Sunday, October 29, 2006
Jackie Robinson Created Major League Baseball
In the same exact way that most cite baseball as being "Baseball" from 1900 (or 1901) on, I call on 1947 to be the MLB’s inaugural year. Much like a long-time comic-book character being re-introduced with a brand-new Issue #1, the revisionist in me would suggest that Baseball, as a game, wasn’t whole until the 1947 season, or, obviously, when Jackie Robinson helped usher in the "coloured" folk to this otherwise lily-white show of athletic prowess.
Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Walter Johnson...I don’t buy it. Not when a ground-rule double was counted as a homer, when Nap Lajoie was allowed to bunt off strike after strike until he got one he liked, when Cap Anson could spearhead an initiative to keep blacks from playing with everyone else...no. As much as I love the anecdotal evidence of Satchel Paige’s other-planetary talent, or the stories of Cobb and Tris Speaker fixing more games than Shoeless Joe Jackson could count, it wasn’t just a different time; it was a different league, a different sport.
Hack Wilson’s 191 RBI in 1930 mean as much to the Major League record-books as Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962: an impressive mark, but completely unrelated to the game of Baseball as it stands today. So here’s the demarcation line, and one that celebrates its 60th season when training camp breaks next year, along with some corrected "All-Time" stats for the revisionist in all of us to savour...including some "Modern Day" omissions that convey my own suspicions as to who joined the Steroid Party, evidenced particularly by my revamped Single-Season Homerun Records:
BATTING AVERAGE
.394 Tony Gwynn, 1994
.390 George Brett, 1980
.388 Ted Williams, 1957
.388 Rod Carew, 1977
.379 Larry Walker, 1999
ON-BASE PERCENTAGE
.526 Ted Williams, 1957
.512 Mickey Mantle, 1957
.499 Ted Williams, 1947
.497 Ted Williams, 1948
.490 Ted Williams, 1949
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
.750 Jeff Bagwell, 1994
.731 Ted Williams, 1957
.729 Frank Thomas, 1994
.720 Larry Walker, 1997
.710 Larry Walker, 1999
OPS
1.257 Ted Williams, 1957
1.216 Frank Thomas, 1994
1.201 Jeff Bagwell, 1994
1.177 Mickey Mantle, 1957
1.172 Larry Walker, 1997
RUNS BATTED IN
165 Manny Ramirez, 1999
159 Ted Williams, 1959
159 Vern Stephens, 1959
157 Juan Gonzalez, 1998
155 Joe DiMaggio, 1948
Yes, though Ted Williams’ legendary .400 season has gone kaput under this revisionist system, he is still the Greatest Hitter Ever…and if someone is to beat Gwynn’s abbreviated 1994 batting average, they will almost certainly play for the Colorado Rockies.
50+ HOMERUNS IN A SEASON
61 Roger Maris, 1961
58 Ryan Howard, 2006
57 Alex Rodriguez, 2002
56 Ken Griffey Jr, 1997
56 Ken Griffey Jr, 1998
54 Ralph Kiner, 1949
54 Mickey Mantle, 1961
54 David Ortiz, 2006
52 Mickey Mantle, 1956
52 Willie Mays, 1965
52 George Foster, 1977
52 Alex Rodriguez, 2001
52 Jim Thome, 2002
51 Ralph Kiner, 1947
51 Johnny Mize, 1947
51 Willie Mays, 1955
51 Cecil Fielder, 1990
51 Andruw Jones, 2005
How about the pitchers, you ask? Well, all I can truly say is thanks for asking:
EARNED RUN AVERAGE
1.12 Bob Gibson, 1968
1.53 Dwight Gooden, 1985
1.56 Greg Maddux, 1994
1.60 Luis Tiant, 1968
1.63 Greg Maddux, 1995
WHIP
0.737 Pedro Martinez, 2000
0.811 Greg Maddux, 1995
0.843 Dave McNally, 1968
0.853 Bob Gibson, 1968
0.855 Sandy Koufax, 1965
WINS (as if they matter)
31 Denny McLain, 1968
28 Robin Roberts, 1952
27 Don Newcombe, 1956
27 Sandy Koufax, 1966
27 Steve Carlton, 1972
27 Bob Welch, 1990
So, the often-cited reason for 1968 being the Year of the Pitcher, that reason being that the mound was raised, looks to hold true; 1968 was to the pitcher as 1994 (excepting Maddux) was to the hitter. Strikeout and Save records remain the same, as they are already crammed full of post-1947 names, but if you're one of those compulsive-types, there are some post-1947 odds and ends in the "complaints" section.
