With
the 2006 season entering its final 3 weeks, ten players are on target to achieve
the triple crown milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 runs
batted in. This is the same number
as in 2005 but is down from the 13 who were on target at
mid-season.
Consistent
with the clear superiority of the American League this year, 7 of the 10 players
on target are from the American League.
Four other American Leaguers are close enough to have a shot while 6
other National Leaguers are within range.
Here
are the AL
players that are on target for .300-30-100 seasons.
Jermaine Dye
.328-41-112 First
time.
Vladimir Guerrero
.328-28-109 Needs a
couple of homers.
Justin Morneau
.320-33-118 Terrific
second half.
Manny Ramirez
.318-34-101 Manny being
Manny for 9th time.
Paul Konerko
.312-32-103 Another
first timer.
Vernon
Wells
.309-31- 94 Batting
average is slipping.
Travis Hafner .308-42-117 His season is over. He’s in.
Four
others are close.
Joe Crede
.298-29- 91 Breakout year.
Carlos Lee
.296-32-103 Doing it in
both leagues.
Jim Thome
.293-39- 97 Can’t quite get average to
.300.
David Ortiz
.288-48-127 Hit .301
and .300 last 2 years.
Three
others were on-target at mid-season but have fallen off the
pace.
Miguel Tejada
.330-22- 92 Where are the
homers?
Magglio Ordonez
.293-19- 92 Has done it 4
times.
Alexis Rios
.292-16- 69 Season ruined by
injury.
Two
others made it in 2005 but will fall short in 2006.
Alex Rodriguez
.282-31-105 An off-year
for 2005 MVP.
Mark Teixeira
.276-27- 91 Very poor first
half.
The
three National League players on-target are all first
basemen.
Albert Pujols
.321-45-115 Sixth
straight year.
Ryan Howard
.316-56-133 Emerging
superstar.
Lance Berkman
.312-39-112 Aiming for
3rd time.
Six
others are close enough to have a chance.
Miguel Cabrera
.339-25-102 Needs 5
home runs.
Matt Holliday
.336-28- 83 Needs
RBIs.
Garrett
Atkins
.326-25- 95 Coming on
strong.
Chase Utley
.304-28- 83 May be short on
RBIs.
Adam
LaRoche
.296-30- 83 Strong second
half.
Alfonso Soriano
.293-45- 86 Could also get 45
SBs.
One
player was on target at mid-season but has fallen off the
pace.
David Wright
.311-24-106 Short on
homers.
Three
others made it in 2005 but will fall short in 2006.
Derrek Lee
.288- 6- 19 Missed most of season with
injury.
Jason Bay
.282-32- 93 Batting
average dropped off.
Carlos Delgado
.264-37- 98 Good power
but low average.
In
2004, ten minor league players achieved triple milestones and seven did it in
2005. It appears that none made it
in 2006.
In
each of the past three years, one major league pitcher has achieved the
milestones of 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00. In 2003, it was Esteban Loaiza, in 2004,
Johan Santana did it, and last year Chris Carpenter was the man. It appears there will also be one in
2006. Johan Santana with 18 wins,
230 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.75 is on target for his second triple milestone
season. No other pitchers are
close.
Bill Gilbert is a baseball analyst
and writer and member of the Society for American Baseball Research
(SABR).