Greatest seasons in MLB history

[Vern Gagne]

Pretty simple. Best season by a catcher, 1B, 2B, etc.

 

Include both leagues please.

[HarleyQuinn]

Didn't feel like separating between AL/NL

 

*I'm going by Adjusted OPS for a Single Season according to Baseball-Reference*

 

C: Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1997

1B: Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, 1927

2B: Ross Barnes, Chicago Cubs, 1876

3B: George Brett, Kansas City Royals, 1980

SS: Honus Wagner, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1908

LF: Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2002

CF: Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers, 1917

RF: Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, 1920

 

*Now going by RC*

C: Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1997(153 RC)

1B: Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, 1927(210 RC)

2B: Rogers Hornsby, St. Louis Cardinals, 1922(206 RC)

3B: George Brett, Kansas City Royals, 1985(141 RC)

SS: Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners, 1996(157 RC)

LF: Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2001(209 RC)

CF: Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees, 1956(174 RC)

RF: Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, 1921(232 RC)

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

2B: Ross Barnes, Chicago Cubs, 1876

 

I've got to mention this one. Barnes is a special case, because he really wasn't that good. In 1876, a rule was in place that stated a ball was considered fair as long as it landed in fair territory before bouncing foul. Barnes exploited this rule and perfected a method of bunting a ball so it would bounce foul, and he collected cheap base hits. The league changed the rule after the season, and note how Barnes career falls off the cliff.

[Vern Gagne]

I'm gonna ask 1901 be the cut off line. Too many Ross Barnes, and Pud Galvin's who had clear advantages in their records.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

You'll find inherant biases in any era. But Barnes is obvious, and its clear his success was due to nothing more than exploiting the rules.

[Vern Gagne]

True. But, pitching numbers are skewed because the mound was 10 feet closer up to 1885.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

It wasn't even a mound. It was a box, and pitchers took a running start.