Matt Holliday or Ryan Braun?

[yankeebiscuitfan]

Especially now that Holliday has lost his appendix.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

I think Braun is the better team player. Just a thought.

[CoreyR]

This is not even comparable. Braun easily put up MVP numbers his rookie season and can do it any given season. He is an absolutely stud. I'd take Braun any day over Holliday. Even if the day was a holiday. *pun*

[Old Sweater]

Want to mention that Holliday worked hard to become an adequate left fielder. He done Dante Bichette impersonations his first 3 years. Holliday I believe is the first slugger to leave Coors Field young enough to prove he can hit at any ballpark or altitude.

I agree with Wilson about the pick. Holliday right now and perhaps Braun in the future.

[diehardbrewgirl]

2007: (Holliday).428wOBA 150wRC+ 5.2 UZR vs. (Braun) .422wOBA 155wRC+ and -27.7 UZR
Year goes to Holliday

I think for the year 2007 you really need to consider that Braun wasn't called up until the end of May and he still put up those stellar numbers for his rookie season, and he was playing third base. Compared to his defense at third, he has definitely improved since he was switched to left field.

[diehardbrewgirl]

doesn't matter in the slightest when he was called up...

As far as improving, i don't know what to say, he's got a bottom 3 worst range of any every day left fielder in baseball.

Holliday hit 36 homeruns in 158 gameswhile Braun hit 34 in only 113. Their batting averages were nearly identical, I don't see how Holliday was so much more spectacular offensively... his BA was .340 as opposed to Braun's .324 in 2007 so yes it does matter that he didn't play the first two months of the season. Not really that much of a difference between their numbers offensively if you look them up.

I know Braun doesn't have the best defense, every Brewer fan is aware of it, but he puts up just as good of numbers as Holliday.

[WilsonC]

Well, looking at their wRC+ since Braun came into the league, Holliday does edge out Braun at 148 to 144, but that's not enough of a difference to draw any meaningful conclusions about their comparative offense. I'd still take Holiday over the short term due to difference in defense, but the difference in their offensive numbers borders on trivial once you adjust for context.

[diehardbrewgirl]

The question asked "Who would you rather have?" not "Who is the better player?". I think you're missing the point of the question and are thinking too hard about this. When the question asks who you'd rather have on your team of course age and contracts are going to be a factor, not necessarily just their skill.

[Old Sweater]

Braun could improve his defense like Holliday did. Like I said, he was gosh awful his first 3 seasons in LF.

Either is a big plus for any team.

Holliday had much more team value in 2007 then Braun. Don't cherry pick on the HR number of the two.