Braves’ right-handed pitcher (and 1957 World Series hero, Lew Burdette hit as many home runs and drove in as many runs off Sandy Koufax as Willie McCovey and Dick Allen COMBINED – and he did in in 64 fewer at bats.
Burdette hit .308, with two home runs and three RBI in 13 at bats versus Koufax. McCovey and Allen hit a combined .181, with two home runs and three RBI off the Hall of Fame southpaw in 77 at bats.
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Who’s Your Daddy?
On September 24, 2004, in the middle of a tight pennant race, the Yankees handed future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox a tough 6-4 loss. Martinez went 7 1/3 innings giving up nine hits and five earned runs. The game came just five days after (in his previous start) Martinez had lasted just five frames against the Bronx Bombers (eight hits, eight earned runs) in a 16-7 loss.
After that second loss, Martinez candidly commented, “What can I say? I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy.” Little did he know that his comment – and a Yankee fans’ chant of “Who’s your daddy?” would follow him into future starts in New York (all the way to his final MLB start – against the Yankees for the Phillies – in Game Six of the 2009 World Series.)
The concept of “Who’s your daddy?” became the inspiration for Baseball Roundtable to take a look at the players who “had the number” of some of MLB’s premier pitchers. I started with Nolan Ryan (see that post by clicking here) and the topic was well enough received I’ve decided to continue the journey.
Today’s “Who’s you daddy?” hurler is Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.
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Honorable Mention Koufax Krusher
Jerry Lynch – .714 average, .818 on-base percentage versus Sandy Koufax
Pirates’ and Reds’ outfielder Jerry Lynch – a .277 career hitter (13 seasons, 1,184 games) – faced Sandy Koufax 11 times in his career (seven at bats) and collected five hits (.714 average) and four walks (.818 on-base percentage). He struck out only once against the Hall of Fame southpaw and had one double, one home run and five RBI. Ah, but there is a catch. Eight of those plate appearances, four of those hits and two of those walks occurred between 1955 and 1960. Why is that meaningful? Check the chart below for the answer.
The fact is, Koufax was actually considering leaving baseball after an 8-13, 3.91 1960 season. Lucky for baseball that he persevered. Otherwise, we would have missed a Hall of Fame career (cut short by chronic arthritis in his left arm) that included six consecutive All Star selections (1961-66); three Cy Young Awards (1963, 1965, 1966); an MVP Award (1963); five ERA titles; four seasons leading the NL in strikeouts (three with 300+ K’s); three seasons each leading the league in wins and shutouts; four no-hitters; one a perfect game; and countless thrilling performance. All of this in Koufax’ final six seasons.
With all this in mind, as we take a look at the players who had the best overall numbers against Koufax, we need to take a bit of a unique approach. We have to consider not only full-career (1965-66) numbers, but how batters fared from in the left-hander’s peak seasons (1961-66
––ONLY .400+ (minimum 20 at bats) HITTER VERSUS SANDY KOUFAX—
Bill Virdon, OF, Cardinals (1955-56); Pirates (1956-65, 1968)
Career versus Sandy Koufax: 21 games, 52 at bats, 21 hits (.404 average).
Now, Bill Virdon didn’t really crush Koufax. He never took Koufax deep (just four extra base hits, all doubles, against him), but he never gave in. Consider a .400+ average and nearly as many walks (seven) as whiffs (eight) against Koufax’ splendid left arm. Virdon batted against Koufax in seven different seasons – and had a .500 or better on-base percentage in five of them.
Not only that, he actually performed his best against the three-time Cy Young Award winner when Koufax was in his prime. From 1961 forward, Virdon faced Koufax 27 times in nine games (25 at bats) – collecting 12 hits for a .480 batting average. (During this period Koufax’ overall “Batting Average Against” was a stingy .197.)
How surprising is that? In 12 MLB seasons, Virdon hit .267. While he was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1955 (.281-17-68) and won a Gold Glove in 1962, he never made an All-Star team. He finished his career with 1,583 games, 1,596 hits (.267 average), 237 doubles, 81 triples, 91 home runs and 502 RBI.
Now, let’s take a look at two lineups of Koufax’ “daddies” – first for those premier years (1961-66) and then for his full career.
––BBRT ‘WHO’S YOUR DADDY?” LINEUP (ten or more regular-season at bats) AGAINST SANDY KOUFAX 1961-66 —
Note: Unless otherwise noted, stats in this section are from the 1961-66) period. BBRT limited eligibility to those with at least ten at bats against Koufax in that time (pitchers exempt).
