5 slumping stars hitting below the Mendoza Line

On this date 34 years ago, Texas Rangers backup infielder Mario Mendoza reached first base on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt in the final at-bat of his nine-year career. The innocuous plate appearance ensured Mendoza of a .215 career average, 15 points higher than the benchmark for futility that he inadvertently had a hand in setting three years earlier.

During the 1979 season, Mendoza's well-documented struggles at the plate triggered one of the most unflattering phrases in baseball history, the "Mendoza Line," a reference to the .200 average he flirted with for most of the year. He would finish the campaign at .198, and the term's been synonymous with bad hitting ever since.

In honor of Mendoza's May 22, 1982 at-bat, we take stock of five notable players currently hitting below the dreadful "Mendoza Line." Statistics updated through May 21.

Prince Fielder

2016 slash line: .199/.264/.288 over 156 at-bats

There are several things to be concerned about with Fielder if you're the Rangers, and his batting average might not even be one of them. The hulking first baseman has seen his isolated power plummet to a career-low sub-.100, and his eroding walk rate continues to alarm. Fielder's about .90 points off his .284 career average mark, and close to .70 points below his average BABIP. Whether he's in line for a steep decline, or his results thus far have been unlucky, the back of his baseball card is most certainly unbecoming of a player who's owed $120 million.

Curtis Granderson

2016 slash line: .197/.292/.420 over 157 at-bats

Granderson's never been confused for Tony Gwynn, but he has seen better days at the plate. The Mets outfielder, who's known for his on-base skills, is suffering through a brutal May in which he's struck out 24 times to just five walks. Granderson's still hitting for power - he's got seven homers and his ISO is over .200 for the first time since 2012 - but he's hitting more ground balls and using the other field less frequently. He's a streaky hitter, and we're willing to bet he'll be back over the Mendoza Line in no time.

Mark Teixeira

2016 slash line: .191/.296/.284 over 141 at-bats

After going deep three times in his first seven games, the 36-year-old Teixeira has been stuck on 397 career home runs for more than a month. At this point, though, joining teammate and fellow switch-hitter Carlos Beltran in the 400-homer club is probably the least of his concerns. Teixeira has watched his average sink 27 points and below the Mendoza Line over the last four starts, a stretch in which he's gone 0-for-17 with eight strikeouts. The source of his struggles can be mostly tied to his ineffectiveness from the left side, where he's slashing an unsightly .135./.238/.236.

Russell Martin

2016 slash line: .178/.244/.186 over 118 at-bats

Martin's second season in Toronto has been disastrous thus far, as the 33-year-old catcher is suffering through the worst offensive stretch of his career. The four-time All-Star's .186 slugging percentage is the lowest in baseball among players with at least 120 plate appearances, and his .423 OPS is the worst in the American League. Martin's lone extra-base hit came on April 22 when he doubled off Sonny Gray, and he hasn't been at or above a .200 average since the season began. As if that wasn't bad enough, Martin's under contract for $20 million in each of the next three seasons.

Ryan Howard

2016 slash line: .161/.233/.381 over 118 at-bats

So much for spring optimism. It seems like an eternity ago that a trimmed-down Howard was impressing at camp, though all it's really taken is seven dreadful weeks to remind Phillies fans that the worst player on their team right now is making $25 million. Despite managing the worst batting average among qualified players, Howard has somehow held on to a semi-regular job. It's not likely to last much longer, though, given the first baseman has one hit in his last 19 at-bats and is 4-for-44 in May. If he plays enough to qualify by the end of the season, we might need to rename the Mendoza Line.