Most Important Player on 2011 Sox

[SoxFanForsyth]

Looking at Fangraphs, the Red Sox have 3 of the top 7 WAR players in the MLB. The Sox have 3 of the top 5 WAR players in the American League. Oddly enough, Adrian Gonzalez has the 3rd highest WAR on our team, behind Pedroia and Ellsbury. So I was curious, who do you think is the most important player on this baseball team? Also, Pedroia is currently 2nd in the MLB in WAR at 6.5 (Bautista at 6.8 leads), and is creeping up rather steadily (he's picked up 0.3 points on Bautista over the past 2 games). So I started thinking, if Pedroia wins the MVP this year, which is entirely possible, has there ever been an MVP that did not make the All Star team?

 

Here are the stats to help with your decisions:

 

Pedroia: .308/.409/.493/.900, 21 SB, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 72 R, 12.6 UZR, 6.5 WAR

 

Ellsbury: .325/.382/.525/.907, 29 SB, 17 HR, 62 RBI, 78 R, 8.1 UZR, 5.8 WAR

 

Gonzalez: .352/.414/.560/.974, 17 HR, 87 RBI, 74 R, 7.4 UZR, 5.0 WAR

 

I gotta go with Pedroia. Watching anyone else play 2nd base makes you appreciate just how insanely good this guy is, and then he comes out and goes through one of the hottest streaks of his career. Not only that, but when the Sox were 0-6, it was Pedroia who put the team on his back during that Yankees series to notch the first couple of wins. This team could have easily been 1-8 or 0-9 without Pedroia that weekend, came up huge for us.

[SoxSport]

no Pedey, no Red Sox.

[Palodios]

Hands down, without a doubt in my mind, Beckett. If he went down, the rotation would have looked like this when Lester was on the DL.

 

Lackey, Wakefield, Miller, Weiland, Millwood.

 

I know Ells/A-gon/Pedroia are having monster seasons, but lose any of those guys, and the offense is still pretty damn good. Lose Beckett, and look at that rotation.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Hands down, without a doubt in my mind, Beckett. If he went down, the rotation would have looked like this when Lester was on the DL.

 

Lackey, Wakefield, Miller, Weiland, Millwood.

 

I know Ells/A-gon/Pedroia are having monster seasons, but lose any of those guys, and the offense is still pretty damn good. Lose Beckett, and look at that rotation.

 

Well, look. Lose Beckett after you've lost Lester, Buchholz, and :thumbdown DiceK :thumbdown, and yeah I can agree. But with a full, healthy rotation, especially if we acquire Bedard or Jimenez, a rotation of Lester - Buchholz - Jimenez/Bedard - Lackey - Miller/Wakefield isn't terrible.

 

As of right now, Beckett would hurt the most. But assuming full health of all players, I guess I should have lead with that, who is the most important.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Gotta be Gonzalez. Ya Pedroia had a role in the first couple wins but he was really a mediocre hitter for the first two months. Gonzalez has been the one consistent hitter all year who was really the first hitter to turn it around and get the team going.

 

I love Ellsbury though, I'm not sure he's this good, but he has superstar numbers this year with the defense/power/speed/average combo

[Dojji]

Sleeper vote for Dan Bard.

 

Also deoending on what you're asking here, Saltalamacchia turning into a respectable catcher instead of a terrible one definitely had a large positive impact on the team. If you consider the gap between the projections and the reality, perhaps Salty's impact as an adequate catcher is greater than well-established high order veteran players having the kind of years you expect out of them.

[SoxFanForsyth]

For the record, Rollins (2007), Morneau ( 2006), and Gibson (1988) are the only MVP winners that did not make the All Star team.

[snydersminipretzels]

Definitely Pedroia, who is playing better than his MVP season. He's going to enter the discussion pretty soon. I just hope he stops sliding head first into first base.

[Thunder]

Beckett, A-Gon, Pedey. No doubt. Jacoby's next.

[BornToRun]

Beckett' date=' A-Gon, Pedey. No doubt. Jacoby's next.[/quote']

 

Papi too if you ask me.

[Dojji]

So which are more important? Already good players who stay good, or potential black holes in a lineup that get filled with above average talent because someone broke out?

[InfernoOrangeSS]

I have to go with AGon. He has been stellar all year. I love Pedroia, but he didn't really become a beast until the AllStar snub. I love when he gets motivated like he is, but AGon has been steady and productive. If Gonzalez stays on pace, no way he doesn't win MVP.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Aceves!

 

 

No, but really, has to be Pedroia.

[redsoxbeatz]

Baseball-Reference is showing me Pedroia's WAR @ 5.9 behind Bautista's 6.7

 

I would say all three of those guys being at the top of the order is the most important part of the Red Sox besides pitching.

 

Ellsbury had 50 steals ('08), 70 ('09), injury season, and now he as 29. C'monnn, I love watching Ells steal.

[AtWork]

That's such a difficult question because we have the best player in baseball this year at 1B, 2B and CF. I would go with Pedroia though because he's the only one that leads his position in both UZR and wOBA and 2B has been the weakest offensive position of the 3 this year.

[Monster]

I go with Pedroia, no doubt.

[BornToRun]

Without Beckett, we are f***ed.

 

That is all.

[stonedtone]

Looking at Fangraphs, the Red Sox have 3 of the top 7 WAR players in the MLB. The Sox have 3 of the top 5 WAR players in the American League. Oddly enough, Adrian Gonzalez has the 3rd highest WAR on our team, behind Pedroia and Ellsbury. So I was curious, who do you think is the most important player on this baseball team? Also, Pedroia is currently 2nd in the MLB in WAR at 6.5 (Bautista at 6.8 leads), and is creeping up rather steadily (he's picked up 0.3 points on Bautista over the past 2 games). So I started thinking, if Pedroia wins the MVP this year, which is entirely possible, has there ever been an MVP that did not make the All Star team?

 

Here are the stats to help with your decisions:

 

Pedroia: .308/.409/.493/.900, 21 SB, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 72 R, 12.6 UZR, 6.5 WAR

 

Ellsbury: .325/.382/.525/.907, 29 SB, 17 HR, 62 RBI, 78 R, 8.1 UZR, 5.8 WAR

 

Gonzalez: .352/.414/.560/.974, 17 HR, 87 RBI, 74 R, 7.4 UZR, 5.0 WAR

 

I gotta go with Pedroia. Watching anyone else play 2nd base makes you appreciate just how insanely good this guy is, and then he comes out and goes through one of the hottest streaks of his career. Not only that, but when the Sox were 0-6, it was Pedroia who put the team on his back during that Yankees series to notch the first couple of wins. This team could have easily been 1-8 or 0-9 without Pedroia that weekend, came up huge for us.

Pedroia has come a long way back from his very low av