For years, the Detroit Tigers ruled the AL Central. With the Kansas City Royals surging to the World Series and the Chicago White Sox acquiring top talent, that landscape has quickly changed. In one of the final installments of the series, the American League Central will be examined position by position to determine who is the best in the Midwest.Again, the main criteria here is WAR, followed by other statistics if necessary, but being ranked first in WAR doesn’t guarantee a spot on the team.
Catcher: Yan Gomes– Cleveland Indians/Runner-up: Salvador Perez– Kansas City Royals
After showcasing his stuff in the World Series, an argument could be made for Perez to get the bid. He is one heck of a fielder, having earned back-to-back Gold Gloves, but his bat just isn’t there. Yes, he plays at Kauffman, but his 92 wRC+ last season wouldn’t fair well for any team at any park, especially since he has been on a decline over the last few seasons. Gomes, on the other hand, shined in his first full year in the bigs. His bat is exceptional, having hit for a 121 wRC+ and 21 homers. Yan isn’t terrible behind the plate either, earning a 2 in rSB and RPP, meaning he is between above average and great. Gomes did earn a higher WAR too, being at 4.6 over Salvy’s 3.3. Both of these players have a great future ahead of them, and I know I will receive some grief from those in KC, but based on the sabermetrics, Gomes edges out Perez.
First Base: Miguel Cabrera– Detroit Tigers/Runner-up: Jose Abreu– Chicago White Sox
This was a close race. Miguel Cabrera is probably the best pure hitter in baseball, which has put him at the top without much thought past years. However, a down year for Miggy, along with the breakout of Abreu, made the decision a bit more difficult. In the end, the incumbent gets the edge. The WAR numbers were too close to determine the winner with Miggy at 5.4 and Abreu at 5.3. The biggest reason for picking Cabrera was his track record. In 2013, his wRC+ was an astounding 192 with a .411 wOBA. Even last year he hit for a 147 wRC+ and it was still considered low for the slugger. Both players are average in the field, so that portion was a wash. I’m expecting Miggs to return to 2013 form this season, but if we see a repeat of 2014, Abreu could become the new #1.
Second Base: Ian Kinsler– Detroit Tigers/Runner-up: Brian Dozier– Minnesota Twins
Here we have another close battle. Ian is a powerful second baseman who drives in runs. Brian is a powerful second baseman who scores runs. Many offensive stats slightly favor Dozier, but two things make me pick Kinsler, defense and WAR. First, Ian has a DRS of 20, which is Gold Glove caliber while Brian doesn’t even earn a single point. Kinsler being a more rounded player gave him the advantage. Second, Ian did have a higher WAR last season, coming in at 5.4 with Brian at 4.6. This difference could come back to the defensive portion of each man’s game.
Third Base: Trevor Plouffe– Minnesota Twins/Runner-up: Lonnie Chisenhall– Cleveland Indians
Though Plouffe isn’t a superstar, he is the best player at the hot corner in the AL Central. His WAR was 3.5, 1.6 games higher than the runner-up, Chisenhall. Plouffe quietly put up a 112 wRC+ and a .331 wOBA, which isn’t outstanding, but very solid nonetheless. His glove isn’t bad either, earning a 6 in DRS last season. There is a possibility that Trevor gets traded this season, since Miguel Sano is on his way back from Tommy John surgery. The Twins could decide to move him to a corner outfield position too, which he has played before. Either way, Plouffe will be an asset on both offense and defense.
Shortstop: Alexei Ramirez– Chicago White Sox/Runner-up: Alcides Escobar– Kansas City Royals
At shortstop, we have the same situation that we did at second, two players with different games, but similar production. Alexei is a run-producing SS, which isn’t too common in today’s game. Alcides is a fast, singles kind of SS, which works extremely well in Kansas City. Both have wRC+ below 100 and wOBA+ below .320. Also, both have basically the same WAR (Alcides with 3.4, Alexei with 3.3.) On top of these comparisons, they are both below average fielders according to DRS. The vote really came down to personal preference. I think Alcides is a good shortstop, but Alexei’s power numbers are more favorable in my opinion. This selection could have gone either way, so have at it in the comments section.
Left Field: Alex Gordon– Kansas City Royals/Runner-up: Michael Brantley– Cleveland Indians
Finally, A Royal gets the bid. In my mind, Gordon is one of the best left fielders in the game. His defense is sets him apart from the rest of the pack. In each of the past four seasons, he has earned a DRS of 16+, winning the Gold Glove in all four years. There is no doubt that Alex has the best glove in the league, but his bat is not too shabby either. Last season, he had a 122 wRC+ and .346 wOBA. Overall, Gordon claimed a 6.6 WAR and led the way for the Royals’ postseason run. The Royals are hoping he picks up his player option in 2016, as Alex is the face of the organization.
Center Field: Lorenzo Cain– Kansas City Royals/Runner-up: Adam Eaton– Chicago White Sox
In center, we have another Royal. I’ve been a huge fan of Eaton’s since his days in Arizona, but Cain is more worthy of the top spot. Everyone remembers Cain from his unbelievable play in October, making fabulous plays left and right, but his regular season play was pretty solid too. As was true with Gordon, Cain’s glove is magnificent, accumulating a 24 DRS in both center and right field. Though he hasn’t won the gold yet, the radar has picked up this guy’s talent. For his stick, he is decent, having a 111 wRC+ and .330 wOBA. Lorenzo works as a 2 hitter in the Royal’s lineup and will be ready to show his stuff in 2015.
Right Field: J.D. Martinez– Detroit Tigers/Runner-up: Brandon Moss– Cleveland Indians
When J.D. began his career in Houston, he was written off way too quickly. Now, the Astros are surely wishing they had him back. Like fellow teammate Victor Martinez, J.D. quietly put together a fantastic season. With a 153 wRC+ and .391 wOBA, Martinez will be the front runner for the right field position heading into spring training while Yoenis Cespedes takes over in left. There isn’t anything special about Martinez’s defense, but his offense makes up the difference.
Starting Rotation:
David Price– Detroit Tigers
Corey Kluber– Cleveland Indians
Chris Sale– Chicago White Sox
Jeff Samardzija– Chicago White Sox
Yordano Ventura– Kansas City Royals
The top three selections come without much controversy. Two former Cy Young award winners (Price and Kluber) and a definite candidate (Sale) are the among the best in the league. Next, we have Samardzija, who is new to the AL Central. He had a WAR of 4.1 and an FIP of 3.20. Last season was just bad luck for Jeff, having pitched the first half with the brutal Chicago Cubs and then moves to the Oakland A’s in the second half, where he witnessed a collapse of epic proportions. Now on the other Chicago team, Samardzija has a chance to break his very own curse. The final starter came down to two candidates, Ventura and Justin Verlander. As good as Verlander has been the past, I just couldn’t give him the fifth spot. Ventura is a fireball pitcher who was a part of the Royals’ great run. His regular season FIP wasn’t tremendous, only earning a 3.60, but as the potential ace to the Royals’ rotation, he was worthy of the last spot on this team.
Closer: Greg Holland– Kansas City Royals/Runner-up: David Robertson– Chicago White Sox
Robertson leaving New York has brought competition to Holland, but when you are a part of the best bullpen in baseball, it sets you apart entirely. Greg had a K/9 of 12.99 and an FIP of 1.83. He only blew 2 saves in 48 opportunities. There isn’t really much to say about this guy other than he is just a shutdown pitcher who reigns supreme in the American League Central.
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