Otherwise, hey: Come celebrate with me as training camp breaks in early ‘07 for what should be a fanTAStic 60th year of Major League Baseball.
And, of course, by "come celebrate with me", I mean send a card or something; by rule, I don’t much like people...much less people coming over for anything other than to bring me liquor or pizza. ¶ 9:19 AM
Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Walter Johnson...I don’t buy it. Not when a ground-rule double was counted as a homer, when Nap Lajoie was allowed to bunt off strike after strike until he got one he liked, when Cap Anson could spearhead an initiative to keep blacks from playing with everyone else...no. As much as I love the anecdotal evidence of Satchel Paige’s other-planetary talent, or the stories of Cobb and Tris Speaker fixing more games than Shoeless Joe Jackson could count, it wasn’t just a different time; it was a different league, a different sport.
Hack Wilson’s 191 RBI in 1930 mean as much to the Major League record-books as Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962: an impressive mark, but completely unrelated to the game of Baseball as it stands today. So here’s the demarcation line, and one that celebrates its 60th season when training camp breaks next year, along with some corrected "All-Time" stats for the revisionist in all of us to savour...including some "Modern Day" omissions that convey my own suspicions as to who joined the Steroid Party, evidenced particularly by my revamped Single-Season Homerun Records:
BATTING AVERAGE
.394 Tony Gwynn, 1994
.390 George Brett, 1980
.388 Ted Williams, 1957
.388 Rod Carew, 1977
.379 Larry Walker, 1999
ON-BASE PERCENTAGE
.526 Ted Williams, 1957
.512 Mickey Mantle, 1957
.499 Ted Williams, 1947
.497 Ted Williams, 1948
.490 Ted Williams, 1949
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
.750 Jeff Bagwell, 1994
.731 Ted Williams, 1957
.729 Frank Thomas, 1994
.720 Larry Walker, 1997
.710 Larry Walker, 1999
OPS
1.257 Ted Williams, 1957
1.216 Frank Thomas, 1994
1.201 Jeff Bagwell, 1994
1.177 Mickey Mantle, 1957
1.172 Larry Walker, 1997
RUNS BATTED IN
165 Manny Ramirez, 1999
159 Ted Williams, 1959
159 Vern Stephens, 1959
157 Juan Gonzalez, 1998
155 Joe DiMaggio, 1948
Yes, though Ted Williams’ legendary .400 season has gone kaput under this revisionist system, he is still the Greatest Hitter Ever…and if someone is to beat Gwynn’s abbreviated 1994 batting average, they will almost certainly play for the Colorado Rockies.
50+ HOMERUNS IN A SEASON
61 Roger Maris, 1961
58 Ryan Howard, 2006
57 Alex Rodriguez, 2002
56 Ken Griffey Jr, 1997
56 Ken Griffey Jr, 1998
54 Ralph Kiner, 1949
54 Mickey Mantle, 1961
54 David Ortiz, 2006
52 Mickey Mantle, 1956
52 Willie Mays, 1965
52 George Foster, 1977
52 Alex Rodriguez, 2001
52 Jim Thome, 2002
51 Ralph Kiner, 1947
51 Johnny Mize, 1947
51 Willie Mays, 1955
51 Cecil Fielder, 1990
51 Andruw Jones, 2005
How about the pitchers, you ask? Well, all I can truly say is thanks for asking:
EARNED RUN AVERAGE
1.12 Bob Gibson, 1968
1.53 Dwight Gooden, 1985
1.56 Greg Maddux, 1994
1.60 Luis Tiant, 1968
1.63 Greg Maddux, 1995
WHIP
0.737 Pedro Martinez, 2000
0.811 Greg Maddux, 1995
0.843 Dave McNally, 1968
0.853 Bob Gibson, 1968
0.855 Sandy Koufax, 1965
WINS (as if they matter)
31 Denny McLain, 1968
28 Robin Roberts, 1952
27 Don Newcombe, 1956
27 Sandy Koufax, 1966
27 Steve Carlton, 1972
27 Bob Welch, 1990
So, the often-cited reason for 1968 being the Year of the Pitcher, that reason being that the mound was raised, looks to hold true; 1968 was to the pitcher as 1994 (excepting Maddux) was to the hitter. Strikeout and Save records remain the same, as they are already crammed full of post-1947 names, but if you're one of those compulsive-types, there are some post-1947 odds and ends in the "complaints" section.
