David, Author at Baseball Roundtable

Baseball Roundtable Bobble Head Giveaways

May 15, 2017 by David

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE

JETER/RIVERA

BOBBLEHEAD GIVE AWAY

With the Yankees recently retiring Derek Jeter’s number, it seems a good time to launch Baseball Roundtable’s bobblehead giveaways – an effort designed to:

1) Reward those who follow Baseball Roundtable;

2) Build the audience for Baseball Roundtable’s new Facebook Page;

3) Clear out/downsize my bobblehead collection.

The first two bobblers to be given away are the pictured Yankees’ bobbleheads – Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter – promotions sponsored by Hormel and Land O Lakes.

On May 30, BBRT will randomly draw from among those who Like/Follow the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page. (Click here to go to the BBRT FB, but read on first.) Those who continue to Like/Follow will stay in the running for future bobble head giveaways.

Giveaway Round Two, slated for four-to-six weeks after the first giveaway, will feature the old and new of Minnesota Twins’ power – Harmon Killebrew and Miguel Sano bobble heads.

Not only will you be in the running for ongoing giveaways, you will enjoy (I sincerely hope) the baseball news and views presented both on this page and on the Baseball Roundtable blog – baseballroundtable.com Note: I do not sell items or ad space on by blog site; it is a labor of love (for the national pastime).

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. If you win, you understand that you will be providing your information to the owner of this Facebook page and not to Facebook.

Winner must authorize announcing the win. No personal info, just a statement like “Baseball Roundtable follower NAME/OR FB HANDLE is the winner of the Jeter/Rivera Bobbleheads giveaway.

Now, for a bit of BASEBALL TRIVIA to accompany this announcement – perhaps you can fool your friends.

In 2008, C.C. Sabathia became the only MLB pitcher to lead both leagues (and all of MLB) in shutouts in the same season. He started the season with the Cleveland Indians of the AL, and was traded to the then Milwaukee Brewers on July 7. His two complete game shutouts with Cleveland tied (with seven others) for the AL lead, while his three CG shutouts tied Milwaukee teammate Ben Sheets for the top spot in the NL.

A little how the game has changed. In 1963,the Braves’ Warren Spahn went 23-7, threw 22 complete games in 33 starts, averaged 7.86 innings pitched per start and had a game-high pitch count of 201. Oh yes, he was 42-years-old.

The last pitcher to top 300 innings pitched in a season was Steve Carlton of the Phillies in 1980 (304 innings pitched). From 1950 through 1959, another Phillie, Robin Roberts, AVERAGED 301 innings pitched per season.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT – give me a follow.

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

2017 John Paciorek Award to Chris Saenz

May 11, 2017 by David

In 2014, BRT launched its own baseball recognition – The John Paciorek Award (JPA). The JPA recognizes players who have had short, most often very short, major league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition. (Note: Information on John Paciorek’s career – the inspiration for the JPA – can be found at the end of this post. Paciorek’s day in the sun constitutes arguably the best one-game MLB career ever.)

________________ 2017 JPA Winner – Chris Saenz _______________

This year, BBRT honors right-handed pitcher Chris Saenz with the JPA – for making his one-game stint on the MLB pitcher’s mound truly memorable. Saenz’ big day came on April 24, 2004 and was made possible by a combination of an injury to Brewers’ starting pitcher Chris Capauno, an overworked Brewers’ bullpen and the fact that Saenz had started at Double A five days earlier, so a spot start for the Brewers would keep him on his pitching schedule. It was, in a way, the perfect storm for an unexpected MLB debut.

Saenz – a Brewers top-30 prospect in his fourth pro season – was called up from Double A Huntsville (where he was 1-1, 3.86) to make a spot start against the Saint Louis Cardinals, whose powerful lineup included the likes of Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders. (The Cardinals would lead the NL in runs scored, batting average and finish second in home runs that season, while making it to the World Series.) Let’s look at how things went for Saenz, before we examine how the 6’3”, 200-pound righty worked his way to the mound that day – and the factors that made it his only MLB appearance.

The first MLB batter Saenz faced was Cardinal second baseman Bo Hart and the Milwaukee pitcher got his MLB career of to a good start, fanning Hart (swinging) on three pitches. (No surprise there, Saenz consistently struck out more than a batter per inning in the minors.) Saenz then seemed to pick up a minor case of MLB-debut jitters, sandwiching a single and a pair of walks around a foul pop out, before getting Redbirds’ SS Edgar Renteria to fly out – ending a shaky, but scoreless, first big league inning.

When he came out for the second, Saenz seemed to have settled down and found his proverbial groove. He recorded a 1-2-3 second, with two strikeouts. In the third, the only batter to reach was Pujols (hit by pitch) and Saenz picked up a fourth strikeout. The Cardinals went down in order in the fourth and fifth innings, with Saenz notching two more strikeouts. Pujols managed a single off Saenz in the sixth, but was the only base runner in the inning. Saenz walked Renteria (on a 3-2 pitch) to open the seventh – and his first day (and career) in the majors was done.

Not a bad day’s work (yes, it was a day game) for a raw rookie: six innings pitched, two hits, three walks, no runs and seven strikeouts. For those who track such things, Bo Hart faced Saenz three times that day (first, third and fifth innings) and struck out swinging all three times. Two was a lucky number for Saenz, as the Brewers scored two times (on two hits) in the first inning to ensure Saenz the win (Milwaukee 3 – St, Louis 1); Hart, Saenz’ most frequent strikeout victim was playing at the two-bag for the Cardinals; and the game was played in front of an announced attendance of 22,222 fans.

A ONE-OF-A-KIND … SINGLE-GAME CAREER … PERFORMANCE

While statistics before 1900 can be sketchy, baseball-reference.com shows that Saenz is the only pitcher to complete a one-game MLB career of at least five innings pitched, without giving up a single run (earned or unearned). Five pitchers before 1900 had one-game careers of at least five innings that resulted in a 0.00 ERA, but they all (Jack Keenan, Frank Kreeger, Clay Fauver, George Snyder and George Stultz) gave up unearned tallies in those efforts.

There was some speculation (primarily among sportswriter and fans) that Saenz’ performance might earn him another start or two, but two days after his debut, he was on his way back to Huntsville. For the year at Huntsville, he went 5-5, 4.15 with 84 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, his season included a September elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and set his career back (eventually ending it.)

So, how did Saenz earn his day in the major leagues? He was signed by the Brewers (28^th round of the 2001 Major League Draft) out of Pima Community College in Tucson Arizona.

Saenz started his pro career (at age 19) with the Pioneer (rookie) League Ogden Raptors. He showed solid potential, appearing in 21 games (four starts) and going 3-1, 4.24 with 14 walks and 48 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. His ability to fan at least a batter an inning would be a trademark of his professional career. In 2003, Saenz moved up to the Low A Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League – where he pitched 37 games (all in relief) and went 3-5, with eight saves and a respectable 3.51 ERA. He did walk 32 batters in 74 1/3 innings, but his 99 strikeouts (12 per nine innings) were impressive. The following season (2003) saw Saenz work primarily as a starter (26 starts in 27 appearances) mostly with the High A High Desert Mavericks of the California League – although he did get in one game with the Double A Huntsville Stars of the Southern League. Saenz went 9-9, 5.04, working on command issues (59 walks in 134 innings), but maintained his bat-missing stuff (142 strikeouts).

Then came 2004, his early season call up to the Brewers, his return to Huntsville and his Tommy John surgery. After missing the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Saenz attempted a comeback, signing with the Angels in 2007 and playing with the Arkansas Travelers of the Double A Texas League – where things did not go well (1-7, with an 8.41 ERA and 31 walks versus 24 strikeouts in 46 innings). The Angels released Saenz and he finished the season with the Reno Silver Sox of the Independent Golden Baseball League, where he found more frustration – 0-4, 8.10 with 16 walks and 22 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. Saenz gave it one last try in 2008, with the independent Northern League Schaumburg Flyers, where he went 1-1, 8.42, with 15 walks and 18 whiffs in 25 2/3 innings. He retired from professional baseball at the age of 26. Still, Saenz is one of the fortunate few to have their day in the major league sun – and to have proven on that day that he truly belonged.

________________________________________________________

PAST JOHN PACIOREK AWARD WINNERS:

2014 – Brian Scott Dallimore

In his first start (not his first game) for the 2004 Giants, Dallimore had two singles, a Grand Slam (his first MLB hit and only MLB home run), a walk and a hit by pitch. For the full JPA take on Dallimore’s 27- game MLB career, click here.

2015 – Roy Gleason

Gleason played in just eight MLB games, had a double in his only MLB at bat – but also earned a World Series ring (1963) and a Purple Heart. Ultimately, he was the only ballplayer with MLB experience to serve on the front lines in Vietnam. For the full JPA take on Gleason, click here. Note: Gleason’s life is detailed in the book “Lost in the Sun – Roy Gleason’s Odyssey from the Outfield to the Battlefield.”

2016 – John Allen Miller

Miller played just 32 MLB games (during the 1966 and 1969), taking the field (at 1B/LF/3B/2B) for the Yankees and Dodgers. Miller collected ten hits in 61 MLB at bats (.164 average) and hit just two home runs – but he made those long balls count. Miller made his MLB debut with the Yankees on September 11, 1966 and hit a two-run homer in his first big league at bat – making him (surprisingly) the first Yankee ever to homer in his first MLB at bat. (Little did Miller know he would not get another home run or RBI until the final at bat of his MLB career.) Miller’s final at bat came as a Dodger (September 23, 1969) and he stroked a solo home run. That narrow “body of work” made Miller one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter’s box. For more on Miller, click here.

INSPIRATION FOR THE JPA

John Paciorek – signed out of Saint Ladislaus High School in Hamtramck, Michigan (where he had starred in football, basketball and baseball) – appeared in his first major league game on the final day of the 1963 season (September 29) at the age of 18. The 6’ 1”, 200-pound outfielder had spent the 1963 season with Class A Modesto Colts. The Colts’ parent club, the Houston Colt .45s (that was the current Astros’ franchise name back then), was suffering through a difficult season. The team was 65-96 going into that final game. Looking to the future, Houston had, in fact, fielded an all-rookie lineup (average age 19) on September 27. Youth was still being served two days later when John Paciorek started his first MLB game. The results were surprising – and worthy of recognition.

Paciorek, by the way, went on to become a high school teacher and multi-sport coach and is the author of two books (Plato and Socrates – Baseball’s Wisest Fans and The Principles of Baseball: And All There Is To Know About Hitting.) You also can enjoy Paciorek’s prose (and expertise) directly at his blog “Paciorek’s Principles of Perfect Practice” by clicking here. You can find out even more about Paciorek in Steven Wagner’s 2015 book “Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder.” (See the review of “Perfect” by clicking here.)

A final note. John Paciorek’s insight into the national pastime should come as no surprise. Paciorek comes from a true “baseball family.” He was the first born of eight siblings and was followed to the big leagues by younger brothers Jim and Tom Paciorek. (Like John, Jim’s MLB career was short – 48 games for the Brewers in 1987. Brother Tom, however, achieved a .282 average over an 18-season MLB career.)

For more baseball – and notification of new blog posts – Follow and Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page; link here. Also, bobblehead giveaways soon to come.

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Member: Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

Six Home Runs in One Game – A Good Day at the Ball Yard

May 9, 2017 by David

On this date (May 9) 1999, Florida State University second baseman Marshall McDougall had what is arguably the best day ever by college (Division I) baseball player. We’re talking seven-for-seven, with six runs scored, 16 RBI and six home runs – setting a host of NCAA Division I single-game records.

The day started out routinely enough, as McDougall, batting in the number-two spot, singled to left in the top of the first (against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Maryland) and the inning ended with the scored tied at 2-2. After that, it was all Florida State and nearly all Marshall McDougall. The Seminoles won the contest 26-2, and McDougall’s remaining at bats went:

Second Inning – solo home run to left.
Fourth inning – three-run home run to center.
Sixth inning – two-run home run to left.
Seventh inning – three-run home run to center.
Eighth inning – Grand Slam home run to left.
Ninth inning – three-run home run to center.

McDougall, a junior in his first year with Florida State University (he played two years at Santa Fee Community College in Gainesville, FL), declined to take all the credit. After the game he commented, “Luckily, we had people on base, so they couldn’t walk me. My teammates came through for me.”

In that game, McDougall not only hit for the “home run cycle” (solo, two-run, three-run and Grand Slame), he also set National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) single-game records – which still stand – for home runs (6); RBI (16); and total bases in (25). Not a bad day at the ball yard.

The fact is, McDougall didn’t have many bad days at the ball park in 1999. That season, McDougall was held hitless only eight times, while recording 20 games with three or more safeties. His final line for the year – 71 games, with a .419 average, 28 home runs, 106 RBI, 104 runs scored and 22 stolen bases (in 25 attempts). He also drew 39 walks and was hit by a pitch ten times, while striking out 46 times. McDougall won the ACC Triple Crown and led all college players in RBI and base hits (126).

As you might expect, McDougall was an NCAA consensus All American – and made virtually every publication and organization’s All America squad. He was also the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, was a first–team selection to the NCAA All Tournament Team and voted the Most Outstanding Player of the 1999 College World Series (the Seminoles lost in the finals).

After his 1999 season at FSU, McDougall was selected by the Red Sox in the 26th round of the 1999 MLB Draft, but decided to play his final season at FSU. This was already the third time McDougall had been an MLB draft selection. (More on that later.) McDougall “slumped” a bit in his final college season – .346-15-67, 82 runs and 14 steals in 72 games. The Seminoles finished second in the ACC (15-9), 53-19 overall and third in Division I College World Series. The Oakland A’s took McDougall in the ninth round of the 2000 MLB draftand his professional career got underway.

Now, for those who are interested, let’s take a look at Marshall McDougall’s path to (and from) the major leagues – and reflect on just how challenging playing ball at the major league level can be; no matter what your past performance and future potential may look like.

