These players were the perfect base stealers
By JERRY TAPP
Can you name the two Milwaukee Brewers players who stole 10 or more bases in a single season and did not get caught stealing in that season? Answer at the end of this blog.)
Imagine going a whole season and never getting caught stealing. Pretty impressive, huh? But it’s even more impressive if you swiped more than a handful of bases in a season without getting caught.
Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich started the 2022 season by swiping 16 bases without getting caught. On August 6, however, in a game versus the Cincinnati Reds, Yelich was caught stealing ending his streak at 16 steals.
Based on research from baseball-reference.com, there have been 10 players who had 15 or more stolen bases in a season without getting caught stealing. Topping the list is Chase Utley who in 2009 stole 23 bases for the Phillies without ever getting caught. Here’s a look at the 10 players who stole 15 of more bases in a season without having a caught stealing on their stat line for the year:
23-Chase Utley, 2009, Philadelphia
22-Alcides Escobar, 2013, Kansas City
21-Quintin Berry, 2012, Detroit
21-Kevin McReynolds, 1988, New York Mets
20-Paul Molitor, 1994, Toronto
18-Craig Gentry, 2011, Texas
17-Tim LoCastro, 2019, Arizona
16-Jimmy Sexton, 1982, Oakland
16-Gary Thurman, 1989, Kansas City
15-Davey Lopes. 1984, Cubs/Oakland
(If the name Quintin Berry (pictured above) looks familiar, he is currently the first base coach for the Brewers.)
There are currently 68 occasions in MLB history where a player has stolen ten or more bases in a season without a caught stealing on his stats. Of those 68, there are currently five players here in 2022 that are on the list: Tim Anderson of the White Sox, JT Realmuto of the Phillies and Josh Rojas of the D’Backs have each stolen 13 bases this year without getting caught. Michael Harris of the Braves has stolen 12 with a caught stealing this year, and Trevor Story of the Red Sox has 10 swipes and has not been caught this year.
It’s interesting to note that Yelich will not make the list this year because he was caught stealing in that August 6 contest, however, he did make the list in 2013 with the Marlins when he stole 10 bases that season without getting caught.
Did you make your guess on the two Brewers players who stole 10 or more bases in a season without getting caught that same year? You may find the answer very interesting. Both John Jaha in 1992 and Travis Shaw in 2017 stole 10 bases in a season without getting caught. Not two players you’d expect on the list, was it?
