Saturday, August 4, 2012

B.J. Upton and Justin Upton Hit Career Home Run Number 100 on the Same Night

It's not a normal occurrence.  The fact is, two brothers playing in the Major Leagues is simply abnormal.  Sure, it's been done before.  Brett and Aaron Boone, Chris and Tony Gwynn, Cal and Billy Ripken, Phil and Joe Niekro.  Those are just a few, but consider this; only about 0.5% of high school baseball players are ever drafted by a Major League club.  This doesn't mean they make the 25-man roster.  No, it simply means the odds of even being drafted - and in turn being given the opportunity to ride around on an old bus between cities hours apart - is a mere half a percent.  So, the odds of two brothers both playing Major League Baseball is significantly less.  The odds of two brothers hitting their 100th career home run on the same night?  Almost non-existent.

But it happened.

Justin Upton struck first.  He was facing Kyle Kendrick of the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning of the Diamondbacks game in Philly last night.  On a 2-0 count, Justin took an 81 mph change up to left field for his 100th career home run.  B.J. hit his about an hour later.  On the first pitch he saw in the fourth inning of his game against the Orioles in Tampa Bay B.J. took a 91 mph cutter from Tommy Hunter to centerfield.




The fact that both players hit their 100th career home runs in the same season is striking enough.  The fact that they hit it in the same night is incredible.  The fact that their hit them an hour apart is unbelievable.

Major League Baseball is unlike any sport in the events within the event.  Other sports have individual moments - the single-season touchdown record, most points in an NBA game, Most goals in a Hockey game - but these moments pale in comparison to the uniqueness of what baseball has to offer.  Brothers, who very rarely are on the same team, have a chance to be adversaries, rivals who are often compared to each other.  They present a story within a story.  Such is the case with the Upton brothers.

B.J. Upton made it first, but only by virtue of being three years older.  B.J. was drafted number two overall in 2002.  Justin was drafted number one overall in 2005.  That in and of itself is its own story.  These brothers from Norfolk, Virginia took the odds that were stacked against them and broke them down with pure talent.  Neither brother played college ball. Both were drafted straight out of high school and sent to Single-A ball.

The similarities between the Upton brothers and their career trajectories have been eery enough, but there's more.  B.J. Upton made his Major League Debut with the Rays on August 2, 2004.  Justin made his Major League debut with the Diamondbacks August 2, 2007.  These boys, born three years apart and picked one and two in their respective drafts three years apart, were called-up on the same day three years apart.  Baseball is an interesting game.

As similar as B.J. and Justin Upton's baseball lives have been, they aren't alone.  As mentioned above, there are numerous brother combos to have played in the Majors.  But did any of them share as many commonalities as the Upton boys do?

Felipe, Matty, and Jesus Alou all played at the same time.  Felipe was born in 1935, Matty in 1938, and Jesus in 1942.  They all made their Major League Debuts within a five year span.  All were signed as amateur free agents by the Giants - Jesus was the only one to be signed by the San Francisco version of the Giants as the team had already moved west when he came of age.  Felipe had 2,101 hits and 206 home runs.  He was a three-time All-Star.  Matty had 1,777 hits and 31 home runs.  He was a two-time All-Star.  Jesus had 1,216 hits and 32 home runs, but he never made an All-Star Game.  Felipe and Matty both retired after the 1974 season.  Jesus, though played five more seasons as he was the youngest, and retired in 1979.

Jim and Gaylord Perry were born three years apart, with Jim being the elder Perry brother.  Both Perry brothers made their debuts in April just three years apart.  Jim debuted on April 23, 1959.  Gaylord debuted on April 14, 1962.  These brothers in blood and in arms - both were pitchers - combined for 529 wins in their career.  Gaylord took the bulk of those wins with 314, but Jim had a fair amount at 215.  Jim was a three-time All-Star and a Cy Young Award winner.  Gaylord was a six-time All-Star, two-time Cy Young Award winner, and is now enshrined in the Hall of Fame.  They both had long careers, but Gaylord managed to pitch five years longer than Jim overall.  Jim retired in 1975.  Gaylord retired in 1983.

