The Amazing Dee Gordon
Legitimate MVP Candidate?
Dee Gordon has had an enormous start to the 2015 season after being traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a big offseason deal. Currently, the Dodgers are looking a bit foolish for trading away Gordon, as he leads the Majors in batting average (.425). Gordon has also been his usual self on the base paths, already stealing 12 bases. The most impressive statistic to me however, is this: Gordon has only struck out 17 times in 127 at-bats.
Gordon's been incredibly efficient at the plate this season. Obviously, he won't be able to continue having a .425 average, but he will have to continue to hit for a very high average and steal bases by the bunches to be considered a legitimate MVP Candidate this season.
Talkin' Astros
Heirs to the AL West Throne?
The Astros took a huge hit to their lineup with the loss of George Springer to a concussion, after he hit the wall hard playing in the outfield. Springer will be back sooner-than-later, barring any setbacks. That being said, this team has played like a contender through the first month of the season. One thing people overlook with the Astros is how well they run bases. Houston has stole 36 bases this season, which is the second-most in Major League Baseball.
The speed is also matched with some terrific power numbers. The Astros also have hit 45 home runs as a team, which is again the second-most in the Majors. Including those 45 home runs, the Astros have hit 100 extra-base hits. Offensive production hasn't been the only key for Houston, though.
The Astros pitching staff has 19 quality starts in 32 games. Houston's ace, Dallas Keuchel, has really shined among the Major Leagues' best pitchers, currently sporting the Majors' lowest ERA at 1.39. The Astros have really helped themselves in the field as well, only committing 17 errors so far this season, which is the ninth-least in Major League Baseball.
So will Houston win the AL West? That remains to be answered, as we have a TON of a baseball left to play during this 2015 regular season. Right now though, the future looks bright for the current leaders of the AL West.
Rookie of the Year Picks Check-In
How am I doing with my preseason picks?
Before the season officially started, I selected who I thought would earn Rookie of the Year honors for the American and National Leagues. Let's see how my picks are shaping up:
American League: Carlos Rodon, Chicago White Sox
Rodon looked good against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday in Game Two of a double-header. The rookie out of North Carolina State threw 108 pitches, while only allowing four hits and striking out eight hitters in six innings. If Rodon can find consistency in his starts, he'll lock down the fifth-spot in the White Sox' rotation, which is something that fans would love on the south side of Chicago.
National League: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
Bryant's much anticipated debut after an amazing Spring Training has presented us a different view of the Cubs' slugger. His power numbers (particularly home runs) have been a little lower than what many experts predicted, but he's been seeing the baseball like a mature hitter. Not many people expected that he would only have hit two home runs. (Excuse me, three home runs, as he just hit one while I'm writing this). If I had to choose between which pick I was more confident with, Bryant would be my choice over Rodon. I've been very impressed at how mature he's looked as a hitter, and one stat that jumps off the paper to me is his on-base percentage (.411).
As always, thanks for reading! Be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @griffaldo.
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