10+ Scoreless Games Streak By RP To Start Career
Posted by Steve Lombardi on September 14, 2010
Using the data in Play Index, I decided to look at which relief pitchers had the most games in a row with " BF>=1 AND R=0" at the start of their major league career.
And, here's the results of the query - showing those with streaks of 10+ such scoreless games at the start of their major league career:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brad Ziegler | 2008-05-31 | 2008-08-12 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 38.0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | OAK |
| 2 | Matt Smith | 2006-04-14 | 2006-09-22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 18.2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NYY-PHI |
| 3 | Vince Horsman | 1991-09-05 | 1992-05-23 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 18.2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TOR-OAK |
| 4 | Doug Slaten | 2006-09-04 | 2007-04-21 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11.2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ARI |
| 5 | Joe Smith | 2007-04-01 | 2007-05-05 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 15.1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | NYM |
| 6 | Doug Mathis | 2008-05-12 | 2009-07-22 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 22.0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | TEX |
| 7 | Clay Zavada | 2009-05-21 | 2009-06-20 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12.2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ARI |
| 8 | Mark Lowe | 2006-07-07 | 2006-08-14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17.2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | SEA |
| 9 | Aaron Heilman | 2003-08-31 | 2005-06-19 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 18.0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NYM |
| 10 | Bret Prinz | 2001-04-22 | 2001-05-27 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 12.1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ARI |
| 11 | Tim Davis | 1994-04-04 | 1994-05-09 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 11.0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | SEA |
| 12 | Victor Cruz | 1978-06-24 | 1978-07-29 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 21.1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | TOR |
| 13 | Bob McClure | 1975-08-13 | 1976-04-09 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 16.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 16 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 2 | KCR |
| 14 | Ernesto Frieri | 2009-09-26 | 2010-08-06 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10.2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SDP |
| 15 | Sergio Santos | 2010-04-08 | 2010-05-06 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 2 | 0 | CHW |
| 16 | Mike Hinckley | 2008-09-02 | 2008-09-23 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 1 | WSN |
| 17 | Jonathan Sanchez | 2006-05-28 | 2006-06-30 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | SFG |
| 18 | Alex Herrera | 2002-09-13 | 2003-07-12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | CLE |
| 19 | Jeremy Fikac | 2001-08-16 | 2001-09-08 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15.1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | SDP |
| 20 | Tom Martin | 1997-04-02 | 1997-05-05 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | HOU |
| 21 | Todd Frohwirth | 1987-08-10 | 1988-04-06 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | PHI |
| 22 | Ed Farmer | 1971-06-09 | 1971-07-07 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 16.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 | 1 | 0 | CLE |
| 23 | Don Drysdale | 1956-04-17 | 1956-09-12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 19.1 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BRO |
| 24 | Joba Chamberlain | 2007-08-07 | 2007-09-07 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14.1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NYY |
| 25 | Kevin Cameron | 2007-04-05 | 2007-05-11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 16.1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 2 | 0 | SDP |
| 26 | Tyler Johnson | 2005-09-06 | 2006-05-20 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | STL |
| 27 | Ramon Ramirez | 2006-04-14 | 2006-05-13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15.1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | COL |
| 28 | Mike Gallo | 2003-07-02 | 2003-07-27 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | HOU |
| 29 | Francisco Cordero | 1999-08-02 | 1999-08-31 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | DET |
| 30 | Matt Karchner | 1995-07-18 | 1995-08-09 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 11.0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | CHW |
| 31 | Dave Stewart | 1978-09-22 | 1981-05-31 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17.1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 3 | 0 | LAD |
| 32 | Bill Atkinson | 1976-09-18 | 1977-05-03 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 13.2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 3 | 0 | MON |
| 33 | Mike Kilkenny | 1969-04-11 | 1969-06-19 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10.2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 0 | 1 | DET |
| 34 | Clay Carroll | 1964-09-02 | 1965-04-13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19.1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | MLN |
| 35 | Morrie Steevens | 1962-04-13 | 1962-09-27 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | CHC |
| 36 | Dan Runzler | 2009-09-04 | 2009-10-01 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | SFG |
| 37 | Phil Coke | 2008-09-01 | 2008-09-23 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | NYY |
| 38 | Kirk Saarloos | 2003-05-21 | 2003-06-12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10.2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | HOU |
| 39 | Rolando Arrojo | 2001-04-06 | 2001-05-05 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 16.1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | BOS |
.
There's some interesting names here - both in terms of guys who faded away and those who later became starting pitchers. But, the name that stands out the most, to me, is Todd Frohwirth.
Why? Well, first, I own a Todd Frohwirth game-worn 1987 Maine Guides uniform jersey. (I bought it from a friend, as an impulse buy - many, many, years ago - for like ten bucks.) And, I seem to recall - but am not certain - that in one of the Bill James books, the nickname Todd "Can't" Frohwirth "A Damn" was pinned on him by the author. (That one always stuck with me. Well, that, and another nickname that I think James came up with: Scott "Would Your Sister" Leius.)
