Ten Best Catchers Not In Cooperstown

Catchers have historically been underrated both by the common fan and the Hall of Fame. Due to the physical and mental demands of catching a nine-inning game nearly every day, catchers tend to hit less than other fielders, making it harder for people to realize their true value. As it stands, there are only 18 catchers in Cooperstown, fewer than any other position except third base. However, due to the importance of a good catcher and the numerous demands of the position, more catchers should be considered by the Hall of Fame. 

Honorable mentions: Deacon McGuire, Elston Howard, Tim McCarver, Bob Boone, Tony Pena 

10. Jack Clements (1884-1900)

The greatest lefthanded catcher of all time, Jack Clements had a career batting average of .287 in an era when many backstops hit under .200. A strong defender behind the plate, Clements was also a convincing power hitter who clubbed 77 home runs in his career (at the time eleventh on the all-time list) and topped the NL in home run percentage in 1893 and 1895. 

9. Johnny Kling (1900-1913)

Also a renowned billiards player in his day, Johnny Kling was a key player on the Cubs' pennant winners of 1906-08 and 1910. The premier defensive catcher of his time, Kling dominated NL catching leaderboards throughout his career and had a lifetime caught stealing percentage of 48.5. He also batted .272 over his career and set a record in 1902 with a hit in 12 straight plate appearances. 

8. Gene Tenace (1969-1983)

Despite a low .241 batting average and only 1,060 hits, Tenace was nonetheless a strong contributor with the bat, slapping 201 home runs and drawing 984 walks for a career OPS of .817. A four-time World Champion, he earned the World Series MVP Award in 1972 with four homers and nine RBI's. 

7. Wally Schang (1913-1931)

A long-tenured catcher whose career spanned the dead-ball and live-ball eras, Schang batted .284 across 19 seasons with a .393 OBP and 121 stolen bases. A solid defender known for his strong arm, Schang led his teams to six World Series, winning three of them. 

6. Jason Kendall (1996-2010)

A five-time .300 hitter despite playing in the steroid era, Jason Kendall ranks third among all catchers with 2,195 hits and first with 189 steals (since the modern stolen base rule was implemented in 1898). Although not a premier defender, Kendall led his league in games caught eight times, double plays six times, and assists and caught stealing five times apiece. 

5. Thurman Munson (1969-1979)

Rifle-armed Thurman Munson was one of the most exciting players of the 1970's, earning a Rookie of the Year Award, an MVP, three Gold Gloves, and seven all-star selections during the decade. A .292 career hitter, he batted over .300 five times and knocked in 100 or more runs in three consecutive seasons. Sadly, he passed away partway through the 1979 season in a private plane crash. 

4. Jorge Posada (1995-2011)

The anchor of the last true Yankee dynasty, Posada was also an outstanding hitter, belting 275 homers and winning five Silver Slugger awards. He hit a career-high 30 homers with 101 RBI's in 2003 and batted .338 in 2007 at age 36. Posada only misses out on a higher rating due to so-so defense. 

3. Sherm Lollar (1946-1963)

Despite being largely forgotten today, Sherm Lollar was an elite defender in the 1950's and early 1960's, throwing out an impressive 46.8% of stolen base attempts. A five-time fielding champion and three-time leader in double plays, he won the Gold Glove award in its first three years of existence. No slouch with the bat, Lollar hit 155 home runs and had a career OBP of .357. 

2. Bill Freehan (1961-1976)

Famously described as "the thinking man's catcher" by Sports Magazine, Freehan was an eleven-time all-star and five-time Gold Glove winner. The holder of numerous fielding records, he was also a strong hitter who smacked an even 200 home runs, including 25 in 1968. Freehan finished third in the AL MVP voting in 1967 and second in 1968 behind teammate Denny McLain, whom he helped become the last man ever to win 30 games in a season. 

1. Lance Parrish (1977-1995)

Lance Parrish did just about everything in his Big League career. He was a World Champion (1984), eight-time all-star, three-time Gold Glove winner, and six-time Silver Slugger. Parrish hit 324 career homers, fifth among catchers behind four Hall of Famers, and turned 133 double plays. His combination of offense and defense was truly remarkable, and he should be in the Hall of Fame today. 

Lucky Hall of Famer Number 65 - Dave Parker

My first official backtrack in article form on this blog, I previously advocated for Dave Parker in 2021, prior to his election in 2024. Since then, I have become more of a small-Hall guy, and after reevaluating his career, I have changed my mind about his case. He was a very good player, but short of the Hall's standards. 

    A seven-time all-star, two-time Batting Champion, and 1978 NL MVP, Parker was an imposing figure on the diamond, standing 6'5" and weighing a robust 230 pounds. He hit over 20 home runs in nine different seasons and drove in as many as 125 runs in 1985. All told, Parker hit 339 home runs and collected 2,712 hits while batting .290 over a 19-year career. 

    Despite beefy counting statistics and a few great individual seasons, Parker wasn't consistently one of the game's greatest players. While he was certainly one of the best for a five-year stretch in the late 1970's, he was merely average for the rest of his career, except for two strong seasons in 1985 and 1986. His .290 / .339 / .471 slash line was good, but a little weak for a Hall of Fame rightfielder who didn't reach 500 home runs or 3,000 hits. And despite winning three Gold Gloves, he was a mediocre fielder, leading his league in errors seven times. He also played 484 games as a DH, which allowed him to play past age 40 and compile his counting statistics while providing little value to his club. 

My opinion: Dave Parker is probably not a Hall of Famer. 

Lucky Hall of Famer Number 59 - Hal Newhouser

Hal Newhouser pitched for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians from 1939 through 1955. A six-time all-star, two-time MVP, and four-time 20-game winner, Newhouser finished with 207 wins and a 3.06 career ERA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1992. 

    Despite the accolades he earned, I believe Newhouser's career was a little short of the Hall's standards. Both of his MVP Awards (including his 1945 Triple Crown) came in the midst of World War II, when many of baseball's best players were serving overseas and inferior players were brought up to replace them. While these seasons are still valid, they need to be properly contextualized, which makes them appear more impressive at face value than they really were. Newhouser did have a spectacular season in 1946 (league-leading 26 wins and 1.94 ERA), but afterward lost effectiveness due to arm trouble. 

    Overall, while he was a fine pitcher, I think Newhouser's career lacks the volume required for the Hall of Fame. Due to his injuries, he was mostly finished by age 30, and he retired at 33 with fewer than 3,000 career innings. He struggled to gain traction with the BBWAA, but found luck with the VC. 

My opinion: Hal Newhouser is probably not a Hall of Famer. 

Requiescat In Pace, Orlando Cepeda

In Memoriam

Orlando Cepeda (1937-2024)

Hall of Famer, 1967 NL MVP, 1958 NL ROY, 11x All-Star, 1967 World Series champion, Inaugural DH of the Year award winner in 1973, 1961 NL HR champion, 2x NL RBI leader, First Puerto Rican player to start an All-Star Game. The Baby Bull. 

Orlando Cepeda passed away on Friday at the age of 86. 

Image and tribute courtesy of baseball-reference.com

Requiescat In Pace, Willie Mays

In Memoriam

Willie Mays (1931-2024)

2x MVP, Rookie of the Year, and 24x All-Star. 660 Home Runs and 12 Gold Gloves. The Greatest Center Fielder of All-Time. The Catch. 

Willie Mays passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93. 

Image and tribute courtesy of baseball-reference.com

WHY I THINK GEORGE FOSTER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK GEORGE FOSTER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

George Foster was one of the most feared sluggers of his era. A late bloomer, establishing himself as a regular at age 26, Foster still managed to hit 348 career home runs, leading the NL two years in a row. Foster was the cleanup hitter for Cincinnati’s famous Big Red Machine in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, leading the club to three pennants and two World Championships. 

