Top Five Best Hitters in the Game: 2004-2009

Charlie Klein and Puneet Singh

When my friend Puneet Singh and I were up pretty late in the evening we had a discussion on which hitters in Major League Baseball have been the best over the past five seasons. Names like Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez come to mind, but they have been left out of the list due to their steroid use. There may be some names that I am neglecting, but these are the five best in my mind over the past five years. It’s not all about a batting average or how many homeruns a guy has; it’s about his impact in the lineup and how many things he can do for his team.

1. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

As much as he may claim to the contrary, Albert Pujols is a machine. Ever since his debut in 2001, this man has epitomized the phrase total hitter. He career numbers are dazzling for a 29 year-old. He is a career .334 hitter, with 337 homeruns, 1,028 RBIs, and 1,595 hits in 1,295 games played. Over the specified time period, Pujols has 223 homeruns, 647 runs batted in, and a .334 batting average. Statistically Pujols has been without doubt the greatest hitter of the recent era. Pujols has been selected for the National League All-Star team every year of his career with the exception of 2002. He is also a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a two-time NL MVP.

2. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners

Puneet will accuse me of playing favourites by rating Ichrio the second best hitter of the past six seasons, but I am telling you for a fact that he is the best pure average hitter this game has seen in an incredibly long time. First, allow me to hit you with the statistics. Since 2004 Ichiro has hit for a .335 batting average, the highest amongst those featured on this list. In 2004 Ichiro hit .372 and broke George Sisler’s 84 year-old single season hits record mashing 262 hits.

His career numbers are even more impressive if you add in his career average from his time in Japan. Cumulatively speaking, Ichiro’s batting average is .342 with 3,083 career hits. People oftentimes forget how old Ichiro is. At 35 years of age he is still able to beat out infield hits and be a threat to steal no matter where he is. Not many players are able to do what he is at his age. This season he is hitting .354 and just came off a 27-game hitting streak. Many label Ichiro as one of the only players to have a chance of breaking Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. The fact that one of the greatest average hitters the game will ever see could not even hit in half as many games as Jumpin’ Joe. That however is more of a testament to DiMaggio, who is arguably one of the top five all-time greatest players to ever play baseball.

3. Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels

Vlad’s nickname “Vlad the Impaler” should be enough to clue you into one of the greatest hitters of the past six seasons. When he signed for 70 million dollars in 2004 with the then Anaheim Angels, he stepped into a hitting groove that was matched perhaps only by Pujols. Over that time span Guerrero is a .310 hitter, with 159 homeruns, and 567 runs driven in. Guerrero has been one of the league’s most consistent all around hitters for the entirety of his career, and the past five years have been no exception.

4. Mark Teixiera, New York Yankees

The inclusion of Mark Teixiera on this is should not be much of a surprise at all. Big Tex has hit well for all four teams for which he has played, the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, and the New York Yankees. It seems slightly absurd that a player of his caliber has played for four teams by the age of 29. During his first full MLB season in 2004 Teixiera mashed 38 homeruns and drove in 112 runs. He also hit .281. From 2004-2009, Teixiera has hit 220 homeruns and has driven in 726 runs. The Yankee First Baseman is a career .289 hitter. Expect his numbers to improve considering how many fly balls leave Yankee Stadium these days.

5. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

For some reason so many people sleep on Miguel Cabrera. Perhaps it is because he has played for two small market teams (Detroit and Florida) and maybe it’s because of all of the steroid users taking all of the media attention away from the 26 year-old right hander. Cabrera should not be ignored, and here’s why: 185 homeruns, 688 runs batted in, and a career .311 batting average. Cabrera has hit over .300 in every one of his Major League seasons with the exception of his first, in which he only played 87 games, slightly more than half of one season. Even in a pitchers park in Detroit, Cabrera is still putting up great numbers.

Honorable Mention: David Wright

Future: Ryan J. Braun

The future that faces this kid is simply unbelievable. Braun is only in his third full season for the Milwaukee Brewers and he is already drawing major plaudits from everyone in the game. During his rookie season Braun launched 34 homeruns and drove in 94. The following season Braun proved that he was not a fluke notching 37 homeruns and increasing his RBI total to 106. At 25 years old the sky is the limit for this kid.

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ALL NUMBERS ARE ROUNDED UP OR DOWN.

1.) Albert Pujols. This is a no brainer. Albert’s numbers from 2004-2008: .331 .330 .331 .327 .357 205 hrs, 596 RBIs. That’s an average of .335 BA 41 hrs and 119 RBIs.

Outside of A-Rod who is an alleged steroid user and Manny who we’re unsure of and Ortiz who’s in that company, Pujols has the most HRs and RBI’s in that span. Ever since his rookie year in 2001, Pujols has hit at least .300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs. Not many people can boast that type of resume. Currently sitting at 337 homers at age 29, if Pujols can maintain at least an average of 35 homeruns a year for the next 10 years, which is likely, he could make a strong push towards 700 for his career.

2.) Ichiro Suzuki. .372 .303 .322 .351 .310. Broke the Major League Hit record with 262 in 2004. 1143 hits over the 5 yr span. Average of 229 hits a year in that span.

At least 20 doubles, 30 steals and 200 hits every year since he came into the league into 2001. People overlook Ichiro because he’s not exactly a power hitter. But is there a more ideal leadoff of number two hitter for a lineup? Put him in a lineup like the Red Sox, Yankees or Phillies and maybe then he’d get more attention and appreciation that he deserves.

3.) Mark Teixeira. GOD AM I HAPPY HE’S A YANKEE NOW! That being said: .296 average over 5 years to go with 177 homeruns and 592 RBIs. An average of 35 homers and 118 RBI’s per year.

At 29, Mark’s just peaking and has hit 25 homers every year since his rookie year. Sitting at 220 homers, keeping a 30 homer pace, he could easily see himself sitting at 550 homeruns when his career is all wrapped up.

4.) Miguel Cabrera. This should scare people. He’s putting up monster numbers at the age of 26. .314 average to go with 163 homeruns and 588 RBIs. An average of 33 homeruns and 118 RBIs per year.

Miggy went for 12 hrs and 62 RBIs in 87 games as a rookie for the Marlins during their magical WS run. Extrapolate those numbers over a 150 or 155 game schedule and he would still have been on pace for the 25-30 hr plateau along with 100 RBIs. Expect the monstrous 35 homeruns 120 RBIs seasons to continue.

5.) Vladamir Guerrero. They didn’t call him Vlad the Impaler for nothing. .322 average, 158 homeruns and 566 RBIs, giving him a 32 homeruns and 113 RBIs avg.

Vlads had at least .300 average since 1997 and at least 25 homers since 1998. Though he is slowing down and falling apart because of injuries this year, there is no question that he was and still is amongst the elite power hitting outfielders in the game.

Honorable Mention: Carlos Lee.

Future Riser: Evan Longoria. This kid IS the Albert Pujols of the AL as a 3^rd Baseman. He hit .275 with 27 homeruns and 85 RBIs over 122 games. Not even over a full year. Extrapolating those numbers will give you something along the lines of 32 homers and 110 RBIs. So far this year over 53 games, Longoria is hitting .322 with 13 homeruns and 55 RBIs. He is currently on pace for 40 homeruns and 140 RBIs. At AGE 23! Surprising? Not the least bit. Pujols hit .329-37-130 in his 1^st full year. He is such a fundamentally sound hitter at such a young age. Sky’s the limit.