Philadelphia Phillies Weekly Awards: April 3-April 8
In this segment, we will take a week by week look at the best and worst performing Phillies pitchers and position players for each given week.
The first week of the 2017 MLB season has come and gone and it was an interesting week, to say the least. The Phillies opened the season with an excellent showing in Cincinnati followed by three games of mediocrity. The Phillies then finished the week with a historic showing, scoring 12 runs in the first inning Saturday against the Nationals.
Overall, the Phillies ended their first week with a 2-3 record and will look to improve upon that as they begin week two on Sunday.
In this segment, we will take a week by week look at the best and worst performing pitchers and position players for each given week. To make things a little more interesting, point values will be assigned to each award.
The scoring will be simple enough.
- Most Valuable Pitcher(MVP)=+2 points
- Least Valuable Pitcher(LVP)=-2 points
- Most Valuable Position Player(MVPP)=+2 points
- Least Valuable Position Player(LVPP)=-2 points
- Runner Up for either award=(+,-) 1 point
This will give a somewhat statistical way to determine who is the most/least valuable Phillie at seasons end.
Without further ado, let’s take a look back at the most and least valuable pitchers and position players during week one.
Statistics referenced from MLB.com
Most Valuable Position Player: Runner-Up
Howie Kendrick
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Kendrick has had an impressive first week as a Phillie. The 33-year-old went 8 for 18(.444) with three extra-base hits and four runs batted in.
This all coming after a less than ideal Spring Training where he hit just .231 in 78 at bats.
The veteran left fielder currently leads the club in hits and average while also being tied for the club lead in doubles, triples and stolen bases.
Most Valuable Pitcher: Runner-Up
Jeremy Hellickson
Hellickson only threw 67 pitches on Opening Day but made the most of them.
Although not a flashy start by any stretch of the imagination, Hellickson threw five innings of one-run ball, picking up the win in the process.
The 30-year-old righty made his second start on Sunday against the Nationals.
Least Value Position Player-Runner Up
Maikel Franco
Franco is just 3 for 20(.150) and has struck out in 25% of his at-bats to start the season.
Hopefully, this is just a slow start for the fourth-year third baseman from the Dominican and not an area of concern moving forward.
Least Valuable Pitcher-Runner Up
Joely Rodriguez
The 25-year-old has been ripped in the early goings of the season.
Giving up three earned runs, five hits, and two walks in 2.1 innings pitched is a guaranteed way to get on the LVP list…or a minor league roster.
Least Valuable Position Player
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Tommy Joseph
Joseph recorded his first hit in Saturday’s barrage against the Washington Nationals and hopefully, it allows the second year first baseman to regain some confidence.
Joseph ended the first week of the season hitting just .118 with seven strikeouts. That means that Joseph has struck out in 41.1% of his seventeen qualified at-bats to this point.
There is little pressure behind Joseph at first base to this point and it can be expected that Joseph will have quite a long leash to get things fixed up.
Least Valuable Pitcher
Adam Morgan
The stat line tells the story here.
Year Age Tm Lg W L ERA G IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP 2017 27 PHI NL 0 1 11.57 1 2.1 4 3 3 2 0 3 1.714
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/9/2017.
Couple that with the fact that he gave up a pinch hit home run to an opposing relief pitcher and you have the perfect formula for the first LVP Award of the season.
Most Valuable Position Player
Odubel Herrera
El Torito is on fire out of the gates. The 25-year-old is hitting .389 with two extra-base hits, two runs batted in, a stolen base and five walks.
Herrera, much like Kendrick, is doing it all in the early goings of the season and his ridiculous .522 OBP for the week allowed him to edge out Kendrick for the first MVPP Award of the year.
Most Valuable Pitcher
Jerad Eickhoff
Although Eickhoff picked up the loss in his first outing of the season, it was still a rather impressive start.
The big right-hander tossed 6.2 innings, giving up two earned runs in the process. Eickhoff managed to strike out six batters, scattering five hits and only walking one.
Although Hellickson and Eickhoff were both deserving of the season’s first MVP Award, Eickhoff takes the edge based off BAA(.208), strikeouts(6) and the fact that he able to go deeper into the year’s first start.
Eickhoff will make his second start of the season Monday night against the New York Mets.