Catcher – Gene Oliver (.391 average)
Gene Oliver had 49 plate appearances (46 at bats) in 17 games against Koufax in the pitcher’s prime years – and mashed at a .391 rate (18 hits) – well above his .246 career average. He also popped three long balls and drove in eight runs.
In a five-at-bat streak against Koufax in 1963, Gene Oliver collected five hits – three singles and two home runs. It came in a season that saw Koufax go 25-5, with a 1.88 ERA, eleven shutouts and 20 complete games. In the streak, that covered three games, Oliver twice poked the hit that knocked Koufax out of the game. In that 1963 season, Oliver hit .429-2-6 in 19 games against Koufax. His overall, average that season? Just .244.
The streak began with Oliver’s fifth-inning at bat (for the Milwaukee Braves) in a game against the Dodgers on June 29. His run-scoring single gave the Braves a 5-1 lead and knocked a struggling Koufax out of the game. (The Dodgers won 6-5 in 11 innings.) Oliver next faced Koufax on July 20. In that contest, Oliver singled to lead off the bottom of the second; homered to lead off the fourth (and break a scoreless tie); and singled in the sixth (his next at bat was a single against Ron Perranoski in the seventh). (Side note: Milwaukee’s Frank Bolling, who is also in this lineup, hit a run-scoring single later in the inning to drive Koufax from the game). The Dodgers won this one 5-4. Oliver next came up against Koufax on August 15 and hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Braves a 4-0 lead and again knock Koufax out of the game. Oliver fanned against Koufax in his first at bat on August 25 to end the five-for-five streak.
Oliver played in ten MLB seasons (1959, 1961-69; Cardinals, Braves, Phillies, Red Sox, Cubs). He played 786 games and had 546 hits (.246 average), with 93 home runs and 320 RBI. He appeared at catcher, first base and all three outfield spots.
First Base – Deron Johnson (.295, four home runs in 14 games)
Deron Johnson faced Koufax 47 times from 1964 to 1966. He managed 13 hits (.295 average), four home runs and 10 RBI, with three walks and six strikeouts.
In Deron Johnson’s first game against Koufax (April 18, 1964), he hit a fourth-inning, three-run home run that accounted for all the scoring in a 3-0 Reds’ victory.
Johnson’s best campaign against Koufax came in 1964 (Johnson’s first season in the National League), when he went 6-for-17 (.353) against him – with two doubles, three home runs and six RBI in five games.
Johnson enjoyed a 16-season MLB career (1960-62, 1964-76; Yankees, Athletics, Reds, Braves, Phillies, Brewers, White Sox, Red Sox). He played in 1,765 games, collecting 1,447 hits (.244 average), with 245 home runs and 923 RBI. While he never made an All-Star team, in 1965 he led the NL in RBI with 130, while hitting .287 with 32 home runs.
Note: Orlando Cepeda put up a stat line similar to Johnson’s against Koufax in the 1961-66 time frame – .286-4-12; but Johnson did his damage in 19 fewer at bats. Johnson also had three walks and six strikeouts against Koufax, as compared to Cepeda’s three walks and 14 whiffs. Johnson gets the nod.
Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like trying to drink coffee with a fork.
Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, who hit just 0.87, with ten strikeouts, in 23 at bats versus Koufax
Second Base – Frank Bolling (two homers and nine RBI in 21 games)
Frank Bolling hit just .250 against Koufax between 1961 and 1966, but made those hits count – with nine RBI and a double, triple and two home runs among his 14 hits. His two home runs were a three-run shot and a Grand Slam.
Bolling played in 12 MLB seasons (1954, 1956-1966 – Tigers, Braves). He appeared in 1,540 games and had 1,415 hits (.254 average), 106 home runs and 556 RBI. He was an All Star twice and a Gold Glover once.
Third Base – Eddie Mathews (.365 average in 18 games)
A career .271 hitter, Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews hit .365 (19 hits in 52 at bats) versus Koufax in the left-handed hurler’s prime seasons. The fact that Mathews did so well against Koufax in the years the lefty was dominating the National League is surprising since, prior to 1961, he had hit just .162 (in 20 games) versus Koufax. This may indicate that Mathews focused on just making contact versus Koufax. Of the power-hitting Mathews’ 19 hits against Koufax between 1961 and 1966, only three were for extra bases (two doubles and one home run.)
It was feast or famine in Eddie Mathews’ final game against Sandy Koufax (August 9, 1966). In a game that was tied 1-1 after eight innings, The Atlanta Braves’ third baseman had struck out against Koufax in the first, fourth and sixth innings. He came up against Koufax again with one out in the ninth and hit a walk-off, game-winning solo home run. It was his first home run against Koufax since since August 17, 1959 (a span of 61 plate appearances).
Mathews played 17 MLB seasons (1952-68; Braves, Astros, Tigers). He appeared in 2,391 games, had 2,315 hits (.271 average), with 512 home runs and 1,453 RBI. He was an All Star in nine seasons and hit 30+ home runs in ten campaigns.
Shortstop – Eddie Kasko (.366 average in 16 games)
Eddie Kasko, who played 10 seasons (1957-66; Cardinals, Reds, Astros and Red Sox), was a career .264 hitter. From 1961-66, however, he touched Sandy Koufax for a .366 average (15 hits in 41 at bats). Notably, 14 of Kasko 15 hits were singles (one double). He also walked three times (eight strikeouts). In 1965, Kasko hit .247 overall, but .333 versus Koufax in nine at bats.
Eddie Kasko’s August 15, 1961 game against Koufax must have been pretty annoying for the lefty on the mound. Against Koufax in that game, the Reds’ shortstop (who came into the game hitting .265) lined a single to the left in the top of the first; slashed another single to left in the third; hit a grounder through the hole for a single in the fifth (eventually scoring); and hit a run-scoring single to center in the sixth. He made his only out of the game (a 5-2 Reds’ win) after Koufax was off the mound.
Over his career, Kasko played in 1,077 games. He had 935 hits (.264 average), 22 home runs and 261 RBI. He was an All Star for the Reds in 1961, when he went .271-2-17, with 64 runs scored.
Outfield – Bill Virdon (.480 average in nine games.)
We already had a look at Virdon’s record versus Koufax earlier in this post. Virdon had 22 at bats against Koufax from 1961 through 1966 and reached him for 12 hits (.480 average). Again, primarily a center fielder and leadoff hitter, Virdon did not show much power against Koufax (ten singles and two doubles among his 12 hits). Still, he was neither fooled nor overpowered by the left-hander.
Outfield – Roberto Clemente (.301, six home runs 12 RBI in 22 games)
Facing Koufax in the pitcher’s prime years, Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente hit five home runs against the lefty (73 at bats), collected 22 hits (.301 average) and drove in a dozen tallies. Koufax did fan Clemente 13 times (versus four walks).
Roberto Clemente’s five home runs against Sandy Koufax between from 1961 to 1966 are the second most of any player during that time period. (Felipe Alou hit six dingers off Koufax in those seasons – and did it in 22 fewer at bats than Clemente). Clemente also had three doubles and two triples among his 22 hits.
Roberto Clemente’s six career home runs off Sandy Koufax tied for the most he hit off any pitcher (he also had six against Fergie Jenkins).
A Hall of Famer, Clemente played in 18 MLB seasons (1955-72; all for the Pirates). He got in 2,433 games and collected 3,000 hits (.317 average), 440 doubles, 166 triples and 240 home runs. He scored 1,416 times and drove in 1,305 runs. He was an All Star in 12 seasons, won 12 (consecutive) Gold Gloves, was the 1966 National League MVP and was a four-time NL batting champion.
Outfield – Willie Mays (.243, with four home runs and 12 RBI in 27 games.)
I wavered between Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Felipe Alou for the final outfield spot. I ended up on Mays (and I will explain). Yes, Mays hit just .241 (18-for-74) against Koufax during the 1961-66 period, but he made those hits count. His four home runs against Koufax tied for the third-most against the lefty during his prime years and his 12 RBI tied for second. (Hall of Famer Frank Robinson drove in 14 off Koufax during those prime years, but hit just .205.) Mays also drew 15 walks against Koufax (the most of any payer during the period). He fanned fifteen times against Koufax.
Aaron did hit .303 off Koufax (1961-66 in 26 games), but had only two home runs and six RBI. So, he had two fewer homers and ten fewer RBI than Mays in one less game – as well as seven fewer walks. Alou did top Mays in home runs off Koufax (six to Mays’ four) and did in 19 games, but he had just eight RBI – and I also considered Alou’s 12 strikeouts-to-two walks, versus Mays’ 15-15 strikeout versus walks total. Had to go with Mays’ full body of work for the 1961-66 period.
