MLB's Hottest Players: Edition #1

Through roughly 10 games in the 2010 Major League Baseball season, we have already seen some crazy games; there was Ubaldo Jimenez’s no-hitter tonight, the first in Colorado Rockies team history, and as I write this, the Mets and Cardinals are in the bottom of the 18th inning.

Alex Rodriguez hit his first home-run of the season today, showing how hitters have gotten off to a slow start so far. But below are the five players who have been on a tear since game one. I did not just pick the five statistically best players, but I scoured around a little bit. They are also in no particular order.

Albert Pujols

The reigning MVP and league’s best hitter, got off on the right foot with two home-runs on Opening Day. He has since hit three, coming in two games. His batting average stands on .359 and he is tied for the league lead in RBI’s with 15. Can never go wrong with this guy, and he will continue to own pitchers the rest of the way.

Vernon Wells

It’s about time that the league’s biggest contractual flop got things going early on in the season. He is tied for the league lead in home-runs with six, and if the Jays hope to trade him, like they do every season since they signed him, they need him to keep producing at this pace.

Alex Gonzales

Who would have thought that a player that Yahoo Fantasy ranked 1079 would make this list? The veteran journeyman shortstop has been absolutely tearing it up for the surprise Jays, batting .340 with four home-runs and eight RBIs. I would expect that he will cool off though, and make all fantasy team owners who picked him up (raising his total to 50 percent) think that they were drinking the night they added him.

Tim Lincecum

The two-time reigning NL Cy Young winner is picking up right where he left off, with a 3-0 record and a mind-numbing 0.90 ERA. He also has 24 strikeouts in 20 innings and has a changeup that Brian McCann, after Lincecum’s victory over the Braves a few days ago, remarked, “You can’t hit it.” I expect him to keep up this winning pace, although his ERA will go up eventually.

Roy Halladay

My second favorite pitcher in the league continues to show why he simply is the best. He continues to eat up innings and after toying with American League lineups for years, he has cut through National League ones like a hot knife through butter. He is currently 3-0 with an ERA of 1.12 and already has the first of many complete games under his belt.

Honorable Mention: Jerry Manuel

Let’s just say he’s on the hot seat.

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