Homers and Stolen Base Stuff...Eventually

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DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Homers and Stolen Base Stuff...Eventually

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Fri Jul 27, 2018 9:41 am

Brad Hand got a Save for the Indians the other day. The Stats read, 'Brad Hand, Save (1)'.
Manny Machado, same thing. 'Home Runs, Manny Machado (1)
When will Major League Baseball stop the process of 'starting over' for players traded to the other league?
It's stupid.
Besides the designated hitter, there is nothing that separates the two leagues any longer.
Yet, MLB continues a long time tradition, signifying nothing (0) for either league.

It is so much better to get an injury of a fantasy player on the last day of a lineup period than the first.....

The only good thing about these Message Boards are the folks who read them....
Man, the software just blows!
Understandable that the use of these Boards has deteriorated.



'Experts told anybody that would listen...
"Do not start Poncedeleon!"
"Do not start Gomber!"
We know what happened.
Experts are like weathermen.
They see clouds on their radar and tell everybody a storm is coming.
They're right sometimes, they're wrong sometimes.

Ok, enough of my opinions, on to some homer and stolen base Stuff....

It is near the end of July.
Two/thirds of the season is a total to be taken seriously.
For leaders in NFBC leagues, it is significant to have 'banked' very good stats.
For those trying to catch those teams, it's a signal that time is running out and a move has to be made promptly.
For real baseball, it is time to take some statistics and achievements more seriously.

Jose Ramirez is second in home runs, fifth in stolen bases.
A fantasy dream, especially for a player not taken in the first round in most drafts.
With 30 homers and 22 stolen bases, it would be a surprise if Ramirez were NOT a 30/30 player this year.
Many, many players have achieved 30/30 status, but it hasn't been done in six years when Braun and Trout turned the trick in 2012.
Ramirez 30/22, Trout 28/20, and Mookie Betts 24/18 have good chances for 2018.

Has anybody led baseball in both home runs and stolen bases the same year since 1900?
Yes.
But, it was during the dead ball era.
Ty Cobb.
It was, arguably, Cobb's best year.
Imagine this for a fantasy player....
Cobb finished 30 points of batting average above every other player.
Cobb finished two homers above every other player.
Cobb finished with nine stolen bases more than any other player.
Had there been fantasy baseball in that era, Cobb's stats would be even better.
Surely, he would have had a lot of teams, of course, drafting himself as often as possible.

In 1922, Ken Williams was a little like 'Brandy' by Loooking Glass. A one hit wonder.
Williams had the first 30/30 season in history and was the only player to do it till 1956 when Willie Mays 30/30'd two years in a row.
Williams finished second in home runs, third in stolen bases that year.
An amazing feat during the Ruth/Hornsby era.

Home run leaders, generally, do not steal bases.
The last time a home run leader stole even 10 bases was in 2009 when Albert Pujols had a 47/16.
Two years before that, ARod turned in a 54/24.
In 1993 (probable pre-steroids?), Barry Bonds led baseball in homers with 46 (tied with Juan Gonzalez) and stole 29 bases.
Funny thing, although Bonds is the all-time home run leader, he only led baseball in homers twice.
Once, before having everything on his body growing (except manhood) and once after, with his 73 homers in 2001.

In 1988, Jose Canseco led baseball with 42 homers. It was his 40/40 year.
Despite his 40 stolen bases, a number which may lead baseball this year, in '88, 40 stolen bases did not even put Canseco top 10 in the category.
However, the 40 stolen bases are the most by a home run leader during the live ball era.

Roger Maris 61 homer year was just odd by statistical measure.
He received zero intentional walks that year.
Imagine a fellow breaking Babe Ruth's home run record and not getting one intentional free pass.
Many credit this to Mickey Mantle hitting behind Maris.
They forget that Mantle started the year hitting in front of Maris and that Mantle missed most of September with an injury.
Most of the truth is that pitchers did not fear Maris and believed they could get him out.
To boot, Maris became only the second home run leader (Kluszewski, 1954) to NOT steal a base.
The first home run leader to not even attempt a stolen base.
Maris was a great athlete. I remember him having a '3' rating by APBA (the highest) as a right fielder.
And he would steal 21 bases during his career, but he never left first base running, except on 3-2 pitches with two outs.
Now, 15 players have led the league in home runs and not stolen a base.
Slow pokes, Harmon Killebrew, Willie Stargell, Cecil Fielder, and Mark Mcgwire doing it twice.

So far, JD Martinez leads baseball in homers.
His stolen base mark is at three.
It fits our era well.
In this decade, every home run leader has stolen two to nine bases.
The last three leaders (Stanton, Trumbo, Chris Davis) have stolen just two bases.

Home runs and stolen bases have ebbed like the tide though history.
In 1944, there were few Hall of Famers playing. Mel Ott was finishing a career, an older Bobby Doerr and younger Stan Musial were around, but the great players were on Uncle Sam's team of World War II.
This said, it is not a shock that only one player had 30 home runs (Bill Nicholson).
What is a shock is that 39 hitters would have 10 homers or more that year and only one of those players would steal double digit bases.
One 10/10 player! There were 59 '10/10' players last year. 59!
Johnny Hopp , the only '10/10' player in '44 with 11 homers and 15 stolen bases.
It would have been a dull fantasy year!

One last thing....
37 Players batted .300 last year.
ALL of them managed to steal at least one base.
This year, only one player batting .300 or more has not stolen a base.
Former 30/30 player, Matt Kemp has failed to steal a base.
AND, only 22 hitters are batting .300 in 2018...and dropping.
But, that is a subject for a post at a later time....
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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