In online betting circles, it’s tough to talk baseball these days without the dreaded “S” word coming up. For now, let’s call it “S” for, ahem, “suspicious.” As in suspiciously good offensive numbers that exploded out of nowhere. Let’s look at some of the biggest head-scratcher seasons in the power era. These guys posted monster totals—power numbers worthy of the Babe himself—only to regress to normal levels and fluster sportsbook bettors.
Luis Gonzalez’s 2001 season
(.325, 57 HR, 142 RBI)
Gonzo certainly strung together multiple All-Star seasons and made many bettors winners in MLB odds, but topping his next highest single-season homer total by 26 homers is fishy, isn’t it?
Brady Anderson’s 1996 season
(.297, 50 HR, 110 RBI)
The Baltimore leadoff man, whose next highest single-season total was less than half his 1996 number, may have the most famous “out-of-nowhere” single season numbers in major league history. His 50 home runs were more than Manny Ramirez or AlbertPujols have ever hit in one season. Hmmm…
Todd Hundley’s 1996 and 1997 seasons
(41 HR, 30 HR)
He had power, for sure, but did he really have Mets-single-season-homer-record power? The beefy catcher clubbed 41 homers in 1996 and 30 more the next season. His numbers then took a nose dive, much to the chagrin of those who bet on MLB odds . It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that he was named in the Mitchell Report.
Barry Bonds’ 2001 season
(.328, 73 HR, 137 RBI)
Bonds had plenty of monster years, of course, but his 73-homer season tops his next best total by 24. It stands not only as the single-season homer record, but as the pinnacle of “suspicious” seasons. Online betting fans probably shouldn’t bet on anyone beating 73 long flies any time soon.
Baseball winners all year long on OffshoreInsiders.com