Today’s high octane leadoff hitters are of a different makeup than those who dominated the role in the 20th century. Consider that going back to 1901, the single-year high marks for home runs, RBI, total bases and extra-base hits when batting leadoff all come from players in the 21st century, […]
Since the 20th century gave way to the 21st, 1,713 contests have abruptly and resoundingly concluded with a home run. Pinch-hitters have authored 104 of these dream (or nightmare) scenarios, going from witness to hero in whatever time it took to emerge off the pine, prep in the on-deck space, […]
From the time the 20th century got rolling through the year before Franklin D. Roosevelt captured his first presidential election, big offensive seasons from NL or AL second basemen weren’t all that rare. This is in thanks, just about exclusively, to the immortal trio of Nap Lajoie, Rogers Hornsby and […]
In an easy-going, 20-4 rout of the St. Louis Browns on May 21, 1925, Philadelphia Athletics backstop Mickey Cochrane erupted for three home runs. The verb is useful here, as Cochrane entered the game with one four-base hit on his career ledger; then again, he had only played 27 games […]
After Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal made the 2024 season the first ever in which left-handed Triple Crown winners emerged from both the AL and NL, the pair have contributed to sculpting this current campaign into another celebration of those who deliver pitches from the port side. This year provides […]
Below, there will be a few words and pursuits dedicated to, among others, left-handed starters Tarik Skubal, Robbie Ray, Kris Bubic and Jesús Luzardo. It was not only a jazzy Sunday for these southpaws, it’s been mostly effective and sometimes superbly spirited seasons for this quartet, who are four of […]
When 1-0 games speed into this particular mind, a couple of classics share pole position. The first arrived when Fenway Park was but six months into hosting ballgames. September 6, 1912 … Washington is visiting, Washington is bringing Walter Johnson. Boston has Smoky Joe Wood. An overflow crowd contributes to […]