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| Hall or no, Abbott etched in history Inspirational lefty carved himself memorable career By Len Hochberg / MLB.com "The truth is," Jim Abbott often says as he travels America giving motivational speeches, "I won't go to the Hall of Fame." Of course, the truth also is that Jim Abbott's legacy is set in stone, with or without a plaque in Cooperstown. Abbott uses the line about the Hall of Fame, he says, as an entry point to detailing his hardships -- beginning with being born without a right hand -- and how he didn't let them stand in his way. "I think part of the connection of my story is some of the struggle and adversity that I went through growing up and also in my career -- the way I learned to play, switching the glove on and off," says Abbott, in his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame. "You know, on the field I had times of misfortune where I pitched well and lost and also when I pitched poorly and lost. I had the year when I only won two games. There was a struggle there, trying to make a comeback. So when I speak, I like to use to those stories as much as the triumphs. And I think people relate to that. So that's what that quote alludes to." Abbott mostly leaves it to others to note his triumphs, among them: in 1987, winning the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the United States' top amateur baseball player, and later that year becoming the first baseball player to win the Sullivan Award as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete; in 1988, pitching the clinching game against Japan as the U.S. won its first Olympic gold medal in baseball; and in 1989, beginning a 10-year Major League career without ever pitching in the minors. Abbott went quickly from the University of Michigan to the Seoul Olympics to the California Angels, a franchise with which he maintains a close connection to this day. He made his big league debut to much fanfare on April 8, 1989, facing Mark Langston and the Seattle Mariners. "I remember the hype around poor Jim," says Langston. "As he was walking to the bullpen, there must've been a hundred people trailing him to the bullpen to go warm up. Your first big league game you have enough butterflies and enough things going on without the outside attention. He actually pitched very well and we ended up beating him, but I will never forget that." Langston, also is in his first year of Cooperstown eligibility, became a teammate of Abbott's the next season after signing with the Angels as a free agent. "I was just blown away about how he went about his business, and the work ethic that he had was something I totally believed in," he said. "I like to turn over all the stones and Jim was definitely one of those guys. When it's all said and done you're able to look in the mirror and go, 'Man, I gave everything I had.' And Jim is definitely one of those guys. "Everybody gets amazed by what he was able to do. And then, as a teammate, after you see it for the third or fourth time, you don't even realize it." As hard as it is to imagine Abbott playing baseball with one hand, how about other sports? In high school, he quarterbacked his team to the Michigan state championship game. "To this day, he's one of the best athletes I've ever been around," says Langston, now one of his closest friends. "We play golf together. Numerous times he's kicked my tail." Abbott spent the first four years of his career with the Angels -- highlighted by an 18-11 record with a 2.89 ERA in 1991 -- then returned to them in 1995-96. And while they are the team he will forever be associated with, his greatest Major League moment came in between, pitching for the New York Yankees. On Sept. 4, 1993, he no-hit the Indians at Yankee Stadium. "I remember it being a kind of gray day, near the end of the season," Abbott says. "We were still in a pennant race. I remember the game being important and the fans being excited. That was when the Yankees were just starting their ascent back into baseball's elite teams. "That day in particular I just remember feeling real focused, real clear-minded and pitching pretty well. I remember feeling real loose and lighthearted early in the game and, as it built up, the Yankee fans cheering every strike and booing every ball, my teammates moving a little bit away from me as each inning passed. And then, I remember my knees knocking and my heart thumping in that ninth inning." As great as that game was for Abbott, and as vivid as his recollections are, "I'm equally as proud of winning a gold medal game in the Olympics in 1988. A very similar feeling in the ninth inning, being on the mound, your heart just racing." Today, besides working as a motivational speaker, Abbott is close to the Angels ("my baseball family," he calls them). He attends their Spring Training and, living not far from the ballpark, helps out in the community relations department. In October, he threw out the first pitch at a playoff game against the Boston Red Sox. "That was great," he says. "To go in front of that many people again, it gets the blood flowing pretty quick." Interestingly, as much as Abbott relished being in front of 40,000-plus screaming fans once more, he had a longtime fear of speaking in front of an audience of maybe a few hundred. "It's different," he says. "Pitching is something that you've done so many times, it's something that you're so familiar with that you just kind of put it on autopilot and you're able to tune out the crowd. But with speaking, it's important to make a connection with the crowd and be a part of it." And so while Abbott readily acknowledges he won't gain entry to the Hall of Fame, he's heartened that that his baseball life has served an even greater purpose than personal glory. "I try to get out there and share some of the stories of my career, some of the ups and downs and the lessons that I've learned," Abbott says. "I've been really pleased with how some of the lessons that you learn in baseball have some real crossover appeal to people in schools and corporations and charities." |
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| Abbott's Resume: Teams: Angels, Yankees, White Sox, Brewers Key stats: 87-108, 4.25 ERA, 6 shutouts, 1 no-hitter Awards: 1987 Golden Spikes Award, 1987 Sullivan Award, Third in 1991 AL Cy Young Award voting Best HOF vote Pct.: 1st year on the ballot Peers in Hall: None |
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| Mattingly: A tale of two careers Back injuries hurt first baseman's chances at Hall By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com Don Mattingly's position as Yankees hitting coach may help his case for the Hall. (Steve Nesius/AP) NEW YORK -- It's hard to argue that Don Mattingly's run from 1984-89 put him on the fast track for Cooperstown. In those six seasons, the Yankees first baseman averaged 26 home runs, 114 RBIs and a .327 average, playing for the American League All-Star team in each of those years. Unfortunately for Mattingly, the final six seasons of his career -- all marred by chronic back problems -- fell short of the standard he set for himself, making his case for the Hall of Fame a questionable one. "You look at his career, and it's like he had two careers," said one Hall voter from the Midwest. "His first six seasons were obviously Hall of Fame worthy. Then, after the back injury, his career was just like anyone else's career." Mattingly won the AL MVP award in 1985, batting .324 with 35 homers and 145 RBIs, also finishing in the top five in MVP voting in 1984 and '86. Mattingly, who won the AL batting title in 1984 (.343), also won nine Gold Gloves at first base in 10 years. But from 1990-95, Mattingly averaged fewer than 10 home runs and 64 RBIs per season, topping the .300 mark just once, in the strike-shortened 1994 season. "I'd say his chances are slim at best," said a Hall voter from the Northeast. "His golden era didn't last long enough to merit induction. He had the skills, the right pedigree and