Cy Young Profile: LaMarr Hoyt, 1983

Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Age:  28

4^th season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 250

Prior to 1983:

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Hoyt played quarterback and middle linebacker on the Keenan High School football team as well as shortstop, outfielder, and pitcher on the baseball squad. He was chosen by the New York Yankees as a pitcher in the 1973 amateur draft. Initially assigned to Johnson City of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, Hoyt produced a 6-6 record in 12 starts with a 3.91 ERA. Moving on to Fort Lauderdale of the Class A Florida State League in 1974, he went 13-4 with a 2.40 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 161 innings pitched. With teams at the Class A and AA levels in 1975, he compiled a combined 4-5 record with a 3.60 ERA. Hoyt spent 1976 with West Haven of the Class AA Eastern League where he went 15-8 with a 2.50 ERA and 103 strikeouts. In 1977, Hoyt was traded to the White Sox as part of the deal that brought shortstop Bucky Dent to the Yankees. He started off poorly for Iowa of the Class AAA American Association and was sent down to Knoxville of the Class AA Southern League where he was 4-13 with a 4.23 ERA. Demoted to Appleton of the Class A Midwest League in 1978, Hoyt compiled an 18-4 record with a 2.90 ERA and 115 strikeouts. In the winter he played in the Dominican Republic under his eventual major league manager with the White Sox, Tony LaRussa, and he developed into a finesse pitcher who could work the corners of the strike zone. Playing in the Class AA and AAA levels in 1979, Hoyt was a combined 10-9 with a 3.53 ERA. He started the 1980 season in Class AAA with Iowa and utilized primarily as a reliever until called up by the White Sox in June. Appearing in 24 games, 13 of them starts, Hoyt was 9-3 with a 4.57 ERA. Utilized almost exclusively out of the bullpen during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, he was again 9-3 with a 3.57 ERA and 10 saves. As a member of the starting rotation in 1982, he led the AL in wins with his 19-15 record and had a 3.53 ERA and 124 strikeouts. With a slider, curve, and sinker he was an integral part of a fine rotation that included Richard Dotson, Floyd Bannister, Britt Burns, and Jerry Koosman coming into the 1983 season.  

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36

Games Started – 36 [3, tied with Scott McGregor & Dave Stieb]

Complete Games – 11 [6, tied with four others]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 10

PCT - .706 [4]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 260.2 [4]

Hits – 236 [12, tied with John Tudor]

Runs – 115 [10, tied with Jim Clancy & Chris Codiroli]

Earned Runs – 106 [10]

Home Runs – 27 [7, tied with Dennis Eckersley]

Bases on Balls – 31

Strikeouts – 148 [8]

ERA – 3.66 [17]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Richard Dotson

Midseason Snapshot: 9-8, ERA - 4.14, SO - 80 in 132.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. Seattle 6/20, (in 7.1 IP) vs. Minnesota 6/25, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 8/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at NY Yankees 8/17

Fielding

Chances – 79

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 56

Errors – 2

DP – 4

Pct. - .975

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

G – 1, GS – 1, CG – 1, Record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 9, H – 5, R – 1, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 0, SO – 4, ERA – 1.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

13^th in AL MVP voting (24 points, 6% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

LaMarr Hoyt, ChiWS: 116 pts. – 17 of 28 first place votes, 83% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC.: 81 pts. – 9 first place votes, 58% share

Jack Morris, Det.: 38 pts. – 2 first place votes, 27% share

Richard Dotson, ChiWS.: 9 pts. – 6% share

Ron Guidry, NYY: 5 pts. – 4% share

Scott McGregor, Balt.: 3 pts. – 2% share

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White Sox went 99-63 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 20 games over the Kansas City Royals. The pitching staff led the league in fewest walks allowed (447). Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1, with Hoyt’s Game 1 complete game Chicago’s only victory.

Aftermath of ‘83:

The White Sox faded in 1984 and Hoyt went from leading the AL in wins two seasons in a row to topping the circuit in losses with a 13-18 record along with a 4.47 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the San Diego Padres as part of the deal that brought shortstop prospect Ozzie Guillen to Chicago. Following a slow start with his new team in 1985, he won 11 straight decisions on his way to a 16-8 record with a 3.47 ERA and the only All-Star selection of his career. In 1986, Hoyt entered rehab for alcoholism and missed the first month of the season. He went on to post an 8-11 record with a 5.15 ERA. Suspended for 1987 due to drug-related issues, he re-signed with the White Sox, but further drug problems finished his career. Overall in the major leagues, Hoyt compiled a 98-68 record with a 3.99 ERA and 681 strikeouts over 1311.1 innings pitched. He pitched 48 complete games that included 8 shutouts. With the White Sox, he was 74-49 with a 3.92 ERA and 513 strikeouts over 942 innings with 39 complete games and 5 shutouts.

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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.  

