Cody Bellinger Bombs: Chronicling Home Runs 66 and 67

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). 

It was a wild Saturday night at Chavez Ravine. Moreover, this fun contest followed up the longest regular season game in franchise history on Friday night.

Equally important – Cody Bellinger would play a factor in this one. Bellinger slugged his second and third home runs of the season. While both occurred when the game was all but decided, they all count the same. Especially in this column. Let’s look at Bellinger’s pair of Saturday night dingers!

The Home Run(s)

Home Run 1:

Sheesh, @Cody_Bellinger. pic.twitter.com/F4Jc9fMnp2

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 31, 2019

Now the Dodgers are doing this weird angle cam on their official social media, which is the only video that exists of the Bellinger home run on twitter. The one pictured is the first home run which bounced in the opponents bullpen in right.

Unfortunately, no video exists of the really fun one off John Ryan Murphy. Please, find this video somewhere. It’s truly something to behold.

The Bellinger home run log on baseball-reference tells us the full story. With 67 career home runs, Bellinger moves into a tie on the all-time Dodgers franchise list in 47th place with Dixie Walker. The next long one will tie him with Mike Scioscia.

Bellinger now has 49 home runs against right-handed pitching, and 33 at Chavez Ravine in his career. He tallied another in the 8th inning – which gives him 18 in that frame – by far his favorite inning to go deep in. Both shots went to right field which give him 32 in that direction for his career. With seven career homers now against Arizona, it’s his second most against any team (Mets are first with nine total).

How Bellinger’s Home Run’s Impacted The Game

Once again, the Dodgers had a 100 percent win expectancy when he blasted home run two on the night. However, they were just 88 percent guaranteed to win the game when he homered in the bottom of the fifth with the score at 5 to 2. After Bellinger homered, the win was all but certain with the expectancy climbing to 93 percent. Overall, it was not a high leverage home run in either situation. The Dodgers won the game 18-5 in another complete rout of the Diamondbacks. Certainly, one of the best games in Bellinger’s young career held up as a big reason.

The Victim(s)

The first victim was a worthwhile guy in Zack Godley. That isn’t to say Godley has been magnificent – but he went 15-11 last season for Arizona. Godley has now allowed 50 career homers in his career, and is 33-26 lifetime with a 4.50 ERA for Arizona.

Nevertheless, the second victim of the night was the one I enjoyed most! Poor John Ryan Murphy – a catcher – rolled out of bed to get lambasted for two innings. Obviously this was the first experiment of Murphy’s career as a pitcher and it did not go well. I will always remember that hump-back pitch Murphy served up to Bellinger which just looked like a batting practice fastball. Bellinger was happy to supply all the power.

Exit Velocity, Distance, Pitch Data, and Angle

#Dbacks 2 @ #Dodgers 6 [B5-1o]?Cody Bellinger homers (2): fly ball to RF (solo)

[ 105mph • 398ft • 32°? ]Viz: pic.twitter.com/I43vgAckMG

— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) March 31, 2019

Joe Davis pointed out on the telecast that Bellinger only homered on one curveball in all of 2018. So when Bellinger caught the 80 mile per hour knuckle-curve delivered from Godley and sent it 398 feet into the bullpen in right, it was worth noting. The ball had a velocity of 105 miles per hour off the bat. It reached 32 degrees at it’s apex, making a very high home run.

#Dbacks 5 @ #Dodgers 18 [B8-2o]?Cody Bellinger homers (3): line drive to RF (2-run)

61.0mph Slider
RHP John Ryan Murphy (2)

— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) March 31, 2019

[T8-2o]?Cody Bellinger homers (3): line drive to RF (2-run)

Exit velocity: 109mph
Distance: 391ft
Angle: 22°? pic.twitter.com/ZCORn0PNNU

— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) March 31, 2019

You have to love that Bellinger got credit for homering off Murphy’s 61 mile per hour ‘slider’ on home run two. He hooked this one inside the right field foul pole, and it traveled 391 feet. Furthermore it was recorded as just 22 degrees at it’s highest point, making it a line drive variety.

Overall Bellinger-Bomb Prominence Score

Let’s appreciate them for what they were: a pair of homers that weren’t in huge spots but contribute to a huge start by Bellinger. We will definitely take it. Style points are awarded because the blasts came in front of a home crowd. And you have to love that second one off John Ryan Murphy after Bellinger tried to punch one out the opposite way – resulting in a foul ball the pitch before. It was clear that Bellinger was trying to homer in that at-bat, and he did. Not an easy thing to do.

Dodgers Nation Prominence Score (HR One): 7.5

Dodgers Nation Prominence Score (HR Two): 7