Jeffrey Leonard
Prior to the 1987 season, Jeff Leonard's agent negotiated a $50,000 bonus from the Giants if his client was named Most Valuable Player of the NL Playoffs. It seemed an unlikely outcome, but when Leonard found he and the Giants in the NLCS, he sprung into action. The often-surly right-handed hitter slugged a home run in each of the first four games of the series, and despite his teams' loss, he won the award. leonard claimed to have five different home run trots, each designed to disturb the opposing pitcher. During the '87 Series, he used one he called "flap down," in which he kept his right arm at his side.
Quotes About Leonard
"Jeffrey never wants anything calm and contented around here. When things are going too smooth, he looks for ways to stir things up." — teammate Bob Brenly
"I don't particularly like Leonard." — St. Louis lefty John Todor, during the 1987 NLCS, when Giants' slugger Jeff Leonard was involved in controversy with the Cardinals
Quotes From Leonard
"They didn't show me nothing." — Leonard on the Cardinals after Game One of the 1987 playoffs
"It was a mediocre fastball." — Leonard on the pitch he hit off St. Louis right Greg Mathews for a homer in Game One of the 1987 NLCS
Played For
Los Angeles Dodgers (1977)
Houston Astros (1978-1981)
San Francisco Giants (1981-1988)
Milwaukee Brewers (1988)
Seattle Mariners (1989-1990)
Born
Jeffrey Leonard was born on September 22, 1955, in Philadelphia, PA.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: OF
Primary Team: SFN
Major League Debut
September 2, 1977
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1977
Eddie Murray
Lou Whitaker
Alan Trammell
Jack Morris
Lance Parrish
Dale Berra
Bump Wills
Rick Honeycutt
Willie Hernandez
Nicknames
Penitentiary Face
His face was surly, long, usually unsmiling, bordering on a scowl.
Uniform Numbers
Leonard requested #20 in San Francisco because it was Frank Robinson's number. He later switched to #00, because he was "starting over from nothing."
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1996 |
BBWAA |
0 |
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1980 National League Championship Series
1987 National League Championship Series
Post-Season Notes
When Leonard homered in Game One of the '87 Playoffs against the Cardinals, the Giants still lost the game. His post-game comments could possibly have been excused considering his team lost. But the next day, he slugged another homer in a Giant victory, and again told the press after the game that it was a "mediocre" fastball. When he belted a homer in Game Three, he took 50 seconds to round the bases, something that wasn't overlooked by the St. Louis dugout. His next time up, Leonard was hit in the arm by a pitch from Bob Forsch. Leonard was not surpised and he wasn't particularly perturbed.
"My trots dictated that something like that might happen," he said.
In Game Four, Leonard went deep again, but picked up the pace on his trot around the bags. In the fourth inning, the Cardinals exacted some revenge on their menace.
Standing on first, Leonard attempted to score on teammate Will Clark's double. When he barrelled into Cards' catcher Tony Pena he was tagged out, rather forcefully in the neck, much to the delight the St. Louis bench. The Cardinals prevailed in seven games, but Leonard's four homers in the first four games earned him the Series MVP Award.
Awards and Honors
1987 NL NLCS MVP
Batting Feats
All-Star Selections
1987 NL
1989 AL
Learn More about Jeffrey Leonard
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