Cooperstown Chronicles - Tony Oliva

Photo courtesy of TSN Archives/Icon SMI

I’ve decided to profile Tony Oliva.  Here are my findings.

The Numbers
1676 Games
6301 At Bats
.304 Batting Average
870 Runs
1917 Hits
329 Doubles
48 Triples 
220 Home Runs
947 RBI
448 Walks 
86 Stolen Bases
131 Intentional Walks

Playoffs:  13 Games, 16 for 51 (.314), 7 Runs, 5 Doubles, 3 HRs, 5 RBI, 2 Walks, .588 Slugging %, 1 Stolen Base

Awards
1964 Rookie of the Year
1966 Gold Glove
8 All-Star Appearances
MVP Votes in 8 Seasons

Top Ten Finishes
Batting Average - Eight Times (Batting Crowns in 1964, 1965 & 1971)
On-Base % - Three Times
Slugging % - Seven Times (Led league in 1971)
OPS -Six Times
Games - Twice
At-Bats - Four Times
Runs - Five Times (Led league in 1964)
Hits - Eight Times (Led league in ‘64, ‘65, ‘66, ‘69 & ‘70
Total Bases - Seven Times (Led league in 1964)
Doubles - Seven Times (Led league in 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970)
Triples - Four Times
Home Runs - Once
RBI - Six Times
Extra-Base Hits - Seven Times (Led league in 1964)
Hit By Pitch - Five Times (Led league in 1975)
Intentional Walks - Nine Times (Led league in 1968)
Stolen Bases - Once

Tony Oliva had one of the finest eight-year stretches to open a career that baseball has ever witnessed.  Three Batting Titles and five seasons leading the league in hits.  He wasn’t a slugger, which loses some appeal for some fans and voters, but he was consistenly one of the tops in Total Bases and RBI.  His Black Ink, Gray Ink, and HOF Monitor ratings are all above what you typically need to be enshrined so I don’t understand what the holdup is.  I suppose it would have been nice if he at least reached the 2000 hit plateau, but injuries took their toll on Tony.  He has stayed involved in the game as a batting coach, a minor league coach, and a hitting instructor.  If I had a vote, I would say Tony-O belongs in Cooperstown.

References
Baseball-reference.com

Past Chronicles
Bert Byleven
Andre Dawson
Dale Murphy
Mark McGwire
Bobby Matthews
Tommy John
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Jim Rice
Ted Simmons
Lee Smith
Jack Morris
Al Oliver
Steve Garvey
Jim Kaat
Pete Ro$e
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Dave Concepcion
Lou Whitaker
Alan Trammell
Ron Santo
Ron Guidry
Gil Hodges
Dave Parker
Tony Mullane
Keith Hernandez
Don Mattingly
Dwight Evans
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Harold Baines
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Joe Carter
Rusty Staub
Gary Gaetti
Jimmy Ryan
George Van Haltren
Roger Maris
Lance Parrish
Mo Vaughn
Mark Grace
Dennis Martinez
Chuck Finley
Fred McGriff
Wes Parker
Steve Finley
Orlando Cepeda*
Albert Belle
Willie Randolph
Graig Nettles
Luis Gonzalez
Lefty O’Doul
Rocky Colavito
Boog Powell
Jerry Koosman
Mike Cuellar
Edgar Martinez
Brooks Robinson*
Roberto Alomar
Dave Stieb
John Franco
Maury Wills
Sherry Magee
Phil Rizzuto*
Orel Hershiser
Frank Viola
David Cone
Dwight Gooden
Tim Raines
Bernie Williams
Barry Larkin
Pete Browning
Bobby Veach 

* signifies actual Hall of Famers

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