ALBERT PUJOLS AND MIGUEL CABRERA
Three years, three months and two days separate Albert Pujols, the truest of Dominican dandies — pardon me Juan Marichal — and Miguel Cabrera, the pride of Maracay, Venezuela.
Pujols, 36 and Cabrera, 33 are two of the most dominant and well-rounded right-handed power hitters of their time or of any time.
Although Albert is a tick or two past his prime and Miggy is firmly ensconced in his, baseball statistics, while sometimes gerrymandered to illustrate the desired point — as can be the case with most anything — actually never lie.
In a major league career which began on April 2, 2001 Jose Alberto Pujols Alcantara, now earning $25 million USD per season, has amassed through 2016 the following gaudy numbers:
.309 BA; 2,825 Hits; 591 HRs; 1,817 RBI; 602 Doubles; .392 OBP; .573 SLG; .965 OPS; & 1,670 Runs.
A 10x All-Star, 3x NL MVP, NL Rookie of the Year, 6x Silver Slugger, 2x Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner, and 2x World Series Champion among his many other accolades, he is considered a lock to become a First Ballot Hall-of-Famer.
Jose Miguel Cabrera Torres, now good for $28 million USD per campaign, debuted in the major leagues on June 21, 2003.
His numbers through ’16 aren’t too shabby either.
A .321 BA; 2,519 Hits; 446 HRs; 1,553 RBI; 523 Doubles; .399 OBP; .562 SLG; .961 OPS; & 1,321 Runs dot his resume along with the following:
11 All-Star selections, 2 AL MVP Awards, the first AL Triple Crown Title in 45 years, 6 Silver Slugger Awards, 4 Batting Championships, 2x AL HR Leader, 2x AL RBI Champion, and 2003 World Series Winner.
Cabrera is widely regarded as one of the best pure hitters in the game, combining breath-taking power with a high batting average, excellent pitch recognition and plate selectivity and a low strikeout percentage. His .321 career BA is the highest among active players with at least 5 years of MLB service.
Are these two men clones? Are they somehow genetically identical? Or must we chalk it up to pure coincidence that their career stats are so shockingly similar?
And whom else in the game’s storied history can we compare and contrast this way?
In an attempt to answer this last question, a perusal of a fairly recent ESPN compilation known as the “Hall of 100” which ranks the top 100 all-time greatest MLB players is helpful and maybe even instructive.
If players by position and era are cherry-picked, we may ascertain whether or not the Pujols-Cabrera statistical comparison is anomalous.
For example, were the career numbers of Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan — Clemens’ boyhood idol — comparable?
And what about Randy Johnson?
Should careful consideration in this context be afforded to Al Kaline and Carl Yastrzemski?
George Brett and Mike Schmidt?
Ron Santo and Brooks Robinson?
Willie McCovey and Willie Stargell?
Harmon Killebrew and Hank Greenberg? Mel Ott?
Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew?
Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio? Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds? Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson? Paul Molitor and Craig Biggio? Barry Larkin and Ozzie Smith? Manny Ramirez and Frank Thomas?
Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial?
Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal?
Ty Cobb and Pete Rose?
Phil Niekro and Gaylord Perry?
Eddie Mathews and Jimmie Foxx?
Pedro Martinez and Sandy Koufax?
Reggie Jackson and Eddie Murray?
Joe Morgan and Roberto Alomar? Rogers Hornsby? Robin Yount and Wade Boggs? Honus Wagner? Jim Palmer and Ferguson Jenkins?
Lefty Grove, Christy Mathewson, Kid Nichols and Walter Johnson? Cap Anson and Paul Waner? Al Simmons and Duke Snider? Joe Cronin, Frankie Frisch, Charlie Gehringer, Nap Lajoie and Eddie Collins?
Robin Roberts, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn and Greg Maddux? Steve Carlton?
Cal Ripken Jr. and either A-Rod or Derek Jeter?
Frank Robinson, Roberto Clemente and Ken Griffey Jr.? Tris Speaker? Sammy Sosa and Jim Thome? Mark McGwire?
Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk? Mike Piazza and Ivan Rodriguez?
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig?
Tom Glavine and Bert Blyleven?
John Smoltz and Dennis Eckersley*? Jim Rice* and Dave Parker*? Jeff Bagwell and Chipper Jones? Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman*? Tom Seaver and Cy Young?
The permutations are endless.
Selecting the pairings or groupings that at first blush offer a favorable comparative analysis to the Pujols-Cabrera model represents a tall task but a fun one.
