3
Our thank you and gift for MLB fans!
How Hank HAMMERED 755 Home Runs
At only 180 pounds, how he swung a mighty hammer.
5
Clearing people’s perception of a Deadball Era legend.
6
Very Best WORST Team Since 1901
The only last place finisher with a team batting average OVER .300.
7
5 Cheaters Caught Red-Handed
Including the only Hall of Famer!
8
Five-Foot Nothing SLUGGERS EVER!
Short, but legendary power-packed home run beasts!
9
“The best and fastest pitcher I ever faced!”
10
After deep analysis, we unearthed the answer.
11
Amazing reminders why MLB is truly America’s national pastime.
12
Theft Prevention: How Bench Did It
Analyzing his technique that changed the game.
5 Best April Team Starts Since 1901
& how many won the World Series!
14
MOST SHOCKING Comeback Game Ever!
How the collapse of a 12-run lead happened…after 5 innings.
15
Cream of the crop at the top of the lineup.
16
How to Hit EXACTLY Like Ichiro Suzuki
His fierce swing uncoiled step-by-step!
PAGE 2 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
Dean Patino, Baseball Classics Founder
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Dear loyal baseball enthusiast,
Since launching our first monthly issue July 1, 2016, our mission has been to enlighten, inspire, and educate MLB fans.
We invest hundreds of hours of deep research and analysis every year so you can rapidly expand your knowledge on MLB history spanning 1901 to the present.
Because time is the tangent for busy baseball fans, our digital magazine includes insightful MLB articles, quizzes, infographics, charts, and graphs you can devour within 10 minutes.
You’re guaranteed to learn far more about the game you love after spending a few minutes reading Baseball Classics Magazine whether you’re a casual, avid, or expert baseball fan of any age.
In our special 2nd Year Anniversary, we’ve hand-selected our finest articles over the past 12 months based on those that have been valued and commented on most by our readership.
Inside this special issue you’ll discover:
- Longtime myths we debunked
- Shocking facts rarely revealed
- Inspiring in-depth stories about legendary players & teams
- How to mirror superstar skills such as: hammering home runs like Hank Aaron, throwing out runners like Johnny Bench, and batting over .300 using the unique style of Ichiro Suzuki.
Since our launch on July 1st 2 years ago, we’ve published 100 articles and given out 50 Free Baseball Classics color-coded MLB player cards inside every monthly issue for readers to print & play for endless hours of fast, easy, and statistically accurate next generation authentic game enjoyment.
We’ll continue to bring you more remarkable findings in MLB history since 1901 for a quick and easy transfer of baseball knowledge. Every single month we’ll also keep you on the pulse regarding the hottest MLB topics and happenings in 2018 and 2019!
Thank you for your readership. It’s a privilege to serve you and thousands of MLB fans worldwide. Our digital magazine will always be free so we can give back to as many MLB fans of America’s great national pastime.
In celebration of 2 amazing years, enjoy our 2nd Year Anniversary issue of Baseball Classics Magazine!
Dean Patino
Founder
Baseball Classics®
P.O.Box 6011
Naperville, IL 60567
dean@BaseballClassics.com
www.BaseballClassics.com
PAGE 3 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
Standing at 6 feet and weighing approximately 180 pounds he steps to the plate. He plants his back foot near the backline of the right-handed batter’s box and settles in before the pitch. His posture: straight-up above the waistline and slightly crouched below. The bat hovers at or above shoulder level and held by a tight grip. This positioning is slightly higher than most players.
That’s how millions of baseball fans recognized Hank Aaron’s signature pose.
His stance isn’t imposing in the box when compared to MLB sluggers such as Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Frank Thomas, Harmon Killebrew, Richie Allen, or David Ortiz.
Recently Albert Pujols connected for his 600th home run. Pujols is a dominating presence at the plate; he stands at 6’3” and weighs nearly 60 pounds more than Aaron. It’s understandable that a player with his talent and size could club that many round-trippers. So, how did Aaron with his rather trim physique hammer out 755 home runs?
Let’s examine Hank Aaron’s technique from head to toe and uncover how he generates such a powerful home run swing.
This MLB Hall of Famer batted with tremendous power consistently throughout his 23-year career (1954 – 1976). Aaron averaged nearly 40 home runs in each of those MLB seasons!
Our analysis will cover each phase of Hank Aaron’s swing: stepping into the batter’s box, the windup, pitch release, contact, follow through, and initial step out of the box. Within each phase, we’ll explain when and how he used these 10 physical areas: hips, shoulders, arms, hands, eyes, back, chest, feet, legs, and head.
Batting Stance Before Pitcher’s Windup
Aaron stands near the back of the right-handed batter’s box chalk line. His feet are spread about 18 inches apart (heel-to-heel). Positioned to the front, his left foot is slightly open towards the pitcher. He closes his stance by placing his right foot a bit farther back from home plate. This helps him balance. Crouched from the waistline down, his back hips protrude outward with knees bent enough to create about a 135-degree angle from front knee to front shoulder.
His hands hold the bat relatively high while pulling his shoulders back and keeping his top hand at shoulder level. The bat leans behind him. Aaron’s left elbow is positioned to the front. His right elbow is extended back and dipped just beneath his armpit. His shoulders are even and point straight towards the mound. Finally, his head is pitched just forward.
Before Pitch Release
As the pitcher goes into his windup, Aaron’s bat begins to wig-wag back and forth. The rest of his body is steady. Once the pitcher’s throwing arm reaches its far back motion, that is when Aaron’s swing begins. To start, he leans forward and lifts his front knee; elevating the front heel is synced. With this motion, his right backside cocks back fully revealing his jersey number, 44, to the pitcher. In a split second, Hank Aaron’s hands begin to drop several inches and his bat is perpendicular to the field.
Again, this is all before the pitcher has thrown the ball.
After Pitch Release
Soon as the pitch is released Aaron’s front foot comes forward. This action allows him to lean into the pitch. As his front foot plants forward, his back-foot plants in at his toes with the heel off the ground. To generate power, Aaron’s hips open up facing the pitcher in rhythm with his footwork. During this time, his hips changes from only exposing the left side of his belt to the right side as well. His head remains nearly in the same place throughout initial contact; eyes focused like a laser beam on the ball the entire way.
All of this is happens within milliseconds.
Contact
Power and tremendous bat speed are generated by the momentum of turning hips open to create a powerful torque from his bat. He remains supported by his footwork from back to front, along with reducing the circumference of his swing.
Swing Follow Through
His wrist never “snap” (crossover) in his swing until after contact. His right leg winds up about a foot back towards the outside batter’s box line from where it was placed during his batting stance. Aaron’s bat winds all the way back with the barrel behind his head. His forward lean is exaggerated towards first base, creating a straight line from the top of his right shoulder to his right kneecap. His hands come all the way up above his shoulders. Though his body is leaning desperately rightward, his head is about face with eyes watching as the ball carries forward. From his opening stance to the time he follows through, Aaron’s waistline drops a good foot and a half.
This illustrates the leverage from his legs during contact giving way to balance afterward.
Out of the Box
With all those home runs and such a great jump out of the box, it’s no wonder Hammerin’ Hank is the all-time leader in total bases and tied for fourth in runs scored.
Summary
Aaron was lean but had powerful forearms and wrists. Having a strong bat grip with the top hand was essential. When I was a kid playing Little League baseball throughout the years, I used to go into the garage before some games and rub Turtle Wax on my hands. This always gave me a firm batting grip all game long.
Legendary Hall of Famer Ted Williams once said, “show me ten hitters and I’ll show you ten different batting stances”. Williams was a big proponent of solid mechanics and mental approach at the plate. These batting disciplines are what the greatest hitters in Major League Baseball history are made of — including the greatest players all-time, Hank Aaron.
PAGE 4 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
4
Ty Cobb Myths Debunked
Clearing people’s perception of a Deadball Era legend.
When Charles Leerhsen began research for Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty, a biography published by Simon & Schuster, he expected to find depictions Ty Cobb as a racist who sharpened his spikes as a tactic to get past opposing infielders. Instead, he found a man who was humanly flawed. We’re debunking four myths that probably altered your perception of Ty Cobb’s reputation.
Myth #1: He was an ill-tempered sportsman who injured players
Reports swirled that Cobb had a mean temperament and was sometimes violent. There’s a popular photo of Cobb sliding feet-first towards third base while kicking up a cloud of dirt. Some misinterpret the document as proof that his technique involved sharpening his spikes to harm infielders. The fact is that way of sliding was common for players in that era, the game was played differently back then.
Crawford’s opinion of Cobb mattered because when Cobb joined the team in 1905, Crawford was already established as an exceptional player. Sam Crawford was an All-Time Great Tiger. He ranks as the ninth-best hitter of all time, ahead of greats such as Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle, among others. For 11 consecutive years (1905 – 1915), Crawford was among the American League leaders in hits, RBI, extra base hits, slugging percentage and total bases.
Because Cobb accepted seemingly undeserved preferential treatment and allegedly stole Crawford’s thunder, the two barely tolerated each other. After Cobb had died, a reporter found hundreds of letters by Cobb in the player’s home. Cobb had been petitioning to influential people for Crawford’s induction into the Hall of Fame.
Myth #2: He was a known racist
There are several accounts of Cobb supposedly pistol-whipping black men and even one about how he stabbed a black waiter in Cleveland. Because he was born in 1886 in Georgia, many people assumed these racial allegations to be highly probable. Stump’s biography became the main testimony for this allegation.
Yes, Cobb had a few run-ins with black people, but racial motives were unproven.
In an interview with Bill Littlefield (WBUR.org), Leerhsen refuted this claim. “But what they don’t know — and what I found out — is that he descends from a long line of abolitionists. His great-grandfather was a preacher who preached against slavery and was run out of town. His grandfather refused to fight in the Confederate army because of the slavery issue. His father was a state senator who spoke up for his black constituents and broke up a lynch mob in town and had a very short political career because of it.”
