Red Sox 1-36: 24 is for…

24 Different Red Sox players to HR in 2009

I have to admit. When I first saw this number, I thought, “So?” After all, there are 25 guys on a team. So, what was the big deal? Then I remembered that ten of the guys on the roster are usually pitchers. So, that makes the 24 a slightly more impressive number.

Although, I’m still not sure that impressive is the right word. What does it mean when you have 24 players hit a home run? Is it an example of great depth? Of bad luck? Fluky circumstances? As with lots of state, it’s a little bit of all of it.

In order to have 24 different players hit a home run, you need to have at least 24 players come to the plate. It means ten guys who weren’t on the opening day roster had to take their cuts. It also means that ten batters who were on the roster had to not be on the roster for one reason or another. Sent down, traded, DLed, etc. So, the Sox had to be hit by a bit of bad luck in 2009 in order to need that much player movement.

I’d love to say that the 24 home run hitters show some sort of great depth the Sox had. I’d love it if I could point at the number and claim a victory for the organization. Look at how easily the Sox could fill holes. But, in reality, a home run isn’t an amazing accomplishment. Well, it’d be amazing if I did it. But, for a professional baseball player it’s less so. So, really, just having enough guys come to the plate should do it. It’s not like the Sox needed to have this storage room full of all-stars in order to pull the feat off. They just needed players.

Which leads me to believe that the accomplishment of having 24 different guys hit a home run isn’t really an accomplishment. I don’t think it’s anything Theo can put in his cap. I think it just arose from a weird set of circumstances. More of a, “the Sox needed to use so many guys, they even had 24 of them hit a home run.” It’s a piece of evidence to back up another story. It’s not a story on its own.

But, it’s an interesting factoid.

24 is for the 24 different Red Sox players to homer in 2009