all the exposure he needed in New York -- and would've been a lock for Cooperstown, had it not been for that bad back." "I don't think there's any question that his first six seasons were astounding," the Midwest voter said. "He had averages up in the .350s, drove in a ton of runs and was an excellent defensive player. Had he kept that up, he'd have been a first-ballot guy for me." Mattingly's support from the Hall has waned in each year he has been on the ballot. He received 145 of 515 votes (28.16 percent) in 2001, his first year of eligibility, finishing ninth among eligible players. In 2002, Mattingly's support fell, as he finished 12th with 96 of 472 votes (20.34 percent). Two years ago, he received only 68 of 496 votes, as he finished 15th with 13 percent of the vote. In last year's election, Mattingly was listed on 65 of the 506 ballots, just 12.85 percent. He was 14th among the 17 players that received the mandatory five percent to remain on the ballot. Last year, Mattingly was asked on his Web site whether he thought he would ever be elected to the Hall. "The Hall of Fame would be a great honor, but I do not live my life based on whether or not that will ever happen," Mattingly wrote on the site. "So in the grand scheme of things, it is not that important." This time every year, the name most commonly brought up by Mattingly supporters is Kirby Puckett, a first-ballot inductee in 2001 despite having his career cut short after the 1995 season due to irreversible retina damage in his right eye. Mattingly has 2,153 hits to Puckett's 2,304, 442 doubles to Puckett's 414, 222 homers to Puckett's 207 and 1,099 RBIs to Puckett's 1,085. Mattingly posted three more 100-RBI seasons than Puckett, two more 30-homer seasons, won one more MVP award and the same number of batting titles. Puckett did win two World Series titles, while Mattingly appeared in the postseason just once, losing in the Division Series in his final season. "That's a fair argument," said the Midwest voter about the Puckett comparison. "The strange thing that works against Mattingly is that while he played for the Yankees, he didn't have much postseason exposure. Puckett played a huge part in two championships for the Twins. It's bizarre to find a Yankee whose Hall chances are hurt by being on the Yankees, but that may be the case for him." Perhaps Mattingly's return to the game as the Yankees' hitting coach may help him get a few more votes from increased visibility, but it doesn't appear likely that he will get the call when the results are announced on Jan. 4. "It's a very nice career, but because of the lack of longevity and production in the second half, it appears to fall short of the Hall of Fame," the voter said. "It's a career rich in achievement, but not one for the Hall." Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. |
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| Don Mattingly's Resume : Teams: Yankees Key stats: Three straight (1985-87) .300-30-100 seasons, .307 career BA Awards: MVP '85, six-time All-Star, nine Gold Gloves Best HOF vote Pct.: 28% in 2001 Peers in Hall: Eddie Murray, Carlton Fisk, George Brett |
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| Strawberry likely to fall short of Hall Star outfielder's career marred by series of setbacks By Kevin Czerwinski / MLB.com NEW YORK -- Darryl Strawberry spent 13 of his 17 Major League seasons on the grandest stage of all. And while the sweet-swinging slugger was embraced by New York, a city that will always recall him fondly, warm memories probably won't be enough to propel Strawberry into the Hall of Fame. Strawberry is on the ballot for the first time this year. But when the names of those voted in by the Baseball Writers Association of America are announced, don't expect him to have received many votes. His career, which began brilliantly with the Mets and was highlighted by a World Series title in 1986, came crashing down far too quickly, leaving Strawberry sputtering throughout much of the '90s as he battled cancer and personal problems. Many of the voters, as well as fans in New York, have always viewed Strawberry as the ultimate "what might have been" story. He finished with 335 homers in a career that stretched from 1983 to 1999. But only 55 of those long balls came during the last eight years of his career, during which he only averaged 41 games a season. Bob Klapisch, the national baseball columnist for The Record (Hackensack, N.J.), covered Strawberry throughout his heyday with the Mets and during his feel-good comeback years at the end of his career with the Yankees. He was as close to Strawberry as any writer of the era, and doesn't expect much activity in the way of votes. "He's going to get votes, probably votes that are sentimental and nostalgic," Klapisch said. "But he certainly didn't do enough in his career. His golden era wasn't long enough the same way Don Mattingly's wasn't. And it's too bad, because he had all the talent to be a first-round guy. Fortunately, he'd be the first guy to tell you he wasted so much of that potential. But I do think people will vote for him. "You only got the sense of how great he was looking back. With Darryl, at the time, the horizon was unlimited. Whatever he didn't do this year, you always thought he would do next year. [In 1987], he had 39 homers and the Mets were out of it the final weekend of the season and Darryl decided not to play the last few games in St. Louis. He passed up the chance to get 40, and that was his attitude. Put it off until next year, and he never got to 40. He had a lack of appreciation for how short a career could be and how much he would throw away." Keith Hernandez was the Mets' co-captain, along with Gary Carter, during the club's great run in the Eighties. There are many who believe that Hernandez and Carter were the two best players on that team and that Hernandez should be in the Hall of Fame alongside Carter. Hernandez, however, feels that it's unfair to compare what he and Carter did for the Mets to what Strawberry accomplished because they were veterans and he was so young. Strawberry came to the Mets as the No. 1 pick in the 1980 draft. He burst onto the scene as the National League Rookie of the Year in 1983 and went on to become an eight-time All-Star. But he only led the league in home runs once (in 1988), and never won a Most Valuable Player award. "I think his lifestyle did him in, the not taking care of himself," Hernandez said. "A lot of us didn't take great care of ourselves, but from my experience, there are those who know their limits and how to be able to play and perform. You have to know when to shut it down and what hour you need to get some sleep. "Some guys are able to recognize their bodies. Drugs and alcohol are the worst things that ever happened to him. I had problems with that; I pulled out of it. I didn't think Darryl could do that. I always thought he could have been the next Willie McCovey, and he would have been. He might have blossomed and gotten stronger. There's no telling what Darryl might have become. I think he would have been the force in the National League." Strawberry left the Mets after the 1990 season and signed with the Dodgers as a free agent. He played only one full season in Los Angeles and parts of two others before seeing action in 29 games with the Giants in 1994. Strawberry spent his final six seasons with the Yankees, but he doesn't talk much about his baseball career anymore. He works with a Florida-based church these days, and prefers to focus on his ministry rather than the days when he was one of the game's most feared sluggers. "Obviously it was the classic case of what might have been," said Bill Madden, the longtime national baseball columnist for the New York Daily News. "I go back to when my kids were collecting baseball cards, and a Darryl rookie card was going for 10 bucks in 1986. That was a sure sign of a future Hall of Famer, and now I can't imagine he'll get more than 20 votes. It's sad. "A lot of people don't have sympathy for Darryl, but in my opinion he was never a jerk. He made a lot of huge mistakes and was hardly a role model for my kids to emulate, but I knew him very well. There was nothing Darryl wouldn't do for you, and he was always cooperative with the writers. He was a good-hearted person who got overwhelmed by the fame and the whole shouting match that comes with becoming a ballplayer right out of high school. It all went to his head and the wrong people got their tentacles into him. So yeah, it's sad. But I think, from what I can gather, the last couple of years, he has found peace. At least I hope he has." |
