MLB Team of the Week: Maikel Franco, Troy Tulowitzki and Adam Wainwright Star
The MLB All-Star rosters are nearly set, and you're free to disagree with as many of the selections as you wish.
It's a subjective process, after all, beholden to the whims of biased fans and capricious rules. For example, why do we need a representative from every team? Couldn't the Cincinnati Reds sit this one out?
You'll find no such quibbles with Bleacher Report's Team of the Week, which employs a patented algorithm created by a team of SpaceX scientists to eliminate all debate.
Just kidding.
What you will find is 10 players—one per position, including a starting pitcher and designated hitter—who busted box scores over the past seven days. While this is mostly about individual output, we award bonus points for gaudy numbers that translated to ticks in the win column.
Go vote for that final All-Star slot in each league and then proceed when ready. And what the heck, lodge your gripes in the comments. It's a subjective process, after all.
Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
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A starting spot on the National League All-Star team and an ever-expanding list of career accomplishments that includes three World Series trophies and an MVP award don't help Buster Posey here.
This is entirely about the past week. Fortunately for the San Francisco Giants' franchise backstop, he excelled in that small-sample window as well.
For the week, Posey paced all catchers with a 1.396 OPS while cracking a pair of home runs and drawing seven walks in 20 plate appearances.
The even-year Giants, meanwhile, went 4-2 and laid claim to the best record in baseball.
Honorable Mention: J.T. Realmuto (MIA): 10-for-21, HR, 2 RBI
First Base: C.J. Cron, Los Angeles Angels
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Angels first baseman C.J. Cron credits his recent hot streak to a batting practice session in Boston on July 1, according to Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times.
Whatever the genesis, Cron's production this past week was undeniable. He banged out 12 hits in 31 at-bats, including two doubles and five home runs, and collected a spit-take-inducing 15 RBI.
"I mean, I like hitting," Cron said simply, per Moura. "It's my favorite thing to do."
The Halos, meanwhile, went 4-3, but they remain mired 14 games below .500 and in last place in the American League West.
Honorable Mention: Hanley Ramirez (BOS): 9-for-17, 6 2B, 3 RBI
Second Base: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
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Robinson Cano is the only Seattle Mariners player on the American League All-Star roster, and he'll be participating in the Home Run Derby for good measure.
He makes the cut here, though, because of a strong week that saw him rap out 10 hits in 25 at-bats with three doubles and a home run.
Seattle went 3-4 in that span and fell to an even .500 at 43-43. Undoubtedly the M's wouldn't even be in that position without Cano's resurgent power season.
"Obviously, Robby has had a great first half for us and really led our team," skipper Scott Servais said after Cano's All-Star selection was announced, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. "He had that home-run binge early in the season, and he's been out there every day. It's nice to see him back healthy this year."
Honorable Mention: Chase Utley (LAD): 9-for-20, 2 2B, 2 RBI
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Third Base: Maikel Franco, Philadelphia Phillies
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In March, I identified sophomore Maikel Franco as a bust-out candidate for 2016. After a bit of a slow start, he's supporting that prediction and building upon last season's success.
This week, the Philadelphia Phillies third baseman went 13-for-26, good for a cool .500 average, while collecting a double, four home runs and eight RBI.
The Phillies went 5-2, though they remain seven games under .500 and 11 games out in the NL East.
The future, however, is brightening in the City of Brotherly Love thanks in no small part to Franco.
"He's always aggressive," manager Pete Mackanin said, per Paul Schwedelson of Philly.com. "Aggressive hitters are always going to come up big now and then."
Honorable Mention: Wilmer Flores (NYM): 10-for-23, 5 HR, 10 RBI
Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki, Toronto Blue Jays
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When Troy Tulowitzki landed on the disabled list with a quad strain May 27, he was hitting .204. Not exactly the production the Toronto Blue Jays were hoping for, eh?
Since his return on June 18, Tulo has hiked his average by 35 points.
