Slugfest in Chicago

The Diamondbacks and Cubs played a classic slugfest Thursday afternoon, the Diamondbacks winning 10-8 when Paul Goldschmidt hit the seventh home run of the game, his third of the day to break the 8-8 tie.

Goldschmidt’s first career three-homer game gave him 25 for the season, and his six RBIs matched a career high.

Given the emphasis in the headline and the article, it seems that people think it’s unusual for Goldschmidt to have gone so long without a three-home run game.

Not counting Goldschmidt today, there are 270 players who debuted since 1969 (played their whole careers with the low mound) who had at least one game in which they hit at least three home runs. Of those who never hit three in a game, here are the top ten HR producers:

First Name	Last Name	At Bats	Plate App	Hits	Homeruns
Rafael	Palmeiro	10472	12046	3020	569
David	Ortiz	8640	10091	2472	541
Gary	Sheffield	9217	10947	2689	509
Fred	McGriff	8757	10174	2490	493
Vladimir	Guerrero	8155	9059	2590	449
Jim	Edmonds	6858	7980	1949	393
Dwight	Evans	8996	10569	2446	385
Jeff	Kent	8498	9537	2461	377
Carlton	Fisk	8756	9853	2356	376
Gary	Gaetti	8951	9817	2280	360

That’s a pretty good list, one that Goldschmidt would have been proud to join someday.

from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/2wcH3zu