Flushing Frivolity – 12/21/09

Ever wonder which Mets’ player hit the most home runs while receiving 50 or fewer at bats? Of course you did! Here’s the top ten:

Rk            Player HR AB   To From   Age
1       Alex Escobar  3 50 2001 2001 22-22
2     Kevin Roberson  3 36 1996 1996 28-28
3        Luis Rivera  3 43 1994 1994 30-30
4       Jim Marshall  3 32 1962 1962 31-31
5        Eli Marrero  2 33 2006 2006 32-32
6       Mike Kinkade  2 50 1998 2000 25-27
7          Jim Tatum  2 50 1998 1998 30-30
8        Bruce Bochy  2 49 1982 1982 27-27
9        Jose Moreno  2 46 1980 1980 22-22
10   Robinson Cancel  1 50 2008 2009 32-33

Alex Escobar? We hardly knew you, but you probably shouldn't have been traded. Kevin Roberson? We hardly knew you either, and I'm OK with that. Luis Rivera? I knew you as a first base coach, but forgot that you actually played for the Mets (granted, it was during the strike year). Everyone else? Welcome to the Frivolities!
				

Flushing Frivolity – 12/20/09

Our Friday Frivolity focused on the most runs scored in franchise history (you need to know that I would’ve gotten more eff’s in there if I could). In that exercise, we learned that Lance Johnson set the record for runs scored in a season with 117, and that every other entry in the top ten occurred after that mark was set. Without further ado, I give you the top ten runs scored totals prior to 1996 (or, the list as Lance would’ve seen it before that season started):

Rk               Player   R Year Age
1        Howard Johnson 108 1991  30
2     Darryl Strawberry 108 1987  25
3           Tommie Agee 107 1970  27
4        Howard Johnson 104 1989  28
5     Darryl Strawberry 101 1988  26
6           Tommie Agee  97 1969  26
7       Gregg Jefferies  96 1990  22
8       Keith Hernandez  94 1986  32
9        Howard Johnson  93 1987  26
10          Rusty Staub  93 1975  31

In the 32 seasons prior to 1996, three Mets scored at least 100 runs in a season four times. In the 14 seasons that followed five Mets did it 10 times, and every single one of them would have been the leader on this list. Really highlights the differences in eras, don’t you think?

Flushing Frivolity – 12/19/09

Here’s why I love the Flushing Frivolity gimmick: on this date in 1986, Michael Sergio, the Mets fan who parachuted into Shea Stadium during Game 6 of the World Series, was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and hit with a $50o fine. Also on this date, former Mets outfielder Chip Ambres was born in 1979.

And you thought Chip Ambres would never be connected to a World Series champion…

Flushing Frivolity – 12/18/09

Note: Yesterday was more hectic than I thought it would be and I never got around to posting this. So here it is, unedited:

Since it’s Friday, I figured I’d end the week with a positive Frivolity. Personally, it’s been a long week and I’d much prefer to end it on a happy thought. So, I figured I’d use the Baseball Reference Play Index to look at the best individual seasons for runs scored in franchise history. Here is your top ten:

Rk               Player   R Year Age
1        Carlos Beltran 127 2006  29
2       Edgardo Alfonzo 123 1999  25
3            Jose Reyes 122 2006  23
4            Jose Reyes 119 2007  24
5         Lance Johnson 117 1996  32
6        Carlos Beltran 116 2008  31
7          David Wright 115 2008  25
8            Jose Reyes 113 2008  25
9          David Wright 113 2007  24
10      Edgardo Alfonzo 109 2000  26

Three seasons for Reyes, two each for Alfonzo, Beltran, and Wright, and one Lance Johnson. First thought: this list must have looked completely different in 1995 (subject of an upcoming Frivolity). Second thought: look at 2008: Beltran (116), Wright (115) and Reyes (113) combined for 344 runs. Reyes missed 136 games in 2008, Beltran missed 81, and Wright missed 16*.

* But still scored 88 runs. Even though he struggled, he still scored. I remain optimistic.

And there you go. The Mets are sure to score more runs if these three return to previous levels. Yeah, they were near career highs for Beltran and Reyes (and a career high for Wright), but it’s certainly not asking for the moon for each to score 105 runs. And if they do, the Mets will have improved by 169 total runs {(105-18) + (105-50) + (105-88)}. It’s been a tough week and I’ll take it.

Flushing Frivolity – 12/17/09

With the end of the year closing in, we’ve been dealing with an increasing amount of “Best in Decade” lists. As I mentioned yesterday, I’m not in that camp; I think that the decade runs from 2001 to 2010. However, I’m a sucker for those lists so I’m going to run with it. And, if I’m still blogging next year, we’ll do the whole thing over again.

