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Date	Question	Answer
2021-02-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)	If you had third pick overall. Who are you choosing? Me or Trout? (Mookie B from LA)	Still Trout. Not sure how or when it happened, but we've somehow hit the point of underrating Mike Trout in fantasy. Which is wild. (Mark Barry)
2020-09-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Thoughts on Wander Javier? What's his upside? (Dusty from Colorado)	Final question! Wander Javier, not Mike Trout or Juan Soto, is the GOAT. (Jesse Roche)
2020-08-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Do you think MLB teams have specific, measurable methods for evaluating their scouts and development staffs? Or is it more likely a subjective process for evaluating their work? (John from Illinois)	It is going to vary by organization, but in a lot of ways working for a major league team isn't all that dissimilar from any corporate job (especially more true in recent years I'd think). You are going to get evaluated by your manager on a variety of criteria, how statistically rigorous it is verus soft skill stuff is going to vary, and baseball has the particular issue of more frequent top level turnover, so you can sign Mike Trout and still get turfed by the new GM who wants his guys. I will say that merely applying a formula to a scout's evaluation versus outcome or how a player does under your tutelage is probably not the best metric for figuring out who is "good" at their jobs (Jeffrey Paternostro)
2020-08-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Confirm or deny? Unless Mike Trout ends up on a ventilator, MLB is seeing this weirdest of seasons all the way through. (stevegoz from Chicago)	I think that's right. They want to get to the playoffs, and even if they did have to shorten the season, I think they'd concoct a tournament to get that playoff money, somehow. (Craig Goldstein)
2020-04-27 12:00:00 (link to chat)	If Mike Trout woke up one morning and was the size of Eddie Gaedel, how good would he be? (KarenComeBack from NY)	Meg's chat is at FanGraphs on Tuesday. Functionally he probably isn't strong enough to turn around 95 or cover enough ground in CF at that size. It's not a particularly whimsical answer I will admit. (Jeffrey Paternostro)
2020-03-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Who are your favorites for AL and NL MVP, and for AL and NL ROY in this most likely abbreviated season? (Biscuits and Gravy from In my belly)	AL MVP: Mike Trout (who else) AL ROY: Jesus Luzardo NL MVP: Juan Soto NL ROY: Gavin Lux (Jesse Roche)
2020-03-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Will Mike Trout stay healthy enough to retire as the undisputed greatest baseball player to ever live? (Missionary Man from Tajikistan)	For the sake of baseball, I hope so. (Jesse Roche)
2020-02-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What is your strategy for trading picks in a dynasty startup snake draft? The #4 and #8 overall picks are on the block. Would you be looking to trade multiple picks to get more first rounders or would you prefer the ability to get more selections in the 2-5 rounds. I’m pick #5 (if that’s any help) (MK from Houston)	MK also noted this is for a 12-team OBP roto league. If you have the opportunity, I would try to acquire high-end picks, especially the 4th overall pick, which should be one of Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna, Juan Soto, or Christian Yelich/Cody Bellinger. I do not love the idea of sacrificing picks, but you can do a 2-for-2 in a trade up. In 12-team leagues in particular, the top talent has even more value because replacement level is higher than for larger leagues. Of course, it does depend on your overall dynasty startup strategy. If you are employing the tanking and prospecting strategy, then you should trade down and accumulate later picks to scoop prospects. For the rest, it is almost always in your interest to trade up. An offer of 2.20 and 3.29 for 1.4 and 5.53 would be a fantastic trade. (Jesse Roche)
2019-08-30 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Jon, this isn’t really Mike Trout. I often get frustrated with the Los Angeles of Anaheim largely because they have arguably one of the greatest positional players in history on their team in Mike Trout and they’re just never that good. Who in their minor league system is there to get excited about? (Mike Trout from Anaheim, CA)	Well, there's this Jo Adell kid, who I'm told is pretty good. But aside from him, ehhhhhhh maybe Brandon Marsh? Toolsy OF, pretty close to being ready. Don't know a ton about the low minors, and since the planet will be a sizzling husk by the time those guys become relevant, I'm not sure it matters. Carpe diem! (Jon Hegglund)
2019-07-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Hi Ginny, do you see the Angels making any moves at the deadline? I'd love to see them make a push, but seems counter to their development strategy for the prospects? (Ray from LA)	The Angels have sneakily rebuilt over the past few years – it's just having one Mike Trout pushes you from a 70-win team to an 80-win one. And you're right that Eppler has been very studious in his devotion to assembling the pieces for the team's next phase. That said, a lot of that work has paid off this season. The Angels have perhaps the most obviously fillable holes in the league in their starting rotation, and their offense has actually been decent even apart from Mike Trout. I expect the Angels to pick up a starter (and maybe a reliever too, given how heavily they've leaned on Bedrosian/Buttrey/Robles), but probably not anyone top-end that they'd need to give up any serious prospects for. I imagine 2020 is still the goal. (Ginny Searle)
2019-07-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Are people really comparing "The Martian" to Mike Trout already. Good lord, he's 16 years old! (Buddy from Peoria, IL)	In build, sure. But that also tells you there probably isn't a ton of physical projection left. (Craig Goldstein)
2019-05-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Who would you rather have in a dynasty league: Mike Trout that costs 20% of your team's budget or Cody Bellinger that costs less than 2%? (Aaron from Minnesota)	Really depends a lot on the rest of the roster but in absence of all other information I'll take Bellinger. Mike Trout is still the guy I'd want more in general. (Craig Goldstein)
2019-05-31 13:00:00 (link to chat)	In a dynasty league, what players would you consider trading Ronald Acuna for straight up? (Kent Brockman from Channel 6, Springfield)	Maybe two? Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. (J.P. Breen)
2019-05-13 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Who would your MVP picks be right now? (Awards Season from Everywhere)	I'd go with Mike Trout and Cody Bellinger, with a hearty honorable mention to Christian Yelich. (Aaron Gleeman)
2019-03-14 15:00:00 (link to chat)	I know it's beyond a long shot, but how great would it be if the Rays signed Kimbrel? (Buddy from Peoria, IL)	Buddy let me tell you what, as a fan of ex-Mariners Mike Zunino & Guillermo Heredia and a proponent of the Great Boston Sport Championship Absence to extend to /checks notes 45 days I think it would be awesome! I would also love to have Mike Trout declare himself a sovereign nation and establish his borders around the perimeters of T-Mobile Field's centerfield area, cloaked in Mariner teal. In some better universe both things are possible. In ours, they are equally unlikely. (Nathan Bishop)
2019-03-18 16:00:00 (link to chat)	In a dynasty league where somehow somehow someone owns Wander Javier and I don't. Should I give up Mike Trout to get him? Javier passes the eye, name, and age test with flying colors while Trout is starting to smell like old fish. Do you agree with this analysis? (Dusty from Colorado)	I do not agree with that analysis, but I empathize with your frustration at desiring what you cannot have. We call this "fantasy baseball" but it is intrinsic to the nature of fantasy that it never be fulfilled. We can never be happy. Good luck this year! (Jon Hegglund)
2019-03-08 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Thoughts on Wander Javier? What is his upside? (Dusty from Colorado)	He's already better than Mike Trout and could also be MVP in the NFL and the NBA. (Kevin Jebens)
2019-02-05 17:00:00 (link to chat)	Pecota in the past has been quite conservative in projecting star players. Will the recent changes to the DRC expected distribution (Inverse Gamma prior) cause Pecota to be a bit less conservative? (labrat from Caged in the Lab)	I happen to have the PECOTA projections in front of me and I can tell you that this year's iteration is a bit less conservative than previous years, at least for hitters (pitchers remain a crapshoot). I'm not sure past PECOTA has really been any more conservative than other projection systems--any type of projection algorithm is averaging over all the possible scenarios a player might perform in, and there are generally more bad ones than good ones. As a result, even the guys we think of as sure-fire locks to be All-Stars get downgraded a little bit because hey, they might get injured, other teams might develop a strategy to stop them, the league's home run rate might drop 30%, etc. That's why, for example, even though we know that Mike Trout is capable of producing 10 WAR every year, no projection will reliably assign him that number--there's always the possibility he misses three months of the season and only gets to 6 WAR, and the projection has to average over those two scenarios. (Rob Arthur)
2019-01-25 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Any general advice on inflation? I've got a chance to keep Mike Trout at $63 and make him the cornerstone of a contending squad. It seems like a crazy price, but it's a pretty shallow league and cheap rookie contracts (e.g., I have Acuna at $5 for three years) mean people have a lot of cash to throw around. (Rob from D.C.)	My advice on inflation is to disregard whether or not the price seems crazy in terms of redraft valuations that we're used to; it's all about the microeconomy of your league. I'm in a 12-team NL-only keeper and the top players are routinely kept in the $50-60 range. If your league is shallow, all the more reason to keep Trout. $63 doesn't seem crazy to me at all. (Jon Hegglund)
2018-12-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Region is such a central part of wine conversations because geography (and all of its associated environmental and climatological components) is so important in determining the nature of fruit development. Region similarly is a central part of the player-development conversation in baseball, and there now seems to be a geographical orientation that favors players raised in warm-weather climate zones that permit year-round outdoor play (New Jersey's Mike Trout being a notable exception). That wasn't always the case, though. Do you expect, e.g., California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida to continue to lead the pack? What sorts of changes might lead to a shift in this regard? (Alec Denton from Atlanta)	Climate change. OK, straight answer. Obviously, the problem up here (I'm in upstate NY--where Patrick Corbin hails from!) is that the season's so short. There was snow on the ground up here well into March. So kids don't get the reps they can in warmer climates. The answer, I suspect, will be baseball-oriented boarding schools in the sun belt where high school kids will go for the second and third quarters of th year. (For all I know, they already exist. We have similar academies for skiers up here.) That will then exacerbate the problem of baseball increasingly becoming a rich kid's sport, given the demands of travel ball, showcases, etc. So a bad solution! The easier answer, of course, is that teams realize that amateurs in cold-weather climates are the new market inefficiency. But the lack of information about these kids will hamper things. (Rob Mains)
2018-12-12 17:00:00 (link to chat)	What's Wander Javier's ultimate upside? (Dusty from Colorado)	Mike Trout plus. (Mike Gianella)
2018-12-12 17:00:00 (link to chat)	I've Mike Trout for two more years, not sure I can resign him. If I try to move him now, what can I expect in return? Is Vlad Jr.(6 yrs control) too much or not enough? What about Eloy? (Trout Lover from Somewhere)	I'd take 6 years of Vlad for two years of Trout. I'd want more than Eloy. (Mike Gianella)
2018-09-10 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Justin Mason is mad. He's conducting mock 2019 fantasy baseball drafts this weekend. Which players do you see infiltrating the top 10 picks in 2019 compared to this season's ADP top 10? Jose Ramirez? Aaron Judge? Chris Sale? And who do we see dropping out? Kershaw? Harper? Stanton? (2018 ADP) 1 Mike Trout 2 Jose Altuve 3 Nolan Arenado 4 Trea Turner 5 Clayton Kershaw 6 Bryce Harper 7 Paul Goldschmidt 8 Giancarlo Stanton 9 Charlie Blackmon 10 Mookie Betts (Tom Pringle from UK)	He is. I think it's the lack of sleep. Ramirez is a no-doubter - forget top 10, he's top 5. Judge's injury probably stops him, although I think he and Sale will be borderline. Kershaw will be out, as will Blackmon, and probablg Goldschmidt. Bryce has been really good for a couple of months now and I think a good last three weeks might just keep him in there. (Darius Austin)
2018-07-30 23:00:00 (link to chat)	How about this trade offer: Mike Trout and Andrelton Simmons to the Phillies for J.P. Crawford, Sixto Sanchez, JoJo Romero, Adam Haseley, Ranger Suarez and Adonis Medina. (a.j. from dallas)	Mmmm throw in a nice bottle of chianti and a couple pulp mags of bigfoot erotica with that package going back to Anaheim and you might just be on to something. Short of that though, mmmmmm yeah no. (Wilson Karaman)
2018-06-20 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Don't know if you can tell if one person is posting as 11 people or not, but I was, and it looks like I asked about 75% of your questions. You mind checking into whether or not I can buy edibles at Coors? I need one right about now! Cheers! (The guy with a million aliases from In this chat since 11am)	i figured it was one person or two people. these questions are much easier to answer than "is this 17-year-old kid from Cuba who no one has seen play yet the next Mike Trout?" so you did me a favor. (Mike Gianella)
2017-08-16 13:00:00 (link to chat)	good day mark...... With the torrid ascent of Robert Acuna, who at the mlb level would be a favourable comp? (easterbrook from ontario canada)	Oh man Acuna has been incredible. He's hitting .328/.400/.560 at Triple-A in 31 games. He's 19. PECTOA has his top two comps as Mike Trout and Carlos Correa, and that was before this season. (Mark Barry)
2017-06-27 20:00:00 (link to chat)	So what do you think of Francisco Lindor's profile, went from a high average hitter with some pop to a low average bomber. (Mike from NY)	Given that he's only 23, he's probably going to do all of these things at the same time in some season to come. I'd say that would make him the MVP, but Mike Trout is still not of this planet. (Jarrett Seidler)
2017-05-15 17:00:00 (link to chat)	Do Flags truly Fly Forever? In the middle of the 2011 season, I traded a 2012 1st round pick and Mike Trout for Robinson Cano. I won my first ever league championship in 2011, and another in 2013. Yet years later, I still feel guilty for having traded away the best player since Barry Bonds. Am I silly to talk about this with my therapist, or should I just suck it up and be happy with what I got out of the deal? (Paul from DC)	It sounds to me like you did OK. I'd only feel bad about that deal if I hadn't won the league. And you won multiple times! Therapy is for when you make a deal like that and lose the league by half a point because Brandon Kintzler got a save on the last day of the regular season. (Mike Gianella)
2017-05-15 17:00:00 (link to chat)	Hi Mike, first time long time. Is Michael Conforto the greatest player in the league or the greatest of all time? Thanks, I'll hang up and listen. (Nick Stellini from NJ)	He's no Mike Trout, but he's getting there. How could anyone be better than Jeter? (Mike Gianella)
2017-03-23 20:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Ronald Acuna the next big prospect? (Dan from ATL )	It would certainly appear that way. I love what I'm hearing and reading about Acuna. The Andruw Jones comps out of spring training have been fun. PECOTA likes him too, his top three comparable players are: Mike Trout, Carlos Correa, and Jurickson Profar. So, um, we like him. (Mark Barry)
2017-03-16 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Which of the following "can't miss" guys has the best season in 2017? Byron Buxton Andrew Benetendi Dylan Bundy (John from CT)	Benintendi, Buxton, Bundy is my order. Buxton is, increasingly, a high floor but less sexy ceiling guy for me. More Mike Cameron than Mike Trout. (Matthew Trueblood)
2017-02-14 12:00:00 (link to chat)	hypothetically, if all these prospects were on the same team, what would be a fair trade for Mike Trout? 3 of the top 5 and 1 or 2 in the 50-101 range? (hoosier from Indiana)	Given this year's cluster of the top 5 as close-to-ready guys, I could see that. (The Top 101 Prospect Chat with Jeffrey Paternostro)
2017-01-31 19:00:00 (link to chat)	How soon will Angels management realize they need to trade Trout? 2018? (bobw1966 from Ft. Lauderdale)	That's a great question. They probably realize it now, but nobody wants to be the guy to trade Mike Trout. It's pretty much impossible to get enough value. (Mark Barry)
2017-01-31 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Make a fair trade for Mike Trout, which team and players would hypothetically get it done for both sides? Baez, Schwarber, Jimenez, Contreras and Cease? Whats yours? (Jim from LA)	That's a great question. I've tried this before and came up with trade packages too absurd to even offer. For instance, I wouldn't take that offer if I were the Angels. He is just too insanely valuable. Maybe Seager, Pederson, Alvarez, and Bellinger? Verdugo? Which the Dodgers probably wouldn't even offer. (Mark Barry)
2016-09-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Aledmys Diaz has put up very good numbers this year, love his ability to make solid contact and not K. Does he continue to put up these kinds of #s and does he stay at SS or will he move around like the rest of their infielders? Fun to see a Cuban player exceed expectations! (ColeWhittier from Pasadena, CA)	Right?? I feel like we've just been constantly bummed out by Cuban imports recently, and as a good Red, I have to feel a sense of relief that Diaz is doing so well. I really really wonder about his future, honestly -- I thought he was a first half mirage, and perhaps he would have been if he didn't get hurt. But he picked right back up in the last few games, and I'm feeling good that my attempts to sell high on him in dynasty didn't pan out. That said, I can't see the same power moving forward, or at least I can't in good conscience predict it. It isn't like the guy was known for 25-30 homerun pace, and while he doesn't seem to be slowing down now, I'm just skeptical about that skill suddenly showing up in the majors. Then again, Mike Trout didn't look like a slugger in the minors either, and here we are -- I think there's a very good chance that he keeps his numbers up, and that the Cards keep him at short. He's certainly a better defender than Peralta, and I can't imagine that St Louis wants to look a gift horse solution to that particular black hole in the mouth. (Trevor Strunk)
2016-09-26 20:00:00 (link to chat)	If you had to pick five under-25 players with the best HOF chances, who would you go with? (Erik from Duluth,MN)	A few days ago, I would have led this list with Jose Fernandez. In no particular order: Noah Syndergaard, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor (Scooter Hotz)
2016-09-26 20:00:00 (link to chat)	How would you go about putting together a reasonable offer for Mike Trout in a 14-team mixed dynasty? What kind of pieces would it need to be? (Jake from Kalamazoo)	There are too many variables in play here. The biggest variable isn't the league configuration, it's the disposition of the league in general and the disposition of Trout's owner in particular. Roto owners often fall in love with their players, and Trout is really easy to fall in love with. If Trout's owner doesn't want to move him, your carefully formulated offer won't matter. Which is fine - fantasy baseball leagues are imperfect markets, with non-substitutable goods and a limited number of sellers and buyers. This means prices can be all over the place, and that variability is a feature of the market, not the strength or weakness of individual owners. (Scooter Hotz)
2016-09-07 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Think we will ever see another Mike Trout in our lifetimes? (Mike from NY)	There may never be another player who is as good as young as Trout has been. Probably not. We don't appreciate how historic Trout has been nearly enough. Part of that is the Angels and part of that is awards and part of that is his personality and who knows what else. But this is something you will probably never see again. (Jarrett Seidler)
2016-08-08 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Why do we have to suffer through Mike Trout being trapped on the Angels? (Lily from San Diego)	Because the baseball gods are cruel and like to watch us suffer for their perverse amusement. Also because Trout's contract is a bargain for someone of his talent and you would need about a literal boatload of young players to acquire him. Sorry, Angels fans. We love you too. (Nicolas Stellini)
2016-07-13 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Give me a trade package you'd accept for Mike Trout. (Truganini from CO)	I wouldn't trade Mike Trout. There are a lot of teams that have the pieces to make a hypothetical deal work -- obviously, as the Angels organization is worse than most throughout the league -- but if I'm LAA's GM I'd try to restock the farm system however possible, embrace a rough 2017 and 2018, and look to compete again in the final years of Trout's deal. (Brendan Gawlowski)
2016-05-17 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Saw potential talks between Cubs and Angles for Trout, i know the angles gm said absolutley not, but one trade projected trade i saw was Trout for : Schwarber, Baez, Soler, Vogelbach, Mckinney, Underwood and Torres. Too much? Too little? Would this be enough to land him and if so, would you do this if you were the Cubs while not losing Bryant, Russell, Contrearas or Happ? (BC from Urbandale)	The Cubs are one of maybe four teams that could acquire Mike Trout without turning into the Angels (one good player, no farm) themselves. That being said, it's not happening. You're going to have to give up one of those four guys at the end to get Trout, and Schwarber as the "centerpiece" isn't gonna fly, because then you have to play Pujols in the field next year and a guy of his size having his knee fully nuked is scary as heck. A general rule of thumb when imagining Mike Trout trade scenarios is to look at the package you've come up with, then imagine yourself as Billy Eppler, and try to decide how long you'd be able to contain your laughter. (Nicolas Stellini)
2016-05-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	First of all, this is just a for fun question. If the Nationals were going to try and trade Harper, which teams have the horses to land him? Cubs? Giants? Dodgers? For the Cubs example, who all would it take to get Harper? (BC from Urbandale)	I just tried to trade Mike Trout, now I gotta try and trade Bryce Harper? FUN FOR WHO? FUN FOR WHO??? I'd want Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, an early viewing of Episode VIII, and a dune buggy that shoots fire. (Christopher Crawford)
2016-04-21 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Hey Mike thanks for the chat! I know its April and its stupid early! But I have Mike Trout in my AL only, and i currently have 35 Offensive category points and 11 pitching. If this trend continues and I feel confident in the rest of my offense what kind of pitching return could I expect from Trout if i flipped him in may or june. it is a keeper league and he would be $47 to keep next year. (JP from TX)	You should be able to get an elite arm like Chris Sale for Trout. Obviously, there are a lot of variables in keeper (like contracts and keeper salaries). But shoot for the moon. (Mike Gianella)
2016-03-21 13:00:00 (link to chat)	If you were in charge of the Angels, would you trade Trout and start over? It doesnt appear they have the pieces to compete, and the farm system is lousy. (John from OB)	This feels like a good question to end on. I wouldn't, for a few reasons. First, I don't think any team has enough young talent/would be willing to part with enough talent to give you full value for Trout, let alone be able to pull off a clear win in a Trout trade. Second, with Trout, Calhoun, Simmons, Pujols and Richards, even a marginally competent scouting/player dev system would be able to fill in enough pieces to compete. If I'm Billy Eppler, I want to give my guys a couple years to try, and Trout's signed through 2020, so Eppler can afford to be patient. Third--and maybe this shouldn't be an issue, but it is--I sure as hell don't want to be the guy who traded Mike Trout unless I absolutely have to. How many times--not even in baseball, but in all sports--does a team trade away its generational superstar only to spend years in the wilderness trying to cobble together a competitive team? They made a 30 for 30 about the tragedy of the Gretzky trade, for God's sake, and the Oilers won another cup almost immediately. Ask me again in three years, but right now, there's no way I'd trade Trout. (Michael Baumann)
