MLB Power Rankings: Jose Bautista Reigns as Best in AL
April has come and gone, and the MLB season swings into May. Some were happy to see the calendar change, while others are hoping they can eclipse what the beginning of the season has meant for their stats. Last season’s home run champ continues to dominate American League pitching, while other are making adjustments to show what they can do. These are the power rankings for hitters in the AL as of May 10th.
10) Alex Gordon - KC
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The Royals have played good baseball so far this season, owing in large part to Alex Gordon. The left fielder out of Nebraska is hitting .309 with 3 home runs and 23 RBIs. However, if the Royals are going to be taken seriously, he will have to outhit his May .185 AVG.
9) Adam Lind - TOR
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The story out of Toronto is undoubtedly Jose Bautista, but Adam Lind deserves some recognition as well. Hitting .313 with 7 home runs, Lind has been another source of power on a Toronto team that led the majors in home runs last season. He was recently injured, however, so look out for the severity of that development.
8) Adrian Gonzalez - BOS
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One of the big, off-season acquisitions for the Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez is proving he is worth his new 7-year contract. After hitting only 1 home run in April, he has nailed 3 so far in May, and his average has risen to .317, supported by 25 RBIs. If Gonzalez stays hot, look out for the Red Sox.
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7) Curtis Granderson - NYY
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After a disappointing first season in pinstripes, in which he only hit .247, Granderson has turned it on this year. Hitting a respectable .283, Granderson has flexed his muscles, swatting 11 home runs, which is most in the American League. He has 23 RBIs to go with those homers, a number that should be higher.
6) Ben Zobrist - TB
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The surprise out of Tampa has been the performance of second baseman Ben Zobrist. While he played about to his career level in April, Zobrist is off to a scorching May, hitting .393 with an OPS over 1.000. While the hits are there, the production is falling behind, as he as yet to homer or drive in a run so far in May.
5) Howie Kendrick - LAA
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The most productive second baseman in the American League is Howie Kendrick. While his RBI total is relatively low at 14, he has hit 6 home runs, showing decent power, and maintained an average around .300 all season, currently sitting at .317. May has been good to Kendrick, batting .351, although he is in a bit of a power drought.
4) Paul Konerko - CHI
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Konerko is off to a roaring start to the month of May, hitting a whopping .480 in his last 8 games. The inconsistent White Sox could use as much production from Konerko as they can get, as his great season is overshadowed by the poor record the Sox are showing. The 35-year-old veteran has belted 8 home runs and knocked in 27 so far this season.
3) Michael Young - TEX
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The Texas Rangers sure are glad they have not let go of Michael Young quite yet. As a DH, he is hitting .338 with 26 RBIs. If there is a downside to what Young is doing, it is his lack of power so far. He has only 2 home runs, but his first came April 30 and the most recent on May 7. The slumping Rangers hope this is a sign he may be about to break out.
2) Miguel Cabrera - DET
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While his bat has cooled off since April, the Detroit Tigers have not, winning 6 of their last 7 games. This recent success may be due to other contributors, as Cabrera is hitting only .269 so far in May. With what we've seen from Cabrera in the past, though, we shouldn't expect him to stay slumping for long.
1) Jose Bautista - TOR
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Bautista missed 5 games due to a neck injury, so his numbers have not changed much since last week. However, in his return to the lineup Sunday, Bautista blasted a home run to show that the injury was only a minor setback. Look for the Blue Jays’ centerpiece to continue his hot hitting as one of the most dominant bats in the American League.
This article was originally featured on Fantasy Baseball Sportal.
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