MLB: The All-30 and Over Team

The MLB seems to be have been taken over by young studs like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado, but there are still some veterans that are producing great numbers. Here is the list of the MLB’s All-30 and over team. 

There has been lot of talk about many younger players taking the mantle from many of the players that have been the premier guys for many years. While it’s fun to watch these up and coming players realize their potential, there are still many guys that are putting up some of the major league’s best numbers, which is very impressive as they continue to get older.

With many of the league’s best finally crossing over into their 30’s, the names on this list have grown considerably. These players include Josh Donaldson, David Price, Felix Hernandez and Jake Arrieta. There are also players who are approaching their late 30’s who are still some of the MLB’s best.

Today we’ll take a crack at trying to form the MLB’s best 30 years and over team. It’s important to note that while this list is dealing with how players are performing today, their track record is still taken into account.

Next: Catcher

First Base: Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) (33)

To start off, first base, besides pitcher, may be the strongest position for guys that are 30 or more years old. Many guys are still putting up great numbers even as they start to rise in age. Consistently great veterans like Joey Votto and Adrian Gonzalez are continuing to perform at a high level, even though Votto has hit a road bump early this season.

Chris Davis, who just turned 30 has been perhaps a top two power hitter in the league in his own right. But when looking at who is still the best over 30 years old first baseman in the game today, and probably seance best overall behind Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks, you have to go the Miggy.

Yes, Cabrera was injured last year, his power numbers drop a couple of seasons ago and he hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts in 2016, but his track record speaks for itself. Before he got injured last season, the 33 year-old future Hall of Famer was on pace to hit at least 25 home runs and he was hitting .338. Cabrera also has did not have a season when he hit less than 30 dingers from 2007-2013.

While hitting for all this power, he has maintained a high batting average and on-base percentage throughout his career as well. His skills may have gone down a bit since he is getting a little longer in the tooth, but last year’s numbers before his injury indicate that he still has a lot left in the tank.

Second Team: Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds) (32)

Next: Second Base

Second Base: Robinson Cano (Seattle Mariners) (33)

No, Robinson Cano is not the player he was with the Yankees; the player that could hit for great power for the second base position and maintain a high batting average. But looking at the list of second baseman that are 30 years and older right now, Cano still reigns above the rest. The 33 year-old got off to a sluggish start last year, which made everyone question the type of hefty contract that Seattle gave him before the season.

However, a strong finish to the 2015 season eased some of those concerns. Cano finished 2015, with a batting line of .287/.334/.446 and 21 home runs. This may not have been the type of numbers that you expect from one of the highest paid players in the MLB, but they were still top of the line when it came to second baseman.

To start this year, Cano’s power came back with a vengeance as he hit four bombs in the first three games of the regular season. At this point in early May, Cano sits at third in the league with nine home runs and first among second baseman. The former Yankee still has an elite skill set for the position and remains the top option in terms of guys who are over 30 years of age.

Second Team: Ian Kinsler (Detroit Tigers) (33)

Next: Third Baseman

Third Baseman: Josh Donaldson (Toronto Blue Jays) (30)

The 2015 AL Most Valuable Player was the best third baseman in the game last year, and having turned 30 this past offseason, he now is the best third baseman that has had their twenties pass them by. Donaldson has been one of the more feared hitters in the game ever since he broke out in the 2013 season with the Oakland Athletics.

Donaldson has a powerful swing that can hit balls all over the plate. He has power to all fields and being traded to the Blue Jays was probably the best thing for his career as now his full offensive potential can be realized. Donaldson hit over 40 home runs last season and had the fifth highest slugging percentage of any player in the MLB. He also ranked 8th in doubles, which shows that he does to rely too much on the home run or bust mentality.

He started off this season on a good note as well, hitting for nine bombs and currently possessing a .395 OBP. Donaldson has to hold off great young third baseman like Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado for the top spot in the game, but on this list he is the clear number one.

