2024-06-28 04:51:00
This text is compiled from Gunnar’s path to historical past in some ways
In 1982, a younger Orioles shortstop named Cal Ripken Jr. emerged because the AL Rookie of the Yr. The following 12 months, Ripken took it to the following stage, changing into probably the greatest gamers in baseball and successful the AL MVP award.
If that description appears to be like acquainted, it is as a result of it occurred just lately in Baltimore, solely this time it was Gunnar Henderson who wrote his story.
After successful the 2023 American League Rookie of the Yr award unanimously, Henderson helped the Orioles take their efficiency to a different stage within the 2024 season, serving to the workforce to probably the greatest data within the league (49 wins and 28 losses).
Earlier than the three-game homestand in opposition to the Cleveland Geese (49-26), the shortstop was second within the league with 24 house runs, sixth within the league with an OPS of .975 and led the league in WAR with 5.6 (Baseball-Reference).
The 22-year-old shouldn’t be solely the favourite for this 12 months’s American League MVP, however he’s additionally anticipated to make extra historical past. Let’s focus on it collectively:
A number of slugger shortstops
All through baseball historical past, the shortstop place has not been seen as a risk to being a “hitter with prime energy.” In actual fact, solely 4 shortstops (who performed at the least 50% of their video games at shortstop within the season) have ever hit 40 house runs in a single season, and that solely occurred 13 occasions in complete.
MLB shortstop single season 40 hit shortstop
- Alex Rodriguez: 6
- Ernie Banks: 5
- Rico Petrocelli: 1 time
- Fernando Tatis Jr.: 1
- Henderson: Heading in direction of 50
It wasn’t till 1955, when the legendary Banks of the Cubs hit 44 house runs, {that a} shortstop first hit 40 house runs. Previous to that, solely Vern Stephens had ever hit 30 house runs in a season.
Banks hit 40 house runs in a season 4 extra occasions throughout his legendary profession and hit 47 in 1958, a document that stood for 43 years for a shortstop.
One other participant to affix this listing is Petrocelli in 1969, when he hit 40 house runs for the Pink Sox. Nonetheless, it turned out that was only a good season, and he by no means hit greater than 29 house runs in a season for the remainder of his profession.
There then adopted practically 30 years with out a shortstop hitting 40 house runs in a single season within the Main Leagues, till A-Rod hit 42 house runs within the Mariners’ “40 house runs, 40 steals” season in 1998, beginning six consecutive 40-home run seasons. He first broke Banks’ single-season document for a shortstop with 52 house runs in 2001 with the Rangers, following which pushed the quantity to 57 house runs the next 12 months.
In 2004, Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees and moved to 3rd base. Till 2021, there had by no means been a shortstop with 40 house runs in a season, till Tatis hit 42 house runs that season.
Henderson is on monitor to develop into the fifth shortstop in historical past to hit 40 house runs in a season. At his present tempo, he might even develop into the second shortstop since A-Rod to hit 50 house runs.
The strongest pioneer?
In his rookie season, Henderson moved across the Orioles’ lineup, together with 39 begins, 25 second and 27 fifth, and performed in at the least one sport in each at-bat within the beginning lineup. This 12 months, the younger participant has discovered his house within the lineup, taking part in as a leadoff man in 70 of his 76 video games.
All of Henderson’s 24 house runs this season got here as a leadoff hitter, placing him on monitor to problem the document for many house runs in main league historical past.Main the way in which in house runs in a season. The document is at present held by Atlanta Braves celebrity Ronald Acuña Jr., who hit 41 house runs final 12 months.
Most house runs by a leadoff participant in a single season
- Acuña: 2023 41 Increase
- Mookie Betts: 2023 39 Increase
- George Springer: 2019 39 Increase
- Alfonso Soriano: 2006 39 Bomb
- Henderson: Heading in direction of 50
As well as, Henderson’s eight first-inning house runs this season, whether or not as the primary hitter within the opening or backside of the inning, give him an opportunity to problem Soriano’s single-season document of 13 first-inning house runs.
Henderson is on tempo to hit 112 RBIs as a leadoff batter, which might be a document for a serious league sport. Solely 5 gamers in main league historical past have hit 100 RBIs as a leadoff batter, three of which occurred within the 2023 season.
- Betts: 107 factors in 2023
- Acuña: 106 factors in 2023
- Marcus Semien: 100 factors in 2023
- Charlie Blackmon: 2017 103 minutes
- Darin Erstad: 2000, 100 minutes
- Henderson: On tempo for 112 RBIs
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