Quiz – Heady Company (solved) |

Two rookie phenoms in 2012 had seasons for the ages, joining the very select group of players below.

Since 1901, what single season statistical feat has been accomplished only by these players?

Player
Luke Appling
Rogers Hornsby
Barry Bonds
Honus Wagner
Lou Gehrig
Bryce Harper
Ted Williams
Babe Ruth
Carl Yastrzemski
Cal Ripken
Mike Trout
Willie Mays

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 1/19/2013.

Hint: several players on the list did this more than once.

Congratulations to Josh! He correctly identified these players as the record holders for seasonal WAR at each age, with a minimum of 2 WAR. That minimum covers the ages 19 through 42. The record seasons are after the jump, as well the best WAR seasons outside of this age range.

Rk	Player	WAR/pos	OPS+	Year	Age	Tm	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos
1	Robin Yount	1.3	79	1974	18	MIL	107	364	344	48	86	14	5	3	26	12	46	.250	.276	.346	.622	*6
1	Bryce Harper	5.0	119	2012	19	WSN	139	597	533	98	144	26	9	22	59	56	120	.270	.340	.477	.817	*89/7
1	Mike Trout	10.7	171	2012	20	LAA	139	639	559	129	182	27	8	30	83	67	139	.326	.399	.564	.963	*87/9
1	Rogers Hornsby	9.7	169	1917	21	STL	145	589	523	86	171	24	17	8	66	45	34	.327	.385	.484	.868	*6
1	Ted Williams	10.1	235	1941	22	BOS	143	606	456	135	185	33	3	37	120	147	27	.406	.553	.735	1.287	*7/9
1	Willie Mays	10.3	175	1954	23	NYG	151	641	565	119	195	33	13	41	110	66	57	.345	.411	.667	1.078	*8
1	Lou Gehrig	11.5	220	1927	24	NYY	155	717	584	149	218	52	18	47	175	109	84	.373	.474	.765	1.240	*3
1	Babe Ruth	11.6	255	1920	25	NYY	142	616	458	158	172	36	9	54	137	150	80	.376	.532	.847	1.379	*978/31
1	Babe Ruth	12.6	238	1921	26	NYY	152	693	540	177	204	44	16	59	171	145	81	.378	.512	.846	1.359	*78/13
1	Carl Yastrzemski	12.0	193	1967	27	BOS	161	680	579	112	189	31	4	44	121	91	69	.326	.418	.622	1.040	*7/8
1	Babe Ruth	13.7	239	1923	28	NYY	152	697	522	151	205	45	13	41	131	170	93	.393	.545	.764	1.309	97/83
1	Babe Ruth	11.4	220	1924	29	NYY	153	681	529	143	200	39	7	46	121	142	81	.378	.513	.739	1.252	*97/8
1	Cal Ripken	11.3	162	1991	30	BAL	162	717	650	99	210	46	5	34	114	53	46	.323	.374	.566	.940	*6
1	Babe Ruth	11.1	225	1926	31	NYY	152	652	495	139	184	30	5	47	146	144	76	.372	.516	.737	1.253	*79/3
1	Babe Ruth	12.1	225	1927	32	NYY	151	691	540	158	192	29	8	60	164	137	89	.356	.486	.772	1.258	*97
1	Willie Mays	10.7	172	1964	33	SFG	157	665	578	121	171	21	9	47	111	82	72	.296	.383	.607	.990	*8/635
1	Honus Wagner	11.3	205	1908	34	PIT	151	641	568	100	201	39	19	10	109	54	22	.354	.415	.542	.957	*6
1	Babe Ruth	10.0	211	1930	35	NYY	145	676	518	150	186	28	9	49	153	136	61	.359	.493	.732	1.225	*97/1
1	Barry Bonds	11.6	259	2001	36	SFG	153	664	476	129	156	32	2	73	137	177	93	.328	.515	.863	1.379	*7/D
1	Barry Bonds	11.6	268	2002	37	SFG	143	612	403	117	149	31	2	46	110	198	47	.370	.582	.799	1.381	*7/D
1	Ted Williams	9.5	233	1957	38	BOS	132	547	420	96	163	28	1	38	87	119	43	.388	.526	.731	1.257	*7
1	Barry Bonds	10.4	263	2004	39	SFG	147	617	373	129	135	27	3	45	101	232	41	.362	.609	.812	1.422	*7/D
1	Willie Mays	6.0	158	1971	40	SFG	136	537	417	82	113	24	5	18	61	112	123	.271	.425	.482	.907	*83
1	Honus Wagner	5.2	126	1915	41	PIT	156	625	566	68	155	32	17	6	78	39	64	.274	.325	.422	.747	*643
1	Luke Appling	4.9	125	1949	42	CHW	142	619	492	82	148	21	5	5	58	121	24	.301	.439	.394	.833	*6
1	Carlton Fisk	1.7	97	1991	43	CHW	134	501	460	42	111	25	0	18	74	32	86	.241	.299	.413	.712	*2D3

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 1/19/2013.

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Dr. Doom

11 years ago

The idea that one of baseball’s “great-old-but-not-young” players in Appling and Bryce Harper share something in common is kind of awesome…

Author

Doug

Reply to Dr. Doom

That comment is actually kind of a hint for the quiz.

Editor

John Autin

Reply to Doug

Kind of a puzzling hint, since I disagree with Doom’s assessment of Appling. His first outstanding year was age 26, three more from 28-30. The fact that he also had many good years from his mid-30s into his 40s shouldn’t take away from his earlier years.

Mike L

Reply to John Autin

I’m not sure he means it that way, Appling is probably the key. He’s the only player on the list with no power.

AlbaNate

Reply to Mike L

No power? You must have missed that home run he hit at RFK Stadium in ’82 when he was 75. 🙂

JA, I would argue that 26 is not “young” in baseball terms. No 26-year-old “prospect” would be deemed “young.” That’s really reserved for the 23-at-oldest-and-younger crowd. At least that’s how I see it. A great season at 26 is not surprising – after all, that’s right near the “prime age” of 27. A great season at 22 or 20 is MUCH more unexpected. That’s just what I meant. He was great during his prime, and continued to be so later in his career. But he wasn’t a great “young” player.

Doom, I see your point about Appling. And you’re right … [sigh] … 26 is not “young” for a MLB player.

Thinking out loud … If the theme is age and youth, then how exactly does Gehrig fit? His first and last years as a regular were ages 22 and 35, which is far from unusual. Appling was good at 40+. Hornsby was good at 20. Bonds was good at 21, and at 40+. Wagner was good at 40+. Harper was good at 19. Williams was good at 20 and at 40+. Ruth was a good pitcher at 20. Yaz was decent at 21 and at 40+. Ripken was good at 21 and … well, he played at 40. Trout was… Read more »

You’re all over it.

The theme is definitely age, but not youth, necessarily.

Josh

Do each player hold the record for most WAR at each particular age?

Reply to Josh

Bingo!

Well done, Josh.

If I may ask, whose records did Harper and Trout beat?

Reply to RJ

Harper beat Mel Ott (3.7 in 1928).

Trout beat A-Rod (9.2 in 1996).

Cheers Doug. So looking at your table, before Trout’s blockbuster season the record WAR at each age increased year-on-year from 18 to 26. Now Trout owns the highest WAR for any age up to 23. Wow.

GrandyMan

Also in 2012, Manny Machado had the 9th best season for a 19-year old at 1.5 WAR. Trout himself is one of only 27 players to have a WAR of at least 0.5 at age 19 (he had 0.6 last year).

BryanM

great quiz, doug! I scratched my head for a long time over it and didn’t come close, Even put my St Louis Cardinal’s cap on to help thinking — didn’t work, but I learned of Musial’s death while wearing it, which put a sweet edge on the nostalgia. Carleton Fisk at 33 – nice to see and old catcher on the list.

DaveKingman

So this Ruth guy was pretty good, I take it?

Hartvig

In retrospect it’s something that I feel like I SHOULD have spotted- you’ve got guys well known for being great “old” players like Old Aches & Pains & Pudge & Honus & of course Barry’s second half of his career “surge” as well as two current youngsters- but I have got to admit that I stared at that list for 10 minutes without coming anywhere close.

In retrospect I think it was Yount that threw me.

Well done Josh & Doug

In the category of `what have you done for me lately`, take a look at that 6 WAR season by Willie Mays in 1971 at age 40. And then, being dealt by the Giants just a few weeks into the next season. Sure, he was off to a bad start. But, even though events proved the Giants right in their judgment, franchise legends deserve better, do they not?

I always thought it poetic and just that Mays and Aaron were the key players on franchises that moved during their tenure, then returned to finish their careers where they started. It creates a nice symmetry.

Actually, IF my memory of events is correct Willie didn’t seem to be all that bothered by it at the time. After all, he was sort of going home to New York plus the Mets had just won the World Series. And again, IF my memory is correct I think he came out of the deal OK financially as well. I know there was a bit of outrage in the media at the time but like I said, I don’t remember Mays seeming to be too bothered.

Doug, maybe the SFG management recognized Willie’s ’71 massive surge in both walks and strikeouts as compensation for a loss of bat speed. His power had vanished in the 2nd half of ’71, 4 HRs in the last 3 months. And the ’72 Giants got off to a bad start — they were 8-16 when Willie was dealt, and would never get back in the race. Willie was 9 for 49 without a HR. I think it was considered a courtesy move, giving Willie the chance for a “farewell tour” in the city where he became a star. No one… Read more »

Could be, John. ’71 really was the last-chance season for the Giants with Mays at 40, McCovey at 33 starting to wear down and missing a third of the season, and Marichal starting to look mortal after finishing a decade where he averaged 280 IP. The Giants won the NL West, but couldn’t make it past the Pirates. With a bad start in ’72, time to rebuild and no time for sentimentality. With McCovey a few years later, the hard-nosed Giant management did much the same as with Mays. Stretch was injured again in ’72, missing half the year, but… Read more »

mosc

I think there’s a decent chance the list might add another name with 43 year old Rivera in 2013 giving it another go. Would be fitting to get at least one pitcher on the list wouldn’t it?