#MCM- Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals
@Hoover__26 May 16
In order to successfully win baseball games, pretty much every position on the field has to contribute. From the pitcher and catcher, to the infield and outfield, and all the way to guys like pinch hitters and even bench coaches, there isn’t a single spot that’s not important. However, besides the backstop, first base may be the most thankless and underrated position on the field. Every single time anything happens in the infield (and sometimes outfield), the first baseman is probably involved. And, unlike other positions where the occasional error is bound to happen, the first baseman is unrealistically expected to make every play. Plus, the first baseman is also expected to be an insane power hitter, which stems from the size of many first basemen (of the countless skills that it takes to flawlessly play the corner, foot speed is usually not one of them).
Eric Hosmer, this week’s #MCM, is considerably more than all of that. 6’4” and unbelievably skilled, Hosmer doesn’t look or play much like the prototypical first basemen (Hosmer weighs 225lbs, and according to businessinsider.com, an MLB first baseman of his height would be considerably closer to the 250lb mark on average). But, Hosmer has used his elite fielding skills to pioneer a new type of first baseman, one that averages 18 home runs per 162 games but still manages to be one of the undisputed best at his position.
Hosmer has won three consecutive Gold Gloves for the defending champion Kansas City Royals, but has been giving his team amazing production since his rookie year (in which he came in third in ROY voting). He is also 11th on the active list of assists at first base, making him the youngest in the top 15 (baseball-reference.com). However, Hosmer isn’t just an invaluable player on the baseball diamond. He is also one of the top dogs in the world of fantasy baseball. He is in the top 50 in total fantasy points scored for batters (espn.com), and provides pretty much every stat you could ask from a guy at his position (and even a few you wouldn’t ask for, he’s stolen three bases on the year to go along with his .336 average and 6 homers).
This week’s #MCM is one of my favorite players not only on the Royals, but in the entire MLB. And, with all the ways he contributes to his team as well as yours, I’m sure you can see why.
Eric Hosmer, this week’s #MCM, is considerably more than all of that. 6’4” and unbelievably skilled, Hosmer doesn’t look or play much like the prototypical first basemen (Hosmer weighs 225lbs, and according to businessinsider.com, an MLB first baseman of his height would be considerably closer to the 250lb mark on average). But, Hosmer has used his elite fielding skills to pioneer a new type of first baseman, one that averages 18 home runs per 162 games but still manages to be one of the undisputed best at his position.
Hosmer has won three consecutive Gold Gloves for the defending champion Kansas City Royals, but has been giving his team amazing production since his rookie year (in which he came in third in ROY voting). He is also 11th on the active list of assists at first base, making him the youngest in the top 15 (baseball-reference.com). However, Hosmer isn’t just an invaluable player on the baseball diamond. He is also one of the top dogs in the world of fantasy baseball. He is in the top 50 in total fantasy points scored for batters (espn.com), and provides pretty much every stat you could ask from a guy at his position (and even a few you wouldn’t ask for, he’s stolen three bases on the year to go along with his .336 average and 6 homers).
This week’s #MCM is one of my favorite players not only on the Royals, but in the entire MLB. And, with all the ways he contributes to his team as well as yours, I’m sure you can see why.