The Diamondbacks traded for Chris Johnson about a week ago, and all he has done is hit for them. Johnson settled the third base carousel in Arizona and is making Kevin Towers look smart for dealing for him. Johnson went 2-5 with 2 HRs and 5 RBI last night. Since the deal, he is 10-29 with 5 HRs and 15 RBI. For the season, he is hitting .284-.333-.465 with 13 HRs, 41 runs and 56 RBI. He could flourish hitting the Chase Field, a park that is quite friendly to fly balls.
Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera is having a typical Miguel Cabrera season. Or is he? Cabrera went 2-4 with a HR and 3 RBI last night in the Tigers 6-5 win over the Yankees. Cabrera is now hitting .326-.386-.592 with 29 HRs, 29 doubles, 73 runs, 95 RBI and has thrown in 4 stolen bases to boot. He is having his best power season of his career, as he is on pace to hit 43 home runs and drive in 140 runs, well above his 38 HR, 126 RBI season in 2010.
i haven't written about Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis in quite awhile, and after looking at his monthly stats, now I know why. He started the season hitting for good power and stealing a ton of bases, as he had 11 HRs and 19 stolen bases through June 30th, but since then he has slumped. He hit just .250-.373-.321 with no home runs, 9 RBI and just 2 stolen bases in July, and is hitting just .125-.125-.167 in 7 August games. After going 0-1 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored, he is hitting .261-.336-.389 with 11 HRs, 60 runs, 57 RBI and 21 stolen bases. Solid across the board, but down from his pace at the end of June.
More Roundup after the jump:
Rangers starter Ryan Dempster bounced back after a rough first start in Texas to limit the Red Sox to 3 unearned runs on 6 hits, a walk and 6 strikeouts to win his first game of his American League career. I think Dempster was a good pick up for the Rangers before the deadline, but think they will need to deal for another starter, if possible, in August if they want to go far in the playoffs.
Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus is enjoying a solid power season hitting second in the Toronto lineup this season. Rasmus went 2-3 with a HR and an RBI last night, and is now hitting .251-.315-.469 with 20 HRs, 56 runs and 66 RBI this season. He is on pace for a 30 HR and 98 RBI season. Quite a surprise after his dismal 2011 season.
Phillies starter Cole Hamels just signed a very nice deal that will pay him $144 million over the next 6 years. He is getting paid for the ace that he is, and I think come December 2012, he will look at the contract that Zack Greinke signs and feel like he left a few million on the table. Hamels tossed a complete game shutout vs the Braves last night, giving up just 5 hits, walking none and striking out 6 to win his 12th game of the season. He is now 12-6 with a 3.14 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and an excellent 153-40 strikeout to walk ratio in 154.2 innings pitched.