Every time I start to put something together about home runs, I think about that old Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine commercial. You know, the one that they smacked bats into batting tees while saying, “Chicks dig the long ball.” In fact, here’s a link to it. It’s still pretty funny.

Anyway, it’s time we look at the top home run seasons since the 2004 Valley League season!

1 Joseph Odom Winchester 2012 17
2 Jon Love Front Royal 2004 16
Steve McQuail Front Royal 2009 16
Jimmy Yezzo Winchester 2012 16
5 Collin Cowgill Covington 2005 14
6 Marcus Nidiffer Covington 2008 13
Ryan Durrence Covington 2009 13
Shaun Cooper Harrisonburg 2010 13
Jonathan Griffin Luray 2010 13
Brandon Murray Waynesboro 2012 13

Only three from the offense-inflated 2012; I seemed to remember more. Anyway, there is a major leaguer on this list- Collin Cowgill.

Odom, McQuail, Yezzo, and Griffin are all current minor leaguers. Nidiffer, Durrence, and Cooper all played in the minors very briefly, but are not any longer.

It’s only Love and Murray who haven’t played pro ball. Murray just finished a 4th year at the College of Charleston.

Obviously, no one has broken into this list in the past two seasons. Charles Town’s Andy Yacyk got closest last summer, as he finished the 2014 season with 10 (regular season plus playoffs).