Cy Young Profile: Ferguson Jenkins, 1971

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age:  28

6^th season with Cubs (5^th complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1971:

Jenkins was a native of Chatham, Ontario in Canada who was descended from Bahamian immigrants on his father’s side, and escaped slaves from the American South on his mother’s side. Lanky with long arms, he competed in several sports other than baseball in school and proved to be a fine athlete. Developing his talent as a pitcher, Jenkins was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies following his high school graduation in 1962. In ’62 he played with Miami of the Class D Florida State League and Buffalo of the Class AAA International League and produced a combined record of 8-3 with a 1.73 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 78 innings pitched. In 1963 he again was with Miami and then the Arkansas Travelers of the International League. He was a combined 12-6 with a 3.60 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 150 innings. After playing winter ball in Nicaragua, Jenkins split 1964 with two more teams, at the Class AA and AAA levels, and went 15-11 with a 3.12 ERA and 198 strikeouts. In 1965 he was primarily a reliever with Arkansas and compiled an 8-6 record with a 2.95 ERA and 112 strikeouts over the course of 122 innings. This earned him a call-up to the Phillies where he made 7 relief appearances and produced a 2-1 record with a 2.19 ERA. Jenkins started the 1966 season with the Phillies and had appeared in just one game when he was traded to the Cubs along with outfielder/first baseman John Herrnstein and outfielder Adolfo Phillips for veteran RHPs Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson. He continued to be utilized as a reliever until given the opportunity to start later in the season and he ended up going 6-8 with two complete games and a shutout and a 3.31 ERA with 148 strikeouts over 182 innings pitched for the Cubs. Following an offseason of winter baseball and exhibition basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters, Jenkins was part of the rotation from the start in 1967 and was 20-13 with a 2.80 ERA and league-leading 20 complete games. His 236 strikeouts set a new franchise record. He was an All-Star for the first time and tied for second in NL Cy Young Award voting. The Cubs jumped from the cellar in 1966 to third place, benefiting greatly from the performance of their young pitchers, including Jenkins. With command of both a rising and sinking fastball, slider, and curve, Jenkins was a 20-game winner again in 1968, posting a 20-15 record with a 2.63 ERA over the course of a league-leading 40 starts with another 20 complete games and 260 strikeouts. In a 1969 season in which the Cubs came up short to the Mets in the new NL East, Jenkins was 21-15 with a 3.21 ERA and a league-leading 273 strikeouts. He topped the NL with 24 complete games in 1970 on his way to a 22-16 record with a 3.39 ERA and 274 strikeouts.  

1971 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 39 [1]

Complete Games – 30 [1]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 13 [20, tied with Bob Gibson & Clay Kirby]

PCT - .649 [7]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [13, tied with ten others]

Innings Pitched – 325 [1]

Hits – 304 [1]

Runs – 114 [6, tied with Steve Arlin]

Earned Runs – 100 [8]

Home Runs – 29 [1]

Bases on Balls – 37

Strikeouts – 263 [2]

ERA – 2.77 [9]

Hit Batters – 5 [18, tied with eight others]

Balks – 4 [1]

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runners-up Bill Stoneman & Claude Osteen

League-leading complete games were +9 ahead of runner-up Tom Seaver

League-leading wins were +4 ahead of runners-up Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton & Al Downing

League-leading innings pitched were +30.1 ahead of runner-up Bill Stoneman

League-leading hits allowed were +25 ahead of runner-up Milt Pappas

League-leading home runs allowed were +1 ahead of runner-up Barry Lersch

League-leading balks were +2 ahead of five runners-up

Midseason Snapshot: 13-8, ERA - 2.83, SO - 146 in 174.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 7/24, (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 9/19

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Atlanta 8/16, (in 7 IP) at San Francisco 6/22

Batting

PA – 132, AB – 115, R – 13, H – 28, 2B – 7, 3B – 1, HR – 6, RBI – 20, BB – 7, SO – 40, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .243, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 8, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 86

Put Outs – 31

Assists – 48

Errors – 7

DP – 1

Pct. - .919

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

7^th in NL MVP voting (71 points, 21% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Ferguson Jenkins, ChiC.: 97 pts. – 17 of 24 first place votes, 81% share

Tom Seaver, NYM: 61 pts. – 6 first place votes, 51% share

Al Downing, LAD: 40 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

Dock Ellis, Pitt.: 9 pts. – 8% share

Bob Gibson, StL.: 3 pts. – 3% share

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Cubs went 83-79 to finish tied for third place in the NL Eastern Division with the New York Mets, 14 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (75).

Aftermath of ‘71:

