On Base Percentage : 2003 American League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"What people don't understand is, one day off for Cal Ripken would not recharge his batteries. One day would not do it. He's not playing 2,130 games in a row. Cal is ONLY playing 162 games a year." - Frank Robinson in The Sporting News (September 11, 1995)
 

2003 On Base Percentage Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Manny Ramirez .427 (.42710) Boston Red Sox 1
Carlos Delgado .426 (.42553) Toronto Blue Jays 2
Jason Giambi .412 (.41159) New York Yankees 3
Edgar Martinez .406 (.40630) Seattle Mariners 4
Jorge Posada .405 (.40476) New York Yankees 5
Bill Mueller .398 (.39765) Boston Red Sox 6
Trot Nixon .396 (.39648) Boston Red Sox 7
Alex Rodriguez .396 (.39580) Texas Rangers 8
Doug Mientkiewicz .393 (.39336) Minnesota Twins 9
Derek Jeter .393 (.39332) New York Yankees 10
Corey Koskie .393 (.39324) Minnesota Twins 11
Frank Thomas .390 (.38973) Chicago White Sox 12
Carlos Beltran .389 (.38870) Kansas City Royals 13
Magglio Ordonez .380 (.37982) Chicago White Sox 14
Erubiel Durazo .374 (.37364) Oakland Athletics 15
Tim Salmon .374 (.37359) Anaheim Angels 16
John Olerud .372 (.37184) Seattle Mariners 17
Dmitri Young .372 (.37165) Detroit Tigers 18
David Ortiz .369 (.36935) Boston Red Sox 19
Aubrey Huff .367 (.36686) Tampa Bay Devil Rays 20
Bernie Williams .367 (.36660) New York Yankees 21
Bret Boone .366 (.36648) Seattle Mariners 22
Carl Everett .366 (.36622) Texas Rangers 23
Chicago White Sox  
Shannon Stewart .364 (.36449) Toronto Blue Jays 24
Minnesota Twins  
A.J. Pierzynski .360 (.35970) Minnesota Twins 25



The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?

Jose Cruz of the Houston Astros had his number twenty-five retired on October 3, 1992, and became the first Major League player with that particular retired number.

Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).