2010s All-Decade Team: Outfielders and DH

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This post continues our voting to select the best 25 man team of this decade. We started with infielders in the previous post, will choose outfielders and a DH in this post, and pitchers, catchers and the rest in a final installment. More after the jump.

For this election, we’ll select four outfielders for our team, the voting leader at each outfield position, and the outfielder with the next highest voting score (voting rules are at the end of the post). One designated hitter with the highest vote total will be chosen. Voting is open until 23:59 EST on Thursday, January 2nd.

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 outfield position, or 500 games at DH
20 WAR or Top 10 in WAR for the position

Here are the candidates.

Left Field

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	Brett Gardner	38.0	102	5570	2010	2019	26-35	1349	4845	810	1259	219	60	121	485	579	1040	228	55	.260	.344	.405	.749	*78/HD9	NYY
2	Ryan Braun	35.4	132	5336	2010	2019	26-35	1305	4796	770	1410	297	29	241	811	451	974	166	45	.294	.359	.519	.877	*79/HD38	MIL
3	Christian Yelich	33.6	137	4043	2013	2019	21-27	920	3541	587	1067	209	24	139	500	448	832	124	24	.301	.383	.492	.874	*789/HD	MIA-MIL
4	Alex Gordon	31.5	104	5705	2010	2019	26-35	1369	5028	692	1309	276	21	149	597	538	1198	85	39	.260	.341	.412	.754	*7/8HD5391	KCR
5	Justin Upton	30.0	121	5907	2010	2019	22-31	1408	5186	836	1373	275	22	255	798	609	1503	124	47	.265	.346	.474	.820	*79/HD8	ARI-ATL-SDP-DET-LAA
6	Starling Marte	29.1	115	3986	2012	2019	23-30	953	3647	555	1047	192	42	108	420	196	812	239	77	.287	.341	.452	.793	*78/H	PIT
7	Michael Brantley	27.3	117	4999	2010	2019	23-32	1171	4518	621	1339	284	21	109	607	394	526	117	28	.296	.354	.441	.795	*78/DH9	CLE-HOU
8	Yoenis Cespedes	21.9	126	3456	2012	2018	26-32	826	3160	472	865	172	24	163	524	238	727	43	20	.274	.328	.498	.826	*78/DH	OAK-BOS-DET-NYM
9	Matt Holliday	21.0	131	4343	2010	2018	30-38	1049	3772	584	1066	241	6	164	628	479	756	28	13	.283	.371	.480	.852	*7D/H3	STL-NYY-COL
10	Melky Cabrera	14.8	109	5379	2010	2019	25-34	1318	4955	645	1444	293	33	108	626	339	645	57	23	.291	.335	.429	.765	*798/HD	ATL-SFG-TOR-CHW-KCR-CLE-PIT

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/23/2019.

Center Field

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	Mike Trout	72.5	176	5273	2011	2019	19-27	1199	4340	903	1324	251	46	285	752	803	1118	200	36	.305	.419	.581	1.000	*87/D9H	LAA
2	Andrew McCutchen	41.2	135	6280	2010	2019	23-32	1452	5388	868	1540	308	39	221	765	769	1155	165	72	.286	.379	.481	.860	*89/7HD	PIT-SFG-NYY-PHI
3	Lorenzo Cain	36.9	104	4295	2010	2019	24-33	1045	3894	565	1122	206	24	78	407	325	768	175	40	.288	.347	.413	.761	*89/HD7	KCR-MIL
4	Adam Jones	26.6	109	6336	2010	2019	24-33	1499	5920	797	1647	287	18	251	806	275	1151	72	26	.278	.318	.460	.778	*89/DH7	BAL-ARI
5	Jacoby Ellsbury	24.7	105	3946	2010	2017	26-33	904	3552	537	992	185	29	84	387	301	568	214	48	.279	.339	.419	.758	*8/HD7	BOS-NYY
6	Austin Jackson	22.1	100	4653	2010	2018	23-31	1115	4200	621	1145	218	53	65	381	374	1120	114	45	.273	.333	.396	.729	*8/H79D	DET-CHC-SEA-CHW-CLE-SFG-NYM
7	Carlos Gomez	21.9	101	4125	2010	2019	24-33	1113	3707	531	939	194	29	133	447	264	1018	209	53	.253	.318	.429	.747	*89H/7D41	MIL-HOU-TEX-TBR-NYM
8	Ender Inciarte	19.2	95	3194	2014	2019	23-28	759	2922	418	835	134	27	39	243	220	400	113	44	.286	.338	.390	.728	*8/79H	ARI-ATL
9	Dexter Fowler	18.7	106	5235	2010	2019	24-33	1274	4471	724	1161	222	72	119	467	662	1171	120	56	.260	.359	.421	.781	*89H/D	COL-HOU-CHC-STL
10	Charlie Blackmon	18.2	116	4507	2011	2019	24-32	1060	4092	713	1244	227	47	172	511	298	757	129	54	.304	.360	.509	.868	*89/7HD	COL

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/23/2019.

