Michael Brantley just played in his third career All Star Game⭐ tonight during the 89th annual affair on July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., and i've got all the details!😀
note: this blog contains All Star-related information from three days total, covering July 15-17.
Prior to the All Star Break
July 15: before the game versus the New York Yankees, Michael and his other All Star teammates received their 2018 American League All Star
workout jerseys, which you can watch in this video from mlb.com/indians. (Trevor Bauer was not there/photographed because he
Showing posts with label career first. Show all posts
Showing posts with label career first. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Brantley's First Career Grand Slam!!!
there was one really big benchmark that Michael Brantley hadn't yet achieved in his Major League career. i've been waiting for it patiently and tonight, on May 1, 2018, during his 10th big league season, it happened--Michael finally hit his first career grand slam!😁
let me set the scene. the Indians were playing the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Michael came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with 2 outs and the Tribe down, 6-2. he stepped into the batter's box to face right-handed closer Keone Kela with the bases loaded--Bradley Zimmer at 3rd, Francisco Lindor at 2nd, and Jason Kipnis at 1st. after an 0-2 count, Michael
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| photo courtesy of Tony Dejak via Associated Press |
let me set the scene. the Indians were playing the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Michael came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with 2 outs and the Tribe down, 6-2. he stepped into the batter's box to face right-handed closer Keone Kela with the bases loaded--Bradley Zimmer at 3rd, Francisco Lindor at 2nd, and Jason Kipnis at 1st. after an 0-2 count, Michael
Friday, November 10, 2017
Carlos Santana Wins Wilson's 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Award!
another day, another trophy for an Indians player! this evening, on November 10, it was announced that Carlos Santana won Wilson Sporting Good's 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Award at 1st base! this is the first Defensive Player of the Year Award of his career. congratulations, Santana!👏
created by Wilson in 2012 to recognize the best defensive players in the game, this award uses several defensive metrics to determine its nine winners. a player's defensive WAR (wins above replacement) counts for 25%, Defensive Runs Saved factors in by another 25%, Inside Edge field ratings and Inside Edge arm ratings are 20% apiece, and the final 10% is based on
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| photo courtesy of @Indians on twitter |
created by Wilson in 2012 to recognize the best defensive players in the game, this award uses several defensive metrics to determine its nine winners. a player's defensive WAR (wins above replacement) counts for 25%, Defensive Runs Saved factors in by another 25%, Inside Edge field ratings and Inside Edge arm ratings are 20% apiece, and the final 10% is based on
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Lindor & Ramirez Win Louisville Slugger's 2017 Silver Slugger Awards!
baseball awards season is well underway and this evening, on November 9, it was revealed that two members of the Cleveland Indians won Silver Slugger Awards for the first time in their careers! Francisco Lindor won Louisville Slugger's 2017 American League Shortstop Silver Slugger Award & Jose Ramirez won Louisville Slugger's 2017 American League 3rd Baseman Silver Slugger Award! congratulations, boys!👏
Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger Award is Major
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| photos courtesy of @Indians on twitter |
Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger Award is Major
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Brantley's July 2017 #s
hi again, Brantley fans! the calendar has now flipped to August and that means we only have two more months of regular season baseball left.😉 time sure is flying. thank you to everyone who read my Brantley's June 2017 #s blog and Brantley's 2017 #s Through June blog. let me also thank those who read my Brantley's First Half 2017 #s blog. and i have to say hello👋 and welcome to the people who viewed my blog in the last month from Czechia, Mozambique, Colombia, and Bangladesh!🗺 wow! i'm humbled, honored, and glad you found my All Things Brantley, All Things Tribe site!👌
now let's get into Michael's July!📅
July Overview
this month was highlighted with many special moments for Michael. from his being selected to the AL All Star team, to getting his first All Star Game hit, to collecting his 1,000th Major League career hit, to being part of his first double play of the season, to finally hitting his first home run since April 30, Michael had numerous reasons to smile about his performance in July.😀
the Indians had 26 games on their schedule this month and, unlike in June, Michael played in every contest except one. in his first nine games before the All Star Break between July 1-9, Michael bat
now let's get into Michael's July!📅
July Overview
this month was highlighted with many special moments for Michael. from his being selected to the AL All Star team, to getting his first All Star Game hit, to collecting his 1,000th Major League career hit, to being part of his first double play of the season, to finally hitting his first home run since April 30, Michael had numerous reasons to smile about his performance in July.😀
the Indians had 26 games on their schedule this month and, unlike in June, Michael played in every contest except one. in his first nine games before the All Star Break between July 1-9, Michael bat
Friday, June 30, 2017
Brantley's June 2017 #s
hey there, Brantley fans! it's time for another blog recounting Michael's performance over the past month. but let me first thank everyone who read my Brantley's May 2017 #s blog and Brantley's 2017 #s Through May blog. i did notice some new views from Nepal and Kazakhstan in June, so i also have to give a special welcome to my audience in South and Central Asia!👋 if anyone else is a fairly new reader here, tell me where you're from by shouting out your city/state/country/continent in the comments!
now without further ado, here is everything you need to know about Michael's month of June.
