Papi playing like a kid

At the start of the 2016 season, David Ortiz announced that he would retire at the end of the year. The 40-year-old designated hitter has played parts of 20 seasons in the Majors, 14 of which have been with the Boston Red Sox. Although most players experience a drop off in production after their mid-30s, Ortiz has continued to perform at a high level. Over his last three seasons, Ortiz has averaged 34 home runs and 105 RBIs. In 2015, Ortiz hit 37 home runs, the most for him in a season since he hit 54 in 2006.

This year, Ortiz is off to a torrid start, hitting .337 with 14 homers and a Major League leading 47 RBIs. He has been a key cog in the Red Sox’s lineup that includes Jackie Bradley Jr., Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts. The Red Sox as a team lead the Major Leagues in average (.295), RBIs (290), runs (302), hits (537) and doubles (133), and their success at the plate has shot them into first place in the AL East.

Ortiz has also been moving up the milestone lists, four home runs away from tying Ted Williams, Frank Thomas and Jimmy Foxx for 19^th all-time. He is 27^th all-time for RBIs with 1688, and 11^th all-time with 607 doubles. His numbers are Hall-of-Fame worthy, and only time will tell if he is voted in.

There is no doubt Ortiz is playing like he was 25-years-old, and his numbers are some of the best in the league. If he keeps this level of production up, Ortiz will be a front-runner in the AL MVP race.

The streak ends in Boston

Red Sox’s center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. has long been thought of as the center fielder of the future. Bradley struggled mightily at the plate in his first two seasons with the Red Sox, and struggled to find consistency. 2016 has been a complete turnaround for the 26-year-old, as he is off to a .350 average with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in his first 45 games. On May 26, his 29-game hit streak was snapped against the Rockies, going 0-for-4 from the leadoff spot. The 29-game streak ties Johnny Damon for the fourth longest in Red Sox team history. Bradley has been on fire, hitting .415 with eight homers, nine doubles, and 30 RBIs during the streak. He also did most of his damage out of the No. 9 spot in the order.

His success was fueled by the leg kick he implemented towards the end of 2015. Before the leg kick, he was often late on pitches, and wasn’t in a smooth, continuous motion throughout his swing. The leg kick has also given him more power to tap into because of the better use of his legs. He is two home runs shy of his season high (10), and has totaled a .625 slugging percentage so far this season. Bradley reminds teams why they need to be patient with young players. Coming into the season, Bradley owned a .213 career average in 700 at-bats, and it could have been easy to give up on him. The streak may be over, but Bradley has cemented himself into history, and should be a staple in the Red Sox's lineup for years to come.

Top NL position player rookies of 2016

Every year, it seems like more and more young talent is making an impact at the Major League level. This season, 12 rookie position players have recorded at least one at-bat, with five of the 12 making their Major League debut this year. Although Astros' shortstop Carlos Correa didn't make his debut until Jun. 8 last year, he went on to win the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year award. It might be early, but here are the three position player rookies in the National League that are making the biggest impact so far in 2016.

1. Trevor Story – Shortstop – Colorado Rockies

Story burst onto the scene in April, hitting eight home runs in the first 13 games of his Major League career, a feat never accomplished in the modern era. His performance led him to be awarded NL Player of the Week honors for the week of Apr. 10, and NL Rookie of the Month for April. Although he has not kept up his torrid start, he has continued to impress at the plate as well as on defense. The 23-year-old is currently hitting .272 (49-for-180) and leads all rookies with 12 home runs, four triples and 31 RBIs. MLB.com’s projections project that Story will finish at 27 homers and 33 doubles. What is amazing about his numbers is that eight of his 12 homers have come away from the hitter-friendly Coors Field. He has performed so well, that it seems that the Rockies have no place for veteran shortstop Jose Reyes. If he keeps up the pace, Story will definitely be a front-runner for NL Rookie of the Year.

2. Aledmys Diaz – Shortstop – St. Louis Cardinals

Signed as a free agent on Mar. 9, 2014, Diaz was never a top prospect for the Cardinals. He had two decent Minor League seasons, most recently hitting .278 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis in 2015. A Jhonny Peralta left thumb injury opened up a spot at short, and the rest was history. At first, the Cardinals seemed to have a void that could not be filled, but then Diaz took off. Diaz currently leads all rookies in batting average (.336), hits (50), doubles (15) and runs (29). Although he is tied for the most errors in baseball with 10, he has made up for it with his offense. Things may get tricky with Peralta set to come back soon, but Diaz is a versatile player that will find his way onto the field one way or another.

3. Brandon Drury – Right fielder – Arizona Diamondbacks

Drury, a 13^th round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2010, was one of the pieces acquired by Arizona in the deal that sent Justin Upton and Chris Johnson to Atlanta in 2013. He nearly made the D-backs 2015 Opening Day Roster, but was sent to Double-A Mobile for more seasoning. Between Mobile and Triple-A Reno, Drury hit .303 with five home runs and 40 doubles in 2015. He has always been a good hitter, possessing a quick swing that allows him to hit for a high average. This swing has been on display so far in 2016, with Drury sitting at a .300 average with seven homers and 15 RBIs. The power is continuing to develop, and with time, Drury could be a potential 20 homer threat.

Other notables:

Corey Seager (LAD): .269 average, seven home runs, 12 doubles and 23 RBIs.

Trayce Thompson (LAD): .290 average, seven home runs and 19 RBIs.

Tomahawk flop

The Atlanta Braves struggled mightily in 2015, finishing fourth in the National League East at 67-95. The front office used the offseason to rebuild a barren farm system, and did so at the cost of many established players such as shortstop Andrelton Simmons and right-hander Shelby Miller. Although they brought in veterans such as Gordon Beckham, Jeff Francoeur and Kelly Johnson, the Braves have struggled mightily, off to a 9-29 start, the worst record in the Majors. Their struggles have extended to multiple facets of their game, and ultimately led to the dismissal of manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Inconsistent is the perfect word to describe Atlanta’s offense, who came into the day last in the Majors with 123 runs scored, last with 13 home runs and 28^th with a .233 team average. The offseason acquisitions of outfielder Ender Inciarte and shortstop Erick Aybar were thought to have been upgrades offensively, but both have stumbled out of the gate. Inciarte, coming off a left hamstring strain, has hit only .216 with one double in 13 games. The 25-year-old is coming off of a season in which he hit .303 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Aybar, 32, seems to be in decline, hitting a mere .180 while striking out 26 times in 128 at-bats. The Braves originally saw Aybar as an upgrade offensively over Simmons, but seems to have lost some of the bat-speed that allowed him to hit .270 or better in seven of the past eight seasons. Right fielder Nick Markakis was one of the few bright spots in the lineup until a recent slump that saw his average dip 38 points in the last 15 games.

A few hitters have turned it on of late, including first baseman Freddie Freeman, center fielder Mallex Smith and infielder Gordon Beckham. Freeman began the season 4-32, and seemed to be trying to do too much. He has hit .308 in his last 30 games including five home runs. Smith, having been called up on Apr. 11 to fill in for the injured Inciarte, has settled in nicely, posting a .311 average and three home runs in his last 15 games. Beckham, since being activated from the disabled list on May 9, is hitting .375 with four doubles and four RBIs. Over their last seven games, the Braves have averaged just under 4.5 runs per game, giving hope that they can be more consistent down the road.

Growing pains were expected with the young arms in the starting rotation, but it has been the bullpen that has really let the Braves down, currently owning the fourth-worst bullpen ERA in the Majors at 4.74. They also have the second-most losses (11) in addition to six blown saves. Veteran right-handers Jason Grilli and Jim Johnson have not been able to find their 2015 forms, and have ERAs of 7.30 and 7.90 respectively. Arodys Vizcaino on the other hand, has shown the Braves why he is the closer of the future, pitching to a 1.10 ERA in 16 1/3 innings.

The starting rotation, although combined to have a 4.68 ERA, has been decent of late. Julio Teheran, although winless so far, seems to be inching closer and closer to his 2014 form, pitching to an ERA of 3.17 over his first eight starts. Righty Matt Wisler has also pitched well, sporting a 3.24 ERA in eight games, seven of which were starts. 24-year-old Mike Foltynewicz has come back strong after being sent down before the start of the season. Over his last two starts, Foltynewicz is 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA. The big key for him has been limiting walks and keeping a lower pitch count. It seems that he has finally learned to pitch, instead of being just a thrower. He has walked none in his last two starts and also went seven or more innings in back-to-back starts for the first time in is Major League career. Aaron Blair and Bud Norris have not had the same success as these three, pitching to ERAs of 7.59 and 6.11 respectively. The back end of the rotation will have to be more stable, but Teheran and Wisler’s success is good news to the Braves so far.

The Braves defense has not helped the pitching staff, committing the second-most errors in baseball (33). Third baseman Adonis Garcia was responsible for seven of those errors, and has since been sent down to Triple-A Gwinnett to work on his defense. Aybar struggled early on defense as well, continuing to remind Braves’ fans that the Gold Glover Simmons is not roaming the infield. Tightening up the defense will be a key to winning more games down the road.

Although the Braves are scuffling, and might have over-evaluated the talent on their roster, fans need to remember that it is a rebuilding year and need to trust the process. The Cubs, Royals and Astros all went through rough seasons, but through building up their farm system, they were able to construct winning teams. Working out the kinks now can help Atlanta's young players grow while experiencing the daily life in the Major Leagues. It might be frustrating to watch, but when all said and done, the Braves should be back to competing in the NL East.

Gonzalez out as Braves’ manager

The Braves, owners of the worst record in the Majors at 9-29 have fired manager Fredi Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who has managed the club since 2011, posted a .512 winning percentage while leading the team to two postseason appearances. Although 2016 was going to be a rebuilding year, no one could have expected that the Braves would be this bad. It was an unfortunate turn of events for Gonzalez, as he had no control over the inconsistencies that faced many of his players. In the end, the Braves were just looking to shake things up, and after an 0-9 start to the season, bidding adieu to Gonzalez was inevitable. Taking over for Gonzalez is long-time Brave Brian Snitker, who will serve as skipper on an interim basis. The 60-year-old Snitker has been with the Braves’ organization since 1977, most recently serving the Major League club as their third-base coach from 2007-13.

Looking ahead to 2017, the Braves have a multitude of options at the managerial position. In-house names include Eddie Perez and Terry Pendelton. Perez increased his managerial stock this past offseason while managing the Venezuela’s Tigres de Aragua to the Caribbean series. Perez, a former catcher for the Braves, served as their bullpen coach from 2007-16, and was just named the Atlanta’s first-base coach. The former NL MVP Pendelton was just named bench coach to Snitker, and most recently served as the team’s first-base coach from 2011-16. Snitker could also be given a look for the job if he can prove successful for the remainder of the season.

External managerial options include former Brave Mark DeRosa and former Padres’ manager Bud Black. DeRosa, a current MLB Network analyst, last played in the Majors in 2013, and has always been a clubhouse favorite. Black was thought to be named the Washington Nationals’ manager before the club tabbed Dusty Baker as their skipper. Over eight-plus years with the Padres, Black led the team to a .477 winning percentage while winning the 2010 NL Manager of the Year award.

Although Gonzalez was stuck in a tough position, a new voice could greatly benefit the Braves, who look ahead to the opening of SunTrust Park in 2017. President of baseball operations John Hart and general manager John Coppolella will do their due diligence this offseason as they look for a manager who can be a positive influence on the young core of players soon to be playing at the Major League level.

Playing like bears

If you’re not on the Chicago Cubs’ bandwagon, you should hop on now. The Cubs currently own the best record in the Majors at 27-9, and have been playing great baseball all season. This is no surprise after their terrific 2015 campaign that saw them finish third in the NL Central at 97-65. Their success has come from a mix of youthful exuberance and veteran presence. The Cubs went out to acquire four veterans this past offseason, right fielder Jason Heyward, center fielder Dexter Fowler, second baseman Ben Zobrist and right-handed starter John Lackey. These four added just what the Cubs needed -- experience. Although Heyward has struggled at the plate so far, Fowler and Zobrist have been picking up the slack. So far Fowler leads the team in average (.331), stolen bases (six), OBP (.449) and doubles (14). Zobrist has been a force at the plate as well, hitting .317 with five homers and 28 RBIs. On the mound, John Lackey is third on the team in strikeouts with 47, while pitching to an ERA of 3.54.

The youth of the Cubs continues to grow with each day. 26-year-old first baseman Anthony Rizzo is off to a hot start, currently tied for fifth in the Majors with 11 home runs, and is tied first in RBIs with 34. In his last 15 games, Rizzo is hitting .351 with three homers and 11 RBIs. 2015 NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant has continued hit success from last year, posting a .275 average while smacking six home runs. He has also proved versatile with the absence of Kyle Schwarber, making 23 appearances in the outfield while making another 23 at third base. Addison Russell has also made strides, currently sitting at a .265 average and is third on the team with 27 RBIs. He has also begun to show more power this season after adding a leg kick in 2015. The lineup as a whole is third in the Majors in RBIs (203), first in OBP (.365) and sixth in slugging percentage (.434). They are also averaging just under six runs a game, and have given their pitchers plenty of support.

The pitching of the Cubs has been the real key so far. The Cubs staff as a whole leads the Major Leagues with a 2.64 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, and have only used five starters so far. Jake Arrieta has continued to dominate on the mound, currently sitting at 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA. He has not lost a game since Jul. 25 of 2015, when he fell to the no-hitter of Cole Hamels, and since 2014, Arrieta is 39-11 with a 1.98 ERA in 66 starts. Behind him, Jon Lester, Lackey, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks have all held their own. In eight starts, Lester is 4-2 with a 1.88 ERA, seventh best in the Majors. Hammel has been equally brilliant, pitching to a 5-0 record with a 1.77 ERA, which is fifth best in the Majors. Finally, Hendricks is 2-2 through six starts with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. If the rotation continues to be strong one through five, the Cubs can certainly continue their torrid start.

The Cubs are showing that they are World Series material, and only time will tell if they get there. The odds are in their favor, as six of the last seven teams to begin their first 30 games of the season 24-6 or better have gone on to reach the World Series, with four of them eventually winning the World Series.

South side success

The Chicago White Sox were one of the worst teams in the American League in 2015, finishing up with a record of 76-86. They scored the fewest runs in the AL (622), were 12th in batting average (.250) and 14th in OBP (.306). There pitching was decent at times, as they finished 7th in ERA (3.98) and 3rd in strikeouts (1359). They had high hopes coming in to 2015 after they signed Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche and acquired Jeff Samardzija via trade. Many of these players were plagued by underperformances and inconsistences. LaRoche, coming off a year where he hit 26 home runs and drove in 92 with the Nationals, hit a mere .207 while hitting only 12 home runs, the fewest he has ever hit in a full season. Samardzija had the third worst ERA in the league at 4.96, and struggled with his mechanics.

Although the team struggled in 2015, they looked to turn the page in 2016. Spring Training brought a lot positive energy to Chicago's camp, with the team retaining a young core of players, 16 of which are under the age of 30. As of May 3, the White Sox own the best record in the AL at 18-8 and are three games ahead of the second-place Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. Their schedule hasn't been easy of late, having to face the Rangers, Blue Jays and Orioles in three straight series. They would go on to sweep the Rangers and Blue Jays, two teams coming off division titles in 2015. Their success has been largely due to the pitching staff, but the offense is holding their own as well.

The pitching rotation, led by 27-year-old lefty Chris Sale, has dazzled so far, posting the best starter's ERA in the AL at 3.13. Sale is a perfect 6-0 through his first six starts while pitching to an ERA of 1.66. Behind him, Jose Quintana and Mat Latos have also started off well. Through five starts, Quintana is 3-1 with a 1.47 ERA. Latos, after struggling through three teams in 2015, is off to being his old self, beginning the season 4-0 with a 1.84 ERA.

The bullpen has been equally spectacular, currently sporting the best ERA in the Majors at 1.60. They are also second in holds (21) and have surrendered the second-fewest hits in the AL (50). At the back-end, David Robertson is 8-for-9 in save opportunities, and has struck out 14 in 11 1/3 innings. Zach Duke, Nate Jones and Matt Albers have combined for a 0.79 ERA in 34 innings pitched.

On the hitting side, the White Sox are 6th in OBP (.314), and 9th in slugging percentage (.387). They have been led by the hot starts of Cabrera and Brett Lawrie. Cabrera is hitting .297 with six extra-base hits, while Lawrie is hitting .290, with eight doubles and four home runs. Center fielder, Adam Eaton is also off to a good start with a .283 batting average and 28 hits out of the leadoff spot. Newly acquired Todd Frazier has also blasted seven home runs while knocking in 17, but only has a .220 batting average. Jose Abreu is still off to a slow start, hitting only .240 with three home runs, but is hitting .379 with six RBIs in his last seven games. When at full potential, this is a high on base line up with some pop.

The White Sox, often overlooked by the Cubs on the North side, still have a long way to go in the season, but if they continue their success on the mound and get some guys going at the plate, they will surprise many teams in the American League.