BB Fun Facts Archives - Page 4 of 63

1916 Giants … MLB’s Streakiest Team

September 7, 2023 by David

In today’s post, Baseball Roundtable takes a look at (possibly) the streakiest team in MLB history. As is the Baseball Roundtable tradition, when I look into baseball events (past and current) “one thing always leads to another.” This journey began with my interest in the remarkable 1916 season of New York Giants’ pitcher Ferdie Schupp (more on that in a bit.) However, I soon became distracted by the remarkably streaky season of the 1916 Giants as a whole.

On this date (September 7) in 1916, the aforementioned Schupp started for the Giants against Nap Rucker and the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) at the Polo Grounds. Southpaw Schupp went the distance for the Giants, tossing a two-hitter. Lefty Rucker also went the distance (a six-hitter) and all four runs scored against him were unearned. The win brought the fourth-place Giants record to 60-62 and dropped the second-place Robins to 74-51.

More important, the win was the first of an MLB-record 26-game winning streak for the Giants. (Side note: the streak was interrupted after 12 games by a 1-1 tie. However, ties were not counted in MLB standings and, at the time, games were replayed not resumed. Therefore, MLB recognizes the Giants’ streak as the record.)

That the Giants would go on a streak is no surprise. During the 1916 season, looking at streaks of five or more games, the Giants:

Had winning streaks of 26 and 17 games;
Suffered losing streaks of eight games (part of 13 losses in 15 games), five games and six games (the latter two part of a streak of 11 losses in 12 games).

The 1916 Giants are the only team with a 20 (or more)-game, in-season winning streak that did not finish in first place. In fact, the Giants started their record winning streak in fourth place, ended the streak in fourth place and finished the season in fourth place.

The Giants’ two winning streaks provided a record-book bonanza.

The 26-game winning streak (September 7 through September 30) involved all home games (part of a 31-game homestand). That gave the Giants the record for the overall MLB winning streak and home winning streak.
The 17-game winning streak involved all road games (part of a 21-game road trip). That streak gave the Giants the record for consecutive road wins. While the Tigers broke the overall record for consecutive road wins in 1983-84, the Giants still share the single-season record of 17 consecutive road wins (with the 1984 Tigers).

A Tiger by the Tail

The 1983 Tigers won their final four road games. Detroit then opened the 1984 season by winning their first 17 road games (on their way to a 35-5 start). The 17 road wins tied the single-season record for consecutive road wins and (with the four final road wins of 1983) helped set a new multi-season mark for consecutive road wins.

Now, let’s get back to those 1916 Giants. In their 26-game winning streak, they outscored their opponents 121-32 (not counting the 1-1 tie). The streak included ten shutouts and four one-run victories.

During the streak, southpaw, Ferdie Schupp, the original topic of the research behind this post, started six games and went 6-0, with a 0.33 earned run average. He tossed six compete games and gave up just three runs (two earned) and just 17 hits in 54 innings.

Schupp (who made his first 1916 MLB appearance on June 13) finished the 1916 season with a 9-3, record and a 0.90 earned run average in 140 1/3 innings. Notably, Schupp’s 0.90 earned run average was – at the time – recognized as the MLB single-season earned run average record. If you look at today’s record books, the single-season lowest ERA record (post-1900) is assigned to the Red Sox’ Dutch Leonard (0.96 in 1914), with statisticians applying the current qualifying standard of at least one inning pitched per team’s game played. But as Daniel Levitt pointed out in his superb article in the 1996 Society of American Baseball Research “Baseball Research Journal (“Lowest Season ERA? Ferdie Schupp. He meets the Criteria”), the standard for qualifying at the time was a season of with at least ten complete games. Levitt makes a strong case that Schupp should still have the record on the basis of the criteria at the time, longevity of that recognition and the lack of new evidence to the contrary. Baseball Roundtable agrees (that was the original focus of this post).

Schupp followed up his 1916 season with a 21-7, 1.95 record for the 1917 Giants (with 25 complete games in 32 starts). His career MLB mark (10 seasons) was 61-39, 3.32.

Here are a few other factoids about 20+ game MLB winning streaks:

In their 2017 22-game wining streak, the Cleveland Indians outscored their opponents 142-37, threw seven shutouts and won four one-run games. The streak covered 11 home games and 11 away games. The Indians’ big four starters of Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevenger, Carlos Carrasco and Corey Kluber picked up wins in 17 of the 22 games (they also got the wins in 65 of the team’s 102 2017 victories).
The 1935 Cubs outscored their opponents 137-50 in their 1935 21-game winning streak. It included four shutouts and five one-run games – and 18 home games (versus three road games). Eighteen of the Cubs’ 21 wins involved complete games by the Cubs’ starting pitcher (#HowTheGameHasChanged).
The 2002 A’s outscored their opponents 141-65 in their 20-game winning streak, which included four shutouts, four one-run games, ten home wins and ten road wins. The final three wins in the A’s streak were walk-off wins at home.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; “Best Season ERA? Try Freddie Schupp,” by Daniel R. Levitt, The Baseball Research Journal, Society for American Baseball Research, 1996.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

P1002

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Baseball Roundtable 1,000th Post – a Potpourri of MLB Unexpected Occurrences and Coincidences

August 22, 2023 by David

This day (August 22) in 1982, Cardinal’s backup catcher Glenn Brummer produced an unexpected performance that still stands as a unique moment in Redbird lore. Let’s start this tale with a bit of a bit of background.

First, Brummer was not just the Cardinals’ backup catcher, he was the backup to the backup – with starter Darrell Porter and backup Gene Tenace ahead of him. He had, in fact, spent part of the early season as a backup catcher at Triple-A until an injury to Porter led to Brummer’s callup (when Porter recovered, the Cardinals kept Brummer on the team as a third-string backstop and defensive replacement).

Second, Brummer did not start behind the plate that day. In fact, he didn’t enter the game (Giants at Cardinals) until the bottom of the eighth, when he came on as a pinch runner for pinch hitter Steve Braun (who had hit for Tenace) and stayed in at catcher. (Keep that pinch runner designation in mind, it will play later in this tale.)

Coming into the game, Brummer had one career stolen base (it had come on June 4 of that year) and he had notched just one plate appearance (in nine game appearances) since June 23 (when he delivered a single after coming in as a defensive replacement).

In that August 22 game, the Cardinals trailed 4-3 when Brummer entered, but tied it at four in the bottom of the ninth, which – ultimately – set up Brummer to deliver the unexpected (as a runner).

Brummer opened the bottom of the tenth with a strikeout (versus Gary Lavelle) and when his spot in the lineup came around in the twelfth inning, it was still 4-4 and Lavelle was still on the mound. Brummer delivered a one-out single, then moved to second on a single by CF Willie McGee. After a foul pop out by 3B Julio Gonzalez, an infield single by SS Ozzie Smith loaded the bases (Brummer on third) with two outs. Brummer noticed that Lavelle didn’t seem to be paying much attention to him. (Drummer after all had one career MLB stolen base at the time.) So, he worked to extend his lead. Then, with a 1-2 count on LF David Green, Brummer made a successful straight steal of home to win the game. (It was his second and final steal of the season.)

The play, by the way , was not without controversy. As Brummer broke for home, Giants’ catcher Milt May stepped in front of the plate to catch the pitch and attempt a tag on Brummer and umpire Dave Pallone stepped to the side to better see and make the call. The Giants argued that Pallone had not made a “call” on the pitch – which would have been out number-three and negated the run if it was a strike. The Cardinals argued that since the pitch never reached the plate, it could not be a strike (or even a pitch). Pallone then called the pitch ball to end the debate and the steal became part of Redbirds’’ lore.

Brummer, by the way, played in 178 games in five MLB seasons (1981-85) – during which he hit .251-1-27 in 347 at bats and stole just four bases in 12 tries (including one memorable swipe for a 12trh inning victory).

So, why is this story her today? Because, I’m pretty sure anyone would have given you odds of 1,00-to-one or better against Brummer swiping home (particularly with two outs and two strikes on the batter and the bases loaded) to win an extra-inning game. And I like that 1,000 number because this is the 1000^th Baseball Roundtable post.

With that, I’m going to dedicate this post to some unexpected on-field occurrences or coincidences that I have particularly enjoyed coming across while researching the previous 999 offerings. These tidbits are presented in no particular order – like looking at a series of unrelated slides (remember slides) – but I hope readers find some of them interesting or entertaining.

I Call Your Steal of Home and Raise You One

On August 14, 1958, the Indians’ Vic Power tied an MLB record by stealing home an MLB record-tying twice in one game – the second of which came in the bottom of the tenth inning, giving the Indians a “run-off” 10-9 win over the Tigers. Why does this feat find a place on my unexpected list? Power stole only three bases during the entire 1958 season.

Do You Want Fries With That?

On Opening Day, April 7 – 2022, Diamondbacks’ DH Seth Beer hit his second MLB home run – a walk-off, three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth (as the Diamondbacks topped the Padres 4-2 in Arizona). Notably, Beer’s blast came on National Beer Day. About a month-and-a half later, on National Hamburger Day (May 28), White Sox’ 3B Jake Burger hit his fifth career home run (as the White Sox lost to the Cubs 3-1 at Guaranteed Rate Field). Hmmm. When is the next National French Fry Day?

An Oddly Even Game

On August 13, 1910, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers) played perhaps the most “even” MLB game ever. The first game of that day’s twin bill was pretty tight – a 13-inning,3-2 Pirates’ win. Game Two put Game One to shame. It ended after nine frames in an 8-8 tie (called due darkness). In the game:

Each team scored 8 runs;
Each team recorded 13 hits in 38 at bats;
Each team made two errors;
Each team recorded 13 assists and 27 putouts;
Each team gave up three walks;
Each team suffered one hit batsman;
Each team fanned five times;
Each team was charged with one passed ball;
Each team was awarded five RBI among their eight runs scored.

Another Oddly Even Game

On April 15, 1968, The Astros topped the Mets 1-0 in 24 innings. In that one:

Each team had 11 hits in 79 at bats;
Each team had ten singles and one double;
Each team left 16 men on base;
Each squad made on error;
Each team threw two wild pitches;
Each team turned one double play.
Each team used four pinch hitters.

Oh, and by the way, the wining tally scored on a groundball error. So, each team scored zero “earned” runs.

Won’t See This Again. Probably Wasn’t Expected Even Then.

On May 1, 1920 The Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves played the longest game (in innings) in MLB history – a 26-inning 1-1 tie. The unexpected? Both starting pitchers (Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore) and Boston’s Joe Oeschger) went the distance.

Probably Won’t See This Either

Photo: Bowman, Public domain via WikiCommons

From 1950-59, The Phillies’ Robin Roberts averaged just over 300 innings pitched per season (3011 2/3 innings pitched in ten seasons). Further, in a six-year span (1950-55), he averaged 323 innings pitched per season and led the NL in innings logged five times – never throwing less than 304 1/3 innings in a season.

Timing is Everything

Sammy Sosa is the only player to hit 60 or more home runs in three seasons 1998, 1999 and 2001 – and he didn’t lead his league in home runs in any of those campaigns. In 1998, as a Cub, he finished with 66 home runs to the Cardinals’ Mark McGwire’s 70. In In 1999, it was Sosa with 63 homers and McGwire with 65. In 2001,Sosa had 64 homers to the Giants’ Barry Bonds 73.

More timing – Shortest Solo Reign as MLB Home Run King

On September 25, 1998 Sammy Sosa hit his 66th homer of the season off Jose Lima – taking sole possession of the all-time lead for home runs in an MLB season. Just 45 minutes later, Mark McGwire tied Sosa for the lead with his 66^th homer of the season and the very next day McGwire took sole possession of the record with his 67^th.

As ESPN Classic reports, at 8:39 p.m. (CDT) Sosa hit his 66th longball of the1998 season (fourth inning off Astros Jose Lima) – moving one ahead of McGwire as the all-time single-season record holder. At 9:24 p.m. that same night, McGwire moved back into a tie with a home run off Nationals’ Shayne Bennett. (McGwire eventually hit 70 that season, a record that stood until 2001, when Barry Bonds hit 71.) Note: Babe Ruth held the single-season home run crown from September 28 1919 until October 1, 1961 (breaking his own record several times that span).

An Unexpectedly Tense Game

On September 9, 1965 future Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitched a perfect game against the Cubs (in LA). Unexpectedly, he pretty much needed to be that good. His mound opponent that day was Bob Hendley (who would go on to a 48-52, 3.97 record in seven MLB seasons). Hendley gave up just one hit and one walk in the game – surrendering just one unearned run. Thus Hendley, perhaps unexpectedly, shares the record with Koufax for the fewest (combined) hits ever allowed in an MLB game (one).

Some Milestone Homers

Brothers B.J. and Justin Upton both hit their 100th career home runs on the same day – August 3, 2012.
On April 13, 2009. White Sox RF Jermaine Dye and 1B Paul Konerko each hit their 300th career home runs – and they did it back-to-back in the top of the second inning.

Stan and Nate – The Grandaddy of All MLB Coincidences

This story has been told often, but it remains The Roundtable’s favorite baseball coincidence. On May 2, 1954, Stan “The Man” Musial had one of the greatest days at the plate in major-league history. That day, the New York Giants faced Musial’s Cardinals in a double header before 26,662 fans at Busch Stadium (I). Game One, a 10-6 Cardinal win, saw Musial go four-for-four with three home runs (his first-ever three-homer game) and six RBI. In Game Two, a 9-7 Cardinals’ loss, Musial went two-for-four, with two home runs and three RBI – becoming the first player ever to hit five home runs in a doubleheader.

Among the 26,662 fans witnessing Musial’s feat was eight-year-old Nate Colbert – who, on August 1, 1972, would become the second player in MLB history (and there are still only two) to hit five round trippers in a double header. In Game One of that doubleheader (Padres at Braves), Colbert went four-for-five, with two home runs and five RBI, as the Padres won 9-0. In Game Two, an 11-7 Padres’ win, Colbert went three-for-four with three home runs and eight RBI. Stan Musial, however, was not in the crowd. (Now, that would really have been a coincidence.)

A Royal Coincidence?

The Kansas City Royals were the first AL expansion team to win a Division Title; a League Championship; and a World Series Crown – and they did it in three different seasons – 1976, 1980 and 1985, respectively.

Like Father, Like Son

Cecil (father) and Prince (son) Fielder were both big-league power hitters. Cecil enjoyed a 13-season MLB career, while Prince played in 12 MLB season. Cecil’s career stat line was .255-319-1,008, while Prince was .283-319-1,028. The key coincidence for me here is that home run number.

Father and son:

Each hit 319 carer homers;
Each had one season of 50 or more homers;
Each had one season of 40-49 homers;
Each had four seasons of 30-39 home runs.

And, they were “closers:”

Each hit 97 home runs with two outs;
Each hit 18 ninth-inning long balls.

Are You Sure about That?

The winning pitcher in the first and only MLB Hispanic American All-star game was Alvin O’Neal McBean. Click here for the full story on that one.

Consistently Is Not always A Hobgoblin

In 1996, the Rockies’ Vinny Castilla’s’ stat line was .304-40-113. In 1997? .304-40-113.

Statistics Can Be Fun

Placido Polanco is the all-time leader (Minimum 500 games) in fielding percentage at third base and second base.

A Good Day To Be Born

In 1994, White Sox’ 1B Frank Thomas was the American League MVP and Astros’ 1B Jeff Bagwell was the National League MVP – both were born on May 27, 1968.

By George, That’s a Good one

Hall of Famers Tom Seaver, Sparky Anderson, Ken Griffey, Jr., Babe Ruth and Rube Waddell are all “Georges.” George Thomas Seaver; George Lee Anderson; George Kenneth, Griffey, Jr.; George Herman Ruth; and George Edward Waddell.

That’s Your Uncle Bob

Bob Lemon, who made the Hall of Fame as pitcher, played CF when the Indians’ Bob Feller no-hit the Yankees (1-0) – marking the first time the Yankees were no hit at Yankee Stadium. (Lemon started his career as a 3B-OF. ) Makes a good trivia question: What Hall of Famer played CF in Bob Feller’s second career no-hitter?

That was Fun, Let’s Do It Again.

On May 2, 2002 2B Brett Boone and CF Mike Cameron were batting in the two and three holes in the Mariners’ lineup, as they faced off against the White Sox in Chicago. After Mariners’ RF Ichiro Suzuki was hit by a pitch (on the first pitch) to open the game, Boone took the very next pitch from White Sox starter Jon Rauch to deep RF for a two-run home run. It took four pitches, but Cameron followed up with a solo home run – a couple of back-to-back blasts. Six runs and two outs later, Boone came up again and delivered another two-run home run (this time off Jim Parque) and Cameron followed with a solo shot to center. Back-to-back twice in the same inning – an unexpected MLB first and still only. Cameron, by the way, went on to hit an MLB single-game, record- tying four home runs in the contest – won by the Mariners 15-4.

Let Me Show You How its Done

Photo by gomarky

On June 18, 1999, the Yankees’ David Cone pitched a perfect game, as New York downed Montreal 6-0 at Yankee Stadium. It came on Yogi Berra Day and the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Don Larsen – who pitched a Perfect Game in the 1956 World Series – to Berra.

Perfectly Unexpected

The White Sox’ Phil Humber pitched eight seasons in the big leagues – going 16-23, with a 5.31 earned run average. He made 51 starts and tossed just one career complete game. It as a good one though – a perfect game against the Mariners (in Seattle). Humber completed the masterpiece in 96 pitches (67 strikes) with nine strikeouts. In the game, Humber did not go to a three-ball count on any batter until the ninth (two 3-2 counts) and only seven balls were hit out of the infield.

I Like The Pressure

Twenty-year-old righty Francisco Rodriguez made his MLB (with the Angels) on September 18, 2002. He pitched in just five games – 5 2/3 innings, three hits, two walks, 13 whiffs – but he made it the post-season roster. In the 2002 post-season he pitched in 11 games, 18 2/3 innings, giving up ten hits and two runs, while walking five and fanning 28. More importantly, he had five post-season wins – all before he recorded a regular-season decision (win or save). He went on to pitch in 16 MLB seasons, going 52-53, 2,86, with 437 saves (leading the league three times) with 1,142 strikeouts in 976 innings.

On A Last Place Team. Kind Of Unexpected, But It Was Lefty.

On (August 21, 1972, Phillies’ lefty Steve Carlton, on his way to his first Cy Young Award, lost a heartbreaker to the Braves (2-1 in 11 innings) in Philadelphia. Carlton went all 11 innings (two runs, seven hits, three walks, ten whiffs, as did his mound opponent Phil Niekro (one run, nine hits, three walks, ten strikeouts.) So, why does a Carlton loss appear in this post?

Because it broke a string of 15 consecutive winning decisions (with four no-decisions tossed in) since his last loss (which came on May 30). In those 19 starts. Carlson had gone 15-0 and the Phillies had gone 17-2. What attracted The Roundtable’s attention was that during that same time period between Carlton losses (June 1 – August 21), the Phillies had gone 27-47 … 17-2 in games Carlton started and 10-45 in those he didn’t. For the season, Carlton went 27-10, 1.97 and the Phillies went 29-12 in Carlton’s starts and 30-85 when he didn’t take the mound. Carlton, while pitching for the last-place Phillies led the NL in wins (27), ERA (1.97), starts (41), complete games (30); innings pitched (346 1/3); and strikeout 310. It earned him the Cy Young Award.

Getting A Late Start On A Strikeouts Lead

Had there been a Cy Young Award in 1902, Rube Waddell – like Steve Carlton above, would have won it. And, his accomplishment would have been as unlikely as a pitcher on a last place club capturing that honor. Waddell started the 1902 season in the California League and didn’t make his first MLB start of the season until June 26 – for the fourth place Philadelphia Athletics (who were just one game over .500 at 26-25).

Despite missing more than 40 percent of the MLB season, Waddell went on to lead the league in strikeouts (210) and finish second in wins (24 versus seven losses); while putting up the league’s second-best ERA at 2.05. Oh, and he led the Athletics to the AL pennant. For more on the amazing and zany career of Waddell, click here.

Don’t Worry Boys, I’ll Handle This

In 1920, Babe Ruth, hit 54 home runs for the Yankees Not a surprise – unless, of course, you factor in the fact that no other American League team hit more than 50 and Ruth also outhomered all but one of the National teams (the Phillies had 64 team homers.) The second-most home runs by any player in 1920 was the Browns’ George Sisler’s 19.

Ray Caldwell Hit By Lightning – Finishes Game

On August 24, 1919 hard-nosed righty Ray Caldwell made his first appearance on the mound for the Cleveland Indians (he had been released the Red Sox) – and it was electrifying (even death-defying) . He started against the Philadelphia Athletics – under threatening skies. He got to the bottom of the ninth with a 2-1 lead. With two outs and the A’s number-five hitter Joe Dugan at the plate, the skies delivered on their threat. As witnesses reported, a lightning bolt blazed from the sky, hit near the press box, traveled down the ballpark railing, exited and crossed the field, dropping Caldwell (some said it hit him in the top of the cap). Caldwell was on the ground for about five minutes, then slowly sat up, got to his feet, shook his head to clear the cobwebs (or perhaps th eclectic buzz), demanded the ball and promptly retired Dugan on a ground out to third. For the full story on Caldwell unexpected finish to this game, click here.

Gotta Love them Zeroes

In 1968, Dodgers’ righty Don Drysdale pitched a record six consecutive complete-game shutouts between May 14 and June 4. In those 54 innings, he gave up just 27 hits and nine walks, while fanning 42. Surprisingly, the Big D finished the season at just 14-12 (but with a 2.15 ERA), despite the six straight whitewashings. In all, eight of his 14 wins were shutouts.

Who Says Pitchers Can’t Hit?

The first National Leaguer (any position) to hit two Grand Slams in a game was a pitcher – Tony Cloninger, who did it in a Braves 17-3 win over the Giants on July 3, 1966. Cloninger collected a pitchers’ record nine RBI in the game – and also threw a complete-game seven-hitter. This tidbit gets “extra credit” when you add the fact that, after retiring from MLB, Cloninger became a world-class slow-pitch softball player. In 1978 (six years after his MLB retirement), playing for the United States Slow-Pitch Softball Association’s Slow-Pitch World Series Champion Howard & Carroll team, Cloninger was selected as the third baseman on the Series All-World Team.

Got Any More Bob millers Out in the Pen?

On August 15, 1962, as the Philllies topped the Mets 9-3 in the first game of a twin bill, Phillies’ starting left fielder Don Demeter touched up starting pitcher right-hander Bob Miller (Robert Lane Miller) for a third-inning, solo home run. In the ninth frame, Demeter (who had now moved to CF) hit a three-run home run, this time off left-handed reliever Bob Miller (Robert Gerald Miller). So, two home runs in one game off two Bob Millers, one southpaw and one righty, one starter and one reliever, while in the lineup at two different positions.

The Jim and Chuck Show

In 1961, the Orioles’ Jim Gentile tied the MLB record and set a new AL mark (both since broken) for Grand Slams in a season with five bases-loaded long balls. Every one of Gentile’s five four-run blasts was hit in a game started by Orioles’ righty Chuck Estrada (who, as you would expect, picked up a victory in all four contests). Added credit for the fact that Gentile hit only one other Grand Slam in his career (June 26, 1960) and – you guessed it – the starting and winning pitcher in that contest was Chuck Estrada.

More Grand Slam Surprises

In 1987, Yankees’ first baseman Don Mattingly set an MLB single-season record (since tied) with six Grand Slams. Despite a 14-season career that included 163 bases-loaded plate appearances, Mattingly did not hit another Grand Slam before or after those record-setting six.

Wha-a-at?

Babe Ruth had more inside-the-park home runs and more steals of home than Ricky Henderson.

A Couple Of Bookends

John Miller hit just two home runs in his MLB career – one for the Yankees in 1966 and one for the Dodgers in 1969. Those blasts made him one of just two MLB players to homer in their first and last MLB plate appearance.

This Seems Unlikely, I Guess.

Only five times in MLB history has a pitcher fanned 20 batters in nine innings – Roger Clemens (twice); Kerry Woods; Max Scherzer; and Randy Johnson. (Johnson was the only non-complete game. He fanned twenty in nine innings, but was relieved by Byung-Hyun Kim in the top of the tenth with the score tied 1-1.) The tidbit that attracted me here is that is that in those five nine-inning, 20-strikeout outings, these dominating pitchers did not walk a single batter. That’s right, 100 whiffs and not a single walk.

Side Note; Om September 12 1962, Tom Cheney of the Washington Senators set the MLB record for strikeouts in a single game at 21. Cheney pitched a 16 -inning complete game, one run on ten hits and four walks, with 21 strikeouts – as the Senators won 2-1.

It’s Good To Have Backup

In 1961, when Roger Maris hit 61 homers to break Babe Ruth’s homerun record, he drew zero intentional walks. (He was batting in front of Mickey Mantle.)

Casey Got A Good Start at Yankee Stadium

Casey Stengel, while a member of the New York Giants, hit the first-ever inside-the-park and over-the-fence post-season home runs in Yankee Stadium, (Games One and Three of the 1923 World Series.)

Just Start Me In Twin Bills

In August of 1903, the Giants’ Joe McGinnity started both games of a double header three times (August 1, 8 and 31), pitched six complete games and won them all, giving up just ten runs. What puts this on this list is, that same month, McGinnity pitched just one game on six other occasions – going 1-5 and giving up 28 runs. Apparently, he liked a full day’s work.

Primary Resources: Baseball-References.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; MLB.com; ESPN.com

_________________________________________________

About Baseball Roundtable: Over the span of 1,000 posts, Baseball Roundtable has published a combination stats and stories, observation and opinion (mine and the readers’). On these pages, The Roundtable has launched:

The Annual John Paciorek Award – honoring players with brief, but in some way notable, baseball careers. For the latest JPA post – with a link to all the JPA offerings, click here.

The “Who’s Your Daddy?” Series – presenting position-by-position lineups of players who performed exceptionally well against some of the best pitchers of all time. For the latest “Who’s You Daddy?” post, which includes links to the entire series, click here.

The Baseball Roundtable Trot Index – tracking the percentage of plate appearances that result in a “trot” – around the bases (home run); back to the dugout (strikeout); or to first base (walk, hit by pitch, catcher’s interference.)

The annual Baseball Roundtable Unofficial Fan Hall of Famed Ballot, as well as fan surveys on the baseball experiences (time of game, concessions, etc.), proposed rule changes and the general state of the game.

Lists covering topics from Baseball Roundtables’ favorite baseball quotes, nicknames and baseball cards.

Baseball Roundtable has also offered month-by-month MLB season summaries – with stats, stories (highlights) and Baseball Roundtable’s Players, Pitchers and Surprise of the Month. Baseball Roundtable has also featured guest posts by former players; coaches; sportswriters; writers from such websites as LiftYourGame.net, CatcherHome.com; The BaseballReviews.com; OldSportCards.com; I70Baseball.com; and even an Emmy Award Winner.

Looking forward to the next 1,000 posts. Thanks to all for reading The Roundtable.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, Uncategorized

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE – RESULTS FROM MID-SEASON MLB RULES SURVEY

July 25, 2023 by David

Back in March, when MLB announced a number of rules changes for 2023 (along with making the placed runner at second base in extra innings permanent), Baseball Roundtable asked readers for their opinions on MLB’s actions (118 readers responded). At the All Star Break, with fans having just over a half season to judge the new rules, The Roundtable repeated the survey (101 readers responded).

The All Star Break survey also included an open-ended question, asking readers what they felt were the most pressing issues facing MLB today. (Forty-nine of the respondents answered that question and – spoiler alert, this post will cover those responses in detail later) – the cost of attending a game and the predominance of the “three true outcomes” (strikeouts, home runs and walks) led the way.

As noted, we’ll take a look at those open-ended responses later. Let’s get back to the new rules. The reader survey results indicate that, in practice, the new rules have gained fans among the fans.

For example, while just over half of the pre-season survey respondents (51%) said they Did Not Like or Hated the restriction on infield shifts – at the All-Star Break, that figure was down to 23.5%. Similarly, in the pre-season survey, 56.8% said they Liked or Loved the idea of a pitch clock. After seeing it in action, at the All-Star Break that group was up to 75%. The (now permanent) extra-inning placed runner at second base did not fare as well, with those who Don’t Like or Hate the rule dropping just slightly – from 78% percent to 72%. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s look at the questions and responses. Note: Due to rounding percentages do not always total 100%.

INFIELD SHIFT RESTRICTIONS

Two infielders must be on each side of second base and within the boundaries of the infield as a pitch is thrown. Also, infielders may not switch sides during a given inning (you can’t move your best infielder to the opposite side of the second base bag for a specific hitter). Side note: A team may still choose to bring an outfielder into the infield as a fifth infielder. Penalty: A Ball is called.

Big gains were seen in the support for the restrictions on infield shifts. While the pre-season split was fairly even (51% in the Dislike It/Hate It groups and 48.4% in Like It/Love It), at the All Star Break, the Like It/Love It cadre was up to 64.4%, while the Don’t Like It/Hate It groups were down to 22.8%

Baseball Roundtable Take: Originally, I was in favor a modified version of this rule – putting the new restrictions in place, but allowing managers to use an exaggerated shift a limited number of times (two or three) per game. (Making using the shift a strategic decision.) I do like the way that new rule has affected game play, so put me in the convert group.

PITCH CLOCK

This change put in place a 30-second time limit between each batter, 15-second pitch clock with bases empty (pitcher must deliver the ball within 15-seconds of receiving it), 20 seconds with runner(s) on base. Also, batters must be in the batter’s box and ready by the time there are eight-seconds left on pitch clock. Note: With runners on base, the timer resets if the pitcher steps off the rubber or attempts a pickoff (these are “disengagements), with a limit of two disengagements per plate appearance (more on that later). The timer is also reset if a baserunner advances during a plate appearance. In addition, batters are allowed one time out during a plate appearance. Penalties: Pitcher violation – called Ball; Batter violation – called Strike.

Wow, the percentage of respondents saying they Hated the idea of a pitch clock dropped from 18.6% in the pre-season survey to 7.0% in the All Star Break survey. At the same time, the Love It group jumped from 27.1% to 46%. Overall, this one looks like a winner, with the Love It/Like It cadres at the All Star Break standing as 75%.

Baseball Roundtable Take: Clearly, fans appreciate the quicker pace of the game under the new rules. It does create a challenge for those of us who maintain a scorecard. (I took a stopwatch to a couple of games and found that if you took a seven-minute break – starting with the final out of a half inning – to go to the concession stands or restroom – you could count on missing 3-4 batters before you got back to your seat. Still, it seems to be working (even better than I expected), the fans like it and the players adjusted quickly, so I’m on board. What I would like to see is a return of vendors to the stands (my hometown Twins do not have vendors in aisles), to reduce the potential for missing plays.

DISENGAGEMENT RULE

Pitchers are allowed just two “disengagements” (pick-off attempts, fake pick-offs, stepping off the rubber, defensive time out) per plate appearance – with the disengagement count reset if a runner advances a base within the plate appearance. No penalty on a third pick-off attempt if it produces an out. Penalty: If a pitcher steps off or attempts a pick-off a third time, it is treated as a Balk (runners advance) – unless the pick-off is successful (an out is recorded), then there is no penalty.

Lots of opposition (pre-season) here, with the Don’t Like/Hate It groups at 72.3%. That opposition was down to 42.6%t at the All Star Break. Still, lots of room for debate on this one. At the All Star Break, the Like It/Love It and Don’t Like It/Hate it groups were fairly evenly split, 44.5% and 42.6%, respectively.

Baseball Roundtable Take: I’m not a big fan of limiting pick-off attempts. I like the pitcher-base runner “cat and mouse” game – and consider pick-off plays to be on-field “action.” I do appreciate the third pick-off not being a violation if an out is recorded (which prevents runners from taking extraordinary leads after the allowed two disengagements). I, personally, would like to see MLB disengage itself from this rule.

RUNNER PLACED AT SECOND BASE IN EXTRA INNINGS

Still unpopular – but now “permanent.” In the pre-season survey 75% of respondents said they Disliked or Hated this rule. At All Star Break, that figure was down only slightly – to 70.2%. Not a lot of movement and still plenty of disgruntled fans.

Baseball Roundtable Take: Totally agree with the bulk of survey respondents. To me, this rule change is a step too far. My stance is that “earned” runners, not “gift” runners, should decide a ball game. Yes, it does seem to be shortening extra-inning contests (I’m not convinced that’s a good thing). However, it also changes the basic structure and strategy of the game, not to mention skewing statistics. Heck, a relief pitcher can get tagged with a loss without allowing a baserunner (bunt and sacrifice fly) and a batter can make an out to end an inning and be credited with a run scored in the next inning – without making a plate appearance.

RESTRICTIONS ON POSITION PLAYER PITCHING APPEARANCES

Last season, position players could only be brought in to pitch in extra innings or if the player’s team was trailing by at least six runs. In 2023, position player can be brought in to pitch in extra innings or if the player’s team is trailing by at least eight runs (at any time) or ahead by at least ten runs in the ninth inning.

The Don’t Like It /Hate it group was down from 53.4% pre-season to 27.7% at the All-Star break. Notably, the biggest part of that jump came in a move to the Neutral/No Opinion group (up from 28.8% to 46.5%).

Baseball Roundtable Take: Very close to a distinction without a difference.

WAVE ‘EM-TO-FIRST INTENTIONAL WALK

Okay, I threw this one in there (get the pun) just because I don’t like this rule. The last time I surveyed readers on this one was in 2022 and the split was 48.0% Like and 41.2% Dislike. It hasn’t changed much, it’s now 46.5% Like to 40.6% Dislike.

Baseball Roundtable Take: I still don’t like it, but it’s not a big deal.

INCREASED BASE SIZES

MLB bases are up to 18 x 18 inches – from 15 x 15 inches. I was actually surprised by the number of responders to the pre-season survey who voiced opinions on this one (only 35% answered Neutral/No Opinion). Apparently, once in action, fewer fans noticed a difference – as the Neutral/No Opinion percentage was up to 45.5% at the All Star Break. The gain in “neutrality” came among those who initially were opposed to the change.

Baseball Roundtable Take: If you consider this a safety issue, giving fielders and runners more space to operate in, I’m on board. If the argument is that it increases action on the base paths, my answer is “Yawn.” Baseball may be a game of inches, but I don’t think these few inches make much of a difference. (For the running game, the disengagement rule will have much more of an impact.)

ELECTRONIC BALL/STRIKE CALLS

MLB has been talking about an electric strike zone and a few options seems to be on the table. Here are how those options fared with the fans.

35.6% … Have umpires continue to make the call, but allow a specific number of ball/strike challenges per game. The umpire would the refer to the electronic system to resolve the challenge. (Successful challenges would not count against the limit.)

29.7% … Leave things the way they are. Let the umps make the call.

28.7% … Have all ball/strike calls made electronically and relayed to the home plate umpire.

5.9% … Neutral/No Opinion.

Baseball Roundtable Take: Not a fan of this potential change. I do like to watch those pitchers with the skills to “expand” the strike zone. Still, if it comes to this, I can live with it. I do miss the days, however, when the philosophy was that – whether at the plate or on the basses – the umpires’ “calls” would even out. I just hate to see MLB take more and more of the human factor out of the game. Plus, if we ever get to an all-electronic umpiring system, where will all the in-game “great debates” come from?

—-MLB’S MOST PRESSING ISSUES – OPEN-ENDED QUESTION—-

Forty-nine respondents answer the open-ended question “What do you, as a fan, see as the most important issue(s) facing major league baseball today?”

The clear leaders, in terms of times mentioned, were the cost of going to a game and a desire to see for more balls in play (too many strikeouts/too many “True Outcomes” … K/BB/HR).

Here are the issues that came up on more than one survey.

Cost of Going to a Game … 14 Responses

Too Many Strikeouts/Too Many ”True Outcomes” (K/BB/HR) …. 12 Responses

Too Many Rules Changes … Seven Responses

Local TV Blackouts … Seven Responses

Competitive Imbalance Among Teams … Five Responses

Balancing “Tradition” with the Need to Respond to Today’s Reduced Attentions Spans/Tech Options … Four Responses

Inaccurate Ball/Strike Calls … Three Responses

Revenue Disparity Among Teams … Three Responses

Player Salaries … Two Responses

Too Many Pitching Changes … Two Responses

Need to Expand/Realign — Two Responses

Here a few answers that Baseball Roundtable found particularly interesting:

“Economics. Small-market teams can’t compete because local-market TV income is exponentially smaller than a well-managed large market rights package. Make all media income distributed between the teams and institute a minimum total player salary structure to go along with the soft salary cap (with graduated penalties when exceeded). The teams have to cooperate in getting a viable product on the field, or else only the rich market teams can survive.

_________________________

“Relocation and expansion. The question of too many teams making the playoffs that it makes the regular season mute to some degree”

__________________________________

“MLB getting into bed with big gambling is a Faustian Bargain and an existential threat. It is not a matter of IF but WHEN there will be a major scandal that will harm MLB’s version of the game. MLB needs to drop all ties with gambling companies, fantasy sports, etc. They told us for a hundred years that gambling and baseball don’t mix and now it’s all good in the hood, because they are making tons of $$$ from gambling. Not only that, MLB has made and its customers potential marks for the gambling operators.”

——————————-

I think the most important issues are around diversity and inclusion. Too few Black managers – a legacy of systemic racism. Not enough acceptance of LGBTQ+ players, coaches, and staff (no major league players has come out), even with Pride Nights at all levels. I would also like to see women playing, not just coaching, and managing at the major league level.

So, there you have it. Thanks to all those who responded, as well as to those who are reading the results.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

Memorable Moments, Unexpected Stats and Notable Accomplishments from MLB’s All Star Games

July 6, 2023 by David

As we approach the 2022 MLB All Star break, it seems appropriate to revisit past All Star Performances that Baseball Roundtable finds particularly memorable. In this post, we will look at Baseball Roundtable’s “Fifteen Most Memorable All Star Game Moments,” as well as some All Star Game Trivia Tidbits, quotes about the game from All Stars, some comparisons that show how the All Star Game has changed over the years and more. The Top Fifteen Memorable Moments will be headlined in RED, the “extras” will be in BLUE or GREEN. Note: These figures do not include the Negro Leagues East-West Games, as that data is not yet fully compiled.

ASG Memorable Moment Number One … Bill Freehan Behind the Plate for 15 Innings – 1967

In 1967, when the National League topped the junior circuit 2-1 in 15 innings (at the time, the longest All Star Game ever, later matched by the 2008 All Star contest), Bill Freehan was behind the plate for the AL for all 15 innings – handling five different pitchers. and crouching behind 19 different batters (52 plate appearances). By contrast, the National League used three different backstops. That, for Baseball Roundtable, was a most impressive/memorable feat of stamina. It was also a pretty bold move for AL manager Hank Bauer (Orioles), keeping the Detroit Tiger catcher in the crouch for 15 innings. Got to wonder how Tigers” Skipper Mayo Smith felt about that. By comparison, the NL squad used three catchers in the game.

For those who like to know such things, Freehan was indeed a workhorse that season – appearing in 155 of the Tigers’ 163 games – and spending time behind the plate in in 147. Freehan was an All Star in nine of his fifteen seasons (1961, 1963-76 … all with the Tigers). The five-time Gold Glover was behind the plate in 1,577 of 1,774 MLB games. His final stat line was .262-200-758.

_____________________________________________

Ten Players Played All 15 Innings in the 1967 MLB All Star Game

American League

Bill Freehan, Tigers, C

Brooks Robinson, Orioles, 3B

Tony Oliva, Twins, Twins, CF

Harmon Killebrew, Twins, 1B

Tony Conigliaro, Red Sox, RF

Carl Yastrzemski, Red Sox, LF

National League

Roberto Clemente, Pirates, RF

Hank Aaron, Braves, started in CF and finished in LF

Orlando Cepeda, Giants, 1B

Gene Alley, Pirates, SS

By comparison, in the 2022 All Star Game, the AL used 32 players and the NL used 30 – and not a single player played the whole nine innings.

