WHY I THINK OREL HERSHISER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK OREL HERSHISER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

As soon as he came up to the Majors, many people could tell that Orel Hershiser would be one of the greatest pitchers in history. He was one of the great postseason performers of all time, a hard luck pitcher whose record doesn’t do him justice (he gave up 155 unearned runs, including as many as 20 in a season), a workhorse on the mound who led the NL in innings pitched three times in a row, and a star who made waves in 1988 as he eclipsed Don Drysdale’s record for consecutive scoreless innings (59). Hershiser was also a very good fielding pitcher, hard to steal on because he had a good pickoff move, and a good hitter (he was a Silver Slugger in 1993 when he hit .356), providing value in other, integral parts of the game. Orel Hershiser started his career with the Dodgers in 1983, pitching eight games out of the bullpen. A fastball-sinker pitcher until his late career when he added a slider, he attained rookie status in 1984 when, despite starting only 20 games, he led the NL with four shutouts. He went 11-8 with a 2.66 ERA in that first season. He had a Cy Young type season in 1985 (19-3, 2.03 ERA), but slumped to 14-14 in 1986. Hershiser went 16-16 with a 3.06 ERA in 1987 (when the ball was livened up and teams averaged over a homer a game for the first time in history) and won the Cy Young Award in 1988, when he won 23 games and posted a 2.26 ERA. In 1989, he went 15-15, but was about as good as he was the year before, striking out the exact same amount of batters (178) and putting up an almost identical ERA (2.31). In 1990, however, a torn labrum in his right (pitching) arm limited him to just over 25 innings, and he pitched only 112 in 1991. If not for the injury, he could have had a shot at 250 wins. That, and the 1994-95 strike that ended his tenure with the Dodgers, ruined his chances at the milestone. At any rate, he signed with the Indians and won 16 games for them in 1995, leading them to their first postseason since 1948. As he had been in 1988, he was brilliant in the postseason, going 4-1 with an ERA of 1.53, but the Tribe lost to the Braves in the World Series. The hard hitting 1990’s, tainted by many artificial factors, such as the widespread use of anabolic steroids, brought Hershiser’s career ERA up to almost 3.50, but his seasonal ERA’s were above average until 2000, when he pitched 24 ⅔ innings for the Dodgers at the age of 41. He went 1-5 in his return to the club before his retirement. Like Drysdale, he moved to the broadcaster’s booth, and is still active today calling Dodger games. Orel Hershiser was one of the greatest postseason hurlers of all time, a good pitcher through his age 40 season, and a phenom who lit up the nation with his consecutive inning scoreless streak. For all of his many achievements, Orel Hershiser gets my vote for the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 510 season high: 45 in 1984 

Starts career: 466 season high: 35 in 1986 and 1987 

Complete Games career: 68 season high: 15 in 1988 led NL: 15 in 1988 

Shutouts career: 25 season high: 8 in 1988 led NL: 4 in 1984, 8 in 1988 

Games Finished career: 19 season high: 10 in 1984 

Wins career: 204 season high: 23 in 1988 led NL: 23 in 1988 

Losses career: 150 season high: 16 in 1987 led NL: 15 in 1989 and 1992 

Winning Percentage career: .576 season high: .864 in 1985 led NL: .864 in 1985     

ERA career: 3.48 season low: 2.03 in 1985 

WHIP career: 1.261 season low: 1.031 in 1985 

Innings Pitched career: 3,130 ⅓ season high: 267 in 1988 led NL: 264 ⅔ in 1987, 267 in 1988, 256 ⅔ in 1989 

Strikeouts career: 2,014 season high: 190 in 1987 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 5.8 season high: 7.1 in 1984 

Walks career: 1,007 (108 intentional) season high: 86 in 1986 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.00 season high: 3.00 in 1984 

Saves career: 5 season high: 2 in 1984 

Fielding Percentage career: .946 season high: .983 in 1998 

Double Plays career: 44 season high: 6 in 1986, 1987, and 1988 

Putouts career: 332 season high: 37 in 1987 led NL P: 37 in 1987, 32 in 1988, 22 in 1994 

