Lost In Left Field

Musings about baseball and its history.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Tim Lincecum of the #Giants won the National League Cy Young Award #OTD in 2008. In his first full major league season, Lincecum led the National League strikeouts, strikeout rate, winning percentage, and hits per nine innings. The following year, he would win the award again.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Hal Trosky, first baseman mostly for the #Indians, was born #OTD in 1912. Trosky hit over .300 four times and drove in 100 runs in each of his first six seasons. He hit 228 homers and drove in 1,012 runs despite his career being cut short by migraine headaches.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Stan Musial, outfielder for the #Cardinals, won the first of his three National League Most Valuable Player Awards #OTD in 1943. Musial led the National League in hits, doubles, triples and batting average in leading St. Louis to the second of three straight NL pennants.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Harold "Pie" Traynor, third baseman for the #Pirates, was born #OTD in 1898. A two-time All-Star, Traynor batted .300 ten times, and drove in 100 runs seven times. A career .320 hitter in 17 seasons, he collected 2,416 hits and was elected to the #HallofFame in 1948.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Boog Powell, first baseman for the #Orioles, was named American League Most Valuable Player #OTD in 1970. Powell hit 35 homers, drove in 114 runs and batted .297 as Baltimore won the pennant. He then hit .294 and slugged .706 in the World Series as the Orioles won the title.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Rabbit Maranville, shortstop mostly for the #Braves and #Pirates, was born #OTD in 1891. A great defender, he received Most Valuable Player votes in eight different seasons despite his weak bat, but he did have 2,605 career hits. Maranville was elected to the #HallofFame in 1954.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Ken Raffensberger, pitcher for the #Reds and #Phillies, died #OTD in 2002. An All-Star in 1944, Raffensberger received MVP votes in three years and had double-digit win totals six times. Pitching mostly for losing teams, he had a 117-154 career record and 3.60 ERA.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Gene Conley, pitcher for the #Braves and #RedSox, was born #OTD in 1930. A four-time All-Star, Conley won 91 major league games and was part of the Braves' 1957 World Series winners, but is best known for winning three NBA titles with the Boston Celtics.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Larry Parrish, third baseman for the #Expos and #Rangers, was born #OTD in 1953. A two-time All-Star, Parrish hit over 20 homers five times, drove in 100 runs twice, and batted .300 once. In his 15-year career he totaled 1,789 hits and 256 homers.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Hal Newhouser, pitcher mostly for the #Tigers, died #OTD in 1998. A seven-time All-Star, Newhouser won back-to-back American League MVP Awards in 1944-45, and won the pitching Triple Crown in 1945. He led the league in wins four times, and was elected to the #HallofFame in 1992.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Jack Clark, outfielder and first baseman mostly for the #Giants and #Cardinals, was born #OTD in 1955. A four-time All-Star, Clark hit over 20 homers eleven times, led the league in walks three times, and in on-base and slugging once each. He hit 340 career homers.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Jimmy Dykes, infielder for the #Athletics and #WhiteSox was born #OTD in 1896. A two-time All-Star, Dykes batted over .300 seven times and was part of two World Series winners as a player, then managed six teams to 1,406 victories over 21 seasons.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Robin Yount, shortstop for the #Brewers, was named the winner of the American League Most Valuable Player Award #OTD in 1982. Yount won almost unanimously, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes. Yount led the league in hits, slugging and WAR as Milwaukee won the pennant.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Jerry Benjamin, centerfielder mostly for the Homestead Grays, was born #OTD in 1909. A three-time All-Star, he led the league in steals four times, hits twice, and triples, doubles and walks once each. He was a .296 career hitter and played for two World Series winners. @nlbmprez

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Preacher Roe, pitcher for the #Dodgers and #Pirates, died #OTD in 2008. A five-time All-Star, Roe led the National League in strikeouts in 1945 and winning percentage in 1951. He had a 127-84 career record in 12 seasons and pitched in three World Series with Brooklyn.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Bill Bruton, centerfielder for the #Braves and #Tigers, was born #OTD in 1925. Bruton led the National League in steals his first three seasons, twice led in triples and once in runs. He compiled 1,651 hits, 937 runs, and a .273 batting average in his 12-year career.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Joe Medwick, outfielder for the #Cardinals, was announced as the National League Most Valuable Player #OTD in 1937, in a close vote over Gabby Hartnett of the #Cubs. Medwick won the Triple Crown with 31 homers, 154 RBI and a .375 batting average.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Bob Gibson, pitcher for the #Cardinals, was born #OTD in 1935. A nine-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, Gibson won two Cy Young Awards and 1968 MVP Award, had a 251-174 career record and 2.91 ERA in his 17-year career, and was elected to the #HOF in 1981.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Tony Cuccinello, second baseman for the #Braves, #Dodgers and others, was born #OTD in 1907. A three-times All-Star, Cuccinello was an excellent defender and also hit over .300 five times. He was a .280 hitter and compiled 1,729 hits in his 15-year career.

[Lost In Left Field @LILFBaseball]

Hank Leiber, center fielder for the #Giants and #Cubs, died #OTD in 1993. A three-time All-Star, Leiber's best season was 1935 when he batted .331 and had 203 hits, 22 homers, and 107 RBI for New York. Injuries slowed his career, but he batted .288 and hit 101 HRs in ten seasons.