COG Round 12 Results: Boggs Down in History |

Wade Boggs chickened out before every game, but not COG voters, who boldly voted Boggs into the Circle of Greats by a wide majority. Boggs becomes the twelfth COG inductee. More on Wade and the voting after the jump.

Only thirteen hitters in major league history have been able to reach both the 200-hit and 100-walk thresholds in the same season, and only five of those thirteen have been able to perform this feat in more than one season over their careers.

Most Seasons With 200 or More Hits and 100 or More Walks:
Lou Gehrig, 7 seasons
Wade Boggs, 4 seasons
Babe Ruth, 3 seasons
Stan Musial and Todd Helton, 2 seasons
Ty Cobb, Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, John Olerud, Bernie Williams, Billy Hamilton, Hack Wilson and Woody English, 1 season

Between 1953 (Musial) and 1993 (Olerud), Boggs was the only major league player to reach at least 200 hits and at least 100 walks in the same season, and Boggs achieved that feat four years in a row, 1986 through 1989. He is the only player in MLB history to accomplish the 200-hit/100-walk combo in four consecutive seasons.

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Boggs, appearing on exactly two-thirds of the ballots this round, received more votes than the combined votes of the second and third biggest vote-getters, newcomer-to-the-ballot Alan Trammell, and holdover Tony Gwynn. Nevertheless, Trammell and Gwynn each topped the 25% level, and thus each receive two rounds worth of automatic ballot eligibility. All our other holdovers appeared on at least 10% of the ballots, enough for each to add another year of eligibility to his supply. The holdover count remains at thirteen players, with Trammell replacing Boggs on the holdover list.

As usual, you can check out the complete voting record for this past round at Google Docs. The link is here: 1958-Pt 2 COG Vote Tally

If you would like to review the history of the COG voting, a spreadsheet summary of the voting is here: COG Vote Summary , with a summary of the raw vote totals on Sheet 1 and a summary of the percentage totals on Sheet 2.

The Circle of Greats membership thus far:
Jeff Bagwell
Wade Boggs
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Rickey Henderson
Randy Johnson
Greg Maddux
Mike Mussina
Mike Piazza
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Curt Schilling
Frank Thomas

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mosc

11 years ago

That looks like one hell of a starting lineup/rotation

brp

Reply to mosc

Still gaps at 2B/CF/RF, but yeah.

Brendan Bingham

Birtelcom: I saw a headline recently (don’t remember where and didn’t read the story) suggesting that punning is a dying art. Wouldn’t know it by your COG recap posts. Keep up the good work.

I’m wondering if we’re going to see a reliever elected to the COG? It seems unlikely.

Reply to PP

Gossage will get votes. Smoltz will get in eventually and sorta counts. Mariano missed it by being 11 months… too young.

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birtelcom

At some point we will add the 1969 birth year, bringing Mariano, and Junior Griffey, into the mix. Probably, before we’re done, 1970 as well.

Reply to birtelcom

The process of first year eligibility in reverse (or rather, in correct order) is going to be a little disorienting. We’re going to have a bunch of players long since dead against JR and superman.

Well, with holdovers it may not be so disorienting.

We started with guys around 44 years old (Piazza’s age), and as our process goes on, guys who are 44 will have been born in 1969 and 1970. I’d probably target adding 1969 around the time Mariano is officially retired.

So if we get a “special edition” 1969 in the middle of the process, we can get Jr in too? Elected in say 1920 (just picking something randomly)?

I’m curious who would win in a Jr vs Mo showdown for one spot. Clearly either would beat out a choice year from the earlier part of baseball history.

EDIT: Musial owns 1920, tough one for Griffy if that’s what happens.

BryanM

Todd Helton had one season of 100 walks 100 singles and 100 XBH. How often has this been done?

Richard Chester

Reply to BryanM

Gehrig did it in 1927 and 1930 and Foxx did it in 1932.

Lawrence Azrin

Babe Ruth in 1923 missed by one XBH, Luis Gonzalez in 2001 by two hits.

I gotta admit, I’ve seen a lot of statistical ‘clubs’, but never this one before.

bstar

Reply to Lawrence Azrin

Todd Helton (2000-2001) is also only the third guy in MLB history to have consecutive years of 400 or more total bases. The other two are Lou Gehrig (1930-1931) and Jimmie Foxx (1932-1933).

Definitely a high-scoring-environment stat. Gehrig has the most 400+ TB seasons with 5 and Chuck Klein has 3.

Reply to bstar

Helton also had back to back 100 XBH years. Only guy to do that. 350/447/613 career at Coors, 289/389/475 away.

Actually, what I just noticed about Helton’s career is that it has a “natural” decline starting around age 32.

Helton is a lot better player than the Coors-aided Rockies such as Bichette, Castilla, and Galarraga, but not quite as good as Larry Walker.

You’ve got to take a lot of air out of his stats, but his 2000-2004 peak is still quite impressive.

JAWS on B-R has him rated 12th all-time, ahead of a bunch (11) of HOFers. I’d rate him somewhat lower, though he’s definitely ahead of (at least) Jim Bottemley and Highpockets Kelly.

#15/mosc,

Both Stan Musial and Ken Griffey, Jr were born in Donora, PA on November 21st (but 49 years apart). What are the odds on that?

Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell were also born the same day (May 27th, 1968), but over a thousand miles apart. They are, however, each other’s most similar players on B-R. Of course, this only considers raw offensive totals. Bagwell was a much much better defensive first baseman and baserunner.