Outfielder Tommy Pham had a very successful 2017 season, but he anticipates even more success in the upcoming 2018 season.
Fans are expecting a lot of the 29, soon to be 30, year old who has been part of the organization since being drafted in 2006. But no one is putting more pressure on him than himself. Lacking a spot on the 2017 Opening Day roster was a major driver for Pham’s season. He was brought up from Memphis on May 5th and remained in the majors for the rest of the season. This year, Pham has definitely earned his spot on the Opening Day roster. He will likely bat second or third, with Dexter Fowler in the other spot. Last year, he became the sixth Cardinal to hit 20 homeruns and steal 20 bases in a season, but that is not enough for him. He has remained hungry for more, more playing time, more opportunities and more success. He has been rather outspoken about wanting to be better, and he appears to be putting in the work to prove it.
Pham ended the season with 25 stolen bases, the most on the team. He had 73 RBIs, second on the team behind Yadier Molina. He put up 6.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), the best on the Cardinals and 14th overall from the 2017 MLB season. He hit 23 homeruns, tying Matt Carpenter for second most homeruns hit on the Cardinals, behind Paul Dejong. Pham had the highest OBP, at .411.
No one can deny the success he had last season, but the focus is on the upcoming season. Everyone wants to know, can he replicate last season? Can he be better? He suffers from a degenerative eye condition, which has always been an issue for him, affecting his ability to see the ball. While this caused problems for him last season, Pham doesn’t believe it will hinder his success this season. He has set his sights on a 30-30 season, a feat never before accomplished by a Cardinal.
Projected statistics for Pham’s 2018 season do not line up with the expectations he has set for himself, but Pham has never let that stop him. With a career full of injuries, very few people expected him to succeed as much as he has so far. Projections are just that, they are predictions. They are based on his previous stats, but he could end up having the best season of his career in 2018. The only way to find out is to watch him play this season.
Pham has been saying that he has something special to bring to the game, that he just needed the time and an opportunity to prove it. Tommy Pham, there’s no time like the present.
