Kansas City Royals: Five First Half MVP Candidates
By Alec Tilson
Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) – Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
- Baseball-Reference WAR (bWAR): 4.3
- Fangraphs WAR (fWAR): 3.7
- Offense: .312/.371/.489; 18 doubles, 8 home runs, 17 stolen bases
- Defense: Platinum
Here’s what a five-tool guy in his prime looks like. Lorenzo Cain has been a .300 hitter in the three hole on the AL’s best team, and his defense in centerfield is All-World. He’s 6-foot 2-inches, 205 pounds and can run like a spooked deer (as Bo Jackson might say). He may not be a 25-home run power hitter, but he’s shown all first half that he can do just about everything on the baseball field.
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The former 17th-round draft pick has notched 22 multi-hit games, including eight three-hit games. He’s striking out less (18% K-rate) and he’s walking more (7% Walk-rate) than last season.
His .489 slugging percentage is well-above his career average, and it’s higher than that of Alex Gordon and Kendrys Morales, so it’s good to see the Sugar Man hitting for more power. His eight homers so far this season is more than he hit in either 2014 or 2013.
Defensively, just give Cain his damned Gold Glove already. They’ve danced around the fact for two years now and it’s cute, but it needs to quit. Adam Jones, winner of three straight, time to hand it over, man. Cain is the rightful King.
Cain impacts the game on a nightly basis as much as any Royals position player aside from Salvador Perez. He saves runs defensively, steals bases (17-for-20 in stolen bases) and leads the team with 52 runs scored. Let’s just hope he doesn’t impact a wall too hard and hurt himself.
Grade: 10 out of 10
Next: What a bunch of studs!