BB Fun Facts Archives - Page 29 of 63

Baseball Roundtable Looks at the Cy Young, MVP and Manager of the Year Awards

November 3, 2018 by David

It’s that time of year again – post-season baseball is behind us; a bleak double-play barren winter ahead. Still, there is plenty of time for “Hot Stove League” speculation and (for the next few days) “Awards Season” – headlined by the Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Manager of the Year Recognitions. There are also the heavy metal honors – Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves. As usual, Baseball Roundtable will preview and predict the major awards.

A few days ago, this page featured BBRT’s picks for Rookie(s) of the Year, as well as a 2018 All-Rookie Team and an All-Time Rookie Squad. You can read that post by clicking here. In this post, I’ll share BBRT’s views on each league’s likely Most Valuable Player; Cy Young; and Manager of the Year candidates.

Now, in recent season, there has been potential debate on many of these awards. This year, however, BBRT see only one of the four player recognitions as a likely source of debate. That’s the NL Cy Young Award – and, so, that’s where we’ll start this post.

—–CY YOUNG AWARD—–

National League – Max Scherzer Nationals … 18-7, 2.53, 300 strikeouts in 220 2/3 innings.

Photo by apardavila

There might be some dispute here, as there has been plenty of support voiced for the Mets’ Jacob deGrom – based on his MLB-low 1.70 earned run average and 269 strikeouts in 217 innings. Supporters argue, with good reason, that his 10-9 won-lost record does not reflect his effectiveness on the mound.

From BBRT’s perspective, however, there is more than enough reason(s) to award the Cy Young to Scherzer. His 18 wins tied for the AL lead; his 300 strikeouts led all of MLB; his 220 2/3 innings pitched led the NL (deGrom was second); his 0.91 WHIP tied (with deGrom) for the NL’s best; his two complete games tied for the NL lead (deGrom had one). In addition, Scherzer tied (with deGrom) for the NL lead in quality starts (28); led the NL in strikeouts per nine innings (12.24), with deGrom second (11.16); led in strikeouts-to-walks (5.88), again with deGrom second (5.85). Scherzer’s 2.53 earned run average was third in the league.

In 33 starts, Max Scherzer reached double-digits in strikeouts 18 times.

Other Contenders: Jacob deGrom, Mets (10-9, 1.70, 269 strikeouts in 217 innings) and Aaron Nola, Phillies (17-6, 2.37, 224 strikeouts in 212 1/3 innings).

American League – Blake Snell, Rays … 21-5, 1.89, 221 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings.

Photo by petestokke

A bit of an easier choice for CYA in the AL, as the Rays’ Blake Snell led all of MLB in wins with 21 (just five losses) and led the AL (and was second in MLB) in earned run average at 1.89. His 221 strikeouts were sixth in the league and his 180 2/3 innings pitched were 14^th; while his 0.97 WHIP was second only to Justin Verlander (0.90) in the junior circuit.

Blake Snell was particularly after the All Star break, going 9-0, 1.17 – putting up a WHIP of 0.80 and fanning 12.7 batters per nine innings.

Other Contenders: Justin Verlander, Astros (16-9, 2.52, 290 strikeouts in 214 innings) and Corey Kluber, Indians (20-7, 2.89, 222 strikeouts in 215 innings).

—-MOST VALUABLE PLAYER—-

National League – Christian Yelich, OF, Brewers … .326-36-110, 22 steals in 26 attempts.

Photo by DandreaPhotography

The Brewers’ Christian Yelich put up true MVP numbers, winning the NL batting title (.326), finishing third in the league in home runs (36) and second in RBI (110). He also scored 118 runs (second in the league) and swiped 22 bases. In addition, he gave the Brew Crew some outfield/lineup versatility starting 68 games in RF, 63 in LF and 12 in CF.

As the Brewers fought for the NL Central crown, Yelich was at his best. In September, he hit .370, bashed 10 home runs, drove in 34 (n 27 games), scored 24 times and swiped seven bases. The Brewers also were 29-6 in games in which Yelich homered. In a season in which seven NL players topped 30 home runs and 100 RBI, Yelich was the leader of the pack.

Christian Yelich was just two home runs and one RBY shy of a Triple Crown.

Other Contenders: Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (.297-38-110, with 104 runs scored); Javier Baez, 2B/SS/3B, Cubs (.290-34-111, 21 steals and 101 runs); and Trevor Story, SS, Rockies (.291-37, 108, 27 steals).

American League – Mookie Betts, RF, Red Sox … .346-32-80, with 30 steals in 36 attempts.

Photo by Dennis Heller

Mookie Betts’ AL batting title (.346), 30/30 (32 home runs/30 stolen bases) season, league-leading 129 runs scored (tied with the Indians’ Francisco Lindor) and Gold Glove-worthy defense earns him this spot in BBRT’s view. Notably, his closest competition comes from a teammate, Red Sox’ DH J.D. Martinez, who bashed 43 home runs and led all of MLB with 130 RBI. Betts also led the AL in Slugging Percentage at .640,

Mookie Betts hit .330 or better and scored at least 20 runs in every month but June, when an abdominal strain limited him to 16 games, a .290 average and 12 runs scored. He hit .344 in April; .372 in May; .330 in July; .353 in August; and .377 in September.

Other Contenders: J.D. Martinez, DH, Red Sox (.330-43-130, with 111 runs scored); Khris Davis, DH, A’s (.247-48-123); Mike Trout, CF, Angels (.312-39-79, 24 stolen bases on 101 runs scored).

—–MANAGER OF THE YEAR—–

National League- Craig Counsell, Brewers – 96-67, Central Division title

The Brewers added some solid talent for the 2018 season – like Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Gio Gonzalez. Manager Craig Counsell effectively mixed those players with established Brewers’ veterans. That effort, coupled with his effective management of his bullpen resources, brought the Central Division crown to a surprising Brewers’ squad and earned Counsell, BBRT’s vote for NL Manager of the Year.

Other Contenders: Bud Black – Rockies (91-72) … Black took the Rockies, picked for a third-place finish by most analysts, all the way to a Game 163 and a NL Wild Card spot. Brian Snitker, Braves (90-72) … Snitker led the surprising, and very young, Braves to a Division title that few expected,

American League – Bob Melvin, A’s – 97-65, AL Wild Card

Bob Melvin started the season with MLB’s lowest player payroll –and ended it with 97 wins and a spot in the post season (Game. Set. Match.) He did it with a young team and a pitching staff in flux. (The A’s used 15 starters and 0nly one A’s starter had more than seven wins.) BBRT would give Counsell its vote.

Other Contenders: Alex Cora, Red Sox (108-54) … Cora led the Red Sox to an MLB-best 108 wins (54 losses). Hard to argue with that kind of success. Kevin Cash, Rays (90-72) … Cash delivered 90 wins in the tough AL East – and pioneered a “bullpen game” pitching strategy that helped the Rays deliver the AL’s second-best earned run average.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; ESPN.Com, MLB.com.

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Baseball Roundtable 2018 All-Rookie Team – and All-Time, All-Rookie Squad

October 31, 2018 by David

New, young talent adds excitement to the natonal pastime and recent years have seen plenty of players making an impact on the diamond. In this post, Baseball Roundtable will present its:

2018 Rookie of the Year choices;
13-member 2018 All-Rookie Team; and
All-Time, All-Rookie squad.

For those who like to count such things, the 2018 BBRT All Rookie Team includes eight American Leaguers and five National Leaguers. It also shows considerable diversity with: five players born in the Dominican Republic; four in the United States; two in Venezuala; one in Colombia; and one in Japan.

Let’s start with BBRT’s selections for top rookie in each league.

—–BBRT ROOKIE OF THE YEAR SELECTIONS—–

American League – Shohei Ohtani, Angels (P-DH)

Photo by shinya

The 24-year-old Shohei Ohtani came to the major leagues – from Japan – with a reputation for having a power arm and a power bat. The 6’4”, 200-pound right-hander pitcher/left-handed batter was a veteran of five seasons in Japan where hit .286-48-166 in 403 games and produced a 42-15, 2.52 record on the mound (624 strikeouts in 543 innings pitched).

Ohtani made his MLB debut on March 29 (Opening Day) as the Angels’ Designated Hitter – collecting a single in his first MLB at bat. (Ultimately, going one-for-five in the Angels’ 6-5 loss to the A’s.) On April 1, he made his MLB pitching debut, going six innings, giving up three runs on three hits, with one walk and six strikeouts – picking up his first major league victory as the Angels topped Oakland 7-4.

In early-June, Ohtani was placed on the Disabled List (elbow) and he returned in early July primarily as a DH. Ohtani pitched just one game after June 6 – taking the in a 2 1/3-inning start (two runs on two hits, with two walks and two whiffs) in a September 2 loss to the Astros. On October 1, Ohtani had Tommy John surgery.

Ohtani finished his rookie campaign hitting .285, with 22 home runs, 61 RBI and ten stolen bases in 104 games. On the mound, he went 4-2, 3.31 in ten starts – fanning 63 batters in 51 2/3 innings. He earns BBRT’s nod as the AL’s top rookie for that versatility and the fact that he did no let pitching-related arm troubles carry over to his performance at the plate.

Coming in a close second – in BBRT’s ranking, was Yankees’ 23-year-old 3B Miguel Andujar, who went .297-25-97 in 149 games and played an integral role in the Yankees’ drive to the post-season.

National League – Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves (OF)

Photo by DandreaPhotography

The Braves’ have a ton of exciting, young talent – perhaps none more exciting than 20-year-old Venezuelan outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. Acuna made his debut on April 25 and took the field in 111 games for Atlanta. The six-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitter put up a stat line of .293-26-64, with 78 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 21 attempts. In producing those numbers, Acuna notched a number of highlights including becoming just the fourth player to homer to lead off both games of doubleheader and the youngest MLB player to homer in five consecutive games. In the post-season (NLDS), Acuna also became the youngest major leaguer to hit a post-season Grand Slam.

In 259 minor league games (four seasons), Acuna hit .301, with 30 home runs and 122 RBI. In 2017, he played at High A, Double A and Triple A – going a combined .325-21-82 with 44 stolen bases.

Finishing second to Acuna on the BBRT NL Rookie list was the Nationals’ 19-year-old outfielder Juan Soto – who made his MLB debut May 20 and put up a stat line of .292-22-70, with 77 runs scored and five stolen bases in 116 games. The margin of difference was minimal, with BBRT giving Acuna the edge based on his 16 steals.

——————————————————————–

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S 2018 ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Catcher – Jorge Alfaro, Phillies (Born: Sincelejo, Colombia)

Originally signed by the Rangers, Jorge Alfaro was traded to the Phillies in late July of 2015. In 2016-17, he played in 35 games for the Phillies (retaining his rookie status for 2018) – showing considerable promise (.293-5-14). The 25-year-old opened the 2018 season with the Phillies and put up a solid .262-10-37 stat line in 108 games. In eight minor league seasons, Alfaro hit .270-15-51 in 634 games.

Shades of the Molinas? Jorge Alfaro’s brother – 20-year-old Jhoandro Alfaro – is in his fourth pro season as a catcher in the White Sox’ system.

First Base – Ronald Guzman, Rangers (Born: La Vega, Dominican Republic)

The 23-year-old left-handed hitting Ronald Guzman – at 6′ 5″, 225-pounds – showed good power with 16 home runs and 58 RBI in 123 games (.235 average). Guzman was signed by the Ranger in 2011 and made his pro debut (age 17) in 2012 – hitting .321-1-33 in 52 games at the Rookie-League level. In seven minor league seasons, he hit .275-51—339 in 607 games.

Ronald Guzman’s father Manuel saw Guzman play professional baseball for the first time on August 10, 2018 – as the Rangers took on the Yankees in New York. Guzman rewarded his dad with a three-for-five, three-home run day.

Second Base – Gleyber Torres, Yankees (Born: Caracas, Venezuela)

Tough choice here between the Rays’ Joey Wendle (.300-7-61, 16 steals in 139 games) and Yankees’ Gleyber Torres (.271-24-77, with six steals, in 123 games). BBRT is going with Torres for a handful of reasons: 1) I like his advantage in power; 2) At 21, he is seven years younger than Wendle; and 3) Wendle had already seen MLB action in 2016 and 2017 (a total of 36 games with the A’s).

Torres was originally signed by the Cubs in 2013 and made his pro debut in 2014 at the age of 17 – hitting .297-2-33 at the Rookie- and A-Levels. He was traded to the Yankees in July of 2016 (in the trade that took Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs). In 2018, Torres started 104 games at 2B and 15 at SS.

On September 2, batting ninth, Gleyber Torres hit his 20^th home run of the season. That blast was the 265^th for the Yankees, breaking the All Time MLB single-season team record. In addition, it was the 20^th home run hit from the ninth spot in the New York order – making the Bronx Bombers the first team with at least 20 home runs from each of the nine spots in the batting order. Note: The Yankees ended the season with an MLB-record 267 home runs.

Third Base, Miguel Andujar, Yankees (Born: San Cristobal, Dominican Republic)

Another young Yankee, the 23-year-old Miguel Andujar hit .297-27-92 in 149 games after opening the season with the Yankees on April 1. (He did play five games with New York in 2017.) Andujar was signed by the Yankees in 2011 and made his professional debut (at age 17) at the Rookie-League level in 2012 – going .232-1-19 in 50 games. Again at the Rookie-League level the following season, Andujar showed his promise – going .323-4-25 in 34 games. Over six minor league seasons, he hit .274-51-336 in 596 games.

Miguel Andujar hit 47 doubles in 2018 – the most two-baggers ever by a Yankee rookie. The record (44) had been held by Joe DiMaggio – pretty good company.

SS – Willy Adames, Rays (Born: Santiago, Dominican Republic)

The 23-year-old Willy Adames made his MLB debut on May 22 and went .278-10-34, with six steals, in 85 games for the Rays. He finished the season strong, hitting .329-7-25 in 51 August-September games. Signed by the Tigers in 2012, Adames was traded to the Rays in 2014. In six minor league seasons, Adames hit .270, with 38 home runs, 281 RBI and 52 steals in 617 games.

Willy Adames’ first MLB hit – in his debut game – was a home run off Chris Sale.

OF – Ronald Acuna, Jr. Braves (Born: LaGuaira, Venezuela)

Ronald Acuna, Jr. put up a .293-26-64 line, with 16 steals. (See details in the BBRT Rookie of the Year selections at the top of the post.)

OF – Juan Soto, Nationals (Born: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Making his MLB debut as a teenager (May 2), the left-handed hitting Juan Soto hit .292, with 22 home runs and 70 RBI in 116 games. The 6’1”, 185-pound outfielder has hit everywhere he’s played. As a 17-year-old (at the Rookie- and Low-A levels), he hit a combined .368-5-32 in 51 games. Over three minor league seasons, Soto raked at a .362 pace, with 22 homers and 102 RBI in 122 games.

In his first MLB start – second MLB game – Juan Soto became the youngest player in the Expos/Nationals franchise history to hit a home run (19 years and 208 days).

OF – Daniel Palka, White Sox (Born: Greenville, South Carolina)

The 26-year-old Daniel Palka appeared in 124 games for the White Sox in 2018 and powered 27 home runs (.240 averages and 67 RBI). Drafted in the third round of the 2013 MLB draft by the Diamondbacks, he was traded to the Twins in 2015 and then selected off waivers by the White Sox in 2017. The 6’2”, 220-pound left-handed hitter showed good power in the minors, topping 20 home runs in 2014-15-16. In six minor league seasons, he hit .270, with 109 home runs, 368 RBI and 48 steals.

Daniel Palka had a powerful final month in 2018 – hitting .250, with eight home runs and 14 RBI in 25 September games.

DH – Shohei Ohtan, Angels (Born: Oshu, Japan)

Shohei Ohtani, the two-way Japanese star, hit .285-22-61 in 104 games – and went 4-2, 3.31 on the mound. (See details in the BBRT Rookie of the Year selections at the top of this post.)

Shohei Ohtani is credited with the fastest pitch ever thrown in Nippon Professional Baseball history – as 102.5 mph.

Utility – Niko Goodrum, Tigers (Born: Fayetteville, Georgia)

Niko Goodrum was signed as a free agent by the Tigers in November 2017. The 26-year-old, 6’3” 198-pound switch hitter made his Tigers’ debut April 1 (but had played 11 games with the Twins in 2017). His line for the season, .245-16-53, with 12 steals.

A true utility player, in 2018, Niko Goodrum started 59 games at 2B, 22 games at 1B, 10 at SS, 10 in LF, 9 at 3B, and 7 in RF.

