In 2001, Randy Johnson – author of 21 regular season wins, an MLB-best 2.49 ERA and a universe-vibrating 372 strikeouts – had the chance to continue his otherworldliness into the postseason. Chance received, challenge accepted, opportunity knocked outta the park. In six appearances that October and early November, the southpaw […]
Let the historical records show that as of today, there are 89 pitchers in postseason history that can stake the claim to at least 10 starts and that right-hander Aníbal Sánchez is one of them. Let the organizational impulses show that there are 26 pitchers to have at least 10 […]
Detroit’s Bill Donovan issues his first pitch to Pittsburgh’s leadoff hitter, Bobby Byrne … Christy Mathewson and Smoky Joe Wood duel it out for the final three innings … Walter Johnson receives a chance at redemption … Pete Alexander comes on in relief to fan Tony Lazzeri with the bases […]
Ken Griffey, Jr. may have been gone. Álex Rodríguez may have left town. Randy Johnson may have been but a memory. But Ichiro Suzuki was the new king of Seattle. Jamie Moyer and Edgar Martínez and Dan Wilson were still around. Facing the Indians at Safeco Field on October 15, […]
When 19-year-old Mickey Mantle stepped onto the diamond for his big league debut on April 17, 1951, the single-season high mark for home runs by a switch-hitter rested at 35, courtesy of Ripper Collins’ efforts representing the 1934 Cardinals. When the 1955 campaign came to a close, the mark was […]
Late in the Giants’ season in 1923, first baseman George Kelly came to the plate five times, and, in the old refrain, “fell a triple shy of the cycle.” No matter, for Kelly, instead, homered three times in an exquisite 5-for-5 day at the plate. The performance marked only the […]
Dissecting and inspecting any Mariners season through the easily compartmentalized segments of “monthly” splits, the usual suspects dominate the collection for the highest OPS. For the top 10, Álex Rodríguez claims three of the slots, including the very best, a 1.412 in May of 1999. Ken Griffey, Jr. owns two […]