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Indians Player of the Week: Dickerson, Gomes, Kipnis, or Kluber?

Who was the Tribe's top player in the abbreviated week of action?

By Jason Lukehart
Duane Burleson



It's time for our weekly look at the Indians' top players of the last seven days, in which one man is chosen as better than the rest. Be sure to vote for you choice in the poll included at the bottom.

Previous winners:

  • March 31-April 6: L.Chisenhall
  • April 7-13: D.Murphy
  • April 14-20: M.Brantley
  • April 21-27: C.Kluber
  • April 28-May 4: C.Santana
  • May 5-11: M.Brantley (editorial pick), J.Tomlin (reader vote)
  • May 12-18: D.Murphy
  • May 19-25: L.Chisenhall (editorial pick), C.Kluber (reader vote)
  • May 26-June 1: T.House (editorial pick), C.Kluber (reader vote)
  • June 2-8: J.Masterson (editorial pick), L.Chisenhall (reader vote)
  • June 9-15: M.Brantley
  • June 16-22: C.Santana
  • June 23-29: J.Tomlin
  • June 30-July 6: C.Kluber
  • July 7-13: T.Bauer

    • The Candidates

    I think this week (well, weekend anyway) is one of the toughest calls of the season, and I expect we'll see a fairly divided vote.

    Chris Dickerson

    Dickerson hit .286/.375/1.143 last week. He reserved a warm place in the memory of Tribe fans by hitting two home runs against Detroit's Max Scherzer Saturday night. Those were his only two hits of the week, and he had only eight total plate appearances, but if you're only having to have two hits, his pair were pretty darn good.

    Yan Gomes

    Gomes had only 11 plate appearances last week, but he made them counting, batting .600/.636/1.100. He singled and had two doubles in Saturday's first game, and scored a run all three times. On Sunday he doubled and homered, providing the Tribe's only real offense that day.

    Jason Kipnis

    Two days after I wondered if we should be worried, Kipnis hit two home runs in the series opener against Detroit, driving in a total of 4 runs in the 9-3 win. During Saturday's doubleheader Kipnis reached base safely another five times, with 2 hits and 3 walks, and he walked and singled again on Sunday, giving him 6 RBI and a line of .333/.474/.733 for the series.

    Corey Kluber

    Kluber returned from the All-Star break he didn't deserve and picked up where he left off, with a great performance in Saturday afternoon's game. He struck out 10 (his fifth 10+ K game of the season) while allowing just 2 runs in 8.2 innings, just missing out on a complete game.

    The Winner

    Dickerson and Gomes both hit well, but Kipnis had as many plate appearances as the two of them combined, and I think if you go with a position player, Jason is the right answer (though, Michael Brantley had 7 hits over the weekend and if you want to give him credit for playing in the All-Star Game, I'd allow it).

    I think it comes down to how you weight Kipnis' performance against Kluber's game. Kluber's innings and strikeouts Saturday were awesome, but giving up two runs in a game is good, not incredible, whereas average a home run every game and posting an OPS like Kipnis' would make someone a hands down MVP winner.

    It's close, and maybe I'm being somewhat swayed by it representing a breakout weekend of sorts for Kip, but he's my choice.

    Congratulations, Jason!

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