Frank Thomas

Going into action tonight, Frank Thomas has 17 hits...and 10 home runs. That's a home run every 1.70 times he gets a hit.




I researched which players might have home run rates that high as a proportion of hits. I set a modest minimum of 10 hits to qualify. So far, Thomas has the lead. Here's the top 10 list without Thomas:

Year	Player	Hits	HR	Ratio
1997	McGwire*	44	24	1.84
2001	McGwire	56	29	1.93
1956	Harshman	12	6	2.00
2001	Bonds	156	73	2.14
1958	Drysdale!	15	7	2.14
1935	Ruth	13	6	2.17
1988	Medina	13	6	2.17
1998	McGwire	152	70	2.17
1964	D.Williams	11	5	2.20
1993	Staton	11	5	2.20

An interesting list for a couple of reasons. First, McGwire has three of the 10 spots, but the 1997 season is his National League total only. It would not be on the list if blended with his season at Oakland (though it would still be a high ratio). Second, Bonds' record-breaking season makes the list. Third, Babe Ruth is on the list, but it isn't a real season for Ruth. And fourth, there's a surprising player on this list: pitcher Don Drysdale.




I didn't like the way the list came out, because of Harshman, Medina, Dick Williams and Staton. So I changed the criteria to a minimum of 10 home runs. Here's how that turned out.

Year	Player	Hits	HR	Ratio
1997	McGwire*	44	24	1.84
2001	McGwire	56	29	1.93
2001	Bonds	156	73	2.14
1998	McGwire	152	70	2.17
1995	McGwire	87	39	2.23
1999	McGwire	145	65	2.23
1955	Ed Robinson	36	16	2.25
2000	McGwire	72	32	2.25
1984	Gamble	23	10	2.30
1988	Phelps	24	10	2.40

*Again, the 1997 McGwire season is National League only.




Frank Thomas would be #1 on this list, but he's got a long ways to go to have the most impressive H/HR ratio.