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Trout an easy choice for Best Major Leaguer
- Updated: November 19, 2016
Mike Trout is that special player who comes along every generation or so to take our breath away. Isn’t his legacy just about that simple? This surely was what it must have been like to watch Willie Mays at 25. Or maybe Frank Robinson.
Yes, Mike Trout is that good. His first five full seasons — five All-Star selections, .975 OPS — compare favorably with almost any player in history.
And 2016 might have been his best season ever: .991 OPS, 29 home runs, 100 RBIs, 123 runs, 30 stolen bases. Trout’s 10.6 Wins Above Replacement was a full point better than the next-closest player (Mookie Betts at 9.6).
Trout added to his list of honors on Friday when the Esurance MLB Awards named him Best Major Leaguer in balloting by former players, media members, front-office personnel and fans.
“I’d like to thank all the fans out there for the Esurance MLB award for best Major Leaguer,” Trout said. “It means a lot to me. I’m extremely humbled and honored to accept this award.”
Trout joined Betts and Kris Bryant as finalists for the Best Major Leaguer honor, with Jose Altuve and Josh Donaldson rounding out the five nominees.
Betts made an impressive leap in multiple departments this season, becoming one of the most well-rounded stars baseball has to offer. And Bryant won his first National League Most Valuable Player Award as he helped the Cubs secure the game’s best record during the regular season before leading the club to its first World Series title since 1908.
But Trout’s contributions outshined the rest.
Just a day earlier, on Thursday, Trout was named American League MVP for the second time in his career. In five seasons, he has never finished lower than second.
How does he impact games? Take your pick.
No other player in baseball hit the 29-homer and 30-stolen-bases threshold. He led all of baseball with 116 walks, but was also in the top 10 in slugging percentage (.550).
Trout has been so good that he makes the extraordinary seem absolutely routine. One night, he’ll fly against the wall to bring a home run back into the ballpark.
Or maybe he’ll slap a ball to left field, round first, keep going and slide head-first into …
