Archives for September 2019

Basketball has March Madness. How about some Baseball September Madness?

September 25, 2019 by David

Mound Madness

Baseball pitcher photo Yesterday (September 24) – well, actually shortly after one o’clock this morning (September 25) – The Rockies and Giants set an MLB record unlikely to ever fall. In a 16-inning match up that ended in an 8-5 Rockies’ victory, the two teams used an MLB-record combined 25 pitchers. A somewhat surprising aspect of that game it that Giants’ starter Madison Bumgarner completed seven innings of work. The Giants then used 12 pitchers to get through nine more innings.

Then again, maybe the record could fall. In a game that ended about an hour and twenty minutes later (played in Arizona), the Cardinals and Diamondbacks came close – using a combined 24 pitchers in a nineteen-inning contest won 3-2 by the D-backs.

If the record does fall, it will have to be this season. Starting next season, September rosters will only expand to 28 players (rather than the current 40-player September limit).

How about Home Run Madness?

Photo by Ken Lund

Yesterday, in a 2-1 loss to the Rays, Yankees’ starting CF Cameron Maybin accounted for the Bronx Bombers’ only run with a third-inning homer. Notably, it was his tenth round tripper of the year. – making the Yankees the first MLB team ever to boast 14 players with ten or more home runs. Here’s a little more home run madness. This season (as I write this post):

The Twins have become the first MLB team with with five players hitting at least 30 home runs – and the first MLB team with eight players with 20 or more homers;
Four teams (Yankees, Twins, Astros and Dodgers) have already surpassed the previous all -time team record for homers in a season;
Twelve MLB teams have already surpassed their previous franchise record for home runs in a season and another three teams seem likely to join them; and
MLB has seen a record 6,590 home runs – far outpacing the past mark of 6,105.

Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com

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Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

More Baseball Roundtable Musings – From the Babe to the Boomstick and “Miller Time” to “Kilroy was Here.”

September 23, 2019 by David

Baseball Roundtable apologizes for being a little light on posts over the past week or so. My hometown Twins have been in a tight division title race and I’ve spent most of my time at Target Field or glued to Fox Sports North’s television coverage. It’s an off day today, so here some BBRT Baseball Musings from the past ten days.

Boomstick … On Cruz Control

Yesterday (September 22), as the Twins topped the Royals 12-8 in Minnesota, Twins’ DH Nelson Cruz launched a fourth-inning solo home run. It was part of a two-for-three (with two walks) game that left Cruz with a .303 average, 40 home runs and 105 RBI on the season. It was also a landmark blast for Cruz, his 400^th career long ball. Further, it made Cruz just one of three players to reach the 40-home run mark in a season at age 39 or older. The others? Hank Aaron, who hit an even forty round trippers in his age-39 season (1973 Braves) and Barry Bonds, who hit 45 long balls in his age-39 campaign (2004 Giants). No player has hit forty home runs in his age-40 or later season – although 40-year-old David Ortiz came close with a .315-38-127 campaign in his final season (2016 Red Sox). Cruz may have a target to next season.

It’s Miller Time – or Making those Tators Count

John Miller (center) made his two MLB home runs historic.

On this date (September 23) fifty years ago (1969), the Dodgers’ John Allen Miller popped a pinch-hit home run (off the Reds’ Jim Merritt) in the top of the eighth inning of an LA 6-3 loss to the Reds. It was one of just two career home runs for Miller – who made both of his long balls count big time.

Miller played just parts of two seasons in the major leagues (1966 and 1969, with the Yankees and Dodgers, respectively). An outfielder/first baseman, he appeared in a total of 32 major league games, getting 61 at bats and just ten hits (.164 career average), two home runs and three RBI. With that output, however, Miller earned a special place in the MLB record books. Miller’s two round trippers came in his very first and very last MLB at bats – making him just one of two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final big league at bats. The other is Paul Gillespie – whose MLB career spanned three seasons during World War II (1942, 1944, 1945), all with the Cubs. Gillespie, a catcher, appeared in 89 games – hitting .283, with six home runs and 31 RBI; and went zero-for-six in the 1945 World Series.

Miller made his MLB debut with the Yankees on September 11, 1966. The 22-year-old was in his fifth professional season and had hit a promising .294, with 16 home runs and 59 RBI in 113 games at AA and AAA that season. Miller started that debut game (against the Red Sox at Fenway) in LF, batting seventh. In his very first big league at bat, he hit a two-out, two-run home run off of Red Sox starter Lee Stange. Despite the Yankees’ long heritage of home run hitters, Miller’s long ball made him the first Yankee to homer in his first MLB at bat. (Little did Miller know he would not get another home run nor another RBI until the final at bat of his MLB career.) Miller got in five more games with the Yankees in 1966, ending the season at .087 (two-for-23), with one home run and two RBI.

In April of 1967, Miller was traded (along with pitcher Jack Cullen and $25,000) to the LA Dodgers for utility infielder John Kennedy. Miller spent 1967 and 1968 at Triple A Spokane – putting up respectable numbers. In 1969, he made it back to the big leagues, getting in 26 games (just 38 at bats) for the Dodgers. In the first 37 of those at bats, Miller collected seven hits (one double and six singles), scored twice, but did not collect an RBI. Miller’s last at bat of the season (and what turn out to be the last at bat of his MLB career) was that September 13, 1969 pinch-hit appearance.

Miller appeared in one more box score for the Dodgers after his pinch-hit long ball, but did not come to the plate. On September 27, the Dodgers and Giants faced off in a contest tied 1-1 in the bottom of the eleventh inning. Southpaw Ron Bryant was on the mound for the Giants and, after getting Dodgers’ SS Maury Wills to pop out, he gave up singles to LF Manny Mota and CF Willie Davis. Dodgers’ manager Walt Alston sent the right-handed hitting Miller up to hit for LA pitcher Jim Brewer. Giants’ skipper Clyde King –playing the percentages – brought in veteran righty Don McMahon to pitch. Alston countered by calling Miller back and sending up left-handed swinging Len Gabrielson (who singled in the winning tally.) Without the switch, that final at bat home run could have become just an obscure next-to-last at-bat dinger.

How About a 100^th Anniversary Involving the Great Bambino – and a Touch of Irony

This September (September 20 to be exact) marks the 100^th Anniversary of the first-ever Babe Ruth Day at a ballpark. In this case, it was at Fenway Park and Ruth suited up as a member of the Boston Red Sox. By this time, Ruth: was in his sixth season in a Red Sox jersey; had already twice been a twenty-game winner; had led the league in ERA, complete games and shutouts once each; had led the AL in home runs the year before; and was on the verge of setting a new MLB single-season high in long balls.

With all of this in mind, the Knights of Columbus sponsored “Babe Ruth Day” for the BoSox hero, with ceremonies and gifts to presented between games of a double-header against the White Sox. The Babe did not disappoint – breaking a 3-3 tie with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth of game one; his 27^th home run of the season, tying the MLB single-season record. (Ruth, by the way, started the game on the mound, giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings before moving to left field.) In Game Two, Ruth started in left field and went one-for-three with an RBI, as the Red Sox prevailed again 5-4. By season’s end, he would extend the MLB home run record to 29 (.322-29-113.)

Oh yes, the irony I noted in the header? The Red Sox’ Babe Ruth Day would mark the last time Ruth ever appeared in Boston in a Red Sox uniform. The team finished out the season on the road and, that December, Ruth was sold the Yankees. (The rest, of course, is history.)

Cole Rolls a 300

Photo by boomer-44

On September 18, Astros’ right-hander Gerrit Cole notched his 19^th game with ten or more strikeouts this season. – beating the Texas Ranger 3-2 (six hits, one walk, two earned runs), while fanning ten batters in eight innings. It was also his seventh consecutive start with ten or more whiffs – and brought his season total to 302 strikeouts in 200 1/3 innings pitched.

The performance made Cole the 41st pitcher in MLB history and just the 18^th since 1893 (when the pitching distance was increased to 60’ 6”) to reach the 300 mark. (Side Note: Most baseball historians divide MLB records into pre-1900 and 1900-present. BBRT prefers to use 1893 for this record, since that is when the pitching distance was extended to 60’6”. However, it really makes no difference in record-keeping, since there were no 300K seasons between 1892 and 1903.)

Here, in honor of Cole’s feat, are a few 300-strikeout tidbits.

41 MLB pitchers have turned in 68 seasons of 300 or more strikeouts – 31 of those before 1893.
1884 saw a record 15 pitchers notch at least 300 strikeouts.
Since 1893, there have never been more than two 300K pitchers in any one MLB season.

The Exclusive 500 Club

Only one MLB pitcher has ever fanned 500 batters in a season – and that was Matt Kilroy, who whiffed 513 batters in 583 innings as a 20-year-old rookie with the 1884 American Association Baltimore Orioles. Of course, it was a different game back then. The pitching distance was shorter, hurlers threw from a box and not from a rubber and it took six balls to draw a walk.

In his record-setting season, Kilroy started 68 of the Orioles 139 games (49 percent) – and completed 66 of them. (That season, American Association starting pitchers finished an average of 96 percent of their starts.) Despite five shutouts and a 3.37 earned run average (the league ERA was 3.44), Kilroy finished 29-34 for the last-place (46-85) Orioles.

There were no 300-strikeout campaigns between 1912 (Walter Johnson – 303) and 1946 (Bob Feller – 348).
Rube Waddell’s 349 strikeouts in 1904 stood as the post-1893 (or post-1900, as most MLB historians prefer) record for 61 years (Sandy Koufax – 382 in 1965). Koufax’ record held for just eight seasons (Nolan Ryan – 383 in 1973, still the post-1900 MLB record). Koufax still holds the NL post-1900 record for whiffs in a season.

Rube Waddell – The Man Could Bring it

How good was Rube Waddell? In 1902, he joined the Philadelphia Athletics in June – making his first start on June 26 (with just 86 games left in the season). Waddell proceeded to win 24 games (the league’s second-highest total) against seven losses, with a 2.05 ERA. Despite his shortened season, he led the AL with 210 strikeouts, fifty more than the runner-up (none other than Cy Young).

The 6’1”, 195-lb. lefty (figures Waddell, known as one of the zaniest players in MLB history, would be a southpaw) went on to lead the AL in strikeouts six consecutive seasons (1902-1907) – by a wide margin. In 1904, when he set the MLB strikeout record (which stood for 61 years) at 349, he outpaced the runner up by 110 K’s.

Final note: Rube Waddell was born on Friday the 13 of October in 1876 and died on April Fool’s Day 1914. There is some symmetry there.

The only team to boast two 300+ strikeout pitchers in the same season is the 2002 Diamondbacks – Randy Johnson (334) and Curt Schilling (316).
The most 300-K seasons by any one pitcher is six – and two hurlers share the record: Nolan Ryan (1972-73-74-76-77-89) and Randy Johnson (1993-98-99-2000-01-02).
Randy Johnson reached 300 strikeouts in a record five consecutive campaigns.
The oldest player ever to record a 300-strike out season ewes 42-year-old Nolan Ryan in 1989 (301 whiffs for the Texas Rangers).

