Also Read:
233 under
.200
Dear Bryce
(Harper from Ted Williams)
The
Dino in The Bronx
How
Grandpa Went to the 1946 World Series
OCTOBER
MENDOZAS
By John B
Holway
This October has been a disaster
for baseball reputations. Thirteen times some of the biggest stars of
baseball
-
A-Rod, Fielder, Cano,
Granderson,
Teixeira - fell below the
Fielder, A-Rod and Cano made the list twice this year, for a
total of four times apiece. Only Manny Ramirez and Jose Canseco can equal
them. Jackie Robinson and Yogi Bera appeared three
times.
Is it just an anomaly when a player fails in a short post-season
series? An
injury perhaps? Bob Feller had an explanation of why Jackie Robinson
did so
poorly:
Jackie couldn't hit the fastball, and the Yankees had a lot of great
fastball pitchers - Reynolds, Raschi, Byrne,
etc.
But is it a pattern for Fielder,
Cano, and
A-Rod?
I started compiling the list
a year ago after Joe Buck and Tim McCarver sneered
that Ted Williams had hit .200 in the 1946 Series, implying that no one else
had done it. So I counted every time any great player hit .200 or less. Even
Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth made the list. I'm up to 241, including a beloved
sportscaster and former catcher named McCarver.
I asked Tim and Joe to tip their caps to Ted this year, but of course they
didn't.
New names in 2012 are in
red.
POST-SEASON
.200 AND UNDER
W World Series
L
League Series
D
Division Series
Gil
Hodges
1952 W
21
.000
Mark
Teixeira
2010
L
14
.000
Wally
Berger
1939
W
15
.000
Maury
Wills
1963
W
15
.000
*Willie
Stargell
1971
L
14
.000
Bobby
Grich
1973
L
20
.000
Jose Canseco
1995
D
13
.000
Manny
Ramirez
1995
D
12
.000
Bernie
Williams
1998
D
11
.000
Matty
Alou
1972 W
24
.042
*Dave
Winfield
1981
W
22
.045
Jim
Bottomly
1930
W
22
.045
*Mike
Schmidt
1983
W
20
.050
Bobby
Bonilla
1996
L
20
.050
Vladimir
Guerrero
2005
L
20
.050
*Brook
Robinson
1969
W
19
.053
Jose Canseco
1988
W
19
.053
Manny
Ramirez
1999
D
18
.056
Dustin
Pedroia
2008
D
17
.059
Javy
Lopez
1997
L
17
.059
Ken Griffey
Sr
1976
W
17
.059
*Yogi
Berra
1949
W
16
.063
*Mike
Schmitt
1977
L
16
.063
*Willie
Stargell
1972
L
16
.063
Bernie
Williams
1998
W
16
.063
*Travis
Jackson
1924
W
27
.074
Jim
Thome
1997
L
14
.071
*Rod
Carew
1999
L
14
.071
Alex
Rodriguez
2006
D
14
.071
Prince
Fielder
2012
W
14
.071
Prince
Fielder
2008
D
14
.071
Vladimir
Guerrero
2010
W
14
.071
Maury
Wills
1966
W
13
.077
*Johnny Bench
1975
W
13
.077
Ken
Harrelson
1977
W
13
.077
*Brooks
Robinson
1974
L
12
.083
*Frank
Robinson
1971
L
12
.083
Jose Canseco
1990
W
12
.083
*Wade
Boggs
1996
D
12
.083
Jeff
Bagwell
1997
D
12
.083
Craig
Biggio
1997
D
12
.083
Juan
Gonzalez
1998
D
12
.083
Todd
Helton
2007
D
12
.083
Kevin
Youkilis
2009
D
12
.083
David
Ortiz
2009
D
12
.083
Ad Jones
2012
D
23
.083
Miguel
Tejada
2003
L
23
.087
*Ozzie
Smith
1985
W
23
.087
Edgar
Martinez
1995
L
23
.087
Robinson
Cano
2012
D
22
.091
