What are the most unbreakable records/milestones in MLB history...that hardly anyone knows about?

Estil · February 14, 2012 4:00AM

Now just to clarify, I'm NOT talking about the following:

* Cy Young's 511 career wins
* Cal Ripken, Jr's 2632 straight games
* Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak
* Barry Bonds' 763* career home runs
* Barry Bonds' 73* season home runs
* Ted Williams being the last to hit .400
* Carl Yastrzemski being the last to win the batting Triple Crown
* Nolan Ryan's 5714 career strikeouts, 384 season K's, 7 no hitters

IOW, I'm not talking about the kinds that most every baseball fan knows about. I'm talking about records or milestones (career, season, or game) that are just as if not more remarkable, but compared to the above, get barely any mention at all.

Here's a few to get'cha started:

Career: Walter Johnson's 110 shutouts - In Walter Johnson's time of course, pitchers were expected to go the distance and were only pulled for a relief pitcher if they got hurt or if they REALLY sucked. Nowadays however, with the advent of setup men and closers, a starting pitcher nowadays is lucky if he even gets a fourth that many complete games, let alone shutouts.

Season: Denny McLain's 30 win season (1968) - Obviously the five man rotation is the biggest obstacle. For a 162 game season, that's roughly 32 starts. So you could only get two losses/no-decisions to reach 30 wins. And again, with starters routinely leaving after seven innings (unless they're going for a no-hitter), it's a wonder pitchers can even still win the traditional magic number of 20 games a season.
Sidenote: Bob Welch in 1990 was the last 25 game winner. Again, if you get about 32 starts a season out of an average five man rotation, that only allows you seven losses or no decisions. Also not much of a margin of error.

Sandy Koufax becomes youngest Hall of Famer at 36 in 1972 - Koufax just beat out Lou Gehrig by five months (though in Gehrig's case he didn't have to wait five years) for the title of youngest HOFer. As everyone here knows, Koufax for his last five seasons was among the most brilliant pitchers the game has ever seen, including four no-hitters in four years and one being a perfecto, but was forced to retire early because of his arthritic pitching arm. There is no way this record will ever be broken, as too many things would have to happen for it to be possible. For example, if you have a player who gets into MLB at say, 20, and is killed at say, 34, and has HOF numbers, AND the HOF decides to waive the five year rule (which they can if the player passes away; they did for Clemente), but see, that's a LOT of "what ifs".

Unanimous HOF election (BBWAA vote only!) - I thought for sure that Nolan Ryan and especially Cal Ripken Jr would be the first player to be elected unanimously into the HOF (by the BBWAA) but they came up five and eight votes short respectively. Seriously, if they (or even Willie Mays!) can't get in unanimously, I don't think anybody will.

Same team having four consecutive Rookie of the Years - The Los Angeles Dodgers have had not once, but twice had at least four consecutive Rookie of the Years. The first time was in 1979-82 with Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, and Steve Sax. But not to be outdone, the Dodgers decided to do one better with five consecutive Rookies of the Year for 1992-96: Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo, and Todd Hollandsworth (good luck fitting that on the back of the jersey!). Seriously, I don't think any other team has even had three straight ROY's, must less four or five.

Frank Thomas' SEVEN straight seasons of .300 BA/100 H's/100 R's/100 RBI's/290 TB's/20 HR's/100 BB's - Frank Thomas sure put the Big Hurt on consistency! In EVERY season from 1991-97, Big Frank had at least .308 BA, 141 H's, 102 R's, 101 RBI's, 291 TB's, 24 taters, and 109 BB's. No wonder he was #1 on the Beckett Hot List for 34 straight months!

NEW: Minnie Minoso playing in MLB in five different decades, professionally in seven - Minnie Minoso stands alone as the only player in modern MLB history (since 1901) to play in five different decades. More specifically, he played in 1949, 1951-64, 1976, 1980. Add to that him playing in the minor independent Northern League in 1993 and 2003 and that makes an additional two decades he's played professionally. The only other player to play MLB in five different decades was Nick Altrock (1898, 1902-09, 1912-19, 1924, 1931, 1933).

NEW: Rickey Henderson being on one team four non-consecutive times - Okay everybody knows Rickey as "the greatest of all time" in terms of stolen bases, runs scored, and walks (the swollen head asterisk guy doesn't count). But what makes Rickey even more fascinating is that he stands alone as being the only player to be on a team four non-consecutive occasions! You could say he's the "Grover Cleveland of baseball". More specifically his four terms with the Oakland Athletics are: 1979-84, 1989-93, 1994-95, 1998.

