Stolen Bases as Extra Bases

When the lively ball era was launched in 1920 there were few players who displayed the combined ability of speed and power. If a player were to accumulate a lot of extra bases it would be with his bat and not his feet. Thus it was automatic that when we thought of extra bases it was in terms of doubles, triples and home runs.

In recent years, however, there has been a vast increase in stolen bases, a trend climaxed by the 341 thefts of the Oakland A’s in 1976.  And many of these steals are by players capable of hitting for extra bases, like Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, Bobby Bonds, Joe Morgan, and Cesar Cedeno.

With this situation, why don’t we bring ourselves to think more in terms of stolen bases as extra bases? When a player gets on first and then steals second, it is much like stretching a single into a double.  Why don’t we, therefore, add stolen bases to extra bases from hits-three for a homer, two for a triple, one for a double, and one for a stolen base? That would seem to be a more appropriate measure of extra-base strength, particularly for some one like Joe Morgan in comparison with Willie Stargell, who seldom steals a base.

The 1941 American League batting parade might serve as a good illustration. There was a close race in extra bases between Joe DiMaggio, who had a 56-game hitting streak, Ted Williams, who batted .406, and Jeff Heath, the only AL player in history to hit 20 or more doubles, triples, and homers in a season. This is how they wound up the season in extra bases:

 

Player	Team	2B	3B	HR	SB	XBH
Jeff Heath	CLE	32	20	24	18	162
Joe DiMaggio	NYY	43	11	30	4	159
Ted Williams	BOS	33	3	37	2	152

 

Note that Heath is the leader counting steals as extra bases, but he would have lost out to both DiMaggio and Williams if the compilation had been limited just to long hits.

This does not mean that stolen bases affect the leadership that frequently. In fact, from 1920 to the 1950s it was pretty typical for the home run leader to dominate in extra bases. And why shouldn’t he, with three extra bases to one for a steal? Johnny Mize led in 1938 and 1939 without stealing a base either season. And even when Lou Brock had 118 stolen bases in 1974, he did not lead in extra bases.  Of course, that year, he was particularly deficient in long hits. On the other hand, Cesar Cedeno, who was not a home run leader that year, led largely because of his 57 stolen bases. The same thing happened in the National League in 1976 when Joe Morgan led largely on the strength of his 60 thefts.

Who had the most extra bases in a season? It was the man who had the most extra base hits, Babe Ruth, 1921. He also stole 17 bases that year, giving him a total of 270 extra bases. Lou Gehrig was next with 239 in  1927, including 10 stolen bases. Willie Mays had the highest NL total with 221 in 1955, thanks to 24 stolen bases. Chuck Klein, the only player of the lively ball era to lead his league in home runs and stolen bases the same season, had 214 in 1932.

The players leading in extra bases each year in each league are listed below. Asterisks indicate leadership in the categories that contribute to extra bases.

 

Extra Base Leaders (American League)

