Sunday, June 7, 2015

Pujols to pass Mantle, who was third when he retired, in home runs.

Mike Trout: Mickey Mantle 1952? Wednesday, August 8, 2012

 Mike Trout, best young player since Mickey Mantle, should be a Yankee, too. Friday, April 4, 2014

Bowman Gum
via Wikimedia Commons
The Yankee announcers during Friday's game against the Angels at the Stadium and the Fox announcers Saturday were all over the Mike Trout as Mickey Mantle analogy.  As documented above I was on it starting in Trout's rookie season.

For some context of the gross numbers the announcers presented, both home runs and stolen bases were down in the American League in the early 1950s.  Here are the AL home run leaders through Mantle's sixth season when he achieved the triple crown:

1950 Al Rosen   (CLE) 37
1951 Gus Zernial   (2TM) 33
1952 Larry Doby+ *  (CLE) 32
1953 Al Rosen   (CLE) 43
1954 Larry Doby+ *  (CLE) 32
1955 Mickey Mantle+ #  (NYY) 37
1956 Mickey Mantle+ #  (NYY) 52

 For nostalgic reasons, here is the 500 club in career home runs through this weekend:
Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Barry Bonds 762 1986 2007 21-42 2986 12606 9847 2227 2935 601 77 1996 2558 688 1539 106 4 91 165 514 141 .298 .444 .607 1.051 *78H/D9 PIT-SFG
2 Hank Aaron 755 1954 1976 20-42 3298 13941 12364 2174 3771 624 98 2297 1402 293 1383 32 21 121 328 240 73 .305 .374 .555 .928 *9783DH/45 MLN-ATL-MIL
3 Babe Ruth 714 1914 1935 19-40 2504 10622 8399 2174 2873 506 136 2214 2062 1330 43 113 2 123 117 .342 .474 .690 1.164 971/H83 BOS-NYY-BSN
4 Alex Rodriguez 665 1994 2015 18-39 2620 11558 10001 1950 2991 529 31 1997 1265 93 2122 172 16 104 243 322 76 .299 .384 .558 .941 65D/H3 SEA-TEX-NYY
5 Willie Mays 660 1951 1973 20-42 2992 12496 10881 2062 3283 523 140 1903 1464 192 1526 44 13 91 251 338 103 .302 .384 .557 .941 *8H/39675 NYG-SFG-NYM
6 Ken Griffey 630 1989 2010 19-40 2671 11304 9801 1662 2781 524 38 1836 1312 246 1779 81 8 102 199 184 69 .284 .370 .538 .907 *89DH/73 CIN-CHW-SEA
7 Jim Thome 612 1991 2012 20-41 2543 10313 8422 1583 2328 451 26 1699 1747 173 2548 69 1 74 165 19 20 .276 .402 .554 .956 3D5H CLE-PHI-CHW-LAD-MIN-BAL
8 Sammy Sosa 609 1989 2007 20-38 2354 9896 8813 1475 2408 379 45 1667 929 154 2306 59 17 78 202 234 107 .273 .344 .534 .878 *98D/H7 TEX-CHW-CHC-BAL
9 Frank Robinson 586 1956 1976 20-40 2808 11742 10006 1829 2943 528 72 1812 1420 218 1532 198 17 102 270 204 77 .294 .389 .537 .926 97D3H8/5 CIN-BAL-LAD-CAL-CLE
10 Mark McGwire 583 1986 2001 22-37 1874 7660 6187 1167 1626 252 6 1414 1317 150 1596 75 3 78 147 12 8 .263 .394 .588 .982 *3/HD59 OAK-STL
