What about Pujols?

[Backtobanks]

According to Benmaller.com:

 

 

The Twins' Justin Morneau, who filed for salary arbitration Friday, was the second-most productive offensive first baseman in the major leagues last season, according to Glenn Gostick's sophisticated rating system, behind only Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees.

 

My question is: What kind of "sophisticated rating system" would rate Giambi as the most productive offensive first baseman in the major leagues?

 

Question #2: How far down the list did Pujols end up?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

My question is: What kind of "sophisticated rating system" would rate Giambi as the most productive offensive first baseman in the major leagues?

 

A worthless one.

[BigbadB]

Ryan Howard?

[CP_414]

Maybe they intended on saying in the AL, not in the majors.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Maybe they intended on saying in the AL, not in the majors.

 

That would make sense, but you don't need a sophisticated rating system to tell that Giambi-Morneau are 1-2 in AL 1B offense. This is just as good.

[CubsInNC]

My question is: What kind of "sophisticated rating system" would rate Giambi as the most productive offensive first baseman in the major leagues?

 

 

According to the limited stats on ESPN in their "SABR" section, there are only 2 categories where Giambi led MLB for 1B; BB/PA, SecA, BB, . He also led in the all important stat of HBP. In those 3 categories, Morneau finished 22nd, 12th, 19th, and 13th (out of 24 qualified first basemen). Giambi was 2nd in P/PA, 24th in GB/FB ratio, and 4th in ISOP. Morneau in those; 21st, 20th, and 9th.

 

Let's assume that the author mis-quoted and it's supposed to be AL, right?

 

Morneau led in RC, 2nd in RC27 (Giambi led), 4th in ISOP (Giambi, Sexson, Konerko), 5th in SecA (Giambi, Teixeira, Sexson, Konerko), last in BB/PA (of 8), T-6th in BB/K (only ahead of Sexson), 7th in P/PA (led Overbay), 3rd in XBH (Teixeira, Sexson), and (oooooh) T-1 in SF.

 

Giambi: 4th in RC, led in RC27, led in ISoP, led in SecA, led in BB/PA, led in BB/K, led in P/PA, 6th in XBH (13 fewer games in #5).

 

With those stats at hand, I'll give Giambi the top 1B in the AL for the level of play he has on the field. But there's no way I can give Mornaeu 2nd in the AL, let alone in MLB. I'd say Konerko had a better season, and one could argue for Sexson, Teixeira, and Morneau to all be about the same on a 3rd tier behind Giambi and Konerko.