More on Miranda’s 12-hits in 12-at bats Streak … and Those that Came Before Him

July 7, 2024 by

In his fourth-inning at bat in yesterday’s (July 6) Twins’ 9-3 home win over the Astros, Minnesota 3B Jose Miranda stroked a single to right-center on an 0-1 pitch from Astros’ starter Hunter Brown.  It gave Miranda a stretch of 12 base hits in 12 consecutives at bats tying an MLB record. (More on the three other batters who share that record later in this post.)  Here’s a few trivia tidbits about Miranda’s streak. (Comparing Miranda’s 12 consecutive at bats with a hit to the other three players who have accomplished this.)

  • Miranda is the youngest player to accomplish this record.
  • Miranda’s 12 base hits came off the most different pitchers of any of the streakers (eight different moundsmen).
  • Miranda had the most extra-base hits during his streak. (Five, possibly tied, more on that later).
  • Miranda had the most total bases during his streak (19 – four doubles, one home run, seven singles).
  • Miranda had the most runs scored during his streak (seven).
  • Miranda played most positions played during his streak (three – 1B, 3B, DH). No other player played more than one position during his 12-hits in 12 at-bats streak.

Here are a few other tidbits about Miranda’s streak.

  • He had six RBI.
  • Six of the 12 hits came when he was behind in the count, three on 0-2 pitches.
  • The streak took place over four games over four days.

Here’s how it went.

July 3 …  Detroit 9 – Twins 2

  • Eighth inning – (Miranda’s last bat of the game.) Single on first pitch from Alex Faedo.

July 4 … Tigers 3 – Twins 12

  • Second Inning – Leadoff double off Kenta Maeda on an 0-2 pitch.
  • Third Inning – Groundball single off Maeda on a 1-2 pitch.
  • Fourth inning – First-pitch two-run double off Maeda.
  • Sixth inning – Single off Joey Wentz on an 0-1 pitch.
  • Seventh Inning – RBI double off Shelby Miller on an 0-2 pitch.

July 5 …  Astros 13 -Twins 12

  • Second inning – Leadoff double off Shawn Dubin on a 1-0 pitch.
  • Third inning – Solo home run off Dubin on a 3-1 pitch.
  • Fifth inning – RBI-double off Bryan King on a 1-0 pitch.
  • Seventh inning – Single off Bryan Abreu on a 1-1 pitch.

July 6 – Astros 3 – Twins 9

  • First inning – Hit by an 0-2 pitch from Hunter Brown. (HBP does not count as an at bat.)
  • Second Inning – First-pitch RBI-single off Brown
  • Fourth inning – Single on an 0-1 pitch from Brown.

Miranda signed with the Twins as a teenager (second round of the 2016 MLB draft) out of Puerto Rico.  He made his MLB debut May 2, 2022. (He hit .344-30-94 in 127 games at Double-A and Triple-A in 2021.)  In 2022, he hit .268-15-66 in 125 games for the Twins. His 2023 season was cut short by shoulder surgery and he started the 2024 season at Triple-A, but was called back up to the Twins in early April. At the end of play on July 6, he was hitting .328-9-43 on the season.

How about those other three players with 12 hits in 12 consecutive at bats?

Walt Dropo. 1B, Tigers …  July 14-15, 1952

  • Streak was over three games over two days. (Remember double headers?)
  • Streak included two extra-base hits (one double, one triple).
  • Streak included two runs scored and eight RBI. Those eight RBI are the most among the 12-hits in 12-at bats streakers.
  • Dropo had hits off five pitchers.

Dropo started the 1952 season (his fourth in the majors) with the Red Sox and was traded to the Tigers in early June. In the season of his streak, he hit .276-29-97 in 152 games.  Dropo enjoyed a 13-season MLB career (1949-61, Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox, Reds, Orioles). His final stat line was .270-152-704 in 1,288 games. His best season (and his only All-Star campaign) was 1950, when he hit .322, with 34 homers and a league-leading 144 RBI for the Red Sox. (He was named AL Rookie of the Year.) That season, as a rookie, he notched his career highs in hits (180); home runs; RBI; average; triples (9); runs scored (101): and total bases (an AL-leading 326).

Pinky Higgins, 3B, Red sox …  – June 19-21, 1938

  • Streak was over four games over three days (two doubleheaders).
  • Two extra base hits (both doubles).
  • Four runs scored.
  • Four RBI.
  • Hits off four different pitchers.
  • His streak included two walks (not counted as at bats).

Higgins had his streak in his seventh MLB season.  He played in the majors for 14 seasons (1930, 1933-44, 1946… Athletics, Red Sox, Tigers, ). His final stat line was .292-140-1,075 in 1,802 games. In the year of his streak, he hit .303-5-106 in 139 games. He was a three-time All Star, hit over .300 in four seasons and drove in 100+ runs in two.

Johnny Kling, C, Chicago Colts … August 24-28, 1902

  • Streak was over three games and five days.
  • No more than five extra-base hits, three runs or four RBI. (Box scores from those games show 13 hits, I am still working to determine if the hit that was not part of the streak was an extra-base hit or produced any scoring.)
  • The twelve hits came off three pitchers. (It was a different game then).

Kling played in 13 MLB seasons (1900-1908, 1910-13 … Chicago Orphans/Colts/Cubs, Braves, Reds).  He hit .272-20-514 in 1,261 games. In the year of his streak, Kling hit .289-0-59 and stole 25 bases.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

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Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday … R-E-S-P-E-C-T – Take Your Base Mr. Baker

July 2, 2024 by

Welcome to the fourth edition of Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday, a weekly (I hope) 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, statistics or coincidences that caught my eye. Note: For Trivia(l) Tidbit One (brotherly 20-game winners), click here; for the second in the series (a tale of two Bob Millers), click here; For number three (Scot Rolen’s “lucky” break), click here.

Today’s Trivia(l)Tidbit focuses on  a journeyman catcher named Bill Baker who – on September 28, 1943 – was (in a way) shown an unprecedented level of r-e-s-p-e-c-t at the plate. On that day, in the second game of a Pirates/Dodgers twin bill (in Pittsburgh), Baker tied the record for the most intentional walks gifted to a batter in a nine-inning game. Further, to get to the more trivial part of this tidbit, he also set the record for the most intentional walks in a game in which the player was issued a free pass in every plate appearance.

Photo: Cincinnati Reds – 1940 Team Issue, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In that contest, Baker – who came into the game hitting .273-1-24 and had appeared in 61 of the Pirate’s 150 games – started at catcher and was batting in the eight-hole.  He came to the plate four times and was intentionally walked four times, as the Pirates prevailed 4-2 in nine innings (8 ½ really). Four intentional passes remains the record for a nine-inning game and the only other players to reach that mark are Barry Bonds (twice in 2004) and Jeff Heath (1941). Bonds and Heath, however, each needed five plate appearances to “earn” those four free trips to first base.

With the DH rule, it’s doubtful Baker’s record will fall (remember, he was batting in front of the pitcher). Here’s now game went:

  • Second inning – Pirates up 1-0, runners on two outs, runner on second: Intentional Walk from pitcher Curt Davis. Pirates’ pitcher Bill Brandt up next, grounds out to short.
  • Fourth inning – Pirates still up 1-0, one out, runners on second and third. Davis again intentionally walks Baker to get to Brandt. Brandt pops out to the catcher, leadoff hitter (SS Pete Coscaret) flied out to center.
  • Sixth inning – Pirates up 2-0, runner on second and one out. Davis again intentionally walks Baker. Brandt bunts and is safe on an error. Coscaret flies out to center; RF Johnny Barrett strikes out.
  • Eighth inning – Pirates up 3-2, one out, runner on second. Pitcher Les Webber intentionally walks Baker. PH Tommy O’Brien hits an RBI single (Rip Sewell comes in to pinch run for him); Coscaret flies out to center, Barrett walks to load the bases. Fritz Ostermueller relieves Webber and picks Sewell off first.

Baker, by the way, made his MLB debut in 1939, at the age of 29, after six minor-league seasons in which never hit lower than .292. He played in seven MLB seasons (1940-43, 1946, 1948-49 … Reds, Pirates, Cardinals) and hit .247-2-68 in 263 games. (He never played in more than 63 games in a season).

Now, as always for the Roundtable, when looking into an event or stat “one thing leads to another.” So here are a few more Trivia(l) Tidbits related to intentional walks.

For those who like to know such things:

  • The record for intentional passes in a game of any length is five – the Cubs’ Andre Dawson, in a 16-inning 2-1 win over the Reds on May 22, 1990. (Dawson had eight plate appearances).
  • As noted earlier, only three players (Bill Baker, Barry Bonds and Jeff Heath have been issued four intentional walks in a nine-inning game.
  • Five players have received four intentional walks in an extra-inning affair – Bonds, Garry Templeton, Manny Ramirez, Roger Maris, and Ted Kluszewski.

So, Baker finds himself in some pretty good company.

I couldn’t stop myself, so here’s a bit more.

Let’s Do A Power Walk

In MLB history, 56 players have collected 150 or more career intentional walks (topped, of course, by Barry Bonds 688, well head of number-two Albert Pujols at 316). Most of those were power hitters.  In fact, 51 of the 56 logged 240 or more career homers. How about those who did not reach 240 long balls?

  • The fewest home runs by a player with 150 or more career intentional walks is 117 by Ichiro Suzuki (he had 181 intentional walks).
  • The only other players with 150 or more intentional walks and fewer home runs than walks are: Wade Boggs, (180 IBB/118 HR); Tony Gwynn (203 IBB/135 HR); and Pete Rose (167 IBB/ 160 HR).

I’ll Take My Chances Facing This Guy

Roger Maris is the only player with 50 or more home runs in season without a single intentional walk.  It happened in 1961, when he hit 61 homers (it helps to hit in front of Mickey Mantle.) Next on this list is Marcus Semien, who hit 45 homers for the Blue Jays in 2021 without drawing a single intentional pass.  (Ironically, the only season Maris failed to draw a single IBB was his 61-homer campaign. In 1962, when he hit “only” 33 homers, he drew 11 intentional walks, four in one game.)

In 2004, when Barry Bonds drew a record 120 intentional walks, Jim Thome was second in MLB with 26 IBB. Further, only three players drew more total walks that season as Bonds had intentional walks (the Phillies’ Bobby Abreu, Astros’ Lance Berkman and Rockies’ Todd Helton – all with 127). Bonds, by the way drew 232 total walks that season 38.3% of his plate appearances).

Enough rambling, that’s it for this Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday.

Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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Baseball Roundtable June Wrap Up – Triple Plays, Shutouts, Cycles, Lots of Homers and More

July 1, 2024 by

It’s July 1, and that means it’s time for the Baseball Roundtable monthly Wrap Up for June – a look at the stories and statistics that caught The Roundtable’s attention over the past month, as well as the standings, Roundtable Players and Pitchers of the Month, the Trot Index and more.

As usual, there a few things unusual over the past thirty days. We saw:

  • the season’s first cycle, by a rookie no less;
  • an inning when, after the nine batters came to the plate, nine batters had also crossed the plate;
  • an 89-pitch, nine-inning compete game;
  • the first-ever pitch-clock violation walk-off win (or loss, depending on your point of view);
  • a rare pitcher-to first-to third triple play;
  • an 89-pitch complete game;
  • a team going deep in 22 straight games;
  • a .409-11-37 June “Judge-rnaut”;
  • a twice in history “utility” player;
  • great performances out of guys named Tobias and Heliot; and
  • much more.

For these stories,  lots of June stats and that much more, read on.,  But first let’s take a look at Baseball Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month.

Baseball Roundtable Players and Pitchers of the Month for June 2024

National League

Player of the Month – Shohei Ohtani, DH, Dodgers

Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Shohei Ohtani hit .293 in June and his 12 homers and 24 RBI both led the National League. He also scored an NL-high of 26 runs in June.  From June 16 through June 26, he had a streak of ten consecutive games with at least one RBI (a Dodger-franchise record. In those ten games, Ohtani went .444-8-17.

Honorable Mentions: Reds; 2B Jonathan India led all NL hitters with at least 75 at bats with a June average of .380 (35-for-92). He also had two homers, 16 RBI and 19 runs scored. From June 23 through June 29, India hit at least one double in seven straight games – a Reds-franchise record.  During that span he went 17-for-30 (.567), with ten doubles, nine runs scored and five RBI.  Diamondbacks’ 2B Ketel Marte chipped in a .341 average, with seven homers, 20 RBI and 20 runs scored. Padres’ CF Jackson Merrill hit .303 for the month, with nine home runs (second in the NL) and 20 RBI (tied for sixth).  LF Heliot Ramos of the  Giants went .304-8-24.  More on those last two in the Surprise Player section.

Pitcher of the Month – Tobias Myers, RHP, Brewers 

Photo: Sewageboy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Brewers’ rookie right-hander Tobias Myers went 4-0, 1.44 in five June starts. His ERA was the lowest among NL pitchers with at least 25 June innings; his 0.89 WHIP was second, as was hits .185 average against.  Myers gave up either one or zero runs in four of his five June starts. Plus, my baseball-reference.com search indicates Myers is MLB’s first Tobias. and, let’s not forget, he’s a rookie.

Honorable Mentions: Phillies’ lefty Cristopher Sanchez went 3-0, 1.64 in five starts (33 innings). He fanned 23 and walked just four. His 0.82 WHIP was lowest in the NL among pitchers with at least 25 June innings  and he held hitters to a .207 average. Pirates’ righty  phenom, Paul Skenes went 2-0, 1.78 and fanned 40 (eight walks) in 30 innings.  His 40 whiffs were fourth in the NL for June.

American League

 Player of the Month – Aaron Judge, CF, Yankees (She’s Real Fine, My 409)

Aaron Judge hit .409 – the highest of any MLBer with at least 75 June at bats.  His eleven home runs were second only to the Orioles’ Anthony Santander (13) in the American League and his 37 June RBI far outdistanced the nearest competitor (Santander was second with 26).  Judge also scored 25 runs and even swiped three bases in three tries.  In a six-game stretch from June 4 through June 11, Judge hit .500, with four home runs and 15 RBI. He had 13 multi-hit games during the month and two five-RBI contests. He was a true judge-rnaut.

Honorable Mentions:  Twins’ SS Carlos Correa had a solid month, going .388-5-21, with 21 runs scored, in 25 games, sparking the Twins’ offense. His 38 June safeties trailed only the 39 of the Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson and Red Sox’ Jarren Duran,  Henderson also gets an Honorable Mention here. He  hit .342-8-17 and, notably, led MLB in June runs scored with 31.  He was second with 11 June doubles and stole six bases in seven tries.  I’ll toss in two more worthy of consideration: the Orioles’ RF Anthony Santander went .274—13-26 (those 13 long balls were MLB’s June high) and Blue Jays’ 1B Vlad Guerrero, Jr.  came in at .318-8-25.

Pitcher of the Month – Logan Gilbert, RHP, Mariners

Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Wow! Lots of good choices here (as you’ll see in the Honorable Mentions). So, I had to look for a stat that really jumped out at me.  That turned out to be Logan Gilbert’s 31 strikeouts – and just one walk – in 35 2/3 innings. Oh, but there was more – like his MLB-best 0.62 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched) and his .167 average against. So, while he may mot have had the most wins (he was 2-1), the lowest earned run average (although his 1.51 was third in MLB among pitchers with at least 25 June innings) or the most strikeouts, for me he was the pitcher who best put it all together.  During the month, he had two starts in which he was relieved to open the ninth, whiles till pitching a shutout.

Honorable Mentions: Hunter Brown came into his own in the month of June. The 25-year-old righty came into the month 1-5, 4.95 on the season (after an 11-13, 5.09 2023 campaign) and went 4-0, 1.16 in five June starts – fanning’s 36 batters (eight walks) in 31 innings.  His 1.16 ERA was the lowest in MLB among pitchers with at least 25 June innings.  In his last four starts in June, he gave up just one earned run (a solo home run to Andrew Benintendi).    White Sox’ southpaw Garrett Crochet led the majors in June strikeouts (56 whiffs in 37 2/3 innings in five starts), while walking just six.  He pitched to a 1-1 record despite a 1.91 earned run average for the month. He deserved better than one June win.  He got a no-decision in four games in which he surrendered two or fewer runs.

Surprise Player of the Month: Tie – Heliot Ramos, LF, Giants & CF Jackson Merrill, Padres

Giants’ Of Heliot Ramos, a first-round pick (as a teenager) in the 2017 MLB Draft, made his MLB debut in 2022 (two-for-twenty in nine games).  He was up and down (major and minors) in 2023, hitting .179-1-2 in 25 games with the Giants, but .303-14-51 in 67 games at Single-A and Triple-A. This season, he was called up in May to replace an ailing Jorge Soler.  At the time, Ramos was hitting .296-8-21 at Triple-A. It doesn’t look like he’ll be going back. In 21 May games, he hit .280-2-13 for San Francisco.  And, in June he really opened some eyes with a .304-8-24 line in 27 games. The eight homers were tied for third for June in the NL and the 24 RBI tied (with Shohei Ohtani. not bad company) for first. The Roundtable will be surprised if he sees Triple-A again in 2024.  So, among this month’s recognized players we have a Tobias and a Heliot.

Padres’ rookie CF Jackson Merrill put up a .320-9-20-line in 28 June games. Like Ramos, Jackson was a first-round draft choice., He was taken number 27 (also as a teenager) in the 2019 MLB Draft. He made the Padres’ squad out of Spring Training this year, after a .277-15-64 season (in 114 games) at High-A and Double-A last season. Skipping Triple-A does not seem to have phased him,. After a .280-3-22 showing through May, Merrill showed surprising power in June – putting him second in NL June homers and tied for sixth in June RBI. Those longballs put him in The Roundtable’s Ju e surprise running.

 

 

 

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THE TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE

Through June,  34.5% of the MLB season’s 94,570 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 (22.2%); walks (8.2%); home runs (2.8%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). Strikeouts, by the way, outnumbered base hits 21,017 to 20,495 

The 34.5% figure is down  from 35.5% through June in 2023. I also looked into full-year Trot Index figures for the years I have been a fan: in 2023; 30.3% in 2010; 29.9% in 2000; 31.7% in 1990; 23.1% in 1980; 27.0% in 1970; 25.1% in 1960; and 22.8% in 1950.

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Only two teams won as many a 17 games in June, the Orioles, who moved into a tie for first in the tough AL East, and the Astros who re-entered the AL West Division race.

The Astros put up MLB’s best June record at 17-8 and they showed  balance in producing those victories – scoring the AL’ s fourth-most runs (136) and giving up the fewest (94). Key contributors on offense were C Yainer Diaz (.363-4-18); LF Yordan Alvarez (349-7-19); and 2B Jose Altuve (.333-4-17).  Overall, they had seven players with at least ten June RBI. On the mound, Hunter Brown went 4-0, 1.15 in five starts, Ronel Blanco went 3-2, 2.59 in five starts and relievers Luis Contreras, Taylor Scott, Bryan King, Ryan Pressley and Bobby Abreu combined to pitch 43 1/3 innings  to a 1.87 ERA, three wins and five saves

When you look at the Orioles (17-12), the first thing that grabs you is their “June Boom” in power.  As a team, they bashed 60 home runs (the next best was the Padres at 42 and the AL June runner-up in long balls was the Twins at 37.  (The Orioles also led MLB in June runs with 163.) RF Anthony Santander led the way with a .264-13-26 month, but the Orioles got home runs from 15 different players in June, with six popping five or more.  Among the key contributors:  SS Gunnar Henderson (.342-8-17) C Adley Rutschman (.290-5-18) and 1B Ryan Mountcastle (.248-5-29).   The Birds also put  up the AL’s third-lowest ERA in June, led by Corbin Burnes (401m 2,12 in five starts) and a bullpen that knew how to “close the door (Burnes was the only starter with an ERA under 4.00 for June. ) Craig Kimbrel went 1-1, 0.96, with six saves in ten appearances and Keegan Akin went 1-0, 1.56 in 11 games.

We Did the Mash —We Did the Monster Mash

The top three teams for home runs in a month are: 2019 Yankees (74 HR in August); 2023 Braves (61 in June); and the 2024 Orioles (60 in June).

Over in the NL, the Mets had the best June record at 16-8.  Like the Ori9oles, they led their league in runs scored (153). They were second in home runs (41 to t e Padres 42). A few of they key contributors were 1B Pete Alonso (.272-5-19); LF Brandon Nimmo (.315-6-21); DH J.D. Martinez (.272-4-20). The Mets had six players with four or more June homers and five with 15 or more June RBI. The run support was needed to support the pitching.  The Mets’ 4.17 ERA was the sixth-highest in the NL for June. They did get some good work from starters Luis Severino (2-0, 3.24) and Jose Quintana (2-0, 3.38) and David Peterson (3-0, 3.68)and they had five relievers with ERAs under 2.,00 for the month, The bullpen recorded six saves (by four different pitchers) in June. Two that stood out were Adrian Houser and Dedniel Nunez, who combined for 15 appearances, 31 innings and a 1.45 EERA.

——-Team Statistical Leaders for June 2024 ———-

 

RUNS SCORED

National League –Mets (153); Padres (146); Dodgers (141)

American League – Orioles (163); Yankees (152); Twins (150)

The fewest runs in June were scored by the Marlins (74). In the American League, it was the A’s at 87.  Also under 100 runs were the Tigers (98) and Cubs (99).

AVERAGE

National League – Mets (.283); Padres (.271); Diamondbacks (.269)

American League –Astros (.281); Twins (.281); Red Sox (.275)

The lowest team average for June belonged to the Mariners at .211. The lowest in the NL was the Marlins (.218). 

HOME RUNS

National League – Padres (42); Mets (41); Dodgers (38)

American League – Orioles (60); Yankees (37); Twins (37)

The Marlins had the fewest June homers at 19.

The Orioles led MLB in slugging percentage for June at .513.  The Mets led the NL at .507.

TOTAL BASES

National League – Padres (434); Mets (423); Dodgers (406)

American League – Orioles (525); Twins (445); Red Sox (397)

STOLEN BASES

National League – Brewers (41); Reds (37); Cubs (36)

American League – Red Sox (31); Mariners (23); Royals (22); Angels (22); Rangers (21)

The Yankees and Marlins stole the fewest sacks in June at seven. The Marlins were 7-for-15 in steal attempts, the Yankees 7-for-13.

WALKS DRAWN

National League –   Dodgers (104); Giants (100); Brewers (99)

American League – Yankees (110); Mariners (104); Red Sox (84)

The Mets led MLB in June On-Base Percentage at .358. The Red Sox led the AL at .345.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Rockies (266); Cubs (252); Pirates (243)

American League – Mariners (278); A’s (262); White Sox (251)

Padres’ batters fanned the fewest times in June (169). The Astros fanned the fewest times in the AL at 172.

 Bonus Stats

  • Six teams (Giants, Mets, Tigers, Red Sox, Orioles, Braves) recorded zero sacrifice bunts in June. No team recorded more than six (Padres).
  • The Braves are the only team to not record a single sacrifice bunt since Opening Day.
  • Twins’ batters were hit by a pitch an MLB-leading 23 times in June. The only other team with at least 20 plunkings was the Diamondbacks at 21. Brewers and Marlins batters suffered the fewest HBP (five each).
  • Year-to-date Guardians’ and Twins’ hitters have been plunked an MLB-highest 58 times.
  • The Rockies grounded into an MLB-highest 28 double plays in June. The Cardinals were the only team to ground into fewer than ten double plays in the month (eight).

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EARNED RUN AVERAGE

National League – Phillies (3.13); Brewers (3.39); Cardinals (3.46)

American League –Astros (3.54); Mariners (3.57); Orioles (3.73)

The Rockies had the highest June ERA at 6.43 – also north of 5.00 were the Yankees (5.26) and Diamondbacks (5.14).   Surprisingly. Two of these three had June records above .500 (Diamondbacks 16-11, Yankees, 14-13.)

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Braves (256); Cubs (238); Cardinals (237)

American League – White Sox (262); Twins (242); Rays (238)

The Braves averaged an MLB-best 9.85 strikeouts per nine innings in June. The White Sox averaged an AL-best 9.41.  Three additional  teams averaged nine whiffs per nine or better: Rays – 9.25; Cubs – 9.10; Twins – 9.10.

FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED

National League – Phillies (50); Nationals (67); Pirates (67)

American League –Mariners (62); Red Sox (64); Tigers (65)

The Phillies walked an MLB-lowest 1.93 batters per nine innings in June.  The A’s  walked an MLB-worst 3.72 batters per nine frames.

SAVES

National League – Cardinals (13); Brewers (11); Cubs (8); Dodgers (8); Pirates (8)

American League – Guardians (10); Red Sox (9); Angels (9); Rays (9)

The White Sox blew the most saves in June – converting just five saves in 15 opportunities.

Walks+ Hits/Innings Pitched (WHIP)

National League – Phillies (1.07); Dodgers (1.14); Brewers (1.14)

American League:  Mariners (1.08); Twins (1.17); Astros (1.21)

Bonus Stats:

  • The Blue Jays gave up an MLB-high 43 home runs in June. (The Pirates gave up an MLB-low 20 home runs.)
  • The Mariners held opponents to an MLB-low .220 average in June. The Rockies’ staff was touched for an MLB-high .309 average.
  • The Phillies’ strikeouts-to-walks ratio for May topped MLB at 4.40. The Angels had MLB’s worst ratio at 1.78.

—JUNE 2024  HIGHLGHTS–– 

Is It Two-for-Five or Five-for-Two?  Here’s a Minor (League) Highlight).

On June 5, Astros’ prospect DH John Garcia, playing for the High-A Asheville Tourists collected five doubles (six at bats) in Asheville’s 18-8 win over Bowling Green. It is thought to be the first documented instance of five-double game in professional baseball (although minor-league game records may be incomplete). Garcia was selected by the Astros in the 19th round of the 2022 MLB draft –     out of Grambling State, where he hit .409-10-67 in 55 games as a sophomore in 2022.

One for the Books

On June 8, in his 12th MLB season and 272nd major-league start the Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman threw his first-ever MLB shutout (his second MLB complete game). It came in a 7-0 win over the A’s. Gausman threw 109 pitches (76 strikes) and gave up five hits and one walk, while fanning ten.

Gausman ended June 6-7, 4.75 on the season.

MLB World Tour

On June 8-9, the Phillies and Mets split a two-game series in London Stadium, with the “Home” team losing each contest. I’m not fond of these “overseas” MLB games, but they drew well, with an announced attendance of 108,956 for the two contests. The games were part of this season’s “MLB World Tour,” with stops in London, Mexico City and Seoul.  The Phillies won Game One 7-2, getting solo homers from 1B Bryce Harper and RF Nick Castellanos and a three-run shot from LF Whit Merrifield. Ranger Suarez picked up his tenth 2024 win (one loss), giving up two runs (eight hits) in 5 2/3 innings (six strikeouts).

In Game Two, the Mets came from behind with three ninth-inning runs – and won 6-5. That top of the ninth did not provide the best example of America’s national pastime. With Joe Alvarado on the mound,  It started with a nine-pitch walk to Mets’  CF Tyrone Taylor, followed by a groundball single by 2B Jeff McNeill (Taylor to third); a groundball RBI single by 3B Mark Vientos (Taylor scoring, McNeill to second); a walk to C Luis Torrens (loading the bases); a strikeout by SS Francisco Lindor; 1B Pete Alonso being hit by a pitch, forcing in a run; and a passed ball with LF Brandon Nimmo at the plate, bringing in another run.  Nimmo eventually struck out and Jose Ruiz was brought in to pitch.  DH J.D. Martinez grounded out to end the frame.  Mets reliever Reed Garrett got the win, while Phillies’ Reliever Jose Alvarado took the loss.

Four-for-Four (Baggers that is).

On June 11, the Dodgers trounced the Rangers 15-2 (in LA).  The highlight for the 51,416 fans on hand probably came in the seven-run sixth inning, which featured home runs by DH Shohei Ohtani (two-run); 1B Freddie Freeman (solo); LF Teoscar Hernandez (two-run); and  RF Jason Heyward (two-run) – all off reliever Grant Anderson, who came on to open the inning and got just two outs before being relieved by Jesus Tinoco.

—For Those Who Like to Know Such Things—

The Most home runs in an inning by an MLB team is five and it’s been done eight times – four of those against the Reds.

Here are the teams and long ball hitters:

Giants … June 6, 1939 … versus Reds: Burgess Whitehead; Manny Salvo; Jo-Jo Moore; Harry Danning; Frank Demaree.

Phillies … June 2, 1949 … versus Reds: Del Ennis; Andy Seminick (2); Willie Jones; Schoolboy Rowe.

Giants … August 23, 1961 … versus Reds: Orlando Cepeda; Felipe Alou; Jim Davenport; Willie Mays; John Orsino.

Twins … June 9, 1966 … versus Athletics: Rich Rollins; Zoilo Versalles; Tony Oliva; Don Mincher; Harmon Killebrew.

Brewers … April 22, 2006 … versus Reds: Bill Hall; Damian Miller; Brady Clark; J.J. Hardy; Prince Fielder.

Nationals … July 7, 2007 …. versus Brewers: Brian Goodwin; Wilmer Difo; Bryce Harper; Ryan Zimmerman; Anthony Rendon.

Yankees …. Sept. 17, 2020 … versus Blue Jays: Brett Gardner; DJ. LeMahieu; Luke Voit; Giancarlo Stanton; Gleyber Torres.

Astros … May 17, 2022 … versus Red Sox: Yordan Alvarez; Kyle Tucker; Jeremy Pena; Michael Brantley; Yuli Gurriel.

Hey you, Get Offa My Plate!

On June 14, with his Phillies up 2-1 over the Orioles, Matt Strahm was called in to start the eighth inning – with the 3-4-5 hitters due up. After retiring the first two batters (1B Ryan Mountcastle and SS Gunnar Henderson), Strahm gave up a home run on a 1-2 pitch to RF Anthony Santander.   Now, a blown save does not always make the highlights, but in this case, it was the first earned run Strahm had given up since Opening Day (when he surrendered two in a loss to the Braves). That scoreless innings streak lasted 27 appearances and a total of 22 1/3 innings (not including the 2/3 inning he pitched before the Santander homer.   The Phillies eventually won the June 14 game 5-3 in 11 innings. 3-1, 1.41 in 34 appearances on the season.

How the Game Has Changed!

Imagine this.  It’s the top of the ninth.  Your squad is up 5-0. Your starter has gone eight frames, giving up two hits and fanning nine. That starter is, let’s say, Bob Gibson or Jack Morris (or you can fill in a favorite here). You are the manager and you tell Gibby that you’re not sending him out for the final inning. My guess is, you’d have to tackle him on his way back out to the mound and pry the ball out of his hand.

Well, that was the situation on June 16th, as the Mariners led the Rangers 5-0 in Seattle, with 6’6” righty Logan Gilbert on the mound. Gilbert had eight shutout innings under his belt, with just two hits and nine whiffs – and, notably in today’s game, 101 pitches. Mariners’ manager Scott Servais sent reliever Austin Voth out to finish the whitewashing.

Wait, there’s more.  In his very next start (June 22 versus the Marlins in Miami), Gilbert cruised through the first eight innings on 92 pitches (four hits, one walk, six whiffs) and was enjoying a 9-0 lead. Once again, Servais went to the bullpen, sending in reliever Eduardo Bazardo to open the ninth and complete the shutout.

Gilbert, by the way, has one complete game in his first four MLB seasons (105 starts. – a nine-inning, 6-0 shutout of the Giants (105 pitches) on July 4, 2023.

A Runaway Win

On June 16, the Red Sox topped the Rival Yankees 9-3 in Boston.  Not only did they out hit the Yankees 14-to-6, they stole a franchise single-game record nine bases.

  • SS David Hamilton stole second base in the second inning; second and third in the fifth inning; and second in the eighth.
  • LF Jarren Duran swiped second base in the first and eighth innings.
  • CF Ceddanne Rafaela stole second base in the second inning.
  • 1B Dominic Smith swiped second base in the second inning.
  • PR/DH Bobby Dalbec stole second base in the seventh.

The Red Sox did have one runner thrown on an attempted steal – RF Rob Refsnyder in the fifth.  Boston stole 31 bases in June,  29 percent of them in that one Yankee tilt.

Coming from Way Back

On June 18, the Dodgers came into the ninth inning (at Denver) trailing the Rockies 9-4. Things did not look good.  While the Dodgers had pulled off comebacks when down by at least five runs in the ninth inning (0r later) six times, the Los Angeles version of the Dodgers (they moved from Brooklyn in 1958) had never mounted that kind of comeback. Now they have.

Enjoying a five-run cushion, the Rockies brought in righty Tyler Kinley to open the ninth. Here’s what went down:

  • CF Andy Pages, the number-five hitter, walked on seven pitches;
  • SS Miguel Rojas singled to right, with Pages going to third;
  • 3B Enrique Hernandez went down swinging on a 2-2 pitch;
  • LF Miguel Vargas walked on seven pitches, loading the bases;
  • Jason Hayward pinch hit for 2B Chris Taylor and popped a Grand Slam to right center, bringing the Dodgers to within one run;

Victor Vodnik replaced Kinley on the mound.

  • DH Shohei Ohtani singled to left;
  • C Will Smith was called out on a 3-2 pitch;
  • Ohtani moved to second n a wild pitch to 1B Freddie Freeman;
  • Freeman was intentionally walked, putting runners on first and second;
  • RF Teoscar Hernandez hit a three-run homer to right-center, putting the Dodgers up by two;
  • Pages, who opened the inning with a walk, flied out to center to end it.

Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips threw a scoreless bottom of the inning to save the win for Los Angeles.

Side Note:  There was an international flair to the Dodgers comeback –  of the nine players who batted that inning: three were from the U.S.; two were from Cuba; and there was one each from Japan, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Hey Dad, Look at What I (We) Did!

On Father’s Day (June 16), the Triple-A Charlotte Knights (White Sox Affiliate) took teamwork to a new level – as seven pitchers teamed up to throw a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Durham Bulls (in Durham).   With an overworked pitching staff, the Knights had planned on a bullpen game and had promoted southpaw Garrett Schoenle to Triple-A to open the game. Schoenle delivered, going three hitless innings (one walk/four strikeouts). He was followed by lefty Fraser Ellard (one inning and the win); righty Jordan Leasure (2/3 of an inning); righty Joe Barlow (2/3 of an inning); lefty Sammy Peralta (1 1/3 innings): righty Deivi Garcia (1 1/3 innings); and righty Adisyn Coffey (one inning and the save). The final score was 2-0.

Just Walk It Off!

On June 21, Marlins’ SS Tim Anderson stroked an RBI single (on the first pitch of the bottom of the tenth inning) to give the Marlins a 3-2 walk-off win over the Mariners. (It was reliever Austin Voth’s first pitch of the game and scored “placed” runner Jake Burger.) It was the Marlins’ third straight walk-off win and MLB-leading eighth walk-off win of 2024. Voth, of course, took a loss without allowing an earned run and without allowing any runner he put on base to score.

A Better Way to Do It

On the same night (June 21), that Austin Voth took a loss after throwing just one pitch, allowing no earned runs and allowing no runner he put on base to score (see the above highlight), Oakland A’s reliever Sean Newcombe picked up a win without getting credit for facing a single batter. Newcombe came on in relief of Lucas Erceg in the top of the eighth, with the Twins and A’s tied at 3.  There were two out and the Twins had runners on first (CF Austin Martin) and second (C Christian Vazquez). After two pitches to 2B Willi Castro, Newcombe picked Martin off first to end the inning.  The A’s scored in the bottom of the eight and Mason Miller came in to pitch a 1-2-3 ninth to save the “no-batter- faced” win for Newcombe.

What a Way to Lose a Game!

On June 22, the Nationals took then field in the bottom of the ninth inning, with a 7-6 lead over the Rockies in Colorado. They brought in closer Kyle Finnegan (he of 21 saves at that point) to close out the Rox. It was not to be.  After just 12 pitches, the score was 7-7 and the bases were loaded with no outs. (Finnegan gave up consecutive singles to Hunter Goodman, Jack Cave, Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar.) With the count full on Ryan McMahon, the fans awaited the crucial pitch.  It never came. That’s because Finnegan committed his ninth pitch clock violation of the season (failing to deliver a pitch in the allotted 18 seconds) – which meant it was ball four to McMahon, forcing in the winning run.  It was the first game to end on a pitch violation since the rule was introduced – and perhaps the strangest walk-off ever

Rookie CF Power Burst

Padres. 21-year-old rookie Center field Jackson Merrill has not exactly been known for his power.  In his first 67 MLB games, he hit just three home runs (.276-3-24).  Then, in a ten-game stretch (June 12-22), the rookie blasted seven roundtrippers (.382-7-11 during the stretch).

This One’s Ober the Top!

On June 22, Twins’ starter Bailey Ober (in his 72nd career start (over four MLB seasons), pitched his first complete game – and it was a gem.

Ober completed his nine-inning, four-hit, two-run start (a Twins’ 10-2 win “Ober” Oakland) in just 89 pitches. A feat even more remarkable since he fanned ten batters. MLB.com reported that, since pitch counts began being tracked in 1988, there has been only one other game in which a pitcher fanned ten in a nine-inning complete game of less than 90 pitches – David Cone’s 88-pitch perfect game on July 18, 1999.

In his gem, Ober threw just 19 balls out of 89 pitches; threw five innings of less than ten pitches; and went to a three-ball count on only one batter. He reached 13 pitches in an innings just twice – and one of those was the eighth inning when he fanned the side.

1-3-5 for Three

On June 24, the Phillies jumped off to a quick 4-0 first-inning lead over Tigers (in Detroit). The Tigers however, looked poised to start a bit of a comeback in the third frame. Detroit SS Zach McKinstry opened the inning with a single off Phillies’ starter Aaron Nola and C Carson Kelly followed with another one-bagger – putting runners on first and third with no outs. Nola got out of the jam on his second pitch to the third batter (CF and leadoff hitter Matt Vierling).  Vierling hit a soft liner (on an 0-1 pitch) back to Nola, who grabbed it knee-high for the first out of the inning. Kelly was trapped about half way to second base and Nola threw to first for out number two. Meanwhile, McKinstry, not realizing Nola had caught the liner in the air, thought Nola was throwing to first to get Vierling (rather than Kelly). So McKinstry, already down the third base line, sprinted for home. Phillies’ 1B Bryce Harper threw across the diamond to 3B Alec Bohm to complete the 1-3-5 triple play. According to the Society for American Baseball Research’s Triple Play Data Base, it was the first 1-3-5 triple play since July 11, 1929. The Tigers, victims this time, turned that 1 -3-5 triple killing versus the Red Sox.,

The Phillies went on to an 8-1 win.

Long Ball Streak

The Orioles/Guardians game of June 25 make the highlights for its lack of a highlight.  It marked the first game the Orioles played in June when they did not hit a home run. (Cleveland prevailed 3-2.)

From June 1 through June 23, the Orioles homered in a franchise-record 22 consecutive games. They popped 46 home runs in that span, but surprisingly went only 13-9.

The long ball hitters for the Orioles were

11 homers – Anthony Santander

6 – Gunnar Henderson

5 – Jordan Westburg; Ryan Mountcastle

4- Andy Rutschman

3- Austin Hays

2 – Ryan O’Hearn; Ramon Urias; Colton Cowser; Jorge Mateo

1 – Cedric Mullins; James McCann; Connor orby; Kyle Stowers

—More For Those Who Like to Know Such Things—

The MLB team record for consecutive games with a home run is 31 and it belongs to the 2019 Yankees – notably, it also included a June Boom.  The Yankees’ streak included 57 roundtrippers and stretched from May 26 through June 30.  The Yankees fared better on the scoreboard than the Orioles, going 21-10 during their streak.  Here are the home run totals for the streak:

8 HRs – DJ LeMahieu; Gary Sanchez

7 – Gleyber Torres

5 – Aaron Hicks; Brett Gardner

4 – Cameron Maybin; Gio Urshela; Luke Voit

3 – Edwin Encarnacion; Didi Gregorius

2 – Aaron Judge; Clint Frazier

1 – Austin Romine; Giancarlo Stanton

Another Streak Coming in the Works

The Twins ended June on a still-active streak of 19 consecutive games with a home run. 

Sho(hie) Time

On June 26, Shohei Ohtani batted his way into the Dodgers’ all-time record books – becoming the first Dodger to collect an RBI in ten consecutive games. The ten-game streak began on June 16 and, during it, Ohtani hit .444-8-17 (with 11 walks and just six whiffs.) The Dodgers won eight of the ten contests.  The previous Dodge record of nine straight RBI games was shared by Roy Campanella, Augie Galan, Eddie Brown and Matt Kemp.  (Kemp’s streak was over two seasons – form the end of 2011 to the start of 2012.)

—Even More For Those Who Like to Know Such Things— 

The MLB record for consecutive games with an RBI belong to the White Sox 1B Ray Grimes and was set from June 27 through July 23, 1922. During his streak, Grimes hit .439-3-27.  For the 1922 season, Grimes hit .354-14-99.  Grimes’ career was shortened and hampered by a 1923 back injury. He played in just six MLB seasons, hitting .329-27-263 in 433 games.