    George Arthur Foster was born on December 1, 1948, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. When he was eight he moved to Hawthorne, California, where he played in the same little league as Dave Kingman. Foster played multiple sports in high school, but broke his leg playing basketball as a senior and had to miss the baseball season. Instead, he focused on gaining muscle, and when he returned to the field in the fall, he impressed the Giants enough to earn their third round draft pick in 1968. Foster earned his first Big League call up in 1969, appearing in nine games. He spent most of 1970 in the minors, hitting .308 at AAA, before earning another cup of coffee late in the season. He spent 1971 in a platoon role, eventually being traded to the Reds in midseason, and established himself as a regular in 1975, batting .300 with 23 homers and 78 RBI’s, helping the Reds to their first World Series Championship since 1940. The next year, the Reds repeated as World Series champions, with Foster leading the club (and the Major Leagues) with 121 RBI’s, finishing second in the MVP voting behind teammate Joe Morgan and setting the stage for the best year of his career. Foster had a season for the ages in 1977, batting .320 with 52 home runs and 149 RBI’s, missing the Triple Crown by eighteen points in batting behind Dave Parker. Foster also led the league in runs scored, slugging, and total bases while playing brilliant defense in both left and centerfield, making him an easy choice for the NL MVP. Foster didn’t stop there, however, as he led the league in homers and RBI’s again in 1978 and belted another 30 homers in 1979. Foster slowed a little in 1980 (.273 average, 25 home runs), but rebounded big in the strike shortened 1981 season, batting .295 with 22 homers and 90 RBI’s in 108 games. Despite having the best record in the Majors (66-42), the Reds missed out on the playoffs, finishing second in each half. After the season, the Big Red Machine started to break up, and Foster was shipped to the Mets on February 10, 1982. After a subpar season, Foster appeared finished at 33. However, he came back with a vengeance in 1983, hitting 28 homers (sixth in the league) and 24 in 1984 (also sixth). Foster had one more 20 homer season in 1985 and played another partial season in 1986, capping his career with a third World Series ring.

    Despite a relatively short career, George Foster has a compelling case for Cooperstown. He was a dominant power hitter in his day, hitting 348 career home runs in just over 7,000 at bats. Foster had ten seasons with over 20 home runs, leading the league twice, and joined the illustrious 50 home run club in 1977. During his peak, he was arguably the best hitter in the game, slashing .297 / .369 / .543 from 1975 through 1981 and averaging 34 home runs per season. While Foster was best known for his awesome power, he was not just a fencebuster like his little league pal, Dave Kingman - he was a legitimate hitter, topping the .300 mark four times and collecting nearly 2,000 hits. On the defensive side, Foster provided value at all three outfield positions, winning five fielding titles. He had above average range (three times leading in range factor) and a strong arm. Additionally, Foster was a key contributor to Cincinnati’s only dynasty. The Reds won two World Series in Foster’s time, and probably wouldn’t have won either without him. In addition to his regular season feats, Foster batted .326 with six RBI’s in those two Series. In Game 6 of the 1975 Series, he threw out the potential winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning to keep the game going. Although Carlton Fisk eventually won the game with his famous homer, the Reds took Game 7 the next day. As manager Sparky Anderson said, “Having George in leftfield made the difference in our ballclub winning the World Series.” For all of his accomplishments, George Foster would be a good addition to the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,977 season high: 158 in 1977 and 1978 

At Bats career: 7,023 season high: 615 in 1977 

Hits career: 1,925 season high: 197 in 1977 

Doubles career: 307 season high: 31 in 1977 

Triples career: 47 season high: 9 in 1976 

Home Runs career: 348 season high: 52 in 1977 led NL: 52 in 1977, 40 in 1978 

Runs Scored career: 986 season high: 124 in 1977 led NL: 124 in 1977 

Runs Batted In career: 1,239 season high: 149 in 1977 led NL: 121 in 1976, 149 in 1977, 120 in 1978 

Stolen Bases career: 51 season high: 17 in 1976 

Walks career: 666 season high: 75 in 1980 

Strikeouts career: 1,419 season high: 138 in 1978 

Batting Average career: .274 season high: .320 in 1977 

On Base Percentage career: .338 season high: .386 in 1979 

Slugging Percentage career: .480 season high: .631 in 1977 led NL: .631 in 1977 

Total Bases career: 3,370 season high: 388 in 1977 led NL: 388 in 1977 

Sacrifice Hits career: 3 season high: 2 in 1974 

Fielding Percentage career: .984 season high: .997 in 1980 led NL OF: .994 in 1976 led NL LF: .995 in 1976, .990 in 1977, .997 in 1980, .991 in 1981, .988 in 1983 

Double Plays career: 28 season high: 4 in 1982 led NL LF: 2 in 1976, 4 in 1982 

Putouts career: 3,809 season high: 352 in 1977 

Assists career: 119 season high: 13 in 1982 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Yahtzee” 

-also finished third in the NL MVP Award voting in 1981, sixth in 1978, and 12th in 1979 

-slashed .273 / .385 / .727 with a homer and five RBI’s in five all-star games, taking home MVP honors in 1976 

-led the NL in home run percentage in 1977 (8.5) and 1978 (6.6); in extra-base hits in 1977 (85); and in OPS in 1977 (1.013) 

-slashed .289 / .353 / .434 with three homers and 12 RBI’s in 23 career postseason games 

-his 52 home runs and 149 RBI’s in 1977 were the highest totals of the 1970’s 

-hit three home runs in one game on July 14, 1977 

-In Riverfront Park’s 33 year history, only 35 home runs have landed in the upper deck. Foster hit six of them, the most of any player. 

