After a two-week hiatus, “Who Knew?” is Back! Time for our (usually) weekly journey through the improbable, inane & obscure of Chicago Baseball.
All notes are through Sunday’s games.
Extra Innings… Extra Runs
Last Monday the Cubs beat the Brewers 7-2… in 11 innings.
They have three wins this season in extra innings. By 4, 5 and 6 runs! Their four extra-inning losses this season are by 1, 1, 1 and 2 runs.
No other team has won an extra-inning game by at least 5 runs this season. The Cubs have done it twice.
Inning Checklist
MLB
Anthony Rizzo homered in the 11th inning in that Monday Cubs win. He has now homered in every inning from 1 to 13 in his career, joining Ron Santo & Sammy Sosa as the only players in Cubs history who can make that distinction.
One-Two Punch
Tuesday night, Yoán Moncada & Yolmer Sánchez led off the game with back-to-back home runs.
It was the fourth time in franchise history the Sox led a game off with consecutive homers.
Sánchez hit the second home run each of the last two times they did it (also September 2, 2017 after Alen Hanson)
It was the FIRST time in Major League history two players whose first name begins with the letter Y had hit consecutive home runs to begin a game.
What’s the Catch?
439 players have had at least 30 at-bats this season.
The best batting average of those players belongs to Kevan Smith (.441 but in only 34 at-bats)
In the Park
The most batters faced without allowing a home run this season is 149, by Dylan Covey. He allowed 20 Home Runs in 70.0 Innings in 2017.
Through the Draft
Friday night:
| Javier Báez | Cubs’ 1st round pick in 2011 (9th overall) | reached base 3 times (including two walks!) |
| Albert Almora Jr. | Cubs’ 1st round pick in 2012 (6th overall) | reached base 3 times |
| Kris Bryant | Cubs’ 1st round pick in 2013 (2nd overall) | homered |
| Kyle Schwarber | Cubs’ 1st round pick in 2014 (4th overall) | homered |
| Ian Happ | Cubs’ 1st round pick in 2015 (9th overall) | homered |
Double Time
José Abreu has 21 doubles since May 8th.
You could chop off Abreu’s first 31 games this season and those 21 doubles alone would be enough to tie Ozzie Albies & Nick Markakis for the FULL season National League lead this season
Palka Party
Daniel Palka’s 7 batted balls of at least 115 mph is the 4th highest total in MLB (according to the available data at baseballsavant.com).
But look at how many more plate appearances this season the other guys have had!
| Batted balls of 115+mph | PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Giancarlo Stanton | 10 | 294 |
| Joey Gallo | 9 | 286 |
| Aaron Judge | 8 | 300 |
| Daniel Palka | 7 | 154 |
By the way, the rest of the White Sox team has a combined 3 batted balls of 115+ MPH this season. Palka is clearly a special talent.