Josh Tomlin (1.14 BB/9): In Tomlin’s first full-season, the right-hander provided the Cleveland Indians with a tremendous, cheap asset. The starter won 12 ballgames, while posting a 4.25 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 4.24 K/BB. His 1.14 BB/9 led the entire Major Leagues too. Tomlin exhibited better strikeout numbers in 2010 (from 5.30 K/9 to 4.84 K/9), but his xFIP improved mightily in 2011 (from 4.76 xFIP to 4.03 xFIP). The Indians should be very excited about the 26 year-old’s future with the team.

Dan Haren (1.25 BB/9): Haren is one of the two bona-fide aces who ranked within the top five for BB/9 in 2011. The now 31 year-old actually saw his strikeout numbers take a huge hit for the first time in his career (from 8.27 K/9 to 7.25 K/9), but luckily, Haren also honed his control skills (from 2.07 BB/9 to 1.25 BB/9). The result was his best showing since 2009, posting 16 Wins, 3.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 5.82 K/BB in 238.3 innings in 2011. It looks as though Haren is on the Greg Maddux route to using control as a dynamic weapon.

Brandon McCarthy (1.32 BB/9): After sitting out all of 2010 due to injuries and never pitching more than 101.6 innings in a given season (also due to injuries), Brandon McCarthy finally stayed healthy in 2011. The right-handed pitcher hurled 170.6 innings, while posting a sensational 3.32 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 4.92 K/BB. Interestingly enough, McCarthy, who enjoyed an elite 1.32 BB/9 in 2011, had a career 3.4 BB/9 mark before the season. Granted, the pitcher did own a 1.8 BB/9 in 594.6 career Minor League innings, but it took the injury-prone hurler quite awhile to exhibit those skills in the show.

Roy Halladay (1.35 BB/9): Like Haren, Roy Halladay is the other legitimate ace who understands the importance of limiting walks. Halladay’s 2011 was one of his best career years, posting a 2.35 ERA (2.71 xFIP), 1.04 WHIP, and 6.29 K/BB. The ace actually posted a superior BB/9 in 2010 (from 1.08 BB/9 to 1.35 BB/9), but substituted a few walks in 2011 for strikeouts (from 7.86 K/9 to 8.47 K/9). There is no doubt that his ability to consistently limit walks has been a key reason to his incredible career.

Doug Fister (1.56 BB/9): In Fister’s second full-season in the Major Leagues, he not only established himself as a top-notch “control artist,” but also as an extremely reliable pitcher. While the righty proved his stingy approach to walks last season, by posting a 1.68 BB/9 in 171 innings, Fister improved that rate in 2011. In addition, Fister was an even more dominant version of himself once he was dealt mid-season to the Detroit Tigers. In his first 146 innings (with the Mariners), Fister posted a 3.33 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 2.78 K/BB (with a 1.97 BB/9), but in his last 70.3 innings (with the Tigers), the righty hurled a sensational 1.79 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and incredible 11.40 K/BB. His eye-popping command was certainly fueled by a spike in strikeouts (from 5.48 K/9 to 7.29 K/9), but the real influence was his immaculate control (from 1.97 BB/9 to 0.63 BB/9).

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Zimbio

Teams generally expect massive offensive production out of their corner infielders, including third base. While that’s usually the case, aside from Adrian Beltre (.561), Pablo Sandoval (.552 SLG), and Aramis Ramirez (.510 SLG), no other third basemen in baseball had a slugging percentage over .500 during 2011. In addition, only Mark Reynolds (37 HR), Adrian Beltre (32 HR), Evan Longoria (31 HR), Aramis Ramirez (26 HR), and Pablo Sandoval (23 HR) enjoyed twenty-plus homerun seasons. Considering the seeming downward trend of complete-package third baseman, it’s possible un-flashy, yet all-around solid players like Alberto Callaspo could be in-line for a bigger spotlight.