Otherwise, hey: Come celebrate with me as training camp breaks in early ‘07 for what should be a fanTAStic 60th year of Major League Baseball.
And, of course, by "come celebrate with me", I mean send a card or something; by rule, I don’t much like people...much less people coming over for anything other than to bring me liquor or pizza. ¶ 9:19 AM
Comments:
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HITS:
262 Ichiro Suzuki, 2004
242 Ichiro Suzuki, 2001
240 Wade Boggs, 1985
240 Darin Erstad, 2000
239 Rod Carew, 1977
RUNS SCORED:
152 Jeff Bagwell, 2000
150 Ted Williams, 1949
146 Rickey Henderson, 1985
146 Craig Biggio, 1997
143 Jeff Bagwell, 1999
DOUBLES:
59 Todd Helton, 2000
57 Carlos Delgado, 2000
56 Craig Biggio, 1999
56 Garret Anderson, 2002
56 Nomar Garciaparra, 2002
TRIPLES:
23 Dale Mitchell, 1949
21 Willie Wilson, 1985
21 Lance Johnson, 1996
20 Willie Mays, 1957
20 George Brett, 1979
20 Cristian Guzman, 2000
TOTAL BASES:
429 Stan Musial, 1948
409 Larry Walker, 1997
406 Jim Rice, 1978
405 Todd Helton, 2000
402 Todd Helton, 2001
WALKS:
162 Ted Williams, 1947
162 Ted Williams, 1949
151 Barry Bonds, 1996
151 Eddie Yost, 1956
149 Eddie Joost, 1949
149 Jeff Bagwell, 1999
EXTRA-BASE HITS:
105 Todd Helton, 2001
103 Stan Musial, 1948
103 Todd Helton, 2000
99 Larry Walker, 1997
99 Carlos Delgado, 2000
99 Albert Pujols, 2004
99 Derrek Lee, 2005
262 Ichiro Suzuki, 2004
242 Ichiro Suzuki, 2001
240 Wade Boggs, 1985
240 Darin Erstad, 2000
239 Rod Carew, 1977
RUNS SCORED:
152 Jeff Bagwell, 2000
150 Ted Williams, 1949
146 Rickey Henderson, 1985
146 Craig Biggio, 1997
143 Jeff Bagwell, 1999
DOUBLES:
59 Todd Helton, 2000
57 Carlos Delgado, 2000
56 Craig Biggio, 1999
56 Garret Anderson, 2002
56 Nomar Garciaparra, 2002
TRIPLES:
23 Dale Mitchell, 1949
21 Willie Wilson, 1985
21 Lance Johnson, 1996
20 Willie Mays, 1957
20 George Brett, 1979
20 Cristian Guzman, 2000
TOTAL BASES:
429 Stan Musial, 1948
409 Larry Walker, 1997
406 Jim Rice, 1978
405 Todd Helton, 2000
402 Todd Helton, 2001
WALKS:
162 Ted Williams, 1947
162 Ted Williams, 1949
151 Barry Bonds, 1996
151 Eddie Yost, 1956
149 Eddie Joost, 1949
149 Jeff Bagwell, 1999
EXTRA-BASE HITS:
105 Todd Helton, 2001
103 Stan Musial, 1948
103 Todd Helton, 2000
99 Larry Walker, 1997
99 Carlos Delgado, 2000
99 Albert Pujols, 2004
99 Derrek Lee, 2005
HIT-STREAKS:
44 Pete Rose, 1978
39 Paul Molitor, 1987
38 Jimmy Rollins, 2005/2006
35 Luis Castillo, 2002
35 Chase Utley, 2006
RUNS CREATED:
192 Stan Musial, 1948
189 Todd Helton, 2000
181 Larry Walker, 1997
180 Ted Williams, 1949
175 Mickey Mantle, 1956
STRIKEOUTS:
383 Nolan Ryan, 1973
382 Sandy Koufax, 1965
372 Randy Johnson, 2001
367 Nolan Ryan, 1974
364 Randy Johnson, 1999
STRIKEOUTS/9 IP
13.41 Randy Johnson, 2001
13.21 Pedro Martinez, 1999
12.58 Kerry Wood, 1998
12.56 Randy Johnson, 2000
12.35 Randy Johnson, 1995
SAVES (as if they matter):
57 Bobby Thigpen, 1990
55 John Smoltz, 2002
55 Eric Gagne, 2003
