started over at MVN is drawing plenty of responses across the net. so might as well start here.

http://tinyurl.com/2td26v

It's a pretty silly apples and orange debate as we're pretty positve that Cano could stay at 2B while Upton probably will never be back in the middle infield. they suit their teams perfectly as the Yankees have more trouble finding good players in scarce positions while the Rays simply need good players period .

Still though , seperating the comparason would be interesting, what do people really see in those two going foward?

Cano has essentially blown away all expectations in a way that only Albert Pujols probably surpases , I'm pretty sure Dave Cameron over at USS Mariners still cringe about that .280/.320/.400 player with terrible D in his prime comment in early 05. but it wasn't exactly unfounded at that point. still...

with essentially 3 pretty stable seasons under his belt Cano seems pretty easy to project, people laughed their arse off at the Rod Carew comp by Torre back in 05 but that seems very realistic right now. he's like Carew without the speed but more power.

River Ave Blues did a good search a few days back on Cano. essentially putting him up against all 2Bs in MLB history at the same age stage in terms of OPS+. and Cano is in the very very top echolon.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/jzHQ

Looking at this is pretty shocking, as Cano has essentially destroyed all non - Morgan / Carew / Baerga post war players. he actually has more hits / HR than both Morgan and Carew at the same stage (in less game too!) and just about everyone else for that matter save two guys... Baerga and Alomar.. Alomar mostly because he played more game.

the obvious sticking point in all this is Carlos Baerga, who just bombed after the age of 27. Roberto Alomar also declined sooner than expected. which seem to be the biggest worry right now. but still, on the list the 5 players above him only one player isn't in the hall, and he probably should be (Larry Doyle, a guy the vet committe probably missed ) of the guys blow him. it's still loaded with HOFer or should be HOFers ( Molitor , Sandberg, Frisch, Doerr, Alomar, Herman , Rose , ... yes he's hitting rate is better than PETE ROSE at the same stage)

It seems that if Cano can keep it together. he's  on track to cooperstown even at this stage!

BJ Upton is a harder case. talent wise (hitting anyway ) he's obviously above Cano, but not being sure of where he's going to stick on the diamond and that he's only had one very good season so far makes it hard to project. in terms of skillset he reminds me of Curtis Granderson (but then, that's essentially the text book toolsy black CF :P) he's better than Granderson.. but I can't see him taking to the next level of toolsy CF with awsome skillz... IE Ken Griffey Jr / Willie Mays ... or even Gary Sheffield (which is a good comp considering the position moves)... the difference is that those guys almost never whiffs. they were scary beyond all belive.. they were... errr what people thought Jim Rice was. :P

I'm having a hard time finding a reasonable comp for BJ Upton right now he's going to whiff. he might improve it but I don't thikn anyone would belive that he can take it to the Griffey / Mays / Sheffield level . maybe he could be Grady Sizemore? thats the problem though, these type seem to be a new breed of players. it's hard to find a reasonable comp in the past. Granderson .. Sizemore.. these guys are going to whiff, but they're also going to get on base hit for power and steal.

Anyone have a good idea ? finding a good comp for that type of hitter in the past?