Most Sacrifice Flies Allowed in a Season Since 1956

Every once in a while a Google search that leads to my blog catches my eye. Someone looked up MLB pitchers with the most sacrifice flies, or something to that effect, and wound up here. I'm not sure whether they were looking for SF hit by pitchers (which I posted about in Sept. 2008) or SF allowed by pitchers, but I was intrigued. I decided to look up the most sacrifice flies allowed by pitchers. Sac flies weren't recorded until 1954 and Retrosheet data only goes back to 1956 anyway, so this record is for seasons since 1956.

Most Sacrifice Flies Allowed in a Season
(1956-2008)

• Larry Gura, 17 - 1983 Royals
• Jaime Navarro, 17 - 1993 Brewers
  
• Charlie Hough, 16 - 1991 White Sox
  
• Doc Medich, 15 - 1975 Yankees
• Randy Lerch, 15 - 1979 Phillies
• Dave Stewart, 15 - 1991 Oakland
  
• Dave Morehead, 14 - 1964 Red Sox
• Jim Palmer, 14 - 1976 Orioles
• Nolan Ryan, 14 - 1978 Angels
• Rick Reuschel, 14 - 1980 Cubs
• Charlie Hough, 14 - 1987 Rangers
• Rick Reuschel, 14 - 1988 Giants
• Rich DeLucia, 14 - 1991 Mariners
• David Wells, 14 - 1996 Orioles
• Jaime Navarro, 14 - 1997 White Sox
• Steve Trachsel, 14 - 1999 Cubs
• Barry Zito, 14 - 2008 Giants

While leading the league last year, Zito became the first pitcher to allow 14 or more sac flies in a season since 1999 and only the fourteenth pitcher since 1956. Time will tell if he'll join Jaime Navarro, Charlie Hough, and Rick Reuschel as guys who did it twice.

We know Zito had the most SF-prone season of the 2000's, but who else is up there on the list? Below are the twenty seasons with 11+ SF allowed since 2000.

1. Barry Zito, 14 - 2008 Giants
2. Paul Byrd, 13 - 2002 Royals
   
3. Kris Benson, 13 - 2006 Orioles
4. Chris Holt, 12 - 2000 Astros
5. Jose Lima, 12 - 2000 Astros
6. Jesus Sanchez, 12 - 2000 Marlins
7. Livan Hernandez, 12 - 20001 Giants
8. Paul Wilson, 12 - 2001 Devil Rays
9. Brian Anderson, 12 - 2003 Indians/Royals
10. Daniel Cabrera, 12 - 2008 Orioles
11. Greg Maddux, 11 - 2001 Braves
12. Jamie Moyer, 11 - 2001 Mariners
13. Frank Castillo, 11 - 2002 Red Sox
14. Jeff Suppan, 11 - 2002 Royals
15. Matt Kinney, 11 - 2003 Brewers
16. Ryan Franklin, 11 - 2004 Mariners
17. Mike Maroth, 11 - 2005 Tigers
    
18. Nate Robertson, 11 - 2005 Tigers
19. Jeff Suppan, 11 - 2007 Brewers
20. Miguel Batista, 11 - 2008 Mariners

Allowing ten sacrifice flies in a season has been done thirty-two times since 2000. Five different pitchers did so in 2008:

• Brian Bannister, Royals
• Aquilino Lopez, Tigers
• Gil Meche, Royals
• Kenny Rogers, Tigers
• Greg Smith, Oakland

There's just something about being a Royals or Tigers pitcher that means you give up sac flies, I guess. Lopez's place on the list is impressive given the fact he made all his appearances in relief. He's one of only two relievers to reach 10 SF allowed since 2000. The other was Paul Quantrill in 2005.