I spend quite a lot of time on Baseball-Reference. Apart from it being my job to do analysis and appropriately relay participant statistics to you, the readers, I get pleasure from wanting again at previous names from the late-90s and 2000s to see in the event that they have been pretty much as good as I bear in mind them in my head. Casey Blake? Better than I bear in mind. Mark Teahen? Far worse than I bear in mind. Jack Cust? Baller!
I couldn’t inform you who my most looked-at participant is. I spend quite a lot of time evaluating elite-level gamers to Mike Trout. Maybe it’s him. Maybe it’s Bryce Harper as a result of I spend each waking second of my day attempting to persuade myself he’s inferior to individuals give him credit score for. I don’t know. Thankfully, Baseball-Reference has been maintaining observe of any such stuff.
This is attention-grabbing. It will not be attention-grabbing to you, however that is my article. I get to jot down about no matter tickles my fancy. Ha Ha! Neener neener!
In Albert Pujols’ closing yr, it is smart that 25 states would wish to look him up. I do know I did rather a lot this yr. He’s a residing legend who was presumed to be far previous his prime previous to 2022. He was unimaginable this season although, much better than what he’d completed the final a number of years with the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers. For various articles this yr, I needed to examine this season to his final 5 years in L.A., determining precisely how he bought his swagger again at 42 years previous. Also, have a look at Aaron Judge. With how unimaginable his season was, it is smart why so many individuals wished to look him up — 15 states looked for the American League MVP greater than anybody else.
There are some others that make sense too. Barry Bonds was a freak of nature, and although he had zero ties to Wyoming, it is smart why individuals would look him up. Matt Olson wasn’t fairly pretty much as good in his first yr with Atlanta as he was with Oakland, however he was a fairly large signing, and possibly comparatively unknown in Alabama. Considering most individuals in Alabama gravitate towards the Braves — particularly after they received the 2021 World Series — Olson’s recognition within the Heart of Dixie is smart.
Christian Yelich in Wisconsin, Miguel Cabrera in Michigan, Gio Urshela in South Dakota (borders Minnesota a minimum of), and even Freddie Freeman in New Mexico (though he has no ties) are all examples of high-profile gamers getting checked out in states with an energetic fanbase of every participant’s respective workforce. As odd as it’s to see George Brett’s identify on any graphic within the 2020s with the phrase “popular” in it, he’s nonetheless a Hall of Famer and broadly thought of the very best Kansas City Royal of all-time. It’s unusual, certain, however not completely absurd, y’know? Then, there’s the 2 black sheep.
Why on the planet is Hawaii wanting up Dylan Moore? Was he born in Hawaii? No. Did he play faculty ball in Hawaii? No. Did he play in an novice or collegiate league in Hawaii? No. Is he an unimaginable ballplayer value wanting up? Not actually. I imply, his batter’s eye is unimaginable. His 13.3 % stroll fee in 2022 ranked fifteenth in 2022 amongst gamers with a minimum of 250 plate appearances. He’s additionally fairly quick for somebody who walks as typically as he does. That mentioned, does this sound like a participant the Hawaiians could be enthralled with? I wouldn’t suppose so.
I do have a idea although. See, whenever you Google “Dylan Moore Hawaii,” outcomes come up of a professor of economics on the University of Hawai’i Economic Research Organization. Yeah, I do know this can be a stretch, however how else do you suppose Dylan Moore was such a widely-searched baseball participant within the Pacific Islands, huh? I’m listening for theories, as a result of that is pretty much as good as I can do. My thought is that when college students or individuals in economics search for Dylan Moore in Hawaii, they click on on the primary hyperlink they discover. Lo and behold, the primary hyperlink that comes up whenever you Google “Dylan Moore” is his Baseball-Reference web page. Coincidence? I feel not!
Dylan Moore is a minimum of an energetic baseball participant although. At least he’s a reputation individuals may throw round at a bar whereas rattling off random athletes. You know who is rarely going to return up in these sorts of conversations? Pete Browning!
Any ties to Delaware? No. Hall of Famer? No. Played this century? No. Played final century? No. Spent a full season on a workforce that also exists? (That consists of the oddly named Cleveland Infants.) No. Browning was a three-time batting champion in 1882, 1885, and 1890. Plus, again in 1887, he grew to become the first participant ever to hit over .400 throughout 600 or extra plate appearances. Coincidentally, he didn’t win the batting title that yr. That’s all that Browning has going for him.
I don’t also have a idea as to why Browning is so widespread out in The First State. The solely Google outcomes that come up whenever you search “Pete Browning Delaware” are individuals on Twitter questioning why Pete Browning is such a preferred baseball search in Delaware. That’s one hell of a round Google search, huh? Maybe Baseball-Reference itself is headquartered in Delaware and there was an inside joke on the firm about Browning? No. Sports Reference, LLC is situated in Philadelphia, so this actually is senseless in any respect.
I assume that’s becoming for baseball although. The sport doesn’t make any sense, so it’s solely logical to imagine that baseball search outcomes wouldn’t both. Still, I’m perplexed at Delaware’s infatuation with Browning. What is it about this late nineteenth century ball participant that has everybody in Dover wanting him up? I haven’t the slightest clue, however I’m undoubtedly not getting in a baseball argument with anybody from there any time quickly. They in all probability know far more about baseball historical past than me.