Comments on: More Home Runs Than Strikeouts

By: Tim S.

Tim S. — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:21:20 +0000

An update…

Baseball Digest 2006.
Players with a minimum of 20 or more HRs in a season, and fewer Strikeouts than HRs.

Players with more HR than strikeouts, seasons: minimum 20 home runs
Baseball Digest, August, 2006

Players With More HR Than Strikeouts, Season

Minimum 20 home runs

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Year Player, Team HR SO

1922 Ken Williams, Browns 39 31
1925 Ken Williams, Browns 25 14
1930 Al Simmons, As 36 34
1932 Mickey Cochrane, A’s 23 22
1934 Lou Gehrig, Yankees 49 31
1936 Lou Gehrig, Yankees 49 46
1936 Bill Dickey, Yankees 22 16
1937 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 46 37
1937 Bill Dickey, Yankees 29 22
1938 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 32 21
1938 Bill Dickey, Yankees 27 22
1939 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 30 20
1940 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 31 30
1941 Ted Williams, Red Sox 37 27
1941 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 30 13
1946 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 25 24
1948 Joe DiMaggio, Yankees 39 30
1950 Yogi Berra, Yankees 28 12
1950 Ted Williams, Red Sox 28 21
1950 Johnny Mize, Yankees 25 24
1951 Yogi Berra, Yankees 27 20
1952 Yogi Berra, Yankees 30 24
1955 Ted Williams, Red Sox 28 24
1955 Yogi Berra, Yankees 27 20
1956 Yogi Berra, Yankees 30 29
1980 George Brett, Royals 24 22

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Year Player, Team HR so

1925 Irish Meusel, Giants 21 19
1929 Mel Ott, Giants 42 38
1929 Lefty O’Doul, Phillies 32 19
1930 Lefty O’Doul, Phillies 22 21
1932 Bill Terry, Giants 28 23
1932 Lefty O’Doul, Dodgers 21 20
1939 Ernie Lombardi, Reds 20 19
1944 Frank McCormick, Reds 20 17
1945 Tommy Holmes, Braves 28 9
1947 Johnny Mize, Giants 51 42
1947 Willard Marshall, Giants 36 30
1948 Johnny Mize, Giants 40 37
1948 Stan Musial, Cardinals 39 34
1950 Andy Pafko, Cubs 36 32
1953 Ted Kluszewski, Reds 40 34
1954 Ted Kluszewski, Reds 49 35
1955 Ted Kluszewski, Reds 47 40
1956 Ted Kluszewski, Reds 35 31
2004 Barry Bonds, Giants 45 41

By: Kincaid

Kincaid — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:43:54 +0000

With what minimum requirements? No one has done it with any significant length of career (at least not in the years where complete strikeout data is compiled).

By: John

John — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:21:54 +0000

While he hit fewer home runs and thus didn’t make these lists, in 1980 George Brett, with only 24 HRs manged to strike out only 22 times.

By: Joe R

Joe R — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:56:51 +0000

Yogi Berra had more HR than SO, in total, 5 times in his career.
The original “Moneyball” man, showing why looking like you’re good at baseball =/= being good at baseball, and vice versa.

By: caitlyn

caitlyn — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:49:21 +0000

where can i find info on more career home runs than strikeouts?

By: andyf

andyf — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:27:23 +0000

Y Berra 1950
28/12

By: Jim McLennan

Jim McLennan — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 17:16:21 +0000

Just a note to the above questioner, who was looking for pickoff statistics – I came across this page while I was looking for the same thing! The following link has them under the ‘Special Pitching’ section for each league:

http://stats.globesports.com/mlb/index.asp

By: Buddy Munson

Buddy Munson — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 20:18:26 +0000

The thing that sticks out to me is that all of these hitters who did this were from the 20′s through the 50′s except for a possibly juiced Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols now. During these decades, the starting pitching staffs were made up of 3 or 4 starters with some relievers. I would have to assume that the starters in that era, didn’t throw 100% on every pitch like they do now since they had to tow the line every 3rd or 4th day and it was understood unless they got totally rocked, they would be finishing the game. Do you think that is why that almost all players who hit for a high average now like Ichiro, Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew, etc.. don’t hit many home runs and the hitters who hit tons of home runs also strike out a ton? Just wanted your opinion on this. Thanks!

By: David Appelman

David Appelman — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 15:40:32 +0000

Johnny Mize is the only player to my knowledge that has ever hit 50 home runs and struck out less. That was way back in 1947. If Pujols can somehow manage another 4 home runs with only 4 or fewer strikeouts in the next week or so, he’ll join the club. At this late in the season, I think he’ll fall just shy of 50, but it’s certainly not out of the realm of possiblity.

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 01:34:25 +0000

I searched and searched and YOU had it. The best ratio of homeruns to strikeouts. I’m a Cardinals fan and of course an Albert Pujols fan. I thought I had heard the announcer (during one of our games) say that there is a record for 50 HR vs 50 Strike Outs and I don’t remember Barry Bonds name mentioned. It was a record that had not been broken in 30-40 years. Can you add anything to this?