Top 50 Seasons by MLB Player

 

Miguel Cabrera had a miraculous 2012; he was the first player in 45 years to win a Triple Crown. Where does his season rank amongst some of the other spectacular seasons we’ve seen from the MLB’s best? I’ll spare you the suspense…surprisingly, Cabrera’s Triple Crown campaign only ranks 23rd best since 2000. Our Top 50 Seasons is littered with legendary players like Pujols, Bonds, and A-Rod…but also has a few players you may not have expected, especially near the top. Where does Bonds 73 HR season rank? How many times is Albert Pujols on the list? Find out these answers and much, much more. I’ll break down the top 10 seasons in the modern era (since 2000), and give you the QFS Top 50 Seasons by an MLB Player.

QFS Ranking Method

We used 5 categories to rank the QFS Top 50 Seasons:

BA-Batting Average
HR-Home Runs
RBI-Runs Batted In
Runs-Runs Scored
OPS-On Base + Slugging Percentage

A total of 50 points for each category were possible; if a player had the highest total in a category (compared to the other 49 players) they received 50pts. If a player had the 2nd highest total they got 49pts, 3rd most 48pts, etc. Points from each category were combined to reveal a total score. The player with the highest total score received the #1 QFS Ranking.

 

Top 10 Seasons by MLB Player

#10 Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (2002)

Stat Line: .300 BA, 57 HR, 142 RBI, 125 Runs, 1.015

In Alex Rodriguez’ second season with the Texas Rangers…he had a monster year. Although the Rangers finished with a 70-92 record, A-Rod led the MLB in HR’s, RBI, and total bases. A-Rods 57 HR’s were also the most ever be a shortstop. Amazingly, these crazy numbers didn’t even earn him the AL MVP (Miguel Tejada).

#9 Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (2001)

Stat Line: .318, 52 HR, 135 RBI, 133 Runs, 1.021 OPS

In his first year with the Texas Rangers A-Rod looked like he may have deserved his infamous $252 million dollar contract (over 10 years). The Rangers finished last in the AL West, as they did in 2002, but A-Rod broke some really old records. Rodriguez led the American league in HR, runs, and total bases and was the first player since 1932 to hit 50 HR’s with 200 hits. He bested Ernie Banks’ total of 47 HR’s (in 1958) becoming the most prolific HR hitting SS of all-time.

#8 Albert Pujols, Saint Louis Cardinals (2006)

Stat Line: .331 BA, 49 HR, 137 RBI, 119 Runs, 1.102 OPS

Albert Pujols has 8 of the top 50 seasons since 2000, the most by a large margin (Alex Rodriguez 2nd with 5). Pujols may be the most consistent hitter of all-time with his well-documented ability to hit over .300 with 30+ HR’s and 100+ RBI (did it each of first 10 seasons in MLB). You may not remember but the 1999 13th round pick of the Saint Louis Cardinals was pretty close to a Triple Crown in 2006. He finished 3rd in batting average, 2nd in HR’s, and 2nd in RBI carrying the Cardinals to his first World Series Championship.

#7 Albert Pujols, Saint Louis Cardinals (2003)

Stat Line: .359 BA, 43 HR’s, 124 RBI, 137 Runs, 1.106 OPS

In just his 3rd year in the league Albert Pujols became the youngest player since 1962 to win the NL batting title. Pujols also led the league in runs, hits, and doubles. Surprisingly, on opening day the emerging superstar hit 6th behind players like Tino Martinez, Mike Matheny, and Matt Morris. That would not last long however as his career was about to take off behind his incredible 2003 season.

#6 Louis Gonzalez, Arizona Diamondbacks (2001)

Stat Line: .325 BA, 57 HR’s, 142 HR’s, 128 RBI, 1.117 OPS

If I asked you to give me a list of the top 50 seasons of all-time, I highly doubt you would have Luis Gonzalez near the top of your list. You will however likely remember one of his at bats from 2001. In game 7…against the New York Yankees…on a 0-1 count…vs. the greatest closer who ever lived (Mariano Rivera), Gonzalez hit a bloop single up the middle to win the World Series. Gonzalez hit 57 HR’s in the infamous 2001 Bonds 73 HR year; the 57 was nearly double Gonzalez’ previous best. The number is still the 3rd most HR’s hit by a LH batter in NL history.

#5 Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants (2001)

Stat Line: .328 BA, 73 HR’s, 137 RBI, 129 Runs, 1.379 OPS

5 of our top 10 best season hail from the most offensively productive MLB season of all-time (2001). I try not to get caught up in the steroid talk because we will never know who did or did not use, but after creating this list its fairly obvious PE’s were rampant in baseball near the turn of the century. Of the top 50, 16 seasons are from 2000 or 2001 (compared to 2 seasons from 2011 & 2012 combined). It will be a long time before we forget Hank Aaron on the jumbo-tron after Bonds broke the HR record, and the hoopla around that extraordinary MLB season. 2001 was the first of 4 straight NL MVP’s for Bonds. He broke the major league record in HR’s, walks, OBP, Slugging %, and OPS. Most of these records were held by Babe Ruth in the early 1920’s, and Bonds did it all at the tender age of 36.

#4 Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (2007)

Stat Line: .314 BA, 54 HR’s, 156 RBI, 143 Runs, 1.067 OPS

In A-Rods 4th year with the NY Yankees it was revealed that he and “The Captain” were not close friends. A-Rod came in faster and lighter than he ever had and produced the best year of his 19-year career. 2007 marked Rodriguez’ 10th straight season hitting at least 35 HR’s, 100 RBI’s, 100 Runs; the first player to do so in MLB history. He led the AL in HR’s, slugging, OPS, and total bases and was the 2007 AL MVP. After this 2007 season A-Rod hit 35, 30, 30, 16, & 18 HR’s, he also hit over .300 and scored more the 100 runs just one time through 2012. In essence it was the last time we saw the “Alex Rodriguez” who looked the part of highest paid player in baseball.

#3 Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies (2001)

Stat Line: .336 BA, 49 HR, 146 RBI, 132 Runs, 1.116 OPS

The biggest surprise of our Top 50 has to be Todd Helton checking in at #3. Most of us remember him being a fantastic hitter I’m sure, but these numbers are mind blowing. Our scoring system seems most beneficial to players who performed in all 5 categories, Todd Helton apparently did it all. The career .320 hitter smashed a career high 49 bombs while becoming the first player in MLB history to have 100+ extra base hits in consecutive seasons. Helton also had 402 total bases making him the 4th player ever to go 400+ in back-to-back seasons. The reason most wouldn’t put Helton in the elite all-time category is due in most part to the enormous shadow cast by two of his peers, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds.

#2 Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies (2000)

Stat Line: .372 BA, 42 HR, 147 RBI, 138 Runs, 1.162 OPS

Even more surprising than Todd Helton in the top 5, is the fact that he’s in the top 5 twice! With players like Pujols, Bonds, and A-Rod surrounding Helton he still somehow has two of the top three best seasons. In Helton’s 4th year with the Rockies he took it to another level. In 98’ and 99’ Helton showed his potential hitting over .315 in both seasons with a 30 HR average. Then, in 2000, he exploded…leading the MLB in BA, RBI, doubles, total bases, extra base hits, slugging, and OPS. Helton was the first player in NL History (5th all-time) to get 200 hits, 40 HR’s, 100 RBI, 100 runs, 100 extra base hits, & 100 walks in one season.

#1 Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs (2001)

Stat Line: .328 BA, 64 HR, 160 RBI, 146 Runs, 1.174 OPS

Sammy “say it ain’t” Sosa, according to our numbers, had the best statistical season since 2000 among all MLB players. That clip of Sammy running in the outfield waiving an American flag happened in 2001. Sammy did it after hitting a HR in his first home game since the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. Sammy tore up the league for the rest of the season and was 2nd in our top 50 in HR’s, 1st in RBI, 2nd in runs, and 4th in OPS. Although the Chicago Cubs would ultimately miss the playoffs Sosa had the ultimate season in the historical 2001 MLB.

 

Top 50 Seasons by MLB Player (Since 2000)

Players who have the same rank had an equal point total

Player	Team	Year	BA	HR	RBI	RUNS	OPS	Rank
Sammy Sosa	CHC	2001	0.328	64	160	146	1.174	1
Todd Helton	COL	2000	0.372	42	147	138	1.162	2
Todd Helton	COL	2001	0.336	49	146	132	1.116	2
Alex Rodriguez	NYY	2007	0.314	54	156	143	1.067	4
Barry Bonds	SF	2001	0.328	73	137	129	1.379	5
Luis Gonzalez	ARI	2001	0.325	57	142	128	1.117	6
Albert Pujols	STL	2003	0.359	43	124	137	1.106	7
Albert Pujols	STL	2006	0.331	49	137	119	1.102	7
Alex Rodriguez	TEX	2001	0.318	52	135	133	1.021	9
Alex Rodriguez	TEX	2002	0.300	57	142	125	1.015	10
Albert Pujols	STL	2004	0.331	46	123	133	1.072	11
Jeff Bagwell	HOU	2000	0.310	47	132	152	1.039	12
Albert Pujols	STL	2009	0.327	47	135	124	1.101	13
Barry Bonds	SF	2004	0.362	45	101	129	1.422	14
David Ortiz	BOS	2005	0.300	47	148	119	1.001	14
Carlos Delgado	TOR	2000	0.344	41	137	115	1.134	16
Ryan Howard	PHI	2006	0.313	58	149	104	1.084	16
Frank Thomas	CWS	2000	0.328	43	143	115	1.061	18
Alex Rodriguez	NYY	2005	0.321	48	130	124	1.031	18
Maglio Ordonez	DET	2007	0.363	28	139	117	1.029	18
Matt Holiday	COL	2007	0.340	36	137	120	1.012	21
Barry Bonds	SF	2002	0.370	46	110	117	1.381	22
Miguel Cabrera	DET	2012	0.330	44	139	109	0.999	23
Gary Sheffield	ATL	2003	0.330	39	132	126	1.023	24
Jason Giambi	OAK	2000	0.333	43	137	108	1.123	25
Sammy Sosa	CHC	2000	0.320	50	138	106	1.040	26
David Ortiz	BOS	2006	0.287	54	137	115	1.049	26
Alex Rodriguez	SEA	2000	0.316	41	132	134	1.026	28
Derrick Lee	CHC	2005	0.335	46	107	120	1.080	28
Todd Helton	COL	2003	0.358	33	117	135	1.088	30
Carlos Delgado	TOR	2003	0.302	42	145	117	1.019	31
Albert Pujols	STL	2005	0.330	41	117	129	1.039	31
Adrian Beltre	LAD	2004	0.334	48	121	104	1.017	33
Ryan Howard	PHI	2008	0.251	48	146	105	0.881	34
Vladamir Guerrero	MON	2000	0.345	44	123	101	1.074	35
Larry Walker	COL	2001	0.350	38	123	107	1.111	36
Richard Hildago	HOU	2000	0.314	44	122	118	1.028	37
Jason Giambi	NYY	2002	0.314	41	122	120	1.034	38
Prince Fielder	MIL	2009	0.299	46	141	103	1.014	38
Matt Kemp	LAD	2011	0.324	39	126	115	0.986	40
Albert Pujols	STL	2001	0.329	37	130	112	1.013	41
Miguel Cabrerra	DET	2010	0.328	38	126	111	1.042	42
David Ortiz	BOS	2007	0.332	35	117	116	1.066	43
Prince Fielder	MIL	2007	0.288	50	119	109	1.013	43
Todd Helton	COL	2004	0.347	32	96	115	1.088	45
Jim Thome	CLE	2002	0.304	52	118	101	1.122	46
Albert Pujols	STL	2010	0.312	42	118	115	1.011	47
Manny Ramirez	LAD	2008	0.332	37	121	102	1.031	48
Albert Pujols	STL	2008	0.357	37	116	100	1.114	49
Joey Votto	CIN	2010	0.324	37	113	106	1.024	50

 

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Tags Albert Pujols Alex Rodriguez Barry Bonds Best MLB Players Carlos Delgado David Ortiz Frank Thomas Jeff Bagwell Luis Gonzalez Matt Kemp Miguel Cabrera MLB Prince Fielder Ryan Howard Todd Helton Top MLB Seasons