Cy Young Profile: Pedro Martinez, 1999

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Age: 27

2^nd season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1999:

A native of the Dominican Republic who grew up in a town near Santo Domingo, Martinez followed his older brother Ramon, also a pitcher, in signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers at age 16 in 1988. He spent 1988 and ’89 with LA’s Dominican Summer League team, where he compiled an overall 12-3 record. At 18 in 1990 he was assigned to Great Falls of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where Martinez started 14 games and compiled an 8-3 record with 82 strikeouts over 77 innings pitched. In 1991 he advanced from Class A Bakersfield to Class AA San Antonio and finally Class AAA Albuquerque and had an overall record of 18-8 with a 2.28 ERA and 192 strikeouts. He received Minor League Player of the Year recognition from The Sporting News for his performance.  The Dodgers returned Martinez to Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League in 1992 where he went 7-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 125.1 innings pitched. He received a September call-up to the Dodgers and went the distance in losing his first major league start to Cincinnati. He started the 1993 season with Albuquerque but was soon called up to the parent club where his first appearance was in relief of his brother Ramon. For the year Martinez pitched in 65 games, almost exclusively in relief, and posted a 10-5 record with a 2.61 ERA and 119 strikeouts over 107 innings.  After the season the Dodgers traded Martinez to the Montreal Expos for second baseman Delino DeShields. The Dodgers had questioned whether he had the size and stamina to succeed as a starting pitcher, but he moved directly into Montreal’s rotation in 1994. The Expos had the best record in the NL when the season ended prematurely due to the players’ strike. Martinez, with his outstanding fastball and changeup, contributed an 11-5 tally with a 3.42 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 144.2 innings pitched. With his tendency to pitch high and inside he became known as a “headhunter” and hit a league-leading 11 batters and was ejected from 12 games and involved in three fights. The Expos lost several key players to free agency and were less competitive in 1995, although Martinez compiled a solid 14-10 record with a 3.51 ERA and 174 strikeouts. In a game against San Diego, he became the second pitcher in major league history to take a perfect game into extra innings but lost the perfect game in the tenth inning and was relieved (Montreal still managed to win the game). The Expos finished second in the NL East in 1996, narrowly missing a Wild Card spot and Martinez was 13-10 with a 3.70 ERA and 222 strikeouts. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time. He had an outstanding season in 1997, posting a 17-8 tally and league-leading ERA (1.90) and complete games (13), as well as 305 strikeouts (which ranked second) for the fourth-place Expos. He won the NL Cy Young Award as a result. With one more year until he became a free agent, Martinez was traded by the cash-strapped Expos to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. The Red Sox immediately signed him to a six-year contract extension, worth $75 million. He was 19-7 with his new club in 1998 with a 2.89 ERA and 251 strikeouts. He was an All-Star once again and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting. He also saw his first postseason action as Boston placed second in the AL East and claimed the wild card slot.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in 31 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 31

Games Started – 29

Complete Games – 5 [4, tied with Eric Milton & Jose Rosado]

Wins – 23 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .852 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [6, tied with fifteen others]

Innings Pitched – 213.1 [8, tied with Chuck Finley]

Hits – 160

Runs – 56

Earned Runs – 49

Home Runs – 9

Bases on Balls – 37

Strikeouts – 313 [1]

ERA – 2.07 [1]

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

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6

League-leading wins were +5 ahead of runners-up Bartolo Colon, Mike Mussina & Aaron Sele

League-leading win percentage was +.069 ahead of runner-up Bartolo Colon

League-leading strikeouts were +113 ahead of runner-up Chuck Finley

League-leading ERA was -1.37 lower than runner-up David Cone

Midseason Snapshot: 15-3, ERA - 2.10, SO - 184 in 132.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 17 (in 9 IP) at NY Yankees 9/10

10+ strikeout games – 19

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at NY Yankees 9/10

Batting

PA – 2, AB – 2, R – 0, H – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 29

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 15

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .966

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (ALDS vs. Cleveland – 2 G; ALCS vs. NY Yankees – 1 G)

GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 17, H – 5, R – 0, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 6, SO – 23, ERA – 0.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors: 

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

2^nd in AL MVP voting (239 points, 8 first place votes, 61% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

Pedro Martinez, Bos.: 140 pts. – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Mike Mussina, Balt.: 54 pts. – 39% share

Mariano Rivera, NYY: 27 pts. – 19% share

Bartolo Colon, Clev.: 14 pts. – 10% share

Aaron Sele, Tex.: 4 pts. – 3% share

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Red Sox went 94-68 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 4 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the league in ERA (4.00), shutouts (12) & saves (50, tied with the Yankees). In a close wild card race, the Red Sox put together a 9-3 September road stretch to clinch a postseason berth. Won ALDS over the Cleveland Indians, 3 games to 2, overcoming a 2-0 deficit capped by Martinez’s Game 5 win. Lost ALCS to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 1, with Martinez’s Game 3 win providing the only victory for the Red Sox.

Aftermath of ‘99:

Martinez won another Cy Young Award in 2000 with an 18-6 record, and a league-leading 1.74 ERA, 284 strikeouts, and 4 shutouts. The Red Sox once again ended up second in the AL East but did not qualify for the postseason. Martinez was sidelined with a minor rotator cuff tear in 2001 which limited him to 18 starts and a 7-3 record. He came back with a 20-4 record in 2002 and led the AL in ERA (2.26) and strikeouts (239), and he finished second in the league’s Cy Young Award voting. Martinez topped the AL in ERA again in 2003 with a 2.22 mark to go with his 14-4 record and 206 strikeouts. Boston made the postseason as a Wild Card entry and reached the ALCS vs. the arch-rival Yankees, where Martinez became involved in some controversy. During his Game 3 start and having struck a batter and blown a lead he became involved in a shouting match with members of New York’s dugout. When Yankee RHP Roger Clemens threw at Boston LF Manny Ramirez, the benches cleared and 72-year-old Yankee coach Don Zimmer ran at Ramirez, who tossed him to the ground. In Game 7, he pitched into trouble and convinced manager Grady Little to leave him in the game, leading to four successive hits and a tie score that was decided in favor of the Yanks in extra innings. In 2004 Martinez contributed a 16-9 record to Boston’s season that culminated in a World Series victory for the first time since 1918. His 3.90 ERA was far less impressive than usual, but he went 2-1 in the postseason including a win in the World Series. As a free agent in the offseason Martinez signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the New York Mets. He posted a 15-8 record in 2005 with a 2.82 ERA and 208 strikeouts. He was an All-Star selection for the third-place Mets as well. He was an All-Star once again in 2006, although he suffered through an injury-riddled season that limited him to a 9-8 record with a 4.48 ERA before a torn rotator cuff that required surgery ended his season, keeping him out of New York’s postseason run. The recovery from the surgery was lengthy and seemed to diminish his fastball. He appeared in five games late in the 2007 season and was 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Martinez had a dreadful year in 2008, going 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA. He was an unwanted free agent in apparent decline who finally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies midway through the 2009 season. He had a 5-1 record with a 3.63 ERA for the NL East champions in what was his final season. Overall, in the major leagues Martinez compiled a 219-100 record with a 2.93 ERA and 3154 strikeouts in 2827.1 innings pitched. He was 117-37 with a 2.52 ERA and 1683 strikeouts for the Red Sox. In the postseason he had a 6-4 tally with a 3.46 ERA and 96 strikeouts. He was an eight-time All-Star and won three Cy Young Awards.  He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. Martinez was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. The Red Sox retired his #45.

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

Cy Young Profile: Steve Stone, 1980

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

 

Age:  33 (July 14)

2^nd season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 175

Prior to 1980:

An Ohio native, born to an Orthodox Jewish family, Stone started out as a Little League catcher in suburban Cleveland who took up pitching at age 9. At Charles F. Brush High School, he excelled at tennis and golf as well as baseball. Moving on to Kent State University, he was captain of the baseball team where his catcher was future Yankee Thurman Munson. Graduating college in 1970, Stone was chosen by the San Francisco Giants in the fourth round of the 1969 amateur draft. Initially assigned to Fresno of the Class A California League, he won seven consecutive decisions on his way to a 12-13 record with a 3.61 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 167 innings pitched. Starting the 1970 season with Amarillo of the Class AA Texas League, he was 9-5 with a 3.95 ERA when he was promoted to Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he went 5-3 with a 1.71 ERA in eight starts. Starting the 1971 season with the Giants Stone went 5-9 in 24 appearances (19 of them starts) before being sent down to Phoenix where he had a 6-3 tally with a 3.98 ERA. Back with the Giants in 1972, he started in 16 of his 27 appearances and produced a 6-8 mark and a 2.98 ERA with 85 strikeouts. Traded to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, Stone was primarily a reliever in 1973 and produced a 6-11 tally with 4.24 ERA and 138 strikeouts. Dealt again in the offseason, this time across town to the Cubs as part of the trade for veteran third baseman Ron Santo, Stone appeared in 38 games for the last-place Cubs in 1974, 23 of them starts, and turned in an 8-6 record with a 4.14 ERA. Despite missing a month with a back injury in 1975, Stone improved to 12-8 with a 3.95 ERA and 139 strikeouts. Refusing to accept a pay cut for 1976, he suffered a torn rotator cuff and ended up finishing at 3-6 with a 4.08 ERA. The injury was resolved without surgery and, as a free agent in the offseason, he returned to the White Sox for $60,000. Thus far, with his decent fastball and curve, he appeared to be a journeyman pitcher. In 1977 “Stoney” produced a 15-12 mark and a 4.51 ERA along with 124 strikeouts while pitching 207 innings. He followed up with a 12-12 record in 1978 with a 4.37 ERA and 118 strikeouts. A free agent once again, he signed with the Orioles for four years and $760,000. Prospering with a pennant-winning club in 1979, Stone went 11-7 as the fifth starter with a 3.77 ERA. In the only postseason action of his career, he relieved in one World Series game and was a non-factor as Baltimore lost to Pittsburgh in seven games. There was no reason to expect Stone to do anything spectacular entering the 1980 season. 

1980 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37

Games Started – 37 [2, tied with Mike Flanagan]

Complete Games – 9 [19, tied with four others]

Wins – 25 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .781 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 250.2 [9, tied with Jim Clancy]

Hits – 224

Runs – 103

Earned Runs – 90

Home Runs – 22 [16, tied with Rick Honeycutt & Ferguson Jenkins]

Bases on Balls – 101 [2]

Strikeouts – 149 [7, tied with Jerry Koosman]

ERA – 3.23 [7]

Hit Batters – 6 [7, tied with seven others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [16, tied with six others]

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runners-up Mike Norris & Tommy John

League-leading win percentage was +.031 ahead of runner-up Rudy May

Midseason Snapshot: 12-3, ERA - 3.10, SO - 70 in 119 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. California 6/17

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Yankees 8/14, (in 7.1 IP) at California 8/19

Fielding

Chances – 42

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 26

Errors – 2

DP – 1

Pct. - .952

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Starting P for AL)

9^th in AL MVP voting (53 points, 14% share) 

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Steve Stone, Balt.: 100 pts. – 13 of 28 first place votes, 71% share

Mike Norris, Oak.: 91 pts. – 13 first place votes, 65% share

Rich Gossage, NYY: 37 pts. – 2 first place votes, 26% share

Tommy John, NYY: 14 pts. – 10% share

Dan Quisenberry, KCR: 7 pts. – 5% share

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Orioles went 100-62 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 3 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. The slow-starting Orioles went 58-26 after the All-Star break and benefited from Stone’s pitching that included 14 straight wins at one point. Despite winning 14 of their last 18 games, they fell short of the Yankees in the end.

