Baseball Can Be A Dangerous Game

I was thumbing through a recent addition to my baseball library -- The Baseball Anthology: 125 Years, edited by Joseph Wallace -- and came across a couple of pages devoted to the tragic death of Ray Chapman in 1920. A common misconception is that Chapman was killed right there on the field of play. According to David Nemec and Peter Palmer in 1001 Fascinating Baseball Facts, he was "the only on-field fatality in major league history." According to at least one eyewitness, though, he died not on the field but in a hospital several hours after the event. And I can think of several ballplayers who died in similar fashion. James Creighton, the 19th-century pitching phenom, comes immediately to mind.

The Kentucky-born Chapman played for the Cleveland Indians/Naps from 1912 to 1920, primarily as a shortstop. He was an average fielder for the time, and a good hitter -- a .278 career batting average. He was best known as a base stealer, collecting 233 base thefts in his nine seasons. Well, make that eight-and-a-half. Because, on August 16, 1920, Chapman played his last game. He and his first-place Indians were visiting the Polo Grounds to take on the Yankees. Pitching for New York was one Carl Mays, who used an underhanded delivery that was, they say, difficult to pick up in the best of conditions. That day, though, was foggy and drizzling, and one assumes that Chapman, who was leading off the fifth inning, did not see the ball in time. It struck him in the temple, and killed him.

Fred Lieb was sitting in the downstairs press box, fifty feet behind the umpire. "I had a perfect view of the action," wrote Lieb. "A right-handed hitter, Chapman crouched over the plate more than any other batter of his era. I saw May's 'submarine' pitch rise, from the near-ground level where it was delivered, on a straight line towards Chapman's head. A batter has about a half second to react to a ball that may hit him. As soon as he was hit I thought, 'Why didn't he react, duck, throw himself to the ground?' But he didn't. He froze.

"There was a sickening thud as the ball hit the left side of Chapman's head at the temple. He got up after a few seconds, and I could see the left eye hanging from its socket. With a ball player's instinct, he took two steps toward first, then fell in a heap. He never regained consciousness. Cleveland players carried him to the center-field clubhouse, and from there he was rushed to a downtown hospital. He died at 3:30 A.M. the next morning, the only big leaguer to be a fatal victim of a pitched ball."

May was exonerated from any wrongdoing. F.C. Lane, in his 1925 book, Batting, wrote: "What added to the tragedy was the maze of rumor and criticism which sought to hold Mays responsible for the affair. Mays himself explained his part in the proceeding. He said ... 'It is an episode that I shall always regret more than anything else that ever happened to me. And yet, I can look into my own conscience and feel absolved from all sense of guilt. The most amazing thing about it was the fact that some people seemed to believe I did this thing deliberately. Now I am a pitcher and I know some of the things a pitcher can do and some he cannot do .... [T]o kill a man it is not enough even to hit him on the head. Walter Johnson, with all his terrific speed, has hit batters on the head and yet they did not die. There is only one spot on a player's skull where a pitched ball would do him fatal injury. That is a spot about his temple which isn't half as large as the palm of my hand. Suppose a pitcher were moral monster enough to want to kill a batter .... Christy Mathewson in the days of his most perfect control couldn't have hit a batter in the temple once in a thousand tries.'"

Two days after the tragedy, the New York Times chimed in: "Headgear for ball players, to use while batting, is being considered by club owners and players as a result of the unfortunate accident which resulted in the death of Ray Chapman this week and it will not be surprising if batsmen of the future go to the plate with a covering on that side of the head that is nearest to the opposing pitcher."

Organized baseball took other measures. Dirty or scuffed balls would be immediately removed from play. Patrons would no longer be able to sit in centerfield bleachers because as a backdrop they might obscure the ball from the batter's view. And the spitball and other "freak" pitches would soon be banned. (Although, as we know, there were spitballers into the Sixties. More on spitballs and baseball-related fatalities in the next couple of posts.)

On occasion, pitchers intentionally try to hit batters. There is a long baseball tradition involved, in some cases, that has to do with avenging some prior wrongdoing. And then there is the case of Houston's Russ Springer, who plunked Barry Bonds on May 16, 2006. Springer threw five straight inside pitches at Bonds, was issued a warning by the umpire, and ejected from the game when he finally accomplished his goal. The Houston crowd gave Springer a standing ovation, which speaks volumes about the disgust many baseball fans feel where Barry "Asterick" Bonds is concerned. Apparently, though, Springer wasn't targeting Bonds because of what the latter has done to the game, but rather because of something more personal. Back in 1998 Bonds hit a home run off Springer and, instead of just rounding the bases like a professional, Bonds did some dancing and celebrating, rubbing it in Springer's face.

