Mike Trout Ranked on MLB Network's "Top 10 Center Fielders Right Now!"

[Chuck]

February 12, 2018 – Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout ranked #1 on MLB Network’s annual Top 10 Center Fielders Right Now! program this past Saturday, marking the final installment of the 10-part series. Trout, who tops the countdown for the third straight year, finished one spot ahead of the Cardinals’ Tommy Pham.

In addition to Trout, the Angels’ Justin Upton ranked third on Top 10 Left Fielders Right Now! two weeks ago. Ian Kinsler ranked eighth on Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now! three weeks ago and Andrelton Simmons ranked fifth on Top 10 Shortstops Right Now! in the series’ first week.

Hosted by MLB Network’s Brian Kenny alongside MLB Network analysts, each Top 10 Right Now! ranking takes into account player performance over the last two seasons, a number of offensive and defensive metrics, both advanced Statcast data and traditional numbers, and expert analysis by the MLB Network research team. Marking its eighth season, MLB Network’s Top 10 Right Now! series features analysis from MLB Network on-air personalities, plus roundtable discussion from President of SABR Vince Gennaro, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh and MLB.com analyst Mike Petriello.

On Saturday’s countdown, Kenny said of Trout, “He didn’t play enough games, he didn’t win an MVP, but he made a real jump offensively. …He’s second-highest [WAR] among position players in history through his age-25 season. That’s behind Ty Cobb and we’re doing retroactive defensive metrics from the aughts.”

The complete ranking for MLB Network’s top-10 center fielders is listed below and an embeddable recap on Trout can be seen here:

Top 10 Center Fielders Right Now!

1.            Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

2.            Tommy Pham, St. Louis Cardinals

3.            Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies

4.            George Springer, Houston Astros

5.            Lorenzo Cain, Milwaukee Brewers

6.            Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

7.            Kevin Kiermaier, Tampa Bay Rays

8.            Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers

9.            Michael Conforto, New York Mets

10.          A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks

[zenmaster]

They should just have Trout then 9 blanks because no one is even close. To see Tommy Pham next to Trout...

[Angel Oracle]

Tommy Pham?   He sure came from outta nowhere, just like a Randy Orton RKO.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I have seen Kiermaier make some insane defensive plays.

[Chuck]

12 minutes ago, Vegas Halo Fan said:

I have seen Kiermaier make some insane defensive plays.

I think they looked at both defense and offense being equal when compiling these rankings. Pham was good defensively and had an incredible offensive season in 2017.

[Sam Sanchez]

Did you see Preston Wilson's personal list on the show? He had Trout at #3 behind Blackmon and Springer. Brian Kenny gave him shit

[Chuck]

5 minutes ago, Sam Sanchez said:

Did you see Preston Wilson's personal list on the show? He had Trout at #3 behind Blackmon and Springer. Brian Kenny gave him shit

I did see that. He should be fired. What a dumbass! 

[AngelArcher]

7 minutes ago, Sam Sanchez said:

Did you see Preston Wilson's personal list on the show? He had Trout at #3 behind Blackmon and Springer. Brian Kenny gave him shit

Tries to be edgy and controversial, but comes off looking like an idiot. Lol

 

 

[beatlesrule]

15 minutes ago, Sam Sanchez said:

Did you see Preston Wilson's personal list on the show? He had Trout at #3 behind Blackmon and Springer. Brian Kenny gave him shit

How can anyone be respected or paid to talk baseball after something like that?  It's not even an opinion.  It's flat out lies and incompetence.

[JustATroutFan]

Blackmon's numbers are a fraud, just like Preston Wilson. Mediocre player who looks like a stud because of Coors Field.  And Springer is a one dimensional hitter. Next......

[Chuck]

8 minutes ago, JustATroutFan said:

Blackmon's numbers are a fraud, just like Preston Wilson. Mediocre player who looks like a stud because of Coors Field.  And Springer is a one dimensional hitter. Next......

I agree. This is why Larry Walker never gets the nod to the Hall of Fame, despite HOF numbers. 

[Dick B Back]

Preston Wilson is a dork. Only thing interesting about him is that he is both the nephew and stepson of Mookie.

[JustATroutFan]

6 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I agree. This is why Larry Walker never gets the nod to the Hall of Fame, despite HOF numbers. 

Trout would be like Ruth if he play at Coors Field for half his games. Trout and his Angels will play at Coors Field in May of this year. Trout's hitting at least 4 home runs.  

[m0nkey]

Uh tommy Pham ranked second?

[Angel Oracle]

Trout at Coors Canaveral = putting even DaVanon's performance in San Juan in the 2003 three game series with the Expos to shame. 

[Tank]

34 minutes ago, m0nkey said:

Uh tommy Pham ranked second?

thank you. never heard a thing about him and didn't even know his name. 

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

I agree. This is why Larry Walker never gets the nod to the Hall of Fame, despite HOF numbers. 

That's not really fair to Walker -- Coors obviously helped but he was a near 900 OPS guy away from Coors too.     Griffey Jr made his HOF case in the Kingdome and nobody seemed to hold that against him -- his career OPS+ was 136....  Walker's was 141.

Dude was clean too which most of that era can't say.   Truth is had he juiced he may have been able to stay on the field ... it's all the missed time that's hurting his chances IMO.  

[ettin]

2 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Trout at Coors Canaveral = putting even DaVanon's performance in San Juan in the 2003 three game series with the Expos to shame. 

Fantastic!

[Sam Sanchez]

Can't say I agree with Pham being #2 but he definitely wasn't a scrub last year. Around a .930 ops, 20 + HRs, 20+ SBs, and posted a 6.0+ WAR despite playing around 120 games. Not sure if one season of that merits a #2 placing but he arguably had a better season last year than Springer.

[totdprods]

Tommy Pham, dang. Hope some of that Cardinals luck came over with Swanson. That team unearths and develops solid ballplayers like nothing. 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

8 hours ago, JustATroutFan said:

Trout would be like Ruth if he play at Coors Field for half his games. Trout and his Angels will play at Coors Field in May of this year. Trout's hitting at least 4 home runs.  

it will take 24 hours to adjust to the altitude.

[Rico]

11 hours ago, Dick B Back said:

Preston Wilson is a dork. Only thing interesting about him is that he is both the nephew and stepson of Mookie.

[Swiss Angel Fan]

12 hours ago, Sam Sanchez said:

Did you see Preston Wilson's personal list on the show? He had Trout at #3 behind Blackmon and Springer. Brian Kenny gave him shit

He said he would take Springer over Trout if he was building a team for next season...

[Docwaukee]

Trout not being #1 is an insult to the intelligence of anyone who follows baseball.  

I'm sure he thinks Dozier and Schoop would be ahead of Altuve.  

[IIIII]

Not going to lie who is Tommy Pham? wtf I guess I just don't pay attention to the Cardinals