1936 -9.61% 5 of 8
1937 -40.29% 7 of 8
1938 -18.82% 5 of 7
1939 -26.59% 3 of 6
1941 -48.64% 8 of 8
1942 -20.82% 6 of 7; Yankees lost.
1947 -7.69% 6 of 8
1949 -53.87% 4 of 5; all five Yankees had negative percentages.
1950 10.68% 2 of 7
1951 1.14% 4 of 8
DiMaggio was the slugger who did not strike out (SO). Prior to his final season in 1951 he had more home runs than strike outs. DiMaggio finished fifth in career HR, same position as Alex Rogriguez. In that final season DiMaggio had 12 home runs and 36 SO. That was the indication that he was through. But DiMaggio did SO much more in 9 of the 10 WS. Maybe the National League pitchers were striking out all the Yankees more. They were but not that much more. Below are the percentage differences between the regular season and the WS for DiMaggio's teammates and for DiMaggio. In 7 of the 10 WS DiMaggio's teammates did better, usually much better. Click link to see data.
Year teammates DiMaggio
1936 -33.83% -46.94%
1937 -4.34% -56.31%
1938 -1.06% -47.41%
1939 -34.57% -30.74%
1941 3.44% -77.17%
1942 -17.20% 23.93%
1947 -30.34% -22.10%
1949 -29.78% -76.18%
1950 -1.38% -18.29%
1951 -0.95% -50.12%
Year teammates DiMaggio
DiMaggio struck out at least once in each of those ten WS. This from a guy who had 13 SO in 541 AB, once every 41.6 AB, in 1941, the season of his 56 game hitting streak. In the 1941 WS DiMaggio was -77% while his teammates were plus 3.4%.
Finally, what about DiMaggio having only four WS RBI in Yankee Stadium in 90 AB? retrosheet.org has WS splits. DiMaggio had 2 RBI in 8 AB in 1937. Yanks beat Giants 4 games to 1. Remember, all eight of DiMaggio's WS HR were on the road.
DiMaggio got both those 1937 RBI in game one, Yanks beating Giants 8-1. DiMaggio was 2 for 4. In the bottom of the sixth DiMaggio got a two run single off Carl Hubbell to put the Yanks ahead 2-1; they scored seven runs that inning. Little did DiMaggio know but that was half his WS career total at home.
Yanks lost the 1942 WS to St. Louis 4-1. In the final game DiMaggio got his third WS RBI at Yankee Stadium. DiMaggio was 1 for 4. In the fourth DiMaggio singled in a run putting the Yanks ahead 2-1. St. Louis tied in the 6th and scored two in the 9th to win 4-2.
DiMaggio's fourth and final WS home RBI was in the fourth and final game of the 1950 WS sweep of the Philadelphia Philles. DiMaggio was 2 for 3; one run, one RBI; single, double, HBP. In the first Yogi Berra singled in the first run and DiMaggio doubled to right to drive in Berra. Yanks scored three in the 6th, Philles two in the 9th. Yanks won 5-2.
In 80% of his ten WS Joe DiMaggio generally performed below his regular season performance that season. He was especially bad at home in Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won 9 of those 10 WS. If DiMaggio had played the last 13 seasons and under achieved that way how would Yankee fans have reacted? Something like the way they treated Alex Rodriguez, when they booed their all time third baseman?
Oh that's different you say. DiMaggio was always a Yankee. Rodriguez used steroids when he played three seasons in Texas before joining the Yankees. Rodriguez makes all that money that he is not earning.
DiMaggio was booed in his early seasons when he held out for more money, more than was being paid to Lou Gehrig. In his final three seasons DiMaggio was paid $100,000, top dollar back then. DiMaggio may have earned it in 1950 when he led the league in slugging average. In 1949 he was injured much of the time and 1951 was way below par for Joe DiMaggio, which is why he retired even though the Yankees wanted to pay him $100,000 in 1952. DiMaggio knew he was through.
Booing your own players is never good, especially when the players are trying their best. I think the 2012 Yankees tried their best and worked hard preparing and playing. Alex Rodriguez is an all time great and an all time Yankee. Rodriguez prepares and plays as hard as anyone, even at age 37. He deserves better from Yankee fans and from Yankee ownership and management.
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