YEAR	PLAYER	TEAM	2B	3B	HR	SB	XBH
1901	Nap Lajoie (1)	Phil.	48*	13	14*	27	143
1902	Buck Freeman (1)	Bost.	37	20	11	15	125
1903	Buck Freeman (2)	Bost.	39	21	13*	4	124
1904	Nap Lajoie (2)	Cle.	50*	14	6	31	127
1905	Harry Davis (1)	Phil.	47*	6	8*	36	119
1906	Elmer Flick (1)	Cle.	33	22*	1	39*	119
1907	Ty Cobb(1)	Det.	29	15	5	49*	123
1908	Ty Cobb (2)	Det.	36*	20*	4	39	127
1909	Ty Cobb(3)	Det.	33	10	9	76*	156
1910	Ty Cobb(4)	Det.	36	13	8	65	151
1911	Ty Cobb(5)	Det.	47*	24*	8	83*	202
1912	Tris Speaker(1)	Bost.	53*	12	10	52	159
1913	Tns Speaker (2)	Bost.	35	22	3	46	134
1914	Tris Speaker (3)	Bost.	46*	18	4	42	136
1915	Ty Cobb(6)	Det.	31	13	3	96*	162
1916	Ty Cobb(7)	Det.	31	10	5	68*	134
1917	Ty Cobb(8)	Det.	44*	23*	7	55*	166
1918	George Sisler (1)	St.L.	21	9	2	45*	90
1919	Babe Ruth(1)	Bost.	34	12	29*	7	152
1920	Babe Ruth (2)	N.Y.	36	9	54*	14	230
1921	Babe Ruth (3)	N.Y.	44	16	59*	17	270
1922	Ken Williams (1)	St.L.	34	11	39*	37	210
1923	Babe Ruth (4)	N.Y.	45	13	41*	17	211
1924	Babe Ruth(S)	N.Y.	39	7	46*	9	200
1925	Bob Meusel(l)	N.Y.	34	12	33*	10	167
1926	Babe Ruth (6)	N.Y.	30	5	47*	11	192
1927	Lou Gehrig(1)	N.Y.	52*	18	47	10	239
1928	Babe Ruth (7)	N.Y.	29	8	54*	4	211
1929	Babe Ruth (8)	N.Y.	26	6	46*	5	181
1930	Lou Gehrig(2)	N.Y.	42	17	41	12	211
1931	Lou Gehrig(3)	N.Y.	31	15	46*	17	216
1932	Jimmie Foxx (1)	Phil.	33	9	58*	3	228
1933	Jimmie Foxx (2)	Phil.	37	9	48*	2	201
1934	Lou Gehrig (4)	N.Y.	40	6	49*	9	208
1935	Hank Greenberg (1)	Det.	46	16	36*	4	190
1936	Lou Gehrig(5)	N.Y.	37	7	49*	3	201
1937	Joe DiMaggio (1)	N.Y.	35	15	46*	3	206
1938	Hank Greenberg (2)	Det.	23	4	58*	7	212
1939	Hank Greenberg (3)	Det.	42	7	33	8	163
1940	Hank Greenberg (4)	Det.	50*	8	41*	6	195
1941	Jeff Heath (1)	Cle.	32	20*	24	18	162
1942	Ted Williams (1)	Bost.	34	5	36*	3	155
1943	Rudy York (1)	Det.	22	11	34*	5	151
1944	George Stirnweiss (1)	N.Y.	35	16*	8	55*	146
1945	George Stirnweiss (2)	N.Y.	32	22*	10	33*	139
1946	Hank Greenberg (5)	Det.	29	5	44*	5	176
1947	Ted Williams (2)	Bost.	40	9	32*	0	154
1948	Joe DiMaggio (2)	N.Y.	26	11	39*	1	166
1949	Ted Williams (3)	Bost.	39*	3	43*	1	175
1950	Joe DiMaggio (3)	N.Y.	33	10	32	0	149
1951	Gus Zemial (1)	Phil.-Chi.	30	5	33*	0	139
1952	Larry Doby (1)	Cle.	26	8	32*	5	143
1953	Al Rosen (1)	Cle.	27	5	43*	8	174
1954	Minnie Minoso (1)	Chi.	29	18*	19	18	140
1955	Mickey Mantle (1)	N.Y.	25	11*	37*	8	166
1956	Mickey Mantle (2)	N.Y.	22	5	52*	10	198
1957	Roy Sievers (1)	Wash.	23	5	42*	1	160
1958	Mickey Mantle (3)	N.Y.	21	1	42*	18	167
1959	Harmon Killebrew (1)	Wash.	20	2	42*	3	153
	Rocky Colavito (1)	Cle.	24	0	42*	3	153
1960	Mickey Mantle (4)	N.Y.	17	6	40*	14	163
1961	Roger Mans (1)	N.Y.	16	4	61*	0	207
1962	Harmon Killebrew (2)	Min.	21	1	48*	1	168
1963	Dick Stuart (1)	Bost.	25	4	42	0	159
1964	Tony Oliva (1)	Min.	43*	9	32	12	169
1965	Zoilo Versalles (1)	Min.	45*	12*	19	27	153
1966	Frank Robinson (1)	Bal.	34	2	49*	8	193
1967	Carl Yastrzemskj (1)	Bost.	31	4	44*	10	181
1968	Frank Howard (1)	Wash.	28	3	44*	0	166
1969	Reggie Jackson (1)	Oak.	36	3	47	13	196
1970	Tommy Harper (I)	Mil.	35	4	31	38	174
1971	Reggie Jackson (2)	Oak.	29	3	32	16	147
1972	DickAllen(1)	Chi.	28	5	37*	19	168
1973	Reggie Jackson (3)	Oak.	28	2	32*	22	150
1974	Reggie Jackson (4)	Oak.	25	1	29	25	139
1975	Reggie Jackson (5)	Oak.	39	3	36*	17	170
1976	Reggie Jackson (6)	Balt.	27	2	27	28	140
	Graig Nettles (1)	N.Y.	29	2	32*	11	140

 

Extra Base Leaders (National League)

