MLB 2018

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Pyratec

Golden Knight of the Realm
319
154
I am completely happy if they keep the Yankees out of the post season.

I would be fine with that too but I wouldnt bet against the Yankees in a one game play off with Severino on the mound. That guy is a beast.
 
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Blitz

<Bronze Donator>
5,630
6,148
Did Bryce Harper and his dad cheat to win the 2018 Home Run Derby?

2018 we have Home Run Derby "truthers"... Lol. Enjoyed the Derby, hopefully Bryce has a good game tonight and actually plays to the level he is capable the rest of the year. Dude might be a douche, but the game is better off when it's biggest stars are playing accordingly.

A little note:

1957 NL Outfield - Willie Mays, Frank Aaron, and Frank Robinson. That squad ended up finishing the year with a fWAR of 22.6.
2018 AL Outfield - Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Aaron Judge are on pace for an fWAR of 28.3.
Crazy shit. A potentially, and probable historically great outfield combo.

In a sport that generally fails to hunt down it's past, this might be a "tell your grandkids" moment.
 

Ameraves

New title pending...
<Bronze Donator>
12,869
13,729
Hopefully they didn't have to give up too much for him
 
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Sterling

El Presidente
12,936
7,832
Did Bryce Harper and his dad cheat to win the 2018 Home Run Derby?

2018 we have Home Run Derby "truthers"... Lol. Enjoyed the Derby, hopefully Bryce has a good game tonight and actually plays to the level he is capable the rest of the year. Dude might be a douche, but the game is better off when it's biggest stars are playing accordingly.

A little note:

1957 NL Outfield - Willie Mays, Frank Aaron, and Frank Robinson. That squad ended up finishing the year with a fWAR of 22.6.
2018 AL Outfield - Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Aaron Judge are on pace for an fWAR of 28.3.
Crazy shit. A potentially, and probable historically great outfield combo.

In a sport that generally fails to hunt down it's past, this might be a "tell your grandkids" moment.
You make a list of the best position players in MLB right now and Trout is at the very top, Betts not far behind and it's not like Judge will be low on that list. Some crazy good stuff happening in baseball these days.
 
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Chanur

Shit Posting Professional
<Gold Donor>
26,335
37,996
Was listening to the Morning Men last week talk about how Trout is on pace to be the greatest player of all time and no one is talking about him. They said he stays out of the limelight so no one pays him any attention.
 

Pemulis

Not Woke
<Bronze Donator>
3,257
9,039
God forbid the guy be content with making a zillion dollars and wants to live a fairly normal life off the field. More power to Trout.
 
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Blitz

<Bronze Donator>
5,630
6,148

Found this super interesting. I had read in the past that MLB had reached out about really pushing Trout as their mega-star, essentially launching a full-blown PR campaign to have Trout be the "face of baseball". Honestly think it's a good idea for MLB to do so, to almost "artificially" inflate the status of some of these guys. I was surprised Manfred just outright came out and said this. I don't blame Trout one bit for enjoying his life, but I also don't blame baseball for really wanting to use Trout. Baseball is fine, it's still making tons of money, and it's a "team" spot, as opposed to the NBA that's completely "superstar" based.... But even baseball could be better off if they start just mass-marketing the shit out of Trout, Judge etc.


Hahahahahaha
 

Vandyn

Blackwing Lair Raider
3,641
1,373
Found this super interesting. I had read in the past that MLB had reached out about really pushing Trout as their mega-star, essentially launching a full-blown PR campaign to have Trout be the "face of baseball". Honestly think it's a good idea for MLB to do so, to almost "artificially" inflate the status of some of these guys. I was surprised Manfred just outright came out and said this. I don't blame Trout one bit for enjoying his life, but I also don't blame baseball for really wanting to use Trout. Baseball is fine, it's still making tons of money, and it's a "team" spot, as opposed to the NBA that's completely "superstar" based.... But even baseball could be better off if they start just mass-marketing the shit out of Trout, Judge etc.

The issue with making Trout as 'the face of baseball' is that for as great as he is, he happens to play on a team that's not in the playoffs very often and it's hard to market that when you never see him in October (when there is more eyeballs on the sport).
 

Blitz

<Bronze Donator>
5,630
6,148
The issue with making Trout as 'the face of baseball' is that for as great as he is, he happens to play on a team that's not in the playoffs very often and it's hard to market that when you never see him in October (when there is more eyeballs on the sport).

No doubt.

I think baseball is salivating at the chance he ends up on a better team: Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers etc. Curious as to when the Angels finally have that "coming to Jesus" talk.
 

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
14,465
7,381
I don't think that's as big of a deal. Plenty of extremely popular superstars who have played for shit teams over the years. Barry Sanders, yo.
 

Muurloen

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
13,459
37,934
Angels will never ever get even value in trading him away.

Mike Trout cf
6 years/$144.5M (2015-20)
  • 6 years/$144.5M (2015-20)
    • signed extension with LA Angels 3/28/14
    • $5M signing bonus
    • 15:$5.25M, 16:$15.25M, 17:$19.25M, 18:$33.25M, 19:$33.25M,20:$33.25M
    • award bonuses:$50,000 for All Star Game MVP. $75,000 each for Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, ALCS MVP. $0.1M for WS MVP. $0.5M for AL MVP.
    • full no-trade protection
Kinsler, Pujols, Valbuena , and a bunch of other replaceable slappies, are all coming off of the books in the next 3 years. All of that money wil be spent to keep Trout with the Angels.

If their farm system has been taken care of, looks like they that have 5 prospects in the top 100 (according to mlb.com), then they should be ok with holding on to the GREATEST player of all time for his career.
 
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Pemulis

Not Woke
<Bronze Donator>
3,257
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Trout would look great in a Phillies uniform. Hell, the dude is an Eagles season ticket holder. With the surprising first half of their season, they would probably jump to NL favorites with Trout in the outfield. And yes, I know it is dreaming...
 

Blitz

<Bronze Donator>
5,630
6,148
Angels will never ever get even value in trading him away......
If their farm system has been taken care of, looks like they that have 5 prospects in the top 100 (according to mlb.com), then they should be ok with holding on to the GREATEST player of all time for his career.

They'll never trade him, and rightfully so. I still hold out hope he hits free agency after 2020. Angels have just been extremely bad over the last, near decade. Tons of false moves. Hard to believe they can continue to be this bad, even with some solid talent. Time will only tell though. Astros certainly aren't getting any weaker out there in the AL West.
 

Muurloen

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
13,459
37,934
It all boils down to how they draft and groom their upcoming talent.

Consider Trout to be a constant cost for the next 10+ years, assuming you are able to hold on to him for his whole career, you should be able to grow a team around him to contend for the next 3-6 years from within.
 

Blitz

<Bronze Donator>
5,630
6,148
I think the issue with the Angels in regards to Trout is a lot more immediate than even that. They've got to get into some type of contention before his free agency. That's going to be tough to do with how loaded with AL is. If they go to Trout in Free Agency with one playoff series over his tenure, good luck retaining him.

They have done much better over the last year with bringing in prospects, but they really need to work on an accelerated time table. Ohtani also hurting his arm certainly doesn't help. It will be curious to see if they can spend their money wisely, and possibly fast track some of these prospects - Jo Adell etc.