According to FanGraphs WAR, Michael Young was the eight best player on his team in 2011. In limited action in the field, he was judged to have cost his team the ninth most runs in the American League among qualified players. Sure, he led his team in RBIs with 106, but please try to remember this: RBIs speaks far more as to who is batting in front of you than individual skill. To show you what I mean by this, consider that Young had 73 more plate appearances with runners on base than Adrian Beltre did this season and within those 73 extra chances, he had a single more run batted in than the Rangers full time third baseman. One.
While a lot of scorn, from myself and others, is bound to be directed Grant’s way, it should also be remembered that Young received a second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth place vote, four seventh place votes, seven eighth place votes, four nine place votes, and two tenth place votes. Once again, all of this for a player that was the eighth best on his team.
-Parkes @ Getting Blanked
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