In high school (Valrico, FL), McDougall had already shown his promise as a second-team All-State player (selected by the White Sox in the 41^st round of the 1996 MLB Draft). He chose instead to attend Santa Fe Community College, where again he was a second-team All-State selection (picked by the Yankees in 37^th round of the 1997 draft). And once again, he declined to sign, instead moving on to Division I ball at Florida State University; where, as you’ve already read, he carved out a spot in college baseball history.

After signing with the A’s, McDougall worked his way up to the AA Midland Rockhounds – where, in 2002, he hit .303-9-56 in 84 games, before being traded to the Indians for Ricardo Rincon during the season. He suffered an injury after the trade and played only nine games in the Indians’ system (Double A and Low A). In December 2002, he was taken by the Rangers in the Rule 5 Minor League draft.

The 6′ 1″, 200-lb. McDougall showed solid potential in the Rangers’ system (at Double A and Triple A). In 2003, he hit .261-15-78 in 140 games; in 2004, .288-21-83 in 112 games; and, in 2005, he was hitting .341-11-64 (75 games) when he got the “call to the show.” He joined the Rangers as a utility player and manned five positions for Texas (2B/3B/SS/RF/DH). Still, he got only 18 MLB at bats in 18 games (three hits, three runs, one double, and ten strikeouts.) Hampered by injury (wrist), McDougall later played in both the Dodgers’ and Padres’ systems, but never made it back to the major leagues. Other stops along the way for McDougall have included both the Mexican and Chinese Leagues. McDougall’s story clearly reflects how hard it is to get to the big leagues (he made it) and how challenging it is to stay there. Still, he played the game at the highest level – and still holds a place (several places) in the college record books.

Follow/Like Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook page, click here. More baseball commentary there, and bobblehead giveaways coming up.

Helpful sources for this post included MiLB.com; Baseball-Reference.com; and Nolefan.org

I tweet baseball @ David BBRT

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

MLB Games – the Long(est) and Short(est) of It

May 8, 2017 by David

Chasen Shreve went the final three innings fanning five – for the win as the Yankees topped the Cubs in 18 innings. Photo by Keith Allison

It’s kind of appropriate that today (May 8, 2017), BBRT is looking back at yesterday’s Cubs/Yankees tilt – an 18-inning, six-hour and five-minute battle that will, ultimately, be most noted for the fact that the 15 pitchers who took the mound fanned an MLB single-game record 48 batters. (FYI- The Yankees won it 5-4.) The game fell well short of MLB’s longest in terms of time (which began on this date in 1984) or innings. Later in this post, we’ll look at MLB’s longest and shortest games. First, however, a few “factoids” from yesterday’s tilt.

Yankee pitchers fanned 26 hitters, Cubs’ hurlers whiffed 22. Strikeouts accounted for 44 percent of the total outs.
Two hitters accounted for 36 percent of the Yankee batters’ strikeouts – outfielder Aaron Hicks and third basemen Chase Headley each fanned a game-high four times (no other Yankee whiffed more than twice, while the Cubs had five players with three strikeouts).
A lot of bats were missed; there were 38 swinging strikeouts versus ten called.
The Cubs went into the bottom of the ninth down by three, but tied it up against Yankees’ star closer Aroldis Chapman on three singles, two walks, and a hit batter. There was no more scoring until the 18^th.
The first ten batters in extra innings went down on strikes.
Both starting pitchers (Yankees’ Luis Severino and Cubs’ Jon Lester) went seven innings and notched nine strikeouts.
Three strikeout innings were notched by the Cubs’ Wade Davis (10^th); Yankees’ Tyler Clippard (10^th); Cubs’ Carl Edwards Jr. (11^th); and Yankees’ Jonathan Holder (14^th).
The Yankees left 22 runners on base, the Cubs stranded 30.

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Now for the long and short of MLB games.

LONGEST GAME (BY TIME)

May 8, 1984 – Brewers/White Sox – 8 hours and 6 minutes – with an asterisk*

Tom Seaver’s only win in relief came in MLB longest-ever game (time-wise).

MLB’s longest-ever (time-wise) game started on May 8, 1984 and, like yesterday’s Yankees and Cubs contest, it was played in Chicago. This time it was at (old) Comiskey and the home town White Sox prevailed 7-6 in 25-innings, taking a record-long eight hours and six minutes. I do give and asterisk to this one – since it was not continuous play. The game started at 7:30 p.m. and was suspended after seven innings (at 1:05 a.m.) due to the MLB curfew rule then in force. It finished up the next day.

There were plenty of chances for this one to end earlier. The game was tied 1-1 going into the ninth, when the Brewers scored twice to take the lead. The White Sox came back with two of their own in the bottom of the inning – and the teams played on. No one scored again until the top of the 21^st, when the Brewers put up a three-spot. The White Sox, however, scored three of their own in the bottom of the inning – and the teams played on. Finally, with one out in the bottom of the 25^th White Sox’ RF Harold Baines hit a walk off home run (making it, of course, the latest walk-off long ball ever) against Chuck Porter (starting his eighth inning of relief) to win it for the ChiSox. A few tidbits:

White Sox’ CF Rudy Law, C Carlton Fisk and 2B Julio Cruz, as well as Milwaukee DH Cecil Cooper each had 11 at bats in the game.
Chicago’s Dave Stegman, who came on as a pinch runner for DH Greg Luzinski in the 8th and stayed in to play LF, struck out a game-high five times in eight at bats.
The teams used a combined 14 pitchers (six for the Brewers, eight for the White Sox).
Two relievers went seven or more innings: losing pitcher Chuck Porter of the Brewers (7 1/3); Juan Agosta of the White Sox (7 innings).
The winning pitcher was future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, who pitched the 25th inning for the ChiSox. It was Seaver’s only relief appearance of the season (one of just nine in his career) and his only career win in relief (he also had one save and two losses in that role).
Five future Hall of Famers played in the game: for the White Sox – catcher Carlton Fisk and winning pitcher Tom Seaver; for the Brewers – starting pitcher Don Sutton, SS Robin Yount and closer Rollie Fingers (who blew the save in the ninth).
Outside of Harold Baines’ walk-off home run, White Sox’ LF Tom Paciorek was (arguably) the hitting star of the game, going five-for-nine, with one run and three RBI (no one else had five safeties). LF Ben Ogilvie went two-for-ten for the Brewers, but added a home run and four RBI.

LONGEST GAME BY INNINGS – AND HOW THE GAME HAS CHANGED

On May 1, 1920, the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) and Boston Braves locked up in the longest MLB duel ever – by innings – playing to a 1-1 ties over 26 innings. This one gets a special nod, since it is also the longest game in which both starting pitchers were on the mound for the entire game. (My, how the game has changed.)

Starting pitchers Leon Cadore of Brooklyn and Joe Oeschger of Boston each threw more than 300 pitches (analysts estimate Cadore at 345 and Oeschger at 319) in completing their 26-inning, record-setting starts. Cadore gave up 15 hits and five walks, while fanning seven; while Oeschger allowed only nine hits and four walks, while also striking out seven batters. Oh, and here’s another sign of how the game has changed, the time of the 26-inning contest was only 3 hours and 50 minutes. The Robins scored their lone tally in the fifth, the Braves in the sixth – followed by 20 innings of scoreless ball.

LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY PLAYED GAME (BY TIME)

BBRT give special recognition to the second-longest MLB game ever (by time) – and the longest in terms of continually play – The San Francisco Giants 8-6 win over the New York Mets on May 31, 1964. This one took seven hours and 23 minutes – and was the second game of a doubleheader.

Each team used six pitchers in the contest.
Tom Sturdivant and Larry Bearnath of the Mets pitched in both games of the doubleheader – with Bearnath throwing seven scoreless innings after giving up one run in two innings in Game One of the Twin bill.
Galen Cisco, who took the loss for the Mets, pitched nine innings in relief (giving up two runs on five hits).
Gaylord Perry got the win for the Giants, tossing ten scoreless innings in relief (seven hits, one walk, nine strikeouts). Bob Hendley got the save.
Five Mets and three Giants notched ten at bats in the game.
Gil Garrido, Jim Davenport and Willie Mays also spent some time at SS for the Giants during the game.
The list of pinch hitters used by the Giants was pretty impressive: Duke Snider; Willie McCovey; Matty Alou; Del Crandall; Cap Peterson. Mets’ pinch hitters were not as well known: Jesse Gonder; George Altman; Dick Smith; Hawk Taylor; John Stephenson.
Four hitters collected four hits: Giants – RF Jesus Alou (four-for-ten, one run, two RBI) and C Tom Haller (four-for-ten, one run, one RBI); Mets- RF Joe Christopher (four-for-ten, two runs, three RBI and the game’s only homer) and 3B Charley Smith (four-for-nine, one RBI).
The Giants led 6-1 after three innings, but the Mets tied it with two in the sixth and three in the seventh. Then there was no scoring until the top of the 23^rd.
Five future Hall of Famers played in the game for the Giants – Gaylord Perry, Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey and Duke Snider.
The first game went just nine innings and two hours and 29 minutes. It does mean fans got nine hours and 52 minutes of baseball for the price of one ticket – which, by the way, is the longest MLB double header ever in terms of game time. (Note: The longest double header ever in terms to total time came on July 2, 1993. The Padres and Phillies split a pair of games in Philadelphia. Game One: SD 5-2 over Philadelphia. Game Two: Philadelphia 6-5 over the Padres. It took a total of 12 hours and five minutes, including two rain delays totalling 4 four hours and 44 minutes and a 25-minute break between games).

SHORTEST GAME EVER – NINE INNINGS IN 51 MINUTES

LIKE SPEED DATING

On September 28, 1919, the Phillies took on the Giants in New York, with Philadelphia’s Lee Meadows (12 wins and 19 losses) taking on New York’s Jesse Barnes (24-9). The outcome was as expected, Giants 6 – Phillies 1. The game featured a total of 18 hits and three walks. None of this is surprising. What is surprising, however, is that it took just 51 minutes to play the entire nine innings. Now, THAT is pace of game.

SHORTEST DOUBLEHEADER

The shortest doubleheader (game time) ever was completed in two hours and seven minutes of game time. It was September 26, 1926 in Saint Louis – but did not involve the Cardinals. In Game One, the Saint Louis Browns topped the Yankees 6-1 in 1 hours and 12 minutes. The Browns also won Game Two, this time by a 6-2 score, in just 55 minutes.

Baseball-almanac.com, baseball-reference.com and the Society for American Baseball Research proved valuable resources for this post.

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I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

Baseball Reliquary 2017 Honorees – Vin Scully, Bob Uecker, Charlie Brown

May 6, 2017 by David

I’ve asked this before, but it’s clearly the best way to introduce the Baseball Reliquary and its Shrine of the Eternals.

What do the following have in common – a one-armed major league outfielder, a pitcher who once threw a no-hitter while high on LSD, a team owner who sent a midget to the plate, a man in a chicken suit, a member of Major League Baseball’s 3,000-hit club, an MLB manager who won eight World Championships, a baseball card designer, a surgeon, a labor leader, a statistical wizard and more than one best-selling author?

These diverse individuals are all past electees to The Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals – an honor that recognizes individuals who have had impact on our national pastime that goes beyond statistics and touches upon the culture and character of the game. In essence, the Shrine of the Eternals is our national pastime’s fan-focused hall of fame. (And this year, you can add a broadcasting legend, a pop-culture icon and a cartoon character to the list. More on that in a bit.)

The Baseball Reliquary this week announced its latest (2017) Shrine of the Eternals electees, who will be enshrined during ceremonies slated for 2:00 p.m., Sunday July 16th, at the Donald R. Wright Auditorium, Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut Street, Pasadena, California. (For more information, call 626-791-7647.) The honorees for this Shrine of the Eternals 19th indusction ceremony include:

Vin Scully, who spent 67 years as a Dodgers’ broadcaster and whose voice became as much a sound of the game as the crack of the bat meeting the ball, the slap of the horsehide sphere into a leather mitt, the unique whirr of a good curveball and the shouts of beer and hot dog vendors.
Bob Uecker, former MLB player who translated his knowledge of the game, .200 career batting average and self-deprecrating sense of humor into an off-the-field career as a broadcaster, actor, comedian and (pun intended) pitchman.
Charlie Brown, a cartoon character whose love the game and enduring sense of optimism taught us some important life lessons from atop the pitcher’s mound.

Before taking a closer look at this year’s electees (and BBRT’s ballot), I’d like to provide a brief overview of both the Baseball Reliquary and its Shrine of the Eternals. Let me begin by saying, if you are a baseball fan, I would highly recommend you consider membership in the Baseball Reliquary – a truly free-spirited (if somewhat eccentric) organization dedicated to celebrating the human side of baseball’s history and heritage. The Baseball Reliquary is an open and fan-focused organization, committed to recognizing baseball’s place in American culture and to honoring the character and characters of the national pastime. It pursues that mission through its collection of artifacts, traveling exhibitions, ties to the Whittier College Institute for Baseball Studies and (perhaps, most visibly) through its own version of the Baseball Hall of Fame – the Baseball Reliquary Shrine of the Eternals. For more on the Baseball Reliquary, and why you should become a member, click here.

Now, to the Shrine of the Eternals. Here’s what the Reliquary has to say about this honor.

The Baseball Reliquary Shrine of the Eternals

Similar in concept to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Shrine of the Eternals differs philosophically in that statistical accomplishment is not the principal criterion for election. The Baseball Reliquary believes that the election of individuals on merits other than statistics and playing ability will offer the opportunity for a deeper understanding and appreciation of baseball than has heretofore been provided by “Halls of Fame” in the more traditional and conservative institutions.

Criteria for election shall be: the distinctiveness of play (good or bad); the uniqueness of character and personality; and the imprint that the individual has made on the baseball landscape. Electees, both on and off the diamond, shall have been responsible for developing baseball in one or more of the following ways: through athletic and/or business achievements; in terms of its larger cultural and sociological impact as a mass entertainment; and as an arena for the human imagination.

Each year, the Baseball Reliquary submits a list of candidates to its members and the top three vote-getters are honored. With that background behind us, let’s take a look at the 2017 honorees. Note: voting percentages for all the candidates can be found at the end of this post. For more on the Shrine of the Eternals, click here.