Youth will be Served

The youngest pitcher ever to record 300+ strikeouts in a season was 18-year-old rookie Larry McKeon, who fanned 308 batters in 512 innings for the American Association Indianapolis Hoosiers in 1884. Despite all those whiffs (and a 3.50 ERA) McKeon led the AA with 41 losses (versus 18 wins) that season. In 1884, the overall AA earned run average was 3.24 – and Guy Hecker was the league’s premier hurler.

The youngest pitcher to notch 300 whiffs in a season since 1900 was 21-year-old Vida Blue, who fanned 301 batters (312 innings pitched) for the A’s in 1971. That season, Blue went 24-8, with an AL-best 1,82 ERA, a league-topping eight shutouts and 24 complete games in 39 starts.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; ESPN.com; MLB.com

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE ON THE TOP 100 BASEBALL BLOG LIST

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Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Guest Post – Getting Up to Speed on Radar Guns

September 18, 2019 by David

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE PRESENTS A GUEST POST FROM LIFT YOUR GAME

We’ve come a long way since that day in the summer of 1940, when a motorcycle sped past Bob Feller (going into his wind up in Chicago’s Lincoln Park) motoring loudly toward a paper barrier, while Feller launched his fastball toward an adjacent paper target. It was a race of man against machine (and an attempt to illustrate just how blisteringly fast Feller’s heater was). Click here to see a video of that match up.

Today, we have the means to measure not just pitch speed, but also pitch spin rate, launch angle and velocity off the bat and much more. But really, this fascination with measuring velocity started with the radar gun and raw pitch speed. With that in mind, Baseball Roundtable is pleased to present this guest post – looking at radar guns – from Matt Brown of Lift Your Game (liftyourgame.net), a website dedicated to providing sport equipment reviews, performance tips and advanced tutorials. Click here to visit liftyourgame.net. Now for that guest post. Hope you enjoy Matt Brown’s thoughts, insights and opinions on radar guns.

Everything You’d Ever Wanna Know about Radar Guns in Baseball

By Matt Brown

Photo by james_in_to

Being able to track pitch speed in baseball wasn’t always as important as it is today. But since Michigan coach Danny Litwhiler began using police radar technology as a training tool in the early ’70s, pitch velocity has become one of the most important stats in baseball. (This July, for example, 23-year-old Oakland A’s fan Nathan Patterson – who hadn’t played baseball since high school – took a turn against the radar gun in the Fan Zone at an A’s game. He lit it up at 96 m.p.h. and earned a contract with the A’s franchise.)

As a pitcher, knowing your velocity obviously allows you to see how hard your fastball is – as well as how much variation there between your fastball, change-up and breaking pitches. And obviously, this information is invaluable for scouts. As a coach or scout, radar readings can help you gauge velocity and speed variation from one pitcher to another (using the same model radar gun, of course) – a key tool in helping to gauge each hurler’s potential ability to miss bats or produce weak contact.

But whether you’re a scout, a parent, or a coach, it’s not as simple as just going online and buying a $50 radar gun, pointing it at the pitcher, and pulling the trigger. You’ve got to know which type of gun to buy, and how to actually use it to get accurate readings. (There still are no tools to measure grit and heart, but technology can help measure “stuff.”)

What types of radar guns are used?

Radar guns come in all shapes and sizes. However, most of them struggle to track baseballs with much accuracy. Oddly, it’s often the devices advertised as being perfect for baseball that are the least accurate options.

For example, you can get little radar chips to put on the back of the catcher’s mitt, which are supposed to pick up ball speed on entering the mitt. While these things are great for kids, they’re not something you’d ever see an MLB coach using. This particular technology has a very short range (just a few feet in front of the mitt), and can often produce a slow reading.

There are even actual baseballs with gyros and LCD screens, which claim to show you pitch speed after a throw. As you might expect, these devices can break quite easily.

And finally, there are “pocket radars.” These products can take an accurate measurement, but are often quite inconsistent. Like in-the-glove radars, they normally produce a slightly slow reading – about 5 m.p.h. below actual pitch speed.

So, where do the readings used by scouts and put up on scoreboards around the major and minor league come from?

MLB scouts and coaches use police-style, hand-held radar guns. Most good-quality options from companies like JUGS (the first company to measure baseball velocity), Stalker and Bushnell. These radar guns generally cost anywhere from $500 up to $1500.

The most popular gun out there among the pros right now is the Stalker Sport II, a gun which is actually designed with baseball in mind. This gun is popular because it’s calibrated to pick up smaller objects like baseballs – as opposed large moving objects like cars and trucks – even at long distances (more on this below). It’s by no means cheap though! Teams may invest up to north of $1,000 in each of these radar guns and purchase them in multiples for use throughout their systems.

How do scouts use radar guns?

Photo by Aasen Ryan Family

Scouts (and anyone else using a radar gun) need to consider two basic issues to ensure that they get an accurate reading.

First, they’ve got to ensure that they’re aiming the gun at the right angle, relative to the pitcher and their throw. This is because all radar guns use something called Doppler Radar. Essentially, they work by firing radar beams at the ball. The time it takes for successive beams to return to the radar gun is then used to calculate pitch velocity. Therefore, for the readings to get back to the gun, rather than bouncing off at an angle, you need to be as straight-on with the line of the pitch as possible.

The further off-center the scout is, the slower the pitch will read. However, the better the gun, the more leeway you have with the angle of the shot. Some radar guns even allow you to compensate for the angle in the settings, in case you’re unable to get exactly in-line. Time to break out the protractor!

Lift Your Game is a sports website, made by athletes, for athletes. Since 2017, they’ve been providing gear reviews, tutorials, and other hints and tips for a variety of different sports.

For baseballers specifically, you’ll find tutorials for pitching, fielding, and batting techniques – like how to throw a split-finger fastball. They also do product tests and reviews, helping players and coaches find the right equipment to use to improve performance on the field.

Second, scouts need to consider the distance between the gun and the pitcher. Top of the line radar guns (think $1,000+) should be able to get an accurate reading at 200-300 feet – the Stalker Sport II mentioned earlier claims to work at up to 500 feet. However, for coaches or parents who have slightly cheaper models, you’ll want to be less than 150-feet away to ensure a good measurement.

Photo by Redheaded Amateur

Even the best radar guns out there are never 100 percent accurate all the time, so it’s crucial to get multiple measurements. Different scouts have different techniques, but one method is to take at least 10 readings and then find the median. This method, as opposed to using the average, ensures that the measurement is not skewed by outliers, bad readings, or change ups. With this in mind, as a fan checking out scoreboard velocity reports, you may want to look for the middle of the range of a few fastballs when evaluating a pitcher.

For Lift Your Game’s review of specific radar guns, click here.

BBRT Note: As of this posting, the Cardinals’ 22-year-old righty Jordan Hicks held the top 21 spots (and 28 of the top 30) on the 2019 Statcast pitch velocity leaderboard – and had posted a top pitch speed of 104.3 m.p.h. (Hicks underwent Tommy John Surgery in June.) In 28 2/3 innings, he had thrown twenty pitches of 103 m.p.h. or faster. The only other pitcher currently credited with a 103-m.p.h. pitch this season is the Marlins’ Tayron Guerrero, with one pitch at 103.0 mph.

_______________________________________

A Few Questions BBRT asked of Guest Poster Matt Brown.

BBRT: What is your baseball background?

Matt: I played a heap of Little League as a kid, but since then I’ve spent a lot more time watching baseball, and studying how good players become great, rather than playing … except for the occasional get-together at the park!

I have a bit of a soft spot for the Cubs, as most of my family is in Chicago, but I try to be a neutral so I can try to look at players’ performance, and analyze games, without too much bias.

For me, the beauty of baseball lies in the mental side of the sport. When two great teams come up against each other, the game is normally decided by the mental aspect of individual match-ups between players – especially pitcher versus batter. If you ask me, no other sports really have such a level of direct mental competition to them.

BBRT: What equipment advances to you think have had the greatest impact on the game?

Matt: On the field, the biggest change that you might not have thought about has probably been how gloves have evolved over the years – unless you’re a believer in the juiced ball theory! Tinfoil hats aside though, advances in baseball gloves now make it much easier to collect and throw the ball. Since they first came into baseball in the late 1800s, gloves are now bigger, lighter, and have much deeper pockets, which is part of the reason why batting averages are lower today than they were in the early years of MLB.

However, there’s a hidden impact of technological advances on baseball: training is now a lot more scientific. It’s not just about radar guns – there are now pitching machines, for example, that can throw the ball in exactly the same spot, again and again and again. The human factor is – for the large part – being taken out of the equation, allowing coaches to sort of act like doctors: diagnosing the problem (improper launch angle, for example) and prescribing a solution (sessions with a weighted bat, perhaps).

BBRT: What type of technology is used to measure exit velocity and launch angle off the bat – and how much accuracy can we expect?

Matt: To get a good measure of a batter’s exit velocity, you need to use a good-quality batting tee – one that won’t add drag to the ball as you hit it. You can technically record exit velocity off of a pitched ball, but this will normally add around 15 m.p.h. to the measurement.

Next, set up your radar gun directly behind the line of where the ball will travel when you hit it. You want to avoid measuring bat velocity if possible. If you think you are measuring bat speed, try to bring your radar gun in a little closer. You can also hit the ball into a net that’s hanging a few feet in front of you, and then use the last-recorded measurement on the gun to try and find your exit velocity. The issue with doing this is the ball will have slowed down a little by the time it reaches the net.

Measuring launch angle is a bit trickier. You’ll need specialized hardware – normally a sensor that clips onto your bat. There are a few options out there, but the good ones cost around $100, and will connect with your phone. Accuracy varies by product, but on the whole, these devices are generally quite good.

The cheaper way to do this is to try and film yourself hitting in slow motion and measure your angle manually. However, this takes a long time, and it’s hard to take an accurate measurement. If possible, it’s worth investing in a specialized sensor to measure your launch angle.

BBRT: Lots of young (and older) baseball and softball players out there. What basic advice might you give them on selecting a glove and breaking it in?

Matt: Comfort is absolutely crucial when selecting a glove. If you use something that doesn’t fit, or that isn’t the right shape, this is going to distract you in the field, which will impact your performance.

The next most important thing to consider is your position. As an infielder, you’ll want something with a shallower pocket, so you can more quickly grab the ball and make a great throw. On the other hand, for outfielders and first basemen, you’ll want a bigger, deeper glove, in order to manage different types of throws, or to reach over the fence and claw back those homers. Catcher’s mitts as you might expect are much tougher, designed to handle 80 m.p.h.+ balls on a consistent basis.

If you go for a top-of-the-line glove, chances are, the leather will be quite stiff to begin with. To break in a glove, there are a few different techniques you can use. The simplest one is to play catch with it, or repeatedly throw your ball into the palm when doing something else, like watching TV. If this just isn’t working, you can also work to soften the leather with a flat-headed mallet. Pound the pocket and also pound the web to begin making a fold where you want it on the glove. From this point, you can begin flexing specific areas repeatedly if they’re not as soft as you’d like them. If this still isn’t working, you can apply some hot water (around 160 degrees) to certain areas of the glove before flexing it repeatedly, in order to speed up the softening process.

