For every home run number that has been achieved on more than one occasion, a highest and lowest RBI total were established for that figure. As the long ball number gets smaller, the quantity of players who attained the figure becomes greater while the disparity between the highest and lowest RBI totals become more pronounced. With this in mind, I decided to research which players produced the highest and lowest RBI totals for each round-tripper number. After examining long ball numbers 30 and higher in part one and the impressive-to-moderate figures of 29 to 10 in part two, I will wrap up this three-part series by counting down the top and bottom RBI totals for the single-digit home run numbers and zero.
In part two, as the
home run numbers dropped into the teens, the leading RBI totals began
being dominated by players from the high-scoring 1890s. That trend
continues as the countdown reaches single digits. Just as in part two,
for instances in which an 1890s player owns the top RBI mark, I have
also included the peak RBI total for players from the post-1900 Modern
Era.
Unless otherwise noted, the players
who established the top RBI marks were primarily batted out of the
three-hole, cleanup, or five-spot in the order. Players hitting out of
those three spots generally stepped into the batter’s box with a greater
number of runners on base than the other spots in the order. Taking
this into account, I included a pair of statistics that readers may not
be familiar with: BR and BRS%. If you read my explanation of BR and
BRS% in part one or part two, feel free to skip over the italicized
paragraph below.
BR represents the total
number of runners on base when the batter came to the plate. BRS%
represents the percentage of how many of those baserunners scored during
the batters’ plate appearances. BRS% includes all the baserunners the
batter drove in outside of driving himself in via the long ball. However, BRS% also includes the small number of baserunners who scored
during the batters’ plate appearances for which he was not credited with
a RBI. Nevertheless, BRS% is still a useful tool to determine how well
a batter capitalized on their RBI opportunities. Because
higher-scoring eras produced loftier BR and BRS% figures, I have placed
the average BRS% for the players’ respective league next to their
individual BRS%. Since the majority of the players who posted the top
RBI totals were batted in the heart of the order, I do not consider
merely registering an above average BRS% to be sufficient. In my
opinion, for a single season, a figure close to three percent over the
league norm is good, anything approaching a four-percent edge is very
good, and an advantage of five percent or more is excellent. Because
play-by-play data is missing for a small number of games for seasons
prior to 1969, BR and BRS% statistics are subject to change should that
data become available. Bearing this in mind, the bold leading totals
for those figures are also italicized.
As
pointed out in part two, with the home run numbers getting smaller, the
players who achieved the top figure boosted their RBI output in
alternative ways such as posting a high batting average or racking up
lots of doubles and/or triples. On the contrary, the lowest RBI figures
are more likely to be produced by bench players or starters who missed
significant time with injury. In most cases, these players were also
batted outside of the heart of the order and registered poor BRS
percentages.
Bold numbers on the player’s stat line denotes the player led their respective league in the category.
9
High 137-Ed Delahanty 1899 Phillies, 146 G, 645 PA, 9 HR, 137 RBI, .410 BA, .464 OBP, .582 SLG, 189 OPS+
Modern Era High 131-Paul Waner 1927 Pirates, 155 G, 709 PA, 9 HR, 131 RBI, .380 BA, .437 OBP, .549 SLG, 155 OPS+, 570 BR, 22.5 BRS% vs. 16.0 NL avg
Low 15-Dave Nicholson 1962 Orioles, 97 G, 202 PA, 9 HR, 15 RBI, .173 BA, .289 OBP, .364 SLG, 80 OPS+, 116 BR, 5.2 BRS% vs. 14.3 AL avg
Phillies
left fielder Ed Delahanty closed out the high-scoring 1890s by setting
the top RBI mark for nine home runs. Delahanty’s 137 RBI made him a
three-time leader in the category as he previously reigned over the NL
with 146 in 1893 and 126 in 1896, the former total representing the peak
figure for players with 19 long balls. He also earned his first of two
batting titles, pacing the senior circuit with a .410 average, marking
the third occasion in which he reached the vaunted .400 plateau. Additionally, he led the way with a .582 slugging percentage, 189 OPS+,
238 hits, and 55 doubles.
Pirates right
fielder Paul Waner produced the top Modern Era figure, accruing a
NL-best 131 RBI. A sophomore slugger, Waner secured NL MVP honors as he
played a pivotal role in Pittsburgh’s capturing of the pennant. He
snared his first of three batting crowns while additionally pacing the
senior loop with 237 hits, 18 triples, 155 games played, and 709 plate
appearances. Not surprisingly, he dug into the batter’s box with the
most men on base, 570, but did an excellent job of bringing runners home
as he logged a 22.5 BRS% that put him just a fraction behind the
league-leading 22.9 mark of Travis Jackson.
Dave
Nicholson stands at the back of the line among players with nine long
balls as he managed to only collect 15 RBI for the 1962 Orioles. Fulfilling the role of a utility outfielder, Nicholson split time
between left, center, and right. He saw the bulk of his plate
appearances come out of the six-hole. A free-swinger, Nicholson was
mowed down 76 times in 202 plate appearances for an alarming 37.6%
strikeout rate. Struggling to make contact, he assembled an anemic BRS%
of 5.2. During the offseason, Nicholson was swapped to the White Sox
in a blockbuster six-player trade that involved future Hall of Famers
Luis Aparicio and Hoyt Wilhelm. Nicholson earned Chicago’s left field
starting role for 1963. Even though he decreased his strikeout rate to a
slightly-less troublesome 33.7%, with regular playing time, his
strikeout total rose to 175, in the process shattering the MLB
single-season record of 142 set the previous year by Harmon Killebrew. Nicholson carried the dubious benchmark until 1969 when he was
surpassed by Bobby Bonds who struck out 187 times. However, Nicholson
held onto the AL record for much longer as his 175 total was matched by
Gorman Thomas in 1979 before being eclipsed by both Pete Incaviglia and
Rob Deer in 1986, the former racking up 185 strikeouts and the latter
179.
8
High 128-Ed McKean 1894 Cleveland Spiders, 130 G, 616 PA, 8 HR, 128 RBI, .357 BA, .412 OBP, .509 SLG, 118 OPS+
Modern Era High 127-Ty Cobb 1911 Tigers, 146 G, 656 PA, 8 HR, 127 RBI, .419 BA, .466 OBP, .620 SLG, 196 OPS+
*1912-or-Later High-Dixie Walker 1945 Dodgers, 154 G, 688 PA, 8 HR, 124 RBI, .300 BA, .381 OBP, .438 SLG, 128 OPS+, 626 BR, 19.0 BRS% vs. 14.8 NL avg
Low 12-Henry
Blanco 2011 Diamondbacks, 37 G, 112 PA, 8 HR, 12 RBI, .250 BA, .330
OBP, .540 SLG, 132 OPS+, 58 BR, 6.9 BRS% vs. 13.8 NL avg
Shortstop
Ed McKean established the top RBI total for eight home runs, amassing
128 for the 1894 Cleveland Spiders. Tigers center fielder Ty Cobb
registered the peak Modern Era mark, pacing the 1911 AL with 127. Cobb
enjoyed arguably his greatest season at the plate, earning his fifth of a
dozen batting titles, notching a career-best .419 average. In addition
to RBI, Cobb fronted the junior circuit in nearly every offensive
category: leading the way with 248 hits, 47 doubles, 24 triples, 148
runs scored, 83 stolen bases, a .620 slugging percentage, and 196 OPS+.
Cobb’s
banner 1911 campaign came one year before play-by-play data exists,
thus the top RBI figure from a season with BRS% data is the 124 that
Dodgers first baseman Dixie Walker accrued in 1945. Walker led the NL
in RBI with his lofty total, to some degree a byproduct of stepping into
the batter’s box with an astounding 626 men on base over the course of
the campaign. Currently, no player is on record as having dug in with
more baserunners than Walker’s 626. The Dodgers slugger batted cleanup
behind a trio of patient hitters in Eddie Stanky, Goody Rosen, and Augie
Galan who posted respective OBP figures of .417, .379, and .423. Walker did a solid job of capitalizing on the surplus of opportunities,
furnishing a 19.0 BRS%—a fine figure but only seventh-best among
qualified NL hitters and a decent step behind the league-leading 22.4
mark of Cardinals third baseman Whitey Kurowski. Rarely relying on the
long ball to drive in runs, Walker slotted second in the senior loop
with 42 doubles.
During Walker’s era, it was
not uncommon for players to accumulate triple-digit RBI totals alongside
single-digit home run figures. Between 1884 and 1950, 200 such
individual seasons with this combo were produced. However, after George
Kell hit eight round-trippers with 101 RBI for the 1950 Tigers,
triple-digit RBI campaigns featuring single-digit long ball numbers
became virtually nonexistent. In fact, the subsequent 75 years have
seen only two players achieve this feat, Tom Herr and Paul Molitor. Herr drove in 110 runs for the pennant-winning 1985 Cardinals despite
going deep a mere eight times. Molitor racked up 113 RBI against just
nine four-baggers for the 78-win 1996 Twins team.
Backup
catcher Henry Blanco established the low-water RBI mark for eight home
runs, driving in only a dozen runs for the 2011 Diamondbacks. Normally
batted eighth, all of Blanco’s round-trippers came with the bases clear
as he maintained a 6.9 BRS% for the campaign. Interestingly, while
McKean’s, Cobb’s, and Walker’s clubs each failed to make the playoffs,
Blanco’s Diamondbacks captured the NL West division title with a 94-68
record. However, Blanco’s lack of success with runners on base haunted
Arizona in the NLDS as he was unable to deliver in his sole plate
appearance which came in the decisive fifth game against Milwaukee. During the top of the ninth, with two outs and the score tied 2-2,
Blanco grounded out with runners on first and third. The Diamondbacks
were unable to mount another threat and lost 3-2 in the 10th.
7
High 132-Lave Cross 1894 Phillies, 122 G, 593 PA, 7 HR, 132 RBI, .387 BA, .424 OBP, .526 SLG, 132 OPS+
Modern Era High 119-Roy
Johnson 1934 Red Sox, 143 G, 627 PA, 7 HR, 119 RBI, .320 BA, .379 OBP,
.467 SLG, 114 OPS+, 493 BR, 22.1 BRS% vs. 16.3 AL avg
Low 11-Alex Avila 2016 White Sox, 57 G, 209 PA, 7 HR, 11 RBI, .213 BA, .359 OBP, .373 SLG, 103 OPS+, 130 BR, 3.9 BRS% vs. 14.4 AL avg
Low 11-Randy Arozarena 2020 Rays, 23 G, 76 PA, 7 HR, 11 RBI, .281 BA, .382 OBP, .641 SLG, 182 OPS+, 38 BR, 10.5 BRS% vs. 14.3 AL avg
With
his 132 RBI for the 1894 Phillies, third baseman Lave Cross established
the peak mark for players with seven home runs. Cross followed the
lead of teammate Sam Thompson who reigned over the NL with 149 RBI while
amassing the top figure for 13 long balls. What’s more, with his .387
batting average, Cross came close to giving the club a fourth .400
hitter. A utility player over his prior seven seasons, during 1894
Cross took full advantage of the opportunity to become Philadelphia’s
primary third baseman and still managed to showcase his versatility,
appearing in 16 games at catcher. An outstanding contact hitter, he
went deep and struck out the same number of times.
Left
fielder Roy Johnson compiled the peak Modern Era total, racking up 119
RBI for the 1934 Red Sox. Johnson’s 119 slotted third overall behind
the 122 of Pittsburgh first baseman Jake Beckley who, like Cross,
accrued his figure during the high-scoring 1894 campaign. Among AL
hitters who qualified for the batting title, Johnson notched the top
BRS% with a 22.1 mark.
For the second home run
number in a row, a catcher appears at the bottom of the rundown as Alex
Avila produced a seven round-tripper/11 RBI combo for the 2016 White
Sox. Following seven seasons with the Tigers, Avila signed with Chicago
as a free agent—coincidentally just a few months after his father, Al,
took over as Detroit’s general manager. During 2016, Avila split
catching duties with Dioner Navarro but missed roughly three months of
the season dealing with a right hamstring strain that sidelined him at
two separate points of the campaign. As a back end of the order hitter
who rarely batted against left-handers, Avila was at a disadvantage to
post decent RBI totals. That said, he did virtually nothing to help his
own cause as evidenced by his miserable 3.9 BRS%. Nevertheless, after
Alex’s single year in Chicago, the Avilas reunited for 2017 as the
veteran catcher signed a free agent contract with the Tigers.
The
pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign witnessed rookie left fielder Randy
Arozarena reproduce Avila’s seven home run/11 RBI stat line. Acquired
by the Rays during the offseason, he made his debut for the club on
August 30 and went deep seven times over the remainder of the campaign
while registering a sizzling OPS+ of 182. The bulk of Arozarena’s plate
appearances were split between the two and three-holes. He also saw
some action out of the leadoff spot which likely helped drag his BRS%
down to 10.5. Interestingly, while six of Avila’s seven long balls came
with the bases empty, only four of Arozarena’s were of the solo variety
with the remaining three each having a single runner on base. Arozarena’s red-hot hitting continued into October as he fueled Tampa
Bay’s pennant-winning postseason run, socking 10 home runs across 20
games.
6
High 132-Jimmy Collins 1897 Boston, 134 G, 585 PA, 6 HR, 132 RBI, .346 BA, .400 OBP, .482 SLG, 128 OPS+
Modern Era High 128-Luke Appling 1936 White Sox, 138 G, 618 PA, 6 HR, 128 RBI, .388 BA, .474 OBP, .508 SLG, 139 OPS+, 517 BR, 24.2 BRS% vs. 17.2 AL avg
Low 8-Luis Medina 1988 Indians, 16 G, 56 PA, 6 HR, 8 RBI, .255 BA, .309 SLG, .608 SLG, 149 OPS+, 27 BR, 7.4 BRS% vs.14.6 AL avg
Low 8-Curt Casali 2020 Reds, 31 G, 93 PA, 6 HR, 8 RBI, .224 BA, .366 OBP, .500 SLG, 123 OPS+, 43 BR, 4.7 BRS% vs. 14.6 NL avg
Boston
third baseman Jimmy Collins racked up 132 RBI during 1897 to achieve
the peak figure for players with six round-trippers. Collins etched his
name alongside teammate Hugh Duffy who simultaneously set the benchmark
for 11-home run campaigners with 129 RBI. Amassing a combined 261 RBI,
the pair helped Boston capture the NL pennant and average a
circuit-best 7.59 runs scored per game.
