Today, I pulled out a 2024 Topps Big League card of Miles Mikolas, Cardinals pitcher. In the bio, it mentioned how he ranks 51st all-time in best BB/9.

I was curious to see how Mikolas was doing since his 2023 season. The 36-year-old now ranks 47th all-time.

On the baseball-reference page, it shows a collage of the all-time BB/9 leaders. Check out all these old B&W photos, and then it has just three color photos.

Who is in the color photos?

• 18th: Josh Tomlin (2010-2021)
• 21st: Dan Quisenberry (1979-1990)
• 23rd: Bob Tewksbury (1986-1998)

I didn’t know Dan Quisenberry was so good at not walking batters.

In case you are wondering, Greg Maddux is at #53 on the list. The only other active player than Miles Mikolas in the top 100 is 31-year-old Zach Eflin at #63.

Also, Mikolas’ BB/9 wasn’t always good in his career. His first two full seasons, it was 4.2 and 2.8 (to compare, the league median for BB/9 in 2024 was 2.43). After these two seasons, he pitched in Japan for three years (2015 to 2017). He came back and was the BB/9 superstar with 1.3, 1.6, 2.2, 1.7, 1.7, and 1.3.

https://www.57hits.com/top-20-bb-9

#BobTewksbury #DanQuisenberry #GregMaddux #JoshTomlin #MilesMikolas #ZachEflin

Just...wow

#BaseBall #SpringTraining #GregMaddux

In 1986 they made calendars like this, “Greatest Moments in Baseball” with the cover featuring players like:

• Joe DiMaggio (1936-1951)
• Duke Snider (1947-1964)
• Mickey Mantle (1951-1968)
• Willie Mays (1948-1973)

The back of the calendar shows each month.

I can’t quite make out the players on the back of the album, so we’ll stick to the front.

In 1986, I was a ten-year-old baseball fan. We were inundated with items featuring players from the previous generation. It always seemed like players from the 1950s and 1960s were highlighted. What would happen if a calendar like this was produced today in 2024?

Let’s look at the best WAR year for each player on this calendar:

• Joe DiMaggio 1941 (9.3)
• Duke Snider 1952 (9.1)
• Mickey Mantle 1957 (11.3)
• Willie Mays 1965 (11.2)

In 1986, these years were:

• 45 years ago
• 34 years ago
• 29 years ago
• 21 years ago

If MLB were to make a calendar like that today in 2024, they would feature players with peak years in:

• 1979
• 1990
• 1995
• 2003

Here are the WAR leaders in each league (NL, AL) for these years:

• 1979 Dave Winfield, Fred Lynn
• 1990 Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens
• 1995 Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson
• 2003 Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez

I want to see a beautifully painted collage on a calendar of “Greatest Moments in Baseball” with players from these years.

https://www.57hits.com/great-moments-in-baseball-1986

#AlexRodriguez #BarryBonds #DaveWinfield #DukeSnider #FredLynn #GregMaddux #JoeDiMaggio #MickeyMantle #RandyJohnson #RogerClemens #WillieMays

MLB Network will air a Greg Maddux documentary on August 25.

#GregMaddux #AtlantaBraves #ChicagoCubs #Baseball #MLB #film #movies #documentary #Sports #News

https://lastwordonsports.com/baseball/2024/08/15/greg-maddux-documentary-to-air-on-mlb-network/

Justin Steele 2024 opening day stats

Justin Steele will be the first time the Cubs Opening Day starter is a lefty that the Cubs drafted. (via desipio)

Justin Steele will also be the Cubs 3rd youngest left Opening Day starter. (via 57hits)

Since 2016, the Cubs Opening Day record is 8-2

(via stathead)

Greg Maddux started only one Opening Day for the Cubs

• 1986 Rick Sutcliffe
• 1987 Rick Sutcliffe
• 1988 Rick Sutcliffe
• 1989 Rick Sutcliffe
• 1990 Mike Bielecki
• 1991 Danny Jackson
• 1992 Greg Maddux
• 2004 Kerry Wood
• 2005 Carlos Zambrano
• 2006 Carlos Zambrano

(via stathead)

The most earned runs given up by a Cubs Opening Day starter

Kevin Tapani. 9 earned runs in two innings. What a way to start the season!

Most strikeouts thrown by Cubs Opening Day Starter

13 strikeouts in Lon Warneke’s one-hitter of 1934.
2nd most strikeouts is Ryan Dempster’s 10 strikeouts in 2012.

Most home runs given up by a Cubs Opening Day pitcher

3 HR. Rick Sutcliffe (1988), Mike Morgan (1994)

Most home runs by a Cubs batter

3 HR by Karl Tuffy Rhodes (1994) All three HR were off Dwight Gooden.

• 1st inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep LF-CF
• 3rd inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep LF-CF
• 5th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep LF-CF

(source)

Most hits by a Cubs batter

5 hits by Billy Herman (1936)
(source)

Most Cubs team HR

5 HR (1936)

• Frank Demaree (off Dizzy Dean, 1st inn, 1 on, 2 outs to Deep CF-RF)
• Frank Demaree (off Dizzy Dean, 5th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep LF)
• Chuck Klein (off Dizzy Dean, 6th inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep RF)
• Gabby Hartnett (off Dizzy Dean, 6th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep CF-RF)
• Billy Herman (off Bill McGee, 7th inn, 1 on, 2 outs to Deep RF)

(source)

Most Cubs team hits

23 hits (2005) Cubs won 16-6 against Arizona. The Diamondbacks starting pitcher was Javier Vazquez. He gave up 10 hits.
(source)

Most Cub Opening Day starts

• 17: Ernie Banks
• 13: Ryne Sandberg, Ron Santo, Billy Williams
• 12: Mark Grace, Gabby Hartnett, Charlie Grimm, Stan Hack, and Sammy Sosa
• 11: Shawon Dunston

Most current Cub Opening Day starts (not including 2024)

• 5: Ian Happ
• 3: Nico Hoerner
• Odd thing: There are no other current Cubs with 2 Opening Day starts. Unless if you count David Bote.

https://www.57hits.com/cubs-opening-day-2024-trivia

#ChicagoCubs #GregMaddux #JustinSteele