News Item: Chipper Jones has 102 RBI this year, extending his run of 100 RBI seasons to eight years--tied for the longest streak in National League history. (Courtesy of No Pepper.)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
MODERN (1900-)
RBI >= 100

T1   Mel Ott                  1929-36    8   
T1   Willie Mays              1959-66    8   
T1   Sammy Sosa               1995-02    8   
T1   Chipper Jones            1996-03    8
5    Gil Hodges               1949-55    7   
T6   Jim Bottomley            1924-29    6   
T6   Bill Terry               1927-32    6   
T6   Joe Medwick              1934-39    6   
T6   Johnny Mize              1937-42    6   
T6   Jeff Bagwell             1996-01    6   
T6   Jeff Kent                1997-02    6

Sammy Sosa has 97 RBI through Saturday. If Sosa drives in three more runs this year, he will extend his current streak of 100 RBI seasons to nine--passing Jones as well as Mel Ott and Willie Mays in the process. Jeff Kent (with 91 RBI) will need a big final week to prolong his streak.

Even if Sammy hits the century mark this year, he will still trail Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Al Simmons on the all-time list.

MAJOR LEAGUE
MODERN (1900-)
RBI >= 100

T1   Lou Gehrig               1926-38   13   
T1   Jimmie Foxx              1929-41   13   
3    Al Simmons               1924-34   11   
T4   Albert Belle             1992-00    9   
T4   Rafael Palmeiro          1995-03    9
T6   Babe Ruth                1926-33    8   
T6   Mel Ott                  1929-36    8   
T6   Willie Mays              1959-66    8   
T6   Frank Thomas             1991-98    8   
T6   Sammy Sosa               1995-02    8   
T6   Chipper Jones            1996-03    8

Rafael Palmeiro recently increased his current streak of 100 RBI seasons to nine, vaulting into a fourth place tie with Albert Belle. Interestingly, all of the players on the above list who are eligible have been voted into the Hall of Fame.

Along with teammate Gary Sheffield, Larry "Chipper" Jones also stands a good chance of reaching the .300 BA, .400 OBP, and .500 SLG trifecta for the sixth consecutive season. Sheffield is a virtual lock at .330/.422/.601, while Jones (.301/.399/.510) is hovering near each of the magic marks.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
MODERN (1900-)
AVERAGE >= .300, OBA >= .400, SLG >= .500
MIN 3.1 PA/G

1    Stan Musial              1948-55    8   
2    Rogers Hornsby           1920-25    6   
T3   Paul Waner               1926-30    5   
T3   Hack Wilson              1926-30    5   
T3   Johnny Mize              1937-41    5   
T3   Gary Sheffield           1998-02    5   
T3   Chipper Jones            1998-02    5   
T8   Honus Wagner             1903-05    3   
T8   Jack Fournier            1923-25    3   
T8   Rogers Hornsby           1927-29    3   
T8   Mel Ott                  1934-36    3   
T8   Jackie Robinson          1949-51    3   
T8   Duke Snider              1953-55    3   
T8   Larry Walker             1997-99    3   
T8   Jeff Bagwell             1998-00    3   
T8   Brian Giles              1999-01    3   
T8   Barry Bonds              2000-02    3   
T8   Todd Helton              2000-02    3

Barry Bonds (.341/.533/.758) and Todd Helton (.353/.452/.622) are in the midst of enjoying their fourth consecutive campaigns of .300/.400/.500.

Jones and Sheffield also rank in the top ten in major league history. Manny Ramirez is working on four straight and will undoubtedly make it five at the conclusion of 2003 (.324/.427/.583), joining a group of Ty Cobb, Paul Waner, Hack Wilson, Foxx, Johnny Mize, and Mickey Mantle.

MAJOR LEAGUE
MODERN (1900-)
AVERAGE >= .300, OBA >= .400, SLG >= .500
MIN 3.1 PA/G

1    Lou Gehrig               1926-37   12   
T2   Babe Ruth                1926-33    8   
T2   Stan Musial              1948-55    8   
T4   Harry Heilmann           1921-27    7   
T4   Frank Thomas             1991-97    7   
T4   Edgar Martinez           1995-01    7   
T7   Babe Ruth                1919-24    6   
T7   Rogers Hornsby           1920-25    6   
T7   Tris Speaker             1920-25    6   
T10  Ty Cobb                  1909-13    5   
T10  Paul Waner               1926-30    5   
T10  Hack Wilson              1926-30    5   
T10  Jimmie Foxx              1932-36    5   
T10  Johnny Mize              1937-41    5   
T10  Mickey Mantle            1954-58    5   
T10  Chipper Jones            1998-02    5   
T10  Gary Sheffield           1998-02    5

While Lou Gehrig may have been more well known for his consecutive games streak, the Iron Horse is number one all time in consecutive seasons with 100 or more RBI as well as consecutive seasons with .300 BA, .400 OBP, and .500 SLG--a remarkable combination of durability and productivity. Once again, all of the players on the above list who are eligible have been voted into the HOF.

Although broken last year, Jones also has one of the longest streaks in N.L. history of hitting .300 with 30 HR and 100 RBI--a combination of feats Bill James called "a Hall of Fame season" (Gus Bell entry, page 761, The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract). Jones only trails Mike Piazza, Vladimir Guerrero, and Helton for the longest run in league history. Piazza's streak ran out in 2000, while Guerrero will terminate his record this year due to a shortfall in HR (25) and RBI (79). Helton, on the other hand, has already assured himself of continuing his string (which I have included in the list below) by virtue of his .353 BA, 31 HR, and 115 RBI.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
MODERN (1900-)
RBI >= 100, AVERAGE >= .300, HR >= 30

T1   Mike Piazza              1996-00    5   
T1   Vladimir Guerrero        1998-02    5   
T1   Todd Helton              1999-03    5
T4   Hack Wilson              1927-30    4   
T4   Chuck Klein              1929-32    4   
T4   Ted Kluszewski           1953-56    4   
T4   Chipper Jones            1998-01    4   
T8   Mel Ott                  1934-36    3   
T8   Duke Snider              1953-55    3   
T8   Stan Musial              1953-55    3   
T8   Hank Aaron               1961-63    3   
T8   Willie Mays              1961-63    3   
T8   Andres Galarraga         1996-98    3   
T8   Vinny Castilla           1996-98    3   
T8   Jeff Bagwell             1998-00    3   
T8   Gary Sheffield           1999-01    3   
T8   Barry Bonds              2000-02    3

Despite the fact that Bonds is leading the league in OBP (.533), SLG (.758), OPS (1.291), HR (44), and BB (145), he is unlikely to maintain his .300-30-100 streak, given his current RBI total of 87.

RUNS CREATED ABOVE AVERAGE
1995-2002

1    Barry Bonds                 768   
2    Edgar Martinez              490   
3    Jim Thome                   469   
4    Manny Ramirez               463   
5    Jeff Bagwell                462   
6    Gary Sheffield              419   
7    Jason Giambi                394   
8    Frank Thomas                377   
9    Chipper Jones               373   
10   Mike Piazza                 360

RUNS CREATED ABOVE POSITION
1995-2002

1    Barry Bonds                 712   
2    Mike Piazza                 432   
3    Alex Rodriguez              423   
4    Edgar Martinez              411   
5    Manny Ramirez               401   
6    Jeff Bagwell                367   
7    Jim Thome                   358   
8    Chipper Jones               350   
9    Bernie Williams             347   
10   Gary Sheffield              343

Source: Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia

Chipper Jones has been one of the top ten offensive players in baseball since his first full season in 1995. Through 2002, Jones ranks ninth in runs created above average and eighth in runs created above position. Only Bonds, Edgar Martinez, Jim Thome, Ramirez, and Jeff Bagwell are ahead of Jones in both categories during this period.

The bottom line is that Mr. Jones has been and continues to be a Blue Chipper investment for the Atlanta Braves.