Cleveland Indians: All-Star Break Awards

Jul 1, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (22) forces out Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Brandon Guyer (5) during the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. Cleveland Indians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

You don’t need to be a saber metrics genius to crown Jason Kipnis the Tribe’s MVP. His 4.8 WAR is the third best total in baseball, trailing only Bryce Harper (5.6) and Mike Trout (5.5).

His traditional stats also tell the story of an MVP season. The Arizona State product is slashing .328/.408/.491.

His 2014 season was hampered by a lingering oblique injury. He entered that forgettable year, bulked up, more focused on hitting homers. The JK Kid was trying to become a JK He-Man. His thirst for the long ball factored into his new body, and that played a part in his season hampering injury.

But now healthy, and he’s tearing up MLB with re-vamped approach, writes ESPN’s Mark Simon:

“Good health allowed him to make a key adjustment to his swing: He decided to put less attention into trying to hit home runs and returned to focusing on getting better cuts overall.”

The result? Kipnis just isn’t the Tribe’s MVP. He’s set himself up for a run at the American League award, too.

Next: Most Disappointing