June Overview
if you thought May wasn't Michael's greatest performance, then you might be indifferent to his June. he started the month out kind of slow, missed some time due to the birth of his child, and then was placed on the 10-Day DL with a right ankle sprain immediately following his paternity leave. upon his return, he had some early struggles, but then seemingly got back on a roll. when it was all said and done, Michael missed almost half the games on the Tribe's June schedule, playing just 13 of 27. so it's a small sample size that we're working with to critique and,
now without further ado, here is everything you need to know about Michael's month of June.
June Overview
if you thought May wasn't Michael's greatest performance, then you might be indifferent to his June. he started the month out kind of slow, missed some time due to the birth of his child, and then was placed on the 10-Day DL with a right ankle sprain immediately following his paternity leave. upon his return, he had some early struggles, but then seemingly got back on a roll. when it was all said and done, Michael missed almost half the games on the Tribe's June schedule, playing just 13 of 27. so it's a small sample size that we're working with to critique and,
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Brantley's First Career Two-Assist Game
for the first time in his career, Michael Brantley threw out
two baserunners in one game. the feat occurred on June 10, 2017, in the contest
versus the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. the last Indians player to
acquire two outfield assists in the same game was Rajai Davis, and he did it almost
exactly one year ago, on June 9, 2016, as the left fielder at Safeco Field in Seattle against the Mariners.
Michael's triumph began with the Indians already down, 4-0, in the top of the 2nd inning. Jose Abreu came to the plate to face Josh Tomlin with 2 outs and
Melky Cabrera at 1st base. after a 1-1 count, Abreu sent a line
drive double into left field. Michael retrieved the ball out of the corner, quickly spun around, and
threw a laser to the cutoff man, shortstop Francisco Lindor. because Lindor knew
Cabrera was on his way home, he made a relay throw to catcher Yan
Gomes, who applied the tag on Cabrera to end the top half of the inning and also give Michael what would be his
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Francisco Lindor Wins Rawlings' 2016 AL SS Gold Glove Award & Platinum Glove Award!
tonight, on November 8, it was announced that Francisco Lindor won Rawlings' 2016 American League Shortstop Gold Glove Award! this is the first Gold Glove of Lindor's career. congratulations, Frankie!
no Cleveland Indian has won a Gold Glove since 2008 when Grady Sizemore won the AL CF Gold Glove, and no Cleveland shortstop has won since Omar Vizquel in 2001. Lindor, age 22, is the youngest middle infielder in franchise history to win a Gold Glove, and the youngest Indians player to win one since a 21-year old
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| photo courtesy of @Indians on twitter |
no Cleveland Indian has won a Gold Glove since 2008 when Grady Sizemore won the AL CF Gold Glove, and no Cleveland shortstop has won since Omar Vizquel in 2001. Lindor, age 22, is the youngest middle infielder in franchise history to win a Gold Glove, and the youngest Indians player to win one since a 21-year old
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Brantley To Open Indians' 2016 Season On 15-Day DL
he tried to avoid it, but unfortunately it could not be avoided. today, on April 3, the Cleveland Indians announced that Michael Brantley was placed on the 15-day DL as he continues to recover from offseason right shoulder surgery. we've all known this was going to happen for some time, but the roster transaction did not become official until now. the good news about his DL stint is it's retroactive to March 25. that means, if Michael was ready, he could be activated as early as April 9 and would only miss the first week--just 4 games--of April, as opposed to missing the first two weeks or more of the season. while that once seemed like a real possibility, it now doesn't appear as though he will be back that fast.
note: i am presently in the middle of writing up Michael's daily health updates and the results of his spring/rehab games, but this is something that i felt needed to be posted about separately.
originally expected to miss April and part of May after his shoulder surgery on November 9, Michael attacked his rehab and did everything he could to be back on the field as soon as possible. he spent most of his offseason rehabbing in Cleveland, Ohio, then went out to Goodyear on February 1 to carry on with his rehab there. he started swinging a bat well before the initial projection date of March 9, beginning with hitting off a tee, then some soft toss, then progressing to indoor batting practice in the cage, and lastly graduating to
note: i am presently in the middle of writing up Michael's daily health updates and the results of his spring/rehab games, but this is something that i felt needed to be posted about separately.
originally expected to miss April and part of May after his shoulder surgery on November 9, Michael attacked his rehab and did everything he could to be back on the field as soon as possible. he spent most of his offseason rehabbing in Cleveland, Ohio, then went out to Goodyear on February 1 to carry on with his rehab there. he started swinging a bat well before the initial projection date of March 9, beginning with hitting off a tee, then some soft toss, then progressing to indoor batting practice in the cage, and lastly graduating to
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Brantley Finishes T28th For BBWAA's 2015 AL MVP Award
today, on November 19, MLB Network revealed who won Baseball Writers' Association of America's 2015 American League Most Valuable Player Award. while Michael Brantley was not a finalist this time, he did finish tied for 28th place overall. congratulations! that Michael is even in the conversation for 2015 Most Valuable Player, after all the injuries he suffered and games he missed, is amazing and i am so proud of him.
this year's AL MVP winner is Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays with 385 points. he had 184 hits, 41 doubles, 41 home runs, 123 RBI, 122 runs, 73 walks, 133 strikeouts, .297 batting average, .371 OBP, and .568 SLG in 158 games in 2015. Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels came in 2nd behind Donaldson with 304 points, and Lorenzo Cain of the Kansas City Royals finished 3rd with 225 points.
the MVP ballot contains 10 spots and no player is ineligible. two writers from each American League city vote for AL MVP and these writers of the BBWAA submit their picks prior to the postseason. once they do, BBWAA's secretary/treasurer, Jack O'Connell, tallies the votes before the finalists and winners are later announced in November.
each spot on the ballot equals a certain number of points. a 1st place MVP vote is worth
this year's AL MVP winner is Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays with 385 points. he had 184 hits, 41 doubles, 41 home runs, 123 RBI, 122 runs, 73 walks, 133 strikeouts, .297 batting average, .371 OBP, and .568 SLG in 158 games in 2015. Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels came in 2nd behind Donaldson with 304 points, and Lorenzo Cain of the Kansas City Royals finished 3rd with 225 points.
the MVP ballot contains 10 spots and no player is ineligible. two writers from each American League city vote for AL MVP and these writers of the BBWAA submit their picks prior to the postseason. once they do, BBWAA's secretary/treasurer, Jack O'Connell, tallies the votes before the finalists and winners are later announced in November.
each spot on the ballot equals a certain number of points. a 1st place MVP vote is worth
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Brantley Wins 2015 Bob Feller Man Of The Year Award
hello, Brantley fans! it's been a rough week for Michael, his loved ones, and his fans between the shoulder surgery and losing out on the Silver Slugger Award, but today i have some happy news! on November 12, the Cleveland chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America honored Michael Brantley with the 2015 Bob Feller Man of the Year Award, although the formal public announcement of this career first didn't come until this morning on November 15. congratulations, Michael! you deserve it, especially after the year you had!
the Bob Feller Award is a local Indians MVP award. some form of Man of the Year has been given out since 1937, when Johnny Allen was selected by Cleveland BBWAA writers as the first winner. the award title started as Most Valuable Player (1937-1943), then changed to Indians Man of the Year (1944-2009), before it became Bob Feller Man of the Year (2010-present).
Michael has been nominated for the Man of the Year Award for four consecutive years. he lost to Corey Kluber in 2014, Justin Masterson in 2013, and Vinnie Pestano in 2012. this year, he was up against
the Bob Feller Award is a local Indians MVP award. some form of Man of the Year has been given out since 1937, when Johnny Allen was selected by Cleveland BBWAA writers as the first winner. the award title started as Most Valuable Player (1937-1943), then changed to Indians Man of the Year (1944-2009), before it became Bob Feller Man of the Year (2010-present).
Michael has been nominated for the Man of the Year Award for four consecutive years. he lost to Corey Kluber in 2014, Justin Masterson in 2013, and Vinnie Pestano in 2012. this year, he was up against
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Brantley Receives Louisville Slugger's 2014 AL OF Silver Slugger Award!
in what has been a tough start for Michael in 2015, i do have some happy news to report in this short blog. before today's April 12 game at home versus the Detroit Tigers, Michael Brantley was presented with his 2014 AL OF Silver Slugger Award! Indians catcher, Yan Gomes, received his award as well!
Michael won the award for the very first time in his career back on November 6, 2014, earning himself a
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| photo courtesy of @Indians twitter |
Michael won the award for the very first time in his career back on November 6, 2014, earning himself a
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Brantley's On the Cover of Sports Illustrated!
what does finishing 3rd in the 2014 American League Most Valuable Player voting get you? your very first cover of SI! yes, that's right. today, on March 24, Michael Brantley made his debut on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine! he shares the honor with 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner and teammate, Corey Kluber. they are both featured in an SI MLB Preview discussing why the Cleveland Indians could win the World Series in 2015. how exciting! here is the picture:
Friday, February 27, 2015
Brantley Ranked 21st in MLB Network's Top 100 Players Right Now
with spring training games right around the corner, MLB Network aired the 4th installment of their 5-part series entitled "Top 100 Right Now" tonight on February 27 at 9 pm EST. the show ranked the Top 100 major league players currently in baseball going into 2015. Greg Amsinger, Ron Darling, and Bill Ripken counted down players from 100-81, 80-61, 60-41, 40-21, and 20-1 in 5 one-hour specials over 3 days from February 25-27.
this annual list is based on the players' performances over the past three seasons, with a particular emphasis on the most recent (2014). other criteria taken into consideration for these rankings includes projected performance for the upcoming season, defensive position, individual accolades, and the intangibles they bring to game (ex. team leadership).
a little more than one month ago, Michael had been ranked as the 3rd best left fielder in the game by MLB Network's The Shredder. because of that and the fact that Michael won the 2014 AL OF Silver Slugger Award PLUS finished 3rd in the 2014 American League MVP voting, i had high expectations. i wanted
this annual list is based on the players' performances over the past three seasons, with a particular emphasis on the most recent (2014). other criteria taken into consideration for these rankings includes projected performance for the upcoming season, defensive position, individual accolades, and the intangibles they bring to game (ex. team leadership).
