Every MLB Team's Most Unreliable Player

There's always that one player on a team that just can't be relied on in any given season.

Whether it's a matter of a horrendous slump, poor health or just poor play, every MLB team is subject to dealing with that one guy who wears the dubious crown of "unreliable."

Today, I want to quickly look at each team's most unreliable player thus far and delve just a tiny bit into what the problem either is or what the problem seems to be.

Some teams are more difficult than others to pin-point an unreliable player since their winning ways are usually due to a collective input from everyone, so a few mentions here will obviously be up for debate.

But there are also a significant collection of other players who truly fit the bill such as Seattle's Chone Figgins, which we'll see later on.

Let's see who's who, and if you disagree and have another mention as a replacement, leave it below and get the discussion going.

Philadelphia Phillies: Joe Blanton

Joey-B hasn’t exactly been what Philadelphia had hoped for since joining the team in 2008.

While he has been serviceable—at times—he still is one of the more unreliable players on this team.

Blanton has had his shining moments but ultimately has more consistency with being an unreliable pitcher than anything else despite his 26-16 record which is exposed by his 4.46 ERA and 1.380 WHIP.

There aren’t many unreliable players on the Phillies, so it’s slim pickings here.

New York Mets: Willie Harris

Harris hasn't had a solid year and hasn't exactly been the most reliable player for the Mets either.

His offensive woes continue despite putting up 12 RBI, and his defense is enough to make a case as to why he is even on the Mets anymore.

His last multi-hit game, for example, was back in May which was his first since Opening Day.

Washington Nationals: Ian Desmond

What can I say that Nationals’ fans don’t already know regarding Desmond?

His offense has been less than desirable, his defense is abhorrent and he has developed into a bust more than anything else.

In 154 ABs last year, Desmond did hit 10 homeruns while batting .269, but again, his defense wasn’t there, and he wound up showing signs of unreliability then, so this shouldn’t be a surprise.

Atlanta Braves: Derek Lowe

There was a time when Lowe was a formidable pitcher, but those days may be long behind him, and Lowe is just lucky to have a manager (Fredi Gonzalez) who ISN’T wise enough to bench him in favor of youngsters Mike Minor and Julio Teheran.

Lowe started this season hot but has not only cooled off since that time but also leveled out for the worse becoming highly unreliable this season.

Lowe is currently 6-10 with a 4.86 ERA, but worse, he has a 7.52 ERA in his last five starts.

Braves fans can only hope for Lowe to finish strong in September, but his current reliability suggests otherwise.

Florida Marlins: Chris Coghlan

In 2009, Chris Coghlan was all the rage winning the Rookie of the Year award and being nominated as an MVP.

And that was about the extent of Coghlan’s output.

Since then, Coghlan has been as unreliable as they come, dealing with poor play on offense and defense, injuries and becoming bench material a few times over the past two years.

He just hasn’t turned anything around in a reliable manner since that marquee year.

Chicago Cubs: Randy Wells

I still hold out hope that somewhere inside this kid is a great pitcher waiting to blossom, but even I admit that my hope is running thin.

After his strong 2009 season, the Chicago Cubs have not been able to rely on Wells at all outside of a few spotty starts at best.

He can’t go the distance per game, he has trouble with his command and can’t seem to pitch his way out of trouble, let alone turn in quality starts.

Simply unreliable at this point.

St. Louis Cardinals: Nick Punto

The simple fact that Punto has been a hospital’s wet dream this year is enough to list him as unreliable for the 2011 season.

Punto has had previous stints on the DL with a hernia and forearm issues and also recently dealt with an elbow problem in lieu if his current grievance: an oblique strain which could keep him out for more than 15 days depending on the severity.

The Cardinals’ fans have got to be sick and tired of hearing the term “DL.”

Pittsburgh Pirates: Pedro Alvarez

What happened here?

Alvarez was supposed to be “the next big thing” in Pittsburgh, but instead, the Pirates have had more luck relying on their farm than their supposed star third baseman.

