The problem is if you get 200 singles and nothing else, you get a lower WAR than someone who hits 50 singles and 20 HRs only... That's where sometimes the numbers don't really say production...
Sorta, maybe, Coach.
200 singles equals 200 total bases.
50 singles and 20 homers equals 130 total bases.
Your example is extreme, but I do agree, if your point is that OBP is more valuable than SLG, no matter what WAR may say. And the type of batter that fits the team need matters. We don't need more homeruns, what we need is more guys who can get on base consistently...and IF Miller could do that up here, he would be more valuable than a kid who would give us 25 homers, but Kd a third of the time.
************
I like the Miller comp to Kinsler. Kinsler had more pop in his bat in the minors, but he played a lot of games in extreme hitters leagues. They are comparable in size, and Kinsler was an instant producer at the MLB level.
I dont think Miller becomes a Kinsler, because I never expect that from a prospect. But if Miller hit the ground running, like Kinsler...or a kid named Kipnis...he would be an immediate positive impact up here.
The problem is that, in spite of similarities in their MiLB profiles, both Kinsler and Kip had substantial experience at AAA and neither missed a year of development.
**********
I agree that the Chisox are the prohibitive favorites to win the division...if their rotation stays healthy....and if some of their players keep performing as they never have before, particularly Cease, Rodon, and Mercedes.
But if you look at both Chicago and Cleveland, which looks maxed out production wise, and which has a lot of room for growth?
At the quarter pole Chicago looks super, while we are trying to hang in. But is Chicago a speed horse, or does it have the stamina to keep up the pace.
If you go by how a Francona team almost always plays, we have yet to find our stride.
