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Doug Padilla recaps the White Sox and looks at what changes might be in store for 2014.

A group that played defense as well as anybody in 2012 was nowhere near that good just one year later. Kevin Youkilis came to the White Sox during the 2012 season and settled the left side of the infield. This year, Jeff Keppinger was unable to take control of the third-base spot, while Conor Gillaspie showed flashes of solid defense early but wasn't able to maintain it. On the right side, Gordon Beckham and Paul Konerko both spent lengthy stays on the disabled list with injuries.

The good: When he was healthy, Beckham showed that he could be ready to be much more consistent at the plate, but that star potential that was being talked about when he broke into the league no longer is mentioned. When Gillaspie was acquired in a trade with the San Francisco Giants in spring training, he looked like a solid left-handed bat off the bench. He showed that if he continues to develop he can be much more than that. He admitted early that defense has never been his strength, but showed enough solid plays to make it clear that he should get better in that area. Nobody was touting Joe Crede as a solid defender either and he developed into a steady, if not spectactular, fielder.

The bad: It was obvious to see the defensive miscues on the infield that spelled doom for the White Sox, like Alexei Ramirez's 22 errors, which led all American League shortstops. The real issue is that nobody on the infield rose to the occasion offensively. Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn started all but 16 games at first base and yet White Sox first basemen finished ninth in the American League in home runs with 23 and 12th in RBIs with 77. Their 62 runs scored were 13th. At second base, the White Sox had a .306 on-base percentage, 11th in the AL, while at shortstop (essentially Ramirez), they were 12th in RBIs with 51. The biggest trouble spot was at third base where the 60 runs scored were 13th in the AL and the .287 on-base percentage was 12th. The White Sox only had 15 home runs from their third basemen, but four teams (Royals, Twins, Yankees and Angels) were actually worse.

Who's next: Marcus Semien was impressive as a September call-up and could push Gillaspie for playing time at third base next season. Keppinger is expected to revert back to his expected role of utility man. Could the White Sox be interested in trading Beckham this offseason? And if they do, what could they get in return for him? Semien, a natural shortstop, also has a little second base on his resume, while Keppinger can play there as well. If the free agent Konerko doesn't return, Dunn is expected to take over at first base full time.

2014 outlook: It doesn't seem like it can get any worse for the White Sox, but that's not just the story of the infield, that pertains to the entire roster. More is needed from Ramirez offensively and defensively. Early in his career, Ramirez was pushing his way into Gold Glove talk. At this point, the White Sox would be satisfied if he simply got his defense back to the middle of the pack.

So we ended up with the quite the finish here. Lots of bad baseball down the stretch. Lots. Remember: The top 10 picks are protected if you sign a free agent who is given a qualifying offer. Plus, the worse you finish in the overall standings the more money you get to spend in the draft. Yay, incentivized losing!

1. Astros: 51-111
Just in case they were worried about the Marlins catching them, they lost their final 15 games to ensure the No. 1 pick for the third draft in a row.

2. Marlins: 62-100
Kudos to Henderson Alvarez for his final-day no-hitter. In fact, the Marlins swept the Tigers in that season-ending series and won five of their final six, allowing just seven runs over those six games.

3. White Sox: 63-99
Tried hard to catch the Marlins, going 7-21 in September and losing five of their final six. Went 2-17 against the Indians, although no truth to the rumor that the Indians will share their playoff shares with the White Sox.

4. Cubs: 66-96
Ended up tied with the Twins, but get the higher pick based on 2012 record. And boy did they fight hard to get that fourth pick. Lost six of their final seven and 12 of their final 15.

5. Twins: 66-96
Lost 10 of final 11. Too bad they beat the Tigers in extra innings on Sept. 23 or they would be drafting one slot higher. In Sunday's finale, ensured defeat with three errors. In the sixth inning. Nice job, Twins!

6. Mariners: 71-91
Went 6-14 over their final 20 games to slide from a bubble team securely into a top-10 position. Lost their final eight extra-inning games, proving there's an art to successful tanking. Namely: A bad bullpen helps.

7. Phillies: 73-89
It looked like they would jump out of the bottom 10 but then lost nine of their final 11. No wonder Ryne Sandberg got the job for next year! The final game was huge, as the Phillies came up big with a 12-5 loss to the Braves.

Now, this is where things get really interesting. We had a four-way tie for spots 8 through 11. The tiebreaker is 2012 record. So ...

8. Rockies: 74-88
Those two one-run wins over the Dodgers on Saturday and Sunday didn't help, but the tiebreaker gives them the edge. Not that they'll be pursuing Robinson Cano or anything.

9. Blue Jays: 74-88
How nervous was GM Alex Anthopoulos watching the Jays nearly rally from a 7-0 deficit on Sunday? They did beat the Rays twice on the final weekend but still lost 12 of their final 19.

10. Mets: 74-88
The Mets had the most to lose if they finished out of the top 10, since they presumably could be pursuing some of the big free agents this winter. Luckily the offense came through with three straight 4-2 losses to the Brewers (before winning the season finale 3-2).

11. Brewers: 74-88
Well, this is what a 15-12 record in September will do to you. No Kyle Lohse for the Brewers this offseason!

12. Padres: 76-86
Yes, Padres fans, there were 11 teams worse than yours.

13. Giants: 76-86
The Giants went 10-5 over their final 15 to at least avoid becoming just the second World Series winner (after the 1997 Marlins) to finish in last place the next season. So there's that.

14. Angels: 78-84
A 21-7 stretch in August/September ruined any chance the Angels had of finishing with a top-10 pick. So if they went to throw $250 million at Cano, it will cost them their first-round pick.

CHICAGO -- If Paul Konerko returns for another season, nobody who knows him well will really be shocked. The Chicago White Sox first baseman will make up his mind at some point over the next six weeks and then sit down with Sox officials to determine what role he might play in the team’s future.

Konerko has expressed an openness to a possible new chapter in his major league career, which began in 1997. Physical limitations have planted the seed in Konerko’s thought process that a part-time role might be the way to go.

If Konerko wants to take one more year before a career in carpooling his kids begins full-time, then mentoring teammates and playing a couple of times a week may be a sufficient way to end his baseball career.

The good news for Sox fans is that Konerko’s wife, Jen, has been totally supportive of Paul deciding when he wants to retire. That kind of hall pass from home is huge for an aging player with young children to raise. Konerko plans on taking his family on more road trips next season if he does decide to play. The role of player –coach does not appeal to him, yet some of his responsibilities would fall into that area if he returns as a supplemental player.

Whenever Konerko takes his final curtain call, which may have happened Sunday, he will be the last player to leave who played on the 2005 World Champion White Sox. Konerko is content with the knowledge that many great players never got to grab the brass ring like he and his teammates did eight seasons ago.

“The last-man-standing thing is not that big of a deal,” said Konerko. “When you look around and you see that team and that year you remember how fragile and how tough it is to get one of those things. You look around and not to just pick just his name, but you see Todd Helton. He is awesome -- great guy, great career, and he didn’t get one (World Series ring). He deserved one. I look at guys like that and realize that is the highlight. It is not the All-Star Games or this game or that game, it is not even close to winning a World Series.”

Konerko’s legacy has grown among the fan base after returning twice for less money. He had chances with Baltimore and Arizona to make more cash when free-agent opportunities were presented after the 2005 and 2010 seasons. He has always been “The Man” of the blue-collar White Sox fan base.

“I could have left a couple of times but I stayed,” he said on Sunday. “I will always take pride in that. There are numbers and statistics that everybody has, but for me, I was 2-for-2 on that.”

A good bet at this time is that Konerko and the Sox brass make it 3-for-3 as he approaches the next phase and final chapter of his stellar baseball career.

CHICAGO -- Nothing went as planned this year for Paul Konerko, so why should the final day of the season be any different?

After straining his back Saturday night, Konerko played just two innings Sunday in what could have been his White Sox farewell as his contract expired at the completion of the season.

The longtime team captain came to the plate in the first inning to a standing ovation from the crowd of 22,633 and fouled out, but even that was appreciated. Konerko received another modest ovation as he returned to the dugout.

In the second inning, Konerko took his position at first base, but was replaced by Conor Gillaspie before the first pitch. As he jogged off the field, he received yet another standing ovation, and then received a curtain call after getting back to the dugout.

“It always feels good,” Konerko said of the ovations. “The fans here have treated me great over the years. In a year like this, they treated me better than probably I deserved, really the whole team when you think about it. There were moments where they hung in with us where I knew they were antsy about what was going on (with the team).

“(Fan appreciation) always feels good. It certainly feels better when you're doing World Series parades but I don't take it for granted at all. It's always good, but this year was a little different circumstances.”

