You're out of your element. Betts was statistically better than Trout last year.

I'm not out of element. You sound ridiculous right now

One career year, that was a ridiculous anomaly compared to his previous seasons, makes a guy better than by far the best player of our generation? That's what you are going with?

Stick to basketball Bryan.

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You said “best player in baseball”. That needs to be done over a significant period. One year (a year when it’s debatable who had the better season) does not come even close to making Betts a better player than Trout. Now pour yourself another tall one.

Oh ok, so Betts might have been better in the most recent season played but anyone saying he's a better player is drunk?

That makes sense. Have another drink, Foster Brooks.

You're wayyyy overthinking this RPB. It's like arguing that Westbrook was better than LeBron in 2016. Sometimes just go with the ultra easy answer that literally everybody agrees on - Mike Trout is the best player in baseball and has been for years.

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Ridiculous anomoly

The two years prior he was 2nd and 6th in MVP voting, including a freaking 9.7 WAR in 2016. His year last year was the natural progression of a superstar.

Betts was better than Trout in 2018 and has all the tools Trout has (except he is probably faster and more athletic)

As I said originally, a case can absolutely be made for Betts at this point.

Correct, you are a drunk.

By tour logic Karl Malone, who won not one but two MVP awards between 1996-1997 and 1998-1999 was a better player than Michael Jordan.

Surely I hope that’s not what you believe.

You spelled lazy wrong.

Betts was better last year and has been projected as, and steadily become, a superstar.

Make the case then. Because I think it's pretty clear that you can't (or was that last post it? )

Yes, ridiculous anomaly fits when you have a guy with a 186 OPS+ who's never had higher than a 133 OPS+ before.

My Westbrook/LeBron analogy works.

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Seems debatable who was better last year. Trout was the better offensive player.

Sure, Betts is a superstar. He's not better than Mike Trout.

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Tour logic? Ok, Otis. Have another shot.

If I was only basing it on MVP voting, you'd have a point.

Statistically, Betts was better last year. That alone is enough to make a case he's better.

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No, it's not a ridiculous anomaly. It's a natural progression.

I dont have to make the case. It's all in the stats. Look them up if you want.

Betts was better last year, so a case can be made he's better than Trout right now. Trout was better 2 years ago. Right now, it could go either way.

Statistically, Westbrook was better than LeBron when Russ won MVP. So he was better that year?

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So we are ignoring the last 5 years of data in favor of the last 2, even though Trout isn't declining?

In order to make the case for Betts, which you haven't beyond saying WAR = absolute true value of a player, you have to willfully ignore almost a half decade of data.

Who do you think will be better next year?

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If he was better that year, then he was better that year


I don't follow the NBA

Statistically it’s debateable who had a better 2018 season. Trout was league leader in OPS, OPS+.

You cited the 9.7 WAR in 2016 which would have been a step down for Trout in that year.

In fact, Trout’s worst WAR of the last seven years was 7.3. Betts has been higher than 7.3 a whopping total of twice.

I feel a $1000 bet coming on here.

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I'm not ignoring anything. Trout seems to have e peaked And Betts has reached the same level.

If you are better over the course of the most recent season then a case can be made you are better right now.

That is my belief.

Of course Trust has a better career and longer resume, that doesn't mean he's better right now.

Josh Hader is better than Craig Kimbrel right now. Kimbrels stats over the last 4 years are way better but right now, it's Hader

OK you're spinning a bit since Trout has more seasons plates and the 9.7 reference was in regards to FF claiming it was some career tear that Betts has never been near.

I believe that if player A is better than player B in the most recent season played than a case can be made player A is better at the moment.

You disagree. That's cool.

As far as Malone Jordan, I don't think Malone has better stats. That was more of a "were tired of giving it to MJ type thing"

I'm not a gambler and I could easily see Trout bein better next year.

I'm saying its not the slam dunk statement it once was since there is a younger superstar who just put up better stats over a whole season

I knew rpb was a sabr guy but didn’t know he was the hardcore type that believes WAR = absolute objective value of a player in a given season.

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Yeah, me too.

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He had better stats. I think basically everyone on Earth who follows the nba would say LeBron was better.

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Not at all

Betts was better in:

Batting Average
Runs scored
Slugging pct
Hits
Doubles
Triples
RBI
Strikeouts
Stolen bases
Outfield assists

Well them he wasn't better.

Most people who follow MLB would say Betts was better than Trout in 2018

And Trout was better in OBP, OPS, OPS+ (all categories you’ve spoken more highly of in the past than the ones on your list) and I’m assuming some others but I left my office so not gonna look it up. Seems like an easy case could be made Trout was the better offensive player.

Do you have two guys who were pretty close to equal last year. You certainly can’t say Betts was significantly better by any measure. And then you have the entire previous history of each player in which Trout’s production dwarfs Betts. And then you also need to remember how volatile MLB players not named Khris can be season to season and I think it’s clear that no case can be made that Betts is a better player right now than Trout. I feel like even you know this and you’re just doing a half assed job of making a case. Your heart isn’t in it.

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It’s crazy to me that you are so black and white about stats determining the better player in a relatively small sample size (one season) when there are several seasons of data to look at between players and neither are declining.

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Im not bashing it on just stats. That just happens to be the best argument.

And no I'm not just arguing. A case can be made Betts is better right now. A case can be made Trout is better too.

A year ago, there was no debate. Now there is.

That post was referencing you saying LeBron wasn’t better than Russ when Russ won mvp.

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