Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Will Mark Trumbo hit 50 home runs? Eight stretch run questions we can't wait to have answered

It's official: We are in the final stretch run. While plenty of attention will be given to the teams racing for the postseason -- as of Tuesday, roughly 15 teams are in close contention for a playoff spot -- there are a number of individual accomplishments to be on the lookout for as the season comes to a close. 
Here's what to look for in the last four weeks:
All stats as of 9/6.
Trumbo is a very strong man. This should be obvious, given that he has a swing made for dismantling mountains ... and, he had a streak in August where seven straight hits happened to be home runs. Sitting on 41 home runs, Trumbo will need to pick up the pace if he's going to become the first player to reach 50 home runs since his teammate, Chris Davis, hit 53 in 2013. 

Trumbo only hit double-digit home runs in one month this season (August), and he will need to do that again in September to reach 50. Sadly, the Orioles don't have a trip to the land of dingers -- Colorado -- coming up.
Oddly enough, the right-handed Trumbo has a reverse platoon-split this season, crushing right-handers to the tune of a .284 average and 31 HRs, while barely touching lefties with only a .179 average. If Trumbo can return to his career norms and start crushing some southpaws, he might just be able to make it.
On the surface, Dozier reaching 40 homers would seem less impressive than Trumbo making it to a half-century, but it is actually a little more rare -- at least for a second baseman. In baseball history, only three keystoners have ever hit 40 homers: Ryne Sandberg (1990), Davey Johnson (1973) and Rogers Hornsby (1922). Sitting on 38 dingers after his three-home run burst on Monday, Dozier has a good chance of making that group large enough for a golf outing. 

That he even has a chance this year is pretty surprising. Dozier had only 5 home runs with a .624 OPS through the end of May. Since then: 33 home runs and an OPS more than 400 points higher. Basically, take David Ortiz and put him at second base. Then you've got Dozier's last three months. 
Stealing 60 bases would be a pretty impressive feat in today's era: Only three players have eclipsed the total this decade (Dee Gordon, Michael Bourn and Juan Pierre). This year, we have a few candidates who could potentially pull it off.
A lack of on-base abilities hampered Billy Hamilton's stolen base numbers in the past, but he still managed to top 50 steals in each of his first two full Major League seasons. A career high on-base percentage in 2016 pushed that total to 58 -- a personal best -- but Hamilton injured his oblique against the Cardinals over the weekend. He may miss significant time, which could end his season just shy of 60. 

But he's not the only basestealing threat in the Majors -- Milwaukee's Jonathan Villar is second in the league with 51. He's averaged around 10 swipes a month, which would put him just barely on schedule for a 60 SB season -- but it's going to be close: He's had just one steal in the last two weeks.
Starling Marte is close behind with 47 steals, but it seems unlikely he'll be able to make up the ground to reach 60: He'd need to grab 13 more bags this month. It's not impossible, though: He stole 15 in July, even with the All-Star break shortening that month.
There's intrigue at the other end of the baserunning spectrum, too. Along with Trumbo and Davis, Orioles sluggers Jonathan Schoop, Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Pedro Álvarez each have at least 20 home runs -- but all six have more home runs than the entire team has stolen bases.
That's right: Baltimore has stolen only 16 bases, including the one Adam Jones swiped on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals have the second-fewest with 31, nearly twice as many as the Orioles have grabbed. This is the epitome of the Earl Weaver, three-run homer dream team. 

While the Orioles won't break the Major League record of 13 set by the 1957 Washington Senators (maybe there's something in the Beltway water?), they could be the first team since the 1972 Tigers to swipe fewer than 20. They've got a good chance at pulling it off: The team leader in steals is Joey Rickard with a whopping four SBs -- and he's on the 60-day DL. 
The Orioles sure are doing a lot of interesting things this year, huh? While Davis has an outside chance at setting the single-season strikeout record, we're more interested in Zach Britton's work on the mound. After going 43 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run, Britton had lowered his ERA to 0.53. That was good enough to take the lead over the Plantain-loving, arrow-zinging Fernando Rodney, who posted a 0.60 mark in 2012. 

Unfortunately for the sinker-hurling Britton, he surrendered a run to the Nationals on Aug. 24 and his ERA is now a sparkling -- if not record-setting -- 0.65. If he can go through the month of September without allowing a run -- a plenty hard task -- he has a chance. 
While our cries for David Ortiz to please, please reconsider his retirement seem to have fallen on deaf ears, at least he's going out on a high note. The DH has already set the record for most doubles in a season for anyone over age-40 with 44. His OPS+ is 164 in his final season, behind only the 172 held by Shoeless Joe Jackson in his finale campaign. 
Of course, Shoeless Joe's career ended in 1920 when he was still eight years Ortiz's junior and was forced out of the league, so should that really count? With a hot streak to end the season, perhaps Ortiz can render the discussion moot.
By one traditional stat, however, the conversation is far less nuanced.

Ortiz has already hit 31 home runs, which is more than any retiring player other than Dave Kingman (35) -- that includes Mark McGwire (29), Ted Williams (29) and Barry Bonds (28). It's also the second-most home runs hit by a player over the age of 40. Only Darrell Evans hit more during his 1987 season with the Tigers -- and Ortiz could pass his mark of 34 homers by knocking four more in the season's final days.
He has yet to hit a home run in September, but the fewest he's managed to hit in a single month this year were the four he clocked back in June, so the odds would seem to be in his favor.
Daniel Murphy was always a solid hitter, especially for a second baseman. And then 2015 came. Not only did Murphy set a (then) career-high in home runs, but he went full supernova in the postseason. Many thought that was going to be the high point of Murphy's career. 
Then 2016 happened. 
Murphy is hitting .340/.383/.593 with 25 home runs as the Nats run away with the NL East. That .340 average puts him just three points behind D.J. LeMahieu for the NL batting title. 
Will LeMahieu's hot season and .384 BABIP keep going? Or will Murphy be able to overtake the Coors Field second baseman? 
Oddly enough, with José Altuve leading in the AL -- trailed by Dustin Pedroia -- the top hitter in each league is a second baseman. 
Save for 2014, when an injury restricted him to only 62 games, Votto has led the National League in walks every year since 2011. Entering Tuesday, Votto was again at the top of the leaderboard with 99 bases on balls. But there are others coming up close behind him: Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt at 97 and Bryce Harper at 95. 
He's so good at drawing them, sometimes he can even get them after only three balls

Which do you think is most likely? 

BarberJordan
beephero
AP_702417634020
NYC
seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com