If the Phillies hadn’t signed Tom Gordon as a free agent after the 2004 season, the Yankees may not have ended up with Joba Chamberlain.
Chamberlain was chosen with a sandwich selection in the 2005 baseball draft, a pick given to the Yankees after Gordon, a Type B free agent, was signed by Philadelphia.
The Elias Sports Bureau (ESB) comes up with a list of all major-league players to determine if they are Type A (first-round draft pick as compensation), Type B (sandwich pick that comes between first two rounds of draft as compensation), and the dreaded no compensation list.
More interesting than who gets what and from whom is where your favorite players are ranked, combining statistics such as batting average, plate appearances, home runs and runs batted in for hitters, and starts, innings, earned-run average, saves and strikeouts for pitchers. The statistics used vary from position to position.
Every player is ranked for comparative purposes regardless of his contract status, but two of the top players just happen to be free agents this season: Angels 1B Mark Teixeira and Brewers pitcher CC Sabathia. Basically, it’s like real-life fantasy rankings.
Who would you rather have on your team, Johan Santana or Alex Rodriguez? ESB says Rodriguez, whose rating is 95 at his position, compared to Santana’s 90.
Rodriguez was the only New York player ranked as best in his group.
Shockingly, Santana is ranked sixth among NL pitchers behind Sabathia, Brandon Webb, Cole Hamels, Dan Haren and Roy Oswalt, ahead of Jake Peavy, Ted Lilly and Tim Hudson and Carlos Zambrano.
Rodriguez ranks tops among all AL second basemen, third basemen and shortstops, with Derek Jeter sixth. David Wright ranks second in the NL category behind Chase Utley.
What about the Jose Reyes vs. Jeter debate? Well, ESB gives Reyes a 79 rating, Jeter has an 84.
The highest ranked major-league player is Teixeira (98.889), followed by Rockies OF Matt Holliday (98.125), Sabathia (98.110), Webb (96.392), White Sox OF Magglio Ordonez (96.316), Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols (95.385), and Rodriguez (95.031).
Among the local surprises:
*Mariano Rivera ranks fourth among AL relievers behind Joe Nathan, Joakim Soria and J.J. Putz, but he is ahead of Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Rodriguez.
*Resurgent Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado, who had an MVP-caliber comeback season, ranks 49th in his NL group.
*Orlando Hernandez (49th), who did not pitch at all in 2008, is 25 spots ahead of Pedro Martinez (74th).
The categories are:
1. First basemen, outfielders and designated hitters
3. Second basemen, third basemen and shortstops
4. Starting pitchers
5. Relief pitchers
Here’s a look at how the hometown players stacked up with the rest of baseball:
C Jorge Posada, Type A – 3rd at his position
1B Jason Giambi, No Comp. – 46th
2B Robinson Cano, Type A – 15th
3B Alex Rodriguez, Type A – 1st
SS Derek Jeter, Type A – 6th
OF Bobby Abreu, Type A – 10th
OF Xavier Nady, Type A – 21st
OF Johnny Damon, Type B – 22nd
DH Hideki Matsui, Type A – 16th
SP Andy Pettitte, Type A – 9th
SP Mike Mussina, Type A – 11th
SP Chien-Ming Wang, Type B – 18th
RP Mariano Rivera, Type A – 4th
C Brian Schneider, Type B – 9th
1B Carlos Delgado, Type B – 42nd
2B Luis Castillo, Type B – 28th
3B David Wright, Type A – 2nd
SS Jose Reyes, Type A – 9th
OF Carlos Beltran, Type A – 6th
OF Ryan Church, Type B – 33rd
OF Fernando Tatis, No Comp. – 42nd
SP Johan Santan, Type A – 6th
SP Oliver Perez, Type A – 14th
SP John Maine, Type A – 18th
RP Billy Wagner, Type A – 6th