Colorado Rockies outfielder Larry Walker has reached base in all but three of the 66 games he has played this season.
HOME, SWEET HOME
Pinch-hitter and part-time outfielder Matt Stairs of the Oakland A’s has hit all 10 of his home runs this year at the Oakland Coliseum. If Stairs finishes the season with all his homers coming at home, he would be just the 15th major-leaguer to hit 10 or more long balls in a season, all in his home park. According to David Vincent of the Home Run Encyclopedia, the previous homebound home-run hitters were: %%
Player Year HRs
Fred Pfeffer 1884 25
Gavvy Cravath 1914 19
Mel Ott 1943 18
Cliff Lee 1922 17
Heinie Manush 1928 13
Johnny Vergez 1931 13
Jerry Denny 1888 12
Herman Long 1900 12
Joe Sewell 1932 11
Ted Uhlaender 1970 11
Babe Young 1942 11
Dave Brain 1907 10
Greg Goossen 1969 10
Tilly Walker 1919 10
%%
HOW THE MIGHTY FALL
On June 12 the Los Angeles Dodgers sent Todd Hollandsworth, last season’s rookie of the year, back to the minor leagues to work on his batting stroke. The outfielder had been batting just .232 with two home runs and 18 RBIs compared with his rookie numbers of .291, 12 homers and 59 RBIs. Hollandsworth is the 17th rookie of the year to later pay a visit to the minors, because of performance problems or injury rehabilitation, within two years of winning the award. The others: %%
Player ROY Sent Down
Walt Dropo 1950 1951
Joe Black 1952 1954
Albie Pearson 1958 1960
Willie McCovey 1959 1960
Mark Fidrych 1976 1978
Butch Metzger 1976 1978
Joe Charboneau 1980 1981
Dave Righetti 1981 1982
Ron Kittle 1983 1985
Chris Sabo 1988 1989
Jerome Walton 1989 1990
Sandy Alomar Jr. 1990 1991
Dave Justice 1990 1991
Pat Listach 1992 1993
Bob Hamelin 1994 1995
Marty Cordova 1995 1997 %%
