#301 Mike Schmidt Super Veteran

Then and Now: Schmidt sure looks better with the mustache. It's pretty well known that Schmidt started a few games at shortstop throughout his career but he started one game at second base in 1972 too.  It looks like the same background in both pictures

 

Career Span:  9/12/1972 - 5/28/1989.  The Phillies were in the midst of a youth movement when Schmidt arrived on the scene but he did play with veteran Tony Taylor who began his career with the Cubs in 1958.  Toward the end of Schmidt's career he played with reliever Mike Jackson who lasted in the majors until 2004.

 

All Star: Named or voted to 12 NL teams.  '74, '76, '77, '78-'84, '87, '89.  Belted go ahead HR in 8th inning of '81 game off  Rollie Fingers to give Senior Circuit a 5-4 lead and eventual win.  In 21 plate appearances he batted .278/.381/.667

 

League Leaders: How much time do you have?  Ok here are the big ones: 

HR: 8x '74-'76, '80, '81, '83, '84, '86

RBI: 4x '80, '81, '84, '86

Runs: '81

BB: 4x'79, '81-'83

Slg%: 5x: '74, '80-'82, '86

Led MLB in WAR twice with 9.5 in 1974 and 7.5 in 1981

 

All-Time: 548 HR- 15th

1,595 RBI- 35th

1,507 BB- 18th

201 IBB- 13th

5,045 Assists from 3B- 3rd

3.14 Range factor/9 @ 3b- 7th

103 WAR- 23rd

 

Gold Glove: Ten time winner:  '76-'84, '86

 

Silver Slugger: Six time winner, '80-'84, '86.  Had the award been around in the 70s he certainly would have won four or five more.

 

Postseason: Was in postseason six different years, winning a World Series in '80 and pennant in '83.  In 158 plate appearances Schmidt hit just four home runs with a .236/.304/.386 line. 

 

MVP: Won the award three times: '80, '81, '86. Received votes nine other years.  Check out the 1974 vote:

			Voting Results			Batting Stats
Rank		Tm	Vote Pts	1st Place	WAR	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
1	Steve Garvey	LAD	270.0	13.0	4.3	21	111	5	.312	.342	.469	.811
2	Lou Brock	STL	233.0	8.0	3.5	3	48	118	.306	.368	.381	.749
3	Mike Marshall	LAD	146.0	1.0	3.0	0	2	0	.235	.235	.235	.471
4	Johnny Bench	CIN	141.0	0.0	7.7	33	129	5	.280	.363	.507	.870
5	Jim Wynn	LAD	137.0	0.0	7.6	32	108	18	.271	.387	.497	.884
6	Mike Schmidt	PHI	136.0	0.0	9.5	36	116	23	.282	.395	.546	.941
7	Al Oliver	PIT	87.0	0.0	4.6	11	85	10	.321	.358	.475	.832
8	Joe Morgan	CIN	72.0	0.0	8.4	22	67	58	.293	.427	.494	.921

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/29/2013.

 

Schmidt earned 9.5 WAR but didn't receive one first place vote and came in 6th.  Garvey of course played on the first place Dodgers and Schmidt played for the 80 win Phils.  Brock had an amazing 118 steals, a key factor in his eight first place votes.  You don't see Marshall's pitching stats in the chart but they are mind boggling.  He pitched in a record 106 games with 208.1 innings all in relief.  While his 141 ERA+ and relentless effort were impressive, they weren't worthy of a third place spot. 

Perhaps the image of Schmidt's scuffling rookie year was still lingering in the minds of voters.  WAR isn't everything, but he definitely had a better year than Garvey, Brock, and Marshall.  It should have been a dog fight at the top between Schmidt, Morgan, Bench, and Wynn.

 

HOF: Elected in his first try with 96.5% of the vote which at the time was the 4th highest in history.