Highlighted Year: Rusty Staub, 1970

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age: 26 (April 1)

2^nd season with Expos

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of New Orleans, the red-haired Daniel Joseph Staub received the nickname of “Rusty” as an infant. He played on the New Orleans Jesuit High School baseball team as a first baseman while his brother Chuck was in center field. His American Legion team won the national championship in 1960 and Jesuit High School won the Louisiana AAA title in 1961. He signed a contract with the Houston Colt .45s, who were a year away from joining the National League as an expansion team, for a $100,000 bonus. After hitting well in the Arizona Fall League in ’61, Staub was assigned to the Durham Bulls of the Class B Carolina League where he had an excellent season, batting .293 with a league-leading 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .483 slugging percentage. The 19-year-old Staub started the 1963 season with Houston following a strong spring showing, and with veteran Pete Runnels at first base, Staub started the year in right field. He struggled during his rookie season and hit .224 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. A poor start in 1964 caused Staub to be sent down to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .314 in 71 games with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .646 slugging percentage. Returning to the Colt .45s in September he finished the major league portion of his season with a .216 batting average (up from .202 when he was demoted), 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .272 OBP. Houston had been emphasizing youth in its team building, of which Staub was a key component. The renamed club moved into the Astrodome in 1965 and Staub started off slowly but came on to hit .281 in the season’s second half to finish at .256 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. His batting production was far better on the road than in the spacious new ballpark, and like other outfielders he struggled to keep track of fly balls against the dome’s background. Staub showed great improvement in 1966, batting .280 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .345 OBP. In the field, his 13 assists placed second among NL right fielders and demonstrated the strength of his throwing arm. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1967 as, with his outstanding swing and line-drive power, he led the NL with 44 doubles while hitting .333 with 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .398 OBP, and .473 slugging percentage. As the Astrodome was not conducive to home run hitters, Staub tailored his swing accordingly. Staub held out for eight days in 1968 before signing a $45,000 contract. Shifted to first base he batted .291 with 37 doubles, 6 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .373 OBP, and was again an All-Star. Having run afoul of manager Harry Walker, Staub was traded during the offseason to the expansion Expos, where he returned to right field. In the first season of divisional play in the NL and AL, the first year club finished in the NL East cellar. Typically pitching challenged, they were unable to make the most of the power displayed by outfielders Mack Jones and Staub, plus the surprising rookie third baseman Coco Laboy. Staub batted .302 with 26 doubles, 5 triples, 29 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .426 OBP, and a .526 slugging percentage. He was Montreal’s lone All-Star representative.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

RF – 160, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 699 [9]

At Bats – 569

Runs – 98 [15, tied with Willie McCovey]

Hits – 156

Doubles – 23

Triples – 7 [17, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 30 [12]

RBI – 94 [15, tied with Lee May]

Bases on Balls – 112 [2]

Int. BB – 11 [11, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 12 [19, tied with Cleon Jones, Pete Rose & Don Kessinger]

Caught Stealing – 11 [9, tied with Matty Alou & Tony Taylor]

Average - .274

OBP - .394 [8, tied with Ken Henderson & Jim Wynn]

Slugging Pct. - .497 [17]

Total Bases – 283 [15]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 11 [4, tied with Carl Morton & Pat Jarvis]

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, 3B – 3, HR – 15, RBI – 55, AVG – .293, SLG – .517, OBP - .430

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 5/30 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 7/11, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 8/1, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 8/1 (total 4 HR in double-header), (in 5 AB) at Houston 8/14

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Atlanta 6/6

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 3 (.667)

Fielding

Chances – 327

Put Outs – 308

Assists – 14

Errors – 5

DP – 4

Pct. - .985

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The second-year Expos went 73-89 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Eastern Division, 16 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates, while leading the league in fewest hits (1284), and lowest batting average (.237). Going 1-10 to start the season, the Expos quickly found themselves in the NL East cellar. With a lack of hitting to back up some decent pitching, the club surprisingly broke even in July and had a winning record in September. But after rising to fifth place on Sept. 30, a loss in the season finale sealed their last-place finish.

Aftermath of 1970:

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

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason. 