“Fergie” made it six straight 20-win seasons in 1972 to tie the club record, going 20-12 with a 3.20 ERA and 184 strikeouts. Having pitched over 300 innings in four of those six seasons, Jenkins dropped to 271 in 1973 as he struggled with knee and shoulder injuries to finish with a 14-16 record with a 3.89 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Traded to the Texas Rangers in the offseason as part of the deal that brought third baseman Bill Madlock to the Cubs, Jenkins rebounded with an outstanding 25-12 record and an AL-leading 29 complete games plus 225 strikeouts and placed second in league Cy Young Award balloting. He followed up with a 17-18 tally in 1975 with a 3.93 ERA and was dealt to the Boston Red Sox afterward. Inconsistent with Boston in 1976, Jenkins produced a 12-11 record with a 3.27 ERA and 142 strikeouts. His luck was little better in a 1977 season in which he was 10-10 with a 3.68 ERA and 105 strikeouts. He was dealt back to Texas in the offseason and bounced back at age 34 with an 18-8 record in 1978 with a 3.04 ERA and 157 strikeouts. In 1979, Jenkins dropped to 16-14 with a 4.07 ERA and 164 strikeouts. He was suspended for 20 games in 1980 after drugs were found in his luggage during a road trip to Toronto. He still finished with a 12-12 record and 3.77 ERA. During the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Jenkins lost his spot in the starting rotation and ended up at 5-8 with a 4.50 ERA. Returning to the Cubs as a free agent after the season, Jenkins was a respectable 14-15 with a 3.15 ERA in 1982 and 6-9 with a 4.30 ERA in 1983. He was released in the spring of 1984, thus finishing his long career at age 41. Overall, Jenkins produced a 284-226 major league record with seven 20-win seasons and a 3.34 ERA, striking out 3192 batters over the course of 4500.2 innings pitched. Playing so many seasons with Chicago’s Wrigley Field as his home ballpark, he topped the NL in home runs allowed five times and the AL another two times. He also accumulated 267 complete games and 49 shutouts. With the Cubs, he was 167-132 with a 3.20 ERA and 2038 strikeouts. A fair hitting pitcher during his NL years, Jenkins hit .165 with 13 home runs and 85 RBIs. A three-time All-Star (all with the Cubs), his #31 was retired by the Cubs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2004.

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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: Jackie Jensen, 1958

Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Age:  31

5^th season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190

Prior to 1958:

A San Francisco native, Jensen starred in baseball and football at Oakland Technical High School. He enlisted in the Navy after graduation in 1945 and was discharged the following year. Entering the Univ. of California, Jensen again played both football and baseball with distinction. As a fullback on the football team, he was a consensus first-team All-American in 1948, as California went undefeated to top the Pacific Coast Conference but lost the Rose Bowl to Northwestern. An equally fine pitcher and outfielder on the baseball team he was a key figure on California’s College World Series-winning squad in 1947. Signing with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League for $75,000 in 1949, he batted .261 with 9 home runs and 77 RBIs while appearing in 125 games. After the season, in a highly publicized wedding, he married Zoe Ann Olsen, an Olympic silver medal diver. The Oaks sold Jensen’s contract to the New York Yankees, where it was anticipated that he would be the successor to aging star center fielder Joe DiMaggio. Utilized as a pinch hitter and reserve outfielder in 1950, the blond-haired “Golden Boy” appeared in 45 games and hit .171 with a home run and 5 RBIs. Jensen started off better at the plate for the Yankees in 1951 but was sent down to the Kansas City Blues of the Class AAA American Association at the end of July, where he batted .263 in 42 games with 9 home runs and 26 RBIs before returning to New York in September. He hit .298 over the course of 56 games for the Yankees with 8 home runs and 25 RBIs and found himself in a battle with rookie Mickey Mantle for playing time in the outfield. Jensen started the 1952 season in center field with Mantle in right, but off to a slow start at the plate, he was traded to the Washington Senators in May along with three other players for outfielder Irv Noren. Inserted into right field with the Senators, he earned an All-Star selection and went on to hit .280 in his breakout season with 10 home runs and 82 RBIs. Jensen followed up in 1953 by batting .266 with 32 doubles, 8 triples, 10 home runs, 84 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. In the offseason he was dealt to the Red Sox where he primarily played in center field in 1954. Hindered by spacious Griffith Stadium in Washington, Jensen began to achieve his power potential with Boston, belting 25 home runs in ’54 along with 25 doubles and 7 triples while hitting .276 with 117 RBIs. He also led the AL with 22 stolen bases. Returning to right field in 1955, he hit .275 with 26 home runs and a league-leading 116 RBIs. An All-Star for the second time, he also finished tenth in league MVP voting. Jensen had another strong season in 1956, batting .315 with 23 doubles, a league-leading 11 triples, 20 home runs, and 97 RBIs, and was a solid member of an outstanding outfield that included Ted Williams in left and Jim Piersall in center field. The fine performance continued in 1957 as he hit .281 with 23 home runs and 103 RBIs.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 153, LF – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 654 [5, tied with Mickey Mantle]

At Bats – 548 [14]

Runs – 83 [11]

Hits – 157 [11, tied with Bob Cerv]

Doubles – 31 [5]

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 35 [5]

RBI – 122 [1]

Bases on Balls – 99 [2]

Int. BB – 7 [5]

Strikeouts – 65 [16, tied with Gus Triandos]

Stolen Bases – 9 [9]

Caught Stealing – 4 [15, tied with nine others]

Average - .286 [14]

OBP - .396 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .535 [6]

Total Bases – 293 [5]

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 3 [20, tied with eleven others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 4

League-leading RBIs were +9 ahead of runner-up Rocky Colavito

Midseason snapshot: HR – 24, RBI – 68, AVG – .311, SLG PCT – .640

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/18

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 6/8 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/28 – 12 innings

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Washington 5/13

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 313

Put Outs – 293

Assists – 14

Errors – 6

DP – 3

Pct. - .981

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL in RF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Jackie Jensen, Bos.: 233 pts. - 9 of 24 first place votes, 69% share

Bob Turley, NYY: 191 pts. – 7 first place votes, 57% share

Rocky Colavito, Clev.: 181 pts. – 4 first place votes, 54% share

Bob Cerv, KCA: 164 pts. – 3 first place votes, 49% share

Mickey Mantle, NYY: 127 pts. – 38% share

(1 first place vote for Nellie Fox, ChiWS., who ranked eighth)

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Red Sox went 79-75 to finish third in the AL, 13 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in doubles (229, tied with Detroit), walks drawn (638), batter strikeouts (820), and on-base percentage (.338).

