A couple of weeks ago on Sunday Night Baseball, John Kruk mentioned how the “first half” of the season doesn’t really match up with the “All-Star Break” anymore. Now, loyal readers of the VORG will remember that we covered this in detail last year. The phrase “Most ____ by the All-Star Break” is relatively meaningless when that Break changes from year-to-year.
So, if we were going to discuss the best “first half” performances of all-time, lets restrict them to the first 81 games of seasons since 1961. Then you’d have the following record-holders (with the 154-game season from 1920-1960 [77-game 1st half] records below them):
HOMERS
| Rk | Player | Year | HR ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barry Bonds | 2001 | 39 |
| 2 | Mark McGwire | 1998 | 37 |
| 3 | Reggie Jackson | 1969 | 34 |
Generated 7/13/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 32 by Babe Ruth in 1928 and 1930)
RBI
| Rk | Player | Year | RBI ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Gonzalez | 1998 | 96 |
| 2 | Manny Ramirez | 1999 | 88 |
| 3 | Carlos Delgado | 2003 | 88 |
Generated 7/13/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 103 by Hank Greenberg in 1935)
HITS
| Rk | Player | Year | H ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darin Erstad | 2000 | 130 |
| 2 | Ichiro Suzuki | 2001 | 125 |
| 3 | Ichiro Suzuki | 2007 | 124 |
Generated 7/13/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 139 by George Sisler in 1922)
DOUBLES
| Rk | Player | Year | 2B ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edgar Martinez | 1996 | 41 |
| 2 | Manny Machado | 2013 | 37 |
| 3 | Chuck Knoblauch | 1994 | 36 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 37 by Paul Waner in 1932)
TRIPLES
| Rk | Player | Year | 3B ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curtis Granderson | 2007 | 15 |
| 2 | Jose Reyes | 2011 | 15 |
| 3 | Rod Carew | 1977 | 14 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 14 by four players)
STRIKEOUTS
| Rk | Player | Year | SO ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Dunn | 2012 | 127 |
| 2 | Chris Davis | 2009 | 114 |
| 3 | Ryan Howard | 2008 | 112 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 78 by Wally Post in 1956)
WALKS
| Rk | Player | Year | BB ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barry Bonds | 2004 | 119 |
| 2 | Barry Bonds | 2002 | 104 |
| 3 | Frank Thomas | 1995 | 86 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 97 by Ted Williams in 1947)
INNINGS PITCHED (ONLY AS STARTER)
| Rk | Player | Year | IP ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilbur Wood | 1973 | 213.0 |
| 2 | Wilbur Wood | 1972 | 198.0 |
| 3 | Gaylord Perry | 1972 | 194.2 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 191.3 by Pete Alexander in 1920)
INNINGS PITCHED (ONLY AS RELIEVER)
| Rk | Player | Year | IP ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Marshall | 1974 | 99.0 |
| 2 | Eddie Fisher | 1965 | 94.1 |
| 3 | Mike Marshall | 1973 | 88.1 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 91 by Hoyt Wilhelm in 1953)
STRIKEOUTS (ONLY AS STARTER)
| Rk | Player | Year | SO ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Ryan | 1977 | 214 |
| 2 | Nolan Ryan | 1973 | 188 |
| 3 | Steve Carlton | 1972 | 182 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 190 by Bob Feller in 1946)
WINS (AS STARTING PITCHER)
| Rk | Player | Year | W ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vida Blue | 1971 | 17 |
| 2 | Whitey Ford | 1961 | 16 |
| 3 | Gaylord Perry | 1972 | 15 |
| 4 | Gaylord Perry | 1974 | 15 |
| 5 | Denny McLain | 1968 | 15 |
| 6 | Pedro Martinez | 1999 | 15 |
| 7 | Juan Marichal | 1968 | 15 |
| 8 | Mickey Lolich | 1972 | 15 |
| 9 | Sandy Koufax | 1966 | 15 |
| 10 | Randy Jones | 1976 | 15 |
| 11 | Joaquin Andujar | 1985 | 15 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
(154-game season first-half record: 16 by three players)
SAVES
| Rk | Player | Year | SV ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Francisco Rodriguez | 2008 | 31 |
| 2 | Danny Graves | 2004 | 31 |
| 3 | John Smoltz | 2003 | 29 |
| 4 | Lee Smith | 1993 | 29 |
| 5 | Kazuhiro Sasaki | 2001 | 29 |
| 6 | Mariano Rivera | 2004 | 29 |
| 7 | Eric Gagne | 2002 | 29 |
| 8 | Eric Gagne | 2003 | 29 |
| 9 | Dennis Eckersley | 1992 | 29 |
| 10 | Chad Cordero | 2005 | 29 |
| 11 | Bobby Thigpen | 1990 | 28 |
| 12 | Lee Smith | 1994 | 28 |
Generated 7/16/2014.
A few things can be concluded from this.
1. Barry Bonds is the best hitter in my lifetime.
2. George Sisler was a hitting machine.
3. Edgar Martinez belongs in the Hall of Fame.
4. At one time, Ichiro was the best player in the world.
5. Mariano is a little overrated. i mean he is still great but was helped out by being on a dynasty.
6. Nolan Ryan’s arm never got tired.
7. Although Adam Dunn Ks a lot I still would like to see him in the HOF one day.
8. I wish the Mets kept Reyes.
9. K-Rod was dominant.
10. Love how Joaquin Andujar is mentioned with all great pitchers.
Excellent Diane! Not being critical, however I believe Sisler had his 139 first half hits during the 1922 campaign. Keep ’em coming Dianagram!
Ah yes …. you are correct. Thanks for the heads-up!