While you’re at Connolly’s Tap Room (or the Preakness) swigging back swill, the Orioles are in Anaheim this weekend playing the Los Angeles Angels.
And what that means is two of the best players – young players, position players, all-around players, any-category players – are on display: Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout and Orioles’ third baseman/shortstop Manny Machado.
I asked earlier this year which players you would take over Machado. Trout (and, to a lesser extent, Bryce Harper) was the one most mentioned – if any were mentioned at all.
This is a Baltimore bar blog; by that nature you are going to be biased when it comes to Machado. One, he’s on your favorite team. Two, you get to see him every day.
So when it comes to Trout versus Machado, you are allowed to lean toward your guy.
Earlier this week, I asked Jeff Fletcher, the fantastic Angels beat writer for the Orange County Register, whether Machado and Harper had caught Trout for best player in the game.
He had a great answer.
If you look at this year, based on this year only, yes, they are all in the same conversation. But if you take what they’ve done so far in their careers, Trout has to have the edge.
Consider Trout has played four full seasons in the majors. He has won one AL MVP and finished second in the voting the other three years. He’s been to four All Star games and won four Silver Slugger Awards and is one of baseball’s better defensive center fielders, a premium position. He is signed through 2020 – but will be making more than $34 million in each of his final three seasons.
Machado really has played just two full seasons – he came up in August 2012 and had 2013 and 2014 cut short due to injury (he didn’t get hurt in 2013 until late in September, however). He is a two-time All Star and two-time Gold Glover at third base (including the Platinum Award in 2013). He has finished ninth in the MVP race (2013) and fourth (2015). He turns 24 in July and is signed through 2018 (who knows what his arbitration-based salary will be by then).
He has now played over 200 consecutive games – longest streak in the majors – and is manning shortstop while J.J. Hardy is injured.
Their numbers this year, heading into Friday night, are similar:
Trout: 10 homers, 31 RBIs, 28 runs, 4 stolen bases, .327 average/.416 on-base/.588 slugging.
Machado: 11 homers, 25 RBIs, 30 runs, 0 stolen bases, .319/.377/.625.
So here’s the question — and I want your honest answer — would you personally swap Machado for Trout? I’m not asking about whether the Orioles should, since they have an All Star center fielder of their own.
But you? If you were building a team? Do you love Manny that much? Do you think he has a better ceiling? Or do you concede that Trout is baseball’s best, even if Manny is close?
Tap-In Question: Would you rather have Trout or Manny? Why?
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Manny - platinum glove left side infielder that can hit for power over an outfielder any day of the week. This doesn't even take into consideration how lethal on both sides of the ball the handshake brothers will be going forward. If I'm dancin' I'm doin' the Machado baby.
I've heard this from several on Twitter: infielder over outfielder. But we're not just talking outfielder. We're talking center field, also a premium position.
honestly. I take Machado. heck id takr Arenado over Trout. stellar Infielder overides , homerun hitting Outfielder. imo
Machado is Elite , Trout is just a dime a dozen..
A dime a dozen??? What a dime???? Guy has finished first or second in MVP race EACH of his first full seasons. And he is 24.
Steve, if Trout is just a dime a dozen, I'll take a dollar's worth. I like Machado more, but Trout is an elite player as well.
Trout
It's Machado for me. This is largely because there are many other CF's that I could get besides Trout. You've got McCutchen, Pollock, Cain, Jones to name just a few. If we were re-drafting I could get Machado in round 1 and pair him up with one of those guys and be in good shape.
I'm sorry folks, but for me it's Trout. And it's not particularly close. Trout has been consistently elite, both offensively and defensively, for 5 consecutive years. Manny has a long, long way to go before he can match Trout's track record at the plate. He's also been healthy year in and out while Manny has had two knee surgeries. Add in the fact that he's controlled for TWO more years than Manny is, and it's a no-brainer.
Center field is important but no comparison to the left side of the infield. Manny has been often compared to the great #5. If he keeps playing short we will start to hear the #8 comparisons. I'll take #13 any day.
Me thinks the crab cakes have gone to everyone's head ! Maybe in a year or two I may be singing a different tune (and I hope I will), but right now, there's not a baseball man in America that would take Machado over Trout. I'm as big an O's fan as the next guy, have been since '69, but let's face it, Trout is proven while Machado is in the process of proving. Manny has never hit .300 for a year (.286 tops), Trout has hit .305 for his career. Manny has hit 30 or more taters once, Trout has done that 3 times. Let not even compare base stealing. No contest there either. Trout has finished 1 or 2 each in MVP voiting each of his 4 full seasons. Manny? 4th and 9th in two years. Trout is currently hitting .321 with no signs of a slowdown. Manny looks to be on his way back down to his .285 Really, and y'all would STILL take Machado? I wonder what Earl would say to that?