SP – Walker Buehler, Dodgers (Born: Lexington, Kentucky)

Walker Buehler – a Dodgers’ first-round draft choice in 2015 – made his MLB debut on September 17, 2017. He pitched in eight games for the Dodgers that season and went 1-0, with a 7.71 ERA in 9 1/3 innings. In 2018, still considered a rookie, Buehler lived up to his first-rounder status. The 6’2”, 175-pound right-hander went 8-5, with a tidy 2.62 earned run average and 151 strikeouts (versus just 37 walks) in 137 1/3 innings (23 starts in 24 appearances). The rookie played a key role in the Dodgers’ NL West title drive. In three minor league campaigns, Buehler went 5-3, 3.04 – fanning 152 batters in 109 2/3 inning.

Walker Buehler signed with the Dodgers, as a first-rounder, in July of 2017 – and had Tommy John surgery before making his professional debut just over a year later.

RP – Seranthony Dominguez, Phillies (Born: Esperanza, Dominican Republic)

Seranthony Dominguez appeared in 53 games for the Phillies in his rookie season – picking up 16 saves in 20 opportunities, posting a 2-5 won-lost record and a 2.95 earned run average. On the season, he fanned 74 batters (22 walks) in 58 innings. Signed in 2011, he began his pro career at 17 in the Dominican Summer League (Rookie League) – going 4-4, 3.48.

Dominguez opened the 2018 season with the Double-A Reading Fightin’ Phils (1-2, 2.08), was soon promoted to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (1-0, 0.00) and, by May 7, was called up to the Phillies. In seven minor league seasons, Dominguez went 23-22, 3.03 with 299 whiffs in 326 2.3 innings.

In his first six MLB appearances, Seranthony Dominguez did not allow a hit or a walk (6 2/3 innings), while fanning seven. In his first 12 MLB appearances, he allowed just two hits and no walks, while fanning 16 in 14 2/3 innings – maintaining a 0.00 ERA until his 13^th MLB game.

“Utility” Pitcher – Ryan Yarborough Rays (Born: Lakeland, Florida)

Okay, the Rays have really pushed the envelope with the “bullpen game” formula for getting outs – which makes the role of Rays’ southpaw rookie Ryan Yarbrough hard to classify. Still, you cannot leave this 23-year-old off the All Rookie squad after a 16-6, 3.91 record in 2018. The 6’5”, 205-pounder stood tall on the mound – tossing 147 1/3 innings in 38 appearances (six starts). BBRT just cannot ignore those 16 wins.

In four minor league seasons, Yarbrough went 29-19, 3.22 – primarily as a starter (87 appearances, 83 starts, one complete game).

Ryan Yarbrough led all rookie pitchers in wins in 2018 – with 16 victories.

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BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S ALL-TIME ROOKIE TEAM

C – Mike Piazza, Dodgers, 1993 … .318-37-130

Mike Piazza may be the most unlikely member of this All-Time, All-Rookie squad. Piazza was chosen by the Dodgers in 62^nd Round of the 1988 MLB draft – meaning that more than 1,300 played were selected before him. Five years later – as a 24-year-old rookie, Piazza was an All Star and the NL Rookie of the Year – hitting .318-35-112. In a total of 16 seasons, Piazza earned his way into the Baseball Hall of Fame – hitting .308, with 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI. He was a 12-time All Star, topped .300 10 times. Hit 30 or more home runs nine times (a high of 40 in 1997 and 1999) and drove in 100 or more runs in six seasons.

Albert Pujols, Cardinals, 2001 … .329-37-130

Photo by shgmom56, Barbara Moore

At the ripe young age of 21, Albert Pujols put up the first in a string of remarkable seasons – earning the 2001 Rookie of the Year Award and a fourth-place finish in the MVP balloting. Pujols hit .329, with 37 home runs, 130 RBI and 112 runs scored. Over the first ten seasons of his career, he topped a .300 average, 30 home runs and 100 RBI every season. At the close of the 2018 season, Pujols was a ten-time All Star, three-time league MVP and two-time Gold Glove winner – boasting a career average of .302, 3,082 base hits, 633 home runs and 1,982 RBI.

Albert Puhjols gets extra credit for versatility. In his rookie season, Pujols started 53 games at 3B; 38 in LF; 33 in RF; 31 at 1B; and 2 at DH.

2B – Harvey Kuenn, Tigers, 1953 …. .308-2-48, with 94 runs scored.

Tough choice here. I really wanted to put in Jackie Robinson (the first-ever Rookie of Rookie of the Year winner – in 1947). Robinson, however, started exclusively at 1B that season. BBRT’s top rookie second-sacker is Harvey Kuenn. As a 22-year-old rookie in 1953, Kuenn was the AL Rookie of the Year – leading the league in plate appearances (731), at bats (679) and, more important for this ranking, base hits (209). Kuenn went on to lead his league in hits four times, won the 1959 batting title (.353) and was an All Star in eight consecutive seasons. He finished his 15-season playing career with a .303 average (nine season at .300 or better) and 2,092 hits, 87 home runs, 671 RBI, 950 runs scored.

3B – Dick Allen, Phillies, 1964 … .318-29-91, with 125 runs scored.

As a 22-year-old rookie, Dick Allen started 162 games at third base for the Phillies – hitting .318-29-91. He also led the NL in runs scored with 125 total bases with 352 and legged out a league-topping 13 triples. That performance earned him Rookie of the Year honors. Allen went on to become a seven-time All Star, delivering a .292 average, 351 home runs and 1,119 RBI over 15 seasons. He led his league in home runs Twice and RBI once, and was the 1972 AL MVP with the White Sox.

SS – Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox, 1977 … .306-30-98

Nomar Garciaparra’s 1997 rookie campaign was a sign of things to come. The 23-year-old made the All Star and hit .306, with 30 long balls, 98 RBI, 122 runs scored and 22 stolen bases (in 153 games). He led the AL in at bats (684), hits (209), triples (11) and tossed in 44 doubles. Garciaparra went on to play 14 MLB seasons, was a six\-time All Star and was two-time batting champion. He finished with a .313 average, 229 home runs, and 936 RBI.

Shoeless Joe Jackson, Indians, 1911 … .408-7-83

Photo by The Library of Congress

The 23-year-old Indians’ outfielder had been called up for the proverbial MLB “cup of coffee” in 1908, 1909 and 1910, but had seen action in only 30 games – retaining his rookie status. After a 1910 season that saw Jackson hit .354 in 136 games for the Class A New Orleans Pelicans and then .387 in 20 contests for the Indians, Jackson had cemented a spot with the 1911 AL Indians’ squad.

What did he do to earn the top spot on this BBRT list? In 147 games, he hit .408, with 233 hits, 126 runs scored, 45 doubles, 19 triples, seven home runs, 83 RBI and 41 stolen bases. Jackson’s .408 remains the 15th-highest average in any MLB season ever and the sixth-highest since 1900. In 1911, Jackson was second in MLB in batting average (to Ty Cobb’s .420) and one of only two players to hit .400; first in on base percentage (.468); second (to Cobb) in slugging percentage at .590; second in runs scored (again to Cobb); second in hits (Cobb); second in doubles (Cobb); and second in total bases with 337 (Cobb, 367). He finished fourth in the MVP voting.

If it took Ty Cobb in his prime to outhit you in your rookie season, you’ve earned the top spot on this list.

Jackson – caught up in the Black Sox scandal of 1919 – went on to a 13-year career in which he averaged .356, three times led the AL in triples, twice led the AL in hits, twice topped the league in total bases and racked up single seasons leading the AL in doubles, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. By the way, Jackson hit .375 in that infamous 1919 World Series.

Fred Lynn, Red Sox, 1975 … .331-21-105

How can you not have Red Sox flycatcher Fred Lynn near the top of this list? He was the first player to win Rookie of the Year and a Most Valuable Player Award in the same season. It was 1975, but Lynn had shown his promise the season before. Called up from the Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox (where he hit .282-21-68 in 124 games), Lynn closed out the 1974 season hitting .419 in 15 games for Boston. In 1975, he hit .331 (second in the AL), with 21 home runs, 105 RBI and an AL-leading 103 runs scored. – and he won a Gold Glove for his defensive play in center field.

Lynn went on to a 17-season career with a stat line of .283-306-1,111 and four Gold Gloves.

Ted Williams, Red Sox, 1939 … .327-31-145

Photo by Wicker Paradise

Teddy Ball game broke into the big leagues in 1939 – a 20-year-old rookie. It was his fourth professional season and, in three minor league campaigns, his average had gone from .271 to .291 to .366. In 1939, Williams hit .327, banged out 31 home runs, led all of MLB with 145 RBI and scored 131 times. He finished seventh in the AL in batting average; fifth in hits (185); first in total bases (344); second in doubles (44); fifth in triples (11); and third in home runs (31). The Splendid Splinter finished fourth in the MVP voting in his rookie campaign.

Williams went on to a Hall of Fame career that included: six batting titles; four home run crowns; six seasons leading the league in runs scored; and four seasons at the top of the RBI list. In 19 MLB seasons, Williams also put up an MLB career-best .482 on-base percentage – leading the AL in that category 12 times.

DH – Aaron Judge, 2017 Yankees … .284-52-114

The 25-year-old Aaron Judge blasted an MLB rookie-record 52 home runs in 2017 Despite 208 strikeouts (another rookie record), Judge hit .284, with league-leading 52 home runs, 114 RBI’s and an AL-leading 128 runs. He also topped the league with 127 free passes. Judge, a first–round selection in the 2013 MLB draft (number 32 overall), was selected AL Rookie of the month in April, May, June and September of 2017. In 2018, Judge hit .278-27-67 in 112 games and made his second consecutive All Star squad.

SP – Russ Ford, Yankees, 1910 … 26-6, 1.65

Unlike many of the players on this list, after a spectacular rookie season, right-handed hurler Russ Ford did not go on to a long and illustrious MLB career. Before making the New York Highlanders (Yankees) roster in 1910, Ford did get a somewhat disastrous “cup of major league coffee” in 1909 – one game, three innings pitched, four hits, four walks, three hit batsmen, three earned runs, two strikeouts.

Still a rookie in 1910, the 27-year-old righty went 26-6 with a 1.65 ERA. The 26 wins remains the American League rookie-season record. In his initial full campaign, Ford was second in the AL in wins (26); second in winning percentage (.813); seventh in ERA (1.65); fourth in strikeouts (209); fifth in games started (33); fourth in complete games (29); and second in shutouts (8). On a Highlanders’ team that finished second with an 88-63 record, Ford led the team in virtually every positive pitching category.

Ford followed that rookie season with a 22-11, 2.27 record in 1911, but then led the AL in losses (13-21, 3.55) in 1912 and lost 18 games (versus 12 wins) in 1913. He jumped to Buffalo of the Federal League in 1914, going 21-6, 1.82 … and 5-9, 4.52 in 1915. Historians report that Ford’s career was cut short (he did not pitch in the majors after 1915) with the banning of his signature pitch – the well-scuffed “emery ball.” His final MLB line, over seven seasons, was 99-71, 2.59.

RP – Craig Kimbrel, 2011, Braves … 4-3, 2.10, 46 saves

The 23-year-old Craig Kimbrel was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2011 – after leading the NL in saves (46) and putting up a 4-3, 2.10 record with 127 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched. Now in his ninth season, the elite closer has been all All Star seven times, led his league in saves four times, put up a 1.91 earned run average and fanned 868 batters in 532 2/3 innings.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Here a few additinal rookie seasons that BBRT finds either remarkable, interesting … or both.

Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 1911 … 28-13, 2.57

After going a combined 44-19, with a 1.66 ERA in two minor league seasons – D-Level Galesburg Boosters in 1909 and B-Level Syracuse Stars in 1910 (where he went 29-11) – Grover Cleveland “Pete” Alexander made the Phillies’ major league squad in 1911. In his rookie season, Alexander went 28-11, with a 2.57 ERA and finished third in the National League MVP race. (The 28 wins are still the post-1900 record for a rookie.) Here’s what the 24-year-old rookie right-hander accomplished: 28 wins (led NL, tied for MLB lead); 31 complete games (led NL, third in MLB); seven shutouts (led MLB); 227 strikeouts (second in NL, fourth in MLB); 37 games started (second in NL, third in MLB). 6.99 hits per nine innings (lowest in NL, second-lowest in MLB).

Alexander went on to a 20-season Hall of Fame career – 373 wins (208 losses); a 2.56 career ERA; 2,198 strikeouts. He led the NL in wins six times; ERA five times; complete games six times; shutouts 7 times; and strikeouts six times.

Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers, 1981 … 13-7, 2.48

Fernando Valenzuela went just 13-7 in 1981 – but, remember that was a strike season and no pitcher won more than 14 games. In fact, Valenzuela’s 13-7, 2.48 ERA record earned him Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award honors, as well as a top-five finish in the MVP voting. The 20-year-old rookie also led the league in starts (25), complete games (11), shutouts (8) innings pitched (192 1/3) and strikeouts (180). Valenzuela went on to a 17-season career (173-153, 3.54).

Mark McGwire, A’s 1987 … .289-49-118

Mark McGwire’s original call up was not an eye-opener (18 games in 1986, with a .189-3-9 stat line.) But he made good on his promise in his first full season – going .289-49-118 for the A’s as a 23-year-old in 1987; and setting a rookie HR record that stood for three decades. McGwire went on to a 16-season MLB career in which he hit .263, with 583 long balls and 1,414 RBI. McGwire led his league in home runs four times (a high of 70 in 1998) and in RBI once (147 in 1999).

Dale Alexander, 1929, Tigers … .343-25-137

Dale Alexander is an “Oh my, what could have been!” story. Alexander broke in at first base with the Tigers in 1929 – after six minor league seasons in which he hit .333 (in 2,924 at bats). The year before he made the Tigers’ squad, Alexander hit .380-31-144 with 15 stolen bases at Toronto of the Double-A International League. As an MLB rookie, Alexander played in all 155 Tigers’ games, hitting .343 (tenth in the league), leading the league with 215 base hits, blasting 25 home runs (fifth in the AL) and driving in 137 runs (third).

A durable player, Alexander again played in every Tigers’ game in 1930, this time hitting .326-20-135. He went on to a .325 average (just three home runs) in 1931 and .367-8-60 (and an AL batting title) in 1932 (a season which included a trade to the Red Sox). Over his first four full seasons, Alexander averaged .338.

In a five-season MLB career – cut short by a truly unexpected injury/health catastrophe – Alexander hit .331, with 61 home runs, 459 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

In May of 1933, Alexander suffered a knee injury and was subjected to a new deep-heat treatment. Unfortunately, Alexander was left in the “diathermy” machine too long and suffered third-degree burns to his leg. Initially, there was concern that he might actually lose the leg, but amputation was avoided. However, the burned and scarred leg did not fully recover, limiting Alexander’s mobility and marking 1933 as his final MLB season. (He did continue to play in the minor until 1942).

Mike Trout, Angels, 2012 … .326-30-83

Mike Trout joined the 30-30 club in his first full MLB season (at the age of 20) – going .326-30-83, with a league-leading 49 stolen bases. He also led the league in runs scored with 149. That performance earned him Rookie of the Year honors and a second-place finish in the AL MVP voting. (Note: Trout hit .220 in a 40-game call up in 2011.)

In his first seven full MLB seasons, Trout has made the All Star team seven times, won two MVPAwards and finished second in MVP voting three times (could be a fourth this year.)

Tony Oliva, Twins 1964 … .323-32-94

25-year-old Tony Oliva won the AL batting crown in his rookie season with .323 average. He also led the AL in hits (217), runs scored (109), doubles (43) and total bases (374). Despite being hampered by knee injuries in the latter part of his career, Tony-O went on to 15 MLB seasons that included three batting crowns, five seasons leading the league in hits and four seasons topping the AL in doubles. Oliva’s career stat line: .304-220-947.

Extra credit to Tony Oliva for following up his rookie batting title by becoming the only player to win a batting title in his first two full seasons (.323 in 1963, .321 in 1964). He also led the league in base hits his first three full seasons

Mark Fidrych, Tigers, 1976 … 1909, 2.34

At 21, Mark “The Bird” Fidrych took baseball – and, in particular, Detroit baseball – by storm. Statically, he went 19-9, with a league-low 2.34 ERA and a league-high 24 complete games. His performance won him Rookie of the Year honors and second place in the Cy Young Award balloting. His 19 wins were third in the AL – keeping in mind that he opened the year in the bullpen and didn’t get his first start until May 15. He went on to throw complete games in his 11 of his first 12 starts.

