MLB Awards Preview: Most Overrated Player in the AL

A lot of players get tagged with the label “overrated.” This changes a bit the definition of overrated. If everybody knows somebody is overrated, then are they really overrated anymore? So clearly Derek Jeter isn’t overrated anymore. And nobody thinks enough of Aaron Hill for him to really be that overrated.

The contest for the most overrated player in the AL came down to how a player is perceived vs. how good they actually are. This formula left me with three players who are WAR-positive, but not as good as they are thought to be: John Lackey, A.J. Pierzynski, and Carlos Pena.

John Lackey, longtime “workhorse” and “big-game pitcher” has spent most of his time in Boston on the disabled list, putting up a mediocre 12-8 record with a 4.60 ERA and giving up the most hits in the AL at 201. Despite all that, Lackey has also put up a 1.1 WAR this year and could most definitely turn it around and turn in a decent year. He is no longer, however, an elite pitcher.

Carlos Pena, the Tampa Bay Rays first baseman, has turned in his worst year in Tampa to date, putting up a .214/.341/.447 line, the second-lowest batting average among those who qualify in the American League. Although the lefty’s defense is still Gold Glove quality and he still gets on base at a decent clip, hitting .214 just isn’t the sign of an elite first baseman. Working for Pena, however, are that with his .447 slugging percentage and his 26 home runs show that when he does get his bat on the ball, it goes far. That has led to a respectable 77 RBIs and a mediocre 1.6 WAR, which is certainly an amazing number for a guy hitting .214. He hits it when it counts, I suppose, so Carlos Pena is not the most overrated player in the AL.

That just leaves on candidate: White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski, the longtime feisty Sox catcher, has hit his way to a .258/.291/.370 line this season. The average is the second-lowest he’s ever put up, the OBP is the lowest, and so is the sub-.400 slugging percentage. Pierzynski is an everyday starting catcher with a .661 OPS, the fifth lowest in the AL among those who qualify, and easily the lowest of any catcher. The next-lowest is Kurt Suzuki of the Oakland A’s at .684.

Here’s Pierzynski’s numbers—notice how his OBP, SLG, and OPS have fallen off the map, and his home runs are well behind pace:

Although Pierzynski is a team leader and a fan-favorite, he just has no business being a starting catcher in this league, especially for a team with playoff aspirations. Although nobody spends much time talking about how good A.J. Pierzynski is, he’s living off a reputation he earned back when he was relevant during the White Sox World Series season of 2005 and it’s time it was updated.

Obviously this subject is highly subjective, but it’s difficult to deny that A.J. Pierzynski avoids being perceived as the true offensive abyss he has become. With a WAR of 0.7, A.J. Pierzynski is the most highly overrated player in the American League.