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16 July, 2011

All-Time HR Leaders by Team


    by Gus Ramsey

I mentioned on Twitter the other day (@gusramsey) that it's kind of fun to challenge your buddies, or yourself, to guess all the single-season HR leaders for all major league teams. A few of you asked for the list, so here you go. I threw in a few other team notes to enhance the experience for you. I'm good that way. (pay no attention to the random yellow line on some of the lists.)



ARIZONA- Luis Gonzalez  57  2001
   Mark Reynolds is the only other D'Back to hit 40+ with 44 in 2009. He also whiffed 223 times that year, meaning in the AB's he didn't whiff or walk, he hit a homer once every 6.5 times up.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
57
2.
44
3.
38
4.
37
5.
35

35
7.
34
8.
33
9.
32

32

ATLANTA - Andruw Jones  51  2005
   That's right, Hank Aaron never hit 50 so Andruw Jones has the honor. The Hammer's best Brave effort was 47 in '71.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
51
2.
47

47
4.
46
5.
45

45
7.
44

44

44

44

44

44

BALTIMORE - Brady Anderson  50 1996
   Brady hit 64 HRs in his first 6 full seasons before dropping the 5-0 on everyone and passing Hall of Famer Frank "Hey, I hit 586 homers" Robinson. Anderson hit 50 in 579 AB's in '96, 1 every 11.58 AB. The rest of his career he hit 160 homers in 5,920 AB. 1 every 37 AB.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
50
2.
49
3.
46
4.
43
5.
39

39

39

39
9.
38
10.
37

37

BOSTON - David Ortiz  54  2006
   Big Papi moved into first place on the Red Sox list in '06, moving past Jimmie Foxx whose 50 had stood since 1938. When you look at the BoSox Top 10 you see names like Ortiz, Ramirez, Foxx, Rice, Yaz, Williams. They all seem to fit except Tony Armas. He hit 251 in his career but it just looks wrong.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
54
2.
50
3.
47
4.
46
5.
45
6.
44

44
8.
43

43

43

CUBS - Sammy Sosa  66  1998
   If this was 1997, the answer would've been Hack Wilson's 56 in 1930, 16 more than the NL runner-up that year. Then along came Sammy and his alleged enhancers and a corked bat and now the top 3 seasons in Cubs history belong to him, 66, 64,63.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
66
2.
64
3.
63
4.
56
5.
50
6.
49

49
8.
48
9.
47
10.
46

WHITE SOX - Albert Belle  49  1998
   Speaking of corked bats (I know Belle's bat issues were in Cleveland. Hold your tweets.)
   The White Sox Top 10 is littered with players from 1993 on. Big Hurt, Konerko, Thome, Belle and Jermaine Dye. That fivesome would make a damn fine offensive line.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
49
2.
44
3.
43
4.
42

42
6.
41

41
8.
40

40

40

CINCINNATI - George Foster  52  1977
   At the time, this was a big deal. No one had broken the 50 HR barrier since Maris and Mantle did it in '61 before Foster's 52. He had combined to hit 52 in the two seasons prior, so it wasn't like we saw this coming. In '77 he only had 4 HR in his 1st 37 games. He belted 9 in June, 12 in July and 12 in August. He hit #51 in his 151st game. He followed that season up with 40 in '78.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
52
2.
49
3.
47
4.
46
5.
45

45
7.
40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

CLEVELAND - Jim Thome  52  2002
   Albert Belle is the only other Indian with 50, which he hit in 1995.  In '02 Thome's numbers to go with the 52 HR were .304/.445/.667 and an impressive 1.12 OPS, 118 RBI, 101 runs and 122 walks. All that earned him a 7th place finish in the MVP voting behind Miguel Tejada, A-Rod, Soriano, Garrett Anderson, Giambi and Torii Hunter.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
52
2.
50
3.
49
4.
48
5.
45
6.
44
7.
43
8.
42

42

42

COLORADO - Todd Helton/Larry Walker  49  2001/1997
   Amazing isn't it. The Rockies are the one franchise you would have thought to be a sure thing for a 50 homer guy. Helton homered on October 4th, 5th and 6th to get close, but did not hit one the final two days of the season. Walker got to 48 with 7 games to go in '97 but only hit one more, which came on the last day of the season. Walker hit 29 of his 49 on the road that year. Helton hit 27 of his 49 at home in '01.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
49

