Rookie of the Year: Bobby Crosby, 2004

Shortstop, Oakland Athletics

Age:  24

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 210

Prior to 2004:

The son of 1970s major league infielder Ed Crosby, Crosby was a California native. After playing at Pacifica and La Quinta High Schools, he was selected by the Anaheim Angels in the 1998 amateur draft. Passing up on the Angels to attend California State, Long Beach, Crosby was an outstanding collegiate performer who was a first-team All-Big West selection in 2000, when he was also the starting shortstop for Team USA in the Olympics, and 2001. For his four seasons he batted .324 with 21 home runs and a .412 on-base percentage. Chosen by the A’s in the first round of the 2001 amateur draft, he played for Modesto of the advanced Class A California League in 2001 and, limited to 11 games by a hip injury, he hit .395. With Modesto and Midland of the Class AA Texas League in 2002 he batted a combined .295 with 9 home runs and 69 RBIs. Advancing to Sacramento of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2003, Crosby hit .308 with 32 doubles, 6 triples, and 22 home runs. He was named to the PCL All-Star team. Earning a September call-up to the A’s, Crosby was hitless in 12 at bats. With the departure of starting shortstop, and 2002 league MVP, Miguel Tejada as a free agent, Crosby took over as Oakland’s starting shortstop in 2004.

2004 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

SS – 151

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 623

At Bats – 545

Runs – 70

Hits – 130

Doubles – 34

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 22

RBI – 64

Bases on Balls – 58

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 141 [4]

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .239

OBP - .319

Slugging Pct. - .426

Total Bases – 232

GDP – 20 [7, tied with Toby Hall]

Hit by Pitches – 9

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 6 [20, tied with fourteen others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, HR - 11, RBI - 35, AVG - .266, OBP – .326

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 6/15

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Kansas City 5/21

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 11

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Texas 4/14, at Anaheim 4/18, vs. Kansas City 5/21, vs. Texas 9/16

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 765

Put Outs – 241

Assists – 505

Errors – 19

DP - 107

Pct. - .975

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Bobby Crosby, Oak.: 138 pts. – 27 of 28 first place votes, 99% share

Shingo Takatsu, ChiWS.: 44 pts. –1 first place vote, 31% share

Daniel Cabrera, Balt.: 29 pts. – 21% share

Zack Greinke, KC: 16 pts. – 11% share

Alex Rios, Tor.: 12 pts. – 9% share

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A’s went 91-71 to finish second in the AL Western Division, 1 game behind the division-winning Anaheim Angels. Tied with the Angels going into the season’s final weekend, the A’s lost two of three games to Anaheim to finish second.

Aftermath of ‘04:

In an injury-riddled 2005 season, Crosby was limited to only 84 games and batted .276 with 9 home runs and 38 RBIs. Injuries remained an issue in 2006 and ’07, limiting him to 96 and 93 games respectively. In 2008 he appeared in 145 games and hit .237 with 66 runs scored, 7 home runs, and 61 RBIs. Displaced by the arrival of shortstop Orlando Cabrera in 2009, he moved into a utility role and saw significant action at third and first base, batting .223 in 272 plate appearances with 6 home runs and 29 RBIs. Crosby moved on to the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent in 2010 and as a utility player and pinch-hitter, hit .224 in 61 games before being traded to Arizona in August. Batting just .167 for the Diamondbacks, he was released in August. He had one last shot in the major leagues when he was signed by the Milwaukee brewers in 2013. He was released during spring training, thus ending his career. Crosby’s major league career consisted of 747 games and he batted .236 with 605 hits that included 146 doubles, 8 triples, and 62 home runs. He further scored 329 runs and compiled 276 RBIs. He saw most of his action with Oakland, where he hit .238 with 136 doubles, 8 triples, and 61 home runs with 320 runs scored and 263 RBIs. His award-winning rookie season remained the best of his injury-derailed career. Crosby has since become a minor league coach and manager. He was inducted into the Long Beach State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. His younger brother Blake was also drafted by the A’s and never made it to the major leagues.

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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: Lou Gehrig, 1927

First Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  24 (June 19)

3^rd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1927:

