Top 5 Best Right Fielders Right Now.

As we get closer and closer to opening day I am still doing my countdown list on who are the best of the best in Right Field. There may be a few surprises on my list but these five players I have choice had an outstanding year in 2010. This list is about the players who have done well in the past and what they are expected to do in the future.



1. Seattle Mariners - Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro is known to be one of the best right fielders in all of baseball and has been the face of the Mariners for 10 going on 11 years and although his team has never won a World Series and has been in last place for the past 5 to 6 years he has been faith full to this team. Ichiro in 2004 hit 262 hits and set a new major league baseball record for the most hits in one season and that might be a record that will never be broken again. He is one of the most impact players in baseball; he doesn't strikeout a lot and gets on base almost every time. It's unlikely to see Ichiro ever go 0 for 3 in a game. In June of 2009 Ichiro hit 44 hits and that would set his 20th career month with 40 or more hits. Also forgot to add that before Ichiro played major league baseball he played 8 years in the Japan league. So really Ichiro has played 20 years of baseball and has had to do more than any other baseball player. Ichiro in 2010 had somewhat of an off year but still played his role batting .315, hit 5 home runs, and drove in 42 RBI's. His career batting average is .331 and slugging percentage is .430. In his career he has won 10 AL Gold Glove awards, 3 AL Silver Slugger awards, won the 2001 AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP award. Second player in baseball history since Fred Lynn to receive both awards since 1975, he has also won the 2007 All-Star MVP award. Also his postseason number aren't too bad batting .421, 0 home runs, and driving in 3 RBI's. Ichiro is getting up there in age but still shows that he can still play and when he hangs it up he will find himself in the baseball Hall of Fame and to be the first ever Japanese baseball player to be induced to the baseball Hall of Fame. One of the game’s greatest outfielder's we have ever seen.



2. Los Angeles Dodgers - Andre Ethier

Now some people may not agree with Ethier being number two on my list but when you look at his number in the past few years he has been one of the best right fielders in the National League. He has helped the Dodgers win two NL West division titles, and has gotten them to the NLSC in 2008 and 2009 but lost to the Phillies in both years. Ethier in 2010 was injured a few times and that might have been a reason why he had an off year but nonetheless when he is healthy he is a big force and has a great arm in right field. Last season when Ethier played he batted .292, hit 23 home runs, and drove in 82 RBI's. Ethier's postseason number look like this - .266 batting average hit 3 home runs, and drove in 6 RBI's. His numbers are expected to be a lot better now that he is healthy. Also his life time batting average is .291 and slugging percentage is .491. Ethier also in 2009 won the NL Silver Slugger award. Expect big things from him in 2011 if he stays healthy.



3. Milwaukee Brewers - Corey Hart

Now Hart has been in the league for a few years and in 2010 he finally had that break out season that everyone has been waiting for and I think he is ready to show that he is for real. Playing for not such a great team Hart proved to be one of the better known right fielders now some would argue the Jayson Werth should be ahead of Hart, but the only reason Hart is ahead of Werth is because look at what team Hart plays for and the team that Werth played for. Hart in 2010 drove in over 100 RBI's, hit 31 home runs, and batted .283. Now his average may be a little bit lower but he is still a good player and will be for years to come. Hart's career batting average is .273 and his slugging percentage is .483. Hart when he played in postseason in 2008 he batted .231, 0 home runs, and 0 RBI's. In 2011 expect the Brewers to have a better year and maybe win the NL Central and if they do expect Hart to have a huge role in their success.



4. Washington Nationals - Jayson Werth

In the offseason the Nats landed big time power hitter in right fielder Jayson Werth. Werth who was a long time member of the Phillies decide his time in Philly was up wanted to go somewhere to settle down. I respect that I mean he won a World Series in 2008 and had good years with the Phillies and wanted to get paid but I thing is I don't understand is why would you want to leave a winning team to go to a building team? The Nationals right now aren't the best team in baseball but in 4 to 5 years they will be but by the time that happens, Werth will be close to 36 or 37 years old. Now Werth is a great power hitter on any team and the Nationals will be happy they picked him up. He can teach a lot of the younger guys and it’s surprising that Werth has not yet won a Gold Glove in the outfield. He has a great arm and knows how to play the field well. In 2010 with in his last year as a Phillie he had the second highest batting average batting .298, with 27 home runs, and driving in 85 RBI's. Now Werth has been in the postseason with the Dodgers and Phillies but he's done most of his work with the Phillies batting .268, hitting 13 home runs, and driving in 26 RBI's, the Phillies are going to miss that in the postseason. Also his career average is .272 and his slugging percentage is .481. Expect Werth to have somewhat of a in between year, his number could go down a few but not that much, mainly in the RBI total.



5. Toronto Blue Jays - Jose Bautista

Now some people may disagree with Bautista being on this list only because he has only had one good year but after the year he had in 2010 why shouldn't he be on this list? He hit 54 home runs, drove in 124 RBI's and his average was kind of low at .260 but this guy changed his swing up big time. This was a guy at one time who only 13 home runs, and drove in 40 RBI's. Now a lot people are asking could have steroids played part in this? Now in today's game that impossible because they check that all the time now and nothing was found. He just found that natural ability that he never knew he had. Now Bautista is listed under at third base but I think he will find his way back to the outfield because this guy also has a rocket arm. If he keeps having seasons like he did in 2010 he will be a better known power hitter. He just has to work on hitting for average and that's the only reason why he didn't win the 2010 AL MVP award because when hear someone hit 54 home runs, and drove in 124 RBI's and didn't win the MVP award there has to be a reason he didn't win it and like I said before his average was really low. Bautista also won the 2010 AL Silver Slugger and Hank Aaron awards. His career batting average is .244 and slugging percentage is .453. Expect him to have another great year, not as great as 2010 but he will still be an impact player.





Players who missed the list.

6. Houston Astors - Hunter Pence 2010 - BA .282, 25 home runs, and 92 RBI's
7. New York Yankees - Nick Swisher 2010 - BA .288, 29 home runs, and 88 RBI's
8. Cincinnati Reds - Jay Bruce 2010 - BA .281, 25 home runs, and 70 RBI's
9. Baltimore Orioles - Nick Markakis 2010 - BA .297, 12 home runs, and 60 RBI's
10. Arizona Diamondbacks - Justin Upton 2010 - BA .273, 17 home runs, and 69 RBI's.

Angels In The Outfield.

The Los Angeles Angels in 2010 fell off the map and failed to win another American League West Division Title and despite having a bad year in 2010, this year in 2011 they are going to look to try to win back their division title. In the offseason of 2009 the Angels lost a key pitcher that won the Angles 5 AL West Division titles and a World Series back in 2002 in John Lackey and that might have been the main reason they didn't win anything in 2010. But in the offseason this year they might have found something to win back this division.



In 2010 the Angles pitching staff wasn't all that bad and it wasn't all that great either but somehow they figured a way to win ball games. I think this year the Angels have the most underrated pitching staff in the AL; they have 3 starting pitchers that could be aces on any other teams in baseball. After the lost of ace pitcher John Lackey they replaced him with new ace Jered Weaver who did a great job filling in this role. Weaver in 2010 led the league in strikeouts with 233 and pitched 224.1 innings. Now his numbers might not be all that great but I think when everything is said and done he might be the last guy smiling.

He throws a good live fastball and knows how to control this off-speed breaking pitches, Weaver in 2010 posted a 3.01 ERA, with 13 wins, 12 losses, and like I said before he threw 233 strikeouts. Next is long time pitcher who has been with the Angles his whole career as in Ervin Santana. Now Santana in his career has gone through a few bumps but in 2010 he really turned it on and when he's on he's on. I think if his team can get back into that winning momentum then I think that could help him in the long run. Santana is another guy who throws a good fastball in the mid 90's and has some really good breaking pitches. Now he can either be used as a number one or two starting pitcher in a rotation and in 2010 Santana posted a 3.92 ERA, with 17 wins, 10 losses, and 169 strikeouts. Third guy in this rotation is the guy they picked up during the trade deadline in Dan Haren who came over from the D-Backs last year. Now Haren when he came over didn't do as well as everyone thought he would after being used to pitching in this division years ago pitching for the Oakland A's a few years back. But when Haren is on top of his game he is lights out on the mound and I think with a full season with the Angels he will do just fine.

