Letters to the editor - The Fans Speak Out.Letter to the Editor

Baseball Digest, Nov, 2003

Many baseball fans are familiar with the one-season Triple Crown winners who led their league in home runs, RBI and batting average.

However, I wonder how many are familiar with players who at one time in their careers led their league in each of the Triple Crown categories?

It would be interesting to see how many players have achieved this latter feat.

Stan Musial never won a home run title. Willie Mays failed to end a season when he was No. 1 in RBI. Hank Greenberg never topped the league in batting average.

Thomas L. Duprey

Alfred, Maine

From 1900 through the 2002 season, we have uncovered 19 players who won titles in all three Triple Crown categories during their careers. See the accompanying chart on page 7.

I am a devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox. Recently, they adopted a Double-A minor league franchise called the Portland Sea Dogs of Portland, Maine.

Could you tell me what is a Sea Dog?

Brian Messina

Norwood, Mass.

Sea Dog is generally used to describe a sailor of longstanding experience. It also may refer to any one of various seals or similar marine mammals.

I won't pretend that I understand the definition of "wild card" and its application in major league baseball. I have several friends who also don't understand the term, and would appreciate an explanation.

Frank Laifer

Clay, N.Y.

There are three divisions (East, Central and West) in the American and National Leagues. In the division playoffs, established in 1995, a "wild card" team was added to the mix, so that there would be four teams in each league competing in the playoffs.

These four teams included the winners of each of the three divisions, plus a second-place team with the best won-lost record among runnerup teams.

For example, in 2002, here's how the American League playoffs were set up. Division winners were the A's in the West, Twins in the Central, and Yankees in the East.

The Angels (West Division) became the "wild card team" because they finished with the best record (99-63) among other teams that did not win their division.

The term "wild card" comes from poker. When a player has a wild card in hand, he in effect has an extra card to use in filling in a straight or full house or flush.

A couple of us Little League coaches got into a discussion about how to score a catchable fly ball that drops untouched in the outfield.

We have all seen this happen in the majors and can't agree on the answer.

Is the play recorded as an error if, in the opinion of the official scorer, the outfielder could have caught it, but just misjudged it? Or, is it a hit because he never touched the ball?

This year, a situation occurred in Oakland where Eric Byrnes hit for the cycle. In his last at-bat, Byrnes hit a ball that the center fielder misjudged and came in on the ball, and the ball sailed over his head for a triple.

Had the outfielder judged the ball correctly, he could have run back and made the catch.

Mike Hall

Pleasanton, Calif.

Section 10.13 (Note 2) in the Official Baseball Rules book states, "It is not necessary that the fielder touch the ball to be charged with an error. If a ground ball goes through a fielder's legs or a pop fly falls untouched and in the scorer's judgment the fielder could have handled the ball with ordinary effort, an error shall be charged."

In the case of an outfielder misjudging a fly ball, an error usually is not charged because there are variables, particularly wind currents, that often require more than ordinary effort to make the catch. Many of those drives to the outfield are not pop fly balls like the ones that are caught by infielders.

Balls hit directly at a center fielder or those that are slicing away from a right fielder or left fielder are frequently tough to judge and catch. That's why official scorers are generally reluctant to charge them with an error if they don't even get a glove on the ball, let alone make the catch.

In an earlier issue of Baseball Digest (June), it was stated that Bernie Williams of the Yankees is one of seven switch-hitters to win a batting title in the majors.

Would you please tell me who are the other six?

Thomas J. Fitzgerald

Cresskill, N.J.

In addition to Williams who won a title in 1998, the other switch-hitters to lead their league in batting are Mickey Mantle in 1956, Pete Rose in 1968, 1969 and 1973, Willie Wilson in 1982, Willie McGee in 1985 and 1990, Tim Raines in 1986, and Terry Pendleton in 1991. See the accompanying chart.

Has anyone ever hit a fair ball over the right field roof at Fenway Park? Has anyone hit one over the center field wall behind the stands?

Mark DeSalvo

Chesapeake, Va.

No ball has been hit over the right field roof at Fenway. On June 19, 1977, Carl Yastrzemski hit the longest known home run to the right of the bleachers at Fenway. It reached approximately 460 feet before striking the facing of the right field roof. At this point, it is the only ball to reach the right field roof facade.

No homers have ever been hit over the center field wall behind the stands. It would take a howitzer to propel a ball that far.