Nothing Rocky about Rookie Gavin Stone’s Season

Dodgers’ rookie righty Gavin Stone notched his first career complete game On June 25 – and it was 103-pitch shutout.  The 6’1”, 175-p0und righty gave up just four hits, issued no walks and fanned seven, reaching a three-ball count on only two batters in a 4-0 win over the White Sox.  Stone was signed out of the University of Central Arkansas (fifth round of 2020 draft.), where he was 9-6, 2.42 over three seasons – fanning 109 in 100 1/3 innings. He pitched in eight games (four starts) for the Dodgers in in 2023  and went 1-1, 9.00. (He was also 7-4, 4.74 at Triple-A Oklahoma City that season.)

His June 26 shutout ran his 2024 record to 9-2, 2.73 in 15 starts. Notably, Stone had gone at least seven innings in five of his fifteen starts.  (Okay, that didn’t used to be a bragging p0int, but it is these days.) Stone’s whitewashing was the first Dodgers one-pitcher shutout since April 25, 2022 (Walker Buehler) and the first by a Dodgers’ rookie since May 28, 2013 (Hyun-Jin Ru).

A Heavenly (and perhaps a bit surprising) Start for an Angels’ Rookie.

Angel’s 27-year-old rookie righthander Davis Daniel made his first MLB start on June 27 – and it was a beauty. Daniel went eight shutout innings, giving up just four hits and no walks, while fanning eight.  He threw 99 pitches, 73 strikes. He was pulled from the game by manager Ron Washington after completing the eighth inning and reliever Ben Joyce completed the 5-0 win over the Tigers. (Remember when they would have given him the chance to toss a complete game shutouts (or at least left him in until someone got on base in the ninth?)

Daniel was signed by the Angels out of the Seventh Round of the 2019 MLB Draft – after three seasons with Auburn University, where he went 7-7, 5.37 in 37 games (27 starts). He got his first taste of MLB action with three relief appearances in late 2023 (1-1, 2.19, with seven hits, nine walks and nine strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings pitched). This season he was 5-4, 5.33 at Triple-A Salt Lake City before being called up to replace injured lefty Patrick Sandoval. Over four minor-league seasons, Daniel has gone 16-20, 4.27

Movin’ On Up!

On June 28, Rangers’ starter (and three-time Cy Young Award winner) Max Scherzer gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings in a Rangers’ 2-1 loss to the Orioles (in Baltimore). He fanned four in that game and the first of those four was Scherzer’s 3,372nd whiff – moving him into sole possession of eleventh place on the all-time list (passing Greg Maddux). He finished the night with 3,375 career strikeouts, 18 behind Justin Verlander for tenth all-time.

Nine Batters Up. Nine batter Score.

On June 28, the Padres swamped the Red Sox 9-2 in Boston. The unique thing about the game was that they scored all nine runs in the one inning (the fifth) – when, after nine batters had come to the plate, all nine had also crossed the plate.  Here’s how it went:

Nick Pivetta on the mound for the Red Sox, who are leading 1-0.

Padres’ SS Ha-Seong Kim – Singles on 0-2 pitch;

C Kyle Higashioka – Hits a two-run homer on 1-0 pitch;

RF Bryce Johnson – Hits a ground-rule double on 1-0 pitch;

1B Luis Arraez – Singles on 1-2 pitch, Johnson to third;

Wild Pitch – Arreaz goes to second.

LF Jurickson Profar – Draws a six-pitch walk, loading the bases;

Greg Weissert relieves Pivetta.

2B Jake Cronenworth – Hits a two-run single on an 0-2 pitch, Profar going to second;

3B Manny Machado – Taps an infield single on a 1-2 pitch, loading the bases;

DH Donovan Solano – Hits a two-run single on an 0-1 pitch, Machado to third;

CF Jackson Merrill – Belts a three-run homer on an 0-1 pitch.

At this point, nine batters had come to the plate and nine batters had crossed the plate.

Weissert then got Kim on a strikeout; walked Higashioka; got Johnson on a fly out to left; and ended the inning on a pop out by Arreaz.

Another Shutout

On June 28, Phillies southpaw Christopher Sanchez pitched his first MLB complete game (four seasons/38 starts). It was also his first shutout, as the Phillies topped the Marlins 2-0 in Philadelphia.  Sanchez gave up just three this, walked none and fanned nine.  He threw 101 pitches (73 strikes) and only one batter reached second base in the game.

At the end of June, Sanchez was 6-3, 2.41 on the season.

They Call Him the Streak

From June 7 through June 28, Rays’  1B  Yandy Diaz ran off a 20-game hitting streak – going .360-3-11. Diaz, in fact, had just two June games in which he did not record a hit. It is the longest hitting streak in Rays’ franchise history.

Round, Round, Get Around, I get Around

On June 29, Twins “utility” player Willi Castro played in his 84th game of the season, leading off and starting at second base.  While Castro’s game was less than memorable at the plate (zero-for-five with four whiffs), it was memorable in the field, as the MLB Network reported it was his 20th appearance of the 2024 season at 2B – making him just the second player to appear in at least 20 games at five different positions in the field in one season. (The other is the Tigers’ Zach McKinstry 2023). The in-the-field qualifier is important as the Tigers’ Tony Phillips appeared at at least 20 games at five positions in 1992, but one of those positions was Designate hitter.

As June closed, Castro had appeared in 20 games at 2B; 21 at 3B; 21 at SS; 22 in LF; and 20 in CF (also, two at pitcher).   He had also appeared at more than one position in 19 games.  His batting line with all this moving around?  .276-7-27, with ten steals and 51 runs scored.

First Cycle of the Season

As the Rangers topped the high-flying Orioles 11-2 on June 30, Texas’ 22-year-old rookie leftfielder Wyatt Langford was pretty much right in the middle of all the action – as he hit for the first cycle (single, double, triple and home run in the same game) of the 2024 season. His four-for-five-day, with three runs scored and four RBI included: a flyout in the second inning; a leadoff triple in the fourth; an RBI double in the fifth; a single in the sixth; and a three-run homer in the eighth. At the end of June, Langford. was hitting .260-4-35.

 

–INDIVIDUAL LEADERS FOR June –—

BATTING AVERAGE (at least 75 at bats)

American League:  Aaron Judge, Yankees (.409); Carlos Correa, Twins (.388); Steven Kwan, Guardians (.374)

National League: Jonathan India, Reds (.380); Bryce Harper, Phillies (.374); CJ Abrams, Nationals (.373)

The lowest June average among players with at least 75 at bats in the month belonged to the Braves’ Adam Duvall at .136 (12-for-81.)

HITS

American League: Jarren Duran, Red Sox (39); Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (39); Carlos Correa, Twins (38)

National League: Jonathan India, Reds (35); Bryan Reynolds, Pirates (35); five with 34

The Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson led all MLBers in June extra-base hits with 19 – 11 doubles and 8 home runs.  

HOME RUNS

American League: Anthony Santander, Orioles (13); Aaron Judge, Yankees (11); Royce Lewis, Twins (9)

National League:  Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (12); Jackson Merrill, Padres (9); Jeimer Candelario, Reds (8); Kyle Higashioka, Padres (8); Heliot Ramos, Giants (8)

RUNS BATTED IN

American League: Aaron Judge, Yankees (37); Anthony Santander, Orioles (26);Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays (25)

National League: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (24); Heliot Ramos, Giants (24); Lane Thomas, Nationals (21); Alec Bohm, Phillies (21); Brandon Nimmo, Mets (21)

RUNS SCORED

American League:  Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (31):  Juan Soto, Yankees (27); Aaron Judge, Yankees (25); Jarren Duran, Red Sox (25)

National League: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (26); Brandon Nimmo, Mets (24); Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (21); Lane Thomas Nationals (21); Jorge Soler, Giants (21)

DOUBLES

American League: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (11); Willie Castro, Twins (9); Carlos Santana, Twins (9)

National League: Jonathan India, Reds (13); Francisco Lindor, Mets (11); Bryce Harper Phillies (10); CJ Abrams, Nationals (10): Jorge Soler, Giants (10)

TRIPLES

American League:  Riley Greene, Tigers (3); Kyle Isbel, Royals (3); Anthony Volpe, Yankees (3); Wyatt Langford, Rangers (3); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (3)

National League: Elly De La Cruz, Reds (4); Lane Thomas, Nationals (3); nine with 2

The leader in slugging percentage, among players with at least 75 June at bats, was the Yankees’ Aaron Judge at .864. The Phillies’ Bryce Harper led the NL at .714.

STOLEN BASES

American League: David Hamilton, Red Sox (12); Jarren Duran, Red Sox (9); Luis Rengifo, Angels (9)

National League: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (10); Christian Yelich, Brewers (10); Brice Turang, Brewers (9)

The Red Sox’ David Hamilton stole the most June bases without getting caught (12).

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

American League:  Brent Rooker, A’s (37); Zack Gelof, A’s (35); Jose Siri, Rays (33); Luis Robert, Jr., White Sox (33); Anthony Volpe, Yankees (33)

National League: Nolan Gorman, Cardinals (42); Ryan McMahon, Rockies (36); Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (36)

The Reds’ Will Benson fanned 31 times in just 63 June at bats.

WALKS

American League:  Juan Soto, Yankees (31); Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (17); J.P. Crawford, Mariners (17); Andy Rutschman, Orioles (17)

National League: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (20); Willy Adames, Brewers (17); Ian Happ, Cubs (17)

Three batters with at least 75 at bats had more walks than strikeouts in June – Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (16 walks/13 strikeouts); Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim (14 walks/12 strikeouts); Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll, (13 walks/12 strikeouts).

 PITCHING VICTORIES

American League:   Hunter Brown, Astros (4-0); Corbin Burnes, Orioles (4-1); Grayson Rodriguez, Orioles (4-1)

National League:  Kevin Ginkel, Reds (4-0); Tobias Myers, Brewers (4-0); Gavin Stone, Dodgers (4-0); Andrew Abbott, Reds (4-1); Nick Lodolo, Reds (4-1)

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (minimum 25 June innings)

American League: Hunter Brown, Astros (1.16); Logan Gilbert, Mariners (1.51); George Kirby, Mariners (1.74)

National League: Tobias Myers, Brewers (1.44); Christopher Sanchez, Phillies (1.64); Paul Skenes, Pirates (1.78)

The highest ERA among pitchers with at least 25 June innings or four June starts was 9.39 by the Rockies’ Austin Gomber (0-3, 9.39 in five starts, 23 innings.

STRIKEOUTS

American League: Garrett Crochet, White Sox (56/37 2/3 IP); Taj Bradley, Rays (43/32 1/3 IP); Cole Ragans, Royals (43/35 2/3 IP)

National League: Sonny Gray (42/35 2/3 IP); Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers (41/29 IP); Michael King, Padres (41/33 2/3 IP)

Among pitchers who faced at least 100 batters in June, Garrett Crochet of the White Sox had the highest strikeouts-per nine innings ratio at 13.38. The highest strikeouts-to-walks ratio among pitchers to face at least 100 batters in June went to the Mariners; Logan Gilbert, who fanned  31 and walked just one in 35 2/3 innings.

 WALKS + HITS/INNINGS PITCHED (at least 25 May innings)

American League: Logan Gilbert, Mariners (0.62); George Kirby, Mariners (0.84); Tanner Bibee, Guardians (0.92)

National League: Christopher Sanchez, Phillies (0.82); Tobias Myers, Brewers (0.89); Matt Waldon, Padres (0.90)

SAVES

American League:  Emmanuel Clase, Guardians (8); Carlos Estevez, Angels (8); Pete Fairbanks, Rays (8)

National League:  Ryan Helsley, Cardinals (12); Trevor McGill, Brewers (9); Kyle Finnegan, Nationals (7): Paul Sewald, Diamondbacks (7)

Ryan Helsley of the Cardinals saved the most June games without a blown save with twelve.

 

If the season ended June 30, the playoff teams would have been:

American League: Guardians; Orioles; Mariners  Wild Cards: Yankees, Twins, Royals

National League: Phillies; Dodgers; Brewers    Wild Cards: Braves; Padres; Cardinals

Primary Resources;  Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Perhaps the most impactful baseball event this past month, was the combination of the passing of Willie Mays (at the age of 93) on June 18 and the Cardinals/Giants contest at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama – where a 17-year-old Willie Mays played his first professional (and now major-league) game for the Birmingham Balk Barons of the Negro American League.  Note: Rickwood Field, which opened in 1910, is the oldest professional ballpark in America.

Much has been written and said about this event over the past few weeks (and rightfully so) and about the greatness of skills and spirit that May’s brought to baseball, so I won’t go into detail here.

I will say three things that hit me.  First, I was privileged to see Willie Mays play (more than a handful of times).  Second, my love of the national pastime is rooted at least somewhat in my belief that whenever you attend a ball game, there’s also a chance you will see something special or unique – something you may have never seen on the field before. Third, when Willie Mays was on the field, your chances of seeing that something special were dramatically higher than when he was not.

I would also be remiss if I did  not mention the passing of another all-time great, Orlando Cepeda. Baseball will miss these two giants (upper and lower case) of the national pastime.

That said, my Rickwood game highlights were:

  • The ceremonial first pitch from 99-year-old Bill Greason, the oldest living former Negro Leaguer and a teammate of Mays at Birmingham back in 1949. Gleason himself has an historic resume: As a U.S. Marine he fought in the battle for Iwo Jima; he was the first Black pitcher on the St, Louis Cardinals; he has been a Baptist minister for more than 50 years; he was a co-founder of the non-profit American Negro League Baseball Association
  • Reggie Jackson‘s blunt, and forcefully honest, portrayal of the prejudice he faced during his time with the Birmingham A’s of the Southern League.  (It’s been posted and reposted on line. Take the time to watch it).
  • Willie Mays’ son Michael, along with Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Bonds, inspiring the fans in attendance to a standing ovation and chants of Willie-Willie-Willie.
  • The Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham.
  • Former Negro League players on the field pre-game – accompanied by Cardinal and Giant players.
  • The comments and stories of Negro League history shared in television coverage throughout the game.

Oh, incidentally, the Cardinals won the game 6-5.

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Judge DR. Buddie, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday … Could This Be the Original Lucky Break?

June 25, 2024 by

Welcome to the third edition of Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday, a weekly (I hope) 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, statistics or coincidences that caught my eye.

This edition looks at an errant pitch and broken arm that may have proved to be a “lucky break” for the Phillies’ Scott Rolen – plus a couple of bonus Tidbits related to unanimous Rookies of the Year (the connection to Rolen will become clear) and, for those who want to read further, a look at MLB past unanimous Rookies of the year.

Note: For Trivia(l) Tidbit One (brotherly 20-game winners), click here; for the second in the series (a tale of two Bob Millers), click here.

Scott Rolen’s Lucky Break

On September 7, 1996, Phillies rookie Scott Rolen (who had made his MLB debut on August 1) started at 3B for the Phillies, batting fifth. On the mound for the Cubs was right-hander Steve Trachsel. In the bottom of the third inning, Rolen was hit by an 0-1 pitch from Trachsel – breaking the Philadelphia third baseman’s right forearm.  (Rolen would leave the game in the top of the fourth and not take the field again in 1996.)

It was, in some ways, a lucky break.  At the time of the plunking, Rolen was in his 37th MLB game and making his 146th MLB plate appearance.  More important, he had 130 at bats on the season – he was hitting .254-4-18 at the time – and hit-by-pitch does not count as an at bat.

By coincidence, 130 at bats is the exact maximum number of at bats you can have going into a season and still retain rookie status. Rolen entered the 1997 season, rookie status intact and went a more award-worthy .283-21-92, with 16 steals – and was unanimously selected as the National League Rookie of the Year.  It was, by the way, the only time Rolen was hit by a pitch in 1996, and one of eight HBP recorded by Trachsel in 205 innings that season. Rolen went on to a 17-season MLB career (1996-2012 … Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Reds. He hit .281-316-1,287 0ver his career, was a seven- time All Star and a eight-time Gold Glover.

 A Couple More Tidbits … Rookies Who Couldn’t Catch a Break

How about being league MVP as rookie – and still not being a unanimous Rookie of the Year Selection?  Well, it happened to Fred Lynn and Ichiro Suzuki.

Photo: Boston Red Sox via tradingcarddb.com, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1975, the Red Sox’ Fred Lynn went .331-21-105, won a Gold Glove and led the American League in doubles (47) and runs scored (103). His efforts earned him MVP honors and 23 1/2 of 24 possible first-place votes for Rookie of the Year. That other one-half vote went to Lynn’s teammate and outfield partner Jim Rice, who went .309-22-102.

Photo: Jeffrey Hayes, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2001, The Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki led that American Leaguer with a .350 average, 242 hits and 56 stolen bases.  He also hit eight home runs, drove in 69 runners, scored 127 times and won a Gold Glove. That performance earned him league MVP honors and twenty-three of twenty-four possible first-place votes for Rookie of the Year. The remaining vote went to Indians’ rookie C.C. Sabathia, who 17-5, 4.39 in 33 starts.

Photo: D. Benjamin Miller, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Here’s one more rookie-related Trivia(l) Tidbit. In 2019, Mets’ 1B Pete Alonso became the first player (since the Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1947) to break or tie the rookie home run record and not be a unanimous Rookie of the Year selection.  The Reds’ Frank Robinson tied the record (set by Braves’ Wally Berger in 1930) with 38 home runs as a rookie in 1956; the A’s Mark McGwire set a new rookie record with 48 home runs in 1987; and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge set a new rookie record with 52 round rippers in 2017.  All three were unanimous ROY selections. Alonso fell one vote short of unanimous, that tally going to Braves’ pitcher Michael Soroka, who went 13-4, 2.68 in 29 starts.

With those Tidbits out of the way, let’s take a look at MLB’s  unanimous Rookies of the Year.

2023

This past season (2023) marked the fifth time that both the National and American League Rookies of the Year were unanimous choices.

Gunnar Henderson, SS/3B, Orioles

In the American League, it was Orioles’ versatile Gunnar Henderson, who started 68 games at 3B and 64 at SS.  Henderson, signed out of high school in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft, made his MLB debut as a 21-year-old on August 31, 2022 – after going .297-19-76, with 22 steals, in 112 games at Double-A and Triple-A. He got in 34 games with the Orioles that season and hit .259-4-18. With just 116 at bats, he retained rookie eligibility for 2023.

Last season, he hit .255-28-82, with ten steals for the O’s.

A Strong Finish Will Put You in the Minds of the Voters

At the end of May in 2023, Gunnar Henderson was hitting just .201-5-14, with two steals in 50 games.  The rest of they way (100 games), he went .276-23-68, with six stolen bases.

In 2023, Henderson ranked first among AL rookies in home runs (28), triples (9), RBI (82) and runs scored (100). He also rang up 13 Defensive Runs Saved between 3B and SS.

As this is posted, Henderson is having another solid season in 2024 – hitting .278-24-53, with 13 steals and an MLB-leading 66 runs scored.

Finishing second to Henderson in the 2023 ROY balloting was Guardians’ RHP Tanner Bibee. who went 10-4, 2.93 in 25 starts.

—-

Corbin Carroll, CF, Diamondbacks

Another youngster who debuted in 2022 (but retained his rookie status for 2023), Carroll was signed (out of high school) in the first round (16th overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft. In three minor-league seasons before his August 29, 2022 debut with the D-backs, he hit .310-28-87, with 70 steals (in 81 attempts) in 142 games.  In 32 games for Arizona in 2022, he hit .260-4-14, with two steals., He turned on the afterburners in his 2023 ROY season – finishing at .285-25-76, with 54 steals and 116 runs scored.  He also had 30 doubles and a league-leading ten triples.

Nice to be First

Corbin Carroll is the first major leaguer to record at least 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a rookie-eligible season.

As this is posted, Carroll is hitting .211-2-23, with 14 steals on the 2024 season. He is against leading the National League in triples with six.

Finishing second to Carroll in the 2023 NL ROY voting was Mets’ RHP Kodai Senga, who went 12-7, 2.98 in 29 starts.

2020

Kyle Lewis, CF, Mariners

Kyle Lewis was selected by the Mariners in the first round (11th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft – out of Mercer University, where he hit .364-39-145 in 157 games over three seasons.  He made his MLB debut on September 10, 2019 and got in 18 games for Seattle that season (.268-6-13).  In his ROY season (2020), he hit .262-11-28 in 58 games (it was the Covid-shortened season). He led AL rookies in runs (37), walks (34), total bases (90) and home runs (11, tied). He was second among AL rookies in hits (54) and RBI (34).

Injuries (meniscus tear, concussion) limited Lewis’ appearances and performance in 2021-22. He appeared in just 54 games for the Mariners in those two seasons, hitting .215-8-16.     He was traded to the Diamondbacks in November of 2022 and had an up-and-down season. He hit just .157-1-2 in 16 games for the D-backs, but .371-17-80 in 63 games at Triple- A. He was released to free agency in November 2023.