Fidrych makes this list as much for his antics on the mound – and popularity with the fans – as for his stellar rookie numbers. How can you not recognize a season in which a team draws more than twice as many fans at home for a specific pitcher’s starts? In 1976, the Tigers’ average home attendance on a non-Fidrych start days was 13,843; while the team averaged 33,649 when The Bird started on the Detroit home mound.

In Spring Training 1977, Fidrych injured his knee, but recovered and got off to a good start that season. Going into July, Fidrych was 6-2, with a 1.83 ERA and seven complete games in eight starts. Then, in a July 4 start against the Orioles, he felt something wrong in that valuable right wing (giving up six runs in 5 2/3 innings). He tried a couple more outings (a total of seven runs in 6 1/3 innings) before shutting down. He really never was the same again – eventually having shoulder surgery – and won only four more MLB games after July 1977. Some think the knee injury may have led him to alter his delivery, while others point to the workload of all those complete games. Either way, like Dale Alexander’s, this is an “Oh my, what might have been!” kind of story. The Bird’s final stat line: 29-19, 3.10.

Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners, 2001 … .350-8-69

Okay, I know Ichiro Suzuki should probably be in the All-time, Rookie Lineup – probably right up there around Ted Williams and Fred Lynn. After all, as a 27-year-old MLB rookie, he led the AL with a .350 average and 242 hits – and added a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a Gold Glove. It’s just that those nine seasons in Japan (.353 average and seven batting championships) make it hard from me to figure out where to place him with more traditional rookies.

Still, like Elvis, Cher and Madonna, Ichiro is a star that needs only one name. After a spectacular rookie season in MLB, Ichiro just kept on hitting. He amassed 200+ hits in each of his first ten MLB seasons, leading the league in safeties seven times – and picked up a pair of batting titles along the way. He was also a Gold Glover in each of his first ten seasons. After 18 MLB seasons, Ichiro has a .311 MLB average, 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 780 RBI, 1,420 runs scored. And let’s not forget those 1,278 hits in Japan. The man has been a hitting machine – and earns special recognition for a spectacular MLB rookie season.

BEST FOR LAST – MLB’s FIRST AND MOST IMPACTFUL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Photo by InSapphoWeTrust

In 1947, Major League Baseball honored it first-ever Rookie of the Year – Dodgers’ first baseman Jackie Robinson. (There was initially just on ROY each season.) Robinson’s season may not have been the most spectacular in terms of numbers – .297 average, 12 home runs, 48 RBI, 125 runs (second in the league) and a league-leading 29 stolen bases – but it was extremely significant in terms of the Brooklyn rookie’s impact on the national pastime. In breaking baseball’s “color line,” the 28-year-old Robinson ushered in a new era and, as noted, turned in solid rookie-season performance, despite the many race-related challenges he faced.

Robinson faced those challenges with dignity and a balance of fire and restraint. He went on to a ten-year career MLB that included six All Star selections, a batting title (.342 in 1949) and two stolen base crowns. His career average was .311 (1,518 hits, with 137 home runs, 734 RBI, 947 runs scored and 197 steals. He hit .300 or better six times, topped twenty steals five times, scored 100 or more runs six times and reached double-digits in home runs in all but one season. In 1949, he was NL MVP with a .342 average, 16 home runs, 124 RBI, 122 runs scored and a league-topping 37 stolen bases. The season he had 203 base hits, 38 doubles, 12 triples, 86 walks and just 27 strikeouts.

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When it Comes to the Fall Classic, 13 is Definitely NOT a Lucky Number

October 23, 2018 by David

As the Dodgers and Red Sox prepare to face off in tonight’s 2018 World Series Game One (read BBRT’s World Series Preview here), Baseball Roundtable would like to take a look at some Fall Classic targets – most particularly total hits by a player in a single World Series.

Three players – Bobby Richardson, Lou Brock and Marty Barrett – share the record for base hits in a single World Series (13) – and all three collected their Baker’s Dozen safeties in losing causes.

Bobby Richardson, 2B, Yankees … 1964 World Series

Bobby Richardson went 13-for-32 (.406) in the 1964 World Series – as the Yankees lost to the Cardinals in seven games. Richardson collected two doubles and eleven singles, drove in three runs and scored three in a Series that saw the Cardinals top the Yankees in seven games. The MVP of the Series was the Redbird Bob Gibson, who went 2-2, 3.00 with 31 strikeouts in 27 innings. Gibson allowed 23 hits in his 27 innings, with Richardson collecting seven safeties in 15 at bats versus the Cardinals ace.

Richardson, by the way, was a “Big Game” hitter. The defensive whiz (a seven-time All Star and five-time Gold Glover) had a .266 career average over 12 MLB seasons. In seven World Series (36 games), he hit .305.

Yankees’ 2B Bobby Richardson is the only player to win the World Series MVP Award for a losing team. In 1960, as the Yankees lost to the Pirates in seven games – despite outscoring Pittsburgh 55-27, out-homering the Pirates 10-4 and outhitting them .338 to .256 – Richardson earned the MVP Award by hitting .367 (11-for-30), with two doubles, two triples, one home run, 12 run batted in (still the single World Series record) and eight runs scored.

Lou Brock, LF, Cardinals …. 1968 World Series

Hall of Famer Lou Brock went 13-for-28 (.464) in the 1968 World Series as his Cardinals lost to the Tigers in seven contests. Brock had three doubles, one triple, two home runs and five RBI in the losing cause. Notably, Brock was coming off a 1967 World Series when he came within one hit of the 13-hit record – going 12-for-29, with three homers and seven RBI as the Cardinals topped the Red Sox.

Brock, like Yankee Bobby Richardson – whose 13-hit World Series record he tied – was at his best in big games. In three World Series (21 games), Brock hit .391-4-13. In a 19-season MLB career, Brock was a six-time All Star. A .293 career hitter, Brock’s 3,023 hits are 27^th all-time and his 938 stolen bases are second only to Rickey Henderson. (Brock led the NL in steals eight times.)

The MVP of that 1968 World Series was Tigers’ starter Mickey Lolich, who gave up just five runs in three complete-game victories.

In the 1967 World Series, Lou Brock set a Fall Classic record by stealing seven bases (in seven attempts). Proving it wasn’t a fluke, he tied the record with seven steals (in nine attempts) in the 1968 World Series. Brock is still the only player to swipe seven bags in a single World Series.

Marty Barrett, 2B, Red Sox … 1986 World Series

Marty Barrett was never selected to an All Star team in his ten-season MLB career – but, in 1986, he was clearly a post-season All Star. First, as his Red Sox topped the Angels in the American League Championship Series, Barrett won ALCS MVP honors by going 11-for-30 (.367) with two doubles, five RBI and four runs scored. But his post-season run of excellence was far from over.

In the World Series, Barrett collected a record-tying 13 safeties (as the Red Sox lost to the Mets in seven games). He went 13-for-30 (.433) with two doubles and five walks (versus just two strikeouts) – scoring one run and driving in five. The MVP of the Series was the Mets’ 3B Ray Knight, who went 9-for-23 (.391), with one home run and five RBI.

Barrett played 941 games in ten MLB seasons, hitting .278, with 18 home runs and 314 RBI.

Mary Barrett – a skilled bunter – led the league in sacrifice bunts three consecutive seasons (1986-88), with 18, 22 and 20 sacrifices, respectively.

So, there’s a look at the three players who share the record for base hits in a single World Series. As the Dodgers and Red Sox face off, here are a few other single World Series targets:

HITTING

Batting Average – .750

Billy Hatcher, Reds, 1990 (12-for-15).

Home Runs – 5

Reggie Jackson, Yankees, 1977

Chase Utley, Phillies, 2009

George Springer, Astros, 2017

Runs Batted In – 12

Bobby Richardson, Yankees, 1960

Runs Scored – 10

Reggie Jackson, Yankees, 1977

Paul Molitor, Blue Jays, 1990

Walks – 13

Barry Bonds, Giants, 2002

PITCHING

Earned Run Average – 0.00

There are more than a dozen players with at least ten innings pitched in a World Series with a 0.00 ERA. Only two have put up perfect ERA while tossing 27 innings in a single Fall Classic.

Christy Mathewson, Giants, 1905

Waite Hoyte, Yankees, 1921 World Series.

Wins – 3

Plenty of three-game winners, the most recent being:

Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks, 2001

Strikeouts – 35

Bob Gibson, Cardinals, 1968

Shutouts – 3

Christy Mathewson, Giants, 1905

Game Appearances – Seven

Darold Knowles, A’s, 1973

Brandon Morrow, Dodgers, 2017

Innings Pitched – 44

Deacon Phillippe, Pirates, 1903

Saves – 4

John Wetteland, Yankees, 1996

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

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Trivia Teaser … Name the only player to reach both three home runs and seven RBI in a post-season game.

October 19, 2018 by David

TRIVIA TEASER

Only ten players have hit an MLB-record three home runs in a single post-season game, and only five players have driven in an MLB-record seven runs in a post-season contest. Name the only MLB player to accomplish both – and, here’s the kicker, he did it in the same game.

Before we get to the answer, how about a few facts about three-homer and seven-RBI post-season games:

The Yankees’ Babe Ruth, appropriately, was the first player to achieve a three-homer post-season contest (1926 World Series) – and the only player to reach three homers in a post-season game twice.
The A’s Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a post-season game (1977 World Series) – on three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers.
Of the five players to reach seven RBI in a post-season game, three were wearing a Red Sox’ uniform.
The Red Sox’ Troy O’Leary collected his record-tying seven RBI (in a single post-season game) on a Grand Slam and three-run homer. Both blasts came after the hitter directly before O’Leary (Nomar Garciaparra) was intentionally walked.
Adam Kennedy (who hit three home runs in an 2002 ALDS) game, hit only seven home runs in 144 games that season. He hit 80 roundt trippers in 14 MLB seasons – and had only four multi-homer games (including the post-season record-tying contest).
Two of the five seven-RBI post-season games came on consecutive days.

Photo by DandreaPhotography

Now our Trivia Teaser Answer: One year ago today (October 19), Dodgers’ outfielder Enrique “Kike” Hernadez tied the record for home runs in a post-season game AND the record for RBI in a post-season game, delivering one the best – if not the best ever – post-season offensive performances.

As his Dodgers topped the Cubs 11-1 in Chicago – to win the National League Championship Series four games to one – LF Hernandez went three-for-four with a walk – homering in the second (solo shot, leading off); the third (Grand Slam with one out); and the ninth (two-run shot with one out). The three home runs and seven RBI both tied single-game, post-season records. On the season, Hernandez hit just .215, with 11 home runs and 37 RBI in 140 games.

MLB Players with Seven RBI in a Post-Season Game

Edgar Martinez, Mariners, October 7, 1995

Martinez was the focal point of the Mariners’ offense as they topped the Yankees 11-8 (in Seattle) in Game Four of the 1995 American League Division Series. Martinez was appropriately playing Designated Hitter and batting cleanup. Martinez walked in the first; hit a three-run home run in the third; singled in the fourth; grounded out in the sixth; launched a Grand Slam to break a 6-6 tie in the eighth. On the season, Martinez hit a league-leading .356, with 29 home runs and 113 RBI.

Mo Vaughn Red Sox … September 29, 1998

Vaughn came to the plate five times as the Red Sox topped the Indians (in Cleveland) 11-3 in the first game of the 1998 AL Division Series. He belted a three-run home run in the first inning; flied out to left in the third; struck out in the fifth; hit a two-run homer in the sixth; and rapped a two-run double in the eighth. (On the season, Vaughn had been .337-40-115.)

John Valentin, Red Sox … October 10, 1999

Valentin’s big day came in Game Four of the 1999 AL Division Series – as the Red Sox trounced the Indians 23-7 at Fenway. Valentin, playing third base and batting second, went four-for-five: a two-run homer in the first inning; a single in the second; a two-run long ball in the third; a three-run double in the fourth; and a strikeout in the sixth – all before being lifted for pinch-hitter Donnie Sadler in the seventh. On the season, Valentin put up a stat line of .253-12-70.

Troy O’Leary, Red Sox, October 11, 1999

Just one day after BoSox’ 3B John Valentin plated seven runs against the Indians in the 1999 AL Division Series, LF Troy O’Leary matched Valentin’s RBI output as the Red Sox again bested the Indians (this time by a 12-8 score). Talk about a lack of respect – all of O’Leary’s runs batted in came immediately after intentional walks to Nomar Garciaparra (full story at the end of this post).

Enrique “Kike” Hernandez, Dodgers … October 19, 2017

See the story in the Trivia answer above.

———————————————————————-

MLB Players with Three Home runs in a Post-Season Game

Babe Ruth, Yankees … October 6, 1926

Ruth, who started in left field and batted third, hit three long balls as the Yankees topped the Cardinals 10-5 (in Saint Louis) in Game Six of the 1926 World Series. Ruth went three-for-three with two walks – scoring four and driving in four in the game.

Babe Ruth, Yankees … October 9, 1928

The first player to hit three homers in a post season game, Ruth, was also the second. It was again versus the Cardinals in St. Louis – this time as the Yankees won Game Four (of a four-game sweep) 7-3. Ruth went three-for-five, scoring three and driving in three.

Bob Robertson, Pirates … October 3, 1971

The Pirates’ first baseman had a big day against the Giants (in San Francisco) in Game Two of the 1971 NL Championship Series, going four-for-five with four runs scored and five RBI, as the Pirate triumphed 9-5. Robertson, batting in the five-hole, doubled in the first (scoring one batter later on a single by C Manny Sanguillen); led off the fourth with a solo homer; struck out in the fifth; hit a three-run shot in the seventh; added another solo home run in the ninth. On the season, Robertson hit .271-26-72.

Reggie Jackson, Yankees … October 18, 1977

Reggie Jackson put an exclamation point (or two) behind his three-homer post-season game. First, he was only the second player ever to post a three-dinger contest in the World Series. Second, he hit his three home runs on three consecutive pitches off three different pitchers. Playing right field and batting cleanup for the Yankees – against the Dodgers in Game Six of the 1977 World Series – Jackson drew a four-pitch walk from Dodgers’ starter Burt Hooten leading off the second inning. Turned out that not pitching to Jackson may have been the best possible Dodgers’ strategy.

In the fourth inning, with the Dodgers up 3-2, Thurmon Munson on first and no one out, Jackson hit the first pitch from Hooten for a two-run home run to right field (giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead). By the time Jackson batted again (bottom of the fifth), the Yankees were up 5-3 and Elias Sosa was on the mound for LA. Jackson swung at Elias’ first offering and produced another two-run home run to right. Jackson’s next at bat came leading off the eighth, this time with knuckleballer Charlie Hough on the bump. Once again, Jackson swung at the first pitch – and this time he sent a home run to deep center; finishing the day three-for-three with four runs scored and five RBI. On the season, Jackson hit .286-32-110 (and stole 17 bases in 20 attempts). In the World Series, he hit .450 (9-for-20) with five home runs and eight RBI.

George Brett, Royals … October 6, 1978

Brett hit his three home runs in a losing cause, as his Royals dropped Game Three of the 1978 AL Championship Series to the Yankees 6-5 (in New York). Brett, playing third base and leading off, went three-for-five in the game, hitting solo shots in the first, third and fifth innings – all off starter Catfish Hunter. They were the only runs Hunter gave up in his seven innings of work. Brett seemed an unlikely three-homer hero. He had sent only nine balls out of the park during the season (.294-9-62).

Adam Kennedy, Angels … October 13, 2002

Second baseman Kennedy did a lot of damage from the number-nine slot in the batting order as his Angels bested the Twins 13-5 in the deciding game of the 2002 AL Championship Series. He went four-for-four in the game – with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the third inning; another solo shot in the fifth; and a three-run blast in the seventh. Kennedy came up for s second at bat in the seventh (a ten-run frame for the Angels) with a chance for the first post-season, four-dinger game, but settled for a second hit in the inning – a single to left. For the game, Kennedy had three runs scored and five driven in. On the 2002 season, Kennedy hit .312, with seven home runs and 52 RBI in 144 games.

Adrian Beltre, Rangers … October 4, 2011

Beltre started at third base, batting fifth, as the Rangers took on the Rays in Game Four of the 2011 American League Division Series. The game was won by the Rangers 4-3, with all the Texas runs coming on solo home runs. Rangers’ 2B Ian Kinsler opened the game with a leadoff homer in the top of the first. Beltre went three-for-four with solo shots in the second, fourth, and seventh innings – before a fly out in the eighth. On the season, Beltre went .296-32-105.

Albert Pujols, Cardinals … October 22, 2011

Cardinals’ 1B Albert Pujols collected five hits in six at bats as the Redbirds topped the Rangers 16-7 in Game Three of the 2011 World Series – scoring four runs and plating six. Sir Albert’s day went: groundout to third in the top of first inning; single in the fourth; single in the fifth; three-run homer in the sixth; two-run homer in the seventh; solo shot in the ninth. Pujols had gone .299-37-99 on the season – the first time in eleven seasons in which he did not reach at least .300-30-100.

Pablo Sandoval, Giants … October 24, 2012

Three was a lucky number for Pablo Sandoval, who started at 3B, batted third and hit three long balls –as the Giants topped the Tigers 8-3 (in SF) in Game One of the 2012 World Series. Sandoval hit a solo shot in the first inning; a two-run homer in the third; a solo shot in the fifth; and a single in the seventh. On the season, Sandoval hit .283, with 12 home runs and 63 RBI. He hit an even .500 in the 2012 World Series, capturing the MVP Award.

Jose Altuve Astros … October 5, 2017

In Game One of the 2017 American League Division Series, the Red Sox faced the Astros in Houston – and you can bet the eyes of Texas were on Astros’ diminutive 2B Jose Altuve, who had won the AL batting title (his third crown), led the league in hits with 204 (his fourth straight 200+ hit season) and had thrown in 24 home runs, 81 RBI, 112 runs scored and 32 stolen bases. He did not disappoint. In that Game One, Altuve went three-for-four with three solo home runs – in an 8-2 Astros’ win. Altuve hit a solo home run in the first inning; grounded into a double play in the third; homered again in the fifth; and added the third round tripper in the seventh. He ended up hitting .553 in the ALDS (8-for-15), with three homers and four RBI. He followed that up by going .320, with two more homers in the AL Championship Series and .194 with a pair of dingers in the World Series.

Enrique “Kike” Hernandez, Dodgers 2017

Story in the Trivia Teaser answer above.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T …. How About a Little Respect for O’Leary

On October 11 1999, the Red Sox and Indians faced off (in Cleveland) in the final game of the five-game American League Division Series. It had been quite the matchup. After a close Game One – taken by the Indians 3-2, the Indians seemed to take charge with an 11-1 trouncing of the BoSox in Game Two. But the Red Sox – back in Boston – roared back with a 9-3 win in Game Three and a 23-7 victory in Game Four. The stage was set for a deciding Game Five in Cleveland.

Playing left field and batting fifth for Boston was left-handed swinging Troy O’Leary. The 29-year-old (in his seventh MLB season) had put up some career-best numbers in 1999 – hitting .280 and reaching what would prove to be career (11 seasons) highs in home runs (28) and RBI (103). Batting right in front of O’Leary was Red Sox’ 25-year-old SS Nomar Garciaparra, an All Star who had won the AL batting crown that season at .357, poking 27 home runs and driving in 104. Over his first three full MLB seasons, Garciaparra had hit .326, with 92 home runs and 324 RBI. Those numbers would come into play on that October evening.

The starting pitchers were Bret Saberhagen for the Red Sox 10-6, 2.95 during the season) and Indians’ Charles Nagy (17-11, 4.95). The Red Sox (who made the post-season as the Wild Card) took a 2-0 lead over the AL Central Champion Indians in the top of the first on a Nomar Garciaparra two-run home run. By the time the Red Sox batted in the top of the third, Cleveland led 5-2. When Garciaparra came to the plate that inning, it was five to three, with one out and runners on second and third. The Indians elected to intentionally walk Garciaparra and pitch to O’Leary (who, at the time, had two singles in 14 at bats in the Series). The result? An O’Leary Grand Slam and a 7-5 Red Sox lead. The Indians came back immediately, scoring three in the bottom of the inning (a Manny Ramirez RBI double and a two-run Jim Thome home run) to retake the lead.

By the top of the seventh, it was 8-8 and Garciaparra found himself at the plate with a runner in scoring position (3B John Valentin on second) and one out. the Indians again elected to intentionally pass Garciaparra and pitch to O’Leary. The result? Another home run – a three-run shot that put Boston up 11-7. (They eventually won 12-8).

Note: O’Leary would retire with a .274 average, 127 home runs and 591 RBI. He would top .300 in two seasons, reach 20 home runs twice in his career and 100 or more RBI just in that 1999 season).

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Trivia Teaser … Name the only team to win the World Series after being outscored in the regular season.

October 16, 2018 by David

Trivia Teaser

Can you name the only MLB team to win the World Series after being outscored by the opposition in the regular season?

Photo by Shemp65

The only team to be outscored during the regular season and go on to win the World Series was the 1987 Twins – one of MLB’s unlikeliest World Series Champions. Consider just a few of the circumstances:

The Twins had finished in sixth place, 20-games under .500 the previous season – when they were outscored by 98 runs (741-839).
In 1987, they were outscored by 20 tallies (786-806), but produced an 85-77 record, good enough to top the American League West.
The Twins has ended the 1987 season on a five-game losing streak.
In the American League Championship Series they faced the 98-64 Detroit Tigers – who had outscored their opponents by 161 runs; had beaten the Twins eight times (versus four losses) during the regular season; had outscored the Twins 83-58 in head-to head matchups; and had ended the regular season a four-game winning streak.
The Twins opponent in the World Series was the 95-67 St. Louis Cardinals, who had outscored their opponents by 105 runs (798-693).

The 1987 World Series saw the first-ever indoor Fall Classic contests – at Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

At the time, the Twins 85-77 record represented the worst regular-season record ever by a World Series Champion. In the 2006 season, the 83-78 St. Louis Cardinals eclipsed that mark topping the 95-67 Tigers in the World Series.

There’s no place like dome.

The 1987 Twins had a 29-52 road record, the fifth-worst in MLB that season – but they offset that with a 56-25 home record (the best in baseball) at the Metrodome. Then, in the World Series, the home team won every game – and the Twins had four home games.

It’s a Smalley World After all

Game Seven of the 1987 World Series was played on October 25 – the 35^th birthday of Twins SS/3B Roy Smalley III. It was also the final game of Smalley’s 13-season MLB career. He retired as part of a World Series winning squad – not a bad way to celebrate your birthday.

HOW THE GAME HAS CHANGED

The very first World Series night game as played on Wednesday, October 13, 1971, in Pittsburgh – with the Pirates topping the Orioles 4-3. That’s right, prior to 1971, every World Series game was lit by the sun.

The 1987 World Series’ Game Six, played in the Metrodome, is the last scheduled World Series Day game – although, being indoors, the fans did not enjoy blue skies and sunshine. The game, however, did enjoy prime-time TV exposure.

GOOD DAY SUNSHINE

World Series Baseball, old schoolers say,

Was made to be played under blue skies and autumn sun.

In fact, the Fall Classic didn’t see a night-time start

Until October of 1971.

It was a prime-time slide from there, two night matches in ’72;

Three in ’73 and then a total of four in ’74.

And World Series baseball continued to get darker,

Five night games in ’75 – and the future held even more.

Now the count for World Series day games

Has dropped to the lowly sum of none.

1987 was, sadly, the last October Classic

When we could watch even one.

Even that single day game in 1987

Was not exactly a sunlit ride.

It was played in Minnesota’s Metrodome,

Where the day could not get inside.

Now, 31 years of Series games

Have been played without blue skies and bright sun.

It’s been all moonlight heavens and halogen

Lighting the fields where championships are won.

Of course, TV advertising

Has proven to be a boon.

But I’d still like to see some Series baseball

Under the sun and not the moon.

For an old school fan like me,

if wishes could come true,

A few weekend Series games

Would feature skies, not black, but blue.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, Trivia

Casey Makes His Case … and BBRT’s League Championship Series Predictions

October 10, 2018 by David

Okay, we are on to the League Championship Series. Thus far, BBRT has only missed on one Wild Card game (I picked the Rockies over the Brewers), although the favorite have pretty much come through. I must add that while I got the prediction right on the Red Sox/Yankees, it didn’t exactly go as I expected. (I anticipated that David Price would finally find his post-season mojo and help lead the BoSox to a series win. Instead, it was Nathan Eovaldi who won a pivotal game.)

So, here are BBRT’s calls for the League Championship Series … but first, a little post-season tidbit for fans of “The Old Professor.”

Casey Makes His Case

On this date (October 10) in 1923, Yankee Stadium hosted its first-ever post-season game. Appropriately, the first World Series in “The House that Ruth Built” featured a six-game Yankees’ victory and three round trippers by the Babe himself. However, it was another New York outfielder – and eventual Yankee icon – who nearly stole the show.

In Game One, the New York Giants’ center fielder and number-six hitter Casey Stengel (one-for-two with a walk at the time) came up with the score knotted at four apiece, two out and no one on. Stengel hit a drive to deep left-center and dashed around the bases – losing a shoe along the way – to score the winning run (and record the first post-season home run in Yankee Stadium history).

The Series then went to the Polo Grounds for Game Two (the home sites would alternate game-by-game for this all-NY World Series), where Ruth would poke a pair of home runs as the Yankees prevailed 4-2. Then back to Yankee Stadium, where Stengel hit the second-ever post-season home run in that ballpark – a seventh-inning shot that gave the Giants a 1-0 victory. The Yankees went on to win the Series four games to two. Stengel, who played on one World Series winner with the Giants, would go on to win ten pennants and seven World Series Championships as the Yankees’ manager.

By the way, Stengel, who hit .339 in 75 regular-season games for the Giants that season, hit .417, with two homers and four RBI in the 1923 World Series.

—–NOW FOR BBRT’S PREDICTIONS—–

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Dodgers over Brewers

The Dodgers topped the Brewers four games to three in the regular-season series and I’m betting on a similar result (not really betting, I prefer to just enjoy the games) – with LA topping Milwaukee in six games. (Apologies to all my Milwaukee-resident relatives.) For me, it’s mostly about: 1) an old-school attitude toward pitching; 2) the Dodgers’ depth and; 3) a touch of star power.

Manny Machado brought some star power over to the Dodgers. Photo by Keith Allison

First, these are two potent offenses. In the regular season, the Dodgers stroked an NL-best 235 home runs (while hitting .250 as a team). The Brewers were not far behind at 218 round trippers and a slightly better (.252) average. However, the LA squad put up 50 more runs (804) than the Brew Crew (754). The reason, at least in BBRT’s view, is that the Dodgers’ lineup goes a little deeper and is a bit more versatile – with eight players launching 20+home runs each: Matt Muncy (.263-35-79), who spent notable time at 1B, 2B and 3B); 1B/CF Cody Bellinger (.260-25-76); OF Joc Pederson (.248-25-56); C Yasmani Grandal (.241-24-68); OF Yasiel Puig (.267-23-63); 2B-SS-OF Enrique Hernandez (.256-21-52); OF Matt Kemp (.290-21-85); and, of course, mid-season pickups SS Manny Machado (who hit .297-37-104 for the Orioles and Dodgers combined) and versatile corner infielder David Freese (.296-11-51 for the Pirates and the Dodgers). The Dodgers can hurt you up and down the line-up and have the flexibility to tailor right/left matchup (which also leaves them with a strong bench).

Likely Difference Maker …

Here’s where a touch of star power may come in. BBRT looks for Manny Machado to have a breakout series. He just seems poised to make a statement.

The Brewers need CXhristian Yelich to lead the offense like he did in September.
Photo by DandreaPhotography

The Brewers are no slouches offensively, led by likely MVP RF Christian Yelich (.326-36-110, with 22 steals); 1B Jesus Aguilar (.274-35-108); 2B/3B/SS Travis Shaw (.241-32-86); and CF Lorenzo Cain (.308, with ten home runs, 90 runs scored and 22 steals). They also got 20 home runs (.254 average, with 64 RBI) from Ryan Braun and some good port-side at bats from veteran 3B Mike Moustakas. Ultimately, however, the Dodgers’ offense shows a bit more depth.

The Brewers’ have the advantage in the bullpen with Corey Knebel (4-3, 3.58. 16 saves and a strong finish); Josh Hader (6-1, 2.43, 12 saves and 143 punch outs in 81 1/3 innings); Jeremy Jeffress (8-1, 1.29. 15 saves) and veteran Joakim Soria (3-1, 4.09) ready to take on crucial innings. The Dodgers’ counter with entrenched closer Kenley Jansen (1-5, 3.01, 38 saves) who has been a bit homer-prone (13 in 71 2/3 innings this season); Pedro Baez (4-3, 2.88); Scott Alexander (2-1, 3.69); and (probably for middle innings) transitioned starter Kenta Maeda. With both pens coming into the series well rested, the Brewers have the edge. However, in a seven-game Series, a bullpen advantage can fade if the you are forced to overwork the relief staff – and that is a real possibility for Milwaukee.

Keep An Eye On …

The Dodgers drew more regular season walks (647) than any other team in MLB. Then they drew another 27 in four 2018 post-season games. That spells trouble for the Brewers – putting additional stress on their starters (in terms of pitch count) and, in turn, the bullpen. Over a seven-game series, that stress will add up.

The Brewers had two starters who opened at least 30 games this season: Jhoulys Chacin (15-8, 3.50), the likely Game One starter, and Chase Anderson (9-8, 3.93). Also likely to draw a start is Wade Miley (5-2, 2.57 in 16 starts). They also have Gio Gonzalez, Freddy Peralta, Zach Davies and Junior Guerra as potential starerts – but we may very well see another “bullpen game” from the Milwaukee staff. What does seem certain is that the pen could get plenty of work in this series. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have a solidly set rotation – Clayton Kershaw (9-5, 2.73); Walker Buehler (8-5, 2.62); Hyun-Jin Ryu (7-3, 1.97); and Rich Hill (11-5, 3.66) – that delivered strong second-half performance. That, BBRT believes, will be the difference in the Championship Series.

A Player Worth Watching ….

Brewers’ 23-year-old rookie Corbin Burnes. The Brewers’ pen looks to get plenty of work this series – and Burnes could be a factor. He went 7-0, 2.61 in 30 rookie-season appearances. Then pitched four scoreless (one hits, no walks, five whiffs) innings in the NLDS. His arm could play an important role for the Brew Crew. Regardless of the NLCS outcome, BBRT is looking forward to watching this rookie.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Astros over Red Sox

This Series will be the real test of “Can good pitching stop good hitting?” The Red Sox scored the most runs in MLB (876), had the most hits (1,509), the highest team batting average (.268), the most extra base hits (594) and the highest slugging percentage (.453). The Astros had MLB’s lowest regular-season earned run average (3.11), lowest starters’ ERA (3.16), lowest bullpen ERA (3.03) and most strikeouts (1,687). From BBRT’s perspective the Astros’ pitching will bring the World Series back to Houston. (It doesn’t hurt that the Astros have plenty of offensive weapons as well. They appear to be the best “team” in either league.)

Justin Verlander leads the Astros’ rotation.
Photo by Keith Allison

Let’s start with the starters (that makes sense, doesn’t it). The Astros offer up Justin Verlander (16-9, 3.07, 290K); Gerrit Cole (15-5, 2.88, 276K); Dallas Keuchel (12-11, 3.74); and Charles Morton (15-3, 3.13, 201K). It doesn’t get any better. That quartet helped Houston notch MLB’s lowest starting staff ERA (3.16) and highest starters’ strikeouts per nine innings (10.37). Houston starters also threw the second-most innings of any starting staff (955 1/3, second only to the Indians’ 993 2/3) – taking pressure off the bullpen. (By contrast, Red Sox’ starters threw the 17^th most innings (871 1/3). The Boston starting staff is led by veterans Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11) and David Price (16-7, 3.58). Additional starts likely will come from Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.28) and Nathan Eovaldi (6-7, 3.81).

Keep An Eye On …

Boston number-two starter David Price (the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner) has a career regular-season record of 143-75, 3.25 – and, over the past three seasons, has gone 57-24, 3.34 for the Tigers, Blue Jays and Red Sox. His post-season record, however, is 2-9, 5.28 in 18 games (10 starts) and he didn’t get out of the second inning in his ALDS start against the Yankees. The Red Sox need Price to “find himself” in this series if they are going to upset the Astros. The good news is that, against the rival Yankees, Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi stepped up and gave up just two runs ina combined 12 innings. Keep an eye on how those two fare against the Astros, as well.

