Baseball's greatest hitter's seasons, as measured by XERA (and lots of traditional stuff, as well).
600 of baseball's all-time greatest seasons. Standard stats (in black) are from Lee Sinins' Complete Baseball Encyclopedia. Copyright © 2008, Dwight R. Gill
www.baseball-encyclopedia.com
Through 2007. Post-1900, minimum of 500 PA. Certain stats, like CS, SF, HP, and even SO and BB were loosely kept, or non-existent in the early 1900's.
                                averages per game (9 innings)        
 
          SLG       Earned SB    
Hitting Year Bt G AB R H 2B 3B HR BB SO RBI SB CS IP H 2B 3B HR BB SO HP SB CS XERA AVG AVG OBA OPS K/W RP RP HP SF
Barry Bonds 2004 L 147 373 129 135 27 3 45 232 41 101 6 1 84.3 14.41 2.88 0.32 4.80 24.76 4.38 0.96 0.64 0.11 15.57 .362 .812 .609 1.164 0.18 146 0.9 9 3
Barry Bonds 2002 L 143 403 117 149 31 2 46 198 47 110 9 2 90.3 14.85 3.09 0.20 4.58 19.73 4.68 0.90 0.90 0.20 9.45 .370 .799 .582 1.116 0.24 145 1.1 9 2
Babe Ruth 1920 L 142 458 158 172 36 9 54 150 80 137 14 14 106.7 14.51 3.04 0.76 4.56 12.66 6.75 0.25 1.18 1.18 8.62 .376 .847 .532 1.051 0.53 150 -2.4 3 0
Barry Bonds 2001 L 153 476 129 156 32 2 73 177 93 137 13 3 113.7 12.35 2.53 0.16 5.78 14.01 7.36 0.71 1.03 0.24 8.51 .328 .863 .515 1.079 0.53 175 1.6 9 2
Babe Ruth 1921 L 152 540 177 204 44 16 59 145 81 171 17 13 124.0 14.81 3.19 1.16 4.28 10.52 5.88 0.29 1.23 0.94 7.82 .378 .846 .512 1.017 0.56 173 -1.3 4 0
Babe Ruth 1923 L 152 522 151 205 45 13 41 170 93 131 17 21 120.7 15.29 3.36 0.97 3.06 12.68 6.94 0.30 1.27 1.57 7.82 .393 .764 .545 1.037 0.55 147 -4.4 4 0
Ted Williams 1941 L 143 456 135 185 33 3 37 147 27 120 2 4 97.7 17.05 3.04 0.28 3.41 13.55 2.49 0.28 0.18 0.37 7.78 .406 .735 .553 1.013 0.18 131 -1.1 3 0
Barry Bonds 2003 L 130 390 111 133 22 1 45 148 58 90 7 0 90.3 13.25 2.19 0.10 4.48 14.75 5.78 1.00 0.70 0.00 7.52 .341 .749 .529 .982 0.39 125 1.5 10 2
Babe Ruth 1927 L 151 540 158 192 29 8 60 137 89 164 7 6 125.0 13.82 2.09 0.58 4.32 9.86 6.41 0.00 0.50 0.43 7.49 .356 .772 .486 .977 0.65 156 -0.8 0 0
Ted Williams 1957 L 132 420 96 163 28 1 38 119 43 87 0 1 91.3 16.06 2.76 0.10 3.74 11.73 4.24 0.49 0.00 0.10 7.45 .388 .731 .526 1.002 0.36 118 -0.4 5 2
Babe Ruth 1926 L 152 495 139 184 30 5 47 144 76 146 11 9 113.3 14.61 2.38 0.40 3.73 11.44 6.04 0.24 0.87 0.71 7.45 .372 .737 .516 .982 0.53 138 -1.1 3 0
Babe Ruth 1924 L 153 529 143 200 39 7 46 142 81 121 9 13 121.7 14.79 2.88 0.52 3.40 10.50 5.99 0.30 0.67 0.96 7.35 .378 .739 .513 .976 0.57 143 -3.0 4 0
