Tex Vache … Perfect Against Lefty Grove 

Boston Red Sox outfielder  Ernest Lewis “Tex” Vache faced Hall of Fame southpaw Lefty Grove just four times in his MLB career – but went four-for-four (three singles and a double) – the most hits against Grove of any player to put up a 1.000 batting average against him. 

Vache (who served on a U.S. Navy minesweeper in World War I and left the Navy in 1919) did not  make his professional (minor-league)  debut until age 31 and made his first MLB roster in 1925 (at age 35). Vache played just one MLB season, hitting .313-3-48 in 110 games for the Red Sox.   After the season,Vache was traded to the Tigers, who then sent him on to Fort Worth of the Texas League. (Vache eventually played the 1926 season with the Pacific Coast League Mission Bells, hitting .302 in 88 games).  He toiled in the minor leagues until 1929, but never appeared in the majors again (most often attributed to his age and fielding issues.) 

From Ted Vache’s one-season MLB career, we segue into the Lefty Grove Edition of  the Baseball Roundtable’s “Who’s Your Daddy?” series.

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Who’s Your Daddy?  What’s it all about?

In this series, BBRT presents lineups of players who performed unexpectedly well against baseball’s top pitchers. (An explanation of the inspiration behind the Who’s Your Daddy? series can be found the end of this post.)  As always, I would stress that the pitchers included in the Who’s Your Daddy? series are among the “best in the business.”  They are selected not because of the players who performed well against them, but rather because success among hitters when they were on the mound was the exception rather than the rule.  We’ve looked at pitchers from a wide range of eras – from Bob Feller to Nolan Ryan to Max Scherzer.  We going even farther back in this post – to the players who seemed to be able to deal with the offerings of Hall of Famer Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove.

Before we get started on this edition, focusing on the Hall of Fame southpaw, here are links to the previous editions of this series:

• Nolan Ryan, click here.
• Sandy Koufax, click here. 
• Pedro Martinez, click here.
• Bob Gibson, click here. 
• Randy Johnson, click here. 
• Greg Maddux, click here. 
• Justin Verlander, click here. 
• Bob Feller, click here. 
• Roger Clemens, click here. 
• Max Scherzer, click here. 
• Tom Seaver, click here.
• Mariano Rivera, click here. 
• Warren Spahn, click here. 

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Photo by rchdj10

Lefty Grove – considered by many to be the best left-handed pitcher of all time – was known for having a white-hot fastball and a red-hot temper.

Grove finished his 17-season (1925-41) MLB career with 300 wins and a .680 winning percentage (141 losses). The six-time All Star (remember, the first All Star Game took place in 1935) led the American League in wins four times, winning percentage five times, earned run average nine times, complete games three times, shutouts three times and strikeouts seven times.

Going deeper, Grove also led the league in WHIP five times, strikeouts per nine innings five times and strikeouts-to-walks ratio seven times. His nine ERA titles are the most all time.

I’ll Take Grove for the Win

Lefty Grove’s .680 winning percentage is the best among pitchers with 300 or more MLB victories.

Grove won 20 or more games in seven seasons and threw 20 or more complete games in nine campaigns. He was 4-2, 1.75 in eight World Series appearances (five starts).

MVP-MVP

Lefty Grove was the 1931 American League MVP, when he went 31-4, 2.06 for the Philadelphia Athletics – winning one of his two pitching Triple Crowns (Wins-ERA-Strikeouts). That season, he ran off a sixteen-decision winning streak (June 8-August 19), during which he started 14 games and relieved in four (two saves), He notched 13 complete games (with a 2.30 ERA in that span).  The streak was broken on August 23, when Grove lost a 1-0 complete game to Dick Coffman and the St. Louis Browns.  (Coffman pitched a three-hit shutout.) After that tough loss, Grove went on to win his next six decisions – during which he threw five complete games in six starts and notched an even stringier 1.61 ERA.

Grove did not get his first taste of organized ball until he was 19 (town ball), where he quickly earned a reputation for dispatching hitters via the strikeout, He was signed at the age of 20 by the Class D Martinsburg Mountaineers – and went 3-3, 1.68, with 60 strikeouts in 59 innings before the International League (Double-A) Baltimore Orioles came calling. That season, Grove went 12-2, 3.80 at Baltimore, where he stayed until 1924. (From 1920-24, he went 111-39, 2.90 in the minors.) Before the 1925 season, Grove was purchased from the Orioles by the Philadelphia Athletics for $100,600 (just under $1.5 million in today’s dollars) and started his MLB career in 1925.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Still, Grove didn’t dominate every hitter who stepped into the batter’s box.   There were these batmen:

Note on chart: Baseball-References indicates game logs before 1973 are not complete. In the chart above, game logs (versus Grove) are missing for Charlie Gehringer (four games); Hank Greenberg (two games); Fred Schulte (one game); and Billy Rogell (three games).  Throughout this post, I have noted instances of incomplete game logs. 

Now, let’s take a look at the Lefty Grove “Who’s Your Daddy?” position-by-position line up.

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Catcher – Rollie Hemsley (.353 average)

In 1938, a season in which Lefty Grove went 14-4 and had the American League’s lowest qualifying earned run average at 3.08, Indians’ catcher Rollie Hemsley faced him in just one game (June 27). At the time, Grove was 11-2 on the season with a 2.98 earned run average. Hemsley, batting in the eight-hole, came into the game hitting .215 on the season and had played in just 20 the team’s first 58 contests. In the course of the game, Hemsley would go four-for-four (a double and three singles), raising his average 46 points.  In the eight seasons he faced Grove, Hemsley hit .333 or better in four.

The Right Place at the Right Time

Rollie Hemsley caught Bob Feller’s (April 16, 1940) Opening Day no-hitter – the only Opening Day No-No in MLB history. That, of course, makes Hemsley the only MLB player to catch an Opening Day no-hitter. Hemsley also had two of the Indians’ six hits and drove in the game’s only run with a two-out, fourth-inning triple. Side note:  Hemsley did gain some notoriety as Feller’s “personal catcher.”

Hemsley played 19 major league seasons (1928-44 … missing 1945 due to military service). He suited up for the Pirates, Cubs, Reds, Browns, Indians, Yankees and Phillies. (Hemsley played in 100 or more games in just six of those 19 seasons.) He was a five-time All Star, with a final career stat line of .262-31-555. His best season was 1934, when he hit .309, with 31 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 52 RBI and six steals for the Saint Louis Browns.  (The average, triples, RBI and steals were all career highs.)

Honorable Mention: Rick Ferrell, a career .281 hitter, hit .313, with one home run and ten RBI in 29 games versus Grove. Note: Two games (logs) versus Grove are missing from Ferrell’s totals.

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First Base – Hank Greenberg (nine home runs, 33 RBI)

Hank Greenberg’s nine home runs versus Lefty Grove tied him for the most career long balls against the Hall of Fame southpaw.  The others with nine dingers against Grove are Yankee stars Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Greenberg, however, faced Grove in 38 fewer games than Gehrig and 13 fewer games than Ruth. Greenberg’s 32 RBI versus Grove also trail only Gehrig (45) and Ruth (33).

As noted earlier, two games (logs) versus Grove are missing from Greenberg’s totals.

Tea (me up) – for Two…

Hank Greenberg is one of only six players with a season of 60 or more doubles.  Here they are: Earl Webb (1931 – 67 doubles); George Burns (1926 – 64 doubles); Joe Medwick (1936 – 64 doubles); Hank Greenberg (1934 – 63 doubles); Paul Waner (1932 – 62 doubles); Charlie Gehringer (1936 – 60 doubles).

Greenberg played 13 MLB seasons (1933-47, missing 1942-44 for military service). He played all but his final season with the Tigers … suiting up for the Pirates in 1947. The Hall of Famer was a career .313 hitter (.412 on-base percentage), with 331 home runs, 1,274 RBI and 1,046 runs scored.  Greenberg was a two-time AL Most Valuable Player and a four-time All Star. He led the American League in home runs four times (a high of 58 in 1938), RBI four times (topping 100 in seven seasons), doubles twice (topping 40 five times) and runs scored once (with 100+ in six seasons). His best season could be called for either 1937 (.337-40-184) or 1938 (.315-58-147). Take your pick.

