Carpenter’s Early Doubles Pace Would be Historic

From researcher Tom Orf: Matt Carpenter‘s 12 doubles in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 19 games is tied for the second-most in Major League Baseball history.

Carpenter is tied with nine others for the second-most, behind Billy Herman, who had 14 in the Chicago Cubs’ first 19 contests of the 1936 season. Herman finished with 57 two-base hits that season, tied for 10th– most all time.

Most doubles through 19 games, season, MLB

Player Year G 2B Tm
Billy Herman 1936 10 14 CHC
Matt Carpenter 2015 10 12 STL
Torii Hunter 2007 10 12 MIN
Troy Glaus 1999 9 12 ANA
Ed Sprague 1997 11 12 TOR
George Brett 1983 10 12 KC
George Kell 1953 11 12 BOS
Paul Waner 1932 11 12 PIT
George Burns 1926 11 12 CLE
Frankie Frisch 1926 9 12 NYG

Of course, Carpenter’s current rate of hitting doubles cannot be sustained over the entire season or he would set a new MLB record with 102. The single-season total of 67 has been the MLB record since Earl Webb logged that amount for the 1931 Boston Red Sox.

Carpenter’s career high-water point of 55 doubles in 2013 is the second-best single season in team history behind Joe Medwick. Ducky had 56 in his Triple Crown season of 1937.

Carpenter dropped to 33 two-base hits last season, but is already over a third of the way there with over 140 games remaining in 2015.

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