1958 Cleveland Indians season

1958 Cleveland Indians
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Cleveland Municipal Stadium (since 1932)
Cleveland, Ohio (since 1901)
Other information
Owner(s)	William R. Daley
General manager(s)	Frank Lane
Manager(s)	Bobby Bragan, Joe Gordon
Local television	WEWS-TV
Local radio	WERE (1300)
< Previous season     Next season  >

Offseason

• December 4, 1957: Early Wynn and Al Smith were traded by the Indians to the Chicago White Sox for Minnie Miñoso and Fred Hatfield.^[1]
• January 29, 1958: Mickey Vernon was selected off waivers by the Indians from the Boston Red Sox.^[2]
• February 18, 1958: Hank Aguirre and Jim Hegan were traded by the Indians to the Detroit Tigers for Jay Porter and Hal Woodeshick.^[3]
• February 25, 1958: Pete Mesa (minors) was traded by the Indians to the Washington Senators for Milt Bolling.^[4]
• March 27, 1958: Vito Valentinetti and Milt Bolling were traded by the Indians to the Detroit Tigers for Pete Wojey and $20,000.^[5]
• Prior to 1958 season (exact date unknown)
  • Doc Edwards was signed as an amateur free agent by the Indians.^[6]
  • Jim Weaver was signed as an amateur free agent by the Indians.^[7]

Regular season

• May 17, 1958: Carroll Hardy hit his first major league home run when he pinch hit for Roger Maris in the 11th inning of a 4–4 tie against the Chicago White Sox.^[8]
• Indians manager Bobby Bragan was fired after 67 games, the shortest stint (at the time) for a Cleveland Indians manager.^[9]

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB
New York Yankees	92	62	.597	--
Chicago White Sox	82	72	.532	10
Boston Red Sox	79	75	.513	13
Cleveland Indians	77	76	.503	14.5
Detroit Tigers	77	77	.500	15
Baltimore Orioles	74	79	.484	17.5
Kansas City Athletics	73	81	.474	19
Washington Senators	61	93	.396	31

Record vs. opponents

1958 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	10–12	9–13–1	10–11	10–12	12–10	8–14	15–7
Boston	12–10	—	10–12	12–10	10–12	12–10	9–13–1	14–8
Chicago	13–9–1	12–10	—	12–10	10–12	12–10	7–15	16–6
Cleveland	11–10	10–12	10–12	—	14–8	10–12	7–15	15–7
Detroit	12–10	12–10	12–10	8–14	—	12–10	12–10	9–13
Kansas City	10–12	10–12	10–12	12–10	10–12	—	9–13	12–10–2
New York	14–8	13–9–1	15–7	15–7	10–12	13–9	—	12–10
Washington	7–15	8–14	6–16	7–15	13–9	10–12–2	10–12	—

Notable transactions

• June 12, 1958: Chico Carrasquel was traded by the Indians to the Kansas City Athletics for Billy Hunter.^[10]
• June 15, 1958: Roger Maris, Dick Tomanek and Preston Ward were traded by the Indians to the Kansas City Athletics for Woodie Held and Vic Power.^[11]
• July 2, 1958: Bob Lemon was released by the Indians.^[12]
• July 2, 1958: Morrie Martin was selected off waivers by the Indians from the St. Louis Cardinals.^[13]
• August 4, 1958: Randy Jackson was purchased by the Indians from the Los Angeles Dodgers.^[14]
• August 23, 1958: Hoyt Wilhelm was selected off waivers from the Indians by the Baltimore Orioles.^[15]