Rogers Hornsby 1925 R 138 504 133 203 41 10 39 83 39 143 5 3 107.7 16.97 3.43 0.84 3.26 6.94 3.26 0.17 0.42 0.25 7.35 .403 .756 .489 1.011 0.47 134 -0.1 2 0
Lou Gehrig 1927 L 155 584 149 218 52 18 47 109 84 175 10 8 132.3 14.83 3.54 1.22 3.20 7.41 5.71 0.20 0.68 0.54 7.29 .373 .765 .474 .959 0.77 158 -0.9 3 0
Babe Ruth
1930 L 145 518 150 186 28 9 49 136 61 153 10 10 121.0 13.83 2.08 0.67 3.64 10.12 4.54 0.07 0.74 0.74 7.17 .359 .732 .493 .946 0.45 142 -1.7 1 0
Mark McGwire 1998 R 155 509 130 152 21 0 70 162 155 147 1 0 125.0 10.94 1.51 0.00 5.04 11.66 11.16 0.43 0.07 0.00 7.14 .299 .752 .470 .970 0.96 151 0.2 6 4
Jimmie Foxx 1932 R 154 585 151 213 33 9 58 116 96 169 3 7 134.0 14.31 2.22 0.60 3.90 7.79 6.45 0.00 0.20 0.47 7.14 .364 .749 .469 .947 0.83 154 -2.0 0 0
Frank Thomas 1994 R 113 399 106 141 34 1 38 109 61 101 2 3 92.0 13.79 3.33 0.10 3.72 10.66 5.97 0.20 0.20 0.29 7.13 .353 .729 .487 .978 0.56 112 -0.7 2 7
Rogers Hornsby 1924 R 143 536 121 227 43 14 25 89 32 94 5 12 114.7 17.82 3.38 1.10 1.96 6.99 2.51 0.16 0.39 0.94 7.13 .424 .696 .507 .967 0.36 122 -3.5 2 0
Mark McGwire 1996 R 130 423 104 132 21 0 52 116 112 113 0 0 102.0 11.65 1.85 0.00 4.59 10.24 9.88 0.71 0.00 0.00 7.10 .312 .730 .467 .971 0.97 119 0.0 8 1
Babe Ruth 1931 L 145 534 149 199 31 3 46 128 51 163 5 4 120.0 14.93 2.33 0.23 3.45 9.60 3.83 0.00 0.38 0.30 7.03 .373 .700 .494 .965 0.40 139 -0.5 0 0
Lou Gehrig 1930 L 154 581 143 220 42 17 41 101 63 174 12 14 133.3 14.85 2.84 1.15 2.77 6.82 4.25 0.20 0.81 0.95 6.95 .379 .721 .473 .949 0.62 143 -2.8 3 0
Rogers Hornsby 1922 R 154 623 141 250 46 14 42 65 50 152 17 12 137.0 16.42 3.02 0.92 2.76 4.27 3.28 0.07 1.12 0.79 6.95 .401 .722 .459 .974 0.77 147 -1.0 1 0
Hack Wilson 1930 R 155 585 146 208 35 6 56 105 84 191 3 0 132.7 14.11 2.37 0.41 3.80 7.12 5.70 0.07 0.20 0.00 6.90 .356 .723 .454 .947 0.80 152 0.6 1 0
Mickey Mantle 1957 S 144 474 121 173 28 6 34 146 75 94 16 3 107.3 14.51 2.35 0.50 2.85 12.24 6.29 0.00 1.34 0.25 6.89 .365 .665 .512 .933 0.51 121 2.2 0 3
Sammy Sosa 2001 R 160 577 146 189 34 5 64 116 153 160 0 2 137.0 12.42 2.23 0.33 4.20 7.62 10.05 0.39 0.00 0.13 6.89 .328 .737 .437 .941 1.32 151 -0.8 6 12
Lou Gehrig 1936 L 155 579 167 205 37 7 49 130 46 152 3 4 133.3 13.84 2.50 0.47 3.31 8.78 3.11 0.47 0.20 0.27 6.86 .354 .696 .478 .929 0.35 152 -0.9 7 0
Babe Ruth 1928 L 154 536 163 173 29 8 54 137 87 142 4 5 129.7 12.01 2.01 0.56 3.75 9.51 6.04 0.21 0.28 0.35 6.81 .323 .709 .463 .948 0.64 144 -1.1 3 0
