Baseball behemoths: rolling three-year WAR leaders (batters edition)

Here are the leaders among batters in total Wins Above Replacement (WAR, from Baseball-reference.com) over each 3-year period dating back to 1900. Sorry for the very long table. Please scroll to the bottom for some comments and analysis.

I've listed first and second place for each 3-year period.

2009-2011: Albert Pujols   21.7     Evan Longoria   20.5
2008-2010: Albert Pujols   25.9     Joe Mauer       22.5
2007-2009: Albert Pujols   27.1     Joe Mauer       21.2
2006-2008: Albert Pujols   26.2     Joe Mauer       20.3
2005-2007: Albert Pujols   24.8     Alex Rodriguez  22.5
2004-2006: Albert Pujols   25.9     Alex Rodriguez  18.8
2003-2005: Albert Pujols   28.5     Barry Bonds     23.1
2002-2004: Barry Bonds     34.9     Albert Pujols   26.1
2001-2003: Barry Bonds     35       Alex Rodriguez  23.9
2000-2002: Barry Bonds     33.4     Alex Rodriguez  27.2
1999-2001: Barry Bonds     25.2     Jason Giambi    25
1998-2000: Alex Rodriguez  23.6     Andruw Jones    22.1
1997-1999: Jeff Bagwell    22.5     Barry Bonds     22.1
1996-1998: Barry Bonds     28.9     Ken Griffey     25.2
1995-1997: Barry Bonds     26.9     Ken Griffey     22.6
1994-1996: Barry Bonds     24.5     Jeff Bagwell    22.6
1993-1995: Barry Bonds     24.3     Jeff Bagwell    19.4
1992-1994: Barry Bonds     27       Kenny Lofton    20.8
1991-1993: Barry Bonds     28.9     Frank Thomas    21.7
1990-1992: Barry Bonds     28       Cal Ripken      20.9
1989-1991: Barry Bonds     25.7     Cal Ripken      24
1988-1990: R Henderson     25       Barry Bonds     23.6
1987-1989: Wade Boggs      26       Will Clark      21.1
1986-1988: Wade Boggs      26.4     Alan Trammell   20.3
1985-1987: Wade Boggs      26.2     R Henderson     20.4
1984-1986: Wade Boggs      22.9     R Henderson     21.9
1983-1985: R Henderson     23.7     Cal Ripken      23.6
1982-1984: Robin Yount     25.2     Cal Ripken      22
1981-1983: Robin Yount     24.2     Mike Schmidt    23.2
1980-1982: Mike Schmidt    24.6     Robin Yount     23.4
1979-1981: Mike Schmidt    24.1     George Brett    20.9
1978-1980: George Brett    23.4     Mike Schmidt    22.7
1977-1979: Mike Schmidt    23.2     George Brett    21.4
1976-1978: Mike Schmidt    24.3     Rod Carew       22.6
1975-1977: Joe Morgan      28.2     Rod Carew       26.3
1974-1976: Joe Morgan      31.1     Mike Schmidt    26
1973-1975: Joe Morgan      31       Rod Carew       21.6
1972-1974: Joe Morgan      29       Johnny Bench    21.7
1971-1973: Joe Morgan      25.1     Willie Stargell 25.1
1970-1972: Bobby Murcer    19.4     Johnny Bench / Roy White 19.3
1969-1971: Sal Bando       21.4     Hank Aaron      19.8
1968-1970: C Yastrzemski   23.8     Willie McCovey  22.4
1967-1969: C Yastrzemski   26.9     R Clemente      22.7
1966-1968: C Yastrzemski   26.9     Ron Santo       24.1
1965-1967: Ron Santo       26.1     Willie Mays     24
1964-1966: Willie Mays     29.9     Ron Santo       23.8
1963-1965: Willie Mays     31.4     Hank Aaron      24.1
1962-1964: Willie Mays     31       Hank Aaron      25.9
1961-1963: Willie Mays     30.2     Hank Aaron      28
1960-1962: Willie Mays     29.7     Hank Aaron      26.4
1959-1961: Willie Mays     26.6     Hank Aaron      26.4
1958-1960: Ernie Banks     27.9     Willie Mays     27.6
1957-1959: Mickey Mantle   28.4     Ernie Banks     26.4
1956-1958: Mickey Mantle   35.2     Willie Mays     25.7
1955-1957: Mickey Mantle   34.9     Willie Mays     24.6
1954-1956: Mickey Mantle   30.2     Willie Mays     26.3
1953-1955: Duke Snider     26.1     Eddie Mathews   25
1952-1954: Stan Musial     22.9     Duke Snider     22
1951-1953: Jackie Robinson 25.8     Stan Musial     24
1950-1952: Jackie Robinson 26       Stan Musial     22.7
1949-1951: Jackie Robinson 27.6     Stan Musial     23.7
1948-1950: Stan Musial     26.5     Jackie Robinson 23.3
1947-1949: Ted Williams    28.7     Stan Musial     25
1946-1948: Ted Williams    31       Stan Musial     26.1
1945-1947: Ted Williams    22.1     Whitey Kurowski 16.2
1944-1946: Stan Musial     18.9     S Stirnweiss    18
1943-1945: Augie Galan     18.7     Stan Musial     18
1942-1944: Stan Musial     23.8     Bill Nicholson  18.8
1941-1943: Ted Williams    22.3     Charlie Keller  20.3
1940-1942: Ted Williams    28.3     Joe DiMaggio    23.5
1939-1941: Joe DiMaggio    25.6     Ted Williams    24.1
1938-1940: Joe DiMaggio    22       Arky Vaughan    20.6
1937-1939: Joe DiMaggio    23.7     Mel Ott         20.7
1936-1938: Mel Ott         22.7     Lou Gehrig      22.6
1935-1937: Lou Gehrig      27.4     C Gehringer     23.9
1934-1936: Lou Gehrig      29.7     C Gehringer     25.8
1933-1935: Lou Gehrig      27.8     Jimmie Foxx     25.8
1932-1934: Jimmie Foxx     28.5     Lou Gehrig      27.2
1931-1933: Babe Ruth       27.3     Lou Gehrig      26.2
1930-1932: Babe Ruth       31.1     Lou Gehrig      28.3
1929-1931: Babe Ruth       30.3     Lou Gehrig      27.3
1928-1930: Babe Ruth       29.9     Lou Gehrig      27.7
1927-1929: Babe Ruth       32       Rogers Hornsby  30.3
1926-1928: Babe Ruth       35.8     Lou Gehrig      29.1
1925-1927: Babe Ruth       27.7     Rogers Hornsby  24.7
1924-1926: Rogers Hornsby  27.4     Babe Ruth       26.8
1923-1925: Rogers Hornsby  29.5     Babe Ruth       29.5
1922-1924: Babe Ruth       30.2     Rogers Hornsby  30.2
1921-1923: Babe Ruth       34.9     Rogers Hornsby  28.9
1920-1922: Babe Ruth       33.1     Rogers Hornsby  31.8
1919-1921: Babe Ruth       37.5     Rogers Hornsby  27.6
1918-1920: Babe Ruth       29.7     George Sisler   21.1
1917-1919: Ty Cobb         25.3     Rogers Hornsby  20.5
1916-1918: Ty Cobb         27.7     Tris Speaker    21.5
1915-1917: Ty Cobb         31.6     Tris Speaker    24.5
1914-1916: Eddie Collins   27.6     Tris Speaker    26.8
1913-1915: Eddie Collins   31.8     Tris Speaker    26
1912-1914: Eddie Collins   30.9     Tris Speaker    28.9
1911-1913: Ty Cobb         28.6     Eddie Collins / Joe Jackson 26.9
1910-1912: Ty Cobb         32.7     Eddie Collins   25.9
1909-1911: Ty Cobb         33       Eddie Collins   26.5
1908-1910: Ty Cobb         28.3     Honus Wagner    26.1
1907-1909: Honus Wagner    31       Ty Cobb         25.7
1906-1908: Honus Wagner    31.6     Nap Lajoie      22.8
1905-1907: Honus Wagner    30.6     George Stone    19.9
1904-1906: Honus Wagner    29.6     Nap Lajoie      22
1903-1905: Honus Wagner    27.5     Nap Lajoie      20.3
1902-1904: Honus Wagner    25       Nap Lajoie      22.9
1901-1903: Honus Wagner    23.9     Nap Lajoie      22.6
1900-1902: Honus Wagner    23.1     Nap Lajoie      19.4

