Royals Playoffs Bound 2015

The Kansas City Royals are headed to the MLB playoffs for the second year in a row. This year is even sweeter as they are the 2015 AL Central champs rather than a wild card. That guarantees at least three games rather than the one game play in the wild card teams have to gut out.

The offense is much better this season with Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas taking their games to the next level. Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon had steady seasons even with Gordon being derailed by the DL. Kendrys Morales was a huge upgrade to Billy Butler. Alcides Escobar, Jarod Dyson and Omar Infante have fallen off from last year but the pick up of Ben Zobrist helped make up for the last one. 

The pitching staff had an identity crisis after James Shields headed west as it left a vacuum for an ace. Yordano Ventura started off rocky but answered the wake up call after his yo-yo ride to the minors. Jeremy Guthrie could not repeat his unheralded performance from last year and was extremely hittable. Edinson Volquez proved to be a good pick up and challenged to be the ace but sputtered down the stretch. Danny Duffy never found the dominance he had before his 2014 injury. Kris Medlen on the other hand has been solid since returning from his elbow injury that had sidelined him with the Braves for all of 2014. Johnny Cueto has people shouting bust rather than being the ace he was rented to be. The bullpen has been nearly as stellar but the elbow of Greg Holland finally gave out after one too many heart attack performances. That bumps the capable Wade Davis to be closer, Kelvin Herrera to the 8th and Ryan Madson to the 7th. Herrera has been struggling over the past 30 plus and that is troubling. 

As hot as the Royals were in the 2014 playoffs they have been the opposite down the final stretch to close out 2015. After racing out to such a big lead in the AL Central they have started to run out of gas with a 10-17 September. That has allowed the red hot Toronto Blue Jays to edge past with the best record in the American League. Only a handful of games through Sunday with home field advantage at stake. Unless the Royals get hot and the Blue Jays falter it will be the Royals and Texas Rangers in the divisional series. That may be the more favorable match up to get their confidence and mojo back on track.

Jake Arrieta NL Player of Week 092115 to 092715

Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs was selected the National League Player of the Week for the span of September 20, 2015 through September 27, 2015. For the week he was 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 GS, 16.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 1 HBP, 1 BB, 20 K, 1 CG and 1 SHO. This season the RHP is 21-6, 1.82 ERA, 229 K, 0.88 WHIP, .187 BAA in 223.0 IP over 32 games. Over six MLB seasons with the Cubs and Orioles he is 55-38, 3.73 ERA, 710 K, 1.19 WHIP, .227 BAA in 789.1 IP over 135 games with 129 GS. This was his second award this season after also winning for the week of August 24. He was originally drafted by the Orioles in the fifth round in 2007 and was traded to the Cubs in 2013. Arrieta turned 29 on March 6th.

Kevin Pillar AL Player of Week 092115 to 092715

Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays was selected the American League Player of the Week for the span of September 21, 2015 through September 27, 2015. For the week he hit 11 for 21, .524/.583/1.048 with 5 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R, 5 SB and 3 BB. This season the outfielder is hitting .272/.308/.396 with 12 HR, 54 RBI, 74 R, 25 SB in 155 games. Over two MLB seasons with the Blue Jays he has hit .262/.298/.387 with 17 HR, 74 RBI, 104 R, 26 SB in 243 games. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the 32nd round in 2011. Pillar turned 26 on January 4th.

Bryce Harper n Stephen Strasburg NL Players of Week 091415 to 092015

Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals were selected the National League Co-Players of the Week for the span of September 14, 2015 through September 20, 2015.

For the week Harper hit 14 for 27, .519/.576/1.111 with 1 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 12 R, 0 SB and 5 BB. This season the outfielder has hit .336/.468/.660 with 41 HR, 95 RBI, 116 R, 6 SB in 146 games. Over his four MLB seasons with the Nationals he has hit .290/.385/.519 with 96 HR, 244 RBI, 326 R, 37 SB in 503 games. This was his third award of the season after winning for the weeks of May 4 and May 11.He was originally drafted by the Nationals with the first over all pick in 2010. Harper will be 23 on October 16.

For the week Strasburg was 2-0, 0.60 ERA, 2 GS, 15.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 24 K and .135 BAA. This season the RHP is 10-7, 3.81 ERA, 135 K, 1.15 WHIP, .241 BAA in 113.1 IP over 21 games. Over six MLB seasons with the Nationals he is 53-37, 3.14 ERA, 881 K, 1.10 WHIP, .228 BAA in 762.2 IP over 130 games. He was originally drafted by the Nationals with the first overall pick in 2009. Strasburg turned 27 on July 20.

Jose Abreu n Prince Fielder AL Players of Week 091415 to 092015

Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox and Prince Fielder of the Texas Rangers were selected the American League Co-Players of the Week for the span of September 14, 2015 through September 20, 2015.

For the week Abreu hit 11 for 24, .458/.552/.792 with 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 3 R, 0 SB and 4 BB. This season the 1B\DH has hit .289/.347/.505 with 29 HR, 96 RBI, 87 R, 0 SB in 148 games. Over two MLB seasons with the White Sox has has hit .302/.365/.542 with 65 HR, 203 RBI, 167 R, 3 SB in 293 games. He originally signed with the White Sox in 2013 as an amateur free agent out of Cuba. Abreu turned 29 on January 29.

For the week Fielder hit 8 for 26, .308/.438/.654 with 3 HR, 9 RBI, 9 R, 0 SB and 6 BB. This season the DH\1B has hit .304/.376/.465 with 22 HR, 88 RBI, 74 R, 0 SB in 149 games. Over 11 MLB seasons with the Rangers, Tigers and Brewers he has hit .287/.387/.516 with 310 HR, 974 RBI, 829 R, 18 SB in 1513 games. Her was originally drafted by the Brewers with the seventh pick of the first round in 2002. Fielder turned 31 on May 9th.

Yoenis Cespedes NL Player of Week 090715 to 091315

Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets was selected the National League Player of the Week for the span of September 7, 2015 through September 13, 2015. For the week he hit 10 for 29, .345/.367/.897 with 2 2B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 6 R, 0 SB and 1 BB. This season the outfielder has hit .296/.341/.634 with 17 HR, 44 RBI, 38 R, 4 SB in 51 games with the Mets after being traded by the Tigers where he hit .293/.323/.506 with 18 HR, 61 RBI, 62 R, 3 SB in 102 games with the Tigers in 2015. Over four MLB seasons with the Mets, Tigers, Red Sox and Athletics he hit .272/.319/.488 with 106 HR, 367 RBI, 333 R, 37 SB in 559 games. He originally signed with the Athletics in 2012 as an amateur free agent out of Cuba, was traded to the Red Sox in July 2014 and traded to the Tigers in December 2014. Cespedes will be 30 on October 18.

David Ortiz AL Player of Week 090715 to 091315

David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox was selected the American League Player of the Week for the span of September 7, 2015 through September 13, 2015. For the week he hit 8 for 18, .444/.545/1.111 with 3 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R, 0 SB and 4 BB. This season the DH\1B has hit .270/.357/.546 with 36 HR, 104 RBI, 70 R, 0 SB in 141 games. Over 19 MLB seasons with the Red Sox and Twins he has hit .284/.378/.546 with 502 HR, 1637 RBI, 1337 R, 15 SB in 2252 games. He originally signed with the Mariners in 1992 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. Ortiz will be 40 on November 18.

Bartolo Colon NL Player of Week 083115 to 090615

Bartolo Colon of the New York Mets was selected the National League Player of the Week for the span of August 31, 2015 through September 6, 2015. For the week he was 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 GS, 17.0 IP, 13 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 11 K, 1 CG and 1 SHO. This season the RHP is 13-11, 4.18 ERA, 127 K, 1.24 WHIP, .281 BAA in 170.0 IP over 28 games. OVer 18 MLB seasons with the Mets, Athletics, Yankees, White Sox, Red Sox, Angels, Expos and Indians he is 217-152, 3.97 ERA, 2228 K, 1.30 WHIP, .263 BAA in 2956.0 IP over 470 games with 463 GS. Colon won the American League Cy Young in 2005 with the Angels. He originally signed with the Indians in 1993 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. Colon turned 42 on May 24.

Logan Forsythe AL Player of Week 083115 to 090615

Logan Forsythe of the Tampa Bay Rays was selected the American League Player of the Week for the span of August 31, 2015 through September 6, 2015. For the week he hit 12 for 22, .545/.583/.864 with 5 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5 R, 0 SB and 2 BB in 6 games. This season the second baseman is hitting .287.361/.448 with 15 HR, 54 RBI, 60 R, 9 SB in 134 games. Over five MLB seasons with the Rays and Padres he has hit .252/.322/.377 with 33 HR, 137 RBI, 171 R, 28 SB in 472 games. He was originally drafted by the Padres with the 46th pick of the first round in 2008 and traded to the Rays in 2014. Forsythe turned 28 on January 14.

Cameron Smith Pioneer League PiOW 082415 to 083015

Cameron Smith of the Missoula Osprey was selected the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week for the span of August 24, 2015 through August 30, 2015. For the week he was 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB and 4 K. This season the LHP is 7-1, 1.68 ERA, 62 K, 0.80 WHIP, .190 BAA, 1 SV in 53.2 IP over 13 games with 4 GS. He also won the award for the week of July 6. Missoula is a Rookie team of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was originally drafted by the Diamondbacks in the 36th round in 2015. Smith turned 22 on December 22.