Marcus Semien Stole The 100th Base Of His Career | Can He Go 30/30 This Season?

Marcus Semien Stole The 100th Base Of His Career | Can He Go 30/30 This Season?

by | Aug 3, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

Marcus Semien just stole the 100th base of his career and continues to run wild during his first season in Texas.

During July, he batted .268 with 17 RBI, five doubles, two triples, six homers, nine walks and collected seven stolen bases.

There is still a chance for Semien to again put his name in Major League Baseball’s history books and that would be by joining Bobby Bonds, Alfonso Soriano and Ian Kinsler as Texas Rangers to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season.

He is only at 15 homers right now, but he could put himself in a good position to reach the feat at the end of the year if he can go on a late hot streak like he did to close out his 2021 campaign.

During August and September of ’21, Semien hit 20 home runs including 12 in September on his way to passing Davey Johnson for the most in a single season by a second baseman.

“Ragsdale gives me confidence, he will tell me, “You can go get this guy easy” and does a good job of film study. Beasley makes sure we know the arm strength of each player. He told us if we run hard, he will wave us no matter what, so that’s what I try to do.”

Semien, who signed a seven-year $125 million deal with the Rangers this off-season has officially unlocked the fifth tool needed to be in the conversation for the cream of the crop best players in the game. His Major league record 45 home runs and first career Silver Slugger award show the power and contact.

The Gold Glove in his first season at a new position and current career long 46-game errorless streak shows you his skills with both the glove as well as the arm, and now we can cross off speed after what might turn out to be a 30 steal season.

Semien currently ranks just outside of the top five in the American League behind a few players including Baltimore Orioles first ever 30/30 man Cedric Mullins whose 23 leave him just a few out of the top spot.

After a shaky start to his tenure in Texas that saw him go through the longest slump of his career, Semien appears more comfortable each day and now finds himself near the top of most major offensive categories for second baseman including ranking top five in home runs, RBI, runs and steals.

 

During July, he batted .268 with 17 RBI, five doubles, two triples, six homers, nine walks and collected seven stolen bases.

There is still a chance for Semien to again put his name in Major League Baseball’s history books and that would be by joining Bobby Bonds, Alfonso Soriano and Ian Kinsler as Texas Rangers to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season.

He is only at 15 homers right now, but he could put himself in a good position to reach the feat at the end of the year if he can go on a late hot streak like he did to close out his 2021 campaign.

During August and September of ’21, Semien hit 20 home runs including 12 in September on his way to passing Davey Johnson for the most in a single season by a second baseman.

The inaugural winner of the MLBbro.com Player of the Year award stole his 19th base of the season this past Sunday against the Angels, which is already four more than the career high of 15 he set last season.

“In years past, I have had some big-time power hitters behind me,” said Semein. “From Matt Olson to Vlad Jr. I did not want to take chances away from them, the most important thing to me at the end of the day is being safe.”

The Rangers entered Wednesday with an American League leading 80 stolen bases and Semien sits at the head of the team with 19 while only being caught three times.


Two of the people he credits most are Rangers first base coach Corey Ragsdale and third base coach Tony Beasley.

 

 

“Ragsdale gives me confidence, he will tell me, “You can go get this guy easy” and does a good job of film study. Beasley makes sure we know the arm strength of each player. He told us if we run hard, he will wave us no matter what, so that’s what I try to do.”

Semien, who signed a seven-year $125 million deal with the Rangers this off-season has officially unlocked the fifth tool needed to be in the conversation for the cream of the crop best players in the game. His Major league record 45 home runs and first career Silver Slugger award show the power and contact.

The Gold Glove in his first season at a new position and current career long 46-game errorless streak shows you his skills with both the glove as well as the arm, and now we can cross off speed after what might turn out to be a 30 steal season.

Semien currently ranks just outside of the top five in the American League behind a few players including Baltimore Orioles first ever 30/30 man Cedric Mullins whose 23 leave him just a few out of the top spot.

After a shaky start to his tenure in Texas that saw him go through the longest slump of his career, Semien appears more comfortable each day and now finds himself near the top of most major offensive categories for second baseman including ranking top five in home runs, RBI, runs and steals.

 

During July, he batted .268 with 17 RBI, five doubles, two triples, six homers, nine walks and collected seven stolen bases.

There is still a chance for Semien to again put his name in Major League Baseball’s history books and that would be by joining Bobby Bonds, Alfonso Soriano and Ian Kinsler as Texas Rangers to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season.

He is only at 15 homers right now, but he could put himself in a good position to reach the feat at the end of the year if he can go on a late hot streak like he did to close out his 2021 campaign.

During August and September of ’21, Semien hit 20 home runs including 12 in September on his way to passing Davey Johnson for the most in a single season by a second baseman.

Aaron Hicks Is Thinking 30-30 Club This Season | A Key Cog In Yankees Soul Patrol Wants To Make Up For Lost 2021

Aaron Hicks Is Thinking 30-30 Club This Season | A Key Cog In Yankees Soul Patrol Wants To Make Up For Lost 2021

by | Apr 12, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

Aaron Hicks is well aware of the situation in the Bronx.

