Who has the best raw power in baseball?
Ryan Howard, Phillies 1B......31%
Wily Mo Pena, Nationals OF......12%
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees 3B......9%
Vladimir Guerrero, Angels OF......6%
Prince Fielder, Brewers 1B......6%
Adam Dunn, Reds LF......4%
Matt Holliday, Rockies LF......4%
Josh Hamilton, Rangers CF......3%
Albert Pujols, Cardinals 1B......3%
David Ortiz, Red Sox 1B.....3%
[Based on a survey of 495 MLB players]
FAST FACTS Howard, fifth in the NL with 20 homers through Sunday, had hit a homer every 11.9 at bats since his 2004 debut -- the majors' best ratio.... The 6' 3", 265-pound Pena, a part-timer, hit a homer every 18.6 at bats before this year, in which he had just two in 174 at bats through Sunday.... Of the 27 players who got multiple votes, Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez is the only middle infielder.
This is an expanded MLB poll from the July 7, 2008 issue of Sports Illustrated.
What's your take on this poll?
Maria Kirilenko
Melissa Haro
Men's Grand Slam All-Time Leaders
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Comments (5) Add A Comment
i love howard but he gots to learn to hit the left handed curve ball. when he is guessing he has no more power than mario mendoza!
I am the Walrus
Pennsville , NJ
Total Comments (84)
He may strike out to an embarrassing degree, but Howard is a power hitter if I ever saw one. Check him out unleashing his (product-placement-clad) beastly power on Vlad Guerrero at a driving range, to the utter flabbergastation of plaid-clad senior golfers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs8xiN2Y9d8
The man's a machine.
dwight4prezz
Philadelphia , PA
Total Comments (1)
As I Nationals season ticket holder, I have to ask myself what all these players have been looking at all year. Wily Mo Pena has been, bless his heart, pretty much a zero at the plate this year. Raw power he may have--but if he absolutely never connects with the ball squarely, that hypothetical raw power becomes meaningless.
As of July 8, he has 39 hits, of which 8 were for extra bases: 2 homers and 6 doubles. Not exactly a slugging machine.
shepdave
Vienna , VA
Total Comments (1)
Pena has great talent but makes nothing out of it. I am surprised ortiz is not higher
TOleafsbosoxcolts
Total Comments (38)
wily mo is gonna be good someday. i remember last year he hit an absolute shot like 500 feet or somthing. moon shot. i said that kids gonna be good someday. he whiffs like crazy though
BTO - TCB
Total Comments (7)
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