Most impressive baseball streak

[jason_t]

[Alobar]

joe

[bugstud]

anything other than dimaggio is a tough sell here. IIRC an article talking about statistical significance related Joe's streak as the only unlikely one to have occured.

[istewart]

DiMaggio.

[thatpfunk]

If you vote for Cal you should have to state it in the thread so you can be scorned and ridiculed.

[tbach24]

Barry Bonds had 12 straight seasons with a OPS over 1. That's the best. If you're looking at consecutive games or appearences though, Bernie's 11-11 is impressive, but Orel's streak owns.

[touchfaith]

As much as it pains me to say this....It's Oral.

Many seem to forget that this was actually 67 innings, as the streak actually extended into the first game of the playoffs against the Mets.

Now that I've gotten that out...

DUCK THE FODGERS and DIEEEE ORAL, DIEEEEEEEEE...I HATE YOU WITH EVERY BONE IN MY BODY!

Whew...that felt much, much better...

[tdarko]

its a tie in my mind with joe and ripken. its closer than everyone thinks, nobody has come close to even 1000 games and there has been numerous hitters have given a run at 56 and stopped in the 40's. neither record will be broken IMO though. its a toss up for me.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
If you vote for Cal you should have to state it in the thread so you can be scorned and ridiculed.

[/ QUOTE ]

[istewart]

[ QUOTE ]
its a tie in my mind with joe and ripken. its closer than everyone thinks, nobody has come close to even 1000 games and there has been numerous hitters have given a run at 56 and stopped in the 40's. neither record will be broken IMO though. its a toss up for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gehrig...

[tdarko]

you name 1 wheras i can name more than one who challenged dimaggio

[jason_t]

[ QUOTE ]
its a tie in my mind with joe and ripken. its closer than everyone thinks, nobody has come close to even 1000 games and there has been numerous hitters have given a run at 56 and stopped in the 40's. neither record will be broken IMO though. its a toss up for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some lucky guy hit 2130.

[istewart]

Ripken's streak is an overhyped joke. Comparing it to DiMaggio's is ridiculous. What do you mean by "challenged," by the way?

[bholdr]

I can't believe that anyone is voting for anything other than Joe D's streak. you are NUTS to vote against that. NUTS.



NUTS.

[ThaSaltCracka]

wow, you are really really wrong here.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
you name 1 wheras i can name more than one who challenged dimaggio

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont think getting in the low 40s is exactly "challenging" dimaggio

Will ripkens streak ever be broken.....prolly not, but that doesnt change the fact it was a helluva lot easier to get than joes record.

All you have to do is not get hurt, playing in every game would be easy, its baseball, its not like its some hugely taxing physical sport.

Isnt there some japanese guy who had like over 3K straight games or something?

[bholdr]

He, like Gerhig, kept the streak alive just to keep it alive. a record like that is meaningless and misleading- it required no amazing physical feat from ripkin (aside from avoiding injury, which is TOTALLY unimpressive- the most aggressive and talented athletes in any sport get injured because they play HARD- i'd say the streak is evidence that ripken wasn't playing very hard- [start your flames]).

In fact, during a couple of the months of the streak, ripkin was hitting TERRIBLY- some pine-time would've helped his game an his team- any record attained at the expense of winning ballgames is TOTAL BS, IMO.

Joe D, on the other hand, did the 'hardest thing in sports' 56 consecutive times, then missed one day, then did it 17 more times- people forget that- hitting safely in 73 out of 74 is arguably more impressive than 56 in a row.

[bugstud]

ok, arguement for Joe.

assume .400 hitter. 4 ABs/game

so .60% chance of not getting a hit in each AB, so .6^4 = .13 so 87% chance he gets a hit in a game. so .87^56 = .00042

doing this for a .300 yields .00000021

.350 = .00001651

so until we get a very, very good hitter guaranteed 4 ABs a game....it'll take a while

[Vince Young]

[ QUOTE ]
hitting safely in 73 out of 74 is arguably more impressive than 56 in a row.

[/ QUOTE ]
No it's not.

