Legends of the Left-Handed Batter’s Box: Tony Gwynn vs. Rod Carew

Standard Batting

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1967	21	MIN	AL	137	561	514	66	150	22	7	8	51	5	9	37	91	.292	.341	.409	.750	113	210	12	2	7	1	4	*4/H	AS,RoY-1
1968	22	MIN	AL	127	492	461	46	126	27	2	1	42	12	4	26	71	.273	.312	.347	.659	95	160	11	1	2	2	1	*4H/6	AS
1969	23	MIN	AL	123	504	458	79	152	30	4	8	56	19	8	37	72	.332	.386	.467	.853	134	214	7	3	6	0	0	*4/H	AS,MVP-10
1970	24	MIN	AL	51	204	191	27	70	12	3	4	28	4	6	11	28	.366	.407	.524	.930	152	100	1	2	0	0	0	4/H3	AS
1971	25	MIN	AL	147	632	577	88	177	16	10	2	48	6	7	45	81	.307	.356	.380	.736	107	219	23	1	6	3	1	*4/H5	AS
1972	26	MIN	AL	142	591	535	61	170	21	6	0	51	12	6	43	60	.318	.369	.379	.749	119	203	11	2	9	2	9	*4/H	AS,MVP-14
1973	27	MIN	AL	149	657	580	98	203	30	11	6	62	41	16	62	55	.350	.411	.471	.881	144	273	16	2	7	6	9	*4/H	AS,MVP-4
1974	28	MIN	AL	153	690	599	86	218	30	5	3	55	38	16	74	49	.364	.433	.446	.879	150	267	17	1	13	3	9	*4/H	AS,MVP-7
1975	29	MIN	AL	143	617	535	89	192	24	4	14	80	35	9	64	40	.359	.421	.497	.919	157	266	10	1	7	10	18	*43H/D	AS,MVP-9
1976	30	MIN	AL	156	687	605	97	200	29	12	9	90	49	22	67	52	.331	.395	.463	.858	148	280	12	1	8	6	14	*3/4H	AS,MVP-5
1977	31	MIN	AL	155	694	616	128	239	38	16	14	100	23	13	69	55	.388	.449	.570	1.019	178	351	6	3	1	5	15	*3/H4D	AS,MVP-1
1978	32	MIN	AL	152	651	564	85	188	26	10	5	70	27	7	78	62	.333	.411	.441	.853	139	249	18	1	2	6	19	*3H/47	AS,MVP-11
1979	33	CAL	AL	110	493	409	78	130	15	3	3	44	18	8	73	46	.318	.419	.391	.810	125	160	9	0	8	3	7	3/DH	AS
1980	34	CAL	AL	144	612	540	74	179	34	7	3	59	23	15	59	38	.331	.396	.437	.833	132	236	15	1	9	3	7	3DH	AS
1981	35	CAL	AL	93	421	364	57	111	17	1	2	21	16	9	45	45	.305	.380	.374	.753	120	136	8	0	10	2	7	*3/DH	AS
1982	36	CAL	AL	138	612	523	88	167	25	5	3	44	10	17	67	49	.319	.396	.403	.799	121	211	9	2	16	4	5	*3/H	AS,MVP-26
1983	37	CAL	AL	129	536	472	66	160	24	2	2	44	6	7	57	48	.339	.409	.411	.820	128	194	15	1	3	3	9	3DH/4	AS
1984	38	CAL	AL	93	378	329	42	97	8	1	3	31	4	3	40	39	.295	.367	.353	.720	102	116	8	0	5	4	1	3H/D	AS
1985	39	CAL	AL	127	518	443	69	124	17	3	2	39	5	5	64	47	.280	.371	.345	.717	99	153	8	1	9	1	9	*3H
19 Yrs				2469	10550	9315	1424	3053	445	112	92	1015	353	187	1018	1028	.328	.393	.429	.822	131	3998	216	25	128	64	144
162 Game Avg.				162	692	611	93	200	29	7	6	67	23	12	67	67	.328	.393	.429	.822	131	262	14	2	8	4	9
				G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
MIN (12 yrs)				1635	6980	6235	950	2085	305	90	74	733	271	123	613	716	.334	.393	.448	.841	137	2792	144	20	68	44	99
CAL (7 yrs)				834	3570	3080	474	968	140	22	18	282	82	64	405	312	.314	.393	.392	.784	119	1206	72	5	60	20	45

Batting Mastery

When considering batting average alone, both men stand in rarefied air. Gwynn’s .338 career average and Carew’s .328 average are testaments to their eye for the ball and superb contact hitting.

