Brian Dozier just hit a career high 32nd home run right now. He hit 28 all of last year.
He's hitting lead off on a bad Minnesota Twins lineup. He's a solid second baseman.

The guys on the MLB Network panel, especially Harold Reynolds, criticize Twins manager Paul Molitor for not hitting him 3rd or 4th in the lineup. But we've seen guys hit for a ton of home runs hitting lead off before. I think Brady Anderson, not a second baseman (outfielder), but he once hit 50 home runs in 1996 while leading off for the Baltimore Orioles. He was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs but I guess it's possible for a lead off hitter to go home run crazy.

It's just crazy seeing some smaller dudes swinging a big stick. Brian Dozier is actually listed at 5'11 and 195 but he looks a lot smaller than that. Rougned Odor is another small dude and second baseman that is 5'11 and 195. Although I'd debate that as well when FSSW field reporter Emily Jones towers over him by a couple inches during post-game interviews on the field. And little man Odor has hit a career high 27 home runs this season. Hit a couple more today after his big game-winning blast last night.

Dozier may hit 40 home runs and Odor may hit 35 home runs this year. That's just mind-boggling and crazy!

But by comparison, both of those small guys are giants compared to 5'6 and 165 Jose Altuve, who is having an MVP caliber season and hitting a career high 22 home runs himself so far this year. He will also have over 100 RBIs and an OPS close to 1.000. He has been top three in WAR all year long.

I've never seen so many small second baseman putting up major power numbers like this.
So many special second baseman that you could legitimately hit #3 or #4 in a lineup.

It used to be, not too long ago, when Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia (2008 AL MVP) and Chase Utley for that matter, were elite and nobody else was close. Now you have half the teams in the league featuring a solid second baseman. Even going back a little before that when guys like Jeff Kent were considered "the elite power hitter" among all second baseman.

I often wonder what if Hall of Famer Craig Biggio played second base in this era? Would he even be considered in the top three? Making as many all-star teams as he did, along with winning his fair share of gold gloves and silver slugger awards? He'd be getting overlooked by these new wave of elite second baseman.

Second base is now becoming a premium power-hitting, run-producing position.
Back in the day if a guy hit for .270+ with 15 home runs and 60 RBI's at second base you called that really good and special.

TL:DR - Sorry for my ramble but my mind is completely blown.
If Jose Altuve can win the 2016 AL MVP that would be incredible as well.
Sadly, I don't think he has a chance. A lot of the voters from the East Coast and up in Canada will vote for Mookie Betts and Josh Donaldson.

This post was edited by Madmartigan on Aug 31 2016 08:15pm

Tl:dr

But no he hasn't been good

Brian Dozier has been plenty good to me judging by his numbers this season.
Maybe by today's standards he isn't good. He'd be praised if he played a few decades ago.

And Rougned Odor, jeez, that guy is on fire right now.
I hope the Astros pitch around him Friday through Sunday.
We have to sweep or win two out of three at Arlington to stay near the wild-card leaders.

The Texas Rangers own us, plain and simple, at that stadium.
Three teams we can't seem to beat: Rangers, Blue Jays and Tigers.

Our next 10 games: 3 at Rangers, 4 at Indians, 3 vs. Cubs.
If we can make it through this brutal schedule still alive in the wild-card race I'll be surprised.

I'm all amazed and star struck what Jose Altuve is doing this year, and then you look around the game, in both leagues.
And you see several other amazing second baseman. I'm starting to think Altuve isn't special anymore.

This post was edited by Madmartigan on Aug 31 2016 08:56pm

Oh Ryan ..

We missed you during your religious rebirth

Welcome back