The All Spurious Team '06

Well, everyone else seems to do these things so I thought it was about time that we toed the line and put together the All Spurious Team for the '06 season. These guys don't necessaril have to have been the best, we just have to like them...you know, the usual stuff.

1B Albert Pujols, St Louis Cardinals - .331, 49 hr, 137 rbi, 119 r
Even though Ryan Howard had his monster season, you still can't deny that Phat Albert is the man. Even with time spent on the DL (at the time he was setting a pace for something stupid like 80 hr and 200 rbi) he still managed to post better numbers than almost anyone.
He even picked up his first Gold Glove (not that we can put much stock in them as a measure of ability) and is certainly becoming an excellent defensive player. Quite simply the best player in baseball.
Good but not Albert : Ryan Howard, Carlos Delgado, Justin Morneau

2B Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies - .309, 32 hr, 102 rbi, 131 r, 15 sb
I still think he's the MVP of the Phils team but many would dispute it (and by many I mean practically everyone). Philadelphia were going nowhere and then he went on his hitting streak (might not have been Dimaggio but 35 is still bloody good) and the whole team woke around him.
Thankfully Gillick dealt Abreu (a bit late in doing so but anyway) and seems to be building around 3/4 of that infield which should see them in good stead.
Briefly thought about but ultimately nah : Mark Ellis, Placido Polanco, Brandon Phillips, Josh Barfield

3B Joe Crede, Chicago White Sox - .283, 30 hr, 94 rbi, 76 r
This was going to go to Ryan Zimmerman but once again Crede has been overlooked for the GG and someone should give him some love.
I've said for a few years now that he's the best defensive 3b in the AL but I always accepted his mediocre offensive numbers stopped him getting attention but this year he put it together and had a solid offensive year to boot and still gets ignored...except here.
Would have won if GG voters weren't dinks : Ryan Zimmerman

SS Jose Reyes, New York Mets - .300, 19 hr, 81 rbi, 122 r, 64 sb
I've had disputes about whether he's the buisness defensively or not but there is no getting around the fact that he is an exciting ball player. He's the sort of speed player we used to have in the 80's and the way he moves in the field makes me reminisce about Ozzie Smith and anyone who makes me think of The Wizard deserves a nod.
They don't make 'em like they used but these are alright : Adam Everett, Omar Vizquel, Edgar Renteria

C Russ Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers - .282, 10 hr, 65 rbi, 65 r, 10 sb
What do I do when Mike Matheny misses most of the year through injury? I'll tell you what I do, I point to the future and my soon to be favourite catcher in the Bigs (Matheny still holds stock with me), Russ Martin.
LA were a ponderous bunch for a long time and then they made the call to the Farm and they started to win...a lot.
He's a gamer, a general on the field. He may never be the best hitter in the league or win any GG's but wherever he plays he will win, that much I am sure about.
God bless catchers, they're crazy : Victor Martinez (comedy value counts here), Joe Mauer, Pudge Rodriguez

LF Alfonso Soriano, Washington Nationals - .277, 46 hr, 95 rbi, 119 r, 41 sb
You may not have been paying attention to the Nats in a dreadful year, but Soriano might have been the best offensive player in baseball.
So much was made before the year about the change of position but he did ok out thereand in between time he crushed the ball, ran all over and was the first 40/40 man to get almost no attention for his exploits. He was a man on a mission or, to put it another way, a free agent year.
Is it wrong to mock the left fielder? : Jason Bay, Craig Monroe, Adam Dunn

CF Carlos Beltran, New York Mets - .275, 41 hr, 116 rbi, 127 r, 18 sb
To the folk who questioned the deal Minaya gave him, I think Carlos Beltran showed this year what he can do when he's fully healthy. Great D, great power and some of the best base running around. He can really do everything. Encore please.
Bit of a so-so year for cf's : Vernon Wells, Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, Mark Kotsay

RF Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox - .315, 44 hr, 120 rbi, 103 r
After years of freakish injury after freakish injury, Dye put together a career year at the heart of a monster line-up. Carrying on from his World Series MVP the year before, he more than did his bit to put Chicago back atop the pile, shame the pitchers couldn't follow his lead.
Put the fat bloke in right : Lance Berkman, Ichiro, Alexis Rios

DH David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox - .287, 54 hr, 137 rbi, 115 r
These days DH is a genuine position on the roster so we better throw Big Papi in. He continues to amaze with the lumber and only gets started when its late and the game is on the line. It's no surprise that when he went down with an injury the Sox plummeted down the standings.
Practicing bubble blowing when their team takes the field : Travis Hafner, Marcus Thames

Utility IF Bill Hall, Milwaukee Brewers - .270, 35 hr, 85 rbi, 101 r
I feel a little bad but whilst he may not have won a batting title Bill Hall stepped up when injuries hit the Brew Crew he emerged as the teams best player and even though the Brewers were a disappointment, they still did better than Pittsburgh.
Reluctant to ride pine : Freddy Sanchez

Utility OF Melky Cabrera, New York Yankees - .280, 7 hr, 50 rbi, 75 r, 12 sb
MVP of the Yankees anyone? When injuries crippled the All Star Yankee outfield, the one time pariah stepped back onto the field where he was once goaded by 'Da Bums' and solidified a troubled line-up. It almost seems like he should have better numbers than he did, such was his stature this year but it wasn't his numbers that defined him but his ability to do the job at hand.
Best of the nobodies on the roster : Ryan Freel, Reed Johnson

SP 1 Johan Sanatan, Minnesota Twins - 19-6, 2.77 era, 245 k / 47 bb
Won the pitching triple crown with more wins, k's and a better ERA than anyone in either league. He is without question the top hurler around, it's that simple.

SP 2 Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays - 16-5, 3.19 era, 132 k / 34 bb
The only thing not quite right about Roy Halladay is the fact he has that ginger beard. For ages he was neck and neck with Santana which takes some doing but there is no shame being second to him.

SP 3 Jason Jennings, Colorado Rockies - 9-13, 3.78 era, 142 k / 85 bb
Pitching in Colorado with that ERA and only 9 wins to your name? This guy deserved better but then there were a few guys in that rotation who did better than you would think. Give medals to them all I say.
What a year for the hurlers : Francisco Liriano, Brandon Webb, Chris Carpenter, Carlos Zambrano, Aaron Harang, Roy Oswalt, Justin Verlander

Closer Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins - 7-0, 1.58 era, 95 k / 16 bb, 36 sv
Papelbon blew 6. Hoffman 5, Ryan 4 and Rivera 3. Joe Nathan blew just 2 and due to the slow start he managed to win seven games without losing any as Grudenhire struggled to get him worthwhile innings.
He was truly dominant.
Hells bells : Trevor Hoffman, BJ Ryan, Jon Papelbon

Lefty Reliever Dennys Reyes, Minnesota Twins - 5-0, 0.89 era, 49 k / 15 bb
You'd think being a situational lefty would be a dossy job and Reyes made it look that this year with a truly silly year. A WHIP below one and almost a K per inning.
They're an odd breed : Pedro Feliciano, Rheal Cormier, Jaime Walker

Righty Reliever Cla Meredith, San Diego Padres - 5-1, 1.07 era, 37 k / 6 bb
He may have a first name that looks like its short a good few letters but how can you argue with a 0.711 WHIP?
Stick 'em on the fire for kindling : Takashi Saito, Chad Bradford, Jonathan Broxton, Rafael Soriano