A New York City native, Gehrig played sandlot baseball as a youth, and starred at Commerce High School before receiving a scholarship to attend Columbia University. His college baseball career was interrupted by being suspended for a year due to playing under an assumed name for the Hartford Senators of the Class A Eastern League in 1921 following a failed tryout with the major league Giants. Despite that setback he performed brilliantly when he took the field for Columbia, both as a hitter and as a pitcher. Gehrig signed with the Yankees in 1923 but following a brief trial with the Yankees he was sent to the minors, where he was once again with Hartford, minus any subterfuge. In 59 games with Hartford, the 20-year-old Gehrig batted .304 with 24 home runs. Returning to the Yankees late in the season, he hit impressively in six games. With no spot available for him in the lineup in 1924, Gehrig was again sent to Hartford and batted .369 with 40 doubles, 13 triples, and 37 home runs. He had another brief September appearance with the Yankees and he stuck with the Yanks in 1925 as a reserve first baseman. With the club mired in seventh place and regular first baseman Wally Pipp hitting poorly (the reality as opposed to mythology that later developed as to how Gehrig came to replace Pipp), manager Miller Huggins inserted Gehrig in the lineup and he went on to hit .295 for the year with 23 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs, and 68 RBIs. Gehrig continued to develop in 1926 as the Yankees returned to the top in the American League, batting .313 with a league-leading 20 triples, along with 47 doubles, 16 home runs, and 109 RBIs. He also hit .348 in the seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals. He finished tenth in AL MVP voting, tied with teammate Tony Lazzeri. Lou Gehrig was very much a young player on the rise entering the 1927 season.

1927 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

1B – 155

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 717 [2]

At Bats – 584 [5]

Runs – 149 [2]

Hits – 218 [2]

Doubles – 52 [1]

Triples – 18 [2, tied with Heinie Manush]

Home Runs – 47 [2]

RBI – 173 [1]

Bases on Balls – 109 [2]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 84 [2]

Stolen Bases – 10

Caught Stealing – 8 [13, tied with eight others]

Average - .373 [2]

OBP - .474 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .765 [2]

Total Bases – 447 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 21 [19, tied with Buddy Myer, Bob Meusel & Tony Lazzeri]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading doubles were +1 ahead of runner-up George Burns

League-leading RBIs were +8 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

League-leading total bases were +30 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 28, 3B – 11, HR – 29, RBI – 102, AVG - .397, SLG PCT - .830

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 24

HR on road – 23

/Most home runs, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Boston Red Sox 6/23

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Bos. Red Sox 4/17

Fielding

Chances – 1765

Put Outs – 1662

Assists – 88

Errors – 15

DP – 108

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. Pittsburgh)

PA – 18, AB – 13, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 2, 3B – 2, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 3, IBB – N/A, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .308, OBP - .438, SLG - .769, TB – 10, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: League Award

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 56 pts. - 88% share

Harry Heilmann, Det.: 35 pts. – 55% share

Ted Lyons, ChiWS.: 34 pts. – 53% share

Mickey Cochrane, PhilaA.: 18 pts. – 28% share

Al Simmons, PhilaA.: 18 pts. – 28% share

(ineligible for consideration as prior AL League Award winners: George Sisler, StLB; Babe Ruth, NYY; Walter Johnson, Wash.; Roger Peckinpaugh, ChiWS., George Burns, Clev.)

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Yankees went 110-44 to win the AL pennant by 19 games over the Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in runs scored (976), hits (1644), triples (103), home runs (158), RBIs (907), batting (.307), OBP(.384), slugging (.488), and total bases (2615). With their “Murderers’ Row” lineup of potent hitters anchored by Babe Ruth, who hit a record 60 home runs, and Gehrig, the league runner-up and RBI champ, the Yankees were never seriously challenged for supremacy in the American League. Won World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 games to 0. 

Aftermath of ‘27:

In the offseason, Gehrig and Babe Ruth partnered in a barnstorming tour in which they captained teams of local all-stars named the “Bustin’ Babes” and the “Larrupin’ Lous” that proved lucrative for both players. Gehrig also signed a three-year contract extension with the Yankees for $25,000 per year. New York again won the AL pennant and Gehrig contributed a .374 batting average along with a league-leading 47 doubles (tied with Heinie Manush of the Browns) and 147 RBIs, along with 13 triples and 27 home runs. In the ensuing four-game World Series sweep of the Cardinals, he batted .545 with 4 home runs and 9 RBIs. Another strong season for Gehrig followed in 1929, this despite playing with a broken finger and bone chips in his left elbow, both of which required off-season surgery, as well as the death of manager Miller Huggins. He once more appeared in every game and hit .300 with 35 home runs and 125 RBIs. Gehrig led the league in RBIs in both 1930 (173) and ‘31 (185). His 46 home runs also topped the AL in 1931. Despite his league-leading numbers in 1931, he took a $2000 pay cut due to effects of the Great Depression on Yankee finances. Gehrig hit 34 home runs in 1932, including a record-tying four in one game against the Athletics, and drove in 151 RBIs while batting .349. The Yankees returned to the top of the AL standings for the first time since 1928, and Gehrig had another outstanding performance in the sweep of the Cubs. He finished second in league MVP voting. Gehrig reached a milestone in 1933 as he appeared in a record 1308^th consecutive game, setting a major league record at the time. He also appeared in the first All-Star Game, where he started at first base for the American League. He finished the season with 41 doubles, 12 triples, 32 home runs, 140 RBIs, and a .334 batting average, and placed fourth in MVP balloting. 1934 marked the last season in which Gehrig and Babe Ruth were teammates, and while Ruth was fading, Gehrig won the AL Triple Crown with 49 home runs, 166 RBIs, and a .363 average. He was an All-Star once again and placed fifth in league MVP voting. With the second-place Yankees in 1935 Gehrig led the league in runs scored (125), walks drawn (132), and on base percentage (.466) while batting .329 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs. He finished fifth in MVP voting again. In 1936 the Yankees returned to the top of the American League with a lineup bolstered by the arrival of rookie center fielder Joe DiMaggio. Gehrig was league MVP on the basis of hitting a circuit-topping 49 home runs and scoring 167 runs as well as compiling 152 RBIs and hitting .354. The classy, dignified, and highly-respected team captain batted .292 with two home runs and 7 more RBIs in the six-game World Series victory over the Giants. The Yankees repeated as champs in 1937 and Gehrig contributed 37 home runs, 158 RBIs, and a .351 average and ranked fourth in league MVP balloting. “The Iron Horse” dealt with nagging injuries and a prolongued slump in 1938 and ended up hitting .295 with 29 home runs and 114 RBIs. By spring training of 1939 it was apparent that Gehrig was seriously off his game, both at the plate and in the field. After getting off to a poor start during the season, he opted to sit out and end his consecutive game streak at 2130 games. He did not return to the lineup and announced his retirement in June, after he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) an incurable neuromuscular disease. The Yankees honored him with a sendoff between games of a July 4 doubleheader in which he delivered a memorable address to the crowd. He died two years later at age 37 from the malady that would forever after be referred to as “Lou Gehrig disease”. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, he batted .340 with 2721 hits that included 534 doubles, 163 triples, and 493 home runs. He further scored 1888 runs and compiled 1995 RBIs. In addition to the 2130-game streak, which remained the major league record until surpassed by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995, Gehrig also retired as the career leader in grand slams with 23, a record which lasted until 2013. He finished with 150 or more RBIs in seven seasons. Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, including 1939 when he was a non-playing reserve and AL team captain. Appearing in 34 World Series games, he hit .361 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. He was a two-time league MVP who finished in the top ten on nine occasions. The Yankees retired his #4 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by special election in 1939. The team further honored him with a monument in center field at Yankee Stadium. A biographical movie, The Pride of the Yankees in which Gehrig was portrayed by actor Gary Cooper, was released in 1942.

Cy Young Profile: R.A. Dickey, 2012

Pitcher, New York Mets

Age:  37

3^rd season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 215

Prior to 2012:

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Dickey excelled in football as well as baseball at Montgomery Bell Academy. He went 15-3 with 218 strikeouts as a senior and passed on an offer from the Detroit Tigers to attend the Univ. of Tennessee where he continued to pitch impressively. He was chosen by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 1996 amateur draft. Found to have a congenital abnormality in his right elbow, Dickey signed for a reduced bonus. First assigned to Port Charlotte of the advanced Class A Florida State League, he made a poor showing with a 1-4 record and 6.94 ERA. He was made Port Charlotte’s bullpen closer in 1998 and was 1-5 with 38 saves and a 3.30 ERA in 57 appearances. Dickey advanced to the Tulsa Drillers of the Class AA Texas League in 1999 and was utilized as both a starter and reliever, producing a 6-7 record with 10 saves and a 4.55 ERA. He moved on to the Oklahoma RedHawks of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where in 2000 he posted an 8-9 record with a 4.49 ERA in 30 games, 23 of them starts. Dickey was back with Oklahoma in 2001, where he went 11-7 in 24 starts with a 3.75 ERA and 120 strikeouts. He had a brief trial with the Rangers in May and in four relief outings he went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. With a mediocre fastball, curve, and forkball, his future did not appear to be promising. Dickey was again with Oklahoma in 2002, where utilized as a starter and reliever he produced an 8-7 tally with a 4.09 ERA over 154 innings pitched. He started off the 2003 season in the Texas bullpen until advancing to the starting rotation in July. Appearing in 38 games (13 of them starts) for the last-place Rangers Dickey was 9-8 with a 5.09 ERA. He hurled one shutout and struck out 94 batters. He followed up with a lesser performance in an injury-plagued 2004 season in which he compiled a 6-7 record and 5.61 ERA in 25 games, 15 of them starts. It was even rougher in 2005 when Dickey was demoted to Oklahoma following a poor start to the season, where he went 10-6 with a 5.99 ERA. While back in Class AAA Dickey began to experiment with throwing a knuckleball. He started the 2006 season with the Rangers but was demoted to Oklahoma after giving up six home runs in his first start. With the RedHawks he was 9-8 with a 4.92 ERA and in the offseason he departed Texas as a free agent. Signed by the Milwaukee Brewers, he was assigned to the Nashville Sounds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2007. With improved performance of the knuckleball he posted a 13-6 record with a 3.72 ERA and was named PCL Pitcher of the Year. Moving on to the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, Dickey split 2008 between Tacoma of the PCL, where he started seven games and went 2-5 with a 3.44 ERA, and the Mariners, where he started in 14 of his 32 appearances and produced a 5-8 record with a 5.21 ERA. As a free agent once more in the offseason, Dickey next signed with the Minnesota Twins and, working out of the bullpen, he pitched in 35 games and was 1-1 with a 4.62 ERA in 2009 at age 34. He signed a minor league contract with the Mets for 2010. He started the season at Buffalo of the Class AAA International League where he dominated with his knuckleball for eight starts and compiled a 4-2 record with a 2.23 ERA before being called up to the Mets and inserted into the rotation. He got off to a 6-0 start for the Mets on his way to an 11-9 tally with a 2.84 ERA. Dickey received a boost in pay for 2011 and he was a hard-luck pitcher for a losing team, posting an 8-13 record with a 3.28 ERA and 134 strikeouts. Heading into 2012, Dickey’s career thus far had been largely filled with disappointment.

