Tomorrow (November 6), the finalists for four key 2023 Baseball Writers Association of America Awards (AL & NL Most Valuable Player, Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year) will be announced. As a warm up to that announcement, Baseball Roundtable will dedicate this post to its predictions of the eventual winners, as well as who would get The Roundtable’s votes (if I had votes). Hence the blog title “Predictions and Preferences.” As usual, my choices are up for discussion and debate.  I would anticipate that some will find one or two of “preferences” a bit old school.  In any case, I will provide the reasoning behind my selections.  So, Let’s get on with it.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

NATIONAL LEAGUE…

Prediction:  Ronald Acuna Jr., RF, Braves

Roundtable Preference: Ronald Acuna Jr., RF, Braves

Photo: Thomson200, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Well, this one looks like a two-player race – the Braves’ Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Dodgers’ Mookie Betts.  Both put up MVP-worthy numbers.  I was drawn to Betts because he put up some outstanding numbers for a leadoff hitter (his 107 RBI are the MLB record for runs driven in from the leadoff spot) and he popped 40 doubles and 39 homers to go with a .307 average. Just as important, he filled in (admirably) wherever the Dodgers needed him – starting 107 games in RF, 70 at 2B and 12 at SS.  That versatility (and defensive skills) helped the Dodgers overcome injuries and disappointments. Had the Dodgers won their division by six games instead of 16, Betts probably would have been The Roundtables’ choice.

However, I have to go with the Acuna.  As the chart below shows, he edged Betts in most traditional offensive statistical categories.  Then, there are those 73 stolen bases – which meant a host of singles turned into doubles; opposing pitchers distracted and under pressure; and an increased number of fastballs for those hitting behind him.  In my consideration, those factors balanced out the versatility brought to the field and the lineup by Betts.  Then of course, there is Acuna’s first-ever MLB 40-70 (HR/SB) season and the fact that down the stretch (September/October), Acuna hit .340-11-23 to Betts’ .244-1-9.  (To be fair, Betts had an outstanding August (.455-11-30).

AMERICAN LEAGUE… 

Prediction: Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Angels

Roundtable Preference:  Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Angels

What can you say? Shohei Ohtani led the American League in home runs with 44 (despite playing in just 135 games), while hitting .304, driving in 95 runs, scoring 102, legging out eight triples and stealing 20 bases.  He also went 10-5, 3.14 on the mound (23 starts) and fanned 167 batters in 132 innings. And, he ran up these numbers despite going down due to an oblique injury in early September. Those missed games and the fact that Angels finished 73-89, 17 games off the pace in the AL West do work against him.  (Some would argue that Angels could have finished fifth without him.) The Roundtable considered that the Angels were 14-9 (.609 ball) in games he started on the mound and 59-80 (.424) in games he didn’t pitch. In games in which Ohtani appeared in the lineup, the Angels  played .459 ball; as opposed to .407 when he wasn’t on the field.

Shohei Ohtani is the first MLB player with 40 or more home runs and ten or more pitching victories in a single season.

I might add that – if you find it difficult to accept an MVP from a fourth-place team – I would look to Rangers’ middle infield for a candidate.   Texas shortstop Corey Seager raked at .327-33-96 pace, with 88 runs scored and a league-topping 42 doubles. Second baseman Marcus Semien also had an outstanding year, going .276-29-100. He was fourth in the AL in RBI and led the league in runs scored with 122.

CY YOUNG AWARD 

NATIONAL LEAGUE…

Prediction: Blake Snell, Padres

Roundtable Preference: Spencer Strider, Braves

The Roundtable believes the “bright and shiny thing” that will sway enough BBWAA voters toward Blake Snell is his MLB-low (among qualifiers) 2.25 earned run average.  For The Roundtable (and this may be some of that “old school” mentality), a 20-win season is still a key measure of value. So, my preference is the Braves’ Spencer Strider, who put up 20 wins (three more than any other pitcher and six more than Snell).  In comparing these two front runners, each had 32 starts. In those starts Strider pitched 186 2/3 innings to Snell’s 180 innings (had Snell gone notably deeper into games than Strider, he may have gotten the Roundtable nod).

A few other factors.  In this strikeout-focused aera, Strider fanned an MLB-high 281 batters (Snell was fourth at 234). Strider also walked just 58 batters to Snell’s 99, while Snell gave up 31 fewer hits (115 to 146). Notably, Snell and Strider had very similar WHIPs (1.09 for Strider versus 1.19) for Snell. Snell, however, proved more adept at avoiding damage (as witnessed by his 2.25 ERA to Strider’s 3.86).  For those favoring Snell, being fair requires that I note Snell held hitters to an MLB-low (among qualifiers) .181 average, while Strider was fifth at .210. Still, I just can’t get past MLB’s only 2023 20-game winner.

Blake Snell was the only qualifying pitcher to hold opposing hitters to an under .200 average in 2023. 

 AMERICAN LEAGUE…

Prediction: Gerrit Cole Yankees

Roundtable Preference: Gerrit Cole, Yankees

Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Hard to find a reason for debate here.  Gerrit Cole went 15-4 (in 33 starts) and had the AL’s lowest qualifying earned run average (2.63). He also led the league (among qualifiers) in WHIP (0.98) and average against (.206).  And, he topped the league in shutouts (two); innings pitched (209); and winning percentage (.789).  He was third in strikeouts (220). Cole averaged 6 1/3 innings per start and went seven or more innings in ten outings. And, his record could have been better. He had six no-decisions in which he gave up zero or one run.  Overall, he gave up two or fewer runs in 26 of his 33 starts

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

NATIONAL LEAGUE…

Prediction: Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks

Roundtable Preference: Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks

Photo: Casey Aguinaldo, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa4.0> via Wikimedia Commons

Arizona’s 23-year-old rookie Corbin Carroll brought power and speed to the table – putting up a .285 average, with 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 116 runs scored and 54 stolen bases in 59 attempts. He led all 2023 MLB rookies in runs; hits (161); triples (10); and stolen bases. Among rookies, he was fourth in doubles (37) and second in home runs. His .285 average was second among qualifying rookies and first among NL qualifying rookies. Carroll played in 155 games (second-most among  for NL rookies).  Carroll also showed outfield versatility, starting 53 games in LF, 57 in RF and 34 in CF. (Note: Carroll did get in 32 Diamondback’s games in 2022, keeping his rookie status intact.)

If I had to pick a runner-up(s), I would go with:

• Reds’ 25-year-old 1B Spencer Steer, who played in 156 games, hitting .271-23-86, with 15 steals and 74 runs scored.
• Mets’ starting pitcher Kodai Senga , who went 12-7, 2.98 in 29 starts. He led all rookie pitchers in wins, strikeouts (202) and innings pitched (166 1/3 )and led qualifying rookies in earned run average. Notably, the thirty-year-old had 11 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball before making his NL debut. Over those seasons, he went 87-44, 2.59.

AMERICAN LEAGUE…

Prediction: Gunnar Henderson, 3B, Orioles

Roundtable Preference: Gunnar Henderson, 3B, Orioles

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

Another easy pick.  Henderson appeared in 150 games for the Orioles, hitting .255-28-82, with 100 runs scored and 10 steals.  His 28 home runs topped all 2023 MLB rookies; his 82 RBI were second (first among AL rookies); his 100 runs scored second (first among AL rookies). He was also among the top five among MLB rookies in hits, doubles, triples. Like Carroll (above), Henderson showed versatility in the field, starting 68 games at 3B and 64 at shortstop.

A runner-up?  A couple of Roundtable choices:

• The Guardians’ 24-yr-old righty Tanner Bibee, who went 10-4, 2.98 in 25 starts, fanning 141 batters in 142 innings.
• Astros’ C Yainer Diaz, who Went .284-23-60 in 104 games.

For a look at Baseball Roundtable’s full 2023 All-Rookie Lineup (and All-Time, All-Rookie Team), click here.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

NATIONAL LEAGUE…

Prediction:  Craig Counsell, Brewers

Roundtable Preference: (Tie) Craig Counsell, Brewers and  and Skip Schumaker, Marlins

Okay, a tie is a cop out – but I could find good reasons to split my vote among these two.

Photo: Arturo Pardavila III from Hoboken, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Craig Counsell has consistently brought the Brewers in with wins totals above what analysts (and analytics) project.  This year, he brought the Brewers in at 92-70 – capturing the NL Central title. His solid record as a manager is evidenced by the fact that in the five seasons between 2018 and 2022, he finished second in the NL Manager of the Year voting three times. Having spent 16 years on the field as a player, Counsell has gained a reputation as a players’ manager – tough, but fair – who understands the game and how to position players for success. This is likely the year when the writers will give Counsell his due (and recognize his body of work).  As an additional note:  The chart below provides some evidence of the lineup maneuvering Counsell did as compared to other division winners.

During Craig Counsell’s eight full seasons as manager of the Brewers, the only National League teams with better regular-season won-loss percentages are the Dodgers and Braves.

Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary D. Behrend, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Skip Schumaker brought the Marlins home in third place in the NL East with an 84-78 record. – earning an unexpected Wild Card spot in the post-season. What puts him in this spot in terms of The Roundtable’s preferences is that he did it, despite being outscored by 57 runs over the course of the season.  It has been said that a manager can have the most impact on close games – where each move has the potential to be critical to success (or failure).  (Side note:  I would argue the manager can have an equally potent impact in the clubhouse – shaping the attitude and approach to the game of his players)

But, back to those close games. Well, Shumaker led the Marlins to a 7-3 record in extra innings and a 33-14 record in one-run games.  (The only team to win more one-run games than the Marlins this season was the Reds – with 34 one-run wins – but the Reds also had 29 one-run losses.) Schumaker led the Marlins 2023 success despite a down season from 2022 Cy Young Award winner (Sandy Alcantara), as well as some key injuries.

Just behind Counsell an Schumaker is the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, who fashioned a 100-win season, despite having to almost totally change his pitching plans. At the start of the season, the projected rotation was Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Noah Syndergaard.  Those five started just 87 of the Dodgers 162 games. In fact, the Dodgers were the only division leader that did not have a single pitcher with 25 2023 starts (nine pitchers starter at least nine games for LA). Among the players who moved through the rotation were Emmet Sheehan, Lance Lynn, Michael Grove and Bobby Miller.

AMERICAN LEAGUE…

Prediction: Brandon Hyde, Orioles

Roundtable Preference:  Brandon Hyde, Orioles

Photo: (NASA/Joel Kowsky), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

No ties here. In the tough AL East, the Orioles were predicted by many prognosticators to finish behind the Yankees, Rays and Blue Jays. Manager Brandon Hyde led the young Baltimore squad to a 101-61 season and the AL East title. He produced an 11-6 record in extra inning games and a 30-16 record in one-run games (the most one-run victories in the AL).

Of the Orioles top ten players in terms of 2023 games started, only one had reached age 30.   In addition, only one of their top six pitcher in games started (those pitchers with double-digit starts) had reached age 30, and only one of their six most-called-upon relivers had reached age 30.

Need a runner-up?  I’d look to the Twins’ Rocco Baldelli, who overcame injuries to key players Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa to bring home an NL Central title.

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P10010

Yesterday, two teams many (most?) fans and analysts did not expect to see in the Fall Classic (The Rangers and Diamondbacks) gave us a perhaps equally unexpectedly exciting Game One of the 2023 World Series. Yes, these two Wild Card squads gave us a wild first game.

Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a walk to SS Corey Seager (on a 3-2 pitch), an RBI double by  LF Evan Carter and an RBI single by RF, cleanup hitter and hot post-season batter Adolis Garcia.

The Diamondbacks bounced right back in the top of the third on a pair of singles by CF Alek Thomas and 3B Evan Longoria, a sacrifice bunt – remember those?) by SS Geraldo Perdomo, a two-run triple (on an 0-2 pitch) by RF and leadoff hitter Corbin Carroll, with Carroll later safe on close play at the at the plate on a ground  ball to first by 2B Ketel Marte.

Texas tied it in the bottom of the inning. After CF and number-nine hitter Leody Taveras and 2B Marcus Semien both struck out to open the inning, Seager drew a five-pitch walk, Carter doubled him to third, Garcia walked (on a 3-2 pitch) to load the bases and DH Mitch Garver walked (again on a 3-2 pitch) to force in a run.

Jumping ahead, going into the bottom of the ninth, the Diamondbacks enjoyed a 5-2 lead, with lights-out closer Paul Sewald taking the mound. After getting strike one on Taveras, Sewald lost the plate and threw four straight balls to put him on. Sewald then fanned Semien on three pitches, bringing up Seager, who homered to right – tying the game.  A HBP (Garcia on an 0-2 pitch), a stolen base, and intentional walk (Garver) added some excitement, but Sewald fanned C Austin Hedges to get out of the inning with a tie.

After a scoreless tenth and top of the eleventh, Garcia came up  (against Kyle Nelson) with one out and no one on in the bottom of the eleventh and poled a 3-1 pitch to right field for a game-winning, walk-off homer.

For Those Who Like To Know Such Things

Adolis Garcia’s was just the 17^th walk-off homer in World Series history, the fourth to win Game One and the eleventh in extra innings.  

Garcia’s big hit should come as no surprise. He led the Rangers in 2023 regular-season home runs (39) and RBI (107). It also was the fifth straight post-season game in which he has gone deep (one short of the MLB record) and the seventh straight post-season contest in which he has recorded an RBI (also one short of the record).  Can’t wait to see what he does in Game Two.  Clearly, he put an exclamation point on an exciting Game One.

As usual, with Baseball Roundtable “one thing leads to another” and Garcia’s blast gives The Roundtable a reason to revisit its  ranking of World Series walk-off long balls. Keep in mind, this is a subjective ranking and subject to debate.  (In that ranking I looked at such factors as the inning in which the winning long ball was launched, the number of outs in the inning, the overall course of the game, whether the game was needed to stave off elimination, the creation of “iconic” moments or images and the likelihood of heroics by the particular player involved.)