Second Team: Adrian Beltre (Texas Rangers) (37)

Next: Shortstop

Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki (Toronto Blue Jays) (31)

With some of the brightest young players in the game being shortstops it was clear that the position was one of the weaker spots to choose from on this list for obvious reasons. Shortstop is probably the the most difficult defensive position to play besides catcher, which is why many of even the greatest shortstops shift to third base as they get up their in years (i.e. Alex Rodriguez and Cal Ripken Jr.). However, the two top options on this list are still solid players. Tulo and Jhonny Peralta both were solid contenders for this spot, but track record and the recent injury to Peralta tipped the scales in the Toronto Blue Jay’s favor.

Tulowitzki was spectacular for the Rockies during his career, hitting for both power and average. But since he got traded to the Blue Jays last summer, his numbers have not been great. While he did provide a spark after he was acquired, he still finished his 2015 stint in Toronto with a batting average less than .250. He has started this season with an extremely disappointing batting average of .167, even though his on-base percentage is over 100 points higher, which is an encouraging sign.

Another encouraging factor is that Tulo has never hit this bad in his career and that this recent stretch is probably just a slump. While this is not a ringing endorsement of Tulowizki as a player, he still has power that many shortstops dream of and he has the track record of performing at a high level, which has to weigh deeply into the discussion.

Second Team: Jhonny Peralta (St.Louis Cardinals) (33)

Next: Left Field

Left Field: Melky Cabrera (Chicago White Sox) (31)

In another position that was slightly void of talent, there were two players that really zoned in on this first team spot. That was Melky Cabrera of the White Sox and Alex Gordon of the Royals. In the end, Cabrera got the nod because of his consistency and his start to the 2016 season.

Over the past three seasons (not including 2012 because of the steroid usage), Cabrera has a combined batting average of a .284 compared to Gordon that who has a combined .267 average. Cabrera also is comparable to Gordon in the power department having 28 homers compared to Gordon who had 32 bombs.

He isn’t a star by any means, but Cabrera certainly is a solid player and has been over the course of his career, even years back when he was with the Yanks. He also has started this year on a better note than Gordon collecting a slash line of .296/.373/.408, compared to Gordon who’s at .207/.324/.310. Gordon may have more of the brand recognition because the big deal that he scored this offseason, but right now, Cabrera is the better player.

Second Team: Alex Gordon (Kansas City Royals) (32)

Next: Center Field

Center Field: Yoenis Cespedes (New York Mets) (30)

One of the most difficult decisions on the list was having to choose between Cespedes and Lorenzo Cain. But being that this team is about the best players right now, Cespedes takes the top spot. Dexter Fowler was also an interesting option with the hot start he’s had to this season, but he does not have the track record to prove this small sample size is the real deal. The Mets outfielder just turned 30 this offseason and is one of of the hottest hitters in the MLB since the second half of the 2015 season when he hit an incredible 17 homers in just 57 games.

Cespedes is starting off hot this season as well hitting 8 long balls in just 21 games, which is top for center fielders. Cespedes has ridiculous power that wasn’t really shown for the early parts of his career since he was playing the majority of his games in Oakland.

But now with the Mets, the Cuban outfielder is showing that he can be one of the best power hitters in the major leagues. His power is the main reason why he triumphs over Cain on this list. He also hits for a high average, even though his OBP leaves a lot to be desired. He also seems to have improved on his strikeout numbers as well this season.

Second Team: Lorenzo Cain (Kansas City Royals) (30)

Next: Right Field

Right Field: Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays) (35)

This is the third Toronto Blue Jay in the starting lineup of this list. Bautista is a perfect example that not every play needs to so-called “breakout” during a certain phase of their careers. Most people think that this happens in the mid 20’s, and that if the player doesn’t turn the corner then there is no hope. Bautista really came out of nowhere during his age 29 season. He was previously a starter on a poor Pittsburgh Pirates team, but four 35 or more home run seasons later, he is one of the top sluggers in the MLB.

Bautista has filthy power that can drive balls into the third deck of the Rogers Centre. He is unafraid at the plate and is a fiery competitor as we all saw with his dramatic bat flip after a clutch home run in a playoff game against the Rangers. There are not many guys in the league with the pure power that Bautista has, and he doesn’t seem like he is going to slow down anytime soon.

Second Team: Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies) (30)

Next: Starting Rotation

Starting Rotation

Starter #1: Jake Arrieta (Chicago Cubs) (30)

Coming off another no-hitter and a spectacular start to the 2016 season, what more can be said about the brilliance of Jake Arrieta. Right now, he is challenging Clayton Kershaw as the top pitcher in the major leagues, which is pretty amazing considering where he was a few years back with the Baltimore Orioles. Arrieta has a nasty cutter and a mid-90’s fastball that will make hitters miss and cause weak contact. He is also getting better control of his off-speed offerings as his walk rate has diminished over the past few years. Having just turned 30 in March, Arrieta is in the prime of his career right now and hitters all around the MLB should be scared.

Starter #2: David Price (Boston Red Sox) (30)

Another pitcher who just turned 30 makes his way onto the list, but unlike Arrieta, Price has been dominant since he first stepped onto a major league field with the Tampa Bay Rays. Price has looked dominate at times with the Sox and has had some slip-ups, which is why his ERA may not be as low as he wants it to be. But once he settles in, he should continue to be one of the best in the game.

Starter #3: Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners) (30)

There seems to be a theme here with pitchers who just turned 30. But nonetheless, King Felix is firmly planted as the third best starting pitcher 30 or more of age in the majors. Felix has not been the pitcher he was during his mid-20’s with the Mariners, when he was possibly the best in the game. But he still is one of the best when he has that devastating changeup working. He’s had a strong start to this season even though his strikeout numbers are down, which is a positive sign because he seemed to regress in 2015. Hernandez should remain at the top of his game for the next couple years as he starts to rack up the innings on his arm.

Starter #4: Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals) (31)

Another spectacular starter on this list is Max Scherzer, who led the Nationals’ rotation over the likes of Stephen Strasburg in 2015. Scherzer is the type of pitcher that attacks hitters every chance he gets. His fastball is electric really seems to run up on hitters in a hurry. He also has the consistent numbers over the past couple of years that put him as one of the top starting pitchers that baseball has to offer. There is no reason not to expect continued dominance in 2016.

Starter #5: Zack Greinke (Arizona Diamondbacks) (32)

Let’s just say it for what it is, Greinke has been bad this season. Right now, the 32 year-old has an ERA of 5.50 and his pitching arsenal looks significantly worse. He is not walking batters at a much higher rate than last year and his strikeouts, while slightly lower, are around the same area. Hitters are just flat out seeing the ball better off of him and are not getting fooled. But based on his 2015 performance, he should get the benefit of the doubt right now. Granted, the contract that the Dbacks gave him this offseason wasn’t a smart move. Still this doesn’t mean that Greinke won’t be able to find his old form this season, once he gets his feet wet with a new team he could jump right back into the front of the rotation starter he’s been. But he will be one of the most interesting players to focus on as the season progresses.

Next: Closer

Closer: Wade Davis (Kansas City Royals) (30)

Davis was one of the best set-up men in the league until he wasn’t. This was not because of poor performance but due to necessity when Royals closer Greg Holland went down with an injury last season, and Davis took full advantage of the opportunity. He was certainly the best closer in the MLB in 2015 and has continued his success this season. Many expected Davis to be able to handle the closer role well, but not many could have predicted how prolific he was going to be. In 2014, switching from being a starter with the Tampa Bay Rays, Davis finished that season with an ERA of 1.00 with a strong strikeout rate of 13.6 per nine innings. However, Davis has improved in this in 2015 and in the early parts of this year.

The closer currently has not let up a run, earned or unearned, in 2016, and is 8/8 in save opportunities. Somehow he has improved over his 2015 season in the early goings when he finished that year with a 0.94 ERA. These are video game type numbers and with his high-90’s fastball and devastating off-speed offerings, Davis should continue to be the cream of the crop in the 9th inning.

Second Team: Andrew Miller (New York Yankees) (30)

Next: Yankees five worst contracts

What do you think of this team? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.