In 1922 Ken Williams was the 1st player ever to hit 30 HRs & steal 30 bases in the same season. He remained the only player for 34 years until Willie Mays did it in back to back seasons in 56 & again in 57. Since then approx 35-40 players have accomplished the feat. With father & son Bobby & Barry Bonds as the only 2 to do it 5 times. Said Mays several years back, "If I had known it wasn't going to be a big deal I would have done it many times". Then we come to the very elusive 40-40 club accomplished by 4 different players. First it was Canseco in 1988, followed by Barry Bonds in 1996, A-Rod in 1998 & finally Alfonso Soriano in 2006. IMO I believe Bonds & Soriano's feat were done legitimately. Lastly I remember being a huge Giant fan back in 1973 Bobby Bonds with over two weeks left in the seasons had already surpassed the 40 steals & he had 39 HRs. The pressure must have gotten the better of him as he never hit that 40th HR finishing the year with 39 HRs & 43 SBs.
I think Ellsbury has consistent 30-30 and 40-40 potential. If he stays healthy, 2011 should not be a fluke.
I know you're kidding but the guy has only cracked double digits in HRs once in his career & that had people scratching there heads. But I do think with the short right field porch that he MAY be able to hit near 20 this year.
Wow...! Great stuff Rick, I love to eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a night time snack, ie. (MLB-stats/history) but you knew that. Great work. May's had some great quotes, the one you mentioned being my favorite, as well as "I can't believe they pay me to play this game" (something like that), I always think of Willie when I see these ridiculous contracts, which are eroding the game with decadence/cancer. Just ask Time Warner Bros Cable or Guggenheim, the BASTARDS!!!
I became a Giant fan in 1961 while growing up in an orphanage. One of the priests there grew up with Willie McCovey & on a visit to his families home in San Francisco one summer he delighted me by bringing back an autograph picture of McCovey My favorite player. Mays was 10 years or so into his career by the time I became a fan but he was the most complete player I had ever seen. Then in 1968 they got another amazing playing who like Mays was also a complete 5 tool player, Bobby Bonds. Unfortunately as good of a career that he had & would have been better had the Giants not traded him for Bobby Murcer. I don't know why but Bonds ended up playing for I believe 8 different team before retiring & passing on at a young age. The Yankees & Giants, when they were on TV, I was going no where.
Here's a couple of very underrated big deals in MLB history. Willie Mays hit over 50 HRs 10 years apart and stole over 20 bases at age 40. A testimony to the man's durability, stamina, consistent excellence and greatness.
For what its worth, I feel that Ellsbury will hit between 20-25 homers this year if he plays 150+ games.
