<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">José Altuve (<a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@astros</a>): batting .418 on the road this season, 50 points higher than the next-closest player <a href="https://t.co/F8MttdoCAJ">pic.twitter.com/F8MttdoCAJ</a></p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/759512708932710400">July 30, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
[rquoter]ALTUVE JOINS THE SHORT LIST Life is too short. But apparently, you can't say that about Jose Altuve. He may stand a mere 5 feet, 6 inches tall, officially speaking. But he's doing things that only the big boys are supposed to do. Let's start with this: He looks like a popular choice at the moment to win the AL MVP award, those Mike Trout WAR numbers above notwithstanding. And perhaps you're asking yourself: "Hey, self. Has anybody that short ever won an MVP trophy before?" Well, we're stuck with using official heights. So unless you can sneak up behind Dustin Pedroia with a tape measure, he's still 5-foot-7, according to the powers that be. Which means that only one player as short as Altuve has ever been an MVP before. And no, we're not talking about Rafael Belliard. It's the legendary 5-foot-6 Phil Rizzuto, who was the AL MVP in 1950, in much simpler times. (By which I mean Ted Williams had an OPS 244 points higher than Rizzuto but finished 21st. Because it was 1950.) Back to Altuve, however. What makes him such a compelling MVP candidate? Oh, lots of stuff. But for starters, here's a "short" selection of other potential Jose Altuve feats: Could lead his league in stolen bases and slugging (currently 2nd in each). Last guy to do that: Willie Mays, in 1957. Could lead his league in this nearly impossible daily double -- slugging and singles. The only player to do that since Ty Cobb retired: Stan Musial, in 1946. Could lead his league in all three of those categories -- slugging, singles and steals. The only man ever to do that: Cobb (in 1907, '09 and '11). There's lots more, naturally. But you get the idea. Jose Altuve: way more fun than your average trade rumor.[/rquoter]
It would take Ortiz getting hurt and being out the rest of the season for him to pass him in slugging.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jose Altuve's .361 BA leads <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLB?src=hash">#MLB</a> by 14 points. He's second to David Ortiz in OPS (.998) and first in OBP (.427). MVP numbers on Aug. 10.</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/status/763374043424620544">August 10, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
approaching 1000 hits and about to pass up Kevin Bass http://houston.astros.mlb.com/stats...ing&league_code='MLB'&page=1&ts=1470849205960
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> Jose Altuve could go 0-for-61 and still lead the American League in hitting as the batting title race stands now.</p>— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/theaceofspaeder/status/763207489085116416">August 10, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> Jose Altuve could for 0-for-90 over his next 90 at-bats and he would still have a .300 batting average.</p>— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/theaceofspaeder/status/763207695679811584">August 10, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If Altuve continues hitting at the same rate for his career and plays as many games as Pete Rose did, he'll end up with over 4500 hits. Derek Jeter would have had just under 4500. Ty Cobb would have had over 4900 hits and somehow Pete Rose has the "hit king" title.
It's not easy to play until you're 45. Pete Rose hit .325 when he was 40. Interestingly, Rose had a career OPS below .800 because he rarely homered. In fact, Rose peaked at 16. Similarly, Tony Gwynn peaked at 17. That puts in context how ridiculous Altuve's power this year has been.
Who is the shortest player to lead the league in OPS? Why does mike trout have a higher WAR than altuve. Altuve's offense is better. Trout hasn't been great defensively.
I still cannot believe that the Managers voted Altuve the best baserunner in the AL. http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/major-league-best-tools/#hKCmuIq7ASZ0r10Q.97
some of his numbers you have to go back to when players were wearing lambswool uniforms and banging greta garbo. If he keeps it up, it's difficult to see another player in the AL take the mvp other than for the reason..."he doesn't play in boston". he also already has the gold glove reputation.
Tuve's the opposite of Jeff Bagwell. Great speed but not a knowledgable baserunner. Bagpipes was one of the smoothest base runners I've ever seen.
Altuve went fishing once off the rainbow bridge, caught a Trout, but then surprised everyone when he threw it back to the depths below on account of the fact that the dead grandma he used as a lure was still sweating like a jar of pickles in the hot texas sun. The Trout swam away. Altuve went on to win MVP. And that was that.