Batting Titles

Gwynn’s eight National League batting titles were a record for his era. Notably, he batted an astounding .394 during the strike-shortened 1994 season. Carew, not to be outdone, captured seven American League batting titles, including hitting .388 in his MVP season of 1977.

Consistency

Both hitters embodied consistency, with Gwynn hitting above .300 for an NL record 19 consecutive seasons, while Carew managed the feat for 15 straight seasons.

Hits

Gwynn managed to surpass the 200-hit mark five times in his career, peaking at 220 hits in 1997. Carew reached this milestone four times, with his best season being in 1977 when he collected 239 hits.

Guards Against Strikeouts

One of the most striking aspects of both players’ careers was their ability to avoid strikeouts. Gwynn struck out only 434 times in his career, averaging just once every 21 at-bats. Carew, similarly disciplined, struck out just 1,018 times across his 19-year career.

Stolen Bases and Base Running

While neither player was known primarily for their speed, both could steal bases when needed and were adept at taking extra bases on hits.

• Gwynn: 319 stolen bases
• Carew: 353 stolen bases

They demonstrated that stealing bases and smart base running complemented their contact hitting, adding another dimension to their offensive prowess.

Awards and Accolades

Tony Gwynn’s Trophies

• Roberto Clemente Award (1999): A testament to his character and contributions off the field.
• Gold Gloves: Gwynn won five Gold Gloves, highlighting his superior defensive skills in right field.
• Silver Sluggers: Seven Silver Slugger awards recognized his offensive prowess.

Rod Carew’s Hardware

• AL MVP (1977): Carew’s standout season where he hit .388, scored 128 runs, and drove in 100 RBIs.
• AL Rookie of the Year (1967): Carew’s debut season where he hit .292 and made an immediate impact on the league.
• Roberto Clemente Award (1977): Like Gwynn, this award recognized his sportsmanship and community involvement.

Impact on the Game

The Tony Gwynn Effect

Gwynn’s influence extended far beyond his impressive stats. Known as “Mr. Padre,” he remained a fixture in the San Diego community even after retirement, serving as a coach and mentor. Gwynn’s dedication to the craft and his unyielding work ethic made him a role model for many young players. His use of video analysis to study his swing and opposing pitchers was revolutionary at the time and has since become a standard practice in baseball.

The Rod Carew Legacy

Carew’s impact on the game was similarly profound. His smooth, almost effortless swing made him the epitome of a pure hitter. Carew faced and overcame significant racial adversity during his career, becoming an inspiration for many minorities in baseball. His later involvement in coaching helped shape the careers of numerous young players.

Intangibles: Leadership and Influence

Both Gwynn and Carew exhibited leadership qualities that went beyond their on-field performance. Gwynn was known for his affable personality and was a beloved figure in the Padres’ clubhouse. Carew, more reserved, led by example through his dedication and work ethic.

Approach to Hitting

Gwynn often spoke about his love for the science of hitting, spending countless hours watching game footage to perfect his approach. Carew, known for his unorthodox batting stance and exceptional hand-eye coordination, emphasized using the entire field and adapting to pitchers’ strategies.

Influence on Modern Players

Many modern hitters, like Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter, have cited Gwynn and Carew as influences on their playing style. Their emphasis on contact hitting, situational awareness, and utilizing video analysis has left an indelible mark on the current generation of players.

Conclusion: Two Giants of the Game

When comparing Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew, it’s clear that both players were giants of the game, transcending their impressive statistics. They were artists with the bat, defined by their consistency, ability to make contact, and impact on the game of baseball.

While Gwynn’s .338 average and eight batting titles set a high bar, Carew’s .328 average, seven batting titles, and MVP award speak to his own extraordinary abilities. Both men left legacies that extend far beyond the diamond, influencing generations of players and fans alike.