Last night Gary Sheffield became the 25th player to reach 500 homeruns against the Brewers, although it was a great feat for him to reach it raised a question in my mind. Will 500 ultimately be the number to reach or will we be adding digits as the club grows with all the homeruns being hit these days? My thoughts lead me to say that the "500 Club" will lose some of its famous luster on account that the group of players will be less exclusive in years to come. Don't get me wrong 500 homeruns in a career amazing abilities to see and hit the balll so such a time, but at the rate players are hitting them today fans will begin to recognize more so the 600 and 700 home runs as more of a reach than just 500.
On this case some example of people killing the ball with a lot of potential left in many years of them playing. Carlos Delgado seems as if he can reach the mark this year sitting at 472, and the odd ball hitting Vladimir Guerro is in knocking on the golden doors with 393 home runs plus three years younger than Carlos. Couple other "Big Stars" to mention that should reach it are Albert Pujols, David Wright, and 3rd year starter Ryan Braun (If he keeps his pace up of 30+ homeruns per year).
Although teams are making the ballparks harder to hit homeruns such as the Nationals' monsterous field, the Mets new Citi fieil, and the Cleveland Indians field whose left field fence juts up to around twenty feet high. There will always be those field that just stick out as hitters parks for right handed pull hitters Minute Maid in Houston , and the the left handed pull hitters take a trip up north to the sacred grounds of Fenway and send one down Pesky's Pole.
All these contribute to the adding or taking back of homeruns, but it's is all about the players staying consistant hitting the ball. These days it seems that its common for a person to hit 30, 40 homeruns a year, and that just shows how much bigger, stronger, better eyes the players have today. I will not take steriods as an issue for 500 homeruns, yes it does taint it no doubt, but being big is not the key to hitting homeruns it just adds to the power.
So you tell me. Is this a generation of players that kept playing hard?, the steroid era making records?, or just more consistant power hitters ?
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theres only 25 players in the 500 club.... thats a small group out of the number of players who have played the game since the beginning of baseball....the 500 club is what can basically put someone into the HoF as well....actually there really are only 21 players because the other 4 have done it by using steroids
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing bena...I realize the players today are bigger and better, but the majority of fans are still going to look at it as being tainted by steroid use. If today's generation of power hitters, led by Ryan Braun, can consistently crank out the homers and still land in the 500 club, than people will just see getting there as the standard instead of the exception. That is just the way with sports...records previously considered unbreakable are now becoming routine. It is exciting, and kind of sad at the same time because it leaves history in the dust. And as far as hitter-friendly parks, I heard the new Yankee Stadium is pretty easy to belt one in for lefthanders. Not being a baseball expert like yourself, is that true?
ReplyDeleteyessir senor fries wind blows out that way since the way the field faces... so if ur names is david ortiz and u hit a pop up and there is a 5mph wind its yak... and to bena just saying as the number grows even if not by much such as the 3000 hit club many people will begin to look past that even though it is a great accomplishment its going to become a norm for people to get into making it less exciting ... so called in economy when u have too much money the value of the dollar will go down same basic concept
ReplyDeleteNo, 500 is ALWAYS going to be substantial. Through out history there are always five or so young guys that every one thinks will hit 500 dingers (Ted Williams anyone?) but due to some unforeseen circumstances, a couple of them fall short. My point is, the 500 number is an accomplishment of longevity, not power. Ryan Braun will not reach 500, David Ortiz will not reach 500, David Wright probably will not reach 500. Mcguire, Sheffield etc. etc. would not have reached it without the help of modern pharmaceuticals.
ReplyDeletethank you Kalmus!
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