Alvarez has provided little offense (.206/.274/.300 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 180 AB) and an equally minute amount of defense when in play making him extremely unreliable this season.

Cincinnati Reds: Edinson Volquez

Again, what happened here?

The flame throwing Volquez has been the model of unreliability for a long time now, and I think the Reds have had just about enough.

He hasn’t been able to stay healthy or gain any sort of pitching command, and he hasn’t fared any better in the minors this season either.

Quite possibly the most unreliable player to come along in a few years for this Reds organization.

Houston Astros: J.A. Happ

Happ has not only continued to disappoint in Houston, but he has shown himself to be highly unreliable this year.

He's not only accumulated a 6.26 ERA on a 4-12 record but also made history recently by allowing at least five runs in eight consecutive starts, which is the first time in Astros history something of such nature has been accomplished.

I’m not sure what the issue here is as Happ had to quality years under his belt ( 6-4, 3.40 ERA in 2010 and 12-4, 2.93 ERA in 2009 with Philly).

Either way, his unreliability basically forced the Astros to option Happ back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Milwaukee Brewers: Carlos Gomez

Typically, you wouldn’t hear Gomez’s name on a list like this, but if I had to pick someone from the Brewers it would be Gomez.

He struggled at the plate this year and was inconsistent in the outfield, while ultimately becoming unreliable on a daily basis for the Brewers.

This is not to speak of a trend with Gomez, as I am sure he will have a fine bounce-back season in 2012.

San Diego Padres: Nick Hundley

Hundley was looking more and more like a serious offensive weapon for the Padres, but instead, this season has shown Hundley to be as unreliable as they come.

His problem has been injuries all through the season (mainly elbow and oblique) which have been the reason for Hundley only competing in 45 games.

If Hundley can get and stay healthy, though, he’ll be a wonderful option at the backstop for years to come in San Diego.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Juan Uribe

Do I really have to go into this one, Dodgers’ fans?

I don’t know what’s worse, his horrible play or his unexplainable $21 million contract over three years.

San Francisco Giants: Eli Whiteside

The Giants haven’t had any sort of reliability from Eli Whiteside or Whiteside’s platoon buddy Chris Stewart.

Even before the MLB trade deadline, the Giants were actively searching for someone to come in and provide that power-bat and backstop assurance the Giants don’t technically have but instead, opted for outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Fair enough.

The Giants will continue to platoon the two at the backstop, and hopefully for them, their current season showing is just a strong example of growing pains.

Colorado Rockies: Dexter Fowler

Fowler has NOT been the guy he was supposed to be this season and has been curiously unreliable this year.

Fowler put in one good month in July. But aside from one good month, Fowler has been injured, benched, questioned for his lack of defense—heck the guy has even ran the bases poorly this season.

If he keeps this up, the next option to Triple-A may be a lengthy one.

Boston Red Sox: Carl Crawford

His offense disappeared, his health has been a concern all year, and after signing a curiously hefty contract worth $142 million over seven years, the Red Sox have gotta be wondering when Crawford is going to get things going.

There’s no denying that the talent is there, but there is the worry of his unreliability.

The Red Sox need Crawford to significantly pick things up now to help bolster their push for the divisional crown.

New York Yankees: A.J. Burnett

The days of A.J. Burnett being the marquee guy in New York are seemingly over.

Burnett has technically been unreliable for the past two years—arguably longer—and the organization has got to be wondering if perhaps Burnett’s decline is testimony of where he is as a pitcher.

Last year was bad enough, and while Burnett did have a promising open to the season, he has quickly fallen back down to earth leaving many to wonder if it is tie to cut the unreliable tie to a once great Yankee pitcher.

Tampa Bay Rays: Wade Davis

Technically a lone wolf in an otherwise solid roster, Davis has had more inconsistency which has relegated him to an unreliable status.

His 8-7 record and 4.45 ERA are the by-product of said inconsistency, and he really hasn't done anything to solidify himself as a every start threat.

You never know what you're gonna get with Davis.

