The city of New York has Broadway, the city of Los Angeles has Hollywood. New York is known for commotion, Los Angeles, on the other hand, is known for relaxation. New York offers skyline views, while Los Angeles offers beachfront havens.
Of course, the list of perks that both coasts possess runs much longer than those three examples, and to people separated by nearly 2,800 miles, the belief is that their own city has a greater appeal and more attractions than the other. But this year, New York and Los Angeles finally have something in common: Both cities are the home to two talented rookie sluggers, flourishing before their fans’ eyes.
There are only so many adjectives to illustrate what Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger have accomplished at the plate this season. Off the top of one’s head, perhaps the words “improbable” and “stunning” come to mind, or maybe even “prodigious” after taking a glance at the youngsters’ numbers. But today’s word of focus is “historic,” and here’s why.
On Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, Judge smacked his 26th home run of the year — which ranks above all hitters in baseball. On Sunday, the 25-year-old drove in RBI No. 59 — placing him atop the list of American Leaguers in that category. Along with a slashline of .332/.440/.699 and a 4.6 WAR (best in MLB), the 6-foot-7, 282-pound behemoth has been the talk of baseball for three months, as his tape measure home runs and blistering line drives have become appointment television for fans inside and out of the New York market.Â
“[Judge’s] had an unbelievable first two and a half months of the season,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters in mid-June. “Again, the homers are great and the RBI’s are great, but I look at the two strike hits and his discipline and the walks and how he makes pitchers work and going first to third and going first to home and everything that he does. It’s just not a power bat, this is a complete player and we’re reaping the benefits of it.
“He doesn’t have to try to do too much. His power’s incredible and his ability to use the whole field has been special. And those guys that can do that, a lot of times stay away from extended cold streaks because of their discipline and using the whole field. It means their approach is right.”
But Judge isn’t the only rookie defying odds and breaking records. Out west in Chavez Ravine, the 21-year-old Bellinger is piling up his own staggering home run totals, as his 24 homers ranks first in the National League. What’s even more impressive than Judge’s stats is that Bellinger was promoted to the majors on April 25, and has played in 14 fewer games than Judge.
His 13 home runs in the month of June is a new NL high, and his six multi-home run games is five shy of tying Sammy Sosa’s mark (11) set back in 1998. It’s also worth mentioning that Bellinger’s the fastest rookie to hit 21 jacks.
“[Bellinger’s]Â exceeded all of our expectations,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last week. “It’s easy to say he’s only going to get better, and he keeps getting better.”
Like Judge, Bellinger’s torrid hitting pace is momentous, but remember, the word of the day is “historic.” Assuming that both sluggers will maintain their numbers over the course of the whole season, there will be no need to vote for AL and NL Rookie of the Year. In fact, Judge and Bellinger should receive the honor yesterday. But there’s even more hardware at stake for these two kids, and if it’s awarded to them, their names will be etched into baseball lore as figures of eminence.
In the history of baseball — which dates back to 1869 — only two players have ever won their respective league’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player award in the same season. The first to do so was Fred Lynn with the Boston Red Sox in 1975, and 26 years later, Ichico accomplished the same feat as a member of the Seattle Mariners. While baseball’s Triple Crown is considered to be the most distinguished and illustrious honor in the sport, its rarity doesn’t compare to the uniqueness of winning two awards as a rookie. Even in an age when one fascinating record is constantly being surpassed, baseball certainly isn’t rich in rookie campaigns like Judge’s and Bellinger’s.
Now, there’s still three months remaining in the season, and a lot can change in this time. It’s not illogical to assume that slumps or injury could arise, and when thinking about it, slumps and injury are the main factors why these discussions among rookie hitters are seldom blown out of proportion.
But, nevertheless, Judge and Bellinger’s record-setting paces aren’t something to sneeze at. For baseball fans, there should be a great sense of excitement and awe while the rookies are in the spotlight. And in all honesty, fans should have a feeling of regret if just one of Judge and Bellinger’s at-bats are ignored.
So, if history is in the making, witness every second of it.
If you want to connect with Tom Hanslin, email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @tomhanslin.
