Daniel Murphy – “In the zone” in the post season.
Last night (October 20), as the Met’s topped the Cubs 5-2 to take a 3-0 lead in the NLCS, Mets’ second baseman Daniel Murphy batted his way into the record books. Murphy homered into the center field bleachers at Wrigley Field – marking the record-tying fifth straight post-season game in which he has gone yard. Murphy joins Carlos Beltran (Astros, 2004) as the only two players to homer in five straight post-season contests. It was also Murphy’s sixth home run of the 2015 post-season, leaving him just two shy of the MLB single-post-season record – with plenty of games to go. Murphy has touched up such some pretty good pitching in his run – including Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks.. Through his first eight games of the 2015 post season, Murphy is hitting .364, with six home runs, nine runs scored and nine RBI. How surprising are those numbers? In his seven regular seasons at the major league level, Murphy has hit a total of 62 home runs in 903 games, or about one every 14.5 games. (He did, however, hit a career high 14 in 130 games this past season.) If Murphy continues to rake, he has a good chance of reaching the all-time record for home runs in a single post-season of eight – held by Carlos Beltran (Astros, 2004). Barry Bonds (Giants, 2002) and Nelson Cruz (Rangers, 2001).
Special note: The pet goat, denied entrance to Wrigley Field in 1945, and alleged to have been the force behind the “Cubs’ Curse” was named “Murphy.”
Beltran’s eight-homer post-season, at least for BBRT, is the most impressive of the three eight-homer post-seasons. Bonds and Cruz both benefited from post-season runs that went all the way to the World Series, with both Cruz’ and Bonds’ eight long balls coming in 17 games (70 plate appearances for Cruz and 74 for Bonds). Beltran’s Astros made it only as far as the NL Championship Series and he hit his eight homers in 12 games (56 plate appearances, 46 at bats). In those 12 post-season contests, Beltran hit .435, collecting 20 hits, 14 RBI, 21 runs scored (also the record for a single post-season), while tossing in nine walks and six stolen bases. In the 2004 post season, Beltran homered in seven of the 12 games he played (including the previously noted five in a row). In the Astros’ six wins, Beltran went 14-for-23 (.609) with six home runs, 11 RBI and 14 runs scored. In the team’s six losses, Beltran’s line was .261 (6-for-23), with two homers, three RBI and seven runs scored – including an 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in a 4-2 loss to Atlanta in Game Two of the NLDS.
Schwarber also Shoots for the Record Books
While Daniel Murphy was garnering yesterday’s headlines, Cubs’ rookie C/OF Kyle Schwarber homered his way into the post-season record books as well. Schwarber hit his fifth home run of the 2015 post-season – becoming the youngest player (at 22) to homer five times in a single post-season. Schwarber is just one short of the all-time rookie record of six HRs in a single post season (Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay, 2008), but time is running out on the Cubbies.
With Murphy having already earned a spot in the post-season record bools, it seems like a good time to take a look at some of the single post-season marks this year’s crop of playoff participants will be shooting for. As you might expect, most of the records were set after the play offs were expanded to multiple rounds. Current 2015 post-season leaders listed are as of the close of play on October 20.
For BBRT’s past look at World Series’ single-game records, click here. For even more on the World Series’ record book, click here.
SINGLE POST SEASON RECORDS
Batting Average
.727 … Lloyd McClendon (Pirates, 1992); 8-for-11 over five games. The current 2015 post-season leader: the Dodgers’ Justin Turner at .526.
Home Runs
8 … Barry Bonds (Giants, 2002), Carlos Beltran (Astros, 2004), Nelson Cruz (Rangers, 2011) – Bonds and Cruz each hit their eight home runs in 17 games played, while Beltran launched his in 12 games. Current 2015 leader: the Mets’ Daniel Murphy at 6.
RBI
21 … David Freese (Cardinals, 2011) – in 18 games. Current 2015 post-season leaders: Royals’ Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer at 10.
Runs Scored
21 … Carlos Beltran (Astros, 2004) – in 12 games. Current 2015 post-season leaders: Royals’ Ben Zobrist, Mets’ Daniel Murphy and Royals’ Alcides Escobar at 9.
Base Hits
26 … Pablo Sandoval (Giants, 2014) – in 17 games. Current 2015 post-season leader: Royals’ Alcides Escobar at 15.
Total Bases
50 … David Freese (Cardinals, 2011) – in 18 games. Current 2015 post-season leader: Mets’ Daniel Murphy at 31. Note: Freese was the MVP of both the NL Championship Series and the World Series in 2011. In his 18 post season games, he hit .397 (25-for-63) with five home runs, eight doubles and one triple – driving in 21 runs and scoring 12.
