Hubie Brooks
Encyclopedia
Hubert Brooks, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball
player. During his career, he played as a third baseman
, shortstop
and right fielder
for the New York Mets
(1980–84, 1991), Montreal Expos
(1985–89), Los Angeles Dodgers
(1990), California Angels
(1992) and Kansas City Royals
(1993–94).
Brooks played varsity baseball at Arizona State University
— winning an NCAA championship there in 1977 while playing shortstop, with Bob Horner at third — and was the third player chosen by the Mets in the June 1978 amateur draft. Shortly after arriving in New York
in 1980, he became something of a minor sensation, being the first player in Mets history to provide stability at third base — the team having spent its first 18 seasons trying in futility to find a regular at the hot corner. He became entrenched at the spot in 1981, finished third in that year's National League
Rookie of the Year
voting (behind Fernando Valenzuela
and Tim Raines
), and stayed until 1984.
On December 10, 1984, he was sent to Montreal with Floyd Youmans
, C Mike Fitzgerald
and OF Herm Winningham
that brought catcher Gary Carter
to the Mets.
Brooks was a career .269 hitter with 149 home run
s and 824 RBI
. He collected career-highs in home runs (20) in 1988 and 1990; in RBI (100) in 1985, and finished 8th in batting average
(.307) in 1981. Brooks also appeared in two All-Star
games in 1986 and 1987.
Brooks had a unusual development mid-career, playing his first few seasons of his career as an opposite-field hitter, before developing a power stroke in 1984. That same season, as the division race entered its final weeks, Mets manager Davey Johnson tried to strengthen his offense late in the year by putting the newly acquired Ray Knight at third and moving Brooks to shortstop, where he was able to play with some success. These two moves combined to boost his value, switching him from the middle of the pack among starting major league thirdbasemen to an All-Star-quality shortstop. This boost made him attractive enough to the Expos for them to ask for him in the Carter trade, and he would flourish for Montreal, having a very productive 1985. He was putting up MVP-quality numbers in 1986 when an injury ended his season at about the halfway-point. When he returned to the field, he continued to produce with the bat, but his years as a shortstop ended after 1987. He finished his career as a journeyman corner outfielder.
Brooks co-held the Mets record for the longest hitting streak
with 24 games, tied with Mike Piazza
until broken by Moisés Alou
in 2007 with a 30 game hitting streak.
After the end of his career, Brooks received no votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America
for the Baseball Hall of Fame and was subsequently removed from the ballot. This became notable several years later, when Jim DeShaies
, a relief pitcher with a career clearly more marginal than Brooks', openly (and humorously) campaigned for at least a single vote, claiming that he didn't want to "get Hubie'd." He did, in fact, receive a single vote, before he, too, was removed from the ballot.
He was number 70.
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...
player. During his career, he played as a 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...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1980–84, 1991), Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1985–89), Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1990), California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(1992) and Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1993–94).
Brooks played varsity baseball at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
— winning an NCAA championship there in 1977 while playing shortstop, with Bob Horner at third — and was the third player chosen by the Mets in the June 1978 amateur draft. Shortly after arriving in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1980, he became something of a minor sensation, being the first player in Mets history to provide stability at third base — the team having spent its first 18 seasons trying in futility to find a regular at the hot corner. He became entrenched at the spot in 1981, finished third in that year's 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
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year award is given by a number of sports leagues, mainly in North America, to the top first-time professional athlete of a season. -Principal sports making award:...
voting (behind Fernando Valenzuela
Fernando Valenzuela
Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...
and Tim Raines
Tim Raines
Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
), and stayed until 1984.
On December 10, 1984, he was sent to Montreal with Floyd Youmans
Floyd Youmans
Floyd Everett Youmans is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is likely best remembered as one of the players dealt by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos for Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.-New York Mets:...
, C Mike Fitzgerald
Mike Fitzgerald
Michael Roy Fitzgerald , is a former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to for the New York Mets, the Montreal Expos and the California Angels....
and OF Herm Winningham
Herm Winningham
Herman Son Winningham is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball.Drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round of the 1981 amateur draft, Winningham made his major league debut with the Mets on September 1, , and appeared in his final game on October 3, .Winningham was a member of the...
that brought catcher Gary Carter
Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
to the Mets.
Brooks was a career .269 hitter with 149 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 and 824 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He collected career-highs in home runs (20) in 1988 and 1990; in RBI (100) in 1985, and finished 8th in 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 :...
(.307) in 1981. Brooks also appeared in two 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...
games in 1986 and 1987.
Brooks had a unusual development mid-career, playing his first few seasons of his career as an opposite-field hitter, before developing a power stroke in 1984. That same season, as the division race entered its final weeks, Mets manager Davey Johnson tried to strengthen his offense late in the year by putting the newly acquired Ray Knight at third and moving Brooks to shortstop, where he was able to play with some success. These two moves combined to boost his value, switching him from the middle of the pack among starting major league thirdbasemen to an All-Star-quality shortstop. This boost made him attractive enough to the Expos for them to ask for him in the Carter trade, and he would flourish for Montreal, having a very productive 1985. He was putting up MVP-quality numbers in 1986 when an injury ended his season at about the halfway-point. When he returned to the field, he continued to produce with the bat, but his years as a shortstop ended after 1987. He finished his career as a journeyman corner outfielder.
Brooks co-held the Mets record for the longest 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...
with 24 games, tied with Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
until broken by Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
in 2007 with a 30 game hitting streak.
After the end of his career, Brooks received no votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
for the Baseball Hall of Fame and was subsequently removed from the ballot. This became notable several years later, when Jim DeShaies
Jim Deshaies
James Joseph "Jim" Deshaies , also known as "JD", is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball and currently a TV commentator with the Houston Astros.- Major-league career :...
, a relief pitcher with a career clearly more marginal than Brooks', openly (and humorously) campaigned for at least a single vote, claiming that he didn't want to "get Hubie'd." He did, in fact, receive a single vote, before he, too, was removed from the ballot.
| G Games 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,... |
AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... |
H | 2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
HR 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... |
R | RBI | SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
AVG 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 :... |
OBP 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... |
SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,645 | 5,974 | 1,608 | 290 | 31 | 149 | 656 | 824 | 64 | 387 | 1,005 | .269 | .315 | .403 | .718 |
He was number 70.