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| Darryl Strawberry's Resume Teams: Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Yankees Key stats: 3,146 hits, .304 career BA Awards: Rookie of Year, '83 Best HOF vote Pct.: 1st year on the ballot Peers in Hall: None |
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| Slugging trio near Hall election Dawson, Parker and Rice each deserve consideration Election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame is a difficult, not to mention unlikely, proposition. On this year's ballot, for instance, there are three sluggers who had exceptional careers, but who have remained merely candidates, not inductees. Jim Rice, Andre Dawson and Dave Parker, in their primes, defined the term "dangerous hitter." Each of them had significant individual achievements. Each of them was a genuine star of the game. None of them has been elected, in a combined 24 years on the ballot. Rice and Dawson are at least in the neighborhood of election. In the 2004 Hall balloting, Rice received 54.5 percent of the votes cast, while Dawson had 50 percent. Those totals were still considerably short of the necessary 75 percent, but they placed Rice and Dawson fifth and sixth in the voting, in which only Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley received enough votes for induction. That makes Rice and Dawson at least contenders. Parker was named on only 10.5 percent of the ballots, placing 16th. And this is a player who, at the peak of his prowess, was truly something special. He was the National League MVP in 1978, when he had 30 home runs, 117 RBIs and a .334 batting average. Parker finished in the top 10 of MVP voting on five other occasions. He was elected to seven All-Star teams. He twice led the NL in slugging percentage, won consecutive batting titles (1977 and '78) and three times led in total bases. Parker's career offensive numbers rank respectably -- 30th all-time in doubles, 34th in RBIs, 38th in total bases, 38th in extra-base hits, 22nd in intentional walks. And, in his prime, he was a superior outfielder, winning three consecutive Gold Gloves (1977-79). When he played with the Pirates, his arm was compared with that of another outfielder in Pittsburgh history, Roberto Clemente. Parker was "The Cobra," a big man, with talent to match. He was a force on the Pirates' World Series champions in 1979. And yet, he doesn't get close to election to the Hall. He had some astounding seasons, but not enough of them. His career home runs -- 339 -- and his career batting average -- .290 -- are not, in combination, generally regarded as the stuff of Hall greatness. His was a superlative career, but it does not appear to be headed toward Cooperstown. Dawson's candidacy comes with even more comprehensive credentials. He finished 24th all-time in total bases, 41st in doubles, 30th in home runs, 24th in RBIs, 21st in extra-base hits, and seventh in sacrifice flies. Plus, he was a superlative outfielder, winning eight Gold Gloves, including six in a row from 1980 through 1985. And he could run. He had 314 career stolen bases, including seven straight seasons early in his career with more than 20 steals. He sustained his level of play over time, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1977, and producing his best offensive season a decade later. "Hawk" was the NL MVP in 1987 with a season in which he dominated with 49 home runs and 137 RBIs, in a time before power numbers had become inflated. Exactly half of the 2004 voters found this to be a Hall of Fame career. In the end, Dawson's 438 home runs were short of the benchmark 500, and his lifetime average, brought down substantially in his later years, was .279. No one can deny the significance of this career, but the debate about whether it reaches the ultimate Hall of Fame level is apparently an even argument. The best Hall of Fame argument of the three, based on the voting and based on the number of superior seasons, belongs to Rice, who has always had considerable support in his 10 seasons on the Hall of Fame ballot. His best season for the Boston Red Sox was 1978, his MVP year, in which he had 46 home runs and 139 RBIs. But there were also five other seasons in which he finished in the top five in MVP voting. Rice led the American League three times in home runs, in slugging percentage twice, and even in triples once. He had eight 100-plus RBI seasons, seven .300 seasons, and four 200-plus hit seasons. It is remembered by relatively few, in light of the way things worked out, but he did hit .333, with six runs scored, in the 1986 World Series. His lifetime slugging percentage was .502, compared with .482 for Dawson and .471 for Parker. His lifetime average (.298) also betters the other two. It was impossible not to view Jim Rice from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s and not see that he was an imposing force. He wins if the Hall of Fame requires a mere majority, but it requires more than that, and he hasn't yet won. His 382 home runs somehow become, in this context, not enough. The worth of these three players from one baseball generation ago, their overall value to their teams, their records as run producers of the first rank, none of it can be disputed. But when it comes to the Hall of Fame, there the argument can exist. Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. |
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| Dave Parker's Resume Teams: Pirates, A's, Reds, Brewers, Angels, Blue Jays Key stats: 1,491 RBIs, 339 Home runs Awards: Two NL batting titles, 1977-78, NL MVP (1978) Best HOF vote Pct.: 24.52 % in 1998 Peers in Hall: Gary Carter, Dave Winfield, Eddie Murray |
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| Jim Rice's Resume Teams: Red Sox Key stats: 1,451 RBIs, three-time AL HR champ Awards: MVP '78, eight-time All-Star Best HOF vote Pct.: 58% in 2001 Peers in Hall: Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Robin Yount |
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| Andre Dawson Article Because I Can't Find His Resume: Whatever the reasons, Andre Dawson is not in the Hall of Fame. Whether his exclusion from Cooperstown is due to an emphasis on a negative statistic or the fact he played for a number of weak teams, it is time to put to rest the flimsy excuses and rectify this injustice. Dawson's numbers alone merit his induction: 438 homers, 1,591 RBIs, 2,774 hits, 314 stolen bases and 1,039 extra-base hits to go with a .279 career batting average. His detractors point to Dawson's .323 career on-base percentage as reason not to vote for him, but does one negative outweigh all of the other impressive statistical measures of Dawson's career? Dawson was a very special player, arguably the best power hitter of his generation and an outstanding defensive player who overcame two bad knees and several bad teams to forge one of the better careers of his generation. • He's the only eligible player with more than 1,000 career extra-base hits not in the Hall of Fame. • He's the only player ranked in the top 25 in career total bases not in the Hall of Fame. • Dawson is the only eligible player with 400 career homers and 300 stolen bases not in the Hall. The only other player to reach both of those milestones is Barry Bonds. • Dawson and Harold Baines are the only eligible players among the 42 who amassed 1,500 or more career RBIs not already enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Such accomplishments are undeniably worthy of Hall membership, and yet Dawson has so much more on his resume. He was an eight-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove winner, 1977 National League Rookie of the Year and 1987 National League MVP (he was runnerup in 1981 and '83). Dawson was the first player to win the MVP Award for a last-place team. For all the criticism about his on-base percentage, Dawson still finished in the top 10 in the league in on-base plus slugging percentage six times. Dawson's career certainly stacks up with those who played his position who are already enshrined. There are two dozen right fielders in the Hall -- including all-time greats like Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Roberto Clemente -- and as a group the right fielders averaged 1,345 RBIs, 260 homers and a .308 batting average. Dawson trails significantly in average and on-base percentage but compares favorably in the majority of the other statistical measurements. In 21 seasons, it was not uncommon for Dawson to play hurt. And if character counts for anything, he scores high as one of the true class acts of the game. Fortunately more voters are apparently seeing the light. In each of the three years Dawson has been on the ballot, his total has increased. After receiving 214 votes in 2002, Dawson's total grew to 248 in '03 and he was named on 50 percent of the ballots last winter with 253 votes. Perhaps justice will finally be served. Jim Molony is a writer for MLB.com based in Houston. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. |
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| JIM ABBOTT: 1st year on the ballot ... Born without a right hand and pitched 10 seasons ... Pitched a 4-0 no-hitter vs. Cleveland Indians (September 4, 1993) ... 3rd in Cy Young Award voting in 1991 ... Posted career highs in wins (18) and strikeouts (158) in 1991 and a 2.77 ERA in 1992 ... Named left-handed pitcher on The Sporting News AL All-Star team in 1991 ... Member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic baseball team. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1989-'96, 87-108 4.25 263 254 31 6 0 1674 1779 620 888 '98-'99 |
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| BERT BLYLEVEN: 8th year on the ballot ... Pitched 22 seasons ... Ranks 5th all-time in strikeouts, 8th in starts, 9th in shutouts, 24th in wins, and 7th in innings pitched ... Led AL in shutouts three times (1973, '85, '89), innings twice (1985, '86), complete games once (1985), and strikeouts once (1985) ... Tabbed by The Sporting News as AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year (1970) and Comeback Player of the Year (1989) ... One 20-win season (1973) and eight 200-plus strikeout seasons ... Received AL Cy Young votes in 1973 (T7th), '84 (3rd), '85 (T-3rd), and '89 (4th) ... Two All-Star teams (1973, '85) ... Pitched a 6-0 no-hitter against the California Angels on Sept. 22, 1977 ... Shares AL single-game record for longest one-hit complete game - 10 innings (June 21, 1976) ... Three League Championship Series (1970, '79, '87); owns a 3-0 record with a 2.59 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 24 1/3 LCS innings ... Two World Series (1979, '87); owns a 2-1 record with a 2.35 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 23 WS innings ... Member of two WS championship teams in 1979 and '87. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1970-'90, 287-250 3.31 692 685 242 60 0 4970 4632 1322 3701 '92 |
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| WADE BOGGS: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 18 seasons ... Five-time AL batting champion, surpassed only by Ty Cobb (12), Tony Gwynn and Honus Wagner (8 each), Rod Carew, Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial (7 each) and Ted Williams (6) ... Fifteen seasons with .300-plus batting average (including 10 consecutive); led AL five times in 1983 (.361), '85 (.368), '86 (.357), '87 (.363), and '88 (.366) ... Seven consecutive 100-run seasons, seven consecutive 200-hit seasons (AL record), hit 30-plus doubles nine consecutive seasons, 40-plus doubles eight times, 50-plus doubles once, 20-plus HR once ... Four career grand slams ... Ranks 26th all-time in batting average, 19th in on-base percentage, 48th in at-bats, 23rd in hits, 14th in doubles, 22nd in BB, tied for 32nd in sacrifice flies, and 19th in intentional BB ... Won two AL Gold Glove awards (1994, '95) ... Finished in top 10 AL MVP voting four times: 1985 (4th), '86 (7th), '87 (9th), and '88 (6th) ... Finished 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1982 ... Selected to All-Star Game 12 times, all consecutively (1985-'96); batted .321 in 28 ASG at-bats ... Had 28-game hitting streak in 1985 (June 24-July 25); 25-game hitting streak in 1987 (May 28-June 24); 20-game hitting streak in 1986 (Aug. 29-Sept.18) ... Shares ML single-season record for most games with at least one hit (135) in 1985 ... Led AL in on-base percentage six times: 1983 (.444), '85 (.450), '86 (.453), '87 (.461), '88 (.476), and '89 (.430) ... Holds AL record for most seasons and consecutive seasons leading league in intentional BB (6) from 1987-'92 ... Led AL in intentional BB five times: 1987 (19), '89 (19), '90 (19), '92 (19), '91 (25), and tied for the lead in 1988 (18) ... Led AL third basemen in DP four times: 1984 (30), '87 (37), '89 (29), and '93 (29); total chances in 1985 (486); fielding percentage twice in 1993 (.970) and '95 (.981); putouts three times in 1986 (121), '88 (122), and '89 (123); and assists once in 1993 (311) ... Three AL Division Series (1995, '96, '97); batted .237 with 5 RBI in 38 ALDS at-bats ... Four AL Championship Series (1986, '88, '90, '96); batted .284 with 6 RBI in 74 ALCS at-bats ... Two World Series (1986, '96); batted .286 in 42 WS at-bats ... Member of 1996 WS championship team. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1982-'99 .328 2440 9180 1513 3010 578 61 118 1014 1412 745 24 .415 .443 |
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| [b]TOM CANDIOTTI: 1st year on the ballot ... Pitched 16 seasons ... Led AL with 17 complete games in 1986 ... Posted career highs in wins (16), games started (34), complete games (17), shutouts (3), innings pitched (252 1/3), and strikeouts (167) in 1986 ... Pitched a 2-0 one-hit, complete-game victory vs. New York Yankees (August 3, 1987) ... 2nd in AL in ERA (2.65) in 1991 ... One NL Division Series (1996); did not allow an earned run in two NLDS innings ... One AL Championship Series (1991); owns an 8.22 ERA in 7 2/3 ALCS innings. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1983-84, 151-164 3.73 451 410 68 11 0 2725 2662 883 1735 '86-99 |
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| DAVE CONCEPCION: 12th year on the ballot ... Played 19 seasons, all with the Cincinnati Reds ... Won five Gold Gloves (1974-'77, '79) ... Named to nine All-Star teams (1973, '75-'82), earned 1982 ASG MVP; batted .250 with two RBI in 12 ASG at-bats ... Finished in top 10 in NL MVP voting in 1979 (9th) and '81 (4th) ... Ranks tied for 45th in games played ... Three .300 seasons (1978, '81, '87) ... Two years with 30-plus doubles (1978, '80) ... Led NL in game-winning RBI (14) in 1981 ... Led NL shortstops in total chances (805) and assists (536) in 1974 ... Led NL shortstops in total chances (837), putouts (304) and assists (506) in 1976 ... Led NL shortstops in fielding average (.986) in 1977 ... Tied for NL lead among shortstops in DP (102) in 1979 ... Tied for most DP by a shortstop in a game (5) on June 25, 1975 ... Five NL Championship Series (1970, '72, '75, '76, '79); batted .351 in 37 NLCS at-bats ... Four World Series (1970, '72, '75, '76); batted .266 with 12 RBI and three triples in 64 WS at-bats ... Member of two WS championship teams, 1975-'76. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1970-88 .267 2488 8723 993 2326 389 48 101 950 736 1186 321 .322 .357 |
