Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB’s best since LeBron James was NOT in the NBA Finals

ByBobMueller|
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics during Game Six of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics during Game Six of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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LeBron James
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 08: Catcher Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Catcher

It’s probably no surprise to baseball fans that Buster Posey has been the best catcher in baseball since 2010. Posey won the NL Rookie of the Year Award that season despite not getting called up to the Giants until May 29. He hit .305/.357/.505 and helped lead the Giants to a World Series championship.

Posey was injured on a play at the plate in May of the 2011 season and only played 45 games. His injury doomed the Giants to a second place finish in their division. It also created the Buster Posey Rule, which Anthony Rizzo recently violated in controversial fashion.

Posey came back strong in 2012 to lead the league in batting average and have his only100 RBI season (so far). He was the NL MVP and once again helped the Giants to another World Series championship. He would be a part of the team’s third World Series-winning squad in five years when they won it again in 2014.

Since the last time LeBron James was NOT in the NBA Finals, Buster Posey has an 11-WAR lead over Yadier Molina (27.5 WAR) among all MLB catchers. Carlos Santana has 23.6 WAR, but much of that has come as a first baseman, so the true number three catcher since 2010 is Jonathan Lucroy (22.8 WAR), who edges out Russell Martin (22.5 WAR).

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