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Baseball-Reference randomized 12-player headshots
Kirby Higbe
2x All-Star, led NL in wins for 1941 NL champion Dodgers
Served in WWII & saw combat in Germany
Asked to be traded when Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers, and Branch Rickey shipped him off to the Pirates
Kirby Higbe
2x All-Star, led NL in wins for 1941 NL champion Dodgers
Served in WWII & saw combat in Germany
Asked to be traded when Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers, and Branch Rickey shipped him off to the Pirates
Garret Anderson
2nd for 1995 AL RoY to Marty Cordova (105-99, both had 13 1st-place votes), Anderson had much better career
Angels career leader in games (2,013), hits (2,368), 2B (489), RBIs (1,292)
MLB hits leader 1995-2004 (1,761)
3x All-Star, 2003 HR Derby champ & ASG MVP
2nd for 1995 AL RoY to Marty Cordova (105-99, both had 13 1st-place votes), Anderson had much better career
Angels career leader in games (2,013), hits (2,368), 2B (489), RBIs (1,292)
MLB hits leader 1995-2004 (1,761)
3x All-Star, 2003 HR Derby champ & ASG MVP
David Cone
5 WS titles, 1994 AL Cy Young, 7/18/1999 perfect game
61.6 WAR, higher than 24 of the 65 HOF SP
1 of 5 with a 20-win season at 25 or younger & at 35 or older (Cy Young, Pete Alexander, Walter Johnson, Roger Clemens)
Great TV analyst as you know, awesome to work with
5 WS titles, 1994 AL Cy Young, 7/18/1999 perfect game
61.6 WAR, higher than 24 of the 65 HOF SP
1 of 5 with a 20-win season at 25 or younger & at 35 or older (Cy Young, Pete Alexander, Walter Johnson, Roger Clemens)
Great TV analyst as you know, awesome to work with
Ian Desmond
3rd-round pick in 2004, the last remaining Expos draft pick in MLB (unless Russell Martin comes back)
2x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger
5 seasons with 20+ HR & 20+ SB, tied for 10th-most all-time!
3rd-round pick in 2004, the last remaining Expos draft pick in MLB (unless Russell Martin comes back)
2x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger
5 seasons with 20+ HR & 20+ SB, tied for 10th-most all-time!
Aaron Sele
2x All-Star, ERA+ of exactly 100 during 15-year career
82 wins from 1997-2001 ranked 7th in MLB
Started vs Yankees in 4 postseason series, only Verlander (5) has more
148 career wins, received 1 HOF vote in 2013, said he was "152 wins short"
Now a Cubs scout
2x All-Star, ERA+ of exactly 100 during 15-year career
82 wins from 1997-2001 ranked 7th in MLB
Started vs Yankees in 4 postseason series, only Verlander (5) has more
148 career wins, received 1 HOF vote in 2013, said he was "152 wins short"
Now a Cubs scout
Jackie Robinson
Hall of Famer, American Hero
1947 NL RoY, 1949 NL MVP, helped Brooklyn win its lone WS title
.311 BA, .409 OBP, 61.7 WAR in 10-year MLB career, and that's ages 28-37
6th in WAR per PA since he integrated MLB (Trout, Bonds, Mays, T.Williams, Mantle, min 4000 PA)
Hall of Famer, American Hero
1947 NL RoY, 1949 NL MVP, helped Brooklyn win its lone WS title
.311 BA, .409 OBP, 61.7 WAR in 10-year MLB career, and that's ages 28-37
6th in WAR per PA since he integrated MLB (Trout, Bonds, Mays, T.Williams, Mantle, min 4000 PA)
Brandon Phillips
3x All-Star, 4x Gold Glove
1 of 6 2B with 200+ HR & 200+ SB (Morgan, Sandberg, Alomar, Biggio, Kinsler)
MON -> CLE in 2002 Bartolo Colon trade with 2 other stars (Cliff Lee & Grady Sizemore)
Played last season in indy ball and in the Mexican League
3x All-Star, 4x Gold Glove
1 of 6 2B with 200+ HR & 200+ SB (Morgan, Sandberg, Alomar, Biggio, Kinsler)
MON -> CLE in 2002 Bartolo Colon trade with 2 other stars (Cliff Lee & Grady Sizemore)
Played last season in indy ball and in the Mexican League
Dal Maxvill
4x WS champ (64 67 STL, 72 74 OAK)
Gold Glove SS (.217/.293/.259, 57 OPS+ in 14-year career, so defense was a must!)
0-22 in 1968 WS loss to DET (most AB's in a WS 0-fer all-time)
Cardinals GM 1985-94, won 2 NL pennants
4x WS champ (64 67 STL, 72 74 OAK)
Gold Glove SS (.217/.293/.259, 57 OPS+ in 14-year career, so defense was a must!)
0-22 in 1968 WS loss to DET (most AB's in a WS 0-fer all-time)
Cardinals GM 1985-94, won 2 NL pennants
Mort Cooper
1942 NL MVP (22-7, 1.78), 4x All-Star
Won 1942 & 1944 WS with Cardinals, his kid brother Walker was his catcher (and 8x All-Star himself)
Elbow injuries shortened career, 128-75 W-L, 124 ERA+
1942 NL MVP (22-7, 1.78), 4x All-Star
Won 1942 & 1944 WS with Cardinals, his kid brother Walker was his catcher (and 8x All-Star himself)
Elbow injuries shortened career, 128-75 W-L, 124 ERA+
Eddie Plank
Hall of Famer, born in Gettysburg
2x WS champ (1911, 1913 A's)
326 career wins (3rd among LHP to Spahn/Carlton)
1.32 postseason ERA (3rd all-time to Koufax/Mathewson, 5+ GS)
Original Fidrych? Talked to himself & fidgeted on the mound, pulling on his cap & uniform
Hall of Famer, born in Gettysburg
2x WS champ (1911, 1913 A's)
326 career wins (3rd among LHP to Spahn/Carlton)
1.32 postseason ERA (3rd all-time to Koufax/Mathewson, 5+ GS)
Original Fidrych? Talked to himself & fidgeted on the mound, pulling on his cap & uniform
Jim Hardin
5th starter for 1969-70 Orioles (O's won 1970 WS, Jim didn't pitch in postseason)
18 wins & 16 CG for 1968 O's ranked 5th in AL
Hit a walk-off HR on 5/10/1969
Shoulder trouble ended his career at 29
Died in a 1991 plane crash in Key West at age 47
5th starter for 1969-70 Orioles (O's won 1970 WS, Jim didn't pitch in postseason)
18 wins & 16 CG for 1968 O's ranked 5th in AL
Hit a walk-off HR on 5/10/1969
Shoulder trouble ended his career at 29
Died in a 1991 plane crash in Key West at age 47
Cecil Fielder
319 career HR, son Prince also hit 319
51 HR for 1990 Tigers (MLB's 1st 50-HR year since 1977 G.Foster)
Runner-up for AL MVP in 1990 (Henderson) & 1991 (Ripken)
1996 WS champ w Yankees
1 of 4 to HR over LF roof at Tiger Stadium (Killebrew, Frank Howard, McGwire)
319 career HR, son Prince also hit 319
51 HR for 1990 Tigers (MLB's 1st 50-HR year since 1977 G.Foster)
Runner-up for AL MVP in 1990 (Henderson) & 1991 (Ripken)
1996 WS champ w Yankees
1 of 4 to HR over LF roof at Tiger Stadium (Killebrew, Frank Howard, McGwire)
