SEATTLE — Just before Big Dumper put a thump into a soaring flyball, a smattering of ''MVP! MVP!'' chants broke out from behind home plate Sunday.
Given the way Cal Raleigh's season has started, perhaps the Mariners' catcher is wholly deserving of such high praise. With a solo shot during Seattle's latest victory, 2-1 over the Minnesota Twins, Raleigh upped his total to a major league-leading 23 home runs.
''He's having an excellent season, not only offensively but also defensively,'' teammate Randy Arozarena said, with bench coach Manny Acta translating. ''What he's doing right now, it's great because he's carrying our offense pretty much.''
That's no exaggeration on Arozarena's part. And what Raleigh is doing is also unprecedented.
The 28-year-old backstop from North Carolina with the funny nickname became the first catcher in major league history to reach 20 home runs before the end of May. His 22 home runs entering June tied for the second-most in Mariners history behind only Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who had 24 in 1997.
''He just continues to grow and mature in this game,'' said Mariners manager Dan Wilson, a former catcher who was on that Seattle team in 1997. ''And the pace that he's on right now with home runs — and he's not just hitting home runs, he's still just hitting the ball hard.
''You add that to what he does behind the plate in a game like this — whew, he's a real special player and he's doing it all right now.''
According to Baseball Savant, Raleigh ranks eighth among big league catchers in Fielding Run Value.
