Article: Ranking the AL Central Hitters

[Physics Guy]

Take the gloves off

1)Cabrera 2)Fielder 3)Butler 4)Willingham 5)Martinez 6)Dunn 7)Gordon 8)Morneau 9)Swisher 10)Jackson

 

No 3-time Batting Champ???? Led league in OBP last year???

[Brock Beauchamp]

Take the gloves off

1)Cabrera 2)Fielder 3)Butler 4)Willingham 5)Martinez 6)Dunn 7)Gordon 8)Morneau 9)Swisher 10)Jackson

 

Uh, where's Mauer?

[travmak]

The lists show how good the catchers are in this division even without AJ. And how bad the CF and RF positions are offensively across the division.

[chuchadoro]

Take the gloves off

1)Cabrera 2)Fielder 3)Butler 4)Willingham 5)Martinez 6)Dunn 7)Gordon 8)Morneau 9)Swisher 10)Jackson

 

I enjoy ripping Baby Jesus more than most but even I think he should be in the #3-#6 range.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I enjoy ripping Baby Jesus more than most but even I think he should be in the #3-#6 range.

 

There's just no way to rationally place Mauer any lower than #3. Cabrera is a given. Fielder is probably a given.

 

But who could you rank above Joe after those two guys? He's an on base machine... The best in the league. And while chicks dig the long ball, the guy who doesn't make outs still still more valuable and nobody in baseball is better at avoiding the out than Joe.

[Riverbrian]

I agree with the majority of the rankings but I think Seth was too hard on some Royals.

 

I would move up Perez one notch. He's looking like Mauer Jr thus Far.

 

No way do I rank Hosmer at the Bottom. I know he struggled last year but I think he rebounds big this year. At least I hope so because I got him on my fantasy team.

 

Escobar at SS for the Royals... Should be moved up to #2 behind only Cabrera.

 

Jeez, it sounds like I've become this Royals backer or something.

[70charger]

I think you might be a little down on Parmelee, but it's true he's a wait and see kind of guy.

 

I also had some issue with the idea of "hitters" versus offensive players. Mauer is very much a better hitter than Prince Fielder, but Fielder is a slugger par excellence and Mauer's slugging doesn't match up.

 

Maybe there are two lists to be made.

 

Maybe that's why I love lists like this.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I also had some issue with the idea of "hitters" versus offensive players. Mauer is very much a better hitter than Prince Fielder, but Fielder is a slugger par excellence and Mauer's slugging doesn't match up.

 

To me, "hitting" is anything that happens from the time the batter steps into the box until he makes an out or is safe on base.

 

Otherwise, the distinction becomes a mess. "Well, he's a good hitter but he doesn't have much power and he walks a lot but has the speed to turn a double into a triple" compared to "Well, he hits for no average and is slow on the bases and doesn't draw walks but hits for a ton of power".

 

If you start breaking up hitting into smaller elements, it stops being a comparison of players because there are too many variables to track.

[Mr. Brooks]

I think you might be a little down on Parmelee, but it's true he's a wait and see kind of guy.

 

I also had some issue with the idea of "hitters" versus offensive players. Mauer is very much a better hitter than Prince Fielder, but Fielder is a slugger par excellence and Mauer's slugging doesn't match up.

 

Maybe there are two lists to be made.

 

Maybe that's why I love lists like this.

 

Fielder's career OBP is only 12 points behind Mauer's, while his SLG is 70 points higher.

If you are removing position and glove, and only looking at hitting, Fielder is well above Mauer.

[Seth Stohs]

Riverbrian, I absolutely love Salvador Perez. I think maybe by the end of the year, he'll be right near, if not at the top of that catcher category. So young, and so much power. I'd have no problem moving him up, but not ahead of Mauer... yet. They aren't comparable at all. Perez has serious power.

 

I like Hosmer for a bounce-back, but I just couldn't put him ahead of the others.

[70charger]

To me, "hitting" is anything that happens from the time the batter steps into the box until he makes an out or is safe on base.

 

Otherwise, the distinction becomes a mess. "Well, he's a good hitter but he doesn't have much power and he walks a lot but has the speed to turn a double into a triple" compared to "Well, he hits for no average and is slow on the bases and doesn't draw walks but hits for a ton of power".

 

If you start breaking up hitting into smaller elements, it stops being a comparison of players because there are too many variables to track.

 

I'm the only one who thinks that kind of thing is fun? It's like a self-justification game for your own biases, and I think it's fun to play.

 

Fine, I'll just go into a corner and play with myself. (Phrasing.)

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

I really, really hate the White Sox, but there is no way Swisher or Morneau should be above Paulie. 37? Konerko defies age. He's been consistently one of the best 1B in the league for most of his 30s. I'm a fan. Between Swisher and Morneau it's pretty close, but the safe choice there is Swisher. Plus, I think Stubbs is the worst batting RF out of that bunch. Parmelee really doesn't have to try too much to be better than Francoer either.

 

The rest I say is pretty good except for a few minor gripes that could certainly go either way. I'd prefer Perez to Santana and Peralta to A. Ramirez.

[cmathewson]

I think you can make a case for his career average, .843. If he stays healthy, I would be disappointed if he didn't hit that. The risk with him is health. By all accounts, he's healthier than he's been since the 2010 collision.