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2017 SHRINE OF THE ETERNALS HONOREES

Vin Scully (1927- ) – 59.5%

Photo courtesy of The Baseball Reliquary/

If anyone’s career is appropriate to a spot in the Shrine of the Eternals, its Vincent Edward “Vin” Scully – whose career as a baseball broadcaster was a close to eternal as anyone has ever come – 67 years behind the microphone. (Note: Scully’s total of 59.5 percent of the vote is the highest figure since the annual Shrine of the Eternals election process was inaugurated in 1999, topping the 53 percent totals of Bill “Spaceman” Lee in 2000 and Buck O’Neil in 2008.) Scully was the voice of the Dodgers from 1950 until his retirement after the 2016 season, as well as NBC’s lead television broadcaster for much of the 1980s and the voice of the World Series for CBS radio in the 1990s.

“Let’s all take a deep breath as we go to the most dramatic ninth inning in the history of baseball. I’m going to sit back, light up, and hope I don’t chew the cigarette to pieces.”

Vin Scully calling the final inning of Don Larsen’s 1956 World Series perfect game.

I have never seen an exact count of the number of games Scully “called” during his career, but we do know he was on the broadcast team for 28 World Series, 21 no-hitters and three perfect games. The fact is, the fluid sound of Scully’s voice and his often poetic anecdotes, became as much the sound of major league baseball as the crack of the bat, the slap of leather ball into leather glove or the shouts of vendors eager to part with hot dogs or beer.

It may sound corny, but I enjoyed listening to Vin call a game almost more than playing in them.

Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax

How impressive are Vin Scully’s credentials? Here are just of few of the recognitions he has received: Baseball Hall of Fame Ford Frick Award (1982); Lifetime Achievement Emmy and induction into National Radio Hall of Fame (1995); three-time national Sportscaster of the Year (1965, 1978, 1982); American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame (1992) and Sportscaster of the Century (2000) recognitions; MLB Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award (2014); and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016). Again these are just a few of his recognitions. (Scully, for example, was also named California Sportscaster of the Year 32 times, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and more than one street named after him.) And now, he will take his place in the Shrine of the Eternals. Can’t wait for the speech. For more on Scully, you might try The Vin Scully Story, by Carl Smith (2009).

Bob Uecker (1934- ) – 37%

Photo courtesy of The Baseball Reliquary/

Dubbed “Mr. Baseball” by TV talk show host Johnny Carson for his tongue-in-cheek approach to the national pastime, Bob Uecker will finally get his seat “in the front row” – at this year’s Shrine of the Eternals induction ceremony.

Uecker has clearly made baseball his life and Milwaukee his hardball home. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker grew up watching the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers and signed his first professional contract with the major-league Milwaukee Braves (1956). Uecker – a catcher by trade – made his big league debut with the Braves in 1962 (after six minor league seasons, during which he played 557 games and hit .274, with 78 home runs and 254 RBI). In six major league seaons (Braves, Cardinals, Phillies), Uecker played in 297 games and hit an even .200, with 14 home runs and 74 RBI.

Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. To last as long as I did with the skills I had, with the numbers I produced, was a triumph of the human spirit.

Bob Uecker, reflecting on his MLB career

Uecker retired as a player after the 1967 season and began a full-time career as play-by-play announcer for Milwaukee Brewers in 1971 – a position he still holds. Over the years, he has also served as a baseball color commentator for ABC (1970s) and NBC (1990s); hosted a pair of syndicated sports television shows; appeared as broadcaster Harry Doyle in the “Major League” movies; and played a key character in the sitcom Mr. Belvedere. Uecker received the National Baseball Hall of Fame Ford C. Frick Award for his work as a baseball broadcaster in 2003.

What separates Uecker from many former players-turned-broadcasters is his dry and self-deprecating sense of humor. For example, of his original signing, he says “I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for three-thousand dollars. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn’t have that kind of dough. But he eventually scrapped it up.” Or there’s his comment on catching the knuckleball, “I found the easy way to catch a knuckleball, just wait until it stopped rolling and then pick it up.”

Uecker’s wit (and knowledge of and love for the game) not only earned him a spot in the broadcast booth, but also pop-culture stardom through dozens of appearances on the Tonight Show and a starring role in a series of Miller Lite commercials (as well as his movie and TV roles).

In addition the Ford Frick Award, Uecker was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame (2001); the Braves Wall of Honor (2009); and on August 31, 2012, the Brewers erected the Uecker Monument outside Miller Park – alongside the statues of such heroes as Hank Aaron and Robin Yount. The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named Uecker as Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year five times and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2011. For more on Uecker, try his book “Catcher in the Wry.”

Charlie Brown (1950- ) – 25.5%

Image courtesy of The Baseball Reliquary.

Charlie Brown – created ty the late Charles M. Schulz – takes the field (the mound actually) for the love of the game – and in the process teaches us a lot about humanity and grace (under pressure and in the face of disappointment).

Brown is both the manager of the Peanuts baseball team and, almost always, its pitcher. While he imagines himself as possessing a blazing fastball, sharp-breaking curve and devastating change up, he usually ends up literally being upended and undressed by line drives up the middle. Still, he shows up and takes his turn on the mound – with optimism – game after game, loss after loss, come rain or shine. Despite decades of disappointment, Charlie has never lost hope – nor waned in his love of the game. There is always the next contest or the coming season.

Brown is truly the underdog’s underdog – even his favorite player reflects his approach to the game (and life). It’s not Mantle, nor Mays, nor Trout, but rather little-known Joe Shlabotnik. Yet, in his enduring passion for the game and his unbreakable spirit (in the face of what some say is close to 1,000 losses versus single-figure wins), we can all learn a lesson about the importance of optimism, perspective and perseverance in the face adversity. Note: At their peak, Charlie Brown and his team’s exploits appeared in more than 2,500 newpapers in 75 countries.

There’s somethng lonely about a ball field when it’s raining.

Charlie Brown

As is noted in the final line of Charlie Brown’s Shrine of the Eternals nomination “Yes, Charlie Brown may be a blockhead, but in his unshakeable belief in himself and his imagination, he will always be a winner.” He clearly won enough hearts to take a place in the Shrine of the Eternals.

Scully, Ueker and Brown join 54 previous inductees to the Shrine of the Eternals. For the full list, click here.

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BBRT’S BALLOT

Now, here’s a look at the candidates BBRT voted for who didn’t make the final three. Let me add here that one of my favorites – who garnered my vote in past elections – is (sadly) no longer on the ballot. That would be David Mullany (1908), inventor of the Wiffle® Ball (1953). The basis for my support is that Mullany’s Wiffle Ball changed backyard baseball for millions of young (and old) players and fans – including me. Here are the 2017 nominees that got my vote, but did not receive enough support for 2017 election.

Ted Kluszewski (1924-1988)

I love to recognize players who do something we are not likely to see again. Therefore, I again cast a ballot for Ted “Big Klu” Kluszewski – perhaps the last of the true power hitters who also practiced exceptional plate discipline. In 1954, for example, Big Klu hit .326, with 49 home runs and 141 RBI – a season made even more remarkable by the fact the Kluszewski struck out only 35 times (versus 78 walks). I doubt if we’ll ever see another player top 40 home runs without reaching 40 whiffs. Kluszewski, in fact, had a streak of four seasons (1953-56) when he hit over .300, drove in 100+ runs, bashed 35+ home runs – and struck out no more than 40 times in any season. In those four seasons, Kluszewski hit 171 home runs – and fanned 140 times (average 43 HR’s and 35 whiffs a season). It should also be noted that Kluszewski led NL first baseman in fielding percentage every year from 1951 through 1955. Unfortunately, a back injury in 1956 hampered his performance in th later years of his career (he played until 1961).

Kluszewski is also noted for adding a bit of flair to the game, making his own intimidating fashion statement. Klu complained that his uniform jersey was too tight for his large and powerful biceps. He went on to have the sleeves cut from his jersey – exposing his bare arms from the shoulder. (This was considered a bold move at that very conforming time in the game’s history.)

Kluszewski only appeared in one post-season – hitting .391, with three homers and ten RBI in the 1958 World Series (for the White Sox). True to his form – Big Klu did not strike out even once (25 plate appearance) in the Series. For trivia buffs, left unprotected in the 1960 expansion draft, Kluszewski hit the first-ever home run for the expansion Angels (a two-run shot in the first inning of the Angels’ first game – April 11 versus the Orioles). He added a punctuation mark, by hitting the Angels’ second–ever home run (a three-run shot) the very next inning. The Angels won 7-2, and (of course) Kluszewski did not strikeout.

Ultimately, however, Big Klu is best remembered for those sleeveless jerseys and muscular arms. This four-time All Star – whose last name,like mine, ends with “ski” – got my vote for the Shrine.

Mike Marshall (1943- )

I should probably say Doctor Mike Marshall, since this former major league reliever (14 seasons … 1967, 1969-81) earned three college degrees, including a Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Michigan State University. Kinesiology is the study of muscle movement and Marshall used his knowledge to develop his own exercise program focused on minimizing stress, reducing injury and accelerating recovery time. While his unorthodox methods, advanced education and outspoken approach often had him at odds with baseball’s traditionalists (and may be part of the reason he pitched for nine teams in 14 seasons), they did get the job done.

The fact is, we never saw a closer quite like Mike Marshall before he came along – and we’re not likely to see one like him again. In 1974, as a Dodger, he put up the grand-daddy of all relief seasons – setting the record for appearances with 106 and innings pitched in a season in relief at 208 1/3. He finished the campaign 15-12, with a league-topping 21 saves and a 2.42 ERA. That season, Marshall was called on to go more than one inning in 74 games (68.5 percent of the time); and he toiled three or more innings 22 times. He also relieved in 13 consecutive regular season games – an MLB record later tied (1986) by the Rangers’ Dale Mohorcic. His efforts won him the 1974 Cy Young Award and Sporting News NL pitcher of the year.

Marshall holds the MLB and NL record for games pitched in relief in a season (106 – Dodgers, 1974), as well as the AL record (89 in relief – Twins, 1979 – he also had one start that year). The Blue Jays’ Mark Eichhorn tied Marshall’s AL record in 1987. Marshall led his league in games pitched four times and saves three times – finishing 97-112, 3.14 with 188 saves.

Marshall currently teaches exercise physiology and operates pitching clinics in Florida. A true “fireman” from an era when closers came in to put out fires and stayed on the mound to ensure they were no flare ups, Marshall got my vote for the Shrine.

Rube Waddell (1876-1914)

Rube Waddell is almost universally recognized as the zaniest player in MLB history – but he also was one of the best (at least when he was focused on the game). Waddell was known t0: leave a ball game to chase fire engines; miss a game he was scheduled to start because he was fishing or playing marbles with neighborhood kids; bring his outfielders in to sit on the grass and then proceed to fan the side; wrestle alligators in the off-season; and (frequently) do battle with owners and managers. Waddell simply was more interested in the freedom to enjoy life and do things his way than in money or professional stability. But, when Waddell was on his game, he was arguably the best pitcher of his time. The 6’1”, 195-lb. lefty led the AL in strikeouts six consecutive seasons (1902-1907) – by a wide margin.

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

In 1904, Waddell set a modern (post-1900) MLB record with 349 strikeouts that stood until 1965. Waddell, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946, finished with a 193-143, 2.16 stat line – leading the AL in strikeouts six times, ERA twice, wins once and complete games once. For more on Waddell, BBRT suggests: Rube Waddell: The Zany, Brilliant Life of a Strikeout Artist, by Allan Howard Levy and Just a Big Kid: The Life and Times of Rube Waddell, by Paul Proia.

Mamie “Peanut” Johnson (1935 – )

Mamie Johnson was one of three females to play for the Indianapolis Clowns during the declining days of the Negro Leagues (and the only woman ever to pitch in the Negro Leagues). Johnson took the mound to the Clowns for three seasons (1953-55), running up a 33-8 record. Her exploits are chronicled in the children’s book A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, by Michelle Y. Green.

Effa Manley (1900-81)

The first woman enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Effa Manley – during the 1930s and 1940s – ran the day-to-day operations of the Negro National League Newark Eagles (owned by her husband Abe Manley). She took the reins at a time when baseball, on the field and in the executive offices, was considered a “man’s domain.” Effa, often thought of as a light-skinned black, was actually white. She, however, grew up with a black stepfather and mixed-race siblings and was active in the New Jersey branch of the NAACP and Citizen’s League for Fair Play. Effa Manley deserves recognition for overcoming both racial and sexual barriers as she exercised leadership in the national pastime. Multiple books have been written about Manley’s accomplishments. BBRT recommends: Queen of the Negro Leagues: Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles, by James Overmyer

Pete Reiser (1919-81)

Combine Willie Mays’ skill set (younger folks, think Mike Trout) with Pete Rose’s hustle and Yasiel Puig’s on-field abandon and you have Pete Reiser. In his first full MLB season (CF, Dodgers), a 22-year-old Reiser dazzled defensively and led the NL in runs scored (117), doubles (39), triples (17), batting average (.343), total bases (299) and hit by pitch (11) – tossing in 14 home runs and 76 RBI for good measure. Unfortunately, unpadded outfield walls, helmet-less at bats (the fiery Reiser was a frequent beanball target) and aggressiveness on the base paths (Reiser twice led the NL in stolen bases and holds the NL record for steals of home in a season at seven) took their toll.

In his ten-season career, the switch-hitting Reiser endured five skull fractures, a brain injury, a dislocated shoulder and a damaged knee. He was carted off the field 11 times during his career (six times unconscious) and once actually given last rites at the stadium – and he played on. The three-time All Star retired as a player with a .295 career average, playing in 861 games over ten seasons. No telling what he might have done with padded outfield walls and batting helmets. Pete Reiser was a true – and talented – gamer. For more on Reiser, try Pete Reiser: The Rough and Tumble Career of the Perfect Ballplayer, by Sidney Jacobson.