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 33 [1, tied with eleven others]

Complete Games – 5 [1]

Wins – 20 [2]

Losses – 6

PCT - .769 [3]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [1]

Innings Pitched – 233.2 [1]

Hits – 192 [14, tied with Kyle Lohse]

Runs – 78

Earned Runs – 71

Home Runs – 24 [15, tied with Cole Hamels]

Bases on Balls – 54

Strikeouts – 230 [1]

ERA – 2.73 [2]

Hit Batters – 9 [7, tied with four others]

Balks – 1 [14, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading complete games were +2 ahead of runners-up Adam Wainwright & Ricky Nolasco

League-leading shutouts were +1 ahead of six runners-up

League-leading innings pitched were +6 ahead of runner-up Clayton Kershaw

League-leading strikeouts were +1 ahead of runner-up Clayton Kershaw

Midseason Snapshot: 12-1, ERA - 2.40, SO - 123 in 120 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/18, (in 7.2 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 9/27

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Tampa Bay 6/13, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/18

Batting

PA – 83, AB – 72, R – 3, H – 11, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 0, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .153, GDP – 3, HBP – 1, SH – 10, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 60

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 44

Errors – 4

DP – 6

Pct. - .933

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award:BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

14^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Joey Votto, Cin. (16 points, 4% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

R.A. Dickey, NYM: 209 pts. – 27 of 32 first place votes, 93% share

Clayton Kershaw, LAD: 96 pts. – 2 first place votes, 43% share

Gio Gonzalez, Wash.: 93 pts. – 1 first place vote, 42% share

Johnny Cueto, Cin.: 75 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

Craig Kimbrel, Atl.: 41 pts. – 1 first place vote, 18% share

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Mets went 74-88 to finish fourth in the NL Eastern Division, 24 games behind the division-winning Washington Nationals. Dickey’s heroics, which included the two one-hitters in consecutive starts, provided the team’s primary highlights.

Aftermath of 2012:

In the offseason following his outstanding 2012 performance, the Mets traded Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays, who gave him a two-year $25 million contract extension. In 2013 he finished with a 14-13 record and 4.21 ERA with 177 strikeouts. An outstanding fielding pitcher, he also won a Gold Glove. In 2014 he was 14-13 again with a 3.71 ERA and 173 strikeouts. Off to a slow start in 2015 he went on to post an 11-11 record with a 3.91 ERA and 126 strikeouts. The Blue Jays exercised their option to keep Dickey in 2016 and he had surgery on his right knee. His 2016 record slipped to 10-15 and a 4.46 ERA and 126 strikeouts. A free agent in the offseason he moved on to the Atlanta Braves for 2017, where at age 42 he went 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA and 136 strikeouts. Unsigned for 2018 and receiving no offers, Dickey retired. Overall in the major leagues he compiled a 120-118 record with a 4.04 ERA and 1477 strikeouts over 2073.2 innings. With the Mets, where he experienced his greatest success, he was 39-28 with a 2.95 ERA and 468 strikeouts. He started 300 of his 400 appearances and pitched 15 complete games that included 6 shutouts. Dickey started two postseason games, both with Toronto, and was 0-1 with a 7.11 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched.

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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: Harmon Killebrew, 1969

Third Baseman/First Baseman, Minnesota Twins

Age:  33 (June 29)

16^th season with Senators/Twins

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1969:

