Sizzlers and fizzlers: Pair of Logans lead the pack
Summer is officially here, and that means barbecues to go with beer and maybe a cooling fruit salad? If so, your plate will look both hotter and cooler with a couple of Logans at your dish.
Who else do we like “berry berry” much?
Sizzlers
1B Logan Morrison, Tampa Bay Rays: Last year Morrison had a somewhat disappointing season, batting .238 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI over 107 games. So let’s contrast that with the past three weeks when Morrison has a .328 average with seven home runs and 19 RBI in just 18 games. Pretty hot.
2B Logan Forsythe, Los Angeles Dodgers: As long as we're isolating players named Logan swinging a hot bat, Mr. Forsythe has similarly been smoking, putting together back-to-back four-hit days and raising his average for the week to .500 (10-for-20) with eight runs scored.
SP Jon Gray, Colorado Rockies: The Rockies' pitching has been surprisingly successful, and different, with the team being among the MLB leaders in forcing ground ball outs. The hard-throwing Gray, who tallied 10 strikeouts his first six innings off the DL, should continue to confuse opposing hitters.
OF Mikie Mahtook, Detroit Tigers: Talk about quietly moving into a starting position, Mahtook was hitting .212 in early June when he started getting regular play. Over the past three weeks he has been hitting .318 with five RBI, raising his season line to a .268 average with four homers and 16 RBI. In a deep AL-only format, those are huge numbers.
SP Jose Quintana, Chicago White Sox: The previously dependable Quintana was bad enough early in the season to make fizzle consideration a number of times, and though Texas did get the best of the Sox hurler Sunday, Quintana has posted three quality starts his last four outings. Over those games, he's thrown 24 1/3 frames, whiffing 25 with a 1.85 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.
Fizzlers
OF Mallex Smith, Tampa Bay Rays: After his quick start, Smith’s bat has fallen into the freezer with the speedy outfielder collecting just four hits over 24 at-bats this past week.
3B David Freese, Pittsburgh Pirates: Now 34, Freese has been a dependable hitter throughout his career, but he's hitting just .196 with three RBI over his last 17 games. With Adam Frazier and Josh Harrison more than able to handle second and third base duties, Freese appears to be left in the cold.
SP John Lackey, Chicago Cubs: If Lackey was a critical factor in the Cubs' success last year, perhaps his struggles modify the problems of the defending champs this season. Lackey has allowed eight homers over his last four starts, running an ERA of 5.64.
RP Seung-hwan Oh, St. Louis Cardinals: Oh blew the only save opportunity he's had over his last four appearances, and it appears he will now switch gigs with his closing predecessor, Trevor Rosenthal. Uh Oh.
2B Scooter Gennett, Cincinnati Reds: It is much more a case of Zack Cozart returning from the DL as opposed to, “Yes, you hit four homers in a game last month, but what have you done lately” that will likely force a reduction in playing time for Gennett.
You can follow Lawr on Twitter @lawrmichaels and read more of his writing at mastersball.com.