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Two Bases From Two Sides at Second Base

Posted by Raphy on September 21, 2009

Today's MLB Oriole's Game Notes has a paragraph chronicling all the doubles lists that Brian Roberts is climbing this season. Here is a closer look courtesy of the Baseball-Reference.com Play Index:

Most Doubles in a Season by a Switch Hitter:

  Cnt Player            **2B** Year Age Tm  Lg  G   PA  AB  R   H  3B HR RBI  BB IBB  SO HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB CS   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  Positions
+----+-----------------+------+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+
    1 Lance Berkman       55   2001  25 HOU NL 156 688 577 110 191  5 34 126  92   5 121  13   0   6   8   7  9  .331  .430  .620 1.050 *78/9
    2 Brian Roberts       54   2009  31 BAL AL 146 661 585 103 167  1 15  74  65   3  99   2   1   8   7  29  7  .285  .355  .458  .813 *4
    3 Brian Roberts       51   2008  30 BAL AL 155 704 611 107 181  8  9  57  82   3 104   2   3   6   8  40 10  .296  .378  .450  .828 *4
    4 Jose Vidro          51   2000  25 MON NL 153 663 606 101 200  2 24  97  49   4  69   2   0   6  17   5  4  .330  .379  .540  .919 *4
    5 Pete Rose           51   1978  37 CIN NL 159 729 655 103 198  3  7  52  62   6  30   3   2   7   8  13  9  .302  .362  .421  .783 *5/73

Most Doubles in a Season by a Second Baseman (at least 50% of games at 2B):

  Cnt Player            **2B** Year Age Tm  Lg  G   PA  AB  R   H  3B HR RBI  BB IBB  SO HBP  SH  SF GDP  SB CS   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  Positions
+----+-----------------+------+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+
    1 Charlie Gehringer   60   1936  33 DET AL 154 731 641 144 227 12 15 116  83   0  13   4   3   0   0   4  1  .354  .431  .555  .986 *4
    2 Billy Herman        57   1936  26 CHC NL 153 709 632 101 211  7  5  93  59   0  30   1  17   0  16   5  0  .334  .392  .470  .862 *4
    3 Billy Herman        57   1935  25 CHC NL 154 735 666 113 227  6  7  83  42   0  29   3  24   0  17   6  0  .341  .383  .476  .859 *4
    4 Craig Biggio        56   1999  33 HOU NL 160 749 639 123 188  0 16  73  88   9 107  11   5   6   5  28 14  .294  .386  .457  .843 *4/7D
    5 Brian Roberts       54   2009  31 BAL AL 146 661 585 103 167  1 15  74  65   3  99   2   1   8   7  29  7  .285  .355  .458  .813 *4
    6 Dustin Pedroia      54   2008  24 BOS AL 157 726 653 118 213  2 17  83  50   1  52   7   7   9  17  20  1  .326  .376  .493  .869 *4
    7 Brian Roberts       51   2008  30 BAL AL 155 704 611 107 181  8  9  57  82   3 104   2   3   6   8  40 10  .296  .378  .450  .828 *4
    8 Alfonso Soriano     51   2002  26 NYY AL 156 741 696 128 209  2 39 102  23   1 157  14   1   7   8  41 13  .300  .332  .547  .879 *4
    9 Jose Vidro          51   2000  25 MON NL 153 663 606 101 200  2 24  97  49   4  69   2   0   6  17   5  4  .330  .379  .540  .919 *4
   10 Craig Biggio        51   1998  32 HOU NL 160 738 646 123 210  2 20  88  64   6 113  23   1   4  10  50  8  .325  .403  .503  .906 *4/D

Most Seasons with 50+ Doubles:

                   From  To   Ages Seasons Link to Individual Seasons
+-----------------+----+----+-----+-------+------------------------------+
 Tris Speaker      1912 1926 24-38       5 Ind. Seasons
 Brian Roberts     2004 2009 26-31       3 Ind. Seasons
 Stan Musial       1944 1953 23-32       3 Ind. Seasons
 Paul Waner        1928 1936 25-33       3 Ind. Seasons

Of course you could combine the three and find that only one other switch hitting second baseman has had at least 50 doubles in a season.

One Response to “Two Bases From Two Sides at Second Base”

  1. eorns Says:

    Also check out Roberts' sick 2004. In addition to his 50 doubles, he had only 6 other EBH (2 3B, 4 HR), the fewest for a 50-double guy since 1927. Also, his 90 OBP+ that year trails only Mark Grudzielanek's 81(!) in his 54-double 1997 campaign (Roberts' 109 OBP+ this year is the second lowest for 54+ doubles). Careerwise, 25% of this guy's hits have been doubles! Compare that to career doubles leader Tris Speaker's 22.5% and the 2009 overall rate of 20%. Interesting numbers for a player with a career 104 OPS+!