Granderson and Ordonez make USA Today's Team 2007

Granderson and Ordonez make USA Today's Team 2007:

Star production with an average payroll

January 3, 2008
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A-Rod? Got him. Big Papi? Batting cleanup. Sports Weekly shows how even a midmarket payroll could produce a star-studded team last season.

The concept, we've been led to believe, just doesn't work — or at the least is counterproductive to assembling a winning team.

But including the game's highest-paid player on a roster is something we took as a challenge as we selected Team 2007, USA TODAY Sports Weekly's annual 25-man roster of the best players of the past season in their actual roles.

This is not an all-star team but a selection by USA TODAY editors and reporters of a realistic roster, including 2007's best No. 1 starting pitcher, No. 2 starter, No. 3 starter, etc.; a bullpen with each role covered from closer to setup man to long man; a starting lineup; and a complete bench.

Plus, we add a manager, batting coach and pitching coach to honor jobs well done.

Even if it's not an all-star team, any selection of the best has to include New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, whose 54-home run, 156-RBI season put him far ahead of anyone not only at his position but for production throughout the major leagues.

One problem: A-Rod was due $23 million last year, and to keep this exercise as realistic as possible we always impose a player payroll limit. Every year we pay out only the median major league payroll for that season. In 2007, it was $84.6 million, the number halfway between the 15th- and 16th-ranked payrolls.

From Rodriguez's time with the Texas Rangers, the idea of eating up such a large portion of a team payroll with one salary is seen as a negative. After all, the Rangers finished last in the American League West in 2002, Rodriguez's previous best season of 57 homers and 142 RBI.

We think we've found an antidote, one that could save us from replacing Rodriguez on our roster with a lower-priced player. It's difficult to ignore the New York Mets' David Wright, who for $1.2 million hit .325 with 30 homers and 107 RBI.

Inevitably, we have to replace some of our original selections every year because our ideal team ends up way beyond our payroll limit. This year, though, we needed to make just one change to our roster to get below the $84.6 million and keep Rodriguez on the roster.

The magic formula is pitching — young pitching. It worked in 2006, when our 11-man pitching staff included five rookies and four players making the major league minimum salary.

This time, even with National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy leading our staff, the total pay for the 11 pitchers is $9.5 million, leaving plenty of room for a star-studded offensive cast.

Maybe there's a cautionary tale here for real general managers. Draft and develop the best young arms, run them through the roster and replace most of them before they reach high-salary status, saving most of your payroll room for hitters.

How it worked for Team 2007 which, by the way, turned out to have no mentions in the Mitchell Report:

STARTING LINEUP

Catcher

Russell Martin, Dodgers

This is our only concession to salary constraints, and it was only because our panel gave Jorge Posada of the Yankees a narrow nod to Martin after Posada hit .338 with 20 homers and 90 RBI. With as much debate as there was between the two, not to mention some sentiment for the Indians' Victor Martinez, it was easy to end up with Martin on the squad. The difference between Posada's $12 million salary and Martin's $387,000 more than got us under our payroll limit. Last year: Joe Mauer, Twins.

First base

Prince Fielder, Brewers

First base is usually a high-priced position, so we get a big break thanks to Fielder's performance. The young Milwaukee slugger, who hit 50 homers last season, gives us a league home run leader at each corner of the infield and at $415,000 a nice counterbalance to Rodriguez's price tag.
Last year: Albert Pujols, Cardinals.

Second base

Chase Utley, Phillies

Utley is the only repeat performer from last year among our offensive players and one of just two who made Team 2007 and Team 2006. Utley's all-around offense — .332, 22 homers and 103 RBI — and improving defense make him an even easier choice this year. Last year: Utley.

Shortstop

Jimmy Rollins, Phillies

Rollins completes the Philadelphia double-play combination. He probably would have been next in line to be replaced if we still needed to cut salary, especially with Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins and Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies close in performance and both under $500,000. But the NL MVP and his $8 million deservedly stay on the team. Last year: Jose Reyes, Mets.

