It is bittersweet that sometimes when eulogizing the death of a notable public figure or a close loved one we see and hear things about their lives that make us see them in a light that makes us appreciate them more so after their passing then we did while they were alive.
So it was last week with the passing of Tony Gwynn.
The following articles from Yahoo Sports and ESPN demonstrate the greatness of Tony Gwynn as a baseball player in strictly numeric terms and many of them are simply amazing.
from Yahoo Sports:
https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/19-incredible-stats-about-tony-gwynn-s-hall-of-fame-career-182243389.html
- Never had more than 40 K's in a single year
- 4.2% career K-rate
- .341 BABIP ( Batting average on Balls put in Play )
- 97.6% Hall of Fame vote ( which means 2.4% of sportswriters should be horse-whipped )
- In 1988 he lead the league in batting average and his career average dropped by three points
- From Jayson Stark: 129 AB's versus Greg Maddux and Perdo Martinex - 0 K's
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11092617/mlb-late-tony-gwynn-incredible-hitting-numbers
This article gives an example of his greatness in strictly human terms. Great disposition, great respect and love for the game, the craft of hitting and his fellow competitors.
Rockies icon Todd Helton remembers greatness of Tony Gwynn
Helton:“Tony had smile that would light up the room. That’s who he was. He always had a smile on his face, but he was very hard on himself as ahitter. He was like me that way.”“In ’99, he gave me the best piece of advice I ever got as a hitter. He asked me what I was looking at when I got the plate and looking out at the pitcher. I told him I concentrated on the release point.“He said, ‘No you have to have your eyes focused on a fixed target. Keep your eyes on the bill of his cap or on his belt buckle. Focus on that to start the pitch.’ I became a better hitter after that.”
And last but not least, these incredible statistical tables from Baseball Reference demonstrating his superior mastery of the craft of hitting. In the first one, Gwynn is not only the top lifetime hitter for average with two strikes, but also # 4 on the OPS list ( On-Base Average + Slugging Percentage ).
The only other guys to appear on both lists:
- Todd Helton #6 AVG, #2 OPS
- Albert Pujols #12 AVG, #3 OPS
- Mark Grace #18 AVG, #23 OPS
All great hitters for average and power, with their ability demonstrated at the point of peak duress (ie: hitting with two strikes) .
What is most notable, IMO is the disparity in Batting Average between Tony Gwynn ( .302 ) another all-time great hitter, Wade Boggs ( .262 ). That kind of differential between the best and second best in any category is simply incredible.
Once again, RIP Tony Gwynn.
P.S. - Say a prayer for former Bills QB Jim Kelly.
For entire career, Two Strikes (within Count/Balls-Strikes), (requiring AB≥500), sorted by greatest Batting Average for this split
The link to your saved query/report is:
| Rk | I | Player | Split | G | PA | tOPS+ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Gwynn | Two Strikes | 1259 | .302 | 2053 | .302 | .340 | .401 | .741 | .338 | 75 | |
| 2 | Wade Boggs | Two Strikes | 1383 | .262 | 2996 | .262 | .338 | .338 | .675 | .310 | 58 | |
| 3 | Luis Polonia | Two Strikes | 1015 | .261 | 1969 | .261 | .305 | .353 | .658 | .338 | 81 | |
| 4 | Juan Pierre | Two Strikes | 1627 | .259 | 3204 | .259 | .309 | .301 | .610 | .308 | 74 | |
| 5 | Ichiro Suzuki | Two Strikes | 1868 | .259 | 3813 | .259 | .290 | .312 | .602 | .339 | 56 | |
| 6 | Todd Helton | Two Strikes | 2046 | .258 | 4488 | .258 | .344 | .426 | .770 | .333 | 62 | |
