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As suspected and hoped, the larger-than-usual draft reduced the number of extreme performances, Dave Parker notwithstanding. Other than Parker, only two players topped 40 homers (using 1975 as a baseline), with no one else topping 125 RBI's. Nomar Garciaparra had the second-best batting average, at .383, with Boggs and Dick Allen being the only others over .370.
By my count, in 2011, there were 15 position players with 10+ WAR, and 13 more between 9 and 9.9. In 2012, there were 8 position players with 10+ WAR and 7 more between 9 and 9.9. For pitchers, in 2011, there were 11 pitchers with 10+ WAR and 7 more in the 9- 9.9 range In 2012, there were just 3 pitchers over 10 WAR (Koufax, Billy Pierce, and Jakie May [who I've seen win a pitching triple crown in my historic league]), with 6 more in the 9- 9.9 range.
On the other side of the scale, in 2011, there were 46 position players with WAR of negative 2.0 or worse. In 2012, that number dropped to 20
Similarly, there were 16 pitchers in 2011 with WAR at negative 2.0 or worse, while that number dropped to 8 in 2012. The worst of the worst are also getting less terrible.
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