-was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2003

WHY I THINK JEFF KENT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JEFF KENT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Second base is not considered a power position. Second basemen tend to be smaller, nimbler guys, not hulking power hitters. At bat they are usually slap hitters. Jeff Kent went against the narrative and became an elite power hitter in his prime, the 2000 NL MVP, and the all time leader in home runs and RBI’s by a second baseman. Because of players like Kent, more and more second basemen are trying to hit for power and finding success. 

Jeffrey Franklin Kent was born on March 7, 1968, in Bellflower, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. At first he wasn’t into baseball (he preferred motocross), but he eventually started playing and became a stud. He was a star shortstop in high school, but ran into some problems in his senior year. Although he had established himself as a power hitter, he was kicked off the team for an “attitude problem.” He didn’t earn any baseball scholarships, and was accepted by the University of California at Berkeley for academics. As a freshman at UCB, he was offered a spot on the baseball team as a walk-on, and he ended up setting the school record with 25 doubles, setting the stage for a successful college career. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 20th round of the 1989 amateur draft and was assigned to St. Catharines in the New York-Pennsylvania League. In his first season as a pro, Kent led the league in home runs. Kent powered through the farms for the next two seasons and made the Jays in 1992. He played only 65 games for Toronto before he was traded to the Mets. He finished the 1992 season with 11 home runs in 305 at bats. He continued to improve his power, averaging about 20 homers a season for the next few years, and was picked up by the Cleveland Indians in midseason 1996 for the pennant drive. Kent found stability with the Giants in 1997, and from there his career started to take off. 

Kent batted .250 with 29 homers and 121 RBI’s in 1997. He followed up with an even better season in 1998, hitting .297 - 31 - 128. He made his first all-star team in 1999 and won the NL MVP Award in 2000 when he batted .334 with 33 home runs and 125 RBI’s, beating out the runner up, teammate Barry Bonds, by a stunning 113 points. Despite his success, however, Kent was not popular. He built up a reputation for being arrogant. “It’s not arrogant,” Kent once said, “it’s confident.” Confident or not, the press didn’t like him, although he was establishing himself as a perennial MVP candidate. In 2002, 34 year old Kent batted .313 and hit a career high 37 home runs, but all was not well. On June 25, Kent and Barry Bonds had a brawl in the dugout. The two never got along, and this incident only added fuel to the fire. Although Kent won a Silver Slugger and helped the Giants win the pennant, he was traded to the Astros after the season. Kent missed out on 100 RBI’s for the first time in seven years in 2003 (he had 93), but his acquisition forced four time Gold Glover Craig Biggio to the outfield. 

Now those who reject Kent’s Hall of Fame case generally say that Kent was a bad fielder (because they admittedly don’t have anything against his hitting). Really? Biggio had been the Astros’ regular second baseman since 1992, and was coming off a fine defensive season in 2002, posting a fielding percentage of .988 (seven points above the league average). When Kent came along, Biggio was the one to move. Kent was coming off a season in which he’d led NL second basemen in double plays, and he sure wasn’t gonna move. He remained Houston’s second baseman until he was granted free agency a year later. After that, Biggio became the second baseman again for the rest of his career. If Kent was really such a bad fielder, then how was he able to beat out Biggio for the Astros’ second base job? 

After he left the Astros, Kent went over to the Dodgers, winning another Silver Slugger in 2005 with 29 homers and 105 RBI’s. He enjoyed three more quality seasons after that, and retired after hitting .280 in 2008 at the age of 40. 

Kent fares well compared with the second basemen in Cooperstown. Out of his 377 career home runs, he hit 351 when he was playing second base, the most in MLB history and 74 more than Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who ranks second. His other counting stats are also quite impressive: 1,320 runs scored, 2,461 hits, 560 doubles, 1,518 RBI's. His slash line was .290/.356/.500, making him one of only two second basemen (min. 7,000 PA) with a slugging percentage of at least .500. The other? Rogers Hornsby. Kent had eight seasons with over 100 RBI’s, the most of any second baseman (Hornsby had five). However, due to his unpopularity, he was passed up ten times by the BBWAA. After he was aged off the 2023 ballot, Kent said that the voting was “a head scratching embarrassment.” I can’t help but agree. The BBWAA voting has been very inconsistent over the years, and made a big mistake in omitting Kent. His next opportunity will come when the Contemporary Game Era Committee votes in 2026. One can only hope that the Committee will vote him in. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,298 season high: 159 in 2000 and 2001 