Now comes the waiting game. The White Sox are expected to be interested in re-signing Konerko, but their offer will likely come with a pay cut from the $13.5 million ($7 million deferred) he earned in 2013.

Konerko wants to take at least a month to decide if he even wants to play anymore, although at 37, he knows the itch will come with a vengeance soon.

General manager Rick Hahn already said that the team plans on having a face-to-face meeting with Konerko possibly in early November, if not earlier, and Konerko said he expects to have lunch with chairmain Jerry Reinsdorf in Arizona around that timeframe as well.

Because everything is in limbo, Konerko felt sheepish about getting so much attention from fans. He went through the same thing after his contract expired following the 2010 season and ended up returning.

“People treated me so well (in 2010) and it was such a big deal at the end, when I came back I felt like I kind of played with people's emotions even though that was nothing intentional,” Konerko said. “It was such a big deal at the end there and it was similar to that today where I didn't want to make a big spectacle out of it.

“There's no escaping it kind of at the end here when there is some unknown about what's going to happen. But I definitely had that in mind because I didn't want to be out there tipping my hat every time I moved a muscle and all that kind of stuff. I totally love it and the fact they're behind me, but I feel a little awkward not knowing.”

About the only thing Konerko does seem to know at this point is that if he does return in 2014, that will certainly be his final season.

If Konerko fans are able to find a silver lining from a miserable season it’s that struggles like this don’t necessarily inspire somebody to walk away.

“I feel probably like most of you people that have been around here and everybody I've talked to that this just doesn't seem right, the way this has gone down, so that lends itself to playing,” Konerko said. “But I also don't know about the team and all that kind of stuff so you still have to throw that in and say that's a possibility, that even if I want to that they don't want it.

“Nonetheless, they've given me more over the years and it’s not about this one day. Baseball's never summed up in one day. That's what great about baseball, it’s summed up over a whole season of games, a whole career of games. That’s how it is with me and the fans.”

With his two young sons waiting in the clubhouse while Konerko wrapped up his final interview of the season, he was asked if he just needs to get away from things for a while before deciding on the future.

“As soon as I walk out of here, regardless of what I want, it’s family time; I have to be a dad,” Konerko said. “Which reminds me, is anything on fire back there? I haven’t seen (my kids) in a while.”

If you had to get a read on Konerko on the final day of the season, the clues point to him wanting to return, with the White Sox his preferred destination.

“I have some trips planned, some things going on here, and (the downtime) does wear off,” he said. “That’s why I said the other day that there’s no doubt the next couple of weeks, month, the needle is going to move to wanting to get back here. That’s the nature of our habits as players. We were born to do this.”

CHICAGO -- At least one Chicago White Sox decision for 2014 already has been made.

Manager Robin Ventura said the Opening Day starter next year will be Chris Sale. Outside of that, Ventura acknowledged that any and all changes could be made from a club that nearly lost 100 games for the first time in 43 years.

“There's a fair chance of anything,” Ventura said.

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CHICAGO -- At the end of a lost season for his team, Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura seems pleased to be moving on from the second worst record in franchise history.

“As you move toward the end of the season you start making adjustments looking ahead,” Ventura said. “That all starts tomorrow.”

After losing 99 games, finding a silver lining is not an easy task for Ventura.

“Any time you go through a season like this it is not easy to keep pushing forward,” he said. “This is not fun, but you need the commitment of moving forward in order to get better. I am not sure I can point a finger as to what you really learn (from losing), you know for sure you don’t like going through anything like this.”

Ventura will return to his California home and wait to see what kind of moves the front office makes in response to this disappointing season.

“We have to make adjustments,” he said. “That will all depend on what happens personnel-wise. We have added some young players here at the end that we did not have last spring training. We hopefully will get some players in here to turn this thing around. We need the others who are still here to get better.”

Ventura, who now enters his last year under his original three-year contract, had a simple final message for his players.

“At first you should go home and enjoy your family,” he said. “When you do start to work out again, remember how this tastes. It isn’t a lot of fun, so you need to understand you don’t want to go through this again.”

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox closed out the season with one more defeat, falling 4-1 to the Kansas City Royals to finish the season with a 63-99 record.

How it happened: In what could be his final game with the White Sox, Paul Konerko started at first base and had one at-bat before he was removed. He received standing ovations when he came to the plate in the first inning and again when he left his position in the second inning. He fouled out in his only at-bat. Alexei Ramirez hit a home run for the White Sox, but the Royals were paced by two-run home runs from Salvador Perez and Brett Hayes. White Sox starter Jose Quintana gave up four runs in seven innings during his last outing of the season. The season ended when Marcus Semien struck out with the bases loaded.

