We started off the 2016-17 top ten lists with a look at the top ten single season pitching seasons from an efficiency stand point and now we’re going to look at some hitters. Just like the pitchers, which were split into two groups, the hitters were split into three, for power, speed and overall performance.
In order to see which hitters had the best seasons of each individual type, for speed seasons we’ll place a specific importance on stats like non-home run extra base hits and steals, while ignoring some generally important stats, like home runs and strike outs. To feature as many seasons and players as possible, seasons can only be included on one list and I tried to avoid listing the same player multiple times.
10. Roberto Alomar – 2B – 1999
All three of the younger Alomar brother’s seasons in Cleveland were incredible and could be included here or in the overall great seasons, but his league leading 138 runs scored and 37 steals this season make it fit on the speed list. In 1999, Alomar made his ninth straight All-Star Game and won his eighth Gold Glove and third Silver Slugger. He also finished third in the MVP vote while batting an impressive .323/.422/.533. Yes, he had power with 24 home runs, but more impressive for the age were his 40 doubles. He also knocked in 120 runs batting generally out of the three spot, but we’re not really looking at that here.
9. Brett Butler – CF – 1985
Another player with a brief, but bright career in Cleveland, Butler played four seasons for the Tribe and 1985 was his best. While he wasn’t as efficient at stealing bases (20 times caught), he stole 47 bases (11th in Indians history) and with almost no power managed to hit 14 triples and 28 doubles. On a last place team that scored just 729 runs, Butler scored 106 on his own hitting safely at a rate of .311.
8. Miguel Dilone – CF – 1980
Dilone had a rather unremarkable career outside of this one season in Cleveland. Removing 1980 would give him a career average of .238, yet somehow he hit .341 this season and spent that extra time on the bases well, stealing 61 bases to break Ray Chapman‘s record of 52 that had stood since 1917. In addition, he hit 30 doubles, nearly half his career total (12 seasons) and nine triples. For his efforts, he received MVP votes for the only time in his career, coming in at 22.
7. Grady Sizemore – CF – 2006
The first of three straight All-Star appearances for Sizemore, 2006 was a special season for the powerful speedster. While he would steal more bases each of the next two seasons and wouldn’t be acknowledged for his defensive accomplishments until 2007, by leading the AL with 53 doubles and 134 runs scored the 2006 season comes out on top. He still stole 22 bases, being caught just six times and had a career best with 11 triples. For this, he came in 11th in MVP voting and still ranks third in Indians history in single season doubles.
6. Ray Chapman – SS – 1917
Chapman’s entire career was played in an Indians uniform and unquestionably, 1917 was his best. He was always an electric and nettlesome player to opposing pitchers on the bases, but this year he went off the charts with 52 steals. He batted .302, more than 70 points higher than the previous season, and set a career mark with 28 doubles and had 13 triples to along with them. His 52 steals broke the team record (Harry Bay with 45 in 1903) and has since been surpassed by Dilone and Kenny Lofton (six times).
5. Kenny Lofton – CF – 1993
I know, you were expecting this list to be Lofton’s ten best seasons and that it’s taken so long to see his name may be a surprise, but I’ve done my best to keep players down to just one representative season so as many as possible could be featured. Lofton broke the club record for steals in 1992 with 66, but he destroyed his own mark in 1993 with 70, being caught just 14 times. His 66 steal mark, 70 and each of his next three seasons lead the American League in addition to completely reworking the Indians top ten. Not just a speedster after getting on, Lofton batted .325 with 28 doubles and eight triples, scoring 116 runs two years before the Indians offense became truly elite.
4. Elmer Flick – CF/RF – 1906
The Indians first Hall of Famer (by playing time, not induction date), Flick came to the team in 1902, but had his best speed seasons from 1904 through 1907. Each season during that stretch, he batted over .300 with at least 35 steals, 15 doubles and 18 triples and the 1906 season was arguably his best. That year he lead the league in games, at bats, runs (98), triples (22) and steals (39) with a career best 34 doubles. While he was primarily a right fielder during his career, Flick took over the more speed typical position of center in 1906, allowing Bunk Congalton to play right.
3. Nap Lajaway – 2B – 1904
The game of baseball was very different in the deadball era and it shouldn’t be surprising that many of the Indians most aggressive base stealing seasons happened prior to 1920. Lajaway was never a huge basestealer, although he did average 18 per season over his 21 year career, but he set his career mark in 1904 with 29 along with some other extremely impressive numbers. While he didn’t win the triple crown because of low home run numbers, he won a version of it, leading the league in average, on base percent and slugging. He also lead the league in RBI, but since we’re not focusing on that we’ll look at his league leading 49 doubles and 15 triples. In 140 games, Lajaway struck out 19 times. This was not only one of the top speed seasons in Indians history, but like Alomar’s in 1999, one of the best of any kind in team/baseball history.
2. Shoeless Joe Jackson – RF – 1912
This may not be a case of pure speed as much of it is one of the best pure hitters in baseball history who played at a time when no one was hitting home runs. Don’t worry, Jackson will also be on the overall hitter list and that is why we are looking at 1912 rather than 1911 right now. The year after he became the Indians last .400 hitter, Jackson stole 35 bases and lead the AL in hits (226) and triples (26). He also hit 44 doubles as part of three straight seasons with at least 39 doubles, 17 triples and 26 steals.
1. Kenny Lofton – CF – 1996
There was no way that the Indians all time leader in steals wasn’t going to make the top of this list for his premier speed season. Actually, 1994 may have been better had it not been stopped short as Lofton had 60 steals in 112 games, but we’ll never know. In 1996, he made his third of six straight All-Star games, won his fourth and final Gold Glove in center, batted .317 and stole the current franchise record of 75 bases getting caught only 17 times. To show how truly unbelievable that steal total is, the Indians have only had ten batters steal 50 bases in a season and six of these were Lofton. Dilone was the only other to steal 60 in the 116 years of Indians history.
Borderline: Kenny Lofton (1994), Bill Bradley (1903), Elmer Flick (1904), Grady Sizemore (2008) & Ray Chapman (1915)
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