Frank Thomas

The "what-ifs" about Thomas's 1994 season still echo in the halls of baseball statisticians. The year was shortened by a players' strike in mid-August, and through 113 games, Thomas had posted a .353 batting average and amassed thirty-eight home runs. He also had 101 RBIs, leading the league with runs scored (106), walks (109), slugging percentage (.729), and on-base percentage (.487). It was a truly impressive run, capped by a May in which he averaged .452 at the plate while belting twelve home runs. Though Thomas would win a second MVP when the strike ended the season, one can only imagine what might have been. In fact, Sports Illustrated claimed that, barring the strike, Thomas might have broken Babe Ruth's records for runs, walks, and extra-base-hits in a single season.