What it means: The White Sox finished with 99 losses, tied for fourth most in franchise history with the 1934 team. The only White Sox teams that lost more games in a season were 1948 (101 losses), 1932 (102) and 1970 (106). The .389 winning percentage is the seventh worst in franchise history.

Outside the box: White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia headed into the offseason just how the team hopes he will start things in 2014. Garcia, who was acquired from the Tigers in the July three-team trade that sent Jake Peavy to the Red Sox, went 1-for-4 in the finale, but in the previous 10 games he batted .317 (13-for-41) with a triple, three home runs and eight RBIs.

Off beat: Semien apparently likes returning favors quickly as the rookie gave back what he received in the third inning. After reaching base when Perez had trouble tracking down his wind-blown popup, Semien was then doubled up when he rounded second base on an Alejandro De Aza fly ball and failed to re-touch second when returning to first base.

Up next: The White Sox are five months away from spring training with a lot of changes left to be made. Two of the most obvious changes are to hire a new hitting coach and to talk to free agent Konerko about a possible return. Konerko said he will take a month before deciding if he wants to play again, at which point he would evaluate any offers.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox will be looking for a new hitting coach and iconic batting instructor Rudy Jaramillo will be paying attention.

After firing hitting coach Jeff Manto on Saturday, Sox general manager Rick Hahn said he would do an extensive search both inside and outside the organization. Former Chicago slugger Jim Thome, who went to work for the White Sox this summer, is not being considered for the job due to family obligations.

Jaramillo, who has been staying busy with his hitting school in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, said that if the right circumstance comes his way he will certainly listen.

“It has been a long year and a half away from the game,” Jaramillo said from his Texas home. “I love the game and still have great passion for teaching. I am still fine tuning my teaching and finding ways in how to get better as an instructor.”

Jaramillo said he won’t campaign for a job, but said he keeps in touch with his friends in different organizations.

“I have known (Sox assistant GM) Buddy Bell for a long time and (scouting and minor leagues assistant director) Del Matthews is also a good friend,” Jaramillo said.

Jaramillo, 63, has 22 seasons on his resume as a hitting instructor. He coached 18 seasons with the Texas Rangers and two-plus with the Chicago Cubs, before he was let go by the team in June of 2012.

The five-step system he teaches consists of his video, “A professional approach to hitting.”

“All the young people you see get a chance to play at the big league level have the talent to hit,” he said. “The mental approach is the difference in making it or not. As a coach, that is what you are trying to do. You are trying to be there for these guys . You try to support them, make them feel good about themselves . You help them learn to have a plan when they are at the plate. You can prepare and practice all day long, if you don’t trust it when you get to home plate, executing the plan is not going to happen.”

Jaramillo’s five steps include: seeing the ball, rhythm, separation, staying square and weight shift-transfer.

“Hitting has become a more difficult process,” Jaramillo said. “The technology has become so advanced that they know your hitting weaknesses better than any time in the past. We also can turn that around and use that against the pitchers, and we do.”

CHICAGO – Here we go again, as Paul Konerko gets set to embark on what could be his final game in a Chicago White Sox uniform.

The White Sox will close out a dismal season Sunday at home against the Kansas City Royals, but instead of the brutal won-loss record, fans can focus all their attention on Konerko instead.

This has happened before, of course. The White Sox’s World Series-clinching victory in 2005 could have been Konerko’s last hurrah, but the first baseman signed a new five-year deal, turning down a more lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Angels.

Again, at the end of the 2010 season, White Sox fans poured their heart out in support of Konerko, who somewhat surprisingly signed a new three-year deal, even after Adam Dunn was signed presumably as his middle-of-the-order replacement.

Now Konerko stands at another crossroads. The 17-year veteran will play, he will likely get a video tribute and at some point be will be removed from the game so he can walk across the field and soak in the admiration from White Sox fans all over again.

In 2010, Konerko said that nobody really deserves to be treated that well once, much less multiple times. Well then, call Sunday a bonus admiration day that might make him cringe a little.

After Sunday, things will get complicated for Konerko, who said he will take a month to decide whether he wants to retire or wait for offers. The White Sox would be his preferred destination to return, and he says it is the only team for which he will consider for a part-time reserve role.

