Late Season Oddities

319 Replies

With the season finish line in sight, HHS readers have uncovered some odd seasonal achievements that would become even more unusual were they to continue for the full season. Or maybe it’s just an unusual player or team accomplishment in a recent game. If you’ve uncovered something interesting that’s happened recently, this is your opportunity to contribute.

More after the jump.

I’ll start the ball rolling by noting a few oddities that readers have contributed in other posts.

David P is reporting that Indian catcher Roberto Perez could become the first non-pitcher in over 100 years with a 75 PA season having twice as many walks as hits
David P also identified that White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana is already the only pitcher with three consecutive 200 IP seasons winning fewer than 10 games. He might do it again this year, but only if he doesn’t record another W.
Voomo Zanzibar identified that Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon is flirting with the highest seasonal batting average for a catcher in limited PAs (100 minimum)
Daniel Longmire identified that Oriole catcher Caleb Joseph has yet to record an RBI this year in more than 100 PA

So, what weird and wonderful happenings have you noticed?

0 0 votes

Article Rating

319 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Jimbo

8 years ago

Wow at Quintana. Been a very good and durable starter for 3 years and can’t get 10 wins. Must be a combination of all kinds of bad luck.

Sandy Leon makes no sense. He has no history at all of being a good hitter. It’s crazy that he’s been hot all of a sudden for this long.

oneblankspace

8 years ago

In an August 5th game with only 5 hits total, one of them was an RBI single by pitcher Jaime Garcia who threw 8 innings in a 1-0 win for StL over ATL. Cards finished with 2 H, Braves with 3.

David P

8 years ago

Doug: a small correction. The Perez thing is more than twice as many walks as hits. A few others have had exactly twice as many, including Nick Johnson in 2010 (98 PAs, 24 walks, 12 hits).

David P

8 years ago

I mentioned this before but the Orioles are very likely to set the record for fewest triples in a season. The Orioles currently have 4 triples. Every other team in the history of MLB has at least 11 (’98 and ’81 Orioles share the record).

And since the 4 triples have been hit by 4 different players, I’m guessing the Orioles could become the first team to have no one with more than one triple.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Looks like that guess was a good one. If I have done my work correctly the fewest triples in a season (1901-2015) for a team leader is 2 by 13 different teams. Additionally, this year no one on the Padres has more than 2.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Orioles got another triple last night so they’re up to a total of 5 triples by 5 different players.

JDV

8 years ago

This morning, ‘mlb.com’ notes that Albert Pujols has reached 95 RBI for the 15th time. This year’s numbers are a little different though. He has scored only 49 R…either he gets pulled for pinch-runners a lot, or there’s been no production from 5-6 hitters, or both. Also, he has 38 RBI with 1B open, but only 4 IBB, compared with a high of 44 IBB in ’09.

Jimbo

8 years ago

Reply to JDV

It’s a combination mostly of these 2 things I imagine.

He has a very high OBP and great baserunner Trout batting in front of him.

And he has a low OBP and no speed himself.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Jimbo

Pujols is batting .319 with RISP, .300 with any men on and .188 with nobody on base. Also he has come to bat with 408 runners on base with 502 PA. Average number of runners on base for players with 502 PA is 299.

JDV

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Interesting notes. So he has driven in 73 (95 RBI minus 22 HR) of 408 base-runners (17.9%). With an average number of base-runners, that would calculate to 53.5 RBI. Yes, I guess that says something about Trout. Escobar and Calhoun have solid OBPs too.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to JDV

Pujols has driven in Trout 24 times, Calhoun 21 times and Escobar 17 times.

When calculating a player’s efficiency for driving in runs I like to ignore those PA with men on in which he received a walk unless the bases were loaded. Pujols had a total of 41 such base-runners. Including last night’s game he has come to bat with 412 runners on base. Subtracting those 41 base-runners from 412 leaves him with 371 and his efficiency is 73/371 = 19.7% which is very good.

David Lick

8 years ago

Reply to JDV

I wonder how many other players, if any, have had 95+ RBI in 15 of their first 16 seasons. I’m guessing it’s a short, short list.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to David Lick

Pujols is the only one.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

As far as I can determine, the only other player with 15 seasons of 95 or more RBIs is Hank Aaron. A few have 14, including A-Rod, who is the only one with 14 of 100 or more, unless my bifocals are playing tricks.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to no statistician but

Pujols and Aaron have 15 seasons of 95+ RBI and A-Rod and Ruth are the only ones with 14. Foxx, Simmons and Gehrig have 13.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Trea Turner’s small sample size 2016, projected over a full season:

125 R
214 H
36 2B
31 3B
15 HR
83 RBI
67/5 SB
0 GDP
360 TB

bstar

8 years ago

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

You may need to revise those numbers after tonight. Turner is now 3 for 4 in Atlanta with a double and two runs scored.

What an exciting player. Love to see that triples mindset right out of the box from an RHH.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to bstar

131 R
222 H
40 2B
30 3B
15 HR
86 RBI
65/5 SB

.324 / .343 / .537 / .879

369 TB

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Here’s something I stumbled across on Twitter:

HR in last 230 PA
Bumgarner……12
Ortiz…………..11
Trout………….10
Harper…………8

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Another factoid from Twitter. Last night Madison Bumgarner became the 2nd pitcher since 1901to surrender a GS and hit a go-ahead HR in the same inning. Hal Jeffcoat in 1957 is the other one.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Here’s something I stumbled across. Currently Coco Crisp is batting .238 overall with 406 PA but his BA with runners on base is .362. That gives him a ratio of 152.1% for BA with men on to overall BA. The ML record for players with 502 PA minimum is 135.7% by Lee May in 1976. If Crisp gets enough playing time between now and the end of the season he can set a record for qualifiers. That would include seasons with lower qualifying PA.

