Neyer's top 10 MLB seasons of all time

[OleMissCub]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=3187711

 

1. Barry Bonds, 2001: .328/.515/.863, 259 OPS+, 73 HR, 137 RBI, 177 BB, 129 runs

 

2. Babe Ruth, 1921: .378/.512/.846, 239 OPS+, 59 HR, 44 2B, 16 3B, 171 RBI, 177 runs, 145 BB, 17 SB

 

3. Barry Bonds, 2002: .370/.582/.799, 268 OPS+, 46 HR, 110 RBI, 117 runs, 198 BB

 

4. Babe Ruth, 1920: .376/.533/.849, 256 OPS+, 54 HR, 137 RBI, 158 runs, 150 BB

 

5. Mickey Mantle, 1956: .353/.464/.705, 210 OPS+, 52 HR, 130 RBI, 132 runs

 

6. Honus Wagner, 1908: .354/.415/.542, 205 OPS+, 10 HR, 19 3B, 39 2B, 109 RBI, 100 runs, 53 SB

 

7. Ted Williams, 1941: .406/.553/.735, 235 OPS+, 37 HR, 120 RBI, 147 BB, 135 runs & (only K'd 27 times)

 

8. Pedro Martinez, 1999: 23-4, 2.07 ERA, 0.923 WHIP, 313 K's, 5 complete games, 243 ERA+

 

9. Babe Ruth, 1923: .393/.545/.764, 239 OPS+, 41 HR, 131 RBI, 151 runs, 170 BB, 45 2B, 13 3B, 17 SB

 

10. Lefty Grove, 1931: 31-4, 2.06 ERA, 1.077 WHIP, 175 K's, 4 shutouts, 219 ERA+

 

 

Any seasons that come to mind that he left off?

 

Some of mine that I think he overlooked:

 

-- Bob Gibson, 1968: 22-9, 1.12 ERA, 0.853 WHIP, 268 K's, 258 ERA+, 13 SHUTOUTS!

 

-- Rogers Hornsby, 1922: .401/.459/.722, 207 OPS+, 42 HR, 152 RBI, 46 2B, 14 3B, 141 runs, 250 hits

 

-- Ty Cobb, 1911: .420/.467/.621, 196 OPS+, 47 2B, 24 3B, 127 RBI, 147 runs, 83 stolen bases, 248 hits

 

-- Greg Maddux, 1995: 19-2, 1.63 ERA, 0.811 WHIP, 262 ERA+, 10 complete games & only walked 23

 

-- Dennis Eckersley, 1990: 48 saves, 0.61 ERA, 0.614 WHIP

 

-- Walter Johnson, 1913: 36-7, 1.14 ERA, 0.780 WHIP, 243 K's, 259 ERA+, only 38 BB's

[Ding Dong Johnson]

some of those numbers are mind bottling

[Clem Fandango]

While his OPS wasn't as impressive as some of those years, 1930 Hack Wilson waves hello

 

.356/.454/.723 1.177OPS 178OPS+ 208H 105BB 56HR 191RBI (still a MLB record)

[rawaction]

some of those numbers are mind bottling

 

mind boggling too.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

some of those numbers are mind bottling

 

mind boggling too.

Yeah, mind-bottling. You know, when things are so crazy it gets your thoughts all trapped, like in a bottle.

[UMFan83]

Sammy Sosa 2001: .328/.437/.737 203 OPS+ 64 HR 160 RBI 146 Runs, 116 BB

 

Certainly not in the top 10, but definitely a season that compares with some of those seasons.

[rocket]

pedro's 2000 season should have there with pedro's 1999 season.

 

i think pedro's seasons are the best of all-time. he put up much better numbers than sandy koufax, and that's before you adjust for league, era, and ballpark.

[OleMissCub]

 

i think pedro's seasons are the best of all-time. he put up much better numbers than sandy koufax, and that's before you adjust for league, era, and ballpark.

 

As much as I love my old school boys like Matty and Big Train, I have to agree here.

[Electron Blue]

Interesting that the #s 1/3 and 2/4 of all-time were put up by two players' consecutive seasons.

[Pushfrog98]

pedro's 2000 season should have there with pedro's 1999 season.

 

i think pedro's seasons are the best of all-time. he put up much better numbers than sandy koufax, and that's before you adjust for league, era, and ballpark.

+1

 

If only he had durability on his side...

 

I'd take 3/4 of a season of Pedro during those years over a full year of most any other pitcher though.

[Butterscup1679666578]

My God, Pedro's numbers are so sick.

