Introducing… Topsy Hartsel

An on-base percentage stud during The Deadball Era, Topsy Hartsel drew a ton of walks and used his swift legs to get himself into scoring position for Connie Mack’s powerhouse Philadelphia Athletics.  Hartsel, a left-handed batter, used his eagle-eye batting eye to reach first base more than the average Major Leaguer.  He posted an on-base percentage above .400 in five separate years during his Major League career.

Topsy broke in with the Louisville Colonels in 1898 but they had an all-300 hitting outfield in Hall of Famer Fred Clarke, star Dummy Hoy and Charlie Dexter.  It was more of the same for Hartsel in 1899.  The slight outfielder spent most of 1900 in the bushes at Indianapolis before his contract was bought by the Reds.  But Topsy’s contract was voided by the Reds and he was shipped back to the Hoosiers of Indianapolis.  The minor league club cashed in and sold Topsy to the Cubs in October of 1900.

Hartsel had a breakout year with the Cubs, scoring 111 runs on a .335 batting average, .414 on-base percentage and .475 slugging average.  But this was done during a time of league war, as Topsy was lured away from the old National League by the money offered from the upstart American League.  Hartsel joined the Athletics of Connie Mack and stayed there the rest of his Major League days. 

In his first year in the American League, Topsy led the AL in runs scored, walks and stolen bases.  It was players like Hartsel that showed baseball men that swift on-base studs were a boon for an organization.  They get on base, stole an extra base, and crossed the plate when the big bats socked ‘em.  In 1903, Topsy flexed his muscles and paced American League left fielders in homeruns and slugging average. 

Hartsel drew 75 walks (third in the AL) in 1904 and led AL left fielders in triples by posting his fourth straight season of a dozen of more three-baggers.  Topsy reached his peak in 1905 when he paced the junior circuit with 121 walks.  His high total of walks enabled him to pace the league in on-base percentage with a .409 mark.  This kicked off a four-year string in which Topsy paced the American League in walks.  More importantly, he made his first World Series appearance in ‘05.  The A’s couldn’t solve Giants pitching and the team hit at a miserable .161 clip but Hartsel had a respectable .235 batting average for the Fall Classic.

Again, Topsy paced the AL in walks in 1906, which allowed him to finish second in the runs scored department.  He drew 106 walks in 1907 and topped the league in on-base percentage with a .405 mark.  During The Deadball Era, a slugger was an uncommon sight and Topsy was the lone American League left fielder to reach 20 doubles during the 1907 season.

Topsy drew a league best 93 walks in 1908 and posted his fifth straight year of a higher on-base percentage than slugging average.  He hit .270 in 1909 and then led AL left fielders in walks during the A’s championship season in 1910.  Topsy scored a pair of runs in the Fall Classic, as the Mackmen defeated the Cubs.  But 1910 was Topsy’s last good year.  Reaching the end of the line, he played briefly for the A’s in 1911 before taking a job as manager of the minor league Toledo Mud Hens in 1912.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,351/R 824/H 1,334/2B 183/3B 92/HR 31/RBI 341/BB 837/SB 247/BA .276/SA .371

www.wikipedia.org

Introducing… Kid Gleason

Best known as the manager of the infamous Chicago Black Sox who handed the 1919 World Series to the Reds, Kid Gleason should be remembered more for his on-field accomplishments than piloting a team full of scabs.  Gleason was a terrific pitcher during the 1800s and when his arm went lame, he shifted to second base and excelled there as well.  However, his achievements as a player have been overshadowed by the crooked team that stabbed him in the back.

Kid made it to the Major Leagues in 1888 as a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, managed by Hall of Famer Harry Wright.  His finest year on the mound came in 1890 when he fashioned a 38-17 worksheet for the Phillies on a career best 2.63 ERA and an immense workload of 506 innings pitched.  Kid would then throw 418 innings in 1891 and another 400 innings in 1892.  It shouldn’t come as much of a shock that his numbers dipped drastically in 1893, but he was still able to notch 21 wins.

After four straight seasons of 20 or more wins, Gleason fell to 17 victories in 1894.  His last action on the mound came in 1895 with the old Baltimore Orioles; the year in which skipper Ned Hanlon shifted Gleason to second base where he helped the birds win the NL flag.  After the season the Orioles dealt Kid to the New York Giants for stellar first baseman Dirty Jack Doyle.  In his first year with the Giants, Kid paced the league in games played while hitting a nifty .299.