David P

8 years ago

Orioles are the first team to hit 4 home runs in a game before making their first out. And yet somehow they lost 15-8.

Doug

8 years ago

Cleveland won tonight on an inside-the-park walk-off home run. It’s the 16th such hit since 1965, and the first in that period in Cleveland.

Houston right-hander Jim Owens suffered this misfortune twice in two seasons (1965-66), both times in Connie Mack Stadium, his former home ballyard.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Doug

Doug: My PI run indicates 18 such HR since 1965 (including last night’s) and 26 altogether since 1930. One that I remember occurred on 6-23-1950 when Hoot Evers hit one leading the Tigers to a 10-9 victory the Yankees. A then-record 11 HR were hit in that game. All runs were scored on HRs.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

First walk-off inside-the-park-home run by the Indians in 100 years. Their last one was on August 13th, 1916 by Braggo Roth.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to David P

BTW, the only walk-off inside-the-park grand slam was by Roberto Clemente on July 25th, 1956. Apparently his teammates weren’t too happy with him though. There were no outs at the time and he ignored orders from the manager and third base coach to stop at third.

http://lithub.com/the-greatest-forgotten-home-run-of-all-time/

JDV

8 years ago

Is Xander Bogaerts playing hurt? He’s at .197 / .239 / .197 for August with 0 XBH (obviously) and 2 RBI, one with a SF and one with a GO.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Khris Davis now has

31 HR
19 BB

Least walks with 30 HR:

19 … Galarraga
19 … Davis *
22 … Horner
22 … Dawson
22 … Bichette
_______________________________

He also has a .298 OBP
Lousy, but not quite historic.
Lowest OBP with 30 HR:

.254 … Tony Armas
.255 … Dave Kingman
.272 … Tony Batista
.273 … Cory Snyder
.284 … Dave Kingman
.285 … Dave Kingman
.286 … Dave Kingman

John

8 years ago

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

Dave Kingman on the list 4 times. Gosh. What a surprise. (Note the dripping sarcasm.)

Richard Chester

8 years ago

HHS mentioned today on Twitter that the Astros are the first team since 1999 to have 2 players 66″ or shorter on their roster, Jose Altuve and Tony Kemp. It turns out that every season since 1901 has had at least 1 such player in the ML, the majority in the early part of the 20th century. From 1901 through 1929 there were anywhere from 9 through 22 such players each season. The turnaround came starting with the 1930 season. From that time on the number of such players ranged from 1 through 8. And in only 4 of those… Read more »

Jimbo

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

As a 68″ guy always hurt by my lack of size, I love this little tidbit.

oneblankspace

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

I saw a quote from a 5’4″ player in a collection of baseball or sports quotes.

Q: How does it feel to be the shortest player in the Major Leagues?
A: “A heck of a lot better than being the shortest player in the Minor Leagues.”

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Here’s another tidbit I saw on Twitter. Albert Pujols currently has 96 RBI and 52 R. That would put him on pace to have 126 RBI and 66 R by season’s end for a differential of 60, (with more RBI than R). The current record is 58 held by Vic Wertz in 1960 and Harmon Killebrew in 1971 with 58.

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Killer led the league in walks in 1971, and his BA was a better than league average .254. Of course, when he got on, it’s not as if he was a threat to steal…

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

As of the 24th, the numbers were 99 and 53. Pujols went 4 for 4 on the 24th, but only scored once, on his own HR.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

An update on Caleb Joseph: he was demoted to triple-A yesterday, but not before moving into third place for the most plate appearances (121) in a season by a position player without an RBI. He trails only Bobby Messenger (130) with the 1909 White Sox, and Gene Good (135) from the 1906 Boston Beaneaters. We can only hope for a September call-up. :^)

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

And Joseph was indeed called up, and went 0-3 in his first start. The question is whether or not he will get the 12 plate appearances needed for the record.

I mentioned this in the Early Oddities post, but before this season, Joseph drove in 77 runs over 629 PA during the 2014-15 seasons. In the minors this year? 11 RBI in 88 plate appearances. Three years ago in Double-A Bowie? 97 ribbies in 570 PA.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

With one (perhaps two) very important games to go, Joseph will likely finish the season with 141 plate appearances and zero RBI. This is a modern-day record for a position player, and second only to Oscar Jones in 1904 (150) when including pitchers. However, he may not have the all-time record. Chub Sullivan (170 for 1880 Worcester Ruby Legs), John Kelly (208 in 1883), Jack Clements (220 in 1884) and George Strief (342, also in 1884) all had more plate appearances, although the statistics are rather suspect in the case of the final two players; Clements and Strief are credited… Read more »

Jimbo

8 years ago

This most be worth mentioning.

Curtis Granderson has 20 home runs and only 34 RBI’s.

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to Jimbo

Granderson is hitting .050 in 49 PAs with 2 outs and RISP.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

Lowest BA with 2 outs and RISP in the searchable era for a player with at least 502+ total PA in a season is .075 by Alex Rios in 2011, 4 hits in 53 AB.

Hartvig

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

Ouch.

Granderson is an old favorite of mine from his days with the Tigers. I was always aware that there were some holes in his game but it was never a case of his not caring or giving anything but his best. I suspect in this case the fact that he’s a smart guy is probably working against him and he’s overthinking the problem and pressing too hard.

