Baseball Toaster Dodger Thoughts
Help
Jon Weisman's outlet
for dealing psychologically
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and baseball.
Frozen Toast
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
Dodger Thoughts
Archives

2009
02  01 

2008
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2004
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2003
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2002
09  08  07 
About Jon
Thank You For Not ...

1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

10 of 10
2004-08-10 09:37
by Jon Weisman

When Jayson Werth reached 10 home runs Saturday against the Phillies, it set off a quest in these parts to find the most surprising seasons of double-digit homers in Los Angeles Dodger history. Here's the countdown:

10. Marquis Grissom, 2001 - 21 A borderline selection, considering that Grissom came to the Dodgers in '01 with no less than nine consecutive seasons of 10 homers or more. Having been acquired for the declining Devon White, however, few expected anything more than a washed-up player.
9. Todd Hollandsworth, 1996 - 12 At age 23, Hollandsworth was the least heralded of the Dodgers' five consecutive Rookies of the Year.
8. Eric Karros, 1992 - 20 Karros had a power reputation entering Spring Training - what he didn't have was a job, until the Dodgers made room on their roster for him on the last day of the exhibition season.
7. Billy Grabarkewitz, 1970 - 17 As a 24-year-old in 1970, Grabarkewitz slammed the first 17 home runs of his career, than never hit more than five in a season and retired with 28.
6. Lee Lacy, 1978 - 13 A longtime part-timer who led the Dodgers with 13 pinch hits in '78, Lacy became the first major leaguer to hit home runs in three consecutive pinch-hit at-bats. He did have six pinch-hit home runs in 1977, taking some of the surprise out of his total the following year.
5. Len Gabrielson, 1968 - 10 In the eighth season of a nine-year, 37-homer career, Gabrielson reached double digits for the only time.
4. Kevin Elster, 2000 - 14 Elster came out of retirement to shock the inaugural crowd at San Francisco's new baseball park with a three-homer day.
3. Jayson Werth, 2004 - 10 You just don't expect a fringe pickup who misses weeks and weeks of the season to become a power threat so quickly. Werth is averaging a home run every 14.3 at-bats.
2. Paul Lo Duca, 2001 - 25 The perennial minor leaguer, 29 years old with five career home runs entering the season, Lo Duca reached 10 home runs before the end of June.
1. Dave Ross, 2003 - 10 Ross hit his 10 home runs in 124 at-bats - a surprising feat then, an even more surprising feat now given his current struggles.

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.