"Versatility from the right side is one major asset Charles Hudson offers manager Lou Piniella and his pitching staff this season. In his four previous major league seasons, Hudson showed his durability by starting and relieving for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Hudson opened the 1986 season in the Philly bullpen, and after two relief appearances made 23 straight starts before returning to the pen in September. His career 32-42 record is somewhat misleading. During the 1983 National League playoffs, Hudson became the first rookie to throw a complete game in N.L.C.S. history, a four-hit win over the Dodgers in Game Three. In his 11 losses as a starter (8-13) in 1985, the Phillies managed a mere 2.45 runs per game, and in his 10 losses of a year ago he was supported by only 2.5 runs per game. Hudson, acquired in the off-season for Mike Easler, hopes this trend will change now that he's pitching for a team with the best offense in baseball."
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Charles was acquired by the Yankees on December 11, 1986 from the Phillies with pitcher Jeff Knox in exchange for outfielder Mike Easler and infielder Tom Barrett. Overall last year he was 7-10 with a 4.94 ERA (144.0 IP, 165 H, 87 R, 79 ER, 58 BB, 82 K).
He was used by the Phillies as a reliever in his first two games, going 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA (4.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K), then made 23 straight starts. Charles was sent back to the bullpen on September 2 for the remainder of the season. As a starter in those 23 games he was 6-10 with a 5.24 ERA (123.2 IP, 139 H, 80 R, 72 ER, 55 BB, 63 K) and gave up all 20 of his homers as a starter. The Phillies scored just 25 runs in his 10 losses, an average of 2.5 runs per game. In his 10 games as a reliever, he was 1-0 with no saves and a 3.10 ERA (20.1 IP, 26 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 19 K).
Through June 10 Charles was 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA over his first 11 games (53.1 IP, 60 H, 28 R, 23 ER, 19 BB, 21 K); however, he had a career high six-game losing streak from June 15 through July 10 with a 7.16 ERA (32.2 IP, 36 H, 27 R, 26 ER, 17 BB, 16 K) to give him an overall 4-9 record with a 5.13 ERA. Over his next five starts, from July 20 through August 9, he was 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA (29.2 IP, 32 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 12 BB, 19 K). Charles made three more starts after that without a decision and then came out of the bullpen in his final eight appearances without a decision or a save.
In his 9-3 victory at Cincinnati on July 20, he had his season high in innings pitched (8.0) and strikeouts (7). He also went eight innings in a 2-0 loss to Montreal on June 15 (giving up just five hits and one earned run with one walk and five strikeouts), but was charged with the loss, and matched his season high in strikeouts with seven in a no-decision at San Francisco on August 19. Charles' best outing came on May 31 against San Diego, hurling seven shutouts innings and giving up five hits to gain credit for the Phillies' 1-0 victory. His longest outing as a reliever was three innings, on three occasions: April 7 at Cincinnati (Opening Day), September 8 at Chicago and September 17 against St. Louis.
In 1985 Charles set season highs in games (33), complete games (3), innings pitched (193.0) and strikeouts (122). He struck out a career 10 batters at Montreal on October 2 and had the second longest consecutive scoreless inning streak on the Phillie staff, 16.2 innings, a career high.
He started the season in the bullpen, where he was 0-2 with a 2.60 ERA, and moved into the starting rotation on May 14, replacing Jerry Koosman. Charles was 8-11, 3.85 ERA in 26 starts. He experienced six one-run losses and four two-run losses, and in his 11 losses as a starter the Phillies scored 27 runs, an average of 2.45 per game. He was the starting pitcher in the Phils' record-setting 26-7 game against the Mets on June 11 and [after becoming a switch-hitter in 1984] had three hits on August 18 at Chicago.
In 1981, his first pro season, Charles was 5-5 with a 3.83 ERA in 14 games with Helena. He posted a 15-5 record and a 1.85 ERA in 1982 with Peninsula of the Carolina League. He led the league in ERA, wins and shutouts, was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Year and was a Carolina League All-Star.
Charles recorded his first major league win at Pittsburgh on June 19, 1983. On July 20 against Houston, he had a no-hitter through 8.1 innings broken up by Craig Reynolds' bloop single, eventually giving up three hits, the lowest hit complete game of his career. He also had a career high five-game winning streak.
He beat the Dodgers 7-2 in Game Three of the '83 National League Championship Series, allowing just four hits in nine innings while becoming the first rookie to hurl a complete game in NLCS history. Charles was 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA in two starts in the '83 World Series against the Orioles. He was named to the Baseball Digest Rookie Team.
Charles posted his first career shutout on July 5, 1984 against Atlanta in a rain-shortened seven-inning game. He suffered a fractured rib on August 9 and missed 22 days of the season. He started switch-hitting in '84 and doubled off Dennis Eckersley in his first major league at-bat as a left-handed hitter on July 30.
Charles is a graduate of South Oak Cliff (Dallas, TX) High School where he played baseball. He was converted from shortstop to pitcher at Prairie View A & M (TX) University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management. Charles pitched in the NAIA playoffs in 1980 and 1981.
His hobbies are backgammon, chess and dominoes."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
1987 Profile: Bob Tewksbury
"The Yankees were ready to set a precedent in 1986 by adding a young pitcher to the rotation. A 4-1 record and 0.93 ERA during the spring exhibition season by Bob Tewksbury made the club's decision an easy one. The big right-hander won the James P. Dawson Award as the top rookie in camp and became the first rookie pitcher to accompany the team to New York since Mike Griffin in 1980.
'We came down here really looking to let young people make our staff,' said manager Lou Piniella, 'and here's one of them.' At age 25 the dream continued with a Yankee Stadium standing ovation of 'Tewks!' after 7 1/3 innings and a win in his major league debut. 'It was the biggest thrill I ever had,' Tewskbury later said.
The bubble burst for the Pride of Penacook (New Hampshire) when he was sent to Columbus in July with a sore shoulder. Tewksbury returned to the big club in September and won three of four decisions to finish the year at an impressive 9-5. This year he's determined to continue his storybook career.
'There's no doubt about it,' Tewksbury says, 'I showed I could pitch here.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Bob made the Yankees in 1986 after a strong spring training, going 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA in Florida. He made his major league debut in a start against the Milwaukee Brewers in Yankee Stadium on April 11 and recorded his first major league win in that game by pitching 7.1 innings, giving up nine hits and two runs (both earned) in the Yanks' 3-2 victory. His first major league loss came in his next outing, on April 17 at Cleveland (6.1 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER), a 6-4 Yankee loss to the Indians. In his third outing, April 22 at Kansas City, he notched his second victory (7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER) in the Yanks' 5-1 win.
In his next five starts he went 2-1 (wins on May 3 against Texas and May 17 against Seattle, and a loss on May 11 at Texas) with a 4.74 ERA (13 ER, 24.2 IP), giving him on overall record in his first eight starts of 4-2 with a 4.14 ERA (45.2 IP, 56 H, 24 R, 21 ER, 7 BB, 19 K) through May 28. Bob then made two relief appearances against Baltimore on June 6 and 7, allowing no earned runs in 4.1 combined innings pitched without a decision. He returned to the starting rotation on June 13 at Baltimore, and in his next seven starts from that point through July 13 he went 2-2 (wins at Baltimore on June 13 and at Texas on July 9, and losses at Chicago on July 4th and at Minnesota on July 13) with a 3.16 ERA (42.2 IP, 15 ER). Included in those contests was Bob's first major league complete game, the July 4th loss at Chicago, going eight innings and giving up six hits and just two runs (earned), but losing a 2-1 decision to the White Sox.
After his July 13 outing he suffered a sore right shoulder and was optioned to Columbus on July 25 but did not pitch there until August 23 because of his injury. At the time of his option he was 6-4 with a 3.59 ERA (92.2 IP, 111 H, 44 R, 37 ER, 18 BB, 37 K). He made two starts for the Clippers, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA (10.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K) with the Clippers winning both games.
Bob was recalled by the Yankees on September 1 and in his first six appearances (five starts) following his recall through the end of the season, he went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA (37.2 IP, 33 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 13 BB, 15 K). His first appearance following his recall was in relief on September 9 at California, and in his next outing, a start at Toronto on September 11, he had his major high of five strikeouts and gave up two runs (earned) in six innings, but did not get a decision in the Yanks' 7-5 win. Bob was tagged with his fifth loss of the year on September 17 at Baltimore, going 5.2 innings and issuing his major league high of five walks in the Yanks' 8-3 loss.
He finished the season by winning each of his final three starts beginning on September 22 at Baltimore, going seven innings and giving up five hits and one run (earned) while getting credit for the Yanks' 4-2 victory. In his next outing on September 28 against Detroit, Bob gained the first complete game win of his big league career, going nine innings and giving up eight hits and two runs (earned) along with one walk and four strikeouts in the Yanks' 10-2 win. In his final start on October 4 at Boston (first game) he beat the Red Sox, giving up four hits and three runs (none earned) in 7.1 innings pitched in the Yankees' 5-3 win. In those final three games he was 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA (23.1 IP, 17 H, 3 ER).
Bob finished the season with an overall record of 9-5 with a 3.31 ERA (130.1 IP, 144 H, 58 R, 38 ER, 31 BB, 49 K) and a .282 batting average-against (144-for-511) in 23 appearances (20 starts). His nine wins was tied for the second highest total on the club and was the most by a Yankee rookie pitcher since Dennis Rasmussen went 9-6 in 1984. His 3.31 ERA was the second best among Yankee pitchers with 100 innings pitched, behind only Dave Righetti, and was the lowest ERA by a Yankee rookie with 100 innings pitched since Righetti posted a 2.06 ERA in his Rookie of the Year season of 1981. Bob's 130.1 innings pitched was the fourth highest total on the team, yet he allowed just eight home runs; he walked just 31 hitters, an average of just 2.14 walks per nine innings.
As a starter he was 9-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 20 games, while he was 0-0 with a 5.14 ERA in three relief appearances. At home he was 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA, while on the road he was 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA. During the day he was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and at night he was 5-3 with a 3.32 ERA.
Bob was one of five rookie pitchers to start at least one game for the Yankees in '86. He has good control on both his fastball and sinker.
In 1981 Bob was the top fielding pitcher in the New York-Penn League (1.000) while leading the Oneonta club (A) in wins (7) and strikeouts (62). In 1982, he led the Florida State League (A) in ERA (1.88), wins (15), shutouts (5) and complete games (13). He was named the right-handed pitcher on the Florida State League's 1982 All-Star team and was New York Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Bob split his 1983 pitching between the Nashville Sounds (AA) and Fort Lauderdale (A), recording impressive numbers with each, and in 1984 led Nashville in victories (11) and complete games (6) and had a 2.83 ERA.
After 17 games with Albany (AA) in 1985, going 6-5 with a 3.54 ERA, Bob was moved to Columbus (AAA) where he posted a 3-0 mark and a 1.02 ERA in six starts. He had a .248 batting average-against at Albany, but just .174 at Columbus.
Bob played baseball and basketball at Merrimack High School in Penacook, New Hampshire. He attended St. Leo (Florida) College, was a 1979 All-Star in the Cape Cod Summer League and was signed by [Yankee scout] Jack Gillis.
His hobbies are art and music, and his favorite spectator sports are basketball, college football and watching his 14-year-old brother play sports. His favorite player growing up was Reggie Smith and his favorite ballparks are Yankee Stadium and Royals Stadium. Bob's most memorable moment was winning his first major league game and retiring Robin Yount with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh inning, with a 3-2 lead, after Yount had gone 3-for-3 until that point.
During the off-season Bob was active in scholastic drug awareness programs and also served as a television sports reporter for a Concord (NH) TV station at postseason Red Sox games at Fenway Park."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
'We came down here really looking to let young people make our staff,' said manager Lou Piniella, 'and here's one of them.' At age 25 the dream continued with a Yankee Stadium standing ovation of 'Tewks!' after 7 1/3 innings and a win in his major league debut. 'It was the biggest thrill I ever had,' Tewskbury later said.
The bubble burst for the Pride of Penacook (New Hampshire) when he was sent to Columbus in July with a sore shoulder. Tewksbury returned to the big club in September and won three of four decisions to finish the year at an impressive 9-5. This year he's determined to continue his storybook career.
'There's no doubt about it,' Tewksbury says, 'I showed I could pitch here.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Bob made the Yankees in 1986 after a strong spring training, going 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA in Florida. He made his major league debut in a start against the Milwaukee Brewers in Yankee Stadium on April 11 and recorded his first major league win in that game by pitching 7.1 innings, giving up nine hits and two runs (both earned) in the Yanks' 3-2 victory. His first major league loss came in his next outing, on April 17 at Cleveland (6.1 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER), a 6-4 Yankee loss to the Indians. In his third outing, April 22 at Kansas City, he notched his second victory (7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER) in the Yanks' 5-1 win.
In his next five starts he went 2-1 (wins on May 3 against Texas and May 17 against Seattle, and a loss on May 11 at Texas) with a 4.74 ERA (13 ER, 24.2 IP), giving him on overall record in his first eight starts of 4-2 with a 4.14 ERA (45.2 IP, 56 H, 24 R, 21 ER, 7 BB, 19 K) through May 28. Bob then made two relief appearances against Baltimore on June 6 and 7, allowing no earned runs in 4.1 combined innings pitched without a decision. He returned to the starting rotation on June 13 at Baltimore, and in his next seven starts from that point through July 13 he went 2-2 (wins at Baltimore on June 13 and at Texas on July 9, and losses at Chicago on July 4th and at Minnesota on July 13) with a 3.16 ERA (42.2 IP, 15 ER). Included in those contests was Bob's first major league complete game, the July 4th loss at Chicago, going eight innings and giving up six hits and just two runs (earned), but losing a 2-1 decision to the White Sox.
After his July 13 outing he suffered a sore right shoulder and was optioned to Columbus on July 25 but did not pitch there until August 23 because of his injury. At the time of his option he was 6-4 with a 3.59 ERA (92.2 IP, 111 H, 44 R, 37 ER, 18 BB, 37 K). He made two starts for the Clippers, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA (10.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K) with the Clippers winning both games.
Bob was recalled by the Yankees on September 1 and in his first six appearances (five starts) following his recall through the end of the season, he went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA (37.2 IP, 33 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 13 BB, 15 K). His first appearance following his recall was in relief on September 9 at California, and in his next outing, a start at Toronto on September 11, he had his major high of five strikeouts and gave up two runs (earned) in six innings, but did not get a decision in the Yanks' 7-5 win. Bob was tagged with his fifth loss of the year on September 17 at Baltimore, going 5.2 innings and issuing his major league high of five walks in the Yanks' 8-3 loss.
He finished the season by winning each of his final three starts beginning on September 22 at Baltimore, going seven innings and giving up five hits and one run (earned) while getting credit for the Yanks' 4-2 victory. In his next outing on September 28 against Detroit, Bob gained the first complete game win of his big league career, going nine innings and giving up eight hits and two runs (earned) along with one walk and four strikeouts in the Yanks' 10-2 win. In his final start on October 4 at Boston (first game) he beat the Red Sox, giving up four hits and three runs (none earned) in 7.1 innings pitched in the Yankees' 5-3 win. In those final three games he was 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA (23.1 IP, 17 H, 3 ER).
Bob finished the season with an overall record of 9-5 with a 3.31 ERA (130.1 IP, 144 H, 58 R, 38 ER, 31 BB, 49 K) and a .282 batting average-against (144-for-511) in 23 appearances (20 starts). His nine wins was tied for the second highest total on the club and was the most by a Yankee rookie pitcher since Dennis Rasmussen went 9-6 in 1984. His 3.31 ERA was the second best among Yankee pitchers with 100 innings pitched, behind only Dave Righetti, and was the lowest ERA by a Yankee rookie with 100 innings pitched since Righetti posted a 2.06 ERA in his Rookie of the Year season of 1981. Bob's 130.1 innings pitched was the fourth highest total on the team, yet he allowed just eight home runs; he walked just 31 hitters, an average of just 2.14 walks per nine innings.
As a starter he was 9-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 20 games, while he was 0-0 with a 5.14 ERA in three relief appearances. At home he was 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA, while on the road he was 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA. During the day he was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and at night he was 5-3 with a 3.32 ERA.
Bob was one of five rookie pitchers to start at least one game for the Yankees in '86. He has good control on both his fastball and sinker.
