Carlos Gonzalez’s 4 Straight Homers & Manny Ramirez’s 500th Dinger -- Random HR History for Week of 2/10
Come for the random homers, stay to marvel over Willie Mays' incredible prime.
Just because it’s the offseason doesn’t mean I still don’t share home run videos every day. Instead of discussing “on this date in home run history,” you now get a chance to see which random players/moments I’ve been thinking about recently.
And since you’re on this email list, you get a sneak peek of what I’m sharing for the upcoming week before everyone else does. Enjoy!
Monday, 2/10
5/8/1987: Rickey Henderson launched a game-tying, ninth-inning homer for the Yankees in the Bronx. New York won the game, 11-7.
9/9/1988: Gary Sheffield hit the first home run of his MLB career. He’d slug another 508 taters before hanging up his spikes for good.
5/9/2016: Ketel Marte enjoyed a four-hit day for the Mariners, which included a game-winning three-run tater.
Tuesday, 2/11
4/20/1994: Carlos Baerga launched this home run at the Metrodome, and a fan made a pretty nice grab in the process.
10/8/2013: After two failed bunt attempts, Juan Uribe ran the count to 2-2 during an NLDS Game 4 at-bat before giving the Dodgers a lead by hitting a two-run homer.
3/18/2023: Trea Turner hit this go-ahead grand slam for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Wednesday, 2/12
7/9/1991: Cal Ripken Jr. gave the American League All-Stars a lead during the midsummer classic with this three-run homer.
4/11/2006: Derek Jeter gave the Yankees a late lead in their home opener with this go-ahead three-run homer.
5/12/2017: Joey Gallo secured a walk-off win for the Rangers and showed off some good aim by slugging this three-run homer off the foul pole.
Thursday, 2/13
8/13/2019: Kyle Seager put together a three-homer day against the Tigers. He finished the year with 23 homers. It was the eighth straight season he slugged at least 20 dingers.
8/1/1994: Joe Carter’s 300th career home run came during a game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He finished his playing days with 396 taters.
6/15/2022: Luke Voit left no doubt here by launching a 452-foot moonshot for the Padres.
Friday, 2/14
7/22/1986: After tying it up in the top of the ninth, the Mets and Reds were deadlocked in a 3-3 tie until Howard Johnson hit this three-run homer in the 14th inning.
4/12/1993: Benito Santiago slugged the first home run in Marlins history.
5/16/2008: Jayson Werth enjoyed a three-homer game for the Phillies. He was also a two-run dinger short of completing the home run cycle.
Saturday, 2/15
5/31/2012: After hitting homers in each of his final three at-bats the day before, Carlos Gonzalez slugged his fourth in four at-bats. That set a new Rockies record. Here are all four taters.
9/14/2018: After Whit Merrifield tied it in the ninth, Salvador Perez walked it off for the Royals with this grand slam.
10/12/2002: Barry Bonds deposited a three-run homer in McCovey Cove during Game 2 of the NLCS for the Giants. (via Forzano Productions)
Sunday, 2/16
5/31/2008: Manny Ramirez became the 24th player to enter the 500-homer club. He was the 12th youngest to do so and finished his career with 555 dingers.
4/22/2006: The Brewers had a powerful fourth inning by hitting five homers. Bill Hall, Damian Miller, Brady Clark, J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder all went deep.
8/25/1990: Cecil Fielder joined Harmon Killebrew (1962) and Frank Howard (1968) as the third player to hit a homer over the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium.
The Prime of Willie Mays’ Career Was Absurd
Willie Mays was one of the most complete baseball players ever. He displayed all five tools throughout the majority of his 23-year Hall of Fame career. An eight-year span between 1955 and 1962 was a little better than the rest, though.
He slugged 303 of his 660 homers (45.9%) and stole 221 of his 339 bases (65.2%) during this time. An average year for Mays from 1955-62 included a .317/.392/.595 line with 38 homers, 31 doubles, 10 triples, 28 steals, 109 RBI and 119 runs scored.
Thanks for reading today’s edition of the MLB Daily Dingers Newsletter! Come back on Wednesday. I’ll be talking about the Sultan of Swat and why his legacy goes well beyond all the dingers he hit during his Hall of Fame career (even though they helped a bunch).