Alberto Callaspo never really showed much power in his career, but then again, as a natural middle-infielder, it wasn’t really expected. In fact, prior to the Major Leagues, Callaspo only played 26 games at third base in the Minors. It wasn’t until 2010 did Callaspo get a real look at the hot corner, playing 1134 innings at third for the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels. The switch-hitter posted a pretty bad .265/.302/.374 line in 2010–but added a valuable 6.3 UZR/150. The combination of subpar offense and great defense was enough for a 1.4 fWAR–a value that only improved 2011.

In 2011, Callaspo upped his game, big-time. The now-permanent third basemen posted a great (for Callaspo) .288/.366/.375 line. While his pop (or lack thereof) was “business as usual,” Callaspo starting taking a lot more walks (from 5.2% BB% to 10.8% BB%). In addition, he cut down on swinging at bad pitches (from 28.4% to 25.1%), and his 3.7% wiff rate was seventh best in the Majors. The switch-hitter also continued his high contact rate (90.7% in 2011, 91.4% for career), and his sustainable .310 BABIP supported his .288 batting average (career .281 hitter). In addition to his improved across-the-boards offense, Callaspo garnered a 8.8 UZR/150 in 1139.3 innings at third base–which ranked seventh best in the Major Leagues.

Taking both his offense and defense into consideration, Callaspo’s 2011 season was worth 3.6 fWAR. While his fWAR was far below third-base top-guns like Evan Longoria (6.1 fWAR), Adrian Beltre (5.7 fWAR), Pablo Sandoval (5.5 fWAR), and to a lesser extent, Alex Rodriguez (4.2 fWAR), it was surprisingly right along side guys like Michael Young (3.8 fWAR), Kevin Youkilis (3.7 fWAR), Aramis Ramirez (3.6 fWAR), and Ryan Roberts (3.6 fWAR).

Despite the accomplishment, it’s doubtful Alberto Callaspo will receive much attention in his field. And while the infielder will never be atop the list on either side of the ball, given his 2011 production, he is undeniably a “pleasantly solid” third base option.

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Zimbio

Not too long ago, the name “Cameron Maybin” meant big things. Picked tenth overall by the Detroit Tigers in the 2005 draft, the eighteen year-old from Asheville, North Carolina was surely going to be the next great five-tool centerfielder.

In his first season in the Minor Leagues for the Tigers, Maybin exhibited why scouts gushed about him. Maybin posted a .304/.387/.457 line with 9 homeruns, 69 RBI, 59 runs, and 27 stolen bases at Single-A. The right-handed hitter only improved the following season, smacking a .316/.409/.523 line with 14 homeruns, 53 RBI, 68 runs, and 25 stolen bases between multiple levels (as high as Double-A). But as bright as Maybin’s future no doubtably seemed, the constantly re-building Florida Marlins dangled young slugger Miguel Cabrera like a carrot in front of the Tigers–and they couldn’t refuse.

In 2007, the Tigers dealt Maybin, along with Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, Burke Badenhop, Eulogio de la Cruz, and Dallas Trahern to the Marlins for Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. At the time, the trade was seen as an even split–the Tigers got their sure-thing slugger, and the Marlins received almost Major League-ready prospects. However, Maybin’s road to success encompassed a few hurdles.

Even though many people thought Maybin was ready to play for the Marlins right away, the cost-conscious franchise preferred to delay his arbitration years by keeping him in the Minors. Maybin continued his impressive Minor League stats, owning a .277/.375/.456 line in 2008 (at Double-A) and .319/.399/.463 line in 2009 (at Triple-A). But as solid as the outfielder was against Minor League pitching, the youngster struggled in his stints in “the show.”

From 2008 to 2010, Maybin collected 557 plate appearances, while posting an unremarkable .257/.323/.391 line. While the outfielder showed promise with his glove in 2009 (13.4 UZR/150), he struggled at the position the following season (-6.3 UZR/150). With a subpar glove (-6.3 UZR/150), mediocre pop (.361 SLG), and less speed than he showed in the Minors (9 stolen bases), Maybin’s 2010 season not only sold him out of a starting job, but also out of a roster spot.