In 1981 Bob was the top fielding pitcher in the New York-Penn League (1.000) while leading the Oneonta club (A) in wins (7) and strikeouts (62). In 1982, he led the Florida State League (A) in ERA (1.88), wins (15), shutouts (5) and complete games (13). He was named the right-handed pitcher on the Florida State League's 1982 All-Star team and was New York Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Bob split his 1983 pitching between the Nashville Sounds (AA) and Fort Lauderdale (A), recording impressive numbers with each, and in 1984 led Nashville in victories (11) and complete games (6) and had a 2.83 ERA.
After 17 games with Albany (AA) in 1985, going 6-5 with a 3.54 ERA, Bob was moved to Columbus (AAA) where he posted a 3-0 mark and a 1.02 ERA in six starts. He had a .248 batting average-against at Albany, but just .174 at Columbus.
Bob played baseball and basketball at Merrimack High School in Penacook, New Hampshire. He attended St. Leo (Florida) College, was a 1979 All-Star in the Cape Cod Summer League and was signed by [Yankee scout] Jack Gillis.
His hobbies are art and music, and his favorite spectator sports are basketball, college football and watching his 14-year-old brother play sports. His favorite player growing up was Reggie Smith and his favorite ballparks are Yankee Stadium and Royals Stadium. Bob's most memorable moment was winning his first major league game and retiring Robin Yount with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh inning, with a 3-2 lead, after Yount had gone 3-for-3 until that point.
During the off-season Bob was active in scholastic drug awareness programs and also served as a television sports reporter for a Concord (NH) TV station at postseason Red Sox games at Fenway Park."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Friday, April 22, 2016
1987 Profile: Dave Winfield
1987 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Winfield hit a career low .262, 22 points below his career average entering the season- he never fully recovered from his .222 first half. Despite his disturbing average, he finished with 24 home runs and 104 RBI. He surpassed 100 RBI for the fifth consecutive season; the last Yankee to enjoy so many [100] RBI seasons was Joe DiMaggio, who ran off seven straight from 1936-42. Winfield also became the 54th player to achieve 300 home runs with a two-run blast against Seattle on August 20.
The ten-time All-Star has had flaps with owner George Steinbrenner, who seeks more clutch production from him. He appeared to lose a step last season, although he remained an outstanding defensive right fielder.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Winfield was selected by San Diego in the first round (fourth pick) of the June 1973 draft. He signed a 10-year, $23-million pact as a free agent with the Yankees in December 1980. Winfield batted a career high .340 in 1984, losing the batting championship to teammate Don Mattingly on the last day. He heads the Winfield Foundation, which performs various community services."
-Don Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition
"Dave Winfield is widely considered to baseball's finest all-around athlete. Even sports neophytes probably know by now that the 6'6" 220-pounder was drafted by professional teams in three sports- baseball, football and basketball. He's been a baseball All-Star every year since 1977, and he's very likely headed for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1986, Winfield put together his fifth consecutive 100-RBI season, something that hadn't been done by a Yankees player since Joe DiMaggio had seven straight 100-RBI seasons from 1936 through 1942.
Winfield, in his six Yankee seasons, has failed to reach 100 RBI only once- in the strike-shortened 1981 season- and even then he led the Yankees with 68 RBI. And keep in mind that Mickey Mantle, for all his greatness, produced only four 100-RBI seasons in his eighteen Yankees campaigns.
No one is more consistent than Winfield. No one more consistently produces runs. Winfield's yearly RBI totals beginning in 1982 read like this: 106, 116, 100, 114 and 104. DiMaggio was a little more spectacular, with successive RBI seasons of 125, 167, 140, 126, 133, 125 and 114, but then you'd expect perhaps the greatest player in the game's history to put up great numbers.
DiMaggio was the best right-handed hitter in Yankees history. Winfield might well be the second best. The dimensions of Yankee Stadium, a brutal place to play for right-handed power hitters, were unfriendly toward DiMag and don't exactly accommodate Winfield. In Joe's day, the distances to the fences were 402 feet to straightaway left, 457 feet to left-center (the power alley), 461 to dead center and 407 to right-center.
Death Valley, where fly balls go to die. It was a killer in DiMaggio's era, and while the fences are closer today, Yankee Stadium still limits right-handed effectiveness. The 1974-75 Stadium renovation reduced the distance to left-center to 430 feet, and in 1985, when a walkway was installed to open Monument Park to the public, the distance shrank a little more. The lessened distance to left-center: 411 feet- still a good poke when you recognize that a ball hit 400 feet has to be really tagged.
Winfield has done as well as any right-handed hitter except DiMaggio in coping with Yankee Stadium. Dave has hit 151 homers, or about half his career total of 305, while with the Yankees in spite of Death Valley. He should, in 1987, surpass Joe Gordon (153), Hank Bauer (158), Elston Howard (161), Bill Skowron (165) and Tony Lazzeri (169) and move into second place behind DiMaggio for the most Yankee homers by a right-handed batter.
But Winfield is not just a slugger who swings for the fences- although he does smash the ball as hard as anyone in the game. His .288 batting average for his six Yankee seasons places him a lofty 20th in the club's history for those who have played at least 500 Yankee games. He hit a robust .340 in 1984, only to lose the batting title by three points to teammate Don Mattingly in a thrilling race. In June of that season Dave had a trio of five-hit games and tied Ty Cobb's record for the most five-hit games in one month. Season after season, Winfield ranks in the American League Top Ten in several offensive categories.
Although he is a steady and commanding presence at the plate, Winfield is most often perceived in terms of his exceptional all-around skills. He is the complete ballplayer, right down to his baserunning; indeed, big league ball has no baserunner more daring than Dave, who with seven or eight strides can turn a routine single into a leg double. He'll pull four or five games a year out of a hat with his aggressive style on the basepaths.
'The main thing,' Winfield says, 'is winning ballgames, regardless of how you do it, even it doesn't show up in the box scores.'
There is no better defensive outfielder in the game than Winfield. He has made some of the most memorable catches in Yankee Stadium history and was the winner of a Gold Glove, the award given for fielding excellence, four years in a row (1982-85). In 1986 he stretched his large frame over the outfield wall to take away six potential home runs, according to Dave, who does not dabble in false modesty. And baserunners rarely take liberties with his strong throwing arm; those who do often wind up dead ducks.
Winfield hits and hits with power, runs with swift, skillful daring, fields spectacularly and throws with powerful accuracy. And that's not all. He plays with tremendous intensity. He is one of the hardest playing practitioners of the professional game- he never stops hustling.
He's big, he's strong, he's handsome, he's intelligent. As a senior at the University of Minnesota, the St. Paul native posted a 13-1 record as a pitcher and batted over .400 as an outfielder. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1973 College World Series and then, without playing a single game in the minors, went off to major league baseball and hit safely in his first six games with the San Diego Padres.
Winfield has remained mentally tough. 'Mentally, you can accomplish just about anything you want,' he says, 'and mentally I'm as tough as anyone in the game. I'll do whatever it takes to win.'
Including bunting if the situation calls for a bunt. Former Yankees manager Joe McCarthy was once asked if Joe DiMaggio could bunt, and he replied, 'I don't know, and I have no intention of ever finding out.' Fine. But if Dave Winfield feels a bunt will help the Yankees win a game, he'll bunt.
Dave was batting only .233 at the All-Star break in 1986. He rebounded in the second half to finish at .262. The year wasn't his best season, but it was anything but a disaster. Dave says, 'I wouldn't let anybody say I had a horrible year.'
Certainly not. Winfield really had an excellent 1986 season. He hit 24 homers, knocked in 104 runs and scored 90 runs- another solid, consistent year from Dave Winfield. And a consistent Dave Winfield season is an 'outstanding' year for most other ballplayers.
'I know my best years are ahead of me because I'm wiser,' Winfield said after hitting his 300th career home run last year. 'I'm sure I'll have 400-something, maybe 500-something (home runs), but I'm more worried about collecting some wins, some rings, some postseason checks, things like that.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"In 1986 he had good numbers for most major leaguers, but slightly below Dave Winfield standards. He became the first Yankee to reach the 100 RBI mark for five consecutive seasons since Joe DiMaggio did it seven straight years, 1936-42. RBI No. 100 came on September 29 at Yankee Stadium against Toronto; his 104 RBIs in '86 ranked ninth in the American League.
His at-bat in the sixth inning on July 5 at Chicago was career at-bat No. 7,000. His RBI triple in the fifth inning on July 7 at Texas off Mickey Mahler was career hit No. 2,000. His two-run home run on August 20, a second inning blast off Seattle's Mike Moore, was career home run No. 300, with Winfield becoming only the 54th player in history to reach that peak.
Winfield got off to a slow start, hitting just .228 (13-for-57) with one homer and eight RBIs after his first 15 games, with 10 walks and 12 strikeouts. He went 11-for-30 (.367) over his next nine games, raising his overall batting average to .276 on May 4. That hot streak was followed by another cold spell- a 10-game stretch from May 5-15, going 4-for-36 (.111). He had just three homers through his first 35 games.
He came around to hit in seven straight, May 16-24 (his longest hitting streak until September), going 10-for-29 (.345) with three homers and 10 RBIs, raising his batting average to .257. That streak included a 3-for-5, six-RBI performance against Seattle on May 17, with two runs, a double and his sixth career grand slam (New York's lone grand slam of '86). The six RBIs matched his career high, now accomplished three times, and were the team high for '86. From May 25-July 5 Dave went 23-for-127 (.181) in 36 games with four doubles, one triple, six homers, 19 RBIs, 20 walks and 30 strikeouts, with his overall batting average falling from .257 to .222, his lowest point of '86. He went 17 games between homers No. 12 and 13, June 14-July 6, and hit just one homer in 28 games between June 15 and July 21.
From July 6-30, 18 games, Dave went 25-for-65 (.385) with 18 RBIs, raising his overall average from .222 to .253. He had just 13 RBIs in 28 August games, going 30-for-104 (.288) and ending the month at .261. Dave had just two hits in September's first seven games (2-for-23, .087 BA) with his average falling to .253, but from September 11 to season's end went 29-for-94 (.309) with four homers and 21 RBIs to end at .262.
His .262 batting average was the lowest of his professional career, and his total of 148 hits was his fewest in a full season since getting 139 in 1976. His 77 walks were the most since receiving 79 passes in 1980, yet he broke the 100 strikeout mark for the first time in his career- his previous high had been 96 in 1974 and 1985. Dave went hitless in five straight games on two occasions: May 25-30 (0-for-13) and September 3-9 (0-for-17, his longest 0-fer of '86).
Dave hit second in the batting order for the first time in his career on June 27 against Toronto. He appeared as a designated hitter in six games, going 2-for-18 (.111), and was 1-for-7 with a walk in eight pinch-hitting appearances (.143). Dave was 48-for-161 (.298) with runners in scoring position.
He led Yankee outfielders with nine assists. He went 104 games between his second and third errors of '86- he had two errors in his first nine games of the season, three in his last 42 games and none in between. Dave made his first career appearance at third base on July 2 against Detroit in the ninth inning- and had no fielding chances.
Dave hit a pair of homers on June 4 at California and scored four runs (matching the '86 team high) on June 23 at Boston. He appeared in his 10th straight All-Star Game.
In 1981, his first season as a Yankee, Dave led the team in games, at bats, hits, total bases, doubles, RBI, game winning RBI and sacrifice flies. He hit his first home run as a Yankee on April 29 in Detroit off Jack Morris, and his first Yankee Stadium homer on May 23 off Rick Waits. Dave made his first appearance in postseason competition.
In 1982 he finished second in the AL with a .560 slugging percentage and third with 37 homers. He also led the Yankees with 106 RBI and his 37 home runs were a career high. Joe DiMaggio is the only right-handed Yankee batter to hit more homers in a season (46 in 1937, 39 in 1948). Winfield became the ninth player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season in both leagues. He was named AL Player of the Month for September (.294 BA, 11 HR, 22 RBI, .661 slugging percentage).
Winfield led the Yankees in 1983 in games, at-bats, runs, hits, triples, homers, RBI, game-winning RBI and walks. He finished second in the AL with 21 game winning RBI, third with 116 RBI, fifth with 307 total bases, tied for fifth with 32 homers, tied for fifth with eight triples, seventh with a .513 slugging percentage and tied for eighth with 99 runs scored. Named to his seventh consecutive All-Star team, Dave contributed three hits in a rare American League win. He was selected as AL Player of the Week [for each of] the first two weeks of August. On August 4 at Toronto, he fatally beaned a seagull during between-innings warm-ups and was charged by Toronto Police with cruelty to animals- the charges were dropped the next day.
In 1984 Winfield finished second to Don Mattingly for the American League batting championship with a career high .340, fourth in the AL with 193 hits, fourth with a .393 on-base percentage, and sixth with 106 runs. He had a career high 20-game hitting streak from August 17-September 8. Dave had three five-hit games in June, tying a record held by Ty Cobb [for five-hit games in one month]. He won his fourth straight Sporting News Silver Bat Award and was named to the American League, Sporting News and UPI All-Star teams.
He had an outstanding year in 1985 at the plate, with the glove and on the basepaths. He was second in the American League with 19 game winning RBI, third with 114 RBI, tied for seventh with 66 extra base hits, ninth with 105 runs and 10th with 298 total bases. Dave recorded 100+ RBI for the fourth straight year, the first Yankee [to do this] since Yogi Berra (1953-56), was the first Yankee to score 100+ runs in consecutive seasons since Mickey Mantle (1960-61), and the first Yankee to record 100+ runs and 100 RBIs since Joe DiMaggio (1941-42). He scored his 1,000th career run on July 26 at Texas.
Winfield lost 17 spring training days, March 17 through April 2, with an infected left elbow which required a six-day hospital stay. He began the '85 regular season struggling at the plate, hitting .257 through April and dropping to a season low of .234 on May 18. At this point he began a season-high 13-game hitting streak which lasted through June 1, raising his batting average 23 points (he also had a 10-game hitting streak from July 9-22). He had only five homers through June 6, yet went 36-for-105 (.343) in June, driving his average up to .289; it peaked at .300 on July 22, then from July 23 to August 18 he went 18-for-96 (.188), his overall average dropping to .280.
His 96 strikeouts in '85 matched a career high set in 1974, yet his 19 stolen bases were his most since 1980. He stole home on September 7 against Oakland. He won his fourth straight AL Gold Glove (sixth overall) and appeared in his ninth consecutive All-Star Game.
Dave went right to the majors off the University of Minnesota campus in 1973, hit safely in his first six major league games and never played in the minors. He hit .284 in his eight-year career in San Diego and in 1976 led NL outfielders with 15 assists. He had his best season in the National League in 1979, leading the National League with 118 RBIs and 333 total bases and finishing third with 34 homers. Winfield won his first Gold Glove in '79 in addition to placing third in the BBWAA MVP voting behind co-winners Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell.
Prior to college Winfield attended St. Paul Central High School. At the University of Minnesota, he was 13-1 on the mound in his senior year while batting over .400 [as an outfielder]. He was the Gophers team captain, named a first team All-American and was MVP of the 1973 College World Series. He also played basketball for Minnesota and was drafted in three different sports: Padres in baseball, Vikings in football, and Utah (ABA) and Atlanta (NBA) in basketball.
He established the David M. Winfield Foundation, receiving much acclaim for its work with youth groups and further contributions to the community. Winfield was named 1979 winner of the YMCA Brian Piccolo Award for humanitarian services. He opened a restaurant in Manhattan called 'Border Cafe' in November of '86."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
"Winfield hit a career low .262, 22 points below his career average entering the season- he never fully recovered from his .222 first half. Despite his disturbing average, he finished with 24 home runs and 104 RBI. He surpassed 100 RBI for the fifth consecutive season; the last Yankee to enjoy so many [100] RBI seasons was Joe DiMaggio, who ran off seven straight from 1936-42. Winfield also became the 54th player to achieve 300 home runs with a two-run blast against Seattle on August 20.
The ten-time All-Star has had flaps with owner George Steinbrenner, who seeks more clutch production from him. He appeared to lose a step last season, although he remained an outstanding defensive right fielder.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Winfield was selected by San Diego in the first round (fourth pick) of the June 1973 draft. He signed a 10-year, $23-million pact as a free agent with the Yankees in December 1980. Winfield batted a career high .340 in 1984, losing the batting championship to teammate Don Mattingly on the last day. He heads the Winfield Foundation, which performs various community services."