Dan Holmes, an editor at Detriot Athletic, provided additional commentary on Cobb and racism. “Ty had his prejudices toward minorities … Cobb didn’t hate all blacks, however. He had several friends who were African American, and he helped many blacks in Georgia by paying their hospital bills and college tuition. He was an admirer of Jackie Robinson and Don Newcombe.”
Myth #3: He was a murderer
In the movie Cobb, there’s a scene where Tommy Lee Jones as Ty Cobb kills a man in Detroit. The fabricated murder and confession were conceived in 1960 when Al Stump, a sportswriter was assigned to ghostwrite Ty Cobb’s autobiography, My Life in Baseball: The True Record.
Nearing his mid-seventies, Cobb was undergoing cancer treatment while retelling his story to Stump. According to the hired writer, Cobb made a “boozy, pill-induced, off-the-record confession” of murder (Smithsonian Magazine). However, because Cobb maintained editorial control, the alleged confession was never published in the Doubleday & Company autobiography. Instead, Stump filed it away with his notes.
The truth is, the Chicago Tribune reported that Cobb was attacked by a Detroit thug. Holmes explained that “there’s absolutely no evidence that Cobb killed a man in Detroit. Cobb WAS assaulted by some men in Detroit in the 1910s and he did chase the men away after he brandished a pistol, but there was no wrongdoing on Cobb’s part, and certainly had there been a dead body found in a back alley in Detroit and/or someone missing, there would have been some news about it.”
Myth #4: His community was ashamed and few mourned him
A tarnished reputation can have lasting negative effects. Cobb’s funeral was not attended by many. However, it wasn’t because his community was ashamed of him. The Cobb family requested a private funeral service at which just a small handful of former players attended.
The MLB and Detroit Tigers each send representatives. In fact, there were so many flowers and cards that extra help was needed to manage them.
Wesley Fricks, an adviser and former historian for the Ty Cobb Museum, lamented in The Augusta Chronicle that “Augusta residents should be appalled … Racial reform in Augusta should not be fought at the expense of a man who helped make Augusta a great place to live and work.”
By the time he retired, Cobb’s legacy had included a sizable college scholarship fund for Georgia residents. There is a stadium in Hampden–Sydney College built in his honor. Most impressive is that he retained MLB records for almost a half century or more. Georgians were proud to be connected with him.
Ty Cobb wasn’t a saint; he was unpleasant and overly sensitive. Stump’s work was later thoroughly discredited as sensationalized and false. Sadly the negative statements about him remain preserved in digital and print records. Some historians and fans were able to restore Cobb’s reputation through editorials and memorials.
On the 37th anniversary of Cobb’s death (1998), the Ty Cobb Museum in Georgia was completed. Leershsen along with other historians and writers uncovered that Stump’s book was almost completely fabricated. Some like Juan Marichal and Don Drysdale complained that Stump’s interview style was questionable and some quotes were false.
In Leershen’s 2015 Cobb biography, he found that Cobb had “a temper and fought with his share of people, including a fan who heckled him mercilessly” (New York Times). However, he was not “a bigot primed to attack black men or a brandisher of carefully filed daggers beneath his shoes.”
PAGE 5 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
VERY BEST Worst
Team Since 1901
The only last place finisher with a team batting average OVER .300
In 1916 the Philadelphia Athletics finished that MLB season with a losing record of 36-117. That equated to a lowly ‘winning’ percentage of .235 — the lowest since 1901.
Measuring a team’s performance on that metric, they are the very worst MLB team in the past 115 seasons. Make that 116 seasons since no team will come close to their dubious records this year.
One might wonder how could this be. After all, they were only 9 1/2 games away from losing 100 more games than they won. Gulp!
The 1916 A’s actually had a decent team. I know. I know! I questioned it myself and decided to review their stats. I’m not suggesting they aren’t the worst MLB team due to their winning percentage, or lack thereof. However, when looking at these numbers in a vacuum, we’ve all seen worse.
- 3.92 Team ERA
- .242 Team Batting Average
- 2nd in AL Home Runs
- 4th in AL Triples
- 1st in AL Complete Games Pitched
- 4th in AL Shutouts
- Allowed fewer hits than innings pitched
That’s not bad. It’s decent for a team with the worst win-loss record since 1901, right?
Of course, there’s a catch. Their team ERA and batting average ranked dead last and next to last.
Their batting couldn’t compete with the rest of the American League. Additionally, their lack of run support was lousy; they were rock bottom. It was so bad that two of their starting pitchers finished with 1-20 and 1-16 records behind their respective 3.47 and 3.69 ERAs. Talk about hard luck pitchers!
Which MLB Team is the VERY BEST worst Since 1901?
To qualify, this team had to finish the season in last place. No exceptions.
In fact, they finished 50 games below .500. This cellar dweller lost 102 games. Their staff allowed a whopping 6.80 collective ERA. It is still the highest team ERA since 1901. Those two categories alone surely placed them as one of worst MLB teams.
Wait, save your boos! Especially your Philly fans. There is a huge silver lining.
Here is why they are the VERY BEST of the worst.
The 1930 Philadelphia Phillies have the 3rd highest team batting average in MLB history at .315.
Times were simpler back in 1930. The Mickey Mouse comic strip and Hostess Twinkies made their first appearance. A gallon of gas was just ten cents and a loaf of bread was only eight cents.
It wasn’t all rosy. The Great Depression was heading into its second year. Phillies fans watched their team’s ups and downs mimic real life that season.
The 1930 MLB season is arguably the wildest and surely the most outrageously offensive MLB season since the dark steroids era. It was an offensive onslaught. The MLB team batting average was .296 that year!
Phillies ace pitcher Phil Collins posted a 16-11 record and high. Considering the offensive onslaught that season, his 4.78 ERA was just acceptable. Reliever John Milligan helped the cause by sporting a nifty 3.18 ERA, though only over 28 1/3 innings.
No other pitcher posted an ERA below 5.70. Most carried ERAs such as 7.71, 7.59, 6.80, 7.67, and on. That’s not counting a couple of staff members who combined for a double-digit ERA. All that adds up to allowing a horrifying 7.69 runs per game. Here’s a sampling.
Opposing teams scored double-digit runs in a merciless 45 games against the Phillies that season. How did those teams manage that?
The 1930 Phillies staff allowed more than 13 hits per 9 innings. They walked more than a few every 9 innings too. They also failed to strikeout batters each game.
Alongside being last in the National League in wins and ERA, Phillies pitchers also ranked dead last in the several categories. You may want to grab your favorite beverage; this is going to take awhile. Phillies were last in completed games, saves, shutouts, hits allowed, runs allowed, earned runs allowed, home runs surrendered, and dishing out free passes. At least they weren’t last in strikeouts recorded — they finished second to last.
On a positive note, the 1930 Philadelphia Phillies had phenomenal hitting. They retaliated at the plate causing serious damage in National League pitching. Take a look at their starting lineup.
- Denny Sothern, Center field .280
- Lefty O’Doul, Left field .383
- Chuck Klein, Right field .386
- Don Hurst, First base .327
- Pinky Whitney, Third base .342
- Fresco Thompson, Second base .282
- Tommy Thevenow, Shortstop .286
- Spud Davis, Catcher .313
By the way, 4 guys on the bench batted over .300 too — including Cy Williams. Sure, Cy had only 17 at bats, but .471 will sting a few opposing pitchers on the mound. Not bad for a left-handed batter off the bench. He was 42 and playing at the end of his career! Heck, even pitcher Buzz Phillips went 6 for 13 for a .462 average. Okay, Phillips had an 8.04 ERA over 43 2/3 innings, but at least he returned the favor a bit at the plate.
Chuck Klein was the shining star at the plate. The future Hall of Fame honoree hit the daylights out of the ball with authority as seen here in his 1930 Baseball Classics® card.
By now you know he wasn’t alone. A closer look at their offensive barrage points to their home ballpark in Philadelphia.
The Baker Bowl was the quintessential paradise for batting averages to rise higher than any tide and a nightmare for any pitcher’s ERA — especially once the Deadball Era passed.
The Phillies home ballpark was the earthquake epicenter causing a tsunami of hits and runs felt throughout the National League in 1930. The dimensions were appetizing to every batter from either side of the plate. A poke down the right field line took only 280 feet before reaching the 60-feet-tall wall. Imagine the dents that took from line shots off the bats of wide-eyed hitters aiming for it. Note: the notorious Green Monster at Boston’s Fenway Park is 37 feet high and 310 feet from home plate.
Baker Bowl – Home of the Philadelphia Phillies built in 1887.
When the Baker Bowl first opened, the wall was a normal height. Eventually, they had no choice but to make the add-on of the 60-foot-tall structure. Ideal for billboards, it typically displayed ads like “The Phillies Use Lifebuoy” — which was a popular brand of soap from that day.
It’s no wonder Phillies’ pitching was clobbered most years past 1917. Besides attempting to hold fort in the original Bandbox park, the owners traded away consecutive 30-win pitching stud Pete Alexander. They received nothing more than the $55,000 in cold hard cash they sought.
It was game on for their opponents. Phillies pitchers surrendered runs at an alarming rate season after season: 1921 (919), 1922 (920), 1923 (1008), 1925 (930), 1928 (957), 1929 (1032), and 1930 (1199).
Fortunately, Philadelphia Phillies batters reaped the reward while hitting at home.
During the 1930 season, at home, they had a ballooned team batting average of .344. Meanwhile while on the road the air went out as they collectively dropped to .286. That’s substantial! Naturally, the opposition loved hitting at the Baker Bowl that year and compiled a .346 batting average.
The Phillies team batting average at home was at least .300 or better 9 out of 20 MLB seasons between 1918 and 1937 — the Baker Bowl’s final full season. It wasn’t shabby the other seasons. They collectively sported a .291 batting average which was the higher three-quarters of those seasons.
In case you’re wondering, the Boston Red Sox never reached a team batting average over .300 between 1918 and 1937 while hitting at Fenway with the looming Green Monster.