The son of a former college football fullback, Killebrew was a native of Payette, Idaho. A burly and muscular youth who played football and basketball, as well as baseball, in high school, he was playing in a semipro baseball league at age 17 when he came to the attention of Idaho US Senator Herman Welker, who brought him to the attention of the Senators. Scouted by Washington, as well as the Boston Red Sox, Killebrew signed a $6000 contract and $4000 bonus with the Senators. As a bonus signee at the time, he had to be on the major league roster for two years before he could be sent down to the minors and spent 1954 and ’55 as a sparsely utilized reserve third baseman for the Senators. He split the 1956 season between Charlotte of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he batted .325 with 15 home runs, and the Senators, where he hit .222 in 44 games with 5 home runs and 13 RBIs. Killebrew showed off his power in 1957 with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern Association as he slugged 29 home runs. He split 1958 between Chattanooga and Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association, batting a combined .281 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs. He finally got a chance as the starting third baseman for the Senators in 1959 and made the most of it, leading the AL with 42 home runs (tied with Cleveland’s Rocky Colavito) in addition to driving in 105 RBIs and hitting .242. Killebrew was named as an All-Star for the first time and finished fifteenth in league MVP balloting. An unimpressive fielder and hindered by a leg injury, he split 1960 between third base and first and batted .276 with 31 home runs and 80 RBIs. The Senators moved to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and were rechristened the Minnesota Twins in 1961 and, while primarily playing at first base (and still shifting between the two corner infield positions), “Killer” (a monicker which belied his pleasant nature) belted 46 home runs while hitting .288 with 122 RBIs. Killebrew was moved to left field in 1962 and once again led the league in home runs (48) as well as RBIs (126) and batter strikeouts (142) while batting .243 for the surprising second-place Twins. He topped the AL in home runs again in 1963 (45) and 1964 (49), further establishing himself as a premier power hitter. Minnesota won the AL pennant in 1965, but Killebrew, who went back to splitting his time between first base and third, was sidelined by a dislocated elbow in August that cost him seven weeks. He ended up with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs in 113 games while hitting .269. He batted .286 with a home run and two RBIs in the seven-game World Series loss to the Dodgers. In 1966 he drew 103 walks on his way to leading the AL in that category for the first of four occasions in a six-year span. Killebrew also hit .281 with 39 home runs and 110 RBIs. He tied for the league lead in home runs in 1967 with 44. A severe hamstring injury suffered during the 1968 All-Star Game limited Killebrew to 100 games with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 162 games

3B – 105, 1B – 81

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 709 [2]

At Bats – 555

Runs – 106 [4, tied with Sal Bando]

Hits – 153 [18, tied with four others]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 49 [1]

RBI – 140 [1]

Bases on Balls – 145 [1]

Int. BB – 20 [1, tied with Reggie Jackson]

Strikeouts – 84

Stolen Bases – 8

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .276

OBP - .427 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .584 [3]

Total Bases – 324 [3]

GDP – 16 [14, tied with Dave Johnson & Rick Reichardt]

Hit by Pitches – 5 [16, tied with thirteen others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4

League-leading home runs were +1 ahead of runner-up Frank Howard

League-leading RBIs were +19 ahead of runner-up Boog Powell

League-leading walks drawn were +31 ahead of runner-up Reggie Jackson

League-leading OBP was +.012 ahead of runner-up Frank Robinson

Midseason snapshot: HR – 28, RBI – 91, AVG - .281, SLG PCT - .577

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at Oakland 6/20 – 14 innings

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 28

HR on road – 21

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 7 at Oakland 9/7

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (3B)

Chances - 280

Put Outs – 75

Assists – 185

Errors – 20

DP – 12

Pct. - .929

Postseason: 3 G (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

PA – 14, AB – 8, R – 2, H – 1, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 6, IBB – 2, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .125, OBP - .500, SLG -.250, TB – 2, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Harmon Killebrew, Min.: 294 pts. - 16 of 24 first place votes, 88% share

Boog Powell, Balt.: 227 pts. –6 first place votes, 68% share

Frank Robinson, Balt.: 162 pts. – 2 first place votes, 48% share

Frank Howard, Wash.: 115 pts. – 34% share

Reggie Jackson, Oak.: 110 pts. – 33% share

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Twins went 97-65 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 9 games over the Oakland Athletics, while leading the league in runs scored (790), hits (1520), doubles (246), RBIs (733), batting (.268), and total bases (2319). In the first season of division play in the major leagues, the streaky Twins managed to outdistance Oakland, a club they dominated in head-to-head play. Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘69:

Killebrew followed up in 1970 with his eighth and last (of eight) 40-home run season with 41 to go along with 113 RBIs and a .271 average. He placed third in AL MVP voting. While his home run total dropped to 28 in 1971, he still topped the circuit with 119 RBIs. He stayed with the Twins through 1974 with steadily declining production. Offered the chance to be a player/coach or manager with Minnesota’s Class AAA Tacoma franchise for 1975, Killebrew chose to sign with the Kansas City Royals instead. As a Designated Hitter and pinch hitter in his final major league season, he batted just .199 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. In his career with the Senators/Twins he batted .258 with 2024 hits that included 277 doubles, 24 triples, and 559 home runs. He further scored 1258 runs and compiled 1540 RBIs. Including his season with the Royals, he ended up hitting 573 home runs with 1584 RBIs and a .256 batting average along with an on-base percentage of .376 (a testament to his 1559 walks drawn). An eleven-time All-Star (at three positions), he finished in the Top 10 in AL MVP voting on seven occasions, including 1969. In 13 postseason games he hit .250 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs. The Twins retired his # 3 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Killebrew went into broadcasting for a time following his playing career and suffered major financial losses in retirement. He died of cancer in 2011 at the age of 74.

