Decade: Covid-19 Years  (2020-2029)
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Team Decade Pages (Average Win Shares / Points per year in decade): Top Team Builders In Decade:
AMERICAN LEAGUE: NATIONAL LEAGUE:
Tampa Bay Rays - 518 Los Angeles Dodgers - 581
Houston Astros -517 Atlanta Braves - 530
New York Yankees - 508 Milwaukee Brewers - 501
Toronto Blue Jays - 481 San Diego Padres 486
Seattle Mariners - 481 Philadelphia Phillies - 485
Cleveland Indians - 479 San Francisco Giants - 476
Minnesota Twins - 455 St. Louis Cardinals- 469
Boston Red Sox - 446 New York Mets - 466
Baltimore Orioles - 445 Chicago Cubs - 443
Detroit Tigers - 419 Cincinnati Reds -428
Texas Rangers - 401 Arizona Diamondbacks -411
Chicago White Sox - 396 Florida Marlins - 401
Anaheim Angels - 396 Pittsburgh Pirates - 372  
Kansas City Royals - 390 Colorado Rockies 367  
Oakland A's  - 386 Washington Nationals -366  
Decade Highlights
 
 □ Analytics was killing baseball and rule changes needed to made in the 2023 season to make the game watchable again. 
Without going into a tirade, the big mistake with analytics is it tends to ignore that what it is not good at quantifying. 
One of those things is baserunning. Another, which includes baserunning, is trying to put pressure on pitchers and the defense by forcing them do difficult things.
Baseball had turned into a boring home run or strike out non action game.
Baseball also had turned into a procession of relief pitchers filing into and out of every game.
The game had become inordinately long.
The shift had always been with baseball, but it was now choking off offense.
It didn't have to, but analytics driven baseball didn't value bunts, bat control, the ability to hit to all fields, sacrafices, stolen bases.
In other words, analytics doesn't value anything interesting about playing the game, anything about trying to put pressure on the defense, anything to make the defense work.
 
 □ A pitch clock was put in to counter the interminably long games highlighted by a zillion pitching changes.
   Rules were put in to limit the number of pitching changes
Rules were put in to help baserunners by limiting pickoff throws to first and making bigger bases.
The shift was banned - rather than valuing bat control skills, hitting to all fields and bunting.
 
 □ The best baseball organizations were still dominating the game in the 2020's
The Dodgers, Houston, Tampa Bay and the Braves all continued to do well.
The organization with the most resources playing in the biggest market in the world also was in the mix altho' clearly a cut below the aforementioned squads, the Yankees.
A few small market teams were overachieving on small budgets like Milwaukee and Cleveland
San Diego and the Mets were spending big, but getting small results.
And Anaheim was wasting the two best players in the game, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, by surrounding them with nothing. 
 
□ Speaking of Ohtani, if he stays healthy, he should end up rivaling Babe Ruth for the greatest two way player in major league history. 
Aaron Judge of the Yankees made baseball history in '22 as the greatest single season non-roids home run hitter of all time with 62
One of baseball's issues is the lack of stars. The aforementioned Ohtani, Trout and Judge are three. LA's Mookie Betts oozes talent and has star quality.
Ronald Acuna of the Braves and Bryce Harper of the Phillies are also in the ballpark as guys with star quality. 
There are a few youngsters with potential star quality like San Diego's Fernando Tatis and Juan Soto and Seattle's Julio Rodriguez
Dominant starters like Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole are starting to age out.
We're losing the great dominant starter in this generation as they don't let anybody go past six innings anymore. 
The irony, of course, is that the less innings these guys pitch, the more likely they seem to be getting injured. 
 
□ The decade started out poorly as 2020 was the year of Covid
While in the middle of a pandemic, owners and labor droned on endlessly bickering about how to go about conducting the season.
They ended up minimizing the regular season so that all sorts of player guarantees wouldn't kick in and maximized the playoffs.
Only 60 regular season games, they could have played a lot more, and sixteen teams making the playoffs, which culminated with the Dodgers beating Tampa in the World Series.
 
□ The Braves beat the Astros in the 2021 World Series. Two well run organizations. 
The Astros vindicate themselves a bit as they win without illegally stealing signs.
 
□ The Astros beat a surprising Phillies team in the World Series.
The Phillies were a Wild Card, but beat St. Louis, Atlanta and San Diego in the playoff to win the NL title. 
 
