Nelson Cruz powers his way into history books

By Drew SilvaApr 14, 2010, 9:49 PM EDT
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cruz headshot.JPGAccording to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz joined an elite club of power-hitters Wednesday when he hit his sixth home run of the season. 

The Rangers have only played eight games and Cruz has homered in six of those games — a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by any major league hitter since 1952.  Alex Rodriguez had six homers through eight games back in 2007, but had a multi-homer effort along the way.

Cruz is batting a ridiculous .444 this season with a .515 on-base percentage and a 1.259 slugging percentage.  He has two doubles, a triple and 12 RBI.  The Rangers, meanwhile, are trying to improve to 5-3 tonight in Cleveland.

21-year-old Gleyber Torres homers twice off of 44-year-old Bartolo Colon

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By Bill BaerMay 21, 2018, 10:16 PM EDT
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Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres was born on December 13, 1996. That year, Bartolo Colon (who turns 45 years old on Thursday) was wrapping up a season he spent with Double-A Canton-Akron and Triple-A Buffalo. He would debut in the majors the following April.

In a clash of generations, the 21-year-old Torres and Colon squared off on Monday as the Yankees visited the Rangers. Torres won the battle twice, drilling a two-run home run off of Colon in the second inning and a solo shot off of Colon in the fourth. Colon wound up giving up six runs in total on eight hits (including four homers) and a walk with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Here is video of the first homer Torres hit:

Torres is the second-youngest Yankee in club history with a multi-homer game. Mickey Mantle was 20 years and 296 days old when he went yard twice on August 11, 1952. Torres is 21 years, 159 days old. Joe DiMaggio was 21-212 when he hit two on June 24, 1936.

So much for respecting one’s elders. We’re currently seeing a youth movement in baseball. 19-year-old Juan Soto hit his first major league homer on Monday against the Padres. 20-year-olds Ronald Acuña and Mike Soroka debuted for the Braves earlier this year. Could 19-year-old Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. join them soon?