Kid hit .319 in 1897 and had his lone 100 RBI season.  The Giants had a 242 RBI double-play combo as Kid teamed with Hall of Famer George Davis to give the ‘97 Giants one of the greatest run-getting keystone combos in the game’s history.  His numbers tapered off in a bad way in 1898 but he rebounded in 1899 to hit a decent .264. 

When the American League established itself as a Major League in 1901, Kid jumped the Giants and joined the Tigers, managed by George Stallings.  With the Tigers, Kid drove in 74 runs his first year in the new circuit.  Kid hit a nifty .284 in 1903, back with the first Major League team that he played for: the Phillies.  The following year, he led National League second basemen in hits and batting average.  At the age of 38 in 1905, Kid led the league in games played and sacrifices while also scoring 95 runs.

Gleason struggled through a rough 1906 season in which he was pushing 40 years of age.  Shortly thereafter he became a much respected coach and was handed the managerial assignment with the White Sox in 1919.  As we all know, he guided the Sox to a World Series his first year as skipper but eight players on the team agreed to dump games to the Reds for a payday that they never saw.  Kid managed the Sox on into 1923, but after the banishment of his best players, his team floundered the rest of the time he was at the helm.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,969/R 1,017/H 1,951/2B 216/3B 85/HR 15/RBI 823/SB 332/BA .262/SA .320

www.dvrbs.com

Introducing… Steve Rogers

Over the many decades man has played baseball, a great number of fine players have been hindered by teammates of lesser quality.  Pitchers tend to suffer the greatest stress of roster weakness.  Fine pitchers have often struggled to win games because their teammates can’t support them with runs or defense.  Steve Rogers, one of the finest pitchers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, spent his entire Major League career with the lackluster Expos of Montreal, ending his career with a winning percentage just over .500 despite his obvious talents.

Rogers was the fourth pick in the nation in the 1971 draft by the Expos and made his Major League debut two years later.  The kid from Missouri was an immediate sensation.  As a rookie in ‘73, Steve went 10-5 on a 1.54 ERA.  How he lost five games on his microscopic ERA is beyond reason until you realize that he played for Montreal.  Steve pitched his entire career with the Expos and even though he never was a 20-game winner, writers knew how brilliant he was and he finished in the Top Five in Cy Young Award voting on three separate occasions.

With an amazing freshman showing under his belt, Steve fanned 154 batters his sophomore campaign.  He made his first All-Star team in 1974 but All-Star or not, he was still playing in Montreal and led the National League in losses.  Steve trimmed his ERA to 3.29 in 1975 and wouldn’t allow it to get any higher than that until 1981.  He cut his ERA down eight more points in 1976 when he paced Montreal with four shutouts.

Clearly the go-to guy in skipper Dick Williams’ rotation in 1977, Rogers won 17 games with as many complete games.  He notched 206 strikeouts (third in the NL) and had a nifty 3.10 ERA.  But his ERA fell substantially in 1978 when he posted a terrific mark of 2.47 during his second All-Star season.  The man from north of the border missed his share of bats, indicated by averaging just 0.849 hits per inning.

Steve tied for the league lead in shutouts in 1979 as he made another All-Star squad.  In the first year of the 1980s, Steve went 16-11 for Montreal while leading the NL in complete games and fashioning a 2.98 ERA.  His only taste of postseason action came in the strike shortened 1981 season when Steve led the Expos into October.  He owned the Phillies in the division series, going 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA, outpitching Hall of Famer Steve Carlton in each of his starts.  He kept batters off balance in the NLCS, winning Game 3, but the Expos fell to the Dodgers despite Steve’s 1.80 NLCS ERA.

The finest hour for Rogers came in 1982 when he finished second in Cy Young Award voting to the man he outperformed the previous season’s postseason: Steve Carlton.  During that terrific season, Steve went 19-8 with an NL best 2.40 ERA.  He fanned 179 batters and showed fine control by averaging just 0.235 walks per inning.  He followed up his amazing ‘82 season with a fine 1983 campaign.  That year he led the NL in shutouts while winning 17 games on 3.23 ERA.

But 1983 was Steve’s last good year.  His ERA swelled to 4.31 in 1984 and he made just seven starts for the Expos in 1985 before his release.  Now that the Montreal Expos are no longer in existence, Steve Rogers will forever be known as the greatest pitcher to ever wear an Expos uniform.