Ultimately, a season when he failed to meet his own personal expectation, as well as team expectations, will weigh heavily on him.

“That’s huge; it’s maybe the biggest thing,” Konerko said. “You only get to go through these kinds of things once, a career once, so you try to rely on advice from other people. You try to talk to the people who have been through it. The majority of them are always, ‘If you can play, play, do it the way you want to do it. Go back to the drawing board. Go get ‘em.’ And I get all of that.

“The other side of it is, this is how careers are supposed to end. Not everybody gets to do it exactly how they want to do it. It’s supposed to kind of be not the best because that’s what closes you out, when you say, ‘OK, I’ve had enough of that, and they’ve had enough of me.’ So I can see it both directions. I can tell you more of me is the first one. And the advice I get is more the first scenario, but that doesn’t mean it’s right either.”

If he sounds confused, it’s because he is. Konerko even admitted as much.

Sunday shouldn’t be as confusing. Konerko will play and the fans will finally have something to cheer in a season that has gone all wrong.

Konerko will one day have his number retired by the White Sox and a statue is sure to be placed somewhere on the concourse. That’s what you get when you are a fan favorite whose offensive numbers are only eclipsed by an offensive machine like Frank Thomas.

When the day is over, it will all get confusing again, especially for Konerko.

“I don’t really have answers, I just know what’s happening,” Konerko said. “I think taking a month off, a month away from this, which I know if I do that, the more you don’t play, the needle will always move toward wanting to play. That’s what I feel would happen, that’s what people tell me. I just have to make sure I know what’s real and what isn’t.

“I could go fish out 20 guys in that clubhouse that don’t feel like playing a baseball game right now, and I’m probably right there with them. But how much of that is real, because I guarantee you as November clicks in, December, they’re going to want to play again and so will I. But I’m in a different situation. I have to figure out of it’s really real, if that’s something I want to do. I don’t know that answer right now.”

CHICAGO -- The White Sox snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the next-to-last game of the season.


How it happened: The White Sox flexed their muscles Saturday to get the jump on the Royals. Marcus Semien and Jordan Danks hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning and Adam Dunn hit a two-run shot in the third. The Royals rallied for three runs off White Sox rookie pitcher Erik Johnson, but the power returned in the seventh inning when Conor Gillaspie hit a two-run shot. Addison Reed recorded his 40th save, tying Bobby Jenks for fourth place on the White Sox's single-season list.

What it means: The victory guarantees the White Sox won’t lose 100 games this season. Manager Robin Ventura at least sounded indifferent about avoiding the century mark. “Nobody wants that, 100 losses,” he said. “It doesn’t feel good. But it’s not going to make me feel any better to have 99 instead of 100 going into next year.”

Outside the box: The sample size is extremely small, but Johnson continues to show reasons to be optimistic about him heading into next season. He held the Royals hitless Saturday until Mike Moustakas hit a fifth-inning home run. He was eventually knocked from the game an inning later. Saturday’s outing comes on the heels of his start last weekend at Detroit, when he gave up two runs in 6 2/3 innings. One outing before that he pitched a scoreless six innings against the Twins.

Off beat: Avoiding a 100-loss season might not have made Ventura feel good, but it certainly seemed to affect his decision-making Saturday. Ventura went to six different relievers to back up Johnson, managing like his team was in contention instead of just playing out the string.

Up next: The White Sox will send left-hander Jose Quintana (9-6, 3.45 ERA) to the mound in the final game of the season. The Royals will counter with left-hander Bruce Chen (8-4, 3.31) in the 1:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.

The role of team leader might be open with the unknown status of White Sox team captain Paul Konerko. The veteran free agent will not decide until November if he will play next season. Regardless of his decision, a changing of the guard in the Sox locker room is inevitable.

Gone are the days of Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski and Jim Thome being the go-to guys inside the Sox clubhouse. Veteran designated hitter/first baseman Adam Dunn will automatically become a go-to guy. That said, Dunn has only one year remaining on his four-year, $56 million contract. Others in the organization point to Gordon Beckham as the next voice of the White Sox clubhouse.

“I think there are guys here that have the ability to [be a leader]," manager Robin Ventura said. “When things are going tough like this year, it is harder to do that. When it is going well for a guy, it is easy to do that. Usually at times like this, you see the true character of people. Guys like Gordon have stepped up and have been responsible and accountable."

