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Two Washington Nationals cracked the Top 10 in the MLB Network’s list of the Top 10 Right Now! at each position in the majors. Nationals’ second baseman Daniel Murphy was the third-best second baseman in baseball on this year’s list and Anthony Rendon came in 9th on the list of the top third basemen.
Murphy, who was in the running for NL MVP though he didn’t win, finished the first season of his 3-year/$37.5M deal with the Nationals with a .347/.390/.595 line, 47 doubles and 25 home runs, at a career-best 5.5 fWAR.
As the MLB Network broadcast noted, Murphy also finished 4th overall among all major league players with a career-best +156 Weighted Runs Created (wRC+), behind only the Reds’ Joey Votto (+158), Red Sox’ David Ortiz (+163) and the Angels’ Mike Trout (+171).
Not a bad introduction to the nation’s capital, for the 31-year-old, one-time New York Met, who finished behind only Robinson Cano and Jose Altuve on the MLB Network’s list of the Top 10 second basemen Right Now!
Murphy’s goals for the 2017 campaign? “Probably give away less at bats, is probably one of the things in my control,” Murphy told reporters this winter.
“From a numbers standpoint, I can’t really tell you because you’ve seen enough guys go out there and [hit] four bullets in a ballgame and have nothing to show for it, so the process is within my control and staying engaged for 162 games is within my control as well.”
MLB Network’s Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now!:
1. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
2. Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
3. Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals
4. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
5. Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers
6. Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
7. DJ LeMahieu, Colorado Rockies
8. Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins
9. Logan Forsythe, Tampa Bay Rays
10. Ben Zobrist, Chicago Cubs
Anthony Rendon, 26, bounced back from an injury-plagued 2015 campaign with a solid 2016 season which saw the 2011 1st Round pick put up a .270/.348/.450, 38 double, 20 home run season, finishing the year with 112 wRC+ and 4.7 fWAR.
Asked what allowed him to turn things around after a rough 2015 and a slow start this past season, Rendon admitted he wasn’t sure.
“I guess if I knew the answer to that, it wouldn't have just been the last 80 or 90 games, it would have been the whole 162,” he joked.
“I think just trying to stay within myself, trying not to do too much, and just trying to put the barrel on the ball like I've been taught ever since I was younger. I guess just staying within myself.”
MLB Network’s Top 10 Third Basemen Right Now!:
1. Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
2. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
3. Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles
4. Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies
5. Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers
6. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers
7. Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners
8. Jung Ho Kang, Pittsburgh Pirates
9. Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals
10. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays