Player's View: Who's the Best in the Game?

[Punk]

Michael Bowden, Chicago Cubs pitcher: "Miguel Cabrera.” [No elaboration.]

 

Jackie Bradley, Jr. Boston Red Sox outfielder: “The best player in baseball is Mike Trout. He’s got the overall package. It’s not just hitting — and he can definitely hit — but also his defense and his base paths. He’s got the whole package.”

 

Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles infielder: “Miguel Cabrera. We’re talking about a guy who might win the triple crown again this year. It’s ridiculous that he did it last year and might do it again. He’s hitting about .350 and he’s not even 100 percent healthy. I’d say he’s definitely the best player in baseball right now.”

 

Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins infielder; “Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter. He separates himself from every other hitter in this league, because he hits for both power and average, which is tough to do. As far as offensive categories, he’s definitely the best. As good as Mike Trout is, he’s also only in his second year. Miggy has been doing it for 10 years. It’s not like he plays a bad third base, either. I‘d have to go with Miggy as the best player in the game.”

 

Brian Duensing, Minnesota Twins pitcher; “Miguel Cabrera. Personally, I don’t know if it’s possible to get him out. He plays a decent third base. He has a lot of power and can hit to any part of the field. It’s tough to say [best] in all of baseball, because we don’t see the National League guys as much, but Cabrera is the first player that comes to mind.”

 

Sam Fuld, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder: “Mike Trout. He dominates in all three facets of the game: hitting, baserunning and defense. He looks and runs like an NFL linebacker but possesses as good a set of baseball skills as just about anyone in the game.”

 

Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers infielder: “Miguel Cabrera. Absolutely. He’s the best hitter, and he’s pretty good defensively, too.”

 

Casey Janssen, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher: “I’ve got to say Miguel Cabrera. He’s the biggest threat there is at the plate, and he plays a good enough third base. He puts the team on his back. He has presence. When you play them, you circle his name on the lineup card.”

 

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher: “Mike Trout. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter in the game, no doubt, but Mike Trout is the best player.”

 

Adam Lind, Toronto Blue jays outfielder: “Mike Trout, I guess, if you’re going to go with overall. He does everything.”

 

Nate McLouth, Baltimore Orioles outfielder: “I think Mike Trout is. He can do everything. There are a handful of guys you could pick, but as far as all-around game, he’s the best there is.”

 

Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants outfielder: “I think it’s safe to say it’s between Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera. WAR? I think it’s kind of a silly statistic. I don’t even know what factors are involved. I remember reading about it a while ago and seeing that you can lose points for the position you play. I don’t understand all that stuff. If I was to look at what I think helps wins games, it’s run production: RBI and runs scored. OPS is a powerful stat, and stealing bases, and defense. That’s what I would look at. It’s fun to analyze that stuff, though.”

 

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants catcher: “Can I have two? Miguel Cabrera or Mike Trout. Is that a pretty common answer? It would be a tough call there.”

 

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Boston Red Sox catcher: “If you’re talking all-around player, it’s Mike Trout. He plays good defense, steals bases, hits for power, hits for average. If you’re talking best hitter, even if he’s mediocre at his position, you’ve got Miguel Cabrera. He’s just an unbelievable hitter. But best overall player, Mike Trout.”

——

FINAL TALLY

Mike Trout: Seven votes (Bradley, Fuld, Kershaw, Lind, McLouth, Pence ½, Posey ½, Saltalamacchia)

Miguel Cabrera: Seven votes (Bowden, Davis, Dozier, Duensing, Gonzalez, Janssen, Pence ½, Posey ½)

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/players-view-who-is-the-best-player-in-the-game/

[tdawg87]

Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers infielder: “Miguel Cabrera. Absolutely. He’s the best hitter, and he’s pretty good defensively, too.”

 

Haha no.

[Ray McKigney]

Trout.

[Brent Maguire]

Hunter Pence's answer is.... kind of odd. 

[Brandon]

Ian Kinsler

[Angelsjunky]

I participated in the comments of that post. According to WAR, Miguel Cabrera isn't even the 2nd best player in the game - whether we're talking this year alone, or 2012-13. Andrew McCutchen is the 2nd best player in the game (according to WAR).

[Taylor]

50 percent of those players are just as dumb as the sportswriters for vote for MVP.

[Taylor]

I participated in the comments of that post. According to WAR, Miguel Cabrera isn't even the 2nd best player in the game - whether we're talking this year alone, or 2012-13. Andrew McCutchen is the 2nd best player in the game (according to WAR).

 

But Hunter Pence said WAR is kind of a silly statistic, so I don't trust it anymore.

[Angels]

fWAR leaders since 2012:

 

1) Mike Trout     20.4

2) Andrew McCutchen    15.0

3) Miguel Cabrera     14.4

4) Robinson Cano     13.7

5) David Wright    13.4

6) Buster Posey    12.5

7) Joey Votto     11.8

 

Etc.

 

Trout isn't just the best player in the game, he's head and shoulders above everyone else. He is on another level completely.

Edited October 5, 2013 by Angels

[Ohtaniland]

If you were to ask Albert Pujols who is the best he would say Albert Pujols.

[jshep]

Damn it, I have to side with Red Sox players.

Edited October 5, 2013 by jshep

[DW711]

Best hitter: Cabrera

Best defender: Machado or Molina

Best pitcher: Kershaw

Best overall player: Trout

[DW711]

Hunter Pence's answer is.... kind of odd. 

 

He would say that since his defense isn't very good and has about 30 hits that went 10 feet this year.

[tdawg87]

I saw an argument being made in the Yahoo comments section that said Trout couldn't be the "best" player because he wasn't the "best" in any single aspect of the game.

 

True story. We live in a world full of retarded people.

Edited October 5, 2013 by tdawg87

[Troll Daddy]

I agree with Pence ... WAR has to be the worst stat in baseball. Does anyone here know the formula?

You don't need WAR to know who are the best players in the game.

Trout is the complete package but Cabrera is a game changer.

[Angels]

Trout was the second-best hitter in baseball if you look at wRC+. Even without the adjustments (just looking at plain ol' wOBA), he was still the second-best hitter in baseball. Looking at the more standard stats, he had the third-highest OPS and second-highest OPS+ in baseball.

 

No matter how you look at it, Trout was a great hitter.

 

And even with all of that said, Trout still had the highest offensive WAR in all of baseball. Even ahead of Miguel Cabrera. 

[wopphil]

I really don't think there is any comparison between Trout and Cabrera, and it blows my mind how many people don't give any consideration whatsoever to defense and base running.

Edited October 5, 2013 by wopphil

[Angels]

I really don't think there is any comparison between Trout and Cabrera, and it blows my mind how many people don't give any consideration whatsoever to defense and base running.

 

There is none. Trout is head and shoulders above him as a player once you take everything into account. It's a good thing people are getting smarter and some of these still-alive dinosaurs are dying out otherwise a player like Trout would never be getting the kind of recognition he is getting now. 

[Ohtaniland]

I agree with Pence ... WAR has to be the worst stat in baseball. Does anyone here know the formula?

You don't need WAR to know who are the best players in the game.

Trout is the complete package but Cabrera is a game changer.

 

No, Willie Mays was the complete package but Mike Trout is pretty damn dominant.

[Troll Daddy]

There is none. Trout is head and shoulders above him as a player once you take everything into account. It's a good thing people are getting smarter and some of these still-alive dinosaurs are dying out otherwise a player like Trout would never be getting the kind of recognition he is getting now.

Why wouldn't he be getting the attention he is now?

Dinosaurs lol

[Angels]

fWAR since 2012:

 

Trout 20.2

Cabrera 14.4

 

rWAR since 2012:

 

Trout 20.1

Cabrera 14.5

 

That gap is so ridiculously huge.

 

Mike Trout is so much better than Cabrera and practically everyone else, it's scary.

[Troll Daddy]

No, Willie Mays was the complete package but Mike Trout is pretty damn dominant.

You're right but nobody knew. Saber metrics wasn't around back then.

[Angels]

Why wouldn't he be getting the attention he is now?

Dinosaurs lol

 

You think 5 years ago Trout would be getting this kind of attention and recognition as the best player in the game? It would be all about some slugging first baseman(s). Someone with a bunch of dingers and RBIs. With no consideration for anything else.

[Troll Daddy]

You think 5 years ago Trout would be getting this kind of attention and recognition as the best player in the game? It would be all about some slugging first baseman(s). Someone with a bunch of dingers and RBIs. With no consideration for anything else.

If you believe that then you must be new to the game.

[Angels]

You don't think there is more information now than there was 5+ years ago? You think sabermetrics was as widely accepted (and known) by the average baseball fan as it is now? 

Edited October 5, 2013 by Angels