This short list contains only the unquestioned greatest who played almost exclusively for that team:
St. Louis Cardinals: Stan Musial
New York Yankees: Babe Ruth
Boston Red Sox: Ted Williams
Braves: Hank Aaron
Philadelphia Phillies: Mike Schmidt
Detroit Tigers: Ty Cobb
Pittsburgh Pirates: Honus Wagner
No clear greatest: Reds, Cubs, Indians, Orioles, White Sox, Senators, Dodgers, Athletics, Giants.
The Giants were the most difficult: Willie Mays or Barry Bonds.
Johnny Bench leads the Reds in home runs and RBI but not much else. Pete Rose leads in WAR and more things than Bench.
Originally I had Ernie Banks for the Chicago Cubs. But when I checked, Sammy Sosa hit the most career Cub home runs, including the most in Wrigley Field, and Cap Anson leads in a bunch of stuff. Banks simply did not dominate.
Orioles: Cal Ripken leads only in totals. Not nearly as clear cut as the others I picked.
Stimulating, provocative, sometimes whimsical new concepts that challenge traditional baseball orthodoxy. Note: Anonymous comments will not be published. Copyright Kenneth Matinale
About Me
Labels
"500" home runs
(23)
1961 HR race
(67)
3 Home Run games
(12)
All City: New York
(37)
Attendance
(16)
Conduct
(381)
Constitutional
(39)
DiMaggio
(50)
Hall of Fame
(116)
Home Run rates
(60)
Home Runs
(447)
Home Runs career
(9)
Home/Road
(95)
Jackie Robinson
(26)
Jeter
(53)
Mariano Rivera
(16)
Mickey Mantle
(247)
Negro Leagues
(15)
Philosophy
(337)
Righty/Lefty
(109)
Rules
(302)
Ruth
(190)
Safety
(33)
Salary Cap
(22)
Signs
(50)
Stats
(774)
Strike Zone
(18)
Tactics
(88)
WAR
(29)
Williams
(47)
World Series
(62)
Monday, February 29, 2016
Is jerking around thinking?
Stepping off, stepping out. Can they possibly be thinking? Would performance suffer if they stopped jerking around?
Staying in the batter's box didn't hurt Ted Williams. Pitching quickly didn't make Whitey Ford less effective.
So what the heck?
And why don't they need to stop and think when performing other tasks, like running the bases and fielding? There's no time to think, only react. You know, like football and basketball. They just go and do their thinking during a time out.
Maybe if baseball teams could call a time out, they could pack their thinking into that condensed period.
It's amazing that not one of the thirty teams even considers speeding up. Being the one and only might give that team a competitive advantage, even if that ends when the other teams imitate. At least the first speedy team would receive positive reactions from its fans.
Staying in the batter's box didn't hurt Ted Williams. Pitching quickly didn't make Whitey Ford less effective.
So what the heck?
And why don't they need to stop and think when performing other tasks, like running the bases and fielding? There's no time to think, only react. You know, like football and basketball. They just go and do their thinking during a time out.
Maybe if baseball teams could call a time out, they could pack their thinking into that condensed period.
It's amazing that not one of the thirty teams even considers speeding up. Being the one and only might give that team a competitive advantage, even if that ends when the other teams imitate. At least the first speedy team would receive positive reactions from its fans.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Randy Johnson and Sandy Koufax struck out over 400 in a season.
Since 1901 only two pitchers struck out at least 400 batters, including World Series and tournament: Randy Johnson and Sandy Koufax.
Johnson 2001: (372+9+19+19)=419
Koufax 1965: (382+29)=411
Since 1901 three pitchers held the season record for SO:
Rube Wadell 1904: 349 in 383 innings: 8.20 per 9 innings
Sandy Koufax 1965: 382 in 336: 10.24
Nolan Ryan 1973 (first year of DH): 383 in 326: 10.57 (#14 among 300 SO seasons)
Bob Feller 1946, only season >=300: 348 in 371: 8.43
Since 1901 at least 300 SO occurred 34 times, including multiples by individuals, led by six each for Randy Johnson and Nolan Ryan; three each for Koufax and Curt Schilling; two: Wadell, Walter Johnson, Sam McDowell, J.R. Richard, Pedro Martinez.
Oldest: Ryan 42 in 1989, then Randy Johnson 38, 37, 36, 35
Youngest: Vida Blue 21 in 1971 (21 of 34 younger than 30)
Most innings: Wadell 383 (14 of 34 >=300)
Fewest innings: Martinez 213 (20 of 34 fewer than 300)
23 of the 34 has SO9 greater than 9.
1901 to 2015, SO>=300 sorted by greatest Strikeouts per 9 IP:
Johnson 2001: (372+9+19+19)=419
Koufax 1965: (382+29)=411
Since 1901 three pitchers held the season record for SO:
Rube Wadell 1904: 349 in 383 innings: 8.20 per 9 innings
Sandy Koufax 1965: 382 in 336: 10.24
Nolan Ryan 1973 (first year of DH): 383 in 326: 10.57 (#14 among 300 SO seasons)
Bob Feller 1946, only season >=300: 348 in 371: 8.43
Since 1901 at least 300 SO occurred 34 times, including multiples by individuals, led by six each for Randy Johnson and Nolan Ryan; three each for Koufax and Curt Schilling; two: Wadell, Walter Johnson, Sam McDowell, J.R. Richard, Pedro Martinez.
Oldest: Ryan 42 in 1989, then Randy Johnson 38, 37, 36, 35
Youngest: Vida Blue 21 in 1971 (21 of 34 younger than 30)
Most innings: Wadell 383 (14 of 34 >=300)
Fewest innings: Martinez 213 (20 of 34 fewer than 300)
23 of the 34 has SO9 greater than 9.
1901 to 2015, SO>=300 sorted by greatest Strikeouts per 9 IP:
Rk | Player | SO9 | SO | Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | GS | CG | SHO | GF | W | L | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | ERA | FIP | ERA+ | HR | BF | AB | 2B | 3B | IBB | HBP | SH | SF | GDP | SB | CS | PO | BK | WP | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | Pit | Str | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Randy Johnson | 13.41 | 372 | 2001 | 37 | ARI | NL | 35 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 6 | .778 | 0 | 249.2 | 181 | 74 | 69 | 71 | 2.49 | 2.13 | 188 | 19 | 994 | 890 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 8 | .203 | .274 | .309 | .583 | 50 | 4076 | 2638 |
2 | Pedro Martinez | 13.20 | 313 | 1999 | 27 | BOS | AL | 31 | 29 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 4 | .852 | 0 | 213.1 | 160 | 56 | 49 | 37 | 2.07 | 1.39 | 243 | 9 | 835 | 780 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .205 | .248 | .288 | .536 | 35 | ||
3 | Randy Johnson | 12.56 | 347 | 2000 | 36 | ARI | NL | 35 | 35 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 7 | .731 | 0 | 248.2 | 202 | 89 | 73 | 76 | 2.64 | 2.53 | 181 | 23 | 1001 | 900 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 5 | .224 | .288 | .356 | .643 | 63 | 4021 | 2595 |
4 | Randy Johnson | 12.12 | 329 | 1998 | 34 | TOT | ML | 34 | 34 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 11 | .633 | 0 | 244.1 | 203 | 102 | 89 | 86 | 3.28 | 2.90 | 135 | 23 | 1014 | 907 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 31 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 7 | .224 | .300 | .344 | .644 | 71 | ||
5 | Randy Johnson | 12.06 | 364 | 1999 | 35 | ARI | NL | 35 | 35 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 9 | .654 | 0 | 271.2 | 207 | 86 | 75 | 70 | 2.48 | 2.76 | 184 | 30 | 1079 | 993 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 42 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 4 | .208 | .266 | .335 | .601 | 55 | ||
6 | Clayton Kershaw | 11.64 | 301 | 2015 | 27 | LAD | NL | 33 | 33 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 7 | .696 | 0 | 232.2 | 163 | 62 | 55 | 42 | 2.13 | 1.99 | 175 | 15 | 890 | 839 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 9 | .194 | .237 | .284 | .521 | 49 | 3392 | 2303 |
7 | Randy Johnson | 11.56 | 334 | 2002 | 38 | ARI | NL | 35 | 35 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 5 | .828 | 0 | 260.0 | 197 | 78 | 67 | 71 | 2.32 | 2.66 | 195 | 26 | 1035 | 945 | 42 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 3 | .208 | .273 | .346 | .619 | 59 | 3991 | 2620 |
8 | Pedro Martinez | 11.37 | 305 | 1997 | 25 | MON | NL | 31 | 31 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 8 | .680 | 0 | 241.1 | 158 | 65 | 51 | 67 | 1.90 | 2.39 | 219 | 16 | 947 | 860 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | .184 | .250 | .277 | .526 | 42 | ||
9 | Nolan Ryan | 11.32 | 301 | 1989 | 42 | TEX | AL | 32 | 32 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 10 | .615 | 0 | 239.1 | 162 | 96 | 85 | 98 | 3.20 | 2.51 | 124 | 17 | 988 | 867 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 19 | .187 | .275 | .283 | .557 | 56 | ||
