Last night, Zack Grienke won his 5th game of the year in his 5th start, but he broke his string of starts allowing no earned runs. Turns out he set the record for most starts allowing no runs and getting the win from the start of a season (1954 to present):

                   StreakStart  Streak End Games   W   L   GS  CG SHO  GF  SV   IP     H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR   ERA  HBP  WP  BK Teams
+-----------------+-----------+-----------+-----+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 Zack Greinke       2009-04-08  2009-04-24     4    4   0   4   2   1   0   0   29     19    1    0    6   36   0   0.00   1   1   0 KCR

 Dontrelle Willis   2004-04-08  2004-04-20     3    3   0   3   0   0   0   0   19.1   13    1    0    5   15   0   0.00   2   0   0 FLA
 Woody Williams     2003-04-02  2003-04-18     3    3   0   3   0   0   0   0   19.2   11    0    0    3   13   0   0.00   1   0   0 STL
 Tommy Greene       1991-05-01  1991-05-28     3    3   0   3   2   2   0   0   24      5    0    0    9   24   0   0.00   1   0   0 PHI
 Roger Moret        1973-04-22  1973-08-02     3    3   0   3   2   2   0   0   23.2   16    1    0   11   18   0   0.00   0   0   0 BOS
 Luis Tiant         1966-04-17  1966-05-03     3    3   0   3   3   3   0   0   27     14    0    0    8   25   0   0.00   0   0   0 CLE
 Tom Cheney         1963-04-11  1963-04-26     3    3   0   3   3   2   0   0   27      8    1    0    2   26   0   0.00   0   0   0 WSA
 Don Larsen         1958-04-15  1958-05-13     3    3   0   3   2   2   0   0   23     15    0    0   10   11   0   0.00   0   0   0 NYY

Greinke allowed 2 ER in 7 IP last night but still got the win. His troubles have been well-documented and this is a guy we should all root for to continue to succeed.

Greinke is the cover story on this week's Sports Illustrated. Click on the image above to read the story on their web site.

This is a simple batting streak finder for most games at the start of a career with at least 1 RBI, going back to 1954:

                   StreakStart  Streak End Games    AB    R    H   2B  3B  HR  RBI  SO   BB   SB   CS   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  Teams
+-----------------+-----------+-----------+-----+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 Gene Baker         1954-04-13  1954-04-24     7     26   10   12   3   0   4   10    0    7    0   0  .462  .576 1.038 1.614 CHC

 Faye Throneberry   1955-04-12  1955-04-17     6     25   12   10   4   0   3   12    3    2    0   0  .400  .429  .920 1.349 BOS

 Mike Lansing       1993-04-07  1993-04-11     5     26    6   12   2   0   2    8    1    1    0   0  .462  .481  .769 1.250 MON
 Bobby Knoop        1964-04-13  1964-04-21     5     17    2    3   0   0   2    5    4    2    0   0  .176  .263  .529  .792 LAA

 Jesse Barfield     1981-09-03  1981-09-06     4     15    1    4   1   0   1    6    2    1    1   1  .267  .313  .533  .846 TOR
 Ron Cash           1973-09-04  1973-09-10     4     16    4    8   0   1   0    4    1    0    0   0  .500  .471  .625 1.096 DET

 Jed Lowrie         2008-04-15  2008-04-20     3     12    3    5   3   0   0    5    5    0    0   0  .417  .385  .667 1.052 BOS
 Alex Romero        2008-04-03  2008-04-08     3      2    0    2   0   0   0    3    0    0    0   0 1.000  .667 1.000 1.667 ARI
 Shelley Duncan     2007-07-20  2007-07-22     3     12    3    4   0   0   3    7    4    2    0   0  .333  .429 1.083 1.512 NYY
 Jeff Salazar       2006-09-07  2006-09-10     3      9    5    5   1   0   0    5    1    4    1   0  .556  .643  .667 1.310 COL
 Jason Bay          2003-05-23  2003-08-27     3     11    3    4   2   0   1    3    2    2    0   0  .364  .462  .818 1.280 SDP-PIT
 Reed Johnson       2003-04-20  2003-05-17     3      9    3    5   2   0   1    3    2    0    0   1  .556  .636 1.111 1.747 TOR
 Hideki Matsui      2003-03-31  2003-04-02     3     14    0    4   2   0   0    3    3    0    0   0  .286  .267  .429  .696 NYY
 Jason Tyner        2000-06-05  2000-06-08     3     11    0    3   0   0   0    3    2    1    0   1  .273  .308  .273  .581 NYM
 Yamil Benitez      1995-09-16  1995-09-19     3      9    2    5   0   1   1    3    0    0    0   0  .556  .556 1.111 1.667 MON
 Shane Andrews      1995-04-27  1995-04-29     3     10    3    5   2   0   2    5    4    1    0   0  .500  .545 1.300 1.845 MON
 Pete Coachman      1990-08-18  1990-08-20     3     14    1    6   1   0   0    4    3    0    0   0  .429  .429  .500  .929 CAL
 Mike Ramsey        1987-04-06  1987-04-08     3     12    2    5   0   1   0    3    4    0    0   0  .417  .417  .583 1.000 LAD
 Rey Quinones       1986-05-17  1986-05-20     3     10    4    3   2   0   0    4    2    3    0   1  .300  .462  .500  .962 BOS
 George Bjorkman    1983-07-10  1983-07-13     3     10    1    4   0   0   1    7    1    1    0   0  .400  .455  .700 1.155 HOU
 Joe Lefebvre       1980-05-22  1980-05-24     3      8    2    4   0   0   2    5    2    1    0   0  .500  .556 1.250 1.806 NYY
 Danny Ainge        1979-05-21  1979-05-23     3     10    4    6   0   0   0    3    1    1    0   0  .600  .636  .600 1.236 TOR
 Ramon Aviles       1979-05-04  1979-05-07     3      9    3    5   2   0   0    4    1    1    0   0  .556  .600  .778 1.378 PHI
 Paul Molitor       1978-04-07  1978-04-09     3     16    4    7   0   0   1    7    0    0    0   0  .438  .438  .625 1.063 MIL
 Ruppert Jones      1976-08-01  1976-08-07     3     12    2    4   1   1   0    5    1    1    0   1  .333  .385  .583  .968 KCR
 Jim Rice           1974-08-19  1974-08-23     3      9    0    2   0   0   0    4    1    0    0   0  .222  .250  .222  .472 BOS
 Gomer Hodge        1971-04-06  1971-04-11     3      4    1    4   2   0   0    4    0    0    0   0 1.000 1.000 1.500 2.500 CLE
 Al Gallagher       1970-04-07  1970-04-09     3     12    2    6   1   1   0    3    1    0    0   0  .500  .462  .750 1.212 SFG
 Thurman Munson     1969-08-08  1969-08-12     3      9    3    3   0   0   1    4    3    4    0   0  .333  .538  .667 1.205 NYY
 Coco Laboy         1969-04-08  1969-04-10     3     11    2    6   3   0   1    5    2    2    0   0  .545  .615 1.091 1.706 MON
 Roberto Pena       1965-04-12  1965-04-14     3     13    4    5   1   0   2    5    2    1    0   0  .385  .429  .923 1.352 CHC
 Bill Freehan       1961-09-26  1961-10-01     3     10    1    4   0   0   0    4    0    1    0   0  .400  .455  .400  .855 DET
 R.C. Stevens       1958-04-15  1958-04-20     3      4    2    4   0   0   2    4    0    0    0   0 1.000 1.000 2.500 3.500 PIT
 Jim Finigan        1954-04-25  1954-05-01     3     10    0    5   1   0   0    3    1    3    0   1  .500  .615  .600 1.215 PHA
 Sammy White        1954-04-13  1954-04-18     3     10    2    7   2   0   2    6    0    0    0   0  .700  .700 1.500 2.200 BOS

Well, hold your horses...Gene Baker is not the leader, because his career actually started in 1953. The box scores (and hence the streak finder) doesn't back before 1954. Same goes for Sammy White, last guy on the list, as his career started earlier. But Jim Finigan did start in 1954, so he counts.

This list is certainly a varied bunch. For every Paul Molitor and Jim Rice there is a Rey Quinones and Coco Laboy.

So I guess this is more trivial point of itnerest than anything else...

Since 1954 two players have hit 2 homers in their first career major-league game. Do you know whom? Read the rest of this entry »

Here is quick piece of trivia.

Since 1954 four players have come up 8 times in a nine inning game. However, in only one of those games did all of the  plate appearances each take place in a different inning. On August 28th 1992, Darryl Hamilton of the Brewers took part in his team's 22-2 thrashing of the Blue Jays. The 22 runs were evenly distributed and Hamilton managed to come to the plate in every inning except the 5th. Here are his PAs as listed by PI:

Darryl Hamilton

PA     Inn  Bases  Outs              Pitcher     Result

1. 1. 1--, 0 outs vs. Key, Strikeout (K+SB2)
2. 2. --3, 2 outs vs. Key, Base on Balls (W)
3. 3. 123, 2 outs vs. Timlin, Single (S8/L8LM.3-H;2-H;1-3)
4. 4. 1--, 1 out  vs. Linton, Single (S9/G34D.1-3)
5. 6. ---, 0 outs vs. MacDonald, Out (9/F9M)
6. 7. 12-, 2 outs vs. MacDonald, Single (S9/L9S.2-H;1-3)
7. 8. 123, 2 outs vs. Eichhorn, Single (S/L89S.3-H;2-H;1-3)
8. 9. 12-, 2 outs vs. Wells, Out (4(1)/FO/G4M.B-1)
   

I know I've written on this before, but just wanted to check in on it again. Most career games since 1954 as a pitcher batting 8th, minimum 1 PA in the game:

                   Games Link to Individual Games
+-----------------+-----+-------------------------+
 Braden Looper        41 Ind. Games
 Todd Wellemeyer      36 Ind. Games
 Joel Pineiro         35 Ind. Games
 Adam Wainwright      31 Ind. Games
 Kyle Lohse           31 Ind. Games
 Matt Morris          16 Ind. Games
 Kent Mercker         15 Ind. Games
 Brad Thompson        14 Ind. Games
 Kent Bottenfield     11 Ind. Games
 Darren Oliver        10 Ind. Games
 Kip Wells             9 Ind. Games
 Jeff Suppan           9 Ind. Games
 Ben Sheets            9 Ind. Games
 Donovan Osborne       9 Ind. Games
 Carlos Villanueva     7 Ind. Games
 Anthony Reyes         7 Ind. Games
 David Bush            7 Ind. Games

Oh you crazy Tony LaRussa...

Yesterday, Kosuke Fukudome became the first player since 1954 to have 5 or more RBI on his 32nd birthday. Here are all the players since 1954 to have at least 5 RBI on their birthdays.

  AgeY.D                   Date          Tm   Opp GmReslt PA AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF ROE GDP SB CS BOr Positions
+----+------+-----------------+-------------+---+----+-------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+---+--+---+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+---------+
 27.000 Don Lock          1963-07-27    WSA @DET W  8-4   5  4  2  3  1  0  2   5  0   0  0   0  0  1   0   0  0  0 5th CF
 27.000 R.J. Reynolds     1986-04-19    PIT @CHC W 14-8   6  6  1  3  0  0  1   5  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 1st LF
 27.000 Alex Rodriguez    2002-07-27    TEX  OAK W 10-6   6  6  3  3  0  0  2   5  0   0  1   0  0  0   1   0  0  0 3rd SS
 29.000 Travis Hafner     2006-06-03    CLE  LAA W 14-2   5  4  2  3  1  0  1   6  1   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 4th DH
 29.000 Frank Thomas      1958-06-11    PIT @SFG W 14-6   6  5  3  2  0  0  2   7  1   0  0   0  0  0   0   1  0  0 5th 3B
 29.000 Nomar Garciaparra 2002-07-23(1) BOS  TBD W 22-4   6  5  3  3  0  0  3   8  1   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 3rd SS
 30.000 Carlos Delgado    2002-06-25    TOR @TBD W 20-11  6  5  2  2  0  0  1   5  0   0  0   0  0  1   0   0  0  0 4th 1B
 30.000 Bill Mazeroski    1966-09-05(1) PIT  ATL W 13-5   4  4  3  2  0  0  2   6  0   0  1   0  0  0       0  0  0 5th 2B
 31.000 Mike Sweeney      2004-07-22    KCR @DET W 13-7   6  5  2  2  0  0  2   7  1   1  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 3rd DH
 32.000 Kosuke Fukudome   2009-04-26    CHC @STL W 10-3   5  4  2  3  0  0  1   5  1   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 3rd RF
 36.000 Gus Zernial       1959-06-27    DET  BAL W 12-2   4  4  2  2  0  0  2   5  0   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 5th 1B
 37.000 Tim Raines        1996-09-16    NYY @TOR W 10-0   5  5  2  2  0  0  2   6  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 2nd LF

Nomar looks to have had the best birthday. However, if you look at the results of the second game of his team's double header (allowing 5 in the 9th to lose 5-4) , you have to wonder if he still had any interest in celebrating. Ouch.

I'm having a hard time saying goodbye to Harry Kalas.

He was a broadcaster with the Phillies from 1971 until this season. Here are the most homers by a Phillies player from 1971 to 2008:

  Cnt Player             **HR** From  To   Ages   G    PA    AB    R    H   2B  3B  RBI  BB  IBB  SO  HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB   CS   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  Positions
+----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+
    1 Mike Schmidt        548   1972 1989 22-39 2404 10062  8352 1506 2234 408  59 1595 1507 201 1883  79  16 108 156  174  92  .267  .380  .527  .907 *53/64
    2 Pat Burrell         251   2000 2008 23-31 1306  5388  4535  655 1166 253  14  827  785  47 1273  26   0  42 104    5   1  .257  .367  .485  .852 *7/3D
    3 Greg Luzinski       223   1971 1980 20-29 1281  5302  4618  618 1297 253  21  811  569  74 1093  61   1  53  96   29  27  .281  .364  .490  .854 *7/3
    4 Bobby Abreu         195   1998 2006 24-32 1353  5885  4857  891 1474 348  42  814  947  94 1078  23   4  54  88  254  80  .303  .416  .513  .929 *9/8D
    5 Ryan Howard         177   2004 2008 24-28  572  2442  2071  360  578  99   7  499  331  97  692  19   0  21  39    2   2  .279  .380  .590  .970 *3/D
    6 Mike Lieberthal     150   1994 2006 22-34 1174  4613  4141  528 1137 255  10  609  331  34  560  88  10  43 112    8   7  .275  .338  .450  .788 *2/D
    7 Scott Rolen         150   1996 2002 21-27  844  3643  3125  533  880 207  19  559  426  29  714  54   0  38  50   71  25  .282  .373  .504  .877 *5
    8 Darren Daulton      134   1983 1997 21-35 1109  4185  3504  489  858 189  23  567  607  57  709  23  12  39  34   48   9  .245  .357  .427  .784 *2/9D37
    9 Chase Utley         130   2003 2008 24-29  735  3126  2739  490  817 189  22  492  272  22  496  83   3  29  44   60  11  .298  .375  .526  .901 *4/3D
   10 Jimmy Rollins       125   2000 2008 21-29 1251  5787  5269  845 1461 307  90  544  426  34  695  30  31  31  75  295  61  .277  .333  .441  .774 *6/4
   11 Von Hayes           124   1983 1991 24-32 1208  4988  4306  646 1173 232  30  568  619  74  677  16   4  43  79  202  77  .272  .363  .427  .790 3897/5
   12 Juan Samuel         100   1983 1989 22-28  852  3780  3503  523  921 176  71  413  208  20  825  40   3  26  45  249  78  .263  .310  .439  .749 *4/895

Chase Utley had another homer in 2009 before Kalas' death.

I don't know if Kalas called all of Mike Schmidt's career homers. Probably not--Kalas probably missed a game here or there due to illness.

Harry the K also was a broadcaster for the Houston Colt 45s (now the Astros) from 1965 to 1970. Here are the leading HR hitters during that period for the Astros:

  Cnt Player             **HR** From  To   Ages   G    PA    AB    R    H   2B  3B  RBI  BB  IBB  SO  HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB   CS   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  Positions
+----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+
    1 Jimmy Wynn          163   1965 1970 23-28  882  3780  3167  534  845 152  19  484  543  49  713  17  21  32  54  130  47  .267  .374  .481  .855
    2 Joe Morgan           48   1965 1970 21-26  713  3158  2623  435  698 109  46  219  486  13  304  10  25  14  24  154  49  .266  .381  .398  .779 *4
    3 Doug Rader           44   1967 1970 22-25  456  1832  1640  218  428  76  14  239  157  19  287  13   8  14  51    6  12  .261  .328  .405  .733 *5/3
    4 Rusty Staub          43   1965 1968 21-24  594  2401  2101  228  614 129   6  290  243  63  222  13  21  23  56    7   5  .292  .366  .421  .787 3
    5 John Bateman         30   1965 1968 24-27  363  1281  1177   98  284  55   4  134   72  39  210  10   8  14  51    1   2  .241  .288  .371  .659 *2
    6 Denis Menke          29   1968 1970 27-29  458  1943  1657  210  455  74  17  238  233  28  248  15  21  17  27   13  20  .275  .366  .392  .758 *64/35
    7 Bob Aspromonte       20   1965 1968 27-30  565  2228  2033  184  528  64  12  208  153  32  218   9  16  17  66    5   8  .260  .312  .333  .645 *5/36
    8 Norm Miller          16   1965 1970 19-24  374  1292  1131  140  270  57  10  125  132  14  215  13   7   9  26   15  10  .239  .323  .349  .672 /52
    9 Joe Pepitone         14   1970 1970 29-29   75   299   279   44   70   9   5   35   18   9   28   1   0   1   7    5   2  .251  .298  .470  .768 /*3
   10 Bob Watson           14   1966 1970 20-24  169   580   522   65  135  29   2   74   43   2   99   7   1   7  17    2   1  .259  .320  .402  .722 /*32
   11 Jim Gentile          14   1965 1966 31-32  130   439   371   38   90  17   2   49   55  10  111   9   3   1   8    0   0  .243  .353  .412  .765 *3

