Second Coming Of The Greats?

    Los Angeles Angels rookie center fielder Mike Trout has been taking Major League baseball by storm. In his first full season in the big leagues, Trout is generating a lot of buzz, by fans, analysts, and even other players around the league. However, controversy stems from frequent comparisons to some of the all-time greats like Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays. After hearing many of these comparisons, I've decided to do some of the math and see if the 21 year old Mike Trout really is worthy of being compared to the all-time greats this early in his career.

Mantle in 1951

    For starters, we'll be comparing Trout to the two players that he has already been associated with the most: Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. For the most fair comparison, Mike Trout's 2012 season will be compared with Mantle's 1952 season and Mays' 1951 campaign-the first full season for each.

    In 1952, Mickey Mantle posted a .311 average, 27 home runs, 87 runs batted in and 171 total hits. Mantle also scored 94 runs, drew 75 walks, and struck out 111 times.  (142 games)

    In 1951, Willie Mays ended the season with a .274 average, 20 home runs, 68 runs batted in and 127 total hits. Mays scored 59 runs, walked 57 times and struck out 60 times. (121 games)

    So far, through 89 games this season, Mike Trout has a .345 average with 20 home runs, 60 RBIs and 125 hits. He has scored 87 runs in 89 games (including a 20 game streak), walked 38 times, and struck out 85 times. He also has 36 stolen bases.

"Say Hey" Willie Mays in 1955

Since you can't really gain perspective on a full season without a full season worth or stats, I calculated Trout's projected numbers by season's end. Trout is on pace for a .344 batting average, 32 home runs, 96 RBIs, 199 hits, 139 runs scored, 61 walks, 136 strikeouts AND 57 stolen bases in 142 games. Trout is also on pace to break the American League single-season record for runs scored by a rookie-a record currently held by the great Joe DiMaggio.

   Since neither Mantle nor Mays were  consistent base stealers, let's put Trout's stolen base numbers into perspective using career stolen base king Rickey Henderson. In 1979, Henderson stole 33 bases in 89 games. In as many games so far this season, Trout has stolen 36.

    So using his projected 2012 totals, let's get some perspective on Trout's ranks among the best at the same points in their careers:

Batting Average

Trout- .344
Mantle- .311
Mays- .274

Rookie center fielder Mike Trout made
his 2012 debut for the Angels
on April 28.

Hits
Trout- 199
Mantle- 171
Mays- 127

Home Runs
Trout- 32
Mantle- 27
Mays- 20

Runs Batted In
Trout- 96
Mantle- 87
Mays- 68

Runs Scored
Trout- 139
Mantle- 94
Mays- 59

   Now, I know there's controversy because of the fact that this is the steroid era and, because of that, numbers are elevated but regardless, numbers never lie and these are great numbers. Although you can't tell whether someone will be one of the greats after one season, in comparison, Trout has the potential to do just that. I'm not saying that Trout will definitely end his career as one of the best to ever play the game, but potential is limitless, and potential doesn't always yield results, but 21 year old Mike Trout  truly seems to be a story book career in the making.