Matched Pairs: Batters

by Geoff Young on Jan 14, 2008

I’m addicted to Baseball-Reference’s PI tool. For grins I ran a search on everyone who has accumulated 1500 or more career plate appearances with the Padres (39 in total) and ordered them from top (Fred McGriff) to bottom (Enzo Hernandez) according to OPS+. Then I looked for “matched pairs” — guys who have the same OPS+ (give or take a point). The rankings referenced in each entry are from the upcoming Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual. Let the fun begin:

Another Retired Number?
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Ryan Klesko 2000-2006 3333 .279 .381 .491 134
Dave Winfield 1973-1980 4512 .284 .357 .464 134

I’ve got Klesko as the best first baseman in club history and #6 left fielder. Winfield is the #2 right fielder and tied for 10th in left field.

Logjam in Center Field
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Mark Kotsay 2001-2003 1647 .283 .355 .426 112
Steve Finley 1995-1998 2640 .276 .334 .458 112
Kevin McReynolds 1983-1986 1983 .263 .319 .438 111

It’s amazing to me how qualitatively similar these guys were. Kotsay is #5 at the position, Finley is #1, and McReynolds is #3.

Marshmallows Downtown?
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Carmelo Martinez 1984-1989 2694 .248 .341 .408 109
Ollie Brown 1969-1972 1816 .272 .327 .413 109

Martinez is the #2 left fielder in Padres history, while Brown checks in at #5 among right fielders.

Hare and Tortoise
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Bip Roberts 1986-1995 2521 .298 .361 .387 106
Terry Kennedy 1981-1986 3239 .274 .319 .407 105

Roberts stole 148 bases, Kennedy swiped 3. Roberts is the #4 second baseman and #5 left fielder — very underrated career, IMHO; Kennedy is the best catcher in Padres history.

One That Got Away
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Roberto Alomar 1988-1990 1959 .283 .339 .379 103
Jerry Turner 1974-1983 1686 .259 .321 .390 103

Alomar left San Diego at age 22 and still is the #2 second baseman in club history. Turner is the #8 left fielder.

The Three Gees
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Khalil Greene 2003-2007 2219 .254 .312 .444 101
Steve Garvey 1983-1987 2439 .275 .309 .409 100
Cito Gaston 1969-1974 2787 .257 .298 .403 99

Greene is the best shortstop in Padres history, Garvey is the #7 first baseman, and Gaston checks in at #9 among center fielders and #8 among right fielders.

Nothing in Common
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Quilvio Veras 1997-1999 1788 .270 .366 .353 95
Benito Santiago 1986-1992 3065 .264 .298 .406 95

Veras is the #3 second baseman in club history; Santiago is the #2 catcher. He also had a 34-game hitting streak as a rookie, which inspired this sweet baseball card.

Not-So-Hot Corner
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Sean Burroughs 2002-2005 1665 .282 .340 .360 91
Luis Salazar 1980-1989 2383 .267 .298 .375 90

Burroughs is the #7 third baseman in Padres history, while Salazar checks in at #5. Bar bet winner: Who is the all-time leader in games played for the Padres at third base? Salazar. (Burroughs is fourth.)

Random Infielders
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Tim Flannery 1979-1989 2838 .255 .335 .317 85
Alan Wiggins 1981-1985 1606 .260 .335 .316 85
Dave Roberts 1972-1978 1750 .240 .287 .354 84

Flannery is #5 among second basemen in Padres history, Wiggins is #7 at second base and in left field, and Roberts (not the guy who now plays in San Francisco) is the #8 third baseman.

Weak-Hitting Shortstops
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Garry Templeton 1982-1991 4860 .252 .293 .339 77
Derrel Thomas 1972-1978 1985 .236 .301 .302 76

Templeton is the #2 shortstop in Padres history. Thomas played several positions and doesn’t crack the top 10 at any of them.

Incredibly Weak-Hitting Shortstops
Player Years PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Ozzie Smith 1978-1981 2536 .231 .295 .278 66
Enzo Hernandez 1971-1977 2609 .225 .283 .267 61

Okay, I fudged a little here. Still, who knew that one of these guys would end up in the Hall of Fame? Smith is the #4 shortstop in Padres history; Hernandez checks in at #7.

We’ll look at pitchers next week…

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32 Responses »

  1. Pat
    January 14, 2008 • 8:03 am

    The line on #11 Enzo Hernandez is extraordinary.

  2. Phantom
    January 14, 2008 • 8:28 am

    Pretty interesting comps, Geoff. I’m surprised at how great Kotsay and Klesko were for us. That’s pretty stunning.

  3. LynchMob
    January 14, 2008 • 8:55 am

    1 … I’m most amazed by the 2609 PAs … ouch!

  4. Jim Parish
    January 14, 2008 • 10:12 am

    I’ve always been amused by the fact that the Padres have had three different players named Dave Roberts – and also two Bob Davises.

  5. Jim Parish
    January 14, 2008 • 10:20 am

    Maybe I’m wrong on the Davises. I could have sworn there were two of them, but Googling around doesn’t confirm, and I’m away from my books.

  6. LynchMob
    January 14, 2008 • 10:59 am

    5 … I’m just seeing 1 Bob Davis for Padres …

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?search=davis

    re: Salazar … ouch … I like Luis … sure did not know his OBP was sub-.300!!! :-(

  7. Jonathan S.
    January 14, 2008 • 11:12 am

    “Downtown” Ollie Brown, might have had the strongest arm of any Padre outfielder I ever saw. He had power and speed as well. I think a far better player than Carmelo.

  8. Pat
    January 14, 2008 • 11:17 am

    3: Yes, that’s exactly what I was struck by. Lots of players have been that bad at the plate, but how many were able to accumulate that many PA’s while being that bad?

  9. Pat
    January 14, 2008 • 11:18 am

    7: Jonathan (may I call you Jon? ;-) ), stronger than Winfield? I wasn’t around to see Brown, but I was always amazed at Winfield’s arm. Ollie must have been incredible if he had a better gun than Big Dave’s!

  10. Jonathan S.
    January 14, 2008 • 11:30 am

    7: I think he and Winfield had comparable arms. I used the word “might” thinking about comparing him and Winfield. Winfield had a slightly better assist numbers, but the way the park played in those days (with the old 18 foot walls all the way out) it may have made assists tougher. Besides there was no reason to take risks against the Padres in those days..:-)

  11. Pat
    January 14, 2008 • 11:32 am

    I was intrigued so I searched for anyone with at least 2,600 career PA’s and an OPS+ of 61 or lower. Oddly it didn’t pop up Enzo, but the only other player it did find was:

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/v/veryzto01.shtml

    Wow, just wow! Check out that 1979 season with Cleveland. They gave him 501 PA’s and he produced an OPS+ of just 45! Even Enzo was never that bad with his “best” being a 46 in only 369 PA’s. I guess he was as bad, but at least he had 132 fewer PA’s to do his damage with.

  12. Pat
    January 14, 2008 • 11:35 am

    11: Cool. It’s fun hearing about Padres you haven’t had the chance to see yourself.

  13. LynchMob
    January 14, 2008 • 11:42 am

    11 … “just wow” indeed … and that OPS+ of 30 in 350 ABs in 1977 is mind-boggling … Cleveland clearly knew what to expect :-)

  14. LynchMob
    January 14, 2008 • 11:43 am

    re: arms on Padre RF’ers … this list has to include Joe Lefebvre …

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lefebjo01.shtml

    … his was the best I remember …

  15. Tom Waits
    January 14, 2008 • 11:44 am

    11, 13: And he somehow managed to appear in 12 major league seasons! Starting, or close to it, for 5 of them!

    I need to write a macro that inserts his BR link. Anytime someone says “Who are we to judge what teams do, they’re the experts,” I’ll just pop old Tom Veryzer at them.