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Carlos Santana has never hit for a high average for the Indians, but he's got solid pop, especially for a catcher (which is where Santana has played in roughly two-thirds of his games this season and throughout his career). Since he debuted in 2010, no other catcher has as many extra-base hits as Carlos (180). Even more than his power though, what's set Santana apart from others at the position, and put him in rare company among all players, is his ability to draw a walk. There are 178 players with at least 1,500 plate appearances from 2010-2013, only Joey Votto and Jose Bautista have drawn walks at a higher clip than Santana.
Yesterday Santana drew the 300th walk of his career (and the 301st). This is only his 4th season, and it was just his 474th game played. Few players have ever walked so many times so early in their career. How many players in history have walked 300+ times in their first 4 seasons? Including Santana, only 27.
Most walks in first four seasons:
Rk | Player | BB | From | To | Age | G | Pos | Tm |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ted Williams | 495 | 1939 | 1942 | 20-23 | 586 | *79/H1 | BOS |
2 | Ferris Fain | 477 | 1947 | 1950 | 26-29 | 582 | *3/H | PHA |
3 | Roy Thomas | 437 | 1899 | 1902 | 25-28 | 557 | *8/31 | PHI |
4 | Eddie Stanky | 423 | 1943 | 1946 | 27-30 | 541 | *4/6H5 | CHC-TOT-BRO |
5 | Frank Thomas | 416 | 1990 | 1993 | 22-25 | 531 | *3D/H | CHW |
6 | Charlie Keller | 403 | 1939 | 1942 | 22-25 | 541 | *79/H | NYY |
7 | Ralph Kiner | 401 | 1946 | 1949 | 23-26 | 604 | *7/8H | PIT |
8 | Eddie Mathews | 380 | 1952 | 1955 | 20-23 | 581 | *5/7H | BSN-MLN |
9 | Harlond Clift | 380 | 1934 | 1937 | 21-24 | 591 | *5/H47 | SLB |
10 | Max Bishop | 362 | 1924 | 1927 | 24-27 | 437 | *4/H | PHA |
11 | Bill Joyce | 355 | 1890 | 1894 | 22-26 | 394 | *5/73 | BWW-BOS-BRO-WHS |
12 | Dummy Hoy | 355 | 1888 | 1891 | 26-29 | 524 | *8/479 | WHS-BUF-STL |
13 | Adam Dunn | 348 | 2001 | 2004 | 21-24 | 501 | *7/39HD | CIN |
14 | Lu Blue | 345 | 1921 | 1924 | 24-27 | 535 | *3/H | DET |
15 | Miller Huggins | 345 | 1904 | 1907 | 26-29 | 591 | *4 | CIN |
16 | Jack Crooks | 345 | 1889 | 1892 | 23-26 | 413 | *4/597 | COL-STL |
17 | Jim Gilliam | 341 | 1953 | 1956 | 24-27 | 597 | *4/79H8 | BRO |
18 | Alvin Davis | 335 | 1984 | 1987 | 23-26 | 599 | *3/DH | SEA |
19 | Rickey Henderson | 331 | 1979 | 1982 | 20-23 | 504 | *7/8HD9 | OAK |
20 | Mike Hargrove | 328 | 1974 | 1977 | 24-27 | 580 | *37/DH | TEX |
21 | Wade Boggs | 312 | 1982 | 1985 | 24-27 | 576 | *5/3HD7 | BOS |
22 | Bob Johnson | 309 | 1933 | 1936 | 27-30 | 583 | *7/49H83 | PHA |
23 | Troy Glaus | 305 | 1998 | 2001 | 21-24 | 522 | *5/6DH | ANA |
24 | Steve Kemp | 305 | 1977 | 1980 | 22-25 | 579 | *7/DH9 | DET |
25 | Albert Pujols | 304 | 2001 | 2004 | 21-24 | 629 | 37/59HD6 | STL |
Rk | Player | BB | From | To | Age | G | Pos | Tm |
26 | Carlos Santana | 301 | 2010 | 2013 | 24-27 | 474 | *23/DH7 | CLE |
27 | Don Buddin | 301 | 1956 | 1960 | 22-26 | 525 | *6/H4 | BOS |
Santana could climb as high as 21st on that list by the time this season ends. I included the team(s) and position(s) for each player, and you may notice that Santana is the only Indian on the list, and the only catcher. He is the 'fastest' ever in either of those categories to reach 300 walks.
