We’re a little over a third of the way through the baseball season. It’s always fun to look for names atop the statistical charts and team standings that would fall under the category of “What the ?”
So I’ve compiled a list. At first glance it doesn’t appear to have that “WOW” factor as in years’ past.
Being that Michigan is the home of the Tigers we’ll start with the American League.
Toronto’s Jose Bautista continues to mash the ball for a second consecutive year. He leads the AL in hitting (.345) and in home runs with 20 (as of June 11).
Tampa’s Matt Joyce, batting .338 (2nd) may catch a second glance or two.
The biggest new name (surprise?) with 42 rbi is Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera.
On the mound, names we haven’t heard from would include Jake Arrieta (Baltimore), Alexi Oganda (Texas) and Jeremy Hellickson (Tampa). All three pitchers have seven wins second only to Boston’s Jon Lester (eight).
In the ERA department, Seattle’s Michael Pinada carries a 2.33 ERAÂ (4th) and Chicago’s Philip Humbar has a a 2.87 era, ninth best. Nothing close to a surprise, Josh Beckett (Boston) leads the league at 2.06.
Brandon League (Seattle) represents the biggest wow in the save department with league best 17.
As for surprise teams, the Indians leading the Central, albeit by just a game over Detroit and Minnesota being 14 games under .500 (24-38) are your only two real candidates.
The top attendance drawing club in the AL is? The Yankees (33 games, 1.430 million, 43,352 ave.)….Can You Believe it? The worse drawing team in the AL is Tampa (30 games, 538,627, 17,954 ave.).
Where does Detroit fall among the 30 teams, right smack in the middle at #15 (772,032, 26,621 ave.).
And so it goes….
Filed under: Grand Ledge, Lansing Waverly, Thad on Sports