’t as productive offensively in 1988 on the way to a fifth-place finish, but McGee batted a solid .292 although with his RBI total dropping to 50. He stole 41 bases after being less active on the basepaths in 1986 and ’87. In an injury-riddled 1989 season he played in only 58 games and hit .236 with 17 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. Rebounding in 1990 with a team that was heading toward a last-place finish, McGee was hitting .335 when he was traded to Oakland in late August. He batted .274 in 29 games in the American League, but his .335 National League average remained high enough to win another batting championship. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the San Francisco Giants for four years and $13 million. He hit a solid .312 for the Giants in 1991, with 30 doubles, a .357 OBP, and 67 runs scored. McGee hit .297 in 1992 and .301 in ’93. Still dependable at bat although lacking his former speed, he reached the end of the line with the Giants during the 1994 season. Sidelined in June by a torn Achilles tendon that required surgery he was released in the offseason. He caught on with the Boston Red Sox in June of 1995. After a brief minor league stint, McGee joined the Red Sox and appeared in 67 games in which he hit .285. He returned to the Cardinals in 1996, where he remained for four seasons as a popular veteran leader with a potent bat, retiring following the 1999 season at age 40. For his major league career, he batted .295 with 2254 hits that included 350 doubles, 94 triples, and 79 home runs. He scored 1010 runs and compiled 856 RBIs and 352 stolen bases. His OBP was .333 and he had a .396 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals, McGee batted .294 with 1683 hits, 255 doubles, 83 triples, 63 home runs, 678 RBIs, 760 runs scored, 301 stolen bases, a .329 OBP, and .400 slugging percentage. Appearing in 54 postseason games, McGee hit .276 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, and 23 RBIs. A two-time batting champion, he was a four-time All-Star, and won three Gold Gloves. McGee was elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014. He has served the organization as an assistant to the general manager and as a coach.

---

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: Bret Saberhagen, 1985

Pitcher, Kansas City Royals

Age:  21 (Apr. 11)

2^nd season with Royals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 160

Prior to 1985:

Born in Chicago, Saberhagen was raised in California. He played baseball at Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda where he pitched and played shortstop. He compiled a 24-2 high school pitching record that was capped by a no-hitter in the West Valley League championship game. Despite questions regarding his velocity he was chosen by the Royals in the nineteenth round of the 1982 amateur draft, Saberhagen first was assigned to the Florida Instructional League where he posted a 7-2 record with a 2.35 ERA. With teams at the Class A and AA levels in 1983 he was a combined 16-7 with a 2.55 ERA and 130 strikeouts. He advanced to the Royals at age 20 in 1984 and appeared in 38 games, 18 of them starts, finishing with a 10-11 tally and 3.48 ERA. A control pitcher with a fastball, curve, slider, and changeup he entered 1985 as part of a promising pitching rotation.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 32 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 32

Games Started – 32

Complete Games – 10 [8]

Wins – 20 [2]

Losses – 6

PCT - .769 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [18, tied with 25 others]

Innings Pitched – 235.1 [15]

Hits – 211

Runs – 79

Earned Runs – 75

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 38

Strikeouts – 158 [9]

ERA – 2.87 [3]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 3 [2, tied with eleven others]

Wild Pitches – 1

Midseason Snapshot: 10-4, ERA - 2.78, SO – 73 in 126.1 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) at Oakland 9/14

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Milwaukee 5/17

Fielding

Chances – 62

Put Outs – 22

Assists – 38

Errors – 2

DP – 4

Pct. - .968

Postseason Pitching:

G – 4, GS – 4 (ALCS vs. Toronto – 2 G; World Series vs. St. Louis – 2 G)

CG – 2, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 25.1, H – 23, R – 6, ER – 6, HR – 2, BB – 3, SO – 16, ERA – 2.13, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0  World Series MVP

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

10^th in AL MVP voting (45 points, 11% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Bret Saberhagen, KC: 127 pts. – 23 of 28 first place votes, 91% share

