Home Run Milestones that Should Occur In 2012

I decided to do something a little different today. Instead of blogging about the latest news, or my opinion on something, I decided just do an entry on home run milestones.

Below you’ll find a bulleted list of the home run milestones that *should* occur in 2012. I say should because there’s no guarantee that any given player on the list will reach the milestone; they could get injured, have a bad season, or whatever.

In order to make the list, the player had to meet the following criteria:

1. You can’t be a pitcher. Although there are some pitchers that can hit home runs, you won’t find any on my list. Reason being is that they’re not everyday players.
2. You have to have hit at least one home run in the Major Leagues. There are around 50 players going into 2012 that haven’t hit an MLB home run, but adding them to the below list just didn’t make sense.
3. You have to be closing in on an even milestone, like 100, 200, 300, etc. I din’t include anyone that’s a few homers away from number 50, 75, 125, etc. It just didn’t seem necessary.*

The list is organized by player name–team–milestone they’re going for–and how many home runs they are from that particular milestone:

2012 Home Run Milestones

Geoff Blum, Diamondbacks–Home Run number 100 (1 home run away)

Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks–Home Run number 100 (2 home runs away)

Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners–Home Run number 100 (5 home runs away)

Mark Ellis, Dodgers–Home Run number 100 (8 home runs away)

Kelly Johnson, Blue Jays–Home Run number 100 (8 home runs away)

Justin Upton, Diamondbacks–Home Run number 100 (9 home runs away)

B.J. Upton, Rays–Home Run number 100 (10 home runs away)

Orlando Hudson, Padres–Home Run number 100 (10 home runs away)

Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies–Home Run number 100 (23 home runs away)

Adam Jones, Orioles–Home Run number 100 (25 home runs away)

Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox–Home Run number 200 (5 home runs away)

Dan Uggla, Braves–Home Run number 200 (10 home runs away)

Travis Hafner, Indians–Home Run number 200 (11 home runs away)

Chase Utley, Phillies–Home Run number 200 (12 home runs away)

Justin Morneau, Twins–Home Run number 200 (15 home runs away)

Nick Swisher, Yankees–Home Run number 200 (15 home runs away)

David Wright, Mets–Home Run number 200 (17 home runs away)

Curtis Granderson, Yankees–Home Run number 200 (33 home runs away)

Jose Bautsta, Blue Jays–Home Run number 200 (44 home runs away)

Ryan Howard, Phillies–Home Run number 300 (14 home runs away)

Bobby Abreu, Angels–Home Run number 300 (16 home runs away)

Torii Hunter, Angels–Home Run number 300 (19 home runs away)

Miguel Cabrera, Tigers–Home Run number 300 (23 home runs away)

Paul Konerko, White Sox–Home Run number 400 (4 home runs away)

David Ortiz, Red Sox–Home Run number 400 (22 home runs away)

Jim Thome, Phillies–Home Run #610 to pass Sammy Sosa (6 HR’s away)

Alex Rodriguez, Yankees–Home Run #631 to pass Ken Griffey Jr. (2 HR’s away)

I don’t know whether or not you noticed the asterisk on criteria number three, but I did it because Jim Thome and Alex Rodriguez don’t meet the criteria of having to be going for an even number such as 100, or 200. Thome and A-rod were included in the list just for the fact that they’ve hit SO many home runs that they’re going for milestone home runs such as passing the games greats.

Whether or not you found the above information useful, I hope you at least found it enjoyable to read. I’m planning on doing a stats blog entry the first day of every month during the season, of the leaders of different categories from month to month. Similar to the one I did last season. So be looking out for that starting May 1st.

I apologize for being lazy and not blogging for nearly two weeks. I couldn’t seem to motivate myself to type one up, but I’m back now, and ready to go. Look for at least three blog entries a week starting Monday.