OnlyBucs

We had a thread like this last year or two years ago, thought I'd just revive it. No worries if it was something you posted before, the oddities or strange or cool facts, figures, etc. of MLB. So here I go:



The last switch hitting batter to win the AL MVP was Vida Blue.

Always loved this, and that is one of the most obscure ones. Won my share of bar bets with it.



On this, you're on top of your game, Surg. That's no lie! )

I think most Pirate fans know that Steve Blass played LF for a batter in 1968 so that Elroy Face could make an appearance before being sold to Detroit.



But also, Al McBean played LF for a batter in 1965. McBean relieved Bob Veale in the bottom of the 9th in Houston. The Astros rallied and Harry Walker brought in LHP Frank Carpin to face Joe Morgan. McBean went to LF so that he could return to the mound and face the next batter. Carpin struck Morgan out and McBean returned to the mound to finish the game and get the save.



Kent Tekulve played LF for a batter on 9/1/79. Chuck Tanner wanted LHP Grant Jackson to face LH batting Darrell Evans with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th but wanted Teke to come back for the next batter if necessary. So Teke went to LF and Evans hit a fly ball to him for the final out.



Don Robinson was a good hitting pitcher. On the final day of the 1984 season, Tanner had Robinson bat 3rd and play LF. Robinson was 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Steve Blass says that Cubs OFer Billy Williams gave him the most trouble. On 9/5/69, Williams prevented Blass from pitching a no-hitter at Wrigley. Boy, did he ever prevent it! Williams had all 4 of the Cubs' hits including 2 HRs. Blass prevailed by getting the CG win but also had 4 hits including a 3-run HR.

674A47565140571714250 wrote: Steve Blass says that Cubs OFer Billy Williams gave him the most trouble. On 9/5/69, Williams prevented Blass from pitching a no-hitter at Wrigley. Boy, did he ever prevent it! Williams had all 4 of the Cubs' hits including 2 HRs. Blass prevailed by getting the CG win but also had 4 hits including a 3-run HR. 


our local newspaper listed a hitting and pitching star each day (probably selected by AP or UPI). For this day, Blass got pitcher and hitter although at time I thought Williams should have gotten it. On the other hand, Blass may have been only pitcher to have a 4-4 day and complete game that season.

Among a list of many others, what do Chuck Tanner, Jay Bell, Starling Marte, and Adam Wainwright all share in common? No googling!!! That was my job, lol.

5A7C7B6E676B7C6A62090 wrote: Among a list of many others, what do Chuck Tanner, Jay Bell, Starling Marte, and Adam Wainwright all share in common?  No googling!!! That was my job, lol.


HR on the first pitch seen.

Joe Dimaggio hit 361 HR's over his career, while striking out 369 times.



His 162 game average for his career was 34 Hr/34 SO per year. These stats are from Baseball Reference. Why they used 162 games for a player who played during the 154 game seasons is a mystery, but a cool stat regardless.

072C3B344D0 wrote: Joe Dimaggio hit 361 HR's over his career, while striking out 369 times.



His 162 game average for his career was 34 Hr/34 SO per year. These stats are from Baseball Reference. Why they used 162 games for a player who played during the 154 game seasons is a mystery, but a cool stat regardless.
The game has certainly changed. A slugger like Willie Mays was 40 before he had a season striking out more than 92 times. Donn Clendenon set an NL record in 1968 with 163 Ks. Last year 9 NL players had more than that. Clemente and Sanguillen were noted "free swingers" but neither was known for striking out. Smoky Burgess' season high in Ks was 36 in 1955. That was his only season with more than 21 Ks. In 1960 Burgess had 376 PAs and 13 Ks. He struck out once in June and not at all in August. Bat control has become a lost art. However, it doesn't help that pitchers now routinely throw in the mid to high 90s.

Late in spring training, 1948, the Yankees were shopping right-hander Butch Wensloff. They eventually sent him to the Indians, where he managed to throw 1.2 innings before ending his career. In return for Wensloff, the Indians assigned young Al Rosen, the Texas League MVP for 1947, to the Yankees' Kansas City farm team for the 1948 American Association season. While the Indians, Red Sox, and Yankees slugged out a pennant race that finished with two games separating first and third place, the Yankees controlled an Indians' prospect who batted .327/.422/.587 in Triple A.