BBRT: What would you look for in selecting a bat? And, how does it differ between wood and metal?

Matt: Finding the right bat really comes down to who you are as a player. The key is being able to find something that feels right – something that feels like it’s the correct length and weight for you as a player. How far you can hit is more a function of your strength and technique, rather than what bat you’re using. This is why the pros don’t all use the same bat.

Be sure to go into a store and actually feel the bat before buying. For kids, something in the 18-24-ounce range is normally your best bet. But for high-school level and above, you can go for heavier options, depending on the strength of the player.

As for length, you generally want the longest bat you feel comfortable using, provided it isn’t too heavy. This ensures that you can cover your entire strike zone, without having to lean or reach for the ball. Reaching for the ball will severely limit the amount of power you can generate.

BBRT: Any thoughts on wood versus metal bats?

Matt: Of course, in most instances, the league you play in will determine whether you can use a metal bat. If both wood and metal are allowed, it becomes a matter of personal preference. Some people – like me – are old-school, and just prefer the feeling of wood.

However, metal bats are on average going to produce a better hit. They’re lighter, meaning you can aim them easier, while maintaining your swing velocity. Plus, they offer a complete sweet spot.

Let me put it this way: If you’re really used to how wood bats feel, and you like having that extra bit of weight, stay with wood. Otherwise, it’s probably a better idea to go for an aluminum-alloy bat.

BBRT: Lift Your Game, BBRT has noticed, covers a wide range of sports? How does Lift Your Game select its writers?

Matt: We sure do! We specialize in all-American classics like baseball and football, but our range of coverage also includes everything from soccer to billiards.

Our writers each have a lot of experience with a number of different sports, which allows us to cover such a wide variety of topics. But when selecting writers, the team always wants to find people who have that extra work ethic – who are prepared to seek additional expertise when they need help on a certain article. We’re all athletes at the end of the day – and that’s why I think the 100+ articles we’ve put together so far make our website such a valuable resource.

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE ON THE TOP 100 BASEBALL BLOG LIST

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. To see the full list, click here.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Filed Under: Guest Posts

BBRT Musings: One-Hit Wonders – A Different Kind of Thirty Game Winner – So Close, and Yet, So Far

September 15, 2019 by David

Just a few days ago, Baseball Roundtable featured a post on the fewest combined hits ever allowed in a major league contest of at least nine innings. It happened back on September 9, 1965, when the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax bested the Cubs’ Bob Hendley 1-0. Koufax threw a no-hitter (perfect game), while the unfortunate Hendley gave up just one safety. For the whole story, click here.

Never Before – Unlikely Again

Yesterday, marked another “never before – unlikely ever again” feat of pitching excellence (or batting futility). For the first time since 1900 (according to Elias Sports Bureau), an MLB team managed a victory despite having only one base runner (which, of course, would be the bare minimum) in a game of at least nine innings. The team with this absolutely zero-waste offensive output? The Arizona Diamondbacks, who topped the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 (in Phoenix). Reds’ starter Anthony DeSclafani set the Diamondbacks down in order in the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings (fanning five); while reliever Joel Kuhnel added one whiff in a 1-2-3 eighth. The only blemish for the Reds’ mounds men came in the third inning. Arizona SS Nick Ahmed led off with a high hopper (on the first pitch he saw from DeSclafani) that bounced over the head of Reds’ third-sacker Eugenio Saurez and rolled all the way to the left field wall for a triple. D-backs’ RF Jarrod Dyson was also first-pitch swinging and sent a fly ball to center for a run-scoring sacrifice fly – and that was Arizona’s total offense for the game.

The Diamondbacks’ staff – starter Merrill Kelly (seven innings) and relievers Kevin Ginkel and Archie Bradley (one frame each) made the 1-0 lead stand up; giving up no runs on three and two walks (seven strikeouts).

It’s Happened Before, It’ll Happen Again

Yesterday (September 14), the Astros’ Zack Greinke pitched six innings of one-run ball (six hits, no walks, seven strikeouts) for the win, as Houston topped Kansas City 6-1 (in K.C.). It was the Greinke’s 203^rd career win and 16^th victory of 2019 – but his first-ever against the Royals (Greinke was a Royals’ first-round draft pick in 2002, pitched for the Royals from 2004 through 2010 and won the AL Cy Young Award as a Royal in 2009). Notably, Greinke’s win against the Royals made him the 19^th pitcher to record victories against all 30 teams. (Keep in mind, MLB didn’t reach 30 teams until 1998.) With today’s inter-league play and player movement from team to team, we can expect more hurlers to reach this mark. Still, it’s a pretty good sign of MLB longevity – and a fun statistic.

Al Leiter and me … at the 2015 All Fan Fest.

The first pitcher to notch wins against all thirty MLB team was Al Leiter, who completed the feat in 2002). Since that time, Leiter has been joined by Kevin Brown, Terry Mulholland, Curt Schilling, Woody Williams, Jamie Moyer, Randy Johnson, Barry Zito, Javier Vazquez, Vincente Padilla, Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett, Dan Haren, Kyle Lohse, Tim Hudson, John Lackey, Max Scherzer, Bartolo Colon and Zack Greinke.

Greinke’s fewest career victories against any team have come, of course, against the Royals (1). He is 1-2, 2.90 versus K.C. On the other side of the coin, he has more career victories for the Royals (60) than for any other team. He has more career victories against the Rockies (14-7, 3.66) than any other team.

Photo by apardavila

Looking at the full list, Max Scherzer was the quickest to wins against all 30 teams – just nine seasons and 248 pitching appearances. Taking the longest? Jamie Moyer and Randy Johnson each wrapped up the complete victory cycle in their 22nd MLB seasons and Derek Lowe notched a victory against team number 30 in his 641^st appearance. Oh yes, Barry Zito appeared for the fewest teams in his run to a win against all 30 franchises – taking the mound for just the Giants and A’s.

On May 11, 2016, Max Scherzer of the Nationals joined the ranks of pitchers recording a career victory against all 30 MLB teams, as Washington topped Detroit 3-2. In the process, he became the first pitcher to reach the “30-team” mark while tossing a complete game – AND he tied an MLB record by fanning 20 batters in the contest (two runs, two hits, no walks, 20 whiffs). Scherzer was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft- and has pitched for Arizona in 2008-09, Detroit (2010-2015) and Washington (2015-19).

Don’t Want to See This Again … So Close, Yet So Far

On this day (September 15) in 1971, Larry Yount (brother to Hall of Famer Robin Yount) had the shortest MLB career of any pitcher. Called up from the minors by the Astros that September, Yount was called in from the bullpen to pitch the ninth inning of a game against the Braves (Houston was trailing 4-1). While he was warming up on the mound, he felt tightness and pain in his elbow. Baseball rules require a reliever to face at least one batter, with the lone exception being if he has to be removed due to injury. That exception helped make Yount the answer to a trivia question. Yount and his painful elbow were taken out of the game before he faced a single batter. By baseball rules, however, he was credited with an MLB game appearance. Yount played three more seasons (1972-73 and 1975), but never made it back to the majors. He remains the only pitcher listed in MLB’s official records as having appeared in the majors – but never having faced a batter.

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Stan “The Man” Celebrates Becoming Stan “The Grandpa”

September 10, 2019 by David

At about 5:00 a.m. on September 10, 1963, Stan “The Man” Musial and his wife Lillian got a call from Stan’s son Dick informing them that Stan “The Man” was now Stan “The Grandpa.”

Approximately 15 hours later, Stan Musial was on the field, playing left field for the Saint Louis Cardinals, facing the Chicago Cubs. Bob Gibson was on the mound for Saint Louis and, after giving up a single to Lou Brock to open the game, he retired the next three Cubs in order. In the bottom of the first, the Cubs’ Glen Hobbie fanned Cardinals’ lead off hitter 2B Julian Javier before giving up a single to SS Dick Groat. That brought the 42-year-old Musial to the plate – for his first at bat as a grandpa. He was apparently not the least bit phased by the new age marker – drilling the first pitch he ever saw as a grandpa over the right field wall for a two-run homer. (MLB’s first-ever homer by a grandfather. Yes, in baseball we track everything.)

The Cardinals won 8-0, and Musial went two-for-three with one run scored and three RBI. It was Musial’s final big league season and he finished the year at .255-12-58. Being a grandfather seemed to agree with him, as he played in 16 games after his first grandson’s birth, going .341-2-7.

Oh, for those who track such things, Musial played 22 MLB seasons, made 20 All Star teams, collected 3,630 hits (.331 average) and seven batting titles; hit 475 home runs; led the league in hits six times, doubles eight times, triples five times, runs scored five times and RBI twice; and was a three-time NL Most Valuable Player. Over his life, he also was a father four times; grandfather eleven times; and great grandfather 12 times.

Side note: In that September 10, 1963 game, Cardinals’ starting pitcher Bob Gibson not only threw a complete-game, six-hit shutout, but also popped a three-run home run. More #WhyIHateTheDH.

Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com

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Unrequited Excellence – Stories that Connect The Left Arm of God, Hippo, The Kitten, Greasy, Fidgety Lew The Hammer and More

September 9, 2019 by David

Today (September 9, 2019) is the 54^th anniversary of the MLB game that featured the fewest base hits ever. It happened in 1965, with the Dodgers’ Sandy “The Left Arm of God” Koufax facing Cubs’ righty Bob Hendley in Los Angeles. At the time, the Dodgers (eventual 1965 World Series Champions) were in second place with an 80-61 record, while the Cubs were in the eighth spot at 65-77. Koufax went into the game with a 21-7, 2.20 record on the season; while Hendley was 2-2, with an 8.22 earned run average.

Hendley, however, was on top his game that day. After eight innings, he had given up just one hit and one walk (versus three strikeouts). The only hit had been a harmless double by Dodgers’ LF Lou Johnson in the bottom of the seventh. Hendley had allowed just one run (unearned) in eight frames – and even that wasn’t his fault. The pesky Johnson had led off the fifth with a walk; moved to second on a sacrifice by RF Ron Fairly; stole third; and then scored as Cubs’ catcher Chris Krug made a wild throw past third baseman Ron Santo.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t nearly enough. Koufax, threw a perfect game – striking out 14 Cubs. It was the last of Koufax’ four career no-hitters (one each in 1962-63-64-65) and his only perfect game. For Hendley, it was a well-pitched loss and a piece of the record for playing/pitching in the MLB game with the fewest combined hits.

Hendley, by the way, went 48-52, 3.97 in a seven-year MLB career (Braves, Giants, Cubs, Mets)’ while Koufax went to the Hall of Fame with a 165-87, 2.76 record, three Cy Young Awards, one MVP and a heavenly nickname.

HOW ABOUT BEING PART OF A DOUBLE NO-NO?

Photo by The Library of Congress

Bob Hendley could take some solace in the fact that his may not be the best-ever unrewarded mound effort. Back on May 2, 1917, another Cubs’ pitcher – Hippo Vaughn – found himself in a true pitchers’ duel (in Chicago) against the Reds’ Fred Toney. Vaughn was 3-1 on the season at the time, while Toney was 4-1. After nine innings, the game was scoreless and NEITHER pitcher had given up a hit.

