Fill In the Blank: Mike Trout is the Best Baseball Player Since....?

[Capernicus41]

Placido Palanco? Really?

 

Scott Rolen. I was talking about when he was moved to 1B full time. 2001 and 2002 he played all over (1B, 3B, LF, RF).

 

Again, I agree with you. Mike Trout the player is amazing and a CF is much more valuable. But was just saying Pujols came up playing all over and ultimately went to first to avoid surgery on elbow during season and because that's where he fit best with the roster they had.

 

3B: Rolen

LF: Sanders

CF: Edmonds

RF: Walker

[Twotoplace]

Pujols isn't making any of these plays.

I think we're making some apples-to-oranges comparisons here. I didn't see Johnny Bench making many of those plays, either. If we want to judge baseball talent strictly in terms of five-tool versatility, then Bo Jackson was the greatest baseball player in history. Unfortunately, in spite of his God-given gifts, his lifetime batting average was only .250.

[LOOGY]

I think we're making some apples-to-oranges comparisons here. I didn't see Johnny Bench making many of those plays, either. If we want to judge baseball talent strictly in terms of five-tool versatility, then Bo Jackson was the greatest baseball player in history. Unfortunately, in spite of his God-given gifts, his lifetime batting average was only .250.

 

He wasn't a five tool player, cause he only hit .250...

[Hellbird]

Brandon Larson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

doh!

[Jim Schue]

Scott Rolen. I was talking about when he was moved to 1B full time. 2001 and 2002 he played all over (1B, 3B, LF, RF).

 

Again, I agree with you. Mike Trout the player is amazing and a CF is much more valuable. But was just saying Pujols came up playing all over and ultimately went to first to avoid surgery on elbow during season and because that's where he fit best with the roster they had.

 

3B: Rolen

LF: Sanders

CF: Edmonds

RF: Walker

 

Yeah, I checked it out and Pujols was moved to first long before Rolen got to town. Palanco was the 3B for you guys then. Ergo, my dropping his name.

[BaseballIsLife]

Crazy to think we have Harper and Trout in the same era. Another question is to ask is when is the last time baseball has had two great young stars at those ages.

[Jim Schue]

Crazy to think we have Harper and Trout in the same era. Another question is to ask is when is the last time baseball has had two great young stars at those ages.

 

Gooden and Strawberry at a combined 41 years of age in 1984 is the first one that came to mind. Doc's rookie year at 19 (2.60 ERA, 17-9, 276K, 73BB, 218IP, 3 shutouts) and Daryl's sophomore year (26HR, 27 steals, 97RBI, .810 OPS) as a 22yo.

[Capernicus41]

Yeah, I checked it out and Pujols was moved to first long before Rolen got to town. Palanco was the 3B for you guys then. Ergo, my dropping his name.

 

He played all 4. I was saying full time. Check it out.

[Jumper_Dad]

Through their first roughly 600 games (Pujols with 120 more AB)

Trout .307 avg/ 130 HR/ 374 RBI/ .397 OBP/ .565 SLG/ .962 OPS/ 585 K/ 318 BB

Pujols .333 avg/ 160 HR/ 504 RBI/ .413 OBP/ .634 SLG/ 1.037/ 279 K /304 BB

 

Trout had two years where he stole bases but has since pretty much quit trying, but he has a huge lead in stolen bases just from those first two full seasons

[Jumper_Dad]

Gooden and Strawberry at a combined 41 years of age in 1984 is the first one that came to mind. Doc's rookie year at 19 (2.60 ERA, 17-9, 276K, 73BB, 218IP, 3 shutouts) and Daryl's sophomore year (26HR, 27 steals, 97RBI, .810 OPS) as a 22yo.

I loved Doc back in the day, never liked Straw though. He was always talking about he and Eric Davis hooking up with the Dodgers...that kept me mad at him :lol2:

[Jim Schue]

He played all 4. I was saying full time. Check it out.

 

My point being, his bat was too incredible for them not to find a spot for him, and it was clear he couldn't cut it at 3B or OF. (I played first. I know how this works.)

 

First base made sense, and he turned himself into a standout defender at the weakest defensive position on the diamond. No shame in that, but let's not make him out to be an Ozzie Smith elite defensive guy. Joey Votto emulated Pujols and turned himself into a standout at first.

[Jim Schue]

I loved Doc back in the day, never liked Straw though. He was always talking about he and Eric Davis hooking up with the Dodgers...that kept me mad at him :lol2:

 

True. But I totally mimicked his swing — with Will Clark elements — when I taught myself how to hit left because I couldn't hit a damned curveball.

[sweet16]

My point being, his bat was too incredible for them not to find a spot for him, and it was clear he couldn't cut it at 3B or OF. (I played first. I know how this works.)

 

First base made sense, and he turned himself into a standout defender at the weakest defensive position on the diamond. No shame in that, but let's not make him out to be an Ozzie Smith elite defensive guy. Joey Votto emulated Pujols and turned himself into a standout at first.

 

Nobody is comparing him to the greatest defensive players of all time. Pujols while at STL was one of the best defensive 1B. I watched him play 3B when he came up and he was above average over there. He would not have been a gold glover but he was solid over there.

[NKY Bandit]

Greg Vaughn?

[GrizzlyAdams]

He just turned 24 today. I guess you could say he's going to be a solid ball player for years to come.