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| CHILI DAVIS: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 19 seasons ... Named to three All-Star teams (1984, '86, '94) ... Hit 30-plus doubles twice, 20-plus HR 10 times, 30-plus HR once, 100-plus RBI once, and .300-plus batting average three times ... Switch-hit home runs in one game 11 times ... Hit eight career grand slams ... Tied for AL lead with 10 sacrifice flies in 1988 ... Had career highs in at-bats (641), hits (167), triples (6), and stolen bases (24) in 1982 ... Ranks tied for 40th in sacrifice flies and tied for 15th in intentional bases on balls ... Tied for NL lead with 16 OF assists in 1982 ... Two AL Division Series (1998, '99); batted .222 in nine ALDS at-bats ... Four League Championship Series (1987, '91, '98, '99); batted .210 with eight RBI and one HR in 62 LCS at-bats ... Three World Series (1991, '98, '99); batted .207 with six RBI and two HR in 29 WS at-bats ... Member of three WS championship teams (1991, '98, '99). YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1981-99 .274 2436 8673 1240 2380 424 30 350 1372 1194 1698 142 .360 .451 |
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| ANDRE DAWSON: 4th year on the ballot ... Played 21 seasons ... Named NL Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA and The Sporting News in 1977 ... Won the NL MVP Award in 1987 ... Finished in top 10 NL MVP voting in 1980 (7th), '81 (2nd), and '83 (2nd) ... Won eight Gold Glove awards (1980-'85, '87-'88) ... Twice named NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News (1981, '87) ... Eight All-Star teams (1981-'83, '87-'91), batted .238 in 21 ASG at-bats ... Five seasons with .300-plus batting average ... 100-plus RBI four times, 20-plus HR thirteen times, 30-plus HR three times, 40-plus HR once, 30-plus doubles five times, 40-plus doubles once ... Hit seven career grand slams ... Ranks 24th all-time in games played, 25th in at-bats, 43rd in hits, 24th in total bases, 41st in doubles, 30th in HR, 24th in RBI, 21st in extra-base hits, and 7th in sacrifice flies ... Hit three HR in a game twice (Sept. 24, 1985 and Aug. 1, 1987) ... Tied for NL lead in game-winning RBI (16) in 1987 ... Hit for the cycle on Apr. 29, 1987 ... Tied for NL lead in hits (189) in 1983 and led NL in HR (49) and RBI (137) in 1987 ... Holds ML record for most intentional BB in single game (5) on May 22, 1990 (16 innings) ... Tied ML record for most total bases (8) and HR (2) in one inning twice on July 30, 1978 and Sept. 24, 1985 ... Led NL in total bases (341) in 1983 and (353) in 1987 ... Led NL in sacrifice flies (18) in 1983 ... Tied for NL lead in intentional BB (21) in 1990 ... Led NL outfielders in total chances for three seasons, consecutively (1981-'83) ... One NL Division Series (1981); batted .300 in 20 NLDS at-bats ... Two NL Championship Series (1981, '89); batted .128 with three RBI in 39 NLCS at-bats. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1976-96 .279 2627 9927 1373 2774 503 98 438 1591 589 1509 314 .323 .482 |
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| STEVE GARVEY: 13th year on the ballot ... Played 19 seasons ... Won the 1974 NL MVP ... Also finished in top 10 in NL MVP voting in 1976 (T6th), '77 (6th), '78 (2nd) and '80 (6th) ... All-time major league fielding leader among first basemen (.9959) ... Ten All-Star teams, including eight consecutively (1974-'81, '84-'85); batted .393 with seven RBI and two HR in 28 ASG at-bats ... Holds ASG record for most games played at 1B (10) ... Named ASG MVP in 1974 and '78 ... Won four NL Gold Gloves, consecutively (1974-'77) ... Eight seasons with .300-plus batting average and six seasons with 200-plus hits ... 100-plus RBI five times, 20-plus HR six times, and 30-plus doubles seven times ... Led NL in hits twice (1978, '80) ... Holds ML records among 1B for most consecutive errorless games, season (159), in 1984 (entire season); most consecutive errorless chances, season (1,319), 1984; and most consecutive errorless games, career (193), 1983-'85 ... Holds NL record for most consecutive errorless chances accepted, 1B, (1,633), 1983-85 ... Led NL 1B in games nine times (1975-'81, '84-'85), putouts six times (1974-'78, '85), fielding average five times (1975-'77, '81, '84), total chances five times (1974,'75, '77, '78, '85), and DPs once (1985) ... One NL Division Series (1981); batted .368 with four RBI and two HR in 19 NLDS at-bats ... Five NL Championship Series (1974, '77, '78, '81, '84); hit .356 in 90 NLCS at-bats ... Holds career NLCS record for HR (8) and RBI (21) ... Named MVP of NLCS (1978, '84) ... Five World Series (1974, '77, '78, '81, '84); batted .319 with six RBI and five doubles in 113 WS at-bats ... Two errors in 55 post-season games ... Member of 1981 WS championship team. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1969-87 .294 2332 8835 1143 2599 440 43 272 1308 479 1003 83 .329 .446 |
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| RICH GOSSAGE: 6th year on the ballot ... Pitched 22 seasons ... Led the AL in saves three times (1975, '78, '80) ... Two seasons with 30-plus saves ... Named The Sporting News AL Fireman of the Year in 1975 and '78 ... Named to nine All-Star teams (1975-'78, '80-'82, '84-'85) ... Finished in top 10 in AL MVP voting twice in 1980 (3rd) and '81 (9th) ... Received Cy Young Award votes in 1975 (T6th), '78 (5th), '80 (3rd), '81 (6th) and '84 (5th) ... Ranks 15th all-time in saves and 9th in games pitched ... One AL Division Series (1981); three saves and no earned runs in 6 2/3 ALDS innings ... Four League Championship Series (1978, '80, '81, '84); owns 4.91 ERA and three saves in 11 LCS innings ... Three World Series (1978, '81, '84); owns 2.63 ERA and two saves in 13 2/3 WS innings ... Member of 1978 WS championship team. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1972-89, 124-107 3.01 1002 37 16 0 310 1809.1 1497 732 1502 91-94 |
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| TOMMY JOHN: 11th year on the ballot ... Pitched 26 seasons ... Three 20-win seasons ... Ranks 23rd on the all-time win list, 6th in games started, 17th in innings pitched, and tied for 26th in shutouts ... Four All-Star teams (1968, '78-'80) ... Received Cy Young Award votes four times: 1977 (2nd), '78 (T8th), '79 (2nd) and '80 (4th) ... Named NL Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News (1976) ... Led AL in shutouts in 1966, '67, and '80 and NL in winning percentage once in 1974 (13-3, .813) ... With 26 years played, tied for 2nd most in ML history and 2nd most among pitchers ... One AL Division Series (1981); owns a 6.43 ERA in 7 ALDS innings ... Five League Championship Series (1977-'78, '80-'82); owns a 4-1 record with a 2.08 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 47 2/3 LCS innings ... Three World Series (1977, '78, '81); owns a 2-1 record with a 2.67 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 33 2/3 WS innings. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1963-74, 288-231 3.34 760 700 162 46 1 4707.1 4783 1259 2245 76-89 |
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| MARK LANGSTON: 1st year on the ballot ... Pitched 16 seasons ... Won AL Gold Glove Award seven times (1987, '88, '91-'95) ... Named to four All-Star teams (1987, '91-'93); owns a 5.40 ERA with six strikeouts in five ASG innings ... Received top 10 AL Cy Young Award votes twice in 1987 (5th) and '91 (6th) ... Named AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News in 1984 ... Finished 2nd in BBWAA's AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1984 ... Pitched seven innings, combining with Mike Witt (two innings) in 1-0 no-hit victory vs. Seattle Mariners (Apr. 11, 1990) ... Pitched a 3-0 one-hit complete-game victory vs. Texas Rangers (Sept. 24, 1988) ... Struck out 15 batters in one game (Jun. 25, 1986) and 16 batters in one game (May 10, 1988) ... Five 200-plus strikeout seasons ... Threw 14 complete games and totaled 19 wins during 1987 season ... Averaged 247 innings pitched from 1986-'93 ... Led AL in strikeouts three times (1984, '86, '87) ... Ranks 29th on the all-time strikeout list ... One NL Championship Series (1998); 1 1/3 scoreless innings pitched ... One World Series appearance (1998), going 0-1, allowing 3 earned runs in 0.2 of an inning. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1984-99 179-158 3.97 457 428 81 18 0 2962.2 2723 1289 2464 |