The Marlins uncharacteristically cast the outfielder off in 2011, sending Maybin to the Padres in exchange for two relievers (Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb). With a guaranteed starting job in the very low pressure San Diego environment, Maybin flourished in 2011. The right-handed hitter posted a .264/.323/.393 line (which was eerily identical to the cumulative .257/.323/.391 line he posted with the Marlins), but also stole 40 bases (tied for second with Matt Kemp, Emilio Bonifacio, and Drew Stubbs), and placed second in the National League among centerfielders with a 11.6 UZR/150.

As much of a breakout season as 2011 was for Maybin, some of his peripherals indicate there could be some regression in 2012 and beyond. His .331 BABIP suggests an elevated hit rate–but then again, he owns a career .332 BABIP. In addition, Maybin tends to strikeout too often (22% K%) and doesn’t walk enough to be a leadoff man (7.7% BB%), but he also has a respectable 31.6% non-strike swing rate. People also have to remember that despite the ups-and-downs of Maybin’s career over the past four seasons, the guy will just be 25 years-old. While he was certainly a can’t miss prospect not too long ago, if the expectations for stardom are lowered to more pedestrian levels, a team could do a lot worse than a terrific defensive outfielder with top-ceiling speed.

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Trib Live

To quote former New York Jets-coach Herm Edwards, “You play to win the game.” That goal crosses all sports, so baseball is no different. Every team’s goal is to win. We’re not just talking about one game–or even one hundred–we’re talking about popping that sweet World Series champagne after winning the most meaningful game of all. But before player’s can bask in the suds of glory, money must be spent to form that winning team. The real question, however, is how much money should be spent?

Many people feel that spending money translates to winning. The prime example of this are the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees are the league’s richest spenders, boasting a salary of $207,047,964–which is about $41 million more than the second highest salary (Phillies). Both the Yankees and Phillies are arguably the two best teams in baseball, with 97 wins and 101 wins, respectively, so maybe spending money does result in wins.

But then again, how about all the teams that spent money and didn’t win enough games to make the playoffs? The Boston Red Sox spent almost $164 million and got edged out by the Tampa Bay Rays, who spent just 25% of the Red Sox’s salary ($42,171,308). In fact, eight of the top ten spenders missed the playoffs and spent a combined $1,061,375,139 in the process.

To properly illustrate how much money a win is worth, one must do some simple math. Below is a chart illustrating all thirty teams in baseball with their 2011 salary, final win tally, and a column denoting the amount of money each franchise spent per win.

If you look at the bottom of the list, you will see the teams that spent the most money per win. While playoff-bound teams like the Yankees, Phillies, and Cardinals fall within the top fifteen higher spenders per win, it’s pretty telling that the other five playoff teams fall within the top fifteen lower spenders. The most incredible difference is that the Yankees spent over $2 million per win, while the Rays spent just over $460,000.

Mid-market franchises like the Milwaukee Brewers waited until their prospects were Major League ready before filling out the roster with notable outside talent like Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, and Francisco Rodriguez. The Brewers knew that they’d probably lose Prince Fielder to free agency after the season, so their window for winning a ring was narrow. That’s the definition of smart spending.

On the other end of the spectrum, the New York Mets had over 60% of their salary handcuffed to Johan Santana, Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez, Carlos Beltran, and Jason Bay. To spend so much money on such little productivity is a recipe for failure. And signing another regrettable free agent contract only adds fuel to the fire. This is true for the Cubs, White Sox, and Dodgers as well.

There is no doubt that spending money can only help a team succeed, but the above chart proves that efficiency is the name of the game. If the most inefficient spenders in baseball were to think twice about handing out predictably bad contracts, they wouldn’t be saddled with soaring salaries and sub par win totals. And yes–the Yankees will always spend like the Yankees–but this small-to-mid-market littered playoff race illustrates that not every team has to do so too in order to succeed.