NEW: Billy Martin being manager of a team five non-consecutive times - Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner's "he loves me, he loves me not" relationship is fairly well known, but it fits with Rickey's accomplishment so we'll give Billy a tip of the hat. His five consecutive terms with the Yankees as manager are: 1975-78, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1988)

TheTalkingWalnut · February 14, 2012 4:16AM

Being a big George Brett fan, he was either the last guy, or the last clean guy if some juicehead did it in the 00s, to get an RBI per game over a full(ish) season. That's pretty hard to do.

MCMLVTopps · February 14, 2012 4:26AM

How about a pitcher hitting two grand slams in one game?

That done by Tony Cloninger in 1966 while pitcher for the Braves during a game against the San Francisco Giants. that record will never be broken, more than likely not ever even be tied.

mlbfan2 · February 14, 2012 4:33AM

<< Season: Denny McLain's 30 win season (1968) - Obviously the five man rotation is the biggest obstacle. For a 162 game season, that's roughly 32 starts. So you could only get two losses/no-decisions to reach 30 wins. And again, with starters routinely leaving after seven innings (unless they're going for a no-hitter), it's a wonder pitchers can even still win the traditional magic number of 20 games a season. >>

McClain had 31, but that's not the record. The record is 59, or 41 since 1901.

augustaman · February 14, 2012 4:46AM

What about "most all-star games played"?

Hank Aaron was in 25. Can't see that record being
touched in my lifetime.

Estil · February 14, 2012 5:35AM

<< Being a big George Brett fan, he was either the last guy, or the last clean guy if some juicehead did it in the 00s, to get an RBI per game over a full(ish) season. That's pretty hard to do. >>

Actually, you just reminded me of another example. I don't really see anyone ever again getting batting titles in three different decades like Brett did (1976, 1980, 1990). Also, how about Cal Ripken, Jr being the only player to get an All-Star Game MVP in two different decades (1991, 2001)?

Estil · February 14, 2012 5:36AM

<< 

<< Season: Denny McLain's 30 win season (1968) - Obviously the five man rotation is the biggest obstacle. For a 162 game season, that's roughly 32 starts. So you could only get two losses/no-decisions to reach 30 wins. And again, with starters routinely leaving after seven innings (unless they're going for a no-hitter), it's a wonder pitchers can even still win the traditional magic number of 20 games a season. >>

McClain had 31, but that's not the record. The record is 59, or 41 since 1901. >>

Sorry I guess I should've clarified, I meant he was the last pitcher to win 30 games, like Ted Williams was the last to hit .400.

57loaded · February 14, 2012 6:30AM

<< How about a pitcher hitting two grand slams in one game?

That done by Tony Cloninger in 1966 while pitcher for the Braves during a game against the San Francisco Giants. that record will never be broken, more than likely not ever even be tied. >>

i remember that game, listening to it on the radio, July 3rd. (yes it makes me old)

Tony went 3-5 that day with nine RBI's a record too by a pitcher.

a bit more trivia form that game...Tony was in the on deck circle with two on and one out. the Candlestick crowd wanted Denis Menke to get on and load them up one more time for Tony, but he popped out and Tony singled in his 9th RBI. if i remember that was the top of the ninth.

mlbfan2 · February 14, 2012 6:40AM

<< a bit more trivia form that game...Tony was in the on deck circle with two on and one out. the Candlestick crowd wanted Denis Menke to get on and load them up one more time for Tony, but he popped out and Tony singled in his 9th RBI. if i remember that was the top of the ninth. >>

Pretty good memory with the names there, but Woodward struck out for the last out, with Menke on deck.
box score

Mickey71 · February 14, 2012 7:22AM

Rennie Stennett going 7 for 7 in a 9 inning game.

4 strikeouts in an inning....many have done this. 5 would be wacky.

bxb · February 14, 2012 7:36AM

Here's a record that will be tough to match:

Dwight Evans hitting the first pitch of the Major Leagues season for a home run (1986).

Only one chance a year to match that record.

MCMLVTopps · February 14, 2012 8:05AM

Bill Mueller of the Red Sox hit two slams in one game...one batting right, one batting left...July 29, 2003. Only player to have done this in MLB history.

Recall Daniel Nava who hit a grand slam for the Red Sox in 2010 on his FIRST swing.

Boopotts · February 14, 2012 9:31AM

I think Ty Cobb has sixty-something steals of home. That record (IIRC) seems pretty 'safe'.

onlyanumber · February 14, 2012 10:38AM

Walter Johnson's 531 complete games. Quite possibly more unbreakable than Cy Young's 511 wins...

Dboneesq · February 14, 2012 12:45PM

<< Walter Johnson's 531 complete games. Quite possibly more unbreakable than Cy Young's 511 wins... >>

Agree that Cy Young's wins will be "easier" to break.

