Rick Monday … Figured It Out<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Cubs\u2019 CF Rick Monday\u2019s first game against the Mets\u2019 Tom Seaver (August 12, 1972) did not hold out much promise for the future. Monday struck out in his first three at bats against Seaver (second, fourth and sixth innings). Apparently having given up laying good wood on Seaver\u2019s stuff, Monday attempted to bunt for a hit in the bottom of the ninth (with the game tied at one), but was thrown out third-to-first.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Surprisingly, after that slow (to put it kindly) start, Monday hit .366 versus Seaver over the remainder of his career – and his 11 home runs off Tom Terrific are the most Seaver gave up to any batter, as well as the most Monday hit against any pitcher.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n _____________________________________________________<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Who’s Your Daddy?\u00a0 What’s it all about?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n That’s right, it’s time for the next edition of Baseball Roundtable’s\u00a0 \u201cWho\u2019s Your Daddy?\u201d series … focusing on some of\u00a0 MLB’s premier pitchers – like Bob Feller, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan, as well as contemporary hurlers like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.<\/p>\n In this series, BBRT presents lineups of players who performed\u00a0unexpectedly<\/em>\u00a0well against baseball’s top pitchers. (An explanation of the inspiration behind the Who\u2019s Your Daddy? series can be found the end of this post.)\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>As always, I would stress that the pitchers included in the Who’s Your Daddy? series are among the “best in the business.”\u00a0 They are selected not because of the players who performed well against them, but rather because success among hitters when they were on the mound was the exception rather than the rule.<\/p>\n Before we get started on this edition – focusing on Hall of Famer Tom “Tom Terrific” Seaver, here are links to the previous editions of this series:<\/p>\n ____________________________________________<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Now, let’s take a look at Tom Seaver and the players who seem to have his number (that would be “41,” by the way).<\/p>\n Seaver led his league in wins three time, strikeouts five times (ten seasons with 200 or more whiffs), earned run average three times, shutouts twice, complete games once, strikeouts per nine innings six times and strikeouts-to-walks ratio three times.\u00a0 His best season was 1969, when he went 25-7, 2.21.<\/p>\n That’s a No-No<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n On June 16, 1978, Tom Seaver pitched a no-hitter in a 4-0 Reds’ win over the Cardinals.\u00a0 He walked three and fanned three and allowed only six fair balls out of the infield.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ____________________________________________<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n On April 27, 1970, Tom Seaver was\u00a0 particularly dominant.\u00a0 Not only did he fan 19 batters in a complete-game, two-hit, 2-1 win over the Padres, he got stronger as the game went on. Seaver set an MLB single-game record for consecutive strikeouts with ten \u2013 and they were the last ten Padres’ hitters of the game.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n _______________________________________________<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n So, who could hit Tom Terrific?<\/p>\n Ted Simmons had the sixth-most career, regular-season hits (33) against Tom Seaver and the seventh-most walks (14).\u00a0 That gave the Hall of Fame catcher a .297 career average and .373 on-base percentage in 37 games versus Seaver.\u00a0 Simmons’ best year against the righty was 1972 (when Seaver went 21-12, 2.92). That season, Simmons collected seven hits and two walks in 13 plate appearances over four games (.636 average\/.692 OBP).\u00a0 The first two games in which Simmons faced Seaver that campaign, he got on base seven times in seven plate appearances: walk; single; single; two-run home run; RBI single; single; double.<\/p>\n The switch-hitting Simmons was an eight-time All Star, who finished his 21-season MLB career (1968-88 \u2026 Cardinals, Brewers, Braves) with a .285 average (2,472 hits), 248 home runs and 1,389 RBI. He hit 20 or more homes runs in six seasons, had 100 or more RBI three times and hit .300+ in seven full seasons. He also led the league in intentional walks twice.\u00a0 Among players who played primarily at catcher, Simmons is second all-time in in hits and doubles (Ivan Rodriguez is first) and second only to Yogi Berra in RBI.\u00a0 His best season was 1975, when he appeared in 157 games for the Cardinals (starting 148 at catcher) and hit .332, with 18 home runs and 100 RBI.\u00a0 Behind the plate, Simmons led the league in games played at catcher three times, and his 1,7771 games crouching behind the plate are 16th<\/sup> all-time.<\/p>\n Might as Well Be First<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Ted Simmons was the first catcher to start in All Star games for both National League and the American League.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ______________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n Catcher John Tamargo (1976-80 \u2026 Cardinal, Giants, Expos) had the most plate appearances against Seaver without ever being retired.\u00a0 In four plate appearances over two games, he had two singles, a double and a walk. Tamargo was a .242 career hitter.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n On the other side of the coin, among non-pitchers, Rance Mulliniks had the most plate appearances against Seaver without ever getting on base \u2013 zero-for-sixteen, with seven whiffs, over five games. (Among all players, pitcher Don Sutton holds this dubious mark against Seaver at zero-for twenty-two.)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n _________________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n First Base \u2013 Tom Hutton \u2026 .320 average, 15 RBI, 11 walks versus five strikeouts<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Tom Hutton drove in 15 runs versus Tom Seaver in 24 games \u2013 and, while Hutton was a career .248 hitter, Hutton hit .320 versus Tom Terrific and hit .333 or better in six of the nine seasons in which he faced him.<\/p>\n Picking on Tom Terrific<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Tim Hutton had more hits (16), home runs (3), RBI (15) and walks (11) against Tom Seaver than he had against any other pitcher.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Honorable mention at first base:<\/em> Ten-time All Star Steve Garvey<\/strong> put up strong numbers versus Tom Seaver – .318-5-19 in 35 games.\u00a0 Hutton gets an edge on two counts.\u00a0 He did nearly as much damage (15 RBI to Garvey’s 19) in 11 fewer games \u2013 and Hutton has 11 walks and just five strikeouts versus Seaver, compared to Garvey\u2019s six walks and 17 whiffs.\u00a0 (Hutton’s on-base percentage versus Seaver was .435 to Garvey\u2019s .354.<\/p>\n ___________________________________________<\/p>\n Second Base \u2013 Joe Morgan \u2026 .304 average, 22 walks, .425 OBP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hall of Famer Joe Morgan\u2019s 22 walks are the most Tom Seaver surrendered to any batter and Morgan\u2019s five round trippers are the sixth-most against Seaver.\u00a0 In 36 games versus Seaver, Morgan went .304-5-11 (he also had seven doubles).\u00a0 That Morgan ended up getting those 22 free passes versus Seaver is no surprise. He walked in his first plate appearance versus Seaver (May 5, 1967) and, in his first two games against him, had three walks (and a single) in nine plate appearances.<\/p>\n Joe Morgan enjoyed a 22-season MLB career (1963-1984 \u2026 Astros, Reds, Giants, Phillies, A\u2019s). He had a career average of .271 (2,517 hits), with 268 home runs, 1,153 RBI, 1,650 runs scores and 689 stolen bases (eleventh all-time). Morgan was a ten-time All Star, five-time Gold Glover and two-time MVP.<\/p>\n He led his league in runs scored once (scoring 100 or more runs in eight seasons); triples once (with ten or more three times); walks four times; and on-base percentage four times.\u00a0 While he never led the league in stolen bases, he stole 40 or more bags in nine seasons, with a high of 67 in 1973 and 1975. \u00a0In the field, Morgan led NL second basement in putouts three times, assists once, double plays once and fielding percentage three time. \u00a0He is third all-time at second base in assists (6,937), fourth in putouts (5,742) and sixth in double plays (1,505). He is fiftieth in errors (244).<\/p>\n L<\/strong>ucky 13<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Joe Morgan is one of only 13 players to win back-to-back league MVP Awards (Reds \u2013 1975 & 1976). For a look at BBRT\u2019s lineup of players who belong to the Back-to Back MVP club, click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ___________________________________________<\/p>\n Third Base \u2013 Bob Horner \u2026\u00a0 .370, with four home runs in ten games<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Bob Horner put up a .370 average (10-for-27) in ten games against Tom Seaver.\u00a0 Further, seven of his ten hits went for extra bases (three doubles and four home runs), for a .926 slugging percentage. On October 3, 1981, as the Braves downed Seaver and the Reds 4-3, Horner went two-for-two (sacrifice fly, solo home run, solo home run). He had a third at bat in the game, singling off reliever Tom Hume and eventually scoring the winning run.<\/p>\n Four Dingers … For the Loss<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Bob Horner is one of just 18 players to hit four home runs in a single MLB game \u2013 and one of only two to do it in a game his team lost. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Horner had his four-homer day on July 6, 1986. As his Braves faced the Expos in Atlanta, Horner homered leading off the bottom of the second (off starter Andy McGaffigan) to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead. After the Expos scored one run in the third and three in the fourth, Horner homered again (off McGaffigan) with two out in the bottom of the fourth inning, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Montreal put up a six-spot in the top of the fifth, with Atlanta coming back with five in the bottom of the inning \u2013 with Horner again taking McGaffigan deep, this time a three-run shot.\u00a0 Still the Braves trailed 10-7. Horner popped out to first in the seventh (Braves trailing 11-7 at the time) and then added a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth (off Jeff Reardon), as the Braves lost 11-8 despite Horner’s four homers and six RBI.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Horner had a ten-season MLB career (with the Braves from 1978 through 1986 and Cardinals in 1988). He was a one-time All Star and finished with a career line of .277-218-685. He hit 30+ home runs in three seasons and drove in a high of 98 runs in 1979 (arguably his best season at .314-33-98).<\/p>\n Honorable mention at third base:<\/em> Steve Ontiveros\u00a0<\/strong>hit .500 (9-for-18) against Seaver in ten games, with two home runs and two RBI.\u00a0 Ontiveros also drew ten walks versus Seaver (for a .679 on-base percentage).\u00a0 In a nine-plate appearance streak against Seaver – over three games from May 7, 1974 to August 22, 1975 – Ontiveros got on base nine straight times (six walks, two singles, one home run). So why does Horner get the nod? Horner hit four home runs and drove in nine tallies in his ten games against Seaver, while Ontiveros has two home runs and just two RBI.\u00a0 BBRT will go with damage done.<\/p>\n Mikey Doesn’t Like It<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hall of Fame 3B Mike Schmidt did not have much luck against Seaver. He had just 16 hits in 30 games against him (.188 average) and fanned 35 times in 85 at bats.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ___________________________________________<\/p>\n S<\/strong>hortstop \u2013 Dave Concepcion \u2026 .391 average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Dave Concepcion hit a healthy .391 (18-for-46) versus Seaver over 18 games. He also drew nine works versus the Hall of Fame right-hander \u2013 for a .491 on-base percentage. In his last eight trips to the plate (during the 1983 season), Concepcion had four walks, three singles and a ground out.<\/p>\n Concepcion had a 19-season MLB career (1970-88), all with the Reds. He was a career .267 hitter (2,326 hits, poked 101 home runs, drove in 950, scored 993 and stole 321 bases.\u00a0 A more than solid defender, Concepcion was a nine-time All Star and five-time Gold Glover. He twice hit .300+ and had seven seasons with 20+ steals. He hit career highs in home runs (16) and RBI (84) in 1979. In the field, Concepcion led NL shortstops in assists twice (and his 6,591 assists at the position are eleventh all-time); led NL shortstops in putouts once (and his 3,670 are 21st<\/sup>); and led the NL in double plays turned at shortstop once (his 1.,290 are ninth all-time). Concepcion hit .297-2-13 with 30 runs scored and seven steals in 34 post-season games.<\/p>\n All Star MVP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Dave Concepcion was selected MVP of the 1982 All Star Game, in which he went one-for-three, with a two=run home run off American League starter Dennis Eckersley. Yes, “Eck\u201d started for the AL. That season, Eckersley was 13-13 in 33 starts for the Red Sox (11 complete games). At the All Star break, Eckersley was 9-7, 3.20, with nine complete games in 18 starts.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Honorable mention at SS:<\/em> Cal Ripken, Jr.<\/strong> hit a nice round .400 (8-for-20), with three home runs and six RBI in seven games versus Seaver.\u00a0 That would seem to put him in this lineup (added power) over Concepcion.\u00a0 BBRT, however, factors in that Ripken’s at bats against Seaver came from 1984 through 1986 (Seaver\u2019s last three MLB seasons), when Seaver was 38-35, 3.83.\u00a0 Concepcion faced Seaver from 1971 through 1983, when Tom was more Terrific, 198-126, 2.82.<\/p>\n _____________________________________________<\/p>\n Outfield \u2013 Ricky Monday \u2026 .349 with 11 round trippers<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Rick Monday\u2019s 11 home runs versus Tom Seaver are the most Seaver gave up to any hitter and Monday\u2019s 17 RBI are sixth-most. Couple those numbers with Monday\u2019s .349 average against Seaver and you can see why Monday is in this line up.<\/p>\n Ricky Monday played 19 MLB seasons (1966-84 \u2026 A\u2019s, Cubs, Dodgers). He was a two-time All Star (once in each league). Monday was a career .264 hitter (1,619 hits), and finished with 241 home runs, 775 RBI, 950 runs scored and 98 steals. He hit 20 or more home runs in three seasons. His best campaign was 1976, when he went .272, with a career high in home runs (32), RBI (77) and runs scored (107) for the Cubs.\u00a0 After the season (January 1, 1977), he was traded by the Cubs (along with Mike Garman) to the Dodgers (for Bill Buckner, Ivan de Jesus and minor-leaguer Jeff Albert).<\/p>\n First of the First<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Rick Monday was the first player selected in the first-ever MLB draft (1965 \u2013 by the Kansas City Athletics).\u00a0 <\/strong>Note: In 1965, Monday was the Sporting News National (College) Player of the Year \u2013 after hitting .359 with 11 home runs for Arizona State University (1965 College World Series Champions) in his sophomore season.\u00a0 Monday also was selected for the 1965 NCAA University Division Baseball Tournament All-Tournament Team.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n _________________________________________________________<\/p>\n Outfield \u2013 Willie Davis \u2026 42 hits, .389 average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Willie Davis\u2019 42 hits (in 30 games) against Tom Seaver are the most safeties Sever gave up to any hitter. Davis faced Seaver in ten seasons (1967-76), hitting over .350 against him in six of them.\u00a0 Davishit safely in 27 of his thirty games against Seaver \u2013 with 11 mufti-hit games.<\/p>\n Willie Davis played 18 MLB seasons (1960-76, 1979 \u2026. Dodgers, Expos, Rangers, Cardinals, Padres, Angels), 14 with the Dodgers. The two-time All Star hit .279 for his career (2,561 hits), topping .300 in three full seasons.\u00a0 He hit 182 home runs (a high of 21 in 1962), drove in 1,053 tallies (a high of 93 in 1970), scored 1,217 runs (a high of 103 in 1962) and swiped 398 bases (20 or more in 13 campaigns). He also led the league in triples twice and hit double-digits in three baggers four times.\u00a0 Davis was also a three-time Gold Glover.<\/p>\n On the Big Stage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Willie Davis can lay claim to a couple of World Series records \u2013 one on each side of the ledger.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In Game Five of the 1965 World Series (against the Twins), Davis earned a share of the World Series\u2019 single-game record for stolen bases with three \u2013 stealing second base in the third, fourth and eighth innings. \u00a0<\/strong>Others with three steals in a WS Game \u2013 Lou Brock (1967 & 1968), Honus Wagner (1908).<\/em>\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The following season, in Game Two of the Series against the Orioles, Davis (who would go on to become a three-time Gold Glover) set a World Series record by committing three errors in a single inning. The errors came on consecutive plays in the fifth inning. Coming into the top of the fame, the game was a scoreless tie (not unexpected, with Sandy Koufax versus Jim Palmer).\u00a0 Boog Powell led off with a single to left, followed by a Davey Johnson pop out on a fouled bunt attempt. Then, Davis lost a Paul Blair fly in the sun for an error – ending up with Powell on third and Blair on second. The sun got to Davis on the very next batter (Andy Etchebarren) resulting in a dropped fly ball, followed by Davis’ errant throw to third. Both Powell and Blair scored and Etchebarren ended up on third. Sadly, this was to be the last game ever pitched by Koufax, who retired before the following season.\u00a0 In a 7-0 loss, the Dodgers made a total of six errors, five during the six innings Koufax was in the game. Koufax gave up four runs (one earned) on six hits (two walks \u2013 two strikeouts) and took the loss in his last MLB mound appearance.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n
![\"Seaverpnoto\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Seaverpnoto-211x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Hall of Famer right-hander Tom Seaver\u2019s recognitions include three Cy Young Awards (1969, 1973, 1975) and the 1967 Rookie of the Year Award. During his 20-season MLB career (1967-86 \u2026. ages 22 through 41 \u2026 Mets, Reds, White Sox, Red Sox), Seaver was a 12-time All Star. He won 20 or more games in five seasons and 15 or more in 13 campaigns.\u00a0 He retired with a 311-205, 2.86 record \u2013 and his 311 wins are 18th<\/sup> all-time.\u00a0 Seaver ranks in MLB’s all-time top ten in strikeouts (3,640 for sixth) and shutouts (61 for seventh). Seaver held hitters to a .226 batting average over his career.<\/p>\n![\"SeaverCareer\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/SeaverCareer.jpg\")
<\/a>Catcher \u2013 Ted Simmons \u2026 33 hits, 14 walks<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![\"SimmonsTom\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/SimmonsTom.jpg\")
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<\/a>Hutton had a 12-season MLB career (1966, 1969, 1972-81 \u2026 Dodgers, Phillies, Blue Jays, Expos).\u00a0 Known more his glove than his bat, Hutton hit for a .248 career average, with 22 home runs and 186 RBI in 952 games.<\/p>\n![\"MorganTom\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/MorganTom.jpg\")
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![\"BakerTon\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/BakerTon.jpg\")
<\/a>Baker played 19 MLB seasons (1968-86 \u2026 Braves, Dodgers, Giants, A\u2019s), hitting .278 (1,981 hits, with 242 home runs, 1,103 RBI, 964 runs scored and 137 stolen bases). He was a two-time All Star and one-time Gold Glover.\u00a0 Baker hit 20 or more home runs in five seasons, topped 100 runs scored one, reached a career-high 99 RBI in 1973 and hit .300 or better three times. \u00a0Baker\u2019s best season was 1980, when he hit .297-29-97 and stole 12 bases. In 40 post-season games, Baker went .282-5-21.<\/p>\n![\"SadekiTom\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/SadekiTom.jpg\")
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