My first reaction to the plunking of Bonds was to give kudos to Springer. (I don't like cheaters.) But later I thought about Ray Chapman -- and felt ashamed. Baseball can be a dangerous game. We shouldn't tolerate -- much less cheer -- those who willfully make it more dangerous than it already is.

Diamond Dawg's Baseball Game

Last year we had a hurricane pass through, and for three days my son and I -- and Double D -- had no electricity and no place to go (with the roads pretty much impassable). So we passed the time creating a baseball game using our baseball card collection. In the event a hurricane ever renders you housebound, you might want to try it ....

Getting Started
1. What you need to play
a. two dice
b. your baseball card collection
c. a board
d. a scorecard

2. How to make the board
Use a large sheet of paper or a square piece of cardboard. Draw a baseball diamond on it. Using a baseball card for a template, draw a rectangle around home plate, first base, second base and third base.

3. The scorecard
Hopefully, you have a few blank ones lying around. If not, just keep track of what your players do by inning.

Playing the Game
1. Picking your team
a. Using baseball cards, select a player for each infield position (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS), three outfielders and a designated hitter. Pick cards that feature a career batting average. Below is a sample team.

C: A. J. Pierzynski (Fleer '04), .301 ..... 1B: Tino Martinez (Upper Deck '03), .273 ..... 2B: Mark Grudzielanek (Topps '04), .287 ..... 3B: Scott Rolen (Fleer '04), .282 ..... SS: Royce Clayton (Upper Deck .93), .257 ..... OF: Dale Murphy (Donruss '87), .277 ..... OF: Larry Walker (Upper Deck '03), .317 ..... OF: Bobby Bonilla (Leaf '92), .283 ..... DH: Mark Texeira (Topps '05), .270.

b. Adjusting the average. Jot down a list of your batters, reducing their BA's to a two-digit number by rounding the last two digits of the number up or down (for example, .250 and up would be to 26, .249 and less would be 24; .311 would be 31, .318 would be 32, etc.) A batter cannot have an adjusted average (AA) of less than 24 or more than 32. If one of your players has a career average of less than .235, he must be given an adjusted average of 24. If the player has a career average of more than 3.25, he must be given an adjusted average of 32.

Pierzynski 30 ..... Martinez 27 ..... Grudzielanek 29 ..... Rolen 28 ..... Clayton 26 ..... Murphy 28 ..... Walker 32 ..... Bonilla 28 ..... Texeira 27

c. The lineup. Place the nine cards of all in the order in which they will hit.

d. Determine who will bat first. That player (Player A) places his # 1 batter's card over
home plate.

e. Player A rolls two dice. To determine the result of the at-bat, add the number rolled to the batter's adjusted average and then consult the Result Chart (below).

26: hit by pitch
27: strikeout
28: fly out
29: extra base hit
30: single
31: base on balls
32: single
33: ground out
34: strikeout
35: fly out
36: ground out
37: single
38: extra base hit
39: strikeout
40: base on balls
41: fly out
42: hit by pitch
43: extra base hit
44: home run

EXAMPLE: Player A's # 1 batter, Martinez, has an adjusted average of 27. Player A rolls a 5 which, added to the AA, results in a 32 -- a fly out.

EXAMPLE: Grudzielanek, the # 2 batter, has an AA of 29. Player A rolls a 2, for a total of 31 -- a walk.

f. If a batter reaches safely, place his card on the board at the appropriate base.

g. Before the next batter's result is determined, (1) Player A may choose to attempt to steal a base, and (2) Player B may choose to attempt a pickoff play. (See below)

h. Extra base hits. If the total of a batter's AA and the roll of the dice equals 29, 38 or 43, the batter has an extra base hit. To determine the nature of the hit, the player rolls one dice. If the roll is 1-4 the hit is a double. If the roll is a 5, it's a triple. And if the roll is a 6 it's a home run.

i. Stealing bases. If Player A has a base runner, he may choose to attempt a stolen base. Player A rolls one dice. If a 1-3 is rolled, the baserunner is caught stealing and an out is recorded. If 4-6, the baserunner advances. Stealing bases may be attempted for each baserunner prior to determining the result for the batter at the plate.

j. Pickoff play. If Player B chooses, he may attempt to pick off any of Player A's base-runners. Player B rolls two dice. If a 12, the baserunner is picked off, the player card is removed, and an out is recorded. If a 3-11, the baserunner is safe. If the roll is a 2, there is a defensive error and the baserunner moves to second. Player B may attempt a pickoff of a baserunner only once between batters.

