Photo by DandreaPhotography

Yesterday (September 17, 2018), Brewers’ left fielder Christian Yelich hit for the cycle (single, double, triple, home run in the same game), as the brew crew topped the Reds’ 8-0 in Milwaukee. It was his second cycle of the 2018 season – and both came against the Reds. (The first cycle was on August 29 at the Great American Ball Park.) In yesterday’s contest, Yelich went four-for-four, with one run scored and four RBI.) He singled in the first inning, doubled in the third, hit a home run (with one on) in the fifth and got the most-often elusive triple in the sixth.

Two cycles in a season is a rare accomplishment indeed. In fact, Yelich is only the fifth major leaguer to accomplish that feat.  The others are:

• Aaron Hill (Diamondbacks, 2012);
• Babe Herman (Dodgers 1931);
• Tip O’Neill (St. Louis Browns, American Association 1887): and
• John Reilly (Cincinnati Red Stockings, American Association, 1883).

Here are a few other cycle tidbits that yo may find of interest.

The Yellow Jersey of Cycles

On June 18, 2000, the Rockies’ Mike Lansing completed the cycle in just four innings – making his the quickest cycle in MLB history – and earning him the “yellow jersey” of baseball cyclists.  Notably, Lansing was consistently behind in the counts and three of his four hits came with two strikes.

Lansing, hitting second in the order, hit an RBI triple to right in the first inning (getting the most difficult leg of the cycle out of the way ) on a 1-2 pitch, added a two-run home run (0-1 pitch) in the bottom of the second, hit a two-run double (2-2 pitch) in the bottom of the third (as the Rockies scored nine times to take a 14-1 lead), and then completed the cycle with a single (another 1-2 offering) to right in the fourth. Lansing then struck out in the sixth, before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

Quickest Cycle Ever … A Career Perspective

Minnesota Twins’ outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th MLB game (September 18, 1980 against the Brewers) – the earliest in an MLB career anyone has ever accomplished the feat.

Triple Your Pleasure – Triple Your Fun

Four players have hit for the cycle a record three times: Adrian Beltre (Mariners-2008, Rangers-2012 and 2015); Bob Meusel (Yankees-1921, 1922 and 1928); Babe Herman (Brooklyn Robins-1931 twice and Cubs-1933); John Reilly (Red Stockings-1883 twice and Reds 1890).

Gotta Love the Texas – and More of “We Track Pretty Much Everything in Baseball”

Adrian Beltre’s record-tying three cycles – although hit for two different teams – all took place at the Texas Rangers’ home park (Globe Life Park in Arlington).  He cycled there twice for the hometown Rangers and once for the visiting Mariners, making him the only player to hit for the cycle in the same stadium for two different teams.

Shortest Time Between Cycles

John Reilly (Reds) and Tip O‘Neill (St. Louis Brown Stockings, American Association) had the shortest time between cycles at just seven days. Reilly’s came on September 12 and September 19, 1883. O’Neill’s came on April 30 and May 7, 1887.

It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night

The Expos’ Tim Foli is the only player to start a cycle one day and complete it the next. On April 21, 1976, Foli collected a single, double and triple in a contest against the Cubbies that was suspended (pre-Wrigley lights) in the top of the seventh due to darkness. When play resumed the following day, Foli added an eighth-inning home run. (The Expos prevailed 12-6.)

Patience is a Virtue

The longest time between cycles for a player with multiple cycles goes to the Royals’ George Brett (May 28, 1979 and July 25, 1990) at 11-years-58 days.

Something Old … Someting New

The youngest MLB player ever to hit for the cycle is the NY Giants’ Mel Ott (age 20, cycle on May 16, 1929).

The oldest player to hit for the cycle is The Angels’ Dave Winfield (age 39, cycle on June 24, 1991).

Like Father … Like Son

When Twins outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th MLB game (September 18, 1980), he not only recorded the earliest (in terms of MLB games played) cycle ever, he also set the stage for an event that would add to the “rare and unique” nature of his cycle nearly a quarter-century later.   On May 26, 2004, Ward’s son Daryle Ward – playing 1B and batting third for the Pirates as they took on the Cardinals in St. Louis – also hit for the cycle. Gary and Daryle Ward are the only father-son combination (to date) to hit for the cycle.

Sharing the Wealth

Three players have hit for the cycle in both the NL and AL: Bob Watson (NL Astros-1977 and AL Red Sox-1979); John Olerud (NL Mets-1997 and AL Mariners-2001); Michael Cuddyer (AL Twins-2009 and NL Rockies-2014).

Qoute the Raven, “Nevermore”

The Marlins are the only MLB team to never have a batter record a cycle.

A Most Unique Way to Record A Cycle

Photo: Library of Congress

 

The Yankees’ 1B Lou Gehrig (kind of) earned a cycle by being tossed out at the plate.  On June 25, 1934, as New York topped Chicago 13-2  at Yankee Stadium, Gehrig hit two-run home run in the first inning; a  single in the third; and a double in the sixth. Gehrig came up needing just the triple for the cycle in the seventh and hit a smash to deep center (scoring Yankees’ CF Ben Chapman). Gehrig wasn’t satisfied with a three-bagger and was thrown out at home (8-6-2) trying for an inside-the-park home run – thus getting credit for the triple he needed for a cycle.

It Skips A Generation

Pirates’ RF Gus Bell and Phillies’ 3B David Bell are the only grandfather-grandson combination to hit for the cycle (June 4, 1951 and June 28, 2004, respectively).

The Home Run Cycle

Only once in professional baseball has a player hit for the “Home Run Cycle” – solo, two-run, three-run and GrandSlam homers in the same game.  Read that story here.

Primary Resources: Society for American Baseball Research; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Follow/Like Baseball Roundtyable’s Facebook page here.