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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: Ryan Braun, 2011

Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  27

5^th season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 205

Prior to 2011:

Braun, a native of Los Angeles, starred at shortstop in high school and was a Baseball America All-American in college at the Univ. of Miami in Florida where he was shifted to third base as a junior. Chosen by the Brewers in the 2005 amateur draft, he readily advanced through the minor league system, hitting .352 with teams at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’05 and .289 with 22 home runs playing for High A and AA-level clubs in 2006. Braun got off to a strong start with Class AAA Nashville in 2007 where he was batting .342 with a .701 slugging percentage in 34 games when he was called up by the Brewers to fill a need at third base. He set the tone for his career by batting .324 with 34 home runs and 97 RBIs and a .634 slugging percentage. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors. The Brewers shifted Braun to left field in 2008 and he went on to achieve his first All-Star selection on the way to batting .285 with 37 home runs and 106 RBIs, while dealing with a rib injury during the season’s final weeks and earning a Silver Slugger for his efforts. Milwaukee reached the postseason as a Wild Card entry and lost to the Phillies in the NLDS despite a good performance by Braun. He was an All-Star again in 2009 and went on to lead the NL with 203 hits and averaged .320 with 32 home runs and 114 RBI while the Brewers dropped to third in the NL Central Division. In 2010 he hit .304 with 25 home runs and 103 RBIs while the Brewers again finished in third.

2011 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

LF – 147, DH – 1, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 629

At Bats – 563

Runs – 109 [2]

Hits – 187 [5]

Doubles – 38 [4, tied with four others]

Triples – 6 [12, tied with eight others]

Home Runs – 33 [6, tied with Ryan Howard]

RBI – 111 [4]

Bases on Balls – 58

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 33 [7]

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .332 [2]

OBP - .397 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .597 [1]

Total Bases – 336 [2]

GDP – 9

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading slugging percentage was +.011 ahead of runner-up Matt Kemp

Midseason snapshot: HR - 16, RBI - 62, AVG - .320, SLG PCT - .559

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Most hits, game – 3 on fifteen occasions

Longest hitting streak – 23 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Cincinnati 9/16

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Pittsburgh 5/15, at Cincinnati 9/17

Pinch-hitting – 2 of 3 (.667) with 1 2B, 1 HR & 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 268

Put Outs – 259

Assists – 8

Errors – 1

DP - 2

Pct. - .996

Postseason Batting: 11 G (NLDS vs. Arizona – 5 G; NLCS vs. St. Louis – 6 G)

PA – 46, AB – 42, R – 7, H – 17, 2B – 7,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 10, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 9, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .405, OBP - .468, SLG -.714, TB – 30, GDP – 0, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Ryan Braun, Mil.: 388 pts. – 20 of 32 first place votes, 87% share

Matt Kemp, LAD: 332 pts. – 10 first place votes, 74% share

Prince Fielder, Mil.: 229 pts.  – 1 first place vote, 51% share

Justin Upton, Ariz.: 214 pts. – 1 first place vote, 48% share

Albert Pujols, StL.: 166 pts. – 37% share

Brewers went 96-66 to finish first in the NL Central Division by 6 games over the St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in home runs (185). The Brewers took command in the division race with a 23-6 run from mid-July to mid-August and hung on in September for their first NL Central title. Won NLDS over the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3 games to 2. Lost NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 2011:

Braun topped the NL with 108 runs and 41 home runs in 2012. But in 2013 he was suspended 61 games into the season for violation of major league baseball’s policy against the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Returning to the Brewers in 2014, Braun was moved to right field and his batting average dropped to .266 and his home runs to 19. He had offseason hand surgery and returned to All-Star form in 2015 while hitting 25 home runs and knocking in 84 runs with a .285 batting average. Following another solid season in 2016, Braun was nagged by injuries in 2017 and finished with 17 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .268 batting average. Through 2019, his major league career totals, all with Milwaukee, included 344 home runs, 1066 runs scored, 215 stolen bases, and 1128 RBIs. He has been a six-time All-Star and recipient of five Silver Slugger awards in addition to being a one-time league MVP. In 26 postseason games Braun has batted .337 with 2 home runs and 16 RBIs.

