Giambi walking in Kingman’s, Big Mac’s footsteps
by OldSchool
Jason Giambi is on pace to hit about 23 homers and drive in about 82 RBIs — and have a batting average that might not break .200. He’ll be in interesting company.
Dave Kingman was perhaps the king of the high power numbers, low batting averaging. For the A’s in 1986, Kingman’s final season in a 16-year big-league career, he hit 35 homers and drove in 94 runs but batted an anemic .210. He drew only 33 walks in 604 plate appearances.
With the Giants in 1973, Kingman hit 24 homers, with 55 RBIs while batting a solid .203, but that was in only 351 plate appearances.
With the A’s in 1991, Mark McGwire had 22 HRs and 75 RBIs and batted .201, although he did draw 93 walks in 585 plate appearances.
In 2001 with the Cardinals, Big Mac’s final season in a 16-year career, he hit 29 homers and drove in 64 runs while batting a microscopic .187 in 351 plate appearances.
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Robert Rubino has been a daily copy editor for nearly 30 years and a weekly sports columnist for 15 years. 

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