Mauer, Willingham, and Plouffe are basically numbers 1, 2, and 3 for why I watch the Twins this year. So how many teams have had 3 guys hit that well this year?
Here's the list. You qualify for the list by having at least 240 plate appearances, which is just less than required to officially qualify, but I manipulated it to get Plouffe in. Team ranks are by the weighted wRC+ of the team's top 3 hitters.
Team | Name | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | wRC+ | top-3 wRC+ |
Cardinals | Carlos Beltran | 330 | 0.306 | 0.394 | 0.563 | 156 | 148.8 |
Cardinals | Matt Holliday | 355 | 0.318 | 0.397 | 0.526 | 153 | 148.8 |
Cardinals | Yadier Molina | 302 | 0.304 | 0.357 | 0.500 | 136 | 148.8 |
Tigers | Austin Jackson | 274 | 0.332 | 0.412 | 0.559 | 165 | 148.0 |
Tigers | Miguel Cabrera | 368 | 0.325 | 0.386 | 0.563 | 153 | 148.0 |
Tigers | Prince Fielder | 359 | 0.298 | 0.376 | 0.490 | 130 | 148.0 |
Angels | Mike Trout | 278 | 0.348 | 0.403 | 0.555 | 173 | 145.4 |
Angels | Mark Trumbo | 301 | 0.306 | 0.355 | 0.597 | 156 | 145.4 |
Angels | Albert Pujols | 356 | 0.273 | 0.334 | 0.461 | 115 | 145.4 |
Twins | Josh Willingham | 332 | 0.269 | 0.380 | 0.545 | 152 | 144.8 |
Twins | Joe Mauer | 316 | 0.330 | 0.418 | 0.458 | 144 | 144.8 |
Twins | Trevor Plouffe | 242 | 0.250 | 0.326 | 0.560 | 136 | 144.8 |
White Sox | Paul Konerko | 309 | 0.332 | 0.408 | 0.540 | 155 | 139.9 |
White Sox | Adam Dunn | 351 | 0.213 | 0.362 | 0.518 | 134 | 139.9 |
White Sox | Alex Rios | 326 | 0.316 | 0.350 | 0.511 | 132 | 139.9 |
Blue Jays | Edwin Encarnacion | 343 | 0.295 | 0.379 | 0.564 | 156 | 138.8 |
Blue Jays | Jose Bautista | 365 | 0.243 | 0.356 | 0.541 | 142 | 138.8 |
Blue Jays | Colby Rasmus | 341 | 0.262 | 0.326 | 0.492 | 118 | 138.8 |
Brewers | Ryan Braun | 338 | 0.305 | 0.388 | 0.597 | 164 | 137.6 |
Brewers | Norichika Aoki | 246 | 0.300 | 0.363 | 0.442 | 123 | 137.6 |
Brewers | Aramis Ramirez | 323 | 0.268 | 0.344 | 0.474 | 121 | 137.6 |
Reds | Joey Votto | 343 | 0.345 | 0.464 | 0.619 | 184 | 137.2 |
Reds | Jay Bruce | 327 | 0.254 | 0.330 | 0.507 | 119 | 137.2 |
Reds | Brandon Phillips | 314 | 0.283 | 0.327 | 0.438 | 105 | 137.2 |
Phillies | Carlos Ruiz | 277 | 0.355 | 0.419 | 0.596 | 173 | 136.6 |
Phillies | Hunter Pence | 367 | 0.287 | 0.351 | 0.489 | 126 | 136.6 |
Phillies | Juan Pierre | 251 | 0.317 | 0.355 | 0.387 | 112 | 136.6 |
Rangers | Josh Hamilton | 329 | 0.316 | 0.386 | 0.646 | 166 | 134.8 |
Rangers | Adrian Beltre | 329 | 0.325 | 0.356 | 0.521 | 130 | 134.8 |
Rangers | Elvis Andrus | 367 | 0.298 | 0.372 | 0.401 | 111 | 134.8 |
Rockies | Carlos Gonzalez | 335 | 0.336 | 0.394 | 0.589 | 157 | 133.8 |
Rockies | Dexter Fowler | 280 | 0.285 | 0.377 | 0.527 | 137 | 133.8 |
Rockies | Michael Cuddyer | 312 | 0.266 | 0.317 | 0.483 | 106 | 133.8 |
Diamondbacks | Paul Goldschmidt | 273 | 0.302 | 0.370 | 0.541 | 143 | 132.4 |
Diamondbacks | Jason Kubel | 315 | 0.292 | 0.365 | 0.527 | 131 | 132.4 |
Diamondbacks | Aaron Hill | 328 | 0.297 | 0.354 | 0.507 | 125 | 132.4 |
Yankees | Robinson Cano | 347 | 0.316 | 0.375 | 0.585 | 153 | 132.0 |
Yankees | Curtis Granderson | 367 | 0.241 | 0.344 | 0.498 | 125 | 132.0 |
Yankees | Alex Rodriguez | 334 | 0.266 | 0.356 | 0.434 | 118 | 132.0 |
Braves | Martin Prado | 352 | 0.325 | 0.386 | 0.463 | 135 | 130.5 |
Braves | Jason Heyward | 314 | 0.273 | 0.342 | 0.507 | 132 | 130.5 |
Braves | Michael Bourn | 378 | 0.307 | 0.360 | 0.452 | 125 | 130.5 |
Giants | Melky Cabrera | 353 | 0.356 | 0.395 | 0.518 | 149 | 129.8 |
Giants | Buster Posey | 301 | 0.295 | 0.365 | 0.466 | 128 | 129.8 |