_______________________________________

Roundtable ASG Extra … A Trivia Tidbit

When the American League won the 1942 All Star Game, they used an ASG record-low 11 players. All eight position players went the distance and the team used one pinch hitter and one relief pitcher.

Here’s the AL lineup:

Lou Boudreau SS

Tommy Henrich RF

Ted Williams LF

Joe DiMaggio CF

Rudy York 1B

Joe Gordon 2B

Ken Keltner 3B

Birdie Tebbetts C

Spud Chandler P

Bob Johnson PH

Al Benton P

______________________________________________________

ASG Memorable Moments Number Two … The Splendid Splinter Shreds (splinters?) the All Star Record Books – 1946

Photo by wild mercury

Ted Williams went the distance in the 1946 All Star game – played in front of the hometown fans at Fenway and – thanks to that full-game experience – wrote his way into the ASG records books. Williams came into the game hitting .347, with 23 home runs, 82 runs scored and 71 RBI in 79 regular-season games. Compared to the day he was about to have that would look like a slump. Here’s how Williams’ day went.

In the first inning, batting third and facing the Cubs’ Claude Passeau, Williams drew a walk and then scored on a home run by Yankees’ RF Charlie Keller.

In the bottom of the fourth, leading off against new NL hurler Kirby Higbe of the Dodgers, Williams homered to give the AL a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, with Higbe still in the game, Teddy Ballgame came up again – this time with one out the Senators’ CF Stan Spence on third and the Browns’ SS Vern Stephens on second. This time, Williams delivered a run-scoring single.

In the bottom of the seventh, facing the Reds’ Ewell Blackwell with none on and two out, Williams singled again.

Finally, in the bottom of the eighth – facing the Pirates’ Rip Sewell and his Ephus pitch – with Stephens and Browns’ P Jack Kramer on base, William capped off his day with a three-run homer.

The AL squad prevailed by a 12-0 score – and Williams’ final tally was: four-for-four, plus a walk, two home runs, four runs scored and five runs driven in. In the process, Williams set or tied the following All Star Game single-game records:

Runs Scored (four – Williams still stands alone);
Total bases (ten – Williams stands alone);
Runs Batted in (five – later, 1954, tied by the Indians’ Al Rosen);
Base Hits (four – tying the Cardinals’ Ducky Medwick, 1937, and later matched by the Red Sox’ Carl Yastrzemski, 1970);
Home Runs (two – tying Pirates’ Arky Vaughn, who did it in 1942; later tied by the Indians’ Al Rosen in 1954; Giants’ Willie McCovey in 1969; and Expos’ Gary Carter in 1981).

__________________________________________________________

ASG EXTRA – TEDDY SAID IT

“They invented the All Star Game for Willie Mays.”

Ted Williams, 19-time All Star

ASG Memorable Moment Number Three… Carl Hubbell Fans Six Future Hall of Famers … 1934

The record for strikeouts by a pitcher in an All Star Game is six – Carl Hubbell (1934); Johnny Vander Meer (1943); Larry Jansen (1950); Fergie Jenkins (1967). Given today’s hard-throwing/free swinging brand of baseball, we may very well see that six-whiff record equaled or surpassed. But I doubt if anyone will match Hubbell’s 1934 feat of fanning six future Hall of Famers in the same All Star Game (five consecutively). King Carl, on his way to a 21-win season (the second of five straight 20+ win campaigns), came into the game with a 12-5, 2.76 ERA regular-season stat line. Hubbell had struck out 58 hitters in 156 1/3 innings pitched to that point (it was, indeed, a difference game back then), but he was about to make the strikeout a much bigger part of his game.

The game was played on July 10, 1934 at New York’s Polo Grounds – with screwball-specialist Hubbell starting for the NL and Yankee Lefty Gomez starting for the AL. Facing an AL line up stacked with some of the game’s greatest hitters, Hubbell got off to a rocky start, giving up a lead-off single to Detroit 2B Charlie Gehringer, followed by a walk to Senators’ LF Heinie Manusch. Then the fun began, as Hubbell set down five straight future Hall of Famers – all on strikeouts – Yankees’ RF Babe Ruth, Yankees’ 1B Lou Gehrig, and Athletics’ 3B Jimmie Foxx to close out the first. Hubbell then fanned White Sox’ CF Al Simmons and Senators’ SS Joe Cronin to open the second – giving him five straight strikeouts, all future HOFers. Hubbell then gave up a single to Yankees’ C Bill Dickey, before whiffing Yankees’ P Lefty Gomez (also a future Hall of Famer, although as a pitcher not a hitter) to end the inning. After an uneventful third inning – two fly outs, a ground out and walk – Hubbell left the game credited with three scoreless innings, two hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

Oh yes, the AL won the game 9-7, and Hubbell’s feat was amplified by how those HOF whiff victims fared over the rest of the game. Against pitchers not named Hubbell, they went seven-for-sixteen, with four doubles, five runs scored and three RBI.

_____________________________________________________________

ASG EXTRA – KING CARL SAID IT

“There were 50,00 fans or more there, and they wanted to see the best you’ve got. There was an obligation to the people, as well as to ourselves, to go all out. “

Carl Hubbell, nine -time All Star, comment on the 1934 All Star Game

_________________________________

The Year of the Pitcher, Indeed

Not a single run batted in was recorded in the 1968 All Star Game (despite the presence of such future Hall of Fame batsmen as Henry Aaron, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Carl Yastrzemski, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Howard and more). The game’s only run scored in the bottom of the first inning. CF Willie Mays led off with a single to left (off Luis Tiant). Mays went to second on an errant pick-off attempt and to third on a wild pitch that was part of a walk to LF Curt Flood. 1B Willie McCovey then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, with Mays scoring, (No RBI is awarded on a double play. The game ended by that 1-0 score, with the AL getting just three hits and the NL only five. A total of 12 pttchers gave up the eight hits,and six walks, while fanning 20.

ASG Memorable Moment Number Four … Larry Jansen in relief – 1950

Larry Jansen – 1951 Bowman

Giants’ right-hander Larry Jansen came into the 1950 All Star Game with a 9-5, 2.98 record. He came on in the seventh inning, with his NL squad trailing 3-2, He turned in a truly memorable performance. It went like this:

Seventh Inning

Tigers’ P Art Houtteman – Strikeout

Yankees’ SS Phil Rizzuto – Pop Out (C)

Indians’ CF Larry Doby – Strikeout

Eighth Inning

Tigers’ 3B George Kell – Strikeout

Red Sox ‘ LF Ted Williams – Strikeout

Athletics’ 1B Ferris Fain – Fly Out (SS)

Ninth Inning

Yankees’ RF Joe DiMaggio – Fly Out (CF)

Indians’ C Jim Hegan – Strikeout

Yankees’ 2B Jerry Coleman – Strikeout

Tenth Inning

Yankees’ P Allie Reynolds – Ground out (3B-1B)

Rizzuto – Fly Out (SS)

Doby – Single (CF)

Kell – Ground out (SS-2B)

Eleventh Inning

Red Sox’ LF Dom DiMaggio – Ground out (SS-1B)

Fain – Ground out (1B-P)

J. DiMaggio – Foul pop out (C)

There it was:

Five innings of relief (second-most innings ever pitched in an All Star Game);
Six strikeouts (tied for the most in an All Star Game);
No runs, just one hit and only two balls it out of the infield.

When Jansen left the game, the score was tied at three apiece, with the NL eventually winning 4-3 in 14 frames. Jansen,by the way, pitched in nine MLB seasons, going 122-89, 3.58. He was a two-time All Star (1950-151) and led the NL in wins with 23 (23-11, 3.04) in 1951. He won 21 games (five losses, 3.16 ERA) as a 26-year-old rookie in 1947 – finishing second to Jackie Robinson in the Rookie of the Year Voting.

_______________________________________________

Ouch!

The 1950 All Star Game was made even more memorable by the fact that Ted William made a leaping, off-the-wall catch on a line drive by Ralph Kiner in the first inning. Williams played through the pain (nine innings) and even drove in a run with a fifth-inning single off Don Newcombe. The pain persisted and, it turns out, William had fractured his elbow making that first-inning catch and didn’t play again until early September.

_______________________________________

ASG Memorable Moments Number Five … Lefty Gomez’ Quality Start – 1935

MLB defines a quality start as one of six innings or more with three or fewer earned runs given up. Now, you can argue (correctly, I believe) that 4.50 ERA may not constitute a quality start. Given today’s All Star Game expectation of one, two or at the very most three-inning pitching appearances, you can confidently say we will not see another quality start in the All Star Game. Historically, there has only been one. The Yankees’ Lefty Gomez (a future Hall of Famer) tossed an All Star Game-record six innings in 1935 – giving up just three hits and one run. Also falling into the “We’ll never see that again” category – the American League used just two pitchers in their 4-1 win, Gomez and the Indians’ Mel Harder.

Gomez came into the game 8-8, 2.83 on the season, with ten complete games in 15 starts.

By comparison, in the 2022 All Star Game, the two teams used 20 pitchers – and no hurler threw more than one inning.

____________________________________________________

ASG EXTRA … A Pitcher starting two All Star Games in a Single Season

From 1959-1962, MLB featured two All Star Games each season. In 1959, Don Drysdale became the only pitcher to start two MLB All Star Games in a season. On July 7, he started at Forbes Field and held the AL hitless – with four strikeouts – for three innings. (The NL won 5-4). On August 3, he started at the Los Angeles Coliseum and again went three innings, this time giving up three runs on four hits and three walks (fanning five).

____________________________________

ASG EXTRA – GARY SAID IT

“It’s (getting elected to the All Star Game) right up there with lobster.”

Gary Gaetti, tw0-time All Star

___________________________________

ASG Extra – Spreading It Around – Three Five Spots

Gary Sheffield and Moises Alou share the record for the most tams represented at the All Star game at five. Sheffield: Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees. Alou: Expos, Marlins, Astros,Cubs, Giants.

Pete Rose played the most positions in All Star Game competition with five – first bases, second base, third base left field, right field.

ASG Memorable Moments Number Six … Gary Carter’s Two-Homer Game – 1981

There have been only five multi-homer games (by a single player) in ASG history (all two-homer contests) and only Hall of Famer Expos’ C Gary Carter managed to hit two long balls in just three plate appearances (all the others took four or five) – and the dingers were key to the National Leagues’ 5-4 win (in Cleveland).

Carter started for the NL and popped out to first base in his first plate appearance (the top of the second in a scoreless game). Carter next led off the top of the fifth with his NL squad trailing 1-0 – and tied the game with a solo shot to left off the first pitch he saw from the Angels’ Ken Forsch (who had just come into the game). Carter again found himself leading off in the seventh, against new pitcher Ron Davis of the Yankees (with the NL now trailing 4-2). Carter again wasted no time, hitting Davis’ first offering over the CF wall to cut the deficit to one. His performance earned him ASG MVP honors. Carter came into the game with a .245-7-30 line on the season. Over his 19-season career (1974-92 … Expos, Mets, Giants Dodgers), the Hall of Famer was a 11-time All Star. He won three Gold Gloves and put up a ,262-324-1,225 offensive stat lie.

_________________________________________________

Players with Two Home Runs in an MLB All Star Game

Arky Vaughn, Pirates …. 1941 (four plate appearances)

Ted Williams, Red Sox …..1946 (five PA)

Al Rosen, Indians ….. 1954 (5 PA)

Willie McCovey, Giants ….. 1969 (4 PA)

Gary Carter, Expos …… 1981 (3 PA)

ASG EXTRA – DEREK SAID IT

“Any player who says they don’t want to go to an All Star Game is lying to you.”

Derek Jeter, 14-time All Star

ASG Memorable Moment Number Seven … Al Rosen’s Two Home Runs and Five RBI – 1954

In 1954, The Indians’ Al Rosen started at 1B for the AL All Star squad; coming into the game with a .313-14-59 record on the season (71 games played). The AL prevailed 11-9, but it’s unlikely they would have won without Rosen’s bat. In the game, Rosen:

Had three hits (fourth-most in an All Star Game, tie);
Hit two home runs (tied for the most in an All Star Game);
Drove in five runs (tied for the most in an All Star Game);
Collected nine total bases (tied for second-most in an All Star Game).

Here’s how his day went:

Strikeout to end the first inning (versus the Phillies’ Robin Roberts);
Three-run homer in the third inning (off Roberts) to break a 0-0 tie;
Two-run homer in the fifth (off the Giants’ Johnny Antonelli) to tie the game at 7-7;
Single (off the Braves’ Warren Spahn) in the sixth;
Walk (off the Braves’ Gene Conley in the eighth).

Rosen was a four-time All Star in his 10-season MLB career (1947-56, all Indians), going .285-192-717. From 1950 through 1953, he averaged .298, with 33 home runs and 117 RBI per season.

___________________________________________________

ASG Memorable Moment Number Eight … Ichiro Suzuki’s Home “RUN” – 2007

The Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki started the 2007 All Star Game (in San Francisco) leading off (and playing CF) for the AL squad. He had a three-for-three day, won the game’s MVP Award and made a bit of history.

Suzuki singled (off the Padres’ Jake Peavy) to open the game and added a second single (off Ben Sheets of the Brewers) with two outs in the third. The plate appearance that got him on this list came in the fifth inning. Ichiro came up with one out, a runner on first and the AL trailing 1-0. Suzuki stroked the first pitch he saw from the Padres’ Chris Young off the centerfield wall, it took a crazy carom and, before the ball back into the infield, Suzuki had circled the bases, coasting into home plate with a 15-second, two-RUN home RUN – still the only inside-the-parker in All Star Game history. Note: In his MLB career, Suzuki hit 117 regular season home runs and one post-season homer – none of which were inside-the-parkers.

________________________________________________________

ASG Memorable Moment Number Nine … Johnny Vander Meer’s Six Whiffs – 1943

The Cardinals’ Mort Cooper started the 1943 All Star for the National League squad, but the Reds’ Johnny Vander Meer made the most memorable impression. He came on in relief of Cooper in the bottom of the third, with the AL up 4-1, a runner on third and one out. Vander Meer ended the threat by fanning Tigers’ 1B Rudy York and Browns’ CF Chet Laabs. Vander Meer then whiffed Senators’ C Jake Early to open the fourth before giving up a single to Red Sox’ 2B Bobby Doerr and then coming off the mound to field a bunt by Tigers’ pitcher Hall Newhouser and turning it into a pitcher-shortstop-second base (covering first) double play. Although Vander Meer gave up an unearned run in the fifth (on a single, a walk and an error), he also fanned three batters in the inning: Indians’ 3B Ken Keltner, Tigers’ LF Dick Wakefield and York for a second time. In the process, Vander Meer tied the All Star Game record for strikeouts in a game (six). To date, four pitchers have fanned six batters in an All Star Game and Vander Meer is the only one to do it in less than three innings pitched (2 2/3).

____________________________________

Pitchers to Fan Six batters in an All Star Game

1934 Carl Hubbell

1943 Johnny Vander Meer

1950 Larry Jansen

1967 Fergie Jenkins

____________________________________

ASG Extra – Let’s Get This Party Started

Pedro Martinez holds the record for the most consecutive strikeouts to start an All Star Game – at four. The victims were Barry Larkin , Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

ASG Memorable Moment 10-11-12 (tie) … Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Johnny Callison – Walk – Off Home Runs – 1941, 1955, 1964

There have been just three All Star games ending in a walk-off home run. We’ll call it a tie.

In 1941 (July 8), the NL All Stars were leading the AL squad 5-3 going into the bottom of the ninth. The AL had cut the lead to 5-4, when the Red Sox’ Ted Williams came up (against the Cubs’ Claude Passeau) with a pair of AL “Yankee Joes” on base (DiMaggio on first and Gordon on third. Williams popped a 2-1 pitch for a walk-off, three-run home run and a 7-5 AL win. Williams was two-for-four with four RBI in the game.

On July 12, 1955, the MLB All Star Game (being held in Milwaukee) went into the bottom of the twelfth inning knotted at five apiece. The Cardinals’ Stan Musial led off the bottom of the 12th with a solo, walk-off game winner – deep into the right field seats – off the Red Sox’ Frank Sullivan (who had entered the game with two outs in the eighth inning).

On July 7, 1964, the AL went into the bottom of the ninth (at Shea Stadium) with a 4-3 lead over the NL squad. With the Red Sox’ Dick Radatz on the mound (he had come on in the seventh), Giants’ CF Willie Mays led off with a walk, stole second and scored the tying run on a single by fellow Giant 1B Orlando Cepeda (who was replaced by pinch runner Curt Flood of the Cardinals.) Radatz then got Cardinals’ 3B Ken Boyer on a pop out, intentionally walked Reds’ C Johnny Edwards and struck out pinch hitter Henry Aaron of the Braves. The Phillies’ Johnny Callison (who had entered the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter and then took over RF) put an end to the contest with a walk-off, three -run homer to right.

Now, I’m sure all Roundtable readers know plenty about Hall of Famers Williams and Musial, so here’s a bit abut Johnny Callison. Callison enjoyed a 16-season MLB carer (1958-73 … White Sox, Phillies, Cubs, Yankees). He was a three-time All Star and had a career .264-226-840 stat line. He had four seasons of 20+ home runs, with a high of 32 in 1965) and twice led the NL in triples.

ASG Memorable Moment Number Thirteen – Rod Carew’s Two Triples – 1978

Photo: Public Domain via WikiCommons

A triple is a thing of excitement and beauty and – on July 11, 1978 – batsman Rod Carew provided both for All Star Game fans. Carew led off the game with a triple to left center off the Giants’ Vida Blue and then repeated the feat with another triple off Blue leading off the third. It remains the only two-triple game in All Star Game history. Carew scored after each of his three-baggers, but the American League still lost 7-3. The Hall of Famer won seven batting titles in his 19-season MLB career (1967-85 … Twins, Angels). He was a All Star in 18 of his nineteen seasons – missing only in his age-39 final season, when he hit .280 in 127 games. Carew’s final stat line was .328-92-1,05.

ASG Memorable Moments Number 14-15 … A Tie Among Performances that were more Unforgettable than Memorable

14-15 – Future Hall of Famer Tom Glavine Giving Up Seven Straight Hits -1992

Hall of Famer Tom Glavine started the 1992 All Star Game (he came in with a 13-3, 2.57 record). After retiring American League leadoff hitter Blue Jays’ 2B Robert Alomar on a grounder to second, he surrendered seven consecutive hits – all singles, by the way – to Red Sox ‘ 3B Wade Boggs, Twins’ LF Kirby Puckett, Blue Jays’ RF Joe Carter, A’s 1B Mark McGwire, Orioles’ SS Cal Ripken Jr., Mariners’ CF Ken Griffey Jr. and Indians’ C Sandy Alomar – with the AL plating four runs.

In the process, Glavine set the (still) All Star Game record for hits allowed in an inning – seven. Surprisingly, he finished the frame and came out for the second inning – giving up two more hits and another run before being pulled. He set another record – most hits allowed in an All Star Game appearance at nine. I suppose it could happen, but I seriously doubt in manager would leave pitcher in for this kind of treatment any longer.

14-15 – Roberto Clemente’s Four Strikeouts in an All Star Game – 1967

In the 1967 All Star Game, future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente fanned in four consecutive at bats against four different pitchers: the Twins’ Dean Chance (third inning); White Sox’ Gary Peters (sixth); Yankees’ Al Downing (ninth); A’s Catfish Hunter (eleventh). He also had a single in the first (Chance) and a ground out in the fourteenth (Hunter). The four whiffs is an All Star Game single-game record for batters.

Roundtable ASG Extra

Atlee Hammaker, holds the record for the most runs surrendered in an All-star Appearance. In the 1983 All Star contest, he gave up seven earned runs on six nits and a walk in just 2/3 of an inning. The big hit was a Fred Lynn Grand Slam – still the only bases-loaded blast in an All Star Game. 1983 was Hammaker only All Star selection in a 12-season MLB career.

____________________________________________

—–A FEW CAREER ALL STAR GAME TIDBITS——

Youngest and Oldest MLB All Stars

The youngest and oldest All Stars ever were both pitchers: Dwight Gooden (19 years-seven month-24 Days) and Satchel Paige (47 years-seven days).

