Rico Carty
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty (born September 1, 1939 San Pedro de Macoris
, Dominican Republic
) is a former professional
baseball
player. Nicknamed Beeg Boy, he played mostly as an outfielder
in Major League Baseball
from to . Carty played for the Milwaukee Braves
, Atlanta Braves
and Chicago Cubs
of the National League
and the Oakland A's, Cleveland Indians
, Toronto Blue Jays
and Texas Rangers
of the American League
. A charismatic, gifted hitter, Carty's career was marked by battles with injuries, illnesses and with team mates.
in 1959
. While he was an excellent hitter, he had poor defensive skills. Originally a catcher
, Carty was converted into an outfielder in order to lessen his defensive liabilities and to get his bat into the everday lineup. After four years in the minor leagues
, Carty made an impressive major league debut in 1964
, finishing second to Roberto Clemente
in the National League Batting Championship with a .330 batting average
and, finishing the season as runner-up to Dick Allen
in the National League
Rookie of the Year Award ballot.
He continued to hit over .300 for the next three seasons but, then faltered in 1967
, slumping to a .255 batting average in part due to a separated shoulder
. Carty then missed the entire 1968
season while battling with tuberculosis
. He recovered in 1969
with a .342 batting average, helping the Braves win the National League Western Division
title and finishing 13th in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting. The Braves would eventually lose to the "Miracle" Mets
in the 1969 National League Championship Series
.
Carty had his best season in 1970
when he hit 25 home run
s with 101 runs batted in and, won the National League Batting Championship with a .366 batting average, the highest average in the major leagues since Ted Williams
recorded a .388 batting average in . Despite not appearing on the All-Star
ballot, he was voted to be a starting outfielder for the National League as a write-in candidate in the 1970 All-Star Game
, playing alongside Hank Aaron and Willie Mays
in the outfield. Carty also compiled a 31-game hitting streak
in (the longest by a Brave in the franchise's Atlanta history until it was surpassed by Dan Uggla
's 33-game streak in ) and, finished 10th in the 1970 National League Most Valuable Player Award voting.
A crushed knee injury suffered during the Dominican Winter Baseball season meant that Carty would miss another entire season in 1971
. He returned in 1972
, but only managed a .277 batting average. By then, Carty had worn out his welcome with the Braves management as well as his teammates, having been involved in fights with Hank Aaron and Ron Reed
. In October , he was traded to the Texas Rangers
to fill the role of the newly-adopted designated hitter
. Carty had difficulty adjusting to the hitting-only position, hitting for only a .232 average before being traded in mid-season to the Chicago Cubs
. While with the Cubs, he had a personality clash with their star third baseman, Ron Santo
, forcing the team to trade Carty to the Oakland Athletics
one month later. With a combined .229 batting average for the three teams, Carty was released by the Athletics in December and, it seemed as if his career might be over.
In he signed to play with Córdoba in the Mexican Baseball League. In August 1974
, the Cleveland Indians signed him to be their designated hitter. Carty's career was rejuvenated with Cleveland, posting a .308 batting average with 64 runs batted in during the 1975
season and, improving to a .310 batting average with 83 runs batted in for the 1976
season. In 1977
, his batting average dropped to .280 however, he still produced 80 runs batted in.
In March 1978
the Indians traded Carty to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays then traded him to the Oakland Athletics
in August of that year. At the age of 38, he hit for a combined .282 batting average with 31 home runs and 99 runs batted in. After being granted free agency
in November 1978, he signed a contract to play for the Blue Jays before retiring at the end of 1979
at the age of 39.
, accumulating 1677 hits
in 5606 at bats for a .299 career batting average along with 204 home runs, 890 runs batted in and a .369 on base percentage
. He ended his career with a .974 fielding percentage
. During his career, he played as a catcher, first baseman
, third baseman
, outfielder and designated hitter.
San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic.-Demographics:...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a former professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. Nicknamed Beeg Boy, he played mostly as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from to . Carty played for the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
and the Oakland A's, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. A charismatic, gifted hitter, Carty's career was marked by battles with injuries, illnesses and with team mates.
Major League career
Carty signed a contract with the Milwaukee Braves as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in 1959
1959 Milwaukee Braves season
The 1959 Milwaukee Braves season was the seventh season for the franchise in Milwaukee and its 84th season overall. The Braves ended the National League regular season in a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With both clubs finishing with records of 86-68, a special best-of-three...
. While he was an excellent hitter, he had poor defensive skills. Originally a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, Carty was converted into an outfielder in order to lessen his defensive liabilities and to get his bat into the everday lineup. After four years in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, Carty made an impressive major league debut in 1964
1964 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was the team's 12th and penultimate season for the franchise in Milwaukee. The fifth-place Braves finished with a record of 88 wins and 74 losses, five games behind the National League and World Series Champion St...
, finishing second to Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...
in the National League Batting Championship with a .330 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and, finishing the season as runner-up to Dick Allen
Dick Allen
Richard Anthony Allen is a former Major League Baseball player and R&B singer. He played first and third base and outfield in Major League Baseball and ranked among his sport's top offensive producers of the 1960s and early 1970s...
in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Rookie of the Year Award ballot.
He continued to hit over .300 for the next three seasons but, then faltered in 1967
1967 Atlanta Braves season
The Atlanta Braves season was the Braves' second season in Atlanta. The team went 77-85, as they suffered their first losing season since 1952, the franchise's final season in Boston. The seventh-place Braves finished 24½ games behind the National League and World Series Champion St...
, slumping to a .255 batting average in part due to a separated shoulder
Separated shoulder
A separated shoulder , is a common injury to the acromioclavicular joint. This is not the same as a shoulder dislocation as that involves a dislocation of the glenohumeral joint...
. Carty then missed the entire 1968
1968 Atlanta Braves season
- Offseason :* October 6, 1967: Bob Uecker was released by the Braves.* November 28, 1967: Ramón Hernández was drafted from the Braves by the Chicago Cubs in the 1967 rule 5 draft....
season while battling with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He recovered in 1969
1969 Atlanta Braves season
The Atlanta Braves season was a season in American baseball. The National League had been split into two divisions before the season, with the Braves somewhat incongruously being assigned to the National League West...
with a .342 batting average, helping the Braves win the National League Western Division
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
title and finishing 13th in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting. The Braves would eventually lose to the "Miracle" Mets
1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
in the 1969 National League Championship Series
1969 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1969 at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Mets struck first in the second off Phil Niekro when Jerry Grote singled in a run and Ken Boswell scored on a passed ball by Braves catcher Bob Didier...
.
Carty had his best season in 1970
1970 Atlanta Braves season
The Atlanta Braves season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fifth in the National League West with a record of 76-86, 26 games behind the Cincinnati Reds.- Offseason :...
when he hit 25 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s with 101 runs batted in and, won the National League Batting Championship with a .366 batting average, the highest average in the major leagues since Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
recorded a .388 batting average in . Despite not appearing on the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
ballot, he was voted to be a starting outfielder for the National League as a write-in candidate in the 1970 All-Star Game
1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 41st midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 14, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of the...
, playing alongside Hank Aaron and Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
in the outfield. Carty also compiled a 31-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
in (the longest by a Brave in the franchise's Atlanta history until it was surpassed by Dan Uggla
Dan Uggla
Daniel Cooley Uggla is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball....
's 33-game streak in ) and, finished 10th in the 1970 National League Most Valuable Player Award voting.
A crushed knee injury suffered during the Dominican Winter Baseball season meant that Carty would miss another entire season in 1971
1971 Atlanta Braves season
The season was the 101st season for the Atlanta Braves franchise and its sixth in Atlanta.- Offseason :* November 30, 1970: Hal Breeden was traded by the Braves to the Chicago Cubs for Hoyt Wilhelm....
. He returned in 1972
1972 Atlanta Braves season
- Offseason :* December 2, 1971: Hal King was traded by the Braves to the Texas Rangers for Paul Casanova.- Notable transactions :* May 11, 1972: Steve Barber was released by the Braves....
, but only managed a .277 batting average. By then, Carty had worn out his welcome with the Braves management as well as his teammates, having been involved in fights with Hank Aaron and Ron Reed
Ron Reed
Ronald Lee Reed is a retired American starting/relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox...
. In October , he was traded to the Texas Rangers
1973 Texas Rangers season
The Texas Rangers season involved the Rangers finishing sixth in the American League West with a record of 57 wins and 105 losses.- Offseason :* October 27, 1972: Jim Panther was traded by the Rangers to the Atlanta Braves for Rico Carty....
to fill the role of the newly-adopted designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
. Carty had difficulty adjusting to the hitting-only position, hitting for only a .232 average before being traded in mid-season to the Chicago Cubs
1973 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 27, 1972: Elrod Hendricks was traded by the Cubs to the Baltimore Orioles for Frank Estrada.- Regular season :Of note is that 1973 is the only season between 1945 and 1984 in which the Cubs were still in contention on the last day of the regular season, September 30...
. While with the Cubs, he had a personality clash with their star third baseman, Ron Santo
Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
, forcing the team to trade Carty to the Oakland Athletics
1973 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning their third consecutive American League West title with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses...
one month later. With a combined .229 batting average for the three teams, Carty was released by the Athletics in December and, it seemed as if his career might be over.
In he signed to play with Córdoba in the Mexican Baseball League. In August 1974
1974 Cleveland Indians season
- Offseason :* December 12, 1973: Roger Freed was traded by the Indians to the Cincinnati Reds for Steve Blateric.* March 19, 1974: Walt Williams and Rick Sawyer were traded by the Indians to the New York Yankees as part of a 3-team trade. The Detroit Tigers sent Jim Perry to the Indians. The...
, the Cleveland Indians signed him to be their designated hitter. Carty's career was rejuvenated with Cleveland, posting a .308 batting average with 64 runs batted in during the 1975
1975 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Indians competing in the American League East, where they finished fourth with a record of 79-80.- Offseason :...
season and, improving to a .310 batting average with 83 runs batted in for the 1976
1976 Cleveland Indians season
- Offseason :* November 22, 1975: Oscar Gamble was traded by the Indians to the New York Yankees for Pat Dobson.* December 9, 1975: John Ellis was traded by the Indians to the Texas Rangers for Stan Thomas and Ron Pruitt....
season. In 1977
1977 Cleveland Indians season
- Offseason :* November 5, 1976: Joe Lis was drafted from the Indians by the Seattle Mariners in the 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft.* December 6, 1976: Rick Cerone and John Lowenstein were traded by the Indians to the Toronto Blue Jays for Rico Carty....
, his batting average dropped to .280 however, he still produced 80 runs batted in.
In March 1978
1978 Toronto Blue Jays season
The 1978 Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 7th in the American League East with a record of 59 wins and 102 losses.- Offseason :* October 25, 1977: Phil Roof was released by the Blue Jays....
the Indians traded Carty to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays then traded him to the Oakland Athletics
1978 Oakland Athletics season
The 1978 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's finishing 6th in the American League West with a record of 69 wins and 93 losses. Prior to the season, owner Charlie Finley nearly sold the team to buyers who would have moved them to Denver.- Offseason :...
in August of that year. At the age of 38, he hit for a combined .282 batting average with 31 home runs and 99 runs batted in. After being granted free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in November 1978, he signed a contract to play for the Blue Jays before retiring at the end of 1979
1979 Toronto Blue Jays season
The 1979 Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 7th in the American League East with a record of 53 wins and 109 losses. The loss total of 109 set the franchise mark...
at the age of 39.
Career statistics
In a 15 year career, Carty played in 1651 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1677 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 5606 at bats for a .299 career batting average along with 204 home runs, 890 runs batted in and a .369 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. He ended his career with a .974 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. During his career, he played as a catcher, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, outfielder and designated hitter.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions