Home Runs : 2008 American League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

2008 Home Runs Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Miguel Cabrera 37 Detroit Tigers 1
Carlos Quentin 36 Chicago White Sox 2
Alex Rodriguez 35 New York Yankees 3
Jermaine Dye 34 Chicago White Sox 4
Jim Thome 34 Chicago White Sox  
Jack Cust 33 Oakland Athletics 6
Grady Sizemore 33 Cleveland Indians  
Jason Giambi 32 New York Yankees 8
Josh Hamilton 32 Texas Rangers  
Aubrey Huff 32 Baltimore Orioles  
Carlos Pena 31 Tampa Bay Rays 11
Kevin Youkilis 29 Boston Red Sox 12
Vladimir Guerrero 27 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 13
Evan Longoria 27 Tampa Bay Rays  
Adrian Beltre 25 Seattle Mariners 15
Marcus Thames 25 Detroit Tigers  
Nick Swisher 24 Chicago White Sox 17
Raul Ibanez 23 Seattle Mariners 18
Melvin Mora 23 Baltimore Orioles  
Justin Morneau 23 Minnesota Twins  
David Ortiz 23 Boston Red Sox  
Jhonny Peralta 23 Cleveland Indians  
Luke Scott 23 Baltimore Orioles  
Milton Bradley 22 Texas Rangers 24
Curtis Granderson 22 Detroit Tigers  



Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?

Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).