Assists career: 569 season high: 60 in 1988 led NL P: 60 in 1988, 51 in 1989 led AL P: 47 in 1996 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .342 season high: .667 in 1997 

Pickoffs career: 18 season high: 5 in 1988 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Bulldog” by manager Tommy Lasorda 

-pitched five consecutive shutouts in 1988

-had an ERA of 0.00 in three career all-star games (1987-89) 

-was the Major League Player of the Year, the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 1988 

-won the 1988 Babe Ruth Award (for the best performance in the postseason) 

-won six career Pitcher of the Month awards and four Player of the Week awards 

-won a Gold Glove in 1988 

-twice led the NL in batters faced 

-allowed the fewest home runs per nine innings in the Majors in 1985 

-finished sixth in the NL MVP Award voting in 1988 and 16th in 1985 

-also finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 1985 and fourth in both 1987 and 1989 

-finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1984 

-had a career ERA of 3.46 until his final start, which raised it to 3.48

-was the MVP of the 1988 NLCS (1-0, 1 save, 1.09 ERA in 24 ⅔ innings), the 1988 World Series (2-0, 1.00 ERA in 18 innings), and the 1995 ALCS (2-0, 1.29 ERA in 14 innings) 

-was 8-3 with a 2.59 ERA and two shutouts in postseason play, and was the first to win his first seven decisions 

-had 101 career sacrifice hits, including a NL high 19 in 1988 

-went 2-for-7 in the 1985 NLCS and 3-for-3 with two doubles in the 1988 World Series  

-among MLB pitchers, ranks eighth in career putouts 

-was used as a pinch hitter six times and as a pinch runner three times 

-coached the Rangers from 2002 through 2005

WHY I THINK JASON KENDALL SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JASON KENDALL SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Jason Kendall was easily one of the ten greatest catchers of all time. Who else could rank ahead of him? Probably Josh Gibson, perhaps Johnny Bench, Biz Mackey, Ivan Rodriguez, Buster Posey, Carlton Fisk, or Yogi Berra. Then I would have to pick Kendall because he was a fine bunter, a solid defender (famous for his skill at blocking pitches), and probably the speediest catcher of all time. He was best known for his stolen base prowess, but he was also one of the most consistent hitters ever at the position, one of the most durable, and an on base machine. Jason Kendall started his MLB career with the Pirates in 1996, batting .300 in 130 games as The Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year. He hit .294 in 1997 and had an MVP calibre season in 1998. That year, Kendall batted .327, hit 12 homers, drove in 75 runs, led the Majors in hit by pitch (31), and stole 26 bases, the NL record for a catcher since the modern stolen base rule was implemented in 1898. In 1999, he suffered a dislocated ankle on July 4, which ended his season after only 78 games. This was a shame, as he was hitting a sizzling .332/.428/.511 with 22 stolen bases. He returned in 2000 with a .320 mark and 14 homers, proving that he was still one of the best players in the game. He slumped to .266 in 2001 and .283 in 2002, but he appeared to be back at the top of his game in 2003 when he hit .325 and followed it up with a .319 season in 2004. He was traded to the A’s in the offseason and became their new leadoff hitter for the next two seasons. He played 137 games for two teams in 2007 and began to slip a bit with the bat, but he made up for it with his durability, experience, and exceptional defense. In 2008, at the age of 34, he led NL catchers in caught stealing percentage and fielded .995. As a bonus, he enjoyed his fifth season with at least 30 doubles. In 2010, he batted .256 for the Royals in 118 games and stole 12 bases, but suffered a devastating rotator cuff injury that ended his career. Jason Kendall was one of the best hitting catchers of all time, a legitimate stolen base threat at a position that takes a heavy toll on the knees, and a strong defensive catcher. He really should be in the Hall of Fame right now, and if not for injuries, he would be. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,085 season high: 157 in 2001 

