I love retrosheet’s (retrosheet.org) feature that shows how a hitter performed against every pitcher they faced in their career and vice-versa. I wanted to see how some well-known players from our two nearby major league baseball teams performed against other players, each other, and each other’s teams in 1969, my favorite baseball season, mainly because of the Senators’ unlikely and wonderful 86-win season.
Ground rules:
o Favorite pitcher/hitter = Highest OPS (minimum of 60 plate appearances)
o Feared pitcher/hitter = Lowest OPS (minimum 60 plate appearances)
o Against each other (e.g., Palmer vs. Howard; Bosman vs. Robinson)
o Against their rivals in 1969 (e.g. Palmer vs. 1969 Senators, Bosman vs. 1969 Orioles)
o Against their rivals’ teams in 1969
Here’s a rundown of the results:
Note: The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at “www.retrosheet.org”.
Jim Palmer’s Favorite Batters: (Minimum 60 plate appearances)
o Carlos May: 7-63 (.111), 8 walks, 8 strikeouts, .335 OPS
o Joe Lahoud: 8-59 (.136), 5 walks, 11 strikeouts, .339 OPS
o Bucky Dent: 10-66 (.152 ), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts,.343 OPS (1 HBP, 3 SH)
Honorable Mention:
o Tom Veryzer: 3-40 (.075), 9 strikeouts, .150 OPS
o John Ellis: 2-36 (.056), 4 walks, 10 strikeouts, .206 OPS
o Frank Robinson: 1-14 (.071), 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, .276 OPS
o Mickey Mantle, 1-14 (.071), 1 walk, 7 strikeouts, .419 OPS, 1 hit was a HR
Jim Palmer’s Feared Batters:
o George Brett: 25-73 (.342), 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, .906 OPS (2 HRs)
o Aurelio Rodriguez: 26-81 (.321), 2 walks, 9 strikeouts, .893 OPS (11 doubles)
o Willie Horton: 15-59 (.254), 5 walks, 10 strikeouts, .872 OPS (5 HR’s)
Others:
o Boog Powell: 8-27 (.296), 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, .791 OPS (2 doubles, 1 HR)
o Elliott Maddox: 7-22 (.318), 3 walks, 1 strikeout, .809 OPS (2 doubles)
o Rickey Henderson: 10-21 (.476), 9 walks, 1 strikeout, 1.109 OPS
o Graig Nettles hit 9 HR’s off Palmer (35-147, .238, .735 OPS)
o Jim Rice hit 9 HR’s off Palmer (19-87, .218, .819 OPS, but 3 walks and 24 strikeouts)
Against 1969 Senators:
o Tim Cullen: 2-19 (.105), 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, .295 OPS
o Ed Stroud: 2-25 (.080), 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, .339 OPS (1 triple)
o Del Unser: 10-55 (.182), 5 walks, 6 strikeouts, .519 OPS (2 doubles, 1 HR)
o Bernie Allen: 7-35 (.200), 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, .520 OPS (2 doubles)
o Paul Casanova: 4-16 (.250), 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 563 OPS (1 double)
o Ed Brinkman: 21-84 (.250), 7 walks, 9 strikeouts, .589 OPS (1 triple)
o Frank Howard: 9-57 (.158), 7 walks, 14 strikeouts, .601 OPS (1 triple, 3 HRs)
o Jim French: 6-18 (.333), 4 walks, 0 strikeouts, .788 OPS
o Dick Billings: 5-14 (.357), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, .867 OPS, 1 double
o Mike Epstein: 8-30 (.267), 6 walks, 7 strikeouts, .989 OPS (2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR)
o Joe Coleman: 3-7 (.429), 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1.000 OPS (1 double)
Total vs. 1969 Senators:
o 3 G, 2 starts, 2 CG, 1.96 ERA, 2-1 record, 18.1 IP, 0 HRA
Frank Howard’s Favorite Pitchers (Minimum 60 plate appearances):
o Sam McDowell: 25-68 (.368), 25 walks, 13 strikeouts, 1.253 OPS (5 HR’s, 9 IW’s)
o Dave McNally: 37-110 (.336), 13 walks, 18 strikeouts, 1.152 OPS (13 HR’s – by far, most of any pitcher. Next closest, 8 by Bob Hendley )
o Jim Kaat: 36-91, (.396), 17 walks, 15 strikeouts, 1.106 OPS (5 HR’s)
Honorable Mention:
o Larry Sherry: 5-6 (.833), 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 3.690 OPS (4 HR’s!)
o Clyde Wright: 18-40 (.450), 16 walks, 1 strikeout, 1.507 OPS (6 HR’s)
o Gary Peters: 28-53 (.528), 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1.307 OPS (1 HR)
Frank Howard’s Feared Pitchers:
o Catfish Hunter: 11-63 (.175), 9 walks, 14 strikeouts, .532 OPS (1 HR)
o Jim Palmer: 9-57 (.158), 7 walks, 14 strikeouts, .601 OPS (1 triple, 3 HR’s)
o Mel Stottlemyre: 22-90 (.244), 10 walks, 21 strikeouts, .642 OPS (2 HR’s)
Others:
o Jim Maloney: 4-34 (.118), 0 walks, 17 strikeouts, .236 OPS
o Don Larsen: 2-17 (.118), 0 walks, 10 strikeouts, .236 OPS
o Juan Marichal: 6-43 (.140), 4 walks, 14 strikeouts, .492 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Warren Spahn, 14-52 (.269), 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, .784 OPS (2 triples, 2 HR’s)
o Whitey Ford, 6-12 (.500), 2 walks, 0 strikeouts, 1.571 OPS (2 HR’s)
Against some more 1969 Orioles Pitchers:
o Tom Phoebus: 3-36 (.083), 2 walks, 10 strikeouts, .382 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Jim Hardin: 10-41 (.244), 4 walks, 6 strikeouts, .741 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Eddie Watt, 8-23 (.348), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, .791 OPS
o Mike Cuellar, 18-58 (.310), 9 walks, 6 strikeouts, 1.025 OPS (6 HR’s)
Total vs.1969 Orioles:
o 14-58 (.241), 10 runs, 7 RBI, 11 walks, 10 strikeouts, 4 HR’s, .871 OPS
Dick Bosman’s Favorite Batters: (Minimum 60 plate appearances)
o Sandy Alomar: 9-53 (.170), 8 walks, 7 strikeouts, .449 OPS
o Roy White: 16-63 (.254), 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, .637 OPS (1 HR)
o George Scott: 24-92 (.261), 1 walk, 14 strikeouts, .664 OPS (2HR’s)
Honorable Mention:
o George Brett: 2-14 (.154), 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .385 OPS (1 double)
o Bobby Murcer: 7-45 (.156), 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, .572 OPS (2 HR’s)
Dick Bosman’s Feared Batters:
o Dave May: 20-55 (.364), 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1.015 (3 HR’s)
o Boog Powell: 17-65 (.262), 12 walks, 9 strikeouts, .895 OPS (4 HR’s)
o Paul Blair: 27-84 (.321), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, .882 OPS (4 HR’s)
o (Reggie Jackson and Rico Petrocelli also hit 4 HR’s, tied for most)
Others:
o Carl Yastrzemski: 16-58 (.276), 5 walks, 4 strikeouts, .747 OPS (1 HR)
o Mike Epstein: 4-14 (.286), 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .904 OPS (1 HR)
o Mel Stottlemyre: 3-9 (.333), 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1.000 OPS (double, triple)
o Harmon Killebrew: 11-31 (.355), 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1.007 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Johnny Oates: 4-6 (.667), 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 1.667 OPS (2 doubles)
o Mickey Mantle: 8-13 (.615), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1.744 OPS (2 HR’s)
Against Other 1969 Orioles:
o Jim Palmer: 0-14 (.000), 10 strikeouts, .000 OPS (1 sacrifice bunt)
o Don Buford: 4-30 (.133), 5 walks, 5 strikeouts, .483 OPS (1 HR)
o Elrod Hendricks: 9-39 (.231), 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, .687 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Brooks Robinson: 19-70 (.271), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, .688 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Mark Belanger: 21-70 (.300), 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, .713 OPS (2 triples)