Right Field

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	Mookie Betts	42.0	134	3629	2014	2019	21-26	794	3203	613	965	229	26	139	470	371	464	126	25	.301	.374	.519	.893	*98/4DH	BOS
2	Giancarlo Stanton	39.9	144	4897	2010	2019	20-29	1162	4253	686	1141	239	11	308	785	569	1375	41	14	.268	.358	.547	.905	*9D/7H8	FLA-MIA-NYY
3	Jason Heyward	36.9	103	5580	2010	2019	20-29	1377	4920	711	1286	243	34	144	579	576	964	110	39	.261	.343	.412	.755	*98/H	ATL-STL-CHC
4	Jose Bautista	35.9	137	5206	2010	2018	29-37	1223	4297	781	1078	222	9	285	764	812	960	56	23	.251	.373	.506	.879	*9D5/H3784	TOR-PHI-ATL-NYM
5	Bryce Harper	31.5	137	4639	2012	2019	19-26	1084	3879	708	1071	219	19	219	635	684	1012	90	34	.276	.385	.512	.897	*978/HD3	WSN-PHI
6	Josh Reddick	25.2	106	4449	2010	2019	23-32	1168	4010	555	1062	193	32	138	527	365	701	60	18	.265	.324	.432	.756	*97/H8D3	BOS-OAK-LAD-HOU
7	George Springer	24.6	131	3345	2014	2019	24-29	744	2898	530	782	131	11	160	426	372	747	47	29	.270	.361	.488	.849	*98/DH7	HOU
8	Shin-Soo Choo	24.4	120	5755	2010	2019	27-36	1304	4885	764	1322	258	17	176	587	710	1258	121	44	.271	.376	.438	.814	*9D87/H	CLE-CIN-TEX
9	Hunter Pence	21.6	114	5177	2010	2019	27-36	1266	4732	676	1314	234	36	175	712	393	992	84	29	.278	.333	.453	.787	*9/H7D8	HOU-PHI-SFG-TEX
10	Carlos Gonzalez	21.2	114	4918	2010	2019	24-33	1203	4453	737	1280	266	32	217	730	407	1089	102	28	.287	.347	.508	.855	*97/8HD	COL-CLE-CHC
11	Yasiel Puig	20.0	122	3376	2013	2019	22-28	861	3015	441	834	159	21	132	415	297	681	79	38	.277	.348	.475	.823	*9/8H7D	LAD-CLE-CIN

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/23/2019.

Designated Hitter

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	Nelson Cruz	34.3	138	5813	2010	2019	29-38	1385	5193	774	1461	275	9	346	961	511	1302	50	23	.281	.350	.538	.888	D9/7H	TEX-BAL-SEA-MIN
2	Edwin Encarnacion	31.1	134	5764	2010	2019	27-36	1360	4963	819	1308	251	5	335	956	689	979	41	9	.264	.356	.519	.875	*D35/H74	TOR-CLE-SEA-NYY
3	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
4	David Ortiz	25.3	151	4036	2010	2016	34-40	957	3468	530	1014	252	5	224	700	524	643	7	4	.292	.383	.562	.945	*D/H3	BOS
5	Victor Martinez	11.8	116	4480	2010	2018	31-39	1096	4051	469	1182	220	1	135	619	359	461	5	4	.292	.350	.447	.796	*D2/3H	BOS-DET
6	Kendrys Morales	9.0	109	4328	2010	2019	27-36	1084	3913	458	1022	192	4	167	587	344	805	2	5	.261	.326	.440	.766	*D3/H915	LAA-SEA-MIN-KCR-TOR-OAK-NYY
7	Billy Butler	8.9	118	4176	2010	2016	24-30	1039	3725	432	1078	226	2	107	528	382	625	4	2	.289	.357	.437	.794	*D3/H	KCR-OAK-NYY

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/23/2019.