10 | Curt Schilling | 11.29 | 319 | 1997 | 30 | PHI | NL | 35 | 35 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 11 | .607 | 0 | 254.1 | 208 | 96 | 84 | 58 | 2.97 | 2.62 | 143 | 25 | 1009 | 930 | 49 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | .224 | .271 | .372 | .643 | 71 | ||
11 | Curt Schilling | 10.97 | 316 | 2002 | 35 | ARI | NL | 36 | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 7 | .767 | 0 | 259.1 | 218 | 95 | 93 | 33 | 3.23 | 2.40 | 140 | 29 | 1017 | 974 | 32 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .224 | .251 | .362 | .613 | 57 | 3721 | 2630 |
12 | Randy Johnson | 10.86 | 308 | 1993 | 29 | SEA | AL | 35 | 34 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 8 | .704 | 1 | 255.1 | 185 | 97 | 92 | 99 | 3.24 | 3.05 | 135 | 22 | 1043 | 913 | 37 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | .203 | .290 | .322 | .612 | 64 | ||
13 | Sam McDowell | 10.71 | 325 | 1965 | 22 | CLE | AL | 42 | 35 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 11 | .607 | 4 | 273.0 | 178 | 80 | 66 | 132 | 2.18 | 2.08 | 161 | 9 | 1116 | 963 | 30 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 23 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 17 | .185 | .286 | .244 | .531 | 56 | ||
14 | Nolan Ryan | 10.57 | 383 | 1973 | 26 | CAL | AL | 41 | 39 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 16 | .568 | 1 | 326.0 | 238 | 113 | 104 | 162 | 2.87 | 2.49 | 123 | 18 | 1355 | 1172 | 53 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 37 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 15 | .203 | .302 | .303 | .605 | 78 | ||
15 | Nolan Ryan | 10.43 | 329 | 1972 | 25 | CAL | AL | 39 | 39 | 20 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 16 | .543 | 0 | 284.0 | 166 | 80 | 72 | 157 | 2.28 | 2.49 | 128 | 14 | 1154 | 973 | 25 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 40 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 18 | .171 | .291 | .246 | .537 | 70 | ||
16 | Nolan Ryan | 10.35 | 327 | 1976 | 29 | CAL | AL | 39 | 39 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 18 | .486 | 0 | 284.1 | 193 | 117 | 106 | 183 | 3.36 | 2.91 | 99 | 13 | 1196 | 990 | 33 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 44 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 5 | .195 | .322 | .284 | .606 | 84 | ||
17 | Nolan Ryan | 10.26 | 341 | 1977 | 30 | CAL | AL | 37 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 16 | .543 | 0 | 299.0 | 198 | 110 | 92 | 204 | 2.77 | 3.12 | 141 | 12 | 1272 | 1027 | 23 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 10 | 21 | 43 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 21 | .193 | .329 | .256 | .585 | 64 | ||
18 | Sandy Koufax | 10.24 | 382 | 1965 | 29 | LAD | NL | 43 | 41 | 27 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 8 | .765 | 2 | 335.2 | 216 | 90 | 76 | 71 | 2.04 | 1.93 | 160 | 26 | 1297 | 1205 | 29 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | .179 | .227 | .280 | .507 | 52 | ||
19 | Curt Schilling | 10.05 | 300 | 1998 | 31 | PHI | NL | 35 | 35 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 14 | .517 | 0 | 268.2 | 236 | 101 | 97 | 61 | 3.25 | 2.77 | 134 | 23 | 1089 | 1000 | 56 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 12 | .236 | .282 | .373 | .655 | 74 | ||
20 | Mike Scott | 10.00 | 306 | 1986 | 31 | HOU | NL | 37 | 37 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 10 | .643 | 0 | 275.1 | 182 | 73 | 68 | 72 | 2.22 | 2.16 | 161 | 17 | 1065 | 976 | 41 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 41 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .186 | .242 | .291 | .533 | 53 | ||
21 | Nolan Ryan | 9.93 | 367 | 1974 | 27 | CAL | AL | 42 | 41 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 16 | .579 | 0 | 332.2 | 221 | 127 | 107 | 202 | 2.89 | 2.98 | 118 | 18 | 1392 | 1165 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 9 | .190 | .313 | .279 | .592 | 76 | ||
