Curtis GrandersonMagglio Ordonez

Watching the Tiger game last night and seeing Curtis Granderson hit 2 triples was awesome. The Triple maybe the most exciting play in baseball (save the inside the park HR).

Granderson Has 12 Triples in 59 games. Projecting that out, he is on a pace for 33 triples. Since 1950, exactly 5 times players have had 20 or more triples, they are:

  • 1957 – Willie Mays – 20
    1979 – George Brett – 20
    1985 – Willie Wilson – 21
    1996 – Lance Johnson – 21
    2000 – Christian Guzman – 20

The all-time record for triples is 36 by Chief Wilson in 1912. The Tiger record is Ty Cobb with 24 in 1911 and 1917.

In addition to Granderson, Magglio Ordonez has 29 doubles in 59 games. Projecting that out, he is one pace for 80 doubles.

The all-time record is 67 by Earl Webb in 1931. The Tiger record (and 4th alltime) is Hank Greenberg with 63.

No one has hit 60 doubles since 1936, altough Todd Helton, Carlos Delgado, Garrett Anderson, Criag Biggio, Nomar Garciapara, and Lance Berkman have all been 55+ in the last 10 years.

Update: Curtis Granderson hit 11 triples in 103 games after this post not keeping up his record pace. He did end the season with 23 triples, the most in the Major Leagues since 1925 when Kiki Cuyler hit 26.  He actually appeared to have a shot at more, but only hit 2 triples after August 24th (34 games).

Ordonez ended the season leading the Major Leagues with 54 doubles, a great total to be sure. He kept up his doubles pace for a while after this post by hitting his 34th double in the team’s 70th game. Over the next 44 games though he slowed considerably by hitting only 5 doubles. Maggs lead the Major Leagues with a .363 batting average. He would have been MVP except for the fact that the richest player in baseball was in a contract drive.