Back in the Day... Stuff
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 12:32 pm
Ted Williams would have been 100 years old this year.
Williams had more homers (521) than any other hitter born in 1918. That may have sounded like an 'easy stat' since not many players hit more homers than Williams.
But get this...
In 1919, the following year, Jackie Robinson was born.
Robinson's 137 home runs is more than any other player born in 1919.
1919 must have been a slumping year for Mother's of ball players.
Those 137 homers for Robinson is the lowest total for any player of any year during the live ball era.
At least until we get to active players, where we find Mike Moustakas as the home run king of players born in 1988 with 119 home runs.
In 1961, Orlando Cepeda hit 46 homers for the San Francisco Giants.
In 1961, Jim Gentile hit 46 homers for the Baltimore Orioles.
In 1961, Harmon Killebrew hit 46 homers for the Minnesota Twins.
Before this, no batter had hit 40 homers in San Francisco, Baltimore, or Minnesota.
In the 1920's, Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby led their leagues in OPS, nine of the 10 years of the decade.
Ty Cobb and Cy Williams, the footnotes....
49 players have stolen 70 bases in a season.
None, in the 2010's.
Only three players have turned the trick since the turn of the century.
Scott Podsednik, 70 in 2004, Jose Reyes, 78 in 2007, Jacoby Ellsbury, 70 in 2009
Lou Brock stole 118 bases in 1974 ....he was 35 years old !
Then stole 56 more the following year.
And 56 more the following year.
Brock stole double digit bases 18 consecutive years.
Since 2011, only one pitcher has started 35 games. David Price, 2016.
Last year, only two pitchers started 34 games. Chris Archer, Kevin Gausman.
More alarming, only 46 pitchers started 30 games in 2017.
Just two years ago, 66 pitchers started 30 games.
In an era where players are 'rested' frequently, Alcides Escobar and Rougned Odor played in every game last year.
This, would seem to fall under their Managers sanity more than to the players credit.
Anyway, Pete Rose played 162 games when he was 35.
And would do so again, four more times.
He played 162 games when 41 years old.
Only one other player has played 162 games in multiple years at 35 years of age or older.
Ichiro, twice.
Ichiro is also part of another select list.
He is the only hitter to win Most Valuable Player since 1973, with less than 10 home runs. Ichiro hit eight in 2001.
Since 1950, five other players have won MVP's with less than 10 homers...
1950- Phil Rizzuto, 7
1959- Nellie Fox, 2
1960 Dick Groat, 2
1962 Maury Wills, 6
1973 Pete Rose, 5
Jose Altuve had more than 200 hits last year.
It was his fourth straight year of 200 hits.
Only one other Astros hitter has ever had 200 hits.
Craig Biggio.
There is one franchise in baseball today who has never had a player with 200 hits in a season.
The Tampa Rays.
Aubrey Huff has their best with 198 hits.
Aubrey Huff?!
Back in the day, the Braves had three pretty good pitchers.
Maddox, Smoltz, and Glavine.
John Smoltz was recounting pitching to Tony Gwynn.
The Braves faced him often in that the Braves, somehow, were in the West Division at that time.
Smoltz relayed that he ended up throwing the ball right down the middle for Gwynn.
He said, "Why not? He hit everything I threw on the corners!"
Maddox, Smoltz,and Glavine spread fear near and far, but Tony Gwynn was their kryptonite.
In 249 at bats against the three Hall of Famers, Gwynn hit .394
More astounding is that the threesome would only strike Gwynn out four times in 249 at bats.
Players now strike out four times a game against far less.
Williams had more homers (521) than any other hitter born in 1918. That may have sounded like an 'easy stat' since not many players hit more homers than Williams.
But get this...
In 1919, the following year, Jackie Robinson was born.
Robinson's 137 home runs is more than any other player born in 1919.
1919 must have been a slumping year for Mother's of ball players.
Those 137 homers for Robinson is the lowest total for any player of any year during the live ball era.
At least until we get to active players, where we find Mike Moustakas as the home run king of players born in 1988 with 119 home runs.
In 1961, Orlando Cepeda hit 46 homers for the San Francisco Giants.
In 1961, Jim Gentile hit 46 homers for the Baltimore Orioles.
In 1961, Harmon Killebrew hit 46 homers for the Minnesota Twins.
Before this, no batter had hit 40 homers in San Francisco, Baltimore, or Minnesota.
In the 1920's, Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby led their leagues in OPS, nine of the 10 years of the decade.
Ty Cobb and Cy Williams, the footnotes....
49 players have stolen 70 bases in a season.
None, in the 2010's.
Only three players have turned the trick since the turn of the century.
Scott Podsednik, 70 in 2004, Jose Reyes, 78 in 2007, Jacoby Ellsbury, 70 in 2009
Lou Brock stole 118 bases in 1974 ....he was 35 years old !
Then stole 56 more the following year.
And 56 more the following year.
Brock stole double digit bases 18 consecutive years.
Since 2011, only one pitcher has started 35 games. David Price, 2016.
Last year, only two pitchers started 34 games. Chris Archer, Kevin Gausman.
More alarming, only 46 pitchers started 30 games in 2017.
Just two years ago, 66 pitchers started 30 games.
In an era where players are 'rested' frequently, Alcides Escobar and Rougned Odor played in every game last year.
This, would seem to fall under their Managers sanity more than to the players credit.
Anyway, Pete Rose played 162 games when he was 35.
And would do so again, four more times.
He played 162 games when 41 years old.
Only one other player has played 162 games in multiple years at 35 years of age or older.
Ichiro, twice.
Ichiro is also part of another select list.
He is the only hitter to win Most Valuable Player since 1973, with less than 10 home runs. Ichiro hit eight in 2001.
Since 1950, five other players have won MVP's with less than 10 homers...
1950- Phil Rizzuto, 7
1959- Nellie Fox, 2
1960 Dick Groat, 2
1962 Maury Wills, 6
1973 Pete Rose, 5
Jose Altuve had more than 200 hits last year.
It was his fourth straight year of 200 hits.
Only one other Astros hitter has ever had 200 hits.
Craig Biggio.
There is one franchise in baseball today who has never had a player with 200 hits in a season.
The Tampa Rays.
Aubrey Huff has their best with 198 hits.
Aubrey Huff?!
Back in the day, the Braves had three pretty good pitchers.
Maddox, Smoltz, and Glavine.
John Smoltz was recounting pitching to Tony Gwynn.
The Braves faced him often in that the Braves, somehow, were in the West Division at that time.
Smoltz relayed that he ended up throwing the ball right down the middle for Gwynn.
He said, "Why not? He hit everything I threw on the corners!"
Maddox, Smoltz,and Glavine spread fear near and far, but Tony Gwynn was their kryptonite.
In 249 at bats against the three Hall of Famers, Gwynn hit .394
More astounding is that the threesome would only strike Gwynn out four times in 249 at bats.
Players now strike out four times a game against far less.