First and still only All Star Game Steal of Home … 1934 AS game, fifth inning, two out, two on, NL trailing 8-6, NL 3B Pie Traynor (Pirates) notched the first (and still only) AS Game steal of home. (AL won game 9-7.)

First and still only All Star Game Grand Slam … 1983 All Star Game, third inning, bases loaded, two outs, AL leading 5-1, AL CF Fred Lynn hit the first – and still only – All Star Game Grand Slam. (AL wins 13-3)

First All Star Game MVP … MLB began recognizing the All Star Game MVP in 1962 and the first winner was the Dodgers’ Maury Wills – who didn’t enter the game until the sixth inning (the Pirates’ Dick Groat started at SS) and only came to the plate once. Wills came in as a pinch runner for Stan Musial, who had singled off the Twins’ Camilo Pascual to open the inning. Wills quickly stole second and scored the game’s first run on a single by Groat (whom Wills would replace at SS). Wills came to the plate in the eighth, with his NL squad up 2-1. He led off the inning with a single (off the Indians’ Dick Donovan), advanced to third on a single by Giants’ 3B Jim Davenport and scored on a foul ball fly out off the bat of Giants’ RF Felipe Alou.

–—ALL STAR GAME TARGETS—–

Most Hits in an All Star Game … Four – Joe Medwick (1937); Ted Williams (1946); Carl Yastrzemski (1970)

Most Doubles in an ASG … Two – Nine players (Most recently, the Brewers’ Jonathan LeCroy in 2014. (No surprise, LeCroy had a league-leading 53 doubles that season.)

Most Triples in an ASG … Two – Rod Carew (1978)

Most Home Runs in an ASG … Two – Arky Vaughn (1941); Ted Williams (1946); Al Rosen (1954); Willie McCovey (1969); Gary Carter (1981)

Most RBI in an ASG … Five – Ted Williams (1946); Al Rosen (1954)

Most Walks in an ASG … Three – Charlie Gehringer (1934); Phil Cavarretta (1944)

Most Stolen Bases in an ASG … Two – Willie Mays (1963); Kelly Gruber (1990); Roberto Alomar (1992); Kenny Lofton (1996); Starlin Castro (2011)

Most Innings Pitched in an ASG … Six – Lefty Gomez (1935)

Most Strikeouts in an ASG … Six – Carl Hubbell (1934); Johnny Vander Meer (1943); Larry Jansen (1950: Fergie Jenkins (1967)

Most Consecutive Strikeouts in an ASG … Five – Carl Hubbell (1934); Fernando Valenzuela (1986)

–—CAREER ALL STAR GAME RECORDS—–

AS Game Hits … Willie Mays – 23

AS Game Doubles … Dave Winfield – 7

AS Game Triples …Willie Mays and Brooks Robinson – 3

AS Game Home Runs … Stan Musial – 6

Stan Musial hit .317 in 24 All Star games with two doubles, six home runs,10 RBI, and 11 runs scored.

AS Game RBI… Ted Williams – 12

AS Game Walks …Ted Williams – 11

Ted Williams hit .304 in 19 All Star Games, with two doubles, one triple, four home runs, 12 RBI and a.439 on-base percentage.

AS Game Stolen Bases … Willie Mays – 6

Willie Mays stole six ASG bases in seven attempts. The most ASG steals without being caught belong to Roberto Alomar and Kenny Lofton at five each.

AS Game Runs Scored …Willie Mays – 20

PHOTO: New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer, William C. Greene, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Willie Mays hit .307 in 24 All Star games, with two doubles, three triples, three home runs, nine RBI, 20 runs scored and six stolen bases.

AS Game Pitcher Wins … Lefty Gomez – 3

AS Game Total Pitching Appearances … Roger Clemens – 10

AS Games Started (pitcher) … Lefty Gomez, Robin Roberts, Don Drysdale – 5

Lefty Gomez went 3-1, 2.50 in five All Star Game starts (18 innings pitched).

AS Game Saves ... Mariano Rivera – 4

AS Games Innings Pitched … Don Drysdale – 19 1/3

Mel Harder has pitched the most All Star Game innings without surrendering an earned run (13).

AS Game Strikeouts … Don Drysdale – 19

Don Drysdale went 2-1, 1.40 in All Star games, fanning 19 batters in 19 1/3 innings (10 hits, four walks).

_______________________________________________________

All Star Game Scoring Bookends

The highest scoring All Star Game ever took place in 1998 at (Where Else?) Coors Field – as the teams combined for 21 runs in a 13-8 American League win. Side note: Thirteen is the highest run total ever up by an All Star squad, accomplished by The AL in 1983, 1992 and 1998.

The lowest scoring game (combined) took place in (When else?) in 1968 (The Year of the Pitcher) – as the NL topped the AL 1-0. with the only run scoring on a double play (no RBI in the contest).

_________________________________________________________

Finally, to wrap up, here’s a dozen AS Game firsts from 1933.

First Venue: Comiskey Park 1 (July 6, 1933).

First AS Game Attendance: 47,595

Final Score of First AS Game: AL 4 – NL -2

First Batter/Pitcher Match Up: NL 3B Pepper Martin (Cardinals) versus Lefty Gomez (Yankees). Gomez retired Martin on a grounder to shortstop.

First Starting Pitchers: AL, Lefty Gomez (Yankees) – NL, Bill Hallahan (Cardinals). Gomez got the first All Star win, Hallahan the first loss.

First Hit: Cardinals’ Chick Hafey (leading off second inning – off the Yankees’ Lefty Gomez). Hafey was starting in LF and batting fourth for the NL.

First Run Scored: AL starting 3B Jimmy Dykes (White Sox).

First RBI: AL starting pitcher Lefty Gomez (Yankees) – drove home Jimmy Dykes (White Sox), who had walked, with a single to center field. Take that, DH Rule.

First Double: Pie Traynor (Pirates), NL pinch hitter – top of seventh off Lefty Grove (Yankees).

First Triple: NL pitcher Lon Warneke (Cubs) – top of the sixth inning off Alvin Crowder (Senators). Take that again, DH Rule.

First Home Run: AL RF Babe Ruth (Yankees), two-run home run, bottom of the third, off Bill Hallahan (Cardinals). So, your first All Star Game double, triple and homer were hit by pitchers or former pitchers.

First Stolen Base: Bottom of first, AL 2B Charlie Gehringer (Tigers).

First Strikeout: Final out, top of second. Pitcher – Lefty Gomez (Yankees). Hitter – NL SS Dick Bartell (Phillies).

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

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Jack Reed – One MLB Home Run, But He Made It Count

June 24, 2023 by David

On this date – June 24 – in 1962, Yankee outfielder Jack Reed hit the only home run of his three-season MLB career. Despite the long line of Yankee home run hitters – from Babe Ruth to Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris to Aaron Judge – Reed’s homer has a unique place in Bronx Bomber history. Reed’s only career MLB homer, a two-run shot (Roger Maris was on base), provided the winning margin in the longest game in Yankee history – a 9-7, 22-inning win over the Tigers (in Detroit).

Notably, Reed hadn’t even started the game that day. He was, in fact, the third Yankee to man right field in the contest. Mickey Mantle started in RF (Roger Maris was in center). Joe Pepitone replaced Mantle in the seventh inning. Phil Linz pinch hit for Pepitone in the thirteenth and Reed took over right field (Linz going to the bench) in bottom of the inning. For the game, Reed was one-for-four with a run scored and two RBI. (Reed would collect only six RBI in 222 MLB games.

The fact that Reed did not start the game should be no surprise. Reed made a career out of being a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner and occasional pinch hitter. In fact, in 222 MLB games (1961-63), he found himself in the starting lineup just 18 times and had a total of just 144 plate appearances, His final MLB stat line was .233-1-6.

Jack Reed’s best MLB season was 1962, when he went .302-1-4, with two steals in 88 games. (In 88 games, Reed had just 48 plate appearances.)

Often a late-inning replacement for Mickey Mantle on defense or on the base paths (Reed was Mantle’s replacement in 64 of his 222 MLB games), Reed was often referred to as “Mantle’s Legs” or “Mantle’s Caddie).” During his career, Reed came in to replace not only Mantle, but also Yogi Berra, Roger Maris, Tom Tresh, Johnny Blanchard, Hector Lopez, Bob Cerv and Phil Linz.

Turning the Tables

On September 19, 1961, Jack Reed started in CF for the Yankees (versus the Orioles in Baltimore). In the top of the ninth, with the Yankees trailing 1-0, a runner on first and two out, Mantle replaced Reed (turnabout is fair play) at the plate (and struck out).

Here’s just a bit more background on Reed. Reed was a versatile athlete in high school. He won the Mississippi State Championship in the quarter-mile run and lettered in football, baseball, basketball and track. In college (University of Mississippi), he was a three-sport athlete – baseball, football, track & field.

Reed signed a contract with the Yankees at age 20 (1953). In 1954, he hit .287-5-49, with 18 steals in 99 Class-B Games. In 1955, he moved up to Class-A and went .308-6-48, with 20 steals in 132 games. He then lost the 1956 and 1957 seasons to military service, before hitting .308-19-79, with 22 steals at Double-A in 1958. He didn’t fare as well offensively at Triple-A (.262-7-36 in 1959; .240-4-25 in 1960; and .255-3-13 in 1961). However, he continued to show speed on the base paths and superior defense in the field, which earned him a spot on a Yankees’ roster filled with outfield options (at least in Casey Stengel’s managing system).

In the 1964 season Reed found himself back in the minors, as a player-coach with the Triple-A Richmond Virginians. He went on to manage in the Yankee system from 1965 through 1967.

Primary References: Baseball-Reference.com; Jack Reed Society for American Baseball Research bio, by Thomas Van Hyning.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Baseball Roundtable May Wrap Up … Stats, Stories, Roundtable Players/Pitchers of the Month, Trot Index and More

June 1, 2023 by David

It’s June 1 and time for Baseball Roundtable’s 2023 monthly Wrap Up (for May) – a look at Baseball Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month, the Trot Index, the May leaderboards and the stats and stories that caught Baseball Roundtable’s eye during the past month. And, there was plenty going on in May:

Not one, but two, pitchers joining the 400-career-saves club;
2023’s second cycle (single-double-triple-homer in one game);
One pitcher completing another kind of cycle, joining the “club” of hurlers with at least one career win against each of the thirty MLB teams;
The completion of a third kind of cycle, one player joining the “club” of hitters with at least one career home run against each of the thirty MLB teams;
Two Immaculate Innings;
Four more complete-game shutouts (Is this becoming a thing?);
One player hitting .400 for the month;
A 300th home run and a 2,000th strikeout (not by the same player nor in the same game);
A 456-foot home run by a pitcher (Okay, it was Shohei Ohtani, but it still counts).

For these stories and more, read on.

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE

PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH … MAY 2023

National League

Player of the Month – Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers

Photo: dougandme

The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman led all MLB players (with at least 75 May at bats) in average at a nice round .400. In addition, he was first in MLB in May RBI with 26, runs scored with base hits with 46. Freeman’s on-base percentage of .462 was third MLB players with at least 75 May at bats and hit .722 slugging percentage was second (first in the NL)x. Freeman ended May with a still-active 20-game hitting streak streak, during which he has hit .457-5-21. Freeman had 16 multi-hit games in May. Oh and Freeman stole four bases in four tries. This was a pretty easy choice. Freeman finished May at .346-10-35 on the season.

Honorable Mention: You have to acknowledge the power surge of Marlins’ DH Jorge Soler, who led the NL and tied for the MLB lead with 12 May home runs, to go with a .271 average and an MLB second-best 25 RBI. From May 23 through May 27, Soler homered in five straight games, going .391-5-8). He homered in 11 of his 25 games played during the month. Dodgers’ DH J.D. Martinez had a nice month at .311-8-24.

Pitcher of the Month … (tie) Michael Wacha, RHP, Padres & Camilo Doval, RHP, Giants

Padres’ starter Michael Wacha went 3-0 in May in five starts. More to the point, in 32 innings pitched, he gave up just three earned runs (a stingy 0.84 ERA – lowest among MLB pitchers with at least 25 May innings). Wacha held hitters to a .147 May average and a 0.72 WHIP. Wacha’s best start was on May 21, when he went seven scoreless frames versus the Royals – giving up just one hit and one walk, while fanning 11. Wacha finished May with a 5-1, 3.45 record on the season.

Have to also recognize a reliever here. The Giants’ Camilo Doval, appeared in 14 May games and notched 11 saves in 11 save opportunities. He put up a 1.32 ERA and fanned 23 batters (just four walks) in 13 2/3 innings. Doval finished May 1-2, 2,19, with a NL-leading 14 saves on the season.

Honorable Mention: Merrill Kelly, RHP, Diamondbacks went 4-0, 2.59 in five May starts – fanning 39 (seven walks) in 31 1/3 innings. The Giants’ Logan Webb went 3-0, 1.30 in five May starts, fanning 33 in 34 2/3 innings). In his two no-decisions, Webb gave up just one run over 13 innings.

American League

Player of the Month … Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees

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

The Yankee’s Aaron Judge led MLB (tied) in May home runs with 12 and in was second in RBI (first in the AL) with 25. Put this with his .342 average and 23 runs scored (tied for first in the AL) and you’ve got Player of the Month numbers. He also had a solid walks-to-strikeout ratio for a power hitter (20 walks, 25 whiffs), giving him a .474 on-base percentage (tops among hitter with at least 75 May at bats). And he accomplished all this despite not playing his first May game until May 9 (hip injury). Judge finished May with a .298-18-39 line on the season.

Honorable Mentions; Bo Bichette, SS, Blue Jays, led the AL with 42 May base hits (only Freddie Freeman and Bichette reached the 40-hit mark for May) – going .350-5-20, with 15 runs scored. Great output for a middle infielder. The Guardians’ 1B Josh Naylor tied Aaron Judge tor the AL-high May RBI, putting up a .293-5-25 month. The A’s CF Esteury Ruiz deserves a nod here for leading the majors in stolen bases in May – with 17. He he hit .282-1-13 for the month).

Pitcher of the Month – Nathan Eovaldi, RHP, Rangers

Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi was 4-0, in May with an AL-lowest (among pitchers with at least 25 May innings) earned run average of 0.96. Eovaldi’s month included a one-run complete game and he went at least seven innings in four of his five starts. He walked nine and fanned 31 in 37 2/3 May innings. Eovaldi finished May with a 7-2, 2.42 record on the season.

Honorable Mentions; The Rangers’ Jon Gray went 4-0, 1.95 in five May starts (Texas also won his no-decision start) – fanning 29 batters (with just six walks) in 32 1/3 innings pitched. He went at eat seven innings in three of his five outings and gave up more than one earned run only once;.The Astros’ Christian Javier was 4-0, 2.40 in five starts.

________________________________________________

MLB Surprise Player of the month – Francisco Alvarez, C Mets

The Mets 21-year-old catcher had .292-7-17 month (22 games) – after hitting just .194 in 12 April Mets’ games and .167 in a five late-season 2022 contests (and .273 over 257 minor-league games in four seasons). He enjoyed an eight-game hitting streak (May 16-28), during which he hit .400-5-13.

Honorable Mention: The Cubs’ 23-year-old CF Christopher Morel’s career seem to mushroom (sorry, couldn’t resist) after his May call up. In 19 May games, Morel hit .282-9-15. His performance included homering in five straight games (May 17-23), when he hit .421-5-6. Now, surprise may be a strong word here – as Morel clearly earned his call up – going .330-11-31 in 29 2023 games with the Iowa Cubs. Still, you can look back at his .235-16-47 in 113 Cubs (MLB) games in 2022 and rank his fast MLB start as, at least, somewhat unexpected.

________________________________

TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE

Through May 31 35.6 percent of the MLB season’s 63,553 plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We’re talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (22.7%); walks (8.8%); home runs (3.1%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). Strikeouts, by the way, outnumbered base hits 14,423 – 1,4047.

The 35.6 percent figure is up from 2022’s full season 34.6 percent. Other recent seasons: 2021 – 36.3 percent; 2020 – 37.3 percent; 2019 – 36.2 percent; and 2018 – 34.8 percent. By further comparison, in 1990, the Trot Index was 26.1 percent.

__________________________________________

The Yankees gained a it of ground on the Rays by putting up May’s most victories (19-10), despite getting just six wins from their starting pitchers. (The Yankees are awaiting the return of Carlos Rodon and Luis Severino to the rotation.) They powered their way to victory, leading MLB with 53 May home runs and finishing second in the AL in runs scored with 157. The offense was led by: RF Aaron Judge (.342-120-25 in May … see Player of the Month); 1B Anthony Rizzo (.327-6-19); 2B Gleyber Torres (.286-5-15); and CF Harrison Bader (.267-6-19). Rookie SS Anthony Volpe added six home runs and 16 RBI in May, despite a .174 average and 37 whiffs (five walks) in May.

Yankee ace Gerrit Cole who went 5-0, 1.11 in April,slipped to 1-0, 5.18 in May. Reliever Clay Holmes led the Yankees in wins in May (3-1, 2.63 in 15 games … 13 2/3 innings).

On the other end of the AL spectrum were the Oakland A’s , who won only six games in May (23 losses) and are on a pace for a 34-win season. The A’s put up May’s worst team earned run average (5.54) and most runs surrendered, as well as MLB’s lowest batting average (.208) and second-fewest run scored.

In May, the A’s were outscored 165-to-87.

The AL’s biggest surprise in May may have been the Texas Rangers – who put up an 18-89 record and an AL-leading 168 runs scored.There simply seemed to be no weak spot in the Rangers’ lineup. Consider this infield: 1B Nathaniel Lowe (.297-1-12, with 20 runs scored); 2B Marcus Semien (.323-3-21, with 23 runs scored); SS Corey Seager (.291 with four home runs and 19 RBI in just 13 games); 3B Josh Jung (.318-6-16, with 22 runs scored). On the mound, the Rangers were led by starters Nathan Eovaldi (4-0, 0.96) and Jon Gray (4-0, 1.95.).

In the NL West, the Dodgers went 18-9 to claim the Division lead. And, like the Rangers in the AL, the offense led the way. (Are we seeing a new trend here?) The Dodgers ERA of 4.61 was tenth in the NL, while their 173 May runs scored led all of MLB and their 49 home runs for the month trailed only the Yankees (53) and the Braves (51). 1B Freddie Freeman (see Player of the Month) led the way at .400-6-26), but he had plenty of help: DH J.D. Martinez (.311-8-24); C Will Smith (.318-5-17); RF Mookie Betts (.269-9-22). Overall, their lineup included seven players with four or more May homers and six with 15 or more May RBI.

Spreading Out the Load

Twelve Dodgers’pitches recorded wins in May (ony Tony Gonsolin … 3-1 in six starts had more than two) and and the team’s seven saves were divided among three relievers.

The Diamondbacks came close to keeping pace with the Dodgers – going 17-10, as did the Giants at 17-12. The Giants (2.39) and Diamondbacks (3.85) boasted the NL’s second – and third-best earned run average in May. The Padres, with MLB’s lowest May ERA – at just 3.20 – surprisingly, went 10-16. The did, however, score the NL’s sixth fewest runs (103).

Year-to-date (through May 31) standings ans further comments can be found at the end of this post.

——-Team Statistical Leaders for May 2023 ———-

RUNS SCORED

National League – Dodgers (173); Cardinals (150); Braves (144)

American League – Rangers (168); Yankees (157); Rays (145)

The fewest runs in May were scored by the Pirates – 85. The A’s tallied the fewest runs in the AL at 87. Others under 100 were the Brewers and Guardians (97 each).

AVERAGE

National League – Nationals (.275); Rockies (.271); Marlins (.268)

American League – Rangers (.286); Blue Jays (.274); Red Sox (.272)

The lowest team averages for May belonged to the A’s (.208) and Padres (.212).

HOME RUNS

National League – Braves (51); Dodgers (49); Cardinals (44)

American League – Yankees (53); Rays (42); Angels (39)

The Guardians had the fewest home runs in May at 16. The Pirates were at the bottom of the NL at 19.

