Triple Milestones – 2010

Offensive production in the major leagues in 2010 was down significantly from 2009. The number of runs per game has declined each year from 9.72 in 2006 to 8.77 in 2010. The home run rate of 1.90 per game was down from the 2.02 rate in 2009. The major league batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average were all the lowest since 1992. All offensive categories are significantly below the peak year of 2000 as illustrated in the following table:

Year  Runs/Game HR/Game  BAVG	OBA    SLG    OPS	Triple Milestone Hitters
----  --------- -------  ----   ----   ----   ---     ------------------------
1990     8.51     1.58   .258  .324   .386   .710			2
1991     8.62     1.61   .255  .323   .384   .707			3
1992     8.23     1.44   .256  .322   .377   .699			2
1993     9.20     1.78   .266  .332   .404   .736			5
1994     9.85     2.07   .270  .339   .424   .763			3
1995     9.69     2.02   .267  .338   .417   .755			8
1996	10.07     2.19   .270  .340   .427   .767		       21
1997	 9.53     2.05   .267  .337   .419   .756		        7
1998	 9.58     2.08   .266  .335   .420   .755	               14
1999	10.17     2.28   .271  .345   .434   .779	               19
2000    10.28     2.34   .271  .345   .437   .782		       26
2001     9.55     2.25   .264  .332   .427   .759	               21
2002     9.24     2.09   .261  .331   .417   .748		       12
2003	 9.46     2.14   .264  .332   .422   .754		        8
2004     9.63     2.25   .266  .335   .428   .763		       12
2005     9.18     2.06   .265  .330   .419   .749		       10
2006     9.72     2.22   .269  .336   .432   .768		       13
2007	 9.59     2.04   .268  .336   .423   .759		        8
2008	 9.30     2.01   .264  .333   .417   .750  		        7
2009     9.23     2.02   .262  .333   .418   .751                       6
2010     8.77     1.90   .257  .325   .403   .728                       6

Jose Bautista of Toronto hit 54 home runs, the first player to reach 50 since Alex Rodriguez in 2007. Two players hit 40 or more home runs in 2010 compared to five in 2009. The 30 home run level was reached by 18 players in 2010 compared to 30 in 2009.

A useful indicator for tracking offense is the number of players who hit for both power and average by achieving a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in. A record 26 players reached all three milestones in 2000, but that figure has dropped significantly in recent years. Only six players reached all three milestones in 2010, the same as in 2009. Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera were the only players who made it in both 2009 and 2010.

The remarkable career of Albert Pujols merits further attention. He has now played exactly 10 full seasons in the major leagues, establishing his Hall of Fame credentials. In each season, he has batted over .300 with over 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. Only Babe Ruth (12) has more such seasons and his best was eight in a row. An average season for Pujols is .331-41-123. Surprisingly, he has led the National League in batting and RBIs only once, and in home runs twice.

Three players from each league achieved all three milestones in 2010. Pujols became the only player to do it in his first 10 seasons. There were two newcomers to the .300-30-100 club in 2010, Joey Votto and Carlos Gonzalez, bringing the total to 166 players who have registered at least one .300-30-100 season starting with Babe Ruth in 1920.

Following is a listing of players who achieved triple milestonesin 2010:

Player	         Times  BAVG-HR-RBI         Comments
National
Albert Pujols     10    .312-42-118  One of the all-time greats.
Joey Votto         1    .324-37-113  Strong contender for MVP.
Carlos Gonzalez    1    .336-34-117  An emerging superstar.

Player	         Times  BAVG-HR-RBI         Comments
American
Miguel Cabrera	   4	.328-38-126  New high in home runs.
Josh Hamilton      2    .359-32-100  Three RBIs in last weekend.
Paul Konerko       2    .312-39-111  Consistent all year.

Four players achieved triple milestones in 2009 but fell short in 2010:

Player	        Times    BAVG-HR-RBI    BAVG-HR-RBI
                In Past      2009           2010     Comments
Derrek Lee         2     .306-35-111    .260-19- 80  Couldn’t get untracked.
Ryan Braun         3     .320-32-114    .304-25-103  Power down.
Kendry Morales     2     .306-34-108    .290-11- 39  Season wrecked by injury.
Adam Lind          2     .305-35-114    .237-23- 72  Couldn’t overcome slow start.

