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Triad · 05-02-2008, 03:28 PM

Any theories on why Rickey Henderson's doubles were so low? Here's a comparison with a sampling of other fast runners of the last few decades, measuring number of career singles per double.
(active players still in their twenties not included)

8.4 - Otis Nixon
7.3 - Ichiro Suzuki
6.9 - Brett Butler
6.4 - Vince Coleman
6.2 - Willie Wilson
5.8 - Ron LeFlore
5.7 - Bert Campaneris
5.6 - Omar Moreno
5.4 - Rod Carew
5.4 - Luis Aparicio
5.3 - Dave Lopes
4.9 - Ozzie Smith
4.9 - Willie McGee
4.7 - Kenny Lofton
4.7 - Willie Davis
4.7 - Delino DeShields
4.6 - Lou Brock
4.5 - Derek Jeter
4.4 - Tim Raines
4.4 - Tony Gwynn
4.3 - Rickey Henderson
4.2 - Chuck Knoblauch
4.2 - Rafael Furcal
4.1 - Ryne Sandberg
4.1 - Jose Cruz
3.9 - Bobby Bonds
3.9 - Eric Young
3.9 - Paul Molitor
3.9 - Vada Pinson
3.8 - Roberto Alomar
3.8 - Joe Morgan
3.7 - Barry Larkin
3.7 - Eric Davis
3.7 - Amos Otis
3.7 - Willie Mays
3.7 - Johnny Damon
3.6 - Juan Samuel
3.4 - Devon White
3.4 - Andre Dawson
3.2 - Cesar Cedeno
3.2 - Vladimir Guerrero
3.1 - Craig Biggio
3.1 - Brady Anderson
3.0 - Carlos Beltran
2.6 - Bobby Abreu
2.6 - Alfonso Soriano
2.5 - Barry Bonds

Henderson was faster than most of the players on this list who hit doubles more frequently, and he had more pop in his bat than most of them. So why didn't he hit very many doubles?

Guys near the top of this list are typically slap hitters. Guys near the bottom of the list would be those who had a good speed-power combo, and hustled out of the box.

Shouldn't a guy with Henderson's speed and semi-power be expected to be more in the Cedeno range of only 3.2 singles per double?

Henderson had 510 doubles in his career, and by a rough estimation, it's expected that he would've had about 130 more of his singles turned into doubles.

05-02-2008, 03:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Triad Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 209	Rickey Henderson's Low 2B Totals Any theories on why Rickey Henderson's doubles were so low? Here's a comparison with a sampling of other fast runners of the last few decades, measuring number of career singles per double. (active players still in their twenties not included) 8.4 - Otis Nixon 7.3 - Ichiro Suzuki 6.9 - Brett Butler 6.4 - Vince Coleman 6.2 - Willie Wilson 5.8 - Ron LeFlore 5.7 - Bert Campaneris 5.6 - Omar Moreno 5.4 - Rod Carew 5.4 - Luis Aparicio 5.3 - Dave Lopes 4.9 - Ozzie Smith 4.9 - Willie McGee 4.7 - Kenny Lofton 4.7 - Willie Davis 4.7 - Delino DeShields 4.6 - Lou Brock 4.5 - Derek Jeter 4.4 - Tim Raines 4.4 - Tony Gwynn 4.3 - Rickey Henderson 4.2 - Chuck Knoblauch 4.2 - Rafael Furcal 4.1 - Ryne Sandberg 4.1 - Jose Cruz 3.9 - Bobby Bonds 3.9 - Eric Young 3.9 - Paul Molitor 3.9 - Vada Pinson 3.8 - Roberto Alomar 3.8 - Joe Morgan 3.7 - Barry Larkin 3.7 - Eric Davis 3.7 - Amos Otis 3.7 - Willie Mays 3.7 - Johnny Damon 3.6 - Juan Samuel 3.4 - Devon White 3.4 - Andre Dawson 3.2 - Cesar Cedeno 3.2 - Vladimir Guerrero 3.1 - Craig Biggio 3.1 - Brady Anderson 3.0 - Carlos Beltran 2.6 - Bobby Abreu 2.6 - Alfonso Soriano 2.5 - Barry Bonds Henderson was faster than most of the players on this list who hit doubles more frequently, and he had more pop in his bat than most of them. So why didn't he hit very many doubles? Guys near the top of this list are typically slap hitters. Guys near the bottom of the list would be those who had a good speed-power combo, and hustled out of the box. Shouldn't a guy with Henderson's speed and semi-power be expected to be more in the Cedeno range of only 3.2 singles per double? Henderson had 510 doubles in his career, and by a rough estimation, it's expected that he would've had about 130 more of his singles turned into doubles.