49
3.
47
4.
46
5.
42
6.
41
7.
40

40

40

40

DETROIT - Hank Greenberg  58  1938
   The Tigers Top 10 is the anti-steroid era list. Cecil Fielder is 2nd with his 51 in '90, which at the time was the first time someone hit 50 since Foster in '77. Fielder's 44 in 91 is the most recent entry into the Tigers Top 10. Norm Cash sits at #10 on the list with his 39 in 1962. In short, since 1962 only Fielder and Darrell Evans have hit more than 39 homers for Detroit. Pretty surprising.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
58
2.
51
3.
45
4.
44

44
6.
41

41
8.
40

40
10.
39

FLORIDA - Gary Sheffield  42  1996
  Mike Stanton is going to move Gary down to the 2-spot on the list, maybe this season. Stanton will smash Dan Uggla's team record of 154 to smithereens in the near future as well.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
42
2.
34
3.
33

33

33

33

33
8.
32

32

32

HOUSTON - Jeff Bagwell  47  2000
    Baggie and Berkman are all over the 'Stros Top 10. But there is that glaring Richard Hidalgo entry at #3 with 44 in 2000. That was Houston's first season out of the cavernous Astrodome and in the tiny then-Enron-now-Minute Maid Park. Those 44 homers equal just less than 25% of Hidalgo's career total of 171.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
47
2.
45
3.
44
4.
43
5.
42

42
7.
39

39

39
10.
38

KANSAS CITY - Steve Balboni  36  1985
   This is my favorite. First of all, it's Steve Balboni. It's not like the Royals haven't had power hitters. George Brett hit 300+ homers. Bo Jackson had lots of pop. Danny Tartabull and Mike Sweeney could mash the ball into the fountain from time to time. But nope, it's Steve Balboni and his 36. The Royals came into the league in 1969. They didn't leave the league during the steroid era. I find that total amazing. They are the only franchise to not have their leader have at least 40. It's like they're the only contestants at a beauty pageant that didn't get a boob job. Come on Royals, let's do something about this.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
36
2.
35
3.
34

34

34
6.
33
7.
32
8.
31
9.
30

30

ANGELS - Troy Glaus  47  2002
   To cut the Royals a little slack, I'll point out Glaus is the only Angel ever to crack the 40 barrier. The Angels Top 10 is a fun list with names like Vlad, Reggie, Mo Vaughn, Don Baylor, Wally Joyner, Bobby Bonds and Kendry Morales.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
47
2.
41
3.
39

39
5.
37

37
7.
36

36
9.
35
10.
34

34

34

34

34

DODGERS - Shawn Green  49  2001
   The Dodgers franchise goes back to 1884. Their career HR leader list is really impressive; Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella, Mike Piazza, Steve Garvey... but Shawn Green tops them all. And, oh by the way, Adrian Beltre is second with 48. Green was at 46 with 19 games to go but fell short in his bid to be the first and only Dodger to hit 50. Green hit 30 of his homers on the road that season.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
49
2.
48
3.
43

43
5.
42

42

42

42
9.
41
10.
40

40

40

40

MILWAUKEE - Prince Fielder  50  2007
   Prince is already second on the Brewers all-time list, trailing just Hall of Famer Robin Yount. He'll remain there if he leaves via free agency after the season. But after Prince on the single-season list is a nice collection of classic Brewer types, Riche Sexson, Gorman Thomas, Ben Oglivie, Jeomy Burnitz and Ryan Braun.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
50
2.
46
3.
45

45

45
6.
41
7.
39
8.
38

38
10.
37

MINNESOTA - Harmon Killebrew  49  1964/1969
   As much as I love the Royals stuff, the Twins list is really the most amazing. 

RankPlayerHome RunsYear
1.Harmon Killebrew491964
 Harmon Killebrew491969
3.Harmon Killebrew481962
4.Harmon Killebrew461961
5.Harmon Killebrew451963
6.Harmon Killebrew441967
7.Harmon Killebrew421959
 Roy Sievers421957
9.Harmon Killebrew411970
10.Harmon Killebrew391966
 Roy Sievers391958

  See. That is absolutely amazing. Harmon Killebrew STILL has 9 of the top 10 Twins seasons ever.
Also, the Twins haven't had someone hit at at least 39 homers since 1970.
Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, Justin Morneau, Dave Winfield, Gary Gaetti.... anyone? No one.
  That's not the only thing this list shows. It also shows the remarkable consistency and productivity of Killebrew, perhaps the most overlooked slugger in Cooperstown.

METS - Todd Hundley/Carlos Beltran  41  1996/2006
   Born in 1962, it took the Mets 35 seasons to break the 40 HR plateau. Given the sluggers the Mets have actually had, Strawberry, Kingman, Piazza, Foster, Delgado and HoJo, it's as little surprising that 1) 41 is the benchmark 2) it's Hundley and Beltran on top.
  As an aside, when David Wright came into the league I told friends that he would end up the most productive position player in their franchises history. That was not based on me thinking he was going to  be a Hall of Famer, but more an indictment on the Mets career leaders. Basically all you need to do is play 10 seasons for the Mets averaging 26 HR's, 74 rbi, 58 walks and 142 hits, and you'd lead in all those categories. Wright already is their all-time leader in doubles and Reyes leads in triples in stolen bases.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
41

41
3.
40
4.
39

39
6.
38

38

38

38
10.
37

37

37

YANKEES - Roger Maris  61  1961
   You forget sometimes that Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron are not the single-season home run leaders for their respective teams. The Yankees Top 10 remains pristine looking with Ruth, Mantle and Gehrig filling out most of the list. Then there is A-Rod, sitting there tied for 4th with his 54 from 2007. His numbers that year were absurd. .314/.422/.645, 54 HR, 156 rbi, 143 runs, 24 SB. He will likely pass Bernie Williams on the Yankees all-time list this season and then he'll be 6th behind Ruth, Mantle, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Berra. Wow.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
61
2.
60
3.
59
4.
54

54

54

54
8.
52
9.
49

49

49

OAKLAND - Jimmie Foxx  58  1932
   Not only is this the longest standing of the single-season bests, I think it will stay there for a long time.
   Reggie Jackson, who gets peeved every time someone asks him about the steroid era, must hate looking at the A's list and seeing McGwire, Canseco and Giambi all over it.
   As awesome as those A-Rod numbers you just read were, how about Foxx's '32 MVP season?
.364/.469/.749, 58 HR, 151 runs, 169 rbi. He's one of only 7 guys with 150+ runs and 150+ rbi in the same season.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
58
2.
52
3.
49
4.
48
5.
47
6.
44

44
8.
43
9.
42

42

42


PHILADELPHIA - Ryan Howard  58  2006
   Howard became the first Phillie to crack the 50 mark with his 2006 season. Jim Thome is 4th on this list. So if you're counting, he's on the Indians, White Sox and Phillies Top 10 list. Howard is already 2nd behind Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt on the team's all-time list. Do you know who is third?
Del Ennis. Who is Del Ennis? I have no clue.
   As for Howard's '06 season, he struck out 181 times that season, meaning 14% of the time he put the ball in play, he hit a homer.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
58
2.
48

48
4.
47

47
6.
45

45
8.
43
9.
42
10.
41

PITTSBURGH - Ralph Kiner  54  1949
  That's right, Ralph isn't just that guy who called Mets games forever and used to call Mookie Wilson and Hubie Brooks, Mookie Brooks or Hubie Wilson. Ralph has spots 1,2,4,6,7,10 on Pittsburgh's list, which, by the way, does not include Barry Bonds. Willie Stargell and Brian Giles are the only others accompanying Mr. Kiner. He lead the league in HR's each of his first 7 seasons and hit 369 taters in 10 seasons. You do the math. Pretty, pretty good.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
54
2.
51
3.
48
4.
47
5.
44
6.
42
7.
40
8.
39
9.
38
10.
37

37

SAN DIEGO - Greg Vaughn  50  1998
   This may be the hardest one to get. Greg Vaughn is one of those guys who is easy to forget. I would imagine people guess Winfield or McGriff or Adrian Gonzalez. Vaughn only played 321 games in San Deigo, hitting 78 homers, but 50 of them in '98. Unfortunately for Vaughn, in the summer of '98 two guys named McGwire and Sosa were spellbinding a nation with their quest for 61 and Vaughn's 50 went largely unnoticed. That's probably why this is such a hard one to recall. As for Nate Colbert, he is first on the "Whose baseball card did a young Gus Ramsey have the most copies of?" list. He also hit 5 homers in a doubleheader. You need to know these things.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
50
2.
41
3.
40