-Don Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition
"Dave Winfield is widely considered to baseball's finest all-around athlete. Even sports neophytes probably know by now that the 6'6" 220-pounder was drafted by professional teams in three sports- baseball, football and basketball. He's been a baseball All-Star every year since 1977, and he's very likely headed for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1986, Winfield put together his fifth consecutive 100-RBI season, something that hadn't been done by a Yankees player since Joe DiMaggio had seven straight 100-RBI seasons from 1936 through 1942.
Winfield, in his six Yankee seasons, has failed to reach 100 RBI only once- in the strike-shortened 1981 season- and even then he led the Yankees with 68 RBI. And keep in mind that Mickey Mantle, for all his greatness, produced only four 100-RBI seasons in his eighteen Yankees campaigns.
No one is more consistent than Winfield. No one more consistently produces runs. Winfield's yearly RBI totals beginning in 1982 read like this: 106, 116, 100, 114 and 104. DiMaggio was a little more spectacular, with successive RBI seasons of 125, 167, 140, 126, 133, 125 and 114, but then you'd expect perhaps the greatest player in the game's history to put up great numbers.
DiMaggio was the best right-handed hitter in Yankees history. Winfield might well be the second best. The dimensions of Yankee Stadium, a brutal place to play for right-handed power hitters, were unfriendly toward DiMag and don't exactly accommodate Winfield. In Joe's day, the distances to the fences were 402 feet to straightaway left, 457 feet to left-center (the power alley), 461 to dead center and 407 to right-center.
Death Valley, where fly balls go to die. It was a killer in DiMaggio's era, and while the fences are closer today, Yankee Stadium still limits right-handed effectiveness. The 1974-75 Stadium renovation reduced the distance to left-center to 430 feet, and in 1985, when a walkway was installed to open Monument Park to the public, the distance shrank a little more. The lessened distance to left-center: 411 feet- still a good poke when you recognize that a ball hit 400 feet has to be really tagged.
Winfield has done as well as any right-handed hitter except DiMaggio in coping with Yankee Stadium. Dave has hit 151 homers, or about half his career total of 305, while with the Yankees in spite of Death Valley. He should, in 1987, surpass Joe Gordon (153), Hank Bauer (158), Elston Howard (161), Bill Skowron (165) and Tony Lazzeri (169) and move into second place behind DiMaggio for the most Yankee homers by a right-handed batter.
But Winfield is not just a slugger who swings for the fences- although he does smash the ball as hard as anyone in the game. His .288 batting average for his six Yankee seasons places him a lofty 20th in the club's history for those who have played at least 500 Yankee games. He hit a robust .340 in 1984, only to lose the batting title by three points to teammate Don Mattingly in a thrilling race. In June of that season Dave had a trio of five-hit games and tied Ty Cobb's record for the most five-hit games in one month. Season after season, Winfield ranks in the American League Top Ten in several offensive categories.
Although he is a steady and commanding presence at the plate, Winfield is most often perceived in terms of his exceptional all-around skills. He is the complete ballplayer, right down to his baserunning; indeed, big league ball has no baserunner more daring than Dave, who with seven or eight strides can turn a routine single into a leg double. He'll pull four or five games a year out of a hat with his aggressive style on the basepaths.
'The main thing,' Winfield says, 'is winning ballgames, regardless of how you do it, even it doesn't show up in the box scores.'
There is no better defensive outfielder in the game than Winfield. He has made some of the most memorable catches in Yankee Stadium history and was the winner of a Gold Glove, the award given for fielding excellence, four years in a row (1982-85). In 1986 he stretched his large frame over the outfield wall to take away six potential home runs, according to Dave, who does not dabble in false modesty. And baserunners rarely take liberties with his strong throwing arm; those who do often wind up dead ducks.
Winfield hits and hits with power, runs with swift, skillful daring, fields spectacularly and throws with powerful accuracy. And that's not all. He plays with tremendous intensity. He is one of the hardest playing practitioners of the professional game- he never stops hustling.
He's big, he's strong, he's handsome, he's intelligent. As a senior at the University of Minnesota, the St. Paul native posted a 13-1 record as a pitcher and batted over .400 as an outfielder. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1973 College World Series and then, without playing a single game in the minors, went off to major league baseball and hit safely in his first six games with the San Diego Padres.
Winfield has remained mentally tough. 'Mentally, you can accomplish just about anything you want,' he says, 'and mentally I'm as tough as anyone in the game. I'll do whatever it takes to win.'
Including bunting if the situation calls for a bunt. Former Yankees manager Joe McCarthy was once asked if Joe DiMaggio could bunt, and he replied, 'I don't know, and I have no intention of ever finding out.' Fine. But if Dave Winfield feels a bunt will help the Yankees win a game, he'll bunt.
Dave was batting only .233 at the All-Star break in 1986. He rebounded in the second half to finish at .262. The year wasn't his best season, but it was anything but a disaster. Dave says, 'I wouldn't let anybody say I had a horrible year.'
Certainly not. Winfield really had an excellent 1986 season. He hit 24 homers, knocked in 104 runs and scored 90 runs- another solid, consistent year from Dave Winfield. And a consistent Dave Winfield season is an 'outstanding' year for most other ballplayers.
'I know my best years are ahead of me because I'm wiser,' Winfield said after hitting his 300th career home run last year. 'I'm sure I'll have 400-something, maybe 500-something (home runs), but I'm more worried about collecting some wins, some rings, some postseason checks, things like that.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"In 1986 he had good numbers for most major leaguers, but slightly below Dave Winfield standards. He became the first Yankee to reach the 100 RBI mark for five consecutive seasons since Joe DiMaggio did it seven straight years, 1936-42. RBI No. 100 came on September 29 at Yankee Stadium against Toronto; his 104 RBIs in '86 ranked ninth in the American League.
His at-bat in the sixth inning on July 5 at Chicago was career at-bat No. 7,000. His RBI triple in the fifth inning on July 7 at Texas off Mickey Mahler was career hit No. 2,000. His two-run home run on August 20, a second inning blast off Seattle's Mike Moore, was career home run No. 300, with Winfield becoming only the 54th player in history to reach that peak.
Winfield got off to a slow start, hitting just .228 (13-for-57) with one homer and eight RBIs after his first 15 games, with 10 walks and 12 strikeouts. He went 11-for-30 (.367) over his next nine games, raising his overall batting average to .276 on May 4. That hot streak was followed by another cold spell- a 10-game stretch from May 5-15, going 4-for-36 (.111). He had just three homers through his first 35 games.
He came around to hit in seven straight, May 16-24 (his longest hitting streak until September), going 10-for-29 (.345) with three homers and 10 RBIs, raising his batting average to .257. That streak included a 3-for-5, six-RBI performance against Seattle on May 17, with two runs, a double and his sixth career grand slam (New York's lone grand slam of '86). The six RBIs matched his career high, now accomplished three times, and were the team high for '86. From May 25-July 5 Dave went 23-for-127 (.181) in 36 games with four doubles, one triple, six homers, 19 RBIs, 20 walks and 30 strikeouts, with his overall batting average falling from .257 to .222, his lowest point of '86. He went 17 games between homers No. 12 and 13, June 14-July 6, and hit just one homer in 28 games between June 15 and July 21.
From July 6-30, 18 games, Dave went 25-for-65 (.385) with 18 RBIs, raising his overall average from .222 to .253. He had just 13 RBIs in 28 August games, going 30-for-104 (.288) and ending the month at .261. Dave had just two hits in September's first seven games (2-for-23, .087 BA) with his average falling to .253, but from September 11 to season's end went 29-for-94 (.309) with four homers and 21 RBIs to end at .262.
His .262 batting average was the lowest of his professional career, and his total of 148 hits was his fewest in a full season since getting 139 in 1976. His 77 walks were the most since receiving 79 passes in 1980, yet he broke the 100 strikeout mark for the first time in his career- his previous high had been 96 in 1974 and 1985. Dave went hitless in five straight games on two occasions: May 25-30 (0-for-13) and September 3-9 (0-for-17, his longest 0-fer of '86).
Dave hit second in the batting order for the first time in his career on June 27 against Toronto. He appeared as a designated hitter in six games, going 2-for-18 (.111), and was 1-for-7 with a walk in eight pinch-hitting appearances (.143). Dave was 48-for-161 (.298) with runners in scoring position.
He led Yankee outfielders with nine assists. He went 104 games between his second and third errors of '86- he had two errors in his first nine games of the season, three in his last 42 games and none in between. Dave made his first career appearance at third base on July 2 against Detroit in the ninth inning- and had no fielding chances.
Dave hit a pair of homers on June 4 at California and scored four runs (matching the '86 team high) on June 23 at Boston. He appeared in his 10th straight All-Star Game.
In 1981, his first season as a Yankee, Dave led the team in games, at bats, hits, total bases, doubles, RBI, game winning RBI and sacrifice flies. He hit his first home run as a Yankee on April 29 in Detroit off Jack Morris, and his first Yankee Stadium homer on May 23 off Rick Waits. Dave made his first appearance in postseason competition.
In 1982 he finished second in the AL with a .560 slugging percentage and third with 37 homers. He also led the Yankees with 106 RBI and his 37 home runs were a career high. Joe DiMaggio is the only right-handed Yankee batter to hit more homers in a season (46 in 1937, 39 in 1948). Winfield became the ninth player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season in both leagues. He was named AL Player of the Month for September (.294 BA, 11 HR, 22 RBI, .661 slugging percentage).
Winfield led the Yankees in 1983 in games, at-bats, runs, hits, triples, homers, RBI, game-winning RBI and walks. He finished second in the AL with 21 game winning RBI, third with 116 RBI, fifth with 307 total bases, tied for fifth with 32 homers, tied for fifth with eight triples, seventh with a .513 slugging percentage and tied for eighth with 99 runs scored. Named to his seventh consecutive All-Star team, Dave contributed three hits in a rare American League win. He was selected as AL Player of the Week [for each of] the first two weeks of August. On August 4 at Toronto, he fatally beaned a seagull during between-innings warm-ups and was charged by Toronto Police with cruelty to animals- the charges were dropped the next day.
In 1984 Winfield finished second to Don Mattingly for the American League batting championship with a career high .340, fourth in the AL with 193 hits, fourth with a .393 on-base percentage, and sixth with 106 runs. He had a career high 20-game hitting streak from August 17-September 8. Dave had three five-hit games in June, tying a record held by Ty Cobb [for five-hit games in one month]. He won his fourth straight Sporting News Silver Bat Award and was named to the American League, Sporting News and UPI All-Star teams.
He had an outstanding year in 1985 at the plate, with the glove and on the basepaths. He was second in the American League with 19 game winning RBI, third with 114 RBI, tied for seventh with 66 extra base hits, ninth with 105 runs and 10th with 298 total bases. Dave recorded 100+ RBI for the fourth straight year, the first Yankee [to do this] since Yogi Berra (1953-56), was the first Yankee to score 100+ runs in consecutive seasons since Mickey Mantle (1960-61), and the first Yankee to record 100+ runs and 100 RBIs since Joe DiMaggio (1941-42). He scored his 1,000th career run on July 26 at Texas.
Winfield lost 17 spring training days, March 17 through April 2, with an infected left elbow which required a six-day hospital stay. He began the '85 regular season struggling at the plate, hitting .257 through April and dropping to a season low of .234 on May 18. At this point he began a season-high 13-game hitting streak which lasted through June 1, raising his batting average 23 points (he also had a 10-game hitting streak from July 9-22). He had only five homers through June 6, yet went 36-for-105 (.343) in June, driving his average up to .289; it peaked at .300 on July 22, then from July 23 to August 18 he went 18-for-96 (.188), his overall average dropping to .280.
His 96 strikeouts in '85 matched a career high set in 1974, yet his 19 stolen bases were his most since 1980. He stole home on September 7 against Oakland. He won his fourth straight AL Gold Glove (sixth overall) and appeared in his ninth consecutive All-Star Game.
Dave went right to the majors off the University of Minnesota campus in 1973, hit safely in his first six major league games and never played in the minors. He hit .284 in his eight-year career in San Diego and in 1976 led NL outfielders with 15 assists. He had his best season in the National League in 1979, leading the National League with 118 RBIs and 333 total bases and finishing third with 34 homers. Winfield won his first Gold Glove in '79 in addition to placing third in the BBWAA MVP voting behind co-winners Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell.
Prior to college Winfield attended St. Paul Central High School. At the University of Minnesota, he was 13-1 on the mound in his senior year while batting over .400 [as an outfielder]. He was the Gophers team captain, named a first team All-American and was MVP of the 1973 College World Series. He also played basketball for Minnesota and was drafted in three different sports: Padres in baseball, Vikings in football, and Utah (ABA) and Atlanta (NBA) in basketball.
He established the David M. Winfield Foundation, receiving much acclaim for its work with youth groups and further contributions to the community. Winfield was named 1979 winner of the YMCA Brian Piccolo Award for humanitarian services. He opened a restaurant in Manhattan called 'Border Cafe' in November of '86."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Monday, April 18, 2016
1987 Profile: Joe Niekro
"Joe suffered a disappointing campaign after being re-signed as a free agent to a three-year contract. The first blow came in spring training, when the Yankees released his brother, Phil. He never recovered emotionally from that.
He won his first four decisions for the best start of his career. He was 7-3 on June 10 when his season suddenly soured. Niekro won once from June 10 until August 30.
It was later revealed he had suffered a sore shoulder in June- the injury was diagnosed as a torn rotator cuff. Niekro failed to work as much as six innings in any of his last 12 starts. He generally fell behind hitters with his knuckleball and was hurt by his fastball and slider. He did not pitch after September 6.
This 213-game winner failed to finish in double figures in victories for only the second time in the last 10 years. Joe was runner-up in the National League Cy Young balloting in 1979 and was the winning pitcher for Houston in the one-game NL West playoff against Los Angeles in 1980. Born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, Joe was a third round draft choice of the Cubs June 1966."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and then it kept going bad. This was the story of Joe Niekro in 1986, his first full season in Pinstripes. The 42-year-old veteran knuckleballer was brought to New York from Houston in September of 1985 in order to lend some needed experience to the pitching staff. He was expected to continue that role in 1986.
After putting the spring release of brother Phil behind him, the younger Niekro started the year with four straight wins. Then the roof fell in. Joe could muster only five wins in his last fifteen decisions, finishing at a disappointing 9-10.
'You want to pitch well, and you feel bad when things aren't going well,' says Niekro. 'When you care about the game and you're not doing the job, it hurts.'
Another thing that hurt was a sore shoulder, which plagued the pitcher through much of the season. 'He still has the good knuckleball,' says pitching coach Mark Connor. 'With the proper rest and medication over the winter, he'll be back as a winning pitcher for us in 1987.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Although he got off to the best start of his career in 1986, he was inconsistent for much of the year. Joe's 125.2 innings pitched were the fewest he's accumulated since his 118.0 innings pitched in 1976, and it was the first time he had more hits allowed (139) since 1980 (256.0 innings pitched, 268 hits). His walk total (63) exceeded his strikeouts (59) for the first time since 1971 (49 BB, 43 K's), and for only the second time in his major league career. 1986 also marked his first season since '76 that he failed to record a shutout or a complete game. Joe's last shutout came on June 8, 1985 while with Houston, beating San Francisco 5-0, and he threw his last complete game on August 13, 1985, also with Houston, losing to San Francisco 4-2.
Joe was 4-0 to start the season and had a 2.54 ERA by May 5 (six starts) with 11 earned runs in 39 innings pitched- his best start since going 3-0 in 1970 with Detroit. His second inning strikeout of Brook Jacoby on April 15 at Cleveland was career strikeout No. 1,600. He was 1-3 in his next five starts, May 11-30, allowing 16 earned runs in 28.2 innings pitched (5.02 ERA), raising his overall ERA to 3.59. Joe allowed two home runs on May 30 at Oakland, one each to Jose Canseco and Dave Kingman.
He won his following two starts on June 4 at California and on June 10 at Detroit. On June 4 Joe had a no-hitter going before Gary Pettis doubled with two out in the eighth- he retired Wally Joyner to end the inning, and Al Holland pitched a perfect ninth to preserve the 11-0 combined shutout. Joe allowed just one run in the June 10 start (Pat Sheridan's solo homer), combining for one run in 14.2 innings pitched in the two wins, raising his season record to 7-3 and lowering his ERA to 3.06.
