Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishments or statistics. This week, we’re looking at players who were exceptionally busy in the “garden.”
Here are the usual disclaimers: Given statistical accuracy and game formats, I am restricting myself to the Modern Era (post-1900) and not all Negro League game stats have been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record books. (In 2020, the Negro leagues from 1920-48 were designated major leagues.)
You’re putting me on! No, I’m putting you out.
On this date (May 20) in 2009, Red Sox’ CF Jacoby Ellsbury tied the MLB record for putouts by an outfielder in a nine-inning game, gloving an even dozen flyball outs in the center of the garden (in an 8-3 Red Sox win over the Blue Jays in Boston). Ellsbury’s glove provided a home for two Blue Jays’ fly balls in the top of the first inning, two in the second frame, two in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the ninth. Eight of the nine players in the Blue Jays’ starting lineup were put out on flyballs to Ellsbury at least once. Only number-nine hitter LF Travis Lind managed to avoid Ellsbury’s glove.
Here are a few tidbits that caught my eye:
- Ellsbury’s record-tying twelfth putout came in just under the wire – on the final pitch/final out of the game;
- Only three outfielders have recorded 12 putouts in an MLB game and all three were CF (Ellsbury, the Twins’ Lyman Bostock and the Boston Braves’ Earl Clark);
- All three 12-putout games occurred in the city of Boston; and
- In Ellsbury’s 12-putout game, the opposing CF (Vernon Wells) did not record a single putout.
Bostock’s 12-putout game came in a 9-4 Twins win over the Red Sox (in Boston) on May 25, 1977 (second game of a twin bill). Bostock recorded one putout in the second inning, two in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth, one in the sixth, one in the seventh, one in the eighth and two in the ninth. Like Ellsbury, Bostock’s record-tying putout came on the final pitch/final out of the game. Eight of the nine Boston starters were victims of Bostock’s glove, only the number-eight hitter, 3B Butch Hobson, escaped that fate. CF Fred Lynn flied out to Bostock three times in five plate appearances (four at bats). Bostock, by the way, had five putouts in Game One of the twin bill. He finished one shy of Lloyd Waner’s record of 18 putouts by an outfielder (also CF) in a doubleheader (June 26, 1935).
Clark recorded his 12-putout game on May 10, 1929 – as his Braves lost to the Reds 5-3 in Boston. Clark recorded two flyball putouts (and an outfield assist) in the first inning, one flyball putout in the third, two in the fourth, three in the fifth, three in the eighth, and one in the ninth. All nine members of the Reds’ starting lineup flied out to Clark at least once.
For those who like to know such things; The record for outfield putouts in a season is held by Taylor Douthit (also a centerfielder) with 547 for the Cardinals in 1928. Side note: The kind of thing I notice. Taylor had the words out and hit in his last name.
Speaking of the Words Out and Hit
There have been ten seasons of 495 or more putouts in MLB since 1900. Six of them belong to Phillies’ Hall of Fame centerfielder Richie Ashburn. In the ten seasons from 1949 through 1958, Ashburn lead the NL in outfield putouts nine times. In six of those seasons, he led MLB in outfield putouts. Over that same ten-season span, Ashburn also led all major leaguers in base hits with 1,913 (winning the NL batting title in 1955 and 1958). Stan Musial was second in hits over that span, with 1,891 (batting titles in 1949, ‘50, ‘51,’52 and ‘57).
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