Streaking in the Park: Week 3

As the 2010 MLB season continues, teams and players are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the crowd. The Tampa Bay Rays hold the league’s best record at 14-5 and sit atop the AL East, while the league’s basement team, the Baltimore Orioles, sit in the same division and have a pathetic 3-16 record.

This past week boasted some impressive offensive numbers for some California hitters and some notable struggles in Chicago and Seattle. Due to the large number of high quality performances, there is an emphasis on the hot streaks this week, as I highlight 8 different players and 2 teams around the majors. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All stats used are prior to games on Tuesday, April 27th.

Hot

1B Kendry Morales, LAA

No player in the majors has been hotter than Kendry Morales this past week. In 26 at-bats over the course of 7 games, Morales has hit .500 with 3 HRs and 10 RBIs. His 13 hits this week puts him second in that category and his 10 RBIs are atop the list. Overall, Morales has had a strong 2010 campaign thus far, hitting .312 with 6 HRs and has provided a boost to the 11-10 Los Angeles Angels. In 2009, Morales had a break-out season hitting 34 HRs and 108 RBIs while batting .306. The Angels are hoping Morales has finally begun to reach his potential and can repeat his 2009 numbers this year.

3B Pablo Sandoval, SF

Similar to Kendry Morales, Pablo Sandoval had a break-out 2009 campaign, hitting .330 with 25 HRs and 90 RBIs in 125 games. Thus far in 2010, Sandoval has been hitting the cover off the ball and this past week has only added to his impressive numbers. Sandoval has a whopping .524 this past week in 6 games, while hitting 1 HR. On the year, Sandoval is hitting .365 with 7 RBIs and in a nice change of pace from the usual, he has become more patient at the plate with 9 BBs and only 8 Ks. The Giants have one of the highest batting averages in the league and with their solid pitching staff, they have stormed out to a surprising 11-8 record.

1B Justin Morneau, MIN

One of the biggest surprises in 2010 has been the Minnesota Twins club. They have put together quality wins and are sitting 2.5 games atop the AL Central with a 13-6 record. A big reason for their success has been their potent offense, starting with Justin Morneau. This past week has been a sample of his stellar hitting this season. Morneau hit .476 in 6 games this week, while hitting 2 bombs and driving in 7 runs. The most eye-popping stat however, is Morneau’s BB:K ratio of 7:0, which pushes his season ratio to 20:11. Morneau has hit 30+ HRs in 3 of the last 4 years and is on his way to that mark again with 4 in 19 games.

SP Mike Pelfrey, NYM

Thus far, the biggest surprise in the New York Mets pitching rotation has been Mike Pelfrey. This past week, Pelfrey had 2 starts and allowed 0 ER on just 8 hits in 12 innings, lowering his season ERA to an astonishing 0.69. Pelfrey has a 4-0 record this season so far and even has 1 save (came in the 20 inning game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals). Pelfrey has had a hand in 5 of the Mets 10 wins this season, making him their most valuable player thus far by a considerable margin. If the Mets can improve upon their league worst .230 batting average, Pelfrey will have plenty of opportunities to win more games and maybe finally help bring the Mets to the postseason.

RP Matt Lindstrom, HOU

The Houston Astros were this week’s hot team and some of that success is due to their strong closer, Matt Lindstrom. This past week, Lindstrom added 4 more saves to his resume in 4 opportunities while allowing just one earned run on 5 hits. For the season, Lindstrom now has 6 saves in 6 opportunities, good for the 3rd highest total in the majors. The secret to Lindstrom’s success has been his BB: K ratio of 1:10, limiting opponent scoring chances. If the Houston offense continues to shine, Lindstrom could have plenty of opportunities to increase his save total in 2010.

Honorable Mention

SP John Danks, CWS

1B Paul Konerko, CWS

Team of the Week

Houston Astros

After manager Brad Mills’ tenure with Houston Astros began with a 0-8 record, many began to write off the 2010 season. Since that point, the Astros have surged and are now sitting at an 8-10 record with an 8-2 mark over the past 10 games. The Astros have the fewest homeruns in the league, but over the past 7 days, have hit .295 as a team and have struck out the 2nd least amount in the majors. The Astros pitching staff has been strong as well, boasting the 5th best ERA in the league and allowing just 9 BBs total in 6 games. The more wins the Astros have, the more confidence they gain and the more dangerous they become as the season wears on.

Honorable Mention

San Diego Padres

Cold

SP Charlie Morton, PIT

For a starting pitcher, losing 2 games in a week is bad, but it becomes amplified when you pitch a total of 4 innings and give up 10 ERs. That was Charlie Morton’s week in a nutshell. Playing for the NL Central basement dwellers the Pittsburgh Pirates can be painful enough, but to walk 5 and strike out 3 while getting knocked around is even more brutal. Overall this season, Morton is 0-4 with a 16.50 ERA and is not proving to fans or the team that he will finish with a decent record when the season is over. In his 2 years in the majors, Morton finished 4 games below .500 in each with an average ERA above 5.

2B Chone Figgins, SEA

In his first year in Seattle, Chone Figgins has not made a great impression in the batters box. This past week, Figgins has just 2 hits (single, double) in 21 ABs while collecting a terrible 10 Ks and just 4 BBs. This week’s .095 batting average has brought his season mark down to .179, which is over .100 points below his career mark of .289. Figgins has a long way to go if he hopes to repeat last year’s total of 183 hits with the Los Angeles Angels. The Mariners have a solid pitching staff, but their offense has been questionable thus far in 2010.

3B Aramis Ramirez, CHC

This year has been forgettable for the Chicago Cubs 3^rd baseman, Aramis Ramirez. This past week he has hit .120, sadly just .030 points below his season average. Ramirez has just 1 extra base hit this week with 6 Ks and just 2 BBs. Over Ramirez’s career, he has been plagued by injury, but when he is healthy, can be a feared power hitter. He has a career .284 average and with 267 HRs, which includes 12+ homeruns in the past 10 seasons and 30+ homeruns in three of those. The 10-11 Cubs are hoping Ramirez can find his power stroke and stay healthy in 2010.

Honorable Mention

SP Justin Masterson, CLE

SP Rick Porcello, DET

Team of the Week

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles made many moves this offseason and appeared to be ready to make the upward turn towards becoming an AL East contender. That dream ended quickly for the 3-16 Orioles who have been mediocre offensively and awful in the bullpen. At this point in the season, the Orioles are already 11 games behind the AL East leader Tampa Bay Rays and have the worst record in baseball by a significant margin. It is no longer a matter of if, but when their manager Dave Trembley will be fired. The Orioles are a poor 2-8 record in their last 10 games and despite a few solid individual performances, don’t have much going for them.

Honorable Mention

Arizona Diamondbacks

Brian Phair – BoSox Injection – Streaking in the Park

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