Washington Nationals 3rd baseman Anthony Rendon will not win any national hardware this year. But, he is DC’s most valuable player.
Without question, the Washington Nationals most valuable player for 2017 is Anthony Rendon.
Although the baseball writers in charge of voting for the big awards will vote elsewhere for the National League MVP, Rendon’s consistency in all aspects gives him the nod in DC.
This takes nothing away from the incredible years posted by Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper, Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and others. Rendon’s abilities on both sides of the ball boosted Washington night after night.
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His abilities to take pitches, driving up pitch counts, along with his top-notch defense at third are part of the full package. Rendon’s slash line of .301/.403/.533 helps too. All career highs, his OPS of .937 translates to an OPS+ of 140. Only Harper’s 157 was higher for an everyday player.
Overlooked because of Harper and Scherzer in Washington and Nolan Arenado at third in Colorado, Rendon flies under the radar. His Offensive WAR of 5.2 this year ranks fifth in the NL. He stroked 41 doubles, good for fourth, while drawing 84 walks. Eighth-best in the NL and two more than his strikeout total. In the playoffs, he drew five walks to one whiff.
With the glove, Rendon is a genius.
His .979 fielding percentage topped NL third baseman. For the advanced stat guru’s, Rendon’s 13 Total Zone Runs led the league.
From his 10-RBI masterpiece against the New York Mets on April 30 to six RBI afternoon in Cincinnati after the All-Star break, Rendon remained an offensive threat all year. Playing in 87 of Washington’s winning games, he slashed .350/.450/.634. A total of 31 doubles, 19 home runs and 79 RBI.
What strikes you most as you watch Rendon is he comes across as unassuming. His favorite player is Trea Turner. He shrugs off the spotlight. If playing in Arenado’s shadow bothers him, we will never know. He loves the game, not the stardom.
For everyone who enjoys working on as a team, Rendon is the role model. Not that Harper or Scherzer are arrogant, but they thrive under pressure. Rendon strikes you as the kid happy to get an ice cream cone or pizza after a game.
Behind his well-centered personality lies a player with superstar ability. He can beat you with his bat and glove. Rendon’s batting eye is among the best in the business. Because he deflects the credit does not mean we should.
Next: Scherzer worthy of 3rd Cy
Rendon is the equal of Kris Bryant in Chicago and close to Arenado in Denver as a third baseman. He is the real deal and worthy of the 2017 Nats MVP.