Bellinger crushes age 21 lists
Quite a few players made their marks on the LAD record books but no one made their mark like Cody Bellinger. Let’s get started:
Cody Bellinger hit the most home runs by a Dodger 1st baseman since Eric Karros hit 31 in the year 2000. Cody hit 39 home runs overall, but only 30 as a 1st baseman.
Player HR Year Age PA OPS Pos Eric Karros 34 1999 31 639 .912 *3/H Eric Karros 34 1996 28 670 .795 *3 Steve Garvey 33 1977 28 696 .834 *3/H Eric Karros 32 1995 27 620 .905 *3 Eric Karros 31 2000 32 663 .780 *3/HD Eric Karros 31 1997 29 700 .787 *3 Cody Bellinger 30 2017 21 364 .933 *37/9H8D
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/2/2017.
Highest OPS by a Dodger 1st baseman since Eddie Murray put up a .934 OPS in 1990. Cody crushed as a 1st baseman. His 1.049 OPS is the best ever for a LAD. His slug% of .667 is the best ever for a LAD 1st baseman.
Player OPS PA Year Age BA OBP SLG Pos Cody Bellinger 1.049 364 2017 21 .299 .382 .667 *37/9H8D Eddie Murray .934 645 1990 34 .330 .414 .520 *3/H James Loney .919 375 2007 23 .331 .381 .538 *3/H9 Eric Karros .912 639 1999 31 .304 .362 .550 *3/H Eric Karros .905 620 1995 27 .298 .369 .535 *3
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/2/2017.
Let’s go to historical age comparisons now.
Only seven National League players 21 years or less since integration in 1947 have put up an OPS+ of at least 140. Cody Bellinger is one of them.
Player OPS+ Year Age Tm PA HR OPS Pos Eddie Mathews 171 1953 21 MLN 681 47 1.033 *5 Cesar Cedeno 162 1972 21 HOU 625 22 .921 *8/H Albert Pujols 157 2001 21 STL 676 37 1.013 5379/HD Frank Robinson 143 1956 20 CIN 667 38 .936 *7/8H Cody Bellinger 142 2017 21 LAD 548 39 .933 *37/9H8D Giancarlo Stanton 141 2011 21 FLA 601 34 .893 *9/H8D Hank Aaron 141 1955 21 MLN 665 27 .906 *974/H
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/2/2017.
That list includes three HOF, the all-time major league home run hitter not named Barry Bonds, the greatest young hitter in baseball in Eddie Mathews, the greatest home run hitter of our era in Stanton. The only player who is either not in the HOF or is not on a HOF arc is Cesar Cedeno, and let me tell you, if you had seen Cesar Cedeno play, you would have sworn he was headed for the HOF.
Oh, and none of them were primarily a 1st baseman. Pujols did play 1st base in 2001 but back then he was primarily a 3rd baseman. Much like Bellinger they used him everywhere also playing Left and Right field.
If you want to see the greatest 1st baseman in baseball history who played at least 50% of their games at 1st base while being 21 years or younger, it looks like this:
Player OPS+ Year Age Tm Lg PA OPS Pos Jimmie Foxx 173 1929 21 PHA AL 638 1.088 *3/5 Hal Trosky 150 1934 21 CLE AL 685 .987 *3 Dick Hoblitzell 143 1909 20 CIN NL 592 .782 *3 Cody Bellinger 142 2017 21 LAD NL 548 .933 *37/9H8D
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/2/2017.
How about Dodgers, and we will lower the playing component to 350 PA, and any position.
Only two Dodgers have ever had an OPS+ > 120 age 21 or younger with at least 350 PA.
Player OPS+ PA Year Age Tm AB OPS Pos Cody Bellinger 142 548 2017 21 LAD 480 .933 *37/9H8D Adrian Beltre 114 575 2000 21 LAD 510 .835 *5/H6 Adrian Beltre 102 614 1999 20 LAD 538 .780 *5/H
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/2/2017.
Cody Bellinger is the greatest 21-year-old in Dodger history.
Cody Bellinger is the greatest National League 21-year-old since Albert Pujols
Cody Bellinger is the greatest National League 21-year-old left hand hitter since Eddie Mathews.
Cody Bellinger is the bomb
- Posted in: Cody Bellinger ♦ Uncategorized
- Tagged: Albert Pujols, Cesar Cedeno, Cody Bellinger, Eddie Mathews, Frank Robinson, Giancarlo Stanton, Hank Aaron
CODY BELLINGER
that is all …
LikeLike