Hot and Cold: Each AL Team's Most Impressive and Disappointing Players Thus Far
Just over two weeks into the Major League Baseball season and we have already seen our fair share of surprises from clubs like the Indians and Royals off to hot starts, along with teams like the struggling Tigers and Red Sox.
No matter who you are cheering for, you either have your hopes set for the skies or are panicking that your club has dug themselves a very deep hole in the early going.
This year has already been surprising. Teams like Minnesota, San Francisco and Boston are at or near the bottoms of their divisions while Baltimore, Cleveland, and Kansas City or either first or second in their respective divisions.
With all of that being said, here are the most impressive and disappointing players thus far for each team in the AL.
Baltimore Orioles: Most Disappointing
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2011 is slated to be the year that Matt Wieters finally puts it all together behind the plate for the Orioles; so far he has looked overmatched, hitting just .212 through his first 10 games.
It is still very early, but the season has hardly started well for Wieters in a revamped O's lineup.
Most Impressive: Orioles
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Zach Britton did not break spring training with the Birds, but when Brian Matusz headed to the DL, the Orioles called on their top pitching prospect.
In his first two starts, Zach has yielded just one run in 13 1/3 innings against Tampa Bay and Texas respectively.
Britton still has yet to face a healthy and thumping Yankee or Red Sox lineup, but so far so good for the hard-throwing sinker-baller coming into tonight's action.
New York Yankees: Most Disappointing
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This one was essentially a tie between Rafael Soriano and Phil Hughes, but seeing as Hughes needs to be good enough to bridge the gap to get to Soriano, that it had to be Phil.
Hughes has yielded 11 runs in his first six innings. He has now been put on the 15-day DL.
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Most Impressive: Yankees
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Once again I had a hard time choosing between two, the other being A-Rod, but the most impressive Yankee so far, for me, is Russell Martin.
With the days of Posada getting the majority of the playing time behind the plate long gone, along with the absolutely horrific play of other Yankee catching prospects in the spring, Martin was presented with a real chance to revive his injury-plagued career as a starter behind the dish.
Martin has truly taken this to heart, as he is hitting .289 with 3 home runs and 9 RBI in his first 11 games for the Yankees.
Toronto Blue Jays: Most Disappointing
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In terms of players with high expectations to produce, there aren't many on the Blue Jays, but Brett Cecil is considered by most to be a reliable pitcher in the Jays rotation.
So far, he has yielded 8 runs in 10 innings to a .400 OBA. His numbers so far aren't a huge area of concern, but he definitely isn't getting done in the early going.
Most Impressive: Blue Jays
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The most impressive Blue Jay thus far is Kyle Drabek.
The centerpiece of the Roy Halladay trade has been impressive in 18 2/3 innings striking out 17 with a 1.93 ERA and holding opponents to a .200 BA in the early going.
Tampa Bay Rays: Most Disappointing
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For the Rays, there are plenty of options for this spot, but Ben Zobrist is my guy in this regard.
Ben was considered by some to be a fantasy sleeper for a team whose only other significant offensive fantasy option (who hasn't retired...) is Evan Longoria.
Zobrist is hitting just .178 in 45 ABs over his first 12 games for the Rays.
Most Impressive: Rays
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The most impressive Ray so far has to be the now "Legendary" Sam Fuld: 12 for 37 with 1 HR and 4 RBI and 21 TB (total bases).
Fuld's "Legend" has to do with his ability to make a quality play at any moment on defense.
He is already become a miniature highlight reel in the early going.
Boston Red Sox: Most Disappointing
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No brainer, the most disappointing Red Sox has to be the $142 Million Man, Carl Crawford, who has just 8 total bases in first 11 games for Boston.
Most Impressive: Red Sox
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Kind of hard to find a bright spot and/or someone who isn't already established doing well, but my pick for most impressive Red Sox is Jed Lowrie.
Lowrie is 6 for 17 with 2 XBH and a .438 AVG.
Cleveland Indians: Most Disappointing
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Shin-Soo Choo is hitting just .200 with .267 Slugging Percentage. He has just 4 RBIs in 45 ABs this season.
Luckily for the Tribe, his lack of production hasn't kept them from being quite the surprise in the early going of the '11 season.
Most Impressive: Cleveland Indians
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Asdrubal Cabrera and his double-play partner, Orlando Cabrera could both easily share this spot, but Asdrubal's 4 HRs and 10 RBI (both are team leading) have been a big part of the Indians' 8-4 start coming into Friday's action.
Detroit Tigers: Most Disappointing
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Jackson came to Detroit last off-season as the main component of a three-team trade that sent Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.
