Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo (Rico) Carty may be the greatest what-if-story in the history of the Atlanta Braves franchise. He was a born hitter who could easily have won MVPs and batting titles, but injuries and illness meant he played 130 games in only eight of his 15 Major League seasons.
Braves Country was devastated to learn that the former standout sadly passed away on Sunday at the age of 85.
The Atlanta Braves mourn the passing of Braves Hall of Famer Rico Carty: pic.twitter.com/zdMPzCDk1u
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) November 24, 2024
Remembering the legacy of former Brave Rico "Beeg Boy" Carty
The Braves signed Carty as a catcher, but they had a few catchers in their system at that time, so they tried to make him an outfielder. Carty gave it his best effort, but he was slow afoot and, much like Evan Gattis, completely out of place in the outfield. Nevertheless, he broke camp with the Braves in 1964.
The team's 1964 outfield featured Henry Aaron, Felipe Alou, and Lee Maye, so Carty got only two starts and spent the rest of his first seven weeks on the bench. When Alou suffered an injury Carty stepped in, and once in the lineup, they couldn’t get him out.
Roberto Clement’s .339 won the NL batting title, but Carty’s .330 was good for second place, just ahead of teammates Aaron and Torre. His .388 OBP was fifth behind future Hall of Famers Ron Santo, Frank Robinson, Henry Aaron, and Roberto Clemente. However, it was ahead of Willie Mays and Dick Allen.
The League took notice, as did the BBWAA, who voted him into second place in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting behind Allen. Carty had better numbers than Allen, Allen was a superb defender who led the league in RBI and runs scored. We know now that Carty was worth 4.8 rWAR and Allen 8.8.
From 1964 through 1967, Carty batted .306/.368/.478/.846m with a 136 OPS+. Milwaukee fans loved him, and Atlanta fans showed the same affection for the man they called "Beeg Boy," flocking to “Carty’s Corner” in the left field stands to support him.
As if a seemingly constant series of injuries weren’t enough, three weeks after spring training started in 1968, Carty was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and missed the entire 1968 season. He returned the following spring, ripping through the preseason with a .333 average, but dislocated his shoulder on opening day and missed the first six weeks of the year.
He returned in mid-May, but the shoulder bothered him throughout the season. As the season drew to a close, Carty got his second wind. From August 24 on, Carty batted .342/.377/.553/.930, launched six homers and drove in 27 runs while striking out only 11 times as the Braves clinched their first NL West title. The Braves lost the series, but Carty batted .300/.462/.500/.962
Batting Champ and the Slide
The 1970 season belonged to Rico Carty. He won the NL Batting title with a .366/.454.584/1.037 line, hit 29 homers, drove in 101 runs in 133 games, earned his first All-Star selection, and finished 10th in NL MVP voting.
Injuries returned to limit him to 83 games in 1971, and 1972 saw Carty become a journeyman outfielder and DH. Many believed Carty was destined to be a DH but hated the role and let everyone know about it. In 1974, the Athletics released Carty, and many thought his career was over, but as his SABR bio explains, they were wrong.
If Rico Carty had called it a day after the 1978 season, he’d have retired a 300-hitter, but Carty loved the game and continued to try to play, so he finished with a .299 average. I know it doesn’t sound like much and means nothing in the long run, but Carty was a superb hitter.
Wynn Montgomery wrote an eloquent epilogue for Carty in his SABR biography.
"…“Beeg Boy” made more comebacks than a boomerang, and few who saw him play will ever forget his aggressive right-handed swing and his trademark one-handed catches. He was a study in contrasts — known for his infectious grin and also for his fierce glare at the plate; popular because of his cheerful banter with fans yet branded a troublemaker."Wynn Montgomery
Carty’s career defined accident prone – he even lost time when he stuck a toothpick in his hand, and it swelled to twice its size, but in the Dominican Republic, Beeg Boy was always a hero.
That’s a Wrap
While the Braves and baseball, in general, didn’t cause Carty’s injuries, the attempts to make him an outfielder or a first baseman played a part. Today, Carty’s initial physical would have found that one of his legs was shorter than the other, and he’d have had an orthotic insole to correct it immediately.
Rico Carty Loved the game so much that he signed all eight professional contracts he was offered after the Pan-Am Games in 1959, creating havoc in the commissioner’s office. He was always the first player to sign the contract he was offered every year.
He played winter ball every offseason and remained active in the DR because he said, “I owe my country a lot,” so it isn’t a surprise that Beeg Boy is a hero in the Dominican Republic. They rewarded him with selection to the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame and the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame, and by making him an honorary general in the Dominican Army. I’m sure he’s still smiling about that.
The staff here at House That Hank Built pass along our condolences to Carty’s family, friends, loved ones, and fans. Rest in Peace, Beeg Boy.