Monday, October 12, 2009

Gregg Olson, 1992 Score '90s Impact Player #87

In 1989, Gregg Olson was the first rookie ever chosen to be Most Valuable Oriole. Have you ever been curious about the Most Valuable Orioles throughout history? Each year since 1954, the local sports media types have selected one standout player from the most recently concluded season. However, the comprehensive list doesn't seem to be easily found online. Fortunately, I recently received a 1984 game program from my uncle, and it included a year-by-year recap of the team's fortunes...complete with notations of the MVOs! So here are as many of the 56 MVO selections as I have unearthed, presented in order. If a player is a multiple-time winner, it will be noted after his position. I did as much digging as I could, but there are still six from 1984 through 1997 who are M.I.A. If anyone knows about the missing half-dozen, let me know. At least two of them are Eddie Murray; he's credited online as a seven-time MVO. Take this knowledge and use it well.

UPDATED 10/13: Big thanks to reader HandyAndy, who filled in the blanks for me!

1954: Chuck Diering, CF (.258 AVG, .349 OBP)
1955: Dave Philley, RF (.299 AVG, .367 OBP)
1956: Bob Nieman, LF (.322 AVG, .940 OPS, 12 HR, 64 RBI)
1957: Billy Gardner, 2B (.262, 36 2B)
1958: Gus Triandos, C (30 HR, 79 RBI)
1959: Gene Woodling, OF (.300 AVG, .402 OBP, 14 HR, 77 RBI)
1960: Brooks Robinson, 3B (.294, 27 2B, 14 HR, 88 RBI)
1961: Jim Gentile, 1B (.302 AVG, 1.069 OPS, 46 HR, 141 RBI)
1962: Brooks Robinson, 3B, 2x (.303, 29 2B, 23 HR, 86 RBI)
1963: Stu Miller, RP (2.24 ERA, 9.1 K/9, 27 SV)
1964: Brooks Robinson, 3B, 3x (.317, 35 2B, 28 HR, 118 RBI)
1965: Stu Miller, RP, 2x (14-7, 1.89 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 24 SV)
1966: Frank Robinson, RF (.316 AVG, 1.047 OPS, 34 2B, 49 HR, 122 RBI)
1967: Frank Robinson, RF, 2x (.311 AVG, .403 OBP, 30 HR, 94 RBI)
1968: Dave McNally, SP (22-10, 1.95 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 18 CG)
1969: Boog Powell, 1B (.304, 37 HR, 121 RBI)
1970: Boog Powell, 1B, 2x (.297 AVG, .412 OBP, 35 HR, 114 RBI)
1971: (tie) Brooks Robinson, 3B, 4x (.272, 20 HR, 92 RBI)
Frank Robinson, RF, 3x (.281, 28 HR, 99 RBI)
1972: Jim Palmer, SP (21-10, 2.07 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 18 CG)
1973: Jim Palmer, SP, 2x (22-9, 2.40 ERA, 19 CG)
1974: (tie) Paul Blair, CF (.261, 27 2B, 17 HR, 62 RBI, 27 SB, Gold Glove)
Mike Cuellar, SP (22-10, 3.11 ERA, 20 CG)
1975: Ken Singleton, RF (.300 AVG, .415 OBP, 37 2B, 15 HR, 55 RBI)
1976: Lee May, 1B (.258, 25 HR, 109 RBI)
1977: Ken Singleton, RF, 2x (.328 AVG, .438 OBP!, 24 HR, 99 RBI)
1978: Eddie Murray, 1B (.285, 32 2B, 27 HR, 95 RBI)
1979: Ken Singleton, RF, 3x (.295 AVG, .405 OBP, 35 HR, 111 RBI)
1980: Al Bumbry, CF (.318 AVG, .392 OBP, 29 2B, 118 R, 44 SB)
1981: Eddie Murray, 1B, 2x (.294, 22 HR, 78 RBI in 99 G)
1982: Eddie Murray, 1B, 3x (.316 AVG, .391 OBP, 30 2B, 32 HR, 110 RBI)
1983: (tie) Eddie Murray, 1B, 4x (.306 AVG, .393 OBP, 30 2B, 33 HR, 111 RBI)
Cal Ripken, SS (.318, 47 2B, 27 HR, 102 RBI)
1984: Eddie Murray, 1B, 5x (.306 AVG, .410 OBP, 29 HR, 110 RBI)
1985: Eddie Murray, 1B, 6x (.297 AVG, .383 OBP, 37 2B, 31 HR, 124 RBI)
1986: Don Aase, RP (6-7, 2.98 ERA, 34 SV)
1987: Larry Sheets, OF (.316, 31 HR, 94 RBI)
1988: (tie) Eddie Murray, 1B, 7x (.306 AVG, .393 OBP, 30 2B, 33 HR, 111 RBI)
Cal Ripken, SS, 2x (.318, 47 2B, 27 HR, 102 RBI)
1989: Gregg Olson, RP (5-2, 1.69 ERA, 9.5 K/9, 27 SV)
1990: Cal Ripken, SS, 3x (.250 AVG, .341 OBP, 28 2B, 21 HR, 84 RBI)
1991: Cal Ripken, SS, 4x (.323, 46 2B, 34 HR, 114 RBI)
1992: Mike Devereaux, CF (.276, 29 2B, 11 3B, 24 HR, 107 RBI)
1993: Chris Hoiles, C (.310 AVG, 1.001 OPS, 29 HR, 82 RBI)
1994: No selection (Boo, Bud!)
1995: Rafael Palmeiro, 1B (.310, 30 2B, 39 HR, 104 RBI)
1996: Rafael Palmeiro, 1B, 2x (.289, 40 2B, 39 HR, 142 RBI)
1997: Randy Myers, RP (2-3, 1.51 ERA, 45 SV)
1998: Rafael Palmeiro, 1B, 3x (.296, 36 2B, 43 HR, 121 RBI)
1999: B. J. Surhoff, LF (.308, 38 2B, 28 HR, 107 RBI)
2000: Delino DeShields, 2B (.296, 43 2B, 10 HR, 86 RBI, 37 SB)
2001: Jeff Conine, 1B (.311 AVG, .386 OBP, 14 HR, 97 RBI)
2002: Rodrigo Lopez, SP (15-9, 3.57 ERA)
2003: Jay Gibbons, RF (.277, 39 2B, 23 HR, 100 RBI)
2004: Miguel Tejada, SS (.311, 40 2B, 34 HR, 150 RBI)
2005: Brian Roberts, 2B (.314 AVG, .387 OBP, 45 2B, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 27 SB)
2006: Miguel Tejada, SS, 2x (.330, 37 2B, 24 HR, 100 RBI)
2007: Nick Markakis, RF (.300, 43 2B, 23 HR, 112 RBI)
2008: Aubrey Huff, DH (.304, 48 2B, 32 HR, 108 RBI)
2009: Brian Roberts, 2B, 2x (.283, 56 2B, 16 HR, 79 RBI, 30 SB)
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6 comments:

  1. HandyAndyOctober 13, 2009 at 12:46 AM

    '84 was Eddie, I'll keep searching for the rest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. HandyAndyOctober 13, 2009 at 12:54 AM

    Here's the rest courtesy of "Day by Day in Orioles History" by Ted Patterson which I found on Google Books:

    1985 - Eddie Murray
    1986 - Don Aase
    1987 - Larry Sheets
    1994 - No award given
    1997 - Randy Myers

    ReplyDelete
  3. CommishbobOctober 13, 2009 at 1:19 AM

    1990 would have been a good year to award it to Pat Santarone. Nobody on that team was worthy of an MVP honor.

    ReplyDelete
  4. KevinOctober 13, 2009 at 8:18 AM

    Thanks Andy! I'll update those. Geez, not only did the 1994 strike rob us of the World Series, but it cost us an MVO! Thanks, Bud.

    Bob - Yipes, you can say that again. Ben McDonald (8-5, 2.43 ERA) only started 15 games, Otter (2.42 ERA, 37 SV) was a good closer that went to waste, and Moose Milligan (.408 OBP, 20 HR in 362 AB) probably should have gotten more playing time. It's a shame that the magic ran out so soon after the "Why Not?" season.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rounding Thirty 3rdOctober 13, 2009 at 1:11 PM

    It is interesting noting the disparity of value between pitchers and hitters. Orioles pitchers have won 6 Cy Young awards - i.e. having the best pitcher in the American League - but only one time was that pitcher selected MVO - Palmer in 1973.

    Additionally, in 1971 our staff was the last to achieve 4 starters with 20 wins, but the MVO co-winners were the "Robinson brothers" with very average stats (.270-.280 avg, less than 30 HR, less than 100 RBIs).

    Finally, I find it quite humorous that the year that the media chased Eddie Murray out of town (1988), they also voted him MVO.

    Another great entry, Kevin (with assist from HandyAndy)!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. KevinOctober 13, 2009 at 7:32 PM

    Tim - Yeah, I noticed that while putting the list together, especially the odd 1971 selection. Looking at the stats of the four 20 game winners, I guess no one of them stands out enough to pick over the others, so they just got lazy and voted for the Robinsons.

    ReplyDelete