Freddie has a shot at feat not seen in 87 years
In phrases of single-season milestones, our focus tends to land totally on dwelling runs. If we’re fortunate — as we now have been just lately — we could even have the prospect to observe alongside on a participant’s pursuit of a sixtieth dwelling run.
Unlikely as it could appear, nonetheless, in AL/NL historical past, these legendary 60-homer seasons — of which there have been solely 9 — outnumber seasons of 60+ doubles. Just six gamers in AL/NL historical past have put up a 60-double season, and, what’s extra, all of them fell throughout the similar 10-year interval practically a century in the past.
60-double seasons, AL/NL historical past
1. Earl Webb, BOS, 1931: 67
2-T. Joe Medwick, STL, 1936: 64
2-T. George Burns, CLE, 1926: 64
4. Hank Greenberg, DET, 1934: 63
5. Paul Waner, PIT, 1932: 62
6. Charlie Gehringer, DET, 1936: 60
Of these six gamers, 4 (Gehringer, Greenberg, Medwick, Waner) are within the Hall of Fame, and if you’re actually the corporate you retain, one lively Major Leaguer may very well be including one other merchandise to his already lengthy resume.
Freddie Freeman hit his fiftieth double of the 2023 season — this a 12 months after he led all of baseball with 47 — on Sunday, and given his fixed presence within the Dodgers’ lineup, 60 must be properly inside attain.
The 60-double threshold has, as we have established, confirmed elusive for fairly a while, however that is not to say nobody’s come shut. Medwick practically made it back-to-back 60-double seasons in 1937 earlier than finally ending the 12 months with 56. George Kell, then with the Tigers, matched that whole in 1950. After Kell’s try, it would be 49 years earlier than one other participant hit 55 doubles in a single season, however Craig Biggio, who ended the drought together with his 56 doubles in 1999, kicked off a brand new period of near-misses.
Here are these 10 shut calls — restricted to seasons of 55+ doubles — since 1999.
Nick Castellanos, 2019: 58
2019 Castellanos, higher recognized for being among the best Deadline acquisitions in latest reminiscence, can be the newest participant to make a powerful push for 60 doubles. Interestingly, Castellanos had by no means led both league in doubles earlier than 2019 and hasn’t topped 40 since.
José Ramírez, 2017: 56
The prospect of a 60-double season in all probability wasn’t high of thoughts for Ramírez, or most individuals watching him, whereas he was placing collectively a 2017 season that included his first All-Star choice alongside the primary of his top-three finishes in AL MVP voting.
Matt Carpenter, 2013: 55
Carpenter had his near-miss in his first full Major League season wherein he additionally led MLB in hits and runs scored and completed 4th in NL MVP voting.
Brian Roberts, 2009: 56
2009 was Roberts’ third and last 50-double season, making him one in every of simply 5 gamers within the Modern Era with a minimum of three such seasons (Tris Speaker, Albert Pujols, Stan Musial, Waner).
Garret Anderson, 2002: 56
Anderson, although he is one in every of simply 64 gamers in AL/NL historical past with 500 profession doubles — and the Angels’ franchise chief with 489 — solely led the league in doubles twice, and needed to share the honour when he hit 56 in 2002.
Nomar Garciaparra, 2002: 56
Garciaparra, nonetheless simply 28, had already led the AL in triples in 1997 and gained two batting titles (1999-2000) earlier than placing up his 56 doubles in 2002.
Lance Berkman, 2001: 55
Berkman had his 55-double season in his first full Major League season, ending the 12 months with a frantic run of 13 doubles in his final 21 video games.
Carlos Delgado, 2000: 57
Delgado’s 2000 season is remembered much less for his doubles output on account of his physique of labor — he hit .344/.470/.664 with 41 dwelling runs, incomes his first All-Star choice and ending 4th in AL MVP voting.
Todd Helton, 2000: 59
Of all of the shut calls on this record, Helton’s 2000 season stands as the very best — or worst, relying in your perspective — and was the primary of two seasons (2001) wherein he topped 100 extra-base hits, making him one in every of simply 12 gamers to document such a season in AL/NL historical past.
Craig Biggio, 1999: 56
Biggio, who ranks sixth in AL/NL historical past with 668 profession doubles, was the primary participant to place up a season of 55+ doubles since 1950, had already led baseball in doubles the 12 months earlier than (51).
