NL East Position-by-Position Rankings

In this two-part series, I will rank the top players in the National League East. The rankings were made through the analysis of statistics such as batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, and on base plus slugging percentage.

Several other factors were also taken into consideration such as age, injury, and defensive ability.

There are some situations where the players are so closely ranked, it is nearly impossible to decide between. But there are others, like Ryan Howard and Daniel Murphy, where the gap is fairly obvious.

In part one, I will examine NL East first basemen, second basemen, shortstops, third basemen, and catchers. Part two will consist of left field, center field, right field, starting rotation, and bullpen. Enjoy!

First Base

1) Ryan Howard (Philadelphia)

There is very little doubt regarding who is the best first baseman in the division. Ryan Howard has a career .279 batting average, a .376 on base percentage, a .586 SLG, and a .931 OPS. His impact to the team is astounding, especially when one looks at his clutch, postseason hits that always seem to come at just the right time (ie, 2009 NLDS Game Four). Winning the only MVP out of the bunch, along with being the only All Star, Howard is a lock for the best first baseman in the NL East.

2) Adam Dunn (Washington)

One of the few bright spots of the Nationals campaign last year was outfielder Adam Dunn. This year he will make a permanent transition to first base. After making the change mid season last year when the Nats traded Nick Johnson, Dunn said, "Even when I played right field, it's just totally, totally different. That took about three weeks to feel normal at first base. I'm not going to sit there and say I'm going to be the best ever, but I'm not going to be the worst.” Indeed, he won’t. Dunn’s large size will probably make his career as a first baseman much easier than having to cover all of right field. Last year, Dunn posted some of his best statistical numbers of his career with a .267 AVG, a .398 OBP, a .529 SLG, and a .928 OPS. At the age of 30, Dunn could be looking begin the high point of his career, possibly making a run for his first All-Star appearance.

3) Daniel Murphy (New York)

Daniel Murphy is one of the most interesting of this group of first basemen. Murphy, who was actually a third baseman in the minors, will start the season at first for the first time in his young career. While he does have some experience at first base, coming after Carlos Delgado’s season ending surgery, he made several simple mistakes that an experienced first baseman would rarely make. Hopefully for him and the Mets, Spring Training will play a role in helping Murphy defensively. Offensively however, Murphy has been fairly successful. Although last year was not as good as his rookie season, he did lead the entire Mets team in home runs (albeit, only 12). He posted a decent OBP of .313, but he needs to improve his SLG and his OPS if he wants to stay afloat as a starter in the majors as a first baseman.

4) Troy Glaus (Atlanta)

After shoulder surgery shortened his 2009 season with the Cardinals, Glaus signed a one year deal with Atlanta, and barring injury, will be the starting first baseman on Opening Day. Glaus batted .172 in 14 at bats last year, but that number almost has to be forgotten due to the nature of the at bats (he hadn’t played in almost a year). His career .856 OPS and .255 BA are decent, but not great, especially when compared to the better first basemen in this division. However, he is a veteran first baseman with a lot of experience, and could be a solid player for Atlanta in 2010.

5) Logan Morrison/Gaby Sanchez (Florida)

Filling the slot at first will, in all likelihood, be Gaby Sanchez or Logan Morrison. Sanchez, who is the only one of the two to have played in the pros, batted .238 with a .304 OBP in 21 at bats last year. The Marlins say they do not want to platoon at first so the dual combination of the two does not seem likely. In AA last year, Morrison had a .277 AVG and a very good OBP of .411. At the age of 22, he is one of the top prospects in the Marlins farm system. The smart move would probably to go with Sanchez as the opening day starter, giving Morrison more time in the minors. If Sanchez is a bust, Morrison can always be called up mid season. The lack of experience was the main factor in ranking these two players at the bottom of the pack.