k. If Player A has a baserunner on first, and his next batter hits a ground out, Player B may roll for a double play. Player B rolls one dice. If 1-3, there is no double play and Player A's baserunner advances to the next base. If 4-6, the baserunner going from first to second is also out. If there is more than one baserunner, and Player B rolls 4-6, he may choose which baserunner is out on the double play. The other baserunner(s) advance one base.

l. Fly Ball Advance. If Player A has a baserunner, and the batter hits a fly out, Player A may roll one dice to determine if the baserunner tags up and advances to the next base. A 1-4 roll means the baserunner does not tag up. A 5-6 means the baserunner advances.This may be done for every baserunner if there is more than one on base, but the runner on third must be done before the one on second, etc.

m. Errors. If Player A's batter hits a ground out, Player A may determine whether an error is committed which will allow the batter to reach first base. Player A rolls two dice. A 1-11 means no error is committed and the batter is out. A 12 means an error is committed and the batter takes first. In that case, all other baserunners advance one base.

n. Player A's turn ends when three outs are made. Then it is Player B's turn to bat. Player A places his pitcher's card on the mound, and Player B's first batter's card is placed on home plate.

o. Baserunners advance the same number of bases as the batter who hits his way on. For instance, if the batter hits a single and goes to first, all existing baserunners advance one base. If the batter hits a double, existing baserunners advance two bases, etc. Baserunners do not advance when the batter is hit by a pitch or walks.

p. Keep track of outs and innings in a way that is easiest for you.

Tomorrow I'll post the "play-by-play" of a game of Diamond Dawg's Baseball with the notes I took while playing, which might help you determine the best method for recording your own games.

© 2005 Jason Manning, Connor Manning, and Diamond Dawg Baseball. This game may be reproduced for personal use only. It may not be republished in any form without the express written permission of the copyright holders.

Diamond Dawg's 2006 Super Team

88
Call it Diamond Dawg's 2006 Super Team -- my picks for the best players (by position) of the season. I don't put much stock in post-season performance; it's the consistent superior performance through the day-to-day grind of the regular season that impresses me most.

CATCHER: Ivan Rodriguez (DET) or Joe Mauer (MIN)?
Mauer is the real deal. He hit .308/6/17 in 35 games and had a .991 fielding pct. in 32 games in his rookie year (2004). There was no sophomore slump for Mauer in '05, which he finished .294/9/55 with a .993 fielding pct. (5 errors) in 116 games. This year he won the NL batting title with a .347 average, 13 homers and 84 ribbies, and a fielding pct. of .996 (4 errors) in 120 games. But has he been in Minnesota long enough to establish the kind of leadership quality that Ivan Rodriguez demonstrated in his 12 years with the Texas Rangers and the last three seasons with Detroit? Offensively, Pudge Rodriguez finished the regular season with marks of .300/13/69. His career BA is .304 with 277 home runs and 1119 RBI. There is no sign that he is slacking off the pace in this, his 16th, season. As backstop this season he committed just 2 errors in123 games for a .998 fielding pct. His career fielding pct. is .991. He is a 13-time All-Star (including this season), 11-time Gold Glove recipient, 7-time Silver Slugger. His passion for the game remains high, and the work he has done with Detroit's very young and very talented pitching staff is exemplary. I expect Mauer to make this Super Team in the near future, but this year I have to go with IVAN RODRIGUEZ.

FIRST BASE: Ryan Howard (PHI), Albert Pujols (STL), Mark Texeira (TEX) or Justin Morneau (MIN)?
In just his third year in the majors Howard has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with, finishing the year with a .313 BA, 58 home runs and 149 RBI. He committed 14 errors in 1412 innings (159 games) for a .991 fielding pct. Last year he was named the NL's Rookie of the Year and this season he made the All-Star team for the first time. It certainly won't be the last. Pujols hit at a .331 clip in '06, clubbing 49 homers and 137 RBI. He'd have added to those last two stats but for a long stint on the DL. He committed just six errors in 1244.1 innings for a .996 FP. Of course, Prince Albert was an All-Star this year, as he has been every year he's been in the league save for 2002. Among other things, he was the NL-MVP in 2001, and the NL-MVP in 2005. No Gold Gloves yet, but the competition is stiff, and his prowess at the plate overshadows his excellent glovework. Morneau finished the season with .321/34/130 and his fielding percentage is .994, with just 8 miscues in 1346.1 innings. Texeira has the best FP of them all -- .997 with only four errors in 1399 innings. He hit .282 with 33 homers and 110 ribbies. But the sheer power of Howard and Pujols overshadows the others. Like Joe Mauer, Howard waits in the wings, as this year's Super Team first-sacker is ALBERT PUJOLS.

SECOND BASE: Robinson Cano (NYY), Placido Polanco (DET) or Orlando Hudson (ARI)?
Pujols would like to have his best friend, Placido Polanco, join him on the Super Team. Polanco hit .295/4/52 this year and has career marks (9 seasons) of .300/63/382. He seldom makes mistakes, with just six miscues in 943 innings (108 games) for a .989 FP, just a tad off his .991 career pct. at second. He plays shortstop and third base just about as well. Oddly, he's never gotten the nod for a Gold Glove or an All-Star berth. Cano is the young phenom of that star-studded Yankee cast, hitting .342 this year with 15 roundtrippers and 78 RBI, making the All-Star roster in this, his second, season. He was charged with nine errors in 1009 innings for a .984 fielding percentage. Cano will be wearing the pinstripes long after Giambi and Matsuki and even Jeter are gone, or the entire Yankee front office belongs in a lunatic asylum. Orlando Hudson hit .287/15/67 in 579 ABs (157 games). He committed 13 errors in 1349 innings for a .984 FP. O'Dog won a Gold Glove last year (6 errors, 1067.2 innings, .991 FP). Polanco is a complete player, O-Dog is one of my favorites, but the Super Team second baseman has to be ROBINSON CANO.

THIRD BASE: Joe Crede (CHW), Ryan Zimmerman (WSN) or Freddy Sanchez (PIT)?
Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones are hitters to be feared but have too many miscues this year (15 in 1215.2 innings and 18 in 888.1 innings, respectively). The candidates for the hot corner are clearly a trio of young guns. Crede had his best year yet in the batter's box, with marks of .283/30/94. He committed just 10 errors in 1260 innings (.978 FP). Zimmerman had a.287 BA with 20 homers and 110 RBI for the Nationals. (He hit six more doubles, one more triple and struck out 40 less times than teammate Alfonso Soriano.) He made 15 mistakes in 1368.1 innings for a .965 FP as the regular third baseman (for the first time in his career). Sanchez hit .344 with 6 homers and 85 RBI, winning the NL batting title and going to his first All-Star game. He played 99 games at third, committing six errors for a .981 FP in 821.2 innings. These ballplayers are noted for their amazing fielding exploits, and will set the standard at their position for years to come. But this year we have to give the Super Team third baseman slot to FREDDY SANCHEZ.

SHORTSTOP: Michael Young (TEX), Derek Jeter (NYY), Miguel Tejada (BAL)
Playing for the Rangers means Young tends to be overlooked, but he finished 2006 with a .314 BA, 14 home runs and 103 RBI. His fielding percentage of .981 was the result of 14 errors in 1356.1 innings. As in the previous two seasons, he was an All-Star in '06. Tejada committed 19 errors in 1293.2 innings for a .972 FP, right in line with his .971 career mark. He batted .330 with 24 homers and 100 RBI, better than last season but still off what was probably his career year in '04 -- .311/34/150. Tejada was named an All-Star this year, the fourth time in his career. Jeter was charged with 15 miscues in 1292.1 innings for a .975 FP, hit .343/14/97, was named an All-Star for the eighth time in a 12-year career, will probably win his third consecutive Gold Glove, and may well be named AL-MVP. Then there are the intangibles; on a team of superstars Jeter shines the brightest. He is the captain, the leader. Young is very deserving, but the Super Team shortstop is DEREK JETER.

LEFT FIELD: Carl Crawford (TBD) or Eric Byrnes (ARI)?
Crawford was an All-Star in 2004. Why he wasn't this year is a mystery. In '06 he hit .305 with 18 homers and 77 RBI, his best season at the plate. He committed three errors in 1252.1 innings for a .990 FP. I guess you could call this is an off-year for Crawford defensively, since he had a .994 FP last year and a .996 FP in '04 (in left field). Crawford brings an added dimension -- he is one of the premier base stealers in the majors, leading the AL (for the third time in four seasons) with 58 this year. (He also leads the junior circuit in triples -- 16 -- for the third year in a row.) Eric Byrnes was charged with just one error in 1051 innings this year. He ought to be a frontrunner for the Gold Glove. At the plate he hit .267 with 26 homers and 79 RBI, and stole 25 bases to boot. It's close, but the Super Team leftfielder is CARL CRAWFORD.