[blindu]

this isnt close. not only is DiMaggio's streak the best in baseball, it is the best in sports

[jason_t]

[ QUOTE ]
ok, arguement for Joe.

assume .400 hitter. 4 ABs/game

so .60% chance of not getting a hit in each AB, so .6^4 = .13 so 87% chance he gets a hit in a game. so .87^56 = .00042

doing this for a .300 yields .00000021

.350 = .00001651

so until we get a very, very good hitter guaranteed 4 ABs a game....it'll take a while

[/ QUOTE ]

cf. this (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=exchange&Number=2170462&Fo rum=All_Forums&Main=2169936&Search=true&where=body sub&Name=21723&daterange=1&newerval=1&newertype=w& olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post2170462) and the two addendums in that thread.

[tdarko]

first of all you act like i am discrediting what joe d. did and i am not all b/c i think what he did is one of the better stories in baseball history but to talk about a streak and what they are known for i think ripken's streak should be tossed in any conversation.

a streak's impressiveness is determined on its breakability, b/c once its broken its forgotten and in my mind they are BOTH streaks that are the toughest to break and i think ripken's streak is the one i am more certain that will never be broken b/c playing that many games in a row is impossible these days, teams simply will not let their stars play hurt.

now as you should notice i never said ripken's streak took talent or that he was a better player than joe d. b/c he isn't. but when there are players that have a chance--though incredibly tiny to break his record. ichiro has a chance, i think it's probably around 1-2% but its a chance. on the other hand i know ripken's streak is at a 0% to be broken.

joe d.'s record is a marvel and is as impressive as it gets but as been challenged (meaning people have come close and gave it a run--and more than one person unlike the consecutive game streak)and ripken's record will never be close to being broken. the majority of major league players don't even play that many games let alone that many in a row.

[bholdr]

why not? stasticly speaking, it's harder.

[BoxTree]

Cal's streak will never be broken.

Ever.

Joe's will.

That said, Cal's streak is the most impressive.

[Paluka]

I'd rather have my #1 starter pitch 59 scoreless innings than have my #3 hitter be guaranteed a hit for 56 games in a row.

[tdarko]

first of all read my post.
[ QUOTE ]
Will ripkens streak ever be broken.....prolly not, but that doesnt change the fact it was a helluva lot easier to get than joes record.



[/ QUOTE ]
very naive comment here.

superstars are the only players that have career longevity to be able to play enough games to give a go at this record and nowadays there is just waaaay to much money invested in these guys for organizations to let them play with broken fingers, broken hands, broken wrists, pulled hamstrings, pulled groins and broken ankles (all injuries ripken played through).

ripken's record simply will not be touched but rose's hitting streak of 44 is a helluva a lot closer than the current streak challenging ripken's which isn't even close to a 1000 games.

[thatpfunk]

Because no player would be as selfish as Ripken for a pointless record.

[tdarko]

just another reason it won't happen.

[tdarko]

from now on TSC post something with some content and backup what you say.

i have to leave for about an hour or so and we can chat about how some selfish over the hill dick has a record that nobody can get to.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
All you have to do is not get hurt, playing in every game would be easy, its baseball, its not like its some hugely taxing physical sport.



[/ QUOTE ]
i love comments like this from people that don't play it (this is obvious by your post).

there is a reason why there is a clause in a big leaguer's contract that states if a player plays a full 162 games they recieve a nice bonus, because its tough to do.

a baseball player won't die or be paralyzed (although there are hundreds of cases in younger levels) but i would like to see you hit with a broken hand.

this season i would like for you to check the injury list's of teams--its far greater than the injury list in the NFL.

be back later.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
from now on TSC post something with some content and backup what you say.


[/ QUOTE ]no.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
All you have to do is not get hurt, playing in every game would be easy, its baseball, its not like its some hugely taxing physical sport.



[/ QUOTE ]
i love comments like this from people that don't play it (this is obvious by your post).

there is a reason why there is a clause in a big leaguer's contract that states if a player plays a full 162 games they recieve a nice bonus, because its tough to do.

a baseball player won't die or be paralyzed (although there are hundreds of cases in younger levels) but i would like to see you hit with a broken hand.

this season i would like for you to check the injury list's of teams--its far greater than the injury list in the NFL.

be back later.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to play baseball, I played may sports. And yes, baseball is by far the easier of all the sports I played to play on a daily basis. Baseball just isnt very physically demanding, this doesnt mean its not a great sport . Anyone however who says baseball is as physcially demanding as hokcey, football, basketball, lots of other sports, is clearly letting their emotional love of the game cloud whats really true.

[jesusarenque]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
All you have to do is not get hurt, playing in every game would be easy, its baseball, its not like its some hugely taxing physical sport.



[/ QUOTE ]
i love comments like this from people that don't play it (this is obvious by your post).

there is a reason why there is a clause in a big leaguer's contract that states if a player plays a full 162 games they recieve a nice bonus, because its tough to do.

a baseball player won't die or be paralyzed (although there are hundreds of cases in younger levels) but i would like to see you hit with a broken hand.

this season i would like for you to check the injury list's of teams--its far greater than the injury list in the NFL.

be back later.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to play baseball, I played may sports. And yes, baseball is by far the easier of all the sports I played to play on a daily basis. Baseball just isnt very physically demanding, this doesnt mean its not a great sport . Anyone however who says baseball is as physcially demanding as hokcey, football, basketball, lots of other sports, is clearly letting their emotional love of the game cloud whats really true.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just because something is more physcially demanding than something else doesn't make it harder.

[mmbt0ne]

Other: ATL Braves division titles.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]


Just because something is more physcially demanding than something else doesn't make it harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

it does when you are talking about a streak like ripkens.

[Skipbidder]

1) Barry Bonds--most consecutive walks while on steroids.
2) Pete Rose--most consecutive weeks with at least one violation of Rule 21.
3) Ron Santo--Most limbs lost to preventable causes.

[jesusarenque]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Just because something is more physcially demanding than something else doesn't make it harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

it does when you are talking about a streak like ripkens.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was talking about his contention that baseball is easier than other sports because it isn't as physically demanding. Benching 300lbs is more physically demanding than performing brain surgery, but that doesn't make it harder.

[Glenn]

Barry Bonds had 12 straight seasons with a OPS over 1. That's the best.

???

Babe Ruth had 13 of 14 consecutive seasons with an OPS over 1.1...He missed a lot of games in 1925, I guess due to injury.

[Jack of Arcades]

Well, then, I guess they aren't consecutive, are they?

[Glenn]

But the point is, what Bonds did is not far and above what anyone else did.

[Glenn]

Dimaggio's streak is the most overrated in sports. It's amazing probability wise, but a hitting streak doesn't really mean anything. It's just something silly people fixate on. That amazing streak didn't even make him the best hitter in the league that year.

[tdarko]

you statement would hold its water if football players played anywhere near 162 games.

i believe you played baseball but have you ever played a 104 game season let alone 162??

[tdarko]

yeah ted williams was.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
3) Ron Santo--Most limbs lost to preventable causes.

[/ QUOTE ]
this made me laugh real hard. good post. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]


i believe you played baseball but have you ever played a 104 game season let alone 162??

[/ QUOTE ]

no, but I easily could. I already work out harder everyday than the amount of physical expendititure that happens during an MLB game and practice.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]


I was talking about his contention that baseball is easier than other sports because it isn't as physically demanding. Benching 300lbs is more physically demanding than performing brain surgery, but that doesn't make it harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

If my posts come off as saying I think baseball is easier than other sports, thats not what im trying to say. I'm saying its easier from the standpoint of physical conditioning.

I would imagine that a large percentage of major leaguers could beat ripkens streak if they were given the opportunity and stayed healthy. Can any of them beat dimaggios streak? nope.

[youtalkfunny]

Johnny VandeMeer had rather impressive streak, as well.

[Toro]

[ QUOTE ]
Cal's streak will never be broken.

Ever.

Joe's will.

That said, Cal's streak is the most impressive.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cal's streak will never be broken. Agreed. In fact, no one will even attempt to break it. The game is different now.

Joe's will. Possibly. Everyone will try to break it.

That said, Dimaggio's streak is the most impressive.

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
Dimaggio's streak is the most overrated in sports. It's amazing probability wise, but a hitting streak doesn't really mean anything. It's just something silly people fixate on. That amazing streak didn't even make him the best hitter in the league that year.

[/ QUOTE ]

What he said.

GoT

[housenuts]

dimaggio's streak will be broken this year. orel's won't be. nor will the other two, but orel's is the most impressive.

[Bulldog]

[ QUOTE ]
its a tie in my mind with joe and ripken. its closer than everyone thinks, nobody has come close to even 1000 games <snip>

[/ QUOTE ]

Lou Gehrig 2,130
Everett Scott 1,307
Steve Garvey 1,207
Billy Williams 1,117
Joe Sewell 1,103

[brokedickrooster]

Ripken, and I don't think it is close.

[Voltron87]

Well you can immediately scratch 4 and 2, Orel's is amazing but I have to go with Joe.

Anyone who says Cal should have their baseball privileges revoked.

[M2d]

Johnny Vandemeer
Dale Long

[trotski]

Dimaggio and it's not even close.

[jason_t]

I find it interesting that so many people are strongly outspoken against Ripken's streak yet he has way more votes than Gagne.

[Toro]

Ripken's streak isn't even an athletic accomplishment. Comparing it to Dimaggio's hitting streak is like saying the kid who got the pin for perfect attendance in High School is more impressive than the kid with the highest GPA.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
I would imagine that a large percentage of major leaguers could beat ripkens streak if they were given the opportunity and stayed healthy. Can any of them beat dimaggios streak? nope.

[/ QUOTE ]
this is wrong. its hard to stick up for a streak that didn't reallly involve skill but i guess people just don't realize how unlikely it is to play 162 games for 15 years without injury.

ripken played in 2632 consecutive games out of his 3001 he played in his entire career--most players don't even play that long let alone consecutively. there is just really a zero chance when you combine the likelyhood of non-injury and the way the game is played today with all the money invested in superstars.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
no, but I easily could. I already work out harder everyday than the amount of physical expendititure that happens during an MLB game and practice.

[/ QUOTE ]
you have no idea what goes on. great phsyical condition isn't the only think you need to play everyday for 6 months with all that goes into it.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
Lou Gehrig 2,130
Everett Scott 1,307
Steve Garvey 1,207
Billy Williams 1,117
Joe Sewell 1,103

[/ QUOTE ]
and it's all players at the time ripken played or before his time--nowadays it simply will not be done, too much money invested in the superstars (superstars are the only ones with career longevity to have a chance at the record).

i can't remember who had the current streak a few years ago, i think it was frank thomas before all the injuries and his was only at like 500+ games or something.

[jakethebake]

IMO Cal's streak should be thrown out anyway. There were scheduled games he didn't play because he and the rest of the whiney little overpaid babies went on strike. Those games should count against his streak IMO.

[jesusarenque]

[ QUOTE ]
IMO Cal's streak should be thrown out anyway. There were scheduled games he didn't play because he and the rest of the whiney little overpaid babies went on strike. Those games should count against his streak IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about all the generous scoring decisions that helped Joe D get to 56? Should those count against his streak?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
IMO Cal's streak should be thrown out anyway. There were scheduled games he didn't play because he and the rest of the whiney little overpaid babies went on strike. Those games should count against his streak IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about all the generous scoring decisions that helped Joe D get to 56? Should those count against his streak?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have no opinion. I was stating an opinion on Cal's streak.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]

you have no idea what goes on. great phsyical condition isn't the only think you need to play everyday for 6 months with all that goes into it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes it is. They arent jedi knights. The only thing they need is physical conditioning (and for the level of baseball it isnt an inordinate amount) and talent (which takes a ton), but that last part has been suspended for the sake of this argument.

Since you seem to think otherwise, how about you enlighten me as to what other factors there are, instead of just telling me that there are other factors

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes it is. They arent jedi knights. The only thing they need is physical conditioning (and for the level of baseball it isnt an inordinate amount) and talent (which takes a ton), but that last part has been suspended for the sake of this argument.


[/ QUOTE ]
yeah i wasn't talking about the talent level. i was talking about how a travel schedule for that many games is more demanding than other sports (excluding hockey b/c i believe hockey is the most demanding for its long schedule and tough as football games).

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes it is. They arent jedi knights. The only thing they need is physical conditioning (and for the level of baseball it isnt an inordinate amount) and talent (which takes a ton), but that last part has been suspended for the sake of this argument.


[/ QUOTE ]
yeah i wasn't talking about the talent level. i was talking about how a travel schedule for that many games is more demanding than other sports (excluding hockey b/c i believe hockey is the most demanding for its long schedule and tough as football games).

[/ QUOTE ]

No offense, but private jets and chartered buses (do they even use those anymore????) and nice hotel rooms.....yeah, that would be soooo rough, doubt if I could handle that /images/graemlins/smile.gif
Also I think hockey AND basketball have harder travel schedules because they rarely are in the same place for longer than a game (when on the road). And dont have homestands anywhere near as long as in baseball

Not saying it wouldnt suck at times, but there is nothing there that would keep me from being able to play.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
Also I think hockey AND basketball have harder travel schedules because they rarely are in the same place for longer than a game

[/ QUOTE ]
good point.

big leaguer's are at the field around noon to one and don't get home till' later than midnight. it's tough but yeah there is more homestands.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
Also I think hockey AND basketball have harder travel schedules because they rarely are in the same place for longer than a game (when on the road).

[/ QUOTE ]

there's a reason that pot is the drug of choice in the nba and greenies the go to for mlb. baseball's schedule is way rougher than you give it credit for.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Also I think hockey AND basketball have harder travel schedules because they rarely are in the same place for longer than a game (when on the road).

[/ QUOTE ]

there's a reason that pot is the drug of choice in the nba and greenies the go to for mlb. baseball's schedule is way rougher than you give it credit for.

[/ QUOTE ]

im not saying it isnt rough, im just saying it isnt so rough that it would keep me from missing a game. From an EV standpoint im sure a day off everynow and then is the correct play. Which is why ripkens streak will never be broken, because no manager is ever going to play a star player for that long without giving him a day off. That doesnt change the fact that it still isnt out of the realm of possibilty for many players from a "could they actually do it" standpoint. dimaggios record however, is.

[tdarko]

even if they let a guy play everyday, going 15 seasons without injury is virtually impossible so don't start talking EV.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
im not saying it isnt rough, im just saying it isnt so rough that it would keep me from missing a game.

[/ QUOTE ]
you greatly underestimate the toll playing every day takes on your body.

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]
Johnny VandeMeer had rather impressive streak, as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Johnny VandeMeer's streak will NEVER, EVER be broken.

[David04]

I don't know if 2 games can be considered a streak. Maybe 2 consecutive no hitters is a feat, but 2 of anything is not a streak.


I think that Orel's streak is the most impressive, mainly because pitching 59 scoreless innings will greatly help your team. Hitting in 56 consecutive games doesn't automatically give your team a good chance to win a game.

[MicroBob]

I agree mostly with TDarko's assessment.


My first thought when I saw the title of the thread was Johnny Vander Meer. I think it counts as a streak....and obviously is VERY unlikely to be broken of course.


someone else mentioned Dale Long....but his streak for consecutive games with a HR was later tied by Mattingly and Griffey Jr.


The fact that Dale Long was the last regular left-handed catcher in the big-leagues is another bit of trivia some may not have known about.


Orel's streak was freaking AMAZING. But remember, he just squeaked past Drysdale's record....so it's been proven that something of that magnitude CAN be done.
I don't recall what the previous shutout-inning record was prior to Drysdale or how many pitchers racked up scoreless streaks of 30-40 innings or so. Koufax must have put together a pretty good streak or two in there at some point.


Dimaggio's streak was pretty darned good too. But as has been pointed out...there have been a couple of runs at it (Rose, Molitor, etc).
Rose's 44 games DOES indeed qualify as 'coming close' to Dimaggio's 56.


In the minors I saw Adrian Beltre have an 18-game hitting streak and even something as piddly-sounding as that (by comparison to Dimaggio) was pretty impressive to witness.
I also saw Scott Sauerbeck with a 27 inning shut-out streak and, while impressive, it didn't seem entirely earth-shattering to me.

Just recalling streaks that I have witnessed in person.


Ripken's streak will never be broken. Period.
Playing 162 games in a season is pretty tough. Period.

Dimaggio's record will be broken at some point I suspect.
Ichiro might have a reasonable chance.
Hell, even a guy like Jose Vidro could make a run at it.


For some reason, Orel's record seems less likely to me to be broken than Dimaggio's streak....but who knows?


Even more impressive to me is Vin Scully's streak of 56 consective seasons broadcasting Dodgers games (although he hasn't called EVERY single game in there...he was the voice of NBC's game of the week in the 80's so missed many Saturday Dodger games in that stretch alone).
I'm probably a bit biased on that one though.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
even if they let a guy play everyday, going 15 seasons without injury is virtually impossible

[/ QUOTE ]

I bet there are hundreds of players who have gone 15 seasons with out an injury that kept them from playing, they just missed games for other reasons.

And something cant be "virtually impossible" when its already been done twice.

[kerssens]

Every record, eventually, will be broken.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
Every record, eventually, will be broken.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are tons of records that will never be broken. Hitting 2 grandslams in one inning will NEVER be broken.

Change the statement to "every significant record will be broken" and you've got room to argue, but even then there are records that wont ever be touched because the game is different now than when the record was made. Wilt chamberlain has a couple of these.

[kerssens]

Cy Young's wins record is another one that I'm sure I'll never see broken but there could be some freak of nature born in 2084 that wins 30 games a year for 20 years....also there could be a crazy game where a team scores 20 runs in an inning and there happens to be 3 grand slams hit by one person.

[James282]

[ QUOTE ]
Every record, eventually, will be broken.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about Jesus' record for most miracles?
-James

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
I bet there are hundreds of players who have gone 15 seasons with out an injury that kept them from playing, they just missed games for other reasons.



[/ QUOTE ]
you bet but lost.
[ QUOTE ]
And something cant be "virtually impossible" when its already been done twice.

[/ QUOTE ]
its been done once.

[M2d]

consecutive day games played

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
Dimaggio's record will be broken at some point I suspect.
Ichiro might have a reasonable chance.
Hell, even a guy like Jose Vidro could make a run at it.


[/ QUOTE ]
i think ichiro has a chance too. ichiro is a type of hitter that doesn't have to hit a ball squarly once in a game and can get 3 hits. he has a ton of weapons, speed being number one.

[Voltron87]

No one will ever break Ripken's record because nobody relaly wants to. The single season HR record, .400, all those are big. No one is going to say "I'm going to play in one million straight games no matter what". Durability is a good quality and I know how grueling a 162 game season can be, but by the end of Ripken's streak it was pointless. He was just playing for the sake of a stupid record, and playing in 2000 straight games does not really help your team, especially when the team focuses around not breaking your streak at the end of it.

[MicroBob]

With Beltre behind him now he's in even better shape perhaps.


Also wouldn't be surprised to see Ichiro hit .400 (which IS something that WILL happen again...Brett, Carew and others have come damn close).




I agree with Tdarko regarding FIFTEEN freaking seasons without missing a game.


Baseball certainly isn't as punishing PER GAME as football or hockey. But playing 162 games in 175 days or so is a LOT tougher than people think it is.


The number of players who are playing WITH injuries that have a modest effect on their performance is VERY high. Much higher than people realize because not all the injuries are known about or talked about. Just the aggrevating, nagging stuff that hurts far more than many people are aware of.


There's almost always 2 or 3 players out there who could honestly say that their shoulder doesn't feel right (sore, or kind of popping, or whatever)....or they're toe-nail got cracked-off in some contact trying to break-up a double-play (and it's all ugly and black), or the guy who got beaned in the fore-arm has a fairly significant bruise.


These don't sound like much but they ARE aggrevating....and they DO add up.

The guys that get hit by a pitch and then trot down to first-base LOOK like they didn't get hurt that badly because there's that whole 'code' amongst ball-players about not showing the injury.


But if you have never been hit by a 90-mph pitch in the back or the thigh or the bicep you really don't know how much that mother hurts or how long or deep the bruise is going to last.


A baseball season is just one long stretch of double-play break-ups (either as a runner or fielder) or getting nailed by a pitch, or taking a bad-hop grounder off the chest, etc etc.


For those who haven't noticed....'dem there' baseballs are pretty freaking hard and they are coming at you pretty fast.

[tdarko]

you post better than i do, i hope alobar reads this.

[FishNChips]

59 consecutive scoreless innings impresses me the most (i.e. "is most impressive"). Dimaggio's 56 is a VERY close 2nd. In fact, I'll even go so far as admitting that I'm biased as a Dodger fan and that magical year was at the peak of my baseball life --- that said, 59 consecutive scoreless innings is 7 starts * 8 innings each + 3 innings at the start or end. Pitchers don't WIN 7 consecutive starts. Pitchers don't go 7 consecutive starts allowing less than 3 runs.

