AL MVP Award: My 10-Player Ballot

Just Missed the Cut for the Top 10

SP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians

5.1—Fangraphs WAR (17^th in AL)

6.4—Baseball-Reference WAR (10^th in AL)

1.7—Fangraphs WPA (60^th in AL)

2.6—Baseball-Reference WPA (25^th in AL)

215 IP, 18-9, 3.14 ERA, 3.26 FIP, 1.06 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9

Corey Kluber is one of two starting pitchers among my top 15 players in the American League. He doesn’t have the gaudy win total that Rick Porcello does, but Kluber didn’t enjoy0 the league leading 6.6 runs scored per game that Porcello received.

2B Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers

5.8—Fangraphs WAR (11^th in AL)

6.1—Baseball-Reference WAR (13^th in AL)

1.7—Fangraphs WPA (59^th in AL)

1.5—Baseball-Reference WPA (59^th in AL)

679 PA, 117 R, 28 HR, 83 RBI, 14 SB, .288/.348/.484, 123 wRC+

The 2016 season was an impressive year for American League second basemen. Kinsler was one of four second basemen I have among my top 15 players in the American League. Kinsler hit his most home runs since 2011 and had his highest slugging percentage since 2009.

3B Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners

5.5—Fangraphs WAR (12^th in AL)

6.9—Baseball-Reference WAR (6^th in AL)

2.1—Fangraphs WPA (36^th in AL)

1.4—Baseball-Reference WPA (68^th in AL)

676 PA, 89 R, 30 HR, 99 RBI, 3 SB, .278/.359/.499, 133 wRC+

Kyle Seager may be the least-known player among my top 15 because he plays in the northwest corner of the country with the Seattle Mariners, but he’s about as consistent as they come. He can reliably be counted on for 20-30 homers, 75-90 RBI, and good defense at third base. This was Seager’s best season based on both Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference WAR.

2B Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

5.2—Fangraphs WAR (16^th in AL)

5.6—Baseball-Reference WAR (16^th in AL)

3.3—Fangraphs WPA (14^th in AL)

2.8—Baseball-Reference WPA (20^th in AL)

698 PA, 105 R, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 7 SB, .318/.376/.449, 120 wRC+

Other than a 31-game sample in his rookie year, Pedroia was coming off the worst season of his career heading into the 2016 season. He rebounded quite nicely by putting together a year that would fit right in place with his good string of seasons from 2011 to 2013.

SS Carlos Correa, Houston Astros

4.9—Fangraphs WAR (18^th in AL)

5.9—Baseball-Reference WAR (14^th in AL)

3.5—Fangraphs WPA (12^th in AL)

3.3—Baseball-Reference WPA (10^th in AL)

660 PA, 76 R, 20 HR, 96 RBI, 13 SB, .274/.361/.451, 122 wRC+

Based on Fangraphs WAR, Carlos Correa just had the sixth-best season ever for a shortstop 21 years old or younger. Four of the five young shortstops ahead of him played before 1940. There are few players in baseball with a future as bright as Carlos Correa.