The Dodgers led MLB in slugging percentage for May at .487. The Yankees led the AL at .463.

The A’s had the lowest May slugging percentage – sounding like a broken record here – at .331.

STOLEN BASES

National League – Reds (28); Padres (27); Brewers (26)

American League – Rays (52); A’s (25): Blue Jays (23)

The Astros stole the fewest sacks in May – just nine in 14 attempts.. The Rockies were at the bottom of the NL with 13 in 17 attempts.

WALKS DRAWN

National League – Padres (120); Cubs (115); Dodgers (115)

American League Twins (115): Tigers (106); Rays (103)

The Rangers led MLB in on-base percentage for May at .341. The Dodgers led the NL at .340. The A’s had MLB’s lowest OBP for May at .287.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Cubs (2682; Giants (260); Reds (244)

American League – Twins (299); Athletics (264); Mariners (262)

Guardians batters fanned the fewest times in May (183).

Bonus Stats

Dodgers’ batter racked up the most total bases in May at 473. The Pirates were at the bottom of MLB at 303.

_______________________________________

Earned Run Average

National League – Padres (3.20); Giants (3.39); Diamondbacks (3.85)

American League – Astros (3.09); Guardians (3.28); Twins (3.38)

The Athletics had the highest May ERA at 5.54. The only other team over 5.00 was the Rockies at 5.13.

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Braves (276); Marlins (267); Dodgers (211)

American League – Astros (272); Twins (267); Mariners (257)

The Astros averaged an MLB-best 10.29 strikeouts per nine innings in May. The Marlins averaged an NL-best 9.96. Seven teams averaged 9.00 or better

FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED

National League – Phillies (75); Padres (78); Cubs (78)

American League – Mariners (54); Tigers (68); Guardians (72)

The Mariners walked an MLB-lowest 1.94 batter per nine innings in May . The Royals walked an MLB-worst 4.60 batters per nine frames.

SAVES

National League – Giants (14); Reds (11); Nationals (10)

American League – Rays (112; Yankees (10); Guardians (9); Orioles (9)

Bonus Stats:

The Athletics gave up an MLB-high 49 home runs in May – The Padres gave up an MLB-low 21.

The White Sox held opponent to an MLB-low .220 average in May; the Rockies staff was touched for an MLB-high .280 during the month.

_____________________________

MAY 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

Sho-Time Again … Make Room for Me, Babe

Okay, it seems like you can’t have a monthly wrap up without a Shohei Ohtani story. On May 3, Ohtani fanned 13 batters (in five innings) in the Angels’ 6-4 win over the Cardinal in St. Louis. Ohtani gave up four earned runs in five innings and did not get the decision. Still, history was made, as that 13^th strikeout (Cardinals’ 3B Nolan Arenado) to close out the fifth inning gave Ohtani 500 career MLB strikeouts – enabling him to join Babe Ruth as the only MLB players to accrue 500 career strikeouts as pitchers sand 100 or more home runs as hitters.

Good New Bad News

Good News. On May 3, Padres SS Xander Bogaerts came into a game against the Reds (in San Diego) with a season-opening 30-game streak of getting on base. In the fifth inning, it looked like more good news, as Bogaerts – with Padres’ LF Juan Soto on first – stroked an apparent single to right. Reds’ RF Stuart Fairchild dove for the ball, but did not make the catch – it short-hopped into his glove.

Now the bad news. Soto (who had walked) mistakenly thought the ball had been caught and headed back to first (where Bogaerts was already perched). Fairchild tossed to second for the force-out – negating the hit and resulting in a Fielder’s Choice (which does not extend an on-base streak). More bad news. Bogaerts ended the game zero-for-five – also ending his streak. Good news: The Padre did win 7-1.

During his streak , Bogaerts went 34-for-112 (.304), with 15 walks and two hit by pitches.,

Rafael Devers and Number 150… or “Good Company”

On May 4, as the Red Sox topped the Blue Jays in Boston 11-5, Boston 3B Rafael Devers hit his 11^th home run of the season (appropriately off Zach Pop). The two-run shot came in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was the 150^th round tripper of Devers’ career (2017-2023 … all with the Red Sox.) In another #InBaseballWeCountEverything moment, it was noted that Devers hit the long ball in his 721st Red Sox contest – making him the third-fastest to 150 in Red Sox history (Ted Williams – 664 games; Jim Rice -711).

2023’s First Immaculate Inning

On Thursday, May 4, the Pirates’ Colin Holderman threw 2023’s first Immaculate Inning (nine-pitches, three strikeouts). Holderman came on in the bottom of the seventh with the Pirates trailing the Rays 2-0. He fanned the Rays 6-7-8 hitters 2B Taylor Walls, RF Luke Raley and C Christian Bethancourt) in order one nine pitches. Through May, Holderman was 0-1, 2.18, with 26 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings.

Tee (off) for Two

On May 5, Fernando Tatis, Jr. – playing RF and leading off for the Padres (against the Dodgers) had a big night – two-homers, two runs scored and three RBI as the Padres won 5-2. It was Tatis ninth multi-homer game – coming in his fourth MLB season. So, why is it mentioned in the highlights? Because both long balls came off Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw – making Tatis the first player with two multi-homer games against Kershaw (now in his sixteenth MLB season).

Goldy is Gold

On May 7, Cardinal first baseman Paul Goldschmidt banged out three home runs and a single, as the Cardinals topped the Tigers in St. Louis. Goldschmidt’s three-homer day was his third career three-homer contest and the first for the Redbirds since September 3, 2006 (Albert Pujols). Goldschmidt’s homers came in the:

First inning off Alex Faedo;
Third inning, again off Faedo.
Eighth inning off Tyler Holton.

The 400 Club Adds Two New Members … or Save The Last Out for Me

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

On May 10, Kenley Jansen became just the seventh MLB pitcher to record 400 saves, as he pitched a scoreless ninth inning in the Red Sox 5-2 win over the Braves in Atlanta. It was his ninth save of the season (and ninth for Boston). Now in his 14^th MLB season, the breakout for Jansen’s first 400 saves is Dodgers (350 in 12 seasons); Braves (41 in one season) and Red Sox (9). Jansen has four seasons of 41+ saves on is MLB resume and four more of 30+ saves.

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

On May 26, the 400-Save Club added an eighth member, when the Philllies’ Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth as the Phillies topped the Braves 6-4 in Atlanta. Kimbrel, like Jansen, notched save 400 in his 14th MLB season. His save breakout: Braves (186 in five seasons); Red Sox (108 in three seasons); Padres (39 in one season); Dodgers (22 in one season); Cubs (38 in three seasons); Phillies (six in one season); White Sox (one in one season). Kimbrel has notched eight seasons of 30+ saves (five of more than 40), with a high of 50 saves in 2013. The eight-time All Star was the 2011 NL Rookie of The Year, when he led the NL with 46 saves and set the record for rookie-season saves. He led the NL in saves four straight seasons (2011-14) – averaging 46 saves a season in that span.

Other with 400 or more saves include: Mariano Rivera (652); Trevor Hoffman (601); Lee Smith (478); Francisco Rodriguez (437); John Franco (424); and Billy Wagner (422).

Cedric for the Cycle

On May 12, Orioles’ CF and leadoff hitter Cedric Mullins hit for the 2023 MLB seasons’ second cycle, as the O’s topped the Pirates 6-3 in Baltimore. Mullins who came into the game hitting .248 with four home runs on the season , flied out to CF in the first; singled in the third; tripled in the fifth; doubled home a run in the seventh; and completed the cycle with a three-run home run in the eighth.

30-30 Vision

Photo: D. Benjamin Miller, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

On May 10, The Mets’ Justin Verlander pitched seven two-hit, one-run innings (fanning seven), as the Mets topped the Reds 2-1 in Cincinnati, Verlander got the win (his first of 2023) and, in the process, became the 21^st pitcher to pick up a victory against all 30 current MLB franchises. For those who like to know such things, the first hurler to record victories against all 30 teams was also a Met – Al Leiter, who became first on this list with a win against the Diamondbacks on April 30, 2002.

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

On May 22, we saw another “thirty-team” landmark. Astros’ catcher Martin Maldonado hit his third home run of the season – as the Astros beat the Brewers 12-2 in Milwaukee. That blast made Maldonado the 69^th MLB player to homer against all 30 MLB teams. It was Maldonado’s 99^th career round tripper (in 13 MLB seasons), which (according to the Elias Sport Bureau) made him just the fourth player to homer against all 30 teams before collecting his 100^th round tripper (joining Jose Guillen, Orlando Hudson, Stephen Drew).

We Do Love Round Numbers in Baseball

On May 13, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Royals’ starter Zack Greinke fanned Brewers’ rookies Brice Turang and Joey Wiemer. In the vein of #InBaseballWeCountEverything, we know that (with those two whiffs) Greinke became just the fifth MLB pitcher to fan 1,000 different batters. The others comprise a pretty impressive list: Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, and Roger Clemens.

Unlucky Number 13

Over their first 39 games of 2023, the Marlins were involved in 12 one-run contests – and they won them all … setting a new AL/NL record for consecutive wins in games decided by a single tally. The streak was broken on May 13, in their 13^th one-run contest of the season, as the Marlins lost to the Reds 6-5 in Miami. Miami’s early run of one-run victories is even more surprising, considering the team was an MLB-worst 24-40 in one -run games last season.

Shohei-time AGAIN

On May 15, Shohei Ohtani went seven innings in a 9-5 win over the Orioles in Baltimore. It wasn’t his best mound outing. He gave up five runs over the seven frames. He did, however, get the win – running his record to 5-1 on the season.

He did a bit better at the plate – stroking four hits (including a triple and a home run) and collecting a walk in six plate appearances. The homer, by the way, was not a cheap one – measured at 456 feet by Statcast. For more of #InBaseballWeCountEverything, Ohtani was the first starting pitcher to reach base safely five times in a game since Mel Stottlemyre in September of 1964,

Way To Go Rook

On September 26, 1964, Yankees’ rookie Mel Stottlemyre started against the Senators in Washington D.C. Stottlemyre pitched a two-hit shutout (five walks, five whiffs), running his record to 9-2, 1.97. As if the complete-game shutout wasn’t enough, Stottlemyre went five-for-five (four singles and a double) at the plate, scoring once and driving in two. The 22-year-old finished his rookie season with a 9-3, 2.06 record in 13 games (he made his MLB debut in mid-August). At the plate, he hit .243 in 37 at bats.

Over the next six seasons, Stottlemyre was an All Star five times, going 103-83, 2.94, winning 20 or more games in three of those seasons. In an 11-season MLB career, he was 164-139, 2.97.

Another Round Number

On May 17, the Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado notched his 1,000th career RBI, as the Redbirds topped the Brewers 3-0 in St. Louis. The 1,000th RBI came on an infield single off Corbin Burnes in the bottom of the first inning (scoring DH Paul Goldschmidt). As May 2023 closed out, Arenado – in his 11th MLB season, had a career offensive stat line of .288-308-1,004 – as well as ten consecutive Gold Gloves – to his credit.

More #InBaseballWeCountEverything

In his last plate appearance on May 16 (ninth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Astros in Houston), Cubs’ RF Seiya Suzuki launched a 2-0 pitch from Matt Gage to deep left for a two-run home run. Then, in his first two plate appearances the following day (in a 7-6 loss to the Astros), Suzuki hit a solo homer off J.P. France and a two-run shot (again off France). So, why is this in the highlights? Elias Sports Bureau reports that Suzuki is the first Japanese born player to homer in three consecutive MLB plate appearances. Suzuki who hit .262-14-46 for the Cubs last season was .293-6-19 in 2023 (through May 31). Suzuki signed with the Cubs (five years – $85 million) in March 2022 after nine seasons in Japan – over which he hit .309-189-621, with 102 steals in 1,055 games. In 2021 he it .317, with 38 homers in 134 games for the Hiroshima Carp.

Lucky Seven

On May 18, off to a difficult start to the season, the last-place (18-36) Cardinals knocked off the first place (28-16) Dodgers 16-8. They tallied those 16 runs on just 12 hits, including seven home runs (their most long balls in a home game since May 7, 1940).

The Cardinals popped four home runs a six-run third inning: C Wilson Contreras (three-run); PH Juan Yepez (solo), 3B Nolan Gorman(solo); SS Paul DeJong (solo) – the last three back-to-back-to back. DH Nolan Arenado added a two-run shot in the three-run fourth and, in the seven-run eighth, Contreras added a second three-run homer and Gorman a second solo shot.

On May 26, the Pirates also enjoyed a win fueled by seven round trippers, as they bested the Mariners 11-6 in Seattle. DH Andrew McCutchen set the tone, leading off the top of the first with a home run off George Kirby on just the second pitch of the game. 1B Carlos Santana led off the fourth with a solo short (also off Kirby). Kirby then gave up back-to-back long balls to CF Jack Suwinski (two-run) and 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes in the fifth. Suwinski added a solo shot (off Juan Then) in the seventh and Tucupita Marcano also had a solo homer that inning. LF Bryan Reynolds got into the act in the eighth, with a solo homer off Chris Flexen. It was MLB’s third seven-homer game of 2023. (The Giants poked seven round trippers in a 12-3 win over the White Sox on April 3.

On May 28, the Astros banged out seven home runs in beating the A’s 10-1 in Oakland. All ten of the Astros runs scored via the long ball. DH Yordan Alvarez had a solo homer in the first inning; CF Jake Meyers hit a three-run shot in the third. RF Chas McCormick and 2B Jose Altuve went back-to-back with solo shots in the seventh; 1B Jose Abreu had a solo homer in the eighth; and SS Jeremy Pena (two-run) and Alvarez went back-to-back in the ninth.

A Grand (Slam) Celebration (sort of)

On May 18, as is Dodgers lost to the Cardinals 16-8, LA’s 1B Freddie Freeman notched his 300^th career home run (albeit in a losing causes) – a grand slam in the top of the sixth off Genesis Cabrera. It was Freeman’s eight round tripper of 2023.

Ruben Sierra (2004 Yankees) and Freddie Freeman (2023 Dodges) are the only MLB players (to date) to celebrate their 300^th career homer with a Grand Slam.

More Shutouts on the Books

May saw four more complete-game shutouts – bringing the 2023 season total to nine. I note that here because in 2022, we saw only three complete-game shutouts through May and 16 over the entire season.

On May 8, The Pirates’ Mitch Keller shut out the Rockies (2-0) in Pittsburgh. Keller gave up four hits and a walk, while fanning eight. He threw 103 pitches, 77 for strikes. It was Keller’s first career complete game in 78 starts (over five seasons).

On May 12, the Blue Jays’ Chris Bassitt went nine scoreless frames, as his Blue Jays topped the Braves 3-0 in Toronto. Bassitt gave up just two hits and two walks (eight strikeouts) in the outing – tossing 103 pitches (70 for strikes). It was Bassitt’s second career complete game (and second career shutout) – in 132 starts over nine seasons.

On May 21, the Astros’ Framer Valdez tossed the eighth complete-game shutout of 2023 – shutting down the Oakland A’s by a 2-0 score – giving up just four hits (no walks), while fanning seven. It was Valdez’ fifth complete game and second shutout over 86 starts in six seasons. Valdez threw 104 p[itches, 64 strikes.

On May 29, the Cubs’ Marcus Stroman picked up his fifth win of the season (versus) four losses, tossing a complete-game, one-hit, one-walk, eight-whiff shutout. It was just the second complete-game and first shutout for Stroman – now in his ninth MLB season. Stroman threw 105 pitches (72 strikes).

1,000 and Counting

On May 22, Mariners starter Luis Castillo picked up a win, going six scoreless innings (four hits, two walks, eight strikeouts) in a Mariners’ 11-2 win over the A’s. Notably, his fifth strikeout of the game – A’s C Shea Langeliers leading off the fifth inning – marked the 1,000 strikeout of Castillo’s MLB career (he’s in his seventh season.) Castillo finished May 4-2, 2.69 with 76 whiffs in 63 2/3 innings on the season.

Good Company or Three is not a Crowd

On May 23, Yankees’ starter Gerrit Cole had a rough night – getting touched for five runs in five-plus innings. (Cole was pulled with no outs and two on in the sixth.) The Bronx Bombers did come back to win 6-5 in ten frames. Cole did reach a milestone though, fanning the Orioles’ Jorge Mateo in the second inning for his (Cole’s) 70^th whiff of the season and 2,000^th career strikeout. Only Randy Johnson and Clayton Kershaw (pretty good company) reached 2,000 strikeouts in fewer games than Cole’s 278 (Johnson -262 … Kershaw 277). Cole also secured third place in terms of fewest innings pitched to reach 2,000 strikeouts (1,714 2/3), trailing Chris Sale (1,626) and Pedro Martinez (1,711 2/3). C

Moving in a Fast Crowd

On May 25, Twins’ reliever Jhoan Duran threw three pitches at 104 mph+, as he closed out the Twins’ 7-1 win versus the Giants in Minnesota. They were the first three pitches over 104 mph of the 2023 season (the fastest was 104.6 mph). The outing enabled Duran to climb up the career list of pitchers with pitches over 104 mph (there are only eight). Ahead of Duran are only Aroldis Chapman (with 67 104-mph+ pitches) and Jordan Hicks (12).

Another Immaculate Outings (inning)

On May 24, Pirate Johan Oviedo threw the second Immaculate Inning (nine pitches/three strikeouts) of the month, fanning the Rangers’ Jonah Heim, Robbie Grossman and Josh Smith consecutively on nine pitches. It came in the fourth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Rangers in Pittsburgh.

Somebody’s Got To Be First

On May 26, as the Nationals faced the Royals in Kansas City, 2B Luis Garcia came into the game hitting .262 on the season. Over the course of the contest, he raised his average to .288 – as he picked up the 2023 season’s first six-hit contest – collecting four singles and two doubles, driving in two runs and scoring three. The Nationals needed all that punch, as they edged the Royals 12-10. As noted, it was the first six-hit game of 2023 and just the third six-hit contest in Nationals/Expos franchise history. For those who like to know such things, Wilbert Robinson and Rennie Stennett share the record for the most hits in a nine-inning game with seven.)

The Nationals’ Luis Garcia is the second youngest MLB player to collect six hits in a game (at 23 ear-10 days-old). The youngest is Jesus Alou (1964 Giants) at 22-years-108 days).

Getting Off to a Fast Start

Angels’ rookie righty Ben Joyce, on May 29, made his major-league debut against the White Sox in Chicago. The 22-year-old – called up form Double-A the day before – came on to start the seventh inning with the Angels up 4-3. He dispatched the White Sox on 12 pitches (10 strikes), giving up a single and fanning two. Why a fast start? Eleven of Joyce’s 12 offerings were 100+ mph. In two minor-league seasons, the 2022 third-round draft choice (out of the University of Tennessee), had gone 1-1, 3.45 with 44 strikeouts (17 walks) in 28 2/3 innings.

A Feel Good Story in Chicago

On May 29, righty Liam Hendriks – who saved 75 games for the White Sox over the 2021-22 seasons – made his first mound appearance of 2023. He came on in he top of the eighth with the Angels leading the hometown White Sox 4-3. It was a bit of a rough inning – Hendriks gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. It was, however, still a good day. It was Hendriks’ first major-league mound appearance since being diagnosed with (and treated for) stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma last December. Hendriks entered the game to a standing ovation and chants of “Liam! Liam!” – (as wells with players in both dugouts standing to applaud his comeback). Throughout his appearance fans took every opportunity to show their appreciation for Hendriks perseverance and courage.

——-Individual Statistical Leaders for May 2023———

AVERAGE (at least 75 May at bats)

National League – Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (.400); Owen Miller, Brewers (.363); Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., Diamondbacks (.352)

American League – Leody Taveras, Rangers (.368); Riley Greene, Tigers (.365); Masataka Yoshida, Red Sox (.354)

The lowest May average (among players with at least 50 at bats in the month) belonged to the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber at .115 (10-for-87). Schwarber did have seven homers and 15 RBI during the month.,

HOME RUNS

National League – Jorge Soler, Marlins (12); Pete Alonso, Mets (10); four with nine

American League – Aaron Judge, Yankees (12); Salvador Perez, Royals (9); four with eight

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge had the highest May slugging percentage (among players with at least 75 at bats) at .882. The NL leader was the Dodgers Freddie Freeman at .722.