Third base

Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

Rodriguez was so dominant for most of the season and clearly superior statistically regardless of position that it was important to keep him on the team. Last year: Miguel Cabrera, Marlins.

Left field

Matt Holliday, Rockies

Holliday easily moves to the top of the list at what is usually a hotly contested position and one that normally boils down to whether we can justify Manny Ramirez's salary. But Ramirez had an off year, and Holliday became an MVP candidate in Colorado. Last year: Alfonso Soriano, Nationals.

Center field

Curtis Granderson, Tigers

One of the tougher positions to pick goes to Granderson rather than the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki. Granderson still has a high strikeout rate with 141 in 158 games, but he can bat ninth in our order because of Rollins' leadoff ability. Having a .302 hitter with 23 homers and 26 steals at the bottom of the order is a nice luxury. Last year: Grady Sizemore, Indians.

Right field

Magglio Ordonez, Tigers

Ordonez nearly scared us off with his $13.2 million salary, but leading the AL in batting average and doubles (54) is difficult to ignore. Brad Hawpe of the Rockies and Alex Rios of the Blue Jays were the next-best choices. Last year: Jermaine Dye, White Sox.

Designated hitter

David Ortiz, Red Sox

Ortiz has been replaced in the past because of his salary, but he's always in the discussion. This time the Red Sox slugger is the clear choice after leading the AL in on-base percentage and walks while driving in 117 runs. Last year: Travis Hafner, Indians.

—-

BENCH

Backup catcher

Ramon Castro, Mets

Castro hits so well off the bench that New York often is tempted to carry a third catcher so Castro can be used as a pinch-hitter. He hit 11 homers in 144 at-bats. Last year: Josh Bard, Padres.

Super-utility player

Alfredo Amezaga, Marlins

Amezaga can cover just about any spot in the infield and outfield, and his speed (13 stolen bases) and center-field ability make him especially attractive while being paid the major league minimum of $380,000. Last year: Ty Wigginton, Rays.

Backup infielder

Mark Loretta, Astros

The veteran played all four infield positions for Houston and hit a solid .287. Last year: Maicer Izturis, Angels.

Backup outfielder

Reggie Willits, Angels

Willits ended up starting a lot of games as Los Angeles dealt with injuries. He can play all three positions and had 27 stolen bases and 11 sacrifice bunts. Last year: Endy Chavez, Mets.

Pinch-hitter

Mark Sweeney, Dodgers

Sweeney did it more often than anyone else last season, leading the majors with 90 pinch-hit at-bats, and the veteran still does it well, batting .316 with two homers as a pinch-hitter, starting the season with the Giants and acquired by the Dodgers for the stretch drive. Last year: Daryle Ward, Braves.

—-

PITCHING

Defining roles in a major league rotation is an inexact science. We attempted to define these roles based on how the pitchers were used during the season, how they performed, how much they pitched and how a pecking order seemed to evolve on their teams during the season.

No. 1 starter

Jake Peavy, Padres

Peavy was an easy choice, winning the pitching triple crown (victories, ERA and strikeouts) in the NL and coming within one victory of doing it for the major leagues. Last year: Johan Santana, Twins.

No. 2 starter

Fausto Carmona, Indians

Carmona nearly matched teammate C.C. Sabathia all season and actually had a lower opponents' batting average (.248 to .259) than the AL Cy Young Award winner did. At $387,500, this is where the super savings begin on our pitching staff. Last year: Justin Verlander, Tigers.

No. 3 starter

Jered Weaver, Angels

Weaver is the lone returning pitcher from our staff of a year ago, when he was selected for the fourth slot in the rotation. He didn't go through the league with the same flourish as in his rookie season, but producing an under-4.00 ERA in the AL is a strong showing for a No. 3 man. Last year: Chien-Ming Wang, Yankees.

No. 4 starter

Rich Hill, Cubs

Hill lined up behind ace Carlos Zambrano and free agent signees Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis for the Cubs, but he matched all of them for most of the season, pitching better than his 11 victories might indicate. Last year: Weaver.

