Something to consider when commenting on the dirty, dirty cheaters on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot: steroids were not invented in an evil lab underneath Oakland Coliseum in 1988 by Dr. Jose Canseco. They did not solely cheapen a record book that was pristine until the home run race of 1998. In…
August 25, 1985, Dwight ”Doc” Gooden of the New York Mets becomes the youngest pitcher to win 20 games in a season. At 20 years, nine months, and nine days – one month younger than Bob Feller was when he won 20 games in 1939 – Gooden defeats the San Diego Padres, 9-3. Gooden would…
2017 – By hitting two homers in an 11 – 3 win over the Royals, the Yankees’ Aaron Judge reaches the 50 mark for the season, breaking the rookie record of 49 set by Mark McGwire in 1987.
Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, with his twenty-first home run, ties the National League mark shared by Dave Kingman (Giants,1972) and Albert Pujols (Cardinals, 2001) for the most home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break. Mark McGwire established the major league record, going deep 30 times before the Mid-Summer Classic while playing for the A’s in 1987.
On June 11, 2013 The Dodgers and Diamondbacks engage in a beanball war. The hostilities start when D-Backs pitcher Ian Kennedy hits super rookie Yasiel Puig in the head with a fastball in the 6th inning. The ball hits his nose, and he stays on the ground for a few minutes but stays in the game; Andre Ethier follows with a game-tying two-run homer. In the top of the…
Mike Trout (.326, 30, 83), the BBWAA’s unanimous selection as the Rookie of the Year, surpasses Lou Whitaker (1978 Tigers) by three months and five days to become the youngest American League player to be honored with the award. The 21 year-old Angel center fielder joins Evan Longoria (2008 Rays), Nomar Garciaparra (1997 Red Sox), Derek Jeter (1996 Yankees), Tim Salmon (1993 Angels), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1990 Indians), Mark McGwire (1987 A’s), and Carlton Fisk (1972 Red Sox) as the only other unanimous AL winners.
Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven are voted into the Hall of Fame when the results of the 2011 Hall of Fame Election are announced. Alomar, twice a World Champion with the Toronto Blue Jays and a perennial Gold Glove winner at second base, makes it in his second year on the ballot. For workhorse pitcher Blyleven, it’s been harder. He started out at 17.5% in his first year of eligibility, and finally crossed the 75% threshold in his 14th year after a dedicated campaign on his behalf conducted through the internet. Once again, voters express their disgust with avowed steroid users, as Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, both members of the 500 home run club, finish well down on the ballot.
Sports Illustrated names Derek Jeter as its Sportsman of the Year, making the ‘Captain’ the first Yankee honored by the magazine. The other baseball recipients to win the award, given annually since SI’s inception in 1954, include Johnny Podres (Dodgers – 1955), Stan Musial (Cardinals – 1957), Sandy Koufax (Dodgers – 1965), Tom Seaver (Mets – 1969), Pete Rose (Reds – 1975), Orel Hershiser (Dodgers – 1988), Cal Ripken Jr. (Orioles – 1995), Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa (Cardinals, Cubs – 1998), Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling (Diamondbacks – 2001), and the entire Red Sox team (2004).
In his 4,145th big league at-bat, Adam Dunn hits his 300th career home run in Washington’s 5-3 win over Atlanta at Nationals Park. The 29 year-old left fielder is the fifth quickest player to reach the milestone, behind only Babe Ruth (3,830), Mark McGwire (3,837), Ralph Kiner (3,883), and Harmon Killebrew (3,928).