Bear Down Wildcats

Astounding Tony Gwynn Facts of the Week

OK, I know I spewed a bunch of astounding Gwynn facts the other day. But I've got a million of them!

• Over an eight-year period from 1989-96, Tony Gwynn swung and missed an average of three times a week. Our man Adam Dunn, on the other hand, averaged four swings and misses a game last season.

• Have I mentioned that these Dunn-Gwynn comparions never get old? In 1995, Gwynn struck out 15 times all season -- in 535 at-bats. In 2012, Dunn had a week (April 13-19) in which he struck out 15 times -- in 27 at-bats.

• Gwynn had eight different seasons in which he qualified for the batting title and struck out fewer than 20 times. No active player has ever even had one season like that. And since Gwynn debuted in 1982, 3,382 different position players have come to the plate in the major leagues. They've combined for two seasons like that (by Ozzie Smith and Felix Fermin).

• Finally, Gwynn had seven different seasons in which he hit .350 or better (and qualified for the batting title). That's as many as all active players put together (if you don't count Alex Rodriguez as "active") -- three by Ichiro Suzuki, two by Albert Pujols, one each by Joe Mauer and Josh Hamilton.