As the starting third baseman on baseball’s most storied franchise, the highest-paid player in the history of the sport and someone with numbers some inner-circle Hall of Famers would envy, Alex Rodriguez would dominate the conversation around Major League Baseball even if he wasn’t facing a 211-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, and obstructing an MLB investigation.
Once you throw in an intentional plunking by the Boston Red Sox, growing tensions between Rodriguez and his own team, and a high-powered legal battle, there’s no way for a baseball fan to avoid Rodriguez.
Around baseball, however, other storylines have been pushed aside due to the ongoing drama surrounding performance-enhancing drugs and, in particular, Rodriguez. Not that there’s been any shortage of developments beyond the Bronx.
It’s time to recognize one team, hitter, pitcher, fielder and rookie whose accomplishments have been overshadowed by A-Rod in recent weeks:
TEAM: PITTSBURGH PIRATES
The Pittsburgh Pirates are leading the NL Central — arguably baseball’s best division — thanks to an elite pitching staff and a capable group of position players led by MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen.
As a team, the Pirates have a remarkable 3.17 ERA. Starters A.J. Burnett, Jeff Locke, Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton all have ERAs of 3.88 or below, as does injured starter Wandy Rodriguez. With a rotation that deep, it’s no surprise that the Pirates have out-performed the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds.
The Pirates will almost certainly end their streak of 20 consecutive sub-.500 seasons this year, and they’re on track to do so in style by reaching the post-season for the first time since 1992.
HITTER: MIGUEL CABRERA
No matter how you look at it, Cabrera is the best hitter in baseball.
The 30-year-old has a chance to join Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx as the only players in MLB history to hit .360 with 50 home runs and 150 runs batted in a season. That’s a lot to ask, but Cabrera already has 40 home runs and 120 RBI to go along with his .359 batting average.
Advanced stats confirm that Cabrera is the game’s best hitter, as he leads MLB in weighted on-base average (.478), weighted runs created (207) and on-base plus slugging (1.133). With a .450 on-base percentage and a .684 slugging percentage, he is by far the league’s most potent bat.
Cabrera could win his second consecutive Triple Crown in 2013, and another MVP seems likely.
PITCHER: CLAYTON KERSHAW
Kershaw has overtaken Justin Verlander to become the best pitcher in baseball. He could even join Verlander on the short list of starting pitchers who have won an MVP award.
The Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander has posted a 2.22 ERA over the course of the last three seasons, nearly half a run better than that of the next starter, Johnny Cueto (Kershaw could allow nine runs without recording an out when he starts Thursday, and still have the best ERA in baseball this year).
The 25-year-old has a 1.80 ERA in 190.1 innings, leading MLB in both categories. With 182 strikeouts and just 40 hits and 122 hits allowed, the 2011 National League Cy Young winner may be having his best season yet.
FIELDER: ANDRELTON SIMMONS
Plays like this don’t happen every day.
If Cabrera is the best hitter in baseball, and Kershaw is the best pitcher, Andrelton Simmons is the best defensive player in the game. His range and throwing arm set him apart from other MLB shortstops.
John Dewan, the fielding analyst who owns Baseball Info Solutions and authored The Fielding Bible, has determined that the Atlanta Braves shortstop has already set the single-season record with 37 Defensive Runs Saved, even though 38 games remain in the season.
The string of spectacular plays prompted FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan to wonder if Simmons is enjoying the best defensive season of all time, and the question may be less outrageous than one would first think.
ROOKIE: JOSE FERNANDEZ
Fernandez’s season numbers are tremendous: he has a 2.41 ERA with 157 strikeouts and just 51 walks in 145.2 innings. But the 21-year-old Cuban has been particularly impressive since the beginning of June, posting a 1.64 ERA in 93.1 innings while allowing only 54 hits.
The 48-76 Miami Marlins may be the worst team in the National League, but they’re worth watching at least once every five days.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Matt Carpenter’s offensive production; Danny Farquhar’s breakout year; Pedro Alvarez’s boom-or-bust approach; Adam Wainwright’s minute walk rate; Adam Jones’ ability to swing at everything and still produce.
(These are just a few of the many remarkable players around MLB, and the list is not intended to be comprehensive)