Highlighted Year: Rusty Staub, 1969

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age:  25 (April 1)

1^st season with Expos

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1969:

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

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

RF – 156, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 673 [13]

At Bats – 549

Runs – 89 [17, tied with Willie Stargell]

Hits – 166 [14, tied with Ron Santo]

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

Triples – 5

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

RBI – 79

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

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

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .302 [10]

OBP - .426 [4]

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

Total Bases – 289 [10]

GDP – 13

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

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 1

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

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

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

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

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at NY Mets 7/13

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

Fielding

Chances – 291

Put Outs – 265

Assists – 16

Errors – 10

DP – 2

Pct. - .966

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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

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

Aftermath of 1969: 

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

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason.

Highlighted Year: Jose “Coco” Laboy, 1969

Third Baseman, Montreal Expos

Age:  29 (July 4)

1^st season with Expos

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 165 

Prior to 1969:

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

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 157 games

3B – 156, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 616

At Bats – 562

Runs – 53

Hits – 145

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

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 18

RBI – 83 [19, tied with Doug Rader]

Bases on Balls – 40

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 96 [18]

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .258

OBP - .308

Slugging Pct. - .409

Total Bases – 230

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 8 [5]

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

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

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eighteen occasions

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 6

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on six occasions

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

Fielding

Chances – 447

Put Outs – 115

Assists – 307

Errors – 25

DP – 28

Pct. - .944

Awards & Honors:

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

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

Aftermath of 1969:

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

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

Rookie of the Year: Carl Morton, 1970

Pitcher, Montreal Expos

Age:  26

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1970:

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Morton grew up in West Tulsa, Oklahoma where he starred in basketball and football as well as baseball in high school. He moved on to the Univ. of Oklahoma where he was a standout in the outfield and was signed by the Braves in 1964. Playing in the outfield for two Class A teams in 1965 Morton batted .250 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs. With Kinston of the Class A Carolina League in 1966 his average dropped to .227 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs. The decision was made to convert him into a pitcher in 1967 where, still with Kinston, he produced a 10-9 record in 22 starts with a 3.19 ERA and 125 strikeouts over 161 innings pitched. Moving up to Shreveport of the Class AA Texas League in 1968 he was 13-5 with a 2.72 ERA and 130 strikeouts over the course of 179 innings pitched. Chosen by the Expos in the expansion draft for the 1969 season, Morton started and finished the season with Montreal but was with the Vancouver Mounties of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in between, compiling an 8-6 record with a 3.52 ERA and 86 strikeouts over 133 innings pitched. With the Expos in his first taste of major league action he was 0-3 in 8 games with a 4.60 ERA. Reliant on his fastball, Morton joined the youthful pitching rotation in 1970.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 43 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 43

Games Started – 37 [6, tied with Gary Nolan & Claude Osteen]

Complete Games – 10 [13, tied with Don Sutton, Phil Niekro & Wayne Simpson]

Wins – 18 [5, tied with Tom Seaver, Bill Hands & Gary Nolan]

Losses – 11

PCT - .621 [9]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [2, tied with Dock Ellis, Don Sutton & Claude Osteen]

Innings Pitched – 284.2 [6]

Hits – 281 [2]

Runs – 123 [9, tied with Steve Carlton]

Earned Runs – 114 [5]

Home Runs – 27 [9, tied with Gaylord Perry, Steve Renko & George Stone]

Bases on Balls – 125 [1]

Strikeouts – 154 [16, tied with Clay Kirby]

ERA – 3.60 [16]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 3 [1, tied with Ron Herbel, Jerry Koosman & Woodie Fryman]

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading bases on balls were +5 ahead of runner-up Clay Kirby

Midseason Snapshot: 10-6, ERA - 3.79, SO - 75 in 130.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 5/20

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 9/11

Batting

PA – 112, AB – 93, R – 6, H – 15, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 7, BB – 6, SO – 29, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .161, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 11, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 73

Put Outs – 29

Assists – 42

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .973

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

27th in NL MVP voting, tied with Bob Robertson, Pitt. (3 points, 1% share)

9^th in NL Cy Young voting (2 points, 2% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Carl Morton, Mon.: 11 of 24 votes, 46% share

Bernie Carbo, Cin.: 8 votes, 33% share

Larry Bowa, Phila.: 3 votes, 13% share

Cesar Cedeno, Hou.: 1 vote, 4% share

Wayne Simpson, Cin.: 1 vote, 4% share

The second-year Expos went 73-89 to finish sixth in the NL Eastern Division, 16 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in walks issued (716).

Aftermath of ‘70:

Bothered by a sore elbow in 1971, Morton’s record dropped to 10-18 with a 4.80 ERA. Limited to 27 starts in 1972 he finished at 7-13 with a 3.92 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the Braves for RHP Pat Jarvis. Morton rebounded to 15-10 with a 3.41 ERA in 1973 and improved to 16-12 with a 3.15 ERA in 1974. Morton developed a screwball and straight change-up in 1975 and produced a 17-16 record for the 67-94 Braves with a 3.50 ERA. He then endured a 22-game winless streak that lasted through the first half of 1976 on his way to a 4-9 tally and 4.17 ERA in 1976 with the last-place Braves. Morton was dealt to the Texas Rangers in the offseason as part of the trade that brought slugging outfielder Jeff Burroughs to Atlanta. Failing to make the Rangers in 1977 he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and was 9-12 for their Class AAA club, the Oklahoma City 89ers of the American Association. Released by the Phillies he then failed to catch on with Pittsburgh in 1978, which marked the end of his career. Over the course of his major league career that started with such promise, Morton compiled an 87-92 record with a 3.73 ERA and 650 strikeouts over 1648.2 innings pitched. With the Expos he was 35-45 with a 4.09 ERA and 305 strikeouts over 699.2 innings. He died of a heart attack after jogging at age 39 in 1983.

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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: Pedro Martinez, 1997

Pitcher, Montreal Expos

Age: 25

4^th season with Expos

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170

Prior to 1997:

A native of the Dominican Republic who grew up in a town near Santo Domingo, Martinez followed his older brother Ramon, also a pitcher, in signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers at age 16 in 1988. He spent 1988 and ’89 with LA’s Dominican Summer League team, where he compiled an overall 12-3 record. At 18 in 1990 he was assigned to Great Falls of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where Martinez started 14 games and compiled an 8-3 record with 82 strikeouts over 77 innings pitched. In 1991 he advanced from Class A Bakersfield to Class AA San Antonio and finally Class AAA Albuquerque and had an overall record of 18-8 with a 2.28 ERA and 192 strikeouts. He received Minor League Player of the Year recognition from The Sporting News for his performance.  The Dodgers returned Martinez to Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League in 1992 where he went 7-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 125.1 innings pitched. He received a September call-up to the Dodgers and went the distance in losing his first major league start to Cincinnati. He started the 1993 season with Albuquerque but was soon called up to the parent club where his first appearance was in relief of his brother Ramon. For the year Martinez pitched in 65 games, almost exclusively in relief, and posted a 10-5 record with a 2.61 ERA and 119 strikeouts over 107 innings.  After the season the Dodgers traded Martinez to the Montreal Expos for second baseman Delino DeShields. The Dodgers had questioned whether he had the size and stamina to succeed as a starting pitcher but he moved directly into Montreal’s rotation in 1994. The Expos had the best record in the NL when the season ended prematurely due to the players’ strike. Martinez, with his outstanding fastball and changeup, contributed an 11-5 tally with a 3.42 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 144.2 innings pitched. With his tendency to pitch high and inside he became known as a “headhunter” and hit a league-leading 11 batters and was ejected from 12 games and involved in three fights. The Expos lost several key players to free agency and were less competitive in 1995, although Martinez compiled a solid 14-10 record with a 3.51 ERA and 174 strikeouts. In a game against San Diego he became the second pitcher in major league history to take a perfect game into extra innings but lost it in the tenth inning and was relieved (Montreal still managed to win the game). The Expos finished second in the NL East in 1996, narrowly missing a Wild Card spot and Martinez was 13-10 with a 3.70 ERA and 222 strikeouts. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time.   

