The Platinum Tools Awards: American League 2009

We've been talking about the best defenders, the best hitters, Golden Gloves and Silver Sluggers, who's deserving, who's not...but what about the players who bring the best of both worlds?

I took the top players in OPS at each position who qualified for the batting title in each league. Then I took the top players in UZR/150 at each postion in each league. The players in the top ten were then awarded points (10 for first, 9 for second, and so on.) The player with the highgest total score is awarded the Platinum Tools Award for 2009. DH is not included and neither is catcher which has no UZR measure. Ready?

RF - J.D. Drew - It wasn't even close. Drew led AL right fielders in UZR and OPS. Nick Markakis was near the bottom of this list.

CF - Torii Hunter - Hunter had a bounceback year at the plate and flashed enough glove to just edge the trio of Adam Jones, Franklin Gutierrez and B.J. Upton.

LF - Carl Crawford - Crawford was the clear winner over the surprising Jason Bay.

3B - Evan Longoria - No surprise here. But Chone Figgins comes in second which I didn't expect. Melvin Mora brings up the rear.

SS - Derek Jeter - ...and by a big margin. Nobody else began to have the kind of well-rounded game at short that Jeter had. Cesar Izturis was tops in UZR/150 and last in OPS.

2B - Dustin Pedroia - Pedroia had a sneaky good year at the plate and a nice year with the glove. Brian Roberts brings up the rear of a very good crop of second basemen.

1B - Kendry Morales and Miguel Cabrera (tie) - Morales and Cabrera put up near-Teixeira-like numbers and edged him out on UZR.

Later on, the National League.