The main mission of a leadoff hitter is to try to get to the bases so that those behind him can advance him to the pentagon.
But if the pitcher throws him a good pitch, he swings and the ball goes out of the park and immediately puts his team ahead on the scoreboard. There is no better way for the leadoff hitter to start a game than with a home run.
That’s quite an achievement for Rickey Henderson, who is considered the greatest starting hitter of all time in the major leagues for having hit 81 homers to start a game.
1) Henderson in his career hit 297 home runs and received 2,190 walks, he received 796 walks starting inning. Who can point to a better opener than this.
2) Alfonso Soriano hit 412 home runs, 54 of them starting games as the leadoff hitter.
3) Craig Biggio hit 291 of those 53 home runs starting games, eight of those 53 he legalized in 2001.
4) Ian Kinsler hit 257 homers in his career (48) were connected starting games.
5) Curtis Granderson hammered (344), of these he shot (47) opening the game.
6) Jimmy Rollins during his time in the majors shot 231 HR, of these 46 were starting a challenge.
7) Brady Anderson hit 210 home runs and of these (44) were starting games.
