[Ankit]

Both players signed 1-year extensions and will continue on with their teams... Yet again, both missed the postseason. Yankees finished 4th, 16 games out while the Cardinals dropped 8 in a row and 9 of 10, to finish the season 1-game behind the Cubs in a monumental collapse. Again, both players won the MVP and made the AS team. And yes, there was another homerun race which went down to the final week of the season.

A fresh Juan took the early lead with 13 HR in April and 10 in May. The Babe started slow with 5 in April but came back with 13 in May to trail Juan 23-18 at the end of May. 11 HR in June for the Babe saw Juan's lead dwindle to 1 at the AS Break, 30-29. Gonzalez came back with 9 in July while Ruth cooled off and hit only 7 as Juan was ahead of Ruth by 3, heading into the August, 39-36. Both players were consistently hitting the ball out of the park in August with Gonzalez slamming 10 and Ruth with 11. With only a 2-homerun lead, 49-47, for Gonzalez and only a month and change to play, could Gonzalez hold on this time around?

Unlike last season, Gonzalez did not let down in September and continued to hit and had 59 with 10 games to play. But Ruth, was hot on his heels as well as he too had 10 homeruns in September with 10 games to play.

The magical date of September 29th was upon us again and yet again, Ruth worked his magic by clubbing 2 shots in Philadelphia to tie June Gone at 59. He took the lead the very next day in a 13-12 loss. On October 4th, Juan Gonzalez hit a homerun to tie Ruth but Ruth came right back that same day with one of his own. 5 games to play and Ruth led Juan 61-60.

The follow day Juan hit another one but this time Ruth could not match it and with 4 to play, both players had 61. No homeruns on the 7th of October, and only 3 games left to play for each.

Juan hit number 62 against the Boston Braves but Ruth was not going to let Gonzalez win the crown and hit 2 of his own the same day to take a 63-62 lead and two games remaining.

In a 14-4 rout of the St. Louis Browns, Ruth hit his 64th and last of the season. Gonzalez, mentally defeated and exhausted now, would go 0 for 8 in his final two games as Ruth, once again denied Gonzalez the Homerun Crown of Baseball.

Here are the totals for the season:
Babe: 535 AB, 197 H, 28 2B, 16 3B, 64 HR, 179 RBI (Sisler had 182), 157 R, 183 BB, 92 K, .368 BA, .530 OBP, .839 SLG, 1.369 OPS
Juan: 623 AB, 211 H, 44 2B, 4 3B, 62 HR, 168 RBI, 152 R, 49 BB, 150 K, .339 BA, .393 OBP, .721 SLG, 1.114 OPS

Is it just me or does this homerun race sound like Lakers-Kings playoff series of the past three years... Its been amazing to be able to witness this. I hope you guys are really enjoying it. Also, their talents and ratings have remained the same up till now.