Mike Trout homered twice tonight, at age 20 years, 23 days...
The last player to homer twice in a game at a younger age than Trout is
Andruw Jones - August 22, 1996 (19 y, 121 d)
And the only other player younger than Trout with a 2-homer game since 1970 is
Ken Griffey, Jr. - May 30, 1989 (19 y, 190 d) and again July 5, 1989 (19 y, 226 d)
and the last guy before Griffey Jr. to homer twice in a game at an age younger than Trout is
Tony Conigliaro - September 16, 1964 (19 y, 253 d)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
This Day in White Sox History
Today is the 24th anniversary of a game in which Carlton Fisk homered twice off Roger Clemens.
Homering twice off Roger Clemens in a game has been done by eleven players.
Robin Yount - 6/2/1984
Eddie Murray - 6/27/1986
Carlton Fisk - 8/26/1987
Fred McGriff - 6/28/1990
Ivan Rodriguez - 7/13/1995
Manny Ramirez - 4/21/1996
Ken Griffey, Jr. - 4/25/1997
Albert Belle - 5/15/1999
Jim Thome - 6/2/2001
Josh Phelps - 8/29/2002
Damian Rolls - 6/23/2003
I love it. Nine Hall of Fame caliber players, then Phelps and Rolls...
Homering twice off Roger Clemens in a game has been done by eleven players.
Robin Yount - 6/2/1984
Eddie Murray - 6/27/1986
Carlton Fisk - 8/26/1987
Fred McGriff - 6/28/1990
Ivan Rodriguez - 7/13/1995
Manny Ramirez - 4/21/1996
Ken Griffey, Jr. - 4/25/1997
Albert Belle - 5/15/1999
Jim Thome - 6/2/2001
Josh Phelps - 8/29/2002
Damian Rolls - 6/23/2003
I love it. Nine Hall of Fame caliber players, then Phelps and Rolls...
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Baserunners = Distracting
Your Chicago White Sox failed to capitalize in clutch moments yet again on Thursday.
A Gordon Beckham bases loaded strikeout in the eighth inning was the Sox' twentieth straight bags-loaded plate appearance without a hit.
During this stretch, they have been 0-18 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. It's terrible and it has dragged the Sox' already awful bases loaded batting average to .215 (STILL not as bad as Tampa Bay's league low .212).
Breaking down this 20-PA stretch a bit further... Beckham's at-bat tonight was only the third plate appearance of the 20 in which the Sox actually trailed at the time.
Game scenario at the time of bases loaded PA (over last 20):
Ahead: 15
Behind: 3
Tied: 2
Regardless, when you have the chance to put an opponent away with a bases loaded knock, you've got to be able to deliver.
Crazy thing about all this is... as bad as 20 straight hitless PA with the pillows occupied seems, it's not the worst such streak the White Sox have had this season.
From April 9th to May 19th, the Southsiders endured an even more abysmal 24 PA streak without a single safety. (including 5 sac flies, BB, HBP)
Game scenario for 24-PA hitless streak earlier in season:
Down: 11
Tied: 4
Ahead: 9
That stretch was more critical in regards to game situation.
This season with bases loaded:
Rios: 0-10
Lillibridge: 0-5
Konerko: 1-7
Pierre: 1-9
Quentin: 2-14
On the other hand...
Pierzynski: 3-6
Ramirez: 5-10
Beckham: 3-9
And...
Dunn: 2-8
Morel: 2-8
A Gordon Beckham bases loaded strikeout in the eighth inning was the Sox' twentieth straight bags-loaded plate appearance without a hit.
During this stretch, they have been 0-18 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. It's terrible and it has dragged the Sox' already awful bases loaded batting average to .215 (STILL not as bad as Tampa Bay's league low .212).
Breaking down this 20-PA stretch a bit further... Beckham's at-bat tonight was only the third plate appearance of the 20 in which the Sox actually trailed at the time.
Game scenario at the time of bases loaded PA (over last 20):
Ahead: 15
Behind: 3
Tied: 2
Regardless, when you have the chance to put an opponent away with a bases loaded knock, you've got to be able to deliver.
Crazy thing about all this is... as bad as 20 straight hitless PA with the pillows occupied seems, it's not the worst such streak the White Sox have had this season.
From April 9th to May 19th, the Southsiders endured an even more abysmal 24 PA streak without a single safety. (including 5 sac flies, BB, HBP)
Game scenario for 24-PA hitless streak earlier in season:
Down: 11
Tied: 4
Ahead: 9
That stretch was more critical in regards to game situation.
This season with bases loaded:
Rios: 0-10
Lillibridge: 0-5
Konerko: 1-7
Pierre: 1-9
Quentin: 2-14
On the other hand...
Pierzynski: 3-6
Ramirez: 5-10
Beckham: 3-9
And...
Dunn: 2-8
Morel: 2-8
Catching up.
Meant to post this last weekend, but I'm a lazy ass.
3+ STARTS IN A SEASON AGAINST WHITE SOX
WITH ERA UNDER 1.00 - SINCE 1980
2011 BRUCE CHEN 3 GS, 0.90 ERA, 20.0 IP
2006 KENNY ROGERS 5 GS, 0.82 ERA, 33.0 IP
2005 JOHAN SANTANA 5 GS, 0.92 ERA, 39.1 IP
1999 DAVE MLICKI 3 GS, 0.00 ERA, 20.0 IP
1999 BRET SABERHAGEN 3 GS, 0.87 ERA, 20.2 IP
1998 BLAKE STEIN 3 GS, 0.78 ERA, 23.0 IP
1997 ROGER CLEMENS 3 GS, 0.38 ERA, 23.2 IP
1993 JIMMY KEY 4 GS, 0.60 ERA, 30.0 IP
1992 FRANK VIOLA 3 GS, 0.36 ERA, 24.2 IP
1989 ROGER CLEMENS 3 GS, 0.36 ERA, 25.0 IP
1989 STORM DAVIS 3 GS, 0.56 ERA, 16.0 IP
1988 JOHN CANDELARIA 3 GS, 0.78 ERA, 23.0 IP
1985 DAVE STIEB 3 GS, 0.75 ERA, 24.0 IP
1980 TOMMY JOHN 3 GS, 0.00 ERA, 27.0 IP - 3 CG SHO
1980 JIM CLANCY 3 GS, 0.69 ERA, 26.0 IP
3+ STARTS IN A SEASON AGAINST WHITE SOX
WITH ERA UNDER 1.00 - SINCE 1980
2011 BRUCE CHEN 3 GS, 0.90 ERA, 20.0 IP
2006 KENNY ROGERS 5 GS, 0.82 ERA, 33.0 IP
2005 JOHAN SANTANA 5 GS, 0.92 ERA, 39.1 IP
1999 DAVE MLICKI 3 GS, 0.00 ERA, 20.0 IP
1999 BRET SABERHAGEN 3 GS, 0.87 ERA, 20.2 IP
1998 BLAKE STEIN 3 GS, 0.78 ERA, 23.0 IP
1997 ROGER CLEMENS 3 GS, 0.38 ERA, 23.2 IP
1993 JIMMY KEY 4 GS, 0.60 ERA, 30.0 IP
1992 FRANK VIOLA 3 GS, 0.36 ERA, 24.2 IP
1989 ROGER CLEMENS 3 GS, 0.36 ERA, 25.0 IP
1989 STORM DAVIS 3 GS, 0.56 ERA, 16.0 IP
1988 JOHN CANDELARIA 3 GS, 0.78 ERA, 23.0 IP
1985 DAVE STIEB 3 GS, 0.75 ERA, 24.0 IP
1980 TOMMY JOHN 3 GS, 0.00 ERA, 27.0 IP - 3 CG SHO
1980 JIM CLANCY 3 GS, 0.69 ERA, 26.0 IP
Friday, August 12, 2011
Thoughts on Mark Buehrle
"Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing." - Warren Spahn
Mark Buehrle knows pitching.
He surely must, being a 38th round draft pick with a fastball that scrapes 90 on rare occasions. In the shadow of overpowering strikeout artists, Buehrle has managed to carve a brilliant career with the White Sox by keeping the batter off balance. The Sox' lefty grabbed headlines Thursday night with his eighteenth straight outing allowing three earned runs or less. He did it against a Oriole lineup hitting a collective .339 against him coming into the game. This is nothing new. 156 players have 20+ career at-bats against Buehrle. 22 of them are hitting .400 off of him. 69 of them are hitting at least .300 off of him. Go ahead and get your hits; they don't bother him. He's induced 274 double plays in his career. Nobody has more since he's entered the league. Score some runs off of him if you must; they don't phase him. Remember that game in Minnesota? Seven runs in the first inning? Two men in history have managed to give up seven runs in the first inning and win the game anyway. Buehrle is one of them (the other is Jack Powell of the Cardinals 9/29/1900 against the Cubs). So here are a few interesting Buehrle facts to chew on in celebration of our ace.
1) Mark Buehrle 158-115 43 games over .500 9.4 H/9IP 5.1 K/9IP
Nolan Ryan 324-292 32 games over .500 6.6 H/9IP 9.5 K/9IP
Both men have multiple no-hitters.
2) Among the 212 players who have 2000.0+ IP since 1950, in terms of career H/9IP rates...
Terry Mulholland (9.90; 6th worst)
Scott Erickson (9.86; 7th worst)
David Wells (9.51; 15th worst)
Mark Buehrle (9.43; 20th worst)
Kenny Rogers (9.42; 21st worst)
Have all thrown no-hitters.
3) Buehrle was drafted in the 38th round in 1998 (1139th overall player taken). Only
CC Sabathia (1st round, 20th overall) 48.0
J.D. Drew (1st round, 5th overall) 46.6
have a higher career WAR (according to baseball-reference.com)
4) 38th round draft pick Mark Buehrle has held #1 overall selections in the MLB draft to a collective .270 BA with 5 HR in 200 AB.
Draft
Delmon Young 2003 13-39 3 HR
Joe Mauer 2001 12-56 1 HR
Adrian Gonzalez 2000 1-3
Josh Hamilton 1999 4-12 1 HR
Pat Burrell 1998 1-12
Darin Erstad 1995 8-22
Alex Rodriguez 1993 8-34
Phil Nevin 1992 0-7
Chipper Jones 1990 1-7
B.J. Surhoff 1985 6-8
Mark Buehrle knows pitching.
He surely must, being a 38th round draft pick with a fastball that scrapes 90 on rare occasions. In the shadow of overpowering strikeout artists, Buehrle has managed to carve a brilliant career with the White Sox by keeping the batter off balance. The Sox' lefty grabbed headlines Thursday night with his eighteenth straight outing allowing three earned runs or less. He did it against a Oriole lineup hitting a collective .339 against him coming into the game. This is nothing new. 156 players have 20+ career at-bats against Buehrle. 22 of them are hitting .400 off of him. 69 of them are hitting at least .300 off of him. Go ahead and get your hits; they don't bother him. He's induced 274 double plays in his career. Nobody has more since he's entered the league. Score some runs off of him if you must; they don't phase him. Remember that game in Minnesota? Seven runs in the first inning? Two men in history have managed to give up seven runs in the first inning and win the game anyway. Buehrle is one of them (the other is Jack Powell of the Cardinals 9/29/1900 against the Cubs). So here are a few interesting Buehrle facts to chew on in celebration of our ace.
1) Mark Buehrle 158-115 43 games over .500 9.4 H/9IP 5.1 K/9IP
Nolan Ryan 324-292 32 games over .500 6.6 H/9IP 9.5 K/9IP
Both men have multiple no-hitters.
2) Among the 212 players who have 2000.0+ IP since 1950, in terms of career H/9IP rates...
Terry Mulholland (9.90; 6th worst)
Scott Erickson (9.86; 7th worst)
David Wells (9.51; 15th worst)
Mark Buehrle (9.43; 20th worst)
Kenny Rogers (9.42; 21st worst)
Have all thrown no-hitters.
3) Buehrle was drafted in the 38th round in 1998 (1139th overall player taken). Only
CC Sabathia (1st round, 20th overall) 48.0
J.D. Drew (1st round, 5th overall) 46.6
have a higher career WAR (according to baseball-reference.com)
4) 38th round draft pick Mark Buehrle has held #1 overall selections in the MLB draft to a collective .270 BA with 5 HR in 200 AB.
Draft
Delmon Young 2003 13-39 3 HR
Joe Mauer 2001 12-56 1 HR
Adrian Gonzalez 2000 1-3
Josh Hamilton 1999 4-12 1 HR
Pat Burrell 1998 1-12
Darin Erstad 1995 8-22
Alex Rodriguez 1993 8-34
Phil Nevin 1992 0-7
Chipper Jones 1990 1-7
B.J. Surhoff 1985 6-8
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