Streaks: John Owen "Chief" Wilson triples of 36 or DiMaggio's hits of 56
- Thread starter Mr. Potter
- Start date
The leader in triples this year has nine. The second most triples in a year in the 20th century is 26, in 1914 and 1925. The record for triples is set in platinum.
Last edited:
Agree. I think both records are untouchable as the game currently stands. Eliminating the infield shift next year may help boost batting averages and put the hits streak record within possibility.
I don't think eliminating the shifts is going to impact hitters much. Right now hitters are almost universally being taught to swing for the fences.
Basic math would dictate that fewer fielders in small spaces where pull hitters put balls will lead to more hits, no?
I’ve read that’s especially true for lefties. I’m not saying we’ll see batting leaders hitting .390 again, but guys are leading the league at .320. The shift has to impact that on some level, no?
I understand that, but hitters these days are taught to value launch angle and exit velocity as a means to get extra base hits. Sure, hitters will get a few extra singles, but not in any appreciable amount because the hitters are focused on hitting it over the infield anyways. From the pitcher side, they are much more focused on strikeouts instead of inducing weak contact.
Voros McCracken taught us that the contact doesn’t mean a whole lot if the pitcher can prevent a home run.
Get you, but you have to wonder if they are now taught that way because of the shift. Don't know.
Agree about stolen bases. In theory, the 56 consecutive game streak is breakable. The most stolen bases and most triples records are definitely set in stone.
The 56 streak is obviously impressive, but Ted Williams had a better season and even a better batting average during the 56 game streak. Streaks are difficult but not a true measure of excellence.
36 triples in a year, on the other hand is crazy! They must have had me playing in the outfield.
36 triples in a year, on the other hand is crazy! They must have had me playing in the outfield.
Amazingly, after his 56 game streak ended, DiMaggio went on to hit in an additional 15 straight games. Hits in 71 out of 72 games. Holy smokes!
It doesn’t explain why the record for most triples, 36, is ten more than the second best, 26., 38% higher. That’s probably the biggest difference between 1st and 2nd in any hitting category, I’ll try to check.
I don't know where those 36 triples happened, but keep in mind that the dimensions of some of those older parks were crazy. Somewhere like the Polo Grounds built like this is certainly more conducive to triples than any park in today's MLB.
And yet Ted Williams performed better over that time but people continue to freak out over the streak…
He played in Forbes Field:I don't know where those 36 triples happened, but keep in mind that the dimensions of some of those older parks were crazy. Somewhere like the Polo Grounds built like this is certainly more conducive to triples than any park in today's MLB.
If the triples record is going down, it would have to be someone who plays 81 games a year in SF (triples alley), Boston (the triangle and down RF line), or KC (balls in the corners). Those are the only 3 parks I can think of offhand that have quirky enough dimensions to support triples.
I'll go with Will White's 75 complete games.
In recent years the leaders have had 2 or 3. Back in 1975 Catfish Hunter had 30.
I sometimes thought that certain players in my lifetime had the skillsets to approach 56. Obviously, a lot of us remember Rose when he made his run.
The changes in the game work against it now. DiMaggio probably faced the starting pitcher for the totality of his games whereas today hitters will face a pen with same side matchups with guys who throw 100. Think about a guy like Alvarado (for my money the under the Radar guy who played a huge role in getting the Phillies to the post season), good luck facing him with your streak on the line.
I do believe you need a switch hitter who can minimize same side matchups, can bunt, and who has the speed to beat out a hit to keep the streak going. I thought Carew and early Gwynn fit the mold and thought Ichiro was an ideal candidate as well. That player needs to be a natural left handed hitter as well.
It seems doable until you consider that Rose only got say 80% there. I don’t think we see triples, 56, stolen bases. On the pitching side, K’s are unassailable. I remember 31 by McLain, heck basically nobody even gets to 20 now.
Last edited:
We can get unnatural stone for a lot more money from Fairgambit Enterprises.
He played in Forbes Field:
I still think the number of triples in a season is related to the depth of the outfield. In the old days many of the stadiums had far deeper outfields than today. Today's deepest outfield is only 420 feet at Comerica Park. Compare that to the original 500 feet at the Polo Grounds and 490 feet at Yankee Stadium, other parks had some insane distances too, and the outfields also had some quirky cuts and angles that caused balls that hit the wall to bounce in unpredicted ways. (And think of the monuments in old Yankee Stadium that used to be in the actual outfield, not fenced off like they are today)
Now days with shorter fields and outfielders with better arms, I don't think anybody is coming close to 36.
Eliminating the shift is going to help batting averages go up. That's why teams employed the shift to take away hits from pull hitters. Some guys might see their average jump close to 30 points.
Clemente is The Man. As Bob Prince called him, The Great One.
I have a couple of my former players who are playing professional baseball, and this has been talked about in their organizations as a way to combat taking the shift away.
teams that have a left fielder or centerfielder who might have been a shortstop at one time are contemplating whether they want to move that person into short right field and leave left field completely open.
36 triples by Chief Wilson is unbreakable. Triples often lead to runs, and runs win games. A significant stat IMHO.
I've always felt that Joe D's 56 game hitting streak is more of a statistical oddity...the kind of thing that if it didn't exist, then Jayson Stark would make it up and write several inane columns about it.
JMHO...
I've always felt that Joe D's 56 game hitting streak is more of a statistical oddity...the kind of thing that if it didn't exist, then Jayson Stark would make it up and write several inane columns about it.
JMHO...
Hack Wilson’s record of 191 RBI’s was set nearly 100 years ago. Ruth said it will never be broken.
Fully concur with you on this one.
Especially since analytics kinda-sorta discounts RBIs...which makes no ******* sense to me. To me, its one of the two most significant stats in baseball offense...exceeded only by batting-avg-with-runners-in-scoring-position (or on-base).
Get unlimited access today.