[big dog]

Konerko, 2010: .312/.393/.584/.977

Konerko, 2011: .300/.388/.517/.906

Konerko, 2012: .298/.372/.486/.857

I think dropping 120 points of OPS between ages 34 and 36 should make you cautious about what might happen at age 37.

[Mr. Brooks]

Konerko, 2010: .312/.393/.584/.977

Konerko, 2011: .300/.388/.517/.906

Konerko, 2012: .298/.372/.486/.857

I think dropping 120 points of OPS between ages 34 and 36 should make you cautious about what might happen at age 37.

 

How many points of OPS has Morneau dropped the last 3 years?

[Brock Beauchamp]

How many points of OPS has Morneau dropped the last 3 years?

 

Completely different scenarios. Morneau suffered from injuries but is still relatively young, Paulie is just getting old.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Echoing the sentiments about Konerko -- he has had quite the career renaissance, it's hard to bet against him yet. Swisher is pretty good too.

 

And both of these guys have exemplary records of health and consistency. Once that is factored in, I don't see any way you can rank Morneau ahead of them right now in terms of expected 2013 performance. The optimistic 2013 outlook for Morneau looks to be about the baseline for Konerko and Swisher. (Assuming Konerko's deal with the devil does not expire for at least one more season.)

[Otto von Ballpark]

Hicks above Cain and De Aza looks optimistic at the moment too. (Where the heck did De Aza come from?)

[big dog]

De Aza replaced Rios for a while in 2011 and played really well. He struggled quite a bit last year playing more or less full time (524 ABs, .760 OPS after a .920 OPS in 152 ABs in 2011). Before that he'd only had a few short stints in the majors, with the Marlins and the White Sox. This year might reveal which is the real version. He's 29 so I think the .760 is going to be closer to the real version than the .920.

 

Konerko's been healthy enough to stay off the DL the last 3 years, other than I believe one 7-day DL late last year. I'm thinking Morneau's numbers might have been a tad better than they were if he had gotten the same run of health. Anyway, to each his own and I'll tell you in October if I was right or wrong.

[Riverbrian]

Riverbrian, I absolutely love Salvador Perez. I think maybe by the end of the year, he'll be right near, if not at the top of that catcher category. So young, and so much power. I'd have no problem moving him up, but not ahead of Mauer... yet. They aren't comparable at all. Perez has serious power.

 

I like Hosmer for a bounce-back, but I just couldn't put him ahead of the others.

 

With Perez I wouldn't put him above Mauer... Posey might be the only catcher I'd place in front of Mauer in MLB and that isn't a slam dunk. No denying Santana's Power and that has value but Santana just doesn't hit for high enough average. I'd go Perez over Santana for that reason.

 

With Hosmer I'd put him over Swisher... Based on last year I wouldn't... I just think that these two players will cross past each other in opposite directions... Hosmer up... Swisher down.

 

As for the White Sox... I'd put all of them at the 5 spot in every catagory. I just hate the White Sox with a passion and the curse I'm placing on them is powerful stuff. It's a new formula straight from Jamaica... The Sox don't stand a chance.

[Willihammer]

One thing Justin has done consistently right up through this spring is strikeout. His power might be back but his plate discipline seems to be lagging.

[Han Joelo]

Parmalee is too low for me as well. I'd put him third based on batting. Other than that, no complaints. Personally, I think Morneau has a season that puts him in the MVP debate. But that is just my gut (full of beer) talking.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

Konerko, 2010: .312/.393/.584/.977

Konerko, 2011: .300/.388/.517/.906

Konerko, 2012: .298/.372/.486/.857

I think dropping 120 points of OPS between ages 34 and 36 should make you cautious about what might happen at age 37.

 

Age 34 was his best year OPS wise. So he went from an extraordinary season to his career average in 2 years(.858). Terrifying indeed.

[chuchadoro]

There's just no way to rationally place Mauer any lower than #3. Cabrera is a given. Fielder is probably a given.

 

But who could you rank above Joe after those two guys? He's an on base machine... The best in the league. And while chicks dig the long ball, the guy who doesn't make outs still still more valuable and nobody in baseball is better at avoiding the out than Joe.

 

Rational Me would rank Mauer at #3 but that dude is a buzzkill.

[fairweather]

Every single 1 of those guys will have more HR's and RBI than Mr. Mauer. I wasn't ripping anyone.

[Mr. Brooks]

Every single 1 of those guys will have more HR's and RBI than Mr. Mauer. I wasn't ripping anyone.

 

Austin Jackson's career avg. for HR/RBI is 11/56.

[Mike Sixel]

Every single 1 of those guys will have more HR's and RBI than Mr. Mauer. I wasn't ripping anyone.

 

You rank hitters on RBI? hmmm.....

[Brock Beauchamp]

Every single 1 of those guys will have more HR's and RBI than Mr. Mauer. I wasn't ripping anyone.

 

RBI? Really?

 

(hint: RBI are far too correlated with team performance to be useful as an individual stat of merit)

[old nurse]

RBI? Really?

 

(hint: RBI are far too correlated with team performance to be useful as an individual stat of merit)

Since consequences of team events do not count, does that mean that people shouldn't rip into Mauer for hitting into double plays?

[ThePuck]

Since consequences of team events do not count, does that mean that people shouldn't rip into Mauer for hitting into double plays?

 

yes.