2016-03-09 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Stephen Curry passing Mike Trout as the love child of sports? Why does MLB do such a awful job advertising there young talent? (sdsuphilip from San Diego )	He already has. It's an old fan base and there's always this desire not to turn them off. But I believe this is starting to change. (Mike Gianella)
2016-02-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Getting ready to trade Mike Trout for Xander Boegarts and Taijuan Walker…….Do I pull trigger? (msbirt from Greenville, Ohio)	NO! GOD NO! (Matthew Trueblood)
2016-01-29 11:00:00 (link to chat)	Is there any team with the prospects, money, and ideal spot on the win curve where trading for Mike Trout makes sense, and it wouldn't decimate their team as a contender? Maybe Dodgers and Red Sox? Seems like it would take so astronimically much, he's literally almost untradeable, if that makes sense. (Shawn from Cubicle)	The Angels aren't trading Trout. I get that it's fun to theorize but if we want to create a realistic trade, we can't because it's not going to make sense. (Top 101 Chat with Craig Goldstein)
2015-09-30 19:00:00 (link to chat)	What are some of your least favorite MLB players that people try to make comps to? Not like Mike Trout, or Clayton Kershaw, where the prospect simply can't be anywhere near as good, but they are comparing prospect to unicorns, such as when every command/control guy with low whiffs is Mark Buehrle. This is rambling. I'm sorry, Mau. (James Fegan from Elkhart, IN)	First the good James question. I know it's not technically what you were asking but I hate it when a right handed dude with solid average to plus command who throws in the 89-91 range gets comp'd to Greg Maddux. Everyone has this warped idea of what Maddux was and it needs to stop. I'm sick of it! The Baez-Sheffield comps were both irresponsible and irksome when people couldn't properly separate the swing comp to the actual player skills. And yeah the MB comps are tiresome as well. Comps on twitter are generally awful. (Mauricio Rubio)
2015-07-16 20:00:00 (link to chat)	Do you think Mike Trout is actually the best player in the MLB right now? If so why? (Mandy from Rhode Island )	Hey Mandy! YES...He's second in WAR behind Bryce Harper, but I think by the end of the season he will pass Harper. From a fantasy standpoint, Harper has put together a vintage Ted Williams season so far...I still think given the fact that Trout has been this good every single year, he gets the edge in drafts next year. I'm excited to see what Harper does in the second half... (George Bissell)
2015-06-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)	When did people really start to know that Mike Trout was going to be 'best player in the world Mike Trout'? It seems like some of our superstars grew into their role (Goldy, Rizzo) and some come with the attached pedigree. (Miggy, Kershaw, Harper) To me, Trout fits more with the first two. What I'm getting at is - we don't always foresee a player rising to the superstar ranks, but sometimes they just do. Any thoughts on why we see some so obviously and others sneak up on us? (Maybe I'm dead wrong on which camp Trout belongs in...) (mbeemsterboer from Chicago)	Well, if you believe the story, his signing scout thought he would be pretty good. The rest of us, I think, needed to see it for ourselves before making such a proclamation. The go-to explanation as to why Trout didn't go higher in the draft is his location. Teams were (supposedly) biased against northeastern players because they're tougher to judge. In other cases, it seems like maybe this skill or that attribute were underrated or unseen. For instance, I think Keith Law has wrote about him missing Goldschmidt's athleticism (or not appreciating what that could mean for his development). You have other cases where the factors are internal; maybe this guy put in more work, or took to instruction better, or took better care of his body. I guess what I'm saying is, a lot of these cases stem from the unpredictability of human beings. People grow/mature/develop at different rates in all kinds of professions and ways, so why shouldn't it be true for baseball? (R.J. Anderson)
2015-06-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Should the Twins be concerned about Byron Buxton's relatively slow start? Remember just last year he was being compared to Willie Mays and Mike Trout. (John from CT)	Well, he shouldn't have been compared to those guys anyway, because...well...those are hall-of-famers and you shouldn't compare prospects to hall-of-famers. I'm a little disappointed, but I still think he's the best prospect in baseball. Have patience. (Christopher Crawford)
2015-05-05 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Do you think Byron Buxton will live up to the accolades? I know it's way too early but he does seem to be uniquely talented. (John from CT)	If expect him to be Mike Trout you'll be disappointed, but other than that... He's gonna be a great, great player. (Nick Shlain)
2015-04-06 20:15:00 (link to chat)	Which player best personifies my favorite sandwich, the muffuletta? Also, if Mike Trout were a sandwich, what would he be? (Nick from Los Angeles)	I'll go with Mike Cameron. Just tremendous all-around tools and still a really good player, but brought down several notches by one fatal flaw (hit tool/olive salad). Mike Trout, ironically enough, is a Cuban. (Craig Goldstein)
2015-04-06 15:15:00 (link to chat)	Do you like Pompey as an everyday option in CF for the Blue Jays? (Denis from Toronto, ONT, CAN)	As opposed to what? Mike Trout? No. But Pompey is probably the Blue Jays best option. I suppose they could have re-signed Colby Rasmus, but that ship kinda sailed. If his defense is as advertised then they should be fine getting runs from elsewhere. (Matthew Kory)
2015-04-13 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Xander Bogaerts seems to be forgotten by everyone for some reason. A year ago he was 21, the #1 prospect in the game, coming off an already successful postseason, and he started hot. Then, he struggled mightily, but as a 21 year old in the major leagues. Never heard anything positive about him coming into this season, he's batting 8th, and gets no love. What say you of his hot start? Should be be moved up in the order and hype ramped up again? I think so at least. (LucasDad from Mpls)	Why bother with hype? He got hyped last year and didn't live up to it. We expect too much from the get go with these kids, Jose Fernandez, Mike Trout and other ruined us. I loved Xander coming into the year, sought him out in every fantasy league I'm in. I think he's going to be an MVP caliber bat, with questionable defense (but we'll live with because of said bat). I'm happy with the hot start and hope it continues, mainly because I like seeing stars develop and overcome hurdles early in their careers. It's just another player to point to as to why we can't give up on talented players after a year, a month, a week, whatever... (Sahadev Sharma)
2015-03-29 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Will Michael Gettys be Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, or just Carlos Gomez? (Philip from San Diego)	When is "just Carlos Gomez" a bad thing? (Ryan Parker)
2015-01-20 19:30:00 (link to chat)	I just traded Jason Kipnis, so Kipnis Everdeen is out as a team name. What's the best Mike Trout related team name pun you've heard/have thought of? (Ian from Tampa Bay)	No idea. I trademarked Asche to Asche, Cust to Cust last year and am looking forward to breaking that out in an expert league soon. (Ben Carsley)
2015-01-05 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Ignoring control and command, who has the best raw stuff in the minors? I would guess Lucas Giolito, but after seeing Kyle Crick has 4 potential plus pitches, he has to be close to the top, no? (The Dude from Office)	I guess if we just ignore command and control then yes, Crick is in Giolito's class, but that's like saying I'd basically be Mike Trout if only I had more talent. Sure, Crick's arm is lightening, but there's a huge gap between where he is right now and where he'll need to be in order to be a starter. His control is getting worse and he can't even stay in the game long enough to throw 100 innings in a season because of how many pitches he throws. (Jeff Moore)
2015-01-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Thanks for the chat!! Is it safe to assume that Rougned Odor is the Rangers' starting 2B in 2015 and, if so, what kind of production do you expect from him?? I appreciate your thoughts!! (Bobby from Arlington)	I'd guess incremental improvement on last season. Hitting is so tough right now with the way bullpens are constructed and the speed at which pitchers throw. I haven't seen data on this but it wouldn't surprise me if this is one of the most difficult times to come into the majors as a young player (making Mike Trout all the more incredible). The baseball season is long and Odor is young. He had his best month in September last season so maybe that's an indicator he's figured some things out. Even if he's not a star this year he's an exciting young player who should be increasingly valuable as the years go on. (Matthew Kory)
2014-12-18 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Assuming Mike Trout is #1, who are picks #2-5 this year? (Shawn from Cubicle)	Cabrera, Abreu, McCutchen, Stanton? Goldschmidt is probably in there too. (Craig Goldstein)
2014-10-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Would you rather start a franchise with Mike Trout or with the Cubs top 5 prospects? (John from Chicago)	This isn't even close. You could give me the entire Cubs farm system (which is admittedly quite good) and I'd still take Trout. These are prospects. I love Bryant, Russell, Almora and the rest as much as anyone, but they are prospects. Stuff could happen. Bryant could be no better than slightly above average. Russell could be just average. Almora could still bust out. Stuff happens all the time. I'll take the guy on a Hall of Fame trajectory who should have 3 MVP's before age 22 and hasn't even hit his prime yet, and I'll sleep just fine at night. You could offer me the top 10 prospects in the game and I'd probably still start my team with Trout and figure out the rest. (Jeff Moore)
2014-10-03 11:00:00 (link to chat)	Trout was 0 for 4 last night. Will he ever recover? (WIll from Times Square)	He's through. It's over for him. I found a picture of Mike Trout: HE'S NEVER COMING BACK FROM THIS. (Jason Wojciechowski)
2014-10-09 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Are the 2012 David Dahl is the next mike Trout discussions put to rest? He looks like a good player but is there any superstar in him? (Ken from Cleveland)	Who on earth thinks Dahl is the next Mike Trout? Mike Trout is his own category. (Jordan Gorosh)
2014-10-09 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Jordan, Oh man, have we just seen a preview of what a healthy Bryce Harper is capable of doing? Please rank the Viva Las Vegas trio for most career homers, Harper, Bryant and Gallo. (Cal Guy from Cal)	I absolutely love Bryce Harper. I love watching him play, I love the way he swings the bat. He's already got a head start on both of those guys. I think Harper could be a generational talent, and the only reason he doesn't get more love, outside of 'attitude' concerns, is because some guy named Mike Trout has overshadowed him. (Jordan Gorosh)
2014-09-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Can I just cut Hosmer in a 15 keeper dynasty? I loved him so much, but the guy just does nothing but depress me. Also if Mike Trout were a breakfast sandwich, which breakfast sandwich would he be? (Brett Gardner from Louisville, KY)	Depends a bit on the size of the league but it's not necessarily unreasonable. It hasn't been good. That said we could all use a little sadness in our lives. Trout would be the breakfast burrito, which *is* a sandwich. (Craig Goldstein)
2014-09-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)	As my 12-team, 5x5 roto season winds to a close, I need some keeper help. We keep six from year to year and here are the potentials: Anthony Rendon, Josh Donaldson, Mike Trout (obviously), Troy Tulowitzki, Anthony Rizzo, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Nolan Arenado I have Tulo, Rendon, Trout, Rizzo, Scherzer and Stras as my six. Would you choose them? Thanks for the help! (Jake from Minneapolis)	I'd try to find a way to keep Donaldson and deal one of the pitchers, if I could. 28 bombs from 3B isn't anything to sneeze at, plus it allows you to play Rendon at 2B next year. Pitching is everywhere. (Craig Goldstein)
