Tag: AL

by Jacoby Nolnaho

2017 AL MVP Report

As the 2017 regular season came to an end, the American League MVP race has really tightened up. Mike Trout, who was down 48 games with a thumb injury, was still able to put up unbelievable numbers in a short amount of time. Jose Altuve once again impressed us with yet another 200 hit season and 30 stolen base season. Among the surprises include Aaron Judge who broke the rookie record for home runs and walks, and Jose Ramirez, Cleveland’s super utility man. Trout supplied the best percentage numbers by leading the AL in OPS, OBP, and slugging. He was also among Joey Votto and Anthony Rizzo as the only men in baseball with more walks than strikeouts (min. 100 games). Despite his final stats, Aaron Judge had a mid season streak that lasted 45 games with a sub .200 batting average and only 7 home runs. This greatly impacted his overall average which went from .329 at the All Star break to .284 at the end of the season. Jose Ramirez’s versatility makes him a valuable asset to the Indians, but his 29 home runs and league leading 56 doubles were only a bonus. His OBP and OPS were down compared to the others. Jose Altuve looks like the best bet for MVP as his hits, stolen bases, and consistency were on point for the entire length of the regular season.

Stats: ESPN and MLB.com

by Jacoby Nolnaho

2017 MVP Race Breakdown: Trout, Judge, Altuve, and Ramirez BREAKDOWN

Stats Mike Trout Aaron Judge Jose Altuve Jose Ramirez
Games 114 155 153 152
At Bats 402 542 590 585
Hits 123 154 204 186
Doubles 25 24 39 56
Triples 3 3 4 6
Home Runs 33 52 24 29
RBIs 72 114 81 83
Runs 92 128 112 107
Stolen Bases 22 9 32 17
OBP .442 .422 .410 0.374
OPS 1.071 1.049 .957 .957
Slugging .629 .627 .547 .583
WAR 6.4 8.8 7.9 6.3
Strikeouts 90 208 84 69
Walks 94 127 58 52
All Star Yes Yes Yes Yes
by Jacoby Nolnaho

Quick Review: All-Star Week

The 2017 All-Star week was fun with festivities, but the game itself was on the slow side. It was a game of pitching dominance, allowing one run on both sides in the ninth. The only home run for National League was Yadier Molina and the American League was Robinson Cano’s game winning blast in the tenth inning. Craig Kimbrel collected the win, Andrew Miller the save, and Wade Davis the loss. Cano was named the All-Star Game MVP for going 1 for 2 with said home run.

The night before was the energetic Home Run Derby. The defending champ Giancarlo Stanton lost in the first round to the eighth seed Gary Sanchez. Mike Moustakas lost to Miguel Sano, Cody Bellinger won over Charlie Blackmon, and Aaron Judge came up from behind a 22 home run mark set by opponent Justin Bour. In the semifinals, Judge won against another rookie sensation, Cody Bellinger. Gary Sanchez fell to Sano. Sano did end up losing to Aaron Judge, who is your 2017 Home Run Derby champion.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

What is the All Star Game?

The All Star Game is a game usually in August where all of the best players in baseball play on their respected league team. Each year, the All Star Game and all of its festivities are moved to a different ballpark. The fans vote exclusively online. The winner of the All Star Game gets home field advantage in the World Series. An MVP is selected after the game by fans. The night before the All Star Game is the Home Run Derby.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

2016 AL MVP Candidate Breakdown

 Stats/Player Mike Trout Mookie Betts Jose Altuve Josh Donaldson
Team Angels Red Sox Astros Blue Jays
Games 159 158 161 155
Batting Average .315 .318 .338 .284
Hits 173 214 216 164
Doubles 32 42 42 32
Triples 5 5 5 5
Home runs 29 31 24 37
RBIs 100 113 96 99
Runs 123 122 108 122
Stolen Bases 30 26 30 7
Walks 116 49 60 109
Strikeouts 137 80 70 119
OBP .441 .363 .396 .404
Slugging .550 .534 .531 .549
OPS+ .991 .897 .927 .953
WAR 10.6 9.6 7.7 7.4
by Jacoby Nolnaho

American League MVP Considerations

The 2016 season was great for the American League MVP candidates.  Their great offensive numbers put up head-to-head challenges. Mike Trout went 20-20. Mookie Betts went 20-20. Jose Altuve went 20-20. Josh Donaldson hit 37 homers to lead the candidates. Overall, Mike Trout led most of the offensive categories while Mookie Betts put up great all around numbers. If I had a vote, I would vote for Mike Trout. Who would you vote for?

by Jacoby Nolnaho

AL MVP Race

The American League MVP race is heating up. As always, Mike Trout is in the discussion. He is having a season with less power, more contact, and more speed. He is making a serious attempt at 30-30. Mookie Betts is having a breakout year but has been slumping of late. Despite his slump, he still has 30 homers and 100+ runs and RBIs. Josh Donaldson was having a pretty good season until he got hurt. As the season comes to a end, the MVP race is just heating up.