As the summer heats up, MLB rumors will only continue to grow. Teams are establishing themselves as contenders while others find themselves loitering around the bottom of the standings. We begin to see which teams need that extra something to make a push toward contention.
If you want to bring a little extra something to the table with your baseball-loving friends, there are a few interesting facts that will go a long way. These MLB facts will have you dazzling your friends and making you seem like the most knowledgeable fan around.
An Exclusive Club
Home runs are the most exciting part of any baseball game. That said, hitting them is a lot tougher than it looks. It is so tough, in fact, that only four players in the history of the game have managed to surpass the 700 home run mark. Barry Bonds is the all-time leader with 762 bombs, passing Hank Aaron (755). Babe Ruth (714) was the standard, and Albert Pujols (703) only recently joined the club.
Ground Rule Triple
Things like the unassisted triple play don’t happen every day, but most people at least know about it. We hear about ground rule doubles, but did you know that a ground rule triple is also possible? When a player uses his hat to stop a ball, there is a three-base penalty for rewarded for both the batter and any runner(s) on base.
A Prestigious Record and a Not-So-Prestigious Record
Connie Mack had a long, illustrious career. For 50 years, he served as a manager in the Major Leagues. During that time, he helped establish the Philadelphia Phillies as a force. Mack managed to walk away with an MLB record 3,731 wins – 847 more than Tony La Russa, the man in second. Somehow, Mack is also the leader in losses with 3,948 – nearly 1,500 more than La Russa (also second in losses). That is unmatched longevity.
Been Around the Block
Several players have had a litany of stops throughout their MLB career. That said, no one has been around the block with more MLB teams than Edwin Jackson. In 2019, Jackson became the first player ever to play for 14 MLB teams. Octavio Dotel held the previous record, playing for 13 teams in his 15-year MLB career.
A History Rich and Deep
One of the major selling points for MLB fans is its history. The roots of Major League Baseball go back nearly 200 years, with baseball becoming popular during the Civil War. The very first MLB team, founded in 1866, was the Cincinnati Baseball Club (later known as the Red Stockings). They played against other clubs while touring around the country, making their home at the Union Cricket Club Grounds.
MLB Baseballs Don’t Last Long
Baseballs are made a lot differently than they used to be. Theoretically, they should be much more durable and last longer, right? Wrong. As a matter of fact, the average MLB baseball lasts just six pitches. Between balls getting dirty, becoming damaged, or being put out of play, baseballs are gone through quickly. So quickly, in fact, that each club must have 90 balls on hand for every game.
The Biggest Trade Ever
Trades happen all the time, but a 1957 trade between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers took things to a new level. The Dodgers were preparing to move west, and the Cubs were looking for a change. As a result, both teams traded their entire 25-man minor league rosters, creating a trade that will likely never be matched in size.