All or Nothing

On September 21, 21, 1937, Hank Greenberg had a truly “all or nothing” game against Grove. He came to the plate five times versus the Hall of Fame southpaw and went: strikeout; strikeout;  two-run home run; three-run home run; strikeout.  (It was one of two multi-home games Greenberg had against Grove.)  Grove, by the way, went the distance in a 12-7 Red Sox win over Greenberg’s Tigers – giving up seven runs (four earned).

Honorable Mention: Lou Gehrig hit .306 against Grove over his career.  In addition, Gehrig’s nine home runs tied for the most career long balls versus Grove (with Babe Ruth and Hank Greenberg, pretty good company); his 45 RBI against Grove were the highest of any hitter; his twelve doubles third; his 66 hits second; and his 26 walks first. Still, Greenberg gets this spot in the lineup for having done his damage in far fewer games and plate appearances.  Consider:  Gehrig’s slugging percentage against Grove was .551 to Greenberg’s .632 and his .380 on-base percentage versus Grove trailed Greenberg’s .395).  In addition, Greenberg had more walks (18) than strikeouts (14) versus Grove, while Gehrig fanned 47 times (versus 26 walks) versus Lefty.

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Second Base – Aaron Ward (.342 average/.409 on-base percentage.

Aaron Ward reached Lefty Grove for a .342 average and .409 on-base percentage in 17 games – getting off to a good start by collecting a bases-loaded walk and a three-run home run in his two plate appearances in his  first game against Grove (May 4, 1925 (Grove’s rookie campaign.)   In three seasons facing Grove, Ward (a .268 career hitter) put up averages of .313, .333 and .368.

Note: One game (log) is missing from Ward’s totals versus Grove.

House the Ruth Built

It may have been “The House the Ruth Built,” but the first Yankee to collect a hit in the original  Yankee Stadium was second baseman Aaron Ward – a single to lead off the third inning. (The first hit, overall, was off the bat of Red Sox’ first baseman George Burns in the top of the second.  Side note: The Yankees, behind Bob Shawkey’s complete game, won 4-1 – and Babe Ruth hit the first home run in the new ballpark, a three-run shot in the bottom of the third inning.

Ward played 12 MLB seasons (1917-1928), the first ten with the Yankees and then one season each with the White Sox and Indians.  Known as one the best fielders of his era, Ward played in 1,059 games, hitting .268 with 50 home runs and 446 RBI. In 1923, he led AL second baseman in fielding percentage and assists and was second in both putouts and double plays.  He also led the league in assists in 1923 and was in the top-three AL second basemen in fielding percentage four times. His best offensive season was 1922, when he hit .284 with 10 home runs and 81 RBI.

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Third Base – Ken Keltner  (.419, three home runs)

Ken Keltner hit .419, with power, in nine games versus Grove. His batting average was the fifth-highest among players with at least 25 at bats versus Grove and his .871 slugging percentage was tops among that group.  Keltner had only one hit in his first seven at bats (first two games) versus Grove – and went 12-for-24 in his next seven contests against him.

Keltner played 13 MLB seasons (1937-50, missing 1945 due to military service).  He played all but his final season with the Indians.  Keltner, a seven-time All Star and one of the slickest fielding third basemen of his time, was a career .276 hitter (1,526 games), with 163 home runs and 852 RBI. His best campaign was 1946, when he went ..297-31-119 (with career highs in home runs and RBI).  He twice topped 100 RBI and hit a high of .325 in 1939. Keltner led American League third basemen in double plays five times, assist four times, fielding percentage three times and putouts once.

The Culprit

Joe DiMaggio often referred to Keltner as “The Culprit.” On July 17. The Yankees were playing the Indians in Cleveland and DiMaggio was looking to extend his record-setting hitting streak to 57 games.  He went zero-for-three (with a walk) in that game and two of the three outs were the result of exceptional backhand grabs (and throws) on sharp ground balls down the third baseline – Keltner’s territory.  (DiMaggio, by the way, famously hit safely in his first sixteen games after the streak was halted.)

Honorable Mention: Ben Chapman suited up against Lefty Grove in 35 games between 1930 and 1940, picking up 33 hits in 100 at bats (.330), with six doubles, one triple, two home runs and 15 RBI.

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Shortstop Lyn Lary (.338 average)

Lyn Lary, a .269 career hitter over 12 MLB seasons, hit .338 in 30 games against Lefty Grove. He also drew ten walks against Grove, for a .414 career on-base percentage.

Lary played 12 MLB seasons (1929-40), taking the field for the Yankees, Indians, Senators, Browns, Dodgers and Cardinals. He played 1,302 games, hitting .269 with 38 home runs, 526 RBI, 805 runs and 162 stolen bases. His best season was for the 1931 Yankees, when he .280, with 10 long balls, 107 RBI and 100 runs scored in 155 games.

One for the Bombers

Lyn Lary drove in 107 runs for the Yankees in 1931 – still the most RBI in a season ever for a Yankee shortstop. (Derek Jeter is second with 102 in 1999.) In his first three season in the major leagues – Yankees … 1929-31 – Lary hit .289-18-185 in 352 games.

Over his career, Lary scored 100 or more runs in three seasons, stole 20+ bases in four seasons (leading the AL with 37 steals in 1936) and hit .280 or higher in five campaigns.

Honorable Mention: Luke Appling (.324-0-14 in 39 games against Grove). Note: Two games (logs) are missing from Appling’s totals versus Grove.

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Outfield – Harry Heilmann (33 hits – 11 for extra bases – and a .440 average)

Harry Heilmann hit .440 against Lefty Grove, second only to Tris Speaker’s .444 among hitters with at least 25 at bats against the Hall of Fame lefty. Heilmann also tied for the fifth-most regular season home runs versus Grove and had the second-highest on-base percentage and second-highest slugging percentage (again among those with at least 25 at bats versus Grove).  Heilmann drops to fourth in batting average and on-base percentage if you drop the qualifying at bats to twenty.  In the five seasons he faced Grove (1925-20), Heilmann hit under .400 against him only once (.278 in 1928) and hit .500 or better in three seasons.

Note: Three games (logs) are missing from Heilmann’s totals versus Grove.

Heilmann played 17 MLB season (1914, 1916-29 for the Tigers and 1930 and 1932 for the Reds). The Hall of Famer collected 2,660 hits for a .342 average – winning four batting titles along the way (and hitting a high of .403 in 1932.).  Heilmann’s  final line was .342-183-1,543. He led the AL in hits once (and topped 200 hits in four seasons); led the league in RBI once (with 100+ RBI eight times); topped the AL in doubles once (with 40 or more two-baggers in eight seasons); scored 100+ ruins in four seasons; stole 10+ bases in four; and recorded double digits in triples nine times.

Just Your Oddly AVERAGE Guy

In the seven seasons from 1921-1927, Harry Heilmann hit .380, with 104 home runs, 815 RBI and 727 runs scored. He won the American League batting title in each odd-numbered years during that span.

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Outfield – Babe Ruth (Nine homers, .311 average)

Babe Ruth tied Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg for the most home runs against Lefty Grove (nine) and only Gehrig drove in more runs against Grove (45) than Ruth (33) – and Ruth put up this numbers in 25 fewer games and 97 fewer at bats against Grove than Gehrig. While Grove held Ruth below his .342 career average, the Bambino hit a respectable .311 versus Lefty. Ruth had a pair of multiple home run games against Grove.

Ouch:

In 1933, Babe Ruth blasted off to a good start against Lefty Grove, homering in his first two at bats against him. He came to the plate against Grove 15 more times that season and collected just one hit (a single) and one walk, while fanning eight times and getting the ball out of the infield just twice (his lone single and a fly out to RF).  To be fair, Ruth did go eight-for-eighteen (.444) against Grove in 1926.

What can’t you say about the Babe?  He put up a .342-714-2,214 line, and recorded a record 12 home run crowns (11 seasons of 40 or more long balls); eight times led the league in runs scored (12 season of 100+); five times topped the league in RBI (11 season of 100+); led his league 11 time in walks; and captured one batting crown.

• In 1920, Babe Ruth popped 54 home runs for the Yankees – more than any other TEAM in the American League.
• Babe Ruth put up a 0.87 World Series earned run average, giving up just three runs in 31 WS innings pitched. His World Series batting average (in 41 games) was .326.
• In 1918, Babe Ruth led the American league in home runs (11) and hit an even .300, while also gong 13-7, 2.22 and tossing 18 complete games (19 starts) as a pitcher.
• Babe Ruth broke the all -time MLB Home run record in three straight seasons (1919-1920-1921).
• Babe Ruth still holds the record for the longest mound outing in a World Series game – going 14 innings in a 2-1 complete-game win (for Boston) in the 1916 World Series.