THE NUMBERS

W 158/L 152/PCT .510/G 399/CG 129/IP 2,839/H 2,619/BB 876/SO 1,621/SHO 37/ERA 3.17

Introducing… Garry Maddox

Noted for his ballhawking abilities, Garry Maddox earned the nickname The Secretary of Defense.  The most famous quote regarding Maddox was made by Hall of Fame slugger and former broadcaster Ralph Kiner, who claimed that two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Garry Maddox.  The star center fielder won a Gold Glove Award every year from 1975 to 1982.

Before Maddox played his first game in the Major Leagues, he served in the Army during the Vietnam War.  The future Gold Glover saw combat action and was exposed to chemicals that left his face tender.  To protect his skin, Maddox sported a beard throughout his career.  Initially drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 1968 draft, San Fransisco fans had to wait while Garry spent two years in the military when he should have been on the farm, fine-tuning his game.

The Giants made Maddox a regular in 1972 and he belted a dozen homeruns as a rookie.  Although he had a fine showing as a rookie, he busted out like the Incredible Hulk in unwanted confinement in 1973.  Garry was the only center fielder in the Major Leagues to post double-digit totals in all the extra base hit departments in ‘73.  He also hit a robust .319 and posted his first year of 350+ putouts (he would have four years in which he exceeded 400 putouts (Joe DiMaggio had three such years while Hall of Famers Mantle and Snider had no years of 400 putouts).

 

After a cold start in 1975, the Giants made a near-sighted deal when they shipped Garry to the Phillies for Willie Montanez.  The trade was of the lopsided variety.  Maddox won his first Gold Glove that year (the first of eight straight) while also pilfering 25 bags.  His highwater mark for batting average came the following season when Maddox hit .330 while pacing National League center fielders in hits and doubles.  His Phillies captured the NL East flag but lost the NLCS to the Reds.

 

Garry enjoyed his best power season in 1977 when he carried the Phillies to another NLCS.  The Secretary of Defense was the lone National League center fielder to post double-digit totals in every extra base hit department that year.  Although he hit .429 in the NLCS, his club lost to the Dodgers.  It was more of the same in 1978.  Garry paced NL center fielders in doubles while the Phillies snared their third straight NL East flag, but for the third year in a row, they were NLCS losers.

 

The Phillies luck changed in 1980 when Garry fashioned his eighth straight season of 20 or more stolen bases.  His mates won their fourth NL East flag in five years but this time defeated their NLCS foes and went to the World Series.  Maddox clubbed a pair of doubles in the World Series, helping the Phillies topple the Kansas City Royals.

 

Maddox hit .284 in 1982 and won his last Gold Glove Award at the age of 32.  His final postseason action came the next year when Garry hit .273 in the ‘83 NLCS.  His Phillies took on the Orioles in the World Series, and although Garry slugged at a mighty .583 clip during the Fall Classic, they fell to the birds of Baltimore.

 

He missed time in 1984 to injury and when he returned in 1985, the Phillies had gone with youth, plugging the outfield with Von Hayes, Glenn Wilson and Jeff Stone.  Garry served as a backup/platoon partner in 1985 and only played in six games because of injury in 1986–his final season.

 

THE NUMBERS

 

G 1,749/R 777/H 1,802/2B 337/3B 62/HR 117/RBI 754/BB 323/SO 781/BA .285/SA .413

 

* I struck some button on the keyboard that has placed the last few paragraphs in italics.  If I were computer savvy, I’d change it, but at least this makes Garry Maddox stand out, I guess.

 

 

Introducing… Jackie Jensen

Jackie Jensen was one of the greatest all-round talents in baseball during the 1950s.  The man could hit, run, field and throw with the best of them.  A natural athlete, Jensen starred on the gridiron in college and even played in a Rose Bowl before making baseball his career.  There is one reason and one reason alone why Jackie Jensen isn’t in the Hall of Fame: fear.  Deathly afraid of airplanes, Jensen retired prematurely when baseball expanded out west, making air travel a necessity.  Jensen tried to combat his fear through various forms, even hypnotism, but to no avail. 

Jackie had the great misfortune of coming up with the Yankees in the late 1940s.  He was originally called up in 1950 and saw first hand the crowded outfield situation in the Bronx.  The Yankees already had a fellow named Joe DiMaggio in the pasture, who was flanked by Hank Bauer in right and Gene Woodling in left.  Their outfield chips were so stacked that veteran star Tommy Henrich had little opportunity to play.  The situation didn’t clear up for Jackie in 1951 when some kid named Mickey Mantle made his debut. 

Despite the clutter in the outfield, Jackie performed well when called upon.  He smacked eight homeruns in just 168 at-bats in ‘51 while his Yankees waltzed to a World Series title.  Although Jackie was a member of two World Series squads his first two years in the Major Leagues, he was eager for more action.  More action came his way in 1952.  With Mantle the more ballyhooed prospect, the Yankees opted to ship Jensen to Washington for Irv Noren and Muscles Upton.  In DC, Jackie was given his chance to play.

Jensen showed the American League what he was capable of in 1952.  He topped AL right fielders in hits, RBI and stolen bases his first year as a starter.  But the former gridiron star was just getting warmed up.  He established himself as the junior circuit’s top right fielder in 1953 when he led his position peers in runs, doubles, RBI, stolen bases and walks.  But Jackie had just stuck his foot in the door of stardom.  In 1954, he kicked the door wide open.

Jackie coupled speed and power in he same fashion as his former New York teammate Mickey Mantle.  Jensen topped the American League in stolen bases in 1954 while also socking 25 long balls and driving in 117 runs.  All this was done after the Senators traded him to the Red Sox for southpaw Mickey McDermott and outfielder Tommy Umphlett.  Jensen became the perfect complement to Ted Williams in the Red Sox lineup.  The two stars gave Boston a terrific righty-lefty tandem in their order.

Named to the All-Star team in 1955, Jackie tied for the league lead in RBI with 116 while finishing third in the junior circuit in thefts.  He became a .300 hitter for the first time in 1956 when he hit the apple at a .315 clip.  Jackie’s fine batting eye enabled him to post a terrific .405 on-base percentage as he walked 89 times opposed to just 43 strikeouts.  That year he topped the league with 11 triples while leading AL right fielders in walks.

Although Jackie had established himself as a star by 1956, his best years were still ahead.  In 1957, he posted his third 100+ RBI season while leading American League right fielders in walks and RBI.  At the top of his game in 1958, Jensen was named the American League’s MVP with his amazing season that saw him lead the league with 122 RBI.  The Boston basher ripped 35 homers, drew 99 walks and slugged at a .535 clip.  But the kid from California was more than a slugger, he was also an amazing outfielder.  He totaled 14 outfield assists during his MVP campaign (he posted a double-digit assist total in all but one of his Major League seasons).

Not losing a beat in 1959, Jackie, a Gold Glove winner, again led the American League in RBI.  A 20-20 man, Jackie swatted 28 homers and stole 20 bases.  His 101 runs scored were best among American League right fielders.  At the age of 32, it looked as if Jensen would have a few more good years left, but his career came to a screeching halt in 1960.  Following the National League’s lead, the American League expanded out west, placing a new club in Los Angeles: the Angels.  With his phobia of flying, Jackie was forced to retire early.  He staged a comeback in 1961 with the Red Sox but was just a serviceable player his last year in the Majors.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,438/R 810/H 1,463/2B 259/3B 45/HR 199/RBI 929/BB 750/SO 546/SB 143/BA .279/SA .460

www.hickoksports.com

Introducing… Ralph Branca

Some players, no matter how good, are best remembered for their brush with failure than their rows with success.  Ralph Branca was a steady pitcher throughout his career–split between the rotation and the bullpen, with a hair more time as a starter–but is only remembered for tossing the pitch that Bobby Thomson crushed in his fabled “Shot Heard Round the World” blast.

Branca came up as a babe with the war era Dodgers in 1944 at the age of 18.  The youngster struggled in 1944 but righted his ship in 1945 at the tender age of 19.  The teenage right-hander paced Brooklyn pitchers with a 3.03 ERA in the final war year campaign.  When the players came back from the war, skipper Leo_____ (fill in your favorite derogatory nickname) Durocher used Ralph as a swingman; rotating him between the bullpen and starting rotation.

Branca’s breakout year came in 1947, the same year teammate Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.  Big Ralph won 21 games for the Dodgers on a nifty 2.67 ERA.  The big fellow’s 148 strikeouts were good for second in the National League as he helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series.  In the Fall Classic, Branca won Game 6 to force a deciding Game 7 which his mates lost to the Yankees of DiMaggio. 

Ralph posted a .609 winning percentage in 1948 while finishing fifth in the National League in the strikeout department.  In 1949, Branca was the league’s fourth best strikeout artist but was the NL’s winning percentage leader with a .722 mark.  The Dodgers won another NL pennant in 1949 and Ralph would squre off with the Yankees again.  In Game 3 of the World Series, Ralph locked horns with southpaw Tommy Byrne in a pitcher’s duel which Big Man Branca eventually lost.