Looking at total offense over the first nine innings, Vaughn had given up two walks and one Reds’ hitter had reached on an error. Those three runners were retired on an attempted steal and a pair of double plays, so Vaughn had actually faced the minimum 27 batters through nine, striking out ten. Toney was not as overpowering, but just as effective. The Reds’ starter had also given up just a pair of walks, but had fanned just one.

So, going into the tenth, Vaughn and Toney were matched up in the first (still only) double nine-inning no-hitter in MLB history. In the top of the tenth, however, Vaughn:

Surrendered a lead off single to Reds’ SS Larry Kopf;
Got CF Greasy Neale to fly out to Cubs’ CF Cy Williams (gotta love a game where a guy named Hippo Vaughn pitches to a guy name Greasy Neale);
Saw Williams drop a liner by Reds’ 1B Hal Chase – putting runners at second and third with one out; and
Gave up a high-hopping infield hit to speedy RF Jim Thorpe – scoring what would be the only run of the game.

Toney, who had fanned only one Cub over the first nine, was energized after getting the lead – completing his no-hitter with a 1-2-3 tenth, striking out two more Chicago batters. Tough loss for Vaughn, after nine innings of no-hit, no-run ball.

For those who track such things: Toney finished the 1917 season 24-16, 2.20 – and his 12-season MLB career at 139-102, 2.69. Vaughn went 23-13, 2.01 in 1917 and 178-137, 2.49 in 13 MLB seasons (

12 PERFECT INNINGS – FOR THE LOSS

For, perhaps, MLB’s toughest hard luck story, consider the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Harvey “The Kitten” Haddix, who took a perfect game into the 13th inning – AND LOST.

On May 26, 1959, Haddix took the mound (fighting a bout of the flu) against the power-laden Milwaukee Braves (who had won the National League pennant the previous two seasons and came into the game again leading the league). Haddix retired the first 36 hitters in order – fanning eight, carrying a perfect game into the bottom of the 13th. A 20-game winner in 1953, the 33-year-old Haddix had come into the game 4-2, with a 2.67 ERA in seven starts – and had thrown complete games in his two previous outings. (He would end up 12-12, 3.13 on the year.)

Unfortunately, the Braves’ “Fidgety” Lew Burdette, despite giving up 12 hits and fanning only two, had held the Pirates scoreless. (Like Haddix, Burdette had not issued a single free pass.) Milwaukee 2B Felix Mantilla led off the 13th by reaching on error by Pirates’ third baseman Don Hoak. Slugging 3B Eddie Mathews bunted Mantilla over to second, which led to an intentional walk to RF Hank “The Hammer” Aaron, bringing up 1B Joe Adcock.

Adcock rapped a 1-0 pitch over the right field fence for what appeared to be a three-run home run. However, the Braves, in celebrating the tension-filled victory, forgot how to run the bases. Adcock passed Aaron between second and third and, after some deliberation, Adcock was called out – ultimately changing his three-run homer to a one-run double. So, despite 12 perfect innings, Haddix lost the no-hitter, the shutout and the game itself. But he did etch his name forever into baseball lore; and countless trivia quizzes.

Braves’ manager Fred Haney once commented that Lew Burdette’s fidgeting antics on the mound “would make coffee nervous.”

Haddix spent 14 seasons (1952-65) in the major leagues (Cardinals, Phillies, Reds, Pirates, Orioles), going 136-113, 3.48. His best seasons were with the Cardinals in 1953-54. In those two campaigns, Haddix put up lines of 20-9, 3.06 and 18-13, 3.57. The 5’9”, 170-pounder was a three-time All Star and led the NL in shutouts (six) in 1953.

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Mike Lorenzen Joins Babe Ruth … with a bit of Jimmie Foxx “Tossed” In

September 5, 2019 by David

Yesterday (September 5), Reds’ right-hander Mike Lorenzen became only the second major leaguer to earn a win on the mound, play in the field and play a position (other than pitcher) in the field – all in the same game. The other? Babe Ruth.

Lorenzen came in from the bullpen in the top of the seventh (replacing Robert Stephenson) with the Reds leading the Phillies 5-4. He faced four batters, notching one strikeout and giving up a game-tying home run to Jay Bruce. (That long ball would be the key to Lorenzen’s appearance in the “win” column.) The Reds scored a go-ahead run on Jose Iglesias’ pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the inning.

Lorenzen pitched a 1-2-3 eighth. Then, in the bottom of the inning, he came to the plate with one on and two out – and hit home run to left-center (his first of the year) – expanding the lead to 8-5.

In the top of the ninth, another Reds’ Iglesias (closer Raisel) replaced Lorenzen on the mound, but Lorenzen’s game was not over. He moved to center field. Iglesias pitched a 1-2-3 ninth (Lorenzen did not have a play.)

Babe Ruth enjoyed a three-way day (pitching victory, home run, turn in the field) on June 13, 1921. On that date, Ruth started on the mound for the Yankees against the Tigers and pitched five innings (five hits, four runs/three earned, seven walks and one strikeout), picking up the win as the Yankees prevailed 13-8. After his turn on the mound, Ruth moved to CF, where he handled a pair of fly-ball putouts. In five plate appearances, Ruth went two-for-three (both home runs), with two walks, two runs scored and three RBI. Ruth would pitch once more that season (October 1), picking up a second win (despite giving up six runs on nine hits in four innings of relief) as the Yankees topped the Athletics 7-6. Ruth would not take the mound again until 1930.

Lorenzen’s three-way day should come as no surprise (and we may very well see more such performances in his future). Drafted out of Cal State Fullerton (38^th pick overall in the 2013 MLB draft), Lorenzen was a 2012 All American and, more relevantly, a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way (College) Player of the Year Award. As a sophomore in 2012, Lorenzen posted a 2-0 record, with 16 saves and a 1.23 earned run average in 20 appearances on the mound. That season, Lorenzen started 57 games in center field for CSF. At the plate, he hit .297, with 20 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 38 runs, 43 RBI and 14 stolen bases. Lorenzen’s stat line in three college seasons was .324-11-128, with 45 steals (in 164 games). On the mound (two seasons), he was 5-0, 1.61, with 35 saves (in 42 appearances).

In five minor-league campaigns, Lorenzen went 9-9, 2.71, with five saves in 59 appearances (31 starts); but did not fare as well at the plate (.175-1-7 in 40 at bats).

As of yesterday, the 27-year-old (in his fifth MLB season) was 1-4, 3.04, with six saves on the mound this season (66 appearances) – and .353-1-4 in 18 at bats. In 2019, he has found himself in the outfield 18 times. For his MLB career (to date), Lorenzen is 19-20, 3.99, with nine saves (243 appearances) and .267-7-22 (101 at bats).

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Jimmie Foxx – Oh, What A Relief!

The Lorenzen/Ruth connection gave me reason to reflect on the pitching career of Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx.

When Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon, he and all the space scientists were puzzled by an unidentifiable white object. I knew exactly was it was. That was a home run hit off me in 1937 by Jimmie Foxx.

Hall of Fame Pitcher Lefty Gomez

Foxx, nicknamed “The Beast” was known for his prestigious home runs. He hit them high, hard, far and often. In 20 MLB seasons, he hit 534 home runs, leading the four times. The Hall of Famer was also a nine-time All Star, three-time American League MVP and the 1933 AL Triple Crown winner (.356-48-163). Foxx also led his league in batting average twice, RBI three times, runs scored once, and total bases three times. His career batting average was .325 (2,646 hits) and he posted 1,922 RBI and 1,751 runs scored. He was one of the most feared batsmen of his era. He hit 30 or more home runs in 12 straight seasons (1929-40) and drove in 100+ runs in 13 consecutive campaigns (1929-41).

The surprise of Foxx’ stellar career may have come in his final season (1945), when the 37-year-old – a sure Hall of Famer by this time – answered the call when his team (then the Phillies) found itself short of pitching. Foxx who had taken the mound only once in his career (a 1-2-3 inning for the Red Sox in 1939) volunteered to step on the bump and into the breach. How did the veteran do? He made nine appearances, two starts – going 1-0, 1.52 in 22 2/3 innings (fanning ten). (He did give up 14 walks.) With his one clean 1939 inning, Foxx had a .152 career ERA.

Side note: Foxx, signed at 16 and was in the majors at 17. He hit .296, with 10 home runs in 76 games at Class D as a 16-year-old and .327 with one home run in Double A as a 17-year-old.

Jimmie Foxx’ lone career mound win came on August 19th, as his Phillies topped the Reds 4-2. The losing pitcher was another Fox (single X), Reds’ starter Howie Fox.

Primary Resources: MLB.com; Baseball-Reference.com; CBSsports.com

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The Dinger Diaries – Baseball Roundtable August Wrap Up

September 1, 2019 by David

It’s September 1, and that means it’s time for Baseball Roundtable’s look back at the previous month – the standings, statistics and stories that caught BBRT’s eye, as well as the BBRT Players and Pitchers of the Month and season-to-date “Trot Index.”

August came to an end with a Twins/Tigers match-up that seemed a microcosm of the 2019 season. In posting a 10-7 victory, the Twins:

hit six home runs;
hit their 268th round tripper of the season, breaking the all-time single-single season MLB record;
saw Jorge Polanco hit his 20th long ball, becoming the eighth member of the Twins to reach 20 home runs this season, breaking another all-time, single-season MLB record;
Notched their eleventh game of five or more homers this season – extending their own MLB record (they broke the old record of eight in late July).

How does BBRT feel about the home run records that just keep falling across major league baseball? Let me put it this way, the two most exciting plays I witnessed this past month were:

a third-to-second-to first triple play turned by the Twins August 7 (against the Braves), the home squad’s second triple-killing of the season; and
a successful suicide squeeze pulled off (against the Twins) by the White Sox’ Yolmer Sanchez on an 0-2 count.

But enough “old schooling,” the Twins are on their way to the first 300-homer season in MLB history (and then some), as well as on their way to the post season. (Yes, I’m that confident.) And, that makes for some pretty exciting baseball for me. Now, here’s a look at a few other baseball events that caught my eye in August.

Two players (Mets’ Wilson Ramos and Astros’ Alex Bregman) hit over .400 for the month.
A rookie (Bo Bichette) set a record by doubling in nine straight games – and at the time he had only played in 11 MLB contests.
Carl Yastrzemski‘s grandson Mike had a three-homer game – giving the rookie the same number of three-homer games as his Hall of Fame grandfather.

In August, the New York Yankees, with MLB’s best record (21-9), were the only team with zero (that’s right zero) sacrifice bunts.

The Yankees set a new MLB record for home runs in a calendar month (74).
Kevin Gausman joined Nolan Ryan as one of the only two pitchers to thrown an immaculate inning (nine pitches, three strikeouts) in both the American and National Leagues.
The Mets’ Pete Alonso broke the National League rookie-season home run record, ending August with 42 dingers.
Eduardo Escobar became just the fourth MLB switch-hitter to record 20 doubles, 10 triples and 30 home runs in a season; joining Mickey Mantle; Rip Collins and Jimmy Rollins.
Mike Trout became the youngest player to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases in his career.

When you get to the highlights section, you’ll find the details on these and plenty of other August stories. But, let’s move on now to the Players and Pitchers of the month.

