Billy Burns Inserting Himself into Rookie of the Years Talks
It’s been a rough season for the Oakland Athletics. Bullpen troubles and defensive woes have landed them in the cellar in the American League West as the calendar is getting ready to turn to July. Despite that, there have been some bright spots. Sonny Gray has emerged as a potential All-Star starter and legitimate Cy Young Award candidate. Stephen Vogt has developed into a top tier catcher, and is another potential All-Star.
But most surprisingly has been the way Billy Burns has burst onto the scene, stealing bases, and the hearts of Athletics’ fans along the way. When Cody Ross was designated for assignment in early May, it was Burns who took his place, and he has been a huge, pleasant surprise.
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The 25-year-old Burns got his first taste of Major Lague action in 2014, when he played in 13 games, mostly as a pinch runner for the A’s. This year, he’s become much more than simply a speed threat.
Burns has provided an offensive spark for the Athletics, doing everything one would expect a leadoff hitter to do. He gets on base, he causes havoc on the basepaths, and he utilizes his speed exactly like he’s supposed to.
The overall numbers are phenomenal for Burns. He leads all rookies in baseball with a .324 average and 15 stolen bases. He’s tied for the rookie lead with four triples, as many as J.T. Realmuto and Delino DeShields. He’s tied for fourth in runs scored among rookies, crossing the plate 32 times.
Maybe mostly impressive about Burns’ season so far is the way he has been able to string together hits, which is never easy. He currently is riding a 16-game hitting streak, which is best among all rookies this season. Over those 16 games, Burns has gone 27-74, totaling a .365 average. That’s translated to team success, as the A’s are 11-5 in those games.
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Earlier in the year, Burns also had a 12-game hit streak. Chicago Cubs’ uber-prospect Kris Bryant is the only other rookie in baseball to tally two hitting streaks of 10 or more games. Burns and Bryant combine to own the four best rookie hitting streaks this season. Burns’ 16-gamer (and counting) is the best, Bryant’s 14-game streak is second, and each has a 12-game streak that is third-best.
If Burns played in the National League, he would likely be overshadowed by the huge hype cloud surrounding Bryant, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar-in-the-making, Joc Pederson, and Philadelphia Phillies’ bashing third baseman, Maikel Franco.
But in the American League, there haven’t been many standouts in the way of rookies so far. The Tampa Bay Rays have had a few rookies who have put together solid cases early in the year. Joey Butler is second among rookies with a .317 average, and has 10 doubles, six home runs, and 20 RBI. Steven Souza has shown off some power with 14 home runs and 31 RBI, but is hitting just .221 and strikes out more than anyone in baseball, at 33.9 percent rate.
Pitcher Nathan Karns is making the most legitimate case of the Rays’ rookies. He is 4-3 in 15 starts, and strikes out 8.3 opponents per nine innings. His 3.28 ERA leads all rookie with at least 10 starts, and his 1.224 WHIP is second among the same qualifiers.
Of course, it’s still fairly early in the season, so guys like Carlos Correa, Joey Gallo, and Lance McCullers, among others, have a lot of time to really build up their candidacy.
If Burns can continue to impress during his rookie season and win the award, he would be the fourth Athletic to be named Rookie of the Year since the turn of the century, joining shortstop Bobby Crosby in 2004, closer Huston Street in 2005, and closer Andrew Bailey in 2009. He would also become the first A’s outfielder to win the award since Ben Grieve in 1998.
From injury replacement to top of the order stalwart, Burns’ development has been rapid and noticeable. As the season continues, Burns can give frustrated fans something to cheer for everyday, and reason for optimism for the future. Burns is exciting, and this is just the start.