Baseball's Best Decade (19 page)

2000s –
Barry Bonds’ .724 slugging percentage for the 2000s was the second highest ever for a decade, topped only by Babe Ruth in the 1920s. Bonds led the National league in slugging from 2001 through 2004, averaging an incredible .809 over that 4-season span. Albert Pujols led the National League in slugging 3 times during the decade, and posted a slugging average of less than .600 only twice in the decade. Alex Rodriguez led the American League in slugging 4 times during the 2000s. Manny Ramirez did it twice.

Who almost made the list?
Sammy Sosa at .570, Todd Helton at .569, Vladimir Guerrero at .569.

Team Slugging Averages for Each Decade (1920s-1940s)

The New York Yankees set a single-season record for team slugging average with .489 in 1927. That record would stand until 2003, when the Boston Red Sox would post a .491 team slugging average.

With power hitters like Mel Ott (left) and Bill Terry, the New York Giants led the National league in slugging 4 times during the 1920s.

Hack Wilson was the only National Leaguer to post a slugging average over .700 in the 1930s. Wilson led the NL in 1930 with a .723 slugging average.

Joe DiMaggio led the American League in slugging average twice … in 1937 (.673) and in 1948 (.585).

1920s –
Half the major league teams had slugging averages of .400 or better for the 1920s, led by the New York Yankees at .439. The Yankees led the American League 7 times in single-season team slugging average, with a high of .489 posted by the 1927 “Murderers’ Row” Yankees. In the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants each led the league in slugging average 4 times.

Who almost made the list?
Pittsburgh Pirates at .405, Cleveland Indians at .430, Philadelphia Phillies at .401.

1930s –
In an offensive-minded decade, the New York Yankees were clearly the most dynamic slugging team of the 1930s. The Yankees’ .451 slugging average for the decade was 31 percentage points ahead of the pack, and that average would stand as the highest for any team in any decade until the 1990s. The Yankees of the 1930s led the American League in slugging average in 7 different seasons. In the National League, the decade’s slugging leader, the St. Louis Cardinals, led the league in slugging average 4 times.

Who almost made the list?
Chicago Cubs at .409, New York Giants at .407, Washington Senators at .399.

1940s –
For the 1940s, the slugging average for all major league teams dropped to an all-time low of .364 – lower than Ty Cobb’s career
batting
average. No team reached the .400 level, with the New York Yankees leading all teams with a .395 average and leading the American League in slugging average 5 times (as did the Boston Red Sox). The St. Louis Cardinals were the National League slugging leaders 5 times during the decade.

Who almost made the list?
Detroit Tigers at .374, Pittsburgh Pirate at .372, St. Louis Browns at .368.

Team Slugging
Averages for Each Decade (1950s-1970s)