Biggest MLB Duds of Week 1, Position by Position
From Andrew McCutchen to Mat Latos, plenty of big leaguers face-planted in the opening week of the 2015 MLB season.
Latos is the owner of an absurd 94.50 ERA after a nightmarish first start, while a couple of big-time bats are still looking for hit No. 1. Considering that the season is a 162-game marathon, a shaky first week can easily be put in the rearview mirror in no time. For now, it earns the likes of McCutchen, Latos and others a spot on the Week 1 all-dud squad.
Catcher
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Also Under Consideration: Yan Gomes, Cleveland Indians; Chris Iannetta, Los Angeles Angels; Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Miami Marlins; Jonathan LuCroy, Milwaukee Brewers
The Dud: Devin Mesoraco, Cincinnati Reds
With 25 bombs a season ago, Devin Mesoraco was a monster in 2014. So far in 2015, the backstop has been ice-cold. In his first five games for the Cincinnati Reds, the catcher is swinging at a clip of .100 (2-for-20).
On the plus side, at least Mesoraco is healthy as the season begins. Last year, the right-handed hitter missed out on the beginning of the campaign courtesy of an oblique injury.
First Base
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Also Under Consideration: Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals; Chris Carter, Houston Astros; Matt Adams, St. Louis Cardinals; Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies; Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels
The Dud: Mike Napoli, Boston Red Sox
There were a lot of contenders for this spot. However, there's just no way to overlook Mike Napoli. The first baseman has played in five games for the Boston Red Sox in 2015 and is still searching for his first hit. Sitting at 0-for-17, Napoli has the most at-bats of any big leaguer who has yet to collect a hit.
Second Base
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Also Under Consideration: Omar Infante, Kansas City Royals; Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies; Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds; Jose Altuve, Houston Astros; Daniel Murphy, New York Mets
The Dud: Rougned Odor, Texas Rangers
Rougned Odor found a creative way to land a spot on the Week 1 all-dud team. Simply put, the Texas Rangers second baseman just won't stop leaning into pitches.
Armed with an outsized elbow pad, the 21-year-old piled up three hit by pitches in the club's four-game set with the Oakland Athletics to open the season. As Oakland skipper Bob Melvin explained via Alex Espinoza IV of MLB.com, he wasn't thrilled with Odor's elbow armor: "sticks out about a foot."
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Shortstop
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Also Under Consideration: Danny Santana, Minnesota Twins; Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers; Wilmer Flores, New York Mets
The Dud: Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees
This was a close call, as a flood of shortstops have wobbled out of the gate in 2015. Ultimately, the nod goes to Didi Gregorius—and not just because he's the owner of a .133 batting average (2-for-15) in his first five games in pinstripes.
What gives Gregorius the edge is his less than heads-up baserunning. On Opening Day, with the New York Yankees trailing the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1, the 25-year-old shortstop was gunned down at third on an attempted steal.
It was a baffling mistake by Gregorius, but manager Joe Girardi tried to spin the miscue into a positive, per Ryan Hatch of NJ.com: "It's probably a good learning experience. That it happened in Game 1 here and hopefully it never happens again." It's certainly the kind of error that his predecessor, Derek Jeter, would have never made.
Third Base
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Also Under Consideration: Trevor Plouffe, Minnesota Twins; Will Middlebrooks, San Diego Padres; Luis Valbuena, Houston Astros
The Dud: Chase Headley, New York Yankees
Chase Headley has definitely enjoyed better weeks—both with the glove and with the bat.
In the first five games of the New York Yankees season, the third baseman has already been charged with a pair of errors. At the dish, Headley is hitting just .136 (3-for-22). However, one of his three hits was a homer in the club's 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox on April 10.
Left Field
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Also Under Consideration: Melky Cabrera, Chicago White Sox; Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates; Steve Pearce, Baltimore Orioles
The Dud: Marlon Byrd, Cincinnati Reds
With all sorts of pop in his bat, Marlon Byrd has the potential to be an excellent addition for the Cincinnati Reds.
Unfortunately for the NL Central squad, Byrd's power hasn't been on display just yet. In five contests, the vet hasn't tallied an extra-base hit and is batting .100 (2-for-20). His most meaningful contribution came in the ninth inning on April 9 when he hit a line drive to right field that clanked off the glove of Gregory Polanco of the Pittsburgh Pirates to give the Reds a 3-2 win.
Center Field
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Also Under Consideration: Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers; Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox; Dexter Fowler, Chicago Cubs
The Dud: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
This is an unfamiliar territory for the perennial MVP contender Andrew McCutchen.
Still, the numbers are the numbers. After the first week of the season, McCutchen is the owner of a .125 average (2-for-16). What's more troubling than an underwhelming week at the plate is the news that McCutchen has been slowed by a sore knee, per Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Right Field
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Also Under Consideration: Brandon Moss, Cleveland Indians; Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers; Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays; Curtis Granderson, New York Mets; Craig Gentry, Oakland Athletics
The Dud: Carlos Beltran, New York Yankees
There was no lack of options when it came to picking the dud right fielder of the week. From Yasiel Puig to Curtis Granderson, there were some prominent players under consideration.
In the end, the veteran Carlos Beltran claims the unwanted distinction. All the 37-year-old has to show from his first week of work is a couple of doubles. In five games for the New York Yankees, Beltran checks in with a .100 average (2-for-20) with six strikeouts.
Designated Hitter
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Also Under Consideration: C.J. Cron, Los Angeles Angels; Adam LaRoche, Chicago White Sox
The Dud: Evan Gattis, Houston Astros
Apparently, El Oso Blanco is still hibernating.
After four games with the Houston Astros, Evan Gattis doesn't have a hit (0-for-15). The right-handed hitter has punched out in nine of those at-bats and had four strikeout games on back-to-back days on April 8 and April 9. Per Baseball-Reference.com, Gattis is the first player to accomplish that infamous feat in the first three games of the season since at least 1914.
Starting Pitcher
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Also Under Consideration: Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs; Taijuan Walker, Seattle Mariners; Kyle Lohse, Milwaukee Brewers; Kendall Graveman, Oakland Athletics; Bud Norris, Baltimore Orioles
The Dud: Mat Latos, Miami Marlins
Mat Latos had a historically awful day at the park against the Atlanta Braves on April 7.
In his first start as a member of the Miami Marlins, the right-hander retired just two batters while serving up seven runs on six hits and a couple of walks. As a result, Latos is currently sporting a 94.50 ERA. The starter is one of just two pitchers in the last 100 years to give up at least seven earned runs and fail to get out of the opening frame in one of the first two games of the season, per the High Heat Stats MLB Twitter account.
Closer
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Also Under Consideration: LaTroy Hawkins, Colorado Rockies; Brett Cecil; Steve Cishek, Miami Marlins
The Dud: Chris Hatcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
The bullpen is once again looking like a glaring weakness for the Los Angeles Dodgers. With closer Kenley Jansen on the shelf, righty Chris Hatcher has been tasked with locking up the ninth inning.
The 30-year-old is 1-for-1 in save opportunities, but he also lost a game for the squad on April 8. After Adrian Gonzalez went yard to tie up the contest in the ninth, Hatcher took the mound and allowed two runs on three hits without recording an out, as the Dodgers fell 7-3 to the San Diego Padres.
Note: All stats courtesy of MLB.com.
If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.
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