Doc, of course you're right! Of course Rose was the leadoff hitter for the Big Red Machine....How did I forget that? Sheesh. I'm stupid!
But, all the same... Morgan's year was the best I've ever seen. I had forgotten about George Brett's great 1980 season (chased .400 before ending up at .390) when I posted earlier. It popped into my head after and I just checked back on that...Brett OPS+ed at 203(!!!)...but he only played in 117 games. And he didn't play 2nd or win a Gold Glove.
Yaz's '67 was Morganesque, of course, too. Triple Crown, .326/.418/.622 OPS+ of 193!!!!! Gold Glove, too. He played left....not the same as playing 2nd.
And my unofficial Modern Era begins in '68 because that is the first year where I can remember watching the World Series (of course there was very little televised regular season baseball at that time). Gibson had the ungodly year. McLain wins 31...but it is Micky Lolich who is the Series hero. I was about a month short of being 11. Actually watched some of it at school.
The Amazing Mets of '69 were the real gateway drug for me and baseball. (watched some of that Series at school, too. Good teachers!) Reggie Jackson had a monster year in '69...but nobody would confuse him with Morgan with the glove. Jim Wynn was WAY great that year, too (For the young guys, check out how huge Wynn was in the years that sandwich '70.) Wynn played in the Astrodome and I assume it had a very large negative effect on him..still had a great year. Frank Robinson had a smoking couple of years, IIRC, in the mid-60's...but that is before my unofficial '68 cutoff. Carew's run at .400 in the late '70's was neat, too.
Anyway....I was WAY off base. Morgan did not hit leadoff. Still had the best year I can remember.
Anybody else can chime in here. I'm sure I missed some impressive years.
Thanks Doc. And kudo's for pointing out me error so graciously! I deserved worse! :)
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