The Dodgers were still a strong team heading into the 1950s but Ralph started to see a bit more action putting out fires from the bullpen.  He topped Brooklyn pitchers in saves in 1950.  In 1951, Ralph started 27 games and made another fifteen appearances out of the bullpen.  That year he trimmed his ERA down to a tidy 3.26 and averaged a stingy 0.882 hits per inning.  At the end of the season, when the Dodgers took on the Giants in a playoff to decide the NL champion, Branca seemed a quality choise to subdue a Giant rally.  But in baseball, when heroes are made, so are goats, and Branca surredndered the famous homerun ball that Thomson drilled to send the Giants to the World Series.

Ralph suffered through the 1952 season with a sore arm and the Dodgers waived him shortly after Indepedence Day in ‘53.  The Detroit Tigers claimed Branca and he finished out the season on a decent note with a 4.15 ERA in the junior circuit.  Ralph spent the 1954 season with the Tigers and the Yankees and saw his last Major League action with the Dodgers in ‘56, as a 30-year old.

THE NUMBERS

W 88/L 68/PCT .564/SV 19/G 322/IP 1,485/H 1,372/BB 663/SO 829/ERA 3.79

www.vintagecardtraders.com

Introducing… Pinky Whitney

One of the top hot corner custodians of the 1930s, Pinky Whitney made an immediate splash at the Major League level, driving in 100+ runs in his first three seasons.  A good RBI man, Pinky was also a wizard with the leather.  He only played one year in the Majors in which his fielding percentage was below league average–oftentimes it was a dozen or so points above league average.

Whitney joined the hapless Phillies in 1928 and quickly established himself as a star.  As a rookie, Pinky drove in 103 runs while hitting a nifty .301.  Many players suffer through what is known as “The Sophomore Jinx” but not Pinky.  He beat the jinx away by leading Major League third basemen with 115 RBI for the second division Phillies that boasted four 100 RBI men in Whitney, Hall of Famer Chuck Klein, first baseman Don Hurst and slugger Lefty O’Doul.  Pinky also topped Major League third basemen in doubles, triples, slugging percentage and base hits (he was the only third baseman to reach 200 hits).

Pinky got better in 1930.  That year he hit a lusty .340 with 117 RBI and 207 base hits.  He led all third basemen with 41 doubles and posted a nice .383 on-base percentage.  The Phillies finished sixth in 1931 and Klein was their lone 100 RBI man.  In Pinky’s fourth Major League season, he finally failed to reach 100 RBI, but he nevertheless led NL third basemen in slugging average.

Whitney led the National League in games played in 1932.  That season, Pinky was at his extra-base best.  Only he and Hall of Famer Bill Terry posted double-digit totals in all the extra base hits departments among National League infielders.  Although Pinky failed to reach 100 RBI in 1931, he returned to the RBI ring in 1932–driving in 124 runs (third in the NL, and surprisingly, third on the Phillies roster).

After a sluggish start in 1933, the Phillies dealt Pinky to the Braves for Fritz Knothe and Wes Schulmerich.  He rebounded with the Braves in 1934 to lead National League third basemen in homeruns and RBI.  After losing his power in 1935 the Braves sent Pinky back to the Phillies in 1936 and he made the NL All-Star team that year, when the All-Star Game was still rather young.  Back in familiar confines, Pinky had a terrific year at the plate in 1937.  The veteran third sacker hit .341 that season–the only senior circuit third baseman to top the .300 plateau.

Pinky’s slugging average became sluggish in 1938 and he played one final year with the Phillies in 1939 before finishing his career in the minor American Association.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,539/R 696/H 1,701/2B 303/3B 56/HR 93/RBI 927/BB 400/SO 438/SB 45/BA .295/SA .415

www.mlb.com

Introducing… Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly, an astute baseball mind, spent his entire Major League managerial career with the Minnesota Twins.  Kelly became as common a figure in the Twins dugout as Darryl Strawberry was to rehab institutes.  Kelly led the club from the Twin Cities to two World Series titles during his tenure.