In the bullpen, that Astros appear to have an edge – with a 3.03 bullpen ERA to Boston’s 3.72. Key players will be the Astros’ Roberto Osuna (2-2, 1.99, 12 saves); Hector Rondon (2-5, 3.20, 15 saves); Ryan Pressly (1-0, 0.77, two saves); and Colin McHugh (6-2, 1.99 in 58 appearances0. The Red Sox look to Craig Kimbrel (5-1, 2.74, 42 saves) to close out and expect to see innings from Matt Barnes (6-4, 3.65) and Ryan Brasier (3-0, 1.60); among others.

A Player Who Could Make a Difference …

Ryan Pressley came over from the Twins in a late July trade. As an Astro, he appeared in 26 games, giving up just two earned runs in 23 1/3 innings – while walking just 3 and fanning 32. He could throw some important innings in a seven-game series.

Potential AL MVP Mookie Betts, whose chief competition for that recognition may come from teammate J.D. Martinez. They will power the BoSox’ lineup.
Photo by Keith Allison

Offensively, it’s a good match up. The Red Sox are led by DH J.D. Martinez (.330-43-139). RF Mookie Betts (.346-32-80, 30 steals); SS Xander Bogaerts (.288-23-103); LF Andrew Benintendi (.290-16-87, 21 steals). But they also have some depth with 1B Mitch Moreland (.245-15-68); 3B Rafael Devers (.240-21-66); and uber-utility man Brock Holt (.277-7-46, with seven steals in 109 games). Key Houston contributors should be 2B Jose Altuve (.316-13-61, 17 steals); 3B Alex Bergman (.281-31-103, 10 steals); 1B Yuli Gurriel (.282-13-85); OF George Springer (.265-22-71); and Tyler White (.276-12-42 in just 66 games).

Keep An Eye On …

One – The Red Sox need to slow down George Springer – a post-season
force to be reckomned with” – who has hit .566 with eight home runs in his last ten post-season games and .294-10-15 in 27 career post-season contests.

Two – The Red Sox’ Brock Holt, who achieved the post season first cycle in the Red Sox 16-1 win over the Yankees on October 8 give the Red Sox some lineup and bench options. In 16 post-season games, Holt is 8-for-16 with one home run and five RBI.

Ultimately, BBRT thinks the Astros edge in pitching will carry the day.

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Spoiler Alert for next round of BBRT predictions.

World Series – Astros over Dodgers II.

Wow! A great one. I see the Astros pitching shutting down for the Dodgers and World Series MVP is likely to be Verlander.

I tweet Baseball @DavidBBRT.

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

1968 MLB Season – Magical or Miserable? Depends on Your Point of View.

October 6, 2018 by David

Only two post seas0n games today. So here’s a little light reading, while you wait for the Indian\Astros.

On this date (October 6), fifty years ago (1969) Cardinals’ staff ace was going about the business of making World Series history – again! Gibson was about to toss a five-hit, one-run, ten-strikeout complete game 10-1 victory against the Detroit Tigers – in the process pitching an MLB (still) record seventh consecutive, complete-game Fall Classic victory. Notably, Gibson had already made history in the 1968 series, striking out a World Series, single-game record 17 batters in a 4-0 Game One win. And, although he would lose Game Seven (versus Mickey Lolich) 4-1, he would fan another eight batters in that game for a World Series (single-year) record 35 whiffs.

Where is Baseball Roundtable going with this? On the fiftieth anniversary of what has become known as The Year of the Pitcher (1968), I’d like to touch on a few highlights from a magnificent or miserable seasons (depending on whether you found yourself walking up to the plate or onto the mound).

Pitchers were so dominant in 1968 that MLB lowered the mound and reduced the size of the strike zone before the 1969 season. (The mound was dropped from 15 inches to ten inches, the upper edge of the strike zone from the top of the shoulder to the armpits.)

So let’s look, in no particular order, at some of the stats and stories that make 1968 so memorable.

CY Young and MVP

Sticking to the end game(s), consider the first matchup of that 1968 World Series. It featured the Tigers’ Denny McLain (31-6, 1.96) versus the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson (22-9, 1.12). They were the “Pitcher(s) of the Year” in the “Year of the Pitcher.”

McLain was the first MLB 30-game winner since Dizzy Dean in 1934.
Gibson’s MLB-lowest earned run average of 1.12 was the lowest since 1914 (Red Sox’ Dutch Leonard’s lowest-ever at 0.96) and was (still is) the fourth-lowest all-time.
McLain and Gibson would capture both the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player Awards in their respective leagues – the first (and still only) season in which a pitcher has won the Cy Young and MVP in both leagues.
Of course, it wasn’t all Gibson and McLain. The Tigers’ Mickey Lolich notched three complete games in the 1968 World Series – and is the last pitcher to go the distance in winning three starts in a single Fall Classic.

Bob Gibson, who finished the 1968 season 22-9, 1.12, probably deserved even better. At the end of May, his record was 3-5, with a 1.52 ERA (the Cardinals got him just four runs in those first five losses). Gibson then went on a June/July tear. In those two months, he started (and completed) 12 games, won them all, tossed eight shutouts and put up a 0.50 earned run average.

There is plenty of other evidence to support 1968 as The Year of the Pitcher.

MLB’s overall earned run average was a miserly 2.98 – the first season with a sub-3.00 MLB overall ERA since 1918 (2.77) and the only below-3.00 ERA between 1918 and 2018. (I guess that makes the odds 100-to-one.)
Between May 14 and June 4, the Dodgers; Don Drysdale threw a record (still) six consecutive complete game shutouts – allowing just 27 hits over those 54 innings.

Dodger Don Drysdale tossed six consecutive shutouts in a season in which he lost three of his first four decisions (1-3, 2.52) and ended up 14-12, 2.15 – runs were hard to come by in 1968.

There were five no hitters (one a perfect game), tied for the eighth-most in any MLB season. The hurlers were the: Orioles’ Tom Phoebus (April 27); A’s Catfish Hunter (May 8); Reds’ George Culver (July 29). Giants’ Gaylord Perry (September 17); and Cardinals’ Ray Washburn (September 18).

When Gaylord Perry no-hit the Cardinals on September 17, 1968 (two walks, nine whiffs in a 1-0 win) – beating Bob Gibson, by the way – he had no idea he was starting a mini-trend. The very next day the Cardinals’ Ray Washburn no-hit the Giants (five walks, eight whiffs in a 2-0 victory). It marks the only time two teams have thrown consecutive no-hitters in the same ballpark. In the two games, the two squads totaled 11 hits in 110 at bats – for a nice even .100 average.

The A’s Catfish Hunter tossed a perfect game against the Twins (4-0 score) on May 8 in Oakland. He struck out 11. Bucking the batting futility-trend, Hunter showed the hitters “how it’s done” in The Year of the Pitcher. Hunter went three-for-four (two singles and a double) and drove in three runs – the best hitting performance ever by a pitcher tossing a perfecto.

Bob Gibson tossed 13 shutouts in 1968 (tied for third-most in MLB history – and the most since 1916). George Bradley had 16 shutouts for the Saint Louis Brown Stockings (NL) in 1876 and Grove Clevelamd Alexander had 16 for the Phillies in 1916.

On April 15, the New York Mets were shutout by the Houston Astros for 24 innings – in a game the Astros won 1-0 … marking the longest scoreless game in MLB history. It was, in many ways, an exercise in futility. Consider:

Each team collected eleven hits in 79 at bats during the game (won by the Astros with one out in the ninth) – a combined batting average for the game of .139.

Each team had ten singles and one double and each left 16 men on base.

Each team made one error.

The starters, the Mets’ Tom Seaver and Astros’ Don Wilson threw ten and nine scoreless frames, respectively. A total of 13 pitchers were used (eight by the Mets).

A total of 39 players appeared.

27 of the 48 half inning were 1-2-3 frames.

The Mets’ CF Tommie Agee and RF Ron Swoboda each went zero-for-ten in the game.

The game took six hours and six minutes.

The winning run scored on a grounball error.

Seven qualifying pitchers recorded earned an average under 2.00 in 1968: Bob Gibson, Cardinals (1.12); Luis Tiant, Indians (1.60); Sam McDowell, Indians (1.81); Dave McNally, Orioles (1.95); Denny McLain, Tigers (1.98); Tommy John, White Sox (1.98); Bob Bolin, Giants (1.99).

Four pitchers topped 300 innings pitched: Denny McLain, Tigers (336); Juan Marichal, Giants (325 2/3), Fergie Jenkins, Cubs (308); Bob Gibson, Cardinals (304 2/3).

There were seven 20-game winners: Denny McLain, Tigers (31-6); Juan Marichal, Giants 26-9); Bob Gibson, Cardinals (22-9); Dave McNally, Orioles (22-10); Luis Tiant, Indians (21-9); Mel Stottlemyre, Yankees (21-12); Fergie Jenkins, Cubs (20-15).

Juan Marichal tossed a 1968 MLB-highest 30 complete games in 38 starts.

So, what about the batter’s box?

There were only five qualifying .300 hitters in all of baseball.
Carl Yastrzemski won the AL batting crown with a .301 average – the lowest ever for a batting champion. Yaz was, in fact, the only AL player to hit above .290.
No player, in either league, scored 100 runs.
The National League won the All Star game, appropriately, by a 1-0 score. There was no game-winning RBI, the winning tally (Willie Mays) scored as Willie McCovey hit into a double play.

The dominance of pitching in 1968 makes Pete Rose’s MLB-best.335 average and 210 hits even more impressive. Side note: Two of the three top MLB averages belonged to members of the Alou family: the Pirates’ Matty Alou (.332) and Braves’ Felipe Alou (.317). The third Alou brother (Jesus) hit .263 – still 26 points above the MLB average for that season.

_________________________________________________________________

A COUPLE OF ODDITIES FROM 1968

Hey, this pitching ain’t that hard.

Long-time slugger Rocky Colavito, in his final MLB season (with the Yankees), took the mound on August 25 – in the top of the fourth with New York trailing 5-1, one on and one out. Colavito pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings; the Yankees rallied to win 6-5; and Rocky got the victory. In his career, Colavito pitched in one other game (1958) going three scoreless innings in that one. So, lifetime ERA for this slugging outfielder? Easy to figure – 0.00 in 5 2/3 innings.

Hondo Defies the Odds

From May 12 to May 18, 1968 big Frank “Hondo” Howard defied the odds in The Year of the Pitcher – setting an MLB record by launching ten home runs in a single week. In six games, he hit .542 (13-for-24), with ten homes runs (four multi-homer games) and 17 RBI. Two surprises. In the hot streak, he drew only one walk; and the Senators won only three of the six contests. Hondo finished the season at .274-44-106 … and that .274 average was tenth-best in the American League.

Final thought: I love a tense low-scoring contests (3-2, with three or four timely double plays is ideal for me), but 1968 might have been just a bit too low scoring.

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

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Cycles, 3-Run Wild Pitches, More Records in Whacks and Whiffs … BBRT’s September and Year End Wrap Up

October 2, 2018 by David

Well, it’s October first and yesterday, I attended the final Twins’ game of 2018. Now it’s time to get down to the business of the September (and season’s-end) BBRT wrap up – Baseball Roundtable’s regular look at the stories, statistics and parrticularly outstanding or unique performances that defined baseball over the previous month.

And, what a magical month/finish it was! MLB gave us:

Two game 163’s for the first time ever.
A run at the Triple Crown by Christian Yelich.
Three teams reaching 100 wins on the season – Red Sox, Astro and Yankees.
Forty-six Yankee September home runs – running the team’s season total to a new MLB single-season record of 267.

Bronx Bomber Balance

The Yankees had a balanced attack in 2018, becoming the first team to get 20 home runs from all nine spots in the batting order. The 1997 Seattle Mariners, whose record of 264 home runs the Yankees (267) broke, got fewer than 20 home runs from two of the nine spots in the order (lead off and ninth).

292 September strikeouts by White Sox batters – including 15 in their final game (aginst my Twins) – to bring their season total a new MLB-record 1,594. The 2017 Brewers held the record at 1,571.
The 2018 season saw a record total of 41,207 strikeouts – up from last season’s 40,104 and the 13th consecutive year of increased strikeout totals.
A .132 September average (7-for-53) for the Orioles’ Chris Davis, giving him a season average of .168 (79-for-470), the lowest average ever for a player with enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. The previous low was .179 (Tigers’ Rob Deer in 1991 and Braves Dan Uggla in 2013). Davis did have 16 home runs and 49 RBI.
Nationals’ 19-year-old rookie Juan Soto became just the third player to reach 20 home runs as a teenager.
The was not a single complete-game pitched in the American League over the final month of the season.
For the first time in history, MLB finished a season with more strikeouts (41,207) than base hits (41,019).

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TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BBRT FEATURE

For the 2018 season, more than one-third (34.8 percent) of all MLB 185,139 plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We are talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (22.3%); Walks (8.5%); home runs (3.0%); HBP (1.0%); Catcher’s Interference (less than .001%). Personally, I’d like more action in the field of play.

____________________________________________________________________

How dear to my heart was the old-fashioned hurler

Who labored all day on the old village green.

He did not resemble the up-to-date twirler

Who pitches four innings and ducks from the scene.

He has a queer habit of pulling up lame

And that is the reason I hanker and long for

The pitcher who started and finished the game.

The old-fashioned pitcher,

The iron-armed pitcher,

The stout-hearted pitcher

Who finished the game.

UNTITLED POEM

BY GEORGE E. PHAIR

You may be wondering why I chose to share this poem near the top of this post. Well, I came across the untitled verse in Lawrence S. Ritter’s book The Glory of Their Times – published more than fifty years ago (1966). I’m not sure when George Phair (a journalist and columnist) penned the poem (in trying to track it down, I did find Phair poetry from as early as 1918), but I found it interesting that – even decades ago – observers were lamenting the passing of the complete game. Consider this, in 1966 (the year The Gory of Their Times carried this poem) it took 27 complete games to lead MLB and a dozen just to make the top ten. That season saw 736 complete games in MLB. We saw only 42 complete games this season – and nine of the 30 MLB teams recorded zero complete outings all season.

James Shields is the only pitcher since 2000 to reach double-digits in complete games in a season – with 11 in 2011. Photo by Keith Allison

In 2018, it took just two complete games to lead MLB in “finishing what you started” – a feat accomplished by eight players. It’s the first season ever that no major leaguer completed at least four contests (although, in 2017, the Indians’ Corey Kluber and Twins’ Erwin Santana ties for the AL lead in CG with two.) Now, this is neither a note of complaint or support, but rather just an observation on how the game has changed – and, with the new “opener” strategy, it is changing even more. Like Phair, I do kind of miss the old-fashioned, iron-armed pitcher, but those days are truly past.

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Next up, before getting into the standings, a look at the …

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH (SEPTEMBER)

American League Player of the Month – Tie … Luke Voit, 1B, Yankees & Steve Piscotty, RF, A’s

This was too close call between some a couple of names that haven’t been mentioned here that often: the A’s Steve Piscotty and the Yankees’ Luke Voit. Voit put together a solid month across the board for the post-season bound New York squad – a .333 average, an AL-best ten home runs, second-best 22 RBI and 19 runs scored. Piscotty’s number were equally compelling: a .310 September average; AL fourth-best eight home runs, an AL-topping 25 RBI and 21 runs scored. And, both of these players delivered in the heat of a pennant race.

Other Contenders: 1B Yuli Gurriel of the Astros also had a solid month – a .356 average, with five home runs, 21 RBI and 14 runs scored. And, of course, Red Sox’ RF Mookie Betts led the AL with a .377 average, with three home runs, ten RBI and 20 runs scored.

National League Player of the Month – Christian Yelich, CF, Brewers

Photo by hueytaxi

Christian Yelich had an MVP-worthy month of September – .352 average (tied for the tops in the NL); a league-topping ten home runs (also tied); an NL-best 33 RBI; and 24 runs scored – and he even threw in six stolen bases (which further separated Yelich from the pack). He fueled the Brewers’ run to the post-season – and notched his second cycle of the season along the way. A memorable month for this 26-year-old rising star.

Other Contenders: The Nationals’ 3B Anthony Rendon also deserves recognition for a month in which he hit .352, with six home runs, 26 RBI and 24 runs scored. Rendon also gets some points for ending the month with more walks (14) than strikeouts (12). Mets’ 25-year-old LF Michael Conforto was also in the mix, after a .286-9-29 month (with 17 runs scored).

