TRABAJO EN EQUIPO / TEAMWORK
Returning to write about the best baseball in the world (MLB) we focus our eyes on two teams that are really having a good season so far, a very compact 2023 campaign and teamwork that is reflected in the division to which they belong, the Atlanta Braves since the beginning of this fair, have been the favorites and have shown it on the field with their excellent contribution of each of its players, Not so the Baltimore Orioles whose favoritism was not such from the beginning, but the good baseball they have played up to this moment, keeps them very close to the first place in the ''east'' of the American League, only behind the imposing Tampa Rays, with a distance of only 3 games that is not difficult to reach.
DONDE CORRESPONDE / WHERE APPLICABLE
There are not many words to describe this organization of the Atlanta Braves, excellence, could be one of them, that over the years, and since I can remember, have been a winning franchise, with an excellent group of players always in this 2023, are again dominating their sector in the league, and just see their continuity in their game day after day, which do nothing but confirm that this season again, will be the divisional champions against the New York Mets who have been very incostantes.
I must confess that I am a faithful follower of the New York Mets, but I also recognize that it will be difficult for them to overcome this Georgia ninth, although there is still a long season ahead, they are very consistent, and each of their players makes a daily contribution to their team, this being very important in a 162-game season, and that they will distribute very good the loads once again, not falling all the weight on one player and will arrive once again in October, I have no doubt about it as a winning team and very compact.
JUGADOR MÁS VALIOSO / MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
While in the Atlanta Braves team does not always excel a specific player, we can not pass by here without talking about the Venezuelan Ronald Acuña, the talent of this player from the land of Simon Bolivar is more than evident, after his injury in one of his legs two seasons ago, his performance was a little in doubt last season, but what this man is doing in this 2023, is being something that if he continues like this, he will undoubtedly become the most valuable player in the National League, something that has not happened for Atlanta since the 2020 season when Freddie Freeman was also the most valuable player in the National League.
Perhaps everyone remembers Freeman as the most valuable player on this Braves team, but for those of us who have seen more than two decades of baseball, the performance of this Venezuelan player reminds me a lot of the impact that Chipper Jones had in 1999, where he was also MVP, keeping the distances and in totally different times in the same way, the 44 runs scored, the 62 hits, his 18 stolen bases, an OPS of 1. 031, a total of 108 bases reached and a BWAR of 3.0 all these records as leader in his league and the last 2 of all MLB, this performance for Acuña, is simply as a famous character of Hispanic music would say: ''Criminal''.
Ronald Acuña 2023 Stats
Ronald Acuña 2023 top ranking
SE HAN MANTENIDO / HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED
For the vast majority of the faithful followers of the major leagues, they did not give much chance to the Baltimore Orioles, with an excellent second place in the ''east'' of the American League, the Maryland ninth is having a performance that reminds me a lot of the Orioles of the 90's when they were several times fighting in divisional series and championships in the young circuit, The reason for their great performance in this 2023 is largely due to Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins who have carried this team despite being in the most complicated division in the major leagues, not only this season but throughout the history of this game in the United States.
Their good play since the beginning of this season so far, which has been corroborated in the last few days by facing their own division rivals, sweeping the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and splitting honors in New York against the Yankees in the first two games of this series, are signs that they mean business, with a pitching staff of both relievers and starters, the Baltimore Orioles are a ninth team that I would venture to say will advance to the postseason over the Yankees and Blue Jays, based on their performances over the past 2 months it would not be so far-fetched to think so; MLB will continue its action with this humble servant for a while longer, see you soon.