#HIGHFIVE (Week 14): Aaron Judge Is One Of The All-Time Greats, MLBbro Rookie Justin Henry-Malloy Is Bro Bombing This Week

#HIGHFIVE (Week 14): Aaron Judge Is One Of The All-Time Greats, MLBbro Rookie Justin Henry-Malloy Is Bro Bombing This Week

by | Jul 5, 2024 | 6TH SLOT

Aaron Judge could stop playing for the rest of the season and still have better numbers than 99% of the league.  He led the Majors in All-Star votes thanks to a first half that saw him better his numbers from his historic 2022 American League MVP year.  For that, he earns the top spot on Week 14 of our #HighFive List.

1. Aaron Judge

 

Aaron Judge found out he would be an All-Star for the fifth time in his career just a little over a week ago after leading all American League players in phase one of voting.

That puts him fourth All-Time in appearance among all Yankee outfielders, trailing Hall of Fame MLBbro Dave Winfield, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

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In his last seven games Judge is slashing .480/.552/.840 with eight RBI, three home runs and has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games entering Thursday.

This week, the Yankees captain showed why he gets the honor to wear the “C” on his jersey when he pulled Marcus Stroman to the side for a conversation about him yelling in the dugout after a mistake by a fielder on defense.

Judge and his Yankees will write the next chapter of their storied rivalry against the Boston Red Sox this weekend.

2. Taj Bradley

Taj Bradley got the win and tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts in 5.2 shutout innings against the Nationals to earn the two spot on this week’s #HighFive.

MLBbro Taj Bradley’s Record Doesn’t Reflect How Well He’s Pitched and How Little Run Support He Gets

 

Bradley is another MLBbro from the Atlanta, Georgia pipeline that has sent an influx of talent to the Majors over the last few years including former Rookie of The Year “Money” Mike Harris, Lawrence Butler and Will Benson among others.

 

Bradley, who is only 23 did not start pitching until near the end of his senior year in high school, is one of the top projects for a Tampa Bay Rays team that is known for developing pitching.

 

He had a solid month of June and if you take away his start against the Orioles where he gave up nine runs in three innings, he has a 1.24 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 11 walks in 29 innings.  In two of those starts, he struck out 11.

 

Bradley will take the mound this coming Saturday in Arlington against the defending World Series Champion Rangers.

3. George Springer

George Springer has been on a heater over his last seven games, hitting over .400 with three home runs, 11 RBI and a .952 slugging percentage.

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He was named MLBbro.com Home Boi Highlights after bringing a five-game hitting streak out of the weekend which he extended to seven before hitless Wednesday.

The Blue Jays are in the basement of the standings for the American League East and there have already been rumors about them trading some of their key pieces as they get ready to possibly rebuild the roster.

I think Springer, who has postseason experience and is one of the most feared leadoff hitters of All-Time would be a great pickup for a contender looking for a right-handed bat to boost their lineup for the stretch run.

4. C.J. Abrams

 

C.J. Abrams finished June with a .373 average which ranked him in the top 10 among all Major Leaguers for the month.

He has done all he can to earn his first career All-Star nod this weekend.  He is on pace for a possible 30/30 season and leads the Nationals in almost all hitting categories including doubles, RBI, OPS, Slugging percentage, steals, home runs and triples.

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Abrams is going to play a key role in the development of top prospect James Wood who was called up from Triple-A earlier this week.

He himself was a top prospect with high expectations that has since answered the bell and is now on the way to stardom.

This weekend Abrams and the Nationals will take on Masyn Winn and the Cardinals in a rare matchup of Black shortstops.

 

5. Justyn-Henry Malloy

Justyn-Henry Malloy hit home runs in back-to-back days for the first time in his career this week in addition to posting a .304 average to earn himself the final spot on Week 14 of our #HighFive list.

Justyn-Henry Malloy’s First MLB Hit Was A Bro Bomb For Detroit Tigers

 

Malloy had to run around the bases faster than usual when he hit his homer Sunday afternoon.

He drilled a ball off the wall in straight-away center field and sprinted across the bases for Detroit’s first inside the park homer since 2021.

“They all are worth the same, but I feel like I worked a little harder for that one,” said Malloy in his postgame interview.

“I tackled home plate, my lip is a little bit busted too but I am glad.  It is one of the most exciting plays in baseball and I am glad I could give my team some laughs.”

 

The following day in a matchup against fellow MLBbro Simeon Woods Richardson, Malloy launched one to the left field bleachers.

 

He finished that game 2-for-4.

 

The Tigers offense has not shown much this season, so it is the perfect time for them to give young players like Malloy the opportunity to fight through struggles and get reps at the Major league level.

CJ Abrams Puts In His Early Season Bid For All-Star Selection

CJ Abrams Puts In His Early Season Bid For All-Star Selection

by | May 24, 2024 | THE THREE SPOT

In the Fall of 2022, the Washington Nationals traded MLB All-Star Juan Soto. At the time it was a necessary move, but not the most popular one as the team sent out a young stud who helped bring a World Series championship.

 

There was a lot gained in the trade in the form of prospects and in 2024 the Nationals seem to have replaced that loss with a blossoming star in MLBbro CJ Abrams, whom was part of the deal.