______________________________________________________________

–— BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH—–

AL Player of the Month – Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros

Photo by KA Sports Photos

Bregman truly raked in the dog days of August, putting up an MLB second-best (among players with at least 75 at bats) .404 average, with six home runs, an AL-tops 31 RBI and the senior circuit’s second-highest 27 runs scored. Over the course of the month, he had 14 multi-hit games in 26 starts and raised his average from .266 to .290.

Other contenders: Well, it’s easy to see why the Astros fared so well in August. Also contending for BBRT’s AL Player of the Month were: Astros’ 1B Yuli Gurriel (.344-7-29) and Houston rookie LF Yordan Alvarez (.309-9-26). Bregman, Gurriel and Alvarez were 1-3-6 in the AL in August RBI. Young Yankee infielders Gleyber Torres and Gio Urshela also deserve recognition. Torres launched an AL-best 13 August home runs, to go along with a .277 average and 21 RBI; while Urshela hit .385, with seven long balls, 18 RBI and 20 runs scored.

AL Pitcher of the Month – Mike Clevinger, RHP, Indians

Photo by KA Sports Photos

If the Indians manage to chase down the Twins for the AL Central Division crown, Mike Clevinger will have a lot to do with it. In August, he went 5-0 in six starts (one of just three pitchers with five or more wins in the month), putting up a 1.96 earned run average and fanning 51 batters (with just 11 walks) in 36 2/3 innings. Clevinger gave up two or fewer earned runs in five of his six starts.

Other Contenders: It was very close between Clevinger and the Yankees’ James Paxton, the only pitcher to tally six victories (no losses) in August. Paxton had a 3.57 ERA and fanned 39 batters (14 walks) in 35 1/3 frames. Also in the running was the White Sox’ Lucas Giolito, who only went 3-2, but had a 2.45 August ERA and fanned an MLB-high 53 batters in 33 innings, while walking just nine. Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees saved an MLB-high nine August games in nine opportunities, put up a 0.00 ERA and fanned 20 batters in 11 innings.

Surprise Player of the Month

Of course, the Reds’ Aristides Aquino (see below) was a surprise – a rookie topping MLB in home runs and RBI in his first MLB month. But, he’s the BBRT NL Player of the Month. So, BBRT will go with Mets’ catcher Wilson Ramos, who hit .434 for August (43-for 99), with three homers and 20 RBI. A career (10 seasons) .276 hitter, Ramos came into August hitting .255 on the year, went two-for-three in a game against the White Sox on August 1 and took off from there. He collected hits in 25 out of 26 August games played – ending the month with a still-active, 24-game hitting streak. The two-time All Star is having a banner season – standing at .299-13-66 through August.

NL Player of the Month – Reds’ OF Aristides Aquino

What can you say? The 22-year-old rookie led all of MLB with 14 August home runs and 33 August RBI – in just 29 games; while also putting up a .300 average. His 14 home runs were the most ever in a month by an NL rookie and he is the first player to collect 14 long balls in his first 100 MLB plate appearances.

Other Contenders: I’ll slot in a couple of third basemen here. Nationals’ 3B Anthony Rendon hit .394 for August, with eight home runs, 29 RBI and 23 runs scored. Rockies’ 3B Nolan Arenado not only continued to flash Gold Glove leather, his August stat line was .337-12-23.

NL Pitcher of the Month – (Tie) Jack Flaherty, RHP, Cardinals and Sonny Gray, RHP, Reds

Photo by Minda Haas Kuhlmann

The Cardinals are in a tight race with the Cubs and Jack Flaherty contributed significantly to the team’s August surge. The 23-year-old Flaherty, who came into August with a 4-6, 4.17 record on the year (and 12-17, 3.89 career marks) turned it up a notch (or more) last month. He went 4-1 in six starts with an MLB-best (among pitchers with at least 25 innings pitched) 0.71 earned run average. He also fanned 47 batters in 38 innings, while walking just nine. He started the month with a key victory against the rival Cubs – going seven scoreless innings, giving up just one hit, walking two and fanning nine.

Right there with Flaherty was the Reds’ Sonny Gray. The 29-year-old, in his seventh MLB season, went 4-0 in six starts for the Reds (who went 13-16 for the month), putting up a nifty 0.74 ERA and striking out 44 in 36 2/3 innings of work.

Other Contenders: Walker Buehler of the Dodgers, who only went 2-1 (five starts), but put up a 1.69 ERA and fanned 48 (against just eight walks) in 32 innings; the Mets’ Jacob deGrom – 2-1, 2.18 with 40 whiffs (five walks) in 33 innings of work; and the Cubs’ Jose Quintana, who went 4-1, 2.02 in six starts.

TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BBRT FEATURE

Through August, 35.9 percent of MLB’s 156,355 2019 plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We’re talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (22.7%); walks (8.5%); home runs (3.6%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). Personally, I’d like more action in the field of play.

For the 2018 season, 34.8 percent of all MLB’s 185,139 plate appearances ended in a trot.

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They Were the Best of Teams and the Worst of Teams

The Yankees were MLB’s hottest team in August, going 21-9 and expanding their AL East lead from 7 ½ to ten games over the Rays. Their surge was fueled at the plate – where they had the AL’s third-highest batting average for the month (.278); scored the third-most runs (178); and set a new MLB record for home runs in a calendar month (74). On the mound, the Bronx staff put up a “middle of the road” eighth-best earned run average in the AL (4.60), so they needed to bring their bats to the ballpark to produce that .700 winning percentage. Surprisingly, despite the 74 dingers, the Yankees only had one player with at least ten in August – infielder Gleyber Torres (.277-13-21), who had the AL’s most August long balls. However, eight Bombers had at least five August dingers. A couple of key contributors were 2B DJ LeMahieu (.336-9-19) and 3B Gio Urshela (.385-7-18). On the mound, James Paxton went 6-0, 3.57 in six starts (leading MLB in August wins) and Domingo German had a 4-1, 3.86 month. Aroldis Chapman also played a crucial role in the Yankees’ victory total, saving nine games in nine opportunities – and not giving up an earned run.

The Astros had a strong month (19-9) and needed every bit of it, as the A’s nearly matched their pace (17-9). The Astros did it with a combination of offense and pitching. They scored the AL’s (and MLB’s) most runs in August (200) and put up the league’s second-best ERA (3.42). The big gun at the plate for the Astros was 3B Alex Bregman, who hit .404 in August, with six home runs and 31 RBI. Houston, in fact, had four players with 20 or more August RBI: Bregman; Yuli Guerriel (.344-7-29); Yordan Alvarez (.309-9-26); and Jose Altuve (.308-9-20). On the mound, starters Gerrit Cole, Wade Miley and Zack Greinke went a combined 11-0, 2.99.

The A’s (17-9) also showed some balance – scoring the AL’s fifth-most runs (146) and putting up the third-best August ERA in the senior circuit (3.85). SS Marcus Seimen led they way at the plate (.282-8-21); the 1B/DH combo of Matt Olson (.297-5-21) and Mark Canha .347-6-18) also boosted the Oakland offense; and Mike Fiers (4-0, 2.76) and Liam Hendriks (eight saves in eight opportunities and a 0.73 ERA) led the mound staff. Homer Bailey and Tanner Roark went 3-1 and 2-1, respectively.

Over in the NL, the Nationals (19-7) and Braves (19-9) had the best August records. The Cardinals went 18-9, to build a 2 1/2 game lead over the Cubs.

The Nationals topped the NL in August runs scored (180). Anthony Rendon (.394-8-29, 23 runs) led the Washington attack, with plenty of help from: Juan Soto (.313-10-22, with 29 runs scored); Adam Eaton (.329-5-14, with 26 runs); and Trea Turner (.324-4-16, with 25 runs). The Nationals’ 4.19 ERA was fourth in the NL. Joe Ross had an especially good August, going 3-0, 1.05 in five starts.

The Braves scored the NL’s third-most runs (151) and had the league’s fifth-best ERA (4.05). The big boppers for the Braves were a veteran and a youngster – who each logged an identical 11 home runs, 27 RBI, and 23 runs scored. Freddie Freeman accomplished that line with a .267 average, while Ronald Acuna, Jr. put up a .270 mark. Josh Donaldson was the only other Brave with more than four August homers (he had eight); and no other Braves had more than 13 RBI for the month. On the mound, Max Fried was 4-0, 3.51; Dallas Keuchel was 3-1, 3.53; and Luke Jackson picked up three wins and a save (no losses) in 14 relief appearances (1.88 ERA).

The Cardinals and Cubs are locked in a battle for the NL Central and St. Louis got the better of it in August (18-9 to the Cubs 16-12). The Redbirds’ move to the top of the NL Central was driven primarily by the pitching staff, which put up an MLB-best 3.26 earned run average for the month (the Cubs were eleventh at 4.39). On offense, the Cardinals scored 141 August runs – 13th in MLB and 8th in the National League. Note: The Cubs put only 131 August runs on the board. Leading the Cardinals from the mound were: Jack Flaherty (4-1, 0.71 in six starts) and Dakota Hudson (4-1, 2.38 in six starts). On offense, 2B Kolton Wong hit .373 and scored 11 runs, SS Tommy Edman hit .308 and scored a team-high 19 runs, and RF Dexter Fowler had a team-high 21 RBI. Overall, the offense, while not dominating, showed balance. Eight players scored 10 or more runs and six players drove in a dozen or more tallies.

Oh, by the way, the worst teams last month were the Tigers, Royals, Orioles, Angels, Rockies and Marlins – all won less then ten games. Surprise! Those teams make up six of the seven worst August earned run averages.

If the season ended after play on August 31, the post-season teams would be:

American League

Yankees, Astros Twins. Wild Cards: Indians and A’s or Rays

National League

Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers. Wild Cards: Nationals and Cubs

Full Standings and Stats Later in this Post.

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IF YOU PREFER TO SKIP AND STATS AND GO RIGHT TO THE STORIES,

SCROLL DOWN TO THE HIGHLIGHTS SECTION

—-LEAGUE LEADERS – TEAMS – MONTH OF AUGUST 2019—-

RUNS SCORED … MLB Team Average – 138

AL: Astros (200); Twins (189); Yankees (178)

NL: Nationals (180); Dodgers (156); Braves (151)

The Rangers scored the fewest August runs at 104, while the Brewers were at the bottom of the NL, plating just 106 runners.

BATTING AVERAGE … MLB Team Average – .259

AL: Astros (.297); Twins (.282); Yankees (.278)

NL: Nationals (.292); Rockies (.283); Mets (.279)

Three teams hit under .230 for the month: Rangers (.217); Mariners (.221); and Royals (.224).

HOME RUNS … MLB Team Average – 41

AL: Yankees (74); Twins (59); Astros (53)

NL: Dodgers (51); Reds (48); Cubs (47)

At the bottom of the power list were the White Sox (24 home runs); Tigers (28); and Marlins (29)

SLUGGING PERCENTAGE – MLB Team Average – .449

AL: Yankees (.551); Astros (542); Twins (.516)

NL: Nationals (.517); Dodgers (.498); Rockies (.475)

The Yankees collected 136 extra-base hits in August – 59 doubles, three triples and 74 home runs. Overall, 46.6 percent of their August safeties went for extra bases.

STOLEN BASES … MLB Team Average – 12

AL: Rangers (23); Mariners (19); Indians (15)

NL: Nationals (26); Phillies (19); Pirates (19)

The power-focused Twins attempted only four steals in August – and were successful just twice. That was the MLB low for the month.

BATTERS’ STRIKEOUTS … MLB Team Average – 238

AL: Tigers (309); White Sox (281); Rangers (277)

NL: Marlins (280); Padres (268); Braves (257)

What strikes BBRT here is that, despite pitchers not hitting in the AL, three of the top four teams in terms of batters’ strikeouts were from the junior circuit.

WALKS DRAWN … MLB Average – 90

AL: Astros (126); Angels (110); A’s (100)

NL: Braves (117); Dodgers (109); Phillies (104)

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EARNED RUN AVERAGE … MLB Team Average – 4.68

AL: Indians (3.37); Astros (3.52); A’s (3.85)

NL: Cardinals (3.26); Dodgers (3.58); Mets (3.74)

Dog Days of Summer Hounding These Staffs

Four teams posted earned run averages north of 6.00 in August: Orioles (6.67); Rockies (6.36); Marlins (6.21); and Royals (6.02).

BATTING AVERAGE AGAINST … MLB Team Average – .259

AL: Yankees (.233); Astros (.239); Indians (.241)

NL: Cardinals (.220); Dodgers (.231); Nationals (.239)

The White Sox were the only team with two complete games in August. Twenty-three teams did not see a complete-game effort during the month.

STRIKEOUTS … MLB Team Average – 238

AL: Rays (286); Astros (271); Yankees (270)

NL: Reds (284); Dodgers (276); Pirates (262)

WALKS (Fewest) … MLB Team Average – 90

AL: A’s (61); Mariners (68); Rays (73); Indians (73)

NL: Dodgers (65); Cubs (72); Phillies (75)

Grab Some Bench, Pardner.

The leaders in K’s per nine innings for August were the Rays (10.59) and Reds (10.05). The leaders in Strikeouts-versus-walks ratio were the Dodgers (4.25) and Rays (3.92).

SAVES … MLB Team Average – 6

AL: Yankees (13); Twins (10); A’s (9); Rays (9)

NL: Cubs (10); Reds (9); Padres (9); Diamondbacks (9)

MLB’s best save percentage in August belonged to the Blue Jays at 88.9 percent – nine saves in ten opportunities. Miami was at the opposite end of the spectrum at 12.5 percent – seven blown saves in eight July opportunities

Now, how about individual leaders for the month – followed by some highlights?

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—-INDIVIDUAL LEADERS FOR August 2019—–

BATTING AVERAGE (75 or more at bats)

AL: Alex Bregman, Astros (.404); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (.394); Gio Urshela, Yankees (.385)

NL: Wilson Ramos, Mets (.434); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (.394); Trevor Story, Rockies (.379)

The lowest average among players with at least 75 August at bats belonged to the Mariners’ Daniel Vogelbach at .130 (13-for-77). Nineteen players with at least 75 at bats hit under .200 for the month.

HITS

AL: Tim Anderson, White Sox (44); Jose Abreu, White Sox (42); Alex Bregman, Astros (40); Gio Urshela, Yankees (40)

NL: Wilson Ramos, Mets (43); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (41); Trevor Story, Rockies (41); Amed Rosario, Mets (41)

HOME RUNS

AL: Gleyber Torres, Yankees (13); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (10); Jorge Soler, Royals (10)

NL: Aristides Aquino, Reds (14); Nolan Arenado, Rockies (12); four with 11

The Astros’ Alex Bregman and Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette each had an MLB-high 21 extra base hits in August.

RBI

AL: Alex Bregman, Astros (31); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (29); Yuli Gurriel, Astros (29)

NL: Aristides Aquino, Reds (33); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (29); Eduardo Escobar, D-backs (28); Starlin Castro, Marlins (28)

Among players with at least 75 August at bats, the Astros’ Alex Bregman had the highest August on-base percentage at .487. In the NL, it was the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo at .467.

RUNS SCORED

AL: Jose Altuve, Astros (32); Alex Bregman, Astros (27); Carlos Santana, Indians (26)

NL: Juan Soto, Nationals (29); Adam Eaton, Nationals (26); Trea Turner, Nationals (25)

STOLEN BASES

AL: Mallex Smith, Mariners (10); Jonathan Villar, Orioles (9); Delino DeShields, Rangers (8)

NL: Starling Marte, Pirates (11); Trea Turner, Nationals (8); Jon Berti, Miami (7)

The Rangers’ Delino DeShields swiped the most bags without getting caught in August (8). Meanwhile, the Mariners’ Keon Broxton was caught in four of five attempts. The Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette was the only other player caught stealing four times in August (seven attempts).

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

AL: Miguel Sano, Twins (42); Danny Santana, Rangers (41); Brandon Dixon, Tigers (38)

NL: Eugenio Suarez, Reds (39); Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (39); Hunter Renfroe, Padres (38); Ryan McMahon, Rockies (38)

Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Eugenio Suarez, who tied for the NL lead in whiffs, still managed to put up stat lines of .270-11-27 and .269-10-14, respectively.

WALKS

AL: Carlos Santana, Indians (24); Mike Trout, Angels (22); Yordan Alvarez, Astros (21)

NL: Yasmani Grandal, Brewers (25); Josh Donaldson, Braves (24); Rhys Hoskins, Phillies (24)

PITCHING VICTORIES

AL: James Paxton, Yankees (6-0); Mike Clevinger, Indians (5-0); four with four

NL: Junior Guerra, Brewers (5-2); seven with four

How Fair Is That?

In July, the Pirates’ Trevor William went 4-2 in six starts – with a 6.68 earned run average. The Giants’ Jeff Samardzija went 1-2 in five starts – with a 1.84 ERA.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (at least 25 innings pitched)

AL: Ryan Yarborough, Rays (1.50); Ivan Nova, White Sox (1.95); Mike Clevinger, Indians (1.96)

NL: Jack Flaherty, Cardinals (0.71); Sonny Gray, Reds (0.74); Joe Ross, Nationals (1.05)

STRIKEOUTS

AL: Lucas Giolito, White Sox (53 in 33 innings pitched); Mike Clevinger, Indians (51 in 36 2/3 IP); Shane Bieber, Indians (50 in 41 1/3 IP)

NL: Walker Buehler, Dodgers (48 in 32 IP); Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (48 in 38 IP); Jack Flaherty, Cardinals (47 in 38 IP); Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (47 in 38 1/3 IP)

Lucas Giolito led all pitchers (with at least 25 August innings) in strikeouts per nine innings (14.45).

SAVES

AL: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees (9); Liam Hendriks, A’s (8); Emilio Pagan, Rays (8)

NL: Archie Bradley, D-backs (9); Kirby Yates, Padres (8); Raisel Iglesias, Reds (7)

The Yankees’ Zack Britton had an MLB-high eight holds in August.

Double Your Pleasure

Major League baseball has seen only six 60-double seasons (versus, for example, eight seasons of 60 or more home runs). All six of those 60-double seasons occurred before 1940 (between 1926 and 1936, to be more precise). This season, three players are chasing down that magic number – Rafael Devers with 48 doubles, Xander Bogaerts with 47 and Nick Castellanos with 46. The all-time, single-season high belong to the Red Sox’ Earl Webb, with 67 two-baggers in 1931. Others with 60 or more: Joe Medwick, 1936 Cardinals (64); George Burns, 1926 Indians (64); Hank Greenberg, 1934 Tigers (63); Paul Waner, 1932 Pirates (62); and Charlie Gehringer, 1936 Tigers (60).

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—–AUGUST HIGHLIGHTS … STORIES AND STATS—-

Who Says Pitchers Can’t Hit? (Oops, I mean, field.)

On August 2, the Phillies found themselves short-handed in the bullpen as their game against the White Sox moved deep into extra innings. The situation was so challenging that, in the 14^th frame, outfielder Roman Quin took the mound for the Phillies and pitcher Vince Velasquez took a spot in left field. In the 14th, Velasquez cut down the potential winning run (Jose Abreu attempting to score on a James McCann single) with a strong and accurate throw to the plate. In the 15^th inning, Velasquez flashed more leather, making a diving catch to end the inning. (Unfortunately, the White Sox had scored one in the inning, and the Phillies fell by a 4-3 score.)

2019’s Fifth Cycle

On August 5, Orioles’ shortstop Jonathan Villar came up in the ninth inning against Yankees’ flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman. Villar slapped a single into right and, while it didn’t help the Orioles to victory (they fell to NY 9-6), it did put Villar into the record books. Villar had tripled in the third, doubled in the fifth and homered in the sixth. His ninth-inning single gave him the fifth cycle of the 2019 season. Others to hit for the cycle this season are: Jorge Polanco, Twins; Shohei Ohtani, Angels; Jake Bauers, Indians; and Trea Turner, Nationals.

Eight is Enough

On August 7, Astros’ 1B Yuli Gurriel brought his A-game to a contest (in Houston) against the Rockies. Gurriel drove in eight runs in a 14-3 Astros win – tying both the club record for RBI in a game and the single-game RBI record for Cuban-born players. (Another #InBaseballWeTrackEverything moment.) Sharing the record(s) with Gurriel are Astro J.R. Towles (September 20, 2007) and Cuba-born Jose Canseco (June 13, 1994) and Yasmani Grandal (May 7, 2015). Gurriel’s day went like this:

First inning – three-run home run;
Third inning – run-scoring sacrifice fly;
Fourth inning – double, driving in three runs;
Sixth inning – safe on a fielder’s choice, scoring a run, with Gurriel getting the RBI;
Seventh inning – pop out to second baseman.

The Yankees are For the Birds

On August 7, The Yankees pounded the Orioles 14-2 in Baltimore – going yard five times. That output gave the Bronx Bombers the all-time record for home runs against one team in a season at 52, as well as the record for home runs in a season in one ballpark as a visitor (43). In addition, it gave them a record-tying five straight games with at least five home runs (tied the 1977 Red Sox). And the Yankees weren’t done yet. When their season against the Orioles was completed, the Yankee had hit .303, with 61 home runs and 151 runs (7.9 per game) against the Birds. Overall, they outscored the Orioles by 68 runs, while winning 17 of 19 games.

A Little Something Extra

Photo by mwlguide

On August 8, the Blue Jays’ 21-year-old rookie SS Bo Bichette collected a pair of extra-base hits – a home run and a double. It was his ninth consecutive game with at least one extra-base knock. In the process, he became the first MLB player ever to collect a double in nine straight contests and the first rookie since Ted Williams (good company there) to collect an extra-base hit in nine straight games What makes this rather unique is that, at the time he hit his way into the record books, Bichette had played in just 11 MLB games (called up in late July). Over those first 11 contests, Bichette hit .408 (20-for-49, with nine doubles, four home runs and seven RBI). Not a bad start for Dante’s kid.

Three is Not a Crowd

On August 10, the Astros’ 22-year-old rookie OF Yordan Alvarez hit three home runs and drove in seven tallies, as Houston bounced the Orioles 23-2 (unfortunately, for the fans, at Camden Yards). The performance gave him 51 RBI in his first 45 career games – breaking Ted Williams’ record of 47 in his first 45 contests. (More #InBaseballWeTrackEverything.) At the close of play on August 31, Alvarez had a stat line of .319-21-62 in 64 games.

On August 10, Astros’ rookie Yordan Alvarez and Reds’ rookie Aristides Aquino each hit three home runs. The first time two MLB rookies hit three dingers in a game on the same day.

Sale-ing Toward 2,000 Whiffs

It’s been a tough season for Chris Sale, but on August 13, he reached a milestone and did it in fewer innings than any other pitcher in MLB history. In the third inning of a contest against the Indians, Sale fanned Cleveland CF Orlando Mercado for his fifth strike out of the game and the 2,000^th of his career. He reached the 2,000 figure in 1,626 innings, breaking Pedro Martinez’ mark of 1,711 1/3. Sale fanned 12 batters in the game (6 2/3 innings), but also gave up five runs (three earned) on two walks and five hits. (He got no decision.) The contest would prove to be the last of the season for Sale, who went on the Injured List (elbow) four days later and will be out for the remainder of the season. He finished 2019 with a 6-11, 4.40 record and 218 strikeouts in 147 1.3 innings pitched.

Revolving Door

On August 10, Mariners’ rookie RHP Reggie McClain made his major league debut in the seventh inning of a game against the Rays. It was meaningful both for McClain and Seattle catcher Omar Navarez. McClain was the 38th different pitcher caught bu Navarez this season – a new MLB record (he has since extended the record to 39). And, just think, he’ll soon be catching the September call-ups.

100 – That’s a Nice Round Number

On August 15, Astros’ shortstop Carlos Correa hit his 100^th career home run (as the Astros lost to the A’s 7-6 in Oakland). In the process he became just the third shortstop to hit 100 home runs before turning 25-years-old – putting himself in some pretty good company (Cal Ripken, Jr. and Alex Rodriguez).

Let’s Go. I’m in a Hurry

On August 16, Reds’ 25-year-old rookie OF Aristides Aquino popped his 10^th career home run – as the Reds lost the Cardinals 13-4 at Great American Ball Park. After just 16 MLB games (15 coming this season), Aquino’s 10 dingers made him the fastest ever (career-wise) to reach double digits in long balls. Aquino’s two-run-shot, off Adam Wainwright, came in the bottom of the sixth. At the close of play on the 16^th, Aquino was hitting .353 (18-for 51). He had one MLB at bat (no hits) in 2018, which means that 55.6 percent of his hits over his first 15 games had gone yard.

And, he wasn’t done. On August 29, Aquino hit his 14^th home run of the season. It was also his 14^th home run in August, giving him the National League rookie record for home runs in a month – topping Cody Bellinger’s 13 in June of 2017. The Tigers’ Rudy York holds the overall rookie record for homers in a calendar month at 18 (August, 1937). At the close of the month, Aquino was hitting .320-14-33.

The European Sultan of Swat

Photo by IDSportsPhoto

On August 16, the Twins’ Max Kepler hit his 33^rd home run of the 2019 season – as the Twins topped the Rangers 4-3 at Texas’ Globe Life Park. Providing another example of “In baseball, we pretty much track everything,” the blast gave Kepler the single-season, MLB record for home runs by a European-born player. The German-born Kepler broke the 32-HR record of Scottish-born Bobby Thomson (New York Giants, 1951). Kepler finished August with 36 round trippers.

Yaz Sir, that’s My Grandson

On August 16, a week before his 29th birthday, Giants’ rookie Mike Yastrzemski – grandson of Carl Yastrzemski – hit three home runs, as San Francisco topped the Diamondbacks 10-9 at Chase Field. Young Mike now has as many career three-homer games as his Hall of Fame grandfather.

Thirteen is Not Always an Unlucky Number

Gleyber Torres of the Yankees hit 13 home runs against the Orioles this season – one short of Lou Gehrig’s record for the most home runs against one team in a campaign. In 18 games versus Baltimore, Torres hit .394, with 13 home runs, 20 RBI and 22 runs scored. At Camden Yards, he went .400-7-10 in eight games.

Stop the Insanity – More Homer News

August 17 was a bit of an off-day for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not only did they lose to the Braves 4-2 in Atlanta, the Dodgers hit only two home runs. The two-dinger output broke the Dodgers’ MLB-record string of five consecutive games with at least four long balls (August 11-16). During that string, the Dodgers went 4-1 (losing a 13-7 decision at Miami on August 15), out-homering their opponents 22-3 and outscoring them 48-21.

Ah, Sweet Youth

Photo by IDSportsPhoto

On August 18, the Red Sox’ 22-year-old 3B Rafael Devers went four-for-five with a homer (his 27^th of the season), two doubles and four RBI, as the Red Sox won 13-7 at Fenway. The runs driven in gave Devers 101 RBI on the season – making him the first player to reach 100 RBI in 2019. Devers ended the month with a .320-28-104 line on the season.

Another Immaculate Inning – and Some Elite Company

Photo by IDSportsPhoto

Reds’ reliever Kevin Gausman was called in (August 18) to pitch the eighth inning of the Reds/Cardinals contest (in St. Louis) – with the Cardinals up 5-1. He proved to have some pretty good stuff that day. Gausman proceeded to fan the side – Paul DeJong, Yadier Molina, Lane Thomas – on just 14 pitches. Who would have guessed he’d do measurably better in the ninth?

In the ninth inning, Gausman took just nine pitches to fan the side – Yairo Munoz, Dexter Fowler, Tommy Erdman – notching 2019’s sixth “Immaculate Inning” (nine pitches, three punch outs).

Gausman’s immaculate inning put him in some pretty good company. It was the second immaculate inning of his career (he also threw one for the Orioles on April 23 of last season). Only six other pitchers have tossed more than one immaculate frame: Sandy Koufax with three and the following hurlers with two each – Lefty Grove; Nolan Ryan; Randy Johnson; Chris Sale (both this season); and Max Scherzer. Gausman also joined Ryan as one of only two pitchers to throw an immaculate inning both the AL and NL.

Another Home Run Record Falls – and Falls Far

On August 18, the Mets’ 24-year-old rookie 1B Pete Alonso rapped a home run to left to lead off the top on the ninth in a Metes’ 11-5 win over the Royals. It was Alonso’s 40^th long ball of the year – giving him the National League rookie home run record – with plenty of season to go. (By the end of August Alonso had 42 dingers.) The MLB record? Aaron Judge’s 52 in 2017.

Even the Pitching Highlights Include the Long Ball

Photo by slgckgc

On August 23, the Mets’ Jacob deGrom tossed a gem against the rival Braves – at one point fanning eight-straight in a seven-inning, four-hit, one-run, 13-strikeout outing. Note: deGrom left with the game tied 1-1, and the Mets eventually lost 2-1 in 14 innings. There was some significance to deGrom’s night on the bump. He also homered in the sixth (the only run the Mets would score all night), making him the first pitcher ever to go deep in the same game in which he fanned at least 13 batters twice in one season. (Back on April 3, deGrom tossed seven three-hit, no-run, 14-strikeout game against the Marlins – and also led off the third inning with a home run.) Oh yes, another example of “In baseball, we pretty much track everything.” Also, more #WhyIHateTheDH.

Catch Me If You Can

On August 23, Yankees’ backstop Gary Sanchez popped his 29th home run of 2019 – which was also the 100^th long ball of his career. It was a solo shot in the third inning off Hyun-Jin Ryu and contributed to a 10-2 Yankee win over the Dodgers. That dinger made Sanchez the quickest American League player (in terms of games played) to reach 100 homers, as well as the quickest catcher (in either league) to reach the mark. It came in his 355th career game. Joey Gallo had been the fastest AL player to reach the mark (377 games) and Mike Piazza of the Dodgers had been the fastest catcher to reach the mark (422 games). Side note: On August 27, Aaron Judge reached the 100–homer mark in his 371^st game; behind only the all-time fastest – Ryan Howard, 325 games – and Sanchez.

More Long Ball Marks Erased

Photo by jenniferlinneaphotography

On August 25, Yankees’ 2B DJ LeMahieu led off the Bombers’ game against the Dodgers (in Los Angeles) with his 22nd home run of the season. It was also the Yankees’ 59^th round tripper in August, breaking the all-time MLB record for home runs by a team in any month. The 1987 Orioles and 1999 Mariners each had 58 dingers in May of those two seasons. By the end of August, the Yankees had extended the record to 74 home runs.

A Twins’ Twin’s Twin Makes His Debut (consider the grammar)

On August 27, Twins’ reliever Taylor Rogers converted his 21^st save for the Minnesota club – as the Twins topped the White Sox 3-1 at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field. Once he hit the locker room, Rogers tuned all the available televisions to the Giants/Diamondback’s game. His goal? To, hopefully, see his twin brother Tyler (who had been called up the day before) make his MLB debut for the Giants. (Tyler and Taylor are each, in effect, a twin’s twin.) Taylor got his wish as Tyler Rogers pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning in the Giants’ 3-2 loss. This made the Rogers brothers just the tenth set of twins to make the major leaguers – and the first to both make it as pitchers. A final BBRT note on this topic.: If you consider twins to be a mirror image of each other, it makes sense that Taylor throws left-handed and Tyler tosses righty.

A Baker’s Dozen for Aquino

On August 28, Reds’ rookie RF Aristides Aquino launched a three-run homer in the first inning of a 5-0 Reds’ win over the Marlins – making him the first player in the modern era to hit 13 home runs in his first 100 plate appearances. He broke the record of an even dozen set by the Phillies’ Rhys Hoskins (2017) and tied by the Dodgers’ Will Smith this season. In his first 100 MLB plate appearances, Aquino went 28-for- 89 (.315), with 13 home runs and 29 RBI, while also drawing eight walks. For those interested in such things, at Triple A this season, Aquino hit .299 with 28 home runs in just 78 games.

20-10-30 – That’s a Switch

On August 29, Diamondbacks’ 3B Eduardo Escobar went two-for-five with two runs scored and three RBI, as Arizona topped the Dodgers 11-5. Escobar’s RBIs came on a three-run home run in the sixth inning – and gained him admission to a somewhat exclusive club. Esc0bar became just the fourth switch hitter (Mickey Mantle, Rip Collins, Jimmy Rollins) to collected 20 doubles, 10 triples and 30 home runs in the same season. He ended the month at ..270-32-109, with 25 doubles and ten triples.

Dinger Diaries – Minnesota Rewrites the Record Book in August

As the Twins marched toward the all-time, single-season home run record, they already had one mark in their pocket. On August 29, the Twins topped the White Sox 10-5 in Chicago – in a game that included a pair of long balls by Jake Cave and one by C.J. Cron. That gave Minnesota 141 home runs as the visiting team this season – a new MLB single-season, road-dinger record. By month’s end, their road home runs would total 148.

On August 31, the Twins launched six home runs (in a 10-7 loss in Detroit). The third of those long balls, hit by SS Jorge Polanco in the fifth, was Polanco’s 20th of the season – making the Twins the first team in MLB history with eight players hitting 20 home runs in the same season. A home run by DH Nelson Cruz in the eighth tied the all-time record of 267 home runs in a season (2018 Yankees), but the tie didn’t last long. One inning later C Mitch Garver went yard for the second time in the game – setting a new mark at 268. The Twins ended August on a pace to hit 322 home runs by season’s end.

Worth Waiting For

On August 30, Red Sox’ CF and lead off man Mookie Betts started the game against the Angels with a home run to left. About five hours and six trips to the plate later, he hit his second home run of the game (also to left) to break a 6-6 tie in the fifteenth inning – and, eventually, give the BoSox a 7-6 win.

Trout – A Big Fish in the Big Pond

Photo by SportsAngle.com

On August 31 – as the Angels topped the Red Sox 10-4 – Angels’ CF Mike Trout went one-for-three with a run scored, one RBI and two walks. More important, he stole his 11th base of the season (and 200th of his career). Coupled with his 283 home runs, that made Trout at (28-years, and 24-days old), the youngest player ever to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases – beating Barry Bonds by 325 days. This season (through August 31), Trout is hitting .292, with 43 home runs and 101 RBI and 105 runs scored.

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—-INDIVIDUAL LEADERS THROUGH AUGUST 2019—–

BATTING AVERAGE (QUALIFIERS)

AL: DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (.333); Michael Brantley, Astros (.332); Hanser Alberto, Orioles (.321)

NL: Anthony Rendon, Nationals (.336); Bryan Reynolds, Pirates (.332);’ Christian Yelich, Brewers (.328)

The lowest average among qualifying players through June belonged to the Rangers’ Rougned Odor at .194 (84-for-434).

HITS

AL: Rafael Devers, Red Sox (174); Whit Merrifield, Royals (172); DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (169)

NL: Ketel Marte, D-backs (164); Nolan Arenado, Rockies (159); Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (159)

HOME RUNS

AL: Mike Trout, Angels (43); Jorge Soler, Royals (38); Max Kepler, Twins (36)

NL: Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (42); Pete Alonso, Mets (42); Christian Yelich, Brewers (41)

The player with the most 2019 at bats without going yard is the Royals’ Billy Hamilton (who started the season with the Braves), who stands at .221-0-14 after 290 at bats.

RUNS BATTED IN

AL: Rafael Devers, Red Sox (104); Jose Abreu, White Sox (102); Mike Trout, Angels (101)

NL: Freddie Freeman, Braves (109); Eduardo Escobar, Diamondbacks (109); Josh Bell, Pirates (109); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (109)

RUNS SCORED

AL: Mookie Betts, Red Sox (122); Rafael Devers, Red Sox (112); Mike Trout, Angels (105)

NL: Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (107); Freddie Freeman, Braves (105); Cody Bellinger (104)

STOLEN BASES

AL: Mallex Smith, Mariners (39); Jonathan Villar, Orioles (32); Aldaberto Mondesi, Royals (31)

NL: Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (31); Trea Turner, Nationals (29); Jarrod Dyson, D-backs (28)

Tom Locastro of the Diamondbacks has the most 2019 stolen bases without being tossed out (13). Whit Merrifield of the Royals and Dylan Moore of the Mariners share the lead in times caught stealing (nine). Merrifield’s nine toss outs came in 26 attempts, Moore’s in just 16.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

AL: Domingo Santana, Mariners (159); Rougned Odor, Rangers (151); Jorge Soler Royals (150)

NL: Eugenio Suarez, Red (160); Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (159); Javier Baez, Cubs (155)

Tough campaign for Rougned Odor – a .194 average and 151 strikeouts in 434 at bats (35 percent). He does have 21 home runs and 68 RBI, however.

WALKS

AL: Mike Trout, Angels (106); Carlos Santana, Indians (98); Alex Bregman, Astros (97)

NL: Rhys Hoskins, Phillies (103); Bryce Harper, Phillies (87); Yasmani Grandal, Brewers (85)

The Phillies’ Maikel Franco and Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger lead MLB in intentional passes through August, with 17 each.

SLUGGING PERCENTAGE

AL: Mike Trout, Angels (.644); Nelson Cruz, Twins (.643); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (.585)

NL: Christian Yelich, Brewers (.667); Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (.649); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (.632)

PITCHING VICTORIES

AL: Domingo German, Yankees (17-3); Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox (16- 5); Justin Verlander, Astros (16-5)

NL: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (16-5); Max Fried, Braves (15-4); Dakota Hudson, Cardinals (14-6)

Two pitchers have picked up 14 losses through August: The Blue Jays’ Aaron Sanchez (5-14, 5.89 in 27 starts) and Brad Keller of the Royals (7-14, 4.19 in 28 starts).

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (qualifying)

AL: Justin Verlander, Astros (2.69); Gerrit Cole. Astros (2.85); Wade Miley, Astros (3.06)

NL: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers (2.35); Mike Soroka, Braves (2.44); Max Scherzer, Nationals (2.46)

Note: Zack Greinke of the Astros has a 2.99 ERA, but his innings are split between the Diamondbacks and Astros.

STRIKEOUTS

AL: Gerrit Cole, Astros (252); Justin Verlander, Astros (243); Shane Bieber, Indians (224)

NL: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (215); Jacob deGrom, Mets (214); Max Scherzer, Nationals (200)

Note: Trevor Bauer of the Reds has 222 K’s, but 185 came with the Indians.

Only three qualifying pitchers averaged 12 or more strikeouts per nine innings through August: Gerrit Cole, Astros (13.32); Chris Sale, Red Sox (13.32); and Max Scherzer, Nationals (12.62). A total of 30 MLB qualifying hurlers’ averaged at least one strikeout per inning through August.

If you expand the pool to include relievers with at least 20 innings pitched through August, the whiffs-per-nine leader is the Red Sox’ Darwinzon Hernandez at 16.75.

SAVES

AL: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees (36); Brad Hand, Indians (33); Roberto Osuna, Astros (31)

NL: Kirby Yates, Padres (39); Will Smith, Giants (30); Sean Doolittle, Nationals (28)

—–THROUGH AUGUST —TEAM LEAGUE LEADERS – SEASON-TO-DATE—–

(As of September 1, 2019)

RUNS SCORED … MLB Team Average – 660

AL: Twins (802); Yankees (797); Red Sox (785)

NL: Dodgers (751); Braves (736); Nationals (720)

Only two teams had a positive run differential of more than 200 through August. The Dodgers at +216 and the Astros at +213. On the other end of the spectrum were the Tigers at -264 and Orioles at -242. The Marlins had the NL’s worse run differential at -171.

BATTING AVERAGE … MLB Team Average – .254

AL: Astros (.275); Red Sox (.275); Twins (.272)

NL: Rockies (.269); Pirates (.267); Nationals (.264)

HOME RUNS … MLB Team Average – 190

AL: Twins (268); Yankees (254); Astros (230)

NL: Dodgers (234); Braves (214); Cubs (213)

The Marlins have the majors fewest home runs through August (117). The Tigers had the fewest in the AL (126).

SLUGGING PERCENTAGE – MLB Team Average – .437

AL: Twins (.504); Yankees (.490); Astros (.489)

NL: Dodgers (.473); Braves (.458); Rockies (.456);

STOLEN BASES … MLB Team Average – 63

AL: Rangers (105); Royals (98); Mariners (97)

NL: Nationals (97); Cardinals (90); Brewers (88)

If you hanker to see runners flashing their speed on the base paths, don’t look to the Twins. They stole an MLB-low 26 bases through August – and 14 of those belong to Byron Buxton, who is on the IL. They do, however, have an MLB record-setting eight players with at least 20 home runs.

BATTERS’ STRIKEOUTS … MLB Team Average – 1,185

AL: Rangers (1,353); Tigers (1,340); Mariners (1,325)

NL: Padres (1,304); Brewers (1,277); Rockies (1,254)

The Astros are the only MLB team to fan fewer than 1,000 times through August (980).

WALKS DRAWN … MLB Team Average – 441

AL: Astros (539); Angels (510); Red Sox (501)

NL: Dodgers (537); Brewers (512); Braves (510)

Kind of a Weird Stat

Through August, the Marlins were the only team to hit as many ground balls (1,692) as fly balls (1,688). By contrast, the Twins had launched 2,289 fly balls to 1,417 ground balls. The MLB team average was 1,549 ground balls to 1,980 fly balls.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE … MLB Team Average – 4.52

AL: Indians (3.66); Rays (3.67); Astros (3.74)

NL: Dodgers (3.42); Cardinals (3.92); Cubs (4.07)

The best starters’ ERA through August belonged to the Dodgers at 3.08, while the Rays had the best starting ERA in the AL at 3.51.

Bullpen ERA saw the Indians best in the AL at 3.43 and the Cardinals lowest in the NL at 3.66.

The worst? The Orioles’ team ERA through August was 5.77. The Rockies were at the bottom of the NL at 5.63.

The O’s had the worst bullpen ERA at 5.92 and Rockies’ starters fared the worst at 5.96. Ten teams had starting staff ERA’s of 5.00 or higher through August and six teams had five teams had bullpen ERA’s of 5.00 or higher.

BATTING AVERAGE AGAINST … MLB Team Average – .254

AL: Astros (.224); Rays (.232); Indians (.237)

NL: Dodgers (.227); Cardinals (.240); Reds (.242)

STRIKEOUTS … MLB Team Average – 1,185

AL: Astros (1, 376); Red Sox (1,357); Rays (1,351)

NL: Reds (1,297); Dodgers (1,271); Mets (1,258)

The Red Sox remained the only team to average ten or more strikeouts per nine innings (10.06), while a total of 12 teams averaged at least one K per frame through August. The Dodgers had the best strikeouts-to-walks ratio through August at 3.98. By comparison, the Royals’ strikeouts-to-walks ratio was an MLB-low 2.12.

SAVES … MLB Team Average – 33

AL: Yankees (49); Twins (40); Indians (37); Rays (38)

NL: Padres (45); Cardinals (41); Braves (38); Reds (38); Brewers (38)

The Cardinals had the best save percentage through August at 78.9 percent (41-for-52). The Red Sox’ pen had the worst percentage at 49.1 percent (27-for-53).

WALKS AND HITS PER INNING PITCHED (WHIP) … MLB Team Average – 1.34

AL: Astros (1.15); Rays (1.19); Indians (1.20)

NL: Dodgers (1.11); Cardinals (1.27); Reds (1.29)

No team shut out the opposition more often (through August) than the Dodgers (14 shutouts). In the AL, Cleveland leads with way with 13 white-washings. The Angels recorded the fewest shutouts through August (two).

A final #HowTheGameHasChanged stat; The White Sox and Indians led MLB in complete games through August with five each. Nine of the thirty teams recorded zero complete games through August 31.

Primary Resources: MLB.com; ESPN.com; Baseball-Reference.com

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Archives for September 2019

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BBRT Musings: One-Hit Wonders – A Different Kind of Thirty Game Winner – So Close, and Yet, So Far

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The Dinger Diaries – Baseball Roundtable August Wrap Up

Full Standings and Stats Later in this Post.

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