Best 2008 MLB Players by Position

Other positions: 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | DH | LF | CF | RF | CA

Like I did last year, I'm going to spend the few two weeks discussing the top ten players at each position based on 2008 performances. This year I'm using Justin's stats, which have all the nice features of the home-brewed stats I calculated last year, but with the added benefit of making Justin do all the work:

• BaseRuns-derived offensive linear weights, with park adjustments.
  
• League-adjusted replacement-level, since AL pitching is stronger than NL pitching.
  
• Proper position adjustments using the CA - SS - 2B/3B/CF - LF/RF - 1B - DH spectrum.
  
• Combined STATS and BIS zone ratings converted to runs to measure fielding.
  

Players are listed at the position they played the most, but the defensive numbers from all positions are included, and players' contributions to multiple teams are combined. For the top ten players at each position, I've listed their offensive contribution above replacement level and their defensive contribution (position adjustment plus fielding relative to position) compared to average. Position and fielding are broken out in the table at the end. If you add offense plus position, you'll get a number with the same use as VORP, but better.

To help you put the Total Value number in perspective, here are some benchmarks given a full season of playing time:

• League-average is about 20 runs above replacement.
  
• The cut-off for true All-Stars is in the 40 run range.
  
• Top 5 MVP candidates are worth at least 70 runs above replacement.
  
• MVP winners have been in the 90-100 run range the past few years.
  

Without further ado, here are the top ten second basemen of 2008 (2007 numbers here):

10. Mark Ellis (11 off, 20 def, 30 tot) -- Sure, he batted .233 and posted an uninspiring 90 OPS+. But with the best range of any second baseman in the majors, Ellis was still an above-average player in 2008. Going into 2009 he should return to being an All-Star caliber player thanks to a healthy shoulder and a rebound to offensive career norms. Oh, and we here at BtB would like to remind everyone that Ellis will also eventually cure cancer, move the money Wall St. lost back to Main St., and be the first to visit a neighboring solar system.

9. Mike Fontenot (22 off, 8 def, 30 tot) -- Here's a guy who snuck up on my radar. Fontenot absolutely crushed the ball this year, to the tune of .305/.395/.514 in just under 300 plate appearances. He's old for someone with less than two years of service time --2009 will be his age 29 season -- but if he can give the Cubs even league-average offense with his good glove, they'll be more than happy to take it.

8. Jose C Lopez (26 off, 7 def, 33 tot) -- For some reason there's talk in Seattle of moving Lopez to first base. Sure, the Mariners don't have any good first base options (well, maybe Jeff Clement), but there's no reason, offensively or defensively to mess with his production. This organization needs a competent GM stat.

7. Mark DeRosa (35 off, -1 def, 34 tot) -- One reason for the Cubs' dominance of the NL Central this year was a career-year from DeRosa, who set personal bests in both OBP and SLG. He actually only spent about half his defensive innings at second base, putting in time at third and the corner outfield spots as well. Coupled with Fontenot's breakout season, Chicago will have a difficult time matching their 2008 production at second base next year.

6. Ian M Kinsler (45 off, -5 def, 40 tot) -- Hyped as an MVP candidate around the All-Star break, Kinsler's candidacy was derailed by a late-season injury and lack of fielding talent. His offense will never be a concern, however, assuring he'll be appearing on this top ten list for years to come.


5. Placido Polanco (27 off, 14 def, 41 tot) -- There was a point a few years ago when Polanco actually received the credit he was do, but he's been extremely underrated every other point of his career. Tom Tango has repeatedly shown that he's at least as good as Derek Jeter, but without the hype. 2008 was another high-OBP, stellar-defense, top-five year for Polanco. In fact, he matched his career AVG/OBP/SLG rate stats to within .001 points each. Ho-hum.

4. Dan C Uggla (41 off, 5 def, 45 tot) -- Looking at that defensive value, you either have to admit zone ratings aren't perfect or that Uggla improved his fielding an incredible amount over previous seasons. I'll take the wussy route and say it's a combination of both.

3. Brian Roberts (50 off, 9 def, 59 tot) -- He matched Pedroia's production at the plate once you consider home ballpark and was nearly a clone in the field. But sure, Pedroia's a lock for MVP while Roberts won't receive any votes. That makes sense.

2. Dustin L Pedroia (50 off, 11 def, 61 tot) -- Just in case my comment on Roberts sounded like Pedroia-bashing, it wasn't. (I was bashing the BBWAA and other mainstream media outlets.) After all, how can you not love a short dude with power? I've made the comparison in the past, but he's a lot like David Eckstein -- small, scrappy, swings from his heels, etc. -- except with actual baseball talent.

1. Chase Utley (53 off, 23 def, 76 tot) -- Utley can lay claim to being the most productive offensive second baseman and the most productive defensive second baseman in the majors, a combination that leaves a large gap between him and everyone else in overall value. He's easily the Phillies' MVP and the best NL player on a playoff team. The same could be said about Utley in 2007, as well.

