Derrek Lee -- Quadruple Crown?

We've still got two months to go, so I don't want to get too far in any discussion about Derrek Lee's chances for the Triple Crown. But it occurred to me that he really is shooting for an even more rare Quadruple Crown.



Here is the list of previous triple crown winners. The number listed after their name is where they ranked at their positions defensively by league, based on Win Shares (and treating outfield as a single position).

Year    Player       Def. Rank
1878    P.Hines         6
1894    H.Duffy         4
1901    N.Lajoie        2
1909    T.Cobb          5
1922    R.Hornsby       7
1925    R.Hornsby       8
1933    C.Klein        10
1933    J.Foxx          1
1934    L.Gehrig        2
1937    J.Medwick      13
1942    T.Williams      5
1947    T.Williams     11
1956    M.Mantle        4
1966    F.Robinson     14
1967    C.Yastrzemski   6

So Jimmie Foxx is the only player in major league history to win the triple crown and be the best at his position defensively (and deserve the Gold Glove). Yastrzemski actually won a Gold Glove in 1967, but Win Shares says he was the 6th best outfielder.



Lee was deserving of the Gold Glove in 2003 (and actually won it) and finished just behind Todd Helton in fielding Win Shares last year. So far this year he is trailing Helton again, but he's in second (according to The Hardball Times). It's possible that Derrek Lee would become only the second player in MLB history to win the triple crown and be the best at his position defensively.