MLB 2K12 Player Ratings: Players Who Deserve Game's Best Ratings

Ah, baseball is in the air once more. Spring Training is underway, and more importantly, the baseball video games are soon to hit consoles.

That's right, MLB 2K12 is set to return, and I'm here to speculate on who the highest-rated players in the game should be. I've selected seven players I believe should be given a top rating.

Let's begin.

Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

It was strange not writing "St Louis Cardinals" after his name.

Sure, Pujols had a down year (by his standards) last season, failing to hit 100 RBI (he hit 99) or .300 (he hit .299) for the first time in his career.

But Pujols is the model of consistency, and until he doesn't hit 30 plus home runs or linger around the 100 RBI and .300 mark, he deserves to be considered one of the elite players in baseball.

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Cabrera, much like Pujols, is as steady as they come. His 162-game average for his career is ridiculous:

H	R	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG
191	102	33	118	.317	.395	.555

In my opinion, Cabrera is the best all-around hitter in baseball, replacing Pujols in that regard. He deserves a top ranking.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

When you win both the AL Cy Young and MVP, you deserve a top ranking in any video game out there.

Hell, if the makers of a game from a different sport want to include Verlander, he should be a top-ranking player in that game as well.

That's how good his 2011 was.

Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

Well, I guess we can all go back to showering Braun with praise again, now that he's been cleared of allegedly using an illegal substance.

At this point in his career, you can safely write in 30 home runs, 100 RBI and a .300 batting average. Oh, and why not throw in 20 to 30 steals while you're at it?

And though he might miss Prince Fielder hitting behind him slightly, I wouldn't expect much of a drop-off from Braun this year.

The dude can straight rake.

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

Since 2003, Halladay has only allowed 40 or more walks in a season once, and had more than 30 starts in all but two of those years.

That's crazy.

Halladay may have actually had a better year last year than he did in his 2010 Cy Young campaign for the Phillies, finishing 19-6 with a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 220 strikeouts while throwing 233.2 innings.

Doc hasn't shown any indications of slowing down, and remains one of baseball's most dominant—and certainly most consistent—pitchers.

Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers) or Jacoby Ellsbury (Boston Red Sox)

I've lumped these two together because I can't decide who the better center fielder was in 2011.

Both had epic 2011 years and each finished as the runner-up for the MVP in their respective leagues, and both will solidify their place as top-five players in the game if they replicate their 2011 success.

But I don't know if both will, and I couldn't decide who had a better 2011, so they both make the list.

Player	H	R	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG
Jacoby Ellsbury	212	119	32	105	39	.321	.376	.552
Matt Kemp	195	115	39	126	40	.324	.399	.586

I guess looking at those numbers, you would have to say Kemp was better, but it certainly was very close across the board.

Though if Ellsbury steals the number of bases he is capable of this year—remember, he stole 70 in 2009—he could certainly swing the argument in his favor.

One way or another, each are capable of being top-five players in baseball this year.

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