11 Harmon Killebrew 573 1954 1975 18-39 2435 9833 8147 1283 2086 290 24 1584 1559 160 1699 48 0 77 243 19 18 .256 .376 .509 .884 357DH/49 WSH-MIN-KCR
12 Rafael Palmeiro 569 1986 2005 21-40 2831 12046 10472 1663 3020 585 38 1835 1353 172 1348 87 15 119 232 97 40 .288 .371 .515 .885 *3D7/H98 CHC-BAL-TEX
13 Reggie Jackson 563 1967 1987 21-41 2820 11418 9864 1551 2584 463 49 1702 1375 164 2597 96 13 68 183 228 115 .262 .356 .490 .846 *9D8H/7 KCA-OAK-BAL-NYY-CAL
14 Manny Ramirez 555 1993 2011 21-39 2302 9774 8244 1544 2574 547 20 1831 1329 216 1813 109 2 90 243 38 33 .312 .411 .585 .996 79D/H CLE-BOS-LAD-CHW-TBR
15 Mike Schmidt 548 1972 1989 22-39 2404 10062 8352 1506 2234 408 59 1595 1507 201 1883 79 16 108 156 174 92 .267 .380 .527 .908 *53/H64 PHI
16 Mickey Mantle 536 1951 1968 19-36 2401 9907 8102 1676 2415 344 72 1509 1733 126 1710 13 14 47 113 153 38 .298 .421 .557 .977 *8397H/645 NYY
17 Albert Pujols 534 2001 2015 21-35 2169 9458 8145 1542 2570 568 16 1631 1127 288 930 94 1 91 301 99 39 .316 .401 .586 .987 *37D5/9H64 STL-LAA
18 Jimmie Foxx 534 1925 1945 17-37 2317 9676 8134 1751 2646 458 125 1922 1452 1311 13 71 69 87 73 .325 .428 .609 1.038 *35H2/7916 PHA-BOS-CHC-PHI
19 Frank Thomas 521 1990 2008 22-40 2322 10075 8199 1494 2468 495 12 1704 1667 168 1397 87 0 121 226 32 23 .301 .419 .555 .974 *D3/H CHW-OAK-TOR
20 Willie McCovey 521 1959 1980 21-42 2588 9692 8197 1229 2211 353 46 1555 1345 260 1550 69 5 70 176 26 22 .270 .374 .515 .889 *3H7/9D SFG-SDP-OAK
21 Ted Williams 521 1939 1960 20-41 2292 9788 7706 1798 2654 525 71 1839 2021 86 709 39 5 20 197 24 17 .344 .482 .634 1.116 *79H/1 BOS
22 Ernie Banks 512 1953 1971 22-40 2528 10394 9421 1305 2583 407 90 1636 763 198 1236 70 45 96 229 50 53 .274 .330 .500 .830 36/H57 CHC
23 Eddie Mathews 512 1952 1968 20-36 2391 10100 8537 1509 2315 354 72 1453 1444 107 1487 26 36 58 123 68 39 .271 .376 .509 .885 *53/H7 BSN-MLN-ATL-HOU-DET
24 Mel Ott 511 1926 1947 17-38 2730 11348 9456 1859 2876 488 72 1860 1708 896 64 109 82 89 .304 .414 .533 .947 *95H8/74 NYG
25 Gary Sheffield 509 1988 2009 19-40 2576 10947 9217 1636 2689 467 27 1676 1475 130 1171 135 9 111 235 253 104 .292 .393 .514 .907 975D/6H3 MIL-SDP-FLA-LAD-ATL-NYY-DET-NYM
Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
26 Eddie Murray 504 1977 1997 21-41 3026 12817 11336 1627 3255 560 35 1917 1333 222 1516 18 2 128 315 110 43 .287 .359 .476 .836 *3D/H57 BAL-NYM-CLE-LAD-ANA
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/7/2015.

