Who Really is the Best Player in the MLB?

In every sport, there is always the question, "Well who is the best player? And year in and year out nobody can agree on the same player. In the MLB this season, the question is raised who is better Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez or Joe Mauer. Many highly educated baseball people believe Pujols is the best. Almost every fantasy baseball fanatic says that Ramirez is the best player in baseball. I guess only myself and all of Minnesota believe that Mauer is the best player in baseball.

Albert Pujols is called by many to be a machine. What they mean by machine is that he can do everything. Don't get me wrong, the man can hit and he can hit the ball hard and far. Pujols consistently hits over .300 every years since his rookie season in 2001 and he has hit over 30 home runs and had over 100 RBIs in every season in the MLB. Pujols has been dubbed the next one to win the Triple Crown, or hit .400 in a season. The Triple Crown could be possible, but more likely will be doubtful then possible. Especially with Hanley Ramirez in the National League for a long time and other great average hitters in the NL. There is also no way Pujols will hit .400 because he is a home run hitter, and when those fly balls start getting caught at the warning track, that average is going to fall. A line drive hitter has a better shot at reaching the .400 mark. After all that about Pujols, you would think, "How can you not say Pujols is the best player in baseball?" The reason is because he plays 1st base. Now Pujols is a good defensive 1st basemen, but when a guy has bad back, or bad knees or is just too old to play the field and he’s not in the American League, where do they stick him? First base. Pujols could be the best hitter in baseball, even though that is up for debate as well, but he is definitely the best power hitter in baseball.

Hanley Ramirez who is the youngest out of the 3 I named before, but he can do it all. He can hit for a high average, hit home runs, steal bases and has a rocket arm at the shortstop position. Also Ramirez plays a decent shortstop but again shortstop is a more demanding position the first base is, but Ramirez is making strides to becoming a solid shortstop in the MLB. Ramirez has the best tools out of him, Pujols and Mauer, but again he is youngest like I said and is put in a real bad spot. Ramirez is on the Florida Marlins and is the face of the franchise already, and didn't have anybody to help him mature in the game of baseball. He was on his own from the beginning of his career, as I am sure many of you read in the recent weeks when Marlins manger Fredi Gonzalez benched Ramirez for not hustling on a ball that he accidentally kicked into left field, and allowed the runner to go to 3rd base. Is the fact that Ramirez didn't have anyone to help him mature, no but I know I wouldn't want that kind of attitude on my team. Now he is so young and he is slowly becoming the leader the Marlins organization wants him to be, but it could take a few years. The sky is the limit for Ramirez and I wouldn't be surprised in a few years to re write this article and say that Ramirez is the best player.

Joe Mauer is flat out the best player in baseball, this really shouldn't even be a question. He is flat out the best hitter in baseball, he hits for very high average and hits line drives, he never strikes out and he uses the whole field. As of last year, he found the power stroke that the scouts said that he had. Mauer doesn't hit towering homeruns; Mauer's home runs are line drives that are hit so hard that they leave the park. Unlike Pujols, Mauer has a better shot at batting .400 because of all the line drives he hits as oppose to the fly balls Pujols hits. Mauer also has 3 batting titles in 4 seasons as a professional and was the first catcher to lead the MLB is batting average and the first catcher to lead the AL in batting. That’s right Mauer is a catcher, catching is easily the most demanding position in baseball and he has been able to put up better batting averages the both Pujols and Ramirez. Last season Mauer also hit more home runs than Ramirez and had more RBI's then Ramirez. Mauer also has 2 gold gloves as oppose to one by Pujols and none by Ramirez. He is feared both at the plate and in the field, other then hitting and catching, Mauer also controls a pitching staff, which is an overlooked quality of a catcher.

I hope that this will help push more people to the Joe Mauer bandwagon, because even though he did win the MVP last season in the AL, I believe he hasn't received enough credit for what he brings to the table. Never has there been the combination of gold glove fielding and hitting for average and power to come from the catcher position. Not saying Ramirez and Pujols aren't great because they are, but neither of them bring the complete game that Mauer brings to the table.

