MVP of Yesterday (Sept. 14, 2013): Wladimir Balentien (actually Brandon Belt)

Wladimir Balentien broke the NPB single-season HR mark early this morning, hitting his 56th home run of the year, breaking a record held by the great Sadaharu Oh since 1964. Check out this video, it’s awesome:

And, later in the game, he hit number 57.

However, the MVP of Yesterday is technically meant just for MLB, and thankfully, there is a very good candidate: Brandon Belt, who went 5-6 with a HR and 6 RBI in the Giants’ runaway 19-3 victory over the Dodgers. He JUST edges out Hunter Pence, who had 7 RBI, but only 3 hits.

Standings, as usual, under the jump:

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Wladimir Balentien ties Sadaharu Oh’s single-season record

Wladimir Balentien has tied Sadaharu Oh’s record for single-season HR in Japan with his 55th HR. Others have tied it in the past, but none have been able to break it, partly due to Japanese pitchers avoiding him in order to preserve Oh’s record from being broken by a Gaijin. That attitude may now be a thing of the past though, and even if it isn’t, Balentien still has 22 games left, and it seems doubtful that they’d be able to avoid him for all of it.