Top Tribe All-Star Performances: #6 - Carlos Baerga, 1995

by Ryan on Jul 13, 2011 12:00 AM EDT in History

Carlos Baerga ranks with Joe Carter as Indians that I originally thought were superstars but now seem rather pedestrian. Of course, it stands to reason that Baerga was one of the prospects sent over from San Diego for Carter in 1989. He was a regular at age 21, and put up a rather respectable .260/.300/.394 line. Usually when a player can at least hold his own at that young an age, a great career is waiting to enfold. And it certainly looked that way, though there were several warning signs. Baerga didn't walk all that much, and had a high average, so he collected 200 hits in 1992 and 1993, and was well on his way to getting 200 hits in 1994 before the strike ended things.

Baerga had compiled his usual high-average batting (.327/.367/.516) line in first half of 1995, and was voted onto the All-Star team along with three other Cleveland players (Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, and Manny Ramirez). The 1995 game was in Arlington, and Buck Showalter was the AL manager because the Yankees had the league's best record when the strike hit.

Baerga batted second in the AL lineup behind teammate Kenny Lofton, and singled in his first at-bat against Hideo Nomo, but was caught stealing. In his second at-bat, again singled, and scored on Frank Thomas' home run. He capped off his day with a double to lead off the sixth.

Carlos was only 26 in 1995, but he wouldn't appear in another All-Star Game. About 12 months later, he was dealt to the New York Mets in the midst of a poor 1996 season, and he didn't hit for power after that. He didn't play in the majors in the 2000 and 2001 seasons, and returned in 2002 as a bench player.

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During a rain delay on WTAM earlier this season, they were talking about Bob Feller and one story was about how much Baerga enjoyed spending time with Feller. It changed my attitude about Baerga, because he seemed to party himself out of a great career (or, at least, that is what I heard).

But “pedestrian”? He rightly earned his AS honors. His career took a dive, so in total, i guess his career is pedestrian. Joe Carter, on the other hand… I’m not sure 396 home runs is anything to sneeze at. Certainly not a HOFer, but he was always a poor man’s Dave Winfield, and he didn’t fail to meet that rather high bar…

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin

by Spidey on Jul 13, 2011 1:39 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

“Pedestrian is probably too strong a word”. “Overrated” is probably better given his rep at the time.

by Ryan on Jul 13, 2011 8:10 AM EDT up reply actions

For a player in a small/mid-market it’s rather difficult to reach a highly overrated status. I might agree that he was overrated simply given what we got in return for the trade.

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin

by Spidey on Jul 13, 2011 7:00 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I think Ryan was saying, he was overrated from our perspective as child Indians fans.

by Jay on Jul 13, 2011 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions

These posts are great, though.

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin

by Spidey on Jul 13, 2011 1:40 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Yeah, love this series, Ryan. Thanks.

"Lotta heart in Cleveland." - Ian Hunter

by Denver Tribe Fan on Jul 13, 2011 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s my memory that Baerga sprained his ankle pretty good midway through 1995, and he was never the same after that. In looking back today, you can see slugged .526/.491/.603 the first three months of 1995, but nosedived in the second half of that year and only slugged more than .400 in one subsequent year. It doesn’t appear that he went on the DL back then, but he just never drove the ball the same after June of 1995.

by TribeJay on Jul 13, 2011 11:56 AM EDT reply actions

I used to love to watch him run – everything was moving but he didn’t get anywhere.

Being a smart-ass is vastly preferable to the alternative

by stuart dean on Jul 13, 2011 2:24 PM EDT reply actions

I like to think that the Baerga trade begat Jeff Kent, who in turn was traded for Matt Williams, who finally was sent to the D-Backs for Travis Fryman. And I really liked Travis Fryman. So i call it a win?

by OscarDog on Jul 13, 2011 11:09 PM EDT reply actions

We can only wonder how Kent might have worked out if Hart had kept him, but Williams had a decent year in ’97 and, like you, I think Fryman was about as good as we could have got at 3B.

It’s my favorite Tribe chain of trades Jorge Orta for Sutcliffe,who was traded for Carter and Mel Hall, Carter was traded for Baerga & Alomar, Baerga traded for Kent, who is traded for Williams, who is traded for Fryman.

by JamesPowell on Jul 14, 2011 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions