Each offseason MLB Network televises their yearly top ten right now list for each position in baseball. Braves fans' were thrilled to NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. rank first in the recent ranking of MLB right fielders. However, for the second straight season one of the Braves best players has inexplicably been left of his position groups' top ten list.
I'm speaking of course of one, Ozzie Albies. Last season MLB Network's top ten second baseman list made the rounds on socials because of the absence of Albies (Even though he was coming off an injury-riddled 2021). However, this year Albies is coming off a year that led him to a 16th place finish for NL MVP, and yet somehow that still wasn't good enough to crack the top ten second baseman list.
Career year earns Ozzie no love
Ozzie Albies has been the model of consistency since he entered the league in 2017. In every season that he has played at least 148 games since his debut, he has produced no lower than a 3.7 fWAR.
Last year, he set career highs in: homers (33), RBI (109), slugging (.513), wRC+ (124), wOBA (.358), and ISO (.233). Yet that wasn't enough to place him on this list. Braves' fans are confounded to say the least.
Ozzie Albies not being on this list is an absolute joke… he finished top-6 among all second basemen across the board last season 😂
— Kevin Keneely (@KevinKeneely1) January 18, 2024
4.0 WAR (6th)
124 wRC+ (5th)
96 R (4th)
167 H (5th)
30 2B (4th)
5 3B (2nd)
33 HR (2nd)
109 RBI (1st) pic.twitter.com/dpDKRw0oBC
Ozzie Albies just posted career-best numbers in wRC+, slugging percentage, and home runs in 2023.
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) January 18, 2024
Ozzie Albies is No. 4 among 2B in fWAR over the last six seasons combined.
Ozzie Albies is 27 years old.
Now, with all of that out of the way....
what are we doing here?? https://t.co/5hlSm8VcIg
Atlanta Braves fans aren't the only ones displeased with this list though. Other notable second baseman like Bryson Stott (Phillies), Ha-Seong Kim (Padres), and Gleyber Torres (Yankees) were some of the other puzzling omissions.
What makes it even more confusing is when you look at some of the names ranked ahead of the veteran Albies. I'm not here to discredit any of these players, I think they are all very talented deserve recognition. However, ranking Zack Gelof (69 career games played) and Matt McLain (89 career games played) seems a bit premature.
Ozzie Albies is COMFORTABLY a top ten second baseman - I'd argue top five. Multiple analysts on MLB Network had him as high as fourth, behind Betts, Altuve, and Semien. That leaves the question, how does the shredder not value Ozzie Albies in back to back seasons?
It's best not to get caught up in these rankings and just let the play to continue to speak for itself. But we all know that is easier said than done for us as Braves fans. Maybe, if Ozzie goes out earns another All-Star selection, wins another silver slugger, and makes countless highlight plays next season, that will be enough to earn the shredder's respect. Then again, I'm sure Ozzie probably doesn't lose a lot of sleep over these silly rankings, and neither should we.