Giants | Angel Pagan | 334 | 0.293 | 0.340 | 0.420 | 111 | 129.8 |
Mets | David Wright | 343 | 0.354 | 0.443 | 0.570 | 170 | 129.6 |
Mets | Lucas Duda | 321 | 0.253 | 0.346 | 0.404 | 110 | 129.6 |
Mets | Kirk Nieuwenhuis | 275 | 0.270 | 0.330 | 0.407 | 102 | 129.6 |
Indians | Shin-Soo Choo | 341 | 0.295 | 0.384 | 0.487 | 144 | 129.4 |
Indians | Asdrubal Cabrera | 331 | 0.290 | 0.369 | 0.478 | 131 | 129.4 |
Indians | Jason Kipnis | 361 | 0.272 | 0.337 | 0.415 | 114 | 129.4 |
Pirates | Andrew McCutchen | 329 | 0.356 | 0.410 | 0.603 | 173 | 128.7 |
Pirates | Pedro Alvarez | 275 | 0.234 | 0.309 | 0.475 | 108 | 128.7 |
Pirates | Neil Walker | 333 | 0.276 | 0.343 | 0.384 | 102 | 128.7 |
Nationals | Bryce Harper | 265 | 0.283 | 0.355 | 0.481 | 128 | 121.9 |
Nationals | Adam LaRoche | 312 | 0.255 | 0.340 | 0.502 | 120 | 121.9 |
Nationals | Ian Desmond | 350 | 0.282 | 0.314 | 0.502 | 119 | 121.9 |
Royals | Billy Butler | 333 | 0.286 | 0.360 | 0.492 | 130 | 121.2 |
Royals | Mike Moustakas | 314 | 0.269 | 0.331 | 0.486 | 119 | 121.2 |
Royals | Alcides Escobar | 310 | 0.309 | 0.352 | 0.413 | 114 | 121.2 |
Marlins | Giancarlo Stanton | 319 | 0.283 | 0.364 | 0.555 | 146 | 119.9 |
Marlins | Hanley Ramirez | 351 | 0.256 | 0.330 | 0.438 | 108 | 119.9 |
Marlins | Omar Infante | 298 | 0.286 | 0.311 | 0.452 | 106 | 119.9 |
Orioles | Adam Jones | 350 | 0.293 | 0.334 | 0.543 | 135 | 118.7 |
Orioles | Matt Wieters | 307 | 0.250 | 0.332 | 0.441 | 109 | 118.7 |
Orioles | Chris Davis | 278 | 0.274 | 0.317 | 0.483 | 109 | 118.7 |
Red Sox | David Ortiz | 343 | 0.302 | 0.391 | 0.607 | 157 | 114.2 |
Red Sox | Dustin Pedroia | 338 | 0.266 | 0.326 | 0.400 | 94 | 114.2 |
Red Sox | Adrian Gonzalez | 356 | 0.275 | 0.323 | 0.404 | 92 | 114.2 |
Cubs | Bryan LaHair | 255 | 0.289 | 0.369 | 0.529 | 136 | 113.4 |
Cubs | Alfonso Soriano | 309 | 0.266 | 0.324 | 0.479 | 109 | 113.4 |
Cubs | David DeJesus | 307 | 0.272 | 0.361 | 0.389 | 99 | 113.4 |
Padres | Chase Headley | 356 | 0.272 | 0.374 | 0.421 | 129 | 113.4 |
Padres | Will Venable | 266 | 0.248 | 0.319 | 0.416 | 105 | 113.4 |
Padres | Yonder Alonso | 321 | 0.265 | 0.347 | 0.367 | 103 | 113.4 |
Astros | Jed Lowrie | 309 | 0.256 | 0.343 | 0.467 | 122 | 112.3 |
Astros | Jose Altuve | 328 | 0.303 | 0.344 | 0.441 | 116 | 112.3 |
Astros | Chris Johnson | 293 | 0.274 | 0.317 | 0.405 | 98 | 112.3 |
Athletics | Josh Reddick | 342 | 0.259 | 0.340 | 0.518 | 135 | 108.8 |
Athletics | Seth Smith | 256 | 0.248 | 0.363 | 0.430 | 120 | 108.8 |
Athletics | Jemile Weeks | 341 | 0.215 | 0.305 | 0.305 | 74 | 108.8 |
Dodgers | Andre Ethier | 308 | 0.291 | 0.357 | 0.491 | 129 | 108.1 |
Dodgers | A.J. Ellis | 261 | 0.271 | 0.394 | 0.402 | 122 | 108.1 |
Dodgers | James Loney | 257 | 0.248 | 0.313 | 0.333 | 69 | 108.1 |
Rays | Ben Zobrist | 336 | 0.247 | 0.369 | 0.444 | 124 | 107.6 |
Rays | Carlos Pena | 353 | 0.197 | 0.337 | 0.366 | 103 | 107.6 |
Rays | Desmond Jennings | 249 | 0.231 | 0.298 | 0.356 | 92 | 107.6 |
Mariners | Michael Saunders | 293 | 0.257 | 0.317 | 0.425 | 109 | 98.1 |
Mariners | Kyle Seager | 317 | 0.241 | 0.307 | 0.423 | 103 | 98.1 |
Mariners | Dustin Ackley | 339 | 0.238 | 0.319 | 0.334 | 84 | 98.1 |
Not sure what the moral is here, but I think it's sort of a fun list and it is surprising how many power trios Willingham, Mauer, and Plouffe are outproducing. Certainly makes it clear that the problem with the Twins this year has not been a lack of top-level hitting. (Also, damn, the Mariners' best three hitters on average are worse than a league-average hitter. Damn.)