Category / Baseball

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Against The Tigers All Time Leaders – Through 2021

tigersIn the past, we’ve looked at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. This offseason, we will take our first ever look at those leaders against all 30 clubs. We continue today with the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers began life in 1894 as part of the Western League and became a charter franchise of the American League in 1901, making them the oldest one city, one name franchise in the American League.  I’ve seen them play 57 times, including the second game ever, and my first game, at the new Comiskey Park.

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 4
Dayan Viciedo 3
Alexei Ramirez 3
Matt Davidson 3

Hits

Name Total
Alexei Ramirez 23
Paul Konerko 22
Jose Abreu 21

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 12
Avisail Garcia 12
Alexei Ramirez 11
Yolmer Sanchez 11

RBI

Name Total
Paul Konerko 17
Yolmer Sanchez 12
Alexei Ramirez 11

Doubles

Name Total
Paul Konerko 7
Jose Abreu 6
Tim Anderson 5

Triples Continue reading →

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Taking A Bite Of The Apple

Apple announced a new partnership with MLB today, broadcasting a weekly Friday night doubleheader, with pre- and post-game shows, exclusively on Apple TV+, assuming, of course, that the lockout ever ends and the season begins.  In addition to the weekly live games, Apple will broadcast a live highlight show, MLB Big Inning, every weeknight during the regular season.  They will also host a new 24/7 livestream with MLB game replays, news and analysis, highlights, classic games, and more, as well as a full complement of on-demand programming, including highlights and MLB-themed original content.

From Apple’s standpoint, this move makes a lot of sense.  MLB’s built-in audience will need to eventually subscribe to their streaming service in order to watch these games, giving them a boost that they must hope will carry over to the offseason.  It also doesn’t hurt baseball’s image to be associated with a forward-looking company like Apple, and getting a streaming option with no blackouts is certainly a step in the right direction.

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By The Numbers – 18

In 1929, uniform numbers appeared on the back of baseball jerseys for the first time, thanks to the Indians and the Yankees.  By 1937, numbers finally appeared across all uniforms, both home and away, across both major leagues.  Since that time, 81 distinct numbers have been worn by members of the White Sox, while the Cubs boast 76.

Today, we continue our look at those players, picking our favorite, if not the best, player to wear each uniform number for both Chicago teams with #18.  78 different players have donned #18 while playing in Chicago, 41 for the White Sox and 37 for the Cubs.

Bill Madlock essentially replaced two of the Cubs biggest stars of the 1960s when he joined the team for his rookie season in 1974.  Acquired for future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, Madlock took the spot of Hall of Famer Ron Santo at the hot corner.  If he felt any pressure, he didn’t show it, hitting .313 with 9 home runs, good enough for a third place finish in Rookie of the Year voting.  In 1975, he broke out in a big way, earning his first All Star nod on his way to a batting title.  In 1976, Madlock repeated as batting champion, hitting .339 and beating out Ken Griffey Sr. on the final day of the season.  With the dawn of free agency on the horizon, Madlock asked the Cubs for a multi-year contract with a salary of $200,000, more than double what he had earned in 1976.  Team owner Phillip K. Wrigley had other ideas, announcing that Madlock would be traded “to anyone foolish enough to want him.”  In February of 1977, that so-called foolish team turned out to be the Giants, who sent Bobby Murcer and Steve Ontiveros, among others, to the Cubs.  In July of 2016, this would be ranked as one of the five worst trades in Cub history.

Acquired by the White Sox, along with Tyler Flowers and 2 minor leaguers, from the Braves in exchange for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan, Brent Lillibridge donned #18 while hitting an anemic .158 in 95 at bats spread across 46 games for the 2009 White Sox.  Lillibridge stuck with the big league team in 2010, improving his average to .224 in only 64 games.  2011 was his best season, setting career highs in home runs, RBIs, batting average, and OPS.  On April 11, he hit the 10,000th home run in White Sox history off Dallas Braden and the A’s.  Lillibridge struggled again in 2012, with his average dropping down to .175 before the June 24th trade that sent him, along with Zach Stewart, to the Red Sox for Kevin Youkilis.