CNote · February 14, 2012 2:03PM

Fernando Tatis and his two salamis in the same inning. I think it was Tatis at least.

JoeBanzai · February 14, 2012 2:09PM

Bob Watson hit for the cycle in both leagues.

I think someone had three hits in an inning, can't see a team batting around four times and one player getting a hit each time up.

Joe

jay0791 · February 14, 2012 8:09PM

I believe in the last few years a rookie hit a hr in his 1st 2 at bats.

in the 90's a mets pitcher...i believe last name young......my uncle had said he's great and gonna set all kinds of records.
well he did: rookie record of 23 straight losses.

swartz1 · February 14, 2012 9:12PM

I guess in order to "break" Don Larsens record...

a pitcher would have to pitch two perfect games in the WS...

doubt that is going to happen...

mlbfan2 · February 15, 2012 1:03AM

<< I think someone had three hits in an inning, can't see a team batting around four times and one player getting a hit each time up.
Joe >>

Three has been done a handful of times. Johnny Damon once had a single, double, & triple in the first inning.

mlbfan2 · February 15, 2012 1:09AM

<< in the 90's a mets pitcher...i believe last name young......my uncle had said he's great and gonna set all kinds of records.
well he did: rookie record of 23 straight losses. >>

Anthony Young. It's not a rookie record - it's an MLB record. He lost a 27 straight decisions (over two seasons).

dontippet · February 15, 2012 1:49AM

<< Fernando Tatis and his two salamis in the same inning. I think it was Tatis at least. >>

I absolutely agree this will never be broken, because you would have to hit three grand slams in one inning.

dontippet · February 15, 2012 1:51AM

Johnny Vander Meer's back to back no-hitters. Three in a row seems impossible.

dontippet · February 15, 2012 1:54AM

Charley Radburn had 59 wins in one season.

rbeaton · February 15, 2012 2:36AM

Tippy Martinez may be best known for picking off three Toronto Blue Jays at first base in one inning during an August 24, 1983 game at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. The Orioles, having replaced both their starting catcher and his backup while rallying to tie the game in the ninth inning, entered the tenth with reserve infielder Lenn Sakata in the game at catcher. Three consecutive Blue Jays hitters reached first base and each one, thinking it would be easy to steal a base on Sakata, took a big lead. Martinez picked off all three baserunners, then became the winning pitcher when the Orioles won the game on Sakata's home run in the bottom of the tenth.

dontippet · February 15, 2012 2:38AM

<< Tippy Martinez may be best known for picking off three Toronto Blue Jays at first base in one inning during an August 24, 1983 game at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. The Orioles, having replaced both their starting catcher and his backup while rallying to tie the game in the ninth inning, entered the tenth with reserve infielder Lenn Sakata in the game at catcher. Three consecutive Blue Jays hitters reached first base and each one, thinking it would be easy to steal a base on Sakata, took a big lead. Martinez picked off all three baserunners, then became the winning pitcher when the Orioles won the game on Sakata's home run in the bottom of the tenth. >>

That record sure won't be broken. It would be difficult to pick off four base runners in a game.

TheTalkingWalnut · February 15, 2012 3:25AM

or 4 in an inning even

dontippet · February 15, 2012 3:26AM

Ooooops. Four in an inning is what I meant.

digicat · February 15, 2012 4:06AM

The Giants broke a >90 year old record this past season: most consecutive solo homers by a team. Between July and August, 20 straight Giants homers were solo shots.

That record is freakish enough that it'll be unlikely to be topped any time soon.

LodiBrewFan · February 15, 2012 11:37AM

Albert Pujhols played 10 years without ever telling his true age. That has to be some kind of record.

Darin · February 15, 2012 12:28PM

Bill Bergen- lowest batting average by player with at least 3000 career AB's. A sizzling .170 , but a great defensive catcher.

Adam Dunn almost shattered Rob Deer's modern record of lowest BA in a season while having enough plate appearances to qualify for a batting title.
Deer hit .179 in 1991
Dunn hit .159 last year but fell a few plate appearances short.

greencrow · February 15, 2012 12:59PM

Jim Deshaies in 1986 striking out the first 8 hitters.

JoeBanzai · February 15, 2012 11:43PM

Harmon Killebrew was never asked to bunt in his entire career.

cardbender · February 16, 2012 12:04AM

Most triples in a career, 309 by Sam Crawford. This record won't ever be broken unless
Baseball drastically changes the dimensions of the ball parks.

The closest active player is Carl Crawford (no relation) who has 112 triples.