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| photo courtesy of @MLBNetwork twitter |
a little more than one month ago, Michael had been ranked as the 3rd best left fielder in the game by MLB Network's The Shredder. because of that and the fact that Michael won the 2014 AL OF Silver Slugger Award PLUS finished 3rd in the 2014 American League MVP voting, i had high expectations. i wanted
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Brantley Ranked 3rd in MLB Network's Top 10 Left Fielders Right Now
tonight, on January 22 at 10 pm EST, MLB Network aired a show entitled "Top 10 Right Now: Left Fielders." it ranked the top 10 left field players currently in baseball going into 2015 according to MLB Network's Shredder. The Shredder takes many statistical factors into consideration and operates without bias when compiling these rankings, much to the dismay of a lot of fans. needless to say, this isn't a list worth taking too seriously one way or the other.
even though Michael spent time in both left and center field last year, i knew he would be in this Top 10 list, and because of his stats from 2014, i assumed that he would probably place near the top. however,
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| photo courtesy of @MLBNetwork twitter |
even though Michael spent time in both left and center field last year, i knew he would be in this Top 10 list, and because of his stats from 2014, i assumed that he would probably place near the top. however,
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Brantley Finishes 3rd in MLB Network's 2014 Top Breakout Performers Countdown
tonight, on January 18 at 10 pm, MLB Network aired a show entitled "Top Breakout Performers Of 2014."
knowing how close Michael Brantley was to winning the Breakout Player of the Year GIBBY Award, i figured he would be pretty high on this Top 40 countdown.
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| screenshot cropped off m.mlb.com/network |
knowing how close Michael Brantley was to winning the Breakout Player of the Year GIBBY Award, i figured he would be pretty high on this Top 40 countdown.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
And The Winner of MLBPAA's 2014 Heart & Hustle Award Is...
...not Michael Brantley =(
Josh Harrison of the Pittsburgh Pirates was revealed as the winner of this year's Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association's Heart & Hustle Award. he was presented with his award tonight, on November 18, during the 15th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner at Capitale in New York City.
Harrison finished the 2014 season with a .315 batting average, 164 hits, 38 doubles, 13 home runs, 52 RBI, 77 runs, 18 stolen bases, 22 walks, and 81 strikeouts in 143 games. defensively, he played 1,027 innings in 127 games. Harrison saw time in both the infield and the outfield, playing 2nd base, 3rd base, shortstop, left field, and right field. he had a total of 151 putouts, 6 errors, and a .983 fielding percentage. additionally, he had 4 assists in 52 games as an outfielder.
the Heart & Hustle Award, created by the MLBPAA, is given to players who demonstrate passion for baseball and embody the values, spirit, and traditions of the game. one player from all 30 major league teams was named as a preliminary winner back on July 22, based on his passion, desire, and work ethic on and off the field. then, at the end of the year, fans, alumni, and active players voted on the final winner. it was later made known that the fan vote counted for just 5% of the overall decision. so unfortunately, we fan voters didn't have much of a say in the results of this award. all of this year's nominees can be found here.
it didn't seem likely that Michael would win 2014's H&H award, even though he fits the description to a T, but it was a great honor for him just to be named as the Cleveland Indians' recipient. it was a career first for him and i was so proud, particularly because he was chosen by former MLB players. regardless of him not being the overall winner, it still makes me very happy to see Michael getting recognized for things that he wasn't being recognized for in his previous seasons as a major league ballplayer. he put together an incredible year for himself, and i know we can expect more of the same in the upcoming years. =D
Josh Harrison of the Pittsburgh Pirates was revealed as the winner of this year's Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association's Heart & Hustle Award. he was presented with his award tonight, on November 18, during the 15th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner at Capitale in New York City.
Harrison finished the 2014 season with a .315 batting average, 164 hits, 38 doubles, 13 home runs, 52 RBI, 77 runs, 18 stolen bases, 22 walks, and 81 strikeouts in 143 games. defensively, he played 1,027 innings in 127 games. Harrison saw time in both the infield and the outfield, playing 2nd base, 3rd base, shortstop, left field, and right field. he had a total of 151 putouts, 6 errors, and a .983 fielding percentage. additionally, he had 4 assists in 52 games as an outfielder.
the Heart & Hustle Award, created by the MLBPAA, is given to players who demonstrate passion for baseball and embody the values, spirit, and traditions of the game. one player from all 30 major league teams was named as a preliminary winner back on July 22, based on his passion, desire, and work ethic on and off the field. then, at the end of the year, fans, alumni, and active players voted on the final winner. it was later made known that the fan vote counted for just 5% of the overall decision. so unfortunately, we fan voters didn't have much of a say in the results of this award. all of this year's nominees can be found here.
it didn't seem likely that Michael would win 2014's H&H award, even though he fits the description to a T, but it was a great honor for him just to be named as the Cleveland Indians' recipient. it was a career first for him and i was so proud, particularly because he was chosen by former MLB players. regardless of him not being the overall winner, it still makes me very happy to see Michael getting recognized for things that he wasn't being recognized for in his previous seasons as a major league ballplayer. he put together an incredible year for himself, and i know we can expect more of the same in the upcoming years. =D
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Brantley Finishes 3rd For BBWAA's 2014 AL MVP Award
it was revealed today, on November 13, at about 6:17 pm on MLB Network, that Michael Brantley finished in 3rd place for Baseball Writers' Association of America's 2014 American League Most Valuable Player Award! this has to be my most favorite offseason career first of them all of his.
**BBWAA made an error in the initial tabulations that were showed on TV during the live show and posted on their website. it was corrected about an hour later online, taking one 5th place vote away from Bautista and rightfully giving it to Brantley. that pushed Bautista down to 6th place overall and moved Cano up to 5th. the chart included below is accurate.
as expected, the AL MVP winner this year is Mike Trout, with his .287 batting average and 184 strikeouts lol =P i kid, i kid. however, he is the first position player to win this award for a season in which he had a higher number of strikeouts than hits (173).
Michael has never placed in MVP voting in his career before, let alone been a finalist. this is an extraordinary honor, and the honor comes with some perks. first, he earns a $150,000 bonus for this year. additionally, because he finished in the top 5, he's earned an increase of $1 million to his base salary for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. sweet! (look for an updated Brantley contract post on my blog tomorrow.)
here are the complete AL MVP results:
*chart copy and pasted from BBWAA's website
Trout won in a unanimous vote. the 2 voters from Cleveland were Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer and Chris Assenheimer of The Chronicle-Telegram. while Hoynsie gave Michael a 3rd place vote, Chris decided that Michael's season was good enough for a 2nd place vote. all the individual ballots can be found here, and it's worth a look.
in total, Michael finished with 191 points. he received 27 votes overall--8 votes for 2nd place, 6 votes for 3rd, 5 votes for 4th, 4 votes for 5th, 1 vote for 6th, 1 vote for 7th, 1 vote for 9th, and 1 vote for 10th place. i gotta say, the people who voted Michael 9th and 10th are straight up nuts. look at his numbers again. i think Toronto and Oakland are just jealous. and don't get me started on the 3 voters who didn't even have Michael in the top 10. you know what they say...haters gonna hate =P
let me also give a quick shout out and congrats to Michael's teammate, Corey Kluber, for finishing just shy of the top 10. Kluber received 11 total votes, ranging between 10th place and all the way up to 3rd place. oddly enough, the 2 media representatives from Cleveland did not vote Kluber in their top 10. (so nobody can accuse them of being homers lol)
Michael was named an MVP finalist along with Trout and Victor Martinez on November 4 and he briefly spoke about it in an interview on November 7. "really, it's just an honor to be mentioned. that's not something you take lightly. it's a lot of hard work. obviously, your peers and voters and everybody have their say as well. i'm just honored to be mentioned in that category of guys that i'm in. i just think it's a good tribute to a lot of hard work paying off."
today the finalists had a chance to say a few words on MLB Network's award show before the MVP was announced. (no, Victor Martinez was not there.) Michael's interview is here.
looking sharp, Michael!
on his move from leadoff man to 3 hole slugger: "in the beginning of my career, that's all i knew, was how to hit leadoff, how to set the tone, get on base for my teammates. and now hitting in the 3 hole, it's about driving in runs, getting a good pitch early and trying to get that guy in from 2nd or 1st or wherever he's at, 3rd base, and do the best you can for your team."
on how he's evolved against left-handed pitchers as a left-handed hitter: "just really trying to stay on the ball. and doing a lot of homework. the best thing about being in the major leagues is that you have a chance to, you know, have scouting reports and do video work and try to figure out what they're gonna do to you. left-handed pitchers are not easy, especially when you don't see them as much and especially how good they are on the major league level. so i just try to get a good pitch, put a good swing on it, and then whatever happens from there happens."
how important is it for him to put the ball in play? "well, it's very important. the more times you put the ball in play, the better chance you're gonna get a hit. it's no secret. it's not always easy. major league arms, they're just getting better and better. guys are throwing harder, better out pitches. you just gotta come to the park every day prepared and do the best you can for your team."
Michael also spoke with the Cleveland media after the MVP special concluded. here is some of what he had to say.
"there's no disappointment at all. i was honored and blessed to even be mentioned in that category. my whole goal is wins and losses. i don't look at stats. i don't care where i finish in the MVP. i care about getting that World Series ring." (omg, i hope that's not what he'll say if he ever wins this award LOL jk)
"this game is team-oriented and as long as you keep thinking like that, it keeps you motivated to keep playing hard and always working to get better."
"the day before i left for spring training, my father sat me down and asked me to do something. he said, 'i want you to get ready to hit every pitch.' that means from the first time i stepped in the batter's box, the first pitch the pitcher threw to me, that i was ready to hit.
my father told me, 'listen son, your numbers will not go down, they'll go up.' i thought if i swung at the first pitch more often, i'd get out more often because i'd never done it before. he's been trying to get me to do it for the last few years, but i never bought into it. i had that leadoff hitter mentality. this year i told him i'd accept the challenge and try it in spring training. the key word was try.
in years past, i hit like a leadoff hitter. i wanted to make sure i got a perfect pitch. i wanted to make sure that i had, you know, a deep at bat, make sure i saw some pitches. this year, if i got a first pitch fastball early, i put a good swing on it, i didn't care where it went. it worked for me in spring training, so i decided to keep that mentality during the season and it worked out."
"i want to improve in every category. i want to strike out less. i want to make more plays defensively. i want to do whatever i can to help the team get farther."
"when your teammates start respecting how hard you work, respecting how you carry yourself, respecting how, you know, you care for one another on the field, and they see that, i believe that everybody kind of draws to you or wants to talk to you or kind of leans on you. me personally, i just go out there and try to lead by example. i don't say too much, i'm kind of quiet, but i play hard each and every day. i try to be the best teammate and pick up my teammate when he's down or who needs help, and they do the same for me."
on 2nd place MVP candidate, Victor Martinez:
on the Indians' future:
this full interview, including some of his thoughts about CyKluber, can be found here.
i agree with what Michael said after he learned he was a finalist, about being honored to be in this position. this is one of those times where it truly is just an honor to be nominated. no doubt Michael had the numbers to win MVP this season but there is no animosity from me here about him placing 3rd. that's outstanding and this recognition is very deserved. he's such a selfless player, always putting the team first no matter what and without complaint. his leadership and work ethic are invaluable to all the players on the team, especially the young kids. much like Michael's consistency on the field, he prepares the same way each and every day and he trains so hard. hopefully one day all his relentless work will result in an MVP award.
i feel like i've been saying this a million times over the last month and a half but, congratulations, Michael! i am so proud of you! =D
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| photo courtesy of @Indians twitter |
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| photo courtesy of @dmansworld474 twitter** |
**BBWAA made an error in the initial tabulations that were showed on TV during the live show and posted on their website. it was corrected about an hour later online, taking one 5th place vote away from Bautista and rightfully giving it to Brantley. that pushed Bautista down to 6th place overall and moved Cano up to 5th. the chart included below is accurate.
as expected, the AL MVP winner this year is Mike Trout, with his .287 batting average and 184 strikeouts lol =P i kid, i kid. however, he is the first position player to win this award for a season in which he had a higher number of strikeouts than hits (173).
Michael has never placed in MVP voting in his career before, let alone been a finalist. this is an extraordinary honor, and the honor comes with some perks. first, he earns a $150,000 bonus for this year. additionally, because he finished in the top 5, he's earned an increase of $1 million to his base salary for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. sweet! (look for an updated Brantley contract post on my blog tomorrow.)
here are the complete AL MVP results:
Player, Team
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
8th
|
9th
|
10th
|
Points
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Trout, Angels | 30 | 420 | |||||||||
| Victor Martinez, Tigers | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 229 | ||||
| Michael Brantley, Indians | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 191 | ||
| Jose Abreu, White Sox | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 145 | |
| Robinson Cano, Mariners | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 124 | |
| Jose Bautista, Blue Jays | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 122 | ||
| Nelson Cruz, Orioles | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 102 | |||
| Josh Donaldson, Athletics | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 96 | ||
| Miguel Cabrera, Tigers | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 82 | ||
| Felix Hernandez, Mariners | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 48 | ||
| Corey Kluber, Indians | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 45 | ||||
| Alex Gordon, Royals | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 44 | |||
| Jose Altuve, Astros | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 41 | |||||
| Adam Jones, Orioles | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 34 | ||||
| Adrian Beltre, Rangers | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 22 | ||||||
| Greg Holland, Royals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |||||||
| Albert Pujols, Angels | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||
| Howie Kendrick, Angels | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| James Shields, Royals | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| Kyle Seager, Mariners | 1 | 1 |
Trout won in a unanimous vote. the 2 voters from Cleveland were Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer and Chris Assenheimer of The Chronicle-Telegram. while Hoynsie gave Michael a 3rd place vote, Chris decided that Michael's season was good enough for a 2nd place vote. all the individual ballots can be found here, and it's worth a look.
in total, Michael finished with 191 points. he received 27 votes overall--8 votes for 2nd place, 6 votes for 3rd, 5 votes for 4th, 4 votes for 5th, 1 vote for 6th, 1 vote for 7th, 1 vote for 9th, and 1 vote for 10th place. i gotta say, the people who voted Michael 9th and 10th are straight up nuts. look at his numbers again. i think Toronto and Oakland are just jealous. and don't get me started on the 3 voters who didn't even have Michael in the top 10. you know what they say...haters gonna hate =P
 |
| photo courtesy of @dmansworld474 |
 |
| photo courtesy of @MLB twitter |
 |
| photo courtesy of @Indians twitter |
let me also give a quick shout out and congrats to Michael's teammate, Corey Kluber, for finishing just shy of the top 10. Kluber received 11 total votes, ranging between 10th place and all the way up to 3rd place. oddly enough, the 2 media representatives from Cleveland did not vote Kluber in their top 10. (so nobody can accuse them of being homers lol)
Michael was named an MVP finalist along with Trout and Victor Martinez on November 4 and he briefly spoke about it in an interview on November 7. "really, it's just an honor to be mentioned. that's not something you take lightly. it's a lot of hard work. obviously, your peers and voters and everybody have their say as well. i'm just honored to be mentioned in that category of guys that i'm in. i just think it's a good tribute to a lot of hard work paying off."
 |
| photo courtesy of @Indians twitter |
today the finalists had a chance to say a few words on MLB Network's award show before the MVP was announced. (no, Victor Martinez was not there.) Michael's interview is here.
 |
| photos cropped from a video on Indians.com |
looking sharp, Michael!
on his move from leadoff man to 3 hole slugger: "in the beginning of my career, that's all i knew, was how to hit leadoff, how to set the tone, get on base for my teammates. and now hitting in the 3 hole, it's about driving in runs, getting a good pitch early and trying to get that guy in from 2nd or 1st or wherever he's at, 3rd base, and do the best you can for your team."
on how he's evolved against left-handed pitchers as a left-handed hitter: "just really trying to stay on the ball. and doing a lot of homework. the best thing about being in the major leagues is that you have a chance to, you know, have scouting reports and do video work and try to figure out what they're gonna do to you. left-handed pitchers are not easy, especially when you don't see them as much and especially how good they are on the major league level. so i just try to get a good pitch, put a good swing on it, and then whatever happens from there happens."
how important is it for him to put the ball in play? "well, it's very important. the more times you put the ball in play, the better chance you're gonna get a hit. it's no secret. it's not always easy. major league arms, they're just getting better and better. guys are throwing harder, better out pitches. you just gotta come to the park every day prepared and do the best you can for your team."
Michael also spoke with the Cleveland media after the MVP special concluded. here is some of what he had to say.
"there's no disappointment at all. i was honored and blessed to even be mentioned in that category. my whole goal is wins and losses. i don't look at stats. i don't care where i finish in the MVP. i care about getting that World Series ring." (omg, i hope that's not what he'll say if he ever wins this award LOL jk)
"this game is team-oriented and as long as you keep thinking like that, it keeps you motivated to keep playing hard and always working to get better."
"the day before i left for spring training, my father sat me down and asked me to do something. he said, 'i want you to get ready to hit every pitch.' that means from the first time i stepped in the batter's box, the first pitch the pitcher threw to me, that i was ready to hit.
my father told me, 'listen son, your numbers will not go down, they'll go up.' i thought if i swung at the first pitch more often, i'd get out more often because i'd never done it before. he's been trying to get me to do it for the last few years, but i never bought into it. i had that leadoff hitter mentality. this year i told him i'd accept the challenge and try it in spring training. the key word was try.
in years past, i hit like a leadoff hitter. i wanted to make sure i got a perfect pitch. i wanted to make sure that i had, you know, a deep at bat, make sure i saw some pitches. this year, if i got a first pitch fastball early, i put a good swing on it, i didn't care where it went. it worked for me in spring training, so i decided to keep that mentality during the season and it worked out."
"i want to improve in every category. i want to strike out less. i want to make more plays defensively. i want to do whatever i can to help the team get farther."
"when your teammates start respecting how hard you work, respecting how you carry yourself, respecting how, you know, you care for one another on the field, and they see that, i believe that everybody kind of draws to you or wants to talk to you or kind of leans on you. me personally, i just go out there and try to lead by example. i don't say too much, i'm kind of quiet, but i play hard each and every day. i try to be the best teammate and pick up my teammate when he's down or who needs help, and they do the same for me."
on 2nd place MVP candidate, Victor Martinez:
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on the Indians' future:
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| transcription photos courtesy of @MLBastian twitter |
this full interview, including some of his thoughts about CyKluber, can be found here.
i agree with what Michael said after he learned he was a finalist, about being honored to be in this position. this is one of those times where it truly is just an honor to be nominated. no doubt Michael had the numbers to win MVP this season but there is no animosity from me here about him placing 3rd. that's outstanding and this recognition is very deserved. he's such a selfless player, always putting the team first no matter what and without complaint. his leadership and work ethic are invaluable to all the players on the team, especially the young kids. much like Michael's consistency on the field, he prepares the same way each and every day and he trains so hard. hopefully one day all his relentless work will result in an MVP award.
i feel like i've been saying this a million times over the last month and a half but, congratulations, Michael! i am so proud of you! =D
Monday, November 10, 2014
Brantley Finishes 2nd in Baseball Prospectus' 2014 AL Player Of The Year Vote
it was announced this morning, on November 10, that Michael Brantley achieved another career first--he finished 2nd in Baseball Prospectus' 2014 AL Player of the Year vote!
