Hubie Brooks

2.1. Childhood and Education

Brooks was born in Los Angeles, California. As a senior at Manuel Dominguez High School, he was initially drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft. However, he chose not to sign, instead opting to pursue higher education. He attended Whittier College from 1975 to 1976 before transferring to Arizona State University. During his time with the Arizona State Sun Devils, Brooks played a pivotal role, appearing in two NCAA College World Series tournaments and contributing to the team's victory in the 1977 College World Series. At Arizona State, he formed a powerful hitting combination with his teammate, Bob Horner, often batting third and fourth in the lineup.

Brooks was a highly sought-after prospect and faced multiple draft opportunities during his college years. As a shortstop for the Arizona State Sun Devils, he was drafted fifth overall in the January 1976 secondary draft by the Kansas City Royals, then fourteenth overall in the June 1976 secondary draft by the Chicago White Sox. The Oakland Athletics selected him second overall in the January 1977 secondary draft, and the White Sox drafted him again, third overall, in the June 1977 secondary draft. Despite these repeated selections, Brooks chose not to sign with any team, completing his college career first.

2.2. Professional Draft and Minor League

After playing out his college eligibility, Hubie Brooks was finally drafted by the New York Mets as the third overall pick in the 1978 amateur draft, just two selections behind his Arizona State teammate, Bob Horner. Unlike Horner, who was immediately assigned to the Atlanta Braves' major league roster upon signing, Brooks was assigned to the Double-A Jackson Mets. In his initial professional season, he played 45 games, recording a batting average of .216 with 3 home runs and 16 RBIs.

The following season, with fellow Mets prospect Wally Backman playing shortstop for the Jackson Mets, Brooks underwent a positional conversion, shifting to third baseman. He also gained experience playing some outfield with the Triple-A Tidewater Tides in 1980, showcasing his versatility in the minor league system as he prepared for his Major League debut.

3.1. New York Mets (1980-1984, 1991)

Hubie Brooks made his Major League Baseball debut on September 4, 1980, as a September call-up for the New York Mets. In his initial 24 games, he impressed with a .309 batting average, hitting 1 home run and driving in 10 runs. He secured the starting third base job out of Spring training in 1981 and quickly became a fan favorite in New York City, maintaining a batting average above .300 for the majority of the strike-shortened season. He concluded the year with a .307 average, four home runs, and 38 RBIs, finishing third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, behind Fernando Valenzuela and Tim Raines.

Despite being a popular figure and a consistent hitter, Brooks was considered a below-average fielder at third base and was not initially known for his power hitting. He even tied a modern Major League record by committing three errors in a single inning during his rookie season. In 1984, Brooks set a Mets record with a 24-game hitting streak from May 1 to June 1, during which he batted an impressive .398 in 83 at-bats. This record has since been tied by Mike Piazza in 1999 and surpassed by David Wright (26 games) and Moisés Alou (30 games) in 2007. He was in the midst of his best statistical season, having already achieved career highs in home runs (13) and RBIs (61), when the Mets acquired third baseman Ray Knight from the Houston Astros on August 28. Following this acquisition, Mets manager Davey Johnson shifted Brooks to shortstop for the remainder of the season.

Brooks would later return to the Mets for a second stint in 1991 after being traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers. This return was met with his expressed displeasure, and it coincided with a downturn in his on-field performance. He batted .238 with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs through 103 games before his season was cut short by a pinched nerve in his back.

3.2. Montreal Expos (1985-1989)

The Montreal Expos entered the 1984 offseason seeking to bolster their shortstop position, as their shortstops had collectively batted only .212 with no home run and 35 RBIs in the preceding season. On December 10, 1984, during the Winter Meetings, the Expos and the New York Mets executed a significant trade: Brooks, pitcher Floyd Youmans, catcher Mike Fitzgerald, and outfielder Herm Winningham were sent to the Expos in exchange for perennial All-Star catcher Gary Carter.

Upon joining the Expos, Brooks was immediately positioned in the cleanup spot in the batting order, a move that allowed him to flourish. In 1985, he earned his first Silver Slugger Award as a shortstop, driving in a career-high 100 runs. This achievement made him the first National League shortstop since Ernie Banks to reach the 100-RBI mark in a season, and his RBI total was second only to Cal Ripken Jr. among all Major League shortstops.

Brooks' strong performance continued into 1986, where he was batting .333 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs by the All-Star break, earning him his first career All-Star selection. However, just five games after the break, he suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb, which prematurely ended his season. Despite the injury and missed time, he was still recognized for his offensive prowess, earning his second consecutive National League Silver Slugger Award at shortstop.

His 1987 season also began with an injury setback; three games into the season, Brooks was sidelined by a hairline fracture in his right wrist. Upon his return, he resumed his role as one of the National League's top slugging shortstops. Despite missing over a month due to the wrist injury, he still managed to hit 7 home runs and drive in 30 runs, securing his second consecutive All-Star selection. In the All-Star Game, which extended into extra innings, Brooks and Ozzie Virgil Jr. scored on a Tim Raines triple in the thirteenth inning, securing a victory for the National League.

Prior to the 1988 season, a shoulder injury sustained by minor league outfield prospect Larry Walker while playing winter ball prompted the Expos to shift Brooks to right field. Although Brooks expressed disappointment with this positional change, he responded with one of his most productive offensive seasons. He batted .279, recorded 35 doubles (ranking fifth in the league), and achieved a new career-high of 20 home runs, alongside 90 RBIs. He played one more season in right field for the Expos before departing the team via free agency.

3.3. Los Angeles Dodgers (1990)

As a free agent, Hubie Brooks drew interest from the Atlanta Braves, who considered signing him to play third base for the 1990 season. However, Brooks ultimately chose to sign with his home team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, opting to remain in right field. His contract with the Dodgers included a specific clause that prevented him from being traded back to the Montreal Expos or to any American League team, with the sole exception of the California Angels.

In his single season with the Dodgers, Brooks batted .266, hit 20 home runs (matching his career high), and drove in 91 runs. Following the 1990 season, the Dodgers, who had acquired two prominent outfielders, Brett Butler and Darryl Strawberry, through free agency, traded Brooks back to the New York Mets. In exchange, the Dodgers received pitchers Greg Hansell, who was a promising 19-year-old prospect playing at the Advanced-A level, and Bob Ojeda.

3.4. California Angels (1992)

On December 10, 1991, the New York Mets traded Hubie Brooks to the California Angels in exchange for outfielder Dave Gallagher. This trade reunited Brooks with his former Montreal Expos manager, Buck Rodgers, who used him primarily as the designated hitter. In 1992, Brooks also gained experience playing first base for the first time in his professional career. However, his season was marred by a sprained neck injury. He batted .213 with 7 home runs and 30 RBIs before the injury sidelined him. He returned in early September, under new manager John Wathan (who had replaced Rodgers), but his performance remained limited, recording only one home run and six RBIs for the remainder of the season.

The 1992 season proved to be challenging for several veteran players on the Angels roster, including Brooks, Lance Parrish, Gary Gaetti, and Von Hayes, all of whom were earning contracts of 2.00 M USD or more but delivered disappointing results. Parrish was released during the season, and Hayes retired. As Brooks' contract expired after the season, he, like Gaetti (who was released the following June and also moved to the Royals), sought new opportunities.

3.5. Kansas City Royals (1993-1994)

For the 1993 season, the Kansas City Royals signed Hubie Brooks to a minor league deal and invited him to their Spring training camp. He successfully made the Major League roster, primarily serving as the team's right-handed pinch hitter. In this role, he performed effectively, batting .303 as a pinch hitter. He also saw some action in the outfield, marking his first time playing that position in two years, despite a reduction in his overall plate appearances.

Brooks continued in this role through the midpoint of the 1994 season. However, he was released by the Royals to make room for Wally Joyner, who was returning from the disabled list. Following his release, Brooks retired, concluding his 15-year professional baseball career.

4.1. Major League Batting Statistics

Hubie Brooks completed his Major League career with a total of 1,645 games played. He compiled a career batting average of .269, alongside an on-base percentage of .315 and a slugging percentage of .403. He hit 149 home runs and recorded 824 RBIs over his career. His career-high for home runs in a single season was 20, which he achieved twice (in 1988 and 1990). He also recorded a career-best 100 RBIs in 1985. In 1981, he finished 8th in the league with a .307 batting average.

4.2. Awards and Honors

Hubie Brooks received several individual accolades during his Major League Baseball career, reflecting his consistent offensive contributions, particularly as a shortstop. His key honors include:

• Silver Slugger Award: 2 times (1985, 1986)
• MLB All-Star Game selection: 2 times (1986, 1987)

4.3. Jersey Numbers

Throughout his professional baseball career, Hubie Brooks wore several different jersey numbers across the various teams he played for:

• 39 (1980) - New York Mets
• 7 (1981-1989) - New York Mets (first stint), Montreal Expos
• 21 (1990) - Los Angeles Dodgers
• 7 (1991) - New York Mets (second stint)
• 8 (1992) - California Angels
• 30 (1993-1994) - Kansas City Royals