To qualify for these lists, a player must have been born in 1984 or later (“Under 30”):

Under 30, Most Career Regular Season Plate Appearances:
1. Prince Fielder 5,612
2. Jeff Francoeur 4,959
3. Ryan Zimmerman 4,943
4. B.J. Upton 4,509
5. Brian McCann 4,354
6. Melky Cabrera 4,236
7. Billy Butler 4,208
8. James Loney 4,082
9. Delmon Young 3,936
10. Matt Kemp 3,897

After the jump, two more Top Tens for the “Under 30” set, but more quality than quantity based. Continue reading →

In an article in this past Saturday’s New York Times, Tyler Kepner mentioned that Seattle is the only current major league city that has not hosted a World Series game.  One might get technical and argue that the city of Miami, where the Marlins now play, has also  never hosted a Series game, because all of the Marlins’ World Series home games to date have been played in their old park located in the suburban community of  Miami Gardens.  Yes, yes, we know what Tyler meant.  But the reference sent me back to look at which cities have hosted now many World Series games over the years.  The table after the jump lists all 28 cities or towns that have been the location of at least one World Series game.   Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 39th round of balloting for the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats (COG).  One year ago, in December, 2012, we started the Circle of Greats voting by selecting our first inductee from among the players born in 1968.  Since then we’ve moved backwards in time with the birth years we’ve added, and as of now we’ve reached the 1938 birth year.  But with a full twelve months of voting now complete since we began, we can add a later birth year, while remaining within the original parameter of inducting only players 44 years old or older.  So this round, in honor of the first anniversary of the beginning of the COG voting, adds to the ballot those players born in 1969. Rules and lists are, as usual, after the jump. Continue reading →

Two of the longest-enduring star pitchers of modern times led the voting this round, with Phil Niekro winning out over Gaylord Perry to become the 38th inductee into the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats.  More on Niekro and the voting after the jump. Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 38th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats.  This round adds to the ballot those players born in 1938.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

Voters had no problem spelling Yastrzemski, or something close enough, to easily make Carl the 37th inductee into the Circle of Greats.  More on Yaz and the voting after the jump. Continue reading →

208 players have been inducted into the Hall Fame based on their playing careers in the major leagues. The following is a breakdown of how many of those played their final year in the majors in each decade:

2000 through 2009: 5 players
1990 through 1999: 16 players
1980 through 1989: 19 players
1970 through 1979: 19 players
1960 through 1969: 15 players
1950 through 1959: 17 players
1940 through 1949: 23 players
1930 through 1939: 34 players
1920 through 1929: 13 players
1910 through 1919: 19 players
1900 through 1909: 15 players
1890 through 1899: 13 players

The 2008 and 2009 final year guys have not even been eligible yet (the 2008 guys are just being voted on for the first time now, results to be announced in January). But this breakdown might provide a sense of what might be expected to ultimately be the number of guys that will be inducted whose careers ended between 2000 and 2009.

This Circle of Greats (COG) vote is not to induct anyone into the Circle, but only to select two players who will be restored back on to the main ballot after having been previously been dropped from eligibility.  This third “redemption round” (we also held such rounds after the 1960 and 1950 rounds of voting) gives voters a chance to reconsider past candidates that have been rejected.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 37th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats.  This round adds to the ballot those players born in 1939.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

Having fallen short of induction by the smallest of margins in the 1941 and 1940 Part 1 rounds of balloting, Pete Rose broke through with the narrowest of victories in the 1940 Part 2 round.  After a chaotic finish to the voting, including an unprecedented recount and a barely disqualified late vote, Pete becomes the 36th inductee into the High Heat Stats Circle of Great.  More on Rose and the voting after the jump.   Continue reading →