Let me know, if you agree, disagree or think I should have included any other players.

Thanks

Stephen Strasburg The Real Deal?

Never in Major League Baseball Draft history did it feel like the NFL, NBA or NHL draft, but in 2009 that all changed. For the first time, people actually wanted to watch the first round of the MLB draft, and for the first time they actually could, because the first round was aired on MLB Network. The reason that it was aired on TV was because Stephen Strasburg was projected to go 1st overall in the draft. The hype surrounding Stephen Strasburg was rivaling that of any player taken number 1 overall in any of the other professional sport drafts. Strasburg was taken number 1 overall by the Washington Nationals.

For those who don't no much about Strasburg, you might want to keep your eye on him, but he is dubbed by many in baseball as the greatest college-pitching prospect in the history of baseball. He is a right-handed pitcher, whose fastball ranges between 95mph and 100mph on average and he also has a very good curve ball ranging between 79mph and 81mph. He is as close as a "can’t miss prospect" then anyone has ever been, though he only pitched 3 years at San Diego State University, he made his last 2 count. In his sophomore year he finished at 8-3 with a ridiculous 1.57 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 97 and one-third innings. His sophomore season was what really put him on the map as possibly being a high draft pick. But it was his junior year that cemented him at the number overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft. You thought his sophomore year numbers were nuts, he finished his junior year 13-1 with a better ERA standing at 1.32 and a outrageous amount of strikeouts, finishing with 195 strikeouts in only 109 innings which is a 10 strikeouts per 9 innings which for those who do not know is absolutely amazing.

Before the 2010 MLB season, where Strasburg would begin the season was a big topic, because you had many people saying that he is ready to pitch in the big leagues and then you have people saying that yea his stuff is defiantly pro ready but he is mature enough to pitch in the pros. What they mean by being mature enough to pitch in the pros is we don't know how Strasburg will handle defeat. Granted he has lost before in his career but he has always been the big fish in the little pond, now he will be on the same playing field as everyone else. The Nationals decided to start Strasburg in the minor leagues, and the result has been the same. Whether it was Double-A or Triple-A, Strasburg has still been light outs, he didn't allow a run, earned or unearned, until his 4th start in Triple-A.

The real question is, is Strasburg ready to pitch in the big leagues. Many pitchers who have been rushed to the bigs have failed miserably, the odds are completely against him, but again no other pitcher has had the stuff he does and the numbers to back it up. It will be interesting to see how he does, but I believe he will win 20 games in the future and win a Cy Young award in his career. But it will not be easy for Strasburg to do that, because remember he does play for the Nationals and even though they have a bright future they have along way to go to be a contender in the National League, but drafting Strasburg was a step in the right direction. The sky is the limit for the kid and if he keeps his head on straight and does and says all the right things, he has an extremely bright future.

On May 26th, the Nationals announced to MLB Network that Strasburg's first major league start would be in June against the Pittsburgh Pirates, those dates are June 8th, 9th or 10th, mark your calendars.

Let me know what you guys think Strasburg will do when he comes up, and how do you see his career going? Thanks for the input.

Who Will be the odd team out in the AL East?

Going into the 2010 Major League Baseball season, many wondered who would win the AL East. Many baseball analyst's said that the 3 best teams going into the 2010 season were the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Rays. The problem is that only one team can win the division and one team can win the wild card in the American League, even though anyone who knows about baseball can tell you, the winner of the AL wild card is coming from the AL East. This means that one team will be the odd team out. Who will it be?

Up until the 2008 season the Rays were called the Devil Rays and they were the laughing stock of the American League. They barely had more fans at their games then most high school football games in Texas. Maybe its because they have a team in a area where many old timers move down to, or maybe because they just flat out were terrible. I'm going to go with the second one, the Rays organization had there first season in 1998, and it wasn't pretty as expected, but up until 2008 it seemed that the Rays would never move out of the basement in the AL East, let alone compete with the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Two of the most prestigious and respected franchises in all of sports. But something went right in 2008, led by Joe Maddon the Rays came out of no where and won the AL East, beating the Red Sox, who finished with the wild card, and the Yankees who missed the postseason for the first time since 1995. The 2009 season was suppose to be just like the 2008 season, which was dubbed the coming out party for the Rays organization. It didn't go as well, as everyone hoped it would, it didn't help that the Yankees regained form and won the division by winning over 100 games and the Red Sox being competitive like they are year in and year out winning the wild card.

It seems ever since the beginning of time, the Yankees and Red Sox have hated each other and its true. Everyone knows the Curse of the Bambino, Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone, the bloody sock and who could forget the Yankees collapse in the 2004 ALCS, losing 4 games in row to the Red Sox. Even if the Yankees or Red Sox are having a bad season, every game between each other is like another battle in the war that has gone on for years. Within the last 15 years year in and year out they have been competitive.

In 2009 both the Yankees and Red Sox made the playoffs, with the Yankees winning the division and the Red Sox winning the wild card, and everyone was hoping for another meeting of the two powerhouses in the ALCS, but the Red Sox were knocked out the playoffs in the first round. The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins and handily beat the Angels in 6 games. They then went on to win their first world series in 9 years in 6 games against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Even though we are only one month in the 2010 season, it already feels like its getting down to the wire in the AL East. The Rays are in first place by .5 game over the Yankees and 7 games over the Red Sox. The Rays and Yankees are off to blazing hot, history making starts. The Rays and Yankees have the two best records in baseball as of May 8th. The Red Sox aren't having the beginning of the season they were hoping for but again its only May and a lot can happen, but they aren't helping out there cause.

Again like I said before a lot can happen from now until October, I believe the Yankees will take over the Rays at the top of the AL East, not because I am a Yankee fan, but because the Yankees are better, there is no way around it. There pitching staff and lineup and the end of there bullpen is just flat out better. The Rays are young and yes they have been down the stressful stretch of October before, but the Yankees and the Red Sox have players who are older, and have been there done that more than once.

I believe the Red Sox will make a move for a big hitter, someone that will actually strike fear in the opposing pitcher. Not saying that Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkillis and Victor Martinez are big hitters. But lets be honest here Pedroia is a great baseball player and arguably the best second basemen in baseball, but he should not be batting 3rd. Youkillis is a great hitter don't get me wrong and he should be batting 4th but he has no one protecting him in their lineup. Martinez is one of the best hitters for catchers in the MLB, but again he is a catcher and he is no Joe Mauer. He should be batting at least 6th in their lineup. Look the Red Sox have the pitching there is no doubt about it and it will come around, but they need a power hitter in that lineup, could that someone be Adrian Gonzalez?

Don't get me wrong I jumped on the bandwagon of the Rays in 2008. Who didn't? It was a great story of a young team taking down the Goliath’s of the American League, they have an amazing lineup with good hitters up and down the lineup, but there pitching is young and unproven. There pitching great right now, and Jamie Shields is a proven pitcher and David Price was on the team in 2008 and he pitched well, but other then that, who is proven. Matt Garza is off to a hot start and he can pitch in the big games, but where was he last year, and Wade Davis has the stuff to be a very good pitcher is baseball, but what has he proven. The Yankees have CC Sabthia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte and who can forget Mariano Rivera. Those four combined have 13 world series championships. The Red Sox have Josh Beckett, John Lackey and John Lester. All three of these pitchers are big game pitchers; they have ice in their veins. I just don't see how the Rays can hold off both team, but who knows that’s why they play the game right?

American League East Final Standings (Prediction)

1. Yankees

2. Red Sox

3. Rays

4. Toronto

5. Orioles

What do you think will happen?

Phil Hughes the right choice?

At the beginning of spring training, the New York Yankees only had one position not filled going into the season. That position was the 5th starter, and there were about 5 pitchers competing for that spot. Realistically the competition was only between Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Both Hughes and Chamberlain were highly touted pitching prospects that came through the Yankees system.

Joba Chamberlain was drafted 41st overall in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, he had attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In college Joba was a starting pitcher and only played two years of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, transferring from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. His college numbers were outstanding posting a 16-7 record in 32 games with a 3.37 era. The numbers that really stood out was 232 strikeouts in 208 innings. He then spent nearly a full season playing minor league baseball, when he was called upon by the Yankees at the end of the 2007 season. Chamberlain was flat out electric when he first came up to the big leagues, fooling hitters and making them look dumb. He was what the Yankees needed in the 8th inning to form a bridge to the greatest closer in baseball history Mariano Rivera. After the Yankees failed in the playoffs in 2007, Chamberlain was named to start in the bullpen for the 2008 season, but that didn't last that long. In May of the 2008 season the Yankees started the slow transition to move Chamberlain to the starting rotation. The transition wasn't easy as the Yankees watched his pitch count like a hawk and by doing so; Chamberlain's starts were very short. He finished the 2008 season with a 3-1 record along with eight no decisions most due to the fact that he didn't pitch past the 5th inning, because of his pitch count. Going into 2009 the Yankees said that Chamberlain would be a starting pitcher. But again due to babying Chamberlain he was never able to get a rhythm going, like he did when he was in the bullpen. Also he velocity dropped drastically from the electric 98mph plus to about 92mph. Many thought that Chamberlain was hurt, but many Yankee fans and I believe this is due to the babying the Yankees front office conducted with Chamberlain. In the postseason though it seemed like Chamberlain had come back to his 2007 form by showing a great performance in the 2009 postseason being the 7th inning man in front of Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera.

Phil Hughes was drafted 23rd overall in the 2004 Major League Draft right out of high school, which was a risky pick, due to the long history of hard throwing high school pitchers whose arms burn out. Hughes arm didn't burn out; because he had become more then just a thrower he became a complete pitcher. He spent the 2005, 2006 and the beginning of the 2007 season in the Minor leagues putting up ridiculous numbers. At the beginning of 2007 Baseball Digest named Hughes at the 2nd best prospect in the Yankees system, and even though he had the stuff and the skill to start in the big leagues, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman wanted Hughes to start the season in Triple A. Due to injuries Hughes got his first big league start on April 26th, 2007 against the Toronto Blue Jays, he only lasted 4.1 innings and got the lose. His second start though was phenomenal he went 6.1 innings throwing a no hitter and was forced to leave because of a pulled hamstring. He was out for most of the season and returned in August and was named to the playoff roster. During the postseason, he came in for Roger Clemens in relief and pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball and earned his first postseason win and the only one for the Yankees that year. Going into the 2008 season it seemed, as the sky was the limit for Hughes. But due to injuries Hughes missed most of the 2008 season and returned at the end of the season with a few spot starts. Going into the 2009 the Yankees had already named that Chamberlain would be one of the starters which meant that Hughes was the odd man out and was to start the season in Triple A. When Chien-Ming Wang was injured at the beginning of the season it was Hughes who was called upon to take his starts. When Wang returned Hughes was moved to the bullpen and due to the Yankees shaky bullpen Hughes became the set-up man to Mariano Rivera and flourished there. After the a decent postseason in 2009, the Yankees front office said that Hughes would be in competition for the 5th spot in the rotation to compete with Chamberlain.

Like I said before the only big thing going on at Yankees spring training was the competition for the 5th spot in the rotation. Most of spring training both Hughes and Chamberlain were neck in neck and in the end Joe Girardi choose Hughes for the last spot in the rotation. That choice was agreed upon among most Yankee fans that have been fed up with waiting and waiting for Chamberlain to finally be the pitcher he is suppose to be. Is that fair to Chamberlain? No its not, because the Yankees front office babied him and basically ruined him. Hughes on the other hand had to be the favorite the whole time, he is younger and he arm is already stretched out to be a starting pitcher. Even though the season is well under way and Hughes has been flat out nasty, and Chamberlain seems to be on his way to being the set-up man he once was. But what do you think should happen with the future of these two young studs?