Just about every player has a down year, but the first season for Carlos Rodón in Yankee pinstripes has been a catastrophe. After signing a six-year, $162 million deal as a free agent, he missed the first half of the season with a forearm strain and back soreness. Fine. Injuries happen, but when he returned, he was nothing like the All-Star he had been the previous two seasons. In 14 starts, he posted a 6.85 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and allowed more hits (65) than strikeouts (64). He began his final outing of the season on September 29 with 64 1/3 innings pitched. When manager Aaron Boone took the ball from him, he finished with… 64 1/3 innings pitched. Here’s how the Royals fared against him: single, walk, double, home run, single, single, single, walk, merciful pitching change. His line for the day was zero innings pitched, six hits, two walks, and eight earned runs on eight batters faced. In AL/NL history dating back to 1901, this was only the 13th game ever in which a pitcher faced at least eight batters and recorded no outs at all. Stephen Matz last “accomplished” the feat with the Mets on April 16, 2019. The record for most batters faced without getting an out is nine, set by the Tigers’ Hank Borowy in the seventh inning of a game in 1951. That’s good news for Rodón—at least he didn’t set a record no pitcher would want. Borowy’s outing was a relief appearance. He entered with the game tied 9-9, but the St. Louis Browns had two runners on when the manager brought him in. By the time he allowed two singles and a homer, the game was already out of hand. This was one of six relief appearances ever with at least eight batters faced and no outs. Rodón’s bad day was just the seventh such game by a starting pitcher. Here they are:
There’s a glimmer of good news for Rodón. Wilson’s career didn’t end after he did it the first time, and he actually lasted long enough to do it again. In each of these seven starts, the pitcher allowed all eight runners they faced to score. However, four of them had some unearned runs on their ledgers. That means the official scorer believed at least one of the batted balls they allowed should’ve been an out, but was misplayed into an error. In other words, they didn’t deserve to be on this list, but their defense let them down. The only three who allowed all eight batters to reach sans error were Stein, Wilson (the second time), and Rodón. These are the three worst starts in the known history of MLB, but which one was THE worst? Stein “only” allowed four hits and all four were singles. He’s out of the running. Rodón gave up six hits and two walks, whereas Wilson surrendered only five hits with three free passes. In a merry-go-round inning like these, a single is as good as a walk. Wilson chalked up two home runs compared to Rodón’s one. He also yielded a pair of doubles, which means his 13 total bases allowed surpassed Rodón’s 10. You see? Rodón last start of the year wasn’t the worst start ever. It was only the second-worst. Here’s to a better 2024. The post Carlos Rodón did NOT Have the Worst Start in MLB History appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/10/03/carlos-rodon-did-not-have-the-worst-start-in-mlb-history/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carlos-rodon-did-not-have-the-worst-start-in-mlb-history
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Earlier this month, Seattle starting pitcher George Kirby entered the bottom of the seventh inning against Tampa Bay with a 4-2 lead. Over the previous two innings, Kirby surrendered two lineouts, a flyout that would have been a home run in nine MLB parks, and a single struck at 100.6 mph. Sitting on 93 pitches, Kirby started the seventh by immediately surrendering a ground ball that was hit 96.6 mph, then a double and a home run both hit over 100 mph. The game was tied at four and Seattle manager Scott Servais went to the bullpen, which was tagged for two more long balls in an eventual 7-4 loss for the Mariners. After the game, when Kirby was asked about his performance, he responded, “I didn’t execute. I wish I wasn’t out there for the seventh, to be honest.” When asked why, Kirby answered “I was at 90 pitches, I didn’t think I could go anymore.” Not surprisingly, most of the folks who responded on social media ignored the numerous aspects of the situation and cherry picked the one aspect of it that would facilitate their expressions of outrage: Kirby stating he “was at 90 pitches” for his reasoning into why he felt he shouldn’t be in the game. Fast forward to Thursday, when the Mariners sat fighting for their playoff lives. Starting pitcher Bryce Miller was removed from the game after just 68 pitches, his fewest pitches in a game since June. There were no questions about the longevity of his start. Was this a case of Manager Scott Servais learning from earlier in the month or was this a case of old-school baseball understanding that managing in “big games” should look different. Let’s look at some of the responses to the Kirby situation from some former MLB pitchers:
Since he wanted to chime in, it’s worth noting that statistically speaking, the worst inning in Jeff Weaver’s career on average was the seventh, and not by an insignificant margin. Also, over his career, he held opposing batters to a sub-100 OPS+ through his first 75 pitches, and a 121 OPS+ on pitches 76-100. Opponent’s OPS+ climbed significantly against him with each subsequent turn through the order as well, starting with an 82 the first time through, followed by OPS+ of 104, 113, and 146 each subsequent turn. Twice in Weaver’s career he was ejected from a game for throwing at a batter after he had been warned and while he was on the wrong end of a BP session. I’m no expert, but actively trying to leave your teammates with a mess sounds like the polar opposite of “let’s go to work!” to me. Mulder, for his part throughout his career, held opponents to an 86 OPS+ the first time through the order followed by a combined 109 OPS+ the second and third times through. Perhaps more interestingly, since Mulder crudely questioned Kirby’s toughness, in his first two seasons Mulder averaged a tick more pitches per start than Kirby has in his first two seasons – 95 to 88 to be exact, or fewer than one inning’s worth. Which, as you would imagine, when adjusted for era, means Kirby goes deeper into games on average compared to his contemporaries than Mulder did in his era. We’d be remiss if we moved on from Mulder’s 7th grade level commentary without noting that as a high pitch count afficionado, he had the first of his two shoulder surgeries at age 29 and was out of baseball at age 30. Again, I think wanting a young and already very good pitcher to have more longevity than that is a sign of intelligence, not weakness. Even though Clemens didn’t attack Kirby personally like the others mentioned above, he does have something in common with them: His opponent’s OPS+ against him was 93 the first-time batters saw him, then climbed to 98, 106 and 115 with each subsequent turn of the order. Which is to say that Roger Clemens – unquestionably one of the best pitchers of all time – was not that difficult for Major League hitters to hit against later in the game. Quite obviously, the irony lost on Mulder and Weaver (as good as they were) and Clemens (as great as he was) is that they might have helped their teams even more in many situations – not all, because all game situations are different – if they had Kirby’s mindset. Another irony here is that people who usually blame “analytics” for blown leads and modern pitchers perceived lack of toughness, are often the same people who say things like “you need to have a feel for the game”. Well, George Kirby had a feel for the game. He knew either he was getting lucky up to that point, simply didn’t have it, the third time through the order penalty is not a myth, or some combination of each factor. His honesty in the post-game interview was refreshing, even if he would have done himself a huge favor by having the conversation with his manager off camera first and then using different words with the media. Scott Servais played 11 seasons in the Majors and has a habit of managing teams that overachieve, so he absolutely has a feel for the game. He certainly could have justified leaving Kirby in the game as Kirby is a very good pitcher. In this instance, the bullpen was hit just as hard as Kirby: there was no “right” or “wrong” answer. To paraphrase former Oriole great and former Yankee announcer Ken Singleton, you have to remember that the guys in the other dugout get big paychecks too. There’s many variables in identifying why Seattle lost earlier this month. Kirby’s pitching, Servais’ decisions, and the Rays just being good at hitting all likely contributed. Similarly, there’s many variables that contributed to the Mariners losing against the Astros on Wednesday. Bryce Miller’s pitching, Servais’ decisions, and the Astros just being good at hitting all contributed. These two Mariners games reflect two different processes with the same outcome (a loss). In one, a pitcher was left in the game a bit too long and they lost. In another, an ineffective pitcher was removed after 4 innings and they lost. These examples prove that one strategy isn’t always better than another. Ultra competitiveness and toughness certainly are important parts of becoming and remaining a professional athlete. Yet those traits combined with reality-based pragmatism, is a far better combination. That’s what George Kirby displayed in his post-game interview, even if his words could have been chosen better. Being competitive and mentally tough is important. Being smart is better. George Kirby and some folks manage to be all three. That’s the best avenue for success, even if it doesn’t work out sometimes. George Kirby could have a chance to clinch the Mariners postseason birth this weekend. How Servais handles him will be interesting. The post Mariners Follow Different Process in Late September after George Kirby’s Comments appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/09/29/mariners-follow-different-process-in-late-september-after-george-kirbys-comments/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mariners-follow-different-process-in-late-september-after-george-kirbys-comments Miguel Cabrera has been a delight to watch play baseball over the last 21 years simply because he expresses so much joy playing baseball. He‘s had mischievous interactions with his teammates, opposing players, umpires, and fans, especially when chasing foul balls that went into the stands. He often had a big smile on his face. One of his favorite on-field foils was the diminutive Jose Altuve and he was particularly fond of touching the head of Adrian Beltre, something Beltre famously hated. With the elimination of the four-pitch intentional walk, Cabrera’s intentional walk hit in 2006 is the last one longtime baseball fans will remember. Now Cabrera is winding down a Hall of Fame career. With more than 3,000 career hits, 500 home runs, 1800 RBI, and a .307/.382/.519 batting line, he’ll undoubtedly be inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, joining a select group of six players currently in the 3,000 hit/500 home run club. The others are Henry Aaron, Albert Pujols, Álex Rodríguez, Willie Mays, Rafael Palmeiro, and Eddie Murray. Cabrera was signed by the Marlins out of Venezuela as a teenager. He made it to the big leagues in his fourth professional season, along the way playing in the minor leagues with Adrián González and Dontrelle Willis, both of whom have been retired for quite some time now. One of his teammates in his rookie year back in 2003 was 38-year-old Lenny Harris, who had previously played for Pete Rose as a member of the Cincinnati Reds in 1988. In Cabrera’s rookie year, Andre Agassi was the #1 player in men’s tennis, Annika Sörenstam became the first woman to play the PGA Tour in 58 years, and Barry Bonds became the first player in MLB history to have 500 career homers and 500 career steals. Sheryl Crow and Eminem won American Music Awards, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” debuted on TV, and rapper 50 Cent won the Billboard Album of the Year. This was years before he threw one of the worst first pitches of all time at a Mets game. Miguel Cabrera has been playing so long, he was a rookie the year MySpace launched, back when the creators of social media networks just wanted to be your friend and didn’t desire global world domination. From his rookie season through his early 30s, Cabrera was Mr. Reliable. He made the All-Star team 11 times in 13 years, won seven Silver Slugger Awards, led the league in batting average and on-base percentage four times, slugging percentage two times, and has two MVP Awards. The first of his back-to-back MVP seasons came in 2012, when he won MLB’s first Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. His Marlins won the World Series in his rookie year, surprising the Yankees in the six-game series. He made it back to the postseason in four straight seasons from 2011 to 2014 with the Detroit Tigers, but lost in the World Series once, the ALCS twice, and the ALDS once. In the end, age comes for us all and Miguel Cabrera is not immune to the eroding winds of time. After being one of the greatest hitters of his generation for 16 years, Cabrera’s production dropped precipitously in 2019 at the age of 36. The chart below shows the stark difference between Cabrera at his best and what came after. ![]() For reference, a 149 wRC+ means Cabrera was 49 percent better than average on offense when league and park effects are taken into account (a 100 wRC+ is exactly league average). His 149 wRC+ through his age 35 season is in the range of the career marks of Mike Schmidt, Jeff Bagwell, and Edgar Martinez. That’s the caliber of hitter Miguel Cabrera was during his first 16 seasons. In his last seven seasons, he’s been nine percent below average as a hitter. His current 139 wRC+ puts his career offense in the range of such hitters as Duke Snider, Reggie Jackson, and Norm Cash. Those are still great hitters, but not at the level of Schmidt, Bagwell, and Martinez. Cabrera was worth 4.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) per 600 plate appearances (PA) in his first 16 years (using Baseball-Reference WAR). Typically, players worth 4-5 WAR are All-Stars, which Cabrera regularly was during this time. This is when he built his case for the Baseball Hall of Fame. From age 36 on, he’s been below replacement level. Hypothetically, Cabrera could have retired after his age 35 season with a Hall of Fame resume that included nearly 70 WAR and that impressive 149 wRC+, but “only” 2676 hits and 465 home runs. Instead, he played another five years as a below average hitter providing sub-replacement-level production, but pushed his hits and home run totals into the elite 3,000-hit/500-HR club. Is this what we want from legendary players? Continuing to play as below-average players, but eclipsing impressive milestones along the way? This isn’t as rare as you might think. There have been other Hall of Fame caliber players who limped to the finish line of their careers. Pete Rose “Charlie Hustle” is not in the Hall of Fame because he gambled on baseball, but he had a Hall of Fame career as a player. He played in more games, had more plate appearances, and more hits than any other player in MLB history. While that is certainly impressive, like Miguel Cabrera, Pete Rose also had a significant drop-off in production at the end of his career but remained a regular in the lineup to add to his counting stats. Rose was consistently an above average player through his age 40 season, a span of 19 years that began with his rookie year in 1963 and lasted through the 1981 season, when he was worth 1.7 WAR while playing in 107 games during the strike-shortened season. He was not known as a power hitter, but for much of his career he would bang out 35-45 doubles a year, 5-10 triples, and had eight seasons with between 10 and 16 homers. In 1982, Pete Rose played 162 games, had 718 plate appearances, and hit three home runs. Three. A first baseman could never get away with that in 2023. He slugged .338. This inability to hit for power would continue for the rest of his career. After slugging .426 over his first 19 years, he slugged .315 in his final five. He went from averaging 3.7 WAR/600 PA to being below replacement level over his last five seasons, much like Cabrera. ![]() After the 1981 season, Rose had 3697 hits, which ranked third all-time. Hank Aaron was just 74 hits away. Rose passed Aaron in 1982 when he had 172 hits, but his .271/.345/.338 hitting line was below average (92 wRC+) and he was a below replacement-level player (-1.1 WAR) because of his less-than-stellar defense and baserunning. He was even worse as a member of the 1983 Phillies “Wheeze Kids” team that included the 42-year-old Rose, 41-year-old Tony Perez, 39-year-old Joe Morgan, 38-year-old Steve Carlton, 38-year-old Tug McGraw, and 40-year-old Ron Reed. That team famously made it to the World Series, which they lost in five games to the Baltimore Orioles. Rose was the face of the team, but it was by far his worst season in the big leagues as he hit just .245/.316/.286 (68 wRC+) and was well below replacement-level (-2.1 WAR). By this point, Rose had passed Aaron for second place all-time in career hits. He stood at 3990 and was desperate to pass Ty Cobb’s record, which was thought to be 4191 at the time but has since been revised to 4189. Rose signed as a free agent with the Montreal Expos and collected his 4000th career hit in mid-April. After hitting .259/.334/.295 (83 wRC+) for the Expos in his first 95 games, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds and immediately named player-manager. Now he could write himself into the lineup whenever he wanted. To his credit, Rose finished out the 1984 season in Cincinnati on a heater, with a .365/.430/.458 batting line in his final 26 games. With the luxury of having himself as the manager, he broke the hits record in 1984, then added to it in 1985, when he hit a truly awful .219/.316/.270 (66 wRC+) as a 45-year-old. He achieved his goal of passing Ty Cobb on the all-time hits list, but it wasn’t pretty. Reggie Jackson ![]() Jackson had his last great season in his first year with the California Angels in 1982 after five tumultuous seasons with the Yankees. He led the AL with 39 homers (and 156 strikeouts), was an All-Star, and finished sixth in AL MVP voting. He was worth 3.1 WAR. It all came crashing down in 1983, though, when he hit just .194/.290/.340 and was limited to 116 games. That was the first (and the worst) of three below-replacement-level-player seasons in his last five years despite hitting another 99 home runs during this time. Ken Griffey Jr. ![]() After requesting to be traded away from the Seattle Mariners after the 1999 season, Ken Griffey Jr. never came close to the heights he’d reached in the Emerald City. He was a great player in his first year in Cincinnati, when he hit 40 homers, had a 127 wRC+, and was still good on defense. He was worth 5.5 WAR that year (he had seven seasons with more WAR as a Mariner). Over the remaining nine years of his career, he would be an above average player over a full season just one time (above average = greater than 2 WAR). Griffey’s last five years included 94 homers and a league average 100 wRC+, so he wasn’t awful with the bat, but his defensive ability had eroded so drastically due to ongoing health problems that he was barely above replacement-level while continuing to play the outfield with the Reds into his age-38 season. There was no DH in the National League then. He finished out his career with a half-season with the White Sox and two final seasons back in Seattle, although everyone probably would have been happier had he not come back in 2010 when he hit .184/.250/.204 (31 wRC+) and suddenly left the team mid-season without telling his teammates, manager, or general manager beforehand. Ted Simmons ![]() In writing this piece, I’m struck by how quickly some all-time great players went from being highly productive one season to quite awful the next. For Simmons, the downfall came in 1984 at the relatively young age of 34. The previous year, Simmons had been an All-Star and earned down-ballot AL MVP votes while starting 83 games at catcher and 66 at DH. Over the remaining five years of his career, his time behind the plate was significantly reduced as he slotted in most of his time at DH for the Brewers in 1984 and 1985, then finished out his career as a first base/third base utility player for the 1986 to 1988 Atlanta team, hitting just .248/.323/.367 (79 wRC+) in his final three seasons. The post Miguel Cabrera: Detroit Tigers’ slugger going out with a whimper, not a bang appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/09/27/miguel-cabrera-detroit-tigers-slugger-going-out-with-a-whimper-not-a-bang/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=miguel-cabrera-detroit-tigers-slugger-going-out-with-a-whimper-not-a-bang I don’t know about everyone else, but for me, trying to guess who will win a future award in baseball is a fool’s errand. Injuries happen, stats fluctuate, and the season is just too damn long. In some cases, what happens before the All-Star break can almost feel like a distant memory. Consider the 2023 National League MVP race: On August 4, Ronald Acuña Jr. had -650 odds to win the award after becoming the first player in MLB history to post at least 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases before August. At the time, Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson were second and third respectively in the race. Mookie Betts was nowhere to be found. Just a week ago, Acuña Jr. still held a sizeable lead at -400 with Betts and Freeman following at +650. Now, it’s a different story. The NL MVP race felt like a shoo-in at the All-Star break, but with a little over month left in the season, the fight is as even as it’s been. Betts and Acuña Jr. are now battling it out as the best players in their respective teams, and unless Freeman’s odds change (which they definitely might), it looks like that could stay the same. Acuña Jr. still leads but only by a thread, and just two days ago, Mookie held the lead for the first time all year. Due to this sudden two-man battle, I want to look at who holds the edge in some of the major categories: including hitting and running. By using this Deadliest Warrior-style format, we can see who truly has the slight edge heading into the final month. Let’s go! HittingThe way I determine if someone is a great hitter in the MLB is if I’m rocking back-and-forth in my chair when they come up to bat in a pressurized situation against my favorite team. It happened on Saturday when Betts came up against the Boston Red Sox with bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning down 7-4. He thankfully flew out to the warning track in center field to end the game, but I watched that entire at-bat through the gaps of my fingers as if I was anticipating a jump scare in a horror movie. Both Betts and Acuña Jr. have reached that point where it seems like could get a hit every time they are up to the plate. A major reason why Betts is now the MVP favorite is because he’s been more impregnable in August than Keanu Reeves was in all of the John Wick movies. He’s batting an incredible .563 over the past two weeks and .464 in August. That 30-day mark is by the far the best in the league and he’s doing it with a respectable 14 % strikeout rate, a monstrous .814 slugging percentage (also first in the league during that span), and an unbelievable 260 wRC+ (the average is 100). Those are like MLB The Show MyPlayer stats when the difficulty is on rookie. Acuña Jr. has been no slouch during that same time period, either. He’s basically batted his season average (.333) during August and has a lower strikeout rate and higher walk rate than Mookie. His wRC+ is not quite Mookie’s, but it’s still above league average (160). Let’s pull the curtain back even more and look at their major hitting stats over the 2023 season as of August 28.
Looking at those hard stats, everything looks pretty even. Both Betts and Acuña Jr. are in the 90th percentile in every major hitting category. It’s tough to determine who has the edge. There are a few things to consider when thinking about the hitting stats of each player. For one, Acuña Jr. has definitely had a more consistent year at the plate. Look at any of his major hitting stats on Baseball Reference on a month-to-month basis, and you’ll see very little discrepancy. Mookie, on the other hand, began the year fairly quiet, batting .235 in March/April and .269 in May. After batting .276 with an OPS of .964 in the first half of the year, he is now hitting .400 with a 1.140 OPS in the second half of the season. The other thing to consider is RBIs. Both players are leadoff hitters on their teams, meaning they aren’t going to put up the same amount of RBIS as a Matt Olson or Pete Alonso; power hitters that benefit from hitting third or fourth in the order. Understanding that makes Mookie’s 93 RBI total look extremely impressive. Looking at this from a broad point of view, it’s difficult to determine who has the hitting edge. Both have power, patience, and high contact ability, plus the numbers to back it up. Even looking at their clutch stats, both are batting well above .300 in games that are considered “Late & Close.” I have to give the slight edge to Mookie, though, because his numbers just pop more, especially as the games continue to matter more. RunningThis one’s easy: it has to be Acuña Jr. since he leads the league in stolen bases (59) and has a 97 % success rate (Mookie only has 10 SB). In this regard, Acuña Jr. is the quintessential leadoff hitter; someone who gets on base and terrorizes the paths relentlessly. His innate ability to steal bases has translated in a lot of runs for the Braves, who lead the league in that category. As of Aug. 28, Acuña Jr. has 115 runs, which is also most in the league. Betts is second with 110. From a more advanced perspective, Acuña Jr. still dominates the running category. His speed score is top 10 in the league, trailing only bona fide speedsters, and he ranks first in wSB, which estimates the number of runs a player contributes to their team by stealing bases. He’s more elusive than Batman at night. Mookie, on the other hand, ranks 53rd in stolen bases among qualified hitters and 71st in wSB. The lowdownIf this were a fight, I think it would go 10 rounds. Acuña Jr. is the best player on the best team in the league and Mookie’s torrid second half has coincided with a monster run by the Dodgers (22-4 in August so far). Despite Mookie’s slow start to the year, he actually leads the league in WAR at 7.3 (Acuña Jr. has a 6.2). In other words, Betts has carried the Dodgers just a little bit more since their lineup is not as talented as Atlanta’s. But that doesn’t take anything away from Acuña Jr., who really hasn’t had a bad month all season, much like the Braves. It’s a coin flip at this point but holistically, I have to give the MVP edge to Mookie right now, not only because of he’s scorching hitters like Bowser, but also because he’s been able to slot into multiple positions when the Dodgers needed him, including second base, shortstop and right field. He’s basically doing everything except pitch for them, which is important for a Dodgers team that is far from perfect this year. But, as we’ve seen, things can change at the drop of a dime. I wouldn’t be surprised if two weeks from now, this analysis piece doesn’t matter because Freddie Freeman is the favorite all-of-the-sudden. We can never be sure in such a long season. The post Fight Night: Mookie Betts vs. Ronald Acuña Jr. for MVP appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/08/30/fight-night-mookie-betts-vs-ronald-acuna-jr-for-mvp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fight-night-mookie-betts-vs-ronald-acuna-jr-for-mvp Baseball has created many magical moments throughout history. As the pitches, strikes, and stolen bases stack up, one question often piques interest: who has clinched the most World Series titles? In terms of pure victory count, no team has served more home runs or defeated rivals on this global stage than New York Yankees. Firmly rooted in baseball lore, their outstanding achievement provides a testament to consistent teamwork excellence – truly captivating for any sports enthusiast. Let’s delve deeper into their exceptional success story for better understanding. Historical BackgroundThe World Series is the annual championship of Major League Baseball (MLB). Commencing in 1903, this British-American contest has become a staple in the sports calendar. Pitting the American League champion against their National League counterpart, it’s a thrilling best-of-seven series. The event has endured global conflicts, economic downturns, and even pandemics, proving its resilience. ![]() The World Series is not just about sport; it reflects cultural and societal shifts. It has seen eras of dominance, like the Yankees in the mid-20th century, and underdogs emerging triumphant. These matches offer drama, heartbreak, and elation in equal measure. Iconic stadiums such as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field have played host, adding to its rich tapestry. While its roots are deep in American soil, the Series has an undeniable global appeal. Players from diverse backgrounds, from Latin America to Asia, have showcased their talents. This has imbued the contest with an international flavor, making it a global spectacle. Watching this year’s World Series might just bear witness to more memorable moments and astounding records. Overall, it’s more than just a game. The World Series stands as a testament to the enduring allure of baseball and how the sport can unite people across boundaries. Dominant Teams Throughout the YearsOver the decades, several baseball teams have left an indelible mark on the World Series. Here are the details:
![]() These dominant teams, each in their respective eras, have contributed rich chapters to the World Series annals, crafting stories of triumph and unparalleled skill. Reasons behind SuccessUnderstanding the New York Yankees‘ success requires a look beyond mere numbers and titles. The reasons for their unprecedented triumphs are multifaceted. ![]()
This blend of strategic planning, cultural heritage, and an unwavering commitment to success has cemented the New York Yankees’ place as baseball’s most storied franchise. ConclusionThe New York Yankees’ legacy in baseball is both unmatched and awe-inspiring. Their consistent triumphs in the World Series aren’t mere coincidences but a culmination of strategic choices, unparalleled talent, and a rich historical backdrop. While other teams have had their moments in the sun, the Yankees have managed to sustain their luminosity for over a century. In the annals of sport, they remain a shining beacon of excellence and perseverance. The post Which Team Has Won the most World Series titles? appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/08/22/which-team-has-won-most-world-series/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=which-team-has-won-most-world-series After over two decades of calling the campus of Montclair University home, the New Jersey Jackals of the Independent Frontier League started the 2023 season in a new home: Hinchcliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ. A non-MLB-affiliated minor league team playing in a league that draws about 2,100 fans per game on average playing in a multi-purpose stadium that was built before World War II may not seem particularly noteworthy on the surface. Yet when we consider that a few decades ago some of the best players to ever step between the lines played in Hinchcliffe Stadium, it certainly becomes worthy of baseball fans’ attention. Hinchcliffe Stadium, newly renovated, refurbished, and reopened, is one of only five stadia still standing that was the regular home of Negro League Baseball teams. The New York Cubans called Hinchcliffe their home field in 1936 and the New York Black Yankees used the stadium as their regular home field, first as an Independent Club from 1933 through 1935, then as part of the second iteration of the Negro National League in 1937 and 1938. Although the Cubans and Black Yankees on a team level weren’t nearly as a successful over those years as their American League counterparts who played in the Bronx, they certainly had individual players who would have excelled in any league. Future Hall of Famer Judy Johnson and multiple time All-Stars Alex Radcliff and Luis Tiant Sr. suited up for the Cubans in 1936, while all-time great Martin Dihigo was still a dominant player manager for them. When the Black Yankees were regular tenants in Hinchcliffe, the legendary Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe and NNL All-Star Harry Kincannon took the field for the home team. The Cubans and Black Yankees may not have been as good as the New York Yankees, but the Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Kansas City Monarchs and Newark Eagles fielded some teams over that stretch that certainly were, and all of them came through Paterson, NJ as visitors to take on the Cubans and Black Yankees. We certainly don’t have time to comprehensively cover all the All-Time greats who played for those teams in the 1930’s but a short list of visiting players in Hinchcliffe Stadium in the 1930s would include: Bullet Rogan, Buck Leonard, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, Willie Wells, Mule Suttles, Leon Day, Ray Dandridge, and Ray Brown*. All of them have plaques hanging in Cooperstown and some of them are in the best to ever play discussion. (*Ray Brown, although not as well known as Bullet Rogan and Double Duty Radcliffe, was not only the best pitcher for the 1938 Homestead Grays – whose .759 winning percentage was much better than the DiMaggio led dynasty in the Bronx – he also posted a 136 OPS+ on the season, playing the outfield when he didn’t pitch.) After MLB became fully integrated, Hinchcliffe continued to host local high school sports teams (another future MLB Hall of Famer, Larry Doby, played his high school sports in Hinchcliffe), professional but lower level soccer and football games as well as celebrity concerts and events. But after years of disrepair and neglect, was eventually closed – many assumed for good – in 1997. Fortunately, thanks in no small part to local citizen groups, after years of planning, the stadium was renovated and reopened this past May. Still a multi-purpose field for football, soccer, track, softball and other entertainment events, it still has the oblong look of stadiums from the pre-war era, albeit now with high end artificial turf. When its main residents are playing, a fence 320’ down the left field line that bows out to 385’ in dead center stands. The right field dimensions are pre-determined by the old school aluminum on concrete bleachers that run along the side of the stadium. A temporary fence – about 15’ feet high in right center and over 40’ feet high in right field runs to the right field foul pole 327’ feet away from home plate. As far as the on-field play, minor league teams that are not affiliated with MLB are not going to have the next Larry Doby on their roster, yet the quality of play is better than you might expect. There have been too many former Frontier League players to eventually reach the show to list here (Former Gateway Grizzlies and current Toronto Blue Jays reliever Trevor Richards for one, is carving himself out a nice MLB career) but in 2021 alone, 47 former Frontier League players signed contracts with MLB affiliated minor league teams and six former Frontier League players made their MLB debut. More specifically, and as can be verified both through the Frontier League’s season statistics and my own personal experience as a fan: In terms of development, Frontier League hitters are far ahead of the Frontier League pitchers, and you don’t need to look further than Hinchcliffe Stadium’s home team to see it. The New Jersey Jackals as a team are posting a .296/.402/.522 triple slash line in 2023 and although they are the league’s best offensive team, nine other teams are sporting a team OBP of .350 or better and five others have SLG .450 or better. Anecdotally, a game I attended had three home runs hit – two well over 400’, a third completely out of the stadium – with more distance than any long balls I’ve ever seen hit in the dozens of affiliated minor league games I’ve attended. For most baseball fans, me included, hard-hit balls and runs make for a fun experience from a fan’s perspective. If you’re a baseball fan and in the area, checking out the new Hinchcliffe Stadium is worth the price of admission ($15-$20) and then some. If you’re someone who appreciates history – both baseball’s and America’s – being where some of the most influential people in those regards showed their skill is priceless. The post On Hinchcliffe Stadium appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/08/21/on-hinchcliffe-stadium/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=on-hinchcliffe-stadium Baseball has been a favorite American pastime for over a century, and the game’s stadiums have evolved alongside the sport. From humble beginnings in makeshift fields to grand modern facilities, the evolution of baseball stadiums reflects the changing face of the sport and society as a whole. The first baseball stadiums were simple fields with makeshift bleachers and little in the way of amenities. Early baseball was a grassroots affair, with teams playing wherever they could find space, including parks, fields, and even schoolyards. As the sport grew in popularity, so did the need for more substantial facilities, leading to the construction of dedicated baseball stadiums. The first purpose-built baseball stadium was built in 1909 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was named Forbes Field. It was a state-of-the-art facility for its time, with seating for 25,000 spectators, a scoreboard, and a concrete and steel structure that provided a stable foundation for the grandstands. Over the next few decades, the design of baseball stadiums evolved, with architects incorporating new technologies and ideas to improve the fan experience. One of the most significant developments was the introduction of lights, which allowed games to be played at night, dramatically expanding the sport’s popularity. In the 1960s and 70s, baseball stadium design underwent a major shift, with the construction of multi-purpose facilities that could host a variety of events, including concerts and football games. These stadiums were designed to maximize revenue and accommodate larger crowds, with larger seating capacities and more luxurious amenities, including luxury boxes and VIP suites. The 1990s saw the rise of a new breed of the baseball stadium, with a return to the traditional ballpark design that emphasized intimacy and nostalgia. These ballparks were smaller, with seating capacities of around 40,000, and incorporated features like natural grass, hand-operated scoreboards, and brick facades, harkening back to the game’s early days. In recent years, technology has continued to shape the design of baseball stadiums, with the incorporation of state-of-the-art video screens, sound systems, and other amenities. Many new stadiums have also placed a renewed emphasis on sustainability, with features like solar panels, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting systems. Overall, the evolution of baseball stadiums reflects the changing times and the sport’s enduring popularity. From humble beginnings to grand modern facilities, baseball stadiums will continue to evolve alongside the sport, providing fans with an unforgettable experience for generations to come. The post How Baseball Stadiums Have Evolved first appeared on Louis DeTitto's Sports Blog. via Louis DeTitto's Sports Blog https://louisdetitto.net/how-baseball-stadiums-have-evolved/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-baseball-stadiums-have-evolved It is easier than you think to start a business. Like other successful businesses, you’ll need a good idea first. Once you have an idea, you can build a product or service that addresses a specific need. Before you start working on anything, it’s essential to research the industry. You should consider investing in startup growth strategies if you’re planning on starting a new business or are already looking to earn more money. Having a sole proprietorship is not bad, as you can hire employees later. Here are thebasic first steps to starting a business. Business Idea & Research Your first step is to find a good idea. Many different types of businesses are available for you to pursue, such as home-based ventures. Once you have a good idea, your next step is to analyze the competition. Doing so will allow you to gauge the interest of your potential customers. Business Plan Yourbusiness plan should explain how you plan on achieving your goals and how you hope to make money. A plan will allow potential investors to evaluate your financial situation and determine if you need to raise capital. You will have to decide between two types of business plans: traditional and lean. The former is more comprehensive and often requires a business loan. On the other hand, the latter is shorter and can utilize more charts. Startup Costs After you’ve identified the ideal audience for your product and have a compelling value proposition, it’s time to start talking about money. Having the necessary resources to launch a successful business will allow you to make a profit. Thecost of running a business depends on various