Daily Archives: May 25, 2012

Mark Reynolds Strikes Out…A Lot

Yesterday Sports List of the Day gave you the top 20 batters with the most career strikeouts, a list Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson sits comfortably atop.

But when you look at the most strikeouts in a season – again the top 20 – Reggie Jackson doesn’t even make the list. What’s going on here?

Well, consistency for one thing. Jackson kept up the K’s for 20 years (and had everything else to compensate).

But also, it appears, the infinitely lead-handed is a more modern phenomenon. Why are teams more accepting of this?

Is it because players have become more specialized (think goliath Adam Dunn)? Has the lack of steroids created a power gap? Is pitching just better right now in the ongoing arms race between hurler and hitter?

Mark Reynolds‘ performance in this category leaves one without words. He single-handedly owns three of the top four spots.

It is not until you get to No. 12, Bobby Bonds, that you finally reach a retired player. Bonds held the record for 34 years, but since 2004, the record has been broken 11 times.

Of the top 20 (21 here due to ties), 14 players are still active (*). Everyone in the top 9 had their big strikeout year post-2007.

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend and remember those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms.

I’ll have something more cheerful than strikeouts in the next few posts, all baseball, through the weekend.

Thanks for reading and following me. I’m on Twitter @VinGetz.

Photo: mlbdailydish.com