CONTENTS January/February 2016 — Volume 75. No. 1 FEATURES 9 Warmup Tosses by Bob Kuenster Royals Personified Spirit of Winning in 2015 12 2015 All-Star Rookie Team by Mike Berardino MLB’s top first-year players by position 16 Jake Arrieta: Pitcher of the Year by Patrick Mooney Cubs starter raised his performance level with Cy Young season 20 Bryce Harper: Player of the Year by T.R. Sullivan MVP year is only the beginning for young star 24 Kris Bryant: Rookie of the Year by Bruce Levine Cubs third baseman displayed impressive all-around talent in debut season 30 Mark Melancon: Reliever of the Year by Tom Singer Pirates closer often made it look easy finishing games 34 Prince Fielder: Comeback Player of the Year by T.R. Sullivan Slugger had productive season after serious injury 38 Farewell To Yogi Berra by Marty Appel Yankee legend was more than a Hall of Fame catcher MANNY MACHADO Orioles young third 44 Strikeouts on the Rise by Thom Henninger baseman is among the game’s elite stars, page 52. Despite many changes to the game over the decades, one constant is that strikeouts continue to climb COMING IN BASEBALL DIGEST: 48 The Game I’ll Never Forget 2016 Preview Issue by Billy Williams as told to Barry Rozner Hall of Famer recalls Opening Day walk-off homer 52 Another Step To Stardom by Tom Worgo Manny Machado continues to excel 59 Baseball Profile by Rick Sorci Center fielder Adam Jones DEPARTMENTS 4 Baseball Stat Corner 6 The Fans Speak Out 28 Baseball Quick Quiz SportPics Cover Photo Credits by Rich Marazzi Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa 56 Baseball Rules Corner by SportPics 58 Baseball Crossword Puzzle by Larry Humber 60 7th Inning Stretch January/February 2016 3 BASEBALL STAT CORNER 2015 MLB AWARD WINNERS CARLOS CORREA SportPics (Top Five Vote-Getters) ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD AMERICAN LEAGUE Player, Team Pos. Vote Pts. Carlos Correa, Astros SS 124 Francisco Lindor, Indians SS 109 Miguel Sano, Twins DH 20 Roberto Osuna, Blue Jays RP 8 Billy Burns, A’s CF 6 NATIONAL LEAGUE SportPics Kris Bryant Player, Team Pos. Vote Pts. Kris Bryant, Cubs 3B 150 Matt Duffy, Giants 3B 70 Jung Ho Kang, Pirates SS 28 Noah Syndergaard, Mets P 16 Justin Bour, Marlins 1B 4 CY YOUNG AWARD AMERICAN LEAGUE Pitcher, Team T Vote Pts. Dallas Keuchel, Astros L 186 David Price, Det./Tor. L 143 Sonny Gray, A’s R 82 SportPics Jose Altuve Chris Sale, White Sox L 30 BRYCE HARPER Chris Archer, Rays R 29 WASHINGTON NATIONALS NATIONAL LEAGUE Pitcher, Team T Vote Pts. Jake Arrieta, Cubs R 169 Zack Greinke, Dodgers R 147 Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers L 101 Gerrit Cole, Pirates R 40 Max Scherzer, Nationals R 32 MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD AMERICAN LEAGUE Player, Team Pos. Vote Pts. SportPics Josh Donaldson Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays 3B 385 Mike Trout, Angels CF 304 Lorenzo Cain, Royals CF 225 GOLD GLOVE WINNERS Manny Machado, Orioles 3B 158 AMERICAN LEAGUE Pos. NATIONAL LEAGUE Dallas Keuchel, Astros P 107 Eric Hosmer..........................1B .........Paul Goldschmidt, Ari. Jose Altuve, Hou...................2B .........Dee Gordon, Mia. NATIONAL LEAGUE Player, Team Pos. Vote Pts. Manny Machado, Bal. ...........3B .........Nolan Arenado, Col. Bryce Harper, Nationals RF 420 Alcides Escobar, K.C.............SS .........Brandon Crawford, S.F. Paul Goldschmidt, D’backs 1B 234 Yoenis Cespedes, Det............LF..........Starling Marte, Pit. Joey Votto, Reds 1B 175 Kevin Kiermaier, T.B..............CF..........A.J. Pollock, Ari. Anthony Rizzo, Cubs 1B 162 Kole Calhoun, L.A. ................RF .........Jason Heyward, St.L. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates CF 139 Salvador Perez, K.C. ..............C ..........Yadier Molina, St.L. SportPics Jake Arrieta Dallas Keuchel, Hou...............P ..........Zack Greinke, L.A. GERRIT COLE SILVER SLUGGER WINNERS Pos. NATIONAL LEAGUE Miguel Cabrera, Det..............1B .........Paul Goldschmidt, Ari. Jose Altuve, Hou...................2B .........Dee Gordon, Mia. Josh Donaldson, Tor.............3B .........Nolan Arenado, Col. Xander Bogaerts, Bos...........SS .........Brandon Crawford, S.F. Mike Trout, L.A. ....................OF .........Bryce Harper, Wash. Nelson Cruz, Sea. .................OF .........Andrew McCutchen, Pit. J.D. Martinez, Det. ................OF .........Carlos Gonzalez, Col. Brian McCann, N.Y.................C ..........Buster Posey, S.F. SportPics SportPics Kendrys Morales, K.C. ........DH/P .......Madison Bumgarner, S.F. Eric Hosmer SportPics 4 January/February 2016 MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD AMERICAN LEAGUE 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place Manager, Team Votes Votes Votes Jeff Banister, Rangers 17 8 3 A.J. Hinch, Astros 8 13 3 Paul Molitor, Twins 2 3 14 Norman Jacobs Publisher NATIONAL LEAGUE 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place Manager, Team Votes Votes Votes David Fagley Joe Maddon, Cubs 18 11 1 Associate Publisher Mike Matheny, Cardinals 9 12 6 Bob Kuenster SportPics Terry Collins, Mets 3 7 13 Editor Joe Maddon Jeff Banister Thom Henninger Associate Editor It’s A Draw BABE RUTH Players who tied for a league home-run title Rob Wyszkowski since 1920 when the live-ball era began. Art Director AMERICAN LEAGUE Dale Jacobs Year HR Player, Team Production Manager 1931 46 Babe Ruth, Yankees Lou Gehrig, Yankees David Durochik 1935 36 Jimmie Foxx, A’s Contributing Photographer Hank Greenberg, Tigers 1959 42 Rocky Colavito, Indians Richard Kent Harmon Killebrew, Senators Circulation Manager 1967 44 Carl Yastrzemski, Red Sox Harmon Killebrew, Twins 1975 36 George Scott, Brewers Murray Jacobs Reggie Jackson, A’s Customer Service 1980 41 Reggie Jackson, Yankees Ben Oglivie, Brewers Business and Editorial Office 990 Grove St. Evanston, IL 60201-6510 1981 22 Tony Armas, A’s (847) 491-6440 Dwight Evans, Red Sox Customer service: [email protected] Bobby Grich, Angels Editorial: [email protected] Eddie Murray, Orioles 1982 39 Reggie Jackson, Angels Advertising Sales Gorman Thomas, Brewers Irene Froehlich 1991 44 Cecil Fielder, Tigers 990 Grove St. Evanston, IL 60201-6510 Jose Canseco, A’s (847) 491-6440 ext. 185 2009 39 Carlos Pena, Rays [email protected] Mark Teixeira, Yankees Newsstand Distribution LOU GEHRIG Curtis Circulation Company SportPics Subscription Department New subscriptions, renewals and change of address DALE MURPHY Baseball Digest SportPics Chris Bernacchi/SportPics P.O. Box 433074, Palm Coast, FL 32143-3074 Mark Teixeira Carlos Pena www.baseballdigest.com NATIONAL LEAGUE Year HR Player, Team 1927 30 Hack Wilson, Cubs Cy Williams, Phillies BASEBALL DIGEST (ISSN: 0005-609X) is published 1928 31 Hack Wilson, Cubs 6 times a year, Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., May/June, Jim Bottomley, Cardinals July/Aug., Sept./Oct., Nov./Dec. by Grandstand 1932 38 Chuck Klein, Phillies Publishing, LLC, 990 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201-6510. U.S. Subscriptions $58.95 per year, Mel Ott, Giants Canada $68.95 (GST included), Foreign $78.95. 