factors, such as the type of space you need and whether or not you have inventory. In the first year, most of your money is used to reinvest the profits into the business. Bootstrapping is a method that involves returning money to the company. Business Details to Decide After you have identified the structure of your business, it’s time to start planning how the public will perceive it. One of the most important steps you should take is to ensure that your company’s name isn’t already used. Even if it isn’t in use, it can still be protected by a trademark. To check on availability, contact the state filing office of your state. The post Starting Your First Business first appeared on Louis DeTitto | Business. via Louis DeTitto | Business https://louisdetitto.com/starting-your-first-business/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=starting-your-first-business I was among the many fans who packed T-Mobile Park to watch the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame Induction ceremony for Félix Hernández on Saturday. Even though my favorite team is the Pittsburgh Pirates, I’ve lived in the Seattle area since I was young and have been attending Mariners games since the 1980s, back when you could go to the Kingdome in the dog days of August and watch the Mariners with a crowd of about 5,000 people in a 59,000-seat stadium. It didn’t matter how empty the place was. It was baseball and that’s all that mattered to the young version of me. The Mariners left the Kingdome for Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park) in the summer of 1999. Six years later, Félix Hernàndez arrived on the scene. He pitched 15 years for the Mariners, made six American League All-Star teams and won the AL Cy Young Award in 2010. Along the way, he became an all-time favorite of Mariners fans. His induction into the team’s Hall of Fame is well-deserved. At last night’s ceremony, Félix joined these previous Mariners Hall of Famers:
Longtime Mariners announcer Rick Rizzs was the Master of Ceremonies. While he did a fine job overall, he did flub the intro to Alvin Davis, calling him the “1989 AL Rookie of the Year,” which was off by five years. Davis won the award in 1984 when he “Wally Pipped” the great Ken Phelps early in the season. Davis was expected to spend most of the 1984 season in AAA. Phelps was the Mariners’ starting first baseman on Opening Day and he went 5-for-10, with 2 homers in the first three games of the season before being hit by an errant pitch and suffering a fractured finger. With Phelps injured, the Mariners promoted Alvin Davis from AAA and the rest is history. Although, it should be noted that Phelps ultimately out-hit Davis that year, with a 143 wRC+ to Davis’ 140, albeit in 318 fewer plate appearances. In fact, Ken Phelps has the third-highest wRC+ among Mariners with 1500 or more career plate appearances, behind only Edgar Martinez and Nelson Cruz (NOTE: I’m a big Ken Phelps fan; he would have been much more appreciated if he played 20 years later than he did). ![]() On hand for the ceremony yesterday were Alvin Davis, Marilyn Niehaus, Ken Griffey, Jr., Edgar Martinez, Ichiro!, Dan Wilson, Jamie Moyer, and a surprise special guest, Adrian Beltre, a longtime friend and foe to Félix. They were fun to watch as teammates on the Mariners during Beltre’s four years in Seattle and as opponents for many years after. When they played a congratulatory video message from Lou Piniella, it sounded like the stadium erupted in boos, but knowledgeable Seattle Mariners fans realized immediately fans were cheering “Looooouuuuuu.” There were a few actual boos when John Stanton, majority owner of the Mariners, took the podium to talk about Félix. He mistakenly said Félix struck out 77 of the 84 batters he faced as a rookie, which would be truly historic. Félix actually struck out 77 batters in 84 innings. It may not have been historic, but his strikeout rate as a rookie was ninth in baseball for pitchers with 80 or more innings. Stanton summarized the career of Félix, from his debut as a rookie at 19 years old to his six All-Star seasons, his Cy Young season in 2010, his perfect game in 2012, his league-leading 2.14 ERA in 2014, and his 2524 strikeouts in 2729 2/3 career innings pitched. Félix is the all-time leader among Mariners pitchers in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and Wins Above Replacement. In one of those quirks of history, the Mariners have four pitchers tied atop their ERA leaderboard at 3.42: Félix Hernández, Randy Johnson, James Paxton, and Hisashi Iwakuma (minimum 500 innings pitched). But it wasn’t the statistics that defined Félix Hernández. It was the man himself. Mariner fans saw this kid, signed out of Venezuela at 16, pitching for the Everett Aquasox and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at 17, the Inland Empire 66ers and San Antonio Missions at 18, and the Tacoma Rainiers and Seattle Mariners at 19. We saw him grow up right before our eyes, from that 19-year-old rookie to the maturing young pitcher in his early 20s, to a legitimate ace for a half-dozen seasons from 2009 to 2014 when he was the equal of Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander. ![]() At the induction ceremony, we heard how Félix became a part of the city of Seattle, how he worked with local charities and gave back to the community. Members of the clubhouse staff told us about Félix inviting them to his house for a backyard barbecue. We were reminded of King’s Court, the section of the ballpark down the third base line where the most die-hard Félix fans sat during his home starts. And, of course, the perfect game pitched by Félix eleven years ago, one of just 24 perfectos in MLB history. While Félix was making All-Star games and getting Cy Young votes, the Mariners struggled. This was not new. They played their inaugural game in 1977, but didn’t make the playoffs for the first time until 1995. From 1995 to 2001, they made the playoffs four times in seven seasons. This was their peak as a franchise. Félix arrived in 2005, when they were in the fourth of what would stretch to 20 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, encompassing the entirety of Félix’ career. Félix pitched his heart out for those teams, but all too often didn’t get the run support needed to earn a victory. The downside came too quickly. His last great year was 2015, when he was 29 years old and had a 3.53 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 201 2/3 innings. It was the tenth straight year in which he pitched more than 190 innings. During this stretch, from age 20 to 29, he threw more innings than any other pitcher in baseball, an average of 218 innings per year, with a 3.13 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Perhaps all those innings took their toll because over the remaining four years of his career, he averaged 117 innings per year with a 4.89 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. A fastball that once averaged 96 mph when