?
What are you basing it on then? Higher OPS, higher SLG%, Higher BA, more RBI, more HRs... And he didn't have a pedestrian last month like Trout did. Defense? Stolen bases? Educate me.
hitting, defense, baserunning. Basically the complete package.
Hitting. The best statistic to look at is wRC+. It is like OPS but it is adjusted for park, adjusted for league and weighted correctly. It is adjusted to be easy to read, about 100 is avg. (actually 96 this year).
Trout leads the Majors in hitting with a 175 wRC+. Cabrera is 3rd at 166 (well basically 2nd, braun is at 167). So by the best offensive statistic out there, Trout is the better hitter.
Ok then lets look at baserunning, just by looking at stolen bases alone (
Trout 48 sb, 4 cs and Cabrera 4 sb and 1 cs). Not to mention Trout being able to go first to third on a single etc... (don't have the numbers in front of me but I think we can all agree that trout is the much better baserunner). I mean come on, 48 sbs and only 4 cs! come on.
And now fielding. Both CF and 3B are important defensive positions. (catcher being the most important and then SS and then after that CF/2B/3B). Now from scouting reports and from statistics like Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved,
Trout is considered a above average fielder and Cabrera a below average defender.
So what I see when I research it is that
Trout is the superior hitter (not by much), superior baserunner (not even close) and the superior fielder (not even close). This shouldn't even be a debate. Trout should be unanimous. And about the team performance deal (lets just ignore that the angels have the better record and the tigers would be in 4th place in the AL west), if Cabrera was a above avg fielder like trout and a great baserunner like trout I have a feeling the tigers would have already clinched.
the only thing Cabrera has over Trout is that he has played more games, and that should absolutely be weighed in the "debate". but its just not enough to push him over the top.
