Hall of Fame first baseman Orlando Cepeda passed away yesterday, it has been announced. Cepeda was 86.
Cepeda came up in 1958 with the San Francisco Giants and made an impact right away, slashing .312/.342/.512 with 25 homers, winning the Rookie of the Year Award, and finishing ninth in the MVP voting. Cepeda was so good that when future Hall of Famer Willie McCovey came up with the Giants the next year — winning the Rookie of the Year Award and finishing 22nd in the MVP voting — McCovey was limited to a part-time role, getting just 219 plate appearances.