While much attention has focused on the inexorable increase in strikeouts, the accompanying decline in walk rate seems to have slid under the radar. Half-way into this season, strikeouts remain at or near historical highs but walks continue to slide, down almost a full walk per team per game from the levels of 2000. In fact, if you look at the chart below, you’ll see that the trend of increasing strikeouts and declining walks that we’ve seen over the past 15 years is something last seen about 50 years ago.

After the jump, more on similarities between the game today and a half century ago.

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Voters took a chance on Charles Arthur “Dazzy” Vance, but it was a very safe bet. Vance’s blistering fastball bedazzled National League batters in the 1920s and early 1930s, earning the right-hander a first ballot victory in the 99th round of COG balloting. Vance compiled over 2000 strikeouts and almost 200 wins after the age of 30, both pre-expansion live ball era records and marks more impressive for having been preceded by almost no major league experience. Among 345 retired pitchers like Vance with 25 to 50 IP in 15 or fewer games thru age 30, Vance easily leads in career Wins and Strikeouts, far ahead of the second place career marks of 185 strikeouts by Marlin Stuart and 25 wins for Ed Holley and Bob Spade.

More on Vance after the jump.

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This Circle of Greats (COG) vote is not to induct anyone into the Circle, but only to select three players who will be restored back to the main ballot after having been previously dropped from eligibility. This ninth “redemption round” (we’ve been holding such redemption rounds interspersed among the regular voting rounds every tenth voting round or so) gives voters a chance to reconsider past candidates who have previously fallen off the regular induction ballots.

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This post is for voting and discussion in the 100th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1890. Rules and lists are after the jump.

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After remaining on the COG ballot for almost a year, Harmon Killebrew supporters made a late voting charge for a come-from-behind win for their man in the 98th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats. The long-time Twins star belted 573 career home runs, not least because (as he candidly admitted after his career) that was his objective each and every time he went to the plate. That singular purpose translated into 14 consecutive 100 game seasons with 130 OPS+, the longest such streak of seasons in the AL.

More on Killebrew after the jump.

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This post is for voting and discussion in the 99th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG). This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1891 or 1892. Rules and lists are after the jump.

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The youngest player in the AL this season is Toronto’s setup reliever Roberto Osuna, born in Mexico on Feb 7, 1995. While the 20 year-old is young in years, this is his 5th season as a professional (though he has been used quite sparingly in the minors with just 128.2 IP in four minor league campaigns). Why am I writing about a rookie relief pitcher not even halfway into the season? Well, there’s this:

Those numbers will attract attention on any pitcher’s resume, never mind for a 20 year-old rookie. More on Osuna after the jump.

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Among a number of meanings for the German word “heil” is safe. Thus, Tiger great Harry Heilmann is safe at home in the COG, after a first ballot election to the Circle of Greats. Heilmann debuted with Detroit in 1914 and established himself as a solid and consistent contributor. But, his true star caliber only became evident with the advent of the live ball era in the 1920s. Heilmann’s .380 BA over 7 seasons (1921-27) was the top figure in the AL, a full 16 points higher than teammate Ty Cobb and 21 points better than a certain Yankee outfielder who was last week’s COG honoree.

More on Heilmann after the jump.

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This post is for voting and discussion in the 98th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1893. Rules and lists are after the jump.

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The players in this quiz share a particular pitching accomplishment that no others have achieved since 1914. What is it?

1. Don Sutton
2. Gary Nolan
3. Lowell Palmer
4. Bert Blyleven
5. Lynn McGlothen
6. John Candelaria
7. Al Leiter
8. Bill Pulsipher
9. Dontrelle Willis
10. Noah Syndergaard

Congratulations to Dr. Doom! He identified that only these pitchers started each of the first 7 games of their careers before their 23rd birthdays while pitching 40 innings with 40 hits allowed and 40 strikeouts. More on the 40/40/40 group after the jump.

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