[rats60]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Excluding his dismal 2009 season, Beltre's OPS + in Seattle, between 2005 and 2008, is 105. 5% above league average. Over the same four year period, Raul Ibanez had a 121 OPS.

Beltre's '05-'08 slash line is .319 OBP/.454 SLG/.773 OPS.
The AL average slash line from '05-'08 is .344 OBP/.433 SLG/.777 OPS.

Before going to Boston, when he had that career 105 OPS +, Beltre had had 7,455 plate appearances. How do we overlook that mediocrity for so long? Mike Trout has had 4,065 plate appearances in his career. Take how long Trout has played, (nearly) double it, and that's how long Adrian Beltre was a fringe league average hitter.

I can't overlook that. There is no logical way to explain how Beltre turned into a star after playing so long. That seems to happen to guys that go to Boston. David Ortiz was lousy in Minnesota. He had a career 108 OPS +, though he only had 1,908 career plate appearances. But he goes to Boston, and suddenly, he's got a 140 OPS +. And not banging countless shots off of, and over the Green Monster. Ortiz was a left handed pull hitter. The Monster is in left field.

Brooks Robinson has an OPS+ of 104. Would you not vote for him? Beltre has an OPS+ of 117. Beltre started his exceptional run at the plate since his age 31 season. Starting at age 25, he only had 2 down years. I don't see that as out of line, especially from a foreign player. It some times takes time to adjust to playing and living in a foreign country. Roberto Clemente's peak was age 31 to 35. I know convension today is a player's career is pretty much over by age 30, but that is not always true.