Bryce Harper or Mike Trout

[Omar 382]

When I ask who's better, I mean who has had the best track record that will lead to the most production in the future. For example, Donaldson has been amazing the last three years, but he's also 30, which won't bode well for his future. And you could say, "well Carlos Correa is only 21, and he's been great so I think he'll be the best!" and ok, good for you, but Correa has put up a 3.8 WAR in 486 PA- not nearly enough playing time to make projections that place him above Trout and Harper yet (not that that production would be good enough if he did it for 4 years anyway, obviously). So who you got?

I still like Trout. A lot of people will pick Harper, because he was better last year and he has a 222 wRC+ this year while Trout has been league average with the bat, but we've got to take into consideration that it's been two weeks, and Harper has had two series against Atlanta pitching. Trout has been cumulatively better for longer, and not to mention, Harper is still injury prone. It could go either way though- and these two should be the best two players in baseball for the next 4-8 years barring injuries or other godly players entering the league.

 

[moxie]

I thought this debate was dead?



The "Mike Trout vs. Bryce Harper" Debate is Dead

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Ill take Harper, and I think the margin is getting wider

With Trouts' declining numbers in the SB category, I dont see where he still has the edge on Harper, maybe defensively

I dont know if I would call Harper "Injury prone" considering how young he is, and he just came off playing a full season

I will say this for Trout......He is in the heart of an absolutely dreadful lineup, so I see no reason why pitchers would give him much to see.,.So his numbers could be skewed by this fact

 

[Bolts]

I would take Bryce Harper.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Obviously, I like Mike Trout better, but Harper is trending upwards in a big way. When it comes time, his contract will be the biggest ever.

 

[tducey]

Harper.

 

[Villain]

Touched Beltre's head, didn't die.

 

[BigRedMoe]

They're both fantastic. If hard pressed I take Harper. That extra muscle he put on seems to be paying off early on.

Barring injury, I think we're looking at two first ballot HOFers.

 

[Villain]

I like this thread because there's no wrong answer and we're all winners because we get to watch what might one day be the best pair of outfielders in MLB history play out their careers before our eyes. Here's hoping neither one of them gets seriously injured or starts to suck at baseball.

 

[Omar 382]

I like this thread because there's no wrong answer and we're all winners because we get to watch what might one day be the best pair of outfielders in MLB history play out their careers before our eyes. Here's hoping neither one of them gets seriously injured or starts to suck at baseball.

Willie Mays and Babe Ruth say hi and say no

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Trout's stolen bases have declined recently, which is usually what set him apart from Harper for me. Obviously, Trout was better for an extended stretch, but Harper was better last year and is better NOW, and should slowly start pulling away.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

When I ask who's better, I mean who has had the best track record that will lead to the most production in the future. For example, Donaldson has been amazing the last three years, but he's also 30, which won't bode well for his future. And you could say, "well Carlos Correa is only 21, and he's been great so I think he'll be the best!" and ok, good for you, but Correa has put up a 3.8 WAR in 486 PA- not nearly enough playing time to make projections that place him above Trout and Harper yet (not that that production would be good enough if he did it for 4 years anyway, obviously). So who you got?

I still like Trout. A lot of people will pick Harper, because he was better last year and he has a 222 wRC+ this year while Trout has been league average with the bat, but we've got to take into consideration that it's been two weeks, and Harper has had two series against Atlanta pitching. Trout has been cumulatively better for longer, and not to mention, Harper is still injury prone. It could go either way though- and these two should be the best two players in baseball for the next 4-8 years barring injuries or other godly players entering the league.

Interesting perspective from a guy who has stated that Noah Syndergaard is one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Continuity is important, Omar.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I dont know if I would call Harper "Injury prone" considering how young he is, and he just came off playing a full season

I'm with you 100% on this. Harper's injuries have come from somewhat fluky collisions and whatnot. I wouldn't call him injury prone at all.

Stanton is injury prone.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Obviously, I like Mike Trout better, but Harper is trending upwards in a big way. When it comes time, his contract will be the biggest ever.

Oh, hell yes it will. He's a free agent after 2018. He'll be months into his 26th year during free agency. If he keeps playing to a level anywhere near the past year and a half, he'll get a contract well north of $400MM.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Willie Mays and Babe Ruth say hi and say no

Babe Ruth is overrated.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I thought this debate was dead?



The "Mike Trout vs. Bryce Harper" Debate is Dead

Excellent point, Moxie.

@Omar 382's thread =

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Id like to insert Manny Machado into this discussion, as one of the best all around players in baseball, we definitely dont hear enough about

Interestingly enough, Machado is a FA in the same class as Harper, and wouldnt be a bad consolation prize to the team that loses out on Bryce

As a matter of Fact, would Machado and another star FA in that class, be a better choice than Bryce, for the same cost?

 

[Omar 382]

Interesting perspective from a guy who has stated that Noah Syndergaard is one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Continuity is important, Omar.

I said I'd take him if there was an expansion draft because of his young age. I don't remember saying he was the one of the best, but if I did, I must have been using the phrase "one of the best" liberally, like top 20 pitcher, which I think he is.

Either that or I'M LOSING MY FUCKING MIND

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Syndegaard ISNT one of the best pitchers in baseball?

 

[Omar 382]

Syndegaard ISNT one of the best pitchers in baseball?

Well, like I said in my earlier post, and what Slinky is getting at, is you can't just look at what a pitcher has done over 170 innings and say "well, he's been dominant, so he's the best" when you have guys who've thrown 600 innings in the past three years who have been just as, or more, dominant. I like to use a three year span, but there's nothing magical to that. Some people opt for two, four, or even five years, but regardless the point is if you just look at what pitchers do over 170 innings, it's not very predicative of who's going to be the best going forward.

For example, Wade Miley put up similar numbers through 2012 to Syndergaard. Was he one of the best pitchers in baseball? What about Daniel Hudson in 2011?

A lot of people will be quick to say that neither of those guys threw 100 MPH, and thus didn't have the ceiling of Syndergaard. I think Thor will be a great pitcher (hence me picking him as one of the two pitchers an expansion team should draft), but what if he blows out his arm tomorrow? Then what- he's a 23 year old asshole with 170 major league IP and a 4.2 career WAR. He needs to pitch longer to make it into the top 5- which I certainly think he has the potential to do.