2010s All-Decade Team: Infielders

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As the final days of the 2010-19 decade tick down, let’s take some time to consider, and vote on, the best players of this period in MLB history. More after the jump.

Our objective is to identify the best 25 man team of this decade. We’ll start with infielders in this post, continue with outfielders in the next post, and conclude with pitchers, catchers and the rest in a final installment.

For our opening election, we’ll select six infielders for our team, the voting leader at each infield position, and the two players with the next highest voting scores (voting rules are at the end of the post). Voting is open until 23:59 EST on Sunday, December 22nd.

Qualifications for ballot eligibility are based only for play in the 2010-19 decade. Eligible players must meet all of these criteria:

3000 PA
50% of games at one infield position
20 WAR or Top 10 in WAR for the position

Here are the candidates.

First Base

Rk	Player	WAR/pos	OPS+	PA	From	To	Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Joey Votto	52.1	152	6150	2010	2019	26-35	1411	5009	847	1532	327	16	231	759	1046	1088	67	23	.306	.428	.516	.944	*3/HD7	CIN
2	Miguel Cabrera	43.5	153	5795	2010	2019	27-36	1360	5028	799	1595	324	5	268	941	689	936	14	8	.317	.399	.544	.943	*35D/H	DET
3	Paul Goldschmidt	43.1	141	5390	2011	2019	23-31	1253	4572	806	1337	292	20	243	807	733	1225	127	33	.292	.391	.524	.916	*3/HD	ARI-STL
4	Freddie Freeman	37.4	137	5703	2010	2019	20-29	1346	4953	798	1451	319	22	227	805	646	1168	43	21	.293	.379	.504	.883	*3/H5D	ATL
5	Anthony Rizzo	32.7	130	5173	2011	2019	21-29	1207	4414	663	1204	262	18	218	729	581	820	57	33	.273	.373	.488	.862	*3/H4175	SDP-CHC
6	Carlos Santana	30.5	121	6147	2010	2019	24-33	1435	5127	765	1284	294	16	232	766	944	1013	46	18	.250	.367	.450	.817	*32D/5H97	CLE-PHI
7	Joe Mauer	27.7	117	4966	2010	2018	27-35	1159	4348	599	1279	270	15	71	526	571	738	18	12	.294	.376	.412	.788	*32D/H9	MIN
8	Adrian Gonzalez	27.0	127	5108	2010	2018	28-36	1231	4563	596	1326	284	4	180	778	460	854	5	5	.291	.355	.473	.828	*3/H9D	SDP-BOS-LAD-NYM
9	Albert Pujols	26.5	121	6149	2010	2019	30-39	1424	5541	757	1485	274	2	290	963	511	709	53	11	.268	.331	.475	.806	*3D/5H	STL-LAA
10	Brandon Belt	23.2	120	4221	2011	2019	23-31	1084	3662	513	957	231	32	129	472	502	985	43	19	.261	.354	.448	.801	*3/7H9D	SFG
11	Jose Abreu	21.2	134	3906	2014	2019	27-32	901	3547	483	1038	218	14	179	611	245	776	10	5	.293	.349	.513	.862	*3D/H	CHW

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/11/2019.

Second Base

Rk	Player	WAR/pos	OPS+	PA	From	To	Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Robinson Cano	54.2	132	6228	2010	2019	27-36	1451	5647	828	1695	363	16	237	878	478	830	34	17	.300	.359	.496	.855	*4/DH356	NYY-SEA-NYM
2	Ian Kinsler	40.5	104	6036	2010	2019	28-37	1373	5433	879	1443	294	30	174	636	487	755	152	61	.266	.332	.427	.759	*4/DH15	TEX-DET-BOS-LAA-SDP
3	Jose Altuve	38.5	127	5458	2011	2019	21-29	1243	4985	734	1568	299	28	128	538	360	623	254	74	.315	.364	.463	.827	*4/DH6	HOU
4	Ben Zobrist	37.3	114	5707	2010	2019	29-38	1354	4901	743	1311	303	33	125	620	703	806	92	40	.267	.359	.419	.778	*4976/HD3851	TBR-OAK-KCR-CHC
5	Dustin Pedroia	35.9	114	4658	2010	2019	26-35	1031	4143	598	1225	249	11	98	513	446	508	91	35	.296	.363	.432	.795	*4/DH	BOS
6	Brian Dozier	24.5	107	4884	2012	2019	25-32	1137	4301	663	1053	231	21	192	561	487	968	105	36	.245	.326	.442	.768	*4/6HD1	MIN-LAD-WSN
7	Howie Kendrick	23.9	112	4924	2010	2019	26-35	1239	4540	597	1324	258	30	103	543	292	851	93	35	.292	.339	.430	.768	*47/3H5D98	LAA-LAD-PHI-WSN
8	DJ LeMahieu	23.5	98	4454	2011	2019	22-30	1100	4047	610	1223	196	33	75	451	324	667	80	41	.302	.354	.423	.776	*4/53H6D	CHC-COL-NYY
9	Chase Utley	23.2	104	4050	2010	2018	31-39	1046	3547	501	907	194	32	98	440	364	587	71	11	.256	.338	.411	.749	*4H/3D5	PHI-LAD
10	Jason Kipnis	22.2	102	4849	2011	2019	24-32	1121	4290	594	1120	252	23	123	529	449	910	135	33	.261	.333	.417	.750	*4/D8H	CLE
11	Neil Walker	21.8	110	5071	2010	2019	24-33	1271	4508	601	1208	234	22	149	606	455	907	31	22	.268	.339	.429	.768	*43/H59D7	PIT-NYM-MIL-NYY-MIA
12	Brandon Phillips	21.2	98	4988	2010	2018	29-37	1166	4617	632	1298	237	14	117	568	250	635	100	48	.281	.324	.415	.738	*4/5HD6	CIN-ATL-LAA-BOS

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/11/2019.

Third Base

Rk	Player	WAR/pos	OPS+	PA	From	To	Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Adrian Beltre	51.0	130	5253	2010	2018	31-39	1252	4783	696	1466	288	12	227	801	370	648	10	4	.307	.358	.514	.872	*5D/H	BOS-TEX
2	Josh Donaldson	44.8	136	4476	2010	2019	24-33	1038	3841	652	1048	226	12	219	645	557	885	38	8	.273	.369	.509	.878	*5/DH263	OAK-TOR-CLE-ATL
3	Evan Longoria	42.4	119	5992	2010	2019	24-33	1410	5351	723	1417	307	23	237	817	516	1171	41	17	.265	.331	.464	.795	*5/DH	TBR-SFG
4	Nolan Arenado	38.7	122	4357	2013	2019	22-28	1031	3936	626	1160	253	27	227	734	347	664	16	15	.295	.351	.546	.897	*5/HD	COL
5	Manny Machado	36.9	119	4735	2012	2019	19-26	1082	4307	603	1200	232	14	207	598	361	797	58	27	.279	.335	.483	.818	*56/H	BAL-LAD-SDP
6	Kyle Seager	30.4	113	5286	2011	2019	23-31	1261	4755	597	1218	268	13	198	666	442	926	47	26	.256	.324	.443	.767	*5/4H6D	SEA
7	Justin Turner	27.7	128	3805	2010	2019	25-34	1060	3353	476	980	225	8	120	469	329	554	34	10	.292	.367	.472	.839	*5H4/63D7	BAL-NYM-LAD
8	Anthony Rendon	27.3	126	3927	2013	2019	23-29	916	3424	571	994	245	15	136	546	409	610	45	16	.290	.369	.490	.859	*54/H6	WSN
9	Matt Carpenter	26.7	126	4807	2011	2019	25-33	1149	4056	712	1092	284	27	148	531	641	947	25	17	.269	.372	.462	.835	*534/H9D7	STL
10	Todd Frazier	26.0	109	4737	2011	2019	25-33	1186	4200	585	1019	202	14	214	624	424	1037	72	37	.243	.320	.450	.770	*5/3HD7649	CIN-NYY-CHW-NYM
11	Jose Ramirez	25.3	119	3138	2013	2019	20-26	770	2774	451	776	197	22	110	391	301	361	117	28	.280	.351	.486	.837	*546/7HD	CLE
12	Kris Bryant	25.1	136	3105	2015	2019	23-27	706	2643	486	751	167	16	138	403	369	733	34	18	.284	.385	.516	.901	*57/938HD6	CHC
13	Chase Headley	24.7	106	4760	2010	2018	26-34	1181	4196	540	1102	221	12	109	494	480	1057	79	26	.263	.343	.399	.742	*5/3HD4	SDP-NYY
14	Martin Prado	24.2	101	4993	2010	2019	26-35	1200	4594	556	1303	256	22	86	516	320	575	36	24	.284	.331	.405	.736	*574/H369D	ATL-ARI-NYY-MIA
15	David Wright	21.1	128	3206	2010	2018	27-35	738	2813	397	794	168	13	102	409	348	653	77	34	.282	.362	.460	.822	*5/H6D	NYM

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/11/2019.

Shortstop

Rk	Player	WAR/pos	OPS+	PA	From	To	Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Andrelton Simmons	36.9	91	4153	2012	2019	22-29	1030	3836	437	1029	181	23	67	396	257	370	65	24	.268	.316	.380	.696	*6/HD	ATL-LAA
2	Troy Tulowitzki	30.4	123	3576	2010	2019	25-34	859	3179	494	931	180	8	160	537	333	577	26	9	.293	.363	.506	.868	*6/HD	COL-TOR-NYY
3	Francisco Lindor	28.6	118	3244	2015	2019	21-25	717	2904	478	835	178	15	130	384	260	455	93	25	.288	.347	.493	.840	*6/DH	CLE
4	Elvis Andrus	28.1	87	6427	2010	2019	21-30	1478	5783	810	1595	281	40	67	589	468	870	269	98	.276	.331	.373	.704	*6/DH	TEX
5	Brandon Crawford	23.6	94	4718	2011	2019	24-32	1251	4230	483	1055	222	38	98	536	398	937	31	28	.249	.316	.389	.706	*6/H	SFG
6	Marcus Semien	20.6	106	3384	2013	2019	22-28	805	3055	439	783	161	21	108	357	301	681	62	24	.256	.323	.429	.752	*6/54HD	CHW-OAK
7	Xander Bogaerts	19.9	112	3930	2013	2019	20-26	914	3545	542	1022	228	14	107	503	321	715	53	14	.288	.350	.451	.801	*6/5HD	BOS
8	Jean Segura	19.6	97	4440	2012	2019	22-29	1045	4135	563	1181	191	40	76	376	214	596	181	60	.286	.326	.406	.733	*64/H	LAA-MIL-ARI-SEA-PHI
9	Asdrubal Cabrera	19.3	106	5651	2010	2019	24-33	1370	5099	670	1349	300	19	165	659	427	1015	69	24	.265	.326	.428	.754	*645/HD3	CLE-TBR-NYM-PHI-WSN-TEX
10	Erick Aybar	18.5	90	4446	2010	2017	26-33	1106	4091	497	1093	209	30	49	355	231	531	129	49	.267	.310	.369	.679	*6/H541D	LAA-DET-ATL-SDP

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/11/2019.

VOTING RULES: For each infield position, you must submit a ranked ballot with exactly 3 names. Scoring will be 5-3-1. Please use a new comment (not a reply to another comment) for your vote, and please refrain from “strategic” voting. Happy voting!

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Mike L

5 years ago

Fascinating that Albert Pujols decline phase has been so long that he’s 9th on a 10 year list of 1st Basemen, and one the two behind him, Jose Abreu, has only played six seasons.

Doug

5 years ago

Reply to Mike L

It was a decline phase for Albert, but he still ranks first on that list in HR, RBI and fewest K’s.

You could say pretty much the same thing (i.e. long decline phase) for Beltre, yet he still ranks first in WAR on the third baseman list.

Mike L

5 years ago

Reply to Doug

51 WAR over Beltre’s last 9 years is qualitatively a heck of a lot better than Albert’s last ten.

Author

Doug

5 years ago

I’ll get the voting started.
First base: Votto, Goldschmidt, Cabrera
Second base: Cano, Altuve, Pedroia
Third base: Beltre, Donaldson, Arenado
Shortstop: Simmons, Lindor, Andrus

My bias is towards players who were effective for larger parts of the decade, then to offense over defense (unless the defense is truly horrible). Obviously, an exercise like this shortchanges players whose best 10 years did not align with decades (so, sorry to Miggy).

