The Cleveland Indians were predicted by Sports Illustrated to win the World Series. However, it doesn’t seem like that prediction is going to become reality, as the Tribe haven’t made that big push to get into the contention for the AL Central.
But don’t worry Indians fans, there is still hope on the horizon, because Jason Kipnis is determined to take this ball club to new heights.
Kipnis isn’t only the best player on the Indians, he might be the best player in baseball. That’s a bold statement to make considering players like Giancarlo Stanton, Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, and Todd Frazier are smashing home runs at an alarming rate, but Kipnis’s ability to hit the baseball is truly something special.
And he is putting himself in the discussion for the AL MVP award because of it. This season has been somewhat of a breakout for the Indians second baseman. Kipnis has put together an 18-game hitting streak, and is second in the league with 99 hits and a .354 batting average.
It has been a nice bounce-back campaign for Kipnis, as he suffered through injury for the better part of the 2014 season. Even when he was on the field, it was obvious that he wasn’t himself, as he batted a career low .240. But, it seems as if the All-Star has found his stroke, something Indians manager, Terry Francona, had a good sign of at the onset of the season.
“You know when you’re around guys as much as we are, and even talking to him over the winter and just the things he was saying to me, that’s how I felt,” Francona stated to the media, “He looks like he is playing with a vengeance. That’s probably the best word. That’s what it looks like.”
Kipnis is no doubt putting up All-Star numbers this season, but surprisingly he isn’t near the top of the AL fan voting for second basemen. This year’s AL All- Star game voting has proven that a change needs to be made. Omar Infante should not be the starting second baseman, and frankly Jose Altuve and Dustin Pedroia shouldn’t either. Fans might not have caught on to Jason Kipnis yet, but it’s about time they do.