Next season it will be 40 years since major league baseball last had a triple crown winner. Carl Yastrzemski, who once played in Minneapolis for the minor league Millers, won the triple crown in 1967, batting .326, with 44 home runs and 121 RBI. Since World War II only three players have led their league in batting average, home runs and RBI in the same season, and all were American Leaguers, Yaz, Frank Robinson and Mickey Mantle.
In major league baseball history there have been 14 triple crown winners (Ted Williams twice). To hit with power and lead the league in home runs while having a high batting average is one of baseball’s monumental challenges. This season Justin Morneau teased us enough with his numbers to stir tepid speculation that perhaps some day he could make a run at the triple crown.
Morneau finished second in the American League in RBI with 130 while batting .321 with 34 home runs. He was seventh in batting average and 11th in home runs, although four players ahead of him hit only one more home run.
Morneau, 25, had played only one full season with the Twins prior to this year. His average last season was just .239, with 22 home runs and 79 RBI. Did his batting average improvement of 82 points surprise Morneau?
“I always hit for average in the minor leagues,” he said. “It was one of those things that took some time; learn the pitchers and that kind of stuff. It’s something I expect of myself. I am not surprised. You always want to hit over .300. That’s always a goal.”
Morneau did hit over .300 three times in the minor leagues, although none were during full seasons. The most at bats were 236 when he hit .356 for Quad Cities in 2001.
Morneau’s .321 average this season didn’t surprise manager Ron Gardenhire either. “No, he’s a good hitter,” Gardenhire said. “He’s a strong guy. He’s used the whole field and once he told himself that every ball didn’t have to go out of the ball park…everything has been fine.”
Morneau, who will be a candidate for the American League’s Most Valuable Player award, talked about the challenge of winning a triple crown. “It’s one of those things where you have to have things fall into place.” he said. “You have to have guys on base in front of you. You have to be hot all year. So many things have to come together at once. I think if you are leading in home runs it’s hard to lead in average because you give up a little bit as a home run hitter. Your swing has to be a little longer and that sort of stuff. There’s a fine line between the whole thing.”
Morneau said his goal is to win games and if achieving a triple crown meant winning it would be a “special thing.” At his age and the expected improvement that lies ahead, perhaps a Morneau run at a triple crown is possible.