He inherited a sixth place club in 1986 but with the talent at his disposal and his supreme baseball acumen, Tom led his Twins to the World Series in 1987.  The Twins were a strong offensive team, geared around homegrown talent like Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, Gary Gaetti, Greg Gagne, Tim Laudner and Randy Bush.  The pitching staff was hit-or-miss with homegrown Frank Viola and solid veteran Bert Blyleven.  Despite the inconsistent pitching, the rookie skipper led the Twins to the World Series and beat the St. Louis Cardinals of Hall of Fame skipper Whitey Herzog.

The Twins finished in second place in 1988 with the American League’s top slugging team.  Tom then had two seasons when the Twins finished just under .500 before leading them back to the World Series in 1991 in one of the greatest Fall Classics ever played.  As a team, the Twins were the American League’s top hitting squad with a combined .280 batting average.  But the 1991 World Series was noted for its pitching which culminated in a classic pitcher’s duel in Game 7 in which Jack Morris won the deciding game for the Twins in dramatic fashion.

The Twins just missed the postseason in 1992.  They had the junior circuit’s top hitting team and an exceptional bullpen, but the back of their rotation kept them from winning another pennant. Kelly’s charges then floundered in 1993 as their pitching staff imploded.  Scott Erickson couldn’t build off a solid showing in ‘92 and the bullpen showed signs of being mortal as well. 

Kelly suffered through his worst year in 1995, managing one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball history.  Kevin Tapani was the lone starter to post an ERA below 5.00 and his was an unflattering 4.92.  Despite the atrocious pitching, Kelly still coaxed solid seasons out of his bats, indicated by a team batting average of .279.  As a team, the Twins hit .288 in 1996 but the lack of pitching Kelly had to endure throughout the 1990s (with the lone exception of Brad Radke) kept the Twins in the second division throughout the remainder of the decade.

After eight years of sub .500 ball, due to the Twins poor pitching, Kelly finally had another winning season in 2001.  The pitching, once the bane of Kelly’s existence, finally clicked that year as Tom had 17 game-winner Joe Mays and a pair of fifteen game-winners in Radke and Eric Milton.  The Twins finished in second place and much like a master showman, Kelly got out while the getting was good, leaving the Twins in the capable hands of Ron Gardenhire who still manages them to this day.

RECORD

W 1,1140/L 1,244/PCT .478

2 Pennants and 2 World Series titles.

www.twinstrivia.com

Introducing… Hal Trosky

In the 1930s, there were few sluggers better than Hal Trosky.  Had he not been forced to retire due to chronic migraine headaches, he would have amassed higher homerun and RBI totals.  The brawny slugger had a knack for driving in runs–he once posted 162 RBI in a single campaign.

A farmboy from Iowa, the Cleveland Indians summoned Hal to the Major Leagues in 1933.  Cleveland used slap-hitting Harley Boss at first base during the ‘33 season and he posed little threat for Hal in 1934.  Trosky won the everyday first base job in ‘34 and led the AL in games played as a rookie.  The mighty first baseman was a rookie sensation.  Hal hit .330 with 35 homers, 142 RBI and slugged at a .598 clip.  But he had the misfortune of playing in the Age of Gehrig and finished behind The Iron Horse in offensive categories throughout his playing days. 

Trosky again led the AL in games played in 1935 while driving in 113 runs and clubbing 26 long balls.  1935 was the second year of a six-year string in which he drove in at least 100 runs.  Big Hal had his career year in 1936 when he led the American League with 162 RBI and 405 total bases.  His 42 homeruns were good for second in the league and he led Major League first basemen with 216 safeties.  The masher also hit at a .343 clip and posted a monstrous slugging average of .644 (2nd in the AL).

At the tender age of 24, it seemed that Hal would challenge some homerun and RBI records.  He clubbed 32 homeruns in ‘37 with 128 RBI and followed up that with a .334 BA, 110 RBI season in 1938.  Still a heavy-hitter in 1939, Trosky drove in 104 runs on a .335 batting average.  Then in 1940, Hal had his first full Major League campaign in which he failed to drive in 100 runs–he had to settle for 93 RBI.

His issues with migraine headaches intensified in 1941 which limited him to 89 games.  Due to his ailment, Hal retired early from the game, and with his retirement, the possibility of chasing RBI records.  He sat out the 1942 and 1943 seasons with his migraines worsening but made a comeback during the war depleted year of 1944 with the White Sox of Chicago.  That year he led American League first basemen in doubles but his condition kept him off the field in 1945.  Hal played one final year with the White Sox in 1946.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,347/R 835/H 1,561/2B 331/HR 228/RBI 1,012/BB 545/SO 440/BA .302/SA .522

www.vintagecardtraders.com

Introducing… Bill Freehan

It isn’t too often that an eleven-time All-Star garners little support for the Hall of Fame, but such is the fate of Bill Freehan.  Possibly the best catcher of the 1960s, Freehan was at his prime during an era known for its pitching.  The day in which Freehan masked up is often referred to as the second Deadball Era, so Freehan’s stats are to be taken in a softer light–despite their already quality showing.