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| DON MATTINGLY: 5th year on the ballot ... Played 14 seasons, all with the New York Yankees ... Won 1985 AL MVP Award ... Also finished in top 10 of AL MVP voting in 1984 (5th), '86 (2nd) and '87 (7th) ... Won AL Gold Glove award nine times (1985-'89, '91-'94) ... Named AL Player of the Year by The Sporting News three times, consecutively (1984-'86) ... Named ML Player of the Year by The Sporting News (1985) ... Six All-Star teams, consecutively (1984-'89) ... Seven seasons with .300-plus batting average ... 20-plus HR five times, 30-plus HR three times, 30-plus doubles nine times, 40-plus doubles four times, 100-plus RBI five times and 100-plus runs twice ... Led AL in batting (.343, 1984), RBI (145, 1985), doubles three times (1984-'86), hits twice (1984, '86), and slugging percentage (.573, 1986) ... Led AL in total bases twice (1985-'86) ... Led AL in sacrifice flies (15, 1985) ... Holds ML records for most HR in seven consecutive games (9) and eight consecutive games (10) ... Shares ML record with a HR in eight consecutive games ... Holds ML single-season record for most grand slams (6) in 1987 ... Shares ML record for most doubles in one inning (2) ... Shares ML single-game record for most sacrifice flies (3) ... Ranks 2nd all-time in fielding percentage among first basemen (.9958) ... Led AL 1B in fielding percentage seven times (1984-'87, '92-'94), in putouts and total chances (1986) and in double plays (1985, '91) ... Shares ML record for most putouts and total chances by a 1B in a nine-inning game (22) ... One AL Division Series (1995); batted .417 with six RBI, four doubles, and one HR in 24 ALDS at-bats. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1982-95 .307 1785 7003 1007 2153 442 20 222 1099 588 444 14 .358 .471 |
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| JACK McDOWELL: 1st year on the ballot ... Pitched 12 seasons ... Named AL Cy Young Award winner in 1993 ... Received top 10 AL Cy Young Award votes in 1991 (T9th) and '92 (2nd) ... Named AL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News in 1993 ... Named to three All-Star Games, consecutively (1991-'93); did not allow an earned run in 4 ASG innings ... Finished in the top 10 AL MVP voting in 1993 (9th) ... Pitched a one-hit, complete-game victory vs. Milwaukee Brewers (15-1, Jul. 14, 1991) ... Led AL in wins in 1993 (22), complete games in 1991 (15), '92 (13), and '95 (8), shutouts in 1993 (4), and tied for the AL lead in games started in 1991 (35) and '94 (25) ... Two 20-plus win seasons (1992, '93) ... Two AL Division Series (1995, '96); with a 7.82 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 12 2/3 ALDS innings ... One AL Championship Series (1993). YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1987-88, 127-87 3.85 277 275 62 13 0 1889 1854 606 1311 90-99 |
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| WILLIE MCGEE: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 18 seasons ... Named NL MVP by BBWAA and NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1985, with career highs in hits (216), runs scored (114), triples (18), batting average (.353), and stolen bases (56) ... Won NL Gold Glove award three times (1983, '85, '86) ... Selected to four All-Star teams (1983, '85, '87, '88); batted .200 with two RBI in 10 ASG at-bats ... Holds modern NL single-season record for highest batting average by switch hitter (.353) in 1985 ... Finished 3rd in 1982 NL Rookie of the Year Award voting ... Led NL in hits (1985), triples ('85), batting average twice ('85, '90), and fielding percentage by an outfielder ('86) ... Six .300-plus batting average seasons ... 100-plus runs scored once, 200-plus hits once, 30-plus doubles three times, 100-plus RBI once, 20-plus stolen bases six times, 30-plus stolen bases five times, 40-plus stolen bases three times, and 50-plus stolen bases once ... Hit for the cycle June 23, 1984 ... Had 22-game hitting streak (July 5-Aug. 1, 1990) ... Two career grand slams ... Tied for NL lead in double plays by OF (3) in 1991 ... Two Division Series (1995, '96); batted .143 with two RBI in 14 DS at-bats ... Five League Championship Series (1982, '85, '87, '90, '96); batted .292 with 10 RBI, one HR, three doubles, three triples, four stolen bases, and 15 runs scored in 89 LCS at-bats ... Shares LCS single-series record for most triples (2) in 1982 and NL career record for most triples (3) ... Four World Series (1982, '85, '87, '90); batted .281 with 11 RBI, three HR, five doubles, four stolen bases, and 11 runs scored in 89 WS at-bats ... Member of 1982 WS championship team. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1982-99 .295 2201 7649 1010 2254 350 94 79 856 448 1238 352 .333 .396 |
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| JEFF MONTGOMERY: 1st year on the ballot ... Pitched 13 seasons, 12 with the Kansas City Royals ... Named AL Fireman of the Year by The Sporting News and won the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award in 1993 ... Named to three All-Star teams (1992, '93, '96); owns a 10.80 ERA in 1 2/3 ASG innings ... Five 30-plus save seasons and one 40-plus save season ... Ranks 16th on the all-time saves list and tied for 18th in games finished ... Tied for AL lead in saves with 45 in 1993 ... Established a career low 1.37 ERA and career high 94 strikeouts during 1989 season ... Shares ML record for striking out side on nine pitches (Apr. 29, 1990) ... Holds Kansas City Royals all-time record for most games pitched (686) and most saves (304). YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1987-99 46-52 3.27 700 1 0 0 304 868.2 785 296 733 |
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| JACK MORRIS: 6th year on the ballot ... Pitched 18 seasons, 14 with the Detroit Tigers ... Three 20-win seasons, 11 seasons with 200-plus innings and three 200-strikeout campaigns ... Received Cy Young Award votes seven times: 1981 (3rd), '83 (3rd), '84 (T7th), '86 (5th), '87 (9th), '91 (4th) and '92 (5th) ... Made 14 Opening Day starts, tied with Steve Carlton and Walter Johnson for second-most ever, two behind Tom Seaver (16) ... Named AL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News (1981) ... Named to five All-Star teams (1981, '84, '85, '87, '91); started games in 1981, '85 and '91; owns a 2.53 ERA with eight strikeouts in 10 2/3 ASG innings ... Named WS MVP in 1991 with a 2-0 record, 1.17 ERA, and a 10-inning 1-0 victory in Game Seven ... Ranks 28th all-time in strikeouts, tied for 32nd in starts, tied for 38th in wins, and 31st in innings ... Tossed a 4-0 no-hitter vs. the Chicago White Sox on April 7, 1984 ... Led all ML pitchers in the 1980s with 162 wins, 133 complete games, 332 starts and 2,443 innings ... Held AL record for most consecutive starting assignments (515) before broken by Roger Clemens in 2001 ... Topped AL in strikeouts (232) and innings (293 2/3) in 1983, and shutouts (6) in 1986 ... Tied for the AL lead in wins twice (1981, '92), starts twice (1990, '91) and complete games once (1990) ... Holds AL career record for most putouts by a pitcher (387) ... Four AL Championship Series (1984, '87, '91, '92); owns a 3-2 record with a 4.87 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 40 2/3 ALCS innings ... Three World Series (1984, '91, '92); owns a record of 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 51 2/3 WS innings ... Member of three WS championship teams in 1984, '91 and '92. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1977-94 254-186 3.90 549 527 175 28 0 3824 3567 1390 2478 |
