Triple Crown Watch

By Craig CalcaterraOct 2, 2012, 8:22 AM EDT
31 Comments

The latest on Miguel Cabrera’s chase for the Triple Crown:

Batting Leaders

1. Miguel Cabrera   .329
2. Mike Trout   .325
3. Joe Mauer   .322
Home Run Leaders

1. Miguel Cabrera  44
2. Josh Hamilton  43
3. Edwin Encarnacion  42

RBI Leaders

1. Miguel Cabrera  137
2. Josh Hamilton  127

Among those leaders, the only player on a team with something left to play for is Hamilton, whose Rangers are trying to fend off the A’s for the AL West.  In light of that, one question worth asking is whether Jim Leyland give Cabrera a day off either today or tomorrow?

If the Triple Crown wasn’t on the line it would seem like a no-brainer — rest the horse you rode to get here — but with such a slim lead in the home run chase and Hamilton’s ability to hit them in bunches, who knows?  Of course a day off could theoretically help him in the batting average race. Though after a 4 for 5 day, he is kinda hot.

Oh well. Something to watch for if you don’t care about the A’s-Rangers or the Cardinals-Dodgers.

Cubs acquire Martín Maldonado from the Royals

Getty Images
By Craig CalcaterraJul 16, 2019, 6:38 AM EDT
3 Comments

Last night Cubs catcher Willson Contreras was placed on the injured list with a strained muscle in his right foot. That injury inspired the Cubs to go out and get another catcher. They acquired Martín Maldonado in a trade with Kansas City in exchange for lefty Mike Montgomery, in a deal that was announced after the Cubs loss to the Reds.

Maldonado, 32, was a Gold Glove winner in 2017 with the Angels. At the moment he’s hitting .227 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 74 games. Obviously, though, defense is his calling card, as he’s a .220 career hitter with 57 homers and 210 RBIs in 686 games.

Montgomery, 30, is 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Cubs this year. He’s heading back to where his pro career began. He was drafted by Kanas City in 2008, though he was traded away in the James Shields/Wade David/Wil Myers deal in 2012. He made his big league debut for Seattle in 2015. Dayton Moore said last night that the Royals plan to use Montgomery in the rotation as a replacement for Homer Bailey, who was dealt to Oakland on Sunday.