Snuffy & the Wartime Peaksters

In 1944-45, the height of the wartime talent depletion, some hitters had good years far above their career norms. Which ones were the most out of context?

This, of course, is “the Snuffy Stirnweiss question.” His first two full years in the majors, 1944-45, were both excellent offensive seasons for any hitter, and — because he was also a slick keystone fielder — rank second all-time in WAR for a player’s 2nd & 3rd years combined. In the rest of his career, Stirnweiss was a solid player, but a below-average hitter.

Do any other players fit that mold?

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COG Round 49 Results: A Mays in “Greats”/How Sweet The Sound

Since the Circle of Greats was first proposed, with its birth-year based voting, followers of the process have been watching for the 1931 voting, with its extraordinary collection of birth-year talent. Sure enough, the 1931 voting has now graced the COG with two of the true all-time finest performers in the sport: Mickey Mantle from last week’s vote and Willie Mays from this week’s. More on Willie and the voting, after the jump. Continue reading

Going Straight Two Hal

Hal W. Smith was born in 1930 and was a starting catcher in 648 major league regular season games, in a career running from 1955 to 1964.  In 1960, Hal W., playing for the Pirates against the Yankees, hit a Game 7, eighth inning, come-from-behind, three-run homer that might have been remembered as one of the most important hits in World Series history, if it hadn’t been followed an inning later by his teammate Bill Mazeroski’s Series-ending walk-off home run.  Hal W. had originally been signed by the Yankees, but they’d traded him away after the 1954 season, as part of the huge, multi-player deal that brought Don Larsen, among others, to New York. Continue reading

oWAR & dWAR: You keep using those words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean.

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The other day I was having a chat with Graham and Dan about Bill Dahlen, Jack Glassock, and the 2016 Pre-Integration Committee ballot. You know, like normal young men do.

Graham asked me if Dahlen’s case is still strong if you don’t use WAR. I replied…

That’s a neat little fact about my three favorite non-Hall of Fame shortstops… and Ed McKean. So Graham asked about McKean (who I called one of the worst defenders ever):

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Where are the Left-Handed Shortstops?

1994 Conlon TSN #1102 - Arky Vaughan - Courtesy of COMC.com

 

No, I’m not lamenting the unwritten rule that’s deprived us of left-throwing shortstops ever since Ragtime was the rage and hot dogs came with gloves — not right now, anyway. This is for the left-only batter, a species that’s become almost as rare.

Left-swinging Arky Vaughan came to bat for the 5,000th time in 1939, and Cecil Travis followed in ’46. That made four LHBs out of 41 shortstops with 5,000 plate appearances to date. Now let’s play a game: Of the 78 shortstops to cross 5,000 PAs since then, think of one who hit left-handed only.

Got one? You’re sure? All right, then — I will now divine your answer:

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Quiz – Curious Connection (solved)

These batters are connected by dint of a certain career batting accomplishment that only they have achieved since 1946. What is it?

  1. Joe Medwick
  2. Bob Elliott
  3. Del Ennis
  4. Stan Musial
  5. Joe Adcock
  6. Dick Groat
  7. Hank Aaron
  8. Dave Winfield
  9. Eddie Murray

Hint: Derek Jeter could be the next player to make this list.

Congratulations to RJ! He correctly identified that these are the only players since 1946 who were active leaders in career GIDP without leading the majors in that category in any season. More after the jump.

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Quiz – Repeat Rarity (solved)

Since 1916, many pitchers have accomplished a certain game feat once in a career, several have done it twice, and one even did it three times. But, only these three moundsmen have managed that feat twice in the same season.

Dennis Martinez
Claude Willoughby
Dizzy Dean

What is this most unusual of repeat performances?

Congratulations to John Autin! He correctly identified that these are the only pitchers to start two games in the same season in which an opposing player hit for the cycle. More after the jump.

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