Reuben Berman (1890-1977)

On May 16, 1921, during a game between the Giants and Reds at New York City’s Polo Grounds, Reuben Berman captured a foul ball that was hit into the stands. The custom at the time was to return the ball to the playing field. Some teams even employed security guards to retrieve balls if the fans declined to return them. In extreme cases, arrests were made and charges (larceny) filed. On that day in May of 1921, Berman, refused to return a foul ball – and, when confronted, tossed the ball deeper into the stands. After what some reported as an exchange of profanities and a minor scuffle, Berman was ejected from the Polo Grounds. Berman, however, was not done with the Giants. He filed a lawsuit against the club asserting he was illegally detained and had suffered mental anguish and a loss of reputation because of the incident. The case went all the way to the New York Supreme Court, which found in Berman’s favor, granting him the sum of $100 (he had asked for $20,000).

The $100 victory is not what got Berman my vote for the Shrine of the Eternals, it was the impact on fans of his stubbornness – and what became known as “Reuben’s Rule” or “Berman’s Law.” Berman’s case was the most important step in establishing the fans’ right to that precious souvenir – an official, game-used baseball. Every time we see a scrum (for a baseball) in the stands, or a one-handed (beer or baby in the other hand) catch of a foul ball, or a smiling youngster showing off his white, red-stitched prize, we can thank Reuben Berman.

John Young (1949-2016)

A 6’3”, 210-pound, left-handed first baseman, John Young hit .325, with four home runs, 60 RBI and 26 stolen bases (in 29 attempts) in 99 games at Single A Lakeland (Tigers’ farm team) as a twenty-year-old (in 1969). The first-round draft choice (16th overall in the 1969 draft) looked like a player with great promise – and, in fact, enjoyed a big league cup of coffee with the Tigers in 1971 (two games, four at bats, two hits, one run, one RBI, one double). A wrist injury derailed his playing career, but didn’t dampen his love for the game and he went on to a long career as a scout.

It was during his scouting days that Young developed a concern for the decline of baseball among young people – particularly in the inner cities. In response, Young came up with the concept for the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program. Officially launched in 1989, the RBI program is now supported by all thirty MLB clubs and is active in approximately 200 communities – with more than 250,000 participants annually. Overall, MLB teams have donated more than $30 million to the program. (The program also includes educational and life skills components.) A few RBI alumni in the major leagues include: Carl Crawford, Justin Upton, CC Sabathia, James Loney, Manny Machado and Yovani Gallardo. His good works on behalf of baseball’s future earned my vote.

Bing Russell (1926-2003)

Okay, you are probably more aware of Bing Russell for his role as Deputy Clem Foster on Bonanza, as Robert in the original Magnificent Seven movie or for his volume of work on the big and small screen (including more than two dozen movies and even more television roles.) Or, maybe you are aware that his is actor Kurt Russell’s father.

Bing Russell, however is here because his passion for acting was equaled (perhaps even surpassed) by his passion for our national pastime. He’s also here because, as a baseball fan, he got to “live the dream” – owning his own baseball team. Russell’s infatuation with baseball began as a young boy growing up in St. Petersburg, Florida – spring training home of the Yankees. He became the team’s unofficial Florida mascot and errand runner – becoming friends with the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Lefty Gomez and Lou Gehrig. With that friendship came a life-long passion for the national pastime.

Later in life – the early 1970s – Russell translated his acting success into ownership of the independent (Class A) Portland Mavericks – a team whose roster emerged from tryouts involving (as his Shrine of the Eternals nomination points out) “a collection of misfits, reprobates, hangers-on and washouts.”

This collection of last-chance or only-chance players turned professional baseball on its ear, having fun while also taking the measure of its major league-affiliated Northwest League opponents. The team lasted from 1973-77; never had a losing season; won their Division in 1973, 75, 76 and 77; developed a rabid, involved and fun-loving fan base; and set a short-season minor-league attendance record in 1977 (3,787 per game). Russell also is credited with hiring the first female General Manager – Lanny Moss – in professional baseball; which also turned some heads among baseball’s conservative owners.

Side note: Russell’s players with Portland included Jim Bouton and Russell’s son Kurt Russell – who followed Bing’s passion for baseball and acting.

MLB baseball regained its interest in the Portland area (the Mavericks were born after the Pacific Coast League Portland Beavers moved to Spokane in 1972) and worked to reclaim the territory – an effort that ultimately went to arbitration and earned Russell the highest payout ever (at the time) for minor league territorial rights.

For a great look at this remarkable and entertaining story – check out the 2014 documentary film The Battered Bastards of Baseball.

FOLLOW/LIKE Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook page (click here). We’ll soon be launching bobblehead give-aways, starting with Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.

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THE SHRINE OF THE ETERNALS: 2016 VOTING PERCENTAGES

Vin Scully … 59.5%

Bob Uecker … 37.0

Charlie Brown … 25.5

Leo Durocher … 24.8

Bob Costas … 23.5

Octavius V. Cato … 23.o

Effa Manley … 23.0

Chet Brewer … 22.0

Charles M. Conlon … 22.0

Charlie Finley … 22.0

J.R. Richard … 22.0

John Young … 20.0

Rocky Colavito … 18.0

Luke Easter … 18.0

Lisa Fernandez … 18.0

Ernie Harwell … 18.0

Mamie Johnson … 18.0

Denny McLain … 18.0

Hideo Nomo … 18.0

Rube Foster … 17.0

Mike Marshall … 17.0

Fred Merkle … 17.0

Pete Reiser … 17.0

Bert Campaneris … 16.0

Ted Kluszewski … 16.0

Bing Russell … 15.0

Annie Savoy … 15.0

Rusty Staub … 15.0

Chris Von der Ahe … 15.0

Tug McGraw … 14.0

Phil Pote … 14.0

John Thorn … 14.0

Dave Parker … 13.0

Nancy Faust … 12.0

Oscar Gamble … 12.0

Dave Okrent .l. 12.0

Joe Pepitone … 12.0

Vic Power … 12.0

Charley Pride … 12.0

Rube Waddell … 12.0

Reuben Berman … 11.0

Jose Canseco … 10.0

Mo’ne Davis … 10.0

Mike Hessman … 10.0

Manuel Perez … 10.0

Margarets Donahue … 8.0

Manny Ramirez … 8.0

Sam Nahem … 7.0

Steve Wilstein … 7.0

Babe Dahlgren … 6.0

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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

Filed Under: News

April 2017 Wrap – April Showers of Long Balls

May 1, 2017 by David

Well, April is behind us and, while April didn’t necessarily provide the kind of showers that will bring May flowers, it did bring showers of home runs – including three-homer games by Yoenis Cespedes, Matt Kemp and Anthony Rendon; home runs as part of three cycles (Wil Myers, Trea Turner, Carlos Gomez); double figures in home runs for the month by Eric Thames, Ryan Zimmerman, Khris Davis and Aaron Judge; and even a home run hit by a pitcher being used as a pinch hitter (Michael Lorenzen).

So, let’s get on to BBRT’s traditional review of the previous month of the MLB season. I hope you enjoy this look back at April – and come across a highlight or two you may have missed. (Note: April is always the easiest month to “wrap,” since monthly and year-to-date leaders are the same. Future wrap ups will look at month and year-to-date stats.) Before we get into detailed highlights and statistics, here are a few quick observations – events or stats that particularly caught BBRT’s eye. (Appreciation to great sources: Baseball-Reference.com, MLB.com, ESPN.com, Statcast and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.)

The Washington Nationals scored more runs in April (170) than the Kansas City Royals had base hits (161).
Despite the DH, only one American League team (Yankees) finished among MLB’s top five teams in runs scored.
Washington RF Bryce Harper set a new MLB record for runs scored in April (32) – and was arguably not even the best hitter on the Nationals. In addition to scoring 32 runs, Bryce hit .391, with nine home runs and 26 RBI. Nats’ 1B Ryan Zimmerman, however, put up a .420-11-29 line for the month (topping MLB in average, home runs and RBI, as well as hits and slugging percentage).
Run support counts: The Red Sox’ Chris Sale finished April with MLB’s highest strikeout total (52) and second-lowest ERA (1.19) – but won only one game (against two losses). The Twins’ Phil Hughes and Brewers’ Wily Peralta both went 4-1 for the month – despite ERA’s north of five (5.06 and 5.19, respectively).
On the final day of the month, the Nationals’ 3B Anthony Rendon not only had a three-homer day, but also became just the 13th MLB player to drive in ten or more runs in a game – going six-for-six, with three home runs, a double, two singles, five runs scored and ten RBI. It was a bit of a surprise; Rendon came into the game hitting .226, with no home runs, just five RBI and five runs scored. In one game, he doubled his runs, tripled his RBI, raised his batting average 52 points – and how do you put a percentage on going from zero home runs to three? Oh yes, the Nationals pulled out a squeaker over the Mets 23-5.
Home cookn’ was good in April. Home teams went 205-165 (.553). More important: Only seven of 30 teams finished the month below .500 at home, while 19 teams finished below .500 on the road. The Royals were the best example of this – going 5-5 at home and 2-11 on the road.
A pair of 32-year-old veterans were the only two batters to finish April with averages north of .400 – the National’s Ryan Zimmerman (.420) and the Dodgers’ Justin Turner (.404).
The Twins Erwin Santana was the only qualifying pitcher to record an ERA under 1.00 for the month. Santana gave up just three runs in five starts, going 4-0, 0.77. In 35 innings pitched, he gave up just 13 hits.
The Rockies have been outscored by six runs this season – but stand six games over .500 (16-10); while the Rangers have outscored their opponents by eight runs, but are three games under .500 (11-14).
Only four players reached 25 RBI in April (good start toward that century mark) and three of them hit back-to-back-to-back in the middle of the Nationals’ order. Your 25-RBI guys: Nationals’ 1B Ryan Zimmerman (29 RBI), RF Bryce Harper (26); 2B Daniel Murphy (26). The outlier on the list? The Twins’ Miguel San0 (25 RBI to go with a .316 aveage and seven homers.)
The Astros’ Dallas Keuchel got six starts in April and made the most of them, going 5-0 (April’s only five-game winner) with a 1.21 ERA.
Mets’ reliever Hansel Robles finished April tied for second in victories (four), going 4-0, 1.84, while pitching a total of 14 2/3 innings in 13 appearances.

—-LET’S LOOK AT TEAMWORK—-

No team won more games in April than the Nationals – 17-10, .680 – and they literally bludgeoned their opponents into submission. The Nats led MLB in runs scored with 170 (29 more than the second-most productive D-backs); batting average .295 (the Astros were second at .272); hits (265); doubles (58); on base percentage (.369); and slugging percentage (.510). The Nationals were second in home runs with 43 (two behind the Brewers). Meanwhile, their ERA (4.40) was 24th among MLB’s 30 teams. Three teams came in with 16 wins on the month: the Astros (16-9); Rockies (16-10); and D-backs (16-11).

At the othe end of the spectrum, the Royals had April’s worst record 7-16, .304 – with middle-of-the-pack pitching (4.18 ERA, 18th) and a woeful offense. The Kansas squad was last in MLB in runs scored (63), batting average (.210), hits (161), on base percentage (.270) and slugging percentage (.336). They finished the month on a nine-game losing streak, with a lineup that featured five hitters batting under .230. Two other teams finished April with less than ten wins: the Giants (9-17) and the Blue Jays (8-17). Full standings are in a chart at the end of the post.

Nationals RUNning Away from Opponents in April

The Nationals put up the strongest run differential in April, outscoring opponents by 48 tallies. The only other team to reach even top a plus-30 differential was the Yankees (+43). At the other end of the standings, the Royals had MLB’s worst April run differential at minus-37. Two other teams came in at minus-30 or worse: the Padres (-31) and Giants (-33).

IF THE SEASON ENDED APRIL 30, THE PLAYOFF TEAMS WOULD BE:

NL: Nationals, Cubs, Rockies. Wild Cards: D-backs, Dodgers.

AL: Astros, Orioles or Yankees, Indians. Wild Cards: White Sox, Orioles or Yankees.

Surprises Thus Far

The injury-strapped Mets and undeerperforming Giants and Blue Jays (29th and 28th in runs scored), all in last place in their respective divisions – and the NL West Division Rockies; fifth in rus scored, but 26th in ERA, somehow getting the job done (16-10), despite being outscored 125-119 through April).

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BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH

Photo by Keith Allison

National League Player of the Month – Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Nationals … Hard to go against MLB’s top hitter on the season (.420). The 32-year-old Zimmerman – coming off a series of injury-hampered seasons – has been healthy and scorching hot for the Nationals. Through April he was .420-11-29 – leadinG MLB in all three Triple Crown categories. (It’s a great start for the Comeback Player of the Year Award.) For the 2014-15-16 seasons, Zimmerman averaged 90 games, .242 average, 12 home runs and 53 RBI. Others in the running were: Nationals’ Bryce Harper (.391-9-26, with an MLB-best 32 runs scored) and Nationals’ 2B Daniel Murphy (.343-5-26).

American League Player of the Month – Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees … This big rookie (6’7″, 280-pounds) is playing big for the surprising Yankees. His April numbers were .303-10-20. His ten April roundtrippers tied for the AL lead and matched the MLB rookie record for the month. Judge also led the AL in runs scored with 23. Others in the running: White Sox RF Avisail Garcia (AL-leading .368 average, five home runs, 20 RBI) and Twins’ 3B Miguel Sano (.316, seven home runs, league-leading 25 RBI).

National League Pitcher of the Month – Greg Holland, Closer, Rockies … Holland is one of the main reasons the Rockies stand atop the NL West with a 16-10 record. Holland saved 11 of the Rockies’ April victories (in 11 save opportunities) – leading all of MLB in saves. He pitched in 12 games, with a 1.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched. Also in the running: Phillies’ Jeremy Hellickson (4-0, 1.80) and Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (4-1, 2.29, with 39 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings).

American League Pitcher of the Month – Erwin Santana, Starter, Twins ... Santana went 4-0 in five April starts, averaging seven innings per outing, with an MLB-low 0.77 ERA and .116 batting average against In 35 innings pitched, Santana has given up just 13 hits and three earned runs, while walking ten and fanning 26. Also in the running: Rockies’ Dallas Keuchel (5-0, 1.21) and Mariners’ James Paxton (3-0. 1.39).

—-TEAM STATISTICS – APRIL 2017 —-

MOST RUNS SCORED (MLB Average – 109)

NL: Nationals – 170; D-backs – 141; Brewers 135

AL: Yankees – 128; Mariners – 119; Tigers 118

FEWEST RUNS ALLOWED (MLB Average – 109)

NL: Dodgers – 92; Phillies – 100; Marlins – 103

AL: White Sox – 83; Yankees – 85; Astros – 89

BATTING AVERAGE (MLB Average – .247)

NL: Nationals – .295; D-backs – .269; Braves – .263

AL: Astros – .272; Red Sox – .270; Yankees – .266

HOME RUNS (MLB Average – 29)

NL: Brewers – 45; Nationals – 43; Mets – 37

AL: Yankees – 37; Rangers – 34; A’s – 31; Rays – 31

STOLEN BASES (MLB Average – 13)

NL: D-backs – 32; Brewers – 25; Reds -23

AL: Rangers – 22; Mariners – 21; Yankees – 18

The Need for Speed

The Rockies swiped an MLB low four bases (eight attempts) in April.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

No team has put fewer runners across the plate then the Royals (63). The second-lowest tally belongs to the Giants (87 runs.) As you might expect the Royals were also at the bottom in April batting average (.210). Their 24 home runs, however, topped seven other teams – with the Big Papi-less Red Sox hitting the fewest April round trippers (15). The Red Sox lack of power led to the sixth-fewest runs among the 30 MLB teams. .

TEAM EARNED RUN AVERAGE (MLB Average – 4.09)

NL: Dodgers – 3.50; Cubs – 3.77; D-backs – 3.81

AL: White Sox – 3.11; Yankees – 3.35; Astros – 3.38

BEST STARTING STAFF ERA FOR APRIL – Cardinals (3.32)

WORST STARTING STAFF ERA – Red (5.96)

BEST BULLPEN ERA FOR APRIL – White Sox (1.94)

WORST BULLPEN ERA – TIGERS (6.43)

STRIKEOUTS (MLB Average – 202)

NL: D-backs – 252; Dodgers – 242; Mets – 239

AL: Astros – 238; Indians – 236; Angels – 236

FEWEST WALKS ALLOWED (MLB Average – 81)

NL: Phillies – 65; Nationals – 67; Dodgers – 73

AL: Yankees – 65; Indians – 66; Twins – 69

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COING

The worst team Earned Run Average in April belonged to the Tigers at 5.19 – the only team over 5.00. The Padres and Angels gave up the most April home runs (38). The fewest pitchers’ strikeouts: Twins (153) and Braves (158). In terms of control, no team has walked more batters than the Orioles (99), although the Reds can see their tail feathers (98 walks allowed).

______________________________________________

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER PERFORMANCE

Now, let’s take a look at some individual player highlights for April, followed by the statistical leaders.

Here Comes the Judge

Photo by apardavila

On April 29, Yankees’ rookie outfielder Aaron Judge bashed his tenth homer of the month, tying the April record for MLB rookies (Jose Abreu, 2014 and Trevor Story, 2016). The 6’7”, 280-pound Judge finished the month at .303-10-20.

Here Comes the Vet

Angels’ 1B/DH Albert Pujols – in his 17^th MLB season – put up a .24o average, with three home runs and 22 RBI in April. The three home runs put him at 594 for his career – six shy of 600 and 13 behind Sammy Sosa for the number-eight spot all time. The 22 RBI gave him 1,839 for his career and moved him past Al Simmons, Manny Ramirez, Dave Winfield, Rafael Palmeiro, Ken Griffey Jr. and into a tie with Ted Williams for number-fourteen all time. Side note: Pujols started his career with ten consecutive seasons of a 300+ average – 30+ home runs – 100+ RBI.

OUCH! OUCH! OUCH! REALLY?

On April 4, Cardinals’ RF Stephen Piscotty had a tough – if somewhat shortened – day at the office. It all started with one out in the fifth inning of the Cardinals 2-1 loss to Cubs. First, Piscotty was hit by a pitch (right elbow) by Cubs’ starter Jake Arrieta. Piscotty then took second base on a wild pitch, but was hit on the left elbow by catcher Wilson Contreras’ throw to the bag. Cardinals’ 2B Kolten Wong followed with a slow grounder to Cubs’ second sacker Javier Baez, who bobbled the ball – leading Piscotty to round third and scoot for home. Piscotty did score, but was hit in the head by Baez’ throw the plate. The three “hits” left the Cardinals’ outfielder stunned, shaken up and lying face down near home plate (and, ultimately, helped from the field and out of the game).

THINGS ARE HOPPING IN SEATTLE

Embed from Getty Images

The Mariners 2017 home opener took place on April 10 – and, like most teams, they had some new concession offerings. One of the most popular new concession was the Chapulines ($4) – grasshoppers roasted and tossed in chili-lime salt. How popular were they? They sold out – 312 orders per game (reportedly in honor of Edgar Martinez’ career batting average) – at all three games of the opening home stand (roughly 18,000 grasshoppers).

Cycles Built For Three

April saw three players hit for the cycle: the Padres’ 1B Wil Myers (April 10), Nationals’ SS Trea Turner (April 25) and Rangers’ CF Carlos Gomez just under the wire (April 29).

Myers, in the Padres April 10th 5-3 victory over the Rockies (in Colorado), singled to right field in the first, hit an RBI double to left in the second, homered to right in the sixth and tripled to left center in the eighth. He finished the game four-for-four with two runs scored and two RBI.

Turner’s cycle came on April 25 – fueling the Nationals 15-12 win over the Rockies (also at Coors). Turner singled to right in the first inning, hit a two-run double to left in the second inning, smacked a two-run homer to right in the sixth and drove in three more with a bases-loaded triple in the seventh. For the day, Turner was four-for-six, with four runs scored and seven RBI. The very next night, Turner almost became the first player to hit for the cycle two games in a row. Again facing the Rockies – after striking out in the first and grounding out to third in the second – Turner hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, singled in the seventh and doubled in the eighth.

Carlos Gomez – Two cycles to his name. Photo by Keith Allison

Gomez’ April 29^th cycle – in a 6-3 win over the Angels in Texas – was the second of his career. Gomez doubled to left in the first inning; lined a single to the right side in the third; hit an RBI triple to right-center in the fifth (later scoring on a Rougned Odor’s home run); and hit a two-run homer to center in the seventh. Gomez finished the game four-for-four, with two runs scored and three RBI. Gomez’ first cycle came nine seasons ago – May 7, 2008 – when he was with the Twins.

Four-For-Three

Only four players have hit for the cycle three times in a career: the Reds’ John Reilly (1890 and twice in 1893); the Yankees’ Bob Meusel (1921, 1922, 1928); Babe Herman (Brooklyn Robins twice in 1931 and Cubs in 1933); Adrian Beltre (Mariners in 2008 & Rangers in 2012 and 2015).

An Immaculate Inning

On April 18, Reds’ reliever Drew Storen became the 78th MLB pitcher to throw whats is referred to as an immaculate inning – striking out the side on nine consecutive pitches. Storen came on in the top of the ninth (with the Reds leading the Orioles 9-3) and fanned Jonathon Schoop, J.J. Hardy and Hyun Soo Kim. For more on immaculate innings and those who have thrown them, click here.

Tough to Fan

Mookie Betts – Doesn’t miss much, Photo by Dennis Heller

On April 19, Boston RF Mookie Betts did something he hadn’t done in 129 regular-season plate appearances (dating back 29 games to September 12, 2016) – strikeout. It came in the top of the fourth inning of the Red Sox’ 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays – on a 2-2 slider from Francisco Liriano. It was the longest “strikeout-free” MLB streak since the Marlins’ Juan Pierre went 147 plate appearances without a K in the scorebook in 2004.

PUTTING THE BAT ON THE BALL

The longest “strikeout-free” stretch in MLB history belongs to outfielder Joe Sewell. Sewell went from May 19 to September 19, 1929 – a streak of 115 games – without striking out. During his 115-game streak, Sewell racked up 516 plate appearances and 436 at bats without making the post-K “walk of shame” to the bench. The 5’6”, 155-pound Indians’ third baseman also collected 143 hits (.328), with 27 doubles, two triples, seven HR and 56 RBI during the whiff-less streak. On the season, Sewell fanned just four times in 578 at bats – and it wasn’t even his best campaign in terms of at bats/per whiff. That would be 1932, when Sewell struck out just three times in 503 at bats – or once each 167.7 at bats (the post-1900 MLB record). For his career (14 seasons/Indians and Yankees), Sewell fanned 114 times in 7,132 at bats – or once each 62.6 at bats.

Side note: In 1927, Sewell had a tough year on the base paths. He was caught stealing in a league-leading 16 times (in 19 attempts). Notably, he was successful in 17 of 24 attempts the season before and seven of eight attempts the season after.

YA GOTTA SEE THIS! HOW ABOUT AN UNASSISTED DOUBLE PLAY BY A PITCHER?

More #WhyIHateThe DH

On April 6, Reds relief pitcher Michael Lorenzon was sent to bat for fellow pitcher Cody Reed with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the sixth inning of a 4-4 game (Philadelphia at Cincinnati). Lorenzon delivered a go-ahead home run to right center (the Reds eventually won 7-4). Through April 2017, Lorenzen is a .244 MLB hitter (11-for-45, with two home runs and eight RBI.) Ironically, the Reds did not have a single pinch hit homer in 2016 – and it took a pitcher to break the hex.

On April 21, Cardinals’ pitcher Adam Wainwright blasted a 96-mph fastball from the Brewers’ Wily Peralta into the second deck in left field for a third-inning, two-run home run. The very next inning, he added a two-run single, giving him four RBI in the Cardinals 6-3 win in Milwaukee. (Wainwright got the win, giving up two runs on six hits in five innings – while fanning nine.) Side note: Wainwright is one of only thirty MLB players to hit a home run on the first MLB pitch they ever saw (May 24, 2006). Notably, eight of those 30 were pitchers.

Run Don’t Walk

Must we track everything? On April 22, Oakland A’s 33-year-old SS Adam Rosales led off the first inning with a home run off the Mariners’ Ariel Miranda. Miranda’s embarrassment didn’t last long as Rosales rounded the bases – according to Statcast – in just 15.90 seconds. Statcast notes that this is the fastest over-the-wall home run trot (gallop?) ever. How fast? Well, Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies hit an inside-the-park home run the night before – and Blackmon’s dash around the bags was less than four-tenths of a second (0.36 seconds to be exact) slower than Rosales’ “leisurely” trot. Note: The A’s topped the Mariners 4-3, while the Rockies bested the Giants 6-5.

Walk Don’t Run

Pirates’ starter Ivan Nova hadn’t given up a walk since last September 13 (146 batters faced without a free pass), when he started against the Yankees on April 23. And, he continued his streak – striking out the side in order in the first inning, retiring the side in order (one strikeout) in the second and getting the first two batters in the third (streak now at 154 consecutive batters faced without a walk). That brought Yankees’ starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery to the plate for his for his first-ever MLB at bat (in fact, his first professional plate appearance at any level). What happened? Nova walked him on a 3-2 count. Nova went seven innings in the contest, giving up four hits and one runs, striking out seven and walking only Montgomery. As of April 30, Nova has pitched 36 innings in 2017, with just the one walk and 22 strikeouts.

Run or Walk … Just Don’t Ride

On April 20, San Francisco Giants staff “ace” Madison Bumgarner went down (possibly until the All Star break) with rib and shoulder injuries- sustained in a dirt-bike accident. Ouch!

Just Like Little League

Remember in Little League, when the coach would move pitchers on and off the mound in a close game – maybe bringing the shortstop in to pitch to a hitter and then moving him back to shortstop? On April 30, the Yankees did something similar. Yankee reliever Bryan Mitchell had come on to pitch a scoreless top of the ninth, with the Yanks down to the Orioles 4-2. The Bombers came back to tie it in the bottom of the inning. In the top of the tenth, New York went to closer Aroldis Chapman, but instead of sending Mitchell to the bench, they moved him to first base. Chapman pitched a scoreless tenth. Then, protecting the closer’s arm (I assume), in the top of tjhe eleventh, Greg Bird came in to play first base and Mitchell went back to the mound. (Unfortunately, this story does not have a Cinderella ending, Mitchell gave up three runs and took the loss.)

Surprise Player of the Season (So Far)

Brewers’ 1B/OF/DH Eric Thames – a 30-year-old outfielder returning the MLB after three seasons in Korea – is one of the first surprises of the 2017 season. (We can expect plenty of surprises … good and bad … between now and October. That’ why we love the game, isn’t it?). In reality, Thames’ power stroke should not come as a total surprise. (Although, he did hit just .263, with one home runs and five RBI in 22 Spring Training games.)

Thames – who played college ball in California for West Valley Community College and Pepperdine University (where, in 2008, he hit .407 with 13 round trippers) – was a seventh-round draft pick of the Blue Jays in 2008. Thames showed his power potential in the Blue Jays’ minor league system. In 2010, for example, he played in 130 games for Double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats and hit .288, with 27 home runs and 104 RBI. He started the 2011 season with the Triple A Las Vegas 51s, hitting .342-6-30 in 32 games before a callup to Toronto. He was up and down between Toronto and Las Vegas, finishing his first MLB season with a .262-12-37 line in 95 games. In 2012, he spent time with the Blue Jays and Mariners (he was traded to the Mariners in July), hitting .232, with nine roundtrippers and 25 RBI in 86 MLB games. He then spent the entire 2013 season in the minors (the Mariners had acquired outfielders Raul Ibanez and Jason Bay in the off season) and was traded by Seattle to the Orioles on June 30, 2013. The O’s designated Thames for assignment in September and he was picked up by the Astros (who assigned him to Triple A Oklahoma City).

Thames then played in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he was scouted and signed by the NC Dinos of the Korean League. Thames played in Korea for three season – hitting .348, with 147 homers and 382 RBI. Oh yes, and tossed in 64 stolen bases. He was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2015 – when he hit .481-47-140, and swiped 40 bags.

