A-Rod, Ruth and Great Seasons
Alex Rodriguez' 2007 Season Ranks Among the Yankees' Best
In 2007, Alex Rodriguez had an outstanding season that compares favorably with the best of Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Mattingly, and Dickey.
In 2007, Alex Rodriguez had the greatest season of his career, batting .314 with 54 home runs, 156 RBIs, a .422 on base average and a .645 slugging average in 2007. How does Alex’ year compare to some other outstanding Yankees’ offensive seasons? Let’s start with a player who is becoming increasingly underrated with the passage of time, Don Mattingly.
A-Rod Had a Better Season Than Mattingly's Best
In 1985, Mattingly batted .324 with 35 home runs, 145 RBIs, a .371 on base average, and a .563 slugging average. Only Mattingly’s batting average was better than A-Rod’s, but it should be noted that Mattingly walked 56 times and struck out 41 times compared to Alex’ 75 walks and 120 strikeouts. The 1985 Yankees scored 839 runs. The 2007 Yankees scored 968 runs. Comparing RBIs to team runs, Mattingly batted in 145/839 or 17.3% of his team’s runs while A-Rod batted in 156/968 or 16.1% of his teams runs. So what? A-Rod had a better season.
Is Mickey Mantle Becoming Overrated?
Now let us turn to a player who has become increasingly overrated with the passage of time, Mickey Mantle. No, it is not being claimed that Mickey wasn’t one of the greatest players of all time, but it is being recalled that when Mickey played, he wasn’t rated as highly as he is rated today. Thankfully, Bill James, among others, has helped Mickey gain the stature he deserves.
MIckey's Best Season
In 1956, Mickey batted .353 with 52 home runs, 130 RBIs, a .434 on base average, and a .705 slugging average. Mickey’s 1956 Triple Crown season was even better than A-Rod’s 2007 and Mickey, criticized for striking out, walked 112 times while striking out 99 times.
Ruth Had the Best Season of All
Babe Ruth is rated as the greatest player of all time and his 1921 season may be the best offensive season any player ever produced. Babe hit .378 with 59 home runs, 171 RBIs, a .512 on base average and an incredible 846 slugging average. He walked 145 times and struck out 81 times. His teammate, Lou Gehrig, had a 1927 season that was almost as good.
Gehrig's 1927 Season Was Almost As Good As Ruth's 1921
In 1927, Gehrig hit .373 with 47 home runs, 175 RBIs, a .474 on base average, and a .765 slugging average. Gehrig batted behind Ruth in the Yankees’ lineup, which means that he came to the plate with the bases empty after every Ruth home run, but he was up with at least Ruth on first each of the 137 times Ruth walked. Regardless, 175 RBIs is remarkable.
DiMaggio and Left Center Field
Finally, Joe DiMaggio batted .346 with 46 home runs, 167 RBIs, a .412 on base average and a .673 slugging average in 1937. That season, the distances were 301 down the left field line, 402 feet to left center field (left of the bullpen gate), 415 feet to the right of the bullpen gate, and 457 feet to deep left center field. DiMaggio was not a pull hitter. Today’s Yankee Stadium is 318 feet down the line, 379 to the left side of the bullpen gate, 415 to the right of the bullpen gate, and 399 feet to deep left center. A-Rod is not a pull hitter. A ball hit 400 feet to left center would be an A-Rod home run. A ball hit 400 feet to left center in 1937 was a Joe DiMaggio fly out.
Bill Dickey and Jorge Posada
Bill Dickey is another player who is mentioned less and less with the passage of time, but he had a pretty good season in 1937 when he batted .332 with 29 home runs, 133 RBIs, an on base average of .417 and a .570 slugging average. That compares favorably to Jorge Posada’s 2007, in which he hit .338 with 20 home runs, 90 RBIs, a .426 on base average, and a .543 slugging average. Jorge had quite a season.
Alex is not Finished
In 2007, Alex Rodriguez had a great season. He has had many great seasons and he will have many more. There is little doubt that he will the American League MVP award, he will probably be the all time career home leader, and he will become the highest paid player in baseball history in a few weeks.
