Rookie of the Year: Marty Cordova, 1995

Outfielder, Minnesota Twins

Age:  26 (July 10)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1995:

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Cordova came out of the strong baseball program at that city’s Bishop Gorman High School. Initially drafted as an amateur by the San Diego Padres he chose to go to college instead. He played collegiately at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and at Orange Coast Community College where he was a shortstop with inaccurate throwing ability. The Twins drafted him as a third baseman in 1989 and he signed for a $28,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Elizabethton of the Rookie level Appalachian League, Cordova was quickly shifted to the outfield. In 38 games he hit .284 with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs. Moving up to Kenosha of the Class A Midwest League in 1990 he batted just .216 with 7 home runs and 25 RBIs. He spent 1991 and ’92 with Visalia of the advanced Class A California League and was the league MVP in ’92 after hitting .341 with 28 home runs and 131 RBIs. In the outfield he had 10 assists and only three errors. Moving on to Nashville of the Class AA Southern League in 1993 his batting average dropped to .250 and he hit 19 home runs with 77 RBIs. Cordova’s fielding remained strong and he advanced to Salt Lake of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1994. A broken arm suffered during spring training delayed his entry into the PCL season, but he still batted .358 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs in 103 games. A spot in the Minnesota outfield was created in 1995 with the departure of free agent Shane Mack to Japan and Cordova opened the season as the starting left fielder.

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

LF – 132, CF – 11

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 579

At Bats – 512

Runs – 81

Hits – 142

Doubles – 27

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 24

RBI – 84

Bases on Balls – 52

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 111 [11, tied with Brady Anderson & Tim Salmon]

Stolen Bases – 20 [16, tied with John Valentin]

Caught Stealing – 7 [17, tied with Brady Anderson, Joey Cora & Ozzie Guillen]

Average - .277

OBP - .352

Slugging Pct. - .486

Total Bases – 249

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 10 [6, tied with Chuck Knoblauch, John Valentin & Brady Anderson]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 5

Most hits, game – 4 (in 8 AB) at Cleveland 5/7

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on 24 occasions

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 8

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Seattle 5/19

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 363

Put Outs – 346

Assists – 12

Errors – 5

DP - 3

Pct. - .986

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Marty Cordova, Min.: 105 pts. – 13 of 28 first place votes, 75% share

Garret Anderson, Cal.: 99 pts. –13 first place votes, 71% share

Andy Pettitte, NYY.: 16 pts. – 1 first place vote, 11% share

Troy Percival, Cal.: 13 pts. – 1 first place vote, 9% share

Shawn Green, Tor.: 8 pts. – 6% share

Twins went 56-88 to finish fifth in the AL Central Division, 44 games behind the division-winning Cleveland Indians and finished last in the league in walks drawn (471).

Aftermath of ‘95:

Cordova followed up with a stronger season in 1996 in which he batted .309 with 46 doubles, 16 home runs, and 111 RBIs. In 1997 a foot injury limited him to 103 games and his production dropped to 15 home runs and 51 RBIs with a .246 batting average. A strained neck hindered him in 1998 and his average dropped to .253 with just 10 home runs and 69 RBIs. In 1999 Cordova was utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter while rookie Chad Allen supplanted him in left field. His average improved to .285 with 14 home runs and 70 RBIs. A free agent after the season he signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2000 but was released after suffering a broken rib during spring training. Catching on with the Toronto Blue Jays, Cordova appeared in only 62 games and hit .245. His next stop was the Cleveland Indians in 2001, where he became the starting left fielder and produced 20 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .301 average. The Indians won the AL Central title and Cordova appeared in the postseason for the only time in his career, batting .250 in the ALDS loss to Seattle. He signed a three-year, $9.1 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles in 2002, when he produced a .253 average with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. A major elbow injury limited him to nine games in 2003, his last major league season. Overall, in a career that commenced with much promise, Cordova batted .274 with 938 hits, 480 runs, 192 doubles, 18 triples, 122 home runs, and 540 RBIs. Of those totals, a .277 average with 643 hits, 336 runs, 139 doubles, 14 triples, 79 home runs, and 385 RBIs were compiled with the Twins.     

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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: Pete Vuckovich, 1982

Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  29

2^nd season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 220

Prior to 1982:

A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Vuckovich played football and basketball as well as baseball at Conemaugh Valley High School. He turned down football scholarship offers from major colleges to attend Clarion State College where he pitched and played second base. Selected by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 1974 amateur draft he played for teams at the Class A and AA levels in ’74 and in 18 games put together a combined record of 3-5 with a 3.48 ERA. He moved up to the Denver Bears of the Class AAA American Association in 1975 and was 11-4 with a 4.34 ERA and developed his array of pitches that included a fastball, slider, curve, and change-up. In August he had a trial with the White Sox that consisted of 10.1 innings over four appearances that resulted in an 0-1 record and 13.06 ERA. Vuckovich spent time pitching in Puerto Rico over the ensuing winter and was utilized by the White Sox primarily as a reliever in 1976, producing a 7-4 record with a 4.65 ERA while pitching 110.1 innings. In the offseason Vuckovich was traded to the expansion Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched in 53 games for the first-year club, all but 8 of them from out of the bullpen. His record was 7-7 with a 3.47 ERA, 123 strikeouts, and 8 saves. Vuckovich was dealt again during the offseason, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals. Of his 45 appearances in 1978, 23 were starts and, experiencing plenty of hard luck with a club that posted its worst record in 54 years, he came away with a 12-12 record and 2.54 ERA while striking out 149 batters. Fast-working, fiercely competitive, and an intimidating presence on the mound, Vuckovich followed up with a 15-10 tally for the much-improved Redbirds in 1979, with a 3.59 ERA and 145 strikeouts while starting 32 games and pitching 233 innings. He had another respectable season in 1980, going 12-9 with a 3.40 ERA and 132 strikeouts. In the offseason he was part of a blockbuster trade with the Brewers, in which he was sent to Milwaukee along with catcher Ted Simmons and newly-acquired RHP Rollie Fingers for four players, two of them pitchers. Vuckovich proceeded to have an outstanding year for his new team in the strike-interrupted 1981 season, leading the AL with a .778 winning percentage thanks to his 14-4 record. He also posted a 3.55 ERA as the heavy-hitting Brewers made it to the postseason for the first time in franchise history.   

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 30 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 30

Games Started – 30

Complete Games – 9 [17, tied with Milt Wilcox]

Wins – 18 [2, tied with Geoff Zahn & Larry Gura]

Losses – 6

PCT - .750 [1, tied with Jim Palmer]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [20, tied with many others]

Innings Pitched – 223.2 [20]

Hits – 234 [14]

Runs – 96

Earned Runs – 83

Home Runs – 14

Bases on Balls – 102 [2]

Strikeouts – 105

ERA – 3.34 [6, tied with Jim Beattie]

Hit Batters – 5 [17, tied with six others]

Balks – 0

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

Midseason Snapshot: 10-4, ERA - 3.09, SO – 58 in 110.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) vs. Minnesota 7/8

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Texas 4/24, (in 9 IP) vs. Boston 7/3

Fielding

Chances – 56

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 39

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .929

Postseason Pitching:

G – 4 (ALCS vs. California – 2 G; World Series vs. St. Louis – 2 G)

GS – 4, CG – 1, Record – 0-2, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 28.1, H – 31, R – 16, ER – 14, HR – 3, BB – 12, SO – 12, ERA – 4.45, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

18^th in AL MVP voting (11 points, 3% share)

  

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Pete Vuckovich, Mil.: 87 pts. – 14 of 28 first place votes, 62% share

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 59 pts. – 4 first place votes, 42% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC: 40 pts. – 4 first place votes, 29% share

Dave Stieb, Tor.: 36 pts. –  5 first place votes, 26% share

Rick Sutcliffe, Clev.: 14 pts. – 1 first place vote, 10% share

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Brewers went 95-67 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 1 game over the Baltimore Orioles. The pitching staff led the league in saves (47). Won the ALCS over the California Angels, 3 games to 2. Lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3. The struggling Brewers came to life after manager Buck Rodgers was replaced by Harvey Kuenn in June. “Harvey’s Wallbangers” were primarily heralded for their hitting and went 72-43 the rest of the way, surviving the loss of bullpen ace Rollie Fingers in the final month and a surge by the Orioles, who they defeated in the season’s last game to clinch the division title.