At Bats career: 8,498 season high: 623 in 2002 

Hits career: 2,461 season high: 196 in 2000 

Doubles career: 560 season high: 49 in 2001 

Triples career: 47 season high: 8 in 2004 

Home Runs career: 377 season high: 37 in 2002 

Runs career: 1,320 season high: 114 in 2000 

Runs Batted In career: 1,518 season high: 128 in 1998 

Stolen Bases career: 94 season high: 13 in 1999 

Walks career: 801 season high: 90 in 2000 

Strikeouts career: 1,522 season high: 133 in 1997 

Batting Average career: .290 season high: .334 in 2000 

On Base Percentage career: .356 season high: .424 in 2000 

Slugging Percentage career: .500 season high: .596 in 2000 

Total Bases career: 4,246 season high: 352 in 2002 

Sacrifice Hits career: 10 season high: 6 in 1993 

Fielding Percentage career: .978 season high: .989 in 2004 

Double Plays career: 1,362 season high: 120 in 2002 led NL 2B: 113 in 2002*

Putouts career: 4,816 season high: 462 in 2001** 

Assists career: 5,918 season high: 430 in 2005 led NL 2B: 390 in 2001 

*Kent turned seven double plays at first base in 2002, but led NL second basemen with 113 

**Kent made 193 putouts at first base in 2001; his single season high as a second baseman is 325 in 1997 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished sixth in the NL MVP Award voting in 2002, eighth in 1997, ninth in 1998, 13th in 2004, 19th in 2005, and 26th in 1999 

-won three NL Player of the Month awards and three NL Player of the Week awards 

-hit 2-for-8 with two runs scored in five all-star games (four starts) 

-led the NL in sacrifice flies in 1998 (10) and 2001 (13) and ranks 26th on the all time list with 103 

-led the NL in extra-base hits in 2002 (81) and ranks 43rd on the all time list with 984 

-his 49 doubles in 2001 set a Giants franchise record which still stands 

-slashed .276/.340/.500 with nine home runs and 23 RBI’s in 49 career postseason games 

-batted .276 with three home runs and seven RBI’s in his only World Series, 2002 

-hit 8-for-13 (.615) with a homer in the 2006 NLDS 

-went 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle on May 3, 1999 

-went 5-for-5 with two doubles and a home run on June 12, 1999, barely missing his second cycle of the season 

-went 1-for-2 with a double on his MLB debut 

-went 1-for-2 in his final MLB game  

-homered in his first at bat as a Houston Astro 

-turned a triple play on August 19, 2004 

-ranks 48th in career assists at any position 

-among MLB second basemen, ranks 13th in career games, 14th in double plays, 20th in putouts, and 17th in assists 

-also played 116 games at first base, 158 at third base, three at shortstop, seven as a DH, 42 as a pinch hitter, and four as a pinch runner

WHY I THINK JUAN GONZALEZ SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JUAN GONZALEZ SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Almost all of the big power hitters of the 1990’s and early 2000’s are written off as potential cheaters, and Gonzalez is no exception. A lot of people dismiss this entire era (a terrible mistake no matter what happened) as “the steroid era”, an era which can be devoid of Hall of Famers. In my opinion, in order to rightly educate baseball fans and properly honor the game’s best players, each era should be represented fairly evenly (although, however, I have no tolerance for cheaters in the context of the Hall of Fame). But what about Gonzalez? Was he playing under the influence of illegal drugs? I think that there is good reason to doubt it. For one thing, Gonzalez’s career path is fairly normal for a Hall of Fame outfielder, with outstanding production for a while with a gradual decline at the end. He wasn’t a 30-homer man who suddenly hit 70 homers in his age 34 season. Gonzalez was far more consistent. Additionally, no evidence has really been related that Gonzalez may have been juiced. As far as I know, the only allegation against Gonzalez was a random accusation, which he denied. In the spirit of “innocent until proven guilty”, I feel comfortable including Gonzalez here. 

