1996: The Year of Ellis Burks

One could argue that the statistics compiled during the 1996 campaign may have been the most skewed in modern history.

From Alex Rodriguez' ninth-place finish in the AL MVP race to Ellis Burks turning in one of the most dominating offensive displays since the days of Willie, Mickey and The Duke, it's safe to say that we may never experience another year like 1996 again.

Now, it should be duly noted that Burks patrolled the outfield for the Colorado Rockies that year, so the thin air of Coors Field undoubtedly played a key role in the following:

Burks .344 142 R 40 HR 128 RBI 32 SB .408 OBP .639 SLG

In the NL MVP voting that year, Burks finished third behind Mike Piazza and Ken Caminiti, but ahead of Chipper Jones and Barry Bonds.

Conceivably, the numbers Burks put up in 1996 can be compared, and may times favorably, against the best years of players like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds, who, like Burks in 1996, exhibited all-around masterful seasons where they exhibited a super-human-like power and speed combination.

Let's take a look at their best seasons as compared to Burks' 1996 season, which was clearly his best:

1956 Mantle .353 132 R 52 HR 130 RBI 10 SB .464 OBP .705 SLG

1954 Mays .345 119 R 41 HR 110 RBI 8 SB .411 OBP .667 SLG

2007 Rodriguez .314 143 R 54 HR 156 RBI 24 SB .422 OBP .645 SLG

2001 Bonds .328 129 R 73 HR 137 RBI 13 SB .515 OBP .863 SLG

Ellis Burks' breakout season came at age 31, which is right in the middle of what is considered an offensive players "Prime."  And, despite the fanfare that came along with Burks' "can't miss" prospect status, nobody could've predicted the success he enjoyed that season. In fact, other than the season Bonds had in 2001, which was super-human in its own right, Burks 1996 season matches up quite well against the Mays of 1954 and the Rodriguez of 2007 in terms of OPS, and falls a little bit short of Mantle's 1956 campaign.

Say what you will about the Coors Field advantage that Burks enjoyed that year, his batting average and OBP are difficult to ignore, as are the 32 swipes.

Unfortunately for Burks, and his subsequent employers, his statistics never quite measured up to what they once were in 1996.