A True Team Effort

The Cardinals are threatening to destroy every team power record known to man. At Dodger Stadium this afternoon to conclude a three-game series, they broke the all-time NL record for home runs in April with a week to go, and with XXX home runs in just XX games, they’re on a XXX-homer pace. This for a franchise that, before 1998, had never hit more than 144 in a season. The 1942 Cardinals, who won 106 games and the World Series, hit 60 homers all year. The 1982 Cardinals, also World Champions, hit 67. It’s been a total team effort. Six players, including Edgar Renteria, have hit at least six homers so far.

Only teams in history to have five players hit 25 homers each in a single season:

Cincinnati Reds in 1956 (Frank Robinson 38, Wally Post 36, Ted Kluszewski 35, Gus Bell 29, Ed Bailey 28).

Boston Red Sox in 1977 (Jim Rice 39, George Scott 33, Butch Hobson 30, Carl Yastrzemski 28, Carlton Fisk 26).

Baltimore Orioles in 1996 (Brady Anderson 50, Rafael Palmeiro 39, Bobby Bonilla 28, Cal Ripken Jr. 26, Chris Hoiles 25).

Colorado Rockies in 1997 (Larry Walker 49, Andres Galarraga 41, Vinny Castilla 40, Ellis Burks 32, Dante Bichette 26).

Reported by Bob Rohwer

Source: Baseball Prospectus