Giancarlo Stanton, OF

[MiamiHomer]

ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
From #Elias, Giancarlo Stanton join Alex Rodriguez as the only active players with 3 20+ HR seasons before turning 23.

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[Chewford]

They really should have put an 's' at the end of join. Now I feel like ESPNstats is Asian.

[emkayseven]

On Friday night, with the Marlins losing 5-4 to the Rockies in the top of the sixth and Josh Roenicke on the mound, Giancarlo Stanton hit an important home run. It wasn't important because it tied the game, although the Marlins would go on to win by one run. This was a matchup between two last-place teams, so the outcome was about as inconsequential as the outcomes of baseball games come. It was important because it looked like this:

We know Giancarlo Stanton hits long home runs. The average home run Stanton has hit this year has left the bat about four miles per hour faster, and traveled nearly 12 feet further, than the average NL home run. But this home run was different. This one beat out all the ones before it.

According to ESPN Home Run Tracker (formerly known as Hit Tracker), Stanton's homer, had its flight not been interrupted by the stands, would have traveled 494 feet by the time it returned to field level. That's nine feet farther than this Cameron Maybin homer from July, which had been the leader in the clubhouse for 2012. In fact, it's farther than every other home run hit in the regular season or playoffs since this Wladimir Balentien blast from October 2, 2009, which went 495. It's the fifth-longest homer hit since the start of the 2006 season, when Hit Tracker began keeping track.

I know what you're thinking: Stanton had help. The game was at Coors Field, and a Rockies pitcher was pitching. But although the altitude tacked on 12 feet, according to Home Run Tracker, the wind was blowing in, apparently pretty hard, which took away 13. The home run's "Standard Distance," which "factors out the influence of wind, temperature, and altitude," was 488 feet. Even at sea level, this would have been the longest home run hit this season. And while a Rockies pitcher was pitching, it was one of the hardest Rockies to homer off of. Roenicke entered the game having allowed only 0.6 home runs per nine innings this season, the 16th-lowest rate among pitchers with at least 70 innings. His career home run rates in both the majors and minors were also 0.6 per nine. Stanton had some factors in his favor, but the conditions definitely could've been better.

The clip of Stanton's homer has a strong supporting cast. Roenicke, who looks like a beaten man immediately after bat makes contact with curveball. The infielders, who crane their necks to watch the ball soar over their heads. The outfielders, who take a step or two toward the track to show that they totally tried to catch it. But the stars are Stanton, who doesn't seem to swing especially hard, and the ball itself, which forces our eyes to follow it. Remember where it went. It might be a while before we see one take a longer trip.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...rticleid=18061
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However, what we can tell you is that Stanton has now homered in all five career games he's played at Coors Field, which equals Jeff Kent's stadium best five-game homer streak for a visiting player.
That's a pretty cool streak. Now just imagine if Stanton wasn't a visiting player. From MLB.com:

Asked if he could imagine the numbers he would put up if he played half his games at Coors Field, Stanton smiled and said, "Yeah, I could."
When asked if he cared to be more specific, he said, "No, you guys can use your imagination."

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...7784--mlb.html

he's so dreamy

[emkayseven]

Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton has 26 home runs, tied for third in the National League with Arizona’s Jason Kubel behind Ryan Braun (33) and Carlos Beltran (28).

Stanton is on pace to finish with 34 home runs, which would match his career high, set last year in 150 games. But manager Ozzie Guillen said Stanton has a shot to win the National League home run title.

Although he has played in only 93 games this year, he could finish the season with more home runs if he continues producing like he has since returning from the disabled list on Aug. 7.

“This kid has missed half a year and he still has 20-something home runs. That’s how talented he is. We need that,” Guillen said.

Stanton went into Tuesday’s game with seven home runs in 48 at-bats this month — an average of one home run nearly every seven at-bats.

“This kid has chance to be a tremendous spectacular ballplayer because when this kid learns how to hit and how they are going to pitch to him, it’s going to be very fun to watch,” Guillen said.

“Right now he is still learning about baseball. He is chasing bad pitches. When he chases bad pitches that’s when he gets in trouble. Let the guy pitch to you and you do the damage. That comes with experience, with more games players, with knowing the league better, the pitchers better. … When this kid starts learning all those little things, wow. He’s going to be a very, very, very dangerous hitter.”

Guillen said he might rest Stanton in one of Wednesday’s doubleheader games.

http://lindyssports.com/mlb/miami-ma...un-title/23335
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From the standpoint of raw power, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said he has never seen anyone quite like Giancarlo Stanton at any point in his major-league baseball journey.

“Not in my time,” Guillen said. “Not when I was playing. Not when I was coaching. Not when I was managing. Maybe there was somebody before me, who was more powerful or the ball jumped off his bat better. Maybe.”

Stanton has put on a home run show in Denver and Phoenix with one jaw-dropping blast after another. The total “true” distance of his five home runs in the first five games of the road trip measured 2,255 feet — or an average of 451 feet.

“When I got this job, I remember people say how far this kid can hit the ball,” Guillen said. “I said, ‘I don’t need far. I need a lot.’ Well, I’m seeing both.”

Stanton hit his 25th and 26th home runs of the season Monday in the Marlins’ 12-3 win over Arizona. He’s well behind National League home run leader Ryan Braun, who has 33. But Stanton also missed a month of the season with a knee injury.

“He’s a big boy,’’ Guillen said of Stanton. “His waist is 28 [inches] and his shoulders are 45. But he has good swings, because I see guys bigger than him that don’t hit the ball that hard.’’

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/08/22/...#storylink=cpy
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also I somehow missed this

“There’s no doubt, we are very happy that he’s a Marlin,’’ team president David Samson said.

Samson said the Marlins have had internal discussions this year about a possible long-term contract for Stanton. “I don’t think it it has been anything concrete,’’ Samson said.

He declined to say whether the Marlins might approach Stanton this winter about a long-term deal. Stanton, who is making $480,000 this year, becomes arbitration-eligible after the 2013 season and eligible for free agency after the 2016 season.

His health and ability to stay on the field will be one factor in determining a long-term contract. He has endured aches and injuries to both knees and legs, which mainly has limited his action during spring training.

If he plays the rest of Miami’s 40 games, he will finish with 132 games in 2012. He played in 150 games last year and 100 games in 2010 after getting called up from Class AA in June.

[MiamiHomer]

@clarkspencer
Giancarlo Stanton of #marlins has hit 8 HR's of at least 450 feet this season. Next on the list: Miguel Cabrera with 4

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[emkayseven]

I'm so sick of not locking him up

[lilchris11]

6 years 85-90m should do it

[Madman81]

Did you just pull that out of thin air?

[lilchris11]

yes.......... yes i did

[Madman81]

Awesome

[emkayseven]

he'd also be willing to go to $40 million on anibal in case you were wondering

[Chewford]

Does he have $40 million to give Anibal?

[lilchris11]

thats what hes valued at u can be cheaper with the struggles in detroit maybe 34 to 36 if american league teams get scared

[emkayseven]

Each home run Giancarlo Stanton hits moves him further into elite company.

The Marlins slugger connected on solo shots on Friday and Saturday night at Los Angeles, giving him 28 on the season and seven on the road trip.

The Sunland, Calif., resident now has 84 home runs in his career, and he is climbing the ladder for the most by a player before age 23.

His homer off Clayton Kershaw in the second inning on Saturday night pulled Stanton even with Mickey Mantle and Andruw Jones for ninth place on the list of players with home runs before turning 23. Stanton had previously been tied with Ted Williams. The top five on the list are Mel Ott (115), Eddie Matthews (112), Tony Conigliaro (104), Alex Rodriguez (94) and Frank Robinson (93).

"To be in the same list or category with these names is hands down something you only dream about," Stanton said. "But also, a few of the names on the list are not on top of the all-time list."

If Stanton stays healthy, who knows where he may wind up on the all-time home run list? He has the potential to hit at least 40 per season.

So while he's already among some elite names, Stanton is focused on continuing to perform.

"Just keep it going," he said. "Don't settle for anything. Those names are untouchable for some people. But you have to keep pushing and try to make shadows of them."

http://miami.marlins.mlb.com/news/ar...k_mia&c_id=mia

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PAY THE MAN

[Valid]

The amazing thing is he has put up those numbers without the benefit of being fully healthy for a season. On that note, though, his durability (or lack thereof) might be the main reason why the FO is a bit reluctant to pay him.

That said, I agree. Pay the man.