With
128 RBI for the 1936 White Sox, shortstop Luke Appling attained the top
Modern Era total. Appling paced the AL with a .388 batting average
while also assembling a junior loop-best 24.2 BRS%. Appling slotted
fifth in Chicago’s batting order, behind cleanup hitter Zeke Bonura who
led the club with 138 RBI and produced the peak figure for players with
12 long balls. The tandem of Bonura and Appling ignited the White Sox
offense as the beleaguered franchise climbed out of the second division
for the first time since 1920, finishing in fourth place with an 81-70
record.
A September call-up, rookie first
baseman Luis Medina clobbered a half-dozen home runs for the Indians
while driving in a mere eight runs during the final month of the 1988
season. All eight of Medina’s RBI came via the long ball as he launched
four solo shots and twice went deep with a runner on first. The
majority of his plate appearances were split between the five, six, and
seven-holes. Medina made Cleveland’s opening day roster for 1989 but
was sent down to Triple A in mid-June after batting .205. At the time
of his demotion, he had hit four home runs yet only managed to drive in
eight runs. After spending the entirety of 1990 in the minors, he
earned his final big league call-up in June 1991. Medina failed to
deliver—collecting just a single and a walk across 18 plate appearances
with no home runs or RBI—and quickly found himself back in Triple A. Thus, he concluded his career with an awkward 10 round-tripper/16 RBI
combination. Medina owns the dubious distinction of having the lowest
career RBI total for any player who reached double-digits in home runs.
With
its 60-game schedule, the truncated 2020 campaign set the stage for
several batters to produce odd stat lines. As Randy Arozarena gave Alex
Avila some company at the tail end of the RBI queue for seven long
balls, Reds catcher Curt Casali joined Luis Medina at the ground floor
for six round-trippers. Yet another backstop at the bottom of the
rundown, Casali split Cincinnati’s catching duties with Tucker Barnhart. Primarily batting ninth, Casali registered an ugly BRS% of 4.7 as all
six of his blasts came with the bases empty.
5
High 130-Walt Wilmot 1894 Chicago Colts, 135 G, 655 PA, 5 HR, 130 RBI, .329 BA, .368 OBP, .469 SLG, 97 OPS+
Modern Era High 120-Sam Crawford 1910 Tigers, 154 G, 653 PA, 5 HR, 120 RBI, .289 BA, .332 OBP, .423 SLG, 130 OPS+
*1912-or-Later High 118-Joe
Cronin 1933 Senators, 152 G, 697 PA, 5 HR, 118 RBI, .309 BA, .398 OBP,
.445 SLG, 125 OPS+, 483 BR, 22.2 BRS% vs. 16.5 AL avg
Low 6-Stuart
Fairchild 2022 Mariners/Giants/Reds, 46 G, 110 PA, 5 HR, 6 RBI, .247
BA, .336 OBP, .464 SLG, 118 OPS+, 49 BR, 2.0 BRS% vs. 14.1 MLB avg
Along
with fellow left fielder Moose Solters, Walt Wilmot is one of two
players to hold the highest RBI figure for a home run number despite
logging a below-league average OPS+. Solters maintained an OPS+ of 95
while driving in 134 runs for the 1936 Browns to establish the peak RBI
total for 17 long balls. Wilmot posted a similar OPS+ of 97 as he
racked up 130 RBI for the 1894 Chicago Colts to assume the top spot for
players with a handful of home runs. One of four Colts batters to reach
the 100-RBI plateau during 1894, Wilmot’s 130 led the team but only
slotted fifth-best in the NL. Chicago’s 7.76 runs scored per game
ranked fourth-highest among the senior circuit’s dozen clubs. However,
opposing hitters feasted on the Colts lackluster pitching as the team
surrendered an average of 7.94 runs per game, the third-worst figure in
the loop. Defense also suffered as Wilmot’s 42 errors dubiously topped
all NL outfielders. With these struggles, Chicago labored to a 57-75
record and eighth-place finish.
