Baseball Reference

Not enough people talk about Craig Counsell • Easily the weirdest batting stance ever • .255/.342/.344 (.686 OPS), 79 OPS+ • 22.4 WAR across 16 MLB seasons • Got a hit in his final AB at age 41 • 2x WS Champ (FLA '97, ARI '01) • Was an exceptional defender • 2001 NLCS MVP (.381 BA) • Started managing in 2015 • Did I mention batting stance • HBP in the 9th of 2001 WS G7 • Game-tying RBI in 1997 WS G7 • 35th all-time in Total Zone Runs • Had the highest-ever manager AAV • (5 years & $40 million with the Cubs) • Top Similarity Score: Harold Reynolds • Craig Counsell is 1 of 4 players in the Wild Card Era (since 1995) to have at least a career .340 OBP and 140 Rfield, joined by only Scott Rolen, Mookie Betts, and Brett Gardner

The OTD widget in Sports Reference Hub reminded me that Game 3 of the 2009 WS occurred on this date, an 8-5 Yankees win over Philadelphia. You can (and should!) make your free Hub account ASAP, because it's awesome. The eventual WS MVP didn't start because NO DH IN THE NL PARK!!

Not enough people talk about Mike Timlin • 75-73 (.507), 3.63 ERA (125 ERA+), 141 SV • Pitched in 1058 games over 18 seasons • 4x WS Champ (Toronto x2, Boston x2) • Debuted at 25, pitched till he was 42 • Led league w/ 81 appearances at 39 • 5th-round pick out of NAIA school • 8th ALL-TIME in games pitched • Earned AL ROY votes in 1991 • 0.60 ERA vs. the @Nationals • Gave up IPHR to Adrian Beltre • Threw to 34 different catchers • Held Frank Thomas to a .160 BA • Held Bernie Williams to a .185 BA • Got 0 HOF votes from the BBWAA • (But made the Red Sox Hall of Fame) • 18.69 ERA in 5 games w/ Mike Winters • Top B-R Similarity Score: Mike Jackson • Wore either #40 or #50 his whole career • Struggled vs. Harold Reynolds (1.903 OPS) • Only 11 pitchers have appeared in at least 1,000 games while maintaining a career ERA+ of at least 125; Mike Timlin has the 5th-most appearances in MLB history among those pitchers Subscriber nomination by @billyflan

Not enough people talk about Rod Barajas • .235/.284/.407 (.691 OPS), 79 OPS+ • Caught 14 years in the big leagues • 136 HR, 480 RBI, 4.6 WAR, 2 SB • 2001 WS Champ with Arizona • Managed the Padres in 2019 • (Lasted 8 games, went 1-7) • Briefly played for the Mets • 20 HR, 70 RBI per 162 G • 1.333 postseason OPS! • .993 fielding percentage • HR off Mussina in the WS • 1.225 OPS vs. CC Sabathia • Hit 3 career walk-off homers • Played for Mexico in '09 WBC • Top Similarity Score: John Buck • .615/.643/1.154 v. Huston Street • Above-average CS%... until 2012 • 31.3 CS% from '99-'11, pretty good • Allowed 93 SB in 2012, just 6.1 CS% • 2012 wiped out all of his career DRS • Nobody has talked about him for years • Rod Barajas was 1 of 9 catchers (min. 90% of appearances at C) to hit at least 100 HR during the first decade of the 2000s

Not enough people talk about Jimmie Foxx • .325/.428/.609 (1.038 OPS), 163 OPS+ • 92.7 WAR, 2646 H, 534 HR, 1922 RBI • Had 30 HR 12x, 40 HR 5x, 50 HR 2x • 2x Batting Champion, Triple Crown • 3x MVP, 2x WS Champion w/ PHA • Had more BB (1452) than K (1311) • Came up (at age 17) as a catcher • Thrice drove in at least 163 runs • 5x leader in SLG, OPS and OPS+ • Reached 120 RBI 8x, 100 RBI 13x • Top Similarity Score Ted Williams • Homered in every WS he played in • Had multiple seasons with 400 TB • 1.52 ERA across 23.2 IP as a pitcher • Retired with 2nd-most HR in history • Nicknamed "Double X" or "The Beast" • .344/.425/.609 over 73 postseason PA • (Almost identical to his reg season slash) • Hailed from Maryland's rural Eastern Shore • His 12 years with 30+ HR were consecutive • His 13 years with 100+ RBI were consecutive • TOOK HIM 8 BALLOTS TO GET INTO THE HOF • Only 8 players in MLB history have recorded at least 3 seasons with a .330+ BA and 130+ RBI; Jimmie Foxx did it 6 times, trailing only Ruth and Gehrig Subscriber nomination by @seaphil68