Hall of Fame
Longtime Chicago Cubs second baseman RYNE SANDBERG was elected to the Baseball of Fame today in balloting conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will take place on July 31, 2005 in Cooperstown, New York. Sandberg won nine Gold Gloves, seven Silver Slugger awards and was the National League MVP in 1984. In 1990, he led the NL with 40 home runs and 116 runs. He went a Major League record 123 games without an error, and compiled 12 errorless streaks of at least 40 games.
Ryne Sandberg
Born: Sept. 18, 1959, in Spokane, Washington Batted right, threw right Stats All-Star Appearances (10): 1984-1993 (consecutive) Most Valuable Player (1): 1984 Gold Glove Awards (9): 1983-1991 (consecutive) Ryne Dee Sandberg joined the roster of Chicago Cubs' greats by combining a dazzling defensive flair at second base with a tremendous knack for power. Etching his name among fan favorites Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo, Sandberg endeared himself to the Cubs' national fan base by doing something his predecessors could not: leading the club in 1984 to its first postseason appearance since 1945, and returning the club there five seasons later, as the Cubs again captured the National League East Division title in 1989.
"He was a dominating player. He could beat you with his glove, his bat and his arm," Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda told J.G. Taylor Spink Award honoree Jerome Holtzman during Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown in 1997. Sandberg was a two-sport high school star, named an All-America starting quarterback by Parade Magazine after his senior year, while being heavily recruited by major college football programs. But after being selected in the 20th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 draft, Sandberg retired his shoulder pads for the baseball diamond and quickly earned the label of "can't-miss" major league prospect.
Sandberg would spend three seasons in Philadelphia's minor league system, primarily as a shortstop before earning his major league debut at the end of the 1981 season. On January 27, 1982, as teams finalized rosters for spring training, Sandberg was dealt to the Chicago Cubs, along with veteran shortstop Larry Bowa, for shortstop Ivan DeJesus. The trade to Chicago gave Sandberg the chance to play every day, an opportunity the Phillies just couldn't grant with infield prospects Julio Franco and Juan Samuel beating him to the major leagues. Second base was not immediately in Sandberg's future, however, as he found his two infield positions - shortstop and second base - occupied with Bowa and Bump Wills, who was a spring training acquisition from Texas. Sandberg started the season at third base, appearing in 133 games at the hot corner in his rookie season. At the plate, Sandberg displayed the offensive potential that scouts spotted early as a minor leaguer, batting .271 in 156 games, with 103 runs scored, 54 runs batted in and 33 steals. He also began to work out at second base, logging 24 games at the position that he would take over fulltime in 1983, when the Cubs acquired Ron Cey from the Los Angeles Dodgers to play third base during the 1982 off-season. The 1983 season would be a harbinger of great things to come for Sandberg. As the Cubs' starting second baseman for the first time, "Ryno" appeared in 158 games, winning his first of nine consecutive Gold Gloves with a .986 fielding percentage. At the plate, Sandberg built on what he began as a full-time regular in 1982, ranking among the top five in runs scored in the National League for the second consecutive season. What Sandberg and the Cubs were setting the stage for in 1984 was nothing short of earth-shattering. With just eight winning seasons from 1945 through 1983, the Cubs' chances of winning the National League East Division seemed slight to their fans, at best. Sandberg, though steady in his first two seasons, was not yet expected to carry the club. He and his Cubs won 96 games, winning the division by 6.5 games over the New York Mets.
Arguably producing his best offensive season, Sandberg captured the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1984, the first Cubs' MVP since Banks in 1959, batting a career-best .314, fourth-highest in the National League, totaling a career-best 200 hits, while leading the league in runs (114) and triples (19). Sandberg highlighted his 1984 season with a 5-for-6, seven RBI performance against St. Louis on June 23, belting consecutive home runs off Cardinals' closer Bruce Sutter in the 9th and 10th innings. "to He has the most consistent approach the game I've ever seen," his manager Jim Frey said of Sandberg in 1984. "He's similar to (Al) Kaline. You could watch Kaline play for five years and look back and say 'I've never seen him mess up a play or make a mistake.' I know we use the word consistent a lot, but in Sandberg's case it applies." The 1984 season offered a testament to Sandberg's all-around excellence, as he captured his second consecutive Gold Glove Award by committing just six errors in 156 games, a .993 fielding percentage. Even though the Cubs would lose to San Diego in the 1984 National League Championship Series, Sandberg appeared in his first of 10 straight All-Star Game appearances. The season marked his third consecutive with at least 30 stolen bases, a facet of Sandberg's game that would reach its pinnacle in 1985, when he finished fourth in the NL with a career-best 54 steals. As Sandberg matured, so too did his ability to hit for power. He totaled at least 14 home runs in nine consecutive seasons from 1984-1992 and it wasn't until 1989 that he hit 30 home runs for the first time, the fifth-highest total in the National League. That season, Sandberg helped returned Chicago to the postseason, leading the league in runs scored for a second time in his career, while finishing in the top five in MVP voting for the second time in his career. In 1990, Sandberg would reach 40 clouts, pacing the National League, becoming the first second baseman since Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby in 1922 to hit 40 in a single-season. His 116 RBI were also a career-best. Despite Sandberg's rise in power, his ability to swipe an extra base remained, stealing 25 in 1990, his seventh season with at least 25 steals. Defensively, Sandberg turned in his best season in 1991, committing just four errors in 786 total chances, a league-best .995 fielding percentage. His mastery of the field from 1989-'94 resulted in just 37 errors over six seasons, including a major league record errorless streak of 123 games and 584 chances that ended in May of the 1990 season. In June 1994, Sandberg stepped away from the game, taking what would be a brief retirement before returning to the Cubs for the 1996 season. He would appear in 285 games over the 1996 and 1997 seasons before retiring permanently. His 277 career home runs as a second baseman established a record for most ever by the position, until surpassed at the conclusion of the 2004 season by Jeff Kent. Among Sandberg's numerous career accolades: Ranks 1st all-time for highest fielding percentage by a 2B (.989); shares ML record for most years with 500 or more assists by a 2B (6); totaled five .300-plus batting average campaigns and one 200-hit season; hit five career grand slams; led NL 2B in fielding percentage four times (1983, '84, '86, '91); led NL 2B in assists seven times (1983, '84, '86, '88, '90-'92); and led NL 2B in total chances four times in 1983 (914), '84 (870), '88 (824), and '92 (830). In 2,164 career games, Sandberg totaled a career .285 batting average, a .344 on base percentage, 282 home runs, 1318 runs scored and 1061 RBI.
Congratulations Ryno!
Ryne Sandberg
Born: Sept. 18, 1959, in Spokane, Washington Batted right, threw right Stats All-Star Appearances (10): 1984-1993 (consecutive) Most Valuable Player (1): 1984 Gold Glove Awards (9): 1983-1991 (consecutive) Ryne Dee Sandberg joined the roster of Chicago Cubs' greats by combining a dazzling defensive flair at second base with a tremendous knack for power. Etching his name among fan favorites Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo, Sandberg endeared himself to the Cubs' national fan base by doing something his predecessors could not: leading the club in 1984 to its first postseason appearance since 1945, and returning the club there five seasons later, as the Cubs again captured the National League East Division title in 1989.
"He was a dominating player. He could beat you with his glove, his bat and his arm," Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda told J.G. Taylor Spink Award honoree Jerome Holtzman during Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown in 1997. Sandberg was a two-sport high school star, named an All-America starting quarterback by Parade Magazine after his senior year, while being heavily recruited by major college football programs. But after being selected in the 20th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 draft, Sandberg retired his shoulder pads for the baseball diamond and quickly earned the label of "can't-miss" major league prospect.
Sandberg would spend three seasons in Philadelphia's minor league system, primarily as a shortstop before earning his major league debut at the end of the 1981 season. On January 27, 1982, as teams finalized rosters for spring training, Sandberg was dealt to the Chicago Cubs, along with veteran shortstop Larry Bowa, for shortstop Ivan DeJesus. The trade to Chicago gave Sandberg the chance to play every day, an opportunity the Phillies just couldn't grant with infield prospects Julio Franco and Juan Samuel beating him to the major leagues. Second base was not immediately in Sandberg's future, however, as he found his two infield positions - shortstop and second base - occupied with Bowa and Bump Wills, who was a spring training acquisition from Texas. Sandberg started the season at third base, appearing in 133 games at the hot corner in his rookie season. At the plate, Sandberg displayed the offensive potential that scouts spotted early as a minor leaguer, batting .271 in 156 games, with 103 runs scored, 54 runs batted in and 33 steals. He also began to work out at second base, logging 24 games at the position that he would take over fulltime in 1983, when the Cubs acquired Ron Cey from the Los Angeles Dodgers to play third base during the 1982 off-season. The 1983 season would be a harbinger of great things to come for Sandberg. As the Cubs' starting second baseman for the first time, "Ryno" appeared in 158 games, winning his first of nine consecutive Gold Gloves with a .986 fielding percentage. At the plate, Sandberg built on what he began as a full-time regular in 1982, ranking among the top five in runs scored in the National League for the second consecutive season. What Sandberg and the Cubs were setting the stage for in 1984 was nothing short of earth-shattering. With just eight winning seasons from 1945 through 1983, the Cubs' chances of winning the National League East Division seemed slight to their fans, at best. Sandberg, though steady in his first two seasons, was not yet expected to carry the club. He and his Cubs won 96 games, winning the division by 6.5 games over the New York Mets.
Arguably producing his best offensive season, Sandberg captured the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1984, the first Cubs' MVP since Banks in 1959, batting a career-best .314, fourth-highest in the National League, totaling a career-best 200 hits, while leading the league in runs (114) and triples (19). Sandberg highlighted his 1984 season with a 5-for-6, seven RBI performance against St. Louis on June 23, belting consecutive home runs off Cardinals' closer Bruce Sutter in the 9th and 10th innings. "to He has the most consistent approach the game I've ever seen," his manager Jim Frey said of Sandberg in 1984. "He's similar to (Al) Kaline. You could watch Kaline play for five years and look back and say 'I've never seen him mess up a play or make a mistake.' I know we use the word consistent a lot, but in Sandberg's case it applies." The 1984 season offered a testament to Sandberg's all-around excellence, as he captured his second consecutive Gold Glove Award by committing just six errors in 156 games, a .993 fielding percentage. Even though the Cubs would lose to San Diego in the 1984 National League Championship Series, Sandberg appeared in his first of 10 straight All-Star Game appearances. The season marked his third consecutive with at least 30 stolen bases, a facet of Sandberg's game that would reach its pinnacle in 1985, when he finished fourth in the NL with a career-best 54 steals. As Sandberg matured, so too did his ability to hit for power. He totaled at least 14 home runs in nine consecutive seasons from 1984-1992 and it wasn't until 1989 that he hit 30 home runs for the first time, the fifth-highest total in the National League. That season, Sandberg helped returned Chicago to the postseason, leading the league in runs scored for a second time in his career, while finishing in the top five in MVP voting for the second time in his career. In 1990, Sandberg would reach 40 clouts, pacing the National League, becoming the first second baseman since Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby in 1922 to hit 40 in a single-season. His 116 RBI were also a career-best. Despite Sandberg's rise in power, his ability to swipe an extra base remained, stealing 25 in 1990, his seventh season with at least 25 steals. Defensively, Sandberg turned in his best season in 1991, committing just four errors in 786 total chances, a league-best .995 fielding percentage. His mastery of the field from 1989-'94 resulted in just 37 errors over six seasons, including a major league record errorless streak of 123 games and 584 chances that ended in May of the 1990 season. In June 1994, Sandberg stepped away from the game, taking what would be a brief retirement before returning to the Cubs for the 1996 season. He would appear in 285 games over the 1996 and 1997 seasons before retiring permanently. His 277 career home runs as a second baseman established a record for most ever by the position, until surpassed at the conclusion of the 2004 season by Jeff Kent. Among Sandberg's numerous career accolades: Ranks 1st all-time for highest fielding percentage by a 2B (.989); shares ML record for most years with 500 or more assists by a 2B (6); totaled five .300-plus batting average campaigns and one 200-hit season; hit five career grand slams; led NL 2B in fielding percentage four times (1983, '84, '86, '91); led NL 2B in assists seven times (1983, '84, '86, '88, '90-'92); and led NL 2B in total chances four times in 1983 (914), '84 (870), '88 (824), and '92 (830). In 2,164 career games, Sandberg totaled a career .285 batting average, a .344 on base percentage, 282 home runs, 1318 runs scored and 1061 RBI.
Congratulations Ryno!
posted by MaximumBob | 7:00 PM
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