What’s Wrong With Adrian Beltre?

Adrian Beltre – (Photo J. Collander)

As many of you know, Adrian Beltre is one of my favorite players, if not my favorite, so I don’t like writing this article, but if you have watched at all this season it has been obvious that Adrian Beltre is just not the same player that he once was so far in 2014. Adrian Beltre is batting .254/.338/.333 with 0 home runs and 6 RBI so far in 2014. His career numbers are .282/.334/.477, with an average of 27 home runs and 97 RBI per season. To make matters worse, his average RAR in the American League (runs above replacement) for his career is 51.8, and his RAR so far for 2014 is -1. His American League WAR (wins above replacement) for his career is 5.3, and for 2014 it is -0.1.

Defensively he is not himself either. He has already committed 5 errors in just 16 games, and his fielding percentage is .872 (his career fielding percentage is .957). He does not look right to me, and Kevin Kouzmanoff didn’t help his WAR and RAR. So are we seeing a downward trend on the former All-Star third baseman, or are we seeing a slow start to the 2014 season? That is the million dollar question when it comes to the 35-year-old Texas Rangers third baseman.

Here is what I think: I think that Adrian Beltre is going to have an Adrian Beltre type season when it is all said and done in 2014. When he gets hot (and he will), I believe that he is going to go on a monster streak where he cannot be stopped either in the field or at the plate. His legs are not what they used to be, but after all the rest he had leading up to the season and then the 15 day DL stint, I think that Adrian Beltre is just getting started the best is yet to come. I just think he is still a premier third baseman, and I for one am not willing to give up on him just yet.

What do you think? Are we seeing the end of Adrian Beltre’s dominance, or just a slow start to the season? Feel free to leave your comments below, on Facebook or on Twitter for either me or NolanWritin.

*All stats are from BaseballReference.com.