The natural passing of the leadership baton from Konerko to Beckham would make sense in a few different ways. The 26-year-old second baseman has been a close friend and student of Konerko’s since he arrived on the major league scene in 2009.

"That is not something that is just going to be given to you," Beckham said. "You have to earn the respect of your teammates. The leader role will take care of itself. Some guys will be involved in managing the team, and that will evolve in due time.”

Beckham has established himself as a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman. He reinvented his batting stance in 2013. Working out of a deep crouch, he was able to have a more direct route of the bat to contact, taking away the loop in his swing. The end result was a batting average of above .300 for the first four months of the season. Having to deal with a leg and wrist injury altered his approach and cut almost 35 points off the season average.

Learning at the knee of the accomplished Konerko has prepared Beckham for the next step in his role with the White Sox.

"Going back to my time [at the University of] Georgia, that [leadership skill] was in me then," he said. "It hasn’t left me; it has been a matter of taking a back seat to the veterans like Paul, Dunn and Jim Thome. We let them run what was rightfully theirs to run. I have learned a lot from Paul. We spend a lot of time together, on and off the field. I am confident I have learned as much as I can from him in terms of how to handle the media stuff or just everyday things in here. I know he has taught me the right way to do it."

The maturity that Beckham has gained as a ballplayer has also helped in his off-field life, seen in his commitment to his religion and his pending marriage in November.

CHICAGO -- For the second consecutive day, Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura said that if any changes to his coaching staff are to occur after the season, it won’t be because he wants them.

Speculation continued Saturday that at least one White Sox coach will be let go at the end of the season. Adding substance to the speculation was general manager Rick Hahn’s state-of-the-White-Sox address Friday, when he said Ventura would return in 2014 despite the team’s struggles but that the coaching staff still needed to be evaluated.

“We’re talking about [the coaching staff]; it’s going on today,” Ventura said Saturday. “I’m happy with the effort that was put in there. So I’m hoping there’s nothing done. But again, there are people above me.”

Hahn was asked Friday if everybody on the coaching staff will return next year.

“We still have three games left in the year, so we'll address all of that after the season's over,” Hahn responded. “I don't think it's fair for anyone in uniform for me to single out individual coaches or individual players at this time, while we're still playing, and say, 'This guy fits going forward,' or 'That guy doesn't fit going forward’ or 'We're looking to trade this guy.' I would never do that. I don't think that's professional.”

Most of the speculation has hitting coach Jeff Manto being replaced after this season. The White Sox are last in the American League in runs scored, are tied for last in slugging percentage and are second-to-last in on-base percentage and extra-base hits in a power-friendly ballpark.

Bench coach Mark Parent, pitching coach Don Cooper and third-base coach Joe McEwing all are expected to return next season.

There is no clear-cut replacement in the White Sox organization if Manto is relieved of his hitting-coach duties. Tim Laker is the organization’s minor league hitting instructor, while Brandon Moore is the hitting coach at Triple-A Charlotte. Former White Sox hitting coach Gary Ward now handles the same duties at Double-A Birmingham.

Ventura said that he hopes the coaching staff knows its fate before everybody leaves following Sunday's season finale. The White Sox, though, could wait until Monday before announcing any changes.

Here are my choices for the 2013 American League All-Star team:

Catcher: Joe Mauer, Twins (.324/.404/.476, 11 HRs, 47 RBIs, 5.2 WAR)
There's not a real clear choice, as Mauer played just 75 of his 113 games behind the plate, but he's the best hitter among the catchers and threw out a league-leading 43 percent of base stealers. Carlos Santana has good offensive numbers, but he played a lot of first base and DH and struggled defensively. Jason Castro's fine season was buried in the Astros' awfulness, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia has hit .272, raising his average 50 points from last year, while bashing 40 doubles and 14 home runs. If he had played a little more behind the plate -- he started 95 games -- he might have been my choice.

First base: Chris Davis, Orioles (.287/.370/.637, 53 HRs, 138 RBIs, 6.7 WAR)
Davis is the easy choice in a weak year at first base in the AL. The only other two first basemen to slug .500 were Edwin Encarnacion, who spent a large chunk of his time at DH, and Brandon Moss, a platoon player. Davis joined Babe Ruth and Albert Belle as the only players with 50 home runs and 40 doubles in a season.

