Curtis Granderson and Triples

Curtis Granderson of the Detroit Tigers is having an impressive season. He won't be the AL MVP, as he's not put up huge numbers like A-Rod or even as MVP-like as his Detroit teammate Magglio Ordonez. I think those two are the frontrunners for AL MVP, with I guess Vlad Guerrero of the Angels also getting some votes.

But nonetheless, Granderson is doing something quite historic. Last year was his first full season, and his numbers were solid: .260, 19 HR, 68 RBI, 31 D, 9 T, 90 Runs, and 8 SB. Some were likely disappointed with only 8 SB, and his 174 strikeouts were obviously a problem he needed to work on in 2007. Well, in 2007 through August 24, he is still striking out a lot (121 K), but the rest of his numbers are much improved: .289, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 95 R, 32 D, and 15 SB. Nice numbers, but nothing to write much about... until you see he has 21 triples already this year!

Some perspective on this is needed. In 2006 the league leaders in triples were Jose Reyes with 17 and Carl Crawford with 16. So Curtis is already well past those marks this year, with over a month to go. Going back further, Christian Guzman had 20 triples in 2000, and Lance Johnson had 21 in 1996. Willie Wilson had 21 in 1985, and George Brett had 20 in 1979. The great Willie Mays had 20 in 1957. But to top 21 you have to go back to Dale Mitchell of the Cleveland Indians who had 23 in 1949. He was a good hitter to be sure, playing seven full seasons, parts of four more, and ended up with a .312 career average. But that 1949 triples total was not typical of him, as he didn't top 10 triples in any other season. And 1949 wasn't some sort of freakish triples season, as no one else in either league had more than 13.

Going further back, we find that Snuffy Stirnweiss had 22 in 1945 for the Yankees. Stan Musial had 20 in 1943, Jeff Heath had 20 in 1941, and Joe Vosmick had 20 in 1935. Going back further than that, we find that triples were of course more prevalent. In fact, from 1920-1932, the league leader in both the AL and the NL had 18 or more, and the leaders often had over 20. However, other than Kiki Cuyler's 26 in 1925, no one had more than 23 in a season during that stretch. So that means that if Granderson can get to 24 triples this year, he'll have had the most since in a season since 82 years!

Of course, let's not get too excited. The all-time record for triples in a season seems quite safe. That would be the 36 that Chief Wilson had in 1912 for the Pirates. Like Mitchell described earlier, Wilson was a good hitter over his nine-year career. But that big triples outburst was out of character, as he never had more than 14 in any other season.

And just in time for this posting, I read on the SABR-L discussion list this evening the following from Cyril Morong about Curtis Granderson's season thus far:

He has 15 or more of 2Bs, 3Bs, HRs, SBs this year. Below is a list of all the players to ever do it. Crawford and Samuel each did it twice. Thanks to the Lee Sinins Complete Baseball Encyclopedia. I suppose he has a chance to get up to 20 in all 4. He has 16 HRs and 15 SBs right now. Schulte and Mays are the only ones to get 20 in all 4.

• Carl Crawford
• Juan Samuel
• Babe Herman
• Chuck Klein
• Harry Stovey
• Babe Ruth
• Hugh Duffy
• Jeff Heath
• Ryne Sandberg
• Kiki Cuyler
• Andy Van Slyke
• Ed Delahanty
• Willie Mays
• George Brett
• Sam Thompson
• Roger Connor
• Buck Freeman
• Carl Reynolds
• Lou Gehrig
• Wildfire Schulte
• Paul Waner
• Bob Meusel
• George Sisler
• Minnie Minoso
• Jose Reyes
• Lloyd Moseby
• Charlie Gehringer
• Goose Goslin

An impressive list. Lots of great names there, including many Hall-of-Famers and other stars. One thing that struck me was seeing Babe and Lou on this list, given the 15 SB aspect of it. But Ruth did it in his incredible 1921 season: .378, 44 D, 16 T, 59 HR, 17 SB, 177 R, 171 RBI. And Lou only topped 15 SB once, in 1931, when he hit .341 with 31 D, 15 T, 46 HR, 17 SB, 163 R, and 184 RBI.

And lastly, Granderson isn't the only hitter smashing triples this year, as Jimmy Rollins already has 15 in NL. Who is second to Curtis in the AL? Carl Crawford... with only 9, so Granderson has an impressive lead!