Oaktoon recently wrote:
well, it's 59 [games], to be exact. But if any of these guys are destined to be offensive stars, we'd know it by now. Crosby has a chance-- the rest, forget it.
So to answer your question, yes. The evidence is mounting.
So I wondered - how well did today's stars do at the beginning of their careers?
Just going down the current OPS leaderboard:
D Lee
Current: 1.157 OPS
1997-1999: 726 AB, .689 OPS
B Roberts
Current: 1.095 OPS
2001-2002: 511 AB, .613 OPS
A Rodriguez
Current: 1.068 OPS
1994-1995: 196 AB, .609 OPS
B Abreu
Current: 1.035 OPS
1996-1997: 210 AB, .695 OPS
M Tejada
Current: 1.012 OPS
1997-1998: 464 AB, .659 OPS
N Johnson
Current: 1.007 OPS
2001-2002: 445 AB, .730 OPS
C Delgado
Current: 1.000 OPS
1993-1995: 222 AB, .674 OPS
A Pujols
Current: .995 OPS
There has never been any period where he sucked.
P Burrell
Current: .966 OPS
Started out with a bang as well
J Varitek
Current: .960 OPS
1997-1998: 222 AB, 722 OPS
That's the current MLB Top 10 in OPS. Pujols has never been anything but spectacular and Burrell started off solid, before falling off for a while there. Every single other player started off their career slowly - and did not pick it up until they were further into their careers than Nick Swisher currently is.
Compare that to
Nick Swisher
194 AB, .688 OPS
Of the 8 remaining, plus Swish - he would rank #9 in ABs and #5 in OPS (though essentially tied for #3).
Poll
Nick Swisher will be
Future MVP (7 votes)
Future All-Star (74 votes)
Solid Career, few accolades (71 votes)
Washed out before he reaches free agency (18 votes)
Future HOFer (7 votes)
177 total votes




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