A couple of days ago, I wrote here about Chris Carpenter’s historic strikeout-to-walk ratio. As Carp prepares to take the mound at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, I thought (with the help of Tom Orf) that I would delve a bit deeper into the bases on balls component of the St. Louis Cardinals star’s ongoing success.
First, we will look at this season only. Carpenter is working on a run of 19 consecutive starts in 2009 of walking two or fewer batters. His teammate Joel Pineiro is tied with Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels as the current MLB leader with the former at 21 and counting.
(In the tables that follow, an asterisk (*) next to the end date denotes a current streak.)
Two or fewer walks, consecutive starts, MLB 2009
Teams | Start | End | Gms | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
Joel Pineiro | STL | 4/22/2009 | 8/15/2009 * | 21 | 9 | 9 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 143.1 | 141 | 59 | 49 | 12 | 67 | 4 | 3.08 |
Cole Hamels | PHI | 4/10/2009 | 8/2/2009 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 123 | 139 | 66 | 64 | 23 | 107 | 18 | 4.68 |
Chris Carpenter | STL | 4/9/2009 | 8/12/2009 * | 19 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 130.2 | 109 | 34 | 33 | 19 | 97 | 7 | 2.27 |
Danny Haren | ARI | 4/17/2009 | 7/23/2009 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 130 | 94 | 33 | 31 | 16 | 130 | 12 | 2.15 |
Carl Pavano | CLE-MIN | 5/11/2009 | 8/8/2009 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 101.1 | 115 | 57 | 52 | 15 | 70 | 15 | 4.62 |
Zach Duke | PIT | 4/8/2009 | 6/29/2009 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 112 | 107 | 41 | 39 | 26 | 54 | 11 | 3.13 |
James Shields | TBR | 5/3/2009 | 7/17/2009 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 100.2 | 117 | 48 | 42 | 16 | 76 | 9 | 3.75 |
Roy Halladay | TOR | 4/6/2009 | 6/29/2009 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 109 | 100 | 33 | 31 | 14 | 95 | 7 | 2.56 |
From a career perspective, Carp has logged an even more impressive 35 such starts in a row, dating back to July, 2006. Of course, he missed much of the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to injury, but has still managed to maintain his streak.
Over at least the last 55 years, Carpenter’s current run of 35 games with two-or-fewer bases on balls per start is 14th longest anywhere in Major League Baseball and is the only top streak still active.
To become number one, Carpenter would need to maintain his run for the equivalent of two entire seasons. That is how long it would take to eclipse the amazing streak of 99 such games put together by Carlos Silva from late 2003 into 2007.
Two or fewer walks, consecutive starts, MLB 1954-2009
Teams | Start | End | Gms | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
Carlos Silva | PHI-MIN | 8/2/2003 | 5/10/2007 | 99 | 36 | 34 | 99 | 3 | 1 | 610.2 | 760 | 328 | 302 | 84 | 238 | 89 | 4.45 |
Brad Radke | MIN | 4/18/2003 | 9/18/2004 | 62 | 24 | 17 | 62 | 4 | 2 | 404.1 | 442 | 188 | 176 | 42 | 247 | 51 | 3.92 |
David Wells | SDP-BOS | 8/13/2004 | 4/29/2007 | 59 | 25 | 14 | 59 | 2 | 0 | 355.2 | 423 | 189 | 178 | 43 | 206 | 47 | 4.5 |
Bret Saberhagen | NYM | 10/4/1992 | 5/14/1995 | 48 | 21 | 13 | 48 | 8 | 1 | 350.2 | 329 | 128 | 120 | 36 | 253 | 28 | 3.08 |
Zane Smith | MON-PIT | 7/25/1990 | 9/21/1991 | 45 | 22 | 12 | 45 | 9 | 5 | 308.1 | 284 | 110 | 88 | 35 | 172 | 17 | 2.57 |
Jon Lieber | CHC-NYY-PHI | 5/29/2002 | 4/21/2005 | 43 | 21 | 13 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 286.2 | 340 | 146 | 130 | 25 | 167 | 35 | 4.08 |
Andy Sonnanstine | TBD-TBR | 8/5/2007 | 9/21/2008 | 42 | 18 | 12 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 247 | 278 | 142 | 130 | 47 | 163 | 26 | 4.74 |
Shane Reynolds | HOU | 7/30/1998 | 9/4/1999 | 42 | 21 | 13 | 42 | 4 | 2 | 283 | 301 | 120 | 112 | 36 | 270 | 27 | 3.56 |
Lary Sorensen | MIL | 7/1/1978 | 7/23/1979 | 40 | 19 | 18 | 40 | 20 | 5 | 301 | 304 | 124 | 111 | 39 | 70 | 31 | 3.32 |
La Marr Hoyt | CHW-SDP | 9/11/1984 | 5/17/1986 | 39 | 18 | 12 | 39 | 8 | 3 | 256.1 | 267 | 116 | 110 | 22 | 109 | 29 | 3.86 |
Mike Mussina | NYY | 9/18/2007 | 9/28/2008 | 37 | 22 | 9 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 219.1 | 235 | 94 | 84 | 34 | 163 | 17 | 3.45 |
Bill Hands | CHC | 9/11/1967 | 4/13/1969 | 37 | 17 | 9 | 37 | 12 | 4 | 265.2 | 221 | 92 | 78 | 36 | 149 | 29 | 2.64 |
Robin Roberts | PHI | 5/7/1960 | 5/20/1961 | 36 | 11 | 20 | 36 | 14 | 2 | 258.1 | 277 | 115 | 107 | 34 | 135 | 34 | 3.73 |
Chris Carpenter | STL | 7/30/2006 | 8/12/2009 * | 35 | 17 | 9 | 35 | 6 | 2 | 238.1 | 208 | 81 | 77 | 35 | 176 | 15 | 2.91 |
Bonus Carpenter coverage:
Though not related directly to bases on balls, it is worth also noting that on Monday night, Carpenter is going for his fifth consecutive start that ends in a win decision.