Ron Guidry, NYY: 88 pts. – 4 first place votes, 63% share

Bert Blyleven, Clev./Min.: 9 pts. – 1 first place vote, 6% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC: 9 pts. – 6% share

Charlie Leibrandt, KC: 7 pts. – 5% share

Royals went 91-71 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 1 game over the California Angels. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (11, tied with Detroit) and fewest home runs allowed (103). 7.5 games behind the Angels at the All-Star break, the Royals surged in the last six weeks of the season and clinched their seventh division title in 10 years in the final game. Won ALCS over the Toronto Blue Jays, 4 games to 3. Won World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3. The Royals overcame 3-games-to-1 deficits in both the ALCS and World Series to gain their first World Series title.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Saberhagen and the Royals experienced difficulties in 1986, with the team dropping under .500 in a third-place finish and the pitcher posting a 7-12 record in an injury-riddled season. Saberhagen got off to a 15-3 start in 1987 on his way to an 18-10 tally with a 3.36 ERA and 163 strikeouts. He was an All-Star for the first time. He had a rough year in 1988 in which he compiled a disappointing 14-16 record with a 3.80 ERA and 171 strikeouts while leading the league by giving up 271 hits over 260.2 innings. Saberhagen rebounded in 1989 with a 23-6 record, 2.16 ERA, and 193 strikeouts and received his second AL Cy Young Award. 1990 was a down year, although he was an All-Star selection, and he missed time due to elbow surgery. He ended up at 5-9 with a 3.27 ERA while starting just 20 games. A shoulder injury put Saberhagen on the Disabled List for a time in 1991, but he was effective when he did pitch, going 13-8 with a 3.07 ERA that included a no-hitter against the White Sox in August. Having made $2.95 million in ’91 as part of a long-term contract that the Royals wanted to unload, Saberhagen was traded to the New York Mets in the offseason as part of a five-player deal. In his first year with the Mets in 1992, he started slowly and caught fire until suffering a finger injury. Saberhagen ended up appearing in only 17 games and posted a 3-5 record with a 3.50 ERA. He was awarded a three-year contract extension for $15.4 million, Always prone to be a prankster, he got himself in trouble in 1993 for setting off a firecracker in the vicinity of reporters and for spraying bleach at reporters in the clubhouse, which resulted in a fine and suspension. He was further hindered by a knee injury that required surgery and ended up at 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA while starting 19 games. Saberhagen rebounded in the strike-shortened 1994 season with a 14-4 record and 2.74 ERA with 143 strikeouts while walking only 13 batters over the course of 177.1 innings pitched. He was an All-Star and placed third in NL Cy Young voting. With the Mets performing badly in 1995, Saberhagen was dealt to the playoff-bound Colorado Rockies at the end of July and went a combined 7-6 with a 4.18 ERA and 100 strikeouts over 153 innings. Following major shoulder surgery, he missed the entire 1996 season. Saberhagen returned in 1997 as a member of the Red Sox organization, pitching for three minor league clubs before joining Boston late in the season. He was effective for the Red Sox in 1998, going 15-8 in 31 starts with a 3.96 ERA and 100 strikeouts. In an injury-plagued 1999 season Saberhagen was 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA and 81 strikeouts. Hindered by injuries, he rehabbed at the minor league level in 2000 and finished out his major league career by appearing in three games with the Red Sox in 2001, after which he called it quits. For his major league career Saberhagen compiled a record of 167-117 with a 3.34 ERA, 76 complete games, 16 shutouts, and 1715 strikeouts over 2562.2 innings. With the Royals he was 110-78 with a 3.21 ERA, 64 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 1093 strikeouts over 1660.1 innings. In 10 postseason starts he posted a 2-4 record with a 4.67 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 54 innings. Saberhagen was, in addition to being a two-time Cy Young Award-winner, a three-time All-Star. He received one Gold Glove for his fielding prowess.

