Ladies and gentleman, I give you your MVP runnerup: Adrian Beltre

Example: even when you look at Ruth, where you're obviously drawing from an extremely limited group of similar players, you get a list that's Williams from age 26-33, a few years of Foxx after that, a few years of Bonds at the end, and Chuck Klein and Manny Ramirez and Will Clark (!--age 23) mixed in.

that's pretty fucking cool clemenza.

en fuego

35, 2519 hits, 387 HR. 3000 hits should be easy--the rest of this year, two more seasons and a bit. 500 HR will be tougher, but he has a pretty good chance to be the fifth 3000/500 guy (assuming A-Rod doesn't find a way to get those last 61 hits). Pujols and Cabrera would be next in line, although I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those guys break down physically first.

Nobody cares, I realize, but I'd love to see Beltre win the batting title. If his HOF chances are as close as most people think (again, I see him close to a cinch at this point), a batting title will definitely help. He's about five points behind right now.

Garrett Richards came into the Angels’ clubhouse proudly holding a piece of paper Saturday afternoon. Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre had sent him an invoice for $300 after Richards broke three of his bats Friday night.

It was a real invoice, like Beltre went to an office-supply store and bought a pack of them or something. “Cash only, no checks,” he wrote above his signature.

http://www.ocregister.com/angels/richards-659454-angels-came.html

beltre's got a BBR WAR right now of 5.4, thanks for a productive second half. pretty amazing player.

*thanks to

Another great game today. I've been tracking him the last while too. Since July 31: .326/.379/.539, 10 HR, 52 RBI.

http://deadspin.com/adrian-beltre-wont-stand-for-elvis-andruss-lollygagging-1772008206

<3 <3

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--h3L2PQFH--/c_fit,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/873553504808362020.gif

the Rangers have bigger problems, eg Ian Desmond is their reg LF

Just moved past Chipper Jones and into the Top 50 on Baseball Reference's WAR list (85.3); real longshot to hit 100, but at 37 and signed through 2018, who knows.

I know it was ultimately that the McCourts were a mess, but letting Beltre walk was pretty dumb by the Dodgers.

https://twitter.com/EdwardEgrosFox4/status/763524922098409472

clearer video

https://www.facebook.com/FOXSportsSouthwest/videos/vb.53293384623/10153940073424624/?type=2&theater#

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpltKYQWAAA2g9p.jpg:small

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplSYgwVYAQtO5W.jpg:medium
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplS7-3VUAE-GWO.jpg:medium
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplS8s6UEAEyFe-.jpg:medium
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplS9VUUAAA_axq.jpg:medium

it seems like just yesterday this guy was a one-season wonder rather than a hopeful HoFer. what a strange career

he'll hit 3000 hits next year too if he plays most of the season

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v1055336083/oaktex-beltre-grabs-broom-works-on-the-infield

<3 <3 <3

i think my two favorite players of all time are Ichiro and Beltre

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/8/30/12709174/adrian-beltre-helmet-backward-pat-venditte-switch-pitcher

dude has been playing out of his mind lately, just hit his 30th HR.

I check his career box once a week. He may catch Donaldson and/or Machado in the MVP vote this year, and he'll soon pass 90 career WAR on Baseball Reference (decent shot to be the 22nd position player to reach 100 before he's finished...the equivalent of three more pretty good seasons, not easy). He's moved into the Top 25 career in AB, doubles, and total bases.

he's def going to make it to 3000 hits next year. wonder if he can make it to 500 HRs.

(obv not next year – two years left on his deal, might need a year or two of quality baseball on top of that)

Just hit 90.0 in career WAR; in the top 30 position players now (between Brett and Boggs, as luck would have it).

https://s18.postimg.org/4kvhzeo55/fibo.png

http://www.mlb.com/images/0/2/6/238935026/062617_beltre_reaction_med_bpkwyhet.gif

would watch a movie about their relationship

Beltre's homer gave him 5,003 total bases, making him the 21st player to go over 5,000 for his career. That's fewer than the 27 players with 3,000 hits and the 27 who have 500 home runs.

