Odds And Ends

Stuff from the Baseball-Reference blog (and record book):

The modern major league record for most stolen bases in a game is 15 (Highlanders against the Browns on September 28, 1911 and Browns against the Tigers on October 1, 1916). In the years covered by B-Ref's Game Finder data base (1920-1939, 1952-now), it's the A's, with 12 steals against the Twins on August 1, 1976 (amazing linescore, too!).

Texas stole five bases in the fourth inning. Most steals in one inning: 8 (Senators against Cleveland, 1st inning, July 19, 1915; Phillies against Giants, 9th inning of first game, July 7, 1919).

B-ref's Andy K, on Cool Standings:

When the season started, they gave the Red Sox a 42.2 chance of making the playoffs. Before the beginning of the 4-game series vs. the Rays that just ended, they were at 31.8%. After the 4-game sweep they are all the way down to 14.7%.

Last night's win puts Boston at 15.1%.

In the last 30 years, here are the worst starts (after 13 games) by playoff teams:

1991 Twins: 4-9 (won division, 95 wins)
2000 Giants: 4-9 (won division, 97 wins)
2001 A's: 3-10 (wild card, 102 wins)
2007 Phillies: 3-10 (won division, 89 wins)

Oakland started 2-10 and still won 102 games, thanks in part to ending the season on a 29-4 run.

Ten players have been a single short of hitting for the cycle three times in their careers, including Babe Ruth and Ellis Burks. Gregg Jeffries had it happen twice within a 10-game period (August 29 and September 9, 1988)