Home Run Derby

Back before the five man rotation found its place in Major League Baseball, it was not uncommon to a pitchers have 20 losses in a season. Heck, the seventies had fourteen 20-loss seasons. Five of them were thrown in 1974 alone.

But now, with 20% less starts and the advent of pitch counts - it’s a real stretch for even a really bad pitcher to get 20 losses (partly because he’d be optioned or demoted before he got the chance). Since 1980, it’s only been done once - in 2003 by Mike Maroth (9-21).

It seems that every season, someone gets close to the 20 loss mark, as 25 pitchers have finished with 18 or 19 losses since 1982.

This season, that pitcher appears to be Jose Contreras of the Chicago White Sox.

(more…)

This week, I’ve been watching the Giants a lot. 

One of the things I noticed was that the San Francisco Giants usually trot out a very -  uh - mature lineup.  The Giants start a lineup which typically averages 36 years of age.

In the Giants regular starting lineup, there’s not a single player under the age of 32.  Five of them are aged 35 or older.  And their utility infielder (Aurilia) is 35 as well.  

Their position players have nearly 100 years of MLB experience under their collective belts almost every time they take the field. 

Sometimes, there’s something to be said for experience … when you’re winning. 

Both the Yankees and Tigers field older starting lineups and they’re both competitive in their respective Divisions and the American League.   The Giants, on the other hand, are a percentage point away from having the worst record in the National League. 

Why?

(more…)

Way back in March, when I was doing Home Run Derby slugger profiles, I wondered if Raul Ibanez’ 33 Home Runs in 2006 was a breakout or a fluke. Only one person took Ibanez in HRD’s Group C.

Through early August, it was undeniably a fluke. Through August 3 (95 Games) Ibanez had less-than mediocre stats (.254 Avg, .391 Slg, .698 OPS, 6 HR, 61.0 AB/HR)  and he was also suffering through shoulder and back pain through most of the first half.

Plus, he was just coming off a disastrous sub-Mendoza July (.184 Avg, .262 Slg, .503 OPS with no Home Runs) which had media, fans, and management looking for a change. He couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if he was standing inside the barn.

(more…)

Tony LaRussa’s caught a lot of flak this season. 

First there was that whole drinky-drinky-drivey-sleepy thing back in Spring Training.  That didn’t go over too well.

Then the regular season began and the Cardinals got off to a horrid start.  They got swept by the Mets in St Louis to open the season and were below the Reds in the NL Central standings for a little while.  And it doesn’t look like they’ll be making a run at the playoffs anytime soon.

And most recently, LaRussa (mis) managed the National League and left Cardinals star sluggger and clutch RBI machine Albert Pujols on the bench with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth during last week’s All-Star game in San Francisco.

Pujols was less than happy about not playing in the midsummer classic.  Was there a method to LaRussa’s madness?   Maybe.

Heading into the All-Star Game, Pujols was in a bit of a power drought.  In 22 games before the break, Pujols was hitting .329 but only had 4 doubles and no Home Runs in 73 At-Bats. 

After the All-Star break, a pissed-off Pujols broke out the lumber and smacked the Phillies around to the tune of a .429 average with four Home Runs in 14 At-Bats in the three game series.

The Cubs have played nine Games and tallied 303 At-Bats in the month of July with a collective .270 batting average, a .330 slugging percentage, and absolutely zero Home Runs.

What a bunch of Stonecutters.  Stonecutters = “No Homers” for the Simpsons-illiterate.  And they’ve been useless if you’ve got them in our little Home Run Derby contest. 

However, the Cubs are 6-3 during their Homer-less July.  Mind you, five of those wins came against Pittsburgh, Washington and Houston.  Not exactly world-beaters.

The Cubs have played most of their July games against clubs with a propensity to give up the Home Run …

(more…)

Way back in Spring Training, Oakland A’s First Baseman-Outfielder-Heartthrob Nick Swisher showed up at camp with his hair grown out to a hippie-esque eleven inches in length. 

It seemed to work for him.  He was hitting the ball well with a .290 batting average (41 points above his career average) and a .500 slugging percentage with 6 Home Runs. 

Internet reports had him dating former Playboy model and Oakland Raiderette Danielle Gamba. 

And on May 11, Swisher signed a five year contract extension with the A’s for $26.75 Million.

Life was good.

Then, before a game on May 19th, Swisher had his lengthy locks clipped (by his father) so he could donate them to charity (Pantene’s Beutiful Lengths) to honor his grandmother, who had died of cancer.

At the time of the celebrated haircut, HRD wondered if there would be a Samson-like effect on Swisher’s stats.

(more…)

Sammy Sosa is about to become only the fifth player in Major League Baseball history to swat 600 Home Runs.

Home Run Derby thinks that’s a big deal.

In some form of baseball irony, Sosa could hit #600 against the Chicago Cubs, for whom he hit 545 of his 599 Home Runs. It would be his first career Home Run against the Cubs.

In preparation for this event, here’s a look back at Sosa’s career by way of his baseball cards whenever his Home Run odometer clicked over a new digit.

We’ll even throw in the pitchers who provided the opportunity.

Home Run #1 - June 21, 1989

Why not start off against a legend in the making? Sosa’s very first Home Run was hit off Roger Clemens.

The rookie Ranger hit a solo shot in the 4th inning of a 10-4 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Home Run #100 - May 14, 1995

Sosa turned the Century mark against another legendary pitcher, Trevor Hoffman, the future all-time saves leader.

Sosa hit a Home Run in the ninth inning during a 7-9 loss to the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field.

(more…)