2008 MLB Baseball's Best Hitters
Chipper Jones, Chase Utley and Josh Hamilton Having Great Seasons
These five players have started off hot. Can they keep it up?
1. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
When the 2008 baseball season began, nobody knew what to expect from the 36-year old Larry "Chipper" Jones of the Atlanta Braves. Over the past three seasons, Jones has played brilliantly when he's been healthy. But he hasn't been healthy very often. Between 2005 and 2007, Jones missed 133 games to a whole panoply of ailments, but when he did play, he produced, batting .321 and averaging 25 HR and 87 RBI in an abbreviated schedule.
But when the season opened, many justifiably worried that Jones's injuries and age may finally catch up to him. Or worse, he'd spend yeat another season shuffling back and forth between the field and disabled list. Well, Braves fans (and fantasy owners who took a chance on Jones) must be thrilled. Jones has terrorized National League pitching from Day One, and just a little more than a month into the season, he leads the major leagues in batting average (.425) and hits (48). He's also popped 9 home runs and picked up 27 RBI, second most in the National League. Here's hoping Chipper can play at least 150 games. One more year of .300/30 HR/100RBI should clinch his eventual Hall of Fame candidacy.
2. Chase Utley, Philiadelphia Phillies
Chase Utley is well on his way to making it three MVPs in a row for Phillies infielders. The all-star second baseman, who was on his way to winning the award last year before a broken hand sidelined him for a month, has already hit 13 home runs, which leads all of baseball. Chase is also batting .362, which is fourth best in the National League. Add to that his 26 RBI and 30 home runs, and you've got a guy with a legitimate shot at an MVP award.
3. Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies
Pat the Bat is off to a hot start. Cynical Phillies fans credit his great April to the fact that he's in a contract year, but even the most pessimistic of Phillies' fans must be thrilled with Burrell's great month. He's batting .315 with 9 home runs and a National League-third best 30 RBI. If he can even come close to maintaining these statistics through a full season, Burell will be looking at a huge free agent deal come November.
4. Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates down't have much to be happy about: bad record, bad attendance, questionable pitching. But one thing going their way is the play of young Nate McClouth. The 26-year old outfielder falls into the category of BIG SURPRISE. In two partial seasons, he never managed to hit better than .258, yet through the first month of the 2008 season, Nate is batting .325 with 13 doubles, 7 home runs and 25 RBI. If he and outfield mate Xavier Nady can keep this up, the Pirates may have finally gotten something started in the Steel City.
5. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Hamilton has had a lot of problems since the Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him first overall in the 1999 Amateur Draft. A series of personal issues and drug problems sidelined Hamilton's career for the better part of a decade. But this year he has a new home, a new outlook and, if he keeps hitting like this, he'll be looking at a big new contract in the not too distant future. Hamilton leads the Major Leagues with 33 RBI. He's also hitting . 300 with six homers and 10 doubles. He may not be having the best overall season at the plate, but he's sure got one of the best stories.
That's April. Let's see who turns it on in the month of May.