1997 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 31

Games Started – 31

Complete Games – 13 [1]

Wins – 17 [5, tied with Curt Schilling & Alex Fernandez]

Losses – 8

PCT - .680 [6]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [2, tied with Denny Neagle & Darryl Kile]

Innings Pitched – 241.1 [4]

Hits – 158

Runs – 65

Earned Runs – 51

Home Runs – 16

Bases on Balls – 67

Strikeouts – 305 [2]

ERA – 1.90 [1]

Hit Batters – 9 [12, tied with ten others]

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading complete games were +5 ahead of runner-up Carlos Perez

League-leading ERA was -0.30 lower than runner-up Greg Maddux

Midseason Snapshot: 10-4, ERA - 1.74, SO - 154 in 124 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) vs. Detroit 6/14

10+ strikeout games – 18

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Cincinnati 7/13

Batting

PA – 81, AB – 69, R – 5, H – 8, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 3, SO – 28, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .116, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 9, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 39

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 31

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .974

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

16th in NL MVP voting, tied with Ray Lankford, StL. & Mark McGwire, StL. (6 points, 2% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Pedro Martinez, Mon.: 134 pts. – 25 of 28 first place votes, 96% share

Greg Maddux, Atl.: 75 pts. – 3 first place, 54% share

Denny Neagle, Atl: 24 pts. – 17% share

Curt Schilling, Phila.: 12 pts. – 9% share

Darryl Kile, Hou.: 7 pts. – 5% share

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Expos went 78-84 to finish fourth in the NL Eastern Division, 23 games behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (27). The Expos were 11 games over .500 on July 1 but collapsed in the second half.

Aftermath of ‘97:

With one more year until he became a free agent, Martinez was traded by the Expos to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. The Red Sox immediately signed him to a six-year contract extension, worth $75 million. He was 19-7 with his new club in 1998 with a 2.89 ERA and 251 strikeouts. He was an All-Star once again and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting. He also saw his first postseason action as Boston placed second in the AL East and claimed the Wild Card slot. Martinez was even better in 1999 as he led the AL in wins (23, against 4 losses), ERA (2.07), and strikeouts (313). He won his second Cy Young Award and was also second in American League MVP voting. Boston again finished second and was a postseason Wild Card. Martinez won another Cy Young Award in 2000 with an 18-6 record, and a league-leading 1.74 ERA, 284 strikeouts, and 4 shutouts. The Red Sox once again ended up second in the AL East but did not qualify for the postseason. Martinez was sidelined with a minor rotator cuff tear in 2001 which limited him to 18 starts and a 7-3 record. He came back with a 20-4 record in 2002 and led the AL in ERA (2.26) and strikeouts (239), and he finished second in the league’s Cy Young Award voting. Martinez topped the AL in ERA again in 2003 with a 2.22 mark to go with his 14-4 record and 206 strikeouts. Boston made the postseason as a Wild Card entry and reached the ALCS vs. the arch-rival Yankees, where Martinez became involved in some controversy. During his Game 3 start and having struck a batter and blown a lead he became involved in a shouting match with members of New York’s dugout. When Yankee RHP Roger Clemens threw at Boston LF Manny Ramirez, the benches cleared and 72-year-old Yankee coach Don Zimmer ran at Ramirez, who tossed him to the ground. In Game 7, he pitched into trouble and convinced manager Grady Little to leave him in the game, leading to four successive hits and a tie score that was decided in favor of the Yanks in extra innings. In 2004 Martinez contributed a 16-9 record to Boston’s season that culminated in a World Series victory for the first time since 1918. His 3.90 ERA was far less impressive than usual but he went 2-1 in the postseason including a win in the World Series. As a free agent in the offseason Martinez signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the  New York Mets. He posted a 15-8 record in 2005 with a 2.82 ERA and 208 strikeouts. He was an All-Star selection for the third-place Mets as well. He was an All-Star once again in 2006, although he suffered through an injury-riddled season that limited him to a 9-8 record with a 4.48 ERA before a torn rotator cuff that required surgery ended his season, keeping him out of New York’s postseason run. The recovery from the surgery was lengthy and appeared to diminish his fastball. He appeared in five games late in the 2007 season and was 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Martinez had a dreadful year in 2008, going 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA. He was an unwanted free agent in apparent decline who finally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies midway through the 2009 season. He had a 5-1 record with a 3.63 ERA for the NL East champions in what was his final season. Overall in the major leagues Martinez compiled a 219-100 record with a 2.93 ERA and 3154 strikeouts in 2827.1 innings pitched. He was 55-33 with a 3.06 ERA and 843 strikeouts for Montreal. In the postseason he had a 6-4 tally with a 3.46 ERA and 96 strikeouts. He was an eight-time All-Star and won three Cy Young Awards.  He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. The Red Sox retired his #45.

