Joining the 10/10 Club
The clock is ticking, but Zack Greinke and Michael Lorenzen might gain admission
Zack Greinke is known as a free thinker, and the Houston Astros pitcher lived up to his reputation during spring training.
A reporter asked Greinke if he was taking aim at any statistical landmarks. It was assumed, of course, that he would mention wins or strikeouts or something else pitching-oriented.
"The only milestone I care about,” Greinke replied, “is to get 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases."
Yes, he was talking about hitting.
Greinke has always taken pride in his skill at the plate, and with good reason. He batted .328 for the Dodgers over 72 appearances in 2013, and he topped .270 in two other seasons.
But who was aware that his career totals of nine homers and nine steals have left him on the cusp of joining an exclusive group?
Only three pitchers have qualified for the 10/10 Club since baseball entered its modern era in 1901. (Pitchers who spent most of their careers at other positions — yes, that’s you, Babe Ruth — are not eligible):
Harry Howell (1898-1910), a virtual unknown, hit 11 homers and stole 19 bases for five clubs, chiefly the St. Louis Browns.
The great Walter Johnson (1907-1927) had 24 homers and 13 steals for the Washington Senators.
Fellow Hall of Famer Bob Gibson (1959-1975) matched Johnson precisely with totals of 24 and 13 for the St. Louis Cardinals.
And that’s it.
Greinke faces steep odds in his drive to join the 10/10 Club. He plays in the American League, so he’s unlikely to get many opportunities to hit this season. And it seems probable that the universal designated hitter will be adopted in 2022, removing pitchers from the batter’s box evermore.
If Greinke somehow manages to get both a homer and a steal this year, he would rank as the most efficent member of the 10/10 Club, given that he has made only 598 plate appearances in his career. Each of the three pitchers who already hold 10/10 status went to the plate at least 1,489 times.
But that’s not to say that Greinke is the greatest slugger among today’s pitchers. That distinction belongs to Madison Bumgarner, who is entering his second season with the Arizona Diamondbacks after eleven years with the San Francisco Giants.
Bumgarner has blasted 19 home runs in his career. He peaked in 2015 with five homers after hitting four the previous year. Greinke has never totaled more than three homers in a single season.
Adam Wainwright is the other current pitcher with a slugging edge over Greinke. Wainwright, who is beginning his 16th season with the St. Louis Cardinals, has a career total of 10 home runs.
But Bumgarner and Wainwright are no threats to join the 10/10 Club. Neither has stolen a base in his career. Bumgarner hasn’t even tried, while Wainwright was caught stealing twice as a young player. (Greinke’s nine steals have come in 10 attempts.)
Eleven pitchers currently active in the big leagues have hit at least three home runs:
Madison Bumgarner, 19
Adam Wainwright, 10
Zack Greinke, 9
Jake Arrieta, 6
Gerrit Cole, 3
Jacob deGrom, 3
Jon Lester, 3
Steven Matz, 3
The rundown of pitchers with at least three steals is much shorter, as you might expect. Concerns about being injured in a close play at second base generally outweigh any thoughts of derring-do:
Zack Greinke, 9
Michael Lorenzen, 5
Max Scherzer, 3
These two lists drive home the obvious point: Greinke has the best chance — by far — of joining the 10/10 Club. But don’t write off the only other pitcher whose name appears twice.
Michael Lorenzen, who is beginning his seventh season with the Cincinnati Reds, is just three homers and five steals short of admission. He faces a couple of hurdles — a shoulder injury that will delay his 2021 debut, as well as the likelihood that pitchers won’t get to bat after this season.
But Lorenzen still might get it done. He hit four homers for the Reds in 2018 and stole five bases the following year. If he somehow combined those peak performances in 2021 — a big if, of course — 10/10 honors would be his.
We’ll be watching.