Juan Gonzalez was one of the best power hitters who ever lived. While his 434 homers suggest a very good career, his power numbers are best illustrated by his 6.62 home run percentage (the 15th highest of all time) and .561 career slugging percentage (18th). He had five seasons with 40 or more homers and eight with over 100 RBI’s. For every 162 games he played, Gonzalez averaged 42 home runs, 135 RBI’s, and 102 runs scored. Juan Gonzalez started his career with the Texas Rangers in 1989, hitting 9-for-60 at the age of 19. He had four homers in 25 games in 1990 and was a full time regular at the age of 21, hitting .264 with 27 homers and 102 RBI’s in 1991. Just entering his peak, Gonzalez led the Majors in homers in each of the next two seasons before being interrupted by the strike. In 1996, Gonzalez came back to hit .314 with 47 homers and 144 RBI’s, capturing the league MVP Award. In addition to his slugging, Gonzalez provided average defense at all three outfield positions, and occasionally took his turn at DH. He was a decent outfielder, known for his strong arm. After another strong offensive season in 1997, he repeated as the MVP in 1998 with a .318 mark and 157 RBI’s, including a record 101 ribbies in the first half. He reached his high water mark in batting in 1999 with a .326 mark and backed it up with 39 longballs. After the season, Gonzalez was traded to the Tigers, and didn’t produce at his usual pace (.289, 22 homers in 115 games). The Tigers made a deadly mistake in letting him go, as he had one of his biggest seasons with the Cleveland Indians in 2001 (.325-35-140). Gonzalez then spent a couple years back in Texas, producing one last big season in 2003 (70 RBI’s in 82 games). He hit .276 in limited action in ‘04 and played one game for the Indians in ‘05 before a season ending injury. The Cardinals invited Gonzalez to spring training in 2008, and Gonzalez performed well in those games, but didn’t make the regular season team. That marked the end of his MLB career, although he has taken part in Puerto Rican ball and the World Baseball Classic. 

Juan Gonzalez was a great power hitter, a two time MVP, and an adequate fielder. I think that one should look through Hall of Fame candidates from the 1990’s with caution, but Gonzalez would be a good choice for future induction. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,689 season high: 155 in 1992 

At Bats career: 6,556 season high: 606 in 1998 

Hits career: 1,936 season high: 193 in 1998 

Doubles career: 388 season high: 50 in 1998 led AL: 50 in 1998 

Triples career: 25 season high: 4 in 1994 

Home Runs career: 434 season high: 47 in 1996 led AL: 43 in 1992, 46 in 1993 

Runs career: 1,061 season high: 114 in 1999 

Runs Batted In career: 1,404 season high: 157 in 1998 led AL: 157 in 1998 

Stolen Bases career: 26 season high: 6 in 1994 

Walks career: 457 season high: 51 in 1999 

Strikeouts career: 1,273 season high: 143 in 1992 

Batting Average career: .295 season high: .326 in 1999 

On Base Percentage career: .343 season high: .378 in 1999 

Slugging Percentage career: .561 season high: .643 in 1996 led AL: .632 in 1993 

Total Bases career: 3,676 season high: 382 in 1998 

Sacrifice Hits career: 2 season high: 2 in 1989 

Fielding Percentage career: .983 season high: .991 in 1994 

Double Plays career: 19 season high: 3 in 1999 and 2001 

Putouts career: 2,595 season high: 379 in 1992 

Assists career: 91 season high: 10 in 2001 and 2003 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Juan Gone” and “Igor” 

-was a three time all-star (1993, 1998, and 2001) and a six time Silver Slugger 

-also finished fourth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1993, fifth in 2001, ninth in 1997, 13th in 1999, and 16th in 1992 

-won the Home Run Derby in 1993 

-won two career AL Player of the Month awards and five Player of the Week awards 

-slashed .290/.333/.742 with eight homers and 15 RBI’s in 15 career postseason games 

-hit a record five homers in the 1996 ALDS, a four game series 

-had the most RBI’s in the Majors from 1991 through 2001 (1,263) 

-three times had as many RBI as games played in a season (144 - 134 in 1996, 157 - 154 in 1998, 140 - 140 in 2001), and had 514 RBI’s in 511 games from 1995 through 1998 

-set the MLB record for RBI’s in the month of April (35) in 1998  

-had two 21-game hitting streaks in 1996 and a 15-game streak in 2001 

-had three career three homer games

-hit five home runs in three games in early 2003 

-hit his 300th career home run in his 1,096th game, the fewest in AL history 

-led the MLB with 16 sacrifice flies in 2001 

-topped the AL with an 8.58 home run percentage in 1993 

-ranks 48th in career home runs 

-also played 24 games as a pinch hitter and one as a pinch runner