Rosenthal: What the Halo? Leave Trout in CF!

[Troll Daddy]

Didn't feel like we had the best outfield in baseball with PB in CF before he got hurt.

[Troll Daddy]

I'm confused to how much better our outfield is with PB in CF? ... while playing Trout in a position he's not comfortable playing.

[Lifetime]

He's not comfortable there now? 

[stormngt]

There have been hundreds of studies that state that happy workers produce more... just because it is baseball doesn't change anything.

 

Also, I am speaking more toward making him happy so he stays on the team.

and yes we all remember when Trout said he was "unhappy" playing lf.

 

Oh, wait????

[jshep]

Lifetime knows Mike Trout personally. They are buds.

 

Well, we do know that Trout himself has completely dismissed any connection between the position he's playing and his hitting, instead explaining it with a change in his stance he made after watching tape with Pujols.

 

Which by the way, makes A LOT more sense than the idea that he can only hit like he's capable of if he's playing CF.

[stormngt]

Oh good grief the eventually he'll be a Yankee argument again. Trout won't make it to FA before the Angels lock him in long term to a very big contract. 

fact is, if the Angels offer him the right long term extension next year, Trout would be stupid to turn down the Angels offer.  There is always the risk of injury and he can't walk away from guarantee money!

[Lifetime]

We also know that while playing LF for nearly twice as many innings last year, his offense did not suffer one iota. 

[AlexDacome]

No it's completely absurd

You never know. Baseball players are known for being superstitious ! 

[xboom28x]

Has anyone thought that maybe the player with the biggest issue with Trout playing LF and Bourjos playing CF is Hamilton?

[HeavenlyHalos]

I think that Bourjos is a slightly better defensive OF, which is why transitioning him to LF would make some sense as he could adjust more fluidly. In the month he played in left this year, Trout just seemed a bit off defensively from what we are used to. I don't have any advance stats to support my claims, that's just how I viewed his month there. Both can obviously play great D in center and can cover about the same ground. In all, I think everyone is making way too big a deal out of this situation.

[YouthofToday]

Has anyone thought that maybe the player with the biggest issue with Trout playing LF and Bourjos playing CF is Hamilton?

Perhaps, but I'm not sure why.

[tdawg87]

Has anyone thought that maybe the player with the biggest issue with Trout playing LF and Bourjos playing CF is Hamilton?

 

[Troll Daddy]

One thing is for sure ... Trout has never said he likes playing LF.

[Brent Maguire]

One thing is for sure ... Trout has never said he likes playing LF.

Does that mean he doesn't like LF? Maybe Trout does prefer playing center but he probably also realizes the value of having Petey in CF. 

[Lifetime]

You never know. Baseball players are known for being superstitious ! 

Not sure what superstition has to do with this but the absurdity is supported by data and from the player

[Mark68]

I stopped reading at this point:

 

"Never mind that Trout has been a good soldier, never once complaining about playing left. Angels people concede that Trout’s old smile and energy returned after he moved back to center. And in the past several days, I’ve spoken with three analysts at MLB Network — former major leaguers Bill Ripken, Harold Reynolds and Dave Valle — who were adamant that Trout should remain at the position."

[Troll Daddy]

Does that mean he doesn't like LF? Maybe Trout does prefer playing center but he probably also realizes the value of having Petey in CF. 

 

Really, what value are you referring too?

[jshep]

I stopped reading at this point:

 

"Never mind that Trout has been a good soldier, never once complaining about playing left. Angels people concede that Trout’s old smile and energy returned after he moved back to center. And in the past several days, I’ve spoken with three analysts at MLB Network — former major leaguers Bill Ripken, Harold Reynolds and Dave Valle — who were adamant that Trout should remain at the position."

Kind of bummed out that he didn't get Mitch Wlliams' opinion.

[Mark68]

Kind of bummed out that he didn't get Mitch Wlliams' opinion.

Or that he didn't call ESPN and get John Kruk's...

[Scott34]

No way I am reading 9 pages, but Bourjos is the better defender.

[Justabitoutside]

No way I am reading 9 pages, but Bourjos is the better defender.

You don't have to read 9 pages. I'ts 8 pages of the same crap. Of course I was dumb enough to read them all and even weigh in on the subject.

[Brent Maguire]

Really, what value are you referring too?

Uh is this a serious question? Bourjos is rated better defensively by all metrics and Trout taking his great defense to left field only enhances the outfield defense. It's not too complicated. 

[GregAlso]

Wow, thanks LT for defending rational thinking.

I am one that thinks the defensive metrics this early in the season aren't totally off. Trout's defense has not just been off in LF, it has also been worse in center. Last night a good accurate arm could have had Ethier at the plate. I've been to 15+ games at the big A this year and watched Trout take bad routes to balls, a couple dropped for hits but most he made up for with his speed. Trout's UZR/150 in LF is 13.4 and in CF it is -9. I don't think he's that bad but he hasn't looked stellar to my eye this year either anywhere.

Peter's arm isn't the only thing better, his routes are cleaner. This isn't to say Bourjos has been a defensive gem this season either, his UZR/150 is worse at -26.8. In fact I believe a major problem with the pitching this year is actually our substandard defense, 34 team errors (2nd worse in baseball.) I digress.

This discussion is about defensive comparisons of Trout and Bourjos and offensive comparisons of Bourjos and Shuck/Trumbo (his possible replacements.)

2012 Trout vs 2012 Bourjos defensively (in CF) their UZR/150 were 16.0 for Trout vs 40.8 for Peter. 2011 Peter was even better with a 47.2 UZR/150. Answer: Peter is better in CF. As shown in above paragraph, Trout is good in LF. Defensively Bourjos in CF and Trout in LF maximizes our defense.

What about Peter vs Shuck at the dish. Peter has a wOBA (a comprehensive measure of offensive production, look it up) this season of .361. This is tied with Trumbo for 2nd on the team. Shuck has a respectable .309, 9th on the team. Peter is exceptional and Shuck is slightly below the league average of .323. I don't get the logic of trading Peter and his bat, which isn't good enough for LF, and replacing it with a below league average hitter who's defense isn't as good. That makes no sense to me.

The argument about Trumbo over Peter doesn't fly either. Peter's defense is exceedingly better, no contest (Trumbo UZR/150 in 2012 LF -0.7.) Peter's offensive value is not worse (remember their wOBA is equal.) Bourjos' speed helps him with more triples than Trumbo will ever hit, not to mention the extra runs with improved base-running. It's a slight advantage to Trumbo for power to our common opinion but the numbers this year don't say that.

This whole argument is silly based on the stats, put Bourjos in center and Trout in LF. How easily we forget how good Peter was defensively in 2011 because our eyes are clouded by Trout's offensive production in 2012. Trout is really good, Bourjos is better.

I think they didn't trade Petey because the league undervalued his potential. It is best to trade a player at the height of their value, now, instead of when there is uncertainty, last off season.

Last thing, Peter is the best leadoff hitter we've got, .370 OBP. I can't wait till we see him batting in front of Trout instead of Aybar. He is also improving his walk rate (7.7% in 2013.) if we could get a top of the rotation SP with a couple years left then MAYBE we trade Peter otherwise we take advantage of an exceptional CF.

[Adam]

Trout is hitting .000 since this thread was posted.

[ten ocho recon scout]

If people are really stupid enough to believe that Trout is hitting better because he is playing CF.  Then the Angels should put Hamilton and his $125 million contract in CF, because it's obvious RF is affecting his hitting.

exactly. The last thing on trouts mind when he's in the box is is where he plays defense.

Trumbo seems to do fine, and he gets bounced all over the place.