Aftermath of ‘82:

A torn rotator cuff sidelined Vuckovich until August in 1983 when he was able to start three games until a pulled hamstring ended his season for good. Surgery to remove a bone spur and repair muscle damage completely wiped out his 1984 season. Vuckovich was ineffective during an injury-plagued 1985 season and went 6-10 with a 5.51 ERA. After further surgery his attempt to come back in 1986 resulted in his announced retirement at the end of spring training. After working as a scout and minor league instructor during the season he joined Vancouver of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in August and performed well, posting a 2-1 record with a 1.26 ERA. Activated by the Brewers in September he started six games and went 2-4 with a 3.06 ERA. Vuckovich retired for good the following April. His overall major league record was 93-69 with a 3.66 ERA and 882 strikeouts over 1455.1 innings pitched. He was 40-26 with a 3.88 ERA and 266 strikeouts in 533 innings pitched with the Brewers. Following his retirement as a player Vuckovich worked as a television announcer for Brewers games, appeared in the movie Major League, and then was with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization for many years.

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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: Jake Daubert, 1913

First Baseman, Brooklyn Superbas

Age:  29 (Apr. 17)

4^th season with Superbas/Dodgers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’10” Weight: 160

Prior to 1913:

A native of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, Daubert appeared to be destined to a life of working in the local coal mines until he joined a semipro baseball team in nearby Lykens. Initially a pitcher, he was shifted to first base. In 1907 he joined a team in the Interstate League and moved on to Marion of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League later in the year. Following a trial with Cleveland in 1908 and found to still be unready for the major leagues, he was released and moved on to Nashville of the Class A Southern Association, where he batted .262. Daubert split 1909 between Toledo of the American Association and Memphis of the Southern Association, where he hit .314. He signed a $2000 contract with Brooklyn in 1910 and hit .264 as a rookie with 15 triples, 8 home runs and 50 RBIs. A swift runner and outstanding fielder at first base Daubert improved his batting average to .307 in 1911 and finished ninth in NL MVP voting. A slashing hitter with excellent bat control and good power by “dead ball era” standards, Daubert was a fine bunter and very good fielder. In 1912 he hit .308 with 19 doubles, 16 triples, 3 home runs, and 66 RBIs while also stealing 29 bases and leading all NL first basemen with a .993 fielding percentage. He tied for eighth in the NL MVP balloting. Intelligent, highly respected, and an early advocate for player rights, he was widely considered to be one of the best first basemen in the league and was also notably modest regarding his accomplishments. 

1913 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

1B – 138, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 572

At Bats – 508

Runs – 76 [15, tied with Art Fletcher]

Hits – 178 [2]

Doubles – 17

Triples – 7

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 52

Bases on Balls – 44

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 40

Stolen Bases – 25 [16, tied with Rabbit Maranville]

Caught Stealing – 21 [8, tied with Hans Lobert & Joe Connolly]

Average - .350 [1]

OBP - .405 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .423 [11]

Total Bases – 215 [14, tied with Ed Konetchy]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 17 [19, tied with Art Fletcher, Frank Schulte & Rabbit Maranville]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading batting average was +.009 ahead of runner-up Gavvy Cravath

Midseason snapshot: HR - 2, RBI - 27, SB – 13, AVG - .348, OBP – .418

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 7/14, (in 5 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 7/16 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 3 AB) vs. Cincinnati 5/12, (in 3 AB) vs. St. Louis Cards 5/15

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Phila. Phillies 4/10, vs. St. Louis Cards 7/23

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 1372

Put Outs – 1279

Assists – 80

Errors – 13

DP – 91

Pct. - .991

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: Chalmers Award

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Jake Daubert, Brook.: 50 pts. - 78% share

Gavvy Cravath, PhilaP.: 40 pts. – 63% share

Rabbit Maranville, BosB.: 23 pts. – 36% share

Christy Mathewson, NYG: 21 pts. – 33% share

Chief Meyers, NYG: 20 pts. – 31% share

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Superbas went 65-84 to finish sixth in the NL, 34.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants while leading the league in fewest walks drawn (361) and playing their first season at Ebbets Field.

Aftermath of 1913:

In 1914 Daubert’s bunting prowess came to the forefront as he set major league records with four sacrifice hits in a game and six in a doubleheader. For the year he once again topped the NL in batting with a .329 average and further accumulated 17 doubles, 7 triples, 6 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases. Daubert hit .301 in 1915 and led NL first basemen with 102 assists. Brooklyn won the NL pennant in 1916 and Daubert contributed a .316 batting average and a .993 fielding percentage that led the league’s first basemen. But he batted just .176 in the World Series loss to the Red Sox. Daubert’s average dropped to .261 in 1917 but he bounced back to hit .308 in 1918 with a league-leading 15 triples. The season was cut short due to US participation in World War I and when Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets refused to pay the remainder of Daubert’s contract (he had signed a four-year contract in 1914 to keep him out of the clutches of the rival Federal League) Daubert sued Ebbets and, although the case was settled out of court, Daubert was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1919. Named team captain in Cincinnati, he contributed a .276 batting average, 12 triples, and a league-leading 39 sacrifice hits to the club’s championship season. He was back over .300 in 1920, ’21, and ’22 and was still with the Reds in 1924 when, suffering from abdominal pain that was diagnosed as gallstones or appendicitis, surgery was performed from which he failed to recover, dying in October at the age of 40. Overall for his major league career, Daubert batted .303 with 2326 hits that included 250 doubles, 165 triples, and 56 home runs. He also compiled 722 RBIs and 251 stolen bases. Of those totals, 1387 hits, for a .305 average with 138 doubles, 87 triples, 33 home runs, 415 RBIs, and 187 stolen bases came while playing for Brooklyn. His 392 career sacrifice hits remain a NL record. 

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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: Vladimir Guerrero, 2004

Outfielder, Anaheim Angels

Age:  29

1^st season with Angels

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 235

Prior to 2004:

A native of Nizao Bani in the Dominican Republic, Guerrero was signed by the Montreal Expos in 1993. Playing in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1994 he batted .314 in 37 games with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs, and 25 RBIs, impressing with his arm strength, speed, raw talent, and work ethic. In 1995 he moved up to the Albany Polecats of the Class A South Atlantic League where he was the batting champion with a .333 average to go along with 21 doubles, 10 triples, 16 home runs, and 63 RBIs. In 1996 Guerrero won the Class AA Eastern League batting title by hitting .360 for the Harrisburg Senators as well as compiling 32 doubles, 8 triples, 19 home runs, and 78 RBIs. Called up by the Expos in September he clubbed his first major league home run among his five hits. Making the Expos as the starting right fielder in 1997, he suffered a broken bone in his left foot that cost him the first month of the season. In a rookie year that included two stints on the disabled list Guerrero batted .302 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs and finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. In 1998 he was joined in Montreal by his older brother Wilton, a second baseman/shortstop who was dealt to the Expos by the Dodgers. Guerrero broke out with 38 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a .324 average and was rewarded with a $28 million contract extension through 2003. He followed up with his first All-Star season in 1999, batting .316 with 42 home runs and 131 RBIs. In 2000 he improved to .345 with 44 home runs and 123 RBIs and placed sixth in NL MVP balloting. He continued his outstanding play in 2001 with 45 doubles, 34 home runs, 108 RBIs, and a .307 average. In 2002 he led the NL with 206 hits and 364 total bases while batting .336 with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs. Guerrero also stole a career-high 40 bases and led the league by being caught stealing 20 times. The troubled Montreal franchise was in the hunt for a Wild Card slot in 2003 but Guerrero suffered a herniated disk in his back that put him on the DL for an extended period and the Expos slumped until his return. In a season in which he was limited to 112 games he still hit .330 with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs. In the offseason, Guerrero signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Angels.

2004 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

RF – 143, DH – 13

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 680 [11, tied with Matt Lawton & Hideki Matsui]

At Bats – 612 [10]

Runs – 124 [1]

Hits – 206 [3]

Doubles – 39 [10, tied with Eric Byrnes]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 39 [4]

RBI – 126 [4]

Bases on Balls – 52

Int. BB – 14 [4]

Strikeouts – 74

Stolen Bases – 15

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .337 [3]

OBP - .391 [9]

Slugging Pct. - .598 [3]

Total Bases – 366 [1]

GDP – 19 [9, tied with four others]

Hit by Pitches – 8

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 8 [4, tied with seven others]

League-leading runs scored were +1 ahead of runner-up Johnny Damon

League-leading total bases were+15 ahead of runner-up David Ortiz

Midseason snapshot: HR – 20, RBI – 77, AVG - .345, SLG PCT - .591

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Boston 6/2, (in 4 AB) vs. Texas 9/17, (in 5 AB) at Texas 9/28, (in 4 AB) at Texas 9/30

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 9 vs. Boston 6/2

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 330

Put Outs – 308

Assists – 13

Errors – 9

DP – 2

Pct. - .973

Postseason Batting: 3 G (ALDS vs. Boston)

PA – 14, AB – 12, R – 1, H – 2, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 6, BB – 2, IBB – 1, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .167, OBP - .286, SLG - .417, TB – 5, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for AL in RF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Vladimir Guerrero, Ana.: 354 pts. - 21 of 28 first place votes, 90% share

Gary Sheffield, NYY: 254 pts. – 5 first place votes, 65% share

Manny Ramirez, Bos.: 238 pts. – 1 first place vote, 61% share

David Ortiz, Bos.: 174 pts. – 1 first place vote, 44% share

Miguel Tejada, Balt.: 123 pts. – 31% share

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Angels went 92-70 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 1 game over the Oakland Athletics while leading the league in stolen bases (143), and both fewest walks drawn (450) and fewest batter strikeouts (942). Lost ALDS to the Boston Red Sox, 3 games to 0. A six-game July losing streak dropped the Angels six games out of first but they rebounded in the season’s second half to be tied with Oakland going into the final weekend. Two wins gave them the division title although they collapsed in the postseason.

Aftermath of ‘04:

The Angels returned to the postseason in 2005 and Guerrero contributed a .317 batting average along with 32 home runs and 108 RBIs, placing third in AL MVP voting. With 200 hits in 2006 he reached the 200 level for the fourth time and batted .329 with 33 home runs and 116 RBIs. Guerrero hit 27 home runs in both 2007 and ’08 while batting .324 with 125 RBIs and .303 with 91 RBIs respectively. He was primarily utilized as a DH during an injury-plagued 2009 season in which he was limited to just 100 games and hit .295 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs. He moved on to the Texas Rangers as a free agent in 2010 and with accumulated wear and tear still limiting him to primarily Designated Hitter duty, he put together one last All-Star season, batting .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs as the Rangers reached the World Series for the first time. Guerrero moved on to Baltimore in 2011 where he dropped to .290 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs. He signed a minor league contract with Toronto in 2012 and played in a total of 12 games at the Class A and AAA levels. He retired in 2013 with major league career totals that included a .318 batting average with 2590 hits among which were 477 doubles, 46 triples, and 449 home runs. Of that, 1034 hits with 194 doubles, 10 triples, and 173 home runs were compiled with the Angels. He further produced 1496 RBIs and 181 stolen bases (616 RBIs and 52 stolen bases with the Angels). In 44 postseason games (16 with the Angels) he batted .263 with 2 home runs and 20 RBIs. A nine-time All-Star who was awarded eight Silver Sluggers, Guerrero was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018, a year after he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. His brother Wilton ended up playing for four major league teams between 1996 and 2004. His son Vladimir Jr. is a top prospect with the Toronto Blue Jays.

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

Cy Young Profile: David Cone, 1994

Pitcher, Kansas City Royals

Age:  31 (Sept. 10)

2^nd season with Royals

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1994:

A native of Kansas City, Cone played quarterback on his high school football team and also excelled at basketball. Since the school had no baseball team, he developed his pitching prowess during summers in the Ban Johnson League. In 1981 the hometown Royals selected him in the amateur draft. Cone signed for $17,500 and was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League where he pitched 67 innings and was 6-4 with a 2.55 ERA and 45 strikeouts. He was with two Class A teams in 1982 and went a combined 16-3 with a 2.08 ERA and 144 strikeouts over 177 innings pitched. A torn ACL cost him the 1983 season and he had problems with his control when he came back with the Memphis Chicks of the Class AA Southern League in 1984. He compiled an 8-12 record with a 4.28 ERA and walked 114 batters in 178.2 innings pitched. Cone still moved up to Omaha of the Class AAA American Association in 1985 where he was 9-15 with a 4.65 ERA and walked 93 batters and struck out 115 while pitching 158.2 innings. Shifted to the bullpen with Omaha in 1986 Cone was called up briefly by the Royals during the season before returning to Class AAA where he appeared in a total of 39 games and produced an 8-4 record with 14 saves and a 2.79 ERA. Called back up to Kansas City he appeared in a total of 11 major league games as a reliever and had no decisions while striking out 21 batters over 22.2 major league innings. In 1987 he was traded to the New York Mets in the spring where he gained a spot in the starting rotation and compiled a 5-6 record with a 3.71 ERA and 68 strikeouts over 99.1 innings. His season was interrupted when he broke a finger while attempting to bunt. He broke out in 1988 with a 20-3 record and 2.22 ERA with 213 strikeouts for the division-winning Mets and was an All-Star for the first time and finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting. Less dominating in 1989, Cone’s record slipped to 14-8 with a 3.52 ERA and 190 strikeouts. Adding a split-finger fastball to his array of pitches that included a fastball, curve, and change-up, Cone topped the NL in strikeouts in 1990 (233) and ’91 (241) while posting records of 14-10 with a 3.23 ERA and 14-14 with a 3.29 ERA respectively. The 1991 strikeout total included 19 in one game at Philadelphia. Allegations of bad behavior began to dog Cone during this period and he was traded to Toronto during the 1992 season. The Blue Jays topped the AL East and went on to win the World Series and Cone’s overall record was 17-10 with a 2.81 ERA and 261 strikeouts. A free agent in the offseason he signed a three-year $18 million contract with the Royals. He was 11-14 with a weak offensive club in 1993, producing a 3.33 ERA and 191 strikeouts. 

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in 23 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 23

Games Started – 23

Complete Games – 4 [11, tied with seven others]

Wins – 16 [2, tied with Mike Mussina]

Losses – 5

PCT - .762 [4, tied with Mike Mussina]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [2, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 171.2 [9]

Hits – 130

Runs – 60

Earned Runs – 56

Home Runs – 15

Bases on Balls – 54

Strikeouts – 132 [6]

ERA – 2.94 [3]

Hit Batters – 7 [5, tied with four others]

Balks – 1 [11, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 5

Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 8 IP) at Detroit 7/23

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at California 5/22

Fielding

Chances – 41

Put Outs – 20

Assists – 18

Errors – 3

DP – 3

Pct. - .927

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

All-Star

9^th in AL MVP voting (40 points, 10% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

David Cone, KC: 108 pts. – 15 of 28 first place votes, 77% share

Jimmy Key, NYY: 96 pts. – 10 first place votes, 69% share

Randy Johnson, Sea.: 24 pts. – 2 first place votes, 17% share

Mike Mussina, Balt.: 23 pts. – 1 first place vote, 16% share

Lee Smith, Balt.: 1 pt. – 1% share

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Royals went 64-51 to finish third in the AL Central Division, 4 games behind the first place Chicago White Sox, at the point in August that a players’ strike prematurely shut down the season and eliminated the postseason. The pitching staff led the league in saves (38). 9.5 games out on July 23, the Royals put together a 14-game winning streak to pull into contention before the season prematurely ended.

Aftermath of ‘94:

Immediately following the settlement of the players’ strike in 1995, the Royals traded Cone back to Toronto where he was 9-6 with a 3.38 ERA in July when the last-place Blue Jays dealt him to the New York Yankees. He went 9-2 with a 3.82 ERA the rest of the way as the Yanks made it to the postseason. Cone was sidelined for four months in 1996 due to treatment for an aneurysm in his right shoulder. He returned in September and was 7-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 11 starts. He went on to win a game in the World Series triumph over Atlanta. Cone started strongly in 1997 and was an All-Star selection. A shoulder problem that required offseason surgery hindered him the rest of the way and he ended up with a 12-6 record, a 2.82 ERA, and 222 strikeouts. Adjusting to becoming more of a finesse pitcher in 1998 he compiled a 20-7 tally with a 3.55 ERA and 209 strikeouts. A strong start in 1999 was highlighted by a perfect game against Montreal in July. His velocity dropped off in the season’s second half and Cone finished at 12-9 with a 3.44 ERA and 177 strikeouts. Re-signed for one year and $8 million in 2000, he suffered through a dreadful 4-14 campaign with a 6.91 ERA. He signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2001 and was 9-7 with a 4.31 ERA. Cone sat out the 2002 season and returned to the Mets at age 40 in 2003. He retired in May after producing a 1-3 record and 6.50 ERA over 18 innings pitched. Overall for his major league career Cone was 194-126 with a 3.46 ERA and 2668 strikeouts. He pitched 448.1 of his 2898.2 innings with the Royals and went 27-19 with a 3.29 ERA and 344 strikeouts. He was a five-time All-Star (once with KC) and produced an 8-3 record with 94 strikeouts in 21 postseason games. 