Haren when he joined the Angels he went 5 and 4, with 69 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.87 and Haren's overall record for the 2010 season looked like this - 3.91 ERA, 12 wins, 12 losses, and 216 strikeouts. The Angles number four starter is a guy who really hasn't proved that he all he can be in Joel Pineiro. Pineiro is one of those guys who will give you a good outing and the next outing won't even last a good 6 innings. Now if he can get his head put on right I think he can win close to 15 games in 2011 like he did in 2009 with the Cardinals. Pineiro is a not a bad pitcher nonetheless and gives the Angles good innings but just has to learn how to keep that same momentum every time he takes the mound. In 2010 Pineiro posted a 3.84 ERA, with 10 wins, 7 losses, and 92 strikeouts. The number five hole in the Angels pitching staff is really up for grabs in pitchers Hisanori Takahashi and Scott Kazmir. Now Takahashi in 2010 really had a good year stepping in for Kazmir who was injured in 2010. Takahashi in 2010 had a 3.61 ERA, 10 wins, 6 losses, and 114 strikeouts. As for Kazmir through his whole career he really has never pulled it together and his career has really reached that point where people know he isn’t going to be a good pitcher someday. Kazmir is only 27 years old and he still has some time to turn things around but if he hasn't done it before than I think he will never get it done. Kazmir has also been battling injures throughout his career and that is also a big reason why he has never pulled it together. In 2010 Kazmir had a 5.94 ERA, 9 wins, 15 losses, and 93 strikeouts.



As for the Angles bullpen it really isn't the best in the AL and as we know good bullpens save a lot of close games and the Angels are going to need a few guys in the pen to step up. But name that do come to mind are new closer Scott Downs who came over from the Blue Jays, set-up man Kevin Jepsen, and Jordan Walden. I start off with Scott Downs who has never been a closer in his career so it's going to fun to see how this plays out, it could either go good or a bad and the Angles hope it goes a good way.

For a second to last place in the Blue Jays last year Downs didn't pitch all that bad as a set-up man where he posted a 2.64 ERA, 26 HLD, and had 48 strikeouts. Let’s hope he can do the same thing with the Angles and evenbetter. Next is set-up man in Kevin Jepsen, who could also be the Angles closer as well but I still think he will be used as a set-up man in the 7th or 8th inning. The reason I think he will stay there is because I think the Angles don't want to mess with his head and keep his mind set on as being the set-up man. In 2010 he posted a 3.97 ERA, 27 HLD, and had 61 strikeouts. Last guy is young kid Jordan Walden who is only 23 years old (Rookie) and really doesn't know what his role will be yet, middle relief or set-up guy. Either one I think he will get better has he goes along and understands the game more. At 23 years old he still has a lot to learn and last season he did okay when he was used posting a 2.35 ERA, 6 HLD, and struck out 23 batters.



Now the Angles line-up in 2011 has gotten somewhat better, it will definitely be better than the 2010 line-up with adding outfielder Veron Wells who was traded by the Blue Jays during the offseason. Now that Wells is part of this team I think he will do great things knowing he has a chance to reach the postseason for the first time in this big league career. Wells has speed and a lot pop in his bat. Wells was definitely a nice pick up for the Angels, another good power bat in the line-up is just what they need.

With the Blue Jays in 2010 he batted .273, hit 31 home runs, and drove in 88 RBI's, expect a lot better numbers in 2011 now that he is with a winning team. Next is shortstop in Erick Aybar who has been battling knee injuries and is not 100% yet ready to go and I think the only way this team will be good is if he gets on base and makes things happen. He is their speed man on the bases and they need him to be healthy this year. When Aybar played in 2010 he batted .253, hit 5 home runs, drove in 29 RBI's and stole 22 bases. Next is a guy they are happy to have back in first baseman Kendry Morales who as we all remember broke his ankle after celebrating a walk-off home run. He would miss the whole 2010 season after starting off pretty hot in the beginning of the season. They will be happy to put him in the 5th or 6th hole in the line-up. When Morales played before he broke his ankle he batted .290, hit 11 home runs, and drove 39 RBI's. Over at second base they have a kid who they really think will step it up in 2011 is Howard Kendrick who really replaced that 5th hole last year after Morales went down. Now Kendrick has been around this game for a few years and this year like I said the Angles expect him to have a lot better year considering he had a pretty good year in 2010. Now his numbers have dropped a little bit in his average but expect him to do a lot better. In 2010 he batted .279, hit 10 home runs, and drove in 75 RBI's. Next is DH and outfielder in Bobby Abreu who really had a good year in 2010, his average wasn't all that great but he still came through when they needed him to and brought power in the line-up they needed. In 2011 it’s clear that he will be used as a DH now that he getting a little bit older and isn't really able to move that well in the outfield. Abreu in 2010 hit .255, hit 20 home runs, and drove in 78 RBI's. Next is rookie outfielder in Peter Bourjos who the Angles really don't know where they will put him. In 2010 he did play a little bit of right field but he is too fast to be playing right field, he is more like a center or left fielder but whatever they use him for he will be a huge impact. As a hitter he has a little bit of pop in his bat and it's going to be fun to watch this kid hit and see how well he does at this level playing full season with the Angles. In 2010 when he was called up he batted .204, hit 6 home runs, and drove in 15 RBI's. Last player on this list who has been in this game for 14 going on 15 year is long time veteran outfielder Torii Hunter,

now Hunter joined the Angles in 2008 and has been the leader of this team ever since. He is a great teacher in the club house and is a good impact player. Now he has gotten a lot older at the age of 35 but still shows that he knows how to play this game. The last two years have really been the best years in his career; it seems like as he gets older he gets better. Now the Angles don't know if he will be used as a left, center, or right fielder but where ever he plays he will do the best he can and give it his all. In 2010 he really proved that he's not ready to step down yet as he batted .281, hit 23 home runs, and drove in 90 RBI's.



So the Angles in 2011 look like they could win another division title but they are still missing a few keys, either way I think this will be a tight race all the way through in 2011 season as the Rangers and A's have gotten better. But if you were to ask me I think the Angles will win this division, but it won't come easy I'll usurer you that. For once the 2011 American League West will be fun to watch this year.

West Coast Wonder: The San Diego Padres.

In recent memory the San Diego Padres were one of the worst teams in baseball in the National League West and they were considered a joke team but in the late 90's and mid 2000's they have gotten better over the years and after the breakdown season they had in 2010, 2011 doesn't seem like they will be a team to really worry about, than again everyone said the same thing last year. The Padres in 1996 and 1998 won the NL West division title and in 1998 they would win their first ever National League Pennant and head into their first ever

World Series match-up where they would have to face the American League team of the 90's, the New York Yankees. The Padres got swept by the Yanks in four games and since then that would be their trip the Fall Classic. In 2005 and 2006 they Pads would win back to back NL West Division titles but they would fail to move past the NLDS. The 2010 season everyone had picked the Dodgers or the Rockies to win the NL West division title but no one picked the Pads or the Giants to that matter to do anything. The whole season the Padres would lead their division until the final game of the 2010 season where the underdog Giants would beat them to knock them out of the postseason, the Padres playoff hopes had come to an end. A team that were up 6 games ahead of the Giants in the division on August 18th chocked and it just shows you that in this game you have to 162 games of baseball when it comes down to a playoff race. In the 2010 offseason the Padres lost one of their impact players in first baseman Adrian Gonzalez who signed with the Boston Red Sox. A-Gon was the face of this team and was really their only good power hitter and in 2011 they haven't really found that guy to replace him, 2011 will be a "Wonder" year for the Pads.



Now for the Padres pitching they only have two really good pitchers in Mat Latos and Clayton Richard and after those two guys there are a lot question marks in this rotation and if you want to win a division title you’re going to need more than two front line pitchers. We have seen in the past few years pitching wins you ball games and division titles. I start off with Mat Latos, here's a guy that no one in the NL didn't even know about because they year before he was very wild and had no control over his pitches and in 2009 he was just a rookie but boy what a turnaround he has made for himself and his team.

He has proved in one year that he will be a really good ace for this west coast wonder team. He throws his fastball really nice in the mid to high 90's and if breaking pitches are really nice when everything is working. In 2010 Latos in his second year of pro ball he posed a 2.92 ERA, 14 wins, 10 losses, and 189 strikeouts. The future for this 23 year young stud looks very promising in years to come. Expect him to have a good year. The Pads number two starter in Clayton Richard isn't too bad but there is going to be a lot stress on this guy because if Latos has a off game they are going to depend on him to close the door when needed and in a 3 or 4 game series with a good team they are to need to win at least the two games. Richard who is 6'5 at 240 pounds is a good left handed pitcher and is able to go deep into ball games and in 2010 Richard posted a 3.75 ERA, 14 wins, 9 losses, and 153 strikeouts. After these two guys the rest of this staff is up for grabs for the three, four, and five hole. They have Wade LeBlance who posed a 4.25 ERA with 8 wins, 12 losses, and 110 strikeouts, they have Aaron Harang who they picked up from the Reds who in 2010 posted a 5.25 ERA with 6 wins, 7 losses, and 82 strikeouts, they have Dustin Moselely who in 2010 posted a 4.96 ERA with 4 wins, 4 losses, and 33 strikeouts, and last on this list they have rookie pitcher Cory Luebke who when he pitched had a 4.08 ERA, 1 win, 1 loss, and 18 strikeouts. Like I said this rotation isn't to promising on getting the job done, but somehow last year they did.



The best thing about this Padres team is their bullpen, it is one of the strongest in the NL and that was really the success of this team last year. Their closer and set-up men really held a lot of close ball games. I'm going to start off with one of the Pads set-up guys in Mike Adams who really stepped up in 2010 and was their go to guy down the road. He could easily be an everyday closer on another team that's how good he is. He has a good power fastball at 94 MPH and in 2010 he posted a 1.73 ERA with 38 HLD and 73 strikeouts in the pen. Next is Luke Gregerson who is mainly used as a set-up man in the 6th or 7th inning at times but he is also another good pitcher out of the pen. He's not mainly used in the 8th inning but he is a guy they do call on when they need a big out. In 2010 Gregerson posted a 3.22 ERA with 40 HLD and 89 strikeouts. Now the Pads did pick up a new bullpen man in Chad Qualls who came over from the Tampa Bay Rays and his numbers weren't that great with a 7.32 ERA, 12 saves, and 49 strikeouts. Now Qualls's number don't look all that great but in 2009 with the D-Backs he did have 24 saves with a 3.63 ERA still not all that great but if he can do what he did then I think he will be okay. I think they are going to use Qualls as a middle relief pitcher. Last guy in the pen is closer Heath Bell, and boy this guy is good. He might be the second best closer in the NL behind Giants closer Brain Wilson.

Bell is a power pitcher who comes right after hitters with the fastball and when he uses his breaking pitches they set up hitter very nicely. Bell in the last two years has really turned it on, at point in his career he wasn't even used as a closer. It's very hard making that transaction from middle relief, to set-up man, to the closer. There's a lot more stress as a closer and we all know getting those last 3 final outs are the hardest part about baseball and he has done a great job of doing that. In 2010 Bell finished with 42 saves, 86 strikeouts, and an ERA of 1.93.



Now the last part about this Padres team that has gotten a little weaker is the lost of Adrian Gonzalez. The Padres really don't have that power house hitting threat and during the offseason they did pick up a few players but no one like A-Gon. At shortstop they did pick up Jason Bartlett from the Tampa Bay Rays and Bartlett isn't a bad hitter to have on your team. He helped a last place losing team win 2 AL East Division titles in 2008 and 2010. But his numbers have dropped by a lot, in 2009 he hit 14 home runs, drove in 66 RBI's and his batting average was .320 where in 2010 everything dropped. He hit 4 home runs, drove in 47 RBI's and his batting average dropped a tone down to .254. His play was really off in 2010 and in 2011 they are going to need that 2009 Jason Bartlett back in action. Over at third base they picked up Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins. Now I think Cantu will be the Padres replacement player at first base. In the past Cantu has played first base so it’s really nothing new for him but his power isn't going to replace A-Gon's in the line-up. Cantu is another guy they hope will be the player he used to be. In 2008 Cantu hit 20 home runs, drove 95 RBI's and batted .277, if they get that same player in back then I think A-Gon will be a lost memory. In 2010 Cantu batted .256, hit 11 home runs, and drove in 56 RBI's. Next is first baseman they picked up in Brad Hawpe who also came over from the Tampa Bay Rays, he is another guy who's play really went downhill.

From 2006 to 2009 he hit 20 or more home runs, drove in 80 more RBI's, and had a batting average of .280 or higher, talk about a great player. If he can get back to his old ways he will be their key power hitter and Hawpe knows this division well playing with the Colorado Rockies for 6 years. In 2010 Hawpe batted .245, hit 9 home runs, and drove in 44 RBI's. Next is third base star in Chase Headley who is now the face of this team. Headley who came up with the Pads in 2007 is still a guy who hasn't lived up the hype. He is a great fielder but when it comes to batting he just doesn't cut it. He's a good player but their really going to need him to step up. Headley is still young at 26 years old, but he's been in the league for four going on five years now. Last season Headley hit .264, hit 11 home runs, and drove in 58 RBI's. The last two players on this Padres team are where they are really going to need power out of and that is right fielder Ryan Ludwick and left fielder Will Venable. I start with Ludwick who came over to this team last year during the trade deadline from the St. Louis Cardinals where he hit 11 home runs, drove in 43 RBI's and batted .281. When he came over to the Padres he only hit 6 home runs, drove 26 RBI's, and had a .211 batting average, not really what they expected from this guy when they traded for him and 2011 they are expecting bigger things from Ludwick to be that new power house hitting player. They are looking for that Ludwick player of 2008 and 2009, where in 2008 he hit 37 home runs, drove in 113 RBI's, and batted .299 and in 2009 he hit 22 home runs, drove in 97 RBI's, and batted .269.

In 2010 Ludwick batted .251 allover, hit 17 home runs overall, and drove in 69 RBI's overall. Luckwick is a good player but he is going to have to work on his strikeouts. He struck out 121 times in 2010 but that's not even his career high. His career high was back in 2008 when he had the best season of his career with 147 strikeouts, so if he can cut down on his strikeouts he is going to be a force player in 2011. As for Will Venable he had a pretty good season and I would say he improved on some things but he still hasn't improved in his strikeouts as well. He had 128 strikeouts last year and for a kid at 28 that isn't a good sign. They are going to have to work with him of his plate discipline. He has a chance to be a .280 hitter with 20 home runs and driving in 85 RBI's it's just the matter of learning. We all know he is a great outfielder with speed and a good arm. Last year he stole 29 bases and could have a chance at stealing 35-40 bases a year. He is still young but he is going to have to show the Padres a little more improvement or otherwise he could be going back down to playing Triple-A ball. In 2010 Venable batted .245, hit 13 home runs, and drove in 51 RBI's.



Now what you see is what you get with this 2011 San Diego Padres team, a lot of "WONDER", wondering if their pitching staff is enough and if their line-up is strong enough. As you can see on this Padre line-up there isn’t a player who batted .265 or higher, hit 20 home runs or more, or drove in 70 or more RBI’s. We know they have a power house bullpen but the bullpen can't do everything for this team and that might have been the main reason they lost the NL West Division title, the bullpen players rain out of gas at the end. They were used way too much and that really took a toile on their bullpen and the uses were just way too much, mainly for set-up guys in Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson. In 2011 like I said before it's going to be a "WONDER YEAR" for the Pads.

