PECOTA 50: The best players to build a team around

[nate82]

From Nate Silver at Baseball Prospectus put these two articles up over at SI. It is an interesting read on who they think are the top 50 players to build a team around. Braun (17) and Prince (35) are the only home grown players on the list and Sabathia comes in at 9th.

 

Links to the articles 50-26 and the top 25.

[jjfanec]

Sheets also got honorable mention. Age and health kept him off the top 50 they said. You can get to the honorable mention link from the links provided

[ILuvDaBush]

Where does Craig Counsell fall??? He's the backbone of this team.

[crewcrazy]

David Wright #2? I'd probably take a half-injured Pujols, Grady Sizemore, or Longoria there, but to each their own. Braun and Fielder are about right, but I would've liked to see Hardy get a little love, especially if guys like Erik Bedard are getting honorable mentions.

[T B0NE 10]

David Wright? He isn't that good. I'd take Braun over him easily. I think Braun should be top ten on that list.

[endaround]

Dvaid Wright is a better hitter than Braun and can actually play 3B. Now taking him over Sizemore or even Reyes becomes somewhat more questionable.

[eanelson4]

Dvaid Wright is a better hitter than Braun and can actually play 3B.

I'll debate you all day on this one. After looking at the stats, I would say Braun is a marginally better hitter while Wright plays superior defense.

[crewcrazy]

Wright's OBP's to start his career: .332, .388, .381, .416, and this year he's at .386. Braun may have more home run power, but Wright also hits a ton of doubles and plays in park that favors pitchers quite a bit. Add in his defense, and Wright seems to be the better player to me.

 

I love Braun to death, but until he can learn to lay off the junk when pitchers are obviously not giving him anything to hit, I wouldn't put him in the top 10 or 15 of that list. He's right around where he should be, IMO.

[eanelson4]

I'm not saying Braun is better than Wright, but I AM saying that I believe Braun to be a marginally better hitter:

 

Wright career OPS : .912

Braun career OPS : .965

 

Wright first 2 full season OPS : .912

Braun first 2 season OPS : .965

 

Obviously this season isn't over yet, so these figures could. As far as stadium, according to ESPN's rankings, Shea plays only .04 runs/game less than MP. Shea is the 23rd best hitters park vs MP being the 18th best hitters park. Sounds pretty negligable to me.

[kramnoj]

Braun's OPS + first two years are 153 and 138. Wright last three years and this year: 139, 133, 150, 141. So Braun's first year, where he destroyed lefties at an unsustainable level is better, but Wright has consistenly delivered like Braun has hit this year.

[eanelson4]

And thusfar in his career, Braun has shown to be fairly consistent. We'll know once he gets 4+ years like Wright has, but over his first 2 years, Braun has put up superior numbers to Wright's first 2.