Aftermath of ‘80:

Stone was unable to duplicate his 1980 success in 1981. His over-reliance on throwing curves caused major injury to his arm. In the strike-interrupted season, he appeared in only 15 games and produced a 4-7 record and a 4.60 ERA, after which he retired at age 34. For his major league career, in which the 1980 season was the chief highlight, he compiled a 107-93 tally with a 3.97 ERA, 43 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 1065 strikeouts in 1788.1 innings pitched. With the Orioles he was 40-21 with a 3.60 ERA, 12 complete games, one shutout, and 275 strikeouts while pitching 499.1 innings. Following his retirement as a player, the articulate and intelligent Stone went into broadcasting.

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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: Warren Spahn, 1957

Pitcher, Milwaukee Braves

 

Age:  36 (Apr. 23)

12^th season with Braves

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 172

Prior to 1957:

A native of Buffalo, New York, Spahn, who was named after President Warren G. Harding, was trained to pitch by his father, a semipro ballplayer. The young southpaw developed a fluid pitching motion while utilizing a high leg kick. Spahn participated in midget baseball and with an American Legion team where he played first base. At South Park High School, he was blocked at first base by an all-scholastic player and devoted himself to pitching full-time. The school won two city championships his last two seasons and Spahn threw a no-hitter as a senior. Failing to draw much interest from major league teams due to his thin frame, his control impressed a scout for the Boston Braves, and he signed in 1940 for $80 per month. Initially assigned to Bradford of the Class D PONY League, he went 5-4 with a 2.73 ERA until tearing tendons in his left shoulder. Having shown promise during his brief time with Bradford, he went to spring training with the Braves and suffered a broken nose that not only resulted in permanent disfigurement, but also to unfortunate nicknames like “Hooks” and “The Great Profile”. Assigned to Evansville of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League, Spahn topped the league in wins with his 19-6 record, shutouts (7), and ERA (1.83). Initially catching on with the Braves in 1942, he was quickly sent down to Hartford of the Class A Eastern League, where he posted a 17-12 tally with a 1.96 ERA. He received a late-season call-up to the Braves and had no decisions in his four appearances. Following the season he enlisted in the Army for World War II military service, and saw significant action in Europe, earning a Bronze Star. Having missed all of three seasons, Spahn returned to the Braves in June of 1946, at which point he was in the major leagues to stay. He went 8-5 in ’46 with a 2.94 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 125.2 innings pitched. Primarily throwing a fastball with a curve and changeup, he was an All-Star for the first time in 1947 as he produced a 21-10 record while leading the league-in ERA (2.33), shutouts (7), and innings pitched (289.2) while striking out 123 batters. The Braves won the NL pennant in 1948 fueled by the pitching of Spahn and 24-win RHP Johnny Sain (which led to the popular rhyme of “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain”). Dealing with an erratic fastball at times, Spahn’s record was only 15-12 for the year with a 3.71 ERA and 114 strikeouts. Down the stretch from September 6, he and Sain started 11 of 16 games with Spahn going 4-1 and Sain 5-1. In a 14-inning win against Brooklyn, Spahn went the distance and twice picked off basestealing threat Jackie Robinson. In the World Series against Cleveland, won by the Indians in six games, Spahn lost his only start and picked up a win in relief in Game 5. The Braves went into decline in 1949, although Spahn was 21-14 with a 3.07 ERA and led the league in complete games (25), innings pitched (302.1), and strikeouts (151). Respected for his poise, as well as his pitching skill, he posted a 21-17 tally for the fourth-place Braves in 1950 along with a 3.16 ERA while again topping the circuit in strikeouts with 191. “Spahnie” remained consistent in 1951 by going 22-14 with a 2.98 ERA, again leading the NL with 164 strikeouts in addition to 26 complete games and 7 shutouts. For the seventh-place Braves in 1952, Spahn’s tally dropped to 14-19, but his ERA was again 2.98 and he pitched 5 shutouts while again leading the league in strikeouts with 183. The move to Milwaukee in 1953 rejuvenated the club and Spahn, playing with a knee injury that required offseason surgery, returned to winning form with a 23-7 record and league-leading 2.10 ERA while hurling another 5 shutouts and striking out 148 batters over the course of 265.2 innings. He continued his consistent pitching excellence in 1954 with a 21-12 mark and 3.14 ERA with 23 complete games and 136 strikeouts. Spahn overcame a slow start in 1955 to finish at 17-14 with a 3.26 ERA and 110 strikeouts. The Braves narrowly missed winning the pennant in 1956. Spahn was strong down the stretch but suffered a crucial loss when going the distance in a 12-inning game against the Cardinals in his last start of the season in which he gave up just five hits and two runs. He finished at 20-11 with a 2.78 ERA and 128 strikeouts. By 1957 he was well established as one of the National League’s premier pitchers with eight All-Star selections and three finishes in the top 10 in league MVP voting.

