Garceau: MLB Surprises This Season
In a little over a week most MLB teams will hit the halfway mark of the 2016 season. Some teams have surprised us, the Orioles and Indians weren't popular picks to win their divisions but the standings tell us they're both in first place, and raise your hand if you thought the Rangers would have second best record in baseball. The Twins who finished in second place in 2015 (83-79) are 23-49 and that qualifies as the worst record in baseball.
Speaking of surprises what has happened to last year's top AL Cy Young Award vote getters? In 2015 Dallas Keuchel (first), David Price (second), Sonny Gray (third) and Chris Archer (fifth) combined for a 2.71 ERA. This season their numbers hardly look like the work of Cy guys. Keuchel, 3-9 (5.32 ERA), Price 8-4, (4.24 ERA), Gray 3-6, (5.20) and Archer 4-10 (4.70) have looked ordinary at best. Chris Sale who finished fourth in last year's voting is 12-2; he's avoided the Cy Young candidate hangover and is a strong contender to be the Cy guy this season.
Among the surprises so far this season are the following four who are worthy of a trip to the All-Star game in San Diego.
Johnny Cueto—He was a post-season star for the World Champion Royals last season but went 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in the regular season. He's been sensational in his first year in San Francisco. He might get lost in a league with all-world hurlers like Clayton Kershaw and Jake Arrieta but Cueto has been lights out with an 11-1 record, 2.06 ERA and 0.988 WHIP.
Steven Wright—The knuckleballer has been the stability in a shaky Boston pitching staff. Wright who's never won more than 5 games in a season is 8-4 and his 2.01 ERA is the best among American League starting pitchers.
Daniel Murphy—Washington knew they were getting a good player in Murphy but what he's done so far in 2016 is better than good. The past 3 years he's been a .280's hitter; his current average of .347 is the best in the National League. Murphy hit a career high 14 home runs last year, he's hit already hit 12 this year. His career high is 78 RBI, he's on pace to drive in over 100 this year. The Mets loss is the Nats gain.
David Ortiz—The farewell tour is a big hit at Fenway, in fact Big Papi is on his way to the greatest final season in baseball history. The numbers are sick! His .340 average is third in the AL, he's 3 off the AL lead with 18 homers and he's second with 60 RBI. All this at age 40, Papi may just grab the Triple Crown and go home. Good vitamins!