Off-Topic Forum

I have just a couple to start off with.

This one could be more widely know to people that are primarily Dodgers or Phillies fans, or a generation older than I am. I stumbled on the fact that Duke Snyder hit a record 19 home runs off of Robin Roberts. They are each in the Hall of Fame and played in 8 and 7 All-Star games respectively. 

This seems like a record that is unlikely to ever be broken, there are just too many teams now. They faced each other 260 times.

You should be able to see this here: https://stathead.com/tiny/O5hCG

I actually stumbled on this while looking at the opposite. My Minnesota Twins were doing so poorly against left-handed pitchers that I went looking to see how bad in context.  

This seasons Atlanta Braves are really, very good against left-handers. In fact, as good or better than any other team in my lifetime. There are a couple of teams from the 2020 season that were comparable, but that was a short season. 

If you open up the date range, there are still just two teams ever that did better.

Here's a link: https://stathead.com/tiny/FieQ3

Currently, Orlando Arcia, Ozzie Albies, and Sean Murphy all have an OPS > 1.000 against lefties. 

So - here's one that recently impressed me:

On July 23,2023 - the Atlanta Braves turned an 8-3-5 Triple Play vs. the Red Sox in Fenway.

What was unusal about it was

According to SABR, the last 8-3-5 triple play happened on June 7, 1884 in a game between the Boston Beaneaters and the Providence Grays.  

Not recent, but on the subject of fun triple plays...

stillsleepin's Minnesota Twins are the only team EVER to turn two in the same game (July 17, 1990, in Boston).

WATCH

That Joey Votto has popped up to the first baseman once in 7,000 plate apps.

Here's a couple that demonstrate how far pitching and managing starters have come:

Bob Gibson appeared in a (still) record 78 consecutive starts pitching into the seventh inning.

Juan Marichal completed 61% of his 352 starts between 1962-71.

That s a great one, two, three.... good find on the view 

The good ole days

And the Red Socks were the common denominators in both games!

In an 18 game stretch this year,

Shohei Ohtani recorded 28 hits, 18 extra base hits, 15 walks, 11 home runs, and 3 stolen bases. The only other player to do this was Lou Gehrig- and Lou couldn’t pitch!