It's the last season for Derek Jeter, Mr. Yankee. Wow! How hard is it to have two good years in the Major Leagues? Jeter has had 20 of them! 20! Not only is he respected by the people of NY, but also worldwide. He should become the logo of the MLB, just as Jerry West is for the NBA. It's been 20 years of playing the game the right way. The Captain. I have straight respect for Jeter doing the grind 20 years with unbelievable expectations. It's unheard of in this day and age. With the media putting him under a microscope, Jeter has remained clean in the locker room, off the diamond and with the ladies. This guy deserves extra respect for surviving the pressure. The stars of today get in the limelight and make sure they are seen. Jeter has had the power of the limelight, and he has made sure he isn't seen. He wants to be judged by his play on the diamond, and I can tip my hat to that. Respect.
At the All-Star game there was this un-ceremonial passing of the torch. Watching you could silently see a star for the next generation, not from one shortstop to another, but from one great player to another great player. Center fielder Mike Trout is next in line. The kid has a certain style to him, a bravado that says I'm the best and everyone knows it. He portrays a brashness yet humbleness. He's not cocky because he makes plays. Like Jeter, he plays the game the right way. So many other young star players have had a lot of hype the past 20 years. Steven Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and Ken Griffey Jr. are some of the biggest names. Mike Trout is the only player who should be called 5 tooled. Actually, he hits like the late Tony Gwynn and has the power of Bonds (albeit without the steroids)! Trout exhibits the speed and base running of Rickey Henderson and plays defense like Ken Griffey Jr. He is the face of his team like Chipper Jones was with the Braves. Lastly, he has been an ironman and has stayed healthy like Cal Ripken Jr. He has the 5 tools of baseball like Willie Mays, Andre Dawson and Duke Snider. As much as the media talks about him, Trout is the one player that deserves even more attention. Like Jeter, he lets his play on the diamond answer the hype. I want to see Trout end up with the same kind of respect as Jeter.
You can hear the ball jump off of his bat, lightning striking when he swings and the crack of the bat. He is a blur turning a single into a double or a double into a triple. On defense he makes a spectacular play look routine. When he is on first he gives the pitcher a slight grin, because everybody knows he is going to steal and he won't be caught. MLB now has its hero after the disheartening steroid era. Baseball can't survive with good players having inconsistent careers. One year a certain player has a breakout year, and the next year it seems the league has figured him out. So far pitchers can't figure out Mike Trout. The one thing Jeter has done to get the highest level of respect is that he won Championships. As a Giant's fan, I can say that I hope the Angels win it all. We all need to embrace what Mike Trout represents. He is the future of baseball, of America's pastime. I respect the Oakland A's with their money ball, analysis and platoon splits. I respect the A's organization and Billy Beane being ahead of the curve. Mike Trout is simply the best position player in baseball!
What about Miguel Cabrera? He is a first baseman/DH and is a slightly better hitter. He could be the most feared hitter in baseball, but Trout is the total package. Trout plays a more premium position and can win a game with his legs. What about Troy Tulowitzki? He's a great player, when he actually plays. Tulo also plays a premium position and is a dominant defender at short stop. One knock against him is that he plays his home game at Coors Field, a hitter friendly park where offensive numbers can seem inflated. However the number one knock on Tulo is that he can never stay healthy. What about Yasiel Puig? He's the closest player at the same level as Trout, in my opinion. Puig can run, throw, has the power and hits for average. But Puig's base running is holding him back. I love the effort, but he just needs to play smarter. Having 4/5 of the tools ain't bad. What about Bryce Harper? Harper has the talent to be just as good as Trout, but he just hasn't put it all together yet. The potential is there. Trout has just done the amazing. The guy just refuses to struggle, and he's the one player without a weakness.
There has been a lot of good players the last 20 years and a lot of good seasons by certain players. A lot of records have been broken. Jeter has never won a MVP award, but he is still is a first ballot Hall of Famer. Jeter wasn't just a good player, he was a GREAT player! The best thing to ever happen to baseball was seeing Jeter on TV every night for the last 20 years. Watching Jeter's every move, young baseball players across America saw what a great baseball player looks like and how they act. They all wanted to be the next Jeter. I'd say Trout is pulling a GREAT Jeter impersonation! Much Respect Mike Trout.
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