Week 21: Byron Buxton

Byron Buxton was the first-runner up for my MLBoyfriend last week. He certainly caught my attention when rounded the bases in just 13.85 and scored the fastest inside the park home run on record on August 18.



Buxton went from runner-up to MLBoyfriend last week when he put up some amazing numbers. He had a .333 batting average, a 1.161 OPS with two stolen bases, nine runs, tens RBIs, and five home runs.

Three of those home runs came in one game on Sunday, August 27.



Buxton has had his ups and downs at the plate this season, but he has been solid in the outfield. Home runs are exciting and certainly help win games, but great catches are just as fun to watch and they help keep from losing games.

Week 20: Josh Donaldson

Thank goodness Josh Donaldson has finally become MLBoyfriend material this season. He was a regular feature here last season--winning the title in week twelve and then again during the American League Division Series making him my first ever repeat MLBoyfriend. I was fully expecting to select Donaldson at least once this year especially when he showed up at spring training looking like a George Micheal tribute artist and stealing my heart anew.

Josh Donaldson has gotta have faith, faith, faith.

Then, Donaldson spent the better part of April and May on the DL. It took him some time to return to form when he returned to the game. At the end of June, he admitted that, given his numbers for the season, he was not worthy of being selected for the All-Star Game. Things got worse for him on July 1st, when he struck out four times in one game and had to wear a golden sombrero in Toronto on Canada Day. It was a bad omen for the rest of the month.

The rare picture of a sad Josh Donaldson

Like a phoenix from the ashes, Josh Donaldson has emerged in August to put up some very respectable numbers.

Last week, Donaldson earned the title of my MLBoyfriend with a .375 batting average and 1.417 OPS with four home runs, six runs and seven RBIs.

Week 19: Brian Dozier

MEA CULPA.

I benched Brian Dozier on my fantasy team on Tuesday, August 8. Then, this happened:

Dozier hit the first grand slam of his career. I did immediately tweet my regret.

Of course I benched @BrianDozier on my #FantasyBaseball team tonight. I am the worst pretend sports manager ever. @Twins @fsnorth

— Koko Hogan (@Koko_Hogan) August 9, 2017

I am also naming Brian Dozier my MLBoyfriend of the week and not just because of his grand slam or my terrible oversight. He had great week. The grand slam was just one of his three home runs during the week. He had a .382 batting average, a 1.152 OPS with nine runs, nine RBIs and a stolen base.

Dozier's very good week certainly helps make the that he is the Minnesota Twins MVP. Last week, he was also rated the 5th most valuable fantasy player by ESPN's (admittedly flawed) "Player Rater".

Week 18: Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels put up some very strong numbers in his two outings last week--both of which were Quality Starts. In fifteen full innings pitched, he had a 1.80 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. To be honest, Hamels first game of the week on Monday, July 31, was not so great. He did strike out seven batters, but gave up three earned runs in a loss against the Seattle Mariners (although he was not charged with the loss).

Hamels threw his first complete game with the Texas Rangers on Saturday, August 5, and it was a humdinger. Unfortunately, he notched up the win against my hometown team, the Minnesota Twins. Still, it's impossible not to be impressed by what Hamels did that day in giving up just four hits, one base on ball and zero earned runs.

In other Cole Hamels news; he is back to being clean shaven after playing much of the season with a beard.

Week 17: Eric Hosmer

Eric Hosmer definitely had a MLBoyfriend worth week. He had a .393 batting average with a .914 OPS, one home run, eight runs, eight RBIs and two stolen bases.

Oh, by the way, Hosmer's one home run last week was a grand slam in Kansas City's 16-2 rout of Detroit on Wednesday, July 26. That night, Hosmer became the first player in the Royal's history to get five hits, five RBIs and five runs in a single game.

Truth be told, I've just been waiting for Hosmer to have a great week for a while. I wanted to name him my MLBoyfriend, so that I would have an excuse to post an email exchange I had with my mother in May. She sent me a message titled, "Eric Hosmer" that simply read: "IS Eric gay? MOm". I replied: "I don't think so. Why do you ask?" Then, Mom slayed with her answer: "I have him in my dreams. MOm".

Week 16: Nolan Arenado

Nolan Arenado's stats from last week are very, very good: .458 batting average and a 1.480 OPS with 4 home runs, 9 runs and 13 RBIs.

Arenado's stats from Wednesday, July 19th, are nothing short of amazing. The Colorado Rockies' third baseman hit 3 home runs that day. In that day's game against the San Diego Padres, he had a .833 batting average and a 3.167 OPS with 4 runs and 7 RBIs. That was the day people started wondering if Arenado is the best player in baseball. But there was no debate that Nolan would be my MLBoyfriend.

He didn't need any bonus points, but Arenado got some when he celebrated his big week by hiring a deejay for the Rockies batting practice on Friday. He also gets some bonus points for this....

Week 15: Aaron Judge

In theory, my MLBoyfriend is chosen from the last week of play, but this one was in the bag by Monday, July 10. That's when Aaron Judge won the Home Run Derby and became my first repeat MLBoyfriend of 2017.

Judge didn't just win the Home Run Derby--he crushed it hitting four home runs over 500 hundred feet. That night, the Yankees rookie was the biggest, brightest star in baseball.



And he did it wearing really cute, tropical pattern socks.

Congratulations, Aaron Judge! At the Home Run Derby, you became not just my MLBoyfriend, but you were America's MLBoyfriend.