--

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

Cy Young Profile: Dwight Gooden, 1985

Pitcher, New York Mets

Age:  20

2^nd season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1985:

Gooden, a native of Tampa, Florida rose from Little League to become a star pitcher at that city’s Hillsborough High School. He was chosen fifth overall by the Mets in the 1982 amateur draft. He passed up college scholarship offers to sign for $40,000 with an $85,000 signing bonus. He made an immediate impression as a 17-year-old with Kingsport of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 1982, striking out 18 batters in 13 innings. Gooden was quickly promoted to Little Falls in the Class A New York-Penn League. Overall in ’82 with two teams, he produced a 5-5 record with 84 strikeouts in 78.2 innings and a 2.75 ERA. Promoted to Lynchburg of the Class A Carolina League in 1983, Gooden refined his talent to become a dominant pitcher, with outstanding speed. He compiled a 19-3 record and struck out 300 batters in 191 innings and had a 2.50 ERA. He was promoted to Tidewater of the Class AAA International League to finish out his ’83 season and performed well in the league playoffs and the round-robin Class AAA World Series. With the Mets in rebuilding mode, Gooden joined his Tidewater manager, Dave Johnson with the parent club for the 1984 season, where with his great fastball and excellent curve he moved into the rotation. The result was a spectacular first season in which Gooden posted a 17-9 record with a 2.60 ERA and led the NL with a rookie record 276 strikeouts over 218 innings pitched. The Mets rose to second place in the NL East and the 19-year-old phenom was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [8, tied with seven others]

Complete Games – 16 [1]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .857 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 8 [2]

Innings Pitched – 276.2 [1]

Hits – 198 [19, tied with Steve Bedrosian]

Runs – 51

Earned Runs – 47

Home Runs – 13

Bases on Balls – 69

Strikeouts – 268 [1]

ERA – 1.53 [1]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 2 [13, tied with 21 others]

Wild Pitches – 6 [19, tied with six others]

League-leading complete games were +2 ahead of runners-up John Tudor & Fernando Valenzuela

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runners-up John Tudor & Joaquin Andujar

League-leading innings pitched were +1.2 ahead of runner-up John Tudor

League-leading strikeouts were +54 ahead of runner-up Mario Soto

League-leading ERA was -0.40 lower than runner-up John Tudor

Midseason Snapshot: 13-3, ERA - 1.68, SO – 153 in 155.2 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 8/20

10+ strikeout games – 11

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 9/16

Batting

PA – 107, AB – 93, R – 11, H – 21, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 9, BB – 5, SO – 15, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .226, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 9, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 65

Put Outs – 25

Assists – 38

Errors – 2

DP – 6

Pct. - .969

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

4^th in NL MVP voting (162 points, 1 first place vote, 48% share)

NL Cy Young Voting (Top 5):