2014-09-17 14:00:00 (link to chat)	If Mike Trout had decided to go one year at a time (or Clayton Kershaw) when he hit free agency, how much would a team have paid for one year? It seems like a real argument could be made that he'd be worth $50M per year, considering how little risk the deal would carry, but would sticker shock allow a team to really go that far? (Superstar from Los Angeles)	Eventually the market will dictate what a player is worth no matter the sticker shock. If a club has the resources they're going to spend money in most cases. In a vacuum is player x worth 50 mil? Probably. However, you have to take the human element in to account too. If you were 22 and someone offered you 150 million dollars regardless of performance or injury what do you do? On the flip side, whats the difference between 150 and 500 million dollars? 350 million dollars. I do not know if that's something I could walk away from. (Joshua Kusnick)
2014-08-06 16:30:00 (link to chat)	Would you agree that Mike Trout needs to take some tips from B.J. Upton to improve his swing and break out of his slump? (Jake from Baltimore )	I would disagree with you because Mike Trout is really good at hitting and B.J. Upton is really bad at hitting, but I see your point though! (Cespedes Family BBQ)
2014-08-15 14:00:00 (link to chat)	It's ridiculous that everybody was talking about sending Bryce Harper down to Triple-A. he should be sent to Double-A, right? (Matthew V. from Washington)	I think when Harper was rehabing in Double-A he was still the youngest guy on the team, which should tell you something and that something is, no send him to Single-A! The Nationals think, and likely not without cause, that Harper is one of the three best outfielders they have in their organization. I agree with them. We've all been spoiled by Mike Trout. [shakes fist] TROUT! But players don't do what he's done. Everyone looks at young players like Harper and Bogaerts and thinks, 'what's wrong with them?' But nothing is wrong with them. Playing in the majors is really hard and players don't step into the majors and become perennial MVP candidates (heck, even Trout didn't do that). Harper has had some injury issues and I still think that is the only thing that will hold him back from an outstanding career. But, sure, send him down and play some inferior player in his place in the middle of a pennant race! (Matthew Kory)
2014-08-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I turned down his Jonathan LuCroy and Bryce Harper for my Mike Trout. I can keep any of those guys forever. I think I might've picked with my heart instead of my head. What do you think? (JC from CoMo)	I'm not sure you ever have to justify keeping Mike Trout. Besides, haven't you heard Harper is going to minors? (Craig Goldstein)
2014-08-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What type of sandwich would Mike Trout be? (Jordan from Milwaukee )	The best kind. (Craig Goldstein)
2014-07-07 11:00:00 (link to chat)	After Trout's monster home run in KC, I saw a former BP dude speculate over this: Who do we see first; another Bo Jackson or another Mike Trout? What say you? (Dave B. from South Korea)	I think we are more likely to see another monster athlete like Bo than a monster athlete like Bo that can bring all those raw physical gifts onto a baseball field like Trout. (Jason Parks on the Top 50)
2014-07-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)	How good is McCutchen? And, do you think he has a shot at the Hall of Fame years from now? (Kevin from Iowa)	It's so hard to say anyone that young will be a Hall of Famer, but there are only a handful of guys in the majors who have the start to a career that even makes it possible and yes, he's one of them. Longevity will be key, but he has a profile that should age nicely. A second MVP this season, which is a strong possibility, will certainly help, as would another playoff appearance (which sadly go hand in hand, and shouldn't). On a personal note, he is one of my three favorite players in the game to watch, along with Chase Utley and Mike Trout. (Jeff Moore)
2014-07-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Related to the McCutchen question earlier, I wonder if we -- all who attempt to evaluate prospects -- should put more weight on how healthy/durable position players are in the minors. I look at guys who've surpassed all reasonable expectations for their hitting, like 'Cutch, Matt Carpenter, Mike Trout, Yadi Molina, etc., and then look at how they never got hurt in the minors.... Thoughts, Jeff? (Follow-up guy from Inside my own head)	It's definitely weighted, but each scenario is different. Some guys are just injury prone while others get labeled as such unfairly. Some guys have a rash of unrelated injuries that don't have any bearing on one another. It's just bad luck. If a guy has a history of leg issues, that's cause for concern. Multiple shoulder issues? Big red flag. But if he breaks his hand getting hit by a pitch and misses half a year, then the next year he gets taken out on a DP pivot and misses a month, no, I'm not too concerned. That's bad luck, not a tendency. Injuries are the kinds of things were you can only lose points. I don't think you can give a guy more credit because he's always healthy because he's one play away from an injury. We all are. (Jeff Moore)
2014-06-11 12:00:00 (link to chat)	There's a piece at Deadspin that says a GM can be worth more than Mike Trout. Do you buy it? http://regressing.deadspin.com/why-a-great-general-manager-might-be-worth-more-than-mi-1589122571/+reubenfb (James from CA)	I haven't read the piece so I can't comment on it directly. Sounds like an interesting premise though. Off the top of my head, I'll say sure, why not? The Angels GM can trade Trout, right? So immediately he can deprive the Angels of Mike Trout. That's a lot of negative power. Positive power is harder to come by and takes more skill. But considering the GM shapes the direction of the franchise, I'll buy it in a macro sense. It should be noted that teams have all kinds of different front office structures, and GM can't just refer to the guy in charge. It's scouting, analytics, draft consultants, GM assistants, etc. There's a lot that goes on. But can all of that be worth 10 wins a year? Sure. Easily. (Matthew Kory)
2014-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)	If you had to give one name, which prospect do you think has the absolute highest ceiling? (Drew from Arkansas)	I'll give you two - Buxton and Baez. Buxton has the Mike Trout starter kit. If he develops the power, he'll be among the best players in the game. Baez is a mess right now, but remember what he can do. What if Gary Sheffield had been able to remain a shortstop? That's Baez's ceiling. (Jeff Moore)
2014-04-16 19:00:00 (link to chat)	If Xander and Mike Trout were to engage in a battle to the death, how would Xander dispatch Trout and eventually win? Do they spearfish in Aruba often? (LCB from BFP)	This battle would end with me falling upon a great pyre, a la Dido (Carthaginian Queen, not resilient ship-faring pop artist), attempting to get the two loves of my life to stop fighting a futile battle that will harm all. I cannot pick between the two. This is my Sophie's Choice. (Ben Carsley)
2014-04-09 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Roman Reigns the Mike Trout of WWE? If so who is Bray Wyatt? R-O-S-C-O-E aka Mr. Shawty put it on me. (Slim Tracy from Hooville)	Is Roman Reigns a beast who keeps getting cheated out of a belt despite the obvious talent and production? If so, yes. As for the other guys, I have no idea but I respect and defend your desire to watch the WWE. (Mauricio Rubio)
2014-04-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I know it's far from prospect coverage, but what are your thoughts on Mike Trout's new contract? Win for the Angels, Trout, or both? (Tony from Work)	Win for the Angels keeping Trout off the open market. Can you imagine what he would make if all 30 teams were bidding on his services? (Jason Parks)
2014-04-03 19:30:00 (link to chat)	Where does Mike Trout get the nerve? (RotoLando from Cloud City)	That's a lot of money for a kid with makeup issues... (Craig Goldstein)
2014-03-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I want Harper to stay healthy all year, and put up numbers he's capable of. He's not overrated, he's underappreciated & a year of 35 hr's, 95 rbi's, 25 sb's will shut up the critics. (Barry from AZ)	I have no idea where the Harper is overrated talk stems from. The guy has a 133 OPS+ through his age-20 season, or about 1,100 plate appearances. Miguel Cabrera had a 133 OPS+ through his age-22 season (1,700 PA) and he turned out fantastically. Harper is a very, very, very good player; were it not for Mike Trout, we'd be slobbering over him at every turn. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-03-12 14:00:00 (link to chat)	When evaluating hitters what do you look for first? (Mark from Boston)	Mike Trout, but I'm usually disappointed. It almost always turns out to be someone else. (Ben Lindbergh)
2014-03-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Do you want 1/2 of Mike Trout's or Bryce Harper's estate in 2034? (Timmy from Scottsdale)	Trout, but Harper's will be plenty. (Harry Pavlidis)
2014-03-14 09:00:00 (link to chat)	Top of Da morning Mike.12 team H2H 4th pick (Sb,Ave,now his strength Hr,RBI,R,XBH).Against the consensus but can you see Chris Davis at # 4.Ball park and better offense than McCutchen and Goldy.Semper Fi (Chesty from New Bern N C)	I think there's enough variability in the rankings past Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout that you can make an argument for at least half a dozen hitters at #4. In this format, Davis gets a big boost because of the double counting of XBH. Yes, I can buy this argument. I think I might still take Cutch, but Davis is OK if that's the way you're already leaning. (Mike Gianella)
2014-02-26 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Power & speed combination: who are your top five AL picks this season? (John from CT)	Mike Trout Jason Kipnis Alex Rios Coco Crisp Shanf Victorian (Mauricio Rubio)
2014-02-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Instead of estimating what any one team should offer for, say Mike Trout, has anyone tried to figure out the reverse: what would the other teams pay collectively to buy him out, walk away and never play ball again. This could be called Termination Value or Buy Out Value, or perhaps, there is a measure like that already. Please, dsicuss. (BWooster from Finland)	I don't want to even think of that ridiculous scenario. Words like "collusion" come to mind, in addition to "fan rioting." On the jukebox: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "My Lovely Man" (PS my jukebox is on random, aside from the startup track of "The Rain Song." Thematic ties to each question are purely incidental) (Doug Thorburn)
2014-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Hi R.J., Read recently where Adam Eaton said he'd like to have an OBA of .400 and steal 40 bases. I know he's done it in AAA but do you think that's realistic with the Sox ? (Pete from Chicago)	Pete, I like Eaton as a player and as an acquisition, but he's unlikely to hit those marks. We haven't seen a player pull off 40/.400 since Bobby Abreu in 2004, and it's only been done four other times since the latest round of expansion. Of course there have been three close calls over the past five seasons: Mike Trout missed out by one point of OBP in 2012; same with Matt Kemp in 2011; and Chone Figgins was within five points in 2009. It's just a tough combination to achieve. Figgins is probably the best-case scenario for Eaton, as he lacks Trout and Kemp's strength. Still, I think it's more likely that he hits around .270, which ... just to do the math ... assuming he gets 500 AB and maintains his current HBP and SF rates ... he'd need about 96 walks to get a .400 OBP. That's a ~16 percent walk rate, or what would've been the second-highest rate last season in the majors. So no, I don't think those are realistic expectations for Eaton. He should help the White Sox nonetheless. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is this the Bryce Harper breakout season? (Alan from Jacksonville)	This is like the Heyward question. Harper had a 133 OPS+ as a 20-year-old and we want moremoremore. I blame Mike Trout. Anyway, I think Harper will improve, just not by a huge leap because he's already so good. To put it another way: Miguel Cabrera didn't post an OPS+ better than Harper's 2013 figure until he was 22. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	In 2025, do you want one-half of the estate of Mike Trout or Bryce Harper? (Robbie from San Francisco)	Harper because he seems more likely to own a pet wolf. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Mike Trout or Bryce Harper better at snowboarding? (Bub from Ft. Lauderdale)	Harper's recklessness would probably cost him, so Trout. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-01-29 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Awesome to have a chat on klaws top 100 day. He was quoted saying that Austin Meadows has the best shot of anyone in 2013 class to explode into an 8 WAR player like Mike Trout did. Your thoughts? Seems extreme (Nate from Minneapolis)	Law is another very talented evaluator and someone who has a lot more experience than I do. But I disagree with that statement, especially from a fantasy POV where I'm not sure which one tool Meadows has that really stands out. As for following Law and Parks ... yes. Someone set me up. (Ben Carsley)
