The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Lindor deserves consideration for MVP
Indians young shortstop has the ‘it’ factor of ability and leadership
The Indians haven’t had an American League MVP since Al Rosen won it in 1953.
As for AL MVPs for the Indians, that has been it.
That streak will likely continue for the Indians into the 2017 season, but a candidate is emerging.
A second MVP could one day return to Northeast Ohio, and the player to potentially do it is just 22.
He has played just a little more than a full major-league season the last two years — 196 games to be exact.
His style — all-out — seems infectious. His smile is of the million-dollar variety. His play is MVP-worthy.
That being said, Tribe shortstop Francisco Lindor is probably a long shot to win the American League MVP award, but he’s laying the ground work for the future.
For 2016, though, the race for the AL MVP seems wide open. Candidates usually come from teams that are winning — such as the Indians.
Enter Lindor, whose ascent as one of baseball’s top shortstops has been impressive.
It’s difficult to believe he’s yet to play a full major-league season. Lindor made his first
big-league start against the Cubs on June 17, 2015.
He went 0 for 4 in that Indians’ forgetful 17-0 loss to the Cubs. Lindor also made a blunder on a routine pop-up in the ninth.
Since then, he has hit better than .300 and has 24 career home runs, 100 RBI, 25 stolen bases, and played gold glove-worthy defense.
There hasn’t been much he hasn’t done for the Indians, who selected Lindor with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2011 draft.
Four seasons ago, he was playing shortstop every day in Eastlake for the Captains.
Now, he’s among a host of candidates for the AL MVP, and he deserves to be on any and all lists.
• He’s tied for the major-league lead with 17 three-hit games. His latest was during the Indians’ dramatic come-frombehind 7-6 win over the Nationals July 26. It also included his first walkoff hit.
• He was named an All-Star in his second season.
• He’s hitting .306 with 12 home runs, 50 RBI, 20 doubles, 13 stolen bases and 68 runs scored. His 116 hits rank 10th in the AL.
• Those numbers project this season to a .305 batting average with 20 homers, 82 RBI, 21 stolen bases, 111 runs and 190 hits.
• He has made just seven errors at shortstop, and has a .984 fielding percentage. A gold glove seems in waiting for Lindor.
• He also has “it.” Whatever your definition of “it” is, he has it. My definition of “it” for a pro athlete is confidence, ability and leading by example. That’s Lindor.
That’s also true of Houston’s Jose Altuve, Mike Trout of the Angels, Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo and David Ortiz of the Red Sox.
Ortiz, who said he is retiring at the end of this season, could be the sentimental favorite for AL MVP voters. But he’s also producing (.327 batting average, 25 home runs, 84 RBI) at an elite rate.
On stats alone, Altuve’s jump off the page with a .355 batting average, 17 homers, 60 RBI, 75 runs and 25 stolen bases.
Save a blistering final two months of the season, Lindor’s MVP chances seem slim this season, but he has warranted consideration for a top 5 finish. More important, he’s laying the groundwork now for a run at future MVP awards.
The fact he has come this far in such a short period is remarkable in itself. It was just 13 months ago he was making his first major-league start at Progressive Field with a message and preview about who he was as a player.
“I’m not going to change my game just because someone wants to see me hit 25-40 home runs,” said Lindor on June 17, 2015.
“That’s not my game. I’m not going to hit 40 home runs. I’m going to run the bases. I’m going to try and help the team in every aspect of the game.
“I’m not going to try to steal 100 bags. I’m just going to do what brought me here and stay consistent.”
He has lived up to that message.
Reach Podolski at MPodolski@NewsHerald.com; On Twitter: @mpodo.