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MLB: Most meaningful stats and facts from the 2014 season

By Glenn Moore

Sep 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) hits a walk-off single against the Baltimore Orioles during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) hits a walk-off single against the Baltimore Orioles during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2014 MLB regular season is over and it brought us a lot of memories.

We saw the farewell tour and departure of Derek Jeter, who ended his career on a high note. We witnessed the emergence of young talent. And the a 29-year playoff drought end for one team.

We witnessed the dominance of a lefty in Los Angeles and also a team MVP that no one wanted to sign in the offseason. Also, the continued success of one of the best hitters of all-time.

Here are some of the best and worst numbers and facts from the 2014 MLB season:

.251 – MLB’s batting average, lowest since the 1972 season. Mix in the .314 on-base percentage, which is also the lowest since 1972, and you have an era of dominant pitching. You only have to go back to 1992 to find a slugging percentage lower than this season’s .387.

1.77 – Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw’s ERA. This marks the first pitcher to lead a league in ERA four consecutive years.

3.66 – Strikeout-to-walk ratio of the Washington Nationals pitching staff, which is best in MLB history since 1900. Also, the Nationals had the record before Jordan Zimmermann’s no-hitter on Sunday.

12 – Seasons of 100 or more RBI for Los Angeles Angels Albert Pujols. It’s the fifth time a player as accomplished the feat by the age of 35.

19 – Win total improvement by the Houston Astros. Finishing 70-92 is nothing to brag about, but improving that much in one season is.

Sep 19, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) delivers against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) delivers against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /

21 – Win total for Kershaw, which lead a group of three starters in the National League who won over 20 games this season.

29 – Years since the Kansas City Royals made the postseason. It was 1985 and gas cost $1.09.

37 – Miami Marlins Giancarlo Stanton home run total, which led the National League. He hasn’t played since Sept. 11, yet still won the home run crown. He’s also the first Marlin to league the league in home runs.

40 – Home run total for Baltimore Orioles slugger Nelson Cruz. Before the season, no team wanted to touch Cruz. He sat on the free agent wire during the offseason until the Orioles signed him, giving up a first round draft pick in the process. Now the Orioles are favorites in the American League pennant race.

64 – Number of players used by the Texas Rangers, which is a MLB record. Include another record: 40 pitchers used.

115 – Mike Trout’s runs scored. His amount made him the first player to lead his league in runs his first three full seasons in MLB.

150 – Number of days the Milwaukee Brewers were in first place in the NL Central. Problem is, they couldn’t hang on to reach the postseason.

183 – Trout’s strikeouts on the year, which led the American League.

184 – Philadelphia Phillies Ben Revere and Washington Nationals Denard Span’s hit total, which tied for the National League lead. Fun fact: Both were in the Minnesota Twins organization before being traded to their respective teams.

Sep 24, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) hits a single during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) hits a single during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

225 – Houston Astros Jose Altuve’s hit total for the season. The Astros might not have had a great season record-wise, but they did improve with the help from Altuve. His hit total was the highest since Ichiro Suzuki had 225 in 2009. It’s also the most since 2000 by a player not named Suzuki.

242 – MLB’s active leader in consecutive games played, which is held by Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria. The San Francisco Giants Hunter Pence held the record going into the season, but that was snapped when he sat out over the weekend.

250/200 – Cleveland Indians Corey Kluber and Michael Brantley are the first 250 strikeout/200 hit duo in MLB since 2006, which saw Randy Johnson and Luis Gonzalez complete the feat with the Arizona Diamonbacks.

271 – David Price’s strikeout total for the season, split between the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers. Kluber finished second the American League with 269.

3,465 – Derek Jeter’s career hit total. One of the all-time greatest Yankees ends his career with a farewell tour and a game-winning hit at Yankee Stadium. A perfect ending to a great career.

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