Homerun Record - What might of been

Updates

Back in 2007, I predicted a short life for Barry Bonds's home run record. Alex Rodriguez was on pace to blow by it. Plus it looked like after A-Rod set it, Albert Pujols would be right on his tail and likely passing him up. A-Rod fell short with 696 career home runs, but Pujols still has a chance.

2022 Update: Pujols ended the 2018 season short with knee surgery, and slowed down his pace. At age 37 he was still ahead of Bonds, but Pujols final five years he averaged only 18 HRs a season, while Bonds still averaged 30 his final years.

2024 Update: I'm keeping an eye on Aaron Judge, but he started so late. His first major league home run wasn't until he was 24 years old, by that age Bonds had 84, Aaron 140, Pujols 160, and A-Rod had 189 home runs. It seems unlikely for Judge to catch up.

Cumulative Home Runs by Age

Data from Baseball Reference, August 2024.

Alex Rodriguez Chance

Alex Rodriguez started 2007 with 464 home runs at age 31. He averaged 41 home runs a year for each full year he's played. If he did the same for the next 7 years, he would hit another 287 home runs, giving him 751 career home runs at age 38. Bonds at age 38 was just past 600 home runs, and still at his physical peak. If A-Rod can perform in his later years as well as Bonds then he could expect an additional 150 home runs which would put him around 900 career home runs; he likely will fall off some in his later years, so most likely Rodriguez will finish around 800 total HRs.

My prediction from 2007 was Alex Rodriguez will become the all time home run leader with his 760th home run on Sept 23rd, 2012; coincidentally passing Barry Bonds on the same day he hit his 759th five years earlier.

Obviously, this didn't happen. Here's the chart of what might of been, projecting A-Rod's home run production from 2007 to 2016.

Alex Rodriguez Predicted vs. Actual

If he hit the predicted amount it would give him 855 total career home runs, almost 100 more than Bonds. However, due to suspension, injuries, and slumps A-Rod finished his career with 696 home runs.

The Walks

One thing to note, which makes Bonds's record even more amazing, he was walked a major league record 2,558 times, once every 4 at bats for his career. This is the most ridiculous stat, if you're looking for something that will never be beat, this is it. The next closest is Ricky Henderson with 2,190 and Babe Ruth with 2,062. They would need to walk every single at-bat for a season to close the gap.

If Barry Bonds walk ratio was on par with A-Rod's or Hank Aaron's which is both around every 8 at bats, Bonds would have an additional 1,200 at bats. Considering Bonds's career home run ratio is an HR every 13 at bats, that would have given him an additional 92 home runs! What might of been.

Willie Mays

Did you know Willie Mays missed almost two full years of baseball due to military service? Mays finished with 660 career home runs, which is now 5th all time. What might of been if The Say Hey Kid would of had a full career like the rest of the home run leaders.

Willie Mays home runs early in his career, which is when he went into the military.

Mays hit a home run every 15.2 at-bats, and was averaging around 546 at-bats per year.

So in 1952 he missed out on 419 at-bats and in 1953 he missed out on all 546 at-bats. Using one home run every 15.2 at bats works out to be 27 more home runs in 1952 and 36 home runs in 1953 which would be an additional 63 home runs.

Babe Ruth finished with 714 career home runs; if Mays didn't serve in the military it is very likely he would of had 63 more home runs, giving him a career total of 723 home runs and being the first to pass the Babe.