Another set of brother pitchers were Phil and Joe Niekro.  They were born five years apart, Phil in 1939, Joe in 1944.  They debuted just three years apart, though, and almost on the the same day.  Phil made his Major League Debut on April 15, 1964.  Joe made his debut on April 16, 1967.  Unlike Phil, Joe was drafted.  He was selected in baseball's second Major League Draft in 1966.  Between the two of them, they have 539 wins.  Phil has 318, and Joe has 221.  Phil was a five-time All-Star.  Joe was selected to the Midsummer Classic just once.  Phil was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

If we go back even further in history, we can examine Paul and Lloyd Waner.  These Hall of Fame brothers were born three years apart - Paul in 1903, Lloyd in 1906.  Despite the age difference, Paul made his Major League debut just one year before Lloyd.  Paul had 3,152 hits, was a four-time All-Star, and won league MVP in 1927.  Lloyd 2,459 hits and was an All-Star in 1938.  They both retired after the 1945 season.

How about the DiMaggio brothers?  Vince, Joe and Dom all played in the Majors at the same time.  Vince was the oldest, born in 1912.  Joe was born two years later, and Dom was born three years after that.  Joe, being the most successful of the DiMaggio boys actually made his Major League debut a year before his older brother Vince.  Dom made his debut three years after Vince.  Niether Vince nor Dom had nearly as long of careers as Joe did.  And Joe outshines them both.  Joe collected 2,214 hits and hit 361 home runs despite missing three full seasons due to military service.  Dom also missed three years due to military service and was easily the second-best of the DiMaggio clan.  Dom was a seven-time All-Star while playing for Joe's rival the Boston Red Sox.  Vince made two All-Star games in his career but did quite have the success of Joe or even Dom.  Vince retired in 1946, Joe retired in 1951 -  and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1955, and Dom retired in 1953.

There are more sets of brothers to have played Major League Baseball, of course, but we've covered some of the most famous ones out there.  None have the same eery similarities of the Upton brothers.  We don't know if Justin or B.J. will ever make the Hall of Fame like many of the players listed above - it seems unlikely.  But we know they share milestone that no brothers have ever shared before.  According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there have only been five other brotherly pairs to both hit at least 100 career home runs in the Majors.  The Uptons are in elite company.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

13 Responses to “B.J. Upton and Justin Upton Hit Career Home Run Number 100 on the Same Night”

Anonymous said...
December 21, 2012 at 7:27 PM

SE by Nationals Ballpark and Navy Yard metro) from 1pm to 9pm, with a special preview for premium ticket holders from 11am to 1pm. [url=http://www.vanessasac.com]cabas vanessa bruno[/url] Taxes were steep, making starvation common during years that yielded low harvests, as the peasants were forced to pay from their personal share of food to appease the lords.. Catalina priced to sell. If you have to work on Buy Nothing Day it's more difficult, you need to brink a packed lunch to work together with Coffee or Tea in thermos flask.
The next icon opens the Quest panel.. [url=http://www.icanadagooseca.com]canada goose toronto[/url] You will be able to see that Barker categorise their mens shoes and boots into four ranges: Heritage Range, Professional Range, International Range and Barker 125th Anniversary. [url=http://officialcanadagoosesoutlet.ca]canada goose for sale[/url]
[url=http://flyballbags.com]canada goose toronto factory[/url] His parents, upon seeing the smut, contacted the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which will be looking into the matter, reported Utah's Standard-Examiner."The game had allegedly been bought on December 2 at a Circuit City store in Modesto, California, and was factory sealed with the game's logo embossed on the disc. [url=http://www.onlinebeatsbydreoutlet.com]beats by dr dre outlet store[/url]


Anonymous said...
December 22, 2012 at 9:09 AM

But that's what it feels like. [url=http://www.vanessasac.com]sacs vanessa bruno soldes [/url] A more realistic fiction took impetus from Louis H ID=Tp11 class=hint> H Louis , 1880 French Canadian novelist, b. Load it in and out, and practice retrieving dummies from the boat.#Re. And I am not one to go in half hearted So my VHS collection was like 100+ and my DVD collection is well over 300+.
In order to tie it into the other books, at the end Poole ends up helping to sabotage the monolith and saving the solar system. [url=http://www.icanadagooseca.com]canada goose toronto[/url] The retailer Sears, Roebuck and Co. [url=http://officialcanadagoosesoutlet.ca]canada goose whistler parka[/url]
[url=http://flyballbags.com]canada goose toronto factory[/url] "Keeping Advanced Quality of scratched his head: "I just want to leave the take-off, because I really could not do the driver's job.""That your future plans?" Linke Qing did not inquisitive Keeping Advanced Quality of why the resignation, but a superficial opened harmless joke, in other words, he is not the kind of gossip tomboy."I intend to own dry point Industrial Keeping Advanced Quality immediately say to themselves alone the idea, because he was really afraid the Linke Qing invited him to join, so to a prior statement."Oh?" Yixian the Linke Qing surprised eyebrows, Montblanc Boheme Pen but did not ask, nodded his head: "a good idea, young people would dare Gangan, if there are any difficulties, you can come to me."Mr. [url=http://www.onlinebeatsbydreoutlet.com]monster outlet beats by dre[/url]


