MLB's Best of the Decade: Hitters

As the last few weeks of regular season come to a close, it's time to look back at who were the best players of the decade. There's still a little time to gain in these categories with a few weeks to play. Here they are courtesy of Baseball-Reference's Play Index:

• Games - Miguel Tejada (1,568), Bobby Abreu (1,563), Orlando Cabrera (1,519), A-Rod (1,514), Carlos Lee (1,501), Derek Jeter (1,490)
  

• PA - Abreu (6,887), Derek Jeter (6,881), Tejada (6,773), Johnny Damon (6,732), A-Rod (6,731)

• Runs - A-Rod (1,182), Damon (1,113), Jeter (1085), Albert Pujols (1066), Abreu (1054)

• Hits - Ichiro Suzuki (2,015), Jeter (1,925), Miguel Tejada (1,836), Vlad Guerrero (1,741), Damon (1,740)

• 2B - Todd Helton (428), Abreu (406), Pujols (382), O. Cabrera (367), Mike Lowell (366)

• 3B - Jimmy Rollins (94), Carl Crawford (92), Christian Guzman (82), Juan Pierre (77)

• HR - A-Rod (430), Jim Thome (368), Pujols (366), Manny Ramirez (348), Carlos Delgado (324)
  

• RBI - A-Rod (1,228), Pujols (1,105), Manny (1,102), Delgado (1,045), Tejada (1,036)

• BB - Barry Bonds (1,128), Abreu (1,034), Helton (993), Thome (973), Lance Berkman (960)

• SO - Thome (1,429), Adam Dunn (1,421), Mike Cameron (1,411), Pat Burrell (1,385), A-Rod (1,235)

• SB - Pierre (456), Crawford (361), Ichiro (340), Rollins (324), Reyes (301)

• CS - Pierre (155), Luis Castillo (108), Chone Figgins (95) , Abreu (90), Scott Podsednik (84)

• HBP - Jason Kendall (155), Jason Giambi (138), David Eckstein (134), Craig Biggio (132), Delgado/A-Rod (126)

• BA (min. 1000 games played for all average categories) - Pujols (.334), Ichiro (.333), Helton (.330), Vlad (.324), Manny (.318), Jeter (.316)

• OBP - Helton (.436), Pujols (.427), Manny (.419), Giambi (.418), Chipper Jones (.414)

• SLG - Pujols (.630), Manny (.602), A-Rod (.585), Vlad (.570), Helton (.569)

• OPS - Pujols (1.057), Manny (1.021), Helton (1.005), A-Rod (.986), Berkman (.972)

• OPS+ - Pujols (172), Manny (160), A-Rod (154), Giambi (152), Berkman (148)

• ISO - Pujols (.296), Thome (.292), Manny (.284), A-Rod (.282), Dunn (.272)

• Runs Created - A-Rod (1,380), Helton (1,356), Pujols (1,356), Manny (1,246), Berkman (1,232)

• GIDP - Tejada (223), Paul Konerko (193), Vlad (191), Pujols (178), Magglio Ordonez (172)

• Franchises Played For - Rick White (11), Paul Bako (10), Bruce Chen (10), many tied at 9

• 25-homer seasons - A-Rod (10), Pujols (9), Vlad (9), many tied at 8

• 100-RBI seasons - Pujols (9), A-Rod (9), Manny (8), Carlos Beltran (7), Abreu (7), Vlad (7), Delgado (7)

• 200-hit seasons - Ichiro (9), Michael Young (5), Pierre (4), Jeter (4), Tejada (3), Vlad (3)

A few observations:

1. The big race is for the decade's batting title. Pujols is at 0.33379 and Ichiro is at 0.33295. I think Albert has it, but I won't count out Ichiro until it's all over
   
2. Barry Bonds hasn't played in a few years but still has walked more than anyone
3. Albert Pujols was a rookie in 2001, so he missed out on a year there (plus any development he underwent as the years went on). He still will probably end up being second in home runs and at or near the top of most of these lists. Amazing.
4. Ichiro was also a rookie in 2001. So that hit total is missing a year of the decade. He and Pujols have to be the two greatest hitting rookies to come out the same year, right?
   
5. Miguel Tejada and Bobby Abreu were both very durable and very good. I don't think this equates to the Hall of Fame, however. It is not a place for compilers. But each one should get a nice contract this off-season, one would think.
6. A-Rod has been so consistent, but so has Manny. If he didn't have an off year in 2007 for Boston, or get suspended this season, or sit out all of those games pouting, Manny might have run away with this. It makes you actually appreciate A-Rod a little more because despite all his troubles, he always put on the uniform and played, minus the hip injury this season. And even if you look at Manny's season vs. A-Rod's season with the time they both missed, I think you maybe go with A-Rod as having a better season overall.
   
7. I was surprised to see Lance Berkman make it up there on some of those lists. I think it just shows he's more underrated than he should be. And he was a rookie in 2000 and missed a big chunk of this year and 2005. His numbers could be better

Ok...who is your hitter of the decade? Is it A-Rod, Pujols, Manny, Ichiro or someone else? I've put the poll over to the right so make sure to vote!