ASG MVP

After jump-starting the American League offense with a game-tying two-run homer, Giancarlo Stanton was named the MVP of last night's All Star Game.  The choice came down to the Yankees right fielder/DH or the Twins' Byron Buxton, who followed Stanton's blast with one of his own. That 3-2 victory at Dodger Stadium made it nine straight for the "junior circuit."

Seen here on a chilly April night in 2018, Stanton became just the third Yankee in 60 years to win ASG MVP honors -- the award wasn't established until 1962, thus denying Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle in his prime a chance to be so honored. So the L.A. native, who enjoyed recalling boyhood visits to Dodger Stadium, where he sat in the same pavilion in which he planted his home run, joins Hall of Famer Yankees Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter in that select circle.

As the season begins its second half, based on being named ASG MVP, can we predict that Stanton will do from now through the first week of October?

Let's look some of the players who recently took home that trophy:

  • Vladimir Guerrero, Jr: hitting .335 before the All Star break, batted .284 the rest of the way with 18 homers, 34 RBI and an .878 OPS as the Blue Jays missed the final AL Wild Card by one game.
  • Alex Bregman picked up right where he'd left off: hitting the break at .288, he hit .283 the rest of the way... with 11 homers, 39 RBIs and a .922 OPS in the final 60 games. The Astros repeated as AL West champs but lost to the Red Sox in the ALCS.
  • Robinson Cano kept hitting for average; but after 17 first half homers, he hit just six (with an OPS of .765) as his Mariners hovered around the .500 mark (they finished 78-84) and fell shy of the post-season.
  • Eric Hosmer slipped from .299 at the break, batting just .225 the rest of the way as the defending champion Royals never found their 2014 or '15 high gear and wound up with 81 wins, 13-1/2 games back of the division champion Indians.
Does our crystal ball assure Yankee fans that Stanton will keep up the hot pace? Or his continued good health, even as he plays the outfield more often than anytime since his Miami heyday? Not. A.  Bit.

Armed with a 13 game AL East lead, the Yankees are a virtual lock for the post-season, especially with three Wild Card teams this year. The Red Sox, Rays or Blue Jays might have visions of the '78 Yankees or '51 Giants in their heads as they prepare for the schedule to resume, but the exhilaration of an old time "win or go home" pennant chase is eliminated in today's world.

Still, Stanton and the Yankees -- who have not made the World Series since 2009 -- have work to do, to satisfy the fans and front office.


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