Joe Soriano
O.J. Lewis2011 PSW AL MVP
October 30th 2011 13:22
There is really no doubt in my mind that Jacoby Ellsbury was the best player in the American League in 2011. His 9.4 WAR is a stellar mark, and it is significantly higher than everybody else in the AL. Ellsbury does it all. He hits for power, average, he steals bases, and he is one of the best defensive players in baseball.
Not many center fielders can knock more than 30 homers out of the park, and even fewer can do so with 39 steals and a .321 batting average to boot. His .230 ISO and solid K/BB ratio also go well with his 119 runs scored. Ellsbury recorded a stellar 5.66 WPA and absolutely devoured both fastballs (31.2 wFB) and change-ups alike (an insane 10.5 wCH).
The best attribute that Jacoby Ellsbury possess is the most underrated when mentioning MVP candidates; defense. He is easily a Gold Glove winner and had a very high UZR of 15.6 thanks to some impeccable range. Not only that, but Jac-El rarely ever commits and error or misplays a ball. The only knock against the game's best defensive CF is his subpar outfield arm.
Two impressive advanced statistics to note when evaluating Ellsbury's monstrous 2011 campaign are his 22.9 LD% and 16.7 HR/FB ratio. There is no better all-around player in baseball, and voters need to put the collapse behind them and rightfully crown Tacoby Bellsbury as the 2011 AL MVP. I mean, he only became the first player in the Red Sox storied history to join the elusive and exclusive 30-30 club.
The leader in total bases for the 2011 season is also this season's Comeback Player of the Year. He really needs to grab this award with his .402 wOBA that translates to a 150 wRC-plus. Again, not many center fielders can do that whilst having one of the highest UZRs in the league. And oh by the way, his 32 homers and 105 RBIs mostly came from the leadoff spot. Yeah, Jacoby is a beast.
Not many center fielders can knock more than 30 homers out of the park, and even fewer can do so with 39 steals and a .321 batting average to boot. His .230 ISO and solid K/BB ratio also go well with his 119 runs scored. Ellsbury recorded a stellar 5.66 WPA and absolutely devoured both fastballs (31.2 wFB) and change-ups alike (an insane 10.5 wCH).
The best attribute that Jacoby Ellsbury possess is the most underrated when mentioning MVP candidates; defense. He is easily a Gold Glove winner and had a very high UZR of 15.6 thanks to some impeccable range. Not only that, but Jac-El rarely ever commits and error or misplays a ball. The only knock against the game's best defensive CF is his subpar outfield arm.
Two impressive advanced statistics to note when evaluating Ellsbury's monstrous 2011 campaign are his 22.9 LD% and 16.7 HR/FB ratio. There is no better all-around player in baseball, and voters need to put the collapse behind them and rightfully crown Tacoby Bellsbury as the 2011 AL MVP. I mean, he only became the first player in the Red Sox storied history to join the elusive and exclusive 30-30 club.
The leader in total bases for the 2011 season is also this season's Comeback Player of the Year. He really needs to grab this award with his .402 wOBA that translates to a 150 wRC-plus. Again, not many center fielders can do that whilst having one of the highest UZRs in the league. And oh by the way, his 32 homers and 105 RBIs mostly came from the leadoff spot. Yeah, Jacoby is a beast.
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