Clinch-skits Duo Chase History

As the Biscuits are on the verge of sending Montgomery to their third consecutive postseason, a couple of their stalwart bats are setting records.

With a victory over the Baybears on Monday Montgomery will punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Even if they lose, its possible the Biscuits will be celebrating - if the Smokies get beaten in Bham Tennessee would fall out of contention.


Putting it all together, Brady Williams has taken the club to the fall showdown in each season he has been at the helm.


With only three games left, the time is now to catch Biscuits in the last few contests of the regular season and get a preview of our playoff contenders. Even bandwagon fans should know this is the time to pile on!

BIG BISCUIT BATS
A large part of the success this summer has been from the productive bats at the middle of the lineup. Up and down the batting order, Biscuit players have produced consistently. Among the best of these hitters have been Joe McCarthy and Grant Kay, both now eclipsing single season franchise records in walks and doubles, respectively.

With over 80 bases on balls, 1B/OF Joe McCarthy worked his way up the Biscuits all time numbers, passing Cameron Seitzer's 82 "just looking's" to take first place.

Mojo knows the strike zone and by now Southern League pitchers know they probably are better off not to challenge him and just let him take one base free.

Grant Kay

Playing mostly third base, Grant Kay has pounded the ball against the wall for 36 doubles so far, taking over the top spot in Biscuits single season two baggers.

Not bad for a guy I predicted would have good speed and a little pop!

Grant is a blue collar guy who gets the job done without making it look fancy.  He handles both corner infield spots and has the speed to turn singles into doubles.

HOW THEY STAND

I wondered how these two All-Time Biscuit feats stacked up historically and was surprised at what I found.

Garnering over 80 bases on balls in a single season is impressive, Mojo McCarthy truly has the best eye among all Biscuits. However, it appears that Grant Kay's slugging season and McCarthy's zone awareness are both among the finest performances in the city's history.

I put together a quick list of doubles and bases on balls leaders from 1965, when Montgomery re-entered the Southern League, through 1980 when the city was deprived of affiliated ball.

There are four (or five) names on the list of those with 80+ walks with Montgomery, one name appears twice in the 65-80 era.

Raul Colon

80+ BASES ON BALLS 1965-1980
88 Raul Colon '73
88 Eschen '75
84 Eschen '74
83 Robinson '72
80 Bolek '77
*90 Davidson '65 - combined between two teams

For Davidson, getting 90 walks in a season is amazing but since it takes place for two teams it doesn't qualify as getting them in a Montgomery uniform.

Raul Colon and Eschen share the top spot, for now, but McCarthy could easily pass them for the modern era lead in single season walks wearing a Montgomery uniform.

ALL TIME WALKS MARK LIKELY SAFE
While McCarthy is have a fantastic season, Mojo will need more than just a good week to threaten the Montgomery All Time single season walk record, which goes back just a little earlier than 1965.

Back in 1959 Rebels outfielder Jim Bethea took an amazing 123 free passes. Bethea also hit 21 homers and powered the D-League Rebs to the championship in his rookie season, leading the league in HR, Walks, RBI, OBP and assorted other stats.

DOUBLE DOWN!

Time to talk two bases. Looking farther back in time there are higher totals, but in the modern era its rare to see anyone rack up doubles in Montgomery. For two base knocks, only two players hit 30 or more during those classic Rebels years as a double-A Tigers affiliate.

30+ DOUBLES 1965-1980
31 Jake Wood '69
30 Leon Roberts '73

Grant Kay

BISCUITS RECORD
During the Biscuits era there have been eight players with 30 or more doubles, Grant Kay becoming the eighth this year as he passes Chris Nowak for first on the single season doubles franchise list.

30+ DOUBLES 2004-2016
35 Nowak '08
34 Wrigley '11
32 Field '15
32 Leonard '15
31 Adames '16
30 Washington '05
30 Brignac '07
30 Mahtook '13



ALL TIME DOUBLES RECORD IN REACH
The doubles record by Montgomery hitters is much more attainable for Grant Kay. Two times a player has reached 40 doubles, which could be in reach for the slugging cornerman Kay.

Paul Armstrong

In 1941 Montgomery's doubles record was set at 40, where it currently stands. It was notched by a young outfielder named Paul Armstrong, who would add 36 more doubles for the Rebels the next year. Playing in the minors first for Montgomery, then in Memphis and Miami, Armstrong was consistently getting two bases. A doubles machine, only once in his 13 year career did he fail to hit at least 20 doubles.

The record of 40 two base hits was matched in 1950 by second baseman Frank DiPrima as part of the heavy hitting Grays lineup in the segregated Southeastern League. DiPrima was one of four men with 30 or more doubles for Montgomery that summer.

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