Last night, the Yankees put Alex Rodriguez in the second spot in the batting order for the first time in years. However, he’s not exactly a novice in that spot. Indeed, he is tied for the record for most RBI in a season from the #2 spot in the batting order:
Most RBI in a Season, From Each Spot in the Batting Order (1916-2013)
#1 spot: Darin Erstad (2000) 100 RBI
#2 spot: Alex Rodriguez (1998) and Eddie Mathews (1959) 114
#3 spot: Babe Ruth (1921) 168
#4 spot: Hack Wilson (1930) 191
#5 spot: Jimmie Foxx (1932) 169
#6 spot: Glenn Wright (1925) and Tony Lazzeri (1926) 110
#7 spot: Ken Keltner (1938) 111
#8 spot: Babe Dahlgren (1939) 89
#9 spot: Kevin Elster (1996) 92
After the jump, similar lists for Home Runs, Runs, Runs Created and Hits.
Most Home Runs in a Season, From Each Spot in the Batting Order (1916-2013)
#1 spot: Alfonso Soriano (2006) 39 homers
#2 spot: Eddie Mathews (1959) 46
#3 spot: Mark McGwire (1998) 69
#4 spot: Hack Wilson (1930) 56
#5 spot: Jimmie Foxx (1932) 58
#6 spot: Troy Glaus (2000) 39
#7 spot: Howard Johnson (1987) 28
#8 spot: Del Crandall (1955) 22
#9 spot: Kevin Elster (1996) 21
Most Runs Scored in a Season, From Each Spot in the Batting Order (1916-2013)
#1 spot: Craig Biggio (1997) and Rickey Henderson (1985) 145 Runs Scored
#2 spot: Red Rolfe (1937) 143
#3 spot: Babe Ruth (1921) 177
#4 spot: Lou Gehrig (1936) 167
#5 spot: Jimmie Foxx (1932) 151
#6 spot: Troy Glaus (2000) 102
#7 spot: Pinky Higgins (1933) 85
#8 spot: Wally Schang (1921) and Billy Myers (1939) 77
#9 spot: Harold Reynolds (1987) and Kevin Elster (1996) 72
Most Runs Created in a Season, From Each Spot in the Batting Order (1916-2013)
#1 spot: Darin Erstad (2000) 153.4 Runs Created (baseball-reference formula)
#2 spot: Derek Jeter (1999) 147.2
#3 spot: Babe Ruth (1921) 228.1
#4 spot: Lou Gehrig (1927) 208.3
#5 spot: Jimmie Foxx (1932) 202.3
#6 spot: Troy Glaus (2000) 118.3
#7 spot: Gabby Hartnett (1930) 107.4
#8 spot: Wally Schang (1921) 92.9
#9 spot: Kevin Elster (1996) 74.6
Most Hits in a Season, From Each Spot in the Batting Order (1916-2013)
#1 spot: Ichiro Suzuki (2004) 251 Hits
#2 spot: Lloyd Waner (1929) 234
#3 spot: George Sisler (1922) 243
#4 spot: Joe Medwick (1937) 237
#5 spot: Jimmie Foxx (1932) 213
#6 spot: High Pockets Kelly (1922) 192
#7 spot: Pinky Higgins (1933) 177
#8 spot: Jim Levey (1932) 156
#9 spot: Gary Disarcina (1998) 149