First base
2014 stats: 95 games, .308/.400/.549, 110 hits, 66 runs, 36 doubles, 16 homers, 61 RBIs, 8-11 steals
Goldy probably should have won the MVP award last year and his numbers are as good or better across the board. The eye-popping number of doubles is exactly as many as he had in 160 games last year, and his average, slugging and OPS+ are all higher than last year. All this with an injured, underachieving lineup around him and one of history's most depressing pitching staffs.
Honorable mention: Freddie Freeman, Arbitration Losers.
Second base
2014 stats: 89 games, .287/.343/.490, 103 hits, 67 runs, 24 doubles, 5 triples, 13 homers, 53 RBIs, 8-9 steals
Blossoming in his second year, Rendon has picked up the slack on a lineup dealing with injuries (Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Wilson Ramos) and been a points machine. Whether he's playing second base or third for the Nats, he's one of the team's most valuable cogs. Who foresaw that before the season on a team with this many stars?
Honorable mention: Daniel Murphy, Misfits.
Shortstop
2014 stats: 89 games, .345/.435/.613, 107 hits, 71 runs, 18 doubles, 21 homers, 52 RBIs
There's never been any question about Tulo's talent. When healthy, he's unquestionably one of the best players in the game, Coors Field or not. But he's only made it to 140 games played in 3 of his 7 full seasons, so he's a risk. We'd say it's paying off so far for Jon's team, as Tulo only leads the NL in average, OBP, slugging, OPS, runs and homers at the all-star break. If he plays 140 games this year, he'll be in the MVP discussion, even playing for a terrible team in a stadium that everyone treats like a PED. He's that good right now.
Honorable mention: Starlin Castro, Tanana in the Tailpipe.
Third base
2014 stats: 95 games, .283/.377/.382, 103 hits, 60 runs, 22 doubles, 4 homers, 34 RBIs
After breaking out in a big way last season (he led the league in hits, runs and doubles), Carp's numbers are down this year but only slightly. The third-base crop in FBLG - including Todd Frazier, Pablo Sandoval, Aramis Ramirez, Martin Prado, David Wright, Casey McGehee and Chris Johnson - all have similar point totals this year. It's uncanny. Carpenter is slightly ahead of that pack and having another solid year.
Honorable mention: See above; Casey McGehee, Fresh Fish, is the biggest surprise.
Catcher
2014 stats: 88 games, .315/.385/.494, 107 hits, 45 runs, 32 doubles, 9 homers, 44 RBIs.
Is he the best hitter that doesn't get any national respect? Bunched in a star-studded lineup and playing an unglamorous position, all Lucroy has done this year is crank out 42 extra-base hits and make his first real all-star team. Among his many fun stats is the fact that he has 39 walks and only 42 whiffs. Plus, like his all-star campaign said, he's not Yadier Molina. Isn't that a cause we can all get behind?
Honorable mention: Buster Posey, Fresh Fish.
Outfield
2014 stats: 93 games, .324/.420/.575, 115 hits, 57 runs, 28 homers, 5 triples, 17 homers, 61 RBIs, 15-15 steals
Giancarlo Stanton (Fresh Fish / 2nd-round pick / 273 points)
2014 stats: 94 games, .295/.395/.538, 104 hits, 61 runs, 21 doubles, 21 homers, 63 RBIs, 8-8 steals
Carlos Gomez (Ryan's Rangers / 3rd-round pick / 265 points)
2014 stats: 87 games, .304/.370/.510, 106 hits, 58 runs, 24 doubles, 3 triples, 14 homers, 48 RBIs, 17-20 steals
2014 stats: 87 games, .304/.370/.510, 106 hits, 58 runs, 24 doubles, 3 triples, 14 homers, 48 RBIs, 17-20 steals
Isn't it nice when the draft's first pick turns out to be the league's highest scorer? Well, it's nice for one team owner, at least. Adam took Cutch - the reigning league MVP - with the top overall pick and after a 35-point week to end the first half, he leads all scorers. After getting off to a sluggish start, the Buccos are right in the thick of things in the NL Central, and McCutchen is a big reason why. He leads the league in hits, walks, total bases and OPS+ at the moment, and his perfect 15-15 in the stolen base department is an awesome bonus.
Stanton got off to about as hot a start as is possible this season and, despite cooling a bit, still leads the league in homers (tied) and RBIs. Oh, and intentional walks. Plus, is there a more fun guy in the league to watch at the plate? Maybe, but he's right at the top of the list and when he hits one of those moon shots, you can overlook the ugliness of the stadium and enjoy one of the most awe-inspiring talents baseball has to offer. Is there an ownership/management/fan base out there less deserving of young, exciting talents like Stanton and Jose Fernandez? (Sorry, Rick, we know you're one of the good guys.)
And then there's Go-Go Gomez, everyone's second-favorite NL outfield talking point. (Or favorite, non-Cuban division.) Is he enthusiastic, exuberant and always playing at 110 percent? Or is he a hotdogging, bat-flipping, trash-talking jerk? Why can't it be both? Love him or hate him, the dude is proving that last year's breakout season was no fluke, as he has 41 extra-base hits and 17 steals already and a career-high 141 OPS+. He's no pace for a career high in walks, too (don't get excited: his career high is 37), showing that he's rounding into an all-around offensive force. And he's still only 28 years old. What do other teams think about him? Well, it might be somewhat telling that the only category he leads the league in is hit-by-pitches.
Honorable mention: Yasiel Puig, Rocky Mountain High / Billy Hamilton, Danger Zaun / Hunter Pence, Misfits / Justin Upton, Rookies / Ryan Braun, Ryan's Rangers.
Starting pitching
2014 stats: 20 starts, 10-6, 2.13 ERA, 143.2 innings, 141 strikeouts, 93 hits, 34 earned runs
Adam Wainwright (Tanana in the Tailpipe / 1st-round pick / 274 points)
2014 stats: 19 starts, 12-4, 1.83 ERA, 138 innings, 115 strikeouts, 99 hits, 28 earned runs
Clayton Kershaw (Fresh Fish / 1st-round pick / 271 points)
2014 stats: 14 starts, 11-2, 1.78 ERA, 96 innings, 126 strikeouts, 67 hits, 19 earned runsMadison Bumgarner (Misfits / 1st-round pick / 266 points)
2014 stats: 20 starts, 10-7, 3.47 ERA, 127 innings, 128 strikeouts, 127 hits, 49 earned runs.
It looks like it will be a three-horse race for the NL Cy Young Award this year, between Cueto, Waino and Kershaw. That trio has pitched significantly better than anyone else in the league and that will be a fun race to watch.
It's hard to remember, but Cueto is only two years removed from winning 19 games. He had injury issues in 2011 and 2013, but when healthy he's been a remarkably good pitcher. This year he's leading the league in innings and already has three complete games. He's also given up a league-fewest 5.8 hits per 9 innings and is striking out more than 4 batter per walk. So E-3 has the league's highest-scoring pitcher and it's highest-scoring hitter. Not too surprising who's atop the standings.
Waino just keeps doing what he does. He's on pace for another 19-20 wins this year, which would be the fourth time in his career reaching at least 19. He's cut way down on allowing hits (after leading the league by giving up 223 last year) and leads the NL in ERA+ and fewest homers given up per 9 innings. In fact, he's only allowed 4 homers this season, and only one to a non-Cub. His strikeouts are down a bit, but it's hard to quibble with a 1.83 ERA. He can even hit a little bit - 3 doubles and 3 RBIs this season.It's hard to argue, though, that anyone has been more dominant than Kershaw. Despite missing a chunk of time with an injury, he leads the league in a ton of categories: winning percentage, ERA and WHIP, to name a few. He's also, amazingly, striking out more and walking fewer per 9 innings than any other starter. Think about how ridiculous it is to average 11.8 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9. His 126 Ks and 13 walks are good for a K:BB ratio of 9.69. He's thrown a no-hitter that was thisclose to being a perfect game, and had a June that was one of the best months a pitcher has ever had. He's followed it up by allowing 1 run in 2 starts (17 innings) in July. He has been unfathomably good, which is why he's third in points among starters despite making 5-6 fewer starts than most.
Bumgarner, while not pitching at the level of the top three, has made up some ground by hitting better than half the league's position players. In 40 at bats, Bumgarner has 11 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 3 homers and 12 RBIs, good for a .275 average and a 140 OPS+. And it's not exactly like he's pitching badly or anything, but he's already taken 7 losses and is giving up 1 hit per inning pitched, which isn't ace-like. In fact, is ERA+ is at 99, meaning he's been about average as a pitcher. Some of that has to do with his bizarre home/road splits. Pitching in AT&T Park, you'd think he'd dominate at home and maybe struggle on the road. This year, though, he's 4-5 with a 5.22 ERA at home and 6-2 with a 1.98 ERA on the road. It's probable that that will balance out a bit in the second half and his numbers will look a bit more Bumgarner-esque.
Honorable mention: Zach Greinke, Pitch You Blockhead / Stephen Strasburg, Danger Zaun / Julio Teheran, Ryan's Rangers.
Relief pitcher
2014 stats: 39 games, 0-1, 29 saves, 1.91 ERA, 37.2 innings, 62 strikeouts, 18 hits, 8 earned runs
At a position packed with 1-year wonders and flameouts, Kimbrel is Mr. Consistency for the Braves. It seems like he's been around forever, but this is only his 4th full season, and he's led the league in saves in the first 3 and currently leads again. His ERA is the highest it has been since his rookie year, and he's already blown 4 saves, which is as many as he had all last season. But he's striking out almost 15 batters per 9 innings and he'll continue to get chances on a Braves team that should be in the playoff race all the way.
Honorable mention: Kenley Jansen, Rocky Mountain High.
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