Could Josh Hamilton break Hack Wilson's RBI record this year?

[Blackout]

he's got 40 in 30 games and he's in one of the top lineups for run producing


can he do it?

[Rich the Giants fan]

Sure he could, just like the 30-40 other players who must've started this hot since Wilson set the record, could have.

They didn't, and he likely won't either.

[SamtheBravesFan]

It'll take a perfect storm of perfection for Hamilton to even match 190 RBIs.

It's incredible that Wilson even did it considering the Cubs leadoff hitter that year was Footsie Blair, whose .306 OBP was the worst on the team. However, Wilson had third baseman Woody Enligsh (.335/.430/.511) and right fielder Kiki Cuyler (.355/.428/.547) batting in front of him. Combine that with a bases-clearing .356/.454/.723 line from Wilson, and you have a recipe for 190 RBIs.

For Hamilton to get close, with him batting third, Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus are going to have to get on base an obscene amount of times.

[Zito75]

Sure he could, just like the 30-40 other players who must've started this hot since Wilson set the record, could have.

They didn't, and he likely won't either.

Nope. I think he'll have a fine season, but he hasn't played even close to a full season since 2008. He'll end up on the DL at some point.

[fenrir]

No. He won't even surpass Manny's 165 RBI's in 1999.

[Blackout]

41 RBI in 31 games now

[SamtheBravesFan]

41 RBI in 31 games now

Do you realize what has to happen for this to even be feasible, Blackout?

[Blackout]

Do you realize what has to happen for this to even be feasible, Blackout?

he needs 150 RBI in 128 games?


considering the lineup he's in it's possible but not probable.

[Nimrod]

Just for the record(literally)Wilson`s total is 191 not 190.Several years ago it was discovered that one of Wilson`s teammates was erroneously credited with a RBI that actually belonged to Hack.Oddly enough,Wilson never seemed to mention this record.He would talk about "the year(1930)that I hit all those homers"(56),but nary a word about the RBI record!Cub second baseman,Rogers Hornsby broke his ankle in a slide in April of that year and was out for the rest of the season.If not for that accident,who knows,maybe Wilson`s total would have been even higher.Do not think Hamilton is going to break the record.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Hamilton getting 192 RBI this season is EXTREMELY unlikely. Of the top 20 single season RBI totals 19 of them came before 1939. Only Manny Ramirez's 165 RBI in 1999 cracks the top 20 at #13 all time. There have been lots of hot RBI starts but they always fizzled. Here are a few.


Thru 31 games
44- Edgar Martinez 2000 (145 RBI)
42- Manny Ramirez 1999 (165 RBI)
41- Juan Gonzales 1998 (157 RBI)
39- Lou Gehrig 1934 (165 RBI)
38- Mark McGwire 1998 (147 RBI)
37- Juan Gonzlez 2001 (140 RBI)
37- Hank Greenberg 1937 (183 RBI)
37- Hank Greenberg 1935 (170 RBI)

[SamtheBravesFan]

he needs 150 RBI in 128 games?


considering the lineup he's in it's possible but not probable.

I mean more specifically than that.

Assuming that Hamilton stays healthy and in the third spot, Kinsler and Andrus are going to have to get on base at .400-.420 clips all year for Hamilton to even have a shot.

[Blackout]

Just for the record(literally)Wilson`s total is 191 not 190.Several years ago it was discovered that one of Wilson`s teammates was erroneously credited with a RBI that actually belonged to Hack.Oddly enough,Wilson never seemed to mention this record.He would talk about "the year(1930)that I hit all those homers"(56),but nary a word about the RBI record!Cub second baseman,Rogers Hornsby broke his ankle in a slide in April of that year and was out for the rest of the season.If not for that accident,who knows,maybe Wilson`s total would have been even higher.Do not think Hamilton is going to break the record.

i also have a story somewhere on this forum from an opposing player stating Wilson hit a 57th home run but the umpire called it foul and the other teams pitchers obviously didn't want to say it was fair


so he should've had 192 RBI or more depending on who was on base at the time lol

[milladrive]

he's got 40 in 30 games and he's in one of the top lineups for run producing


can he do it?

Anything's possible. If you ask me, it's still too early to tell. I'll chime in again in late June.

[GiambiJuice]

Hamilton himself was on a 160+ RBI pace through the end of July in 2008. But he eventually cooled off and finished with 130. I expect a similar total from him this year. Maybe 145 tops.

[OmartgSS]

It would help if they threw in that 1930 NL baseball they used. League averaged a little over .300