Tim Anderson just broke the all time hits record to begin a post-season career (in five games or fewer).
Timmy now has 13 hits in his first five postseason games. Some of you may remember that this is an extension of a three-game record that Anderson set in 2020 against the A’s.
Here is an NBCSports Chicago story about Tim breaking/setting that record last year (nine hits in a player’s first three games has never been done by anyone else).
Literally never been done by anyone in the entire history of MLB baseball post seasons, except our own TA7.
The previous 5-game record was held by Carlos Gonzalés, who somehow had 12 hits across his first five postseason games (even though the first four games and the fifth were played nearly a decade apart). CarGo set that record in 2017 during the Wild Card game for the Rox.
Before that, the record was was 11 hits in 5 games, set by Mark Grace with the Cubs in 1989.
And fourth place is now a “tie” between Jim Edmonds, who had 10 hits in five games (set in 2000), and Dante Bichette who had a superior 10 hits in his first, and only, four post-season games.
That’s how good Anderson has been in October. He doesn’t even have much competition for these records!
There are only four other guys who are even CLOSE to Anderson. His 13 hits is four more hits than the handful of guys tied for fifth place.
And it’s easy to see why. It is really really hard to overcome your nerves to start on that postseason stage, especially in those first games. All of the guys I’ve listed were older and more experienced than TA when they made their runs at the record. There are no young rookies on that leaderboard. It is also, obviously, really really hard to face postseason pitching.
(It should also be noted that Bichette had five of his 10 hits at Coors, and CarGo had five of his 12 at Coors, plus two in Arizona. I don’t mention that to discount the massive postseason achievements of either player! I just bring it up as a counterpoint for anyone inclined to say that TA’s record is based on luck. Because this is baseball, all records of that type have an element of luck in them.)
So, to sum up:
*TA had 9 hits in his first three games. He holds that records free and clear. No one else has done that.
*On Thursday, TA increased that to 10 hits in 4 games, which ties the all time record. (4 way tie with Anderson, Bichette, Edmonds, & CarGo)
*On Friday, TA once again moved into undisputed first place by passing all of them again. He now has 13 hits in 5 games to start his post-season career.
*Has this been a fun sub plot for me to watch, even while the Sox were losing? Yes.
*Did it make the painful 9th inning of Friday’s game a lot more enjoyable when Timmy got that 13th hit? Yes!
*Would it therefore have been an ideal thing for the MLB Network broadcast to mention? Ummm…
*Am I using sarcastic rhetorical italics questions to mask my rage?
*And what did the MLB Network broadcast do in the 9th inning instead? Oh, they just casually mixed up the names of Anderson and Robert repeatedly.
But hey, it’s no “40 acres multi-position Moncada,” or a “Geiko-during-a-double-play,” so I guess I shouldn’t complain.
Anyway, top notch broadcasting there.
Have I mentioned yet that I really miss Jason and Steve?
If you’re wondering about TA’s record for Sunday’s game, I believe he only needs one hit to set that record. Even if he goes hitless, he would only “drop” down to a first place tie with CarGo at 13 through his first six.
Sure would be great if MLB Network wanted to double check that though, maybe even mention it on the broadcast as something for fans to be watching ????????.
(Tim Anderson portrait by Carl Skanberg)