Born in Michigan, Freehan was signed by his hometown Tigers in 1961 and never played for any other team.  A quick study, Bill made his Major League debut in ‘61 but didn’t see regular duty until 1963.  He clubbed nine homeruns as a rookie then put together a string of ten All-Star years in 1964 in which he posted double-digit long balls in each year but one.  In ‘64, Freehan led Major League catchers in triples while pacing American League receivers in runs scored.  More amazingly, he threw out over 50% of would-be basestealers.

A .300 hitter in 1964, Bill’s numbers dipped in the pitching rich 1960s.  But Bill was regarded as a top-flight backstop, indicated by an All-Star appearance and the first of five straight Gold Gloves in 1965.  He led American League catchers in doubles and stolen bases in 1966 while fielding his position at an astounding .996 clip. 

Freehan finished third in MVP voting in 1967 and its little wonder why.  He was in a class all to himself.  Among AL receivers, Freehan was tops in the following offensive departments: batting average, homeruns, RBI, runs scored, hits, doubles, walks and slugging average.  Easily the top catcher in the junior circuit, Bill had an even more production season in 1968 when he led the Tigers to the World Series.  He finished second in MVP voting behind flaky teammate Denny McLain.  Freehan paced all catchers in homeruns and RBI and together with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, was one of two Major League catchers to slug over .400.  He caught every game of the World Series, helping bring a title to Motown.

In 1969, Bill won his fifth straight Gold Glove Award while leading American League catchers in base hits.  He carried his All-Star qualities into the new decade, indicated by pacing AL backstops in batting average, homers, RBI, hits, doubles, walks and slugging average.  He made his ninth All-Star team in 1972 a year in which only he and Carlton Fisk slugged over .400 among AL catchers.  His Tigers went to the ALCS in ‘72 and Bill led all participants in RBI but the A’s of Oakland rambled their way to the World Series.

With the duties of catching taking their toll in 1974, Bill rotated between first base and behind the dish that year, which put an end to his string of All-Star squads.  Nevertheless, the rotation helped Bill’s production, as he hit a nifty .297 with 18 long balls.  He made his eleventh and final All-Star appearance in 1975 and played one final year in ‘76–hitting .270–before hanging up his spikes.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,774/R 706/H 1,591/2B 241/HR 200/RBI 758/BB 626/SO 753/SB 24/BA .262/SA .412

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Introducing… Harry Brecheen

Had Harry Brecheen received the usual Major League trial at a younger age, rather than making it in fast company as an older man, he assuredly would be in the Hall of Fame.  But The Cat, so nicknamed for his exceptional defense, cut his teeth in the minors while also getting them capped, filled and brightened.  By the time he made the Major Leagues to stay, he was nearing 30 years of age.

Brecheen got his first look with the Cardinals in 1940 at the age of 25 but failed to impress and spent the next two years at Columbus in the American Association.  With World War II raging overseas, many ballplayers joined the colors, thus opening the door for minor league veterans like Brecheen.    The Cardinals recalled him in 1943 and he quickly established himself as a superior southpaw.  As a rookie, The Cat posted a tidy 2.27 ERA and missed a fair amount of bats–he averaged just 0.726 hits per inning pitched.

Brecheen went 16-5 in 1944 as the Redbirds captured another NL Flag.  Harry started Game 4 against the town rival Browns and tossed a complete game victory as the Cardinals won the title.  In top form in 1945, Harry led the National League with a .789 winning percentage.  The slim southpaw posted an ERA of 2.52 as the highest his ERA climbed during the war years was 2.85.

When the war ended and the stars returned to the diamond, critics felt that Brecheen, who hadn’t established himself before the war, would struggle.  But he put a plug on his critics, pitching the Cardinals to the World Series in 1946.  The Cat won 15 games on a 2.49 ERA but was at his best in the World Series.  His Cardinals took on the powerhouse Red Sox that had a terrific offense of Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Rudy York, Johnny Pesky and Dominic DiMaggio, but Brecheen handled them supremely.  He carried the Redbirds through the Fall Classic, winning three games on a 0.45 ERA.  He tossed a Game 2 shutout and won Game 7 in relief.