At Bats career: 7,627 season high: 606 in 2001 

Hits career: 2,195 season high: 191 in 2003 

Doubles career: 394 season high: 36 in 1997 and 1998 

Triples career: 35 season high: 6 in 2000 

Home Runs career: 75 season high: 14 in 2000 

Runs career: 1,030 season high: 112 in 2000 

Runs Batted In career: 744 season high: 75 in 1998 

Stolen Bases career: 189 season high: 26 in 1998 

Walks career: 721 season high: 79 in 2000 

Strikeouts career: 686 season high: 79 in 2000 

Batting Average career: .288 season high: .327 in 1998 

On Base Percentage career: .366 season high: .412 in 2000 

Slugging Percentage career: .378 season high: .473 in 1998 

Total Bases career: 2,884 season high: 272 in 2000 

Sacrifice Hits career: 36 season high: 6 in 2008, 2009, and 2010 

Fielding Percentage career: .990 season high: .995 in 2006 and 2008 

Double Plays career: 148 season high: 20 in 1997 led NL C: 20 in 1997, 13 in 1999, 2002, and 2008 led AL C: 9 in 2006, 11 in 2010 

Putouts career: 13,067 season high: 1,025 in 2008 led NL C: 1,015 in 1998, 990 in 2000 led AL C: 986 in 2005, 924 in 2006 

Assists career: 990 season high: 103 in 1997 led NL C: 103 in 1997, 81 in 2000, 78 in 2004, 94 in 2008 led AL C: 68 in 2010 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .288 season high: .435 in 1999 led NL C: .427 in 2008 

Pickoffs career: 12 season high: 3 in 1997 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-son of Fred Kendall 

-went 3-for-4 with two RBI’s in his MLB debut 

-hit for the cycle on May 19, 2000 

-was the eighth catcher to reach 2,000 hits and ranked fifth at the time of his retirement 

-was the first catcher to catch 140 or more games in a season eight times 

-his 189 stolen bases are the most of any modern era catcher except for Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan 

-is the Pirates’ all time leader in career games caught 

-his 20 double plays behind the plate in 1997 are the 12th most of all time 

-was named the NL Player of the Week on August 16, 1998 

-was the hardest batter in his league to strike out in 2002 (NL) and 2005 (AL)  

-led his league in games caught seven times and in caught stealing five times 

-hit three home runs off of Curt Schilling, two off of Tom Glavine, and one each off of Tim Hudson, Trevor Hoffman, and Huston Street 

-ranks fifth in career hit by pitch (254) 

-among MLB catchers, ranks sixth in career games caught, eleventh in double plays, and third in putouts 

-also played 29 games in the outfield, four as a DH, 41 as a pinch hitter, and two as a pinch runner

NOTICE XI

    A lot of my older posts have had major problems with the lining, so if you see me publish a familiar player again, I am simply updating the older posts and reverting the "broken" ones back to draft. Just an FYI. 

WHY I THINK WILL CLARK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK WILL CLARK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien

Will Clark was one of the most popular players of his time. It might have been that he was a bit cocky at times, or that he had one of the most fluid swings that the game has ever seen, or that he could hit for power while still retaining a high batting average. Clark was one of the best hitters of his time and he let everybody know about it. He had a lifetime batting average of .303, batted over .325 three times, had four seasons with over 100 RBI’s, and won two Silver Slugger awards. Will Clark started his career with the Giants in 1986, batting .287 in 111 games. He hit a long home run off of Nolan Ryan on the first pitch that he ever saw in the Major Leagues. Clark batted .308 with 35 home runs in 1987 and .282 in 1988, when he led the NL in games, plate appearances, RBI’s, and walks. He had his finest season in the Majors in 1989, when he batted .333 with 23 home runs and finished second in the NL MVP polls to teammate Kevin Mitchell, who hit 47 home runs on the year. After four more quality seasons with the Giants, Clark spent five seasons with the Rangers. He batted a composite .308 in Texas but wasn’t the power hitter that he had been in San Francisco. Clark batted .303 in 77 games for the Orioles in 1999 and a combined .319 between the Orioles and  Cardinals in 2000 before retiring. He set the MLB record for the highest slugging percentage by a regular player during his final season (.546). Will Clark was a fantastic hitter, a tough competitor, and a sure glove at first base. Like many other people, I believe that he belongs in Cooperstown.  

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,976 season high: 162 in 1988 led NL: 162 in 1988  

At Bats career: 7,173 season high: 600 in 1990 

Hits career: 2,176 season high: 196 in 1989 

Doubles career: 440 season high: 41 in 1998 

Triples career: 47 season high: 9 in 1989 

Home Runs career: 284 season high: 35 in 1987  

Runs career: 1,186 season high: 104 in 1989 led NL:  104 in 1989  

Runs Batted In career: 1,205 season high: 116 in 1991 led NL: 109 in 1988 

Stolen Bases career: 67 season high: 12 in 1992 

Walks career: 937 season high: 100 in 1988 led NL: 100 in 1988  

Strikeouts career: 1,190 season high: 129 in 1988 

Batting Average career: .303 season high: .333 in 1989 

On Base Percentage career: .384 season high: .431 in 1994 

Slugging Percentage career: .497 season high: .580 in 1987 led NL: .536 in 1991  

Total Bases career: 3,562 season high: 321 in 1989 led NL: 303 in 1991 

Sacrifice Hits career: 13 season high: 9 in 1986 

Fielding Percentage career: .992 season high: .997 in 1991 led NL 1B: .997 in 1991  

Double Plays career: 1,571 season high: 130 in 1987 and 1992 led NL 1B: 130 in 1987 and 1992, 126 in 1988, 118 in 1990, 115 in 1991  

Putouts career: 16,695 season high: 1,492 in 1988 led NL 1B: 1,492 in 1988, 1,445 in 1989, 1,456 in 1990 led AL 1B: 968 in 1994  

Assists career: 1,294 season high: 119 in 1990 

DID YOU KNOW?

-nicknamed “Will the Thrill” and “The Natural” 

-finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1986 

-finished fourth in the NL MVP voting in 1991, fifth in both 1987 and 1988, and 15th in the AL MVP voting in 1994 

-batted .385 with a .615 slugging percentage in six all-star games

-won a Gold Glove award in 1991

-set LCS records for the highest batting average (.650) and slugging percentage (1.200), and for the most hits (13), runs scored (eight), extra-base hits (six) and total bases (24) and was named the Series MVP 

-holds the highest career LCS batting average (.468) of any player with a minimum of 50 at bats 

-his grand slam off of Greg Maddux in Game 1 the 1989 NLCS is what finally forced pitchers to talk into their gloves while discussing their pitches 

-led the NL in intentional walks in 1988 (27) and in times on base in 1988 (266) and 1989 (275)  

-led NL first basemen in games (158) in 1988 

-won four career Player of the Month awards and eight Player of the Week awards 

-had 1,000 or more putouts in nine separate seasons and had over 100 assists in a season six times 

-holds the longest San Francisco Giants consecutive games played streak at 320, starting in 1987 and ending in 1989 

-also played 33 games as a DH, 68 as a pinch hitter, and one as a pinch runner 

-went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI’s in his final MLB game 

-ranks 32nd in career sacrifice flies (101) and 46th in intentional walks (155) 

-among MLB first basemen, ranks 31st in career games, 18th in double plays, 30th in putouts,  and 24th in assists 

-his uniform number 22 will be retired by the Giants during the 2020 season

WHY I THINK JIM KAAT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JIM KAAT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Jim Kaat pitched from 1959 through 1983, a total of 25 years, and was effective all the way to the end. He could have been the steadiest pitcher of all time, winning 10 or more games for 15 straight years and throwing over 200 innings in fourteen different seasons. Kaat was more than just a consistently good pitcher; he was one of the best pitchers in baseball in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. He was also of enormous value for his workload (eleven seasons with 34 or more starts), impeccable control (2.2 walks per nine innings), fielding (16 Gold Gloves), hitting (232 hits including 16 homers), and durability (he always pitched without sleeves, regardless of the weather). Jim Kaat started his career with the Twins in 1959, pitching five innings and going 0-2. He worked 50 innings in 1960 and joined the rotation in 1961. He won 18 games in 1962 and 17 in 1964. He went 18-11 with a 2.83 ERA in 42 starts for the pennant winning Twins of 1965 and beat Sandy Koufax in Game 2 of the World Series. In 1966, Kaat again led the Majors in starts, won 25 games, and struck out 200 batters for the first time. Kaat continued to be a consistent hurler for the next decade, posting a 2.94 ERA in 1968 and a 2.02 in 1972, but appeared finished in 1973 when, at the age of 34, he was rocked for a 4.37 mark. Kaat came back to win 20 games in each of the next two seasons for the Chicago White Sox. He won a dozen games in 1976, his last year as a regular starter, and he slowly started to decline. He bounced from team to team as a reliever and an occasional starter, helping the Cardinals to the World Series Championship in 1982. He pitched his last game in 1983. Kaat is also a famous broadcaster, active since 1965 and the winner of many awards. Jim Kaat was an incredibly steady starter, a pitcher of 25 seasons (a record at the time of his retirement), the winner of 283 MLB games, and a player who was talented in all phases of the game. How many such players are there? Not many. He belongs in the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 898 season high: 62 in 1982 

