Gunnar Henderson 2024

[Say O!]

The dude just impacts the game in every facet — hitting, baserunning, defense.  Tonight was for the highlight reel with 1st inning rocket HR, the race around the bases to score on Westy’s 2B in the 3rd inning, and these defensive gems.  As much as may marvel at current WAR and historic pace, I am just enjoying watching the guy play baseball on a nightly basis.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

3 minutes ago, Say O! said:

The dude just impacts the game in every facet — hitting, baserunning, defense.  Tonight was for the highlight reel with 1st inning rocket HR, the race around the bases to score on Westy’s 2B in the 3rd inning, and these defensive gems.  As much as may marvel at current WAR and historic pace, I am just enjoying watching the guy play baseball on a nightly basis.

Gunnar is right up there with Cal and Eddie for me in my baseballl watching fandom as most enjoyable and best talent. I'm too young to have watched any Orioles before 1982-83.

Gunnar is a special, special player. I've never seen a better all around talent play for the team.

[O's84]

5 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Gunnar is right up there with Cal and Eddie for me in my baseballl watching fandom as most enjoyable and best talent. I'm too young to have watched any Orioles before 1982-83.

Gunnar is a special, special player. I've never seen a better all around talent play for the team.

Maybe with Rubenstein we have a chance to keep him.

[Brooks The Great]

25 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think the greatest Orioles season ever is in play...that'd have to be Cal's 1991 season which is one of the greatest WAR seasons in history, IIRC.

We'll see if he can take down Judge for the MVP award.  That's going to be tough.

It might actually be tough for Judge to beat out Gunnar even though Judge has had a better offensive season thus far, simply because Judge is injury-prone and is already playing banged up.

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, Brooks The Great said:

It might actually be tough for Judge to beat out Gunnar even though Judge has had a better offensive season thus far, simply because Judge is injury-prone and is already playing banged up.

I can see that.  If we can somehow overtake the Yankees for first place, that would be a big help for Gunnar's chances, too.

[ShoelesJoe]

6 hours ago, Brooks The Great said:

It might actually be tough for Judge to beat out Gunnar even though Judge has had a better offensive season thus far, simply because Judge is injury-prone and is already playing banged up.

I have to think the defensive metrics favor Gunnar over Judge by leaps and bounds. Judge plays center by default, due to the makeup of the NY roster. On the vast majority of teams he's a corner outfielder. Gunnar is an above average defensive SS who'd stick at that position on at least 26 out of 30 MLB teams. 

Now on pace for 11.9 WAR this season. That would be the highest single season total since Bonds in 2001 or Clemens in 1997. It would be the highest by a non-roider since Dwight Gooden in 1985.  

Edited June 26 by ShoelesJoe

[baltfan]

6 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think the greatest Orioles season ever is in play...that'd have to be Cal's 1991 season which is one of the greatest WAR seasons in history, IIRC.

We'll see if he can take down Judge for the MVP award.  That's going to be tough.

Agree it’s tough vs Judge because he just has such a presence.  He scares you to death when he is up.  I don’t think other teams quite see Gunnar that way yet, though it is hard when he is on your team. 

[baltfan]

6 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Gunnar is right up there with Cal and Eddie for me in my baseballl watching fandom as most enjoyable and best talent. I'm too young to have watched any Orioles before 1982-83.

Gunnar is a special, special player. I've never seen a better all around talent play for the team.

Alomar or prime Brady are the closest I have seen.  

[Just Regular]

He's now inched past Julio for the rWAR lead among all players born since 2000, though it could go back and forth any day and the two guys see each other next week.

He's 4 down to Vlad and 8 down to Tatis from the 1999 births cohort, with Tatis about to miss a month.

Odds are he won't outplay Vlad by 4 wins in half a season again.    I don't think..

As franchise player candidates come up through #1 farm systems, for me some of how good their teams can get is do 3-win or 6-win versions of them come forth in MLB?     Jackson Holliday could be 3.0 WAR/650 PA for 8-10 years and it'd be a solid career even for a 1-1.

[Safelykept]

2 hours ago, baltfan said:

Alomar or prime Brady are the closest I have seen.  

Those two not even close, Ripkens best year OK thats it, and prime Brady was probably primed

[baltfan]

22 minutes ago, Safelykept said:

Those two not even close, Ripkens best year OK thats it, and prime Brady was probably primed

Alomar was a wonder at second and excellent in clutch situations. He was their most feared hitter at the end of a game. 

[Safelykept]

8 minutes ago, baltfan said:

Alomar was a wonder at second and excellent in clutch situations. He was their most feared hitter at the end of a game. 

He was all of that yes, but nothing close to Gunner so far or Cal's best year, and you also forgot about Eddie. not to mention Palmer in the 70,s

[Safelykept]

16 minutes ago, Safelykept said:

He was all of that yes, but nothing close to Gunner so far or Cal's best year, and you also forgot about Eddie. not to mention Palmer in the 70,s

And then theres Manny.

[baltfan]

2 hours ago, Safelykept said:

He was all of that yes, but nothing close to Gunner so far or Cal's best year, and you also forgot about Eddie. not to mention Palmer in the 70,s

Eddie and Cal were not as athletic. Gunnar’s athletecism is why I compare him to Alomar and Brady. 

[Tbone83]

Gunnar is on fire. 26 bombs, nearing .290 average, OPS over 1. Heck of season so far.