MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

so my best friend and I were drunkenly discussing who should play for the world in those hypothetical "one game against aliens for the fate of the world" with more or less the following understanding-

Base it on the player's current skill level, and they have to have the ability to play the position. Then come up with the lineup...here's what we did:

Arod (SS)
Cabrera (3b)
Pujols (1b)
Ortiz (DH)
Manny (LF)
Vlad (RF)
A. Jones (CF)
Utley (2b)
V. Martinez (C)

SP: Santana
Closer: Ryan

Thoughts? If we couldn't put Arod at SS, he'd the 3b and Miggy'd be the SS. Wright vs. Cabrera is interesting, as is Bay vs. Manny, Bonds could obv. be on the team, and the DH is interesting as well (DLee? Dunn? Giambi?). As for pitchers...Santana's pretty clear, but the closer spot has possibilities, especially depending on your view of Mo.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

I like Bonds at DH.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Putting Manny Ramirez in the field has to be a mistake.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

This year, I'd rather have Ortiz. Bonds hasn't been himself this year. Obviously he doesn't heal as quickly as he used to..is it the age or him not taking the roids anymore?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Shift Pujols to third, and play Ortiz at first, with Bonds at DH. (hey, you already got Manny in left, so don't tell your worried about defense.)

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

BJ Ryan over Rivera is pure lunacy. If we're gonna go with a hot closer who hasn't shown he can do it over the long haul/in Huge games I'd go with Papelbon

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Halladay should start, but its pretty close.
I also don't think Ryan should close, but he'd be a somewhat better choice than papelbon.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Bonds DH hitting leadoff.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

BJ Ryan over Rivera as closer? With the fate of the world in his hands?? WTF???

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

I prefer Soriano at 2B to have some speed at the top of the lineup.

I may also put Papelbon in the closer spot, but he hasn't been tested in a playoff situation, much less against aliens for the fate of the world. With all that riding on the 9th inning, I'm probably going with Mo.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
I like Bonds at DH.

[/ QUOTE ]

there is no way the current incarnation of Bonds belongs on this team, even at DH.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Soriano would be a horrible selection.

Every player should have at least a .350 OBP.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
Arod (SS)
Cabrera (3b)
Pujols (1b)
Ortiz (DH)
Manny (LF)
Vlad (RF)
A. Jones (CF)
Utley (2b)
V. Martinez (C)

SP: Santana
Closer: Ryan

[/ QUOTE ]

i think i would keep Arod at 3B, because i dont trust (know?) about cabreras glove at 3B. Arod is average at that position and at the plater they are probably equalish. i can then put tejada at SS, where he is still above average. so its either:

Arod/Tejada
Cabrera/Arod

offense you obviously take cabrera, but i think the defense factor swings it to tejada. i think arod would be slightly below average at SS at this point.

i put jason bay on the team, and manny wouldnt even be my second choice.

DH is close, giambi is right up there along with hafner and ortiz.

the rest seems fine. i suppose you could argue about the SP selection, but johan probably is best choice. ryan seems to be the obvious selection at this time.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

I think I'd put Jason Giambi as DH (maybe Manny Ramirez. I like Giambi more though), Jason Bay in LF, and start Roy Halladay. Closer would be Mariano Rivera.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
Arod (SS)
Cabrera (3b)
Pujols (1b)
Ortiz (DH)
Manny (LF)
Vlad (RF)
A. Jones (CF)
Utley (2b)
V. Martinez (C)

SP: Santana
Closer: Ryan


[/ QUOTE ]

SS: Alex Rodriguez
3b: Miguel Cabrera
2b: Chase Utley
1b: Derrek Lee
LF: Manny Ramirez
RF: Brian Giles
CF: Jason Bay
C: Joe Mauer (or Victor, it could go either way)
DH: Albert Pujols

SP: Jake Peavy
Relief: Johan Santana
Closer: Mariano Rivera

This proves that Brian Giles and Jake Peavy are absurdly underrated.

EDIT: Vlad or Abreu over Giles is probably better at this point though, I must admit.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

I think Guerrero is better than Giles at this point.

Edit: Just saw the edit. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

I just clicked this to make sure you had Utley in there.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

I don't know much about Jason Bay but looking at his stats, they aren't all that impressive this year, .265, 6 HR, 20 RBIs, 4 SB and he plays LF (correct me if I'm wrong). He's there instead of Jones who is the yearly Golden Glove Winner + 2nd in the MVP vote who is batting .294, 9 HRs and 39 RBI and 3 SB...Hmmmm...

Giles is batting .273 with 3 Hrs and 21 RBis, over Vlade, Blake (Cleveland), Ichiro, Mags, etc.

Utley, not too familar with him but 2b seems to be a very horrible position, stats wise.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know much about Jason Bay but looking at his stats, they aren't all that impressive this year, .265, 6 HR, 20 RBIs, 4 SB and he plays LF (correct me if I'm wrong). He's there instead of Jones who is the yearly Golden Glove Winner + 2nd in the MVP vote who is batting .294, 9 HRs and 39 RBI and 3 SB...Hmmmm...

Giles is batting .273 with 3 Hrs and 21 RBis, over Vlade, Blake (Cleveland), Ichiro, Mags, etc.

Utley, not too familar with him but 2b seems to be a very horrible position, stats wise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, Jason Bay was the fourth most valuable player last year and extremely +++ on defense.

EDIT: And you think Utley is bad because of what, 30 games of the 2006 season? Jesus.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know much about Jason Bay but looking at his stats, they aren't all that impressive this year, .265, 6 HR, 20 RBIs, 4 SB and he plays LF (correct me if I'm wrong). He's there instead of Jones who is the yearly Golden Glove Winner + 2nd in the MVP vote who is batting .294, 9 HRs and 39 RBI and 3 SB...Hmmmm...

Giles is batting .273 with 3 Hrs and 21 RBis, over Vlade, Blake (Cleveland), Ichiro, Mags, etc.

Utley, not too familar with him but 2b seems to be a very horrible position, stats wise.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, there's this thing called On Base Percentage...

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
Utley, not too familar with him but 2b seems to be a very horrible position, stats wise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Utley is easily the best all-around second baseman in baseball. I know I'm biased as a Philly guy, but here is is among all 2B:

.303 BA (7th)
.375 OBP (4th)
.542 SLG (1st)
.917 OPS (1st)
8 HR (1st)
26 RBI (2nd)

Plus he has good speed and a pretty good glove.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't know much about Jason Bay but looking at his stats, they aren't all that impressive this year, .265, 6 HR, 20 RBIs, 4 SB and he plays LF (correct me if I'm wrong). He's there instead of Jones who is the yearly Golden Glove Winner + 2nd in the MVP vote who is batting .294, 9 HRs and 39 RBI and 3 SB...Hmmmm...

Giles is batting .273 with 3 Hrs and 21 RBis, over Vlade, Blake (Cleveland), Ichiro, Mags, etc.

Utley, not too familar with him but 2b seems to be a very horrible position, stats wise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, Jason Bay was the fourth most valuable player last year and extremely +++ on defense.

EDIT: And you think Utley is bad because of what, 30 games of the 2006 season? Jesus.

[/ QUOTE ]
Is Bay + Manny better than Bay + Jones when defense is factored in?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]

there is no way the current incarnation of Bonds belongs on this team, even at DH.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a big fan of On Base Percentage, eh?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

How is Bonds this year better than Jason Giambi or even Derrek Lee?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

So he plays in front of Jones who was 2nd in the MVP, has better stats and is a better defender? Hmmm...makes sense.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Very good numbers. Just said I'm not familar.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

there is no way the current incarnation of Bonds belongs on this team, even at DH.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a big fan of On Base Percentage, eh?

[/ QUOTE ]

Aliens will take one look at Bond's numbers this year and realize that walking him all the time is stupid.

Plus he can't run the bases anyway.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
Very good numbers. Just said I'm not familar.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know. Utley is my boy. I figured I would familiarize you =)

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

4th best player accordint to who?

In the NL:

He was 12th in the voting.

Who is he better than? Lee, Jones, Pujois had better numbers. Better than A-Rod, Ortiz, Vlade and Manny in the West?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
He was 12th in the voting.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Sorry, A-Rod plays third base now.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, A-Rod plays third base now.

[/ QUOTE ]

the manager and GM dont have to supplicate a baby on this team.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

there is no way the current incarnation of Bonds belongs on this team, even at DH.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a big fan of On Base Percentage, eh?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a bigger fan of OPS [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Bonds is currently #30 in the league, and doesn't look he he's going to return to 2 years ago anytime soon

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

OPS isn't perfect. OBP is generally considered more important than SLG, so weighing them equally doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Still a better indicator than BA though...

