Hit distribution 1990-2013.

Allan Huber "Bud" Selig became acting commissioner in 1992, then actual commissioner in 1998.  During Selig's tenure use of performance enhancing drugs (PED) became prevalent, especially after the work stoppage of 1994-1995.  Home runs increased and home run records were set.  Then anti-PED policies resulted in less hitting in recent years.  Here are charts and numbers for the American League, also viewable at this link:






Charts were derived from data derived from the Lahman database.
- 1Ba (1B/AB) + 2Ba (2B/AB) + 3Ba (3B/AB) + HRa (HR/AB) = BA (H/AB)
- 1B + 2B + 3B + HR = Hits

Year	BA	Year	1Ba	2Ba	3Ba	HRa	AB	H	Year	1B	2B	3B	HR
1990	.25911	1990	.18340	.04634	.00599	.02339	76,800	19,900	1990	14,085	3,559	460	1,796
1991	.26023	1991	.18181	.04742	.00584	.02517	77,603	20,195	1991	14,109	3,680	453	1,953
1992	.25932	1992	.18469	.04661	.00500	.02302	77,147	20,006	1992	14,248	3,596	386	1,776
1993	.26657	1993	.18449	.04982	.00551	.02676	77,506	20,661	1993	14,299	3,861	427	2,074
1994	.27262	1994	.18135	.05324	.00589	.03214	55,198	15,048	1994	10,010	2,939	325	1,774
1995	.27029	1995	.18167	.05165	.00584	.03113	69,522	18,791	1995	12,630	3,591	406	2,164
1996	.27718	1996	.18402	.05317	.00532	.03467	79,090	21,922	1996	14,554	4,205	421	2,742
1997	.27061	1997	.18149	.05237	.00509	.03166	78,235	21,171	1997	14,199	4,097	398	2,477
1998	.27132	1998	.18008	.05417	.00520	.03187	78,416	21,276	1998	14,121	4,248	408	2,499
1999	.27452	1999	.18268	.05275	.00536	.03373	78,126	21,447	1999	14,272	4,121	419	2,635
2000	.27566	2000	.18174	.05435	.00535	.03422	78,547	21,652	2000	14,275	4,269	420	2,688
2001	.26687	2001	.17542	.05375	.00563	.03207	78,134	20,852	2001	13,706	4,200	440	2,506
2002	.26378	2002	.17231	.05422	.00557	.03168	77,788	20,519	2002	13,404	4,218	433	2,464
2003	.26728	2003	.17646	.05325	.00566	.03191	78,311	20,931	2003	13,819	4,170	443	2,499
2004	.26992	2004	.17795	.05375	.00513	.03309	78,731	21,251	2004	14,010	4,232	404	2,605
2005	.26763	2005	.17857	.05253	.00537	.03116	78,215	20,933	2005	13,967	4,109	420	2,437
2006	.27481	2006	.18261	.05479	.00498	.03243	78,497	21,572	2006	14,334	4,301	391	2,546
2007	.27053	2007	.18133	.05491	.00553	.02876	78,294	21,181	2007	14,197	4,299	433	2,252
2008	.26755	2008	.17842	.05485	.00522	.02906	78,119	20,901	2008	13,938	4,285	408	2,270
2009	.26657	2009	.17577	.05299	.00498	.03284	77,965	20,783	2009	13,704	4,131	388	2,560
2010	.25987	2010	.17476	.05184	.00475	.02852	77,467	20,131	2010	13,538	4,016	368	2,209
2011	.25783	2011	.17164	.05162	.00530	.02927	77,586	20,004	2011	13,317	4,005	411	2,271
2012	.25543	2012	.16921	.04918	.00477	.03228	77,437	19,780	2012	13,103	3,808	369	2,500
2013	.25576	2013	.17138	.05017	.00417	.03003	83,380	21,325	2013	14,290	4,183	348	2,504