Madison wrote:Here, I'll do some of the research for you:
As I said I've already done that in an earlier post but since you obviously missed it I'll repeat my masterpiece for you
There should be no conjecture here at all. Fact: Crawford to date this season is a more valuable OF than Beltran in 5 x 5.
Crawford $ 39 Beltran $ 33
Therefore on the surface to say Crawford is not worth Beltran is an opinion not based on fact but based (I can only presume) on projected numbers for the remainder of the season.
Beltran has just moved leagues, is hitting only .262 since he moved leagues, and is only a.287 career hitter anyway. His power numbers are way up this year on anything he has done previously so I would expect that to continue, but it is obviously having an adverse effect on his batting average, that is understandable and not uncommon.
The likely 30 point difference in average between the two is one thing, the projected lack of steals going forward from Beltran is another. Just 1 attempt in 11 games so far with the NL.
Both Crawford's increased power and plate discipline has been significant this season and that can only get better given his ridiculously young age for someone with over 1200 AB's in the big leagues.
With the expected drop in steals, Beltran is no more valuable now than someone like Abreu.
There is no doubt that an OF that can steal 70 plus bases is equivalent to a power OF that could hit 80 plus HR's. The fact that the guy is also a legit .300 plus hitter and has a slg % similar to Bernie Williams, Carlos Lee and Geoff Jenkins absolutely seals the deal in my mind.
I know it is hard to fathom, but Carl Crawford is more valuable than Carlos Beltran and that difference in value as I see it, will only grow larger.