The four players to homer each of the last 2 opening days

Four players have homered in their team’s first game in both 2011 and 2012:

Rk	Player	#Matching
1	Cameron Maybin	2	Ind. Games
2	Jack Hannahan	2	Ind. Games
3	Jose Bautista	2	Ind. Games
4	J.P. Arencibia	2	Ind. Games

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/6/2012.

J.P. Arencibia made the most of his homers, especially with that 16th-inning 3-run job last night.

Going back to 1918, here are the guys with the most Opening Day homers:

Rk	Player	#Matching
1	Frank Robinson	8	Ind. Games

2	Ken Griffey	7	Ind. Games

3	Dave Winfield	6	Ind. Games
4	Babe Ruth	6	Ind. Games
5	Scott Rolen	6	Ind. Games
6	Willie Mays	6	Ind. Games
7	Gary Carter	6	Ind. Games

8	Carl Yastrzemski	5	Ind. Games
9	Mike Schmidt	5	Ind. Games
10	Brooks Robinson	5	Ind. Games
11	Eddie Mathews	5	Ind. Games
12	Tino Martinez	5	Ind. Games
13	Jeff Kent	5	Ind. Games
14	Todd Hundley	5	Ind. Games
15	Richie Hebner	5	Ind. Games
16	Dwight Evans	5	Ind. Games
17	Adam Dunn	5	Ind. Games
18	Orlando Cepeda	5	Ind. Games
19	Barry Bonds	5	Ind. Games

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/6/2012.

Scott Rolen is the active leader, with Adam Dunn right behind him.

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Neil L.

12 years ago

Now if Adam Dunn only didn’t have to bat for the rest of the season! I had no idea he was such a productive opening day batter.

Surprising that George Bell didn’t slip on to the bottom of the list what with his three opening day home runs in KC in 1988 off of Saberhagen.

How many players have ever hit three opening day homers?

Author

Andy

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

My chart is number of opening days with a homer, regardless of the number of homers hit in each game.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Andy

Sorry, Andy, you’re right. I did mistake number of matching games for number of home runs. Thanks.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Andy

I think what threw me off was the phrase “the guys with the most Opening Day homers:”. An interesting list ….

Hartvig

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

According to the announcer, just a few moments ago Adam Dunn tied Frank Robinson and Ken Griffey, Jr. for the most opening day home runs with 8.

And I knew that before he even said it because of this site.

How cool is that.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

Darn, Hartvig, you beat me to it by a few minutes. See below.

Hartvig

12 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

John Autin did the exact same thing to me just a few minutes ago on a comment on the Papa Grande post.

Like I told him there: great minds think alike!

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

I noticed over there!

But don’t include me in the great baseball minds club. JA has forgotten more about baseball than I remember.

Ken

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

I am sure Jason Heyward for Atlanta would have been on these lists if he had homered Opening Day. But his claim to fame is that he homered on his first career AB (on Opening Day), and repeated the process the following year with his first AB on Opening Day. Is there any way to research homers on the first AB of Opening Day? Where would Jason fall in comparison?

Editor

birtelcom

12 years ago

Actually Andy, your second list is of games in which Opening Day homers are hit, not a list of the homers themselves — your list will miss the extra homers hit in multiple-homer games (for example, Ken Griffey Jr. has eight O.D. homers.

Author

Andy

12 years ago

Here are 3-homer opening day games since 1918:

Rk	Player	Date	Tm	Opp
1	Dmitri Young	2005-04-04	DET	KCR
2	Tuffy Rhodes	1994-04-04	CHC	NYM
3	George Bell	1988-04-04	TOR	KCR

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/6/2012.

Hartvig

12 years ago

Reply to Andy

I’d forgotten all about Dimitri’s opening day heroics but Tuffy Rhodes’ is one I’ll never forget. I would imagine that every fantasy league owner in the country probably considered adding him to their roster for a minute or two before returning to their senses.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Andy

Thanks for the search result, Andy. I have re-subscribed to the PI and will have to get the rust off my search skills.

All three incidences are in relatively recent times and the Royals victimized twice. What a coincidence.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Andy

Andy, I’m not quite sure where to post this since there isn’t a general lobby or discussion forum, but, as a newcomer to HHS, the interface for the blog is great.

The threading of replies makes it so much easier to follow conversations than last year’s format over at the old place. Kudos to all here at HHS!

Plus, the top commenters list and Recent Comments sidebar are a nice way to follow activity on the site.