We baseball fans are still primitive despite all the new metrics that flash across our TV screens.  We still insist on listing home run leaders by total.  That makes about as much sense as listing the best hitters by hits with Pete Rose at the top and Ty Cobb number two.

What makes sense is something analogous to OPS+, home runs weighted by year, league, park, whatever.  Babe Ruth hit more home runs than all other AL teams in 1920, 1921, 1927.

We don't even consider home runs per at bat (AB).  Also mentioned in the two games between the Yankees and Angels was that Albert Pujols is only two home runs behind Mickey Mantle.  Pujols in now tied with Jimmie Foxx at number 17.  But Pujols already has a few more AB than both Foxx and Mantle.  In the 500 club only Mark McGwire and Ted Williams have fewer AB than Mantle.  Hank Aaron has the most homers but also the most AB.

Here is the 100 club through 1921 when Babe Ruth hit 59 and became number one:

Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Babe Ruth 162 1914 1921 19-26 686 2641 2108 537 718 162 55 527 485 345 15 28 44 27 .341 .467 .700 1.167 71/98H3 BOS-NYY
2 Roger Connor 138 1880 1897 22-39 1998 8847 7797 1620 2467 441 233 1323 1002 455 39 9 244 .316 .397 .486 .883 *35/4879 TRO-NYG-NYI-PHI-STL
3 Sam Thompson 126 1885 1906 25-46 1410 6525 5998 1261 1988 343 161 1305 451 234 63 13 232 .331 .384 .505 .890 *9/783 DTN-PHI-DET
4 Harry Stovey 122 1880 1893 23-36 1486 6832 6138 1492 1771 347 174 908 663 450 31 509 .289 .361 .461 .822 3798/1 WOR-PHA-BOS-BSN-BLN-BRO
5 Gavvy Cravath 119 1908 1920 27-39 1221 4642 3951 575 1134 232 83 719 561 578 28 105 89 20 .287 .380 .478 .858 *97/H83 BOS-WSH-CHW-PHI
6 Jimmy Ryan 118 1885 1903 22-40 2014 9124 8172 1643 2513 451 157 1093 804 491 83 65 419 .308 .375 .444 .820 897/6145 CHC-CHI-WSH
7 Hugh Duffy 106 1888 1906 21-39 1737 7841 7044 1554 2293 325 119 1302 664 268 29 104 574 .326 .386 .451 .837 879/64532 CHC-CHI-BOS-BSN-MLA-PHI
8 Dan Brouthers 106 1879 1904 21-46 1673 7676 6711 1523 2296 460 205 1296 840 238 105 20 256 .342 .423 .519 .942 *3/7195 TRO-BUF-DTN-BSN-BOS-BRO-BLN-LOU-PHI-NYG
9 Mike Tiernan 106 1887 1899 20-32 1478 6732 5915 1316 1838 257 162 853 748 376 41 28 428 .311 .392 .463 .855 *978/1 NYG
10 Honus Wagner 101 1897 1917 23-43 2795 11748 10439 1739 3420 643 252 1732 963 735 125 221 723 26 .328 .391 .467 .858 *6935/847H1 LOU-PIT
11 Ed Delahanty 101 1888 1903 20-35 1837 8400 7511 1600 2597 522 186 1466 741 439 94 54 455 .346 .411 .505 .916 *7384/695 PHI-CLE-WSH
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/7/2015.

Ruth retired in early 1935 with six homers in only 72 AB.  Here is the 250 club through 1935:
Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Babe Ruth 714 1914 1935 19-40 2504 10622 8399 2174 2873 506 136 2214 2062 1330 43 113 2 123 117 .342 .474 .690 1.164 971/H83 BOS-NYY-BSN
2 Lou Gehrig 378 1923 1935 20-32 1687 7522 6249 1466 2142 428 141 1570 1139 619 29 102 89 92 .343 .446 .638 1.084 *3/H976 NYY
3 Jimmie Foxx 302 1925 1935 17-27 1256 5241 4397 975 1492 257 79 1075 781 644 7 54 48 42 .339 .440 .640 1.079 *35/2H967 PHA
4 Rogers Hornsby 300 1915 1935 19-39 2237 9411 8112 1571 2910 538 169 1571 1030 674 48 216 3 135 64 .359 .434 .578 1.012 *465H/3978 STL-NYG-BSN-CHC-SLB
5 Al Simmons 256 1924 1935 22-33 1652 7295 6707 1215 2328 430 122 1459 464 553 20 101 77 57 .347 .391 .562 .953 *78/H9 PHA-CHW
6 Cy Williams 251 1912 1930 24-42 2002 7725 6780 1024 1981 306 74 1005 690 721 86 164 115 92 .292 .365 .470 .835 *89H/7 CHC-PHI
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/7/2015.

Ruth had almost twice as many as long time Yankee teammate Lou Gehrig.  Through 1934 it was Ruth 708, Gehrig 348.

1951 was Mantle's rookie season and the last for the Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio.  Here is the 350 club through 1951:

Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Babe Ruth 714 1914 1935 19-40 2504 10622 8399 2174 2873 506 136 2214 2062 1330 43 113 2 123 117 .342 .474 .690 1.164 971/H83 BOS-NYY-BSN
2 Jimmie Foxx 534 1925 1945 17-37 2317 9676 8134 1751 2646 458 125 1922 1452 1311 13 71 69 87 73 .325 .428 .609 1.038 *35H2/7916 PHA-BOS-CHC-PHI
3 Mel Ott 511 1926 1947 17-38 2730 11348 9456 1859 2876 488 72 1860 1708 896 64 109 82 89 .304 .414 .533 .947 *95H8/74 NYG
4 Lou Gehrig 493 1923 1939 20-36 2164 9663 8001 1888 2721 534 163 1995 1508 790 45 106 2 102 100 .340 .447 .632 1.080 *3/H976 NYY
5 Joe DiMaggio 361 1936 1951 21-36 1736 7673 6821 1390 2214 389 131 1537 790 369 46 14 130 30 9 .325 .398 .579 .977 *8/79H3 NYY
6 Johnny Mize 351 1936 1951 23-38 1724 7102 6202 1103 1949 355 83 1281 833 492 48 20 92 28 1 .314 .400 .568 .968 *3/H9 STL-NYG-NYY
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/7/2015.

