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Mike Trout (1991) - Los Angeles Angels' Megastar (2012-), and Possibly the Best Player in Baseball Right Now


DonRocks

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How does Mike Trout keep getting better?

As of the 2017 All-Star break, he's batting .337, has an on-base percentage of .461, and is slugging .762.

The scary thing is that Ted Williams almost did this for his entire career (not so much the slugging). I can't over-emphasize what a big deal it is that Williams missed three of his prime years due to WWII, and another two due to the Korean war - he would have had 600+ home runs (I personally think he would have had 700). He played in *four different decades*, but only had a 19-season career (really about 15 seasons, if you account for war-related injuries) - they asked Teddy Ballgame which was the best team he ever played for: His response was, "The United States Marine Corps."

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20 hours ago, DonRocks said:

"Mike Trout Has Reached a Hall of Fame Threshold - But What if His Career Collapses?" by Jay Jaffe on si.com

If Mike Trout's career collapses, then he will have had exactly the same number of outstanding seasons (6) as Sandy Koufax.

At the midway point of his 12-year career, Sandy Koufax's record was 36-40 - then he had six fantastic seasons.

I don't see his career collapsing, except if a Don Mattingly-like injury were to derail him.

From 1983 through 1987, Don Mattingly was Mike Trout. He was other-wordly, the best player in baseball, and an MVP in 1985 (runner up in 1986, even though he had a 7.2 WAR). He was clearly on his way to the Hall of Fame.

In 1987, he reportedly hurt his back horsing around with Bob Shirley in the locker room, and he was never the same after that. The second half of his career was above average, but he never returned to perennial MVP status like the first half of his career. He will be remembered as the greatest Yankee never to have appeared in the World Series.

I am not suggesting that such a fate will befall Mike Trout, and I certainly hope that he continues to cement his status as the greatest player in today's game.

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