The race to an RBI record

**roarintiger1** · 08-08-2012, 08:21 AM

The magic number is 241. These guys have been amazing this year. Cabrera and Fielder so far have combined for 175 runs batted in. Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen combined for 241 back in 2007. I'm not sure if that is a team RBI record for two hitters, but I know it's the most since 2001. It will be interesting to watch for this moment in history when they pass this mark.

**tigerkid23** · 08-08-2012, 10:44 AM

Maggs-Guillen? Psh, let's set our sights even higher...Greenberg-Gehringer. Greenberg had a couple monster RBI seasons, but in the '35 championship year, he knocked in 170 and Gehringer chipped in another 108. A few seasons later, Greenberg knocked in 183 and an outfielder named Gee Walker had 113 RBIs. So, Magglio and Guillen's seasons were not quite a team RBI record, but your post does put perspective on how good that '07 team was offensively. Maggs with the batting title, Grandy with the 20 HR -20 3B -20 SB season, Guillen had a great year, Polanco hit .341. Sheff was pretty good too when he was healthy. Cleveland was just too good that season.

**roarintiger1** · 08-08-2012, 11:00 AM

Thanks for the numbers tigerkid23, I knew I could find out the real record somehow......241 is still a lofty number to achieve.....If these two pass that, it will be icing on the cake. They have had an incredible year. 296? That's just 121 to go!

**tiger337** · 08-08-2012, 11:37 AM

tigerkid got it correct. The record for most RBI by two Tigers is 296 in 1937 by Hank Greenberg (183) and Gee Walker (113). The second best is 284 in 1940 by Greenberg (150) and Rudy York (134). This gives me an idea for a blog post later this week.

**tiger337** · 08-08-2012, 11:51 AM

1937 is one of my favorite historical Tigers seasons. Another cool thing about that year was they had four players with 200+ hits: Greenberg, Walker, Gehringer, Pete Fox.

**TStar** · 08-08-2012, 01:26 PM

The crazy thing is these guys are doing it this year without getting the huge chunks from 3-run homers, grand slams, or bases loaded XBHs.

Cabrera has only 1 3-run homer this year. 18 solo shots and 10 2-run shots. That's only 41 of his 95 RBI from HRs. He's also been terrible with the bases loaded hitting .167 with 6 RBI in 7 PAs (0 XBHs). So the biggest "chunk" RBI chances aren't really there, only 47 of 95 RBI from HRs or bases loaded situations.

Same story with Prince. 14 of his homers are solo shots. 2 3-run HRs and 3 2-run jobs. That's just 26 of his 80 RBI off of HRs. He's even worse that Cabrera with the bases loaded too, going 0-for-8 on the season with only 2 RBI. So that's 28 of his 80 RBI from HRs and bases loaded spots.

How many people would have believed before the season that Cabrera and Fielder would have a combined 175 RBI, but only 67 of them off HRs with only 3 3-run HRs between then and combined only 8 RBI all season with the bases loaded? Just shows how remarkable they've been getting hits with men on base.

**roarintiger1** · 08-09-2012, 08:02 AM

The count is a 176.

**roarintiger1** · 08-11-2012, 08:34 AM

180 is the count......

**Dawgs** · 08-11-2012, 02:24 PM

That infield of the late 1930's has to be one of the greatest in baseball history. Thier production was incredible.

**michiganct** · 08-11-2012, 02:25 PM

what two teammates on any team have the all time record?

**TigerNation** · 08-11-2012, 03:37 PM

Gehrig and Ruth had 339 combined in 27.

**Detroit Rock City** · 08-11-2012, 07:37 PM

339 is absolutely absurd to think about

**roarintiger1** · 08-13-2012, 09:44 AM

Now at 182.....

**roarintiger1** · 08-15-2012, 07:33 AM

185 and counting

**roarintiger1** · 08-15-2012, 04:27 PM

And now???? 187

**clemma** · 08-15-2012, 05:43 PM

Jackson, Cabrera and Fielder are all in the AL Top 10 for OBP--can you imagine what their RBI numbers would like if the #2 spot hadn't been such a black hole?

**PuNk42AE** · 08-15-2012, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by clemma

Jackson, Cabrera and Fielder are all in the AL Top 10 for OBP--can you imagine what their RBI numbers would like if the #2 spot hadn't been such a black hole?

Do you mean 2nd Base? The #2 hole wasn't that bad at all, in fact the #2 spot is the 5th in the AL in Avg, Obp, Slg and OPS.

**roarintiger1** · 08-17-2012, 10:51 PM

The count is now at 192......These guys are amazing!

**TStar** · 08-19-2012, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by michiganct

what two teammates on any team have the all time record?

Originally Posted by TigerNation

Gehrig and Ruth had 339 combined in 27.

They had a great season in '27, but even better in '31. That year Ruth had 163 RBI and Gehrig had 184 RBI, still an AL record (Greenberg fell 1 RBI short of tying the record in '37). That's a combined 347 RBI which I think is the most ever for teammates in a single season.

**Sports_Freak** · 08-19-2012, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by TStar

They had a great season in '27, but even better in '31. That year Ruth had 163 RBI and Gehrig had 184 RBI, still an AL record (Greenberg fell 1 RBI short of tying the record in '37). That's a combined 347 RBI which I think is the most ever for teammates in a single season.

I think it's a pretty safe bet to say that record will never be broken. 2 teammates would need 173.5 RBI each just to tie it. Amazing. They must have a record for players who scored the most runs too. Wasn't the schedule a 156 game season too? That really makes it incredible.

**tiger337** · 08-19-2012, 03:28 PM

I wonder where Delmon would have batted on the 31 Yankees.

**Charles Liston** · 08-19-2012, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by tiger337

I wonder where Delmon would have batted on the 31 Yankees.

5 hole. Surprised you'd even ask.

**Gehringer_2** · 08-19-2012, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by tiger337

I wonder where Delmon would have batted on the 31 Yankees.

Scranton.

**roarintiger1** · 08-21-2012, 10:38 PM

193.....

**tiger337** · 08-21-2012, 10:40 PM

How many would they have if batters got credit for RBI on double plays?

**Charles Liston** · 08-21-2012, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by tiger337

How many would they have if batters got credit for RBI on double plays?

I have this feeling that you already know the answer. But I'll go out on a limb and guess that they've lost 3.

**TStar** · 08-22-2012, 01:30 PM

Well a quick look at the numbers tells me they have a combined 20 GIDP with RISP.

In 1st and 3rd situations Cabrera has 6 GIDP and Fielder has 1. So that's potentially 7 RBI there.
With the bases loaded Cabrera has 2 GIDP and Fielder 0. So that's potentially 2 RBI there.

Assuming those are the only 2 situations where they would come to bat and drive in a run via GIDP, then they've combined for at most 9 RBI lost from GIDP. The actual number will be less considering I have no way to tell which of those GIDP occured with 0 outs and drove in a run and which happened with 1 out and didn't.