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Mo Vaughn

Plagued By Injuries



After he left the Sox, Vaughn's luck took a turn for the worse. On opening day with the Angels, he fell down the stairs of the visitor's dugout while chasing a foul pop-up. (The incident prompted many major-league clubs to put fences in front of dugouts to prevent future accidents.) Injuries kept Vaughn on the sidelines briefly and affected his swing for the remainder of the season. His batting average dropped below .300 for the first time in six years, but he hit a respectable thirty-three home runs and 108 RBIs. Injuries again sidelined Vaughn in 2001, when he discovered that he had been playing with a ruptured tendon in his left arm. Surgery kept him out of the game for the entire 2001 season.



Chronology

1967 Born on December 15 in Norwalk, CT
1989 Graduates from Seton Hall University
1989 Drafted by Boston Red Sox
1993 Plays first full major-league season
1995 Voted league's Most Valuable Player
1998 Signs free-agent contract with Anaheim Angels
2001 Signs with New York Mets

Related Biography: Hitting Coach Mike Easler

Born on November 29, 1950, in Cleveland, Ohio, Michael Anthony Easler was drafted by the Houston Astros in the early 1970s. A skillful and powerful hitter, Easler was less adept in the outfield. For nearly a decade he languished in the minor leagues before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1980 and batting a strong .338 in his first full season. Traded to the Boston Red Sox in 1984, Easler briefly played first base, but was ultimately moved to designated hitter. In 1986 he joined the New York Yankees, but despite batting an impressive average he was released within a year. Easler then took up work as a hitting coach for various teams, including the Boston Red Sox (1993-96). The "Hit Man" is perhaps best known for working his magic on Boston's Mo Vaughn, transforming the slugger into one of the game's most formidable hitters. In 1996 Vaughn hired Easler as his personal hitting coach. The two remain close friends and collaborators.

Returning to baseball, Vaughn signed with the New York Mets in December 2001. But the player's comeback was marred by yet another injury—a fractured right hand, sustained in April 2002. When he returned to the game, Vaughn seemed to struggle with his confidence. Time away from baseball had resulted in significant weight gain, and the once powerful hitter's bat speed had slowed. Vaughn scoffed at any suggestions that he would retire at age thirty-four. Meanwhile, the Mets threatened to terminate his contract if the slugger did not lose weight and get into shape before the start of the 2003 season. "I'm not going out like this," a determined Vaughn told Pete Caldera of the Record (Bergen County, New Jersey). "I want to be the dude that I was. I think I can play this game five more years."

Career Statistics

Yr Team Avg GP AB R H HR RBI BB SO SB
ANA: Anaheim Angels; BOS: Boston Red Sox; NYM: New York Mets.
1991 BOS .260 74 219 21 57 4 32 26 43 2
1992 BOS .234 113 355 42 83 13 57 42 67 3
1993 BOS .297 152 539 86 160 29 101 79 130 4
1994 BOS .310 111 394 65 122 26 82 57 112 4
1995 BOS .300 140 550 98 165 39 126 68 150 11
1996 BOS .326 161 635 118 207 44 143 95 154 2
1997 BOS .315 141 527 91 166 35 96 86 154 2
1998 BOS .337 154 609 107 205 40 115 61 144 0
1999 ANA .281 139 524 63 147 33 108 54 127 0
2000 ANA .272 161 614 93 167 36 117 79 181 2
2002 NYM .259 139 487 67 126 26 72 59 145 0
TOTAL .294 1485 5453 851 1605 325 1049 711 1407 30

Awards and Accomplishments

1987–89 All-America Team
1989 Big East Conference Player of the Decade
1995 American League Most Valuable Player
1995 All-Star
1998 All-Star

Whether or not Vaughn will make his promised comeback remains to be seen. When he does retire, Vaughn will be remembered for his batting prowess, charisma, large-heartedness, and leadership abilities. It is with this combination of talents and qualities that Vaughn has made his own personal, and very significant, contribution to modern baseball.

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsBaseballMo Vaughn - Honed Batting Skills, Plagued By Injuries, Chronology, Related Biography: Hitting Coach Mike Easler