Paul Goldschmidt’s pre-All-Star numbers comparable to D-backs greats
Jul 17, 2013, 9:11 PM | Updated: 9:11 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks would not be in first place at the All-Star break without the emergence of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
The first-time All-Star entered the break hitting .313 with a career-high 21 home runs and an NL-best 77 RBI.
The D-backs’ slugger may lead the National League in RBI at the midway point of the season, but where does he rank among franchise greats?
The 25-year-old’s pre-All-Star season certainly stacks up to many comparable years of D-backs’ legends.
The only players to have more RBI at the break than Goldschmidt are Luis Gonzalez and Matt Williams.
Gonzalez had 86 in 2001 while Williams had 82 RBI at the midway point of the 1999 season.
Goldschmidt’s 21 home runs rank fifth among past D-backs players. Gonzalez’s total of 35 home runs in 2001 is the most in D-backs history at the halfway mark.
Steve Finley’s 25 home runs in 2000 rank second, followed by Jay Bell’s 24 and Williams’ 23 in 1999.
No D-back comes near Gonzalez’s .360 batting average in 1999 or his .355 batting average in 2001, but Goldschmidt is one of 19 D-backs with over 250 at-bats to be hitting over .300 at the break.