VOTING RULES: For each 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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Paul E

4 years ago

LF: Yelich, Upton, Brantley
CF: Trout, McCutchen, Blackmon
RF: Betts, Stanton, Harper
DH: Ortiz, Cruz, Encarnacion

FWIW, I probably could be convinced that Springer is no worse than the 7th best OF’er overall, however, I don’t know that he’s better than 4th at RF. It’s also likely that there is a “recent peak” bias to my OF selections

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

Doug, what determined positional eligibility? I’m curious, since Pujols has appeared at two positions.

Doug

4 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

It’s 3000 PA and 50% of games at one position, except I made it 500 games at DH since there are so few full-time DH players. So Pujols qualifies with 50% of games at 1B, and also for 500 games as DH.

Chris C

4 years ago

LF: Yelich, Braun, Upton
CF: Trout, McCutchen, Cain (very weak competition for 3rd)
RF: Betts, Stanton, Harper
DH: Cruz, Ortiz, Encarnacion

koma

4 years ago

LF
1. Bret Gardner
2. Ryan Braun
3. Alex Gordon

CF
1. Mike Trout
2. Lorenzo Cain
3. Andrew McCutchen

RF
1. Mookie Betts
2. Giancarlo Stanton
3. Bryce Harper

DH
1. David Ortiz
2. Nelson Cruz
3. Edwin Encarnacion

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

Fun Fact: best CF seasons by WAR of the players listed above: 1. Mike Trout, 2012, 10.5 Mike Trout, 2016, 10.5 3. Mike Trout, 2018, 10.2 4. Mike Trout, 2015, 9.4 5. Mike Trout, 2013, 9.0 6. Mike Trout, 2019, 8.3 Jacoby Ellsbury, 2011, 8.3 8. Andrew McCutchen, 2013, 7.9 9. Carlos Gomez, 2013, 7.8 10. Mike Trout, 2014, 7.6 Surprise, surprise: Mike Trout was dominant this decade – 7 of the top 10 seasons belong to him. But more significant, I think, is that Carlos Gomez’s 2013 season was ridiculously good… and completely out-of-step with his position in the… Read more »

Paul E

4 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

Doom,
It’s “The Curse of the Car Dealer”. Right up there with the Bambino and that poor goat that couldn’t get served in Chicago. The talent they had in 1982 was superior to the Cardinals and that group in the late 50’s was as talented as any and only had one world title to show for the four peak years from 1956 – ’59. Aaron, Spahn, Mathews, Burdette, Adcock, geeze
As far as Carlos Gomez, that has to be one of the weakest offensive seasons ever by an OF’er with that much WAR, no?

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

Reply to Paul E

Gomez, 2013 – 128 OPS+, 7.8 WAR Ozzie Smith, 1989 – 97 OPS+, 7.3 WAR Brett Gardner, 2010 – 105 OPS+, 7.4 WAR I think it happens, in other words. Those were the first two players I thought to check. I think the really good way to check would be OPS+ divided by WAR. For Gomez, it’s 16.4; for Gardner, it’s 14.1; for Smith, it’s a pretty incredible 13.3. Finding players with even lower numbers should be possible, too. There are six seasons more extreme than Smith’s among batting title qualified players, but I’m not a PI subscriber, so I… Read more »

Doug

4 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

OPS+ under 100 and under 15*WAR.
99 – Kevin Kiermaier 2015 (7.5)
98 – Ozzie Smith 1988 (6.6)
97 – Ozzie Smith 1989 (7.3)
90 – Devon White 1992 (6.2), Andrelton Simmons 2013 (7.0)
86 – Darin Erstad 2002 (6.4)
81 – Luis Aparicio 1960 (5.6)
71 – Ozzie Smith 1980 (5.1)
64 – Mark Belanger 1975 (5.0)

There are 24 qualified seasons with OPS+ under 15*WAR, ranging from Belanger’s 5.0 WAR to Cal Ripken’s 11.5 in 1991. Smith, Simmons and Ripken are the only players with more than one. Here’s the list.
http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/5h87Q

Paul E

4 years ago

Reply to Doug

A little further piling on here but, Carlos’ 19.1 batting runs are the 2nd lowest all time, behind only Willie Davis, for seasons of 7.8 WAR or greater by a CF since 1901. I believe it was a list of 63 seasons.
Oddly, his 7.8 WAR was best in the NL that season per b-ref.

