Numbers Game
James Holzhauer, the current “Jeopardy” contestant who is on the second longest winning streak in the game show’s history, remarked recently that he always wanted to be a baseball executive because he loves the game and is a “math guy”. While I promised in my opening message not to provide modern day analysis of “launch angles” and “WAR”, I too do have an affinity to numbers. Baseball, more than any other sport, is full of comparative statistics. I also like player uniform numbers, especially those players who have provided special memories. So this week, just for fun, let’s tackle my all-time favorites wearing uniform numbers 1-10 (all of whom, with one BIG exception, I have met or seen play):
Ozzie Smith. The “Wizard of Oz” graced the position of shortstop to the tune of 13 consecutive Gold Gloves. His acrobatic approach to the position was something we hadn’t seen previously. He came into the league struggling at the plate but finished his career as an offensive force, settling into a lifetime batting average of .262. Ozzie led the Cardinals to the 1982 World Series Championship, but might be most famous for his game-winning home run in the 1985 NLCS against the Dodgers, causing HOF announcer Jack Buck to famously proclaim, “Go crazy fans, go crazy!”
Derek Jeter. The “Captain” was the steady hand behind the Yankees’ five World Series wins in the 1990s and 2000s. He batted .310 lifetime, and garnered over 3,000 hits in his career. I saw him play in 1998 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, and marveled at his pre-game routine. From his throwing warm-up, batting practice and fielding routines, everything about Jeter was consistency and precision.
Babe Ruth. Here’s the BIG exception, the greatest player ever. Obviously I never saw the “Sultan of Swat” play, but I don’t know of any player in sports I think of more often than the Babe. He came to the big leagues as a pitcher for the Red Sox, and twice won 23 games in a season. Of course, his bigger contribution was as a slugger for the Yankees, highlighted by four world titles and 714 career HRs in an era where the home run ball was not prevalent. To put his dominance in perspective, in 1927 when he hit 60 HRs, the runner-up Lou Gehrig hit 47 and the third-place finisher had 18. He was a personality on and off the field, famous for his “Called Shot” in the 1932 World Series at Wrigley Field, an historic moment in baseball.
Yadier Malina. “Yadi” has revolutionized catching over the last decade. Winner of 9 Gold Gloves, Molina’s throwing to the bases from various angles and body positions has set the standard for catchers in baseball. He is a two-time World Champion (2006 and 2011) with a lifetime batting average of .282. Molina for many years has become the hitter in the Cardinals lineup you don’t want to face in clutch situations.
Johnny Bench. The best catcher, ever. He combined his defensive mastery and hitting prowess in leading the Reds to World Series triumphs in ’75 and ’76. Bench was the first one-handed catcher in baseball, protecting his throwing hand from harm. To illustrate his defensive skills, during Lou Brock’s record-breaking 118 steals in 1974, Brock made four attempts against Bench, only one successful one! A two-time NL MVP, he started the Big Red Machine era in 1970 when he hit 40 HRs and 125 RBIs. Bench was the 1976 World Series MVP with a .533 batting average. And in one of the highlights of my life, he hit a game-tying home run off Dave Giusti of the Pirates in the ninth-inning of Game 5 of the 1972 NLCS into the green seats at Riverfront Stadium 12 rows in front of me.
Stan Musial. I never saw “Stan the Man” play, but met him on two occasions in St. Louis. He was truly the toast of the town during his playing years and into his baseball retirement. Musial was a 3-time World Series Champion, and many call him the greatest hitter in the history of the National League. He had a lifetime batting average of .331 and was the NL MVP three times. Every game played in the MLB today we can think of Stan when you look out to the solid-colored dark area beyond the centerfield fence. It was Stan’s insistence to baseball authorities in 1952 which led to a “Batter’s Eye” in every ballpark.
Mickey Mantle. I saw “Mick” play in my first game ever, a summer night in 1964 at Cleveland Stadium when my uncle treated my Dad, brother and me to a Yankees vs. Indians game. All I actually remember was the buzz about Mantle playing in the game. He was an AL MVP three times and his Yankees won the World Series seven times under his leadership. What set him apart was his power hitting from both sides of the plate coupled with his base running skills. At the time of his retirement in 1968 this 536 career HR power hitter held the highest stolen base percentage in MLB history.
Joe Morgan. “Little Joe” was the fuel that powered the Big Red Machine. He revolutionized the second base position by his combination of hitting, power, fielding, and base stealing. Just like Bench, he was a two-time World Champion and two-time NL MVP. In his ’75 and ’76 MVP years, he hit .327 and .320, 17 and 27 HRs, 94 and 111 RBIs, and an unbelievable on-base percentage of .466 and .444, respectively. Morgan did not have the strongest throwing arm, but more than made up for it with his quick release. Morgan also had 689 career stolen bases. And in the spirit of this blog, he more often than not was the “bench coach” during the game, sitting alongside HOF manager Sparky Anderson.
Javier Baez. You might see higher offensive statistics being put up in baseball this season from the likes of Bellinger and Yelich, but there is no better and certainly no more exciting player in the game today than “Javi”. He truly does it all, playing the shortstop position with elegance and determination. Baez’ power to the opposite field is remarkable. On the base paths he combines speed, hustle and craftiness, almost every game. I don’t have to offer statistics to back up his play, just see him in action. One stat though stands out; on 0-2 counts, MLB batters on average are hitting .163 this season. Javi on 0-2 counts this year is hitting at a .370 clip.
Ron Santo. When I watched the Cubs as a little boy, Santo was my favorite player among the likes of Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ferguson Jenkins. He was a 9-time All-Star who played solid defense and hit with power. Santo was a 5-time Gold Glover and the only NL player with 90 RBIs over 8 straight seasons as his career ended. In his post-playing days he graced the Cubs broadcasting booth for 20 seasons between 1990 and 2010.
So now it’s your turn. Who is your favorite baseball player, past or present, wearing uniform numbers 1-10? As one of Ron Santo’s radio broadcast partners, Harry Caray, would say: “Let me hear ‘ya.”
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach