ESPN.com Says Magglio Is the Man

by Ian Casselberry on Jun 12, 2007 11:47 AM EDT in News Comment 4 comments

Yesterday, ESPN.com unveiled their new Player Ratings for Major League Baseball. And for Tigers fans, these rankings immediately looked shiny and new because one of our guys is at the very top of the list. Magglio Ordonez was #1, with a rating of 87.0.

To paraphrase Muhammad Ali when Howard Cosell called him "truculent," whatever that means, if that's good, Magglio's that.

Here's what that 87.0 actually means, according to Jeff Bennett of ESPN.com:

The ESPN Player Ratings give a rating ranging from 0-100 to all players based on points players accumulate off their current standings in the major leagues in numerous statistical categories and metrics. Consideration is given for a player's defensive position and his team's winning percentage.

The different categories are weighted individually, and there is a mix of counting stats and average stats. Playing time and innings pitched are important factors. A perfect rating is a score of 100. [...]

Players receive points for their major league rankings in the following disciplines:

• Batters: Batting bases accumulated, runs produced, OBP, BA, HRs, hits, runs, RBIs, net steals, difficulty of defensive position, and team win percentage.

• Starting pitchers: ERA compared to league average weighted by IP, wins weighted by win percentage, defensive independent bases allowed per IP (limiting HR, BB and HBP), strikeouts, opponents' BA, and innings pitched.

• Relievers: Wins and saves with a stiff penalty for blown saves, ERA compared to league average weighted by IP, K-BB ratio, opponents' BA, and preventing inherited runners from scoring.

If you click on the link, you'll find plenty more, including percentages, glossaries, and formulas. I'm just looking at the list and saying, "Ooooh, me likee" because the Detroit Tigers are well represented. Here's the breakdown of Tigers in the top 100:

#1: Magglio Ordonez
#9: Gary Sheffield
#27: Placido Polanco
#62: Curtis Granderson
#68: Carlos Guillen
#89: Justin Verlander

I'm really glad to see Granderson on the list, as it would seem to confirm my thoughts that he's one of the best centerfielders in baseball right now. I was kind of keeping that opinion to myself, however, as I thought I might have been biased since I watch more of his games than any other centerfielder. On ESPN.com's list, only Grady Sizemore, Ichiro Suzuki, Torii Hunter, and Aaron Rowand rank ahead of Granderson. That looks about right to me, especially since I haven't watched Rowand play this season.

I also would've guessed that Guillen might rank higher among shortstops, but I obviously underestimated the seasons that Orlando Cabrera and Edgar Renteria are having. Again, I plead ignorance.

EDIT: I inexplicably skipped over Placido Polanco at #27 when initially posting this. After Rash pointed out my oversight in the comments, I fixed the mistake. Like everyone else outside of Detroit, I overlooked him. And it won't happen again. Go to the polls for Placido!

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Polanco

Don't forget Polanco at #27... get some All-Star pub going!

by Rash on Jun 12, 2007 3:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Man, I KNEW I forgot something!

Oops. My mistake. And a big one. Thanks, Rash.

Consider it edited.

by Ian Casselberry on Jun 12, 2007 5:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

huh?

Verlander over Bonderman as the top pitcher on the squad? Interesting. Maybe in a couple of years, but right now I wouldn't rank them that way....

Barry Bonds still in the top 50 is amusing, especially with the slump he's in right now....hope he picks it up a bit, so I might have a chance to see a record fall when the Giants visit Milwaukee in July. (Rationale here: the record is going to fall, inevitably, I might as well be there for history. I think the only historic baseball game I've attended was the one where Sammy Sosa hit his 19th HR of the month to break Rudy York's record when the Cubs were in Detroit back in....1998 i think it was)

I look at that list further and see Sergio Mitre, Chad Gaudin and Fausto Carmona in the top 77, and I want to cry, had 'em all in fantasy and dropped them, always pull the trigger too quick on young pitchers....

And why is Ryan Howard 84? They know he's off the DL and slamming home runs again, don't they?

and one last thing: how about some love for the Michigan Man, Rich Hill, at #61, right above Curtis Granderson?

by ahtrap on Jun 12, 2007 5:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Verlander over Bonderman

It IS interesting that Verlander seems to be more highly regarded nationally than Bonderman. I don't know if it's because he still has that "phenom" aura to him or what.

by Ian Casselberry on Jun 12, 2007 7:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs