Striking Out On A Journey Through Time
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:18 pm
Joe DiMaggio is often lauded for having as many homers (361) as he did strike outs (369). He is lauded for this because it is a fun stat and he is, after all, Joe DiMaggio.
Although Babe Ruth paved the way for hitters not to be embarrassed by striking out, it was still seen as the ultimate failure for a hitter.
Behind DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, this stat is probably brought up most when looking back at his career. And, it is a splendid stat for a hitter during any era.
When it comes to the strike out for hitters, there are many things that are fascinating, here are a few....
Yogi Berra played six more years than Dimaggio. He swung at any pitch that was close to the plate. Even though he played those six more years than Joltin' Joe, he had 800 less bases on balls than DiMaggio.
More incredibly, when swinging at every pitch, he made contact. Berra only struck 414 times during his 19 year career.
An average of 22 strike outs per year.
In 1950, he hit 28 homers. He struck out just 12 times in almost 600 at bats.
The homers to strike out ratios are fun. We equate a big swing for home runs which should lead to more strike outs.
As DiMaggio and Berra have shown, that does not have to be the case.
What about triples to strike outs?
At one time, triples were more revered than the home run. Hardly any balls were hit out of a ball park. They were usually the result of a better ball or a strong man at the plate. Most home runs, early in the century were inside the park home runs. These home runs were considered a little fluky. A ball could get lost in a sitting crowd in the outfield or take big, lucky caroms. The triple defined power, speed, and hitting skills.
Most triples were hit early in the century. It was easier then. Some fields did not have regular fences and outfielders cheated in, in showing no respect for the dead ball.
Shoeless Joe Jackson's last two years, before being thrown out of baseball were spectacular.
He struck out just 24 times in 1919 and 1920 combined.
In those two years, he whacked 34 triples.
During those two years, he also had 126 extra base hits and hit close to .370
Times have changed a lot. When Babe Ruth retired, there were no hitters close to him in home runs.
There were also no hitters close to him in strike outs either. Ty Cobb would take pot shots at the Babe. He disliked the Babe changing the game from an 'inside the park' game to an 'outside the park' game. He would snicker over the strike outs that the Babe racked up.
Cobb would say that although nobody hit the ball harder than Ruth, nobody hit air as much either.
Ruth retorted that he never let the fear of striking out get in the way of his swing.
A swing he tailored after that of Joe Jackson.
Ruth has been passed several times over, by others who have no fear of the strike out.
Mickey Mantle held the record for awhile.
Now, Reggie Jackson has the record. Ruth, Mantle, and Jackson....All, Hall of Famers.
Since leading baseball in strike outs, Ruth has been passed in that category 104 times. Even by hitters not known for their strike out ability like Ron Santo and Paul Konerko.
It speaks more to how baseball has changed.
Is Jackson's 'record' in danger?
Kinda. Sorta.
Adam Dunn is two full seasons from passing Reggie, but he has mentioned retirement.
ARod is three seasons from the Record, but he will sue baseball for embarrassment, if getting close to it.
In 19 years, Nellie Fox struck out 216 times. More than 9,000 at bats.
If Cobb hated Ruth for making the whiff more acceptable, he would have despised Dunn.
In 2003, Dunn had less than 400 at bats and still managed to be in the top 20 in strike outs.
In 2002, he was third in striking out with 170.
Since 2004, he has only been out of the top five in striking out once (7th in 2008) in the last 10 years.
Four times, the strike out king.
We can't leave this column without a trivia question, can we?
262 players have struck out at least 1,000 times in baseball history.
Only 13 of those players have struck out 10 times to every homer they hit. At least two of these players are in the Hall of Fame.
(Hint: For the most part, think judys, lead off men, and long careered shortstops)
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,Got it yet?
