Oh Yeah, There's Also Manny Machado

If this were any other time, that is any time that weren't the time of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, it would be the time of Manny Machado.

We would be writing paeans to Machado, who left the yard 32 times last season, swiped 20 bags, made the All-Star team, earned MVP votes, sucked up everything at the hot corner and turned all of 23 years old.

Of course, most of that wasn't new. He's been a vacuum cleaner at third for a trio of campaigns. He's made two All-Star squads, earned MVP votes after two seasons and led baseball in doubles his freshman year, at age 20.

He's contributed almost 18 WAR already, entering his fourth season. For perspective, that's the career WAR of Gorman Thomas, who slugged 30+ homers five times in his 13-year career. (Okay, no it's not. Thomas piled up another 1.7 WAR after his long stint with the Brewers, putting him two WAR ahead of Machado. So just wait an hour and come back so that Manny has time to catch up.)

Machado could become the greatest third baseman in Baltimore history, which is saying something when the incumbent in the position is not just a Hall of Famer, but generally regarded as the greatest defensive third baseman of all time.

The point is, we have this guy playing baseball right now who is a five-tool superstar just barely old enough to buy a beer. And we never talk about him because it's the time of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.