Honus Wagner went on to knock his 3,000th career hit at the Baker Bowl in 1914. Babe Ruth played his last major league baseball game there on May 30, 1935. Imagine if those two Hall of Fame greats played most of their home games in Philly?
There you have it! Why the 1930 Philadelphia Phillies are the very best worst team since 1901 — especially while at the Baker Bowl.
PAGE 6 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
5 Cheaters Caught
RED-HANDED
Including the only Hall of Famer!
Sadly, some of the most talented players to step onto a Major League Baseball field chose to do the unthinkable: cheat.
It’s disgraceful that despite their proven natural ability to be great in the big leagues, some felt the need to break the rules intentionally. Unfortunately, too many tried to pull a fast one like using corked bats, doctoring baseballs, blowing a bunted ball foul, and many other unfair tricks to game the system.
Just this season, the Boston Red Sox were caught cheating. They were using an Apple Watch in the dugout to relay the next pitch to their batter. Personal electronic devices are banned from MLB dugouts.
The 5 Worst MLB Cheaters
#5 
#4 Though some of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox were indicted, none of them were convicted of gambling on MLB in court. Although there is enough (circumstantial) evidence — including some very questionable performances during that World Series — to build a case against a number of players, there still isn’t any credible evidence linking the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson.
Meanwhile, Pete Rose was caught with his piles of notes wagering on games — including the Cincinnati Reds which he was managing at the time. Rose wasn’t the only one; he was just the most infamous offender.
In 1921 New York Giant players Hal Chase and Heinie Zimmerman were both suspended for attempting to fix games. There are a number of other players involved in wagering. Most of which played between 1919 and 1924. In 1943 Philadelphia Phillies owner William B. Cox was banned for betting on his own team’s games.
#3 Winner of 300 games and Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry was also caught cheating. For years, he had been suspected shooting spitballs (specifically with Vaseline). Perry once confessed, “I reckon I tried everything on the old apple, but salt and pepper and chocolate sauce topping.” Watching Perry pitch was like watching a suspect in a crime movie. He had a routine of touching the brim of his hat, face, legs, just about anything on his body to plant the thought this pitch was coming with something slimy on it. He even wrote an autobiography in the 1970’s titled, Me and the Spitter.
Gaylord wasn’t the first — nor the last — pitcher to doctor a baseball. Quite a few have since been caught on the mound applying foreign substances (including pine tar) on the ball. It was easily spotted on the side of New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda’s neck by the home plate umpire.
Speaking of being caught red-handed. In likely the dumbest form of cheating in MLB history, Seattle Mariners pitcher Rick Honeycutt was busted with a thumbtack taped to his finger on September 30, 1980. Hidden on his gloved hand, he used his next two pitches to cut the baseball until it was obviously sliced. He gave up two consecutive hits using this illegal procedure. It gets dumber. At one point, he removed his glove (completely forgetting about the thumbtack taped to his finger) and accidentally cut his forehead while wiping it!
When the rest of the umpiring crew showed up to search his glove and back pockets, Niekro stoped them. Instead, he stepped back, reached into his back pockets and pretended to empty them. Unlucky for him, the umps notice his shifty attempt to toss an emery board. They immediately toss Niekro.
Heck, others such as Yankees star Whitey Ford was known for throwing a “gunk ball”. He coated the ball with a personal concoction of baby oil, turpentine, and resin. Whitey was never caught.
#2 
Bell was the worst because his Indians teammate Jason Grimsley (pitcher) thought it wise to swap out the suspicious lumber — which was locked in the umpires’ locker room — with a regulation bat. Grimsley went through a crawl space in the ceiling and then plopped down through an escape hatch to completed the swap.
Lest not forget the time in 1974 when New York Yankees third baseman, Graig Nettles’ bat exploded with 6 super balls coming out!
#1 Corporate espionage. This cheating was so horrific that the offender, St. Louis Cardinals former scouting director Chris Correa was sentenced to 46 months in prison.
“[Correa] knew what projects the Astros’ analytics department was researching, what concepts were promising and what ideas to avoid,” cited a document signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Chu who prosecuted the case against Correa.
In line with all the cheaters prior, Correa denied any wrongdoing. He initially claimed that he accessed Houston’s database was to see whether the Astros had stolen any information from the Cardinals. For two and a half years, really? No other person in the Cardinals organization was found to be involved in this criminal activity.
Fortunately, America’s National Pastime continues to rise above these incidents. The thousands who have played in the MLB have done so with great integrity and honesty while leveraging their remarkable talents.
PAGE 7 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
THE BEST
5-Foot Nothing
SLUGGERS EVER
Short, but legendary power-packed home run beasts.
Outstanding hitters have been coming in small sizes throughout Major League Baseball history. There is an endless amount of talented players under 6 feet tall. This includes legends such as Mickey Mantle, Ricky Henderson, and many more.
Obviously, there are players at the plate towering well over 6 feet. Ruth stood at 6’2″, Dave “King Kong” Kingman stood at 6’6″, and Frank Howard was a 6’7″mammoth. Fans and clubs expect big men like these to go deep early, and often, by jacking tape measure shots over the wall and even out of the park.
Then there are these nine sluggers under 5’9″ who stand like giants. Each one has a bloated slugging average (HR+3B+2B+1B/AB) that’s well over .400. Listed in descending height order, our shortest is an all-time great Hall of Fame slugger!
PAGE 8 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
The Legend of SATCHEL PAIGE
“The best and fastest pitcher I ever faced”
After repeating the same routine thousands of times since his childhood, this day was different. Because forty-two years since his first pitch, he bent and to lace his cleats for the final time before playing a Major League ball game.
The weather was inviting with clear skies all day. Leading into game time, the temperature hovered around a mild 62 degrees as the sun began to set. With a faint hint of wind to match just below 10 miles per hour, it was a picture-perfect evening to play America’s National Pastime.
He slipped into his uniform which featured a zero on its back. His cap was worn slightly cocked to the left. At 59 years and 80 days young, he would be the oldest player in MLB history to pitch. The modest-sized crowd (9,289 spectators) at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium cheered as he approached the mound for his warm-up pitch.
This historic event took place on September 25, 1965. Kansas City Athletics owner Charlie Finley signed Paige to a 1-game contract. The side agreement was he would pitch 3 innings. That night, as the A’s played the Boston Red Sox, Satchel Paige approached the mound doing his usual leisurely stroll.
The first batter up against Paige was Boston’s Jim Gosger. Standing on the rubber, Satchel was a lanky (6’3″) baller who weighed in at only 180 pounds. Centerfielder Gosger skipped a season, but prior to 1963 he only had 19 plate appearances. He finished well below the Mendoza line (under .200). The 1965 season was kinder to him; his average was in the .260s as he stepped into the batter’s box. All he could muster against the man nearly 3 times his age was a popout to Athletics first baseman Santiago Rosario. Ironically, Gosger would be traded to Kansas City the following season.
Batting second, Dalton Jones reached on a groundball error by Rosario. With Red Sox All-Star Carl Yastrzemski up, Jones was then thrown out while attempting to advance to third base by Kansas City catcher Billy Byran. Coincidentally, Yastrzemski had watched his father bat against Satchel many years earlier in a semipro game played on Long Island. He lined a double against Paige. Surely no shame, for Yaz wound up leading the American League in doubles that season with 45. That was the most doubles in a single-season for his Hall of Fame career.
Paige shut down the Red Sox who were without a baserunner in the second and third innings. This was also the last time he would strikeout a batter in his MLB career. Athletics skipper came out to remove him from the game in the top of the 4th inning to a chorus of jeers, which turned to cheers as Satchel shook his hand. Walking towards the dugout, his teammates greeted him with a standing ovation. He tipped his cap to the crowd and, in true showman fashion, took a bow.
Paige tossed only 28 pitches to get those 9 outs. He stubbornly held Boston’s powerhouse lineup to a mere 1 hit and no runs.
Two days later Paige made his Major League Baseball debut becoming the first former Negro League player to pitch in Major League Baseball. He pitched 2 innings against the St. Louis Browns without giving up any hits or runs while racking up a strikeout.
The signing by Veeck turned out to be a shrewd, strategic move. Satchel Paige helped the Indians win the 1948 AL Pennant by compiling a winning record of 6-1 (highest winning percentage on the staff) and an impressive 2.48 ERA. Cleveland needed each of those victories. In one of the most exciting pennant races, the Indians only edged out the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees by 1 and 2 1/2 games respectively.
In a storybook finish, Cleveland and crafty Paige won the 1948 World Series 4-2 over the Boston Braves. Satchel, at 42, nearly won Rookie of the Year for his performance. He was also the oldest rookie in MLB history. Imagine what could have been had either the Red Sox or Yankees signed him.
Satchel Paige finished his MLB career with a 28-31 record, a 3.29 ERA, and 4 shutouts. All achieved during his 40s and that one game pitched when he was 59. Over 476 innings, other batters could manage only 429 hits.
In 1936, then minor leaguer Joe DiMaggio went up against Satchel Paige. He stated Paige was “the best and fastest pitcher I ever faced.”
T
Paige’s infamous windmill windups served towards deceiving hitters. One-, two-, or three-time rounding of his arm before whirling any one of his pitches kept them guessing. The cleverly animated Paige nicknamed them:
- “Bat Dodger”
- “Thoughtful Stuff”
- “Long Tom”
- “Bee-Ball”
- “Midnight Creeper”
- “Wobbly Ball”
- “Whipsy-Dipsy-Do”
- “Hesitation Pitch”
His “hesitation pitch” was named illegal in the big leagues due to manager’s complaining it was a balk. Paige dissented,
“Some of the umpires have been saying they’re going to call a balk on me if I throw my ‘hesitation’ with a man on third. I guess if they do, that’ll just have to be all right. But it won’t be no balk. The rules say a balk is a pitch that fools the base runner. If I wind up, the base runner knows I can’t throw to catch him so I got to throw home. So when I wind up with my ‘hesitation,’ I ain’t fooling the runner, I’m fooling the batter. Ain’t that what a pitcher’s supposed to do?”