Joe lost his next three starts, allowing 16 earned runs in 9.0 innings pitched with his season record falling to 7-6 with a 4.34 ERA. He gave up three home runs in 2.1 innings pitched on June 17 against Boston (Bill Buckner a two-run homers, Dwight Evans a pair of two-run homers); five runs in 5.0 innings pitched on June 22 at Toronto in a 15-1 New York loss; and four runs in 1.2 innings pitched on June 28 against Toronto. Joe was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 30 with a raised fingernail on his right index finger, and was not activated until July 17.
He made nine starts after returning from the DL, going 2-4 with a 6.29 ERA (24 ER, 34.1 IP), failing to get past the sixth inning in any of the nine starts- in fact, he was unable to get past the sixth inning in any of his last 12 starts, going 2-7 with an 8.31 ERA (40 ER, 43.1 IP). Three of the four homers he allowed after returning from the DL were to Doug DeCinces: two on August 25 in New York and one on September 6 in Anaheim. Joe's last win came on August 30 at Seattle (second game of a doubleheader), allowing no runs on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched, and his last loss came on September 6 at California (his last appearance). Joe made his first career appearances against Seattle, Texas and Toronto in 1986.
Joe walked a season high six batters twice, April 25 against Cleveland and June 10 at Detroit, and struck out a season high five twice, April 25 against Cleveland and June 4 at California. Somewhat a victim of poor fielding, he was charged with 16 unearned runs, or 19% of his total runs allowed.
His 118 wins since and including 1979 ties him with Scott McGregor for third most in the majors, trailing Ron Guidry (122) and Jack Morris (140). He currently ranks eighth on the [career] win list of active pitchers with 213 (the list includes all pitchers playing in 1986). Joe has combined with older brother Phil to record 524 career wins, second only to Gaylord and Jim Perry's total of 529 for a brother duo.
Joe came to the Yankees from Houston in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jim Deshaies, minor league pitcher Dody Rather and minor league infielder Neder Horta on September 15, 1985 (the minor league players named on later dates). He was reunited with his brother Phil, as the two played for Atlanta in 1973-74. Joe was 9-12, 3.72 ERA with Houston in '85, completing an 11-year career [with the Astros]. He had 100+ strikeouts for the fifth straight year and ninth time in his career. Joe notched his 200th career win at San Diego on July 2, winning 3-2. He became Houston's all-time winningest pitcher at 144 wins.
He made three starts after joining the Yankees. A free agent after the season, he was re-signed by New York just hours prior to the midnight January 8 deadline.
Joe tossed a 1-hitter for Detroit against the Yankees on July 2, 1970, with Horace Clarke breaking up the no-hit bid with a one out single in the ninth inning. He tossed a seven inning perfect game in the minors for Toledo on July 15, 1972 at Tidewater. He has authored a 1-hitter, three 2-hitters and six 3-hitters in his career.
He won a 4-hitter while hitting a homer off his brother Phil on May 26, 1976. He holds a 5-4 edge over Phil with the last decision being a 5-3 triumph for Joe at Atlanta on September 13, 1982.
Joe recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons with Houston, going 21-11 in 1979 and 20-12 in 1980. He was the runner-up in the BBWAA voting for the 1979 Cy Young Award and placed fourth in 1980. In 1979 Joe was chosen as the NL Pitcher of the Year by the Sporting News. He tied for the NL lead with five shutouts that year. He was named to the '79 NL All-Star team as well as the the AP and UPI postseason All-Star squads. In 1980, Joe was the winning pitcher in the one-game playoff against Los Angeles to decide the National League Western Division title.
His 2.47 ERA in 1982 was second in the National League, and he also tied for second with five shutouts, was third with 16 complete games and fourth with 270 innings pitched. Joe had a career high 153 strikeouts in 1983.
A graduate of Bridgeport (OH) High School, Joe attended West Liberty (West Virginia) College where he won All-American honors in baseball. He is very active nationally with the Spina Bifida Association and has received many honors for his contributions. He greatly enjoys fishing. His brother Phil is a 23-year veteran of the major leagues and is currently pitching for the Cleveland Indians.
Joe's favorite spectator sport is golf and his favorite team growing up was the Pittsburgh Pirates. His favorite player is Phil Niekro, his toughest opponent is Tony Perez, and his favorite ballparks are Yankee Stadium and San Diego Stadium. His most memorable moment was beating the Dodgers for the NL West pennant. His favorite entertainer is Elton John."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
He won his first four decisions for the best start of his career. He was 7-3 on June 10 when his season suddenly soured. Niekro won once from June 10 until August 30.
It was later revealed he had suffered a sore shoulder in June- the injury was diagnosed as a torn rotator cuff. Niekro failed to work as much as six innings in any of his last 12 starts. He generally fell behind hitters with his knuckleball and was hurt by his fastball and slider. He did not pitch after September 6.
This 213-game winner failed to finish in double figures in victories for only the second time in the last 10 years. Joe was runner-up in the National League Cy Young balloting in 1979 and was the winning pitcher for Houston in the one-game NL West playoff against Los Angeles in 1980. Born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, Joe was a third round draft choice of the Cubs June 1966."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and then it kept going bad. This was the story of Joe Niekro in 1986, his first full season in Pinstripes. The 42-year-old veteran knuckleballer was brought to New York from Houston in September of 1985 in order to lend some needed experience to the pitching staff. He was expected to continue that role in 1986.
After putting the spring release of brother Phil behind him, the younger Niekro started the year with four straight wins. Then the roof fell in. Joe could muster only five wins in his last fifteen decisions, finishing at a disappointing 9-10.
'You want to pitch well, and you feel bad when things aren't going well,' says Niekro. 'When you care about the game and you're not doing the job, it hurts.'
Another thing that hurt was a sore shoulder, which plagued the pitcher through much of the season. 'He still has the good knuckleball,' says pitching coach Mark Connor. 'With the proper rest and medication over the winter, he'll be back as a winning pitcher for us in 1987.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Although he got off to the best start of his career in 1986, he was inconsistent for much of the year. Joe's 125.2 innings pitched were the fewest he's accumulated since his 118.0 innings pitched in 1976, and it was the first time he had more hits allowed (139) since 1980 (256.0 innings pitched, 268 hits). His walk total (63) exceeded his strikeouts (59) for the first time since 1971 (49 BB, 43 K's), and for only the second time in his major league career. 1986 also marked his first season since '76 that he failed to record a shutout or a complete game. Joe's last shutout came on June 8, 1985 while with Houston, beating San Francisco 5-0, and he threw his last complete game on August 13, 1985, also with Houston, losing to San Francisco 4-2.
Joe was 4-0 to start the season and had a 2.54 ERA by May 5 (six starts) with 11 earned runs in 39 innings pitched- his best start since going 3-0 in 1970 with Detroit. His second inning strikeout of Brook Jacoby on April 15 at Cleveland was career strikeout No. 1,600. He was 1-3 in his next five starts, May 11-30, allowing 16 earned runs in 28.2 innings pitched (5.02 ERA), raising his overall ERA to 3.59. Joe allowed two home runs on May 30 at Oakland, one each to Jose Canseco and Dave Kingman.
He won his following two starts on June 4 at California and on June 10 at Detroit. On June 4 Joe had a no-hitter going before Gary Pettis doubled with two out in the eighth- he retired Wally Joyner to end the inning, and Al Holland pitched a perfect ninth to preserve the 11-0 combined shutout. Joe allowed just one run in the June 10 start (Pat Sheridan's solo homer), combining for one run in 14.2 innings pitched in the two wins, raising his season record to 7-3 and lowering his ERA to 3.06.
Joe lost his next three starts, allowing 16 earned runs in 9.0 innings pitched with his season record falling to 7-6 with a 4.34 ERA. He gave up three home runs in 2.1 innings pitched on June 17 against Boston (Bill Buckner a two-run homers, Dwight Evans a pair of two-run homers); five runs in 5.0 innings pitched on June 22 at Toronto in a 15-1 New York loss; and four runs in 1.2 innings pitched on June 28 against Toronto. Joe was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 30 with a raised fingernail on his right index finger, and was not activated until July 17.
He made nine starts after returning from the DL, going 2-4 with a 6.29 ERA (24 ER, 34.1 IP), failing to get past the sixth inning in any of the nine starts- in fact, he was unable to get past the sixth inning in any of his last 12 starts, going 2-7 with an 8.31 ERA (40 ER, 43.1 IP). Three of the four homers he allowed after returning from the DL were to Doug DeCinces: two on August 25 in New York and one on September 6 in Anaheim. Joe's last win came on August 30 at Seattle (second game of a doubleheader), allowing no runs on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched, and his last loss came on September 6 at California (his last appearance). Joe made his first career appearances against Seattle, Texas and Toronto in 1986.
Joe walked a season high six batters twice, April 25 against Cleveland and June 10 at Detroit, and struck out a season high five twice, April 25 against Cleveland and June 4 at California. Somewhat a victim of poor fielding, he was charged with 16 unearned runs, or 19% of his total runs allowed.
His 118 wins since and including 1979 ties him with Scott McGregor for third most in the majors, trailing Ron Guidry (122) and Jack Morris (140). He currently ranks eighth on the [career] win list of active pitchers with 213 (the list includes all pitchers playing in 1986). Joe has combined with older brother Phil to record 524 career wins, second only to Gaylord and Jim Perry's total of 529 for a brother duo.
Joe came to the Yankees from Houston in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jim Deshaies, minor league pitcher Dody Rather and minor league infielder Neder Horta on September 15, 1985 (the minor league players named on later dates). He was reunited with his brother Phil, as the two played for Atlanta in 1973-74. Joe was 9-12, 3.72 ERA with Houston in '85, completing an 11-year career [with the Astros]. He had 100+ strikeouts for the fifth straight year and ninth time in his career. Joe notched his 200th career win at San Diego on July 2, winning 3-2. He became Houston's all-time winningest pitcher at 144 wins.
He made three starts after joining the Yankees. A free agent after the season, he was re-signed by New York just hours prior to the midnight January 8 deadline.
Joe tossed a 1-hitter for Detroit against the Yankees on July 2, 1970, with Horace Clarke breaking up the no-hit bid with a one out single in the ninth inning. He tossed a seven inning perfect game in the minors for Toledo on July 15, 1972 at Tidewater. He has authored a 1-hitter, three 2-hitters and six 3-hitters in his career.
He won a 4-hitter while hitting a homer off his brother Phil on May 26, 1976. He holds a 5-4 edge over Phil with the last decision being a 5-3 triumph for Joe at Atlanta on September 13, 1982.
Joe recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons with Houston, going 21-11 in 1979 and 20-12 in 1980. He was the runner-up in the BBWAA voting for the 1979 Cy Young Award and placed fourth in 1980. In 1979 Joe was chosen as the NL Pitcher of the Year by the Sporting News. He tied for the NL lead with five shutouts that year. He was named to the '79 NL All-Star team as well as the the AP and UPI postseason All-Star squads. In 1980, Joe was the winning pitcher in the one-game playoff against Los Angeles to decide the National League Western Division title.
His 2.47 ERA in 1982 was second in the National League, and he also tied for second with five shutouts, was third with 16 complete games and fourth with 270 innings pitched. Joe had a career high 153 strikeouts in 1983.
A graduate of Bridgeport (OH) High School, Joe attended West Liberty (West Virginia) College where he won All-American honors in baseball. He is very active nationally with the Spina Bifida Association and has received many honors for his contributions. He greatly enjoys fishing. His brother Phil is a 23-year veteran of the major leagues and is currently pitching for the Cleveland Indians.
Joe's favorite spectator sport is golf and his favorite team growing up was the Pittsburgh Pirates. His favorite player is Phil Niekro, his toughest opponent is Tony Perez, and his favorite ballparks are Yankee Stadium and San Diego Stadium. His most memorable moment was beating the Dodgers for the NL West pennant. His favorite entertainer is Elton John."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Thursday, April 14, 2016
1987 Profile: Gary Ward
"A problem for the Yankees in 1986 was the lack of right-handed hitting, which which resulted in a 23-33 record versus lefties. To correct the situation in 1987, the club signed free agent Gary Ward, a right-handed hitter who is expected to help the team immensely in the drive for the pennant. 'His addition should really help us, especially against left-handed pitching,' predicted manager Lou Piniella.
The 33-year-old Ward showed that he can still get it done by hitting a career high .316 for Texas last year, seventh best among A.L. hitters with at least 250 at-bats. Toss in 51 RBI and 12 stolen bases, and this former two-time A.L. All-Star will indeed by a welcome addition in 1987.
'It will be fun playing for a contender,' Ward says, 'and I'm confident I'll be able to contribute to the success of the Yankees this year.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Signed by the Yankees as a free agent on December 24, Ward spent the previous three seasons with the Texas Rangers and was with the Minnesota Twins for three full seasons and parts of two others before that. With the Rangers in 1986 he batted a career high .316, seventh best among all American League players with 250 or more at-bats. He tied for second on the club in steals (12) and was sixth in RBIs (51) despite appearing in only 105 games.
Ward began the '86 season by hitting .310 (18-for-58) over his first 16 games through April 29, then batted just .203 (15-for-74) over his next 20 contests, bringing his average down to a season low .250 on May 24. He had a nine-game hitting streak, his longest of the season, from June 3-13, batting .368 (14-for-38) with nine RBIs in that span to raise his average from .263 to .284. Beginning on June 20, Gary batted .366 (63-for-172) in his final 49 games, including a .423 performance (41-for-97) in the first 27 games of that stretch. On August 7 at Baltimore he tied his career high with four hits (in five at-bats), including a two-run homer off Scott McGregor, and had a season high five RBIs (one shy of his single game career high), only the third time in his career he drove in five or more runs in a game.
Gary hit safely in 76 of the 103 games in which he batted officially. He had a four-hit game and nine three-hit games and had six straight hits in the games of June 21-22. Gary hit .357 (25-for-70) in July.
He notched the Rangers' second inside-the-park home run ever hit in Arlington Stadium on June 20 against Oakland. He stole home in the eight inning of the June 22 game against Chicago, the 14th steal of home in Ranger history.
Gary batted .315 (82-for-260) against right-handed pitching and and .317 (38-for-120) against left-handed pitching. In addition to his five-RBI game, he drove in four runs twice- April 22 at Toronto and June 22 against Oakland. He was successful in 12 of 20 stolen base attempts (60.0%); it was the second year in a row and third time in his career that he reached double figures in stolen bases. Gary played one game as a designated hitter, on June 11 at Minnesota, going 3-for-6.
He missed a total of 18 contests, including six games from June 24-29 and nine games from July 26-August 4, because of family emergencies that forced him to leave the team on four separate occasions. He was sidelined for the season on September 5 after undergoing surgery to remove a blockage from the area of his abdomen.
Ward spent eight seasons in the Twins' farm system. Named to the Southern League All-Star team at Orlando in 1975, he led Southern League outfielders in assists (16) in 1976 after having tied for the top spot in that category in the Midwest League in 1974 (18). He hit .263 with Toledo in 1979 and joined the Twins in September, where he hit .286 (4-for-14) in 10 games.
He also spent September of 1980 with the Twins and batted .463 (19-for-41) in 13 games after spending the bulk of that season in Toledo, where he hit .282. Gary hit for the cycle on September 18 at Milwaukee, the last major league rookie to accomplish that feat until Oddibe McDowell in 1985.
Gary was named AL Rookie of the Year by Baseball Digest in 1981 and was selected to their major league all-rookie team. He hit just .231 in the first half but .292 after the strike, and led the Twins with 42 runs scored.
He was selected as the Twins Player of the Year and as Most Improved Player in 1982, topping the club in games (152), at-bats (570), runs (85), hits (165), doubles (33), triples (7), homers (28) and stolen bases (13). Gary hit just .226 through June 16 before going on a .326 tear with 22 homers and 74 RBIs in his last 96 games. He was named AL Player of the Week twice, for the week of June 28-July 4 and for the week of September 6-12.
In 1983, his final season with the Twins, Gary led Minnesota in at-bats (623), hits (173) and RBIs (88) and was second in home runs (19) and doubles (34). He had three four-hit games. He topped major league outfielders with 24 assists, the most in the AL since Stan Spence had 25 for the 1944 Washington Senators. Gary appeared in the 1983 All-Star Game at Chicago's Comiskey Park and was 0-for-1 in a pinch hitting role.
He was acquired by Texas in December 1983 in exchange for pitchers John Butcher and Mike Smithson and catcher Sam Sorce (assigned from Burlington to Orlando). In his first season with Texas he led the team with seven triples, tying the club record, and 97 runs, the third highest total in Ranger history, and was tenth in the AL in both categories. He was second on the Rangers in homers (21) and walks (55).
Gary hit just .219 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in the first 93 games of '84 through July 23 before exploding with a .373 average (95-for-255), 13 home runs and 47 RBIs over the final 62 contests to finish at .284. He was American League Player of the Month in August with a .391 average, seven homers and 24 RBIs in 28 games, and was also selected as the league's Player of the Week for August 20-26 (.480, 3 HR, 13 RBI). Gary had the fourth highest average in the American League after the All-Star Break (.343).
In 1985 he led Rangers' qualifiers with a .287 batting average, the third best mark of his career and the 21st highest figure in the AL in '85, and also led the Rangers in at-bats (593), runs (77), hits (170), triples (7) and stolen bases (26). He set a career high in steals while finishing 13th in the AL, and was tied for 11th in triples while matching the Texas team record for the second straight year. After hitting just .225 in his first 38 games, Gary batted .308 over his final 116 contests. He led Texas with 51 multiple-hit games and hit safely in 106 of his 154 games.
Gary was selected as AL Player of the Week for May 20-26 when he hit .444 (12-for-27) with two homers and eight RBIs in seven games. He hit his second career grand slam off Boston's Bruce Hurst on May 23 in Texas, the only Ranger slam in '85, and had four RBIs in a game twice. He tied the club record with three doubles on June 15 against Minnesota and matched another club record with three stolen bases on June 29 at Oakland; he was also successful on four of five steal attempts of third base. Gary was selected to play in his second All-Star Game- he lined out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning at the Metrodome in Minnesota in a game won by the National League 6-1.
Gary pitched and played shortstop at Compton High School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1972. He was signed by Twins scout Jesse Flores Jr. after being bypassed in the June 1972 free agent draft."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
The 33-year-old Ward showed that he can still get it done by hitting a career high .316 for Texas last year, seventh best among A.L. hitters with at least 250 at-bats. Toss in 51 RBI and 12 stolen bases, and this former two-time A.L. All-Star will indeed by a welcome addition in 1987.
'It will be fun playing for a contender,' Ward says, 'and I'm confident I'll be able to contribute to the success of the Yankees this year.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Signed by the Yankees as a free agent on December 24, Ward spent the previous three seasons with the Texas Rangers and was with the Minnesota Twins for three full seasons and parts of two others before that. With the Rangers in 1986 he batted a career high .316, seventh best among all American League players with 250 or more at-bats. He tied for second on the club in steals (12) and was sixth in RBIs (51) despite appearing in only 105 games.
Ward began the '86 season by hitting .310 (18-for-58) over his first 16 games through April 29, then batted just .203 (15-for-74) over his next 20 contests, bringing his average down to a season low .250 on May 24. He had a nine-game hitting streak, his longest of the season, from June 3-13, batting .368 (14-for-38) with nine RBIs in that span to raise his average from .263 to .284. Beginning on June 20, Gary batted .366 (63-for-172) in his final 49 games, including a .423 performance (41-for-97) in the first 27 games of that stretch. On August 7 at Baltimore he tied his career high with four hits (in five at-bats), including a two-run homer off Scott McGregor, and had a season high five RBIs (one shy of his single game career high), only the third time in his career he drove in five or more runs in a game.
Gary hit safely in 76 of the 103 games in which he batted officially. He had a four-hit game and nine three-hit games and had six straight hits in the games of June 21-22. Gary hit .357 (25-for-70) in July.
He notched the Rangers' second inside-the-park home run ever hit in Arlington Stadium on June 20 against Oakland. He stole home in the eight inning of the June 22 game against Chicago, the 14th steal of home in Ranger history.
Gary batted .315 (82-for-260) against right-handed pitching and and .317 (38-for-120) against left-handed pitching. In addition to his five-RBI game, he drove in four runs twice- April 22 at Toronto and June 22 against Oakland. He was successful in 12 of 20 stolen base attempts (60.0%); it was the second year in a row and third time in his career that he reached double figures in stolen bases. Gary played one game as a designated hitter, on June 11 at Minnesota, going 3-for-6.
He missed a total of 18 contests, including six games from June 24-29 and nine games from July 26-August 4, because of family emergencies that forced him to leave the team on four separate occasions. He was sidelined for the season on September 5 after undergoing surgery to remove a blockage from the area of his abdomen.
Ward spent eight seasons in the Twins' farm system. Named to the Southern League All-Star team at Orlando in 1975, he led Southern League outfielders in assists (16) in 1976 after having tied for the top spot in that category in the Midwest League in 1974 (18). He hit .263 with Toledo in 1979 and joined the Twins in September, where he hit .286 (4-for-14) in 10 games.
He also spent September of 1980 with the Twins and batted .463 (19-for-41) in 13 games after spending the bulk of that season in Toledo, where he hit .282. Gary hit for the cycle on September 18 at Milwaukee, the last major league rookie to accomplish that feat until Oddibe McDowell in 1985.
Gary was named AL Rookie of the Year by Baseball Digest in 1981 and was selected to their major league all-rookie team. He hit just .231 in the first half but .292 after the strike, and led the Twins with 42 runs scored.
He was selected as the Twins Player of the Year and as Most Improved Player in 1982, topping the club in games (152), at-bats (570), runs (85), hits (165), doubles (33), triples (7), homers (28) and stolen bases (13). Gary hit just .226 through June 16 before going on a .326 tear with 22 homers and 74 RBIs in his last 96 games. He was named AL Player of the Week twice, for the week of June 28-July 4 and for the week of September 6-12.
In 1983, his final season with the Twins, Gary led Minnesota in at-bats (623), hits (173) and RBIs (88) and was second in home runs (19) and doubles (34). He had three four-hit games. He topped major league outfielders with 24 assists, the most in the AL since Stan Spence had 25 for the 1944 Washington Senators. Gary appeared in the 1983 All-Star Game at Chicago's Comiskey Park and was 0-for-1 in a pinch hitting role.
He was acquired by Texas in December 1983 in exchange for pitchers John Butcher and Mike Smithson and catcher Sam Sorce (assigned from Burlington to Orlando). In his first season with Texas he led the team with seven triples, tying the club record, and 97 runs, the third highest total in Ranger history, and was tenth in the AL in both categories. He was second on the Rangers in homers (21) and walks (55).
Gary hit just .219 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in the first 93 games of '84 through July 23 before exploding with a .373 average (95-for-255), 13 home runs and 47 RBIs over the final 62 contests to finish at .284. He was American League Player of the Month in August with a .391 average, seven homers and 24 RBIs in 28 games, and was also selected as the league's Player of the Week for August 20-26 (.480, 3 HR, 13 RBI). Gary had the fourth highest average in the American League after the All-Star Break (.343).
In 1985 he led Rangers' qualifiers with a .287 batting average, the third best mark of his career and the 21st highest figure in the AL in '85, and also led the Rangers in at-bats (593), runs (77), hits (170), triples (7) and stolen bases (26). He set a career high in steals while finishing 13th in the AL, and was tied for 11th in triples while matching the Texas team record for the second straight year. After hitting just .225 in his first 38 games, Gary batted .308 over his final 116 contests. He led Texas with 51 multiple-hit games and hit safely in 106 of his 154 games.
Gary was selected as AL Player of the Week for May 20-26 when he hit .444 (12-for-27) with two homers and eight RBIs in seven games. He hit his second career grand slam off Boston's Bruce Hurst on May 23 in Texas, the only Ranger slam in '85, and had four RBIs in a game twice. He tied the club record with three doubles on June 15 against Minnesota and matched another club record with three stolen bases on June 29 at Oakland; he was also successful on four of five steal attempts of third base. Gary was selected to play in his second All-Star Game- he lined out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning at the Metrodome in Minnesota in a game won by the National League 6-1.
Gary pitched and played shortstop at Compton High School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1972. He was signed by Twins scout Jesse Flores Jr. after being bypassed in the June 1972 free agent draft."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Monday, April 11, 2016
1987 Profile: Wayne Tolleson
"It was a whimsical circle of inadequacy, inconsistency and impatience; but when the roller coaster ride was over and the dust had cleared, there stood Wayne Tolleson. An immediate starter after joining the Yankees on July 29, 1986, the gutsy Tolleson became the team's sixth and, more importantly, last starting shortstop of the year. A mere 5'10" and 160 pounds, Tolleson stood tall where many had failed. Hitting with consistency and playing error-free in the field, the newest Yankees shortstop became a popular player in the Bronx.
'If he keeps doing what he's been doing he can be our MVP this season,' said Principal Owner George Steinbrenner during Tolleson's hot August tear. While a slump brought his numbers down from MVP status, his key hits and timely defense helped fill a void in the infield and earned Tolleson a name in New York for 1987.
'I don't worry about things I can't control, like how the Yankees will use me in 1987,' Tolleson says. 'I take it one game at a time, and try to do my part in helping this team to continue as a winner.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"In 1986 Tolleson was acquired by the Yankees from the White Sox on July 29 along with Ron Kittle and Joel Skinner in exchange for Ron Hassey, Carlos Martinez and a player to be named later.
In 81 games with the Sox before the trade, he was hitting .250 (65-for-260) with three home runs and 29 RBIs. After going hitless in his first game of the year, he put together a 10-game hitting streak from April 9-19, including two hits apiece in each of the last five games of that steak, batting .395 (15-for-38) in that span with nine RBIs. Tolleson matched his single game career high with three RBIs on April 14 at Detroit. He hit his first home run of the season on April 29 against Baltimore off Scott McGregor, and victimized McGregor again on May 12 at Baltimore for his second homer. He put together another 10-game hitting streak from May 7-17, batting .385 (15-for-39), and hit his third and final homer of the season on June 1 at Toronto off Jimmy Key.
Wayne slumped in June, hitting only .172 (10-for-58) in the month, but collected three hits on July 19 at New York. A switch-hitter, he hit .224 (32-for-143) lefty and .282 (33-for-117) righty with Chicago. He started 70 games with the White Sox, 60 at third base and 10 at shortstop.
He hit safely in his first nine games as a Yankee, from July 30-August 7, batting .485 (16-for-33) in that span. Wayne tied his single game career high with four hits (4-for-5) on August 2 at Cleveland and scored three runs the following game, August 3 at Cleveland, notching his first and only game winning RBI as a Yankee in that contest. Through August 23, after 22 games as a Yankee, he was hitting .338 (27-for-80). Over his next 17 games, from August 24 through September 11, he hit just .143 (8-for-56), dropping his average to .257, his low as a Yankee.
From that point, beginning on September 12, he hit safely in 16 of his final 21 games, batting .329 (26-for-79) in that span with eight runs, four doubles and eight RBIs to finish with a .284 (61-for-215) average as a Yankee in 60 games. In those games he hit .283 (36-for-127) lefty and .284 (25-for-88) righty.
Wayne tied his single-game career high with four hits (4-for-4) on September 13 at Boston, and in the following game, September 14 at Boston, he collected three RBIs. He had a five-game hitting streak from September 20-24 and had 19 multiple hit games, including his two four-hit contests.
Overall in his combined total of 141 games, he hit .265 (126-for-475) with three homers and 43 RBIs. He batted .252 (68-for-270) lefty and .283 (58-for-205) righty. With the Yankees he stole four bases in eight attempts, and for the year was 17-for-27 in stolen base attempts. After joining the Yankees, he played in all but one of the club's remaining 61 games and started 59 times, including 53 starts at shortstop, five at third base and one at second base.
Wayne committed eight errors in 81 games with the White Sox and six errors in 60 games with the Yankees. He went 17 straight games, from August 5 through August 24, without an error and committed just two errors in 35 games from August 5 through September 13. For the season Wayne's overall fielding percentage was .971; with the White Sox it was .960 and with the Yankees it was .979.
In 72 games at third base for Chicago and New York, his fielding percentage was .954. In 74 games at shortstop with those two clubs, his fielding percentage was .981, ranking him fourth among American League shortstops with 10 or more games. Tolleson was the sixth Yankee to start a game at shortstop last year.
Tolleson hit .269 at Asheville in his first season of pro ball in 1978, and in 1979 batted .234 for Tulsa in his first year in the AA Texas League. In 1980 he was second in the Texas League with 46 steals (his pro career high) and was named to the league's all-star team. Wayne became a switch-hitter that year.
He hit .261 in 107 games at Wichita in 1981 and made his major league debut in September. Wayne had a fine spring training in 1982 and opened the season with the Rangers. He played sparingly and was optioned to Denver on April 26, then was recalled by Texas on July 23 and went 0-for-23 in his first 12 games.
Wayne started the 1983 season as a utility infielder but became the starting second baseman in late April when a knee injury sidelined Mike Richardt. He was hitting .288 through July 24 but batted just .211 in his last 53 games. He had hitting streaks of 15 and 12 games. Wayne recorded his first major league triple and his first major league home run in the same game - June 11 at the Metrodome. He was second on the club with 33 steals and was successful on all eight of his third base steal attempts.
He started the 1984 season well, hitting .297 (22-for-74) in his first 21 games through April 28, but batted just .189 over his final 97 games and slipped to .132 in his last 30 contests, beginning on July 22. Wayne led the Rangers with 22 steals and had two thefts in a game four times. He was successful on 84.6 of his 26 steal attempts, the second best ratio in the AL (20 or more attempts) behind Willie Wilson's 90.3 percent. He also had a .979 fielding percentage (10 errors in 477 total chances) in 109 games at second base.
In his final season with the Rangers in 1985, Wayne topped all Texas regulars with his .313 batting average, the first .300-plus season of his professional career. After hitting .213 in 1984, his 100-point batting average improvement was the most in the major leagues. He finished fifth in the American League among all hitters with 200 or more official trips to the plate.
Wayne hit .333 from the left side in 231 at-bats. He hit .354 at Arlington Stadium and .262 on the road. His best month was April (.385) and his worst month was September/October (.250). Wayne had a 10-game hitting streak, August 30 through September 10, and also had a nine-game streak in late May and early June.
Six of his 18 RBIs were game winners. He tied the Texas club record with two triples in one game, August 11 against Baltimore.
Tolleson appeared in 123 games, 81 at shortstop, 29 at second base and 12 at third base. He was obtained by the White Sox along with Dave Schmidt from the Texas Rangers in November 1985 in exchange for Scott Fletcher, Edwin Correa and Jose Mota.
Born, raised and still residing in Spartanburg, South Carolina, he starred in basketball and football at Spartanburg High and was a prep teammate of NFL quarterback Steve Fuller. Tolleson played baseball and football for four seasons at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. He was named All-America as a wide receiver and led the NCAA in pass receptions as a senior, graduating from Western Carolina in 1978."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
'If he keeps doing what he's been doing he can be our MVP this season,' said Principal Owner George Steinbrenner during Tolleson's hot August tear. While a slump brought his numbers down from MVP status, his key hits and timely defense helped fill a void in the infield and earned Tolleson a name in New York for 1987.
'I don't worry about things I can't control, like how the Yankees will use me in 1987,' Tolleson says. 'I take it one game at a time, and try to do my part in helping this team to continue as a winner.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"In 1986 Tolleson was acquired by the Yankees from the White Sox on July 29 along with Ron Kittle and Joel Skinner in exchange for Ron Hassey, Carlos Martinez and a player to be named later.
In 81 games with the Sox before the trade, he was hitting .250 (65-for-260) with three home runs and 29 RBIs. After going hitless in his first game of the year, he put together a 10-game hitting streak from April 9-19, including two hits apiece in each of the last five games of that steak, batting .395 (15-for-38) in that span with nine RBIs. Tolleson matched his single game career high with three RBIs on April 14 at Detroit. He hit his first home run of the season on April 29 against Baltimore off Scott McGregor, and victimized McGregor again on May 12 at Baltimore for his second homer. He put together another 10-game hitting streak from May 7-17, batting .385 (15-for-39), and hit his third and final homer of the season on June 1 at Toronto off Jimmy Key.
