Top 5 Moments of the 2016 MLB Season: Fourth Quarter

We’re a couple weeks into the postseason here but I wanted to make sure I stayed true to my word.  Here we go:

5. David Ortiz sets final season home run mark.

It was a magical season for the Large Father, surpassing expectations of just about everyone in the baseball world.  On September 20th, Ortiz launched his 36th home run of the year to put himself ahead of Dave Kingman for the all time final season home run record.

4. Gary Sanchez reaches 20 in record fashion.

I’m not sure if he’ll win Rookie of the Year because he’s had such few at-bats, but he has just as good a case as any, if not better.  Sanchez burst onto the Major League scene once again in early August after just two at-bats in 2015, and took the league by storm.  On September 27th, Sanchez tied Wally Berger of the 1930 Boston Braves for the fastest to hit 20 home runs.

3. Miguel Cabrera collects his TWELFTH 100-RBI season.

We may be looking at one of the best, if not the best, pure hitters of this generation in Miguel Cabrera.  With a triple crown and back-to-back MVP awards, Cabrera is well on his way to the Hall of Fame.  On September 27th he moved one step closer by recording 100 RBIs for the 12th time in his career.  For a 33 year old, that’s pretty damn good.  He becomes just the 9th player all time to reach the 100-RBI mark 12 times.

2. Dodgers clinch the NL West in Vin Scully’s final home game.

Vin Scully is perhaps the most legendary baseball broadcaster of all time, having been the voice of the Dodgers since their days in Brooklyn.  Before the 2016 season, Scully had announced it would be his last in the booth, capping off an eventful 67-year career.  On September 25th, Vin Scully’s final game at Dodger Stadium, infielder Charlie Culberson drilled a walk-off homerun to left field to give Los Angeles its fourth straight division title.

1. Dee Gordon lifts Miami.

I don’t think any of us will ever really get over the death of Jose Fernandez, not only because of how sudden it was, but also because of how great of a person he was both on and off the field.  After news broke of the star pitcher’s death on September 25th, the game between the Marlins and Braves was cancelled.  The next day, the Marlins began a three-game series with the Mets.  Lefty hitter Dee Gordon took the first pitch of the game from the right side of the plate out of respect for his teammate.  On the third pitch, he did this:

Miami defeated New York 7-3.

What a season.  2016 did not disappoint.