ESPN's "ultimate" draft 1-30

[gunnarthor]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19553422/the-ultimate-mlb-draft-best-pick-ever-every-spot-1-30

 

It's actually pretty bad. The writer is using only WAR to evaluate and seems to be dividing total WAR by seasons. Mauer doesn't make the honorable mentions for the #1 pick.  Kris Bryant over Reggie Jackson, Longoria over Yount, Molitor and Machado etc  

[Otto von Ballpark]

To be fair, WAR per season is exactly how they define the list, right in the intro.  It's not like they are purporting to consider other factors.

 

If Mauer's career had ended after 2013, he would have ranked 3rd in bWAR per season, behind A-Rod and Chipper.

 

A simple refinement for the Molitor/Yount/Jackson problem would be to consider active players separate from retired ones, since the active guys haven't had a decline phase yet.