1957 Season Summary

Appeared in 39 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 39

Games Started – 35 [3]

Complete Games – 18 [1]

Wins – 21 [1]

Losses – 11 [13, tied with six others]

PCT - .656 [3]

Saves – 3 [20, tied with four others]

Shutouts – 4 [2, tied with Don Drysdale & Don Newcombe]

Innings Pitched – 271 [2]

Hits – 241 [4]

Runs – 94 [13, tied with Jack Sanford]

Earned Runs – 81 [14, tied with Jack Sanford, Curt Simmons & Larry Jackson]

Home Runs – 23 [11]

Bases on Balls – 78 [5]

Strikeouts – 111 [13]

ERA – 2.69 [2, tied with Don Drysdale]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runner-up Bob Friend

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Jack Sanford

Midseason Snapshot: 8-7, ERA - 3.30, SO - 54 in 125.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 6/28, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/7, (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis 9/24, (in 8.1 IP) at Pittsburgh 7/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 6/14, (in 7 IP) at NY Giants 7/21

Batting

PA – 103, AB – 94, R – 3, H – 13, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 8, BB – 4, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .138, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 65

Put Outs – 18

Assists – 47

Errors – 0

DP – 4

Pct. - 1.000

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

GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 1-1, PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 15.1, H – 18, R – 8, ER – 8, HR – 1, BB – 2, SO – 2, ERA – 4.70, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

5^th in NL MVP voting (131 points, 1 first place vote, 39% share)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 15 of 16 votes, 94% share

Dick Donovan, ChiWS.: 1 vote, 6% share

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Braves went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by 8 games over the St. Louis Cardinals after finishing second the previous two years. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (60). In the midst of a tight NL pennant race, the Braves swung a midseason trade with the Giants for veteran second baseman Red Schoendienst that resolved a weakness in the lineup and added leadership as well. The club surged during a 10-game August winning streak and wrapped up the pennant in September. Won World Series over New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, as RHP Lew Burdette went 3-0 and Spahn won Game 4.  

Aftermath of ‘57:

The Braves repeated as National League pennant winners in 1958 and Spahn contributed a 22-11 record and 3.07 ERA along with league-leading totals in complete games (23) and innings pitched (290). His strikeout total was 150 as he added a slider and screwball to his repertoire to augment his diminishing fastball. In the World Series rematch with the Yankees, Spahn was 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA as Milwaukee fell to the Bronx Bombers in seven games. The Braves failed to make it three straight pennants in 1959, losing a playoff to the Dodgers. Spahn posted a 21-15 tally with a 2.96 ERA and again topped the circuit with 292 innings pitched while striking out 143 batters. For the second place Braves in 1960, Spahn pitched his first no-hitter (after two near misses in 1951 and ’53) at age 39 on his way to a 21-10 mark with a 3.50 ERA, 18 complete games, and 154 strikeouts. He threw another no-hitter in 1961, at 40, on his way to a 21-13 record, that included his 300^th career win, with a league-leading 3.02 ERA, 21 complete games, and 115 strikeouts. He dipped in 1962 to 18-14 with a 3.04 ERA and 118 strikeouts, although he still had the league high in complete games with 22. In 1963 Spahn posted a 23-7 tally at age 42 along with a 2.60 ERA, again topping the NL with 22 complete games despite dealing with a sore elbow. In a July matchup against 25-year-old RHP Juan Marichal of the Giants, both pitchers went the distance until San Francisco won on a Willie Mays home run in the bottom of the 16^th. In 1964, the 43-year old southpaw’s knees gave out and his record dropped to 6-13 with a 5.29 ERA. It marked the end of his tenure with the Braves who sold him to the New York Mets in the offseason, thus reuniting him with his first major league manager from 1942, Casey Stengel. Spahn didn’t last the season with the woeful Mets, being released at midseason with a 4-12 tally and 4.36 ERA. Signed by the Giants, he went 3-4 the rest of the way to finish off his last major league season at age 44. For his major league career, Spahn compiled a 363-245 record, making him the winningest major league lefthander, along with a 3.09 ERA, 382 complete games, 63 shutouts, and 2583 strikeouts in 5243.2 innings pitched. He led the NL in wins eight times, in ERA three times, in innings pitched on four occasions, and in strikeouts four times. With the Braves he was 356-229 with a 3.05 ERA, 374 complete games, all 63 shutouts, and 2493 strikeouts over 5046 innings. Later a vocal critic of the Designated Hitter rule, he also hit 35 home runs over the course of his career. Appearing in eight World Series games, he posted a 4-3 tally with three complete games and a shutout, while striking out 32 batters over 56 innings. A 17-time All-Star, Spahn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. The Braves retired his #21 and erected a statue of him that stands outside Sun Trust Park. Before retiring to his ranch in Oklahoma for good, he coached (and pitched for briefly) a team in the Mexican League, coached in Japan, and managed and coached with minor league teams. Spahn died in 2003 at the age of 82.

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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: Carl Hubbell, 1936

Pitcher, New York Giants

Age:  33 (June 22)

9^th season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1936:

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. The Giants won the pennant in 1933 and Hubbell led the NL in wins with his 23-12 tally and topped the circuit with 10 shutouts and a 1.66 ERA. He was selected as league MVP for the first time and won two more games in the World Series victory over the Washington Senators. 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.   

1936 Season Summary

Appeared in 42 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 42 [12, tied with Dick Coffman & Ed Heusser]

 Games Started – 34 [3, tied with Dizzy Dean]

Complete Games – 25 [2]

Wins – 26 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .813 [1]

Saves – 3 [10, tied with six others]

Shutouts – 3 [8]

Innings Pitched – 304 [3]

Hits – 265 [8]

Runs – 81

Earned Runs – 78

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 57

Strikeouts – 123 [4]

ERA – 2.31 [1]

Hit Batters – 5 [9, tied with nine others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading win percentage was +.024 ahead of runner-up Red Lucas

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 -0.56 lower than runner-up Danny MacFayden

Midseason Snapshot: 10-5, ERA - 2.67, SO - 61 in 145 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 7 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/28

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 8/2, (in 9 IP) at St. Louis Cards 9/3, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/11, (in 9 IP) at Brooklyn 9/19, (in 8.2 IP) at Cincinnati 5/4

Batting

PA – 123, AB – 110, R – 9, H – 25, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .227, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 81

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 65

Errors – 2

DP – 7

Pct. - .975

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

GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 1-1 PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 16, H – 15, R – 5, ER – 4, HR – 2, BB – 2, SO – 10, ERA – 2.25, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Carl Hubbell, NYG: 60 pts. – 100% share

Dizzy Dean, StLC.: 53 pts. – 88% share

Billy Herman, ChiC.: 37 pts. – 62% share

Joe Medwick, StLC.: 30 pts. – 50% share

Paul Waner, Pitt.: 29 pts. – 48% share

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Giants went 92-62 to win the NL pennant by 5 games over the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.46). In fifth place on July 1, the Giants exploded in August, propelled by a 15-game winning streak and Hubbell winning 16 straight decisions to close out the season while overtaking the Cubs and Cardinals. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2. Lou Gehrig’s 2-run home run off of Hubbell in Game 4 helped the Yankees take a commanding 3-games-to-1 lead.

