Not only does Mike Trout have to hear about playing on a perennial losing team, he now has to hear about how Mookie Betts is better than he is.
Am I mistaken, or is Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout arguably the best baseball player currently playing? Maybe I am wrong, couldn’t one provide statistics to support Trout being one of the Top 10 players of all-time?
Mike Trout has three MVP awards and finished runner-up to the MVP four times. Mike Trout has been an All-Star every year of his career, minus the cup of coffee he got in his first year (he added Rookie of the Year hardware in his official rookie season). Mike Trout has seven Silver Slugger Awards. Mike Trout has lead the league in OPS four out of the last six years and has a lifetime OPS of 1.000.
Mike Trout just turned 29 years-old.
Yet, all I hear about these days is how Mookie Betts is the best player in the league. How Mookie Betts is going to push the Los Angeles Dodgers over the top this year and the next 12 years.
Mike Trout; based on MLB Twitter during this World Series, people have clearly forgotten.
— Ahaan Rungta (@AhaanRungta) October 23, 2020
Betts recently signed a 12 YR/$385M contract with LA Blue, while Trout is two years into a 12 YR/$426.5M for LA Red.
Mookie Betts is a great ballplayer, I’ll give him that. He has an MVP Award, some Silver Sluggers, four All-Star appearances, and some Gold Gloves. What he also has, which Trout does not, is a World Series ring.
In fact, Trout has only been to the playoffs once. He made a quick exit after a three game sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals, in which Trout his .083.
For the most part, the Los Angeles Angels have not surrounded Trout with the talent capable of getting to the postseason. An aging (and expensive) Albert Pujols has hampered them the last handful of years, as has a lousy pitching staff.
Betts has had the luxury of playing on better teams. This is the fourth time in his seven year career he has made the postseason.
While he is hitting, fielding, and running his way into the hearts of baseball fans everywhere (especially those who bleed Dodger Blue), he has not quite overtaken Trout as the games best player.
Mike Trout can not be judged on the accomplishments (or lack thereof) of his team when it comes to whether or not he is the best player in baseball.