Here are guys from 1956 to have at least 2 triples in a game with no runs scored and no RBI. (Nobody has ever had 3 triples in a game and also 0 R and 0 RBI.)

  Cnt Player            Date          Tm   Opp GmReslt PA AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF ROE GDP SB CS BOr Positions
+----+-----------------+-------------+---+----+-------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+---+--+---+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+---------+
    1 Todd Helton       2007-06-05    COL  HOU L  1-4   4  4  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  2   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 4th 1B

    2 David Ortiz       2004-07-22(1) BOS  BAL L  3-8   4  4  0  3  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 3rd DH

    3 Devon White       1994-07-01    TOR @KCR L  3-4   6  6  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 1st CF

    4 Tom Brunansky     1993-05-15    MIL  CLE L  5-9   4  4  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 8th RF

    5 Cecil Espy        1989-10-01    TEX @CAL L  3-4   5  5  0  4  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  1  1 1st CF

    6 Mike Pagliarulo   1987-05-20    NYY @OAK L  5-7   4  4  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 7th 3B

    7 Doug Flynn        1979-06-03    NYM @ATL W  9-4   5  5  0  3  0  2  0   0  0   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 8th 2B

    8 Ozzie Smith       1978-05-05    SDP @STL W  2-1   4  4  0  3  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  1  0 2nd SS

    9 Mike Schmidt      1977-07-23    PHI @SFG W  6-3   5  2  0  2  0  2  0   0  3   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  1  0 3rd 3B

   10 Larry Hisle       1974-06-12    MIN  BAL L  3-4   4  3  0  2  0  2  0   0  1   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 5th CF

   11 Paul Blair        1971-08-28(2) BAL  MIL L  0-3   4  4  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 2nd CF

   12 Zoilo Versalles   1963-07-17    MIN  NYY L  0-4   4  4  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 1st SS

   13 Joe DeMaestri     1957-09-06    KCA @CHW L  3-4   4  4  0  3  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 2nd SS

   14 Harry Chiti       1956-09-19(2) CHC @NYG L  2-3   4  4  0  2  0  2  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0       0  0  0 8th C        

Perhaps the most amazing thing about this list is the fact that David Ortiz once had two triples in a game. If Edgar Martinez had been on this list, I would have fainted. (Actually, Gar did have a 2-triple game.)

How far off were the Yankees from having a representative from 1923 in attendance for tonight's ceremony? The answer is 20 years too late.  At the time of his passing in 1988, Whitey Witt was the last member of the '23 Yankees to pass away. Here is the complete list. (De year is year of death)

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Mike Mussina won his 18th game this evening.  So far, this season, he only has 9 losses.  There have only been 7 pitchers in baseball history with 18+ wins and 9 losses or less in a season where they were 39-years of age (like Mussina now) or older in that year.  Via Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index Pitching Season Finder, here's the list:

  Cnt                        W  L Year Age Tm  Lg  G   GS CG SHO GF  W-L% SV   IP   H   R   ER  BB  SO   ERA  ERA+ HR  BF   AB  2B 3B IBB HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB CS Pk BK WP   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  OPS+  Pit  Str
+----+-----------------+---+--+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+--+---+--+-----+--+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+--+----+----+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+----+----+
    1 David Wells           19  7 2002  39 NYY AL  31  31  2   1  0  .731  0 206.1 210 100  86  45 137   3.75  118 21  873  812 51  3   2   5   6   5  13  14  4  1  0  4  .259  .300  .406  .706   86 3131 2129
    2 Warren Spahn          23  7 1963  42 MLN NL  33  33 22   7  0  .767  0 259.2 241  85  75  49 102   2.60  124 23 1037  973 25 10   4   0  10   5  36   4  2  2  0  4  .248  .282  .365  .647   93
    3 Kenny Rogers          18  9 2004  39 TEX AL  35  35  2   1  0  .667  0 211.2 248 117 112  66 126   4.76  106 24  935  848 59  8   0   9   7   4  19   2  5  6  1  2  .292  .348  .466  .814  103 3499 2135
    4 Jack Quinn            18  7 1928  44 PHA AL  31  28 18   4  2  .720  1 211.1 239  92  68  34  43   2.90  138  3  910                  7                        0  0                            0
    5 Gaylord Perry         21  6 1978  39 SDP NL  37  37  5   2  0  .778  0 260.2 241  96  79  66 154   2.73  121  9 1055  970 46  7   8   2   8   9  24  18 16  2  3  4  .248  .295  .338  .633   90
    6 Jamie Moyer           21  7 2003  40 SEA AL  33  33  1   0  0  .750  0 215   199  83  78  66 129   3.27  132 19  897  810 39  1   3   8   7   6  19  11  6  4  0  0  .246  .307  .367  .674   81 3440 2134
    7 Roger Clemens         18  4 2004  41 HOU NL  33  33  0   0  0  .818  0 214.1 169  76  71  79 218   2.98  146 15  878  778 34  4   5   6   8   7  11  23 10  2  0  5  .217  .292  .329  .621   63 3429 2181

Seasons/Careers found: 7.

Much has been made of the A's eschewing batting average for more meaningful statistics, but this year they have taken it to a new level.

Here are the 2008 leaders in lowest batting average among players with 470+ PA (players that will probably qualify for the batting title). The A's are in there at 1,2,5,7 and 12 (Number 3 is former Athletic NIck Swisher). In fact the 5 Oakland players hitting under .250 with 470+ PA represent 28%  of all such players in baseball.

  Cnt Player              **BA**   PA Year Age Tm  Lg  G   AB  R   H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB IBB  SO HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB CS  OBP   SLG   OPS  Positions
 ----+-----------------+---------+---+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+---------
    1 Daric Barton         .214   493 2008  22 OAK AL 132 421  52  90 13  5  9  46  60   4  94   3   6   3   6   1  1  .314  .333  .647 *3
    2 Jack Hannahan        .216   491 2008  28 OAK AL 140 426  48  92 27  0  9  47  55   4 128   2   3   5   4   2  0  .305  .343  .648 *53/D
    3 Nick Swisher         .219   568 2008  27 CHW AL 144 479  83 105 20  1 24  69  80   6 129   4   1   4  13   3  2  .333  .415  .748 8397/D
    4 Michael Bourn        .220   473 2008  25 HOU NL 129 427  53  94  8  4  5  25  36   0 103   2   7   1   3  38  8  .283  .293  .576 *8
    5 Jack Cust            .228   558 2008  29 OAK AL 138 452  69 103 18  0 29  69 100   2 185   2   0   4   7   0  0  .367  .460  .827 *7D/9
    6 Rickie Weeks         .233   536 2008  25 MIL NL 120 455  86 106 22  6 12  40  62   0 108  14   1   4   5  19  5  .340  .387  .727 *4
    7 Mark Ellis           .233   507 2008  31 OAK AL 117 442  55 103 20  3 12  41  53   2  65   5   5   2  11  14  2  .321  .373  .694 *4
    8 Adam Dunn            .235   605 2008  28 TOT NL 147 480  73 113 20  0 37  93 113  12 151   7   0   5   7   2  1  .385  .508  .893 *793/D
    9 Jeff Francoeur       .235   610 2008  24 ATL NL 145 558  64 131 29  2 11  67  38   5  99  10   0   4  18   0  1  .293  .353  .646 *9
   10 Kevin Millar         .236   588 2008  36 BAL AL 138 512  72 121 24  0 20  72  68   3  88   2   0   6   8   0  1  .325  .400  .725 *3D
   11 Mark Reynolds        .242   577 2008  24 ARI NL 143 509  84 123 27  3 27  92  59   0 191   3   1   5   9  11  2  .321  .466  .787 *5/3
   12 Bobby Crosby         .242   565 2008  28 OAK AL 135 520  59 126 37  1  7  60  43   0  90   0   0   2  18   6  3  .299  .358  .657 *6

Historically, this is also  significant. With just a few more plate appearances the A's can become just the third team since 1901 to have 5 players who have batted below .250 with at least 502 plate appearances.

 Year Lg Team                              Number Players Matching
+----+--+---------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------------+
 1985 NL San Francisco Giants                   5 Jose Uribe / Dan Gladden / Jeffrey Leonard / Bob Brenly / Manny Trillo
 1967 AL Chicago White Sox                      5 Tommie Agee / Ron Hansen / Don Buford / Ken Berry / Pete Ward

Recently, the Florida Marlins became the first time in MLB history to have all 4 infielders hit at least 25 HR in the same season.

