Last season, Justin Turner hit the first walk-off home run of his career, a two-run pinch-hit blast against the Orioles on August 3rd that kept the Cubs just two games back of the division-leading Brewers. What the 40 year-old Turner may not have known was that he had become the oldest Cubs player to hit a pinch home run. After the jump, more on pinch home runs by “experienced” players.
Continue readingWe’re through the wild-card round and almost through the division series. A brief snapshot of some of the more notable performances is after the jump.
Continue readingMost players can point to one season in their careers as their “career year”, when everything clicked, most of their luck was good, and their stat line was clearly head and shoulders above every other season of their careers. For this post, I’ll be identifying the most exceptional career years, with the largest improvement over the second best season in a number of offensive categories. And, everyone is eligible, as I’ll be looking at those career years for very short and very long careers, and for all the careers in between. More after the jump.
Continue readingAs we reach the All-Star break, Aaron Judge is having yet another monster season, leading the majors in all three slash categories, plus WAR, Hits and Total Bases, and leading the AL in Runs and Walks. Yet, somehow, Judge’s 35 dingers are only second best this season, trailing nobody’s pre-season pick for home run champ, Seattle’s switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh. More on Raleigh’s improbable power surge after the jump.
Continue readingCub centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is the first player this season to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, a feat that was once rare for a full season, never mind half a campaign. More after the jump on players with seasons featuring explosive power/speed spans.
Continue readingThe Dodgers and Yankees meet in the World Series for a record twelfth time, but their first meeting in 43 years. More on the World Series is after the jump.
Continue readingAugust’s AL Pitcher of the Month was the Blue Jays’ Bowden Francis. If you’ve never heard of him, you’re not alone. Despite that lack of notoriety, Francis, whose career totals prior to August included just 81⅓ IP and four starts, has turned in two of the more remarkable months of pitching of the modern era. More after the jump.
Continue readingShohei Ohtani showed us how superstars mark milestones, again! Four weeks ago, it was a walk-off grand slam to mark his joining the 40/40 club, Yesterday, it was a game for the ages as he became the first member of the 50/50 club. More after the jump.
Continue readingWillie Mays‘ passing last month serves to remind baseball fans of his spectacular and singular career. Widely regarded as baseball’s most complete player, Mays excelled at all facets of the game, playing at a high level for almost the entirety of a career spanning 23 years. His passing also reduces to a very slender thread our connection with those still living who graced major league ballparks in the 1950s. More on Willie and 1950s baseball are after the jump.
Continue readingPitchers tend to hold the upper hand to start the season, with batters warming up with the weather. But, some batters buck that trend and are hot to start the season, including some who do so on a regular basis. So, who are April’s heroes? Spoiler alert: they’re also the heroes in the other months of the season. More after the jump.
Continue reading