2011 AL End of Year All-Star Team

Even though the All-Star game is associated with the middle of the MLB season, I feel that it is best to make an All-Star team at the end of the year to award those who simply outperformed everybody else at their respective positions. Most of what I do is based on sabermetrical analysis, and this All-Star team mostly reflects this new-age line of thinking.

C Alex Avila: To me, there was simply no other choice. Of course Matt Wieters had a nice season and Carlos Santana played well in 2011, but Alex Avila’s 140 wRC+ says it all. Of course a .366 BABIP was involved, but Avila was easily the best catcher in the American League in the 2011 season.

1B Miguel Cabrera: Proving the notion that the Tigers are a top-heavy team, star first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a 7.3 WAR season built on an amazing 177 wRC+. Probably the best power hitter in the AL, Miguel Cabrera walked significantly more than he struck out, and the star first baseman also had a .241 ISO with a .344/.448/.586 triple slash. Wow.

2B Dustin Pedroia: Ian Kinsler was definitely in consideration (7.7 WAR to Pedroia’s mark of 8.0), but Pedroia’s defense was just too much. Although Kinsler was no slouch defensively at second and was far better on the bases, Pedroia was also the better hitter (albeit another close race with a 134 wRC+ by Pedroia to a mark of 128 by the Rangers star keystone sacker).  Pedroia had a triple slash of .307/.387/.474 and displayed great patience at the plate. But man was it close between these two, and Kinsler is just so underrated.

SS Jhonny Peralta: Wow, another Tigers player. This one, however, is a little more surprising, as Peralta is consistently underrated. He’s a productive shortstop who is way too underrated defensively and hit 21 homers and 86 ribbies (even I use the “normal” stats from time to time) as a shortstop. Peralta also hit .299, and that’s a significantly better mark than what the two shortstops who hit more dingers (J.J. and the overrated Asdrubal Cabrera) posted.

3B Adrian Beltre: To prove that I don’t always go with WAR- among other things- I decided to take Adrian Beltre (5.7) over Evan Longoria (6.1). They posted the exact same wRC+ (134), but Beltre was better defensively and was better on the basepaths. Seriously, stolen bases (one for Beltre, three for Longoria) aren’t everything. I wouldn’t blame you if you went with the heroic Longoria, and his almost-as-good defensive play, but Beltre had more power and hit for a higher average. But by the same token, Longoria had the higher OBP- thanks to great patience- and a much lower BABIP. Who said making an All-Star team was easy?

LF Alex Gordon: Man, oh man did I want to be a homer and pick the best defensive player in baseball; Brett Gardner. But I decided to be wise, and I chose the better hitter in Alex Gordon (141 wRC+ to 103 wRC+). The 2011 breakout star had a 6.9 WAR by posting surprisingly good marks at his new position in the field, and he also did pretty well for himself as a baserunner.  Gordon had a triple slash of .303/.376/.502 and scored 101 runs with improved power (.200 ISO and 23 homers).

CF Jacoby Ellsbury: Now I can pick a Yankees player. Wait. What’s that you say? Jacoby Ellsbury had a 9.4 WAR? Dang it! Ellsbury was easily the best player in the Majors in 2011, and he pretty much did it all. Tacoby- no, that was not a tipo (see what I did there?)- had a 30/30 season and made some breathtaking plays in center. Not only that, but Bellsbury hit .321 with a .402 wOBA (translating to an even 150 wRC+), and he also scored 119 runs with a .230 ISO. Um, so how did the Red Sox collapse? Wow, Carl Crawford‘s contract must have really been bad.

RF Jose Bautista: Bombista took the rest of the competition yard- sorry, I had to do it- and his 8.3 WAR is the mirror image of the next highest marks by AL right fielders (Nick Swisher and Matt Joyce each had 3.8 WARs). Bautista walked a little bit over 20 percent of the time (!) and hit 43 home runs with a .306 ISO. Oh yeah, he also had a triple slash of .302/.447/.608 that translated to a wOBA of .441 and a wRC+ of 181. Man, that’s what we call mashing! He was actually solid as a baserunner, but it was his below average defense that may have kept him from an MVP award. Defense may not win championships in baseball, but ask Jacoby Ellsbury and he’ll tell you that it means the difference between winning and losing end of season hardware.

DH David Ortiz: Big Papi had a 153 wRC+ which easily led all the other American League (I meant to do that) designated hitters. His triple slash of .309/.398/.554 combined with a .246 ISO easily hand the .405 wOBA-hitter this spot on my All-Star roster.  Michael Young and Paul Konerko were really the only legit competition.

SP Justin Verlander: He had an ERA of 2.40 and an FIP of 2.99 to go with 8.96 K/9. However, he had a whole lot of luck, which is why the race for the AL Cy Young shouldn’t be a landslide. But Verlander was still the best of a pretty bright bunch (as you’ll soon see).

SP CC Sabathia: That 2.88 FIP is a wonder to behold, and he only gave up 0.64 HR/9 in what was actually an off season for arguably the most durable pitcher in the Majors. His ballpark doesn’t exactly do him any favors, and neither does Derek Jeter‘s defense.

SP Dan Haren: Forget Jered Weaver who relies on his park and Peter Bourjos (please don’t trade him for David Wright), it’s all about Danny Boy. Haren walked only 1.25 guys every nine innings in 2011, and he had the same FIP as that Verlander guy.

SP Jered Weaver: How could we forget Jeff’s little brother? The top prospect has blossomed into an ace, and he now has the contract to show it. The 2.40 ERA has a lot to do with luck, but that still gives him a very nice 3.20 FIP.

SP C.J. Wilson: Easily this year’s top free agent pitcher, C.J. Wilson posted a 2.94 ERA and struck out 8.30 batters per nine innings, gave up as many homers per nine innings as CC Sabathia, and he also had a very nice GB% of 49.3. And oh yeah, his 5.9 WAR was better than Jered Weaver, but WAR isn’t everything (although it is the best baseball stat ever, besides wins *sarcasm alert*).

CL Jonathan Papelbon: What risk? Regardless of common wisdom regarding (no pun intended, but sarcasm intended) money given to relievers, Papelbon was the best RP in 2011. Paps had a 1.53 FIP, a 12.17 K/9, a 1.40 BB/9, 0.42 HR/9, and he had a .309 BABIP against that can be attributed to a lowly and somewhat worrisome 37.5 GB% that inflates his FIP (for those of you who understand advanced statistics very well).

SU David Robertson: I’ll close out the bullpen with two players on the Yankees, and I bet you already know the other guy now that I have divulged this selection. David Robertson is one of the most underrated players in baseball, and he struck out 13.50 batters per nine innings despite giving out 4.73 free passes per nine.  Oh yeah, his 89.8 LOB% is also a little worrisome. But still, Robertson whipped up a 1.08 ERA/1.84 FIP/2.46 xFIP triple slash to show us how it’s done in the Bronx (which means getting thumped by the Tigers in the ALDS).

SU Mariano Rivera: I could leave it at “Mariano is great“, but I am going to choose to elaborate on my favorite player’s continued dominance at the ripe age of 41. Mo is one of the only relievers who had no risk from the ages of 33-40- despite TJ surgery as a prospect- and walked a minuscule 1.17 batters per nine innings. Everybody loves an 8.80 K/9 and a 0.44 HR/9, and Rivera had a 1.91 ERA and a 2.19 FIP.