Who gets your vote for best surprise? McGehee has been great, Alvarez has been top notch, Ozuna has been explosive, and Koehler's success has probably been a big part of keeping us in the race.

 

I have to go with Ozuna. Currently pacing 30 HR and 105 RBI and playing some fantastic CF. His progress this year has been unbelievable and he is quietly turning himself into one of the best CFers in baseball if it continues...

Casey McGehee, Hands down

I don't know about surprises but I rather have garret jones over lomo any day.

McGehee absolutely...but gotta love the way Ozuna has started showing more pop with the stick and the way he's covered center. I've liked big O since day one.

I don't know about surprises but I rather have garret jones over lomo any day.

Jones has a much better vibe then lomo, lomo was just sad , and even to this day spends most of his time on the DL

Great thread, Wild Card, an actual feel good thread.

So many terrific surprises so far, I'd add Garrett Jones as a very legitimate fifth choice.

McGehee gets my vote, just money with RISP. Who saw this coming? Can't overlook what he's done for Stanton, helping to ease all the pressure that has always fallen on the big guy. A more relaxed Stanton at the plate has been a key ingredient to his breakthrough this year.

McGehee is having a decent season, but the lack of power he's exhibited in the past is really disappointing. His OPS sits at .736, which is just OK.

McGehee is having a decent season, but the lack of power he's exhibited in the past is really disappointing. His OPS sits at .736, which is just OK.

 

Still a massive upgrade over last year's 3b OPS production (I voted for HA)

No Hechavarria?

Still a massive upgrade over last year's 3b OPS production (I voted for HA)

 

Well, sure. I'm just saying that we should look beyond batting average.

Well, sure. I'm just saying that we should look beyond batting average.

 

Agree of course. Wild card obviously cherry picked stats to make the guys above look as good as possible

Boy you dudes keep playing the negative contrarian role to the hilt. Enough already.

We all know McGehee's OPS. We also know he's been sucking bad when no one's on base. Okay, so be it. Let me also factor in all the outfield walls he's hit on the fly just missing seeing it go out.

The guy has been pure gold when its counted the most. No cause for disappointment from this observer. I also think its only a matter of time before the HR's start coming.

Boy you dudes keep playing the negative contrarian role to the hilt. Enough already.

We all know McGehee's OPS. We also know he's been sucking bad when no one's on base. Okay, so be it. Let me also factor in all the outfield walls he's hit on the fly just missing seeing it go out.

The guy has been pure gold when its counted the most. No cause for disappointment from this observer. I also think its only a matter of time before the HR's start coming.

 

I have been very pleased with McGehee and his .736 OPS is actually the ceiling of what I thought we'd get for him. It's a HUGE upgrade from last year. I'd imagine Penguino is also happy that we actually have a major league caliber player at 3b. I think you're confusing negativity for reality aka stats.

Also, I think Stanton should be on this list. He is putting up MVP type numbers (1.021 OPS, 3.7 WAR) and providing above average D in RF.

I voted for none of them.

Also, I think Stanton should be on this list. He is putting up MVP type numbers (1.021 OPS, 3.7 WAR) and providing above average D in RF.

That is meeting expectations for a healthy Stanton. If anything, the biggest surprise involving Stanton is his ability to stay healthy this season, not missing any games. Also, he has improved his plate discipline a bit, and looks more relaxed with his stance out there. He hasn't been as streaky a hitter as he was in the past, but the numbers per se, aren't really a surprise other than the K rate.

That is meeting expectations for a healthy Stanton. If anything, the biggest surprise involving Stanton is his ability to stay healthy this season, not missing any games. Also, he has improved his plate discipline a bit, and looks more relaxed with his stance out there. He hasn't been as streaky a hitter as he was in the past, but the numbers per se, aren't really a surprise other than the K rate.

 

I disagree obviously. Stanton is putting together a complete season both offensively and defensively so far. We always knew the power was great, but so far this season, he's shown us a lot more than that (His .314 avg doesn't surprise you?). I'd vote for him personally.

Ozuna, hands down.

 

Gets better at the plate each week. Terrific baseball instincts.

 

Better lock him up.

I think it's surprising how well rounded Stanton has been this year, as far as hitting for average and playing great defense. But I think you can hardly call him being in the MVP race surprising, which is why I did not include him. If you told me his slash line from today before the season I wouldn't have doubted it for a second, and that's why it's not "surprising" IMO.

 

I also think Garrett Jones has been better than we anticipated, but he is putting up numbers that he's accomplished before, so I didn't consider that too surprising either.

 

While McGehee has put up numbers before, he wasn't even in this country last year, so I would certainly say he qualifies. But as Penguino mentioned, even with all the awesomeness of McGehee this year, he's clearly not a perfect player.

 

Ozuna isn't either, but he's been more well rounded than McGehee and is becoming one of the best all-around CFers in baseball right in front of our eyes. If you told me Ozuna's slash line, HR, and RBI right now before the season started, I would have said MAYBE in a perfect world. He has been just a joy to watch play. I would say right now we're sporting a top 10 OF in MLB, and probably the best young OF in the game at this moment.

Ozuna, hands down.

 

Gets better at the plate each week. Terrific baseball instincts.

 

Better lock him up.

In two weeks time.........''trade him! he has no plate discipline''

I went with the Large Salad, we knew the rest had the potential to be good/serviceable players while we just hoped TK would be an average 5th starter. He's far surpassed expectations so far.

Also, on Ozuna, currently tied for 11th in the NL in WAR at 2.3. That's a pretty strong number and ahead of some really strong company...

Ozuna.

 

For the simple fact that he's the only one of the four who's production might be sustainable/something worth getting excited about.

 

Mcgehee has been a nice fit, but his success is proof that timing is everything in life. I don't think his average on balls in play is sustainable so the .RISP #'s will cool down, although I expect him to hit for some more power. All in all, he's just the okay stopgap that I thought he'd be.

 

Koehler isn't very good.

 

Alvarez isn't 2.62 ERA good. He's actually been rather inconsistent imo even though the ERA doesn't show it. + Alvarez doesn't really surprise me because I've always thought that he and Eovaldi were good pitchers with upside despite the fact that a good portion of the fan base wants them in the bullpen for whatever reason.

 

So yeah, Ozuna.

Also, on Ozuna, currently tied for 11th in the NL in WAR at 2.3. That's a pretty strong number and ahead of some really strong company...

 

Well that's just your opinion

Ozuna.

 

While he still has some hole in his offensive game, he's been money batting in different spots in the lineup.

 

McGehee has been clutch, but I'm not counting on him going forward in the future.