With interleague play finished for this season, here are the leaders after five years of cross-league play, according to Dave Smith of Retrosheet.
AVERAGE
Mike Piazza Mets .371
Edgar Martinez Mariners .361
RUNS
Ray Durham White Sox 66
Craig Biggio Astros 63
HOME RUNS
Carlos Delgado Blue Jays 28
Ken Griffey, Jr. Reds 28
RBIs
Sammy Sosa Cubs 78
Carlos Delgado Blue Jays 75
WINS
Greg Maddux Braves 13
Brad Radke Twins 12
ERA (minimum 90 innings)
Randy Johnson D’backs 2.20
Bartolo Colon Indians 2.33
David Wells White Sox 2.78
STRIKEOUTS
Johnson D’backs 137
Curt Schilling D’backs 134
SAVES
Mariano Rivera Yankees 27
Trevor Hoffman Padres 20
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Bonded
Barry Bonds had 39 home runs before the All-Star break, meaning he would need 32 more to break the season homer mark. Bonds’ top post-All-Star output is 25. Mark McGwire hit 33 after the break in 1998 to set the season record of 70 homers. McGwire holds the record for the most second-half homers with 37 in 1999, breaking Hank Greenberg’s 61-year-old record. Here are the top 10 totals after the break:
AFTER
PLAYER YEAR BREAK TOTAL
Mark McGwire 1999 37 65
Hank Greenberg 1938 36 58
Albert Belle 1995 36 50
Mark McGwire 1998 33 70
Sammy Sosa 1998 33 66
Sosa 1999 31 63
Ralph Kiner 1949 31 54
Kiner 1947 31 51
Albert Belle 1998 31 49
Harmon Killebrew 1962 30 48
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Arms and legs
Cubs catcher Robert Machado might well have been shocked when Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Kip Wells stole third base on July 12. According to Lee Sinins of the Society for American Baseball Research, that makes Wells just the third American League pitcher with a steal since the designated hitter rule was instituted in 1973. The others: John “Blue Moon” Odom of the A’s in 1973 and Ismael Valdes of the Angels on June 8 this year.
Not so sweet
The Reds have compiled a 13-37 record (.260 winning percentage) at Riverfront Stadium so far this season for the worst home record in the majors. They haven’t posted consecutive wins at home. The worst record at home by a big-league club belongs to the 1939 St. Louis Browns who went 18-59 (.234) at Sportsman’s Park. The worst mark since expansion was posted by the 1962 New York Mets at 22-58 (.275) enroute to a 40-120 record overall.
