All Decade Teams (2000's) Post 69 has official team

[Jeffy25]

This will be a large series where each decade I and others will create a roster of the best players of that decade

This is a discussion thread for each decade. I will create a roster and I invite everyone else to do the same. We can discuss and come down with a final team. Then we will have a tournament series of these best decade teams against each other and vote.


Here are the rules:

8 position players (no DH's since teams prior to the 70's didn't have them)
1 bench player can play any position
5 starters
1 reliever/closer

For a player to be selected to a position, he must have spent the majority of his games at that position over the decade (i.e. Robin Yount is a shortstop for the 80's, 5650 innings at shortstop, 5395 CF). The years will go from 2000-2009 for example, 1990-1999, 1980-1989. So make sure if you are looking up numbers that you look at the right series of years.

So without further explanation. I'll make my roster, I invite everyone to do the same. Depending on the discussion, we'll decide what the final roster for each decade needs to be, and then we will move the thread into the MLB Comps section.


C - Jorge Posada - .283/.386/.492 - .378 wOBA, 131 wRC+, 40.6 fWAR, 34.8 rWAR, 1302 Games
Two runners-up:
Ivan Rodriguez and Joe Mauer

Mauer didn't really play much in the 2000's and was still developing when he did get called up in 04
Pudge had a 28.4 rWAR and Mauer had a 26.0 rWAR in these years.


1B - Albert Pujols - .334/.427/.628 - .437 wOBA, 169 wRC+, 75.2 fWAR, 71.5 rWAR, 1399 Games
Two runners-up:
Todd Helton and Jason Giambi

Pujols probably has this very easily. He did play other positions in some of the years, but he played first base more than anywhere else. Helton and Giambi both mashed, but just not at Pujols' level.

2B - Chase Utley - .295/.379/.523 - .387 wOBA, 132 wRC+, 41.2 fWAR, 41.0 rWAR, 891 Games
Two runners-up:
Placido Polanco and Jeff Kent

Utley gets this for me despite not playing the entire decade and playing a good number of games less than Kent and Polanco. But he was so awesome offensively and one of the very best defensively.

3B - Alex Rodriguez - .304/.401/.587 - .416 wOBA, 154 wRC+, 77.3 fWAR, 75.1 rWAR, 1524 Games
Two runners-up:
Chipper Jones and Scott Rolen

Alex played a good number more games at third since 2000 vs shortstop, so that is why he is here. Chipper isn't a bad choice either, but A-Rod was just too much.

SS - Derek Jeter - .317/.387/.456 - .371 wOBA, 126 wRC+, 48.9 rWAR, 42.2 rWAR, 1500 Games
Two runners-up:
Miguel Tejada and Jimmy Rollins

Jeter holds on despite his less than spectacular defense. He was just too much offensively over the others, even Tejada who was beastly for some years.

LF - Barry Bonds - .322/.517/.724 - .490 wOBA, 203 wRC+, 63.5 fWAR, 57.6 rWAR, 986 Games
Two runners-up:
Manny Ramirez and Carl Crawford

Barry's numbers are cartoonish. He gets this pretty easily and he didn't even play in 1000 games. Considering Manny had a .317/.419/.599 slash line and played 400 more games. It's pretty crazy how much better Bonds was in these years.

CF - Carlos Beltran - .282/.363/.502 - .369 wOBA, 121 wRC+, 51.6 fWAR, 48.9 rWAR, 1392 Games
Two runners-up:
Andruw Jones and Jim Edmonds

Beltran doesn't run away with this one. Jones and Edmonds, and even Cameron and Damon are close. It's debatable. I gave the edge to Beltran, but others should definitely weigh in on centerfield.

RF - Ichiro Suzuki - .333/.378/.434 - .350 wOBA, 116 wRC+, 48.1 fWAR, 49.3 rWAR, 1426 Games
Two runners-up:
Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero

Ichiro isn't significantly better than Vlad or Abreu, but his defense and base running really propel him. Vlad was probably the best offensive right fielder of the decade.




Five Starters
1. Randy Johnson - 143-78, 3.34 ERA, 3.13 FIP, 10.42K/9, 2.31 BB/9, 55.7 fWAR, 49.0 rWAR, 1885.1 IP
2. Roy Halladay - 139-69, 3.40 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 6.69 K/9, 1.79 BB/9, 53.8 fWAR, 42.8 rWAR, 1883.1 IP
3. Curt Schilling - 117-63, 3.54 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 8.86 K/9, 1.47 BB/9, 45.6 fWAR, 44.3 rWAR, 1569.1 IP
4. Pedro Martinez - 112-50, 3.01 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 9.93 K/9, 2.15 BB/9, 47.8 fWAR, 43.8 rWAR, 1468 IP
5. Johan Santana - 122-60, 3.12 ERA, 3.38 FIP, 9.12 K/9, 2.49 BB/9, 42.7 fWAR, 44.0 rWAR, 1709.2 IP

Runners-up:
Javier Vazquez, C.C. Sabathia, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Roy Oswalt, Tim Hudson

Closer - Mariano Rivera - 45-39, 397 Saves, 2.08 ERA, 2.61 FIP, 8.44 K/9, 1.73 BB/9, 24.8 fWAR, 32.2 rWAR

Runners-up:
Joe Nathan and Billy Wagner



Now we discuss. If you think someone else should get the start at a position, please name them and why.

[Jeffy25]

That would be a lineup of:

1. Jeter
2. Utley
3. Pujols
4. Bonds
5. A-Rod
6. Posda
7. Beltran
8. Ichiro
9. Johnson

[sexicano31]

I think Jeffy is the first non Phillies fan to put Utley in the right lineup slot

[sager729]

Was Buehrle considered for at least a runner up spot? You could make a great argument for Buehrle over Vazquez, Mussina and Hudson.

Buehrle is the only one to have 30 starts and 200 IP in all the seasons except 2000 when he was used in relief as a rookie.

Just a question. Overall though the starters look good to me.

[Jeffy25]

Was Buehrle considered for at least a runner up spot? You could make a great argument for Buehrle over Vazquez, Mussina and Hudson.

Buehrle is the only one to have 30 starts and 200 IP in all the seasons except 2000 when he was used in relief as a rookie.

Just a question. Overall though the starters look good to me.

Yes. Marky Mark is basically right there. Just so many deserving runners-up. But Mark's rate stats were just a little worse. He ate innings like a champ of course.

[Jeffy25]

Teams with most players
Yankees - 4 (Posada, Jeter, A-Rod, Rivera)
D'Backs - 2 (Johnson and Schilling) (more innings with D'Backs than with anyone else)
Cardinals - 1 (Pujols)
Phillies - 1 (Utley)
Giants - 1 (Bonds
Mets - 1 (Beltran) - played a few more games as a Met than as a Royal in the available years
Mariners - 1 (Ichiro)
Blue Jays - 1 (Halladay)
Red Sox - 1 (Pedro)
Twins - 1 (Santana)

[sager729]

His ERA was better than Vazquez and Mussina. And besides Maddux, Buehrle is the best defensive pitcher of that decade. But I get what you are saying no point in really debating it, there are a lot of worthy candidates. Good list.

[Nomar]

Pedro Martinez is better than Halladay and Schilling. You can make a case that in his prime he was better than Randy Johnson. That's just my opinion.

I also like Vlad over Ichiro, and I think I'd put Nomar over Rollins as a runner up though that probably wont surprise anyone.

Edit - scratch the last part (forgot about the date range)

[DerekJeterDan]

1. Ichiro Suzuki RF
2. Derek Jeter SS
3. Albert Pujols 1B
4. Barry Bonds LF
5. Alex Rodriguez 3B
6. Carlos Beltran CF
7. Jorge Posada C
8. Placido Polanco 2B

SP Randy Johnson LHP
SP Pedro Martinez RHP
SP Roy Halladay RHP
SP Johan Santana LHP
SP Curt Schilling RHP

CP Mariano Rivera RHP

[Jeffy25]

We will need suggestions for who should be the bench position player as well.

Thank you derekjeterdan, if everyone could do that, that's how I will tally the votes.

[DerekJeterDan]

We will need suggestions for who should be the bench position player as well.

Thank you derekjeterdan, if everyone could do that, that's how I will tally the votes.

You got it Jeffy. These contests always seem like fun

[Nomar]

Shouldnt there be a DH? Rather than ignoring a place that 15 teams fill every day

[Jeffy25]

Shouldnt there be a DH? Rather than ignoring a place that 15 teams fill every day

Stated in the OP, teams prior to the 70's team wouldn't have one.

[metsfan4ever]

Ichiro over Vlad you trippin mane

[mariner4life]

I would put Vlad in right over Ichiro but thats just my preference.
I would also prefer Manny in Rf but I guess that would be cheating. lol