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Al Rosen 1/1 1 week (1953 Topps Reprint)
15 Mayfair Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
You know, I never hear talk about this guy for the HOF, but I'm really surprised he really hasn't received much consideration. He was one of the game's most feared hitters for a brief time with the Indians, winning the MVP in 1953. The man could mash. He literally came THIS close >< to winning the Triple Crown that year. Injuries reduced his effectiveness his last two seasons, and he retired as a player after the '57 season, after playing only 7 full seasons.
Now, since he didn't play long enough to be considered as a player, I bring up his career as a baseball GM. He joined the Yankees in 1978, winning the World Series that year. Of course, that team was already built. In the winter of 1980, he joined the Astros, and took upon the task to rebuild the Houston offense. In 1980, the Astros won the division with speed, defense, and pitching. Lots of pitching. However, they had little power. Their lead off hitter, Terry Puhl, was the team's HR leader in '80. They literally had to manufacture runs. Rosen was brought in to change that.
He traded away some of the kingpins of that '80 team, such as Cesar Cedeno and Enos Cabell, and brought in guys like Phil Garner, Kevin Bass, and Mike Scott who developed the nucleus of the team that won the NL West in '86. He also is responsible for drafting and bringing in a slugging first baseman by the name of Glenn Davis.
Houston's impatient owner, John McMullen, let Rosen go in 1985, a year before the NL West title, but Rosen's fingerprints were all over the building of that team. Rosen quickly signed with the Giants in '85, and pulled off a series of trades to quickly rebuild that team from a losing franchise into a Western Division Champion in '87, and an NL Champion in 1989.
Rosen left the game in '92. With that kind of resume as both a player and executive, I'm amazed his name isn't brought up more often by the Veteran's Committee. I'm baffled. Truly baffled!
15 Mayfair Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
You know, I never hear talk about this guy for the HOF, but I'm really surprised he really hasn't received much consideration. He was one of the game's most feared hitters for a brief time with the Indians, winning the MVP in 1953. The man could mash. He literally came THIS close >< to winning the Triple Crown that year. Injuries reduced his effectiveness his last two seasons, and he retired as a player after the '57 season, after playing only 7 full seasons.
Now, since he didn't play long enough to be considered as a player, I bring up his career as a baseball GM. He joined the Yankees in 1978, winning the World Series that year. Of course, that team was already built. In the winter of 1980, he joined the Astros, and took upon the task to rebuild the Houston offense. In 1980, the Astros won the division with speed, defense, and pitching. Lots of pitching. However, they had little power. Their lead off hitter, Terry Puhl, was the team's HR leader in '80. They literally had to manufacture runs. Rosen was brought in to change that.
He traded away some of the kingpins of that '80 team, such as Cesar Cedeno and Enos Cabell, and brought in guys like Phil Garner, Kevin Bass, and Mike Scott who developed the nucleus of the team that won the NL West in '86. He also is responsible for drafting and bringing in a slugging first baseman by the name of Glenn Davis.
Houston's impatient owner, John McMullen, let Rosen go in 1985, a year before the NL West title, but Rosen's fingerprints were all over the building of that team. Rosen quickly signed with the Giants in '85, and pulled off a series of trades to quickly rebuild that team from a losing franchise into a Western Division Champion in '87, and an NL Champion in 1989.
Rosen left the game in '92. With that kind of resume as both a player and executive, I'm amazed his name isn't brought up more often by the Veteran's Committee. I'm baffled. Truly baffled!
