a look at the first two weeks

[MVPosey]

A Look at the First Two Weeks: Surprises, Disappointments, Milestones, and More.

April 20, 2004

 

Biggest surprise (team): The Detroit Tigers

Even though they seem to be falling apart, they were the last team to remain undefeated. They are still above .500 and already have more wins than they did in April of 2003.

 

The others: Baltimore Orioles (ahead of the Bo Sox and Yankees), Florida Marlins (started off 8-1 after losing their two best position players), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (Lo Duca and Beltre??s surprise starts boost them to first place)

 

Biggest disappointment (team): Seattle Mariners

There is no excuse for a team like this to be in last place. Before the season they were my pick to win the World Series, but after a 0-5 start, things aren??t looking that good, even if they won consecutive games for the first time today.

 

The others: Philadelphia Phillies (they have won four in a row, but that??s following a 1-6 start), San Francisco Giants (swept by the Dodgers), and Kansas City Royals (last place after many predicted them in first)

 

Biggest surprise (player): Paul Lo Duca C Los Angeles Dodgers

After an incredible 2001, Lo Duca has been mediocre (at best) the last two seasons. Now he??s off to a great start, batting .512 with a 1.147 OPS. Will it keep up? We??ll have to wait and see.

 

The others: Henry Blanco, Hee Seop Choi, and Miguel Cabrera

 

Biggest disappointment (player): Alex Rodriguez 3B New York Yankees

After arguably the biggest trade of all time, Alex Rodriguez went to the Yankees with much fanfare and high expectations. But in his first 11 games with the team, he has gone 7 for 45 (.156 BA), 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 10 strikeouts and a .558 OPS. Numbers like that would be a disappointment for almost all the major leaguers, but for someone like A Rod, it??s especially a disappointment.

 

The others: Brian Giles, Edgardo Alfonzo, and Carlos Delgado

 

Biggest surprise (pitcher): Roger Clemens RHP Houston Astros

He was 41 years old, came out of a brief retirement to sign with the Astros, and people didn??t expect a good year because he washed up. However, he has been the best starting pitcher in the National League, going 3-0 with a .87 ERA. Oh yeah, he has also been the only pitcher to own Barry Bonds this year.

 

Others: Mike Maroth, Kris Benson, and Paul Wilson

 

Biggest disappointment (pitcher): Greg Maddux: RHP Chicago Cubs

During the off-season, the two greatest pitchers of our generation signed with new teams. One went to a new team with not many expectations of him. One went to a team that he had played on before and they had high expectations of him. As you can see, the latter is doing awful and the former is doing great. The latter is Greg Maddux. In his first two starts with the Cubs, he has gone 0-2 with an 8.62 era, giving up 9 walks and 16 runs in 15.2 innings pitched, and opponents have been batting .317 against it.

Not a good way to make a good first impression in your new (or old) home.

 

Others: Mike Mussina, Miguel Batista, and Darrell May

 

Awards so far:

 

National League:

 

Most Valuable Player:

Barry Bonds OF San Francisco Giants

Do I really need to explain why?

 

Top 5:

1. Bonds

2. Adam Dunn OF Cincinnati Reds

3. Moises Alou OF Chicago Cubs

4. Scott Rolen 3B St. Louis Cardinals

5. Richard Hidalgo OF Houston Astros

 

Cy Young:

Roger Clemens

See: Most surprising pitcher

 

Top 5:

1. Clemens

2. Dontrelle Willis, LHP, Florida Marlins

3. Tom Glavine, LHP, New York Mets

4. Wade Miller, RHP, Houston Astros

5. Kip Wells, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

 

Rookie of the Year:

Kazuo Matsui SS New York Mets

He hit a home run in the first pitch he saw in America, and hasn??t looked back since. He has a .989 OPS, and a .333 batting average

 

Top 3:

1. Matsui

2. Aaron Miles 2B Colorado Rockies

3. Kahlil Greene SS San Diego Padres

 

Comeback player of the year:

Tom Glavine LHP New York Mets

After an awful first year with the Mets, he is off to a great start. In 3 starts, he is 2-0 with a .9 ERA in 20 innings pitched. Pretty nice rebound.

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

 

Most Valuable Player: Javy Lopez C Baltimore Orioles

Last year with the Atlanta Braves, he had a career year, arguably the greatest offensive season for a catcher. But that was because it was a contract year and with his new team, he would return back to normal and last year would be a fluke, right?

Wrong. He??s doing even better with his new team. Batting .455, with 3 homers and 9 RBIs and a 1.288 OPS, he??s the frontrunner for MVP two weeks into the season.

 

Top 5:

1. Lopez

2. Jermaine Dye OF Oakland Athletics

3. Carlos Beltran OF Kansas City Royals

4. Henry Blanco C Minnesota Twins

5. Manny Ramirez OF Boston Red Sox

 

Cy Young:

Kevin Brown New York Yankees

He is continuing to prove that, when healthy, he is one of if not the best in baseball, and so far this year has earned every penny of his 15.7 million.

He is currently 3-0 with 14 strikeouts, a 1.29 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and an opponent??s batting average of .216.

Nice move Dodgers.

 

Top 5:

1. Brown

2. Esteban Loaiza RHP Chicago White Sox

3. Victor Zambrano RHP Tampa Bay Devil Rays

4. Tim Hudson RHP Oakland Athletics

5. Bartolo Colon RHP Anaheim Angels

 

Rookie of the Year:

Marco Scutaro 2B Oakland Athletics

So far it has turned out that Mark Ellis getting injured and probably missing the entire season has been good for the A??s. That gave the 28 year old Scutaro, who came into spring training expecting to start for the AAA Sacramento Rivercats, a chance to start, and so far he has excelled, batting .378 with a .898 OPS

 

1. Scutaro

2. Kevin Cash C Toronto Blue Jays

3. Matt Riley LHP Baltimore Orioles

 

Comeback Player of the Year:

Jermaine Dye OF Oakland Athletics

After breaking his leg in the 2001 ALDS after fouling one off, he has not recovered. After two straight disappointing seasons, he is finally recovered, and is on a role and is playing like the guy the A??s expected him to be when they traded two of their top prospects for him 3 seasons ago. So far this year he has gone 14 for 44, with 6 homers, 14 RBIs, and a 1.170 OPS.