Top 5 Best Shortstops Right Now.

This countdown is about the best shortstops in the game right now, and it has to do with awards, stats, postseason stats, and even some rookie stats in 2010. It’s the countdown of the top 5 right now heading into opening day 2011.



1. Florida Marlins - Hanley Ramirez

Whenever you hear news line about the Florida Marlins most of the time it's about Hanley Ramirez wealthier it's about him not running after a ball or hitting a monster home run for the Fish, either way the spot light is always on this kid. Ramirez was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and a year later he was traded to the Marlins for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowe and this trade really paid off in both ways. Beckett and Lowe won a World Series in 2007 and Ramirez well his team has yet to make it to the postseason but he has been the main reason fans in Florida still come out to the ball park to see this kid play. Ramirez can do it all, he can run, hit, he can throw a ball a mile long, and is a great impact player. I think if he were to play on a better team he would be an even better player and might even be considered an MVP vote in the NL or AL and if he were to be in the postseason and he were at the plate for a key moment he would the man you would want in the spot light. His career batting average is .313 and career slugging percentage is .520. Not too bad for a shortstop who is on a losing team every year, but I think in 2011 the Fish will have a somewhat better year with a lot of young talent on the way and some really good pitching. In 2010 Hanley had another good solid year after missing a few game being injured batting .300, hitting 21 home runs, driving in 76 RBI's, and in his career he was won the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year award, and has won the 2008 - 2009 NL Silver Slugger award.



2. Colorado Rockies - Troy Tulowitzki

Talk about a player anyone would love to have on their team this guy would be it! In the 2010 season Tulo missed most of the season and I really think this might be the main reason why the Rockies missed the postseason in 2010 because when he is healthy he is a monster player. When Tulo came off the DL he hit 15 home runs and 40 RBI's in one mouth of baseball and can you imagine if he were healthy the whole year what he could have done? I think if he did stay healthy he might have won the NL MVP award. But as an overall player he has it all, he is a great fielder and he is a great leader in the club house and knows when it's crunch time. He has also helped the Rockies make it to the postseason in 2007 and 2009 as the wild card team. In 2007 the Rockies would make it to their first ever World Series match up against the Boston Red Sox but got swept in 4 straight games and in the 2009 postseason they fell short in the NLDS to the Philadelphia Phillies in 4 games. Tulo’s career batting average with the Rockies is .290 with a slugger percentage of .495 and he is just going to get better as he gets older at the age of 26 years old. In 2010 after missing a good two months of the season he batted .315, hit 27 home runs, and drove in 95 RBI's. Also in 2010 Tulo won his first NL Silver Slugger and Gold Glove award. Now I did say the Rockies made it to the postseason twice and when Tulo was in the bright lights of October his numbers weren't too bad batting .211, hit 1 home run and drove 6 RBI's.



3. New York Yankees - Derek Jeter

When you hear the name "Mr. November" you automatically think the captain of the New York Yankees Derek Jeter as he was the first player in major league history to hit a home run in November of the 2001 World Series, not only that but it was a game winning home run. This is a player who will someday find himself in the baseball Hall of Fame and his jersey number, #2 will be retire just like the Yankee players that came before him. Derek has played for the Yankees his whole career and he said when he was a kid "I wanna play for the New York Yankees". Little did he know at the time but that dream had come true and if he could have seen his career before it had happened I don't think he would have believed it. As of right now he has the most hits as a Yankee and that's pretty hard to believe considering the players that came before like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle and so on. At one point Lou Gehrig was the only Yankees player to have the most hits and in 2009 Derek Jeter broke that record. As of today Jeter has 2,926 career hits and is well on his way to be the first ever Yankee player to hit 3,000 hits. Besides him being a great hitter he is one of the best fielders of all time. I can't recall about how many times he has been on the top 10 plays on ESPN or top 10 greatest plays of all time on the MLB Network. Derek Jeter is like the Michael Jordan of baseball and as of right now he is bigger than the game. Over the year Jeter's numbers have fell a little bit and that is the only reason he is number three on my list but if I were to name the greatest shortstop of all time he would be number one. I also forgot about how many postseason games this guy has been in, he has been in 15 postseason games and he has won 11 American League East Division titles and 5 of them have been World Series titles. His postseason numbers are the best at shortstop with a .309 batting average, hitting 20 home runs, and driving in 57 RBI's. Jeter's career batting average with the Yankees is a .314 average with a .452 career slugging percentage. He has also won 5 AL Gold Gloves awards, 4 AL Silver Slugger awards, 2 AL Hank Aaron awards; won the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year award, won the 2000 World Series MVP award, and has won the 2002 ESPY Play of the Year award. As you can see Jeter has more awards at spot more than any other player. In 2010 he had somewhat of a down year but nonetheless is still an impact player at the age of 36, he hit .270, hit 10 home runs, and drove in 67 RBI's. One of the best shortstops you will ever see again in this game.



4. Chicago White Sox - Alexei Ramirez

Now this shortstop to me is one of the most underrated in game only because he has only been in the league for 3 years. But in those 3 years he has done a lot of things. Now he is mainly overlooked at shortstop in the American League because of Derek Jeter but I think when Jeter's time comes to an end Ramirez will win a lot more awards in the AL. Ramirez who is fairly getting a little bit older at 29 years old is still a big part of this White Sox team. Now he has only been in the postseason once in his big league career only batting .250 with 2 RBI's but I think if the White Sox can make it to the postseason more while this guy is still on their team he will do big things. But during the season he is a key player and in 2010 he really proved that he is a big time player batting .282, hitting 18 home runs, and driving in 70 RBI's in 2010. Also in 2010 Ramirez won the 2010 AL Silver Slugger award. Now that Ramirez has only been the league for three going on four years his career batting average is .283 with a .430 slugging percentage, not to bad at all.




5. Chicago Cubs - Starlin Castro

Now some people may think this is being too nice by putting a rookie ahead of a few other players but if I were to tell you that this rookie player had a better year than most veteran players did then why doesn't he deserve to be ahead of some of the older players? Castro has showed in one year that he will be the future of the Cubs and in the National League at shortstop. The only issue with Castro is he has some trouble throwing the ball to first base but I think it's a small problem that he can easily fix during spring training. Last season in his first year he batted .300, hitting 4 home runs, and driving in 41 RBI's. Now tell me that this kid doesn't deserve this spot and he also already has a .408 slugger percentage in one year of baseball. This kid is the for real and he will only get better as he goes along, expect big things from this young talented shortstop.




Players who just missed the list.

6. New York Mets - Jose Reyes 2010 - BA .282, 11 home runs, 54 RBI's.
7. Boston Red Sox - Marco Scutaro 2010 - BA .275, 11 home runs, 56 RBI's.
8. Washington Nationals - Ian Desmond 2010 - BA .269, 10 home runs, 65 RBI's.
9. Texas Rangers - Elvis Andrus 2010 - BA .265, 0 home runs, 35 RBI's.
10. Philadelphia Phillies - Jimmy Rollins 2010 - BA .243, 8 home runs, 41 RBI's.

The Windy City: The Chicago White Sox.

If you live on the South Side of Chicago you are probably one of those crazy White Sox fans who have been around this game for years and if you’re not well that's your loss. The last World Series title the White Sox won was back in 2005 where they swept the Huston Astors in four games and since then they haven't won anything else. Their last postseason run was back in 2008 and after that they haven't been seen in the postseason. In 2011 they will try to take back what was once their American League Central Division, but it's not going to be easy. This is another division that might come down to the wire at the end of this season.




The White Sox pitching staff is filled with ups and downs in this rotation and they really don't have that "Ace" on this pitching staff to run this rotation and you need an ace on your team. My best bet if they were to pick an ace it would be Mark Buehrle. Buehrle who threw a perfect game in 2009 had an alright year in 2010. He did win a Gold Glove award for the American League pitchers but the thing that really stands out about Buehrle is that he's not a power pitcher like Halladay, Lincecum, Price, and so on and he still threw a perfect game.

Buehrle is more of a ground ball pitcher and lets the fielders field the ball the win balls game. Also he has been part of this White Sox team in his whole career since 2000 and is the leader of this ball club. In 2010 Buehrle had an ERA of 4.28, 13 wins, 13 losses, and 99 strikeouts. The Sox number two starting pitcher who is another guy who has been part of this team for a long time in right hander Gavin Floyd, now Floyd I think could be a lot better pitcher if he learned how to control his stuff and his best year was back in 2008 where he won 17 games and after that he never lived up to the hype that people talked about. Floyd is still pretty young at 28 years old but sooner or later he's going to reach back for a little something more. The best about this kid is he is an inning eater and always gives his team a chance to win. Floyd in 2010 posted a 4.08 ERA, 10 wins, 13 losses, and 151 strikeouts. The Sox number three starter is a young power pitcher in John Danks who could someday find himself the ace of this team at the age of 25 years old. Danks this a good fastball thrower and can really shut down hitters with his off speed breaking pitches, for a kid at the age of 25 he really knows how to pitch well. In 2010 he had a pretty year with a 3.72 ERA, 15 wins, 11 losses, and 162 strikeouts. Their number four start is the guy who they got during the trade deadline last year in Edwin Jackson.

Jackson who came over from the D-Backs last summer was one of five pitchers to throw a no-hitter last year and the thing about his no-hitter was he had 6 walks and 149 pitches thrown, at one point during that game he had the bases loaded with no outs and got out of that inning. A game that looked like it could have ended early, ended beautifully. Jackson when he came over to the White Sox won 4 games, loss 2 games and had an ERA of 3.24; altogether he had 10 wins, 12 losses, 181 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.47 in 2010. Last pitcher in this rotation is Jack Peavy who in 2011 might have to fight for his spot. In one point of his career he wasn't that bad of a pitcher to have on your team; in 2007 he won the NL CY Young award with the San Diego Padres winning 19 games. But over the past few years Peavy has been battling shoulders issues and have really never came back the same pitcher he once was. When Peavy pitched in 2010 he had an ERA of 4.63, 7 wins, 6 losses, and 93 strikeouts.



The White Sox bullpen is a big time mess after losing closer Bobby Jenks the Sox have no idea who their new closer will be. During the offseason they did pick up hard ball thrower Jesse Crain from the Minnesota Twins. Crain still doesn't know what his role will be in the pen, closer or set-up man. Crain I think was a good pick up for the Sox because he knows this division really well playing with rival division team the Twins.

He will stay in the division and I think if he is used as a closer he will do a really good job. As a set-up man for the Twins his number looked like this - ERA 3.04, 21 HLD, and 62 strikeouts. Next is rookie star pitcher Chris Sale who is only 21 years and could be the closer for the White Sox, but I think they really want to see how well this kid does during spring training. It's never easy being a closer for a team at the age of 21. Last year Sale only saved 4 games, with 32 strikeouts, and an ERA 1.93. Next is set-up man Sergio Santos who is a big time inning eater and can really come in and get the job done. He throws a good fastball around 93 MPH and will be a key player this season. Last year Santos posted a 2.96 ERA, 14 HLD, 56 strikeouts. Last guy in the pen is set-up man Matt Thornton who might be their new closer in 2011 but again the Sox still have no idea who will take over this job. Thornton is a fastball thrower and can reach 96 MPH at times and last year he had an ERA 2.67, 21 HLD, and 81 strikeouts. Look out for him to have a pretty good year.




The White Sox line-up for the past few years has been one of the best in the AL and this year they will have a even better line-up. During the offseason one of big pieces they landed was first baseman Adam Dunn from the Washington Nationals and with Dunn in a power hitter’s field he could easily hit 50 or more home runs this season. The White Sox reported that Dunn with bat third in the line-up as their DH and he will play first base from time to time. The only thing that comes with a power hitter like Dunn is he does strikeouts a lot and I think if he can work on that he will have a shot at batting closer to .300 maybe around .280 or .285. I also think with having Dunn in this line-up it will help other players in front of him and behind him saying

"hey we got the big guy coming up next who can go yard" that's what Dunn brings to the table and I think the South Side of Chicago will be a great fit for him. Dunn in 2010 with the Nats hit .260, hit 38 home runs, and drove in 103 RBI's. Over to the catchers’ spot where they have one of the best in A.J. Pierzynski who has been in this league since 1998 and this will be his 7th year with the White Sox. A.J. is a great hitter who always hits for average every year and is a good catcher behind the plate. Last season he hit .270, hit 9 home runs, and drove in 56 RBI's. Over at shortstop they have who I think is one the best shortstops in the league in Alexei Ramirez. Here is a guy who I think a lot of people overlook him because he's not a big name shortstop but he has a great arm and last year he really showed that he is one of the premier shortstops in the game and last year he really showed off his power and speed. Last year he hit .282, hit 18 home runs, and drove in 70 RBI's. Next is long time veteran at first baseman who people love on the South Side of Chicago in Paul Konerko.

Now that Dunn is in this line-up it will help him out a lot more in batting in the fourth hole. Now he can be a little more relax knowing that not everything is put on him and knows that someone else in this line-up can get the job done. Konerko is one of the other leaders in this ball club and in 2010 he showed that once again batting .312, hit 39 home runs, and drove in 111 RBI's. Next is center fielder Alex Riso who is another big power hitter in this line-up and had a really good bounce year. Another thing about him is he also strikeouts out a lot but when he doesn't he can hit a ball a long way. In 2010 he had a better year than he did in 2009 batting .284, hit 21 home runs, and drove in 88 RBI's. Last guy in this line-up who they really need to have a better year from is right fielder Carlos Quentin. Now when this guy is on he is on but in the past 2 seasons he has had an off years. We all know Quentin has the power skills and doesn't strikeout a lot but for some reason he can't hit for average and if he did he would be one of the better hitters in the game. Last year Quentin hit .243, hit 26 home runs, and drove in 87 RBI's.



So in 2011 look for the White Sox to come on strong but also remember that they do have a weak pitching staff and if they can get through the whole season with that rotation and win a division title then more power to this team. But all and all I think when the 2011 trade deadline comes around they might have to make a move for a better pitcher on the market.

Should The NL East Worry About The Braves?

The 2010 Atlanta Braves had one of their best seasons in a few years with young and old talent they found themselves in the postseason, but not as division champs like they have been in the past but as a wild card team. In 2010 that would be the Braves first ever wild card berth and even though they didn't make it far into the postseason they might be a little more hungry this year, but Phillies will definitely have something to say about that. The 4 time NL East Champs, the Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent pitcher Cliff Lee this offseason and have put together one of the greatest pitching staffs of all time with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, ALL TIME?

These four aces haven't even thrown a pitch yet and everyone expects big things from all four aces. They first have to win a World Series title before being named the "greatest pitching" staff in baseball. The Braves on the other hand do know what it's like having a "BIG FOUR" in the 90's they had hands down one of the greatest pitching staffs in baseball with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery.

These guys have won a World Series title back in 1995 and the only two players on this Phillies pitching staff that has a ring is Cole Hamels and their number five starter Joe Blanton. Also in the 2011 season for the Braves there will be a big new change in managers as long time manager Bobby Cox retied and new manager Fredi Gonzalez will take over and if Gonzalez can do what Cox did then we would someday be a Hall of Fame manager. Cox when he managed the Braves won 3 NL West Division titles before the team was moved to the NL East, then won 11 NL East Division titles and was the winning manager of his only World Series title in 1995. So Gonzalez has some big shoes to replace in the NL East in 2011




The Braves pitching staff in 2011 will feature veteran pitchers who were once part of a "BIG THREE" in Oakland and Boston. We start with veteran ace Tim Hudson, Hudson in 2009 won NL comeback player of the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2008. In 2010 he pitched like the ace he was expected to be winning 17 games, only losing 9 games, with 139 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.83. In 2011 he is expected another great year as he is a great pitcher. He throws a nice fastball around 92-93 MPH, and sometimes can reach 94 MPH and if the Braves are going to win games they are going to need him to be healthy.

