AL AWARDS
Gold Glove
P – Mark Buehrle, CWS
C – Matt Wieters, BAL
1B – Adrian Gonzalez, BOS
2B – Dustin Pedroia, BOS
SS – Alexei Ramirez, CWS
3B – Evan Longoria, TB
LF – Brett Gardner, NYY
CF – Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS
RF – David DeJesus, OAK
Rookie of the Year
8) 1B Mark Trumbo, LAA
.254/.291/.477, OPS: .768, wOBA: .327, wRC+: 105, fWAR = 2.3, rWAR = 2.1
Trumbo proved to be a solid replacement for Kendry Morales. He played solid defense and showed great power. However, if wants to have a spot on a future lineup, he will have to get his walk rate up. His power, even if he is 25, was the best of the rookie class.
7) LF Desmond Jennings, TB
.259/.351/.440, OPS: .791, wOBA: .353, fWAR = 2.4, rWAR = 2.3
Jennings had an up and down season, but he cranked it up in the second half. His speed is a weapon on defense and on the bases. His OPS is excellent and he is on the verge of stardom. However, he only played in just over 60 games, so it is tough to rank him higher.
6) RHP Jeremy Hellickson, TB
13-10, ERA: 2.95, xFIP: 4.72, K/BB: 1.63, fWAR = 1.4, rWAR = 4.2
Hellickson was a top prospect who did not disappoint with a sub-3 ERA. However, he out-pitched his peripherals by a lot. Like…a whoooole lot. It is tough to personally rate him higher when the difference is that significant.
5) RHP Ivan Nova, NYY
16-4, ERA: 3.70, xFIP: 4.16, K/BB: 1.72, fWAR = 2.7, rWAR = 3.5
Nova out-pitched his peripherals, but not nearly as badly as Hellickson did. The K/BB was a little better, and the fWAR was significantly better.
4) 3B Brett Lawrie, TOR
.293/.373/.580, OPS: .953, wOBA: .413, wRC+: 163, fWAR = 2.7, rWAR = 2.8
He played in 43 games. If he had played in 100 with these numbers, he would run away with the award. In a small sample size, it could be a fluke. But if it isn’t, great googily boogily, that could be close to a 10 WAR season. As a rookie. If he is for real, he is fast-tracking to the Hall of Fame. Which is why I say “heed the small sample size.” That said, he will probably be a monster. Toronto robbed Milwaukee blind on this one.
3) 2B Dustin Ackley, SEA
.273/.348/.417, OPS: .765, wOBA: .340, wRC+: 117, fWAR = 2.7, rWAR = 2.5
Solid defender, steady bat with decent pop. At age 23, he is only improving. A good first year, and he will surely be better next season.
2) RHP Michael Pineda, SEA
9-10, ERA: 3.73, xFIP: 3.53, K/BB: 3.15, fWAR: 3.4, rWAR = 2.8
The most impressive rookie pitcher had to be Pineda. His K/BB rate shames the other rookies, and he has done it age 22. The other rookies look like top of the rotation guys, but Pineda is a pure ace and future All-Star on a consistent basis.
1) Winner: 1B Eric Hosmer, KC
.293/.334/.465, OPS: .799, wOBA: .342, wRC+: 114, fWAR = 1.6, rWAR = 1.3
The NLBA’s AL ROY. The lowest WAR on the list, and yet he takes the award? Well, the 21 year old played in 128 games, and as a result, is at or around the top of every category, even SBs. The reason his WAR is so low is an atrocious defensive record. Despite his high offensive numbers (he needs to improve his walk rate to become a superstar), his defense is apparently Prince Fielder bad. He is lauded for his agility, picks at first, and size at first base…yet his UZR was enough to cost a full win. Somehow, I haven’t seen that costly play. This is the next all-around superstar.
Cy Young
5) James Shields, TB
16-12, ERA: 2.82, xFIP: 3.25, K/BB: 3.46, fWAR = 4.9, rWAR = 6.1
Shields had a terrible time with BABIP in 2010, but this year, the pendulum swung the other way, and Big Game James had all sorts of luck. His BABIP was .258 this season! That helped out the ERA quite a bit. Better lucky than good, I include Shields to remind us all that pitchers are nothing more than pawns in the BABIP dragon’s sinister game. Then again, the addition of a cutter may have helped.
4) Dan Haren, LAA
16-10, ERA: 3.17, xFIP: 3.29, K/BB: 5.82 fWAR = 6.4, rWAR = 4.0
One could argue that this Angel had the better season. Fangraphs WAR certainly says so, but a .76 ERA difference on the same team leads me to the conclusion that Danny Haren was the #2. Haren didn’t dominate hitters, but he did make them walk. He made them walk a whole hell of a lot. Cliff Lee type K/BB…just outstanding—and league leading.
3) Jered Weaver, LAA
18-8, ERA: 2.41, xFIP: 3.81, K/BB: 3.54, fWAR = 5.6, rWAR = 6.6
The glamour numbers are fantastic. The BABIP was .250 even, which suggests regression next season. However, it isn’t unusual for pitchers with Weaver’s pure stuff to generate lower BABIPs. Weaver is an excellent pitcher, but he was not an elite K guy this season, or an elite control guy—not to mention all the peripherals indicate serious luck: low GB rate, low HR rate, high LOB %. Obviously an amazing year, though.
2) C.C. Sabathia, NYY
19-8, ERA: 3.00, xFIP: 3.02, K/BB: 3.77, fWAR = 7.1, rWAR = 6.9
The highest fWAR among AL pitchers, which tends to point out the flaw in fWAR, which is based entirely on peripheral stats. Still, C.C. was phenomenal this year, and the peripherals tell me that he is basically due for another Cy Young. The luck will go his way, the Yankees will generate the necessary offense, and it will happen.
1) Justin Verlander, DET
24-5, ERA: 2.40, xFIP: 3.12, K/B: 4.39, fWAR = 7.0, rWAR = 8.5
Wow. I know wins are pure glamour, but…wow. 24 is special. That ERA, aided by a .236 BABIP, is special. Verlander dominated guys this year in a way that seemed new. I think he may have benefited from the AL Central competition, but the results of the year are undeniable. He may have been the most valuable player in the game.
Honorable Mentions: C.J. Wilson, Doug Fister, Josh Beckett
MVP
5) 2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
.307/.387/.474, OPS: .861, wOBA: .377, wRC+: 134, fWAR = 8.0, rWAR = 6.8
Great play out of the 2B for yet another season. Given that Ian Kinsler wasn’t far behind despite a terrible BABIP, he may overtake Pedroia next year. And Cano is still playing. But even in Boston’s fall-apart year, Dustin was the man this year. Defense, hitting, total bases, he was great.
4) Curtis Granderson, NYY
.262/.364/.552, OPS: .916, wOBA: .394, wRC+: 146, fWAR = 7.0, rWAR = 5.2
Granderson was one of only two guys to top 40 HRs this season, and in the Yankees lineup, that makes you plenty productive. 119 RBI leads the league. I’m not entirely sure why he is in CF and Gardner is in LF given the fact that Brett covers more ground, but Curtis has that going for his value. It doesn’t hurt that he was part of a team in the playoffs, and his wins were exceptionally valuable.
3) CF Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS
.321/.376/.552, OPS: .928, wOBA: .402, wRC+: 150, fWAR = 9.4, rWAR = 7.2
Ellsbury EXPLODED this season. Not only are his offensive numbers extraordinary (32 HRs??? DAMN!) for a man his size, but his defense was extraordinary, and he totaled bases like there was no tomorrow. I figured he was an MVP shoe-in, but given the Boston fall-off, I can’t give the award to a Red Sox player.
2) Jose Bautista, TOR
.302/.447/.608, OPS: 1.055, wOBA: .441, wRC+: 181, fWAR = 8.3, rWAR = 8.5
Highest WAR in the AL, and I give him second place. It is the accumulated value vs. team with value argument, and I keep letting the latter win. Still, Joey Bats went proved the “one year wonder” talk to be wrong. He led the league in HRs with 43, and his walk rate (20.2%) was absurd. The next closest guy in the AL was at 15.7%, and he is next on the list. If you are going to score runs, you have to get on base, and slug. Joey did that the best this year. His down-side was his defense, which kept him from being so elite I HAVE TO give him the award.
1) Winner: Miguel Cabrera, DET
.344/.448/.586, OPS: 1.034, wOBA: .436, wRC+: 177, fWAR = 7.3, rWAR = 7.1
You’ll notice the WAR is lower. You’ll also notice the offensive numbers are better than anyone except Bautista, and that is a close race. You’ll also note that the next closest 1B in WAR is Adrian Gonzalez—because 1B drains your WAR. The actual production was the best season an elite player has totaled in his career. While his defense was sub-par, like Bautista, the numbers are close enough to consider the playoff factor. He deserves the award, and this is the season to give it to him. The efforts of Verlander and Cabrera led this team.
Honorable Mention: SP Justin Verlander, 3B Evan Longoria, 2B Ian Kinsler, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, LF Alex Gordon
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