How often have Juan Pierre and Jimmy Rollins had outs in a season totalling 75% of their PAs? You might be surprised to know that neither of them has ever done this, though a number of other players have, some more than once. As PAs are, aside from pinch-running, a prerequisite to making an out, let’s see who the players are who do this most frequently.

These are the guys who have Outs Made totaling 75% or more of PAs in a season since 1961 (min. 502 PAs). Notice that only Tony Batista made 500 outs, the “magic” number for which many high-out players are criticized.

Note that 2011 had a bumper crop of out-makers, the first season since 1968 with four players on this list.

Rather fewer players accomplished the equivalent feat from 1901 to 1960 (min. 477 PAs).

All of the highlighted seasons are among the top 25 lowest OPS+ seasons since 1901 (min. 502 PAs). The guys in Red are all among the top 25 in lowest career OPS+ (non-pitchers, min. 1400 PAs).

Multiple offenders include Pete Suder, Andres Thomas, Aurelio Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leonard and Rafael Ramirez, each with two such seasons, and our “champion” out-maker, Hal Lanier, who did this 3 times in 4 years.

On a percentage basis, the high-water mark of 79.9% belongs to Andres Thomas in 1989. Here are the the seasons above 77%.

Some random thoughts on these lists.

• Only three players batted above .250 while making this list. No player had more than 43 walks. As a group, these  players had a stolen base success rate below 60%. All signs of proficiency in out-making.
• There are at least three MVPs I can spot at a glance and a number of All-Stars. But, mostly, very poor hitters.
• In addition to Lanier, there are at least 6 other players on the list who would go on to become major league managers. Not sure what the connection might be, though the old canard about the sort of people who become teachers comes to mind.
• Skeeter Webb, highlighted on the list for being in the top 25 of both lowest single season and lowest career OPS+ (46) still probably wasn’t the worst hitter named Skeeter (see below to find out who was). Another Skeeter with a famously low career OPS+ of 62 is Skeeter Newsome.

You’re probably saying “What? No Bill Bergen?”. Our career reserves don’t show up here as they would not have a full playing season. So, here’s the career Top 20 list for Outs Made of 75% of PAs, ordered by PAs.

So, there’s Bergen and Mario Mendoza and some other usual suspects. The top rate on this list does in fact belong to Bill Bergen at 77.8%, just edging out Andres Thomas at 77.5%. Mike Ryan, Todd Cruz and Paul Casanova round out the top 5. Mendoza ranks 14th at 75.3%.

On the lighter side, here are the flukes – guys who made more outs than PAs for their careers.

Of course, we have Oakland’s various and mostly unsuccessful attempts in the 1960s and 70s to define a useful role for a “designated runner”, of which track man Herb Washington is the most famous example.  But there are also a few guys who had as many or more GIDPs than hits – ouch!

Finally here’s one player who just missed being on this last list and who I just can’t resist mentioning. Here’s his career line.

Skeeter Shelton has the lowest non-zero career BA for a non-pitcher. Those 10 games he played were not sporadic appearances throughout the season. Skeeter was called up at the end of August and was the Yankees centerfielder for 10 straight games, the last coming one week after the first. That unfortunate week was apparently the end of the road for Shelton and the Yankees – he had been playing in Columbus for 4 years, but 1915 would be his final year in pro ball, despite being only 27.