Who Would You Start in Fantasy Baseball?
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It’s the age-old question for fantasy baseball owners: who would you start? Get expert advice on who to start and who to sit for your fantasy baseball team.
Mike Trout
I would start Mike Trout in fantasy baseball because he is the best player in baseball and will help your team in every offensive category. He has won three MVP awards and is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Trout is also a great defensive player and will save you runs on defense as well.
Why Mike Trout is the best player in baseball
Mike Trout is the best player in baseball. He’s been the best player in baseball since he debuted in 2012, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Here’s why Mike Trout is the best player in baseball:
1. He’s a five-tool player.
Mike Trout is a rare breed of player who excels at everything. He’s an elite hitter for average and power, he runs the bases well, he’s a great defender, and he has a strong arm. There are very few players in baseball who can do everything as well as Mike Trout does it.
2. He’s durable.
Mike Trout has played at least 150 games in five of his seven seasons in the majors. He’s only missed significant time due to injury twice in his career, and both times it was due to a freak accident (getting hit by a pitch and slipping on the dugout steps). When you compare him to other great players like Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw, who have missed significant time due to injuries, it’s clear that Trout is much more durable.
3. He’s consistent.
Mike Trout has been one of the most consistent players in baseball over his career. He’s had an OPS+ of 150 or better in six of his seven seasons, and he’s never had a season where he was significantly below average offensively. His worst season was still above average, thanks to his elite defense and base running. You can count on Mike Trout to be one of the best players in baseball every single year.
4 .He’s clutch .
Clutchness is often hard to measure, but there are some advanced stats that suggest that Mike Trout is one of the most clutch hitters in baseball . In high-leverage situations , Trout has a career wRC+ of 188 , which means he’s been 88% better than league average at hitting in those situations . That’s impressive , and it goes to show that when the game is on the line , Mike Trout comes through more often than not .
Trout’s career statistics
Mike Trout is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He plays in MLB for the Angels. Trout was a first-round pick by the Angels in the 2009 MLB draft and made his MLB debut in 2011.
In his rookie year, he finished second in voting for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. Trout is a five-time MLB All-Star, and won the All-Star Game MVP Award in 2014. He is also a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award and was the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2014 and 2016. He leads MLB in career stolen base percentage, and is second in career OPS+ behind only Babe Ruth. In 2019, Forbes ranked Trout as one of the top ten most valuable sports properties in the world.
### Statistical overview
Throughout his career, trout has been one of baseball’s most consistently excellent performers. In every full season he has played, he has been worth at least 7.5 WAR according to Baseball Reference’s calculations, which approximates to being an MVP candidate; as well as this, he has led his league in WAR three times, and finished second twice. In 2012, his 10.5 WAR was not only a career best but also led Major League Baseball—the only time a player has done so while being younger than 23 years old—and was worth more than double that of second place finisher Robinson Canó (5.2 WAR). Since 2010 (Trout’s rookie year), no other player has amassed more WAR than Trout’s 70.6 total.
On offense, Trout boasts exceptional batting average (.307), on-base percentage (.438), and slugging percentage (.577) numbers for a career; which are all good enough for top-10 all time marks among qualified center fielders. Not only does he hit for average and get on base at a very high clip, but he also provides plus power; with 311 career home runs through 2019—an average of 36 per season—as well as 217 doubles and 45 triples; giving him an OPS+ of 164 for his career thus far (which ranks 4th all time among center fielders).
Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts is a fantasy baseball superstar. He’s a five-tool player who can do it all. He’s a great hitter for average, he has power, he steals bases, and he plays great defense. Betts is also young and he’s just entering his prime. He’s a first round pick in most fantasy baseball drafts.
Why Mookie Betts is the best player in baseball
Mookie Betts is the best player in baseball. He’s an elite hitter who can also steal bases and play great defense in the outfield. He’s young, he’s talented, and he plays for a contending team. Betts is the total package, and there’s no other player in baseball who can match his production across all categories.
Betts is batting .341/.438/.662 with 29 home runs, 77 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, and 123 runs scored this season. He leads the majors in batting average and slugging percentage, and he’s second in the AL in OPS+. He also ranks among the league leaders in home runs (t-5th), RBIs (t-9th), stolen bases (t-11th), and runs scored (3rd). In addition to being an elite hitter, Betts is also a superb athlete who plays excellent defense in right field. He has nine outfield assists this season, which is tied for the most among all major league outfielders.
There’s simply no weakness in Betts’ game. He’s one of the best hitters in baseball, he’s a great baserunner and fielder, and he’s still just 26 years old. He’s already won two Gold Glove Awards and an MVP Award, and he’s well on his way to adding more hardware to his trophy case. If you’re looking for someone to build your fantasy baseball team around, there’s no better player than Mookie Betts.
Betts’ career statistics
Through 2019, Betts has compiled a .301 batting average, .911 OPS, 134 home runs, and 50 stolen bases in 1,352 games played. Among active major league outfielders with at least 1,000 games played through the 2019 season, Betts ranks ninth in WAR (31.4), tenth in batting average, and fifth in stolen bases. He also ranks first among active right fielders in defensive WAR (10.1), and second in both UZR/150 (16.3) and DRS (96).
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is a professional baseball player who plays for the Atlanta Braves. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut on April 25, 2018. He is one of the most promising young players in baseball, and many fantasy baseball owners are wondering if they should start him on their team. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of starting Ronald Acuna Jr. on your fantasy baseball team.
Why Ronald Acuna Jr. is the best player in baseball
Ronald Acuna Jr. is the best player in baseball.
This statement is not hyperbole. It is simply a fact.
In his short time in the MLB, Acuna has already established himself as one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. He has a career batting average of .292, and he has hit 41 home runs in just 142 games.
Acuna is also an excellent defender, and he has stolen 22 bases in his young career.
There are very few players in baseball who can match Acuna’s combination of power, speed, and defense. He is truly a five-tool player, and he is still just 21 years old.
There is no doubt that Ronald Acuna Jr. is the best player in baseball, and he has a very bright future ahead of him.
Acuna Jr.’s career statistics
Ronald Acuna Jr.’s rookie season was one for the ages, as he batted .293 with 26 home runs, 64 RBI, and 16 stolen bases en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year honors. In 2019, he took his game to another level, batting .280 with 41 home runs, 101 RBI, and 37 stolen bases while finishing second in NL MVP voting. He has legitimate five-category fantasy upside and is one of the first few outfielders off the board in drafts every season.