Making the Grade: Ranking Right Fielders in the AL Central
By Cody Norman
No. 3: Brandon Moss, Cleveland Indians
Apr 26, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Cleveland Indians right fielder
Brandon Moss(44) hits an RBI single in the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Moss has shown signs of being both really good and very, very bad over his eight-year major league career.
When he’s hot, like he was on Friday night in Detroit, Moss has the ability to hit the ball a long way – 771 total feet for two home runs – and drive in runs like nobody’s business. But when he’s bad, Moss is as close to an automatic out as there is in the game.
Prior to Friday’s coming out party, Moss was 6-for-37 (.162) on the season with all 17 of his strikeouts coming in his first 34 at-bats. He has an aggressive approach at the plate, which accounts for his 76 home runs over the last three seasons in Oakland, but he racks up strikeouts at a rate similar to Adam Dunn.
Moss was an All-Star with the Athletics last season, as he hit .258 and clubbed 21 home runs prior to the break. Now 16 games and 51 at-bats into his season, Moss boasts a .216/.305/.471 triple-slash line. He is tied for the team-high in home runs (3) and RBIs (11) with slugger Carlos Santana, and his .305 on-base percentage ranks second among qualified players for the Tribe.
Still, it’s a long story of inconsistency for the veteran left-hander.
As well as he played before the break last season, Moss was equally bad – if not worse – in the final two-and-a-half months. Much like Lonnie Chisenhall, Moss saw his second-half average plummet to .173 as he dealt with a hip injury – which he had offseason surgery on – and mustered just four home runs.
When he’s good, Moss belongs at the top of this list. But when he’s bad, he could very well find himself at the bottom. With that in mind, he’ll settle in right in the middle of the pack of right fielders in the AL Central.
Next: No. 2