40
5.
38

38
7.
36
8.
35
9.
34

34

SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds  73  2001
   That was 10 years ago. Really? Already? Kind of feels more recent.
   In '01 Bonds was only intentionally walked 35 times. I say only because 3 years later he was given the IBB 120 times!! When you talk about records that will never be broken, that's 1st on the sleeper list. Those 120 IBB would be the 3rd most walks in a season since 2005! If you forgot, Bonds walked 232 times in '04.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
73
2.
52
3.
51

51
5.
49

49
7.
47

47
9.
46

46

46

SEATTLE - Ken Griffey Jr.  56  1997/1998
  Junior holds the 1-5 spots on the Mariners list before Jay Buhner sticks his bald dome in there at 6 with 44.
  I guess you could say Ken was pretty consistent in those two seasons. How consistent, you ask? Well, take a look.
1997:  56 HR, 125 R, 147 RBI,  76 BB, 121 K, 185 H, 34 2B, 3 3B
1998:  56 HR, 120 R, 146 RBI,  76 BB, 121 K, 180 H, 33 2B, 3 3B


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
56

56
3.
49
4.
48
5.
45
6.
44
7.
42

42
9.
41
10.
40

40

40

ST. LOUS - Mark McGwire  70  1998
   After Big Mac's 70 and 65, Pujols has spots 3-5. Maybe the most shocking element of the Cardinals list is that Stan Musial isn't on it. He is the Cardinals all-time leader with 475, but his single-season best of 39 doesn't crack the list. By the way, Musial only struck out 696 times in 12,712 plate appearances. Mark McGwire struck out 900 more times in 5,052 fewer ABs. Musial's season high for whiffs? 46.
   In '98 Big Mac proved 3-1 is not always a hitter's count, hitting .056 in those at bats, going just 2-38 (both hits were homers). Clearly he was not getting anything good to hit, as he walked 60 times in 100 PA that got to 3-1. Conversely, Sammy Sosa hit .333 after 3-1 counts in '98, going 13-39 with 7 HR.


Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
70
2.
65
3.
49
4.
47
5.
46
6.
43

43
8.
42

42

42

42

TAMPA RAY -  Carlos Pena  46  2007
  Pena is the only Ray to break the 40 plateau.
  The 28 that Pena, Cantu and Vaughn all had for 10th best on the Rays list is the lowest 10th best of any team. So there's that.

Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
46
2.
39
3.
34

34
5.
33
6.
32
7.
31
8.
29
9.
28

28

28

TEXAS - Alex Rodriguez  57  2002
   This was A-Rod's second season in Arlington. He had bashed 52 homers in his first. He certainly enjoyed getting out of the dome in Seattle and hitting in Texas. After having an even 26/26 home/road split in '01, he hit 34 of 57 at home in his '02 season.
He also hit 18 first inning HR that season.

Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
57
2.
52
3.
48
4.
47

47

47

47
8.
46
9.
45
10.
44

44

TORONTO - Jose Bautista  54  2010
   Joey Bats dropped drop-kicking George Bell's 47 to the 2-spot with his outburst last season. After those two, who else but Jose Canseco is next with a 46 from 1998. So, if you're scoring at home, Canseco sits in the Top 10 of Oakland, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
   Bautista had 59 career HR in 1,573 career PA before last season. He's hit 85 homers in 1,062 PA the last two seasons.
   And clearly Tony Batista enjoyed some of the benefits that many seem to find upon arriving in Toronto.

Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
54
2.
47
3.
46
4.
44
5.
42

42
7.
41

41
9.
40
10.
39

WASHINGTON - Alphonso Soriano  46  2006
   This is kind of a stealth entry. Soriano only had one season in Washington and certainly made the most of it. The last person to be in Washington for that short amount of time but display that much power may have been William Henry Harrison.
  Nine of the Washington franchise all-time Top 10 list remain Expos, including Bob Bailey. Ryan Zimmerman is the lone Nat but he's already 5th.  
  

Rank
Player
Home Runs
Year
1.
46
2.
44
3.
42
4.
39
5.
38

38

38
8.
36
9.
34
10.
33





























































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