| 7 | Matt Carpenter | Two Strikes | 320 | .257 | 766 | .257 | .332 | .381 | .712 | .362 | 72 | |
| 8 | Dustin Pedroia | Two Strikes | 1017 | .256 | 2330 | .256 | .322 | .367 | .689 | .307 | 70 | |
| 9 | Joe Mauer | Two Strikes | 1148 | .255 | 2564 | .255 | .309 | .351 | .661 | .330 | 53 | |
| 10 | Brian Harper | Two Strikes | 611 | .252 | 1032 | .252 | .290 | .321 | .611 | .289 | 65 | |
| 11 | Orlando Palmeiro | Two Strikes | 809 | .252 | 1456 | .252 | .299 | .321 | .621 | .295 | 77 | |
| 12 | Albert Pujols | Two Strikes | 1808 | .252 | 3712 | .252 | .317 | .453 | .770 | .294 | 54 | |
| 13 | Gregg Jefferies | Two Strikes | 1086 | .251 | 1956 | .251 | .292 | .361 | .653 | .289 | 71 | |
| 14 | Nomar Garciaparra | Two Strikes | 1134 | .249 | 2035 | .249 | .301 | .399 | .700 | .324 | 60 | |
| 15 | Chuck Knoblauch | Two Strikes | 1414 | .248 | 3110 | .248 | .341 | .348 | .689 | .320 | 76 | |
| 16 | Placido Polanco | Two Strikes | 1567 | .248 | 2917 | .248 | .300 | .326 | .626 | .297 | 70 | |
| 17 | Johnny Ray | Two Strikes | 321 | .247 | 587 | .247 | .295 | .311 | .606 | .304 | 68 | |
| 18 | Mark Grace | Two Strikes | 1733 | .244 | 3021 | .244 | .330 | .356 | .687 | .301 | 67 | |
| 19 | Willie Randolph | Two Strikes | 485 | .244 | 902 | .244 | .334 | .277 | .610 | .316 | 68 | |
| 20 | Tike Redman | Two Strikes | 326 | .244 | 570 | .244 | .283 | .331 | .614 | .326 | 76 | |
| 21 | Paul Molitor | Two Strikes | 1310 | .243 | 2486 | .243 | .314 | .350 | .664 | .321 | 63 | |
| 22 | Carney Lansford | Two Strikes | 427 | .242 | 668 | .242 | .343 | .324 | .667 | .311 | 79 | |
| 23 | Martin Prado | Two Strikes | 812 | .242 | 1753 | .242 | .281 | .361 | .643 | .303 | 67 | |
| 24 | Kenji Johjima | Two Strikes | 367 | .241 | 660 | .241 | .292 | .346 | .638 | .297 | 78 | |
| 25 | Mark Loretta | Two Strikes | 1453 | .241 | 2968 | .241 | .310 | .310 | .620 | .301 | 65 |
| Rk | I | Player | Split | G | PA | tOPS+ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 | Andre Ethier | Two Strikes | 1082 | .214 | 2270 | .214 | .281 | .323 | .603 | .327 | 48 | |
| 202 | Ryan Hanigan | Two Strikes | 432 | .214 | 803 | .214 | .281 | .297 | .578 | .270 | 66 | |
| 203 | Adam Lind | Two Strikes | 822 | .214 | 1811 | .214 | .268 | .372 | .640 | .317 | 62 | |
| 204 | Scott Livingstone | Two Strikes | 397 | .214 | 600 | .214 | .257 | .278 | .535 | .302 | 56 | |
| 205 | Casey McGehee | Two Strikes | 536 | .214 | 1077 | .214 | .277 | .315 | .592 | .333 | 63 | |
| 206 | Terry Pendleton | Two Strikes | 1157 | .214 | 2272 | .214 | .250 | .305 | .555 | .302 | 57 | |
| 207 | Randy Ready | Two Strikes | 391 | .214 | 710 | .214 | .320 | .283 | .603 | .287 | 62 | |
| 208 | John Valentin | Two Strikes | 926 | .214 | 1879 | .214 | .307 | .316 | .623 | .290 | 55 | |
| 209 | Geronimo Berroa | Two Strikes | 617 | .213 | 1287 | .213 | .303 | .323 | .626 | .337 | 59 | |
| 210 | Billy Butler | Two Strikes | 963 | .213 | 1986 | .213 | .262 | .304 | .567 | .310 | 40 | |
| 211 | Orlando Cabrera | Two Strikes | 1724 | .213 | 3326 | .213 | .264 | .300 | .564 | .268 | 60 | |
| 212 | Brett Gardner | Two Strikes | 598 | .213 | 1452 | .213 | .295 | .287 | .581 | .319 | 58 | |
| 213 | Wilton Guerrero | Two Strikes | 425 | .213 | 735 | .213 | .232 | .263 | .495 | .321 | 47 | |
| 214 | J.J. Hardy | Two Strikes | 1080 | .213 | 2346 | .213 | .258 | .327 | .585 | .286 | 60 | |
| 215 | Reggie Jefferson | Two Strikes | 527 | .213 | 1011 | .213 | .265 | .329 | .594 | .368 | 45 | |
| 216 | John Kruk | Two Strikes | 795 | .213 | 1535 | .213 | .311 | .304 | .615 | .340 | 46 | |
| 217 | Andrew McCutchen | Two Strikes | 760 | .213 | 1741 | .213 | .301 | .341 | .642 | .313 | 47 | |
| 218 | Brandon Phillips | Two Strikes | 1293 | .213 | 2804 | .213 | .268 | .300 | .568 | .299 | 54 | |
| 219 | Alex Sanchez | Two Strikes | 343 | .213 | 659 | .213 | .260 | .284 | .544 | .335 | 55 | |
| 220 | Mike Scioscia | Two Strikes | 448 | .213 | 737 | .213 | .259 | .281 | .540 | .262 | 54 | |
| 221 | Barry Bonds | Two Strikes | 2209 | .212 | 4181 | .212 | .354 | .428 | .782 | .280 | 50 | |
| 222 | Kent Hrbek | Two Strikes | 676 | .212 | 1168 | .212 | .328 | .320 | .647 | .288 | 56 | |
| 223 | Chipper Jones | Two Strikes | 2103 | .212 | 4019 | .212 | .321 | .366 | .687 | .310 | 49 | |
| 224 | Howie Kendrick | Two Strikes | 919 | .212 | 1938 | .212 | .253 | .296 | .549 | .331 | 46 | |
| 225 | Jonathan Lucroy | Two Strikes | 476 | .212 | 970 | .212 | .258 | .300 | .558 | .289 | 43 |
--
For entire career, Two Strikes (within Count/Balls-Strikes), (requiring AB≥500), sorted by greatest On-Base Plus Slugging for this split
The link to your saved query/report is:
| Rk | I | Player | Split | G | PA | tOPS+ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barry Bonds | Two Strikes | 2209 | .782 | 4181 | .212 | .354 | .428 | .782 | .280 | 50 | |
| 2 | Todd Helton | Two Strikes | 2046 | .770 | 4488 | .258 | .344 | .426 | .770 | .333 | 62 | |
| 3 | Albert Pujols | Two Strikes | 1808 | .770 | 3712 | .252 | .317 | .453 | .770 | .294 | 54 | |
| 4 | Tony Gwynn | Two Strikes | 1259 | .741 | 2053 | .302 | .340 | .401 | .741 | .338 | 75 | |
| 5 | Manny Ramirez | Two Strikes | 2105 | .737 | 4806 | .226 | .322 | .414 | .737 | .337 | 49 | |
| 6 | Edgar Martinez | Two Strikes | 1863 | .720 | 4069 | .239 | .342 | .377 | .720 | .333 | 55 | |
| 7 | Jeff Bagwell | Two Strikes | 1930 | .719 | 4220 | .216 | .334 | .385 | .719 | .325 | 53 | |
| 8 | Frank Thomas | Two Strikes | 2083 | .713 | 4451 | .215 | .335 | .378 | .713 | .290 | 48 | |
| 9 | Matt Carpenter | Two Strikes | 320 | .712 | 766 | .257 | .332 | .381 | .712 | .362 | 72 | |
| 10 | Rafael Palmeiro | Two Strikes | 2249 | .705 | 4473 | .221 | .314 | .391 | .705 | .281 | 61 | |
| 11 | Miguel Cabrera | Two Strikes | 1607 | .704 | 3360 | .230 | .309 | .395 | .704 | .351 | 47 | |
| 12 | Nomar Garciaparra | Two Strikes | 1134 | .700 | 2035 | .249 | .301 | .399 | .700 | .324 | 60 | |
| 13 | Magglio Ordonez | Two Strikes | 1618 | .699 | 3143 | .241 | .319 | .380 | .699 | .317 | 62 | |
| 14 | Albert Belle | Two Strikes | 1322 | .698 | 2642 | .209 | .306 | .393 | .698 | .297 | 53 | |
| 15 | Brian Giles | Two Strikes | 1569 | .695 | 2995 | .217 | .337 | .358 | .695 | .290 | 56 | |
| 16 | Gary Sheffield | Two Strikes | 2200 | .694 | 4453 | .224 | .321 | .373 | .694 | .278 | 54 | |
| 17 | Rusty Greer | Two Strikes | 911 | .692 | 1932 | .236 | .324 | .368 | .692 | .321 | 61 | |
| 18 | Bobby Abreu | Two Strikes | 2242 | .691 | 5364 | .231 | .325 | .366 | .691 | .352 | 59 | |
| 19 | Mike Trout | Two Strikes | 385 | .690 | 929 | .232 | .327 | .363 | .690 | .402 | 46 | |
| 20 | Chuck Knoblauch | Two Strikes | 1414 | .689 | 3110 | .248 | .341 | .348 | .689 | .320 | 76 | |
| 21 | Dustin Pedroia | Two Strikes | 1017 | .689 | 2330 | .256 | .322 | .367 | .689 | .307 | 70 | |
| 22 | David Ortiz | Two Strikes | 1880 | .688 | 4169 | .210 | .305 | .383 | .688 | .310 | 50 | |
| 23 | Mark Grace | Two Strikes | 1733 | .687 | 3021 | .244 | .330 | .356 | .687 | .301 | 67 | |
| 24 | Chipper Jones | Two Strikes | 2103 | .687 | 4019 | .212 | .321 | .366 | .687 | .310 | 49 | |
| 25 | Chase Utley | Two Strikes | 1295 | .687 | 2870 | .227 | .308 | .378 | .687 | .314 | 59 |
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