Hall of Famer Willie Mays played 22 MLB seasons (1951-52, 1954-73; Giants, Mets). He was an All Star in 20 seasons; NL Rookie of the year (1951); and a two-time NL MVP (1954 and 1965). He earned a dozen Gold Gloves and led the NL in home runs four times, stolen bases four times, triples three times, runs scored twice, and hits and batting average once each.
FELIPE ALOU – HONORABLE MENTION CAREER AND 1961-66
When it came to taking Koufax deep, nobody did it better than Felipe Alou. While Alou hit only .265 in 68 career at bats versus Koufax (18 hits) and also fanned fifteen times, he laced four doubles and tied for the most career home runs hit against Koufax with seven long balls (tied with such luminaries as Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and Ernie Banks) – one every 9.7 at bats. (It was also the most home runs Alou hit against any pitcher in his 17-season career (.286-206-852 stat line).
Notably, the bulk of those seven home runs came in Koufax’ prime years. From 1961 to 1966, Alou hit .241 versus Koufax, but he managed six home runs – the most of any player against Koufax in that time period – and four doubles in 54 at bats (13 hits).
Pitcher – Robin Roberts (.667 average in one game.)
Robin Roberts was winding down his Hall of Fame career when he faced off against Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers on September 5, 1965. The 38-year-old former Philly and Oriole was with the Astros at the time. In the contest, Roberts singled to left with two outs in the bottom of the third; bunted unsuccessfully in fifth; and singled to right to drive in one of the Astros’ only two tallies in the game in the seventh (and was tossed out trying to go to second on the play). Roberts took a 2-1 lead into the top of the ninth, but gave up three runs to take the loss.
Roberts, by the way, was a career .167 hitter. He fared better on the mound, earning his way into the Hall of fame with a 19-season MLB career (1948-66; Phillies, Orioles, Astros, Cubs) that included 286 wins (245 losses) and a 3.41 ERA. The seven-time All Star led his league in wins four times, complete games five times, innings pitched five times and strikeouts twice.
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Now, let’s move on to the a BBRT Lineup versus Koufax based on his full career.
Note: Several players appear on both lists. In those cases, BBRT will deal with them briefly in this section (you’ll find more details in the 1961-66 lineup section).
—BBRT ‘WHO’S YOUR DADDY?” LINEUP AGAINST SANDY KOUFAX 1955-66 —
(minimum 20 at bats, except for pitcher)
Catcher – Gene Oliver (.392 average)
Gene Oliver is the catcher in both of the Koufax-raking lineups. The bulk of Oliver’s (all but five) 51 at bats against Sandy Koufax came in Koufax’ best seasons (1961-66). Overall, the career .246 hitter was 20-for-51 (.392) versus Koufax, with four home runs and nine RBI (three walks/11 whiffs). In seven seasons against the lefty, Oliver hit under .333 just once. In 1963, he went six-for-14 (.429) against Koufax with two homers and six RBI in five games. Oliver’s .392 career average against Koufax is second only to Bill Virdon’s .404 among hitters with at least 20 at bats against the lefty. His four home runs tied for the most he hit off any pitcher (he also it four off Joe Nuxhall) and his nine RBI were the second most he collected against any hurler (he had ten off Turk Farrell).
In the 19 career games in which he faced Koufax, Oliver appeared nine times each at catcher and first base and once in the outfield.
First Base – Orlando Cepeda (.288-5-15 in 80 at bats)
Hall o Famer Orlando Cepeda faced Sandy Koufax in 29 games during his career – going 23-for-80, with five home runs, 15 RBI, three walks and 18 strikeouts. His 23 hits were the eleventh most against Koufax, his five home runs tied for sixth-most and his 15 RBI sixth-most.
For his 17-season MLB career (1958-74; Giants, Cardinals, Braves, A’s, Red Sox, Royals), Cepeda hit .297, with 379 home runs and 1,365 RBI. He was a six-time All Star, the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year, the 1967 NL MVP and a league leader in RBI twice and home runs once. Given his overall stats, I’d say Koufax versus McCovey was a pretty good match up.
Second Base – Frank Bolling (.250-2-9 in 20 games)
Frank Bolling is also in the 1961-66 lineup. All of Bolling’s appearances against Sandy Koufax came in Koufax’ prime years (1961-66). A .254 career hitter, Bolling nearly matched that average against Koufax and added a pair of home runs and nine RBI. You can find more detail on the Bolling-Koufax match up in the 1961-66 section.
On September 27, 19565, Koufax brought a 23-8, 2.05 record into a game against Frank Bolling and the Milwaukee Braves (in Milwaukee). In the second inning, of that game, Koufax gave up consecutive singles (to start the inning) to Joe Torre, Gene Oliver and Eddie Mathews. Bolling then popped a Grand Slam home run off Koufax – one of six Grand Slams Koufax gave up in his 11-season MLB career and Bolling’s only MLB Grand Slam. (Bolling was a career .231 hitter in 121 at bats – 140 plate appearances – with the bases loaded.)
Third Base – Jim Ray Hart (.292-2-6 in 14 games)
The Giants’ third baseman hit .292 for his career against Sandy Koufax – and all his at bats came during Koufax’ prime seasons. He also popped two home runs and drove in six tallies in 48 at bats. Notably, Koufax baffled Hart early (no hits in his first seven at bats against him), but from at bat number-eight on, Hart touched Koufax for a .350 average (14-for-40). Koufax did fan Hart ten times (versus two walks).
Hart was a .278 hitter over 12 MLB seasons (1963-74; Giants, Yankees). He had 1,052 hits, 170 home runs and 578 RBI. He was a one-time All Star – 1966, when he went .285-33-93.
Shortstop – Eddie Kasko (.306-average in 24 games)
Eddie Kasko is in both the 1961-66 and career-versus-Koufax lineups. For his career, Kasko hit .306 versus Koufax (19-for 62); but had only one extra-base hit (a double) and four RBI (three walks/ten strikeouts). His best year against the southpaw was 1961, when he hit Koufax at a .444 pace (eight-for-eighteen). Oddly, 1961 was not a great season for the Kasko. He played in just 43 games, hitting .239
Willie Stargell managed just one two hits in 23 at bats against Sandy Koufax (a .087 average), with ten strikeouts.
Outfield – Hank Aaron (.362-7-16 in 48 games)
Nobody collected more its off Sandy Koufax than Hank Aaron (42-for-116). He also tied for the most home runs off Koufax with seven, hit the most triples (three) and fifth-most doubles (six) off the lefty. Aaron’s 16 RBI are the fourth-most off Koufax. In 12 seasons hitting against Koufax, Aaron topped .400 six times. He also had more walks (14) than strikeouts (12) against Koufax.
Hall of Famer Aaron had a 23-season MLB career (1954-76; Braves and Brewers). He played in 3,298 games and collected 3,771 hits (.305 average), 755 home runs and an MLB-high 2,297 RBI. Aaron was an All Star in 21 seasons (missing only in his first and last campaigns); a three-time Gold Glover ; and the 1957 National League MVP. He led the NL in home runs four times, RBI four times, runs scored three times, doubles three times, hits twice, and batting average twice.
Outfield – Bill Virdon (.404 average).
Bill Virdon is in both the 1961-66 and career lineups. He is the only player with more than 20 at bats versus Koufax to hit .400+ against him. Virdon’s line against Koufax included a .404 average (21-for-52), but with no home runs and just three RBI (he was a leadoff hitter). Not much damage, but you can’t leave out a .400 hitter. You can find more on Virdon in the box near the top of this post and in the 1961-66 lineup section.
Outfield – Roberto Clemente (.297-6-16 in 42 games)
Roberto Clemente can be found in both the 1961-66 and career lineups. He hit .297 against Koufax, with six home runs (fifth-most against the lefty) and 16 RBI (fourth-most). He also touched Koufax for six doubles and two triples – giving him 14 extra base hits among 33 safeties.
Pitcher – Lew Burdette (.308-2-3 in eight games).
Braves’ right hander Lew Burdette went 203-144, 3.66 in 18 MLB seasons (1950-67; Yankees, Braves, Cardinals, Angels, Cubs, Phillies) and was not a bad hitter for a pitcher (.183-12-75 in 1,011 at bats). And, he hit Sandy Koufax pretty well. Koufax was one of two pitchers that Burdette popped two home runs against (the other was Joe Nuxhall). That bit of power and his .308 average against Koufax earns Burdette this spot in the lineup.
Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference. com
Additional Editions of “Who’s Your Daddy?”
Nolan Ryan, click here.
Bob Gibson, click here.
Pedro Martinez, click here.
Randy Johnson, click here.
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