Don’t pass over these images, click on then read them over, explore them for yourself.
These Baseball Infographics were created by Craig Robinson of www.flipflyball.com. When you visit the site it will open to a wide selection of his previous baseball related illustrations. I’m going to highlight a few here now in the hopes you might explore these a little further for yourselfs. I have seen these graphics on the internet before and passed right over them. When I actually stopped and appreciated not only the quality and thoroughness but also the uniqueness and creativity. These aren’t your run of the mill illustrations. When you look a little closer you’ll find some are hilarious and others are though provoking. Either way you want to learn something new everyday and have something to talk about – check a new one out each day. I’m going to continue to review this blog and highlight illustrations over the course of the next few weeks.
Before I highlight these illustrations I want to also urge you to review the right sidebar on flipflyball.com.
Robinson has several other interesting links posted on his site. Don’t skim over the top! For the most part, the links are self explanatory and send you in the right direction. In addition, Craig Robinson has also created several similar illustration and graphics sites that are worth checking out.
The main site: http://www.flipflopflyin.com/
Baseball inforgraphics: http://www.flipflyball.com/
Atlas Schmatlas: http://www.flipflopflyin.com/atlasschmatlas/
Robinson’s Blogroll
Base-Ball Reference.Com was used to find names.
This graph is titled BORN IN THE U.S.A or Domincan Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Japan, Australia
Graph Notes:
Players born in Russia included as European-Born.
Only one player was born in Africa, Al Cabrera – Who played for the 1913 Cardinals – was born in the Spanish-Ruled Canary Islands which is just 62 miles west of Western Sahara
Ed Porray – Pitching 3 games for the 1914 Buffalo Buffeds – was born on a ship on the Atlantic Ocean.
KEY DATES
1880-84 – Peak of European-Born Players
1956 – Ozzie Virgil Becomes First Dominican-Born Major Leaguer
1964 – Masanori Murakamie Becomes First Japanese Major Leaguer
Key Numbers
In 2009
Key and Interesting Findings
The emergence of Japanese and other Asian-born players did not start until the late 90s. (98’-99’) Even then, it wasn’t until around 2004-2005 when the number of Japanese/Asian-born players began to boom. (Seen in Green)
At the same time the number of players from the United States, Canada, and Mexico began to level off.
(Seen in Shades of Red)
During 2000-2004 the number of Dominican-Republic and Puerto Rican players skyrocketed. From 2005-2009 the numbers increased but they’re expansion into the league is starting to slow down and is beginning to level off.
In addition, during the 2000s the number of Venezuelan players increased dramatically and the current influx of players from Venezuela and Other Nations in the Americas is likely to continue as they’re rate of expansion has not began to level off. The same can be said for Japanese-born players including Other Asian Nations. Baseball in Japan has exploded over the past 15-years and has show no signs of losing its popularity or allure among the Japanese.
A small population of European-born players has remained in the Major Leagues and hasn’t seen tremendous growth or decline since 1880-84, the peak of European-Born players in the majors.
This is an illustration of how many World Series Winners that were able to clinch in front of their home fans. MLB has seen 105 World Series and 51 one of them have been clinched and Home, meaning the remaining 54 were clinched on the Road.
Some other key stats:
36 World Series HAVE GONE SEVEN GAMES
18 of them have been Won at Home
18 ave been Won on the Road
Notes
o None of the Best-of-Nine series have ever gone to a Game Nine
This is one of my favorites illustrations from the site, Home Runs & PEDS(Performance-enhancing Drugs). It takes a look at the top 25 home run hitters in MLB history.
Players in light blue played prior to steroid era, and the darker shade of blue was during the steroid era. Light pink represents players who were implicated in PED use, and Hot pink are players who admitted using banned substances. Orange represents players that were suspended for PED use by major league baseball. Lastly, the names on the bottom highlighted in yellow represent active players.
The numbers, players, and totals in this graph were current in Janurary 2010. So obviously Ken Griffey Jr. would now be white, as far as Gary Sheffield – he still plays baseball, he sure fell off the map? A-Rod would have moved up in the list, but doesn’t change the fact he took banned substances. Jim Thome would have surpassed Rafael Palmeiro by now, just as Manny Ramirez has surpassed Mike Schmidt.
Now that you’re up to date and so is the graph.
Key Numbers
762 – Record held by Barry Bonds who is heavily implicated in PED use
755 – Hank Aaron – the “TRUE’ home run record holder
630 – Ken Griffey, Jr. who played during the Steriod Era but was never implicated.
609 – Sammy Sosa – Chicago Cubs RF Slammin Sammy was also implicated for his PED use.
583 – Mark McGwire “Big Mac” went ahead and finally admitted using banned substances.
583- Alex Rodriguez – A-Rod or A-Fraud admitted his use of banned substances but denies PEDS.
569 – Rafael Palmeiro who was suspended by MLB for his PED use
564 – Jime Thome – Like Griffey, true power
546 – Manny Ramirez – Manny spent some time on the sidelines as a Dodger after he was suspended by MLB for his PED use.
521 – Frank Thomas - The beast from the Southside. Chicago White Sox slugger played during the steroid era, and surprisingly was never implicated in PED use.
509 – Gary Sheffield – Admitted using banned substances
If you look at the chart and add it up:
Of the top 25 home run hitters in MLB history
14 – Played Prior to the ‘Steriod Era”
Of the remaining 11 who have played during the ‘Steriod Era”
3 – have Admitted using Banned Substances
2 – Are still Implicated in PED use
2 – have been Suspended for PED use
Of the top 25 home run hitters who played during the “Steriod Era” only Frank Thomas, Jim Thome, Ken Griffey Jr, and Eddie Murray have never been implicated or suspended for PED use or other banned substances.
Check this site out yourself or keeping checking back for more reviews and highlights of flipflyball.com and other baseball infographic and illustration sites and blogs.