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

Reply to Doug

Interesting note on “anti-Miggy” bias: If we had done a “team of the decade” right in the middle of the decade (2006-2015), Miggy wouldn’t have won that one, either. During 2006-2015, Cabrera’s best decade (well, 2005-2014 is the same, via bWAR, but that one reads even WORSE for him), he rates at 55.7 WAR – a fabulous number. Albert Pujols, though, brought in 62.3 WAR over those same ten years. So Cabrera isn’t going to be the winner, however you slice it. Going with 2007-16, Cabrera stays close with 54.6 WAR, and even fallen-off-a-cliff Pujols hangs on to a slim… Read more »

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

I started thinking more about this. I wondered if there were any other position players with MORE career WAR than Cabrera who were never had the most WAR at their position over a decade period. The players who came to mind were: Tim Raines (due to Rickey Henderson; but then, Raines actually has less WAR than Cabrera, so I didn’t check) Derek Jeter (due to A-Rod and then decline; but he DID have the best SS WAR over a decade… I think it was 2001-10) Tris Speaker (due to Ty Cobb… but 1914-1923 was dominant for Speaker) Lou Whitaker (due… Read more »

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

Just checked Raines – he definitely never led MLB LF over a decade. Being an almost-perfect peer of Rickey Henderson will cause that problem for you. Roberto Alomar also had no 10-year period in which his WAR topped Craig Biggio’s, unless you grab a decade that includes Biggio’s last season (1998-2007, for example – Alomar retired in 2004, and this trick wouldn’t work if his career had closed with a real stinker like Biggio’s did). What makes this particularly head-scratching is that Alomar actually has MORE career WAR than Biggio – 67.1-65.5. At one point, it’s so close (1992-2001) that… Read more »

Paul E

5 years ago

1B: Cabrera, Votto, Goldschmidt
2B: Altuve, Zobrist, Kinsler
3B: Donaldson, Machado, Beltre
SS: Tulo, Lindor, Bogaerts

didn’t vote for Cano becuase of the PED’s….maybe Tulo should have tried them? Beltre was the opposite of Tulo and Cabrera – he stayed healthy for a long time.

Doug

5 years ago

Reply to Paul E

To your point, Tulo ranks 15th in WAR (and 5th in WAR per PA) among shortstops thru age 29. But, among the top 50 in that group, he ranks 41st in G and PA after age 29.

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

My vote: 1st: Joey Votto, Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt 2nd: Robinson Cano, Jose Altuve, Ian Kinsler 3rd: Adrian Beltre, Josh Donaldson, Evan Longoria SS: Andrelton Simmons, Francisco Lindor, Troy Tulowitzki Not a lot of changes from the total WAR for me. Doug mentioned his baises; mine, as always, is toward big seasons. That’s what pushes Altuve above Kinsler at second. It didn’t change anything for me at third, but if Arenado or Machado had one more year, I’d be willing to be they’d have topped Longoria for third at third. The only change I made from my calculations was placing… Read more »

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

I’m more confident in us than I am in the MLB.com writing staff. But they’ve just finished this same exercise. Here are the results of their balloting.

Paul E

5 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

to their credit, not one mention of the term “”WAR” in the entire article.

Josh Davis

5 years ago

I’m giving my vote with an eye towards peak. That is to say, who am I going to remember as the best of the best when I look back at this time period. That is subjective, to be sure, but I think it is not irrelevant when picking an All-Decade Team. 1B: Cabrera (on the strength of his MVP’s and Triple Crown), Votto and Goldschmidt 2B: Altuve (I see him MVP worthy in 2016-17), Cano and Kinsler 3B: Beltre, Donaldson (he does have the MVP, but just didn’t play enough to be my #1), Arenado SS: Tulowitzki, Lindor, Simmons (seems… Read more »

Richard Chester

5 years ago

Here’s mine:

1B: Cabrera, Votto, Goldschmidt
2B: Cano, Altuve, Zobrist
3B: Beltre, Donaldson, Arenado
SS: Tulo, Lindor, Bogaerts

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

I know in my head that Joe Mauer was more a first baseman than a catcher in this decade… but in my heart, I’m not sure I knew the extent. Here’s Mauer’s decade broken down by games played at each position: 1B – 603 C – 311 DH – 232 RF – 2 (one third of an inning in his final season and, bizarrely, an entire, 9-inning game against the Yankees 8/18/11) Compare, for example, to Albert Pujols, whom I have NO problem picturing as a DH. Here’s his positional breakdown over the last decade: 1B – 1102 DH –… Read more »

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

Two players I want to just shout out: Adrian Gonzalez’s one decade peak from 2006-2015 saw him manage 1000 RBI and post a 137 OPS+. He’s not a Hall of Famer or anything, but he was a great hitter. The numbers would be a lot flashier if he had played in more favorable circumstances than San Diego for his best seasons. Ben Zobrist is another player that’s not going to get a lot of love in these votes, but really deserves a mention. Zobrist was one of the best multi-position players of all-time (I’d put the serious candidates as Stan… Read more »

Voomo

5 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

Would you take Zobrist over Tony Phillips?

Dr. Doom

5 years ago

Reply to Voomo

You know, Phillips is a good thought. I wasn’t thinking of him when I wrote this, which I now feel very stupid about. As to your question, in a head-to-head, yes I probably would take Zobrist. I don’t think Phillips was ever as good as Zobrist’s 2009 season. Zobrist has a mildly higher OPS+ (113-109), but Phillips has thousands more plate appearances. Still, I tend to lean a little more on peak seasons. Phillips hit a 130 OPS+ exactly once, and it was 130 right on the money. Zobrist was over 130 three times. Phillips has more black ink, Zobrist… Read more »

Paul E

5 years ago

Reply to Voomo

Zobrist is the only guy to ever score and knock in exactly 91 runs while walking exactly 91 times in the same season
Phillips scored 836 runs from 1990-1997, second in MLB to only B. Lamar Bonds (880).

Richard Chester

5 years ago

Reply to Paul E

All players with R = RBI = BB (minImum of 40, 1901-2019)

# ….. Year ….. Player
91 ….. 2009 …. Ben Zobrist
72 ….. 1965 …. Al Kaline
66 ….. 1978 …. Phil Garner
61 ….. 1963 …. Woodie Held
60 ….. 2007 …. Stephen Drew
52 ….. 1945 …. Steve Mesner
48 ….. 1936 …. Ripper Collins
48 ….. 1903 …. John Gochnauer
47 ….. 2004 …. Alex Cora
43 ….. 1915 …. Ivan Howard

John

5 years ago

Here’s my choices: 1st: Cabrera, Rizzo, Votto 2nd: Cano, Altuve, Zobrist 3rd: Beltre, Rendon, Donaldson SS: Tulo, Javy Baez, Bogaerts If we were going for the one best SEASON by position, 1st base would easily be Cabrera. He won the 1st Triple crown in 900 years. He gets the nod at 1st any way. Zorilla was a surprise to me. I knew he was valuable, but wow! Baez wasn’t nominated, and it’s a small sample compared to the others, but he belongs somewhere. I came this close to listing him first. His smaller sample & lack of nomination are why… Read more »

koma

5 years ago

1B
1. Joey Votto
2. Miguel Cabrera
3. Paul Goldschmidt

2B
1. Robinson Cano
2. Jose Altuve
3. Dustin Pedroia

3B
1. Josh Donaldson
2. Adrian Beltre
3. Nolan Arenado

SS
1. Troy Tulowitzki
2. Francisco Lindor
3. Xander Bogaerts

Doug

5 years ago

Today (Sunday) is the last day to vote, so if you’d like to cast a ballot, please do so now!

Kazzy

4 years ago

1st: Votto, Miggy, Goldy
2nd: Cano, Altuve, Pedroia
3rd: Beltre, Longoria, Donaldson
SS: Simmons, Tulo, Lindor

Doug

4 years ago

Thanks everyone for participating. Here are the results, based on 8 votes cast, showing points and first place votes.

1B: Cabrera 30 (4), Votto 30 (4), Goldschmidt 9 (0), Rizzo 3 (0)
2B: Cano 33 (6), Altuve 28 (2), Zobrist 5 (0), Kinsler 3 (0), Pedroia 3 (0)
3B: Beltre 34 (6), Donaldson 24 (2), Longoria 4 (0), Arenado 4 (0), Machado 3 (0), Rendon 3 (0)
SS: Tulowitzki 29 (5), Lindor 19 (0), Simmons 16 (3), Boegarts 4 (0), Baez 3 (0), Andrus 1 (0)

So, our elected infielders are Cabrera, Cano, Beltre, Tulowitzki, Votto and Altuve.

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

Reply to Doug

Doug, why Cabrera over Votto, out of curiosity

Doug

4 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

Only the alphabet. They’re tied with exactly the same number of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place votes.

Paul E

4 years ago

Reply to Doug

But why Altuve? Is that a typo or is he the middle infield reserve?

Doug

4 years ago

Reply to Paul E

There are six infielders chosen, the top voting score at each position, and the next two highest voting scores.

2010s All-Decade Team: Pitchers, Catchers and the Rest |

4 years ago

[…] our voting to select the best 25 man team of this decade. We started with infielders in the first post, chose outfielders and a DH in the second post, and will choose pitchers, catchers and the rest in […]