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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: Eric Gagne, 2003

Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  29

4^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 195

Prior to 2003:

A native of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Gagne played baseball and ice hockey at Polyvalente Edouard Montpetit High School. An intimidating pitcher with his size, demeanor, and excellent fastball, he was chosen by the Chicago White Sox in the 1994 amateur draft. Gagne opted instead for college at Seminole State Junior College in Oklahoma where he developed a slider and split-fingered fastball and was encouraged to be aggressive in his approach to pitching. Gagne signed with the Dodgers for $75,000 in 1995. Initially developed as a starting pitcher, he was first assigned to the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1996 where he posted a 7-6 record in 21 starts with a 3.28 ERA amd 131 strikeouts. Gagne missed the entire 1997 season due to “Tommy John” surgery on his right elbow. Upon his return to action in 1998 with Vero Beach of the advanced Class A Florida State League, he began to develop a changeup and was 9-7 with a 3.74 ERA and 144 strikeouts over 139.2 innings pitched. Gagne was a Class AA All-Star in 1999 while playing for San Antonio of the Texas League where he finished with a 12-4 record and league-leading 2.63 ERA and 185 strikeouts. Called up to the Dodgers in September he was 1-1 in five starts with a 2.10 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 30 innings. Following a poor spring performance in 2000, Gagne was sent to Albuquerque of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he was 5-1 with a 3.88 ERA over nine starts. Bouncing back-and-forth between the Dodgers and Albuquerque, he finished the year in LA and his major league totals were 4-6 with a 5.15 ERA and 79 strikeouts over 101.1 innings pitched. Gagne started the 2001 season with the Dodgers and was sent back to Class AAA in June after having compiled a 6.40 ERA. Returning to LA a month later he was utilized as a long reliever and finished with a 6-7 record and 4.75 ERA while appearing in 33 games (24 of them starts). Unable to earn a starting spot during spring training in 2002, Gagne stayed in the bullpen and proved to be an excellent fit in the closer role. He appeared in 77 games and earned 52 saves and an All-Star selection. His record was 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA and 114 strikeouts over 82.1 innings.

2003 Season Summary

Appeared in 77 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 77 [10, tied with Kyle Farnsworth, Mike Matthews & David Weathers]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 2

Losses – 3

PCT - .400

Saves – 55 [1]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 82.1

Hits – 37

Runs – 12

Earned Runs – 11

Home Runs – 2

Bases on Balls – 20

Strikeouts – 137

ERA – 1.20 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading saves were +10 ahead of runner-up John Smoltz

Midseason Snapshot: 1-3, ERA - 1.99, G – 44, SV – 31, SO - 76 in 45.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 2 IP) vs. Montreal 8/20

Fielding

Chances – 15

Put Outs – 4

Assists – 11

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

6^th in NL MVP voting (143 points, 32% share)

  

NL Cy Young voting:

Eric Gagne, LAD: 146 pts. – 28 of 32 first place votes, 91% share

Jason Schmidt, SF: 73 pts. – 2 first place votes, 46% share

Mark Prior, ChiC.: 60 pts. – 2 first place votes, 38% share

Russ Ortiz, Atl.: 9 pts., 6% share

Dodgers went 85-77 to finish second in the NL Western Division, 15.5 games behind the division-winning San Francisco Giants. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.16), shutouts (17), and saves (58). The Dodgers just fell short of a wild card playoff spot.

Aftermath of ‘03:

Gagne followed up in 2004 by appearing in 70 games and registering 45 saves, although his consecutive saves streak ended at 84 in August. An elbow injury that required surgery limited him to 14 games and 8 saves in 2005. Gagne underwent a second elbow surgery in 2006 followed by back surgery which effectively cost him the entire season. The Dodgers refused to extend his $12 million contract, making him a free agent, and he signed with the Texas Rangers for 2007. He was 2-0 with 16 saves and a 2.16 ERA in 34 appearances when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox at the end of July. Used in a setup role by the World Series-bound Red Sox, he initially struggled and appeared in 20 games, compiling a 2-2 tally and 6.75 ERA. A free agent once more in the offseason, he moved on to the Milwaukee Brewers for 2008. His name came up in the Mitchell Report as a user of performance-enhancing drugs, which he later acknowledged. He had a difficult year with Milwaukee, losing the closer role and going 4-3 with 10 saves and a 5.44 ERA in 50 appearances. Signing a minor league deal with the Brewers for 2009, he was released after experiencing shoulder problems in spring training and joined Quebec of the independent minor Can-Am League, where he started 17 games and was 6-6 with a 4.65 ERA. In 2010 he attempted a comeback with the Dodgers and was released during spring training and retired. There was a return to the Can-Am League in 2015-16 and the Atlantic League in 2017, but his major league career was finished. Gagne pitched in a total of 402 major league games, all but 48 as a reliever, and compiled a 33-26 record with 187 saves and a 3.47 ERA. He struck out 718 batters over 643.2 innings. With the Dodgers he was 25-21 with 161 saves and a 3.27 ERA and 629 strikeouts. In nine postseason appearances he was 0-1 with no saves. Gagne was a three-time All-Star, all with the Dodgers.

