Today, we celebrate Jim Thome's 38th birthday with 38 facts.
1. He is the Cleveland Indians career HR leader (334)
2. He holds the Indians season record for HR in a season (52 in 2002)
3. He has the top six season BB totals in Indians history ('96,97,99,00,01,02)
4. He has the most career HR of any IL born player (535)
5. He is 5th all time in postseason HR (17)
6. He hit the most HR in a season at Veteran's Stadium (28 in 2003)
7. He holds the White Sox record for HR in a season by a DH (39 in 2006)
8. He holds the White Sox record for HR in a season by a lefty (42 in 2006)
9. He is 7th all time with 438 HR off righties
10. He is 12th all time with 295 solo HR
11. He is 22nd all time with 164 2 run HR
12. He is tied for 14th all time with 68 3 run HR
13. He is 12th all time with 297 HR hit at home
14. He is the first player to hit his 500th HR on a walkoff shot
15. He is one of two players (Griffey , Jr.) with back to back seasons of 40+ HR in each league
16. He is one of two players (A-Rod) with a 40 HR season for three different teams
17. He has hit the most HR as a visitor at US Cellular Field - 17
18. He has the most all time interleague play HR - 55
19. He has homered in 37 different parks
20. He scored a run in his first 17 games of the 2006 season - a record
21. He hit the last homer ever at Veteran's Stadium - 9/27/2003
22. He became the first Indian lefty to hit 30 HR in four straight seasons in 1999
23. He hit a HR in seven consecutive games 6/25 to 7/3/2002
24. His 38 HR as a third baseman in 1996 is an Indians record for third basemen
25. He was a thirteenth round pick in 1989
26. He and Manny Ramirez homered in the same game 48 times. 13th best among tandems
27. He is 6th on the all time HR list among lefties
28. He holds the Indians record for most consecutive 30 HR seasons (9)
29. He has two career three HR games - 7/22/94 and 7/6/01
30. He has 41 career multi HR games
31. He has 10 career walkoff HR
32. He hit a HR in three consecutive games 24 times
33. He is 4th all time in AB/HR ratio (13.50) behind only McGwire, Ruth, and Bonds
34. He is 3rd all time in strikeouts
35. He collected a career high six RBI on four occasions
36. He struck out more times against Brad Radke (21) than any other pitcher
37. He led the league in both walks and strikeouts in 1999
38. He is 14th on the all time AL HR list with 439
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Iron Glovage
This past monday on my show, I presented my iron glove team. Worst defensive player at each position. It was lovely. A few surprises.
C - Benito Santiago.
Yes, he won three gold gloves (88-90), but he led the league in errors 1987,88,89,91,92,93. Led league in passed balls 1987,89,93. Only catcher since 1907 to have 20+ errors and 20 + passed balls in the same season (1987).
1B - Dick Stuart.
Known as Dr. Strangeglove, he committed 29 errors at first base in 1963! Stuart on his own defensive futility: "One night in Pittsburgh, 30,000 fans gave me a standing ovation when I caught a hotdog wrapper on the fly."
2B - Jorge Orta.
85 errors in 469 games at second. Rob Neyer on Orta: "Quite possibly the worst defensive second baseman ever to play as many games there as he did."
3B - Ryan Braun.
Yes, only one season at the hot corner. However, that .895 fielding percentage in 2007 cannot be ignored. Same with those 26 errors in just 112 games. Gary Sheffield (.899, 34 E in 133 games in 1993) a close second.
SS - Jose Offerman.
.943 FP in 5065 innings at SS. Played three seasons of 115+ games there, and led the league in errors each time. (42 in 1992, 37 in 1993 both with LA Dodgers, and 35 in 1995 with the Royals)
LF - Adam Dunn.
6'6" 275. An offensive lineman playing in the outfield? Bewildered by fly balls. .969. Bad.
CF - Hack Wilson.
5'6" 190 (More like 225). Think Kirby Puckett, only shorter and with a thicker torso and a bigger head. Truly one of the most entertainingly disproportionate looking baseball players of all time. Had no business in CF, but definitely could hit (.356, 56, 191 in 1930 with Cubs).
RF - Vladimir Guerrero.
With the rocket arm he has, could he seriously be on this team? Yes. Atrocious .963 career fielding percentage, ranks with outfielders who played when gloves were primitive pancake pieces of leather. Yes, he has 125 assists... but what about the 122 errors! Doesn't move well at all, he's all ass and thigh. Sloppy on ground balls and makes several throwing errors. Led league RF in errors nine times (1997-03, 06, 07)
P - Jose Contreras.
Murder on grounders. Torture on throws. Nightmarish on holding runners. Career may very well have ended while trying to field his position. Fitting.
C - Benito Santiago.
Yes, he won three gold gloves (88-90), but he led the league in errors 1987,88,89,91,92,93. Led league in passed balls 1987,89,93. Only catcher since 1907 to have 20+ errors and 20 + passed balls in the same season (1987).
1B - Dick Stuart.
Known as Dr. Strangeglove, he committed 29 errors at first base in 1963! Stuart on his own defensive futility: "One night in Pittsburgh, 30,000 fans gave me a standing ovation when I caught a hotdog wrapper on the fly."
2B - Jorge Orta.
85 errors in 469 games at second. Rob Neyer on Orta: "Quite possibly the worst defensive second baseman ever to play as many games there as he did."
3B - Ryan Braun.
Yes, only one season at the hot corner. However, that .895 fielding percentage in 2007 cannot be ignored. Same with those 26 errors in just 112 games. Gary Sheffield (.899, 34 E in 133 games in 1993) a close second.
SS - Jose Offerman.
.943 FP in 5065 innings at SS. Played three seasons of 115+ games there, and led the league in errors each time. (42 in 1992, 37 in 1993 both with LA Dodgers, and 35 in 1995 with the Royals)
LF - Adam Dunn.
6'6" 275. An offensive lineman playing in the outfield? Bewildered by fly balls. .969. Bad.
CF - Hack Wilson.
5'6" 190 (More like 225). Think Kirby Puckett, only shorter and with a thicker torso and a bigger head. Truly one of the most entertainingly disproportionate looking baseball players of all time. Had no business in CF, but definitely could hit (.356, 56, 191 in 1930 with Cubs).
RF - Vladimir Guerrero.
With the rocket arm he has, could he seriously be on this team? Yes. Atrocious .963 career fielding percentage, ranks with outfielders who played when gloves were primitive pancake pieces of leather. Yes, he has 125 assists... but what about the 122 errors! Doesn't move well at all, he's all ass and thigh. Sloppy on ground balls and makes several throwing errors. Led league RF in errors nine times (1997-03, 06, 07)
P - Jose Contreras.
Murder on grounders. Torture on throws. Nightmarish on holding runners. Career may very well have ended while trying to field his position. Fitting.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
August 19th
Today is August 19th. The 57th anniversary of Eddie Gaedel's sole major league appearance. Wearing # 1/8, the 3'7" 65 lb. Gaedel was originally scheduled to pop out of a cake between games of a doubleheader, celebrating the 50th birthday of the American League, and the birthday of the Falstaff brewery. Bill Veeck didn't know what Falstaff's birthday was, but he didn't care. Why not celebrate? Fans were given a can of beer, a piece of birthday cake, and a box of ice cream at the gate.
Veeck decided to have Gaedel pinch hit in the second game of the doubleheader. Gaedel was told by Veeck to not swing at any pitches under any circumstances. He told him he had a high power rifle and would shoot if he even looked like he was going to swing. Gaedel pinch hit for CF Frank Saucier and walked on four straight pitches from Tiger pitcher Bob Cain. Veeck estimated Gaedel's strike zone to be one and a half inches. Prior to the at bat, umpire Eddie Hurley demanded to see a contract, and it was promptly shown. Jim Delsing came in to run for Gaedel. The Browns went on to lose 6-2.
Bill Veeck's little stunt, for which he paid Gaedel $100 and took out a $1M insurance policy, made AL President William Harridge furious, and he insisted that all midgets would no longer be allowed to play within major league baseball.
Also, this August 19th is Gary Gaetti's 5oth birthday.
Gaetti and Gaedel are the only major leaguers whose names begin with G-A-E.
In random other news, I've decided that the old Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo --that orange guy with the knife in his mouth -- is Dennis Eckersley.
