Fastest Orioles of All Time

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Jack Cust was so fast that he would trip over his own feet running the basepath.

 

[yark14]

If/when he makes the majors, Enrique Bradfield will take the crown as fastest Oriole ever.  He's faster than Mateo, IMO.

[Moose Milligan]

On 11/9/2023 at 10:12 AM, yark14 said:

If/when he makes the majors, Enrique Bradfield will take the crown as fastest Oriole ever.  He's faster than Mateo, IMO.

Would like to see a foot race up the 1B line between the two. 

[Can_of_corn]

46 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Would like to see a foot race up the 1B line between the two. 

If Mateo is at Spring Training it will happen, albiet probably in the outfield.

[RZNJ]

For some reason this thread got me thinking about an ex Oriole by the name of Larry Harlow who was pretty fast and had a good arm from the OF.  Larry must have been the worst base stealer of all time for a guy with good speed.  In the minors he stole 96 bases and was caught 80 times.  They continued to let him run in the majors.  He stole 26 and was caught 21 times.  Late 70’s.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=harlow001lar

[Frobby]

6 hours ago, RZNJ said:

For some reason this thread got me thinking about an ex Oriole by the name of Larry Harlow who was pretty fast and had a good arm from the OF.  Larry must have been the worst base stealer of all time for a guy with good speed.  In the minors he stole 96 bases and was caught 80 times.  They continued to let him run in the majors.  He stole 26 and was caught 21 times.  Late 70’s.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=harlow001lar

This sent me on a little quest to figure out who had the most caught stealings while getting thrown out more than half the time.  The answer apoears to be a guy named Pat Duncan, who was thrown out 84 times in only 139 attempts (39.6% success rate).   You’d think he would have gotten the hint somewhere along the way!

Babe Ruth was damned close,  123 SB in 239 attempts for a 51.5% success rate.   Also Babe Herman, 94 SB in 187 attempts, 50.3%.   In 1934 Herman attempted 12 steals and was thrown out 11 times.  Oops. 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Frobby

[interloper]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:42 PM, backwardsk said:

Plus one for Corey Patterson. He was so effortlessly fast.

Loved Patterson.

 

[ChuckS]

Can't remember which Orioles team it was, but I distinctly remember David Newhan beating the entire team in a sprinting contest.  Corey Patterson may have been on those teams. 

The fastest guys aren't always the best base stealers.  Mike Devereaux was a big time college track prospect, but a relatively poor base stealer. 

[baltfan]

9 hours ago, ChuckS said:

Can't remember which Orioles team it was, but I distinctly remember David Newhan beating the entire team in a sprinting contest.  Corey Patterson may have been on those teams. 

The fastest guys aren't always the best base stealers.  Mike Devereaux was a big time college track prospect, but a relatively poor base stealer. 

Devo wasn’t that fast on the bases.  He was a little like Gunnar in that his top speed was good but it took him a little to get going.