Manager Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves was ejected from a game for the eighth time this season when second-base umpire Larry Poncino tossed him for arguing an obstruction call July 30. The added pressure of the Braves’ pennant race with the New York Mets may be just what Cox needs to join the select group of major-league managers who got the thumb 10 times in a season. According to Doug Pappas of the Umpires & Rules Committee of the Society for American Baseball Research, manager John McGraw holds the single-season record for ejections with 13 in 1905. Listed are the 10 managers who never mastered the art of negotiation:
MANAGER YEAR TEAM EJECTIONS
John McGraw 1905 Giants 13
Paul Richards 1954 White Sox 11
Paul Richards 1956 Orioles 11
Roger Bresnahan 1909 Cardinals 10
Bill Dahlen 1910 Dodgers 10
Burleigh Grimes 1937 Dodgers 10
John McGraw 1906 Giants 10
John McGraw 1910 Giants 10
Paul Richards 1952 White Sox 10
Earl Weaver 1975 Orioles 10
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HIT HOT
Third baseman Joe Randa of the Kansas City Royals had quite a month of July. His 50 hits made him only the 11th batter since 1980 to post 50 or more hits in a month and joined George Brett (1980) and Willie Wilson (1982) as the only Royals to accomplish the feat. Randa’s batting average rose from .296 to .330 over the month. According to Tom Ruane of Retrosheet, the batters who stroked the most hits in a month since 1980 were:
PLAYER TEAM MONTH HITS
Alex Rodriguez Mariners Aug. 1996 54
Cal Ripken Orioles Sept. 1983 53
George Brett Royals Aug. 1980 52
Cecil Cooper Brewers Aug. 1980 52
Carney Lansford A’s May 1988 52
Willie Wilson Royals Aug. 1982 51
Von Hayes Phillies Aug. 1984 51
Miguel Dilone Indians Aug. 1980 50
Pat Tabler Indians Aug. 1986 50
Derek Jeter Yankees Aug. 1998 50
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HOMEWARD BOUND
Dan Wilson of the Seattle Mariners became the 203rd player since 1980 to steal home in a game when he successfully swiped the base on August 1. Wilson is the second catcher to steal home this year: St. Louis backstop Eli Marrero accomplished the feat in April.
TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS
The Charleston (S.C.) Riverdogs of the South Atlantic League took the idea of good clean fun and ran with it. The team honored national “Kill a Stain Day” with “Laundry Night.” Any fan who attended the game could bring his or her laundry and the team would arrange to have it washed, dried and folded at the ballpark by the end of the game. The contest was a sellout and the team did over 800 loads of laundry.
CLOCK WATCHERS
It appears New York Mets starter Orel Hershiser would prefer to leave the clock alone. Hershiser lost 3-2 to Tampa Bay on “Turn Back The Clock Night” earlier in the season. Then, last week, he got clocked again when he lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on “Turn Ahead the Clock Night.”
ANY WHICH WAY
Harold Baines of the Baltimore Orioles is close to becoming the seventh active player to amass 300 home runs, 1,000 RBIs and 1,000 walks in his career. Through Friday, Baines needed two walks to reach this combination. The active players who have already reached these levels are Barry Bonds, Chili Davis, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Cal Ripken and Frank Thomas.
SMASH HIT
Carlos Beltran of the Kansas City Royals is on a pace to become just the third rookie in major-league history to post 220 or more hits in his debut season. In 1911, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson rapped out 233 hits for the Cleveland Indians setting the rookie record. The last neophyte to record at least 200 safeties was Nomar Garciaparra with 209 in 1997 for the Boston Red Sox. The five highest rookie hit totals were:
PLAYER YEAR HITS
”Shoeless” Joe Jackson 1911 233
Lloyd Waner 1927 223
Jimmy Williams 1899 219
Ralph Garr 1971 219
Tony Oliva 1964 217
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DOUBLE-CROSSED
Wade Boggs of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays passed Charlie Gehringer last weekend for 13th place on the career doubles list. Gehringer recorded 574 two-baggers. Next up for Boggs is recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Robin Yount with 583. Beyond Yount, lies the two Pauls, Waner and Molitor, with 605. %%
