During the Statcast version of Sunday Night Baseball last night, the broadcast displayed a graphic showing the only pairs of teammates to have an OPS+ of 180 or greater in the same season. Pictured were Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
My first thought was that MLB was excluding Negro League players – again. Experience has taught me this is their default option, regardless of what the occasional warm fuzzy photo ops and merchandise cash grabs suggest.
About 90 seconds later, an old guy, with an old phone, did in fact confirm that Buck Leonard and Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays accomplished the feat in each season from 1937 through 1939.
Season/OPS+
1937 Leonard 204, Gibson 273
1938 Leonard 223, Gibson 209
1939 Leonard 238, Gibson 251
As you likely know, Negro Leagues didn’t play 154 or 162 game seasons – due to segregation, not due to desire – so if you’re curious…
Over the three season span in totality:
Leonard 507 PA, 219 OPS+
Gibson 502 PA, 243 OPS+
That is relevant because the graphic did not have a minimum PA distinction and Judge (467) and Soto (471) have fewer PA anyway.
I’ve covered it before, so I’m not going to rehash now, but this is another reminder that in December of 2020, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred informed us that Negro Leagues are Major Leagues. Then this past May, Commissioner Selig 2.0 informed us that Negro League statistics would be part of the historical record along with American and National League stats.
As David Cone would say, it’s all eyewash.
On a regular basis, MLB broadcasts display historical stats and accomplishments of American and National League players and exclude the stats and accomplishments of Negro League players. And it will continue to go on as long as long as you don’t call them out on their bullshit.
Did I miss something? Let me know. Leave a comment below or yell at me on social media: @mybaseballpage1 on Twitter and/or the “My Baseball Page” on Facebook.
PS: I’m not familiar with any books about Buck Leonard (let me know if you are), but “The Power and the Darkness” by Mark Ribowsky is very good if you want to know the story of Josh Gibson – maybe the best hitter to ever play.
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