Batting Average : 2003 American League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"Major League Baseball has the most gruelling schedule of all the major sports, with each team playing 162 games in 180 days." - Baseball Gambling Online
 

2003 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Bill Mueller .326 (.32634) Boston Red Sox 1
Manny Ramirez .325 (.32513) Boston Red Sox 2
Derek Jeter .324 (.32365) New York Yankees 3
Vernon Wells .317 (.31711) Toronto Blue Jays 4
Magglio Ordonez .317 (.31683) Chicago White Sox 5
Garret Anderson .315 (.31505) Anaheim Angels 6
Ichiro Suzuki .312 (.31222) Seattle Mariners 7
A.J. Pierzynski .312 (.31211) Minnesota Twins 8
Aubrey Huff .311 (.31132) Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9
Shannon Stewart .307 (.30716) Toronto Blue Jays 10
Minnesota Twins  
Carlos Beltran .307 (.30710) Kansas City Royals 11
Michael Young .306 (.30631) Texas Rangers 12
Trot Nixon .306 (.30612) Boston Red Sox 13
Jacque Jones .304 (.30368) Minnesota Twins 14
Carlos Delgado .302 (.30175) Toronto Blue Jays 15
Nomar Garciaparra .301 (.30091) Boston Red Sox 16
Hank Blalock .300 (.29982) Texas Rangers 17
Doug Mientkiewicz .300 (.29979) Minnesota Twins 18
Frank Catalanotto .299 (.29857) Toronto Blue Jays 19
Alex Rodriguez .298 (.29819) Texas Rangers 20
Dmitri Young .297 (.29715) Detroit Tigers 21
Randy Winn .295 (.29500) Seattle Mariners 22
Raul Ibanez .294 (.29441) Kansas City Royals 23
Bret Boone .294 (.29421) Seattle Mariners 24
Edgar Martinez .294 (.29376) Seattle Mariners 25



Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).

Jose Cruz of the Houston Astros had his number twenty-five retired on October 3, 1992, and became the first Major League player with that particular retired number.

The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?