2014-02-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What are your expectations for Buxton this year (level, stats, promotion, awards, etc.)? I got crazy excited about him last year because he went to the same small rural high school in south Georgia as my mom, so I probably over-drafted him in a few dynasty leagues and then loved his productive season and ascension to the top of the prospect lists. (uvasuperman from Atlanta)	He'll start in Double-A and the Twins will go from there. If he does the same unconscious things he did last year it will be tough for the Twins to hold him back. If he performs like a actual human top prospect, he could spend the whole season there. My guess is first-half in Double-A, second half in Triple-A, late August callup, perhaps in the mold of Mike Trout circa 2011. (Jeff Moore)
2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat)	Mike,ave,runs,hr,RBI,sb,xbh.Top 5 Picks for draft.Thanks as a new member to fantasy I will be interested with the questions and answers . (Chesty from Mohegan Sun)	Hey Chesty. This is kind of a copout, but Top 5 with that category added are Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Chris Davis, Paul Goldschmidt, and Andrew McCutchen. Davis is probably the biggest difference with the XBH category added. I might have kept him out of the Top 5 otherwise. Likewise, McCutchen slips a little for me adding XBH. (Mike Gianella)
2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat)	If I move to 2B and arrive mid-June to the show. Do I instantly become the #1 fantasy 2B in the game? (Javier Baez from 2B)	Slow your roll, Mr. Baez. Not many rookies come up mid-season and instantly become the best. Even Mike Trout struggled in his initial exposure to the Major Leagues in 2011. You might eventually be a top player at ANY position you're at, but 2014 is asking a lot. (Mike Gianella)
2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat)	If you had to draft one players contract (other than Mike Trout) in fantasy (i'm in a real life salary w/salary cap who would it be if you had FIP, K%, Shutdowns, IP and HR, wOBA, Net SB, and PA? (Steve from Manitoba)	I think I'd still go with Bryce Harper. He's younger than Trout and despite being "disappointing" relative to Trout has put up some amazing numbers for a player his age. Harper is the non-Trout guy to build around right now. (Mike Gianella)
2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat)	Hi Mike! Have read MLB Buxton comps from Trout to JB Upton... Any thoughts? (Gary from Petaluma, CA.)	Byron Buxton's legit. If he turned into Mike Trout that would be amazing, but predicting any player will be Mike Trout is like saying someone will be a generational talent. Justin Upton is more realistic, but the ceiling is higher than that. (Mike Gianella)
2013-12-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Do you think the Angels will make the post season this season? I ask because that's (assumably) the only thing holding Mike Trout back from a MVP award (I know, I know). I just am really, really, really looking forward to the beating a dead horse with a stick while holding a photo of beating a dead horse with a stick debate of why Cabrera wins his third consecutive MVP 11 months from now. Or does Lindor get called up and end he drama? (Max from Iowa)	I don't think the Angels make the post-season. I see a .500 team. (Jason Parks)
2013-11-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Hi Sam Thanks for the chat always enjoy your truth and a Analysis. Real quick if u were starting a fantasy baseball team who would be top 5-10 guys u would build around?? (Mike from Ri)	1. Mike Trout 2. Bryce Harper 3. Andrew McCutchen 4. Miguel Cabrera 5. Robinson Cano But those are boring answers. If you want to know which players I might target at some point in a draft or auction, I seem to like Harper, Choo, Yan Gomes, Nelson Cruz, and Kyle Seager a bit more than the average person. This chat is off to a slow start! (Sam Miller)
2013-11-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What state/region do you think is the most prospect rich, and is there a specific reason for it? (Shawnykid23 from CT)	Obviously the Sun Belt. But don't forget that Mike Trout came out of New Jersey--which is one reason that some teams were reluctant to draft him high. Anyway, I can't help feeling that the center of gravity in scouting has moved even further south, to Latin America, Lots of scouts and scouting directors talk about a thinning out of baseball talent in the U. S. (Kevin Kerrane)
2013-11-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)	In the game today. Who has the best "Good Face"? (Sulley9 from Denver)	Great question! I'm partial to Mike Trout. But Jason Kipnis has to be in the top ten. How about you? (Kevin Kerrane)
2013-10-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I'm basically Mike Trout in the making but with less power and a better 'stache, right? (Byron Buxtom from AFL)	That's a very high bar. You have the raw physical tools to warrant the comp. But Trout is the best player in the game and keeps getting better. You are a prospect with a lot of tools, a great 'stache, and what I assume is a great #rig. Let's just take it easy. (Jason Parks)
2013-10-07 18:00:00 (link to chat)	Is it even worth trying to put projections on Mike Trout at this point? (Robert from California)	Hi Robert: My 2013 projection for Trout was fairly close except for the steals, which I thought would be higher. I see your point, though. Trout is the outlier of outliers, so it is hard to find comparable players for him that make real sense. He could put up slightly better numbers or he could have an off year that is still a $30 season. I'd just pick him early or put a $40+ price tag on him based on the certainty that you're going to get at least $30 worth of stats out of him and go from there. (Mike Gianella)
2013-09-12 18:00:00 (link to chat)	Will Johnathan Schoop be the Orioles everyday 2B next year? Do you see him as an eventual top-10 fantasy guy at the position? (Jim from Baltimore)	Hi Jim I can't predict whether or not Schoop will be the Orioles 2B next year, but I do think that he'll get an opportunity in camp. Brian Roberts is a free agent, and Alexi Casilla and Ryan Flaherty shouldn't be viewed as road blocks. I suspect the Orioles will bring in a cheap veteran as a back-up plan in Spring Training and let them compete. Will Jonathan Schoop be a Top 10 guy? That all depends on how his power develops. He probably will eventually be Top 10, but given his age and the minor league numbers he has put up to date, I don't see this happening until 2017-2018. These players play different positions, but I think you have to look at players like Brett Lawrie and Eric Hosmer as examples. Everyone got too enthusiastic about Lawrie/Hosmer and got burned the last couple of years. That doesn't mean these players aren't good and won't get better, but it's a long learning curve, particularly if you're not a made-to-order superstar like Mike Trout or Schoop's teammate, Manny Machado. (Mike Gianella)
2013-09-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Mr Tan, thank you for educating me, tuhgoh it's too late. That was exactly the situaton I fell into. And worst still for me, I use that sum of money to buy 3 things: Minibond, Jubilee and Pinnacle, thinking that I had extra safety because the sum was spread into 17different companies among the 3 and the chances of all 17 going burst is extremely remote. But history and your explanations had proved me so wrong, so stupid, so naive! By spreading my money into 3different "bonds", my risk actually increased by 17x. Until today I still cannot believe what I have done! I have little hope now except to pray everyday that the FI will be fair which I doubt it will because it just published a press release only talking about "vulnerable invstors". Although I did not lose everything that I have, it's still blood-sweat money that I saved. Everytime I see my children, I felt so sorry....Sigh. I will never ever trust FI anymore and I will tell my children of my experience and caution them when they reach working age. Hopefully I'm still alive by then.Henry... (German from lTPIASFUJd)	I guess... uh. Mike Trout? (Sam Miller)
2013-09-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)	F*** one, marry one, kill one. Yu Darvish, Bryon Buxton, Mike Trout. Go. (jharrison3 from Illinois)	I'd f*ck Darvish. That's just pure honey and it would be very enjoyable. I'd marry Buxton because he would offer so much. He can change the game with every tool. I'd kill Trout just so I don't have to listen to people like Brian Kenny talk anymore. (Jason Parks)
2013-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)	The Red Sox get Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton, contracts included. Fill out the rest of the deal that makes it remotely fair for both teams. (Jasper from Johns Hopkins)	I almost did a column on this but I ran up against this problem: I have no earthly clue. On one hand Trout is incredible and almost defies value. But this is silly money. Put it this way: would you pay $38M, $39M, $48M, $56M, $57M, $28M, $29M, and $30M starting next year through 2021 for the right to pay Mike Trout for his next four seasons and maybe a chance to pay him $350 million over the next 10 seasons? I'm asking because I honestly don't know. Would you do it? (Matthew Kory)
2013-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Do you think OT makes the Cards team out of spring training and what kind of performance do you expect from him in 2014? (Cal Guy from Cali)	OT = Oscar Tavares. I do think he'll make the team out of spring training, but how will he perform? I think we're all spoiled by Mike Trout and Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. I know I am. But most guys aren't in the big leagues at 20 or 21 let alone performing like an All Star, so I'll clamp down expectations a bit and say he holds his spot, but he'll need a season or two to really get going. (Matthew Kory)
2013-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Who would you say is the closest current day comparison player to Buxton' upside potential? Soriano? Trout? (John from CT)	I'm not sure but I do know that I wouldn't compare any player to Mike Trout. You're just asking for a let-down. Put it this way: Mike Trout is Ted Williams, but with defense and base running. He's nuts. There isn't another guy like him in the majors or minors. (Matthew Kory)
2013-09-11 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Was the Hickory team for the Rangers the most star studded prospect team in recent memlryr (Mark from Charlotte )	Give me the 2010 Cedar Rapids Kernels. Mike Trout, Pat Corbin, Tyler Skaggs, Johnny Hellweg, Garrett Richards, Ariel Pena, Fabio Martinez, Jean Segura, Randal Grichuk. Man, the Angles traded almost every single one of those guys away. And you wonder why their farm system is barren right now. (Jason Cole)
2013-08-08 17:30:00 (link to chat)	What is your general approach when it comes to prospects in keeper leagues? Do you think it's best to buy low (since their prospects), or or trade them to get actual (good) MLB players? (Jake from Florida)	Hi Jake. I hope you're not the Florida Man I keep hearing about. It depends on the league, my team, and my situation, but most prospects for me are chips to be dealt for MLB players. There are the rare prospects that I like to hang onto unless I'm overwhelmed (think Byron Buxton or Mike Trout in his prospect days) but anyone beneath that elite tier is the kind of player that I'll move if I can get talent to win now. In most keeper leagues, you can replenish your farm system relatively easily, and there is some randomness to who emerges and who doesn't. Stats should come before potential, generally speaking. (Mike Gianella)
2013-07-29 11:00:00 (link to chat)	You ranked Harper ahead of Trout in prime years, could you provide a brief reasoning for that? No arguments from me, just curious why. Thanks! (Alex from Tacoma)	Both top of the grade talents, but I got Mike Trout out back in the day so I had to mark him down for that. (Zach Mortimer)
2013-07-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Hi Jason, glad to see you doing a chat. About a month ago you said on Twitter that Manny Machado might be the best young star in the game and that over the next decade you would rather have him than even Mike Trout. I was wondering if you could elaborate on that a bit if you could. Thanks a lot! (Thomas D. from N.C.)	I think he has such tremendous feel for the game that he is likely to improve as he matures. His doubles will start to turn into over the fence power, and he is more than capable of sliding over to man SS in the future. He's a premium talent and I would build any franchise in baseball around him. My only concern with Machado are his ties (and hero-worship) to ARod and some of the training facilities in Miami. I'm not suggesting he will appear on any list, as I don't think he will. I just find the connections and associations to be something worth keeping an eye on. (Jason Parks)
2013-07-16 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Piggy-back ride from Mike Trout around the bases or a tour of Saturn's rings? (Turtle from Lake Flourish)	Ok a piggy-back ride from Mike Trout around the bases really does sound amazing. I've got a big ol' smile thinking about it. Thanks, Turtle! (Sam Miller)
2013-06-27 13:15:00 (link to chat)	Should the Phillies offer to take Pujols and Hamilton to get Mike Trout? (Free_AEC from South Jersey)	Kind of a fun scenario, but don't think the Angels would do it or the Phillies could afford to do it even if they would. Can you imagine Howard, Hamilton, and Pujols on the same team in 2016? Goodness. Between those three and Hamels, the Phillies would owe $104.5 to four players, not to mention whatever Trout is making by then. They should get a big new TV deal after 2015, assuming the broadcast bubble hasn't burst by then, but yikes. (Ben Lindbergh)
2013-06-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Sorry I'm late, Paul. My apologies. I had the choice between Butler and Pujols in a trade in my 7x7 roto. (10 keepers) I chose Butler. I'm thinking I chose wrong. Thoughts? (Tony from Work)	Welcome! I think you might've too, but it's not an egregious mistake. We all make mistakes. I kept Brett Lawrie in a 2-keeper AL-only. Thankfully it was with Mike Trout. (Paul Sporer)
2013-06-07 10:30:00 (link to chat)	I have been reading about financial crises. I noticed how they take everyone by surprise and then a neat explanation is given that really does little to inform us of the next crisis. This made me think of Mike Trout and how most teams missed selecting him. Do you think clubs are better assessing the Northeast talent market and would be able to identify a Mike Trout today? (Shepherd from DC)	No. And I also think anyone who tells you they expected Mike Trout to be...what he is...is stretching the truth just a little. The realities of scouting the northeast include inclement weather and spotty competition. No amount of improved scouting or analytics is going to be able to adequately counter that. If anything, I think you'll see more teams spend resources on bringing players in for workouts (which they already do, but the process has expanded). (Nick Faleris on the MLB Draft)
2013-05-24 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Will Mike Trout post the highest ever WAR for the MVP runner-up, for the second consecutive year? (Fred Titmus from London)	If Trout repeats his 2012 season, or gets 80 percent of the way there, I think he'll win the MVP award. I think last year was a fluke confluence of two things: the Triple Crown, and a general anti-Rookie bias in MVP voting that may not exist but that I hypothesize does. (Sam Miller)
2013-05-24 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Does Mike Trout play his whole career with the Angels? (dannybaseball from West Coast)	No. I was wondering yesterday how many teams would have signed him to an extension by now. Maybe zero. He has a say too, after all. But maybe more than zero. (Sam Miller)
2013-05-16 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Back on Buxton, if all things come to fruition, what kind of power/speed numbers are we talking about here? Could he reach Mike Trout levels? (Peter from Georgia)	Mike Trout is a freak and I'm hesitant to put other players in his universe, but Buxton has a crazy ceiling and I think the speed numbers could be there. I think the power will develop, but I don't see him as a 30+ HR type. (Jason Parks)
2013-04-10 20:00:00 (link to chat)	I have Miguel Cabrera. What would constitute a good value trade if I was to offload him? Or would I be a complete idiot for doing so... (gavstone from UK)	One-for-one or multiplayer? One-for-one you don't want to move Cabrera unless it's a dynasty league and you can get a Bryce Harper or Mike Trout in return. In a multiplayer deal, a lot depends on where your holes are and how deep your free agent pool is. In an AL-only, I could see taking back 2-3 players if you're filling dead spots and saddling your opponent with those dead spots. In a mixed league, it's difficult to trade Cabrera since the replacement level talent in the free agent pool is going to be close to the players you get back. (Mike Gianella)
2013-04-03 14:00:00 (link to chat)	It's over. Mike Trout has fallen apart, time to blow up the team. Call the Dodgers, they'll take on the contracts (Robert from California)	His defense should be good enough to help a team. Fourth outfielder at least. Jeff Sullivan used to say he wanted Mike Trout to fail because it would make baseball more interesting to see him fail. I think that what he did last year was more interesting than almost anything I've ever seen in baseball, as far as interesting things go. But at *this* point I have to admit there's be a whole lot we could learn about baseball if Trout just fell off completely, played replacement level ball for four years and then joined Brandon Wood in Triple-A. I'm not rooting for it. I like the guy. So i don't hope it happens. But a tiny part of me wonders. (Sam Miller)
2013-03-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I try to understand the PECOTA approach since a few weeks now and with all my drafts in the books I wondered when I compare the PECOTA list with the draft tools offered on the web how potential new-comers (prospects) always fall short on the PECOTA list. Anybody who can help me to understand this better? Any comment would be appreciated. regards Udo (bechtudo from Knoxville, TN)	I reached out to a colleague at BP for an answer here (as it's a bit left of my comfort zone). Here's what he said: "In general, I think a lot of this is due to overly high expectations from rookie players by most, and the fact that a good projection is going to take into account a statistical expectation, not a "best case" (or even "above average") scenario. It's easy to remember the Amazing Mike Trout season, and Bryce Harper's very good season. But entering 2012, I thought catchers Mesoraco and Lavarnway would do quite well. Many thought guys like Yonder Alonso, Chris Parmelee, and (especially) Jesus Montero would do well. And even guys like Nieuwenhuis, Pastornicky, and Lombardozzi had reasonably adequate expectations from many. The really deceptive aspect of projecting rookies is that if they aren't good, they often get demoted, so their struggles aren't showcased, while the ones who do well get to keep playing and everyone notices, so there's a perception bias with regards to how well rookies actually did." Hope that helps! (Nick Faleris)
2013-03-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Picking 4th in 12 team head to head with r,RBI,hr,ave,xbh,sb.who do you pick? Thanks Harry (Chesty from New Bern NC)	Mike Trout, after ensuring the other 3 teams ahead of me take closers. (Harry Pavlidis)
2013-03-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What do you think are the most interesting story lines heading into the season? (Frahm from The Hills)	Mike Trout is always an amazing storyline. PECOTA has him taking a sizable step back yet still being (I think) the fifth best player in baseball by WARP. That's how nuts he was last season. Can he do it, or realistically, some large portion of it, again? I can't wait to find out. The other one is obvious too, but I think Bryce Harper is going to get serious MVP consideration this season. Can Justin Verlander do it again? Are the Yankees finally done? Can the Dodgers add more talent (and payroll) at the deadline? Can the Dodgers win or are they some bloated mess? (I'm rooting for both.) Will the Astros lose 110? 120? 206? (Matthew Kory)
2013-02-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Am I the only concerned that Mike Trout was on the Pablo Sandoval diet in the offseason? (Shawnykid23 from My Desk)	I was asked about this on the radio the other day, and I said I wasn't concerned. I don't really think it's the Sandoval diet--most of the weight Trout put on was muscle, it seems, and he'll lose some of it this spring. The expected career trajectory for Trout has always been that he'd lose some speed and add some power as he aged and bulked up. Maybe that's happening already, but it's not necessarily a bad thing--maybe a few more homers makes up for fewer steals, infield hits, and fly balls caught. For now, he'll still be freakishly fast for someone his size, and amazing at baseball. (Ben Lindbergh)
2013-02-26 14:00:00 (link to chat)	When you think of The Face of MLB...what five ballplayers first come to mind? (High Life Man from Avon, CT)	From a baseball business standpoint, that's an interesting question. The first five that jumped to mind were Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Mike Trout. (Daniel Rathman)
2013-02-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Early AL/NL ROY, Cy Young, MVP and any darkhorses you think are really going to break out this year? (Greg36 from Tacoma)	Is it darkhorse enough to say Max Scherzer could make a run at the AL Cy this year? He K/9'd 11.1 last season as a starter! That's crazy good. For the AL MVP I'll throw my inconsiderable weight behind Mike Trout. That's a pretty thick limb to step out on right there, but hey, he's the best player in the AL so it's one I don't mind standing on for a while. I'm thinking Bryce Harper is going to explode (in a good baseball-y way) this season. He's so talented I wonder if when he cuts himself shaving that talent drips down the drain. If so he probably doesn't care. More where that came from. That doesn't entirely answer your question but I must get more coffee so that's how that goes. (Matthew Kory)
2013-02-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I've seen people heralding David Dahl as the second coming of Mike Trout. Obviously, this is hyperbole. However, do these reports hold any merit to them? Thoughts on Dahl? (Joe from Seattle)	I think he's a very good prospect, but he's not the second coming of Mike Trout. Everybody knows that I'm the second coming of Mike Trout. (Jason Parks)
2013-01-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Super-Deep Dynasty league with auction draft... $500 budgets for 25 roster spots. If there's one player you want to build you team around (maybe 3-4 players if you're feeling generous!), who are they/is he? (Steve from Dallas)	If starting from scratch, I'd absolutely love to build around Mike Trout or Bryce Harper, so will everyone else though. I'd probably try to nab a pair of high upside prospects/youngsters who have yet to breakout in the bigs such as Jurickson Profar, Manny Machado, or Gerrit Cole. Buying in on a young player coming off a disappointing year such as Eric Hosmer would also make a lot of sense. (Josh Shepardson)
2013-01-16 13:30:00 (link to chat)	Who will be the next Trout... or at least a lesser true 5 tool talent? (baseballjunkie from cali)	Mike Trout is a freak; a generational talent. We need to stop looking for the next Mike Trout and recognize how rare his talent is. (Mark Anderson)
2012-12-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)	This girl I've been seeing is great and we share the same views on politics, religion, and having kids... but she doesn't like baseball(!). Not only does she not understand fantasy baseball (which is "stupid'), she doesn't even know who Mike Trout is. I have to break up with her, don't I? (AJ from Glendale)	LOL. You don't *have* to, especially if she's awesome otherwise. In my experience, I have more fun with the girls who don't know much about/care much about baseball in the beginning yet begin to enjoy it through me. Not in any forced way, just via osmosis over time. (Paul Sporer)
2013-01-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Following up on John's (Vegas) question, the first of the day: Are there regions of the United States that represent "market inefficiencies" at this point? I think of Mike Trout. Granted, he was a first-round pick, but in retrospect he clearly deserved to be a much higher first-round pick. Was the issue there that the level of competition in New Jersey is such (i.e., lower than in Southern California) that the comparison population makes all players there tough to scout? Or could it be that there should have been more scouts in New Jersey? (Rob from DC)	Great question, Rob from DC. Some clubs have an issue drafting high school position players, and most value pitching over offense, and those factors came into play I am sure. Plus, Trout playing in Jersey is a tougher high draft due to the amount you got to see him play in his senior year and the level of competition was just okay. He really impressed the heck out of me in showcases and tournaments prior to his senior year. Hitting is the toughest thing to scout, and Eddie Bane made a great decison. (Dan Evans)
