100. Brian Harper
99. Mike LaValliere
98. Hank Gowdy
97. Babe Phelps
96. Ron Hassey
95. Jerry Grote
94. Dan Wilson
93. Shanty Hogan
92. Hank Severeid
91. Mike Macfarlane
90. Doggie Miller
89. A.J. Pryzinski
88. Harry Danning
87. Duke Farrell
86. Todd Hundley
85. Johnny Edwards
84. Steve Yeager
83. Jody Davis
82. Phil Masi
81. Muddy Ruel
80. Yadier Molina
79. Brad Ausmus
78. Don Slaught
77. Brandon Inge
76. Chief Zimmer
75. Frankie Hayes
74. Gus Triandos
73. Deacon McGuire
72. Bob O'Farrell
71. Johnny Bassler
70. Paul Lo Duca
69. Stan Lopata
68. Ernie Whitt
67. Bubbles Hargrave
66. Steve O'Neill
65. Mike Napoli
64. Rick Dempsey
63. Russell Martin
62. Ray Schalk
61. Benito Santiago
60. Jason Varitek
59. Spud Davis
58. Andy Seminick
57. Rick Ferrell
56. Ramon Hernandez
55. Fred Carroll
54. Johnny Kling
53. John Roseboro
52. Terry Kennedy
51. Joe Ferguson
50. Tony Pena
49. Charles Johnson
48. Chief Meyers
47. Bob Boone
46. Butch Wynegar
45. Jack Clements
44. Brian McCann
43. Earl Battey
42. Mike Scioscia
41. Terry Steinbach
40. Tim McCarver
39. Walker Cooper
38. John Romano
37. Darren Daulton
36. Smoky Burgess
35. Manny Sanguillen
34. Victor Martinez
33. Ed Bailey
32. Del Crandall
31. Sherm Lollar
30. Tom Haller
29. Javy Lopez
28. Mickey Tettleton
27. Ernie Lombardi
26. Charlie Bennett
25. Jim Sundberg
24. Wally Schang
23. Lance Parrish
22. Jason Kendall
21. Elston Howard
20. Darrell Porter
19. Buck Ewing
18. Gabby Hartnett
17. Roger Bresnahan
16. Jorge Posada
15. Gene Tenace
14. Thurman Munson
13. Roy Campanella
12. Bill Freehan
11. Joe Mauer
10. Ted Simmons
9. Mickey Cochrane
8. Bill Dickey
7. Carlton Fisk
6. Joe Torre
5. Ivan Rodriguez
4. Yogi Berra
3. Mike Piazza
2. Gary Carter
1. Johnny Bench
Friday, October 21, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Retroactive Awards 1901
We're going to catch you up on who should be regarded as the best player at each position for each season starting with 1901.
American League Catcher of the Year:
1. Mike Grady
2. Boileryard Clarke
3. Ossee Schrekengost
Notes: Not the strongest year for catchers. Grady gets the nod for first place despite playing only 30 games at catcher for the season because his offensive stats completely dwarf any other catcher for that year. There were only 4 players who had more than 100 plate appearances at catcher who were better than league average at offense.
National League Catcher of the Year:
1. Heinie Peitz
2. Deacon McGuire
3. Klondike Douglass
Notes: Douglass would have ranked 2nd but McGuire had 140 more plate appearances as catcher so I think he was slightly more valuable than Douglass. Peitz far and away was the best catcher in the National League that year.
American League First Baseman:
1. Buck Freeman
2. Mike Donlin
3. John Anderson
Notes: Donlin has a higher WAR because of his superior defensive numbers. I thnk Freeman had a slightly superior offensive season so I'll put Freeman 1st.
National League First Baseman:
1. Ed Delahanty
2. Joe Kelley
3. Jake Beckley
Notes: Ed D. was pretty clearly the best first baseman in the league that season.
American League Second Baseman:
1. Nap Lajoie
2. Jimmy Williams
3. Sam Mertes
Notes: Lajoie had 9.5 fWAR nearly double what Jimmy Williams had. There were only three above average offensive second baseman in the league that year.
National League Second Baseman:
1. Tom Daly
2. Sammy Strang
3. Claude Ritchey
Notes: Heinie Peitz was in consideration for the top 3 in this spot, as well. I have Strang over Ritchey despite their fWAR's because Strang had a better wOBA, wRC+, and OBP. Again, I don't know how accurate defensive rankings are from that long ago.
