Arizona Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart calls Paul Goldschmidt the ‘best player in the game’

To say Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is good at baseball would be akin to associating water with wetness. It’s obvious.

But to D-backs general manager Dave Stewart, Goldschmidt is so much more than simply a quality baseball player.

Stewart joined Bickley and Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Friday and discussed the reasons why he believes Goldschmidt is the best player in baseball.

“I’ve watched him day-in and day-out, I’ve watched the things that he’s capable of doing and the things that he does on a day-to-day basis stealing bases, getting clutch hits, driving in runs, hitting home runs, playing defense,” Stewart said.

“He’s the best all-around player, in my opinion, in the game.”

Despite being a two-time All-Star and one-time Gold Glove and Silver Slugger recipient, Goldschmidt is the unassuming face of a franchise largely devoid of marquee names and spotlight personalities.

Goldschmidt is second in the Majors this season in walks (48) and RBI (49) and no worse than third in the National League in hits (74), home runs (17) and batting average (.349). He ranks first among all National League first basemen in votes for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game.

Yet, while he may not be the sexy name with the flashy game, Goldschmidt’s impact on the D-backs is far from lost on Stewart, who highlighted the 27-year-old’s Yeoman’s work ethic as the secret to his success.

“He goes after it, he works hard, he’s a hard worker, I think that he motivates guys around him, he makes the guys around him better,” Stewart said. “Without seeing him on a day-to-day basis, you really don’t understand how good a player he is.”