Grounding into Double Plays

Joe Torre’s frustrating 1975 season was “highlighted” by the July 21 game against the Astros where he grounded into four consecutive double plays. Batting ahead of him was Felix Millan, who had 4 singles, but was wiped out each time Tone hit the ball. For Torre, it was a National League record for grounding into twin killings in one game. He is one of the all time leaders in that department, having been victimized 265 times in his career.

The double play is an important part of game strategy, for nothing ruins a rally like a twin killing. Yet, little statistical research has been done in this area. The National League started compiling these records in 1933 and the American League only since 1940. Consequently, no one knows how many times Ty Cobb was doubled up, or Honus Wagner, or even Zeke Bonura in his early years. However, it is safe to say that the all time record for grounding into double plays was not established by Cobb or Wagner. This is not just because they were fast runners but that there were fewer double plays made in their eras.

Who, then, holds the career record? Apparently it is Henry Aaron, with 320 futile efforts. He is followed by Brooks Robinson, a long-service righthand batter who is slow afoot. Brooks holds the AL record with 290. Obviously, he is not as slow as Ernie Lombardi, but Lom did not have such a long career. Ernie hit into double plays most frequently, once every 20 times at bat. This is based on his career record since 1933 of 261 wipeouts in only 5260 at bats.

If Lombardi was the easiest player to double up, who was the toughest? Logic would indicate that he would have to be a lefthand hitter, who wouldn’t have to take that extra step or two. Well, it is necessary to settle for a compromise candidate, Don Buford, who was a switch hitter. Before he left for Japan in 1973 he had grounded into only 33 double plays in 4553 at bats, or once every 138 times at the plate. He tops all lefthand batting speedsters like Lou Brock, Richie Ashburn, and Joe Morgan. And don’t forget another “Don,” who went to Japan – Don Blasingame – who was almost as tough to double up as Buford.

The righthand batters most difficult to catch in double plays were George Case, based on less than his full career, and Bert Campaneris, who is still going strong. Research on the available records has turned up some surprises. For example, Bill “Swish” Nicholson of the Cubs was harder to double up than Willie Davis, one of the fastest runners in the game, who also batted from the left side. In Nicholson’s case, he was known to uppercut the ball a little to get it out of the park. And Johnny Mize, hardly a gazelle on the basepaths, was an infrequent victim of the double play. The same applies to big Willie Stargell. Of course, both batted from the left side and went for the fences.

We will discuss further the advantage of lefthand batters when we take up season records. First let us show some career totals and frequency rates, below.

 

High Career Totals For GDP

Player	Bat	A.B.	GDP	/AB
Henry Aaron	R	12093	320	38
Brooks Robinson	R	10389	290	36
Roberto Clemente	R	9457	275	34
AlKaline	R	10116	271	37
Frank Robinson	R	9939	266	37
Joe Torre	R	7513	265	28
Ernie Lombardi	R	5260*	261*	20
Ron Santo	R	8143	256	32
Willie Mays	R	10881	251	43
Stan Musial	L	10972	243	45
Harm Killebrew	R	8147	243	34
Ernie Banks	R	9421	229	41
Dick Groat	R	7484	220	34
Frank Howard	R	6488	218	30
Orlando Cepeda	R	7927	218	36

 

Low Frequency Rates For GDP

Player	Bat	A.B.	GDP	/AB
Don Buford	S	4553	33	138
Don Blasingame	L	5296	43	123
Lou Brock	L	8642	78	111
Richie Ashburn	L	8365	83	101
Joe Morgan	L	5406	55	98
George Case	R	3964*	42*	94
Bert Campaneris	R	6644	73	91
Stanley Hack	L	7100*	78*	91
Bill Nicholson	L	5534	61	91
Arky Vaughan	L	6125*	70*	88
Bill Bruton	L	6056	73	83
Augie Galan	S	5937	72	83
Maury Wills	S	7588	92	83
Dick McAuliffe	L	6185	77	80
Sandy Alomar	R	4485	56	80

*Incomplete career records

 

It is obvious that on a career basis the righthand batter will normally have the higher GDP totals. Stan Musial is the only lefthander in the top 15. On the low frequency rates, it does not always turn out that way. This is also the case when it comes to the season leaders. In fact, in 1975 the tables got turned when Don Money of Milwaukee, a right-hand batter, was nabbed only 1 time, while Willie Montanez, batting left, was doubled up 26 times to lead the National League.

