All of the best Fernando Tatis Jr. statistics, in one place

I’m not going to formulate some long, drawn-out argument about why Fernando Tatis Jr. is good. I think highly enough of our wonderful Gaslamp Ball readers to trust that you have figured that out by now. Instead, what I want to do is take all of the craziest Tatis stats I could find and put them all together in a single, blessed section of the internet. That place is here.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 22 home runs this season are the most by any shortstop in a season before turning 21, ever. The next closest? Alex Rodriguez in 1996 who, you know, has 696 career home runs.

(via @SlangsOnSports on Twitter)

REACTION:

Three immediate takeaways. One, being in the same sentence as A-Rod in any shortstop-related stat usually means whatever you’re doing is insane. When you’re doing that thing better, and at a younger age, it’s time to start seriously considering the fact that the Padres may have a future all-time great on their hands. Two, TATIS MISSED A MONTH, AND STILL HAS 48 GAMES LEFT IN THE SEASON. He has a realistic chance to shatter the aforementioned record by 10-15 home runs. Seriously? Three, power may not even be his best tool. You could make an argument for both speed and arm strength there.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr. games with two or more hits: 30

Fernando Tatis Jr. games with zero hits: 16

(via @JustinJett_ on Twitter)

REACTION:

Hits are becoming an increasing rarity in today’s game. 2018’s league-wide hit total - 41,019 - was the lowest such number in 27 years. Yet, here’s Tatis picking up multi-hit games at nearly twice the pace at which he goes hitless. That’s impressive in any year, but especially in 2019.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr. has 102 hits on the season. The complete list of players with 100+ hits and a .300 batting average at age 20 is…

-Ken Griffey Jr.

-Alex Rodriguez

-Edgar Renteria

-Starlin Castro

-Mike Trout

-Fernando Tatis Jr.

(via Baseball Reference)

REACTION:

Griffey, A-Rod and Trout are three of the greatest baseball players to ever set foot on planet Earth. Starlin Castro and Edgar Renteria are both multi-time All-Stars. Tatis is neither of those yet, but seems to have a decent shot at the former while being a near lock for the latter. And he’s a Padre.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr. WAR in 79 games: 4.1

Pete Alonso WAR in 114 games: 4.0

(via Baseball Reference)

REACTION:

No reaction here. Just two players and their WAR, placed alongside each other. If they were competing for, say, an award, this seems important. I don’t know.

STAT:

Padres shortstops with a season of at least 4 WAR since 1980…

-Ozzie Smith

-Fernando Tatis Jr.

(via Baseball Reference)

REACTION:

This is the best season by a Padre shortstop since 1980, when the average gallon of gas in America cost $1.19 (bonus stat alert!!). He could realistically surpass that number by the end of the year, at age 20, in his first season in the big leagues. If this is what 20-year-old Tatis looks like, what does 25-year-old Tatis look like? That’s scary to think about.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr. is on pace to post a 30 HR-20 SB season in 2019. The complete list of players to do that since 2000 at age 21 or younger…

-Mike Trout

(via ESPN)

REACTION:

I’m no expert, but when you could potentially join a list that is currently occupied by Mike Trout and nobody else, you’re probably doing something right. Now, Trout hit 30 bombs and stole 49 bases in 2012, which Tatis won’t come close to reaching, but come on, that’s Mike Trout we’re talking about here. Just being on this list means you’re already a superstar, and it seems pretty clear at this point that that’s exactly what Tatis is.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr. reached 100 career hits faster than any Padre in history, needing only 306 at-bats to do so. It took Tony Gwynn 344 at-bats to reach 100 career hits.

(via Baseball Reference)

REACTION:

I’m not saying Tatis is going to become the greatest contact hitter of all time because he came off the blocks a bit faster than Gwynn did. But it’s certainly a good foundation to build upon, and with his speed, those infield hits will always keep him out of prolonged slumps.

STAT:

Fernando Tatis Jr. is younger than 18 members of the 2019 Pioneer League (class-A short season) All-Star team.

(via @jnorris427 on Twitter)

REACTION:

Class-A short season is one of the earliest stops for draftees and international free-agent signees, and as someone who also covers games at this level, let me tell you that the brand of baseball is...different. Lots of wild pitches, lots of errors, lots of walks, not many home runs. Tatis is younger than most of the All-Stars at this level, and he’s going toe-to-toe with the best players in the world in the major leagues.