"I wasn't playing well the last few years" said Zalapa in an interview recently. "I knew I was still a good player and I've used this year to go out and show it."
And show it he has. With Portland this season, Zalapa has found a renewed interest in the game. His .884 OPS is the highest since 2041 when he was with Valencia. With 3 weeks still remaining, he's posted a 4.7 WAR and rapidly approaching 5.0. Aside from that 2048 season, a 5 WAR year is something Zalapa also hasn't seen since Valencia. The man who eclipsed the 500 homerun barrier earlier this season, has seen a reviving of his power stroke and run producing ability. His 38 homeruns are the most since 2043 and he's on pace to produce more RBI than he has in well over a decade.
"It's amazing what he's done for us this year" commented manager Grux King. "The amount of runs and RBI he's been able to produce, and mainly from the leadoff spot, has been pretty amazing. I mean, we've had some great production from guys up and down our lineup, but the addition of Angel this off-season has definitely been a huge shot in the arm. I don't hesitate to say that without Angel this year, we aren't a contender for the division!"
Zalapa is 2nd on the team in most offensive stats for Portland this season, trailing only Ernest McBride in most categories.