Most consecutive appearances without a strikeout
Posted by Andy on July 21, 2011
Following up on my post from earlier, here are the longest streaks where a pitcher didn't register a single strikeout in each appearance.
2000-2011:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Choate | 2009-07-07 | 2009-08-24 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.1 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8.68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TBR |
| 2 | Scott Mullen | 2001-08-22 | 2002-06-18 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.2 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5.40 | 2 | 0 | 0 | KCR |
| 3 | Jason Christiansen | 2005-04-15 | 2005-05-13 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9.1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2.89 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SFG |
| 4 | Juan Acevedo | 2002-08-05 | 2002-09-04 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 14.1 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1.26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | DET |
1990-1999:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omar Daal | 1994-07-17 | 1995-05-14 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | LAD |
| 2 | Mike Munoz | 1992-07-07 | 1992-08-10 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | DET |
| 3 | Pedro Borbon | 1999-07-20 | 1999-08-11 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | LAD |
| 4 | Ken Ray | 1999-07-10 | 1999-08-06 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11.1 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8.74 | 1 | 0 | 0 | KCR |
| 5 | Vaughn Eshelman | 1996-09-23 | 1997-04-29 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6.2 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 12.15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | BOS |
| 6 | Derek Lilliquist | 1994-04-04 | 1994-05-15 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 8.0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3.38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | CLE |
| 7 | Bob Macdonald | 1991-07-30 | 1991-09-01 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16.1 | 20 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 5.51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TOR |
| 8 | Gary Mielke | 1990-05-10 | 1990-08-14 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 19.0 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 5.21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | TEX |
1970-1989:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Kaat | 1981-04-26 | 1981-06-05 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 22.1 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | STL |
| 2 | Rich Thompson | 1985-07-06 | 1985-08-26 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 14.1 | 22 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 10.05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | CLE |
| 3 | Tom Burgmeier | 1972-06-27 | 1972-07-20 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12.1 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4.38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | KCR |
| 4 | Dale Mohorcic | 1986-06-08 | 1986-07-18 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 19.1 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TEX |
| 5 | Bob Miller | 1972-06-27 | 1972-09-17 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21.2 | 22 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2.91 | 0 | 0 | 0 | PIT |
1919-1969:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Oeschger | 1924-09-02 | 1925-08-07 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 33.2 | 52 | 28 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 4.54 | 1 | 0 | 0 | PHI-BRO |
| 2 | Jack Spring | 1963-08-16 | 1964-05-24 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 15.0 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3.60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | LAA-CHC |
| 3 | Lee Stine | 1936-06-20 | 1936-08-28 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 34.0 | 44 | 27 | 26 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 6.88 | 2 | 1 | 0 | CIN |
| 4 | Ted Wingfield | 1927-04-12 | 1927-07-30 | 17 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 66.2 | 87 | 43 | 32 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 4.32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | BOS |
| 5 | Bobby Hogue | 1950-08-13 | 1951-05-20 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 18.1 | 24 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 8.35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | BSN-SLB |
As relief appearances get shorter and shorter on average, it's getting easier and easier to accumulate such a streak, since appearances with fewer batters faced are more likely to exclude strikeouts.
July 21st, 2011 at 11:04 am
I think that's the first time that I've ever seen Joe Oeschger's name mentioned, apart from references to the unbeatable record that he and Leon Cadore share: 26 innings pitched in one game.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN192005010.shtml
July 21st, 2011 at 11:40 am
It's remarkable to see how many of these guys registered HBP during this streak but no Strike Outs. Guess they weren't around the plate much.
July 21st, 2011 at 11:42 am
Is the 66.2 IP by Ted Wingfield the record for consecutive innings without a K? He had 8 starts in there, I would think it was hard even in the lowest K eras to go that long without a single strikeout...
July 21st, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Kinda neat how you can see the evolution of the strikeout mentality of hitters...early on strikeouts were considered bad and IP streaks were longer, today nobody cares if someone strikes out 150, 175, 200 times in a seasion and IP streaks are much shorter.
July 21st, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I'm constantly amazed at the number of good pitchers up until the 1950's had K/BB ratios below 1:1, particularly when you consider that the fielding (or at least the gloves) was as good as it was later either.
And exactly 2 of the first 13 names on that list weren't LOOGY's. If I had a young son I think I'd break his right arm and hand him a baseball....
July 21st, 2011 at 1:12 pm
sorry, make that "fielding WASN'T"
July 21st, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Putting the shoe on the other foot ...
Since 2000, there have been just 2 batter streaks of 30+ games without a strikeout (and at least 2 PAs), both by Juan Pierre: 31 games in 2004 (batted .405), 30 games in 2001 (.378).