RUNS BATTED IN

National League – Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (26); Jorge Soler, Marlins (25); J.D. Martinez, Dodgers (24)

American League – Aaron Judge, Yankees (25); Josh Naylor,Guardians (25); Anthony Santander,Orioles (22)

HITS

National League – Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (46); Lane Thomas, Nationals (36); Spencer Steer, Reds (32); Joey Meneses, Nationals (35)

American League – Bo Bichette, Blue Jays (42); Marcus Semien, Rangers (37); Riley Greene, Tigers (35); Leody Taveras, Rangers (35)

The Padres’ Juan Soto led MLB players (with at bats 75 May at bats) in on-base percentage at .482. The AL leader was the Yankees’ Aaron Judge at .474)..

DOUBLES

National League – Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (17); Juan Soto, Padres (11); five with nine

American League – Alex Verdugo, Red Sox (10); Andrew Benintendi, White Sox (10); five with nine

TRIPLES

National League – Brandon Nimmo, Mets (4); televen with two

American League – Seven with two.

The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman had an MLB-high 24 extra-base hit in May. The Yankees’ Aaron Judge and White Sox’ Luis Robert shared the AL lead at 17.

STOLEN BASES

National League – Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (10); Starling Marte, Mets (7); Christian Yelich, Brewers (7)

American League – Esteury Ruiz, A’s (17); Wander Franco, Rays (14); three with ten

The Rays’ Taylor Walls had the most May steals without getting caught, with ten.

WALKS

National League – Juan Soto, Padres (25); Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (22); Matt Olson, Braves (21)

American League – Adley Rutschman, Orioles (21); Randy Arozarena, Rays (20); Aaron Judge Yankees (20); Zach McKinstry, Tigers (20)

The Dodgers’ Will Smith led MLB players (with at least 75 May at bats) in walks-to-strikeouts ratio at 1.80 (18 May walks to 10 May whiffs).

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (35); Jack Suwinski, Pirates (35); four with 34

American League – Teoscar Hernandez, Mariners (40); Jarred Kalenic, Mariners (39; )Brent Rooker, A’s (38)

PITCHING VICTORIES

National League – Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks (4-0); Mitch Keller,Pirates (401); Ian Gibaut, Reds (4-1)

American League – Jon Gray, Rangers (4-0); Cristian Javier, Astros (4-0); Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers (4-0); Zach Eflin, Rays (4-1); Lance Lynn, White Sox (4-2)

Alex Manoah, Blue Jays, led MLB in May losses (0-5, 6.15).

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (at least 25 May innings))

National League – Michael Wacha, Padres (0.84); Logan Webb, Giants (1.30); Bryce Elder, Braves (1.72)

American League – Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers (0.96); Jon Gray, Rangers (1.95); Mike Lorenzen, Tigers (1.95)

Among pitchers with at least four May starts or 20 innings pitched, the Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez had the highest ERA at 11.14 … 26 earned runs in 21 innings pitched in five starts.

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Spencer Strider, Braves (57 K / 33 2/3 IP); Mitch Keller, Pirates (53 K / 39 IP); Hunter Greene, Reds (40 K/ 28 IP);

American League – Shohei Ohtani, Angels (44 K / 31 IP); Michael Kopech, White Sox (43 K / 36 IP); Hunter Brown, Astros (42 K / 32 IP)

Among players with at least 25 May innings, the Braves Spencer Striker had the highest strikeouts- to-walks ration at 15.24. the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani led the AL at 12.77.

SAVES

National League – Camilo Doval, Giants (11); Alexis Diaz Reds (9); Pierce Johnson, Rockies (8)

American League – Emmanuel Clase, Guardians (8); fie with seven

WHIP (Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched – at least 25 May innings))

National League – Michael Wacha, Padres (0.72); Mitch Keller, Pirates (0.82); Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks (0.83)

American League – Bryce Miller, Mariners (0.75); Chris Sale, Red Sox (0.81); Zack Greinke, Royals (0.83)

BONUS STAT

The Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez gave up an MLB-high 11 home runs in May (over 21 innings).

The Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen pitched the most May innings without surrendering a home run … 35.

____________________________________________

If the MLB season ended May 31, your playoff teams would be:

National League

Dodgers, Braves, Brewers: Wild Cards: Diamondbacks, Marlins, Mets

American League

Rays, Rangers Twins: Wild Cards: Orioles, Yankees, Astros

A few Observations:

The young Orioles’ squad continues to surprise (14 games over .500), but they are going to miss Cedric Mullins (groin strain).
Who will wake up in the AL Central Division? Only one team — the Twins – is over .500.
Through May, the A’s have a minus-195 run differential (worst in MLB), The Rangers strand at the top with a +131. The only other team with a 100-run differential (plus or minus) is the Rays at +119.
How would you like to play in the AL East? The Red Sox with a 28-27 record stand in last place 10 1/2 games out.
Through May, no team has won more one-run games than the Miami Marlins (16-4 in one-run contests); the Guardians have lost the most one-run games (11-14).
The Rays are a remarkable 26-6 at home through May. The Athletics are an equally remarkable 7-24 at home.
The Orioles and and Braves have the best road winning percentages at .667 (18-9).

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

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts, News

Ken Brett’s Big Day … Double Duty in a Doubleheader

May 27, 2023 by David

On this date (May 27) in 1974, MLB saw something we’re not likely to see again. It involved a series of currently somewhat rare occurrences: a doubleheader, a complete-game shutout, a pitcher in the starting offensive lineup and a pitcher tripling as a pinch hitter (driving in the tying runs and scoring the go-ahead run). Now, any of these remain possibilities, but it seems unlikely we’d see them all in the same ballpark on the same day.

On May 27, 1974, the Pirates faced off against the Padres in a doubleheader (in Pittsburgh). Starting on the mound in Game One, with a 4-3, 3.52 record, was southpaw Ken Brett. Brett went the distance, throwing a two-hit, no-walk, four-strikeout shutout – as the Pirates won 6-0. Brett also contributed an eighth-inning, RBI single, raising his batting average on the season to .409 (9-for-22, with two homers and six RBI). But, he wasn’t done yet.

In Game Two, with the Pirates trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh – and runners on first and third with no outs – Pirates’ Manager Danny Murtaugh looked to his bench for a pinch hitter. His choice? First Game starting pitcher Ken Brett, who laced a triple to left center, scoring both runners and tying the game. Brett then scored the go-ahead run on a double by PH Al Oliver. (The Pirates eventually won 8-7.) Quite a day for Hall of Famer George Brett’s big brother. For those who like to know such things, Brett pinch hit for number-eight batter SS Frank Taveras, batting .270 at the time.

The day was part of Ken Brett’s only All Star season (in a 14-season MLB career). In 1974, Brett went 13-9, 3.30,with ten complete games and three shutouts in 27 starts. At the plate, he hit .310 (27-for-80), with four doubles, a triple, two homers and 15 RBI. Brett got at least one base hit in 17 of the 27 games he started on the mound – including six multi-hit games. He was used 16 times as a pinch hitter, collecting three hits and a walk.

Ken Brett was the winning pitcher in the 1974 All Star game giving up one hit and walk over two innings of work – as the NL won 7-2.

Ken Brett was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1966 MLB Draft – after a high school career in which he pitched and played outfield – going 33-3 on the mound and hitting .484. (Society for American Baseball Research Ken Brett Bio, by Jonathan Arnold.)

He made his MLB debut in late September of 1967, as a 19-year-old, in his second professional season. (He had gone 14-11, 1.95 at Double-A and Single-A.) The young left-handed fireballer actually pitched in two games of the 1967 World Series (1 1/3 innings, no hits, one walk, one whiff). Then things took a turn to the left.

Shortly after the 19678 World Series, Brett began a six-month stint in the U.S. Army. After being discharged, he apparently returned to the mound too quickly and suffered elbow issues that would follow him throughout his career.

He pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1967, 1969-81) and for ten different teams (Red Sox, Royals, Pirates, Angels, White Sox, Twins, Phillies, Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers). He went 83-85, 3.93 in 340 games (184 starts/51 complete games). Brett won ten or more games in five seasons, a carer-high 13 in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He earned a reputation as one of MLB’s best-hitting pitchers, putting up a career average of .262 (91-for-347), with ten home runs and 44 RBI.

In 1973, Ken Brett set a still-standing MLB record for pitchers, homering in four consecutive games played (between June 16 and June 23). In the streak, he hit .308 (4-for-13), with four homers and five RBI. He also got the victory in all four games, throwing three complete games, with a 2.88 ERA. In the only game he didn’t finish he went 7 1/3 innings.

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

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Racking up the Putouts … and a Segue to Richie Ashburn

May 20, 2023 by David

Photo: Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia

On this day (May 20) in 2009, Red Sox’ CF Jacob Ellsbury tied the MLB record for putouts in a nine-inning game by a CF (and by an outfielder any position) – with 12 – capturing two fly balls in the first inning; two in the second, two in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth, none in the seventh or eighth and one in the ninth. The record-tying putout was the final out of the game – an 8-3 Red Sox win over the Blue Jays.

In a bit of a twist, in the same game, Blue Jays’ CF Vernon Wells tied the record for fewest putouts in a nine-inning game by a CF – with zero.

Here are the single-game (nine inning) put out record for outfielders.

CF – 12

Earl Clark, Braves … May 10, 1929

Lyman Bostock, Twins … May 25, 1977

Jacob Ellsbury, Red Sox … May 20, 2009

LF – 11

Dick Harley, St. Louis Browns (NL) … June 30, 1898

Topsy Hartsel, Chicago Orphans (NL) … September 10, 1901

Paul Lehner, Athletics … June 25, 1950

Willie Horton, Tigers … July 18, 1960

RF – American League – 11 … National League – 10

Tony Armas, A’s … June 12, 1982

***

Bill Nicholson, Cubs … September 17, 1945

Raul Mondesi, Dodgers … September 25, 1999

A few other outfield putouts factoids:

Willie Mays leads all MLB players in career outfield putouts with 7,112.
Taylor Douthit of the 1928 Cardinal holds the record for outfield putouts in a season with 547.

This look at outfield putout records provide me with a nice segue to a look at one of my favorite players (from my younger days) – Phillies’ CF Richie Ashburn

Richie Ashburn – A Defensive Putout Machine and a “Single-ular” Force on Offense

Photo: Bowman Gum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Richie Ashburn of the Phillies led NL outfielders in putouts nine times between 1949 and 1958 (the only season in that span he didn’t lead the NL in putouts was 1955, when he finished third, behind the Braves’ Billy Bruton and Giants’ Willie Mays). The Pirates’ Max Carey shares the record for most years leading his league’s outfielders in putouts with Ashburn (9). Carey’s nine leading seasons came between 1912 and 1925.

Six of the top ten seasons for putouts by an outfielder belong to Ashburn. No other player is in the top ten more than once. Ashburn had four seasons of 500+ outfield putouts, no other player had more had more than one. Ashburn ranks sixth overall in career MLB outfield putouts with 6,089.

Ashburn, was known not only for his fine defensive ability, but also for his bunting skills – an art that contributed to his offensive contribution to the Phillies.

“Bunting is a lost art. Nobody works on it … Thirty five of my 225 hits one year were bunts, most of them pushed toward third.”

Richie Ashburn in a 1991 interview with sportswriter Norman L. Macht

Ashburn was also recognized for his ability to foul off pitches he couldn’t turn into safeties – a skill that contributed to both his on-base percentage (long at bats that turned into walks) and low strikeout totals. In his 15-season MLB carer, Ashburn never struck out more than 50 times in a season – a total of 571 whiffs (1,198 walks) in 9,737 plate appearances. In 1952, he fanned just 30 times in 702 pate appearances (154 games).

A Somewhat Foul Ashburn Story … Courtesy of the History Channel (and other sources)

On August 17, 1957, in an at bat against the Giants, Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball that struck a fan in the stands (Alice Roth) in the face. Now, here’s the rest of the story, as noted at History.com. “After being struck by a foul ball off the bat of future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn, Roth is being treated for a broken nose, when the Philadelphia Phillies’ star fouled off the very next pitch, hitting her in the leg and breaking it.” Side note: Alice Roth was the spouse of Philadelphia Bulletin Sports Editor Earl Roth.

Surprisingly, the speedy Ashburn began his professional career with a focus on being a catcher. However, his speed led quickly to a position change. In Ashburn’s Society for American Baseball Research bio (by Seamus Kearny), it is reported that a defining moment leading to the position switch came when Ashburn – playing catcher for the Class-A Utica Blue Sox – on a play with a batted ball hit to the right side (and pursued by both the first baseman and second baseman), Ashburn came out from behind the plate, tossed his mask and didn’t just back up the play at first, but beat the runner to the bag and took the throw for a 4-2 ground out.

Ashburn is the fastest man I’ve ever seen getting down to first base … Anybody who’s faster than Ashburn isn’t running, He’s flying.

Leo Durocher

Signed as an 18-year-old, Ashburn played in just two minor-league seasons (both in A-Ball), hitting .342 over 243 games. Ashburn went on to play 15 MLB seasons (1948-59, Phillies … 1960-61, Cubs … 1962 Mets,). The Hall of Famer hit. 308-29-586, with 1,322 runs scored and 234 steals. (Eight of his 29 home runs were inside-the-parkers.)

Known for his ability to slap, slash, bunt and bounce his way on base, 82 percent of Richie Ashburn’ 2,574 regular-season hits were singles.

Ashburn was an All Star in five seasons. On offense, he won two batting titles, led his league in hits three times, triples twice, stolen bases once, walks four times and on-base percentage four times. On defense, in addition to leading NL outfielders in putouts nine times, he led NL outfielders assist three times and double plays three times.

Right at the Top of the List(s)

Richie Ashburn not only led MLB outfielders in putouts in the 1950’s (1950-59) with 4,611, he also led all major leaguers in base hits over the same period with 1,875 (for a .313 average).

Richie Ashburn’s Best Season: In 1958, Richie Ashburn led the NL in batting average (.350), base hits (215), triples (13), on-base percentage (.440). He also drew a league-leading 97 walks, scored 98 runs and stole 30 bases. In addition, he led NL outfielders in putouts (495).

Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Baseball Roundtable’s All Nickname Lineups – The Best and Worst of It

May 10, 2023 by David

–——BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S BEST AND WORST ALL-TIME NICKNAMES—-

Ted Williams collected nicknames like he collected base hits – The Kid, Splendid Splinter, The Thumper, Teddy Ballgame. And, of course, there was George Herman Ruth – or Babe, The Sultan of Swat, The Great Bambino, The Big Fella and more. Today, we have the likes of Nelson “Boomstick” Cruz, Shohie “Shotime” Ohtani, “Mad Max” Scherzer and Julio”J-Rod” Rodriguez.

Nicknames have long been a part of our national pastime – some complimentary (Joe “The Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio); some less so (Fred “Bootnose” Hoffman).

In this post, Baseball Roundtable takes a look a look two nickname-based lineups – one focused on baseball’s best nicknames, the other on some of the national pastime’s worst. The selection included such factors as:

The quality of the nickname (including its appropriateness or inappropriateness);
The uniqueness of the nickname;
The stature of the player who wore the moniker (Did he add to the nickname’s prominence?);
How it was acquired;
It’s level of acceptance and use; and
Longevity (Is the nickname still around and recognized?)

That fifth and sixth criteria (acceptance, use and longevity) are of particular importance. For example, Sandy Koufax’ “The Left Arm of God” nickname is clever, unique and appropriate for the Hall of Famer. It was, however, not used in fan and player conversation to anywhere near the extent of say Leroy “Satchel” Paige, Frank ”Home Run” Baker or Randy “Big Unit” Johnson. Similarly, “The Capitol Punisher” was a great nickname for Frank Howard, but he was probably better known as “Hondo.”

Uniqueness also got extra points. There have been lost of Babes, Rubes, Reds and Leftys – none found here. Or take the case of red-headed Daniel Staub known pretty commonly as Rusty. The fact is, MLB has seen plenty of “Rustys,” but (ask any Canadian fan) only one “Le Grande Orange.” Le Grand Orange makes the cut, Rusty doesn’t.

I should add that the “awarding” and general use of nicknames (among MLB players and fans) has faded a bit over time – becoming less frequent (and, I might note, less cruel) – a fact that readers will find reflected in these lineups.

Let’s get to the lists, leading off with some of MLB’s worst nicknames – often cruel, but always descriptive and almost always entertaining.

—-BASEBALL’S WORST NICKNAMES LINEUP—-

CATCHER

HARTNETT Photo: Coronado Eagle and Journal, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Gabby “Old Tomato Face” Hartnett … The Hall of Fame catcher reportedly picked up his nickname as he gained weight and developed a ruddy complexion. (There’s that “cruel” I referred to earlier.) Notably, even “Gabby” was a nickname (real name Charles Leo Hartnett) – reflecting Hartnett’s career-long shyness and reluctance to speak to anyone, particularly reporters. Harnett played 20 MLB seasons (1922-41, all but the last season with the Cubs), hitting .297, with 236 home runs and 1,179 RBI. He was a six-time All Star and the 1935 NL MVP.

Reserve: Fred “Bootnose” Hoffman … Hoffman reportedly acquired his nickname after a home plate collision between a base runner’s knee and Hoffman’s nose. Hoffman played nine MLB seasons (1919-25, 1927-28 … Yankees, Red Sox), hitting .247-7-96 in 378 games. His best campaign came as a Yankee in 1923, when he went .290-3-25 in career-high 72 contests.

FIRST BASE

Photo by rchdj10

Lou “Biscuit Pants” Gehrig … Great player with multiple nicknames –ranging from Biscuit Pants on the low end to Buster in the middle to The Iron Horse on the high side. The Biscuit Pants monitor – used by fellow players – acknowledged Gehrig’s baggy uniform pants, thick legs and sturdy derriere. A Hall of Famer, Gehrig played 17 seasons with the Yankees (1923-39), producing a .340 career average, with 493 home runs, 1,995 RBI and 1,888 runs scored. He was a seven-time All Star, two-time AL MVP, won one batting, title, led the AL in home runs three times, RBI five times, runs scored four times, doubles three times and triples once.

Reserve: Dick “Dr. Strangeglove” Stuart … Points for cleverness here, playing off the Dr. Strangelove movie title. Appropriateness points here, as Stuart led his league’s first basemen in errors in seven of his ten MLB seasons. He played in the majors from 1958-1966 and in 1969 (primarily with the Pirates), hitting .264-228-743.

SECOND BASE

Charlie “Piano Legs” Hickman … At 5’9” and described a north of 200-pounds (listed at 185 in Baseball Reference), it’s easy to imagine the source of Hickman’s nickname. Hickman played 1B, 2B and OF during his 12-year MLB career (1897-1908), delivering a .295 career average, with 59 home runs and 614 RBI. Hickman led the AL in hits and total bases in 1902, when he split time between Boston and Cleveland. He went ..361-11-110 that season.

THIRD BASE

Willie “Puddin’ Head Jones … Willie Jones’ nickname (Puddin’ Head) preceded his rise to the major leagues. He picked it up as a youngster, based on a popular 1930’s song titled “Wooden Head, Puddin’ Head Jones.” And it stuck.

How much staying power did Puddin’ Head Jones’ nickname have? When the Phillies’ Bryson Stott opened the 2023 season with a franchise record-tying 16-game hitting streak, the NBC Sports headline began “Bryson Stott ties Puddin’ Head Jones’ Phillies record …” Then, when Stott topped Jones’ record by hitting in his 17^th straight game to open the season, MLB.com headlined the story “Stott tops Puddin’ Head for Phils-record hit streak.’” Going through life, a major-league career (and beyond) known as Puddin’ Head” qualifies Jones for this spot.

Jones played 15 MLB seasons (1947-61 … Phillies, Indians, Reds) hitting .258-190-812. He was a fine defender at the hot corner and a two-time All Star. Consider: Jones led his league’s third basemen in putouts seven times, assists twice, double plays twice and fielding percentage six times. His best season at the plate was in 1951 (Phillies), when he went .285-22-81 in 148 games.

