Posted by MikeT23 on 10/3/2012 1:24:00 PM (view original):
Makes more sense to you because you're a statnerd. Playoffs makes more sense to me because I'm a team-oriented guy. If you're not contributing to a common goal, or you fail in reaching that common goal, you're less valuable.
The knock on A-Roid was always how he comes up big when it doesn't matter. A stat-compiler.
I'll say it again, Trout had a fine season. Not a historical season. Since he's not going to be on the TV in October, no one will remember his season in a few years. If Cabrera comes up big, or stinks out loud, in October, people will recall his Triple Crown or his near TC.
You're still downplaying Trout's performance by saying it's "not a historical season".
From baseball-reference.com, I'm only counting seven players in the past 40 years who have posted a higher season WAR than Trout has this season. And two of those are Barry Bonds' 'roided-up 2001-2002 seasons, so I'd throw them out.
FYI . . .
Joe Morgan (1975) - 10.8
Dwight Gooden (1985) - 13.0
Cal Ripken (1991) - 11.3
Roger Clemens (1997) - 11.8
Pedro Martinez (2000) - 11.4
For a position player, one can use these numbers to argue that Trout has had one of the three best seasons (again, discounting Bonds) of any position player over the past 40 years.
That can be considered somewhat historical.