Even with all the criticism Alex Rodriguez has received from the media and the fans, no one could doubt that the two-time MVP was incapable of putting together a torrid run to start the 2007 campaign. After hitting a three-run, walkoff home run in yesterday's 8-6 come-from-behind victory over the Cleveland Indians, Rodriguez leads the American League with 10 home runs and 26 RBI and, perhaps most remarkably, earned yet another curtain call from the Yankee Stadium faithful.
Right behind Rodriguez in the home run and RBI races is another surprising name: Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, who, with a salary of $390,708, is making less than 1.5 percent of what the New York Yankees third baseman will earn this year. Heading into last night's action, Kinsler is second in the American League with seven home runs and 13 RBI.
Even during spring training, there were signs that Kinsler would enjoy a breakout season in 2007, posting a .411 average with three home runs and a team-leading 17 RBI in 19 games. But battling a stomach flu, Kinsler actually started off the season in a 2-18 slump through the team's first five games. After a 4-4 performance against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on April 9, he turned his season around, however. That game marked the beginning of a week that saw the second-year pro go 10-21 with four home runs, eight RBI, and a 1.095 slugging percentage en route to earning American League Player of the Week honors.
Interestingly, Kinsler has done his damage hitting in the bottom third of the Texas lineup. In seven of the team's first 10 games, Kinsler batted in the No. 9 spot and has hit higher than sixth only twice this season. He moved up to second in the Rangers' batting order on Wednesday and might stay there for the foreseeable future.
In addition, Kinsler has started out hot despite playing a road series against both the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Seattle Mariners, both of whose home ballparks are notoriously pitcher-friendly. Kinsler has hit as many home runs at Texas' Ameriquest Field - the fifth easiest park in the American League in which to hit a home run last year - as he has at Angel Stadium and Safeco Field.
This year marks the second-straight season Kinsler has started off scalding. During his rookie year in 2006, when he took over second base duties after the Rangers traded Alfonso Soriano to the Washington Nationals, Kinsler sported a .476 batting average and a .577 on-base percentage through April 11 before he dislocated his left thumb and went on the disabled list until May 25. He cooled off considerably after his return, finishing seventh in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting after posting a .286 average with 14 home runs and 55 RBI during the 2006 campaign.
This year, however, Kinsler's start means even more to the Rangers, whose offense has struggled mightily through the team's first 14 games. Texas was no-hit by Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle on Wednesday night, dropping its team batting average to an abysmal .221, 13th in the American League. Texas' three through six hitters, Michael Young, Mark Teixeira, Sammy Sosa and Hank Blalock are all batting under .250. The foursome has combined for five home runs this season, two fewer than Kinsler has hit on his own. Meanwhile, with 13 RBI, Kinsler has driven in 19.7 percent of the team's total runs scored this year.
Kinsler has also distinguished himself on defense as a solid second baseman. Even though he made the most errors and posted the worst fielding percentage of all regular American League second basemen last season, Kinsler had the highest range factor, a statistic renowned sabermatrician Bill James developed to measure the number of plays - namely assists and putouts - a fielder successfully makes during a game. Kinsler leads AL second basemen in range factor again this year and has committed only one error in 75 chances heading into last night's play.
