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Trout vs Griffey


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Recently, I started reading FB for the first time in years and found a baseball group. Theres like a whole movement out there to argue this topic, it seems.

Whats everyones take here? Obviously were Angel fans so were going to be biased, but all that aside, whats everyone think?

Forget his Reds years. He was hurt, and his Seattle years were about the length of Trouts career to this point.

 

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I think Junior is under-rated to some degree.  The guy was a tremendous talent (obviously).  Some things that really stood out to me were the back to back years he hit 56 homers and his ten consecutive gold gloves. 

As far as who is better?  I don't think it matters.  It's kind of funny how baseball fans (and many fans in general) have this need to compare players and argue about who is better.  I get it. It's part of being a fan, I guess.

Junior was a generational talent for sure.  So is Trout.  The one thing they both have in common is that neither has played in the World Series...

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Griffey was my favorite player before I became an Angel fan and started following the MLB (I think based on the old baseball video games).

Something important to note about him is that he never tested positive for steroids, or was ever legitimately accused, in an era when it felt like every other slugger was roiding.  

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When I saw the title, I thought this was going to much more depressing thread. I won't even write what I was thinking. 

I would give the nod to Trout, fully acknowledging my bias. 

However that swing of Griffey's was the most beautiful thing. I don't see how it would be possible to be a fan of baseball and not love it. 

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Griffey's career as a Mariner is particularly easy to compare, because it ran for his age 19-29 seasons, just like Trout so far.

Griffey (1989-99): 1535 games, .299/.380/.569, 398 HR, 167 SB, 144 wRC+, 68.5 fWAR

Trout (2011-21): 1288 games, .305/.419/.583, 310 HR, 203 SB, 172 wRC+, 77.8 fWAR

One thing to note is that Griffey had played quite a few more games--1535 to 1288 (+247)--both because he almost a full season at age 19, but also was generally healthier.

But as you can see, Trout was significantly better, mostly because he walked a lot more. But also, Griffey put up those numbers in a much higher offense context, thus those triple-slash numbers aren't quite as impressive as they look, as evinced by the huge difference in wRC+.

Or to put that in context, among all players through age 29, here is how they rank in wRC+ and WAR:

Griffey: 71st in wRC+, 13th in WAR

Trout: 9th in wRC+, 5th in WAR

Trout's wRC+ of 172 is between Musial/Mantle at 173 and Pujols/Mize at 169, whereas Griffey is tied with players like Paul Goldschmict, Arky Vaughan, and Todd Helton.

Up until a couple years ago, Trout was 1st in WAR at the same age, but due to the covid-shortened season and then last year's injury, has fallen behind, but he's right between Ruth and A-Rod. Griffey is right between Aaron and Mathews.

One more thing. Trout was a much better baserunner, with 62.1 career BsR compared to Griffey's 7.9 through age 29, but Griffey was a better defender with 86.0 Def runs vs. Trout's 17.6.

 

Edited by Angelsjunky
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The closest historical comp to Trout remains Mickey Mantle:

Mantle (1951-61): 1552 games, .308/.425/.579, 374 HR, 124 SB, 173 wRC+, 85.1 fWAR

Trout (2011-21): 1288 games, .305/.419/.583, 310 HR, 203 SB, 172 wRC+, 77.8 fWAR

As with Griffey, Mantle played about a season and a half more than Trout, thus the higher WAR total and home runs. But otherwise, it is really remarkable how similar they are. Hopefully Trout ages better, as Mantle's last truly great season was at age 29 and he "only" produced 27.2 more WAR for the rest of his career.

Edited by Angelsjunky
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Hopefully with two stud outfielders in Adell and Marsh to take some of the fielding pressure off of Trout to cover more ground than necessary, his health will remain steady and we get a good 150 games out of him this season.

Then it's only a battle between Trout and the current MVP to who holds the title at the end of the year. 

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8 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Up until a couple years ago, Trout was 1st in WAR at the same age, but due to the covid-shortened season and then last year's injury, has fallen behind, but he's right between Ruth and A-Rod. Griffey is right between Aaron and Mathews.

This is kind of like DiMaggio and Williams losing a couple prime years to the war effort that affects their total WAR and other counting stats. In the end if Trout can bounce back and play healthy through his mid 30's there is no telling where his carrier numbers land amongst the greatest that ever played. 

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7 hours ago, Blarg said:

This is kind of like DiMaggio and Williams losing a couple prime years to the war effort that affects their total WAR and other counting stats. In the end if Trout can bounce back and play healthy through his mid 30's there is no telling where his carrier numbers land amongst the greatest that ever played. 