Here are the teams with at least 3 guys to do it:

 Year Lg Team                              Number Players Matching
+----+--+---------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------------+
 2008 NL Florida Marlins                        4 Hanley Ramirez / Jorge Cantu / Dan Uggla / Mike Jacobs
 2007 NL Florida Marlins                        3 Dan Uggla / Miguel Cabrera / Hanley Ramirez
 2007 NL Milwaukee Brewers                      3 Prince Fielder / J.J. Hardy / Ryan Braun
 2006 NL Philadelphia Phillies                  3 Chase Utley / Ryan Howard / Jimmy Rollins
 2005 NL Arizona Diamondbacks                   3 Troy Glaus / Chad Tracy / Tony Clark
 2005 AL Texas Rangers                          3 Mark Teixeira / Hank Blalock / Alfonso Soriano
 2004 AL Texas Rangers                          3 Hank Blalock / Alfonso Soriano / Mark Teixeira
 2003 AL Texas Rangers                          3 Alex Rodriguez / Mark Teixeira / Hank Blalock
 2002 AL New York Yankees                       3 Alfonso Soriano / Jason Giambi / Robin Ventura
 2001 AL Oakland Athletics                      3 Miguel Tejada / Jason Giambi / Eric Chavez
 2000 AL Oakland Athletics                      3 Miguel Tejada / Eric Chavez / Jason Giambi
 1979 NL Los Angeles Dodgers                    3 Steve Garvey / Davey Lopes / Ron Cey
 1950 AL Boston Red Sox                         3 Vern Stephens / Bobby Doerr / Walt Dropo

And here are the teams to have all 4 guys hit at least 20 HRs:

 Year Lg Team                              Number Players Matching
+----+--+---------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------------+
 2008 NL Florida Marlins                        4 Hanley Ramirez / Jorge Cantu / Dan Uggla / Mike Jacobs
 2005 AL Texas Rangers                          4 Mark Teixeira / Hank Blalock / Michael Young / Alfonso Soriano
 2004 AL Chicago White Sox                      4 Paul Konerko / Joe Crede / Juan Uribe / Jose Valentin
 2004 AL Texas Rangers                          4 Michael Young / Hank Blalock / Mark Teixeira / Alfonso Soriano
 1996 AL Baltimore Orioles                      4 Cal Ripken / Rafael Palmeiro / Roberto Alomar / B.J. Surhoff
 1986 AL Detroit Tigers                         4 Alan Trammell / Darrell Evans / Lou Whitaker / Darnell Coles
 1940 AL Boston Red Sox                         4 Bobby Doerr / Joe Cronin / Jimmie Foxx / Jim Tabor

Ben Henry of The Baseball Card Blog just pointed out to me that both Cliff Lee and Daisuke Matsuzaka may finish the year with only 2 losses while also qualifying for the year pitching records (ERA title, etc.)

Since 1901, very few pitchers have qualified for the ERA title while losing at most 2 games:

 Year Number Players Matching
+----+------+-----------------------------------------+
 1995      2 Randy Johnson / Greg Maddux
 1994      2 Jason Bere / Marvin Freeman
 1981      1 Tom Seaver
 1969      1 Mike Nagy
 1956      1 Hal Jeffcoat
 1952      1 Preacher Roe
 1937      1 Johnny Allen    

1994 doesn't really count since it was such a short year. Pitchers needed to pitch only 113 or 114 innings that year to qualify.

Lee and Matsuzaka stand to be the third pair in that group this year.

Cliff Lee could also be the only guy to win 20 games in a season with 2 or fewer losses:

  Cnt Player            Year  W  L Age Tm  Lg  G   GS CG SHO GF  W-L% SV   IP   H   R   ER  BB  SO   ERA  ERA+ HR  BF   AB  2B 3B IBB HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB CS Pk BK WP   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  OPS+  Pit  Str
+----+-----------------+----+--+--+---+---+--+---+---+--+---+--+-----+--+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+--+----+----+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+----+----+
    1 Cliff Lee         2008 22  2  29 CLE AL  29  29  4   2  0  .917  0 210   195  59  55  28 157   2.36  187 10  827  790 28  6   0   4   2   3  24   2  0  0  0  2  .247  .275  .335  .610   60 3062 2134
    2 Roger Clemens     2001 20  3  38 NYY AL  33  33  0   0  0  .870  0 220.1 205  94  86  72 213   3.51  128 19  918  833 44  3   1   5   4   4  21  34  6  3  0 14  .246  .309  .375  .684   78 3590 2274
    3 David Cone        1988 20  3  25 NYM NL  35  28  8   4  0  .870  0 231.1 178  67  57  80 213   2.22  146 10  936  836 29  4   7   4  11   5  11  29 12  1 10 10  .213  .283  .293  .576   75
    4 Ron Guidry        1978 25  3  27 NYY AL  35  35 16   9  0  .893  0 273.2 187  61  53  72 248   1.74  208 13 1057  969 34  5   1   1  13   2  15   9 14  2  1  7  .193  .249  .279  .528   50
    5 Preacher Roe      1951 22  3  36 BRO NL  34  33 19   2  1  .880  0 257.2 247  91  87  64 113   3.04  129 30 1031                  0                        0  2                            0

I guess Matsuzaka could get there too if he gets pretty lucky.

In honor of Mo Rivera becoming #2 all-time in career saves last night, here's a fun list via Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index Pitching Game Finder - - since 1996, the leaders in saves where the pitcher required 9 pitches or less to nail down the save:

                   Games Link to Individual Games
+-----------------+-----+-------------------------+
 Trevor Hoffman      109 Ind. Games
 Mariano Rivera       93 Ind. Games
 Billy Wagner         57 Ind. Games
 Todd Jones           56 Ind. Games
 Jose Mesa            55 Ind. Games
 Jason Isringhause    51 Ind. Games
 Robb Nen             46 Ind. Games
 Bob Wickman          43 Ind. Games
 Ugueth Urbina        41 Ind. Games
 Roberto Hernandez    41 Ind. Games
 Armando Benitez      41 Ind. Games

Click here to see the extended list.

Here are the teams since 1956 that have allowed the 2 runs or less, despite allowing 20 or more base runners in 10 or less innings.

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So far in 2008, here are the top and bottom teams for most games where the guy batting in the #1 position got on base zero times:

 Tm  Year Games Link to Individual Games
+---+----+-----+-------------------------+
 COL 2008    50 Ind. Games
 OAK 2008    42 Ind. Games
 TOR 2008    39 Ind. Games               

...

...

 TEX 2008    20 Ind. Games
 FLA 2008    18 Ind. Games
 CLE 2008    18 Ind. Games               

This stat doesn't seem to correlate very much with overall record.

So I thought that perhaps looking at games where the leadoff hitter got on base at least 3 times would correlate with record, but it doesn't either:

 Tm  Year Games Link to Individual Games
 ---+----+-----+-------------------------
 SDP 2008    37 Ind. Games
 DET 2008    37 Ind. Games
 CLE 2008    37 Ind. Games               

...
...

 TBR 2008    23 Ind. Games
 ARI 2008    23 Ind. Games
 OAK 2008    18 Ind. Games
 HOU 2008    15 Ind. Games                

On ESPN radio in New York there was some discussion tonight that no team had won a World Series with a starting shortstop 35 or older since 1955. (The fact that Derek Jeter turns 35 next year was the basis for the discussion.)  This surprised me, so I used PI to check.  Here all the shortstops 35+ who have started a game in a world series and won.

 Skeeter Webb      1945     4 Ind. Games
 Honus Wagner      1909     4 Ind. Games
 Phil Rizzuto      1952     4 Ind. Games
 Phil Rizzuto      1953     4 Ind. Games
 Pee Wee Reese     1955     4 Ind. Games
 Bill Dahlen       1905     4 Ind. Games
 Phil Rizzuto      1955     3 Ind. Games
 Pee Wee Reese     1956     3 Ind. Games
 Pee Wee Reese     1953     2 Ind. Games
 George Davis      1906     2 Ind. Games
 Monte Cross       1905     1 Ind. Games
 Mike Bordick      2000     1 Ind. Games
 Mark Belanger     1979     1 Ind. Games

The teams with 4 wins won the world series.  The teams with less wins did not. (They could have, if the player hadn't started every game, but that was not the case.) There have been 6 world series won by shortstops 35 or older. In 3 of those, the opposing shortstop was also 35+. No one has done it since 1955.