Astros analyst Bill Gilbert lights the fires of the Hot Stove League season with a look at Triple Milestone winners from 2015.
Triple Milestones – 2015
By Bill Gilbert
Offensive production in the major leagues increased slightly in 2015. The number of runs and home runs per game increased in 2015 and batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average also increased in 2015 after steadily declining since 2000.
Year Runs/Game HR/Game BAVG OBA SLG OPS Triple Milestone Hitters
—- ——— ——- —- —- —- — ————————
1990 8.51 1.58 .258 .324 .386 .710 2
1991 8.62 1.61 .255 .323 .384 .707 3
1992 8.23 1.44 .256 .322 .377 .699 2
1993 9.20 1.78 .266 .332 .404 .736 5
1994 9.85 2.07 .270 .339 .424 .763 3
1995 9.69 2.02 .267 .338 .417 .755 8
1996 10.07 2.19 .270 .340 .427 .767 21
1997 9.53 2.05 .267 .337 .419 .756 7
1998 9.58 2.08 .266 .335 .420 .755 14
1999 10.17 2.28 .271 .345 .434 .779 19
2000 10.28 2.34 .271 .345 .437 .782 26
2001 9.55 2.25 .264 .332 .427 .759 21
2002 9.24 2.09 .261 .331 .417 .748 12
2003 9.46 2.14 .264 .332 .422 .754 8
2004 9.63 2.25 .266 .335 .428 .763 12
2005 9.18 2.06 .265 .330 .419 .749 10
2006 9.72 2.22 .269 .336 .432 .768 13
2007 9.59 2.04 .268 .336 .423 .759 8
2008 9.30 2.01 .264 .333 .417 .750 7
2009 9.23 2.02 .262 .333 .418 .751 6
2010 8.77 1.90 .257 .325 .403 .728 6
2011 8.57 1.87 .255 .321 .399 .720 7
2012 8.64 2.03 .255 .319 .405 .724 4
2013 8.33 1.92 .253 .318 .396 .714 3
2014 8.13 1.73 .251 .314 .386 .700 2
2015 8.50 2.02 .254 .317 .405 .721 1
Runs and home runs were up in 2015 to the highest level in 3 years. Nine players hit 40 or more home runs in 2015 compared to one in 2014 and two in 2013. The 30 home run level was reached by 20 players in 2015 compared to 11 in 2014 and 14 in 2013.
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 one player achieved all three in 2015, the lowest since 1989 when no players did it. Of the 20 players with 30+ home runs, only three batted over .300 and eleven had 100+ RBIs. Maintaining a .300 batting average is clearly the major problem in achieving triple milestones.
The player that made the .300-30-100 club in 2015 was Paul Goldschmidt of Arizona, who did it for the second time
Player Times BAVG-HR-RBI Comments
Paul Goldschmidt 2 .321-33-110 Also stole 21 bases.
The two MVP players just missed as did four others.
Player Times BAVG-HR-RBI Comments
Bryce Harper 0 .330-42- 99 Needed one more RBI.
Josh Donaldson 0 .297-41-123 Lost .300 average in last week.
Mike Trout 0 .299-41- 90 Hasn’t made it yet.
Nelson Cruz 0 .302-44- 93 Better numbers than Trout.
Yoenis Cespedes 0 .291-35-105 Split between both leagues.
Jose Abreu 1 .290-30-101 Made it as rookie in 2014.
One other player made it in 2014 in addition to Abreu.
2014 2015
Player Times BAVG-HR-RBI BAVG-HR-RBI
Jose Abreu 1 .317-36-107 .290-30-101
Victor Martinez 1 .335-32-103 .245-11- 6
The following list contains the names of players, active in 2015, 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 productive players like Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun and Adrian Beltre, but not at the same level as in their peak years. Since this list was started in 2004, David Ortiz is the only player that has come back with another triple milestone season.
Last
.300-30-100 .300-30-100
Player Seasons Season 2015 Comments
Albert Pujols 10 2010 .244-40- 95 Five straight years under .300
Mark Teixeira 3 2008 .255-31- 79 Injuries have taken toll.
Ryan Braun 3 .2012 .285-25- 84 Minor comeback in 2015,
Aramis Ramirez 2 2004 .246-17- 75 Plans to retire.
Matt Holliday 2 2007 .279- 4- 35 Slowed by injuries.
David Wright 2 2008 .289- 5- 17 Injured most of season.
Josh Hamilton 2 2010 .253- 8- 25 No longer a superstar.
Adrian Beltre 2 2012 .287-18- 83 Slow start, strong finish.
Twenty nine of the thirty major league teams have 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.
Only one minor league player recorded a triple milestone season in 2015.
Player Team (Level) Organization Age BAVG-HR-RBI
A.J. Reed Lancaster (HiA) Houston Astros 22 .346-23- 81
Corpus Christi (AA) .332-11- 46
.340-34-127
Another player, who split time between the majors and minors, just missed:
Carlos Correa Corpus Christi (AA) Houston Astros 20 .385- 7- 32
Fresno (AAA) .276- 3- 12
Houston (MAJ) .279-22- 68
.299-32-112
No college players achieved triple milestones in 2015.
Pitchers also strive for triple milestones – 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00. Only two pitchers made all three in 2015 and they were the Cy Young Award winners:
Wins-SO-ERA
Jake Arrieta 22-236-1.77
Dallas Keuchel 20-216-2.48
Four other pitchers came close:
Gerrit Cole 19-202-2.60
Zack Greinke 19-200-1.66
Madison Bumgarner 18-234-2.93
David Price 18-225-2.45
Of these six pitchers, Price is the only one with a previous triple milestone season. Arrieta and Keuchel were the only 20-game winners in 2015 but there were 12 pitchers with an ERA under 3.00 and 15 pitchers with 200 strikeouts. Winning 20 games is clearly the biggest obstacle in achieving a triple milestone season.
Bill Gilbert
12/28/15
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