By Zane Miller
10. Joe Charboneau (1980)
Charboneau captured the 1980 Rookie of the Year Award with the Cleveland Indians (now Cleveland Guardians), swatting an impressive 23 home runs, 87 RBIs and 131 hits in 131 games played. Despite the hot start, Charboneau struggled with a back injury the following season and would unfortunately not be the same player again, only appearing in 70 more games after his debut season before he would be out of the MLB in 1982, ending his career with a total of 29 homers, 114 RBIs and 172 hits in 201 games played.
9. Ron Kittle (1983)
Kittle took RotY honors in 1983 with the Chicago White Sox, putting up dominant numbers with 35 home runs, 100 RBIs and 132 hits in 145 games. Kittle spent most of his career with the White Sox organization, though he would never again reach the same heights as his rookie season, as he ended up with 176 career home runs, 460 RBIs and 648 hits in 843 games played before retiring after the 1991 season.
8. Walt Weiss (1988)
Weiss nabbed the RotY trophy in 1988 with the Oakland Athletics, thanks to three home runs, 39 RBIs and 113 hits in 147 games played. Weiss spent his MLB career playing largely for the Athletics and Colorado Rockies, hitting a total of 25 home runs, 386 RBIs and 1,207 hits in 1,495 games before retiring after the 2000 season, with his biggest contribution being helping Oakland to their most recent World Series title in 1989.
7. Ozzie Guillen (1985)
Guillen won the RotY title in 1985 with the White Sox, getting one home run, 33 RBIs and 134 hits in 150 games. Guillen played most of his career with the White Sox, ending his playing time after the 2000 season with a total of 28 home runs, 619 RBIs and 1,764 hits in 1,993 games played. However, Guillen soon embarked on a managerial career, where he led the White Sox to the 2005 World Series title to end the team’s 88-year-long championship drought. In 2011, Guillen was recognized by his home country as he was inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame.
6. Alvin Davis (1984)
Davis secured the 1984 RotY award with the Seattle Mariners, getting an impressive 27 home runs, 116 RBIs and 161 hits in 152 games played. Davis spent nearly his entire career in Seattle, as he captured a total of 160 home runs, 683 RBIs and 1,189 hits in 1,206 games before retiring in 1992. Shortly after in 1997, Davis was inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.
5. Gregg Olson (1989)
One of the few relief pitchers to win Rookie of the Year, Olson won it in 1989 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles after earning 27 saves with five wins and 90 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched for a 1.69 ERA. Olson would go on to have a lengthy career as a reliever with the Orioles, nabbing 40 career wins and 217 saves while also capturing 588 strikeouts in 672 innings to take a final ERA of 3.46 before retiring in 2001. Olson was elected into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2008.
4. Dave Righetti (1981)
Righetti won the RotY award in 1981 with the New York Yankees as another rare relief pitcher selection, as he claimed eight wins with 89 strikeouts in 105.1 innings pitched for a 2.05 ERA. Righetti became an effective closer for the Yankees for much of his career, earning 252 saves with 82 victories and 1,112 strikeouts in 1,403.1 innings to get a 3.46 career ERA before retiring in 1995. In the process, Righetti earned back-to-back Relief Man Awards in 1986 and 1987, as 1986 saw him get a league-leading 46 saves, 83 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.45 in 106.2 innings, while 1987 featured 31 saves, 77 strikeouts and a 3.51 ERA in 95 innings pitched. However, Righetti was not done yet, as he scored three World Series rings as pitching coach of the San Francisco Giants on their World Series dynasty in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
3. Jose Canseco (1986)
Canseco captured the 1986 RotY title with the Athletics, getting 33 home runs, 117 RBIs and 144 hits in 157 games played. Canseco would have his best career season shortly thereafter in 1988, hitting a league-leading 42 home runs and 124 RBIs, while also capturing 187 hits in 158 games to win the AL MVP award. Canseco spent the majority of his MLB career in Oakland, winning the 1989 World Series with the team while also being credited with another World Series ring as a member of the Yankees in 2000. Retiring in 2001, Canseco amassed a total of 462 home runs, 1,407 RBIs and 1,877 hits in 1,887 games played.
2. Mark McGwire (1987)
McGwire claimed the RotY title in 1987 while on the Athletics, mashing a league-leading 49 home runs with 118 RBIs and 161 hits in 151 games played. McGwire played most of his career in Oakland, hitting a total of 583 home runs, 1,414 RBIs and 1,626 hits in 1,874 games before retiring after the 2001 season. After winning the World Series with the Athletics in 1989, McGwire had his best statistical season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998 as he got a league-leading 70 homers along with 147 RBIs and 152 hits in 155 games played to finish second in NL MVP voting behind Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa. McGwire would be inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2017, followed by his induction into the Oakland Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
1. Cal Ripken Jr. (1982)
Ripken earned RotY honors in 1982 with the Orioles thanks to a whopping 28 home runs, 93 RBIs and 158 hits in 160 games played. Ripken played his entire career with the Orioles, becoming undoubtedly the most well-known player in franchise history in the process, beginning just the year after his rookie campaign as he swatted 27 homers, 102 RBIs and a league-best 211 hits while playing all 162 games to win the AL MVP award, before helping the team to the 1983 World Series title as well. Ripken tacked on yet another MVP season in 1991, as he added 34 home runs, 114 RBIs and 210 hits in 162 games, after also finishing inside the top-three in the MVP race in 1989. However, Ripken is largely best known for his MLB-record consecutive games played streak of 2,632, lasting from 1982 to 1998. Retiring after the 2001 season, he scored a career total of 431 home runs, 1,695 RBIs and 3,184 hits in 3,001 games played, becoming one of just 10 players to reach the 3,000-game mark. Ripken’s #8 jersey was retired by the Orioles immediately following the 2001 campaign, as he was elected into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2007, Ripken would be officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Comments