Roster

1958 Cleveland Indians
Roster
Pitchers 39 Gary Bell 48 Dick Brodowski 32 Chuck Churn 37 Jim Constable 34 Don Ferrarese 25 Mike Garcia 33 Mudcat Grant 37 Bob Kelly 21 Bob Lemon 32 Morrie Martin 22 Cal McLish 12 Don Mossi 20 Ray Narleski 35 Steve Ridzik 27 Herb Score 29 Dick Tomanek 26 Hoyt Wilhelm 28 Hal Woodeshick		Catchers 11 Dick Brown 15 Russ Nixon  4 Jay Porter Infielders  2 Earl Averill, Jr.  1 Bobby Ávila 17 Chico Carrasquel 38 Billy Harrell  7 Fred Hatfield  7 Billy Hunter  2 Randy Jackson 16 Billy Moran 10 Vic Power 16 Larry Raines  8 Mickey Vernon 36 Preston Ward 23 Vic Wertz		Outfielders  6 Rocky Colavito 14 Larry Doby 31 Gary Geiger 29 Rod Graber 30 Carroll Hardy  3 Woodie Held  5 Roger Maris  9 Minnie Miñoso Other batters 18 Hal Naragon		Manager  2 Bobby Bragan 35 Joe Gordon Coaches 43 Mel Harder (Pitching) 42 Red Kress 40 Bill Lobe (Bullpen) 44 Eddie Stanky

Player stats

Batting

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
1B	Vernon, MickeyMickey Vernon	119	355	104	.293	8	55
LF	Miñoso, MinnieMinnie Miñoso	149	556	168	.302	24	80

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
Geiger, GaryGary Geiger	91	195	45	.231	1	6
Maris, RogerRoger Maris	51	182	41	.225	9	27
Carrasquel, ChicoChico Carrasquel	49	156	40	.225	9	27
Cash, NormNorm Cash		8	2	.000	0	0
Held, WoodieWoodie Held	67	144	28	.194	3	17
Porter, JayJay Porter	40	85	17	.200	4	19
Hatfield, FredFred Hatfield	3	8	1	.125	0	1

Pitching

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
Bell, GaryGary Bell	33	182	12	10	3.31	110

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
Grant, MudcatMudcat Grant	44	204	10	11	3.84	111
Ferrarese, DonDon Ferrarese	28	94.2	3	4	3.71	62
Woodeshick, HalHal Woodeshick	14	71.2	6	6	3.64	27
Tomanek, DickDick Tomanek	18	57.2	2	3	5.62	42

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
Churn, ChuckChuck Churn	6	0	0	0	6.23	4
Brodowski, DickDick Brodowski	5	1	0	0	0.00	12
Geiger, GaryGary Geiger	1	0	0	0	9.00	2

Awards and honors

All-Star Game

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	San Diego Padres	Pacific Coast League	Catfish Metkovich
AA	Mobile Bears	Southern Association	Mel McGaha
A	Reading Indians	Eastern League	Clyde McCullough
B	Burlington Indians	Carolina League	Pinky May
C	Minot Mallards	Northern League	Ken Landenberger
D	Cocoa Indians	Florida State League	Paul O'Dea
D	North Platte Indians	Nebraska State League	Mark Wylie
D	Batavia Indians	New York–Penn League	Don Richmond

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Burlington, North Platte^[16]

Notes

1. Minnie Miñoso page at Baseball-Reference
2. Mickey Vernon page at Baseball-Reference
3. Jay Porter page at Baseball-Reference
4. Milt Bolling page at Baseball-Reference
5. Vito Valentinetti page at Baseball-Reference
6. Doc Edwards page at Baseball-Reference
7. Jim Weaver page at Baseball-Reference
8. Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero, p. 96, Tom Clavin and Danny Peary, Touchstone Books, Published by Simon & Schuster, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4165-8928-0
9. Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero, p. 97
10. Hunter goes to Indians for Chico
11. Roger Maris page at Baseball Reference
12. Bob Lemon page at Baseball Reference
13. Morrie Martin page at Baseball Reference
14. Randy Jackson page at Baseball Reference
15. Hoyt Wilhelm page at Baseball Reference
16. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

References

• 1958 Cleveland Indians team page at Baseball Reference
• 1958 Cleveland Indians team page at www.baseball-almanac.com