Triple Milestones 2013

This is the final examination of players who during the 2013 season achieved the triple milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in 2013.Offensive production in the major leagues was down in 2013.  The number of runs and home runs per game both decreased in 2013 after a slight increase in 2012.  Batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average dropped in 2013 to the lowest levels in over 20 years.

Runs were down in 2013 to the lowest level in over 20 years.  Home runs were at the lowest level since 1993.  Only two players hit 40 or more home runs in 2013 compared to six in 2012. The 30 home run level was reached by only 14 players in 2013 compared to 27 in 2012.

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 three players reached all three milestones in 2013, the lowest since 1992, Of the 14 players with 30+ home runs, only four batted over .300 and three had 100+ RBIs.

The three players who made the .300-30-100 club were Miguel Cabrera, for the seventh time, David Ortiz, for the fourth time and Paul Goldschmidt, the only National League player, for the first time.  Goldschmidt became the 172 ^nd player to register at least one .300-30-100 season starting with Babe Ruth in 1920.

Following is a listing of players who achieved triple milestones in 2013.

Player                  Times    BAVG    HR    RBI           Comments

Miguel Cabrera      7             .348          44     137        Comparable to Triple Crown year in 2012.

David Ortiz              4              .309         30     103        First time since 2007.

Paul Goldschmidt  1             .302          36     125        Also recorded 15 stolen bases.

Three players achieved triple milestones in 2012 but fell short in 2013:

                                             2012                                             2013

Player                   Times  BAVG-HR-RBI        BAVG-HR-RBI    

Ryan Braun             3        .319-41-112                     .298- 9- 38     Derailed by PED suspension.

Adrian Beltre         2        .321-36-102                    .315-30- 92    Came up short on RBIs.

Prince Fielder        1        .313-30-108                   .279-25-106   Had an off-year.

Since baseball is now in a low scoring era, it has become more difficult for players to achieve triple milestones.  Several players came close this year

Player BAVG-HR-RBI Comments

Mike Trout           .323-27- 97           Walks too much to put up big power numbers.

Robinson Cano   .314-27-107         Comes close every year.

Adrian Beltre      .315-30- 92            Has done it before.

Chris Davis          .286-53-138           BAVG fell in September.

Adam Jones        .285-33-108           Best year of career.

The following list contains the names of players, active in 2013, 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 like Matt Holliday, but not at the same level as in his peak years.  Since this list was started in 2004, Ortiz is the only player that has come back with another triple milestone season.

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.

Five minor league players also recorded triple milestone seasons. Only three are under the age of 30.

No college players achieved triple milestones in 2013

Pitchers also strive for triple milestones – 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00. Only one pitcher made all three in 2013 – Max Scherzer 21-240-2.90. In the current low scoring environment, it might be expected that more pitchers would make all three. Five pitchers (listed below) had over 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00 but fell short of 20 wins.  There are factors that tend to make it more difficult for starting pitchers to pick up wins in the current environment. Low scoring games are frequently decided in the late innings when the starting pitcher is long gone. Starting pitchers tend to be taken out earlier in today’s game, which reduces their chances of being involved in the decision.

Pitcher Wins-Strikeouts-ERA

Yu Darvish                                    13-277-2.83

Clayton Kershaw                      16-232-1.83

Cliff Lee                                           14-222-2.67

Adam Wainwright                   19-219-2.94

Anibal Sanchez                          14-202-2.57

A complete list of hitters with triple milestone seasons since 1920 can be found at Baseball-Almanac, with the following link.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/triple_milestones.shtml