Tampa Bay Rays may have second best player in baseball
By David Hill
We all know that Mike Trout is the best player in baseball. But would you believe that the Tampa Bay Rays could have the second best player in the game today?
When one thinks of the best players in the game, certain names immediately spring to mind. There is Mike Trout, a transcendent player who may take his place amongst the all time greats. There is Clayton Kershaw, a dominant pitcher who, when healthy, can give Trout a run for his money. Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton. Those are the names that typically come to mind.
However, by one metric, none of those other players are close to Trout in terms of being the best player in the game, especially over the last three seasons. Instead, if one divides a player’s accumulated WAR per 500 plate appearances since the start of 2015, the second best player in the game is the Tampa Bay Rays Kevin Kiermaier. Wait…Kevin Kiermaier?
Highest WAR produced per 500 plate appearances since 2015 (minimum 500 total plate appearances). Date derived from @baseball_ref.
— High Heat Stats (@HighHeatStats) March 2, 2018
Also: Trout's still god, Kiermaier still underrated pic.twitter.com/BtMXGheA6Y
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It certainly does make one wonder if we undervalue Kiermaier. Typically, most fans look at the offensive production of a player, which helps lead to the Rays center fielder being overlooked. However, Kiermaier has had a solid three seasons with the bat, producing a .262/.320/.426 batting line with 37 homers and 55 steals.
Even as good as Kiermaier has been with the bat, he has been incredible defensively. He won two Gold Glove awards, and earned the Platinum Glove in 2015. In the last three years, Kiermaier has saved 40 runs in center, a total that would have been even higher if he stayed healthy last year.
And yet, may only be seeing the beginnings of Kiermaier’s ascension into the top players in the game. His offense is improving, as he is starting to develop into a real power and speed threat. The 15 homers he hit last year were a career best, even though he only had 421 plate appearances. He chipped in 16 steals as well, and was on pace to eclipse his previous best of 21 stolen bases. If he stays healthy in 2018, a 25/25 campaign may not be outside the realm of possibility.
Next: Venters back on the mound
Kevin Kiermaier is a star for the Tampa Bay Rays. Based on his production in terms of Wins Above Replacement, he may well be the second best player in the game.