Remarkable accomplishment. What a great rookie season for Alonso. Helen Sent from my iPad
> On Sep 28, 2019, at 5:30 PM, Shane Ford <goufgator...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Gator in MLB: Mets’ Alonso hits 52nd HR to tie rookie mark > By gatorsports - September 28, 2019031 > > New York Mets' Pete Alonso takes a curtain call after hitting his 52nd home > run of the season during the first inning Friday against the Atlanta Braves > in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) > NEW YORK — The Polar Bear has his paws on a major league record. > > Pete Alonso (University of Florida) hit his 52nd homer to match Aaron Judge’s > rookie mark in the New York Mets’ 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday > night. He has two games left to claim the record outright. > > Alonso connected in the first inning against Dallas Keuchel, narrowly > clearing the wall in left field for a solo shot that tied Judge’s total from > his breakout season with the New York Yankees in 2017. > > The 24-year-old Alonso smiled as he hurried around the bases and pointed to > the home fans as he crossed the plate. Teammates greeted him with handshakes > outside the dugout, and the crowd at Citi Field insisted on a curtain call. > > “Unbelievable,” Alonso said. “When I was rounding the bases I felt like a > little kid. I felt like a 7-year-old kid. I was just really kind of overcome > with pure joy.” > > Keuchel was booed when he walked Alonso in the third inning, and the big > slugger popped up and struck out in his final two at-bats. > > “I knew it was going to happen eventually,” Judge said after the Yankees’ > 14-7 victory at Texas. “Just the type of swing he has and watching someone’s > at-bats early on in the year. This kid … this one’s special. He’s got > something about it. You saw his great determination in that Home Run Derby, > too. He’s got the ‘it’ factor.” > > Alonso leads Cincinnati’s Eugenio Suárez by three for the majors’ home run > lead and would be the first rookie since at least 1900 to claim the big > league crown outright. Manager Mickey Callaway said he may bat Alonso leadoff > in the final two games to get him extra at-bats, and Alonso was eager to > slide up a spot. > > A history major in college with “an affinity for that kind of stuff,” Alonso > said he’s struggling to comprehend the accomplishment. > > “When I think of baseball history, I think old-timey guys like Lou Gehrig, > Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds,” Alonso said. “Geez, I mean, to think that as a > rookie I hit more homers than everyone except for one guy, it’s nuts. It’s > crazy. I’m not trying to sound any other way. It’s just, wow.” > > Alonso has already set franchise records for homers, total bases (343) and > extra-base hits (84). He has 119 RBIs and 100 runs, becoming the first Mets > rookie to reach triple digits in both categories. No New York player had > reached those totals in any season since David Wright and Carlos Beltran in > 2008. > > Alonso’s 119 RBIs are five shy of Wright’s franchise record set in ’08. > > “He’s been outstanding,” Callaway said. “There’s just something about Pete > that draws everybody in.” > > TOAST OF THE TOWN > > Alonso’s only conversations with Judge have been quick chats at first base > during games, but Alonso said he may reach out and try to get dinner with > Judge in the offseason. He grinned when asked about embracing a cross-borough > home run rivalry. > > “There’s nothing wrong with some friendly competition,” he said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > Go Gators! > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 > National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 > National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorNews" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to gatornews+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gatornews/BE57EF4D-A3B5-4330-A47E-949DBFF98781%40gmail.com. -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to gatortalk+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gatortalk/2B7A1ED2-073E-450B-B35A-578B5369AF59%40gmail.com.
