From Ginger Beaumont To Matt Kemp: Finishing In The Top Five In Both Home Runs And Steals

As the Dodgers' season winds down in a few months, the Dodgers won't be playing for much in the standings -- other than positioning for their protected pick in the first round of the 2012 draft -- but there will still likely be a reason to watch in September. Matt Kemp is having the best power/speed season in Dodgers history, and will be in pursuit of the fifth season with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in baseball history.

Kemp has hit home runs in the first two games out of the All-Star break, and through 94 team games has 24 homers and 27 steals this season. He is on pace for a 41/47 season, but more importantly he is in the top three in the National League in both home runs and steals. Kemp is tied with Lance Berkman with 24 big flies, and is third in steals, eight behind Michael Bourn.

Between 1901 and 2010, there have been 67 seasons in which a player finished in the top five in his league in both home runs and stolen bases, from Ginger Beaumont in 1901 to Alfonso Soriano in 2003. I listed every single season below. Here are some notes:

• 28 of the 67 top five seasons happened before 1920, in the deadball era, and the highest home run total from 1901-1919 of anyone on this list is 12.
• There have been 19 seasons with a player finishing in the top three in both categories, including nine seasons since 1920. The last such season was Bobby Bonds, who hit 37 home runs (tied for second) and stole 41 bases (tied for third) for the Angels in 1977.
• There have been two people to lead the league in both categories: in 1932, Chuck Klein hit 38 home runs and stole 20 bases for the Phillies, and in 1903 Dodgers outfielder Jimmy Sheckard walloped nine home runs and swiped 67.
• In 1955, Willie Mays came very close to leading the NL in both homers and steals. He hit 51 home runs, and stole 24 bases, finishing just one steal behind Bill Bruton of the Braves.
• Four players have finished in the top five in both categories three or more times, and all four are in the Hall of Fame: Ty Cobb (six times), Mays (five times), Mickey Mantle (thrice), and Honus Wagner (thrice).
• Three Dodgers have finished in the top five in both categories: Sheckard (led both in 1903), Babe Herman (1930-1931), and Duke Snider (1950, 1953)
• There have been 263 seasons with a player finishing in the top 10 in both categories. Mays and Cobb each have 10 such seasons. Hank Aaron, Wagner, Mantle, and Bobby Bonds have seven such seasons. Barry Bonds has six years, as do Goose Goslin and Vince DiMaggio.
  
• Since 1960, there have been 67 seasons with a player finishing in the top 10 in both categories, but it is heavily slanted toward the NL, with 50 seasons compared to just 17 for the junior circuit.

Here is the list of all 67 seasons (68, including Kemp this year) of a player finishing in the top five in home runs and stolen bases. Players in the top three in both categories are highlighted.

Thanks as always to the great Baseball-Reference.com for making this research that much easier.