As were winding down the month of June, the whole country is in World Cup fever and is sometimes forgetting that the baseball season is hotter than ever. We had our second no hitter of the season and I think was one of the more impressive no hitters of all time in Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers and not quite topping that the play at the plate has still been top notch that the 2014 season is just getting better and better. With that being said here are this week’s standout players of the week.
American League – J.D. Martinez
We all know the funk the Detroit Tigers have been in the last month and for one day it cost them first place, but with a sweep of the Cleveland Indians and a little slip by the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers find themselves back in first place and one of the guys that’s been the top contributor has been outfielder J.D. Martinez. First cut by the Houston Astros this year and then picked up by the Tigers, Martinez has not let anyone down with his play at the plate and this week has shown it. With Torii Hunter being hurt with a sore hamstring, Martinez has filled those shoes nicely this week batting .442, .464 OBP, 1.000 SLG, and has four home runs to 11 RBI. J.D. Martinez is this week’s AL standout player of the week.
National League – Aramis Ramirez
Milwaukee Brewers third basemen Aramis Ramirez is yet another name this year that is showing your never too old to play at a high level and this week has shown it. The first place Brewers are the surprise team this year and still have a five game lead in the NL Central and with the week Ramirez had that’s no surprise. The 35-year-old and a very nice week at the plate with a .500 batting average, .517 OBP, .964 SLG, and added three home runs to 10 RBI. Aramis Ramirez is this week’s NL standout player of the week.
Surprise and Disappointment – Justin Verlander
As I stated earlier, the Detroit Tigers have been in a rut as whole in the last month that cost them first place for a day and made the AL Central a interesting and exciting race for the rest of the season. Once can blame the bullpen and you have a valid argument on them but one of the key components has to be the fall of Justin Verlander. Verlander is off to his worst start in his career and that presence he once had has a fearful pitcher is gone. All the frustrations came to a boiling point in is start against the Kansas City Royals last Monday where he gave up seven earned runs and got booed at home. Yes, Justin Verlander got booed at home and the Tigers faithful have full reason to do so.
Verlander’s last 10 games taking the mound have been well forgettable to say the least for the former CY Young and MVP award winner. Over his last 10 starts, Verlander has put together three wins to six losses, 6.26 ERA, 45 earned runs and 46/27 strikeout walk ratio. That screams demotion right there but there are some positives out of this. Yesterday was probably his best start of the year. Verlander pitched seven strong innings giving up one earned run and another off an error, striking out eight batters and only walking one. If Justin continues to pitch like he did yesterday then I see brighter days ahead for the Tigers ace.
We are almost done with the month of June and what a roller coaster ride it has been. While the Tigers are starting to surge again thanks to the play by J.D. Martinez and the hopeful resurgence of Justin Verlander, the Milwaukee Brewers continue to surge towards a NL Central pennant thanks to the play from players like Aramis Ramirez, 2014 season is shaping to be one we will remember forever.
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