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Against The Cardinals All Time Leaders – Through 2021

cardinalsIn the past, we’ve looked at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. This offseason, we will take our first ever look at those leaders against all 30 clubs.  We continue today with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals began life in 1891, joining the National League the following year after the dissolution of the old American Association.  They took on the Cardinal name starting in 1900.  I’ve seen them play 33 times at 3 different stadiums, including the 2015 NLDS and, most recently, last May at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Home Runs

Name Total
Moises Alou 6
Michael Barrett 4
Sammy Sosa 3
Aramis Ramirez 3

Hits

Name Total
Moises Alou 16
Derrek Lee 15
Michael Barrett 14
Aramis Ramirez 14
Corey Patterson 14

Runs

Name Total
Moises Alou 12
Sammy Sosa 12
Aramis Ramirez 10

RBI

Name Total
Moises Alou 14
Michael Barrett 10
Aramis Ramirez 9
Alex Gonzalez 9

Doubles

Name Total
Derrek Lee 6
Alex Gonzalez 4
Ryan Theriot 4

Triples Continue reading →

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A Disastrous Outcome

For the first time since 1995, a work stoppage will wipe the scheduled Opening Day off the schedule for Major League Baseball.  Weeks after saying that missed regular season games would be “a disastrous outcome.” Commissioner Rob Manfred, with a telling smile on his face, announced he was cancelling the first two series of the regular season after the MLBPA (rightfully) turned down the so-called final offer from the owners yesterday afternoon.  With talks breaking down, the earliest the two sides will get back together is tomorrow.

Locally, both teams would lose two series against Central division foes.  The White Sox would miss out on the opening series against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field and a trip to Kansas City to face the Royals.  The Cubs would avoid opening the season at Great American Ballpark against the Reds and their home opening series versus the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.  Of course, there has been no mention yet of refunds for fans who bought tickets to those cancelled games.

Who knows what will happen at this point.  The owners won’t see any real financial pressure to start the season until late April, when they will have to start returning money to their television partners for missed games.  As we saw in 2020, when the pandemic shut down the sport for months on end, there are plenty of owners who would prefer to play the fewest number of games they can get away with and still make all of their money.  Of course, they could just lift the lockout and continue negotiating while the season played out, but that is only something mature adults might do.

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Against The Twins All Time Leaders – Through 2021

Minnesota-TwinsIn the past, we’ve looked at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams.  This offseason, we will take our first ever look at those leaders against all 30 clubs.  We continue things today with the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins originated in 1901 as the Washington Senators, one of the charter members of the American League.  When Minneapolis was given an expansion team to begin play in 1961, owner Calvin Griffith requested to move the Senators to Minnesota, becoming the Twins, and to have the expansion franchise take over the Senators name in Washington.  I’ve seen them play 64 times at 3 different stadiums, including the division-title deciding game 163 in 2008 at US Cellular Field.

Home Runs

Name Total
Joe Crede 8
Alexei Ramirez 7
Paul Konerko 7

Hits

Name Total
Alexei Ramirez 40
Paul Konerko 39
Jose Abreu 29

Runs

Name Total
Alexei Ramirez 19
Paul Konerko 19
Jose Abreu 18

RBI

Name Total
Alexei Ramirez 21
Joe Crede 21
Paul Konerko 20

Doubles

Name Total
Alexei Ramirez 6
A.J. Pierzynski 6
Paul Konerko 5
Adam Eaton 5

Triples Continue reading →

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Still Waiting

Yesterday’s deadline for a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement between the MLBPA and the owners and maintain a 162-game schedule has come and gone, with the only deal in place to push that deadline back to today at 5 PM Eastern.  After weeks of dragging their feet, the owners seemed willing to finally negotiate yesterday, and the negotiations went deep into the night (or early this morning).  Does that mean we are any closer to a deal?  Hard to tell.

Last month, Rob Manfred said it would be catastrophic for the game if the regular season was impacted.  Yesterday, the owners threatened to cancel the entire slate of April games.  That rhetoric seemed to calm down as the day wore on, but today will see if the owners truly understand the potential harm they are causing to the sport or if their only interest is in extracting as much money as they can and then dumping the husk on the next unsuspecting sucker who will reap what the current batch have sown.

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By The Numbers – 19

In 1929, uniform numbers appeared on the back of baseball jerseys for the first time, thanks to the Indians and the Yankees.  By 1937, numbers finally appeared across all uniforms, both home and away, across both major leagues.  Since that time, 81 distinct numbers have been worn by members of the White Sox, while the Cubs boast 76.