Anonymous said...
December 23, 2012 at 11:31 AM

We breed for health, conformation and temperment. [url=http://www.vanessasac.com]sac lune vanessa bruno [/url] The Competition Act ('the Act') is the oldest antitrust statute in thewestern world, enacted in 1889 (one year before the Sherman Act inthe United States). Maddie, Anne, and myself were overwhelmed with everything we can do in Banff. It is prepared so well, it is excellent the next day.
Think I am going to have to dry out awhile after being on your site! Thank you for furnishing so much information. http://www.icanadagooseca.com If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. [url=http://officialcanadagoosesoutlet.ca]canada goose sale[/url]
[url=http://flyballbags.com]canada goose online[/url] Once again, the quality of the material and the elegance of the design is kept intact in spite of the lower price range thanks to the designers who have come out with the replica versionWithout any doubt, fashion is in the blood of the present day girl, but you should additionally be aware that one shouldn buy fashion at the cost of their complete savings. [url=http://www.onlinebeatsbydreoutlet.com]beats dre pro serial number location[/url]


Anonymous said...
February 5, 2013 at 4:17 AM

disclosure on the network two big involved groups behind manipulation and concise with each other to do [url=http://www.ddtshanghaiescort.com/shanghai-escort.html]shanghai escort[/url] more it


Anonymous said...
February 22, 2013 at 12:06 PM

Hello. And Bye. Thank you very much.


Anonymous said...
February 22, 2013 at 8:33 PM

Hello. And Bye. Thank you very much.


Anonymous said...
February 27, 2013 at 12:53 AM

While it may be true you can not use it an excuse to
acquire from your own mess as that is not going to go away
until you have a very serious consider it and
take control Payday Loans when
buying a truck, you could possibly manage to escape a huge number of pounds and also have a fantastic vehicle
that lasts for a lot of years.
my website - Payday Loans


Anonymous said...
March 1, 2013 at 7:12 AM

[url=http://buycialispremiumpharmacy.com/#iqybt]cialis online[/url] - buy cheap cialis , http://buycialispremiumpharmacy.com/#oyawx generic cialis


Anonymous said...
March 1, 2013 at 7:53 AM

[url=http://buyviagrapremiumpharmacy.com/#wrzbz]buy viagra[/url] - buy viagra , http://buyviagrapremiumpharmacy.com/#cbrjm buy viagra online


Anonymous said...
March 2, 2013 at 9:34 AM

[url=http://buycialispremiumpharmacy.com/#oajjy]generic cialis[/url] - buy cialis online , http://buycialispremiumpharmacy.com/#lfpnd buy cialis online


Anonymous said...
March 2, 2013 at 9:35 AM

[url=http://buyviagrapremiumpharmacy.com/#mgwpy]buy viagra online[/url] - buy cheap viagra , http://buyviagrapremiumpharmacy.com/#yyzmr buy viagra online


Anonymous said...
March 7, 2013 at 6:47 AM

[url=http://viagraboutiqueone.com/#rjtbo]viagra 50 mg[/url] - viagra 25 mg , http://viagraboutiqueone.com/#snrbh viagra without prescription


Anonymous said...
December 14, 2013 at 4:50 PM

Amazing! This blog looks exactly like my old one!
It's on a completely different topic but it has pretty much the
same page layout and design. Excellent choice of colors!


Check out my homepage; グッチ バッグ マラケシュ


Blogger news

Subscribe

Donec sed odio dui. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio. Duis mollis

© 2013 The 5.5 Hole. All rights reserved.
Designed by SpicyTricks