Second Base

1) Chase Utley (Philadelphia)

Once again, this is a fairly obvious choice for No. 1. Chase Utley has been the epitome of excellence in baseball for the past several years. With four consecutive All Star appearances, Utley has compiled a .295 career BA with an outstanding .902 OPS. His defense has also been top notch (aside from a few mishaps in the NLCS last year). Not having to deal with the side effects of hip surgery like last year, Utley could be looking to have one of the best seasons of his career, possibly being a candidate for his first MVP award.

2) Martin Prado (Atlanta)

Posting a .307 batting average last year, in the season with his most at bats in a major league season, Martin Prado has quickly become one of the best second basemen in baseball. With an OPS of .822 last year, Prado is on the verge of stardom. The Braves have a bright future with Prado at second, and this year could be a real breakout year for the young hitter.

3) Dan Uggla (Florida)

While Dan Uggla is arguably the second best second baseman in the division, his 2009 struggles dropped him down to number three on this list. His .243 BA and .813 OPS in 2009 are well below his career averages, especially considering a young player of his age should be improving, not declining. If Florida wants to make a serious playoff run, Uggla will need to improve from his 2009 numbers, as he is a key part to their lineup.

4) Luis Castillo (New York)

Luis Castillo has been an under-the-radar type asset to the New York Mets’ lineup. Last year, his .302 batting average and his .387 OBP were among some of the best on the team. Something the Mets need desperately is consistency, and Castillo provides that for them. He is not a Chase Utley. But he is an impact player who can be a nuisance to opposing pitchers.

5) Adam Kennedy (Washington)

The 2002 ALCS MVP will now be the everyday second baseman for the Washington Nationals. His numbers in 2009 were above his career averages and he should be one of the better hitters in the Nationals’ lineup. He is a solid player and while ranked last, this is a group of very impressive second basemen, and Kennedy can help improve the Nationals lineup.

Shortstop

1) Hanley Ramirez (Florida)

In just three short years, Hanley Ramirez has become one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. With a .917 career OPS, and a .316 batting average, Ramirez is clearly the best shortstop in the National League East. Barring an unforeseen slump or injury, Ramirez will get his third consecutive All Star appearance. Like other shortstops in the division, he is also a tremendous force on the base path. If the Marlins make a playoff push, Ramirez will be the one carrying them.

2) Jose Reyes (New York)

Injury shortened his season last year, but at 26 years of age, Reyes remains, like Ramirez, one of the best shortstops in the game. A .286 career batting average and a .337 OBP are great for someone as young as him. Reyes also is consistently around 60 stolen bases each season, always seeming to be trouble for the opposition while running the bases, always forcing the pitcher to think. Defensively, Reyes is also quite strong with a career fielding percentage of .974.

3) Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia)

Probably the best defensive shortstop of this group is Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins. While last year was an off year for him offensively, his career numbers are still impressive, having a .274 BA and a .328 OBP. I expect that Rollins will improve vastly from last year, batting much closer to .300 than his batting average of .250 last year. Rollins is what gets the Phils going, especially early in the game. When he gets on base, the team’s offense seems to feed off his presence and energy.

4) Yunel Escobar (Atlanta)

One of the most underrated shortstops in the game is Yunel Escobar of the Braves. Last year he batted .299 with a .377 on base percentage. In 141 games Escobar yielded 76 runs batted with fourteen home runs. And while he is underrated for his offensive ability, he is still the fourth best shortstop in this division.

5) Cristian Guzman (Washington)

By far, the worst shortstop in the NL East is Cristian Guzman of the Nationals. While last year was fairly successful for him, his career average is just .271 and his on base percentage is only .307, low, especially when looking at the other shortstops in the division.

Third Base

1) David Wright (New York)

Topping the list of third basemen in the East is the face of the New York Mets, David Wright. With a career .309 BA and .907 OPS, Wright has quickly become one of the most fearsome hitters in the game. Last year his slugging percentage was way down from his career .518 percentage, due to his power outage. I expect Wright to pick it up in this area this year, simply because it is not like him to hit only 10 home runs, even if he did miss time because of injury. Regardless, Wright should continue to be the leader of the Mets lineup.