My team:

1B: Derrick Lee
2B: Chase Utley
3B: D Wright
SS: ARod
C Victor Martinez
OF: Pujols
OF Jones
OF Vlad
DH: Ortizzle

B M Young
B Tejada
B Cabrera
B Mauer
B Ichiro (speed/bunt/defensive specialist)

SP Halladay
SP Santana
SP Carpenter
SP Peavy
SP D Willis

RP H Street
RP K-Rod
RP Billy Wagner
RP Joe Nathan
RP BJ Ryan
RP(Closer)Mo

If Barry proves he can go low and away, he moves from A ball to my starting lineup. Giambi doesn't make my squad because I'm convinced that the margin of difference between all-star hitters is irrelevant enough to really concern myself with defence and other fundamentals.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
so my best friend and I were drunkenly discussing who should play for the world in those hypothetical "one game against aliens for the fate of the world" with more or less the following understanding-

Base it on the player's current skill level, and they have to have the ability to play the position. Then come up with the lineup...here's what we did:

Arod (SS)
Cabrera (3b)
Pujols (1b)
Ortiz (DH)
Manny (LF)
Vlad (RF)
A. Jones (CF)
Utley (2b)
V. Martinez (C)

SP: Santana
Closer: Ryan

Thoughts? If we couldn't put Arod at SS, he'd the 3b and Miggy'd be the SS. Wright vs. Cabrera is interesting, as is Bay vs. Manny, Bonds could obv. be on the team, and the DH is interesting as well (DLee? Dunn? Giambi?). As for pitchers...Santana's pretty clear, but the closer spot has possibilities, especially depending on your view of Mo.

[/ QUOTE ]

if it's one game, can't we theoretically round up 9 of the best closers and pitch each one for each inning?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Wise,

Nice team, but you need a lefty in the pen.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]

OPS isn't perfect. OBP is generally considered more important than SLG, so weighing them equally doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Still a better indicator than BA though...

[/ QUOTE ]

of course. but Giambi's OBP is the same as Bonds and his SLG is nearly 200 points better.

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
so my best friend and I were drunkenly discussing who should play for the world in those hypothetical "one game against aliens for the fate of the world" with more or less the following understanding-

Base it on the player's current skill level, and they have to have the ability to play the position. Then come up with the lineup...here's what we did:

Arod (SS)
Cabrera (3b)
Pujols (1b)
Ortiz (DH)
Manny (LF)
Vlad (RF)
A. Jones (CF)
Utley (2b)
V. Martinez (C)

SP: Santana
Closer: Ryan

Thoughts? If we couldn't put Arod at SS, he'd the 3b and Miggy'd be the SS. Wright vs. Cabrera is interesting, as is Bay vs. Manny, Bonds could obv. be on the team, and the DH is interesting as well (DLee? Dunn? Giambi?). As for pitchers...Santana's pretty clear, but the closer spot has possibilities, especially depending on your view of Mo.

[/ QUOTE ]

if it's one game, can't we theoretically round up 9 of the best closers and pitch each one for each inning?

[/ QUOTE ]

say you could: can you name 9 closers better than Johan, even for 1 inning?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

Ryan and Wagner aren't enough?

Re: MLB theoretical All-Star team
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm a bigger fan of OPS [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] Bonds is currently #30 in the league.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if you pay *real* close attention, you'll notice I advocated swapping Ortiz for Bonds at DH, to which you responded Bonds doesn't even deserve a mention.

You then say you are a bigger fan of OPS than OBP in justifying it.

For what it's worth, Ortiz is ranked #31 in OPS. Right *behind* Mr. Bonds.

And you might even notice that the #30 ranking in OPS is higher than <u>6 of the 9</u> guys mentioned in OP's original lineup.

Still a big fan of OPS as the deciding factor on not including Bonds as even a potential candidate on the team, or are you only a "fan" of OPS when you mistakenly assume it serves your purposes ot not include him?

And for what it's really worth, the top rated OF's by OPS are Swisher, Gomes, and Rios. Are those the three guys your sending out against the aliens?

I sure as hell hope not, at least if we're playing for anything meaningful.