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Jimbo

Granderson (who now has 35 RBI) needs 6 more to surpass Chris Hoiles in 1992 and avoid the lowest RBI total in a 20 HR season.

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to Doug

I’m afraid the HHS jinx has struck again. Granderson is likely not going to do all those cool things we were rooting for. He now has 23 HR and 43 RBI, and has bumped up his BA with 2 outs and RISP to .070, with 3 RBI, in 53 PA (43AB)

Kahuna Tuna

8 years ago

The Dodgers’ Andrew Toles and Rob Segedin each hit his first major-league homer on August 22, and each hit his second major-league homer on August 23.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Kahuna Tuna

Tuna, correct me if I’m wrong, but their homers on the 22nd were back-to-back, just like Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin 9 days earlier for the Yankees, correct? If so, that would be the only two times in history that has happened…truly an oddity.

Kahuna Tuna

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

I think the hoopla over Judge and Austin’s homers was because they each homered in their first big-league game. Toles and Segedin both have a few ML games under their belts.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Kahuna Tuna

That is true, but I was under the impression that two rookies had never hit their first ML homers back-to-back, regardless of games played, until it happened this season (twice). Perhaps I’m mistaken.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Not an oddity, but . . .

It gives me no pleasure to report that Danny Salazar got shelled Tuesday for the fourth time running, two before and two after his stint on the DL. Through June his ERA was 2.22. Now it’s 3.90, and 19.29 in the last 28 days. I’m thinking he’s still ailing and trying to hide it like they used to do in the old days.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

As of this morning the Orioles have 197 HR and only 14 SB for a differential of 183. The ML record is 211 by the 1961 Yankees, 240 HR and 29 SB.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Don’t want a day to go by without any comments on HHS so I’ll say that the O’s now have 202 HR and 15 SB.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

As of this morning, 9-6-2016, the Orioles have 215 HR and 16 SB.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

And the O’s did it. They completed the season with 253 HR and 19 SB for a record differential of 234.

David P

8 years ago

The Indians are just the 11th team in MLB history to have a 3 game streak in which they scored exactly one run with each run coming via a solo home run. If they manage to do it tonight against the Rangers, they’ll be the first team to do that for 4 straight games.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Here’s a long comment made on June 21 with updates to August 25, roughly 3/4 of the way through the season: Whereas on April 21 Birtelcom noted that run scoring was way up in the NL and down in the AL, now the AL is at 4.48 RPG, the NL at 4.31. (Now AL 4.47—NL 4.46) April 22, David P doubts his projections that the Braves might end up with 151 wild pitches and the Red Sox 140 hit batsmen. After 69 games the Braves have 38 WPs and the BoSox 31 HBPs. (Now Braves have 69 WPs, BoSox 36… Read more »

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Through August 24th, the Rangers sport an impressive 74-53 record, but they have given up one more run than they have scored, leading to a Pythagorean win-loss total of 63-64.

Has any team with a sub-.500 Pythag ever finished more than 20 games above the break-even mark? I recall that the Phillies were beating the odds earlier this season, but reality caught up with them by the All-Star break.

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

The answer is no. The ’32 Pirates, ’84 Mets, ’97 Giants and ’07 D-Backs all finished 18 games over .500 with a sub-.500 Pythag. The Mets’ .483 was the lowest Pythag of that group. There is, however, one team that did the reverse and finished 20 games under .500 despite scoring more runs than runs allowed: the 1907 Reds finished 66-87 while scoring 7 more runs than they allowed. Not surprisingly, those Reds did poorly (22-39) in one run games. They were also bad on the road (23-51) and against Brooklyn (7-15) who finished an almost identical 65-83, close to… Read more »

Kerry W

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Related to this, the Rangers have a chance to have the largest difference between their win total and Pythagorean expectation (in all seasons since 1901 — I didn’t check before then). Currently they have a record of 94-65 with a run differential of 11 (757 scored, 746 allowed), which is 13.4 wins over expectation (using Pythagenpat). The only teams with a bigger difference are the 1993 Mets (59-103, 672 scored, 744 allowed, 14.3 below expectation) and the 1905 Tigers (79-74, 512 scored, 604 allowed, 13.6 above expectation). If Texas wins their last three games, they will have the largest difference;… Read more »

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Most wins with a sub-.500 Pythag are the 1984 Mets, the 2007 D-backs and the 1997 Giants who each finished the season at 90-72.

Hartvig

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

At first glance I mixed up the years for the D-backs & the Giants and I was going to guess that the common denominators for those 3 years was really good pitching at the top of the rotation and really crappy pitching at the bottom coupled with fairly punchless offenses. Of course in 97 the D-backs were still a year away and Big Unit was 2 and Schilling 3. The 2007 version did get an outstanding year out of Brandon Webb & had a fairly punchless offense but the rest of the starters were pretty good to sort of mediocre… Read more »

bstar

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

I don’t know that it’s so much about roster construction as it is effectively sequencing runs (good record in close games) and sequencing hits (hitting well with runners on, in high-leverage situations, etc). The 2016 Rangers look really similar to the three teams mentioned above by Richard. tOPS+ = split OPS relative to overall OPS (over 100 is better) 1984 Mets 1-run games: 29-20 Extra innings: 11-1 RISP: 102 tOPS+ Men on: 105 tOPS+ Late & Close: 101 tOPS+ High Leverage: 110 tOPS+ 1997 Giants 1-run games: 23-17 Extra innings: 11-3 RISP: 102 tOPS+ Men on: 112 tOPS+ Late &… Read more »

David P

8 years ago

Only 5 players have hit 9+ home runs in their first 21 MLB games with two of them (Trevor Story and Gary Sanchez) doing it this season.

The others are Alvin Davis (1984), George Scott (1966) and…wait for it…Mandy Brooks (???) in 1925.

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Brooks was .379/.407/.816 for those 21 games, but .239/.291/.390 with 6 home runs for the rest of his career (341 PA). Despite that swoon, his career totals still project (for 162 games) to 21 HR and 109 RBI with 101 OPS+.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

And that includes Sanchez’ two games and two total PA last year. He also didnt get his first HR until his 7th game this year. All the HRs have come in the last 13 games: .469 / .536 / 1.082 / 1.617 ___________________________ Here’s each of those fella’s through their first 21 games: Sanchez .378 / .439 / .824 / 1.263 … 9 HR and 16 SO Story .253 / .320 / .678 / .998 … 10 HR and 35 SO Davis .351 / .457 / .766 / 1.223 … 9 HR and 9 SO Scott .329 / .407 /… Read more »

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

Gary Sanchez compared to three of his ‘power-hitting’ teammates:

419 PA / 11 HR … Chase Headley
355 PA / 10 HR … Mark Teixiera
243 PA / 9 HR …. Alex Rodriguez
80 PA / 9 HR ….. Gary Sanchez

no statistician but

8 years ago

Here’s something a little different, I hope. Two lists of 28 players, the first challenge being to identify what the lists are, the first list having a pair of secondary identifications. Then, I hope, once the lists are identified for what they entail, the further challenge will be to justify why any or all of the the players are in one list and not the other. Note: the players are not paired for any hidden reason. The lists run vertically, so I hope they show up that way when I send this. Santo . . . . . . .… Read more »

John Nacca

8 years ago

Reply to no statistician but

Is WAR the main component?

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to John Nacca

Individual statistics have nothing to do with the lists. Each list is of players who belong together in some specific and definable way, although the first list has two sub-components.

Hartvig

8 years ago

Reply to no statistician but

Everyone on the left (as you look at the screen) is in the Circle of Greats, everyone to the right is not but all of them were on the ballot for multiple seasons.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

You’ve got half of it, Hartvig. Your answer should tell you which half, but I’m easy: the second half may or may not be wrong, but it’s trivial, either way. Look upon the two lists as opposites. My last hint.

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to no statistician but

The right hand column group are all HOF, regardless of whether we thought they deserved it.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

Mike L.:

And . . . ? See my reply to Hartvig at #62.

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

NSB, just eyeballing it, it seems that none of the very worthy folk in the left column were (yet) voted in by the writers.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

Mike L:

Could you elucidate?

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

Elucidating–and it was just a wild guess. Your left hand column seemed to me to consist of Hall-worthy players who had not gotten in because a) they are Pete Rose or Joe Jackson, and out, b) they are Bonds and Clemens, tainted, c) Trammel, Raines, Whitaker, Grich, Lofton, (not sufficiently esteemed), Mo, Thome, Schilling, Mussina, IRod, Edgar, Bagwell, Larry Walker,(probably to definitely worthy but either not eligible yet, or not quite there) and older players who, just off the top of my head, I think had to have gone in through the Vet’s Committee, or other than a direct vote… Read more »

Hartvig

8 years ago

Reply to no statistician but

The COGer’s on the left were all passed over by the BBWAA, the HOFer’s on the right were all passed over by the COG!

Hartvig

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

That should read: “the BBWAA-selected HOFer’s”

Mike L

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

Thanks, Hartvig. I spent so much time showing my work that I obscured rather than elucidated.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

Hartvig and Mike:

Together you’ve almost made it to the definitive answer, so . . . I’ll raise the subject again, but in the form of a question: Why are the two lists in direct opposition?

Another hint: what was the design or methodology of the Circle of Greats?

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

I’d say one reason the two lists are in opposition because, the COG and HOF were elected in reverse order, with the COG considering recent players first and the BBWAA doing the opposite for the HOF. In both voting models, there’s a smaller group of players to consider in the earlier rounds, so the COG has better representation in recent players than the HOF, and vice-versa for older players. Also, both voting models reward players with the good fortune to be considered for election when the ballot is relatively uncrowded with worthy players. Thus, Rice and Perez make the HOF… Read more »

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

Maybe I’m being too finicky, so I’ll award Hartvig the prize @69. The answer I was looking for was that the lists are opposites in that all the other 93 players elected by the BBWAA were also voted into the COG. These 56 players are the bones of contention between the COG and the BBWAA role of HOFers. The first 11 in the left column were rejected by the writers but voted into the Hall by the veteran’s committee. Three pitchers, Plank, Waddell, and Walsh, might have made it anyway, but the veteran’s committee was playing catch-up in 1946 and… Read more »

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

Thanks for these observations, nsb.

Those interested may also wish to review my earlier post on the topic.

http://www.highheatstats.com/2016/02/circle-of-greats-recap/

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Does it have anything to do with being teammates?

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Richard:

Nothing to do with teammates. Sorry.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

An odd circumstance in Sunday’s Cubs-Dodgers game: the only run scored on Adrian Gonzalez’s grounder to third with two outs and the bases loaded. Javier Baez fielded the ball and threw it to Ben Zobrist at second, who was a bit late covering the bag. So, the play was scored as a fielder’s choice (with an RBI credited to Gonzalez), but there was no error charged to Baez or Zobrist, and of course, no out was recorded. That situation can’t happen more than once or twice a season, can it? The reason the runner was on third to begin with… Read more »

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Check that: the run was unearned…I misread the play-by-play. Still, how can this be neither a hit nor an error?

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Clearly not a hit, assuming the grounder to third was of the routine variety. And not an error because nobody muffed a fielding chance, dropped a catchable throw, or made a wild throw. Not getting to a base quick enough is the same as, for example, an outfielder letting a catchable batted ball drop in front of him; not winning baseball but also not a failure to make an intended play.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Doug

I believe that an outfielder letting a catchable fly ball drop results in the batter being credited with a hit.

Gonzalez was charged with an AB on that play as if he had made an out.

Daniel: From 1925 to 1930 a fly ball that advanced a runner to 2nd or 3rd was scored as a SF.

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Richard, of course you’re right about a hit being recorded. My point is the outfielder is *not* charged with an error for failing to employ reasonable effort to make a play, just as the second baseman (in the play in question) is not charged with an error for failing to make a better effort to cover the bag more quickly.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Doug, I would disagree with your opinion (for once) that it was not a failure to make an intended play. It was a routine grounder, and Baez could have thrown to first in plenty of time to beat Gonzalez, or Zobrist could have hustled harder to second (though he likely didn’t have a clue that Baez would choose that route). A huge mental mistake on both ends, sure, but it’s strange that neither fielder suffers any repercussions for that.

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

I get your point Daniel. However, errors are charged for physical miscues only, not mental ones, so that’s why the play was scored a fielder’s choice.

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Another odd play in Tuesday’s Orioles/Blue Jays game. With one out, a runner on first and the shift employed by Toronto for a left-handed batter, a slow roller to the right side allowed the runner to advance to third. Everybody on the field did the right thing, with the pitcher breaking to first, the catcher moving to back up an errant throw that way, and the third baseman covering the bag at second in case the throw went there (the second baseman fielded the ball and took a look at second before going to first). But the result was the… Read more »

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Doug

Another bizarre play involving the Blue Jays, this time against the Red Sox. Runners at first and third for Boston, one out. Travis Shaw lofts a lazy fly ball to left, which Melvin Upton Jr. proceeds to drop. Mookie Betts scores from third, Hanley Ramirez moves up to second, and of course, Shaw reaches first. How is it scored? As a sacrifice fly plus an E-7, with an RBI given to Shaw. So, he reached on an error, but was not charged with an at-bat. But even if you did score that as an official at-bat, how do you determine… Read more »

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

It should be scored that the sacrifice fly doesnt exist.
Unless the batter squares around to bunt and bunts a fly ball all the way to an outfielder.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

What is even stranger is that it was considered an earned run. The ball barely got to medium-depth left, so it shouldn’t be assumed that Betts would have scored from third. This goes back to the “cracks” in the scoring system that I discussed with Doug just above this thread.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Ichiro become the 4th player ages 42+ to steal 10 bases:

25 … Rickey
11 … Honus
11 … Omar V
10 … Ichiro

8 … Rickey
8 … Rose

At this moment he has the highest numbers in all three slash lines of any of those seasons.

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Julio Teheran already has 5 starts this season allowing runs only via solo home runs. It’s his second such season, putting him in a tie for the second most among active pitchers, all of the others (Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Zack Grienke, James Shields, CC Sabathia, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Yovani Gallardo, John Lackey, Bartolo Colon) having been around quite a bit longer (with one more such start this season, Madison Bumgarner, Jered Weaver and Chase Anderson can join the group at two seasons). The active and all-time leader is Cole Hamels with 4 such seasons, tied with the unlikely… Read more »

David P

8 years ago

From last night…Indians are just the 12th team to do the following in a 9 inning game:

8+ walks, 6+ XBH, 2+ HRs, 5 or fewer runs scored.

Indians had two runners thrown out at third and one at home, which is how they managed to score so few runs.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Here’s a way to track that. Run the PI (assuming you are a subscriber) for Batting Game Finder, Find all matching games, ROE = 1, SF = 1 and PA = 1. I checked one such game which occurred on 9-23-2009 between the Nationals and the Dodgers. Pete Orr pinch-hit and hit a SF and also reached on error. The box score credits him with 1 RBI and 0 AB and the PBP indicates a ROE.

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

My post #149 was intended as a reply to post #148.

David P

8 years ago

James Shields just turned in one of the worst months of August ever. Six starts, 26 innings, 11.42 ERA, 12 home runs allowed, .808 slugging allowed, 1.258 OPS allowed. The slugging and OPS allowed are the worst ever for a month of August of 15+ innings pitched. The ERA isn’t a record…the worst for 15+ innings pitched is Emmett O’Neill in 1945 (16.43). The worst for 6+ August starts is Fernando in 1983 (13.95). The 12 home runs allowed aren’t quite a record as 4 pitchers have allowed 13 (Jim Waugh, 1953; Warren Hacker, 1955; Robin Roberts, 1963; Bill Travers,… Read more »

Richard Chester

8 years ago

I saw it mentioned on Twitter that Yasmany Tomas currently has hit more HR (14) in multi-homer games than in 1 homer games (13). I did some analysis and found that 2 other players have accomplished that feat in a season (20 total HR min.). In 1970 Duke Sims hit 12 HR in multi- homer games and 11 HR in 1 homer games for a total of 23 HR. In 2015 Lucas Duda hit 15 HR in multi-homer games and 12 in 1 homer games for a total of 27 HR.

oneblankspace

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Dave Martinez of the Expos hit 3 HR in 1989, including a 2-HR game at Wrigley. He led off the game with a homer on the 15th pitch. (I was at that game and remembered it as the14th pitch.)

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Matt Moore’s almost no-hitter last week was (according to information I’ve pieced together on the Web; my source for the pre-1961 data was SABR research from 1983 so likely to be some missing games there) the 56th individual no-hit bid since 1892 to be broken up with one out to go (plus Yu Darvish’s 2014 game when what was thought to be a no-hit bid was broken up with one out to go, but a changed scorer’s decision after the game added a second 7th inning hit). It’s the fourth time a Giant pitcher has suffered that disappointment (tied, appropriately,… Read more »

Doug

8 years ago

In Wednesday’s Orioles/Blue Jays game, for the second night in a row both starters went 6+ innings and struck out no more than 3 batters. Those are the 17th and 18th times that’s happened this year, but the first time it’s happened twice in the same series.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Joe Biagini has not allowed a home run in 56 innings this season. Only 31 other pitchers have met this criteria in the post-war era, and a mere 5 fellow rookies have done so. Combing through the Play Index to sort out this information, I stumbled across the curious case of Gregory Minton. Not only does he hold the modern record for the most consecutive innings without surrendering a home run (269.1), but he lasted 16 seasons and compiled 150 saves while defying the odds. Minton’s career ERA+ of 118 is third-best among all pitchers since 1940 who logged 1000… Read more »

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

If Biagini remains unscathed, he has a chance to move up to second in IP in such rookie seasons. In first place is Terry Forster with an even 100 IP as a 20 year-old in 1972.

Minton was the subject of this post a few years back.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Doug

And obviously, I have the ability to place curses on people, as Biagini surrendered a home run in his very next outing (off the fair pole, no less).

Doug

8 years ago

Andrew Toles’ two-out 9th inning granny for the Dodgers in Wednesday’s nightcap in Denver capped a comeback from 6 runs down after 7 innings to beat the Rockies 10-8.

Toles’ .838 WPA is the highest since at least 1913 for a Dodger (and 14th highest for any team) in the first 25 games of a career (it was Toles’ 25th game), edging out Ed Stevens’ .831 score in 1945.

Doug

8 years ago

Aroldis Chapman retired his first two batters in closing out the Pirates in Wednesday’s win for the Cubs. But it was hardly a routine save as the next three batters reached, one scored, and Chapman was extended to eleven pitches before retiring Jody Mercer to end the game. Chapman’s 31 pitches in the inning are his highest total in a successful save of one inning or less. Along the way, Chapman uncorked three wild ones (and was saved a couple more with some remarkable snags by his catcher) to become the 44th searchable pitcher to do so in an appearance… Read more »

David P

8 years ago

Tonight Andrew Cashner became just the third pitcher to have a game of 6 hits, 6 runs, 6 earned runs, 6 walks, and 6 strikeouts.

Others to pull off the feat are Dave Morehead on June 10th, 1963 and Steve Carlton on June 21st 1986.

Sadly none of the three pitched exactly 6 innings.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to David P

BTW, three pitchers have also turned in an “all 7s” game.

Pete Smith on June 27th, 1994, Billy Pierce on May 3rd, 1956, and Fred Anderson on June 16th, 1915 (Federal League). Both Anderson and Pierce also pitched exactly 7 innings.

No pitcher has ever turned in an “all 8’s” or an “all 9”.

Kahuna Tuna

8 years ago

Reply to David P

The Senators, against whom Pierce put up his 7-7-7-7-7-7 line on 5/3/56, began play that day with a record of 7-7.

David P

8 years ago

With 2 doubles tonight, Abraham Almonte has a chance to become just the third player with 20+ doubles and less than 200 PAs. Almonte currently has 17 doubles in only 137 PAs.

Others to pull off the feat are Jorge Cantu in 2004 (20 in 185) and Earle Brucker in 1937 (21 in 191).

No idea what will happen to Almonte’s playing time down the stretch. Due to his PED suspension, he’s ineligible for the playoffs and the Indians just picked up Coco Crisp to replace him during the playoffs.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is currently batting .187, but has an OPS of .699 in 251 plate appearances. How many players have garnered that many PAs, reached .700 OPS and batted under .190? Just two, in 1991 and 2001. I am going to guess (without peeking) that the answers are Rob Deer and Mark McGwire. Any takers?

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

That appears correct Daniel!

So here’s another Saltalamacchia trivia question.

He’s one of 7 players with a season of 40+ doubles and less than 500 PAs. Who are the other 6?

I’ll list the years and the teams (but please no peaking in the Play Index!):

1920 Yankees
1994 Expos
1994 Twins
1999 Brewers
2002 Marlins
2012 Reds

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Okay David, I’ll bite. This feels like a tough one, but here are my best guesses:

1920: Tony Lazzeri (might be a little early for him)
1994 Expos: Vladimir Guerrero
1994 Twins: Kirby Puckett
1999: Greg Vaughan
2002: Jeff Conine
2012: Joey Votto (I’m pretty sure about this one)

*nervously awaits score*

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

It was much too early for Lazzeri. I would stick with Bob Meusel.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Votto and Meusel are correct.

Here are some hints to help with the others:

The 1994 Expos players was a fairly/somewhat controversial selection to the COG.

The 1994 Twin was a member of World Series teams with both the Twins and the Yankees.

The 1999 Brewer is 4th on Milwaukee’s all-time homer list, behind Yount, Braun, and Prince Fielder.

The 2002 Marlin was a member of the 2004 Red Sox World Series team and was known for using the phrase “Cowboy Up” and referring to his teammates as “idiots”.

