Terrible Card Tuesday: 1946 Jim Bagby

Pitcher Jim Bagby was a two-time All-Star who won in double digits with the Red Sox and the Indians in the 30s and 40s.  But in his second go-round with the Sox in 1946, he had lost most of his stuff.  He wasn’t awful on the mound managing a 7-6 record with a decent 3.71 ERA.  He didn’t have his magic from the early 40s. 

But in case you haven’t picked up on it, what makes this card so interesting is the plethora of 24s.  As reader Tom Zuppa, (who suggested this card) said, “Not sure I’ve ever seen a 13-24 or a 53-24. Must have upset someone in Lancaster.”

Bagby hit into three rally killers in 44 plate appearances in 1946.  It’s hard to calculate for double plays for APBA cards.  It’s not as easy as say, homeruns.  If a player hits 1 homerun in 36 PA, it’s simple.  Give him one ‘1’.  But if a player hits one DP in 36 PA, one 24 won’t do it.  That assumes their will be a runner on base to translate that 24 into a double play. 

That of course, does not account for the requisite 12 and 25 that (almost) always appear on APBA cards as well as the number of the normal groundouts that turn two outs.  I say “almost” because I’ve noticed APBA has been changing the 25 on particular cards in recent years.  This pleases my friend Brando who loved to rant about the 12-25 on Craig Biggio’s 1997 card (he had 0 double plays in 744 PA). 

I don’t think there is an easy way to replicate double plays to an accurate degree.  Nor do I think should there be.  Those who hit into more DPs should have more 24s, yes but to strive for an accurate count is futile and unnecessary.

Back to Jim Bagby… other than those nasty 24s on his 1946 card, he was a decent hitter. He ended up with 56 rbis and three homers for his career.  He even scored in double digits in his first two years with Boston making me wonder if he was used as a pinch runner.  He did have a propensity to hit into the double play though with a total of 14 in his ten year career.