Aftermath of ‘36:

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 timeperiod. 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. 

MVP Profile: Joe Medwick, 1937

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

 Age:  25

6^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 187

Prior to 1937:

A native of Carteret, New Jersey, Medwick was a four-sport star in high school, participating in track, football, and basketball, as well as baseball. Preferring baseball, he signed with the Cardinals as an 18-year-old in 1930. Playing under an assumed name to protect his amateur status (since he harbored an unrealized ambition to play football for Notre Dame), Medwick was first assigned to the Scottdale Scotties of the Class C Middle Atlantic League where, in 75 games, he batted .419 with 22 home runs. Advancing to the Houston Buffaloes of the Class A Texas League in 1931, he hit .305 with 47 doubles and 19 home runs, leading the league with 308 total bases. Still with Houston in 1932, Medwick batted .354 with 46 doubles, 10 triples, and 26 home runs, thus leading the league with a .611 slugging percentage. During his time in Houston he was tagged with the nickname “Ducky Wucky” that was shortened to “Ducky” due to his duck-like walk. He disliked the monicker, but it stuck with sportswriters from then on. Receiving a late-season call-up from the Cardinals, he hit .349 in 26 games with 12 RBIs and a .538 slugging percentage. A capable defensive outfielder with a strong arm in addition to his batting prowess, he stuck with the Cardinals in 1933 and batted .306 with 40 doubles, 10 triples, 18 home runs, and 98 RBIs. As the left fielder for the 1934 pennant-winning club known as the “Gas House Gang”, Medwick was an All-Star for the first time and hit .319 with 40 doubles, a league-leading 18 triples, 18 home runs, and 106 RBIs. Known for his hot temper and aggressive play, he enraged Detroit fans in Game 7 of the World Series against the Tigers with his hard slide into third baseman Marv Owen. When he next took his position in left field, the fans greeted him with a barrage of garbage, mostly fruit and soda bottles, in addition to raucous booing which caused play to be halted and Commissioner Landis removed him from the game, which the Cardinals won. St. Louis slipped to second in 1935 but Medwick batted .353 with 46 doubles, 13 triples, 23 home runs, 126 RBIs, and a league best 365 total bases. He placed fifth in league MVP voting. “Muscles” (his preferred nickname) had another big year in 1936, leading the NL in hits (223), doubles (a record 64), RBIs (138), and total bases (367) to go along with 13 triples and 18 home runs. He placed fourth in National League MVP balloting. By 1937 Medwick was one of the top hitters in the NL and one of the most despised by opposing players and even some of his teammates, who he also fought with.  

1937 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

LF – 156

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 677 [5]

At Bats – 633 [1]

Runs – 111 [1]

Hits – 237 [1]

Doubles – 56 [1]

Triples – 10 [6, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 31 [1, tied with Mel Ott]

RBI – 154 [1]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 13 [2, tied with Elbie Fletcher & Gabby Hartnett]

Strikeouts – 50

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .374 [1]

OBP - .414 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .641 [1]

Total Bases – 406 [1]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading at bats were +14 ahead of runner-up Paul Waner

League-leading runs scored were +5 ahead of runners-up Stan Hack & Billy Herman

League-leading hits were +18 ahead of runner-up Paul Waner

League-leading doubles were +16 ahead of runner-up Johnny Mize

League-leading RBIs were +39 ahead of runner-up Frank Demaree

League-leading batting average was +.010 ahead of runner-up Johnny Mize

League-leading slugging percentage was +.046 ahead of runner-up Johnny Mize

League-leading total bases were +73 ahead of runner-up Johnny Mize

Midseason snapshot: HR - 17, RBI - 81, AVG - .404, SLG PCT - .697

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Most hits, game – 4 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Phila. Phillies 5/12, (in 5 AB) vs. Boston Bees 6/19, (in 5 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 8/7, (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 8/8

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 13

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Boston Bees 5/5, at Phila. Phillies 5/12, vs. Boston Bees 6/19, vs. Phila. Phillies 8/7

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

Fielding

Chances – 342

Put Outs – 329

Assists – 9

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .988 

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for NL in LF)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Joe Medwick, StLC.: 70 pts. - 2 of 8 first place votes, 88% share

Gabby Hartnett, ChiC.: 68 pts. – 3 first place votes, 85% share

Carl Hubbell, NYG: 52 pts. – 1 first place votes, 65% share

Jim Turner, BosB.: 30 pts. – 38% share

Lou Fette, BosB.: 29 pts. – 36% share

(1 first place vote apiece for Dick Bartell, NYG, who ranked sixth and Harry Danning, NYG, who ranked 14^th)

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Cardinals went 81-73 to finish fourth in the NL, 15 games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants, while leading the league in doubles (264) and stolen bases (78). The fast-starting Cardinals were in first place at the end of April and were a close second on June 27 before falling out of contention despite Medwick’s Triple Crown heroics.

