Man, I gotta tell ya, Jerome Walton? That dude became my obsession last spring. Had this gut feeling about his rookie vibe, just somethin’ raw there. Needed to figure out how this guy nobody really talked about grabbed that Rookie of the Year crown back in ’89. Felt like a mission.
The Starting Point: Just a Draft Guy
First thing, went diggin’. Found out the Cubs picked him sixth overall in ’85. Okay, solid start. But he wasn’t flashy straight outta college, you know? Just got plugged into their minor league system. His first few years in Triple-A? Honestly, the numbers looked… fine. Not amazing. Good defense in center field, yeah, speedy runner for sure, but that bat? Hit around .270ish most seasons. Didn’t exactly scream “future MVP”. Felt kinda stuck, like, “Okay, when’s this kid gonna pop?”
Then Came ’89 & Spring Training Tinkering
Here’s where it got interesting. Spring Training rolled around. Started hearing whispers from beat writers. Apparently, Jerome lived on the practice fields. Wasn’t just showing up. Saw photos of him constantly working drills. Focused on two things mainly:
- Making Contact: Dude was swinging at junk. Strikeouts were too high for a guy with his speed. Coaches were trying to get him to lay off the high heat he couldn’t handle and aim for contact, especially on the ground to use those legs.
- Getting Dirty: Always had wheels, but needed to convert those infield dribblers into hits. Spent hours just bunting down the third base line, practicing the drag bunt, learning how to beat throws.
He looked… different.
The Early Grind & That Streak
Season starts, Cubs put him center field. First month? Solid. Doing his thing. Playing decent D, running some bases. Then BAM! Hit City. Dude goes on a hitting streak. Not just a couple games… we’re talking weeks! Every single night, box score showed another hit. Started getting national attention. It wasn’t fancy, hard-hit lasers everywhere. Saw replays. Grounders sneaking through the hole? Check. Bunts dying perfectly? Check. Dribblers that he flat-out outran? Double-check. He just would. not. stop. hitting. Ended up at 30 games! Suddenly, he wasn’t just a prospect anymore.
More Than Just Hitting
What folks maybe missed was the other stuff he put together. His defense got real sharp. Made some clutch catches I remember watching. And the speed? Man, he turned walks and singles into scoring threats. Stole 24 bases that year. Was just relentless putting pressure on pitchers when he got on. Plus, played 127 games – stayed healthy! Kid was durable.
The Finish Line & The Award
Okay, yeah, the streak ended. Every streak does. But Walton didn’t fall off a cliff. Kept grinding. Finished the season hitting .293! Had 46 RBIs from the leadoff spot. That kinda all-around play – contact hitting, speed, plus defense – it added up.
Voting day rolls around. You had some good rookies that year, don’t get me wrong. Gregg Jefferies with the Mets was ripping it. But Walton? The 30-game streak, the solid average, the stolen bases, the clutch plays in center… it resonated. When they announced Jerome Walton as Rookie of the Year? Yeah. Totally got why. Didn’t come out of nowhere. It was built one groundball, one bunt, one stolen base, one diving catch at a time.
Totally earned it. Simple as that.