The five most attractive possibilities to me (at least on the surface and in no particular order) culled from the above are as follows:
5.) Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds, (respectively)
BA-.305/.298
Hits-3,771/2,935
HRs-755/762
RBI-2,297/1,996
Doubles-624/601
OBP-.374/.444
SLG-.555/.607
OPS-.929/1.051
Runs-2,174/2,227
4.) Sandy Koufax and Pedro Martinez, (respectively)
W-162/219
L-87/100
W-L%-.655/.687
ERA-2.76/2.93
G-397/476
GS-314/409
SO-2,396/3,194
BB-817/760
IBB-48/30
SHO-40/17
HBP-18/141
3.) Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, (respectively)
W-324/354
L-292/184
W-L%.526-/.658
ERA-3.19/3.12
G-807/709
GS-773/707
SO-5,714/4,672
BB-2,795/1,580
IBB-78/63
SHO-61/46
HBP-158/159
2.) Al Kaline and Carl Yastrzemski, (respectively)
BA-.297/.285
Hits-3,007/3,419
HRs-399/452
RBI-1,582/1,844
Doubles-498/646
OBP-.376/.379
SLG-.480/.462
OPS-.856/.841
Runs-1,622/1,816
1.) Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, (respectively)
BA-.344/.325
Hits-2,654/2,214
HRs-521/361
RBI-1,839/1,537
Doubles-525/389
OBP-.482/.398
SLG-.634/.579
OPS-1.116/.977
Runs-1,798/1,390
Upon further examination it becomes clear that of the five above examples and with length of service considered, the Aaron/Bonds #s most closely approximate the still unfolding Pujols/Cabrera statistical compendium.
Aaron played in 3,298 games over a 23-year career; Bonds in 2,986 games in 22 years.
Albert Pujols has played in 2,426 games through 2016 over 16 years; Miguel Cabrera in 2,096 games through ’16 in 14 seasons.
The on-field resumes of Koufax/Martinez, Ryan/Clemens, Kaline/Yastrzemski & Williams/DiMaggio all reflect uncommon similarities as would those of George Brett/Mike Schmidt, Willie McCovey/Willie Stargell & Willie Mays/Stan Musial (with some of Mickey Mantle thrown in) along with many other pairings or sets I’m sure.
The distinguishing element with respect to Pujols and Cabrera is that they are still active.
They will continue to launch their respective, relentless assaults on big-league pitching and the hallowed baseball record book in 2017 as the march to Cooperstown pushes forward.
And we get to watch it as it happens.
Something to look forward to after the final curtain drops on The 2016 Fall Classic.
Go Tribe!!! (Sorry Wrigleyville).
*- Not included in this rendition of ESPN’s “Hall of 100” Ranking.
[Editor’s Note: This piece was written by Mr. Kaplan in October 2016.]
ADDENDA:
Through 2019 the career stats of Pujols & Cabrera look like this:
PUJOLS — 10,687 AB; 1,828 R; 3,202 H; 2,075 RBI; 1,322 BB; .300 BA
CABRERA — 8,949 AB; 1,429 R; 2,815 H; 1,694 RBI; 1,135 BB; .315 BA
In the 2016 World Series the Cubs beat the Indians 4–3 in 7 games with Game 7 decided in extra innings. It was the Cubs first WS triumph since 1908 (108 years). Cleveland has not won a World Series since 1948 (72 years and counting).
[ESPN’s “Hall of 100” — Ranking the all-time greatest MLB players in descending order; a backdrop]:
#’s 100–90:
Phil Niekro; Al Simmons; Joe Cronin; Ron Santo; Tim Raines; Sammy Sosa; Jim Thome; Tom Glavine; Paul Waner; Craig Biggio; Jim Palmer.
#’s 89–80:
Cap Anson; Frankie Frisch; Gary Carter; Manny Ramirez; Willie Stargell; Mark McGwire; Kid Nichols; Duke Snider; Charlie Gehringer; Robin Roberts.
#’s 79–70:
Mike Piazza; Paul Molitor; Carlton Fisk; John Smoltz; Barry Larkin; Roberto Alomar; Bert Blyleven; Ivan Rodriguez; Juan Marichal; Frank Thomas.
#’s 69–60:
Jeff Bagwell; Gaylord Perry; Eddie Murray; Harmon Killebrew; Hank Greenberg; Ferguson Jenkins; Tony Gwynn; Ozzie Smith; Bob Feller; Robin Yount.
#’s 59–50:
Willie McCovey; Yogi Berra; Reggie Jackson; Wade Boggs; Rod Carew; Jackie Robinson; Ernie Banks; Mariano Rivera; Pete Alexander; Chipper Jones.
#’s 49–40:
Nap Lajoie; Lefty Grove; Miguel Cabrera; Al Kaline; Warren Spahn; Sandy Koufax; Brooks Robinson; Eddie Collins; Pedro Martinez; Carl Yastrzemski.
#’s 39–30:
Eddie Mathews; Pete Rose; Mel Ott; Nolan Ryan; Ken Griffey Jr.; Roberto Clemente; Bob Gibson; Cal Ripken Jr.; Derek Jeter; George Brett.
#’s 29–20:
Albert Pujols; Christy Mathewson; Jimmie Foxx; Johnny Bench; Steve Carlton; Tris Speaker; Alex Rodriguez; Tom Seaver; Randy Johnson; Frank Robinson.
#’s 19–10:
Joe DiMaggio; Joe Morgan; Cy Young; Mike Schmidt; Rogers Hornsby; Rickey Henderson; Greg Maddux; Walter Johnson; Lou Gehrig; Honus Wagner.
#’s 9–1:
Mickey Mantle; Stan Musial; Roger Clemens; Ty Cobb; Hank Aaron; Ted Williams; Barry Bonds; Willie Mays; Babe Ruth.