In November of 2016, the Brewers signed Thames to a three-year 16 million dollar deal – which has been a bargain thus far – through April, his stat line was .345-11-19 – with 28 runs scored.

_______________________________________

Now the Stats

BATTING AVERAGE (among qualifiers)

NL: Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals – .420; Justin Turner, Dodgers – .404; Bryce Harper, Nationals – .391.

AL: Avisail Garcia, White Sox – .368; Mike Trout, Angels – .364; Starlin Castro, Yankees – .352

The lowest April average, among players with at least 50 plate appearances, goes to the Yankee’s Greg Bird at .107 (6-for-66). Another New Yorker, the Mets’ Curtis Granderson has the lowest average (at least 50 plate appearances) for April in the NL at .128 (11-for-86).

HOME RUNS

NL: Eric Thames, Brewers – 11; Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals – 11; Bryce Harper, Nationals and Freddie Freeman, Braves – 9

AL: Khris Davis, A’s – 10; Aaron Judge, Yankees – 10; seven with 7.

RBI

NL: Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals – 29; Bryce Harper, Nationals – 26; Daniel Murphy, Nationals – 26

AL: Miguel Sano, Twins – 25; Nelson Cruz, Mariners – 23; Albert Pujols, Angels – 22

RUNS SCORED

NL: Bryce Harper, Nationals – 32; Eric Thames, Brewers – 28; Adam Eaton, Nationals – 24.

AL: Aaron Judge, Yankees – 23; Mitch Haniger, Mariners – 20; Francisco Lindor, Indians – 20

STOLEN BASES

NL: Billy Hamilton, Reds – 10; A.J. Pollock, D-backs – 10; five with seven

AL: Jarrod Dyson, Mariners – 8; Jose Altuve, Astros – 7; Lorenzo Cain, Royals and Jacob Ellsbury, Yankees – 6

WALKS DRAWN

NL: Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs – 22; Bryce Harper, Nationals – 22; Brandon Belt, Giants and Eric Thames, Brewers – 18

AL: Brad Miller, Mariners – 18; Miguel Sano, Twins – 18; Edwin Encarnacion, Indians – 17

STRIKEOUTS

NL: Trevor Story, Rockies – 39 (90 AB’s); Jonathan Villar, Brewers – 37 (107 AB’s); Kyle Schwarber, Cubs – 35 (93 AB’s)

AL: Edwin Encarnacion, Indians – 35 (85 AB’s); Danny Espisosa, Angels – 34 (88 AB’s); Chris Davis, Orioles -33 (80 AB’s);

—-PITCHING—-

ERA (qualifiers)

NL: Mike Leake, Cardinals – 1.35; Ivan Nova, Pirates – 1.50; Gio Gonzalez, Nationals – 1.62

AL: Erwin Santana, Twins – 0.77; Chris Sale, Red Sox – 1.19; Dallas Keuchel, Astros – 1.21

WINS

NL: Jeremy Hellickson, Phillies – 4-0; Hansel Robles, Mets – 4-0; Clayton Kershaw Dodgers (4-1); Wily Peralta, Brewers – 4-1

AL: Dallas Keuchel, Astros – 5-0; Erwin Santana, Twins – 4-0; Phil Hughes, Twins – 4-1; Andrew Triggs, A’s – 4-1

STRIKEOUTS

NL: Jacob deGrom, Mets- 44 (31 2/3 IP); Zack Greinke, D-backs – 40 (36 2/3 IP); Max Scherzer, Nationals – 40 (33 2/3 IP)

AL: Chris Sale, Red Sox – 52 (37 2/3 IP); Danny Salazar, Indian – 42 (29 IP); Yu Darvish, Rangers – 41 (38 2/3 IP)

OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

WALKS ALLOWED: Wade Miley, Orioles – 19 (31 IP) and Marty Perez, Rangers – 19 (31 2/3 IP).

HOME RUNS ALLOWED: Jered Weaver, Padres – 10 (28 2/3 IP).

ERA (minimum 20 innings): Josh Tomlin, Indians – 8.87 (23 1/3 innings).

SAVES

NL: Greg Holland, Rockies – 11 (11 ops); Kenley Jansen, Dodgers – 7 (7 ops) Tony Watson, Pirates – 7 (7 ops)

AL: Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox – 8 (9 ops.); Brandon Kintzler, Twins – 7 (7 ops); three with six

STANDINGS – CLOSE OF PLAY APRIL 30

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I Remember When … MLB’s Firemen Came to Work Early and Stayed Late

April 26, 2017 by David

Mike Marshall pitched a record 208 1/3 innings in relief in 1974.

Spoiler alert … or Warning! This is going to be an “I remember when …” post. A look back at a time when the national pastime operated a bit differently. Specifically, when baseball’s top relievers earned The Sporting News “Fireman of the Year Award” … appropriately named because the bullpen leaders of the day often came in (early or late) to put out a fire and then stayed on the scene (and in the game) to make sure the fire stayed out. Multi-inning stints, inherited runners, 100+ inning seasons and 10+ W-L decisions were the rule, rather than the exception for MLB’s top firemen. (Actually, I’ll be going back a bit further than those Fireman of the Year Days, but they will be at the center of this commentary.)

I do miss those workhorse firemen of the past – who came to work early and stayed late.

BBRT April 26, 2017

This post is prompted by my memories of the days when the “end game” belonged to firemen like Lindy McDaniel, Roy Face (we called him Elroy), Wayne Granger, Dick “The Monster” Radatz, Hoyt Wilhelm, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Dan Quisenberry, Bill “Soup” Campbell, Rollie Fingers, Al “Red” Worthington, Ron Perranoski, Bruce Sutter and, of course, the durable Doctor Mike Marshall. (There are many more, but this is a pretty good list to start from.)

Note: The Sporting News Fireman of the Year Award was established in 1960 and became the Reliever of the Year Award in 2001. Today, we have the Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman Awards, which tend to recognize today’s ninth-inning closers.

Today, of course, the closer is a new kind of pitcher – generally coming in for just the ninth inning, with a clean slate on the bases and tending to accumulate significantly more saves and fewer W-L decisions. The closer is preceded, most likely, by the seventh-inning specialist, the eighth-inning set-up man and, perhaps, a lefty or righty whose purpose is to retire one or two key hitters (not to mention the possibility of a middle-man or long reliever). Putting this post on paper does not mean I endorse one system over the other. I recognize baseball has to change and I am willing to accept the new order of things like one-inning closers, the near demise of the complete game and the growing number of infield shifts. (I make an exception to this acceptance for the DH and the new rule – taken right from slow-pitch softball – which sees batters simply waved to first on an intentional walk.) What this post does signify is that I do truly miss those workhorse relievers who used to came to work early and stay late.

In this post – to make a short story long – BBRT will look at where relief pitching is today – and nostalgically where it has come from. As is baseball tradition, I’ll try to tell the tale in both stories and statistics. To begin, here are a few statistics that will help tell the story (and which I will deal with in more detail later):

In 1930, MLB pitchers racked up more games started than relief appearances, while in 2016 relief appearances outnumbered starts by more than three-to-one.
In 1930, the Athletics’ Lefty Grove tied for the MLB league lead in games won as a starter (23), led MLB in total games won at 28 (thanks to five wins in relief) and topped MLB in saves with nine.
In 1959, the Pirates’ Roy Face racked up an MLB record 18 relief wins (against one loss) to go with ten saves.
In 1969, the Reds’ Wayne Granger notched 27 saves and, in 90 appearances (then a record), came in 62 times (68.9 percent of his appearances) with runners on base. He inherited an unofficial record 112 runners that season. In contrast, in 2002, the Twins’ Eddie Guardado led the AL with 45 saves, but (in 68 appearances) only once came in with runners (two) on base.
1974, NL saves leader Mike Marshall (21 saves), took the mound as a reliever in a record 106 games, and tossed a record 208 1/3 innings in relief. In 2016, only nine MLB starters pitched more than 208 innings and no reliever reached even 90 innings. (Brad Hand led all relievers with 89 1/3 innings in 82 appearances.)
In 2016, MLB saves leader Jeurys Familia of the Mets (51 saves) pitched more than one inning in just five of 78 appearances (6.4%). In 1980, MLB saves co-leader Goose Gossage (33 saves) pitched more than one inning in 37 of 64 appearances (57.8%).

Those are jusst some of the numbers, but what does this story look like in practice?

It was Monday, September 8, 1969 and the Reds were facing the Giants (in Cincinnati) in the first game of a doubleheader. (Remember those? A baseball fan’s dream.) Jim Maloney had started against the Giants’ Juan Marichal and took a 5-3 lead into the top of the ninth. (Both starting pitchers were still in the game. Remember complete games?) Giants’ catcher Dick Dietz led off the ninth and was safe on an error by Reds’ CF Bobby Tolan. Willie Mays pinch hit and drew a walk and then Leon Wagner (also pinch hitting) singled off Maloney to plate pinch runner Don Mason and send Mays to third. That’s when Reds’ manager Dave Bristol made the call to the bullpen and brought Wayne Granger to the mound. (We didn’t call them “closers” back then – “finishers” would have been a better word.) A quick fly ball and a double play grounder later, Maloney had his 20^th save of the season (in his 73^rd appearance).

A nice day’s work. But wait, Maloney was not done for the day. Game Two of the twin bill was tied 4-4 after seven innings and – in the top of the eighth – Bristol again called Granger to the mound. This time, the 6’2”, 165-pound, 25-year-old Granger (who would win the NL Fireman of the Year Award) came in to start the eighth inning – and he was still in there in the 15^th, when the Reds won 5-4 and Granger picked up his eighth victory of the season. Granger gave up no runs, three hits and one walk, while fanning five in his eight-inning stint. Given that he had gone two innings in relief the day before, Granger had appeared in three games and pitched eleven scoreless innings of relief in two days. He did get September 9 off, but then ran off a string of seven appearances in seven days (September 10-16).

Looking back at Granger’s 1960 season, here are a few numbers to remember: He pitched 144 2/3 innings in relief; 57.8 percent of his relief appearances were for more than one inning (52 of 90); he came into the game with runners on base in 68.9 percent of his appearances (62 of 90); and he inherited an unofficial record 112 runners – more than one per appearance.

Looking at today’s (April 26) MLB leaderboard, there on top of the saves category is the Rockies’ Greg Holland with nine saves in ten appearances – with exactly ten innings pitched, no outings of more than one inning and no inherited runners.

Photo by Keith Allison

Holland’s 2017 numbers too small a sample? Let’s look at one of 2016’s top relievers: the winner of the Mariano Rivera Award – Zach Britton. Britton appeared in 69 games for the Orioles – going 2-1, with 47 saves and a 0.54 ERA. Of those 60 appearances, only seven were of more than one inning and a single two-inning stint was his longest. He threw a total of 67 innings, meaning he averaged just under one inning per outing (0.97). Of Britton’s saves, 41 were of exactly one inning – two were less than one frame. In 69 games, he came in with runners on 12 times. Holland’s start to 2017 and Britton’s 2016 season accurately reflect the changing order of the guard in the bullpen – with closers replacing firemen and generally coming into the game after a cadre of relief specialists, starting with clean slate on the basepaths and throwing just one inning (the ninth). Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com, MLB.com and my trusty ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia, there are plenty of statistics available to shed some light on how we got here. Let’s take a look,

I won’t spend much time on the earliest days of the national pastime, when bullpens really had little role to play. Starters were expected to put in a full game’s work. Consider the first five years of the National League (1876-1880) – 92.1 percent of starts resulted in complete games. In 2016? Last season, there were 83 complete games (in 4,856 starts) for a complete-game percentage of just 1.7 percent. In fact, 36.7 percent off all innings pitched in MLB season were handled by hurlers coming out of the bullpen. (For BBRT’s take on the vanishing complete game, click here.)

The decline on complete games has amplified the importance of the relief staff (particularly closers) – and prompted the ascendance of the “save.” In 1900, just 2.2 percent of MLB wins also involved a “save.” In 1950, the save-to-win ratio was 23.3 percent; and last season, it was 52.5 percent. The chart below maps the decline of the complete game – and the ascendance of the save. The actual percentages are detailed at the end of this post.

And, as already noted, as relief staffs have taken on more work, they have also seen a division of labor – middle men, set-up men, lefty/righty specialists, closers – more relievers, making more appearances of fewer innings each.

As you can see from the trend lines in the charts, today’s specialized bullpens did not take form overnight. The bullpen evolution included times when:

Starters were expected to finish each game (witness the 82.1 percent completion rate of 1900) and relievers were primarily lessor or declining pitchers who “mopped up” lost causes.
Managers who went to the bullpen when a game was on the line looked primarily to starting pitchers who felt they could “go” that day. (In 1930, Lefty Grove led the AL with nine saves – starting 32 games and coming on in relief in 18 – also leading the league in win with 28, ERA at 2.54 and strikeouts with 209.)
Key relievers were true workhorses out of the pen, and multi-inning saves and 100+ inning seasons among relievers were commonplace (In 1980, for example, the saves leaders were Bruce Sutter of the Cubs in the NL and Rich Gossage of the Yankees and Dan Quisenberry of the Royals in the AL. The trio appeared in a combined 199 games, threw 329 2/3 innings and 60 of their 94 combined saves – 63.8 percent – were more than one inning.) At this same time, reliever usage resulted in more won-loss decisions (versus saves) than we normally see today. (It wasn’t unusual for relievers – even closers – to run up a dozen or more decisions.)
Then, relievers became more and more specialized, to the point that new statistics were developed to reflect their changing roles (saves in the 1960s – holds in the 1980s). Note: Saves were later award retroactively to relievers who proceded the new stat.

STARTING THE FINAL FRAME WITH A CLEAN SLATE

In 1972, the Reds’ Clay Carroll (who led the NL with 37 saves) became the first reliever to starts at least 1/3 of his appearances to open the ninth inning. In 1987, the Reds’ John Franco became the first reliever to start at least 1/2 of his appearances to open the ninth. In 1994, the Orioles’ Lee Smith (who led the AL with 33 saves) became the first reliever to start at least ¾ of his appearances opening the ninth.