Finishing second to Lewis in the ROY voting was White Sox OF Luis Robert, Jr., who hit .233-11-31 in 56 games.

 2019

Yordan Álvarez, DH. Astros

Yordan Álvarez – the 2019 American League Rookie of the Year – was the first-ever primarily Designated Hitter to capture that honor. (Of Álvarez’ 83 starts – in 87 games played – 74 were as a DH.)

Álvarez, who made his MLB debut June 9, 2019 (18 days before his 22nd birthday), hit .313, with 27 home runs and 78 RBI in just 87 games. This was after going .343-23-71 in 56 games for the Triple-A Round Rock Express.

The ROY Runner-up was John Means, a 27-year-old southpaw starter, who went 12-11, 3.62 for an Orioles team that finished 54 games under .500.

Now in his sixth season, as of this posting, Alvarez has a career stat line of .294-145-421 and is .288-16-41 on the season.   He is a two-time All Star, has topped 30 homers in three seasons.

2017

Cody Bellinger, OF/1B, Dodgers

Cody Bellinger joined the Dodgers as a 21-year-old rookie in 2017 and immediately went to work.  That season, Bellinger hit .267, with 39 home runs and 97 RBI in 132 games.  His 39 home runs were a new National League rookie record (since broken) and helped earn him a unanimous Rookie of the Year selection.  And, like many of our unanimous selections, Bellinger had plenty left in the tank.  He was the NL MVP in 2019, when he hit .305-47-115, for the Dodgers and won a Gold Glove. Now in his eighth MLB season, Bellinger has a career stat line of .259-187-553 as of this writing – and is .272-9-34 on the season.

Finishing second in the 2017 NL ROY voting was the Cardinals’ Paul DeJong, who went .285-25-65 in 108 games.

—–

Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees

In 2017, Aaron Judge became the first rookie ever to hit 50 or more home runs (52) – setting a rookie record (since broken). He also hit .284 with 114 RBI, a league-topping 128 runs scored and an AL-highest 127 walks.  (He also led the league in whiffs with 208).

Judge made his MLB debut on August 13th, 2016.  In his first at bat, he homered off Tampa Bay Rays’ pitcher Matt Andriese. Notably, Yankee 1B Tyler Austin – who hit one spot before Judge and was also getting his first MLB at bat – had also homered.  Trivia(l) Tidbit: This made Judge and Austin the first MLB teammates to hit home runs in their first MLB at bat in the same game (much less in their first at bats back-to back.)

In is ninth season, Judge has a .283-285-642 stat line.  The five-time All Star was the 2022 AL MVP, when he hit .311-62-131 – and led the AL in home runs, RBI, runs scored (133), walks (111), on-base percentage (.425), slugging percentage (.686) and total bases (391).  He is a six-time All-Star.  He is having a stellar 2024 – .300-28 70 – as of this posting.

The runner up in the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year race was the Red Sox’ Andrew Benintendi, who went .271-20-90 (with 20 steals (in 151 games).

Not Unanimous, but Certainly Memorable

Jackie Robinson, the first-ever Rookie of the Year Award winner (and the award now bears his name), was not a unanimous selection. In fact, he barely edged out Giants’ right-handed pitcher Larry Jansen for the honor (15 votes to 13).  Robinson hit .296-12-48, with 125 runs and league-topping 29 steals – in a season in which he faced the pressure of breaking MLB’s color line.  Jansen went 21-5,3.16 in his rookie season (his .808 winning percentage leading the league), with 20 complete games in 30 starts.

2016

 Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers

A first-round draft pick in the 2012 draft, Corey Seager made his MLB debut in 2015 and was the unanimous choice for NL Rookie of the Year in 2016.  As an 18-year-old, Seager hit .309, with eight home runs in 46 Rookie-League (2012) games.  And, Seager just kept getting better.  When he got his first call up (September 2015), he was in the midst of a .293-18-76 season at Double-A/Triple-A.  He acquitted himself well at the MLB-level, going .337-4-17 in 27 games for the Dodgers.

In his 2016 ROY campaign, Seager hit .308, with 26 home runs and 72 RBI, making the All-Star squad and finishing third in NL MVP balloting.

Trivia(l) Tidbit … Bash Brothers

Corey Seager and his brother Kyle Seager were the first siblings to hit 25 or more home runs in the same season.  Corey was .308-26-72 in 2016, while Kyle was .278-30-99 for the Mariners.

Seager is now playing in tenth MLB season and has a .289-184-579 stat line, with four All-Star selections.  Hi is .255-14-36 on the season as this is posted.

The runner up in the 2016 NL ROY voting was the Nationals’ Trea Turner, who went .342-13-40 in 73 games.

2015

Kris Bryant, 3B/OF, Cubs

As a 23-year-old rookie in 2015, Kris Bryant played in 151 games for the Cubs (he saw action in seven Cubs games in 2014), hitting .275, with 26 home runs – not only earning unanimous ROY honors, but also an All-Star selection. But there was more to come.  The following season, Bryant earned NL Most Valuable Player recognition, with a .292-39-102 season.

Bryant picked up a lot of hardware/accolades before making his Cubs debut. He was a USA Today (High School) All American in 2010; a College All-American in 2012 and 2013; winner of the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award in 2013; and the USA Today and Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year in 2014.  (In 2014, Bryant, then 22-years-old, hit .325, with 43 home runs and 110 RBI in 138 games at Double-A and Triple-A.)

Now in his tenth MLB season,  Bryant has a.274-184-542 career  stat line and is .186-2-10 on the season.  He is a four-time All Star and has topped 100 runs scored in three seasons, 100 RBI once and 30 home runs twice.

The Giants’ Matt Duffy finished second in the 2015 NL ROY balloting, after a .295-12-77 season.

2014

Jose Abreu, 1B, White Sox

Jose Abreu signed with the White Sox in October 2013 after (defecting from Cuba that August). He had already established himself as a star in Cuba – where he had played ten seasons. As a 27-year-old rookie with the White Sox in 2014, Abreu hit .317, with 36 home runs and 107 RBI – earning an All Star selection and leading the league in slugging percentage.

MVP… MVP

Jose Abreu was the Most Valuable Player in the Cuban Serie Nacional in the 2010-11 season – after hitting .453, with 33 home runs and 93 RBI in 66 games.

Still active, Abreu’s eleven-season MLB stat line is .283-263-960 – and he is .124-2-7 on the 2024 season.  He is a three-time All Star and, last season, led the AL with 123 RBI.  Abreu has driven in 100 or more runs in six seasons and punched 30 or more home runs in five campaigns

Angels’ pitcher Matt Shoemaker was the runner up to Abreu in the 2014 AL ROY voting, after going 16-4, 3.04 n 27 games (20 starts).

2012

Mike Trout, OF, Angels

While Mike Trout saw 40 games of MLB action as a 19-year-old in 2011 (.220-5-16), he retained his rookie status for the 2012 season.  He earned his unanimous selection as AL Rookie of the Year by going .326-30-83 in 139 games. He also led the AL in runs scored (129) and stolen bases (49).

30-30

In his rookie season, Mike Trout became the youngest MLB player ever to have a 30-30 season (30 home runs/30 stolen bases) – accomplishing it at age 20.   He hit 30 home runs and stole 49 bags.

In his 14th MLB season (as of this posting) Trout has hit .299, with 378 home runs, 954 RBI, 1,123 runs scored and 212 stolen bases. He is .220-10-14 on the 2024 season.  Trout is an eleven-time All Star and has won the AL Most Valuable Player Award three times (finishing second four times). He’s led the AL in runs scored four times (topping 100 in seven seasons) and RBI once (topping 100 three times). He’s also topped the junior circuit in walks three times, on-base percentage four times, slugging percentage four times and total bases once (stealing 30 or more in three seasons).

Finishing second in the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year voting was Oakland’s Yeonis Cespedes, who went .292-23-82 with 16 steals.

2011

Craig Kimbrel, Reliever, Braves

Craig Kimbrel, still active, was a 33rd-round draft pick (Braves) in 2007. He earned a look at the major-league level in 2010, going 4-0, 0.44 with one save in 21 games (40 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings).  In 2011, he was the Braves’ full-time closer, leading the NL with 46 saves – the first in a string of four consecutive seasons as the NL saves leader.

Craig Kimbrel holds the rookie record for saves – at 46.

In his fifteenth MLB season, Kimbrel has gone 54-44, 2.41 with 433 saves (13th all-time) and 1,231 strikeouts in 784 2/3 innings pitched. He is currently 5-2, 2.63 with 16 saves in the 2024 season.  He is a nine-time All Star and has led his league in saves four times (topping 30 saves in eight seasons, reaching 40 or more five times, with a high of 50 saves in 2013).

The runner up for ROY in 2011 was Kimbrel’s teammate Freddie Freeman, who hit .282, with 21 home runs and 76 RBI in 157 games.

2001

Albert Pujols, OF/1B/3B, Cardinals

Drafted by the Cardinals in 1999 (at age 19), after just one year of college ball (Maple Woods Community College), Albert Pujols played just one minor-league season (.314-19-96 in 133 games at three levels) before earning a unanimous National League Rookie of the Year selection.

Trivia(l) Tidbit … Nice Start, Freshman

In his first-ever college baseball game, Albert Pujols hit a Grand Slam and turned an unassisted Triple Play.  He finished that freshman season with a .461 average and 22 home runs and 80 RBI.

Pujols played in 22 MLB seasons, hitting .296 (3,384 hits, 10th all-time) with 703 home runs (fourth all-time) and 2,218 RBI (second all-time).  He was an eleven-time All Star, two-time Gold Glover and three-time National League MVP. He led the league in runs scored five times (topping 100 ten times), home runs twice (reaching forty or more seven times) and RBI once (exceeding 100 in 14 times) and batting average once (topping .300 in ten seasons). A sign of respect, his 316 intentional walks are second only to Barry Bonds He topped .300, 30 home runs, 100 RBI in each of his first ten seasons. (Over those first ten campaigns, his season average was .331-41-123).

The runner up to Pujols for 2001 NL ROY was Astros’ pitcher Roy Oswalt (14-3, 2.73 in 28 appearances).

1997

Nomar Garciaparra, SS, Red Sox

Nomar Garciaparra, at age 23, was in his fourth pro season when he captured 1997 AL Rookie of the Year honors.  (Garciaparra had earned a late-season – 24 games played – call up in 1996).  In 1997, the 23-year-old played in 153 games for the BoSox, hitting .306, knocking 30 home runs, 44 doubles and a league-leading eleven triples.  He drove in 98 runs, scored 122 and earned his way onto the 1997 AL All Star squad.

Garciaparra went on to a 14-season MLB career in which he hit .313-229-936; was a six-time All Star; and won a pair of batting titles.  He hit .300+ in nine seasons, scored 100+ runs six times, and hit 30 or more homes runs twice and 50 or more doubles twice.

Isn’t That Grand

Nomar Garciaparra is one of just 13 players to hit two Grand Slams in a single game (May 10, 1999) – and the only player to achieve this feat in his home ball park.

The runner up to Garciaparra for Rookie of the Year was outfielder Jose Cruz, who split his season between Toronto and Seattle, playing in 104 games and hitting .248-26-68.

—–

 Scott Rolen, 3B, Phillies –  Hall of Fame

Scott Rolen made his debut with the Phillies (at age 21) on August 1, 1996.  He got in 37 games with the Phils that season (preserving his rookie status for 1997), hitting .254, with four home runs and 18 RBI.  Much better things were on the horizon. In his 1997, ROY season, Rolen played in 156 games, hitting .283, with 21 home runs, 92 RBI – and 16 stolen bases.

He went on to a 17-season MLB career, hitting .281, with 316 home runs, 1.287 RBI and 118 steals.  He was a seven-time All Star and eight-time Gold Glover at the hot corner. Rolen hit 20 or more home runs in 10 seasons (topping 30 three times) and drove in 100+ runs in five campaigns.

The runner up to Rolen for ROY was Marlins’ pitcher Livan Hernandez, who went 9-3, 3.18 in 17 starts.

1996

Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees, Hall of Fame

Derek Jeter was a first-round (sixth-overall) Yankee draft pick right out of high school (1992). He saw his first MLB action in 1995 (15 games as a September call up), before his unanimous selection as Rookie of the Year (as a 22-year-old) in 1996.   In that 1996 season, Jeter played in 157 games, hitting .314, with ten home runs, 78 RBI, 104 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.  He went on to a 20-season MLB career, during which he hit .310 (3,465 hits), with 269 round trippers, 1,311 RBI, 1,923 runs scored and 358 steals. He topped 200 hits in eight campaigns (leading the league twice), scored 100+ runs in 13 seasons (leading the league once), won five Gold Gloves and was an All Star 14 times.   He was also the 2000 World Series MVP (hitting .409 in five games) and 2000 All Star Game MVP.

White Sox’ pitcher James Baldwin was the runner-up to Jeter for ROY, after going 11-6, 4.42 in 28 starts for the Pale Hose.

1994

Raul Mondesi, OF, Dodgers

Raul Mondesi made a major-league impression before his 1994 season (when he was the unanimous selection for NL Rookie of the year).   Called up to the Dodgers the previous July, the then 22-year-old had hit .291 in 42 games and showed plus defense in the outfield. In his 1994 ROY season, Mondesi played in 112 games for the Dodgers, hitting .306, with 16 home runs, 56 RBI, 63 runs scored and 11 steals.

30-30 Vision

Raul Mondesi is one of only 13 players to have multiple 30-30 (30 home runs/30 stolen bases) seasons. In 1997, Mondesi hit .310, with 30 home runs and 32 steals for the Dodgers. In 1999, he hit .253, with 33 home runs and 36 steals, again for the Dodgers. 

Mondesi played 13-seasons in the major leagues, hitting .273, with 271 home runs, 860 RBI and 229 stolen bases. He was a one-time All Star and two-time Gold Glover.  He hit 30 or more home runs in three seasons and stole at least 30 bases in three seasons.

The runner up to Mondesi for the Rookie of the Year, was Astros’ reliever John Hudek, who went 0-2, 2.97 with 16 saves in 42 appearances.

1993

Tim Salmon, OF, Angels

While he did get a late season call up (August) in 1992, Tim Salmon still had his rookie status when he took a full-time spot in the Angels’ outfield in 1993.    In his full-season rookie campaign, the 24-year-old hit .283, with 31 home runs, 95 RBI and 93 runs scored. He enjoyed a 14-season MLB career, hitting .282, with 299 home runs and 1,016 RBI. Salmon – although never an All-Star Selection – hit 30 or more home runs in five seasons and drove in 100+ runs in three. In 1995, he went .330-34-105 in 143 games.

The runner up to Salmon was White Sox RHP Jason Bere who went 12-5, 3.47 in 22 starts.

Mike Piazza, C, Dodgers, Hal of Fame

Over his first three minor-league seasons, Mike Piazza hit .245, with 43 home runs and 150 RBI over 262 games.  Then, in 1991, the 23-year-old, put it all together – hitting .350-23-90 in 125 games at Double-A and Triple-A and earning a late season call up (.232-1-7 in 21 games) with the Dodgers.  In 1992, still considered a rookie, he was behind the plate for the Dodgers full time – and went .318-35-112 (making the NL All Star squad in the process).

Not Exactly Low-Hanging Fruit

Mike Piazza was the 1,390th pick of the 1989 MLB draft.

Mike Piazza went on to a 16-season Hall of Fame career – hitting .308, with 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI – and making an even dozen All Star teams. He topped 30 home runs in a season nine times (reaching 40 twice) and had 100 or more RBI in six campaigns.

Runner up to Piazza was Braves reliever Greg McMichael, who went 2-3, 2.06 with 19 saves in 74 appearances.

1990

Sandy Alomar, C, Indians

Sandy Alomar started out as a catcher in the Padres’ system.   Alomar, however, was blocked by 1987 unanimous Rookie of the Year and 1989 All Star catcher Benito Santiago (Alomar played in just eight games for the Padres in 1988-89). In December of 1989, the Padres traded Alomar (along with Carlos Baerga and Chris James) to the Indians for power-hitting Joe Carter.  Alomar got an opportunity to stick with Cleveland in 1990 – and he made the most of it.  He was a unanimous Rookie of the Year selection – hitting .290-9-66 in 132 games, making the All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove.  (Carter, by the way, hit .232-24-115 for the Padres in 1990 and was traded to the Blue Jays after the 1990 season.)

Alomar played 20 MLB seasons, hitting .273-112-588. He was a six-time All Star.

Yankees’ 1B Kevin Maas was the runner up to Alomar, going .252-21-41 in 79 games.

1987

Mark McGwire, 1B, A’s

Mark McGwire got the proverbial “cup of coffee” in the big leagues in 1986, hitting just .189 with three home runs in 18 games. This experience came after a late-season call up from Triple-A Tacoma, where he hit .318-13-59 in 78 games (he had also gone .303-10-53 in 55 games at Double-A).

The following season, with his rookie status still intact, the 23-year-old hit .289, mashed a then MLB rookie-record (and league-leading) 49 home runs and drove in 188 tallies. It was good start to a 16-season MLB career that would see him his .263, with 583 home runs, 1,414 RBI and 1,167 runs scored.  Over that career, McGwire was an All Star in 12 seasons, a four-time home run champion – and even won a Gold Glove (A’s – 1990). In 1998, McGwire broke Roger Maris’ single-season home run record (61), bashing 70 round trippers. (Barry Bonds broke McGwire’s record in 2001, with 73 long balls.)

Runner up to McGwire was the Royals’ INF/OF Kevin Seitzer, who hit .323-15-83, with 105 runs scored and a league-leading 207 hits in 161 games.

—–

Benito Santiago, C, Padres

Twenty-two-year-old Padres’ backstop Benito Santiago got off to a good start as the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year choice in 1987 – batting .300, with 18 home runs, 79 RBI and 12 stolen bases.  He went on to a 20-season MLB career, hitting .263, with 217 home runs and 91 steals.  He was a five-time All Star and a three-time Gold Glover.

They Call Him The Streak

From August 25 through October 2, 1987, Benito Santiago hit safely in 34 games – still the longest hitting streak ever by an MLB rookie.

Pirates’ RHP Mike Dunn was runner up to Santiago, after going 13-6, 3.03 in 23 starts.

 1985

Vince Coleman, OF, Cardinals

Vince Coleman came up to the Cardinals as a 23-year-old, in his fourth professional season. Over 328 minor-league games he had hit .286 – and swiped 289 bases.   He continued to show that speed as an MLB rookie, leading the National League with 110 steals in his 1986 ROY season. Coleman remains the only player to steal 100+ bases in his rookie season. He played in 151 games, hitting .267, with just one home run and 40 RBI – but scored 107 runs.

Coleman led the National League in steals in each of his first six MLB seasons (tying the NL record for consecutive seasons leading the league in that category.) He also pilfered 100+ bases in each of his first three seasons (1985-87), becoming one of only two MLB player to record three straight seasons of triple-digit steals. The other was Billy Hamilton (1889-91, Phillies).

Coleman played 13 MLB seasons, hitting .264, with 28 home runs, 346 RBI, 849 runs and 752 steals. He was a two-time All Star.

The runner up to Coleman for 1985 NL ROY was Reds’ LHP Tom Browning, who went 20-9, 3.55 in 38 starts.

1972

Carlton Fisk, C, Red Sox, Hall of Fame

Carlton Fisk was the unanimous choice for the American League Rookie of the Year in 1972 (the first-ever AL unanimous ROY). The 24-year-old backstop played in 131 games for the Red Sox hitting .293, with 22 home runs and 61 RBI, 74 runs scored and five stolen bases – while also capturing the AL Gold Glove at catcher.

In his rookie season, Carlton Fisk led the American League in triples (tied with Joe Rudi) with nine.

Fisk’s MLB career stretched for 24 seasons. He was an All Star in 11 of those seasons and finished with a .269 average, 376 home runs, 1,330 RBI, 1,276 runs scored and 128 stolen bases.

Note: Prior to 1970 voters could case a vote for just one player in each league for Rookie of the Year.  So, there are no runners-up to previous unanimous winners.

1959

Willie McCovey, 1B, Giants, Hall of Fame

Willie McCovey is a bit of a surprise on this list, as he was a unanimous selection for 1959 National League Rookie of the Year despite not making his MLB debut until July 30 of that season – and playing in just 52 Games for the Giants.  Still, he made the most of those games – hitting .354, with 13 home runs and 38 RBI. I also find it surprising the Giants waited until July to call him up to the “show.” He was already in his fifth professional season and was hitting .372-29-92 in 95 games) at Triple-A Phoenix at the time.

McCovey went on to a 22-season Hall of Fame MLB career. He was a six-time All Star and the 1969 NL MVP.  The three-time NL home run leader finished with a .270 average, 521 home runs and 1,555 RBI. He also went .310-2-6 in eight post-season games.