Notes:

• Highest WAR over a 3-year period: Ruth (37.5, 1919-1921), Ruth (35.8, 1926-1928), Mantle (35.2, 1956-1958), Bonds (35.0, 2001-2003), Bonds (34.9, 2002-2004)
• Most times leading: Ruth 12, Bonds 12, Wagner 8, Pujols 7, Cobb 7, Mays 6, Morgan 5, Williams 5
• Lowest leading WAR total: Galas (18.7, 1943-1945, caused by World War II), Musial (18.9, 1944-1946), Bobby Murcer (19.4, 1970-1972), Sal Bando (21.4, 1969-1971), Albert Pujols (2009-2011)
• Just to reiterate the last bullet point, Pujols' leading total from 2009-2011 is the 5th lowest since 1901.
• Most second-place finishes: Lou Gehrig 7, Rogers Horsnby 7, Hank Aaron 6, Nap Lajoie 6, Stan Musial 6, Tris Speaker 5, Willie Mays 5, Cal Ripken 4, Alex Rodriguez 4
• Aaron, Lajoie, Speaker, and Ripken never finished first.
• Following are the winners who led second place by the highest percentage: Wagner (1905-1907, 54% more than second-place total), Bonds (2001-2003, 46%), Morgan (1937-1975, 44%), Mantle (1955-1957, 42%), Ruth (1918-1920, 41%)
• Following are periods when there was a tie between the first and second-place finishers: 1922-194 (Ruth, Horsnby), 1971-1973 (Morgan, Stargell), and 1923-1925 (Hornsby, Ruth)
• Some other names that might surprise you: the aforementioned Augie Galan, Sal Bando, Alan Trammell, Andruw Jones, Bill Nicholson, George Stone, Kenny Lofton, Roy White, Stuffy Stirnweiss, Whitey Kurowski, and Will Clark.