The lists below identify the only players with seasons since 1901 matching different search criteria. The common trait is that all of the search criteria exhibit the same type of symmetry. What is the season symmetry that describes each of these player lists?
No fooling the panel who made quick work of this one. Congratulations to brp, bstar and David Horwich who teamed up to identify the symmetry as having two or more seasons with identical totals for the same two common counting stats (with appropriate minimum totals). Details are after the jump.
These are the specific criteria, in each case requiring a player to have had 2 or more such seasons:
- List 1: equal HR and doubles, minimum of 25. Most seasons is 3 for Reggie Jackson.
- List 2: equal batting walks and strikeouts, minimum of 50. All player listed did this exactly twice.
- List 3: equal Runs and RBI, minimum of 60. Most seasons is 3 for Kevin Millar.
- List 4: equal pitching walks and strikeouts, minimum of 40. Most seasons is 3 for Chuck Rainey.
- List 5: equal HR allowed and wild pitches, minimum of 8. Most seasons is 4 for Don Wilson.
Some others for batting:
- Triples and stolen bases, minimum of 8: Tony Taylor, Dee Fondy, Pee Wee Reese, Barney McCosky, Paul Waner, George Grantham, Harry Rice, Rogers Hornsby, Duffy Lewis
- Stolen bases and caught stealing, minimum of 8: Dion James, Willie Upshaw, Warren Cromartie, Don Blasingame, Bing Miller, Irish Meusel, Babe Ruth, Bernie Neis
- HR and intentional walks, minimum of 6: Mark Grace, Gene Larkin, George Brett, Jay Johnstone, Willie Montanez, Ed Kirkpatrick, Thurman Munson
- HR and HBP, minimum of 7: Lastings Milledge, Ryan Garko, David DeJesus, Junior Spivey, Brady Anderson, Andre Dawson, Juan Samuel, Carney Lansford, Sherm Lollar
- Singles and extra-base hits, minimum of 10: Glenn Davis, Jason Varitek
And, for pitching:
- Losses and Shutouts, minimum of 5: Luis Tiant, Denny McLain, Mordecai Brown
- Hits and Strikeouts, minimum of 50: Joe Smith, CC Sabathia, Todd Jones, Mike Fetters, Jeff Parrett
- Starts and Decisions, minimum of 35: Eppa Rixey, Vic Willis, Robin Roberts, Warren Spahn, Addie Joss, Eddie Plank, Bill Dinneen
- Pickoffs and Balks, minimum of 3: Jose Rijo, Kenny Rogers, Neal Heaton, Ron Darling, Charlie Hough, Larry Christenson
- Inherited Runners and Walks, minimum of 20: Tim Worrell, Todd Jones, Rich DeLucia, Hipolito Pichardo, Roger McDowell, Paul Lindblad, Don McMahon
- Inherited Runners Scoring and Walks, minimum of 8: Dennis Eckersley, Todd Coffey, Brian Shouse, Buddy Groom, Michael Jackson, Ramon Hernandez, Ken Sanders. Joe Hoerner