A bit of a spoiler alert, of the 17 World Series walk-off home run:

• six came in the bottom of the ninth – 11 in extra innings;
• the latest of any of the extra-inning walk-off came in the 18th inning;
• six were hit by players now in the  Hall of Fame.
• just one came in a Game Seven;
• two came when the winning team was behind on the scoreboard;
• one was hit by a pinch hitter; and
• two were hit in cases where the winning team was on the brink of elimination – three if you include the Game Seven walk-off.

NUMBER ONE – Bill Mazeroski, Pirates – 10^th Inning, 1960 World Series Game Seven– October 13, 1960

If I am going to pick this as my number-one World Series walk-off home run, I better set the stage.

Mazeroski’s 1960 home run trot earned him a statue at PNC Park.

I was thirteen and an avid baseball fan.  The television Game of the Week, the radio – especially the radio – and an occasional trip to the ballpark were my tickets to the national past time.

At the time, the Yankees were baseball’s dynasty.  Since my birth in 1947, the Bronx Bombers had been to 11 World Series (including the 1960 Series) and had won eight World Championships.   The opposing Pirates had last appeared in the Fall Classic in 1927 and last won it in 1925.

Fans from pretty much everywhere but New York had made Yankee-hating a tradition.  I was no exception.  Milwaukee-born, I was a steadfast Braves fan, still smarting from the Yankees’ 1958 World Series comeback, when they downed my Braves after trailing three games-to-one. The Yankees were in the 1960 Series – and I had an emotional interest in seeing them lose.

Put all of this together and you can see why I looked to the 1960 World Series with excitement – and why I was rooting for the underdog Pirates.

The prognosticators foresaw a Yankee win in five or six games.  They pointed out that the Yankees came into the Series with the momentum of a 15-game, season-closing winning streak, while the Pirates lost four of their final seven.  They also lauded the Yankees’ post-season experience and heralded the Yankees’ power (the Yankees led the AL with 193 home runs and 746 runs scored, while the Pirates led the NL with 734 runs scored, but had only 120 round trippers). The Yankees’ Game-One starting lineup had belted 152 regular season homers to 98 for the Pirates’ starters.  When it came to mound work, things appeared more balanced, maybe even a shade in favor of the Pirates.  While the Yankees’ 3.52 ERA was the lowest in the AL, the Pirates’ NL third-best ERA (at 3.49) slightly bettered the Bombers’ mark.  The Pirates did have the clear advantage in strikeouts (811-712) and fewest walks allowed (an NL-low of 386 to an AL-worst 609 for the Yankees).

To the surprise of many fans (and analysts), the Series was tied after six games – despite the fact that the Bronx Bombers had outscored the Pirates 46 to 17, outhit them .341 to .232 and out-homered them 8 to 1.  (The Yankees had won Game Two 16-3, Game Three 10-0 and Game Six 12-0.  The Pirates had prevailed in Game One 6-4, Game Four 3-2 and Game Five 5-2).

Then came Game Seven and Bill Mazeroski’s historic home run.

The Pirates started Vernon Law, 20-9, 3.08 on the season and the winner of Games One and Four.  The Yankees countered with Bob Turley, 9-3, 3.27 on the season.  Turley had won Game Two, despite giving up 13 hits and three walks in 8 1/3 innings.  The Pirates had their top left-handed hitter, Bob Skinner (injured in Game One), back at the number-three spot in the order, while the Yankees were missing Elston Howard (broken finger, Game Six).  An upset did seem possible.

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, a score that held until the fifth.

Casey’s Goodbye

Casey Stengel, despite ten pennants and seven World Series titles in 12 seasons as manager of the Bronx Bombers, was fired by the Yankees five days after the 1960 Game Seven loss to the Pirates.

Law handcuffed the Yankees through four innings, giving up only two singles.  In the fifth, Yankee first sacker Moose Skowron made the score 3-1 with a lead-off homer just inside the right field foul pole.  Law did not let the round tripper upset him, retiring C Johnny Blanchard, 3B Clete Boyer and P Bobby Shantz (who came on to pitch for New York in the third) in order.

The Yankees closed the gap – and then some – in the top of the sixth.  Pesky 2B Bobby Richardson (who already had nine hits in the series) led off with a single to center, and SS Tony Kubek followed with a walk.  With the Bombers appearing on the verge of a rally, Murtaugh replaced Law  with Elroy Face,  his top reliever.   Face got RF Roger Maris on a foul pop to Don Hoak at third base, but CF Mickey Mantle followed with a “seeing eye” single up the middle, scoring Richardson. LF Yogi Berra followed with an upper deck home run (like Skowron’s just inside the right field foul pole) to give New York a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the eighth, the Yankees seemed to dash the Pirates’ upset hopes – using a walk, two singles and a double to produce two more runs and a 7-4 lead.   Notably, Stengel’s pitching decisions again came into play.  He let reliever Bobby Shantz bat with two out and runners at second and third (Boyer and Skowron) and a chance to extend the Yankee lead.  Shantz flied out and the press-box managers were quick to point out:  1) the lost scoring opportunity; 2) the fact that Stengel left Shantz in for a sixth inning of work, despite the fact that Shantz had not gone more than four innings in the regular season.

So, that was the situation as the game went into the bottom of the eighth – when the Pirates (and Forbes Field) proved they still has some life left in them.  Gino Cimoli pinch hit for Face and stroked a single to right-center.  Shantz, who had already induced two double plays, appeared to have worked his magic again, as CF Bill Virdon hit a hard ground ball right at Yankee shortstop Tony Kubek.  Just as Kubek was ready to field the ball and begin the sure twin killing, it appeared to hit a pebble (the Yankees had already been critical of the condition of the Forbes Field infield) and ricocheted into Kubek’s throat.  Kubek went down, gasping for air and spitting up blood.  The end result?  Kubek sent to the hospital and replaced by Joe DeMaestri and the Pirates had two on and no outs, instead of none on and two outs.

Pirates’ shortstop Dick Groat took advantage of Kubek’s mishap and lined singled to left, scoring Cimoli.  Stengel came to the mound and replaced Shantz with right-hander Jim Coates (despite the fact that left-handed hitting LF Bill Skinner was coming to the plate).  The righty-lefty match-up made little difference, as Skinner sacrificed the runners up one base.  Next was 1B Rocky Nelson, who flied out to medium right, with the Pirates choosing not to test Roger Maris’ powerful arm.   So, two outs, two on and the Yankees still in front 7-5.   That brought up the Pirates’ best hitter, RF Roberto Clemente, who had been held hitless in his first three at-bats. Coates made a good pitch, getting Clemente to hit a weak ground ball toward first.   A hustling Clemente beat both Coates and Skowron’s throw to the bag, while Virdon scored and Groat moved to third.  Now, 7-6 and the Pirates still had life.

Pitching to Contact

Neither team recorded a strikeout in the seventh game of the 1960 Series.  Think about that. A ten-inning game in which 77 hitters come to the plate,  19 runs are scored and not a single batter goes down on strikes.  #HowTheGameHasChanged.

That brought up backup catcher Hall Smith, who took a 2-2 Coates’ pitch over the left-field wall for a 9-7 Pittsburgh lead.  The Pirates, with only one round tripper in the first six games had homered twice for five runs in Game Seven.

To protect the lead in the ninth, Pirates’ Manager Danny Murtaugh called on starter Bob Friend, who had lost Games Two and Six, giving up seven earned runs in six innings (and had pitched in relief only once all season).  Yankee leadoff hitter Bobby Richardson started off the ninth with a single to left.  Veteran and former-Pirate Dale Long, pinch hitting for Joe DeMaestri (who had replaced the injured Kubek) singled to right and Friend was gone, replaced by Game Five starter Harvey Haddix.  Haddix got Maris on a foul out, but Mantle drove in Richardson with a single to right center.   Berra followed with a ground ball down the first base line.  Rocky Nelson made a nice backhanded stop, but was out of position for a first-to second-to first, game-ending double play.   Nelson took the sure out, stepping on the first base bag and retiring Berra, while Gil McDougald (pinch running for Long) headed toward home.  It was at this point that Nelson realized Mantle had not run to second.  Mantle, sizing up the situation, was returning to first (with the force at second now off). It was an unorthodox base-running move, but as Mantle dove head first back to the bag (avoiding Nelson’s desperate attempt to tag him), McDougald scored the tying run.  Skowron then grounded out to Mazeroski (forcing Mantle) to end the inning in a 9-9 tie.

Stengel, like Murtaugh, was now using starters in relief, bringing Game Four-loser Ralph Terry in to pitch the ninth.  Number-eight hitter 2B Bill Mazeroski led off the inning.  Terry’s first pitch was a high and inside fastball.  The second pitch, another fastball, was in the strike zone and Mazeroski deposited it over the 406-foot marker in left center.  Not sure the ball would carry out in the deep part of the park, Mazeroski ran full speed with his head down to first and toward second, before seeing the umpire making the circular home run signal.  Mazeroski removed his helmet, waving his way to home plate, where his team mates awaited the first player in major-league history to end the World Series with a Game Seven walk-off home run.  This one had it all – a Game Seven, an underdog winner, a see-saw Series and final game and an unlikely hero.

Mazer0ski More Leather than Lumber

Future Hall of Famer Mazeroski was an unlikely “home run hero” – known more for his glove (1960 was his third straight Gold Glove season and he would pick up eight GG in his 17-season MLB career) than his bat (.273-11-64 in 1960 and a career .260 hitter with just 138 regular-season long balls). In that 1960 Fall Classic Game Seven, Mazeroski was batting eighth in the Pirates’ lineup. 

Bill Mazeroski played 17 MLB seasons (.260-138-853). He was an All Star in seven seasons and a Gold Glover in five. Despite that .260 career regular-season average, he hit .323-2-5 in 12 post-season games. He led NL second baseman in assists nine times, putouts five times and double plays eight times.

For a look at the entire 1960 World Series and “signs of the times,” click here here.  

NUMBER TWO – Max Muncy, Dodgers – 18^th inning, 2018 World Series Game Three – October 27, 2018

Photo by IDSportsPhoto 

Some may dispute the date of Max Muncy’s walk-off World Series blast.  The game actually started on October 26, but ended – with Muncy’s long ball – at approximately 12:40 a.m. October 27.  Muncy’s heroics makes number-two on this list by virtue of putting an exclamation mark on the ending of the longest World Series game ever – both in terms of innings (18) and time (seven hours and twenty minutes).

How the Game Had Changed

Game Three of the 2018 World Series involved more total playing time (seven hours and twenty minutes) than the entire 1939 Fall Classic. In the 1939 Series (seven hours and five minutes), the Yankees topped the Reds in four straight games.  Game one went to New York 2-1 in one hour and 33 minutes; Game Two ended 4-0 in one hour and 27 minutes; Game three, a 7-3 Yankee win, took two hours and one minute; and the finale, a 7-4 Yankee win in ten innings, took  a whopping two hours and four minutes.

The Dodgers struck first on a third-inning home run (off Rick Porcello) by LF Joc Pederson. The Red Sox tied it on an eighth inning homer by starting CF Jackie Bradley, Jr.

Moving About in the Red Sox’ Garden

Red Sox’ starting CF Jackie Bradley Jr. moved to LF in the eighth; back to CF to open the ninth; back to LF with two outs in the ninth; back to CF to open the tenth; back to LF with two outs in the tenth; back to CF to open the eleventh.  Starting RF Mookie Betts made an equal number of moves between RF and CF; J.D. Martinez, who started in LF, bounced bounced between LF and RF; and starting 2B Brock Holt also saw time in LF and RF.

Neither team scored again until the top of the 13^th inning, when The Red Sox’ Brock Holt opened with a walk (on a 3-2 pitch) off Scott Alexander, stole second and scored on a single (and an Alexander throwing error) by 3B Eduardo Nunez. The Dodgers retied the score in the bottom of the inning which – like the Red Sox half-inning – started with a 3-2 walk. Muncy drew a walk from Nathan Eovaldi, advanced to second on a foul pop out by CF Cody Bellinger and scored on a single by RF Yasiel Puig.  The score remained 2-2 until the bottom of the eighteenth, when Muncy led off the inning by launching  a 3-2 pitch from Eovaldi over the fence in left-center for the game-winning home run – sending the LA faithful home tired but happy. Muncy finished the game two-for-six, with two runs scored, one RBI and two walks in eight plate appearances. The long ball accounted for his only home run and only RBI in the Series. (He hit .263 with 35 home runs during the regular season).  The 18-inning triumph was the Dodgers only win in the Series. Muncy, who started the game at first base, played the final four innings at second base. 

Trivia Tidbits:

• The Dodgers and Red Sox used a World Series’ record 46 players in the game.
• The top four spots in the Red Sox lineup went a combined zero-for-28.
• Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, did not take the mound in the game. He was, however, used as a pinch hitter in the 17^th inning – lining out to right field.
• There were a record 35 strikeouts in the contest (19 by the Boston hitters).

Max Muncy has played five MLB seasons (2015-16, 2018-20). His career stat line is .236-87-221 in 432 games.  In 2018, he hit .251-35-98 (his second consecutive season with 35 home runs).

NUMBER THREE – Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins – 11^th inning, 1991 World Series, Game Six – October 26, 1991

Photo by compujeramey  

The Twins went into the Sixth Game of the World Series down three games-to two … and CF Kirby Puckett took the must-win contest in hand.  In the first inning, Puckett hit an RBI triple and later scored the inning’s second run. Then, in the third frame, he leapt high, glove above the Plexiglas(r) fence in deep left center, to rob Braves’ CF Ron Gant of a two-run home run.   In the fifth, after the Braves had tied the game 2-2 in the top of the inning on a home run by 3B Terry Pendleton, a Puckett sacrifice fly brought in Twins’ LF Dan Gladden to regain the lead. The Braves retied it at three in the top of the seventh and that’s where the score stayed until the until Puckett led off the bottom of the twelfth inning with a game-ending home run off Charlie Liebrandt (on a 2-1 pitch).   The Twins went on to win Game Seven and the Series 1-0, as Jack Morris threw a ten-inning, complete game shutout in the “winner-takes-all” finale.