Dwight Gooden, NYM.: 120 pts. – 24 of 24 first place votes, 100% share

John Tudor, StL.: 65 pts. – 54% share

Orel Hershiser, LAD.: 17 pts. – 14% share

Joaquin Andujar, StL.: 6 pts. – 5% share

Fernando Valenzuela, LAD: 4 pts. – 3% share

---

Mets went 98-64 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 3 games behind the division-winning St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (1039). The Mets contended all through the season but ultimately fell short.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Gooden, nicknamed “Doctor K” for his propensity to strike out batters, or “Doc” for short, followed up in 1986 with a 17-6 record and 200 strikeouts and a 2.84 ERA while the Mets, contenders in ’84 and ‘85, won the NL pennant and World Series. He was a disappointing 0-2 in the World Series and encountered problems in the off-season related to heavy drinking and cocaine use and he entered a drug rehab facility. Not playing again until halfway through the 1987 season, Gooden’s performance dropped off to 15-7 with 148 strikeouts and a 3.21 ERA in 25 starts. He came back strong in 1988 with an 18-9 record, 175 strikeouts, and 3.19 ERA, and returned to the All-Star Game for the first time in two years. A shoulder injury limited him to 17 starts and a 9-4 tally in 1989 but he came back with a 19-win season in 1990 in which he recorded 223 strikeouts in 232.2 innings. Gooden was 13-7 in ’91 and experienced his first losing record in 1992 when he was 10-13 with a 72-90 ballclub. His 1993 record was 12-15 with a 3.45 ERA for a 59-103 club. In the opening game of the ’94 season, he broke his toe after kicking a bat rack in the dugout and during recovery resumed cocaine use. Suspended by major league baseball he sought treatment at the Betty Ford Center. He relapsed upon leaving rehab at the time of the major league players’ strike that brought the season to an early end. Suspended for all the 1995 season, Gooden entered a recovery program and signed with the New York Yankees in 1996. Following a slow start he pitched a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners and went on to compile an 11-7 record despite a 5.01 ERA. He spent one more ineffectual season with the Yankees in ’97 and moved on to the Cleveland Indians where he was 11-10 over two seasons. He was with Houston and Tampa Bay in 2000 before finishing the year back with the Yankees. No longer even close to being the dominant pitcher he was at the start of his career, Gooden retired during spring training in 2001 while facing the likelihood of being released by the Yankees. Overall, he compiled a 194-112 major league record, with 2293 strikeouts and a 3.51 ERA. Of that, he was 157-85 with the Mets, where he struck out 1875 batters and had a 3.10 ERA, as well as being a four-time All-Star who won a Cy Young Award.

--

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: Vince Coleman, 1985

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  24 (Sept. 22)

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1985:

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Coleman played baseball at that city’s Raines High School before going to college at Florida A & M. There, he was a punter and placekicker on the football team, following in the footsteps of his cousin Greg Coleman, who became a punter with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. As a baseball player, he was sidelined during his sophomore year by a broken wrist, but as a junior in 1981 he hit .383 and stole 65 bases in 66 games. He batted .407 with 42 stolen bases in 28 games as a senior. Due to his great speed, pro football’s Washington Redskins invited him to minicamp in 1982 to audition as a wide receiver. Coleman, who had first been drafted by the Phillies in 1981, was chosen by the Cardinals in the ’82 amateur draft and signed. First assigned to Johnson City of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, Coleman appeared in 58 games and co-led the league (along with future Twins great Kirby Puckett) in stolen bases with 43 while hitting .250. Making the conversion from a right-handed batter into a switch-hitter, he advanced to Macon of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1983 where he was the batting champion with a .350 average, despite missing time with a broken right hand, and also stole 145 bases to set a professional baseball record. Coleman moved on to the Louisville Redbirds of the Class AAA American Association in 1984 where he batted .257 and stole 101 bases. Coleman had difficulty at the plate during spring training in 1985 and started the season with Louisville. When reserve outfielder Tito Landrum suffered an injury in April, Coleman was called up and soon took over the starting job in left field.  

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

LF – 138, CF – 17, RF – 10, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 692 [6]

At Bats – 636 [3]

Runs – 107 [5]

Hits – 170 [12]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 10 [4, tied with Phil Garner]

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 40

Bases on Balls – 50

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 115 [6]

Stolen Bases – 110 [1]

Caught Stealing – 25 [1]

Average - .267

OBP - .320

Slugging Pct. - .335

Total Bases – 213

GDP – 3

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 1

League-leading stolen bases were +40 ahead of runner-up Tim Raines

League-leading times caught stealing were +6 ahead of runner-up Juan Samuel

Midseason snapshot: HR – 1, R – 64, SB – 63, RBI – 16, AVG - .278, OBP - .340

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 4/19, (in 4 AB) vs. Houston 6/4, in 5 AB) at San Diego 7/25, (in 7 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/1 – 14 innings

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. Atlanta 5/21

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 0

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 on eight occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 328

Put Outs – 305

Assists – 16

Errors – 7

DP - 1

Pct. - .979

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLCS vs. LA Dodgers)

