The Mets hit a lot of home runs and the pitching staff for the Reds is on a pace to establish the record for most homers allowed in a single season. It was a match that looked great on paper and did not disappoint in real life, as New York clubbed nine homers in the three-game set. That gives them 192 HR for the year, which ranks fourth in the majors and second in the National League.
In franchise history, they tied the 1987 Mets for the third-most and they still have 22 games to play. Next up is the 2000 Mets, who finished with 198 homers. The all-time record for home runs in a season is held by the 2006 Mets, who hit exactly 200 homers. Currently, the Mets average a little over 1.37 HR per game. If that pace was to continue over the final 22 games, the 2016 club would finish with 222 homers, which would put them comfortably in first place.
Currently, the Mets average 3.94 runs per game. Among the top 20 teams in team history in total homers, only one other squad finished with a mark under four, that being the 2001 Mets, who scored 3.96 runs per game. That squad hit 147 HR and ranks 17th on the franchise leaderboard. All year long we’ve heard about how dependent the 2016 Mets are on the long ball for their runs scored. Aside from the key issue of putting up runs when they don’t homer, this has a smaller residual effect. The team’s inability to drive in runs with RISP leads to fewer PA for the team, which cuts down on the number of homers.
An interesting thing about the 2016 home run barrage is how it’s a team effort, compared to being a top heavy affair. The 2006 Mets were led by Carlos Beltran (41) and Carlos Delgado (38), who are tied for first and tied for sixth in the team’s single season individual list. The top HR hitter for the 2016 club so far is Yoenis Cespedes, with 28 HR. That’s tied for 35th in franchise history, along with 1983 George Foster.
But Cespedes is joined by Curtis Granderson (25) and Neil Walker (23) while Asdrubal Cabrera (19) and Wilmer Flores (16, with six since Aug. 1) having chances to reach the 20-HR club. No club in team history has ever had five players reach 20 homers and only two clubs have had four. The 1987 Mets were the first ones, with Darryl Strawberry (39), Howard Johnson (36), Kevin McReynolds (29) and Gary Carter (20) reaching the mark. They were joined by the 2000 club, with Mike Piazza (38), Edgardo Alfonzo (25), Robin Ventura (24) and Todd Zeile (22) clearing 20 HR.
If you watched the pre-Dave Kingman Mets, it’s still a joy to see all of these balls leaving the park. Kingman came aboard in 1975. The 1974 Mets had four players in double figures in homers, led by John Milner with 20. The entire team hit just 96 HR. The 2016 club had 122 HR at the All-Star break.
If you’re not old enough to remember Milner, perhaps you remember the 1980 Mets. That’s the year the Daily News ran charts comparing the team’s output to that of (then) single season home run leader Roger Maris, to see who would hit more. In game 161, September call-up Hubie Brooks hit a home run, giving the Mets their 61st – and final – homer of the year. The 2016 Mets hit their 61st HR on May 23. They also hit homers #62 and #63 that day, too.
So, my preference is to watch a club that has no problem hitting homers. If the Mets keep up their current pace and finish with 222 HR – that would be tied for the 42nd most in MLB history. The MLB record was set by the 1997 Mariners with 264 while the National League best is the 249 hit by the 2000 Astros.
I recall us bloggers mostly agreeing pre-season that this team had a good chance to eclipse 200 home runs. Never in any of our wildest dreams did we imagine them doing it without Duda and Wright for most of the season.
Sandy A. has a stat that the team that hits more homers wins most of the time— I don’t have the Stat at hand, but I’m curious whether the Mets are above or below that statistical result.
As for gameswhen they don’t hit the most homeruns…I’m willing to bet that they win less than the average for that stat.