Thanks, man.MLB.com front page has the video
Adrian Beltre, former Sox outfield killer.Wonderful moment. Who was the guy in the front row he high-fived before heading over to his teammates?
Adrián BeltréWonderful moment. Who was the guy in the front row he high-fived before heading over to his teammates?
You would be correctI believe now 500 HRs against RHPs, and 200 HRs against LHPs. Nice & even.
Beltre.Wonderful moment. Who was the guy in the front row he hghi-fived before heading over to his teammates?
Tío Albert was also very beloved during his short time as a Dodger. Such an amazing moment.Sort of poetic that he hit it in L.A., what with the Angels connection. Also, Dodgers fans can afford to be classy in the moment, given their secure playoff spot
Who called the cops? This party celebrating a historical baseball moment was fun.A guy who came up in the steroid era goes from being a shell of himself for YEARS to the best power hitter in the NL in the second half of his final season and we're just going to accept it at face value, eh?
I'm old enough to remember the fawning coverage of Bonds, Sosa and McGwire. Won't get fooled again.
The punchbowl is over there, on the second table on the leftA guy who came up in the steroid era goes from being a shell of himself for YEARS to the best power hitter in the NL in the second half of his final season and we're just going to accept it at face value, eh?
I'm old enough to remember the fawning coverage of Bonds, Sosa and McGwire. Won't get fooled again.
Thanks for this!
Very cool. The offensive numbers are eerily similar — yet Aaron had significantly higher WAR (143 to 101), curious to know what accounts for that as most of it is offensive based it appears??
Positional adjustment, an additional two seasons for Aaron, and lower league averages. Aaron's 155 career OPS+ is significantly better than Pujols' 144.Very cool. The offensive numbers are eerily similar — yet Aaron had significantly higher WAR (143 to 101), curious to know what accounts for that as most of it is offensive based it appears??
Wouldn’t the fact that Pujols had negative value for years account for a chunk of it? He was a net negative, or close to it, for eight years. Aaron didn’t drop off a cliff until the end.Very cool. The offensive numbers are eerily similar — yet Aaron had significantly higher WAR (143 to 101), curious to know what accounts for that as most of it is offensive based it appears??
Yes, more than half the difference was in the last 7 years of their careers - Aaron had 23.4 WAR vs 1.1 WAR for Pujols. And even before that, Aaron's age 31-35 year seasons were at an 8 WAR average (160 OPS+) vs. Pujols who averaged less than 4 WAR (129 OPS+) over the same time frame.Wouldn’t the fact that Pujols had negative value for years account for a chunk of it? He was a net negative, or close to it, for eight years. Aaron didn’t drop off a cliff until the end.
I generally don’t like the Cardinals because of the moral superiority complex that much of their fan base seems to wallow in. Despite that, this moment has brought a smile to my face for some reason. Good for him.
I’ve noticed a lot of baseball fans have been rooting for him, including some who don’t like the Cardinals normally (I am in both categories!), and I can’t but help but wonder if this would be the same if the chase were happening during yet another lost Angels season. (I know he was already gone from there.) I guess it would’ve been similar, but maybe not the same?Wonderful!
His last year with the Cardinals ended with a World Series win, and I hope this one does as well so he can retire on top.
If you subtract Aaron's HR total from his hit total, he still has 3,000 hits:He could have been playing for the Pirates and people would still be checking daily. Most of us are not likely to see 700 hit again any time soon (and, yes, I realize that three people have done it in the last 50 years now, but the game has changed so much), so this was a chance to see something that is exceedingly rare.
He just joined, arguably, the most exclusive "clubs" in baseball history (the other being him and Aaron being the only guys with 700 HR and 3K hits), so that's going to draw attention more. And I think him doing it with the Cardinals makes it all the more special, since he arguably should have never left.
