Bits and Bobs

On the wings of a monsterous start to the 2004, speculation has already begun on the chances that Bonds can hit .400

There have been only eight men who have hit .400 while eligible for the batting championship since 1900, and it has been done a total of 13 times. Those men are Ty Cobb (1911, 1912, 1922), Rogers Hornsby (1922, 1924, 1925), George Sisler (1920, 1922), Nap Lajoie (1901), Shoeless Joe Jackson (1911), Harry Heilmann (1923), Bill Terry (1930), and, of course, Ted Williams (1941).

That makes 13 times, 3 of them in 1922. Where were the call for steroids back then? Where were the outrages of why in 1922, three different players hit .400?

23 percent of all .400 seasons came in 1922.

Three players alone made up eight of those seasons in total. Three players made up 62% of all .400 seasons all time. Were they, like Bonds, playing as though from another planet altogether? Did they have howls of cheating in their ears?

*****

And at the other end of the spectrum:
Bowas Without Bats


.215 with less than two outs.

.173 with two outs.

.194 overall.

What are those numbers? The Phillies' batting averages with runners in scoring position before last night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark. Take away Burrell and Bell and the team is hitting .149 (26 for 174) with runners in scoring position.

The Phillies averaged 4.3 runs per game in their first 26 games, which ranked 12th in the National League. Their .244 batting average ranked ahead of only Montreal. Their .328 on-base percentage tied for 13th.

Move over Art Howe and the Mets. You just may not be the most mediocre any more.