The 1991 World Series saw five games decided by one run – three of those in extra innings.

Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett played 12 MLB seasons – retiring at age 35 due to eye issues (glaucoma). He finished with a .318 career average, 207 home run and 1,085 RBI. He was a ten-time All-star, collected 200+ hits in five seasons, leading the AL in safeties four times. He earned one batting title, hitting .300 or better in eight seasons, and earned six Gold Gloves.

Puckett’s home run edges out the next two “iconic” blasts because of its importance in keeping the Twins alive  in the Series, the tight nature of the 1991 Fall Classic, the overall way in which Puckett took over the game and the fact the the Twins won Game Seven to take the title.

NUMBER FOUR (tie) – Kirk Gibson, Dodgers – Ninth inning, 1988 World Series Game One – October 15, 1988

How many times have we seen the iconic video of the injury-hobbled Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson moving gingerly to the plate to pinch hit in the ninth inning of Game One of the 2018 World Series – with the Dodgers trailing 4-3 and down to their last out. How serious were Gibson’s injuries? Well, he was suffering from a severe left hamstring pull and a swollen right knee. The pain was serious enough that Gibson – the key to the Dodgers’ lineup, who would be voted the 1988 National League Most Valuable Player – got only one at bat in the entire 1988 World Series. But it was a big one – a game-winning, walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth.

MVP, But Not an All Star

While Kirk Gibson was the 1988 NL Most Valuable Player (.290-25-76, with 31 steals), he was not selected to the All Star Team that season.  In fact, in his 17-season MLB career, Gibson never made an All Star Squad.

So, here’s how it went down – or up and out, if you prefer.  While the Dodgers were falling behind the favored A’s, Gibson spent a great deal of time not on the field, not even in the dugout, but in the trainer’s room – watching the game on TV and taking physical therapy (although, as the game progressed he did, reportedly, spend a bit of time in the batting cage).

Gibson’s chance to create a lasting World Series memory came, as one might expect, in the bottom of the ninth. The A’s led 4-3 and starter Dave Stewart was relieved by All Star closer Dennis Eckersley, who had the led the majors in saves with 45, while winning four games, losing two and putting up a 2.35 earned run average (a record that would earn him a second-place finish in AL Cy Young Award voting).  Eckersley quickly got Dodgers’ catcher Mike Scioscia on a pop out to shortstop and 3B Jeff Hamilton on a called third strike. Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda then brought in Mike Davis to pinch hit for SS Alfredo Griffin.  Davis drew a five-pitch free pass from the usual walk-stingy Eckersley, which brought up the pitcher’s spot in the lineup and – to the surprise of fans and broadcaster alike – a limping Kirk Gibson emerged from the dugout to pinch hit.

In what all could see was a painful experience, Gibson fouled off the first two pitches – and the Dodgers were down to their last strike. Gibson fouled off another pitch, took a a ball, fouled off another tough Eckersley offering, took ball two and ball three (while Davis stole second). Then on a 3-2 pitch, Gibson lined a home run to deep right and did a limp-laden, arm-raising and fist-pumping trot around the bases as the Dodgers won 5-4. (One of only two World Series gamers featuring a walk-off home run while the winning team was trailing on the scoreboard.) While Gibson would not come to the plate again in the Series, his dramatic long ball set the tone – and the Dodgers topped the favored A;s in five games.

Baseball Roundtable Rant

Dodgers’ pitcher Orel Hershiser won the 1988 World Series MVP Award after giving up just two runs (seven hits, six walks, 17 strikeouts) in two nine-inning, complete-game wins.  BBRT always thought one of my favorite players – the energetic Mickey Hatcher – should have at lease been co-MVP of the Series.  Hatcher, called upon to play a key role due to Kirk Gibson’s injuries – responded by hitting .368 in the Series and leading all hitter in base hits (7), runs scored (5), home runs (2) and RBI (5). During the 1988 season, Hatcher had hit .293, with one home run and  25 RBI in 88 games.

Kirk Gibson played 17 MLB seasons. He hit .268, with 255 home runs, 870 RBI and 284 stolen bases. He hit 20+ home runs in six seasons and stole 20+ bases in six campaigns. Gibson’s best season was 1985, when he hit .287, with 29 home runs, 97 RBI and thirty stolen bases for the Tigers.   The 29 homers and 97 RBI were his career highs. In 21 post-season contests, Gibson hit .282, with seven home runs and 21 RBI. He was MVP of the 1984 ALCS.

NUMBER FOUR (tie) – Carlton Fisk, Red Sox – 12^th inning, 1975 World Series Game Six – October 21, 1975

Like Kirk Gibson’s limping, fist-pumping home run trot, Carlton Fisk’s 1975 World Series walk-off homer gave fans a lasting video image – this time of Fisk frantically waving the ball, which hit the Fenway Park left field four pole, fair.  It came about in the twelfth inning of Game Six of the 1975 World Series – a game the Red Sox needed to stay alive in the Fall Classic.

It had been a tense first five games, with the Reds holding a three games-to-two lead over the Red Sox and three of the first five contests decided by one run (one in extra innings). In Game Six, the Red Sox struck first on a three-run home run by CF Fred Lynn (off Gary Nolan) in the bottom of the first. The Reds came back to tie it with a trio of runs in the top or the fifth – highlighted by a (RF) Ken Griffey Sr. two-run triple and an RBI single by C Johnny Bench (both off Red Sox’ starter Luis Tiant). The Reds then pushed ahead 5-3 on a seventh-inning, two-run double by LF George Foster and grew the lead to 6-3 on a Cesar Geronimo (CF) solo homer in the eighth.  The see-saw battle continued as the Red Sox came back to tie it in the bottom of the eighth inning on two-out, three-run homer by pinch hitter Bernie Carbo.  (Carbo stayed in to play left field.)

The score was still 6-6 when Fisk led off the bottom of the twelfth against reliever Pat Darcy (the Reds’ eighth pitcher of the game). Fisk who already had a single and two intentional walks (in five plate appearances) hit a 1-0 pitch (at precisely 12:35 a.m. October 22) off the foul pole high above the “Green Monster” in left field – creating a lasting image of him leaping up and down and frantically waving the high fly fair.  Fisk’s walk-off led to a Game Seven, which Boston lost 4-3 (the Series had five one-run games). In 2005, the Red Sox named the foul pole the “Fisk Foul Pole” in honor of the blast.

Fisk hit .240 in the series with two home runs, four RBI, five runs scored and seven walks (three intentional).

Rookie of the Year

In 1972, Carlton Fisk was the American League’s first unanimous Rookie of the Year selection. That season, he went .293-22-61 in 131 games and led the AL in triples with nine. 

Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk had a 24-season MLB career (1969, 1971-93) during which he was an 11-time All Star. He hit .269-376-1,330 for his career.

A Hard Day’s Night

On May 8, 1985, Carlton Fisk set a record by catching all 25 innings of his Chicago White Sox’ 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Actually, he set the record on May 9, since the game – which took eight hours and six minutes to complete – was suspended at 1:05 a.m. (after 17 innings) and completed before the regularly scheduled May 9 Brewers/White Sox matchup.  Fisk went three-for-eleven, with a walk, in the 25-inning game.  Notably, while Fisk did not start the regularly slated May 9 game, he he came in as a pinch runner in the bottom of the seventh and caught the final two innings of that contest.  

NUMBER SIX – David Freese, Cardinals – 11^th inning, 2011 World Series Game Six – October 27, 2011

The Cardinals were down three games-to-two to the Rangers, when Game Six of the 2011 Series opened in St. Louis.  As they went into the bottom of the ninth, the Redbirds were trailing 7-5 and on the verge of losing the Series. Facing the Rangers’ hard-throwing closer Neftali Feliz, 2B Ryan Theriot went down swinging to open the frame – putting the Cardinals just two outs from elimination. 1B Albert Pujols followed with a double to CF. The next batter, RF Lance Berkman, drew a walk, putting the double play on the board. While he didn’t get the DP, Feliz did get the out, fanning LF Allen Craig to bring up 3B David Freese with the Cardinals one out from losing the Series.  Freese got down in the count 1-2 (now the Cards were one strike from going home for the winter) and then laced a triple to right – scoring Pujols and Berkman and tying the game. The Rangers took the lead again with two-run home run by LF Josh Hamilton in the top of the tenth.  The Cardinals, however, refused to fold and prolonged their season with two runs on three singles and a walk in the bottom of the inning.

Everybody Gets to Play

Game Six of the 2011 World Series saw the Rangers and Cardinals use a combined 42 players (15 pitchers). 

Then, after reliever Jake Westbrook held the Rangers scoreless in the top of the eleventh, David Freese came up big again, hitting a 3-2 pitch from reliever Mark Lowe for a 10-9 Cardinals’ win.  The Cardinals went on to take Game Seven by a 6-2 score.

MVP-MVP

David Freese was the MVP in both the 2011 NLCS (when he hit .545-3-9) and the 2011 World Series (.348-1-7), Between Game Two of the 2011 NL Division Series and Game Four of the 2011 World Series, Freese ran up a 13-game, post-season hitting streak.

Freese played 11 MLB seasons, hitting .277-113-535. His best season was 2012, when he went .293-20-79 (career highs in HR and RBI). In 2011, he went .297-10-55 in 97 games.

NUMBER SEVEN – Eddie Mathews – 10^th inning, 1957 World Series Game 4 – October 6, 1957

The 1957 World Series Game Four is one that  that I recall fondly, It took place  took place at Milwaukee’s County Stadium on October 6.  The Braves (my Braves, I am Milwaukee-born) were down two games-to-one and the highly-favored Bronx Bombers had trounced them the day before by a 12-3 score behind two home runs by Milwaukee-native Tony Kubek and one by Mickey Mantle. Sadly, my Braves had not only given up 12 runs on nine hits, they had walked 11 batters (the Braves had used six pitchers and every one had given up at least one free pass).  Now, at the time, my favorite player was Eddie Mathews. (He still is, by the way. True boyhood heroes last.) Happily, Mathews was destined to provide one of my most exciting childhood “big-league memories.”

The game was played on a Sunday and my mother made sure ten-year-old me was ready for the action.  There was buttered popcorn (which I was allowed, for this day, to eat on the good couch in front of the TV).  There was also A&W Root Beer (an upgrade from the usual Kool Aid).

Eddie Mathews was on the cover of the inaugural issue of “Sports Illustrated. “

To make this long story a bit shorter, the Braves went into the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead behind the pitching of Warren Spahn and h0me runs by CF Hank Aaron (Aaron started in CF, with phenom Bob “Hurricane” Hazel in RF) and 1B Frank Torre.   Spahn retired Yankee RF Hank Bauer and CF Mickey Mantle to open the ninth and the Braves were one out away from tying the Series.  I was in baseball heaven.  However, the bubble quickly burst as Spahn gave up singles to C Yogi Berra and SS Gil McDougald and a game-tying three-run homer to 1B Elston Howard.    The Braves went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and in the top of the tenth a single by LF Tony Kubek and a triple by RF Hank Bauer gave the Yankees the lead. My heart sank.  Little did I know, one of the best moments of my hardball childhood was soon to come. Nippy Jones pinch hit for Spahn to open the Braves’ tenth and was hit by a pitch (the now immortalized “shoe polish-proven” plunking). This was, by the way, Jones’ last-ever MLB trip to the plate. With Felix Mantilla running for Jones, 2B Red Schoendienst sacrificed him to second and SS Johnny Logan doubled him home.  That tied the game and brought up my hero – Eddie Mathews – who popped a two-run home run to right on a 2-2 pitch from Bob Grim (appropriate name if you are going to give up a walk-off) to win the game.

Special thanks to reader Andy Moursund for a correction to this description. 

Thanks for the Stick, Joe

When Ed Mathews came to the plate in the tenth inning of Game Four of the 1957 World Series, he was not using his own bat.  He hit the walk-off home run with teammate Joe Adcock’s stick.  Mathews had come into the game zero-for-eight (but with five walks) in the Series and thought a change of lumber might help.  He doubled and homered with the borrowed weaponry.

Mathews’ game-winning blast should not have come as a big surprise.  The future Hall of Famer was the 1953 NL home run champion at age 21; had hit 222 home runs over his first six MLB seasons; and had just completed his fourth consecutive season with 30 or more round trippers (a streak that would eventually run to nine seasons, with four of those of forty or more long balls). Mathews’1957 stat line was .292-32-94.  Over his 17-season career, Mathews hit .271-512-1,453, was an All Star in mine seasons, led the NL in home runs twice and in walks four times.

Seeing Double

Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews, while Braves teammates, hit more combined home runs than any other pair of teammates in MLB history (863). Second place?  Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig at 859.

NUMBER EIGHT  – Adolis Garcia, Rangers – Eleventh Innings , 2023 World Ser4eis, Game One – October 27, 2023

See the opening paragraphs for this one.

NUMBER NINE– Tommy Heinrich, Yankees – 9^th inning, 1949 World Series Game One – October 5, 1949

Game One of the 1949 World Series pitted two tough New York rivals – the Yankees and Dodgers. It also showcased stars like Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Carl Furillo, Gil Hodges. Roy Campanella, Phil Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra.  And, it featured a pitching duel between Dodgers’ rookie and 17-game winner Don Newcombe and the Yankees ’32-year-old veteran (also 1949 17-game winner) Allie Reynolds.  The ultimate star of the game – at Yankee Stadium – would be Yankees ‘1B Tommy Henrich.  (Note: Henrich got extra credit in BBRT’s rankings for hitting the first-ever World Series walk-off home run.)

