American League Race Is Driven By MLBbros As We Enter All-Star Break

American League Race Is Driven By MLBbros As We Enter All-Star Break

by | Jul 12, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

As we head to the All-Star break, division leaders across baseball are peeping over their shoulders to see where the nearest competition is.

Some will be gearing up for a battle the rest of the season, while others will be looking to pad their substantial leads. Let’s take a look at the American League division leaders, and the MLBbros who help drive these squads.

AL East

New York Yankees – 61-25, 14 games up

In a division that many picked as the toughest in all of baseball, the New York Yankees have been dominant this season. Their 61 wins so far are the most in baseball, and according to teamrankings.com the Bronx Bombers are on pace to win 108 ballgames. Their 146 home runs also lead all of baseball, but the Bombers haven’t been one dimensional. New York’s 58 stolen bases as a team currently ranks fourth in the bigs.

 

 

Aaron Judge has been a force in the middle of that lineup, but don’t let Judge’s insane power numbers take away from the season Giancarlo Stanton is having. Stanton currently has 22 bombs of his own and is currently ranked in the top percentile for exit velocity and barrel percentage.

AL Central

Minnesota Twins – 48-40, 4.5 games up

There were questions about the Twins chances to win the AL Central coming into this season, but so far Byron Buxton and the boys have answered them all. With Tim Anderson and the White Sox struggling out the gate, Minnesota has managed to claim first in this underwhelming division without much of a struggle.

 

 

Buxton has managed to stay relatively healthy, and as a result was named to his first All-Star game. He’s struggled in his last seven games, slashing .100/.206/.333 with only two home runs, but his 23 home runs still lead the team by 11.

AL West

Houston Astros – 56-29, 12 games up

After losing the World Series along with superstar shortstop Carlos Correa, there were many around baseball who wondered whether Dusty Baker’s boys would be able to make a run that resembles anything Astros fans have grown accustomed to. Not only have the Astros remained one of the best teams in baseball, but they’ve also continued to dominate the AL West.

 

 

Dusty’s guiding the Stros to what should be another deep playoff run, and left fielder MLBbro Michael “The Professional” Brantley has continued to be a consistent table setter for Houston. Over his last 15 games, Brantley is hitting .293 with a .817 OPS.

Michael Taylor & Marcus Semien Win AL Gold Glove Awards| Web Masters With Soul

Michael Taylor & Marcus Semien Win AL Gold Glove Awards| Web Masters With Soul

by | Nov 8, 2021 | THE LEAD OFF

Toronto Blue Jays Marcus Semien and Kansas City Royals outfielder Michael Taylor represent the two MLBBros who were announced as Gold Glove Award winners on Sunday.

Let’s tip our caps to these guys who put together incredible fielding seasons.

This award is special for our MLBbros  because it’s their first Gold Glove and don’t be surprised if it’s not their last one either.

Out of the 18 players selected for the award, Semien and Taylor were the only two Black players, representing the American League.

Taylor won the award for the centerfield position and he was a workhorse out there for the Royals.

He led all outfielders in Ultimate Zone Rating (13.3) and led all centerfielders in Defensive Runs Above Average (15.3).

The one-time World Series winner made just three errors in 365 chances, had 11 assists, and finished with a .992 fielding percentage.

Taylor has above average speed and makes really good reads on balls: Just know that if there is a ball hit in the outfield and it’s not leaving the park, Taylor is going to have a good chance tracking it down.

Semien will probably add a Silver Slugger Award to go along with his Gold Glove Award.

This brother had an amazing season and was one of the hottest players in all of baseball from April to October.

In his first season with the Blue Jays, Semien spent most of his time at second base. He broke the record for home runs by a second baseman in an MLB season, but his glove work was just as prominent. Semien definitely had an MVP-caliber season.

He made a total of nine errors in 590 chances, while finishing with 363 assists and a .985 fielding percentage.

Before coming over to Toronto, Semien spent most of his time playing shortstop. Making that transition to second base seemed to work out just fine.

He led all AL second basemen in Ultimate Zone Rating at 6.6. Semien was one player who definitely made a name for himself this season and he quickly became a fan favorite.

Michael Taylor and Marcus Semien did their thing on the field this season and it’s great to see that their efforts did not go unnoticed.

National League pitcher Marcus Stroman was snubbed for his Gold Glove, but the AL got it right with these guys.

Gold Glove Finalists Announced & It Looks Like Two MLBbros Were Snubbed | Where’s Marcus Stroman, Taijuan Walker?

Much respect to both of these players and representing the MLBbros!