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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: Andre Dawson, 1977

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age:  23 (July 10)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1977:

A native of Miami, Florida Dawson earned the nickname “The Hawk” as a Little Leaguer due to his keen batting eye. A knee injury suffered while playing football for Southwest Miami High School resulted in surgery (the first of many) and caused him to concentrate on baseball. He went on to Florida A & M University and was drafted by the Expos as an amateur in 1975. Dawson played for Lethbridge of the Pioneer League in ’75 and hit .330 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs. He spent 1976 with Class AA Quebec and Class AAA Denver and batted a combined .352 with 28 home runs and 73 RBIs. He earned a September call-up to the Expos and hit .235 in 24 games. Dawson became the team’s starting center fielder in 1977.

1977 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

CF – 129, LF – 14, RF – 3, PH – 6

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 566

At Bats – 525

Runs – 64

Hits – 148

Doubles – 26

Triples – 9 [11, tied with Omar Moreno]

Home Runs – 19

RBI – 65

Bases on Balls – 34

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 93 [17]

Stolen Bases – 21

Caught Stealing – 7

Average - .282

OBP - .326

Slugging Pct. - .474 [20]

Total Bases – 249

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: HR – 11, RBI – 39, AVG. - .295, SLG PCT – .511

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/29

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Chi. Cubs 7/5

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Chi. Cubs 7/4

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 5 (.000) with 1 SB

Fielding

Chances – 365

Put Outs – 352

Assists – 9

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .989

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Andre Dawson, Mon.: 10 of 24 votes, 42% share

Steve Henderson, NYM.: 9 votes, 38% share

Gene Richards, SD.: 4 votes, 17% share

Floyd Bannister, Hou.: 1 vote, 4% share

Expos went 75-87 to finish fifth in the NL Eastern Division, 26 games behind the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies while leading the NL in doubles (294).

   

Aftermath of ‘77:

Dawson followed up in 1978 by hitting .253 with 25 home runs and 72 RBIs. He also topped the NL by being hit by 12 pitches. While his batting average rose to .275 in 1979, and his RBIs to 92, his home run total was again 25, along with 8 triples and 35 stolen bases. Dawson won his first Gold Glove in 1980 while he also batted .308 with 17 home runs, 34 stolen bases, and 87 RBIs. He followed up with another strong performance in the strike-interrupted 1981 season, finishing second in the National League’s MVP voting as he hit .302 with 24 home runs and 64 RBIs. Dawson was chosen to his first All-Star Game and won another Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. The Expos also reached the postseason for the only time during their Montreal tenure. In 1982 Dawson batted .301 with 23 home runs and 83 RBIs, received another Gold Glove, and was again an All-Star while the Expos dropped to third place. He led the NL with 189 hits in 1983 to go with 36 doubles, 10 triples, 32 home runs, and 113 RBIs. Dawson was once again the second-place finisher for the league’s MVP award in addition to being an All-Star, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger recipient. The toll taken on his knees from playing on artificial turf in the outfield began to become apparent in 1984 as he appeared in just 138 games and batted .248 with 17 home runs and 86 RBIs. Shifted to right field to take best advantage of his strong throwing arm while reducing stress on his knees, he still won a Gold Glove. With his numbers dropping further in 1985 and ’86, Dawson departed the Expos following the 1986 season and signed with the Chicago Cubs, where he was the NL MVP with a last-place club in 1987, based on his 49 home runs, 137 RBIs, and .287 batting average. He spent six seasons with the Cubs and was a five-time All-Star although his numbers, while respectable, never again approached those of his 1987 MVP year. The Cubs improved to reach the postseason in ’89, where Dawson hit .105 in a five-game NLCS loss to the Giants. He joined the Boston Red Sox as a free agent in 1993, and with the move to the AL was able to be a Designated Hitter as well as right fielder. Dawson returned to the National League with the Florida Marlins in 1995 and retired after the ’96 season. Overall for his major league career, Dawson batted .279 with 2774 hits that included 503 doubles, 98 triples, and 438 home runs. He also totaled 1591 RBIs. Dawson, a popular and classy player with strong leadership skills who prevailed despite numerous knee surgeries, was an eight-time All-Star who also received eight Gold Gloves and was a four-time Silver Slugger recipient. Of his career totals, 1575 hits, 295 doubles, 67 triples, and 225 home runs were compiled with Montreal. He knocked in 838 runs and hit .280 for the Expos, who retired his #10. Dawson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.

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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.