Aftermath of ‘37:

Medwick’s hitting remained impressive in 1938 as he led the NL with 47 doubles and 122 RBIs while batting .322 with 21 home runs. He placed eleventh in league MVP voting. With his salary lowered from $20,000 to $18,000 in 1939 by tight-fisted St. Louis owner Sam Breadon, his relationship with the club soured while he still hit .332 with 48 doubles, 14 home runs, and 117 RBIs and his on-base percentage rose from .369 to .380. During the 1940 season, Medwick was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers along with RHP Curt Davis for four players and cash. The first time he faced the Cardinals he was severely beaned by RHP Bob Bowman, which ignited a brawl and put Medwick in the hospital with a concussion. He quickly returned to action and was an All-Star for the seventh consecutive season on his way to batting .301 with 17 home runs and 86 RBIs for the year. With the pennant-winning Dodgers in 1941, he hit .318 with 33 doubles, 10 triples, 18 home runs, and 88 RBIs. He batted only .235 in the five-game World Series loss to the Yankees. With his home run total dropping to four in 1942, Medwick still hit .300 with 37 doubles and 96 RBIs. Waived by the Dodgers midway through the 1943 season, he moved across town to the New York Giants and for the year hit .278 with 30 doubles, 5 home runs, and 70 RBIs. With the Giants in 1944 his average jumped to .337 with 7 home runs and he was an All-Star for the last time. Traded to the Boston Braves during the 1945 season, the fading Medwick batted a combined .290 with 20 extra base hits. He returned to Brooklyn in 1946 and finished his career back with the Cardinals in 1947 and ’48 at age 36. For his major league career, Medwick batted .324 with 2471 hits that included 540 doubles, 113 triples, and 205 home runs. He scored 1198 runs and compiled 1383 RBIs and a .362 OBP with a .505 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals he batted .335 with 811 runs scored, 1590 hits, 377 doubles, 81 triples, 152 home runs, 923 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .545 slugging percentage. Appearing in 12 World Series games, he hit .326 with a home run and 5 RBIs. A 10-time All-Star, Medwick finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times, with the one win. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968. He became a minor league player/manager in the years immediately following the end of his major league career. He later served as a spring batting instructor for the Cardinals until his death in 1975 at age 63. A pugnacious player, he came to be more appreciated long after his career ended and his surliness faded from memory.

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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 Howard, 2006

First Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies

 

Age:  26

2^nd season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 250

Prior to 2006:

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Howard began to display his power potential in Little League and continued to play well in high school. Moving on to college at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State University), Howard broke out as a junior in 2001, when he hit 19 home runs but also set a school record by striking out 74 times, demonstrating his career-long propensity for having a productive power bat while whiffing at a prodigious rate. He was selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of that year’s amateur draft and signed for a $235,000 bonus. Initially assigned to Batavia of the short-season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League, he batted .272 in 48 games with 6 home runs and 35 RBIs. Moving to the Lakewood BlueClaws of the Class A South Atlantic League in 2002, he hit .280 with 19 home runs and 87 RBIs while striking out 145 times. He advanced to Clearwater of the advanced Class A Florida State League in 2003 where he won the league batting championship with a .304 average and also topped the circuit with 23 home runs. He was named league MVP for his run-producing prowess despite also leading the circuit by striking out 151 times. Howard advanced to Reading of the Class AA Eastern League in 2004 where he hit 37 home runs in 102 games before being promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Class AAA International League where he slugged another 9 home runs in 29 games. Called up to the Phillies in September, he hit his first two major league home runs. Blocked by the presence of star first baseman Jim Thome in Philadelphia, Howard became a prime subject of trade speculation. He started the 2005 season at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but was called up by the Phils when an elbow injury put Thome on the disabled list. Following a brief major league stint, Howard returned to Class AAA, where he went on a 24-game hitting streak. When Thome returned to the DL, Howard was recalled to the Phillies to stay. In 88 major league games he produced 22 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .288 batting average along with a .356 on-base percentage and .567 slugging percentage. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors. The Phillies traded Jim Thome to the White Sox in the offseason, thus assuring Howard of a regular job at first base in 2006.

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

1B – 159, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 704 [8]

At Bats – 581

Runs – 104 [14]

Hits – 182 [11]

Doubles – 25

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 58 [1]

RBI – 149 [1]

Bases on Balls – 108 [4]

Int. BB – 37 [2]

Strikeouts – 181 [2]

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .313 [8]

OBP - .425 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .659 [2]

Total Bases – 383 [1]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 9

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 6 [19, tied with thirteen others]

League-leading home runs were +9 ahead of runner-up Albert Pujols

League-leading RBIs were +12 ahead of runner-up Albert Pujols

League-leading total bases were +21 ahead of runner-up Alfonso Soriano

Midseason snapshot: HR – 28, RBI – 71, AVG. – .278., SLG – .582, OBP – .341

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Atlanta 9/3

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Atlanta 9/3

HR at home – 29

HR on road – 29

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 7 vs. NY Yankees 6/20

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 2 (.500) with 1 HR & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 1478

Put Outs – 1373

Assists – 91

Errors – 14

DP - 139

Pct. - .991

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

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

Albert Pujols, StL.: 347 pts. – 12 first place votes, 77% share

Lance Berkman, Hou.: 230 pts. – 51% share

Carlos Beltran, NYM:211 pts. – 47% share

Miguel Cabrera, Fla.: 170 pts. – 38% share

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Phillies went 85-77 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 12 games behind the division-winning New York Mets, while leading the league in runs scored (865), RBIs (823), walks drawn (626), and total bases (2542). The Phillies started slowly but came on strong in the second half, particularly during an 18-11 August when Howard particularly excelled, just falling short of a wild card playoff spot.

