Jose Abreu

Get used to this name. On Sunday (April 27), Abreu broke the rookie record for RBIs in the month of April with 31, and he still has a number of games to go. As of tonight in the 7th inning, he has 0 RBIs against the Rays but still could get more. Abreu also has two more games to go after this game, both home games against the Tigers. According to the MLB At Bat app, 2011 Cy Young winner Justin Verlander is throwing Game One of the two-game series (April 29th), and 2013 Cy Young winner Max Scherzer has Game 2 (April 30th). Yes, Abreu does have two games left but they are against some of the best pitchers in the game. That said, Detroit's bullpen is...inadequate we'll say, so if the tables are set he might able to collect a few more in the late innings. 

In 13 out of 26 games played, Abreu has 18 of his league-leading 31 RBIs at home. 24 of his 31 have also come against right-handed pitchers, which of course Verlander and Scherzer both are. Interestingly enough, though, Abreu has collected 13 RBIs with two strikes on him, so it will be an interesting battle between two of the leagues premiere strike throwers versus an excellent two strike hitter. 

Also in his favor is the fact that he simply owns Verlander. In the April 22nd Tigers/White Sox game, Abreu took Verlander deep to centerfield

Abreu taking Verlander to the woodshed.

(an impressive feat in the spacious Comerica Park) in the first inning and then collected another hit in the 6th. We'll see how Verlander fares against Abreu tomorrow night against the Sox, he is 15-12 with a 3.98 ERA against them in his career. We have a very small sample size for Verlander vs. Abreu only (one game), but the history shows Abreu has the upper hand. 

Abreu had the complete opposite luck against Scherzer. Later in that same series, the April 24th game against the Sox, Scherzer struck Abreu out twice on the way to his second win of the season. Abreu would finish 0-5. 

A lot of this depends on the rest of the White Sox team too and whether or not they can get on base. Obviously Abreu is a major power threat, driving himself in 10 times, but with others on base, there is some pressure off the new slugger and he could just strengthen his record. 

Abreu has the rookie record, beating Pujols' 2001 mark of 30 steaks. Abreu has an outside shot at the MLB record for April, owned by Juan Gonzalez's 35 RBIs. It would take some handsome batting but it can be done. 

Although he is in the AL Central and will undoubtedly terrorize my Tigers for years to come, I love seeing Abreu crush a baseball and watch it fly into the warm Chicago nights. With Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn aging quickly, he will be a more than capable replacement at either DH or first base. I think he is an incredible talent and I am thankful that 1) he is in the Majors and not stuck in Cuba,

2) is on my fantasy team and no one else's, and 3) you took the time to read this post. Enjoy what's left of your Monday. 

Also, happy birthday to Barry Larkin! Michigan grad, I shouted "Go Blue" at the Induction parade last summer and he gave me an air-fist bump. It was pretty sweet. Have a good one. 

Celebrating a Slugger's Birthday

Happy (belated) birthday to one of the purest sluggers ever to walk the earth: Hank Aaron. Aaron, 80 years old (@HenryLouisAaron on Twitter [good for him for being on Twitter]), is obviously known for his massive towering home runs, but here are some other things that make his career shine:

•       Career leader in RBI’s: with 2,297 steaks he likely will stay comfortably atop the leaderboard. Only two other players have eclipsed two grand (Babe Ruth, Cap Anson), and the closest actives are A-Rod with 1,969, but given his off-field shenanigans, it will be significantly harder to reach, ManRam with 1,831, and then all the way down to 34-year old Pujols with 1,498.
• ·      Career leader in total bases: an underrated stat, if you ask me. Aaron has 6,856 total bases. Pick up your jaws, folks, it gets better: he averaged 337 through 22 years of playing, and he leads the next player (Stan Musial) by 700 bases, almost two seasons worth. He also hit 400 in a year; we haven’t seen that since Derrek Lee’s 2005 season. Last year, Chris Davis, even with his breakout 53 home run season, got to 370.
• ·      Career .305 hitter: Typically, it’s hard for pure sluggers to be great average hitters as well, by the likes of Adam Dunn (440 home runs, .238 hitter) or Ryan Howard (311 home runs, .271 hitter). He struck out so rarely, 1,383 in 23 seasons to be exact (average of 68 K’s per season), and his average floated all the way up to .355 in 1959.
• ·      25 All-Star Game selections: need I say more?
• ·      Class: Hank Aaron is just a class act. When I worked at the Hall of Fame last summer, I heard nothing but amazing things about him; he remembers people’s names, he’s ready to donate something from his collection (hence the Hank Aaron room on the 3^rd floor), and will go head over heels for the Hall (I’m sure in his shape he could literally do that). He comes back for Induction every year and is always the fan favorite.

Many happy returns to you, Mr. Aaron. Thank you so much for you’ve done for the game, before, during, and after your career.

Other fun facts about Hank:

• ·      He never hit more than 47 home runs in a season.
• ·      He and his brother Tommie, also a Brave for smatterings 1962-1971, hold the record for most home runs between siblings at the Major League level.
• ·      He made the 1973 All-Star Team as a first basemen.

If you want chills, listen to one of these. Compilation of the three calls when Aaron hit his record breaking 715^th home run (can you ever go wrong with Vin Scully?).

https://archive.org/details/HankAaron-715thHomeRun-ThreeDifferentCalls