Vitan Statistics:
Born: March 8, 1953
Teams: Boston Red Sox (1974-89)
Inducted into Hall of Fame: 2009
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary position: Left field
Career Highlights:
- An eight-time American League All-Star, he batted .300 seven times, drove in more than 100 eight times and 200 hits four times. He had 11 seasons with 20 or more home runs, and led the league in home runs and slugging average twice.
- Hit .309 with 22 HR and 102 RBI in 1975, his rookie season, helping lead the Red Sox to the AL pennant.
- Named MVP in 1978, when he became the first player in 19 years to have 400 total bases. No AL player has done it since. He hit .315 with 46 HRs and 139 RBI.
- Had a .502 career slugging average and 382 home runs.
- Career batting average of .298.
- Hit into 315 double plays, third all-time.
After Baseball:
- Was a roving batting coach (1992-1994) and hitting instructor (1995-2000), and remains an instructional batting coach (2001-present) with the Red Sox organization.
- Since 2003, has been a commentator on Red Sox pregame and postgame shows on NESN.
- Active in the Jimmy Fund, the fund-raising arm of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
