The start to the 2019 MLB season has seen many a surprise, as well as, plenty of unexpected failures. Here are the five most prominent disappointing starts by players, who will look to build upon it in May.
A cold start to an MLB season will always be a discussion point at the early stages of a new season, however, through approximately thirty games one may begin to grow concerned. The cold weather is always an issue- on the East Coast and in the mid-West- that can prevent a player from getting into a rhythm.
A slow April can also be manageable, as long as the production begins to arrive sooner rather than later. There is still plenty of time, however, as five long months will provide plentiful opportunities for these five players.
Among the players listed are 4 pitchers and a star batter, who either have a track record of production or were saddled with high hopes prior to 2019. The pressure is therefore on the members of this list to turn their fortunes around and improve upon their starts.
5.) Jose Ramirez, 3B, Indians
Ramirez has gotten off to a shockingly slow start, after a truly impressive 2018 where he could have easily won the AL MVP if not for Mookie Betts. He has followed up a season with 39 home runs, 34 stolen bases, and an OPS of .939 with 2 homers, no steals, and an OPS .555.
He has gotten off to such a poor start that his slugging percentage has even dipped below his on-base percentage. Neither marks are flattering as they have fallen beneath the .300 plateau. Such a rough start can in many cases be attributed to poor luck on the part of the hitter.
Ramirez possesses a BABIP- batting average on balls in play- of .198, which would indicate that he has been rather unfortunate. A bit of luck can probably get this MLB season started in the right direction, as the weather begins to warm. His BABIP will improve, as will his other stats. Yet, it is not known if he will be able to attain the degree of success that he experienced in 2017 and 2018.