Aftermath of ‘58:

Jensen again led the AL in RBIs in 1959 with 112 to go with 28 home runs and a .277 batting average. He ranked tenth in league MVP balloting and won a Gold Glove for his outfield play. In the offseason he announced his retirement while still apparently in his prime at the age of 32. While news reports indicated that his well-established fear of flying was the culprit in his premature exit from the game, family considerations played the more significant role. He returned to the Red Sox in 1961, a step slower and less adept in the field, and hit .263 with 13 home runs and 66 RBIs, after which he retired for good. Overall, Jensen batted .279 in his major league career with 1463 hits, 259 doubles, 45 triples, 199 home runs, 929 RBIs, and 143 stolen bases. With the Red Sox his batting production was a .282 average with 1089 hits, 187 doubles, 28 triples, 170 home runs, 733 RBIs, and 95 stolen bases. He led the AL in RBIs three times and was a three-time All-Star. Following his playing career, Jensen became a color commentator on college football telecasts and later returned to the Univ. of California as baseball coach. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984, two years after his death at age 55, and was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000.

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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: Ron Hansen, 1960

Shortstop, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  22 (Apr. 5)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1960:

Born in Nebraska, Hansen and his family moved to Albany, California shortly thereafter. In high school he was a star third baseman on the baseball team and outstanding football and basketball player as well. Turning down a scholarship to the Univ. of California after graduation, he signed with the Orioles in 1956. He started out with the Stockton Ports of the Class C California League that year where he was shifted to shortstop. He batted .289 with 20 doubles, 9 triples, and 8 home runs. Following a winter playing in the Mexican League, Hansen went to spring training in 1957 with the Orioles. A major back injury that required surgery cost him the entire ’57 season but he started the 1958 season with the Orioles. Having lost his batting stroke, Hansen was quickly sent down to Knoxville of the Class A South Atlantic League where he was sidelined for a time due to a hand injury and hit just .216 with 6 home runs and 36 RBIs. Tall for a shortstop during that era, he had good range, a strong throwing arm, and was sure-handed in the field. After a good winter performance in Nicaragua, Hansen was promoted to the Vancouver Mounties of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1959. He hit .256 with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs, and also led PCL shortstops with 321 put outs, 496 assists, and 96 double plays. Receiving a late call-up to the Orioles, he went hitless in two games. Thanks to a strong spring performance in 1960, Hansen earned the starting shortstop job for the Orioles.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

SS – 153, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 606 [18]

At Bats – 530 [18]

Runs – 72

Hits – 135

Doubles – 22

Triples – 5 [14, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 22 [10]

RBI – 86 [11]

Bases on Balls – 69 [12]

Int. BB – 5 [14, tied with nine others]

Strikeouts – 94 [5, tied with Bob Allison]

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .255

OBP - .342

Slugging Pct. - .440 [14, tied with Brooks Robinson & Charlie Maxwell]

Total Bases – 233 [15]

GDP – 18 [5, tied with Al Smith & Al Kaline]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: HR – 9, RBI – 51, AVG – .254, SLG PCT – .424

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

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 22 occasions

HR at home – 8

HR on road – 14

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on eight occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 810

Put Outs – 325

Assists – 456

Errors – 29

DP – 110

Pct. - .964

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL at SS in both games)

5^th in AL MVP voting (110 points, 1 first place vote, 33% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Ron Hansen, Balt.: 22 of 24 votes, 92% share

Chuck Estrada, Balt.: 1 vote, 4% share

Jim Gentile, Balt.: 1 vote, 4% share

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Orioles went 89-65 to finish second in the AL, eight games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, which was the club’s best performance since it won the AL pennant in 1944 while still located in St. Louis.

Aftermath of ‘60:

Following an offseason of Army Reserve duty that cut into his spring training preparation, Hansen’s batting production dropped off in 1961 as he hit .248 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs but he still ranked among the league leaders defensively at shortstop. His 1962 production declined due to being limited to playing weekends as a result of again being called up for Army Reserve service and a broken hand suffered in August; he finished with a .173 average and 3 home runs with 17 RBIs. Once again, his play in the field did not suffer. In the offseason Hansen was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with outfielders Dave Nicholson and Pete Ward and RHP Hoyt Wilhelm for shortstop Luis Aparicio and outfielder/third baseman Al Smith. His power production improved to 17 doubles, 13 home runs, and 67 RBIs in 1963, while his batting average remained low at .226. He led AL shortstops with 483 assists and was second with 95 double plays. The White Sox were pennant contenders in 1964 and Hansen contributed a .261 batting average with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs. In the field he led AL shortstops in total chances (827), put outs (292), assists (514), and DPs (105). He remained a top fielder in 1965 as he again topped AL shortstops in chances (840, including a record 28 in a double header against the Red Sox) and assists (527). His batting production dropped to a.235 average with 11 home runs and 66 RBIs. A back injury that required surgery limited Hansen to 23 games in 1966, but he returned to play in 157 games in 1967 and led AL shortstops in chances (752) and assists (482). He batted .233 with just 8 home runs and 51 RBIs. In the offseason, shortstop Luis Aparicio returned to the White Sox by trade and Hansen was part of a six-player deal that sent him to the Washington Senators. During the 1968 season with Washington, he pulled off an unassisted triple play during a game against Cleveland. Two days later, he was traded back to the White Sox, where due to Aparicio’s presence, he was shifted to third base. Overall at the plate, Hansen hit .196 with 9 home runs and 32 RBIs. Utilized as a utility infielder in 1969, he appeared in 85 games and batted .259. He was sold to the New York Yankees in 1970 where he spent two seasons as a utility player and pinch-hitter. Released by the Yankees in 1972, he finished his career with the Kansas City Royals. Overall in the major leagues, Hansen batted .234 with 1007 hits that included 156 doubles, 17 triples, and 106 home runs. He also compiled 501 RBIs. With the Orioles, his production was a .235 average with 301 hits, 42 doubles, 7 triples, 37 home runs, and 155 RBIs. His rookie batting production remained the best of his career. More impressive in the field, he had a lifetime .968 fielding percentage.