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

How does a pitcher of, at best, minimal skills, who made his professional debut at age 30, appeared in only two games (two innings) and never recorded an MLB win earn the nickname “Victory?”

Charles “Victory” Faust – who had the “good fortune” to pitch for a pennant winner.

Well, it helps if your middle name is “Victor.” It also helps if you believe in fortune tellers, are slightly “off balance” and can find a manager and team that can be convinced you are a good luck charm that can bring them a successful trip to the World Series.  All those forces came  together to create a “perfect storm” in the short, zany and improbable life and major league “career”  of Charles ”Victory” Faust.

Side note:  BBRT has often talked about how, when looking into baseball “tidbits,” one thing can often lead to another – and another – and another. In this case, research BBRT was putting together a post on a unique connection between two players who were hit by a pitch (in their first – and for one only – plate appearance) fifty years apart led BBRT to a look at a third player who also was clipped by a pitch in his first (and only) MLB plate appearance. For a look at the post that led to this article, click here.  Anyway, that’s the roundabout way I got to this post about Charles “Victory” Faust.   

 As I prepared this post, it became clear that record-keeping (and even “eye-witnessing”) were not exact sciences among ballplayers in the early 1900s.  I worked to distinguish between myth and reality as I looked into the life of Charles Faust, but can’t guarantee a bit of myth may have slipped by.  Still, even when you discount likely myth, there is plenty of magic in this Faust-ian tale.

Charles Victor Faust – an awkward and somewhat slow fellow in many ways – grew up on a Kansas farm and did not appear to have an overly bright future. That is, not until the spring of 1911, when he availed himself of a country fair fortune teller – who told him (among other things) that he was destined to marry a California woman named Lulu and pitch the New York Giants to a World Series championship.  The 30-year-old Faust – apparently with child-like enthusiasm, intellect and trust – took the predictions to heart.  Despite his total inexperience as a pitcher, Faust’s focus in life became finding a way to convince Giants’ Manager John McGraw to enable him to pursue his destiny.

In late July, Faust traveled to Saint Louis, where the Giants were facing the Cardinals.  Now, there are a couple of versions of what took place in Saint Louis.  One says that Faust approached McGraw at the team’s hotel and related the fortune teller’s prediction, promising that he would fulfill his destiny and pitch the Giants to the World Championship.  The other is that Faust bought a ticket to the Giants/Cardinals game and, during pre-game warm-ups, simply stepped out onto the field and approached McGraw.

In either case, Faust – who may have seemed a bit odd to McGraw, but was certainly sincere enough – got his tryout with during that day’s pre-game warmups. (The tendency of baseball players and managers of the time toward superstition may have swayed McGraw to want to explore the efficacy of the fortune-teller first-hand; or Faust’s tryout may have been just a whim intended to break up the day’s routine.)

How talented was Faust?  Well, after a few pitches from Faust (who was still in his street clothes), McGraw ditched his glove and caught his offerings barehanded (most likely to embarrass and discourage the eager, but inadequate, hurler).

“His windup was like a windmill. Both arms went around in circles for quite a while before Charlie finally let go of the ball. Well, regardless of the sign that McGraw would give, the ball would come up just the same. There was no difference in his pitches whatsoever. And there was no speed – probably enough to break a plane of glass, but that was about all.”

NY Giants’ CF Fred Snodgrass, describing Charlie Faust’s tryout deliveries in Lawrence S. Ritters’s book “The Glory of Their Times – The Story of the Early Days of Baseball told by the Men Who Played it.”

When McGraw’s bare-handed catching didn’t diminish Faust’s confidence, the manager tried another tack.  He told Faust to take a few batting practice swings. Faust swung and missed a few lollipop offerings, before finally making weak contact. With that contact, McGraw urged Faust to run around the bases – sliding into each one, tattering his Sunday-best clothes, picking up a few scrapes, but (apparently) not bruising his ego or dampening his conviction.

Well, as one might expect, McGraw send the Faust on his way without a contract. The Giants, however, won big that day and when the still undaunted Faust showed up at the park the next day, the players reportedly put him in a spare uniform and sent him on out for another pre-game exhibition of his “skills” (most likely for their own amusement). The ensuing laughter did not embarrass the affable Faust. Rather he liked the attention and felt he had made a step forward in his quest.  That day, with Faust as the pre-game show, the Giants again topped the Cardinals and the following day, they enjoyed a repeat performance from Faust and another victory.  A pattern was developing.

The next day, as the team left Saint Louis, the fun (at least for McGraw) was over and the team unceremoniously ditched the gullible Faust at the railroad station.  Two similar stories are reported here, both have the team sending him back to the team’s hotel on a fool’s errand – to retrieve either his contract or his train ticket. (Neither, of course, existed.  The Giants, without Faust as a good luck charm, lost four of the next six games and were again seeming more like a third- or fourth-place squad than a pennant contender.

When the team returned home to New York, who should be waiting for them but Faust, as enthusiastic as ever about his role as the key to the Giants’ championship.   The ballplayers – and McGraw – again, being a generally superstitious bunch, were receptive to Faust rejoining the squad.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Faust stayed with the team and became a popular source of pregame entertainment for fans.  He would warm up, take batting practice, shag flies and run the bases – at which times his awkward, but energetic, displays would delight the fans (and sports reporters).  Even opposing players would get into the act, sometime hitting against Faust in their own batting practices and “striking out” against his  soft tosses. There was some less than good natured laughter, but Faust did not seem to notice; relishing his spot on the squad and warming up in the bullpen nearly every game – so he would be ready when he was needed on the mound. (The story goes that when the Giants would fall behind, McGraw would have Faust warmup in the bullpen – and, inevitably, the Giants would rally.)  Faust was fast-becoming the toast of the town.

The definitive look at the improbable MLB career of Charles “Victory” Faust.