His is the second longest current streak in MLB after Philadelphia’s Cliff Lee at six. Carp’s Cardinals teammates broke San Diego’s Mat Latos’ consecutive start winning streak at four as they pinned a loss on the rookie on Friday night.
A fifth win Monday would tie Carpenter for the third-longest streak in MLB this season, behind leader Jorge de la Rosa of Colorado with seven. Pineiro had a comparable four-game stretch this April.
Victories in consecutive starts, MLB 2009
Teams | Start | End | Gms | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
Jorge de la Rosa | COL | 6/21/2009 | 7/30/2009 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 46.2 | 35 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 40 | 3 | 2.70 |
Cliff Lee | CLE-PHI | 7/16/2009 | 8/13/2009 * | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 38 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 37 | 2 | 1.29 |
Matt Cain | SFG | 5/17/2009 | 6/14/2009 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 41.2 | 34 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 36 | 3 | 1.73 |
Zack Greinke | KCR | 4/8/2009 | 5/4/2009 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 45 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 54 | 0 | 0.40 |
Jamie Moyer | PHI | 6/23/2009 | 7/16/2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 29.1 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 15 | 5 | 3.68 |
Aaron Cook | COL | 6/6/2009 | 6/28/2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 31 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 22 | 4 | 1.75 |
Rick Porcello | DET | 5/5/2009 | 5/27/2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 1 | 1.50 |
Matt Palmer | LAA | 4/23/2009 | 5/19/2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 31.2 | 23 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 4.26 |
Roy Halladay | TOR | 4/26/2009 | 5/17/2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 36 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 31 | 1 | 2.08 |
Mark Buehrle | CHW | 4/12/2009 | 5/7/2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 2 | 2.45 |
Chris Carpenter | STL | 7/27/2009 | 8/12/2009 * | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 34 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 2.32 |
Mat Latos | SDP | 7/24/2009 | 8/8/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.2 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 5 | 2.10 |
Joba Chamberlain | NYY | 7/19/2009 | 8/6/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.2 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 24 | 3 | 2.03 |
Randy Wells | CHC | 7/18/2009 | 8/3/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.1 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 2.73 |
John Lackey | LAA | 7/12/2009 | 7/29/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 30.2 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 2 | 1.47 |
Jarrod Washburn | SEA | 7/6/2009 | 7/23/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 29.2 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.61 |
Wandy Rodriguez | HOU | 7/2/2009 | 7/21/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 1 | 0.62 |
Danny Haren | ARI | 6/30/2009 | 7/18/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 1 | 0.90 |
Tim Lincecum | SFG | 6/23/2009 | 7/9/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 31.2 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 37 | 1 | 1.14 |
Ricky Romero | TOR | 6/21/2009 | 7/6/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 28.1 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 25 | 1 | 1.59 |
Randy Wells | CHC | 6/21/2009 | 7/6/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.2 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 3 | 2.36 |
Ricky Nolasco | FLA | 6/18/2009 | 7/5/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 2 | 0.96 |
Tommy Hanson | ATL | 6/12/2009 | 6/28/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 0.78 |
Jered Weaver | LAA | 5/27/2009 | 6/14/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 0 | 1.20 |
Matt Harrison | TEX | 4/27/2009 | 5/14/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 1.80 |
Derek Lowe | ATL | 4/25/2009 | 5/11/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.1 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 2 | 4.26 |
Scott Richmond | TOR | 4/15/2009 | 5/3/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.1 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 3 | 2.05 |
Joel Pineiro | STL | 4/10/2009 | 4/27/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.1 | 30 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3.76 |
Chad Billingsley | LAD | 4/8/2009 | 4/23/2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.1 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 26 | 0 | 2.05 |