(And the 24 who've won 300 games.)

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/241068172/adrian-beltre-surpasses-5000-total-bases/

<3

lol Aaron's record is ridiculous

It took me about five readings to parse that sentence (all 27 players with 3000 hits finished their careers with more total bases than Beltre? ... no)

Something else: he just passed (lined up in succession) Chipper, Brett, and Boggs in career WAR. He should pass Matthews if he plays another year; Schmidt is out of reach (and A-Rod, although half of his was accumulated at SS).

1.3 WAR this year (in approx 1/4th a season) vs Albert's -1.0.

noting that because i think there's a chance Beltre could catch him in WAR, since his decline has been pretty minimal vs AP's consistent downward plunge.

now 15 hits shy of 3,000.

beltre since he went to Texas (the equivalent to around 5 3/4 seasons worth of games): 39.2 WAR

pujols since he went to Anaheim (almost exactly 5 seasons worth of games): 13.7 WAR

2,996 hits now (along with getting ejected last night for messing with the on-deck circle?) He's a machine.

Maybe he has a chance at 500 HR after all. I thought the injury ruled that out, because it now requires two more years, but not slowing down so far.

Two more hits to go. A list of the most productive players as they reached 3,000 hits would be interesting--pro-rated, Beltre's in his usual ~6.0-7.0 WAR range, coming off seven straight seasons of same. He's signed for next year, then a free agent. The end can come quick at this age, and he doesn't strike me as someone who'd hang around as a part-time player, but right now he looks like a decent bet for 2019.

Because it’s a beautiful day, and why would I go outside?

Pete Rose – 37, more-or-less prime
Hank Aaron – 36, playing well
Stan Musial – 37, last good season
Derek Jeter – 37, decline phase
Carl Yastrzemsk – 39, decline phase
Paul Molitor – 39, playing well
Willie Mays – 39, decline phase
Eddie Murray – 39, last good season
Cal Ripken – 39, decline phase
George Brett – 39, decline phase
Paul Waner – 39, hanging on
Robin Yount – 36, decline phase
Tony Gwynn – 39, playing well
Alex Rodriguez – 39, decline phase
Dave Winfield – 41, decline phase
Craig Biggio – 41, hanging on
Ichiro Suzuki – 42, hanging on
Rickey Henderson – 42, hanging on
Rod Carew – 39, decline phase
Lou Brock – 40, decline phase (but good final season)
Rafael Palmeiro – 40, decline phase
Wade Boggs – 41, decline phase
Al Kaline – 39, hanging on
Roberto Clemente – 37, playing well

I skipped the early guys and just looked at post-war. Lots of subjective calls there, especially between “decline phase” and “hanging on.” Ichiro’s a special case because of his late start, and so was Clemente.

Having said that, I’d put Beltre alongside Rose, Aaron, Musial, Molitor, Murray, Gwynn, and Clemente as the 3,000-hit guys who weren’t just playing out the string to one degree or another.

Yount's a special case too. Definitely in decline, but he was still only 36, playing every day, and contributing some--and only three years removed from an MVP--so he hadn't really overstayed his welcome yet. He played one more season and retired at 37.

That led me to look up the oldest MVPs -- Bonds with 4 of the top 6, dang.

http://emulateproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Anti-Aging-Elixer-Swiss-Apple-Stem-Cell-w-Organic-Moringa-Oil-3x3-inch.png

Willie 'Decline Phase' Mays at 39 (1970) was 8th in the NL in offensive winning pct (right behind Hank 'Playing Well' Aaron), had a slash of .291/.390/.506, and hit 28 homers. The next year he led the NL in walks and OBP (112, .425).

I hate doing this, but for the second time in three or four years I'll waste my time responding to you and explain something I thought would be self-evident. 1970 Willie Mays is being compared to prime Willie Mays; ditto Hank Aaron. If you think Willie Mays in 1970 = Willie Mays in 1965 or Willie Mays in 1954, that's great. And just to anticipate your next silly comment, yes, I do realize very few players = Willie Mays in 1965 or 1954. I do get that.