Kahuna Tuna

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Walker, Knoblauch, Burnitz, Mueller.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Walker and Knoblauch are correct, Burnitz and Mueller are incorrect.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

The Marlin would be Kevin Millar, then?

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Millar is correct! Interestingly, he nearly pulled the feat off two years in a row as the year before he had 39 doubles in 495 PAs.

So we’re left with the Brewer. Any guesses?

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

So no more guesses? Hmm…Geoff Jenkins wonders why no one remembers his career! 🙂

Hartvig

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

I have to admit that I couldn’t come up with anyone that fit the time frame so I went to their roster that season and peeked. And even tho I think I had Jenkins on my Rotisserie team a time or two I’m not sure I would have come up with him had I thought about it for the rest of the season.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Hartvig – I wouldn’t have been able to come up with Jenkins either. Unfortunately, he played on bad teams in a small market, making him easy to forget…

David P

8 years ago

In their past 14 games, the Yankees have scored either 0 or 5 runs in 12 of those games (0 runs 4 times, 5 runs 8 times, and 13 and 14 runs once each).

In the 23 game stretch prior to this “streak”, the Yankees never scored 0 or 5 runs.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Hours after I posted this, the Yankees once again scored 5 runs.

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge has a chance to have the highest strikeout percentage ever for a position player with 100+ PAs.

Assuming I did the math correctly, the current record was set by Dave Duncan in 1967 with 50 Ks in 106 PAs. (47.2%). Judge currently has 35 Ks in 73 PAs (47.9%) and barring injuring, will no doubt top 100 PAs this year.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to David P

So, you’re saying that Judge is on pace to be an excellent pitching coach.
_______________

Two years after Duncan did all that striking out he made it onto this list:

Lowest batting average, min 150 PA:

.122 … Frank O’Rourke
.124 … Bill Killefer
.125 … Andy Anderson
.126 … Dave Duncan
.129 … Maury Wills
.131 … Luis Pujols
.132 … Bill Bergen
.135 … Doc Lavan
.135 … Ray Oyler

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

Judge gets compared a lot to Adam Dunn based on his height, his raw power, and his high strikeout rate. But Dunn debuted at age 21, putting up a 136 OPS+ and finishing 4th in the Rookie of the Year balloting. The following year he made the All-Star game. And at age 24, Dunn hit 46 home runs, drove in 102 runs, and finished 28th in MVP balloting. Meanwhile, Judge is a 24 year old rookie, striking out at levels that are much higher than Dunn ever did (Dunn’s highest mark was 35.7% at age 31, when his skills were… Read more »

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Joe Judge, height 5’8″, played first base(!) for the Senators back in their glory years, the 1920s, and struck out around 30 times a season on average.

So who’s to judge?

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Seems to me that 25% reaching 12.5 WAR is an unusually high mark. The proportion for all retired position players since 1901 is just a bit more than half of that, at 13.5%.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Thanks Doug, I appreciate the context. Mostly I was struck by the “feast or famine” among the tall players. Yes, 25% have 12.5 or more WAR. But because of the divide, you could also say that 25% have 4.1 or more WAR.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to David P

We’ve got a pretty SSS (small-sample-size) to work with here. Sure, bigger body, harder to get around on an MLB fastball. But being 6’7″, and an elite athlete is rare, more rare than 6’6″. Anything above (or below) average drops in a gaussian curve. So, not many of those guys to begin with. And so, young guy, huge, athlete, in high school. Which coach is going to get a hold of him? Hoops (or volleyball). Maybe football if he has the agility to be a tight end. And if they do play hardball, they are probably slated to pitch. Rare… Read more »

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Voomo @ 134:

I’m thinking of a 6’6″ outfielder who never got to the majors but made a small career for himself in the NBA. Had some shoes named after him.

He also had trouble with his golf game, as I remember.

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Judge is more than just tall, he is is a giant. Just massive.

Saw him stand next to 6’4″ Justin Smoak, Toronto’s first baseman; made Smoak look like a little kid.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Aaron Judge images next to other people:

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Judge now has gone 9 straight games with 2+ strikeouts. For the searchable era that’s a record, pitchers included.

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Judge reminds me of Carlos Peguero (6’5″, 260 lbs), whose career totals currently show 126 whiffs in 319 PA. In his first 21 games, Peguero had 25 K’s in 70 PAs, including whiffs in 18 of the 19 games in which he had a PA. That said, I think Judge has a better swing than Peguero who was (maybe still is) long and loopy and compounded that by swinging at everything. But, Peguero has probably hit the highest pop-up I’ve ever seen. It was headed for the seats down the first base line and the camera must have waited, seemingly… Read more »

Scary Tuna

8 years ago

Brian Dozier didn’t crack the top ten home run leaders until this week. Now he’s second after hitting three more today (and six in his past four games). On May 24th, Dozier was batting .199 with four home runs, and there was talk of him down to AAA. Now, he could become the first AL second basemen to hit 40 home runs, and it’s quite possible he could break Davey Johnson’s overall mark of 43. Dozier has hit two HRs as a DH, so he would technically need eight more from 2B to pass Johnson. While that seems a big… Read more »

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Scary Tuna

Looks like you are right about Hornsby. The only other second baseman to lead his league in HR was Nap Lajoie in 1901.

Scary Tuna

8 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Thanks for checking that, Richard.

Dozier now has 11 home runs against the Royals this season, including nine in the their last nine meetings since the 12th of August. The Twins are 1-8 in those games and have been outscored 67-26. Four games remain in their season series.

