MLB's Top 100 Players: All Hail King Albert?

I'm not ashamed to admit it...

The early, pulse-pounding action of the MLB postseason has given me a textbook case of "baseball fever."

In fact, my fever is so intense that I feel compelled to rank baseball's top 100 players, position players and pitchers alike.

Please note that these rankings are not based entirely upon the 2011 season, and that '10 and '09 will be given some consideration.

That being said, allow me to open the door to debate...

Injury Exemptions

These players were not considered due to injury:

Infielders: Brian Roberts, Bal; Kendry Morales, LAA; Joe Mauer, Min; Stephen Drew, Ari; Ike Davis, NYM; Ryan Zimmerman, Was.

Starters (did not qualify for league leaders): Josh Johnson, Fla; Adam Wainwright, Stl; Stephen Strasburg, Was; Tommy Hanson, Atl; Jair Jurrjens, Atl; Johan Santana, NYM; Clay Buchholz, Bos; Johnny Cueto, Cin; Jonathan Sanchez, SF.

The Next Crop (Just Missed)

These kids could break into the top 100 next year (in no particular order):

Infielders: Mark Trumbo, LAA; Eric Hosmer, KC.

Starters: Jeremy Hellickson, TB; Madison Bumgarner, SF; Ivan Nova, NYY; Bud Norris, Hou; Max Scherzer, Det; Michael Pineda, Sea; Daniel Hudson, Ari.

Relievers: Neftali Feliz, Tex; Daniel Bard, Bos; Jonny Venters, Atl; Sergio Santos, ChW.

Honorable Mentions

Close but no cigar for the following guys:

Infielders: Billy Butler, KC; Jhonny Peralta, Det; Elvis Andrus, Tex; Adam Lind, Tor; Emilio Bonifacio, Fla.

Outfielders: Drew Stubbs, Cin; Alfonso Soriano, ChC; Carlos Quentin, ChW; B.J. Upton, TB; Alex Gordon, KC; Torii Hunter, LAA; Carl Crawford, Bos; Nick Swisher, NYY; Nick Markakis, Bal; Melky Cabrera, KC; Andre Ethier, LAD; Vladimir Guerrero, Bal (DH).    

Starters: Hiroki Kuroda, LAD; Anibal Sanchez, Fla; Kyle Lohse, Stl; Wandy Rodriguez, Hou; Shaun Marcum, Mil.

Relievers: JJ Putz, Ari; Ryan Madson, Phi.

100. Drew Storen, CP, Washington Nationals

This nasty right-handed fireman should be closing games for Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann for quite some time.

99. Starlin Castro, SS, Chicago Cubs

This immensely-talented and entertaining kid is one of the few bright spots remaining on the Cubs' loser-laced roster.

98. Ben Zobrist, Utility, Tampa Bay Rays

What isn't he capable of doing on the diamond? He's a productive switch hitter who runs well and plays 2B, SS, 3B, 1B, RF, LF and even CF when necessary.

97. Jay Bruce, RF, Cincinnati Reds

It seems as if he may never make the transition from "home run hitter" to "run producer." Frustrating.

96. Mark Reynolds, 3B, Baltimore Orioles

He's a legitimate, pure power hitter, but his low batting averages and ridiculously high strikeout totals are off-putting on a yearly basis.

95. Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

Once a top-10 player, this veteran second baseman has been continually hindered by injuries.

94. Andrew McCutchen, CF, Pittsburgh Pirates

He's an electric, eye-catching talent who gets a lot of hype, but he only hit .259 this year.

93. Alex Avila, C, Detroit Tigers

You know that this guy, a catcher, had a higher OPS than Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Robinson Cano, Evan Longoria, Mark Teixeira and Ryan Howard...right?

92. Michael Morse, 1B/OF, Washington Nationals

After an embarrassing month of April, this big boy was one of the best hitters in baseball for the remainder of the long regular season.

91. Joel Hanrahan, CP, Pittsburgh Pirates

A fearless, flame-throwing closer who racked up 40 saves with a sparkling 1.83 ERA.

90. Miguel Montero, C, Arizona Diamondbacks

An excellent two-way catcher who is easily one of the most underrated players in the NL.

89. Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals

He's been considered the best defensive catcher in the bigs for a long time, but now, he's also a .300 hitter.

88. Mike Stanton, RF, Florida Marlins

A raw, mesmerizing talent with infinite power potential.