Among players
with five home runs, Wilmot’s 130 RBI edged out Dan Brouthers’s 124 from
two years earlier. In contrast to Wilmot, Brouthers not only led the
senior circuit in RBI but also paced the loop with a 179 OPS+. Checking
in third behind Brouthers is right fielder Sam Crawford who established
the peak Modern Era total while fronting the AL with 120 RBI for the
1910 Tigers. Crawford slotted directly ahead of teammate Ty Cobb whose
119 RBI topped the junior circuit and helped Detroit claim the 1907 AL
pennant. One spot later is Senators shortstop Joe Cronin, whose 118 RBI
from 1933 represents the highest total for a player from a season with
BRS% data. Like Cobb, Cronin contributed immensely to his club’s
securing of the AL pennant.
On the opposite end
of the RBI spectrum is Stuart Fairchild who served a utility role and
shuttled between the three outfield positions while taking the field for
three teams during a busy 2022 which also included multiple options
down to the minors and recalls back to the majors. Despite hitting a
handful of home runs, Fairchild’s big league stat line displayed a mere
six RBI for 2022. Each of those RBI came via the long ball as four of
his five round-trippers were solo shots with the other coming with
teammate Nick Senzel on first. Although Fairchild collected an
additional five extra base hits—four doubles and a triple—each of those
came with the bases empty. Senzel represented the only one of 49
baserunners to score with Fairchild at bat. Thus, the young outfielder
posted an abysmal 2.0 BRS% for the year. Fairchild saw 32 of his 110
plate appearances come out of the five-hole with most of the remainder
split between the six, seven, eight, and nine spots. Fairchild’s five
home run/six RBI combo is the lowest total solely owned by a single
player as the remaining nadir figures have each been registered by
multiple players.
4
High 133-Ed McKean 1893 Cleveland Spiders, 125 G, 599 PA, 4 HR, 133 RBI, .310 BA, .372 OBP, .473 SLG, 119 OPS+
High 133-Ed Delahanty 1894 Phillies, 116 G, 567 PA, 4 HR, 133 RBI, .405 BA, .477 OBP, .585 SLG, 160 OPS+
Modern Era High 115-George Burns 1926 Indians, 151 G, 657 PA, 4 HR, 115 RBI, .358 BA, .394 OBP, .494 SLG, 130 OPS+, 522 BR, 23.2 BRS% vs. 16.1 AL avg
*Low 5-Willie Tasby 1963 Indians, 52 G, 134 PA, 4 HR, 5 RBI, .224 BA, .318 OBP, .371 SLG, 94 OPS+, 69 BR, 1.5 BRS% vs. 13.5 AL avg
One
season before establishing the top RBI total for eight home runs,
shortstop Ed McKean set the high mark for four long balls, driving in
133 runs for the 1893 Cleveland Spiders. McKean’s 133 RBI ranked second
in the NL, trailing only the 146 of Ed Delahanty who simultaneously
furnished the peak figure for players with 19 round-trippers.
During
the following year, Delahanty’s home run total plummeted to a mere four
but he still managed to equal McKean’s RBI output from the previous
campaign and knock in 133 runs for the Phillies. By matching McKean,
Delahanty achieved the top RBI mark for his second of three home run
numbers as he later made it a trio by posting a nine long ball/137 RBI
combo in 1899. With teammates Sam Thompson and Lave Cross concurrently
establishing the respective peak RBI totals for players with 13 and
seven home runs, the 1894 Phillies stand as the only club to have three
of its hitters hold top figures.
Indians first
baseman George Burns produced the Modern Era high for four
round-trippers, driving in 115 runs during the 1926 season. In addition
to trailing McKean and Delahanty, Burns’ 115 total also slotted behind
three other nineteenth century sluggers as Hughie Jennings, Pete
Browning, and Jake Stenzel respectively accrued 125, 118, and 116 RBI in
1895, 1887, and 1897. Burns benefited from stepping up to the plate
with an AL-leading 522 men on base but did a superb job of bringing
those runners home, pacing the loop with a 23.2 BRS%. What’s more, he
topped the junior circuit with 216 hits and 64 doubles. Burns’ 64
two-baggers set a MLB record that was passed five years later by Earl
Webb who racked up 67 for the Red Sox. However, since that time, Burns’
total has only been matched by Joe Medwick in 1936. Burns’ banner
campaign helped Cleveland make an 18-game improvement from the prior
season and end 1926 just three games back of the pennant-winning Yankees
with an 88-66 mark. Award voters recognized Burns’ contributions to
the Tribe’s runner-up finish and named him AL MVP.