I decided to see who grounded into the most double plays during the aughts. Here’s the top 10:

Rk	Player	GDP	PA
1	Mike Piazza	93	2902
2	David Wright	83	3665
3	Carlos Beltran	43	2966
4	Carlos Delgado	43	2023
5	Todd Zeile	43	1631
6	Rey Ordonez	40	1159
7	Paul Lo Duca	33	1039
8	Jason Phillips	33	894
9	Jose Reyes	32	3651
10	Luis Castillo	30	1170
11	Ty Wigginton	30	1099
12	Cliff Floyd	28	1884
13	Jay Payton	28	1215
14	Robin Ventura	27	1100
15	Edgardo Alfonzo	24	1731
16	Shawn Green	22	616
17	Fernando Tatis	20	685
18	Roberto Alomar	20	957
19	Endy Chavez	18	853
20	Roger Cedeno	18	1089

No surprises, really (Mike Piazza has the franchise record). But that got me: looking more carefully at the data revealed that even though Jose Reyes had two more GIDP’s than Luis Castillo, they came in 2,483 more plate appearances. Hardly a fair comparison at all. So I decided to turn it into a rate statistic: GIDP/plate appearance.  Here are your leaders (minimum 50 plate appearances):

Rk	Player	GDP	PA	GDP/PA
1	Wilson Valdez	6	95	6.32%
2	Julio Franco	12	240	5.00%
3	Jeff Keppinger	6	123	4.88%
4	Bubba Trammell	3	65	4.62%
5	Mike Jacobs	5	112	4.46%
6	Ricky Gutierrez	3	70	4.29%
7	Victor Diaz	16	377	4.24%
8	Doug Mientkiewicz	12	313	3.83%
9	Rey Sanchez	7	183	3.83%
10	Jose Offerman	3	80	3.75%
11	Jason Phillips	33	894	3.69%
12	Shawn Green	22	616	3.57%
13	Rey Ordonez	40	1159	3.45%
14	Moises Alou	14	414	3.38%
15	Richard Hidalgo	12	358	3.35%
16	Ramon Martinez	2	62	3.23%
17	Gary Sheffield	10	312	3.21%
18	Mike Piazza	93	2902	3.20%
19	Cory Sullivan	5	157	3.18%
20	Paul Lo Duca	33	1039	3.18%

Now this list cracks me up. Wilson “Exxon” Valdez atop a leaderboard? Sign me up!

As much as I love that list, it’s not entirely fair. 50 at bats is an extremely small sample size. To even it out, let’s up the threshold to 502 plate appearances and see how it shakes out:

Rk	Player	GDP	PA	GDP/PA
1	Jason Phillips	33	894	3.69%
2	Shawn Green	22	616	3.57%
3	Rey Ordonez	40	1159	3.45%
4	Mike Piazza	93	2902	3.20%
5	Paul Lo Duca	33	1039	3.18%
6	Damion Easley	17	565	3.01%
7	Fernando Tatis	20	685	2.92%
8	Brian Schneider	16	578	2.77%
9	Ty Wigginton	30	1099	2.73%
10	Todd Zeile	43	1631	2.64%
11	Ryan Church	16	614	2.61%
12	Mo Vaughn	17	654	2.60%
13	Luis Castillo	30	1170	2.56%
14	Robin Ventura	27	1100	2.45%
15	Daniel Murphy	17	707	2.40%
16	Jay Payton	28	1215	2.30%
17	David Wright	83	3665	2.26%
18	Benny Agbayani	17	753	2.26%
19	Derek Bell	14	622	2.25%
20	Vance Wilson	16	713	2.24%

Again, interesting list. Jason Phillips wasn’t entirely unexpected, but Shawn Green surprised me. Fernando Tatis’ presence on this list kind of torpedo’s my defense of him, doesn’t it? I feel foolish (and it won’t be the last time). Carlos Delgado GIDP’d in 2.13% of his plate appearances, ranking 21st. Other notables include Cliff Floyd and Carlos Beltran at 1.49% (28/29), Edgardo Alfonzo at 1.39% (31st), and Jose Reyes at 0.88% (34th).

The owner of the best GIDP percentage among qualifiers? Kazuo Matsui at 0.64 (36th). We’ll always be able to say that Kaz-Mat grounded into the fewest double plays per plate appearance among Mets receiving a minimum of 502 plate appearances between 2000 and 2009. So, we got that going for us.

Rk	Player	GDP	PA	To	From	Age	GDP/PA
1	Wilson Valdez	6	95	2009	2009	31-31	6.32%
2	Julio Franco	12	240	2006	2007	47-48	5.00%
3	Jeff Keppinger	6	123	2004	2004	24-24	4.88%
4	Bubba Trammell	3	65	2000	2000	28-28	4.62%
5	Mike Jacobs	5	112	2005	2005	24-24	4.46%
6	Ricky Gutierrez	3	70	2004	2004	34-34	4.29%
7	Victor Diaz	16	377	2004	2006	22-24	4.24%
8	Doug Mientkiewicz	12	313	2005	2005	31-31	3.83%
9	Rey Sanchez	7	183	2003	2003	35-35	3.83%
10	Jose Offerman	3	80	2005	2005	36-36	3.75%
11	Jason Phillips	33	894	2001	2004	24-27	3.69%
12	Shawn Green	22	616	2006	2007	33-34	3.57%
13	Rey Ordonez	40	1159	2000	2002	28-30	3.45%
14	Moises Alou	14	414	2007	2008	40-41	3.38%
15	Richard Hidalgo	12	358	2004	2004	29-29	3.35%
16	Ramon Martinez	2	62	2008	2009	35-36	3.23%
17	Gary Sheffield	10	312	2009	2009	40-40	3.21%
18	Mike Piazza	93	2902	2000	2005	31-36	3.20%
19	Cory Sullivan	5	157	2009	2009	29-29	3.18%
20	Paul Lo Duca	33	1039	2006	2007	34-35	3.18%