Most PAs, no triples, active players
Posted by Andy on September 1, 2009
Here are the current leaders among active players for career plate appearaces with no triples:
Cnt Player **PA** 3B From To Ages G AB R H 2B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions Teams +----+-----------------+---------+---+----+----+-----+----+-----+----+----+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ 1 Johnny Estrada 2244 0 2001 2008 25-32 612 2079 198 576 129 42 285 103 30 228 31 5 26 80 0 0 .277 .317 .400 .717 *2/D PHI-ATL-ARI-MIL-WSN 2 Jason Phillips 1537 0 2001 2007 24-30 465 1382 138 344 77 30 168 111 11 170 26 6 12 56 0 5 .249 .314 .370 .684 *23/D NYM-LAD-TOR 3 Ramon Castro 1380 0 1999 2009 23-33 498 1223 129 286 59 54 184 135 22 317 5 5 12 23 1 0 .234 .310 .415 .725 *2/D FLA-NYM-TOT 4 Sal Fasano 1245 0 1996 2008 24-36 427 1109 136 245 49 47 140 72 1 327 47 12 5 26 2 3 .221 .295 .392 .687 *2/3D5 KCR-OAK-TOT-ANA-BAL-TOT-TOR-CLE 5 Kelly Shoppach 992 0 2005 2009 25-29 295 864 127 207 56 41 136 82 3 327 31 10 5 17 0 0 .240 .326 .447 .773 *2/D BOS-CLE 6 Geronimo Gil 887 0 2001 2007 25-31 277 820 67 189 30 19 88 47 2 162 6 11 3 31 2 2 .230 .276 .337 .613 *2 BAL-COL 7 Chris Coste 856 0 2006 2009 33-36 284 778 83 213 46 23 106 52 4 150 18 6 2 19 0 1 .274 .333 .422 .755 *2/3D PHI-TOT 8 Jeff Mathis 814 0 2005 2009 22-26 246 704 93 140 29 20 97 73 5 216 9 18 10 5 4 5 .199 .279 .325 .604 *2/D LAA 9 Jason Schmidt 712 0 1995 2009 22-36 324 597 29 63 9 7 21 22 0 282 2 90 1 5 0 0 .106 .140 .156 .296 *1 ATL-TOT-PIT-SFG-LAD 10 Randy Johnson 691 0 1988 2009 24-45 614 625 20 78 14 1 40 19 0 293 2 44 1 10 0 0 .125 .153 .152 .305 *1/7 MON-TOT-SEA-ARI-NYY-SFG 11 Roy Oswalt 666 0 2001 2009 23-31 282 553 26 88 7 1 33 21 0 150 5 86 1 5 0 0 .159 .197 .177 .374 *1 HOU 12 Matt Morris 652 0 1997 2008 22-33 309 543 35 92 18 2 38 27 0 216 0 81 1 1 0 1 .169 .208 .214 .422 *1 STL-SFG-TOT-PIT 13 Russ Ortiz 608 0 1998 2009 24-35 310 507 45 104 23 7 49 35 0 135 2 60 4 9 0 0 .205 .257 .292 .549 *1 SFG-ATL-ARI-TOT-SFG-HOU 14 Randy Wolf 601 0 1999 2009 22-32 286 499 45 92 26 5 49 30 0 165 1 65 6 9 1 0 .184 .229 .267 .496 *1 PHI-LAD-TOT 15 Kevin Cash 585 0 2002 2009 24-31 197 527 47 98 23 10 53 38 1 166 8 5 7 22 0 0 .186 .248 .287 .535 *2/5D TOR-TBD-BOS-NYY 16 John Baker 578 0 2008 2009 27-28 150 503 84 143 38 13 74 61 9 123 6 3 5 13 0 0 .284 .365 .437 .802 *2 FLA 17 Brett Tomko 546 0 1997 2009 24-36 392 455 23 71 9 0 29 19 0 180 0 71 1 5 0 1 .156 .189 .176 .365 *1 CIN-SEA-SDP-STL-SFG-LAD-TOT-NYY 18 Kevin Millwood 515 0 1997 2009 22-34 378 443 19 54 15 2 24 20 0 203 0 52 0 9 0 0 .122 .160 .169 .329 *1 ATL-PHI-CLE-TEX 19 Wladimir Balentie 511 0 2007 2009 22-24 155 468 48 101 28 13 47 39 2 136 0 0 4 14 2 2 .216 .274 .359 .633 /798D SEA-TOT 20 Luis Ordaz 496 0 1997 2006 21-30 206 440 51 96 13 0 30 34 1 53 2 15 5 12 12 5 .218 .274 .248 .522 *6/45 STL-KCR-TBD
Lots of pitchers and catchers.