PA – 14, AB – 14, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – 1, AVG - .286, OBP - .286, SLG -.286, TB – 4, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Missed World Series due to injury

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

11^th in NL MVP voting (16 points, 5% share)

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Vince Coleman, StL.: 120 pts. – 24 of 24 first place votes, 100% share

Tom Browning, Cin.: 72 pts. – 60% share

Mariano Duncan, LAD: 9 pts. – 8% share

Chris Brown, SF: 7 pts. – 6% share

Glenn Davis, Hou.: 3 pts. – 3% share

---

Cardinals went 101-61 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 3 games over the New York Mets while leading the league in runs scored (747), triples (59),  RBIs (687), stolen bases (314), walks drawn (586), batting (.264), and on-base percentage (.335). The Cardinals battled the Mets into September when a 14-1 stretch put them in a position to maintain control of the NL East. Won NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2. Lost World Series to the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 3, after leading by 3 games to 1. Coleman missed the Series after the automatic tarpaulin at Busch Memorial Stadium injured his knee while warming up for Game 1.

Aftermath of ‘85:

Coleman slumped at the plate in 1986 and batted .232, although he still accumulated a league-leading 107 stolen bases. He also continued to be a solid defensive left fielder. He made it three straight hundred-steal seasons in 1987 with 109 to go with a .289 batting average and 10 triples. Coleman was an All-Star for the first time in 1988, in a season in which his stolen base total dropped to 81, which was still enough to top the National League. He legged out another 10 triples on his way to a .260 average, while striking out 111 times, far too often for a leadoff hitter. Coleman led the NL in stolen bases twice more in 1989 and ’90, with totals of 65 and 77 respectively. His batting averages were .254 in 1989 and .292 in ’90. Following six years in St. Louis, the player nicknamed “Vincent Van Go” signed as a free agent with the New York Mets in 1991 for four years and $11.95 million. He lasted for three difficult seasons in New York in which his batting averages were .255, .275, and .279, and his stolen base totals 37, 24, and 38. Injuries and suspensions for bad behavior cut deeply into his playing time. In 1994 Coleman was traded to the Kansas City Royals where he batted .240 during the strike-shortened season and stole 50 bases. Returning to the Royals in 1995, he was traded to Seattle in August and, for the year, hit a combined .288 with 42 stolen bases. Coleman had unimpressive stints with Cincinnati in 1996 and Detroit in ’97 and failed to make a comeback with the Cardinals in 1998, leading to his retirement. Overall, Coleman batted .264 with 1425 hits that included 176 doubles, 89 triples, and 28 home runs. Most notably he compiled 752 stolen bases, leading the NL six times. His RBI total was 346. With the Cardinals he stole 549 bases, batted .265, and accumulated 937 hits, 106 doubles, 56 triples, 15 home runs, and 217 RBIs. Coleman was a two-time All-Star (both with the Cards). In 28 postseason games he hit .198 and stole 13 bases. Coleman was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

--

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: Ozzie Guillen, 1985

Shortstop, Chicago White Sox

Age:  21

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 150

Prior to 1985:

Having first displayed his fielding prowess in his native Venezuela, Guillen was signed by the San Diego Padres at age 16 in 1980. Playing in the Class A Gulf Coast League in 1981 he batted .259 and appeared at second base and shortstop. With Reno of the Class A California League in 1982 he ranked second in batting with a .347 average and first with 103 runs scored. In the field he topped the circuit’s shortstops with 240 put outs. Moving on to the Beaumont Golden Gators of the Class AA Texas League in 1983 he hit .295 and ranked among the league’s top shortstops in the field. In 1984 Guillen advanced to Las Vegas of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .296 and was named as shortstop on the league’s All-Star team after topping all other players at the position with 362 assists. In the offseason he was traded to the White Sox as part of a six-player deal that brought RHP LaMarr Hoyt to San Diego. For 1985 Guillen moved into Chicago’s lineup where his outstanding play at shortstop brought a major improvement to the club’s defense.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