Any salary information taken from Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Courtesy of CraigKimbrel.com

After posting a 0.44 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 2.50 K/BB in 20.6 innings last season, most people correctly assumed Craig Kimbrel would grab hold of the Atlanta Braves closer gig, and never let go. That has been more than the case in 2011. In just his second Major League season, the 23 year-old has become the best closer in the National League.

Kimbrel’s 2.03 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 4.28 K/BB, and 45 Saves speak to that point perfectly. Even though the righty’s control can be a little suspect at times (3.46 BB/9), his outstanding 14.81 K/9 more than makes up for the league-averague walk rate. Without a doubt, Kimbrel is a very dominant closer. However, as scary as it is to think, Kimbrel’s special 2011 season might just be the tip of the iceberg.

According to his 1.44 FIP and 1.85 xFIP, Kimbrel’s already studly 2.03 ERA appears to be a tad underachieving. His stingy ERA is all supported by the righty’s extremely modest .309 BABIP. This means that while the closer has only given up 5.49 Hits/9, it’s actually a maintainable rate–despite how rare it is. One cannot poke any Sabermetric holes in this guy.

And even though 2010 was a small sample size, Kimbrel has improved across the boards from it in 2011. Control might never be a strong suit for the pitcher, but improving from a dismal 6.97 BB/9 to a more respectable 3.46 BB/9 illustrates his immediate maturation. If Kimbrel could somehow reduce that rate even further, one has to wonder how an opposing batter will ever reach base.

Speaking of unhittability, Kimbrel has controlled batters with two star pitches, his fastball (worth 12.1 runs above average) and slider (worth 13 runs above average). Considering those pitches were “only” worth 3.8 and 2.9 runs above average last season, respectively, it is yet another marked improvement. Also, both his fastball (from 95.4 MPH to 96.2 MPH) and slider (from 84.7 MPH to 86.8 MPH) have already seen pleasant average spikes in just one season. His dominant pitches too shed light on how Kimbrel maintains one of the lowest contract rates (63.4%) among all Major League pitchers. In addition, he not only owns one of the highest wiff rates (15.9%) in baseball, but also boasts a fab 32.7% non-strike swinging percentage, and microscopic 44.3% non-strike contact rate.

These peripherals simply do not grow on trees, but somehow, the Braves have a very ripe peach tree in their bullpen with Craig Kimbrel and Johnny Venters (who deserves an article of his own).

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of BlueJaysPlus

When the Toronto Blue Jays acquired Brett Lawrie from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Shaun Marcum, most people were aware of how special of a player Lawrie would be. The only question was when he’d be able to illustrate his special talents at the Major League level. On August 5, 2011, that question was answered; Lawrie was recalled.

In just 38 games (149 plate appearances), Lawrie has surpassed his lofty expectations. The third baseman has posted a .303/.378/.629 line with 9 homeruns, 23 RBI, 23 runs, and 7 stolen bases. While Lawrie’s bat always impressed in the Minors, his sensational 14.3 UZR/150 in the field has solidified his “completeness.”

Lawrie’s offensive and defensive outputs are so impressive, that it computes to a 2.6 WAR. That puts the infielder in the same class as Carlos Quentin, Drew Stubbs, and Adam Jones–but in an average of 72% less games than the trio. In fact, if one were to extrapolate his 2.6 WAR over the course of an entire season, Lawrie would be on-pace to post an 11.08 WAR. Mind you, this level of WAR has not been achieved since Barry Bonds‘s 11.9 WAR in 2004.

In terms of peripherals, Lawrie’s .323 BABIP is slightly elevated, but not in gross proportions. The infielder has also exhibited tremendous power, posting a beyond impressive .326 ISO and 18.4% HR/FB. And while Lawrie does own a relatively high 18.1 K%, he’s also just swung at 21.8% of pitches outside the zone–which illustrates an elite understanding of the strike-zone.