Reserve: Ron “The Penguin” Cey … Ron Cey reportedly picked up his nickname in college – based on his running style. Cey played in 17 MLB seasons (1971-87), primarily for the Dodgers. He was a six-time All Star and had a career stat line of .261-316-1,139. Cey hit 20+ home suns in ten season. I also considered Gary “The Rat” Gaetti, but he lost a few points because he was also known as “The G-Man” – a much more complimentary moniker.

SHORT STOP

Bill “Wagon Tongue” Keister … Unlike Gabby Hartnett (see the catcher on this list), Bill Keister reportedly just wouldn’t shut up. In a seven-season MLB career (1896, 1898-1903), Keister played for Brooklyn, Boston, Saint Louis and Philadelphia in the NL and Baltimore and Washington in the AL. He hit .312, with 18 home runs, 400 RBI and 131 stolen bases – spending time at shortstop, third base and second base. In 1901, he set the all-time MLB low for fielding average by a shortstop (.851) – making 97 errors in 112 games (650 total chances).

Reserve: Leo “The Lip” Durocher … A fiery player (and later equally scrappy as a manager), Leo Durocher earned his nickname as a particular loud and aggressive “bench jockey.” The spirit in which the nickname was applied depended on which bench you were on. A Hall of Famer, Durocher played in 17 MLB seasons (1925, 1928-41, 1943, 1945), hitting .247-24-567. He was an MLB manager for 24 years. Could have been the starter on this squad, but “Wagon Tongue” is just more unique than “The Lip.”

Branch Rickey on Leo Durocher

“He had the ability of taking a bad situations and making it immediately worse.”

LEFT FIELD

Johnny “Ugly” Dickshot … Apparently not the best looking of men, it’s reported that Dickshot granted himself the title of the ugliest man in baseball. Clearly, the combination of his nickname and actual name earns Dickshot a spot on this list of worst baseball nicknames. In six major-league seasons (spread over 1936-45), he played in 322 games (Pirates, Giants, White Sox), hitting .276, with seven home runs and 116 RBI. More than half his career offensive production came in his final season (1945, White Sox), when he hit .302, with seven home runs and 58 RBI.

Reserve: Bris “The Human Eyeball” Lord … Okay, this was meant as a compliment, but its imagery qualify it for a reserve spot on the Roundtable’s worst nickname lineup. Lord was tabbed the “Human Eyeball,” because he was said to enjoy superior eyesight. However, a look at the record shows that, in an eight-season MLB career (1905-1907 and 1909-1913), he hit just .256 and struck out nearly twice as many times as he walked (342-175). Lord did enjoy a stellar season in 1911, when he went .310-3-55, with 15 steals for the Athletics. It was the only season in which he hit at least .270.

CENTER FIELD

Hunter “Captain Underpants” Pence … Okay, this one has not been used to the extent of many of the nicknames on this list – but it’s cleverness (wordplay) swayed me. The story has it that, during a minor-league game, an aggressive heckler thought that (on the minor-league PA system) “Hunter Pence” sounded a lot like “Underpants” and proceeded to taunt him with the Underpants chant, which apparently gained more staying power when teammates promoted Mr. Underpants to “Captain.” Pence played in 14 MLB seasons, 2007-2020, hitting .279-244-942. He was a three-time All Star.

Reserve: Norman “Turkey” Stearnes … Stearnes was no turkey. He was a five-tool, five-time Negro League All Star, whose nickname reflected the way he flapped is arms while running the bases. He played 18 MLB seasons (1923-40 … Detroit Stars, Chicago American Giants, Philadelphia Stars, Kansas City Monarchs). Over that time, Stearnes hit .348 (winning two batting titles), with 187 home runs and 1,009 RBI (993 games). He led his league in triples six times, home runs five times, doubles once, and hits once, He may have run like a turkey, but he played like a Hall of Famer (he was inducted 2000). Still, Turkey is not the most complimentary of nicknames, unless you are a bowler.

RIGHT FIELD

“Bucketfoot” Al Simmons … Another Hall of Famer on this list, Simmons’ nickname (which he disliked) was drawn from his batting stance. The Bucketfoot stance seemed to work for him. In 20 MLB seasons (1924-41, 1943-44 … Athletics, White Sox, Tigers, Senators, Braves, Reds, Red Sox), Simmons hit .334, with 307 home runs and 1,828 RBI. He led his league in batting average, hits and total bases twice each and RBI once.

Reserve: Walt “No Neck” Williams … Walt Williams was just 5’6” tall, with a stocky build and a short neck (said to be the result of a childhood medical issue related to a typhus injection.) Despite his stature, Williams enjoyed a ten-season MLB career (1964, 1967-75 … Astros, White Sox, Indians, Yankees), during which he hit .270-33-173. William was known as a high-energy, free swinging, always aggressive ballplayer. How well-known was his nickname? His New York Times obituary was headed “Wal Williams, Outfielder Known as No Neck, Dies at 72.”

STARTING PITCHER

Hugh “Losing Pitcher” Mulcahy … Ouch! Hugh Mulcahy “enjoyed” a nine-season major-league career (1935-47, minus five WWII years), during which he earned his nickname. He ran up a career record of 45-89, with a 4.49 ERA (all with the Phillies), leading the NL in losses twice, hits allowed once, earned runs allowed twice, walks allowed once, hit batsmen twice and wild pitches once. Notably, he made one MLB All Star squad; in 1944, when he led the NL with 22 losses (versus 13 wins), despite a respectable 3.60 ERA.

Reserve: Arthur “Rats” Henderson … A nickname that evokes such rodents is a pretty sure path to this list. For Arthur “Rats” Henderson – who pitched in the Negro Leagues from 1923-31 – the way he reportedly acquired the nickname, earned him extra credit. It seems, before his MLB days, while working at a glass factory, fellow employees placed a rat in his lunchbox (much to his surprise and terror when he opened it.) Henderson, known for a sharp-breaking curve and superior fastball, went 70-51, 3.61 over eight seasons with the Atlantic City Bacharach, St. Louis Stars and Detroit Stars.

CLOSER

Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams … Not a lot of bad nicknames for closers. Who wouldn’t want to be called Terminator, The Fireman or even Monster. The best I could come up with was Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams – simply because of the implication of being a little wild (in relation to the strike zone) – when called on to close out an opponent. Williams’ nickname is due in part to pop culture (think Charlie Sheen’s Ricky Vaughn in the movie Major League), but also reflects Williams’ more than occasional lack of familiarity with the strike zone and a particularly “wild” and off-balance delivery.

Over an 11-season MLB career (1986-95, 1997), Williams was “effectively wild.” He went 45-58, 3.65, with 192 saves (from 1988-93, he averaged 29 saves per season). Over his career, he also averaged 7.1 walks per nine innings.

Walkway to Success

In 1993, with the Phillies, Mitch Williams went 3-7, 3.34, with 43 saves. He fanned 8.7 batter per nine innings and walked 6.4 per nine.

So, there is BBRT’s worst nickname lineup. If I had a a few more spots, they would probably be manned by such notables as: Jeff “Penitentiary Face” Leonard; Ernie “Schnozz” Lombardi; Harry “Stinky” Davis; and Oscar ‘Heavy” Johnson

A Couple of Sad Nicknames

“Sad” seem like a sad nickname. There have, in fact, been two MLB pitchers known popularly as “Sad” Sam Jones – and both, happily, have an MLB no-hitter to their credit.

The first “Sad Sam” Jones pitched in the major leagues for 22 seasons (1914-35 … Indians, White Sox, Red Sox, Yankees, Browns, Senators). He ran up a 229-217, 3.84 record and twice won 20+ games in a season. On September 4, 1923, he pitched a no-hitter, as his Yankees topped the Athletics 2-0 in Philadelphia. The only batter reached on a walk.

The second “Sad Sam” Jones’ MLB career included the years 1947-48, 1951-52 and 1955-54. He was a two-time All Star and put up a career 103-104, 2.83 record. This Sad Sam pitched for the Cleveland Buckeyes, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles. In 1959, with the Giants, he led the NL in wins (21 versus 15 losses), ERA (2.83) and shutouts (four). He led his league in strikeouts three times.

On May 12, 1955, this Sad Sam pitched a no-hitter at Wrigley field, as his Cubs topped the Pirates 4-0. In the outing Jones walked seven and fanned six.

Side Note: This Sad Sam Jones was also known as “Toothpick” Jones, but I’m giving precedence to the “Sad” nickname, since his tombstone reads “Jones … ‘Sad Sam” 1925-71.”

—–BEST BASEBALL NICKNAMES LINEUP—-

Now, here’s The Roundtable’s lineup, again based on a very subjective judgment, of the best baseball nicknames. As you will note, solid performance often results in a solid (and memorable) nickname.

CATCHER

Ted “ Double Duty” Radcliffe … Like a few others on this list Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe was better known by is nickname than his given name. The Double Duty moniker comes from his accomplishments as a two-way player (pitcher and catcher) – his ability to catch a full nine innings in Game One of a doubleheader and come back and pitch a complete game in the second contest. Radcliffe played in 16 MLB seasons (1928-31, 1933-35, 1937-39 and 1941-46 … Detroit Stars, Chicago American Giants, Saint Louis Stars, Homestead Grays, Columbus Blue Birds, Brooklyn Eagles, Cincinnati Tigers, Memphis Red Sox, Kansas City Monarchs, Birmingham Black Barons). He played 285 games at catcher and 89 on the mound. (In 1930, he caught 55 games and pitched 20.) Radcliffe was an eight-time All Star. He career stat line was .271-17-187 at the plate and 31-23, 3.63 on the mound.

Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe’s full name was very presidential – Theodore Roosevelt Radcliffe.

Reserve: Johnny “Little General” Bench … Catchers are supposed to take charge on the field and this nickname fits Hall of Famer Johnny Bench both behind and at the plate. Bench was a leader for the Reds for 17 seasons (1967-83). He was a 14-time All Star, ten-time Gold Glover, two-time league HR leader, two-time league MVP, 1968 Rookie of the Year and 1976 World Series MVP.

FIRST BASE

BIG HURT Photo: Frank_Thomas_1997.jpg: clare_and_benderivative work: User:Delaywaves, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas … When you are 6’5” and 240-pounds and can put a world of hurt on a baseball, the Big Hurt seems an appropriate nickname. Hall of Famer Frank Thomas played 19 MLB seasons (1990-2008 … primarily for the White Sox, with brief late-career stops in Oakland and Toronto). Thomas was five-time All Star and two-time AL MVP. His career stat line says a lot about the hurt he inflicted on AL pitchers – .301-521, 1,704 in 2,322 games.

Reserve Tie: Lou “Iron Horse” Gehrig … Hall of Fame slugger Lou Gehrig (see his career achievements in the worst nickname lineup under Biscuit Pants) earned this nickname for his combination of power and durability.

Reserve Tie: Albert “La Maquina” (The Machine) Pujols … Known more among fellow players than among fans as La Maquina, Pujols was machine-like in his ability to produce season after season of consistent excellence. From 2001 through 2010 – his first ten MLB seasons – he hit over .300, smacked 30+ home runs and drove in 100+ runs in every campaign. Pujols played in 22 MLB seasons (2001-2022 … primarily for the Cardinals and Angels), going .296 (3,384 hits)-703-2,218. He was an 11-time All Star, three-time MVP.

SECOND BASE

Felix “The Cat” Millan … The Cat earned his nickname for his slick fielding around the keystone sack. (Oh, and there was that cartoon.) In 12 MLB seasons (1966-77, with the Braves and Mets), Millan was a three-time All Star and two-time Gold Glover. He put up respectable offensive numbers with a career line of .279-22-403, with 699 runs scored,

Reserve: Charlie “The Mechanical Man” Gehringer … Like 1B reserve Albert Pujols, Gehringer’s teammates and opponents appreciated his almost mechanical consistency on the field. The Hall of Famer played from 1925-1942, all 19 seasons for the Tigers. His career stat line was .320-184, 1,427. He led AL second baseman in assists seven times, putouts three times, double plays four times and fielding percentage seven times. A six-time All Star, Gehringer was the 1937 AL MVP.

THIRD BASE

Frank “Home Run” Baker … Okay, can there be a better baseball nickname then “Home Run” (if you earn it)? Frank “Home Run” Baker laid the foundation for his nickname when, in his third full MLB season (1911. Philadelphia Athletics), he led the AL in home runs with 11 (It was the Deadball Era). He then built on that foundation with two critical home runs in the 1922 World Series (off future Hall of Famers Rube Marquard and Christy Mathewson), helping the Athletics top the Giants four games-to-two.

Baker further solidified his grasp on the nickname by leading the AL in home runs in 1912, 1913 and 1914. His final stat line .307-96-991 in 13 seasons (1908-14, 1916-19, 1920-21). Today, more than a century later, the average fan will immediately place the words “Home Run” between “Frank” and “Baker.”

Reserve: Pete “Charlie Hustle” Rose … BBRT could have put the ultimate hustler in at nearly any place on the diamond, but I like his aggressive play at the hot corner – where Rose started 627 games in his career. MLB’s all-time hits leader (4,256), Rose played 24 seasons in the majors (1963-86) – with the Reds (19), Phillies and Expos. Known for his hustle and aggressive play, Rose was a 17-time All Star, three-time batting champion and two-time Gold Glover, as well as the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year and 1973 NL MVP. He led the NL in games played five times, hits seven times, double five times and runs scored four times.

I also considered Brooks “The Hoover” Robinson … What can you say, a 16-time Gold Glover at the hot corner deserves to be called The Hoover. I also really like Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval. At 5’11” and 250 pounds, Sandoval was given the Panda nickname by teammates (after a cartoon movie character) and it became a hit with fans.

SHORTSTOP

Ozzie “The Wizard of Oz” Smith … In his 19 MLB seasons (1978-96, with the Padres and Cardinals), Hall of Famer Smith’s defensive wizardry earned him 13 Gold Gloves. The 15-time All Star had a career average of .262, with 28 home runs, 793 RBI, and 1,257 runs scored. He led NL shortstops in assists eight times – and is the MLB career leader in assists at short. He also led NL shortstops in fielding percentage eight times, double plays five times and putouts twice.

Reserve: Ernie “Mr. Cub” Banks … Okay, not very original, but it says a lot about the love Chicago fans had for their Hall of Fame shortstop. Banks played 19 seasons for the Cubs (1953-71) hitting .274-512-1,636. He was a two-time MVP and 14-time All-star. Banks led the NL in home runs and RBI twice each.

LEFT FIELD (My only first string tie – and for good reason.)

Ted “The Splendid Splinter” Williams … Ted Williams’ nickname (one of several) – the Splendid Splinter – reflects his lanky, splinter-like build and his splendid skills. Notably, Williams’ play earned him a team’s worth of nicknames – The Kid, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper among them. Williams’ career on-base percentage of .482 is the best in baseball history (among players with at least 3,000 plate appearances). Williams was a 19-time All Star, two-time MVP and two-time Triple Crown winner. In 19 seasons with the Red Sox (1939-60, time lost for service in WWII and the Korean Conflict), Williams won six batting titles, and lead the AL in runs six times, RBI four times, home runs four times, doubles twice, walks eight times and total bases six times. He retired with a .344-521-1,839 stat line.

Stan “The Man” Musial … Hall of Famer Musial (who started more than 1,800 of his 3,026 games played in the outfield – and started more games in left field – 868 (than in RF or CF – 679 and 306, respectively) was indeed “The Man” – and not just in Saint Louis (where he played from 1941-63). He was respected for his bat and his attitude around baseball. Musial was a seven-time batting champ and three-time MVP, who also led the NL in hits six times, runs scored five-times, doubles eight times, triples five times and RBI twice. He retired with a .331 average, 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, 1,949 runs scored and 1,951 RBI.

CENTER FIELD

James “Cool Papa” Bell … Ask fans who James Bell was and very few will give you a confident answer. Ask about Cool Papa Bell, you’ll not only get name recognition, but probably a couple of apocryphal stories about Bell’s blinding speed. (Like Satchel Paige’s tale that “Once, he (Bell) hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit his a** sliding into second base.”

Bell got the nickname, when he was a rookie pitcher (1922) with the St. Louis Stars of the Negro National League. Early the season, the 190-year-old Bell was facing the legendary Oscar Charleston in a tight spot in a close game and “cooly” struck him out. St. Louis manager Bill Gatewood commented on just how “cool” Bell was under pressure and later added “Papa” to the nickname to make it sound better. It stuck with Bell, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974, throughout his career. Bell, considered by most to be the fastest player ever to take the field, played in 21 seasons (1922-37, 1942-46 … St, Louis Stars, Chicago American Giants, Detroit Wolves, Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords). He hit .296-57-596 in 1,202 games. A seven-time All Star, Bell led his league in run scored five times and stolen bases seven times, A superior defender he led his leagues’ CF in put outs four times, assists three times, double plays twice and fielding percentage three times.

Reserve: Jimmy “The Toy Cannon Wynn … Jimmy Wynn was just 5”10” and 160 points and earned his nickname for the power he generated for his size. Lots of points for appropriateness here. Wynn played 15 MLB seasons (1963-77), primarily with the Astros., The three-time All Star hit .250-291-964, with 1,105 runs scored and 225 steals. He hit 30+ home runs in three seasons and had another five seasons of 20 or more long balls. His best season was probably 1974, when he hit .271, with 32 homers, 108 RBI, 104 runs scored and 18 stolen bases.

I also considered Franklin “Death to Flying Things” Gutierrez, Joe “The Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio and Sam “The Jet” Jethroe. Competitions in CF was indeed tough.

RIGHT FIELD

Dave “Cobra” Parker … Dave Parker’s Cobra nickname was born out of his bat speed – striking with the quickness of a Cobra. Parker brought fame to the nickname over 19 seasons (1973-91 … Pirates, Reds, A’s, Brewers, Angels, Blue Jays). The seven-time All Star hit.290-339-1,493 in 2,466 MLB games. Parker, who was the 1978 NL MVP, also has two batting titles and three Gold Gloves on his MLB resume. He also led his league in hits once, doubles twice, RBI once and total bases three times.

Dave “Cobra” Parker made his final All Star Team in 1990 – at the age of 39 – when he went .289-21-92 for the Brewers.

Reserve: Jose “Joey Bats” Bautista … Jose Bautista played 15 MLB seasons (2004-2018 … Orioles, Devil Rays, Royals, Pirates, Blue Jays, Braves, Mets, Philllies). He picked up the nickname Joey Bats while with the Pirates. Reportedly, a PNC vendor made a sign that read “Joey Bats” and raised it whenever Bautista came to the plate. Once the broadcast crew (and television cameras) discovered the sign, the nickname began to take on life. The nickname rose to prominence during Bautista’s years in Toronto, where he was an All Star in six of ten seasons. Bautista hit .247-344-975 over 1,798 MLB games. He twice led the AL in home runs, with a high of 54 in 2010 For The RoundTable, Joey Bats just seems like a nickname that is both fun and appropriate for a power hitter.

DESIGNATED HITTER

David “Big Papi” Ortiz … As David Ortiz explains it, his nickname started with the fact that he was not great at remembering names – and (as a big league ballplayer) was constantly meeting a lot of people. So, he began calling them Papi (as is the custom in the Dominican Republic). People started calling him Papi back. Eventually, given Ortiz’size, big heart and the large leadership role in played in the Red Sox’ success, he became Big Papi. He’s in this lineup because of the love for Ortiz – and his nickname – among Red Sox’ fans. The fact is, mention Big Papi to the average fan and they immediately know who you are talking about.

Ortiz played 20 MLB seasons (1997-2016 … Twins and Red Sox). He put up a .286-541-1,768 stat line. The Hall of Famer was a ten-time All Star, hit 30 or more homers in ten seasons add drove in 100 or more runs in ten seasons.

In his final season (2016), at age 40, David Ortiz hit .315, with 48 home runs and 127 RBI.