Faust, indeed, also proved a good luck charm for the New York squad – some speculated just by keeping the team happy and “loose.”  One thing is clear, his conviction that he and the Giants were headed for greatness was unshakeable – and perhaps contagious. As Gabriel Schechter author of the book “Victory Faust – The Rube Who Save McGraw’s Giants” reports, as the season went on, the team went 36-2 when Faust was with them and just 3-7 when he wasn’t. (A bit of explanation on at least some those absences: Faust became so popular in New York that he was offered a job on vaudeville, telling stories, duplicating his windup and imitating the stars of the game. In his first three days in show business, the Giants went without a win, and Faust returned to his team and what he saw as his true destiny.)  

Still Faust was not satisfied and kept badgering McGraw to give him a chance to toe the rubber in a game.

On October 5, the Giants clinched the pennant, but they still had a week’s worth of meaningless games until the fortune teller-predicted and Faust-promised World Series.  And, Faust was still driven to appear on the mound.  He had not – as predicted – “pitched” the Giants to success.  He was about to get his wish.

On October 7, McGraw relented to Faust’s consistent badgering and brought him in to pitch the ninth inning of a game in which the Giants trailed the Boston Rustlers (Braves) 4-2.  Faust, throwing fat pitches out of his exaggerated windmill-style  windup actually managed to get out of the inning giving up just one run on one-hit (a double) and a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Giants made the final out with Faust on deck. But Faust, still showing his unbridled (perhaps slightly off-kilter) enthusiasm took his place in the batters’ box and refused to leave the field.  And then a strange thing happened.  The Boston players “played” along, stayed on the field and pitched to Faust. When he tapped a ball to the infield, the Boston players mishandled each throw and tag attempt until finally retiring a clumsily sliding (but surely smiling) Faust about ten feet from home plate.  Although the at bat didn’t count, Faust had made his (and the fortune-teller’s) dream come true – he had pitched in a major league game.  But he wasn’t done yet.

On October 12, in the final inning of the Giants’ final regular season game, with New York trailing the Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers) 5-1, Faust pitched again – notching a scoreless frame.  This time, he came to the plate when it counted  And, like their Boston counterparts, the Brooklyn squad played along. Apparently believing there was little chance the awkward Faust could be counted on to hit the ball, Brooklyn pitcher Eddie Dent “dented” Faust with a pitch. Faust then, being largely ignored (or, perhaps, even encouraged) by the Brooklyn team, stole second and third base before scoring on a groundout.  Quite an end to the season, and the World Series was ahead.  It was also quite the end to Faust’s major league career.

Despite Faust’s presence, the Giants lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics four games to two – and McGraw seemed to lose interest in the New York’s good luck charm.

The Giants did not invite Faust back in 1912 – but, no surprise, he showed up anyway.  And, in a tribute to persistence, was again allowed to provide pre-game hijinks at the Polo Grounds (the team declined to pay his travel expenses for away games that season).  Although the Giants (who would have expected otherwise) got off to a 54-11 start, McGraw had tired of Faust’s continued badgering about the opportunity to take the mound – and Faust was convinced to leave the team in mid-season.

The Giants won more than 80 percent of the games they played while Faust was with the team.

Faust moved back to Kansas, then California (perhaps, looking for Lulu) and eventually to Seattle (near one of his brothers) still insisting he would make it back to help the Giants win another pennant. It was not meant to be.  In December of 1914, Faust was committed to an Oregon mental hospital, where he was diagnosed with dementia and (after several weeks of treatment) released in his brother’s care.  Faust died June 18, 1915 (at age 34) of tuberculosis.  Often described a “delusional,” the fact is Charles “Victory” Faust made it to the big leagues and did earn a pair of turns on the mound for a pennant winning club.  In doing so, he carved a spot for himself as one of the more memorable characters in baseball history – and realized a dream that lives in most baseball fans’ hearts.

In 1915, the year Charles “Victory” Faust passed away, the New York Giants finished last in the National League – their first last-place finish since 1900. It would, in fact, be their only last place finish between 1900 and 1943.

Charles “Victory’ Faust – MLB Record

Pitching:

Games … 2.  W-L … 0-0.  Innings pitched … 2.  Hits … 2. Earned runs … 1. ERA … 4.50.

Hitting

Plate appearances … 1.  At Bats … 0.  Hits … 0.  Walks … o.  Hit By Pitch … 1. Stolen bases … 2. Runs scored … 1.  RBI … 0.

A final note:  You can probably file this one under #HowTheGameHasChanged.  There will never be another player like Charles “Victory” Faust.

Primary Resources;  Charlie Faust – Society for American Baseball Research Biography, by Gabriel Schechter; Searching for Victory – The Story of Charles Victor(y) Faust, by Thomas S, Busch, Society for American Baseball Research, Research Journals Archives; Baseball-Reference.com; The Glory of Their Times, by Lawrence S. Ritter, McMillian and Company (1966).

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

The box score – a thing of beauty.

Consistent with Baseball Roundtable’s reputation as being at least a bit “old school” (Hey, I’m 71, cut me a little slack), I start each day with the scent of hot coffee and newsprint.  Yes, each day during the baseball season, I start my morning with the newspaper box scores.  I look not only to see the standings and who turned in the best pitching or hitting performances, but also any anomalies that grab my attention (and demand further research).  For example, if you look at the box score for the 1968 MLB All Star Game (That was, of course, known as “The Year of the Pitcher.”), you will see that not a single run batted in was recorded.  (More on that in a bit, but let’s look at something more current, a box score item from yesterday that caught my eye.)

Yesterday, September 3, the Brewers topped the Cubs 4-3 with a bottom-of-the-ninth run that scored in an inning in which there were no base hits and no fielder’s errors.   The baseball, in fact, never left the infield. BBRT classifies this inning as one of those “Glad It Happened on the Road” frames.  Had it happened in Chicago, I would have put it in the “You Just Can’t Un-See That” category.

