Young Guns From Sheckard To Ramirez
Posted by Steve Lombardi on March 11, 2010
Using Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index Batting Season Finder, trying to find batter seasons for young and exciting players, since 1901, I set the filters for: From 1901 to 2009, Younger than 23, Requiring OPS+>=120, XBH>=50 and SB>=25
And, this is the list that it generated:
| Rk | Yrs 6 | From | To | Age | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cesar Cedeno | 3 | 1972 | 1974 | 21-23 | |
| 2 | Ty Cobb | 3 | 1908 | 1910 | 21-23 | |
| 3 | Shoeless Joe Jack | 3 | 1911 | 1913 | 21-23 | |
| 4 | Ben Chapman | 2 | 1931 | 1932 | 22-23 | |
| 5 | Alex Rodriguez | 2 | 1997 | 1998 | 21-22 | |
| 6 | Tommie Agee | 1 | 1966 | 1966 | 23-23 | |
| 7 | Bobby Bonds | 1 | 1969 | 1969 | 23-23 | |
| 8 | Ellis Burks | 1 | 1988 | 1988 | 23-23 | |
| 9 | Jose Canseco | 1 | 1988 | 1988 | 23-23 | |
| 10 | Kal Daniels | 1 | 1987 | 1987 | 23-23 | |
| 11 | Frankie Frisch | 1 | 1921 | 1921 | 22-22 | |
| 12 | Harry Lumley | 1 | 1904 | 1904 | 23-23 | |
| 13 | Sherry Magee | 1 | 1906 | 1906 | 21-21 | |
| 14 | Paul Molitor | 1 | 1979 | 1979 | 22-22 | |
| 15 | Lloyd Moseby | 1 | 1983 | 1983 | 23-23 | |
| 16 | Tim Raines | 1 | 1983 | 1983 | 23-23 | |
| 17 | Hanley Ramirez | 1 | 2007 | 2007 | 23-23 | |
| 18 | Vic Saier | 1 | 1913 | 1913 | 22-22 | |
| 19 | Jimmy Sheckard | 1 | 1901 | 1901 | 22-22 | |
| 20 | Tris Speaker | 1 | 1911 | 1911 | 23-23 | |
| 21 | Darryl Strawberry | 1 | 1984 | 1984 | 22-22 | |
| 22 | Bobby Tolan | 1 | 1969 | 1969 | 23-23 | |
| 23 | Jim Wynn | 1 | 1965 | 1965 | 23-23 |
.
An interesting group, huh? I had never heard of Vic Saier before seeing his name here. To learn more about him, click here.
March 11th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Nice list of some great players. Thanks.
I am sure it has to do with the way age is calculated, but the "Age" column has many instances of 23 years old, when the criteria for the list says "younger than 23". Is it actually 23 years old or younger?
March 11th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
As a Pirates fan (yes yes, mock away), I immediately thought of our Andrew McCutchen. Indeed, he missed this list by just 3 XBH and 3 SB in 2009, his age 22 season (while playing only 108 games after only being called up June 4). One of the few bright spots for us Bucco fans this season will be to see how he performs in his first full season in 2010 -- at age 23, he would still qualify for this list if he met the criteria. To become only the third guy to do it in the last 22 seasons? That would be pretty cool.
March 11th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Cesar Cedeno is a great name. He has a career similar to Nomar. There was a time that he was a lock for the Hall of Fame and one of the most coveted talents in the game. But 20 years after his retirement, he is all but forgotten.
March 11th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
When I saw the name Ramirez in the title, I thought Manny, not Hanley.
I don't have much knowledge of the world of soccer, and whenever I see a reference to David Beckham using only his last name, I invariably ask myself, "Do they mean Gordon or Tim?"
What I notice about the list is that most of the seasons included have been either very long ago or relatively recent, although there was only one player each for the 1990s and the 2000s (oughts). But there were a few in the 1960s (only the last half, though), 1970s, and 1980s. That one followed a big gap that began after 1931.
I have a possible explanation for this resurgence. All but one of the players who had such seasons in 1965 or later were either African American or of Hispanic origin (Molitor being the lone exception). After the deadball era ended, there was less of an emphasis on speed and more of an emphasis on power. It took a while after Jackie Robinson for a significant number of black players to be part of the game at one time. Once baseball was more integrated, including the addition of more players from the Caribbean and Latin American regions, there was a renewed emphasis on speed. The relative decline in the past twenty years - same thing that others have said - st*r**ds.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
To Tim Lee,
Agree 100%. But remember, Cedeno had some off the field issues that probably contributed to his decline(shooting his girlfriend for one). But Cedeno really came out of the gate running. He had some almost identical seasons to Joe Morgan's back-to-back MVP years. Imagine if he played somewhere other than the AstoDome.
March 12th, 2010 at 5:30 am
The article below was written by John Wilson and appeared in the August 19, 1972 edition of The Sporting News. It was written just as Cedeno was establishing himself as a star and is an excellent read on the details of Cedeno's rise to prominence.
A head-first slide by Cesar Cedeno came to naught in this case. Ump Billy Williams calls Cedeno out at the
plate after he was tagged by Met pitcher Jim McAndrew, who covered the platter on the play.
(c) Houston Astros
Cesar Cedeno… The Next Super Star?
by John Wilson
HOUSTON, Tex. - Henry Aaron and Roberto Clemente are 38 years old. Willie Mays is 41. The sands of time inexorably spill on. Only Clemente has managed to stave off manifest erosion of the once magnificent skills.
These were the National League's super outfielders of their era, "super" used in the classic and restrictive sense. Others were excellent. But these were colossi.
Who will replace them? The No. 1 possibility is Cesar Cedeno, Houston's dynamic Dominican. Cedeno may already be the best outfielder in the National League.
That possibility was suggested in a pressbox conversation a few weeks ago. There has been some tendency to think of Cedeno in terms of the future, mainly because there haven't been any 21-year-old bona fide outfield stars in quite a few years.
But on this particular day, after Cedeno had made an exceptionally fine catch, stolen a base and hit a home run, someone said, "That fellow is going to be the best outfielder in the league before very long."
He May Be Best… Now!
And somebody replied, "Name a better one today, better right now." The reply, after a moment of thought, was "Clemente."
"Maybe," the first person conceded. But as of now, Cedeno is leading Clemente in every offensive category.
Chicago's Billy Williams probably is a better hitter than Cedeno now. But Cesar makes up for much of that in base running (33 stolen bases at this writing) and is the superior fielder with a stronger arm.
That Cedeno had arrived as a genuine star was borne out in The Sporting News poll of players for their All-Star choices. Cedeno led all National League outfielders in votes, being named on 167 of the 257 ballots, 11 more than Clemente.
Naturally, Cedeno, who finished seventh in the fans' voting, was named to the squad by Manager Danny Murtaugh. Cesar delivered a single in his first All-Star time at bat.
Cesar said he was not disappointed that the fans did not name him to the starting lineup. He said, "Some day many years from now, they will be saying, 'They name Cedeno to the All-Star team every year -- it is somebody else's time.' "
Praised by Clemente
Clemente said Cedeno has more talent than anyone who has come into the league in his time. But he does not think that Cedeno should be called "another Clemente," as has so often been done.
"I don't think it is fair to him," Clemente said. "When I came up, I did not like to be compared with other players."
Cedeno agreed. "I don't want to be the second Clemente, I would rather be the first Cedeno," he said. It was a line first used by Tiger scout Jack Tighe, who like most big league scouts always ends up talking about Cedeno when watching the Astros.
Baltimore scout Jim Russo called Cedeno "the best young player in baseball."
The comparison of Cedeno to Clemente is natural because their styles are similar. Both have power, but hit the ball to allfields and are not primarily home-run hitters. Clemente's season high was 29. Cedeno had hit 15 after 99 games this year.
A Colorful 'Hot Dog'
Both Clemente and Cedeno play aggressive, all-out baseball with not a little flamboyance. Both have been accused of "hot-dogging."
But Los Angeles' Maury Wills probably put that in perspective last year. "When a player like Cedeno is on the other side, he's a hot dog," the veteran shortstop said. "When he's on your side, he plays hard and is colorful."
"Clemente and Cedeno are the two most exciting players in baseball today," said Houston Manager Harry Walker, who has managed both. "Whether they're catching the ball or throwing it or running the bases or batting, they do it all-out and with a flair. When they're involved, you're always on edge expecting something to happen. They make things happen."
Cedeno has a strong arm, although not quite as powerful and accurate as Clemente's, which many baseball people regard as the best ever. The young Dominican is 6-2 and weighs between 190 and 195. Clemente pointed out that he is only 5-11 and weighs from 180 to 185. "He is going to get bigger," Roberto said. "When he gets his full maturity,he's going to weight 215-217 pounds."
To that, Cedeno laughed. "Oh, no, I'll never weigh that much," he said. "If I weighed 215, I could hit that Texaco sign," he said pointing to the advertisement high up behind the pavilion seats in the Astrodome.
Opposite of Hank Aaron
Cedeno's style is the opposite of Aaron's. Hank just gets the job done. He has done the exceptional as if it were routine. It was this lack of ostentation coupled with the fact he did not play in one of the big communications centers that made Aaron's true recognition late in coming.
Aaron recognizes Cedeno's ability. Asked who was the last player with that much ability to come into the league, Aaron said simply, "Me."
Cedeno signed with the Astros in October, 1967, for a $3,000 bonus. That figure seems surprisingly small for a player with such remarkable talents. But the big bonuses go to players who have established their credentials under intensive scouting.
The $3,000 bonus to Cedeno was large in his circumstances. It was the result of an on-the-spot decision by Houston scout Pat Gillich, a judgment probably as good as any he ever will make if he scouts another 30 years.
Cedeno was a 16-year-old in Santo Domingo who did not even have a reputation in the Dominican Republic. Gillich and Tony Pacheco were combing the islands in the fall of 1967 when they stopped to watch a game in Santo Domingo.
Card Scout Outsmarted
"We noticed this kid and liked the way he moved, his actions and size," Gillich said. "We saw him throw and then we saw him go up and get a hit and go up and get another hit. We decided we wanted to look at him. After the game, we arranged for him to go with us and some more players to San Pedro, about 60 miles away, for a workout Monday morning."
The workout at San Pedro was planned to escape being seen by other scouts, since the Caribbean is open territory and does not come under the draft rules that apply in the U.S.
Gillich discovered that the Cardinals already had talked to Cedeno and offered him $500, then $700, then $1,000 but his father had refused to let him sign. "He did not want me to play baseball but to go to school," Cesar said.
After the workout at San Pedro, Gillich and Pacheco decided they wanted this young fellow. They went to the Cedeno home late that afternoon. The Cardinal scout, meanwhile, had returned to the U.S. but was due back to Santo to see Cesar play.
Gillich dickered with the elder Cedeno, offering $1,200, then going to $1,500. The discussion had gone on for quite a while when one of Gillich's Dominican bird dogs came to the door and said the Cardinal scout was on his way to the home. "He told me the scout would be there in 15 minutes," Gillich said.
A Quick Decision
Gillich made a quick decision. He went to Mr. Cedeno and said, "Let's settle this. I'll give him $3,000." The elder Cedeno agreed.
When Gillich walked out the front door with the contract in his hand, the Cardinal scout was getting out of his car. Gillich held up the contract and said, "You're a few minutes too late."
Cedeno was 17 when he hit .374 in 36 games at Covington in the Appalachian League. He was moved to Cocoa in the Florida State League and hit .256 in 69 games. The next year he played the full season at Peninsula in the Carolina League and batted .274.
The Astros rated him a prospect, but certainly not at the top of the list. He was just a young player who had possibilities. The Astros did think enough of Cedeno to send him to the Florida Instructional League.
He was now 18, and his ability suddenly exploded. Scouts from other teams came back from Florida with reports a Houston kid named Cedeno was the bestplayer in the Florida Instructional League. Cedeno then shifted to the Dominican Winter League and continued his sensational play.