[Derwood]

I'm not sure the Boston fans truly appreciate how unworldly Pedro was in 1999

[UMFan83]

I'm not sure the Boston fans truly appreciate how unworldly Pedro was in 1999

 

It was like Mark Prior's second half of 2003, but better and for the entire season. Everytime Pedro pitched in 1999-2000, Boston was going to win or lose a very close game.

[Backtobanks]

Babe in 1927: .356/60 HR/164RBI/.486 OBP/.772 slugging

[OleMissCub]

Babe in 1927: .356/60 HR/164RBI/.486 OBP/.772 slugging

 

Lou Gehrig in 1927: .373/.474/.765, 221 OPS+, 47 HR, 175 RBI, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 149 runs

 

THOSE GUYS BATTED BACK TO BACK!!!

 

How in the lord did Gehrig get any RBI's with Ruth batting in front of him?

[MSG T]

Interesting that the #s 1/3 and 2/4 of all-time were put up by two players' consecutive seasons.

 

Do you suppose Babe was juicing on something other than hot dogs and beer in those years?

 

 

How about Gehrig in 1927:

 

.373/.474/.765 221 OPS+ 218 hits /47 HRs /175 RBI/ 109 BB /52 2B /18 3b/149 runs

[Mephistopheles]

not enough bonds 01-04.

[UMFan83]

2002 Neifi Perez: .236/.260/.303 44 OPS+ 554 AB 3 HR 37 RBI 65 Runs 20 BB

 

Whoops, wrong thread.

[MSG T]

Babe in 1927: .356/60 HR/164RBI/.486 OBP/.772 slugging

 

Lou Gehrig in 1927: .373/.474/.765, 221 OPS+, 47 HR, 175 RBI, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 149 runs

 

THOSE GUYS BATTED BACK TO BACK!!!

 

How in the lord did Gehrig get any RBI's with Ruth batting in front of him?

 

I wish it didn't take me forever to find those numbers, because this was the first season I thought of.

[CubinNY]

I'm not sure the Boston fans truly appreciate how unworldly Pedro was in 1999

I'm pretty sure they do.

[TruffleShuffle]

mcgwire's 70 hr season has to be mentioned at least.

[TruffleShuffle]

even though it doesn't belong on the list, ted williams' season at age 38 is damn impressive:

 

.388/.526/.731, 233 OPS+

 

and this was in an era when players just didn't stay good into their late 30s... they didn't have workout regimen and steroids that today's players have

[MSG T]

As I was looking up some of the great years on B-R, I noticed Gehrig had 400+ total bases 5 times in his career, the next best that I could find was Ruth and Sosa at two each( I thought Ruth had more than that). Not that TB's are a highly important stat, but still 5 times? That's mashing the ball.

[OleMissCub]

As I was looking up some of the great years on B-R, I noticed Gehrig had 400+ total bases 5 times in his career, the next best that I could find was Ruth and Sosa at two each( I thought Ruth had more than that). Not that TB's are a highly important stat, but still 5 times? That's mashing the ball.

 

Only men with 400+ total bases in a season:

 

Gehrig: 5 times(447, 419, 410, 409, 403)

Chuck Klein: 3 (445, 420, 405)

Ruth: 2 (457, 417)

Foxx: 2 (438, 403)

Hornsby: 2 (450, 409 [with the Cubs!] )

Sosa: 2 (425, 416)

Todd Helton: 2 (405, 402)

Jim Rice:(406)

Luis Gonzalez: (419)

Larry Walker: (409)

Barry Bonds: (411)

Hank Aaron: (400)

Hack Wilson: (423)

Babe Herman: (416)

Stan Musial: (409)

Joe Medwick: (406)

Hal Trosky (who the hell?): (405)

Joe Dimaggio: (418)

 

 

Winners of the close but no cigar award for total bases:

 

Hank Greenberg (397, 389, 384, 380)

A-Rod (393, 389, 384)

 

It should be remembered that in 1962 they went to a 162 game schedule from 154.

[Productive Outs]

Jim Baker wrote a similar article in 2006, but it's limited to position players only. Since it's BP, it's by WARP3.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5777

 

here's the list:

 

14.7: Ross Barnes (1876 Chicago White Stockings)

14.7: Mickey Mantle (1957 New York Yankees)

15.0: Honus Wagner (1908 Pittsburgh Pirates)

15.0: Arky Vaughn (1935 Pittsburgh Pirates)

15.1: Ernie Banks (1959 Chicago Cubs)

15.1 and 15.6: Ted Williams (1942 and 1946 Boston Red Sox)

15.8: Rogers Hornsby (1924 St. Louis Cardinals)

15.5 and 16.2: Barry Bonds (2004 and 2001 San Francisco Giants)

17.0: Cal Ripken (1991 Baltimore Orioles)

18.0: Babe Ruth (1923 New York Yankees)