Adam Dunn and the Top 10 MLB Players on Last-Place Teams

In just about any sport, there are the elite teams that appear regularly in the postseason and then there are the cellar dwellars, the teams that nobody takes seriously and are often never talked about.

Unfortunately, some of the best players in the MLB are on some of the worst teams in baseball.

Let's give these players some recognition and the respect they deserve.

10. Andrew McCutchen

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been a horrible team for a ridiculously long time. They can't sell tickets and the only thing they have managed to pillage and plunder is their fans' hopes and dreams. The truth of the matter is they do not have enough talent to succeed in the red-heavy NL Central.

However, if their is one bright spot for the Pirates, it is centerfielder Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen's stats have not been quite as imppressive as the Pirate's hoped, but he has the potential to be one of the best centerfielders in the game.

McCutchen has that rare combination of speed and power. Even though he has been plagued by the injury bug, McCutchen has knocked 12 homers and is fifth in the National League in stolen bases with 26 swipes.

9. Adam Jones

The Baltimore Orioles could actually become a decent team if Buck Showalter decides to remain the skipper.

Unfortunately for them, they are in the AL East and it will take a divine miracle to even contend for third place in that division.

Last year's Gold Glove winner Adam Jones has given the O's reason to believe that they can be contenders in the future.

Jones is a terrific defensive outfielder and has proven to be a very solid hitter with a respectable .275 BA this year and 17 home runs.

Hopefully, the Orioles can hang on to him.

8. Justin Upton

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed the talented Upton brother to a six-year contract this year and he has proven to be a great investment.

Upton may be a streaky hitter with a few attitude problems, but he has managed to put together a decent .271 batting average and smack 17 home runs.

The D-Backs are a long ways away from playoff contention, but if they can continue to draft and develop players like Upton, they are on the right track.

7. Shin-Soo Choo

Since joining the Cleveland Indians in 2006, Choo has not posted a batting average below .294.

Choo has the ability to hit 20 home runs and drive in 70 men every year and his current on base percentage is the 7th-best in the American League at .389.

Choo has been the focus of a lot of trade rumors and it would be a shame if the already-struggling offense of the Cleveland Indians lost their most productive player.

6. Luke Scott

The home run machine Luke Scott has been a pleasant surprise for the Baltimore Orioles.

His .291 batting average is nearly 30 points higher than his career average and he is on track to his over 30 home runs this season.

Scott ranks 7th in HRs in the AL, 7th in OPS (.930), and 5th in Slugging Percentage (.577)

If you happened to pick this guy up in fantasy baseball early in the season, you must be a happy camper.

5. Stephen Strasburg

I know, I know. Strasburg's first season has been abruptly cut short due to some forearm issues and the fact that the Washington Nationals don't want their $15 million investment to go to waste, because the only thing that deteriorates faster than a young pitcher is a marriage.

Although we may have not seen enough of Strasburg to call him an elite pitcher, he still has some of the best stuff that anyone has seen in decades.

If Strasburg doesn't blow his arm out in the next few years, he could easily become the best pitcher in baseball. Easily.

4. Ryan Zimmerman

Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals has been the only  NL MVP candidate that nobody talks about.

The Zimm has the league's 7th best batting average (.301) and the 9th most home runs (24). He is also in the top ten in OPS, SLG, and OBP.

If Zimmerman were on a different team, he would be one of baseballs biggest superstars.

Not many players can hit above .300 and still hit 30 home runs, but Ryan Zimmerman is making it look easy.

3. Felix Hernandez

Last year King Felix was the Cy Young runner-up behind Zack Greinke.

Believe it or not, Hernandez is having a better year than last year and yet, when the Cy Young is discussed, you will not hear a whisper about Felix Hernandez.

Hernandez has the most strikeouts in the American League (192), the third lowest ERA (2.47), and the third lowest WHIP (1.11), but because of the fact that he plays for the Seattle Mariners, he only has a .500 record to show for it.

Hopefully, for the sake of King Felix and humanity, Hernandez will end up on a team that he can help lead to the postseason and be recognized as the great pitcher that he has become.

Sorry, Mariners fans.

2. Adam Dunn

Adam Dunn hit 40 or more home runs and over 90 RBI in five consecutive seasons, but he has only been to one All-Star Game in his career.

The first baseman with the second-most home runs in the National League is the man that every baseball fan wants on their team.

Although Adam Dunn may swing and miss more than anyone else, he can still hit over 40 home runs in a season and drive in 100 men.

Dunn also currently ranks 4th in the league in slugging percentage (.541) and 9th in RBI (79).

Adam Dunn will most likely be wearing a different uniform next season, but he has given hope  and success to a once-great sports town in Washington, D.C and will likely pass the cleanup torch down to new multi-millionaire, Bryce Harper.

1. Ichiro

Only one word can describe the most consistent hitter in baseball.

Only one word can describe the leaping catches over the wall and the blazing speed on the base paths.

Only one word can describe the 10-time All-Star selections and nine Gold Glove awards.

Only one word can describe this legendary march into Cooperstown.

Ichiro.

Need I say more?