Ruth, Mantle, Judge: BB relative to league.

The previous post dealt with SO:

Ruth, Mantle, Judge: SO relative to league. Sunday, November 12, 2017

In 2017 25 year old Yankee rookie Aaron Judge hit a rookie record 52 Home Runs (HR), which led the American League (AL). Judge also led the AL in Strike Outs (SO) and Bases on Balls (BB).  In a series of posts, Judge will be compared to legendary Yankee home run champions Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, who also often led the league in SO and BB. Since Judge has played only one full season, this will be done for individual seasons for Ruth and Mantle...

... simply looking at totals does not provide context. Let's compare SO rates and then do it compared to the league rates for the individual seasons in which Ruth, Mantle and Judge had their most SO...

Surprisingly, that percent above league is about the same for Mantle and Judge: 61% and 60%. However, Ruth is a whopping 107% above.

So, the Babe is the SO king among these three Yankee HR hitters. Who knew?
_____________________________

BB relative to league:

Ruth had both his most SO (93) and BB (170) in the same season: 1923.

Ruth had his highest BA (.393) in 1923 but was second to Harry Heilman of Detroit (.403). Ruth also had his highest On Base average (.545) in 1923 and led over Heilman (.481).

Most BB through 1923:

Rk	Player	BB	HR	SO	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos
1	Babe Ruth	170	41	93	1923	28	NYY	AL	152	697	522	151	205	45	13	130		4	3			17	21	.393	.545	.764	1.309	97/83
2	Babe Ruth	150	54	80	1920	25	NYY	AL	142	616	458	158	172	36	9	135		3	5			14	14	.376	.532	.847	1.379	*978/3H1
3	Jimmy Sheckard	147	4	58	1911	32	CHC	NL	156	704	539	121	149	26	11	50		3	15			32		.276	.434	.388	.822	*7
4	Babe Ruth	145	59	81	1921	26	NYY	AL	152	693	540	177	204	44	16	168		4	4			17	13	.378	.512	.846	1.359	*78/13
5	Jimmy Sheckard	122	3	81	1912	33	CHC	NL	146	660	523	85	128	22	10	44		5	10			15		.245	.392	.342	.735	*7
6	Topsy Hartsel	121	0	65	1905	31	PHA	AL	150	674	538	88	148	22	8	28		1	14			37		.275	.409	.346	.755	*78
7	Eddie Collins	119	4	27	1915	28	CHW	AL	155	681	521	118	173	22	10	77		5	35			46	30	.332	.460	.436	.896	*4
8	Donie Bush	118	1	44	1915	27	DET	AL	155	703	561	99	128	12	8	44		2	22			35	27	.228	.364	.283	.648	*6
9	Ty Cobb	118	3	43	1915	28	DET	AL	156	701	563	144	208	31	13	99		10	9			96	38	.369	.486	.487	.973	*8
10	Burt Shotton	118	1	62	1915	30	SLB	AL	156	683	559	93	158	18	11	30		2	6			43	32	.283	.409	.360	.769	*79/8H

Yes, number ten Burt Shotton, is the guy who managed Jackie Robinson in 1947 when Robinson was a rookie on the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Mantle's highest BB total (146) was in 1957 when he also had his highest BA (.365) and highest On Base average (.512) but finished second to Ted Williams in both: .388 and .526.

Most BB through 1957:

Rk	Player	BB	HR	SO	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos
1	Babe Ruth	170	41	93	1923	28	NYY	AL	152	697	522	151	205	45	13	130		4	3			17	21	.393	.545	.764	1.309	97/83
2	Ted Williams	162	43	48	1949	30	BOS	AL	155	730	566	150	194	39	3	159		2	0		22	1	1	.343	.490	.650	1.141	*7
3	Ted Williams	162	32	47	1947	28	BOS	AL	156	692	528	125	181	40	9	114		2	1		10	0	1	.343	.499	.634	1.133	*7
4	Ted Williams	156	38	44	1946	27	BOS	AL	150	672	514	142	176	37	8	123		2	0		12	0	0	.342	.497	.667	1.164	*7
5	Eddie Yost	151	11	82	1956	29	WSH	AL	152	684	515	94	119	17	2	53	9	8	9	1	8	8	5	.231	.412	.336	.748	*5/H9
6	Babe Ruth	150	54	80	1920	25	NYY	AL	142	616	458	158	172	36	9	135		3	5			14	14	.376	.532	.847	1.379	*978/3H1
7	Eddie Joost	149	23	80	1949	33	PHA	AL	144	682	525	128	138	25	3	81		4	4		6	2	1	.263	.429	.453	.883	*6
8	Eddie Stanky	148	1	42	1945	29	BRO	NL	153	725	555	128	143	29	5	39		4	19		7	6		.258	.417	.333	.751	*4/6
9	Ted Williams	147	37	27	1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	456	135	185	33	3	120		3	0		10	2	4	.406	.553	.735	1.287	*7H/9
10	Jimmy Sheckard	147	4	58	1911	32	CHC	NL	156	704	539	121	149	26	11	50		3	15			32		.276	.434	.388	.822	*7
11	Mickey Mantle	146	34	75	1957	25	NYY	AL	144	623	474	121	173	28	6	94	23	0	0	3	5	16	3	.365	.512	.665	1.177	*8/H
12	Ted Williams	145	36	51	1942	23	BOS	AL	150	671	522	141	186	34	5	137		4	0		12	3	2	.356	.499	.648	1.147	*7/9
13	Babe Ruth	145	59	81	1921	26	NYY	AL	152	693	540	177	204	44	16	168		4	4			17	13	.378	.512	.846	1.359	*78/13