Aftermath of ‘06:

In 2007 the Phillies reached the postseason for the first time since 1993 and Howard, who started slowly, contributed 47 home runs, 136 RBIs, and a .268 batting average, while also leading the league by striking out a then-record 199 times. Philadelphia lost to Colorado in the NLDS. In 2008 the “Big Piece” led the NL with 48 home runs and 146 RBIs while hitting .251 and placed second in league MVP voting. The NL East-winning Phillies went on to win the pennant and World Series. Howard batted .286 in the Series against Tampa Bay along with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs, with 2 homers and 5 RBIs coming in one game. The Phillies repeated as NL pennant winners in 2009 before falling to the Yankees in the World Series. Howard contributed 45 home runs, a league-leading 141 RBIs, and a .279 batting average and placed third in MVP balloting. In 2010, after years of impressive durability, Howard spent time on the disabled list with an ankle sprain. He still hit .276 with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs. He played in 152 games for the first place Phillies in 2011 and hit .253 with 33 home runs and 116 RBIs. In the deciding game of the NLDS loss to St. Louis, Howard made the final out and suffered a torn Achilles tendon, which required surgery. Unable to start the 2012 season until July, it was cut short in September by a broken toe. He was limited to 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 71 games played. A knee injury cut Howard’s 2013 season short after appearing in 80 games and batting .266 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs. Returning to action in 2014, he appeared in 153 games and hit .223 with 23 home runs and 95 RBIs while leading the NL by striking out 190 times. Howard missed the last three weeks of the 2015 season due to another knee injury and finished with 23 home runs, 77 RBIs, and a .229 average. Benched during the 2016 season, he became a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves for 2017. Performing poorly for Gwinnett of the Class AAA International League, he was released in May and signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies that had him playing for Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League for the rest of the year, after which he again became a free agent, effectively ending his career. He announced his retirement in 2018. For his major league career that was spent entirely with the Phillies, Howard batted .258 with 1475 hits that included 277 doubles, 21 triples, and 382 home runs. He further compiled 1194 RBIs and struck out 1843 times. In 46 postseason games he hit .259 with 13 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, and 33 RBIs. He led the NL twice in home runs and three times in RBIs. A one-time league MVP, he finished in the top five a total of four times and was a three-time All-Star.

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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: Reggie Jackson, 1973

Outfielder, Oakland Athletics

Age:  27 (May 18)

7^th season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195

Prior to 1973:

A native of Pennsylvania from the Philadelphia suburb of Wyncote, Jackson excelled in football, basketball, and track, as well as baseball, at Cheltenham High School. After high school he went to Arizona State University on a football scholarship. Fast, tough, and talented, he was starting in the defensive backfield as a sophomore. Jackson tried out for the baseball team and impressed with his batting power. After playing summer ball in Baltimore to sharpen his skills, he became the starting center fielder as a sophomore. Self-confident and charismatic with a flair for the dramatic, as well as an impressive raw talent, he was chosen by the Athletics, at the time located in Kansas City, second overall in the 1966 amateur draft. While tempted to remain in school, he signed with the A’s for an $85,000 bonus. Starting out professionally with the Lewiston Broncs of the short-season Class A Northwest League, he was quickly moved to Modesto of the Class A California League where, in 56 games, he batted .299 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. Promoted to Birmingham of the Class AA Southern League in 1967, Jackson hit .293 with 26 doubles, 17 triples, 17 home runs and 58 RBIs, receiving a late-season trial with Kansas City that amounted to only a .178 average with one home run. Back with the A’s, now in Oakland, in 1968, he hit .250 in his first full season along with 29 home runs, 74 RBIs, and struck out a league-leading 171 times. Jackson broke out in a big way in 1969 as he hit 37 home runs by the All-Star break, putting him on a record pace. He tailed off thereafter and ended up with 47 homers for the year while batting .275 with 118 RBIs and a league-leading 123 runs scored and .608 slugging percentage in addition to again topping the circuit in striking out with 142 whiffs. Jackson held out in the spring of 1970 and got off to a slow start at the plate that had him publicly feuding with owner Charlie Finley throughout the season, who threatened to send him down to the minors. The result was 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, and a .237 average. He played winter ball in Puerto Rico under the guidance of long-time hitting star Frank Robinson to get back on track. The A’s topped the AL West in 1971 and Jackson contributed significantly by hitting .277 with 32 home runs and 80 RBIs. In the All-Star Game he hit a long home run at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium that hit a light stand some 520 feet from home plate. The A’s lost to Baltimore in the ALCS but Jackson hit two home runs in his first taste of postseason action. He had lesser numbers in 1972 while batting .265 with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs. Oakland again topped the division but lost Jackson to a torn hamstring during the ALCS against Detroit, and he was in a cast for the seven-game World Series triumph over Cincinnati. By 1973 he was a three-time All-Star who had received MVP votes in each of the prior two seasons while playing for a championship club.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

RF – 144, PH – 5, DH – 3, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 629

At Bats – 539

Runs – 99 [1]

Hits – 158 [15, tied with Bill North & Don Money]

Doubles – 28 [12, tied with Don Money, Lou Piniella & Steve Braun]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 32 [1]

RBI – 117 [1]

Bases on Balls – 76 [12]

Int. BB – 11 [6]

Strikeouts – 111 [5, tied with George Mitterwald]

Stolen Bases – 22 [10, tied with Pat Kelly & Don Money]

Caught Stealing – 8 [20, tied with Paul Blair, Jorge Orta & Chris Chambliss]

Average - .293 [10]

OBP - .383 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .531 [1]

Total Bases – 286 [4, tied with Bobby Murcer]

GDP – 13

Hit By Pitches – 7 [9, tied with four others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [2, tied with seven others]

League-leading runs scored were +1 ahead of runners-up George Scott, Rod Carew & Bill North

League-leading home runs were +2 ahead of runners-up Jeff Burroughs & Frank Robinson

League-leading RBIs were +10 ahead of runner-up George Scott

League-leading slugging percentage was +.033 ahead of runner-up Sal Bando

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR - 23, RBI - 81, AVG - .292, SLG - .534, OBP – .365

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Most hits, game – 3 on ten occasions

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 on five occasions

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 14

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Milwaukee 6/6

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 4 (.000) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 315

Put Outs – 302

Assists – 4

Errors – 9

DP – 0

Pct. - .971

Postseason Batting: 12 G (ALCS vs. Baltimore – 5 G; World Series vs. NY Mets – 7 G) 

PA – 52, AB – 50, R – 3, H – 12, 2B – 3,3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 6, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 13, SB – 0, CS – 1, AVG - .240, OBP - .269, SLG -.400, TB – 20, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0     World Series MVP

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL in RF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Reggie Jackson, Oak.: 336 pts. – 24 of 24 first place votes, 100% share

Jim Palmer, Balt.: 172 pts. – 51% share

Amos Otis, KCR: 112 pts.  – 33% share

Sal Bando, Oak.: 83 pts. – 25% share

Rod Carew, Min.: 83 pts. – 25% share

John Hiller, Det.: 83 pts. – 25% share

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A’s went 94-68 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 6 games over the Kansas City Royals, while leading the league in runs scored (758) and RBIs (714). The tempestuous and talented A’s moved in and out of first place in the AL West until moving into the top spot to stay on August 16, clinching their third straight division title on Sept. 23 although Jackson was sidelined for much of the last two weeks with a hamstring injury. Won ALCS over the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 2 and World Series over the New York Mets, 4 games to 3, to become the first team to win the World Series two years in succession since 1962. Jackson’s two-RBI performance in Game 6 kept the A’s alive in a Series in which owner Finley instigated a near player mutiny by his attempted “firing” of second baseman Mike Andrews after his two twelfth inning errors led to a loss in Game 2.

Aftermath of ‘73:

The A’s topped the AL West for the fourth straight season in 1974 amidst turmoil that included Jackson getting in fights with catcher Ray Fosse and outfielder Bill North that resulted in his suffering a shoulder injury that limited his production in the season’s second half. He still batted .289 with 29 home runs and 93 RBIs. The talented but fractious club won the AL pennant and a third consecutive World Series, beating the Dodgers in five games while Jackson hit .286 with a home run. Oakland topped the AL West again in 1975 while Jackson hit 36 home runs and tied for the league lead with Milwaukee’s George Scott. He also batted .253 with a .329 OBP and 104 RBIs. Facing the final year of his contract in 1976, the A’s traded Jackson to the Baltimore Orioles along with LHP Ken Holtzman for three players that included outfielder Don Baylor and RHP Mike Torrez just prior to the season’s start. Jackson held out and missed the first few weeks. He got off to a slow start once he ironed out his contract difficulties and reported to the Orioles. His bat eventually came around and he ended up hitting .277 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs while posting a league-leading .502 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason he signed with the New York Yankees for five years and $2.96 million. Jackson was involved in turmoil during the ’77 season, most notably a dugout confrontation with manager Billy Martin after he was removed from a game in Boston in June. Once again finding himself on a winning team with a fractious atmosphere, he batted .286 with 32 home runs and 110 RBIs and tied for eighth in league MVP balloting. The Yankees reached the World Series against the Dodgers. Following a quiet ALCS performance, Jackson earned Series MVP honors by hitting three straight first-pitch home runs in the decisive Game 6 (of a total of 5 homers in the series), thus earning himself the nickname “Mr. October”. The Yankees came from behind in 1978 to end up in a playoff with Boston for the AL East title, which they won. Jackson contributed 27 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .274 average, and a .356 OBP. He hit two more home runs in the ALCS triumph over the Royals to get the club to another World Series against the Dodgers. LA moved out to a two-games-to-none advantage with the most dramatic moment occurring when Jackson was struck out by rookie RHP Bob Welch to cap Game 2. The Yankees battled back and “Mr. October” hit two home runs, one off Welch, in the climactic Game 6 win. The Yanks dropped to fourth in a tragedy-and injury-marred 1979 season. Jackson hit .297 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. The club returned to first place in 1980, while Jackson batted .300 with 41 home runs, 111 RBIs, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .597 slugging percentage. The club was swept by Kansas City in the ALCS. Jackson spent one more year with the Yankees in the strike-shortened 1981 season and ended up hitting .237 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs. The Yanks lost to the Dodgers in the World Series. A free agent in the off-season, Jackson signed with the California Angels where he joined a veteran-filled lineup in 1982 and topped the AL with 39 home runs while also batting .275 with 101 RBIs. He finished sixth in league MVP voting and homered in the ALCS loss to Milwaukee. His production sagged in 1983 as he turned 37 and he ended up hitting a paltry .194 with just 14 home runs. Jackson rebounded somewhat in 1984, batting .223 with a .300 OBP along with 25 home runs and 81 RBIs while primarily appearing as Designated Hitter in tandem with Brian Downing. He added another 27 home runs in 1985 while hitting .252 with a .360 OBP. One more division-winning season in 1986 was followed by a return to Oakland to close out his career in 1987. Overall, for his major league career, Jackson batted .262 with 2584 hits that included 463 doubles, 49 triples, and 563 home runs. He scored 1551 runs, compiled 1702 RBIs with a .356 OBP and .490 slugging percentage. He also struck out 2597 times. With Oakland he totaled .262 with 1228 hits, 234 doubles, 27 triples, 269 home runs, 776 RBIs, 756 runs scored, a .355 OBP, .496 slugging percentage, and 1226 batter strikeouts.  Appearing in 77 postseason games (32 with Oakland) he hit .278 with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs and was a two-time World Series MVP. A 14-time All-Star (six with the A’s), he finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting seven times, including the one win. Better known for his batting prowess than his fielding, he placed second in outfield assists four times and led AL outfielders in errors in five seasons. The A’s retired his #9 and the Yankees retired the #44 that he wore with them, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. A shrewd investor, Jackson enhanced his wealth in retirement, but he also dabbled in broadcasting and acting and served as a hitting coach for the Athletics. 

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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.