Steve Cishek     Photo by THE Laura Smith

Here’s how it went.  The Brewers had tied it up in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded walk (Carl Edwards pitching to Brewers’ pinch hitter Mike Moustakas.) Edwards had sandwiched two singles and two walks around a pair of strikeouts and Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon had seen enough.  He went to the pen for right-hander Steve Cishek and Brewers’ manager Craig Counsell countered with left-handed pinch hitter Travis Shaw. (It was, by the way, Cishek’s line in the box score that caught my eye. He got the loss, gave up an earned run – but allowed no hits. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.)  It seemed like a pretty solid move. On the season, Cishek had appeared in 65 games, going 4-2 (three saves) with a 1.90 earned run average and 69 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings pitched. The move worked out well in the eighth. Cishek went to 2-0 on Shaw and then ended the inning (and the bases-loaded jam) on a groundball back to the mound.

Now, we go to the bottom of the ninth – the inning most responsible for the box score line that got BBRT’s attention. Cishek opened the inning with a four-pitch walk to the number-seven hitter, Eric Kratz. On his fifth pitch, he hit Brewers’ shortstop Orlando Arcia. Cishek then settled down and fanned LF Curtis Granderson – with both runners moving up on a passed ball (on the fourth pitch of the six-pitch at bat). The next hitter was CF and leadoff man Lorenzo Cain and Cishek again lost the plate – hitting Cain with a 2-0 pitch.  So, at this point, the ninth inning had seen Cishek throw 14 pitches (just three strikes, all to Granderson) – loading the bases with one out, without a single ball leaving the infield.

Christian Yelich’s round out plated the winning run.      Photo by DandreaPhotography

Maddon then brought in Jesse Chavez to face one of the hottest hitters in baseball, Brewers RF Christian Yelich.  Chavez got ahead in the count (1-2) and induced a grounder to third baseman Kris Bryant.  Bryant stepped on third for the force, but Yelich beat the throw to first and the winning run scored on the fielder’s choice – and the ball had still not left the infield. Cishek’s total “day?”  Two-thirds of an inning pitched, 17 pitches (four strikes), one earned run, zero hits, one walk, two hit batsman.

In that September 3 Cubs/Brewers game, Steve Cishek realized the satisfaction of pitching out of someone else’s bases-loaded jam in the eighth and the disappointment of creating his own sacks-juiced jam in the ninth.

So, anyway, that’s the story behind a box score anomaly that caught BBRT’s eye this morning.

____________________________________________________

The 1968 MLB All Star Game – The One Without an RBI

Now, back to that 1968 All Star Game.  It was, indeed, The Year of the Pitcher. Denny McLain went 31-6, Bob Gibson put up an MLB-best 1.12 earned run average (seven qualifying pitchers were under 2.00), Juan Marichal tossed 30 complete games, Bob Gibson threw 13 complete-game shutouts, the AL had only one qualifying .300 hitter (Carl Yastrzemski won the batting title at .301), and the Most  Valuable Player Award went to a pitcher in both leagues (Denny McLain in the AL and Bob Gibson in the NL). How dominant were the pitchers? Before the opening of the 1969 season, the pitchers’ mound was lowered from 15 inches to ten inches and the strike zone was shrunk to the distance  between the batter’s armpits and his knees (from the distance between the batter’s shoulders and his knees.)

That season’s All Star Game, played on July 9 at the Astrodome, reflected the pitchers’ dominance over the season – ending 1-0, with a total of just eight hits and (here’s that anomaly) not a single run batted in. The only run (and, ironically, even without an RBI, the run was earned) scored off the American League’s Luis Tiant in the bottom of the first.

Willie Mays scored the only run of the 1968 All Star game – as Willie McCovey hit into a 4-6-3 double play.

It went like this, NL CF Willie Mays started the inning with a single to left.  It appeared that Tiant had Willie picked off first, but the throw went awry and Mays went to second. A wild pitch sent Mays to third – before LF Curt Flood walked. 1B Willie McCovey hit into a 4-6-3 (Rod Carew-Jim Fregosi-Harmon Killebrew) double play, with Mays scoring. (No RBI awarded on a double play.) After a walk to RF Hank Aaron, Tiant got 3B Ron Santo on a short-to-first ground out.  And that was all the scoring for the 1968 All Star contest.  The game featured just eight total hits (four doubles), six walks (all given up by AL pitchers) and 20 strikeouts (nine by AL pitchers, 11 by NL hurlers).

Primary Resource:  Baseball-Reference.com.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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

Okay, I wake up on Labor Day and my Twins are ten games under .500, 14 games behind the Indians in the AL Central and 18 games behind in the Wild Card chase. Not only that: Brian Dozier (his glove and powerful bat) is plying his trade with the Dodgers; Fernando Rodney (his flamboyance, power arm and “bow and arrow” celebration) is now taking the mound for the A’s; and Eduardo Escobar (his steady bat and fielding versatility) is looking good in Arizona. Beyond that, Byron Buxton was last seen in Rochester; Ervin Santana was last seen with recurring injury issues; and Miguel Sano was last seen struggling at the plate. Heck, even Zack Duke and Lance Lynn are gone.  Ouch!

Still, I can find plenty of reasons to celebrate not only Labor Day, but also the final four weeks of the baseball season.  Here a Baker’s Dozen reasons BBRT will continue to watch the national pastime  intensely..

1. The Wild, Wild West(s)

Can’t wait to see who wins the National League West, where we begin Labor Day action just one game separating the Dodgers (75-62); Rockies (74-62); and Diamondbacks (74-63).

I’m also excited about seeing how far the AL West Division Oakland A’s can go. The A’s – who started the season with MLB’s lowest team payroll – came into Labor Day 26-games over .500 (82-56); just 2 ½ game behind the first-place Astros; and with a 5 ½ game cushion in the AL Wild Card race.

2. The Orioles’ Chris Davis

Orioles’ first baseman/DH Chris Davis has a chance to make history – of sorts. As action opened on Labor Day, Davis had the lowest 2018 batting average (among players with enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title) at .177 (75-for-424).

BBRT will be watching to see if he sets a new all-time season low for “qualifiers.” That distinction is now shared by The Brewers’ Rob Deer (1991) and the Braves’ Dan Uggla (2013) at .179 (both went 80-for-448). Deer’s line was .179-25-64, with an AL-Leading 175 strikeouts; while Uggla put up a .179-22-55 season, with 171 whiffs. Chris Davis’ 2018 stat line (as play opens on Labor Day) is .177-16-48, with 171 K’s.

3. J.D. Martinez and the Triple Crown

As play opens today, the Red Sox’ is second in the AL in batting average at .337 (.003 behind teammate Mookie Betts); second in home runs with 39 (one behind the A’s Khris Davis); and first in RBI with 115.  It won’t be easy, but Martinez’ attempt at the Triple Crown is worth watching.

Trivia Tidbit:

In only one season has there been a Triple Crown Winner in both leagues – and, in fact, they played in the same city. In 1933, the Philadelphia Athletics’ Jimmie Foxx won the Triple Crown with a .356-48-163 season.  That same season, the Phillies’ Chuck Klein won the NL Triple Crown with a .368-28-120 campaign.

4. Watching those Whiffs.

As of Labor Day, there were four players on a pace to fan 200 times this season (all in the AL, by the way) – Yoan Moncada, White Sox (189 K’s); Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees (180); Joey Gallo, Rangers (177); and Chris Davis, Orioles (171).  I see this as worth watching for three reasons:

• 2016 is the only season in which MLB has had more than one player with 200 strikeouts (there were two that year, the Brewers’ Chris Carter and Orioles’ Chris Davis.) Note: MLB has seen a total of ten 200-K campaigns.
• If Chris Davis delivers 200 strikeouts, he will tie Mark Reynolds (D-backs) for the most career 200-strikeout campaigns. Reynolds did it in 2008-09-10). Davis racked up 200+ strikeouts in 2015 and 2016.
• Moncada is on a pace for 223 strikeouts this season, which would tie Mark Reynolds for the all-time, single-season high.

5. Strikeout versus Base Hits

We’ve heard a lot about this one – whether strikeouts will, for the first time ever, outpace base hits this season is still in question.  The current count is close – and worth watching – 34,623 strikeouts and 34,833 base hits.

6. The BBRT Trot Index

Okay, I may be the only one watching this.  It’s the baseball Roundtable Trot Index – the percentage of total MLB 2018 plate appearance that end in a trot (to first base on a walk, hit by pitch or catcher’s interference – to the dugout after a strikeout – or around the bases on a home run). At the end of August, 34.6 percent of all plate appearance ended with a no-action (in the field or on the base paths) trot.

7. Edwin Diaz, the Mariners’ Save Machine

Photo by THE Laura Smith

There have been only seventeen 50-save seasons in MLB history – all since 1990 – and Edwin Diaz (the Mariners’ 24-year-old closer) has fifty already this year (making him the youngest player to record a 50-save campaign). Although Francisco Rodriguez’ record of 62 (Angels, 2008) seems out of reach, just seven more saves would tie Diaz with the White Sox’ Bobby Thigpen (57  saves in 1990, the first-ever, 50-save season) for the second-most in a season. I’m hoping he makes a run at Rodriguez.

8. If I Were A Carpenter, I’d Have a Hammer

The Cardinals’ 3B Matt Carpenter went to the park on Labor Day leading the National League with 35 home runs.  Why is that worth watching?  Carpenter is batting leadoff for the Redbirds and, if he wins the home run title, he will be the first leadoff hitter ever to do so.  The Orioles’ leadoff hitter Brady Anderson came close in 1996 – bashing fifty round trippers, missing out on the title (to Mark McGwire) by two long balls.

9. Twenty-Twenty Vision

BBRT will be keeping an eye on Corey Kluber, Luis Severino, Blake Snell, Carlos Carrasco and Max Scherzer – who all have a legitimate chance for twenty victories this season.  We haven’t had five twenty-game winners in a season since 2003 and only had four three times since 2004.

BBRT will also be watching box scores for complete games, since no one has more than two this season (Kluber and Carrasco from the list above) and no team has more than five (Indians).  In fact, ten of the thirty MLB team have yet to record a 2018 complete game.  This could be the first MLB season in which there was not at least one pitcher with four complete games.

Trivia Tidbit:

In 2008, C.C. Sabathia pitched ten complete games – five of them shutouts. Of note is the fact that (thanks to a mid-season trade) Sabathia tied for the league lead in shutouts in both the AL (two for the Cleveland Indians) and the NL (three for the then NL Milwaukee Brewers).

10. A Long Shot at History

Only three times in MLB history has a player led the league in home runs and stolen bases in the same season:  Jimmy Sheckard with nine home runs and 67 steals for the 1903 Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers); Ty Cobb with nine home runs and 76 steals for the 1909 Tigers (Cobb also hit .377 that year, wining the Triple Crown); and Chuck Klein, with 38 home runs and 20 stolen bases for the 1932 Phillies.

Now, it’s a real long shot, but – as of Labor Day – the Indians’ 25-year-old 3B Jose Ramirez was third the AL home run races with 37 (J.D. Martinez of the Red Sox had 39, Khris Davis of the A’s 40) and second in stolen bases with 29 (one behind the Royals’ whit Merrifield and the Mariners Dee Gordon).  Okay, it’s a long shot. But something to root for. It would just take one real hot streak down the stretch.

