Trout or Harper

[Edgy MD]

You have a ticket to grab either of these two players right now, with whatever financial obligations their futures merit coming with them. Which do you go for?

[Benjamin Grimm]

That's a clown question, bro.

[Edgy MD]

I went for Trout. But while he's a terrific athlete, he seems to have a heavy guy's frame. I suspect he won't retain his speed skills as he ages. But I'm calling that a wash with Harper's propensity for injuries.

[dinosaur jesus]

Trout. I don't even take Harper for my fantasy teams. I haven't disliked a player so viscerally since Pete Rose.

[nymr83]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That's a clown question, bro.

The thread is over. we have a winner.

[Frayed Knot]

I (briefly) heard this being debated twice in the last few days on radio.
Both times the guys took Harper based on his "edge" even while acknowledging that Trout might be the better all-around player.

[MFS62]

Trout. He seems to be an ok person, while Harper seems to be a jerk.

Later

[dgwphotography]

I think when all is said and done, Harper will have the better career.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I just found out, from a partially accurate facebook post, that Mike's father Jeff was a Blue Hen. I knew the name Jeff Trout as he had a ton of school records in bb and played in the minors for several years.

[Edgy MD]

Two-time defending ASG MVP is a pretty nice calling card, too.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I just found out, from a partially accurate facebook post, that Mike's father Jeff was a Blue Hen. I knew the name Jeff Trout as he had a ton of school records in bb and played in the minors for several years.

Yeah, the story at the time was that the Angels scout in charge of the NE region had played with Trout Sr. in the minors and made the connection between the name and New Jersey (son went to the same HS as father). That in turn led to him paying more attention to young Mike than any other team and therefore less reluctant to go that high on a kid from the non-baseball hotbed of NJ who wound up being passed over 24 times before the Angels drafted him with the compensation pick for losing Mark Teixeira to the Yanx.

Pops' final year in the minors was a full season of .321/.406/.451 at AA Orlando - so I'm thinking that maybe an injury ended things. Or maybe he just figured that, being 25 y/o already and in his 3rd season in the AA level, that it was simply a good time to get out.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Trout's having an off-year, defensively (for him), but otherwise is having a typical Trout year. Harper is having an OHMYGEEMVP breakout-type year.

Fangraphs has them at 5.5 and 5.7 WAR, respectively; B-R at 5.9/6.2. IOW, even at a high ebb for Major Fauxhawk and a relative low one for Det. Fish, it's still about a push.

Give me the best player in the game, please.

[Edgy MD]

And that's Trout, year in and year out. Harper probably can haver a more monstrous MVP year, but Trout is just gonna give you a top three- or four-season every year, and a few #1s. That's the guy you want.

But I'm just playing old-scout-from-Moneyball-with-a-hearing-aid, and he's 6'2" and 230 and I just don't know how long he can fly like that. Not much longer, to my thinking. He's a center fielder in a third baseman's body.

[ashie62]

Trout. He is from south NJ.

[G-Fafif]

Jacob deGrom.

[ashie62]

G-Fafif wrote: Jacob deGrom.

Love it.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Trout, He has consistently performed at an exceptionally high level. Harper is having a phenomenal season thus far, but he has never performed at a high level for a prolonged period of time prior to this season. Harper may have a greater upside, but a will take Trout for his history of sustained excellence.

[Zvon]

Trout. Trouts a superstar. Harpers a shooting star. He'll glow hotter but not for nearly as long.

[Frayed Knot]

Part of Harper's problem had been his injuries - which may or may not be a predictable problem.
This is, so far anyway, his first truly full season and, at a year and a half younger than Trout, he'd be a good guy to bet on.
Bryce is, quite possibly anyway, on his way to a Triple Crown this year (last done in the NL in 1937) so let's see what happens.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Guest

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Oh, Harper would be a great guy to bet on, as long as the other guy in the race were anybody but Mike Trout.

[Lefty Specialist]

Zvon wrote: Trout. Trouts a superstar. Harpers a shooting star. He'll glow hotter but not for nearly as long.

This. Trout will have the better career. Harper just feels to me like he'll get derailed by injuries.

[seawolf17]

MFS62 wrote: Trout. He seems to be an ok person, while Harper seems to be a jerk. Later

Completely this.

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That's a clown question, bro.

Just read this now. I nominate this the Ben Grimm thread.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Gawrsh! I feel so eponymous!