MLB Post-Millennial fanbase (born 1997 to ??)
~MLB Players active between 2005 and 2017~
- C Joe Mauer (46.9 fWAR)
- 1B Miguel Cabrera (64.5 fWAR)
- 2B Chase Utley (62.7 fWAR)
- SS Jose Reyes (41.7 fWAR)
- 3B Adrian Beltre (59.1 fWAR)
- LF Matt Holliday (48.6 fWAR)
- CF Mike Trout (54.4 fWAR)
- RF Curtis Granderson (46.0 fWAR)
- DH David Ortiz (41.1 fWAR)
- SP Clayton Kershaw (58.0 fWAR)
- RP Mariano Rivera (18.2 fWAR)
MLB Biggest Snub(s): SP Justin Verlander (56.9 fWAR), 1B Albert Pujols (59.1 fWAR), 1B Joey Votto (53.4 fWAR), 2B Robinson Cano (52.3 fWAR)
The final spots on the Post-Millennial fanbase team are still in flux because the end date for this generation hasn’t been determined. Given a few more years, Buster Posey could pass Joe Mauer at catcher, Robinson Cano may overcome Chase Utley at second base, and Craig Kimbrel or Kenley Jansen could move beyond Mariano Rivera at closer.
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I’m fudging a little in the bullpen by having Mariano Rivera on this team and the Millennials generation team. Rivera is 0.8 fWAR behind Jonathan Papelbon for this period, but he’s a placeholder until Kimbrel and Jansen make their moves. Aroldis Chapman could also pass River in the next few years.
One thing for certain: no one will catch Mike Trout in center field. Trout is fifth overall in Fangraphs WAR among position players on this Post-Millennials team, but the other four players all have at least 3000 more plate appearances. Those players are Miguel Cabrera, Chase Utley, Adrian Beltre, and Albert Pujols. Utley is on his last legs. He’ll be a part-time player with the Dodgers this year. Pujols is a shadow of his former self. He was below replacement level last year and is projected to be right at replacement level this year. Miguel Cabrera was also below replacement level, but he’s projected to be league average this year. Only Adrian Beltre looks likely to be a definite asset in 2018.
Pujols is hurt by the 2005 starting year for this group of players. He was worth roughly 30 wins from 2001 to 2004 but doesn’t get credit for those because of the established endpoints. Another snub is Joey Votto, who is sixth overall in Fangraphs WAR and third among first baseman. He’s coming off a 7-win year so that he could zoom right past Pujols with another good season (based on these years only).
While Trout is set in center field, the two corner spots could end up being taken by players younger than Matt Holliday and Curtis Granderson. In left field, Justin Upton could move past Holliday with four or five solid seasons. In right field, Giancarlo Stanton needs a few good years to send Curtis Granderson to the bench.
Next: Fun fact rankings of American League ballparks
Five starting pitchers have 50 or more fWAR since 2005, with Clayton Kershaw being the best of them. He’s just barely ahead of Justin Verlander despite having pitched 600 fewer innings. Behind Verlander are CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez, and Zack Greinke. Verlander and Greinke are coming off good seasons. Sabathia was league average last year. Felix had the worst season of his career.