Notable Numerals: Derek Jeter, Brandon Morrow and More

With the full intention of not having a theme this week, to my surprise, one just organically popped up among many of the stats. The first number and focus of this week’s column was easy, as Derek Jeter reached a milestone in his illustrious career that could and should not go unnoticed. Of the remaining 5 numbers however, 3 all happened to revolve around strikeouts, whether it be as an impressive team accomplishment, a mind-blowing individual pitching performance or a disgraceful showing in the batters box. Now I don’t pretend that this ‘theme’ is present in all the stats or really is a theme at all, but it always blows my mind when things like that just happen without premeditation. Enjoy!

Career hits in a Yankees uniform for Derek Jeter. On Sunday night baseball, against their arch rival Boston Red Sox, Derek Jeter passed Babe Ruth as the all-time hit leader for the New York Yankees, furthering his already impressive Hall of Fame resume. It is rare in modern day baseball that a player stays with a single team for his entire career, but Jeter is in many ways the exception to every rule. He is a definite Hall of Famer in my books when he retires and will be known as one of the classiest players to put on the pinstripes.

Being a Red Sox fan, there are few Yankee players I can honestly say I like or respect, but Jeter is at the top of that list. Since his debut in 1995 and his 1st full season in 1996, Jeter has hit 10+ home runs every single season, totaling 233 and has driven in 1,119 rbis in 2,246 games. Since 1996, Jeter has appeared in less than 148 games only once and that was in 2003 due to injury shortened season in which he appeared in 119 games. Jeter is an 11 time All-Star, including the last 5 seasons and has a never-ending list of awards.

Not to be overlooked are Jeter’s 5 World Series rings and his 2000 World Series MVP award, which are something he is proud of as a player and when he finally retires, there will be practically nothing he hasn’t accomplished on the diamond. Jeter is a career average of .315 and has always shined throughout the years in moments when his team and teammates needed him the most and has proudly been the captain of the Yankees since 2003. Although this season has seen Jeter’s numbers slightly down from his career marks, he has greatly impacted the team on the field.

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Home runs for Adam Dunn in his last 7 games. After much speculation and a buzzing rumor mill filled with Adam Dunn’s name, he didn’t go anywhere, but has certainly been making a case for a new contract by crushing the ball this past week. With his 6 home runs this week, Dunn has now hit 30 dingers and has driven in 33 rbis while playing in all but 1 of the Washington National’s games this season. Dunn has 60 extra base hits in 2010, including 2 triples, tying a career high and has a .274 batting average, .023 points above his career numbers.

Dunn got a ton of attention from teams at the deadline, as he is a desirable lefty power hitter that can play 1st base or DH for an American League team. Dunn has hit 30+ home runs in the past 7 seasons, including breaking the 40 mark each year from 2004-2008. Given the weak Nationals lineup, Dunn could produce at an even higher level if he had some lineup support around him, but that hasn’t seemed to bother him as he just keeps cranking out the hits and sending balls into orbit on a nearly daily basis. Dunn will be a free-agent at the end of this season and will surely draw attention from many teams.

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K’s for Brandon Morrow over his past 2 starts, including 17 in his near no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Sitting there watching Brandon Morrow narrowly miss out on the 6th no-hitter in 2010 was painful to watch, allowing an infield single to Evan Longoria with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, but I couldn’t help but think what the Seattle Mariner’s front office and fans were thinking. Morrow was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays this off-season and is currently 8-6 with a 4.46 era, but has racked up 150 strikeouts for the Jays and has been a nice addition to their rotation.

At times while in Seattle, Morrow would show impressive stuff, the likes of a dominate starter in baseball, but just couldn’t seem to put it all together. This year has been far from amazing from the 26-year old starter, but his performance on Sunday was the stuff of legends. As mentioned above, he was 1 out from throwing a no-hitter, but what separated him from the other impressive pitching performances in 2010 was his complete dominance of the Rays lineup and his career high strikeout totals. If Morrow can gain maturity and learn how to pitch consistently, the sky is the limit for the young kid.

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K’s for David Ortiz in his last 26 games. After beginning the season in a horrible slump, Big Papi David Ortiz has broken out and been a huge contributor in the Sox lineup. In 99 games this season, Ortiz has 24 home runs and 73 rbis, but his strikeout numbers have been unusually high. Ortiz’s high for strikeouts in a season is 134 (last year) in 150 games, averaging less than 1 K per game, while in 2010, he already has 110 K’s and is average over 1 K per game. Ortiz is on pace to break his own personal record thanks to a ridiculous 37 K’s over the last 3+ weeks, but if he reaches 30 home runs and 100 rbi will anyone associated with the Red Sox really care how many times he struck out?

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K’s for the San Francisco Giants in 2010. The San Francisco Giants pitching staff has been incredible so far this year, leading all of baseball in K’s (916) and saves (39). Many believe the Giants have great pitching numbers because they have Tim Lincecum, but they very quietly have 4 pitchers with 100+ K’s on the season, and are just 2 games back of the San Diego Padres in the NL West. The Giants closer, Brian Wilson, not to be confused with the lead singer of the Beach Boys, has been lights out, saving 32 games in 35 opportunities with a 2.23 era and an impressive 67 K’s in 48.1 innings.

Being an East coast guy and more specifically an AL East guy growing up, the West coast teams just didn’t have the same excitement and flair, and frankly didn’t (and still don’t) get the same coverage. The storyline of the year has been the San Diego Padres, but there has been little conversation about the Giants, who are nipping at their heels with a chance to make the playoffs for the 1st time since 2003. Regardless of whether the Giants can overcome the Padres in the West or not, they have a nucleus of talented young pitching and will likely be contenders for the next several with a chance to do some damage in the post-season.

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Runs scored by Rickie Weeks in his last 25 games for the Milwaukee Brewers. Throughout his career, Rickie Weeks has been a role player who can occasionally hit a home run or 2, but will not hit for average and will likely never be a consistent starter. This year has been a complete breakout season for the 27 year-old, who has hit .272 in 111 games for the Brewers. Weeks has already eclipsed his career highs in home runs (23), rbis (71), and hits (124). Before all is said and done, Weeks is on pace to pass career highs in runs, doubles and at-bats, if not more categories, and has been a nice surprise for Brewers manager Ken Macha.

Brian Phair – BoSox Injection – Notable Numerals

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