The Year 2000 Was Darin Erstad’s Stellar Year

Isn’t it interesting how some ballplayers have that one HUGE season in an otherwise average or slightly above-average career? Case in point, Darin Erstad. who turns 51 today. Erstad was an excellent player both offensively and defensively. He wasn’t a superstar but put up solid numbers for much of his 14-year career with the California Angels (Anaheim Angels, Los Angeles Angels), White Sox and Astros. You could count on Erstad to bat about .280 with 10 homers and maybe a Gold Glove every so often. But 2000 was a remarkable exception. Erstad absolutely blew up, hitting .355 with 240 hits to lead the American League, 25 home runs and 100 RBIs, plus a Gold Glove, while hitting in the leadoff spot for the Angels. The 26 year old Erstad never showed production like this before or after that season. How does that happen where a guy who is good but not great suddenly channels the ghost of Carl Yastrzemski has an MVP-caliber season one time, never to match it again? It’s a mystery to us, but not all that unusual. Other players have done it. Can you recall some of the other one season wonders that left you scratching your head and thinking, how did they do that and why couldn’t they repeat the performance?

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