Gwynn Numbers: Strikeout Minutiae

The long walk back to the dugout after having swung a bat and missed -- abject failure personified.

I came across an interesting comment on strikeouts and batting title qualification yesterday morning. Naturally I thought of Tony Gwynn . . .

From Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

From the Bill Chuck* files. “Over the last 10 seasons, only three players who qualified for the batting title have struck out fewer than 100 times each season: Ichiro Suzuki, Albert Pujols, and Damon (Johnny).

*This stat comes from a Nick Cafardo column but it is contributed by a guy named Bill Chuck.

When I think of Ichiro and Albert Pujols I think of great hitters, batting champions. Johnny Damon not so much. But this is not about batting championships. It's about guys who received the requisite number of plate appearances to qualify for a batting title (502), to do it for 10 straight seasons, and to have K'd less than a 100 times in each season. I thought it would have been a higher number of players but 'tis a rare thing to stay injury free for ten seasons.

Ichiro Suzuki is a contact hitter. There's no surprise that he is a part of this short list. In winning 2 batting titles during his 11 seasons, Ichiro has averaged 68 strikeouts per season with a low of 53 and a high of 86. For a slap hitter who controls the zone so well these numbers seem high. Despite only two batting titles Ichiro's flurry of 200* hit seasons have led him to a career .326 BA.

*This incredible run ended in 2011 when Ichiro took a nose-dive, collecting a mere 186 hits with  a .272 BA.

Albert Pujols is a power hitter. But he's also a great hitter. In winning 1 batting title during his 11 seasons, Albert has averaged 64 strikeouts per year with a low of 50 and a high of 93. The 93 Ks occurred during Pujols' rookie year and he hasn't been close to that figure since. Despite only 1 batting title Albert Pujols has a career .328 BA.

Johnny Damon is some guy who claimed to be an idiot. His teams over the last 10 years have mostly been winners but he's never won a batting title. To date, Johnny Damon's career is significantly longer than Ichiro's (11) and Pujols' (11) as he has just finished his 17th year. In his 17 seasons Damon has averaged 72 strikeout per year but in his last three years (ages 35-39) he has averaged 93 Ks. Time is slowly catching up with Johnny Damon -- idiot. Johnny Damon once hit .327 during a season. Unfortunately it was only good for tenth place in 2000. He has a career .286 BA.

Clearly Johnny Damon is not in the same class of hitters as Ichiro Suzuki and Albert Pujols. We already knew this. But in living through what appears to be the Age of the Strikeout, Johnny Damon's relative consistency is noteworthy even though, as a lead-off hitter*, he really shouldn't strikeout that much. He should also be lauded for staying healthy, and in so doing, keeping himself on the field and in the line-up.

*In 1573 of Johnny Damon's 2426 games he has hit 1st in the batting order.

Which brings us to Tony Gwynn . . .


Tony Gwynn is masterful. Batting crown discussions begin with the names of Cobb and Hornsby but often end with Gwynn. The man has a statue for crying-out-loud! We know all of this.

In his 20 year career Tony Gwynn averaged a God-like 22 strikeouts per year. His high was 40 Ks in 1988 when he squeaked out a batting title with a .313 BA. His lowest strikeout total (in a batting title qualifying year) was 15 in 1995 when he won his 6th batting title with a .368 BA.

What about the 1997 season when Gwynn started to synthesize all of his knowledge about hitting and stroked a career high 17 HRs? He still only struck out 28 times.

In the last ten years of Gwynn's career (1991-2011) the 1997 season was the only one in which he left the teens for strikeout totals, averaging only 16*.

*Due to injuries, Tony Gwynn only qualified for the batting title in 6 of those 11 seasons.

Tony Gwynn Could Hit So What's The Point?

I have to go back to Johnny Damon. He's 38 years old and entering his 18th season. He is a fit man so a couple of more seasons seems reasonable as he's managed to average 146 games per year over the last three seasons. If he can average the same number of hits (149 in 2010 and 2011) over the next two seasons then retire he would finish with 3021 hits for his career. Johnny Damon -- Idiot -- could find himself at the magical 3000 plateau which nearly ensures induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame*.

*Those in the 3000 hit club who are not in the HOF: Rafael Palmeiro (likely burned the bridge when he wagged finger at Congress and then tested positive for PEDs); Craig Biggio (eligible for HOF in 2013); Derek Jeter (Active. And a shoo-in). Oh yea . . . Pete Rose too.

Gwynn and Damon

Currently Johnny Damon has 2723 hits scattered across 10,693 plate appearances. Tony Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits in 10,232 PAs . . . which is 461 fewer PAs than Johnny Damon. If Johnny Damon gets to 3000 hits then it will have taken him roughly 1500 more plate appearances than it took Tony Gwynn to accomplish the mark. Clearly this discrepancy in PAs and Hits will account for Johnny Damon's low-.280ish BA at career's end.

A Gwynn comparison isn't fair to Johnny Damon. With 8 batting titles to his credit Tony Gwynn is the gold standard when it comes to hitting. It is how he is remembered. Consequently he is in Baseball's Hall of Fame.

When Johnny Damon retires with more than 3000 hits to his name I will remember him as follows: part of the 2004 Red Sox; a flimsy looking swing; a massive jaw-line; and a self-proclaimed idiot.

After the event takes place I'll likely nod my head in affirmation and make a weird face. And then I'll write something about Tony Gwynn. And then, other than to acknowledge he had a nice career, I won't think of Johnny Damon again.

Trying to remember the 2010 San Diego Padres: Game 6 (Ludwick comes up HUGE... just not for the Padres)

You have entered a site engaged in a highly complex experiment... an experiment designed to test the parameters of my mind as well as yours... because you're like me... a dummy who forgets the important things in life, like baseball games.

Allow this series to be a catalyst to your Great Awakening

For series explanation and previous installments [go here]

GAME 6 of 18
May 27th, 2010
Padres v. Cardinals @Petco Park
(Thursday/Field Reserved 120)

WHAT I THINK I KNOW...

This was the first defeat I suffered at Petco Park in 2010. That's right. The Padres didn't lose... I did. And it wasn't a very close game but then it was. Weird, I know. I think the Padres were losing 7-0 at one point but battle back late to get it to 7-4 with runners on base. To no avail it was a defeat. I went with my buddies Al and Nate (me thinks)

***
Who pitched? No idea. Something tells me it was Wade LeBlanc but I can't be certain. I do know that Brendan Ryan hit a HR. How do I know? Because he has a bad looking mustache... and I remember stuff like that. I think Pujols jacked one out also. He does that from time to time.

How did the Padres score? Not very memorable details are these. But I do know that they made a battle of it. The Padres lost but I recall walking away from the game and remarking that they definitely have fight in them.

***

It was Throwback Thursday but for some strange reason many Padres fans dressed in red. I know, I know.... you think they were Cardinals fans... but they weren't. They were wearing Padre hats coupled with red shirts. It was odd. I guess they didn't get the memo that Cardinal Nation descends upon its opponent in a sea of red.

***
This is what I remember... and it doesn't feel like much.

Source: Disdain fro Padres fans dressed in red... and a ticket stub.

RESEARCH SAYS...

The Padres lost 8-3. Wade Leblanc was the losing pitcher for San Diego. He gave up 4 runs on 9 hits (2Ks/2 BB) in 5 2/3 innings of work. After a fast start to the season LeBlanc fell to 2-3 after this Thursday afternoon decision.

***
Check out the post-game video with Bud Black. It's interesting to hear Black give his analysis on LeBlanc's recent pitfalls... but then you have to keep watching the video... it's difficult to hear the questions being asked but Black's response is priceless: he just laughs. I think it was the UT's Tim Sullivan who asked about the team's perception of the sparse attendance up to that point in the season. Black laughed... and kept laughing... until he was crying... and then he fell down. It was great.

 ***
The winning pitcher was some guy named PJ Walters whose record improved to... wow... 1-0!!! Mr. Walters salutes you, San Diego Padres.

***
It was Throwback Thursday. The Padres wore their 1978 Away jerseys (Brown/Gold) and the Cardinals were decked out in their traditional gray road uniforms. Love that gray.

***
Brendan Ryan and Albert Pujols each hit HRs and there was no question they were clearing the fence in LF. Albert Pujols don't mess around.

***
The Padres were down 6-0. They were getting it handed to them by St. Louis. As the bottom of the 7th rolled around, San Diego decided to stage a rally. They banged it back to 6-3 but with a couple runners on the inning ended on a Chris Denorfia ground-out (6-4).

***

"I own Petco Park!"~Ryan Ludwick on 5/17/2010

The game was put out of reach when CHRIS LUDWICK WENT CRAZY!!!! He had his best game at Petco on May 27th, 2011... unfortunately he was parading as a Cardinal that afternoon.

Luddy banged a 2 run single in the top of the 8th, capping off a 3 for 5 performance (2RBI/1Run), and putting the game out of reach. You see? Ryan Ludwick is capable of great things! I don't care if he did have Albert Pujols and Matt Holiday hitting after him!

***
Padres reliever Adam Russell pitched 2 innings and surrendered 4 runs on 6 hits. Eat your heart out Tampa Bay. Eat your heart out.

***
Attendance: 20, 583. Meh...it was Thursday afternoon.

NOTABLE OMISSIONS...

San Diego lost the game but had already clinched the series after taking the first two games of the series. Amazingly, the Padres scored a lowly six runs in the series yet still came away victorious twice.

***
Their record stood at 28-19 at day's end. Good for 1st place (I presume???)

***
Will Venable looked good hitting lead-off (2 for 4 with 1BB/1R).

***
These were the days when both Chase Headley (.275) and David Eckstein (.297) had higher batting averages than Adrian Gonzalez (.268). Something about stuff averaging out over 162 games.

***
 Kyle Blanks had missed his 9th straight game... something about a sore elbow. Do tell!

***
Here's a notable quote from Albert Pujols:

"That's a good team," Pujols said. "It's a talented ballclub, and they play hard. They've got good pitching, a good bullpen. There's nothing to be surprised, that's why they're leading the West."

I recall Pujols saying something similar about the PENitentary and how it was the best in baseball.

Source: Baseball Reference and Padres.com

LASTING IMPRESSIONS...

I said it earlier and I'll say it again: at times it was very difficult to watch the Padres offense (in)action but there was no doubt that they always continued the fight. Kind of a nice thing to be able to hang your hat on.

***
Throwback Thursdays should rock the home 1978s versus the away 1978s. That's one jerk's opinion on the color brown.

***
I'm 3-1 as a fan at Petco Park in 2010. That's .750 baseball. That's 120-42! The Padres really should have put me on the payroll. Clearly... AJM is a talisman.

That's six games in the books and 12 more to go. And I believe it's Groundhog day so go revisit the previous 5 games.

Venable Makes Contact With Pujols' Man Purse carrying Arm

When I was watching the Padres play the Cardinals on Saturday night I took note of a particular play involving Albert Pujols and the Padres' Will Venable. Venable had hit a hard grounder to 1B and Pujols fielded it cleanly, decided to make the play on his own, and ran towards first.....but he did not run that fast. As he crossed over the bag a blazing Venable burst threw the picture nearly beating Pujols for an infield single. Two things struck me about this play:

1. How hard Venable had run out what seemed to be a routine grounder which in my opinion is a good thing. With all due respect to the best player on our team (Adrian Gonzalez), he rarely runs hard on ground-balls. Effort is good.
   
2. The second thing was how I really felt that had Pujols been just a split second slower in getting to the bag he genuinely would have deserved to get knocked into next week. You can't lolly-gag through the baseline when your opponent is playing for a job next year. Whatever.....there was no harm so there was no foul....I went to bed.

Now on Sunday afternoon I abandoned the game after Caesar Carillo loaded the bases a second time but upon checking in on the final I saw that there was a bit of an altercation that had taken place. Low and behold.........Pujols and Venable. Will Venable running out a grounder, ducking his shoulder a bit to absorb the tag and then getting the stare-down from King Albert. I watched the video and it's one of the most innocuous bits of contact I've seen between players. I saw Everth Cabrera destroy Cardinal SS Brendan Ryan in trying to break up a double play, and in my opinion, Cabrera had slid too far out of the baseline. Ryan said nothing about it.

Here is an excerpt from padres.com regarding the Pujols/Venable incident:

About the only fireworks came in the sixth inning when Venable topped a ball down the first-base line that St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols picked up and tagged Venable as he ran by. After the play, Venable turned around and saw Pujols staring at him.

"I asked him what his problem was. Anytime that someone stops to stare at you ... you're wondering what his problem is," Venable said. "I certainly don't care enough about Albert Pujols to continue with anything that might cause friction. It's not that big of a deal, just a lot of nothing."

Pujols, apparently, saw it differently, claiming Venable more or less threw an elbow into him as he passed.

"He did. Last night he tried to run me over like he was playing freaking football. A play like that, you don't try to run people over. Next time, if I would have known, I would probably hit him in the face with the glove, tag him right there," said Pujols, who earlier in the game hit his 40th home run of the season.

"He did it last night, and today again, he threw an elbow. And he was out by a lot. It wasn't necessary, even to avoid a tag. The ground ball that I had, what is he going to do? Try to knock the ball out of my glove? Last night he jammed my wrist a little bit and tonight he tried to throw an elbow. That's pretty stupid."

Venable denied trying to throw an elbow to disrupt the play.

Are you seriously crying about this Albert?

I generally like Albert Pujols. The only thing I've really heard bad about him (I think it was him) is that he tends to eyeball umpires a bit when he gets a strike call against him; kind of a "Do you know who I am? If I didn't swing it's not a strike!", air about him. His above quotes make him sound like a crybaby. Grow a pair and go after Venable if you think he was trying to hurt you. Don't give a man the ol' "Do you know who I am?", stare. You're asking for a fight then.

Good on ya Will Venable. Keep playing hard. Don't take sh*t from anyone especially Albert Pujols

"Fu*k Albert Pujols and his man purse!", said Will Venable (or something to that effect)

Video of Sunday afternoon incident [Padres.com]

Pujols with the sacks full in 2009

Albert Pujols with the bases loaded in 2009:

1. 9 ABs
2. 7 Hits
3. 5 HRs
4. 24 RBI

Really? Shouldn't he be getting the free pass with the bases loaded? Unconventional to be sure but it's not without precedent....Barry used to get the IBB.

Those daring managers still in business?

Editor's Note:
As always, when discussing Albert Pujols, I'd be remiss if I did not mention that I saw him walking in the Gaslamp back in 2006.....he was carrying a Louis Vitton man purse.....the most dangerous hitter in the game.....man purse.

Enshrinement at Cooperstown: Humans Yes/Machines and Cyborgs No

This is a Treatise on the Acceptance of Machines/Cyborgs as Entertainers on the Baseball Diamond with Strict Assurances that they be Prohibited from Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Cooperstown Under the Fundamental Premise that their Records were Scientifically Attained.

If Albert Pujols is in fact a machine how will we, as fans, react?

Even though they are described as some of the most knowledgeable fans in the game, I know how Cardinal fans will react. They will claim him as their own, much like Dodger fans have given unwavering support to Manny Ramirez despite the fact that he was guilty of cheating. If Pujols is a construct of steel and wires then clearly this is a breach of Major League Baseball's rules.........or perhaps the Players' Association cleverly negotiated some sort of exemption into the collective bargaining agreement for cases where a player is driven by wattage and a flux capacitor.

In any case, Albert Pujols being of cyborg ancestry is of little consequence to this fan enjoying a game of baseball. However because he is not real I am not compelled to acknowledge his accomplishments as real.........and under the above hypothetical he would be precluded from entering the Hall of Fame.......because, you know, the HOF is for Human Beings who have accomplished milestones with legitimacy. It would be troublesome to celebrate something that surpassed all of the legends in the history of our great game when it was done in a fashion that was enhanced through revolutionary science.....that's just me, though.

We must also discuss the very real possibility that Albert the Pujols may eliminate Adrian Gonzalez in next week's All Star Game Home Run Derby........at which point we would have to file a complaint with the commissioner's office on the grounds that a human should rightfully hold the Derby Trophy aloft.

Discuss amongst yourselves. Is this manifesto to harsh as it relates to the impact science has on the record books?

Editor's Note:
I think this commercial is hilarious and had no intention of going in this direction as I merely wanted to post the commercial. However I think it is an extraordinarily witty* way of examining questions about Hall of Fame Induction.....questions that The Baseball Writer's Association has tried to answer recently.

*deftly idiotic