The man, the myth, the legend. A one-time MVP, two-time Silver Slugger, and four-time All-Star. Former Miami Marlin, who demolished 59 bombs to the edge of the Andromeda Galaxy in the 2017 season. A man who’s constantly criticized for being “made of glass” and “striking out too much.” His name is Giancarlo Stanton.
In his career, Stanton has slashed .269/.358/.548/.906 with a .382 wOBA, 142 wRC+, and a 39.4 fWAR in 4900 plate appearance. Stanton is overlooked as an individual who has no business “playing defense.” The fact is, however, Stanton has saved 49 runs and accumulated a 37.8 ultimate zone rating in 9003 innings played. Stanton possesses a cannon of an arm and prospers in the outfield with plenty of range.
So, where does that lead us? Why are some individuals so reluctant and against Stanton playing the field? Why do some individuals only criticize Stanton for striking out, but greatly ignore a huge chunk of production? Why do some individuals ignore that Stanton played 158 games in 2018 and only started encountering issues with his health as of recently?
I can’t necessarily solve global peace and convince these types of folks otherwise, but I can predict one scenario: Stanton will be a force to be reckoned with in 2020.
According to Steamer from Fangraphs, Stanton is predicted to slash .268/.355/.591/.946 with a .385 wOBA and a 143 wRC+. Depth Charts and ZiPS, which are additional prediction tools utilized by Fangraphs, also expect Stanton to produce around the .370-.378 range in terms of wOBA and the 133-138 range in terms of wRC+. These types of numbers would indicate that Stanton is expected to hit at an above-average level.
While his defense isn’t expected to be anything less than below average, his offensive firepower is expected to be equivalent to past seasons where he produced at an above-average level. Also, nobody outside of the New York Yankees organization is entirely sure if Stanton will play the field or if his main role will be as a designated hitter.
Flashback to his past defensive metrics, Stanton deserves a chance to play the field. At the bare minimum, if Stanton stays healthy and focuses on hitting during the 2020 season, the Yankees will be in good hands with a reliable power bat.
Here’s another reason why Stanton will be a force: Stanton has been swinging the bat effectively since summer camp and was a prime factor in the New York Yankees’ first win of the 2020 season.
During the opening day game against the Washington Nationals, Stanton recorded a 2-run bomb that traveled well beyond the speed of light and drove in an additional RBI. Altogether, Stanton recorded 2 hits against an elite Max Scherzer. By a wide margin, that’s nothing to complain about.
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Since these stats won’t remain for obvious reasons, as of this moment, Stanton is slashing .667/.667/1.667/2.333 with a 1.011 wOBA and a 391 wRC+. Now, tell me why you wouldn’t want that caliber of efficiency your lineup? Exactly.
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