Arizona Diamondbacks: Exploring the Underappreciated Stardom of Paul Goldschmidt

Back in April, I wrote an article naming Paul Goldschmidt the best first baseman in the MLB.

Well, 57 games into the 2015 season, not only do I wholeheartedly stand by that statement, I want to take it a step further. Paul Goldschmidt is a phenomenal all-around player and deserves to be in the conversation with Mike Trout and Bryce Harper as the best player in all of baseball.

At 27 years of age, he is a bit more seasoned than Trout and Harper, but he is still more young than old. Goldy does not have an outgoing personality like Harper or make highlight-reel plays like Trout, but he is as consistent as they come.

Fans might not fully appreciate what Goldschmidt brings to the table, but they should. Just ask Diamondbacks chief baseball officer and three-time World Series-winning manager Tony La Russa. Here is what he said recently via Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic.

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I watched him in 2011, as a neutral. Now, for over a year, I have seen this man on the field. But more importantly is that everything else about him is absolutely perfect: the way he prepares, his intensity, the way he communicates with teammates, his desire to win a championship and the goodness of his soul.

I will flat out tell you without any hesitation—and I think my opinion has some weight—he is right there, as good as any position player in uniform today. Because there's nobody better than Paul Goldschmidt.

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I think we can agree that Mr. La Russa knows what he's talking about. Goldschmidt is the total package; he hits for average, he hits for power, he plays great defense, he steals bases and he is just a tremendous person.

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Yes, you read that right—it says tremendous person. Even as he has developed into a star, he is still humble, selfless and modest to the point of overdoing it.

Bickley outlines a perfect example of Goldschmidt's personality in that same article.

Playing in a small market like Arizona, there isn't as much glamour or publicity as there is in other markets, like Los Angeles, New York, etc. Recognizing this fact, the Diamondbacks organization promised Goldy that they would do everything they could to publicize the two-time All-Star.

Goldschmidt said fine, but on one condition: that the club offer the same opportunities for the other deserving players on the roster.

That might not seem like much, but that kind of attitude is admirable. How can one not fall in love with a guy as talented as Goldy still thinking of others before himself?

But if that's not enough, his effectiveness at the plate might be able to convince you.

Goldschmidt is currently hitting .343 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI. He leads the National League in runs scored and total bases, and he leads all of MLB in on-base percentage. His 1.116 OPS trails only Bryce Harper for the highest in baseball.

However, while those numbers are certainly impressive, the way in which pitchers are pitching around him has been even more spectacular. Goldy has already drawn a league-leading 15 intentional walks so far this year, which is a testament to how much fear he instills in his opponents.

Norm Hall/Getty Images

And even when he's not being put on intentionally, he's still getting pitched around at an extremely high clip.

He has swung at pitches out of the strike zone only 23.6 percent of the time, per FanGraphs, which ranks 21st in baseball, ahead of Harper, Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Nelson Cruz and many other superstars.

In a span of only three days earlier this month, Goldschmidt walked four times in two separate games. With a lineup that will likely never be called potent this season, Goldschmidt will probably not get many good pitches to hit, and that walk total will increase.

Before every at-bat, Goldschmidt will have to decide whether or not the situation calls for him to expand the strike zone in an attempt to put the ball in play and drive in runs. Again, La Russa has confidence that his talented first baseman will be alright. 

"It's a very delicate balance," La Russa said via Bickley. "But he's really, really smart, and he'll make those adjustments."

So Goldschmidt not only has endless ability in every aspect of the game, he is also smart, selfless and humble. What's not to like about him?

Who cares that he plays in Arizona. America, open your eyes and stop overlooking this guy, Paul Goldschmidt is the real deal.