#HIGHFIVE: Top 5 Black & Brown MLB Players (Week 14)

#HIGHFIVE: Top 5 Black & Brown MLB Players (Week 14)

by | Jul 9, 2021 | THE THREE SPOT

Tim Anderson had a lot to say this week after being left off of the American League All-Star roster. 

But instead of words, the White Sox shortstop used his bat to campaign for why he should be in Denver. 

And Anderson’s bat spoke volumes. He batted over .430 this week, including going 4-for-4 in Wednesday’s game against Minnesota.

For that, he claims the top spot for Week 14 on our #HighFive list.

 

1.Tim Anderson


T.A. is one of the anointed faces of the game of baseball, and the sport will be missing out on something special by not having the R.B.I. Baseball cover boy at this year’s All-Star game.

He has the second-highest batting average for all American League shortstops at .307 and has added 29 RBI, 14 steals and a .768 OPS on a first-place White Sox team that has been riddled with injuries since spring training.

 

 

This week, T.A. went off! 

Over his last seven games, he has a .433 batting average with seven runs and a .485 OBP.  Anderson also has recorded multiple hits in three of his last four games and is riding a nine-game hitting streak. 

He’s reached base safely in his last eight plate appearances, including three walks, four singles, and a double. 

 

 

Even legendary Hall of Famer Frank Robinson had a lot to say about Anderson missing out on the 2021 All-Star game.  His batting average is currently the ninth highest in all of baseball and hopefully, he will use his snubbing as fuel to the fire during his quest for a second batting championship.

 

 

2. Cedric “CM STORM” Mullins 

 


We have pleaded his case this entire season, and last Sunday we finally got what we wanted; Mullins is a Major League All-Star.

The 5-foot-8, multi-faceted phenom started celebrating his achievement mid-game during a matchup against the Los Angeles Angels Sunday by hitting a game-tying, pinch-hit single then following that with a go-ahead home run. 

 

 

This week, Mullins hit three home runs while batting .321 with six RBI, five runs and a stolen base.  He is leading all American League outfielders in hits, total bases, OPS, and his 3.9 WAR is the highest for all outfielders and sixth-highest in the Majors. 

 

 

Mullins will be participating in next Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Denver and has a chance to enter the starting lineup due to an injury to Mike Trout. 

 

3. Dom Smith

 

 

Mets’ outfielder Dominic Smith is making his first appearance on our #HighFive list this season.  His year has been up and down, but lately, he has become one of the most consistent players in New York’s lineup.

Smith had the first two-homer game of his career last Thursday against the Braves. Then followed that with a home run off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole a few games later. 

 

He batted .375 with six RBI and eight runs over his last seven games and added a web gem when he jumped into foul grounds to snag a ball out of the air.

 


This weekend, his Mets welcome MLBBro Ke’Bryan Hayes and the Pittsburgh Pirates to CitiField for a four-game series.

 

4. Aaron Judge

 


This season for the Yankees has been disappointing, but the Tower of Power Aaron Judge has responded to the bright lights and been one of the best players in baseball this entire season. 

Last Thursday night, he was named an All-Star starter for the American League outfield and also became just the fifth Yankee ever to hit 20 home runs before the All-Star break in three straight seasons.

 

 

One of those home runs came during a Bro-on-Bro crime when he launched a ball to the right-field bleachers of Yankee Stadium against Taijuan Walker to break up his no-hit bid in the sixth inning.

 

 

Judge is one of baseball’s top sluggers so it is a little disappointing he is not participating in one of the most anticipated Home Run Derby’s in recent memory, but he needs his rest as a big second half by him is a must if the Yankees, who currently sit just two games above .500, want to get back into contention for the American League East pennant.

 

5. Andrew McCutchen

 

 

This season has been a resurgence for Andrew McCutchen and after what he’s done to Chicago Cubs’ staff during this series, he may want to get a permanent residency in their batter’s box and on our #HighFive list.

 

 

On Tuesday, he hit his second grand slam of the season in the game’s first inning, and then he added a two-run shot Wednesday night.

 

 

He is 5-for-14 with two home runs, two doubles, seven RBI and four runs with a game still to go Thursday night. 

MLBbros Were Straight Snubbed | These Dynamic Ballers Should Be MLB All-Stars

MLBbros Were Straight Snubbed | These Dynamic Ballers Should Be MLB All-Stars

by | Jul 7, 2021 | THE LEAD OFF

Sixty-two players make the MLB All-Star team, and every year a few deserving players always seem to miss the cut.  That just speaks to how deep the current talent pool is in Major League Baseball.  

Here are a few MLBbros who are easily among the Top 25-30 players in the league and were not selected for this year’s game.

 

J.P. Crawford 

J.P. Crawford has matured into one of the best all-around shortstops in the game and he’s been a treat to see this season.  After winning the Gold Glove for American League shortstops in 2020, people wondered if his bat could catch up to his glove.  

Well, he has answered every question on that test and has been the Mariners’ best and most consistent offensive player this season. 

 

Wood Work | Can J.P. Crawford’s Power Surge Last?

 

This season he is batting .289 with 31 RBI and 21 doubles while playing in 84 of the teams 85 games.  With his play at the plate improving, his defense has not fallen off. Crawford leads the league with 59 turned double plays and his 1.4 defensive WAR is the highest for any player in the Majors regardless of position. 

The American League shortstop pool is very deep, and with Crawford playing on the West Coast, he has not truly received the attention he deserves, but his team surely has appreciated his efforts. 

 

 

Taijuan Walker

Taijuan Walker may be the best free agent signing of the offseason.  The Mets were unfathomably the only team to offer Walker a contract (three years, $23 million). 

His 2.44 ERA is the 10th lowest among all pitchers and he, along with fellow Black Knight Marcus Stroman, has helped New York become an elite MLB rotation with multiple shutdown starters.  

Saturday he gave his final plea for a spot on the All-Star team during his start in the Subway Series against their cross-town rival New York Yankees.  He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before a Bro on Bro crime was committed by Aaron Judge. 

 

 

Walker has held teams to three runs or fewer in 13 of his 15 starts this season and has registered seven quality starts in a row. 

 

 

Tim Anderson

Tim Anderson is the coolest bro in the game and has been the best and most consistent player on the first-place Chicago White Sox, who have had enough drama to last a lifetime and we are only halfway through the year.  

From multiple freak injuries to the manager calling out his teammates, Anderson has stayed level-headed.  He has a .298 batting average which is top 10 in the American League with a .746 OPS.  

 

 

Over the past month, Anderson has shown us why he has a Major League Batting Title in his trophy case.  Over the last 30 days, he is batting .304 with 11 RBI and 18 runs.

The All-Star Game is a collection of the best talent MLB offers, and Tim Anderson is one of the faces of baseball and deserves a locker every Mid-Summer Classic. 

 

 

Byron Buxton

If it was not for a pitcher hitting Byron Buxton and leaving him with a fractured hand a few weeks ago, he would be starting in centerfield in next week’s All-Star Game. 

 

 

Buxton immediately got to work and was awarded the American League Player of the Month award for April after batting .426 with a .897 Slugging percentage, 14 RBI and eight home runs. 

 

 

On May 6th Buxton injured his hamstring trying to beat out a ground ball in an extra-innings game against the Rangers.  He missed over a month and when he returned we thought he would reclaim his spot as the best player in the league this year.  

 

 

However, that comeback only lasted three games. Buxton was 4-for-11 with a home run, two runs batted in, two runs scored and a double before his season was halted again.

Buxton is expected to be out until August, if not longer.