Veeck decided to have Gaedel pinch hit in the second game of the doubleheader. Gaedel was told by Veeck to not swing at any pitches under any circumstances. He told him he had a high power rifle and would shoot if he even looked like he was going to swing. Gaedel pinch hit for CF Frank Saucier and walked on four straight pitches from Tiger pitcher Bob Cain. Veeck estimated Gaedel's strike zone to be one and a half inches. Prior to the at bat, umpire Eddie Hurley demanded to see a contract, and it was promptly shown. Jim Delsing came in to run for Gaedel. The Browns went on to lose 6-2.
Bill Veeck's little stunt, for which he paid Gaedel $100 and took out a $1M insurance policy, made AL President William Harridge furious, and he insisted that all midgets would no longer be allowed to play within major league baseball.
Also, this August 19th is Gary Gaetti's 5oth birthday.
Gaetti and Gaedel are the only major leaguers whose names begin with G-A-E.
In random other news, I've decided that the old Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo --that orange guy with the knife in his mouth -- is Dennis Eckersley.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Things I'd rather do than watch Boone Logan pitch
from monday morning's sports lounge program...
1) Get a tattoo on my eyelid from a guy with severe epilepsy and parkinsons disease while riding a dune buggy during an earthquake
2.) Go outside naked in -5 degree weather and have someone hose me down, then jump face first on a large metal sheet and roll around
3) Make love to a cactus while being beaten with several other cactuses, and then going swimming in a sea of iodine
Boone Logan was optioned to Charlotte on sunday. Luckily, Charlotte games are not aired here.
1) Get a tattoo on my eyelid from a guy with severe epilepsy and parkinsons disease while riding a dune buggy during an earthquake
2.) Go outside naked in -5 degree weather and have someone hose me down, then jump face first on a large metal sheet and roll around
3) Make love to a cactus while being beaten with several other cactuses, and then going swimming in a sea of iodine
Boone Logan was optioned to Charlotte on sunday. Luckily, Charlotte games are not aired here.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
8-7-08 Happenings
Red Sox put in a waiver claim for Brian Giles today. Just doesn't seem to be a big deal on August 7, 2008. But consider this... I present the ALL TIME top 20 list in OPS through 2002:
1. Babe Ruth 1.164
2. Ted Williams 1.116
3. Lou Gehrig 1.080
4. Jimmie Foxx 1.038
5. Todd Helton 1.032
6. Barry Bonds 1.023
7. Hank Greenberg 1.017
8. Rogers Hornsby 1.010
9. Manny Ramirez 1.010
10. Frank Thomas 1.000
11. BRIAN GILES .986
12. Mark McGwire .982
13. Jim Thome .982
14. Mickey Mantle .977
15. Joe DiMaggio .977
16. Stan Musial .976
17. Vladimir Guerrero .973
18. Larry Walker .973
19. Jason Giambi .968
20. Jeff Bagwell .965
Giles 11th? Well, his 4 year run of 1999-2002 is unreal. Average of 37 HR, 109 RBI, 109 BB, .309 AVG.
Today on the Towelboys show, we discussed comparing ballplayers to cars. I came up with...
- Paul Konerko is like a 2008 Dodge Viper. Expensive and tops out at about .220
- Juan Uribe is like a Ford Festiva. Compact, not too fast, tacky, and Spanish is usually heard coming out of it.
Yesterday, Jim Thome hit his 6th career homer off Justin Verlander. Owns him, eh? That's not even close for the record for most homers hit off one pitcher. Duke Snider hit 19 of his 407 bombs off Warren Spahn. My dream is to compile an extensive historical batter vs. pitcher log, and I've started an excel sheet with batters who have hit 10+ HR off a given pitcher. Stay tuned...
1. Babe Ruth 1.164
2. Ted Williams 1.116
3. Lou Gehrig 1.080
4. Jimmie Foxx 1.038
5. Todd Helton 1.032
6. Barry Bonds 1.023
7. Hank Greenberg 1.017
8. Rogers Hornsby 1.010
9. Manny Ramirez 1.010
10. Frank Thomas 1.000
11. BRIAN GILES .986
12. Mark McGwire .982
13. Jim Thome .982
14. Mickey Mantle .977
15. Joe DiMaggio .977
16. Stan Musial .976
17. Vladimir Guerrero .973
18. Larry Walker .973
19. Jason Giambi .968
20. Jeff Bagwell .965
Giles 11th? Well, his 4 year run of 1999-2002 is unreal. Average of 37 HR, 109 RBI, 109 BB, .309 AVG.
Today on the Towelboys show, we discussed comparing ballplayers to cars. I came up with...
- Paul Konerko is like a 2008 Dodge Viper. Expensive and tops out at about .220
- Juan Uribe is like a Ford Festiva. Compact, not too fast, tacky, and Spanish is usually heard coming out of it.
Yesterday, Jim Thome hit his 6th career homer off Justin Verlander. Owns him, eh? That's not even close for the record for most homers hit off one pitcher. Duke Snider hit 19 of his 407 bombs off Warren Spahn. My dream is to compile an extensive historical batter vs. pitcher log, and I've started an excel sheet with batters who have hit 10+ HR off a given pitcher. Stay tuned...
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Old Pitchers
August 6, 1952: 46 year old Satchel Paige pitches a 1-0 shutout in 12 innings against the Tigers.
I always tend to root for old guys. Maybe it's because it makes me feel better about getting older if guys who are old are still accomplishing magnificent athletic feats. I have a habit of making a note on my radio show every time Jamie Moyer wins a game. He's 45 years old and is 10-7 this year. I'm sure nobody else is as amused with Jamie Moyer as I am, and I don't care. Something about the guy who refuses to retire that satisfies me.
The top 11 list of career wins including and beyond age 40 seasons:
121 Phil Niekro
96 Jack Quinn
76 Jamie Moyer
75 Cy Young
75 Warren Spahn
71 Nolan Ryan
67 Charlie Hough
63 Randy Johnson
61 Roger Clemens
54 Hoyt Wilhelm
54 David Wells
I always tend to root for old guys. Maybe it's because it makes me feel better about getting older if guys who are old are still accomplishing magnificent athletic feats. I have a habit of making a note on my radio show every time Jamie Moyer wins a game. He's 45 years old and is 10-7 this year. I'm sure nobody else is as amused with Jamie Moyer as I am, and I don't care. Something about the guy who refuses to retire that satisfies me.
The top 11 list of career wins including and beyond age 40 seasons:
121 Phil Niekro
96 Jack Quinn
76 Jamie Moyer
75 Cy Young
75 Warren Spahn
71 Nolan Ryan
67 Charlie Hough
63 Randy Johnson
61 Roger Clemens
54 Hoyt Wilhelm
54 David Wells
Monday, August 4, 2008
Welcome to The Louisville Sluggernaut
It's August 4th, 2008. Welcome aboard.
Happy 46th birthday to Roger Clemens. Also, happy 35th birthday to Bobby Howry. Is it a coincidence that these two gentlemen share a birthday? Positively.
Also happy birthday to Scott Linebrink. Sadly, your streak of 70+ appearance seasons seems to be coming to an end this year. Injuries... The streak of seven straight 70+ appearance seasons (1996-2002) held by the legendary Wedsel "Buddy" Groom, Jr. is safe for now.
How's this for a coveted Major League record: Mike Stanton has the most career appearances for a pitcher with fewer innings pitched than appearances (1178 appearances spread over 1114 innings).
Anyway, today in baseball history... Joel Youngblood has a truly one of a kind day. As starting centerfielder for the Mets in a game at Wrigley Field, he goes 1 for 2 with 2 RBI on a 2 RBI single off of Fergie Jenkins, then leaves the game in the 4th... because he was traded to the Expos. He goes to Veterans Stadium that very day and replaces Jerry White in right field in the bottom of the 6th. Then in the top of the 7th, he singles off Steve Carlton. Amazing! A hit for two different teams off two different hall of fame pitchers in one day!
This weekend was a lot of interesting.
- Ken Griffey, Jr. goes 3-7 with 2 RBI for the White Sox
- Manny Ramirez 8-13, 2 HR, 5 RBI for the Dodgers
- Jason Bay 4-11, HR, 3 RBI for the Red Sox
- Randy Johnson wins # 293 Friday
- Mike Mussina wins # 264 Saturday
- Greg Maddux wins # 352 Sunday
- Ichiro ties Ellsbury with 35 SB on the season. Ichiro hadn't stolen a base since July 5th. Ellsbury hasn't stolen one since July 1st.