BP's POTY is voted on by the staff of Baseball Prospectus and is part of their Greg Spira Memorial Internet Baseball Awards, or IBAs. Spira established the IBAs in 1991 and managed them until his death in 2011. other than POTY, the IBAs also include pitcher of the year, rookie of the year, and manager of the year (which was added in 1998), with both the American League and National League earning separate honors. pitchers are eligible for player of the year as well as pitcher of the year.
according to this chart, Michael received votes ranging from 2nd place down to 8th. he's the only player other than Mike Trout with over 200 points. this is another award voted on by fans and, where Michael is concerned, i think they got it right this time.
now if you compare this list to the 3 finalists for AL MVP chosen by the BBWAA, then it looks off. Victor Martinez finished 8th here, but most likely will place 2nd when the MVP winner is announced this Thursday. some fans are fickle i guess. or biased lol like that David Price 1st place vote. come on, really?
regarding Indians players, the results of this award are very similar to the Baseball Bloggers Alliance's 2014 AL Stan Musial Award, where Michael also finished 2nd and Corey Kluber finished 4th. and in the FanGraphs 2014 POTY ballot, Michael finished 7th and Kluber again finished 4th. that award is voted on by fans, too, just like with Baseball Prospectus, but it differs in that it combines both leagues.
Kluber finishing 4th and even getting two 2nd place votes here is impressive and in no way surprising. he was THAT good this season. what is surprising though is seeing fellow Indians player, Yan Gomes, on this BP list. one fan voted him 7th out of 10 and that placed him 22nd overall in the final results. okay, no offense to Gomes, or that fan who voted for him, but i personally think there are a lot of other American League players who should get a top 10 player of the year vote before Gomes. and 38 other BP staffers agree with me lol but good on you, Gomes. that's cool for you.
so congratulations to Michael for even more recognition and validation that he was one of the best players in the league this year! it's well-deserved! =D
BP's POTY is voted on by the staff of Baseball Prospectus and is part of their Greg Spira Memorial Internet Baseball Awards, or IBAs. Spira established the IBAs in 1991 and managed them until his death in 2011. other than POTY, the IBAs also include pitcher of the year, rookie of the year, and manager of the year (which was added in 1998), with both the American League and National League earning separate honors. pitchers are eligible for player of the year as well as pitcher of the year.
the point system on the Baseball Prospectus player of the year ballots is the same as the BBWAA's system. there are 10 slots, with a first place vote equaling 14 points. slots 2 through 10 are then worth 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 points.
39 members of BP's staff submitted ballots this year and all but one voter ranked Mike Trout 1st.
here are the complete AL POTY voting results:
39 members of BP's staff submitted ballots this year and all but one voter ranked Mike Trout 1st.
here are the complete AL POTY voting results:
Name
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
POINTS
|
1. Mike
Trout
|
38
|
1
|
541
|
||||||||
2.
Michael Brantley
|
7
|
10
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
2
|
2
|
227
|
|||
3. Josh
Donaldson
|
9
|
2
|
6
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
182
|
|||
4. Corey
Kluber
|
2
|
6
|
6
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
153
|
||
5. Jose
Bautista
|
3
|
1
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
150
|
|
6. Alex
Gordon
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
137
|
|||
7. Jose
Abreu
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
115
|
|
8. Victor
Martinez
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
114
|
|
9. Felix
Hernandez
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
106
|
|||
10.
Robinson Cano
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
94
|
|
11.
Adrian Beltre
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
74
|
||
12. Jose
Altuve
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
50
|
||
13.
Miguel Cabrera
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
31
|
|||||
14. Kyle
Seager
|
3
|
1
|
30
|
||||||||
15. Adam
Jones
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
28
|
|||||||
16.
Nelson Cruz
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
19
|
|||||||
17. Chris
Sale
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
17
|
|||||||
18. David
Price
|
1
|
14
|
|||||||||
19. Steve
Pearce
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
||||||||
20. David
Ortiz
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
||||||||
21. Ian
Kinsler
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
||||||||
22. Yan
Gomes
|
1
|
4
|
|||||||||
T23. Nick
Markakis
|
1
|
1
|
|||||||||
T23. Ben
Zobrist
|
1
|
1
|
according to this chart, Michael received votes ranging from 2nd place down to 8th. he's the only player other than Mike Trout with over 200 points. this is another award voted on by fans and, where Michael is concerned, i think they got it right this time.
now if you compare this list to the 3 finalists for AL MVP chosen by the BBWAA, then it looks off. Victor Martinez finished 8th here, but most likely will place 2nd when the MVP winner is announced this Thursday. some fans are fickle i guess. or biased lol like that David Price 1st place vote. come on, really?
regarding Indians players, the results of this award are very similar to the Baseball Bloggers Alliance's 2014 AL Stan Musial Award, where Michael also finished 2nd and Corey Kluber finished 4th. and in the FanGraphs 2014 POTY ballot, Michael finished 7th and Kluber again finished 4th. that award is voted on by fans, too, just like with Baseball Prospectus, but it differs in that it combines both leagues.
Kluber finishing 4th and even getting two 2nd place votes here is impressive and in no way surprising. he was THAT good this season. what is surprising though is seeing fellow Indians player, Yan Gomes, on this BP list. one fan voted him 7th out of 10 and that placed him 22nd overall in the final results. okay, no offense to Gomes, or that fan who voted for him, but i personally think there are a lot of other American League players who should get a top 10 player of the year vote before Gomes. and 38 other BP staffers agree with me lol but good on you, Gomes. that's cool for you.
so congratulations to Michael for even more recognition and validation that he was one of the best players in the league this year! it's well-deserved! =D
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