Thanks to Gary Sanchez’s pure brilliance since his call-up in early August, the question as to who produced the best MLB calendar month comes about.
New York Yankees’ rookie catcher Gary Sanchez has taken the league by storm, achieving historic feat after historic feat en route to one of the best individual months in baseball history.
Considering he just recently burst upon the scene, the accomplishments are downright absurd. Simply put, it is the Sanchez show in the Bronx.
His .403 batting average, 10 homers, 20 RBIs, and 1.342 OPS speaks for itself. To make this even greater, the power numbers are only subject to improvement between now and September 1.
While the 23-year-old’s efforts may go down as one of the single best months in MLB history, there have certainly been performances which have cemented their place among the best and proven to be flat-out immortal.
Whether the time period was indicative of the player’s career or not, there have been some breathtaking outputs that have left fans utterly speechless. For Yankee fans, that is exactly what has gone down throughout the past three weeks.
So, without further adieu, let’s jump right into it. What are the five greatest individual calendar month performances in baseball history? ESNY’s list might just answer your pressing questions.
Not only were A-Rod’s 2007 totals by far his best in pinstripes, winning him an AL MVP, but they were at large the best of his recently completed legendary career.
In a year in which he finished with 54 homers and 156 RBIs, Rodriguez slammed 14 homers and racked up 34 RBIs in 23 April games alone. His slugging percentage and OPS were .882 and 1.297 for the month, respectively, placing himself well on his way to a ridiculously torrent campaign.
Over an otherwise questionable tenure with the Yankees, the third baseman would never see a month of brilliance remotely close to the first month of 2007.
Perhaps October into November of 2009 is the only exception in the eyes of Yankee fans.
In his first season in the Bronx, also his first season as a full-time position player, the Great Bambino blasted 54 homers and drove in 135 runs while sporting an absolutely incredible 1.379 OPS.
These were numbers that no one never been seen. The year prior, Ruth led the league with a mere 29 dingers.
The overall numbers were unheard of, but even more unheard of was his month of July. As the weather got warmer, the ball started to fly like never before.
In arguably the greatest month of his career, the Babe put up 13 homers, 33 RBIs, and 1.581 OPS in 34 July games back in 1920. The 25-year-old’s slash line of .440/.611/.970 was just something you do not see.
With that calendar month performance, George Herman Ruth began to solidify himself as the best player to throw on an MLB uniform.
It is quite hard to believe that Helton only finished fifth in the NL MVP voting back in 2000. Perhaps the BBWAA was caught up in the environment he played in, Coors Field, but the numbers he showcased over 160 games were otherworldly.
A 26-year-old at the time, he jolted 42 homers and drove in 147 runs while raking his way an astounding slash of .372/.463/.698.
He can give his regards to the month of May as it was a ginormous part of that success. Before we get into the power, let’s look at the slash. Helton’s line read .512/.588/1.000. Yes, that is is a .512 batting average. To answer your next question, that is, in fact, a slugging percentage of 1.000. Just utterly insane.
How did he achieve such a slugging percentage? Well, 11 home runs and 26 RBIs in merely 23 May games does not hurt.
In 1998, right in the heat of his prime, Cubs superstar Sammy Sosa jacked 66 homers and knocked in 158 home runs, waltzing his way to NL MVP honors.
Cork in his bat, performance enhancing drugs … you name it. You can make any accusation you want. The numbers still exist and live to this very day.
Say It Ain’t Sosa? In 27 games in the month of June, he cracked a major league record 20 home runs and drove in 40 runs, catapulting himself to a first half which saw him crack 33 long balls.
Sure, his .298 average for the month is a bit underwhelming comparatively, but that kind of power production simply does not leave you empty handed.
It should go without saying that no one will eclipse that 30-day home run total as long as we live.
Let’s just say that Barry Bonds, throughout his entire career, logged enough magnificent monthly outbursts to fill this entire list. However, it is only fair to spread the wealth a little bit.
Rather than leaving others out of the equation, evaluating Bonds’ best big league month makes the most sense. In 2004, the eventual home run king was so highly feared that he was walked a major league-record 232 times, producing an on-base percentage of .609. Furthermore, he set another record when 120 opposing skippers decided to give him a free pass.
Yet, still, in only 373 official at-bats over 147 games, the 39-year-old was able to smash 45 home runs. When it was all said and done, he took home his fourth straight NL MVP.
Without his month of April, by far the best individual month of all-time, he may not have accomplished a four-peat.
His slash was .472/.696/1.132. No words can truly describe it.
Do not be deceived, but that last number is a slugging percentage. His OPS? How about 1.828?
Not to mention — with all of the fear resulting in intentional walks — that he was still able to launch 10 round-trippers and plate 22 runs. 2004, especially taking age into consideration, has to go down as the most fascinating and distinguishing year in MLB history.
Baseball stat fanatics just go crazy looking at such numbers. Thanks to the staggering efforts, Bonds will never be forgotten for putting up the greatest individual calendar month performance in the history of the sport.
Emmanuel Berbari covers the New York Yankees& Major League Baseballfor ESNY. Interact with him and view his daily work by “liking” his facebook page. He invites you to emailany questions, comments, or concerns as well.