Hartvig

12 years ago

Seeing Hundley and Carter on the list got me thinking about how much catchers hitting might drop off as the season progresses so I checked the splits for a few recent catching icons- Bench, Carter, Simmons, Fisk, Piazza & Rodriguez. Rodriguez probably had the biggest difference between his first and second halves of the season- maybe because of catching in the Texas heat?- and Piazza showed a little as well but the other 4 put up pretty consistent numbers in both halves of the season for the most part. It’s hardly conclusive evidence but I did find it a little… Read more »

Editor

birtelcom

12 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

124 catchers have hit 183 homers on Opening Day, led by Hundley, Carter and Roy Campanella, who all have 5 O.D. home runs. I took the list of these 124 guys and ran their career home run totals. Who hit the most career homers among guys who hit an Opening Day homer as a catcher? Jimmie Foxx (534 career homers), who started 24 games (including Opening Day) at catcher in 1935, his age 27 year, after not having caught in the majors since he was 20. Foxx over his full career started 89 games at catcher. Two guys who hit… Read more »

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to birtelcom

Birtel,

A lot to digest in your post. Thanks.

Incredible in a way that Carter hit O.D. taters in four consecutive years(1977-80). Todd Hundley(1994-7) was the only other one on Andy’s list to do so.

Orlando Cepeda’s first-game power spanned three decades(barely).

Of the four current opening day HR streaks, which one is most likely to continue in 2013? Bautista?

Editor

Doug

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

One other player to homer in 4 straight OD games – Yogi Berra, 1955-58.

This factoid is courtesy of Richard Chester who, if I interpreted his post correctly, was present for each of those games.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Doug

Doug, er, Richard

Very nice catch on Yogi. And, of course he didn’t have enough first-game long balls to make it on to Andy’s list.

Richard Chester

12 years ago

Reply to Doug

I was present just for his first homer.

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Barry Bonds had a 2-HR O.D., so he had 6 O.D. HRs.

John Autin

12 years ago

Leaders in total HRs hit in Opening Day games (since 1918):

8 – F.Robinson, Griffey Jr.
7 – Ruth, Mays, Mathews, Dunn
6 – Winfield, Rolen, G.Carter, Yaz, B.Robinson, Hebner, Bonds

Mathews & Dunn are the only ones from the list who had two 2-HR ODs. Others who did that: Joe Torre, Pujols, Nady, Mondesi, JuanGon.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Dunn certainly is in elite company as a hitter when you consider the multi-homer Opening Day games!

However, first-game hitting prowess likely correlates with absolutely nothing in terms of the rest of their season. It is merely a curiousity, and nothing else.

An interesting discussion starter might be who is the most unlikely name on Andy’s list? Brooks Robinson? Dwight Evans?

In an unrelated matter, John, I notive you have just cracked the 700 mark in comments made. 🙂

Your lead atop the top commenters board appears safe!

Neil L.

12 years ago

Dunn does it again. He is Mr. Opening Day! He just moved up near the top of Andy’s list and ties for the most first-game home runs all-time. How about that.

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Gotta love Dunn’s first 3 PAs of 2012: Walk … Strikeout … Home Run.

Interesting that Ventura has Dunn batting 3rd. I like it. Just pretend that last year never happened.

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Did CC really intentionally walk someone in the FIRST INNING to go after Carlos Pena? For shame! 🙂

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Pena hit just the 2nd grand slam ever off CC. The other was hit by … Edgar Renteria?!?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE200804160.shtml

Nadig

12 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Shane Victorino also hit one off CC in the 2008 NLDS.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI200810020.shtml

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Nadig

Thanks for the correction, Nadig.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Hindsight is 20/20, JA. If the Bombers go on to lose, I’d like to see what the NY ink-stained wretches will have to say about Girardi’s strategy.

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Neil — I don’t expect you to remember my entire baseball belief system, especially after months away. But my hatred of the bases-filling IBB (especially early in the game) is practically a mantra by now … and it ain’t hindsight. Walking Sean Rodriguez is a gift. I’m well aware that Rodriguez hits lefties better than he does righties, and that Pena really struggles against lefties. It’s still flat-out stupid, and I’ll say that unto my dying day. There were men on 3rd and 2nd with 2 out. Rodriguez is neither especially dangerous nor especially patient. Even if there’s some reason… Read more »

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to John Autin

John – Absolutely true. I had forgotten about your abhorrence of the IBB!

Do you think Joe Girardi had statistics like the ones you’ve mentioned at his disposal or did he just override themn in favor of a gut-fell?

How on Earth did you know about Pena ramping it up with the bases drunk?

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Neil – I feel certain that Joe had every piece of data that I have, and more. Perhaps he was looking at the batter-vs-pitcher data – Rodriguez was 6 for 21 with 1 HR, while Pena was just 4-35 with 4 walks and 19 Ks (but 2 HRs and a double). But those are still pretty small samples. I got the Pena bases-full split from B-R, natch: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=penaca01&year=Career&t=b Before today, he had a .316 BA, .424 OBP and .663 SLG. Obviously, giving up a salami in the 1st isn’t devastating to a team as potent as the Yanks (as subsequent… Read more »

Voomo Zanzibar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Joe Girardi should have been fired in the first inning and replaced with this blog.

