By Chuck Miller
It’s April 16, 2010, and you just paid your taxes (hopefully got a refund). What to do? Well, if you’re in a position to go to a National League Central game, you may just see history.
If next year follows suit, as has happened in each of the past two seasons there will be a 17-pitch at-bat on that day. Plan to see history unfold.
Beginning with the 1987 season, there have been just 16 plate appearances which have lasted 17 pitches or more. Does a lengthy at-bat favor the hitter or the pitcher? In this limited case study, hitters are 1-for-11 (.091 batting average) but have drawn 5 walks. The lone hit, a home run by Alex Cora on May 12, 2004 at Dodger Stadium of the Cubs’ Matt Clement.
Pitchers on the other hand were 4-5 with 5 no decisions and two holds in games where they threw at least 17 pitches in one plate appearance. For David Wells on June 4, 1989, he was brought in and faced Marty Barrett and “promptly” got Barrett to ground out 17 pitches later.
If only you knew ahead of time you could have gotten up for that hot dog and made it back to your seat without missing any action.
Most Pitches Seen in PA, Since 1987
Batter Pitcher
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06/26/98
Hou @ Cle Ricky Gutierrez Bartolo Colon (W; 8.0 IP, 112 P)
Strikeout 20 SSFBFBFFFFFFBFFFFFFS
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07/23/88
Phi @ Hou Kevin Bass Steve Bedrosian (L; 1.2 IP, 52 P)
Flied Out 19 TFBFBFFBFFFFFFFFFFH
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09/01/90
CWS @ Cal Brian Downing Ken Patterson (ND; 1.0 IP, 52 P)
Line Out 18 BTBFFFBFFFFFFFFFFH
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05/18/97
Det @ KC Bip Roberts Felipe Lira (ND; 4.0 IP, 70 P)
Ground Out 18 RTPFFRFRFRRRFPFFFH
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04/28/00
Tex @ Bal Albert Belle Esteban Loaiza (ND; 8.0 IP, 117 P)
Pop Out 18 TFFFBBFFFFFFFFBFFH
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05/12/04
ChC @ LA Alex Cora Matt Clement (L; 6.0 IP, 104 P)
Home Run 18 BTBFFFFFFFFFFFFFFH
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06/10/04
Mil @ Ana Adam Kennedy Luis Vizcaino (H; 0.2 IP, 23 P)
Walk 18 TBFFFFFBFFBRRRRRRB
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06/04/89
Tor @ Bos Marty Barrett David Wells (ND; 0.1 IP, 17 P)
Ground Out 17 TFFBFFFFBFFFFFFFH
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05/05/91
Bal @ Cal Chris Hoiles Jim Abbott (W; 5.2 IP, 113 P)
Walk 17 TBFFFFFFBBFFFFFFB
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09/26/92
Oak @ Mil Pat Listach Ron Darling (L; 7.0 IP, 127 P)
Walk 17 BBTSFFFFFBFFFFFFB
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06/24/01
Mil @ ChC Rondell White Ben Sheets (W; 5.1 IP, 98 P)
Flied Out 17 FTBBFFFFFFFFBFFFH
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08/23/03
Tex @ CWS Rafael Palmeiro Mark Buehrle (W; 6.0 IP, 105 P)
Strikeout 17 BFBTRBFFFFFFFFFFT
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04/07/04
CWS @ KC Frank Thomas Darrell May (L; 5.0 IP, 107 P)
Walk 17 FBBBFFFFFFFFFFFFB
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08/19/07
Col @ LAD Cory Sullivan Brad Penny (ND; 5.0 IP, 111 P)
Flied Out 17 FBBBRFFFFFFFFFFFH
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04/16/08
Mil @ StL Rick Ankiel Carlos Villanueva (L; 4.2 IP, 109 P)
Walk 17 TSBBFFFFBFFFFFFFB
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04/16/09
Hou @ Pit Freddy Sanchez Chris Sampson (H; 1.2 IP, 45 P)
Flied Out 17 BBFFFFBFFFFFFFFFH
