Tuesday, April 8, 2008

This Bud's For You

There have been 80 full seasons since Babe Ruth hit 60 homers in 1927. Here are the hitters with the most plate appearances over those 80 seasons among those players who never reached double digits in home runs:

Top 5 Most Career PAs, 1928-2007, Among Players With Fewer Than 10 Career Homers
1. Bud Harrelson 5,516 PAs (7 HRs)
2. Jerry Remy 4,916 PAs (7 HRs)
3. Roger Metzger 4,676 PAs (5 HRs)
4. Frank Taveras 4,399 PAs (2 HRs)
5. Greg Gross 4,355 PAs (7 HRs)

Only 27 players have had even half as many PAs as Harrelson after 1927 without hitting double figures in career homers.

Harrelson might have reached double figures in homers if he had played the bulk of his career with a home park other than Shea. Shea has been a tough park for homers throughout its existence and was no less tough on Bud Harrelson. In over 2,400 PAs at Shea (only one man, Ed Kranepool, came to the plate at Shea more times than Harrelson), Buddy hit only one homer. So at some point in this final Shea season, which begins with the home opener today, hoist a beer for Bud.

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