Voomo Zanzibar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Not related, but very interesting, this is a long interview on Fresh Air of Brad Ausmus:

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/18/139649031/covering-the-plate-a-baseball-catcher-tells-all

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

But Voomo you only have your tongue firmly planted in your cheek about Girardi with the benefit of having seen today’s Rays-Yanks 9th inning.

Will the “Rivera-is-done” whispers start today?

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Voomo @33 — Nah, this blog could never handle the clubhouse. Maybe it could be a bench blog, though.

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Neil a.k.a. Agent Provocateur @34 – Can a rhetorical question about a whispering campaign set off a whispering campaign?

(Of course, I only meant that rhetorically….)

Voomo Zanzibar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Why? Would I have thought Girardi was a genius if the greatest relief pitcher of all time was able to get three outs?

Load the bases with an intentional walk with two outs in the first inning of game one, with your ace pitching?

Against a utility player with a career 87 ops+?

Girardi would have managed that situation better if he had been in the clubhouse bathroom trying to manage the browns to the super bowl.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

JA @37, you give me way too much credit. I would never stir the pot that is the NY baseball market, would I? 🙂

Voomo @38, I detect a little anti-Girardi venom in your posts. All kidding aside, is he really held in such low regard by the Yankees’ faithful?

Voomo Zanzibar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Neil I have no idea.
I live deep in the woods 3000 miles away.

I thought Billy Martin was a genius.
Nobody has measured up for me since.

Hartvig

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Voomo- Thanks for the link to that great interview with Asmus. He’s been a favorite of mine going way back. I have never seen a catcher who was his equal at calling pitches, only Mike Matheny & Yadier Molina rivaled him at framing pitches and just a handful were as good at keeping the pitchers head in the game. I am firmly convinced that he took half a run off of a teams ERA when he was behind the plate and no amount of statistical evidence to the contrary will ever change that. His description of how much of a… Read more »

Hartvig

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

By the way, I’ve stopped into Reedy’s for a beer many times before or after a Tigers game. The guy who owned the place was who was driving the truck in which Martin was killed.

Never did meet Billy however.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Voomo, echoing Hartvig @41, thanks for the link on Ausmus. I read the article that you linked.

Voomo, I know the taboo on giving personal information out in a public place, but your “3000 miles from New York” has me thinking either Alaska or the mountain forests of California.

Anyway, don’t reply to that, but I had you pegged for a Yankess watcher/fan living in metropolitan.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

@43 should have New York on the end of it. Sorry.

Voomo Zanzibar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Neil, click on my name and you get more personal information than I could give by telling you my city.

…And maybe I live in Iceland.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Voomo @45. Wow, so is this your alter-ego or the YouTube performer your alter-ego. 🙂

You are an astute baeball observer and commentator.

Voomo Zanzibar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Neil, my alter ego is the person who goes to work, pays bills, and pretends to be a civilized person.

The characters that i take on in performance and prose (almost ready to publish a book) are my actual personalities.

Editor

John Autin

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Bravo, Voomo! – if only CC or Mo had been as adept as you at wriggling out of peril! 🙂

bstar

12 years ago

I was looking at Richie Hebner’s opening HR games and noticed he hit three of them specifically off Bob Gibson, one on April 5 ’73 and two on April 6 ’74. I haven’t finished my search of Andy’s links above, but this might be the most opening day HR by a batter against a specific pitcher in MLB history. Another something I found: On 4-9-63 against Houston, the SF Giants had three different Hall of Famers homer for them on Opening Day. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU196304090.shtml No idea if this one is a record, but it seems unlikely any team had four HOF’ers… Read more »

Hartvig

12 years ago

Reply to bstar

Besides the Giants of the Mays/McCovey/Cepeda era I would look first at the Reds of the early 70’s, the A’s & Yankees of the late 20’s/early 30’s and the Cards of the 40’s. Not only do all of those teams have at least 3 HOF offensive players, 3 also have HOF pitchers that were batting as well. I’m sure I’m overlooking some obvious teams but those were the first to spring to mind.

Geez, how could I forget?!!? The Cochran/Greenberg/Gehringer Tigers of the 30’s!

Richard Chester

12 years ago

Reply to Hartvig

Thanks for the hint, Hartvig. On 6/3/34 Goslin, Cochrane, Gehringer and Greenberg homered for the Tigers.

Neil L.

12 years ago

Reply to bstar

bstar, just off the top of my head, you are talking about off the same pitcher in different games.

George Bell did it in the same game against Bret Saberhagen in 1988.

But to do it against the same pitcher in different seasons is truly remarkable. Thanks.

bstar

12 years ago

Reply to Neil L.

Thanks Neil, and nice to meet you. I figured somebody out there may have equaled that, and I forgot to look at G Bell as an obvious possibility.