American League Pitcher of the Month – Blake Snell, Rays

Rays’ 25-year-old southpaw Blake Snell had a dynamite September – not only did he become MLB’s first 2018 20-game winner (he ended the season 21-5), he also led the AL in September wins – going 5-0 in six starts. (The only AL pitcher to chalk up five September wins.) Among pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched in the month, his 1.26 earned run average was fifth-best overall and second in the AL. He fanned 53 batters in September (tied with the Indians’ Carlos Carrasco for the most in MLB) and gave up just 21 hits and eleven walks in 35 2/3 innings.

Other Contenders: Veteran power-righty Justin Verlander always seems to be a contender. In September, he went 3-0, fanned 50 batters (third-best in the AL) in 33 innings and put up a nifty 1.09 ERA (tied with the White Sox’ Reynaldo Lopez and Reds’ Luis Castillo for the MLB’slowest September ERA). 24-year-old righty Reynaldo Lopez of the White Sox started five games (two wins and one loss) in September and gave up just four runs in 33 innings – delivering a 1.09 earned run average. He also fanned 35 batters (nine walks).

National League Pitcher of the Month – Jose Urena, Marlins

Lots of good candidates (four NL pitchers logged five wins in September), but still not a tough choice. Right-hander Jose Urena went 5-0 in five September starts (for the last-place Marlins, mind you). He fanned just 20 batters in 30 innings, while putting up a 1.20 earned run average (second only to the Reds’ Luis Castillo – 1.09 – among NL pitchers with at least 20 September innings).

Other Contenders: There were a handful of other contenders. The Rockies’ Kyle Freeland went 5-0 in six starts, with a 2.61 earned run average and 31 strikeouts in 38 innings. The Mets’ Jacob deGrom went 2-1, 1.80 (eighth in the NL) in five September starts. He pitched 35 innings, fanning 45 batters (fourth in the NL). In his 35 innings, deGrom gave up just five walks and 15 hits for an MLB September-best WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) of 0.57. I also liked what the Rockies’ young (23-year-old) right-hander German Marquez did in the heat of a close West Division race. Marquez started five September contests – going 3-1, with a 2.14 earned run average. He also fanned 48 batters in 33 2/3 innings pitched.

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SEPTEMBER’S BEST AND WORST

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Photo by urban.houstonian

No team won more games than the Astros, who went 21-6 in September – and they did it on the shoulders (and arms) of the pitching staff. The Astro scored 131 runs in September – tying the Royals (who went 15-13) for the seventh-most in the AL. Their 2.99 earned run average, however, was the league’s lowest. They rode the arms of starters Justin Verlander (4-0, 1.09); Gerrit Cole (3-0, 3.03); Charlie Morton (2-0, 3.00) – not to mention reliever Ryan Pressly, who made 12 appearances and did not allow an earned run (15 whiffs in 9 2/3 innings) and Roberto Osuna (ten saves in ten opportunities.) The offense went through 1B Yuli Gurriel (.356-5-21) and OF George Springer (.330 with 24 runs scored). In the post season, they’ll need more from 2B and hit-machine Jose Altuve, who hit just .256 in September.

Other teams putting up strong September performances were the Rays at 19-9 and A’s (16-10). Tampa scored the second most September runs at 152 and bucked the trend by doing it more with average (.273, the AL’s top September figure) than power (32 home runs, eighth in the league). Key September contributors were CF Tommy Pham (.368-5-16), SS Willy Adames (.341-2-11); 2B Joey Wendle (.319); and CF Kevin Kiermaier. It didn’t hurt to be able send Blake Snell to the mound (5-0, 1,26) The A’s were first in the AL in runs scored and second in home runs behind the bats of Steve Piscotty (.310-8-25), Khris Davis (.237-9-19) and Matt Olson (.282-5-19).

The Oakland A’s – with 2018 lowest payroll at the start of the season – were a surprise entrant in the 2018 post season.

At the other end of the September performance spectrum were the Orioles (7-20); White Sox (8-19); and Rangers (9-18). Notably, they also made up the bottom three in the AL in runs scored – the only junior circuit teams with less than 100 September tallies. Making it worse for Baltimore and Chicago, they were the only AL teams with September ERA’s over 5.00 (5.33 and 5.02, respectively).

NATIONAL LEAGUE (not including October’s Game 163)

Photo by bryce_edwards

The top September winners in the NL were the Brewers (19-7); Rockies (19-9); Dodgers (18-9); and Mets (18-10). Notably those teams took the top four league spots in both earned run average and home runs. The Brewers had the best September earned run average (2.77), were third in home runs (39) and fourth in runs scored (144). Outfielders Christian Yelich, (.352-10-33), Lorenzo Cain (.310 with 23 runs); and Ryan Braun (.266-6-14) were solid contributors. Starters Gio Gonzalez and Wade Miley each went 3-0, with ERA’s of 2.13 and 3.52, respectively. And the bullpen was lights out, led by Cory Knebel and Jeremy Jeffress, who made a combined 25 appearance, went nine-for-ninepin save opportunities and fanned 47 in 26innings.

The Dodgers combined offense and pitching. They were first in the league in September home runs (44) and runs scored (161) and third in ERA (3.18). On offense, OF Yasiel Puig (.295-8-16), SS Manny Machado (.276-4-19) and OF Matt Kemp (.339-3-16) stood out. Twenty-one of the teams 27 starts were handled by Clayton Kershaw (3-0, 3.89); Rich Hill (5-0, 3.90), Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-2, 1.50) and Walker Buehler (1-1, 1.95). With Kenley Jansen (five-for-five in September save opporunities) in the pen, they should set up well for the post season. The Rockies were second in home runs (43) and runs scored (154) and fourth in ERA 3.26. They got big Septembers from CF Charlie Blackmon (.349-6-15-14); LF David Dahl (.298-9-27); SS Trevor Story (.298-9-22); starter Kyle Freeland (5-0, 2.61); and closer Wade Davis (seven-for-seven in save opportunities, with a 0.82 ERA). Finally, the Mets kicked it up a notch to go 18-10 – with the league’s second-best September ERA (3.14) and fourth-most round trippers (31). They finished seventh in runs scored. A couple of surprising offensive forces emerged: 2B Jeff McNeil (.340 average – 18 runs scored) and OF Michael Conforto (.286-9-29). The pitching names are familiar: Noah Syndegaard (4-1, 1.73 for the month); Jacob deGrom (2-1, 1.80); and Zach Wheeler (3-0, 2.8)

At the other end of the September NL won-lost markers were the Giants (5-21), Diamondbacks (8-19) and Phillies (9-20) – three of the six NL teams that scored less than 100 runs in September. The Giants scored the fewest runs in all of baseball (69) and hit the second-fewest September home runs (17), while the Diamondbacks were tenth in the NL in runs (98) and the Phillies were eleventh (97). The mound work wasn’t any more promising. The Phillies were last in the league in September ERA (5.49), while the D-backs were 13^th (4.75) and the Giants were 12^th (4.72).

Wild Card Predictions – More post-season predictions to come (but, with my record, you can’t take these to the bank.)

Cubs over Rockies: Two loaded line-ups, but I give the Cubs a slight edge. I like the veteran Jon Lester starting a key game – and am a little concerned about Kyle Freeland’s recent workload (six starts since September 2) and start on short rest. That, coupled with the fact that the Rox have to travel to the friendly (for the Cubs) confines gives Chicago an edge. Should be a close game, however.

Yankees over A’s: The balanced Yankees’ lineup should be enough to end the low-budget A’s remarkable run to the post season. Still the A’s have enough power and bullpen strength to make it interesting. However, in today’s game of home runs and strikeouts, Yankees get the edge.

–—-LEAGUE LEADERS – TEAMS – SEPTEMBER—–

RUNS SCORED … MLB Team Average – 120

AL: A’s (167); Rays (152); Yankees (150)

NL: Dodgers (161); Rockies (154); Nationals (149)

The Giants scored the fewest September runs – just 69. They also finished last in batting average (.211) and 29th in home runs (17, just one ahead of the Marlins) for the month. In the AL, the weakest September offense went to the White Sox, with just 89 runs plated.

BATTING AVERAGE … MLB Team Average – .243

AL: Rays (.273); Twins (.272); Red Sox (.264)

NL: Dodgers (.274); Rockies (.273); Nationals (.267)

No team grounded into more double plays in September than the A’s with 25. Then again that may be a product of all those base runners, they also scored the most runs in MLB at 167. In the NL, the Nationals matched the A’s 25 GIDP – and scored the third most runs (149).

HOME RUNS … MLB Team Average – 30

AL: Yankees (46); A’s (41); Angels (38)

NL: Dodgers (44); Rockies (43); Brewers (39)

San Francisco (17) and Miami (16) were the only teams with fewer than 20 September home runs. The Twins, Tigers and Orioles tied for the bottom of the AL with 23 round trippers.

STOLEN BASES … MLB Team Average – 15

AL: Royals (39); Rays (30); Indians (26)

NL: Nationals (24); Brewers (21); Braves (19); Rockies (19)

People tend to think of the National League as the “running” league. However, the top five teams in September steals were from the AL: Royals, Rays, Indians, Orioles and Red Sox.

BATTERS’ STRIKEOUTS … MLB Team Average – 236

AL: White Sox (292); Blue Jays (263); Royals (249)

NL: Giants (270); Phillies (261); Cardinals (257)

The Astros put the ball in play – fanning an MLB-low 174 times in September.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE … MLB Average – 4.15

AL: Astros (2.99); Mariners (3.67); Indians (3.69)

NL: Brewers (2.77); Mets (3.14); Dodgers (3.18); Rockies (3.26)

Three teams carried ERA’s over 5.00 for September – the Phillies (5.99); Orioles (5.33); and White Sox (5.02). No Surprise, they went a combined 23-59 for the month.

PITCHERS’ STRIKEOUTS … MLB Average – 236

AL: Indians (300); Astros (276); Yankees (267)

NL: METS (269); Dodgers (264); Phillies (256); Rockies (254)

The Dodgers’ staff had September’s best strikeout-to-walk ratio at 4.55. In the AL, the leader was the Indians at 3.75.

SAVES … MLB Average – 7

AL: Astros (14); Rays (12); Angels (9)

NL: Brewers (10); Mets (9); Braves (8); Pirates (8); Rockies (5)

Wild Things

In September, Red Sox’ pitchers hit an MLB-high 23 batters; the Braves walked an MLB-high 141; and the White Sox led all of baseball with 24 wild pitches. The MLB team September averages in those categories. Hit By Pitch – 11; Walks 90; Wild Pitches – 11.

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HOW ABOUT SOME SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS?

30-30 Vision

On September 9, Indians’ 3B Jose Ramirez became the 39^th member of MLB’s 30-30 (HR’s & SB’s) club – stealing his 30^th base of 2018 in the first-inning of a 6-2 Cleveland loss to Toronto. The theft gave the 26-yeqar-old switch-hitter 37 homeruns and 30 stolen bases on the season. He finished the campaign at .272-39-106, with 34 steals.

MLB has seen only four 40-40 (HRs/SBs) Seasons

Jose Canseco, A’s … 1988 (42 HR/40 SB)

Barry Bonds, Giants … 1996 (42 HR/40 SB)

Alex Rodriguez, Mariners … 1998 (42 HR/46 SB)

Alfonso Soriano … Nationals 2006 (46 HR/41 SB)

No Running in the Halls, Young Man

Nineteen-year old Nationals’ rookie outfielder Juan Soto has been doing all sorts of wild things on the diamond this season – and on September 15, he ran wild on the base paths. In the Nationals’ 7-1 win over the Braves, Soto stole three bases, becoming the youngest (19 years, 325 days) player ever to steal three bags in an MLB game. (Rickey Henderson had held the record at 20 year, 241 days.)

Soto stole second in the first inning and second and third in the fourth. For the game, Soto had one hit and three walks in five plate appearance, with two runs scored and one RBI.

A Real Teeny-Bopper

No one has hit more home runs as a teenager than the Red Sox’ Tony Conigliaro – who had 24 round trippers before his 20^th birthday. This season Nationals’ 19-year-old rookie Juan Soto made a run at the record – hitting six September long balls (a .283-6-20 month) to finish the season with 22 – tied for second all-time.

Most MLB Home Runs by a Teenage

24 … Ton Conigliaro, Red Sox

22 … Bryce Harper, Nationals

22 … Juan Soto, Nationals

19 …. Mel Ott, Giants

16 … Ken Griffey, Jr. Mariners

Red(s) Hot Yelich

On September 17, the Brewers’ Christian Yelich continued to be Red(s) hot – hitting for his second cycle (single, double, triple, homer in same game) of the 2018 season – becoming just the fifth MLB player with two cycles in a season. Both of Yelich cycles have come against the Reds. For the full story and more about MLB cycles, click here. Yelich also made a September run at the Triple Crown, ending the season at .326-36-110. He won the batting crown, fell just one shy of a tie for the RBI title and two shy of the home run crown.

Tea for Two a Good Way to Celebrate?

On September 18, Rays’ southpaw Blake Snell became MLB’s first 2018 20-game winner – and, in the process, the 25-year-old picked up his 200^th strikeout of the season and dropped his 2018 earned run average to under 2.00 (1.97). He also became just the 2^nd Ray to reach 20 wins in a campaign.

Snell reached these milestones in the Rays 4-0 win over the Rangers in Texas – a game in which Snell pitched five scoreless innings, giving up one hit and two walks, while fanning five. Snell finished the season, his third in the majors, at 21-5, 1.89. Going into the season, his career record was 11-15, 3.82.

Braille on Jersey an MLB First

On September 18, the Orioles hosted the Blue Jays at Camden Yards and Baltimore’s home jerseys had the team and player names spelled out in Braille – an MLB first. The O’s were recognizing the 40^th anniversary of the National Federation of the Blind moving its home office to Baltimore. And, here I thought it had something to do with the umpires.

20-20 Vision

In 2017, MLB had no 20-game winners. In fact, no hurlers even reached 19 victories. (Carlos Carrasco and Corey Kluber, Indians; Jason Vargas, Royals; and Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers, tied for the MLB lead with 18 wins.) Things were a little different this season.

On September 18, the Rays’ Blake Snell became 2018’s first twenty-game winner – as Tampa topped Texas 4-0. See the Tea for Two description above.
On September 24^th, the Indians’ Corey Kluber became 2018’s second twenty-game winner (like Snell by a 4-0 score), as Cleveland prevailed over the White Sox. Kluber went seven innings, giving up four hits and one walk, while fanning eleven. It was Kluber’s first 20-win season in eight MLB campaigns – although he had won 18 games three times and is a two-time Cy Young Award winner. He finished the season at 20-7, 2.89.

In the Moment

On September 19, Indians’ veteran 2B Jason Kipnis came to the plate with 999 career hits. More important, the bases were loaded, there was one out and his Cleveland squad was trailing 1-0. Kipnis made the most of his milestone moment. His 1000^th hit was a game-winning, walk-off Grand Slam.

Boom – Just Boom, That’s All

Photo by Keith Allison

On September 20, Yankee 1B Luke Voit popped his 10th home run for the Yankees (since being acquired from the Cardinals on July 29). Despite the Yankee’ 11-6 loss to the Red Sox, the long ball carried some significance. It gave New York an MLB record twelve players with double-digit home runs in the same season. Here’s the final 2018 count for that dirty dozen:

Giancarlo Stanton … 38

Aaron Judge … 27

Didi Gregorius … 27

Miguel Andujar … 27

Aaron Hicks … 27

Gleyber Torres … 24

Gary Sanchez … 18

Luke Voigt … 14

Brett Gardner … 12

Greg Bird … 11

Neil Walker … 11

Austine Romine … 10

Stick Around, You May See Something New

On September 20, there was plenty of action for the home crowd in Oakland, as the A’s pounded the Angels 21-3. Still, even if you were an Angels’ fan, staying to the bitter end may have paid off. You would have seen the Angels’ 29-year-old rookie catcher Francisco Arcia go from one end of the battery to the other – taking the mound in the seventh inning with the Angels trailing 18-2. Arcia pitched two innings, giving up three runs on four hits. In the top of ninth, he got one of those runs back by launching a solo homer off reliever Chris Hatcher. It made Arcia the first player ever to catch, pitch and homer in the same MLB game. (More of “In baseball, we track everything.”)

Arcia, who made his MLB debut this year (in his 12^th professional season), made another MLB “splash” earlier this season. On July 26, he played his first MLB game – going two-for-five, with a home run and four RBI as the Angels beat the White Sox 12-8. On July 28, he saw his second MLB action, this time going three-for-four with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored and six RBI in an 11-5 win over the Mariners. Those performances made Arcia the first player to reach double-digit RBI in his first two MLB games.