 
Top Players In Decade Pages (Win Shares / Points and WAR (in parentheses)  for Decade ):
   
All Positions -  Top 50 Top Starting Pitchers Top Catchers Top 20 Outfielders
1 - Shohei Ohtani LA (45.02) -102 23- Framber Valdez Houston (18.66) -  54 10 - JT Realmuto Phillies  (20.48) -   60 2 - Aaron Judge Yankees (42.81) -  84
2 - Aaron Judge Yankees (42.81) -  84 24 - Logan Webb SF (21.45) - 54 13- Will Smith Dodgers (20.93) - 57 1 - Shohei Ohtani LA 34.13) -71
3 - Jose Ramirez Cleveland  (33.01) -  83 27 - Max Fried Braves (23.61) -   52 26 - Salvador Perez KC (13.73) -   52 7- Juan Soto Mets  (34.79) -  64
4 - Trea Turner Phillies (26.17) -   78 28 - Zach Wheeler Phila (30.63) - 52 43 - William Contreras Cubs (15.39) - 48 9 - Julio Rodriguez Seattle (22.62) - 62
5 - Francisco Lindor Mets  (21.69) -   70 29 - Chris Bassitt Toronto (13.81) -  52 47 - Cal Raleigh Seattle  (18.44) -   46 11 - Fernando Tatis SD (20.1) -  59
6 - Mookie Betts LA (31.99) -   66 37- Dylan Cease Chicago (17.23) - 49 14 - Bryan Reynolds Pittsburgh (16.8) - 57
7- Juan Soto Mets  (34.79) -  64 38 - Zac Gallen Arizona (18,08) - 49 Top First Basemen 16 - Kyle Tucker Houston (27.48) -   57
8 - Corey Seager Texas (27.55) -  63 39 - Gerrit Cole Yankees (19.86) -  49 12- Freddie Freeman Dodgers (28.89) -   58 18 - Ronald Acuna Braves (19.85) -   56
9 - Julio Rodriguez Seattle (22.62) - 62 48 - Kevin Gausman Toronto (17.72) - 46 25 - Matt Olson Atlanta (27.85) -   54 22 - Cedric Mullins Baltimore (16.38) - 54
10 - JT Realmuto Phillies  (20.48) -   60 53 - Corbin Burnes Milwaukee (20.37) - 45 33 - Willson Contreras Cards (17.96) - 51 41 - Randy Arozarena TB  (16.69)  - 49
11 - Fernando Tatis SD (20.1) -  59 54 - Tarik Skubal Detroit  (17.82) -    45 34 - Bryce Harper Phillies (21.98) - 51 46- Luis Robert Chicago (15.33) - 47
12- Freddie Freeman Dodgers (28.89) -   58 Carlos Rodon Yankees (15,88) - 42 36 - Vladimir Guerrero Toronto (23.97) - 50 50 - Mike Trout Anaheim (15.3) - 45
13- Will Smith Dodgers (20.93) - 57 Clayton Kershaw LA (12.34) -  40 45 - Pete Alonso Mets  (15.23) - 47 51 - Cody Bellinger Cubs (12.63) - 45
14 - Bryan Reynolds Pittsburgh (16.8) - 57 Nathan Eovaldi Texas (16.54) - 39 56 - Paul Goldschmidt Yankees  (21.71) - 45 52 - Brandon Nimmo Mets (19.55) - 45
15 - Xander Bogaerts San Diego (20.05) -   57 Jose Berrios Toronto (9.4) -   39 Byron Buxton Twins (19.92) - 44
16 - Kyle Tucker Houston (27.48) -   57 Pablo Lopez Twins (15.00) - 39 Top Second Basemen Ian Happ Cubs (18.24) -   44
17- Bobby Witt KC (21.79) -  57 Freddy Peralta Milwaukee (15.17) - 39 20 - Rafael Devers Giants (18.00) -    55 George Springer Toronto (16.53) - 44
18 - Ronald Acuna Braves (19.85) -   56  Sandy Alcantara Miami (16.18) - 38 49 - Jose Altuve Houston (16.08 - 45 Corbin Carroll Arizona (15.83) - 42
19 - Wily Adames Milwaukee (20.27) - 55 Aaron Nola Phillies (15.96) - 38 Ketal Marte Arizona (20.88) -  44 Teoscar Hernandez Toronto (15.83) - 42