No. 5 starter

Jesse Litsch, Blue Jays

Litsch wasn't even on Toronto's 40-man roster at the beginning of the season. But the right-hander came to the majors in May (he had 12 minor league starts in 2007) and gave the Blue Jays a solid 20 starts. His record was 7-9, but his 3.81 ERA was only 10 points off that of staff ace Roy Halladay. Last year: Javier Vazquez, White Sox.

Closer

Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox

It seems like more than a year ago when Boston considered moving Papelbon into the rotation. The Red Sox might not have won the World Series had they gone through with that. Papelbon was nearly untouchable with 84 strikeouts and 30 hits allowed in 58⅓ innings during the season, and he didn't allow a run in the postseason. Last year: Francisco Rodriguez, Angels.

Eighth-inning setup

Heath Bell, Padres

If you're looking for an effective bullpen any year, San Diego's relief corps are a good place to start. The Padres change the supporting cast for closer Trevor Hoffman, and yet they always seem to find quality. This past year it was Bell who emerged as the prime eighth-inning man. The right-hander held opponents to a .185 batting average, struck out 102 and gave up 60 hits in 93⅔ innings. Last year: Joel Zumaya, Tigers

Left-handed specialist

Rafael Perez, Indians

One reason Cleveland got back to the playoffs in 2007 was a deep bullpen. Perez emerged as a key situational guy who could provide more than just a one-batter appearance. He was another strikeout-an-inning pitcher (62 in 60⅔ innings) and had a 1.78 ERA. Last year: Dennys Reyes, Twins.

Left-handed reliever

Hideki Okajima, Red Sox

This is our only million-dollar pitcher other than Peavy, and Okajima turned out to be quite the investment for Boston at $1.2 million. He called himself the "hero in the dark" during spring because he was overshadowed by the commotion surrounding teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka. But Okajima was used in just about any relief role, even picking up five saves. Last year: Hong-Chih Kuo, Dodgers.

Right-handed reliever

Peter Moylan, Braves

Moylan, a 28-year-old from Australia who had just 15 major league innings before last season, emerged as a dominant workhorse in the Atlanta bullpen, making 80 appearances and giving up only 65 hits in his 90 innings. Last year: Cla Meredith, Padres.

Long relief-spot starter

Chad Billingsley, Dodgers

Billingsley was a legitimate candidate for our fifth starter, but his 23 relief appearances to go along with his 20 starts made him an easy pick here, especially with a 12-5 record and 3.31 ERA. He's an emerging candidate for the rotation in the future. Last year: Julian Tavarez, Red Sox.

—-

COACHES

Manager

Terry Francona, Red Sox

Often just winning doesn't get rewarded. You need to engineer a surprise, it seems, to be considered for manager of the year. But a second World Series championship in four years should be worth some recognition for Francona. In addition, he broke the Yankees' stranglehold on the AL East and managed to engineer the beginning of a transition toward a younger, more home-grown lineup. Last year: Jim Leyland, Tigers.

Hitting coach

Terry Pendleton, Braves

Pendleton's name comes up more and more often as a candidate to become a major league manager, but in the meantime he continues to help keep the Atlanta offense near the top of the NL despite having fewer and fewer weapons. Even in a season in which Andruw Jones slumped to .222, the Braves batted .275, tied for second in the NL behind the Rockies. Pendleton continues to get the most out young players such as Kelly Johnson and part-timers such as Matt Diaz. Last year: Eddie Murray, Dodgers.

Pitching coach

Bob Apodaca, Rockies

"Well, it's Colorado" has become a common reaction to a lot of NL statistics. In 2007, the Rockies had a 4.32 ERA, right in the middle of the pack in the NL. They did it with a pitching staff that ranked 14th in strikeouts but also had the third-fewest walks. It was a combination of young pitchers not intimidated by the mile-high setting and veterans who filled out the bullpen and got the team to the World Series. That's more than enough to honor Apodaca. Last year: Rick Kranitz, Marlins.

Value for the Money!!
:curtis:

A bargain at ANY price!!