The biggest obstacle in reaching triple milestones in 2010 was batting average. Nine players had 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in 2010 but fell short of a .300 batting average.

Adrian Gonzalez		 .298-31-101      Just missed.
Dan Uggla		 .287-33-105	  New highs in all three categories
Corey Hart		 .283-31-102      New highs in HR and RBI.
Ryan Howard              .276-31-108      Well below his norms.
David Ortiz              .270-32-102      Came on strong after slow start.
Alex Rodriguez           .270-30-125      Is he starting a decline?
Jose Bautista            .260-54-124      The year’s big surprise.
Adam Dunn                .260-38-103      Typical Dunn year.
Mark Teixeira            .256-33-108      Another slow start.

Four other players came close to triple milestones in 2010, just missing on home runs.

Robinson Cano            .319-29-109      Would have been first time.
Vladimir Guererro        .300-29-115      Has done it 8 times.
Matt Holliday	         .312-28-103      Did it in 2006-2007.
Adrian Beltre            .321-28-102      Did it with Dodgers in 2004.

A growing list contains the names of players, active in 2010, who have had multiple .300-30-100 seasons in the past but have not done it in the last three years. Many have been limited by injuries. Some are still very productive players but not at the same level they were in their peak years. Since this list was started in 2004, not one player has come back with another .300-30-100 season.

Last.300-30-100 .300-30-100

Player	          Seasons       Season       2010     Comments
Vladimir Guerrero    8           2006    .300-29-115  Comeback year fell just short.
Todd Helton          5           2003    .256- 8- 37  In serious decline.
Chipper Jones        5           2001    .265-10- 46  Has become injury prone.
Jason Giambi         4           2002    .244- 6- 35  Strictly a bench player now.
Magglio Ordonez      4           2002    .303-12- 59  Season cut short by injury.
Ken Griffey, Jr.     3           1997    .184- 0-  7  Two generations are now gone.
Lance Berkman        3           2006    .248-14- 58  Bat has slowed down.
David Ortiz          3           2007    .270-32-102  Still has power.
Jim Thome            2           2002    .283-25- 59  Still a useful player.
Aramis Ramirez       2           2004    .241-25- 83  Can’t stay healthy.
Miguel Tejada        2           2004    .269 15- 71  Gradual decline continues.
Travis Hafner        2           2006    .278-13- 50  Can’t play every day.
Vernon Wells         2           2006    .273-31- 88  Somewhat of a comeback.
Matt Holliday        2           2007    .312-28-103  Made it only with Rockies.

In his 1988 Baseball Abstract, Bill James referred to triple
milestone seasons as “Hall of Fame Seasons”. This was because all of the eligible players with 5 or more triple milestone seasons had been
elected to the Hall of Fame. This correlation has continued to hold but is likely to break down when Juan Gonzalez becomes eligible in 2011.

No teams had two players with triple milestones in 2009. With Joey Votto of the Reds making the list, twenty nine of the thirty major league teams have now had at least one triple milestone hitter since the year 2000. Kansas City has not had a triple milestone hitter since Danny Tartabull in 1991.

Minor league players also recorded triple milestone seasons in 2010.

Player		Team (Level)	 Organization     Age	BAVG-HR-RBI  

Rich Poythress    High Desert (HiA)  Seattle	   22   .315-31-129 

Paul Goldschmidt  Visalia (HiA)      Arizona       22   .314-35-108

Another had Triple Milestone Stats in the minors but not overall.

Mark Trumbo       Salt Lake City (AAA) Los Angeles 24   .301-36-122
                  Los Angeles (AL)                      .067- 0-  2
                                                        .294-36-124

Another came very close.

Clint Robinson	NW Arkansas (AA)  Kansas City      24   .335-29- 98

No college players achieved triple milestones in 2010.

Pitchers also strive for triple milestones – 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00. No pitchers made it in 2009. However, in 2010, the year of the pitcher, two pitchers made it, Adam Wainwright (20-11, 213, 2.42) and Roy Halladay (21-10, 219, 2.44). Halladay made it in 2008 and Wainwright just missed in 2009.