Jackson had a solid rookie campaign hitting .293/.345/.400 slash line with 4 HRs and 41 RBI.
So far, he has hit an early sophomore slump, hitting .184 with 16 Ks in his first 49 ABs.
Most Impressive: Detroit Tigers
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In his first 10 games this season, Alex Avila has 3 HRs and 8 RBI and is slugging a healthy .581. He is the most impressive Tiger so far in my humble opinion.
Chicago White Sox: Most Disappointing
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A really easy choice here. Matt Thornton is 0 for 4 in SVO (save opportunities). Enough said!
Most Impressive: White Sox
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Paul Konerko is already a well-established power threat, and it appears the "Donkey" (Dunn's nickname) effect has PK on an early hot streak.
He is riding an 11-game hit streak coming into Friday. He leads the team with 12 RBI.
Kansas City Royals: Most Disappointing
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For a team that the world (at least outside of KC) expects nothing out of in '11 and probably '12 as well, it is hard to be disappointed, but here it goes:
Kila Ka'aihue has spent 8+ seasons in the minors and his career ML average isn't high, but the Royals are looking to Ka'aihue to be a power threat and to hit for a respectable BA, but no such luck so far in '11.
He is hitting for a weak .194 AVG with 5 RBI in 10 games so far.
Royals: Most Impressive
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Once a top prospect, Alex Gordon has struggled to say the least at the ML level.
He is a career .248 hitter in parts of five seasons since being called up in '07 and has played 1B, 3B, and LF, settling in as an outfielder.
Early on, he is hitting .345 with 9 RBI for the Royals and I hope for the long-suffering Kansas City fan base, that he has turned a corner.
Minnesota Twins: Most Disappointing
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Francisco Liriano's career has had its ups and downs. Most of those downs are a series of injuries.
There is no denying that a healthy Francisco is an amazing asset but so far this season, he has been lit up.
Giving up 15 runs in 14 1/3 innings is very discouraging for a last-place Minnesota Twins team. Liriano is my most disappointing Twin.
Twins: Most Impressive
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Nick Blackburn has been shutdown in his first two starts. He has pitched 11 2/3 innings in two starts yielding just one run. He is my most impressive Twin.
Oakland Athletics: Most Disappointing
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Acquired from Kansas City last year, David DeJesus hasn't been very good for the A's in the early going.
He is the owner of an awful .190/.214/.239 slash line with just 3 RBI coming into Friday's action.
Most Impressive: Athletics
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In his first three starts, Gio Gonzalez, my pick for most impressive Athletic, is 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA over 19 innings thus far.
Los Angeles Angels: Most Disappointing
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The Angels traded for Vernon Wells in the hopes that he would be able to live up to the big-time extension that he signed with Toronto, but the Halos' most disappointing player has been struggling mightily.
Wells has a truly pitiful .102/.122/.154 slash line with just 2 RBI in 11 games thus far.
Most Impressive: Angels
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I know, it is very surprising, but Dan Haren has been shutdown: 24 2/3 innings and just 2 runs allowed.
Not surprising, I know, and some might have even picked Jered Weaver, who has been essentially just as "lights out," but I feel comfortable with my Haren pick.
Texas Rangers: Most Disappointing
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It seems as though Elvis has not quite made his way into the building (terrible pun, can't help myself), as Elvis Andrus is my most disappointing Ranger so far.
He has hit .179 in primarily the No. 2 spot for Texas. He has made his hits count, though, with 7 RBI on 7 hits...so we will call it hitting a "strong" .179.
Most Impressive: Rangers
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I don't know about you, but I had never heard of Alexi Ogando prior to last week.
His 0.00 ERA over 13 innings in his first two ML starts makes him an easy choice for most impressive Texas Ranger.
Seattle Mariners: Most Disappointing
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The Seattle Mariners have a plethora of choices for most disappointing, but my choice is Chone Figgins.
It is well-known that Figgins didn't live up to expectations in the first year of his deal with M's, hitting just .259 compared to his .286 career mark.
So far this season, he is sporting a .167/.200/.310 slash with just 3 RBI in his 11 games for Seattle, making him my choice.
Most Impressive: Mariners
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A virtual unknown like Ogando, Michael Pineda is my pick. In 13 1/3 innings, Pineda has surrendered just 5 runs in his first two starts of 2011, as well as in his big league career.
That Is It for the AL
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In the next few days, I will reveal my picks for most disappointing and impressive players in the NL so far. I hope you enjoyed my AL picks.
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.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