11. My Braves

I was a Milwaukee native and just six-years-old when the Braves moved there in 1953 – and they still have a place in my heart. After finishing 18-games under .500 in 2017, the Braves looked to be improved and rebuilding.  Yet, here they are, ahead of schedule – 16 games over .500, with a four-game lead in the AL East.   Their chief competition is the Phillies, who finished last in the division and 30 games under .500 in 2017. Can’t wait to see the Braves in the post season. Wouldn’t mind seeing the Phillies there, too.

12. The Stars of Tomorrow – Today

Wow!  There are so many great young (rookie) stars to watch. Here are just a few of the players that fit the bill:

Juan Soto (OF, Nationals), age 19 … .303-16-53 in 92 games.

Ronald Acuna, Jr. (OF, Braves), age 20 … .296-23-50, with 11 steals, in 85 games.

Gleyber Torres (2B, Yankees) age 21 … .282-22-55, with five steals, in 99 games.

Jack Flaherty (RHP, Cardinals), age 22 … 8-6, 2.87, and 149 K in 122 1/3 IP.

Miguel Andujar (3B, Yankees), age 23 … .301-23-76 in 126 games.

Walker Buehler (RHP), Dodgers), age 24 … 6-4, 2.92, and 115 K in 114 IP

Colin Moran (3B, Pirates), age 25 … .280-8-49 in 122 games.

A.J. Minter (LHP, Braves), age 25 … 4-2, 3.06, 12 saves, 86 K in 68 IP.

13. All By Himself

All by himself worth watching – especially now that he’s back on the mound – is 23-year-old Angels’ pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani.  Thus far, he is  .276-15-43, with six steals, on offense and 4-2, 3.31 with 63 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings on the mound.

Of course, let’s not forget – there’s the post-season to take in as well.  But, that’s another story.

For BBRT’s August Wrap Up … the stars, stats and stories of the past month in baseball, click here. 

Primary Resources:  ESPN.com, Baseball-Reference.com

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I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT.

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

There’s nothing like impressing your bosses on your first day on the job – and, when it comes to a performance on a major league ball field, Jason Jennings did just that.  In fact, his MLB debut apprearance prompts me to lead this post off with apair of hashtages … #GreatFirstImpressions and #MoreWhyIHateTheDH. 

On this date (August 23), back in 2001, Colorado Rockies’ 22-year-old rookie right-hander Jason Jennings made his first MLB appearance – a start on the mound against the New York Mets (in New York). Jennings – a 1999 first-round draft pick – did not disappoint. After a slow start (a single and a walk to the first two batters he faced), Jennings settled in.  In that first big-league appearance, he went the distance – tossing a complete-game, five-hit (four walks/eight strikeouts) shutout.

He did alright at the plate, as well, again after a slow start.  The left-handed hitter popped up to third in his first at bat (ending the first inning, when the Rockies gave him a three-run cushion). Then, in the top of the fourth, he singled to left; in the fifth, he grounded to first; in the seventh he stroked an RBI single to center; and he topped of his first game with a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth. His day? Three-for-five, one run scored, two RBI and a home run. That first impression is another of the many reasons why I occasionally use the hashtag  #WhyIHateTheDH.

The Rockies’ Jason Jennings is the only pitcher (post-1900) to toss a shutout and hit a home run in his first MLB start. 

Jennings ended his first MLB campaign 4-1, 4.58 in seven starts and .267-1-2 at the plate.

He continued to deliver on that first impression in 2012, when he went 16-8, 4.52 in 32 starts for the Rockies – and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.  That made him 20-9, 4.53 for his first two MLB seasons. He also improved his results at the plate in 2002, raking at a .306 pace (19-for-68), with four doubles and 11 RBI in 30 games.

Jennings’ run, however, did not continue – as he went on to face some control issues as well as elbow problems. The 2002 season was his final .500 or better campaign and, over his final seven seasons (Rockies, Astros, Rangers), Jennings went 42-65, with a 5.06 earned run average. He did notch five more complete games, two more shutouts and a second home run.  His final stat line for nine seasons? Pitching: 62-74, 4.95. Batting: .207-2-26.

Still, Jennings first (MLB) impression is one that should be remembered.

Jason Jennings, drafted by the Rockies in the first round of the 1999 MLB draft  (16th overall), was a star in both high school and college.  He was All-District in high school (Poteet HS –Mesquite, TX) football as a punter/place-kicker and an outstanding pitcher and hitter in baseball (named District Most Valuable Player as a senior when he hit .410 and went 10-3, 0.92 on the mound). He played baseball at Baylor University from 1997-99 and, in 1999, was named the National College Player of the Year by “Baseball America” and “Collegiate Baseball.”  A three-time All-American, Jennings was elected to the Baylor University Hall of Fame (2009). In his three college seasons, he hit .344 with 39 home runs and went 27-11, 3.56 on the mound.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Major League Baseball a Mile High – The First Quarter Century of the Colorado Rockies (Edited by Bill Nowlin and Pual T. Parker – Copyright 2018, Society for American Baseball Research)

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Like/Follow the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE TRIVIA TEASER

Which three members of the 500-Home Run Club took to the mound during their careers – and which two of those three actually pitched after reaching 500 career long balls?

Here are your Trivia Teaser answers, followed by a bit of detail on each of the players – and some added information on position players who have taken to the major league mound.

The three members of the 500 home run club to also spend time on the mound in their careers are: Babe Ruth (no surprise); Jimmie Foxx; Ted Williams.  The two who actually pitched after reaching the 500-HR mark are: Ruth and Foxx. 

BABE RUTH

Babe Ruth is the unique member of this list, since he started his career as a pitcher.  In fact, 158 of the southpaw’s 163 pitching appearances came in his first six MLB seasons (1914-19) – when he went 89-46, with a 2.19 earned run average, two 20+ win seasons and 105 complete games. During those same six campaigns, Ruth also appeared 169 games as an outfielder, 19 as a first baseman and 52 as a pinch hitter.  He, of course, ended his career as the all-time home run leader (since surpassed) with 714 – and still holds the record for the most seasons leading his league in home runs at 12.

What qualifies Ruth as a position player who took the mound came later.  From 1920 through 1935, The Bambino appeared in 2,112 games – but just five as a pitcher. His final pitching appearance came on the final day of the 1933 season, as his Yankees faced the rival Boston Red Sox (in a game that meant little in the standings, but a Ruth appearance on the mound would put some fans in the seats).  In his only mound appearance of the season, the 38-year-old Ruth went the distance, scattering 12 hits (11 singles) and three walks (five runs) over nine innings in a 6-5 Yankees’ win.  Ruth came into the game with 685 career home runs – the most ever for a pitcher to start (or even appear in) a game. He added one home run during the contest.

JIMMIE FOXX

Jimmie Foxx – a four-time league home run champion – ended his career (1925-1945) with 534 home runs (in 2,503) games and ten pitching appearances.  (Foxx also won three league MVP Awards and the 1933 AL Triple Crown.) Foxx did not make his first mound appearance until August 6, 1939. It pretty much followed the current pattern – a position player in a mop-up role in a game out of hand. Foxx’ Red Sox were down 10-1 to the Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader and manager Joe Cronin may have wanted to save pitching staff arms for Game Two. The 31-year-old Foxx, in his 15^th MLB season pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with one strikeout.  Foxx had 456 career round trippers at the time.  But there would be more home runs and more trips to the mound to follow.

Foxx did not pitch again until 1945, the then 37-year-old’s last MLB season.   The big right-hander – known as “The Beast” for his tremendous power – also had a strong throwing arm and volunteered to help out on the mound whenever needed. He started two games and relieved in seven more that season, going 1-0, with a 1.59 earned run average in 22 1/3 innings. (Control may have been an issue.  He walked 14 and fanned ten.) Foxx made his final career mound appearance on September 17 (two innings of four-hit, one-run relief as his Phillies lost to the Cardinals 7-3). Foxx had 534 career home runs at the time of that final pitching appearance.

TED WILLIAMS

The Splendid Splinter hit 521 long balls in his 19 seasons (1939-60, with three full seasons and parts of two others lost to military service).  His lone pitching appearance came long before Williams approached 500 round trippers.

On August 24, 1940, the then 20-year-old (in his second MLB campaign) took the mound for the final two innings of a 12-1 Red Sox loss to the Tigers. (It was 11-1 when Williams moved from left field to the mound.) He didn’t fare too badly. Two innings pitched, three hits, one earned run and one strikeout.  Williams had 49 career home runs at the time of his lone mound appearance. He joined the 500-Home Run Club in 1960. During his career, Williams won four home run crowns, six batting titles and the AL Triple Crown in 1942 and 1947.

A bit of info on other notable position  players who pitched.

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RECORD NUMBER OF POSITION PLAYERS PITCHING IN 2018

The impetus for the Trivia Teaser (and this post) was the record number of position players appearing as pitchers during the 2018 MLB season. According to Baseball-Reference.com, as of the end of play on Monday (August 20) a record 51 position players had made a record 64 MLB mound appearances this season.  (Actually, the figures from the Baseball-Reference.com page would be slightly higher as they include the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani as a non-pitcher with pitching appearances, while Baseball Roundtable dropped him from the 2018 position-player pitching count.) Side note: To make the Baseball-reference.com list, the player must have at least five times as many games as a position player as he does as a pitcher.

How much more common is it becoming to see a non-pitcher on the mound?  The Baseball-Reference list includes 600 players in baseball history (1871 to present, again not including Ohtani) – and 69 of those players (11.5 percent) were active during this baseball season).

—-MLB Position Players to Pitch in 2018 (Through August 20—-  

If they pitched in more than one game, total mound appearances this season listed in parenthesis.

A’s … Jake Smolinski

Angels … Francisco Arcia

Astros … J.D. Davis

Blue Jays … Kendrys Morales

Braves … Charlie Culberson

Brewers… Hernan Perez (3); Eric Kratz (3); Nick Franklin

Cardinals … Jedd Gyorko; Greg Garcia

Cubs … Victor Caratini (2); Anthony Rizzo; Ian Happ; Tommy La Stella; Chris Gimenez

The only teams to not use a position player on the mound this season are the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees, Pirates and Rockies. 

Diamondbacks … Daniel Descalso (2); Jeff Mathis; Alex Avila

Dodgers … Enrique Hernandez

Giants … Pablo Sandoval; Chase d’Arnaud

Indians … Brandon Guyer

Mets … Jose Reyes

Mariners … Anthony Romine (3); Taylor Motter

Marlins … Bryan Holaday

Nationals … Mark Reynolds

Orioles … Danny Valencia; Ryan Flaherty. Chris Davis

Padres … Corey Spangenberg (2)

Phillies … Pedro Florimon (2); Roman Quinn; Jesmuel Valentin; Scott Kingery

Rangers … Ryan Rua; Carlos Tocci

Rays … Jesus Sucre (2); Daniel Robertson; Carlos Gomez; Johnny Field

Reds … Cliff Pennington; Brandon Dixon; Phil Ervin; Alex Blandino

Royals …  Drew Butera

Twins … Ryan LaMarre; Eduardo Escobar; Mitch Garver; William Astudillo

White Sox … Matt Davidson (3)

The White Sox Matt Davidson has arguably the best record among position players taking the mound in 2018 – three appearances, three innings pitched, one hit, no runs, one walk and two strikeouts

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Society for American Baseball Research.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Like/Follow the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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

The ballet of the double play … a beautiful thing.
Photo by roy.luck

Regular readers of Baseball Roundtable know a few things about this hardball observer.  I like tense, low-scoring games, I prefer action on the base paths and in the field (home runs, strikeouts, walks, HBP and catcher’s interference … all part of the BBRT Trot Index … not so much) and I am enamored of the baseball ballet that is the ground ball double play.