Most triples in a season (record is 36 set in 1912 by Owen Wilson), 100 years later and no one
has threatened it. The next closest is 31 in a year and that was done in the 1890's.
Curtis Granderson had 26 triples in 2007, that's the most by any player since WW 2.

mlbfan2 · February 16, 2012 12:13AM

<< Harmon Killebrew was never asked to bunt in his entire career. >>

Frank Thomas beat his record (more plate appearances).

JoeBanzai · February 16, 2012 12:28AM

Tip of the cap to Mr. Thomas.

stown · February 16, 2012 12:36AM

<< Jim Deshaies in 1986 striking out the first 8 hitters. >>

+1 for Jimmy D -> link

benderbroeth · February 20, 2012 10:11AM

great thread guys!!!

Estil · March 1, 2012 8:13PM

NEW: Sandy Koufax becomes youngest Hall of Famer at 36 in 1972 - Koufax just beat out Lou Gehrig by five months (though in Gehrig's case he didn't have to wait five years) for the title of youngest HOFer. As everyone here knows, Koufax for his last five seasons was among the most brilliant pitchers the game has ever seen, including four no-hitters in four years and one being a perfecto, but was forced to retire early because of his arthritic pitching arm. There is no way this record will ever be broken, as too many things would have to happen for it to be possible. For example, if you have a player who gets into MLB at say, 20, and is killed at say, 34, and has HOF numbers, AND the HOF decides to waive the five year rule (which they can if the player passes away; they did for Clemente), but see, that's a LOT of "what ifs". In Koufax's case, he retired at 31, which would barely get you at 10-12 seasons, and the HOF requires you play at least ten to be eligible (Addie Joss being the one exception).

RipublicaninMass · March 2, 2012 8:12AM

I like when you list how far away the current or 2nd most leader, and active leader, along with the stat. Shows how players PALE in comparision!

IE:

walter johnson shutouts 110

The current active leader in shutouts is Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies. Pitching in his thirteenth season, he has accumulated only 19 shutouts

Most for pitchers whose entire careers were in the post-1920 live-ball Warren Spahn with 63

Maybe Strasburg can do it

illinifan912 · March 2, 2012 11:32AM

<< Albert Pujhols played 10 years without ever telling his true age. That has to be some kind of record. >>

And also defying the odds of getting tested for PEDs for a decade. Simply amazing.

estang · March 4, 2012 7:49AM

Rod Carew stealing home 7 times in one season...

KalineFan · March 11, 2012 6:31AM

Cesar Gutierrez went 7 for 7 for the Tigers I believe it was 1971.

(And his uniform # was 7 !)

Tony
KalineFan

KalineFan · March 11, 2012 6:37AM

Or how about Bob Gibson ERA in 1968? I believe 1.12 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also he struck out 17 of my Detroit Tigers in 1968 World Series.

Thats still very remarkable to me !

Tony
KalineFan

mlbfan2 · March 11, 2012 7:33AM

<< Cesar Gutierrez went 7 for 7 for the Tigers I believe it was 1971.

(And his uniform # was 7 !)
>>

That was quite the fluke! His previous 7 hits took him 48 at-bats, and his next 7 hits took him 42. So, 14 for 90 (.156).

ymarea · March 11, 2012 9:26AM

<< Cesar Gutierrez went 7 for 7 for the Tigers I believe it was 1971.

(And his uniform # was 7 !)

Tony
KalineFan >>

Gutierrez accomplished this in an extra-inning game. Rennie Stennet of Pittsburgh went 7 for 7 in a 9-inning, 22-0 shutout of Chicago in 1975.

MBMiller25 · March 11, 2012 8:16PM

Of Stan Musial's 3630 career hits, exactly 1815 came at home and 1815 on the road!

WeekendHacker · March 12, 2012 2:41AM

<< Recall Daniel Nava who hit a grand slam for the Red Sox in 2010 on his FIRST swing. >>

I believe that is was the first MLB pitch he ever saw! I remember the call by Jerry C (radio) and he had interviewed him prior to the game saying to swing at the first pitch and hit one out. Daniel's parents barely made it to see his AB - their flight into Logan was delayed. They didn't even get their luggage when they landed - cause they wanted to get to Fenway.

stown · March 12, 2012 11:01PM

Craig Biggio's modern day record of 285 HBP and Hughie Jennings' all time record of 287 HBP.

DWest · March 13, 2012 12:15AM

<< 

<< Albert Pujhols played 10 years without ever telling his true age. That has to be some kind of record. >>

And also defying the odds of getting tested for PEDs for a decade. Simply amazing. >>

No HGH testing until now.

halosfan · March 13, 2012 12:43AM

Biggio needs to come back and lean into a few more pitches!

What are the most unbreakable records/milestones in MLB history...that hardly anyone knows about?

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