Mantle's career high was number 11 all time through 1957.

Career BB through 1935, Ruth's last season; all with 1,000:

Rk	Player	BB	HR	SO	From	To	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Babe Ruth	2062	714	1330	1914	1935	19-40	2503	10623	8399	2174	2873	506	136	2214		43	113		2	123	117	.342	.474	.690	1.164	971/H83	BOS-NYY-BSN
2	Eddie Collins	1499	47	467	1906	1930	19-43	2826	12046	9949	1821	3315	438	187	1299		77	512			741	195	.333	.424	.429	.853	*4/H69875	PHA-CHW
3	Tris Speaker	1381	117	393	1907	1928	19-40	2789	11995	10195	1882	3514	792	222	1531		103	309			436	157	.345	.428	.500	.928	*8/H3971	BOS-CLE-WSH-PHA
4	Ty Cobb	1249	117	680	1905	1928	18-41	3034	13087	11434	2244	4189	724	295	1944		94	291			897	212	.366	.433	.512	.945	*89/H73145	DET-PHA
5	Donie Bush	1158	9	630	1908	1923	20-35	1945	8744	7210	1280	1804	186	74	445		29	337			406	93	.250	.356	.300	.656	*6/54H	DET-WSH
6	Max Bishop	1156	41	452	1924	1935	24-35	1338	5789	4494	966	1216	236	35	379		31	98			40	51	.271	.423	.366	.789	*4/H36	PHA-BOS
7	Lou Gehrig	1139	378	619	1923	1935	20-32	1687	7522	6249	1466	2142	428	141	1570		29	102			89	92	.343	.446	.638	1.084	*3/H976	NYY
8	Harry Hooper	1136	75	582	1909	1925	21-37	2309	10254	8785	1429	2466	389	160	816		76	247			375	141	.281	.368	.387	.755	*9/78H1	BOS-CHW
9	Lu Blue	1092	44	436	1921	1933	24-36	1615	7223	5904	1152	1696	319	109	695		43	168		0	151	85	.287	.402	.401	.803	*3/H8	DET-SLB-CHW-BRO
10	Max Carey	1040	70	695	1910	1929	20-39	2476	10769	9363	1545	2665	419	159	802		77	290			738	109	.285	.361	.386	.747	*879/H	PIT-BRO
11	Rogers Hornsby	1030	300	674	1915	1935	19-39	2237	9411	8112	1571	2910	538	169	1571		48	216		3	135	64	.359	.434	.578	1.012	*465H/3978	STL-NYG-BSN-CHC-SLB
12	Miller Huggins	1003	9	556	1904	1916	26-38	1586	6795	5558	948	1474	146	50	318		47	192			324	31	.265	.382	.314	.696	*4/H5	CIN-STL

Career BB through 1968, Mantle's last season:

Rk	Player	BB	HR	SO	From	To	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Babe Ruth	2062	714	1330	1914	1935	19-40	2503	10623	8399	2174	2873	506	136	2214		43	113		2	123	117	.342	.474	.690	1.164	971/H83	BOS-NYY-BSN
2	Ted Williams	2021	521	709	1939	1960	20-41	2292	9788	7706	1798	2654	525	71	1839	86	39	5	20	197	24	17	.344	.482	.634	1.116	*79H/1	BOS
3	Mickey Mantle	1733	536	1710	1951	1968	19-36	2401	9907	8102	1676	2415	344	72	1509	126	13	14	47	113	153	38	.298	.421	.557	.977	*8397H/645	NYY
4	Mel Ott	1708	511	896	1926	1947	17-38	2730	11348	9456	1859	2876	488	72	1860		64	109		82	89		.304	.414	.533	.947	*95H8/74	NYG
5	Eddie Yost	1614	139	920	1944	1962	17-35	2109	9175	7346	1215	1863	337	56	682	15	99	98	18	133	72	66	.254	.394	.371	.765	*5/H37964	WSH-DET-LAA
6	Stan Musial	1599	475	696	1941	1963	20-42	3026	12718	10972	1949	3630	725	177	1951	127	53	35	53	243	78	31	.331	.417	.559	.976	3798H/1	STL
7	Lou Gehrig	1508	493	790	1923	1939	20-36	2164	9663	8001	1888	2721	534	163	1995		45	106		2	102	100	.340	.447	.632	1.080	*3/H976	NYY
8	Eddie Collins	1499	47	467	1906	1930	19-43	2826	12046	9949	1821	3315	438	187	1299		77	512			741	195	.333	.424	.429	.853	*4/H69875	PHA-CHW
9	Jimmie Foxx	1452	534	1311	1925	1945	17-37	2317	9676	8134	1751	2646	458	125	1922		13	71		69	87	73	.325	.428	.609	1.038	*35H2/7916	PHA-BOS-CHC-PHI
10	Eddie Mathews	1444	512	1487	1952	1968	20-36	2391	10100	8537	1509	2315	354	72	1453	107	26	36	58	123	68	39	.271	.376	.509	.885	*53/H7	BSN-MLN-ATL-HOU-DET

