Trout wins 2014 AL MVP

[navamind]

I think at this point we have enough sample size and tape that we can conclude that Trout's defense is/was overrated. Not saying he's a slouch, but his value doesn't really come from his defense. It's his bat and speed.

Donaldson though is pure magic at 3B though. With Machado gone down he's probably the defensive class of the AL.

In the end this is irrelevant though unfortunately. Voters don't really care about defense in the MVP voting.

I'm guessing it's from the bulk he's added over the last year or so?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I'm guessing it's from the bulk he's added over the last year or so?

Would make some sense. He would be an awfully nice RF'er ideally.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Trout should be unanimous

 

[Indrid Cold]

I think at this point we have enough sample size and tape that we can conclude that Trout's defense is/was overrated. Not saying he's a slouch, but his value doesn't really come from his defense. It's his bat and speed.

Donaldson though is pure magic at 3B though. With Machado gone down he's probably the defensive class of the AL.

In the end this is irrelevant though unfortunately. Voters don't really care about defense in the MVP voting.

Does anybody think that Jason "Human Oak Tree" Heyward is really a exceptional defensive OFer?
I'm not a WAR hater and use it a lot, but some of the guys with high dWARs really make me scratch my head.
Heyward is hitting just a tad better than Bryce Harper now and everybody is hating on the poor Mormon boy, but Heyward is up with the league leaders in WAR because his defense is so incredible?

 

[navamind]

Does anybody think that Jason "Human Oak Tree" Heyward is really a exceptional defensive OFer?
I'm not a WAR hater and use it a lot, but some of the guys with high dWARs really make me scratch my head.
Heyward is hitting just a tad better than Bryce Harper now and everybody is hating on the poor Mormon boy, but Heyward is up with the league leaders in WAR because his defense is so incredible?

There is a bit of contrast in both WARs for Heyward. bWAR (Sean Smith's WAR, used on Baseball-Reference) has him at 6.1, 1st (!) in the NL. fWAR (Fangraphs' version of WAR) has him at 4.9, 4th in the NL behind McCutchen (5.0), Lucroy (5.5) and Stanton (5.6). Heyward's bat has been rather disappointing, but he does have a .351 OBP and 111 wRC+, which are still solid numbers for a corner OF.

I don't know if Heyward's +33 runs in a season good, but he's always rated as a good/very good defender. That being said, I do think WAR somewhat overvalues defense.