Doubles
8 … Albert Pujols and David Freese (both Cardinals, 2011) – in 18 games. Current 2015 post-season leader: Dodgers’ Justin Turner at six.
Triples
4 … Tommy Leach (Pirates, 1903) – in eight games. Note: In an eight-game World Series, Leach went 9-for-33, hitting two triples in game one, one in game four and one in game five. Current 2015 post-season leader: Royals’ Alicides Escobar at two.
Walks
27 … Barry Bonds (Giants, 2002) – in 17 games. Current 2015 post-season leaders: Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista, Astros’ Colby Rasmus and Mets’ David Wright at 7. Note: Bonds was walked in 35 percent of his 2002 post-season plate appearances – and 13 of his 27 free passes were intentional. In his 45 at bats, Bonds hit .356 (16-for-45) with eight home runs and 16 RBI.
Stolen Bases
11 … Rickey Henderson (A’s, 1989) and Kenny Lofton (Indians, 1995). Henderson swiped 11 bags in 9 games, Lofton in 15 contests. Current 2015 post-season leader: Mets’ Curtis Granderson at three.
Strikeouts
26 … Alfonso Soriano (Yankees, 2003) – in 17 games. Current 2015 post season leader: Mets’ Lucas Duda at 13.
Slugging Percentage
1.727 … Lou Gehrig (Yankees, 1928) – in 11 at bats over four games. Note: Gehrig went 6-for-11 with a double and four home runs. Current 2015 post-season leader: Astros’ Colby Rasmus at 1.176.
Derek Jeter – King of the Post-Season Record Book
Derek Jeter – king of the post season.
Derek Jeter (Yankees) sits atop the post-season career record book in nine categories. In fact, with a record 158 post-season games, he has played the equivalent of a regular full season – in the playoffs. Jeter-held career post-season records:
Games Played … 158
At bats … 650
Plate Appearances …. 734
Runs Scored … 111
Hits …. 200
Total Bases … 302
Doubles … 32
Triples … 5 (tie with Rafael Furcal & George Brett
Strikeouts … 135
More post-season career marks are listed after the single post-season pitching records.
Wins
5 … Randy Johnson (2001, Diamondbacks) and Francisco Rodriguez (Angels, 2002). Note: Johnson went 5-1 in five starts and one relief appearance; Rodriguez went 5-1 in 11 relief appearances. Current 2015 post-season leader: Jacob deGrom (Mets) at three.
A Rookie Makes His Mark in the Record Books
Francisco Rodriguez – five post-season wins (tying the single post-season record) before his first regular-season decision.
When twenty-year-old right-hander Franscisco Rodriguez made his major league debut on September 18, 2002, little did he know that he would notch five post-season wins before he garnered his first-ever regular-season win (in fact, before his first regular-season decision of any kind – win, loss or save). Rodriguez pitched in just five regular season games, totaling 5 2/3 innings of work. In that brief stint, he gave up just three hits and two walks, while fanning 13. It was enough to earn him spot on the post-season roster – and he responded with five wins (tying the record for a single post season) against one loss in 11 appearances. He tossed 18 2/3 innings, giving up 10 hits, five walks, and five earned runs, while striking out 28. It was a portent of things to come. Between 2005 and 2008, Rodriguez saved 193 games, leading the AL in saves three of those four seasons and notching an MLB–record 62 saves in 2008. He closed out the 2015 season with 386 saves.
Saves
7 … Six pitchers have notched seven saves in a single post-season – and, no, Mariano Rivera is not one of them. Here they are: John Wetteland (Yankees, 1996); Troy Percival (Angels, 2002); Robb Nen (Giants, 2002); Brad Lidge (Phillies, 2008); Koji Uehara (Red Sox, 2013); Greg Holland (Royals, 2014). Current 2015 post-season leader: Jeurys Familia (Mets) at five.
Winning Percentage
1.000 … Many players have notched a 1.000 winning percentage for a single post season – but only ten achieved at least four victories without a loss: Dave Stewart (A’s, 1989); Jack Morris (Twins, 1991); Livan Hernandez (Marlins, 1997); David Wells (Yankees, 1998); Curt Schilling (D-backs, 2001); Josh Beckett (Red Sox, 2007); Cole Hamels (Phillies, 2008); Cliff Lee (Phillies, 2009); Andy Pettitte (Yankees, 2009); Chris Carpenter (Cardinals, 2011). Current 2015 leader: Jacob deGrom at 3-0; at 2-0 are Matt Harvey (Mets) and Dallas Keuchel (Astros). There are six players at 1-0.
Earned Run Average
0.00 … Christy Mathewson (Giants, 2005) and Waite Hoyt (Yankees, 1921). While there are several pitchers with 20 or more innings pitched and an ERA of zero, Mathewson and Hoyt had the most innings pitched in a single post-season without an earned run at 27. Current 2015 post-season leader (at least ten innings pitched): Jacob deGrom (Mets) at 1.80. Mets’ reliever Jeurys Familia has pitched the most innings without giving up a run this post-season (8 2/3).
Strikeouts
56 … Curt Schilling (D-backs, 2001) – in six starts, 48 1/3 innings pitched. Current 2015 post-season leader: Jake Arrieta at 28, in 19 2.3 innings pitched.
Games Pitched
14 … Paul Assenmacher (Indians, 1997). Current 2015 post-season leaders: Aaron Sanchez (Blue Jays) and Jeurys Familia (Mets) at seven games.
Innings Pitched
52 2/3 … Madison Bumgarner (Giants, 2014) – in six starts and one relief appearance. Current 2015 post-season leader: Jacob deGrom (Met) at 20 IP.
Games Started
6 … Curt Schilling (D-backs, 2001); Chris Carpenter (Cardinals, 2011); Madison Bumgarner (Giants, 2014). Current 2015 post-season leaders, all at three starts: Johnny Cueto (Royals): Jake Arrieta (Cubs); Yordano Ventura (Royals): Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays); and Jacob deGrom (Mets).
Complete Games
5 … Deacon Phillippe (Pirates, 1903) – in five starts (World Series was five-out-of-nine) over eight days. Note: Phillippe went 3-2, 3.07 in the Series. Current 2015 post-season leader: Jake Arrieta (Cubs) at one.
Complete Game Shutouts
3 … Christy Mathewson (Giants, 1905). Current 2015 post-season leader: Jake Arrieta (Cubs) at one.
Those are your single post-season record holders. Now, lets take a look at a few career post-season marks that aren’t held by Derek Jeter.
CAREER POST-SEASON RECORDS
Batting Average
.439 … Bobby Brown (Yankees) – over 17 games in four post seasons.
Home Runs
29 … Manny Ramirez (Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers) – over 111 games in 11 post seasons.
RBI
80 … Bernie Williams (Yankees) – over 121 games in 12 post seasons.
Walks
72 … Manny Ramirez (Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers) and Chipper Jones (Braves) – Ramirez over 121 games in 12 post seasons; Jones over 93 games in 12 post seasons.
Stolen Bases
34 … Kenny Lofton (Indians, Braves, Giants, Cubs, Yankees, Dodgers) – over 95 games in 11 post seasons.
On the mound, the career post-season record holders are:
Wins
Andy Pettitte – a record 19 career post-season wins, a record 44 post-season starts and a record 276 2/3 post-season innings.
19 … Andy Petitte (Yankees, Astros) – over 44 appearances in 14 post seasons. Note: All but one of those victories came with the Yankees.
Losses
16 … Tom Glavine (Braves, Mets) – over 35 appearances in 12 post seasons (versus 14 wins). Note: All but one of the losses came with the Braves. .
Saves
42 … Mariano Rivera (Yankees) – over 96 appearances in 14 post seasons.
Winning Percentage (minimum six decisions)
1.000 (6-0) – Left Gomez (Yankees) – over seven appearances in five post seasons.
Earned Run Average (minimum 30 IP)
0.70 … Mariano Rivera (Yankees) – over 96 appearances (142 innings) in 16 post seasons. Note: The fourth-lowest post-season ERA (0.87 in 31 IP) belongs to Babe Ruth.
Strikeouts
199 … John Smoltz (Braves, Cardinals) – over 41 appearances and 209 innings pitched in 14 post seasons. Note: All but one appearance and five strikeouts for the Braves.
Games Pitched
96 … Mariano Rivera (Yankees) – over 16 post seasons.
Games Started
44 … Andy Pettitte (Yankees, Astros) – over 14 post seasons. Note: 40 of those starts were as a Yankee.
Innings pitched
276 2/3 … Andy Pettitte (Yankees, Astros) – over 14 post seasons.
Complete Games
10 … Christy Mathewson (Giants) – over 11 starts in four post seasons. Note: Mathewson also holds the post-season record for CG shutouts at four.
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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.
