2009 Youkilis

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)

Youk! Youk!

I voted once for MLB's All-Star Voting, but I can't seem to summon the enthusiasm to do it again. I discovered to my dismay that Kevin Youkilis, who's currently batting a robust .342, seventh in the majors, is not on the All-Star ballot. Despite the fact that outside of possibly Garko, Morneau, Teixeira, and maybe Swisher there is not a single first baseman in the American League worthy of consideration for this slot, the only way to vote for Youk is to write him in at the bottom of the ballot. And if I decide to do that, it means I can't vote for David Ortiz, which is something I don't feel comfortable doing either. So I'm stuck.

Maybe Red Sox fans could start a campaign voting Youkilis in as a second baseman, since there's no way Dustin Petroia's gonna make the club as a rookie. Then Youk and Ortiz could make the All-Star Team, and we'd have the added enjoyment of watching Youk try to turn a double play with Jeter after Bonds grounds to short in the first inning.

Alright, that's the plan. Let's do it.

But while I'm all in favor of letting Ortiz represent the Sox at the All-Star Game, it's hard to make the argument that Youk doesn't deserve to go. Let's take a look at price versus performance for AL first basemen this year. Keep in mind that fans across the country are accusing the Red Sox of being the Yankees, and wildly overpaying players in order to keep them around. I've ordered all the AL first basemen in accordance with their batting average, starting with the highest, Youk:

Kevin Youkilis (BOS): .342 BA, .956 OPS. He's 28 years old (the beginning of his baseball prime), and he'll make $424,500 this year.

Now, all of these players are between 26 and 32 years old, so assumably all of them are also in their prime, and are not being paid for their future potential but for their contributions right now. Also, this being first base and not an important defensive position like shortstop or catcher, being a good fielder doesn't count for much here. A first basemen in the American League needs a big bat, games are won with power rather than glovework. Now, find me a more appropriate All-Star in this lot and I will publicly eat crow about how Youk is the most appropriate All-Star choice, as well as baseball's best bargain.

Ryan Garko (CLE): .319 BA, .882 OPS. $383,100. A fantastic find by Cleveland. Do you realize he was never drafted? This is why absolutely nobody cares about the MLB draft.
Mark Teixeira (TEX):. 312 BA, .922 OPS. He'll make $9 million this year.
Nick Swisher (OAK): .287/.898. He'll make $400,000, which, after Youk and Garko, makes him the best bargain of this sorry lot. That's Beaneball for you, though, would you expect anything else? He'll be out of Oakland and in New York, LA, or St. Louis within two years. He's only 26, too.
Justin Morneau (MIN): .274/.884. He'll make 4.5 million this year.
Lyle Overbay (TOR): .255/.810. $1.35 million.
Aubrey Huff (BAL): .253/.672. He'll make $4 million this year.
Sean Casey (DET): .252/.620. $4 million. He's 32 years old, by the way.
Ty Wigginton (TB): .250/.713. He'll make $2.7 million this year.
Shea Hillenbrand (LAA): .237/.534. $6 million this year. By the way, having an OPS of .534 is really, really bad.
Paul Konerko (CWS): .214/.686. $12 million this year. ESPN has labeled Konerko "one of the year's biggest disappointments." Ouch.
Doug Mientkiewicz (NYY): .212/.646. $1.5 million. To be fair, because I like Mientkiewicz, he is an excellent defensive first basemen. But that's definitely not what the Yankees need right now.
Ryan Shealy (KC): .212/.625. $392,500.
Richie Sexton (SEA): .197/.633. $15.5 million. Yes, you read that correctly.

In addition to all of this, Youk is the strongest bat on the best team in baseball, and carrying the offense of a team on which their top two sluggers have yet to hit their stride. Now, tell me honestly: who else could you possibly vote for?