After Hudson is young gun Tommy Hanson who is only 24 years old and last season had a pretty good year for a kid who has only pitched in the big leagues for 1 year. Hanson is the one of key future players and will someday most likely be their ace somewhere down the line. Hanson in his second year as a big league pitcher had an ERA of 3.33, 10 wins, 11 losses, and 173 strikeouts. Look for him to have a big 2011 season if he stays healthy. Next is another young key future player who the Braves really need to stay healthy and have a bounce back year in Jair Jurrjens who last season had a knee injury and missed most of the 2010 season. Jurrjens who is only 25 years old is a really good pitcher when he is healthy. He throws a good fast at 95-96 MPH and his off speed stuff is pretty nasty. If the Braves want to have any shot at winning this division they will need him to be 100% this year. Next is another long time veteran pitcher who was the other guy part of a “BIG THREE” in Derek Lowe who in 2004 won a World Series title back in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox has now pitched with the Braves for 2 years now and this season will be his third year. Lowe is a good sinker ball pitcher and is a ground ball pitcher. Not a power pitcher but knows how to get hitters out and he might have been one of the key reasons the Braves made it to the postseason last year. Lowe in 2010 had a 4.00 ERA, 16 wins, 12 losses, and 86 strikeouts. For the number five spot they have to young rookies in Mike Minor who is 23 years old and Brandon Beachy who is 24 years old. Now it's clear that only one of these young pitchers will earn this spot and the other might end up in the bullpen. Now I really have no idea who will earn this spot and that's the reason why baseball has spring training to see who looks fitting for situations like these. Minor last year who pitched when called up had an ERA of 5.98, 3 wins, 2 losses, 43 strikeouts, and Beachy pitcher when called up last year had an ERA of 3.00, 0 wins, 2 losses, and 15 strikeouts.



As for the Braves bullpen it is by far one of the best in NL and it showed last year and this year they added another arm in the pen with George Sherrill. Sherrill who came over from the Los Angeles Dodgers had a 6.69 ERA, 7 HLD, and 25 strikeouts. Now his numbers don't look that great but when you’re a bullpen pitcher moved to a better team and a winning team it could help knowing that every game is big and every pitch is a key pitch. We’ll how well he does this season. Next is Eric O'Flaherty who is another young player on this team at 26 years old and will only get better. O'Flaherty is a good left handed pitcher out of the pen and isn't really used as a set-up pitcher but comes in around the 5th or 6th inning to hold a tight lead. Last year he had an ERA of 2.45, 9 HLD, and 36 strikeouts. After him is set-up guy Peter Moylan who last season was a big part of this bullpen and helped the Braves hold a lot late inning games. Next guy in the Braves pen is closer who everyone thought was going to retire is Billy Wagner. Wagner who said it in the beginning of the 2010 season said

"I'm going to retire after this season" decided to give it one more year and why not? In 2010 he had one of his best seasons for a closer who is 39 turning 40 years old this July. Wagner who can throw the fast at 100 MPH had an ERA of 1.37, 37 saves, and 104 strikeouts in 2010. Moylan is their big right handed gun in the pen and can shut down innings mainly when it comes to the 7th or 8th inning. Last year he had a 2.97 ERA, 21 HLD, and 52 strikeouts. Next is left handed set-up man Jonny Venters who a lot of people thought would be the Braves new closer in 2011 but he is still their set-up guy. Venters is a good hard ball thrower and can get the fastball by hitters around 96 MPH at the age of 25 years old, future closer for the Braves. Last year he had an ERA of 1.95, 24 HLD, and 93 strikeouts. Last guy in the Braves pen is closer who everyone thought was going to retire is Billy Wagner. Wagner who said it in the beginning of the 2010 season said "I'm going to retire after this season" decided to give it one more year and why not? In 2010 he had one of his best seasons for a closer who is 39 turning 40 years old this July. Wagner who can throw the fast at 100 MPH had an ERA of 1.37, 37 saves, and 104 strikeouts in 2010.



Now the Braves line-up is filled with young and old talent and could someday find themselves in a World Series match up. I start off with catcher Brian McCann who I think is one of the best NL catchers in the league and was voted number 3 on my list of Top 5 Best Catchers Right Now. This guy is built like an outfielder and is very strong, probably one of the best power hitting catchers in the game since Mike Piazza that's how strong he is. As a catcher behind the plate he is a rock and weighs 230 pounds. He has a great arm to go along with the package but has never won a Gold Glove. In 2010 McCann hit .269, hit 21 home runs, and drove in 77 RBI's. Over at first base they will have rookie Freddie Freeman since Troy Glaus is not playing this year he will be called up to take over for him. Now Freeman did not play in 2010 but the Braves hope he will bring the same power that he had in the Minor Leagues and is their future first baseman. Next is the guy they traded for in the offseason at second base Dan Uggla.

Uggla who was long time member of the Florida Marlins was traded to the Braves and if you’re a Braves fan you must be happy with that you have over at second base. Not only that but it will help the line-up more by adding his bat in the line-up he will either bat in the third or fifth hole. The only thing about Uggla is as good as a hitter he is he does strikeout a little bit too much for a second baseman. If he works on that he should be a great addition for the Braves this season. Uggla in 2010 batted .287, hit 33 home runs, and drove in 105 RBI's. Over at third base in long time Braves player Chipper Jones who has been the heart and soul of this team, he is like one of those players who you can't see playing for anyone else. Jones last season was another player who said he was going to retire after the 2010 season but decided also to give it one more final run. Jones who is 38 years old has been battling a bad knee injury missed a good part of the 2010 season and the question will be how well will he move over at third base. There has been some talk they could move him at first base if rookie stud Freddie Freeman doesn't play as expected. Jones in 2010 when he played batted .265, hit 10 home runs, and drove in 46 RBI's. This guy is a future Hall of Famer someday. Last player on this line-up is star right fielder Jason Heyward and boy what a hitter this kid is at the age of 21 years old.

I'll tell you what he has everything you look for in a player, speed, power, and a great arm. He might be one of the only power hitters in the game that can steal about 30-35 bases a year and now that Dan Uggla is in this line-up he could only help him as a hitter know that he can’t always get the job done someone else will. As a rookie in 2010 he had a great season and was runner up for the NL Rookie of the Year award and I think if it would have been Heyward in the World Series and not Buster Posey I think Heyward would have won it. Heyward has a long future ahead of him as a Braves player and I think will have even a better year in 2011 then he did in 2010. Last year in 2010 he batted .277, hit 18 home runs, and drove in 72 RBI's. The future lies with him.



So the Atlanta Braves in 2011 I think will be a team to watch out for and though there isn’t much to worry about in the NL besides the Philadelphia Phillies they will be a team you have to play every inning against because if you don't they will beat you and beat you time and time again. The future for the Braves also looks very good with good young talent pitchers and infield and outfield players. The 2011 Atlanta Braves are here to say!

Top 5 Best Third Baseman Right Now.

Right Now I am counting my top 5 right now with the best third baseman heading into the 2011 season. See who made my top five.




