Perhaps it's a bit premature to be saying this -- after all, we're only four games into the season -- but Brandon Belt has a legitimate shot at joining some elite company, given his excellent plate discipline.ZiPS projects Belt to hit .266/.357/.440 over the course of 516 AB in 2011, with 73 walks and an OPS+ of 113. While it's an optimistic projection, I see it as very plausible -- I have no doubts that Belt has a realistic chance of meeting, and even possibly exceeding these projected numbers. So, for the purposes of this, let's assume he meets these projections -- and let's put it into context.Firing up Baseball-Reference's Play Index tool, we see some interesting things...First of all, these are the first-year expansion-era players to have an OBP of .350+ (qualified for batting...
Brandon Belt, First-Year Players, and High Walk Rates
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