1956

Frank Robinson, OF, Reds, Hall of Fame

Frank Robinson started his Hall of Fame career with a bang. The unanimous choice for 1956 National League Rookie of the Year played in 152 games and hit .290, with 38 home runs (tying the MLB rookie record) and 83 RBI. The 20-year-old also led the NL in runs scored with 122 and hit-by-pitch with 20 (ouch). He went on to 21-season MLB career; was an All Star in 14 campaigns.  He finished with a career .294 average, 586 home runs, 1,812 RBI, 1,829 runs scored and 204 stolen bases.  He also was a Triple Crown winner, a two-time league MVP, a World Series MVP, an All-Star Game MVP and, after retiring as a player, honored as the American League Manager of the Year (1989, Orioles).

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Referencee.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

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Tuesday Trivia(l) Tidbits Edition Two … Just Ask Bob

June 18, 2024 by

Welcome to the second edition of Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday, a weekly (I hope) 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, statistics or coincidences that caught my eye.

This edition looks at the time the Phillies’ Don Demeter hit two home runs in a game – off of two Mets’ pitchers named Bob Miller, who also happened to be roommates. Then the post moves on to a pair of Bobby Jones, who started on the mound against each other and (as usual with Baseball roundtable when I start looking into something, “one thing led to another”) a look at Hall of Famers whose careers overlapped with another MLB player with the same first and last name.  Some of you may want to skip that part of the post.  It is a little bit “in the weeds.”

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother

The first Edition of Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday focused on the year the Niekro Brothers – Joe and Phil – tied for the NL lead in victories. It went on to a look MLB’s pitching brothers who were also 20-game winners (the brothers Martinez, Perry, Niekro and Coveleski). For that post, click here.

On August 15, 1962, the Phillies topped the Mets 9-3 in the first game of a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds.  No big surprise there, as the Mets’ record going into the game was 30-88. What was more surprising was that Phillies’ outfielder Don Demeter hit his 19th and 20th home runs of the season in the game – off a right-handed and a left-handed “Bob Miller” … given name Robert Miller.

Not only that, the two Bob Millers were road roommates.  Southpaw Bob Gerald Miller reported that while he originally roomed (on the Mets) with Joe Pignatano, when calls came into the hotel for Mets’ hurler Bob Miller, confusion as to which room to connect often ensued. So, the two Bob Millers became roomies.  (Thanks to centerfieldmaz.com for this portion of this tidbit.) .  

Anyway, back to August 15, 1962 game. In the third inning, with the Phillies’ up 2-0, Demeter (who had started the game in left field and in the five-spot in the order) smacked a solo shot off starter (right-hander) Robert Lane Miller. Then in the ninth inning, Demeter – who had moved to center field in the seventh – hit a three-run homer (extending the Phillies’ lead to 9-2) off southpaw reliever Robert Gerald Miller. Two homers, in one game, off two Bob Millers, a right-hander and a port-sider.

Demeter, notably, was on the way to his best-ever major league season. In 1962 (his sixth of eleven MLB seasons), he achieved his career highs for average (.307), home runs (29), RBI (107), runs scored (85), hits (169) and doubles (24). The two Millers?  Starter Bob Miller went 1-12, 4.89 in 1962 (69-81, 3.37 with 52 saves in 17 MLB seasons). Reliever Bob Miller went 2-2, 7.08 in 1962, the last of his five MLB seasons (6-8, 4.72).

The Travelin’ Man

Robert Lane Miller played for ten MLB teams in his 17-season MLB career (1957, 1959-74). In two seasons, he played for three teams (1970 – Indians White Sox, Cubs and 1971 – Cubs, Padres, Pirates). He played on five League Champions, which included three World Series Champions.

On May 11, 1999, there was another coincidence involving two Roberts (Jones, this time), who both went by the nickname Bobby. The pair found themselves starting on the mound in the same game. Once again, the Mets were involved – and once again one lefty and one righty were the principals.

The contest was in Colorado and southpaw Bobby Jones (Robert Mitchell Jones) started on the mound for the Rockies, while righty Bobby Jones (Robert Joseph Jones) started for the Mets.  If you are looking for an MLB unicorn, it as the first time in the Modern Era (post-1900) that two pitchers with the same first and last name started against each other. The Rockies’ Bobby Jones got the better of the of it that day, giving up two runs in five innings for the win, while the Mets’ Bobby Jones took the loss (eight runs in 5 1/3 frames).

Hey, Let’s Get Together Again

The season after opposing each other on the mound in Colorado, the two Bobby Jones found themselves as teammates on the Mets and. In 2002, they were teammates on the Padres.  

The 1999 Rockies’ Bobby Jones pitched in six MLB seasons (1997-2000, 2002, 2004 … Rockies, Mets, Padres, Red Sox), going 14-21, 5.77; while the 1999 Mets’ Bobby Jones pitched in 10 MLB seasons (1993-2002 … Mets, Padres), going 89-83, 4.36.

Now, We Go Into The Weeds

Getting this far, remember – for Baseball Roundtable, one thing always leads to another – I thought about looking further into MLB players with the same name- particularly those with overlapping career years. But, whoa, this looked to be a daunting task.  Take the players with the last name Williams. I found at least two Bernies, three Bobs, three Williams, three Davids (first name David, but they went by Dave, Davey and David), two Earls, two Franks, two Freds, three Georges, two Harrys, two Jesses, two Josephs, four Johns (using John, Johnnie or Johnny), two Mathews, two Reginalds, two Thomases, two Roys, two Woodrows. Appropriately, there was only one Ted Williams,

So, I narrowed the search to Hall of Fame players who were not the only players with their first and last names to play in the majors. Still pretty daunting, so I reduced that to Hall of Fame Players who had careers that overlapped with those of other MLB players with the same first and last names. Now, we were getting to a more manageable group.  Side note: I did require the given names be the same.  For example, there were two Joe Morgans, but the Hall of Fame Joe Morgans’ given name was Joe. The Joe Morgan whose career overlapped that of the Hall of Famer had the  given name Joseph. You get the idea.

Let’s start this portion of the post with a trio of father/sone combinations that include a Hall of Famer.

George “Ken” (Kenneth) Griffey, Outfield

Number one on this list has to be a couple of guys named George – George Kenneth Griffey and George Kenneth Griffey, Junior … with, of course, Junior being the Hall of Famer. Their MLB careers overlapped in 1990-91. Note:  As we go forward, when it’s father and son combinations, for the sake of simplicity, I’ll used Junior and Senior to separate them.

It went like this. Griffey Junior signed with the Mariners (number one overall), out of high school, in the 1987 MLB Draft. At the time, Griffey Senior was with the Reds and in his 17th MLB season. After two stellar minor-league seasons (.320-27-92, with 49 steals in 129 games), Junior made his debut with the Mariners in 1989. In August of the following year, the 40-year-old Griffey Senior (hitting .206-1-8 for the Reds) was released. Fortunately, for baseball, he was quickly signed by the Mariners – and then the fun began.

On August 31, the Mariners lineup featured Griffey Senior batting second and playing left field and Griffey Junior batting third and playing center.  In the bottom of the first inning, the first time they batted in the same lineup, both Griffeys singled (against the Royals’ Storm Davis). The Mariners, by the way, prevailed by a 5-2 score.

Back-to-Back, Jack

As the Mariners took on the Angels in Anaheim. Ken Griffey, Senior was batting second and playing left field, while Ken Griffey, Junior was batting third and playing center.  In the first inning, Griffey Senior hit an 0-2 pitch from Kirk McCaskill for a two-run home run and Griffey Junior followed by taking McCaskill deep on a 3-0 pitch – making the Griffeys the first (and still only) MLB father-son combination to go deep back-to-back,

Long story short, Griffey Senior retired in 1990, after playing 19 seasons (1973-91). In 2,097 games, the three-time All Star hit .296-152-859, with 200 stolen bases. His career overlapped, in 1990-91, with Hall of Famer Griffey Junior – who played 22 MLB seasons (1989-2010 … Mariners, Reds, White Sox). In 2,671 games, he hit .284-630-1,836, with 1,662 runs and 184 steals. Junior was a four-time home run leader (seven times hitting 40 or more). Junior was a 13-time All Star, 10-time Gold Glover and 1997 Al MVP.

Willie (James) Wells, Shortstop/Third Base

Hall of famers Willie (James) Wells was the only Willie Wells in MLB for the first 17 of his 21-seasons (1924-39, 1942, 1945-48 … St. Louis Stars, Chicago American Giants, Detroit Wolves, Homestead Grays, Newark Eagles, New York Black Yankees, Baltimore Elite Giants, Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns, Memphis Red Sox. Then, in 1944, his son Willie (Brooks) Wells made his MLB debut.

A New First

In 1948, Hall of Famer Willie James Wells’ 21st and final MLB final season, he joined the Memphis Red Sox. Also on the team was his son Willie Brooks Wells, making them the first father and son to play together on a major league team.

Hall of Famer Willie Wells played in 1,039 games, going .330-140-873, with 932 runs and 160 steals. An eight-time All Star, he led his league in runs five times, hits three times, doubles three times, home runs three times, RBI two times and average once.,

The Younger Wells (an infielder like his father) played in five MLB seasons (1944-48 … Memphis Red Sox and Chicago American Giants). The younger Wells went .182-0-19 in 71 career games. games.

Timothy “Tim” Tim Raines, Outfield

Hall of Famer Tim Raines played 23 MLB seasons (1979-99, 2001-02 … Expos, White Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Marlins). His MLB career briefly overlapped that of another player with the same name – his son, Timothy Raines, Junior.

Raines Junior was signed by the Orioles, out of high school, in the sixth round of the 1998 MLB draft. He got his first taste of the major leagues in 2001, debuting on October 1 of that season. At the time, his father, Raines Senior – in his 22nd season – was a member of the Montreal Expos.  However, on October 3, the Expos sent Raines Senior to the Orioles in a trade (for future considerations). The pair of Tim Raines first appeared in a game together that day, Junior starting in CF and leading off, Senior appearing as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.  The pair of Tim Raines started in the same lineup for the first time on October 4 (versus the Red Sox in Baltimore), Junior leading off and playing CF, Senior batting sixth and playing LF.  Raines Senior was granted free agency after the season and signed with the Marlins for 2002 (and what would be the 42-year-old’s final season). Raines Junior spent 2002 back in the minors – so the overlap in the career of the two Tim Raines was very brief.

Tim Raines Junior played in three ML:B seasons (2001, 2003-04) all for the Orioles., He got in 75 games, hitting .213-0-7, with ten steals. Tim Raines Senior played in 22 MLB seasons (2,502 games), hitting .294-170-980, with 808 steals and 1,571 runs scored. He was a seven-time All Star (consecutively 1981-87) and led the league in runs twice, doubles once, batting average once and steals four ties.

Pedro Martinez, Right-Handed Pitcher

From 1993 through 1997, there were two players named Pedro Martinez pitching in the major leagues. One, of course, was future Hall of Famer Pedro (Jaime) Martinez, whose MLB career went from 1992 through 2009 (Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox, Mets, Phillies).  The eight-time All Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner went 219-100, 2.93, led in the league in wins once, winning percentage three times, ERA five times, complete games once, shutouts once and strikeouts three times.

The other Pedro Martinez (no middle name listed, no relation to the Hall of Famer) was also a pitcher (southpaw). He played in the majors from 1993-1997 (Padres, Astros, Mets, Reds). In five seasons, he went 7-4, 3.97, with three saves in 122 appearances (just one start).

John “Jack” Morris, Right-Handed Pitcher

Right-hander and Hall of Famer John “Jack” Morris played in 18 MLB seasons (1973-94 … Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays Indians).  The other John Morris, a left-handed outfielder played in seven MLB seasons (1986-92 … Cardinals, Phillies Angels.

Hall of Famer Morris went 254-186, 3.99 over his career. A five-time All Star, he led the league in wins twice (three times winning 20 or more games in a season), complete games once, shutouts once, innings pitched once and strikeouts once.

Outfielder Morris played in 402 MLB games (Cardinals, Phillies, Angels), going .236-8-63.

James “Pud” Galvin. Right-Handed Pitcher

Hall of Fame hurler James “Pud”( Francis) Galvin pitched in 15 MLB seasons (1875, 1879-92 .. St. Louis Brown Stockings, Buffalo Bisons, Allegheny City, Pittsburgh Burghers, St. Louis Browns). He went 365-310, 2.85 in 705 appearances (688 starts/646 complete games). He won 20 or more games in ten seasons and twice won 46 games in a campaign. (It was a different game then – he never led his league in wins).

For one of Galvin’s 15 MLB seasons, there was another James Galvin in the major leagues and like “Pud” he did not go by James or Jim.  That was James “Lou” Louis Galvin, who pitched for the Union Association’s St. Paul White Caps briefly in 1884 – going 0-2, 2.88 in three games.

John Ward, Infielder, Right-Handed Pitcher

John (Montgomery) Ward played in 17 MLB seasons (1878-94 … Providence Grays, Giants, Brooklyn in the Players League and Brooklyn in the National League). He hit .275-26-869, scored 1,410 runs and stole more than 500 bases. He also went 164-103, 2.10 in 293 appearances as a pitcher (262 starts/245 complete games).

During HOFer John Ward’s MLB career, two other John Wards played in the major leagues, each with just one MLB game: Outfielder John E. Ward, who played one game for the 1884 Union Association’s Washington Nationals (one single in four at bats) and John T. Ward, who  for played for the Providence Grays in 1985, going 0-1, 4.50 in one mound appearance.

Primary Resource:  Baseball-Reference.com

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Trivia(L) Tidbit Tuesday … Brothers Who Were 20-Game Winners

June 11, 2024 by

Baseball Roundtable is going to try out a new feature … Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday, a weekly (I hope) presentation of a baseball occurrence 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, statistics or coincidences  that caught my eye.

This first edition relates to the brothers Niekro – Joe and Phil.  As most readers will know, in 1979, Joe (Astros) and Phil (Braves) tied for the National League in wins – with Joe at 21-11, 3.00 while Phil finished at 21-20. 3.39.

 

Photos: Phil Niekro – Texas Rangers via tradingcarddb.com, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Joe Niekro- Houston Astros via tradingcarddb.com, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

My Trivia(l) Tidbit is that this “coincidence” came down to the wire – with Joe and Phil each notching their league-topping 21st victory on September 30 and there was no tomorrow … it was the final game of the season for their respective teams.  For the brothers to tie for the league lead, they had to both win, both lose or both end up with a no-decision as their squad closed out the season. Fortunately, they finished in style – both winning and accomplishing this unicorn (once in MLB history) occurrence of siblings tying for the league-lead in victories.

Of course, most fans also know that the 1979 marked:

  • the most recent season in which an MLB pitcher (Phil Niekro) logged both twenty wins and twenty losses; and
  • the most recent season in which an MLB player (Phil) led his league in both wins and losses; and, of course,

So, there’s my Trivia(l) Tidbit. Of course, for Baseball Roundtable one things always leads to another, so here’s more on MLB’s pitching brothers who were also 20-game winners (the brothers Martinez, Perry, Niekro and Coveleski).

 

The Top of the List

Only two sets of pitching brothers have combined for at least 500 MLB victories. Phil and Joe Niekro with 539 wins (Phil 318, Joe 221) and Gaylord and Jim Perry (Gaylord314, Jim 215).

 

The Niekros

Hall of Famer Phil Niekro went 318-274, 3.35 over 24 MLB seasons (1964-87 … Braves, Yankees. Indians, Blue Jays) – 21 seasons with the Braves. He was a five-time All Star and won 20 or more games in three seasons. The knuckleballer also had two seasons of 20 or more losses.  Phil led his league in wins twice, losses four times, complete games four times, innings pitched four times and strikeouts once. Phil’s dancing knuckler also helped him lead the league in walks, wild pitches and hit-by-pitch three times each. His best season was 1969, when he went 23-13, 2.56 for the Braves. Niekro also earned five Gold Gloves. He pitched in the major leagues from age 25 through age 48. He 318 wins rank  16th all-time.

Leader of the Pack

In 1979, when Phil Niekro went 21-20, he led the NL in wins (21), losses (20), starts (44); complete games (23); innings pitched (342); hits allowed (311); home runs allowed (41); walks (113); and hit-by-pitch 11.  

Joe Niekro had a 22-season MLB career (1967-88 … Cubs, Padres, Tigers, Braves, Astros, Yankees, Twins). He went 221-204, 3.59. The one-time All Star won 20 or more games in two seasons.  He led his league in wins once and shutouts once.

So Close

In 1979, when Joe Niekro went 21-11, 3.00, he finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting to Cubs’ reliever Bruce Sutter (6-6, 2.22, with 37 saves) – in a very close vote. Sutter had 72 voting points and ten first place votes to Niekros 66 voting points and nine first place votes. 

_______________________________________________

Anything You Can Do …

Phil and Joe Niekro and Gaylord and Jim Perry are the only pairs of brothers to record 20 or more wins in the same season as their siblings.   The Niekros in 1979, the Perrys in 1970.

______________________________________________________

The Perrys

Gaylord Perry Photo: Gaylord  Jay Publishing via tradingcarddb.com, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1970, Gaylord and Jim Perry became the first (and still only) brothers to lead the American and National League in victories in the same season. Jim, with the Twins, went 24-12, 3.04, earning the AL CYA.  Hall of Famer Gaylord went 23-13, 3.20 for the Giants. The pair came close to becoming the only brothers to capture the AL and NL Cy Young Awards in the same season. Jim won the AL CYA (narrowly topping the Orioles’ Jim Palmer), while Gaylord finished second to the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson in the NL voting.

That Will Look good on the Mantle

Gaylord and Jim Perry  Perrys are the only brothers to both capture Cy Young Awards. Gaylord was the CYA winner in 1972 with the Indians and in 1978 with the Padres.  Jim won the CYA with the Twins in 1974.

Gaylord Perry pitched in 22 MLB seasons (1962-83 … Giants, Indians, Rangers, Padres, Braves, Yankees, Mariners and Royals). He won 20 or more games in five seasons (with three different teams) and finished with a 314-265, 3.11 stat line. He was a five-time All Star and led his league in wins three times, shutouts once, complete games twice and innings pitched twice. He ranks 17th all-time in wins.

Lucky Number Seven

Gaylord Perry is one of just seven pitchers (and the first) to win the Cy Young Award in both the National and American Leagues.  The others are Pedro Martinez; Randy Johnson; Roger Clemens; Roy Halladay; Max Scherzer; and Blake Snell.

 Jim Perry pitched in 17 MLB seasons (1959-75 … Indians, Twins, Tigers, A’s). He won 20 or more games in two seasons. A three-time All Star, he led his league in wins twice and shutouts once. His final regular-season stat line was 215-174, 3.45.

The Martinez(es)

Pedro and Ramon Martinez went a combined 354-188.

Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez had an 18-season MLB career (1992-2009 … Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox, Mets, Phillies). He went 219-100, 2.93. The eight-time All Star had two seasons of 20 or more wins. He led the league in wins once, earned run average five times, complete games once, shutouts once and strikeouts three times. From 1997 through 2003, Pedro went 118-36, 2.20, with 1,761 strikeouts in 1,408 innings pitched. During that period, he won all three of his Cy Young Awards: 1997 (17-8, 1.90 for the Expos); 1999 (23-4, 2.07 for the Red Sox); 2000 (18-6, 1.74 for the Red Sox).

Triple Crown

Pedro Martinez won the  AL pitching Triple Crown with the Red Sox in 1999, leading the AL in wins (23), ERA (2.07) and strikeouts (313).

Ramon Martinez pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1988-2001 … Dodgers, Red Sox, Pirates – eleven seasons for the Dodgers). He went 135-88, 3.67 over his career. He was an All Star just once, in 1990, when he went 20-6, 2.92 for the Dodgers (his only 20-win campaign), led the league in complete games (12) and finished second in the CYA voting.

The Coveleskis

Stan and Harry Coveleski went a combined 296-197.

Add ‘Em UP

Stan and Harry Coveleski had a combined eight seasons of 20 or more wins – the most of any pair of MLB brothers. (Odds are, if the Cy Young Award had existed during their playing days, they might – like the Perrys –  be a pair of brothers with Cy Young Awards.

Photos: Stan Coveleski (left)  – The Sporting News via [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Harry Coveleski (right) –   Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski played in 14 MLB seasons (1912, 1916-28 … Athletics, Indians, Nationals, Yankees). Stan went 215-142, 2.89 over his career – winning 20 or more games in five seasons (including four consecutive from 1918 through 1921).  He led his league in earned run average twice, shutouts twice and strikeouts once. From 1918-1921 (Indians), Coveleski averaged 23 wins (with a 2.57 ERA) per season.

Harry Coveleski played in nine MLB seasons (1907-1910, 1914-1918 … Phillies, Reds, Tigers).  He had three seasons of 20 or more wins (1914-16, all for the Tigers).  In those three campaigns, he averaged 22 wins per season, with a 2.30 earned run average.