SS – 150, PH – 14, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 513

At Bats – 491

Runs – 71

Hits – 134

Doubles – 21

Triples – 9 [5, tied with Jesse Barfield]

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 33

Bases on Balls – 12

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 36

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .273

OBP - .291

Slugging Pct. - .358

Total Bases – 176

GDP – 5

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 8 [19, tied with six others]

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 10, 3B – 2, HR – 0, RBI - 15, AVG - .240, OBP – .265

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. NY Yankees 8/14

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. NY Yankees 8/14

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 0

Multi-HR games – 0

Grand Slams – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Seattle 7/2, vs. Detroit 7/22

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 14 (.071)

Fielding

Chances – 614

Put Outs – 220

Assists – 382

Errors – 12

DP - 80

Pct. - .980

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Ozzie Guillen, ChiWS.: 101 pts. – 16 of 28 first place votes, 72% share

Teddy Higuera, Mil.: 67 pts. – 9 first place votes, 48% share

Ernie Riles, Mil.: 29 pts. – 21% share

Oddibe McDowell, Tex.: 25 pts. – 1 first place vote, 18% share

Stew Cliburn, Cal.: 16 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11% share

---

White Sox went 85-77 to finish third in the AL Western Division, 6 games behind the division-winning Kansas City Royals while committing a league-low 111 errors in the field.

Aftermath of ‘85:

While still a solid fielder in 1986, Guillen’s batting average dropped to .250 and his lack of patience at the plate again had him drawing only 12 walks, this time over 577 plate appearances. He raised his average to .279 in 1987 and stole 25 bases, still only walking 22 times in 604 plate appearances. He also led AL shortstops with 760 chances and 105 double plays. Guillen was an All-Star for the first time in 1988 primarily due to his excellent fielding, as he again led AL shortstops in chances (863) as well as assists (570). His batting average fell to .261 while he again stole 25 bases. The arrival of second baseman Scott Fletcher in a midseason trade in 1989 provided Guillen with a reliable double play partner and he ranked second among league shortstops with 806 chances, 272 putouts, and 512 assists, and third with 106 DPs. He batted .253 with 36 stolen bases and drew only 15 walks. The White Sox jumped from last place in ’89 to second in the AL West in 1990 and Guillen received a Gold Glove for his play at shortstop and ranked 17^th in AL MVP voting in addition to being an All-Star. He hit .279 and achieved a career high with 58 RBIs. He was an All-Star for the third, and last, time in 1991 and batted .273. Defensively, Guillen ranked second among AL shortstops with 709 chances, 249 put outs, and 439 assists. After seven seasons of never appearing in fewer than 149 games, a knee injury in April of 1992 ended his season in just 12 games and required surgery. He returned in 1993 to hit .280 and remained an outstanding performer in the field despite the effects of knee surgery. Guillen capped the comeback year by appearing in the postseason for the first time with the AL West champion White Sox. He hit .273 with a double and 2 RBIs in the six-game ALCS loss to Toronto. Guillen remained a reliable performer with the White Sox through 1997, after which he departed to the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent in 1998. He lasted only 12 games with the Orioles before being released. He caught on with the Atlanta Braves as a utility infielder and batted .277 the rest of the season. Guillen stayed on with the Braves in 1999, appeared in 92 games, and hit .241. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed him as a free agent in 2000, his last major league season in which he was again utilized as a utility player. For his overall career he batted .264 with 1764 hits that included 275 doubles, 69 triples, and 28 home runs. Guillen also compiled 619 RBIs and 169 stolen bases. With the White Sox he hit .265 with 1608 hits, 240 doubles, 68 triples, 24 home runs, 565 RBIs, and 163 stolen bases. He later went on to manage the White Sox from 2004 to 2011 where the team compiled a 678-617 record and won the 2005 World Series, garnering him AL Manager of the Year recognition. He later managed the Miami Marlins for a year and has since managed in his native Venezuela.

--

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.