Relaxing just a bit to allow for 1 career triple, here are the active leaders:
Cnt Player **PA** 3B From To Ages G AB R H 2B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions Teams +----+-----------------+---------+---+----+----+-----+----+-----+----+----+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ 1 Rod Barajas 2653 1 1999 2009 23-33 791 2436 292 588 146 89 344 139 16 428 27 24 27 45 2 2 .241 .287 .412 .699 *2/3D ARI-TEX-PHI-TOR 2 Toby Hall 2514 1 2000 2008 24-32 686 2350 211 616 123 46 269 104 14 216 25 7 28 80 2 8 .262 .297 .374 .671 *2/D35 TBD-TOT-CHW 3 Johnny Estrada 2244 0 2001 2008 25-32 612 2079 198 576 129 42 285 103 30 228 31 5 26 80 0 0 .277 .317 .400 .717 *2/D PHI-ATL-ARI-MIL-WSN 4 Jack Cust 1785 1 2001 2009 22-30 466 1447 224 346 59 84 236 318 10 566 5 0 15 23 4 3 .239 .375 .455 .830 D79 ARI-COL-BAL-SDP-OAK 5 Chris Snyder 1682 1 2004 2009 23-28 491 1431 157 334 78 52 208 203 22 366 18 13 17 32 0 2 .233 .333 .398 .731 *2/3D7 ARI 6 Kenji Johjima 1662 1 2006 2009 30-33 443 1557 160 417 79 45 193 61 2 143 35 2 7 52 7 5 .268 .309 .407 .716 *2/D SEA 7 Matt LeCroy 1539 1 2000 2007 24-31 476 1388 146 361 68 60 218 123 6 332 17 1 10 36 0 4 .260 .326 .440 .766 D2/3 MIN-WSN 8 Jason Phillips 1537 0 2001 2007 24-30 465 1382 138 344 77 30 168 111 11 170 26 6 12 56 0 5 .249 .314 .370 .684 *23/D NYM-LAD-TOR 9 Ramon Castro 1380 0 1999 2009 23-33 498 1223 129 286 59 54 184 135 22 317 5 5 12 23 1 0 .234 .310 .415 .725 *2/D FLA-NYM-TOT 10 Kurt Suzuki 1334 1 2007 2009 23-25 336 1210 138 329 68 25 144 89 2 150 20 6 9 36 7 5 .272 .330 .392 .722 *2/D OAK 11 Ronny Paulino 1320 1 2005 2009 24-28 367 1210 123 335 55 27 154 98 8 220 4 2 6 42 3 2 .277 .332 .391 .723 *2 PIT-FLA 12 Sal Fasano 1245 0 1996 2008 24-36 427 1109 136 245 49 47 140 72 1 327 47 12 5 26 2 3 .221 .295 .392 .687 *2/3D5 KCR-OAK-TOT-ANA-BAL-TOT-TOR-CLE 13 Kelly Shoppach 992 0 2005 2009 25-29 295 864 127 207 56 41 136 82 3 327 31 10 5 17 0 0 .240 .326 .447 .773 *2/D BOS-CLE 14 Ben Francisco 965 1 2007 2009 25-27 252 858 126 222 62 30 106 79 0 179 14 6 8 23 17 8 .259 .328 .438 .766 *7/98D CLE-TOT 15 Geronimo Gil 887 0 2001 2007 25-31 277 820 67 189 30 19 88 47 2 162 6 11 3 31 2 2 .230 .276 .337 .613 *2 BAL-COL 16 Dee Brown 874 1 1998 2007 20-29 271 814 86 190 37 14 89 50 5 207 4 2 4 13 8 6 .233 .280 .333 .613 *7/D98 KCR-OAK 17 Brian N. Anderson 869 1 2005 2009 23-27 337 788 102 177 47 20 76 62 2 206 8 7 4 14 13 14 .225 .287 .363 .650 *8/79D CHW-TOT 18 Jarrod Saltalamac 866 1 2007 2009 22-24 237 786 100 198 38 23 93 72 3 245 2 3 3 12 0 4 .252 .315 .391 .706 *2/3D TOT-TEX 19 Chris Coste 856 0 2006 2009 33-36 284 778 83 213 46 23 106 52 4 150 18 6 2 19 0 1 .274 .333 .422 .755 *2/3D PHI-TOT 20 Miguel Montero 832 1 2006 2009 22-25 260 745 100 197 51 28 108 68 9 145 7 4 8 14 1 2 .264 .329 .448 .777 *2/D ARI
And check this out. Since 1970, most seasons by a batter with no triples:
From To Ages Seasons Link to Individual Seasons +-----------------+----+----+-----+-------+------------------------------+ Charlie Hough 1970 1994 22-46 25 Ind. Seasons Roger Clemens 1984 2007 21-44 24 Ind. Seasons Jesse Orosco 1979 2003 22-46 24 Ind. Seasons Dennis Eckersley 1975 1998 20-43 24 Ind. Seasons Jamie Moyer 1986 2009 23-46 23 Ind. Seasons Dennis Martinez 1976 1998 21-43 23 Ind. Seasons Randy Johnson 1988 2009 24-45 22 Ind. Seasons Rich Gossage 1972 1994 20-42 22 Ind. Seasons Nolan Ryan 1970 1993 23-46 22 Ind. Seasons Bert Blyleven 1970 1992 19-41 22 Ind. Seasons Tom Gordon 1988 2009 20-41 21 Ind. Seasons David Wells 1987 2007 24-44 21 Ind. Seasons Greg Maddux 1986 2008 20-42 21 Ind. Seasons John Franco 1984 2005 23-44 21 Ind. Seasons Mike Morgan 1978 2002 18-42 21 Ind. Seasons Rick Honeycutt 1977 1997 23-43 21 Ind. Seasons Tom Glavine 1987 2008 21-42 20 Ind. Seasons Frank Tanana 1973 1992 19-38 20 Ind. Seasons Jerry Reuss 1970 1990 21-41 20 Ind. Seasons
It's not surprising that these guys are all pitchers. Changing the criteria to most seasons qualified for the batting title with no triples, here are the leaders:
From To Ages Seasons Link to Individual Seasons +-----------------+----+----+-----+-------+------------------------------+ Frank Thomas 1993 2007 25-39 9 Ind. Seasons Mike Piazza 1994 2004 25-35 7 Ind. Seasons Mark McGwire 1989 1998 25-34 7 Ind. Seasons Paul Konerko 2001 2007 25-31 6 Ind. Seasons John Olerud 1992 2003 23-34 6 Ind. Seasons Darrell Evans 1972 1988 25-41 6 Ind. Seasons Jim Thome 1997 2009 26-38 5 Ind. Seasons Adam Dunn 2004 2009 24-29 4 Ind. Seasons Scott Hatteberg 2003 2006 33-36 4 Ind. Seasons Miguel Tejada 2002 2009 28-35 4 Ind. Seasons Jason Giambi 1998 2006 27-35 4 Ind. Seasons Mo Vaughn 1997 2002 29-34 4 Ind. Seasons Todd Zeile 1995 2002 29-36 4 Ind. Seasons Robin Ventura 1995 2002 27-34 4 Ind. Seasons Edgar Martinez 1995 2004 32-41 4 Ind. Seasons Rafael Palmeiro 1994 2004 29-39 4 Ind. Seasons Chili Davis 1993 1997 33-37 4 Ind. Seasons Ken Caminiti 1993 1998 30-35 4 Ind. Seasons Cecil Fielder 1991 1996 27-32 4 Ind. Seasons Paul O'Neill 1990 2000 27-37 4 Ind. Seasons Rich Dauer 1979 1983 26-30 4 Ind. Seasons
Yup....slow guys. A few guys here have a chance to fall down the list since their 2009 seasons are included.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:40 am
Amazing that Estrada has 129 doubles and not a single one ever took an awkward enough bounce off a wall to allow for a triple. What I'd like to know is how many times did he have a double and move to third on an error? There's got to be at least one time that happened on a questionable call from the official scorer.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:07 pm
If you go to Estrada's Event Finder, search doubles, then scan the listings, you can see there weren't any advancing to 3rd on errors or even just throws. He did have a walk-off double in 2004 that if getting to third mattered he might have, who knows.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:26 pm
The single season record for PA without a triple seems to be 749, held by Craig Biggio, in 1999. He had 56 doubles that year, 16 home runs, and 28 steals, so he certainly had the power and the speed to hit a triple. What, was he allergic to third base? or superstitious - bad luck to hit a triple?
Going by at-bats instead of plate appearances, the record holder is Miguel Tejada, 662 in 2002. He also had the power, but maybe not the speed. And, of course, Tejada rhymes with Estrada, so it all makes sense.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:07 am
What confuses me a bit is that I thought Estrada, Phillips, Fasano and Gil were no longer in the majors.
Does "active" mean that they're playing SOMEwhere, minors or majors? Is Estrada even in the minor leagues right now?
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
One of my favorite random facts is that Mike Piazza, who only hit 8 triples in his 16-year career, actually hit one for the Marlins in his week-long, 19 PA stint with them. He only hit 2 for the Mets in 3,941 PA!
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I wonder if there's ever been a player whose only career triple (so far, in the case of active players) came in a game in which he hit for the cycle! Or maybe state it in reverse - of all of the players who have ever hit for the cycle, who had (or has had so far, in the case of active players) the fewest career triples?
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Brian, I think that "active" just means they haven't been marked as "inactive" yet. I think Sean is conservative with marking guys as inactive if they haven't officially retired. It wouldn't be unusual for a player to be out of the majors this season, but manage to reappear next year. I'm not sure if he has a hard rule for how long a player must be out of the majors before listed as inactive.