53 Randy Myers, 1993
53 Trevor Hoffman, 1998
53 Mariano Rivera, 2004
SHUTOUTS:
13 Bob Gibson, 1968
11 Sandy Koufax, 1963
11 Dean Chance, 1964
10 Bob Lemon, 1948
10 Juan Marichal, 1965
10 Jim Palmer, 1975
10 John Tudor, 1985
44 Pete Rose, 1978
39 Paul Molitor, 1987
38 Jimmy Rollins, 2005/2006
35 Luis Castillo, 2002
35 Chase Utley, 2006
RUNS CREATED:
192 Stan Musial, 1948
189 Todd Helton, 2000
181 Larry Walker, 1997
180 Ted Williams, 1949
175 Mickey Mantle, 1956
STRIKEOUTS:
383 Nolan Ryan, 1973
382 Sandy Koufax, 1965
372 Randy Johnson, 2001
367 Nolan Ryan, 1974
364 Randy Johnson, 1999
STRIKEOUTS/9 IP
13.41 Randy Johnson, 2001
13.21 Pedro Martinez, 1999
12.58 Kerry Wood, 1998
12.56 Randy Johnson, 2000
12.35 Randy Johnson, 1995
SAVES (as if they matter):
57 Bobby Thigpen, 1990
55 John Smoltz, 2002
55 Eric Gagne, 2003
53 Randy Myers, 1993
53 Trevor Hoffman, 1998
53 Mariano Rivera, 2004
SHUTOUTS:
13 Bob Gibson, 1968
11 Sandy Koufax, 1963
11 Dean Chance, 1964
10 Bob Lemon, 1948
10 Juan Marichal, 1965
10 Jim Palmer, 1975
10 John Tudor, 1985
WILD PITCHES:
27 Tony Cloninger, 1966
26 Juan Guzman, 1993
*these were the only two I could find on Baseball Reference after 1947...or 1905, for that matter.
HIT BATSMEN:
21 Tom Murphy, 1969
21 Kerry Wood, 2003
20 Don Drysdale, 1961
20 Chan Ho Park, 2001
20 Jamey Wright, 2001
20 Victor Zambrano, 2003
20 Bronson Arroyo, 2004
20 Carlos Zambrano, 2004
HIT BY PITCH:
50 Ron Hunt, 1971
35 Don Baylor, 1986
34 Craig Biggio, 1997
31 Jason Kendall, 1997
31 Jason Kendall, 1998
SACRIFICE HITS:
39 Jay Bell, 1990
*more lack of post-1947 stats on Baseball Reference...dammit.
SACRIFICE FLIES
19 Gil Hodges, 1954
18 Andre Dawson, 1983
17 Roy White, 1971
17 Bobby Bonilla, 1996
16 Juan Gonzalez, 2001
16 Mark Loretta, 2004
*so, why exactly does a Sac Fly give a player an RBI but no Plate Appearance, while an RBI-groundout makes said player look like an asshole in the eyes of Batting Average?
Stupid, stupid rules.
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27 Tony Cloninger, 1966
26 Juan Guzman, 1993
*these were the only two I could find on Baseball Reference after 1947...or 1905, for that matter.
HIT BATSMEN:
21 Tom Murphy, 1969
21 Kerry Wood, 2003
20 Don Drysdale, 1961
20 Chan Ho Park, 2001
20 Jamey Wright, 2001
20 Victor Zambrano, 2003
20 Bronson Arroyo, 2004
20 Carlos Zambrano, 2004
HIT BY PITCH:
50 Ron Hunt, 1971
35 Don Baylor, 1986
34 Craig Biggio, 1997
31 Jason Kendall, 1997
31 Jason Kendall, 1998
SACRIFICE HITS:
39 Jay Bell, 1990
*more lack of post-1947 stats on Baseball Reference...dammit.
SACRIFICE FLIES
19 Gil Hodges, 1954
18 Andre Dawson, 1983
17 Roy White, 1971
17 Bobby Bonilla, 1996
16 Juan Gonzalez, 2001
16 Mark Loretta, 2004
*so, why exactly does a Sac Fly give a player an RBI but no Plate Appearance, while an RBI-groundout makes said player look like an asshole in the eyes of Batting Average?
Stupid, stupid rules.
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