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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: Jeff Bagwell, 1994

First Baseman, Houston Astros

Age:  26 (May 27)

4^th season with Astros

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1994:

A soccer and baseball player in high school in Connecticut, Bagwell received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Hartford, where he played third base and excelled, also playing summer baseball in the Cape Cod League. Chosen by the Boston Red Sox in the 1989 amateur draft, Bagwell hit for average (.310) without much power for Winter Haven in the Class A Florida State League in ’89 and advanced to the Class AA New Britain Red Sox of the Eastern League where he hit .333 with 34 doubles, 7 triples, and 4 home runs in 1990 prior to being traded to the Astros for RHP Larry Andersen. With first baseman Glenn Davis traded to Baltimore, a spot in the lineup was open for Bagwell in 1991, and he successfully adapted to the new position. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors after batting .294 with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs. Bagwell followed up with strong seasons in 1992 and ’93, with his home runs rising to 18 and 20, respectively, and he batted .320 in 1993.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in 110 games

1B – 109, RF – 1, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 479 [14]

At Bats – 400

Runs – 104 [1]

Hits – 147 [2, tied with Dante Bichette]

Doubles – 32 [6]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 39 [2]

RBI – 116 [1]

Bases on Balls – 65 [5]

Int. BB – 14 [5]

Strikeouts – 65

Stolen Bases – 15

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .368 [2]

OBP - .451 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .750 [1]

Total Bases – 300 [1]

GDP – 12 [10, tied with Kevin Mitchell, Tim Wallach & Javier Lopez]

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 10 [3]

League-leading runs scored were +8 ahead of runner-up Marquis Grissom

League-leading RBIs were +20 ahead of runner-up Matt Williams

League-leading slugging percentage was +.069 ahead of runner-up Kevin Mitchell

League-leading total bases were +30 ahead of runner-up Matt Williams

Midseason snapshot: HR - 27, RBI - 82, AVG - .348, SLG PCT - .698

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

Most HR, game – 3 (in 5 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 6/24

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 16

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. LA Dodgers 6/24

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

Fielding

Chances – 1051

Put Outs – 922

Assists – 120

Errors – 9

DPs - 94

Pct. - .991

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

Gold Glove

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Jeff Bagwell, Hou.: 392 pts. – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Matt Williams, SF: 281 pts. – 72% share

Moises Alou, Mon.: 183 pts. – 47% share

Barry Bonds, SF: 144 pts. – 37% share

Greg Maddux, Atl.: 133 pts. – 34% share

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Astros went 66-49 to finish second in the NL Central Division, a half game behind the first place Cincinnati Reds, at the point in August that a players’ strike prematurely shut down the season and eliminated the postseason. The team led the NL in doubles (252) and RBIs (573).

Aftermath of ‘94:

A hand injury in 1995 caused Bagwell to miss a few weeks of action, during which the Astros went into a slump that knocked them out of postseason contention. Bagwell followed up with several outstanding seasons, leading the NL in runs scored in 1999 and 2000, drawing 149 walks in ’99, and hitting 42 home runs with 126 RBIs in ’99 and 47 home runs in 2000 with 132 RBIs.  Houston won four Central Division titles from 1997 through 2001, but consistently underperformed in the postseason. A shoulder injury that required surgery hampered Bagwell in 2001 and, while he hit 39 home runs and knocked in 130 RBIs, his performance began to drop off, both at bat and on the field in 2002 and ‘03. Further shoulder surgery in 2005 limited him to 39 games, although he was active for the postseason that resulted in Houston’s first World Series appearance, a loss to the Chicago White Sox. An unsuccessful attempt to return in the spring of 2006 forced his retirement. Overall, in a major league career spent entirely with the Astros, Bagwell hit 449 home runs with 1529 RBIs and a .297 batting average. He reached 40 home runs three times and 30 on nine occasions. He also reached 100 RBIs eight times with a high of 135 in 1997. A four-time All-Star, Bagwell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017, overcoming concerns about his peak seasons occurring during the “steroid era”. The Astros retired his #5.

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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: Charlie Gehringer, 1937

Second Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Age:  34 (May 11)

12^th season with Tigers

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 180

Prior to 1937:

The son of German immigrants, Gehringer was a Michigan native who was a pitcher and infielder at Fowlerville High School. He played third base at the Univ. of Michigan prior to signing with the Tigers in 1923. First assigned to the London Tecumsehs of the Class B Michigan-Ontario League, Gehringer batted .292 and was shifted to second base. He received a September call-up to the Tigers and hit .462 in five games. With the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Class AA International League in 1925 he hit .325 with 38 doubles, 9 triples, and 25 home runs, earning another late stint with Detroit. He stuck with the Tigers as a reserve in 1926 until illness sidelined regular second baseman Frank O’Rourke. He ended up hitting .277 as a rookie with 19 doubles, 17 triples, 1 home run, and 48 RBIs and was okay in the field. He improved to .317 in 1927 with 29 doubles, 11 triples, 4 home runs, and 61 RBIs. He also led all AL second basemen with 769 total chances, 438 assists, and 84 double plays. The progress continued in 1928 when he hit .320, topped AL second basemen with 507 assists, and finished eighth in league MVP voting. Gehringer had a big offensive year in 1929 as he batted .339 and led the AL in plate appearances (717), runs (131), hits (215), doubles (45), triples (19), and stolen bases (27). Gehringer’s rise continued over the next several seasons as he regularly hit over .300 and ranked among the best defensive second basemen. Quiet and methodical in his approach to the game, he came to be called “the Mechanical Man”. In 1933 he started at second base for the AL in the first All-Star Game, a distinction he would repeat over the next five consecutive years. Detroit won the AL pennant in 1934 and Gehringer contributed a .356 batting average with a league-leading 135 runs scored and 214 hits. He also compiled 50 doubles, 7 triples, 11 home runs, and 127 RBIs. The Tigers repeated in 1935, this time winning the World Series as well, and the star second baseman batted .330 with 201 hits, 123 runs, 32 doubles, 8 triples, 19 home runs, and 108 RBIs. He also added a .375 average in the World Series triumph over the Cubs. Gehringer had another typically strong performance in 1936 for the second place Tigers, batting .354 with a league-leading 60 doubles, and finished fourth in league MVP voting, his fifth straight finish among the Top 10.   

1937 Season Summary

Appeared in 144 games

2B – 142, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 662 [19]

At Bats – 564

Runs – 133 [5]

Hits – 209 [5]

Doubles – 40 [11, tied with Joe Cronin]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 14 [17, tied with Beau Bell & Tony Lazzeri]

RBI – 96 [16]

Bases on Balls – 90 [6, tied with Red Rolfe]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 25

Stolen Bases – 11 [13, tied with four others]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .371 [1]

OBP - .458 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .520 [12]

Total Bases – 293 [14]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading batting average was +.020 ahead of runner-up Lou Gehrig

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR – 3, RBI – 32, AVG - .362, SLG PCT - .486

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 8/14

Longest hitting streak – 20 games

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 8/14

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Chi. White Sox 8/12, vs. St. Louis Browns 8/14

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances - 828

Put Outs – 331

Assists – 485

Errors – 12

DP – 102

Pct. - .986

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (started for AL at 2B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Charlie Gehringer, Det.: 78 pts. – 6 of 8 first place votes, 98% share

Joe DiMaggio, NYY: 74 pts. – 2 first place votes, 93% share

Hank Geenberg, Det.: 48 pts. – 60% share

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 42 pts. – 53% share

Bill Dickey, NYY: 22 pts. – 28% share

Luke Sewell, ChiWS: 22 pts. – 28% share

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Tigers went 89-65 to finish second in the AL, 13 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees while leading the league in hits (1611), batting (.292), on-base percentage (.370), and batter strikeouts (712).

Aftermath of ‘37:

Gehringer followed up with one more All-Star season in 1938, batting .306 with a career-high 20 home runs plus 107 RBIs. He remained with the Tigers until 1942, when as a player/coach he appeared in 45 games, primarily as a pinch-hitter, and hit .267 before retiring at age 39 to enter the Navy for service during World War II. Over the course of his long career he batted .320 with 2839 hits that included 574 doubles, 146 triples, and 184 home runs. He also compiled 1427 RBIs and 181 stolen bases. In the field he led AL second basemen in fielding percentage and assists seven times apiece, in double plays four times, and in putouts three times. He was a six-time All-Star and hit .321 in 20 World Series games. “The Mechanical Man” was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949. The Tigers retired his #2. Gehringer lived until 1993 when he died at the age of 89.

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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.