Around the Majors: Bonds sets the BB record

1) Barry Bonds set the major league record for career walks.

After 161 RCAA/1.381 OPS and 115 RCAA/1.278 OPS seasons, Bonds is hitting .790 SLG, .616 OBA, 1.409 OPS, 72 RCAA in his first 72 games. He has a 1.044 career OPS, compared to his league average of .749, and 1416 RCAA in 2641 games.

The new top 10–

WALKS  
1    Barry Bonds                2191   
2    Rickey Henderson           2190   
3    Babe Ruth                  2062   
4    Ted Williams               2021   
5    Joe Morgan                 1865   
6    Carl Yastrzemski           1845   
7    Mickey Mantle              1733   
8    Mel Ott                    1708   
9    Eddie Yost                 1614   
10   Darrell Evans              1605   

Earlier in the season, Bonds set the record vs. the league average–

WALKS                           DIFF   PLAYER   LEAGUE   
1    Barry Bonds                1336     2191      855   
2    Babe Ruth                  1300     2062      762   
3    Ted Williams               1230     2021      791   
4    Rickey Henderson           1117     2190     1073   
5    Joe Morgan                  973     1865      892   
6    Mickey Mantle               930     1733      803   
7    Mel Ott                     901     1708      807   
8    Frank Thomas                788     1449      661   
9    Eddie Yost                  746     1614      868   
10   Harmon Killebrew            731     1559      828   

Bonds has 3 spots in the single season top 10 (and with 121 this year, a run at his own record is just a matter of time)–

WALKS                         YEAR     BB     
1    Barry Bonds              2002      198   
2    Barry Bonds              2001      177   
3    Babe Ruth                1923      170   
T4   Mark McGwire             1998      162   
T4   Ted Williams             1949      162   
T4   Ted Williams             1947      162   
7    Ted Williams             1946      156   
T8   Barry Bonds              1996      151   
T8   Eddie Yost               1956      151   
10   Babe Ruth                1920      150   

He has 4 spots in the top 10 vs. the league average, including already being in the top 10 for this season–

WALKS                         YEAR     DIFF   PLAYER   LEAGUE   
1    Barry Bonds              2002      163      198       35   
2    Barry Bonds              2001      134      177       43   
3    Babe Ruth                1923      125      170       45   
4    Mark McGwire             1998      114      162       48   
T5   Barry Bonds              2003      113      148       35   
T5   Babe Ruth                1920      113      150       37   
7    Ted Williams             1947      108      162       54   
8    Ted Williams             1946      107      156       49   
9    Barry Bonds              2004      105      121       16   
10   Ted Williams             1941      104      147       43   

Bonds has 5 seasons with 100+ walks above the league average, while everyone else in history has combined for just 7–

1    Barry Bonds               5   
2    Ted Williams              3   
3    Babe Ruth                 2   
T4   Mark McGwire              1   
T4   Mickey Mantle             1   

2) Padres 1B Phil Nevin had to leave yesterday’s game, due to a torn cartilage in his knee. He’ll have surgery today and GM Kevin Towers says he’s expected to be out about 3-4 weeks.

After 5 RCAA/.757 OPS and 5 RCAA/.825 OPS seasons, Nevin is hitting .493 SLG, .378 OBA, .871 OPS, 17 RCAA in his first 80 games. He has a .836 career OPS, compared to his league average of .780, and 94 RCAA in 919 games.

3) The Reds placed 1B Sean Casey on the 15 day DL, retroactive to June 26, and will call up C Corky Miller.

Casey has a strained right calf. After -15 RCAA/.696 OPS and -2 RCAA/.758 OPS seasons, he is hitting .606 SLG, .402 OBA, 1.008 OPS, 35 RCAA in his first 72 games. Casey has a .840 career OPS, compared to his league average of .780, and 84 RCAA in 870 games.

Miller has -11 RCAA/.691 OPS in 76 career games, including 0 for 15, with 6 BB and -3 RCAA, in 6 games in 2004.

Despite being hitless for the season, Miller has a .348 OBA, which is 7 points above the league average. Nobody ever had 0-for in a season with more than 8 AB, but still had an OBA above average–

AT BATS                       YEAR     AB      OBA VG LG
1    Corky Miller             2004       15     .007    
T2   Bill Phebus              1937        8     .063    
T2   Jack Kramer              1941        8     .076    
T4   George Myatt             1947        7     .021    
T4   Danny Tartabull          1997        7     .021    
T6   Don Wallace              1967        6     .021    
T6   Jim Brewer               1963        6     .017    
T6   Bob Locker               1972        6     .018    
T9   Frank Secory             1942        5     .047    
T9   Pat Collins              1929        5     .007    
T9   Wade Blasingame          1968        5     .065    
T9   Pat Pettee               1891        5     .028    
T9   Paul Zuvella             1983        5     .043    

4) Royals P Kevin Appier is temporarily retiring.

Appier was in AAA, on a rehab assignment, and decided to shut himself down for the rest of the season and might try to make a comeback next year. According to Appier, “I don’t want to make these guys pay me to play in the minor leagues. That’s why I would retire — so they wouldn’t have to pay me.”

Appier has a 3.74 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.50, and 225 RSAA in 414 games. He was only able to make 2 starts in 2004.

A Hardball Times Update
Goodbye for now.

5) The Brewers placed 2B Junior Spivey on the 15 day DL and called up INF Chris Magruder.

Spivey has a sore left shoulder. After 22 RCAA/.865 OPS and -10 RCAA/.759 OPS seasons, he’s hitting .421 SLG, .359 OBA, .780 OPS, 0 RCAA in his first 59 games. Spivey has a .809 career OPS, compared to his league average of .770, and 11 RCAA in 380 games.

Magruder has -16 RCAA/.635 OPS in 114 career games.

6) According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Mariners 1B John Olerud has refused the team’s request to waive his no trade clause. Both Olerud and team are refusing to comment.

7) Padres P David Wells made his 400th career start.

He had to leave yesterday’s game after fouling a pitch off his leg, but he was able to finish the AB by striking out. X-rays were negative and he’s expected to be able to make his next start.

After 3.75 ERA/14 RSAA and 4.14 ERA/5 RSAA seasons, Wells is off to a 3.03 ERA/8 RSAA starrt in his first 14 starts. He has a 4.03 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.50, and 136 RSAA in 571 games.

8) The Orioles will call up P Dave Borkowski today.

Borkowski, who will start in today’s doubleheader, had a 6.93 ERA/-26 RSAA in 34 games with the 1999-2001 Tigers.


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