Javy
Lopez
2000
L
14
.091
Vada
Pinson
1961
W
22
.091
*Gabby
Hartnett
1938
W
13
.091
David
Ortiz
2003 D
21
.095
*Joe
Gordon
1942
W
21
.095
Mark
McGwire
2000
D
11
.096
Josh
Hamilton
2010
W
20
.100
Jim
Thome
2010
D
10
.100
Mike
Piazza
2006
D
10
.100
Ivan
Rodgriguez
1998
D
10
.100
Darrell
Evans
1975
L
10
.100
*
Craig
Biggio
1999 D
19
.105
*Eddie
Murray
1995
W
19
.105
Ryan
Howard
2011
D
19
.105
Bernie
Williams
2000
W
18
.111
Boog
Powell
1971
W
27
.111
*Joe
DiMaggio
1949
W
18
.111
Albert
Pujols
2001
D
18
.111
Josh
Hamilton
2010
W
18
.111
Alex
Rodriguez
2011
D
18
.111
Yadier
Molina
2012
D
17
.118
Derek
Jeter
2001 L
17
.118
*Babe
Ruth
1922
W
22
.118
Bernie
Williams
1997
D
17
.118
*Rickey
*Mickey
Mantle
1962
W
25
.120
*Bill
Dickey
1936
W
25
.120
Alex
Rodriquez
2012
D
16
.123
Gavvy
Cravath
1915
W
16
.125
*Larry
Doby
1954
W
16
.125
*Reggie Jackson
1977
L
16
.125
Jim
Thome
2008
D
16
.125
Harold
Baines
1983
L
16
.125
Will
Phil
Cavaretta
1935
W
24
.125
Bryce
Harper
2012
D
23
.130
Rip
Collins
1938
W
15
.133
*Wade
Boggs
1996
L
15
.133
Jim
Thome
1998
D
15
.133
Mo
Vaughn
1998 W
15
.133
Julio
Franco
2002
D
15
.133
Ken Griffey
Jr
1997 D
15
.133
Alex
Rodiquez
2010
L
15
.133
Robinson
Cano
2006
D
15
.133
Chase
Utley
2008
D
15
.133
Robinson
Cano
2009
W
22
.136
Mark
Teixeira
2009
W
22
.136
Gary
Sheffield
2003 D
14
.142
Manny
Ramirez
1997
D
21
.143
*Duke
Snider
1949
W
21
.143
*Joe
Gordon
1939
W
14
.143
*Phil
Rizzuto
1950
W
14
.143
Kent
Hrbek
1991
L
21
.143
Jeff
Bagwell
1998
D
14
.143
Ken
Caminiti
1998
D
14
.143
Javy
Lopez
2001
L
14
.143
Miguel
Tejada
2002
D
21
.143
*Gary
Carter
1986
L
27
.148
Barry
Bonds
1991
L
27
.148
Derek
Jeter
2001
W
27
.148
*Johnny
Evers
1906
W
20
.150
*Ed
Mathews
1958
W
25
.150
Andre
Dawson
1981
L
20
.150
Cecil
Cooper
1982
L
20
.150
Kent
Hrbek
1991
W
20
.150
Mark
McGwire
1992
L
20
.150
Kent
Hrbek
1987
L
20
.150
Buster
Posey
2012
L
26
.154
David
Ortiz
2008
L
26
.154
Dustin
Pedroia
2007
D
13
.154
Garrett
Anderson
2004
D
13
.154
Jeff
Bagwell
1999
D
13
.154
Manny
Ramirez
1997
W
26
.154
Jim
Thome
1995
D
13
.154
*Dave
Winfield
1991
L
13
.154
*Jim
Rice
1979
W
26
.154
Bobby
Grich
1979
L
13
.154
*Joe
Tinker
1907
W
13
.154
Kirk
Gibson
1984
L
26
.158
*Yogi
Berra
1947 W
19
.158
*
Jesus
Alou
1973
W
19
.158
Jim
Thome
2001
D
19
.158
Garrett
Anderson
2008
D
19
.158
Curtis
Granderson
2012
D
19
.158
Matt
Holiday
2011
Bobby
Abreu
2009
L
25
.160
*Mickey
Cochrane
1931
W
25
.160
Dustin
Pedroia
2007
D
14
.160
*Jim
Rice
1986
L
31
.161
*Joe
Tinker
1906
W
18
.167
*Chick
Hafey
1931
W
24
.167
*Bill
Dickey
1941
W
18
.167
*Phil
Rizzuto
1949
W
18
.167
*Reggie
Jackson
1974
L
12
.167
*George
Brett
1981
D
12
.167
*Cal
Ripken
1983
W
18
.167
Darrell
Evans
1988
L
12
.167
Barry
Bonds
1990
L
18
.167
Cecil
Fielder
1996
L
18
.167
Craig
Biggio
2001
D
12
.167
Chase
Utley
2008
L
18
.167
Lance
Berkman
2001
D
12
.167
Robinson
Cano
2009
D
12
.167
Dustin
Pedroia
2009
D
12