Aaron was so consistently good for so long. His lowest OPS+ from 1955 to 1973, 19 seasons, was 141. There's never been anyone like him.If you subtract Aaron's HR total from his hit total, he still has 3,000 hits:
3771 - 755 = 3016
Agree about the consistency from Aaron. He never had that one spectacular season, but each season was pretty much like the one that came before it and the one that would come next.Aaron was so consistently good for so long. His lowest OPS+ from 1955 to 1973, 19 seasons, was 141. There's never been anyone like him.
Pujols only had 6 homers in the pandemic 60 game season. He had 23 the year before and 17 the year after. It seems reasonable that he'd have 10-15 more now and be right around Ruth if it weren't for Covid.
This was good 700th, not 900th. Why do you possibly think we are unlikely to see it again?Holy shit. We’ll probably never see this again
I don't disagree, but is there anyone playing right now that will make a run at 700? Trout has 346 at age 30 and has the power to do it but he is already having health problems that are taking him off the field. Aaron Judge only has 218 at the same age. He had a relatively late start for this kind of stat and has his own issues staying healthy, so he seems like an extreme longshot unless he makes a run of 4-5 seasons with 50-60 homeruns. Juan Soto has 124 and is only 23, so he might be the best long-term speculative bet, but a lot can happen over the next 15 years.This was good 700th, not 900th. Why do you possibly think we are unlikely to see it again?
Only four players have done it in 100 years, one of which was enhanced in order to get there. It's a really difficult accomplishment, so I don't think it's unreasonable to think we're unlikely to see it again. Doesn't mean it will never happen again, but it might not be in our lifetimes. After Pujols, the active players that have at least 300 career HR are Miggy Cabrera (506), Nelson Cruz (459), Giancarlo Stanton (375), Mike Trout (346), Joey Votto (342), Robinson Cano (335), Evan Longoria (329), Justin Upton (325), and Paul Goldschmidt (315). Of those, Stanton (age 32) and Trout (age 30) seem like the best bets to maybe get to 600 if they stay healthy and consistently productive for another 8-10 years. That might be asking a lot given their histories.This was good 700th, not 900th. Why do you possibly think we are unlikely to see it again?
Without a doubt, because the "great player going back to the team he started with" angle would be missing.I’ve noticed a lot of baseball fans have been rooting for him, including some who don’t like the Cardinals normally (I am in both categories!), and I can’t but help but wonder if this would be the same if the chase were happening during yet another lost Angels season. (I know he was already gone from there.) I guess it would’ve been similar, but maybe not the same?
Was just looking at this list, and it's hard to imagine anyone in the 300-plus group outside of Cruz, Stanton, Trout and Goldschmidt even having a shot at 500. Heck, Arron Judge could hit 60 home runs for the next seven seasons and still wouldn't get to 700.Only four players have done it in 100 years, one of which was enhanced in order to get there. It's a really difficult accomplishment, so I don't think it's unreasonable to think we're unlikely to see it again. Doesn't mean it will never happen again, but it might not be in our lifetimes. After Pujols, the active players that have at least 300 career HR are Miggy Cabrera (506), Nelson Cruz (459), Giancarlo Stanton (375), Mike Trout (346), Joey Votto (342), Robinson Cano (335), Evan Longoria (329), Justin Upton (325), and Paul Goldschmidt (315). Of those, Stanton (age 32) and Trout (age 30) seem like the best bets to maybe get to 600 if they stay healthy and consistently productive for another 8-10 years. That might be asking a lot given their histories.
Here's the active homerun leader list:I don't disagree, but is there anyone playing right now that will make a run at 700? Trout has 346 at age 30 and has the power to do it but he is already having health problems that are taking him off the field. Aaron Judge only has 218 at the same age. He had a relatively late start for this kind of stat and has his own issues staying healthy, so he seems like an extreme longshot unless he makes a run of 4-5 seasons with 50-60 homeruns. Juan Soto has 124 and is only 23, so he might be the best long-term speculative bet, but a lot can happen over the next 15 years.
Am I missing anyone else obvious?