Wayne slumped in June, hitting only .172 (10-for-58) in the month, but collected three hits on July 19 at New York. A switch-hitter, he hit .224 (32-for-143) lefty and .282 (33-for-117) righty with Chicago. He started 70 games with the White Sox, 60 at third base and 10 at shortstop.
He hit safely in his first nine games as a Yankee, from July 30-August 7, batting .485 (16-for-33) in that span. Wayne tied his single game career high with four hits (4-for-5) on August 2 at Cleveland and scored three runs the following game, August 3 at Cleveland, notching his first and only game winning RBI as a Yankee in that contest. Through August 23, after 22 games as a Yankee, he was hitting .338 (27-for-80). Over his next 17 games, from August 24 through September 11, he hit just .143 (8-for-56), dropping his average to .257, his low as a Yankee.
From that point, beginning on September 12, he hit safely in 16 of his final 21 games, batting .329 (26-for-79) in that span with eight runs, four doubles and eight RBIs to finish with a .284 (61-for-215) average as a Yankee in 60 games. In those games he hit .283 (36-for-127) lefty and .284 (25-for-88) righty.
Wayne tied his single-game career high with four hits (4-for-4) on September 13 at Boston, and in the following game, September 14 at Boston, he collected three RBIs. He had a five-game hitting streak from September 20-24 and had 19 multiple hit games, including his two four-hit contests.
Overall in his combined total of 141 games, he hit .265 (126-for-475) with three homers and 43 RBIs. He batted .252 (68-for-270) lefty and .283 (58-for-205) righty. With the Yankees he stole four bases in eight attempts, and for the year was 17-for-27 in stolen base attempts. After joining the Yankees, he played in all but one of the club's remaining 61 games and started 59 times, including 53 starts at shortstop, five at third base and one at second base.
Wayne committed eight errors in 81 games with the White Sox and six errors in 60 games with the Yankees. He went 17 straight games, from August 5 through August 24, without an error and committed just two errors in 35 games from August 5 through September 13. For the season Wayne's overall fielding percentage was .971; with the White Sox it was .960 and with the Yankees it was .979.
In 72 games at third base for Chicago and New York, his fielding percentage was .954. In 74 games at shortstop with those two clubs, his fielding percentage was .981, ranking him fourth among American League shortstops with 10 or more games. Tolleson was the sixth Yankee to start a game at shortstop last year.
Tolleson hit .269 at Asheville in his first season of pro ball in 1978, and in 1979 batted .234 for Tulsa in his first year in the AA Texas League. In 1980 he was second in the Texas League with 46 steals (his pro career high) and was named to the league's all-star team. Wayne became a switch-hitter that year.
He hit .261 in 107 games at Wichita in 1981 and made his major league debut in September. Wayne had a fine spring training in 1982 and opened the season with the Rangers. He played sparingly and was optioned to Denver on April 26, then was recalled by Texas on July 23 and went 0-for-23 in his first 12 games.
Wayne started the 1983 season as a utility infielder but became the starting second baseman in late April when a knee injury sidelined Mike Richardt. He was hitting .288 through July 24 but batted just .211 in his last 53 games. He had hitting streaks of 15 and 12 games. Wayne recorded his first major league triple and his first major league home run in the same game - June 11 at the Metrodome. He was second on the club with 33 steals and was successful on all eight of his third base steal attempts.
He started the 1984 season well, hitting .297 (22-for-74) in his first 21 games through April 28, but batted just .189 over his final 97 games and slipped to .132 in his last 30 contests, beginning on July 22. Wayne led the Rangers with 22 steals and had two thefts in a game four times. He was successful on 84.6 of his 26 steal attempts, the second best ratio in the AL (20 or more attempts) behind Willie Wilson's 90.3 percent. He also had a .979 fielding percentage (10 errors in 477 total chances) in 109 games at second base.
In his final season with the Rangers in 1985, Wayne topped all Texas regulars with his .313 batting average, the first .300-plus season of his professional career. After hitting .213 in 1984, his 100-point batting average improvement was the most in the major leagues. He finished fifth in the American League among all hitters with 200 or more official trips to the plate.
Wayne hit .333 from the left side in 231 at-bats. He hit .354 at Arlington Stadium and .262 on the road. His best month was April (.385) and his worst month was September/October (.250). Wayne had a 10-game hitting streak, August 30 through September 10, and also had a nine-game streak in late May and early June.
Six of his 18 RBIs were game winners. He tied the Texas club record with two triples in one game, August 11 against Baltimore.
Tolleson appeared in 123 games, 81 at shortstop, 29 at second base and 12 at third base. He was obtained by the White Sox along with Dave Schmidt from the Texas Rangers in November 1985 in exchange for Scott Fletcher, Edwin Correa and Jose Mota.
Born, raised and still residing in Spartanburg, South Carolina, he starred in basketball and football at Spartanburg High and was a prep teammate of NFL quarterback Steve Fuller. Tolleson played baseball and football for four seasons at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. He was named All-America as a wide receiver and led the NCAA in pass receptions as a senior, graduating from Western Carolina in 1978."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Friday, April 8, 2016
1987 Profile: Rickey Henderson
1987 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"One of the premier leadoff hitters in history. With a league leading 130 runs, he went above the century mark for the fifth straight season and sixth time in seven full major league campaigns; his only interruption was the strike-shortened 1981.
Henderson paced the AL in stolen bases with 87, breaking his own Yankee record by seven- he has led the AL in that category since the start of his career. He smashed Lou Brock's single season stolen base record with 130 thefts in 1982.
This center fielder set a career high in home runs for the third consecutive year with 28. He broke his own AL record for leadoff homers with nine, two shy of the major league mark recorded by Bobby Bonds with San Francisco in 1973.
Henderson was born in Chicago and was selected by Oakland in the fourth round of the June 1976 draft. He was acquired from Oakland with Bert Bradley for Jay Howell, Jose Rijo, Eric Plunk, Tim Birtsas and Stan Javier in December 1984."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition
"Nobody dominates a baseball game like Rickey Henderson, the Yankees' Man of Steal. He might steal a run by walking, swiping second, taking third on a grounder and scoring on a shallow fly ball, or he might activate the scoreboard a little more directly by drilling a 420-foot homer.
Rickey's speed is blinding, but his rock-hard 5'9" 195-pound frame packs dynamite power as well. Some see him as the most talented leadoff man in baseball history, eclipsing, among others, the great Earle Combs, heretofore the premier leadoff hitter in Yankees history.
Combs was with the Yankees for his entire major league career, from 1924 through 1935, and was the table-setter for the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bob Meusel and Bill Dickey. He had a great batting eye and drove the ball to all fields, leaving the defense unsure as to just how to shade him.
Combs, product of a large, hardscrabble Kentucky family, was known as 'the fastest foot in the mountain country.' He was a center fielder, too, and, like Rickey, used his exceptional speed on defense as well as on offense, running down long flies in Yankee Stadium's spacious garden.
The only flaw in Combs' overall game was his less-than-strong throwing arm. Throwing is probably the only weakness in Henderson's game, too, the only element that isn't exceptional.
Combs was not quite as fleet or as flashy as Henderson, who delights in making snap one-handed catches and who lets his emotions run free on the field. Combs was an affable, handsome man who neither smoked nor drank, and who read the Bible daily. A college-educated school teacher before entering professional baseball, he became known to all who follow the game as the Kentucky Colonel. Joe McCarthy, his Yankees manager, once said, 'Earle Combs is the greatest gentleman in baseball.' In his day, the gentlemanly Combs tended to fade in the glare of such flamboyant teammates as Ruth. But the real fans understood his greatness; in 1928, Yankee Stadium bleacherites gave him an engraved watch, an event Combs regarded as a career highlight.
Combs never had the overall offensive impact of a Rickey Henderson. True, he hit .325 lifetime, compared to .290 for Rickey through 1986, but he never had a double-figure homer season. Henderson has logged home run totals of 16, 24 and 28 in his last three seasons.
When Rickey gets the right pitch in his power zone, he can drive the ball a long way. He set the American League record for homers to lead off a game in 1985, with seven, and last year established a new record with nine. He also drove in 74 runs, a remarkable total for a leadoff man, but one that Combs topped in 1930, a year in which the Yankees hit .309 as a team. The Kentucky Colonel that year collected no less than 82 RBI.
Henderson, his power notwithstanding, is best known, of course, for his sensational baserunning, a department in which he has a decided edge over Combs. Despite his speed, Combs never stole more than 16 bases in a season. Henderson has topped 100 stolen bases an unprecedented three seasons, reaching a high of 130 in 1982, the year he broke Lou Brock's major league record of 118.
In 1986, Rickey stole more than 50 bases for the seventh consecutive season, setting an American League record. He also won the stolen base crown in each of those years. 'I always wanted to win the crown,' he says. 'Unless a guy comes around who can steal over 100 bases, then my crown will never be taken. I look at stealing bases as a form of art. It's a challenge for me every time I'm out there.'
It's beginning to look very likely that Henderson, who finished 1986 with a career total of 660 stolen bases, will ultimately surpass Brock's all-time record of 938 thefts. Brock, who was more scientific than speedy, was thirty-nine years old when he completed his career. Henderson is just twenty-eight.
Henderson is still developing his base stealing skills, gaining valuable experience, learning the lessons Brock learned. He attributes his 130 steals in 1982 largely to instincts and feels he is a smarter base stealer today, with a keener ability to ready pitchers. Seldom is he thrown out by a catcher- California's Bob Boone is the only backstop who owns any degree of success at tossing him out. When Rickey is caught, it is usually in a pickoff.
Ironically, it was Brock who was helped Henderson go from a speedster to a true base stealer. 'I did a lot of changing,' Henderson says. 'I talked to Lou Brock when I first came to the big leagues, and he was a tremendous help to me. He taught me how to get a walking lead, how to time a pitcher and how to intimidate a catcher.
'Also Davey Lopes was a big help to me when he was in Oakland. He taught me the moves of a pitcher, what points to look at on a pitcher and how to get a great jump. That helped my base stealing ability because before then base stealing for me was just flat out running.'
And there is no question about this fact: when Rickey Henderson is on base, he disrupts the opposition.
'I know how to intimidate a pitcher when I'm on base, and how to get his attention,' Henderson assures. Those batting behind Henderson benefit from seeing more fastballs, as well as having the advantage of the pitcher not concentrating entirely on them. Not with Henderson dancing off base. Not with Henderson dominating.
This year Henderson has a shot at shattering the all-time Yankees [career] record for stolen bases, held by Hal Chase, the slick-fielding first baseman for who played for the club in its infancy. Chase stole 248 bases in nine New York seasons. Henderson already has 167 in just two Yankees seasons. In 1986 Rickey swept into seventh place on the all-time Yankees list, passing Mickey Mantle, who swiped 153 bases.
Immediately ahead of Henderson with 183 steals is Fritz Maisel. In 1914 Maisel set the single-season club mark with 74 stolen bases, a record that stood until Henderson's 80 thefts in 1985. Rickey then broke his own record in 1986, pilfering 87 bases to once again lead the American League in that department.
The essence of Henderson's ability might not be either speed or power but supreme balance. This amazing combination of power and speed- so reminiscent of a player like Mantle- was fully realized in 1985 as Henderson became the first American Leaguer ever to have a season of 20-plus homers and 50-plus stolen bases, a feat he repeated in 1986.
Flashy statistics aside, Henderson's most important contribution to the Yankees is quite possibly his ability to score runs. Since 1980, the young man who hit .465 in his senior year at Oakland's Technical High School has scored more than 100 runs every season except the strike year of 1981, and even in that abbreviated campaign Rickey scored a league leading 89 runs. He has also led the league in runs in his two Yankee campaigns, with 146 and 130, respectively. Combs was a big run scorer, too, having plated more than 100 runs in eight consecutive seasons (1925-32).
As crazy as it may sound, some were disappointed in Henderson's 1986 season. It is a fact that Rickey's batting average dropped to .263 after a .314 mark in 1985, and his walks declined from 99 to 89. Thus, it is easy to see why he scored 16 fewer runs than he did in 1985- he wasn't on base as often. But American League umpires played mind games with Henderson in 1986. Rickey bats out of a deep crouch- his natural stance- making for a smaller-than-normal strike zone. However, in 1986 the umpires reinterpreted his strike zone, making it larger. Advantage pitcher. A bothered Henderson, out of sync, unsure of his strike zone, got into the habit of swinging at bad pitches.
All in all, however, Rickey Henderson has given the Yankees two marvelous seasons. He has already won recognition as the greatest leadoff man in the club's history and very likely in all of baseball history.
'I consider myself a complete player,' says Henderson. 'When people used to call me a base stealer I used to hate it because I wanted people to consider me a complete player. I can play offense, hit for average and hit for power, too. On defense I think I'm one of the best outfielders in the game today.'
He is, to be sure, the best all-around Yankees center fielder since Mickey Mantle. Combs, Brock, Mantle- Rickey Henderson compares with the legends of the game."
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"His overall offensive production was down slightly from his first season as a Yankee, yet he set personal career highs with 28 home runs, 31 doubles, 608 at-bats and 74 RBIs. His total of 130 runs led the majors for the second consecutive year, the third time in his career. He was the first player to lead the American League in runs scored in consecutive seasons since Mickey Mantle in 1960-61 (Mantle and Roger Maris tied with 132 runs in 1961). He was the first player to lead the majors in runs scored in consecutive seasons since Pete Rose from 1974-76. His 89 walks placed seventh in the AL, while he tied for seventh with 64 extra-base hits. He led Yankee outfielders with a .986 fielding percentage, as well as in games, 146; putouts, 426; errors, six; and total chances, 436.
Off to a slow start, Rickey had just one hit (1-for-19 in his first six games), then hit in 10 straight from April 15-25, going 16-for-45 (.356 batting average), raising his overall average to .266. He ended April hitting .263. Rickey scored a team high four runs against Texas on May 3. He hit in 11 straight, May 16-28, going 15-for-41 (.366) with three home runs and seven RBIs (all homers lead off a game for the Yankees).
Rickey failed to hit safely in just six of 28 games played in June, going 38-for-116 (.328), raising his overall average from .265 to .288. On June 11 at Detroit he started the first game of his career in which he did not bat leadoff (he batted third). He recorded four RBIs on June 27 against Toronto, reaching his career high for the fifth time. His batting average peaked at .289 on June 28.
He went 20-for-86 (.233) in July, lowering his overall average to .276. He was ejected from a game on July 30 at Milwaukee in the eighth inning for arguing a called third strike. Rickey failed to hit in 16 of 28 games in August, going 22-for-110 (.200), lowering his overall average to .260.
On August 11 Rickey recorded his 20th home run, achieving 20 homers and 50+ stolen bases for a second straight year. On August 28, he tied the AL record he set in 1985 by hitting his seventh leadoff home run, and on August 29 he homered off Seattle's Mark Langston for his third career two-homer game- all with the Yankees. Rickey broke his personal single season home run mark hitting his 25th on September 11 at Toronto off John Cerutti, and broke his own leadoff homer record hitting his eighth on September 20 at Detroit off Frank Tanana; Rickey finished with an AL record nine leadoff home runs (the major league record is 11, set by Bobby Bonds in 1973). He went 28-for-100 (.280) in September and October, raising his overall batting average to .263.
He appeared as a designated hitter in five games, going 2-for-18 (.111), and was 0-for-3 as a pinch hitter. 40 of the 113 runs driven in by Don Mattingly were scored by Rickey Henderson.
Henderson led the American League in stolen bases for the seventh consecutive season- only Luis Aparicio led the AL more years (nine), both total and consecutively (1956-64). He was 87-for-105 in stolen base attempts in '86. He broke his own AL record for most consecutive years with 50+ stolen bases, now with seven.
He set a new Yankees single season stolen base record with 87, breaking the club mark of 80 he set in 1985; he stole his 81st base on September 15 against Baltimore in New York. Henderson comes into 1987 with 167 stolen bases as a Yankee, needing 81 to equal Hal Chase's Yankee record of 248 (1905-13).
Henderson swiped his 600th career base on May 18 against Seattle, becoming the youngest of the 15 players to reach that plateau. With 660 career stolen bases and his current average of 83 steals per year, he should reach the 700 level near mid-season of 1987, and would be the youngest of the nine players to make that grade. During '86 Henderson moved form 19th to 11th on the all-time stolen base list and is the current active leader. He improved his career stolen base success rate to 80% (166 times caught stealing).
