Cody Bellinger Bombs: Chronicling Home Run 59

Dodgers Nation will be writing about ‘Bellinger Bombs’. The Dodgers have one of the best young power hitters in the game under contract for the foreseeable future. Writers like Sam Miller have asked the question ‘What if Cody Bellinger is going to break the all-time home run record’. As the career home runs continue to pile up, we will examine each one in greater detail. We will allow you; the fan, to savor each one as they should be. Because what’s more fun than a home run? (You can look back at the collection here). 

If you have been living underneath a rock, Cody Bellinger has been on fire. This is not simply a run-of-the-mill hot streak where Bellinger has ran into a few. He’s playing arguably the best all-around baseball of his career, and that centers around his offensive game.

As we mentioned in the column detailing Bellinger’s torrid August, the power hasn’t left him. With one huge swing – he displayed that and had his 20th home run of the 2018 season. This was one that ‘woke the dinosaurs’ in terms of distance and acoustics.

In taking a detailed look at the blast, we also celebrate the great baseball Bellinger is playing to help keep the Dodgers in contention.

The Home Run

CODY BELLINGER SENT THIS TO THE MOON ?? pic.twitter.com/9ptI4FeU13

— Baseball King (@BasebaIlKing) August 19, 2018

You all know the drill by now. When Bellinger hits a moonshot, we head over to the Bellinger bomb log at BBREF to examine his vitals.

This of course was his first career home run at Safeco Field in Seattle, and his 31st in a road park. Bellinger has now homered 42 times off right-handed pitching and six times as a center fielder. It was his 28th pull shot to straight away right field. And a little light bulb should have went off in your head when he hit this one. We have made it known that Bellinger is Mr. Eighth Inning. This was the 17th time in his career he’s homered in that frame. The guy loves going yard in the eighth.

He’s hit 32 solo shots in his career, and 36 as the clean-up hitter.

Nevertheless, at 59 career home runs, Bellinger is already tied for 54th place on the Dodgers’ all-time home run list with Franklin Stubbs. It’s astounding to think where he may end up when we are finished writing these.

How Bellinger’s Home Run Impacted The Game

Los Angeles was in a world of hurt in the eighth inning when Bellinger stepped in the batter’s box. Although just two batters earlier, Justin Turner homered to cut the deficit to 4-2. The Dodgers’ win probability sat at nine percent when that fastball left Alex Colome’s hand. Lightning strikes fast when you have power like Cody Bellinger. When the ball hit off the facade of the upper deck in right field, his team’s win probability rose to 19 percent.

Still, it was all for naught. Despite Max Muncy’s dramatic game-tying blast in the ninth, the Dodgers dropped this game 5-4 on a balk in the bottom of the tenth. Bellinger’s power definitely helped to extend this game, and gave the Dodgers a chance to win it late.

The Victim

Alex Colome is at that fringe of what you would call a ‘big time reliever’. He’s serving as the set-up man for relief ace closer Edwin Diaz after a trade from Tampa Bay. While he was given credit for the hold last night, he’s become the latest victim in the career of Cody Bellinger.

Colome has been great in Seattle until last evening. He’s not an easy guy to touch up for a home run, allowing just 28 now in 327 career innings. He has 96 saves in his career with a 3.17 ERA – most of that coming in high leverage spots.

It’s hard to say if he and Bellinger ever lock up for a second career match-up. In their first encounter, Dodger fans should not soon forget what happened.

Exit Velocity, Distance, Pitch Data, and Angle

#Dodgers 3 @ #Mariners 4 [T8-1o]?Cody Bellinger homers (20): fly ball to RCF (solo)

Exit velocity: 112mph?
Distance: 436ft
Angle: 28°? pic.twitter.com/5bc3pAIgJW

— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) August 19, 2018

What a home run this was, I mean seriously this was incredible power. Looking back through the archives, I can’t find another ball that Bellinger hit 112 miles an hour in terms of exit velocity. Now, credit some of that to Colome for supplying a 96 mile per hour heater down broadway. Bellinger’s Louisville Slugger connected with this ball and sent it 436 feet, reaching a launch angle high point of 28 degrees. It took 5.7 seconds to leave the park.

Overall Bellinger-Bomb Prominence Score

It was Bellinger’s 20th home run of the 2018 campaign. There was a point in time where it looked like it would be tough for him to reach that number. Now, he has an outside chance of crossing the 30 barrier once again. The blast came off an ace reliever (Colome) in a high-leverage spot. We can’t deduct points because the game ended in a loss or because it wasn’t at Dodger Stadium. This was on a Saturday night in the primetime slot, and Bellinger sent shockwaves through the fan base with this one.

He garners a perfect score of ten. And we had a fan of Dodgers Nation put together a special little video in honor of Bellinger’s 20th dinger (@dodgerhogs on twitter, thank you). He’s been wanting to do it – so when the moment arrived – I had to include this in the post. The guy must know I’m a sucker for Fine Young Cannibals and the song fits perfectly with Bellinger causing Colome to rub up a new baseball as he rounds the bases.

OMG, Cody you drive me so crazy! #Dodgers #ITFDB pic.twitter.com/2kHqIPCqkX

— DodgerHogs (@DodgerHogs) August 19, 2018

Dodgers Nation Prominence HR Score: 10.0!