Maybe it’s as a result of the upper ups at MLB have wished to low cost the Steroid Period for therefore lengthy and so passionately, with the hopes that we’d erase all of the numbers from our reminiscences. Again then 50 homers was just about a buy-in. Some fairly foolish names bought to the mark. My favourite might be Brady Anderson. Nonetheless, the marketing campaign to neutralize 1998-2007, or no matter, from the information has meant that to plenty of baseball followers, 50 homers nonetheless feels fairly hallowed, immense.
And Matt Olson has 51 homers. With two and and a half weeks left within the season.
It’s not that Olson is a foul participant. Removed from it. This isn’t Chris Davis popping for 126 homers over three seasons after which unable hit something with a cricket paddle ever once more. Olson has been a fairly stable slugger from Oakland to Atlanta, with 4 30+ homer seasons and one other one in every of 29.
Nonetheless, Olson crossing the brink of a legendary season? Sure, Aaron Decide cracked 62 final 12 months. However he’s a perennial MVP candidate. Giancarlo Stanton hit 59 in 2017, although there was a time when he was essentially the most feared slugger within the sport. Again earlier than all of the king’s horses and males simply stared on the items left of him and determined to only go get lunch. Pete Alonso has pierced the mark too just lately, so possibly it simply isn’t that huge of a deal because it was once. Given the emphasis and energy, fly balls, launch angle, and homers that is simply the way in which the sport is.
Nonetheless, appears like Olson’s ascent to this explicit mountain high has been nearly as quiet as might be. Perhaps it’s the truth that he’s not even one of the best participant on his group. That honor belongs to Ronald Acuna Jr., who has already executed one thing even rarer with 30 homers and over 65 steals.
Perhaps it’s that Olson has been “The opposite man” within the Freddie Freeman-Atlanta fiasco, with the previous ensuring everybody is aware of that he by no means wished to depart even after he left. Additionally, Freeman is technically having the higher offensive season (164 wRC+ to 161 for Olson).
Perhaps it’s simply the season lengthy, regular brilliance of Atlanta, who’ve been baseball’s greatest group since just about Opening Day. Olson appears like simply one other completely buzzing cog within the machine, even together with his bonkers whole of homers.
Perhaps I’m simply outdated, and 50 homers isn’t that huge of a deal. And {that a} completely advantageous, a wonderfully actually good participant like Olson, can hit the mark as a substitute of it being solely reserved for the giants who stroll amongst us.
Matt Olson, 51 homers. Could end with 55 or so. We’ll simply need to get used to it.
Trea Turner nonetheless rolling
It didn’t assist the Phillies in the long run, however Trea Turner was doing that factor once more final evening:
This tied the sport within the ninth, although Philly would lose in 10 identical to they did yesterday when Bryce Harper tied the sport within the ninth (Phillies bullpen gonna Phille bullpen). Turner has 11 homers in his final 13 video games, and since August 4th he has a 224 wRC+ with a 1.231 OPS.
Some wish to credit score a standing ovation Turner bought on that date for the turnaround, marking a real departure from what Philly followers are presupposed to be. That didn’t cease them from booing him earlier than that, which they actually did.
Maybe the true motive is that Turner is chasing manner fewer breaking pitches out of the zone (44 % in June, 30 % now), whereas barreling all of the fastballs he’s seeing. Maybe it simply took 4 months to settle in with that contract. It’s not all the time simple. Regardless of the motive, there’s not often been somebody this nuclear for this lengthy.
Crow-Armstrong flashes some leather-based for Cubs
The Cubs referred to as up their #1 prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong on Monday, and he bought his first begin Tuesday. How a lot he’ll contribute in these previous couple of video games is unknown, and whether or not or not his moron supervisor David Ross is the one to get one of the best out of him is even much less clear, nevertheless it’s already obvious the glove will play:
That wasn’t even one of the best one:
All in a day’s work.
Observe Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @felsgate.bsky.social
