| Ron Cey | |
|---|---|
 Ceyc. 1977 | |
| Third baseman | |
| Born: (1948-02-15)February 15, 1948 (age 77) Tacoma, Washington, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 3, 1971, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 12, 1987, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .261 |
| Home runs | 316 |
| Runs batted in | 1,139 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Ronald Charles Cey (/ˈseɪ/; born February 15, 1948), nicknamed "the Penguin," is an American former professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball as athird baseman from1971 through1987, most notably as an integral member of theLos Angeles Dodgers teams that won fourNational League pennants and oneWorld Series championship. A six-timeAll-Star, Cey was named theWorld Series MVP after leading the Dodgers to victory during the1981 World Series. He ended his career playing for theChicago Cubs and theOakland Athletics. Cey was nicknamed "The Penguin" for his slow waddling running gait by his college coach,Chuck "Bobo" Brayton.[1][2]
Born and raised inTacoma, Washington, Cey was a multi-sport athlete atMount Tahoma High School, its first to earn nine varsity letters.[2] Following graduation in 1966, he attendedWashington State University inPullman and was a member of thePhi Delta Thetafraternity. Cey played two years ofcollege baseball for theCougars, on the freshman team in 1967, and a year on the varsity under head coach Brayton in 1968.[1][2][3] He was selected in the second phase of the1968 MLB draft in June.[4]
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With the Dodgers, third baseman Cey was part of anAll-Starinfield that includedSteve Garvey (first baseman),Davey Lopes (second baseman) andBill Russell (shortstop). The four infielders stayed together as theDodgers' starters for eight and a half years. In 1977, he was named NL Player of the Month in April after helping the Dodgers to a fast start by batting .425 with 9 home runs and a major league record 29 RBIs for the month of April.[5] The Dodgers won the Western Division title that season on their way to the National League pennant.
Cey continued to have productive seasons with the Dodgers, helping them to pennants in 1978 and 1981. After the 1982 season, the Dodgers traded Cey to theChicago Cubs for two minor leaguers so thatPedro Guerrero could move to third base and rookieMike Marshall could get in the Dodgers' outfield. Cey provided veteran leadership for the Cubs over four seasons and, in 1984, helped lead the Cubs to the National League East Division title, hitting 25 homers and driving in 97 runs, both team highs. Cey spent the final year of his career in 1987 as a part-time player with theOakland A's.[6]
In a 16-season career, Cey was a .261hitter with 316home runs and 1139RBI in 2073games.[6]
Cey finished in the top 25 inNational League MVP voting four times with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1974-1977) and once with the Chicago Cubs (1984). His highest position in MVP voting came in 1977, when he finished eighth with a career-high 30 home runs and 110 RBIs. In 1973, he finished sixth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.[6]
Cey played in the1981 World Series, helping the Dodgers to four straight victories after losing their first two games, including his return for the clinching Game 6 after being hit in the head by a wildGoose Gossage fastball, and helped off the field in Game 5.[7] Cey was named co-MVP along withSteve Yeager andPedro Guerrero, and won the annualBabe Ruth Award.[8] He is still a part of the Dodgers organization and continues to make appearances on the team's behalf.
"Cey, called Penguin for his peculiar way of running, was a grumpy little guy," recalled Dodger teammateTommy John. "If you came into the locker room and said 'Hi, how you doing, Penguin?' and he gave you a grunt, you knew he liked you. We called him Mr. Personality. As a defensive player, his range was limited and so was his arm, but he was accurate. If he caught the ball, it was an out. Offensively, he was capable of outbursts of slugging that could carry the team."[9]
In 1990, Cey appeared as himself in the "Uneasy Lies the Crown" episode of the television series "Columbo", which aired on the ABC network. In the episode, Cey played poker with actorsDick Sargent andNancy Walker.[10]
| Category | G | BA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | OBP | SLG | OPS | PO | A | DP | E | FLD% | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2,073 | .261 | 7,162 | 977 | 1,868 | 328 | 21 | 316 | 1,139 | 24 | 29 | 1,012 | 1,235 | .354 | .445 | .799 | 1,500 | 4,018 | 315 | 223 | .961 | [6] |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month April 1977 | Succeeded by |