Band of Brothers

On September 21, major league brothers Yuli Gurriel and Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. weren’t on the same teams, weren’t on the same field and weren’t even in the same country. Yet, they managed to make MLB history together. In another example of “In baseball, we track everything,” the two became the first brothers to have multi-homer games on the same day.

Lourdes, playing shortstop for the Blue Jays in Toronto, rapped a pair of homers (his tenth and eleventh of the season) as the Blue Jays topped the Rays 11-3.

Yuli, playing first base for the Astros at home, hit a Grand Slam and a two-run shot as Houston beat the Angels 11-3. They were his eleventh and twelfth dingers of the season.

Clearing the Bases … Sandlot Style

On September 23, the Brewers plated five runs in the top of the sixth inning of their crucial 13-6 win over the Pirates – and three of them scored on a single wild pitch. Here’s how it went.

Reliever Steve Brault started the frame by fanning Brewers’ LF Christian Yelich. The Pirates’ southpaw then loaded the bases on a single by CF Lorenzo Cain and walks to 2B Travis Shaw (with a wild pitch in the mix) and 1B Jesus Aguilar. After a mound visit, Brault struck out 3B Mike Moustakas – and the Pirates were one out away from a clean get-away. (That was not to be.)

Michael Feliz was brought in to face Brewers’ C Erik Kratz – and the Brew Crew countered with pinch hitter Ryan Braun. Feliz walked Braun and SS Orlando Arcia to force in a pair of runs, leaving the bases full – and bringing up Eric Thames (pinch hitting for pitcher Corey Knebel). A wild pitch to Thames ricocheted off the wall and down the first base line – scoring Aguilar. Pittsburgh 1B Josh Bell retrieved the ball and threw to the plate (Braun was attempting to score from second).Feliz missed the throw, allowing both Braun and Arcia (who had been on first to score) – clearing the bases. Hard to imagine? See the video below.

Movin’ On Up

The Rangers Adrian Beltre belted 24 hits in September – giving him 3,166 for his career and moving him past Tony Gwynn, Robin Yount and George Brett to number fifteen all-time.

Just Getting a Little Air

Photo by Keith Allison

On September 22, RHP Justin Verlander helped the Astros make a notable contribution to the current trend toward more and more strikeouts (and home runs). Verlander went six shutout innings as the Astros topped the Angels 10-5. In the process, he gave up just one hit and no walks, while fanning 11 (to reach a career-high 280 for the season) – bringing the total strikeouts recorded by the Astros’ staff this season to a new record of 1,069. (The record of 1,066 – set by the Indians last season – was actually topped with Verlander’s ninth whiff of the game, which came in the fifth inning.) Notably, just four innings later – as reliever Roberto Osuna fanned 2B Sherman Johnson for the first out in the ninth – the Astros also set a new record for total staff strikeouts in a season at 1,615. Houston ended the season with 1,101 strikeouts by the starters and a total of 1,687. Verlander finished at 16-9, 2.52, with a league-leading 290 strikeouts in 214 innings.

Photo by Keith Allison

In a somewhat related event, that same evening (September 22). Mike Clevinger of the Indians reached 200 strikeouts in a season (202 to be exact) – fanning six batters in five innings as Cleveland bested Boston 5-4. (Clevinger got a no-decision and gave up three hits, five walks and two earned runs. Appropriately, for the times, both runs came on solo homers. One by 3B Rafael Devers and one by C Blake Swihart.) Of more interest is the fact that Clevinger became the fourth Indians’ starter to reach 200 strikeouts this season – making Cleveland the first MLB team ever with four pitchers notching 200 or more K’s. Here they are with their season totals.

231 … Carlos Carrasco

221 … Trevor Bauer

222 … Corey Kluber

207 … Mike Clevinger

It’s Been a Long (Ball) Season – More of the Walks and Whiffs Trend

Wacks and whiffs (HR’s & K’s) seem to be the order of the day in MLB lately. So, it was no surprise that, on September 29, the Yankees set a new record for team home runs in a season – topping the 264 of the 1997 Mariners.

The landmark blast came off the bat of 2B Gleyber Torres in the top of the fourth inning (his 24th of the season) – and just to prove it was no fluke DH Giancarlo Stanton added another round tripper to the record in the seventh inning. The two solo shots were even more meaningful, as they helped the Bronx Bombers to a 3-2 win (over the Orioles) that clinched an AL Wild Card spot.

Most Home Runs in A Season … Team

267 … 2018 New York Yankees

264 … 1997 Seattle Mariners

260 … 2005 Texas Rangers

257 … 1996 Baltimore Orioles

257 … 2010 Blue Jays

253 … 2006 Baltimore Orioles

Rolling the Perfect 300 (Season)

On September 25 , three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer of the Nationals became just the 40^th pitcher all-time and 17^th since 1900 to notch 300 strikeouts in a season – reaching 300 in a seven-inning outing versus the Marlins. Full story here. Scherzer finished the season at 18-7, 2.53, with 300 strikeouts in 220 2/3 innings.

Who Says Pitchers Can’t Hit?

On September 25, Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner hit a pinch-hit, walk-off. RBI single in the bottom of the 12^th inning to give the Giants a 5-4 win over the Padres. It was Madbum’s fourth RBI of the season and 58^th career run plated (in 529 at bats). The Giants’ hurler also has 17 career home runs. More #WhyIHateTheDH

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––INDIVIDUAL LEADERS FOR SEPTEMBER —

BATTING AVERAGE (minimum 75 September plate appearances)

AL: Mookie Betts, Red Sox (.377); Tommy Pham, Rays (.368); Yuli Gurriel, Astros (.356)

NL: Anthony Rendon, Nationals (.352); Christian Yelich, Brewers (.352); Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (.349)

The lowest September average among players with at least 75 plate appearances during the month belonged to the Angels’ Kole Calhoun at .125 (11-for-88). Austin Jackson of the Mets held the bottom spot in the NL at .141 (11-for-78).

HOME RUNS

AL: Luke Voit, Yankees (10); Khris Davis, A’s (9); Francisco Lindor, Indians (9)

NL: Christian Yelich, Brewers (10); Trevor Story, Rockies (10); Michael Conforto, Mets (9); David Dahl, Rockies (9)

Nobody went more at bats without a home run in September than the Rays’ Mallex Smith, who had 27 hits in 106 at bats (22 singles and four doubles and a triple).

RUNS BATTED IN

AL: Stephen Piscotty, A’s (25); Luke Voit, Yankees (22); Marcus Semien, A’s (21); Yuli Gurriel, Astros (21)

NL: Christian Yelich, Brewers (33); Michael Conforto, Mets (29); David Dahl, Rockies (27)

RUNS SCORED

AL: Tommy Pham, Rays (26); George Springer, Astros (24); three with 21

NL: Christian Yelich, Brewers (24); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (24); Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (23)

HITS

AL: Robinson Cano, Mariners (35); Nick Castellanos, Tigers (35); Tommy Pham, Rays (35); Jorge Polanco, Twins (35)

NL: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (38); Anthony Rendon, Nationals (37); Jeff McNeil, Mets (36)

Among players with at least 75 September plate appearances, the Brewers’ Christian Yelich had the highest slugging percentage at .807. The Yankees’ Luke Voit led the AL at .736.

STOLEN BASES

AL: Whit Merrifield, Orioles (16); Aldaberto Mondesi, Royals (14); two at 13

NL: Trea Turner, Nationals (9); Amed Rosario, Mets (8); two at 6

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

AL: Jack Cave, Twins (38); Randal Grichuk, Blue Jays (34); two at 33

NL: Javier Baez, Cubs (36); Austin Jackson, Mets (35); Matt Carpenter, Cardinals (33)

WALKS DRAWN

AL: Robbie Grossman, Twins (22); Tommy Pham, Rays (19); three at 18

NL: Bryce Harper, Nationals (34); Brandon Nimmo, Mets (29); Christian Yelich, Brewers (24)

Mike Trout of the Angels drew the most intentional walks in September with five.

PITCHING VICTORIES

AL: Blake Snell, Rays (5-0); Taylor Cole, Angels (4-0); Brandon Workman, Red Sox (4-1); Ryan Yarbrough, Rays (4-1)

NL: Rich Hill, Dodgers (4-0); Mike Mikolas, Cardinals (5-0); Jose Urena, Marlins (5-0); Kyle Freeland, Rockies (5-0)

Just two pitcher picked up five losses in September: Carlos Rodon, White Sox (0-5, 9.22) and Yovani Gallardo, Rangers (1-5, 7.33).

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (at least 25 September innings)

AL: Justin Verlander, Astros (1.09); Reynaldo Lopez, White Sox (1.09); Blake Snell, Rays (1.26);

NL: Luis Castillo, Reds (1.09); Jose Urena, Marlins (1.20); Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers (1.50

In September, thirteen pitchers with at least 25 September innings pitched logged earned run averages under 2.00.

STRIKEOUTS

AL: Carlos Carrasco, Indians (53 – 37 1/3 IP); Blake Snell, Rays (53 – 35 2/3 IP); Justin Verlander, Astros (50 – 33 IP)

NL: Max Scherzer, Nationals (51 – 34 IP); German Marquez, Rockies (48 – 33 2/3 IP); Aaron Nola, Phillies (47 – 36 1/3 IP)

The Mariners’ James Paxton led all pitchers (with at least 20 September innings) in strikeouts per nine innings at 13.71.

SAVES

AL: Roberto Osuna, Astros (10); Sergio Romo, Rays (7); Ken Giles, Blue Jays (7); Edwin Diaz, Mariners (7)

NL: Felipe Vazquez, Pirates (8); Wade Davis, Rockies (7); Jeremy Jeffress, Brewers (7)

WHIP-ping into Shape

Among pitchers with at least 25 September innings, the Mets’ Jacob deGrom was the stingiest – giving up just 0.57 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). deGrom allowed just 15 hits and five walks in 35 innings. Fourteen pitches with at least 25 September innings posted WHIPs under 1.00. This is from among 80 hurlers who made the 25-inning mark.

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HOW ABOUT SOME SEASON-ENDING TOTAL/

—INDIVIDUAL LEADERS FINAL —

BATTING AVERAGE (Qualifying)

AL: Mookie Betts, Red Sox (.346); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (.330); Jose Altuve, Astros (.317)

NL: Christian Yelich, Brewers (.326); Scooter Gennett, Reds (310); Freddie Freeman, Braves (.309)

The lowest batting average among qualifying players went to the Orioles’ Chris Davis at .168 (79-for-470). Davis, the only qualifier to hit under .200) had 16 home runs and 49 RBI.

Side note: Sixteen qualifying batters hit .300 or higher – eight in each league

HOME RUNS

AL: Khris Davis, A’s (48); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (43); Joey Gallo, Rangers (40)

NL: Nolan Arenado, Rockies (38); Trevor Story, Rockies (37); Matt Carpenter, Cardinals (36); Christian Yelich (36)

Honorable Mention to Manny Machado, who totaled 37 home runs for the Orioles and Dodgers combined.

RUNS BATTED IN

AL: J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (130); Khris Davis, A’s (123); Edwin Encarnacion, Indians (107); Jose Ramirez, Indians (107)

NL: Javier Baez, Cubs (111); Nolan Arenado, Rockies (110); Christian Yelich, Brewers (110);

Among qualifying batters Khris Davis of the A’s had the best home runs per at bat ratio at one home run for every 12.0 at bats. The Brewers’ Jesus Aguilar was best in the NL, with a 14.1 ratio.

RUNS SCORED

AL: Francisco Lindor, Indians (129); Mookie Betts, Red Sox (129); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (111)

NL: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (119); Christian Yelich, Brewers (118); Matt Carpenter, Cardinals (111)

No one with at least 100 at bats against southpaws hit lefties better than this pair of right-handed hitters: The Tigers’ Nick Castellanos (56-for-147) – at a .381 pace and the Brewers’ Lorenzo Cain (53-for-142) at .373. The leading hitter versus righties (again, at least 100 at bats versus righthanders) might be a surprise. It was the Mets’ left-handed swinging Jeff McNeil at .345 (58-for-168). In the AL, it was righty Mookie Betts of the Red Sox at .339 (134 for 395).

HITS

AL: Whit Merrifield, Royals (192); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (188); Nick Castellanos, Tigers (185)

NL: Freddie Freweman, Braves (191); Christian Yelich, Brewers (187); Nick Markakis, Braves (185)

Honorable Mentions goes to Manny Machado, who collected 188 safeties – playing for the Orioles and the Dodgers.

STOLEN BASES

AL: Whit Merrifield, Royals (45); Mallex Smith, Rays (40); Jose Ramirez, Indians (34)

NL: Trea Turner, Nationals (43) Billy Hamilton, Reds (34); Starling Marte, Pirates (33)

Honorable Mention to Jonathan Villar with 35 combined steals for the Orioles and Brewers.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

AL: Yoan Moncada, White Sox (217); Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees (211); Joey Gallo, Rangers (207)

NL: Chris Taylor, Dodgers (178); Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs (173); Bryce Harper, Nationals (169)

A Hit Parade Extra (You had to be old enough to see the show.)

Nobody was hit by pitches more often than the Mets’ Brandon Nimmo,who was plunked 22 times. Others who were hit at least 20 times were: the Rays’ Carlos Gomez (21); Marlins’ Derek Dietrick (21); and Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo (20). On the flip side, the Cubs’ Starlin Castro had the most plate appearances without a single HBP at 647.

WALKS DRAWN

AL: Mike Trout, Angels (122); Jose Ramirez, Indians (106); Alex Bregman, Astros (96)

NL: Bryce Harper, Nationals (130); Carlos Santana, Phillies (110); Joey Votto, Reds (108)

Among qualifying batters only five players drew more walks than strikeouts: the Indians’ Jose Ramirez; Phillies’ Carlos Santana; Astros’ Alex Bregman; and Reds’ Joey Votto.

PITCHING VICTORIES

AL: Blake Snell, Rays (21-5); Corey Kluber, Indians (20-7); Luis Severino, Yankees (19-8)

NL: Jon Lester, Cubs (18-6); Max Scherzer, Nationals (18-7); Mike Mikolas, Cardinals (17-4)

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (qualifying – at least one inning pitched for each game his team played)

AL: Blake Snell, Rays (1.89); Trevor Bauer, Indians (2.21); JustinVerlander, Astros (2.52)

NL: Jacob deGrom (1.70); Aaron Nola, Phillies (2.37); Max Scherzer, Nationals (2.53)

Eleven qualifying pitchers finished 2018 with ERA’s under 3.00.

STRIKEOUTS

AL: JustinVerlander, Astros (290 – 214 IP); Gerrit Cole (276 – 200 1/3 IP); Chris Sale, Red Sox (237 – 158)

NL: Max Scherzer, Nationals (300 – 220 2/3 IP); Jacob deGrom, Mets (269 – 217 IP); Patrick Corbin, D-backs (246 – 200 IP)

The Astros’ Gerrit Cole led all qualifying pitchers in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.40. The Nationals’ Max Scherzer led the NL (and was second overall) at 12.24. The only other pitcher to top 12 whiffs per nine frames was Justin Verlander at 12.20.

Twenty-three qualifying pitchers fanned at least one batter per inning for the season.

SAVES

AL: Edwin Diaz, Mariners (57); Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox (42); Blake Treinen, A’s (38)

NL: Wade Davis, Rockies (43); Kenley Jansen, Dodgers (38); Felipe Vazquez, Pirates (37)

Behind the Eight Ball

Your leaders in blown saves (at eight) were the Rays’ Sergio Romo, D-backs’ Brad Boxberger and Archie Bradley; and the Blue Jays Ryan Tepera. Boxberger had 32 saves; Romo had 24; Tepera just seven saves and Bradley just three.

WAR – GOOD GOD, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

Not a big fan of Wins Above Replacement (WAR) … but for that that are, here are your leaders (among qualifiers).

Non-Pitchers: Mookie Betts, Red Sox (10.9); Mike Trout, Angels (10.2); Matt Chapman, A’s (8.2). NL leader: Christian Yelich, Brewers (7.4).

