Elephant Rumblings: Butler, Rooker strong Player of the Month candidates

MLB news roundup

Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!

July was the A’s first winning month in two years, thanks in no small part to monster performances from Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker. They were both among the very best in MLB last month and have figured prominently in Player of the Month discussions.

So how likely is it that an Athletic will get AL POTM honors for July, and which of Butler or Rooker is more deserving?

Per Fangraphs, both A’s were equally valuable at 2.0 wins above replacement. Rooker was slightly better at the plate with a wRC+ of 253 compared to Butler’s mark of 237, but Law’s defensive value deserves some consideration. Check out these stellar lines:

Butler, July: .363/.408/.802, 98 PA, 10 HR

Rooker, July: .391/.461/.828, 102 PA, 11 HR

It’s a pretty tough call between the two if you ask me, but I’d probably look at the whole season to date as a tiebreaker and give Rook the nod—he is unquestionably the A’s MVP at this point in the season.

But here’s the rub: while our dynamic duo were tied for second best in MLB through July, Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. topped them both at 2.7 fWAR, and he is rather inconveniently also an American League player. Witt posted a positively bonkers line of .489/.520/.833 along with a wRC+ of 270, and he plays a key defensive position.

So while Rooker was definitely unfairly snubbed in not being named an All-Star this year, both he and Law appear to have been outgunned by the Royals’ young infielder last month.

My suggested remedy for this dilemma is to stay hot in August.

Have a wonderful weekend, AN.

A’s Coverage:

• Giants’ Snell, A’s Rooker, Butler make MLB’s July team
• Despite shutout loss to cap month, A’s show promise in strong July
• Blackburn sends heartfelt goodbye to A’s fans with IG post
• Why Giants wish they could be more like the A’s, who sizzled in July ($)
• Why the A’s Were Smart to Not Have a Trade Deadline Fire Sale
• Oakland Ballers Sign Former Oakland A’s Minor Leaguer

MLB News & Interest:

• Mike Trout Done For The Year Due To Meniscus Tear
• Paul Blackburn to Make Mets Debut on Friday
• What we learned from this MLB trade deadline and the execs who drove the market ($)
• Ten intriguing players who should get a shot to shine after the MLB trade deadline ($)
• Draft deadline passes with all first-rounders on board, but here’s who didn’t sign
• For the first time, start of World Series could be moved up if league championships end early ($)
• Latest Pitcher Power Rankings welcomes an unhittable ace
• Orioles Designate Cristian Pache For Assignment, Option Heston Kjerstad
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Max takes Heart & Hustle honors!

Harris back to Triple-A

How punk rock is that?

The future was looking bright.