Alex Cora Hits Homer on 18th Pitch On Same AB

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I've often wondered what was the longest AB in major league history as far as pitch count goes.

I would guess that Cora has to be pretty close.
 

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that was one hell of an at bat...

very good start by Wilson Alvarez too...
 

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Doubt highly if Cora's at bat was longest in BB histroy. However it is longest this year so far. I just watched highlights on Sportscenter, they said it was longest this year to date. Hell of an effort.


wil.
 

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Too bad this article doesn't mention what the longest homer at-bat was.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- By the time Alex Cora hit his 11th consecutive foul ball against Matt Clement, the crowd was standing and roaring. He went on to foul off the 12th, 13th and 14th. Then, he hit a two-run homer.

Wilson Alvarez, who held Chicago scoreless into the eighth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers' 4-0 win over the Cubs on Wednesday night, also was standing and pulling for Cora in the 18-pitch at-bat.

"He was fighting and fighting, and when he hit it, I was 'Get out of here!' " Alvarez said, smiling.

Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy called it maybe the best at-bat he has seen against a quality pitcher.

"You can't have a better at-bat than that, and to have it end like that, it's phenomenal," Tracy said after the Dodgers won their sixth straight.

Cora, not exactly a power hitter, seemed a bit awed by the whole thing.

"It was tough; he was throwing good pitches. When they put it on the scoreboard [as the string of consecutive fouls built], that put me under a little bit of pressure. I had to stand back and regroup," said Cora, who drove a 2-2 pitch into the bullpen in right to put the Dodgers up 4-0 in the seventh.

"It was great to finish it that way," he said. "It was fun."

When Cora came up, Clement had thrown 86 pitches. By the time Cora homered, the Chicago right-hander's pitch count was up to 104 and Kyle Farnsworth came on in relief.

"He beat me. That's all there is to it," Clement said. "It was a tough at-bat, and he won the battle."

Giants manager Dusty Baker called it a "heck of an at-bat," but didn't necessarily approve of the way Cora reacted.

"He kind of spoiled it a little bit at the end by flipping the bat," Baker said. "He won the battle already, so you don't rub it in. But that's modern stuff, I guess."
 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by -SLIM-:
that was one hell of an at bat...

very good start by Wilson Alvarez too...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Time for the fantasy players to grab Alvarez. He pitched well last year.
 

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Funk Monkey - two different things - longest at bat as far as pitch count goes with any outcome like Clay Henry mentions, and longest with a homer outcome. Cora's may well have been an all time record, not sure. My comment was for an at bat with any outcome. Anyway, quite night for Cora.


wil.
 

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This is driving me nuts. The answer has to be SOMEWHERE. Looks like Cora is pretty close to the any-outcome record (if such a record exists).

As for longest AB w/homer, I think Cora set the record (just a guess).

Anyway, I'm sure ESPN will have an answer in the next couple hours. They've probably got an intern looking for the info as we speak.

Found this while doing a Google search:

What the record is for the most pitches ever delivered to a single batter at bat?

Dick Vitales wrote:

Do you know a source of information to tell me what the record is for the most pitches ever delivered to a single batter at bat?

Craig Tomarkin wrote:

Dick,

I'm forwarding your question to Mike Attiyeh, our trivia expert (attiyeh@baseballguru.com).

I once heard that Luke Appling fouled off a record number of pitches in an at bat, but I don't know how many it was or if his record stands.

Sincerely,

Craig Tomarkin

BaseballGuru.com

Mike Attiyeh's Response

Hello Dick,

I am afraid we'll never know with great certainty such an answer, for such specific a ledger was not kept in the early years of baseball. These days, of course, almost every conceivable record or count is kept by the teams and certain medias.

Yet, Dick, it might interest you to learn that certain reports reveal Luke Appling of the White Sox fouled off 15 Bob Feller pitches over a single plate appearance during Feller's 1940 opening day no-hitter. Also, Richie Ashburn of the Phillies once fouled off 14 straight pitches from Cincinnati hurler Corky Valentine - in a 1954 game - before drawing a walk.

I hope that helps.

Happy Holidays!
 

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Funk if you don't have an answer by tomorrow I will try to help, right now I am calling it a night.

Later, willy.
 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wilheim:
Funk if you don't have an answer by tomorrow I will try to help, right now I am calling it a night.

Later, willy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wil, you actually go to sleep? I just figured you were on these forums 24/7!

1036316054.gif
 

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More info. My quest for the answer has led me to German websites...and I don't even speak German.

At this point, I'm gonna say:

1) 20 pitches is the record for longest AB.
2) Alex Cora set the record for longest AB w/homer. Go figure. Alex Cora? He only has 19 homers in 1600+ career at-bats!!!!!!!!!!

Geschrieben von Didi (04/13/04 - 12:50:00)
Hab was historisches gefunden..
Pfuh, das wäre was für mein Astl
--
Taken from: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/20020626aim.shtml (interessante Seite für unsere Statistikfreaks....)

[...]
20-pitch at-bat occurred on June 26, 1998. Bartolo Colon was pitching to Ricky Gutierrez with the Indians leading the Astros 4-2 in the eighth inning with none out in Cleveland.

Strike 0-1
Strike 0-2
Foul 0-2
Ball 1-2
Foul 1-2
Ball 2-2
Foul 2-2
Foul 2-2
Foul 2-2
Foul 2-2
Foul 2-2
Foul 2-2
Ball 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Strike Strikeout

An 0-2 count, and just 18 pitches later, strike three. It took 13 pitches to make it to a full count. This single plate appearance represents 18% of all the pitches Colon threw that day.

The 19-pitch at bat occurred on July 23, 1988 with Steve Bedrosian pitching to Kevin Bass, Astros and Phillies tied at six with two outs in the eigth inning.

Foul 0-1
Ball 1-1
Foul 1-2
Ball 2-2
Foul 2-2
Foul 2-2
Ball 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
Foul 3-2
In Play Flies out to left-center

Eleven straight foul balls. That's more consecutive pitches fouled off than 99.8881% of batters see in their entire plate appearance. Bedrosian faced 10 batters and threw just 52 pitches in this relief appearance.
[...]
 

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I would love to find the answer. I have 2 Red Sox that come to mind as guesses....

Marty Barrett/Wade Boggs
 

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