Monday, October 23, 2006
The RBI Watch: Historical Perspective
Originally posted April 14, 2006.
In 105-years of MLB action, pitchers have tallied as many as 20 RBI in a season 48 times, and since 1950, only seven. The last time a pitcher crested that wave was in 1971, when the great Ferguson Jenkins got himself 20 for the Chicago Cubs. I’m inclined to make the modern-day record Mike Hampton’s 16 for the Colorado Rockies in 2001, as nobody has come close to that in the surrounding 24 years. The undisputed Champ? Wes Ferrell, who tallied 32 RBI for the Boston Red Sox in 1935, and who also holds second place with 30 in 1931 for the Cleveland Indians...Ferrell also has three other seasons of 20+ RBI, and that could be considered a stranglehold on that particular statistical category. But what about Babe Ruth, you ask? Wasn’t he a pitcher before he started bombing his way into legend? Yes, indeed he was, and a great pitcher at that, but he’s in 20-RBI Club only once, with 21 in 1915. The Yankees switched him to the outfield pretty quickly, once they got their hands on him, so as I searched for Pitcher’s stats, he only popped up that once in the RBI Leaders. However, here’s his 1918 stat line while with the Boston Red Sox:
13-7 2.22 ERA 18 CG 1 SO 1.05 WHIP
.300 26 2B 11 3B 11 HR 66 RBI .963 OPS
A lot of those at-bats didn’t come as a pitcher, I’m assuming, so those 66 ribbies don’t officially qualify as a record; however, for argument’s sake, he has the unofficial record for Pitcher RBIs with 66.
What I’ve found out, more than anything, is that 10 or 11 RBI with usually win the title, year to year. Dontrelle Willis’ victory last year was a very typical year for Pitcher RBI, and I look forward to the exciting race that the 2006 season is sure to provide...and I wish I could say that I’m being more than half-sarcastic.
Update: Darren Oliver of the Mets has jumped into contention now, joining Bronson Arroyo, John Thomson & Mark Mulder, all with 2 RBI heading into Friday night’s action...and though none of these leaders are scheduled for tonight, the race is wide open; a bases-loaded double puts you in first, just like that. Check back for constant updates on what may indeed be the least-interesting race in Statistical History.
¶ 2:16 PM
In 105-years of MLB action, pitchers have tallied as many as 20 RBI in a season 48 times, and since 1950, only seven. The last time a pitcher crested that wave was in 1971, when the great Ferguson Jenkins got himself 20 for the Chicago Cubs. I’m inclined to make the modern-day record Mike Hampton’s 16 for the Colorado Rockies in 2001, as nobody has come close to that in the surrounding 24 years. The undisputed Champ? Wes Ferrell, who tallied 32 RBI for the Boston Red Sox in 1935, and who also holds second place with 30 in 1931 for the Cleveland Indians...Ferrell also has three other seasons of 20+ RBI, and that could be considered a stranglehold on that particular statistical category. But what about Babe Ruth, you ask? Wasn’t he a pitcher before he started bombing his way into legend? Yes, indeed he was, and a great pitcher at that, but he’s in 20-RBI Club only once, with 21 in 1915. The Yankees switched him to the outfield pretty quickly, once they got their hands on him, so as I searched for Pitcher’s stats, he only popped up that once in the RBI Leaders. However, here’s his 1918 stat line while with the Boston Red Sox:
13-7 2.22 ERA 18 CG 1 SO 1.05 WHIP
.300 26 2B 11 3B 11 HR 66 RBI .963 OPS
A lot of those at-bats didn’t come as a pitcher, I’m assuming, so those 66 ribbies don’t officially qualify as a record; however, for argument’s sake, he has the unofficial record for Pitcher RBIs with 66.
What I’ve found out, more than anything, is that 10 or 11 RBI with usually win the title, year to year. Dontrelle Willis’ victory last year was a very typical year for Pitcher RBI, and I look forward to the exciting race that the 2006 season is sure to provide...and I wish I could say that I’m being more than half-sarcastic.
Update: Darren Oliver of the Mets has jumped into contention now, joining Bronson Arroyo, John Thomson & Mark Mulder, all with 2 RBI heading into Friday night’s action...and though none of these leaders are scheduled for tonight, the race is wide open; a bases-loaded double puts you in first, just like that. Check back for constant updates on what may indeed be the least-interesting race in Statistical History.
¶ 2:16 PM