Starts career: 625 season high: 42 in 1965 led AL: 42 in 1965, 41 in 1966 

Complete Games career: 180 season high: 19 in 1966 led AL: 19 in 1966 

Shutouts career: 31 season high: 5 in 1962 led AL: 5 in 1962 

Games Finished career: 102 season high: 25 in 1980 

Wins career: 283 season high: 25 in 1966 led AL: 25 in 1966 

Losses career: 237 season high: 17 in 1961 

Winning Percentage career: .544 season high: .658 in 1966 

ERA career: 3.45 season low: 2.75 in 1966 

WHIP career: 1.259 season low: 1.070 in 1966 

Innings Pitched career: 4,530 ⅓ season high: 304 ⅔ in 1966 led AL: 304 ⅔ in 1966 

Strikeouts career: 2,461 season high: 211 in 1967 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 4.9 season high: 7.2 in 1967 

Walks career: 1,083 (116 intentional) season high: 82 in 1961 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.27 season high: 5.02 in 1967 led AL: 3.73 in 1966 

Saves career: 17 season high: 4 in 1980 and 1981 

Fielding Percentage career: .947 season high: .984 in 1963 

Double Plays career: 65 season high: 8 in 1961 

Putouts career: 262 season high: 19 in 1961, 1963, and 1966 

Assists career: 744 season high: 72 in 1962 led AL P: 72 in 1962 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .341 season high: .750 in 1975 

Pickoffs career: 24 season high: 3 in 1966, 1972, and 1974 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Kitty Kaat” 

-finished fifth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1966, 20th in 1967, and 28th in 1975 

-finished fourth in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 1975 

-was the 1966 AL TSN (The Sporting News) Pitcher of the Year 

-won the most Gold Gloves in a Minnesota Twins uniform at any position (12) 

-was a three time all-star (in 1962, 1966, and 1975) 

-won two AL Player of the Week awards 

-pitched 1 ⅓ innings in his final MLB game without allowing an earned run 

-led the AL in batters faced (1,227) in 1966 

-allowed the fewest walks per nine innings in the AL in 1966 (1.6) and 1973 (1.7) 

-batted .375/.444/.500 in 1981 and .289/.304/.489 in 1972, and in 1970 was the last pitcher to receive an intentional walk 

-went 1-for-2 at the plate in the 1976 NLCS and drove in two runs in the 1965 World Series 

-among MLB pitchers, ranks 28th in career games pitched, 17th in starts, 31st in wins, 25th in innings, 44th in strikeouts, 25th in batters faced, and 34th in putouts 

-also played one game as a DH, 24 as a pinch hitter, and 85 as a pinch runner 

-was the oldest player in the AL in 1979 and in the NL in 1983 

-was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2001 

-was the last player from the original Washington Senators to retire

WHY I THINK TONY FERNANDEZ SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK TONY FERNANDEZ SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

