Debate! Which players are the true MLB attractions in ’21?

Two days before my MLB team’s batteries showed up for Spring Training, MLB.com writer Will Leitch delivered himself of an article designed to provoke discussion and, surely, digital viral spread. It was called “30 exciting players for your spring radar.” In giving us one player per team, some of Leitch’s MLB attractions were instantly recognizable names; others, not so much.

The latter included Adley Rutschman, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Casey Mize. Mize, a Tigers pitcher, wore a winter knit cap in a video piece embedded in the article. He spoke mysteriously about “style of play.” Mize was successful in the minors.

In other words, all fans reading this article eventually had cloud-like cartoon bubbles appear over their heads reading, WHO ARE THESE GUYS? This doesn’t mean many fans won’t recognize some names. They do watch the game, right?

What makes a player one of the game’s principal MLB attractions?

However, do we need to have someone point out that Mike Trout is still one of the principal MLB attractions? And will a Houston fan move to the edge of his seat to see whether or not Yordan Alvarez’ surgical knee is really fixed?

All things considered about baseball’s newest bad boys, maybe so, but how happy can Astros fans be when a player is fewer than 90 games into his big-league career, and a commentator is actually writing, “And please: Nobody ask him to play the field.”

In fairness to Leitch, fans should be excited about probable new players for their squads. The point of the piece is partly to introduce some new players. And, of course, to engender debates of the three-beers-in variety. So here we go….

Some of Leitch’s observations are pretty much on the money. For the Braves, the selected attraction is Ronald Acuna Jr. with the observation that, while people talk about Acuna’s coming MVP awards, he still isn’t the best player on his own team.

Take that, you 23-year-old flop? Oh, surely Leitch merely means to prod the Braves outfielder, but he could have written: Any baseball fan watching this player in more than a handful of games can see he has the best native ability in baseball. A taller, bigger Roberto Clemente.

Likewise, Blue Jays fans should be eager to see if George Springer can help their team close the gap between Toronto and New York.

On the other hand, some of Leitch’s picks are debatable.

While many Angels fans buy tickets specifically to see Mike Trout, shouldn’t they really be more curious about what Shohei Ohtani will contribute this year? It was about three minutes ago that Ohtani was declared Babe Ruth 2.0. Then there were injuries.

Ohtani’s manager says he has no limits this season as a pitcher since he’s finally fully recovered from his Tommy John procedure. “I’m hearing full-go,” said Joe Maddon.

Angels fans should be wondering if the Japanese-born star can avoid being Babe Ruth Lite for the long run. Some, of course, are just worrying about new wheels for their skateboards, but that’s all good.

And how about the team that cannot make the playoffs, according to Fangraphs – the Orioles. Do they even deserve a player listed among the big MLB attractions?

Absolutely. Otherwise, some of us Philadelphians have one less excuse to go to Baltimore for crab cakes – or to see Mike Trout! But should Baltimore’s “attraction” be 23-year-old Adley Rutschman? The young catcher has played 37 games for three minor league teams at or below the full-season A-level. Of course, there was also whatever he did in intra-squad games last summer.

Rutschman is a highly ranked, promising player, but Orioles fans should probably consider John Means the team’s main attraction. In 2019, Means won 12 of Baltimore’s 54 games, lost fewer than 12, and posted a 1.135 WHIP; last season he dropped his WHIP to 0.985, but managed to lose four games while winning two.

Maybe Rutschman can really, really surprise everybody, and O’s fans will get to see Means pitch to him at Camden Yards.

For the Phillies, Leitch picked Andrew McCutchen. I’ll dare say Phillies fans actually consider J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius the two principal MLB attractions in South Philly this season – Realmuto because he’s just that good, and Gregorius because the whole city hopes he is at least as good as he was last year.

Talk amongst yourselves, though, about your team’s main ticket seller. Baseball is back.