Best MLB Performances to Start this Season

By Stephen Barston

The Major League Baseball season may have just gotten underway, but there are certain players who have begun on a hot streak (to say the least). Here’s my list of the top performances to start the baseball season, with some key stats as well.

**ALL STATS ARE AS OF MONDAY**

John Buck (Mets): Buck has been hitting at a torrid pace so far, coming out of nowhere this year. He is hitting 54 points above his career average (currently at .290). He also has 7 homeruns in 17 games, on pace to destroy last season’s total of 12 homeruns in 106 games. Buck has been one of the key reasons that the Mets are (surprisingly) above .500 and only 3.5 games behind the scorching Braves for first place in the NL East standings

Chris Davis (Orioles): Davis performed incredibly well last season, but amazingly enough, he might outdo himself this year. He is currently tied for second in the MLB with 21 RBIs and is only one back of the lead. Most surprisingly, though, is Davis’ incredible .403 batting average, second-highest for any player in the majors with more than 50 at-bats. The Orioles need production from all of their players in order to win the AL East, but Davis has single-handedly catapulted Baltimore into third in the standings, only 2 games behind the Red Sox for first.

Justin Upton (Braves): The Braves outfield looked to be a formidable force entering the year, but not many people felt like Justin Upton would be the star of the group. Upton has undoubtedly been the MVP of the short season thus far, always seeming to hit a bomb or drive in some runs when needed. He seems to be avenging his down year in 2012, batting .299 with 9 homers (league leader) and propelling the Braves into first place, as well as helping them attain the best record in the bigs.

Coco Crisp (PICTURED) (Athletics): For now, just ignore the fact that his name sounds like a delicious breakfast cereal. In all seriousness, Coco Crisp has been tearing it up so far for the A’s. Oakland is only a half-game out of first place in the AL West, mainly due to Crisp’s consistency at the plate and in the field. So far, he has 5 homers already and is batting a crisp (pardon the pun) .328. He is on pace to set new career highs in homeruns and RBIs and hasn’t made an error yet out in center field.

Photo Credit: codygoodwin.blogspot.com