MLB Daily Thread: Post Your Favorite Individual Great Seasons

[mr.hockey4242]

2007 Nick Punto

1 Hr 25 RBI .210/.291/.271/.562 16/22 SB, 90K/472 AB

I just loved the way he talked about not allowing his hitting to affect his defense. Guy was a true gamer and really made the team go. Just wish he could have gotten that 1 extra hit to have an even 100 on the year.

To this day I still argue we should extend the season by two weeks, just for guys like Nick.

 

[Omar 382]

One of the more underrated players ever, Bill Terry's 1930 season was ridiculous. .401/.452/.619 with a 156 wRC+ and an 8.2 fWAR, the 17th highest single-season total for a first baseman. I hate when people erroneously interpret the phrase "batting average isn't important" as saying hitting isn't important, only walks. That's not at all true (in fact singles are slightly more valuable to run scoring than walks according to linear weights). Terry hit .401, but only had a .452 OBP. I think some will be disappointed by the small jump in batting average to OBP, but what if he hit .350? Would you rather he hit .350 with a .452 OBP or hit .401 (with a chance for extra base hits) with a .452 OBP? He was also pretty good defensively.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

2008 Manny Ramirez was a blast. 20 homers with the sox in 100 games and 17 homers with the Dodgers in 53.

 

[soxfan1468927]

Pedro from April 20, 1999, to May 30, 2001, started 66 games, had 690 strikeouts and 84 walks with a 1.78 ERA and 1.70 FIP. And the Sox went 51-15 when he started.

 

[Howie115]

Hank Greenberg, Detroit, 1937

200 Hits, 120 runs, 184 RBI(All-Time Best), 40 HR, 49-2B, 14-3B, .337/.436/.668, 172 OPS+

Interesting side note on that season, Hank did not win the MVP. He did win two MVPs in 1935 and 1940. The 1935 season was notable in that his 170 RBIs were a whopping 51 more than the next closest player (Lou Gehrig with 119).

Also, the 184 RBIs were a personal best for Greenberg, but not the all-time best in the MLB. That honor belongs to Hack Wilson (191 RBI in 1930).

 

[navamind]

I find myself looking back fondly on JD Drew's 2008 campaign, even though he missed a good chunk of time. Ortiz hit the DL in early June that year with a wrist injury, which affected him in the 2nd half and much of 2009. Drew proceeded to carry the Sox offense by batting .337/.462/.848 with 12 home runs that month. He had a 19 game stretch that month where he had a 1.581 OPS, slugging over 1.000. He also had several big hits in the postseason. He hit a go-ahead HR off K-Rod in game 2 of the ALDS and had two hits in Game 5 of the ALCS (2-run home run to make it a 7-6 game, and then he hit the walk-off "single" (it was really a ground rule double)), helping the Sox overcome a 7-0 deficit to stay alive.

Ellsbury's 2011 season was pretty much in line with any of Mike Trout's seasons. .321/.376/.552 with 46 doubles, 5 triples, 32 home runs (more than 33% of his career total!), 39 stolen bases (though he got caught 15 times) and pretty good defense.

 

[Howie115]

Only because I followed it all year, I'll list Justin Verlander's 2011 MVP/Cy Young season.

24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250 K, 0.92 WHIP, 172 ERA+.

While there have been several better seasons from other pitchers, 2011 was remarkable in that JV never threw fewer than 6 innings or 100 pitches in ANY of his 34 starts. What that does for a bullpen is a manager's dream.

 

[TheSnowdog]

From 2002-2003 it was no longer cool for Dodger fans to leave early.

They probably wished they left early this time...

 

[Cyder]

I hope I got this in the right category, I'm still a newbyish

Mine, George Brett 1980

515 PA, 175 Hits, 58 BB, 22 K, .390/.454/.664, 87 Runs, 118 RBIs, 24 HR, 33-2B, 9-3B, 1.118 OPS, 203 OPS+

We talking our own team or in general?

 

[Cyder]

My favorite was Mariano Rivera in 1996. They brought him in as the middle reliever whenever they were in trouble and he got them out of it. Rarely came in for only one inning.

61 appearances. 107.2 innings. 2.09 ERA. 73 hits 1 HR allowed. .994 WHIP. 130 K's.

 

[kramer1]

1989 Kevin Mitchell. That fat bastard was so much fun to watch.

 

[msgkings322]

2002 Bonds. Yeah I said it. He was roided out, but so was everyone else, and they didn't put up these stats:

46 HR 110 RBI 198 BB (!) .370 / .582 (!)/ .799 (!) 1.381 OPS (!) 268 OPS+ 68 IBB (!!)

I think this was the year Showalter walked him with the bases fucking loaded. Dude 'only' had 46 HRs and 110 RBIs because he only had 403 ABs because he walked almost 200 goddamn times.

Roids or no, that is the best a human being can be at hitting.

 

[The Derski]

Randy Johnson 1999-02 was the best pitcher on the planet.

 

[msgkings322]

Randy Johnson 1999-02 was the best pitcher on the planet.

Pedro Martinez says hi

 

[The Derski]

Pedro Martinez says hi

Yes he was very good too. I didn't say it was by a wide margin. Plus Martinez missed a decent portion of the 2001 season.

 

[msgkings322]

Yes he was very good too. I didn't say it was by a wide margin. Plus Martinez missed a decent portion of the 2001 season.

Pedro 1999-2000 Randy 2001-2002 works

 

[msgkings322]

2002 Bonds. Yeah I said it. He was roided out, but so was everyone else, and they didn't put up these stats:

46 HR 110 RBI 198 BB (!) .370 / .582 (!)/ .799 (!) 1.381 OPS (!) 268 OPS+ 68 IBB (!!)

I think this was the year Showalter walked him with the bases fucking loaded. Dude 'only' had 46 HRs and 110 RBIs because he only had 403 ABs because he walked almost 200 goddamn times.

Roids or no, that is the best a human being can be at hitting.

2004 was every bit as strong....as in 120 intentional....bases....on.....muthufuckin.....balls (probably due to less lineup protection than 2002, that team could hit)

Actually now that I looked, 2004 was significantly BETTER

 

[msgkings322]

Just reminded too of Bonds' last season 2007, he had a terrific year .276/.480/.565/1.045 169 OPS+

Left the game (and the roids) behind, went out still very productive. Like Ortiz this year.
But his leaving had to happen, if he hangs on another 2-3 years I'm not sure 2010-14 happen.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Yes he was very good too. I didn't say it was by a wide margin. Plus Martinez missed a decent portion of the 2001 season.

Even so, Pedro's 1999-2000 is perhaps the most dominant 2 year stretch by a pitcher in history.

Johnson threw more innings, but he wasn't particularly great in those extra innings thrown...

Pedro in 1999 (his best year) threw 217 IP and allowed 42 ER
Johnson in 2002 (perhaps his best year) threw 260 IP and allowed 67 ER

So Johnson allowed 25 more ER in those 43 innings (5.23 ERA).

 

[Villain]

They probably wished they left early this time...

Matt Stairs will never die as long as I continue to have nightmares.