When New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was interviewed on the YES Network, he predicted that Giancarlo Stanton was going to have a “great year.” I agree! Here’s why.
It’s a shame to think that in a season in which baseballs were being juiced, arguably the best power hitter in the game wasted away on the injured list. I mean how many home runs could New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton have hit during the 2019 MLB season?
Could he have repeated his performance from 2017, a season in which his 57 home runs led to an NL MVP award? Could he have surpassed Roger Maris (61 HR) as the single-season home run leader for the Yankees? Could he have become the single-season home run king in MLB, passing Barry Bonds‘ 73 HR hit in 2001?
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We’ll never know.
However, hopefully, baseball doesn’t change the baseball back, drastically impacting player performance… again.
Purists would praise this if it were to happen. However, realists will acknowledge that, in an age in which fans need instant gratification, the game was much more fun to watch.
If MLB chooses to follow the path of the realists, then Yankees fans will be sure to enjoy a magical season on behalf of their designated hitter. Pair that with Aaron Judge‘s power, and baseball could be looking at the modern-day “M&M Boys.”
If we are to believe the STEAMER projections, which can be found in FanGraphs, Giancarlo Stanton is poised to hit 48 home runs in the 2020 MLB season. I predict, as a fully biased New York Yankees fan of course, that he will hit more.
At a time where baseball has undergone some really bad press with year-long suspensions to AJ Hinch an GM Jeff Luhnow, who were also fired by the Houston Astros, followed by the firing of Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, I could think of nothing better to bring the game back into the hearts and minds of the fans.
I predict “G” will be the legitimate single-season home run king. I predict that He will hit 62 home runs.