#TBT- Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers
@Hoover__26 May 19
If I go around the MLB looking for 37 year olds who are coming off three consecutive seasons in which they were top 15 in MVP voting (two of the three were top 10), while playing one of the hardest defensive positions in the game, Adrian Beltre will probably be the first one to jump out. As a multi-time Platinum Glove winner with 4 Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers, Beltre is clearly one of the best in the league. But the most amazing thing about it is, he really isn’t declining. Every season, people say that Beltre’s age is going to catch up with him, and while he isn’t coming close to his personal best of 48 homers in a season, he is still producing on an elite level. And, after starting the season batting .271 with 7 home runs and 27 RBIs, this week’s #TBT looks to be on his way to another big, father time defying year.
Want to learn how to play baseball? Watch this guy. A coach once told me that Beltre is able to continually hit the ball with such power as things like bat speed decline because he has the “best knee drive in the game”. His signature off-the-knees homer comes after he drives his rear knee so far and violently forward that he has no choice but to kneel as he finishes his swing. His swing looks like it was designed by a computer program, as it incorporates every little thing that lesser hitters try to achieve (I know, this is starting to sound like a #MCM). As his knee drives towards the ball, it forces his hips to twist, which then drives his hands at the ball (you will never see a Beltre plate appearance the same again once you watch for this, if you haven’t already). All of this goes into every one of his 420 career dingers, which is 4th on the active list (hint on the other three if you are curious: one is retiring at the end of the year, one is an Angel, and one was Biogenesis of America’s #1 customer). On the defensive side, Beltre is top 15 all time in Defensive Wins Above Replacement, and 5th all time in assists at third base (baseball-reference.com).
Beltre has been a fantasy darling for years now, and will continue to warrant a high pick as long as he’s still suiting up. He is currently 11th in total fantasy points scored for third basemen (espn.com), and top 50 for all batters. As Beltre’s age continues to climb, more and more people decide to pass on him expecting a decline in fantasy production. However, the lower he falls, his value just goes up. If enough people sleep on him, you could get a serious draft steal. Another thing that plays in Beltre’s favor as far as fantasy is his consistency as an 18 year veteran. While someone like Kris Bryant was the higher average pick (and fantasy scorer), Beltre has had a better slugging percentage, less strikeouts, more home runs, and more runs batted in than Bryant in the current month. So, it’s very possible that Beltre has helped owners win more matchups than Bryant (I can’t verify that, but it’s possible) on the year just purely because he produces day after day. That is one of the most underrated attributes when it comes to fantasy, as more fantasy points scored doesn’t always mean more wins.
Whether you’re looking at it from a fan’s standpoint, a coach’s standpoint, or a fantasy owner’s standpoint, this week’s #TBT is surely an elite and fun to watch player. Nobody knows how long Adrian Beltre can continue to produce, but I hope we get to watch him (and roster him) for a while longer.
Want to learn how to play baseball? Watch this guy. A coach once told me that Beltre is able to continually hit the ball with such power as things like bat speed decline because he has the “best knee drive in the game”. His signature off-the-knees homer comes after he drives his rear knee so far and violently forward that he has no choice but to kneel as he finishes his swing. His swing looks like it was designed by a computer program, as it incorporates every little thing that lesser hitters try to achieve (I know, this is starting to sound like a #MCM). As his knee drives towards the ball, it forces his hips to twist, which then drives his hands at the ball (you will never see a Beltre plate appearance the same again once you watch for this, if you haven’t already). All of this goes into every one of his 420 career dingers, which is 4th on the active list (hint on the other three if you are curious: one is retiring at the end of the year, one is an Angel, and one was Biogenesis of America’s #1 customer). On the defensive side, Beltre is top 15 all time in Defensive Wins Above Replacement, and 5th all time in assists at third base (baseball-reference.com).
Beltre has been a fantasy darling for years now, and will continue to warrant a high pick as long as he’s still suiting up. He is currently 11th in total fantasy points scored for third basemen (espn.com), and top 50 for all batters. As Beltre’s age continues to climb, more and more people decide to pass on him expecting a decline in fantasy production. However, the lower he falls, his value just goes up. If enough people sleep on him, you could get a serious draft steal. Another thing that plays in Beltre’s favor as far as fantasy is his consistency as an 18 year veteran. While someone like Kris Bryant was the higher average pick (and fantasy scorer), Beltre has had a better slugging percentage, less strikeouts, more home runs, and more runs batted in than Bryant in the current month. So, it’s very possible that Beltre has helped owners win more matchups than Bryant (I can’t verify that, but it’s possible) on the year just purely because he produces day after day. That is one of the most underrated attributes when it comes to fantasy, as more fantasy points scored doesn’t always mean more wins.
Whether you’re looking at it from a fan’s standpoint, a coach’s standpoint, or a fantasy owner’s standpoint, this week’s #TBT is surely an elite and fun to watch player. Nobody knows how long Adrian Beltre can continue to produce, but I hope we get to watch him (and roster him) for a while longer.