It was only the fourth time since these records were first compiled that a lefty had topped the circuit in either league. In 1960, Wally Moon of the Dodgers tied for NL leadership, and Carl Yastrzemski led twice in the AL, once with a surprisingly high total of 30. In fact, the Red Sox have traditionally had some rather high totals, whether they batted left or right. Jackie Jensen, one of the best base stealers of the 1950s, nevertheless led the league 3 times in GDP. Bobby Doer, and Vern Stephens each led twice, and 4 other Boston players led once each. Maybe the infielders at Fenway Park play in closer because of the nearness of the leftfield wall.

Only six players have gone essentially a complete season without hitting into a double play. This is based on a minimum of 350 at bats over the 154-game schedule, and 400 for the current 162 games. Augie Galan holds the all-time mark by going zero in 646 at bats in 1935. In 1968, both Dick McAuliffe and Roger Repoz in the AL had unblemished records. Tony Bartirome of the Pirates had the distinction of never having grounded into a double play in the majors. He topped the NL in 1952 and that was the only season he played.

Here is the annual list of those hitting into the most double plays, and those hitting into the fewest per time at bat. Note that Pee Wee Reese and Dave Philley appear on both lists.

 

Players Grounding Into Most Double Plays

	National League			American League
1933	Ernie Lombardi, Cin.	26		(not compiled until 1940)
1934	Ernie Lombardi, Cin.	24
1935	Hank Leiber, N.Y.	20
1936	Harold Lee, Boston	23
1937	Frank Demaree, Chi.	23
1938	Ernie Lombardi, Cin.	30
1939	Billy Jurges, Chi.	26
1940	Frank McCormick, Cin.	23		Lou Boudreau, Clev.	23
1941	Frank McCormick, Cin.	22		Frankie Hayes, Phil.	23
				Pete Suder, Phil.	23
1942	Nick Witek, N.Y.	23		Joe Gordon, N.Y.	22
1943	Sid Gordon, N.Y.	26		Jim Bioodworth, Det.	29
1944	Ernie Lombardi, N.Y.	23		George Kell, Phil.	0.3
1945	Babe Dahigren, Pitt.	23		Rudy York, Detroit	23
1946	Andy Seminick, Phil.	19		Sam Chapman, Phil.	22
1947	Andy Pafko, Chicago	19		Bobby Doerr, Bos.	25
	George Kurowski, StL.	19
1948	Nippy Jones, StL.	25		Vern Stephens, Bos.	25
1949	Sid Gordon, N.Y.	24		Bobby Doerr, Bos.	31
1950	Del Ennis, Phil.	25		Bill Hitchcock, Phil.	30
1951	Sid Gordon, Bos.	28		Vern Stephens, Bos.	22
				Sam Mele, Wash.	22
1952	Roy Campanella, Bkn.	22		Dave Philley, Phil.	29
1953	Joe Adcock, Mil.	22		Minnie Minoso, Chi.	23
1954	Del Ennis, Phil.	23		Jackie Jensen, Bos.	32
1955	Pee Wee Reese, Bkn.	22		Bill Tuttle, Det.	25
1956	Carl Furillo, Bkn.	27		Jackie Jensen, Bos.	23
1957	Granny Hamner, Phil.	23		Jackie Jensen, Bos.	22
1958	Gene Green, StL.	24		Hector Lopez, K.C.	23
1959	Del Crandall, Mil.	24		Sherman Loilar, Chi.	27
1960	Rob. Clemente, Pitt.	21		Br. Robinson, Balt.	29
	Wally Moon, L.A.	21
1961	Frank Bolling, Mil.	25		Gene Green, Wash.	26
	Ron Santo, Chicago	25
1962	Ken Hubbs, Chicago	20		Carl Yastrzemski, Bos.	27
1963	Rob. Clemente, Pitt.	24		Frank Maizone, Bos.	24
				Dick Stuart, Bos.	24
1964	Joe Torre, Mil.	26		Carl Yastrzemski, Bos.	30
1965	Joe Torre, Mil.	22		Jerry Adair, Balt.	26