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| DALE MURPHY: 7th year on the ballot ... Played 18 seasons, 15 with the Atlanta Braves ... Won NL MVP Award twice in 1982-'83 ... Also finished in the top 10 of MVP voting in 1984 (9th) and '85 (7th) ... Twice named The Sporting News' NL Player of the Year in 1982-'83 ... Seven All-Star teams (1980, '82-'87); batted .267 with two RBI and one HR in 15 ASG at-bats ... Won five Gold Gloves, consecutively (1982-'86) ... Three .300-plus seasons ... Hit 20-plus HR 12 times, 30-plus HR six times, 40-plus HR once, 100-plus RBI five times, 100-plus run scored four times, and 30-plus doubles four times ... Ranks 41st on the all-time HR list ... Hit three HR in one game on May 18, 1979 ... Led the NL in games four times, consecutively (1982-'85), slugging percentage twice (1983, '84), HR (1985), RBI (1983), runs (1985), total bases ('84) and walks ('85) ... Also tied for HR lead (1984) and RBI lead (1982) ... In the 1980s, batted .273 and averaged 31 HR and 93 RBI each season ... From 1982 through '85, hit .293 and averaged 162 games, 36 HR and 110 RBI ... Shares ML record for most seasons leading the league in games played by an outfielder (6) ... One NL Championship Series (1982); batted .273 in 11 NLCS at-bats. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1976-93 .265 2180 7960 1197 2111 350 39 398 1266 986 1748 161 .346 .469 |
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| OTIS NIXON: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 17 seasons ... Shares modern ML single-game record for most stolen bases (6) on June 16, 1991 ... 20-plus stolen bases 14 times, 30-plus stolen bases 11 times, 40-plus stolen bases nine times, 50-plus stolen bases five times, 70-plus stolen bases once ... Ranks 15th all-time in stolen bases ... In 1991, recorded a career high .297 batting average with 72 stolen bases ... Had 20-game hitting streak (July 11-31, 1991) ... One NL Division Series (1999) ... Three NL Championship Series (1992, '93, '99); batted .314 with six RBI, four doubles, five stolen bases, and nine runs scored in 51 NLCS at-bats ... Shares NLCS single-game record for most hits (4) on Oct. 10, 1992 ... Two World Series (1992, '99); batted .310 with one RBI and five stolen bases in 29 WS at-bats ... Owns a postseason batting average of .321 in 24 games. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1983-99 .270 1709 5115 878 1379 142 27 11 318 585 694 620 .343 .314 |
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| DAVE PARKER: 9th year on the ballot ... Played 19 seasons ... Named NL MVP by BBWAA and The Sporting News Player of the Year in 1978 ... Finished in top 10 MVP voting five other times: 1975 (3rd), '77 (3rd), '79 (10th), '85 (2nd) and '86 (5th) ... Won three Gold Gloves, consecutively (1977-'79) ... Elected to seven All-Star teams (1977, '79-'81, '85, '86, '90); batted .267 with two RBI and one HR in 15 ASG at-bats ... Named 1979 ASG MVP ... Ranks 30th all-time in doubles, 34th in RBI, 38th in total bases, 40th in at-bats, 38th in extra-base hits, and 22nd in intentional walks ... Six .300-plus seasons, including five consecutive (1975-'79) ... Won consecutive NL batting titles in 1977 (.338) and '78 (.334) ... Four 100-RBI seasons (led NL in 1985 with 125), three 100-run seasons (consecutively from 1977-'79), nine 20-plus HR seasons, three 30-plus HR seasons, eight seasons of 30-plus doubles, and three seasons of 40-plus doubles (led NL in 1977 and '85) ... Led the NL in slugging percentage in 1975 (.541) and '78 (.585) ... Topped NL in total bases in 1978 (340), '85 (350) and '86 (304) ... Led NL in intentional walks in 1978 (23) and tied for intentional walks in '85 (24) ... Led AL in sacrifice flies in 1990 (14) and tied for NL lead in 1979 (9) ... Tied for NL lead with 16 game-winning RBI in 1987 ... Led NL outfielders in putouts (389), assists (26), total chances (430) and double plays (9) in 1977 ... Five League Championship Series (1974, '75, '79, '88, '89); batted .190 with five RBI, two HR, and seven runs scored in 58 LCS at-bats ... Three World Series (1979, '88, '89); batted .283 with six RBI, four doubles, and four runs scored in 53 WS at-bats ... Member of WS championship teams in 1979 and '89. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1973-91 .290 2466 9358 1272 2712 526 75 339 1493 683 1537 154 .339 .471 |
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| TONY PHILLIPS: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 18 seasons ... Four seasons with 100-plus runs scored, two seasons with 30-plus doubles, and one season with 20-plus HR ... One .300-plus batting average season ... Led AL in runs scored once in 1992 (114) and bases on balls twice in 1993 (132) and '96 (125) ... Hit for the cycle on May 16, 1986 ... One career grand slam HR ... Ranks 31st in career bases on balls ... Shares ML single-game record for most assists by second baseman in a nine-inning game (12) on Jul. 6, 1986 ... Two AL Championship Series (1988, '89); batted .200 with one RBI and two stolen bases in 25 ALCS at-bats ... Two World Series (1988, '89); batted .238 with three RBI and one HR in 21 WS at-bats ... Member of 1989 WS championship team. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1982-99 .266 2161 7617 1300 2023 360 50 160 819 1319 1499 177 .374 .389 |
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| JIM RICE: 11th year on the ballot ... Played 16 seasons, all with the Boston Red Sox ... Named AL MVP by BBWAA and The Sporting News Player of the Year in 1978 ... Finished in top five MVP voting five other times: 1975 (3rd), '77 (4th), '79 (5th), '83 (4th), '86 (3rd) ... Finished 2nd in 1975 AL Rookie of the Year voting ... Eight All-Star teams (1977-'80, '83-'86); batted .200 in 20 ASG at-bats ... Led AL in HR three times (1977, '78, '83), RBI twice (1978, '83), slugging percentage twice (1977, '78), hits once (1978) and triples once (1978) ... Ranks 38th in career RBI, tied for 48th on all-time HR list, and tied for 40th in sacrifice flies ... Seven .300 seasons, four 200-plus hit seasons, three 100-plus run season (consecutively from 1977-'79), 30-plus doubles three times, 20-plus HR 11 times, 30-plus HR four times, 40-plus HR once, and 100-plus RBI eight times ... Two three-HR games (Aug. 29, 1977 and Aug. 29, 1983) ... Led AL in total bases four times in 1977 (382), '78 (406), '79 (369) and 1983 (344); his 1978 total of 406 total bases was the most since Stan Musial's 429 in 1948 ... Two AL Championship Series (1986, '88); batted .159 with seven RBI, two HR, and eight runs scored in 44 ALCS at-bats ... One World Series (1986); batted .333 with six runs scored in 27 WS at-bats. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1974-89 .298 2089 8225 1249 2452 373 79 382 1451 670 1423 58 .352 .502 |
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| RYNE SANDBERG: 3rd year on the ballot ... Played 16 seasons, 15 with the Chicago Cubs ... Named NL MVP by the BBWAA and ML and NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1984, when he batted .314, led NL in runs (114), assists (550) tied for lead in triples (19), and committed only six errors ... Also finished 4th in 1989 and '90 NL MVP voting ... Retired with more home runs than any other second baseman (277), a record surpassed in 2004 by Jeff Kent ... Finished 6th in 1982 NL Rookie of the Year voting ... Ranks 1st all-time for highest fielding percentage by a 2B (.989) ... Won nine NL Gold Gloves at 2B, consecutively (1983-'91) ... Holds ML career record for most consecutive errorless games by a 2B (123) ... Shares ML record for most years with 500 or more assists by a 2B (6) ... Selected to 10 All-Star teams, consecutively (1984-'93); batted .115 in 26 ASG at-bats ... Six seasons with 20-plus HR, two seasons with 30-plus HR, one season with 40 HR in 1990 (led NL), six seasons with 30-plus doubles, two seasons with 100-plus RBI, seven seasons with 100-plus runs scored ... Five .300-plus batting average campaigns and one 200-hit season ... Hit five career grand slams ... Led NL in runs scored in 1984 (114), '90 (116), and tied for lead in '89 (104) ... Led NL in total bases (344) in 1990 ... Holds ML single-season record for most consecutive errorless games by a 2B (90) in 1989 ... Led NL 2B in fielding percentage four times (1983, '84, '86, '91) ... Shares ML single-game record for most assists by a 2B (12) in a 9-inning game on June 12, 1983 ... Led NL 2B in double plays (126), assists (571), and fielding percentage (.986) in 1983 ... Led NL 2B in assists seven times (1983, '84, '86, '88, '90-'92) ... Led NL 2B in total chances four times in 1983 (914), '84 (870), '88 (824), and '92 (830) ... Two NL Championship Series (1984, '89); batted .385 with six RBI, seven extra-base hits, one HR, three stolen bases, and nine runs scored in 39 NLCS at-bats. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1981-94, .285 2164 8385 1318 2386 403 76 282 1061 7611260 344 .344 .452 96-97 |