American League Shortstop:
1. Kid Elberfeld
2. Freddy Parent
3. Bill Keister
Notes: Keister would rank higher but he was apparently a terrible defensive shortstop. Elberfeld wasn't fantastic either but his offensive season was much better than Parent's.
National League Shortstop:
1. Honus Wagner
2. Bobby Wallace
3. George Davis
Notes: Wallace was apparently a fantastic defensive shortstop, but his offensive season was nothing to sneeze at either. Davis and Wallace's season were almost equal 126 to 122 in wRC+. My heart's not in it but I'll put Wallace over Davis.
American League Third Baseman:
1. Jimmy Collins
2. John McGraw
3. Lave Cross or Fred Hartman
Notes: John McGraw's offensive season was so good that it doesn't matter that he only played 73 games. Cross and Hartman are tied in my opinion for third, I can't decide between the two.
National League Third Baseman:
1. Tommy Leach
2. Sammy Strang
3. Harry Wolverton
Notes: Strang was the 2nd best second baseman according to me, too. This was the closest one so far. Leach's fWAR: 3.0 Strang: 2.5 Wolverton: 2.6. Batting average: Leach: .305 Wolverton: .309 Strang:.282. OBP: Leach: .347. Wolverton: .356. Strang: .364. SLG%: Leach: .422 Wolverton: .369. Strang: .341. wOBA: Leach: .360. Wolverton: .346. Strang: .353. wRC+: Leach: 117 Wolverton: 112 Strang: 115. You couldn't go wrong with either of those three.
American League Left Fielder:
1. Mike Donlin
2. Herm McFarland
3. Jack McCarthy
Notes: Donlin almost won for best first baseman, too. Left field not a strong position for the American League that year. Besides McFarland and Donlin.
National League Left Fielder:
1.Jesse Burkett
2. Jimmy Sheckard
3. Topsy Hartsel
Notes: Would be even tougher if Delahanty hadn't won for best first baseman already. I should probably make a rule that you can only compete at one position. Delahanty probably would have been the best left fielder, too.
American League Centerfielder:
1. Dummy Hoy
2. Chick Stahl
3. Ollie Pickering
Notes: It's a close one but Hoy beats Stahl in the important categories of OBP, wOBA, and wRC+.
National League Centerfielder:
1. Roy Thomas
2. Emmet Heidrick
3. Ginger Beaumont
Notes: Sometimes my rankings are just the fWAR leaderboard, sorry. But George Van Haltren probably deserves to be in the top 3.
American League Right Fielder:
1. Socks Seybold
2. Fielder Jones
3. Ducky Holmes
Notes: Jones might be a better fielder but Seybold was a much better hitter.
National League Right Fielder:
1. Elmer Flick
2. Sam Crawford
3. Lefty Davis
Notes: Flick, by far, the best right fielder in the National League that year. I have Davis over Keeler because of his edge in wOBA and wRC+.
American League Pitcher of the Year:
1. Cy Young
2. Clark Griffith
3. Roscoe Miller
4. Eddie Plank
5. Joe McGinnity
Notes: Cy Young was the best pitcher by far. 2-5 could almost be in any order depending on what you were looking for. Griffith had the highest ERA+ of the four left.
National League Pitcher of the Year:
1.Vic Willis
2. Christy Mathewson
3. Al Orth
4. Noodles Hahn
5. Jack Chesbro
Notes: Mathewson has a slight edge in rWAR but Willis beats him in ERA+ and adjusted pitching wins. Hahn threw a lot of innings and struck out a lot of batters but I can't in good conscience place him above Al Orth, much less Mathewson and Willis.
American League Catcher of the Year:
1. Mike Grady
2. Boileryard Clarke
3. Ossee Schrekengost
Notes: Not the strongest year for catchers. Grady gets the nod for first place despite playing only 30 games at catcher for the season because his offensive stats completely dwarf any other catcher for that year. There were only 4 players who had more than 100 plate appearances at catcher who were better than league average at offense.
National League Catcher of the Year:
1. Heinie Peitz
2. Deacon McGuire
3. Klondike Douglass
Notes: Douglass would have ranked 2nd but McGuire had 140 more plate appearances as catcher so I think he was slightly more valuable than Douglass. Peitz far and away was the best catcher in the National League that year.
American League First Baseman:
1. Buck Freeman
2. Mike Donlin
3. John Anderson
Notes: Donlin has a higher WAR because of his superior defensive numbers. I thnk Freeman had a slightly superior offensive season so I'll put Freeman 1st.
