AL West’s hot and cold players
Ohtani is the division’s greatest star, but several Astros aren’t far behind
The Houston Astros have reigned as champions of the American League’s Western Division for all but one of the past six years — and they’re my choice to win again in 2023.
Their dominance is evident in a quick scan of the division’s most productive players, the 2022 leaders in overall base value. (If you’re fuzzy, click here for an explanation of OBV.)
Twelve AL West players posted OBVs greater than 50 last season, indicating that they either reached at least 51 bases more than the typical big-league hitter or allowed at least 51 bases less than the average pitcher.
A majority of these stalwarts — seven of 12 — played for the Astros. The others were scattered around the division: three with the Los Angeles Angels, one apiece with the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, and none with the Oakland Athletics.
The assumption here is that the players with the best overall base values in 2022 will enter the coming season with positive vibes and strong momentum. So let’s take a look below at the 10 leaders in the AL West, as well as the 10 players who will be trying to rebound from years they would rather forget.
If you missed my reports of a similar vein for the American League’s other divisions, click here for a player rundown for the AL East and here for the AL Central. You can also find detailed OBV breakdowns for all 30 big-league clubs in the newly published Baseball’s Best (and Worst) 2023 Yearbook.
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Best OBV in AL West (2022)
Only nine major-league batters posted base values in the triple digits last year, indicating that they reached at least 100 bases more than normal. One of these star hitters was the multitalented Angel, Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani also pitches, of course, and he does it at an equally high level. He was one of 14 pitchers in 2022 who kept their opponents’ base totals at least 80 below normal.
The actual values for Ohtani were 102 bases as a batter and 84 as a pitcher, yielding an OBV of 186, easily the best in the AL West.
The divisional runners-up were a pair of Astros, designated hitter/left fielder Yordan Alvarez (OBV of 152) and pitcher Justin Verlander (127).
Verlander, of course, will not be returning to Houston this year. He’s moving on to the New York Mets as a free agent. But the other nine members of the division’s top 10, including five Astros, will be coming back to the same teams:
1. Shohei Ohtani, Angels, 186 OBV
2. Yordan Alvarez, Astros, 152
3. Justin Verlander, Astros, 127
4. Mike Trout, Angels, 126
5. Jose Altuve, Astros, 123
6. Framber Valdez, Astros, 85
7. Julio Rodriguez, Mariners, 83
8. Alex Bregman, Astros, 70
9. Kyle Tucker, Astros, 69
10. Nathaniel Lowe, Rangers, 65
Baseball’s Best (and Worst) 2023 Yearbook
A complete rundown of 2022 stats — and a look ahead at the season to come
Worst OBV in AL West (2022)
The Athletics traded hard-hitting first baseman Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves last March, receiving a package of young prospects in return.
Among them was 23-year-old Cristian Pache, whom the A’s immediately installed in center field. The early returns weren’t promising. Pache batted .166 with three homers in 91 games, posting a miserable OBV of minus-60, the worst figure in the division.
Another Oakland rookie, pitcher Adam Oller, was a single step better at minus-59. He went 2-8 with a 6.30 ERA.
Listed below are the AL West’s 10 worst overall base values from a year ago. At least four of those players will not be returning to their squads in 2023.
Second baseman Adam Frazier left Seattle as a free agent, signing with the Baltimore Orioles. Pitcher Zach Logue was picked up by the Detroit Tigers after Oakland put him on waivers. Texas right fielder Kole Calhoun, at this writing, remains an unsigned free agent. And second baseman Abraham Toro of the Mariners was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.
1. Cristian Pache, Athletics, -60
2. Adam Oller, Athletics, -59
3. Adam Frazier, Mariners, -52
4. Nick Allen, Athletics, -49
5. Zach Logue, Athletics, -47
5. Dane Dunning, Rangers, -47
7. Max Stassi, Angels, -46
7. Kole Calhoun, Rangers, -46
7. Spencer Howard, Rangers, -46
10. Abraham Toro, Mariners, -45
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