Best position player and pitcher each year since 2000

[Maestro84]

Position player/hitter

2000: Alex Rodriguez
2001: Barry Bonds
2002: Barry Bonds
2003: Barry Bonds
2004: Barry Bonds
2005: Alex Rodriguez/Albert Pujols
2006: Albert Pujols
2007: Alex Rodriguez
2008: Albert Pujols
2009: Albert Pujols
2010: Josh Hamilton
2011: Jose Bautista/Matt Kemp
2012: Miguel Cabrera/Mike Trout
2013: Miguel Cabrera/Mike Trout
2014: Mike Trout
2015: Bryce Harper
2016: Mike Trout
2017: Giancarlo Stanton
2018: Mookie Betts
2019: Mike Trout

Pitchers

2000: Pedro Martinez
2001: Randy Johnson
2002: Randy Johnson/Pedro Martinez
2003: Roy Halladay/Pedro Martinez
2004: Randy Johnson/Johan Santana
2005: Roger Clemens
2006: Johan Santana
2007: Jake Peavy
2008: Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee
2009: Zack Greinke
2010: Roy Halladay
2011: Justin Verlander
2012: Justin Verlander/Clayton Kershaw
2013: Clayton Kershaw
2014: Clayton Kershaw
2015: Zack Greinke
2016: Max Scherzer
2017: Corey Kluber
2018: Jacob DeGrom
2019: Jacob DeGrom

Leaders (Position Players/Hitters)

1. Mike Trout: 5 (3 solo; 2 co)
2. Barry Bonds: 4 (4 solo)
3. Albert Pujols: 4 (3 solo; 1 co)
4. Alex Rodriguez: 3 (2 solo; 1 co)
5. Miguel Cabrera: 2 (2 co)

Leaders (Pitchers)

T1. Randy Johnson: 3 (1 solo; 2 co)
T1. Pedro Martinez: 3 (1 solo; 2 co)
T1. Roy Halladay: 3 (1 solo; 2 co)
T1. Clayton Kershaw: 3 (2 solo; 1 co)
T5. Justin Verlander: 2 (2 solo)
T4. Zack Greinke: 2 (2 solo)
T4. Jacob DeGrom: 2 (2 solo)
8. Johan Santana: 2 (1 solo; 1 co)

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[Cas]

2000 - SS Alex Rodriguez, SEA
2001 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2002 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2003 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2004 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2005 - 3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
2006 - 1B Albert Pujols, STL
2007 - 3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
2008 - 1B Albert Pujols, STL
2009 - 1B Albert Pujols, STL
2010 - OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
2011 - CF Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2012 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2013 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2014 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2015 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2016 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2017 - RF Aaron Judge, NYY
2018 - RF Mookie Betts, BOS
2019 - 3B Alex Bregman, HOU

2000 - Pedro Martinez, BOS
2001 - Randy Johnson, ARI
2002 - Randy Johnson, ARI
2003 - Pedro Martinez, BOS
2004 - Johan Santana, MIN
2005 - Roger Clemens, HOU
2006 - Johan Santana, MIN
2007 - Jake Peavy, SDP
2008 - Tim Lincecum, SFG
2009 - Zack Greinke, KCR
2010 - Roy Halladay, PHI
2011 - Justin Verlander, DET
2012 - Justin Verlander, DET
2013 - Clayton Kershaw, LAD
2014 - Clayton Kershaw, LAD
2015 - Zack Greinke, LAD
2016 - Justin Verlander, DET
2017 - Corey Kluber, CLE
2018 - Jacob deGrom, NYM
2019 - Justin Verlander, HOU

5 - Trout
4 - Bonds, Verlander
3 - Pujols, Rodriguez
2 - Greinke, Johnson, Kershaw, Martinez, Santana

Several players would look better if you awarded a soft of "MVP point shares" type of system. Roy Halladay came in second or third a lot but I only think he was #1 once, for example.

 

[Maestro84]

2000 - SS Alex Rodriguez, SEA
2001 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2002 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2003 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2004 - LF Barry Bonds, SFG
2005 - 3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
2006 - 1B Albert Pujols, STL
2007 - 3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
2008 - 1B Albert Pujols, STL
2009 - 1B Albert Pujols, STL
2010 - OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
2011 - CF Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2012 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2013 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2014 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2015 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2016 - CF Mike Trout, LAA
2017 - RF Aaron Judge, NYY
2018 - RF Mookie Betts, BOS
2019 - 3B Alex Bregman, HOU

2000 - Pedro Martinez, BOS
2001 - Randy Johnson, ARI
2002 - Randy Johnson, ARI
2003 - Pedro Martinez, BOS
2004 - Johan Santana, MIN
2005 - Roger Clemens, HOU
2006 - Johan Santana, MIN
2007 - Jake Peavy, SDP
2008 - Tim Lincecum, SFG
2009 - Zack Greinke, KCR
2010 - Roy Halladay, PHI
2011 - Justin Verlander, DET
2012 - Justin Verlander, DET
2013 - Clayton Kershaw, LAD
2014 - Clayton Kershaw, LAD
2015 - Zack Greinke, LAD
2016 - Justin Verlander, DET
2017 - Corey Kluber, CLE
2018 - Jacob deGrom, NYM
2019 - Justin Verlander, HOU

5 - Trout
4 - Bonds, Verlander
3 - Pujols, Rodriguez
2 - Greinke, Johnson, Kershaw, Martinez, Santana

Several players would look better if you awarded a soft of "MVP point shares" type of system. Roy Halladay came in second or third a lot but I only think he was #1 once, for example.
2016 -
2017 -
2018 -
2019 -
2016 -
2017 -
2018 -
2019 -
2016 -
2017 -
2018 -
2019 -
2016 -
2017 -
2018 -
2019 -

2000 - SP Pedro Martinez, BOS - 1.74 ERA, 217.0 IP, 284 K, 32 BB, 128 H, 17 HR, 0.737 WHIP, 291 ERA+, 11.7 WAR

2000 - SP Pedro Martinez, BOS - 1.74 ERA, 217.0 IP, 284 K, 32 BB, 128 H, 17 HR, 0.737 WHIP, 291 ERA+, 11.7 WAR

The hardest one was Trout/Miggy in 2012 and 13. Two godly years from a couple generational talents it was truly a sight to behold. I'd probably give Miggy the edge in 2012 due to winning the TC but in '13 I was leaning a bit more towards Trout. Since I was doing 2-way ties I made it easier for myself to give both the nod lol

It would also be interesting to see who'd be the best in years where guys like Clemens, Bonds, Rodriguez, and anyone else who was associated with PEDs took home most of the hardware and put up video game numbers.

 

[Cas]

My issue with picking Cabrera over Trout is that Trout was just about as good a hitter, but was a good baserunner and good fielder at a premium position and Cabrera, well, wasn't (though he was playing third base).

In 2012, Cabrera won the Triple Crown, but Trout actually hit almost as well (his OPS+ was actually better) in almost as much playing time (with the Angels holding Trout down to manipulate his service time - he batted .403 in AAA, and I might argue he deserves credit for being held down when he was obviously a major league quality player, but for now let's not give him credit). Trout, though, was playing a good center/left field (2/3 center) and stole 49 bases and was only caught 5 times, while Cabrera was playing a poor third base and stole 4 bases in 5 attempts. Trout grounds into 7 double plays, Cabrera 28, which is a big gap even when accounting for lineup position (Trout was exclusively a leadoff hitter - this also affects his RBI totals). Cabrera was great, Trout was just better overall.

In 2013, it gets a little more complicated in that Cabrera was an even better hitter - he didn't win the Triple Crown but he did lead the league in AVG, OBP, and SLG. Both DRS and TotalZone think Cabrera was very bad defensively at third base, and he did move to first base permanently after 2013. He stole 3 bases in 3 attempts. Trout wasn't quite as good a hitter, though he was a little better than in 2012 (he walked more), and he was still a plus baserunner, though he didn't run as much or as well (33 of 40). Both TotalZone and DRS see defensive declines, but DRS thinks Trout was bad and TotalZone thinks he was merely above-average, with bWAR using DRS. In any case, it's still hard to justify Cabrera over Trout (save purely as a batter).

...

Now, if you eliminated Bonds/Rodriguez/Clemens, you'd see more Pujols. Beltre/Ichiro/Rolen/Pujols in 2004 would be a fun argument. 2005 gives a case for Dontrelle Willis over Johan Santana. Todd Helton maybe scores a title or two. Thome in 2002.