Monday, January 9, 2012

Barry Larkin and Jack Murphy Stadium

Former Cincinnati Red, Barry Larkin was voted into baseball's Hall of Fame, receiving the honor after accumulating 86.4% of the votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Larkin also receives the distinction of entering the Hall of Fame as a player who played his entire career with one club, a feat becoming more rare with each passing year.

How do you remember Barry Larkin*? I thought the occasion called for a not so thorough examination of his numbers when visiting San Diego . . .

 Here's Barry Larkin's slash-line at the time he retired:

.295 .371 .444 .815

He finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs after winning 1 World Series, 1 MVP award, 3 Gold Gloves and 9 Silver Sluggers. It bears mentioning that the Silver Slugger is awarded to the top offensive player at his position as voted on by coaches and managers -- and that Larkin has won more Silver Slugger awards than any short stop to play the game.

Alright, so what did Larkin do while playing at Jack Murphy Stadium / Qualcom Stadium**?

His slash-line in San Diego is as follows:

 .288 / .364 / .420 / .784

Slightly below his career norms but not bad at all.

***
How about his best season at Jack Murphy?

During the 1990 season he absolutely destroyed Padres pitching to the tune of:

.436 / .436 / .641 / 1.077

These were his best numbers at any park in 1990 and if you got yourself out to the Murph that year you witnessed Larkin at his best.

***

Best game at The Murph in 1990?
On July 23rd Larkin went 3 for 5 with 2RBI/2R/ 2*2B in a 9-2 Reds win. He pretty much destroyed the Padres in each game he played that season.

***

Any guesses on the Padres starting line-up on July evening? 
 I'll start you off: hitting 9th was your starting pitcher, lefty Dennis Rasmussen. Deposit your guesses in the comments.

***

Congratulations to Barry Larkin on his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

* I remember Barry Larkin a a fantastic shortstop but to truly appreciate here's a bit of context provided by Jay Jaffe at Baseball Prospectus.
**Barry Larkin only played three games in PETCO Park going 3 for 13.

6 comments:

  1. Bip
    Alomar
    Gwynn
    Clark
    Carter
    Ummm...
    Ummm...
    Ummm...
    Templeton?
    Rasmussen

    That's, what, 5 or 6 out of 9?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very solid effort. Now keep your mouth shut so we can see if there are any geniuses out there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. C-Benito
    1B-Clark
    2B-Alomar
    3B-Pagliarulo
    SS-Tempy
    LF-Bipster
    CF-Carter
    RF-Gwynn
    P-Rasmussen

    Ummm....I'd guess

    1.Bip
    2.Alomar
    3.Gwynn
    4.Clark
    5.Carter
    6.Benny
    7.Pags
    8.Tempy
    9.Rass

    ReplyDelete
  4. Close, Gents.

    Your catcher and third baseman need adjusting.

    I think Pags may have been traded by this point. Think of Hoover High School for 3B(I think).

    ReplyDelete
  5. If it's catcher then I'm thinking it might be 90's backup catcher extraordinaire Mark Parent...I only know of him because A) he was a Padre & B) he came to my team party at Pizza Hut when I was in Little League & signed autographs for us. If it's not him then I have no clue who else caught for the Padres in the 90's.

    3B I have no clue.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are correct in naming Mark Parent as your catcher.

    Your third baseman out of Hoover High School is . . . Eddie Williams! Ted did not rub off on Ed.


    1.Bip
    2.Alomar
    3.Gwynn
    4.Clark
    5.Carter
    6.Eddie Williams
    7.Parent
    8.Tempy
    9.Rassmussen

    ReplyDelete