Ken Rosenthal: Why Mike Trout should still be a lock for AL MVP

[Chuck]

Why Trout still should be a lock for AL MVP - and why Yelich still warrants strong consideration in the NL. https://t.co/ahbOVshlWL

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 17, 2019

[Blarg]

Let's be clear here for a moment about how good Trout is.

He is better than anyone in the AL even with a fucked up toe for half the season.

He is better than anyone in the AL even missing the last month of the season. 

He is going to completely destroy the AL next season. 

[Dick B Back]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

He is going to completely destroy the AL next season. 

Until he goes on the IL.

[Angel Oracle]

When Mike Trout gets injured, the injury cowers and runs away.

[Chuck]

Good morning. Mike Trout is the Most Valuable Player of the American League and also of your heart. pic.twitter.com/IlcqQRoS1z

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 17, 2019

[tdawg87]

I think it's going to be a close vote and if Trout wins there will be a ton of butthurt.

So hopefully he wins so I can add some dots to the butthurt map.

[Chuck]

I don't think Bregman deserves it. 

The Astros pitching and Altuve, Alvarez, Brantley, Gurriel, Correa, Springer all would have delivered the top spot in the AL West minus Bregman IMO. 

[ScottT]

Seems like Trout will win and it won't be close.  It probably won't be unanimous. 

30 voters is such a small number, though and weird things can happen with that small of a sample size. Never know who you are gonna get with those 30.   I think they should increase the number of voters.   

[ScottT]

Articles like this one certainly don't hurt Trout's cause.  The only link I've seen that argued for Bregman was astroswin.com

[happybat4]

I think if Bregaman has a higher WAR how does he not win?

[tdawg87]

10 minutes ago, happybat4 said:

I think if Bregaman has a higher WAR how does he not win?

He's not going to finish with a higher WAR. 

[happybat4]

He's only .8 away and he hit a Homer tonight. It will be close.

[tdawg87]

3 minutes ago, happybat4 said:

He's only .8 away and he hit a Homer tonight. It will be close.

With 10 games left (after tonight), he's going to have to be, well, Mike Trout to get there. It's possible, sure. But incredibly unlikely. 

[PenG]

Bregman is fortunate that he'll get to face the Angels seven more times. If his production is in any way a continuation of his last two months, he'll pass Trout. He has been Trout-esque since the break. 

[budice0]

With Prior MVP Awards, A Big Contract, and League-Wide Respect. 

Trout simply doesn't need another MVP to justify anything.

Nice to win. I don't think much changes in Trout's World either way.

World Series, now that's worth chasing.

[ScottT]

WAR isn't perfect.... isn't everything...  and Trout is far ahead in other numbers.

Bregman may sit for a couple games. 

If you think winning MVP doesn't matter to Trout... or the Angels organization, you are delusional.   It's not a World Series, but he cares.  They care. Fans care.   

[thebloob]

I guess I don’t get how an unbiased person can’t even consider the possibility.  Bregman played more games st more positions covering for multiple injured people.  He will have more hits, doubles, walks, less strikeouts, and as of right now a higher batting average.  trout just has more homers and therefore higher ops. If Bregman finishes strong and closes the war gap an argument needs to at least be considered and not panned.  But no one here will consider a rational argument. 

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, thebloob said:

I guess I don’t get how an unbiased person can’t even consider the possibility.  Bregman played more games st more positions covering for multiple injured people.  He will have more hits, doubles, walks, less strikeouts, and as of right now a higher batting average.  trout just has more homers and therefore higher ops. If Bregman finishes strong and closes the war gap an argument needs to at least be considered and not panned.  But no one here will consider a rational argument. 

That's kind of a bold claim. And it's wrong.

I honestly don't think he will win it, and I'm not alone in that thought.

Regardless, you're on an Angels fan website. Why the hell wouldn't we be biased towards our best player?

[ScottT]

I've considered the possibility of Bregman being named MVP. When it was first announced Trout would miss the last two weeks, I was a little concerned.  Look around though. Almost nobody but Astros people are arguing Bregman.  He's being considered, but he's gonna fall short

[Inside Pitch]

45 minutes ago, ScottT said:

I've considered the possibility of Bregman being named MVP. When it was first announced Trout would miss the last two weeks, I was a little concerned.  Look around though. Almost nobody but Astros people are arguing Bregman.  He's being considered, but he's gonna fall short

Reason we're not seeing it that much other than Astros fans is because some are arguing it's hard to say he's truly been more valuable than some of his own teammates.   Alvarez came up and filled what had been a gaping hole for Houston (Tyler White), and then you have Verlander and Cole being legitimately dominant on the mound.  Basically he's got three guys on his own team making their own cases as that team's MVP which hurts him.

Personally I think in some ways, like Trout.... Bregman is a victim of his own success.  He has basically repeated his 2018, when he came in 5th.

 

[Jay]

7 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Reason we're not seeing it that much other than Astros fans is because some are arguing it's hard to say he's truly been more valuable than some of his own teammates. 

But WAR...

 

[tdawg87]

Butt WAR

 

[Inside Pitch]

Just now, Jay said:

But WAR...

 

You know, I lean heavily towards stats and I understand the point of WAR is to try to find value -- but it's defensive deficiencies turn me off when it comes to making it the basis of any MVP argument...

Trout's dominance this year across the board is crazy.... https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/2019-batting-leaders.shtml

[thebloob]

That’s why they have silver slugger awards.  For the best offensive player at each position.  

 

again The problem of “value”.  If we use the war numbers inappropriately and subtract trout, the angels still suck.  If you remove Bregman, suddenly the astros might be in a wild card fight.  Who provided more value to their team?

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

Trout

Bregman

not a lot of stats in bold print for Bregman