When we were young, we didn't think about it. If you were an impressionable youth between 1998-2003, 60 seems reasonable, or even reachable, or something to be expected to happen occasionally. It wasn't even discussed.
Jon Heyman said it was worth the time to watch 60 home runs in a season. Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire are the only modern players to hit 60 home runs in a season. The judge is hitting in a different place. If not for their existence, hitters would have questioned their profession two decades ago. FanGraphs has data for the last year in which the average fastball was 89.4 MPH. Now it is 93.6. The 95 MPH cutter was not thrown by anyone. There is no such thing as a hitters' count anymore. According to StatCast, Judge has only seen three of his pitches. When ahead in the count, you used to be able to count on a pitch. It could be the same pitch that cracks the air like a whip as it dives towards the other batter.
It isn't worth the effort to use Judge's season to wipe out what happened before. How come only a few guys hit 60 or more homers? IfPEDs were the only answer, shouldn't everyone have gone?
It seems like a huge number, but we forget that Judge's teammate was 59 years ago. Ryan Howard hit a couple of home runs. Luis Gonzalez hit 57, which seems ridiculous now given the rest of his career, but he didn't compromise on the numbers people hold dear and he won a World Series. It feels like Judge has left them all in the dust when you hear that. He could do well by the end of the season if he gets to 64 or 65.
The most successful bet-on-yourself season of all time should be celebrated by Judge. The Yankees tried to get Judge a contract extension for less than he was worth, and he decided to show them how much more it would cost to keep him. If they would like to. If he doesn't get anything close to it, the union will have a decent case.
Out of 146 MLB seasons, only nine times has anyone waded into the 60 home run pool. That is astounding.
Home runs. You would get laughed out of a room if you said someone could reach that number before the season started. It feels like the baseball season has been ruined. It's the only number of the year. It is an accomplishment that every baseball fan will remember.
The Chicago Cubs are on the other side of the spectrum. Their social media is also included.
They had the right to take it down, but it was on the internet. Any reference to the worst day in the history of the Marlins and the death of Jose Fernandez is distasteful, which is a good way to describe the Cubs as a whole.
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