.167
Mark
Teixeira
2011
D
18
.167
Bernie Williams
1993
W
24
.167
George
Foster
1976
L
12
.167
Tim
McCarver
1967
W
24
.167
Chipper
Jones
2003
D
18
.167
Vladimir
Guerrero
2004
D
12
.167
Tommy
Henrich
1941
W
18
.167
Mike
Piazza
1999
L
24
.167
*Rickey
Ryan
Howard
2009
W
23
.174
*Rickey
*Jackie
Robinson
1952
W
23
.174
Barry
Bonds
2000
D
17
.176
Javier
Lopez
1995
W
17
.176
*
Jake
Daubert
1916
W
17
.176
Garrett
Adam
LaRoche
2012
D
17
.176
Victor
Martinez
2009 D
11
.182
Ryan
Howard
2008
D
11
.182
*Rickey
*Joe
Gordon
1948
W
22
.182
*Willie
Stargell
1975
L
11
.182
Juan
Gonzalez
1999
D
11
.182
Sammy
Sosa
1998 D
11
.182
Craig
Biggio
1992
D
11
.182
Jose Canseco
1990
L
11
.182
*Jackie
Robinson
1955
W
22
.182
*Roy
Campanella
1956
W
22
.182
*Willie
Mays
1951
W
22
.182
Julio
Franco
2002
D
22
.182
Chase
Utley
2007
D
11
.182
Chase
Utley
2008
L
22
.182
*Chick
Hafey
1926
W
27
.185
*Ross
Youngs
1924
W
27
.185
Bill
Buckner
1986
W
32
.186
Todd
Helton
2009
D
16
.188
Sammy
Sosa
2003
D
16
.188
David
Bell
2002
D
16
.188
David
Edgar
Martinez
1997
D
16
.188
Daryl
Strawberry
1996
W
16
.188
*Jackie
Robinson
1949
W
16
.188
Pete
Rose
1976
W
16
.188
*Frank
Robinson
1969
W
16
.188
*Billy
Herman
1938
W
15
.188
Bobby
Bonilla
1990
L
21
.190
Alex
Rodriquez
2010
L
21
.190
*Roberto
Alomar
2001
D
21
.190
Javy
Lopez
1996
W
21
.190
Garrett
Anderson
1996
L
21
.190
Prince
Fielder
2012
D
21
.190
Matt
Holliday
2012
D
21
.190
*Travis
Jackson
1936
W
21
.190
Don
Groat
1964
W
26
.192
Jose
Cruz
1986
L
26
.192
Joe
Carter
1992
L
26
.192
Bernie
Williams
2003
W
26
.192
*Reggie
Jackson
1986 L
18
.192
*Frank
Frisch
1934
W
31
.194
Matt
Holliday
2012
L
25
.200???
Chris
Davis
2012 D
20
.200
Miguel
Cabrer
2011
D
15
.200
Ken Griffey
Jr
2008
D
10
.200
Manny
Ramirez
2003
D
20
.200
*Chick
Hafey
1928
W
15
.200
Bobby
Grich
1982
L
15
.200
*Ozzie Smith
1987
L
25
.200
Joe
Adcock
1957
W
15
.200
*Mike
Schmitt
1978
L
15
.200
George
Foster
1979
L
10
.200
Steve
Garvey
1984
W
20
.200
Bobby
Bonilla
2000
L
15
.200
George Bell
1989
D
20
.200
Albert
Belle
1996
D
15
.200
Derek
Jeter
1998
L
26
.200
Andres
Galarraga
2000
D
10
.200
Jim
Thome
1997
D
15
.200
*Tony
Gwynn
1998
D
15
.200
Vladimir
Guerrero
2007
D
10
.200
Prince
Fielder
2011
L
25
.200
Kenny
Lofton
1995
W
25
.200
*Duke
Snider
1959
W
10
.200
*Yogi
Berra
1950
W
15
.200
*Ty
Cobb
1907
W
20
.200
*Ted
Williams
1946
W
25
.200
Three
men made the list for a record fourth time in 2012 Prince Fielder,
Robinson Cano, and A-Rod. All will probably go to the Hall of Fame. Another
Manny Ramirez has also appeared four times.
Two other Hall of Famers
have made it three times Yogi Berra and Jackie
Robinson, plus
Barry Bonds appears
twice.
Even Ty Cobb and Babe
Ruth made the list.
One of the above
was playing with a painfully swollen right elbow. Can you spot him? (Hint:
His initials are TW).
© 2012 John B Holway
John Holway is author of "Josh Gibson," and "Josh and Satch."