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Each week I select someone as the Cleveland Indians' top player of the previous week. Then, because this is a dictatorship, but not a totalitarian one, I let you all have your say as well. Some weeks it's a no-brainer, while other weeks there are multiple guys with a strong case. (Occasionally there are weeks when no one has a strong case.)
Previous winners:
- April 6-12: Carlos Santana (my choice, and by a single vote, winner of the voting)
- April 13-19: Corey Kluber
- April 20-26: Brandon Moss (my choice), Michael Brantley (reader vote)
- April 27-May 3: Jason Kipnis (with 91% of the vote)
- May 4-10: Danny Salazar (my choice), Jason Kipnis (reader vote)
- May 11-17: Corey Kluber (my choice, and by a single vote, winner of the voting)
- May 18-24: Corey Kluber
- May 25-31: Jason Kipnis
- June 1-7: Brandon Moss
- June 8-14: Shaun Marcum
- June 15-21: Jason Kipnis
- June 22-28: Roberto Perez
- June 29-July 5: Carlos Carrasco (my choice), Cody Anderson (reader vote)
- July 6-12: Carlos Santana
- July 13-19: Michael Brantley
- July 20-26: Michael Brantley
- July 27-August 2: Lonnie Chisenhall
- August 3-9: Michael Brantley (my choice), Abraham Almonte (reader vote)
- August 10-16: Francisco Lindor
- August 17-23: Lonnie Chisenhall
- August 24-30: Francisco Lindor
- August 31-September 6: Cody Anderson (my choice), Josh Tomlin (reader vote)
- September 7-13: Francisco Lindor
It was an up and down (and up and down, and up and down, and up) week for the Indians, as they alternated wins and losses. There were quite a few guys who played well, including a player all of northern Ohio should be falling deeply in love with.
The Candidates
Lonnie Chisenhall
Chisenhall hit .353/.429/.647 in 21 PA last week, with a wRC+ of 187. He had three hits in Monday's victory, and drove in three runs. He was then quiet for much of the week (in large part due to starting only two of the next five games, instead coming in as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement later on), but hit a two-run homer on Sunday, and later added a double to score another run, giving him 7 RBI for the week. He continued to look good in right field as well.
Francisco Lindor
Lindor hit .393/.419/.714(!) in 32 PA last week, with a wRC+ 0f 205. He hit safely in six of the team's seven games, with 11 hits in total. He had three hits, including a home run, on Wednesday. Then he had three hits again, with another home run, on Friday. He is having the best rookie season the Indians have seen since Kenny Lofton.
Carlos Santana
Santana hit .292/.452/.500 in 31 PA last week, with a wRC+ of 169. He had 7 hits and 7 walks for the week, giving him a team-leading 14 times on base. He had a pair of doubles during the week, but his big moment came in Friday night's victory over the White Sox, when he broke the game open with a grand slam off Chris Sale.
Josh Tomlin
Tomlin pitched a complete games against the 1st place Royals on Tuesday, allowing only two runs on four base runners, with six strikeouts. Sunday against the White Sox, he last only 5.2 innings, but they were scoreless, and he recorded another eight strikeouts. For the week he pitches 14.2 innings with a 1.23 ERA. Since the All-Streak break, Tomlin leads all American League pitchers (min. 50 IP) with a 2.43 ERA.
The Verdict
It's tempting to go with Tomlin, but I can't bring myself to. Francisco Lindor keeps on being too good to overlook. (Hopefully AL Rookie of the Year voters see it the same way.)
Congratulations (AGAIN), Francisco!