Welcome to another edition Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday, a weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances or statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, stats or coincidences that caught my eye. This week we’ll look ats a couple of, so far, once in MLB history accomplishments: One, I think will likely be matched someday (CC Sabathia leading both the AL and NL in shutouts in the same season); and one I think will stand the test of time (Don Drysdale’s six consecutive shutouts, thrown in a 21-day span). So, let’s get on with it.
Note: To see past editions of Trivial(l) Tidbit Tuesday, just type Trivia(l) in the search box on the right-hand sided of the page.
Two Leagues of His Own
Recently, on August 3, the Cleveland Guardians inducted CC Sabathia into the Guardians Hall of Fame, which makes it appropriate to feature Sabathia in an edition of Trivia(l) Tidbits. Sabathia achieved a baseball unicorn event in 2008, when he became the first – and still only – pitcher to lead both the American and National League in shutouts in the same season. Given today’s pitcher usage, I am pretty confident he will be sharing that distinction in the near future. (Consider that in the past six completed seasons, it has never taken more than two shutouts to lead either league and, in two of those seasons, one shutout was the maximum in both leagues. With that in mind, a solid pitcher moved to a contender at the trade deadline would seem to have a pretty good shot at joining Sabathia in this unique club.) But enough of that. More on Sabathia’s season.
Sabathia started the 2008 season with the Indians and went 6-8, 3.83 with three complete game and two shutouts (which eventually tied for the AL lead) before being traded to the Brewers on July 7. He had shutout the A’s on May 14 (in Cleveland) on a five-hitter (two walks, 11 whiffs) in a 2-0 victory. On June 10, he twirled another five-hit shutout, this time topping the Twins (in Cleveland) 1-0.
At the time of the July 7 trade, the Indians were last in the AL Central Division, while the NL Central Brewers were fighting for a post-season berth. (On July 6, they trailed the league-leading Cubs by 3 ½ games). Long story short, Sabathia carried the Brewers to the post season (albeit as a Wild Card) on the strength of his left arm – going 11-2, 1.65 in 17 starts. In the process, he led the NL in complete games (7) and shutouts (3) – despite spending about half the season in the AL. (He tied for the NL lead in shutouts with new Brewers’ teammate Ben Sheets and tied for the AL lead with seven other starters.) His NL shutouts came on: July 23, a three-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis; August 8 in a 5-0 win over the Nationals in Milwaukee (a five-hitter); and August 31 in a 7-0 win over the Pirates in Pittsburgh (a one-hitter).
Sabathia – A True Gamer
As the 2008 season wound down, with the Brewers still fighting for a post-season berth, C.C. Sabathia took the mound three times on three-days rest over the last nine days of the season. (Thanks to MLB.com writer Anthony Castrovince for the “tip” on this one.) Over those the games, Sabathia went 2-1, with a 0.83 earned run average. In those nine days, he threw 21 2/3 innings, 335 pitches (221 strikes) – giving up just 15 hits (six runs, but just two earned), while walking four and fanning 21. On the final day of the season, he threw a complete game four-hitter as the Brewers topped the Cubs 3-1.
Sabathia pitched in 19 MLB seasons (2001-19 … Indians, Brewers and Yankees) going 251-161-3.74. The six-time All Star won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award, when he went 19-7, 3.21 for the Indians. As a rookie in 2001, he went 17-5, 4.39 for the Indians, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Ichiro Suzuki, who led the AL in average (.350), hits (242) and steals (56). Sabathia twice led the league in wins (a high of 21 for the Yankees in 2010) – and won 15 or more games in nine seasons.
One Unique Accomplishment That Likely Won’t be matched
Photo: Manny’s Baseball Land via tradingcarddb.com, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
While we’re thinking about shutouts, this one record that, given today’s pitcher usage, I don’t expect to ever be matched – most consecutive shutouts thrown (six). It was accomplished by Dodgers’ Hall of Fame righty Don Drysdale between May 14 and June 4, 1968. In that 21-day span, Drysdale tossed six consecutive nine-inning shutouts. Think about that – six shutouts in 21 days.
To put that in a bit of perspective:
- Since 1990, only one pitcher has thrown as many as six shutouts in a season (Cliff Lee, 2017 Phillies);
- The last time an MLB pitcher logged more than three shoutouts in a full season was 2014 (Hector Alvarez, Marlins).
- Since 2017, only one MLB pitcher has thrown as many as six complete games (much less six shutouts) in a season (Sandy Alcantara, six in 2022).
Over those six consecutive shutouts, Drysdale held batters to a .145 average (27 hits over 54 innings). He walked nine batters, hit a pair (in true Drysdale form) and fanned 42.
Drysdale pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1956-69), all with the Dodgers He went 209-166, 2.95 with 167 complete games and 49 shutouts in 518 games (465 starts). He was an All Star in eight seasons, led the NL in wins once (25 in 1963), starts four times, innings pitched twice and strikeouts three times. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 1962 (25-9, 2.83). He pitched in seven World Series games, putting up a 3-3 record and a 2.95 ERA (the same as his career regular-season ERA).
One More Trivia(l) Tidbit
In 1965, when the Dodgers faced the Twins in the World Series, Don Drysdale was the only Dodger with at least 100 at bats and an average of .300 or better. He also was the only Dodger with at least 100 at bats with a .500 or better slugging percentage. Drysdale was seventh on the team in home runs (seven) and tenth in RBI (19).
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