Inflated Stats Mark First Half

Give Brady Anderson credit. At least he isn’t getting swept up in the absurdity of the 1996 baseball season.

Anderson, the Baltimore Orioles outfielder, major league home run leader and sideburned poster boy of this year’s offensive explosion, recently was invited by a national magazine to sit in on a panel discussion about round-trippers. His fellow participants? Baseball’s career home run king, Hank Aaron, and noted Detroit Tigers’ slugger Cecil Fielder.

“They’d ask Hank Aaron about home runs, and then they’d say, ‘Brady, what do you think?”’ Anderson said, chuckling at the thought. He declined the invitation.

Suffice to say it was one of the few offerings Anderson or any other hitters have passed up this season.

Midway through 1996, major league hitters are on a pace to hit a whopping 15 percent more home runs than had ever been hit before in a season.

Five players finished June on a pace to hit at least 50 homers, led by Anderson.

American League offenses are on target to beat the season record for runs scored by 12 percent. National League teams are on pace to better their all-time scoring record by five percent. The overall A.L. ERA, 5.13 at the end of June, would top the 1936 record-worst of 5.04. And a host of individual standards, including Roger Maris’ single-season mark of 61 home runs, appear to be in peril.

Made to be broken?

Some of baseball’s most cherished offensive records are in jeopardy this season, should challengers maintain their threatening pace in the second half.

Among the endangered:

Home runs in a season, individual: (Roger Maris, 61 in 1961): Baltimore’s Brady Anderson is on a pace for 57 this season.

Most 50-homer players in a season: (two in 1938, 1947 and 1961): Brady Anderson, Sammy Sosa, Albert Belle, Mark McGwire and Henry Rodriguez are on pace to hit at least 50, with Gary Sheffield, Jose Canseco, Mo Vaughn, Greg Vaughn and Frank Thomas on a pace for at least 45.

Most hits, season: (George Sisler, 257 in 1920): Baltimore’s Roberto Alomar is on pace for 231 this season.

Most doubles, season: (Earl Webb, 67 in 1931): Seattle’s Edgar Martinez is on pace for 81 this season.

Home runs in a season: (4,458 in 1987): Major league hitters are on a pace to hit 5,132 this season.

Home runs in a season, team: (New York Yankees, 240 in 1961): Seattle (255), Oakland (252) and Baltimore (246) all are on a pace to break this record.

Home runs allowed in a season: (Bert Blyleven, 50 in 1986): Kansas City’s Mark Gubicza is on a pace to allow 44.

Runs scored in a season, A.L. team: (New York Yankees, 1,067 in 1931): Seattle is on a pace to score 1,036.

Highest batting average, A.L.: (.29244 in 1921): The American League batting average of .279 would be the highest for a season in 57 years, since A.L. hitters batted .279 in 1939.

Runs scored, A.L.: (11,112 in 1987): American League teams are on a pace to score 12,484.

Runs scored, N.L.: (10,190 in 1993): National League teams are on a pace to score 10,699.

Highest ERA, A.L.: (5.04 in 1936): The A.L. ERA at the end of June was 5.13.

Highest ERA, team: (Philadelphia, 6.70 in 1930): The Detroit ERA at the end of June was 6.97.

Home runs allowed, team: (Baltimore, 226 in 1987): Detroit pitchers are on a pace to give up 268.

Grand slams allowed, team: (Seattle, 10 in 1992): Detroit pitchers are on pace to give up 16.

Most walks in a season, A.L.: (8,006 in 1993): A.L. pitchers are on pace to walk 9,052.

Most walks in a season, N.L.: (7,104 in 1993): N.L. pitchers are on pace to walk 7,447.

Most strikeouts in a season, A.L.: (13,442 in 1987): A.L. batters are on pace to strike out 13,892 times.

Most strikeouts in a season, N.L.: (13,358 in 1993): N.L. batters are on pace to strike out 15,580 times.

Most games, A.L. pitcher: (Mike Marshall, 90 in 1979): Detroit’s Mike Myers is on a pace to pitch in 91 games.

Games lost in a season, A.L. pitcher: (26, twice, last in 1909): Kansas City’s Mark Gubicza (4-12) was on a pace to lose 24 before breaking his left foot Friday night.