Ask Sports Sturm: Pujols the Great

Ronald sent me this week's project - which I referenced on the air yesterday, but now you have it in print. This is a pretty good one. Check this out:

SportsSturm-

Maybe you can help me with this. Albert Pujols has pretty much wrapped up the "best hitter of the decade". It looks like he will win the decade triple crown for the National League. Has any other player ever done that? That guy is too good.

And yes, I am a die hard Cardinals fan.

Thanks.

Ronald

The decade triple crown?

I had never considered the idea until this email, but let's take a look at the decade leaders in the triple crown categories and see how many times it has happened in baseball history that a decade has been owned by a single player. Here is the National League back to 1900:

UPDATED: 3/8/11 - stats are complete

Decade	HR Leader	RBI Leader	BA Leader
2000's	Pujols - 366	Pujols - 1112	Pujols - .334
1990's	Bonds - 361	Bonds - 1076	Gwynn - .344
1980's	Schmidt - 313	Schmidt/Murphy - 929	Gwynn - .332
1970's	Stargell - 296	Bench - 1013	Madlock - .319
1960's	Aaron - 375	Aaron - 1107	Clemente - .328
1950's	Snider - 326	Snider - 1031	Musial - .330
1940's	Mize - 216	Elliot - 903	Musial - .346
1930's	Ott - 308	Ott - 1135	Terry - .352
1920's	Hornsby - 250	Hornsby - 1153	Hornsby - .382
1910's	Cravath - 116	Zimmerman - 765	Daubert - .302
1900's	Wagner - 51	Wagner - 956	Wagner - .351

Table Tutorial

Decade	HR Leader	RBI Leader	BA Leader
2000's	Rodriguez - 435	Rodriguez - 1243	Ichiro - .333
1990's	Griffey - 382	Belle - 1099	E. Martinez - .322
1980's	Dw. Evans - 256	Murray - 908	Boggs - .352
1970's	Jackson - 296	Jackson - 922	Carew - .343
1960's	Killebrew - 393	Killebrew - 1013	Oliva - .308
1950's	Mantle - 280	Berra - 997	Williams - .336
1940's	Williams - 234	Williams - 893	Williams - .356
1930's	Foxx - 415	Foxx - 1403	Gehrig - .343
1920's	Ruth - 467	Ruth - 1331	Heilmann - .364
1910's	Baker - 76	Cobb - 852	Cobb - .387
1900's	Davis - 67	Lajoie - 701	Lajoie - .348

Table Tutorial

So there you have it. In the modern history of baseball, exactly 3 men have won the decade triple crown in their league: Ted Williams in the AL 1940's, Rogers Hornsby in the NL in the 1920's, and Honus Wagner NL, in the 1900's.

And now, the great Pujols. Albert does not have it all wrapped up, by the way. Todd Helton is at .331 in the decade, while Pujols is at .334. While that is over 5000 AB's, a major slump in the final few months could change it. Otherwise, Pujols could do something that hasn't been done since World War 2.