Ripken showed up for work, played hurt, played poorly at times, and played every day for 15 years. Good for him. There were days/weeks he SHOULD have sat and didn't. This is an artificial streak .. its not likely to ever be broken, but its artificial and I'm not impressed.

Gagne's streak was nice, and as a Dodger fan I was thrilled to see him get it, but not blowing a 3 run lead in the 9th inning will get you a save and that's just not anywhere near Joe and Orel. Now, if Gagne goes 59 scoreless innings on the way to 55 saves, then we have something to talk about!

Joe's streak... wow, its amazing but he only had to get 1 hit a game. If Orel hangs a curveball to the wrong guy its out of the park and the streak ends. Orel's streak required constant excellence over a long stretch and Dimaggio's required excellence over a long stretch. That's the difference for me.

Go (11-2) Dodger Blue!
FishNChips

[SossMan]

I couldn't agree more with your post, Fish. Esp. the part about 'that magical year'....I turned 9 during the streak, so you can imagine how into baseball I was at that time.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
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IMO Cal's streak should be thrown out anyway. There were scheduled games he didn't play because he and the rest of the whiney little overpaid babies went on strike. Those games should count against his streak IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about all the generous scoring decisions that helped Joe D get to 56? Should those count against his streak?

[/ QUOTE ]

And how about the fact that Gagne blew the save in the All-Star game, but that didn't count against his record? I guess if you conveniently schedule your failures, they don't affect you as much.

Atlanta Braves is still the most impressive.

[Gallopin Gael]

[ QUOTE ]
i can't remember who had the current streak a few years ago, i think it was frank thomas before all the injuries and his was only at like 500+ games or something.

[/ QUOTE ]

Currently it's Miguel Tejada with 769, the 11th longest in history.

[JaBlue]

[ QUOTE ]
59 consecutive scoreless innings impresses me the most (i.e. "is most impressive"). Dimaggio's 56 is a VERY close 2nd. In fact, I'll even go so far as admitting that I'm biased as a Dodger fan and that magical year was at the peak of my baseball life --- that said, 59 consecutive scoreless innings is 7 starts * 8 innings each + 3 innings at the start or end. Pitchers don't WIN 7 consecutive starts. Pitchers don't go 7 consecutive starts allowing less than 3 runs.

Ripken showed up for work, played hurt, played poorly at times, and played every day for 15 years. Good for him. There were days/weeks he SHOULD have sat and didn't. This is an artificial streak .. its not likely to ever be broken, but its artificial and I'm not impressed.

Gagne's streak was nice, and as a Dodger fan I was thrilled to see him get it, but not blowing a 3 run lead in the 9th inning will get you a save and that's just not anywhere near Joe and Orel. Now, if Gagne goes 59 scoreless innings on the way to 55 saves, then we have something to talk about!

Joe's streak... wow, its amazing but he only had to get 1 hit a game. If Orel hangs a curveball to the wrong guy its out of the park and the streak ends. Orel's streak required constant excellence over a long stretch and Dimaggio's required excellence over a long stretch. That's the difference for me.

Go (11-2) Dodger Blue!
FishNChips

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly the reason i voted the same way. good post, fnc

[MicroBob]

I write longer than you do too.....this is probably why.


In other news...I was once got beaned 3 times in a little-league game and I came home bragging to my Mom about it.
She nearly had a heart-attack.

[tdarko]

haha, but i bet your dad was happy.

[GrekeHaus]

[ QUOTE ]
And how about the fact that Gagne blew the save in the All-Star game, but that didn't count against his record? I guess if you conveniently schedule your failures, they don't affect you as much.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gagne's streak is the most overhyped record in the history of sports because the save is a useless stat. The concept of using your best reliever with a 3-run lead for one inning while not bringing him in with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning of a one run game is stupid. If you can't regualarly hold a 3-run lead for one inning then you shouldn't be pitching in the majors. So why do you get some sort of special stat for doing this?

If the Dodgers had been using Gagne properly, he wouldn't have come any where near that long of a streak.

[FishNChips]

I was a 16 year old sophmore. It was my last good year of baseball... Jr and Sr years I sat on the varstity bench. '88 run for the Dodgers was the shznitz! Beating the bashbros in the Series... well, its getting a little dusty in here or something ...