108 RBIs--Without a Home Run
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by user Harold Friend
The last time it happened was 1985. Tommy Herr blasted 8 home runs and batted in 110 runs to become the first player to have at least 100 RBIs with fewer than 10 home runs. In 1950, George Kell hit 8 home runs and had 108 RBIs. In the last 56 years, they are the only players to accomplish the feat. Does this mean that in order to drive in runs, batters must hit home runs? As Ira Gershwin and DuBose Howard wrote in one of the great musical works of all time, it ain't necessarily so. It cannot be denied that a home run produces at least one run, but there have been run producers who were not home run hitters and high scoring teams that were not home run hitting teams.
The most remarkable 100 RBI season occurred in 1902, when Lafayette Napoleon "Lave" Cross (what a fantastic name. He must have really had fun in school) had 108 RBIs with 0 home runs. Cross hit .342, had a .374 on base average, and slugged .465. Now, those are respectable statistics.
In 2006, Derek Jeter is hitting .339. has a .413 on base percentage, and is slugging .479. Jeter has 14 home runs with 96 RBIs. The statistics are remarkably similar, especially Cross' (.465) and Jeter's (.479) slugging averages. Remember, Jeter has 14 home runs to 0 for Cross. The point is not to compare Cross and Jeter. The point is that it is possible to have "productive" seasons without hitting home runs.
In 1946, the first season following one of the world wars, Dixie Walker, who was some people's choice, hit 9 home runs and batted in 116 runs, but that pales to his 1945 season, when he hit 8 home runs and had 124 RBIs. That same season, 1945, Bob Elliott matched Walker's 8 home runs but had "only" 108 RBIs. In 1943, Elliott hit 7 home runs with 101 RBIs while Billy Herman, with only 2 home runs, had 100 RBIs.
We can stop at this point although there are many others who had at least 100 RBIs with 9 or fewer home runs because the point has been illustrated. Home runs excite fans and as one of the great home run hitters said, "Singles hitters drive Fords and home run hitters drive Cadillacs," but it used to be possible to drive in 100 or more runs without hitting a lot of home runs. There is another side to the coin.
In 2005, Derrek Lee had a great season. He hit 46 home runs, 50 doubles, and knocked in 107 runs. In 1945, Bob Elliott hit 8 home runs, 36 doubles, and knocked in 108 runs. Yes, Virginia, singles can be productive.
In 2004, Sammy Sosa had 35 home runs with 80 RBIs. It was, as Frank used to sing, "All or nothing at all." But wait. That same 2004 season, Brad Wilkerson's "accomplishment" was even more remarkable. He hit 32 home runs with 67 RBIs.
Rob Deer, who averaged 32 home runs a season, also averaged 198 strikeouts based on 162 game season. Deer hit 32 home runs in 1992 with 64 RBIs. That is remarkable. But the final example will please or upset many. Barry (yes, THAT Barry), in 2003, hit 45 home runs. He had 90 RBIs.
RBIs are a function of opportunity and it doesn't take a home run to knock in a run. A single can be as productive as a home run, and the single still leaves a runner on base. We are in the era of "arena baseball," and maybe, just maybe, a general manager will come along who will build a team with players who make contact, try to avoid strikeouts, and play basic, fundamental baseball. Right. And maybe the price of tickets will go down.
References
- http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/herrto01.shtml
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porgy_and_Bess
- http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/crossla01.shtml
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Walker
- http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/kinerralph.shtml
Date
Tue 09/26/06, 11:31 am EST