National League First Baseman:
1. Ed Delahanty
2. Joe Kelley
3. Jake Beckley
Notes: Ed D. was pretty clearly the best first baseman in the league that season.
American League Second Baseman:
1. Nap Lajoie
2. Jimmy Williams
3. Sam Mertes
Notes: Lajoie had 9.5 fWAR nearly double what Jimmy Williams had. There were only three above average offensive second baseman in the league that year.
National League Second Baseman:
1. Tom Daly
2. Sammy Strang
3. Claude Ritchey
Notes: Heinie Peitz was in consideration for the top 3 in this spot, as well. I have Strang over Ritchey despite their fWAR's because Strang had a better wOBA, wRC+, and OBP. Again, I don't know how accurate defensive rankings are from that long ago.
American League Shortstop:
1. Kid Elberfeld
2. Freddy Parent
3. Bill Keister
Notes: Keister would rank higher but he was apparently a terrible defensive shortstop. Elberfeld wasn't fantastic either but his offensive season was much better than Parent's.
National League Shortstop:
1. Honus Wagner
2. Bobby Wallace
3. George Davis
Notes: Wallace was apparently a fantastic defensive shortstop, but his offensive season was nothing to sneeze at either. Davis and Wallace's season were almost equal 126 to 122 in wRC+. My heart's not in it but I'll put Wallace over Davis.
American League Third Baseman:
1. Jimmy Collins
2. John McGraw
3. Lave Cross or Fred Hartman
Notes: John McGraw's offensive season was so good that it doesn't matter that he only played 73 games. Cross and Hartman are tied in my opinion for third, I can't decide between the two.
National League Third Baseman:
1. Tommy Leach
2. Sammy Strang
3. Harry Wolverton
Notes: Strang was the 2nd best second baseman according to me, too. This was the closest one so far. Leach's fWAR: 3.0 Strang: 2.5 Wolverton: 2.6. Batting average: Leach: .305 Wolverton: .309 Strang:.282. OBP: Leach: .347. Wolverton: .356. Strang: .364. SLG%: Leach: .422 Wolverton: .369. Strang: .341. wOBA: Leach: .360. Wolverton: .346. Strang: .353. wRC+: Leach: 117 Wolverton: 112 Strang: 115. You couldn't go wrong with either of those three.
American League Left Fielder:
1. Mike Donlin
2. Herm McFarland
3. Jack McCarthy
Notes: Donlin almost won for best first baseman, too. Left field not a strong position for the American League that year. Besides McFarland and Donlin.
National League Left Fielder:
1.Jesse Burkett
2. Jimmy Sheckard
3. Topsy Hartsel
Notes: Would be even tougher if Delahanty hadn't won for best first baseman already. I should probably make a rule that you can only compete at one position. Delahanty probably would have been the best left fielder, too.
American League Centerfielder:
1. Dummy Hoy
2. Chick Stahl
3. Ollie Pickering
Notes: It's a close one but Hoy beats Stahl in the important categories of OBP, wOBA, and wRC+.
National League Centerfielder:
1. Roy Thomas
2. Emmet Heidrick
3. Ginger Beaumont
Notes: Sometimes my rankings are just the fWAR leaderboard, sorry. But George Van Haltren probably deserves to be in the top 3.
American League Right Fielder:
1. Socks Seybold
2. Fielder Jones
3. Ducky Holmes
Notes: Jones might be a better fielder but Seybold was a much better hitter.
National League Right Fielder:
1. Elmer Flick
2. Sam Crawford
3. Lefty Davis
Notes: Flick, by far, the best right fielder in the National League that year. I have Davis over Keeler because of his edge in wOBA and wRC+.
American League Pitcher of the Year:
1. Cy Young
2. Clark Griffith
3. Roscoe Miller
4. Eddie Plank
5. Joe McGinnity
Notes: Cy Young was the best pitcher by far. 2-5 could almost be in any order depending on what you were looking for. Griffith had the highest ERA+ of the four left.
National League Pitcher of the Year:
1.Vic Willis
2. Christy Mathewson
3. Al Orth
4. Noodles Hahn
5. Jack Chesbro
Notes: Mathewson has a slight edge in rWAR but Willis beats him in ERA+ and adjusted pitching wins. Hahn threw a lot of innings and struck out a lot of batters but I can't in good conscience place him above Al Orth, much less Mathewson and Willis.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Baseball Awards American League Cy Young Award Edition
The contenders:
Justin Verlander: fWAR: 7.0 rWAR: 8.6 ERA: 2.40 FIP: 2.99 K/9: 8.96 BB/9:2.04 IP: 251 ERA+: 170
CC Sabathia: fWAR: 7.1 rWAR: 6.9 ERA: 3.00 FIP: 2.88 K/9: 8.72 BB/9: 2.31 IP: 237.1 ERA+: 147
Dan Haren: fWAR: 6.4 rWAR: 4.0 ERA: 3.17 FIP: 2.98 K/9: 7.25 BB/9: 1.25 IP: 238.1 ERA+:120
C.J. Wilson: fWAR: 5.9 rWAR: 5.0 ERA: 2.94 FIP: 3.24 K/9: 8.30 BB/9: 2.98 IP: 223.1 ERA+: 152
Jered Weaver: fWAR: 5.6 rWAR: 6.6 ERA: 2.41 FIP: 3.20 K/9: 7.56 BB/9: 2.14 IP: 235.2 ERA+: 158
Doug Fister: fWAR: 5.6 rWAR:5.7 ERA: 2.83 FIP: 3.02 K/9: 6.07 BB/9: 1.54 IP: 216.2 ERA+: 137
Felix Hernandez: fWAR: 5.5 rWAR: 4.7 ERA: 3.47 FIP: 3.13 K/9: 8.55 BB/9: 2.58 IP: 233.2 ERA+: 111
Notes: First place comes down to Verlander vs. Sabathia. The difference in fWAR is miniscule, the term statistically significant doesn't even really do it justice. In Verlander's defense he has the edge in ERA, K/9, BB/9, and innings pitched. I think the decision should be a little closer than it probably will be but Verlander deserves my first place, non-existent vote. Second place by a landslide would be Sabathia.
Third place is basically Weaver vs. Fister. Fister's ERA during home starts: 2.35, away: 3.36. Weaver comes in third place.
Fister in fourth. 5th place I have C.J. Wilson.
Ballot: 1. Justin Verlander 2. CC Sabathia 3. Jered Weaver 4. Doug Fister 5. C.J. Wilson
Justin Verlander: fWAR: 7.0 rWAR: 8.6 ERA: 2.40 FIP: 2.99 K/9: 8.96 BB/9:2.04 IP: 251 ERA+: 170
CC Sabathia: fWAR: 7.1 rWAR: 6.9 ERA: 3.00 FIP: 2.88 K/9: 8.72 BB/9: 2.31 IP: 237.1 ERA+: 147
Dan Haren: fWAR: 6.4 rWAR: 4.0 ERA: 3.17 FIP: 2.98 K/9: 7.25 BB/9: 1.25 IP: 238.1 ERA+:120
C.J. Wilson: fWAR: 5.9 rWAR: 5.0 ERA: 2.94 FIP: 3.24 K/9: 8.30 BB/9: 2.98 IP: 223.1 ERA+: 152
Jered Weaver: fWAR: 5.6 rWAR: 6.6 ERA: 2.41 FIP: 3.20 K/9: 7.56 BB/9: 2.14 IP: 235.2 ERA+: 158
Doug Fister: fWAR: 5.6 rWAR:5.7 ERA: 2.83 FIP: 3.02 K/9: 6.07 BB/9: 1.54 IP: 216.2 ERA+: 137
Felix Hernandez: fWAR: 5.5 rWAR: 4.7 ERA: 3.47 FIP: 3.13 K/9: 8.55 BB/9: 2.58 IP: 233.2 ERA+: 111
Notes: First place comes down to Verlander vs. Sabathia. The difference in fWAR is miniscule, the term statistically significant doesn't even really do it justice. In Verlander's defense he has the edge in ERA, K/9, BB/9, and innings pitched. I think the decision should be a little closer than it probably will be but Verlander deserves my first place, non-existent vote. Second place by a landslide would be Sabathia.
Third place is basically Weaver vs. Fister. Fister's ERA during home starts: 2.35, away: 3.36. Weaver comes in third place.
Fister in fourth. 5th place I have C.J. Wilson.
Ballot: 1. Justin Verlander 2. CC Sabathia 3. Jered Weaver 4. Doug Fister 5. C.J. Wilson
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Official RCIAAS Baseball Awards Ballot- Rookie of the Year edition
Each year the BBWAA votes on a set of awards which include the MVP, Cy Young Award, and Rookie of the Year award. Each year people have debates over who should win each award (the debates are mainly about either the MVP vote or the Cy Young Award). We will break down each award and see who the rightful winners should be (well according to us).
We'll start with the Rookie of the Year in the American League first.