he was full of hope and dreams at the tender age of 20 had dropped to 90 mph as he entered his 30s. Even worse, as his ability to throw it past hitters dwindled, the up-and-coming arms just got better and better. When Félix was throwing 95 early in his career, the average fastball velocity in MLB was around 91 mph. When he was throwing 90 mph at the end of this career, the average fastball velocity was up to 93.5. He went from averaging four miles per hour faster than league average to 3.5 miles per hour slower than league average and he didn’t have the pinpoint command of a Greg Maddux to compensate. For Mariners fans, it was genuinely sad to see the once-great pitcher struggle to get through starts with diminished stuff during the too-early end of his career. Félix’ final season was particularly rough. In his first eight starts, he lasted less than five innings per start and had a 6.52 ERA. The he went on the IL for three-and-a-half months. A silver lining of his IL time were his minor league appearances, which included two with the Everett Aquasox in front of some of the same fans who had seen him pitch there as a 17-year-old in 2003. He also made an appearance with the AAA Tacoma Rainiers, where he had pitched as a 19-year-old in 2005. In those appearances, fans and players alike were in awe of him. He was incredibly gracious with his time spent with the young minor leaguers and the many fans who packed the ballpark just to see him one last time. Félix re-joined the Mariners in August of 2019 with one of his better games—5 2/3 innings and two runs allowed against the Chicago Cubs. He had his last great start on September 14 against the Chicago White Sox (7 IP, 1 ER), but didn’t get enough run support in a 2-1 loss. The final start of his career came in front of the hometown fans in Seattle. I was there with a longtime friend and fellow Mariners fan in the back row of King’s Court. Félix allowed a run in the first and two runs in the second. He was grinding, doing whatever he could to get another out, but it wasn’t easy. It looked bad in the top of the fifth, with the A’s already leading 3-0. Matt Chapman flew out deep to center to start the inning, but Matt Olson then reached on an error and Ramon Laureano followed with a single to center. Félix was on the ropes. He gutted through a strikeout of Seth Brown, but walked Jurickson Profar to load the bases. Nobody wanted to see him pulled from the game, but we also didn’t want to see him get battered around for more runs. When Chad Pinder lined the first pitch he saw into left field, we all held our breath . . . until Dylan Moore made a great catch to end the threat. The Mariners scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1, Oakland. Despite having thrown 101 pitches through five innings, Félix came out for the sixth. On a 2-2 count, Robbie Grossman sent one deep to right-center, but Mallex Smith tracked it down. And that was it. Mariners manager Scott Servais came out to get Félix and the fans showered him with love as he walked off the field after his final game. On Saturday, fans once again packed T-Mobile Park to see Félix earn his rightful spot in the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame. His culminating speech was emotional, ending with many hugs and passionate tears. Then, fittingly, the Mariners went out and lost 1-0 in ten innings as George Kirby did his best Félix Hernández impression by pitching nine scoreless innings in a losing cause. The post Félix Hernández inducted into Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/08/16/felix-hernandez-inducted-into-seattle-mariners-hall-of-fame/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=felix-hernandez-inducted-into-seattle-mariners-hall-of-fame It is no secret that baseball’s popularity has somewhat declined in the past couple of years. However, the game still remains one of the biggest, if not the biggest sports in the USA. Major League Baseball certainly generates the most revenue, because the sheer volume of games being played. Betting on Baseball Naturally, with so many games being played, the amount of cash generated will be high. That isn’t even accounting for all the cash spent on sports betting. And boy, do Americans love baseball betting. In fact, baseball is one of the most popular sports to bet on in the USA. If you want to see the sheer impact baseball betting has had on various sportsbooks, you can check out one of the various baseball betting websites online. These bookies cover baseball with utmost care. On top of that, they offer various bonuses that will help boost the odds for new and existing players alike. But, why is baseball such a popular sport in the USA? More to the point, why is the sport growing in popularity worldwide? What could be responsible for baseball’s massive success? In this article, we answer these questions. Legacy As far as the USA’s concerned, baseball’s popularity has to do with legacy. The game is one of the oldest played in the United States. While the exact date of baseball’s creation is unknown, we do know it was somewhere in the early-to-mid 19th century. However, similar stick-and-ball games might have existed for much longer. Throughout history, baseball became known as America’s favorite pastime, and a truly American sport. It is wholly original, rather than derivative like football, and often considered the first sport to come out of the USA. Legacy, certainly, plays a huge role in the game’s massive success. Popular Media Another reason for the success of baseball, not just in the USA, but globally, might have something to do with all of the popular media that has been produced on the topic. We are mostly talking about some of the best sports films of all time here. However, there have been video games, novels, and even animated series. The most popular baseball film, of course, would be Angels in the Outfield (1994), starring a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt. However, Field of Dreams, Moneyball, and Major League are all films worth checking out, especially if you are a baseball fan. Social Media In the age of the internet, social media has contributed greatly to the popularization of baseball, and sports in general. It is much easier to get excited for a sport when we see millions of people from all over the world are also hyped for it. If the Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees to a crowd of millions of Americans, that is one thing. If the Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees, and tens, if not hundreds of people from all over the world are watching and commenting on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc., the impact is, naturally, much greater. The post What is Responsible for Baseball’s Popularity? appeared first on Off The Bench. via Off The Bench https://www.offthebenchbaseball.com/2023/08/14/what-is-responsible-for-baseballs-popularity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-responsible-for-baseballs-popularity |