As the game went into the bottom of the ninth, both teams were scoreless and both starting pitchers were still at work. Reynolds had pitched nine frames, giving up just two hits and walking four, while fanning nine. Newcombe may actually have been just a bit more dominating.  In eight innings, he had surrendered just four hits, while walking none and fanning eleven.

Tommy Henrich put an end to the contest leading off the bottom of the ninth and taking a 2-0 Newcombe fastball over right-field wall for a 1-0 Yankees win. The Yankees went on to win the Series four games-to-one. Henrich hit .263 in the Series and his walk-off represented his only home run and RBI.

Henrich played in 11 MLB seasons (1937-50, missing three seasons for military service), all for the Yankees. The first-baseman-outfielder hit .282-183-795 and led the American League in triples twice and runs scored once (138 in 1948). He was a five-time All Star. Henrich played in four World Series (1938-41-47-49) and hit one home run in each (.262-4-8 in 21 World Series games).

NUMBER TEN –  Dusty Rhodes, New York Giants – 10^th inning, 1954 World Series Game One – September 29, 1954

When fans think about Game One of the 1954 World Series, they generally focus on “The Catch” – Willie Mays’ spectacular eighth-inning, over-the-shoulder, running grab of the Indian’s Vic Wertz’ long drive to deep center field.  Mays’ stunning catch and equally spectacular spinning throw back to the infield (holding Indians’ runners on first and second) preserved a 2-2 tie.

The game stayed knotted at two runs apiece until the bottom of the tenth inning, when Dusty Rhodes was called on to pinch hit for LF Monte Irvin (who was zero-for-three) with runners on first and second and one out.  Rhodes hit the first pitch from Indians’ starter and future Hall of Famer Bob Lemon (23-7, 2.72 that season) just over the Polo Grounds’ right-field wall – 257-feet from home plate – giving the Giants a 5-2 win. Rhodes got points in this ranking for knocking the only pinch-hit, World Series, walk-off home run.

Rhodes, who hit .253-54-207 in a seven-season MLB career (1952-57 and 1959) hit .667 in the 1954 Fall Classic (won by the Giants in a sweep), going four-for-six with two home runs and seven RBI. Often coming off the bench. Rhodes played in 100 or more games in only one season.   1954 was his best campaign, he hit .341-15-50 in 82 games (164 at bats) – and .326 as a pinch hitter.

Your Guy in a Pinch

Dusty Rhodes was known as a guy who could come off the bench and deliver a big hit. In fact, 21 percent of his regular-season 1,316 plate appearances came in a pinch-hitting role. 

NUMBER ELEVEN – Alex Gonzalez, Marlins – 12^th inning, World Series Game Four, October 22, 2003

The underdog Marlins came into Game Four of the 2003 World Series trailing the Yankees two games-to-one and facing Roger Clemens.

How deep was the 2003 Yankee pitching staff? Roger Clemens (17-9 in the regular season) didn’t get a start in the World Series until Game Four.  Preceding him were: David Wells; Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina.

The Marlins jumped on Clemens for three runs in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run by RF Miguel Cabrera and a run-scoring single by 1B Derrek Lee.  Clemens settled down after that and held the Marlins scoreless over the next six innings.  The Marlins, in fact, would be held without a run for 10 straight frames.  In the meantime, the Yankees scored one in the top of the second (the only run surrendered by Marlins’ starter Carl Pavano over eight innings) and two in the top of the ninth on a two-strike (3-2 count), two-run triple by pinch hitter Ruben Sierra (off Marlins’ closer Ugueth Urbina).

The Marlins’ escaped a two-on, nobody-out Yankee threat in the top of the eleventh and, as the game went into the bottom of the twelfth, it was still 3-3.  Gonzalez led of the Marlins’ half of the twelfth inning, by going yard on a 3-2 from Jeff Weaver.  That win seemed to turn the Series on end – as the Marlins won the next two games to take home the championship.

Gonzalez played 16 MLB seasons, hitting .245-157-690. He was an All Star just once, in his first full MLB season (age 22), when he hit .277-14-59 in 136 games. His walk-off homer in the World Series was his only long ball in 83 post-seasons at bats (24 games).

NUMBER TWELVE – Joe Carter, Blue Jays – 9^th inning, 1993 World Series, Game Six – October 23, 1993

Joe Carter’s World Series’ walk-off is one of only two in which the home team was trailing (rather than tied) at the time of the blast (and would have finished higher on this list if it had come late in extra innings or if the Blue Jays had needed the win to stay alive in the Series). Carter’s Blue Jays, up three games-to-two, looked to have the game in hand early – leading the Phillies 5-1 after six innings.  The Phillies, however, shocked the home crowd with a five-run top the seventh. Jays’ starter Dave Stewart, who had given up just one run over the first six innings, walked SS Kevin Stocker (in a ten-pitch at bat) to start the inning, then gave up a single to  2B Mickey Morandini (the number-nine hitter) and a three-run home run to CF Lenny Dykstra. That brought on reliever Danny Cox, who got just one out, while surrendering three singles and a walk – leaving with one run already in and the bases loaded. Next to the mound was Al Leiter, who gave up a sacrifice fly before recording the final out of the frame.  Suddenly, a 5-1 Blue Jays’ advantage had turned to 6-5 Phillies.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the ninth, when Phillies’ closer Mitch Williams walked Blue Jays’ LF Rickey Henderson on four pitches to start the inning.  CF Devon White then flied to left for the first out.  DH Paul Molitor followed with a single, which set up RF Carter’s game-winning three-run home run – giving the Blue Jays a four game-to-two Series win – and creating a memory that lives on in Blue Jays’ lore.

Power and Speed

Joe Carter had six seasons of 30 or more home runs and six campaign of 20 or more stolen bases.  In 1987, he had a 30-30 season – .264-32-106, with 31 steals.

Carter payed 16 MLB seasons, going .259-396-1,445, with 231 stolen bases.  He was a five-time All Star and ten times drove in 100+ runs. In 1993, he hit .254, with 33 home runs and 121 RBI in the regular season and .280-2-9 in the World Series.

NUMBER THIRTEEN –  Derek Jeter, Yankees – 10^th inning, 2001 World Series Game Four – October 31, 2001

Photo by Pat Guiney 

The Yankees came into Game Four of the 2001 World Series down two games-to-one to the Diamondbacks – and facing Curt Schilling, who had gone 22-6 and fanned 293 batters in the regular season and had held the Yankees to two hits and one run in seven innings (picking up the win) in Game One.

The Yankees jumped out on top 1-0 in the bottom of the third on a home run by LF Shane Spencer. The Diamondbacks came right back with a home run by 1B Mark Grace (off Orlando Hernandez) in the top of the fourth and took a two-run lead in the top of the eighth on a single, double and fielder’s choice. The Bronx Bombers, in danger of falling behind three games-to-one, tied it on a two-run home run by 1B Tino Martinez (off Byung-Hyun Kim) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Mariano Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 top of the tenth – and Derek Jeter ended it by taking Kim deep on a 3-2 pitch with two out in the bottom of the inning. (The Diamondbacks eventually won the Series four games-to-three.)

Hall of Famer Derek Jeter played 20 MLB seasons – going .310-260-1,311, with 358 steals. He was a 14-time All Star and the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year.  Jeter scored 100 or more runs in 13 seasons, hit .300 or better 12 times, had 200+ hits in eight seasons and 20+ stolen bases in eight campaigns.  He was also a five-time Gold Glover.

NUMBER FOURTEEN –  Scott Podsednik, White Sox – 9^th inning World Series Game Two – October 23, 2005

While White Sox’ LF Scott Podsednik’s home run didn’t come in extra innings or in a Series-winning or Series-extending game, it did come as a surprise.  That’s because during the 2005 season, Podsednik had gone without a single round tripper (507 at bats). The White Sox, who had topped the (then) National League Astros 5-3 in Game One of the Series, carried a 6-4 lead into the ninth inning of Game Two. They brought in closer Bobby Jenks to seal the deal, but a pair of singles and a walk (and two outs) later, Jenks was gone and the game was tied.  The Astros brought in Brad Lidge in the bottom of the inning to keep it there.  After getting number-nine hitter SS Juan Uribe to fly out, Lidge gave up a surprising home run to the power-starved Podsednik to end the contests and send the White Sox on the way to a four-game sweep. Podsednik by the way, had put up a .290 average and stolen 59 bases during the regular season.

Dangerous on the Base Paths

In the four seasons from 2003 through 2006, Scott Podsednik stole 212 bases, including a league-leading 70 in 2004.

Podsednik played 11 MLB seasons, hitting .281-42-812 with 309 stolen bases. Despite not showing a lot of regular-season power, Podsednik’s 14 post-season hits (in 12 games) included one double, three triples and two home runs.  His post-season slugging percentage was .551, compared to a regular-season career slugging percentage of .379.

NUMBER FIFTEEN – Mickey Mantle, Yankees – 9^th inning, 1964 World Series, Game Three – October 10, 1964

Photo by Tony Fischer Photography 

You had to expect Mickey Mantle to appear on this list. After all, he hit 18 World Series home runs in his career. His only walk-off Fall Classic long ball came against the Cardinals in Game Three of the 1964 Series. The Cards and Yankees had split the first two contests in a couple of lopsided slugfests. The Cards won Game One 9-5, while the Yankees prevailed 8-3 in Game Two. Moving to New York for Game Three, a pair of 18-game winners (Curt Simmons of the Cards and Jim Bouton of the Yankees) held the opposing offenses in check – with the game tied 1-1 after eight innings. Simmons had given up one run on four hits – in the second inning, 3B Clete Boyer had plated C Elston Howard with an RBI single.  Bouton have given up one run on six hits, as Simmons helped his own cause, driving in C Tim McCarver with a fifth-inning single.

In the top of the ninth, Bouton pitched around an error by SS Phil Linz on a McCarver grounder and a walk to pinch hitter Carl Warwick – holding the score at 1-1. Barney Schulz came on in relief of Simmons and Mantle hit his first offering for a walk-off homer to right. The Cardinals went on to win the Series four games-to-three, despite Mantle hitting .333, with three home runs and 8 RBI.

The World Series Belong to Mick

Mickey Mantle, who played in 65 World Series Games, holds the career records for World Series walks (43); extra-base hits (26); home runs (18); runs batted in (40); runs scored (42); total bases (123); and strikeouts (54). He hit .257 in Fall Classic play.

The Hall of Famer played in 18 MLB seasons and was an All Star in all but two of them. (1951 & 1956). He was a three-time AL MVP and four-time AL home run leader. Hi collected 2,415 career hits (.298 average); 536 home runs; and 1,509 RBI. Mantle won the AL Triple Crown in 1956 with a .353-52-130 line and was a three-time AL Most Valuable Player.

NUMBER SIXTEEN – Mark McGwire, A’s – 9^th inning, 1988 World Series, Game 3 – October 18, 1988

The Oakland A’s went into the 1988 World Series as favorites, but ended up losing to the Dodgers four games-to-one.  Mark McGwire’s walk-off home run in Game Three gave the A’s their only victory.

With the low final score (2-1), you might expect that the game was a classic pitching duel between the Dodgers’ John Tudor (10-8, 2.32 during the season) and A’s Bob Welch (17-9, 3.64). Not the case, as Tudor was gone after just 1 1/3 innings – pulled due to an elbow injury after retiring the first four batters he faced.  Welch fared a bit better giving up just one run in the first five innings– but having thrown a lot of pitches under stress (four hits and two walks over the first five frames).  Welch was pulled after the sixth inning started with the A’s loading the bases (double, single, walk) with no outs.

The bullpens pretty much took care of business in this one, with the score knotted at one run apiece after eight innings. In the top of the ninth, the A’s Rick Honeycutt set the Dodgers down in order (he retired six straight batters in his two-inning stint).  Jay Howell came on for the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning and, after getting Jose Canseco to pop out, gave up a game-ending home run to McGwire on a 2-2 pitch (in a tough eight-pitch at bat).

The 1988 World Series is the only Fall Classic with two games ending on walk-off home runs – Games One and Three.

McGwire’s walk-off home run in Game Three of the 1988 World Series was his only hit in the Series (17 at bats).

In 1988, Mark McGwire hit .260-32-99 – a season after a .289-49-118 rookie campaign (and the American League Rookie of the Year Award). McGwire played 16 MLB seasons, was a 12-time All Star and four-time league home run champ. His final MLB stat line was .263-583-1,414.  In 1998, McGwire hit 70 round trippers. He followed that up with 65 long balls in 1999.

On the Move, In the Groove

In 1997, Mark McGwire led all of M LB with 58 home runs, but did not win a league home run championship. He hit 34 home runs in 105 games for the A’s, before being traded to the Cardinals, for whom he hit 24 home runs in 51 contests.

NUMBER SEVENTEEN –  Chad Curtis, Yankees – 10^th inning, 1999 World Series Game Three – October 26, 1999

The Yankees were already up two games-to-none on the Braves going into Game Three of the 1999 World Series, but the Braves came out of the gate hot, building a 5-1 lead over the first four innings. The Yankees, however, tightened up on the mound (getting 6 1/3 scoreless innings from three relievers) and slowly chipped away.  LF Chad Curtis got one back with a home run off Tom Glavine in the fifth. 1B Tino Martinez added a solo shot off Glavine in the seventh. And 2B Chuck Knoblauch hit a two-run homer in the eighth. Not so suddenly, the game was tied.  Both teams were scoreless in the ninth to send the contest into extra innings. The Braves pulled out all the stops in the top of the tenth, using a trio of pinch hitters (among four batters) – Ozzie Guillen, Ryan Klesko and Greg Myers, but did not score.  Curtis led of the bottom of the tenth with his second home run of the game – joining the list of players with walk-off World Series dingers.

Curtis played 10 MLB seasons, hitting .264-101-461, with 212 stolen bases. He stole 20+ bases five times and hit a career-high 21 home runs for the Tigers in 1995.

