Josh Hamilton : Can The Texas Rangers Centerfielder Win The AL Triple Crown?
ARLINGTON – Even in defeat, Texas Rangers centerfielder Josh Hamilton continues to amaze.
Hamilton would continue his early-season rampage by belting his 18th home run—a solo shot—off of former teammate—and current Los Angeles Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson—in a 4-2 loss Saturday evening.
Hamilton who currently leads the American League in home runs (18), runs batted in (41) and batting average (.402) has already been mentioned as a legitimate threat to become the first player since Carl Yastrzemski to win the American League Triple Crown in 1967 for the Boston Red Sox.
Hamilton would breakout by hitting four home runs in a 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, and since that game would hit nine home runs and bat in another 14 RBI over a six game span.
If Hamilton can find a way to stay healthy, then he has the chance to have—perhaps—the greatest individual single-season by a player in MLB history.
At his current pace, Hamilton is projected to bat .402, belt 86 home runs and score 195 RBI.
If that is truly the case, Hamilton would join Hall Of Famers Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox as the second man to bat .400 in a season and break Chicago Cubs centerfielder Hack Wilson’s single-season RBI record of 191.
While it has only been 34 games of a possible 183-game season(162 regular season games, along with a theoretical 21-game postseason), the chances of Hamilton continuing his hot start will gradually begin to decrease.
Factors such as more advanced pitching, better scouting, interleague play and a longer schedule may work against Hamilton’s chase for the Triple Crown.
Another factor is that while there are more teams in 2012 as there were during the times of Yastrzemski, pitchers may ultimately decide to give Hamilton the “Barry Bonds” treatment and walk him altogether.
It may be pre-mature to say that Hamilton may join Yastrzemski as the second player to win the AL Triple Crown, but if his hot start is any indication, then Yastrzemski may want to begin making room for some company.
Follow me on Twitter, @RobertCobb_76