Not much doing other than Wynn, thanks to the Astrodome.

Also, because I was curious, here are the most games by a Phillie from 1965 to 1970 against the Astros with at least one homer.

                   Games Link to Individual Games
+-----------------+-----+-------------------------+
 Dick Allen           20 Ind. Games
 Johnny Callison       7 Ind. Games
 Bill White            6 Ind. Games
 Tony Gonzalez         4 Ind. Games
 Deron Johnson         3 Ind. Games
 Wes Covington         3 Ind. Games
 Cookie Rojas          2 Ind. Games
 Don Money             2 Ind. Games
 Don Lock              2 Ind. Games
 Larry Hisle           2 Ind. Games
 Johnny Briggs         2 Ind. Games
 Rick Wise             1 Ind. Games
 Bobby Wine            1 Ind. Games
 Tony Taylor           1 Ind. Games
 Dick Stuart           1 Ind. Games
 Clay Dalrymple        1 Ind. Games
 Doug Clemens          1 Ind. Games
 Byron Browne          1 Ind. Games

Allen had 21 homers in those 20 games.

Anyway, sorry for my random musings. Like I said, I'm, having trouble saying goodbye.

The most intense rivalry in sports renews itself this weekend. Here are a couple of lists to get you started.
Read the rest of this entry »

In the comments to a different thread BoondockSaint posted a contest that he would like to have.  I don't have time to run it, but I am posting it here anyway.  If BoondockSaint (or someone else) wants to run it, please feel free to use this thread:

Read the rest of this entry »

Wang might be the nicest guy in the majors but he's off to the worst start of all players this year.

Since 1954, here are all the teams with at least 3 games among their first 12 where the starting pitcher went no more than 4 innings and gave up at least 7 earned runs:

 Tm  Year Games Link to Individual Games
+---+----+-----+-------------------------+
 MIN 1994     4 Ind. Games
 SFG 2001     3 Ind. Games
 SDP 2006     3 Ind. Games
 NYY 2009     3 Ind. Games
 BOS 2006     3 Ind. Games                

If you click through on each "individual games" link, you'll see that the Twins had 4 different pitchers "achieve" the feat. The Giants had 3 different guys. The Padres got 2 such games from Dewon Brazelton and one from Jake Peavy of all guys. The Red Sox had 3 different guys.

Only the Yankees had the "feat' achieved by just 1 guy in these three starts:

  Cnt Player            Date          Tm   Opp GmReslt App,Dec    IP   H  R ER BB SO HR Pit Str GmSc IR IS BF AB 2B 3B IBB HBP SH SF GDP SB CS Pk BK WP   ERA
+----+-----------------+-------------+---+----+-------+---------+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+--+------+
    1 Chien-Ming Wang   2009-04-08    NYY @BAL L  5-7  GS-4  ,L   3.2  9  7  7  3  0  1  73  40   12       21 17  4  0   0   0  0  1   0  0  2  0  0  0  17.18
    2 Chien-Ming Wang   2009-04-13    NYY @TBR L  5-15 GS-2  ,L   1    6  8  8  3  1  0  61  34    7       12  8  2  0   0   1  0  0   0  4  0  0  0  0  72.00
    3 Chien-Ming Wang   2009-04-18    NYY  CLE L  4-22 GS-2  ,L   1.1  8  8  8  0  1  1  52  34    7       12 12  3  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  1  54.00 

Those are some really ugly stat lines, especially for a guy who's had so much success so far in his career as one of the top game-winner from the last few seasons. I hope there's some sort of mild physical issue that Wang needs to recover from and he'll get back to his competitive form. I'm a big fan of international players in MLB and it's far too soon for Wang to leave the field.