The Official Mike Trout Thread

[MarkGrace]

Except that he wasn't. This is like when I say Kobe was the MVP in 2006 and 2007.

Sure he was. If all you're worried about is who won the award, then I'm not sure why you joined the discussion. There's nothing to discuss there.

[MartyFunkhouser]

There is no argument this year. It is Cabrera hands down. And there was a compelling argument for both last year. It wasn't clear cut.

Nearly every single statistic that matters supports Mike Trout for the MVP. It was absolutely clear cut. WAR, OPS+, every single defensive statistic, base running, not hitting into double plays, and I could go on and on. When your case for an award relies on RBI, you don't deserve the award. The gap was huge between Cabrera and Trout.

This year it is still a debate. Cabrera is absolutely a better offensive player than Trout this year. Cabrera's defense this year has gotten worse, but so has Trout's defense. However, Trout is still the better defensive player. Trout still contributes more with base running. it is a coin flip with who I would vote for this year.

[Surfah]

Nearly every single statistic that matters supports Mike Trout for the MVP. It was absolutely clear cut. WAR, OPS+, every single defensive statistic, base running, not hitting into double plays, and I could go on and on. When your case for an award relies on RBI, you don't deserve the award. The gap was huge between Cabrera and Trout.

This year it is still a debate. Cabrera is absolutely a better offensive player than Trout this year. Cabrera's defense this year has gotten worse, but so has Trout's defense. However, Trout is still the better defensive player. Trout still contributes more with base running. it is a coin flip with who I would vote for this year.

There is no debate when your team is 15 games under .500 or whatever the Angels are.

[MartyFunkhouser]

There is no debate when your team is 15 games under .500 or whatever the Angels are.

It is an individual award, not a team award. Trout isn't the reason that the Angels suck this year. Swap Cabrera and Trout and Angels aren't any better and the Tigers aren't any worse.

[SurfahIsWrong]

Except that he wasn't. This is like when I say Kobe was the MVP in 2006 and 2007.

If you think this, your opinion is invalid for any MVP discussion.

2006, Dirk was better than Kobe.
2007, Dirk and Wade were better.

Trout was more valuable than Cabrera last season and that is a scientific fact.

[MarkGrace]

SurfahIsWrong? lol. Ok, fess up, who is this?

[MarkGrace]

Gotta see Trout play for the first time tonight. He hit a 2 run bomb in his first AB. I wanted to stand up and cheer even though he was on the other team.

[MarkGrace]

From the "Mike Trout is the biggest BAMF I've ever watched play baseball" files. This thing is long, but well worth the read.

But one question has endured for more than a year, an eternity by the standards of these debates. It is one of baseball's quintessential questions, pitting two players with vastly different skill sets head-to-head. How you answer the question says as much about you as about the players involved. And the argument is as far from being settled today as it was last September.

Miguel Cabrera? Or Mike Trout?

Picking apart their weaknesses is silly. Criticizing Cabrera or Trout is like whining about the mole on Kate Upton's upper lip. They're both great players, maybe all-time great players. But only one is transcendent.

Cabrera has held the title of Most Dangerous Hitter in Baseball for several years now. But within the admittedly lofty ranks of men who have held that title, Cabrera is hardly unique. Just among right-handed hitters in the last 25 years, Cabrera still ranks third behind Pujols and Frank Thomas.

Over the last four years, Cabrera has hit .338/.426/.615, good for a 178 OPS+.

From 2003 to 2010 — an eight-year stretch — Pujols hit .334/.433/.635, a 177 OPS+.

From 1990 to 1997, Thomas hit .330/.452/.600, a 182 OPS+.

Cabrera is hitting at a level that few players have reached before. But "few" is different from "zero." Cabrera's performance from 2010 to 2013 is not much different than Jeff Bagwell from 1994 to 1997 (175 OPS+) or Albert Belle from 1994 to 1996 (174 OPS+) or Manny Ramirez from 1999 to 2002 (176 OPS+). What Cabrera is doing is historic, but it's not unprecedented.

What Mike Trout is doing is unprecedented.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...e-major-league

[MarkGrace]

Can't see where this thing ends up, but at 489 feet ESPN is saying this is the longest HR in the AL since '06.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Can't see where this thing ends up, but at 489 feet ESPN is saying this is the longest HR in the AL since '06.

Looking like Cabrera won't be stealing Trout's MVP this year like he did the past 2 years.

[MarkGrace]

Two years of incredible silliness, where Trout had historically great seasons but didn't get close to winning the MVP award because of social inertia, should come to an end this year, but only because the Los Angeles Angels are likely to make the playoffs, not because anyone has come to his senses about the whole thing. And oddly enough, Trout isn't lapping the field the way he did in 2012 and 2013, but will probably win the award this year in part because he was so good in those previous years.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/keith-law/post?id=2761

Seems like it's finally going to happen.

[MartyFunkhouser]

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/keith-law/post?id=2761

Seems like it's finally going to happen.

I hope that everyone appreciates what we are seeing with Trout. He is a historically great player and he isn't an asshole. I say this as a fan of a rival team. Trout could end his career as a top 5 player and in the argument for best of all time. His first 3 seasons have been that good.