August 12, 2010
Joe Mauer on historic doubles pace
Games like last night's aren't much fun to write about, but it seems like forever since I've done anything Twins-related in this space and I'm sure everyone is sick of seeing pictures of me and my fellow nerds as the top entry, so ...
Joe Mauer had two more hits in the loss, making him 39-for-89 (.438) with 17 extra-base hits and 27 RBIs in 22 games since the All-Star break. One of those hits was his 38th double of the year, which ties Mauer for the AL lead with Nick Markakis and puts him on pace to break both the all-time record by a catcher and the Twins' team record. Ivan Rodriguez holds the catcher mark with 47 doubles in 1996:
Ivan Rodriguez 1999 47 Brian McCann 2008 42 Jorge Posada 2007 42 Brian Harper 1990 42 Lance Parrish 1983 42 Terry Kennedy 1982 42 Mickey Cochrane 1930 42
A couple things. First, a Brian Harper sighting! He's the 25th-best player in Twins history for a reason, after all. Second, it seems weird that six different catchers have 42 doubles, but none have 43-46 doubles and only one has more than 42 doubles. Coincidentally, 47 doubles is also the Twins' record:
Justin Morneau 2008 47 Marty Cordova 1996 46 Torii Hunter 2007 45 Chuck Knoblauch 1994 45 Kirby Puckett 1989 45 Zoilo Versalles 1965 45
It's worth noting that Chuck Knoblauch hit 45 doubles in a strike-shortened season. Prorated to a full schedule he'd have 65, which is amazing given that the MLB record is 68 by Earl Webb in 1931. Mauer isn't on quite that pace, but with 38 doubles through 114 games he's on track for 54. In four weeks he's raised his average from .293 to .327 and his OPS from .792 to .886, both of which lead the team now that Justin Morneau no longer qualifies for the batting title.