 

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com.

NEXT TUESDAY: The Tale of the Two Bob Millers … and other same name major leaguers. 

 

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May Wrap – A Two-Homer Inning; 13 Consecutive Strikeouts; Six Bases-Loaded Walks; and More

June 1, 2024 by

It’s June 1, and that means it’s time for the Baseball Roundtable monthly Wrap Up for May – a look at the stories and statistics that caught The Roundtable’s attention over the past month, as well as the standings, Roundtable Players and Pitchers of the Month, the Trot Index and more.

As usual, there a few things unusual over the past thirty days. We saw:

  • Luis Arreaz rack up  eight consecutive multi-hit games and Rafael Devers going yard in six consecutive contests;
  •  Jeremiah Estrada‘s record-setting run of thirteen consecutive strikeouts broken by a batter to whom he did not throw a single pitch;
  • Jose Altuve‘s 300th steal;
  • Luis Gil setting a new Yankee-franchise record for strikeouts in a game by a rookie – in a game where the previous recordholder (Orlando Hernandez) threw out the ceremonial first pitch;
  • Jarren Duran hitting a home run and stealing home in the same game;
  • Mookie Betts‘ 50th leadoff home run;
  • A two-homer inning by Brent Rooker;
  • A half-inning that “featured” six bases-loaded walks; and
  • M0re.

Read on for these highlights – and the more. As usual, we’ll start with Baseball Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month.

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH – MAY 2024

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Player of the Month – Bryce Harper, 1B, Phillies & Luis Arreaz, 2B,Padres

Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Bryce Harper had a solid May, hitting .313, with an NL-leading (tied) seven home runs, as well as a league-leading 24 RBI. His 19 May runs scored tied for third in the NL. Harper had nine multi-hit games and six multi-RBI games during the month. In a three-game span from May 5 through May 7, Harper went seven -for-twelve, with three home runs and ten RBI. The Phillies won all three contests. Harper ended May at .270-13-42 on the season. Harper also drew 16 free passes, giving him a .407 on-base percentwge for the month.

You can’t talk May without lookin at Luis Arreaz’ trade from the Marlins to the Padres.  At the time of the trade (May 4), Arreaz (the 2022 AL batting champion and 2023 NL batting champ) was hitting “just” .299 on the season.  After the trade, he hit .398 over the remainder of May – raising his average to .342 and taking the lead in the NL batting race. From May 14 through May 23, Arreaz had eight straight multi-hit games – going 20 for 38 (.526), with two doubles, a home run, four RBI and four runs scored. Over the course of the month, he had 13 multi-hit games, including four four-hit contests. He had an MLB-high 44 hits in 26 contests. Arreaz’ stat line for the full month was .389-1-11, with 16 runs scored.

Honorable Mention: Dodgers’ DH Shohei Ohtani put together a .312-7-19, month – and stole eight bags in eight tries.

Pitcher of the Month – Chris Sale, LHP, Braves

Chris Sale went 5-0 in five May starts and his 0.56 earned run average was lowest among MLB pitchers with at least 25 May innings). The southpaw was second in  the NL in strikeouts (45 in 32 innings), while walking just two batters. Between his May 8 start and the second inning of his start on May 26, Sale pitched 21 consecutive scoreless innings. He had a 0.78 WHIP for the month (second in the NL among pitchers with at least 25 May innings), held hitters to a .193 average and did not give up a single home run. At the close of May Sale was 8-1, 2.12 on the season.

Honorable Mentions: A shoutout goes to Rockies’ righty Carl Quantrill who went 4-0, 1.71 in five starts, with 32 strikeouts 31 2/3 innings. Quantrill’s month included two starts at hitter-friendly Coors Field (where he gave up three runs in 12 innings).  Quantrill came into the month 0-3, 5.34 on the season and improved his 2024 line to 4-3, 3.53. Mitch Keller also deserves recognition, going 4-0, 1.30 for the Pirates, including a complete-game, five-hitter in a May 6 4-1 win over the Angels. Another Rockie, Austin Gomber only picked up one win (1-0) in four May starts, despite a sparkling 0.68 eared run average in 26 2/3 innings pitched.  Gomber’s May performance was a bit of an eye opener. He came into the season with a 30-28, 4.90 record over five MLB seasons and was  0-2, 4.50 in April.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Player of the Month – Aaron Judge, CF, Yankees

Photo: Arturo Pardavila on Flickr (Original version)  UCinternational (Crop), CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Aaron Judge’s bat literally exploded in May (okay, maybe not literally, but this is a blog not a novel). Judge hit .371 for the month (second among MLB players with at least 75 May at bats), with an MLB-leadings 14 home runs and an MLB-leading 24 extra-base hits. His 23 May RBI were second in MLB and his 28 runs scored first. He also drew 22 walks (second in MLB).  His On-Base + Slugging percentage of 1.416 far outdistanced the runner-up (among MLB players with at least 75 May at ats) –  Jose Ramirez at 1.061. Heck, Judge even stole a base.  Judge collected hits in all but six of his 27 May games and had ten multi-hit games. Over the course of the month, he raised his 2024 season average from .207 to .282.

Honorable Mentions:  Guardians’ 3B Jose Ramirez drove in an MLB-leading 33 runs in 28 May games.  He also finished (tied)  second in home runs with 11, while hitting .295 and scoring 23 runs. Ramirez had ten multi-RBI games in May and stole four bases in five tries.  Royals’ SS Bobby Witt. Jr. gave Kansas City fans a bit of everything, hitting .315-5-25, and tossing in two triples, seven doubles, seven steals and 26 runs scored.  He’s a major reason the Royals are one of the surprise teams of 2024.

Pitcher of the Month – Luis Gil, RHP, Yankees

Wow!!! Luis Gil went 6-0 (the only MLB pitcher with six May wins) in six starts and delivered a 0.70 earned run average (second-lowest among AL pitchers with at least 25 May innings).  He also notched a league-leading 44 strikeouts (38 2/3 innings) and a stingy 0.67 WHIP and .109 batting average against.  In his six May starts, Gil never went less than six innings and never gave up more than one run. At the end of May, Gil’s record on the season was 7-1, 1.99. Gil was originally signed by the Twins in 2015 and traded to the Yankees in 2018. He’s coming off Tommy John surgery in 2022.  Side note: In seven minor-league seasons, Gil never won more than five games in a season and in two callups before this season, he went 1-1, 3.78 for the Bronx Bombers.

Honorable Mentions. Royals’ righty Seth Lugo went 5-0, 1.79 in six May starts, fanning 43 batters in 40 1/3 innings. At the end of May, Lugo, who had never won more than eight games in any of his eight previous MLB seasons, was 9-1, 1.72. White Sox’ southpaw  Garrett Crochet, went 4-1, 0.93 in May, fanning 38 batters in 29 innings.  He gave up just three runs in 29 May innings.

 

Surprise Player of the Month – Ben Brown RHP, Cubs

Ben Brown was signed out (Phillies) of Ward Melville High School (East Setauket, NY) in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB draft. He was traded to the Cubs in November of 2022.  In six minor-league seasons – interrupted by Tommy John surgery in 2019 – he was 19-17, 3.67. Brown made his first MLB appearance on March 30 0f this season – giving up six earned runs in 1 2/3 innings.  At the end of April, he was 0-1, 4.30.  Then came May.  Brown made six appearances, three starts, and went 1-0.  The surprise? A 1.16 ERA. In his final two starts (May 23 & May 28) Brown went 11 innings and gave up just 1 hit, no runs, with four walks and 16 strikeouts.

Honorable Mentions: Bryan Woo of the Mariners went 2-0, 1.30 in five May starts, fanning 18 and walking just two in 27 2/3 frames.  I saw him as a little less of a surprise than Brown because he was a  sixth-round draft choice (in 2021) to Brown’s 33rd round. In 2023, Woo was 4-5, 4.21 in 18 start for Seattle.  Tigers’ 2B Colt Keith hit .342 for the month, with two home runs, 14 RBI and ten runs scored. This follows an April in which he hit .154-0-5 in 26 games. Maybe the April should be more of a surprise than the strong May. Keith, who signed as a teenager (fifth round, 2020 draft), did hit .306-27-101 at Double-A and Triple-A in 2023, after .301-9-31 at High-A in 2022.

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THE TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE

Through May 31,  34.6% of the MLB season’s 64,638 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 (22.3%); walks (8.4%); home runs (2.7%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). Strikeouts, by the way, outnumbered base hits 14,422 to 13,875. 

The 34.6% figure is down  from 35.6% through May in 2023. I also looked into full-year Trot Index figures for the years I have been a fan: in 2023; 30.3% in 2010; 29.9% in 2000; 31.7% in 1990; 23.1% in 1980; 27.0% in 1970; 25.1% in 1960; and 22.8% in 1950.

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The Phillies Run (20-7)

The Phillies were one of MLB’s hottest teams in May – putting up a 20-7 record, after going 20-11 in March/April. They moved from second place 1/2-game behind the Braves to first place with a six-game edge on the Marlins. And, the Phillies were hitting on all cylinders.  They scored the most May runs in MLB (156), led by the likes of : 1B Bryce Harper (.313-7-24); DH Kyle Schwarber (.297-3-18); and SS Edmundo Sosa (.306-3-13). Overall, they had six players with 15 or more May RBI.

Just as – or even more -important was the Phillies’ status as the May NL ERA leaders (and one of just four teams with earned run averages under 3.00 for the month). The Phillies’ staff put up a 2.62 ERA in May and gave  up the fewest earned runs in the NL (72).  The Phillies’ total runs surrendered of 87 was second (fewest) only to the Dodger’ 82 in May.  Key contributors included: starters Ranger Suarez (4-1, 2.32); Zack Wheeler (4-0, 2.72); Aaron Nola (3-1, 2.84); and Christopher Sanchez (2-0, 2.03).  Out of the bullpen, Matt Strahm went 2-1 in 13 games, giving up just one (unearned) run in 12 frames; Jose Ruiz put up a 1.04 ERA in nine appearances; Jeff Hoffman had a 0.84 ERA and four saves); and Jose Alvarado was 2.13 with five saves.  Overall, the Phillies used 13 pitchers and ten put up earned run average south of 3.00.

The Yankees (21-7)

Like the Phillies, the Yankees pitching was dominant (see a pattern here). The teams 2.40 ERA was MLB’s lowest, as were their 66 earned runs and 73 total runs surrendered. It all starts with Luis Gil (6-0, 0.70 in six starts). They were also strong contributions from veteran starters Marcus Stroman (3-1, 1.91); Carlos Rodon (5-1, 3.67). Those three accounted for 14 of the Yankees 21 wins (seven losses). Clay Holmes saved seven games in nine chances (3.67 ERA).  The Yankee offense put up 135 runs (third in the AL) led (as your would expect) by CF Aaron Judge (.371-14-27) and RF Juan Soto (.296-7-24).  The Yankees moved from one game behind the Orioles at the end of April to three games up on the Birds at the end of May.

Pitching-Pitching-Pitching

The four teams with ERA’s below  3.00 (Yankees, Phillies, Orioles and Dodgers) went a combined 75-33 in May. The five teams with ERA’s north of 4.50 (Mets, D-backs, White Sox, A’s and Tigers) went a combined 49-88).

A Royals Surprise

The Kansas City Royals (17-11 in May, led the AL in scoring for the month, with 148 runs – and showed a balanced offense: SS Bobby Witt, Jr. (.315-5-25); 2B Michael Massey (.333-5-18); 3B Maikel Garcia (.305-1-15); C Salvador Perez (.284-3-15).  Overall, they had three players with 50 or more at bats hit .300; five players with 15 or more RBI; and six with 12 or more runs scored.  Their 3.85 ERA was 11th in MLB and fifth in the AL. Seth Lugo was the heart of the staff at 5-0, 1.79.

See full year-to-date standings at the end of this post. 

——-Team Statistical Leaders for May 2024 ———-

RUNS SCORED

National League – Phillies (156); Brewers (144); Giants (133)

American League – Royals (148); Guardians (141); Yankees (135)

The fewest runs in May were scored by the White Sox (82). In the National League it was the Reds at 84.  Also under 100 runs were the  Braves (93); Diamondbacks (97); and Cubs (99).

AVERAGE

National League – Padres (.269); Brewers (.260); Phillies (.259)

American League –Royals (.269); Yankees (.261); Astros (.251)

The lowest team average for May belonged to the Reds at .213. The lowest in the AL was the White Sox (.217). 

HOME RUNS

National League – Dodgers (39); Brewers (30); Cardinals (30)

American League – Yankees (47); A’s (35); Angels (35); Guardians (35)

The Nationals, Rays and White Sox tied for the fewest home runs in May at 20.  

The Yankees led MLB in slugging percentage for at .470.  The Dodgers led the NL at .424.

Hmm? Does This Mean Anything?

Eight of the top nine teams in May home runs were in the AL. By comparison, the top eight spots in slugging percentage were split evenly among AL and NL teams.

TOTAL BASES

National League – Brewers (403) ; Phillies (384); Dodgers (383)

American League – Yankees (437); Royals (414) A’s (391)

STOLEN BASES

National League – Nationals (40); Brewers (36); Phillies (36)

American League – Rays (29); Royals (24); Guardians (24)

The Giants stole the fewest sacks in May   – six in eight attempts.   The Tigers were at the bottom of the AL, with eight  in 14 attempts. 

WALKS DRAWN

National League –   Phillies (103); Cubs (96); Brewers (94)

American League – Rays (105); Blue Jays (93); A’s (93); Guardians (93)

The Phillies led MLB in May On-Base percentage at .337. The Yankees led the AL at .330.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League –  Pirates (251); Cubs (249); Mets (249)

American League – Mariners (288); A’s (275); Red Sox (263)

Padres’ batters fanned the fewest times in May (174). The Blue Jays had the fewest whiffs in the AL at 176.  They were the only two team under 200 strikeouts for May. 

Bonus Stats

  • Three teams (Braves, Twins and Mariners) recorded zero sacrifice bunts in May. No team recorded more than seven (Royals).
  • The Braves are the only team to not record a single sacrifice bunts since Opening Day.
  • Mariners’ batters were hit by a pitch an MLB-leading 18 times in May. The Angels suffered the fewest HBP – four.
  • Year-to-date, Guardians hitters have bene plunked an MLB-highest 44 times, nine ahead of the second-place Twins.
  • The Giants grounded into an MLB-highest 32 double plays in May. The Cardinals hit into an MLB-low eight.

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EARNED RUN AVERAGE

National League – Phillies (2.62); Dodgers (2.93); Braves (3.30)

American League – Yankees (2.40); Orioles (2.86); Guardians (3.53)

The Mets had the highest May  ERA at (4.85).

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Padres (265); Cubs (263); Giants (262)

American League – Astros (246); Yankees (241); Red Sox (239))

The Padres averaged an MLB-best 9.94 strikeouts per nine innings in May. The Yankees averaged an AL-best 8.78.  Four teams averaged nine whiffs per nine or better – all in the NL (Padres, Cubs, Giants, Braves).

FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED

National League – Padres (61); Dodgers (66); Cardinals (68)

American League – Twins (60); Blue Jays (64); Tigers (67)

The Twins walked an MLB-lowest 2.18 batters per nine innings in May.  The Rangers walked an MLB-worst 4.22 batters per nine frames.

SAVES

National League – Brewers (9); Cardinals (9); Rockies (9)

American League – Twins (11); Guardians (10); Orioles (10)

The Mets blew the most saves in May  – recording seven  blown saves in 12 opportunities.

Walks+ Hits/Innings Pitched (WFIP)

National League – Dodgers (1.05); Padres (1.12): Phillies (1.15)

American League:  Yankees (1.02); Orioles (1.11); Mariners (1.13)

Bonus Stats:

  • The White Sox. Astros and Mets each gave up an MLB-high 35 home runs in May. (The Orioles gave up an MLB-low 15 home runs.
  • The Yankees held opponents to an MLB-low .196 average in May. The Diamondbacks’ staff was touched for an MLB-high .277 average.
  • The Padres’ strikeouts-to-walks ratio for May topped MLB at 4.34. The Rockies had MLB’s worse ratio at 1.76.

 – MAY HIGHIGHTS –  

Roundtable Extra Observation – Not an On-Field Highlight

The biggest thing that happened in May (at least for followers of MLB history) may not have been on the field at all. It may have come on May 27, when MLB announced the further (overdue) documentation and incorporation of Negro League records into the MLB record books. (In 2020, MLB announced seven Negro Leagues from 1920-48 would be recognized as major leagues). Given that Negro League seasons were shorter than AL and NL seasons, the Roundtable expects the greatest impact on the leader boards will be on percentage statistics as opposed to raw number stats (i.e. batting average versus number of hits). For example, Josh Gibson’s career .372 batting average, has supplanted Ty Cobb’s .367 as MLB’s highest career average; Gibson’s .718 career slugging percentage is now the MLB’s highest; moving Babe Ruth’s .690 to second place; and Gibson’s  .466 batting average in 1943 is now the single-season mark.   Another example, is Negro League pitcher Dave Brown, now atop the career winning percentage list at .738 over six seasons.

There are also some changes for AL/NL players who begam their careers in the Negro Leagues.  Hall of Famer Minnie Minoso is now a member of the 2,000-career-hits club and Joe Nuxhall is no longer the only 15-year-old to play in the major leagues.  He’s been joined by Roy Campanella, who began his career with the Baltimore Elite Giants as a 15-year-old (awaiting confirmation, but it appears Campanella is now the youngest major leaguer ever).

Don’t want to belabor the point, but it exploring the impact of this change in recordkeeping – and incorporating it into blog articles – should be interesting.

Jose Ups His Game

On May 3, as the Astros edged the Mariners 5-3, Astros 2B Jose Altuve showed that there is still some speed left in his 34-year-old legs. In the bottom of the seventh, with the score knotted at three-three, one out and a runner on third, Altuve laid down, and beat out, a perfect bunt on a suicide squeeze – plating the go-ahead run. Two pitches later, he stole second and later scored an insurance run. The steal, by the way, was Altuve’s seventh of the season and 300th of his career. 

Now in his 14th MLB season (all with the Astros, Altuve has a .307-218-767 career line, with 301 steals and 1,096 runs scored (as of close of play May 31).  The eight-time All Star has led the league in hits four times (over 200 hits each time), steals twice and batting average three times.  At the end of May, Altuve was .291-9-20, with 34 runs on the season.

When It Rains, It Pours, Just Ask Brent Rooker

The Oakland A’s May 4 game (in Oakland) against the Marlins was delayed for nearly 3 ½ hours by a pouring rain.   For A’s DH Brent Rooker, it was worth the wait, as he poured on the power in the third inning. With the A’s up 2-0, no outs and a runner on first, Rooker homered on a 3-2 pitch from Marlins’ starter Trevor Rogers.  Eight batters later (or nine, depending on how your count it), Rooker was again at the plate, this time against reliever Darren McCaughan, with two-on and one out and the A’s up by a 9-0. This time, he homered on an 0-1 pitch.  This made Rooker the 60th player to smack two homers in one inning – the first A’s player to do so since Mark McGwire on September 22, 1996.  At the end of May, Rooker was .280-11-35 on the season.

Muncy Shoots a Three

May 4, as the Dodgers toppled the Braves 11-2, LA 3B Matt Muncy went four-for-five, with three runs scored and four RBI.  It makes the highlights because three of Muncy’s hit were home runs, the power hitter’s first-ever three-homer game. Muncy ended May hitting .223-9-28 on the season..

Double Your Pleasure –  Double Your Fun

On May 8. The A’s and Rangers faced off in a doubleheader in Texas. At the time, A’s catcher Shea Langeliers was hitting .179, with seven long balls and 16 RBI in 32 games. Playing two, however, seemed to agree with Langeliers. in Game One, a 9-4 Oakland win, he went three-for-four with a double, a triple a home run and five RBI.  Then in Game Two, now serving as DH, Langeliers went two-for-five, with another home run and three RBI.  (The Rangers prevailed 12-11.) The eight runs driven is set a record for RBIs in a doubleheader for a player in an Oakland A’s uniform (the A’s moved to Oakland in 1968).  At the end of May, Langeliers was hitting .211-12-29 on the season.

I’m a Travelin’ Man

Luis Arraez won the American League batting champion (.316 average) with the Twins in 2022.  Then, in January of 2023, he was traded to the Marlins. He went on to win the 2024 NL batting crown (.354) with the Marlins – making him the first MLB player to win a batting title in the AL and NL in consecutive seasons.    On May 4 of this season, he was traded to the Padres from the Marlins – he was hitting .299 at the time – giving him a chance to be the first MLB player to win a batting title with three different teams – and he could do it in consecutive seasons.

Since joining the Padres, he has hit .398 (through May 311), raising his overall season average to .342.  A couple of other notes:

  • In his first game as a Padre (May 4), he collected four hits in six at bats.
  • In his first home game as a Padre (May 10), he had a ninth inning, walk-off, game-winning RBI single in a 2-1 win over the rival dodgers.
  • He recorded ten multi-hit games in his first 17 games as a Padre, hitting .419.

Third-to Home?  It’s a Walk in the Park

The Cubs came into the top of the fifth inning of their May 11 games versus Pirates trailing 6-1.  By the end of the inning, they would enjoy an 8-6 lead – scoring seven runs on just three hits. Spoiler alert: All seven runs scored after two outs and there were six based-loaded walks.  It went like this:

DH Mike Tauchman … Double off Paul Skenes.

RF Seiya Suzuki … Ground ball double, Tauchman holds at second.

Kyle Nicolas replaces Skenes on the mound.

CF Cody Bellinger … Strikes out on four pitches.

3B Christopher Morel … Strikes out on six pitches.

LF Ian Happ … Hit-By-Pitch, loading the bases.

SS Nico Hoerner … Four-pitch walk, forcing in a run.

1B Michael Busch … Four-pitch walk, forcing in a run.

2B Miles Mastrobuoni … For -pitch walk, forcing in a run.

Josh Fleming replaces Nicolas on the mound.

C Yan Gomes … Five-pitch walk, forcing in a run.

Tauchman … RBI single, bases still loaded.

Two-Hour and 20-minute rain delay.

Colin Holderman replaces Josh Fleming on the mound.

Suzuki … Four-pitch walk, forcing in a run.

Bellinger … Five-pitch walk, forcing in a run.

PH Nick Madrigal … Lineout to center.

In a bit of irony, the Pirates actually came back to win the game 10-9.

Seth (Lu)go-ing Strong … 12 on the 12th

Coming into the 2024 seasons, 34-year-old Royals’ right-hander Seth Lugo had never won more than eight games in a season (8-7, 3.57 for the Padres in 2023). That changed this season, as Lugo closed May with a 9-1, 1.72 record on the season. His performance needs to be highlighted, so we’ll give him a shoutout for his May 12 game against the Angels (a 6-1 Royals win). Lugo went eight frames, giving up just one run on five hits, walking no one and putting up a career-high 12 strikeouts.

 Lucky 13

On May 13, as the Dodgers topped the Giants 6-4 in ten innings (in San Francisco), Dodgers’ SS (and leadoff hitter) Mookie Betts went two-for-five with two runs scored and one RBI. It was his first hit that helped make the game memorable. It came as Betts leadoff the top of the first – on a 1-2 pitch from Jordan Hicks – and it was Betts’ 50th leadoff home run. That gave him the fifth-most MLB leadoff homers all-time. He trails only Rickey Henderson (81); still-active George Springer (57); Alfonso Soriano (54); and Craig Biggio (53).

A Freak Injury Leads to a Memorable First Bingle

On May 7, during the second inning of a 7-5 Cardinals’ loss to the Mets, Saint Louis’ veteran catcher Willson Contreras suffered a fractured forearm when hit on the swing by Mets’ DH J.D. Martinez. To add insult to injury, Contreras was called for catcher’s interference on the play, and Martinez was awarded first base.   Contreras’ injury, indirectly, led to rookie catcher Pedro Pages first big MLB hit.

The 25-year-old pages started the season as the third catcher for the Redbirds, but was optioned back to the minors on May (after just five games and four plate appearances). He was called back up after Contreras’ mishap – to serve an expanded role as the number-two backstop.  On May 14, in his second game in the lineup after his return to the Cardinals, Pages collected his first MLB hit.  It was a third-inning, three-run double off the Angels’ Reid Detmers – part of a 7-6 Cardinals’ victory. #InBaseballWeCoutEverything … Elias Sports Bureau reported that Pages is the first Cardinal to record at least three RBI on his first MLB hit since Tim Worrell in 2008.

For those who like to know such things, Pages was a sixth 2019 Round MLB Draft choice out of Florida Atlantic University (where he hit .295-14-98 in 143 games over three seasons). In five minor-league seasons, he has hit .256-38-178 in 340 games.

Four-for-Four … and Four-for Five … in The Same Game

On May 16, the Reds’ dynamic (21-tar-old) SS Elly De La Cruz went four-for-four at the plate (three doubles and a single) AND four-for-five on the bases (four steals/one caught stealing) to become just the 29th player in the Modern Eras (post-1900) to collect four hits and four steals in a single game. For more on De La Cruz (and the others who have had a four-hit-four steal game), link here.

Let’s Put Up Some Numbers

Coming into the Giants/Rockies game on May 17, San Francisco’s 22-year-old CF Lui Matos had .250-1-6 on the season and had driven in a total of 20 runs in 81 major-league games.  That was about to change. On the 17th, as the Giants topped the Rockies 10-5, Matos set a career-high for RBI in a game – going two-for-three with two doubles and five runs driven in. The very next day, in a 14-4 triumph over the Rockies, he did himself one better, going three-for-five, with a double, a homer and six RBI. So, at the close of play on May 18, Matos had recoded 64.5 percent of his career RBI in 2.4 percent of his MLB games. #InBaseballWeCountEverythning – Those 11 RBI tied Matos for the Giants’ franchise record for RBI in any two-game span.

More #InBaseballWeCountEveything

On May 18, Cubs’ southpaw Shota Imanaga may have gotten a no-decision – despite seven scoreless innings (four hits, one walk, seven whiffs) – in Chicago’s 1-0 win over Pittsburgh, but he also earned a little bit of history. During the outing, his ninth MLB start, Imanaga lowered his earned run average from an already minuscule 0.96 to 0.84 – the lowest mark over a pitcher’s first nine starts since ERA became an officially reported MLB statistic (1913).

The previous “record holder” Fernando Valenzuela, had a 0.91 ERA over his first nine starts.

There are some differences:

  • The nine starts span represented Imanaga’s first nine MLB appearances. Valenzuela had made ten relief appearances with a 0.00 earned run average the previous season.
  • Imanaga is a 30-year-old, in his first MLB season, but with eight seasons in Japan under his belt; while Valenzuela was 20-years-old, in just his third professional season.
  • Valenzuela’s span of nine starts included 79 innings pitched. seven complete games, five shutouts and only one outing of less than nine frames; Imanaga’s nine-start span included 53 2/3 innings pitched and no outing of more than seven innings.

When You Count Counts

In his first nine MLB starts, Shota Imanaga gave up just five earned runs in 53 2/3 innings.  In start number-ten, he surrendered seven earned runs in 4 1/3 frames.

Here’s a look at their ERA’s along the way;

                               Imanaga    Valenzuela

After Game One             0.00             0.00

After Game Two`           0.00             0.50

After Game Three `       0.00             0.33

After Game Four           0.84             0.25

After Game Five            0,98             0.20

After Game Six              0.78             0.33

After Game Seven        1.08             0.29

After Game Eight          0.96             0.50

After Game Nine           0.84             0.91

After Game Ten             1.86             1.24

Taking One for the Team

The May 18 Angels-Rangers tilt (in Texas) seemed like a lesson in futility. The two teams were tied 2-2 after nine frames and despite the placed runners (at second base) in innings 10,11 and 12, were still knotted at two in the thirteenth. In fact, going into the bottom of the thirteenth the two teams were one-for-29 with runners in scoring position and had left a combined 20 runners on base. The Rangers walked-it-off in the bottom of the 13th, when 1B Nathaniel Lowe took one for the team. The inning started with Travis Jankowski placed at second. Pinch hitter Ezequiel Duran singled him to third. 2B Marcus Semien then lined out and SS Corey Seager was walked to load the bases. Lowe was then hit by a pitch to bring home the winning tally.

Way to Go Rook

On May 18, Yankees righty Luis Gil pitched a gem in a New York 6-1 win over the White Sox.  The rookie (he appeared in seven games for the Yankees in 2020-21 (1-1, 3.78) went six innings, giving up five hits and one earned run -while fanning 14. Those strikeouts, according to Elia Sports Bureau, were a record for a Yankee rookie.

The Roundtable Loves a Good Coincidence

On May 18, when Luis Gil set a new Yankee record for strikeouts by a rookie in a game at 14, he broke Orlando Hernandez’ record for K’s by a rookie (13). Coincidentally, Hernandez threw the ceremonial first pitch that day.

In his six frames, Gil threw 98 pitches (65 strikes) and seemed to get stronger as the game progressed (he faced seven of his total of 24 batters in the first inning, when he gave up his only run). Gil fanned the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings and in the top of the sixth (his final inning) he went strikeout, single, strikeout, strikeout.  Of his 14 whiffs, 12 came on swings and misses.

A Handful of Homers – Plus One

On May 20, in an 5-0 Boston win over Tampa Bay, Rafael Devers set a new Red Sox franchise record by homering in his sixth consecutive game. Over the six-game span, Devers had seven hits (one single, six dingers) in 24 at bats, scoring eight runs and driving in nine.  Despite Devers’ power display, the Red Sox lost four of the six games:  For those who like to know such things:

  • The previous Red Sox record of homering in five consecutive games was shared by Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Dick Stuart, George Scott, Jose Canseco, and Bobby Dalbec.
  • The MLB record for homering in consecutive games is eight, shared by Dale Long, Pirates (May 19-28, 1956); Don Mattingly, Yankees (July 8-18, 1987); and Ken Griffey Jr. (July 20-28, 1993).

Shut ‘Em Down – Then Light ‘em Up

On May 14, the Marlins shutdown the Tigers (in Detroit) holding the Bengal’s to four nits in a 1-0 ten-inning Marlin’s win. They followed that up with a 2-0 win over the Tigers on the 15th and an 8-0 win over the Mets (in Miami) on the 17th. It was the first time the Marlins had recorded three straight shutouts since 2005 (and the third time overall). The Marlins changed their approach on the 18th – recording their fourth straight win (their longest win streak of the season), topping the Mets 10-9 in ten innings.

For Those Who like to Know Such Things

The most consecutive shutout win by a team is six, by the Pirates from June 1, 1903 through June 9, 1903. All six games were home contests and the Pirates prevailed by a combined 32-0. The wins, all complete games (Deacon Phillipe 2; Sam Leever 2; Irvin Wilhelm and Ed Dohey) started a 14-game win streak that included eight shutouts.

Skenese on the Scene

You often here about “the long-awaited arrival” of ballyhooed (always wanted to use that word in a post) MLB rookies.  Well, that’s not the case with the Pirates’ Paul Skenese – the number-one overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft, who made it to the majors after just 12 minor-league appearances  In that dirty dozen outings, he went 0-0-1.85, with 55 strikeouts (just ten walks) in 34 innings.

Skenese wasted no time making his mark on the MLB scene. He made his MLB debut on May 11 (versus the Cubs) and, while he lasted only four innings (six hits, three runs, two walks, seven strikeouts) he made an impression – reaching 100 MPH or higher on 17 pitches.

In his second start – again against the Cubs – on May 17, Skenes struck out the first seven batters he faced and a total of 11 (one walk) in six hitless, scoreless innings (picking up his first MLB win as the Pirates prevailed 9-3). Elias Sports Bureau reported that Skenese became the first Pirate to fan the first seven batters in a game – just one short of the longest streak to open a game (since 1920), by Jacob deGrom (Mets – September 15, 2014) and Jim Deshaies (September 23, 1986).

Skenese closed out May with a 2-0, 2.45 record in four starts – with 30 strikeouts and just five walks in 22 innings.

Skenese played college ball at the Air Force Academy and Louisiana State where, in three seasons, he was a combined 24-6, 2.18 – with 335 strikeouts in 235 innings. Over his college career, he also hit .367-24-81 in 100 games.

We Recognize You

In 2023, with Louisiana St University, Paul Skenese was the Division One National Baseball Player of the Year, The College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year, SEC Pitcher of the Year, a first-team All American the Dick Howser Trophy winner and the College World Series Most Outstanding Player. 

More #InBaseballWeCountEvrythning. On May 29, Skenese picked up his second MLB win, going six innings and giving up just three hits and two runs in a 10-2 Pirate win over the Tigers.  That happened to be his 22cnd birthday and his nine strikeouts that day were the most strikeouts by a Pirates’ pitcher on his birthday.  A little deep into the woods there?

Power AND Speed

Red Sox speedy CF Jarren Duran really came into his own in 2023 – when he played in 102 games for the Red Sox and hit .295-8-40, with 24 steals in just 26 attempts. As May closed, he had played in 58  games, hitting .253-3-23, with 32 runs scored and 11 steals.  He also had a league-leading eight triples.

On May 21, Duran flashed a bit of power and speed, as the BoSox topped the Rays 5-2 in Tampa Bay. Duran went one-for-four, with two runs scored and on RBI – but it was how he scored those runs that made this game specials.

Duran led off the sixth frame (versus Zack Littell, with a game- tying (2-2) solo home run to deep center field. Then in the eighth inning, after drawing a walk off Jason Adam (with CF Ceddanne Rafaela on first), Duran moved to third on a run-scoring single by RF Wilyer Abreu. Later in the frame, with two outs, and 3B Rafael Devers on first and Duran on third, the Red Sox pulled off a double steal. Rays’ C Ben Rortvedt tried to throw out Devers at second and Duran headed for home. He beat the return throw to the plate with a headfirst slide. (It was, by the way, the first Red Sox steal of home since the 2016 season – and was made all the sweeter by coming in a game when Duran also had a dinger).

Happy Birthday Zebby … From a Twins Fan

As a Minnesotan, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how darn controlling Zebby Mathews can be.  On May 22, the Twins farmhand celebrated his 24th birthday by taking the mound for the Wichita Windsurge.   In the fifth inning, a rare thing happened. Mathews issued a walk.  Why rare? It was his first walk of the 2024 minor-league season – in his seventh start and after facing 141 batters and recording 49 strikeouts. Mathews’ last walk had come in his final start of 2023 (High-A Cedar Rapids).  At the close of his birthday start, Mathews was 4-0, 1.34 on the season, with 51 strikeouts and one walk in 40 1/3 innings. Looking over the longer span.  At those close of play on May 30, Mathews had 153 2/3 minor-league innings on his professional resume – and was 11-4, 3.10, with 173 strikeouts and just 76 walks.  Hope to see in in the Twin Cities so9n,  Zebby.

Mathews, by the way, was taken by the Twins in the Eighth Round of the 2022 MLB draft.  He played college ball at Western Carolina University, where he went 13-9, 3.49 -with 211 strikeouts and just 30 walks over 183 1/3 innings.  This kid is stingy.

Over Almost Before It Started

On May 22, Marlins’ CF Jazz Chisholm led off the bottom of the first inning by taking a 3-1 pitch from the Brewers Freddie Peralto deep to right field for a home run.  And, offensively that was pretty much it, as the Marlins triumphed 1-0. Well, remember #InBaseballWeCountyEverything and the Elias Sports Bureau reported that it was just the 30th time (since 1900) that a leadoff home run accounted for the only run in an MLB game.  If you are counting, it was Chisholm’s seventh home run of the season.

On the Way to Unicorn Status

Let’s face it, in today’s game, a one-pitcher shutout is a rarity – on its way to unicorn status. In fact, through May of this season, there have only been six such whitewashings (the Astros’ Ronel Blanco’s no-hitter and shutouts by the Phillies’ Ranger Suarez and Aaron Nola, Red Sox’ Tanner Houck, Braves’ Max Fried and, most recently, the Marlins’ Braxton Garrett.

Garrett’s shutout makes the highlights because (like Blanco and Houck before him), it was also his first major-league complete game – and of, of course, it came in May (May 24 to be exact) and this is the May Wrap Up.

Garrett shut down the Diamondbacks (in Arizona) on four hits (no walks, six strikeouts) in a 3-0 win. It was the 26-year-old’s first win of the season, coming in his third start. And, it may have been a bit of a surprise.  In his first two starts, he had lasted a combined total of 9 2/3 innings and had given up 11 earned runs (10.24 ERA).  (Over his first four MLB seasons – 2020-23 – Garrett was 14-17, 3.86 in 58 games – 56 starts.)

The Sultan of Swing

On May 23, the Padres brought in righty Jeremiah Estrada to face the Reds in the bottom of the eighth of a tie (4-4) game.  After giving up a flyout and a single, Estrada fanned the next two batters (RF Nick Martini and 2B Jonathan India to close out the frame. Estrada came out to the mound again in the ninth and fanned C Luke Maile, LF Will Benson and CF Stuart Fairchild in order. The Pirates scored two in the top of the tenth and Robert Suarez came on to get the save for the Pirates.

Three days later (May 26), Estrada was called in to replace Joe Musgrove in the top of the sixth inning – with the Pirates down 1-0 to the Yankees and a runner on second with one out. Estrada fanned CF Aaron Judge and LF Alex Verdugo on seven pitches to get out of the inning. He got a second inning of work in the top of the seventh, fanning DH Giancarlo Stanton, 1B Anthony Rizzo and 2B Gleyber Torres in order. Wandy Peralto replaced Estrada in the top of the eighth,

Estrada’s next outing came on May 28, against the Marlins (in San Diego). He came on in the top of the ninth with the Padres up 4-0. You guessed it – 12 pitches, three strikeouts (RF Jesus Sanchez, 3B Jake Burger, LF Nick Gordon).

At this point, Estrada had fanned 13 batters in a row – all swinging – which MLB.com writer AJ Cassavell reports is the longest string of consecutive whiffs by a pitcher since at least 1961.

Then on May 31, the streak came to a screeching (and unfair) halt. Estrada was called to the mound in the sixth inning (replacing Dylan Cease) with  the Padres and Royals tied at two, runners on second and third and one out. C Salvador Perez was up and was waived to first on the Intentional Walk.  So, the streak was broken, by a batter Estrada never threw a pitch to. Estrada got the next two batters on a sac fly and pop out.

Estrada finished May with a 2-0, 0.53 record on the season – with 28 strikeouts (just five walks) in 17 innings. Not bad for a 2023 Waiver Wire addition.  Prior to joining the Padres, his MLB stat line (17 games with the 2022-23 Cubs) was 0-0, 5.51 with 21 strikeouts and 15 walks in 16 1/3 innings.

Climbing the Ladder

On May 24, the Astros’ Justin Verlander picked up his third win of the season (at 41-years-old proving old guys can still rule). He went six innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on eight hits and no walks.  He also fanned nine batters. His fourth strikeout of the game – Abraham Toro in the bottom of the second – gave him 3,372 for his career – putting him past Greg Maddux for number-ten all-time for career strikeouts. He ended the contest with 3,377 career whiffs.  Next up in the chase?  Walter Johnson at 3,509.

A Feel Good Story for May

On May 31, 27-year-old righthander Justin Sterner made his MLB debut for the Rays (versus the Orioles at Camden Yards). His path to the majors was not an easy – nor a predictable – one. It was, however, a feel-good tribute to determination. When Sterner graduated from Dana Hills (CA) High School he he went undrafted by MLB and had no college offers.  He was then away from the diamond for two years, completing a Mormon mission in Samoa. Upon his return, Sterner enrolled in Brigham Young University and “walked on”  to the baseball squad. Over three seasons, he went 8-4, 2.86 (27 games, 17 starts), with 103 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings.   He remained undrafted and, in 2020, signed with the Marlins as an undrafted free agent. Then, of course, Covid led to the cancellation of his first minor-league season.

Sterner played for four teams, in two organizations in four leagues in 2021.  He suited up for the Marlins’ Class-A Jupiter Hammerheads and High-A Beloit Snappers and then, after a trade to the Rays, for the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods and Double-A Montgomery Biscuits.   He continued in the Rays’ minor-league system, rising to Triple-A, until being called up to Tampa Bay to relieve an overworked bullpen. The 27-year-old made his first MLB appearance May 31 and pitched two scoreless innings (two hits, one walk, two strikeouts). For those who like to know such things, his first two strikeout victims were Anthony Santander (on a 2-2 pitch) and Gunnar Henderson (on 0-2 offering.

More Than Defense

Okay, you gotta like a player with two double consonants in his first name and three a’s in his last name.  That would be the Red Sox’ rookie CF/SS Ceddanne Rafaela (he did get in 28 games for the BoSox last season). Rafaela is known for his sparkling defense, but the 23-year-old has also shown some sparkle with his bat.  In May, he hit .239-5-16 – and he leads the Red Sox with 33 RBI on the season. He makes these highlight for his May 31 game: two-for-four with two home runs and five RBI in a 7-3 Red Sox win over Detroit. It was his first MLB multi-homer game.  The five RBI were not a career high for him, however.  On April 27, he logged a four-hit, seven-RBI game against the Cubs. In both games he delivered that production out of the nine-hole.  This season, Rafaela has taken the field at CF,SS, 2B and 3B for the Red Sox.

