Tremendous Trout

The Friday File: While Lebron James and Tom Brady are outstanding, Mike Trout may be the finest US athlete. YTD, Trout’s Wins Above Replacement, or victories attributable to him above the number expected from the best available replacement-level player, is 6.6. At this pace, it’ll be 14.5 by year end, ahead of Babe Ruth’s best WAR of 14.1 in 1923, and a number no player has come close to since.