AL Positional WAR All Stars

by Mike

We're switching to the Junior Circuit now, where we have a few WAR monsters leading their positions.


C-Joe Mauer - 2.2 WAR
Mike Napoli - 1.9 WAR

Actual - Joe Mauer 2.2 WAR
Victor Martinez 1.9 WAR (Injured)
John Buck 1.4 WAR (Replacement)

We all know Mauer is the top AL catcher so there's little to say here other than he lost a bit of his power like David Wright circa 2009. He only has 4 HR this after hitting 28 HR last year. Minor upset here in putting John Buck on the team instead of Napoli. Since Jeff Mathis came back off the DL last month, Mike Scioscia has moved Napoli to 1B to keep his bat in the lineup, so it's tough to put Napoli on the team as a catcher. Buck's numbers are pretty good a catcher, with a line of .269, 13 HR, and 40 RBI. The only other people above him are Martinez and Jorge Posada (1.5 WAR). So he isn't a bad replacement, even though the rest of the league is kinda underwhelming so far.

INF - Ty Wiggington 0.4 WAR

WAR All Star - Anybody else

I'm pretty sure Marks would be more deserving that Wiggy for a spot. This is what happens when every team gets a player. His glove has cost them 8.3 runs, the worst in baseball by a margin of 2.6! For the Orioles, couldn't they just have Luke Scott and call it a day? Ben Zobrist can play multiple positions, and so can Jose Bautista and they're above AAA caliber, let alone a legit all star choice. I don't want to type about this anymore, it's making me angry.

1B -Justin Morneau 5.0 WAR
Miguel Cabrera 3.6 WAR

Actual - Justin Morneau 5.0 WAR
Miguel Cabrera - 3.6 WAR

Morneau is the leading WAR guy in baseball up to this point. Just look at these stats: hitting .345, 56 RBI, 50 BB, .618 slugging, 18 HR, 53 R, .437 OBP, 1.055 OPS. That's just insane. His glove has saved 8.0 runs this year, with the 2nd highest being Kendry Morales as 3.1 runs saved. Morneau is sure to trail off a little due to his .385 BABIP, further indicated by his LD% up 3.2% from his career average. All that suggests he won't trail off all that much, barring an extended hitting slump. Cabrera's WAR took a big hit because his glove has cost the Tigers 4.9 runs this year, 2nd worst in baseball.


2B Robinson Cano 4.3 WAR
Dustin Pedroia 3.4 WAR (Injured)
Ian Kinsler 2.3 WAR (Replacement)

Actual - Robinson Cano 4.3 WAR
Dustin Pedroia 3.4 WAR (Injured)
Ian Kinsler 2.3 WAR (Replacement)

Anybody remember when 2B was all glove? It might be after the top 5 or so in the AL, but these 3 are raking. Cano has been unbelievable so far, tied for 2nd highest WAR in baseball, behind Morneau. He's in the top 10 in average, runs, slugging, HR, OBP, and OPS. He's added an absurd 23.5 runs to the Yankees offense this year. 2nd is Pedroia, who also is having a fantastic offensive season after a few week slump at the beginning of the year. Even then, Pedroia is STILL 8.1 runs benind Cano.

SS - Alex Gonzalez 2.2 WAR
Derek Jeter 2.0 WAR

Actual - Derek Jeter 2.0 WAR
Elvis Andrus 1.9 WAR

No real breakaway players here, with 6 guys separated by 0.6 WAR. I wouldn't have minded Gonzalez and Andrus here, but I know that would never happen. It doesn't matter if Jeter ever hits poorly or punched a baby or anything like that, he'll be voted to be the starting SS for probably the rest of his career. I don't have a huge problem with Andrus over Gonzales, because I feel he's just as deserving for this spot. Andrus has done a great job with stepping in for Michael Young and is a pretty big part of the Rangers. With 16 HR as a shortstop though, it is a tad surprising Gonzalez isn't on the team. He's also on pace for career highs in R and RBI. Not a bad argument here either way (although I'm pretty sure who the blog overlord is leaning toward here).


3B - Evan Longoria 3.5 WAR
Adrian Beltre 3.5 WAR
Michael Young 2.3 WAR

Actual - Evan Longoria 3.5 WAR
Adrian Beltre 3.5 WAR
Alex Rodriguez 2.2 WAR

Longoria and Beltre are well ahead of everybody else and they're already talked about in length, so I'll pass here. I finally have something to critique her with A-Rod making the team. It would've been great to have Young make the team, but there was no way Joe Girardi was not going to pass on his own player. Young is hitting .306, 12 HR, 53 R, and 56 RBI. Rodriguez is hitting .273, 14 HR, 43 R, and 67 RBI. Not a huge difference, I know but it's more of a personal preference here; I just feel Young is more deserving this year. If they wanted to cheat the system, they could've added Youkilis as their 3B (even though he has 3 games there this year) but there's no way Girardi would've taken a Sox over a Yank.


DH - Vladimir Guererro 2.5 WAR
David Ortiz 1.8 WAR

Actual - Vladimir Guererro 2.5 WAR
David Ortiz 1.8 WAR

Vlad is another great story this year. I though his career was basically done after last year. I would just get sad seeing him attempting to run the bases. I was waiting for both knees to buckle and he'd never be able to walk again. Now, he's hitting .330, with 19 HR, 54 R, and an impressive RBI. Ortiz was an easy pick here too. Nobody else really challenged for the second spot.


OF -Carl Crawford 4.3 WAR
Josh Hamilton 4.1 WAR
Alex Rios 3.0 WAR
Torii Hunter 2.9 WAR
Ichiro Suzuki 2.9 WAR
Ben Zobrist 2.9 WAR

Actual - Carl Crawford 4.3 WAR
Josh Hamilton 4.1 WAR
Torii Hunter 2.9 WAR
Ichiro Suzuki 2.9 WAR
Vernon Wells 2.4 WAR
Jose Bautista 2.2 WAR

Crawford's WAR is tied with Cano for 2nd in baseball. He tops Hamilton in WAR due to saving 15.2 runs this year with his glove, tops among OF and 4.8 above 2nd place Ichiro. Hamilton is up there due to adding a sick 28.6 runs of offense. Rios has a legitimate gripe about not making the team. He's been a solid hitter all year, and he also has 22 SB, so he'd be a good piece to have on this team. He could have easily made it over either of his former Toronto teammates. Especially Bautista, because if he's not hitting home runs, he's worthless. He's good at playing bad defense at multiple positions, which is nice, I guess. He's had 9 RBI since the start of June and hitting a robust .238. Yuck.

Ok that's all I got. Not all too much to complain about here, at least for position players. Don't worry, I'm going to have a field day with the pitching roster.


Joseph Arthur - In The Sun