"I really think that I went down to Florida, it gave me a chance to work on my swing, get back to some good things that I did," he said, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. "I think I've carried that over. When confidence comes, you start having some success."
This week, that success took the form of 12 hits in 29 at-bats with three homers and 12 RBI. The Jays went 6-1, moving into second place in the AL East and within two games of the Baltimore Orioles.
Honorable Mention: Zack Cozart (CIN): 10-for-29, 3 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI
Left Field: Michael Saunders, Toronto Blue Jays
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Michael Saunders also helped the Blue Jays take flight this week, going 12-for-32 with five doubles, a home run and seven RBI.
He earned a crack at the final, fan-selected All-Star slot, and the British Columbia native nabbed the pretty-damn-awesome nickname "Captain Canada."
We know it's America's Pastime and all, but this feels like a cause worth rallying behind. Saunders has been swinging it like a man who wants to spend a few days representing his club and country in San Diego.
Honorable Mention: Seth Smith (SEA): 9-for-22, 4 HR, 12 RBI
Center Field: Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets
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We already told you about the Mets' 6-1 week, which included a statement-delivering four-game sweep of the NL darling Chicago Cubs.
Now, let's talk about last season's trade-deadline cavalry and recently anointed All-Star starter Yoenis Cespedes.
Cespedes again proved his worth—and raised his profile as next winter's top potential free agent—by going 12-for-27 with four doubles and a pair of home runs, good for a .444 average and 1.331 OPS.
Whether the Cuban masher will return to Queens in 2017 is an open question. Undeniably, though, as CBS New York's Ernie Palladino put it, "New York and Cespedes have fit like hand in glove."
Honorable Mention: Mike Trout (LAA): 6-for-21, 2 2B, HR, 4 SB
Right Field: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
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Any week that includes a 21-2 shellacking at the hands of the last-place Angels isn't, by definition, all good.
But the Boston Red Sox still managed to go 4-2 overall and remain in the AL East hunt, even if they did drop to third place, one game back of the Jays and three behind the Orioles.
Where would they be without newly minted All-Star starter Mookie Betts, who led all qualified right fielders with 13 hits, including five doubles and two home runs?
Perish the thought, Beantown faithful. Keep enjoying one of the most exciting young outfielders in the game.
Honorable Mention: Giancarlo Stanton (MIA): 8-for-23, 3B, 4 HR, 7 RBI
Designated Hitter: Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
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Unless he learns to shred on the guitar, he'll probably always be known as the other Carlos Santana.
Still, the Cleveland Indians slugger rapped out some tasty licks in the batter's box this week, going 10-for-27 with three doubles and three home runs.
The Indians saw their franchise-best 14-game winning streak come to an end and went 3-4 overall, but they maintain a 6.5-game lead in the AL Central.
Is this a good moment to share the Santana song "Winning"?
Honorable Mention: David Ortiz (BOS): 8-for-23, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
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If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to grab a playoff spot in the top-heavy NL Central, they'll need Adam Wainwright to be Adam Wainwright.
The veteran right-hander, whose ERA still sits at an unsightly 4.49 for the season, showed some positive signs this week.
In 14 innings spread over two starts, Wainwright surrendered just one earned run with three walks and 14 strikeouts.
The Cards, not surprisingly, went 2-0 in those outings, one of which came against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates, owners of the fourth-best team batting average in the NL.
The 34-year-old Wainwright missed most of last season with an Achilles injury, but he finished among the top five in NL Cy Young Award balloting in each of the previous two campaigns.
Is that guy back?
"I was having fun mixing and matching four-seams and two-seams and cutters and curveballs," Wainwright said of Thursday's win against the Pirates, per Bucky Dent of the Sports Xchange. "I was pitching out there. That's how I did it in 2014. I've kind of found that again."
Honorable Mention: Drew Pomeranz (SD): 14 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 H, 13 SO
All statistics current as of July 7 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.
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