1) Jose Canseco – Oakland Athletics – 1988 M.L.B. season statistics – .307 batting average, 42 home runs, 124 R.B.I.’s, .569 slugging percentage, 40 stolen bases
When former Oakland Athletics outfielder/designated hitter Jose Canseco and former Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire a.k.a. the “Bash Brothers” were smashing home runs out of Major League Baseball ballparks regularly during the late eighties to early nineties, many baseball experts had predicted a bright future for the dynamic slugger duo with the Athletics. Aside from being considered one of M.L.B.’s elite power hitters of his generation, Canseco was also regarded as one of the best athletes in M.L.B. Blessed with a rare combination of power, speed and athleticism, Canseco was a nightmare for M.L.B. opposing pitchers game in and game out. An illustration of Canseco’s sheer power at the plate was when Canseco smashed a 540-foot home run into the fifth deck of the Toronto SkyDome in Game 4 of the 1989 American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Jose Canseco achieved his rare feat in the 1988 M.L.B. season, becoming the first player in M.L.B. history to hit 40 home runs and record 40 stolen bases in a single season. Deservingly, Canseco was unanimously awarded the 1988 M.L.B. American League M.V.P. Award for his achievements.
Jose Canseco becomes first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single M.L.B. season – Oakland Athletics 9-8 Milwaukee Brewers (September 23, 1988)
2) Alfonso Soriano – Washington Nationals – 2006 M.L.B. season statistics – .277 batting average, 46 home runs, 95 R.B.I.’s, .560 slugging percentage, 41 stolen bases
Alfonso Soriano steals his 40th stolen base of the season, becoming just the fourth player in M.L.B. history to join the 40/40 club – Milwaukee Brewers 5 – 8 Washington Nationals (September 16, 2006)
Alfonso Soriano hits his 40th homerun of the 2006 M.L.B. season – Washington Nationals 10 – 12 Philadelphia Phillies (August 19, 2006)
3) Barry Bonds – San Francisco Giants – 1996 M.L.B. season statistics – .308 batting average, 42 home runs, 129 R.B.I.’s, .615 slugging percentage, 40 stolen bases
Barry Bonds steals his 40th base of the season, becoming the second player in M.L.B. history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single M.L.B. season – San Francisco Giants 8 – 5 Colorado Rockies (September 27, 1996)
4) Alex Rodriguez – Seattle Mariners – 1998 M.L.B. season statistics – .310 batting average, 42 home runs, 124 R.B.I.’s, .560 slugging percentage, 46 stolen bases
Alex Rodriguez hits his 40th home run of the season, becoming the third player in M.L.B. history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single M.L.B. season – Seattle Mariners 3 – 5 Anaheim Angels (September 19, 1998)
\Published on: July 17, 2019
Sources: Wikipedia–https://www.en.wikipedia.org, M.L.B.–https://www.mlb.com, Oakland Athletics–https://www.mlb.com/athletics, Washington Nationals–https://www.mlb.com/nationals, San Francisco Giants–https://www.mlb.com/giants, Seattle Mariners–https://www.mlb.com/mariners, Sports Reference–https://www.sports-reference.com, E.S.P.N.–https://www.espn.com, YouTube–https://www.youtube.com