20 - Rafael Devers Giants (18.00) -    55  Julio Urias Dodgers (11.54) - 38 41 - Marcus Semien Texas (28.16) - 44 Christian Yelich Milwaukee (13.34) - 42
21 - Dansby Swanson Cubs (23.88) -  54 Sonny Gray Cards (14.73) - 38 Jazz Chisholm  (12.91) - 43
22 - Cedric Mullins Baltimore (16.38) - 54 Luis Castillo Seattle (16.73) - 36 Gleyber Torres Detroit  (12.46) - 40  
23- Framber Valdez Houston (18.66) -  54 Brady Singer Reds (12.05) - 36  
24 - Logan Webb SF (21.45) - 54  Yu Darvish SD (11.33) -   35 Top Shortstops  
25 - Matt Olson Atlanta (27.85) -   54 Shohei Ohtani Anaheim (10.89) - 31 4 - Trea Turner Phillies (26.17) -   78
26 - Salvador Perez KC (13.73) -   52   5 - Francisco Lindor Mets  (21.69) -   70
27 - Max Fried Braves (23.61) -   52 Top Relief Pitchers 6 - Mookie Betts LA (31.99) -   66
28 - Zach Wheeler Phila (30.63) - 52 30 - Emmanuel Clase Cleveland (11.3) - 51 8 - Corey Seager Texas (27.55) -  63
29 - Chris Bassitt Toronto (13.81) -  52 35 - Josh Hader San Diego (7.88) -   50 15 - Xander Bogaerts San Diego (20.05) -   57
30 - Emmanuel Clase Cleveland (11.3) - 51 44 - Kenley Jansen Boston (8.1) - 47 17- Bobby Witt KC (21.79) -  57
31 - Manny Machado SD (25.22) -  51 Raisel Iglesias Atlanta (9.97) - 43 19 - Wily Adames Milwaukee (20.27) - 55
32 - Bo Bichette Toronto (18.28) -   51 Edwin Diaz Mets  (9.09) - 37 21 - Dansby Swanson Cubs (23.88) -  54
33 - Willson Contreras Cards (17.96) - 51 David Bednar Pirates (7.15) - 34 32 - Bo Bichette Toronto (18.28) -   51
34 - Bryce Harper Phillies (21.98) - 51 Kyle Hendricks Cubs (4.82) -   30 40 - Carlos Correa Minnesota (20.85) -   49
35 - Josh Hader San Diego (7.88) -   50 Kyle Finnegan Washington (4.3) - 29 42 - JP Crawford Seattle (19.44) -    49
36 - Vladimir Guerrero Toronto (23.97) - 50 Clay Holmes Yankees (7.32) - 29 55 - Gunnar Henderson Baltimore  (21.73) -   45
37- Dylan Cease Chicago (17.23) - 49 Ryan Pressly Houston (3.47) - 28 Trevor Story Boston  (13.1 -    43
38 - Zac Gallen Arizona (18,08) - 49 Camilo Doval Yankees (3.83) - 28
39 - Gerrit Cole Yankees (19.86) -  49 Top Third Basemen
40 - Carlos Correa Minnesota (20.85) -   49 3 - Jose Ramirez Cleveland  (33.01) -  83
41 - Randy Arozarena TB  (16.69)  - 49 31 - Manny Machado SD (25.22) -  51
42 - JP Crawford Seattle (19.44) -    49 Matt Chapman SF (23.83) -  44
43 - William Contreras Cubs (15.39) - 48 Austin Riley Atlanta (22.25) -   42
44 - Kenley Jansen Boston (8.1) - 47 Alex Bregman (20.24) - 40
45 - Pete Alonso Mets  (15.23) - 47
46- Luis Robert Chicago (15.33) - 47
47 - Cal Raleigh Seattle  (18.44) -   46
48 - Kevin Gausman Toronto (17.72) - 46
49 - Jose Altuve Houston (16.08 - 45
50 - Mike Trout Anaheim (15.3) - 45
51 - Cody Bellinger Cubs (12.63) - 45
52 - Brandon Nimmo Mets (19.55) - 45
53 - Corbin Burnes Milwaukee (20.37) - 45
54 - Tarik Skubal Detroit  (17.82) -    45
55 - Gunnar Henderson Baltimore  (21.73) -   45
56 - Paul Goldschmidt Yankees  (21.71) - 45