Honorable ... er, make that additional mention to Barry Bonds, who had a 20-game no-K streak, going 30 for 63 with 9 HRs, 24 walks, 1.622 OPS.
In the previous decade, Tony Gwynn had the longest such streak, 39 games in 1995, batting .404. Felix Fermin had a 31-streak, hitting just .263, with probably 70% of his ABs going as weak grounders to SS. And Gwynn had the 3rd-longest streak of that decade, 29 straight games spanning 1995-96, batting .427.
July 21st, 2011 at 3:58 pm
@7
Cue TimmyP in 3............2................1..............
July 21st, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Andy, can you tweak Play Index to give us the longest such streaks in starting appearances only?
July 21st, 2011 at 10:00 pm
@8, Jacob -- I left a trail of breadcrumbs, but he won't take the bait.
July 21st, 2011 at 10:29 pm
@7 HOF Joe Sewell in 1929 sruck out 4 times in 154 games played with a 115 game streak with no strikeouts. He started all 154 games and finished 153.
July 21st, 2011 at 10:35 pm
@9, Socra-G --
3 or more consecutive starts (pitching) with no strikeouts:
-- 1990-2011: http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/share.cgi?id=enYUR
-- 1970-90: http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/share.cgi?id=rUIy7
July 22nd, 2011 at 8:14 am
"Honorable ... er, make that additional mention to Barry Bonds, who had a 20-game no-K streak, going 30 for 63 with 9 HRs, 24 walks, 1.622 OPS"
Say what you will about PEDs, but those are silly, video-game numbers.
Take power out of the equation. (Which, I know, you can't, because those 24 walks have a lot to do with pitchers avoiding Bonds doubling that HR number.) Talking strikeouts, pitch-selection, ability to make contact, patience to swing only in the zone. How much of that do you credit to PEDs? How much to the talent?
July 22nd, 2011 at 3:17 pm
@13, KJ -- I have no hope of intelligently parsing the roles of various factors in Barry's colossal seasons.
You seem to imply that his strike-zone judgment and hand-eye coordination should be treated as not being affected by PED use. That's not at all clear to me, and here are two reasons why:
(1) Is it not possible that some illicit substance(s) improved his general "alertness" and fast-twitch muscle fiber? Maybe not even steroids, but amphetamines?
(2) You just can't separate this-and-that part of his batting performance during the years that he was chemically enhanced.
Yes, he always had good strike zone judgment, and yes, his self-discipline in that regard likely would have improved as he aged even if he hadn't taken PEDs, since that's a general trend.
But it seems intuitively obvious to me that his strike-zone discipline evolved hand-in-hand with his vastly increased HR%. I also think that, as he developed into a Ted Williams-like demi-god (with some chemical help), he got a bit of star treatment from umpires on ball & strike calls -- not a lot, but it doesn't necessarily take a lot of that, acting in concert with other factors, to make him a fantastic contact hitter.
July 22nd, 2011 at 4:23 pm
@ John Autin
I agree that you can't much separate the PED use from his 'natural' skills.
My personal theory about a player like Bonds during his Herculean seasons late in his career is that when a player is able to elevate their performance, for whatever reason, to a level so far above other star players, not to mention his own puny by comparison teammates, a kind of feedback loop begins to come into play. Pitchers increasingly try not to get hurt by this massive offensive juggernaut instead of actively trying to get him out. This, in turn, allows the hitter to focus on waiting for the right pitch to hit a little more often because the pitcher is less and less trying to throw the right pitch to get him out as much as they are trying not to throw the wrong pitch and end up on the night's highlights.
That is to say, I think at a certain point your reputation as a monster at the plate begins to almost exponentially multiply the effects of the pitchers' unwillingness to really challenge you, thus making it even easier to sit back and wait to load up on the right pitch.
July 22nd, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Fireworks, I strongly agree with that post. I believe that psychology plays a large role in sports. I am convinced that at his peak, Greg Maddux was so effective not only because he was an excellent pitcher but because opposing batters and managers pressed a lot against him, abandoning their regular style in the hopes of pushing a run or two across. I think Bonds is another great example exactly as you point out, as it became easier and easier to become more selective as pitchers got increasingly careful, and it was a positive feedback loop as his hitting improved with the improved pitches.
July 22nd, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Makes sense to me Fireworks.
That shield he wore on his arm had a big effect too. An essential part of the pitcher-batter struggle lies in the possibility that a ball will strike the batter. That bit of fear needs to be there for balance. When Bonds can stand there with impunity, without worrying about a pitch getting away, the balance is thrown off. Knocking a batter on his ass, whether you actually hit him or not, is a good thing. I'm not advocating headhunting but sometimes a well-placed ball in the ribs is the right pitch to make. Umpires refusing to force batters to make an effort to get out of the way and issuing quick warnings make this gameplan a difficult one to employ, however.