A
quartet of batters share the dubious distinction of posting the lowest
RBI figure for four home runs as Willie Tasby, Ryan Ludwick, Mike Olt,
and Daniel Johnson each drove in a mere five runs during their
respective 1963, 2005, 2015, and 2021 efforts. Among those four
hitters, Tasby drew the most plate appearances with 134. Digging into
the batter's box with 69 men on base over the course of 1963, Tasby only
managed to plate one, driving in a runner from third on a single, as
all four of his long balls were of the solo variety. Interestingly, the
Forest City bore witness to the top overall, Modern Era high, and three
of the four lowest RBI campaigns as McKean, Burns, Tasby, Ludwick, and
Olt each played for clubs that called Cleveland home during the seasons
in which they registered their respective 133, 115, and five RBI
outputs. The remaining player to produce the ground-floor total,
Johnson, did so while splitting 2021 between the two Chicago-based MLB
teams. With his handful of RBI, Johnson joined the likes of Brandon
Belt, Byron Buxton, Joey Gallo, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cedric Mullins,
Fernando Tatis Jr., and Mike Zunino as 2021 saw a whopping eight players
establish or match the bottom-feeding RBI figure for a home run number
of four or higher, the most of any season. Conversely, with his 133
RBI, Ed Delahanty etched his name alongside Lave Cross, Ed McKean, Sam
Thompson, and Walt Wilmot as one of five players to set or equal the
high-water RBI mark for a long ball number during 1894, the most of any
campaign.
3
High 124-Pie
Traynor 1928 Pirates, 144 G, 640 PA, 3 HR, 124 RBI, .337 BA, .370 OBP,
.462 SLG, 113 OPS+, 474 BR, 22.8 BRS% vs. 15.7 NL avg
*Low 3-Jim Tyrone 1974 Cubs, 57 G, 87 PA, 3 HR, 3 RBI, .185 BA, .241 OBP, .321 SLG, 55 OPS+, 52 BRS, 1.9 BRS% vs. 13.8 NL avg
The
sole player outside of the nineteenth century to achieve the top RBI
total for a single-digit home run number, Pirates third baseman Pie
Traynor went deep only three times yet was still able to drive in 124
runs for the 1928 Pirates.
Seven players have
stroked three long balls while driving in the minimum number of runs. Among those seven, outfielder Jim Tyrone of the 1974 Cubs accrued the
most plate appearances with 87. Outside of his trio of solo shots, the
only runner to score during one of Tyrone’s plate appearances came
during a September 21 game versus the Cardinals in which Billy
Grabarkewitz ran all the way from first to home on Tyrone’s grounder
that got past third baseman Ken Reitz. Because Reitz was charged with
an error on the play, Tyrone did not receive credit for a RBI. Aside
from Tyrone, the list of seven players to register the three home
run/three RBI combo includes a trio of pitchers in Dixie Howell, Jim
Gott, and Jorge Sosa. The list also features the free-swinging Rob Deer
who hit three solo drives for the Giants during his initial big league
call-up in September 1984. While sharing this bottom-feeding RBI total,
Deer solely owns the low mark for 32 long balls, having only driven 64
runs for the 1992 Tigers.
2
High 134-Steve Brodie 1895 Orioles, 131 G, 577 PA, 2 HR, 134 RBI, .348 BA, .394 OBP, .449 SLG, 114 OPS+
Modern Era High 103-Pie Traynor 1931 Pirates, 155 G, 677 PA, 2 HR, 103 RBI, .298 BA, .354 OBP, .416 SLG, 108 OPS+, 519 BR, 19.9 BRS% vs. 15.8 NL avg
*Low 2-Fred Marsh 1953 White Sox, 67 G, 111 PA, 2 HR, 2 RBI, .200 BA, .303 OBP, .274 SLG, 55 OPS+, 56 BR, 0.0 BRS% vs. 14.5 AL avg
Center
fielder Steve Brodie established the top RBI total for two
round-trippers, driving in 134 runs for the NL pennant-winning 1895
Orioles. Brodie’s 134 RBI slotted him runner-up in the senior loop
alongside teammate Joe Kelley who hit 10 home runs. The pair only
trailed the 165 RBI of Phillies slugger Sam Thompson who set the peak
mark for players with 18 long balls. Coincidentally, the two-home run
campaigner with the next closest RBI figure is Kelley whose 1898 output
checked up 24 short of Brodie’s 134. Ranking a respective third and
fourth are the 109 of Ed Delahanty from 1900 and the 105 of Henry Reitz
from 1894. Slotting fifth-overall is the Modern Era high total of Pie
Traynor. Three seasons after achieving the top RBI mark for players
with a trio of four-baggers, Traynor racked up 103 RBI against just a
pair of home runs. Traynor stepped up to the plate with 519 men on
base, 42 more than any other NL batter. The Pirates slugger did a fine
job of reaping the benefits of this treasure trove of riches, posting a
BRS% of 19.9. Widely-regarded as the top third baseman during the first
half of the twentieth century, Traynor’s placing among the game’s
all-time greats has suffered in recent years with the emergence of
advanced metrics such as WAR and OPS+. While those statistics may cast a
harsher light on his perceived value, he did excel at bringing
baserunners home as evidenced by the 20.5 BRS% he averaged over his
17-year career.
Forty-two players share the low
total as the two long ball/two RBI combination has been recorded 43
times with Jim Campanis being the sole player to register the stat line
twice. Campanis hit his first pair of round-trippers as a member of the
1967 Dodgers and the second set with the 1970 Royals. Those four home
runs represented the only ones of Campanis’ big league career which
covered 113 games across parts of six seasons. Among the 42 players to
produce the two/two combo, utility infielder Jim Marsh drew the most
plate appearances, digging into the batter’s box 111 times for the 1953
White Sox over which not a single one of his 56 baserunners made it
home. Interestingly, three unrelated players with the last name Garcia
have put together a two round-tripper/two RBI campaign with rookies
Amaury and Jesse simultaneously being the first in 1999 and veteran
Avisail joining them this past season.
1
High 113-Spud Johnson 1890 Columbus Solons AA, 135 G, 596 PA, 1 HR, 113 RBI, .346 BA, .409 OBP, .461 SLG, 161 OPS+
Modern Era High 99-Bill Sweeney 1912 Braves, 153 G, 699 PA, 1 HR, 99 RBI, .344 BA, .416 OBP, .445 SLG, 135 OPS+, 465 BR, 22.6 BRS% vs. 16.6 NL avg
*Low-Dazzy Vance 1923 Dodgers, 37 G, 104 PA, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .084 BA, .216 OBP, .145 SLG, -2 OPS+, 64 BR, 0.0 BRS% vs. 16.3 NL avg
The
1890 campaign witnessed Columbus Solons outfielder Spud Johnson lead
the American Association with 113 RBI while, in the process, also
setting the peak figure for players with a single home run. Johnson’s
Solons went 79-55 to finish in the runner-up spot, 10 games behind the
pennant-winning Louisville Colonels. A sophomore hitter, the 1890
season represented the next-to-last campaign of Johnson’s brief major
league career as he jumped to the NL’s Cleveland Spiders for 1891 where
he struggled, hitting just .257 with 46 RBI. The 1890 season also
marked the penultimate year of the American Association as the league
folded following the 1891 campaign.
Aside from
Johnson, four additional nineteenth century players produced
triple-digit RBI seasons while hitting only a single home run: Farmer
Vaughn with 108 in 1893, Cupid Childs with 106 in 1896, Kid Gleason with
106 in 1897, and Jack Doyle with 101 in 1896. Ranking sixth overall is
the player with the top Modern Era RBI figure, second baseman Bill
Sweeney. Just missing the triple-digit plateau, Sweeney drove in 99
runs for the 1912 Braves. In spite of playing for an abysmal Boston
club that finished in the NL cellar with a 52-101 record, Sweeney
stepped up to the plate with a circuit-high 465 men on base. He did an
excellent job of driving those runners in, as evidenced by his 22.6 BRS%
that ranked second-best among senior loop hitters. The keystoner also
paced the NL with 153 games played and 699 plate appearances. Sweeney’s
99 RBI easily led the Braves as Jay Kirke’s 62 represented the
next-highest figure on the team. What’s more, Sweeney slotted third in
the circuit, only a handful of RBI behind Heinie Zimmerman’s leading
total.
On the opposite side of the run-scoring
spectrum, the single long ball/single RBI campaign has been registered
close to 500 times with 16 players producing the combination twice. Hall of Fame pitcher Dazzy Vance drew the most plate appearances during
a season with the one/one stat line, wielding the lumber 104 times for
the 1923 Brooklyn Robins. Vance was also one of the 16 players to
repeat the combo, albeit across a mere 20 plate appearances while
splitting the 1934 campaign between the Reds and Cardinals. Free-swinging slugger Joey Gallo, who exclusively owns the lowest RBI
figures for home run numbers 41, 38, and 21, shows up among the players
to record the one/one campaign, having manufactured the stat line while
striking out 19 times across 30 plate appearances for the 2016 Rangers.
0
High 121-Hughie Jennings 1896 Orioles, 130 G, 602 PA, 0 HR, 121 RBI, .401 BA, .472 OBP, .488 SLG, 151 OPS+
Modern Era High 108-Lave Cross 1902 Athletics, 137 G, 597 PA, 0 HR, 108 RBI, .342 BA, .374 OBP, .440 SLG, 121 OPS+
*1912-or-Later High 90-Nap Lajoie 1912 Cleveland Naps, 117 G, 500 PA, 0 HR, 90 RBI, .368 BA, .414 OBP, .462 SLG, 146 OPS+, 390 BR, 26.2 BRS% vs. 16.6 AL avg
*1912-or-Later High 90-Duffy
Lewis 1913 Red Sox, 149 G, 612 PA, 0 HR, 90 RBI, .298 BA, .336 OBP,
.397 SLG, 113 OPS+, 234 BR, 19.7 BRS% vs. 15.3 AL avg
*1912-or-Later High 90-Harry Swacina 1914 Baltimore Terrapins FL, 158 G, 652 PA, 0 HR, 90 RBI, .280 BA, .297 OBP, .348 SLG, 82 OPS+
*Low 0-Caleb Joseph 2016 Orioles, 49 G, 141 PA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .174 BA, .216 OBP, .197 SLG, 13 OPS+, 83 BR, 1.2 BRS% vs. 14.4 AL avg
Shortstop
Hughie Jennings established the highest RBI total for a
homerless-campaign, driving in 121 runs for the pennant-winning 1896
Orioles. Jennings’ 121 RBI and .401 batting average both ranked second
in the NL that year. Never one to shy away from an inside pitch,
Jennings set a single-season MLB record by getting beaned 51 times. Immediately following Jennings is the player with the top Modern Era
figure, third baseman Lave Cross who accrued 108 RBI for the 1902
Athletics. Eight seasons after posting the peak RBI mark for seven long
balls while playing for Philadelphia’s NL team, he produced the third
and final triple-digit RBI campaign of his career for the city’s AL
club. Like Jennings, Cross helped his team capture the pennant. Still
an excellent contact hitter, Cross batted .342 while striking out only
four times. Classified in the eighth-overall spot behind an additional
five pre-BRS% data players is a three-way tie between Nap Lajoie, Duffy
Lewis, and Harry Swacina who each collected 90 RBI during their
respective 1912, 1913, and 1914 campaigns. Lajoie’s 1912 effort
witnessed him pace the junior circuit with a superb BRS% of 26.2. Although 1912 represents the earliest season in which play-by-play
accounts are available, the 1913 campaign has a much higher percentage
of games that are missing data. Thus, Lewis’ baserunner figure of 234
and 19.7 BRS% are only so accurate. And, because play-by-play accounts
are unavailable for the Federal League, Swacina’s 1914 stat line does
not include any baserunner or BRS% data.
Among
the countless players to finish a season with zero home runs and zero
RBI, backup catcher Caleb Joseph drew the most plate appearances,
digging in 141 times for the 2016 Orioles. Over that stretch, a mere
one of Joseph’s 83 baserunners managed to score. However, he did not
receive credit for a RBI because the runner scored while he grounded
into a double play. Hundreds of players have produced multiple
campaigns with the zero/zero stat line while drawing at least one plate
appearance. Pitcher Bartolo Colón owns the dubious distinction of
having the most such seasons with 15, over which he accumulated a
combined 143 plate appearances. Known for his futility in the batter’s
box, Colón assembled a ghastly -46 OPS+ across 326 career plate
appearances while hitting .084 with a single home run and 11 RBI. Among
position players, Rick Dempsey and Terrence Gore share the dubious
lead, having six zero/zero campaigns apiece. Dempsey’s career spanned
parts of four decades and 24 seasons. A starting catcher for much of
that time, each of Dempsey’s zero/zero campaigns took place when he was a
backup receiver with five coming at the beginning of his career when he
was breaking in with the Twins and the Yankees and the sixth occurring
in the final year of his career as a member of the Orioles. While
Dempsey enjoyed a starting role for a good portion of his career, Gore
spent the entirety of his eight big league seasons bouncing between the
majors and the minors. The speedy Gore only saw occasional action and
was primarily used as a pinch runner or backup outfielder. Thus, he
rarely collected more than a handful of plate appearances per year,
compiling a mere 85 for his career, over which he never went deep and
drove in just a single run.
by John Tuberty
Follow me on Twitter/X @BloggerTubbs
Stat
links to main players mentioned: Pie Traynor, Paul Waner, Luke Appling,
Stuart Fairchild, Nick Senzel, Bartolo Colón, Avisail Garcia, Alex Avila, Randy Arozarena, Ty Cobb, Curt Casali, Rick Dempsey, Paul Molitor, Bobby Bonds, Harmon Killebrew, Ed Delahanty, Sam Thompson, Dave Nicholson
Sources:
All statistics drawn from Baseball Reference and Stathead
Cards:
Pie Traynor 1976 Topps, Dave Nicholson 1962 Topps, Ed McKean 1890 G
Waldon Smith Cabinets, Ed Delahanty 1977 Philadelphia Favorites, Hughie
Jennings 1893-94 Perkins Photographic Studio Cabinets, Caleb Joseph 2018
Topps Now Road to Opening Day, Lou Gehrig 2023 Topps Chrome Platinum
Anniversary 1954 Topps City Variations, Giancarlo Stanton 2018 Topps
Heritage Award Winners, Rob Deer 1992 Topps, Tim Hudson 2004 Fleer
Tradition, Dwight Evans 1988 Topps, Steve Balboni 1986 Topps
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