Category Archives: trivia

One Season Wonders or One of These Things is not Like the Others – Pitchers Edition, Part 1

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Most 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. Last year I presented a post on everyday players whose best season by various statistical measures showed the largest difference from their second best season by that same statistical measure. With this post I’m presenting the same analysis applied to pitcher metrics. More after the jump on pitchers with the most “exceptional” seasons of their careers.

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Oldest Players with Pinch Home Runs by Franchise

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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.

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One Season Wonders or One of These Things is not Like the Others

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Most 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.

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Blanco Blanks Blue Jays

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Ronel Blanco lived up to his name, turning in the young season’s first no-hit game as the Astros romped 10-0 over Toronto. Blanco walked the first batter of the game and the next-to-last (both former Astro George Springer) but retired everyone else, as no Blue Jay reached second base. It was the 13th no-hit game by an Astro pitcher (11th at home), and the second time Houston has no-hit Toronto. More after the jump.

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Best Rookie Audition Seasons UPDATED

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September means pennant chases but, until recently, it also meant greatly expanded rosters and the chance for teams not in the post-season hunt (or even some that were) to take a look at some of their top minor league prospects. That is the topic of this post, looking at those players who made the most of a short rookie audition. More after the jump.

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