ESPN’s Fun Index: Where does Goldschmidt rank among All-Stars?
Jul 12, 2016, 8:00 AM | Updated: 9:16 am
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) jokes with Colorado Rockies first base coach Eric Young in the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 25, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The MLB All-Star game is full of the greatest players from around the league. Each carry with them their own way of playing the game.
ESPN senior writer David Schoenfield made a list of the top All-Stars that would be the most fun for him to watch and even though the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt isn’t the loudest guy on the field, his abilities alone still ranked him high on Schoenfield’s list.
13. Paul Goldschmidt — The quiet superstar. When I talked to his Diamondbacks teammates this spring, the universal comment was how smart he is, always one step ahead of everyone else. That’s a reason he has stolen over 30 bases the past two seasons even though he’s not that fast, why he’s so good in the field, and why he’s one of the best hitters in the game.
Having already been chosen by Sports Illustrated writer Cliff Corcoran as the D-backs top draft pick in franchise history and only 28 years old, Goldschmidt has made a name for himself in the desert and around the majors with time still on his side.
A two-time Silver Slugger and Gold Glove award winner, Goldschmidt has always been the type that lets his play do the talking instead of his mouth. This season, Goldschmidt is batting .297 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI. His on-base percentage is .417 and he has stolen 11 bases.
A year ago, he ended up second in the NL MVP voting, only behind the Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper.
Since making his MLB debut in 2011, Goldschmidt has averaged .299 with 131 home runs and 470 RBI. His career OBP is .398 and he has 78 stolen bases.
