All Cody Ross ever hits is home runs
The Florida Marlins have been searching for a centerfielder for years now, but that search may be at an end. At least for the rest of this season, it is clear that they should make Cody Ross the starter, because all he ever hits is home runs.
When I was a wee lad, one of my favorite books ever was called “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers,” about a boy who meets a magical friend and then goes on to only hit home runs the rest of the season. Well this month, Cody Ross has done his best impression of that boy.
In the month of May, Cody Ross batted .252 and OPS’d 1.182. But the way he did it was astonishing. For the month, Ross tallied 12 hits in 47 at bats, and 9 of those 12 hits were home runs. The guy basically goes 1 for 4 with 1 home run every game he plays in.
For the season, Ross has 10 homers, 3 doubles, and only 8 singles in 98 at-bats. In baseball history, only 2 players have ever hit more home runs than singles over the course of a full season with at least 350 plate appearances. You may have heard of them, as their names are Barry Bonds (once, in 2001), and Mark McGwire (four times).
While Ross’s all or nothing approach has left him with a season batting average of .214, it has also yielded a fine .833 OPS and has him on pace for 33 homers, despite the fact that he has only started every other game in center.
Given that the Marlins other options in center field are the offensively woeful Alfredo Amezega, and the completely washed up Jacque Jones, the Marlins really ought to be running Cody Ross out their every day. After all, who cares if he only bats .250 and doesn’t walk if he is going to hit a homer every game?
June 1st, 2008 at 12:57 am
sounds a lot like J.D. Drew’s pattern. the guy will go on these long slumps and then break out of them with a grand slam. and there’s really no in-between.
REPORT COMMENT
June 1st, 2008 at 9:28 am
Well, remember Lyndsay, he also draws walks.
Walk…after walk…after walk.
And yes, I know those have value. But my GOD MAN! Swing at it!!!!!
(He is on my fantasy team.)
REPORT COMMENT
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:48 am
so you’ve got Eric Gagne…and JD Drew on your fantasy team.
do you also have Julio Lugo? because then you’d really complete the Sox suckage trifecta from last year.
REPORT COMMENT
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
I know…I know. I don’t know how I ended up with both of them. Irony is a cruel mistress.
At least I also have Jacoby!
REPORT COMMENT
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Nick, that book was my favorite around like third grade. I went through a big Matt Christopher bender. “Ice Magic”, “Miracle at the Plate”, etc.
REPORT COMMENT
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:34 am
Oh man. For me it was Nancy Drew—all Nancy, all the time. No baseball connection whatsoever, except that for a brief while I was so addicted I even insisted on bringing the books with me to Fenway.
REPORT COMMENT
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Well as long as you are admitting that you liked Nancy Drew, I will cop to liking the Hardy Boys. They always made detective-izing look so easy! Apparently deduction is not necessary, because all you have to do is convince the villain to tell you his evil plan right before he kills you, and then escape at the last second!
REPORT COMMENT
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It helps if you have Titian blonde hair, a yellow convertible, and a friend who knows judo.
REPORT COMMENT
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:28 am
Sarah, what I can only presume are Nancy Drew references are entirely lost on me.
REPORT COMMENT