Other positions: 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | DH | LF | CF | RF | CA

Like I did last year, I'm going to spend the few two weeks discussing the top ten players at each position based on 2008 performances. This year I'm using Justin's stats, which have all the nice features of the home-brewed stats I calculated last year, but with the added benefit of making Justin do all the work:

• BaseRuns-derived offensive linear weights, with park adjustments.
  
• League-adjusted replacement-level, since AL pitching is stronger than NL pitching.
  
• Proper position adjustments using the CA - SS - 2B/3B/CF - LF/RF - 1B - DH spectrum.
  
• Combined STATS and BIS zone ratings converted to runs to measure fielding.
  

Players are listed at the position they played the most, but the defensive numbers from all positions are included, and players' contributions to multiple teams are combined. For the top ten players at each position, I've listed their offensive contribution above replacement level and their defensive contribution (position adjustment plus fielding relative to position) compared to average. Position and fielding are broken out in the table at the end. If you add offense plus position, you'll get a number with the same use as VORP, but better.

To help you put the Total Value number in perspective, here are some benchmarks given a full season of playing time:

• League-average is about 20 runs above replacement.
  
• The cut-off for true All-Stars is in the 40 run range.
  
• Top 5 MVP candidates are worth at least 70 runs above replacement.
  
• MVP winners have been in the 90-100 run range the past few years.
  

Without further ado, here are the top ten first basemen of 2008 (2007 numbers here):

10. Justin Morneau (47 off, -21 def, 27 tot) -- This MVP "candidate" has a reputation as an above-average fielder, but the numbers didn't back that up this year. Even with a ten run bump to his defensive score, he was about as valuable as Christian Guzman and Placido Polanco.

9. Carlos Delgado (40 off, -12 def, 27 tot) -- I've written a lot of negative things about Delgado in the past few months, so I'll come up with something positive this time: while he appeared to be done as a major league player through the first two months of the season, his second-half performance pretty much assured his spot in the 2009 Mets lineup.

8. Adrian Gonzalez (47 off, -16 def, 31 tot) -- It's not often you find a first baseman who isn't overrated, but AGone just might be one (although he's also not underrated).

7. Miguel Cabrera (49 off, -17 def, 32 tot) -- Quick quiz: who led the American League in home runs and finished third in RBIs in 2008?

6. Carlos Pena (44 off, -6 def, 37 tot) -- Coming off his huge 1.038 OPS in 2007, Pena was looking like a huge disappointment early in 2008 (.737 OPS through May). But he rebounded after returning from an injury, helping the Rays fend of the Red Sox throughout August and September. Using WPA, there's an argument to be made for Pena as AL MVP (although it's a relatively poor one).


5. Joey D Votto (38 off, 0 def, 37 tot) -- Geovany Soto will run away with Rookie of the Year honors, but Votto deserves to finish a close second. Although Dusty attempted to turn him into a hacker, Votto held on to his walking skills and flashed a better-than-expected glove.

4. Kevin E Youkilis (54 off, -4 def, 50 tot) -- The Greek God of Walks saw his walk-rate drop once again in 2008, while he swung at and made contact with a higher percentage of pitches outside of the strike zone. That didn't seem to hurt his 2008 performance, but I wonder if pitchers will make adjustments next year.

3. Lance Berkman (68 off, 6 def, 74 tot) -- What surprises me is that Berkman is still only 32 years old. He has many more seasons left to do his best Jeff Bagwell impersonation, including the excellent range at first.

2. Mark Teixeira (65 off, 9 def, 74 tot) -- Mark Teixeira had one of the best five seasons in the majors, but it flew under the radar thanks to splitting time between the non-competitive Braves and the too-good Angels. Why some Yankee fans don't want to sign him to a $25MM per-year contract is beyond me.

1. Albert Pujols (89 off, 9 def, 98 tot) -- Yes, he's still good. His advantage over Youkilis, the number four first baseman, is as large as Youk's advantage over replacement-level players.

Other positions: 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | DH | LF | CF | RF | CA

Like I did last year, I'm going to spend the few two weeks discussing the top ten players at each position based on 2008 performances. This year I'm using Justin's stats, which have all the nice features of the home-brewed stats I calculated last year, but with the added benefit of making Justin do all the work:

• BaseRuns-derived offensive linear weights, with park adjustments.
  
• League-adjusted replacement-level, since AL pitching is stronger than NL pitching.
  
• Proper position adjustments using the CA - SS - 2B/3B/CF - LF/RF - 1B - DH spectrum.
  
• Combined STATS and BIS zone ratings converted to runs to measure fielding.
  

Players are listed at the position they played the most, but the defensive numbers from all positions are included, and players' contributions to multiple teams are combined. For the top ten players at each position, I've listed their offensive contribution above replacement level and their defensive contribution (position adjustment plus fielding relative to position) compared to average. Position and fielding are broken out in the table at the end. If you add offense plus position, you'll get a number with the same use as VORP, but better.

To help you put the Total Value number in perspective, here are some benchmarks given a full season of playing time:

• League-average is about 20 runs above replacement.
  
• The cut-off for true All-Stars in the 40 run range.
  
• Top 5 MVP candidates are worth at least 70 runs above replacement.
  
• MVP winners have been in the 90-100 run range the past few years.
  

Let's get rolling with the top ten center fielders of 2008 (2007 numbers here):

10. Marlon Byrd (27 off, 4 def, 31 tot) -- Not to ruin the surprise, but Byrd is the first of two Rangers' center fielders to make the list, an impressive feat in only 462 plate appearances. He spent significant time in all three outfield spots with about half his innings in center.

9. Nate McLouth (45 off, -14 def, 32 tot) -- I have a hard time calling McLouth a center fielder, and a quick peek at his fielding ratings shows why: he's really a corner outfielder playing out of position. But an .853 OPS is valuable anywhere on the diamond and he nearly broke the 700 PA barrier.

8. Cody Ross (23 off, 9 def, 32 tot) -- I've written about Ross before, and he's a great candidate for the title of "best player not on anyone's radar". It takes a lot for me to be impressed with a guy who posted an OBP below league-average.

7. Torii Hunter (33 off, 3 def, 36 tot) -- For everyone out there who loves consistency, Hunter's your guy, at least on offense. As is to be expected, his range in center continued to drop in 2008, but he's still average out there.

6. B.J. Upton (36 off, 1 def, 37 tot) -- Upton ranked ninth in last year's center field top ten list and I'd be surprised if he didn't crack the top five next year. His natural grace has led many ignorant observers to believe he's lazy in the field, but learning to take better routes is really all that stands between him and being a significantly above-average defender. And a healthy shoulder is all that stands between him and a return to 25 homeruns.


5. Shane Victorino (30 off, 10 def, 40 tot) -- Victorino was a stud in right field last year and had the same defensive value in center this year. Nice job, Phillies. A .020 point improvement in SLG and a drop in league-wide offense explains Victorino's ten run jump in value in 2008.

4. Josh H Hamilton (51 off, 0 def, 51 tot) -- Surprisingly, we're not hearing about a Home Run Derby jinx for Hamilton, even though he followed up 95 RBIs pre-break with 35 RBIs post-break. No need to worry, though, as his OBP actually improved in the second half and his SLG only dropped .050 points. While the Rangers could certainly use Edinson Volquez's arm right now, Hamilton was the more valuable player this year and should remain so in the future.

3. Curtis Granderson (47 off, 5 def, 51 tot) -- While ARod ran away with last year's AL MVP, Granderson was actually within ten runs of total value, thanks to his disgusting range in center. For whatever reason (some Tigers fan claim it's because of prehis increased size) the zone ratings didn't see that range this year. He's still a tty good baseball player.

2. Carlos Beltran (53 off, 13 def, 66 tot) -- No matter what the Manhattan-based publications tell you, Beltran is one of the ten best position players in the world. He gets on base, hits for power, steals bases without being thrown out, plays center field, and runs down everything out there. Given what Manny and Tex are going to sign for this year (and what Andruw Jones signed for last year), his $18MM yearly salary is a steal.

1. Grady Sizemore (64 off, 11 def, 76 tot) -- I probably shouldn't give away my pick for MVP in the very first article of the series, but this isn't the first time I've blown the surprise. Sizemore is very similar to Beltran in almost all phases of the game, and his ten run advantage in 2008 comes mostly from putting up his offensive numbers against tougher pitching and coming to bat 40 additional times.

Here's the breakdown of the top twenty-five center fielders in 2008. Any difference of less than five runs is meaningless, and I like to see a ten run difference before making any bold claims about who was better:

Rank __Player ____________Off_ Pos_ Field_ Total

1	Grady Sizemore	64 __	2 __	9 __	76
2	Carlos Beltran	53	2	11	66
3	Curtis Granderson	47	2	3	51
4	Josh H Hamilton	51	0	0	51
5	Shane Victorino	30	2	8	40
6	B.J. Upton	36	2	-2	37
7	Torii Hunter	33	2	1	36
8	Cody Ross	23	1	9	32
9	Nate McLouth	45	2	-16	32
10	Marlon Byrd	27	-2	6	31
11	Jody Gerut	27	1	3	31
12	Mike Cameron	23	2	1	26
13	Matt R Kemp	32	-1	-7	24
14	Chris B Young	14	2	6	22
15	Carlos A Gomez	5	2	14	21
16	Skip M Schumaker	20	-2	2	20
17	Rick Ankiel	25	1	-7	19
18	Jacoby Ellsbury	21	-2	-1	18
19	Adam L Jones	9	2	6	17
20	Scott A Hairston	18	-1	0	17
21	Gabe Kapler	13	-1	3	16
22	Reed Johnson	12	0	2	14
23	Jim Edmonds	16	2	-6	14
24	Vernon Wells	23	2	-12	13
25	William Venable	4	0	8	12

Granderson is Number 1


GO CURTIS!

But he needs to steal more bases next year

Tom Tango?????