THE ROTATION

Photo: Public Domain, via WikiCommons

“Sudden” Sam McDowell … Yes, there are some Hall of Fame Pitchers with great nicknames. Walter “Big Train” Johnson, “Rapid Robert” Feller are just two. However, that “Sudden” nickname is my favorite. McDowell – whose blazing heater could be past you with amazing suddenness – was a six-time All Star and five-time league strikeout leader. In a 15-year MLB career (1961-75 … Indians, Giants, Yankees and Pirates), McDowell went 141-134, 3.17 and fanned 2,453 hitters in 2,492 1/3 innings. I like the simplicity of this nickname,

Photo: Acme Newspictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Leroy “Satchel” Paige … Lots of points for usage. Say the name “Satchel” and The vast majority of baseball fans will know almost immediately who you are referring to. Satchel Page is what legends are made of. No less than Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Bob Feller all called him the best pitcher they ever saw. The story behind the nickname also gets some points, As a youngster, Leroy Paige carried luggage (satchels) for train passenger in a railroad stations. The nickname stuck.

Paige pitched in 22 MLB seasons (1927-31, 1933-34, 1936, 1940-49, 1951-53, 1965 – taking the mound for the Birmingham Black Barons. Pittsburgh Crawfords, Kansas City Monarchs, New York Black Yankees, Memphis Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, St, Louis Browns and Kansas City Athletics). His MLB record was 124-82, 2.73. He was a seven-time All Star who led his league in wins once, winning percentage three times, ERA once, shutouts three times and strikeouts six times. He was also one of – if not the biggest draw in the Negro Leagues and on the barnstorming circuit.

Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson … Some of the most popular pitchers nicknames are derived from the speed of their pitchers – think Dick “Cannonball” Redding , Roger “The Rocket” Clemens, “Rapid” Robert Feller, I tended to gravitate for those that fell outside that parameter – at least at the top of the rotation. So here at three is 6’ 10” flamethrower Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson. Simple, to the point and worthy of Johnson intimidating presence.

The Hall of Famer pitched 22 years in the big leagues (1988-2009), going 303-166, 3.29 and fanning 4,875 batters in 4,135 1/3 innings (and leading the league in whiffs nine times). The five-time Cy Young Award winner also led the league in wins once, ERA four times, complete games three times.

From 1999 through 2002, Randy Johnson’s average season was 20-7, 2.48 – with 354 strikeouts (12.4 per nine innings).

Wilber “ Bullet” or “Bullet Joe” Rogan … Like Satchel Paige, Joe Rogan’s nickname has replaced his given name (and middle name) in most accounts. He is most often referred to simply as Bullet Rogan . Now that is nickname recognition. At just 5’7” and 170 pounds, Bullet Rogan Bullet Rogan did , indeed, throw bullets – and he complemented his sidearm fastball with an exceptional curve.

Rogan Played in the Negro Leagues for 12 seasons (1920-29 and 1937-38), all for the Kansas City Monarchs. He went 120-52, 2.65 over that time – leading the league in wins twice, ERA once, complete games three times, shutouts twice and strikeouts twice. Oh, and Bullet Rogan could put his 50-ounce bat on the ball, compiling career average of .338,while spending considerable time in the outfield.

“Jughandle” Johnny Morrison … Johnny Morrison earned the nickname Jughandle for a sharp breaking ball that curved and dropped like the handle on the side of a jug. Morrison pitched in ten MLB seasons (1920-27, 1929-30 … Pirates, Dodgers), going 103-80, 3.65. His best season was 1923, when he went 25-13, 3.49 for the Pirates.

Reserve: Vic “The Springfield Rifle” Raschi was another of those hard throwers who could rifle the ball up to the plate. Extra points among flamethrowers here for a nickname that incorporates his home town of West Springfield Massachusetts and the nearby Springfield Armory firearms manufacturing company.

Raschi pitched in ten MLB seasons (1946-55), primarily for the Yankees. He went 132-66, 3.72, was a four-time All Star and a three-time 20+ game winner. Between 1948 and 1952, he went 98-42, 3.45 for the Yankees, completing 51 percent of his 165 starts.

CLOSER

Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky … Al Hrabosky’s nickname is drawn from his ethnicity and his ferocious mound demeanor. With his long hair and Fu Manchu mustache (later a full beard), Hrabosky would turn his back to the batter, talk angrily to the ball, pound the ball the into his glove, then turn and storm to the rubber glaring menacingly at the batter. That aggressive persona, Hrabosky maintained, was an asset on the mound.

Hrabosky pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1970-82 … Cardinals. Braves, Royals), going 64-35, 3.10 with 97 saves. He had just one start in 545 appearances. Consider one of the top closers of his time (actually, I think they were thought of more as firemen than closers), in 1975 Hrabosky went 13-3, 1.66, with a league-topping 22 saves for the Cardinals.

In a 1975 Sport Illustrated Interview, AL Hrabosky was quoted as saying “I want batters to think I’m crazy. I want them to know I’m crazy.”

Reserve Tie: Mariano “The Sandman” Rivera … Mariano Rivera is, arguably, the best closer in MLB history – his MLB-record 652 saves attest to that. His nickname came about when a Yankees’ technician suggested Metallica’s heavy metal “Enter Sandman” as Rivera’s entry song. It was certainly appropriate, as Rivera’s “cutter” put opposing batters (and any hopes of rallying) to sleep, The tune was embraced by Rivera, his teammates and fans. Rivera pitched 19 MLB seasons (1995-2013) all as a Yankee. He was a 13-time All Star, led the AL in saves three times. Rivera had two seasons of 50 or more saves, seven seasons of between 40 and 45 saves and six season of between 30 and 39 saves. He also recorded 11 seasons with an ERA under 2.00 – and his ERA in 96 post-season games (141 innings) was a miserly Sandman-like) 0.70.

Reserve: Dick “The Monster’ Radatz … Dick Radatz, at 6’6” and (conservatively) 230-pounds, was a big man for his time – and an imposing presence on the mound. Radatz also put up some monster seasons early in his career. In fact, a look at his numbers will show how times have changed. Consider his two All-Star seasons (with the Red Sox) – 1963 and 64:

In 1963 Radatz made 66 relief appearances, finishing 58 games; averaged just over two inning per appearance; put up a 1.97 ERA; won 15 games (six losses); and notched 23 saves.
In 1964, he made 79 appearances; finished 67 games; averaged 1.99 innings per appearance; put up a 2.29 ERA; won 16 games (nine losses): and saved a league-best 29.

Radatz played in seven MLB seasons (1962-67, 1969 … Red Sox, Indians, Cubs, Tigers , Expos). He went 52-43, 3.13, with 120 saves.

Nicknames Extra .., Some Names are Just Wonderful On their Own

Okay, this is not a nickname and this player didn’t make the major leagues, but it deserve recognition here. I’m talking about former Braves’ minor-league outfielder Wonderful Terrific Monds, III. (Yes, that’s his given name.) Monds was signed by the Braves in the 50th round of the 1993 draft (out of Tennessee State University). Monds played in seven minor-league seasons, hitting .281-55-243, with 162 steals. (Side note: His father, Wonderful Terrific Monds, Jr. played one season – 1978 – for the NFL San Francisco 49ers.)

The story has it that Monds’ great grandfather longed for a son, but his marriage produced 11 daughters before a son was born. Reportedly, he declared finally having a son wonderful and terrific and it became a family tradition to name the first boy in each generation “Wonderful Terrific Monds.” Wouldn’t it have been wonderfully terrific if he had made the show.

Regardless, this seems a wonderfully terrific way to end this post.

Primary Resources: Baseball Reference.com; Having Fun with Baseball Nicknames, by Phil Blazovich, MLC Publications 1996; The Baseball 100, by Joe Posnanski, Avid Reader Press, 2021; Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe, The History Makers.org, June 16, 2001.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

Baseball Roundtable Musings – From Intentional Walks to Games with No “True Outcomes”

May 6, 2023 by David

Thursday (May 4, 2023), the Minnesota Twins tied a franchise record by issuing five intentional walks (IBB) in a single game. – a 12-inning 7-3 win over the White Sox in Chicago. Each of those free passes came in the eighth inning or later. Ultimately, those intentional walks proved an effective strategic weapon. In the case of three of those IBB innings (8,9 and 11), the very next batter made an out to end the inning. The other two free passes came in the tenth and all three of the batters the Twins actually pitched to struck out.

Well as usual, when Baseball Roundtable looks at a baseball occurrence, one thing leads to another (and to the record books). So, this post will take a look at a few intentional walk records. Note: Intentional walks have only been an officially tracked MLB statistic since 1955. However, some earlier totals have been garnered from box scores.

Most Intentional Walks by a Team in a Game

Intentionally walked back-to-back twice in extra innings.

The Twins’ issuing of five IBB yesterday fell three short of the MLB record for a single game. On August 25, 2021 the Dodgers issued a record eight intentional walks in a 16-inning, 5-3 win over the Padres. The Dodgers/Padres game provides a solid indication of the impact of the new rule placing a runner at second base at the start of each extra inning. All the free passes occurred in extra innings: It went like this:

Bottom of tenth (1-1 score) – Alex Vesla intentionally walked pinch-hitter Tommy Pham with one out and a runner on third (the extra-inning placed runner). Vesla retired the next two batters (2B Adam Frazier and PH Victor Caratini).
Bottom of the 11^th – With two out and the placed runner at second, Phil Bickford intentionally walked the number-three and number-four hitters – 3B Manny Machado and SS Jake Cronenworth (loading the bases) – then got PH Joe Musgrove on a strikeout looking. (Yes, the Padres used pitcher Musgrove as a pinch hitter.)
Bottom of the twelfth – With one out and the placed runner at second, Justin Bruihl intentionally walked Pham (who had stayed he game in LF) and then retired the next two batters (Frazier and Caratini).
Bottom of 13^th – With two out and the placed runner having advanced to third, Brusdar Graterol intentionally walked Machado and Cronenworth, then got pinch hitter Ryan Weathers on a ground out. Yes, another pitcher used as a pinch hitter.
Bottom of the 15^th – with two runs in (scored tied 3-3), two out and no runners on, Corey Knebel intentionally walked Cronenworth and got the next batter, P Daniel Camarena, on a strikeout.

_______________________________________

Distraction Number One – 22 Innings Without a Walk

While looking into the topic of Intentional Walks, I was distracted by an August 23, 1989 game in which the Expos set an MLB record by going 22 innings without issuing a single walk (intentional or non-intentional). The Dodgers, who had 20 hits in the game (the Expos had 13) won the contest on a Rick Dempsey home run (off Dennis Martinez) in the top of the 22^nd frame. In the game, Montreal starter Pascual Perez went the first eight innings and only went to a three-ball count on one batter (3-2 before fanning Dodgers’ LF Lenny Harris in the first frame). In fact, over the first 18 innings, Expos’ hurlers – they used six in the game – reached three balls on only three batters. (Unfortunately, the Baseball-Reference.com pitch-by-pitch only goes through the first 18 innings, so I’m planning a bit more research on this one.) For those who like to know such things, the sextet of Expos broke the record of 21 walk-free innings in a single game which was held by Babe Adams of the Pirates. On July 17, 1914. Adams went the distance in a 21-inning 3-1 loss to the New York Giants (in Pittsburgh.) In 1914, Adams walked just 1.2 batters per nine innings – just about on his career average (19 seasons) of 1.3. Overall, Adams led his league in fewest walks per nine innings four times and was among the top-three another five times. His 1.29 BB/nine innings career average is 19^th all-time, He finished his carer 194-90, 2.76.

Distraction within a distraction: In this game, Youppi – the Expos’ mascot – was ejected in the 11th inning.

Now back to our originally scheduled posting.

_________________________________________________________

Most Intentional Walks by a Team in a Nine-Inning Game

Three intentional walks.

The record for intentional walks by a team in a nine-inning game is six, set by the Cardinals, in a July 19, 1975 5-2 win over the Giants. In that game:

Giants’ C Dave Radar (batting in the eight-hole – with the pitcher up next) was intentionally walked by Cardinals’ starter Lynn McGlothen with one out and a runner on second in the bottom of the second (Giants up 2-0); was given a free pass again with two outs and runners on second and third in the third (game tied at 2-2); and was put on for a third time with two outs and a runner on second (Giants up 4-2) in the fifth. In his only other plate appearance, Radar drew an unintentional walk in the seventh.
Giants’ RF Bobby Murcer was intentionally walked by McGlothen in the sixth – with one out, a runner on second and the Giants up 4-2.
1B Willie Montanez was intentionally passed by McGlothen with two out and a runner on third in the sixth. He was again given a free pass with two out and a runner on third in the eighth; this time with the Giants sill up 4-2 and Mike Garman on the mound for the Cardinals.

A few other Intentional Walk records:

The most IBB received by an MLB team in a season is 153 by the 2004 Giants. (Of course, 120 of those belonged to Barry Bonds.)
The most intentional walks issued by any team in a single season is 116 by the 1974 Padres.
The most intentional passes received by a player in a game is five, by the Cubs’ Andre Dawson in a 16-inning contest on May 22, 1990 (Cubs beat the Reds 2-1).

Andre Dawson’s Day at the Plate … A Gifted Experience

Photo: derivative work: Amineshaker (talk)Andre_dawson.jpg: User Sacoo on en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

On May 22, 1990, RF and cleanup hitter Andre Dawson of the Cubs came to the plate eight times in a 16-inning, 2-1 Cubs win over the Reds. His day went like this:

Bottom of the first – runner on second and one out – intentional walk.

Bottom of the fourth – leading off – ground out to SS.

Bottom of the sixth – two outs and a runner on first – fly out to left.

Bottom of the eighth – score still 0-0, runner on third, two out – intentional walk.

Bottom of the 11th – runner on first, no outs – single.

Bottom of 12th – still 0-0, runners on first and second, two outs – intentional walk.

Bottom of 14th – score now 1-1, runner on second, two out – intentional walk.

Bottom of 16th – runners on first and third, one out – intentional walk, loading the bases. LF Dave Clark followed with a walk-off single to win the game.

Dawson, who hit .310-27-100, drew a career-high 21 intentional free passes in 1990.

The record for intentional walks received in a nine-inning game is four, shared by Barry Bonds (Giants – May 1 & September 22, 2004), Bill Baker (Pirates – September 28, 1943), and Jeff Heath (Indians- July 14, 1941).

The B&B Boys – Baker and Bonds

Bill Baker is the only MLB player with four or more intentional walks in a game to be intentionally passed in every plate appearance in that contest. It happened the second game of a doubleheader on September 28, 1943. Baker’s Pirates were facing the Dodgers in Pittsburgh. Baker was catching and batting eighth. He was intentionally walked in the first with runners on second and third and two out (game tied 0-0); in the fourth with runners on second and third, one out and the Pirates up 1-0; in the sixth with one out, a runner on second and the Pirates up 2-0; and in the eighth with one out and a runner on second (Pirates up 3-2). The Pirates won the game 4-2. Baker came into the game hitting .273-1-24 in 62 games on the season. In seven MLB seasons (263 games, Baker hit .247-2-68) – but you’ll find him in the record books sharing the mark for intentional walks in a nine-inning game with Barry Bonds.

The most intentional passes surrendered by a pitcher in a single game (per Baseball-Reference.com) is seven, by the Yankees’ Herb Pennock on August 21, 1933 – in an 18-inning 3-3 tie with the White Sox. Pennock pitched the final 10 innings. Those free passes were, of course, awarded at the direction of Yankee Manager Joe McCarthy.
The record for IBB by a single pitcher in a nine-inning game is five: shared by Nate Andrews (Braves– April 18, 1945); Sam McDowell (Indians – September 2, 1970); Lynn McGlothen (Cardinals- July 19, 1975); and Warren Spahn.(Braves – June 9, 1954). Keep in mind, this record really belongs to the managers who ordered those free passes – Bob Coleman, Al Dark, Red Schoendienst. Charlie Grimm, respectively.

____________________________________________

Distraction Two – No “True Outcomes”

As I was working on this post, I was again distracted (Let’s face it, how compelling are intentional walks?). This time by the somewhat recently coined “Three True Outcomes” – Walks, Strikeouts and Home Runs – and how they have become an increasingly frequent part of the national pastime.

I decide to go on a search (Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org) for games in which there were no “True Outcomes.” Focusing on the Modern Era – post 1900 – I was only able to confirm two games of at least nine innings in which neither team recorded a walk, a strikeout or a home run.

On August 28, 1924 – as the Indians topped the White Sox 7-0 in the first game of a double header – the two teams combined for 21 hits, seven runs and four errors – but not a single walk, whiff or long ball. The White Sox had eight hits (seven singles and a double), while the Indians knocked 13 hits, including two doubles and a triple. The winning pitcher was Sherry Smith (nine innings pitched, eight hits and, of course, no walks or strikeouts), while the losing hurler was Hollis Thurston (eight innings pitched, 13 hits, seven runs/five earned). The second game of that twin bill, by the way, also saw no round trippers, but did include a combined total of 16 walks and ten strikeouts. That season, American League teams averaged a combined 0.6 home runs, 6.8 walks and 5.4 strikeouts per game.

On June 20, 1922, as the Braves topped the Robins (Dodgers)in Boston 3-2, the two squads put up a combined 16 hits and three errors, but no walks, strikeouts or home runs. All five runs in the contest were unearned. The winning pitcher in this one was Dana Fillingim, who gave up seven hits and two unearned runs in nine innings. The loser was Leon Cadore (eight innings, nine hits, three unearned runs.) Each team had just one extra base hint – a double. In 1922, National League teams recorded a combined per game average of 0.8 home runs, 5.6 walks and 5.4 strikeouts. The day after their no true outcome contest, the two teams combined for just one run (Robins 1 – Braves 0) on 14 hits, no home runs, four Walks and six whiffs.

Distraction within a distraction: Leon Cadore is most noted for a May 1, 1920 game in which he (pitching for the Brooklyn Robins) and the Braves’ Joe Oeschger each went the distance in a 26-inning . 1-1 tie (MLB’s longest-ever game by innings).

Now, once again, back to our regular scheduled posting.

_______________________________________

The most times walked intentionally in a season is 120, by Barry Bonds of the Giants in 2004. The next highest total that season was 26 (Jim Thome, Philllies).
The record for most intentional walks received in a career belongs to Barry Bonds (688 in 22 seasons). Second place: Albert Pujols with 316.
Barry Bonds led his league in IBB a record 12 times – including his age 41 and age 42 season.

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

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

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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

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

Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

1916 Giants … MLB’s Streakiest Team

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Baseball Roundtable 1,000th Post – a Potpourri of MLB Unexpected Occurrences and Coincidences

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE – RESULTS FROM MID-SEASON MLB RULES SURVEY

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Memorable Moments, Unexpected Stats and Notable Accomplishments from MLB’s All Star Games

Ten Players Played All 15 Innings in the 1967 MLB All Star Game

Players with Two Home Runs in an MLB All Star Game

—–A FEW CAREER ALL STAR GAME TIDBITS——

–—ALL STAR GAME TARGETS—–

–—CAREER ALL STAR GAME RECORDS—–

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Jack Reed – One MLB Home Run, But He Made It Count

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Baseball Roundtable May Wrap Up … Stats, Stories, Roundtable Players/Pitchers of the Month, Trot Index and More

——-Team Statistical Leaders for May 2023 ———-

MAY 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

——-Individual Statistical Leaders for May 2023———

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Ken Brett’s Big Day … Double Duty in a Doubleheader

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Racking up the Putouts … and a Segue to Richie Ashburn

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Baseball Roundtable’s All Nickname Lineups – The Best and Worst of It

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Baseball Roundtable Musings – From Intentional Walks to Games with No “True Outcomes”

_______________________________________

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Featured Trivia Question

Featured Post

Why do you love baseball?

Recent Posts

Baseball Roundtable Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday …. Zero Walk/Double-Digit-Strikeout Outings

Baseball Roundtable August Wrap UP … A Cycle, An Immaculate Inning, a 22-0 Shutout, A Three-Homer Debut, A Strikeout-Free Shutout & More

Baseball Roundtable Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday … Stealing The Limelight

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE TRIVIA(L) TIDBIT TUESDAY …. A Hardball Kind Of Trio

Baseball Roundtable Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday … 20-20-20-20 Vision

Search

Links