CENTER FIELD: Andruw Jones (ATL), Carlos Beltran (NYM), Grady Sizemore (CLE) or Torii Hunter (MIN)?
Perennial All-Star and Gold Glove recipient Andruw Jones made just two errors in 1317.1 innings this year, so expect to see him add another Gold Glove Award to his resume. He hit .262/41/129, which is consistent with his previous seasons in the batter's box. Beltran, the 1999 Al_ROY, has been an All-Star for three consecutive years, hit .275/41/116 and committed two errors in 1184 innings in center field, his best year with the glove. You could have mistaken him for Andruw Jones. Sizemore was a first-time All-Star in this, his third, season. He was charged with three errors in 1379.1 innings. He batted .290, hitting 28 long balls and collecting 76 RBI. He also stole 22 bases -- but struck out a whopping 153 times. Hunter has won Gold Gloves every year since 2001 and this year had four errors in 1232.1 innings for a .989 FP, right in line with his career numbers. He was .278/31/98 at the plate. Jones would probably have made the Super Team last year, Sizemore may well make it next year, and Hunter was great but not quite great enough, as this year the center fielder of choice is CARLOS BELTRAN.

RIGHT FIELD: Bobby Abreu (NYY), Brad Hawpe (COL) or Jermaine Dye (CHW)?
Abreu was an All-Star in '04 and '05 but didn't make the squad this year. He hit just 15 homers (his fewest since 1997),with 107 RBI and a .297 BA. Defensively he was, as usual, nearly flawless, with three errors in 1293 innings and a .990 fielding percentage. He won the Gold Glove last year and probably will this year, too. Whatever they were doing with the humidor at Coors Field this year didn't seem to faze Hawpe, who had a banner year at the plate -- .293/22/84. He committed four errors in 1197.2 innings in right field for a .987 FP. Hawpe tends to be overlooked because of the club he's with, but it will be hard to ignore him if he keeps this up in the years to come. Dye was an All-Star this year, the World Series MVP last year, and a Gold Glover in 2000 when he committed 7 errors for a .976 FP. This year he was charged with 6 miscues and ended up with a fielding pct. of .981, while hitting .315/44/120, better marks even than last year's. Clearly, the best choice for the Super Team in right field is JERMAINE DYE.

STARTING PITCHER: Johan Santana (MIN), Justin Verlander (DET),Aaron Harang (CIN) or Francisco Liriano (MIN)?
Santana, who won the Cy Young Award in 2004, was an All-Star this year as well as last. He finished the season 19-6 with a 2.77 ERA. He led the AL in WHIP, strikeouts (245), wins, and a host of other categories. Rookie Verlander was 17-9 in the 2006 regular season and finished up with a 3.63 ERA. Harang (16-11, 3.76 ERA) led the NL in wins, strikeouts (216) and complete games (6). Liriano, a 2006 All-Star was 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA but pitched just 121.0 innings. Who knows what might have been if he'd had a whole season on the mound. (He didn't join the rotation until May 19 and missed a lot of time with arm ailments.) There's not much to debate here -- the best choice for the Super Team's starter is southpaw JOHAN SANTANA.

RELIEF PITCHER: Trevor Hoffman (SDG), Francisco Rodriguez (LAA) or Jonathan Papelbon (BOS)?
Hoffman surpassed Lee Smith as the all-time leader in saves this season. He led the NL in saves (46) and was named to the All-Star squad for the fifth time in his 14-year career. He finished with a 2.14 ERA in 63 IP, which is impressive -- until compared to Jonathan Papelbon's 0.95 mark in 68.1 innings. In the process Papelbon collected 35 saves. Papelbon also made it to the All-Star Game. Rodriguez was an All-Star two years ago but was passed over this season, even though he led the AL with 47 saves. He finished with a 1.73 ERA in 73 IP. Papelbon served up 40 hits, seven earned runs, 13 walks and three dingers while fanning 75 (68.1 IP); Rodriguez allowed 52 hits, 14 ER, 28 walks and 6 homers while striking out 98 (73.0 IP). Hoffman gave up 48 hits, 15 ER, 13 walks and six homers, collecting 50 K (63.0 IP). It's a tough call, but this year's Super Team reliever is JONATHAN PAPELBON.

The players selected are awarded the right to say -- in the distant future when they're in the twilight of their careers and passing the time with other oldtimers swapping stories and bragging about the highlights of their time in the game -- "Oh, yeah? Well, I was elected to Double D's Super Team of '06." That's something no one will ever be able to take away from them.