Larry Walker 1997 L 153 568 143 208 46 4 49 78 90 130 33 8 130.3 14.36 3.18 0.28 3.38 5.39 6.21 0.97 2.28 0.55 6.75 .366 .720 .452 .940 1.15 147 3.9 14 4
Lou Gehrig 1934 L 154 579 128 210 40 6 49 109 31 165 9 5 132.0 14.32 2.73 0.41 3.34 7.43 2.11 0.14 0.61 0.34 6.75 .363 .706 .465 .922 0.28 152 0.0 2 0
Mickey Mantle 1956 S 150 533 132 188 22 5 52 112 99 130 10 1 122.0 13.87 1.62 0.37 3.84 8.26 7.30 0.15 0.74 0.07 6.74 .353 .705 .464 .935 0.88 135 1.7 2 4
Larry Walker 1999 L 127 438 108 166 26 4 37 57 52 115 11 4 97.7 15.30 2.40 0.37 3.41 5.25 4.79 1.11 1.01 0.37 6.73 .379 .710 .458 .927 0.91 108 0.8 12 6
Jimmie Foxx 1938 R 149 565 139 197 33 9 50 119 76 175 5 4 131.3 13.50 2.26 0.62 3.43 8.15 5.21 0.00 0.34 0.27 6.68 .349 .704 .462 .926 0.64 144 -0.5 0 0
Ted Williams 1946 L 150 514 142 176 37 8 38 156 44 123 0 0 119.0 13.31 2.80 0.61 2.87 11.80 3.33 0.15 0.00 0.00 6.66 .342 .667 .497 .920 0.28 137 0.0 2 0
Todd Helton 2000 L 160 580 138 216 59 2 42 103 61 147 5 3 129.7 14.99 4.10 0.14 2.92 7.15 4.23 0.28 0.35 0.21 6.65 .372 .698 .463 .919 0.59 147 -0.1 4 10
Jimmie Foxx 1939 R 124 467 130 168 31 10 35 89 72 105 4 3 106.7 14.18 2.62 0.84 2.95 7.51 6.08 0.17 0.34 0.25 6.55 .360 .694 .464 .934 0.81 113 -0.3 2 0
Manny Ramirez 2000 R 118 439 92 154 34 2 38 86 117 122 1 1 100.7 13.77 3.04 0.18 3.40 7.69 10.46 0.27 0.09 0.09 6.49 .351 .697 .457 .928 1.36 105 -0.2 3 4
Jimmie Foxx 1933 R 149 573 125 204 37 9 48 96 93 163 2 2 130.7 14.05 2.55 0.62 3.31 6.61 6.41 0.07 0.14 0.14 6.49 .356 .703 .449 .928 0.97 139 -0.3 1 0
Stan Musial 1948 L 155 611 135 230 46 18 39 79 34 131 7 0 134.7 15.37 3.07 1.20 2.61 5.28 2.27 0.20 0.47 0.00 6.49 .376 .702 .450 .945 0.43 149 1.5 3 0
Babe Ruth 1932 L 133 457 120 156 13 5 41 130 62 137 2 2 106.7 13.16 1.10 0.42 3.46 10.97 5.23 0.17 0.17 0.17 6.48 .341 .661 .489 .922 0.48 114 -0.3 2 0
Norm Cash 1961 L 159 535 119 193 22 8 41 124 85 132 11 5 122.7 14.16 1.61 0.59 3.01 9.10 6.24 0.66 0.81 0.37 6.47 .361 .662 .487 .915 0.69 127 0.4 9 2
Ted Williams 1954 L 117 386 93 133 23 1 29 136 32 89 0 0 89.0 13.45 2.33 0.10 2.93 13.75 3.24 0.10 0.00 0.00 6.39 .345 .635 .513 .904 0.24 101 0.0 1 3
Ted Williams 1942 L 150 522 141 186 34 5 36 145 51 137 3 2 119.3 14.03 2.56 0.38 2.72 10.94 3.85 0.30 0.23 0.15 6.39 .356 .648 .499 .920 0.35 130 -0.1 4 0
Ted Williams 1949 L 155 566 150 194 39 3 43 162 48 159 1 1 131.3 13.29 2.67 0.21 2.95 11.10 3.29 0.14 0.07 0.07 6.38 .343 .650 .490 .924 0.30 145 -0.2 2 0
Rogers Hornsby 1929 R 156 602 156 229 47 8 39 87 65 149 2 0 131.7 15.65 3.21 0.55 2.67