What's Wrong with Julio? Why the Mariners' Young Star Has Yet to Get Established at the Plate

Julio Rodriguez came into the 2024 MLB season expecting not only to be the best player on the Seattle Mariners, but perhaps the best centerfielder in all of baseball. What’s happened instead is that the superstar has seemingly been struck powerless, struggling to be even an average hitter, much less an elite one, and leaving everyone confused as to why.

The easiest answer, and perhaps one that will prove true by the end of the season, is that Julio has always been streaky. During his first months as a big leaguer in the 2022 season, J-Rod was struggling to meet the hype as one of baseball’s top prospects until a blistering June and July landed him on the American League All-Star team. 2023 proved more of the same, with Julio putting up fairly pedestrian numbers until an otherworldly August brought his numbers back to where they were expected.

Still, his 2024 has been more difficult than either of his first starts were. His OPS through May is nearly 100 points lower than it was in 2023, and his four home runs are less than half of the ten he’d hit last year at this time.

The power outage isn’t an especially easy issue to diagnose, either. Julio’s quality of contact is right in line with where he was in his first two years, with his average exit velocity and hard hit rate both being virtually identical from a year ago.

His quantity of contact isn’t especially different either. While Julio has always had a bit of a chase problem, his decision making has actually been slightly better this year, as he’s both swinging at fewer pitches out of the zone and making more contact with pitches inside it.

The one notable difference in what Julio’s doing at the plate isn’t in how hard or how often he’s hitting the ball, but the direction in which his hits are going.

Over his first few seasons, Julio would pull the ball around 39% of the time, with about 37% of his balls in play going up the middle and the other 23% going the other way. This year, though, he’s only been able to pull about 30% of his balls in play, with 44% going up the middle and 26% going to right.

Contrary to what old-timey hitting gurus might say, going the other way isn’t alway a recipe for being a better hitter. Being able to hit the ball to all fields is a great skill for maintaining a high batting average, and Julio’s .270 is well above league average, but an approach that focuses too much on doing so will cut away opportunities for extra base hits. Pulling the ball to all fields has always been the easiest way to hit homeruns, and we're seeing how failing to do so can impact a power-focused hitter like Julio, especially when he’s alternatively hitting so many balls to center, where the wall is farthest from home plate.

The reason he’s stuck in this mode of hitting is harder to diagnose. He’s seeing a slightly higher dose of breaking pitches this year, which fall away from the hitter (assuming it’s a right handed pitcher) and are therefore harder to pull, but it’s not a drastic enough difference from the previous two years to explain the issue on its own. Timing and mechanics likely also are playing a role, though if it were something easy to spot on tape you’d assume the Mariners coaching staff would have helped him adjust by now (although they did just fire their offensive coordinator, which is not the highest vote of confidence on how the front office believes that coaching staff has performed).

Whatever’s going on, Julio will need to figure it out if he wants to live up to the sky-high expectations he’s set for himself early in his career. While he’s still displaying all of the physical tools that made him such an obvious star (especially his defense, which has remained excellent despite his troubles at the plate), his current approach is clearly not optimal. There’s no question he has it in him to turn his offense around, but if the Mariners are going to accomplish anything in 2024 and beyond, they’ll have to hope he does so sooner rather than later.

Bobby Witt Jr. is Proof You Should Always Bet on the Tools

You don’t have to look back particularly far to remember a time when Bobby Witt Jr. was among the most exciting topics in baseball. Entering the 2022 season, Witt (for the record, I will never be referring to his father, Bobby Witt Sr., who was also a Major Leaguer, at any point here) was seen as a consensus top-three prospect in the sport. Most outlets had him mixed in with Adley Rutschman and Julio Rodriguez as the biggest names set to make their professional debuts, with multiple major publications listing Witt as the most promising of the three.

What further elevated the excitement of Witt’s impending debut was the dire state of the Kansas City Royals in the preceding years. Witt was seen not only as a future franchise player but also a beacon of light that could shine for one of the bleakest franchises in all of professional sports. While all top prospects have to grapple with the expectations of their high rankings, Witt had the added pressure of being seen as the only watchable aspect of perhaps the worst team in all of baseball.

Unfortunately for Bobby and the Royals, Witt’s start at the game’s highest level was, to be polite, inauspicious. He managed only a modest .254/.294/.428 slash-line, good for just a 99 wRC+. His Chase Rate ranked in the 16th percentile and his 5.0% BB Rate was worse than 90% of qualified hitters.

While these offensive stats alone may leave room for optimism for the 22-year-old (being an essentially league-average hitter at such a young age is certainly a good sign), his defense was among the worst in baseball. Despite his projections as a solid shortstop from his days in the minors, he completely failed to deliver on those expectations. He posted -9 Outs Above Average in his time at short, as well as another -3 over at third base. That puts him in the first percentile of fielders, per BaseballSavant, meaning he was literally as bad as possible.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Witt’s rookie season, as well as least fair, was his inability to improve his teams record. While Adley’s and Julio’s arrivals each accompanied astronomic jumps in their teams’ fortunes, the 2022 Royals finished with a 65-97 record, nine games worse than they’d been the year before. It’s ridiculous to pin much, if any, of the blame for such a poor season on Witt alone, but it still added to the perception that his rookie season was well below what was expected of him.

The result of Witt’s not living up to the lofty expectations he’d been given was that he was not seen by nearly as many as the future star he once was. Instead of the new face of Royals’ baseball, Witt’s perception instead became more of a flawed prospect. Maybe the promise was still there, but, to many, it felt unlikely he’d ever reach the heights people had anticipated prior to his debut.

What these people tended to miss, though, was Witt still had managed to display all of the tools that had led to his high ranking in the first place. While the results weren’t exactly what was hoped, Witt still hit the ball harder than most of the league, and his Max Exit Velo (a good tool to measure the quality of contact a player is capable of) was in the 93rd percentile. His ability to make contact was also impressive for a player his age, as his K% and Whiff% were both only just below league average. While he had a long way to go in terms of his plate discipline, he did at least show he could hit the ball hard and make contact at a good clip, which are great signs for a still-developing player.

His hitting wasn’t the only thing that looked to improve, though. Even as he graded out as one of the worst fielders in all of baseball, Witt showed he clearly had the tools to become much better than that. His arm strength was well above the league average, and his sprint speed was among the best in all of baseball. While he clearly needed to make strides in his glove work, he still proved he had the physical capabilities to handle baseball’s hardest position.

So far, 2023 has proved that these underlying tools can be extremely important to consider. As of August 8th, Witt is slashing .269/.309/.478, an improvement in every single category. He’s also already matched his homerun total from the previous season (20) and passed his stolen base mark (32). While he finished last year as a tick below average per wRC+, this year he finds himself solidly above with a score of 110.

Even more importantly, his defense has undergone a complete 180. After posting a miserable -11 Outs Above Average last year, he’s improved to 13 OAA this season, which is tied with Dansby Swanson as the best in baseball. While partly this just proves how clunky single-season fielding metrics can be, it also points to why understanding a player’s physical profile is just as important as past results in forecasting future success.

Best of all, everything under the hood has improved for Bobby as well. He’s making more contact at better quality than he did his rookie season. While his results have taken a jump, he may still have more to tap into, as he’s underperforming his expected stats based on his batted ball data.

All of this goes to show that first impressions shouldn’t always last. Maybe Witt’s first season in MLB was disappointing, but writing him off despite all of the physical gifts he displayed should never have happened. Despite the negative attention he received, it appears the Royals may have gotten their future star after all.

The Hidden Giant: Why Logan Webb is the Most Underrated Pitcher in Baseball

For one week in October of 2021, Logan Webb took the baseball world by storm. Pitching for San Francisco against the almighty Dodgers in the NLDS, Webb put together one of the best postseason pitching performances the storied franchise had ever seen. In 14.2 innings, Webb allowed only one run while striking out 17 against probably the best offense in all of baseball. For a 24-year-old pitcher coming off a great year (his first full season as a starter), this was seen by many as the beginning of an extremely promising career.

While the success of Webb’s first full season would carry into 2022, the headlines he received at the end of the 2021 season would not. Despite putting together a phenomenal season, spotting a 2.90 ERA across 196 innings of work, Webb was hardly more than an afterthought. While a year ago he had been an ascending star for baseball’s most surprising team, this time he was merely a rare bright spot for an otherwise difficult Giant’s season. Outside of a few down-ballot Cy Young Award votes (he finished 11th), Webb received basically no recognition for being one of the most valuable pitchers in the National League.

So far, 2023 has only been more of the same for Webb. Despite leading the National League with a 3.6 bWAR, Webb was not even named to the All-Star team. He hasn’t even separated himself from his teammates, as Alex Cobb was selected be an NL All-Star over him.

There should be no question that Webb, after two and a half years of pitching at a consistently high level. should be considered one of the very best pitchers in the National League. So what exactly leads him to fly so far under the radar?

A big reason is likely the way in which he contributes. Rather than throwing 100 MPH and striking out 12 per nine, Webb instead operates as more of an efficient out-getter. His k% is only in the 63rd percentile, but he ranks in the 94th in BB% and 83rd in Chase Rate. He doesn’t get the swings and misses that other pitchers do (only 26th percentile in Whiff%) but he induces so many swings that he never gives away free passes.

Another reason is likely his repertoire. He doesn’t have a fastball he can blow by hitters or a slider that makes the batter look stupid. Instead, he lives off of his changeup and sinker, inducing more ground balls than appearences on Pitching Ninja. While these pitches have become extremely effective (his changeup’s -17 run value on FanGraphs is the third best of any pitch in baseball) they won’t do a lot to make up a phenomenal highlight package.

Mostly, though, I think it’s just Webb’s unwavering consistency that keeps him out of the spotlight. He doesn’t trade spectacular starts with average ones like most pitchers, instead consistently pitching 6 or 7 innings of 1-3 run ball. While this makes him extremely valuable to his team, it also means he’s never having the standout individual performances that sports media love to promote.

Hopefully, the longer Webb continues to pitch at this level the more people will begin to recognize his efforts. He’s one of the most likely candidates to be worthy of the National League Cy Young award in the second half of the season, so perhaps a strong finish will get him the respect he deserves.

Quietly Climbing: The Milwaukee Brewers Have Silently Ascended to Become One of the Smartest Clubs in Baseball

If there is one thing the last decade of baseball advancement has taught us, it’s that sustained success is not something that can be bought on the open market. Big market teams such as the Mets, Angels and Red Sox have struggled to compete with the obsessively stringent clubs such as the Guardians and Rays.

While acquiring top-shelf talent still can’t be done without writing checks worth more than the entire GDP of small nations, those guys alone aren’t enough to jump into immediate contention. Instead, forward-thinking front offices have learned to develop rosters with large rosters full of reliable options that can survive the grueling marathon that is an MLB season.

While every franchise is attempting to re-work their models to fit this form of roster construction, where depth is prioritized over top-end production, some have clearly mastered it faster than others. Big market like the Astros, Dodgers and Braves have learned how to use their wealth of resources to create unstoppable player-development machines while other franchises, such as the aforementioned Rays, have simply given up on free agency all together, instead investing every possible resource on creating a farm system that constantly filters out talent to the big league club.

Still, there have been a number of clubs who have taken steps forward over the past few seasons. The Mariners, Guardians and Orioles have all begun to see results from pushing more of their resources into developing players, and each franchise is miles ahead of where they were even a couple seasons ago.

Perhaps no team has advanced faster, though, than the Milwaukee Brewers, who have seemingly created one of the deepest rosters in baseball without anyone noticing.

The Brewers have been considered one of the best organizations in baseball at developing pitching for a few years. Their successes in 2018 and 2019 came largely from their piecing together one of the best bullpens in baseball, headlined by superstar closer Josh Hader.

Since then, they’ve only continued to push out top level arms. Over the last few seasons, they’ve produced 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, all-stars Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff and Devin Williams, as well as an endless supply of average to slightly better than average arms who fill out the rest of their innings.

What has gone completely under the radar, though, is how well the Brewers have become at filling out the other side of the ball.

While their lineup still has plenty of transplants from other organizations, Milwaukee has still produced a number of exciting players that seem to have exceeded expectations. Luis Urias has played at an all-star level for a couple of years now, and Garrett Mitchell, Brice Turang and Joey Wiemer have all shown strong starts to their careers as well.

They even have more help on the ways as well. Despite recent promotions they still have one of the deeper farm systems in baseball, headlined by top shortstop prospect Jackson Chourio.

Milwaukee also has become adept at helping established big leaguers improve their production after signing with/being traded to Milwaukee. Outside of the obvious example of Christian Yelich, Willy Adames and Rowdy Tellez each enjoyed more success with the Brewers than they had with their former teams (this is particularly impressive in the case of Adames, whose previous team was development savvy Rays). While its early, 2023 newcomers Brian Anderson and Jesse Winker seem to have improved from previous seasons as well.

The Brewers have even found a way to improve defense, especially in catchers. Omar Narvaez and William Contreras each showed significant improvement in every aspect of their play behind the plate after joining The Crew, from blocking to pitch framing even to pop time.

While the public tends to focus on their pitching machine, Milwaukee has sprung ahead of the curve on essentially every aspect of organizational development. Even as they’re consistently picked to go only as far as the Wild Card, it’s clear that this is one of the most intelligent front offices in all of baseball, and it may be time to give them more credit.

Is Adley Rutschman Already the Best Catcher in Baseball?

I think people have a tendency to forget exactly how good Buster Posey was. I’d bet that you could count on one hand the number of players as good on both sides of the ball as he was in his prime. Every other great catcher this century has had some drawback. Salvador Perez might be a great hitting catcher with a howitzer attached to his shoulder, but his ability to frame pitches and block the plate kept him from ever really being an elite defender. Yadier Molina is as perfect a defensive catcher as has ever existed, but his offense was rarely better than average and never at the level of the top hitters in baseball. Somehow, Buster Posey, especially at his best, was perfect. He was an elite defensive catcher, rivaling even Yadi as the best in the National League. His hitting wasn’t just great for a catcher, but great for anyone. He and Joe Mauer, who was probably the closest we’ve seen to a catcher as well-rounded as Posey, are the only two catchers to win the MVP Award since 2000.

If you read the title of the article, its pretty obvious what I’m doing here. Adley Rutschman might just be the most perfect prospect behind the dish since Posey himself.

Offensively, Adley’s been outstanding. Even after really struggling for the first two weeks of the season, he’s managed to slash .250/.358/.442 with a 129 wRC+. He’s posted an impressive 17.6% strikeout rate as well, which is 5% below league average. Given he’s only a 24-year-old rookie, it feels like his offensive ceiling may be incredibly high.

Defense has been where Adley’s value has really shown up, though. His glove-work and arm both appear to be well above average. His pitch-framing skills are absolutely incredible for a rookie, ranking in the 93rd percentile in runs saved according to Statcast despite not being called up until June. Considering his defense was such a highly touted skill all the way through the minors, there is every reason to believe that he’ll remain one of the best receivers in the league for years to come.

Obviously, expecting any prospect to reach the heights of a player like Buster Posey is ridiculous. Expecting anyone to reach the level of an all-time great this early in their career is only setting them up for failure. Adley could have an extremely good career without ever playing at that level.

Still, he’s so good already that it feels like it could be possible, and that alone shows just how great he’s been. Offensively, Rutschman has already separated himself from the majority of catchers, though we are very clearly in a down period of production out of that position. Defensively, he’s been incredible with every reason to expect that he’ll be among the very best in baseball in no time. He may well already be the most complete catcher in baseball.

Who knows if he’ll ever be Posey, but everything he’s done so far has been exceptional. Whatever his career ends up being, there’s no doubt that he’ll be worth the watch.

The Jimmy Rollins Case Study

Jimmy Rollins lives right on the line between the historic perception of baseball greatness and the modern, analytical one. Had he played a few decades ago, he’d surely be considered one of the greatest shortstops to ever play. Had.he played today, he’d be considered a marginally better than average shortstop. Because he played right in the middle of baseball’s transformation into a spreadsheet driven collection of thought experiments, though, he’s somehow considered both.

In terms of accolades, it’s hard to not see Rollins as an all-time shortstop. He had the eighth most home runs, ninth most steals and 12th most hits ever by any player to play more than half of their games at short. He also made three all-star teams, won four Gold Gloves, and even was named the National League’s Most Valuable player in 2007, when he hit 30 homers, 30 triples, stole 41 bases (while only being caught six times) and led the league in runs.

He even furthered his case in October, playing huge a huge role in multiple runs to the World Series with the Phillies in the late 2000’s, one of which resulted in a championship. There seems very little that a baseball traditionalist could not find in his resume.

In terms of analytics, though, Rollins’ career appears much different. His 47.6 career rWAR points to an extremely good player, but not one with the same legacy that Rollins’ accolades would point to, and certainly not a Hall of Famer. FanGraphs is a little kinder to him, giving him 49.6, but that still falls well short of other players of his stature.

Even worse, one of the main talking points of Rollins’ career was how outstanding he was offensively for a shortstop. The game hadn’t seen such a small, speedy player hit for his kind of power before. Sadly though, this perception doesn’t totally hold up to today’s standards. His 95 career OPS+ has him as actually being a below average hitter, as his power didn’t nearly make up for his incredibly low walk rate.

This isn’t a totally fair way to evaluate him, though. It’s entirely possible that his approach would’ve been different in today’s game. He’d have sacrificed putting some balls in play in order to get on base more. He may even have been more aggressive with his swing, giving up some of his contact skills to get more extra-base hits. These strategies were unthinkable during his prime, but are basically par for the course today.

That’s really what makes Jimmy so weird. He was so obviously one of the most talented players in the league, providing solid offense and great defense out of one of baseball’s premiere positions. Yet many the things that he did well aren’t considered nearly as valuable today. Even though he only retired six years ago, his career already has an entirely different context than it did when it ended. I suppose it’s only up to the voters to decide how they want to account for that, but it would seem to me at least that Rollins’ legacy is far more complicated than many of his contemporaries.

Top Ten Teams to Watch in 2022

After the most frustrating winter in the history of Major League Baseball, we finally can get excited about the upcoming season and hall of the endless possibilities that come with it. As players finally start to sign with new teams for the first time since November, we have a much stronger idea of which teams will be fun to watch and witch teams will, well, not be ( sorry Reds’ and Orioles’ fans).

These rankings are in every possible way subjective, and so the criteria is really more about what I enjoy in a team than anything else. This generally includes multiple fun starting pitchiers (I LOVE good pitching), a super magnetic star or two, a generally interesting lineup, and even some outside factors such as the quality of their broadcast team or what the atmosphere of the games is like. Also, the St. Louis Cardinals, who would be my obvious number one since I care more about their calendar than my academic one, are disqualified because that is not int he spirit of the list. Anyway, without further ado, here are my rankings:

Honorable Mention: Washington Nationals

The Washington Natinals do not have a roster that is in anyway exciting. They’re in a complete rebuild, and the only young and exciting up and comers this season are likely going to be Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz, neither of whom are exactly top shelf talent. Still, they have Juan Soto, and so I will likely tune in extremely frequently. The team itself isn’t good enough to be on the list, but Juan is too good not to be. Honorable mention is the only fair middle ground.

10. Texas Rangers

I don’t exactly know what got into the Rangers’ front office this offseason, but I am 100% for it. They gave massive deals to Marcus Semien and Corey Seager out of nowhere, and also paid big for their new ace(I guess) by getting Jon Gray. They also pulled off a huge trade with the Twins, getting Mitch Garner for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. These moves give them one of the most interesting lineups in baseball, as they’re adding Seager, Semien and Garner to a lineup that already had Adolis Garcia, Nate Lowe and Nick Solak. Their rotation, on the other hand, is pretty much one big experiment. Chris Martin is the only known quantity they have. They’re taking a huge gamble on Gray, who was never able to put it together in Colorado. They’re rounding out the rotation with extremely young pitchers Dane Dunning, AJ Alexy and Taylor Hearn. The Rangers are basically going to be one giant experiment, and, even if it doesn’t work, I can’t imagine it not being fun. to watch.

9. New York Mets

The Mets lineup bores me. They have Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, who both are very fun in their own ways. They have Starling Marte, who was a renaissance last year and can be one of the more entertianing players in baseball when he’s got it going right. Other than that though, they just don’t have the names to really be that worth watching. This doesn't matter though, because their pitching staff has Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, who are two of the best and most exciting players in the entire league. They also have Carlos Corrasco, Chris Bassit, and Tylor Megan, who each have their own entertaining quirks. Even with a less than thrilling lineup and an absolute lunatic owner, I still won’t be able to keep myself away from watching this rotation as often as possible.

8. New York Yankees.

The Yankees are the opposite of the Mets. Their rotation will have some fun dudes, with Gerrit Cole and Luis Severino pumping fastballs and Nester Cortez just sort of doing his thing. I am also a fan of Luis Gill, who I expect will be much more involved with the big league club this year. Really though, its the offense I can’t wait for. They acquired Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (37 hours after being traded from the Rangers) from the Twins, which only adds to the already combustive lineup that includes Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Joey Gallo, Luke Voit (maybe) and Antony Rizzo, whom they just resigned for two more years. While Covid vaccinations could hold back the number of games these guys play together, which would be extremely disappointing over a shot in the arm, they still have one of the most watchable teams on paper for anyone who loves to see balls flying over fences and doesn’t mind seeing 14 strikeouts a game.

7. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays’ roster is, on paper, pretty unexceptional. Shane Mclanahan, Drew Rassmussan and Luis Patino are all going to get their first real shots at big league rotations, and who knows how that will go. Their lineup has fun guys like Brandon Lowe, Randy Arozarena and of course Wander Franco. My reason for putting them so high really has very little to do with the names though, and more to do with my faith that they will once again turn no-name guys I haven’t heard of into all-star caliber talents. Plus, even if they don’t, they’ll have a competitive roster and one of the most fun young stars in the league in Franco, so I’m pretty excited to watch them play. I might try and aim for road games, though, since they have the least exciting atmosphere in baseball in the Trop.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers

I know the Dodgers check every single box. They have one of the most fun rosters in baseball, with a lineup led by Trae and Justin Turner, Max Muncie and Mookie Betts. They have an awesome rotation with Buehler, Kershaw and eventually Dustin May, who is one of the most fun young guys in the league. Their broadcast team is excellent and they have absolutely electric crowds. I know all of that. I’m also not putting them higher than sixth, because I hate watching them win and don’t want to do it anymore. I surely will plenty anyway, but I refuse to put them higher on the list out of spite.

5. San Francisco Giants

The Giants are awesome. They have five starting pitchers that I’m really excited about watching. Logan Webb is my absolute favorite kind of pitcher, as he puts ridiculous movement on the ball and can place it on a dime when he’s going right. They signed Carlos Rodon, who is a wonderfully explosive lefty with a knee-buckling slider. They have Anthony DeSclafani, who has huge breaking pitches that just dance around the plate. In the back end, they’ll have the two awkward lefties in Alex Cobb and Alex Wood. It’s just a delightful blend of talent and guile, and there will never be a game where I won’t be interested in whose pitching. Their lineup is fun too, as I am very curious how Brandon Crawford and Lomante Wade Jr. come back from their surprisingly successful 2021 campaigns. Really, though, they could have AA guys out their with this staff and I’d still love every second.

4. San Diego Padres

Last year, this was the team I was most excited about by far. This year, with the early injury to Fernando Tatis Jr. sidelining him for the foreseeable future, it just isn’t quite the same. I am not worried that they’ll be the team they were late last season, as I think a number of wild factors led to that outcome that won’t exist this year, and I still love some of the guys they’re gonna be sending out such as Jake Cronenworth and Wil Meyers. Yu Darvish, Mike Clevinger and Blake Snell will make for a fun rotation as long as they can stay healthy. Really, though, I just know I’ll watch a ton of games when Nando comes back, and that’s why they’re still in the top five.

3. Seattle Mariners

Gosh this team is going to be fun. Jerry Dipoto took the plucky, scrappy team from last year that won 90 games seemingly through pure will-power and added the reining American League Cy Young winner in Robbie Ray, a plug anywhere all-star in Adam Frazier and a top 30 hitter in Jesse Winker. Through in a full season of Jarred Kelenic and the eventual call-up of Julio Rodriguez and who knows what this team is capable of. With the expanded play-offs, its quite likely that the Mariners’ historic play-off drought is over, and you can bet Seattle will go crazy when that happens. Also their booth is excellent, which is less important than everything else but it’s still nice.

2. Chicago White Sox

I have long been excited for this team, and I’m honestly surprised they’re not number one. Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez and Loan Moncada are the sort of young, vibrant players that I think baseball needs more of. Luis Robert is one of the most incredibly talented players in the entire league, and I seriously think this year he could fight for MVP votes. On top of that, this team just has a swagger that’s impossible to not enjoy. Whether its Liam Hendricks and Lance Lynn dropping f-bombs on the mound or their lineup seemingly competing for who can have the best bat-flip, this team has a fun chemistry that other teams just can’t replicate. Expect this team to be earning prime-time showings everywhere by the end of the season, because they’re just too gosh darn fun not to watch.

1. Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have everything. Vlad Guerrero Jr. is an absolute monster at the plate. Bo Bichette is the sort of wild athlete that is always fun to watch whether he’s blasting home runs or sprinting full speed around the bases. George Springer is the sort of complete player that every team wishes they had in centerfield. Even the pitching staff, which had been their biggest weakness for years, has not only survived losing the reigning Cy Young winner in Robbie Ray, but has actually built what will probably be the best rotion they’ve had in years. José Berríos, Kevin Gausman, Yusie Kikuchi, Hyun Jin Ryu and Alex Monoah are as good a 1-5 as any team in baseball has. The bullpen is really the only complaint anyone could have about this team, but the rest of the roster more than makes up for it. This team has too many great guys and too much personality to not be a blast to watch, and I had no question that they were the team I am most excited to see.

Why Aren't There More Great Third Basemen?

There are, in my opinion, two positions in baseball in which there is an easily identifiable candidate for the greatest of all time. The first is catcher, where Johnny Bench was debatably better on both sides of the ball than any other receiver in the history of baseball. Still, players like Ivan Rodriguez, Gary Carter and Yogi Berra all at least present ripples in this debate, even if most would still land on Bench as being superior.

The second position, though, is third base, and this one is much less debatable. There is Mike Schmidt, long time third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, and then there is a list of players who were great but not great enough. Sure, George Brett was at times indescribably great. And sure, Wade Boggs is far better than history for whatever reason remembers him. Chipper Jones was pretty good. And hell, if you’re a really advanced baseball fan, you might even recognize the greatness of Frank “Home Run” Baker or Jimmy Collins.

Still, no other position in the sport has as much trouble calling to mind the greatest to play it quite like third base. As we mentioned, there are plenty of Hall of Fame catchers whose greatness persevere within the baseball history zeitgeist, and that’s despite being the most physically demanding position by a long shot. Second base, which is largely considered the easiest to position to field, has Joe Morgan, Rogers Hornsby and Eddie Collins (the last of which may not be especially remembered, but he should be. Just look at his baseball-reference page for crying out loud).

Third base, though, simply doesn’t have the fire power. There are only 13 players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame to have played more than half of there games at third. Of those thirteen, there are three deadfall era guys, one of whom retired in 1889. Fred Lindstrom, Pie Trainor, and George Kell all played in the era after that, and their careers are really hardly worth remembering compared to typical members of the Hall. Ron Santo played much later, but he played on such low profile teams that baseball history tends to wash over him as well. That really only leaves six guys who a typical baseball fan should have any hope of remembering; the aforementioned Schmidt, Brett, Jones and Boggs, plus the great Eddie Mathews and Brooks Robinson. Four of these players played after the year 1980, and while the other two are certainly highly regarded ball players, but not exactly the first guys to come to mind when you think of the great players of their respective eras.

This has all been an incredibly long introduction to a question that I was obviously going to ask; why aren’t there more great third basemen?

Part of this has to be how there are a number of third basemen whose greatness is simply overlooked. Graig Nettles, Ken Boyer and Sal Bando are some of the most overlooked players in history. All three had extremely important roles on teams that won multiple championships. All three were extremely good hitters.. All three were highly respected fielders. They all had careers that typically lead to an induction into the Hall of Fame, and yet not a single one of them has really gotten particularly close. While their position may not be directly the cause of their being overlooked, but it is weird that all three played at approximately the same time (most of Boyer’s career happened before the other two really got going, but there were still a few years where all three played), had remarkably similar careers and have been equally overlooked in the decades after.

Still, there is more to the lack of great third basemen than a weirdly large sampling of overlooked players. The WAR leaderboard shrinks much faster than any position other than catcher, which is an unfair comparison because of how difficult it is for catcher’s to collect WAR. It is not just perception that causes the position to feel less full than others; there really just aren’t as many legendary third sackers as it feels like there should be.

It is especially noteworthy that there are basically no great third basemen from the 1930’s and 40’s. Trainor and Kell are the only Hall of Famers to play third during that time, and as I mentioned, they don’t particularly stand out relative to other players from that era. I genuinely don’t know why there aren’t more. Maybe managers had more of a tendency to move players with stronger arms, a necessity for the position, into the outfield. Maybe some players who could have been great at third were considered too big or bulky, which wouldn’t be a problem now, and were forced to move to first. Maybe it just wasn’t considered a desirable position, and the greats of the day elected to play elsewhere. Maybe it;s a combination of all three.

It does at least seem as though there is hope for the position. At least one great third basemen, Scott Rolen, is finally getting some national recognition as the fantastic player he was. Adrián Beltré will surely become the fourteenth third basement to enter the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible next year. Alex Rodriguez had a fantastic late career at third after being shifted from short-stop when he joined the Yankees (he still played more than half his games at short overall so he hasn’t counted until now). Miguel Cabrera, until injuries and age forced away permanently, had several years of being arguably the greatest offensive third basemen in history.

Even better, there is a slew of fantastic players who are handling the hot corner right now. Nolan Arenado, Manny Machado, Matt Chapman, Josh Donaldson, and Anthony Rendon are all unbelievably talented players, making up by far the greatest era of third basemen in the history of the game. It appears the pendulum if finally swinging the other way. Still, one can’t help but wonder why it took so long for this position to receive the talent it deserves.

Is Bo Bichette Good?

Bo Bichette is one of the most exciting players in baseball. He’s a young, power hitting free-swinger who has little regard for the strike zone. He plays one of the most important positions in baseball, is capable of hitting balls a country mile, and even has the added benefit of being among a crop of extremely promising prospects on a team that hopes to be a serious challenge in the American League for the first time in years.

While all of this shows how Bichette has immediately become one of the most fun to watch players in baseball. Still, the questions are there; is Bichette really going to be one of the best players in baseball over the coming years, or has his extremely small sample size simply kept people from seeing that there may be less below the surface than what they maybe imagined?

Bichette’s conventional stats so far in his career would appear elite. He burst onto the scene in 2019, scorching pitchers from literally the beginning. Bo hit .311/.356/.571 with 11 homer runs in just 46 games. He set the record for most consecutive games with a double to begin his career, and his 146 OPS+ showed how well exceptional he was in relation to the rest of the league.

Still, not everything was perfect. His numbers were incredible, but he only played in 46 games, which is not exactly a large sample size. He had an extremely high strikeout rate and an extremely low contact rate, which I suppose are two thing that tend to go together. This alone isn’t extremely troubling, but his walk rate was less than stellar. StatCast lends further evidence to doubters, as his expected batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base percentage were all at least somewhat lower than his actual results.

2020 was honestly much the same story. He batted a marginally-worse-but-still-very-good .301/.328/.512 slash, netting him a 128 OPS+. The results are nearly meaningless, though, as an already shortened season was cut even shorter for Bichette after a knee injury, holding him to a mere 29 games played. Worse, he managed to rank in just the fourth percentile in walk rate and only the first percentile in contact rate. On the plus, all of his expected stats improved, which is near meaningless when you’re only playing a sixth of a season but is still a positive sign.

Many times, an evaluation of statistics leads to the ability to answer questions, but in this case they honestly seem to create more. His batted ball rates yo-yo between very good and not so good. His contact rates are poor but he keeps high batting averages despite that. His walk rate would be concerning, but those tend to improve with age, so that isn’t necessarily telling either. The worst thing, though, is that, despite making his MLB debut two seasons ago, he still hasn’t even accrued enough games to qualify as a rookie, so pretty much everything he’s done can be either justified or ignored as the results of small sample size.

The truth is, like any player, the answer will become much clearer simply by him playing more. The difference between Bichette and every other fantastic young star is how long these questions have existed. Young faces who came up at the same time like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. have existed long enough to show patterns. They’ve become more of a known quantity, while Bo still really hasn’t.

In my more objective opinion, I think he will be a very good player, though I’d probably bet against him consistently reaching the results he has so far. He swings too freely, and pitcher’s have still not quite thrown him the slew of off-speed pitches that tend to follow players with his profiles.

The jury is far from out on Bichette, and frankly pretty much every conceivable scenario is still in play for Bo, so making just about any prediction is just setting yourself up for failure. As fun as questions like this are, answers don’t actually exist within data samples that small. The only real way to find them, in this case, is to just watch more games.

Top Ten Second Basemen For 2021

Second base is currently the anti-thesis to the the situation at third. While the hot-corner possibly has the most talent in the history of the game, there may be fewer star second basemen than ever as well. Gone are the days of the Dustin Pedria’s, the Chase Utley’s, and probably the Robinson Cano’s. What we’re left with instead are a few top end hitters, some slick fielders, and a couple players who are somewhat in the middle of each.

While this ranking may lack the top-end talent that most other positions have currently, there are still some names that have interesting stories heading into 2021. Some players greatly underperformed in last years 60 game season, while others are looking to prove that success they had during last year’s spring of a season wasn’t just a fluke.

Here’s what I think the top ten looks like:

10. Luis Arraez, Minnesota Twins

In 2019, Arraez was a fairly productive hitter who played passible if less than spectacular defense up the middle. Although prone to soft contact, his .334/.399/.439 slash-line earned him a 125 wRC+ and rated as one of the best at the position.

2020 wasn’t actually too far off from this, either, as he netted a .321/.364/.402 slash with a 111 wRC+. His already questionable defense became abysmal, though, as he only rated in the first percentile in Outs Above Average. A knee injury hampered him throughout the season, and eventually held him to only 32 games total.

While his batted ball data does not suggest a severe regression (he rated in the 90th percentile in expected batting average in 2019), his lack of power and horrid defense prevent him from being considered one of the top second basemen in baseball.

9. Kolten Wong, Milwaukee Brewers

Wong’s spot as one of the top fielding second basemen in baseball is unquestioned at this point. He was in the 85th percentile in baseball last season in terms of Outs Above Average, which was even. drop from his 92nd percentile finish the year before.

The problem still is his bat. He offers basically zero ability to drive the ball, and even with a decent OBP he struggles to maintain even an average wRC+. His .326 SLG in 2020 was fifth worst in baseball among qualified hitters a season ago, and his ability to get on base is just not enough to cover up that weakness.

Now 30 years old, it feels much more likely that Wong loses value as a defender than it does him gaining any as a hitter. There’s always hope he can rebound with his new team, but that full breakthrough just doesn’t seem possible at this point in time.

8. Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres

Cronenworth is just another of the seemingly endless line of Padres prospects that managed to come in and take over last season. While his .285/.354/.477 slash-line points at an incredible rookie campaign, his massive slump in the final month of the season may suggest pitchers have figured him out.

An excellent defender to go along with his offensive potential, Cronenworth seems like an obvious candidate to climb the second base rankings in the next few years. That said, one solid performance in a shortened season is not enough to put him any higher than eighth on the list.

7. Mike Moustakas, Cincinnati Reds

Like most of the Reds’ roster in 2020, Moustakas simply wasn’t able to meet the lofty expectations that had been placed on him. An excellent hitter in 2019, he only hit for a .230/.33`/.468 slash in 2020. The most concerning stat how is expected SLG dropped from .500 in 2019 to .430 a year ago.

Still, a middle of the order bat at this position is rare. His defense may be below average, but if he can match is offensive output, he could easily climb into one of top five second basemen in baseball. Another year like the last one, though, and don’t expect to see him come 2022.

(Note: I am aware that Moustakas will most likely play 3B this season, but since that is only happening because the Reds have completely lost their mind, i’m counting him here)

6. Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays

Yes, Marcus Semien has never not played shortstop in his entire five year career in the Majors. I don’t care. There is no chance that Bo Bichette is moving positions to make room for a 30 year old coming off of his worst season, so this is where I’m putting him. Deal with it.

As a player, Semien went from one of the best players in baseball to not even a good one the last few years. While 2019 was him finally reaching his offensive potential, 2020 might as well have been him closing his eyes and praying to make contact.

His .223/.305/.374 slash-line is pretty hard to look at, as is his xwOBACON (not a made up statistic, it’s expected weighted On-Base Average on contact and I have been DYING to use it in context) was just .304, rating in the bottom 7% of baseball. Oh, and his Outs Above Average was in worse than 99% of fielders, so really nothing went right.

His near MVP-level 2019 is hard to look past, and it probably isn’t wise to put too much stock in such a short season anyway, so I fully expect 2021 to be better with his new team and new postiion. I mean, it can’t really get worse.

5. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte wasn’t just the best second basemen in 2019, he was one of the top few players in the entire National League. His .329/.389/.592 slash-line was beyond elite for second base, and his xBA and XSLG were both among the top in all of baseball, rating in the 97th and 88th percentiles respectively. In all, his 7.0 fWAR sums up his truly great season.

2020 was not 2019. Marte struggled last season. His slugging percentage dropped 183 points. 183 POINTS! That is a lot! His wRC+ went from 150 to 94. By basically all accounts, he went from one of the best players in baseball to not even an average one.

I may be overreacting to an insignificant amount of games in 2020, but he just didn’t look good enough in 2020 to be any higher than fifth on this list.

4. Jeff McNeil, New York Mets

All McNeil has ever done in his career is hit. In 2018 he slashed .328/.381/.471. In 2019, it was .318/.384/.531, and in 2020 he ended with a .311/..383/.454 line. Pretty much as consistent over the last two and a half seasons (he only played in 63 games in 2018, his rookie year) as any player in baseball.

His StatCast numbers are solid, his regular counting stats look great, and all of his peripherals in are in order. His defensive stats have fluctuated a bit recently, but a move to second full-time thanks to the Robinson Cano suspension should help with that.

In all, McNeil is a really solid player who provides little reason to doubt heading into the new season.

3. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves

The biggest story with Albies has always been his splits. There is nearly 100 point difference in his batting average against lefties versus righties. Although his numbers against right-handers are still okay, everyone hopes that he can start to balance his approach a little bit.

This has not kept him from being a productive all-around player, though. While an injury kept him from being his best self in 2020, he still managed a slightly above-average ..772 OPS. The power looks to be what can really separate him too. His 6 homers in only 29 games while injured suggest that he has every opportunity to be in the 25-30 range at minimum in a full season, which would put him among the top in his position.

His defense was excellent last year, though admittedly he was below average in 2019. He also is a good baserunner, so his game really doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses. His walk-rate needs to improve, but it seems entirely likely that 2019 will not be the only All-Star appearance of the young Albies’s career.

2. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Like many on this list, Altuve’s 2020 was sub-par. Unlike most of the other players, though, Altuve has nearly a decade of excellence to suggest that it was more than likely a fluke. Trash cans aside, Altuve’s career leaves little room for doubt.

Across the five seasons before 2020, Altuve slashed .323/.380/.507 with 107 homers, 123 stolen bases, regularly excellent defense, and an MVP.

While the power has maybe been on a downward trend over the last three of those seasons, the argument for him being this high on the list is fairly simple; he’s Jose Altuve.

1. D.J. LeMahieu, New York Yankees

LeMahieu may have the widest margin between the rest of his position of anyone in baseball. He is quite possibly the only person on this list who is essentially guaranteed to have an outstanding season.

Moving to the Yankees after 2018 seems to have shot LeMahieu into the upper echelon o being able to hit the ever-loving snot out of a baseball. In 2019, he had a by-far career best performance, hitting .327/.365/518 with 26 homers, 5.3 fWAR, and even a Gold Glove.

Then, somehow, he took himself to another level in 2020, batting .364/.421/.590 with 10 homers in only 50 games. His 176 wRC+ is elite, and the ten games he missed may have been the only thing keeping him from an MVP Award.

There is absolutely no doubt that D.J. is the best second basemen in baseball. As long as he keeps getting to hit in Yankee Stadium, the sky seems to be the limit for what he can accomplish.

MLB's Top Ten Third Basemen Heading Into 2021

Truly, we are in the Golden Age of third basemen. There are currently 17 third basemen in the National Baseball Hall of Fame (18 if you count Adrian Beltre, whose entrance into Cooperstown is as guaranteed as Khris Davis’ batting average being .247). There is a legitimate argument that there are as many as five or six third basemen currently playing that could eventually be inducted, meaning that in 20 years a quarter of the Hall’s hot corner may be playing right now.

While this congregation of talent is great for the quality of play, it makes ranking them extremely difficult. For example, Gio Urshela, the first player off of this list, was so good in 2020 that he likely would rank in the top five in almost several other positions.

Still, I decided to embark on this suicide mission. Without further ado, here are my rankings for the third basemen I think will be the best in 2021:

10. Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox

In 2019, Devers was a top prospect whose full potential seemed to finally have been realized. His .311/.361/.555 slash-line pointed at an elite future offensively, while his 13 Outs Above Average put him in the top 3% in baseball. 2020, however, was a completely different story. Devers regressed in essentially every area in the shortened season, as his wRC+ dropped from an outstanding 133 the year before to 109. His fielding took a hit as well, though the validity of any fielding statistics over any 60 game stretch is iffy at best. Still, given his potential and outstanding 2019, it doesn’t seem impossible to say that 2020 was simply an outlier in a year with completely different circumstances than any other.

9. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

Kris Bryant was bad in 2020. He ranked in the bottom 20% of the league in Exit Velocity, Hard Hit%, xwOBA, xBa and xSLG. His always spotty fielding was terrible. His actual production was pedestrian, as he only managed a .206/.293/.351 slash-line and four home runs. Injuries played at least a part in Bryant’s struggles, but even before his finger injury in late August he was having trouble. Having a career worst year in 2020 was not an uncommon trend, though, and at only 29 years old, there’s plenty of hope that the former MVP can turn it around.

8. Josh Donaldson, Minnesota Twins

After a resurgent 2019 season, Donaldson’s injury issues returned in a real way in 2020. The 2015 MVP played in only 28 games last season. While he played well, hitting .222/373/.469 with 6 home runs and a 131 wRC+, it seems very possible that, at 35 years old, his best days are most likely behind him

7. Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers

The sun rises in the East. The salmon swim upstream. Justin Turner has a 130 wRC+. Somethings simply never change. While he lacks the ceilings of players ahead of him on this list, his reliability over the last seven seasons has been invaluable to the Dodgers. While he is entering his age 36 season, there is no reason to suggest that Turner can’t continue his amazing run of success at the plate.

6. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres

A few years ago, there was a real argument that Machado could be the best third basemen in baseball. The fact that he’s dropped down to sixth is more a compliment to the talent of the league than a detriment to him. His .304/.370/.580 slash-line in 2020 had him as a dark-horse MVP candidate. His defense seemed to take a step up in 2020 as well. While he may never again be at his 2013 level, his 7 DRS in last year’s short season put him back towards the top of baseball.

5. Alex Bregman, Houston Astros

I am not as sold on Bregman as a lot of other people seem to be. While his production in 2018 and 2019 were undoubtedly elite, his batted ball data remains unimpressive. His ability to drive the ball up into the air towards Minute Maid Park’s infamous Crawford boxes perfectly suites him to the Astros, and his ability to play multiple positions and plus base running are both rare for players on this list. Placing him fifth may be lower than what others have him, but it is hardly an insult when you consider the talent ahead of him.

4. Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals

Perhaps the hardest choice I had to make on this list was where to put Arenado. Since coming up in 2015, Arenado has been one of the very best third basemen in baseball. His defense is approaching Brooks Robinson levels of consistent greatness, and prior to 2020 he was considered one of the top offensive players in baseball. Still, a shoulder injury wiped him of his ability to drive the ball last season, and as a result he posted the worst numbers of an otherwise excellent career. The fact that he is still coming off that injury, coupled by his move to a new team in the St. Louis Cardinals, makes me think that he might not quite have the level of success in 2021 that the players ahead of him will.

3. Matt Chapman, Oakland Athletics

Matt Chapman is an absolute freak of nature at third base. The only season where he has ever finished in worse than the 93rd percentile in Outs Above Average since his rookie year was last season. His combination of athleticism and arm strength have made him have one of the best defensive stretches in the history of the game over the last four years. He can hit too, as his Exit Velocity has ranked in the top 5% of the league over the last three seasons. His Achilles heel has always been strike outs, and his low contact rate really limit his ceiling offensively. Still, back to back 8 fWAR seasons in 2018 and 2019 show how ridiculously good Chapman is, and all signs point to him continuing his reign of success in 2021.

2. Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

Jose Ramirez may well be the most undervalued player in all of baseball. His extremely poor first half of 2019 seems to have severely damaged the reputation of a player who already had to play behind one of the most enigmatic stars in all of baseball. Exclude that stretch, though, and Ramirez has been one of the absolute best in baseball over the last four seasons. His 5’9, 190 lb. pound frame mean that his ability to drive the ball is less than that of physical specimens like the aforementioned Chapman, but his use of his body and knowledge of launch angles allow him to hit for power that seems impossible for his stature. While his defense is not as good as several of the players around him, he gains a lot of that value back by being by far the best baserunner on this list. Couple that with an ability to play several positions and you have one of the very best players in all of baseball.

1. Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Angels

Anthony Rendon rakes. It’s all he’s done for years. A few years ago, Rendon played the role of the unknown superstar, quietly outperforming one of the faces of baseball, Bryce Harper. Now, a World Series title and a $245 million deal later, Rendon’s status has changed. Last season, Rendon played extremely well despite an injury at the beginning of the season and a slow start that followed. In 2019, though, Rendon put through a Herculean effort. According to Statcast, Rendon rated in the 98th percentile in xBa, xwOBA, and xSLG. His .319/.412/.598 and 34 home runs were good for a 7.0 fWAR. Even his defense shined that year, as he rated in the 83rd percentile in baseball in Outs Above Average. Given his success despite extenuating circumstances in 2020, as well as the absolute absurdity that was his 2019 season, there is no question in my mind that Rendon is the best third basemen in baseball.

The Frustrating Argument of Bobby Grich, the Most Polarizing HOF Case Ever

In 1992, Bobby Grich made his first and only appearance on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. So few thought him worthy of the ultimate accomplishment in baseball that he finished 24th in total votes, appearing on only 2,4% of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America’s (BBWAA) ballots. While this was hardly news at the time, it managed to spark a debate decades later that still has no answer: Is Robert Anthony Grich actually a Hall of Famer?

To start the argument, it is important to understand what kept Grich out of the Hall in the first place. Although he was considered by many to be one of the top second-basemen of his day, he did not win a World Series or even reach a single traditional statistical milestone. A player with less than 2,000 hits, 250 home-runs, and a measly .266 career batting average would’ve been a pretty open-shut case back then.

Even in his time he was hardly recognized His resume contains only six All-Star appearances, four Gold Glove Awards, and a Silver Slugger. While that is a very impressive list of accomplishments, it hardly holds up to those of the Game’s most elite players in history.

Fast forward another 28 years, however, and suddenly the criteria changes considerably. Gone are many of the “traditionalist” writers who cared only about the awards, the rings, and the milestones. While the way the game has been played has been changed by the new wave of information that has come crashing in during the last few decades, the standards held by the Hall of Fame voters have as well.

By today’s numbers, Grich was beyond outstanding. His career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is 71.1 with a seven year peak at 46.4. Both of those numbers are above average for a Hall of Fame Second basemen, meaning that he actually exceeds the value of a typical selectee.

This accomplishment is made even more impressive after accounting for the skewing of Rogers Hornsby and Eddie Collins, both of whom were so advanced in their era that their career WAR nearly doubled the current average for second base. Removing them drops the average WAR from 69.5 to 63.8, meaning Grich greatly exceeds the career value of an average second basement.

The reason Grich’s WAR went unnoticed is because of how much it relied on statistics not commonly in use at the time. For starters, despite only posting a .266 career batting average, Grich’s On-Base Percentage (OBP) was .371, a number high for any era but especially in the pitcher friendly era Grich played in. Although getting on via a walk was not considered the necessary skill back then that it is now, few were better in Grich’s time the he.

Grich’s slugging was also undervalued by a wide margin. While he only finished with 224 homers, his ability to slash out doubles kept his Slugging Percentage (SLG%) at or above league average his entire career. He provided plenty of extra base hits even without getting the ball over the wall all of the time.

That all meant that despite being seen as a defender with a little pop, Grich in actuality was a superb offensive weapon. In his entire 17 year career, he only once posted an On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS) that was below league average. That level of consistency is legendary and would often be more than enough, when combined with stellar defense at multiple positions, to give anyone a plaque.

Even today, though, there are obstacles in Grich’s way. His complete lack of recognition is hard to compensate for. Joe Morgan’s true value was also masked by a lack of information, and he still managed two MVP’s. It may not be fair to compare Grich to that level of a player, but it still feels like someone would’ve recognized him as great.

What’s more, Grich was having a career year in 1981. He led the league in home-runs and SLG%. Had it not been cut short, it may have been the huge resume booster that he’d need to push himself over the top as a candidate.

Sure, in terms of value produced, Grich checks every single box that a modern fan could hope for. There’s no question that the quality of play he provided during his career should be enough to push him in. That said, without the fiscal awards or any series post-season accomplishments, there will be a long way to go before enough voters are truly convinced that he’s worthy.

Optimistic or Fool-hearted? Do the San Francisco Giant Have the Right Attitude at the Deadline?

Up until a few weeks ago, one of the focal talking points of the 2019 baseball season was who would trade for Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline. With their expiring contracts and a franchise that feels ready to accept the need to rebuild, it was just assumed they would move two of their valuable assets in order to prepare for the future. That is, until an out-of-the-blue hot streak got them within a couple of games of the National League Wild Card. Suddenly, 2019 did not seem so lost to the Giant’s personnel, who have all but forgotten the trade talks in place just a few weeks ago. While this method of thinking is surely preferable to the fans, is it really the best thing for the franchise in the long term?

The Giants are not set up for long-term success. Their farm system lacks any serious prospects, and they have not shown much prowess in free-agency over the last couple years. Although they are significantly more talented than tanking teams such as the Marlins or the Orioles, their conflict on the direction in which to take the franchise is costing them. They have been stuck in playoff-less mediocrity for the last few seasons, and the front office has shown little proof of any sort of exit strategy.

What is worse than the Giant’s lack of planning is their misplaced belief in this 2019 squad. Despite recent success, this team is still far from looking like a true contender. While their hot streak momentarily put them within striking distance of the postseason, it is nothing more than a mirage. While they are currently two games over .500 on the year, their Pythagorean Win-Loss says they should actually be seven games under it. Their lineup has been boosted by over-performing players who are sure to come back to Earth in the next few weeks. Their starting pitching has Madison Bumgarner, but then four other arms who are having significantly below average seasons. Their bullpen has been stellar, but that is of little consequence on a team that will rarely have a lead late in the game. This team simply does not have the pieces to truly contend for anything significant at the moment.

It makes sense that the Giants are reluctant to trade. Their long-time, 3 time World Champion manager Bruce Bochy has announced that this year will be his final at the helm. it would be a Hollywood ending to send him off with a miraculous playoff appearance that nobody expected. Why finish his great career by trading one of his favorite players when you don’t have to?

The answer is that they DO have to. This year was always meant to be a transition year. They trade off some of their valuable assets, build up their farm system, make a few prudent moves in free agency and are back to competing in the next couple years, ideally right when their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are beginning to decline and relinquish their hold on the National League West. By ignoring this plan, they are setting themselves back at least a year. Maybe longer, since they are not likely to resign Bumgarner or Smith, leaving them with less value to trade.

By not selling this year at the deadline, the Giants are putting themselves in a trap. If they don’t at least augment their farm system this year, they will have to completely tank. They won’t have anything to trade for prospects, and will be forced to rebuild completely through the draft. That process takes significantly longer, and is less likely to succeed. The fans surely do not want to watch the team give up this year, especially when its this close, but the alternative is an even longer wait for a good team to root for in the future. For the Giants, the moves are going to hurt, but that does not mean that they aren’t the moves that need to be made.

A Trade for Trading's Sake; The Rockets' Move to Acquire Westbrook for Paul Will Create More Problems Than It Solves

The Houston Rockets did not need to make too many moves this offseason. While their chemistry was clearly breaking down after a rocky 2018-19 season, their position was still enviable after the Golden State Warriors lost Kevin Durant. The West opened up, and the Rockets’ experienced core had to have as much as a chance to pick up the mantle as any other teams, even after both Los Angeles teams acquired multiple superstars. All they had to do was work through the clubhouse issues with the way star James Harden was used, at least enough to please a clearly frustrated Chris Paul, and their chemistry and knowledge of how to play together should give them a huge advantage over the rest of the competition. Instead, they chose to panic and trade for the absolute last player James Harden should ever be playing with.

Russell Westbrook is one of the greatest point-guards in the history of basketball. His athleticism and court vision give him the complete package on the offensive end, and the ferocity he plays with should give the opposing teams goosebumps every time they’re unfortunate enough to play him. His game is so complete that he managed three consecutive seasons of averaging a triple-double, a feat nobody had even done once since Oscar Robertson. There is one huge side affect to his unique skillset, however. He needs the ball to be in his hands every single possession. The reason he played fairly well with Paul George in Oklahoma City last year was that George was able to play well without the ball, playing good defense and setting himself up in a solid shooting position consistently. When paired with James Harden, however, the scheme does not work quite the same.

James Harden has proven himself to be the best isolation scorer in the NBA, and possibly the greatest of all time. Last year, due to the Rockets’ series of injuries that plagued them all year, we saw this part of his game in full effect. He took the ball every possession, in isolation, and either shot it or passed to an open teammate essentially every time. While this increased shooting rate caused his efficiency to tank a bit, it also allowed him to set a record for consecutive games scoring 30 points as well as carry the Rockets back near the level they were the season before, an impressive feat considering how infrequently they hd their whole starting lineup healthy.

Both Harden and Westbrook are game-changing, generational talents. Their abilities to perform with the ball are about as good as it gets. The only issue is they can’t both take every shot. They have the two highest usage rates in the NBA over the past two seasons. They both are coming from game plans that let them have total control of the game, giving them the ball whenever they wanted, and they both wanted it a lot. There simply is not enough time in an NBA game for both players to be given the usage that they are accustomed to, and this will undoubtedly cause problems.

Admittedly, Paul and Harden’s relationship did not deteriorate just because of Paul’s usage, but rather a difference in offensive philosophies. It was still a factor, though. What’s more, Westbrook has shown that he is not really wiling to accept a smaller role, something that feels inevitable. What’s more, Houston is unequivocally Harden’s team, a situation Russell has not found himself in since Durant left OKC. His ego is going to take a hit here, and there’s no telling how Westbrook will respond.

There is a good chance that the Rockets were not gong to survive the influx of westward talent that occurred this offseason. While they were still certainly a playoff team, the issues between Paul and Harden would have had to disappear for them to have a realistic chance at a championship. Still, the odds of settling that dispute seem much more likely than the odds that this move goes smoothly. Maybe the Rockets have a plan, and maybe they don’t actually plan on keep Westbrook, but, if they do, they may have doubled the issues in the clubhouse rather than solving them. Big personalities regularly clash poorly in the NBA, and this move may well have set up one of the biggest disagreements of all time. This combination feels like a time bomb, and it seems inevitable that it will blow up in the Rockets face.

Unbusted! Is Former Top Prospect Lucas Giolito Finally Putting it All Together, or is His Historic First Half Just a Mirage?

After a few seasons as a top prospect, including time as the number one in baseball, White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito entered 2019 at just about the bottom of the barrel in terms of being a starter. He was having to compete for a spot in a rotation for a team that won a total of 62 games the previous season. He himself was not much more successful, holding a 6.13 ERA and only striking out six and a half per nine innings. HIs whole Major League career had been a struggle, and his lack of recent success in the minors seemed to suggest that he really was not the pitcher that scouts had projected, until all of the sudden he was.
Since the start of 2019, Giolito has somehow become one of the most impressive pitchers in all of baseball, sporting a 2.74 ERA and striking out 10.97 per nine, up over four k’s from the previous years. His advanced numbers even suggest this is more than just fortunate pitching, as he has low contact rates and a well above average FIP(Field Independent Pitching). His 78.7% strand-rate is very high, but not to the point where it is unsustainable. Nothing about Giolito’s numbers seem to point out any luckiness. That just leaves the question: How does a player go from nearly being thrown out of the Big Leagues to a contender to start the All-Star Game?

The first important thing to understand is, although it really looked like his chance at a career was dwindling, Giolito was still only 24 heading into this season. While his start had been poor, that still meant there was plenty of time to turn things around. Even as terribly as he pitched through his first few seasons in The Majors, he probably had at least one or two more years to improve before people gave up on him completely. Plenty of great players had slow starts, and while it is rare for someone to come back from that horrendous of a beginning to a career, it is not unheard of. Not that anyone should have suspected this incredible uprising, but it is still important to note that is resurgence does not completely defy logic.

The more technical reason for his success, though, is his improved ability to use his repertoire to its full potential. This begins with his most important pitch, his fastball. According to brooksbaseball.net, Giolito is using his fastball at a much higher rate than he had previously, and with better results. His velocity is up, and his swing and miss rate has increased as a result. His increased trust in it has also allowed him to get ahead more frequently in counts, resulting in a lower walk rate than he’s ever had before.

He has also altered his curveball, using it a little less frequently and with a more 12-6 action than the previous side-to-side. This helps it to look more like his other pitches while also helping it stay in the strike zone more often. This helps him once again stay ahead in counts, something he was never capable of doing in his previous years.

The biggest improvement, though, is his increased use of his slider and changeup. He relied too heavily on his fastball and curveball early on, which meant hitters always only had two options to worry about. By spreading out his pitch usage with two more effective pitches, hitters are going to be less confident in what they are seeing and therefore less able to sit on certain pitches. Pitching is all about deceiving the hitter, and having a wider repertoire helps greatly in that regard.

While one good half season hardly means Giolito is a full-fledged star, it does at least prove he is capable of pitching in the MLB. Maybe he does regress into a more average pitcher, and this will be his only taste as a Cy Young candidate, but even then his feat should not go unnoticed. His career looked like it may have ended before it began, so seeing his revival still shows how impressive his ability to improve and adapt is. Whether he has just bought himself time or turned himself into a new level of starter remains to be seen, but Giolito’s career will now never be looked at as the bust he once appeared to be. For him and the White Sox, that alone is worth celebrating.

The Shot Heard Around St. Louis

It finally happened. After 52 seasons, three Stanley Cup appearances, and more dozens of painful playoff defeats, the St. Louis Blues have won a game in the Stanley Cup Finals thanks to an overtime Carl Gunnarsson one-timer that somehow found its way over the blocker side of the human brick wall that is Bruins’ goalie Tuukka Rask that cemented Game 2. Although they need three more wins to transform this season from great to legendary, it still feels already like an intense burden has been lifted from the city of St. Louis.

Game 2 was truly in ever sense a must win for the Blues. After blowing a two goal lead in Game 1 and looking more like Disney on Ice than a professional team over the last two periods, a second loss would take the air out completely from their miraculous playoff run. If they did not show they could hang in their with this formidable Boston team there, it could easily be too late by the time they arrived in St. Lous for Game 3.

The game began with a rocky start. An aggressive play by Sammy Blais early in the first period resulted in him accidentally tackling Rask and earning a two minute interference minor. The result was a defensive breakdown that gave Charlie Coyle an easy goal and the Bruins a 1-0 lead. After answering with a Robert Bortuzzo goal of a Bruins’ player’s skate, the Blues gave up another easy goal off a breakdown, with an offensive zone turnover leading to a perfect set up of Joakim Nordstrom, who slipped a goal through Blues goalie Jordan Binnington’s legs. The Blues showed the same resiliency that they had all playoffs though, with Tarasenko leading a break in which he managed to get off two shots, each stopped by Rask. No Bruins could move the puck, though, and, when the second shot rebounded to Tarasenko once again, he managed to flip it from his belly over Rask and into the net, tying the game at two.

Then came two periods of nothing. Each team’s defense took over the game, and scoring chances were suddenly few and far between. Even with team’s trading penalties throughout, nobody was able to find the net. Bodies flew everywhere, with a big hit seemingly occurring every few moments. Even in the few times where defenses broke down and a team got a clean shot off, either Rask or Binnington was always there to shut down the puck and keep the game tied.

Then came overtime. After three period of balance, with neither team really looking like they were going to take control, OT was all Blues. Boston was kept puck chasing for the whole three minutes and fifty-one seconds, never controlling coming close to controlling it in their zone. Finally, after a series of well-timed passes that had suddenly become easy for the Blues over this time, O’Reilly gave a little set-up pass to Gunnarsson just in front of the Blue line. Gunnarsson immediately ripped the past on a line right into the left corner of the goal for a St. Louis Blues victory. A victory that eluded Brett Hull, T.J. Oshie, and even the great Wayne Gretzky during their St. Louis tenors. A team that was in last place just months ago has won a Finals game for the first time ever for the Gateway to the West. Now, they just need three more…

Who is Really the Best Pitcher in the American League, and Why is the Word Best so Confusing?

The 2018 Cy Young voters received some heat over the winter for their selection of Blake Snell as the best pitcher in the American League. It’s not that Snell did not have a spectacular season, because he did, but rather that there were a slew of other pitchers who also could be said to have deserved it. it really was a no-win situation for the voters, because the race was so tight that there were going to be angry fans regardless of who wound up winning. With as many viable candidates as there currently are, it is almost impossible to know which pitcher is really the best. Really, the answer to that question depends entirely on how you define the word “best” in regards to pitching.

In terms of sheer value given to their team, Snell was the best. His 7.5 WAR via baseball-reference led the American League solidly, as nobody else even managed to get up to seven. He was 1.2 WAR ahead of Justin Verlander, and 2.6 ahead of Corey Kluber, who were the second and third place runners in the Cy Young voting. Snell also led the league in ERA+ and h/9, and a 11.0 K/9 show he was able to miss bats with the best of them, so it doesn’t feel like too big a leap to consider him to have been deserving of being the most valuable pitcher.

The thing is, the title of this article isn’t Who’s the most VALUABLE Pitcher, its who’s the BEST. Although Snell may have produced the most overall value, he also did it in considerably more playing time than two of the other prime candidates, Chris Sale and Trevor Bauer. All of Sale’s peripheral stats were better than Snell’s, as his FIP would have led the league as would his K/9 had he not missed too many innings to qualify. Bauer’s FIP did lead the league, and his K/9 was also higher than Snell’s. If you look at WAR per 100 IP, Snell does edge out Bauer, 4.15 to 3.25, but Bauer was on track to pitch far more innings as he was able to work much deeper into starts. Sale’s WAR per 100 IP beat out both of them at 4.36. Since both Sale and Bauer missed about a month of the season, it’d be easy to see either of them passing him in WAR had they stayed healthy. More notably, Sale’s stats seemed better than either of them in terms of value on a per-opportunity basis, so if you’re just talking about who’s the best pitcher when healthy, the answer seems to shift from Snell to Sale.

At this time of year, considering only on the previous season also doesn’t usually lead to the correct answer. Focusing on last year’s Cy Young race would make sense for only looking at 2018, but knowing the best overall at a given time may require a more in-depth look. We aren’t doing that, though, and instead are looking at who is the most talented pitcher, which means potential for future success is also going to be important. Last season plays the biggest factor, but it shouldn’t be the only one. Instead, it would make sense to look at last year relative to their career, as that probably provides the most clear answer for who simply had a good year, and who is truly a next level talent.

If you average the WAR per 100 of the five pitcher in serious consideration for the Cy Young Award’s 2018 season with their whole career, the order reads as follows: Sale(3.67), Snell(3.23), Kluber(2.66), Verlander(2.63), and Bauer(1.63). Again, this seems to suggest that Sale is the best of all of the starters when he’s able to stay healthy. Frustratingly, though, Sale also has the biggest injury history of anyone on this list.

The truth is that this question seems to depend on your perception of what it means to be good at pitching. In terms of producing the most over the course of a season, it seems like Snell may be the top candidate. If you want to focus on career accomplisment, you should probably choose either Verlander or Kluber, or perhaps even C.C. Sabathia if you’re willing to discount the past few seasons of mediocrity(the reason he isn’t mentioned before now). If you believe being the best shouldn’t be dependent on service time, than the best pitcher is likely either Chris Sale or a number of incredible relief pitchers. The answer to this question is really completely subjective, and it honestly depends on who’s asking. After all, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

Bryce Harper Finally Got His Deal, but Should He Have?

It finally happened. The “Bryce is Right” sweepstakes are over. Bryce Harper signed the largest deal in American sports history, topping Manny Machado’s $300 million free-agent deal and Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 million extension by agreeing to a 330 million dollar deal that’s good for the next 13 years. A deal of that size and that length is going to go down in history, especially given that there’ s no escape with a full no-trade clause and zero opt-outs for Harper. Its importance is going to go be significant, but it’s tough to say whether it will be a great success or a horrible failure.

The issue with attempting to evaluate a contract like this is that there are none. Harper and Machado both set records this offseason in terms of contract size, but that was only partly because of how much more money there is to give them. The biggest oddity in figuring out how these contracts will play out is not the size or length, but rather how young both players are. They are both entering their age 26 season this year. That is an astoundingly low age for giving up such a large paycheck. It’s difficult to predict how they will react to those sets of circumstances, because they have never actually existed before. Although past history will give some clues, there are no clear examples of a contract like the ones these two signed.

There is no question that Harper’s value comes from his bat. Since his career began, the only area he has been at all consistent in has been inside the batter’s box. HIs 27.4 WAR ranks 34th among position players entering their age 26 season since 1920, which is incredible but perhaps not legendary. His 27.4 oWAR, however, is 25th all time through age 25, and his career OPS(0.900) and OPS+(139) are 18th and 16th respectively. He has drawn the fourth most walks of any 25 year olds ever, and hit more home runs than all but 11 players by age 26 ever. An MVP, Rookie of the Year award, and six All-Star appearances also account for his hitting prowess. Simply put, few players in history have achieved as much as Harper has offensively at this point in their careers.

While the total number suggest greatness, one of Harper’s biggest question marks has been consistency. Over a third of his 27.4 total WAR came in his incredible 10.0 WAR MVP season in 2015. Although his WAR has been at an All-Star level in three of his seasons, he also has thee more where he’s been below two, which is the average for a Major League starting position player. At his best, Harper is one of the best players in the league. At his worst, though, he isn’t even good enough to crack the starting lineup. Injuries have certainly played a role in his inconsistency, but just means that the Phillies need to be concerned about his health remaining optimal. Harper figuring out how to play at his best full-time is going to be a deciding factor in whether he’ll wind up deserving this contract or not.

The most common knock on Harper’s play is his defense. His -3.2 dWAR last season was the eighth worst performance of any player in the history of baseball. He’s been a negative in the outfield most of his seasons in the league, and there’s no guarantee he’ll even be able to stay there for his entire career. There is some hope that he can be a decent fielder, as he had a 1.5 dWAR in his rookie year. He won’t have to be a positive fielder for this contract to work out, but he can’t be as detrimental to his team as he was last season either. While he probably won’t ever reach his rookie season level again, there is at least a solid chance that he can go back to be an around-average fielder again, which would do a lot to help him finally stay as one of the best players in the league.

One aspect of Harper’s game that is going to be questioned is his performance in the playoffs. His .211/.315/.487 slash line is not incredible, but it is hardly conceding either given that it’s only over four different playoff series and 19 total games. especially with the five home runs he hit, there’s nothing to suggest he can’ hit in October, just that he hasn’t necessarily done it yet. If he wants Philadelphia to believe he’s earned his massive deal, though, he’s going to have to show up when it counts. The Phillies have clearly put themselves in a position to reach the post-season, so Harper is almost certainly going to get chances to prove himself. How he plays when the lights are brightest will go a long way in deciding whether Philadelphia really should have given him everything they did.

Harper is going to be an interesting case-study over the next 13 years. Good or bad, this contract may wind up influencing a lot of future contracts given to the next wave of superstar free-agents Until its over, though, there is no way of knowing which way it is going to go. Harper has cemented that he’ll have an important place in baseball history, but now it’s up to him to show exactly how he’ll be remembered.

Manny Machado Was Just Given the Biggest Free-Agent Contract Ever. Did He Deserve It?

Manny Machado was always going to get paid. Since his breakout season in 2013, everyone who followed him at all knew he was going to break the bank of whatever team decided to sign him. What people may not have expected, however, is that he would become the highest paid free-agent in American sports history, which is what happened Tuesday when the San Diego Padres locked Machado up for the next 10 years for $300 million(Giancarlo Stanton’s contract is technically larger, but it was an extension, not a free-agent contract). The only problem with a contract this large is that, from now until it’s completion, it will always be accompanied in conversation with the question, “Was it really worth it?’

There is no question that Machado has been one of the best players in the league since his emergence half a decade ago. HIs 146 OPS+ and .905 OPS ranked 8th and 11th in the league last season, respectively. The 2.8 Wins Above Replacement(WAR) that he gave the Los Angeles Dodgers last season after his trade from the Orioles, which occurred immediately after the All-Star break, proved to be crucial for their late-season playoff push. The most telling stat, though, is that Machado has the 21st highest WAR of any player entering his age 26 season since the Live-Ball Era started. There are four players ahead of them who are not in the Hall of Fame. Vada Pinson, Andruw Jones, and Cesar Cedano all managed career WAR’s of over 50, and were each likely Hall of Famers before injuries took away their careers. The only other who is not in is Trout, who is number one and would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer even if he didn’t get another hit in his entire career. That history certainly seems to suggest that Machado will be able to provide exceptional value for the Padres for the better part of that contract.

Machado’s ability on defense may be what really separates him from the rest of the pack. His ability at the hot-corner is historically good. He has won a pari of Gold Gloves and even a Platinum Glove at the position. The stats back up the accolades, as his 11.8 dWAR is the second highest among active players, behind only the great Andrelton Simmons(yes, I said great). Combined with his exceptional offensive ability, this certainly makes Machado one of the best all-around players in all of Major League Baseball.

One of my arguments for Machado is also one of the largest against him. The biggest issue with Machado’s defense at third is that he doesn’t want to play it. Despite the fact that Machado’s numbers at short were significantly worse than at third, he refuses to shift back over. Last season, Machado posted the worst dWAR of his entire career. Maybe this is for the best for the Padres, as their biggest prospect, Fernando Tatis Jr., may not be able to stay at short given his larger frame, so shifting him to third and Machado to short might be the best defensive alignment in the coming years. Regardless, this shows a selfish mindset where Machado is prioritizing himself over winning, and that won’t fly when this team begins trying to contend.

Of course, the third base issue is only a microcosm of Machado’s biggest flaw. He has been known his whole career for issues such as dirty slides, a lack of hustle, and a disinterest in being any sort of clubhouse leader. Maybe the new position he’s in will change him, but a franchise player can’t have those sorts of characteristics. This team is giving this money with the expectation that he will help them win both on the field and off. Whether or not he will, though, certainly has yet to be proven.

Finally, it can’t be ignored that Machado struggled in the post-season last year. He has a .213/.268/.382 slash line in his career in the playoffs, and his .182/.208/.182 line in the World Series last season did not help. It isn’t a very large sample, so it could be a fluke. There is no question that it matters, though. The Padres need him to be the cornerstone of their franchise for most of this contract, and that means performing when it matters most. If he fails to do that, it will be hard believe he was really worth the money.

The truth is that only time will tell whether or not the Padres made a mistake. While he has a lot of question marks, a lot of those issues are things that players can grow out of, and there’s no question that Machado is young enough to experience growth. With a career well on track for Cooperstown, as well as the hope that his best years are even still ahead of him, this contract seems much safer than any previous 10-year deal. The next decade could go any number of directions, but it still feels like most wind up with the Padres not regretting the deal too much. Who knows, maybe this is the turning point in Baseball’s most pathetic franchise. Time will tell.

An Ode to Frank Robinson

On fFebruary 7, 2019, Frank Robinson died at the age of 83. Robinson was one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. In every aspect of his life, he was successful. As amazing as he was at playing, his life off the field was just as impressive, and in many ways far more important. He was a player who everyone in the game respected, and who deserves to be remembered for as long as baseball is relevant.

Robinson was truly exceptional as a player. His 107.3 career WAR is the fifth highest among right-fielders of all time. When he was traded from the Reds to the Orioles after the 1965 season, their GM famously regarded Robinson as an “old 30.” He responded by winning the American League Triple-Crown, the MVP, and a World Series the very next year. He led the league twice in hits, twice in On-Base Percentage, four times in slugging, and four times in OPS and OPS+. He was the first and only player to win the MVP award in both leagues, as he had won one with the Reds in 1961 along to go along with his 1966 title. Most notably, his 586 home runs are the tenth most all time, which is impressive as he only ever topped 40 once.

As amazing as a player he was, he was more impressive off the field. As a player, he was as tough as they come. His teammates all have said that he was unafraid to talk to anyone who made a mistake, and was always a presence in any clubhouse he was in. His most notable accomplishment is being the first ever African-American manager. People often speak of the grace that he carried despite the hatred he received from the racist, primitive-minded fans who existed in such great numbers back then. Although he is far less famous, he deserves every ounce of respect that is given to the earlier trailblazers such as Jackie Robinson or Roy Campanella. He loved the game, and not even the ignorance of the area that crippled opportunities for so many was going to prevent him from pursuing it.

Truly, Frank Robinson was a great figure in a great sport. He helped to make huge strides for African-Americans in baseball. The game will never be perfect in that regard, but there is no questioning that it would be worse without him. He deserves to be remembered not only as one of the very greatest players in the history of the game, but also as one of the greatest people to ever be a part of it.