With that background, let’s now take a look at some true workhorse firemen – and the kind of seasons we are not likely to see from bullpen occupants ever again. (The kind of seasons I kind of miss.)

MIKE MARSHALL – UNIQUE TO THE “Nth” DEGREE

We never saw a closer like Mike Marshall before he came along – and we’re not likely to see one like him again. In 1974, as a Dodger, he put up the grand-daddy of all relief seasons – setting the record for appearances with 106 and innings pitched in a season in relief at 208 1/3. He finished the season 15-12, with a league-topping 21 saves and a 2.42 ERA. Marshall was called on to go more than one inning in 74 games (68.5 percent of the time); and toiled three or more innings 22 times. A few other facts about Marshall’s remarkable season:

His longest stint came on August 19, when he came on in the seventh inning of a 7-7 game against the Cubs – and went six innings, earning the win as the Dodgers topped the Cubs 8-7 in twelve innings.
From June 18 to July 3, Marshall relieved in 13 consecutive regular season games –an MLB record later tied (1986) by the Rangers’ Dale M0horcic.
From May 17-24, Marshall pitched eight straight days (no off days in that period).
On July 7, Marshall picked up a pair of saves, as the Dodgers swept a doubleheader from the Expos. Marshall pitched 1 2/3 innings in Game One and came back to go three innings in Game Two.

WILLIE HERNANDEZ – CY YOUNG AWARD AND MVP

In 1984, Tigers’ closer Guillermo “Willie” Hernandez won both the Cy Young Award and AL Most Valuable Player Award (for Twins’ fans, he edged out hometown hero Kent Hrbek in the MVP voting). Hernandez appeared in 80 games – going 9-3, 1.92 with 33 saves. He was asked to go more than one inning 45 times (56 percent of his appearances) – and 15 times he pitched at least three frames (twice for four innings.) Hernandez went 140 1/3 innings that season – averaging 1.75 innings per stint.

HOYT WILHELM OFF TO A GOOD “START” IN RELIEF

In 1952, in his rookie season, Hoyt Wilhelm appeared in 71 games in relief for the New York Giants – going 15-3 with 11 saves. His .833 winning percentage led the league. Of more significance, his 159 1/3 innings pitched (all in relief) qualified him for the Earned Run Average title, which he captured with a 2.43 ERA. Wilhelm won the ERA title again in 1950, when he went 15-11, 2.19 for the Orioles primarily as a starter (32 games, 27 starts).

A MONSTER SEASON FOR DICK RADATZ

In 1964, The Red Sox’ Dick Radatz not only led the AL in saves, with 29, he also picked up 16 wins (versus nine losses) in relief and set the MLB record for strikeouts in a season in relief at 181 (in 157 innings). Radatz’ ERA for the season was 2.29. In his first four MLB seasons (1962-65), the 6’6”, 230-pound right-hander – pitching only in relief – averaged 109.5 innings a season.

ELROY FACE PUTS UP 18 RELIEF WINS

In 1959, the Pirates’ Elroy Face, pitching solely in relief, set the MLB single-season winning percentage record – going 18-1, 2.70 with ten saves (93 1/3 innings pitched). Face had led the NL in saves in 1958, and would lead in the category in 1961 and 1962, as well.

FOR TWINS’ FANS – WITNESSING THE NEW AGE

In 1976, Twins’ fans had the pleasure of watching Bill “Soup” Campbell come in from the bullpen 78 times – on his way to tying John Hiller’s (1974) AL record of 17 relief wins in a season. And, no Campbell wasn’t a long man, middle reliever or even a set-up man. He was all of those and the closer – going 17-5, 3.01 with 20 saves. On the season, Campbell:

Had 22 (W-L) decisions and 20 saves;

Pitched 167 2/3 innings – 2.1 per appearance;

Made 56 appearances (72 percent) of more than one inning and 23 appearances (29 percent) of three or more innings;

Came into 45 games (57 percent) with runners on base – inheriting a total of 79 baserunners.

In 2002, Twins fans cheered as “Everyday Eddie” Guardado led the AL with 45 saves (2.93 ERA). In his 68 appearances, Guardado:

Had four (W-L) decisions to go with his 45 saves;

Pitched 67 2/3 innings – just shy of one inning per appearance;

Made just two appearances of more than one inning – none more than two innings;

Came into just one game with runners on base, inheriting a total of two baserunners.

DATA FROM COMMPLETE GAME/SAVES CHART

Year % of CG % of Wins with Save

1900 82.1 2.2

1910 62.1 10.2

1920 56.6 12.0

1930 44.4 18.6

1940 44.3 18.9

1950 40.3 23.3

1960 26.9 34.9

1970 21.9 43.8

1980 20.3 42.9

1990 10.1 55.7

2000 4.8 48.5

2010 3.4 49.5

2016 1.7 52.6

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Five Roundtrippers in an Inning has Hitters Seeing Red(s)!

April 22, 2017 by David

Updated: April 22, 2017 (originally published June of 2015)

On this date (April 22) in 2006, the Milwaukee Brewers became the most recent team to bash five home runs in a single inning. It came in the fourth inning of an 11-0 Brewers in over the Cincinatti Reds (in Milwaukee). The hitters were: Bill Hall; Damian Miller; Brady Clark; J.J. Hardy; and Prince Fielder. The Reds’ Brandon Clausen gave up the first four dingers, while reliever Chris Hammond gave up the finallong ball.

CONSISTENCY IS THE HOBGOBLIN …

Only five times in MLB history has a team given up five home runs in a single inning. Four of those occured in the National League and – talk about consistency – ALL FOUR TIMES, the Cincinatti Red were the victims of the power outburst. And, three of the four times, the “handful of homers” against the Reds came in the fourth inning. The long ball barrages were spread out of the Reds’ history (1939, 1949, 1961 and 2005) – and they are detailed later in the post. Note, the Minnesota Twins are the only American League team to hit five home runs in a single inning (1966).

Before we detail each of these homner-happy innings, here are a few tidbits about the five-home frames:

The Cincinnati Reds have been the victims of four of the five five-homer innings.
The home team has put on the power display four of the five times.
Fourteen of the 25 home runs have come with two outs.
Pitchers have contributed (as hitters) HRs in two of the five five-homer innings.
Twice the victimized team (Reds both times) has been in first place.
One of the five-homer innings was kept alive by three fielding errors.
One of the five-homer innings included two home runs by one player in the inning.
Two of the five power outbursts included an inside the park home run.
Three of the five five-homer innings have come in the fourth inning (three of the four against the Reds).
The five-homer innings have featured the scoring of 43 runs – the fewest at six, the most at 12.

Now, let’s take a closer look at those five-homer innings.

_____________________________________________

NATIONAL LEAGUE

June 6, 1939 … NY Giants versus Cincinnati Reds

Pitcher Manny Salvo hit an inside-the-park home run in Giants five-homer inning.

The first-ever five-home run MLB inning took place in New York on June 6, 1930, as the sixth-place Giants (20-24 record) surprised the league-leading Reds (29-15) by a 17-3 score, plating all 17 runs in the first five innings.

The record-setting power display came in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the Giants already up 6-0. Peaches Davis, who had relieved Johnny Vander Meer in the first inning (Vander Meer had given up six hits and three runs in 2/3 of an inning), retired Giants’ LF Jo Jo Moore and SS Billy Jurgess to start the inning. Then the wheels came off. C Harry Danning laced a home run to center (his sixth). Clean-up hitter Mel Ott drew a walk, 1B Zeke Bonura singled and CF Frank Demaree hit the second home run of the inning (his second of the season).

Wesley Livengood (whose MLB career would consist of five appearances and a 9.53 ERA) then came on to relieve Davis. Livengood was not living so good, as he walked 3B Tony Lazzeri and then gave up a home run to 2B Burgess Whitehead (the first of only two he would it in 1939). Giants’ pitcher Manny Salvo was up next. A weak hitter, Salvo surprised everyone in the ball park with the only home run of his five-season MLB career – an inside-the-park round tripper off the right field fence. Next up was lead-off hitter Moore, who hit the fifth and final homer of the inning (and his second of the day). Notably, all of this damage took place after the first two batters were retired.

The Inning’s Home Run Hitters: Harry Danning, Frank Demaree, Burgess Whitehead, Manny Salvo, Jo Jo Moore

Runs Scored in the Five-HR Inning: Eight

Final Score: Giants 17 – Reds 3

June 2, 1949… Philadelphia Phillies versus Cincinnati Reds

Andy Seminick hit two round trippers in the Phillies’ five-homer inning.

Ten seasons passed before the next five-homer inning – and the victims were again the Reds. This time, the bashing came off the bats of the Phillies (in Philadelphia). It started out as a close game, with the Reds actually leading 3-2 after seven innings behind a strong performance by starting pitcher Ken Raffensberger (who would win 18 games that season). Things, however, went awry in the bottom of the eighth.

CF Del Ennis (the Phillies’ clean-up hitter) led off the inning with a home run (his 7^th of the season), which was followed by C Andy Seminick’s second home run of the game – marking Raffensberger’s exit. Jess Dobernic came on in relief and retired RF Stan Hollmig on a liner to short before giving up a home run to 3B Willie Jones (his third of the year). Dobrenic then induced a soft fly ball out to second base by 2B Eddie Miller, bringing up P Schoolboy Rowe, who had relieved Philadelphia starter Curt Simmons in the top of the eighth. Rowe promptly slammed a home run to left (the only home run of the year for the 39-year-old veteran, in his last MLB season). Kent Petersen came on in relief of Dobernic and seemed to pour gas on the flames: walk to CF Richie Ashburn, double to SS Granny Hamner, 1B Eddie Waitkus safe on an error (Ashburn scores), an Ennis single to right (Hamner scores), and Seminick’s second home run of the inning (third of the game and seventh of the season). That was the end of the home runs, but the inning continued with the Phillies adding another run on a hit batsman and a triple. Suddenly a 3-2 Reds lead was a 12-3 deficit.

The Inning’s Home Run Hitters; Del Ennis, Andy Seminick (2), Willie Jones, Schoolboy Rowe

Runs Scored in Five-HR Inning: 10

Final Score: Phillies 12 – Reds 3

August 23, 1961 … San Francisco Giants versus Cincinnati Reds

Jim Davenport contributed a three-run inside-the-park homer to the Giants record-tying inning.

Twelve seasons after five-home inning number two, it happened again – and for the third straight time, the Reds were the victims – and this time they were are home. On August 23, 1961, another close game became a late inning route. The Reds trailed the San Francisco Giants 2-0 after 8 innings with both starters (Juan Marichal for the Giants and Joey Jay for the Reds) still in the game. A low-scoring game was no surprise. Marichal came into the contest with a 12-7 record for the third-place Giants, while Jay was 18-7 for the first-place Reds.

In the top of the ninth, the Giants broke the tightly contested game wide open. 1B Willie McCovey started the frame with a double off Jay and then scored on an error by Reds’ 2B Don Blasingame after CF Willie Mays popped out, LF Orlando Cepeda and RF Felipe Alou followed with a pair of deep home runs (to center and left, respectively). It was Cepeda’s 36^th of the year and Alou’s 15^th. That brought Jim Brosnan in from the bullpen – and led to a fly ball out by C John Orsino, singles by SS Jose Pagan and Marichal, 2B Joey Amalfitano reaching on an error by Reds’ third baseman Gene Freese (Pagan scoring) and a three-run inside-the-park home run by 3B Jim Davenport (his 8^th homer of the year). McCovey then singled for his second hit of the inning, which brought on Bill Henry in relief. Henry gave up a two-run homer to Mays (his 34^th of the season), a single to Cepeda, and had Alou reach on Freese’s second error of the inning (and the Reds’ third miscue of the frame). Orsino then took Henry deep (just his second of the year) before Pagan struck out to mercifully end the 12-run, ninth-inning uprising.

The Inning’s Home Run Hitters: Orlando Cepeda, Felipe Alou, Jim Davenport, Willie Mays, John Orsino

Runs scored in the Five-Homer Inning: 12

Final Score: Giants 14 – Reds 0

April 22, 2006 … Milwaukee Brewers versus Cincinnati Reds

Prince Fielder put the “cherry on top” (old
school analogy) for the Brewers.

Home cookin’ – with a five homer dessert – was good to the Brewers when they hosted the Reds on April 22, 2006. Milwaukee pounded the visitors 11-0, racking up the fourth five-homer inning against the Reds’ franchise along the way. The outburst came in the bottom of the fourth inning with starter Brandon Claussen still on the mound and the Reds trailing 3-0.

Milwaukee 3B Bill Hall (the number-six hitter) started it with a home run (his third of the young season). Then 2B Richie Weeks singled to left, scoring on C Damian Miller’s home run (his 1^st of the year). That seemed to establish a (brief) HR-1B-HR pattern, as Brewers’ pitcher Dave Bush followed the Miller home run with a single and CF Brady Clark backed up the Bush single with his first home run of 2006. SS J.J. Hardy broke the pattern with a home run (his 3^rd of the year). At this point, Claussen had faced six batters in the inning, giving up four home runs and two singles. Chris Hammond came on in relief and provided just that, striking out the first two batters he faced (RF Geoff Jenkins and LF Carlos Lee). Then Prince Fielder gave the Brewers a piece of the five-homer in one inning record, hitting his third dinger of the year. The carnage ended on a fly out to center by Hall.

The Inning;s Home Run Hitters: Bill Hall, Damian Miller, Brady Clark, J.J. Hardy, Prince Fielder

Final Score: Brewers 11 – Reds 0

Runs Scored in the Five-Homer Inning: 7

_________________________________________________

AMERICAN LEAGUE

June 9, 1966 … Minnesota Twins versus Kansas City Athletics

Harmon Killibrew hit more home runs in the 1960s than any other player – powering the Twins to some big innings (including their 1966 five-homer stanza).

Only once has an American League team hit five homers in a single inning – but chances have improved with interleague play (AL teams do now get to face the Reds). The team that flashed all that power was the Minnesota Twins, but the day (June 9, 1966 against Kansas City) didn’t start out all that well.

With the two teams facing off at Metropolitan Stadium (Bloomington, MN), the Athletics got off to a fast start, knocking out Twins’ ace Camilo Pascual in the top of the first. (Pascual lasted 2/3 of an inning, giving up four runs on three hits and a walk.) With Catfish Hunter on the mound, the Twins’ chances looked slim.

The Twins scored one in the fifth and two in the sixth (on a Harmon Killebrew home run) and then, trailing 4-3, broke the game open with five home runs in the seventh.It started innocently enough with a Catfish Hunter walk to C Early Battey, followed by an infield fly out for 2B Bernie Allen. That brought pinch hitter (for the pitcher) Rich Rollins to the plate, and he hit the inning’s first homer (just the second of ten HRs Rollins would hit in 1966). Lead-off hitter SS Zoilo Versalles followed with his fifth homer of the year – and Paul Lindblad replaced Hunter on the mound. Lindblad got Twins’ LF Sandy Valdespino on a grounder to short, but then gave up consecutive round trippers to RF Tony Oliva (his 14^th) and 1B Don Mincher (his 6^th). John Wyatt came in from the bullpen and quickly gave up a home run to 3B Harmon Killebrew (his second of the day and 11^th of the year). Wyatt then surrendered a double to RF Jimmie Hall and Battey (in his second plate appearance of the inning) reached on an error before Bernie Allen ended the frame on a ground ball (catcher to first).

The Inning’s HR Hitters: Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versallers, Tony Oliva, Don Mincher, Harmon Killebrew

Runs Scored in the Five-Homer Inning: Six

Final Score: Twins 9 – Athletics 4

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Humber’s One MLB Complete Game – “Perfect” Timing

April 21, 2017 by David

Five years ago today (April 21, 2012), the White Sox’ Phil Humber tossed a perfect game in a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Seattle. Humber finished off the Mariners in 96 pitches, 67 for strikes, going to a three-ball count on only three batters. In his gem, Humber struck out nine (including the final batter) and there were only six outfield putouts.

Humber’s “perfecto” intrigues me – primarily because it was his first AND ONLY career complete game (eight seasons, 97 appearances, 51 starts). Humber ended with a career line of 16-23, 5.30; and his 16 career wins are the fewest ever for a pitcher who tossed a perfect game. Note: The White Sox Charlie Robertson had the fewest career victories at the time of his perfect game (April 30, 1922) – just one. Robertson’s perfect outing came in just his fourth career start (fifth career appearance).

Humber’s also was the first of three perfect games in 2012 – the only MLB season with three perfect games. Note: There has not been a perfect game in MLB since 2012.

FOR MY MINNESOTA FOLLOWERS – THERE IS A TWINS’ CONNECTION

Humber, who pitched in the majors from 2006 to 2013, was a former Twin (2008-09), as was his White Sox battery mate that day – A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski, had been a Twin from 1998 through 2003.

As if often case, contemplating one unique baseball achievement sent me to the record books. So, here are a few facts about MLB’s 23 perfect games to date. (Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com for lost of statistical resouces._

“Necessity is the mother of concentration.” More perfect games (seven of 23) have ended in the narrowest of victories, by the score of 1-0.

The highest score in a perfect game? That would be 10-0, the Giants’ Matt Cain’s margin over the Astros in his May 13, 2012 perfect outing.

PERFECTLY TIMED

On July 18, 1999, the Yankees’ David Cone pitched the first perfect game in interleague play – as New York topped Montreal 6-0 at Yankee Stadium. It couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. It was Yogi Berra Day at the stadium and Don Larsen (who pitched the only World Series perfect game) threw out the first pitch to Berra (who caught Larsen’s 1956 perfect outing).

Another perfecto fact. The largest attendance for a perfect game was 65,519 for Don Larsen’s 1956 World Series perfect day of work. The smallest crowd to witness a “perfecto) was 6,298, when Catfish Hunter shut down the Twins in Oakland on May 8, 1968 – although tens of thousands claim to have been there. The announced attendance for Humber’s perfect outing was 22,472.

Home Cookin’ seems to help. Of the 23 perfect games, 17 were at home.

Reaching high for perfection. Randy Johnson’s perfect game on May 18, 2004 (Diamondbacks 2 – Braves 0 in Atlanta) made Johnson the oldest 40 years – 256 days) and tallest (6’10”) pitcher to complete a perfect game.

Way to go, Kid! John Montgomery Ward is the youngest player to toss a perfect game. He achieved his feat for the NL’s Providence Grays (in a 5-0 win over the Buffalo Bisons) on June 17, 1880 – at the age of 20 years and 105 days.

Let’s get this over with. Cy Young pitched the quickest perfect game (one hour and 25 minutes), as the Boston Americans topped the Philadelphia Athletics 3-0 on May 5, 1904.

Savoring the moment(s). The most time-consuming perfect game was pitched by David Wells (two hours and forty minutes), with his Yankees besting the Twins 4-0 on May 17, 1998.

ON THE BIG STAGE

Don Larsen pitched the only World Series perfect game on October 8, 1956, at Yankee Stadium – as the Bronx Bombers bested the rival Brooklyn Dodgers 2-0. Larsen struck out seven, went to a three-ball count only once and saw nine outfield putouts.

Who needs to waste a pitch? Addie Joss of the Cleveland Naps used the fewest pitches to log a perfect nine-innings – 74 pitches – just three strikeouts (the lowest ever in a perfect game) – as he beat the White Sox (in Cleveland) on October 2, 1908. Joss’ perfect game came in the final days of a tense pennat race. With just three game left in the season, Detroit led Cleveland by 1/2 game and Chicago by 1 1/2 – with Chicago playing at Cleveland. It was a tight pitching duel between Joss and Chicago ace Ed Walsh (who gave up just four hits and notched 15 strikeouts in a losing cause). The only run was scored by Cleveland in the third inning on a single by Cleveland CF Joe Birmingham. Walsh appeared to have him picked off of first, but Birmingham took off for second and White Sox’ first baseman Fank Isbell’s throw to second hit the runner and caromed into the outfield – enabling Birmingham to take third. He then scored the game’s only run on a Walsh wild pitch. Detroit, however, held to take the pennant by 1/2 game over Cleveland. Joss, by the way, finished the season at 24-11, with a leagye-low 1.16 ERA; while Walsh wone a league-high 40 games (15 losses) with a 1.42 ERA. (How times have changed.)

It take a lot of pitches to notch 14 strikeouts. The most pitches in a perfecto? Matt Cain’s 125 (86 strikes), as the Giants topped the Astros 10-0 on June 13, 2012. Cain, tied Sandy Koufax for the most strikeouts in a perfect game.

AS CLOSE AS IT GETS

Sandy Koufax logged a record three immaculate innings.

Perhaps the most dominant perfect game performance (if such a distinction can be brought to perfection) belongs to Dodgers’ lefty Sandy Koufax, who tossed his perfect game against the Cubs in LA – winning 1-0 on September 9, 1965. Koufax struck out a perfect-game record 14 in that contest, including the last six batters (the last five on swinging third strikes).

The Dodger southpaw’s accomplishment was especially meaningful since he needed every out and every pitch to best Cubs’ Bob Hendley – who himself allowed only two base runners the whole game. Hendley pitched a one-hitter, giving up a lone double, one walk and one UNEARNED run. The Dodgers scored their lone tally in the fifth on a walk to Lou Johnson, a sacrifice bunt by Ron Fairly (moving Johnson to second), a stolen base (third base) by Johnson and a throwing error by the catcher that let Johnson come in to score. The one hit and two base runners is the record-low offensive output for both teams in any MLB game.

Perfect game record least likely to be broken? When Jim “Catfish” Hunter tossed his perfect game against the Twins (May 8, 1968, at Oakland), he not only notched 11 strikeouts (including the last batter) – he added insult to injury by collecting three hits in four at bats (a double and two singles) and driving in three of Oakland’s four runs. The best offensive performance ever by a perfect hurler.The Dodgers’

WHAT’S A GUY GOTTA DO?

Okay, it’s not an official perfect game, but on May 26, 1959, the Pirates’ Harvey Haddix retired the first 36 batters he faced against the powerful – defending NL Champion – Milwaukee Braves’ line up. That’s right, 12 perfect innings. The only problem? The Pirates’ lineup, while managing 12 hits (and putting the ball in play consistently – only two strikeouts) against fidgety Lew Burdette, had not pushed a run across.

Then, in the unlucky bottom of the 13^th, Pirates’ third baseman Don Hoak’s throwing error let Braves’ 2B Felix Mantilla (leading off the inning) reach first. 3B Eddie Mathews sacrificed him to second before RF Hank Aaron was intentionally walked. Still, one out in the 13th, no-hitter, shutout, complete game and potential win still intact. Then, 1B Joe Adcock hit a home run – which turned into a game-winning double when Adcock passed Aaron the base paths. All Haddix got for retiring the most consecutive batters from the start of any MLB game? A complete game loss.

Perfect Games – The List (Home Team in Bold)

Felix Hernandez, Seattle 1/Tampa Bay 0 … August 15, 2012

Matt Cain, San Francisco 10/Houston 0 … June 13, 2012

Phil Humber, Chicago 4/Seattle 0 … April 21, 2012

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia 1/Florida 0 … May 29, 2010

Dallas Braden, Oakland 4/Tampa Bay 0 … May 9, 2010

Mark Buehrle, Chicago 5/Tampa Bay 0 … July 23, 2009

Randy Johnson, Arizona 2/Atlanta 0 … May 18, 2004

David Cone, New York 6/Montreal 0 … July 18, 1999

David Wells, New York 4/Minnesota 0 … May 17, 1998

Kenny Rogers, Texas 4/California 0 … JUly 28, 1994

Dennis Martinez, Montreal 2/Los Angeles 0 … July 28, 1991

Tom Browning, Cincinatti 1/Los Angeles 0 … September 16, 1988

Mike Witt, California 1/Texas 0 … September 30, 1984

Len Barker, Cleveland 3/Toronto 0 … May 15, 1981

Jim Hunter, Oakland 4/Minnesota 0 … May 8, 1968

Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles 1/Chicago 0 … September 9, 1965

Jim Bunning, Philadelphia 6/New York 0 … June 21, 1964

Don Larsen, New York 2/Brooklyn 0 … October 8, 1956

Charlie Robertson, Chicago 2/Detroit 0 … April 30, 1922

Addie Joss, Cleveland 1/Chicago 0 … October 2, 1908

Cy Young, Boston 3/Philadelphia 0 … May 5, 1904

John Montgomery Ward, Providence 5/Buffalo* 0 … June 17, 1880

Lee Richmond, Worcester 1/Cleveland 0 … June 12, 1980

*Game played in Providence, coin toss made Buffalo “home team.”

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You Ain’s So Bad … Pete Richert’s MLB Debut – One for the Record Books

April 12, 2017 by David

Fifty-five years ago today, Dodgers’ pitcher Pete Richert made one of the most auspicious MLB debuts ever – setting a couple or records in the process. In fact, it reminds of one of my favorite lines from the “Rocky” movies – in Rocky III, when Rocky Balboa tells Clubber Lang, “You ain’t so bad!” That may be how Richert felt after his first couple of innings facing major league “clubbers.”

Richert – a 5’ 11”, 165-pound southpaw – at 22-years-old was already in his fifth pro-season. He was what every team looked for – a left-hander who could bring some heat. In four full minor league seasons, Richert had gone 44-40, 3.71, with 742 strikeouts in 721 innings.

On April 12, 1962, the rookie came to the mound in the top of the second inning (in relief of starter Stan Williams) with the Dodgers trailing 4-0 and the Reds’ SS Eddie Kasko on second base. Richert proceeded to fan the first MLB batter he ever faced (CF Vada Pinson) swinging.

Richert came out for the third inning and fanned the next four MLB batters he faced. (Richert remains the only pitcher with a rare four-strikeout inning in his MLB debut.) It went like this: Reds’ RF Frank Robinson goes down swinging; 1B Gordy Coleman fans swinging, but reaches first on a passed ball; CF Wally Post strikes out swinging; C Johnny Edwards ends the inning by swinging at strike three. But, Richert wasn’t done yet.

In the top of the fourth, Richert got the sixth major leaguer to step in against jhim – Reds’ 3B Tommy Harper – on a called third strike. Ironically, it was Reds’ pitcher Joey Jay who ended Richert’s career-opening, MLB-record six straight strikeouts by grounding out to first base. Richert got the final out of the inning on another grounder, 2B Don Blasingame retired second to first.

The top of the fifth was uneventful, although it did include Richert’s seventh strikeout. The rookie hurler got Kasko on a fly to center; Pinson on a foul pop; Robinson reached on an outfield error; and Coleman fanned looking. The Dodgers then scored seven times in the bottom of the inning (during the rally Duke Snider pinch hit for Richert) and Joe Moeller replaced Richert on the mound in the sixth.

Richert’s final line – 3 1/3 innings pitched, no hits, no walks, no runs and seven strikeouts. He faced 12 batters, with two getting on via a passed ball and an error. He threw 40 pitches – 33 strikes. He set a record for consecutive batters fanned to start a career and became the first (still only) MLB pitcher with a four-strikeout inning in his MLB debut.

Richert went on to finish the season 5-4, 3.87 (19 appearances, 12 starts), with 75 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings. The southpaw had a 13-season MLB career – 80-73, 3.19, 51 saves and 925 whiffs in 1,165 2/3 innings. He was primarily a starter from 1962 to 1967 and had his best years (making the All Star team) were with the Washington Senator in 1965 and 1966. In 1966, he went 15-12, 2.60 for a Senators’ squad that finished eighth at 70-92.

In 1968, his second season with the Orioles, Richert was moved to the bullpen and did not make another start over his final seven seasons. His best year as a reliever was with the O’s in 1970, when he appeared in 50 games, won seven and lost two, racked up 13 saves and had a 1.98 ERA. That season, Richert fanned 66 batters in 54 2/3 innings. From 1968 through his final season (1974), Richert had a 30-21 record in relief, with a 2.68 ERA and 49 saves.

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