Two Major One Minor 040213

Here is the first Two Major One Minor segment of 2013. This is my third year of doing this series where I feature two Major League players and one minor league player each week. The three starting the year off are Brandon Belt, Alex Gordon and Yasiel Puig. The common thread running through them is total bases.

Belt is the starting first baseman for the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. This spring Belt led all Major League players in total bases with 65 while playing in the Cactus League in Arizona. He also led all Major League players in extra base hits with 16. For the spring he hit .410/.432/.833 with 8 HR, 19 RBI, 15 R, 3 SB plus 7 2B and 1 3B in 24 games. While what a player does during spring training doesn't carry much weight toward season production the fact that he out performed every one else gives him some bragging rights. It also gives a glimpse that he may be about to take his game to the next level. 2012 was his first full season with the Giants and he hit .275/.360/.421 with 7 HR, 56 RBI, 47 R, 12 SB plus 27 2B and 6 3B in 145 games. A similar player is the Royals Eric Hosmer who had a hot spring training in 2012 then struggled all year in his sophomore effort. The first month will set the tone as to which path Belt will follow in 2013.

Gordon is the Royals starting left fielder and was second in spring training in total bases with 60 to lead all American League players. This spring he hit .438/.494/.822 with 8 HR, 17 RBI, 22 R, 3 SB plus 4 2B and 0 3B in 25 games. Gordon is coming off two solid seasons and led the Majors in doubles in 2012 with 51. He has a track record now for getting extra base hits and accumulating total bases. This season he will be setting the table as the Royals lead off hitter and should continue to raise his career on base percentage. He scored 101 and 93 runs in 2011 and 2012 and will likely far surpass those standards with the talented bats hitting behind him. I foresee a very productive 2013 for Gordon.

Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers had the highest total bases of all players sent back to the minors. His 48 tied him for ninth with Bryce Harper of the Nationals. The production of the young outfielder gave the Dodgers a tough decision to send him down after he hit .517/.500/.828 with 3 HR, 11 RBI, 16 R, 4 SB plus 5 2B and 2 3B in 27 games. Puig accomplished that without even a full minor league season on his resume. He split 2012 between Rookie Arizona and Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga as he hit a combined .354/.442/.634 with 5 HR, 15 RBI, 20 R, 8 SB in 23 games. The 22 year old should probably spend some more time honing his game in the minors but he has shown he has the talent and that his time down there won't be for long.