This is the first edition of a new feature for the 2011 season.  Every Friday lunchtime, I’ll be throwing out my pick as the most notable performance of the previous week in MLB.

Normally it will be an individual, although sometimes a team performance will merit the award. 

Contenders

From a team perspective the starts by the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds obviously deserve a mention, while Baltimore’s encouraging start to the year has been a welcome surprise for their fans.

The Rangers’ Nelson Cruz homered in his first four games, while Mark Teixeira has started the season in fine form, particularly impressive as he started out so slowly last year.

Fausto Carmona showed tremendous character in his second start.  Shelled for ten runs in three laborious innings against the White Sox on Opening Day, he pitched seven shut-out innings against the Red Sox yesterday, helping his team to a series sweep over their illustrious rivals.  The Tribe also turned a triple play against the White Sox, which is always a great sight to see. 

My pick

Yet my performance of the week was Yovani Gallardo’s start for the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.  As I highlighted prior to the game, the Brewers had been on the wrong end of things in their first four games and they needed someone to step up and get their season going. 

They couldn’t have asked for any more from Gallardo.  He pitched a complete game shut-out against the Atlanta Braves, giving up just two hits in the process.  What’s more, he got a hit at the plate and subsequently scored the only run of the game in a 1-0 victory that gave the Brewers their first win of the year. 

Milwaukee have won three straight now and while they were always going to turn things around, you can’t underestimate Gallardo’s role in making that happen when he did.

Your choice?

That’s my pick, which performance would you go for?