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Manny Machado’s Lack of Stolen Bases Cost Him a Top-3 AL MVP Finish in 2016
Major League Baseball is full of young superstars, and Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado deserves to be included in such an elite group. After all, he just earned his second consecutive top-five finish in the American League MVP race.
Finishing fifth behind Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Jose Altuve and Josh Donaldsonis nothing to be ashamed of, but was there a way he could’ve further distinguished himself to become a finalist?
The answer to that question is yes.
Looking at Machado’s 2015 and 2016 statistics, it appears he experienced nearly identical performances, except for one glaring difference.
Baltimore Orioles Have Been Treading Water, but Look More Equipped for a Playoff Run
For a team that entered the 2016 MLB All-Star break with a 51-36 record, it can be viewed as disappointing to go 15-15 since returning to action like the Baltimore Orioles have. However, manager Buck Showalter and his coaching staff should actually be viewing it as progress based on how they got there.
One of baseball’s best and one of baseball’s worst
Throughout the 2016 season, Baltimore has proved a lot of people wrong (including myself). Sure, they started the year on a nine-game winning streak, but we all know fast starts don’t always produce playoff-caliber teams once the calendar flips to August and September.
For standing the test of time during the first three-and-a-half months, the organization can thank its offense and bullpen, while shaking its head at the rotation.
Many loved watching the Orioles hit, but very few enjoyed watching them pitch – at the beginning of games, at least. Starters combined to post a 29-28 record in the first half with a 5.15 ERA, which was third worst in the majors. They also didn’t last very long, with their 470 innings pitched ranking last out of 30 teams.
Selecting the 2016 First Half MVP for Each MLB Team
Now that All-Star Week festivities in San Diego are finished, we’re forced with the task of getting through the next few days without any baseball. To pass the time, we’ll do what any self-respecting fan or analyst would do – look back at the first 80-90 games played and see who had the biggest impact.
Below are my first-half MVPs for each of the 30 MLB squads, with some facts to back up why they should be admiring some brand-new, imaginary hardware on their mantle before embarking on the second half of play.
Re-Drafting The 2010 MLB Draft: Bryce Harper Remains Elite
As the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft approaches, it is time to take a look back on previous draft results. With that said, I am starting a new segment where I will give you my personal redraft of previous MLB Amateur Drafts. Today I will focus on the 2010 draft, which had some of the best talent in the past few decades. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to tweet me @dynasty_digest. If you enjoyed this article, please follow my blog for more updates on other drafts, fantasy baseball, and other baseball topics (dynastydigest.sportsblog.com).
- Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper (Actual Pick: Bryce Harper)
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Manny Machado (Actual Pick: Jameson Taillon)
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Baltimore Orioles: Chris Sale (Actual Pick: Manny Machado)
To see the rest of the draft, click the link below:
Bryce Harper And Mike Trout Get All The Attention That Manny Machado Deserves
It is no secret that Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are considered the two best players in fantasy baseball, but Manny Machado deserves to be in that discussion. One of the most discussed questions in fantasy baseball is, “which player is the best?” Prior to 2015, an overwhelming majority would have given that honor to Mike Trout. After a history-making season in 2015, Bryce Harper broke onto the scene and people started to question whether or not he should be considered the best in the business. While Harper and Trout were getting the spotlight, I’m sure Manny Machado was thinking, “well, what about me?” Machado deserves to be in the discussion for one of the best fantasy baseball players after his breakout 2015 season, and his torrid start to 2016. Before discussing Machado, lets take a look at Harper and Trout.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/24/16
P- Jared Eickhoff (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $8,500. Eickhoff has been a stud all year long. He is averaging 22.9 points on Draft Kings this season. In his first 3 starts, he has thrown 19 innings, 1.89 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and only 5 walks. He will be facing the Brewer’s offense, which is nothing special. Through the first few weeks of the season, the Brewers are ranked as the 29th best offense… that’s bad. They also strikeout the third most (156 total strikeouts) in the Major Leagues, which is great for a strikeout-pitcher such as Eickhoff.
P- Aaron Blair (vs. New York Mets): $6,800. I’m going out on a limb here, but I love Blair in this match-up. He is making his Major League debut and he is playing in his home stadium. The crowd will be behind him and he will be pumped up. The Mets offense has struggled all year long, so this could be a good first taste of the big leagues for Blair. In Blair’s minor league career, he is averaging 8.3 strikeouts per 9 innings, with a 3.13 ERA. This start could backfire considering no one knows how Blair will fair in the bigs, but at only $6,800, it won’t hurt too badly.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below: