The hunt for 120 continues.

Axford blew the save against the Astros...so that hunt is momentarily delayed.

J.D. Martinez was replaced by Fernando Martinez, who was called up from AAA, by the way.

and fernando certainly doesn't look like much of any sort of replacement - lost at the plate, moves like glue in the OF - just like the last time he was called up

and yeah, i was pretty disappointed in the guys - they gotta keep those W down - only got 5 left to win, 6 to tie

Is being moved from Houston to AAA really a demotion?

(And I should talk, because the team I root for has won of of their last ten games & made five errors today!)

dag

actually, not really. the manager is better, the coaches are better, the team is winning - mostly because of all the AAAA guys (the pitching SUXK massively)

Ooog. Did the Astros just say that their best power hitter is a minor leaguer? That was bunt of them. - Brock Hanke

Martinez has a team-high 54 RBIs in 102 games, although that a) isn’t all that many and b) comes with a measly .235 batting average, 11 homers, and .681 OPS.

which translates to an OPS+ of 85--it's pretty easy to identify the worst 100 RBI seasons in MLB history (Joe Carter, we luvs ya), but I wonder what was the worst season for anyone leading his TEAM in RBIs (or RBI even)

Just to make my life easier I excluded pre 1901 and the Federal League to do the lookup.

John Ganzel in 1901 had a 53 OPS+ and led the Giants in RBI with 66.

I also found Hobe Ferris who in 1909 led the Browns in RBI with 58 RBI but had a 69 OPS+. The interesting thing about him was that that would be his final season in the majors. He got sent off to Minnesota after that year and spent the rest of his career in the minors. So JD is pulling a Hobe.

McCoy--how did you do that search, if I may axe?

This isn't the first time the Astros have had a rather pathetic hitter lead them in RBI. In 1963 John Bateman was Houston's rookie catcher and he led the team with 59 RBI while sporting a 71 OPS+

McCoy--how did you do that search, if I may axe?

Lahman database.

I think the worst modern day RBI leader might just be Aurelio Rodriguez in 1973. He had a 63 OPS+ and led the Tigers in RBI.

I guess technically Marty Simpson has the lowest OPS+ of any RBI leader of all time. In 1873 he led the Baltimore Marylands in RBI despite having a -12 OPS+. He was tied with 3 other players for the lead, including a hitter with a 10 OPS+. The problem is that the team leader had a grand total of 2 RBI and the team played only 6 games before folding.

I think the worst modern day RBI leader might just be Aurelio Rodriguez in 1973.

the fact that Aurelio fucking Rodriguez led ANY team in RBIs is mind-boggling--this is a team that had Norm Cash, Willie Horton, Northrup,McAuliffe, Mickey Stanley--one year removed from an ALCS appearance

Heck, just last season we had a guy lead his team in home runs and RBI with an OPS+ or 80...

which translates to an OPS+ of 85--it's pretty easy to identify the worst 100 RBI seasons in MLB history (Joe Carter, we luvs ya (or RBI even)

1. What was the deal with that one year Carter spent in San Diego? Why was he so bad? He put up an 85 OPS+ at age 30 in SD but consistently put up 104 to 130 OPS+ years the four seasons preceding and following his bad San Diego year. Also of interest, he was traded to SD for Sandy Alomar (and others) but then dealt from SD with Roberto Alomar.

2. Of COURSE Jeff Francouer would be on the worst 100 RBI year list.

3. That 2004 Tony Batista season was something special wasn't it? Easily the most impressive bad offensive year in MLB history, 32 HR and 110 RBI (and 14 steals in 20 tries!) but a .272 OBP and an 81 OPS+. How many guys post 30 HR/100 RBI and then have to go to Japan to find a good job the next season?

Ooog. Did the Astros just say that their best power hitter is a minor leaguer? That was bunt of them.

I suppose Brock's fingers could have slipped. But I'd like to think that he did that intentionally.

(And Dag Nabbit's team has "won of of their last ten games." Which sounds pretty futile to me.)

How do you get OPS+ with the Lahman database?

You don't, well you can but I didn't, but OPS is a pretty good proxy for OPS+.

On the 1973 Tigers the only players who played a full season of games were the three worst hitters, at the defense-first positions (Ed Brinkman at SS and Mickey Stanley at CF, and A-Rod at 3B). Dick McAuliffe and Tony Taylor were platooned at 2B. The about-to-retire Frank Howard was brought in to platoon with Gates Brown at DH. The about-to-retire Rich Reese was brought in to platoon with Willie Horton in LF. Bill Freehan and Duke Sims were platooned at catcher. The about-to-retire Al Kaline and the rookie Dick Sharon were brought in to spell the about-to-retire Norm Cash and the about-to-retire Jim Northrup whenever possible.

Meanwhile the team minimized the number of pitchers on the roster by giving a combined 116 starts to its top three pitchers, having John Hiller throw 125 relief innings, having almost all the relievers average 2 innings per appearance, and so on.

I think the worst modern day RBI leader might just be Aurelio Rodriguez in 1973. He had a 63 OPS+ and led the Tigers in RBI.

My mind went immediately to the 2011 Mariners, but their leader was Miguel Olivo with an ops+ of 80. (62 rbi)

Tony Batista always comes to mind for me for empty RBI totals.

He is number too on that worst 100 RBI season list and he just missed being number one with his 99 RBI, 73 OPS+ season.

My mind went immediately to the 2011 Mariners, but their leader was Miguel Olivo with an ops+ of 80. (62 rbi)

See post 15. :-)

See post 15. :-)

15. vortex of dissipation Posted: August 11, 2012 at 03:13 AM (#4206000)
Heck, just last season we had a guy lead his team in home runs and RBI with an OPS+ or 80...

I didn't think anyone would admit to being a Mariners fan. :)