2012-12-11 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Trout or Harper or somebody else, career? (Jurickson from Arlington)	Gosh. I guess despite everything I saw last year I think Harper is the better player, but the further out you go the more makeup matters and I like Mike Trout's makeup more than I've ever liked makeup. (Sam Miller)
2012-11-15 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Early speculation on some overvalued and undervalued players for next spring? (Andrew from Las Vegas)	As much as I hate to say it, Mike Trout may well be overrated next year. I imagine there'll be some talk of him as number-one overall. In deep leagues, Josh Hamilton probably. Pitchers: Cueto, Miley, Harrison. Underrated, hmm, maybe Rajai Davis, Felix Doubront, Marco Estrada, Alex Cobb, and Mitch Moreland (again) (Derek Carty)
2012-10-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	what two players would you like to see debate each other in a presidential debate? (m4 from m5)	Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera (Jason Parks)
2012-10-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Can David Dahl be Mike Trout lite? (Mike from Utica, NY)	Please stop. (Jason Parks)
2012-10-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Rymer Liriano kind of like Vladimir Guerrero with Mike Trout speed and Jeff Francouer's arm? (matt from LA)	Yeah, kind of like that. Also, I'm kind of like Tom Verducci. (Jason Parks)
2012-09-24 14:30:00 (link to chat)	Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera for MVP? Why or why not? (Mike Gianella from Bucks County Pennsylvania)	Why, funny you should ask. I happen to have recently written something (not at BP, I'm afraid) about this! It's getting closer every day...but to me, it's still not *that* close. I hope Cabrera gets the triple crown, because that'd be awesome. But Trout's been almost as awesome with the bat, and a lot better on the bases and in the field. (Bill Parker)
2012-09-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is the debate of Mike Trout Vs. Miguel Cabrera for MVP basically an argument between "Old Baseball Stats" Vs. "New Baseball Stats"? (jlarsen from chicago)	I'm honestly not sure it is. I mean, people are certainly *using* "old stats" to make their case for Cabrera and "new stats" to make the case for Trout, but I think it's mostly people looking to justify their choice post facto. i.e., I like Cabrera more than I like Trout, and look, he may win the Triple Crown, hence I'll cite that as my evidence. You even see this with Tigers fans who'll use "old" counting stats to justify the case for Cabrera as MVP and then turn around and use WAR to justify Verlander as their Cy Young choice. It's post facto reasoning in nearly every case. And since I don't care who wins the MVP, I find it very interesting. Also, it should be Mike Trout. (Ian Miller)
2012-09-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)	In your notes you frequently use the term "near elite" I understand that is there due to the obvious rarity of truly elite tools/pitches. What are some of the tools/pitches you've seen that you'd call truly elite? (Klochner from MN)	Bill Hamilton's speed; Mike Trout's hit tool/speed tool/baseball tool; Neftali Feliz's fastball; everything Justin Verlander does; everything Miguel Cabrera does with the bat; Profar's instincts; Bryce Harper's raw power, etc. (Jason Parks)
2012-09-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)	As of right now, I have the 26th best season(in terms of WAR) of MLB history in my rookie year at 20 yrs old. If Albert Pujols is a machine, what am I? T1000? Have you seen John Connor? (Mike Trout from MLB Universe)	As my friend Craig Burley likes to note, "Baseball is hard." I think the coronation of Mike Trout can afford to wait a while. Also, I think that DRS is pretty significantly overrating Trout's fielding, and that's causing people to apply a lot of hyperbole to a season that doesn't really require any. (Colin Wyers)
2012-08-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	You have just finished watching a complex league game. You saw, for the first time, a player you had never before heard about. He is now your favorite prospect ever, filling you with feelings of Francisco Lindor, Oscar Taveres and Yu Darvish, held together by Willie Mays' maple syrup and choir robe. What position does he play? Where is he from? What makes him so special? Have you ever stumbled onto such a prospect without any prior knowledge of the kid's existence? (Nick from Michigan)	He plays shortstop; he's special because he's 6'7'' and weighs 250 lbs; he hits bombs, he steals bases, and he thinks Mike Trout's ceiling is a bag of #slack. He's the first of his kind; the wave of the future. Power-forward body with Venezuelan shortstop actions, Mike Trout's speed, and Stanton's power. He's also a sweetheart that has grit. (Jason Parks)
2012-08-14 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Someone is going to have to ask it: what do you think about The Rangers calling up Jurickson Profar? (captnamerca from Dunedin, FL)	I think my favorite part about this season has been seeing Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and now Manny Machado. In the Lineup Card that is coming out today or tomorrow I advocated (semi-seriously) for the Red Sox to bring up Xander Bogaerts. So I'd love to see Profar up. Why not? Is he worse than Michael Young? As to how he'll do, I have no idea, but everything I've read on him says he's a shockingly good talent. I can't wait. So yeah, I'm all for it. (Matthew Kory)
2012-08-14 14:00:00 (link to chat)	The other day, I look over Mike Trout's entire stat line. He literally does just about everything on a baseball diamond. How amazing is his season and is there another rookie season that you would compare it too? (Bet of Petey from Queen City)	It's up there with what Alex Rodriguez (.358/.414/.631) and Ted Williams (.327/.436/.609) did as 20 year olds. It's just incredible. He's the AL MVP right now. Now, he is 21 and young kids are known to slow down as the season drags on, so maybe he'll start to slip up, but he was up last September too, so maybe he won't. Honestly, I wouldn't say the guy can't do something at this point. He can do everything. He's a joy to watch. (Matthew Kory)
2012-08-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Have you ever seen a more impressive rookie season than the one that Mike Trout is now having? (JWR from USA)	The only two players who I remember having as great an impact as rookies are Fred Lynn and Mark Fidrych, and now I am going before my career. Lynn impacted the '75 Red Sox and was my favorite player at the time and added so much with the glove and his bat in his ROY season. Fidrych was incredible, bringing an energy to the ballpark with is exceptional season. Trout has been incredible, and living in Southern California I am lucky to see him play a lot. (Dan Evans)
2012-07-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)	If you owned Mike Trout in a Keeper League, is there any player you'd trade him for straight up? What would it take to pry him off your team in the off-season? (FanOfTheGame from Binghamton)	Mike Trout woudl top my keeper league/dynasty league rankings. There is not a single player I'd swap him for in a 1-for-1 deal. Depending on my team composition, it would take another top-10 keeper plus an upgrade to one of my lesser keepers in order to pry Trout away, but even receiving that offer, I'd have a hard time parting with him. He's a true 5 category contributor that is good enough in every category that he could afford to slump in one and still pick up the slack in the others. (Josh Shepardson)
2012-07-25 13:30:00 (link to chat)	Mike Trout ... most fun player to watch in the majors right now? Most fun player to watch since ... Griffey, Bonds, Bo Jackson, other? (dianagram from VORGville)	I don't know if Trout has the persona or charisma of those players, at least as a 20-year-old, so if that affects your enjoyment or appreciation of his play, maybe not. But as far as the actual production and skill set goes? Sure. (Ben Lindbergh)
2012-06-21 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is it crazy to call Mike Trout, Rickey Henderson Jr. like Torii Hunter is. (Mike from Utica, NY)	It's crazy to need to call Mike Trout anything other than Mike Trout. His skill-set is sexy enough to avoid the need to compare him to others, don't you think? (Jason Parks)
2012-06-21 13:00:00 (link to chat)	When it's all set and done what do you think people will say of the careers of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper? (Mike from Utica, NY)	That they were special talents that gave baseball a spark when it needed it. (Jason Parks)
2012-06-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Trout's batting average, sustainable? (Titmus from London)	Bet the under, but if you're asking whether Mike Trout's .410 BABIP is sustainable, the answer is "no" and "but closer than you think." He had something near a .400 BABIP in the minors, and if you knock off 30 or so points to mirror the change in league averages, he's still something close to historic on balls in play. At least for now. Doubt he'll be quite this fast in three or four years. (Sam Miller)
2012-05-31 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Rooting for Josh Hamilton to win the Triple Crown instead of your A's love? He's pretty awesome to watch. (Ryan from East Jabip)	I don't know. Rooting for RBI is weird. I don't dislike Josh Hamilton, but I wouldn't call myself a fan of his, either. It's neat to watch anyone destroy the ball the way he's done, but I'd be just as happy if he fell down and Ryan Braun or Miguel Cabrera or Mike Trout or whoever you please went off for an insane month. (Jason Wojciechowski)
2012-05-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What do you think the Angels should do with Peter Bourjos? With Mike Trout up, he's slated to play once (maybe twice) a week, and is apparently not someone the Angels are interested in trading right now. Do you think being a 4th OF in Anaheim is any better for him (or the team) than sending him to SLC? (riley b from a tour bus headed for San Diego)	I want to say that Vernon Wells will eventually be pushed aside, or platooned at DH with Morales, and Bourjos and Trout can play CF/LF together. But I also don't think Trumbo is super likely to stay at third, and so he'll start getting OF starts. It's not that I'm against trading Bourjos, it's just that I don't ever get the sense (from the rumors and stuff) that they would get anything close to full value for him. I mean, the Bourjos for John Lannan rumors in the offseason were nothing, they weren't tied to reality (I don't think), but the fact that people in the industry, writers, etc, though that it was even remotely realistic tells me that, yikes, it might be remotely realistic. And trading Peter Bourjos for anything close to John Lannan would be absolutely insane. I guess I'd keep him up as a fourth outfielder for now. Playing time has a way of working itself out, especially on a team with as many struggling hitters/fielders as the Angels. (Sam Miller)
2012-04-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What player will Mike Trout most resemble (in terms of production) over the next 2-3 years? When will the Angels be forced to make him an everyday OF for the big club? (Andre from Houston)	I am as optimistic as anyone about Trout's future, but how often have we seen guys come up and take longer to make adjustments than we had expected? Probably not the best example, but how many people called Matt Wieters a bust when he didn't hit .300/.400/.500 in 2010? (Bradley Ankrom)
2012-04-12 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Hey Derek, thanks for the chat. Many people know I am better performer in the second half of season career-wise. Would you mind name more players you consider worth monitoring or even prospects who could have a big showing? (Adam Laroche from National Capital)	Sorry, Adam, but I don't buy the whole first-half/second-half thing for most players. As far as prospects that could be recalled and make an impact go, there are a lot of guys that could fit the bill. To name a few: Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Trevor Bauer, Joe Benson, Joe Wieland, Robbie Erlin, Leonys Martin, Tyler Skaggs, Jacob Turner, Brad Peacock, Jarrod Parker, Nolan Arenado, Danny Hultzen, and Brett Jackson. (Derek Carty)
2012-04-12 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Mike Trout is giving the Angels every reason to call him up, while Bourjos is batting .214 and Wells is batting .167 (surprising no one). The call up in inevitable. You've answered this months back, but Trout goes to LF for the Angels (long-term), right? (Francois from Toronto)	Yes, I believe Bourjos is the better CF, so I believe they're better off with Trout in LF unless Bourjos gets dealt. I don't know if a call-up is necessarily imminent, but the Angels will surely try to find a way to work him in if things continue in this direction. (Derek Carty)
2012-04-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	So, the Angels? I know, SSS. But I think people were way too quick to say their offense was solved with Pujols and Morales. And that bullpen, yeesh. (Patrick B. from New York)	Given a reasonable sample size, Pujols, Morales and eventually Mike Trout are going to provide a considerable upgrade on last year's offense, which was 10th in the AL in scoring. And while the bullpen may not look impressive, few managers have shown better skill at handling a bullpen year in and year out than Mike Scioscia. Don't count them out just yet. (Jay Jaffe)
2012-03-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Firs big name prospect to be called up and ETA? (Jquinton82 from ny)	I don't know, and neither do teams. It's important to note that questions like this are almost impossible to answers. Very few prospects just bash (or pitch) their way up. Every for the best of players, their first opportunity comes from injuries or ineffectiveness of others, so it's hard to project. Mike Trout's ascension to the big leagues is far more dependent on Vernon Wells than Mike Trout for example. (Kevin Goldstein)
2012-03-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Heading down to SLC to see Mike Trout play for the Bees on April 15th. Should I make plans to catch him in May? Or will he be on the big club by then? (chiefsalsa from Logan, Utah)	You know, I was in LA last summer for the SABR conference when he made his major league debut. It happened to be in the Angels game that all the SABR folks were already planning on going to. That call up was so out of the blue and pretty darn exciting for everyone. Of course, he ended up getting into 40 games and batting .220/.281/.390 My money would be on you getting the chance to see Trout in SLC in May. The Angels may have another surprise call up in them, but May is pushing it. (Larry Granillo)
2012-03-06 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I had Leonys Martin penciled in as a keeper for a starting OF spot this year, but Ron Washington now says otherwise. Any thoughts on AL minor leaguers who might be making an impact come June/July? (ChuckR from Chicago)	Wash said as long as guys stay healthy, which is impossible for Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. Martin is very near the top of such a list. Also, Mike Trout's a possibility given injuries or trades, Joe Benson in Minnesota, Jacob Turner (if he doesn't start the year with the team), the Oakland pitchers (Peacock, Parker, Milone to a lesser extent), and Danny Hultzen for Seattle. (Derek Carty)
2012-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	You've mentioned that you see Mike Trout's speed diminishing as he ages. Are we talking going from around 40SBs to 20? .300/.400/.500 with plus speed and CF defense a good approximation? (Milby from SF)	To be clear, I don't think Trout is going to be slow, I just don't think he'll be an 80 runner for long and likely settle into 60-65 territory, which is still crazy fast. He could steal 40. (Kevin Goldstein)
2012-01-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I have Mike Trout in a keeper league that uses LF, CF, and RF instead of the normal "3 OF." I had planned for Trout to be my everyday CF for the next decade. If the Angels trade Bourjos I should have no worries, but if he remains on roster, Trout shifts to LF, right? (Mike from Dover AF Base)	Popular question, as this was brought up in a previous chat, and yes, I think Trout probably is the one to shift if Bourjos remains in Anaheim. (Derek Carty)
2012-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Rapid Fire: Ten fantasy rookies who will make impacts in 2012 (5 pitchers, 5 batters): _______? Go! (Francois from Toronto)	Okay, rapid fire... P: Yu Darvish, Matt Moore, Addison Reed, Julio Teheran, Brad Peacock H: Jesus Montero, Yoennis Cespedes, Mike Trout, Devin Mesoraco, Tyler Pastornicky There are certainly others that will have impacts too. I actually have an article about fantasy-worthy rookies in the Fantasy Baseball Index magazine that will hit newsstands this preseason, if you're interested in my take on other guys. (Derek Carty)
2011-12-02 14:00:00 (link to chat)	What are we thinking on Mike Trout this year? What kind of a year can we expect from him? (yankeesbg13 from Indianapolis)	A solid year, but not impact yet. That will come. He's still 5-8 years from peaking, although he'll be a slower player then. (Kevin Goldstein)
2011-11-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Thanks Derek. What are the chances the Angels move Peter Bourjos to try and grab David Wright? It would leave a clear spot for Mike Trout in 2012 in the Angels' outfield. (Keith from Manchester, CT)	It might make some sense on it's face, but I don't really see it happening. If the Mets don't bring back Reyes (and I don't think they should for what he'll likely go for), I think trading Wright makes a lot of sense. There's whispers that the team might wait until mid-season to do so, though, possibly so that he can rebuild his value a bit in a friendlier CitiField. There's no sure bet that the Angels would even go for that deal, though it seems quite likely they'll find a way to get Trout in their 2012 outfield. (Derek Carty)
2011-10-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Since he was so conveniently available and you weren't, I dogged Steven in his last chat about something you said on MLB Round Trip a month or so ago. Now it's your turn! In a discussion of the Angels calling up Mike Trout you said "the smart teams are the ones that don't have timetables." But three months earlier on this very website you chastised the Royals for bringing up Eric Hosmer, even though they also ignored timetables, because it was going to cost them too much money. So which is it? Should you really have said "smart teams ignore timetables, but only if everybody thinks they can afford it; otherwise they're dumb." (Chris from lunch break)	Smart teams ignore timetables when they're lined up to compete for a playoff spot. That wasn't the case in KC, but in retrospect, I was wrong about Hosmer. (Kevin Goldstein)
2011-09-06 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Last night on MLB Roundtrip, there was a discussion about Mike Trout. I believe it was Kevin who said "the smart teams are the ones that have no timetable," for calling up their prospects. Yet he wrote an article on this very website calling the Royals to task for bringing up Eric Hosmer in May when he was clearly ready. Now, I know that was Kevin, but your thoughts? Should Kevin actually have said "the smart teams are the ones with no timetable, as long as they have the money to ignore service time implications"? (Chris from Windy City)	I can't claim to read Kevin's mind (and good that I can't--I hear it's scary in there!) but he did say both. I think you can reconcile those statements, but not quite the way you did. I think the general rule he posited is the correct one, but the Royals are a special situation, a team that needs to pull together all strands of its grand plan at once for it to work, because Hosmer isn't going to change anything for them by himself, but the whole class just might. What's more, because they're the Royals, we don't know how long they will be willing/able to keep the group together. So if Hosmer laps the group in arb eligibility or something, maybe the plan starts to come apart before they even start. You should ask him, either here at his next chat, on the podcast, or on our Sunday night radio show, where I'll be there to comment as well. (Steven Goldman)
2011-08-26 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Why don't we ever see prospect for prospect trades? For instance, it would be in the Braves' best interest (at least before the Bourn trade), I believe, to trade Teheran and another (lower) prospect for Mike Trout. (Chris from Alabama)	It's hard because clubs believe so much in their prospects and have so much invested in them -- financially and emotionally. I can't get into specifics, but we have been close to acquiring at least current under-25 young position players in trades over the past 3-4 years only to have the trade fall apart before it was completed. It's frustrating to see those players you were so close to acquiring succeed at the highest level, but also gratifying to know we were on the right players. (John Coppolella)
2011-07-21 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Jason, Mike Trout: in a ten team mixed keeper league with a short bench and a re-draft at the end of July, would you pick him up knowing you will have him for ROS 2011 and all 2012? (Cory from Canada)	If you are playing for 2012 and don't mind potentially waiting until mid-June for his final recall, sure. I don't like playing like that myself. (Jason Collette)
2011-06-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Will Mike Trout be the starting CF for the Angels on Opening Day next year? (Sheila from Northern VA)	It's far from a certainty, but it's within the realm of reason if he hits well upon his eventual promotion to Triple-A, especially with Bourjos being far from inspiring. (Derek Carty)
2011-04-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Jason Heyward or Mike Trout for better long-term success? (dianagramr from NYC)	Trout. I'm in love with him. (Jason Parks)
2011-01-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I have the 1st overall pick in this years draft out of a 16 team, H2H, 7 holdover league. I'm debating over which minors prospect might be the best one to select. I'm currently looking at: Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Mike Moustakas, Dustin Ackley, Julio Teheran. I also realize that some of these are obviously closer to the Majors than others, or should that not be my only requirement? (Bill from New York)	I'm far from the fantasy expert here, having given that up years ago (too much of a good thing), and you don't need Kevin Goldstein to tell you those are all great prospects. Harper is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent, but obviously he has no real track record as of yet. I love Trout because of his range of skills and would probably go for him just on that basis even if you won't see him for awhile, and I figure Ackley to be the most speculative of the bunch. Moustakas is probably the safest short-term play, even though I'm certain that the Royals will delay/screw up/botch his promotion in some way. They'll probably block him by luring Ruben Sierra out of retirement, or something like that. (Steven Goldman)
2011-01-03 14:00:00 (link to chat)	True/False: Mike Trout will be in the majors by the end of the season? (vlad from la)	PROBABLY false. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-11-09 14:00:00 (link to chat)	If you were the Angels and could sign either Crawford or Beltre, which would you go for? Does the presence of Mike Trout and the lack of long-term options at 3b make signing Beltre more of a priority? Thanks! (Dennis from LA)	I think Crawford will provide more long-term, so I'd go for him. Trout is a true centerfielder, so there is no block created if they sign Crawford. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-07-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Which one do you think is better, Domonic Brown or Mike Trout? (southsidepride from Chicago)	It's awfully close at this point, and the tiebreaker would definitely have less to do with the talents themselves and more to do with the time-preferences of the relevant teams in question. (Tommy Bennett)
2010-07-26 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Has Jesus Montero reclaimed his #1 spot among prospects? To say he's been onfire as of late is an understatement. The Yanks must be relieved he's not in Seattle. (john from ct)	Montero is the top power bat in the minors, but his defensive limitations keep him from being the best player – I'd rather have Dominic Brown or Mike Trout, for example. As a generalist myself, I like players with all-around solid games. As an aside, it's interesting to me how short-term struggles for minor league players sometimes seems to panic people more than the same thing happening at the major league level. Maybe it's because we've never actually seen those guys struggle and come out of it like we have big leaguers, so every little hiccup becomes magnified. Montero is the same kid he was before his early-season "struggles" and mid-season recovery – a huge talent with a huge future. (Ken Funck)
2010-07-01 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Speaking of stupid comps, is there a little bit of Tim Salmon in Mike Trout? (Comic from Relief)	And if you put him on the mound, does he remind you of Angels farmhand Robert Fish? (Kevin Goldstein)

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