Monday, February 29, 2016

World Series: Did You Know?

Amazingly, it is Willie Mays who has the record for most double plays hit into in a single contest. Three.

Willie was playing in his first ever Fall Classic in 1951, and it was his New York Giants vs. their cross-town rivals, the Yankees. For the Bronx Bombers, it was Joe DiMaggio's last World Series and Mickey Mantle's first.

So after three games, it looked like the Giants were going to follow up their historic pennant win with a World Series triumph. It was 2-1 for the team representing the National League in the final showdown.

Game four, for good measure, was at home at the old Polo Grounds. Right where Bobby Thompson had hit that pennant-winning walk-off home run. The fourth contest was all Yankees, however.

Sal Maglie was the right choice for the Giants, and got the Yankees out in the top of the first with no scoring. Monte Irving, who just recently passed away, drove home Alvin Dark in the bottom of the frame with a single.

But just to show you how good this Yankee team was, right in the top of the second, they tied it. Joe Collins singled to score Gene Woodling. The Giants had The Miracle Man, Thompson, on first with one out in the bottom of the inning. However, Willie Mays hit into a double play to end that.

Allie Reynolds, the Yankees' starter, put the Bronx Bombers ahead for good with a single off Maglie in the top of the fourth. The Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio, blasted a two-run home run off The Barber the next inning. 4-1 for the junior circuit champs after 4 1/2. They were really in the driver's seat.

Bobby Thompson started the bottom of the fifth for the Giants by drawing a walk. Mays again hit into a double play. Wes Westrum followed with walk, too. If only Mays' hadn't done that. The Giants may have come back right there.

As it was, Maglie was removed for a pinch hitter. Sheldon Jones came in to pitch. The Bronx Bombers were done finished.

In the top of the seventh, the Giants had Phil Rizzuto in the wrong spot. Westrum noticed The Scooter a little too far off second base. But Eddie Stanky, after getting the throw, hit Rizzuto in the back as he was heading to third. Rizzuto scored the fifth Yankee run. Woodling scored the sixth when McDougald singled. Neither tally was earned.

In the bottom of the seventh, Mays came up after Thompson had singled with one out. This time, he skied it to DiMaggio in centre. Westrum fanned to end the inning. The Giants finally scored again in the bottom of the ninth on a single by Thompson. That scored the other Thompson, Hank.

The single sent Irvin, who'd himself hit a single following a leadoff walk to Thompson, to third. Runners on the corners, one out, 6-2. And Mays at the dish.

Mays sent a roller to Rizzuto at short.

Ouch!

It happens to even the best of them.



Sunday, February 28, 2016

Heving A Good Season For Cleveland In 1944

Granted there was obviously a shortage of some quality batters during the years of the second World War, but there was one veteran relief pitcher who really put out excellent numbers in 1944.

Joe Heving, who started just one game (Out of 63) in '44 (And only started 40 of the 430 career games he pitched), must have felt like a young man again that season. All the 43-year old did was post eight wins against just three losses, a low ERA, ten saves (The fourth most in the junior circut), and lead the American League in appearances!

Between 1930 and 1944, Heving finished in the top ten in saves an impressive ten times.


Stat Set 1


Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Crandall 1913 35 27 0.771 97.2 4 4
               
Wolfgang 1914 24 12 0.500 119.1 9 5
               
Mays 1915 38 27 0.711 131.2 6 5
               
Danforth 1917 50 26 0.520 173.0 11 6
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Marberry 1926 64 47 0.734 138.0 12 7
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Quinn 1932 39 29 0.744 64.1 5 4
               
Russell 1933 50 31 0.620 124.0 12 6
               
Brown 1938 51 32 0.627 132.2 15 9
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Beggs 1940 37 27 0.730 76.2 12 3
               
Murphy 1941 35 31 0.886 77.1 8 3
               
Heving 1944 63 38 0.603 119.2 8 3
               
Maltzberger 1944 46 41 0.891 91.1 10 5
               
Page 1949 60 48 0.800 135.1 13 8
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Konstanty 1950 74 62 0.838 152.0 16 7
               
Wilhelm 1952 71 32 0.451 159.1 15 3
               
Paige 1952 46 35 0.761 138.0 12 10
               
Kinder 1953 69 52 0.754 107.0 10 6
               
Mossi 1954 40 18 0.450 93.0 6 1
               
Narleski 1955 60 36 0.600 111.2 9 1
               
Freeman 1956 64 47 0.734 108.2 14 5
               
Farrell 1957 52 32 0.615 83.1 10 2
               
Hyde 1958 53 44 0.830 103.0 10 3
               
Duren 1959 41 29 0.707 76.2 3 6
               
Staley 1959 67 37 0.552 116.1 8 5
               
Face 1959 57 47 0.825 93.1 18 1
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
McDaniel 1960 63 47 0.746 104.1 12 4
               
Arroyo 1961 65 54 0.831 119.0 15 5
               
Radatz 1963 66 58 0.879 131.1 15 6
               
Perranoski 1963 69 47 0.681 129.0 16 3
               
Lee 1964 64 39 0.609 137.0 6 5
               
Ellis 1964 52 32 0.615 122.1 10 3
               
Miller 1965 67 55 0.821 112.1 14 7
               
Regan 1966 65 48 0.738 116.2 14 1
               
Abernathy 1967 70 61 0.871 106.1 6 3
               
Wood 1968 88 46 0.523 159.0 13 12
               
Tatum 1969 45 33 0.733 86.1 7 2
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Giusti 1972 54 44 0.815 74.2 7 4
               
Hiller 1973 65 60 0.923 125.1 10 5
               
Borbon 1973 80 36 0.450 121.0 11 4
               
Marshall 1974 106 83 0.783 208.1 15 12
               
Gossage 1975 62 49 0.790 141.2 9 8
               
Eastwick 1976 71 59 0.831 107.2 11 5
               
Lyle 1977 72 60 0.833 137.0 13 5
               
Stanley 1978 52 35 0.673 141.2 15 2
               
Tekulve 1979 94 67 0.713 134.1 10 8
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Fingers 1981 47 41 0.872 78.0 6 3
               
Hernandez 1984 80 68 0.850 140.1 9 3
               
Lamp 1985 53 11 0.208 105.2 11 0
               
Eichhorn 1986 69 38 0.551 157.0 14 6
               
Henke 1987 72 62 0.861 94.0 0 6
               
Burke 1987 55 30 0.545 91.0 7 0
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Eckersley 1990 63 61 0.968 73.1 4 2
               
Thigpen 1990 77 73 0.948 88.2 4 6
               
Ward 1992 79 35 0.443 101.1 7 4
               
Henry 1991 32 25 0.781 36.0 2 1
               
Wetteland 1993 70 58 0.829 85.1 9 3
               
Harvey 1993 59 54 0.915 69.0 1 5
               
Hoffman 1998 66 61 0.924 73.0 4 2
               
Urbina 1998 64 59 0.922 69.1 6 3
               
Williamson 1999 62 40 0.645 93.1 12 7
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Rhodes 2001 71 16 0.225 68.0 8 0
               
Smoltz 2003 62 55 0.887 64.1 0 2
               
Timlin 2005 81 27 0.333 80.1 7 3
               
Nathan 2006 64 61 0.953 68.1 7 0
               
Rivera 2008 64 60 0.938 70.2 6 5
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Bell 2010 67 57 0.851 70.0 6 1
               
Cook 2012 71 23 0.324 73.1 6 2
               
Chapman 2012 68 52 0.765 71.2 5 5
               
Johnson 2012 71 63 0.887 68.2 2 1
               
Davis 2014 70 11 0.157 72.0 9 2
               
Rondon 2015 72 47 0.653 70.0 6 4
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L

Stat Set 2


Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Crandall 1913 6 ? ? ? 2.86 42 3.9 1.290 0.5
                     
Wolfgang 1914 0 ? ? ? 1.89 50 3.8 1.073 1.8
                     
Mays 1915 7 ? ? ? 2.60 65 4.4 1.063 1.0
                     
Danforth 1917 9 ? ? ? 2.65 79 4.1 1.324 3.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Marberry 1926 22 ? ? ? 3.00 43 2.8 1.348 3.1
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Quinn 1932 13 ? ? ? 2.66 24 3.5 1.383 1.1
                     
Russell 1933 13 ? ? ? 2.69 28 2.0 1.218 3.1
                     
Brown 1938 5 ? ? ? 3.80 55 3.7 1.500 0.4
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Beggs 1940 7 4 0.636 0 2.00 25 2.9 1.161 2.2
                     
Murphy 1941 15 7 0.682 0 1.98 29 3.4 1.397 2.2
                     
Heving 1944 10 ? ? 0 1.96 46 3.5 1.228 1.9
                     
Maltzberger 1944 12 ? ? ? 2.96 49 4.8 1.095 1.8
                     
Page 1949 27 11 0.711 0 2.59 99 6.6 1.315 4.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Konstanty 1950 22 4 0.846 0 2.66 56 3.3 1.039 4.7
                     
Wilhelm 1952 11 1 0.917 1 2.43 108 6.1 1.155 2.7
                     
Paige 1952 10 5 0.667 1 3.07 91 5.9 1.254 3.4
                     
Kinder 1953 27 8 0.771 4 1.85 39 3.3 1.140 4.5
                     
Mossi 1954 7 0 1.000 0 1.94 55 5.3 1.022 3.3
                     
Narleski 1955 19 2 0.905 6 3.71 94 7.6 1.281 2.5
                     
Freeman 1956 18 3 0.857 2 3.40 50 4.1 1.344 2.6
                     
Farrell 1957 10 3 0.769 0 2.38 54 5.8 1.320 2.4
                     
Hyde 1958 18 5 0.783 0 1.75 49 4.3 1.136 4.9
                     
Duren 1959 14 7 0.667 1 1.88 96 11.3 1.200 3.8
                     
Staley 1959 15 4 0.789 2 2.24 54 4.2 1.169 2.5
                     
Face 1959 10 9 0.526 1 2.70 69 6.7 1.243 3.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
McDaniel 1960 26 6 0.813 1 1.29 95 8.2 0.863 6.0
                     
Arroyo 1961 29 10 0.744 1 2.19 87 6.6 1.109 3.3
                     
Radatz 1963 25 3 0.893 0 1.97 162 11.0 1.096 5.7
                     
Perranoski 1963 21 8 0.724 0 1.67 75 5.2 1.202 4.5
                     
Lee 1964 19 8 0.704 1 1.51 111 7.3 1.058 4.3
                     
Ellis 1964 14 2 0.875 1 2.57 125 9.2 1.054 3.1
                     
Miller 1965 24 1 0.960 1 1.89 104 7.8 0.997 4.3
                     
Regan 1966 21 7 0.750 1 1.62 88 6.8 0.934 5.0
                     
Abernathy 1967 28 6 0.824 1 1.27 88 7.4 0.978 6.2
                     
Wood 1968 16 5 0.762 7 1.87 74 4.2 1.006 5.4
                     
Tatum 1969 22 1 0.957 2 1.36 65 6.8 1.042 4.3
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Giusti 1972 22 5 0.815 0 1.93 54 6.5 1.058 2.3
                     
Hiller 1973 38 0 1.000 0 1.44 124 8.9 1.021 8.1
                     
Borbon 1973 14 5 0.737 6 2.16 60 4.5 1.421 2.5
                     
Marshall 1974 21 12 0.636 9 2.42 143 6.2 1.186 3.1
                     
Gossage 1975 26 5 0.839 1 1.84 130 8.3 1.193 8.2
                     
Eastwick 1976 26 9 0.743 1 2.09 70 5.9 1.115 2.8
                     
Lyle 1977 26 8 0.765 1 2.17 68 4.5 1.197 3.7
                     
Stanley 1978 10 5 0.667 1 2.60 38 2.2 1.242 4.1
                     
Tekulve 1979 31 6 0.838 8 2.79 75 5.0 1.176 3.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Fingers 1981 28 6 0.824 0 1.04 61 7.0 0.872 4.2
                     
Hernandez 1984 32 1 0.970 0 1.92 112 7.2 0.941 4.8
                     
Lamp 1985 2 5 0.286 8 3.32 68 5.8 1.164 1.3
                     
Eichhorn 1986 10 4 0.714 7 1.72 166 9.5 0.955 7.4
                     
Henke 1987 34 8 0.810 1 2.49 128 12.3 0.926 3.3
                     
Burke 1987 18 4 0.818 5 1.19 58 5.7 0.890 4.3
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Eckersley 1990 48 2 0.960 0 0.61 73 9.0 0.614 3.3
                     
Thigpen 1990 57 8 0.877 0 1.83 70 7.1 1.038 3.4
                     
Henry 1991 15 1 0.938 3 1.00 28 7.0 0.833 2.2
                     
Ward 1992 12 4 0.750 24 1.95 103 9.1 1.135 3.1
                     
Wetteland 1993 43 1 0.977 0 1.37 113 12.0 1.008 4.2
                     
Harvey 1993 45 4 0.918 0 1.70 73 9.5 0.841 4.0
                     
Hoffman 1998 53 1 0.981 0 1.48 86 10.6 0.849 4.1
                     
Urbina 1998 34 4 0.895 0 1.30 94 12.2 1.010 3.2
                     
Williamson 1999 19 7 0.731 5 2.41 107 10.3 1.039 2.8
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Rhodes 2001 3 4 0.429 31 1.72 83 11.0 0.853 2.5
                     
Smoltz 2003 45 4 0.918 0 1.12 73 10.2 0.870 3.3
                     
Timlin 2005 13 7 0.650 24 2.24 59 6.6 1.320 2.9
                     
Nathan 2006 36 2 0.947 0 1.58 95 12.5 0.790 3.3
                     
Rivera 2008 39 1 0.975 0 1.40 77 9.8 0.665 4.3
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Bell 2010 47 3 0.940 0 1.93 86 11.1 1.200 1.9
                     
Cook 2012 14 7 0.667 21 2.09 80 9.8 0.941 2.6
                     
Chapman 2012 38 5 0.884 6 1.51 122 15.3 0.809 3.6
                     
Johnson 2012 51 3 0.944 0 2.49 41 5.4 1.019 2.4
                     
Davis 2014 3 3 0.500 33 1.00 109 13.6 0.847 3.7
                     
Rondon 2015 30 4 0.882 8 1.67 69 8.6 1.000 2.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR

Notes

Wolfgang appeared as a starter eleven times.

Danforth appeared as a starter nine times.

Paige and Mays appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee and Ellis appeared as a starter five times.

Russell and Stanley appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood and Crandall appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn and Narleski appeared once as a starter

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.


References

Sports Reference LLC. "Joe Heving Pitching Statistics And History." | Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hevinjo02-pitch.shtml . Web. 28 Feb. 2016.