You certainly do. And I am aware of baseballsavant. I was just quickly looking at the stats you mentioned, and responding to those specifically in as direct a manner and as expeditiously as I could. For that, Statmuse was the most efficient. We differ in opinion. I would take Burleson over Benson or Fraley. Again, not taking into consideration (a) whether he is even on the market (b) what the cost would be to acquire (c) his (Burleson’s) current contract status.
But now you moved the goalposts so to speak and added additional facts you didn’t mention initially, which is fine.
Strikeouts: Burleson 47 strikeouts in 323 AB. Benson has 52 strikeouts in 165 AB. I could be wrong, but I believe Burleson’s strikeout ratio is less than Benson’s, given these numbers from Statmuse.
Burleson has 25 walks this season. Benson has 12 walks.
As for stolen bases, I think it is fair to say Elly is in no danger from either one! Burleson has 4 stolen bases this year. Benson has 1. As to their respective 40 times or 60 times, whatever, I have no idea.
I was there for the . It was hot. I think my shins and my eyes were both sweating. They ran out of ice BEFORE the game even started. Everyone sat on the 1st base side:
I am putting this to rest. I asked the almighty Grok, praise be he/she, and this is what Grok’s conclusion was:
Conclusion
Alec Burleson is the best baseball player among the three as of the 2025 season, based on his 2024 performance (.269 AVG, 21 HRs, 78 RBIs) and ability to play every day with elite contact skills. His 2.5 WAR and versatility across positions give him the edge. Jake Fraley is a close second, offering consistent offense and speed but limited by injuries and platoon splits. Will Benson trails due to his high strikeout rate and inconsistent production, though his athleticism and 2025 Triple-A stats suggest untapped potential.
If you prioritize power and everyday play, Burleson is the pick. If speed and on-base skills in a platoon role are key, Fraley edges out. Benson’s upside is tantalizing but unproven.
I’m not gonna put it past the Cardinals FO, but we’d be crazy to trade Burleson to a division rival unless we got an insane return for him. Personally I don’t want to trade him period.
ESPN has some proposed trades for the Reds. I don’t know if this was written before or after Suarez’ being hit in the hand (xray negative) but if we can get him for the 2 minor leaguers proposed, even as a rental, I say go for it. Again this is proposed by ESPN. I’m just posting them here.
Suarez to the Reds for Single A starter Ty Floyd and Triple A reliever Zach Maxwell. Bluesman response-hell yes!
Luis Robert Jr to the Reds. Doesn’t say who the Reds would have to give up. But I like the next OF trade much better.
Taylor Ward to the Reds. Reds send Adam Serwinowski and Connor Phillips to the Angels. Bluesman response-like this almost as much as the Suarez proposed trade.
Any of those would be OK with me. Ken Brew was interviewing some "expert and he wanted to trade a starting pitcher for the best hitter they could get. I do not think we have anybody available right now that could replace one of our starters. I think there are 3 guys who started this year out with injuries and I don’t think any of them would be available right now. So can’t trade a starter. If we get one, I would want them to send Burns back to the minors. Great prospect as he shows with all his strikeouts but clueless about how to pitch at this level as demonstrated by his ERA and short starts. This is good experience for his future but he is killing our postseason chances.
Detroit has made a couple of Dollar Store acquisitions so far, and I don’t see them compromising their prospect pipeline to bring in a bigger name. They have a lot of trust in Chris Fetter’s ability to fix pitchers and are probably counting on Kerry Carpenter’s return to bolster the offense. I’m not sure that’s enough for October, but hopefully I’ll get to find out.
Ty Floyd has been out with injury for 2 months and a few weeks ago they announced he was done for the season. Can always count on ESPN to half-ass it when it comes to the Reds.
I’d prefer Ward as he’s not a FA until after next season. That trade suggestion is pretty good.
Trading for a player who leaves after this season is a waste imo, especially anyone good enough to help where you lose good prospects. They’re not in the same league as LA, Cubs, or Brewers. Would be nice to make the playoffs I guess, only to get all the young guys some experience and maybe you surprise someone in the first round.
I hope the Reds make it. From watching Detroit last year, I think getting that playoff appearance is really good for a young core group not only to validate that they’re talented but to show them what else they have to work on to get to the contender level. Cincinnati has some potentially great young players who could get even better with that kind of experience and motivation for off-season work.
. It was hot. I think my shins and my eyes were both sweating. They ran out of ice BEFORE the game even started. Everyone sat on the 1st base side:
