Mount Rushmore of every MLB team’s incredible individual seasons since 1990 | Launderer’s report

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Frank Thomas (1994): 212 OPS+73 XBH (38 HR), 101 RBI, 6.4 WAR

Albert Belle (1998): 172 OPS+99 XBH (49 HR), 152 RBI, 7.1 WAR

Jose Abreu (2014): 173 OPS+73 XBH (36 HR), 107 RBI, 5.8 WAR

Chris Sale (2015): 114 ERA+13-11, 3.41 ERA, 274K, 208.2 IP, 3.4 WAR

Notable releases: Jack McDowell (1993), Esteban Loaiza (2003), Jermaine Dye (2006), Jim Thome (2006), Paul Konerko (2010)

Frank Thomas hit .353/.487/.729 with 38 homers in 113 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season. It could have been an all-time great year with another month of production. Chris Sale’s franchise-record season gets the go-ahead on 20-game winner Esteban Loaiza and Cy Young winner Jack McDowell.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

Albert Belle (1995): 177 OPS+103 XBH (50 HR), 126 RBI, 7.0 WAR

Jim Thome (2002): 197 OPS+73 XBH (52 HR), 118 RBI, 7.4 WAR

Cliff Lee (2008): 167 ERA+22-3, 2.54 ERA, 170K, 223.1 IP, 6.8 WAR

Corey Kluber (2017): 202 ERA+18-4, 2.25 ERA, 265K, 203.2 IP, 7.9 WAR

Notable releases: Kenny Lofton (1993), Manny Ramirez (2000), Roberto Alomar (2001), Travis Hafner (2006), CC Sabathia (2007), Jose Ramirez (2018), Shane Bieber (2020)

Albert Belle finished second to Mo Vaughn in 1995. The AL MVP vote is one of the biggest snubs in recent MLB history. The hardest decision here might have been which of Corey Kluber’s Cy Young seasons should represent his place on the monument.

DETROIT TIGERS

Cecil Fielder (1990): 167 OPS+77 XBH (51 HR), 132 RBI, 6.5 WAR

Justin Verlander (2011): 172 ERA+24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250K, 251.0 IP, 8.6 WAR

Miguel Cabrera (2012): 164 OPS+84 XBH (44 HR), 139 RBI, 7.1 WAR

Max Scherzer (2013): 144 ERA+21-3, 2.90 ERA, 240K, 214.1 IP, 6.5 WAR

Notable releases: Justin Thompson (1997), Curtis Granderson (2007), Magglio Ordonez (2007), Anibal Sanchez (2013)

Last place for Detroit went to Cecil Fielder’s 51 home run season in 1990 or Curtis Granderson’s bonanza of off-base success in 2007 when he hit 38 doubles, 23 triples, 23 home runs and 26 interceptions. Fielder is given the go-ahead for MLB’s first 50-home run season since George Foster in 1977.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Kevin Appier (1993): 179 ERA+18-8, 2.56 ERA, 186K, 238.2 IP, 9.3 WAR

Carlos Beltran (2001): 123 OPS+68 XBH (24 HR), 101 RBI, 31 SB, 6.5 WAR

Zack Greinke (2009): 205 ERA+16-8, 2.16 ERA, 242K, 229.1 IP, 10.4 WAR

Salvador Perez (2021): 126 OPS+72 XBH (48 HR), 121 RBI, 5.3 WAR

Notable releases: David Cone (1994), Johnny Damon (2000), Mike Sweeney (2002), Alex Gordon (2011), Lorenzo Cain (2015), Jorge Soler (2019)

Is there a more underrated 1990s player than Kevin Appier? He led the AL in ERA (2.56), ERA+ (179) and WAR (9.3) in 1993, and he had three more 5-WAR seasons during his time with the Royals. If only the Royals had the money to keep Carlos Beltran longer.

MINNESOTA TWINS

Kirby Puckett (1992): 139 OPS+61 XBH (19 HR), 110 RBI, 17 SB, 7.1 WAR

Chuck Knoblauch (1996): 143 OPS+62 XBH (13 HR), 72 RBI, 45 SB, 8.7 WAR

John Santana (2004): 182 ERA+20-6, 2.61 ERA, 265K, 228.0 IP, 8.7 WAR

Joe Mauer (2009): 171 OPS+59 XBH (28 HR), 96 RBI, 7.8 WAR

Notable releases: Scott Erickson (1990), Brad Radke (1997), Justin Morneau (2006), Brian Dozier (2016), Nelson Cruz (2019)

Picking Kirby Puckett and Chuck Knoblauch over Justin Morneau’s MVP-winning season might ruffle some feathers. However, his 4.3 WAR this season is tied for 31st among Twins position players since 1990, making it difficult to list it as a monument-worthy performance.