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40. Bobby Shantz

40. Bobby Shantz
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: September 26, 1925 in Pottstown, PA USA
  • Weight: 139 lbs.
  • Height: 5'6"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: L
  • Debut: May 01, 1949
  • Final Game: September 29, 1964
  • Most Valuable Player - 1952
  • TSN All-Star - 1952
  • TSN Pitcher of the Year - 1952
  • Gold Glove - 1957
  • Gold Glove - 1958
  • Gold Glove - 1959
  • Gold Glove - 1960
  • Gold Glove - 1961
  • Gold Glove - 1962
  • Gold Glove - 1963
  • Gold Glove - 1964
  • MVP - 1951
  • MVP - 1952
  • MVP - 1957
 
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Bobby Shantz was overlooked by a lot of scouts as they considered him too small (5’ 6”) but the Philadelphia Athletics would sign him in 1948, and after a couple of mediocre years, he would have a two-year run as one of the best starting pitchers in the game.

In 1951, Shantz went to his first All-Star Game and had an 18-6 record.  This was a good year, but he would exceed that in 1952.  Not only did Shantz return to the All-Star Game, but he would also lead the AL in Wins (24), WHIP (1.048), BB/9 (2.0), and SO/BB (2.41), and he would win the MVP in the process.  The sky seemed to be the limit for the hurler, but he suffered a shoulder injury, and he was no longer the same pitcher.  From 1953 to 1956, he had a losing record and a ballooning ERA, and the A's would give up on him and dealt him to the Yankees.

After being traded, his career would rebound, and he would be reinvented as a quality reliever.  With the Athletics, he would have a record of 69 and 65 with a 3.80 ERA.  His overall career with the Athletics was one great year, one good year, and a lot of struggles, but that great year and MVP lands him on this list.

Philadelphia later honored Shantz by placing him into their Baseball Wall of Fame in 1994.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Pitcher
  • Acquired: Signed as an Amateur Free Agent before the 1948 Season.
  • Departed: Traded to the New York Yankees with Wayne Bilardi, Art Ditmar, Jack McMahan, and a Player to be Named Later (which would be Jack Urban) for Rip Coleman, Milt Graff 2/19/57.
  • Games Played: 220
  • Notable Statistics: 69 Wins
    65 Losses
    3.80 ERA
    124 Games Started
    61 Complete Games
    11 Shutouts
    55 Games Finished
    11 Saves
    1,166.2 Innings Pitched
    566 Strikeouts
    3.71 FIP
    1.334 WHIP
    1.33 SO/BB
    20.7 bWAR

    No Playoff Games
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    MVP (1952)
    The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year (1952)
    All-Star (1951 & 1952)
    Highest bWAR for Pitchers (1952)
    Most Wins (1952)
    Lowest WHIP (1952)
    Lowest BB/9 (1952)
    Highest SO/BB (1952)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1952)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Pitcher (1952)


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