DiMaggio probably lost about 20 WAR to war, and Williams like 40 WAR to war. 

The moral of the story: war destroys WAR.

But seriously, DiMaggio would be in the 100 WAR club, and Williams could have surpassed Ruth, or at least been in the "big three" with Ruth and Bonds.

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1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

DiMaggio probably lost about 20 WAR to war, and Williams like 40 WAR to war. 

The moral of the story: war destroys WAR.

But seriously, DiMaggio would be in the 100 WAR club, and Williams could have surpassed Ruth, or at least been in the "big three" with Ruth and Bonds.

MLB needs new stats called COVID and INJURY.

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On 1/13/2022 at 1:00 PM, Angelsjunky said:

 

Griffey's career as a Mariner is particularly easy to compare, because it ran for his age 19-29 seasons, just like Trout so far.

Griffey (1989-99): 1535 games, .299/.380/.569, 398 HR, 167 SB, 144 wRC+, 68.5 fWAR

Trout (2011-21): 1288 games, .305/.419/.583, 310 HR, 203 SB, 172 wRC+, 77.8 fWAR

One thing to note is that Griffey had played quite a few more games--1535 to 1288 (+247)--both because he almost a full season at age 19, but also was generally healthier.

But as you can see, Trout was significantly better, mostly because he walked a lot more. But also, Griffey put up those numbers in a much higher offense context, thus those triple-slash numbers aren't quite as impressive as they look, as evinced by the huge difference in wRC+.

Or to put that in context, among all players through age 29, here is how they rank in wRC+ and WAR:

Griffey: 71st in wRC+, 13th in WAR

Trout: 9th in wRC+, 5th in WAR

Trout's wRC+ of 172 is between Musial/Mantle at 173 and Pujols/Mize at 169, whereas Griffey is tied with players like Paul Goldschmict, Arky Vaughan, and Todd Helton.

Up until a couple years ago, Trout was 1st in WAR at the same age, but due to the covid-shortened season and then last year's injury, has fallen behind, but he's right between Ruth and A-Rod. Griffey is right between Aaron and Mathews.

One more thing. Trout was a much better baserunner, with 62.1 career BsR compared to Griffey's 7.9 through age 29, but Griffey was a better defender with 86.0 Def runs vs. Trout's 17.6.

 

Thanks, was hoping one of you guys would chime in on this.

Griffey was a monster. Seemed like he was "more feared" than trout, but thats probably because I wad a kid, and the griffey hype was everywhere (as opposed to Trout, who almost isnt even a celebrity)

But my first thought in comparing the two is that griffey played in a far better hitters park than Trout. In a far better lineup.

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16 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Thanks, was hoping one of you guys would chime in on this.

Griffey was a monster. Seemed like he was "more feared" than trout, but thats probably because I wad a kid, and the griffey hype was everywhere (as opposed to Trout, who almost isnt even a celebrity)

But my first thought in comparing the two is that griffey played in a far better hitters park than Trout. In a far better lineup.

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd say Griffey was more feared - my sense is that Trout is at least as feared. Think of how pitchers have had to try to work around him, and then him figuring it out and adjusting. And think of how often Trout actually gets a good pitch to hit.

Here's another angle on it. Here are the two players compared to the field in wRC+, age 20-29, 1000+ PA:

2012-21

1. Trout 174, 2. Soto 156, 3. Tatis 153, 4. Judge 151, 5. Ortiz 150, 6. Votto 147, 7. Stanton 144, 8. Harper 142, 9. Goldschidt 141, 10. Freeman 141

1990-99

1. Bonds 172, 2. Thomas 166, 3. McGwire 165, 4. Bagwell 158, 5. Piazza 154, 6. Edgar 154, 7. Griffey 147, 8. Sheffield 146, 9. M Ramirez 145, 10. Belle 145, 11. Thome 145

Trout has been, by far, the best hitter in the game over the course of his career. Cabrera had the edge over him as a hitter for a couple years, and various others have had as good years as him, but his overall level is significantly above everyone else.

Meanwhile, Griffey is clumped with Sheffield, Manny, Belle, and Thome -- all great hitters but a bit behind the top 6 of that era.

But yeah, the hype around Griffey was immense - especially when he first game up and then hit his stride. But I remember that stat guys all felt that Bonds was the premier player of the era, even though Griffey got more of a spotlight. 

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