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
Here they are-
Lou Brock
Royce Clayton
Willie McGee
Dave Concepcion
Willie Wilson
Campy Campaneris
Greg Gagne
Gary Templeton
Omar Vizquel
Tony Taylor
Delino Deshields
Brad Ausmus
Rod Carew
Although Babe Ruth paved the way for hitters not to be embarrassed by striking out, it was still seen as the ultimate failure for a hitter.
Behind DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, this stat is probably brought up most when looking back at his career. And, it is a splendid stat for a hitter during any era.
When it comes to the strike out for hitters, there are many things that are fascinating, here are a few....
Yogi Berra played six more years than Dimaggio. He swung at any pitch that was close to the plate. Even though he played those six more years than Joltin' Joe, he had 800 less bases on balls than DiMaggio.
More incredibly, when swinging at every pitch, he made contact. Berra only struck 414 times during his 19 year career.
An average of 22 strike outs per year.
In 1950, he hit 28 homers. He struck out just 12 times in almost 600 at bats.
The homers to strike out ratios are fun. We equate a big swing for home runs which should lead to more strike outs.
As DiMaggio and Berra have shown, that does not have to be the case.
What about triples to strike outs?
At one time, triples were more revered than the home run. Hardly any balls were hit out of a ball park. They were usually the result of a better ball or a strong man at the plate. Most home runs, early in the century were inside the park home runs. These home runs were considered a little fluky. A ball could get lost in a sitting crowd in the outfield or take big, lucky caroms. The triple defined power, speed, and hitting skills.
Most triples were hit early in the century. It was easier then. Some fields did not have regular fences and outfielders cheated in, in showing no respect for the dead ball.
Shoeless Joe Jackson's last two years, before being thrown out of baseball were spectacular.
He struck out just 24 times in 1919 and 1920 combined.
In those two years, he whacked 34 triples.
During those two years, he also had 126 extra base hits and hit close to .370
Times have changed a lot. When Babe Ruth retired, there were no hitters close to him in home runs.
There were also no hitters close to him in strike outs either. Ty Cobb would take pot shots at the Babe. He disliked the Babe changing the game from an 'inside the park' game to an 'outside the park' game. He would snicker over the strike outs that the Babe racked up.
Cobb would say that although nobody hit the ball harder than Ruth, nobody hit air as much either.
Ruth retorted that he never let the fear of striking out get in the way of his swing.
A swing he tailored after that of Joe Jackson.
Ruth has been passed several times over, by others who have no fear of the strike out.
Mickey Mantle held the record for awhile.
Now, Reggie Jackson has the record. Ruth, Mantle, and Jackson....All, Hall of Famers.
Since leading baseball in strike outs, Ruth has been passed in that category 104 times. Even by hitters not known for their strike out ability like Ron Santo and Paul Konerko.
It speaks more to how baseball has changed.
Is Jackson's 'record' in danger?
Kinda. Sorta.
Adam Dunn is two full seasons from passing Reggie, but he has mentioned retirement.
ARod is three seasons from the Record, but he will sue baseball for embarrassment, if getting close to it.
In 19 years, Nellie Fox struck out 216 times. More than 9,000 at bats.
If Cobb hated Ruth for making the whiff more acceptable, he would have despised Dunn.
In 2003, Dunn had less than 400 at bats and still managed to be in the top 20 in strike outs.
In 2002, he was third in striking out with 170.
Since 2004, he has only been out of the top five in striking out once (7th in 2008) in the last 10 years.
Four times, the strike out king.
We can't leave this column without a trivia question, can we?
262 players have struck out at least 1,000 times in baseball history.
Only 13 of those players have struck out 10 times to every homer they hit. At least two of these players are in the Hall of Fame.
(Hint: For the most part, think judys, lead off men, and long careered shortstops)
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,Got it yet?
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
Here they are-
Lou Brock
Royce Clayton
Willie McGee
Dave Concepcion
Willie Wilson
Campy Campaneris
Greg Gagne
Gary Templeton
Omar Vizquel
Tony Taylor
Delino Deshields
Brad Ausmus
Rod Carew