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Written By: Richard Leonard
With the first month of baseball wrapping up, we’re take going to take a look back at some of the more memorable and notable stats in the month of April.
If someone told me that the Colorado Rockies shortstop, Trevor Story, was gonna hit a home run in 4 consecutive games, I would shrug my head and confidently say “absolutely not”. To say the least, he shocked the whole world, including myself.
Story become the first player to hit a home run in 4 consecutive games in a rookie season since 1900. An unexpected margin that no one saw coming.
Just when you thought he was finished there, he had more records to break. This past Wednesday, Story hit his 9th home run, breaking the National League home run record set by Albert Pujols in 2001.
Story has made an earlier campaign for rookie of the year. At the age of 23, he has accomplished a lot in such little time. With only a month in the books, there is an entire season of baseball left, so we will see what else is up the young phenoms sleeve.
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Story had a historic April, but Mike Trout got off to a slow start. .
Let me clarify something; Mike Trout is the best player in the MLB. For the past three seasons, he’s proved that he’s the best. Unfortunately, he got off to a rough start during the month of April. His strikeout rate was high, and batting average was down more than it usually is for the month of April. Towards that end of the month, Trout has managed to bring his numbers back up to normal levels.
The former MVP is currently batting .295 with five home runs and 13 RBIs. He’s currently riding an eight game hitting streak and has hit four home runs in his last seven games. A slow start to the month but Trout managed to get his form back during the second half of April.
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If the Bryce Harper critics are still living under the impression that Harper is a one year wonder, Well my friends, Bryce Harper is here to prove you all wrong.
He may not be able to called the best player in baseball just yet, but boy is he making it clear that he’s gunning for that title.
Harper ended his 2015 MVP season with 42 home runs, 99 RBIs, and a stellar .330 batting average. He’s continued that MVP production into the month of April, ending the month with nine homers while batting .314. In April alone, Harper has been walked 15 times in 70 at bats. He’s drawing a lot of walks, but that only say’s they don’t want any part of Harper.
If one thing is for sure, Bryce Harper is overshadowing Mike Trout at the moment.
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Speaking of MVP, Josh Donaldson is defending his case as well.
The Toronto Blue Jays star has made it clear that you can’t leave his name out of the conversation for the best in the game. The Toronto star is having himself a nice little April,  batting .297 with 7 homers and 19 runs batted in.
Donaldson has been the American League’s best hitter thus far. In April, he has 16 extra-base hits, which is the best in the majors. With the lethal offense the Jays possess, Donaldson has 21 runs scored.
Unfortunately, the Blue Jays are having a tough time getting it together as they sit 4th in the American League East with a record of 10-13.
The struggling rotation and bullpen for the Jays have cost them a portion of their wins.  Toronto’s bullpen is currently ranked 20th in the MLB. If Toronto can get their bullpen in line, they can make a clear shot capture their second consecutive AL East championship.
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It’s far too early for people to be getting on David Price for his mediocre April Performace. Price has made a history with having not so impressive April’s, so before everyone abandons ship, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.  
Price is his last 5 games has an ERA of 5.76, over 29.2 innings pitched. A not so pretty stat line but Price does lead the entire MLB in strikeouts.
In prices, last four seasons, only on one occasion did the veteran lefty end the season with more than eight loses and that was in his 2014 campaign with Tampa/Detroit. The majority of his losses came in the first half of the season.
Price signed a seven year, $217 million dollar deal with the Red Sox this past offseason. The largest contract a pitcher has ever received. With a contract like, there is a lot of pressure that lies on Price.
One has to wonder if May will be his turn around. His past numbers don’t lie so that May will be a fresh start for Boston’s Ace.
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Wanna know how good the cubs are? ESPN Senior Writer David Schoenfield, will tell you.
“They lead the majors in fewest runs allowed, rank second in runs scored per game, rank second in Defensive Runs Saved, rank first in baserunning metrics, and the bullpen is third in wOBA allowed. They are without a weakness.”
The Cubs have every tool it takes to win a World Series. They currently sit 1st first place in the toughest division in baseball, National League Central, with a 17-5 record.
Jake Arrieta has been nothing but settler in his post-CY Young winning year. He’s already thrown a no-hitter, which is his 2nd no in two seasons. Confidently said, he is the pitcher in baseball at the moment.
Arrieta’s streak of 52 2/3 scoreless innings came to an end Thursday. A streak that was dating back to his 2015 season. A Wrigley Field record that was snapped by Alex Presley of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Arrieta can’t take all the credit, though. The pitching staff as a whole is doing exceptional this season. Three of the five pitchers in their starting rotation hold below a 2.00 ERA. The entire Cubs pitching staff (rotation and bullpen) average a remarkable 2.46 ERA.
To back the pitching up, the offense has been on a tear this April. Led by a poised Dexter Fowler, who is batting .356 in 20 games, the Cubs offense is without a doubt the best offense in the National League. Anthony Rizzo is among the top 5 players in baseball in home runs, as he has eight on the season.
The Cubs have endless possibilities this season. Could this dangerous Cubs line up be the one that leads them to the World Series? There’s a lot more baseball left to play but at the moment, those hopes are very high.