San Francisco Giants about to set new precedent on the lack of Splash Hits

August 14, 2015

Brandon Crawford has two career Splash Hits, both in 2014.

As the San Francisco Giants began a four-game home series against the Washington Nationals, there are very close to setting a new precedent at AT&T Park.

If the Giants don’t hit a Splash Hit in the series against the Nationals, it will mark the longest they have gone into a season without putting one into McCovey Cove since the ballpark opened in 2000.

The Giants have never gone an entire season without at least one Splash Hits — remember a Splash Hit is defined as a ball that is hit into San Francisco Bay on the fly, no rebounds.

The fewest Splash Hits the Giants have recorded in a season is one. That was accomplished twice — once in 2013 when Pablo Sandoval hit the lone Splash Hit and in 2006 when the king of Splash Hits — Barry Bonds — put one into the drink.

In fact, that 2006 season marks the latest date of the first Splash Hit of the season. It occurred on Aug. 21, 2006, when Bonds belted one of Arizona’s Livan Hernandez.

The Giants do not have a Splash Hit in 2015. The last Splash Hit was recorded on Sept. 25 of last season by Brandon Belt.

This comes after a 2014 season in which the Giants hit five Splash Hits, the most in the post-Bonds era.

But it’s not like it’s all about the Giants. Giants opponents also have not hit a ball into the bay this season.

That also has never happened. Opponents have hit at least one into the bay in every one of the 15 seasons at AT&T Park. It almost happened in 2009, until Arizona’s Miguel Montero hit one on Sept. 29.

And again, this after opponents hit eight balls into the bay in 2014, including Bryce Harper’s shot off Hunter Strickland in the division series last October. That is the most by opponents in one season.

So as a blog named to honor Splash Hits, MoreSplashHits declares that it’s about time the Giants got busy about hitting one into the bay.

Written by mlblogsmoresplashhits Posted in Uncategorized