YEAR	PLAYER	TEAM	2B	3B	HR	SB	XBH
1901	Jimmy Sheckard (1)	Bkn.	31	19*	11	42	144
1902	Honus Wagner (1)	Pitt.	33*	16	3	43*	117
1903	Jimmy Sheckard (2)	Bkn.	29	9	9*	67*	141
1904	Honus Wagner (2)	Pitt.	44*	14	4	53	137
1905	Honus Wagner (3)	Pitt.	32	14	6	57	135
1906	Sherry Magee (1)	Phil.	36	8	6	55	125
1907	Honus Wagner (4)	Pitt.	38*	14	6	61*	145
1908	Honus Wagner (5)	Pitt.	39*	19*	10	53*	160
1909	Honus Wagner (6)	Pitt.	39*	10	5	35	109
1910	Sherry Magee (2)	Phil.	39	17	6	49	140
1911	Frank Schulte (1)	Chi.	30	21	21*	23	158
1912	OwenWilson(1)	Pitt.	19	36*	11	16	140
1913	Gavvy Cravath (1)	Phil.	34	14	19*	10	129
1914	Sherry Magee (3)	Phil.	39*	11	15	25	131
1915	Gavvy Cravath (2)	Phil.	31	7	24*	11	132
1916	MaxCarey(1)	Pitt.	23	11	7	63*	129
1917	George Bums (1)	N.Y.	25	13	5	40	106
1918	Max Carey (2)	Pitt.	14	6	3	58*	90
1919	George Bums (2)	Phil.	30	9	2	40*	94
1920	Rogers Hornsby (1)	St.L.	44*	20	9	12	123
1921	Rogers Hornsby (2)	St.L.	44*	18*	21	13	156
1922	Rogers Hornsby (3)	St.L.	46*	14	42*	17	217
1923	Cy Williams (1)	Phil.	22	3	41*	11	162
1924	Rogers Homsby (4)	St.L.	43*	14	25	5	151
1925	Kiki Cuyler (1)	Pitt.	43	26*	18	41	190
1926	Jim Bottomley (1)	St.L.	40*	14	19	4	129
1927	Hack Wilson (1)	Chi.	30	12	30*	13	157
1928	Jim Bottomley (2)	St.L.	42	20*	31*	10	185
1929	Chuck Klein (1)	Phil.	45	6	43*	5	191
1930	Hack Wilson (2)	Chi.	35	6	56*	3	218
1931	Chuck Klein (2)	Phil.	34	10	31*	7	154
1932	Chuck Klein (3)	Phil.	50	15	38*	20*	214
1933	Chuck Klein (4)	Phil.	44*	7	28*	15	157
1934	Rip Collins (1)	St.L.	40	12	35*	2	171
1935	Wally Berger(l)	Bost.	39	4	34*	3	152
1936	Joe Medwick (1)	St.L.	64*	13	18	3	147
1937	Joe Medwick (2)	St.L.	56*	10	31*	4	173
1938	Johnny Mize (I)	St.L.	34	16*	27	0	147
1939	Johnny Mize (2)	St.L.	44	14	28*	0	156
1940	Johnny Mize (3)	St.L.	31	13	43*	7	193
1941	Dolph Camilli (1)	Bkn.	29	6	34*	3	146
1942	Dolph Camilli (2)	Bkn.	23	7	26	10	125
1943	Bill Nicholson (1)	Chi.	30	9	29*	4	139
1944	Bill Nicholson (2)	Chi.	35	8	33*	3	153
1945	Tommy Holmes (I)	Bost.	47*	6	28*	15	158
1946	Stan Musial (1)	St.L.	50*	20*	16	7	145
1947	Johnny Mize (4)	N.Y.	0.3	2	51*	2	185
	Ralph Kiner (1)	Pitt.	23	4	51*	1	185
1948	Stan Musial (2)	St.L.	46*	18*	39	7	206
1949	Ralph Kiner (2)	Pitt.	19	5	54*	6	197
1950	Ralph Kiner (3)	Pitt.	21	6	47*	2	176
1951	Ralph Kiner (4)	Pitt.	31	6	42*	2	171
1952	HankSauer(1)	Chi.	31	3	37*	1	149
1953	Eddie Mathews (1)	Mil.	31	8	47*	1	189
1954	Willie Mays(l)	N.Y.	33	13*	41	8	190
1955	Willie Mays (2)	N.Y.	18	13*	51*	24	221
1956	Willie Mays (3)	N.Y.	27	8	36	40*	191
1957	Willie Mays (4)	N.Y.	26	20*	35	38*	209
1958	Ernie Banks (1)	Chi.	23	11	47*	4	190
1959	Hank Aaron (1)	Mil.	46	7	39	8	185
1960	Hank Aaron (2)	Mil.	20	11	40	16	178
1961	Orlando Cepeda (1)	S.F.	28	4	46*	12	186
1962	Willie Mays (5)	S.F.	36	5	49*	18	211
1963	Hank Aaron (3)	Mil.	29	4	44*	31	200
1964	Willie Mays (6)	S.F.	21	9	47*	19	199
1965	Willie Mays (7)	S.F.	21	3	52*	9	192
1966	Hank Aaron (4)	Atl.	23	1	44*	21	178
1967	Hank Aaron (5)	Atl.	37	3	39*	17	177
1968	Hank Aaron (6)	Atl.	33	4	29	28	156
1969	Bobby Bonds (1)	S.F.	25	6	32	45	178
1970	Johnny Bench (1)	Cin.	35	4	45*	5	183
1971	Willie Stargell (1)	Pitt.	26	0	48*	0	170
	Hank Aaron (7)	Atl.	23	3	47	1	170
1972	Cesar Cedeno (1)	Hou.	39*	8	22	55	166
1973	Bobby Bonds (2)	S.F.	38	4	39	43	202
1974	Cesar Cedeno (2)	Hou.	29	5	26	57	174
1975	Mike Schmidt (1)	Phil.	34	3	38*	29	183
1976	Joe Morgan (1)	Cin.	30	5	27	60	181