Chad Curtis stole 91 bases in his first two MLB season (1992-93) with the Angels. 

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Retrosheet.org; Baseball-Almanac.com; The World Series (Dial Press/Sports Products, Inc.); Society for American Baseball Research. Note: I used Baseball-Reference.com; Retrosheert.com, and  SABR to search for Negro League World Series walk-off home runs in the period added to MLB records, but found none (although Negro League records are still incomplete in some areas. 

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In this post, you’ll get a look at Baseball Roundtable’s 2023 All-Rookie Team, as well as review The Roundtable’s All-Time, All-Rookie Squad.  The 2023 team includes:

• A player who played 30 or more games at three different positions;
• A player who led all rookies in runs scored, hits and triples and was among the top three in home runs, RBI and stolen bases;
• A player who hit .636 in his senior year in high school;
• A player whose 19 outfield assists led MLB;
• A 30-year-old import from Nippon Professional Baseball; and
• A player who tied the rookie record for Grand Slams in a season (four).

But enough teasers, let’s get to it.

CATCHER – Yainer Diaz, Astros

Photo: Rickmunroe01, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

In his age-24 season, Diaz appeared in 104 games for the Astros, 60 of those behind the plate – hitting .282 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI. His homers and RBI were second-highest among rookie catchers.   His 100 base hits led all rookie backstops. Signed as an International Free Agent by the Indians in 2016, he was traded to the Astros in 2021.  Diaz hit well at every level in the minors (.321-52-275 over five minor-league seasons). He earned a brief callup in 2022 (just eight at bats) –  making his MLB debut on September 2, after a .306-25-96 season at Double-A/Triple-A.  After a slow start in 2023, hitting just .226-2-5 through May, Diaz turned it up, hitting .287-16-43 from June 1 through October 1.

Honorable Mention: While Francisco Alvarez hit only .209 for the Mets, he did lead all rookie catchers with 25 home runs and 63 RBI.

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FIRST BASE – Spencer Steer, Reds

Steer was a Twins’ third-round draft pick (out of the University of Oregon) in 2019.  In August of 2022, he was traded to the Reds as part of the deal for pitcher Tyler Mahle. Steer hit well enough for the Reds’ Triple-A Louisville Bats (.294-3-13 in 23 games) to earn a late-season callup, making this MLB debut on September 2, 2022. He hit just .211-2-8 in 28 games for Cincinnati.

In 2023, rookie status still intact, Steer was a fixture in the Reds’ lineup (156 games) and hit .271-23-86. Notably, he moved around, starting at 1B (53 games); 3B (42 games); LF (36 games): 2B (13 games); RF (two games); and DH (six games).  He gets the nod at 1B here, since he had the most starts there. Steer’s 86 RBI and 37 doubles led all MLB rookies, while his 158 base hits were second, his 23 home runs tied for fifth and his 74 runs scored were sixth.

Honorable Mention:  Tristan Casas of the Red Sox went .263-24-65 in 132 games.

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SECOND BASE – Edouard Julien, Twins

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

Julien was  drafted by the Twins in the 18^th round of the 2019 MLB Draft (out of Auburn University).  Over three minor-league campaigns, he went .285-40-161 in 263 games. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut on April 12 of last season. He went on to hit .263-16-37, with 89 hits (most among rookie 2B) and 60 runs scored (also leading rookie 2B) in 109 games.

Honorable Mention: Oakland’s Zack Gelof went .267-14-32, with 40 runs scored and 14 steals in 69 games.

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THIRD BASE – Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

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

In reality, Henderson (the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year) could be slotted at 3B or SS.  He started 68 games at 3B and 64 at SS, so I will stick to using the position most often played. On the season, the 22-year-old (a second-round 2019 draft pick out of John T. Morgan Academy in Selma, Alabama) hit .255-28-82, with 152 base hits, 100 runs scored, nine triples and 10 steals  in 150 games. His 28 homers and 86 RBI led all rookies, his nine triples and 100 runs scored were second.

Henderson made his MLB debut on August 31, 2022 and played in 34 games for the Orioles that season (.259-4-18). In three minor-league seasons, he hit .276-37-161 in 246 games. In 2022, Henderson hit .297-19-76, with 22 steals at Double-A/Triple-A.

Honorable Mention:  Josh Jung of the Rangers hit .266-23-70, with 75 runs scored in 122 games.

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SHORTSTOP – Matt McLain, Reds

The 23-year-old McLain showed average, power and speed in his debut season – going .290-16-50, with 65 runs scored and 14 steals in 89 games. Like Gunnar Henderson ( above), McLain could have been slotted at multiple positions, starting 52 games at SS, 33 at 2B and three at DH.  I, again, chose to go with the positions played most often.

McLain was a  first-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft (out of the University of California, Los Angeles, where he hit .280-16-85 in 121 games over three seasons). In his final  season at UCLA, McLain hit .333-9-36, with nine steals in 47 games.  When McLain was called up (in Mid-May), he was hitting .348-12-40 at Triple-A Louisville.  As noted, in 89 games for the Reds, he went .290-16-50 and tossed in 14 steals.  His 16 home runs were second among rookie shortstops, his 50 RBI third and his 14 steals third.

Honorable Mention: The Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar hit .253-15-73 in 153 games.

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OUTFIELD – Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks

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

The 22-year-old Carroll seems a shoe-in for NL Rookie of the Year Award after playing in 155 games for the Diamondbacks and putting up aa .285-25-76 stat line with 161 hits, 30 doubles, 10 triples, 116 runs scored and 54 steals in 59 attempts.  He led all MLB rookies in hits, runs and triples and was second in steals and third in home runs and RBI.

Carroll was a first-round draft pick in 2019 (right out of high school) and he began “raking” immediately. At Rookie and A-Ball in 2019 (as an 18-year-old), he hit .299-2-20, with 18 steals in 42 games. In an injury-shortened 2021 season (no season in 2020 –  pandemic), he hit .435 in seven games at High-A.  Then in 2022, in  Rookie, Double-A and Triple-A, he hit .307-24-62, with 31 steals in 93 games.  That earned him an  August callup and he hit .260-4-14 in 32 games (keeping his rookie status intact).  Then came 2023 and his first full season (and an All Star Game start).  Certainly looks like there’s more to come.

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OUTFIELD – Nolan Jones, Rockies

Jones was drafted by the Guardians (out of Holy Ghost Prep High School in Philadelphia) in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

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Nolan Jones hit .636-5-24 in 19 games in his senior season and was First Team Rawlings All American.

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In his first six minor-league seasons, Jones hit .273-60-262 in 497 games. He was called up to the Guardians in July 2022 and hit .244-2-13 in 28 games. After the season, he was traded to the Rockies for minor-league infielder Juan Brito. The trade worked out pretty well for the Rox. When he was called up to the Rockies in late May, Jones was hitting .356-12-42 at Triple-A. He went on to hit .297, with 20 home runs and 62 RBI in 106 games for Colorado. He also stole 20 bases (in 24 tries) and led all NL outfielders in assists (19).

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OUTFIELD – James Outman, Dodgers

Okay, my first two outfielders were corner men.  I needed a CF and Outman was the logical choice. The 26-year-old Outman (who had a brief callup to the Dodgers last season – four games) played in 151 games for the 2023 Dodgers, hitting .248-23-70, with 16 steals.

Outman was a seventh-round 2018 draft pick out of California State University, Sacramento. In four minor-league seasons, he hit .263-23-79 in 403 games. He showed good power in the minors (double-digit homers each season), but really upped his game in 2022 – .294-31-106 in 125 games and Double-A/Triple-A.

Outman’s 86 runs scored were second among MLB rookie outfielders, and  his  20 homers were third, as were his 70 RBI. His 16 steals were sixth.

Outfield Honorable Mentions: The Red Sox’ Masakata Yoshida went .289-15-72 in 140 games; The A’s Esteury Ruiz hit .254-4-47 and stole 67 bases in 132 contests.

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DH- Royce Lewis, Twins

Had to make a spot for the Twins’ 24-year-old rookie infielder. Lewis played in just 58 MLB games, but went .309-15-52 and poled four Grand Slams (tying the MLB rookie single-season record). Lewis did earn a 2022 callup (.300-2-5 in 12 Twins games that season). 2023 was a bit of an up-and-down season for Lewis, interrupted by injury – but when he was in the lineup, he produced.

Lewis was a first round pick (right out of high school) in the 2017 MLB Draft.  In five minor-league seasons, he has hit .273-41-178, with 85 steals.

You Can Make A Case

You could make a case for casting a vote for Royce Lewis as AL Rookie of the Year.  In 1959, Giants’ 1B Willie McCovey was unanimously voted NL Rookie of the Year, despite playing in only 52 MLB games. He went .354-13-38 in those contests.

STARTING PITCHER – Kodai Senga, Mets

Photo: D. Benjamin Miller, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Mets’ 30-year-old righty is the most experienced member of this All-Rookie lineup. Senga went 12-7, 2.79 in 29 starts for New York – fanning 202 batters in 166 1/3 innings. He led all MLB rookie pitchers in wins, led qualifying rookies in earned run average, and led all rookies in strikeouts. The Mets signed Senga in December of 2022 – when he already had 11 seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League under his belt. Over those seasons, he went  87-44, with a 2.59 ERA and 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Honorable Mention: Tanner Bibee of the Guardians went 10-4, 2.98 in 25 starts (141 strikeouts in  142 innings).

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RELIEVER – Yennier Cano, Orioles

Cano went 1-4, put up a stingy 2.11 earned run average over 72 appearances (72 1/3 innings).  He tied for the MLB lead in holds (31)  and his eight saves were second among rookies.

Cano signed (out of Cuba as an International Free Agent) with the Twins in 2019. Among his credentials was an 18-6, 2.12 record in three seasons in the Cuban National Series. In August of 2022, Cano was traded to the Orioles with three other minor-leaguers) for pitcher Jorge Lopez and cash. Cano went 0-1, 4.32 in 11 games for the Orioles’ Triple-A club and got in three late-season games for the Orioles . Between Minnesota and Baltimore, Cano was 1-1, 11.50 in 13 2022 MLB appearances.

Why his 2023 success?  It’s credited to a tweak in his delivery and improved focus that have helped him overcome past command issues.

Honorable Mention: The Padres’ Tom Cosgrove, went 1-2, 1.75 in 54 appearances.

Now, let’s move on to a review of The Roundtable All-Time, All-Rookie Squad.

Baseball Roundtable All-Time, All-Rookie Squad

CATCHER – Josh Gibson, 1933 Pittsburgh Crawfords

Photo: Harrison Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As a 21-year-old rookie in 1933, Josh Gibson helped lead the Pittsburgh Crawfords to the Negro National League title. He played in 68 of the Crawfords’ 89 games and was behind  the plate in 48 of them.   In the process, he led the league in hits (94), triples (7), home runs (18), RBI (74), total bases (177), on-base percentage (.442), and slugging percentage  (.774).  He finished second in batting average, and third in runs scored, doubles and walks.

Side: note: MLB rules indicate a player qualifies as a rookie unless he has exceeded 130 at bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues. From 1930-32, Gibson played primarily  for independent clubs.

Gibson went on to play a total of 14 seasons in the Negro Leagues (MLB now considers the Negro Leagues from 1920-to -948 to be major leagues) – putting up a .374-165-730 line. He twice won the Triple Crown (1936 and 1937), led the league in home runs 11 times, RBI seven times, runs scored five times, hits twice, batting average three times and total bases six times.

Honorable  Mentions:  Mike Piazza, 1993 Dodgers (.318-35-112); Benito Santiago, 1987 Padres, who went .300-18-79 and swiped 21 bases in 146 games; Carlton Fisk, 1972 Red Sox  (.293-22-61, with a league-leading nine triples).

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Special Mention – Mike Piazza

Who could have predicted that the 1,390th player selected in the 1988 MLB draft would not only be the 1993 Rookie of the Year, but would also earn a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame? Mike Piazza was also an All Star and Silver Slugger winner in his 1993 rookie campaign (Dodgers). In his 24-year-old rookie season, Piazza finished seventh in the AL in batting average (.318); sixth in home runs (35) and fourth in RBI (112).

Piazza hit .308, with 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI in 16 MLB seasons (Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Padres, A’s). He was a two-time All Star, won ten Silver Slugger awards, topped 20 home runs nine times, 100 RBI six times, produced a .300+ average in nine campaigns and four times finished among the top four voter getters for MVP. Not bad for a 62^nd-round draft pick.

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FIRST BASE – Mark McGwire, 1987 A’s

Photo: Silent Sensei from Santa Cruz, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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

McGwire was drafted by the A’s in the first round (tenth overall) of the 1984 MLB Draft (out of the University of Southern California).

From Pitcher to First Base … Not a Bad Move

In three seasons (1982-84) at the University of Southern California, Mark McGwire hit .358, with 51 home runs and 139 RBI in 120 games (with all those hits coming in his final two campaigns). Some might be surprised to learn that, in 1982, McGwire was a pitcher (and did not come to the plate). He went 4-4, 3.04 in 20 games (four starts). McGwire was the Sporting News College Player of the Year in 1984, when he put up a .387-32-80 stat line in 67 games.

Honorable Mentions: Pete Alonso, 2019 Mets (.260-53-120), the AL leader in home runs, while setting a new MLB rookie record for round trippers); Dale Alexander, 1929 Tigers (.343-25-137,  with a league-leading 215 hits); Buck Leonard, 1935 Homestead Grays, who hit a league-leading .389 (40 games).

Special Mention – Jackie Robinson

You could not post about an All-Time, All-Rookie Lineup with a shout out to Jackie Robinson (after all, the Rookie of the Year Award is now known as The Jackie Robinson Award). Robinson won the award as a first baseman in 1947 – the season he broke MLB’s color line. Robinson hit .297, with 12 home runs, 48 RBI, 125 runs scored and a league-topping 29 steals – while dealing with the pressures of an historic season.  While his offensive numbers do not match those of some of the others rookies at this traditionally offensive-focused position, there is no doubt about his character courage and performance under pressure. And there is no double any post focusing on outstanding rookies would be incomplete without him. 