o Merv Rettenmund: 10-31 (.323), 5 walks, 4 strikeouts, .745 OPS
o Davey Johnson: 9-38 (.237), 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, .792 OPS, (2 HR’s)
o Frank Robinson: 16-47 (.340), 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, .935 OPS (3 HR’s)
Total vs. 1969 Orioles:
o 5 G, 3 starts, 0 CG, 3.86 ERA, 1-1 record, 21 IP, 2 HRA
Frank Robinson’s Favorite Pitchers (Minimum 60 plate appearances):
o Earl Wilson: 25-57 (.439), 5 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1.334 OPS (7 HR’s)
o Dick Ellsworth: 24-62 (.387), 16 walks, 7 strikeouts, 1.206 OPS (5 HR’s)
o Ruben Gomez: 20-52 (.385), 4 walks, 4 HBP, 10 strikeouts, 1.198 OPS (3 HR’s)
Honorable Mention: (hit most HR’s – 10 – of Larry Jackson)
o George Brunet: 16-44 (.364), 11 walks, 6 strikeouts, 1.232 OPS (4 HR’s)
o Chris Short: 17-49 (.347), 11 walks, 4 HBP, 5 strikeouts, 1.194 OPS (4 HR’s)
o Sonny Siebert: 16-56 (.286), 7 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1.143 OPS (8 HR’s)
Frank Robinson’s Feared Pitchers:
o Catfish Hunter: 15-98 (.153), 10 walks, 17 strikeouts, .496 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Don Drysdale: 17-79 (.215), 6 walks, 14 strikeouts, .670 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Mel Stottlemyre: 16-62 (.258), 12 walks, 6 strikeouts, .721 OPS (0 HR’s)
Others:
o Larry Sherry: 10-21 (.476), 3 walks, 2 HBP, 3 strikeouts, 1.910 OPS (5 HR’s)
o Fergie Jenkins: 6-18 (.333), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, 1.400 OPS (4 HR’s)
o Mike Cuellar: 8-32 (.250), 7 walks, 8 strikeouts, .994 OPS (3 HR’s)
o Sandy Koufax: 24-103 (.233), 16 walks, 20 strikeouts, .852 OPS (7 HR’s)
o Dave McNally: 5-22 (.227), 2 walks, 0 strikeouts, .792 OPS (1 HR)
o Bob Gibson: 19-83 (.229), 11 walks, 12 strikeouts, .726 OPS (4 HR’s)
o Pete Richert: 4-31 (.129), 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, .432 OPS (1 HR)
o Jim Palmer: 1-14 (.071), 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, .276 OPS
Against 1969 Senators Pitchers:
o Casey Cox: 13-29 (.448), 4 walks, 1 strikeout, 1.274 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Darold Knowles: 3-12 (.250), 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 1.107 OPS (2 HR’s)
o Joe Coleman: 13-40 (.325), 9 walks, 6 strikeouts, 1.071 OPS (3 HR’s)
o Camilo Pascual: 4-10 (.400), 7 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1.067 OPS
o Dick Bosman: 16-47 (.340), 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, .935 OPS (3 HR’s)
o Jim Shellenback: 2-9 (.222), 2 walks, .920 OPS (1 HR)
o Bob Humphreys: 7-26 (.269), 7 walks, 2 strikeouts, .912 OPS (1 HR)
o Barry Moore: 8-26 (.308), 3 walks, 1 strikeout, .772 OPS
o Jim Hannan: 6-26 (.231), 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, .641 OPS
o Dave Baldwin: 2-13 (.154), 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .368 OPS
o Dennis Higgins: 0-10 (.000), 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, .091 OPS
Total vs. 1969 Senators:
o 15-55 (.273), 12 runs, 12 RBI, 8 walks, 5 strikeouts, 6 HR’s, .987 OPS