Rickey swiped a club high three bases on May 6 at Chicago, also matching the league high for '86. He was successful in 14 of his 18 attempts stealing third. His longest streak without stealing a base was six games, June 24-30.
Of his 18 times caught stealing in '86, only six were by catchers. Five of his first eight times caught stealing on the year on the year were by catchers (through June 13), meaning that after June 13 he was caught stealing 10 times but just once by a catcher (August 30 at Seattle by Scott Bradley).
He began the 1985 season on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle suffered in an exhibition game on March 17 against Boston; he was activated on April 22, missing 10 games. His .314 batting average was fourth in the AL, and he led the AL with 146 runs scored - the most runs by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio scored 151 in 1937. His 99 walks were fourth in the AL and most by a Yankee since Willie Randolph led the league with 119 in 1980, and his .419 on-base percentage, also fourth in the AL, was a career high. His .516 slugging percentage, seventh in the AL, was also a career high. Rickey was the first player in AL history to hit 20+ homers and steal 50+ bases in the same season.
Rickey had his first career five-hit game on June 17 at Baltimore (he matched the league high) and scored four runs in a game for the second and third times in his career: July 10 against Kansas City and September 25 against Detroit (also equalling the league high). He had two 11-game hitting streaks: April 29-May 12, going 18-for-44 (.409), and August 5-21, going 17-for-46 (.370). He also had a 10-game hit streak from September 18-29, going 14-for-38 (.368). He scored at least one run in 101 of the 143 games he played.
He was American League Player of the Month for June: in 27 games he went 47-for-113 (.416 BA) with 31 runs, four doubles, two triples, six homers, 17 RBIs and 22 stolen bases- he failed to get a hit in just four of the 27 games. His season batting average peaked at .361 on July 10. He was hitting .357 at the All-Star break (July 13) with 77 runs, 11 homers, 37 RBIs and 41 stolen bases.
After the All-Star break, Rickey hit .270 with 69 runs, 13 homers, 35 RBIs and 39 stolen bases.
Rickey's 80 stolen bases in '85 led the AL for the sixth straight season. He broke Fritz Maisel's Yankee record of 74 stolen bases set in 1914, stealing his 75th base on September 25 against Detroit. He stole his 500th career base on May 10 at Kansas City- the youngest player to reach that goal. He passed Cesar Cedeno on the all-time stolen base list, and with the retirement of Joe Morgan became the current active stolen base leader.
He stole four bases on June 26 against Baltimore. Henderson was caught stealing only three times by catchers in 1985 (Bob Boone, Carlton Fisk and Rich Gedman) out of a total of 10 times caught stealing that season. He was also successful on 14 of 16 attempts stealing third base.
Henderson reported to Boise after the 1976 June draft, hitting .336 with 29 steals in 36 attempts. At Modesto in 1977, he led the California League with a then record 95 steals, was third with a .345 batting average, third with 104 walks and led league outfielders in total chances (313). Rickey was named to the league All-Star team and was Modesto MVP. He became the fourth player in professional baseball to steal seven bases in one game on May 26 at Fresno.
In 1978 with Jersey City he led the Eastern League with 81 steals and led league outfielders in double plays (4) and assists (15), and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. In 1979, Rickey stole 44 bases in only 71 Pacific Coast League games with Ogden, finishing fourth. He immediately stepped into Oakland's starting lineup when called up on June 23 and led the A's with 33 steals.
Rickey broke Ty Cobb's American League mark of 96 stolen bases in 1980 (100 steals) and became the first AL player and third big leaguer to steal 100 bases in a season. He was second in the league with 117 walks, third in on-base percentage (.422) and fourth in runs scored (111). In 1981, Rickey was named to the Sporting News All-Star team and won his first Gold Glove. He led the AL in hits (135), runs (89) and steals (56), and finished third in on-base percentage (.411) and fourth in the AL batting race (.319). He hit .364 against the Yankees in the League Championship Series.
In 1982 Henderson broke Lou Brock's remarkable record of 118 stolen bases on August 27 at Milwaukee- and went on to steal a season total of 130 bases. He also led the AL in walks (116), was third in on-base percentage (.399) and walked five times against the Angels on April 8- a career high.
He went over the 100 steal mark (108) for the third time in his career in 1983- he's the only player ever to do it more than once. He stole 66 bases in 77 attempts after the All-Star break, winning his fourth consecutive title. Rickey also hit .327 after the break to wind up at .292. His .415 on-base percentage was second in the AL to Wade Boggs and his 105 runs ranked fourth. On July 3-4 at Texas, he tied the AL mark by stealing seven bases in two straight games, and on August 21 at Milwaukee became the youngest player to steal 400 career bases. In 1984, his 66 stolen bases led the American League for the fifth straight year; he was second in the AL with 113 runs and third with a .399 on-base percentage.
Henderson graduated form Oakland's technical high school in 1976. He played baseball, basketball and football and was All-Oakland Athletic League for three years in baseball. As a senior he hit .465 and stole 30 bases; that year he played for the North team in California's annual high school All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium. In football, Rickey rushed for 1,100 yards in his senior year and received a reported two dozen scholarship offers to play football.
An Oakland resident, his hobbies include swimming and fishing."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
"One of the premier leadoff hitters in history. With a league leading 130 runs, he went above the century mark for the fifth straight season and sixth time in seven full major league campaigns; his only interruption was the strike-shortened 1981.
Henderson paced the AL in stolen bases with 87, breaking his own Yankee record by seven- he has led the AL in that category since the start of his career. He smashed Lou Brock's single season stolen base record with 130 thefts in 1982.
This center fielder set a career high in home runs for the third consecutive year with 28. He broke his own AL record for leadoff homers with nine, two shy of the major league mark recorded by Bobby Bonds with San Francisco in 1973.
Henderson was born in Chicago and was selected by Oakland in the fourth round of the June 1976 draft. He was acquired from Oakland with Bert Bradley for Jay Howell, Jose Rijo, Eric Plunk, Tim Birtsas and Stan Javier in December 1984."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition
"Nobody dominates a baseball game like Rickey Henderson, the Yankees' Man of Steal. He might steal a run by walking, swiping second, taking third on a grounder and scoring on a shallow fly ball, or he might activate the scoreboard a little more directly by drilling a 420-foot homer.
Rickey's speed is blinding, but his rock-hard 5'9" 195-pound frame packs dynamite power as well. Some see him as the most talented leadoff man in baseball history, eclipsing, among others, the great Earle Combs, heretofore the premier leadoff hitter in Yankees history.
Combs was with the Yankees for his entire major league career, from 1924 through 1935, and was the table-setter for the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bob Meusel and Bill Dickey. He had a great batting eye and drove the ball to all fields, leaving the defense unsure as to just how to shade him.
Combs, product of a large, hardscrabble Kentucky family, was known as 'the fastest foot in the mountain country.' He was a center fielder, too, and, like Rickey, used his exceptional speed on defense as well as on offense, running down long flies in Yankee Stadium's spacious garden.
The only flaw in Combs' overall game was his less-than-strong throwing arm. Throwing is probably the only weakness in Henderson's game, too, the only element that isn't exceptional.
Combs was not quite as fleet or as flashy as Henderson, who delights in making snap one-handed catches and who lets his emotions run free on the field. Combs was an affable, handsome man who neither smoked nor drank, and who read the Bible daily. A college-educated school teacher before entering professional baseball, he became known to all who follow the game as the Kentucky Colonel. Joe McCarthy, his Yankees manager, once said, 'Earle Combs is the greatest gentleman in baseball.' In his day, the gentlemanly Combs tended to fade in the glare of such flamboyant teammates as Ruth. But the real fans understood his greatness; in 1928, Yankee Stadium bleacherites gave him an engraved watch, an event Combs regarded as a career highlight.
Combs never had the overall offensive impact of a Rickey Henderson. True, he hit .325 lifetime, compared to .290 for Rickey through 1986, but he never had a double-figure homer season. Henderson has logged home run totals of 16, 24 and 28 in his last three seasons.
When Rickey gets the right pitch in his power zone, he can drive the ball a long way. He set the American League record for homers to lead off a game in 1985, with seven, and last year established a new record with nine. He also drove in 74 runs, a remarkable total for a leadoff man, but one that Combs topped in 1930, a year in which the Yankees hit .309 as a team. The Kentucky Colonel that year collected no less than 82 RBI.
Henderson, his power notwithstanding, is best known, of course, for his sensational baserunning, a department in which he has a decided edge over Combs. Despite his speed, Combs never stole more than 16 bases in a season. Henderson has topped 100 stolen bases an unprecedented three seasons, reaching a high of 130 in 1982, the year he broke Lou Brock's major league record of 118.
In 1986, Rickey stole more than 50 bases for the seventh consecutive season, setting an American League record. He also won the stolen base crown in each of those years. 'I always wanted to win the crown,' he says. 'Unless a guy comes around who can steal over 100 bases, then my crown will never be taken. I look at stealing bases as a form of art. It's a challenge for me every time I'm out there.'
It's beginning to look very likely that Henderson, who finished 1986 with a career total of 660 stolen bases, will ultimately surpass Brock's all-time record of 938 thefts. Brock, who was more scientific than speedy, was thirty-nine years old when he completed his career. Henderson is just twenty-eight.
Henderson is still developing his base stealing skills, gaining valuable experience, learning the lessons Brock learned. He attributes his 130 steals in 1982 largely to instincts and feels he is a smarter base stealer today, with a keener ability to ready pitchers. Seldom is he thrown out by a catcher- California's Bob Boone is the only backstop who owns any degree of success at tossing him out. When Rickey is caught, it is usually in a pickoff.
Ironically, it was Brock who was helped Henderson go from a speedster to a true base stealer. 'I did a lot of changing,' Henderson says. 'I talked to Lou Brock when I first came to the big leagues, and he was a tremendous help to me. He taught me how to get a walking lead, how to time a pitcher and how to intimidate a catcher.
'Also Davey Lopes was a big help to me when he was in Oakland. He taught me the moves of a pitcher, what points to look at on a pitcher and how to get a great jump. That helped my base stealing ability because before then base stealing for me was just flat out running.'
And there is no question about this fact: when Rickey Henderson is on base, he disrupts the opposition.
'I know how to intimidate a pitcher when I'm on base, and how to get his attention,' Henderson assures. Those batting behind Henderson benefit from seeing more fastballs, as well as having the advantage of the pitcher not concentrating entirely on them. Not with Henderson dancing off base. Not with Henderson dominating.
This year Henderson has a shot at shattering the all-time Yankees [career] record for stolen bases, held by Hal Chase, the slick-fielding first baseman for who played for the club in its infancy. Chase stole 248 bases in nine New York seasons. Henderson already has 167 in just two Yankees seasons. In 1986 Rickey swept into seventh place on the all-time Yankees list, passing Mickey Mantle, who swiped 153 bases.
Immediately ahead of Henderson with 183 steals is Fritz Maisel. In 1914 Maisel set the single-season club mark with 74 stolen bases, a record that stood until Henderson's 80 thefts in 1985. Rickey then broke his own record in 1986, pilfering 87 bases to once again lead the American League in that department.
The essence of Henderson's ability might not be either speed or power but supreme balance. This amazing combination of power and speed- so reminiscent of a player like Mantle- was fully realized in 1985 as Henderson became the first American Leaguer ever to have a season of 20-plus homers and 50-plus stolen bases, a feat he repeated in 1986.
Flashy statistics aside, Henderson's most important contribution to the Yankees is quite possibly his ability to score runs. Since 1980, the young man who hit .465 in his senior year at Oakland's Technical High School has scored more than 100 runs every season except the strike year of 1981, and even in that abbreviated campaign Rickey scored a league leading 89 runs. He has also led the league in runs in his two Yankee campaigns, with 146 and 130, respectively. Combs was a big run scorer, too, having plated more than 100 runs in eight consecutive seasons (1925-32).
As crazy as it may sound, some were disappointed in Henderson's 1986 season. It is a fact that Rickey's batting average dropped to .263 after a .314 mark in 1985, and his walks declined from 99 to 89. Thus, it is easy to see why he scored 16 fewer runs than he did in 1985- he wasn't on base as often. But American League umpires played mind games with Henderson in 1986. Rickey bats out of a deep crouch- his natural stance- making for a smaller-than-normal strike zone. However, in 1986 the umpires reinterpreted his strike zone, making it larger. Advantage pitcher. A bothered Henderson, out of sync, unsure of his strike zone, got into the habit of swinging at bad pitches.
All in all, however, Rickey Henderson has given the Yankees two marvelous seasons. He has already won recognition as the greatest leadoff man in the club's history and very likely in all of baseball history.
'I consider myself a complete player,' says Henderson. 'When people used to call me a base stealer I used to hate it because I wanted people to consider me a complete player. I can play offense, hit for average and hit for power, too. On defense I think I'm one of the best outfielders in the game today.'
He is, to be sure, the best all-around Yankees center fielder since Mickey Mantle. Combs, Brock, Mantle- Rickey Henderson compares with the legends of the game."
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"His overall offensive production was down slightly from his first season as a Yankee, yet he set personal career highs with 28 home runs, 31 doubles, 608 at-bats and 74 RBIs. His total of 130 runs led the majors for the second consecutive year, the third time in his career. He was the first player to lead the American League in runs scored in consecutive seasons since Mickey Mantle in 1960-61 (Mantle and Roger Maris tied with 132 runs in 1961). He was the first player to lead the majors in runs scored in consecutive seasons since Pete Rose from 1974-76. His 89 walks placed seventh in the AL, while he tied for seventh with 64 extra-base hits. He led Yankee outfielders with a .986 fielding percentage, as well as in games, 146; putouts, 426; errors, six; and total chances, 436.
Off to a slow start, Rickey had just one hit (1-for-19 in his first six games), then hit in 10 straight from April 15-25, going 16-for-45 (.356 batting average), raising his overall average to .266. He ended April hitting .263. Rickey scored a team high four runs against Texas on May 3. He hit in 11 straight, May 16-28, going 15-for-41 (.366) with three home runs and seven RBIs (all homers lead off a game for the Yankees).
Rickey failed to hit safely in just six of 28 games played in June, going 38-for-116 (.328), raising his overall average from .265 to .288. On June 11 at Detroit he started the first game of his career in which he did not bat leadoff (he batted third). He recorded four RBIs on June 27 against Toronto, reaching his career high for the fifth time. His batting average peaked at .289 on June 28.
He went 20-for-86 (.233) in July, lowering his overall average to .276. He was ejected from a game on July 30 at Milwaukee in the eighth inning for arguing a called third strike. Rickey failed to hit in 16 of 28 games in August, going 22-for-110 (.200), lowering his overall average to .260.
On August 11 Rickey recorded his 20th home run, achieving 20 homers and 50+ stolen bases for a second straight year. On August 28, he tied the AL record he set in 1985 by hitting his seventh leadoff home run, and on August 29 he homered off Seattle's Mark Langston for his third career two-homer game- all with the Yankees. Rickey broke his personal single season home run mark hitting his 25th on September 11 at Toronto off John Cerutti, and broke his own leadoff homer record hitting his eighth on September 20 at Detroit off Frank Tanana; Rickey finished with an AL record nine leadoff home runs (the major league record is 11, set by Bobby Bonds in 1973). He went 28-for-100 (.280) in September and October, raising his overall batting average to .263.
He appeared as a designated hitter in five games, going 2-for-18 (.111), and was 0-for-3 as a pinch hitter. 40 of the 113 runs driven in by Don Mattingly were scored by Rickey Henderson.
Henderson led the American League in stolen bases for the seventh consecutive season- only Luis Aparicio led the AL more years (nine), both total and consecutively (1956-64). He was 87-for-105 in stolen base attempts in '86. He broke his own AL record for most consecutive years with 50+ stolen bases, now with seven.
He set a new Yankees single season stolen base record with 87, breaking the club mark of 80 he set in 1985; he stole his 81st base on September 15 against Baltimore in New York. Henderson comes into 1987 with 167 stolen bases as a Yankee, needing 81 to equal Hal Chase's Yankee record of 248 (1905-13).