Paul E

4 years ago

Reply to Paul E

Doom,
Piling on here: Most dWAR, >/= 7.8 WAR CF, 51% G, 1901-present
1 Carlos Gomez 3.9 7.8 2013
2 Ken Griffey Jr. 3.4 9.7 1996
3 Willie Davis 3.4 8.3 1964
4 Lenny Dykstra 3.2 8.9 1990
5 Andruw Jones 2.7 8.2 2000

There were 68 seasons of 7.8 WAR or greater. Gomez’s 128 OPS+ is 3rd worst amongst the 68 with only Willie Davis (111) and Andruw Jones (122) below Carlos

John

4 years ago

LF: Gardner, Yelich, Marte
CF Trout, McCutchen, Cain
RF: Stanton, Harper, Betts
DH: Ortiz, Pujols, Martinez.

Can I vote for Trout first, second and third for CF? Braun is such a poor fielder that I cannot vote for him. Even with my obvious Cubs bias, I couldn’t vote for J-Hey with his poor hitting. Ortiz defined DH for this generation.

Doug

4 years ago

LF: Yelich, Gardner, Gordon
CF: Trout, McCutchen, Cain
RF: Stanton, Betts, Harper
DH: Ortiz, Encarnacion, Cruz

Richard Chester

4 years ago

LF: Yelich, Braun, Holliday
CF: Trout, McCutchen,Jones
RF: Stanton, Betts, Harper
DH: Ortiz, Cruz, Encarnacion

I will be away on vacation for a couple of weeks so I will most likely not be voting in the next round.

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

Due to so many players having BIG seasons, but incomplete decades, this ranking became difficult for me. So I decided I would try something a little different. I have a way of evaluating peak-WAR. So I took the AVERAGE season, acted as if there were ten of them, then took the geometric means of those two numbers. Here’s what I came up with: LF: Christian Yelich, Brett Gardner, Ryan Braun CF: Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Lorenzo Cain RF: Mookie Betts, Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Bautista DH: Nelson Cruz, Edwin Encarnacion, David Ortiz Unlike some others, I don’t have a real problem… Read more »

Josh Davis

4 years ago

LF: Braun, Yelich, Brantley
CF: Trout, McCutchen, Blackmon
RF: Betts, Bautista, Stanton
DH: Ortiz, Cruz, Encarnacion

I’m trying to balance numbers with who is really going to be remembered.

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

I’m not sure exactly how many players Doug is keeping on the team, but here are the vote totals, as I have them. Players are listed in order of finish, with point totals in parentheses: LF – Yelich (31), Gardner (16), Braun (15), Upton (4), Brantley & Gordon (2), Marte & Holliday (1) CF – Trout (40), McCutchen (22), Cain (7), Blackmon (2), Jones (1) RF – Betts (32), Stanton (28), Harper (8), Bautista (4) DH – Ortiz (34), Cruz (23), Encarnacion (11), Pujols (3), Martinez (1) My guess would be that Yelich, Trout, Betts, and Ortiz make it as… Read more »

Dr. Doom

4 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

Ugh. I am dumb. Here I thought the deadline was SUNDAY, and I thought I was being helpful. Instead, I’m a dummy. Oh well. Curtis Granderson comment stands! Doug, you’re welcome to delete both of these comments. Thanks.

Doug

4 years ago

Reply to Dr. Doom

In the next vote, we’ll elect pitchers, catchers and specialists, the last being a utility player and a pinch hitter. Grandy will qualify for the utility position.

Doug

4 years ago

Happy New Year everyone.

If you’d like to vote, please do so by end of day tomorrow (Thursday).

Rob P

4 years ago

LF: Yelich, Cespedes, Gardner
CF: Trout, Cain, McCutchen
RF: Harper, Betts, Stanton
DH: Cruz, Encarnacion, Ortiz

Paul E

4 years ago

Saw this on MLB Trade Rumors website….I guess everyone is celebrating the end of the decade

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/01/the-all-decade-lineup.html

Not too disimilar results, thus far, from our polling

Doug

4 years ago

Here are the results, showing points and (first place votes).
LF: Yelich 36 (6), Gardner 17 (2), Braun 15 (1), Upton 4, Cespedes 3, Brantley 2, Gordon 2, Holliday 1, Marte 1
CF: Trout 45 (9), McCutcheon 23, Cain 10, Blackmon 2, Jones 1
RF: Betts 35 (5), Stanton 29 (3), Harper 13 (1), Bautista 4
DH: Ortiz 35 (6), Cruz 28 (3), Encarnacion 14, Pujols 3, Martinez 1

So, elected to the team are Yelich (LF), Trout (CF), Betts (RF), Stanton (OF) and Ortiz (DH).