 

FACTZ| The Elevation of Shortstop CJ Abrams Fuels Young Washington Nationals

 

CJ Abrams 2024 Season With All-Star Intentions

 

Since last year the MLBbro has cemented himself as the shortstop of the future for the Nationals, and a dugout leader. Abrams batted .295 in his first 26 games this season, totaling seven home runs and seven stolen bases. He could possibly reach a 30 -homer 30-steal season.

 

This is the best the team has started a season since their championship season in 2019. With the MLBbro on track to make perhaps his first All-Star Game he is delivering on the expectation that was placed on him when he was drafted sixth overall.

 

CJ Abrams Lists His Mount Rushmore of Shortstops… MLBbro.com Lists Ours

 

CJ Abrams Glove is Elite

 

Although Abrams is currently struggling in May offensively, he is still delivering on the defensive side of the ball.

 

His teammate MacKenzie Gore, who also came to Washington in the Soto trade, has said that the MLBbro is emerging as a great player and that the team goes as he goes. Batting primarily as the leadoff hitter, he has been great setting the tone atop the lineup.

 

He is best when first-pitch swinging, batting .342 in such instances. The Nationals have lost Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and Stephen Strausburg in recent years and are looking for their next star to bloom. The team has already begun contract extension talks with Abrams, showing his importance to the team.

 

An All-Star selection for the MLBbro shortstop this summer can cement him as a major cornerstone piece going forward.

CJ Abrams Lists His Mount Rushmore of Shortstops… MLBbro.com Lists Ours

CJ Abrams Lists His Mount Rushmore of Shortstops… MLBbro.com Lists Ours

by | May 4, 2024 | THE LEAD OFF

There is not a hotter MLBbro these days than Washington Nationals shortstop, CJ Abrams. Recently our MLBbro shared his Mount Rushmore of current shortstops that shine on the field. One of them is a MLBbro and of course he added himself.

MLBbro.com came up with our own Mount Rushmore of shortstops. While Abrams was listing current shortstops, we went ahead and compiled an All-Time list.

The combination of professionalism, the evolution of the position and an underrated aspect to the list… longevity and loyalty to one franchise got these four MLBbro shortstop icons the spotlight.

Maury Wills:

The fact that this MLBbro icon is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame is just as big a travesty as Barry Bonds being blacklisted from the honor. Even though he was nominated by the Golden Era committee in 2014, he still didn’t make the cut. Wills brought the art of the stolen base.

His story of maximizing his skills to overcome the fact that many teams (including the Dodgers at the beginning) didn’t believe he had the physical tools to play professional baseball.

  • He won six straight stolen base titles.
  • His 104 steals in 1962 was a record until fellow MLBbro Lou Brock tallied 118 in 1974.
  • Won the NL MVP award AND All-Star MVP in the same season!

Maury Wills sadly never got the call for the Hall of Fame before passing in 2022 at the age of 89. But the essence of the MLBbro battling the undercurrent of the system of racism puts him on this list.

Ernie Banks:

While the aforementioned Maury Wills used his craftiness and speed to make this list under peculiar circumstances, Ernie Banks brought power to the city of Chicago and became the first MLBbro since Jackie Robinson to put fans in seats (also read: the only reason to watch Chicago Cubs baseball). Before Banks came on to the scene, the shortstop position never knew power.

Ernie Banks played 19 years for a terrible Chicago Cubs team that never made the playoffs. Mr. Cub created his legacy in 1957-60 collecting back-to-back NL MVP awards in 1958-59. The resume tells it all…

  • 14 time All-Star (1955-62, 1965, 1967, 1969), Gold Glove winner in 1960, and Hall of Fame Inductee in 1977.
  • Hitting slash of .274/.330/.500…2,583 hits…512 homers…1,636 RBI.

 

Ozzie Smith:

There is a theme going on here if anyone has noticed. Maury Wills is on the list for the intangibles of playing the game of baseball. Ernie Banks brings offensive firepower that brought box office influence to the shortstop position. Now let’s discuss the MLBbro icon that brought defensive wizardry to the position. Who else but…

The Wizard of Oz…Ozzie Smith!

He is the greatest defensive shortstop ever. He is one of one. There can’t be an all-time discussion without his name being mentioned. His range, athleticism and ability to get the ball away quickly landed him 13 Gold Gloves, a .978 fielding percentage and a 43.4 defensive WAR. He was a part of the MLBbro crew in St.Louis that lit up the base paths to the tune of 580 steals.

The Wizard’s .262 career average with 2,460 illustrates the work he put in to be a solid hitter.

 

Derek Jeter:

This MLBbro icon took all of the ingredients of the previous players on this list and with the addition of marketing and business in a huge city of New York with the Yankees changed the landscape of how athletes make money in endorsements.

While his stats don’t pop out like Babe Ruth, Aaron Judge or Reggie Jackson, the ability to be consistently there in the big moment on five World Championship Yankees teams makes him an icon that transcends to all MLB greats.

His clutch play is embedded in the DNA of the Yankees franchise and his leadership and respect will lead on as long as MLB is in business.