Many are giving credit for the successful seasons of Baltimore Orioles OF Nelson Cruz and San Francisco Giants OF Michael Morse. All of it is deserved because numbers never lie. If the season ended today, Cruz would be a lock for the AL MVP award. He is currently hitting a career high .303, while leading the AL in HRs (21), RBI (55), SLG (.622), OPS (.996), OPS+ (172) and total bases (150). Signed by the Orioles to a 1 year, $8 million contract, Cruz is using this season to get himself the multiyear contract he wanted this offseason. Of course, Cruz ended up losing out in free agency due to his 2013 suspension for violation of baseball's drug treatment and prevention program.
Morse, on the other hand, is following up what I feel was one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory with a remarkable comeback season of his own. In 2013, he was traded from the Washington Nationals to the Seattle Mariners in a three way deal to add a little power to the middle of the Mariners batting order. Morse, who hit 31 HR in 2011 for the Nationals and was the team's starting LF when they made the postseason in 2012, had a very disappointing season in 2013. For the Mariners, he hit just .226, 13, 27 in 76 games. What was worse was the fact that he OPSed .693 in Seattle (his career OPS was .893). He was traded to the Orioles but he managed just 3 hits in 29 ABs, none for extra bases. That brought his season average down to .215 and his OPS down to .651 for the season.
Morse has already passed his RBI total from 2013 with his 42. He has 13 HR, his total from 2013. It is safe to say Morse is back, as he has established himself as the Giants missing bat for a team that is in 1st place in the NL West division. In fact, Morse, to this point, is sitting higher than his career averages in batting (.287-.282), OBP (.337-.335), SLG (.547-.481) and OPS (.885-.816).
Morse is certainly on track to meet his 2011 season where he broke out with the Nationals. He hit .303, 31, 95 with 36 2Bs while playing in a career high 146 games and OPSing .910. If he stays on the field and continues to hit like this, he should have a season similar to 2011.
The question I may be asked is why I am lumping Morse in the same conversation with Cruz. What many people do not know if that Morse was one of the first players suspended for the league's new substance abuse policy in 2005. He was an infielder in the Mariners organization and was suspended for 10 games under the policy. "But John... thats nine years ago," is what some may say, but it is a fair statement to make if you want to say he has still dabbled in PEDs. If you have heard my show, "The Passed Ball Show," you know I am not the biggest anti-steroid guy. It is mostly because I just do not feel we can ever figure out which players used and which ones did not. I refuse to judge a player based on his size and physique and make assumptions without proof. However, I think teams have been burned by players who have used PEDs to get big contracts and stopped using after they get paid. To me, that is the biggest disgrace. It should constitute fraud. But unfortunately there is no way to prove whether a player that was using stopped just after they signed their more lucrative deal.
If there are no failed drug tests though, it is here say and an opinion that cannot be proven. Either way, there has to be doubts over either player based on their performances this season. Maybe they are clean, or maybe they will continue on their path with their new 2015 team after they sign the more lucrative contact. All I suggest is that the signing team beware of could happen if either of these players are using to simply get a new contract. Cause once they get paid, the numbers no longer matter.
Morse, on the other hand, is following up what I feel was one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory with a remarkable comeback season of his own. In 2013, he was traded from the Washington Nationals to the Seattle Mariners in a three way deal to add a little power to the middle of the Mariners batting order. Morse, who hit 31 HR in 2011 for the Nationals and was the team's starting LF when they made the postseason in 2012, had a very disappointing season in 2013. For the Mariners, he hit just .226, 13, 27 in 76 games. What was worse was the fact that he OPSed .693 in Seattle (his career OPS was .893). He was traded to the Orioles but he managed just 3 hits in 29 ABs, none for extra bases. That brought his season average down to .215 and his OPS down to .651 for the season.
Morse has already passed his RBI total from 2013 with his 42. He has 13 HR, his total from 2013. It is safe to say Morse is back, as he has established himself as the Giants missing bat for a team that is in 1st place in the NL West division. In fact, Morse, to this point, is sitting higher than his career averages in batting (.287-.282), OBP (.337-.335), SLG (.547-.481) and OPS (.885-.816).
Morse is certainly on track to meet his 2011 season where he broke out with the Nationals. He hit .303, 31, 95 with 36 2Bs while playing in a career high 146 games and OPSing .910. If he stays on the field and continues to hit like this, he should have a season similar to 2011.
The question I may be asked is why I am lumping Morse in the same conversation with Cruz. What many people do not know if that Morse was one of the first players suspended for the league's new substance abuse policy in 2005. He was an infielder in the Mariners organization and was suspended for 10 games under the policy. "But John... thats nine years ago," is what some may say, but it is a fair statement to make if you want to say he has still dabbled in PEDs. If you have heard my show, "The Passed Ball Show," you know I am not the biggest anti-steroid guy. It is mostly because I just do not feel we can ever figure out which players used and which ones did not. I refuse to judge a player based on his size and physique and make assumptions without proof. However, I think teams have been burned by players who have used PEDs to get big contracts and stopped using after they get paid. To me, that is the biggest disgrace. It should constitute fraud. But unfortunately there is no way to prove whether a player that was using stopped just after they signed their more lucrative deal.
If there are no failed drug tests though, it is here say and an opinion that cannot be proven. Either way, there has to be doubts over either player based on their performances this season. Maybe they are clean, or maybe they will continue on their path with their new 2015 team after they sign the more lucrative contact. All I suggest is that the signing team beware of could happen if either of these players are using to simply get a new contract. Cause once they get paid, the numbers no longer matter.
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