Hey, here we go, time for my first opinion piece since joining Black Press and Isa国际传媒檓 excited about it.

For anyone that knows me, or if yousa国际传媒檙e just getting to know me through here, Isa国际传媒檓 a massive baseball fan and wesa国际传媒檙e here to talk about home runs.

As a Blue Jays fan, it pains me to say this, but as a baseball fan, itsa国际传媒檚 cool to say this, congratulations to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge for breaking the American League home run record! Judge broke the record by hitting his 62nd home run of the season down in Texas on Tuesday night (Oct. 4), beating Roger Marissa国际传媒� record of 61 that he accomplished in 1961, 61 years ago (numbers in baseball are wild arensa国际传媒檛 they?).

Remember where you were when made history. 6锔忊儯2锔忊儯

sa国际传媒� MLB (@MLB)

This is so damn cool for baseball. While hockey remains king in Canada, the NFL, some college football, and the NBA usually get more views than a typical MLB game but when someone is hitting home runs at this pace, it absolutely helps grow the game and popularize it.

Judge is the first player to reach the 60 home run in a season mark since 2001 when Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa did it (which wesa国际传媒檒l get to in a minute). Some players in recent history came close: Giancarlo Stanton in 2017 (59), Ryan Howard in 2006 (58) and many other but no one reached the big 6-0 in 21 years.

Itsa国际传媒檚 amazing for baseball to see what Judge has done this season, basically leading in every offensive category. Hesa国际传媒檚 had one of the greatest seasons offensively in the recent history. And like previous mentioned, yes Judge did break a record, the American League home run record. His name is etched in history forever but the people trying to say hesa国际传媒檚 the all-time single season home run record are just plain wrong.

Steroids or not, Barry Bonds is the all-time single season home run champion when he hit 73 of them back in 2001. This isnsa国际传媒檛 an argument.

Is it a fact that Bonds (as well as Sosa and Mark McGuire) used steroids? Yes. Itsa国际传媒檚 also a fact he hit 73 home runs and that can never be erased, just like how McGuire hit 70 in a season and Sosa hit 66. It cansa国际传媒檛 be erased and it would be stupid to have two separate home run categories, that just cansa国际传媒檛 exist.

I do agree that you can make the argument that baseball is much harder now with pitchers consistently throw 98 mph fastballs while the average fastball was around 90 mph back in 2001 but 73 is still the most to ever be hit in a regular season.

Isa国际传媒檝e also seen people online argue that the last two weeks have been unfair to Judge in his pursue for 62 because sa国际传媒榩itchers werensa国际传媒檛 pitching to himsa国际传媒�. Judge has been intentionally walked 19 times this season. Bonds, in not even the 2001 season, in the 2004 season was intentionally walked a league record 120! times.

The way Judge was going, I honestly thought he was going to at least challenge Bonds record. After a ridiculous run out of the all-star break, Judge hit home run number 43 on the season on August 1 and still had 58 games to go. He was on pace for 67 home runs, which wouldsa国际传媒檝e been the third most all-time in a regular season.

While he didnsa国际传媒檛 challenge for the single-season home run record, 62 in a season is still a ridiculous achievement and the American League and no one can take that away from him. Isa国际传媒檓 so glad that the majority of baseball fans are celebrating it and realizing itsa国际传媒檚 good for the game because it is! Itsa国际传媒檚 great for the game and it shouldnsa国际传媒檛 matter what team you cheer for, if yousa国际传媒檙e a real baseball fan, you want to see records be broken and celebrate this outstanding feat.

Now Judge, Ohtani, and American League MVP argument this season, well thatsa国际传媒檚 for another daysa国际传媒�

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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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