Tommie Agee—Such Potential, Then What Happened?

 By JT   

It's likely fair to say he ate himself out of MLB, at least from his photos it looks that way. It's really too bad because he has tons of talent having the so-called five tools (hit for average, hit for power, run the bases, field, throw) at his disposal. But he had just six seasons (well, five out of six) that were above the line, that is, All-Star or near All-Star quality. 

Here are Agee's traditional stats via Baseball-Reference.com

It took four stabs at the majors before Agee was able to break in, but in 1966 he was the AL Rookie of the Year, made the All-Star team, won a Gold Glove ( leading the league in putouts and posting a .982 fielding average), and was eighth in AL MVP voting. He hit .273 with scored 98 (3rd in the AL) hit 22 HRs and also hit 27 doubles plus 8 triples and drove in 84 runs. He also stole 44 bases which were third in the AL. Not bad. 

Also in we could do a mythical retroactive All-MLB and All-AL squad based on WAR he'd be First-team All-American league and be a Second-team behind Willie Mays in centerfield for the All-MLB team. 

And in 1966 his OF Five-Tool number we developed his 1966 number was 18.4 which is excellent, 

Here is our quick definition of the Five-tool number—

So, it was not just a great year for a rookie, it was really a great year for any player not named Willie Mays. 

Agee was an All-Star again in 1967 and was certainly qualified for another Gold Glove, being one of the top three outfielders in the AL in dWAR. 

But after that year he was traded to the Mets with Al Weis in exchange for Tommy Davis, Jack Fisher, Billy Wynne, and Dick Booker. But in 1968 and he slumped badly at the plate  

However, in 1969 he bounced back and was a key part of the Mets World Championship batting leadoff and starred in the World series with hitting and his catches. He led the Mets in runs (with 97) HRs (26) RBIs (76). In the post-season, he hit 250 but slammed three home runs and stole three bases.

He hit a homer and saved five runs in a Game 3 win over the Orioles. Here are the highlights—

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In our WAR Al-NL team, he narrowly missed being Second-team All-national League just a tick behind Bobby Tolan. He didn't win a Gold Glove but he was in the top three in the NL in dField giving him a "metrics" Gold Glove for 1969. 

However, in 1970 he tied Tolan for the top centerfield spot on the All-WAR National League team—as it were.

In 1970 he won his second Gold Glove, hit 24 homers, stole 31 bases, hit .286, hit 30 doubles, seven triples—all the things you'd want from a centerfielder in that era. In 1971 he hit well, but in 1972 he began to slide, and after the 1973 season he was done at the age of 30. 

He spent 1973 with the Astros and Cardinals but was ineffective. Apparently, the Astros wants to star outfield with three players with power and speed, Cedeno, the youngster flanked by the vets in left and right. It just wasn't meant to be, 

Agee, Cesar Cedeno, and Jimmy Wynn

Agee was traded to the Dodgers after the aforementioned stint with the Cardinals in 1974 but failed to make the club during Spring training. Oddly, he could have been reunited with Wynn who was part of the "All-star: outfield the Astros wanted in 1973. Wrinn recharged himself and had a super year in 1974. Agee simply retired.

He passed away in 2001 at the age of 58, way too young.  

However, remembering the good, from 1966-71 only Paul Blair was better in centerfield. Even the great Willie Davis was off some in those years (though dominant from 1961-65 and then from 1970-73)

Chart credit: Baseball-Reference.com

And here are the Major League centerfielders lists by stolen bases in that same 1966-71 span. Agee is third, right on the heels of Davis and Jose Cardenal and he is only one of four in the top 10 with more than 100 home runs (fourth). And in the group of all MLB centerfielders Agee is fifth in runs, third in hits in that span.

Chart credit Baseball-Reference.com

So, we raise our glass to Tommie Agee. For five years he was up there with the best. And on that day in October 1969, when he was a "plus 6" in runs, he was the best many had ever seen in one World Series game.

Do give him that. We do, he was one of my favorites.