Posnanski > Phillips

[cranberry]

Best center fielder in the game. By a significant margin. Granderson, Sizemore and Hunter comprise the next tier then maybe guys like Victorino, Wells and Ankiel. Adam Jones could turn into a heck of a player. But it gets increasingly thin after that. Consider all of the teams searching for an answer in center field, including the White Sox and the Yankees.

 

[JackReacher]

Best center fielder in the game. By a significant margin. Granderson, Sizemore and Hunter comprise the next tier then maybe guys like Victorino, Wells and Ankiel. Adam Jones could turn into a heck of a player. But it gets increasingly thin after that. Consider all of the teams searching for an answer in center field, including the White Sox and the Yankees.

Off topic slightly, but that rookie CF in Atlanta is damn good, or at least he was when I saw him play in DC earlier this season.

 

[FreddiePatek]

Best center fielder in the game. By a significant margin. Granderson, Sizemore and Hunter comprise the next tier then maybe guys like Victorino, Wells and Ankiel. Adam Jones could turn into a heck of a player. But it gets increasingly thin after that. Consider all of the teams searching for an answer in center field, including the White Sox and the Yankees.

Off topic slightly, but that rookie CF in Atlanta is damn good, or at least he was when I saw him play in DC earlier this season.

Doesn't everyone look good against the Nationals? ;D

I think Beltran has a 50-50 chance for the Hall ... better, though, if the Mets win a Series with him.

 

[topsheep]

He's not once-in-a-generation. He's a good, solid player. Nothing more. He's at his prime now, and this is what $150 million (or whatever) gets the Mets. They bought into a fantastic playoff run and thought, "He will be ours!."

LJB, you want too much. Beltran isn't transcendent.

OK, which is it going to be: good, solid player or best center fielder in the game?

Nobody can touch him for talent. There is no reason he can't be an extraordinary player.

And did somebody have him fitted for the HOF or did I have too much to drink when I read that last night. Good God.

I think he's a good player. I hesitate to use great even though I can't put my finger on why, because he has great stats. Something about him I just don't embrace. Maybe it's because he didn't take the bat off his shoulder ... I don't know.

Maybe it's because I don't think he's worth 100 and whatever million bucks. Then again, who is?

 

[chilidog75]

He's not once-in-a-generation. He's a good, solid player. Nothing more. He's at his prime now, and this is what $150 million (or whatever) gets the Mets. They bought into a fantastic playoff run and thought, "He will be ours!."

LJB, you want too much. Beltran isn't transcendent.

OK, which is it going to be: good, solid player or best center fielder in the game?

Nobody can touch him for talent. There is no reason he can't be an extraordinary player.

And did somebody have him fitted for the HOF or did I have too much to drink when I read that last night. Good God.

I admitted I might have jumped the gun on that. But it's not as ridiculous as you apparently think it is.

He's in the prime of his career RIGHT NOW. His batting average has gone up every year since 2004.
If he keeps up his current production for the next four to five years ---- and again, in this era there's no reason to think he wouldn't ----- then he would finish his career with around 400 home runs, 350 stolen bases, 2,400 hits, 10-plus years of 100 RBIs and maybe eight All-Star game appearances.

Plus, he's considered by many to be the best defensive CF in baseball (that should count for something, right?)

There aren't many players in the history of the game that have 350 HRs and 350 SBs.
He's not a surefire HOFer by any means, but if he keeps producing like this until he's 37 or 38, he will be in the discussion. Don't even see how that's debatable.

 

[Guy_Incognito]

I would say the top tier is Beltran & Sizemore, with Granderson a step behind. Hunter doesn't belong in this conversation. Either way, I don't remember anyone complaining about his demeanor in the '06 postseason. Passing him over for Johnson was the worst move the Yankees have made in 15 years (I think, but if I'm right, that's a hell of a statement), and they are still paying for it.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

He just turned 32 and he's been able to stay relatively injury-free (aside from the Cameron collision a few years ago and a quad injury). He'd have to do a lot of damage over the next five or six years to be in the discussion. As an overall fielder Hunter is comparable, if not better. Sizemore is still a baby. He's not going to get worse.

I'm not going to get back into the way he carries himself, but he at least gave consideration to a career in volleyball before he was persuaded to focus on baseball. Take from that what you will -- I know what I think of that.

 

[hondo]

I think he likes playing baseball. He doesn't like playing in the spotlight, which is not a good thing when you play in New York and make roughly $20 mill a year

Was he waterboarded into signing that contract? Was New York a completely new experience for him?

 

[Editude]

Just because some might hope/expect/wish that he be a once-in-a-generation player, being a top-tier center fielder in mid-career, and paid accordingly, does not mean he is an underachiever. That prove a negative is so silly. He's having a great career that might or might not reach the Hall of Fame. That's it.

 

[fishwrapper]

Well, that about sums it up.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

I'm not following that one either.

He's 32 years old. He's been active for 10 years prior to this one. How in the hell is this mid-career? Do you really expect him to stick around until he's 40? He's not going to be one of those players who needs to have the uniform torn off him to quit.

 

[cranberry]

The thing that jumps out about Beltran relative to Grady and the rest of the center fielders is his incremental power. Seven times he's surpassed 100 RBIs. He's a legitimate, switch-hitting No. 3 hitter while playing one of the most demanding defensive positions.

Anyhow, we can debate exactly where Beltran belongs among all-time center fielders forever but I think we can all agree that Steve Phillips is an idiot.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

A perfect fit at ESPN.

 

[Diabeetus]

Five more things to consider, again via JoPo: http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/05/22/five-things-you-may-not-know/

 

[cranberry]

Five more things to consider, again via JoPo: http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/05/22/five-things-you-may-not-know/

Great stuff. Beltran's a future Hall of Famer. Phillips is a miserable idiot on the decline.

 

[topsheep]

The mention of Amos Otis is No. 4 wasn't so much funny as much as I don't think I've thought about Amos Otis in 20 years.

Other than that, not a bad little blog item.