Biggest batting gainers and losers for 2001: Desi Relaford and Bret Boone posted the highest improvement on their batting averages while Darin Erstad suffered the worst decline.(baseball)(Brief Article)

DESI RELAFORD HAD PLENTY TO prove entering his first season with the Mets in 2001. A .230 career hitter at the outset of the campaign, the infielder had batted a paltry .215 in combined stints with the Phillies and Padres the prior year. But Relaford rose to the occasion by compiling a career-best .302 average.

Relaford's 67-point surge on the batting scales represented the biggest gain among players who appeared in 100 or more games each of the past two seasons.

In addition to reaching the charmed .300 circle for the first time in his six big league seasons, the switch-hitting veteran logged personal highs in homers (8), doubles (27) and stolen bases (13).

The 28-year-old Georgia native made his mark as one of the game's more versatile players while seeing action at third base, shortstop and second base. Just for good measure, Relaford made his major league pitching debut on May 17 by working a perfect ninth inning in a 15-3 loss to the Padres.

Baseball Digest's biggest batting gain honors in the American League went to Bret Boone, who was a key cog in the Mariners' march to a record-tying 116 wins.

Boone raised his average 80 points by hitting. 331 for the A.L. West champions.

Along the way, he set league records for most home runs (37) and RBI (141) by a second baseman. The Seattle slugger led the A.L. in RBI while ranking second in hits (206), total bases (360) and multi-hit games (65).