Paige claims to have pitched in front the largest crowd ever (at the time) for a night baseball game totaling 78,941. That wasn’t the only time. In 1956, the two showmen teamed up once more. Bill Veeck was brought in to run the Phillies Triple-A affiliate Miami Marlins. He immediately signed 51-year old Paige. Then ordered for a helicopter to bring him to the mound on opening night in front of another massive crowd. In the Orange Bowl, 57,713 fans were treated to a 6-2 victory by Paige and the Marlins over the Columbus Jets.
Satchel Paige said he’s pitched some 2,500 games over his lifetime; winning around 2,000 of them.
Legendary stories are told by Paige like the time he claimed to walk the bases loaded in a 1942 Negro League World Series game so he could face the best hitter, slugger Josh Gibson with the game on the line. According to Paige he relentlessly trash talked after each pitch including declaring where each pitch would end up. Gibson was out on three pitches.
Research show Gibson struck out against Paige. However, it doesn’t show he walked any batters that game. Yet, Paige’s reputation is upheld by many MLB greats. Cardinals Hall of Famer, Dizzy Dean stated Satchel Paige was “the pitcher with the greatest stuff I ever saw.” Paige’s fastball made Dean’s look like a changeup. Bob Feller claimed Paige was the best he ever saw. Hack Wilson stated the ball looked like a marble when it crossed the plate.
The legend of Satchel Paige will live on forever in baseball fields spread all over this country and others which he graced with his memorable flair and brilliant pitching excellence. Too bad he never face Babe Ruth, it’s one of the things Paige said he was disappointed most about. Imagine the size of the crowd to see that showdown between two of the greatest showman MLB has ever known.
PAGE 9 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
WHO WAS THE
BETTER BATTER?
RUTH OR WILLIAMS
After deep analysis we unearthed the answer.
Most Major League Baseball fans agree that Babe Ruth is the greatest player of all time. He pitched 10 seasons with a winning record showcasing hitting stats that will be respected for decades. Was Ruth a better hitter than Boston Red Sox’s perennial batting title champ Ted Williams?
As an avid fan of Major League Baseball history, I always thought one was the better hitter. Closer review revealed the choice was a close call and I recently changed my stance. Let’s dig in, analyze the facts, and discover which of these iconic MLB Hall of Famers was the better hitter.
Ted Williams – Background
During our research, we came across interesting similarities in their backgrounds and player stats. Both played baseball at a very young age and had great mentors along the way. The most striking similarity was that both were relentless in studying and knowing the strike zone. Some umps hesitated to call a strike if Ted Williams didn’t swing at the pitch. During Babe Ruth‘s early years, he punched a home plate umpire in the head because he thought the ump was wrong on ball and strike calls.
Each had their own ‘tough love’ story with their parents growing up. However, they thrived from the moment they were signed to play pro ball in the minor leagues. Each blossomed further once in the big leagues. They quickly made their mark: at age 20 Ruth was impressive on the mound and Williams was dominating at just 19 years.
Ted Williams was born in San Diego, California on August 30, 1918. At the ripe age of 20, Williams said, “All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, ‘There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived’.” Later in life, someone asked whether or not he accomplished that. Williams humbly replied it was a great honor just to be mentioned in the same sentence as Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig.
In 1938 Williams played his first professional ball for the Minneapolis Millers. His hitting instructor was legendary MLB all-time great Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby, a 3-time .400 hitter, advised Williams to “get a good pitch to hit”. Ted Williams went on to win the triple crown that minor league season in Double-A by batting .366, slugging 43 home runs, and driving in 142 runs.
Later in life, Williams had a chance to pay it forward. When Carl Yastrzemski was struggling while first coming up with the Boston Red Sox, Williams was summoned to work with him. Yaz said the big thing they worked on was the strike zone. Williams was a brilliant student of the strike zone and aimed to transform Yastrzemski into one as well. Williams knew to wait patiently when a tough pitch came across the plate because he’d eventually get a much better pitch to hit. His on-base percentage, at a jaw-dropping .482, is the all-time best in MLB history.
Ted Williams – Stat Timeline
- In 1939, as a Red Sox rookie, he drove in 145 RBIs, 31 HRs, and had a .327 avg. There wasn’t a Rookie of the Year award back then, but if there were, he surely would have won it.
- In 1940, Williams switched to left field and batted .344.
- In 1941, he batted .406 and became the last MLB player to earn enough at bats to win the over .400 batting title. When his manager offered to let him sit out his last game after having batted just over .400, Williams refused. Instead, he went 6 for 8 against Philadelphia Athletics pitching that day.
- 1943, 1944, and 1945 Williams served his country in the U.S. Navy.
- In 1946, after not playing for 3 years, Williams batted .342 while leading the league in hits.
- During 1947 he batted .343 and was even better in 1948 when he batted .369.
- 1950 may have been his best year ever. He belted 25 home runs and drove in 83 runs heading into the All-Star break. Unfortunately, during the All-Star game, he crashed into the outfield wall and shattered his elbow. He was done for the season.
- 1952 and 1953 he once again served his country in the war. This time as a wingman for future astronaut John Glenn.
- 1954 Williams broke his collarbone early in the season. Yet he came back strong and fell merely 14 at bats shy of winning the batting title at .345.
- Williams batted .388 in 1957, only 6 hits short of batting .400.
- 1959 was his only poor year. He suffered from a troublesome stiff neck and wore a neck brace for part of that season.
Ted Williams could have retired after that season but didn’t want his career to end that way. In 1960 he insisted on a 30% pay cut for underperforming the prior year. He produced that season batting .316 with 29 home runs. Williams scored one last homer run during his final plate appearance.
Of all his incredible stats, the most perplexing of all could be that only about 10,000 fans turned out for his final home game at Fenway Park.
George Herman “Babe” Ruth – Background
George Herman Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895. His parents weren’t around too often. His father worked long hours at a saloon while his mother suffered from poor health. He spent a lot of days unsupervised which left him in a lot of trouble. While hanging out at the waterfront streets and docks, Ruth committed petty theft and vandalism. He stole money from the till at the bar his dad worked in. He took sips from beer glasses patrons left behind. He even developed a taste for chewing tobacco. This was all by the time he was 6 years old.
After his 7th birthday, his folks petitioned to have him sent to St. Mary’s Industrial School. There, a Canadian-born priest and the kids played with an old baseball. Ruth imitated the priest’s batting and running style by gripping the bat tight by the knob and running with quick, tiny steps.
In 1913 Ruth signed on with the minor league Baltimore Orioles in South Carolina. In two outings against the Phillies, he faced 29 batters, allowed only 6 hits, and 2 unearned runs. The next week he threw a complete game victory over the Philadelphia Athletics who had won 3 of the last 4 World Series.
The Orioles club was short on cash, so they sold Babe to the Boston Red Sox. On July 11, 1914, less than 5 months after he left St. Mary’s Industrial school, he made his debut at Fenway Park. Babe pitched 7 innings and received credit for that victory. Next season, his MLB career officially began.
Babe Ruth – Stat Timeline
- Ruth slumped early in 1915. He broke his toe on the bench because he was frustrated about being intentionally walked. He returned to have a stellar season and won 3 complete games in June — including a 13-1 record between June and September. His record that year wound up at 18-8. To top that, he led the Red Sox in home runs that year. He had 4 home runs while batting .315.
- In 1916 he won 23 games with a league-leading 1.75 run average. He also tossed 9 shutouts. Ruth led the BoSox in hitting with a .325 batting average.
- During the 1917 MLB season, Ruth argued with umpires about their strike zone judgment. While facing the Washington Senators on June 23, he walked the first batter on 4 straight pitches. Ruth stormed off the mound and punched the home plate umpire in the head. He was ejected with a 10-day suspension and a $100 fine. Ernie Shore came in to relieve Ruth. The runner on first got thrown out for attempting to steal second. Shore went on to retire the next 26 batters in the order and earned an unofficial perfect game.
- Ruth finished the season with a 24-13 record and completed 35 of 38 starts with 6 shutouts and a 2.01 ERA.
- When 1918 came around, Ruth was unleashed at the plate on a more regular basis. Besides starting pitching duty, he had an expanded role in outfield and at first base. He had what is likely the greatest stretch in MLB history that season. From mid-July to early September, Ruth pitched every 4th day and played either left field, center field, or first base on the other days. During a 10-game stint at Fenway, Ruth hit .469, slugged .969, and landed 5 triples.
- 1919 was Babe’s last season with the Red Sox. It was outstanding before they sold him off to the Yankees for cash. While still splitting pitching and fielding positions, he led the league in home runs, RBIs, runs, on-base percentage, slugging average, total bases, and more while compiling a .322 batting average.
- At only 25 years old, in 1920 and 1921, his at bats continue to increase each season as did his impressive offensive output. He belted over 50 homers and batted over .370 in both seasons. The next closest home run hitters in either league was in the mid-teens.
- 1923 through 1932 the Sultan of Swat led the league in deep blasts for 8 seasons. For four seasons he batted over .370 on his way to dominating in many other offensive categories. He also led the league in walks 9 times over that span.
- During the inaugural MLB All-Star game at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, Ruth blasted the first home run and robbed Chick Hafey of a home run to help secure the win 4-2.
- In 1934 Ruth took a pay cut to $17,000. On July 13th he belted his 700th career home run and drew his 2,000th MLB walk.
In August, during the Yankees last trip to Fenway, a record crowd of 48,000 showed up assuming it would be Ruth’s final game there. Meanwhile, only 2,000 fans attended his final home game at Yankee Stadium.
Ruth pitched 10 seasons and sported a winning record each time. In his over 163 career games pitched, his win-loss record was 94-46, with his career run average was 2.28.
Babe Ruth vs. Ted Williams – Who Was The Better Batter?
A quick glance at the lifetime stats for these all-time great MLB players reveals remarkable performances. Their historical numbers show no clear indication of whether Ruth or Williams was the better hitter.
However, when presenting 10 offensive career statistics in graphics, though still very close, it starts to become clear.
First, we’ll show a graphic on how they stack up on these 5 all-time stats: batting average, slugging average, on-base percentage, on-base plus slugging, and total bases.
Next we’ll present a side-by-side comparison of their probabilities to reach base via a walk, single, double, triple, and home run. We used Baseball Classics® player cards to come up with this objective conclusion using probabilities for these 5 offensive categories.
The roll column on the left-hand side of their cards represents dice roll outcomes using 3 traditional dice. There are 216 possible ways to roll 3 through 18 as shown in the roll column.
The probability of rolling a 10 or 11 is most likely. It becomes less likely with each subsequent dice roll number above or below each one.
The probabilities range from 12.5% (dice roll of 10 or 11) all the way down to 0.463% (dice roll of 3 or 18).
Here’s the summarized results:
Probability to hit a Single: WILLIAMS
Probability to hit a Double: WILLIAMS
Probability to hit a Triple: RUTH
Probability to hit a Home Run: RUTH
Probability to Walk: WILLIAMS
Batting Average: WILLIAMS
Slugging Average: RUTH
On-base Percentage: WILLIAMS
On-base Plus Slugging: RUTH
Total Bases: RUTH
These 10 categories for this head-to-head comparison were chosen because they are based on independent achievement. Others such as runs, runs batted in, and alike categories are dependent upon other players on a team.
However, baseball statisticians using Sabermetrics and other analytical measures continue to develop more ways to compartmentalize statistical player performance.
Based on these 10 categories, the edge goes to Babe Ruth as the better hitter over Ted Williams. Though tied at 5 each, Ruth gets our vote with decisive margins in both slugging average, on-base plus slugging average, and total bases.
Imagine if Ruth was in the everyday lineup from his day in MLB and didn’t play during part of the Dead Ball Era? Also, how much more astounding would Williams achievements be if he hadn’t missed years of prime playing time due to serving in the war?
On December 10, 2017 a headline rang out; Angels agree to sign “Japan’s Babe Ruth” Shohei Ohtani
One glance at Ohtani’s Japanese career stats and it’s clear he has a long way to go to live up to that headline. However, it is exciting to see a two-way player come along, especially in this age of pitching specialization.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is filled with many legendary hitters such as Ty Cobb, George Sister, Ken Williams, Chick Hafey, Stan Musial, Tony Gwynn, and the aforementioned Hornsby. Yet, Ruth and Williams set standards that ballplayers still aspire to this day. In Ruth’s case, his standard was set over 100 years ago!
PAGE 10 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
3 MLB Stories for the Ages
Amazing reminders why MLB is truly America’s national pastime.
Usually, whenever a player makes an unquestionably breathtaking catch, he’s either diving parallel to the ground or leaping high into the air before crashing into the wall. In either case, gravity immediately takes over afterward. The player is pulled to the ground and his uniform is dirtied as a reminder for his outstanding effort.
A remarkable play in 1954 was so different that it’s etched into MLB fan memories for a lifetime. Tabbed as “The Catch,” Willie Mays made a play was never seen before and has not been repeated since. You’ve probably watched the replay many times over. Those who witnessed it at the Polo Grounds were surely amazed. You can tell from their tone while recollecting.
It was a lefty vs. lefty match-up. The Giants manager just summoned reliever Don Liddle to face Vic Wertz (Indians) in this tight Game 1, World Series contest. As Wertz started his well-timed swing with the pitch about 30 feet from home plate, it was a thundering crack of the bat once contact was made near shoulder height.
Besides hauling the catch in over his shoulder with his back square to the infield, what is also amazing about this play is the distance Mays covered in about 5.51 seconds to catch this estimated 425-foot blast to the right-centerfield warning track. It isn’t known exactly how far he traveled, though if it were over 115 feet, that would be a feat few — if any — would be able to cover on such a short hang time. The drive was seriously deep. It just very may well have been over that span.
Mays’ 1954 play could be considered the greatest jump by an outfielder. With technology (such as Statcast) continually being refined, one day that play might become a common stat. You’ll find the glove worn by Willie Mays to make “The Catch” displayed in Cooperstown ( Photo by By David m8985). His shoes belong there too!
A Legendary Baseball Phenom
Professional baseball has been around since the 1800s. During that time, a tiny percentage of nearly 1.5% had the extraordinary talent to achieve 2,000 or more hits in their career. To date, only 286 players have ever accomplished this feat.
For a moment, imagine you were one of them with the incredible skills and mindset to do so.
Your name would be right up there in the ranks of legendary Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Bobby Doerr, Earl Averill, Bill Mazeroski, George Kell, and other greats for this rare accomplishment.
Just how difficult is it to hit a baseball?
Wayne State University Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Dr. Cynthia Bir, explained that once a pitcher releases a ball, it travels 12 feet as the batter locates in 0.1 seconds. In the next 0.07 seconds, while traveling 10 more feet, the batter calculates speed, movement, and trajectory of the pitch. Then it takes 0.017 seconds for the brain and body to execute the swing towards the pitch. Finally, the batter has just 0.09 seconds to decide whether or not to swing at the pitch.
0.1 + 0.07 + 0.017 + 0.09 = 0.277 seconds for pitch recognition and swing decision time
Yes, that’s just a quarter of a second. This video shows the physics of hitting a baseball.
Making the big leagues, let along racking up 2,000 hits, is nearly unthinkable for most.
Yet, William “Dummy” Hoy stands alone in doing so despite having an ailment which impeded him from hearing or speaking since he was he was 3-years old. Besides compiling over 2,000 hits, Hoy was a star player. He had blazing speed, a rocket outfield arm, and was a model player. Whether or not you believe Sam Crawford who claims Hoy introduced umpires to calling balls and strikes using hand signals, Hoy surely had a profound impact on the game in that way.
He hasn’t been elected to the Hall of Fame yet. His next opportunity to be voted in by the Veteran’s Committee (Early Baseball Committee) for those from the 1871 to 1949 era is 2020. They only vote every 10 years and requires three-fourths of this collective membership to be elected in the Hall of Fame. Based on the eligibility requirements, he’ll hopefully be elected next time they vote.
Standing Up for the Stars and Stripes
This story has been told often. In today’s age, it’s worth retelling this MLB player’s patriotic act reminds us to stand up for the American flag.
It was a typical Sunday afternoon. On April 25, 1976, in southern California, the early afternoon hours were still a bit hazy. Pitcher Steve Stone was warming up on the mound as the Cubs were getting ready to protect their slim 1-0 over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During the usual routine in between frames, Cubs centerfielder Rick Monday noticed two people in left centerfield about to light the American flag on fire. As they doused it with lighter fluid, Monday swooped in and snatched the flag away. Luckily, their first match was blown out by the wind. It turned out to be a father and son named William Errol Thomas and William Errol Morris.
“The flag represents the rights and freedoms we all enjoy in this country.”
— Rick Monday, Chicago Cubs outfielder
Shortly afterward the 25,167 fans in attendance spontaneously began singing God Bless America. Monday wasn’t your typical ballplayer; he was a patriot who served his country for 6 years as a Marine.
“The irony is the flag that they attempted to desecrate that afternoon is something my wife and I have taken across the country and have used to raise more than $500,000 for military charities,” Monday said.
PAGE 11 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
This article could be pages long on the offensive greatness of Johnny Bench, including in 1970 how he went 4-for-5 while hammering 3 home runs, all off Cardinals pitcher Steve Carlton. Or how he went on to finish with 45 deep blasts and knocked in 148 runners on his way to easily collecting the MVP that season. Not to mention his 1972 MLB season when Bench blasted 40 home runs, 125 RBIs, and 100 walks.
Johnny Bench’s batting average outpaced the league average during nearly each of his 17 MLB seasons. He led the National League in homers twice and RBIs 3 times. Another sign of his dominance at catcher was making the NL All-Star team for 14 seasons. Bench finished with 389 home runs, 2,048 hits, and 1,376 RBIs in his illustrious career. These accomplishments landed him in the Hall of Fame by the early age of 41.
Bench was a force at the plate but even more so regarded for his defense behind the plate. When he came on the big league scene during the 1967 season, teams immediately took notice of his defensive skills and rocket arm. From the moment he came to the majors, baseball had not seen a catcher with his level of skill set before. In his first full season in 1968 with the Reds, he was Rookie of the Year.
“It is about the size of a good healthy leg, and it works like a recoilless rifle.”
— Roy Blount Jr. commenting on Johnny Bench’s arm.
Baseball Classics® did a careful head-to-toe analysis of how this 10-time Gold Glove recipient mastered his craft behind the plate to throw out would-be base thieves. At 6’1″ and 197 pounds, Bench was a near-perfect machine behind the plate.
“I remember I said to Red Smith, ‘I’ve seen Campy and Berra, this fellow’s better than that. And Red said to me, ‘I’ve seen Dickey and Mickey Cochrane, and this fellow is better than them also. Ergo, Johnny Bench is the best catcher who ever lived.”
— Roger Kahn, writer ESPN’s SportsCentury
It typically takes 2 seconds from the time a pitcher delivers a pitch to a catcher getting the ball down to second base. There are many elements taking place during those split seconds. It takes years for catchers to master throwing out baserunners. For Bench, it all started with learning the art of catching.
Student of Catching
Bench was valedictorian in his high school class of 21 students. He brewed extreme confidence in himself. One example of his confidence is predicting he would win Rookie of the Year. His confidence was the groundwork behind his leadership which he demonstrated early on in the big leagues.
From the time of his MLB debut at the ripe age of 19, he wasn’t afraid to bark out directives to veteran pitchers and infielders. Understandably, long timer and successful Reds pitcher Jim Maloney took exception to it at first, though Maloney eventually came around to respect Bench’s wise choices.
“He’ll come out to the mound and chew me out as if I were a 2‐year‐old. But so help me, I like it.”
— Jim Maloney, Reds pitcher
Bench’s philosophy was simple and powerfully manifested in his play. He said, “If you say what you think, you’re called cocky or conceited. But if you have an object in life, you shouldn’t be afraid to stand up and say it. I want to be the greatest catcher ever to play the game.”
His mind avoided developing poor catcher habits by always donning a full suite of equipment, even while just warming up a pitcher. “That gets you into a lot of bad habits, catching low balls on warm‐up,” said Bench.
Ted Bench turned his son into a student of the catching game. He taught Johnny to throw at specific targets such as the belt buckle, the knee, or the corner of the base. Ted taught him to never just toss, but to fire the ball down to second base every time, even during warm-ups. Bench developed a no-nonsense mentality as a catcher due to his father’s years of instruction.
Johnny’s father also instructed him to practice throwing double the distance to second base. At times he hurled the ball as far as 250 feet with pinpoint accuracy from a crouch. It’s no wonder Bench developed a rocket arm with strong muscles supplying that type of power.
He was always thinking one step ahead of the play. For example, if there was a hit-and-run situation for a batter to hit the pitch in the gap between first and second, Bench would call for a pitch the batter couldn’t handle as well. Even if a hit-and-run wasn’t on, Bench had the pitch placement where he could snap a quick throw down to first in an attempt to pick off the runner. This kept runners honest and closer to the bag, unsure what Bench would call and when.
Bench used mind over matter, especially when it came to toughness. Bench was behind the plate to catch 1,744 major-league games. Along that MLB journey, he broke 11 bones and had three major operations.
This quote sums up what he and catchers in the majors must mentally overcome to make it: “Unless you’ve experienced it, you can’t imagine what catching is like,” Bench said. “Try doing about 24,000 squats a year or having someone kick you and hit you at least twice a day, then tell me everything’s fine. I had seven cups (athletic supporters) break during my career, hard rubber that just broke wide open. That’s scary.”
Here’s how Johnny Bench’s catching technique changed the game by helping him to throw out base stealers on first.
Pitcher From the Stretch
He takes a low crouching position, back heels nearly against his bottom. His shoulders are square to his pitcher as he gives signs for the upcoming pitch. As the pitcher begins to get into a set position from the stretch, Bench slightly turns his head to the right to glance at the runner on first, his knees just beyond the outside edges of home plate.
As the pitcher reaches his set position, Bench rises several inches higher from his initial crouch. His shoulders are slightly cocked to the right and his feet spread farther apart to gain leverage for the potential throw down to second. While in his new higher squatting position, his right knee also jets out wider, pointing about halfway between first and second base. Johnny’s back is angled slightly more than it was at the pitcher’s stretch position.
As the pitcher comes into a set position from the stretch, Bench’s head has come back to focus on receiving the upcoming pitch with his torso opened up towards the right. Using this open position to receive the pitch is important as it enables his peripheral vision to pick up when the baserunner takes off for second.
Delivery of the Pitch
As the pitch is released, Bench is still in his raised crouch. Once the pitch is about 30 feet away, Bench begins to rise. By the time he catches the pitch, he’s 2 feet taller. His right foot is back with toes pointing towards the first base dugout. His right shoulder higher than his left shoulder as he catches the pitch.
Next, it’s like a quick, fancy dance step to position his body for the throw down to second. It’s 1-2-3. Here are the steps: right foot up, left foot forward, and right foot down. It all happens in a split-second. By the time he’s completed those steps, he looks like an NFL quarterback about the throw a long pass downfield. His right arm is back and left arm slightly downward in front. The average baseball fan may never capture that snapshot image in their mind since it happens so much faster when a catcher is throwing.
With the right foot down, Bench pushes off it while thrusting his arm and body forward. His weight and momentum transfers back to the front with the release of his throw down to second base. That throw is like a guided missile. His left foot, far out in front, though still planted firmly. Meanwhile, his right foot is off the ground with knees bent. His right shoulder forward and left shoulder back with hips squared up to first base.
Bench’s throws come straight down over the top with a rapid release.
“I try to throw from the top and then come down with the ball, like I’m pulling a window shade,”
— Johnny Bench
By the time Bench has finished his throw, he’s standing in front of home plate. Thus he’s actually extending his arm beyond home plate with the release of his powerful throw. “He takes your game away from you, with that arm,” stated a rival coach.
WATCH: Bench Step-By-Step Video Analysis
The video shown demonstrates his smooth, rhythmic catch and release combined with his quick and powerful release of the ball down to second base thwarting a would be base stealer.
Notice his initial low crouch with the incoming pitch and
spring-like action rising to meet the pitch at the same time twisting his torso to the right. If you pause the video immediately after he catches the pitch, you’ll see how his catcher’s mitt is just below shoulder height and crossing over to align with his right hand.
His rise continues as he uses a swift transfer of the ball into his right throwing hand, left shoulder pointing directly to second base. His 1-2-3 footwork steps have begun with his right foot moving back. Now he’s in perfect position to leverage his powerful legs and throwing arm.
As he steps forward with his left foot, his right foot plants firmly into the dirt behind home plate and now both shoulders lined straight ahead like an arrow towards second base.
His throwing arm is chest high at this point enabling a quick release, right elbow lifting up to the height of his right shoulder and arm perpendicular to his body. Next he raises his throwing arm to a 90 degree angle on it’s way up until his throwing hand is to the back right side of the top of his head.
At this point Bench’s hips are wide open to second and in a fraction of the second all that pent up positioning towards the backside nearly instantly comes forward full throttle leading with his left leg stepping forward, followed by his bullet arm pushing through.
Bench releases the ball with his throwing arm extended and ball a good 3 feet or more in away from the right side of his head at the height of his reach. With his follow through his right leg comes forward to balance the torque of this full motion.
Summary
With the incredible amount of focus required to call a game while being an outstanding defensive catcher, it’s no wonder why there are few talents in MLB history with the ability to combine those skills and superb offense. Others such as Ivan Rodriguez, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Gabby Hartnett, and Bill Dickey are among this group with Bench.
Bench was known for holding 7 baseballs in his hand. Highly impressive. Yet, far more so is the amount of fear he put into opposing teams that thought of stealing.
For example, in 1970, through the first 100 games of the season, only two NL teams even attempted to steal against him. Bench was only 22! Pittsburgh and Chicago tried to twice but only 1 was successful. As if that’s not impressive enough, the top 4 non-Cincinnati base stealers in the league through those first 100 games collectively stole 113 bases; only 1 was against Bench.
In his catching prime, that is the type of respect Johnny Bench garnered throughout MLB.
By the way, as you’ll recall from the beginning of this article, 1970 is the same season Bench went on to win the MVP title. He earned it a second time in 1972. An all-time great MLB catcher, the legend of Johnny Bench will always be the benchmark others are measured against.
PAGE 12 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
In 1912 the Cincinnati Reds had a smokin’ red-hot start in the month of April going 20-5. That’s a whopping .800 winning percentage!
At 15 games over .500, they looked like a shoo-in to be a legit contender that season.
Then reality set in. The Reds went an abysmal 55-78 the rest of the way for a win rate nearly half of that from their torrid start. They finished 29 games out of first but it could have been worse. The Boston Braves finished 52 games out of first that season.
After a 16-9 start, the 2011 Marlins struggled like a fish out of water.
The Reds weren’t the only one-month April wonder since 1901.
The Florida Marlins reeled in their fans with an April record of 16-9 in 2011. However they were like a fish out of water the rest of the way churning out chum to finish with a final losing record of 72-90. This includes a bait-and-switch record of 5-23 in June. Surprisingly the Marlins let the Padres and Brewers off the hook finishing 0-14 against them that season.
There’s two more: the 1995 Phillies and 2009 Blue Jays also had great starts only to finish with sub .500 records to show for it.
Fortunately these teams were the exception, not the rule.
Many other teams came out of Spring Training firing on all cylinders and kept their motor running throughout the season. So history goes to show that if your favorite team has a ferocious start this month, odds are that you’ll be rooting for them all season with a chance for a thrilling finish. Hope springs eternal!
5 Best April Starts Since 1901
Many of these teams winning in April will result in happy endings. Yet there will always be some of these hot-start teams that will end their season in deep heartache. The kind of heartache you feel watching a movie with a character you grow to root for, only to see them experience a painful plot twist that suddenly turns for the worst at the end. You’ve been forewarned.
Now onto the countdown to the MLB teams with the best April starts since 1901.
5. Eight franchise teams tied with a record of 18-7
Of these 10 ball clubs, only 1 went on to play in the World Series (’98 Padres lost). Usually an eleven game head start over .500 in April isn’t enough to punch a ticket to play in the World Series. Was the culprit pitching that withered down during the dog days of summer? Nope. A majority of these clubs finished with a team batting average below the league average.
4. Six franchise teams tied with a record of 19-6
1997 & 2000 Atlanta Braves, 1996 Cleveland Indians, 1932 Washington Senators, 1911, 1993 & 1995 Philadelphia Phillies, 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates, and 2015 St. Louis Cardinals
Of these 9 ball clubs, only 1 went on to play in the World Series (’93 Phillies lost). This is a head scratcher. Who would have guessed coming out of the gate 13 games over .500 after 25 contests means nothing more than very low odds to win it all?
So far we’ve counted 19 ball clubs that were 11 or 13 games over .500 from the jump in April. Yet only 2 went on to the World Series with no titles to show for it. History shows that teams with this start have a mere 10.5% chance of making it into the Fall Classic.
3. Seven teams tied with a record of 20-5
1912 Cincinnati Reds, 1912 Chicago White Sox, 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, 1986 New York Mets, 1928, 1939, 1958 & 2003 New York Yankees, 1925 & 1981 Philadelphia-Oakland Athletics, and 2001 Seattle Mariners
World Series Champion 1986 New York Mets
Of these 11 ball clubs, 4 of them went on to win the World Series (Mets and ’28, ’39 & ’58 Yankees). Only two of them missed making the playoffs: the aforementioned 1912 Reds and 1987 Brewers (finished 3rd in the AL East). The good news is nearly half of them went to the World Series. Thus your team is tracking towards a healthy shot to make the Big Show if they can pull off a 20-5 start.
Good news- odds vastly improve for teams beginning with a record of 20-5 to open the season. History shows teams with this start stand a 36.3% chance of reaching the World Series. When they do, their success rate to win it all has been an astounding 100%.
2. Three teams tied with a record of 21-4
1907 Chicago Cubs, 1946 Boston Red Sox, and 1911 & 1984 Detroit Tigers
Of these 4 ball clubs, 3 of them went on to the World Series (Red Sox, Cubs, and ’84 Tigers). The Cubs and 1984 Tigers ran the table to become MLB world champions. What happened to the 1911 Tigers? They started 12-0, then continued on still to a record of 21-2. 14 of their first 16 games of the season were at home. Detroit wasn’t nearly as effective on the road finishing with a 38-40 record by the time it was all said and done and finished 13 1/2 games out of first place behind AL champion Philadelphia Athletics.
Truly remarkable! Since 1901 only 4 MLB teams out of over 2400 flourished at this level to begin the season. The only surprise here is that 1 of the teams to achieve this feat fell short of making an appearance in the World Series. As in life, there are no guarantees between the white lines. History shows teams starting 21-4 hold a 75% chance of playing for the title. When they get there odds are in their favor to take the crown.
1. Two teams tied with a record of 22-3
1907 New York Giants and 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers
What on earth prevented the 1907 New York Giants from making the World Series with this jaw-dropping start to their season?
They were 24-3 heading into May 19th, 1907 after winning their 17th game in a row for a breathtaking .888 winning percentage. They never won more than 3 games in a row after that. Sadly, the Giants limped across the end of season wrapping up with a record of 82-71. In other words, since their sizzling 24-3 flash in the pan start, they played 58-68 ball the rest of the way. Unfortunately that subpar pace included losing 17 of their final 22 games. By the end of the 1907 season, the Giants finished 25 1/2 games out of first place.
Since 1901, only thirty-six MLB teams began the season with a record of 18-7 or better. That’s about .001; less than half of that number of teams go on to win the World Series. Needless to say it’s a short list. The next time you see your favorite MLB team or any team start the season on fire, winning at least 18 of their first 25 games, brace yourself.
Check out the road records for the teams making this fast starters list that ultimately went on to win the World Series.
World Series Champion Road Warriors
1939 New York Yankees World Championship Team
1907 Chicago Cubs 53-26
1928 New York Yankees 49-28
1939 New York Yankees 54-20
1955 Brooklyn Dodgers 42-34
1958 New York Yankees 48-29
1984 Detroit Tigers 51-29
1986 New York Mets 53-28
The dog days of summer are waiting to bite the team that rests on their April laurels. Yet it will usually reward those hot start April teams by transforming them into true road warriors.
Look for that combination of a strong April start and a healthy road record as a strong indicator of a team on track to win the World Series!
PAGE 13 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
How the collapse of a 12-run lead happened…after 5 innings.
The dog days of the summer baseball season had just begun. It was a hot August day in Cleveland and temperatures had just passed into the 80s. Fans made their way to Progressive Field that day hoping to enjoy a beautiful summer evening of baseball, but little did they know that they were about to witness the most shocking single game comeback that baseball had ever seen.
The 2001 Indians were a good, but not great team. By this date on the calendar they were 62-48 but were trailing the Minnesota Twins for the Central Division lead. More so, they were basically a .500 team at home going 30-28 opposed to 32-20 on the road. Despite having a talented lineup, all signs were most likely pointing to a Seattle win that night.
The Mariners wasted no time in living up to their current brand of dominating baseball. They jumped to an early lead with a 4-run second off Indians starter Dave Burba. He came out again to start the third inning but recorded zero outs while giving up 3 more earned runs. Mike Bacsik came on in relief, yielding 5 more runs and after the dust settled at the end of three innings Seattle was winning by a score of 12-0.
In the bottom of the 4th, Cleveland came back scoring 2 runs of their own but immediately gave those runs back in the top of the 5th letting Seattle regain their 12 run lead. With the 5th inning in the books the score was 14-2 Seattle and they were now a mere 12 outs away from collecting another easy win.
At this point it only made sense for Seattle manager Lou Piniella to pull some of his starters and give them a rest. Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez, and John Olerud (batters 1, 3, 4 in the lineup) were replaced. Similarly, Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel benched Roberto Alomar, Juan Gonzalez, Ellis Burks and Travis Fryman. (hitters 3, 4, 6, 8)
After a quiet 6th, the Indians started their epic comeback in the bottom of the 7th inning. Russell Branyan led off with a solo Home Run. After 2 quick successive outs Seattle relief pitcher Aaron Sele gave up a single and two walks to load the bases. John Halama came in to replace him and let Jolbert Cabrera single scoring 2 more runs. The Indians had gained 3 runs and were now down 14-5.
After Seattle didn’t score in the top of the 8th, Cleveland kept the momentum going starting the inning off again with a lead off home run courtesy of Jim Thome. The next batter was hit with the first pitch of the at bat and was on first for only a moment as Marty Cordova hit a 2-run bomb. Then, after an Omar Vizquel double with a man on, Cleveland had plated 4 more runs and were now trailing 14-9.
Cleveland slugger Jim Thome mashed 2 home runs in this game. His second blast became an AL leading 36th at the time.
In the top of the 9th it only took Indians pitcher Rich Rodriguez 7 pitches to record 3 scoreless outs. Now it was Cleveland’s final chance to do the improbable. They needed to get at least 5 runs before they made their last 3 outs.
The rally began with a leadoff single by Ed Taubensee but was quickly stymied by a flyout and strikeout. But then Norm Charlton, Seattle pitcher, gave up a two out double. Men were on second and third and Piniella quickly came out of the dugout to pull Charlton as he was trying to make sure that the Indians didn’t gain more confidence. To Piniella’s dismay, Jeff Nelson entered and walked his first batter. With the bases now loaded, Einar Diaz hit a single which scored two more runs. The Indians were now only 3 runs away from tying the game. Unbelievably Piniella now had to bring in his closer as the game had become a save situation.
Kazuhiro Sasaki was Seattle’s closer in 2001. Up to this point in the season he already had 35 saves. He was an All-Star that year and finished with a total of 45 saves to 7 total blown saves. To everyone’s shock, one of those blown saves was about to happen.
With Kenny Lofton in the batter’s box, Sasaki gave up a single. This again loaded the bases as Cordero moved to third and Diaz moved to second. This brought up Omar Vizquel to the plate. Vizquel already had 2 hits in the game and 1 RBI. He was now in a position to do something never seen in the history of the game, to help his team come back from down 12 runs after the 5th inning.
With Vizquel batting from the left side, the first pitch came in. Strike one! Swing and a miss. Pitch 2: ball. Strike two! Swinging miss again. The Indians were down to their last strike again. Two more balls loaded the count, and Vizquel battled hard to make contact and foul off the next two pitches. It was now the 8th pitch of the at bat and this time Vizquel didn’t miss.
A short, compact swing and the ball laced down the first base line, past the first baseman who was playing off the line. It rolled past the right fielder who was playing too shallow and bounced up against the corner in the outfield wall. Cordero scored from third; Diaz came around from second; and Kenny Lofton, one of the fastest men in baseball rocketed home sliding to tie the game 14-14. Omar Vizquel had wound up on third. With the game on the line he hit a triple.
Cleveland stranded Vizquel on third base and the game went to extras.
According to Baseball Reference, During Vizquel’s at bat in the bottom of the 9th the Mariners started with a 90% win probability. After the triple it plummeted to 37%.
After the game Indians manager Charlie Manuel told reporters that he predicted Vizquel’s 9th inning triple before it happened. “I told Omar if he went up there and stayed patient, ‘You can triple into the right field corner.’” Vizquel, skeptical, said, “Yeah sure, Charlie.”
The atmosphere at Progressive Field was electric. Indian fans were on their feet, jumping, bouncing, hands waving, making a perpetual shout. Surprisingly even after the apparent blowout, it was estimated that some 20,000 fans stayed at the game. These lucky fans witnessed history. As the Indians tied the game loudspeakers blasted the Kiss song “Rock and Roll All Night Long” while fans danced in the aisles.
In the 10th Seattle could only muster a single. During the bottom half of the frame Cleveland got a single and a walk but stranded both runners.
After the game Kenny Lofton was trying to process what had just happened. “I can’t explain it”, said Lofton. “It was unbelievable. I’ve never been in a game like that in my life. My voice is gone from hollering so much. It was fun. Wow.”
If the Indians were experiencing the height of elation, then the Mariners were at the bottom of the barrell. After the game the Seattle players were sitting quietly in their clubhouse shaking their heads. Norm Charlton, Seattle reliever said, “They kept battling back. We should have put them away and we didn’t do it. We don’t like losing if it’s this way or 1-0. We don’t expect to lose.”
The game finished at 4 hours, 11 minutes. There were 40 total hits and 29 combined runs. It was only the third time in history that a team overcame a 12 run deficit. The 1911 Tigers came back against the White Sox and the 1925 A’s came back against the Indians but this 2001 game was the only one where a team came back after trailing by 12 runs after 5 innings.
The next day, the two teams played again. Seattle beat Cleveland 8-6.
At the end of the season the Indians had managed to go on and pass the Twins to win the AL Central. In the playoffs these two teams met again in the Division series. Seattle beat Cleveland in the ALDS 3-2. After splitting the first two games, Cleveland won game 3 by scoring 17 runs! But the Mariners came back and won the next two games. Of course, Seattle then went on to lose to the Yankees 4-1 in the ALCS.
On a hot summer night in August, those fans in Cleveland Ohio witnessed the most shocking comeback in MLB history. Will this 2001 comeback ever be topped? That seems unlikely, but as the Indians and Mariners proved, on any given day in the baseball season, history has a chance to be made.
