Found this piece, which counts 2005 as the best ("sickest," actually, but I'm up on my lingo, so I know that means good) first-round ever, and the fifth-best overall. It was written in 2012, though, when the three headed-for-the-Hall guys were all at their peak--might get a bit of a downgrade today. But it does seem to be one of the best ever.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1462043-which-mlb-draft-class-is-the-best-of-all-time
― clemenza, Monday, 8 March 2021 22:07 (three years ago) link
Looking at their rankings today, think I'd go with the '85 class as the best (third on their list). Bonds, Randy Johnson, Larkin, Smoltz, Palmeiro--wow. And Will Clark still may make the HOF one day via the Veteran's Committee.
― clemenza, Monday, 8 March 2021 22:10 (three years ago) link
i knew that pitchers sucked at hitting. i didn't realize they suck a little more each year!
https://i.imgur.com/snOJv8M.png
― Zach_TBD (Karl Malone), Tuesday, 16 March 2021 04:08 (three years ago) link
(xposts) The first round of the 2011 draft is looking pretty great right now. All mid-career, among the first 11 picks: Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer, Anthony Rendon, Francisco Lindor, George Springer.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 16 March 2021 14:08 (three years ago) link
I love to get excited about Opening Day starters, especially when they have outings that could be mistaken for bad openers. 1.1 IP, 6 R for Brad Keller (KC), 0.1 IP, 5 R for Kyle Gibson (TEX) https://t.co/e2rmJurMR7— Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) April 1, 2021
― mookieproof, Thursday, 1 April 2021 21:42 (three years ago) link
This is the Giants' first 10-run FIRST INNING since June 29, 1967 at the Cardinals, when they scored 11 in the 1stScoring summary from that inning ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/shoem2nEZD— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 4, 2021
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 4 May 2021 23:16 (two years ago) link
Is this what they mean by a "counting stat"?
https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2021/5/6/22422240/blue-jays-pitchers-matz-kay-ray-ryu-ties-mlb-name-record
― clemenza, Friday, 7 May 2021 03:49 (two years ago) link
just wait until the diamondbacks promote the Ng quadruplets
― ✖, Friday, 7 May 2021 05:45 (two years ago) link
How do you hit .000 and match Babe Ruth in the record books?You do what White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal just did -- go 0-for-3 with 13 walks in four games. With the strange stat line, Grandal joined the Bambino (1930) as the only players in American League history to walk 13 or more times in a four-game span.If you add in the National League, you're only going to add one more player to the list -- Bryce Harper, who accomplished the feat in 2016.
You do what White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal just did -- go 0-for-3 with 13 walks in four games. With the strange stat line, Grandal joined the Bambino (1930) as the only players in American League history to walk 13 or more times in a four-game span.
If you add in the National League, you're only going to add one more player to the list -- Bryce Harper, who accomplished the feat in 2016.
― Zach_TBD (Karl Malone), Sunday, 9 May 2021 16:28 (two years ago) link
wow, grandal's current line is:
.121/.388/.259
― Zach_TBD (Karl Malone), Sunday, 9 May 2021 16:29 (two years ago) link
Carlos Martínez, a nine-year veteran, raised his career ERA from 3.55 to 3.64 in less than an inning.— Foolish Baseball (@FoolishBB) June 3, 2021
― mookieproof, Thursday, 3 June 2021 09:48 (two years ago) link
It was a tough day
― Karl Malone, Thursday, 3 June 2021 15:29 (two years ago) link
yankees (taillon) vs red sox (eovaldi) today is the first MLB game in which both starters have had multiple tommy johns
― mookieproof, Saturday, 24 July 2021 20:43 (two years ago) link
Since 1901, the Twins are just the 4th team to hit 7 HR in a 9-inning game and lose.White Sox (6/25/16 vs Blue Jays)Tigers (8/8/04 vs Red Sox)Tigers (5/28/95 vs White Sox)https://t.co/fHLzbRR4BO— Stathead (@Stathead) July 28, 2021
― mookieproof, Thursday, 29 July 2021 02:44 (two years ago) link
OK I’m interrupting my vacation one more time for this incredible tidbit.2 teams in the last 100 years had scored in the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th innings of any game. And then last night 2 teams did it in the same game! #Royals #YankeesBaseball!Now back to the beach— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) August 10, 2021
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 10 August 2021 14:36 (two years ago) link
HISTORY at Dodger Stadium: Austin Adams ties the all-time record for hit batters in a season in the modern era (21) by plunking Will Smith in the ninth inning. He's done it in 47 2/3 innings. Most recent guy to hit 21 (Kerry Wood in '03) needed 211— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) September 12, 2021
― mookieproof, Sunday, 12 September 2021 22:59 (two years ago) link
Paul Goldschmidt is now the all-time leader in hits for a player born in Delaware with 1,549. He surpassed Delino DeShields with that double.That makes him first in hits for the First State.#Cardinals #stlcards #MLB— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) September 15, 2021
― "HYYOOOOOOONK!" is the sound I make (Karl Malone), Wednesday, 15 September 2021 04:18 (two years ago) link
Gavin Sheets with a hit off Lance McCullers, Jr., radio broadcast just said there's family history as Gavin's dad Larry had a hit off Lance McCullers, Sr.
― Michael F Gill, Tuesday, 12 October 2021 18:55 (two years ago) link
Terrance Gore:- 102 MLB career games- 0 career Home Runs- 1 career RBI- 2 career Doubles- 3 World Series rings. He has more World Series rings than Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, and Mike Trout combined (2).@LoCronitaTV pic.twitter.com/IwRVNwUHiH— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) November 3, 2021
― na (NA), Thursday, 4 November 2021 00:42 (two years ago) link
guy's a winner
― mookieproof, Thursday, 4 November 2021 00:52 (two years ago) link
amazing!
― just staying (Karl Malone), Thursday, 4 November 2021 00:53 (two years ago) link
102 games, 77 PAs, 3 world series rings
0 HRs
2022 is official terrance gore HR watch imo
― just staying (Karl Malone), Thursday, 4 November 2021 00:54 (two years ago) link
in 2016, with the royals, in 27 games he finished with .000/.000/.000 and 0.4 fWAR, due to his defense
― just staying (Karl Malone), Thursday, 4 November 2021 00:56 (two years ago) link
Terrance Gore WS-Ring Watch.
― clemenza, Thursday, 4 November 2021 00:56 (two years ago) link
extrapolated over a full 162 game season, he would be .000.000.000 and 2.0 fWAR
Amazing that teams manage to find space for a player like him in an era of 12 and 13-man pitching staffs.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 4 November 2021 12:11 (two years ago) link
ya well how else are they gonna win a WS?!
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 4 November 2021 13:38 (two years ago) link
Jays tried this with Munenori Kawasaki, didn't take.
― clemenza, Thursday, 4 November 2021 14:12 (two years ago) link
Roel Ramírez has made two big-league pitching appearances, one each in 2020 and 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old right-hander — now in the New York Mets organization — has been charged with nine earned runs in one inning of work. Ramirez’s 81.00 currently ranks as the highest in the modern era among pitchers who have recorded at least three outs.
hell yeah
― Karl Malone, Monday, 10 January 2022 20:50 (two years ago) link
I wonder how Yu Darvish's two starts stack up historically in the schizophrenia department:
1st: 6.0 IP, 0 runs, 0 hits, 4 walks, 3 K, GS of 712nd: 1.2 IP, 9 runs, 8 hits, 2 walks, 2 K, GS of 3
― clemenza, Wednesday, 13 April 2022 22:22 (two years ago) link
Bo Bichette's go-ahead grand slam tonight was his first; also the 25th anniversary of Carlos Delgado's first slam.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 26 April 2022 01:39 (two years ago) link
take that, chicago
COAST TO COAST 📈For the first time in MLB history, all four LA and NY teams are leading their respective divisions. pic.twitter.com/1t729bcd0a— ESPN (@espn) May 4, 2022
― mookieproof, Thursday, 5 May 2022 20:09 (one year ago) link
The Orioles are now 0-6 when Anthony Santander hits multiple HR in a game -- Santander is the only player in MLB history to lose the first 6 multi-HR games of his career. pic.twitter.com/E2e26g6siW— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 17, 2022
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 18 May 2022 18:07 (one year ago) link
The Braves' bid to win 15 in a row falls short as the Cubs become the first club since 1999 to beat a team with a 10+ game winning streak while on a 10+ game losing streak.
― mookieproof, Friday, 17 June 2022 21:45 (one year ago) link
This is so ephemeral it's not even an occurrence, but I noticed that Machado, Devers, and Ramirez are 1-2-3 on Fangraphs' WAR list today. Those are arguably the three most underappreciated players in baseball, all at the same position.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 22 June 2022 18:16 (one year ago) link
Starting next year, every team will play each other for at least one series per year. So I got to thinking who has hit a home run in every park, and came up with this list. Currently no active player has done it. https://www.quora.com/Who-has-hit-a-home-run-in-every-active-MLB-park
― Michael F Gill, Thursday, 23 June 2022 22:20 (one year ago) link
now this is trivial
First time in modern history (since 1900) that an MLB player has driven in the only run of a game off his brother.Austin Nola’s RBI single off Aaron Nola in the sixth inning gives Padres a 1-0 victory over the Phillies.— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) June 25, 2022
― mookieproof, Saturday, 25 June 2022 16:14 (one year ago) link
well that was rude. breaking one of the unwritten rules there
― Bruce Stingbean (Karl Malone), Saturday, 25 June 2022 16:19 (one year ago) link
Every team in the A.L. East is .500 or better tonight--is that the latest date ever for such a thing in the wild-card era?
― clemenza, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 03:43 (one year ago) link
Found this piece from June 25, 2013 (A.L. East again).
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1683743-can-the-2013-al-east-make-history-with-all-5-teams-finishing-above-500
― clemenza, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 03:46 (one year ago) link
Not even close:
In 2005, the entire NL East actually finished at or above .500: Braves (90-72), Phillies (88-74), Marlins (83-79), Mets (83-79) and Nationals (81-81).
If they can hang on for three more days, it will mark the second-latest date for this.
https://www.mlb.com/news/all-al-east-teams-at-500-or-better
― clemenza, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:23 (one year ago) link
A reader on James's site:
"Over the course of his career, Vin Scully called a game involving a manager who was born in 1863 (Connie Mack), and a game involving a player born in 1996 (Julio Urias)."
― clemenza, Thursday, 28 July 2022 03:20 (one year ago) link
Derek Law, making history for the Tigers in Toronto: The first pitcher to allow a homer, commit an error, hit a batter and throw a wild pitch in a single relief appearance.— Ryan Ford (@theford) July 30, 2022
― mookieproof, Saturday, 30 July 2022 23:13 (one year ago) link
George Kirby of the Mariners: 24 strikes to start the game.
https://www.mlb.com/news/george-kirby-throws-24-straight-strikes-to-start-a-game
Had to look him up--rookie, 17 starts. Doubt that anyone without exceptional control could do that, and sure enough, only 13 walks in 90 IP. He needs more innings, but he might get a few ROY votes.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 August 2022 01:40 (one year ago) link
Got me reading up on the other George Kirby, who I'm guessing most of you (mookieproof, maybe) don't know.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kirby
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 August 2022 01:45 (one year ago) link
Old, weird trivial occurrences (from something on my FB wall): "Trammell and Whitaker got their first major league hit off the same pitcher (Reggie Cleveland), and their final major league hit off the same pitcher (Mike Fetters)."
― clemenza, Sunday, 11 September 2022 01:26 (one year ago) link
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/why-are-the-atlanta-braves-bunting-at-all/
the braves have only made four bunt attempts this season, by far the fewest bunt attempts by a team since bunts have been tracked. all four bunt attempts were unsuccessful (one would have been successful but michael harris II tried to stretch a bunt single into a double and got thrown out)
― na (NA), Wednesday, 28 September 2022 14:26 (one year ago) link
only four bunts! That’s kind of amazing.
― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 28 September 2022 15:03 (one year ago) link
From The Baseball 100: on Sept. 26, 1975, both Gaylord and Jim Perry had career W-L records of 215-174.
― clemenza, Friday, 14 October 2022 13:21 (one year ago) link
Steve Shasta…You are unreal
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Monday, 4 March 2024 21:34 (one month ago) link
lollin'~q
...pardon my ignorance. When did you start posting on ILX gyac? I created this subboard 21 years ago (!) when I had tons of free time and we could have used more quality posters such as yourself.
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 4 March 2024 22:35 (one month ago) link
Firstly!Secondly, I had to check, 2011? But I only got into baseball in 2022. I’m trying very hard to make up for lost time though! One day we will meet and pore over your big book of player injuries together 🫡🫡🫡
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Monday, 4 March 2024 22:57 (one month ago) link
Yes please!
HEALTH IS WEALTH
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 4 March 2024 23:11 (one month ago) link
(aw, thanks for the kind words too!)
Was WAR around in 2002? I know there was an earlier version at some point--VORP--but I don't think it was. A couple of the awards that year were obvious--Bonds and Johnson--but Tejada winning MVP over A-Rod suggests voting was still pretty old-school.
― clemenza, Monday, 4 March 2024 23:44 (one month ago) link
No idea, and I’m not even a WAR believer tbh (it’s just one stat of many & I personally cbf thinking about the different kinds), but I just mentioned it as shorthand for a negative WAR (for a reliever, no less!) being reflective of some less than shining performances.
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Monday, 4 March 2024 23:51 (one month ago) link
I think it's a great tool for narrowing the field and making sure there's never a Baylor/Burroughs-type winner again. (And honestly, you don't need WAR for that.) But I'm far from a true believer. I like a little narrative in the mix!
― clemenza, Tuesday, 5 March 2024 00:37 (one month ago) link
If you want to feel really old: Kent Tekulve turns 77 today.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 5 March 2024 16:03 (one month ago) link
thought he'd be older
― Humanitarian Pause (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 5 March 2024 17:08 (one month ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/Zp1C3Dt.jpeg
I wonder if his arm even works these days...
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 5 March 2024 18:26 (one month ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVGks-UU0AIl4VC?format=jpg&name=small
― francisF, Wednesday, 6 March 2024 03:06 (one month ago) link
According to noted White Sox stats poster Jay Cuda, they are only the second team in baseball history to have--take a deep breath--zero runs, zero walks, zero extra-base hits, and 10 or more strikeouts in an Opening Day game. The previous instance was in 1967, when the San Francisco Giants faced Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals.
― mookieproof, Friday, 29 March 2024 20:10 (four weeks ago) link
Tbf they should definitely have had a walk going by the scorecard
#OpeningDayUmpire: Brian O'NoraFinal: Tigers 1, White Sox 0#RepDetroit // #WhiteSox#DETvsCWS // #CWSvsDETMore stats for this game 👇https://t.co/fASdPcVOMs pic.twitter.com/uFV9X0FshR— Umpire Scorecards (@UmpScorecards) March 29, 2024
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Friday, 29 March 2024 20:40 (four weeks ago) link
Tyler Anderson vs. Chase Anderson--that seems worth noting.
― clemenza, Saturday, 13 April 2024 00:09 (two weeks ago) link
the astros' manager and the orioles' manager are brothers-in-law because their wives are sisters
― mookieproof, Saturday, 13 April 2024 01:34 (two weeks ago) link
the list of current active leaders in shutouts includes a guy near the top whom i forgot existed.
Clayton Kershaw - 15Justin Verlander - 9
tied for third place --
Gerrit Cole - 5Max Scherzer - 5Shelby Miller - 5
― omar little, Monday, 15 April 2024 18:55 (one week ago) link
reminds me what a different time we're in, Tim Belcher (career w-l of 146-140, ERA of 4.16) tossed 18 shutouts and even if we take away the 8(!) he threw in 1989*, he'd still rank second among active dudes now.
― omar little, Monday, 15 April 2024 18:59 (one week ago) link
Not that living to 100 is trivial, but I don't know where else to post this (and there's a great brush-with-fame story from 1951).
https://www.mlb.com/news/oldest-living-mlb-player-turns-100
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 April 2024 21:19 (two days ago) link
There are quite a few brushes with fame in his bio, he's had an incredible life!
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Friday, 26 April 2024 05:43 (yesterday) link