Stolen base ineptness

A couple stats relating to stolen bases, more accurately about caught stealing actually.

In his rookie season in 1986, Robby Thompson of the San Francisco Giants stole 12 bases while getting caught 15 times. That's not very good. But the unique event in his season took place on June 27, 1986 in a win over Cincinnati.

In that game, Robby became the only player thusfar* to get caught stealing four times without successfully stealing a single base. Robby's 0-4 base stealing line from that game stands as a one-time-only event in baseball history.*

Robby reached base four times going 3-5 that game, reaching once on a strikeout wild pitch. Four times on base, four times caught stealing. All from a guy who only had 12 on the entire season.

Now, as far as an entire season of stolen base ineptness, in 1952 Pete Runnels became the only player ever to get caught stealing ten times in a single season without successfully stealing a single base. 0-10 on the season in base stealing.

Why was this guy running? He stole 37 bases in 14 seasons (none in 1952) while getting caught stealing 51 times.

So there you go. Congrats to both Pete Runnels and Robby Thompson for achieving a that's-the-only-time-it's-ever-happened!

Skip Schumaker, July 26, 2008

Welcome to my first installment of SSSotD, otherwise known as "Triple S 2 da O-T-D."

Today's stupid stat involves Skip Schumaker, the leadoff hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals, having a first in at least 52 years for a non-second baseman over the weekend. (NOTE: I am forced to do so for only the past 52 years given that Baseball Reference's Play Index for individual games only begins with the 1956 season.)

For against the Mets on Saturday, Skip Schumaker went 6-7 (in 8 PA) with 6 singles in a 14 inning Cardinal win. Each one of Schumaker's singles was with the bases empty, therefore no RsBI in the game, becoming only the 9th batter since 1956 to have at least 6 hits in a game but no RsBI.

However, only two of the other eight times were all singles. Therefore Skip became only the 3rd batter since 1956 to have at least 6 hits in a game with no extra base hits and no RsBI.

The other two instances were done by players on the losing team.

Also, the other two times were both done by second basemen. Skip plays left field.

So Seth's Stupid Stat of the Day is this: on July 26, 2008, Skip Schumaker became the first non-second baseman in at least 52 years to have at least 6 hits in a game with no extra base hits and no RsBI. He also became the first batter in at least 52 years to have at least 6 hits in a game with no extra base hits and no RsBI in a win.

Here's my reference page.

This should provide a good example for the nerdy path this blog is to take. I'm a little too obsessed with Baseball Reference and its Play Index.