Which pitchers here strike a chord with you - and why?
September 14th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Whoops - just realized that this updates something Andy did way back when. And, I should have cited that work. Here it is:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/206
September 14th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I always thought his nickname was Todd "Which Hand Does He" Frowirth. Well, at least it was within my circle of friends.
Anyway - 38 IP without allowing a run at the start of a career! Not bad.
September 14th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Victor Cruz: The Blue Jays traded him after his fine 1978 rookie season in exchange for their first legitimate big-league shortstop — Alfredo Griffin.
Bill Atkinson: All 5'7", 165 pounds of him.
Mike Kilkenny: It's hilarious that he's the only pitcher on this list with three HBP. Jim Bouton in Ball Four noted that Tigers manager Mayo Smith was livid at Kilkenny for coming sidearm on a left-handed batter and hitting him with the bases loaded in a 1969 spring-training game. Looks like Smith couldn't keep Kilkenny off the big-league roster.
Ed Farmer: What a weird BB/H ratio. I haven't researched it to know for sure, but that Cleveland team may have walked opposing hitters at the highest rate, relative to league, of any post-1900 pitching staff.
September 14th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Don Drysdale showing up here surprised me. I wonder, if he was coming up today, would we have the "Dry Rules" (like the "Joba Rules" with the Yankees)?
September 14th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
@Dan. That's what we called him too.
September 14th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Matt Smith was one of the guys the Phils got in the Bobby Abreu trade. And even though he pitched 22 games before giving up a run, he pitched only four more that season and was out of the majors a couple of years later.
September 14th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Drysdale and Farmer both worked in the broadcast booth on the South Side of Chicago.
September 14th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Todd "Which Hand Does He" Frohwirth
was a Chris Berman nickname, not the Bill James one, that I remember, FWIW.
September 14th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Some of these streaks (at least Saarloos and Arrojo) were not at the beginning of their careers. Just the first games they pitched out of the bullpen.
September 14th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Dave Stewart. 2 scoreless innings in '78, then 2 more full years in the minors before he returned. A great "what-if?" career. In a "how fast things changed, he completed 31 of 80 minor league starts for years where it is recorded. Within a decade, most minor league pitchers never got to sniff a CG.
September 14th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
For me it's flamethrower Mark Lowe. It's too bad he was traded along with Cliff Lee to the Rangers. I remember watching his streak as a September call-up. It's also too bad about his arm troubles.
Also noticed that the D-Backs have 3 pitchers on this list (Slaten, Zapada, and Prinz) who all had 13+ game streaks since 2001. Also, all 3 of them have fewer innings pitched than games during their streaks.
One more thing, how about lefty specialist Tyler Johnson for the Cards in 2006? 5 1/3 innings in 11 games!
September 14th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Smith in '06, Joba in '07, Coke in '08 -- Yanks had a guy three straight years. Of course, Smith hardly counts.
Also, Dodger dandies Drysdale and Stewart did it for pennant winners. Nice way to debut.
September 15th, 2010 at 2:02 am
I ran the same search, but changed it to ER = 0 just to see if it was any different, and it really wasn't.
Clay Zavada moves up a bit with a total of 19 games, he even managed to pick up a loss BEFORE giving up an earned run. In relief of course.
The only other interesting name that came up was Fernando Valenzuela with a 15 game streak spanning from 1980 - 1995!!
September 15th, 2010 at 11:40 am
I looked at the IR / IS numbers as well for the top few to see who really put up zeroes. Slaten lasted 10 games before a run scored on his watch, and allowed only 1 of 14 inherited runners to score during his 18-game stretch. Not bad at all. The only guy who didn't allow any IS during their streak was Mathis, but he had gotten shelled for 25 R in 5 GS within that time span.
September 16th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
The day before the last game in Kirk Saarloos' streak, he contributed to it by being one of six Astros pitchers (including three future Phillies) to combine on that no-hitter in Yankee Stadium.
I thought up the nickname Todd "Can't" Frohwirth "A Damn", but I kept it to myself, and I probably used "Darn" for the last word. He was either a sidearmer or a submariner.
Some of these guys later became starters, which is not surprising, since sometimes the bullpen is where a guy has to break in. Someone already mentioned Don Drysdale. Others include Dave Stewart and Jonathan Sanchez, and maybe Joba Chamberlain (plus Bob McClure for a short time in the first half of the 1980s).
The reputation of "The Big Red Machine" of the 1970s was mainly built on offense, with few of their pitchers remembered as well as Rose, Bench, Perez, Morgan, etc. But Clay Carroll, several years after his debut, was one of their top relief pitchers, leading the NL in saves in Cincinnati's 1972 pennant-winning year.