Chapman worthy of MVP votes
We sportswriters, in assessing the personalities of athletes we cover, are like blind people describing an elephant by feel, an activity that can go south in a hurry.
Like, what is Matt Chapman really like?
Based on a few clubhouse interviews with the A’s third baseman, I would say he’s quiet and softspoken. Not shy, but certainly not a dynamic, TypeA personality.
(Sound of quizshow buzzer indicating “Wrong!”)
I asked A’s manager Bob Melvin before Wednesday’s MarinersA’s game if Chapman is a zeromaintenance guy. You know, just quietly does his job?
“Uh, well, I wouldn’t say he’s zero,” Melvin said. “He’s zeromaintenance out on the field, (but) he can be quite boisterous. There’s a lot of
personality there. I’m not saying that’s highmaintenance. It kind of equates to the leadership type of thing that he has taken to very quickly.”
This is Chapman’s second full season in the big leagues.
“You don’t see guys that are a year in (being) this prominent in the clubhouse,” Melvin said. Elaborate? “He’s just a huge personality, and he’s not afraid to say what he’s feeling, and sometimes will speak before he thinks, which is great, because he’s very passionate about what he does. And these are all compliments I’m giving him. He’s a rare type of guy that just has all the qualities to be a champion.”
Chapman left Wednesday’s 102 win in the third inning with a left ankle issue.
His teammates, to show support for their temporarily fallen comrade and team home run leader (22), blasted homers.
Chapman played down the ankle, said it wasn’t a preexisting problem, just a tweak, and said he’ll probably be back very soon. He also played down the fieryclubhouseguy angle.
He said he is lowkey on the field, “but in the clubhouse, I care about my teammates and I care about winning and I care about the guys in here. Those are the guys that I’ll speak my mind to, those are the guys I have their back, and we hold each other accountable.
“I’m not the kind of person that calls anybody out. I just want what’s best for the team, and whatever I can do to help my teammates, I will.”
What he can do to help his teammates right now is get back on the field. Wednesday’s setback might be a minor injury, but it’s Chapman, so it’s major. His value to the team is large. The A’s are the hottest team in baseball since May 16 (3616), and guess who’s leading the way?
Chapman, over his previous 25 games before Wednesday, was batting .366 with 22 runs, 11 doubles, six homers and 23 RBIs.
Ninetysix games into the season, the A’s are 14 games over .500 and are on the edge of a wildcard ticket to the playoffs. Not coincidentally, Chapman is enjoying an MVPcaliber season.
I convened a blueribbon panel of baseball experts, comprised of Chronicle ball scribes Susan Slusser, John Shea and Bruce Jenkins, and the aforementioned Melvin. Consensus on Chapman’s MVP chances: Maybe. Why not?
Mike Trout of the Angels is probably the leader right now. Trout has won the award twice and finished second four times.
“Trout always gets screwed, because the Angels are out of it,” Shea notes, “so Chapman could be a trendy pick.”
Jenkins: “Too close to call, which means Chapman could snag it.”
There’s a lot of baseball left, as the kids say, and there are worthy candidates, like Houston third baseman Alex Bregman.
Some comps, with their numbers entering Wednesday:
Trout: .305 batting average, 74 runs, 30 home runs, 75 RBIs, 77 walks, 70 strikeouts, 1.121 OPS.
Bregman: .267 average, 66 runs, 24 homers, 59 RBIs, 74 walks, 56 strikeouts, .931 OPS.
Chapman: .280 average, 63 runs, 22 homers, 59 RBIs, 44 walks, 74 strikeouts, .918 OPS. Melvin said sure. “What has (Chapman) got, 50 extrabase hits?” Melvin said. “He’s the best defender in the game. He’s right in the middle of everything we do. His hot streaks coincide with our team’s hot streaks. Yes, he definitely should be considered” for MVP.
Chapman, as a bigleague star, was instant coffee. Period of adjustment to the majors: almost zero.
“He’s made for this,” Melvin said when asked about Chapman’s quick adaption to bigleague ball. “He’s just a baseball player, 100%, so you knew it would probably be a pretty quick ascent to where you see him right how, and he’s going to continually get better. He’s going to be in MVP conversations for years to come.
“But like I said, there’s some guys kind of made for this, and he’s that guy. So whether it’s defensively or offensively, or leadership qualities, running the bases, he does everything really well. Not a surprise that it’s happened this quickly.”
In fan voting for the AllStars, Chapman finished seventh among AL third basemen. If he wins the big award, he’ll be the Unknown MVP.