Comparing Strong Left Arms

Babe Ruth’s pitching skills mirrored those of Lefty Grove.  Ruth was 94-46, for a .671 winning percentage, just shy of Grove’s .680.  Ruth completed 72.7 percent of his 147 starts, while Grove finished 65.2 percent of his 457 starting assignments.  Ruth did put up a 2.28 ERA to Groves’ 3.06 – but Ruth pitched primarily before the live ball ERA.  When you look at their earned run averages versus standards of their time, Grove has a bit of an edge.   Grove did hold a notable edge in strikeouts averaging 5.2 per nine innings to Ruth’s 3.6 whiffs per nine innings.  Note: Ruth was a two-time 20-game winner and topped the American league in ERA, complete games and shutouts once each (in just three seasons of more than 20 starts).

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Outfield – Al Simmons (.436 average).

Al Simmons .436 average against Grove is the fifth-highest among hitters with at least 20 at bats versus Grove (if you set the bar at 25 at bats, he moves up to third.)  Among those with at least 20 at bats against Grove, Simmons’  .691 slugging percentage is the fourth-highest and his .466 on-base percentage ranks fifth. In addition, Simmons drove in 14 runs against Grove in just 17 games. Simmons faced Grove in six seasons (1933-38) and hit .357 or better versus Grove in all of those campaigns.  In 1936, he went .467 (seven-for-fifteen) versus Grove, with two home runs and six RBI in five contests.

Note: Two games (logs) are missing from Simmons’ totals versus Grove.

Simmons played in 20 MLB seasons (1924-41, 1943-44), playing for the Athletics, White Sox, Senators, Braves, Red Sox and Reds.  He complied a .334 career average, hitting .300+ in 13 full seasons and winning a pair of batting titles (.381 in 1930 and .390 in 1931). The three-time All Star led the league in hits twice (collecting 200 or more safeties in six seasons), runs scored once (topping 100 runs in six seasons) and RBI once (topping 100 in 12 seasons). He had four seasons of 40+ doubles, seven season with double-digits in triples and three seasons of 30+ home runs. His best campaign was 1931, when he hit .381, with 36 home runs, 165 RBI and 152 runs scored in 138 games.  His career stat line was .334-307-1,828, with 1,507 runs scored.

That’s Right!

Al Simmons’ 253 base hits in 1925 are the most ever for a right-handed hitter and the fifth-most all-time behind lefty swingers Ichiro Suzuki (262 in 2004), George Sisler (257 in 1920),  Lefty O’Doul (254 in 1929) and Bill Terry 254 in 1930).

Honorable Mentions:  Honorable mentions in the outfield include: Tris Speaker, who hit .444-0-7 in eight games against Grove (and who needed more games or a bit more power to crack this lineup);  Joe DiMaggio (.361-2-10 in 22 games versus Grove); and Harry Rice (.324-3-15 in 29 games against Grove. Note: Three games (logs) are missing from Rice’s totals versus Grove.

Joe D Finds His Grove Groove

In 1939, when Lefty Grove went 15-4 with an AL-best 2.54 earned run average, Joe DiMaggio raked him for nine hits in five games (a nifty .692 average), with two doubles, one home run, two walks and just one whiff.  That season, the Yankee Clipper led the American League with a .381 average.

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Pitcher – Jimmie DeShong

Righty Jimmy DeShong (47-44, 5.08 in seven MLB seasons) found himself on the mound and at the plate against Lefty Grove just twice in his career.   He took the loss in both games – but, the career .198 hitter acquitted himself well at the plate, going three-for-six (all singles).  In DeShong’s best season (1936), he went 18-10, 4.63 for the Washington Senators.

A Big Oh-Fer

Pitcher Red Faber set the record for futility against Lefty Grove. Faber faced Grove 16 times and drew one walk, while fanning 12 times (without getting a single hit.)  Two other players, Johnny Allen (pitcher) and Dick Bartell (shortstop) also managed to put up a .000 average in 16 plate appearances against Lefty. 

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Who’s Your Daddy?  The Inspiration.

On September 24, 2004, in the middle of a tight pennant race, the Yankees handed future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox a tough 6-4 loss.  Martinez went 7 1/3 innings giving up nine hits and five earned runs.  The game came just five days after (in his previous start) Martinez had lasted just five frames against the Bronx Bombers (eight hits, eight earned runs) in a 16-7 loss.

After that second loss, Martinez candidly commented, “What can I say? I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy.”  Little did he know that his comment – and a Yankee fans’ chant of “Who’s your daddy?” would follow him into future starts in New York (all the way to his final MLB start – against the Yankees for the Phillies – in Game Six of the 2009 World Series.)

The concept of “Who’s your daddy?” became the inspiration for Baseball Roundtable to take a look at the players who “had the number” of some of MLB’s premier pitchers.  Again, you can find links to the previous “editions” of “Who’s Your Daddy?” near the top of this post. 

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Primary Resource:  Baseball Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; New England Historical Society.

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Sam “Toothpick” Jones – the definition of “effectively wild.”

On May 12, 1955, Cubs’ right-hander Sam “Toothpick” Jones came into the top of the ninth of a game against the Pirates having given up no-hits, with four walks and three strikeouts. Despite the four free passes, he had faced only one more than the minimum number of hitters.  The Pirates’ number-five hitter, power-hitting first baseman Dale Long, had walked in all three of his plate appearances. In the second inning, Long was tossed out on an attempted steal; in the fifth he was the lead out in a short-to second-to first double play; and, in the eighth, he was doubled off first on a line drive to third.  The only other Pittsburgh base runner to that point was catcher Toby Atwell, who led off the third with a walk, but was stranded as Jones induced a pop out, strikeout and ground out.  Meanwhile, the Cubs had scored four runs on fifteen hits off the Pirates’ Nellie King and Vern Law.

With a 4-0 lead and the eight, nine and lead-off hitters scheduled to bat, Jones –ironically, you will see – seemed in control.  That would not last long. Jones started the inning by walking the number-eight hitter, second baseman Gene Freese.  The Pirates sent Preston Ward (hitting .152 at the time) up to hit for pitcher Vern Law and, during the at bat, a Jones’ wild pitch sent Freese to second.  The WP didn’t matter much, since Jones went on to walk Ward, bringing up lead-off hitter/center fielder Tom Saffell (zero-for-three on the day and zero-for-fifteen on the season).  Jones walked Saffell to load the bases with no outs.

Coming up?  The heart of the order.  Shortstop Dick Groat (a future batting champion and NL MVP, who would strike out only 26 times in 151 games that season); future Hall of Famer RF Roberto Clemente (who came into the game hitting .304); and left fielder/clean-up hitter Frank Thomas.  With the bases loaded and the no-hitter, shutout and even the game in jeopardy, Cubs’ manager Stan Hack made a trip to the mound. Apparently, whatever he said, struck a chord with Jones.  After the visit, Jones used just 11 more pitches to strike out Groat (looking), Clemente (swinging) and Thomas (looking) – putting the final touches on his no-hitter.

The final inning of Jones’ no-hitter – three walks and three strikeouts – was pretty indicative of Jones’ pitching style. Jones, would in fact, lead his league in strikeouts and walks in the same season three times – 1955, 56, 58.   The year of the no-no was Jones‘ first full MLB season (he had pitched in two games for the Indians in 1951 and 14 games for the Tribe in 1952). In 1955, Jones led the National League in walks (185 in 214 2/3 innings), strikeouts (198), hit batsmen (14) and losses (20 against 14 wins).  Let me do the math for you. During the season, Jones walked 6.5 batters and fanned 7.4 per nine innings.

One Thing Leads to Another …

Baseball Roundtable readers know that often, when I am researching one topic, I get drawn into another. In this case, I was working on a post on hitters who had Hall of Famer Warren Spahn’s “number.”  (See that post here). One of hitters was Stan Musial, who had the most career base hits off Spahn. In the process, I saw that Sam Jones had been particularly effective against Musial – holding the career .331 hitter to a .122 career average (6-for-49, with 11 strikeouts).  That prompted me to look a little deeper into the career of Sam “Toothpick” Jones.

Jones’ early professional experience was garnered with the Negro American League Cleveland Buckeyes – whom he signed with in 1947 after leaving the Army.  He also pitched in Panama and the Southern Minnesota League (semipro) before signing with the Indians.

As an Indians’ farmhand, Jones had a pair of solid minor league seasons (17-8, 2.71 for the Class A Wilkes-Barre Indians in 1950 and 16-13, 2.76 for the Triple A San Diego Padres in 1951). He then made his MLB debut with the Indians (in Detroit) on September 22, 1951.  During this period, Jones also pitched in the Puerto Rican Winter League – topping that circuit (1951-52 season) in strikeouts (146), while putting up a 13-5, 2.51 record.

A bit of Irony …

Sam Jones was truly Stan Musial’s nemesis, (as noted earlier) holding the Hall of Famer to a .122 career average over 49 at bats.  That was Musial’s lowest average against any pitcher he faced at least 15 times. Jones also fanned Musial him in one of very 4.5 at bats – compared to Musial’s career average of one whiff for every 15.8 at bats.  In a bit of irony, Jones and Musial were teammates on the Cardinals from 1957-58. (Jones had been part of a nine-player Cubs/Cardinals trade in December of 1956.)   At that point, “Stan the Man” was 1-for-14 against Jones.

On May 13, 1958, Musial was on the Redbirds’ bench as they took on the Cubs in Chicago. Musial was  not only sitting on the bench, he was sitting on 2,999 career hits and manager Fred Hutchinson wanted to give him the opportunity to collect the landmark safety the next day in St, Louis.  Starting on the mound that day was none other than Sam “Toothpick” Jones.  In the sixth inning, with the Cardinals trailing 3-1, a runner on second, one out and Jones due to hit, Hutchinson decided to act and put in Musial to pinch hit. Musial doubled, collecting his 3,000^th hit while pinch-hitting for Jones (who would deny Musial plenty of hits over his career.)

Jones spent the early part of 1952 with the Indians (a 7.25 ERA and 37 walks in 36 innings before being sent down to Triple A Indianapolis).  He then spent the 1953 and 1954 seasons at Indianapolis (before being traded to the Cubs).  While he continued to have control issues, Jones did show significant potential. In 1954, he was 15-8, 3.75 at Triple A, throwing 12 complete games (31 starts) and four shutouts. In 199 innings, he walked 129 and fanned 178.

Warming Up in the Winter

Sam Jones pitched in the 1954-55 Puerto Rican Winter League season, leading the league in wins (14 versus four losses), ERA (1.77) and strikeouts (171). Side note: Tommy Lasorda finished third in the league in strikeouts that season with 86.   

Then came Jones’ first full MLB season (1955 Cubs), when, as noted, he led the league in walks and strikeouts – showing swing-and-miss stuff and miss-the-plate command.  He followed up with a 9-14, 3.91 season in 1956, again leading the league in walks and strikeouts. Following the 1956 season, the Cubs traded Jones to the Cardinals.  For the Redbirds in 1957, Jones pitched trough elbow issues (getting just 27 starts (to go 12-9, 3.60). In 1958, he got his full complement of starts and finished 14-13, 2.88 – and, for the third time in four years, led the league in both strikeouts and walks.

Shortly before the 1959 season opened, the Cardinals traded Jones to the Giants, where he continued to be dangerously – but even more effectively – wild. In 1959, he tied for the league-lead in wins (21 versus 15 losses), recorded the league;s lowest warned run average (2.83), finished second in strikeouts (209) and, true to form, led the league with 109 walks. He followed that up with an 18-14, 3.19 season in 1960.

In 1961, Jones went 8-8, 4.49 – and got only 17 starts in 37 appearances. The decline was enough for the Giants to leave him unprotected in the expansion draft and he was taken by the Colt .45’s, who traded him to Detroit.

Effectively Wild Even as an All Star

In his two All Star appearances, (1955, 1959) Sam Jones’ line was consistent with the term “effectively wild” – 2 2/3 innings pitched, one hit, one run (unearned), four walks, four strike outs, one hit by pitch.

During Spring Training 1962, Jones was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes and subsequently underwent surgery and radiation treatments. Although Jones did go into remission, from 1962-64, he appeared in only 48 more MLB games, going 4-4, 4.12; but still striking out 87 batters in 102 2/3 innings. His last major-league appearance came on October 3, 1964 for the Orioles. He pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out one batter (the Tigers’ Gates Brown). Between 1963 and 1967, Jones also pitched in Triple A, as well as in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.  One wonders what Jones’ career would have looked like without that bout with cancer. (Jones died from cancer in 1971 at age 45.)

The Times They Are A’Changin’

With Major League Baseball designating Negro League records from 1920-1948 as major-league records – a couple of Sam Jones “landmarks” may bite the dust. On May 3, 1951, Jones came on in relief for the Indians (versus the Senators). His catcher was Quincy Trouppe – and, together, they formed the first all African-American major league battery.   In addition, Jones’ 1955 no-hitter was the first major -eague no-hitter by an African-Americana pitcher.  As noted, those records may soon be changing.

Jones pitched in MLB in all or parts of 12 seasons (1951-52, 1955-64), taking the mound for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles. Jones finished his MLB career with 102 wins, 101 losses and a 3.59 ERA. He led the league in wins once, earned run average once, strikeouts three times, strikeouts pr nine innings pitched four times and walks four times.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-reference.com; Baseball-almanac.com; Beisbol101.com, January 24, 2020 Tom Van Heyning,

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Kids are always chasing rainbows, but baseball is a world where you can catch them.

                                                           Johnny Vander Meer, Major League Southpaw

Photo by rchdj10

Johnny Vander Meer did indeed catch some baseball rainbows.  Most memorably – or, at least, most historically – his tossing of two consecutive no-hitters for the Cincinnati Reds in 1938.  That still-unmatched feat is what Vander Meer is most known for.  That’s not surprising when you consider his career (13 seasons – 1937-43 & 1946-51 … Reds, Cubs, Indians) 119-121 record and the fact that he walked nearly as many hitters as he fanned. Still, early in his career, the hard-throwing southpaw was compared to another up and coming fireballer – future Hall of Famer Bob Feller.   Still, when Baseball Roundtable looked a little deeper, there was a lot more to Vander Meer’s career than those two no-hitters.  Here’s just a sampling.

• Vander Meer’s two consecutive no-hitters came during a nine-decision winning streak that included eight complete games and three shutouts.

• Vander Meer led the National League in total strikeouts and whiffs per nine innings pitched in three consecutive seasons (1941-43).
• Vander Meer was the (first-ever) Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year in 1936 and the Sporting News Major League Player of the Year in 1938.

Making it Count

On September 18, 1940, Johnny Vander Meer not only pitched the Reds to a pennant-clinching victory, but also scored the winning run in the contest.  Vander Meer started the game and gave up three runs over 12 innings of work (eight hits, five walks, ten strikeouts). Leading off the top of the thirteenth inning, Vander Meer doubled to left, was sacrificed to third and then scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. Reliever Joe Beggs pitched the bottom of the thirteenth to save Vander Meer’s win.

• Vander Meer was a four-time All Star (1938, 1939, 1942, 1943).
• Vander Meer shares the record for strikeouts in an All Star game (six) with Carl Hubbell, Larry Jansen and Fergie Jenkins.
• Vander Meer pitched in three All Star games (1938, 1942, 1943),  walking one and fanning 11 hitters in 8 2/3 innings. He gave up just five hits and one run (unearned) in those three appearances

A Hard Day’s Night

Johnny Vander Meer was the Reds starting pitcher in the longest MLB game ending in a scoreless tie. On September 11, 1946, he started against the Dodgers and pitched 15 shutout innings (seven hits, two walks and 14 strikeouts). (Dodger starter Hal Gregg went ten scoreless frames.) The game went 19 innings and was called (darkness) with both teams still scoreless. Note: On April 15, 1968, the Mets and Astros were both scoreless through 23 innings, with the Astros winning 1-0 in the bottom of the 24^th frame. That is the most innings both teams remained scoreless in an MLB tilt.

Here’s a little more of the Vander Meer story.