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 SECOND BASE – Joe  Morgan, 1965 Astros

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Common

This one was a tough call. I  found myself comparing speed (like Bump Wills’ 28 steals and 87 runs scored in 1997) to power (like Gleyber Torres’ 24 home runs and 77 RBI in 2018).  Ultimately, I went for a rookie second baseman who gave me some of each. Joe Morgan hit .271 as a 21-year-old rookie in 1965.  He tossed in 14 home runs, 20 steals and 100 runs scored.  In addition, his 97 walks led the league (helping him to a .373 on-base percentage, tenth in the league) – and he fanned just 77 times.

Morgan played basketball and baseball in high school, but was not recruited by four-year colleges – perhaps due to his size (5’7”).   He schooled and played instead at Oakland City College (a two-year institution), where he began to attract some  attention from scouts.  (In his second year at Oakland City College, he hit .367 and led the team in average, home runs and stolen bases.)

Morgan signed with the Astros (as an amateur free agent) in 1962 and was a major-league regular by 1965. He, in fact, made his MLB debut in as a 20-year-old in September of 1963.  (Morgan played in 18 MLB games in 1963-64.) In his final minor-league campaign, Morgan hit .323-12-90, with 47 steals in 140 games for the 1964 Double-A San Antonio Bullets.

Morgan went on to a 22-season MLB career. Hitting .271-268-1,133, with 689 stolen bases and 1,650 runs scored. He was a ten -time All Star, two-time Most Valuable Player and five-time Gold Glover.

Honorable Mentions:  Gleyber Torres, 2018 Yankees (.271-24-77); Del Pratt, 1912 Browns (.302-5-69, with 24 steals and 76 runs scored); Bump Wills, 1977 Rangers  (.287-9-62, with 28 steals and 87 runs scored); Dustin Pedroia, 2007 Red Sox (.317-8-50, with 86 runs scored).

Does This Seem Fair?

In 1965, Baseball Roundtable’s choice for second base on this All-Time, All-Rookie Lineup (Joe Morgan) finished second in the National League ROY balloting to another second baseman. Jim Lefebvre of the Dodgers got 14 first-place votes to Morgan’s four. Each played in 157 games with Morgan outhitting  Lefebvre .271 to .250, outscoring him 100 to 57, hitting 14 home runs to Lefebvre’s 12, stealing 20 bases to Lefebvre’s three, drawing 97 walks to the Dodgers’ second sacker’s 71 – and outdistancing  him in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Lefebvre did best Morgan in RBI (69-to-40). Their fielding stats were fairly equal, with Morgan making 27 errors in 867 chances and Lefebvre making 24 errors in 802 chances (Lefebvre’s fielding percentage was  .970 to Morgan’s .969).  

Side note: Jim Gilliam’s 1953 season for the Dodgers  (.278-6-63, with 125 runs scored and a league-topping 17 triples) would have made this list a few years ago.  But now that the Negro Leagues (1920-48) are considered major leagues, his rookie season would be with the Baltimore Elite giants in 1947.

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THIRD BASE – Ryan Braun, 2007 Brewers

Photo: Ian D’Andrea from Philadelphia, PA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Ryan Braun put up a .324-34-97 line, with 91 runs scored, 15 steals and a league-topping .634 slugging percentage in 2007. Notably, he started 112 games at third base that season – and did not start there again in his 14 MLB seasons (defensive issues at the hot corner led to a move to the outfield).

Braun was  a first-round pick (fifth overall) of the Brewers in the 2005 draft – after three seasons at the University of Miami, where he was .365-45-195 over 165 games.

Ryan Braun College Stardom

In 2003 (while playing for the University of Miami), Ryan Braun was Baseball America’s National Freshman of the Year after going .364-17-74. He was also a 2005 All American (and Atlantic Coat Conference Player of the Year) – after a .388-18-76 season. (College Stats from TheBaseballCube.com)

Braun rose quickly through the minor-league ranks – hitting .352-10-45 in 47 games at Rookie- and A-Ball in 2005; .289-22-77, with 26 steals at High-A and Double-A in 2006; and  .342-10-22 in 34 games at Triple-A in 2007.  He made his MLB debut, at the age of 23, May 25, 2007.

Braun went on to a 14-season MLB career (.296-352-1,154, with 216 stolen bases).  He was the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year, a six-time All Star and the 2011 National League MVP.

Honorable Mentions: Dick Allen, 1964 Philllies (.318-29-91, with a league-leading 125 runs scored.);  Al Rosen,  1950 Indians  (.287-37-116, with 100 runs scored); Kevin Seitzer, 1987 Royals (.323-15-83, with 12 steals and 105 runs scored); Pete Ward, 1963 White Sox (.295-22-84).

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SHORTSTOP – Nomar Garciaparra, 1997 Red Sox

Photo: Jon Gudorf Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Nomar Garciaparra’s rookie season saw the 23-year-old lead the American League in at bats, hits, and triples, while scoring 122 runs and putting up a .306-30-98 stat line, with 22 stolen bases. Garciaparra was drafted (by the Brewers) in the first round of the 1994 draft (out of the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he had hit .372-23-166 with 66 steals over three seasons – 174 games).

Like most players on this list, Garciaparra’s rise to the major leagues was swift – coming in just his third professional season. He was called up  in late 1996 and got in 24 games for the Red Sox, hitting .241-4-176 (and keeping his rookie status for 1997).

All Star on the Field and in the Classroom

Nomar Garciaparra was a two-time, first-team All American and a two-time Academic All American.

Garciaparra went on to a 14-season MLB career, hitting .313-229-936.  He was a six-time All Star and won back-to-back AL batting titles in 1999 (.357) and 2000 (.371).

Honorable Mentions: Corey Seager, 2016 Dodgers (.308-26-72, with 105 runs scored); Hanley Ramirez, 2006 Marlins (.292-17-59, with 51 steals and 119 runs scored); Troy Tulowitzki, 2007 Rockies (.291-24-99, with 104 runs scored); Johnny Pesky, 1942 Red Sox, (.331-2-51, with 205 hits, 12 steals and 105 runs scored); Harvey Kuenn, 1953 Tigers (308-2-48, with a league-leading 209 hits).

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LEFT FIELD – Wally Berger, 1930 Braves

Wally Berger made his major-league debut for the Boston Braves on April 15, 1930 – after three minor-league seasons over which he hit .352, with 144 home runs in 499 games. As a 24-year-old MLB rookie, he finished third in the National League in home runs – and his 38 long balls were the record for an MLB  rookie that stood for 57 years.

Berger went on to play 11 MLB seasons, hitting .300, with 242 home runs and 898 RBI. He was a four-time All Star and led the NL in home runs (34) and RBI (130) in 1935.

Honorable Mentions: Mitchell Page, 1977 A’s (.307-21-75, with 42 steals and 85 runs scored); Frank Robinson, 1956 Reds (.290-38-83, with a league-leading 122 runs scored – at the ripe young age of 20); Jeff Heath, 1938 Indians (.343-21-112, with 104 runs scored); Kiki Cuyler, 1924 Pirates (.354-9-85, with 32 seals and 94 runs scored).

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CENTER FIELD – Fred Lynn, 1975 Red Sox

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The first player to win Rookie of the Year and a Most Valuable Player Award in the same season, Lynn had shown his promise the season before. Called up from the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox (where he hit .282-21-68 in 124 games), Lynn closed out the 1974 season hitting .419 in 15 games for Boston.  In 1975, the 23-year-old hit .331 (second in the AL), with 21 home runs, 105 RBI (third in the AL) and an AL-leading 103 runs scored  – and he won a Gold Glove for his defensive play in center field.

Lynn was selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 1973 MLB draft. He played his college ball at the University of Southern California, where he hit .320-28-111 over three seasons and was a first-team All American in 1972.

Lynn went on to a 17-season career during which he was an All Star in nine seasons and a four-time Gold Glover. His career stat line was .283-306-1,111 .

Honorable Mentions: Mike Trout, 2012 Angels (.326-30-83, with 49 steals and 129 runs scored); Turkey Stearnes, 1923 Detroit Stars (.362-17-85); Oscar Charleston, 1920 Indianapolis ABCs (.353-5-59, with a league-leading 122 hits, 80 runs scored and 11 triples); Cristobal Torriente, 1920 Chicago American Giants – the Negro National League batting champions as a rookie (.411-2-58); Kenny Lofton, 1992 Indians (.285-5-42, with 96 runs scored and 66 steals).

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RIGHT Field – Tie … Shoeless Joe Jackson, 1911 Indians,  Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 Mariners & Ted Williams, 1939 Red Sox

Yes, I know a three-way tie is kind of a cop-out, but there was so much to choose from here – a .400+ hitter; a batting champ who, in 2001,  put up (at the time) the ninth-most hits ever in an MLB season (and the most since 1930) and a 20-year-old who drove in 145 runs and scored 131.

Photo: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Joe Jackson … The 23-year-old Indians’ outfielder had been called up for the proverbial MLB “cup of coffee” in 1908, 1909 and 1910, but had seen action in only 30 games – retaining his rookie status. After a 1910 season that saw Jackson hit .354 in 136 games for the Class-A New Orleans Pelicans and then .387 in 20 contests for the Indians, Jackson had cemented a spot with the 1911 AL Indians’ squad.  That season, he started 96 games in right field and 50 in center.

In 147 games, he hit .408, with 233 hits, 126 runs scored, 45 doubles, 19 triples, seven home runs, 83 RBI and 41 stolen bases.   In 1911,  Jackson was second in MLB in batting average (to Ty Cobb’s .420); first in on-base percentage (.468); second (to Cobb) in slugging percentage at .590; second in runs scored (again to Cobb); second in hits (Cobb); second in doubles (Cobb); and second in total bases with 337 (Cobb, 367). He finished fourth in the MVP voting.

If it took Ty Cobb in his prime to outhit you in your rookie season, you’ve earned a spot in this lineup.

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

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

Ichiro Suzuki … Like Fred Lynn in this outfield, Suzuki was the Rookie of the Year and League MVP in the same season. As a 27-year-old MLB rookie, he led the AL with a .350 average and 242 hits – and added a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a Gold Glove. Keep in mind, that Suzuki had nine seasons in Japan before making the “major leagues” (.353 average and seven batting championships in Japan).

Like Elvis, Cher and Madonna, Ichiro became a a star who needed only one name.  After a spectacular rookie season in MLB, Ichiro just kept on hitting.  He amassed  200+ hits in each of his first ten MLB seasons, leading the league in safeties seven times – and picked up a pair of batting titles along the way.  He was also a Gold Glover in each of his first ten seasons. Ichiro retired with  a .311 MLB average, 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 780 RBI, 1,420 runs scored. And 509 steals.

Photo: Apex Photo Company, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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

Williams went on to a Hall of Fame career that included 19 All Star selections, two MVP Awards and two Triple Crowns.  He led his league in batting average six times; home run four times; runs scored six times; RBI four times; total bases six times; on-base percentage 12 times; slugging percentage nine times; and, not surprisingly, walks eight times and intentional walks nine times.  He set the tone for this remarkable career in his rookie season.

A Hero On and Off the Field

Ted Williams lost approximately five years of MLB playing time while serving in the U.S military – as a combat fighter pilot –  in World War II and the Korean War. 

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Judge, 2017 Yankees (.284-52-114, with 128 runs scored); George Watkins, 1930 Cardinals (.373-17-87, with 85 runs scored);  Tony Oliva, 1964 Twins (,323,-32-94, with 109 runs scored and 12 steals and the AL leadership in hits and average).

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DH/UTILITY – Albert Pujols, 2001 Cardinals

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

Some may be surprised that Albert Pujols is not at first base in this lineup. The reason is that in his rookie season (2001), the 21-year-old Pujols started just 31 of 161 games played (19.2%) at first base. In his rookie season, Pujols started 52 games at 3B; 38 in LF; 33 in RF; 31 at 1B; and 2 at DH.

In 2001, Pujols put up the first in a string of remarkable seasons –  hitting  .329, with 37 home runs, 130 RBI and 112 runs scored and earning Rookie of the Year Award and a fourth-place finish in the MVP balloting. Over the first ten seasons of his career, he topped a .300 average, 30 home runs and 100 RBI every season.

Pujols scores points for making a .300-30-100 season seem a bit mundane – right from his rookie season.  He also gets extra credit for versatility.

Pujols was drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the 1999 MLB Draft (out of Metropolitan Community College -Maple Woods, Kansas City). Pujols hit .461, with 22 home runs in his only college season.

That’s a Good Start

In his first college game, Albert Pujols started at shortstop and hit a Grand Slam Home Run AND turned an unassisted triple play.

“One That Got Away,” Gordon Edes, Boston Globe, October 11, 2006

Retiring after the 2022 season, Pujols’ stat line is .296-703-2,218 (with 3,384 hits).   The 11-time All Star and three-time MVP led his league in runs scored five times, home runs twice, RBI once and average once. He also picked up a pair of Gold Gloves along the way. As a rookie, he got a Hall of Fame career off to a great start

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STARTING PITCHER – Russ Ford,  1910 Yankees

Photo: Bain News Service (publisher), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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

Still a rookie in 1910, the 27-year-old righty went 26-6 with a 1.65 ERA. In his initial full campaign, Ford was second in the AL in wins (26); second in winning percentage (.813); seventh in ERA (1.65); fourth in strikeouts (209); fifth in games started (33); fourth in complete games (29); second in shutouts (8); allowed the fewest hits per nine innings (5.89); and had the second-lowest Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched (0.88).  On a Highlanders’ team that finished second with an 88-63 record, Ford led the team in virtually every positive pitching category.