It may come as a shock to many of you, but Tony Fernandez actually compares quite favorably to first ballot Hall of Famer and contemporary shortstop Ozzie Smith. In terms of hitting, Fernandez outdoes Smith by a wide margin in batting average (.288 to .262), home runs (94 to 28), and RBI’s (844 to 793 in 415 fewer games) among other things. In terms of fielding, the Wizard of Oz has more Gold Gloves (13 to 4), but Fernandez had to compete with Cal Ripken Jr. for his entire career, and that he beat him four times in a row for the Gold Glove was remarkable. He also had a higher career fielding percentage at shortstop (.980 to .978) than Smith and played over 500 games at second base and third base as well. Even though he was better than Ozzie Smith, this in itself isn’t proof that Fernandez is a Hall of Famer, but his entire resume suggests that he was one of the greatest shortstops ever to take the field. Tony Fernandez began his career with the Blue Jays in 1983, hitting .265 in a 15 game trial. He played 88 games in 1984 and took over as the Jays’ regular shortstop in 1985, hitting a solid .289. He was an all-star in 1986 when he collected 213 hits and again in 1987 when he hit .322. From 1986 through 1989, he won the Gold Glove award and captured MVP votes each year, three times backing up Ripken in the all-star game. In 1990, Fernandez led the Majors with 17 triples, and spent the next two seasons with the Padres, making the NL all-star team in 1992. In 1993, he started the season with the Mets, but played 94 games with the Blue Jays, batting .306 with them and helping them win the World Series. He batted .333 with nine RBI’s (the World Series record for a shortstop) in the Series dominated by Joe Carter’s famous walk-off homer in Game 6. He stayed consistent until 1996, when he missed the entire season to injuries. He came back in 1997 with the Indians and played the next two seasons in a third tenure with the Blue Jays. In 1998-1999, Fernandez’s age 36 and 37 seasons, he batted a combined .324 with his two highest RBI totals. He played in Japan in 2000, batting .327 with the Seibu Lions, and returned to the Majors in 2001. He hit .293 in 76 games for two teams (including a fourth stint with the Blue Jays) before finally calling it quits. Tony Fernandez was a fantastic defensive infielder, a fine hitter, an ideal leadoff batter, and a tough ballplayer whose career was certainly worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 2,158 season high: 163 in 1986 led AL: 163 in 1986 

At Bats career: 7,911 season high: 687 in 1986 led AL: 687 in 1986 

Hits career: 2,276 season high: 213 in 1986 

Doubles career: 414 season high: 41 in 1988 and 1999 

Triples career: 92 season high: 17 in 1990 led AL: 17 in 1990 

Home Runs career: 94 season high: 11 in 1989 and 1997 

Runs career: 1,057 season high: 91 in 1986 

Runs Batted In career: 844 season high: 75 in 1999 

Stolen Bases career: 246 season high: 32 in 1987 

Walks career: 690 season high: 77 in 1999 

Strikeouts career: 784 season high: 74 in 1991 

Batting Average career: .288 season high: .328 in 1999 

On Base Percentage career: .347 season high: .427 in 1999 

Slugging Percentage career: .399 season high: .459 in 1998 

Total Bases career: 3,156 season high: 294 in 1986 

Sacrifice Hits career: 67 season high: 9 in 1992 

Fielding Percentage career: .978 season high: .992 in 1989 led AL SS: .983 in 1986, .992 in 1989 led NL 3B: .991 in 1994 

Double Plays career: 1,089 season high: 109 in 1985 

Putouts career: 3,214 season high: 297 in 1990 led AL SS: 294 in 1986, 270 in 1987, 297 in 1990 

Assists career: 5,544 season high: 480 in 1990 led AL SS: 478 in 1985, 480 in 1990 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Cabeza” and “El Fantasma” 

-finished eighth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1987, 14th in 1986, 19th in 1989, and 26th in 1988 

-had an 18 game hitting streak in 1987

-batted .327 in 43 career postseason games (including .395 in World Series play) with 11 doubles and 23 RBI’s 

-had the only homer ever in a 1-0, extra innings postseason game in the 1997 ALCS 

-was named the AL Player of the Week on June 20, 1999 

-his 213 hits in 1986 set the MLB season record for a shortstop

-led the AL in singles (161) in 1986 

-led AL shortstops in games in 1986 and 1990 

-set the MLB record for fielding at shortstop in 1989

-his .992 fielding percentage at shortstop in 1989 is the 13th highest mark of all time, and his .989 in 1990 ranks 36th 

-his .991 fielding percentage at third base in 1994 is the second highest of all time

-set the MLB record for the fewest errors in a full season at shortstop in 1989 (six) 

-also played 27 games as a DH, 98 as a pinch hitter, and 11 as a pinch runner 

-was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008 and into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2016