An All-Star in 1947, Harry won 16 games for the Cardinals and followed that up with a 20-win season in ‘48.  The 1948 season was The Cat at his best.  Brecheen led the senior circuit in winning percentage, strikeouts, shutouts and ERA.  In 1949, he posted his fourth straight year of 200+ innings worked before he started to slow down in 1950. 

Brecheen entered the 1950s in his mid-30s but was still a reliable hurler.  The Cat had a .667 winning percentage in 1951.  In 1952, he averaged just 0.820 hits per inning pitched.  Because he was no longer able to stretch out his arm, the Redbirds released him after the ‘52 season and he pitched his final season with the Browns, posting a 3.08 ERA in the process.  After his playing days concluded, The Cat became a highly respected pitching coach, credited with helping along Harvey Haddix among others.

THE NUMBERS

W 133/L 92/PCT .591/G 318/CG 125/IP 1,908/H 1,731/BB 536/SO 901/SHO 25/ERA 2.91

Introducing… Eddie Joost

The Hall of Fame has always had its benchmarks.  If a batter reaches 500 homeruns, enshrinement used to be automatic.  Eddie Joost, with his unflattering career batting average of .239 would seemingly fail to reach the Hall benchmark in batting average, but one must look at the whole pie and not just nibble on the crust.  Although Joost had low batting averages, his on-base percentages were always lofty given his ability to draw walks.  Also, he teamed with Pete Suder and Ferris Fain to form, arguably mind you, the best double play trio in baseball history.  They had five straight years of turning 100 or more double plays during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Joost made his debut with the Reds in 1936 but saw limited action.  The Reds were a coming team and had a strong infield around 1940 that third baseman Bill Werber dubbed The Jungle Squad.  Eddie was stuck behind Werber, Lonny Frey and slick-fielding shortstop Billy Myers.  The Reds were managed by Hall of Fame skipper Bill McKechnie, who tried to get young Eddie Joost some playing time.  When the Reds captured the NL flag in 1940, Joost was pressed into everyday duty during the World Series due to Frey’s late season injury.  Joost appeared in all seven games and helped the Reds defeat the Tigers.

When Billy Myers lost his ability to make contact, McKechnie inserted Joost in the shortstop role in 1941.  Eddie led NL shortstops in walks his first year as a regular.  In 1942 he ripped 30 doubles then suffered through an atrocious 1943 season.  With World War II raging overseas, Joost voluntarily retired from baseball to help out the war effort.  He returned to baseball late in 1945 and played for the Braves, but he wouldn’t establish himself as a legit Major Leaguer until Connie Mack bought his contract.

Under the tutelage of Mr. Mack, Joost excelled at getting on base.  He drew 114 walks his first year with the Mackmen in 1947, which kicked off a six year run of 100 or more free passes accepted.  Although he only hit .206 during the ‘47 season, Joost was awarded a few MVP votes given his on-base skills and fine defensive work. 

In 1948, Joost led American League infielders with 119 walks.  He crossed home plate 99 times and raised his batting average up to .250 which enabled him to post a rather flattering on-base percentage of .393.  Named to his first All-Star team in 1949, Joost walked 149 times (second to Ted Williams in the AL) and served as slugger Vern Stephens’ runner-up in homeruns and RBI among Major League shortstops.  Eddie’s high walk total allowed him to post a phenomenal on-base percentage of .429.

In 1950, Eddie again finished behind Vern Stephens in long balls among shortstops but he paced Major League shortstops with 103 walks.  His glove was golden in 1951 when he sparkled with a .974 fielding average at shortstop.  He was clearly the game’s top shortstop that year, pacing his position peers in homeruns, RBI, walks, hits, doubles, slugging average and runs scored (he was the only AL shortstop to reach 100 runs scored).

Joost was just as good in 1952.  That season he led American League shortstops in homers and RBI (he was the only Major League shortstop to club 20 homers) while finishing second in the league with 122 walks.  The shortstop post was manned by men like Reese and Rizzuto, known for their slight builds, while Joost redefined the position as the lone AL shortstop to slug over .400.

When Eddie was named player/manager in 1954 his days as a player were all but over.  After the A’s canned him he played one final year with the Red Sox in 1955 before hanging up his spikes.

THE NUMBERS

G 1,574/R 874/H 1,339/2B 238/3B 35/HR 134/RBI 601/BB 1,043/SO 827/BA .239/SA .366

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