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

Honorable Mentions: Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander, 1911 Phillies (28-11, 2.57 – leading the league in wins, complete games with 31 and shutouts with seven);  Dwight Gooden, 1984 Mets (17-9, 2.60, while leading the NL in complete games with 16, innings pitched with 276 2/3 and strikeouts with 276); Fernando Valenzuela, 1981 Dodgers ( 13-7 in the strike-shortened 1981 season – winning both Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award – and leading the league in complete games with 11, shutouts with eight, innings pitched with 192 1/3 and strikeouts with 180); Mark Fidrych, 1976 Tigers (19-9, 2.34 – leading the league in ERA, complete games with 24, throwing complete games in 11 of his first 12 MLB starts and topping the league in talking to baseballs).

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RELIEF PITCHER – Craig Kimbrel, 2010 Braves

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

In 2011, 23-year-old Craig Kimbrel set the rookie record for saves, with 46 – leading the National League. He put up a 2.10 ERA in a league-leading 64 appearances (fanning 127 in 77 innings).

Kimbrel was  selected (by the Braves) in the third round of the 2008 MLB draft (out of Wallace State Community College). In his freshman season at Wallace State (2007), Kimbrel went 8-0, 1.99. He followed that up with a 9-3, 2.88 record in 2008.

After being drafted by the Braves, Kimbrel went 8-7, 1,85 with 51 saves and 242 whiffs in 151 innings over three minor-league seasons. He did pitch for the Braves in 2010, going 4-0, with a 0.44 ERA in 21 appearances (his 20 2/3 innings pitched enabled him to retain his rookie status into 2011.)

Kimbrel, still active in 2022, is an eight-time All Star and has led his league in saves four times. His career record at the end of the 2022 season was 41-36, 2.31, with 394 saves and 1,098 strikeouts in 688 1/3 innings pitched.

Honorable  Mentions: Neftali Felix, 2010 Rangers (4-3, 2.73 with 40 saves in a league-leading 59 appearances); Andrew Bailey, 2009 A’s (6-3, 1.84 with 26 saves); Huston Street, 2005 A’s (5-1, 1.71 with 23 saves); Kaz Sasaki, 2000 Mariners (2-5, 3.16 with 37 saves).

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

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Carroll

Senaxga

No one would have been surprised if Astros’ RF Kyle Tucker was calling for oxygen after yesterday’s (September 10, 2023) 12-2 win over the Padres (in Houston). Tucker not only collected two hits, drove in two runs, scored twice  and stole two bases – he also tied one of MLB’s most unique records, hitting two triples in one inning. (Side note:  They were Tucker’s first two triples of the season.

The San Diego Padres have two pitchers named Hill (Tim and Rich) on their active 2023 roster and, on September 10, the Astros Kyle Tucker tripled off both of them – in the same inning.

Tucker came up against the Padres’ Tim Hill in the bottom of the sixth , with a runner on second no outs and the Astros up 4-1. He drove a 1-1 pitch to deep right field for a triple.  By the time Tucker came up again in the frame, the Astros had scored seven times in the inning and Rich Hill had replaced Tim Hill on the mound.  With one runner on and two outs, Tucker took an 0-2 pitch to deep right-center for his second triple of the inning.

How rare is a two-triple inning? Rare enough that there seem to be some disagreement on just  how rare.  Tucker was reported as the eleventh and twelfth major leaguer to accomplish the feat by various news sources and Baseball-Almanac.com provides a list of players with two triples in an inning and that would make Tucker number thirteen.  (Baseball Roundtable will use Baseball Almanac’s number.)  Eleven, twelve or thirteen (and only six since 1901), it’s pretty darn rare.  For example: There have been two dozen  Perfect Games in MLB; more than 50 fifty players have hit two homers in an inning (five of them twice);  nearly four dozen players have stolen second, third and in an inning (two of them four times);  and MLB has seen more than 300 no-hitters.

The 26-year-old Tucker was hitting .290-26-103 at the close of play September 10 – leading the AL in RBI. He also had 28 steals (in 32 attempts)and 86 runs scored.  The two-time All Star has a career line of .274-99-359, with 81 steals (six MLB seasons.) He has 13 career triples, leading the AL with six in 2020.

Players Pre-1901 with a two-triple inning:

• Harry Wheeler, Cincinnati (American Association) … July 28, 1882;
• Joe Hornung, Boston (NL) … May 6, 1882;
• Harry Stovey, (Philadelphia Athletics (American Association) … August 18, 1884;
• Heinie Peitz, St. Louis Browns (NL) … July 2, 1895;
• Frank Shugart, Louisville Colonels (NL) … July 30, 1895
• Buck Freeman, Boston (NL) … July 25, 1900;
• Bill Dahlen, Brooklyn Superebas (NL) … August 30, 1900

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

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On Sunday (August 6). Reds’23-year-old righty Lyon Richardson made his MLB debut – starting against the Nationals in Cincinnati.  His performance, while not what he had hoped for, did attract the attention of baseball trivia buffs. Richardson started his MLB career by giving up home runs on each of his first two MLB pitches – to Nationals’ shortstop CJ Abrams (his 11^th HR of the year) on a 95.5-mph fastball and to RF Lane Thomas (his 19th) on a 96.7-mph heater.  Ultimately, Richardson went three innings and gave up four hits, three walks and four runs, while fanning two, in the Reds’ 6-3 loss.

Now for that trivia “hook.” According to STATS, Richardson is the only pitcher in the past fifty years to give up homers on his first two MLB pitchers.  Taking it a step further, it appears he is the only MLB pitcher ever to “accomplish” that feat.

Baseball Roundtable searched box scores of the for the 79 pitchers listed by Baseball-Almanac.com as having allowed a home run to the first MLB batter they ever faced and found only one other pitcher who allowed home runs to the first two batters he faced – the Yankees’ Danny Rios on  May 30, 1997 – and he did it in a span of nine pitches.  More on that in a bit, but first  some background Richardson.

Richardson was a second-round Reds’ draft pick in 2018 (out of Jensen Beach, FL, High School – where he was 7-0, 0.58 as a senior). Richardson got off to a bit of a rocky start and missed the 2022 season after Tommy John surgery. He came back strong this season, working his way up through A, Double-A and Triple-A – going a combined 0-2, 1.86 with 81 strikeouts in 58 innings over 19 starts. In those 58 minor-league frames, Richardson gave up just two home runs. As far as the rough start to his MLB career, two observations:  1) He is now officially a major-leaguer and that puts him at the highest level of his profession; 2) a fellow name Bob Gibson gave up a home run to the first MLB batter he ever faced and he did pretty well as a major-leaguer.

Now back to the only other player I could find who had  given up long balls to the first two MLB batters he faced.  Danny Rios, a 72^nd Round pick in the 1990 Draft, made his MLB with the Yankees on May 30, 1997. He relieved starter Ramiro Mendoza in the top of the fourth inning, with New York trailing Boston 4-0, two-on and one out.  The first batter Rios faced was SS and number-three batter Will Cordero, who hit a three-run homer on a 2-0 pitch.  Next up was 1B Mo Vaughn, who went deep on a 3-2 offering. Rios ended up pitching 1 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits (three home runs), walking two and fanning one. Rios pitched in just two MLB seasons (1997 Yankees & 1998 Royals). He went 0-1, 9.31 in seven appearances.

As I noted, Rios and Richardson are the only two pitchers I could find who gave up long balls to the first two MLB batters they faced, but along the way I did find some interesting things about a few of  the pitchers who gave up a home run to the first MLB batter they faced.

Turn About Is Fair Play

Dave Eiland made his MLB debut with the Yankees on August 3, 1988 – starting on the mound against the Brewers In Milwaukee. The first batter he faced was Milwaukee 2B and future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. Molitor welcomed Eiland to the big leagues with a home run to center on a 1-2 pitch. That  home run would be the only run Eiland gave up in seven innings of work (three hits, two walks, three whiffs). Eiland went on to pitch in ten MLB seasons (1988-93, 1995, 1998-2000), going in 12-27,  5.74.  The reason he caught The Roundtable’s eye was for something that happened four seasons after his MLB debut.

It was on August 10, 1992, when Eiland was with the Padres.  They were facing the Dodgers, in San Diego, and Eiland drew the start against Bob Ojeda. This was back when pitchers came to the plate in the National League and Eiland got his first MLB at bat with two out and one on in the bottom of the second inning. He drove a 2-2 offering from Ojeda to deep left center for a two-run homer.  In the process, Eiland became the only player to give up a home run to the first batter he faced as a pitcher and hit a home run the first time he came to the plate as a hitter.  It was, by the way, Eiland’s only career MLB home run (he had just 27 MLB plate appearances)>

Boom!  Then on to the All Star Game. Two Times.

Only two players have made an MLB All Star team in the same season they gave up home run to the first MLB batter they faced in their careers.

Hideki Okajima made his MLB debit for the Red Sox on April 2, 2007 (after 12 seasons in Japan).  He came on to open the bottom of the sixth, with the Red Sox down 5-1 to the Royals. Royals’ C John Buck laced Okajima’s first major-league pitch to deep CF for a home run. Okajima went on to pitch 1 2/3 innings that game, giving up just one more hit.  Why does he rate a mention here? Okajima may have given up a home run on his  first MLB pitch – but after that booming 2007 start to hit MLB career- he went on to make the 2007 American League All Star team. (He was 2-0, 0.83 with four saves -in 39 games – at the break.) Okajima pitched in six MLB seasons (2007-11, 2013, going 17-8, 3.09 with six saves (266 appearances).

Like Okajima, Masahiro Tanaka came to MLB after starting his career in Japan (seven seasons). He made his MLB debut with the Yankees on April 4, 2014 – starting against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter LF Melky Cabrera took Tanaka deep on a 1-1 pitch to welcome Tanaka to the majors.  Tanaka was unfazed by the rude introduction to MLB.  He went on to pitch seven innings of three-run (two earned), six-hit, eight-strikeout ball to pick up the win. Tanaka, who made the All Star team that season, was a sparkling 12-4, 2.51 at the break. He suffered elbow pain that July and went on the disabled list. He returned in September and finished the season at 13-5, 2.77. He pitched in seven MLB seasons (2014-20 … Yankees), going 78-46, 3.74. He made one more All Star team, (2019).

Oh, Come On, I have to Start My Career Against This Guy

Okay, if your story has Babe Ruth in it, it’s probably a good one.

Philadelphia A’s righty Bobby Coombs took to an MLB mound for the first time on June 8, 1933 – and the first batter he faced was none other than Babe Ruth.

Coombs came on in the top of the ninth, with the Athletics up 14-10. The Bambino took him to  deep to right for his 664th career round tripper. After Ruth’s blast, Coombs retired 1B Lou Gehrig, RF Ben Chapman and 2B Tony Lazzeri in order (all on ground outs).

Coombs had an unusual, career. He went directly from Duke University – where he had excelled in football, basketball, track and baseball (where he was 19-1 on the mound) – to the major leagues.  So, Ruth was also the first batter Coombs ever faced as a professional. After going 0-1, 7.47 in 21 games for the 1933 Athletics, Coombs opened the 1934 season at Double-A Syracuse. He did not return to the major leagues for ten seasons (a 122-124, 4.06 minor-league record, primarily at Double-A). In 1943, he was back in the majors, this time with the Giants, where he went 0-1, 12.94 in nine games. Coombs went on to  coach baseball at Williams College from  1946-73.

Williams College plays its home baseball games at Bobby Coombs Field.

Bob Gibson – Yeah, He Did Okay

Bob Gibson made his MLB debut with the Cardinals on April 15, 1955 – relieving in the seventh inning, with the Cardinals trailing the Dodgers (in LA) 3-0. The first batter he faced was the number-eight hitter, 3B Jim Baxes, who lashed a 2-0 pitch for a home run to left-center.  Baxes, by the way, went .246-17-39 in 88 games in 1959, his only MLB season. Gibson, of course, went on to the Hall of Fame. Gibson was 251-174, 2.91 over his 17-season MLB career – with 255 complete games, 56 shutouts and 3,117 strikeouts in 3,884 1/3 innings. He was a two-time Cy Young Award winner and the 1968 NL MVP.

Bert Blyleven – Maybe Less of a Surprise Than Gibson

Bert Blyleven, like Gibson, pitched his way into the Hall of Fame after giving up a dinger to the first MLB batter he faced.  It came on June 5, 1970, with the 19-year-old Blyleven starting for the Twins in Washington. The first MLB batter he faced was Senators’ RF Lee Maye, who homered to right. Blyleven seem unperturbed, as he pitched seven five-hit, one-run innings for the win. He walked one and fanned seven. The Maye homer would be one of 430 (ninth all-time in MLB) Blyleven would surrender in his 22-season MLB career.  Blyleven holds the record for the most home runs allowed in an MLB season at 50 (1986 Twins). Over his career, Blyleven went 287-250, 3.31, with 3,701 strikeouts in 4,970 innings. He also notched 242 complete games and 60 shutouts.

Bill Macdonald – Turned Things Around Pretty Quickly

Righty Bill Macdonald made his MLB debut for the Pirates on May 6, 1950. He came on in eighth inning, facing the Giants’ Bobby Thomson, who would (of course) become known for a different home run.  Anyway, Thomson touched Macdonald for a three-run homer. Macdonald was then replaced on the mound by Woody Main.  Macdonald is mentioned here because, in his next appearance – a May 23 start at Philadelphia – he twirled three-hit shutout (one walk – seven whiffs), lowering his MLB earned run average from infinity to 1.00. The righty pitched in two MLB seasons (1950 & 1953 Pirates), going 8-11, 4.66.

Not a Pretty Scorecard

John Wasdin made his MLB debut for the A’s on August 24, 1995. The A’s, playing the Red Sox in Oakland, trailed 8-2, with two-on and one out in the top of the third.  That’s when the call went to Wasdin in the pen.  The first four MLB batters Wasdin faced went like this:

• SS John Valentin – three-run home run;
• 1B Mo Vaughn – walk;
• DH Jose Canseco – two-Run home run;
• LF Mike Greenwell – walk.