Henderson swiped his 600th career base on May 18 against Seattle, becoming the youngest of the 15 players to reach that plateau. With 660 career stolen bases and his current average of 83 steals per year, he should reach the 700 level near mid-season of 1987, and would be the youngest of the nine players to make that grade. During '86 Henderson moved form 19th to 11th on the all-time stolen base list and is the current active leader. He improved his career stolen base success rate to 80% (166 times caught stealing).
Rickey swiped a club high three bases on May 6 at Chicago, also matching the league high for '86. He was successful in 14 of his 18 attempts stealing third. His longest streak without stealing a base was six games, June 24-30.
Of his 18 times caught stealing in '86, only six were by catchers. Five of his first eight times caught stealing on the year on the year were by catchers (through June 13), meaning that after June 13 he was caught stealing 10 times but just once by a catcher (August 30 at Seattle by Scott Bradley).
He began the 1985 season on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle suffered in an exhibition game on March 17 against Boston; he was activated on April 22, missing 10 games. His .314 batting average was fourth in the AL, and he led the AL with 146 runs scored - the most runs by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio scored 151 in 1937. His 99 walks were fourth in the AL and most by a Yankee since Willie Randolph led the league with 119 in 1980, and his .419 on-base percentage, also fourth in the AL, was a career high. His .516 slugging percentage, seventh in the AL, was also a career high. Rickey was the first player in AL history to hit 20+ homers and steal 50+ bases in the same season.
Rickey had his first career five-hit game on June 17 at Baltimore (he matched the league high) and scored four runs in a game for the second and third times in his career: July 10 against Kansas City and September 25 against Detroit (also equalling the league high). He had two 11-game hitting streaks: April 29-May 12, going 18-for-44 (.409), and August 5-21, going 17-for-46 (.370). He also had a 10-game hit streak from September 18-29, going 14-for-38 (.368). He scored at least one run in 101 of the 143 games he played.
He was American League Player of the Month for June: in 27 games he went 47-for-113 (.416 BA) with 31 runs, four doubles, two triples, six homers, 17 RBIs and 22 stolen bases- he failed to get a hit in just four of the 27 games. His season batting average peaked at .361 on July 10. He was hitting .357 at the All-Star break (July 13) with 77 runs, 11 homers, 37 RBIs and 41 stolen bases.
After the All-Star break, Rickey hit .270 with 69 runs, 13 homers, 35 RBIs and 39 stolen bases.
Rickey's 80 stolen bases in '85 led the AL for the sixth straight season. He broke Fritz Maisel's Yankee record of 74 stolen bases set in 1914, stealing his 75th base on September 25 against Detroit. He stole his 500th career base on May 10 at Kansas City- the youngest player to reach that goal. He passed Cesar Cedeno on the all-time stolen base list, and with the retirement of Joe Morgan became the current active stolen base leader.
He stole four bases on June 26 against Baltimore. Henderson was caught stealing only three times by catchers in 1985 (Bob Boone, Carlton Fisk and Rich Gedman) out of a total of 10 times caught stealing that season. He was also successful on 14 of 16 attempts stealing third base.
Henderson reported to Boise after the 1976 June draft, hitting .336 with 29 steals in 36 attempts. At Modesto in 1977, he led the California League with a then record 95 steals, was third with a .345 batting average, third with 104 walks and led league outfielders in total chances (313). Rickey was named to the league All-Star team and was Modesto MVP. He became the fourth player in professional baseball to steal seven bases in one game on May 26 at Fresno.
In 1978 with Jersey City he led the Eastern League with 81 steals and led league outfielders in double plays (4) and assists (15), and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. In 1979, Rickey stole 44 bases in only 71 Pacific Coast League games with Ogden, finishing fourth. He immediately stepped into Oakland's starting lineup when called up on June 23 and led the A's with 33 steals.
Rickey broke Ty Cobb's American League mark of 96 stolen bases in 1980 (100 steals) and became the first AL player and third big leaguer to steal 100 bases in a season. He was second in the league with 117 walks, third in on-base percentage (.422) and fourth in runs scored (111). In 1981, Rickey was named to the Sporting News All-Star team and won his first Gold Glove. He led the AL in hits (135), runs (89) and steals (56), and finished third in on-base percentage (.411) and fourth in the AL batting race (.319). He hit .364 against the Yankees in the League Championship Series.
In 1982 Henderson broke Lou Brock's remarkable record of 118 stolen bases on August 27 at Milwaukee- and went on to steal a season total of 130 bases. He also led the AL in walks (116), was third in on-base percentage (.399) and walked five times against the Angels on April 8- a career high.
He went over the 100 steal mark (108) for the third time in his career in 1983- he's the only player ever to do it more than once. He stole 66 bases in 77 attempts after the All-Star break, winning his fourth consecutive title. Rickey also hit .327 after the break to wind up at .292. His .415 on-base percentage was second in the AL to Wade Boggs and his 105 runs ranked fourth. On July 3-4 at Texas, he tied the AL mark by stealing seven bases in two straight games, and on August 21 at Milwaukee became the youngest player to steal 400 career bases. In 1984, his 66 stolen bases led the American League for the fifth straight year; he was second in the AL with 113 runs and third with a .399 on-base percentage.
Henderson graduated form Oakland's technical high school in 1976. He played baseball, basketball and football and was All-Oakland Athletic League for three years in baseball. As a senior he hit .465 and stole 30 bases; that year he played for the North team in California's annual high school All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium. In football, Rickey rushed for 1,100 yards in his senior year and received a reported two dozen scholarship offers to play football.
An Oakland resident, his hobbies include swimming and fishing."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
Friday, April 1, 2016
1987 Profile: Joel Skinner
"When enemy runners dare try to steal on the Yankees these days, they simply get shot down. Joel Skinner has an arm that would make Clint Eastwood's day. The phrase used most to describe the catcher is, 'He's got a gun on him!' Yankees bullpen coach Jeff Torborg says flatly, 'He's got the strongest arm in our league.'
And that's why the team made him part of a six-player swap with the ChiSox last July. Besides his most obvious attribute, Skinner moves well behind the plate, has his head in the game and is generally considered to be a great defensive receiver.
His only real weakness proved to be a low batting average. At age 25, should he start putting the wood on the ball, the 6'4", 204-pound Joel Skinner could figure into the Yankees' future plans for years to come."
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Joel began 1986 with the White Sox, but was acquired by the Yankees along with Ron Kittle and Wayne Tolleson on July 29 in exchange for Ron Hassey, Carlos Martinez and a player to be named later. At the time of the trade he was hitting .201 (30-for-149) in 60 games with the Sox with four homers and 20 RBIs (including a game winning RBI). Skinner hit two of those four home runs off the Yankees: a three-run homer on July 18 at Yankee Stadium off Joe Niekro, and a two-run homer on July 19 at Yankee Stadium off Scott Nielsen. He also had two other hits in that July 19 contest, his first career three-hit game.
His one stolen base in '86 came on April 16 against Detroit. Joel set a new career high with a five-game hitting game streak from May 25 through June 5. In four games from July 13-19 he was 5-for-13 (.385) with three home runs and eight RBIs.
After joining the Yankees, he played in 54 of the club's remaining 61 games (including 52 as the starting catcher) and batted .259 (42-for-166) with a homer and 17 RBIs. His one home run as a Yankee came on August 15 at Kansas City, a solo shot off Scott Bankhead.
Joel started slowly with the Yankees, hitting .133 (6-for-45) through August 19 after 15 games with the club, then matched his career high with a five-game hitting streak from August 20-25, going 8-for-16 (.500) in those games to lift his average to .230. After going 0-for-13 in his next five games to drop his average to .189 on September 1, Skinner hit .315 (29-for-92) with 13 RBIs in his last 29 games, including another five-game hitting streak from September 24-29 to raise his average to his final .259 mark as a Yankee.
He set a personal single game career high on September 9 at California with four RBIs. He had 10 multiple-hit games with the Yankees, including three games of three hits (September 16 against Baltimore, September 28 against Detroit and September 29 against Toronto), matching his single game career high. Overall for the season Skinner batted .232 with five homers and 37 RBIs.
With the White Sox he was successful throwing out 10 of 34 runners (29.4%) attempting to steal. With the Yankees he caught 11 of 31 attempted steals (35.5%), giving him a total of 21 runners caught stealing in 65 attempts (32.2% for the year). Joel was 2-for-2 (Ken Gerhart, John Shelby) throwing out runners attempting to steal on September 17 against Baltimore.
He had a combined fielding average of .984 with four passed balls; in his 54 games with the Yankees it was .980 with three passed balls. Joel caught a combined total of 114 games, the sixth highest total in the American League.
The son of former major league manager and player Bob Skinner, Joel was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 36th round of the free agent draft on June 5, 1979. In 1980 Joel hit seven home runs with 27 RBIs in 100 games with 'A' Shelby, and in 1981 was the All-Star catcher with Greenwood in the South Atlantic League.
He originally joined the White Sox organization in February 1982 when Chicago selected him over some 2,000 other professional players in the first compensation draft. The draft choice came from the Phillies' signing of Chicago free agent reliever Ed Farmer in January 1982. Farmer was a type 'A' free agent, giving Chicago the chance to pick the promising catcher from the Pittsburgh organization. That year Joel was chosen the top major league prospect in the Eastern League while playing for 'AA' Glens Falls and was also the Eastern League All-Star catcher.
His contract was purchased by the White Sox on June 12, 1983 when Carlton Fisk suffered a sore shoulder. Joel made his major league debut the same day and went 2-for-4 at the plate. He was returned to 'AAA' Denver on June 15 and [recalled by] Chicago in mid-September, appearing in six games altogether with the Sox. He was voted the top major league prospect in the American Association and hit .260 for the A.A. champion Bears.
Joel appeared in 43 games for the Sox in 1984 during three separate stints with the parent club, traveling between Chicago and Denver. His Chicago tours were May 23-June 10, June 13-July 19 and September 5 through the end of the season. Shortly after his final return to Denver, Joel suffered a fractured wrist diving back to first base that healed in time for him to play with the Sox in September.
He hit .284 at Denver in '84, his best batting average to date as a professional, along with 10 home runs. Joel was named to the American Association All-Star team, his third all-star selection in a row, and was also voted the A.A.'s best defensive catcher and the catcher with the best throwing arm.
Joel made a pair of stops in Chicago in 1985 but spent most of the season at 'AAA' Buffalo of the American Association. First recalled on July 27 when Sox backup catcher Marc Hill was hurting with a bad hip, Joel appeared in three games in that stay and hit safely in all three (4-for-8, .500, two doubles, two RBIs). Returned to Buffalo on August 4, he was recalled again on September 1 and finished the season with the Sox. He hit safely in eight of the 14 games in which he recorded an official at-bat and finished with a .341 average with a homer and five RBIs. The homer, the first of his major league career, came on September 18 in Chicago off California's Don Sutton. Joel batted .240 in 115 games at Buffalo, with 12 homers matching his professional single season career high.
Joel played baseball at Mission Bay (CA) High School. His favorite team growing up was the Cincinnati Reds and his favorite player was Johnny Bench. Joel's favorite stadium is Anaheim Stadium his favorite spectator sport is hockey and golf is his hobby. His favorite entertainers are John Wayne, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
And that's why the team made him part of a six-player swap with the ChiSox last July. Besides his most obvious attribute, Skinner moves well behind the plate, has his head in the game and is generally considered to be a great defensive receiver.
His only real weakness proved to be a low batting average. At age 25, should he start putting the wood on the ball, the 6'4", 204-pound Joel Skinner could figure into the Yankees' future plans for years to come."
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Joel began 1986 with the White Sox, but was acquired by the Yankees along with Ron Kittle and Wayne Tolleson on July 29 in exchange for Ron Hassey, Carlos Martinez and a player to be named later. At the time of the trade he was hitting .201 (30-for-149) in 60 games with the Sox with four homers and 20 RBIs (including a game winning RBI). Skinner hit two of those four home runs off the Yankees: a three-run homer on July 18 at Yankee Stadium off Joe Niekro, and a two-run homer on July 19 at Yankee Stadium off Scott Nielsen. He also had two other hits in that July 19 contest, his first career three-hit game.
His one stolen base in '86 came on April 16 against Detroit. Joel set a new career high with a five-game hitting game streak from May 25 through June 5. In four games from July 13-19 he was 5-for-13 (.385) with three home runs and eight RBIs.
After joining the Yankees, he played in 54 of the club's remaining 61 games (including 52 as the starting catcher) and batted .259 (42-for-166) with a homer and 17 RBIs. His one home run as a Yankee came on August 15 at Kansas City, a solo shot off Scott Bankhead.
Joel started slowly with the Yankees, hitting .133 (6-for-45) through August 19 after 15 games with the club, then matched his career high with a five-game hitting streak from August 20-25, going 8-for-16 (.500) in those games to lift his average to .230. After going 0-for-13 in his next five games to drop his average to .189 on September 1, Skinner hit .315 (29-for-92) with 13 RBIs in his last 29 games, including another five-game hitting streak from September 24-29 to raise his average to his final .259 mark as a Yankee.
He set a personal single game career high on September 9 at California with four RBIs. He had 10 multiple-hit games with the Yankees, including three games of three hits (September 16 against Baltimore, September 28 against Detroit and September 29 against Toronto), matching his single game career high. Overall for the season Skinner batted .232 with five homers and 37 RBIs.
With the White Sox he was successful throwing out 10 of 34 runners (29.4%) attempting to steal. With the Yankees he caught 11 of 31 attempted steals (35.5%), giving him a total of 21 runners caught stealing in 65 attempts (32.2% for the year). Joel was 2-for-2 (Ken Gerhart, John Shelby) throwing out runners attempting to steal on September 17 against Baltimore.
He had a combined fielding average of .984 with four passed balls; in his 54 games with the Yankees it was .980 with three passed balls. Joel caught a combined total of 114 games, the sixth highest total in the American League.
The son of former major league manager and player Bob Skinner, Joel was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 36th round of the free agent draft on June 5, 1979. In 1980 Joel hit seven home runs with 27 RBIs in 100 games with 'A' Shelby, and in 1981 was the All-Star catcher with Greenwood in the South Atlantic League.
He originally joined the White Sox organization in February 1982 when Chicago selected him over some 2,000 other professional players in the first compensation draft. The draft choice came from the Phillies' signing of Chicago free agent reliever Ed Farmer in January 1982. Farmer was a type 'A' free agent, giving Chicago the chance to pick the promising catcher from the Pittsburgh organization. That year Joel was chosen the top major league prospect in the Eastern League while playing for 'AA' Glens Falls and was also the Eastern League All-Star catcher.
His contract was purchased by the White Sox on June 12, 1983 when Carlton Fisk suffered a sore shoulder. Joel made his major league debut the same day and went 2-for-4 at the plate. He was returned to 'AAA' Denver on June 15 and [recalled by] Chicago in mid-September, appearing in six games altogether with the Sox. He was voted the top major league prospect in the American Association and hit .260 for the A.A. champion Bears.
Joel appeared in 43 games for the Sox in 1984 during three separate stints with the parent club, traveling between Chicago and Denver. His Chicago tours were May 23-June 10, June 13-July 19 and September 5 through the end of the season. Shortly after his final return to Denver, Joel suffered a fractured wrist diving back to first base that healed in time for him to play with the Sox in September.
He hit .284 at Denver in '84, his best batting average to date as a professional, along with 10 home runs. Joel was named to the American Association All-Star team, his third all-star selection in a row, and was also voted the A.A.'s best defensive catcher and the catcher with the best throwing arm.
Joel made a pair of stops in Chicago in 1985 but spent most of the season at 'AAA' Buffalo of the American Association. First recalled on July 27 when Sox backup catcher Marc Hill was hurting with a bad hip, Joel appeared in three games in that stay and hit safely in all three (4-for-8, .500, two doubles, two RBIs). Returned to Buffalo on August 4, he was recalled again on September 1 and finished the season with the Sox. He hit safely in eight of the 14 games in which he recorded an official at-bat and finished with a .341 average with a homer and five RBIs. The homer, the first of his major league career, came on September 18 in Chicago off California's Don Sutton. Joel batted .240 in 115 games at Buffalo, with 12 homers matching his professional single season career high.
Joel played baseball at Mission Bay (CA) High School. His favorite team growing up was the Cincinnati Reds and his favorite player was Johnny Bench. Joel's favorite stadium is Anaheim Stadium his favorite spectator sport is hockey and golf is his hobby. His favorite entertainers are John Wayne, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
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