SWC75
Bored Historian
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I had occasion to examine their career numbers:
Joe: Joe DiMaggio Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
Mickey: Mickey Mantle Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
What jumps out at me it is the disparity in extra base hits between the two men. Mantle played in 665 more games than Joe. he does have 175 more home runs but he has 44 fewer doubles and 59 fewer triples. Joe was fast but Mickey, per the stop watch, was the fastest player in baseball history, (3.1 seconds from home to first). Both players lost home runs to the bloated dimensions of Yankee Stadium when they played, It was 457 feet to deepest center field and even father - 461 feet - to left center, which was called "Death Valley" because that's where home runs went to die. DiMaggio hit 148 home runs at home and 213 on the road, one of the largest differentials in history, (41%-59%). Mickey's more even, 266-270 (basically 50-50) so Yankee Stadium didn't hurt him nearly as much, largely because he was a switch hitter and had greater power.
Still, there had to have been a lot of Mickey's drives that didn't make it out because it was Yankee Stadium and would have given Mickey a chance to use his legs. Mickey's double and triple totals seem anemic or at least strange. He had a couple of double figure triples totals early on but in one of those years he had only 17 doubles. In 1958 he led the league with 42 home tuns but only 21 doubles and 1 triple. He had one year with 37 doubles early in his career but never had more than 28 in any other year and exceeded 17 doubles only one in his last 9 years. He had 12 triples in 1954 and 11 in 1955 but never more than 6 in any year after that. He had that many in his least 7 seasons combined. He famously had many injuries but was still playing 93 games in center field as late as 1966. Joe, on the other hand, had 30+ doubles 7 times and 40+ twice. He had double figures in triples 8 times. The last such year of each was his second to last season, 1950. And he had injuries, too. He had 33 doubles and 10 triples the year after his bone spur operation.
Let's look at the per 162 game numbers. Joe averaged 637 official at bats, 34 strike-outs and 207 hits, of which 125 were singles 36 doubles, 12 triples and 34 home runs. He put the ball in play 603 times and 396 of those were outs, (65.7%). 20.7% were singles, 6.0% doubles, 2.0% triples and 5.6% home runs. Mickey averaged 547 at bats, 115 strike-outs, 163 hits, 99 singles. 23 doubles, 5 triples, and 38 home runs. He put the ball in play 432 times and 269 of those were outs. (62.3%). 22.9% were singles, 5.3% doubles, 1.1% triples and 8.8% home runs. Focusing on home games, (see "splits"), those numbers become 66.9% outs, 20.4% singles, 5.8% doubles, 2.3% triples and 4.6% home runs for Joe and 61.7% outs, 23.3% singles, 5.2% doubles, 1.4% triples and 8.4% homers for Mickey. Not really a huge home to road difference, which surprises me. It's interesting that Joe made more outs on his balls in play than Mickey, despite his higher batting average.
I think it may have come down to this: I think Mickey had more of an upper-cut swing, the sort that hitters are being taught today. This would produce more fly balls which would be more likely to be caught. Joe was more of a line drive hitter who hit the ball between the fielders so it could bounce around more and give him a chance to take an extra base. Another factor is that if you avoid strikeouts and walks and keep the ball in play, you are going to get more extra base hits than if everything is decided in the batter's box.
Joe: Joe DiMaggio Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
Mickey: Mickey Mantle Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
What jumps out at me it is the disparity in extra base hits between the two men. Mantle played in 665 more games than Joe. he does have 175 more home runs but he has 44 fewer doubles and 59 fewer triples. Joe was fast but Mickey, per the stop watch, was the fastest player in baseball history, (3.1 seconds from home to first). Both players lost home runs to the bloated dimensions of Yankee Stadium when they played, It was 457 feet to deepest center field and even father - 461 feet - to left center, which was called "Death Valley" because that's where home runs went to die. DiMaggio hit 148 home runs at home and 213 on the road, one of the largest differentials in history, (41%-59%). Mickey's more even, 266-270 (basically 50-50) so Yankee Stadium didn't hurt him nearly as much, largely because he was a switch hitter and had greater power.
Still, there had to have been a lot of Mickey's drives that didn't make it out because it was Yankee Stadium and would have given Mickey a chance to use his legs. Mickey's double and triple totals seem anemic or at least strange. He had a couple of double figure triples totals early on but in one of those years he had only 17 doubles. In 1958 he led the league with 42 home tuns but only 21 doubles and 1 triple. He had one year with 37 doubles early in his career but never had more than 28 in any other year and exceeded 17 doubles only one in his last 9 years. He had 12 triples in 1954 and 11 in 1955 but never more than 6 in any year after that. He had that many in his least 7 seasons combined. He famously had many injuries but was still playing 93 games in center field as late as 1966. Joe, on the other hand, had 30+ doubles 7 times and 40+ twice. He had double figures in triples 8 times. The last such year of each was his second to last season, 1950. And he had injuries, too. He had 33 doubles and 10 triples the year after his bone spur operation.
Let's look at the per 162 game numbers. Joe averaged 637 official at bats, 34 strike-outs and 207 hits, of which 125 were singles 36 doubles, 12 triples and 34 home runs. He put the ball in play 603 times and 396 of those were outs, (65.7%). 20.7% were singles, 6.0% doubles, 2.0% triples and 5.6% home runs. Mickey averaged 547 at bats, 115 strike-outs, 163 hits, 99 singles. 23 doubles, 5 triples, and 38 home runs. He put the ball in play 432 times and 269 of those were outs. (62.3%). 22.9% were singles, 5.3% doubles, 1.1% triples and 8.8% home runs. Focusing on home games, (see "splits"), those numbers become 66.9% outs, 20.4% singles, 5.8% doubles, 2.3% triples and 4.6% home runs for Joe and 61.7% outs, 23.3% singles, 5.2% doubles, 1.4% triples and 8.4% homers for Mickey. Not really a huge home to road difference, which surprises me. It's interesting that Joe made more outs on his balls in play than Mickey, despite his higher batting average.
I think it may have come down to this: I think Mickey had more of an upper-cut swing, the sort that hitters are being taught today. This would produce more fly balls which would be more likely to be caught. Joe was more of a line drive hitter who hit the ball between the fielders so it could bounce around more and give him a chance to take an extra base. Another factor is that if you avoid strikeouts and walks and keep the ball in play, you are going to get more extra base hits than if everything is decided in the batter's box.
