Happy Pi Day, everyone! What the hell is pi day? Well, it's a slightly nerdy celebration about the value of the mathematical constant pi, which has a value of 3.14 (along with a neverending series of numbers after the 4). Anyway, I thought it would be cute to look at the number 3.14 (and it's variants with the decimal shifted around) in a baseball context.
-Not one MLB player with at least 100 plate appearances in 2012 hit .314.
-Not one MLB starting pitcher with at least 100 innings pitched in 2012 had a 3.14 ERA.
-The only MLB reliever that threw at least 20 innings with a 3.14 ERA was Sam LeCure of the Reds.
-No starter or reliever had a strikeout or walk rate of exactly 3.14 in 2012.
-Among the MLB starters with a career ERA of 3.14: Johan Santana, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright, and John Tudor.
-Among the MLB starters with a career strikeout rate of 3.14: Bill Lee, Lee Richmond, Sarge Connally, and Rube Foster.
-Among the MLB starters with a career walk rate of 3.14: Hipolito Pichardo, Armando Reynoso, Mike Harkey, and Ramon Ortiz.
-Gaylord Perry is the only player with 314 career wins
-Four MLB starters have a career 31.4 fWAR: Mike Scott, Dick Ellsworth, Tim Belcher, and Mike Krukow.
-Five MLB relievers with a career ERA of 3.14: Kazuhiro Sasaki, Steve Farr, Manny Sarmiento, Wally Ritchie, and Wayne Granger.
-No reliever has a career 3.14 strikeout rate
-Three relievers have a career 3.14 walk rate: Hideki Okajima, Rich Bordi, and Tom Buskey.
-Robb Nen has 314 career saves
-No MLB reliever has 31.4 fWAR. In fact, only Mariano Rivera has crossed the 30 fWAR threshold has a reliever.
-Three players have a .314 career batting average: Bibb Falk, Cecil Travis, and Buster Posey.
-Reggie Smith is the only player with 314 career home runs
-Andre Dawson and Rafael Furcal both have 314 career stolen bases.
-Billy Werber is the only hitter with 31.4 career fWAR.
I hope you all enjoyed this incredibly nerdy look at Pi Day from a baseball perspective. And of course, Josh Johnson and his 3.14 career ERA is starting for the Blue Jays today against the Yankees.