- The White Sox gave up 19 hits on Saturday AND Sunday. You have to go back to July 21 and 22 of last year to see something worse: Yankees rack up 20 hits vs the Devil Rays on the 21st and 25 more the next day.
I think Ozzie Guillen has a brilliant plan: Tire out those Royals by running bases after base hits. Give up about 11-14 in the first few innings and by that time, they'll be tired and the White Sox offense can start swinging away. Didn't work. Especially since Boone Logan came into the game, and as we all know, Boone Logan is the cause of more runs than an onslaught of Taco Bell burritos.
Saturday, we were also teased with a Paul Konerko home run. By the time he was done on sunday, he was comfortably back at .212 following a signature 0-4 performance including a tailor made double play ball, the 206th occurance of such an event. He is now tied for 72nd all time in double play groundouts.
Day off for the Sox, Ehren Wassermann needs to recharge. And the team needs to watch a tape of saturday's game so they can 1) identify right away (like Leo Mazzone did) that balls up and out over the plate will be crushed and 2) identify that Trey Hillman was able to identify that his starting pitcher (Kyle Davies) didn't have it before the game got out of hand.
Anyway, that's all for me today. Tune in Tuesday 1:30-3 PM icbsportschicago.com
I gone.
Happy 46th birthday to Roger Clemens. Also, happy 35th birthday to Bobby Howry. Is it a coincidence that these two gentlemen share a birthday? Positively.
Also happy birthday to Scott Linebrink. Sadly, your streak of 70+ appearance seasons seems to be coming to an end this year. Injuries... The streak of seven straight 70+ appearance seasons (1996-2002) held by the legendary Wedsel "Buddy" Groom, Jr. is safe for now.
How's this for a coveted Major League record: Mike Stanton has the most career appearances for a pitcher with fewer innings pitched than appearances (1178 appearances spread over 1114 innings).
Anyway, today in baseball history... Joel Youngblood has a truly one of a kind day. As starting centerfielder for the Mets in a game at Wrigley Field, he goes 1 for 2 with 2 RBI on a 2 RBI single off of Fergie Jenkins, then leaves the game in the 4th... because he was traded to the Expos. He goes to Veterans Stadium that very day and replaces Jerry White in right field in the bottom of the 6th. Then in the top of the 7th, he singles off Steve Carlton. Amazing! A hit for two different teams off two different hall of fame pitchers in one day!
This weekend was a lot of interesting.
- Ken Griffey, Jr. goes 3-7 with 2 RBI for the White Sox
- Manny Ramirez 8-13, 2 HR, 5 RBI for the Dodgers
- Jason Bay 4-11, HR, 3 RBI for the Red Sox
- Randy Johnson wins # 293 Friday
- Mike Mussina wins # 264 Saturday
- Greg Maddux wins # 352 Sunday
- Ichiro ties Ellsbury with 35 SB on the season. Ichiro hadn't stolen a base since July 5th. Ellsbury hasn't stolen one since July 1st.
- The White Sox gave up 19 hits on Saturday AND Sunday. You have to go back to July 21 and 22 of last year to see something worse: Yankees rack up 20 hits vs the Devil Rays on the 21st and 25 more the next day.
I think Ozzie Guillen has a brilliant plan: Tire out those Royals by running bases after base hits. Give up about 11-14 in the first few innings and by that time, they'll be tired and the White Sox offense can start swinging away. Didn't work. Especially since Boone Logan came into the game, and as we all know, Boone Logan is the cause of more runs than an onslaught of Taco Bell burritos.
Saturday, we were also teased with a Paul Konerko home run. By the time he was done on sunday, he was comfortably back at .212 following a signature 0-4 performance including a tailor made double play ball, the 206th occurance of such an event. He is now tied for 72nd all time in double play groundouts.
Day off for the Sox, Ehren Wassermann needs to recharge. And the team needs to watch a tape of saturday's game so they can 1) identify right away (like Leo Mazzone did) that balls up and out over the plate will be crushed and 2) identify that Trey Hillman was able to identify that his starting pitcher (Kyle Davies) didn't have it before the game got out of hand.
Anyway, that's all for me today. Tune in Tuesday 1:30-3 PM icbsportschicago.com
I gone.
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