Toronto Blue Jays: Aaron Hill

Hill's struggles as a Blue Jay continue to haunt him, and there is little argument against the fact that Hill is the most unreliable player on the Jays' roster right now.

Hill is batting just .229 with five homers and 38 RBI in 323 at-bats after batting .205 in 2010. He did hit 26 homeruns though.

But the aforementioned additive of the homers is exactly the frustrating part—two disappointing and unreliable years, from a player who you KNOW has the talent.

Baltimore Orioles: Brian Roberts

I hate having to list Mr. Roberts here, but the Brian Roberts’ unreliability to stay healthy is as real as it gets.

In a perfect world, Brian Roberts is a quality second baseman, one who the Orioles and their fanbase are very high on. But after just 59 games in 2010 and 39 this season, Roberts is just more unreliable than reliable at this point.

Chicago White Sox: Alex Rios

The White Sox really thought that Rios could wind up being the X-factor for this team in 2011 but instead wound up with a very unreliable bat for the majority of the season thus far.

Yes, he has recently “heated up,” but that doesn’t suggest a reversal of fortunes by any means, only that he has found a slight upswing in his play.

Hopefully he does turn things around though.

Detroit Tigers: Brad Penny

Brad Penny really should’ve hung up the cleats after his last season in LA (2008) but instead decided to keep going providing a subpar turnout in San Francisco last year and an even more unreliable season with Detroit thus far.

Penny just isn’t the same as the 2006-07 version, and there is little to suggest he will turn things around for the betterment of this team.

Cleveland Indians: Fausto Carmona

I don’t know what this Indians team sees in Carmona, and more importantly, I don’t know what this Indians team has to do to get Carmona back to the level of a reliable pitcher in 2011.

They’ve tried changing his approach, his mechanics, they’ve found ways to get him some run support but to no avail.

At 5-11 with a paltry 5.19 ERA, the Indians should be thinking an option down to Triple-A instead of hoping for a turnaround…he’s just to unreliable at this point.

Kansas City Royals: Kyle Davies

Another MLB player filled with talent but marred by inconsistency and unreliability.

Davies has not been able to do much at all this year and has shown himself to be the most unreliable pitcher on their roster and player on their team.

Davies is 1-9 with a 6.75 ERA and has even dealt with health issues, with his latest injury landing him on the DL.

Not what I would call reliable.

Minnesota Twins: Francisco Liriano

Forget about the 2006 version, he is long gone and will never return.

Liriano has tried to resurrect himself but just hasn’t done anything other than offer a ton of unreliability on the bump.

Yes, he has shown flashes of what was, but those flashes mean nothing when compared to his unreliability as a pitcher and obvious decline.

Oakland Athletics: Rich Harden

Just imagine what Harden could’ve become if things were different.

For all the talent that Harden does posses, his unreliability as an Athletics’ pitcher and MLB player has marred that potential year after year.

The culprit here has simply been an inability to stay healthy for even a lengthily period of time, let alone an entire season.

A true shame indeed.

Texas Rangers: Ian Kinsler

One more time, what happened here?

Kinsler’s season continues to reel in 2011 making him the most unreliable player on this Rangers’ roster hands down.

Yes, he has 16 dingers and has even found some recent success, but he has also been the lone offensive absentee now that Chris Davis is gone, who would’ve been listed here had he not been traded.

Los Angeles Angels: Freddy Sandoval

Injuries, injuries, injuries.

That has been the motto surrounding Sandoval for the majority of this season, which is why the Angels just can’t count on this guy.

He’s been sidelined with aliments, optioned to Triple-A and he has played a bit below the average when he does get the chance.

Just too unreliable at this point to be trusted.

Seattle Mariners: Chone Figgins

Out of all the players that could’ve been listed per team, there is no other player who fits the “unreliable tag” better than Chone Figgins.

I can only assume Seattle fans were holding out hope of a possible trade earlier this year, after one of the most disappointing seasons from a Mariner in recent memory.

All in all, Figgins’ offensive and defensive woes makes him the most unreliable roster member in Seattle hands down.