Top 50 Sox Seasons #20: Ted Williams, 1947, 1948, 1949

.343-.369/.490-.499/.615-.634, 1.112-1.141 OPS, 189-205 OPS+, 25-43 HR, 114-159 RBI

Ted Williams exhibited amazing consistency in these, his three second-tier years. 1947 (205 OPS+, Triple
Crown) was the best of the bunch, but not by much. In each, Williams racked up gaudy statistics that by this
time were routine for him – and were actually a letdown from what he had accomplished his previous two seasons.

Williams led the league in OBP, slugging, OPS, walks and OPS+ all three years, and in batting the first two. He led in runs, total bases, home runs, RBI in 1947 and 1949, and doubles in 1948 and 1949. He was an All-Star all three years, and won the MVP in 1949. He famously lost the 1947 MVP by one point to Joe DiMaggio when one writer left him off the ballot (though DiMaggio was left off three ballots that year in a set of results that was so screwy, some have suggested writers may have been placing bets on the final vote, then rigging the vote itself). Williams won The Sporting News’ Player of the Year
award instead.