Overrated/Underrated: NL West Edition

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That's enough of the business; let's jump in. When it comes to the overrated players, there are a few things I looked at name value, underperformance, not meeting expectations, or just being plain wrong and overpaid. These are guys on their teams who you probably know but don't know their impact on the team for the underrated. As always, the posts' comments are open for you to comment on your thoughts and opinions as these are mine.

West:

1. SF Giants

   1. Overrated: The Giants, unfortunately, have two. SP Johnny Cueto and INF Evan Longoria. I remember when these guys were signed coming off their 3rd world series in 5-6 seasons. Cueto was brought in to up that rotation while Longoria was mashing in his prime. Both have dealt with numerous injuries and have been disappointments to the Giants since joining.

   2. Underrated: I would say the Giants have one man undervalued by everyone in the MLB except the Giants. That man is SS Brandon Crawford. The guy is 34, but he has only gotten better with age. He is still a gold glove caliber defender at SS. He can hit with the best of them and has genuinely been an X-Factor for the Giants this season and during their World Series runs.

2. LA Dodgers

   1. Overrated: Trevor Bauer, yes, he won the 2020 Cy Young as a member of the Reds. He reset the market value for starting pitching. However, he truly is just an above-average, metric-driven starting pitcher. Now, we see him dealing with an extreme DV case, been given eight extensions on his Administrative leave as of 9/3. Bauer's career is all but over, and so is his massive pay-day.

   2. Underrated: Max Muncy, yes, Max Muncy. The Dodgers are a loaded team with an insane payroll, and Muncy is one of the best players on the roster. Muncy has been a consistent contributor on offense his entire career and has played all over the INF. Teammates have always overshadowed Muncy in the lineup and on the field. However, he is often a player winning games for the Dodgers.

3. SD Padres

   1. Overrated: Fernando Tatis Jr., yes, El Nino is my pick for the most overrated player on the Padres. I think they extended him too young and too soon. I think it was a smart financial move on their part. But, we have already seen that the pressure to perform has led Tatis to injuries and moved from SS to RF to fit the lineup better and protect his health. In my opinion, Tatis is an overrated defender at SS, and the move to the OF is better for both the team and him. When Tatis is on the field, he is the best player on the Padres; the team doesn't have the same identity when he isn't.

   2. Underrated: Jake Cronenworth, Crone Zone as he is nick-named. Cronenworth should have been the NL Rookie of the year in 2020. The man can play SS better than Tatis, 2B better than Frazier, Kim, and most true 2B. The kid can hit the ball over the diamond and the field for power and get on base. He has a great eye, and he stays healthy and plays smart.

4. Col Rockies

   1. Overrated: Sadly, I don't think the Rockies have enough players on their roster who can genuinely be called overrated. Which is weird to say, but that's just how it is.

   2. Underrated: I genuinely think that Trevor Story is underrated, but he is the one winning games for the Rockies and has been all season. Why the Reds or another team didn't trade for him by the deadline is beyond me. Story is only 28 and a young 28 at that. He is a great hitter, hits for power, and plays a pretty good SS, with a move to 3B or 2B in his future. I think Story won't get paid as much as a Carlos Correa or Javy Baez because "oh, he played in Colorado with the elevation." However, he is the 2nd best SS coming up on the open market this winter after Corey Seager.

5. AZ Diamondbacks

   1. Overrated: Madison Bumgarner, yes Mad-Bum, the guy who led the staff of the Championship Giants for years. Since going to Arizona, he hasn't been the same and brings questions up for their coaching and if he has just lost it since leaving SF. He has been injured and just not lived up to the expectations in my eyes. He did have that unofficial no-hitter this season. Outside of that being his best highlight since moving to the desert.

   2. Underrated: Catcher Carson Kelly. He isn't a household name, and you might not have heard of him unless you are an AZ fan, play fantasy baseball, or know baseball. Kelly is a good game caller, pitch framer and has earned a lot of trust with the AZ pitching staff. He also gets it done at the plate and gets on base a ton! I think Kelly will be a key to the future of the culture and success in Arizona when they get things turned around.

Thanks for reading today, don't forget if you want some soap that will change your life. Head back up to the top and get you a thicc bricc! As always, feel free to leave a comment.