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April 25, 2006 So, my friends, today’s treatise is entitled, “Fun with Numbers.” Or, if you prefer, “Remember When Steve Yeager Hit .400 in April on a Fairly Regular Basis.” You don’t have to be a complete stats nerd to dig this kinda stuff. It helps, but it’s not required. I make no bones about it; I check the baseball leaders section of the sports page every year around this time, trying to figure which guys will be there when it’s all said and done. I enjoy it. I think it’s fun. It’s my very own little personal e-ride. I mean, c’mon, isn’t Nick Johnson’s batting average right up there with the price of gas on your list of most inflated and vital numbers to be considered? Aren’t you just screaming to yourself, “no bleeping way is Alex Rios hitting .396 in September!! .196 maybe, but 396?! And Casey Blake? Puh-leese!!!” Food for thought. A methodical (OK, anal) scrutinizing of what the Los Angeles Times used to call the “Top Batters,” and before that, the “Top Ten,” turns up this ranking of the National League’s hitters on April 24, 1960: Mays, .472 Only Dick Groat, who won the batting title at .325, and Mays at .319, were among the final leaders. Willie Kirkland hit .252, Alex Grammas .245 and Ed Bailey .261. Norm Larker (.323), Roberto Clemente (.314), Ken Boyer (.304), Wally Moon (.299), Joe Adcock (.298), Frank Robinson (.297), Orlando Cepeda (.297) and Maury Wills (.295) rounded out the eventual Top Ten. On April 19, 1959 (and these are great names, aren’t they?) the NL leaders were as follows: Aaron, .538 Aaron, with a league leading .355, Cepeda, third at .317, Boyer, eighth at .309, and Banks, tenth at .304, were Top Ten men at the end. Don Demeter finished at .256, Don Zimmer .165, Bob Schmidt .243, Gino Cimoli .279, Don Blasingame .289, and Felipe Alou .275. Replacing the slackers was Joe Cunningham (.345), Vada Pinson (.316), Mays (.313), Robinson (.311), Johnny Temple (.311) and Eddie Matthews (.306). The AL (these are great names too) looked like this: Only Al Kaline at .327, Nellie Fox at .306 and Vic Power at .289 remained, as the curtain fell that September. George Strickland wound up hitting .238, Elston Howard .273, Willie Tasby .250, Andy Carey .257, Reno Bertoia .237 and Sammy White .284. Harvey Kuenn, at .353, was the eventual batting titlist in 1959, with Pete Runnels (.314), Minnie Minoso (.302), Bobby Richardson (.301), Bill Tuttle (.300), Gene Woodling (.300) and Bob Cerv (.285) behind him. On April 27, 1976, Lou Pinella at .485, lead Willie Horton, Fred Lynn, Buddy Bell and Fred Patek as five American Leaguers sported .400 averages. Toby Harrah, Dave Chalk, Chris Chambliss, Willie Randolph and Jim Spencer rounded out the Top Batters, which at season’s end, looked like this: George Brett (.333), Hal McRae (.332), Rod Carew (.331), Lyman Bostock (.323), Ron LeFlore (.316), Lynn (.314), Mickey Rivers (.312), Rico Carty (.310), Thurman Munson (.302) and Ralph Garr (.300). In the NL, John Milner, Pete Rose, Ted Kubiak and Doug Rader were above .400, and followed by Willie Stargell, Jay Johnstone, Ken Griffey, Jerry Grote, Bake McBride and Ken Henderson. Five months later, Bill Madlock was the batting champion at .339, with Griffey (.336), Garry Maddox (.330), Rose (.323), Joe Morgan (.320), Johnstone (.318), Steve Garvey (.317), Willie Montanez (.317), Dave Parker (.313) and Bob Watson (313) behind him. Both Stargell and Rader finished at .257, and poor Ted Kubiak wound up at .236, and called it a career. Today, the National League boasts eight guys between Brad Hawpe’s .348 and Nick Johnson’s .388. I’m thinking, Johnson’s due for a hundred point drop; Hawpe about 80, with Jose Vidro and Lance Berkman the best bets to be this year’s Boyer and Cepeda. Good luck to the rest of the guys. In the AL, Miguel Tejada, Luis Castillo, Derek Jeter and Michael Young are bonafide, well-above .300 hitters. The others will be replaced by the likes of Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez and Ichrio Suzuki. Now, wasn’t that fun? Opening Act: Forget the game-winning grand slam. Nomar Garciaparra looked more the professional in four or five innings of his debut at first base than Hee Seop Choi has during his entire career… While Lance Carter is a poor man's Paul Quantrill, Dioner Navarro is a cloning of Dodger catchers past. You know, Todd Hundley’s arm and David Ross’s bat… BasketballSavvy.com: I love the Lakers, and definitely think they have a series win in them, but with the opening game of the NBA playoffs on opposite the Dodgers and Vin Scully, I’m watching baseball every time. And it’s not a close call. Clippers? Don’t care. Can’t fathom a single reason why anyone would. And my mind is completely closed on the subject… Investors Wanted: Invest a thimble full of venture capital today, make major league minimum tomorrow… Subscribe Free to BaseballSavvy.com: Click here... Jackass of the Week: Barry Zito, for even thinking about propping Arte Moreno’s Anaheim act, and for implying he might just like to join the Angels next season. That’s it for Zito’s credibility. Besides, he should be investigated, suspended and fined for tampering, with himself… Advertise with BaseballSavvy.com: Text link ads for as little as five bucks a month, banner ads for just 25 a month. Info... All Weather Team: With Tony Snow leaving New York and Fox News for a closer look at the Washington Nationals, this seemed like as good a time as any. And without further ado: Mark Clear, David Weathers, Tim Raines, Chip Hale, J.T. Snow, Storm Davis, Alvin Dark, Ken Cloude, Sonny Siebert, Johnny Ray, Windy McCall, Josh Fogg, Champ Summers, Jack Spring, Matt Winters, Von Hayes, Doug Radar, Icehouse Wilson, Dewey Robinson, Roy Weatherly, Dave Frost, Chili Davis and Jack Freeze… Statue for Sandy: The Koufax in bronze campaign continues. This is the year. We’re going for it. Please Vote “Yes on 32.” And tell a friend… Remember, glove conquers all….
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