Granted, it’s a little premature to take a relatively small sample size and make grandiose comparisons, but Lawrie’s 2.6 WAR in just 38 games does illustrate the type of value he brings to the table on both sides of the ball.

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Zimbio

Jhonny Peralta is arguably enjoying the finest season of his entire career. In his first full-season with the Detroit Tigers, the shortstop has posted a .306/.355/.487 line with 19 homeruns, 80 RBI, 62 runs, and a 9.4 UZR/150. Offensively, Peralta ranks third among shortstops, and defensively, he’s fourth.

But considering Peralta owned a .249/.311/.392 line with a -1.2 UZR/150 at shortstop and -6.1 UZR/150 at third base last season, many people are wondering if his 2011 is for real. Upon taking a closer look, Peralta is far from a fluke. In fact, the 29 year-old has actually consistently followed a very unique trend that justifies his elite 2011 season.

Since 2005, Peralta has statistically posted one good season, followed by two bad/mediocre seasons–and then starting the cycle over again. Remember, one must factor both his offensive and defensive outputs (so his 2007 season was dragged down by his poor defense). It’s almost Biblical in a way.

As proof, one must take a look at his WAR from 2005 to present:
2005: 4.5 (good)
2006: 0.4 (bad)
2007: 1.7 (mediocre)
2008: 3.9 (good)
2009: 1.0 (bad)
2010: 0.8 (bad)
2011: 5.1 (good)

Like clockwork, Peralta’s 2011 season arrived after experiencing two very sub-par campaigns in 2009 and 2010. The shortstop hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down this season (.308/.364/.436 in September so far), but given his history, Peralta would have to break a certified trend in order to continue his success into 2012.

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Zimbio

For the third season in-a-row, Leo Nunez has successfully saved games for the Florida Marlins. Even though being a relatively consistent closer isn’t exactly the easiest asset to come by, Nunez, who could make as much as $6.5 million through arbitration in the off-season, will still most likely get cut loose. How so? Because the Marlins have the talented Steve Cishek making league minimum.

Despite collecting 33 saves this season (and 89 total since 2009), Nunez’s underlying statistics are pretty replaceable, and are, at best, on-par with Cishek’s. Nunez has posted a 4.40 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 2.94 K/BB in 2011, but has also gotten a little lucky (.288 BABIP), while completely losing his ability to get groundballs (from 54% last season to 31.4%) and letting up a few too many homeruns (9.0%). In comparison, Cishek has hurled a 3.18 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 3.13 K/BB, with a very sustainable .310 BABIP, supportive 3.15 xFIP, and elite groundball (52%) and HR/FB (2.7%) rates.

Unlike Cishek, who’s fastball and slider are both well above average, Nunez only has one pitch (change-up) that stands out, but throws it just 28.4% of the time. In fact, Nunez throws his fastball 62.3% of the time, but it’s only been worth -1.4 runs above average. While Chisek’s fastball and slider aren’t on-par with, say Jonny Venters, they’re still worth a very respectable 2.9 and 3.8 runs above average, respectively. That’s something Leo Nunez simply does not possess.

The only real red flag for Cishek is that he didn’t completely dominate in the Minor Leagues. In 254 career innings, the righty owns a 3.40 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 2.10 K/BB. The reliever’s career 8.2 K/9 is closer-worthy, but his 3.9 BB/9 is a bit troublesome. Interestingly enough, Cishek hasn’t endured control issues in the Major Leagues, sporting a solid 2.98 BB/9, and he’s also striking out batters at a better rate (9.33 K/9) than he was in the Minors. Regardless of the differences, it’s still a risk worth taking for the Marlins.

In an ideal world, the Marlins would retain Nunez with his inflated arbitration price-tag, but considering Hanley Ramirez , Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, and John Buck will combined see a $14.5 million spike (and Anibal Sanchez will get a hefty raise from his current $3.7 million), the Marlins will be forced to trim the fat. Luckily for the Marlins, $6.5 million for a closer isn’t much for most other teams out there, so they will have no problem finding a trade partner. And just like in 2009 when they handed the “keys” to the inexperienced Nunez, giving 25 year-old Steve Cishek the closing gig next season will be an exciting, and rewarding experience.