Second base: Robinson Cano, Yankees (.313/.383/.514, 27 HRs, 106 RBIs, 7.6 WAR)
In a year when so much went wrong with the Yankees, Cano was the one constant, missing just one game and putting up his usual excellent numbers. Now the Yankees have to decide exactly how much they're willing to pay for those numbers. Teams like the Dodgers and Nationals could pursue the free agent this winter.

Third base: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (.347/.441/.637, 44 HRs, 137 RBIs, 7.1 WAR)
Despite the injury issues that have slowed him in September (.265, just two extra-base hits and seven RBIs), Cabrera remains the likely MVP winner, thanks in part to a .397/.529/.782 mark with runners in scoring position. It's a deep position with Josh Donaldson having his own MVP-caliber season, Manny Machado catching everything at the hot corner and Evan Longoria and Adrian Beltre once again doing everything, but it's hard to deny Miggy's dominance with the bat.

Shortstop: J.J. Hardy, Orioles (.262/.305/.432, 25 HRs, 74 RBIs, 3.6 WAR)
There's not an obvious guy at the position. Hardy is good defensively and has power, but that .305 OBP lowers his offensive value. Yunel Escobar may have had the best year on defense, but a slow start dragged down his offense. Elvis Andrus plays great defense and has 41 steals but doesn't give you much at the plate. Jed Lowrie stayed healthy and hit but lacks range. In the end, I went with Hardy, who has played 157 games and gives you a little on both sides of the ball.

Left field: Mike Trout, Angels (.323/.431/.554, 26 HRs, 94 RBIs, 9.1 WAR)
OK, I cheated a little bit since Trout actually started more games in center than left. But the state of left field in the AL is pretty pathetic, with Alex Gordon and Michael Brantley the only other two rated as even 2.0 WAR players.

Center field: Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox (.297/.355/.421, 8 HRs, 52 RBIs, 5.7 WAR)
Ellsbury also stole 52 bases in 56 attempts, the second-best percentage ever for a player with at least 50 steals. Orioles fans will argue for Adam Jones, who has 33 home runs and 108 RBIs, but he's drawn just 25 walks so his OBP is a mediocre .318 and his defense doesn't match Ellsbury's.

Right field: Shane Victorino, Red Sox (.297/.354/.456, 15 HRs, 61 RBIs, 6.2 WAR)
He's been solid offensively -- including hitting .303 and slugging .515 while having to bat right-handed against right-handed pitchers after a hamstring injury prevented him from batting left-handed. He has been terrific defensively with 24 Defensive Runs Saved, the sixth-best total in the majors at any position. Again, nobody with big numbers here on offense, especially with Jose Bautista's season-ending injury, but Victorino is a worthy selection.

Designated hitter: David Ortiz, Red Sox (.308/.395/.565, 30 HRs, 103 RBIs, 4.3 WAR)
At 37, he's still going strong with his seventh 30-homer, 100-RBI season. Hall of Famer? He's up to 431 career home runs and 1,429 RBIs.

Starting pitchers: Max Scherzer, Tigers (21-3, 2.90 ERA, 6.6 WAR); Hisashi Iwakuma, Mariners (14-6, 2.66 ERA, 7.0 WAR); Chris Sale, White Sox (11-14, 3.07 ERA, 7.0 WAR); Yu Darvish, Rangers (13-9, 2.82 ERA, 5.7 WAR); Anibal Sanchez, Tigers (14-8, 2.64 ERA, 6.0 WAR)
Apologies to Bartolo Colon and Felix Hernandez, and even Clay Buchholz, who went 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 16 starts.

Left-handed setup guy: Neal Cotts, Rangers (7-3, 1.13 ERA)
Cotts was one of the great stories of the season. He hadn't pitched in the majors since 2009, having Tommy John and four hip surgeries in the intervening years. He pitched in 25 games for the Rangers in Triple-A last year and started there again this season before getting recalled. In 55 2/3 innings, he's allowed just eight runs and 35 hits while striking out 63.

Right-handed setup guy: David Robertson, Yankees (5-1, 2.07 ERA)
For those worried about replacing Mariano Rivera as Yankees closer, the bigger question may actually be: Who replaces Robertson as the eighth-inning guy?

Closer: Koji Uehara, Red Sox (4-1, 21 saves, 1.10 ERA)
Apologies to Kansas City's Greg Holland, who has a 1.23 ERA and 46 saves, and Texas' Joe Nathan, who has a 1.41 ERA and 43 saves. But Uehara, who began the year in middle relief, has put up one of the most dominant relief seasons ever, limiting batters to a .129 average with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 100-to-9.