Vander Meer made his professional debut with the C-level Dayton Ducks as an 18-year-old in 1933 – going 11-10, 4.28, with 132 strikeouts in 183 innings. After a couple of less than stellar minor league seasons, he opened some eyes as The Sporting News 1936 Minor League Player of the Year – after a 19-6, 2.65 season with the Class-B Durham Bulls.  While, he had a powerful “swing and miss” fastball (Vander Meer fanned 295 batters in 214 innings), control was not his forte (he also walked 116).

On July 23, 1936, Johnny Vander Meer, pitching for the Durham Bulls, fanned 20 batters in a game against the Ashville Tourists.

Vander Meer’s 1936 performance earned him an invite to the Reds 1937 Spring Training camp and he went north with the team.  However, control issues still plagued him and he was sent down to the Double-A Syracuse Chiefs in July – after posting a 3-4, 4.22 record with 55 walks (40 whiffs) in 64 innings.  (He was called back up in September and ended the MLB season at 3-5, 3.84 with 69 walks and 52 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings.)

Then came the 1938 season, when the 23-year-old seemed to find himself, going 15-10, 3.12 in 32 games (29 starts), fanning 125 batters in 225 1/3 innings (but still walking 103) – and, of course, tossing those consecutive no-hitters (June 11 versus the Bees and June 15 versus the Dodgers). For the season, Vander Meer’s 4.99 strikeouts per nine innings pitched were second in the National League (to Carl Hubbell); his 7.07 hits per nine innings pitched were the league low; and his 3.12 earned run average was tenth-best.  There was still work to do on his command, as his 104 walks were fourth-highest in the league.  Vander Meer also made his first All Star squad in 1938, started the game, threw three innings of no-run, one-hit ball and got the win.  After the season, he was the named the Sporting News Major League Player of the Year. 

After that sparkling 1938 season, Vander Meer appeared to be on his way. Those expectations were dashed in 1939, when illness and injury contributed to a 5-9, 4.67 record. He also got off to a slow start in 1940, being sent down to Double-A Indianapolis after four appearances (two starts) in which he pitched just 8 2/3 innings, fanning nine and walking 13, while putting up a 7.27 ERA.  He seemed to find himself at Indianapolis, going 6-4, 2.40, which earned him a September call up – during which he went 3-1, 2.97 (31 strikeouts and 28 walks in 39 1/3 innings) and pitched 12 shutout innings to get the win in the Reds’ pennant-clinching game.

Vander Meer powered his way to a 16-13, 2.82 record in 1941; 18-12, 2.43 in 1942; and 15-16, 2.82 in 1943 – leading the NL in strikeouts all three seasons and making the  National League All Star team in 1942 and 1943. Still, control remained an issue, as Vander Meer led the league in walks in 1943, allowed the NL’s second-most walks in 1942 and the fourth-most in 1941.

What Could Have Been

Johnny Vander Meer deserved better than his 15-16 record in 1943. His losses included two complete games in which he gave up a single run; two complete games in which he gave up just two runs; and a complete game which he lost 3-2 in the twelfth inning.  

Vander Meer then missed the 1944 and 1945 seasons (military service) and, while he came back to pitch six more MLB campaigns (1946-51), he had trouble recapturing that 1941-43 fastball.  Over those final six seasons, he went 44-55, 3.93 (as compared to 75-66, 3.11 from 1937 to 1943).  Vander Meer’s final career line was 119-121, 3.44, with 1,294 strikeouts and 1,132 walks. He threw 131 complete games (286 starts) and thirty shutouts.  He was a four-time All Star and won 15 or more games in five seasons.  Overall, he was in the NL’s top ten in ERA four times; wins five times; fewest hits per nine innings six times; total strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings seven times each; complete games five times; and shutouts eight times.

While he made his final MLB appearance on May 7, 1951 (Indians), Vander Meer continued to pitch in the minor leagues through 1955 and managed in the minors from 1953 through 1962.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; National Baseball Hall of Fame; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

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Hank and Willie – starting center fielders in this big game.

I have often commented in this blog about how when researching “one things leads to another” – how, while looking into one Baseball Roundtable blog topic, it’s not unusual for me to be distracted an accidentally unearthed hardball tidbit.  No surprise, it’s happened again.

While looking into the stats for my all-time favorite players – Braves’ Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews – I came across a game that caught my attention.  I found this contest – a June 4, 1958 matchup between the Braves and Giants in San Francisco – intriguing for several reasons:

• It was a meaningful contest – the Braves and Giants came into the game tied for first place;
• It involved some of MLB’s biggest offensive “names” at the time, like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Mathews and Orlando Cepeda;
• It ended in an 11-inning, 10-9 Braves’ win;
• THE NINETEEN RUNS IN THE GAME WERE SCORED BY NINETEEN DIFFERENT PLAYERS; and
• The game-winning RBI went to pinch-hitter and Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s take a look at this matchup. The Braves opened the series in San Francisco with veteran righty Bob Rush (4-2, 2.06) on the mound, while the Giants countered with 19-year-old southpaw Mike McCormick (4-1, 4.21). The youngster outlasted the veteran, as Rush lasted just 1 2/3 innings – giving up four runs on six hits and a walk. After just three innings, the Giants seemed in control, leading by a 7-1 score.  (The Braves would go on to use seven pitchers to the Giants four.) McCormick was pulled with two out in the seventh, with the Giants still up 7-2 (a third run would be charged to McCormick before the frame was over). That’s when things got interesting. The Braves added a run in the eight to cut the lead to three and then tied it with a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth by Wes Covington. Milwaukee scored twice in the top of the tenth on a two-out bases-loaded single by Eddie Mathews and the Giants came right back with two tallies in the bottom of the inning on two-out solo home runs by Hank Sauer and Bob Schmidt.  That set the stage for Warren Spahn’s eleventh-inning offensive heroics.

Spahn won 363 regular-season games on the mound. He won this one from the batter’s box.

Wes Covington opened the top of the eleventh with a walk off Giants’ reliever Stu Miller, with speedster Billy Bruton being brought in as a pinch runner. Johnny Logan bunted Bruton to second and when Andy Pafko flied out to right, pitcher Ernie Johnson was due up with a runner in scoring position and two out.  Braves’ manager Fred Haney, who had already used four pinch-hitters, called upon star southpaw Warren Spahn to hit for Johnson. Spahn drove a run-scoring single to center to plate what proved to be the winning run (the Giants went down in order in the borrow of the inning).

Here are a few notable “stats” from that game.

• The nineteen runs scored were scored by nineteen different players.
• The two team used five catchers sin the game and each catcher scored a run. (For the Braves: Del Crandall, Del Rice and Carl Sawatski. For the Giants: Valmy Thomas and Bob Schmidt.

• The Braves used 23 players; the Giants 19.
• In the final (eleventh) inning, both teams used pitchers as pinch hitters. The Braves’ Warren Spahn hit for reliever Ernie Johnson and the Giants’ Johnny Antonelli came to the plate for pitcher Stu Miller.  Spahn collected the game-winning RBI, Antonelli fanned to end the contest.

Who Says Pitcher Can’t Hit?

The 37-year-old Warren Spahn came into the Braves/Giants game of June 4, 1958 hitting .361 on the season (13-for-36, with three doubles, one triple and six RBI). He finished the campaign at .333 (36-for-108), with six doubles, one triple, two home runs and 15 RBI – add in his seven walks and he produced a .381 on-base percentage. Over his career, Spahn his .194-35-109. His 35 career home runs are the third-most by a pitcher.  Side note Spahn earned 363 regular-season victories and collected 363 regular season hits.

• The starting center fielders in the game were a pair of Hall of Famers – Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Mays led the Giants with four hits (he also had two stolen bases), while Aaron led the Braves with three safeties. Each, of course, scored one run. The other players with more than one hit in the game (all with two) were RF Andy Pafko and 1B Joe Adcock for the Braves and pitcher Mike McCormick for the Giants.
• Each team had three home runs. For the Braves: Felix Mantilla (solo); Del Crandall (solo); Wes Covington (three-run). For the Giants, it was Bob Speake, Hank Sauer and Bob Schmidt (all solo).

Baseball Roundtable (unofficial) fans’ Hall of Fame Ballot.

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Primary Resource for this Post:  Baseball-Reference.com

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Smoky Joe Wood’s baseball career took him from the Bloomer Girls to the Big Leagues to Babe Ruth Lite – and, eventually to Yale University … all for the love of the game. 

With plenty of time to for baseball reading these days, it’s easy to come across intriguing stories about those who have taken the field at the major-league level.  Smoky Joe Wood’s tale is one of those stories.

