MLB Notebook: Players answer poll about best and worst organizations, most overrated players, and more
By Brett Holden
19 days agoMLB Player Poll for 2024 released
The Athletic’s Player Poll was released on Monday and it compelled some amusing answers. Over two and a half months, The Athletic writers polled over 100 players with 18 teams across the MLB. All players remained anonymous in an attempt to get the most candid answers possible.
Last year, over 60% of the players predicted Ohtani would become a Dodger come 2024, which obviously came true, so this venture can be quite insightful to the inside baseball of Major League Baseball.
Speaking of Ohtani, the first question posed to the players was who was the best player in the game today; 46% of the players chose Ohtani, (shocking).
The interesting outcome came from his former teammate, Mike Trout. Trout received 3.6% of the votes for the best player in the game, which is a stark drop from the 2018 edition of the poll where 31.7% of the league would choose Trout for a game on the line, World Series Game 7 at-bat.
Ronald Acuna Jr. finished second in the vote while Mookie Betts and Aaron Judge tied for third. Also getting a vote: Bryce Harper, José Ramirez, Corey Seager, and Orioles young stars, Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson.
The first scandalous question from The Athletic was the most overrated player in the league: Miami Marlins outfielder, Jazz Chisholm. The outspoken former shortstop has been placed on the injured list nine times in his career, seven times in the Major Leagues and twice in the Minors. One player even took a shot at Jazz’s MLB The Show cover appearance.
Plenty of players received a vote for this one as 27 other names were also mentioned including Carlos Correa, who tied for third, Elly De La Cruz tied for fourth, and even Alek Manoah got a shot from somebody too.
The most surprising vote went to Juan Soto where one player said, “I feel like all he does is walk and hit singles, and doesn’t hit for power like he’s portrayed.” Soto sits fifth in the American League in home runs with 17, tied for second in the MLB in slugging with Marcell Ozuna with .603, and second in the AL in batting average with .318.
The player also went on to say Soto is “also not a good fielder.” According to Baseball Savant, Juan Soto boasts a 98th-percentile arm and ranges in the 68th percentile in defensive range. Soto also sits second in the MLB in outfield arm runs above average with a 3.8, only 0.3 behind Texas Rangers slugger, Adolis García.
Controversial Angels third baseman, Anthony Rendon got the second most amount of votes. Which, to me, makes sense for a guy who has been paid over $102 million to not work for over 400 days of his contract. Rendon hasn’t played more than 60 games once since his massive contract with the Angels in 2019. Another stark contrast from his 2019 position in the Player Poll as one of the most underrated players in the league.
Speaking of Rendon, players were asked about his comments from the offseason on the length of the MLB season. This winter, Rendon stated on a podcast that the season is too long and that “there’s too many dang games.” While one-third of the vote agreed with Rendon, the overwhelming feeling was to keep things the way they are, for many reasons.
While there were mixed reactions to the question, one of the semi-common answers, and certainly the most logistically fluent response is the argument of historical record-keeping. The future debates for players will be “skewed” because “this new schedule lets you play fewer games and gives players more breaks,” junk like that. If the players are mentioning it, I’m sure it means something to them when their careers are over.
The other quantifier for the players is the fact that they get paid more money for the games they play.
This year’s poll included 12 questions including how the players viewed the Dodgers winter spending, organizations with bad reputations, irritating criticism from former players, how analytics have affected their careers, and much more. You can read the entire article here.
Astros’ Kyle Tucker hits the Injured List, top prospect Joey Loperfido expected to be recalled
Houston Astros star outfielder, Kyle Tucker has hit the 10-day injured list after fouling off a Kyle Gibson sinker off his shin on June 3rd.
Tucker has been one of baseball’s best players this season, sitting third in the MLB in homers, fourth in the league in OPS at .979, and the second-best at-bats per home run rate in baseball at 11.26.
Unfortunately for Tucker, the rehab from the injury has not gone as expected and will spend some time on the IL. Astros manager Joe Espada says he needs Tucker to be 100% before putting him back in the lineup.
Tucker will be able to return on June 14th as the move was made retroactive to June 4th, the day after he fouled off the ball.
In the meantime, the Astros will recall the organization’s No. 5 prospect, Kyle Loperfido. The outfielder had a relatively successful first stint as a big leaguer earlier this season, swinging for a .333 average with 13 hits, five RBIs, and a homer in 14 games. Loperfido returned to Triple-A Sugar Land and has not quite looked like his early-season self. Since his return, he has gone 9-43 for a .209 average, three RBIs, two extra-base hits, and zero home runs.
Espada says the Loperfido call-up is to add support on the bench with Tucker’s absence.
Earlier last month Loperfido’s name popped up as a possible trade candidate in a potential trade between the Astros and the Blue Jays. Former MLB GM, Jim Bowden, suggested Loperfido could be included in a package with Kenedy Corona in exchange for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. The rumour has been kind of shut down by the Blue Jays front office as Ross Atkins said “It just doesn’t make any sense for us (to trade Bo or Vlad).” There have since been rumours of an extension for each player with the Jays.
X-rays on Tucker’s shin came back negative but a timeline for his potential return remains unclear.
Quick Notes:
- Braves No. 2 prospect, Hurston Waldrep smacked around in his first Major League start. Waldrep lost his big league debut against the Washington Nationals on Sunday, throwing 4.0 innings in his big league debut allowing seven runs on seven hits and a home run
- Gerrit Cole pitches into the fifth during his second rehab start. Cole, who is rehabbing from his elbow injury from Spring Training, threw 4.2 innings in his start in Double-A Somerset. Cole struck out four while only allowing one run off a solo bomb in the top of the first to Hartford Yard Goats shortstop Ryan Ritter. It is expected Cole will make one more rehab start before returning to the Yankees rotation.
Recent articles from Brett Holden
- MLB Notebook: Mookie Betts suffers hand injury, Bo Bichette suggested as possible replacement for Dodgers
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- MLB Notebook: Players answer poll about best and worst organizations, most overrated players, and more