Pitchers: Aaron Nola; Phillies (10.5); Jacob deGrom, Mets (9.6); Max Scherzer, Nationals (8.8). AL Leader, Blake Snell, Rays (7.4)

—–LEAGUE LEADERS – TEAMS – Final —–

RUNS SCORED … MLB Team Average – 721

AL: Red Sox (876); Yankees (851); Indians (818)

NL: Dodgers (804); Rockies (780); Nationals (771)

The Miami Marlins were the lowest-scoring team in MLB this season with just 589 runs – the only team under 600. The Marlins also hit the fewest home runs (128)

BATTING AVERAGE … MLB Team Average – .248

AL: Red Sox (.268); Indians (.259); Rays (.258)

NL: Cubs (.258); Braves (.257); Rockies (.256)

HOME RUNS … MLB Team Average – 186

AL: Yankees (267); A’s (227); Blue Jays (217)

NL: Dodgers (235); Brewers (218); Rockies (210)

No body pounded the opposition like the Astros – who had a positive run differential of 263. The only other team over 200 was the Red Sox at +229. On the negative side, the Orioles were outscored by an MLB-high 270 runs. The only other team to reach a -200 was the Marlines at a negative 220.

A couple of surprises. Seattle finished 16 games over .500, despite being outscored by 34 runs on the season, while Arizona finished only two games over .500 while outscoring their opponents 49 runs.

STOLEN BASES … MLB Team Average – 82

AL: Indians (135); Rays (128); Red Sox (125)

NL: Brewers (124); Nationals (119); Padres (95); Rockies (94)

The A’s had the major leagues fewest steals – 35 bags swiped in 56 attempts. The Marlins had the lowest success rate at 59.2 percent (45 steals in 76 attempts.)

BATTERS’ STRIKEOUTS … MLB Team Average – 1,373

AL: White Sox (1,594); Rangers (1,484); Yankees (1,421)

NL: Padres (1,523); Phillies (1,520); Giants (1,467)

EARNED RUN AVERAGE … MLB Average – 4.14

AL: Astros (3.11); Indians (3.58); Mariners (3.89)

NL: Dodgers (3.38); Cubs (3.65); D-backs (3.72)

The only team with an earned run average over 5.00 for the season was the 115-loss Orioles – at 5.18 (5.48 ERA for starters/4.78 for relievers.

Houston had the best starters’ ERA at 3.16 and the best bullpen ERA at 3.03.

The Marlins and Royals bullpens added the most fuel to the fire – with bullpen ERAs of 5.34 and 5.04, respectively.

PITCHERS’ STRIKEOUTS … MLB Average – 1,374

AL: Astros (1,687); Yankees (1,634); Red Sox (1,558)

NL: Dodgers (1,565); Phillies (1,465); D-backs (1,448)

The Astros and Yankees were the only two teams to fan at least ten batters per nine innings: Astros – 10.44; Yankees 10.10.

SAVES … MLB Average – 41

AL: Mariners (60); Rays (52); Yankees (49)

NL: Rockies (51); Brewers (48); Dodgers (48)

Giants’ relievers blew the most saves on the season (30), while the Twins led the AL in blown saves (28)

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

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT.

Like/Follow the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

Member: Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliquary; TheNegro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

Bell and Blyleven … Linked in MLB History

September 29, 2018 by David

On this date (September 29) in 1986, Indians’ 2B Jay Bell and Twins’ pitcher Bert Blyleven crossed paths for the first time – and the encounter put both players into the MLB record books.

Bell was a 20-year-old rookie, playing his first MLB game and batting ninth. He was a September call up, after a .277-7-74 season at Double-A Waterbury of the Double A Eastern League. Blyleven was in his 17^th MLB season, had already won 228 major league games – and was on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It clearly looked like “advantage Blyleven.+

Bell’s first trip to the plate came with two outs in the top of the third inning. (Blyleven had retired the first eight Cleveland batters in order, fanning three.) On the future Hall of Famer’s first pitch to the rookie, Bell smacked a home run – tying an unbreakable MLB record (to date a total of 30 MLB players have homered on the first pitch they ever saw, Bell was just the twelfth to do so).

But the long ball had more significance. At the time of the at bat, Blyleven was tied with Hall of Famer Robin Roberts for the most home runs given up in a single season at 46. Bell’s round tripper was the 47th given up the Blyleven that season – giving him sole possession of the all-time record. Blyleven gave up three more home runs (two more in that September 29 game and one in an October 4 contest against the White Sox) to run the record to 50. Given how today’s pitchers are used that record also seems unbreakable.

Blyleven gave up at least one home run in 28 of his 36 1986 starts. In the eight starts in which he did not surrender a long ball, he went 8-0.

Despite all the long balls and a 4.01 earned run average, Blyleven had a respectable season. He led the AL in innings pitched (271 2/3); his 17 wins (versus 14 losses) were the sixth most in the AL; he tossed 16 complete games (second in the AL); gave up the third-fewest walks per nine innings; and finished fourth in strikeouts with 215.

Of the record 50 home runs Blyleven allowed in 1986, 27 were solo shots.

Blyleven, by the way, went on to help the Twins to the World Series Championship in 1987 – going 15-12, 4.01 – and giving up 46 home runs. This gave the Twins’ righty the record for home runs allowed in consecutive seasons (96). What seems a bit surprising is that those two seasons were the only two – in Blyleven’s 22 MLB campaigns – that he gave up more than 24 home runs. He, in fact, had six seasons when he pitched more than 200 innings at gave up less than 20 round trippers. (In 1973, he pitched 325 frames and allowed just 16 home runs.) Blyleven’s career record was 287-250, 3.31 – with 3,701 strikeouts (currently fifth all-time) in 4, 970 innings pitched. He was a one-time 20-game winner, won 15 or more games in ten seasons amd threw 60 complet-game shutouts (ninth all-time).

Jay Bell got in just five MLB games in 1986, going five-for-sixteen (.357) with two doubles, the one home run and four RBI. He went on to play in 18 MLB seasons – and added 194 home runs to that record-tying and record-breaking first-pitch blast. He hit .265 over his career, with 860 RBI, 1,123 runs scored and 91 stolen bases. His best year was 1999 (Diamondbacks), when he hit .289, with 38 home runs 112 RBI and 132 runs scored.

More on Bert Blyleven’s 50-home run season:

Blyleven gave up at least one home run in 28 of this 36 starts.
Blyleven gave up one home run in 15 games; two home runs in six contests; three round trippers in six contests; and five long balls in one game.
Blyleven went 8-0 in starts when he did not give up a home run; 6-7 (two no-decisions) in starts in which he gave up one homer; 2-2 (two no-decisions) in starts in which he surrendered two long balls; 1-4 (one no-decision) in three-homer games; and 0-1 in games in which he gave up five home runs.
He gave up a season high five home runs (in 5 ½ innings) in a start against Texas (in Minneapolis) on September 13. The long balls went to Pete O’Brien, Pete Incaviglia, Darrell Porter, Ruben Sierra and Steve Buechele. (Blyleven gave up nine runs in the game – eight on home runs.)
Blylven gave up home runs to 38 different batters in 1986.
The White Sox’ Ron Kittle hit the most home runs off Blyleven that season – four. The Brewers’ Ben Ogilvie had three and Blyleven gave up two homers each to Reggie Jackson (Angels), Don Mattingly (Yankees), Lance Parrish,(Tigers), Doug DeCinces (Angels) and Johnny Grubb (Tigers).
The Tigers touched Blyleven for the most home home runs in 1986, with nine (four Blyleven starts against them). Next, at six home runs each were the: Rangers (rwo starts); Brewers (four starts); and White Sox (three starts).
Blyleven got two wins – and gave up no home runs – in two starts against the Orioles.

Primary Resources. Baseball-Refrence.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT.

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

On this date (September 29), in 1986 Indians’ 2B Jay Bell and Twins’ pitcher Bert Blyleven crossed paths for the first time – and the encounter put both players into the MLB record books.

Bell was a 20-year-old rookie, playing his first MLB game and batting ninth. He was a September call up, after a .277-7=74 season at Double-A Waterbury of the Double A Eastern League.

Blyleven was in his 17^th MLB season, had already won 228 major league games – and was on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It clearly looked like advantage Blyleven.

Bell’s first trip to the plate came with two outs in the top of the third inning. (Blyleven had retired the first eight Cleveland batters in order, fanning three. On the future Hall of Famer’s first pitch to the rookie, Bell smacked a home run – tying an unbreakable MLB record (to date a total of 30 MLB players have homered on the first pitch they ever saw, Bell was just the twelfth to do so).

But the long ball had more significance. At the time of the at bat, Blyleven was tied with Hall of Famers Robin Roberts for the most home runs given up in a single season at 46. Bell’s round tripper broke that tie – and gave Blyleven the all-time record. Blyleven gave up three more home runs (two more in that September 29 games and one in an October 4 contest against the White Sox). Despite all the long ball and a 4.01 earned run average, Blyleven had a respectable season: he led the AL in innings pitched (271 2/3); his 17 wins (versus 14 losses) were the sixth most in the A; he tossed 16 complete games (second in the AL); gave up the third fewest walks per nine innings; and finished fourth in strikeouts with 215.

Of the record 50 home runs Blyleven allowed in 1986, 27 were solo shots.

Blyleven, by the way, went on to help the Twins to the World Series Championship in 1987 – going 15-12, 4.01 – and giving up 46 home runs. This gave the Twins’ righty the record for home runs allowed in consecutive seasons (96). What seem a bit surprising is that those two seasons were the only two – in Blyleven’s 22MLB campaigns – that he gave up more than 24 home runs. He, in fact, had six seasons when he pitched more than 200 innings at gave up less than 20 round tripped. (In 1973, he pitched 325 frames and allowed just 16 home runs. Blyleven’s career record was 287-250, 3.31 – with 3,701 strikeouts in 4, 970 innings pitched. He was a one-time 20-game winner, won 15 or more games in ten seasons.

Blyleven gave up at least one home run in 28 of his 36 1986 starts. In the eight starts where he did not give up a long ball, he went 8-0.

Jay Bell got in just five MLB games in 1986, going five-for-sixteen (.357) with two doubles, the one home run and four RBI. He went on to play in 18 MLB seasons – and added 194 home runs to that record-tying and record-breaking first-pitch blast. He hit .265 over his career, with 860 RBI, 1,123 runs scored and 91 stolen bases. His bet year was 1999 (Diamondbacks0, when he hit .289, with 38 home runs112 RBT and 132 runs scored.

More on Bert Blyleven’s 50-home run season.

Blyleven gave up at least one home run in 28 of this 36 starts.
Blyleven gave up one home run in 15 games; two home runs in six contests; three round trippers in six contests; and five long balls in one game.
In the eight starts in which he did not give up a home run, Blyleven went 8-0.
Blyleven was 6-7 (two no decisions) in starts in which he gave up one home; 2-2 (two no decision) in starts in which he surrender two long balls; 1-4 (one no decision in three-homer games; and 0-1 in five home run games.
He gave up a season high five home runs (in 5 ½ innings) in a start against Texas (in Minneapolis) on September 13. The long balls went to Pete O’Brien, Pete Incaviglia, Darrell Porter, Ruben Sierra and Steve Buechele. (Blyleven gave up nine runs in the game – eight on home runs,
The White Sox Ron Kittle hit the most home runs off Blyleven that season – four.

Primary Resource. Baseball-Refrence.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT.

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

On this date (September 29), in 1986 Indians’ 2B Jay Bell and Twins’ pitcher Bert Blyleven crossed paths for the first time – and the encounter put both players into the MLB record books.

Bell was a 20-year-old rookie, playing his first MLB game and batting ninth. He was a September call up, after a .277-7=74 season at Double-A Waterbury of the Double A Eastern League.

Blyleven was in his 17^th MLB season, had already won 228 major league games – and was on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It clearly looked like advantage Blyleven.

Of the record 50 home runs Blyleven allowed in 1986, 27 were solo shots.

Blyleven, by the way, went on to help the Twins to the World Series Championship in 1987 – going 15-12, 4.01 – and giving up 46 home runs. This gave the Twins’ righty the record for home runs allowed in consecutive seasons (96). What seem a bit surprising is that those two seasons were the only two – in Blyleven’s 22MLB campaigns – that he gave up more than 24 home runs. He, in fact, had six seasons when he pitched more than 200 innings at gave up less than 20 round tripped. (In 1973, he pitched 325 frames and allowed just 16 home runs. Blyleven’s career record was 287-250, 3.31 – with 3,701 strikeouts in 4, 970 innings pitched. He was a one-time 20-game winner, won 15 or more games in ten seasons.

Blyleven gave up at least one home run in 28 of his 36 1986 starts. In the eight starts where he did not give up a long ball, he went 8-0.

Jay Bell got in just five MLB games in 1986, going five-for-sixteen (.357) with two doubles, the one home run and four RBI. He went on to play in 18 MLB seasons – and added 194 home runs to that record-tying and record-breaking first-pitch blast. He hit .265 over his career, with 860 RBI, 1,123 runs scored and 91 stolen bases. His bet year was 1999 (Diamondbacks0, when he hit .289, with 38 home runs112 RBT and 132 runs scored.

More on Bert Blyleven’s 50-home run season.

Blyleven gave up at least one home run in 28 of this 36 starts.
Blyleven gave up one home run in 15 games; two home runs in six contests; three round trippers in six contests; and five long balls in one game.
In the eight starts in which he did not give up a home run, Blyleven went 8-0.
Blyleven was 6-7 (two no decisions) in starts in which he gave up one home; 2-2 (two no decision) in starts in which he surrender two long balls; 1-4 (one no decision in three-homer games; and 0-1 in five home run games.
He gave up a season high five home runs (in 5 ½ innings) in a start against Texas (in Minneapolis) on September 13. The long balls went to Pete O’Brien, Pete Incaviglia, Darrell Porter, Ruben Sierra and Steve Buechele. (Blyleven gave up nine runs in the game – eight on home runs,
The White Sox Ron Kittle hit the most home runs off Blyleven that season – four.

Primary Resource. Baseball-Refrence.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT.

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Trivia Teaser – Last Season in which Both ERA Leaders were Under 2.00

September 24, 2018 by David

The current MLB earned run average leaders are the Mets’ Jacob deGrom in the National League at 1.77 and the Rays’ Blake Snell in the American League at 1.90.

TRIVIA TEASER

When was the last season MLB saw the earned run leaders in both the National and American League at under 2.00?

That would be 1972 with the Red Sox’ Luis Tiant (1.91) and Phillies’ Steve Carlton (1.97).

Just to illustrate how much the game has changed, there have been a total of 249 instances in which a qualifying hurler (one inning pitched for each game his team played) has recorded a season earned run average of under 2.00 – and 204 of those occurred before 1920. Here’s look at the number of qualifying earned run averages under-2.00 in each time period.

Pre-1900 … 46

1900-1919 … 158

1920-29 … 2

1930-39 … 1

1940-49 … 5

1950 – 59 … 1

1960-69 … 14

1970-79 … 8

1980-89 … 3

1990-99 … 5

2000-2009 … 2

2010 – 2017 …. 4

The leader in total qualifying seasons with an earned run average under 2.00 is the Senators’ Walter Johnson with ten over a 21-season career (1907-1927). His qualifying under 2.00 seasons were: 1908 – 1.65; 1910 – 1.36; 1911 – 1.90; 1912 – 1.39; 1913 – 1.14; 1914 – 1.72; 1915 – 1.55; 1916 – 1.90; 1918 – 1.27; 1919 – 1.49. Johnson finished his career with 417 wins (279 losses) and a 2.17 earned run average.

The post-1919 leader in seasons with a qualifying ERA under 2.00 is the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax with three: 1963 – 1.88; 1964 – 1.74; 1966 – 1.73. Koufax retired at 165-87, 2.76 (over 12 seasons … 1955-66).

Tim Keefe of the National League 1880 Troy Trojans – a team that went 41-42 – recorded the major league’s lowest-ever qualifying ERA at 0.86 – giving up just ten earned runs in 12 starts (all complete games, 105 innings pitched). Despite the league’s stingiest ERA, Keefe went 6-6 on the season. (The league ERA that season was 2.37 – and three of the eight teams has ERAs under 2.00.) Keefe pitched 14 MLB seasons (1880-93), going 342-225, 2.63.

The lowest post-1899 ERA goes to the Red Sox’ Dutch Leonard at 0.96 in 1914, when he went 19-5, 0.96, while pitching 224 innings. Leonard was 139-114, 2.76 for his 11-season MLB career (1913-21; 1924-25). Side note: The lowest post-1919 qualifying ERA … and fourth-lowest all time … belongs to Bob Gibson, who went 22-9, 1.12 in 1968. The next lowest post-1919 season ERA was Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 for the Mets in 1985 – when the 20-year-old went 24-4.

Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

Member: Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliqaury. The Negrpo Leagues Baseball Museum.

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

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