2) Ryan Zimmerman (Washington)

At just 25 years old, Ryan Zimmerman is the most impressive hitter in the Nationals’ lineup. Last year, he led all NL East third basemen with a .888 OPS and was one of the most improved players in the game. Zimmerman is finally beginning to be viewed by the national media as a star, and rightfully so. Last year was the best year of his career and Nats fans have every reason to believe he will be just as potent as he was a year ago.

3) Chipper Jones (Atlanta)

Although the decline of Chipper Jones career has begun, he remains the third best third baseman in the division. In 2009 he had a .264 BA and .818 OPS. Not bad, but well below his career averages. At the age of 37 and constantly battling injury, I cannot see a scenario in which Jones can rebound to the extent he would like to. His best games are behind him. The question that remains is can he still be a contributor to an Atlanta team that needs offense to balance with their great starting rotation.

4) Jorge Cantu (Florida)

Jorge Cantu and Placido Polanco are pretty even statistically, but the one area Cantu has an advantage in are his power numbers. His .443 slugging percentage is much better than Polanco’s .396 slugging percentage. Cantu has been an impact player for the Marlins the past few years, last year managing to get 100 RBI for the first time in his career since 2005. He looks to continue that success while making a permanent transition to third base. While he is a natural first baseman, Cantu has stated that he feels comfortable enough at third to play the position.

5) Placido Polanco (Philadelphia)

Also making the transition to third base is Placido Polanco, the Phils’ new third baseman. While Polanco has played the position before, he has been a second baseman since his last stint with the Phillies. He does not have as good an arm as former Phils third baseman Pedro Feliz, but Polanco’s offensive numbers are much better than his. Polanco has a .303 career batting average and a .348 one base percentage. While these numbers are impressive, Polanco remains the fifth-best third baseman in the NL East.

Catcher

1) Brian McCann (Atlanta)

Brian McCann has undoubtedly become the second best catcher in baseball behind Twins catcher Joe Mauer. McCann has killed opposing pitchers with a career .293 batting average and a .853 OPS. At the young age of 26, he has nowhere to go but up. Look for his home run number and his RBI total to increase in 2010.

2) John Baker (Florida)

Marlins catcher John Baker will head into his third season in the majors as the Opening Day catcher. Baker was solid last year with a .271 BA and a .349 OBP. His lack of experience however is concerning, and there are questions remaining such as whether he can sustain an entire season catching in the pros.

3) Carlos Ruiz (Philadelphia)

Offensively, Carlos Ruiz is extremely mediocre. However, defensively, he is one of the biggest impact players on the diamond. The Phillies pitchers love Ruiz, and he rarely lets the ball past him, an important quality especially with a bullpen with Brad Lidge and his slider. Last year, his .255 batting average was a bit underwhelming. But his OBP of .355 is decent enough for him to make an impact in the lineup. If Ruiz can perform in the regular season like he does in the postseason, he will provide yet another enormous strength to the bottom half of the order.

4) Ivan Rodriguez (Washington)

The injury of Jesus Flores will most likely make Ivan Rodriguez the Opening Day starter for Washington. One has to wonder if Rodriguez, at the age of 38, can be a positive in the lineup. Last year, he batted .249 with an on base percentage of just .280. Like Ruiz however, Rodriguez’s experience will give young Nationals pitchers enormous insight on how to pitch effectively in the pros.

5) Rod Barajas (New York)

Rod Barajas is one of many catchers in the New York Met’s camp, but of them, he is the one who is in the best position to nab the starting spot in the lineup. Last year his batting average hovered around only .225 and his on base percentage of .258 was not much better. Like Rodriguez, Barajas has a lot of major league experience and will give the Mets pitchers an advantage, especially with a rotation that includes an inconsistent Oliver Perez.