Quiz – Expansion Era Catchers (solved) |

The players in this quiz are the only catchers with a particular season accomplishment since 1961. What is it?

Hint #1: McCann and Kendall accomplished this feat in the same season, the first time since 1955 that two catchers had done so in the same year.

Hint #2: A player is currently on pace to join this group in 2014.

Congratulations to Gary Bateman! He correctly identified the quiz players as the only catchers since 1961 to lead their league in the same season in most successful steal attempts against and also most unsuccessful steal attempts against, the latter being an artifact of the former. More after the jump.

Here are those seasons, including this year’s current NL leader.

Quite a range of CS percentages, ranging from less than one third (Lucroy, McCann, Kendall, Diaz, Kennedy) to almost half (Dalrymple). Also notable how much the highest stolen base against result changed in the AL in just a 3-year span (1984 to 1987).

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brp

10 years ago

McCann & Kendall only have full-season overlap from 2006-2010, which narrows it down. But I haven’t found the link – they are very dissimilar players, so it’s tough…

I’m thinking it might not be a batting feat, or I’m just missing it.

bcholm

Could it be a catcher leading his team in games played for a season?

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Doug

Reply to bcholm

I think Randy Hundley may have done that, and maybe Jason Kendall and Ted Simmons too. But, that’s not it.

Richard Chester

Reply to Doug

Only catcher to lead the league in games played, with 90% of his games as a catcher, was Frankie Hayes of the A’s in 1944 with 155. Those games were part of a streak of 312 consecutive games played as a catcher, an ML record.

Gary Bateman

Led the league in caught stealing and stolen bases against in the same year?

Reply to Gary Bateman

Ding, ding ding!

Well done, Gary.

Editor

John Autin

I credit Piazza with keeping the running game relevant during the PED era.

1993 was Mike’s first full year, and the first of nine times leading the NL in SB allowed, usually by a wide margin. 108 steals might seem high, but he had seven years with more, including 155 in 1996. And ’93 was by far his best CS%, the only time he reached 30%.

Mets fans moaned and groaned, and rationalized. But looking back, what great entertainment! Games would have been much duller if Mike had Johnny Bench’s arm, and no one even bothered to try him.

Reply to John Autin

Those stolen bases are a lot easier to take when your catcher’s SLG% is twice as higher as his CS%.