The top contenders (in no particular order):
Jeremy Hellickson: 2.95 ERA 4.44 FIP 126 ERA+ 1.4 fWAR 4.2 rWAR 189 IP
Ivan Nova: 3.70 ERA 4.01 FIP 119 ERA+ 2.7 fWAR 3.5 rWAR 165.1 IP
Brett Lawrie: .293/.373/.580/.413 152 OPS+ 163 wRC+ 2.7 fWAR 2.8 rWAR
Dustin Ackley: .273/.348/.417/.340 117 OPS+ 117 wRC+ 2.7 fWAR 2.5 rWAR
Eric Hosmer: .293/.334/.465/.342 118 OPS+ 114 wRC+ 1.6 fWAR 1.3 rWAR
Mark Trumbo: .254/.291/.477/.327 113 OPS+ 105 wRC+ 2.3 fWAR 2.1 rWAR
Michael Pineda: 3.74 ERA 3.42 FIP 103 ERA+ 3.4 fWAR 2.8 rWAR 171 IP
Desmond Jennings: .259/.356/.449/.361 128 OPS+ 131 wRC+ 2.4 fWAR 2.3 rWAR
Notes: The debate basically boils down to how much you want to rely on FIP which Fangraphs ses to determine WAR. In their version of WAR they normalize BABIP (Batting Average of Balls in Play) but Baseball-Reference does not so there is a big differenece between the effectiveness of Hellickson, Nova, and Pineda. Should Hellickson be punished in his WAR for the better defense behind him or should Pineda and Nova be penalized because they do not have as good as defense behind them. The best hitters in the group Lawrie and Jennings did not play anywhere near a full season, so how much more value do they have over the players who played more? Trumbo's On-base percentage was below .300 which is horrendous. Hosmer did not have a particularly great season either. We're going with Pineda in first because of the superior FIP and it is hard to seperate the luck fairies from the ERA. In second place, we're placing Brett Lawrie because of his superior offensive numbers despite the lack of games played. In third place, we would vote for Jennings because of the overall quality of his work. 4th place would be Nova and 5th would be Hellickson.
Ballot: 1. Michael Pineda 2. Brett Lawrie 3. Desmond Jennings 4. Ivan Nova 5. Jeremy Hellickson
We'll start with the Rookie of the Year in the American League first.
The top contenders (in no particular order):
Jeremy Hellickson: 2.95 ERA 4.44 FIP 126 ERA+ 1.4 fWAR 4.2 rWAR 189 IP
Ivan Nova: 3.70 ERA 4.01 FIP 119 ERA+ 2.7 fWAR 3.5 rWAR 165.1 IP
Brett Lawrie: .293/.373/.580/.413 152 OPS+ 163 wRC+ 2.7 fWAR 2.8 rWAR
Dustin Ackley: .273/.348/.417/.340 117 OPS+ 117 wRC+ 2.7 fWAR 2.5 rWAR
Eric Hosmer: .293/.334/.465/.342 118 OPS+ 114 wRC+ 1.6 fWAR 1.3 rWAR
Mark Trumbo: .254/.291/.477/.327 113 OPS+ 105 wRC+ 2.3 fWAR 2.1 rWAR
Michael Pineda: 3.74 ERA 3.42 FIP 103 ERA+ 3.4 fWAR 2.8 rWAR 171 IP
Desmond Jennings: .259/.356/.449/.361 128 OPS+ 131 wRC+ 2.4 fWAR 2.3 rWAR
Notes: The debate basically boils down to how much you want to rely on FIP which Fangraphs ses to determine WAR. In their version of WAR they normalize BABIP (Batting Average of Balls in Play) but Baseball-Reference does not so there is a big differenece between the effectiveness of Hellickson, Nova, and Pineda. Should Hellickson be punished in his WAR for the better defense behind him or should Pineda and Nova be penalized because they do not have as good as defense behind them. The best hitters in the group Lawrie and Jennings did not play anywhere near a full season, so how much more value do they have over the players who played more? Trumbo's On-base percentage was below .300 which is horrendous. Hosmer did not have a particularly great season either. We're going with Pineda in first because of the superior FIP and it is hard to seperate the luck fairies from the ERA. In second place, we're placing Brett Lawrie because of his superior offensive numbers despite the lack of games played. In third place, we would vote for Jennings because of the overall quality of his work. 4th place would be Nova and 5th would be Hellickson.
Ballot: 1. Michael Pineda 2. Brett Lawrie 3. Desmond Jennings 4. Ivan Nova 5. Jeremy Hellickson
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