Wasdin then fanned RF Troy O’Leary and got 3B Tim  Naehring on a pop fly. He  settled down nicely and ended up giving up three runs on four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings. (No runs after that the first three batters he faced.)

In and Out of Trouble

Jason Dickson broke into the majors with the (then) California Angels on August 21, 1996, He started against the Yankees in New York) and the first batter he faced was SS Derek Jeter, who popped a home run to left.  Despite that beginning, Dickson was around into the seventh pitching  in and out of trouble.  In 6 1/3 innings, he gave up ten hits and two walks, but only that lone first-inning run. Dickson left the game with a 2-1 lead and got the win as the Angels prevailed 7-1.

Dickson pitched in four MLB seasons (1996-98, 200) and went 26-25, 4.99. He was an All Star in 1997,  when he went 13-9, 4.29.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; Bobby Coombs Obituary, Berkshire Eagle, October 23, 1991 .

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Yesterday (August 4, 2023), the Toronto Blue Jays’ 24-year-old rookie 2B Davis Schneider, became the 138th major-leaguer to hit a home run in his very first MLB at bat.  Note:  I expect this list to expand as Negro Leagues’ records from 1920-48 are further documented and incorporated into the MLB record books.  The 138 include 79 National Leaguers, 57 American Leaguers and two from the old American Association. 

Schneider’s call up from the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons followed a recent injury to Blue Jays’ SS Bo Bichette. The Blue Jays – in a tight AL-East battle for a playoff spot –  responded by trading for  Cardinals’ SS Paul DeJong, as well as adding Schneider (who can play 2B, 3B and LF), who appears ready to add some offense in Bichette’s absence. Schneider was hitting .275-21-64 in 87 games at Buffalo. He also drew 72 walks – for a .416 on-base percentage. Schneider was a 28th Round pick (number 894 overall) in the  2017 MLB draft (out of Eastern High School, Voorhees, NJ). The versatile defender has steadily worked his way up the Jays’ minor-league system and, as he matured, has shown surprising power for a 5’9″, 190-pounder.

In that August 4 game – Jays versus Red Sox in Boston – Schneider got his first MLB at bat with one out in the second inning and the Blue Jays up 2-0. He drove  a 1-1 pitch from southpaw Jame Paxton high into the seats above the left field green monster.  Davis went on to line out to CF (off Paxton) in the third inning; strikeout in the fifth (Paxton); single in the seventh (Mauricio Liovera); and foul out in the ninth (Richard Bleier). The Blue Jays won the game 7-3.

Now, how about some more first-at bat homer tidbits.

Start a Season and a Career with a Bang – Change Sides and Repeat

On April 19, 1938, the Dodgers opened the season against the Phillies in Philadelphia.  Yes, that’s right, Opening Day on April 19 (How the times have changed).   That day a couple of rookies showed they truly knew how to “get a party started” – hitting home runs in their first MLB at bats on Opening Day.

Batting third for Brooklyn was 28-year-old rookie left fielder Ernie Koy. In his first-ever MLB at bat, he took Phillies’ starter Wayne LaMaster deep to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.  Leading off for Philadelphia in the bottom of the inning was 25-year-old rookie second baseman Heinie Mueller.  In his first MLB at bat, Mueller homered off Dodgers’ starter Van Lingle Mungo to tie the game.  It was the first time in MLB history that two players homered in their first MLB at bat in the same game – a feat that would not be matched for nearly 80 years (2016).

The Dodgers, by the way, won 12-5; with Koy going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Mueller went 2-for-3, with two walks, three runs scored and one RBI. In that rookie season, Koy hit .299, with a career-high 11 home runs.  He played six MLB seasons (558 games) and put up a .279-36-260 line. Mueller finished 1938 with a .250-4-34 stat line and went .253-17-127 in four MLB seasons.

How About Starting Back-to-Back, Jack(s)?

Aaron Judge. Photo by Keith Allison

Tyler Austin. Photo by slgckgc

On August 13, 2016, MLB saw two players homer in their first MLB at bat in the same game for just the second time. This time, they were on the same team – and accomplished the feat back-to-back. It came in the bottom of the second inning, with the Yankees facing the Rays. With two outs and the bases empty, Yankee rookie 1B Tyler Austin took Rays’ starter Matt Andriese deep to right field to give the Bronx Bombers a 1-0 lead.  Rookie RF Aaron Judge immediately followed up with a home run of his own (also in his first MLB at bat); this one to straight-away center.  Austin ended the season with five home runs in 31 games, while Judge got in just 17 games and hit just .179 with four home runs.  Note: By virtue of that limited playing time, Judge kept his rookie status for 2017 – when he went .284-52-114, setting a new MLB rookie record for home runs (since broken) and leading the AL in runs scored (128), home runs, walks (127) and whiffs (208), while winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award. 

Here are a few other first-at bat home run factoids.

• Thirty players hit a home run on the very first MLB pitch they ever saw.

For a deep dive into those first-pitch-ever homers, click here. 

• Just four players have hit a Grand Slam home run in their first MLB at bat: Bill Duggleby, Phillies, April 21, 1898; Jeremy Hermida, Marlins, August 31, 2005; Kevin Kouzmanoff, Indians, September 2, 2006; and Danial Nava, Red Sox, June 12, 2010. Notably, Kouzmanoff and Nava put a little icing on the cake, hitting their Grand Slams on the first MLB pitch they ever saw.
• Twenty pitchers, including the first player to hit a Grand Slam in his first at bat, homered in their first-ever MLB at bat.

• Only two players have homered in their first two at bats: Bob Nieman, Browns, 1952 and Keith McDonald, Cardinals, July 4, 2000. Note: McDonald collected just three base hits in his MLB career – and they were all home runs.  For that story, click here.

A COUPLE OF BOOKENDS

Only two players have gone deep in their first and last MLB at bats, Paul Gillespie and John Miller.

Gillespie hit his first-at bat homer for the Cubs on September 11, 1942 and his last-at bat homer for for the Cubs on September 30, 1945.  In three MLB seasons, he hit .283, with six home runs and 25 RBI (in 75 games).

Miller Hit his first-at bat homer (for the Yankees) on September 11, 1966 and his last-at bat long ball for the Dodgers on September 23, 1969,  He played in 32 MLB games and those were his only MLB homers (.164-2-3). For more on Miller, click here. 

• The first recorded/documented instances of a player homering in their first MLB at bat came on (American Association) Opening Day (April 16) in 1887 – Orioles’ OF Mike Griffin and Red Stockings’ OF George Tebeau (in separate games).
• Twenty-three of the players to homer in their first MLB at bat ever have only one MLB home run on their resumes (three are still active).

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

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It seemed appropriate to celebrate my (76^th) birthday (August 4) with a blog post. So, I looked for some kind of theme from baseball events that took place on August 4 in years past – at least as a starting point.  As regular readers know, when The Roundtable starts looking into an event or topic “one thing always seem to lead to another.”

At any rate, the most unique baseball event to take place on August 4 relates to travel and trades. So, that was my starting point.

What’s That Starting Time Again?

On August 4, 1982, outfielder Joel Youngblood made MLB history by becoming the only player to collect a base hit for two different major-league teams in two different cities – on the same day.

Youngblood started the day with the Mets, playing an afternoon game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Youngblood opened the game in center field, batting third in the order.  After striking out in the first inning, Youngblood drove in two runs with a single in the top of the third.

Youngblood was then replaced in centerfield by Mookie Wilson in the bottom of the fourth – and was told by Mets’ manager George Bamberger that he had been traded to the Expos (for a player to be named later), who were scheduled to play the Phillies in Philadelphia that night.

Youngblood immediately set out to join his own team – catching a 6:05 flight to Philadelphia – eventually arriving at Veterans Stadium with the game in progress. To his surprise, there was an Expos uniform, with his name already sewn on the back, waiting for him.  And, the Expos wasted no time getting their newest player into the game. Manager Jim Fanning sent Youngblood into right field and the number-two spot in the batting order (replacing Jerry White) in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Youngblood singled in his first Expos’ at bat.

Two hits, for two different teams in two different cities in one day – an historic accomplishment.  Youngblood’s day was even more amazing when you consider the pitchers he touched for his two safeties. In Chicago, it was future Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins, while in Philadelphia, it was future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton. So, base hits for two different teams, in two different cities, off two future Hall of Famers in one day.

Youngblood played in 14 MLB seasons (1976-89 … Reds, Cardinals, Mets, Expos, Giants). He was also a true utility player, making 100 or more MLB appearances at second base, third base, left field, center field and right field – as well as 402 pinch-hitting appearances. His final stat line, in 1,408 games, was .265-80-422.

He made one All Star team (in the strike-shortened 1981 season, when he hit .350 in 43 games for the Mets).  He best season was 1983, when he hit .292, with 17 homers and 53 RBI in 124 games (at four positions) for the San Francisco Giants.  Youngblood was an All Star in the strike-shortened 1981 season, when he went .350-4-25 for the Mets.

Just Point Me Toward The Mound.  I’ll Find It.

In another travel/trade-related August 4 event, when southpaw Jaime Garcia started on the mound for the Yankees (in Cleveland) on August 4, 2017, he became the first pitcher in the modern era to make a series of three consecutive pitching starts – each one for a different MLB team (and he did it in a span of 15 days).

• On July 21, Garcia, who opened the season with Braves, started for Atlanta (at Los Angeles) and went seven innings in a 12-3 Braves’ victory.
• On July 24, Garcia was traded to the Twins.
• On July 28, Garcia started for the Twins at Oakland) and went 6 2/3 innings in a 6-3 victory.
• On July 30, the Twins traded Garcia to the Yankees.
• On August 4, Garcia started for the Yankees (at Cleveland) and went 3 2/3 frames in a 7-2 loss.

Overall, Garcia was 5-10, 4.41 in 27 games (all starts) in 2017. He played 10 MLB seasons (2008, 2010-18 … Cardinals, Braves, Twins, Yankees, Blue Jays, Cubs).  His final stat line was 70-62, 3.85 and his best season was 2010, when he went 13-8, 2.70 for the Cardinals.

Side note: In 1895, Gus Weyhing was on the mound for the Phillies, Pirates and Louisville Colonels in consecutive  starts.  Of interest to me, was that prior to that well-traveled 1895 season, Weyhing had an MLB record of 216-154, 3. 55 with 242 complete games in eight seasons – averaging and apparently arm-draining 407 innings pitched per campaign. From 1895 through his retirement  in 1901, he went 48-78, 4.90 with 107 complete games.

Now, for the one thing leads to another portion of our programming.

Five Tams in One Campaign

Oliver Drake with the Rays. Photo: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2018, 32-year-old right-hander Oliver Drake set a major-league mark by playing for five MLB teams in a single season.

Drake began the season with the Brewers (where he finished the previous campaign).  After going 1-0, 6.39 in eleven appearances, he was designated for assignment on May 2 and, on May 5, purchased from the Brewers by the Indians.

He was with the Tribe until the final week in May – going 0-0,with a 12.46 ERA in just four appearances – before again being designated for assignment.

May 31, he was selected off waivers by the Angels. Sixteen days (and 0-1, 10.13 record) later, he was again designated for assignment.  He went unclaimed and reported to the Angels’ Salt Lake City Triple-A affiliate – where he was pretty much lights out.  That earned him a trip back to Anaheim, where he added four more appearances, with an 0-0, 3.00 record – and was again designated for assignment.

He was picked up (off waivers) by the Blue Jays on July 26 and was there for just two appearances (giving up three runs in 1 2/3 innings) before again being designated for assignment.

On August 3, he was selected off waivers by the Twins – his fifth MLB team of the season – where he found a bit more success and stability. Pitching for his fifth MLB team of the year, Drake finished the season with Minnesota, getting in 19 games and posting a 2.21 earned run average and  fanning 22 batters in in 20 1/3 innings pitched. What did that get him?  In the off-season, he was again designated for assignment.

Drake finished the 2018 season with an 1-1 record, a 5.29 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings.  Drake pitched in six MLB seasons (2015-20 … Orioles, Brewers, Indians, Twins, Angels, Blue Jays, Rays). Over those six campaigns, he went  10-10, 4.27, with five saves in 196 appearances.

Changing Clubhouses in Mid-Doubleheader

And, finally, Joel Youngblood does not stand alone in playing for two teams in a single day. On May 30, 1922, the Cubs and Cardinals made a trade that made MLB history. The two squads were facing off (in Chicago) in a Memorial Day doubleheader. Remember those?

The Cubs won Game One 4-2 – and batting fifth in their lineup (collecting one RBI, despite going 0-for-4) was RF Max Flack.  The CF for the Cardinals that game (batting seventh) was Cliff Heathcote – who went 0-for-3. Flack was in his ninth season for the Cubs, while Heathcote was in his fifth season for the Cardinals.

In between Games of the twin bill, Flack and Heathcote were traded for each other. The two outfielders each crossed over to their new team’s clubhouse and  suited up against their previous team for Game Two – becoming the first two players to take the field for two major-league teams in a single day.  Both collected hits for their new teams in the second game (Flack a single in four at bats, Heathcote a pair of singles in four trips to the plate).

Flack played in 12 MLB seasons (1914-25 … Chicago Chi Feds of the Federal League, Cubs, Cardinals) and went .278-35-391 in 1,411 games. Heathcote played in 15 MLB seasons (1918-32 … Cardinals, Cubs, Reds, Phillies), going .275-42-448 in 1,415 games.

The trade, by the way, seem to be a positive for both teams and both players. Prior to the exchange, Flack was hitting .222-0-6 in 17 games for  the Cubs,  Post-trade, he hit .292-2-21 in 66 games for the Cardinals. Heathcote was hitting .245 (in 34 games) for the Cardinals. After the trade, he went .280-1-34 in 76 games for the Cubs

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

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