87. Ryan Vogelsong, SP, San Francisco Giants

This journeyman came out of nowhere to finish fourth in the NL in ERA, ahead of star teammates Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. Go figure.

86. Doug Fister, SP, Detroit Tigers

This burgeoning beanstalk was the piece that allowed Jim Leyland's Tigers to run away with the AL Central.

85. JJ Hardy, SS, Baltimore Orioles

This long, lanky, enigmatic shortstop became a fan favorite in Baltimore with 30 surprising homers.

84. Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees

I suppose this is a bit of a Career Achievement Award, but I couldn't really rank JJ Hardy ahead of "The Captain"...could I?

83. Mike Napoli, C/1B, Texas Rangers

This potent, power-hitting catcher had a ridiculously monstrous second half. He's a player I've always enjoyed watching.

82. Jaime Garcia, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

This young, poised left-hander was robbed of the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2010, but he didn't allow the snub to phase him throughout a solid sophomore season.

81. Dan Uggla, 2B, Atlanta Braves

The premier home-run hitting second baseman in the history of the game.

80. Francisco Cordero, CP, Cincinnati Reds

Did you know that "Coco" is second among active pitchers (Rivera) on the all-time saves list?

79. Corey Hart, RF, Milwaukee Brewers

A valuable two-way outfielder who always seems to find a way to get his.

78. Michael Bourn, CF, Atlanta Braves

The world's best base stealer also tends to hover around a .300 batting average. He's a Gold Glove center fielder as well.

77. Mat Latos, SP, San Diego Padres

This young, right-hander was the talk of the town a season ago, but his "down" year (3.47 ERA, 185 Ks) has quieted some of the chatter.

76. Adam Jones, CF, Baltimore Orioles

An immensely talented, versatile center fielder who is certainly one of the smoothest players in the game.

75. Jonathan Papelbon, CP, Boston Red Sox

He's been an elite closer for more than a handful of years now, but sometimes, he's overly reliant upon his fastball. Dare I say...macho?

74. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Cleveland Indians

He was one of the top three or four pitchers in baseball a year ago, and he started to regain that upper-echelon form after being traded from the Rockies to the Indians.

73. Ervin Santana, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

A solid, reliable innings eater who trusts his stuff and aggressively attacks the opposition.

72. Brian Wilson, CP, San Francisco Giants

This bearded wonder was the story of the year at the closer position in 2010. He wasn't spectacular this season due to injury, but he was still intimidating and relatively effective.

71. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS, Cleveland Indians

This entertaining shortstop was a legitimate AL MVP candidate throughout the first third of the season. His overall numbers were superb relative to his position.

70. Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Seattle Mariners

It was an obvious down year for Ichiro, but he's been the premier bat control hitter for quite some time. Still near the top of the league in stolen bases as well.

69. Shane Victorino, CF, Philadelphia Phillies

A stabilizing force in center field for the successful Phillies. "The Flyin' Hawaiian" is a valuable all-around performer.

68. Kevin Youkilis, 3B, Boston Red Sox

Injuries and clubhouse turmoil turned 2011 into a disconcerting campaign for the usually unshakable "Youk."

67. C.J. Wilson, SP, Texas Rangers

I'm not a big believer in this guy as a long-term lefty ace, but his sensational 2011 statistics are undoubtedly undeniable.

66. Matt Garza, SP, Chicago Cubs

This aggressive, confident right-hander had some of the worst luck in the league this year but still managed a 3.32 ERA and 197 strikeouts.

65. Gio Gonzalez, SP, Oakland Athletics

This impressive lefty is easily one of my favorite starters in the AL. He combines outstanding stuff with a refreshing willingness to learn and improve.

64. Jimmy Rollins, SS, Philadelphia Phillies

"J-Roll" goes on cruise control at times during the long, grueling regular season, but he's always prepared to shine at crunch time. Though he's advancing in age, he's still an incredible fielder at the most important defensive position.

63. Nelson Cruz, RF, Texas Rangers

I'm certain that "Nellie" is a top-50 talent, but injuries and inconsistency always seem to keep him on the outside looking in.

62. Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Chicago Cubs

He's an excellent run producer, but injuries typically suck some of the life out of his final numbers (.306, 26 HRs, 93 RBI). They could be spectacular, but they end up solid.

61. Tim Hudson, SP, Atlanta Braves

See No. 54. (Just change Mike Scioscia to Fredi Gonzalez).

60. Ricky Romero, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

This kid is a tremendous competitor who never backs down, regardless of the fact that he pitches in the toughest offensive division in the MLB.

59. Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves

The elite offensive catcher in the bigs.

58. John Axford, CP, Milwaukee Brewers

This ferocious flamethrower was one of the top three closers in the game this year.

57. David Wright, 3B, New York Mets

He has standout numbers for his career, but—coming from a diehard Mets fan—he's been nothing but a disappointment under pressure. True superstars rise to the occasion.

56. Carlos Beltran, RF, San Francisco Giants

This sweet-swinging right fielder (and former world-class center fielder) remains one of the top switch hitters in the business.

55. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers

I love his quick hands and short stroke, but Kinsler needs to improve his outer-half plate coverage to crack my top 50.

54. Dan Haren, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

His stuff isn't quite what it used to be, but Haren is a workhorse who remains highly effective for manager Mike Scioscia.

53. Heath Bell, CP, San Diego Padres

Arguably the most consistent, active closer after the legendary Mariano Rivera.

52. Chris Carpenter, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

A tough-minded, veteran "ace" who would actually play second fiddle to a healthy Adam Wainwright.

51. Craig Kimbrel, CP, Atlanta Braves

A rookie with 46 saves and 127 strikeouts in 77 innings?

Are you kidding me?

50. Ian Kennedy, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

From an overly cocky, young control pitcher with the Yankees, to a mature, collected, Cy Young candidate with the Diamondbacks. Go figure.

49. Hunter Pence, LF, Philadelphia Phillies

A solid, spunky, sparkplug of a ballplayer. He's fitting nicely with his new teammates.

48. Lance Berkman, OF/1B, St. Louis Cardinals

An absolute lock for the Comeback Player of the Year award. What an impressive career turnaround.

47. David Ortiz, DH, Boston Red Sox

Everyone keeps expecting "Big Papi" to taper off into retirement, but this gritty hitter finished fourth in the AL in OPS.

46. Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinnati Reds

A fun-loving, fun-to-watch, versatile second baseman.

45. James Shields, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

There is no question that Shields was one of the best starting pitchers in baseball this season, but his two preceding years (5.18 ERA, 4.14) were hardly superstar caliber.

44. Zack Greinke, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

After a slow start in a new setting, this electric right-hander settled in nicely, evoking vivid memories of his Cy Young season with the Royals.

43. Victor Martinez, DH, Detroit Tigers

This switch-hitting standout (.330 BA) would be higher on the list if he spent more time as a catcher than a DH.

42. Josh Beckett, SP, Boston Red Sox

This bulldog's filthy stuff never seems to deteriorate.

41. Jose Valverde, CP, Detroit Tigers

In my opinion, there are certainly closers with better repertoires—Craig Kimbrel, Neftali Feliz and Brian Wilson to name a few—but this maniac earns the No. 2 spot because he went 49-of-49 this season. Absolutely incredible.

40. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

This kid is aggressive, tough, durable and has the stuff to complement his make-up. He's also respected as a dangerous hitting pitcher.

39. Justin Upton, RF, Arizona Diamondbacks

He's widely considered an NL MVP candidate, but the ultra-talented Upton only had 88 RBI on a first-place team.

38. David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Price has one of the most dominant left-handed fastballs you'll ever see, but he needs to refine and trust his secondary offerings to ascend the ranks.

37. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

A strong final third of the season salvaged a nearly disastrous campaign for the Rays' franchise position player.

36. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees

There was a time when he was a lock for the top four; now, he's good enough for the top 40.

35. Matt Cain, SP, San Francisco Giants

A breathtaking postseason followed by a superb regular season (2.89 ERA, 1.08 WHIP).

34. Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

Sometimes overlooked because of top-tier teammates Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, this outstanding young lefty continues to improve and thrive.

33. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins

It was an alarmingly poor and injury-riddled season for this once-invincible shortstop of the Marlins. In past years, he was a lock for the top 10; this year, he falls a few spots outside of the top 30.

32. Michael Young, Infielder, Texas Rangers

This consummate professional hitter finished at .338 this season. Ho hum; another year in the consistent career of "Forever" Young.

31. Carlos Gonzalez, LF/CF, Colorado Rockies

He played in only 127 games due to injury, but the man they call "Cargo" followed up an MVP-caliber '10 season with a .295 BA, 26 HRs and 20 SBs this year.

30. Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees

Teixeira has been one of the premier power hitters in the AL the past few seasons, but his batting average continues to drop steadily. He has more holes now than ever.

29. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

The second-best (all-around) second baseman in the game.