The Bloomer Girls

Joe Wood (he wasn’t Smoky yet, his major-league fastball would earn him that moniker) started playing baseball as a 16-year-old (1906) pitching town ball in Kansas.  Wood, however, didn’t stay amateur for long. That fall he played his first games as a paid professional – for the barnstorming “Bloomer Girls.”  Basically, the Bloomer Girls (there were several Bloomer Girls squads) were teams of female baseball players who traveled the country taking on all-male squads (usually town ball or semi-pro teams).  Each team would have two or three young fellows willing to play wearing the bloomer-based uniforms (and often curly wigs). Wood played as “Lucy Totton” for the Kansas Bloomer Girls team.

All Wigged Out

Like Joe Wood, Hall of Famers Rogers Hornsby and Grover Cleveland Alexander also “suited up” for the Bloomer Girls before making their way to the major leagues. Because of the wigs male players often wore, the impersonators were known as “toppers.”

 

The Big Leagues

Library of Congress photo. George Grantham Bain Collection

Wood’s Bloomer Girls gig didn’t last long. In 1907, he was pitching for the Hutchinson Salt Packers in the Class C Western Association – where he would go 18-11 and fan more  than 200 batters.  In 1908, it was on to the Kansas City Blues of the Class A American Association.   By August 1908, at just 18-years-old, Wood’s contract had been purchased by the Red Sox and he found himself in the major leagues.  In his first MLB season, Wood made six appearances, two starts, and went 1-1, 2.38 with 11 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.

In the spring of 1909, Wood suffered a foot injury (reportedly while roughhousing with his roommate, Tris Speaker), that put him out of action until June (he made his first start on June 21 – a complete-game, two-hit, 4-1 win over the Athletics).   Wood went 11-7, 2.18 on the season. He also lost a month of the 1910 season (ankle surgery), when he went 12-13, 1.69.  Despite the injury layoff, Wood’s 1.69 ERA in 1910 was the second-lowest on the team and eighth-best in the AL and his 145 strikeouts led all BoSox hurlers and represented the sixth-highest total in the AL (his 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings pitched were second only to Walter Johnson).

Over the 1909 and 1910 seasons, Wood split his duties between starting and relieving (36 starts and 23 relief appearances).  In 1911, Woods took his place as a primary member of the Red Sox’ rotation (starting 33 games and relieving in 11). His 23 wins (17 losses) were fourth-best in the league, his 2.02 ERA third-best; his 231 strikeouts second-best; his 7.54 whiffs per nine-innings the AL’s top ratio; and his 25 complete-games, fifth.

Smoky Joe Lights It Up

In the first game of a doubleheader on July 29, 1911, Smoky Joe Wood pitched a gem – a complete-game, 5-0 no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns.  In the contest, Wood walked two, hit one batter and fanned a dozen.

In 1912, Wood was even better – putting together one of the most dominant pitching seasons ever. He went 34- 5, 1.91 and won 16 games in a row between July 8 and September 15. During his 16-game streak. Wood made 16 starts and three relief appearances, tossed 14 complete games and recorded six shutouts. Notably, during the streak, Wood also hit .347 (17-for-49), with six doubles, a triple, seven runs scored, five RBI and five walks (a .407 on-base percentage). For the season, he led the league in wins, winning percentage (.872);  complete games (35) and shutouts (ten); while fanning 258 batters (second to Walter Johnson) in 344 innings pitched. He topped off his season with three wins in the 1912 World Series, two as a starter and one in relief.  Around baseball, one of the great debates was over who was the fastest pitcher alive – Joe Wood or Walter Johnson.

A Harbinger of Things to Come?

Commenting on his work in Game One of the 1912 World Series, Joe Wood said “I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body.”

Wood got off to a solid start in 1913.  He went into a July 18 game against the Tigers in Detroit sporting an 11-5, 2.37 record in 17 starts (plus four relief appearances), with 13 complete games. Then the injury bug struck again.  In the start at Detroit, he slipped and fell on wet infield grass while making a fielding play – breaking his thumb and, apparently, jamming his shoulder.  He pitched only one more inning that season – ending at 11-5, 2.29.  That tumble – and perhaps the wear and tear already inflicted on his arm (Remember that “I thought arm would fly right off my body comment?) – changed the course of Wood’s career.

In Lawrence Ritter’s book, The Glory of Their Times, Wood described the change.  “I’ don’t know whether I tried to pitch too soon after that, or whether I did something to my shoulder at the same time. But whatever it was, I never pitched again without a terrific amount of pain in my right shoulder.”

Wood was back in 1914, but due to an appendicitis attack, did not make his first start until late May.  He ended that season at 10-3, with a 2.,62 ERA; but observers said he wasn’t quite the same.  Despite pitching in pain, Wood managed a 15-5 record, with a league-best 1.49 earned run average in 1915. Good numbers, but on the negative side he made only 24 appearances (16 starts).

The combination of a pay dispute and a still ailing arm kept Wood off the field in 1916 – and an attempt to comeback with the Cleveland Indians in 1917 ended after just five mound appearances (one start).  For many, their major-league career would have been over.  The love of the game, however, would not let Wood stay home.

Babe Ruth Lite

Despite his shoulder, Wood soldiered (pun intended) on. And this is where “Babe Ruth Lite” comes in.  In 1918, a 23-year-old southpaw pitcher named George Herman Ruth (who, over his first four MLB seasons, had gone 67-34, 2.07 and twice won 20 games) began his transition to the outfield. Before the 1918 season, Ruth had not appeared in any position other than pitcher and pinch-hitter. In 1918, he appeared in 59 games in the outfield, 13 at first base and 20 on the mound (where he went 13-7, 2.01), while leading the AL in home runs (11). The rest, as they say, is history.

In 1918, Smoky Joe Wood – although for different reasons – joined Ruth in transitioning from the mound to the field.  That season, Wood started 95 games in the outfield, 19 at second base and three at first base – hitting .296 with five home runs and 66 RBI. He remained in the major leagues as an outfielder through the 1922 season, hitting .298, with 18 home runs and 275 RBI in 460 games.  In 1921, in 66 games for the Indians, Wood hit .366-4-60.

Yale University

Wood retired as a player after the 1922 season, but his love for the game continued. In 1923, he was hired to coach the Yale University freshman baseball squad and, the following year, moved on to coach the varsity team – a position he held through 1942.

Baseball Roundtable (unofficial) fans’ Hall of Fame Ballot.

There is still time to vote in BBRT’s unofficial fans’ 2012 Hall of Fame balloting.  Click here to access the ballot. 

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; “The Glory of Their Times,” Lawrence S. Ritter, Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Baseball-Almanac.com; “She’s on first: Women in Baseball,” by Dawn Mitchell, IndyStar, May 13, 2016; “Baseball’s Barnstorming Bloomer Girls: Women and the National Pastime,” Massachusetts Historical Society, June 2018. 

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Inducing Weak Contact

Ray Durham faced Mariano Rivera 26 times in his career – and went hitless.  (The most at bats of any player with a .000 average versus Rivera.) He did reach base against River once in those 26 at bats – on an infield error. Surprisingly, Durham struck out only three times in those 26 at bats. Durham, by the way, was a .277 career hitter over 14 seasons.

We’re well into the off-season (although the whole 2020 season seemed just a bit off), and it seems an appropriate time to offer up the next edition of Baseball Roundtable’s “Who’s Your Daddy?” series … focusing on some of MLB’s premier pitchers – like Bob Feller, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan, as well as contemporary hurlers like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

Who’s Your Daddy? What’s it all about?
In this series, BBRT presents lineups of players who performed unexpectedly well against baseball’s top pitchers. (An explanation of the inspiration behind the Who’s Your Daddy? series can be found the end of this post.)  As always, I would stress that the pitchers included in the Who’s Your Daddy? series are among the “best in the business.”  They are selected not because of the players who performed well against them, but rather because success among hitters when they were on the mound was the exception rather than the rule.

Before we get started on this edition – focusing on Hall of Famer Mariano “The Sandman” Rivera.”  here are links to the previous editions of this series:

Nolan Ryan, click here.

Sandy Koufax, click here.

Pedro Martinez, click here.

Bob Gibson, click here.

Randy Johnson, click here.

Greg Maddux, click here.

Justin Verlander, click here.

Bob Feller, click here.

Roger Clemens, click here.

Max Scherzer, click here.

Tom Seaver, click here.

Now, to Mariano Rivera.  This is the first reliever featured in the series, but with Rivera being the first-ever unanimous Hall of Fame selection, he is a natural for the spot.  Of course, focusing on a reliever, particularly a closer, offered some challenges.  Sampling sizes are a whole lot smaller when you’re looking at one- (or two-) inning stints. For example, when examining hitter performance against Nolan Ryan, there were ten hitters with more than 100 regular-season plate appearances versus Ryan and 86 hitters with 50 or more.  With Rivera, over his 19 seasons, not a single batter logged 50 regular-season plate appearances against him and only seven had 25 or more. Still, as I think you will see, there was enough data to select a “Who’s Your Daddy?” lineup. So, let’s get on with it.

Rivera was the Yankee closer for 17 or his 19 seasons (1995-2013, all with the Yankees).  He saved an MLB-record 652 games (also had 82 wins and 60 losses), put up a 2.21 career earned run average and fanned 1,174 batters in 1,283 2/3 innings. Rivera, a thirteen-time All Star, led the AL in saves three times and saved 40 or more games in 10 seasons (two seasons of 50 or more). In his final campaign (2013), he saved 44 games at age 43. Rivera recorded an ERA under 2.00 in 11 campaigns.  Rivera’s career WHIP (Walks and Hits Per Inning Pitched) of 1.0003 is third-lowest among pitchers with at least 1,000 career innings pitched.

Off to a Slow “Start”

Called up to the Yankees in mid-May of 1995. Rivera began his MLB career as a starter. In his first four MLB starts he went 1-2, with a put up a 10.20 ERA, lasing just 15 innings in those four appearances. By mid-June was back a Triple A. He was back with the Yankees in July, back at Triple A Columbus in August and then back with the big club in September. For that initial MLB season, Rivera was 5-3, 5.51 in 19 games (ten starts). Rivera pitched for the Yankees for 18 more season, but never made another start.  After that up-and-down first campaign, Rivera pitched to a 2.03 earned run average and held hitters to a .211 average over 1,096 regular-season appearances. 

Rivera was even better in the post season, going 8-1, with record 42 post–season saves in 96 appearances – and posting a minuscule 0.70 earned run average.

Mariano Rivera’s Best Season:  A lot to choose from here, but I’ll go with 2004, when Rivera went 4-2, with an MLB-topping 53 saves and a 1.95 ERA.

Double Your Pleasure …

On July 8, 2000, Mariano Rivera earned two saves in two different stadiums.  The first came in a day game at Shea Stadium as the Yankees topped the Mets 4-2 and Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth. The two teams then headed to Yankee stadium for an evening tilt – again won 4-2 by the Yankees, with Rivera pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.

So, let’s take a look at a lineup of hitters who proved they could hold their own against Rivera’s dominating cutter.  As in past “Who’s Your Daddy?” posts, the stats are for the regular season.  (Although I’ll give a nod to Rivera’s post-season excellence on occasion.)

DH – Edgar Martinez

Photo by clare_and_ben

We’ll start with the DH spot.  (I’ve included pitchers’ batting stats in other posts in this series, but Rivera pitched his entire career in the American League’s DH era.)  Very simply, no one has numbers against Mariano Rivera like Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez.  Among those with at least ten at bats against Rivera, Martinez has the highest average (.625), highest on-base percentage (.700) and highest slugging percentage (1.188).  He also has the second-most base hits (10-tied), most doubles (3-tied), most home runs (2-tied); and fourth-most RBI (6-ted).

Now, some will argue that Martinez did a lot his damage in Mariano’s rookie season – when Rivera bounced (less than successfully) between starter and reliever.  Martinez faced Rivera seven times in that 1995 season and had five hits and a walk, with two home runs and five RBI. However, between 1996 and 2004, Martinez faced Rivera 13 more times and delivered five hits and two walks (a .500 average and a .615 on-base percentage). He earned this spot.

Edgar Martinez had a .500 or better on-base percentage in six of the seven season he faced Rivera. The exception was 2003, when he came up against the Yankee closer four times, grounding out once and striking out three times. In the post season, Martinez went one-for-three (a single) versus Rivera in his career.  This was actually a pretty easy selection since Rivera, in numerous interviews, has called Martinez the toughest hitter he ever faced.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T …

In 2004, MLB changed the name of the Designated Hitter Award to the Edgar Martinez Award.   

Edgar Martinez played 18 MLB seasons (1987-2004), all with the Mariners. He was a seven-time All Star, won two batting titles and led his league in runs scored once, doubles twice and RBI once. His final stat line was .312-309-1,261, with 1,219 runs scored (in 2,055 games).

Edgar Martinez’ Best Season:  In 2000, Martinez he hit .324 and notched career highs in home runs (37) and RBI (145).

Honorable Mention: David Ortiz’ 11 regular-season hits versus Ramirez are the most of any batter.  He put up a .344 average, with one home run and four RBI against The Sandman.

Catcher – Jason Varitek

While Jason Varitek didn’t put up the flashy batting averages against Rivera that we see from many of the players in this lineup, he did some damage.  Varitek hit .286 against Rivera, but his ten hits against the Hall of Fame reliever were second only to David Ortiz and his eight RBI second only to Manny Ramirez (some pretty potent company in those two). In 2005, Varitek faced Rivera four times and delivered a home run and two singles. Varitek’s line against Rivera would have looked little better if not for 2009 season, when the 37-year-old backstop faced Rivera three times and fanned all three. (Varitek has two singles in seven post-season at bats versus Rivera.)

Jason Varitek played 15 MLB seasons (1997-2011), all with the Red Sox. He was a three-time All Star and hit .256, with 193 home runs and 757 RBI in 1,546 games. Varitek hit 20 or more home runs in three seasons and drove in 70 or more runs in four.

Jason Varitek’s Best Season: From BBRT’s perspective, Varitek’s best season was 2004, when he hit .296-18-73 and even swiped ten bases.

A Good Luck Charm …

Jason Varitek is one of only two catchers to catch four no-hitters. (The other is Carlos Ruiz.)

First Base – Rafael Palmeiro

Making Contact

Rafael Palmeiro faced Mariano Rivera 30 times during the regular seasons and never went down on strikes – the most plate appearances against River for any batter who didn’t take a “K.”

Rafael Palmeiro’s eight hits off Mariano Rivera tied for the fourth-most among opposing batters and his two home runs tied for the most off “Mo.”  While he hit .333 off the Yankee closer, Palmeiro’s six walks gave him an on-base percentage of .467 tying for the eighth-highest.

Palmeiro played 29 MLB seasons (1986-2005 … Cubs, Rangers, Orioles), putting up a .288-569-1,835 stat line. The four-time All Star hit 30+ home runs in 10 seasons (40+ in four of those campaigns) and drove in 100+ runs in ten seasons. He was also a three-time Gold Glover.  In the post-season, Palmeiro faced Rivera four times and went one-for-three with a walk.  Rivera also got that elusive strikeout against Palmeiro, fanning Palmeiro once in the post-seasons.

Hmmm?

In 1999, Palmeiro won his third consecutive Gold Glove at first base, despite starting just 28 games at the position (and 128 sit DH). It’s the fewest defensive games ever for a Gold Glover.

Rafael Palmeiro’s Best Season: In 1999, Palmeiro (Rangers) hit .324, with 47 home runs and 148 RBI.

Honorable Mention(s): Aubrey Huff was a solid candidate for this spot, hitting .400 versus Mariano Rivera with his eight safeties (tied for fourth against the ace reliever) and four RBI (tied) for eighth. Huff’s two home runs off Rivera are tied for the most of any player. Huff, however, didn’t started only four games at 1B against Rivera (he also started three times in the OF, five at 3B and eight at DH in games he eventually faced Mo).  Huff could be a utility man on this squad. BBRT also looked at Mo Vaughn (.417-1-4 against Rivera in 12 at bats) and Jeff Conine (.357-1-5 in 14 at bats), but Palmeiro’s six walks (versus no whiffs) gave him a slight edge.

Second Base – Roberto Alomar

Between June 28, 1996 and May 1, 2000, Roberto Alomar faced Mariano Rivera seven times (in seven games) and got on base every time – three doubles, two singles and two walks.  The string was broken when Alomar was called on to drop down a sacrifice bunt against Rivera May 3, 2000.  At that point, Alomar was six-for-seven with two walks against Rivera in his career.

Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar played 17 MLB seasons (1988-2004 … Blue Jays, Padres, Indians, Orioles, Mets, White Sox Diamondbacks). He hit an even .300, with 210 home runs, 1,134 RBI and 1,508 runs scored and 474 steals.  The 12-time All Star was also a ten-time Gold Glover. Alomar hit 20 or more home runs in three seasons, drove in 100 or more runs twice, stole 30 or more bases in eight seasons (a high of 55 in 1993) and scored 100 or more run six times.

Like Brother … Like Brother

The Alomar brothers (Roberto and Sandy, Jr.) did pretty well against Mariano Rivera, each going five-for-eleven (.455) in their careers against The Sandman – with five of their ten hits going for extra bases (all doubles).  In addition, Sandy Alomar hit one of only two post-season home runs hit against Rivera (Game Four, 1997 ALDS).    The other post-season dinger off Rivera came in Game Two of the 2000 World Series (Mets/Yankees).  It was a ninth-inning three-run shot off the bat of Jay Payton. (Despite Payton’s heroics, the Yankees won 6-5.)

Third Base – Bill Mueller

Bill Mueller hit .455 against Rivera and his one long ball against the New York closer was one of just five walk-off homers Rivera gave up in his career. Mueller was one for six versus Rivera in the post-season.

Bill Mueller played 11 MLB seasons (1996-2006 … Giants, Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers). He hit .291, with 85 home runs and 493 RBI over that span.  While he never made an All Star team, Mueller did win the American League batting crown with a .326 average for the Red Sox in 2003.

Bill Mueller’s Best Season: In 2003, Mueller  hit .326-19-85 – all career highs. (Mueller did hit .330 as a Giants rookie in 1996, but only played in 55 games.)

A Grand Day at the Plate …

A switch hitter, Bill Mueller is the only MLB player to hit a Grand Slam from both sides of the plate in the same game. Mueller, with the Red Sox, slammed a bases-loaded homer (right-handed) off Aaron Fultz in the seventh inning and another (left-handed) off Jay Powell in the eighth.  He also hit a solo shot off R.A. Dickey in the third.  For the day, Mueller was three-for-nine, with three runs scored and nine RBI. 

Shortstop – Nomar Garciaparra

Nomar Garciaparra went seven-for-eighteen (.389) against Mariano Rivera, with his seven hits tying for the tenth-most against Rivera.

Garciaparra played in 14 MLB seasons (1996-2009 …Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, A’s). For his career, he hit .313-229-936. The six-time All Star (and 1997 AL Rookie of the Year) was nearly unstoppable in 1999 and 2000, winning batting titles in each year.  Over those two seasons, he played in 275 games for the red Sox and hit .365, with 48 home runs and 200 RBI. In addition to his two batting titles, Garciaparra led the league in doubles once and triples once.  He collected 100+ RBI in four seasons and scored 100+ runs in six. He also hit 20 or more home runs in seven campaigns and hit over .300 in eight seasons. Garciaparra hit .321-7-24 in 32 post-season games – although he was just one-for-five against Mariano in the post-season.

The Old College Try, and Then Some …

While playing for the Georgia Tech Wildcats, Nomar Garciaparra was a two-time All American (1993 & 1994).

Honorable Mention: Omar Vizquel hit .375 (six-for-sixteen) against Rivera in the regular season.

Outfield – Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki hit Mariano Rivera at a .385 pace (5-for-13) and, as you might expect. most of those safeties were singles. Suzuki did, however, hit one of five regular-season, walk-off home runs off Mariano. It came on September 18, 2009, with the Mariners trailing the Yankees 2-1, with two outs and one on (Mike Sweeney) in the bottom of the ninth. Suzuki ended the game, taking River’s first pitch to him over the right field fence.

A Hitting Machine …

Ichiro Suzuki collected an MLB-record 262 hits in 2004.

Ichiro Suzuki played 19 MLB seasons (2001-20019 … Mariners, Yankees, Marlins). For his career, he hit .311 (3,089 hits), with 117 home runs, 780 RBI, 1,420 runs scored and 509 stolen bases. He won a pair of batting titles and hit over .300 in 11 seasons. Suzuki, a ten-time All Star also led the AL in hits seven times – collecting 200+ hits in ten (consecutive) seasons. He was also the recipient of ten Gold Gloves.  In the post-season, Suzuki went one-for-two versus Rivera (a double).

Ichiro Suzuki’s Best Season: In 2004 (mariners), Suzuki won the batting title (.372), collected 262 hits, poked eight home runs, drove in 60, scored 101 and stole 36 bases.

COMING SOON …

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Outfield – Magglio Ordonez

Magglio Ordonez hit .500 against Mariano Rivera (7-for-14) and also never struck out against The Sandman. From 2006 to 2008, he came up against Mariano four times and collected two doubles and two singles.

Ordonez played 15 MLB seasons (1997-2011 … White Sox Tigers) – going .309-294-1,236. He was a six-time All Star and won the 2007 batting title (Detroit) with a .363 average. That same year he led the AL with 54 doubles. Ordonez hit 30 or more home runs in four seasons and drove in 100+ in seven.

A Two-for-One Deal?

Magglio Ordonez is one of 56 MLB players to hit two home runs in one inning. He did in the second inning of a Tigers’ 11-6 win over the A’s on August 12, 2007.  In the game, Ordonez was two-for-three, with two walks, two runs scored and four RBI.

Magglio Ordonez’ Best Season: In 2007, Ordonez hit .363-28-130, collected 216 hits, scored 117 runs  and led the AL with 54 doubles.

Outfield – Manny Ramirez

At first glance, I didn’t expect to be putting Manny Ramirez in this line.  After all, he only hit .205 versus Mariano Rivera and his 13 strikeouts were the most of any batter against “Mo” (as were his 39 at bats).  But, then again, Ramirez’ eight hits tied for the fourth-most against Rivera and his nine regular season RBI led all batters.  Ramirez really “learned” his way into this lineup, by figuring Rivera out. In Ramirez’ first 13 plate appearances against Rivera (1995-2000), he was 0-for-12 (one run-scoring sacrifice fly), with seven strikeouts. Then on April 12, 2001, Ramirez poked a walk-off, game-winning, two-run single off Rivera and the tide seem to change.  In Ramirez’ final 31 plate appearances (2001-2010) against The Sandman, Ramirez went 8-for-27 (.296), with three walks, one hit-by-pitch, two “safe-on-error” and six strikeouts.

Manny Ramirez played 19 MLB seasons (1993-2011 … Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, Rays, White Sox – putting up a .312-555-1,831 line. He was a 12-time All Star and one-time batting champion, He also led the AL in home runs and RBI once each. He hit 30 or more home runs in 12 seasons (five seasons over 40), drove in 100+ runs in 12 times, scored 100+ runs six times and hit .300 or better in a dozen campaigns.

Manny Ramirez’ Best Season: In 1999 (Indians), Ramirez hit .313, with 44 home runs, 165 RBI and 131 runs scored.

Ramirez hit .285-29-78 in 111 Post-season games. Ramirez was three-for-eigt in the post-season versus Rivera.

Manny Being Manny?

Manny Ramirez’ 29 post-season home runs are the most all-time; his 78 RBI second; his 223 total bases second (tie); his 67 runs third; and his 19 post-season doubles fifth (tie).

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Who’s Your Daddy?  The Inspiration.

On September 24, 2004, in the middle of a tight pennant race, the Yankees handed future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox a tough 6-4 loss.  Martinez went 7 1/3 innings giving up nine hits and five earned runs.  The game came just five days after (in his previous start) Martinez had lasted just five frames against the Bronx Bombers (eight hits, eight earned runs) in a 16-7 loss.

After that second loss, Martinez candidly commented, “What can I say? I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy.”  Little did he know that his comment – and a Yankee fans’ chant of “Who’s your daddy?” would follow him into future starts in New York (all the way to his final MLB start – against the Yankees for the Phillies – in Game Six of the 2009 World Series.)

The concept of “Who’s your daddy?” became the inspiration for Baseball Roundtable to take a look at the players who “had the number” of some of MLB’s premier pitchers.  Again, you can find links to the previous “editions” of “Who’s Your Daddy?” near the top of this post. 

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