The Elite Power Hitters

Barry passed the Babe yesterday, and it got me thinking about real power surges. So let’s pose the following question:

Which player has the most home runs in a five consecutive year period?

I guessed it right. I have to write a few more lines while you’re thinking about it so you don’t see the answer while you’re thinking. I did a little digging on BR to identify those players who hit more than 200 home runs in a five year period. And I didn’t allow any of those overlap periods (he hit 222 homers from 1995 to 1999 and 227 homers from 1996 to 2000). No overlapping. So think about that list: it’s been done 20 times.

Back to question number one. Thought about it? Here’s the answer. It’s Sammy Sosa, who hit 292 homers from 1998-2002, an obscene average of 58.4 homers. Still think Sammy wasn’t doing steroids?

There was a time that I thought Sammy was going to be the one to break Aaron’s record. He was on an incredible pace, with three years over 60 homers, and not all that far behind Bonds, who is three years older. Now he looks done at 588, fifth on the all-time list. The price of his Upper Deck 1990 rookie card has plummeted, which suggests he’s done. Gee, not even 600. By the way, did you know Sammy had 30-30 twice?

Second on the list is Mark McGwire with 284 homers from 1995-1999. And third is Barry, with 258 from 2000-2004. Except for 2001 when he broke the record with 73 juiced homers, Barry has never hit more than 49 homers in a season. But that 5 year period averaged 51.6 because of the big year.

There are 5 more active players on the list. Ken Griffey, Jr. is fifth with 249 homers from 1996-2000. Alex Rodriguez is sixth with 239 homers from 1999-2003. Jim Thome, reborn this season, is tied for ninth with 227 from 2000-2004. Manny Ramirez is tied for 18th with 201 from 1998-2002.

And Big Al Pujols has a current streak of 201, tied with Ramirez. That number is going to increase, because his last 3 years total 130, and if he stays healthy and averages (conservatively) 45 this year and next, he’ll be at 220.

Three more current era players are up there. Raffy Palmiero, possibly active, probably not, had 219 from 1998-2002. His numbers were not just about lasting a long time. He could rake. And remember Albert Belle? The man who had a 50-50 season (doubles and homers) is 14th with 214 homers from 1995-1999. And just off the list Carlos Delgado, who hit 199 from 1999-2003.

That’s the current era players. There are a lot of questions about juicing on that list. Actually, a bunch of those guys were sitting and lying in front of Congress not too long ago.

Now for the old guys.

The Babe is an amazing case. He’s on the list twice with no overlap. He was 4th with 256 homers from 1926-1930, and he was 7th with 235 homers from 1920-1924. Holey moley. Imagine if he hadn’t wasted those years pitching.

Willie Mays was 11th with 226 from 1961-1965. Are you surprised that he’s ahead of Mickey Mantle? Mickey hit 201 from 1957-1961, tied for 18th. Mickey had too many injuries, and his two best years were exactly 6 years apart (52 in 56 and 54 in 61),

The most surprising name on the list is Ralph Kiner. He was a real phenom with a short career (only 10 years), but he is 8th on the list with 234 homers from 1947-1951. Kiner hit 369 homers in those ten years, and won 7 consecutive NL homer crowns from 1946-1952. He still made the Hall of Fame, sort of the Sandy Koufax of hitters. We’ll have to take a look at him in detail as a Hal Trosky type some day.

Of course, Jimmy Foxx made the list, tied with Thome for 9th (behind Kiner!) with 227 homers from 2000-2004. Harmon Killebrew is tied with Raffy for 11th with 219 from 1959-1963. Harmon is just unappreciated as a great power hitter, with 578 career homers (8th). He had to wait three years to make the Hall of Fame.

Ernie Banks is 15th with 207 from 1955-1959. And Larrupin’ Lou Gehrig, the Iron Man, snuck on the list at #16, with 202 from 1930-1934.

Finally, one more guy: the homer champ, Hank Aaron. Hank is tied with Gehrig for 16th with 202 from 1959-1963, and he just missed it a second time (no overlap) with 197 from 1967-1971.

That’s your 200+ list. Mike Schmidt just missed it with 199, and Eddie Matthews had 197. Hack Wilson? Reggie Jackson? Ted Williams? Willie McCovey? Mel Ott? Jose Canseco? Jay Buhner? (Buhner…private joke with The Doc. Anyone want to buy a couple of thousand Jay Buhner rookie cards?) Not really close. Averaging 40 homers for 5 years means you’re one of the greats, and/or one of the great steroid users. It’s a pretty exclusive list, and helps justify Ralph Kiner’s induction despite the short career. He was the best homer hitter in the major leagues in the period just after World War II, and that says something, because in 1947 Jackie Robinson ushered in the integration era.

One more name deserves an honorary addition to this list. Hank Greenberg hit 172 homers from 1937-1940, an average of 43 per year. He then left for the army after playing just 19 games in 1941. He returned after his service discharge in 1945 to play just 78 games in a partial season. He did hit 44 homers in 1946, his next complete season. Greenberg missed 4-1/2 seasons in the absolute prime of his career from age 30-34. He had hit 58 homers in 1938. There is no doubt that he would have been in the upper echelons of this list, but he thought fighting the Nazi’s was more important.

By the way, that is a great documentary I've pictured here, if you've never seen it. Highly, highly recommended, not just by me, but by the Colonel.

On this Memorial Day, let us recognize Hank Greenberg's sacrifice for our freedom and grace him with being part of this elite group. And check out the movie.