1980 Cleveland Indians season
Encyclopedia
Offseason
- October 24, 1979: Paul ReuschelPaul ReuschelPaul Richard Reuschel is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball from 1975-79....
was released by the Indians. - January 4, 1980: David ClydeDavid ClydeDavid Eugene Clyde is a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played all or part of five seasons for the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians...
and Jim NorrisJim NorrisJames Francis Norris is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980 for the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, playing all three outfield positions.-External links:...
were traded by the Indians to the Texas RangersTexas 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...
for Gary GrayGary Gray (baseball)Gary George Gray is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played parts of six seasons from until...
and Mike Bucci (minors). - February 15, 1980: Jerry MumphreyJerry MumphreyJerry Wayne Mumphrey is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Diego Padres , New York Yankees , Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs ....
was traded by the Indians to the San Diego PadresSan Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for Bob OwchinkoBob OwchinkoRobert Dennis Owchinko is a former professional baseball pitcher. A left-handed pitcher, he played all or part of ten seasons in Major League Baseball, between 1976 and 1986, for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Montreal...
and Jim WilhelmJim WilhelmJames Webster Wilhelm was a outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1979 for the San Diego Padres.-External links:...
.
Regular season
"Super Joe" CharboneauJoe Charboneau
Joseph Charboneau was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and is one of the most often-cited examples of a flash in the pan or of baseball's fabled sophomore jinx....
made his debut with the Indians in 1980, splitting time between left field and designated hitter. His 23 home runs led the team and he captured the city's imagination with his hard hitting and his eccentricities. His tendency to dye his hair unnatural colors, open beer bottles with his eye socket, and drink beer with a straw through his nose, and other stories that emerged about how he did his own dental work and fixed a broken nose with a pair of pliers and a few shots of Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
whiskey, stood out in 1980. By mid-season, Charboneau was the subject of a song--"Go Joe Charboneau"--that reached #3 on the local charts.
He finished the season with 87 runs batted in and a .289 batting average while winning 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...
Rookie of the Year award
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
--all in spite of being stabbed with a ball-point pen by a crazed fan as he waited for the team bus on March 8. The pen penetrated an inch and hit a rib, but Charboneau played his first regular-season game just over a month later, on April 11. He missed the final six weeks of the season with a pelvis injury. He would never play another full season in the majors after 1980.
Notable transactions
- June 3, 1980: 1980 Major League Baseball Draft1980 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.- Compensation Picks :*William Erickson, was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, 31st pick overall. *Jeff Horne was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates,...
- Kelly GruberKelly GruberKelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team...
was drafted by the Indians in the 1st round (10th pick). Player signed June 8, 1980. - Doug DrabekDoug DrabekDouglas Dean Drabek is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Known for his fluid pitching motion and sound mechanics, he won the National League Cy Young Award in 1990.-Early life:...
was drafted by the Indians in the 4th round, but did not sign.
- Kelly Gruber
Roster
| 1980 Cleveland Indians | |||||||||
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| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
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Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LF | 132 | 528 | 180 | .341 | 0 | 40 | |
| DH | 131 | 453 | 131 | .289 | 23 | 87 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | 207 | 47 | .227 | 3 | 32 | |
| 28 | 54 | 8 | .148 | 2 | 4 | |
| 9 | 18 | 2 | .111 | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 246.1 | 19 | 12 | 4.17 | 187 | |
| 16 | 108.2 | 8 | 6 | 4.39 | 59 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 114.1 | 2 | 9 | 5.27 | 66 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 3.45 | 88 | |
| 51 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5.46 | 74 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.50 | 0 | |
Awards and honors
- Joe CharboneauJoe CharboneauJoseph Charboneau was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and is one of the most often-cited examples of a flash in the pan or of baseball's fabled sophomore jinx....
, American League Rookie of the Year
All-Star Game
1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 51st 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 8, 1980 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, home of the Los...