Oddities - Page 2

jtur88 · 05-30-2008, 11:32 PM

Astro pitcher Brandon Backe has an unusual streak going. With 2 out and runners in scoring position, opposing batters so far this year are 0-for-25.

Triad · 06-02-2008, 01:06 PM

Speaking of strange streaks, Freddy Garcia didn't lose consecutive starts in the first 74 starts of his career! That's quite amazing.

Can anyone find a longer streak at the beginning of a career?

jtur88 · 06-02-2008, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triad

Speaking of strange streaks, Freddy Garcia didn't lose consecutive starts in the first 74 starts of his career! That's quite amazing.

Can anyone find a longer streak at the beginning of a career?

Were there a lot of No-Decisions in there?

Triad · 06-03-2008, 01:17 PM

Here's Garcia's log during his streak...
37 W
16 L
22 ND

Not a huge number of no-decisions, at least for this era (29%). At no time did he have a single no-decision sandwiched between two losses, and only once did he have two no-decisions sandwiched between two losses.

1999
W
W
—
—
W
L
W
W
—
W
L
W
L
W
L
W
—
L
W
—
L
W
L
—
W
W
W
—
L
W
W
—
W

2000
W
L
W
—
—
—
—
—
W
L
W
L
—
—
L
W
W
W
W
L
W

2001
—
—
W
W
W
—
—
—
W
—
W
W
L
W
—
W
W
W
W
L
L

He started his career 37-14. I wonder what the record is for best W-L record in a pitcher's first 50 decisions. Is there a way to figure that at Baseball Reference?

I misspoke slightly on his number of starts, because he had one relief appearance in his first 75 games, which was a no-decision.

jtur88 · 06-04-2008, 06:58 AM

Some season-ending career marks early in their careers:
Ford 43-15
Brecheen 40-15
Clemens 40-13

Dizzy Dean was 39-53 before his 30-win season, and Christy Mathewson was 34-37 before his. Hal Newhouser was 34-52 before his 29-win year. Walter Johnson started out 32-48, and Randy Johnson 57-61.

jtur88 · 06-12-2008, 01:55 PM

An American League Pitcher was the first batter to be credited with an RBI in an All Star Game. Lefty Gomez' 2-out single in the second drove in Jimmie Dykes with the first All Star run.

Triad · 06-12-2008, 05:35 PM

That reminds me of another such distinction...

Without looking (no peeking), can anyone guess who got the first hit in the 1973 World Series?

jtur88 · 06-26-2008, 05:41 PM

Today (6/26), the White Sox/Dodgers had a streak of nine straight half-innings in which the leadoff man got on base.

jtur88 · 06-26-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triad

That reminds me of another such distinction...

Without looking (no peeking), can anyone guess who got the first hit in the 1973 World Series?

I'm going to guess Ken Holtzman, since the situation was brought to mind by the pitcher hitting. But I had to peek and see who the starting pitchers were in game one.

Triad · 06-27-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtur88

I'm going to guess Ken Holtzman, since the situation was brought to mind by the pitcher hitting. But I had to peek and see who the starting pitchers were in game one.

Not a bad guess. But the correct answer is: Willie Mays. I remember watching game 1 on TV as an 11-year-old, and noting that my favorite player got the Series' first hit.

Speaking of Holtzman, I saw an interesting article at Hardball.com this week about the virtual Oakland A's of 1980 — if they had stayed with all their home-grown talent. Rick Monday leaving and Holtzman coming in didn't pay off in the long run, along with several other deals. Of course, the article points out that the A's couldn't keep a lot of those players due to high salaries or their distaste for working for Charlie O. Finley.

jtur88 · 06-30-2008, 12:23 AM

The Braves have set a MLB record by losing 23 consecutive one-run games on the road.

jtur88 · 07-05-2008, 11:29 AM

The Rockies, in overcoming that deficit against Florida, scored 12 consecutive runs on homers (six of them). I bet that must be a record. One that Earl Weaver would have been proud to hold.

jtur88 · 07-05-2008, 11:43 AM

Was Dustin Pedroia the first player ever to get into the record books and five seconds later drop back out? He had a homer, triple and double already, when he bounced a hit off the right field wall. When he stepped on first, he had hit for the cycle, but a few seconds later, when he slid into second, the cycle was canceled.

jtur88 · 07-13-2008, 07:42 PM

Are the present Cubs the first team ever to have three Cajuns at the same time: Ryan Theriot. Mike Fontenot and Chad Gaudin?

jtur88 · 07-22-2008, 03:53 PM

This is kind of interesting. Five players in the HoF were the first player from their state of birth to play 500 games in the Majors. Cobb (GA), Killibrew (ID), P. Waner (OK), Speaker (TX) and Averill (WA). Fuirthermore, Alexander (NE), Bender (MN) and Lyons (LA) were the first 100-game winning pitchers born in those states.

