cal raleigh for mvp. 

currently on pace for 60+ hrs. as a catcher. a. catcher. 

to put what he’s doing into context: 
- he’s currently spent 441.2 innings in a catchers squat.
- for every pitch in those games, he’s like getting in and out of a squat 
- a team typically throws ~146 pitches in a game 

so raleigh is basically dropping into ~146 deep squats per game for 50 games (so far). and he’s still the 6th faster player to reach 25 hrs in a season. as a switch hitter. 

judge better hit at least .400 with 60 bombs to convince me that he deserves an mvp if raleigh keeps this pace up.

Earliest date reaching 25 HR, MLB history:

May 24 - Barry Bonds, 2001
May 25 - Mark McGwire, 1998
May 29 - Albert Pujols, 2006
June 2 - Ken Griffey Jr., 1997
June 6 - Barry Bonds, 2000
June 7 - Cal Raleigh, 2025 https://t.co/SA7QOQF1sC

OptaSTATS

cal raleigh for mvp. 

currently on pace for 60+ hrs. as a catcher. a. catcher. 

to put what he’s doing into context: 
- he’s currently spent 441.2 innings in a catchers squat.
- for every pitch in those games, he’s like getting in and out of a squat 
- a team typically throws ~146 pitches in a game 

so raleigh is basically dropping into ~146 deep squats per game for 50 games (so far). and he’s still the 6th faster player to reach 25 hrs in a season. as a switch hitter. 

judge better hit at least .400 with 60 bombs to convince me that he deserves an mvp if raleigh keeps this pace up. 

https://x.com/optastats/status/1931539049564549121?s=46&t=dGdml54Bn5gAjlxSoZTivg

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I mean he's increased his walk rate by 50% from 2022-2023 but yeah barrels seem to be the biggest difference.

i wouldn't say he's learned plate discipline overnight. he's always had solid bb%. this year is really about raleigh hitting more barrels, pulling the ball in the air even more, and a likely subtle batting stance change.

really incredible breakout. how does a guy just learn plate discipline like that overnight?

helping /bracky, playing /bracket reading /greatbooks

it seems improbable yeah

But even his expected stats are just in another class compared to Raleigh

if judge has that line for the yankees, he must win mvp. 

my personal feeling is that judge is currently in the stratosphere with performance and due for regression. running a babip of .468 while some of his other metrics (ex: hard hit rate % / barrel %) remain in line with last years performance indicates regression. 

if he regresses to an only atmospheric level of performance (say .300/.420/.650) then it'll feel way worse and a bigger let down than raleigh slowing down and hitting 50 total hrs on the year.

It's an incredible break out but I cant see Judge losing if he goes .400/.500/.800

(I havent seen hitting seasons like this since Bonds)