Two years ago, I made the argument that Kevin Youkilis was the best first baseman for the price in the American League. At the time, Youkilis was hitting .342 with an OPS of .956 and making $424,500 a year. Not only that, he wasn't on the All-Star Ballot, which I found to be a complete travesty.
This offseason, Youkilis got an extension and a huge bump in pay. But he's hitting the cover off the ball this year, so the question needs to be asked: is Youkilis still the best value at his position in the American League? How about in all of baseball?
As it turned out, I didn't have time to run the numbers of all the NL players, so here's the AL comparison. Stats are listed below, so you can draw your own conclusions (by the way, Ryan Garko? Still seriously underpaid) but here's the rundown:
Top AL First Basemen (in terms of production)
1. Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers
2009 Stats: .391, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 1.049 OPS
2008 Stats: .292, 37 HR, 127 RBI .886 OPS
2. Mark Texeira - New York Yankees
2009 Stats: .182, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .692 OPS
2008 Stats: .308, 33 HR, 121 RBI, .962 OPS
3. Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins
2009 Stats: .324, 6 HR, 21 RBI, .962 OPS
2008 Stats: .300, 23 HR, 129 RBI, .873 OPS
4.Kevin Youkilis - Boston Red Sox
2009 Stats: .393, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 1.112 OPS
2008 Stats: .312, 29 HR, 115 RBI, .959 OPS
5. Aubrey Huff - Baltimore Orioles
2009 Stats: .279, 3 HR, 23 RBI, .807 OPS
2008 Stats: .304, 32 HR, 108 RBI, .912 OPS
6. Carlos Pena - Tampa Bay Rays
2009 Stats: .271, 11 HR, 28 RBI, 1.041 OPS
2008 Stats: .247, 31 HR, 102 RBI, .891 OPS
7. Mike Jacobs - Kansas City Royals
2009 Stats: .244, 4 HR, 13 RBI, .742 OPS
2008 Stats: .247, 32 HR, 93 RBI, .813 OPS
8. Jason Giambi - Oakland A's
2009 Stats: .213, 1 HR, 10 RBI, .637 OPS
2008 Stats: .247, 32 HR, 96 RBI, .875 OPS
9. Hank Blalock - Texas Rangers
2009 Stats: .258, 7 HR, 19 RBI, .865 OPS
2008 Stats: .287, 12 HR, 38 RBI, .846 OPS (65 Games)
10. Lyle Overbay - Toronto Blue Jays
2009 Stats:.242, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .889 OPS
2008 Stats: .270, 15 HR, 69 RBI, .777 OPS
Top AL First Basemen (in terms of salary)
1. Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers
2009 Salary: $14.4 Million
2. Mark Texeira - New York Yankees
2009 Salary: $12.5 Million
3. Paul Konerko - Chicago White Sox
2009 Salary: $12 Million
4. Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins
2009 Salary: $11.6 Million
5. Aubrey Huff - Baltimore Orioles
2009 Salary: $8 Million
6. Carlos Pena - Tampa Bay Rays
2009 Salary: $8 Million
7. Lyle Overbay - Toronto Blue Jays
2009 Salary: $7.95 Million
8. Kevin Youkilis - Boston Red Sox
2009 Salary: $6.25 Million
9. Hank Blalock - Texas Rangers
2009 Salary: $6.2 Million
10. Jason Giambi - Oakland A's
2009 Salary: $4 Million
I think it's safe to say that Kevin Youkilis is giving you pretty close to the best value available.
American League Stats and Salaries
Aubrey Huff - Baltimore Orioles
2009 Salary: $8 Million
2009 Stats: .279, 3 HR, 23 RBI, .807 OPS
2008 Stats: .304, 32 HR, 108 RBI, .912 OPS
Kevin Youkilis - Boston Red Sox
2009 Salary: $6.25 Million
2009 Stats: .393, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 1.112 OPS
2008 Stats: .312, 29 HR, 115 RBI, .959 OPS
Mark Texeira - New York Yankees
2009 Salary: $12.5 Million
2009 Stats: .182, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .692 OPS
2008 Stats: .308, 33 HR, 121 RBI, .962 OPS
Carlos Pena - Tampa Bay Rays
2009 Salary: $8 Million
2009 Stats: .271, 11 HR, 28 RBI, 1.041 OPS
2008 Stats: .247, 31 HR, 102 RBI, .891 OPS
Lyle Overbay - Toronto Blue Jays
2009 Salary: $7.95 Million
2009 Stats:.242, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .889 OPS
2008 Stats: .270, 15 HR, 69 RBI, .777 OPS
Paul Konerko - Chicago White Sox
2009 Salary: $12 Million
2009 Stats: .310, 3 HR, 18 RBI, .865 OPS
2008 Stats: .240, 22 HR, 62 RBI, .782 OPS
Ryan Garko - Cleveland Indians
2009 Salary: $446,100
2009 Stats: .290, 1 HR, 10 RBI, .792 OPS
2008 Stats: .273, 14 HR, 90 RBI, .750 OPS
Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers
2009 Salary: $14.4 Million
2009 Stats: .391, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 1.049 OPS
2008 Stats: .292, 37 HR, 127 RBI .886 OPS
Mike Jacobs - Kansas City Royals
2009 Salary: $3.275 Million
2009 Stats: .244, 4 HR, 13 RBI, .742 OPS
2008 Stats: .247, 32 HR, 93 RBI, .813 OPS
Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins
2009 Salary: $11.6 Million
2009 Stats: .324, 6 HR, 21 RBI, .962 OPS
2008 Stats: .300, 23 HR, 129 RBI, .873 OPS
Kendry Morales - Los Angeles Angels
2009 Salary: $1.1 Million
2009 Stats: .274, 4 HR, 16 RBI, .867 OPS
2008 Stats: .213, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .666 OPS (27 Games)
Jason Giambi - Oakland A's
2009 Salary: $4 Million
2009 Stats: .213, 1 HR, 10 RBI, .637 OPS
2008 Stats: .247, 32 HR, 96 RBI, .875 OPS
Russell Branyan - Seattle Mariners
2009 Salary: $1.4 Million
2009 Stats: .324, 7 HR, 15 RBI, 1.043 OPS
2008 Stats: .250, 12 HR, 20 RBI, .925 OPS (50 Games)
Hank Blalock - Texas Rangers
2009 Salary: $6.2 Million
2009 Stats: .258, 7 HR, 19 RBI, .865 OPS
2008 Stats: .287, 12 HR, 38 RBI, .846 OPS (65 Games)