1934 35 Ripper Collins, Cardinals Periodicals postage paid at Evanston, IL and at addi- tional mailing offices. Canada Post Agreement Mel Ott, Giants Number 42452019. 1937 31 Joe Medwick, Cardinals POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Baseball Mel Ott, Giants Digest, P.O. Box 433074, Palm Coast, FL 32143- 1947 51 Ralph Kiner, Pirates 3074. USPS: 492-630. Johnny Mize, Giants Copyright © 2015. Registered U.S. Patent Office. 1948 40 Ralph Kiner, Pirates All rights reserved. BASEBALL DIGEST is a regis- tered trademark of Grandstand Publishing, LLC. Johnny Mize, Giants Reproduction in whole or in part without written per- 1952 37 Ralph Kiner, Pirates mission is prohibited. BASEBALL DIGEST assumes no Hank Sauer, Cubs responsibility to return unsolicited editorial materials. All rights in letters will be treated as unconditionally 1963 44 Willie McCovey, Giants assigned for publication and copyright purposes, Hank Aaron, Braves and subject to BASEBALL DIGEST’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Letters become 1984 36 Mike Schmidt, Phillies the property of Grandstand Publishing, LLC. GST Dale Murphy, Braves 809403504RT0001. 2013 36 Paul Goldschmidt, D’backs Printed in the USA Pedro Alvarez, Pirates MIKE SCHMIDT 2015 42 Bryce Harper, Nationals David Durochik/SportPics Nolan Arenado, Rockies David Durochik/SportPics January/February 2016 5 In theory, Gus Zernial could be listed as a player who hit 30 or more homers in a season while splitting the year with two teams, but our qualification for a player to make the list was that he must have hit at least one home run with each club. Therefore, Zernial did not qualify because he did not hit a home run for the White Sox in the four games he played for them in 1951. Then he clubbed a league-high 33 homers for the A’s in 139 games. PHOTO DECEPTION Zernial is the only player to lead his league in homers and I am looking at your picture of Carl RBI while splitting the season with two clubs. Furillo on page 8 of the Nov./Dec. On 38 occasions, 35 different players have totaled 100 or issue of Baseball Digest. Carl Furillo more RBI in a season while splitting the year between two or indeed wore No. 6, but he both hit more clubs. Fred McGriff, Mark Teixeira and Yoenis Cespedes and threw right-handed—I’m old are the only players to do it more than once, with Cespedes the enough to remember. The picture is only batter to achieve it in consecutive seasons. Mike Piazza is of a left-handed player. Does the the only player in MLB history to record at least 100 RBI in a bandage explain this apparent aber- season while driving in at least one run for three different ration on Carl’s left hand? Please teams. In 1998, Piazza finished the year with 111 RBI—76 for the explain. John Dowdy Mets, 30 with the Dodgers, and five as a member of the Marlins. Arlington, TX See the accompanying chart. CARL FURILLO For those of us who followed baseball in the 1950s, it cer- PLAYERS WITH 100-RBI SEASONS WHILE tainly was a surprise to see a photograph of Carl Furillo PLAYING WITH TWO TEAMS (Nov./Dec.