Book Review: SABR Baseball List & Record Book
Have you ever wondered just who had the most errors as a second baseman in a season? Did you know that there have been as many extra-inning pinch hit grand slams as there have been unassisted triple plays? How about naming the manager who’s been ejected the most times from a game? Or can you guess who has the most years spent together for three teammates? Or how about this one: the same player got the first hit ever at both PNC Park and Miller Park.. who was he?
The answers are in The SABR Baseball List & Record Book, which I just received in the mail yesterday. It came to me as a part of my membership benefits in the Society for American Baseball Research, and while I’ve been of the opinion that my membership dues are already well worth it, this really put it over the top. For all you non-SABR members, you can buy the book for about $12 at amazon.com, which is an absolute steal for all the info it contains.
, which I just received in the mail yesterday. It came to me as a part of my membership benefits in the Society for American Baseball Research, and while I’ve been of the opinion that my membership dues are already well worth it, this really put it over the top. For all you non-SABR members, you can I’m a big fan of the fantastic Play Index at Baseball-Reference, and Lee Sinins’ Complete Baseball Encyclopedia. You can find nearly anything you’re liable to want to know between the two, but this SABR book really fills in the gaps.
My only knock on the book is that it’s been printed on cheap feeling paper, but you don’t really buy baseball books for the way they look and feel, do you? The info contained in the book is nothing short of fascinating.
Speaking of which, there may be no witty essays or insightful commentary in the book, but the endless tables and lists are very readable, and draw you in. There are comments that give some extra info on some of the stats, and a great index to help you find just what you’re looking for.
Oh, and you didn’t think I’d leave you hanging with that opening paragraph of trivia, did you?
For the record, the most errors made by a second baseman in a season is a tie at 33. Tin glove awards go to Juan Samuel’s 1984 season with the Phillies, and Rod Carew’s 1974 campaign with the Twins. Of course, Samuel hit 15 homers and finished second in the Rookie-of-the-Year vote in 1984, while Carew’s 1974 season was highlighted not by his glove-work, but his 218 hits for a .364 batting average.
There have been 13 extra-inning pinch hit grand slams, the most recently by Adam Dunn on May 26, 2003, in the 11th inning against the Braves.
Speaking of the Braves, Atlanta’s long-time skipper Bobby Cox holds the record for most times tossed out of a game, with no less than 123 times being told “you’re outta here!”
From 1973 to 1987, George Brett, Hal McRae and Frank White all shared a locker room at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City — though it was called Royals Stadium when they played there. They are the three teammates that played the longest together.
In 2001, Sean Casey got the first hit to be recorded at Miller Park, and three days later, he hit a home run out of PNC Park for the first hit in the new Pittsburgh park. So now you know.
If you like that kind of stuff, go buy the book. I can’t recommend it highly enough.