MLB Team of the Week: Anthony Rizzo, Mark Trumbo and Madison Bumgarner Star
There was some debate at Bleacher Report's MLB Team of the Week headquarters about whether to include All-Star Game stats.
After all, with home-field advantage in the World Series on the line, it's more than a meaningless exhibition.
Following some careful deliberation, however, our highly democratic committee of one decreed that only games played July 8-10 would factor in. That makes an already small sample even smaller, but there you have it. Take it up with the committee.
Otherwise, the rules are the same: 10 players, including a designated hitter and starting pitcher, who busted box scores during the aforementioned time frame.
To qualify, a player needs to have made at least two starts at the position in question or one start in the case of pitchers. And while this is mostly about individual output, we award bonus points for gaudy numbers that translated to notches in the win column.
Limber up your commenting muscles and dig in when ready.
Catcher: Yasmani Grandal, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Like the Los Angeles Dodgers offense as a whole, Yasmani Grandal struggled through much of the first half and carried a .212 average into the break.
He makes the cut, however, thanks to a three-homer, six-RBI game July 8 in a 10-6 win over the San Diego Padres. Overall, Grandal went 8-for-12 on the week and raised his slugging percentage 63 points.
"As crazy as this night was, to look at Yas' night, it's one for the books," Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts said after Grandal's power outburst, per Jack Baer and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. "The work he's put in, the guy is watching video, working with the coaches, and to finally get rewarded with a historical night was great."
Honorable Mention: Brian McCann (NYY): 6-for-10, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI
First Base: Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs
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Before joining the rest of the Chicago Cubs' infield for the All-Star Game in San Diego, Anthony Rizzo showed why he belonged in the Midsummer Classic.
The North Side slugger banged out nine hits in 13 at-bats, including four doubles, a triple and a home run. Add a couple of walks, and we're looking at a cool 2.118 OPS.
The Cubs, meanwhile, dropped two of three games and limped into the break still leading the National League Central race but looking a lot more vulnerable than they did a few weeks ago.
"We've had the formula most of the whole season of playing good baseball," Rizzo told reporters, per OneUp Sports (via Madison.com). "We don't have it right now. We'll mix maybe a few cocktails together and figure it back out."
Honorable Mention: Tommy Joseph (PHI): 5-for-7, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI
Second Base: Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
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After fizzling in a pool of hype last season, the Cleveland Indians are delivering on their promise. The Tribe went 1-2 in our tiny Team of the Week window, but they entered the break with a 6.5-game lead in the American League Central.
Speaking of delivering: Jason Kipnis rapped out six hits in 12 at-bats, including a double and two home runs. He also tallied a 1.655 OPS.
Cleveland may need to deal for a bat to augment its stable of power arms for the stretch run. Simply being clear-cut trade-deadline buyers is a novel treat, according to Kipnis.
"I've never been in this position," the 29-year-old two-time All-Star said, per Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. "It's nice. All the problems that come with it are good problems to have. It's a lot of fun."
Honorable Mention: Daniel Murphy (WSH): 5-for-12, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI
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Third Base: Martin Prado, Miami Marlins
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If you're looking for reasons why the Miami Marlins are tied for a wild-card spot entering the second half, put veteran Martin Prado near the top of the list.
The 32-year-old is hitting .324, but he makes the grade here because of his 6-for-9 week that included four doubles, two RBI and three runs scored.
The Marlins, meanwhile, went 3-0.
Admittedly, both of Prado's RBI came on a July 9 double that wasn't well-struck. But Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce couldn't reel it in.
"It was weird—the ball kept carrying for some reason," Prado said, per the Associated Press (via the New York Times). "It had a weird spin, and I think Bruce misjudged it and overran it. I'm glad. It's one of the signs I'm blessed."
Honorable Mention: Evan Longoria (TB): 7-for-13, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants
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Hey, you know how San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford wasn't named to the All-Star team? Yeah…about that.
Crawford made a mockery of his already egregious snub, going 6-for-10 with two doubles, a home run and six RBI for the week and flashing his usual brand of exemplary glove work.
As Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle put it, "Crawford has been the club's best clutch hitter while playing eye-popping defense at a premium position."
Again, he wasn't an All-Star. But the even-year Giants, who own the best record in baseball, will take him for what he is.
Honorable Mention: Francisco Lindor (CLE): 6-for-12, 3 2B, 6 R, 2 RBI
Left Field: Christian Yelich, Miami Marlins
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Another Marlin makes the list, and why not? The Fish, as we mentioned, are swimming pretty.
Giancarlo Stanton won the Home Run Derby and Marcell Ozuna was an All-Star. But we're tossing props to the third member of Miami's outfield, Christian Yelich, who went 5-for-12 with a double, a home run and three RBI for the week.
He earned high praise from his skipper, too.
"To me, Yeli is really one of the best hitters in the game, and he's starting to show it more and more," Don Mattingly said of his 24-year-old left fielder, per Mark Sheldon and Patrick Pinak of MLB.com.
Honorable Mention: Melky Cabrera (CWS): 5-for-13, 2B, 2 RBI
Center Field: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Pittsburgh Pirates were a disappointment for much of the first half, but they heated up as the All-Star break approached and now sit just 1.5 games off the wild-card pace.
Former NL MVP and five-time All-Star Andrew McCutchen had a disappointing first half of his own. But he likewise turned it on late, going 6-for-12 with a double, two homers and six RBI this week and raising his OPS 32 points.
Here's how Carrie Muskat and Sarah K. Spencer of MLB.com put it after McCutchen drove in three runs in a 12-6 win over the Cubs on July 9: "As the Pirates surge, so, too, does McCutchen. Or maybe it's the other way around?"
Honorable Mention: Adam Jones (BAL): 5-for-12, 2B, HR
Right Field: Mark Trumbo, Baltimore Orioles
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Mark Trumbo is the first-half home run king after launching 28 balls over the fence before the All-Star break.
Two of them came this week among Trumbo's four hits, as the 30-year-old masher hiked his OPS 19 points and helped the Baltimore Orioles go 2-1 to maintain their perch atop the AL East.
Here's the part where we remember Trumbo signed a one-year, $9.15 million deal with the O's and could wind up as the season's biggest bargain.
He's also spearheading a potent offense that paces baseball with 137 homers.
"Having that many talented hitters, who have done it before, is a luxury quite a few teams don’t have," said Trumbo, per Mark Whicker of the Los Angeles Daily News. "A lot of us have come from other places, so the vibe was good from the beginning. It's not a clique-y atmosphere. It's a really easy place to come to work every day."
Honorable Mention: Carlos Gonzalez (COL): 4-for-12, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
Designated Hitter: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
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Before taking his All-Star Game curtain call, David Ortiz banged out two home runs in the Boston Red Sox's final three games.
Those were his only two hits during that stretch, but with no other designated hitter going nuts during that period, Big Papi earns yet another Team of the Week nod.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, are locked in a dogfight in the AL East, two games back of Baltimore and hanging on to a wild-card slot.
If their decision to ship blue-chip prospect Anderson Espinoza to the San Diego Padres for All-Star left-hander Drew Pomeranz on Thursday is any indication, they plan to make Ortiz's stretch-run swan song a memorable one.
Honorable Mention: Corey Dickerson (TB): 4-for-10, 2 2B
Pitcher: Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants
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Madison Bumgarner had a quiet All-Star break. Despite the rumblings, he didn't get to participate in the Home Run Derby. And despite being named to the NL squad, he didn't pitch in the game.
That's because he pitched on Sunday. And boy, did he pitch.
In his final first-half start, the Giants' ace left-hander carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks and "settled" for a one-hit complete-game shutout with 14 strikeouts.
"You hate to see him get that close and not get it done," manager Bruce Bochy said of MadBum's near no-no, per Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. "That's one box he hasn't checked off. We were rooting for him so hard. We were living on every pitch there, just like the fans. Trust me."
Don't fret, Bochy, he'll get another shot—trust us.
Honorable Mention: David Price (BOS): 8 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 10 SO
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