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| LEE SMITH: 3rd year on the ballot ... Pitched 18 seasons ... Holds ML career record for most saves (478) ... All-time major league leader in games finished (802) and ranks 7th in games pitched (1022) ... Ranks 3rd in NL for most career saves (347) ... Named NL Fireman of the Year by The Sporting News in 1991 ... Named AL Fireman of the Year by The Sporting News in 1994 ... Named NL Co-Fireman of the Year by The Sporting News in 1983 and '92 ... Won the NL Rolaids Relief Award in 1991, '92 and AL Rolaids Relief Award in '94 ... Finished 8th in 1991 NL MVP Award voting ... Finished in top 10 in NL Cy Young Award voting three times in 1983 (T9th), '91 (2nd), and '92 (4th) ... Finished in top 10 in AL Cy Young Award balloting in 1994 (5th) ... Seven All-Star teams (1983, '87, '91-'95); with a 5.40 ERA in five ASG innings ... Led NL in saves three times (1983, '91, '92) and AL in saves once (1994) ... Thirteen consecutive seasons with 20-plus saves (1983-'95), 10 seasons with 30-plus saves, and three seasons with 40-plus saves ... Holds Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals all-time team records for most saves ... Holds NL career record for most consecutive errorless games by a pitcher (546) ... . Two League Championship Series (1984, '88); with one save in 5 1/3 LCS innings. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1980-97 71-92 3.03 1022 6 0 0 478 1290 1133 486 1251 |
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| TERRY STEINBACH: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 14 seasons ... 100 RBI once, 30-plus doubles once, and 30-plus HR once ... Selected to three All-Star teams (1988, '89, '93), ASG MVP in '88; batted .500 with three RBI and one HR in six ASG at-bats ... Hit HR in first ASG at-bat on Jul. 12, 1988 ... Hit HR in first major league at-bat on Sept. 12, 1986 ... Hit eight career grand slams ... Hit career highs in HR (35) and RBI (100) in 1996 ... Led AL catchers with .998 fielding percentage in 1994 ... Four AL Championship Series (1988-'90, '92); batted .296 with seven RBI and one HR in 54 ALCS at-bats ... Three World Series (1988-'90); batted .257 with seven RBI and one HR in 35 WS at-bats ... Member of 1989 WS championship team. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1986-99 .271 1546 5369 638 1453 273 21 162 745 418 938 23 .326 .420 |
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| DARRYL STRAWBERRY: 1st year on the ballot ... Played 17 seasons ... Named NL Rookie of the Year by BBWAA and NL Rookie Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1983 ... Finished in top 10 NL MVP voting four times in 1987 (6th), '88 (2nd), '90 (3rd), and '91 (9th) ... Selected to eight All-Star teams, consecutively (1984-'91); batted .333 in 12 ASG at-bats ... Three seasons with 100-plus RBI, and two seasons with 100-plus runs scored ... 30-plus doubles once, 20-plus HR ten times, 30-plus HR three times, 20-plus stolen bases five times, and 30-plus stolen bases once ... Led NL in HR in 1988 with 39 ... Hit three HR in one game twice (Aug. 5, 1985 and Aug. 6, 1996) ... Hit eight career grand slams ... Shares ML single-season record for most grand slam HR as a pinch hitter (2) in 1998 ... Led NL with .545 slugging percentage in 1988 ... Holds New York Mets all-time records for most runs scored (662), HR (252), and RBI (733) ... Three AL Division Series (1995, '96, '99); batted .154 with three RBI and one HR in 13 ALDS at-bats ... Four League Championship Series (1986, '88, '96, '99); batted .300 with 17 RBI and seven HR in 70 LCS at-bats ... Three World Series (1986, '96, '99); batted .209 with two RBI, one HR, and three stolen bases in 43 WS at-bats ... Member of four WS championship teams (1986, '96, '98, '99) ... Did not play in 1998 postseason due to illness. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1983-99 .259 1583 5418 898 1401 256 38 335 1000 816 1352 221 .357 .505 |
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| BRUCE SUTTER: 12th year on the ballot ... Pitched 12 seasons ... Revolutionized the split-fingered fastball ... Led NL in saves five times in 1979 (37), '80 (28), '81 (25), '82 (36), and '84 (45) and games finished once in 1984 (63) ... Ranks 18th on the all-time save list and 27th in games finished ... Finished in top 10 NL MVP voting five times in 1977 (7th), '79 (7th), '81 (8th), '82 (5th), and '84 (6th) ... Won NL Cy Young Award in 1979; earned votes four other times in 1977 (6th), '81(5th), '82 (4th), '84 (3rd) ... Named The Sporting News NL Fireman of Year and won the NL Rolaids Relief Award four times, 1979, '81, '82, and '84 ... Six All-Star teams (1977-'81, '84); owns a 2-0 record and did not allow an earned run in 6 2/3 ASG innings ... Pitched in 661 games, all in relief, and amassed 300 career saves ... Four 30-plus save seasons and one 40-plus save season ... Tied ML record by striking out the side on nine pitches, Sept. 8, 1977 (ninth inning) ... One NL Championship Series (1982); did not allow an earned run in 4 1/3 NLCS innings ... One World Series (1982); with two saves in 7 2/3 WS innings ... A 2-0 record with three saves and a 3.00 ERA in six postseason games ... Member of 1982 WS championship team. YRS W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H BB SO 1976-86, 88 68-71 2.84 661 0 0 0 300 1040.2 879 309 861 |
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| ALAN TRAMMELL: 4th year on the ballot ... Played 20 seasons, all with the Detroit Tigers ... Seven .300 batting average seasons, one season with 200-plus hits, one season with 100-plus RBI, and three seasons with 100-plus runs scored ... Finished in top 10 in MVP voting three times in 1984 (9th), '87 (2nd), and '88 (7th) ... Named WS MVP (1984); batted .450 with six RBI and two HR in 20 WS at-bats ... Shares single-game WS record for driving in all of team's runs (4) on Oct. 13, 1984 ... Six All-Star teams (1980, '84, '85, '87, '88, '90) ... Won four AL Gold Glove awards (1980, '81, '83, '84) ... Named 1983 AL Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News ... Finished tied for 4th in the 1978 BBWAA AL Rookie of the Year Award voting ... 20-plus HR twice, 30-plus doubles six times, 20-plus stolen bases three times, and 30-plus stolen bases once ... Five career grand slams ... Had 20-game hitting streak (Aug. 5-22, 1984) and 21-game hitting streak (May 24-June 16, 1987) ... Shares ML record for most years by a shortstop (20) ... Led AL in sacrifice hits in 1981 (16) and '83 (15) ... Led AL shortstops in double plays (102) in 1990 ... Two AL Championship Series (1984, '87); batted .258 with five RBI and one HR in 31 ALCS at-bats ... One World Series (1984); member of 1984 WS championship team. YRS AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP SLG 1977-96 .285 2293 8288 1231 2365 412 55 185 1003 850 874 236 .352 .415 |
| QUOTE (Charlotte Bobcat @ Dec 31 2004, 11:57 AM) |
| The last 8-9 years of his career is what hurts him. Kinda like Don Mattingly, as Strawberry had an exceptionally good first half of his career, but then it just died off while still having pretty good overall stats thanks to those great years. |