 

Players Grounding Into Fewest Double Plays Per at Bat

	National League			American League
1933	Chuck Klein, Phil.	3		(not compiled until 1940)
1934	Pepper Martin, StL.	1
1935	Augie Galan, Chi.	0
1936	Joe Moore, N.Y.	3
1937	Lou Chiozza, Phil.	2
1938	Lonnie Frey, Cin.	1
1939	Billy Myers, Cin.	3
1940	Stanley Hack, Chi.	3		Jeff Heath, Clev.	2
1941	Melvin Ott, N.Y.	2		Red Rolfe, N.Y.	3
1942	Pete Reiser, Bkn.	0		Tommy Henrich, N.Y.	3
1943	Lonnie Frey, Cin.	2		George Case, Wash.	3
1944	Johnny Rucker, N.Y.	2		Wally Moses, Chicago	1
1945	Wm. Wietelmann, Bos.	1		George Myatt, Wash.	3
1946	Grady Hatton, Cin.	3		Thurman Tucker, Chicago	2
1947	Pete Reiser, Bkn.	3		Dale Mitchell, Clev.	2
1948	Richie Ashburn, Phil.	1		Tony Lupien, Chi.	3
1949	Pee Wee Reese, Bkn.	5		Floyd Baker, Chicago	3
1950	Grady Hatton, Cin.	3		Mickey Vernon, Clev.	3
1951	Richie Ashburn, Phil.	4		Dave Philley, Phil.	5
1952	Tony Bartirome, Pitt.	0		Jim Rivera, StL-Chicago	4
1953	Cal Abrams, Pitt.	2		Billy Goodman, Boston	2
1954	Whitey Lockman, N.Y.	3		Al Smith, Clev.	2
1955	Billy Bruton, Mil.	2		Al Smith, Clev.	4
1956	Don Blasingame, StL.	3		Jim Rivera, Chicago	3
1957	Bob Skinner, Pitt.	2		Robert Boyd, Balt.	4
1958	Wally Post, Cin.	3		Roger Mans, Clev.	2
1959	Don Blasingame, StL.	3		Bob Richardson, N.Y.	3
1960	Richie Ashburn, Phil.	4		Norman Cash, Det.	0
1961	John Roseboro, L.A.	1		Mickey Mantle, N.Y.	2
1962	Al Spangler, Hous.	1		Tom Tresh, N.Y.	3
1963	Lou Brock, Chicago	2		Dave Nicholson, Chicago	3
1964	Willie Davis, L.A.	4		Don Blasingame, Wash.	1
1965	LouBrock, StL.	2		Don Blasingame, Wash.	2
1966	Joe Morgan, Hous.	2		Don Buford, Chicago	3
1967	Joe Morgan, Hous.	2		Dick McAuliffe, Det.	2
1968	Willie Davis, L.A.	3		Dick McAuliffe, Det.	0
1969	Lou Brock, StL.	2		Ted Uhlaender, Minn.	3
1970	Bobby Bonds, S.F.	6		Dick McAuliffe, Det.	1
1971	Ron Hunt, Montreal			Don Buford, Balt.	2
1972	Bill Russell, L.A.	4		Dick McAuliffe, Det.	2
	Rick Monday, Chicago	4
1973	Derrel Thomas, S.D.	2		Sandy Alomar, Cal.	2
1974	Mike Schmidt, Phil.	4		Cesar Tovar, Texas	3
1975	Joe Morgan, Cin.	3		Don Money, Mil.	1