PAGE 14 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
Cream of the crop at the top of the lineup.
Imagine you were just hired as a general manager for a club that finished near the bottom in on-base percentage the prior season. Imagine that you can add any leadoff hitter in MLB history (1901 to present) to address that vital need. Who would you choose?
We’re not talking about a player who had a great season or two. No. It’s much more difficult. We want the best career leadoff on-base percentage.
You may be shocked to learn which leadoff hitters with at least 5,000 plate appearances have the best chance to get on base. By the way, that’s at least 8 seasons of 600+ plate appearances at the top of the order. Thus, those on this list have earned their stripes.
Here’s the top 10 all-time featuring the most superior hand-eye coordination and just as keen eyesight to reach base with a free pass.
10. Pete Rose and Charlie Jamieson (tied) .379
Featuring Rose, the all-time hits leader, and the nearly unheard of in today’s world, Cleveland Indians left fielder Jamieson. Interestingly Rose led the league in hits 7 times, Jamieson only once.
9. Dom DiMaggio .384
Joe’s brother was a stud too. Dom never led the league in hits or walks. He missed 3 years while serving his country. Still, he compiled an impressive career for the Red Sox while roaming center field.
8. Tim Raines .385
This speedsters’ impressive career spanned 23 years and recently led him into the Hall of Fame. He batted over .300 seven times while drawing 70+ walks in 11 seasons.
7. Tony Phillips .386
Phillips had a wide open, aggressive batting stance. Combined with his keen eye, he made for an ideal leadoff hitter. Phillips offered ultimate flexibility in the leadoff spot as he also played every position except catcher and pitcher.
6. Eddie Yost .396
Yost led the league in free passes for one-third of his brilliant 18 seasons. Count’em! He drew 100 or more walks 8 times. Yost walked nearly 700 more times than pitchers could strike him out.
The Cubs’ third bagger led the league in hits twice and walked at least 80 times in 8 seasons during his 16 MLB years.
4. Richie Ashburn .399
Hall of Famer Ashburn led the league in hits and walks in 1958. He also led the league in hits 2 more times and freebies 3 more times during his illustrious career. He played mostly for the Phillies.
3. Earle Combs .399
Mercy! With an OBP this high while leading off in a lineup with Ruth and Gehrig, it’s astonishing he never led the league in runs scored. Yet this Hall of Famer crossed home plate more than 100 times for 8 seasons in a row! He led the league in hitting once. That was in 1927 for the New York Yankees Murderers’ Row.
2. Rickey Henderson .401
He was considered by many as the greatest leadoff hitter of all-time. Henderson’s stunning 25-year career resulted in Hall of Fame induction, scoring the most runs and stolen bases of all time. He also had the most leadoff home runs (81). It’s hard to believe he only led the league in hits once during that span. Then again, he did finish with a .279 career batting average. Henderson had an impressive eye at the plate and led the league in that category for 4 seasons.
1. Max Bishop .424
Second baseman Bishop was only 5’8″ tall, but he stands far above the rest when it comes to his OBP. He never led the league in hits and only led in walks 1 season. To give you a better idea of how impressive his eagle eye was, Max played 12 seasons while drawing 100+ walks in 8 of them. Similar to Yost, he walked around 700 more times than striking out. Bishop wasn’t a steal threat, though he could scamper around to home. He did so over 100 times for 4 consecutive seasons while playing for the Philadelphia Athletics. Not in the Hall of Fame, though if they had one for leadoff batters he’d surely be in it.
PAGE 15 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM
His fierce swing uncoiled step-by-step!
He is known by a single name: Ichiro.
Since his MLB rookie debut in 2001, he has routinely struck fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers. With a combination of deadly bat accuracy, lightning-quick speed and the occasional burst of surprising power, Ichiro Suzuki has cemented his place as one of the best hitters the game of baseball has ever seen.
Upon entering his retirement from playing the game, he has amassed a boatload of impressive stats. Yet the number which stands above any other is his career number of MLB hits: 3,089. This ranks 22nd all-time in baseball. Not bad for a player who joined MLB at age 28 and was able to keep contributing as a player until he was 44!
Ichiro’s 3,089 career MLB hits do not include the 1,278 hits he got during his career in Japan
For any MLB player to reach 3,000 hits, he must have special natural ability, but in Suzuki’s case, he reached this milestone with one of the most unique batting stances the game has ever seen. Was it pure hitting skill or this iconic swing that helped Ichiro make consistent contact? Let’s dig our heels in and try to find the answer as we examine, “The Stance”.
Quizzically this pitcher raises an eyebrow as Suzuki’s batting stance routine unfolds. It’s part habit and part choreography. If the pitcher wasn’t that intimidated before, now the corner of his lips give way to a wry smile.
First, Ichiro digs in his left heel, then he plants his right foot. Looking up, he gives a small swing forward, brushing the bat towards the ground and up in front of his body, allowing it only to move forward no higher than his shoulder. This initial swing rocks him forward, then back, as he shifts his weight from his back foot, to front foot, then to the back again. As the bat swings back like a pendulum, he uses its natural momentum to circle completely around and over his head until it gradually slows to a resting spot directly in front of him.
For a brief moment the graceful movement pauses. His right arm is now held straight out. At the end of his arm, stretched out flat like a board, he holds in his fist the baseball bat pointing directly up towards the sky.
The batting stance that Ichiro became famous for was nicknamed “The Pendulum” in Japan (振り子打法 Furiko Dahō) due to its similarity to a pendulum’s movement which was mimicked by his legs shifting weight forward and backward.
Throughout this routine his gaze never breaks from the opposing pitcher. His body holds this position, arm out and bat pointed up for only 2 seconds, but it feels like minutes. Ichiro doesn’t have to speak a word because “The Stance” says everything.
To the pitcher’s relief the routine begins its concluding movement. Almost unnoticed, his left arm has been following behind his right the whole time. While his right hand holds the bat like a beacon, his left hand has softly found a resting place on the right shoulder. Here it gently sits during the 2 seconds of stillness waiting for its moment. Then, the left hand pinches the jersey sleeve and gives it a slight tug, pulling it back off the elbow.
Once the sleeve is pulled back, the right arm gives way to gravity, letting it and the bat it’s holding quickly, yet smoothly, swing down and roll up to its proper place behind the left shoulder. First the bat stops at Ichiro’s side but then is raised up over his head, right behind the helmet.
All the while Ichiro’s legs remain relatively still. As the bat reaches its place behind his helmet his knees take a slight turn inward as if two magnets begin to pull each one slowly into one another. From here he is ready for the pitch.
A fastball comes in and Ichiro makes direct contact lacing the ball into right field.
Ichiro’s batting stance was even unique in Japan. His first manager didn’t like it and thus forced him to stay down in the farm league even though he was already showing his effectiveness as a hitter.
While there are certainly many unique swings across baseball history, no one has mimicked the one Ichiro uses to garner such great hitting success. So what elements of his particular batting stance help him to make such accurate contact against the baseball?
The first way that Ichiro’s swing allows him to make great contact is that his bat starts in a more vertical position before he begins to move it through the swinging plain. Whereas other hitters will tilt the bat in a more drastic angle with the barrel pointing towards the pitcher, Ichiro keeps the bat vertical. This helps him save time since his bat is closer to moving through the zone. The few inches he saves by keeping his bat pointing up rather than forward gives him that precious extra time to react to the ball and make solid contact.
Crooked Knees
While it is more common for a batter to have an open stance with their legs, Ichiro is famous for keeping his legs very close together. In fact, it seems that it would be almost painful if not awkward to turn the knees inward so far. For Ichiro this helps him to gain great momentum with his body. As he swings, the right knee actually crosses over his left knee before he opens up to swing. As the right leg begins to open up and move forward it helps his entire body to generate more momentum and a faster swing. The saved time from his bat position coupled with the momentum and speed of his swing help him to be able to put the barrel of the bat on the ball which usually gives him a good chance of making contact for a hit.
To build strength and power in his wrists and hips, as a teenage, Ichiro would practice hitting Wiffle balls with a shovel and hurl car tires.
The Back Foot
During an at bat the typical batter will raise up their front leg and land on it while the back one remains planted on the ground. However, Ichiro’s back foot drags along the ground as he swings. This is a sign of the great momentum he generates as well as amazing control that he possesses. Being a left-handed batter he already has a slight advantage of being able to move quickly out of the box and start running down the line. Ichiro takes this to the next level as his entire body is moving forward through the swing almost carrying him through the hit and into his stride to make it down the base. This head start coupled with his fast speed was a major factor in him being able to get so many hits.
Batter’s Box
One of the final ways Ichiro’s stance helps him is where he typically stands in the batter’s box. Again, on average a major league hitter will stand in line with home plate, or will shade more towards the back of the box. Theoretically this helps the hitter gain just a half-second more to be able to see what pitch is coming at them and react. Amazingly, Ichiro usually stands towards the front of the box, with his lead foot landing almost directly on the front batter’s box line. Wouldn’t this take away time for him to see the ball? Most would assume it would, but since he already is gaining time with his bat position and compact swing, he can afford to stand farther up. This would give him the rare advantage of being able to hit a ball before it has a chance to make its full movement through the strike zone.
On August 7th, 2017 Ichiro collected his 3,00th hit. He hit a triple when playing at Coors Field in Colorado. He was only the second player to reach this milestone via a triple joining Hall of Famer Paul Molitor.
It’s hard to imagine that Major League Baseball will ever see a hitter like Ichiro Suzuki again. From debuting at age 28, to collecting over 3,000 hits to his one-of-a-kind batting stance, he truly is a once in a lifetime player. While there’s little doubt that there are natural skills that aided him in being such an effective hitter, clearly his work, dedication and discipline as a player helped him to achieve his future Hall of Fame status.
PAGE 16 | 2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – JULY 2018 | BASEBALLCLASSICS.COM