...and I don't mean the new Stars single, "The Night Starts Here." MLB vote tallies are in, so the hitters are set for the midsummer "classic." Instead of doffing the old hat of picking my own '07 all-stars, I thought, who are the best players of this DECADE? In the future looking back towards the Oughts (albeit an arbitrary but convenient span of time), which players will stick out? We're at a point in time where we can do that, too, being 7 years into it.
So... I picked these out by eyeballing the stats, looking at Win Shares, blabbedy blaZZZZZZZZZ. Ok here's the list.
MLB Team of the 2000-2010 (I know, it's actually 11 years)
C - Jorge Posada, NYY. Hasn't had a down year since the decade started. The NL counterpart would be Mike Piazza, who's only been middling since 2003, but had a spectacular 2000-2002.
Jorge's 2003: 281/405/518, 30 HR 101 RBI
1b - Albert Pujols, StL. The undisputed best. The AL's best for the decade was a little more cryptic, but Carlos Delgado has the slight edge over Jim Thome (injured 2005).
Fat Albert's ridic 2006: 331/431/671, 49 HR 137 RBI (in 143 games)
2b - Jeff Kent, SF/Hou/LAD. Has been very consistent even until this year, in his age 39 season. His AL counterpart is Alfonso Soriano, although his days playing 2b might be over.
Kent in his 2000 MVP season: 334/424/596, 33 HR 125 RBI
3b - Alex Rodriguez, Sea/Tex/NYY. Only because there are no AL 3bs worth a mention. Scott Rolen, Phi/StL is the best from the NL.
ARod's MVP 2005: 321/421/610, 48 HR 130 RBI 21 SB
SS - Derek Jeter, NYY. Over Miguel Tejada. Both have been consistent, but Jeter's good years have been better than Tejada's (according to OPS+). The AL also Carlos Guillen, Nomar when he was good, and ARod, but the NL is a barren wasteland of SS. Edgar Renteria had two Jeter-like years, but that's about it.
Jeter's 2006: 343/417/483, 14 HR 97 RBI 34 SB
OF
Vladimir Guerrero, Mon/LAA - Vladdy's 2000: 345/410/664, 44 HR 123 RBI
Manny Ramirez, Cle/Bos - ManRam's 2000: 351/457/697, 38 HR 122 RBI in 118 games
Steroid Bear, SF - The Bear's 2001: 328/515/863, 73 HR 137 RBI
Honorable mention OFs: Gary Sheffield, Lance Berkman, Magglio Ordonez, Ichiro!
Starting Pitchers
Roy Oswalt, Hou - 2005: 20-12, 2.94 ERA, 184 Ks, 1.20 WHIP
Tim Hudson, Oak/Atl - 2003: 16-7, 2.70 ERA, 162 Ks, 1.08 WHIP
Pedro Martinez, Bos/NYM - 2000 Cy Young: 18-6, 1.74 ERA, 284 Ks, 0.74 WHIP
Johan Santana, Min - 2004 Cy Young: 20-6, 2.61 ERA, 265 Ks, 0.92 WHIP
Roger Clemens, NYY/Hou - Rocket's 2005: 13-8, 1.87 ERA, 185 Ks (at age 42)
Honorable mentions: Roy Halladay, Randy Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano.
Relief Pitchers
John Smoltz, Atl - 2003: 45 saves, 1.12 ERA, 0.87 WHIP
Billy Wagner, Hou/Phi/NYM - 2005: 38 saves, 1.51 ERA, 0.84 WHIP
Trevor Hoffman, SD - 2006: 46 saves, 2.14 ERA, 0.97 WHIP
Mariano Rivera, NYY - 2005: 43 saves, 1.38 ERA, 0.87 WHIP
Jason Isringhausen, StL - 2005: 39 saves, 2.14 ERA