So when they retired Ruth, in 1935, was way ahead of anyone else and Mantle, in 1968, was number three.

Top ten in BB through 2017:

Rk	Player	BB	HR	SO	From	To	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Barry Bonds	2558	762	1539	1986	2007	21-42	2986	12606	9847	2227	2935	601	77	1996	688	106	4	91	165	514	141	.298	.444	.607	1.051	*78H/D9	PIT-SFG
2	Rickey Henderson	2190	297	1694	1979	2003	20-44	3081	13346	10961	2295	3055	510	66	1115	61	98	30	67	172	1406	335	.279	.401	.419	.820	*78HD/9	NYY-OAK-TOR-ANA-NYM-SEA-SDP-BOS-LAD
3	Babe Ruth	2062	714	1330	1914	1935	19-40	2503	10623	8399	2174	2873	506	136	2214		43	113		2	123	117	.342	.474	.690	1.164	971/H83	BOS-NYY-BSN
4	Ted Williams	2021	521	709	1939	1960	20-41	2292	9788	7706	1798	2654	525	71	1839	86	39	5	20	197	24	17	.344	.482	.634	1.116	*79H/1	BOS
5	Joe Morgan	1865	268	1015	1963	1984	19-40	2649	11329	9277	1650	2517	449	96	1133	76	40	51	96	105	689	162	.271	.392	.427	.819	*4H/7D58	HOU-CIN-SFG-PHI-OAK
6	Carl Yastrzemski	1845	452	1393	1961	1983	21-43	3308	13992	11988	1816	3419	646	59	1844	190	40	13	105	323	168	116	.285	.379	.462	.841	*73D8/H59	BOS
7	Jim Thome	1747	612	2548	1991	2012	20-41	2543	10313	8422	1583	2328	451	26	1699	173	69	1	74	165	19	20	.276	.402	.554	.956	3D5H	CLE-PHI-CHW-LAD-MIN-BAL
8	Mickey Mantle	1733	536	1710	1951	1968	19-36	2401	9907	8102	1676	2415	344	72	1509	126	13	14	47	113	153	38	.298	.421	.557	.977	*8397H/645	NYY
9	Mel Ott	1708	511	896	1926	1947	17-38	2730	11348	9456	1859	2876	488	72	1860		64	109		82	89		.304	.414	.533	.947	*95H8/74	NYG
10	Frank Thomas	1667	521	1397	1990	2008	22-40	2322	10075	8199	1494	2468	495	12	1704	168	87	0	121	226	32	23	.301	.419	.555	.974	*D3/H	CHW-OAK-TOR

Ruth is now number three and Mantle eight.

Let's compare BB rates and then do it compared to the league rates for the individual seasons in which Ruth, Mantle and Judge had their most BB.

year	Yank	BB	PA	BB/PA
1923	Ruth	170	697	24.39%
1957	Mantle	146	623	23.43%
2017	Judge	127	678	18.73%

	AL	AL	AL	Dif	Pct Dif
year	BB	PA	BB/PA			Yank
1923	4,069	48,165	8.45%	15.94%	189%	Ruth
1957	4,301	47,513	9.05%	14.38%	159%	Mantle
2017	7,785	92,622	8.41%	10.33%	123%	Judge

Unlike SO, there is a clear separation and progression. Despite their personal rate being about the same for Ruth and Mantle, the percent difference is 30 points and then another 36 points between Mantle and Judge. The AL BB rate was about the same in 1923 and 2017.

Here are the top two and/or only batters with at least 100 BB in those seasons:

1923:
Ruth 170
Joe Sewell Cleveland 98

1957:
Mantle 146
Ted Williams Boston 119

2017:
Judge 127
Edwin Encarnacion Cleveland 104

In 1923 and 1957 there were only 8 teams in the AL and teams were scheduled to play 154 games. In 2017 there were 15 teams, which played 162 games.