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gunnarthor
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Since there isn't a lot to talk about, thought I'd get people's opinions on a few guys who just finished their 10th season in the majors.
First, Mauer. I think he's on a HOF path. Already amassed 44.3 WAR (and there is an argument that WAR undervalues catchers), his current slash line is .323/.405/.468. Among active players, he's first in avg and 3rd in obp. While he gets dinged for his lack of bat, his OPS+ 136 is 15th among current players and higher than, among others, Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Howard and Todd Helton. He has 1 MVP, 5 silver sluggers and 3 gold gloves. 6 all star games as well. On the other hand, he's had 3 seasons (04, 07, 11) mucked up by injury and has only played in 1178 games in 10 years.
Second, Wright. .301/.382/.506 and 46.6 WAR in 10 seasons. OPS+ 137. 7x all star, 2 gold gloves and 2 silver sluggers. Top 10 in MVP voting 6x. I think he's a pretty obvious HOF guy. Besides playing in NY, he's been pretty consistently one of the best players in the game, year in year out. Not quite as much hardware as Mauer but he has played in nearly 200 more games. Will probably finish with over 300 home runs and over 500 doubles.
Ryan Howard. Well, WAR doesn't love him (18.8) and he plays in a bandbox which I think hurts him a bit in some stats like OPS+. But he does have amazing power. He'd kill the ball even if he played in SD (career OPS there is 937). Has 1 MVP and ROY. 3x all star. He's been injury plagued the last two years, which really cost him (only 25 HR). He has 311 homers but unless he has some full healthy seasons, I think he'll end up short of the HOF.
Yadier Molina. Outside of St. Louis, I don't think he has a lot of support but he just finished his 10th season, too. 5x all star, 6 gold gloves, 1 silver slugger. 26.8 WAR, like Mauer, WAR might underrate him some. He's played about 50 more games than Mauer. OPS+ is 99 although his last few years have been much better (131 since 2011).
Matt Holliday. He's been better than I realized. .311/.387/.531 138 OPS+. 40.3 WAR. 6x all star and 4 silver sluggers. More doubles and homers than Wright although he might get dinged for Coors field early in his career but he's probably been a better hitter in St Louis.
Adrian Gonzalez. .294/.367/.501 OPS+ 135 and 33.9 WAR. For a first baseman, that WAR seems pretty good, in all due respect. 235 homers despite playing most of his career in tough hitting parks. 4 all star games, 3 gold gloves and 1 silver slugger (and playing second fiddle to Pujols most of this time). While this is technically his 10th season, he didn't play much his first two years but over the last 8 he's been insanely durable - 156 games or more each year. (And ignoring those 2 years, his WAR actually goes up to 34.6). He needs to keep having a few more seasons like this but he could end up in the HOF.
Anyhow, I think Mauer and Wright are "locks" as much as a player can be after 10 years. Holliday, Howard and Gonzalez might need a few more top end seasons but could get there. Molina needs a lot of help.
First, Mauer. I think he's on a HOF path. Already amassed 44.3 WAR (and there is an argument that WAR undervalues catchers), his current slash line is .323/.405/.468. Among active players, he's first in avg and 3rd in obp. While he gets dinged for his lack of bat, his OPS+ 136 is 15th among current players and higher than, among others, Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Howard and Todd Helton. He has 1 MVP, 5 silver sluggers and 3 gold gloves. 6 all star games as well. On the other hand, he's had 3 seasons (04, 07, 11) mucked up by injury and has only played in 1178 games in 10 years.
Second, Wright. .301/.382/.506 and 46.6 WAR in 10 seasons. OPS+ 137. 7x all star, 2 gold gloves and 2 silver sluggers. Top 10 in MVP voting 6x. I think he's a pretty obvious HOF guy. Besides playing in NY, he's been pretty consistently one of the best players in the game, year in year out. Not quite as much hardware as Mauer but he has played in nearly 200 more games. Will probably finish with over 300 home runs and over 500 doubles.
Ryan Howard. Well, WAR doesn't love him (18.8) and he plays in a bandbox which I think hurts him a bit in some stats like OPS+. But he does have amazing power. He'd kill the ball even if he played in SD (career OPS there is 937). Has 1 MVP and ROY. 3x all star. He's been injury plagued the last two years, which really cost him (only 25 HR). He has 311 homers but unless he has some full healthy seasons, I think he'll end up short of the HOF.
Yadier Molina. Outside of St. Louis, I don't think he has a lot of support but he just finished his 10th season, too. 5x all star, 6 gold gloves, 1 silver slugger. 26.8 WAR, like Mauer, WAR might underrate him some. He's played about 50 more games than Mauer. OPS+ is 99 although his last few years have been much better (131 since 2011).
Matt Holliday. He's been better than I realized. .311/.387/.531 138 OPS+. 40.3 WAR. 6x all star and 4 silver sluggers. More doubles and homers than Wright although he might get dinged for Coors field early in his career but he's probably been a better hitter in St Louis.
Adrian Gonzalez. .294/.367/.501 OPS+ 135 and 33.9 WAR. For a first baseman, that WAR seems pretty good, in all due respect. 235 homers despite playing most of his career in tough hitting parks. 4 all star games, 3 gold gloves and 1 silver slugger (and playing second fiddle to Pujols most of this time). While this is technically his 10th season, he didn't play much his first two years but over the last 8 he's been insanely durable - 156 games or more each year. (And ignoring those 2 years, his WAR actually goes up to 34.6). He needs to keep having a few more seasons like this but he could end up in the HOF.
Anyhow, I think Mauer and Wright are "locks" as much as a player can be after 10 years. Holliday, Howard and Gonzalez might need a few more top end seasons but could get there. Molina needs a lot of help.