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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: Rafael Furcal, 2000

Shortstop, Atlanta Braves

Age:  22

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 195

Prior to 2000:

A native of the Dominican Republic, Furcal played basketball as well as baseball at Jose Cabrera High School in Loma de Cabrera. He was signed by the Braves as an amateur free agent in 1996 and initially was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1997 where he played second base and batted .258 and stole 15 bases while leading the league’s second basemen with 257 total chances. Moving on to Danville of the advance Rookie-level Appalachian League in 1998, he stole a league-record 60 bases while hitting .328. Furcal played at Class A in 1999 with Macon of the South Atlantic League and Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League. Overall, he stole 96 bases in 126 games and batted .322 while also transitioning to shortstop. Thanks to an injury to Atlanta’s veteran shortstop Walt Weiss, Furcal made the jump from Class A to the Braves in 2000.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in 131 games

SS – 110, 2B – 31, PR – 6, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 542

At Bats – 455

Runs – 87

Hits – 134

Doubles – 20

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 37

Bases on Balls – 73

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 80

Stolen Bases – 40 [5]

Caught Stealing – 14 [2, tied with Preston Wilson & Eric Owens]

Average - .295

OBP - .394 [18, tied with Mark Grace]

Slugging Pct. - .382

Total Bases – 174

GDP – 2

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 9 [16, tied with nine others]

Sac Flies – 2

Midseason snapshot: HR – 0, RBI – 12, SB – 12, AVG - .304, SLG PCT - .387

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Most hits, game – 3 on nine occasions

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 3 AB) at Houston 9/2, (in 4 AB) at Arizona 9/16, (in 5 AB) vs. NY Mets 9/19, (in 5 AB) at Montreal 9/24

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 3

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. San Diego 5/20, at Arizona 9/16

Pinch-hitting/running – 0 of 1 (.000) with 1 SB & 5 R

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 459

Put Outs – 147

Assists – 289

Errors – 23

DP - 54

Pct. - .950

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLDS vs. St. Louis)

PA – 14, AB – 11, R – 2, H – 1, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 3, IBB – 0, SO – 0, SB – 1, CS – 1, AVG - .091, OBP - .286, SLG -.091, TB – 1, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (top 5):

Rafael Furcal, Atl.: 144 pts. – 25 of 32 first place votes, 90% share

Rick Ankiel, StL.: 87 pts. – 6 first place votes, 54% share

Jay Payton, NYM: 37 pts. – 1 first place vote, 23% share

Pat Burrell, Phila.: 10 pts. – 6% share

Mitch Meluskey, Hou.: 7 pts. – 4% share

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Braves went 95-67 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 1 game over the New York Mets, for their ninth consecutive division title. The Braves battled the Mets into September, with the offense benefiting from the insertion of Furcal into the leadoff spot in July, finally securing the NL East title with a Sept. 26 win over New York. Lost NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of 2000:

A dislocated shoulder that required surgery ended Furcal’s 2001 season in July. In 79 games he batted .275 and stole 22 bases. In 2002 he tied the modern major league record with three triples in a game against Florida. He ended up hitting .275 with 31 doubles, 8 triples, and 8 home runs. After having problems in the field during the season’s first two months (13 errors in 38 games), he ended up with 27 errors for the year. In a 2003 game against St. Louis, Furcal turned an unassisted triple play. He had a fine offensive season, batting .292 with 194 hits and 130 runs scored while tying for the NL lead with 10 triples to go along with 35 doubles, 15 home runs, and 61 RBIs. Hindered by injuries in 2004, he appeared in 143 games and hit .279 with 14 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases. Furcal hit .284 in 2005 with 31 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 100 runs scored. In the field he led NL shortstops with 255 put outs. In the offseason he underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery after signing a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Furcal had a fine year with his new team in 2006, batting .300 with 196 hits that included 32 doubles, 9 triples, 15 home runs, 37 stolen bases, and 63 RBIs. In the field he topped NL shortstops with 788 total chances, 269 put outs, 492 assists, and 117 double plays. Hindered by a sprained ankle at the start of the 2007 season, Furcal hit .270 over the course of 138 games. After a back injury limited him to 36 games in 2008, he came back in 2009 to bat .269 while appearing in 150 games, with 9 home runs and 47 RBIs, while stealing only 12 bases. He was still among the league leaders defensively at shortstop. Furcal was an All-Star for the second time in 2010 during an injury-plagued season in which he batted .300 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 8 home runs, 43 RBIs, and stole 22 bases. He spent most of the first half of the 2011 season on the disabled list before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in July. For the year he hit .231 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs while helping the Cardinals to the NL pennant and a World Series title. He contributed two triples to the NLDS victory over Philadelphia and scored 5 runs in the NLCS win against the Brewers. Furcal had an All-Star season with the Cardinals in 2012, although he finished the year on the DL and missed the postseason. He ended up batting .264 over 121 games. Furcal missed the entire 2013 season due to “Tommy John” surgery. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Miami Marlins. He appeared in eight games at second base in 2014 and hit .171. Furcal signed a minor league contract with Kansas City in 2015 and played in just seven minor league contests before retiring. For his major league career, Furcal batted .281 with 1817 hits that included 311 doubles, 69 triples, and 113 home runs. He also compiled 1063 runs scored, 587 RBIs, and 314 stolen bases. With the Braves he produced a .284 average, 924 hits, 160 doubles, 38 triples, 57 home runs, 292 RBIs, and 189 stolen bases. Furcal was a three-time All-Star. He played for one World Series-winning team and appeared in a total of 59 postseason games in which he batted .227 with 5 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 16 RBIs, 33 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases.        

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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. 

MVP Profile: Alex Rodriguez, 2003

Shortstop, Texas Rangers

Age:  28 (July 27)

3rd season with Rangers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 230

Prior to 2003:

Rodriguez was born in New York City to Dominican parents who returned to Santo Domingo when he was four. The family returned to the US a few years later, this time in Miami where Rodriguez played youth league baseball. At Westminster Christian High School, he excelled in football and basketball, as well as baseball. The Seattle Mariners made him the first overall pick in the 1993 amateur draft and he signed for a $1.3 million bonus. The 18-year-old Rodriguez was first assigned to Appleton of the Class A Midwest League in 1994 where he batted .319 in 65 games and was promoted to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AA Southern League. He played in 17 games at Class AA and was promoted to the Mariners in July. Overmatched in his first exposure to the big leagues, Rodriguez was sent to the Calgary Cannons of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he hit .311 in 32 games with 6 home runs and 21 RBIs. Following a winter of play in the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez was assigned to Tacoma of the PCL in 1995. He moved back-and-forth between Tacoma and the Mariners during the season and by August he was back with Seattle full-time. In Class AAA he batted .360 in 54 games with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs and in 48 appearances with the Mariners he hit .232 with 5 home runs and 19 RBIs. Rodriguez became the starting shortstop in 1996 and led the AL in runs scored (141), doubles (54), batting (.358), and total bases (379) in addition to compiling 36 home runs and 123 RBIs. The player known as “A-Rod” also was an All-Star for the first time, was awarded a Silver Slugger, finished second in league MVP voting by a narrow margin, and was named MLB Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Rodriguez started strong in 1997 but, bothered by a chest injury, overall his numbers dropped to a .300 average with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs. In the field he led all AL shortstops by committing 24 errors. He started at shortstop for the AL in the All-Star Game. In 1998 “A-Rod” batted .310 with a league-leading 213 hits as well as 42 home runs, 124 RBIs, and 46 stolen bases. He also topped all AL shortstops with 731 total chances and ranked second with 268 put outs and 445 assists. In 1999, Rodriguez suffered a knee injury that required surgery early in the season and ended up hitting .285 in 129 games with 42 home runs and 111 RBIs. With center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr. gone in 2000, “A-Rod” became the key player in Seattle’s lineup and batted .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBIs. He finished third in AL MVP balloting. A free agent in the offseason, Rodriguez signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Rangers. He had an outstanding season with a losing team in 2001, hitting .318 with a league-leading 133 runs scored and 52 home runs, plus 135 RBIs. He also led all AL shortstops with 279 put outs and finished sixth in league MVP voting. “A-Rod” placed second for AL MVP in 2002 after batting .300 with 57 home runs and 142 RBIs. He also received a Gold Glove for outstanding play in the field.

2003 Season Summary

Appeared in 161 games

SS – 158, DH – 1, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 715 [5]

At Bats – 607 [18]

Runs – 124 [1]

Hits – 181 [12, tied with Carlos Lee]

Doubles – 30

Triples – 6 [13, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 47 [1]

RBI – 118 [2]

Bases on Balls – 87 [8]

Int. BB – 10 [8, tied with Eric Chavez & Garret Anderson]

Strikeouts – 126 [7]

Stolen Bases – 17 [17, tied with five others]

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .298 [20]

OBP - .396 [7, tied with Trot Nixon]

Slugging Pct. - .600 [1]

Total Bases – 364 [2]

GDP – 16 [16, tied with Dmitri Young & Hank Blalock]

Hit by Pitches – 15 [6, tied with A.J. Pierzynski, David Eckstein & Carl Everett]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 6

League-leading runs scored were +4 ahead of runner-up Nomar Garciaparra

League-leading home runs were +5 ahead of runners-up Carlos Delgado & Frank Thomas

League-leading slugging percentage was +.007 ahead of runner-up Carlos Delgado

Midseason snapshot: HR – 22, RBI – 60, AVG - .285, SLG PCT - .544

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. NY Yankees 4/27

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 26

HR on road – 21

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Anaheim 4/16, (in 4 AB) at Kansas City 8/28 – 11 innings, (in 5 AB) vs. Anaheim 9/20

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. NY Yankees 4/27

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 2 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 699

Put Outs – 227

Assists – 464

Errors – 8

DP – 111

Pct. - .989

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

AL Hank Aaron Award: MLB

All-Star (started for AL at SS)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Alex Rodriguez, Tex.: 242 pts. – 6 of 28 first place votes, 62% share

Carlos Delgado, Tor.: 213 pts. – 5 first place votes, 54% share

Jorge Posada, NYY: 194 pts. – 5 first place votes, 49% share

Shannon Stewart, Tor./Min.: 140 pts. – 3 first place votes, 36% share

David Ortiz, Bos.: 130 pts. – 4 first place votes, 33% share

(1 first place vote apiece for Manny Ramirez, Bos., who ranked sixth, Nomar Garciaparra, Bos. who ranked seventh, Vernon Wells, Tor., who ranked eighth, Miguel Tejada, Oak., who ranked eleventh & Jason Giambi,NYY, who ranked 13^th)

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Rangers went 71-91 to finish fourth (last) in the AL Western Division, 25 games behind the division-winning Oakland Athletics, while leading the league in home runs (239).

Aftermath of ‘03:

In the offseason, “A-Rod” was traded to the New York Yankees for power-hitting second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Shifted to third base due to the presence of Derek Jeter, Rodriguez adjusted well in the field and at the plate batted .286 with 36 home runs and 106 RBIs. New York won the AL East and “A-Rod” hit well in the ALDS triumph over the Twins. The Yanks lost the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox despite breaking out to a 3 games-to-0 lead and Rodriguez was part of the collapse, managing only two hits in his last 17 at bats. He had a second MVP season in 2005, batting .321 with 130 RBIs and a league-leading 48 home runs and .610 slugging percentage. The Yanks narrowly topped the AL East but lost to the Angels in the ALDS as Rodriguez again took criticism for hitting just .133 in the five games.  He had another strong performance in 2006, hitting .290 with 35 home runs and 121 RBIs. He and the Yankees again came up short in the postseason. “A-Rod” got off to a fast start with the slow-starting Yanks in 2007 and rode that to his third MVP season, batting .314 and topping the AL in runs scored (143), home runs (54), RBIs (156), slugging (.645), and total bases (376). Following the season, he chose to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract but then re-signed with the Yankees for $270 million over 10 years. Rodriguez encountered injury problems in 2008, as well as off-field controversy. He ended up producing solidly (35 home runs, 103 RBIs, .302 average) while leading the AL in slugging (.573). Surgery for a hip condition limited Rodriguez to 124 games in 2009, with his production limited to 30 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .286 batting average. He played well in the postseason as the Yankees reached the World Series and defeated the Phillies. In 2010 “A-Rod” reached the 600-home run milestone during a season in which he batted .270 with 30 home runs and 125 RBIs. A knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery limited him to 99 games in 2011 as well as 16 home runs and 62 RBIs. Following another injury-plagued season in 2012, Rodriguez underwent further hip surgery in 2013. After a minor league rehabilitation assignment, he joined the Yankees in August facing a suspension by major league baseball for his use of performance-enhancing drugs and his related involvement with the Biogenesis scandal. He ended up appearing in just 44 major league games with 7 home runs and 19 RBIs. He was suspended for the entire 2014 season. Reinstated in 2015, Rodriguez played in 151 games, primarily as a Designated Hitter, and hit .250 with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs. He played one last season in 2015. Overall for his career, “A-Rod” batted .295 with 3115 hits that included 548 doubles, 31 triples, and 696 home runs. He also struck out 2287 times and compiled 2086 RBIs and 329 stolen bases. Often criticized for a lack of postseason production, he appeared in 76 postseason games and hit .259 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs. In addition to being a three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez was a 14-time All-Star (three with Texas) and won two Gold Gloves and 10 Silver Slugger Awards.  

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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.

MVP Profile: Carl Hubbell, 1933

Pitcher, New York Giants

Age:  30 (June 22)

6^th season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1933:

Born in Missouri, Hubbell grew up in Meeker, Oklahoma, where he pitched well in high school with a fastball and curve. Following graduation, he joined Cushing of the Oklahoma State League in 1923. By 1925 Hubbell was with Oklahoma City of the Class A Western League where, having added a screwball to his repertoire, he produced a 17-13 record with a 4.01 ERA. The Detroit Tigers purchased his contract after the season, but during 1926 spring training he was forbidden from using the screwball due to the increased prospect of suffering an arm injury. Sent to Toronto of the Class AA International League, Hubbell was a disappointing 7-7 with a 3.77 ERA while disallowed from throwing the screwball. Demoted to Decatur of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three-I) League in 1927, Hubbell was a respectable 14-7 with a 2.53 ERA, but the Tigers sold his contract to the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League in 1928 where he was able to again utilize the screwball. Compiling a 12-9 record with a 2.97 ERA by midseason his contract was purchased by the Giants for $30,000. Hubbell ended up going 10-6 for the Giants with a 2.83 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 124 innings pitched.  He followed up with an 18-11 record in 1929 with a 3.69 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 268 innings. Along the way he pitched a no-hitter against Pittsburgh.  The lanky southpaw was 17-12 for the third place Giants in 1930, with a 3.87 ERA (which ranked second in the NL in a year dominated by hitting in which the league mien ERA was 4.97) and 117 strikeouts. His 1931 record was 14-12 with a 2.65 ERA and 155 strikeouts. 1932 was a year of transition for the Giants as the talented but irascible long-time manager John McGraw was replaced by Bill Terry during the season. Hubbell contributed an 18-11 record for the sixth-place club with a 2.50 ERA and 137 strikeouts.    

1933 Season Summary

Appeared in 45 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 45 [3, tied with Ad Liska]

Games Started – 33 [6, tied with Tex Carleton, Paul Derringer & Hal Schumacher]

Complete Games – 22 [4]

Wins – 23 [1]

Losses – 12 [19, tied with Guy Bush, Hal Schumacher & Steve Swetonic]

PCT - .657 [3]

Saves – 5 [2, tied with Dizzy Dean, Hi Bell & Bill Harris]

Shutouts – 10 [1]

Innings Pitched – 308.2 [1]

Hits – 256 [8, tied with Ed Brandt]

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 57

Home Runs – 6

Bases on Balls – 47

Strikeouts – 156 [2]

ERA – 1.66 [1]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runners-up Dizzy Dean, Guy Bush & Ben Cantwell]

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Hal Schumacher

League-leading innings pitched were +15.2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading ERA was -0.34 lower than runner-up Lon Warneke

Midseason Snapshot: 11-5, ERA - 1.84, SO - 87 in 156.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. Boston Braves 4/20

10+ strikeout games – 3

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Braves 4/20, (in 9 IP) vs. Brooklyn 4/24, (in 9 IP) vs. Brooklyn 7/27, (in 10 IP) at Bos. Braves 9/1

Batting

PA – 116, AB – 109, R – 6, H – 20, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 12, BB – 2, SO – 18, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .183, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 119

Put Outs – 23

Assists – 94

Errors – 2

DP – 5

Pct. - .983

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (World Series vs. Washington)

GS – 2, CG – 2, Record – 2-0 PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 20, H – 13, R – 3, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 6, SO – 15, ERA – 0.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Carl Hubbell, NYG: 77 pts. – 96% share

Chuck Klein, PhilaP.: 48 pts. – 60% share

Wally Berger, BosB.: 44 pts. – 55% share

Bill Terry, NYG: 35 pts. – 44% share

Pepper Martin, StLC.: 31 pts. – 39% share

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Giants went 91-61 to win the NL pennant by 5 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.71), shutouts (23), fewest hits allowed (1280), batting (.286), and fewest runs allowed 514). Won World Series over the Washington Senators, 4 games to 1. Hubbell’s two wins included an 11-inning 2-1 contest in Game 4.

Aftermath of ‘33:

The Giants were strong contenders again in 1934 and Hubbell compiled a 21-12 record with a league-leading 2.30 ERA and 25 complete games. During the All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds, he struck out five consecutive future Hall of Fame batters (Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of the Yankees, Jimmie Foxx of the A’s, Al Simmons of the White Sox & Joe Cronin of the Senators). Hubbell, who came to be referred to as “King Carl” and “the Meal Ticket” due to his consistency and reliability, was outstanding again in 1935 as he went 23-12 with a 3.27 ERA and 150 strikeouts while pitching 302.2 innings. The Giants returned to the top of the NL in 1936 and Hubbell was the league MVP for the second time thanks to a 26-6 record, including wins in his last 16 decisions of the season, and league-best 2.31 ERA. The Giants made it two straight pennants in 1937 as Hubbell’s regular season winning streak reached 24 games as he prevailed in his first 8 decisions on his way to a 22-8 tally and 3.20 ERA while topping the NL with 159 strikeouts. In 1938, elbow pain due to throwing the screwball prematurely ended Hubbell’s season with a 13-10 record and 3.07 ERA as he needed surgery to remove bone chips. He remained with the Giants until 1943 and continued to be an effective, if no longer dominant, pitcher. He won 11 games each year from 1939 to ’42, and his 11-12 record in 1940 was the only sub-.500 performance of his career. His 2.75 ERA in 1939 was his best during the same four-year time period. His career came to an end after the 1943 season, by which point his left hand was deformed from years of throwing the screwball. Upon his retirement following 16 seasons with the Giants, Hubbell had a 253-154 record with five 20-win records, a 2.98 ERA, 36 shutouts, and 1677 strikeouts over 3590.1 innings pitched. In the postseason, he produced a 4-2 record with four complete games and 32 strikeouts over 50.1 innings. In addition to being a two-time MVP, he was a nine-time All-Star. Hubbell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947 and the Giants retired his #11. Upon the end of his playing career, the Giants made Hubbell the team’s director of player development, a position he held for 35 years, well after the franchise’s move to San Francisco. He remained a scout for the club until his death in 1988 at the age of 85.

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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.