Side note:  When it comes to twin-killings, my favorite is the short – to second – to first variety.  The shortstop makes the stop and flips to the second baseman, who is moving away from first base toward the second base bag. After taking the ball, the second sacker has to reverse momentum and make the pivot to throw back toward first.  That pivot is often a thing of beauty.

Why bring this up in this post?  Yesterday, in topping the Pirates 1-0 in Pittsburgh, the Cubbies turned seven double plays – which, Elias Sports reports, tied the record for a nine-inning game.  This was BBRT’s kind of game. (For those who like the long ball, the only run scored in a home run by Cubs’ LF Kyle Schwarber in the second inning.)  A BBRT takeaway, all those double plays mean that the Cubs pitchers (and fielders … and fans) were continually under stress – and that more than half of the Pirates’ total outs came on double plays. I should also note here, that six of the double plays came on ground balls and one on an infield line drive.  Of some note, the first and last innings for the Pirates ended in the same way, with Pirates’ 3B David Freese –  up with runners on first and second and one out – hitting into a third-to-first double play.

Here’s how the twin killings went:

First inning:  With runners on first and second and one out, Pirates’ David Freese grounds to Cubs’ third baseman Javier Baez, who tags third for the first out and throws across the diamond to first (Anthony Rizzo) to complete the DP.

Second inning: With a runner on first and one out, Pittsburgh 1B Josh Bell hits into a third (Baez) to second (Ben Zobrist) to first (Rizzo) double play. 2B Josh Harrison then grounds out short to first to end the frame.

Third inning: With a runner on first and one down, Pirates’ LF Corey Dickerson hits into a second (Zobrist) to short (Addison Russell) to first (Rizzo) double play.

Sixth inning: With a runner on first and one out, Buccos’ RF Gregory Polanco hits into an inning-ending double play – second (Zobrist) to short (Russell) to first (Rizzo).

Seventh inning: With a runner on first and one out, Josh Bell hits into his second double play of the game – this one from short (Russell) to second (Zobrist) to first (Rizzo).

Eighth inning: With a runner first and one out, Pirates’ pinch hitter Adam Frazier lines out to Cubs’ second baseman Javier Baez (who had moved from third to second to start the inning). Baez doubles the runner (pinch runner Kevin Newman) off first.

Ninth inning: With runners on first and second and one out, Freese grounds into his second third (David Bote, who had come on in the eighth) to first (Rizzo) double play.

The winning pitcher, by the way, was Cole Hamels, who gave up five hits and two walks, while fanning three, in seven scoreless frames. Jesse Chavez got the final two outs for the save, and the Cubs used a total of five pitchers.

How about those other two seven-double play, nine-inning games?

On August 14 1942, the Yankees turned seven double plays in a nine-inning 11-2 pounding of the Athletics in Philadelphia.  

Yankee catcher Bill Dickey initiated two “strike ’em out/throw ’em out” double plays – as the Yankees wrapped up seven twin killings against the Athletics.

The Yankee game was a bit unique in the first two double plays were of the “strike ‘em out – throw ‘em out” variety.  In the first inning, with runners on first and second and no one out, Yankee starter Lefty Gomez fanned Athletics’ 3B Pete Suder, with the base runner on second (CF/leadoff hitter Mike Kreevich) attempting to steal third. Kreevich was gunned down catcher (Bill Dickey) to third (Red Rolfe).  Then in the third frame, with Kreevich on first and one out, Gomez fanned RF Elmer Valo, with Kreevich attempting to take second.  Kreevich was again gunned down, this time Dickey to shortstop (Phil Rizzuto).

The remaining five double players were all of the more traditional groundball variety: 6-4-3 (2); 4-6-3; 5-4-3; and 1-6-3. Side note:  One reason for so many twin killings? Winning pitcher Lefty Gomez, while giving up just two runs, walked seven in six innings – and three of those walking batters were erased as part of double plays.

A flawless, almost magical, double play pivot helped Pirates’ second baseman (and eight-time Gold Glove winner) Bill Mazeroski earn a spot in the baseball Hall of Fame. Mazeroski holds the MLB record for double plays by a second baseman at 1,706. Second on the list is Nellie Fox at 1,619.

On May 4, 1969, the Astros nipped the Giants 3-1 at the Astrodome – despite the fact that Giants’ starter Juan Marichal went the distance and Houston starter Denny Lemaster lasted just 1/3 of an inning.

1B Curt Blefary handled the ball on all seven of the Astros’ May 4, 1969 double plays. He had 13 putouts and an assist in the contest.

Lemaster started strong, striking out Giants RF/leadoff hitter Frank Johnson.  Then things went off the rails: 2B Ron Hunt singled; CF Willie Mays singled; 1B Jack Hiatt walked; C Dick Dietz walked (forcing in a run); and Dooley Womack replaced Lemaster.  Womack induced San Francisco LF Jim Ray Hart to hit  into a short (Denis Menke ) to second (Joe Morgan) to first (Curt Blefary) double play to get out of the inning – and an additional six twin killings later the Astros had a 3-1 victory.

Lots of different players initiated ground ball, double play action in the game (all seven were ground ball double plays). There were two that went 6-4-3 and one each at 5-4-3; 4-6-3; 4-3; 6-3; and 3-6. A total of six Giants hit into double plays during the game: 3B Bobby Etheridge (2); 2B Ron Hunt; RF Frank Johnson; C Dick Dietz; LF Jim Ray Hart; and P Juan Marichal.

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

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Follow/Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page here.

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