Hot streaks

One reason for the popularity of the NBA is that a single great player, assisted by a worthy supporting task, can carry his team a long way. For example, Michael Jordan played in six NBA finals series, won all six (never being extended to a seventh game), led all six in scoring, and won all six series MVP awards.

In contrast, baseball is less satisfying to contemporary tastes because one guy can’t dominate Jordan-style. More players are required and the sample sizes are smaller so the results are more random than in basketball.

And yet, Shohei Ohtani has managed to carry a not particularly good Los Angeles Dodgers team that a week and a half ago looked ready for an embarrassing collapse down the stretch, and he’s done it from the unlikely position of Designated Hitter. Over his last 8 baseball games, going back to his 6 hit, three homer, two stolen base outburst in which he became the first play ever to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a season, Ohtani has carried the previously slumping Dodgers to a division title, a bye in the first round of the playoffs, and, probably, home field advantage all the way through the World Series. He’s batted .707, with an on base percentage of .737, and a slugging average of 1.412. He has 48 total bases in 34 at bats: 6 homers, 6 doubles, and 12 singles. That adds up to an OPS of 2.149. And add in 8 stolen bases.

Who else has had a similar season-ending hot streak?

In September 1957, Ted Williams, who had just turned 39 was battling 25-year-old Mickey Mantle for the batting title. The Mick wound up hitting a career high .365. Williams came down with a horrible case of the flu and was out of action from September 2 through September 16.

When he returned, he was still so ill that he could only pinch hit in his first four games back. The Splendid Splinter hit 3 homers and got a walk. He then started the last 7 games. Over the last 11 games, he slashed .667 / .813 / 1.611 / 2.424. Williams finished the season with a ridiculous .388 average in an era of moderate statistics.

On the other hand, Williams didn’t steal any bases and his Red Sox still finished 16 games behind Mantle’s Yankees for the World Series berth.

In 2018, Christian Yelich finished the season with hot streak of .488 / .621 / 1.116 / 1.737 in which he powered the Milwaukee Brewers to an 11-2 closing record to win their division by one game.

I’m sure there are more season ending hot streaks, but those are ones I can remember.