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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: Mike Trout, 2012

Outfielder, Los Angeles Angels

Age:  21 (Aug. 7)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 235

Prior to 2012:

A native of New Jersey, Trout played basketball as well as baseball at Millville Senior High School. Originally a pitcher and shortstop, he moved to the outfield as a senior, when he set a state high school record by hitting 18 home runs. With impressive speed and power, he also developed his talent through the Tri-State Arsenal program. The first overall pick by the Angels in the 2009 amateur draft, Trout started out with the Angels of the rookie-level Arizona League, where he batted .360 with 25 RBIs in 39 games. In 2010 he was with Cedar Rapids of the Class A Midwest League and in 81 games he hit .362 with 19 doubles, 7 triples, 6 home runs, and 39 RBIs along with 45 stolen bases. He was selected as league MVP. He finished the year with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the advanced Class A California League and, over the course of 50 games he batted .306 with another 15 extra base hits. He was recipient of the Topps Minor League Player of the Year award at age 19. Trout was with Arkansas of the Class AA Texas League in 2011 and hit .326 with 11 home runs, 38 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases, thus earning Minor League Player of the Year recognition from Baseball America. Trout was called up by the Angels in July and started 32 games. He hit five home runs, including two in one game at Seattle. He started the 2012 season in Class AAA and was called up to the Angels in late April.

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

CF – 110, LF – 67, RF – 4, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 639

At Bats – 559

Runs – 129 [1]

Hits – 182 [9, tied with Prince Fielder]

Doubles – 27

Triples – 8 [3, tied with Alex Rios & Jemile Weeks]

Home Runs – 30 [13, tied with Prince Fielder & Albert Pujols]

RBI – 83

Bases on Balls – 67 [14, tied with Jason Kipnis & Austin Jackson]

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 139 [17, tied with Jarrod Saltalamacchia]

Stolen Bases – 49 [1]

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .326 [2]

OBP - .399 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .564 [3]

Total Bases – 315 [6]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 6

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [8, tied with six others]

League-leading runs scored were +20 ahead of runner-up Miguel Cabrera

League-leading stolen bases were +3 ahead of runner-up Rajai Davis

Midseason snapshot: HR - 12, RBI - 40, SB – 26, AVG. - .341, SLG PCT – .562

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 1 on thirty occasions

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 14

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Seattle 8/10

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 347

Put Outs – 340

Assists – 3

Errors – 4

DP - 1

Pct. - .988

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star

2^nd in AL MVP voting (281 points, 6 first place votes, 72% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Mike Trout, LAA: 140 pts. – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Yoenis Cespedes, Oak.: 63 pts. – 45% share

Yu Darvish, Tex.: 46 pts. –  33% share

Wei-Yin Chen, Balt.: 2 pts. – 1% share

Jarrod Parker, Oak.: 1 pt. – 1% share

Angels went 89-73 to finish third in the AL Western Division, 5 games behind the division-winning Oakland Athletics while leading the league in batting (.274).

Aftermath of 2012:

Trout followed up on his outstanding rookie season by again leading the AL in runs scored in 2013, with 109 as well as in walks drawn (110) for the third place Angels. He batted .323 with 39 doubles, 9 triples, 27 home runs and 97 RBIs while stealing 33 bases in 40 attempts. He placed second in league MVP balloting once again and started for the AL in the outfield in the All-Star Game. The “Millville Meteor” won his first AL MVP award by a unanimous vote in 2014 as the Angels topped the AL West. Trout contributed league-leading totals of 115 runs scored, 111 RBIs, and 338 total bases. Additionally he hit .287 with 39 doubles, 9 triples, and 36 home runs, although his stolen base total dropped to 16. He was named as MVP of the All-Star Game as well. In 2015 Trout led the AL with a .590 slugging percentage while batting .299 with 32 doubles, 6 triples, 41 home runs, and 90 RBIs. He finished second in league MVP voting. He became a two-time league MVP in 2016 as he hit .315 with 32 doubles, 5 triples, 29 home runs, and 100 RBIs while topping the circuit with 123 runs scored, 116 walks drawn, and a .441 on-base percentage. Trout missed 39 games in 2017 due to a thumb injury but still led the AL with a .442 on-base percentage and .629 slugging percentage as he hit .306 with 33 home runs and 72 RBIs. While still an All-Star and Silver Slugger recipient, he dropped to fourth in league MVP balloting, his first season of not finishing among the top two. He placed second in a 2018 season in which he batted .312 with 39 home runs, 79 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. Trout led the league in walks drawn (122), intentional walks drawn (25), and on-base percentage (.460). A fine center fielder, he committed no errors in 278 chances. For the second occasion in his career he spent time on the Disabled List due to a wrist injury. In 2019 he topped the AL with a .438 on-base percentage and .645 slugging percentage in addition to hitting .291 with 27 doubles, 45 home runs, and 104 RBIs, putting him in line once again for MVP consideration. Thus far in his career, Trout has batted .305 with 1324 hits that include 251 doubles, 46 triples, and 285 home runs. He has further compiled 752 RBIs and 200 stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .419 and slugging percentage is .581. He is an eight-time All-Star and has been awarded a Silver Slugger six times.

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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.