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Photobucket

“How on earth did HE get to THAT?” It’s a question most, if not all, baseball fans have wondered (or screamed). Simply judging a fielder by the amount of errors he commits doesn’t quite paint the full picture of how good or bad a fielder is.

In fact, there are some players who might even commit more errors than another fielder, but on that same token, are able to reach more balls–thus put themselves in more defensive situations/plays. This measurement is of course called “range.” Below are the top ten fielders who excel in range runs above average (via FanGraphs’ calculations).

1. Brett Gardner (19.5 RngR)
2. Justin Upton (16.8 RngR)
3. Jacoby Ellsbury (14.9 RngR)
4. Chris Young (12.1 RngR)
5. Dustin Pedroia (11.6 RngR)
5. Adrian Beltre (11.6 RngR)
7. Cameron Maybin (11.1 RngR)
8. Gerardo Parra (10.8 RngR)
9. Casey McGehee (9.1 RngR)
9. Elvis Andrus (9.1 RngR)
9. Brandon Phillips (9.1 RngR)

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.

Courtesy of Zimbio.com

The Toronto Blue Jays bullpen has been a mess lately. Part-time closer Jon Rauch is on the disabled list, and current closer Frank Francisco might join him too. Regardless of whether or when they return, both pitchers will be free-agents after the season. Unless the Blue Jays sign a closer during the off-season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them hand the job to Casey Janssen.

Janssen’s success in 2011 is hardly shocking. The right-hander debuted as as a reliever back in 2007, and was quite the workhorse–hurling 72.6 innings, while owning a 2.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 1.95 K/BB. He also saved 6 games. But the then 25 year-old endured a torn labrum in the beginning of 2008, which forced him to miss all of 2008, and hampered his 2009 season.

In fact, after posting a seemingly dismal 5.85 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, and 1.71 K/BB in 2009, most people assumed Janssen was toast. To Janssen’s credit, his peripherals told a different story. His .367 BABIP suggested too many of his groundballs–which he rolled out at an elite 49.7% rate–resulted in hits. In addition, despite posting a bloated 5.85 ERA, the reliever’s more down-to-earth 4.38 xFIP illustrates how unlucky 2009 was, overall, for Janssen.

Unlike 2009, Janssen’s 2010 was world’s different. The righty, now two seasons removed from his torn labrum injury, hurled a 3.67 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 3.00 K/BB in 68.6 innings. After dealing with an elevated BABIP the year before, Janssen enjoyed a more sustainable .327 BABIP in 2010, which resulted in a respectable ERA that was on par with his xFIP (3.49). The only real hurdle preventing Janssen from elitehood was his gopheritis (1.05 HR/9 and 12.3 HR/FB).

So far in 2011, Janssen has more than cleared that hurdle (0.20 HR/9 and 2.9 HR/FB). The 29 year-old has posted a sensational 2.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 3.58 K/BB in 44.3 innings. His control (2.4 BB/9) has been the best its been as a reliever, and he’s never been so dominant too (8.7 K/9). Even though Janssen’s 2.99 xFIP suggests he’s closer to a 3.00 ERA pitcher than a 2.00 ERA one, no one would argue with the worse end of the stick. The best part about Janssen’s 2011 season has been his completely rock solid .300 BABIP. How can one not love that?

Without a doubt, Casey Janssen has been the Toronto Blue Jays best reliever in 2011. His success in the setup role has prompted three save opportunities, and he’s converted two of them–including a recent three-inning save. The real question is whether Janssen’s limited closing experience (eight saves total) is enough for the Blue Jays not to sign a more veteran option. Given the ups-and-mostly-downs with both Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco in the role, it only makes sense to give Janssen a shot, as he’s ironically been the most closer-type of the three.

Any statistical information taken from Baseball Reference and Fan Graphs.