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Scary Tuna

Dozier’s 20 games hitting a home run while his team lost is tied for the 24th highest total since 1913. First place (32 games by Mark McGwire in 1999) is probably out of reach, but 25 would tie him with Sammy Sosa (2001) for 3rd spot (Sosa also has 2nd place with 27 games in 1999).

oneblankspace

8 years ago

Reply to Scary Tuna

That was a four-way tie for Grich at 22 HR in a strike-shortened season, with one or two others at 21. The next bunch had 17.

Schmidt and Dawson had more circuits in the senior circuit that season, with two more NLers at 22.

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Scary Tuna

With his home run tonight, Dozier ties Mark McGwire in 1999 for most home runs (26) in his team’s 52 games numbered 88 through 139.

With his first home run this season (38 dingers ago), Dozier set the career record for taters by a Senators/Twins second sacker, surpassing Rod Carew’s mark of 74.

Mike L

8 years ago

Just wanted to note that Granderson now has 25 HR and 45 RBI. And he’s now 3/44 with 2 out and RISP.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Mike L

Granderson is up to 29 HR and 56 RBI, so his ratio doesn’t look as bizarre now, but he plays on a team that seems to enjoy the feast-or-famine approach. Neil Walker has 23 HR and 55 RBI (out for the season) and Asdrubal Cabrera is at 22 HR and 55 RBI. Number of player-seasons with at least 22 HR and fewer than 59 RBI: 52 (six this year). Number of players with 30+ homers and fewer than 60 RBI? Zero. The Mets have 208 HR, but only 587 RBI. I can’t seem to find the correct Play Index tool… Read more »

Author

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Best to use the Split Finder. The Mets and Rays (618 RBI) should both pass the current record low total for RBI in a 200 home run season. Rk Split Year G RBI HR 1 CHC Total 2002 162 676 200 2 BAL Total 2012 162 677 214 3 BAL Total 2014 162 681 211 4 CHC Total 1987 161 683 209 5 BAL Total 2015 162 686 217 6 HOU Total 2015 162 691 230 7 BAL Total 1987 162 701 211 8 DET Total 1985 161 703 202 9 DET Total 1999 161 704 212 10 MIN Total… Read more »

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Here’s an open question for the HHS community: how do you search for consecutive seasons in the Play Index Season Finder tool? I’m asking because Mike Trout is one triple away from five straight years with at least 100 runs, 25 doubles, 25 homers, and 5 triples. He would become just the 12th player to tally even five total seasons with those numbers, but I don’t see how to narrow it down to a search for consecutive years. Vladimir Guerrero accomplished it from 1998-2000, but the only reason I know that is because he popped up on the regular list.… Read more »

Richard Chester

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

The following players have 5 or more consecutive seasons that match the criteria: Ruth, Gehrig, Klein, Foxx and Mays. Gehrig had a 12 year streak, the others each had one 5 year streak. I found the answer via the PI and an Excel spreadsheet analysis.

It can be done without being a subscriber but it is a complex procedure. Also it can be done by logging on to Fangraphs, extracting a list of all player seasons, hitting the export button to place the results into an Excel spreadsheet and start sorting and eliminating.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Also, in the AL, through September 7th:

Red Sox – 78 wins (East Division leader)
Blue Jays – 77 (WC #1)
Orioles – 76 (WC #2)
Tigers – 75
Astros – 74
Damn Yankees – 73
Royals – 72
Mariners – 71

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Those (D) Yankees are closer to 1st place than they’ve been since April 27th. Have been in 4th since May. And they are not going away.

Daniel Longmire

8 years ago

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

Updated AL standings, through September 28th:

Blue Jays – 87 wins (WC #1)
Orioles – 86 (WC #2)
Tigers – 85
Mariners – 84
Astros – 83 (played one more game)
Damn Yankees – 82
Royals – 81 (eliminated tonight)

That is some serious parity.

Voomo Zanzibar

8 years ago

Byron Buxton, until he got sent down at the beginning of August:

218 PA
.193 / .247 / .315 / .561

Since his September callup:

27 PA
4 doubles, 4 home runs
.462 / .481 / 1.077 / 1.558

David P

8 years ago

Indians have 5 players who have qualified for the batting title. Here are their respective OPS’:

.829 (Carlos Santana)
.828 (Francisco Lindor)
.827 (Mike Napoli)
.826 (Jason Kipnis)
.818 (Jose Ramirez)

Doug

8 years ago

Reply to David P

But, still nobody with 115 OPS+.

The 1925 A’s are the only other team with 5 qualifiers having .800 OPS and OPS+ below 115. The difference was those A’s (who finished second) also had two qualifiers above those marks.

David P

8 years ago

Reply to Doug

A recent hot streak has pushed Carlos Santana up to a 119 OPS+. So the Indians may yet avoid the “Doug Curse” . Or perhaps Doug put a reverse curse on the Indians. (and should Santana falter, Jose Ramirez is right there with a 114 OPS+).

David P

8 years ago

Yeah, the Indians hitters are “hurt” by the 112 park factor. Of course, much of that is their own doing, as they’ve put up a .841 OPS at home vs .692 on the road. In fact, the difference between their home OPS and overall OPS (.841 vs .768) is the largest non-Rockies split since the 1983 Blue Jays (.852 vs .774).

The Indians pitchers, by the way, have nowhere near as extreme of a split, giving up a .733 OPS at home vs .689 on the road.

no statistician but

8 years ago

Reply to David P

Four of five pitchers in the Indians rotation currently have 11 wins, speaking of peculiarities.