1. New York Yankees - Alex Rodriguez

Now Alex Rodriguez might be the second best hitter in baseball right behind Albert Pujols but at third base he is one of the best hitter right now to play this spot. Rodriguez came to the Yankees from the Texas Rangers in 2004 playing shortstop his whole career and since the Yankees already had a shortstop in Captain Derek Jeter, Rodriguez deiced to move over to play at third base. Over the years Rodriguez has adjusted to the spot, has yet to win a gold glove at third base but he still has a really nice glove. As for his hitting that hasn't changed at all and after coming over to the Yankees he has hit 30 or more home runs, and drove in 100 or more RBI's in all 7 years with the Yankees. He is the man you want in a key moment to either tie a ball or win a ball game. As of right now Rodriguez has 613 career home runs and will most likely hit 700 home runs if he stays healthy and could past a fellow Yankee in Babe Ruth who hit 714 career home runs (3rd on the list). He could also even past Hank Aaron who is (second on the list) with 755 career home run and maybe even break Barry Bonds home run record (1st on the list) of 762 career home run set back in 2007 and become the new home run king. Rodriguez also has 2,672 career hits and could come close to hitting 3,000 hits but it's more likely that he would hit 700 home runs before he does that. He is one the game’s best power hitter at third base. In his career Rodriguez has won 10 AL Silver Sluggers award, won 3 AL MVP awards, and has won 2 AL Gold Glove awards at shortstop. In 2009 A-Rod helped the Yankees win their 27th World Series title and his first World Series title in his career over the Philadelphia Phillies. His postseason numbers are one of the best since he was drafted in 1996 batting .290, hit 13 home runs, and drove in 38 RBI's, In 2010 however he was off to a slow start but really picked it up in the second half in the 2010 season batting .270, hit 30 home runs, and drove in 125 RBI's. Coming into the 2011 season he still one of the highest paid players in baseball making $275 million dollars in his 8 year deal contract with the Yankees.



2. Tampa Bay Rays - Evan Longoria

Now that Carl Crawford is no longer a member of the Rays Evan Longoria is now the face of this team and as of right now he is by far the best hitter they have on this team. Playing in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox he has proved that he has what it takes to win after winning 2 AL East Division titles in 3 years. He might even be one of the most consisted hitters in the game and as far as fielding a ball is the best man for the job and it surprising that he hasn't won more gold glove awards. He is everything you look for in a player, a player with speed and power. If the Rays have any hope to making it to the postseason in 2011 they are going to need him for the whole season. In 2010 Longoria batted .294, hit 22 home runs, drove in 104 RBI's and in his career he has won the 2008 Rookie of the Year award, won the 2009 AL Silver Slugger and the AL Gold Glove award, and won the 2010 AL Silver Slugger award. As far as his postseason play it isn't all that great batting .195, hit 7 home runs and drove in 15 RBI's, I mean it's not bad but it could be better.



3. New York Mets - David Wright

David Wright was drafted as a Met and came up with the Mets and has been the face of this team since 2004 and is one the oldest players on this team at a pretty young age being 28 years old. Over the past 2 seasons before 2010 his play was down a bit after being hurt with a knee problem, but when this guy is healthy he is the most feared hitter in the NL. He has helped the Mets win a division title in 2006 but he has been part of the two biggest collapses in their team history in 2007 and 2008 where they would lose the division title by 1 game in 2007 and 3 games in 2008 to the Philadelphia Phillies. Other than that he has been money for the Mets when needed and is one the best fielders in the game beside Scott Rolen. In 2010 Wright came back strong and ready to show that is was 100% after batting .283, hit 29 home runs, and drove in 103 RBI's. Also in his only postseason appearances he batted .216, hit 1 home, and drove in 6 RBI's. In his career he has won the 2007 NL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards and won the 2008 NL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.



4. Washington Nationals - Ryan Zimmerman

Now many people might think Zimmerman should be higher on the list and the only reason he isn't higher on this list is because he is still very young at 26 years old. I know it sounds like a bad reason but when look at the three other players before him they are more deserving. Now I am not saying he isn't a bad player because I think someday day he will be the best third baseman in baseball and he is in the prime of his career. He has been the Nationals best players ever since he was brought up in 2005 and everyone knew he was going to be an impact player. Now the team he plays on isn't the best but be sure in the next 4 to 5 years they could wind up winning a division title if not sooner. Zimmerman is a star fielder and has great bat speed, not only can he hit home runs but he can hit doubles and triples and as a power hitter you will take that every time. Right now he might even be one the best third baseman in the National League right behind David Wright. In 2010 Zimmerman hit .307, hit 25 home runs, and drove in 85 RBI's and in the prime of his career he has won the 2009 NL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards and won the 2010 NL Silver Slugger award.



5. Texas Rangers - Michael Young

Now Young in my option is one of the most underrated third baseman in the league, everyone forgets about this guy but he is the real deal. Now they’re has been some question if he will start at third base in 2011 after the Rangers signed free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, Young asked to be traded, I would assume because he does not want to be a DH after being the key player at third base all those years and finally help this ball club win a AL West Division title since 1999 and making it to their first ever World Series. If the Rangers lose Young they will be losing a leader in the club house and guy who has been their best hitter. As a Ranger he has had the most hits on the teams franchise with 1,848 hits. Not only is he a good hitter but he is pretty good fielder and I think he should have more than one gold glove award and should have at least two Silver Slugger awards with having a career batting average of .300 with a last place team until 2010. In Young's career he has won the 2006 MVP All-Star award and has won the 2008 AL Gold Glove award. The 2010 season wasn't a bad season for Young after batting .284, hit 24 home runs, and drove in 91 RBI's, also in his first ever postseason he showed up and help the Rangers make it to the World Series batting .254, hit 1 home run and drove in 7 RBI's.




Players Who Just Missed The List

6. Boston Red Sox - Kevin Youkilis 2010 - BA .307, 19 home runs, and 62 RBI's
7. Cincinnati Reds - Scott Rolen 2010 - BA .285, 20 home runs, and 83 RBI's
8. Minnesota Twins - Danny Valencia 2010 - BA .311, 7 home runs and 40 RBI's (Rookie)
9. Milwaukee Brewers - Casey McGehee 2010 - BA .285, 23 home runs, and 104 RBI's
10. Philadelphia Phillies - Placido Polanco 2010 - BA .298, 6 home runs, and 52 RBI's.

Will The Indians Ever Be A Winning Team Again?

When you think of the Cleveland Indians you think of one of the oldest baseball teams in the American League, but you also think about one of the most unlucky franchises in baseball history after not winning a World Series since 1948. The Indians in the past have had a lot of great teams mostly through the mid and late 90's. Though 1995 to 1998 they won 4 American League Central Division titles, in 2001 they won their division and in 2007 they won their division as well. But the teams that stand out the most are the 1995, 1997, and 2007 teams because they were roughly the three best teams in their history.

I start in 1995 where like I said they won their division and won their first American League Pennant since 1954 and would go on the World Series with a line-up and starting pitching that was the best in the AL. In their line-up they had Sandy Alamar catching, Omar Vizquel at shortstop, Kenny Lofton in center field, Jim Thome at third base, Manny Ramirez in right field, and Eddie Murry as their DH. Their line-up was filled with power and speed and as for their pitching staff they had Dennis Martinez leading the way followed up by Charles Nagy and Orel Hershiser. They also had a good closer in Jose Mesa. In the 1995 World Series they would host the best National League team for years in the Atlanta Braves and the Braves would go on to win the World Series. Two year later the Tribe would find themselves in the Fall Classic again after with a little bit of a newer look.

They added David Justice to play the outfield and Brain Giles to play third base; the players they lost were Kenny Lofton and Eddie Murry. On the pitching side they added two rookie pitchers in Bartolo Colon and Jartet Wright and lost Dennies Martinez. With these four new players they were picked to win the 1997 World Series over the Wild Card Florida Marlins who had a bunch of guys who were unknown. In Game 7 of the 1997 World Series the Fish would go on to beat the heavy favorite Indians and yet again the Tribe would fail to win World Series title and the drought would live on. In 2007, seven years later a new Indians team showed people in Cleveland there would be hope again after having the best record in baseball with 97 wins and winning the 2007 AL Central division title and they had a whole different kind of team, a team that could win.

