MLB: Three players that deserve more recognition
By David Hill
Not every MLB player gets the recognition they deserve. Let’s take a look at three players that deserve far more attention than they have received.
Seemingly every year, there are players that come out of nowhere to grab the attention of MLB fans. In some cases, those players fade back into obscurity, their one year in the sun a memory. Then there are those players who have been consistently solid, but for whatever reason, do not get the attention they deserve. Let us take a look at a few of those players who have been overlooked.
Whit Merrifield
It took far too long for the Kansas City Royals to give Whit Merrifield a chance at the major league level. But once he got that opportunity, he did not let go.
Merrifield is a throwback, a player who gets hits and has made things happen on the basepaths. He led the league in steals in 2017 and 2018, and led in hits in 2018 and 2019. Heading into Sunday, his 24 total bases led the AL, making him one of the few sparks in the Royals lineup.
Merrifield has also been valuable due to his defensive versatility. Seemingly the second coming of Ben Zobrist, he has primarily spent time at second and all three outfield positions. That versatility has made Merrifield a target in trade talks over the past year, although the Royals have not budged on their insistence that he is not available.
In a way, that profile explains why Merrifield has not garnered the attention that he should. He has made only one All Star Game despite his accomplishments, and has been consistently overlooked as one of the better players in the game today.
Whit Merrifield is the perfect player for the Kansas City Royals. That may explain why he does not get the recognition he deserves from MLB fans.