22 | J.R. Richard | 9.90 | 303 | 1978 | 28 | HOU | NL | 36 | 36 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 11 | .621 | 0 | 275.1 | 192 | 104 | 95 | 141 | 3.11 | 2.51 | 106 | 12 | 1139 | 979 | 33 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 34 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 16 | .196 | .298 | .283 | .580 | 74 | ||
23 | J.R. Richard | 9.64 | 313 | 1979 | 29 | HOU | NL | 38 | 38 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 13 | .581 | 0 | 292.1 | 220 | 98 | 88 | 98 | 2.71 | 2.21 | 130 | 13 | 1175 | 1051 | 38 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 28 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 19 | .209 | .277 | .296 | .573 | 65 | ||
24 | Sam McDowell | 8.97 | 304 | 1970 | 27 | CLE | AL | 39 | 39 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 12 | .625 | 0 | 305.0 | 236 | 108 | 99 | 131 | 2.92 | 3.07 | 134 | 25 | 1257 | 1107 | 31 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 23 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 17 | .213 | .299 | .320 | .619 | 74 | ||
25 | Sandy Koufax | 8.86 | 306 | 1963 | 27 | LAD | NL | 40 | 40 | 20 | 11 | 0 | 25 | 5 | .833 | 0 | 311.0 | 214 | 68 | 65 | 58 | 1.88 | 1.85 | 159 | 18 | 1210 | 1135 | 28 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .189 | .230 | .271 | .501 | 54 | ||
Rk | Player | SO9 | SO | Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | GS | CG | SHO | GF | W | L | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | ERA | FIP | ERA+ | HR | BF | AB | 2B | 3B | IBB | HBP | SH | SF | GDP | SB | CS | PO | BK | WP | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | Pit | Str | |
26 | Sandy Koufax | 8.83 | 317 | 1966 | 30 | LAD | NL | 41 | 41 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 9 | .750 | 0 | 323.0 | 241 | 74 | 62 | 77 | 1.73 | 2.07 | 190 | 19 | 1274 | 1178 | 38 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | .205 | .252 | .294 | .545 | 62 | ||
27 | Vida Blue | 8.68 | 301 | 1971 | 21 | OAK | AL | 39 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 24 | 8 | .750 | 0 | 312.0 | 209 | 73 | 63 | 88 | 1.82 | 2.20 | 183 | 19 | 1207 | 1103 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 10 | .189 | .251 | .272 | .523 | 55 | ||
28 | Bob Feller | 8.43 | 348 | 1946 | 27 | CLE | AL | 48 | 42 | 36 | 10 | 5 | 26 | 15 | .634 | 4 | 371.1 | 277 | 101 | 90 | 153 | 2.18 | 2.16 | 151 | 11 | 1512 | 1331 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .208 | .291 | ||||||||
29 | Rube Waddell | 8.39 | 302 | 1903 | 26 | PHA | AL | 39 | 38 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 16 | .568 | 0 | 324.0 | 274 | 109 | 88 | 85 | 2.44 | 1.87 | 125 | 3 | 1291 | 8 | 0 | 9 | undef | undef | undef | ||||||||||||||
30 | Rube Waddell | 8.20 | 349 | 1904 | 27 | PHA | AL | 46 | 46 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 25 | 19 | .568 | 0 | 383.0 | 307 | 109 | 69 | 91 | 1.62 | 1.59 | 165 | 5 | 1496 | 14 | 0 | 8 | undef | undef | undef | ||||||||||||||
31 | Steve Carlton | 8.06 | 310 | 1972 | 27 | PHI | NL | 41 | 41 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 27 | 10 | .730 | 0 | 346.1 | 257 | 84 | 76 | 87 | 1.97 | 2.01 | 182 | 17 | 1351 | 1244 | 44 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 8 | .207 | .257 | .291 | .548 | 60 | ||
32 | Walter Johnson | 7.61 | 313 | 1910 | 22 | WSH | AL | 45 | 42 | 38 | 8 | 3 | 25 | 17 | .595 | 1 | 370.0 | 262 | 92 | 56 | 76 | 1.36 | 1.39 | 183 | 1 | 1367 | 13 | 0 | 21 | undef | undef | undef | ||||||||||||||
33 | Walter Johnson | 7.39 | 303 | 1912 | 24 | WSH | AL | 50 | 37 | 34 | 7 | 13 | 33 | 12 | .733 | 2 | 369.0 | 259 | 89 | 57 | 76 | 1.39 | 2.03 | 240 | 2 | 1413 | 16 | 0 | 11 | undef | undef | undef | ||||||||||||||
34 | Mickey Lolich | 7.37 | 308 | 1971 | 30 | DET | AL | 45 | 45 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 14 | .641 | 0 | 376.0 | 336 | 133 | 122 | 92 | 2.92 | 2.85 | 124 | 36 | 1538 | 1415 | 49 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 7 | .237 | .285 | .360 | .645 | 84 |