Entering year three of a seven-year, $70 million-dollar extension and battling for playing time in an outfield full of sluggers, it’s time for the switch-hitting center fielder to become the consistent force the Yankees expected when he signed on that dotted line.

Finally healthy, Hicks, 32, knows exactly what will make him stand apart from the competition.

“There is something special about 30-30,” Hicks told reporters when asked about his goals this season. “For me, I want to steal more, and I feel like 30 home runs are reachable for me. Those two together are a dangerous pair. That’s definitely something that I would like to do.”

Hicks wants more moments like this…

 

 

And when it comes to the 30-30 club, Hicks is right. It’s one of the most revered in all of baseball, mainly because rarely do players possess the combination of speed and power to hit both plateaus.

If Hicks reaches his goal, he would be the oldest Yankee – and just the third in team history – to accomplish the feat. In 1975, the OG Bobby Bonds was the first to post a 30-30 season in pinstripes. Yankees’ fans would have to wait 27 years to see it again, when Alfonso Soriano joined the club in 2002 and 2003.

For Hicks, reaching this plateau would mean a career season.

In his best season to date, Hicks smacked 27 homers and swiped 11 bags. Now neither of those marks would qualify him for the 30/30 club, but Hicks isn’t discouraged by any means.

As a matter of fact, Hicks – who played only 32 games in 2021 after a wrist injury – has put in extra work over the offseason, including a trip to the Dominican Winter League.

“I got to work on a lot of things that you can’t really work on during the season, like hitting the other way,” said Hicks, who batted .250 (2-for-8) in the first three games of the 2022 season. “I made sure my first two at-bats, I was trying to do that. Stealing bases, I was 2-for-2 there.”

He even got engaged to his girlfriend Cheyenne Woods, the niece of golf legend Tiger Woods. They now share one child together.

 

 

They told GolfWeek that they first met when 31-year-old Woods interviewed Hicks for her podcast, “Birdies Not BS.”

Hicks is accomplishing so much growth in his personal life and expects that to translate to the field. Going 30-30 would put Hicks in elite company, not only in Yankees’ history, but history period.

ELITE COMPANY

Only 43 ballplayers in MLB history have joined the 30-30 Club —13 have done it multiple times — making it one of the smallest fraternities within the sport. Of those 43 players, 17 are Black. That’s about 41 PERCENT of all players to ever crack this list.

 

The Bonds household (Barry and Bobby) hold the record for most 30-30 seasons with five, while Hall of Famers and certified G.O.A.T.s Willie Mays and Hank Aaron are also part of this illustrious group. Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins was the latest MLBbro to make the club, doing so last season.

Hicks possesses all the tools.  And now that he’s healthy, we will see if he’s given an opportunity to join this historic group.

Cedric Mullins On Verge Of 30-30 Club, Superstardom

Cedric Mullins On Verge Of 30-30 Club, Superstardom

by | Sep 19, 2021 | THE LEAD OFF

Cedric Mullins has been one of the few good things about the Baltimore Orioles, and Saturday afternoon he once again showed you why he remains a lone bright spot in their season.

The Orioles lost 9-3 to the Boston Red Sox, But after going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, the young star crept closer to joining the exclusive “30/30 Club”.

Now entrance into the 30-30 club would be cause for celebration any year, but with the Orioles in the midst of another 100 loss season, such an accomplishment gives the ballclub hope for the future.

“When you have a season like this, you are looking for bright spots and things to build on for the future,” manager Brandon Hyde told MLB.com. “Looking for cornerstone guys that, when the team does get competitive and does get good, that you can surround them with. The right kind of players, veteran players, the right pitching staff. Cedric Mullins is playing like that, there’s not a doubt about it. Playing like an All-Star.”

Indeed Mullins has flashed all the tools you would want your cornerstone franchise player to possess, but the exclusivity of the 30-30 club signifies just how high his ceiling is.

Once he connects on his 30th bomb of the season, Mullins will be the 41st player to join the 30-30 club, and the 18th Black player to join this illustrious group.

First accomplished in 1922 by Ken Williams, once Willie Mays cracked the club in 1956, the brothers dominated with Mays (two), Hank Aaron, Bobby Bonds (five) and Tommy Harper recording the next nine 30-30 seasons.

1987 was a special season for the MLBbro’s on the base paths and at the plate, as Black legends Joe Carter, Eric Davis and Darryl Strawberry compiled three of the four 30-30 seasons recorded that year.

Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds were the only two players in MLB history to accomplish the feat in back-to-back seasons, that was until his son, Home Run King Barry Bonds went on to do it three straight times from 95-97, which helped him match his fathers all time total of five.

Of the 17 Black ballplayers to join this elite group, there are five who have gone on to win League MVP Awards as well as carry their teams to a World Series Championship.

If Cedric Mullins has his way, the Baltimore Orioles will return to their winning ways of the past sooner than people expect. And If the O’s keep him around he’s sure to be a cornerstone of their rebirth.