Who are the top base-stealing teams of 2009?

June 29, 2009

As we near the season's midpoint, the Tampa Bay Rays are on an historic pace:

Top Five Teams, Stolen Bases (through June 28th)
Season Team Stolen Bases Caught Stealing Percentage
2009 Tampa Bay Rays 118 25 82.5%
2009 Los Angeles Angels 76 24 76.0%
2009 New York Mets 73 21 77.7%
2009 Los Angeles Dodgers 65 23 73.9%
2009 Arizona Diamondbacks 62 18 77.5%

The Rays led the majors last season with 142 stolen bases. This year, led by Carl Crawford (39) and B.J. Upton (28), the 2009 Rays have stolen 118 bases in just 77 games and should easily blow by last season's total. In fact, the Rays are on pace to steal 262 bases, which would be the highest mark since the 1986 Cardinals. Here are the top stolen base team totals since the mound was lowered in 1969:

Season Team Stolen Bases Caught Stealing Percentage
1976 Oakland Athletics 341 123 73.5%
1985 St. Louis Cardinals 314 96 76.6%
1986 St. Louis Cardinals 262 78 77.1%
1977 Pittsburgh Pirates 260 120 68.4%
1992 Milwaukee Brewers 256 115 69.0%

Compared to these other teams, the Rays are stealing bases at a very high success rate (82.5%). But even more remarkable is the fact that there are three other American League teams with a higher percentage so far this season. Here are the most efficient teams since 1969:

Season Team Stolen Bases Caught Stealing Percentage
2007 Philadelphia Phillies 138 19 87.9%
2009 New York Yankees* 59 10 85.5%
2009 Texas Rangers* 60 11 84.5%
2008 Philadelphia Phillies 136 25 84.5%
1994 Baltimore Orioles 69 13 84.1%
2009 Kansas City Royals* 39 8 83.0%
2009 Tampa Bay Rays* 118 25 82.5%
1995 Toronto Blue Jays 75 16 82.4%
1975 Cincinnati Reds 168 36 82.4%
2004 New York Mets 107 23 82.3%

*through June 28th, 2009



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