05-30-2008, 11:32 PM	#16 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	Astro pitcher Brandon Backe has an unusual streak going. With 2 out and runners in scoring position, opposing batters so far this year are 0-for-25. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much.

06-04-2008, 06:58 AM	#20 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	Some season-ending career marks early in their careers: Ford 43-15 Brecheen 40-15 Clemens 40-13 Dizzy Dean was 39-53 before his 30-win season, and Christy Mathewson was 34-37 before his. Hal Newhouser was 34-52 before his 29-win year. Walter Johnson started out 32-48, and Randy Johnson 57-61. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much. Last edited by jtur88; 06-04-2008 at 07:29 AM.

06-12-2008, 01:55 PM	#21 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	An American League Pitcher was the first batter to be credited with an RBI in an All Star Game. Lefty Gomez' 2-out single in the second drove in Jimmie Dykes with the first All Star run. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much.

06-26-2008, 05:41 PM	#23 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	Today (6/26), the White Sox/Dodgers had a streak of nine straight half-innings in which the leadoff man got on base. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much.

06-30-2008, 12:23 AM	#26 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	The Braves have set a MLB record by losing 23 consecutive one-run games on the road. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much.

06-02-2008, 01:06 PM	#17 (permalink)
Triad Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 252	Speaking of strange streaks, Freddy Garcia didn't lose consecutive starts in the first 74 starts of his career! That's quite amazing. Can anyone find a longer streak at the beginning of a career?

06-03-2008, 01:17 PM	#19 (permalink)
Triad Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 252	Here's Garcia's log during his streak... 37 W 16 L 22 ND Not a huge number of no-decisions, at least for this era (29%). At no time did he have a single no-decision sandwiched between two losses, and only once did he have two no-decisions sandwiched between two losses. 1999 W W — — W L W W — W L W L W L W — L W — L W L — W W W — L W W — W 2000 W L W — — — — — W L W L — — L W W W W L W 2001 — — W W W — — — W — W W L W — W W W W L L He started his career 37-14. I wonder what the record is for best W-L record in a pitcher's first 50 decisions. Is there a way to figure that at Baseball Reference? I misspoke slightly on his number of starts, because he had one relief appearance in his first 75 games, which was a no-decision.

06-12-2008, 05:35 PM	#22 (permalink)
Triad Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 252	That reminds me of another such distinction... Without looking (no peeking), can anyone guess who got the first hit in the 1973 World Series?

07-05-2008, 11:29 AM	#27 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	The Rockies, in overcoming that deficit against Florida, scored 12 consecutive runs on homers (six of them). I bet that must be a record. One that Earl Weaver would have been proud to hold. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much. Last edited by jtur88; 07-05-2008 at 11:39 AM.

07-05-2008, 11:43 AM	#28 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	Was Dustin Pedroia the first player ever to get into the record books and five seconds later drop back out? He had a homer, triple and double already, when he bounced a hit off the right field wall. When he stepped on first, he had hit for the cycle, but a few seconds later, when he slid into second, the cycle was canceled. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much.

07-13-2008, 07:42 PM	#29 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	Are the present Cubs the first team ever to have three Cajuns at the same time: Ryan Theriot. Mike Fontenot and Chad Gaudin? __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much.

07-22-2008, 03:53 PM	#30 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,839	This is kind of interesting. Five players in the HoF were the first player from their state of birth to play 500 games in the Majors. Cobb (GA), Killibrew (ID), P. Waner (OK), Speaker (TX) and Averill (WA). Fuirthermore, Alexander (NE), Bender (MN) and Lyons (LA) were the first 100-game winning pitchers born in those states. __________________ ------------------ When people ask what I hope to see before I die, I answer that I've already seen too much. Last edited by jtur88; 07-22-2008 at 04:03 PM.