They had by far one of the best catchers in the league with Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta at second base, Casey Blake at third, Grady Sizemore (still on the team) in center field, Trot Nixon in right field, and Travis Hafner (still on the team) at first base. They were almost like the power and speed house of the 1995 Indians team. The 2007 pitching staff was a whole a lot better with having C.C. Sabathia, Fausto Carmona (still on the team), Jake Westbrook, Cliff Lee, Paul Byrd, and bullpen pitcher Rafael Bentancourt. It's funny though because this team never made it to the World Series after losing in the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox after being up three games to one. Somewhere along those lines the Tribe fell apart and since then the Indians have yet to become a better team. Today the team is a whole a lot young with still a few more filmier faces but never the same after the 2007 team. As for the 2011 team I will break down some of the keys to this young team and tell you if they will ever be the teams of the 95', 97', and 07' teams were.



The Tribe's pitching staff is very young; I wouldn't say they are weak because most of these pitchers are still very young. The veteran of this pitching staff is Fausto Carmon who in 2010 had a year that wasn't all too bad. He is a good sinker ball thrower and throws the fastball in the mid 90's. It's still very hard to win when you have a team that is very young so run support is had to come by. There have been rumors that he could be traded to the Yankees or maybe the Tigers and I think if he gets traded to a different team that is a winning team he will be a lot better pitcher. If you remember in 2007 when they were a winning team he was a winning pitcher with a mindset like no other.

In 2010 Carmon posted a 3.77 ERA, had 13 wins, with 14 losses and 124 strikeouts. Then the Tribe has 25 year old Justin Masterson who could be a good pitcher but just hasn't developed into the pitcher the Indians would hope he would be. He throws hard but has to learn how to control his pitches; I think if he can control his stuff he could easily win 10 to 12 games. Masterson in 2010 had an ERA of 4.70, 6 wins, 10 losses, and 140 strikeouts. Followed up after him is Mitch Talbot who is another guy if he can learn to control his stuff he would be an OKAY pitcher. He doesn't throw hard but throws good enough to win a ball game. In 2010 he posted a 4.41 ERA, 10 wins, 13 losses, and 88 strikeouts. Next they have 23 year old rookie Carlos Carrasco who as we remember was part of the Cliff Lee trade in 2009. Carrasco did play in 2010 and showed that he could very well be the next ace of this pitching staff someday. As of right now he is their fourth starter and last year he posted a 3.83 ERA, 2 wins, 2 losses, and 38 strikeouts. Their number five starter is another 23 year old in Jeanmar Gomez who is also a rookie. Gomez is another young pitcher on the way to maybe being that ace or that number two starter in the Tribe's rotation someday. In 2010 he posted a 4.68 ERA, 4 wins, 5 losses, and 34 strikeouts. The Indians bullpen on the other hand isn't that bad with Aaron Laffey and Jensen Lewis. Aaron Laffey isn't a bad pitcher out of the pen; he can eat innings and save other arms in the pen. In 2010 he posted a 4.53 ERA, 5 HLD, and 28 strikeouts. As for Lewis he is another inning eater and throws pretty hard, there has also been a question will he get a chance to start this season or just keep him in the bullpen, guess will see come opening day. Last year Lewis had a 2.97 ERA, 1 HLD, and 29 strikeouts. Next in this bullpen is set-up man Rafael Perez and closer Chris Perez,

two of the best players on this team as for relief pitchers. Rafael Perez is a good hard ball thrower and is good for two innings of work and can hold a lead if they Indians ever have one. In 2010 he had a pretty good year with a 3.25 ERA, 13 HLD, and 36 strikeouts. As for Chris Perez he is one of the best young closer in the league and that's not to bad playing for a losing team. He is still somewhat young but he knows how to get the job done and close the door when needed closed. In 2010 he had pretty good year with 23 saves, an ERA 1.74, and 61 strikeouts.




As for the Tribe's line-up it isn't as strong as it was in 95', 97', and 07' but it has a chance to become better in future with a lot of young talent. We start off with both of their catchers In Carlos Santana and Lou Marson. Now Santana had a great rookie season and he had not gotten hurt I think he could have maybe won the AL Rookie of the Year award. He was off to a good start and the Indians said that he will be ready to come opening day.

He has great power and a really good arm. Now his speed might go down a little bit after hurting his knee last year but if he is 100% he will be a force to run and steal bases. In 2010 at the age of 24 Santana batted .260, hit 6 home runs, and drove in 22 RBI's. Lou Marson on the other hand hasn't really gotten a chance to play. He was another player part of the Cliff Lee trade in 2009 and as a back-up he might the youngest in the league to back-up another young catcher. Marson is also 24 years old and has a long way to go and in 2010 when he played he batted .195, hit 3 home runs, and drove in 22 RBI's. Now over at shortstop they have three players available for the spot but I think when everything is said and done two of these three player will either play second base or be used on the bench or even maybe win the spot over at third base or first base. I start with the player who already has the job in Asdrubal Cabrera who has also been part of this team since 2007 but didn't play. Now that Cabrera is a starter it's more likely he will keep the spot. Cabrera is a doubles - triples kind of hitter and hits for average. He is also another young player at the age of 25 and still has to learn a few more things. Last year Cabrera hit .276, hit 3 home runs, and drove in 29 RBI's. Next guy at shortstop is the player they signed during the offseason in Orlando Cabrera who is most likely to take the spot over at second base. Cabrera who came over from the Reds is a really good hitter and is a veteran player who can teach some of these younger players a thing or two. Cabrera could be a leadoff hitter or bat second in the line-up. Last year with the Reds he hit .263, hit 4 home runs, and drove in 42 RBI's. Last guy at this spot is 26 year old Jason Donald who was also another part of the Cliff Lee trade. Donald will most likely be a bench player or if he has does well in spring training they could use him at third base or first base. All depends on his arm ability if they use him at third base; they know he can hit because he isn't a bad hitter. Donald in 2010 hit .253, hit 4 home runs, and drove in 24 RBI's.

Over at first base and DH is veteran player Travis Hafner who in 2010 had a down year after being hurt and that has been the problem with Hafner over past few seasons. Being injured has held him back from having a monster season and I think if he stays healthy the whole year he will be a treat in this line-up because when he drives a ball it goes a long way. They may use him as DH in 2011 to maybe give the first base spot to someone like Jason Donald or someone else. In 2010 Hafner hit .278, hit 13 home runs, and drove in 50 RBI's. Next is outfielder and future star center fielder Michael Brantley who is another young player at the age of 23. I think his kid will be the face of this come 3 or 4 years from now if he can become the play the Tribe hopes he can be. Now I don't know if he will play in 2011 but I think when he does get a chance to play he will prove his spot on the field. In 2010 he batted .246, hit 3 home runs, and drove in 22 RBI's. Next is right fielder Shin-Soo Choo who was the Indians MVP of this team last year. He was only player to hit .300, hit 20 or more home runs, and drove in 90 RBI's. It was a shock that he became this good of a player in such little time that he played before. As a fielder he isn't all that bad either and has pretty good speed. Look for him to bat higher in the Tribes line-up in 2011. Last player on this list who

had the worst luck in baseball almost like the team itself Grady Sizemore. Sizemore has been the Indians golden boy ever since he first came up. He has won a gold glove and has been the face of this team since 2006 when he first came up. But in the last 3 years he has been injured with a knee problem and that has been the reason he has not played well. There have been rumors saying he could also be traded as well to maybe the White Sox or Royals. But when Sizemore is healthy he could be a .290 hitter, hit about 25 home runs, and drive in about 95 to 100 RBI's. As for speed he might not be as fast as he once was.



So in 2011 I don't see the Tribe being a team to worry about but I will say this in about 4 to 5 years as this team matures they will get a lot better. They have a lot of young talent on this team that can play with the best of them but I don’t see them ever coming close to being as good as the 95', 97', and 07' teams.