Most walks in first four seasons (Indians):
Rk | Player | BB | From | To | Age | G | Pos |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carlos Santana | 301 | 2010 | 2013 | 24-27 | 474 | *23/DH7 |
2 | Al Smith | 285 | 1953 | 1956 | 25-28 | 473 | 97/58H64 |
3 | Earl Averill | 262 | 1929 | 1932 | 27-30 | 599 | *8/H9 |
4 | Joe Sewell | 260 | 1920 | 1923 | 21-24 | 482 | *6/4H |
5 | Grady Sizemore | 245 | 2004 | 2007 | 21-24 | 525 | *8/HD |
6 | Larry Doby | 244 | 1947 | 1950 | 23-26 | 439 | *8/9H463 |
7 | Manny Ramirez | 204 | 1993 | 1996 | 21-24 | 402 | *9/DH |
8 | Rocky Colavito | 204 | 1955 | 1958 | 21-24 | 383 | *9/H317 |
9 | Ed Morgan | 203 | 1928 | 1931 | 24-27 | 450 | *39/H857 |
10 | Kenny Lofton | 201 | 1992 | 1994 | 25-27 | 408 | *8/H |
Most walks in first four seasons (catchers):
Rk | Player | BB | From | To | Age | G | Tm |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carlos Santana | 301 | 2010 | 2013 | 24-27 | 474 | CLE |
2 | Russell Martin | 271 | 2006 | 2009 | 23-26 | 570 | LAD |
3 | Butch Wynegar | 268 | 1976 | 1979 | 20-23 | 577 | MIN |
4 | Mickey Cochrane | 226 | 1925 | 1928 | 22-25 | 511 | PHA |
5 | Roy Campanella | 211 | 1948 | 1951 | 26-29 | 482 | BRO |
6 | Joe Mauer | 208 | 2004 | 2007 | 21-24 | 415 | MIN |
7 | Jim Sundberg | 203 | 1974 | 1977 | 23-26 | 576 | TEX |
8 | Rick Ferrell | 200 | 1929 | 1932 | 23-26 | 408 | SLB |
9 | Matt Wieters | 183 | 2009 | 2012 | 23-26 | 509 | BAL |
10 | Alex Avila | 180 | 2009 | 2012 | 22-25 | 390 | DET |
It's also worth pointing out that because of his June call up and an ugly injury in early August that prematurely ended Santana's rookie season, he played in only 46 games in 2010. Most of the players ahead of Carlos in terms of walks during their first four seasons played in more games than he has. As I said, Santana drew his 300th walk in his 474th game. Where does that place him? Baseball-Reference's play index allows me to research that sort of thing going back as far as 1916:
Fewest Games to Walk #300 (1916-2013):
Rank |
Player |
Games |
1 |
Frank Thomas |
369 |
2 |
Max Bishop |
380 |
3 |
Ferris Fain |
389 |
4 |
Ted Williams |
400 |
5 |
Charlie Keller |
407 |
6 |
Eddie Stanky |
409 |
7 |
Adam Dunn |
417 |
8 |
Roy Cullenbine |
436 |
9 |
Jack Cust |
445 |
10 |
Rickey Henderson |
450 |
11 |
Earl Torgeson |
452 |
12 |
Darrell Evans |
454 |
13 |
Joe Morgan |
458 |
14 |
Harlond Clift |
460 |
15 |
Eddie Mathews |
463 |
t16 |
Ralph Kiner |
467 |
t16 |
Randy Milligan |
467 |
18 |
Lu Blue |
468 |
19 |
Carlos Santana |
474 |
t20 |
Norm Cash |
476 |
t20 |
Wes Westrum |
476 |
I always find it odd, that so many Indians fans seem frustrated with Santana as a hitter. I don't know if they're caught up on a mediocre batting average, or disappointed that he doesn't hit 35 home runs a year, or what. The fact is, he's an elite offensive player among catchers, and a very good one even if viewed as a first baseman or designated hitter.