28. Paul Konerko, 1B, Chicago White Sox

Quietly one of the most reliable and productive offensive players in the league.

27. Matt Holliday, LF, St. Louis Cardinals

Various ailments shortened Holliday's regular season, but he still provides the valuable and scarce combination of high average and power.

26. Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox

It was an underwhelming year for this normally superlative left-handed ace, but he still managed a solid record with a 3.47 ERA and 187 strikeouts.

25. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers

Though he played for two different, top-tier teams, Beltre produced back-to-back excellent seasons—especially relative to a position marred by down years (David Wright, Alex Rodriguez, Evan Longoria and Ryan Zimmerman).

24. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF, Boston Red Sox

This fantastic, high-flying center fielder was one of the true breakout performers of the 2011 season. If he had more of a track record of this (.321 BA, 32 homers, 105 RBI, 39 steals, 119 runs) kind of success, I'd definitely get him into the top 20.

23. Curtis Granderson, CF, New York Yankees

This congenial class act is a legitimate AL MVP candidate who outshined superstar teammates including Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter.

22. Jered Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

A funky delivery and a disorienting array of pitches make Weaver (Volume II) one of the premier right-handed starters.

21. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

Quietly had another sensational season at the shortstop position.

20. Jose Reyes, SS, New York Mets

This spectacular speedster added a batting title to his already impressive statistical resume, but his recurring injury issues keep him out of my top 15.

19. C.C. Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees

Sabathia's still a solid, workhorse of an ace, but that air of invincibility was clearly lacking this season.

18. Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners

"King Felix" is one of my favorite starters to watch (and certainly one of the most talented), but his 3.47 ERA was awfully mundane in a year flooded with standout, individual pitching statistics.

17. Josh Hamilton, LF/CF, Texas Rangers

Last year's AL MVP was sidetracked by injury this season, but "Hambone" still found a way to leave his mark when it mattered.

16. Matt Kemp, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers

This explosive and gifted player nearly won the Triple Crown in the NL, but effort and accountability have been concerning issues in the past.

15. Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies

It was a bit of a down year for Howard (.253 BA, .275 lifetime), but he still managed 33 homers and 116 RBI and has been a consistent power force for quite awhile.

14. Mariano Rivera, CP, New York Yankees

When the following question is posed, "Who is the best closer in baseball?"

Is there ever any doubt about the answer?

13. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

This lights-out lefty managed to earn the NL pitching Triple Crown despite a lethargic and lackluster season for the storied Dodgers franchise. Sky's the limit for this kid.

12. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

Votto's Reds were a disappointment this season, but his individual success continued convincingly (.309, 29 homers, 103 RBI).

11. Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

He's the best lefty in the bigs because he works fast, establishes a rhythm, attacks the strikezone, utilizes both sides of the plate, commands and uses all of his pitches and has the numbers to back it all up.

10. Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

A sweet-swinging, potent power hitter with the ability to surprise people with his batting average (.299).

With the open market on the horizon, can you say, "Payday?"

9. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston Red Sox

"A-Gone" is a rare breed: a Gold Glove fielder who hits for both power and average.

8. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees

One of the most naturally gifted ballplayers I've ever had the pleasure to witness.

7. Tim Lincecum, SP, San Francisco Giants

He didn't receive much media attention in the NL this season because of Philly's fantastic aces, but Lincecum yawned his way to a 2.74 ERA and 220 more mesmerizing strikeouts.

6. Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers

This complete freak of nature was the best and most dominant pitcher in the universe this year.

5. Ryan Braun, LF, Milwaukee Brewers

I value versatile, consistent hitters and only two in the world are better than the Brewers' pride and joy.

4. Jose Bautista, RF/3B, Toronto Blue Jays

This out-of-nowhere superstar has emerged as the most complete power hitter in the bigs.

Bautista dominated the walks category (132) and his 1.056 OPS blew everyone out of the water except the stud at the No. 2 spot.

3. Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

This one is simple: "Doc" is the best starting pitcher of his generation, and he's still going strong.

2. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers

He's not in phenomenal athletic shape, but Miggy is a jaw-dropping natural hitter with absolutely no weaknesses at the plate. If he comes away with the AL MVP trophy, he'll be a deserving winner.

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

Injury limited him to less than 150 games played for just the second time in his illustrious 11-year career, but "The Machine" still managed to mash 37 homers, good for third in the NL.

His unparalleled consistency earns him the top spot on my list. Well-deserved, King Albert.