 The top four are the ones I remember as a kid.  Mel Ott had the National League record.  I didn't realize that DiMaggio had been number five when he retired, same as Mark McGwire when he retired in 2001 with 583; McGwire is now number ten.

Here is the 500 club through 1968, Mantle's final season:

Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Babe Ruth 714 1914 1935 19-40 2504 10622 8399 2174 2873 506 136 2214 2062 1330 43 113 2 123 117 .342 .474 .690 1.164 971/H83 BOS-NYY-BSN
2 Willie Mays 587 1951 1968 20-37 2446 10386 9130 1763 2812 446 129 1654 1137 165 1147 33 7 76 212 299 93 .308 .384 .578 .962 *8/H96375 NYG-SFG
3 Mickey Mantle 536 1951 1968 19-36 2401 9907 8102 1676 2415 344 72 1509 1733 126 1710 13 14 47 113 153 38 .298 .421 .557 .977 *8397H/645 NYY
4 Jimmie Foxx 534 1925 1945 17-37 2317 9676 8134 1751 2646 458 125 1922 1452 1311 13 71 69 87 73 .325 .428 .609 1.038 *35H2/7916 PHA-BOS-CHC-PHI
5 Ted Williams 521 1939 1960 20-41 2292 9788 7706 1798 2654 525 71 1839 2021 86 709 39 5 20 197 24 17 .344 .482 .634 1.116 *79H/1 BOS
6 Eddie Mathews 512 1952 1968 20-36 2391 10100 8537 1509 2315 354 72 1453 1444 107 1487 26 36 58 123 68 39 .271 .376 .509 .885 *53/H7 BSN-MLN-ATL-HOU-DET
7 Mel Ott 511 1926 1947 17-38 2730 11348 9456 1859 2876 488 72 1860 1708 896 64 109 82 89 .304 .414 .533 .947 *95H8/74 NYG
8 Hank Aaron 510 1954 1968 20-34 2279 9888 8889 1603 2792 484 88 1627 866 200 991 23 19 91 239 215 59 .314 .373 .560 .933 *987/4H35 MLN-ATL
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/7/2015.

 Mantle was number three.  Now he is number 16.  Here is that 1968 list again sorted in ascending order by AB:

Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB ▴ R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Ted Williams 521 1939 1960 20-41 2292 9788 7706 1798 2654 525 71 1839 2021 86 709 39 5 20 197 24 17 .344 .482 .634 1.116 *79H/1 BOS
2 Mickey Mantle 536 1951 1968 19-36 2401 9907 8102 1676 2415 344 72 1509 1733 126 1710 13 14 47 113 153 38 .298 .421 .557 .977 *8397H/645 NYY
3 Jimmie Foxx 534 1925 1945 17-37 2317 9676 8134 1751 2646 458 125 1922 1452 1311 13 71 69 87 73 .325 .428 .609 1.038 *35H2/7916 PHA-BOS-CHC-PHI
4 Babe Ruth 714 1914 1935 19-40 2504 10622 8399 2174 2873 506 136 2214 2062 1330 43 113 2 123 117 .342 .474 .690 1.164 971/H83 BOS-NYY-BSN
5 Eddie Mathews 512 1952 1968 20-36 2391 10100 8537 1509 2315 354 72 1453 1444 107 1487 26 36 58 123 68 39 .271 .376 .509 .885 *53/H7 BSN-MLN-ATL-HOU-DET
6 Hank Aaron 510 1954 1968 20-34 2279 9888 8889 1603 2792 484 88 1627 866 200 991 23 19 91 239 215 59 .314 .373 .560 .933 *987/4H35 MLN-ATL
7 Willie Mays 587 1951 1968 20-37 2446 10386 9130 1763 2812 446 129 1654 1137 165 1147 33 7 76 212 299 93 .308 .384 .578 .962 *8/H96375 NYG-SFG
8 Mel Ott 511 1926 1947 17-38 2730 11348 9456 1859 2876 488 72 1860 1708 896 64 109 82 89 .304 .414 .533 .947 *95H8/74 NYG
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/7/2015.

 Mays had more homers than Mantle but 1,028 more AB.  Aaron had fewer homers than Mantle but 787 more AB.  Mays has 77 more homers than Aaron on only 241 more AB.  The home run pecking order among those three: Mantle, Mays, Aaron.
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