Today, we continue our look at those players, picking our favorite, if not the best, player to wear each uniform number for both Chicago teams with #19.  83 different players have donned #19 while playing in Chicago, 32 for the White Sox, one of whom had it retired in his honor, and 51 for the Cubs.

With a new ownership group in place and looking to make a quick splash, the White Sox purchased Greg Luzinski from the Phillies on March 30, 1981.  Coming off a disappointing season, the Chicago-area native, wearing his familiar #19, responded well to the change, hitting .265 with 21 home runs in the strike-shortened season.  He earned Comeback Player of the Year honors, beating out teammate Bill Almon by 5 votes, and finished 23rd in MVP voting.  Luzinski had another strong year in 1982, raising his average to .292, his highest total since 1977, while hitting 18 home runs and driving in 102 runs.

In 1983, Luzinski was a powerful cog in leading the White Sox to their first division title.  He launched the 8th, 9th, and 10th rooftop home runs in Comiskey Park history between June 26 and August 28.  While his average dropped to .255, he hit 32 home runs and drove in 95, good enough to finish 17th in MVP voting.  Like the rest of his teammates, he struggled during the ALCS against the Orioles, hitting only .133 in the 4-game series.  Unfortunately, those struggles carried over in to 1984.  His average dropped again, down to .238, and his power output fell as well, finishing the year with only 13 home runs, his lowest total since 1974, and 58 RBIs.  He did manage to hit his fourth rooftop blast on July 3 against the Tigers.  He became a free agent following the year and decided to retire.

On the north side of town, Matt Murton donned #19 when he made his major league debut for the Cubs on July 8, 2005.  He appeared in 51 games for the Cubs, hitting .321 with a .908 OPS.  That helped earn him the starting nod in left field for 2006, where he managed to post a .297 batting average with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs.  Despite his success, Murton saw his playing time diminish in 2007 after the Cubs signed Cliff Floyd, even getting sent back to Triple A in June.  He returned in late July, and finished the year with a .281 average and a .791 OPS in only 94 games.  His playing time was diminished ever further in 2008, appearing in only 19 games before being traded, 4 years to the day of his major league debut, to the A’s, as part of the haul for Rich Harden.

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Against The Pirates All Time Leaders – Through 2021

pirates-primaryIn the past, we’ve looked at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. This offseason, we will take our first ever look at those leaders against all 30 clubs.  We continue today with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates began life in 1887 as the Alleghenys, before taking on the Pirates moniker in 1891.  I’ve seen them play 46 times, including a double header sweep in 2003, enabling the Cubs to clinch their first NL Central title and a work outing in 2008 against the White Sox.

Home Runs

Name Total
Sammy Sosa 6
Alfonso Soriano 4
Jermaine Dye 3
Corey Patterson 3
Aramis Ramirez 3

Hits

Name Total
Derrek Lee 17
Aramis Ramirez 16
Sammy Sosa 15
Alfonso Soriano 15

Runs

Name Total
Sammy Sosa 14
Aramis Ramirez 10
Derrek Lee 8
Alfonso Soriano 8
Corey Patterson 8

RBI

Name Total
Sammy Sosa 12
Alfonso Soriano 8
Aramis Ramirez 7
Derrek Lee 7
Jermaine Dye 7

Doubles

Name Total
Geovany Soto 5
Michael Barrett 5
Aramis Ramirez 4
Carlos Zambrano 4

Triples Continue reading →

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RIP Julio Cruz

Former White Sox second baseman Julio Cruz passed away yesterday at age 67 following a bout with cancer.  He joined the White Sox in 1983 and gave the team the spark they were looking for, helping them go on a 72-31 run to finish the season and go from 6 1/2 games back to 20 games ahead.  Cruz famously scored the winning run on a Harold Baines sacrifice fly against his former team, the Mariners, on September 17, clinching the first division title in White Sox history.  A toe injury in 1984 sapped his speed and basically ended his career, as he struggled in 1985 and 1986 and was finally released at the end of spring training in 1987.  He is survived by his wife, three sons, and their families.

Cruz is the third person associated with that 1983 Winning Ugly team to die within the last five months.  Pitcher LaMarr Hoyt also died of cancer last November and General Manager Roland Hemond, who put the team together, died in mid-December at the age of 92.