Short Baseball note
Craig Biggio just tied Don Baylor for the modern, official record for most times being hit by a pitch. He's still 20 short of the all-time record, but since most of that was done pre-1900, it's not officially recognized. This was one of my predictions for the baseball season (well, that he'd pass Baylor, actually, but good enough for now), probably my simplest one. What's interesting about him tying the record, though, is that he did it on Baylor's birthday, and against the Rockies at Coors Field, where Baylor used to coach (the latter is less interesting than the former).
Less auspiciously, Biggio also recently collected his 1,500th strikeout, becoming the 36th player to reach that mark. Reggie Sanders is also closing in on that mark. On a more positive note for Sanders, he's nearing the 300/300 (homers/steals) club (currently at 287/296), which currently only has four members: Barry Bonds; his father, Bobby Bonds; Barry's godfather (and former teammate of Bobby Bonds) Willie Mays; and Andre Dawson, who probably played on an All-Star team with Barry or something (just to keep things all linked together). And just to further the link, Reggie Sanders is a former teammate of Barry Bonds, and also a former teammate of Steve Finley, who is also nearing the 300/300 club (currently at 293/311). Barry is, to date, the only player to reach 350 in each category, and bested that by a wide margin, currently sitting at 703/506, leading this group in each category.
Other recent milestones include Jim Thome passing Bobby Bonds for 10th on the alltime strikeout list, Johnny Damon scored his 1000th run, Garret Anderson got his 1000th RBI, Ichiro Suzuki got his 1000th hit, Edgar Renteria got his 1,500th hit, and Larry Walker grounded into his 150th double play. (That list is by no means intended to be exhaustive).
Update: Biggio broke the record on Wednesday. From the mlb.com write-up: "Asked if holding a hit-by-pitch record was a sign of fearlessness, Biggio responded, 'fearlessness, stupidity, however you want to say it.'"
Less auspiciously, Biggio also recently collected his 1,500th strikeout, becoming the 36th player to reach that mark. Reggie Sanders is also closing in on that mark. On a more positive note for Sanders, he's nearing the 300/300 (homers/steals) club (currently at 287/296), which currently only has four members: Barry Bonds; his father, Bobby Bonds; Barry's godfather (and former teammate of Bobby Bonds) Willie Mays; and Andre Dawson, who probably played on an All-Star team with Barry or something (just to keep things all linked together). And just to further the link, Reggie Sanders is a former teammate of Barry Bonds, and also a former teammate of Steve Finley, who is also nearing the 300/300 club (currently at 293/311). Barry is, to date, the only player to reach 350 in each category, and bested that by a wide margin, currently sitting at 703/506, leading this group in each category.
Other recent milestones include Jim Thome passing Bobby Bonds for 10th on the alltime strikeout list, Johnny Damon scored his 1000th run, Garret Anderson got his 1000th RBI, Ichiro Suzuki got his 1000th hit, Edgar Renteria got his 1,500th hit, and Larry Walker grounded into his 150th double play. (That list is by no means intended to be exhaustive).
Update: Biggio broke the record on Wednesday. From the mlb.com write-up: "Asked if holding a hit-by-pitch record was a sign of fearlessness, Biggio responded, 'fearlessness, stupidity, however you want to say it.'"
Labels: baseball
posted by DC | 12:17 AM
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