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117. George Foster

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117. George Foster
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: December 1, 1948 in Tuscaloosa, AL USA
  • Weight: 180 lbs.
  • Height: 6'1"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: September 10, 1969
  • Final Game: September 06, 1986
  • All-Star Game MVP - 1976
  • TSN All-Star - 1976
  • TSN Player of the Year - 1976
  • Most Valuable Player - 1977
  • TSN All-Star - 1977
  • TSN Player of the Year - 1977
  • TSN All-Star - 1978
  • Silver Slugger - 1981
  • TSN All-Star - 1981
  • MVP - 1976
  • MVP - 1977
  • MVP - 1978
  • MVP - 1979
  • MVP - 1981
 
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A vital part of the Big Red Machine that had the most success of any other team in the National League, George Foster debuted in 1969 (with San Francisco); George Foster broke through in 1975 with a 23 Home Run year.  Helping the Reds win the World Series that year, Foster won the RBI Title in 1976 with 29 Home Runs and a .306 Batting Average.  This would usher in the first of five All-Star Games, and four in the next five years.  Foster again helped them win the World Series, and he was second in MVP voting.

The Reds did not win the World Series again in the 1970s, but Foster would have better years ahead.  In 1977, he would smack 52 Home Runs, an incredible tally for the 1970s.  Foster also led the National League in Runs Batted In (149), Runs Scored (124), Slugging Percentage (.631), and OPS (1.013).  To the surprise of nobody, he won the MVP.  Foster won his second Home Run Title (40) and third RBI Title (120) in 1978, and in 1981, he was third in MVP voting with 22 Home Runs and a .519 Slugging Percentage in that strike-shortened year.  That was his last season on the Ohio River, as he was traded to the New York Mets, where he played four years and would have a brief stop with the Chicago White Sox before he retired in 1986.

Foster would smack 348 Home Runs, 1,239 Runs Batted In with a .480 Slugging Percentage.  He remained on the ballot for four years (1992-95).  Had he been better defensively and had a better On Base Percentage, he would have been much higher on this list.

The Bullet Points

  • Country of Origin: Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.A.
  • Eligible In: Wednesday, 01 January 1992
  • Position: Outfield
  • Played For: Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Champion (2) (Cincinnati Reds 1975 & 1976)
    MVP (1) (NL) (1977)
    All-Star (5) (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 & 1981)
    Silver Slugger (1) (NL) (1981)
    Highest Slugging Percentage (1) (NL) (1977)
    Highest OPS (1) (NL) (1977) 
    Most Home Runs (2) (NL) (1977 & 1978)
    Most Runs Batted In (3) (NL) (1976, 1977 & 1978)
    Most Runs Scored (1) (NL) (1977)
    Most Total Bases (1) (NL) (1977)
    Most Extra Base Hits (1) (NL) (1977)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Leftfielder (2) (NL) (1976 & 1982)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a Leftfielder (2) (NL) (1975 & 1977)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Leftfielder (1) (NL) (1983)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Leftfielder (5) (NL) (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981 & 1983)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by an Outfielder (1) (NL) (1976)

  • Other Points of Note:

    Top Ten MVP Finishes: Won the 1977 MVP
    (NL: 1976, 2nd), (NL: 1978, 8th) & (NL: 1981, 3rd)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (bWAR for Position Players)
    3 Top Ten FInishes (Offensive bWAR)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Batting Average)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (On Base Percentage)
    6 Top Ten Finish (Slugging Percentage)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (OPS)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (OPS+)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Runs Scored)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (Hits)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Total Bases)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Doubles)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Triples)
    9 Top Ten Finishes (Home Runs)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Runs Batted In)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Walks)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Stolen Bases)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Extra Base Hits)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Power-Speed #)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Win Probability Added)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Championship Win Probability Added)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Total Zone Runs)

  • Notable All Time Rankings:

    20. Putouts by a Leftfielder: 2,963
    33. Double Plays Turned by a Leftfielder: 20
    39. Assists by a Leftfielder: 97
    59. Fielding Percentage by a Leftfielder: .984
    67. Total Zone Runs by a Leftfielder: 20
    89. Range Factor per Game by a Leftfielder: 1.98
    91. Putouts by an Outfielder: 3,809
    95. Total Zone Runs by a Centerfielder: 18
    100. Home Runs: 348

  • Vote Percentage Received for the Hall of Fame:

    1992: 5.6%
    1993: 6.9%
    1994: 3.5%
    1995: 4.1%

  • Should be Inducted As A: Cincinnati Red

Should George Foster be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 75%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 25%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 0%
No opinion. - 0%
No way! - 0%

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