Nolan Arenado Hit A Walk-Off Home Run To Complete The Cycle
Have yourself a day, Nolan Arenado. Since the question will inevitably be asked, this is the sixth time in major league history that a player has completed the cycle on a walk-off home run. The last player to do it? Arenado’s teammate, Carlos Gonzalez.
And if it feels like players hit for the cycle at Coors Field a lot, that’s because players hit for the cycle at Coors Field a lot. Among ballparks that are still in use, Coors Field is now tied with Fenway Park for hosting the most cycles in baseball history with 17, only Fenway Park opened 83 years before Coors Field, so that means we see a cycle once every 1.3 years at Coors Field, while we see a cycle once every 6.2 years at Fenway.
If you’ve read me before, you know I’m a big time cycle hater. It’s just not as impressive as everybody makes it out to be. In the history of the game, it’s happened over three hundred times. But this right here? This was pretty cool. Arenado added a little something extra for me and made me feel special. Hitting a walk-off home run to complete the cycle is about as rare as striking out 20 batters in nine innings, which has been done five times by only four different pitchers. It’s certainly not as impressive as a 20-strikeout game, but it’s as rare as one, so I’ll shut up and appreciate this cool moment by one of the best players in baseball.
Also, there’s been a lot of talk about what the best division in baseball is this year between the NL Central and the AL East, but the answer might actually be the NL West. Currently, the NL West is the only division in baseball that has three teams with a run differential that’s +75 or better. The Rockies’ victory on Sunday was their fifth straight win, and it kept their one-game lead over both the Dbacks and the Dodgers intact. Arizona has won seven straight and LA has won three straight, while both teams have won nine of their last ten. NL West so hot right now. NL West.
PS — I know it’s a little too soon for All Star outrage, but I will actually be outraged if Kris Bryant starts over Arenado at third base at the All Star Game this year. #VoteArenado