The Astros had planned to put him in Class AA ball in 1970, but decided to send him to Oklahoma City at the Triple-A level instead. One of Houston's minor league people said, "I wouldn't put him at Oklahoma City."
"Too fast for him?" he was asked.
"No, Cedeno's too good for Triple A."
He was. In 54 games at Oklahome City, Cedeno batted .373, knocked in 61 runs, hit 14 doubles, nine triples, 14 home runs and stole nine bases.
The Astros, having started 1970 with high hopes, had flounded for 2 1/2 months. And although the Astros hated to break into the fantastic season Cedeno was having at Oklahoma City, and still feared rushing him too fast, it was decided to call him up.
Immediate Sensation
Cesar was 19 years old and went into center field as the youngest regular in the major leagues. He hit .310 in 90 games, hit seven home runs, batting in 42 runs, mostly at the leadoff spot, and stole 17 bases.
As a second-year man, Cedeno batted only .264. He hit 10 home runs. But he lead the team in runs batted in with 81. And he led the National League in doubles with 40.
Which brings us to 1972.
On August 2 against the Reds in the Astrodome, Cedeno completed a rare feat, hitting for the cycle -- a single, double, triple, and home run in one game.
It was the Astros' 99th game and Cedeno was leading the league in hitting with a .353 average. He had scored 71 runs, stroked 24 doubles, 5 triples and 15 home runs, and had knocked in 49 runs while batting in the No. 2 position. He also had stolen 33 bases and played brilliantly in center field.
Red's Manager Sparky Anderson said, "Cedeno is the best player I've seen this year. If Houston were to win it, he'd be MVP."
Mom Gets Credit For a Big Assist
HOUSTON, Tex. -- When Cesar Cedeno was a youngster, his father did not like him to waste time playing baseball. Diogene Cedeno had a little store in Santo Domingo and he wanted Cesar to help him and help Mrs. Cedeno at home.
But his mother was Cesar's ally. She let him slip off and play baseball when he was supposed to be helping her at home. Mrs. Cedeno even bought him a glove and shoes without his father's knowledge.
Diogene Cedeno is now the proud father of the game's newest and most exciting star. He's planning his first trip to the U.S. soon to see Cesar play. The elder Cedeno is now a foreman in a nail factory at Santo Domingo.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Tommie Agee was 25 in 1966. Cedeno hurt his ankle in the 1980 playoffs and lost some of his quickness. The Cardinals obtained him from the Reds late in the 1985 season, and he tore the cover off the ball. They wouldn't have won the pennant without him.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Made a mistake on the age of Agee. Sorry.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:14 am
I looked up all the career stats of the players on this list and noticed how many times Bobby Bonds struck out. Then I noticed one year that he struck out 189 times and still managed to hit .302. I used the Play Index to see who struck out the most in a season while still batting .300 or over, and Bobby Bonds tops the list. Any way you look at it, that's quite an achievement.
March 12th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Not that it matters a whole lot, but the article posted by Rico Petrocelli in #6 misspells the name of one of the scouts who signed César Cedeño. ————— Yes, that Pat Gillick.
March 12th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
The player consistently most similar to the young Cedeño is Vada Pinson. It's rather remarkable that Pinson doesn't appear on Steve's list, since Pinson topped 50 XBH every season from age 20 to age 23.
At age 20, Pinson had a qualifying OPS+ (128) but stole only 21 bases.
At age 21, Pinson had a qualifying SB total (32) but missed on the OPS+ component (118).
At age 22, Pinson had a qualifying OPS+ (130) but stole only 23 bases.
At age 23, Pinson had a qualifying SB total (26) but missed on the OPS+ component (114).
March 12th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Cedeno was incredible early on. I'm curious...was he ever thought to have altered his birth record? So many Latino players were later to be found older than they had claimed. I never faulted them, but it may skew lists like this.
March 12th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
JDV, I've read speculation in recent years that he may have done so, but I don't think it's based on anything more than that his career would look more "normal" if he was a few years older.