Rafaela’s growing offensive output should no be a surprise In 2023 he hit .302-20-79, with 36 steals at Double-A and Triple-A.

–INDIVIDUAL LEADERS FOR MAY—

BATTING AVERAGE (at least 75 at bats)

American League:  Aaron Judge, Yankees (.371); Vlad Guerrero, Jr., (.357); Brent Rooker, A’s (.330)

National League: Luis Arreaz, Marlins/Padres (.389); Jurickson Profar, Padres .(344); Christian Yelich, Brewers (.321)

The lowest average among players with at least 75 at bats belonged to the Diamondbacks’ Jo Adell at .144 (13-for-90.) The Angels’ Niko Goodrum and Yankees Trent Grisham had the most May at bats without a hit (17).

HITS

American League:  Abraham Toro, A’s (39); Maikel Garcia, Royals (36); Aaron Judge, Yankees (36)

National League: Luis Arreaz, Marlins/Padres (44); Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies (36); William Contreras, Brewers (34)

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge led all MLBers in May extra-base hits with 26 – 12 doubles and 14 home runs (he had ten singles).  

HOME RUNS

American League: Aaron Judge, Yankees (14); Jose Ramirez, Guardians (11); Corey Seager, Rangers (11); Kyle Tucker, Astros (11)

National League:  Bryce Harper, Phillies (7); Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (7); Marcell Ozuna, Braves (7)

RUNS BATTED IN

American League: Jose Ramirez, Guardians (33); Aaron Judge, Yankees (27); Bobby Witt, Jr. Royals (25)

National League: Bryce Harper, Phillies (24); Willy Adames, Brewers (22); William Contreras, Brewers (21); Christopher Morel, Cubs (21)

RUNS SCORED

American League:  Aaron Judge, Yankees (28); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (26); Jose Ramirez, Guardians (23)

National League: Matt Chapman, Giants (23); Thairo Estrada, Giants (20): three with 19

DOUBLES

American League:  Aaron Judge, Yankees (12); Max Kepler, Twins (11); three with ten

National League: Alec Bohm, Phillies (10): Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies (10); Willy Adames, Brewers (10); Pete Alonso, Mets (10)

TRIPLES

American League:  Jarren Duran, Red sox (5); Wenceel Perez, Tigers (3); Matt Vierling, Tigers (3); Anthony Volpe, Yankees (3); Willi Castro, Twins (3)

National League: Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (4); Edmundo Sosa, Phillies (4); Jazz Chisholm, Marlins (3)

The leader in slugging percentage, among players with at least 75 May at bats, was the Yankees’ Aaron Judge at .928). The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani led the NL at .591.

STOLEN BASES

American League: José Caballero, Rays (11); Julio Rodriguez, Mariners (7); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (7); David Hamilton, Red sox (7)

National League: Elly De La Cruz, Reds (14); Brenton Doyle, Rockies (10); Bryson Stott, Phillies (9)

The Phillies’ Bryson Stott stoles the most May bases without getting caught (9).

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

American League:  Tyler O’Neill, Red Sox (36);  Cal Raleigh, Mariners (36); Joe Adell, Angels (33)

National League: Elly De La Cruz, Reds (40); Andy Pages, Dodgers (37) ; Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies (35)

The Red Sox’ Tyler O’Neill  fanned 36 times in just 73 May at bats.

WALKS

American League:  Kyle Tucker, Astros (23); Aaron Judge, Yankees (22); Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (21)

National League: Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (22); LaMonte Wade, Giants (19); Christopher Morel, Cubs (17); Brenton Doyle, Rockies (17)

 PITCHING VICTORIES

American League:   Luis Gil, Yankees (6-0); Seth Lugo, Royals (5-0); Carlos Rodon, Yankees (5-1)

National League:  Chris Sale, Braves (5-0); Mitch Keller, Pirates (4-0); Hector Neris, Cubs (4-0); Cal Quantrill, Rockies (4-0); Zack Wheeler, Phillies (4-0); Sonny Gray, Cardinals (4-1); Ranger Suarez, Phillies (4-1)

Four players lost four games in May: Patrick Sandoval, Angels (1-4, 4.54 in six starts); Ross Stripling, A’s (1-4, 7.17 in five starts); Richard Lovelady, Rays (1-4, 9.90 in 12 appearances); and Fernando Cruz, Reds (1-4, 5.65 in 14 appearances. 

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (minimum 25 May innings)

American League: Reese Olson, Tigers (o.64); Luis Gil, Yankees (0.70); Garrett Crochet, White Sox (0.93)

National League: Chris Sale, Braves (0.56); Austin Gomber, Rockies (0.68); Mitch Keller, Pirates (1.30)

The highest ERA among pitchers with at least 25 May innings or four May starts  was 9.49 by the Angels’ Reid Detmers (0-3, 4.49 in five starts, 24 2/3 innings.

STRIKEOUTS

American League: Luis Gil, Yankees (44 in 38 2/3 IP); Seth Lugo, Royals (43 in 40 1/3 IP); Jack Flaherty, Tigers (40 in 31 2/3 IP)

National League:  Dylan Cease, Padres (47 in 35 1/3 IP); Chris sale, Braves (45 in 32 IP); Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers (42 in 31 IP);

Among pitchers who faced at least 100 batters in May, Chris Sale of the Braves had the highest strikeouts-per nine innings ratio at 12.66, as well as the highest strikeouts-to-walks ratio at 22.50.  

WALKS + HITS/INNINGS PITCHED (at least 25 May innings)

American League: Bryan Woo, Mariners (0.78); Luis Gil, Yankees (0.67); Garrett Crochet, White Sox (0.72)

National League: Ryan Weathers, Marlins (0.73); Chris Sale, Braves (0.78); Austin Gomber, Rockies (0.83)

SAVES

American League:  Emmanuel Clase, Guardians (10); Clay Holmes, Yankees (9); Jhoan Duran, Twins (8)

National League:  Ryan Helsley, Cardinals (8); Trevor McGill, Brewers (7); Raisel Iglesias, Braves (7)

Jhoan Duran of the Twins and Ryan Helsley of the Cardinals tied for the most May games saved without a blown save with eight.

If the season ended May 31, your post-season team would be:

National League: Phillies; Dodgers; Brewers  Wild Cards: Braves; Padres; Giants

American League:  Yankees; Guardians; Mariners   Wild Cards: Orioles; Royals, Twins

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

 

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Three Homers/Ten RBI … Not a Bad Day for a Rookie

May 27, 2024 by

On this date *May 27) in 1955, Red Sox rookie 1B Norm Zauchin had a rare – very rare – day at the plate.  As the Red Sox prevailed 16-0 over the Nationals (in Boston), Zauchin smacked:

  • a two-run home run in the first inning (off Bob Porterfield);
  • A Grand Slam in the second frame (off Dean Stone);
  • An RBI double in the fourth (off Ted Abernathy); and
  • A three-run home run in the fifth (off Abernathy).

Five innings, three-homers and a double, ten RBI. (In his final at bat, Zauchin struck out versus Pedro Ramos.)

In the process, Zauchin set the MLB rookie record for RBI in a game (ten) – later tied by the Red Sox Fred Lynn (on June 18, 1975). That, by the way, was the season Lynn won both the American League’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable player Awards.

Norm Zauchin and Fred Lynn remain the only AL/NL rookies to record ten RBI in a game. Side note: Ten-RBI games are an MLB rarity, with just 15 games of ten or more RBI in the MLB record books.  (Negro League game records from 1920-48 are no yet fully incorporate into the MLB record books.)

In his ten-RBI game, Zauchin also tied the rookie record for home runs in a game (three).   Zauchin was the eighth AL/NL rookie to accomplish that feat.  (The count is now 35. See the list at the 3end of this post.)  Side Note:  Ten-RBI games are a relatively rare MLB feat, with just 16 such games on the books (per Basebalk-Almanac.com).  By contrast, there have been 24 MLB perfect games pitched and 18 players have launched four homers in a game.  The single-game RBI record is 12, shared by two Cardinals: Jim Bottomley (1924) and Mark Whiten (1993). 

Zauchin signed with the Red Sox as a teenager and, in 1948, the eighteen-year-old hit .353-33-138 for the Class D Milford Red Sox, leading heh league in home runs and RBI. By 1951, he had established himself as a run producer, having logged seasons of 100+ RBI at Class D; Double-A and Triple-A. His 1951 Triple-A (Louisville Colonels) season of .267-12-104 earned him a September call up to the Red Sox (just 12 games, keeping his rookie status intact).

In 1952, military service interrupted Zauchin’s professional career and he didn’t return to the Red Sox system until Spring Training 1954 (although he did play service ball while in the Army).  Zauchin didn’t miss a beat on his return, hitting .289-18-118 at Triple-A in 1954.

In 1955, Zauchin was plying his trade for the Red Sox and he put up a .239-27-93 season.   As a result of a combination of injuries, competition for the first base job and a low batting average (.233 in six MLB seasons with the Red Sox and Senators), 1955 proved to be Zauchin’s’ best season.  In his remaining four MLB campaigns, he played in just 211 games, with 23 home runs and 66 RBI. Ultimately, in that 1955 season, Zauchin collected 54 percent of his career MLB homers and 58 percent of his career RBI.

Fred Lynn, of course, had a more successful MLB run – 17 Seasons, nine All Star Selections, and a .283-306-1,111 stat line. In his three-homer, ten-RBI rookie games, Lynn had five hits in six at bats – including a two-run homer in the first inning; a three-run homer in the second; a two-run triple in the third; a lineout in the fifth; a single in the eighth and a three-run homer in the ninth.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

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HBP … That’ll Leave a Mark – in more ways than one.

May 23, 2024 by

On the date (May 23) in 1999, Orioles’ CF and leadoff hitter Brady Anderson’s day got off to a rather painful start, In the bottom of the first inning, Rangers’ starter Mike Morgan hit Anderson with a 1-2 pitch (Anderson scored two batters later, on a B.J. Surhoff sacrifice fly.)  As luck (perhaps bad luck) would have it, Anderson came up against Morgan again in the inning (by that time the Orioles had scored five times), this time with runners on first and second and two out. History repeated itself, as Anderson was hit by Morgan’s first pitch. (Anderson would be the last batter Morgan faced). Anderson scored again, this time on a Surhoff home run.  Thanks to the double plunking, Anderson is one of only eight MLB players (Modern Era) to be hit by a pitch twice in one inning – and one only two to by nailed twice in an inning by the same pitcher

The Orioles, by the way, won 15-6 and Anderson went one-for-three in five plate appearances. Anderson would go on to a .282-24-81 season – leading the league with 24 hit-by-pitches.   Anderson played in 15 MLB seasons (1988-2002, primarily with Baltimore. He was a three-time All Star and hit .256-210-761, with 315 steals over 1, 834 games. He led the AL in HBP three times.

 

As always, as I looked into Brady Anderson, one thing led to another.  So, here’s a bit more on HBP records.  (Keep in mind, Negro League game records from 1920-48 have not yet been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record books.)

Two Different Paths for Lots of Bumps and Bruises

Photo: The Sporting News via [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The top two players in terms of career HBP started their careers nearly a century apart.  Hughie Jennings is numb-one on the list with 287 plunkings.  Jennings (SS/1B) played 18 MLB seasons (1891-1903, 1907, 1909-1910, 1912, 1918). He had a circuitous path to his 287 HBP, suiting up for the American Association and National League Louisville Colonels; The NL Baltimore Orioles; the NL Brooklyn Superbas; the NL Philadelphia Phillies; and the AL Detroit Tigers.  He put up a career stat line of .312-18-840, with 992 runs scored and 359 steals over 1,284 games. H led his league in HBP in five seasons (consecutively, 1894-1898) and had a high of 51 HBP in 1896.

Second on the list, only two HBP behind Jennings with 285, is Craig Biggi0 (C/2B/CF). Biggio played 20 MLB seasons (1988-2007), but unlike Jennings, played for only one team (the Astros). The seven-time All Star hit .281-291-1,175, with 1,844 runs scored and 414 stolen bases over 2,950 games. Like Jennings, he led his league in HBP five times, but not consecutively (1995-97, 2001, 2003).

 

Nifty Fifty

Only two players have been hit by a pitch at least 50 times in one season. The NL Orioles’ Hughie Jennings (51 in 1897) and the Expos’ Ron Hunt (50 in 1971).

 

Over Two Dozen Bruises to Make This List

There have been 55 player seasons with 25 or more HBP – “accomplished” by 26 different players. The most recent was the Mariners’ Ty France with 34 HBP last season. The first was the American Association Baltimore Orioles’  Tommy Tucker with 29 in 1887.

Here are the players with the most seasons of 25 or more HBP (tied at five):

  • Ron Hunt … 1968-72 … Giants, Expos;
  • Tommy Tucker … 1887, 1889-92 … AA Orioles, NL Boston;
  • Hughie Jennings … 1894-98 … NL Orioles.

Something Old/Something New

The oldest player to lead the league in HBP is Don Baylor, who led the AL with 28 plunkings in 1987 (at the age of 38), splitting the season with the Red Sox and Twins). Baylor also holds second place on the list, with a league-leadings 35 HBP as a 37-year-old in 1986 (Red Sox).

The youngest player to lead the league in HBP was Victor Robles, who was nailed 25 times, as a 22-year-old, with the  2019 Nationals. The youngest player to lead the league in HBP was 23-year-old Andres Gimenez (for the Guardians in 2022). Like Robles, he had 25 HBP.

But Who’s  Counting?

The fewest plate appearances by a player who was HBP 25 or more times in a season is 306, by the Red’s Derek Dietrich in 2019 (25 HBP). Dietrich didn’t lead the league in HBP that season, but he did lead the NL with 24 HBP in 2016, with the Marlins).   By contrast, the most plate appearance in a season without a single HBP is 739, by the Angels’ Sandy Alomar in 1971. There have, in fact, been 48 seasons of 700 or more PA with an HBP, accomplished by 47 different players.

Probably pretty Good at Dodge Ball

Roy White of the Yankees is the only player with two seasons of 700+ plate appearance without a HBP: 1970 (712) and 1976 (728).  

Follow the Leader

Photo: Bowman Gum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

No player led his league in HBP in more season than the White Sox’ Minnie  Minoso – ten seasons (1951-54, 1956-610.  Despite this record, Minoso was never hit more than 23 times in a season.  Minoso’s consecutive string was broken in 1955 by teammate Nellie Fox (17 HB).  That season Minos0 was hit 10 times in 139 games, tying for fourth in the AL.  Ron Hunt holds the record for consecutive seasons leading his league in HBP at seven 1968-74 (Giants, Expos, Cardinals).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Times The Charm

The record for HBP in a game (Modern ERA) is three – which has occurred 36 times (by 30 different players) in the Modern Era (since 1901).

Three X Three

Reed Johnson is the only player to be HBP in a game three times – three times … all while he was with the Blue Jays. Johnson played 13 MLB seasons (2003-2015 … Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, Marlins, Nationals). He was HBP a total of 134 times and led the AL in HBP in 2006 with 212.  His final stat line was .279-65-408 in 1 320 games.  

A Couple of Obligatory Charts

Below you will find a couple of charts that shed some light on how HBP has changed over time – which seem to indicate batters may be more at risk  these days.  This will be a future blog topic (it needs more research), but my first inclination is that the shift from finesse and pitch-to-contact to overpowering batters with velocity and spin rate is a driving force.  Feel free to share your thought on this in the comments section.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com.

 

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Four Hits and Four Steals in a Game … And More

May 17, 2024 by

Yesterday (May 16), the Reds’ dynamic (nine homers and 30 steals as of this morning), young (22-year-old) shortstop Elly De La Cruz became just the 29th AL/NL player in the Modern Era (post-1900) to collect at least four hits and steal at least four bases in a game. (Note: Negro Leagues game records from 1920-48 – now considered major-league, have not been fully documented incorporated into the MLB record book).  The performance came in a Reds’ 7-2 win over the Dodgers In LA.  De La Cruz had three singles, a double and a walk; scored three runs; and drove in one. He stole second base twice and third base twice.

As usual, the events of the day sent Baseball Roundtable to the record books and “one thing led to another.” Here’s a look at what grabbed my attention.

 

Johnny Neun, an MLB Unicorn

On July 9, 1927 Tigers’ 1B Johnny Neun became just the second – and there are still two still only – MLB player credited with at least five hits and at least five steals one one game. He accomplished the feat on July 9, 1927 in a 14-4 Tigers’ win over the vaunted 1927 Yankees.

Photo: Bain News Service, publisher., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The other to meet this criteria was Athletics’ 2B Eddie Collins, who had a 5-5 game in a 24-2 Athletics’ win over the Tigers on May 18, 2012.  Collins had five singles, scored four runs and drove in one.  He stole second base three times and third base twice.  Side note: Three of his hits were bunt singles.

Why give Neun “unicorn” status?  In a bow to #InBaseballWeCountEverything, Neun is the only   player to collect five hits and five steals (or even four hits and four steals) in a game of less than nine innings.  His five-and-five came in the second game of a doubleheader – a contest that went only seven innings. (Most likely called due to darkness.) All five of Neun’s safeties were singles and he scored four times and drove in three. He stole second base three times and third base twice.

Neun, who played in just 432 games over six MLB seasons (1925-28, 1930-31) had a career stat line of .289-2-85, with 41 steals and 171 runs scored.  Despite the short career, he made another mark or two on the record books.

  • Neun is one of only two MLB first baseman (Modern Era) to turn an unassisted triple play. The other 13 were turned by shortstops (8) or second basemen (5).
  • Neun is also of just one of two players whose unassisted triple play notched the final three outs of the game – and the only one whose triple-killing ended a 1-0 victory.

Johnny Neun’s Society for American Baseball Research bio – written by Cort Vitty – paints a picture of a versatile athlete. Neun and his partner were the Baltimore city tennis doubles champions in 1920. Neun was also  a founding member of the Baltimore Soccer Club  and captain of it 1918-20 championship teams.

Neun started his professional baseball career in 1920 (age 19) and made it to the major leagues after a .353 season with the double-A Saint Paul Saints in 1924. Neun hit .320 or better in all but the one (the first) of his five minor-league seasons before making the Tigers’ roster.

After his final MLB season (1931), Neun played in the minors from 1932 through 1937 and managed in the minors from 1935 through 1943. He did a brief stint as manager of the Yankees( 14 games) in 1946 before managing the Reds for 1947 season and 100 games in 1948,

By The Numbers

In addition to Johnny Neun’s and Eddie Collins’ five hit-five steal games, two additional players have had games of five hits and four steals:

  • Carl Crawford, Rays … May 24, 2006
  • Rickey Henderson, Yankees … April 11, 1988

Two players have had games of four hits and six steals:

  • Carl Crawford, Rays …. May 3, 2009
  • Eddie Collins, Athletics … September 22, 1912

 

Doubling Up on a Four-By-Four

Just six players have had two games of at least four-hit and at least four-steals (see chart below) and only Athletics’ 2B Eddie Collins did it twice in one season (1912).

Something Old – Something New

The oldest player to record a four-hit/four-steal games is the Rangers’ Kenny Lofton – at age 40 (and 29 days) – in a 2-1 loss to the Red Sox on June 29, 2007.

The youngest?  Who else?  The Tigers’ Ty Cobb at age 20 (and 288 days) in a 9-5 win over the Nationals on October 2, 1907.

Speed and Power

Only four players had had a home run as part of a game of at least four hits and at least four steals:

  • The Indians’ Kenny Lofton – four hits (three singles and a homer) and five steals in a September 3, 2000, 13-inning, 12-11 win over the Orioles;
  • The A’s Rickey Henderson – four hits (two singles, a double and a home run) in a 12-5 win over the Rangers on October 5, 1991;
  • The Cardinals’ Vince Coleman – four hits (two singles, a triple and a home run) and four steals in a 9-4 win over the Cubs on July 24, 1990; and
  • The Rays’ Carl Crawford – five hits (four singles and a homer) and four steals in a 10-8 win over the Blue Jays on May 24, 2006.

Positioned for Success

As you might guess, 14 of the 35 games of at least four hits and at least four steals were accomplished by leadoff hitters.  The lowest spot in the batting order for anyone on the list goes to Ichiro Suzuki, who had a four-for-four game with four steals (as a 38-year-old), while batting in the eight-hole for the Yankees in a 2-1 win over the Blue Jays on September 19, 2012. His fourth hit of the day, an eighth inning single, drove in the winning run. Side note: 2012 was his 38-year-old season – and he had seven more MB campaigns ahead of him.

The only positions to not place a player on the four-by-four list are catcher and DH. Left Field ranks number-one (10) and CF number-two (9).

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

 

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

Baseball Roundtable is also on the Anytime Baseball Supply Top 66 Baseball Sites list.  For the full list, click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.  More baseball commentary; blog post notifications.

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

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