Report Cards for MLB's Top 50 Superstars Through August

Technically there is still August baseball left to be played, but it's Labor Day weekend, Mr. Lumbergh, and I won't be coming in to work on my TPS reports.

Or to hand out report cards.

Sure, it's possible that someone could throw a perfect game or hit four grand slams tonight, but it's highly unlikely to happen, so I'm confident in the following grades.

Keep in mind: This is not a list of the 50 best players thus far in the season, because that would be foolish to grade. Everyone would receive high marks, and there's no fun in that.

Instead, these are 50 of the players who were considered to be the best in the game heading into the season—players you would find on, say, a Top 100 Players ranking, something my colleague Joel Reuter published back in April.

The point is, these lists are subjective. And we aren't likely to agree on some, perhaps many of the grades handed out.

Finally, two players—Toronto's Jose Bautista and the Yankees' Mariano Rivera—normally would have appeared on the list. However, with both players out for the season, I felt it unfair to include them as they have no chance to improve upon their grade, and in Rivera's case, he hasn't played in months.

Those replacements have been noted individually in the pages that follow.

So without further ado...

*Statistics are as of the end of play on Aug. 30*

Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers

2012 Stats: 126 G, .311/.348/.524, 25 HR, 81 RBI, 1 SB

Over the past few weeks, Adrian Beltre has hit for the cycle, clubbed three home runs in the first four innings of a game and reminded the baseball world that the Rangers lineup features a number of players who are big-time performers.

A slick fielder as well as a force on offense, Beltre has been on fire the past two weeks, batting .396 with six home runs and 16 RBI.

Grade: A

Ryan Braun, LF, Milwaukee Brewers

2012 Stats: 121 G, .308/.385/.600, 35 HR, 90 RBI, 20 SB

In the wake of Prince Fielder's departure and the controversy surrounding a failed drug test last year, Ryan Braun has seemingly put it all aside. He continues to produce at a high level for the Brewers.

Tied for the National League lead in RBI with the Cardinals' Matt Holliday, Braun leads the senior circuit in home runs, total bases and OPS.

Grade: A

Madison Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants

2012 Stats: 26 GS, 14-8, 2.93 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 18 QS, 8.34 K/9, 4.58 K/BB

All Madison Bumgarner has done in 2012 is improve upon his sophomore season that saw him finish 11th in the NL Cy Young Award voting, this after he threw eight innings of shutout baseball in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series against the Rangers.

Among the league leaders in virtually every major pitching category, the 23-year-old southpaw is making the six-year, $35.5 million extension that he signed with the Giants this past April look like one of the biggest bargains in all of baseball.

Grade: A

Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Detroit Tigers

2012 Stats: 128 G, .325/.390/.583, 32 HR, 107 RBI, 4 SB

With a month left in the season, Miguel Cabrera has already eclipsed his home run and RBI totals from 2011. He has a decent shot to set new career highs in both categories, surpassing his 38 home runs and 126 RBI from 2010.

Second to Mike Trout in batting average, Josh Hamilton in RBI and fifth in the American League in home runs, Miguel Cabrera continues to prove that he is not only a perennial MVP candidate, but he is certainly in the discussion of who is the best hitter in baseball.

Grade: A

Matt Cain, SP, San Francisco Giants

2012 Stats: 26 GS, 13-5, 2.82 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 18 QS, 8.11 K/9, 4.56 K/BB

The unquestioned leader of the Giants' pitching staff, 27-year-old Matt Cain spent much of his career overshadowed by his more high-profile teammate, Tim Lincecum. Not anymore.

Cain threw one of the most impressive games of all time when he achieved perfection against the Astros back in June, and he followed that up with an All-Star Game start—and victory—in July. He hasn't lost a game since August 6.

What will he do for an encore in September?

Grade: A

Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees

2012 Stats: 129 G, .307/.371/.547, 27 HR, 70 RBI, 3 SB

If you had any doubts about Robinson Cano's talents, consider this: He finished the month of April with a .267 average, one home run and four RBI, yet he leads second basemen in virtually every offensive category.

A perennial MVP candidate, Cano has no equal. He's simply the best that the game has to offer as far as second basemen go.

Grade: A

Prince Fielder, 1B, Detroit Tigers

2012 Stats: 129 G, .310/.407/.513, 23 HR, 93 RBI, 1 SB

While the Tigers haven't run away with the American League Central as many predicted that they would after the they signed Prince Fielder this past winter, the blame certainly can't be placed on Fielder's enormous shoulders.

He's outside of the top 10 in the American League home run race, and that could be a bone of contention for his critics, though to me, it's nothing more than nitpicking.

Fielder has put together a solid first year in Detroit so far and is on pace for his second consecutive season of drawing more walks than strikeouts.

Grade: B+

Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 14-8, 3.52 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 22 QS, 9.18 K/9, 2.65 K/BB

Yovani Gallardo finished the first month of the season by allowing eight earned runs over two innings against the Cardinals, finishing the month with a 6.08 ERA and the looks of a long season ahead of him.

Since then, he's pitched as well as he ever has, with a 13-6 record and 3.04 ERA, holding opposing batters to a .222 average and .656 OPS.

Over his past six starts, the Brewers' 26-year-old ace has been even better, holding the opposition to a .193 average and .584 OPS, striking out 44 batters in 42.2 innings pitched en route to a 6-0 record and 1.90 ERA.

Grade: B+

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

2012 Stats (BOS): 123 G, .300/.343/.469, 15 HR, 86 RBI, 0 SB

2012 Stats (LAD): 6 G, .250/.333/.375, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB

Some never thought that Adrian Gonzalez was a good fit in Boston, and that may be true. When I sat down with him prior to the start of the regular season, though, I certainly didn't get the impression that he had any issues calling Beantown home.

His power production might be down from years past, but 30-year-old Gonzalez remains one of the best run producers in all of baseball. Even with the dysfunction and controversy swirling around Boston this season, he still managed to put up excellent numbers.

With the Dodgers, he'll be expected to continue playing at a high level. Who knows, maybe he'll get in a groove and his home run total will approach the 31 that he's averaged every year from 2006 through 2011.

Grade: A-

Carlos Gonzalez, LF, Colorado Rockies

2012 Stats: 114 G, .308/.380/.527, 21 HR, 81 RBI, 16 SB

I'd be more inclined to give Carlos Gonzalez a higher grade if the difference in his splits at home and on the road weren't so drastic—.380/.449/.641 at home compared with .229/.304/.402 on the road—but Gonzalez remains one of the more complete outfielders in baseball.

A 30/30 threat each and every season, CarGo is unlikely to reach that milestone in 2012, especially given his struggles in August—.208/.337/.278 with one home run, 10 RBI and two stolen bases.

But even with his recent struggles, Gonzalez remains one of the more complete outfielders in all of baseball and someone who would be a household name if he played in a major market.

Grade: B

Curtis Granderson, CF, New York Yankees

2012 Stats: 129 G, .235/.327/.481, 33 HR, 78 RBI, 8 SB

With a swing tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, Curtis Granderson continues to rank among the best power hitters in all of baseball—whether he agrees with the "power hitter" label or not. (h/t ESPN)

Granderson should be embracing the power numbers that he's putting up, because he offers little else offensively.

With only 18 other extra-base hits on the season (15 doubles, three triples) and a batting average that's well below, umm, average, Granderson is starting to look more and more like a one-trick pony.

Grade: B

Zack Greinke, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2012 Stats (MIL): 21 GS, 9-3, 3.44 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 13 QS, 8.90 K/9, 4.36 K/BB

2012 Stats (LAA): 6 GS, 2-2, 5.22 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 2 QS, 7.50 K/9, 2.20 K/BB

Think Zack Greinke wishes that he had stayed in Milwaukee right about now?

Grade: C

Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

2012 Stats: 19 GS, 8-7, 3.88 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 13 QS, 7.25 K/9, 5.05 K/BB

Whether it's age, the strained lat muscle that kept him out of action for a month-and-a-half or a combination of the two, 35-year-old Roy Halladay simply hasn't been himself for much of the 2012 season.

His numbers aren't terrible by any means, but for one of the elite pitchers in baseball, they fall well below par. Even with a strong finish in September, Halladay will finish outside the top five in the Cy Young voting for the first time since 2005.

Grade: B-

Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

2012 Stats: 25 GS, 14-6, 2.99 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 18 QS, 8.73 K/9, 3.82 K/BB

After two years of playing second fiddle to Roy Halladay—or third fiddle, as was the case in 2011 to Halladay and Cliff Lee—2012 has left us with little doubt that 28-year-old southpaw Cole Hamels is the ace of the Phillies rotation.

In retrospect, extending Hamels' contract through the 2019 season was a far better decision than trading him away for multiple pieces, something that I had been a big advocate of for the majority of the season.

Grade: A

Josh Hamilton, CF, Texas Rangers

2012 Stats: 121 G, .290/.353/.578, 35 HR, 111 RBI, 7 SB

Can you imagine how gaudy Josh Hamilton's numbers would be had he not gone into a tailspin for two months?

Through the end of May, Hamilton had a .368/.420/.764 batting line with 21 home runs and 57 RBI.

Once June and July hit, Hamilton posted a paltry .202/.288/.399 batting line with eight home runs and 27 RBI. August saw him get back on track, hitting .299/.345/.551 with six home runs and 27 RBI over 27 games.

Hamilton's mark gets knocked down slightly because of the midseason swoon, but it's hard to say that the guy who has driven in more runs than anyone else in baseball thus far is having a bad season.

Grade: B+

Dan Haren, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2012 Stats: 23 GS, 8-10, 4.82 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 10 QS, 7.24 K/9, 3.27 K/BB

After going 31-15 with a 3.09 ERA over the first 49 starts of his Angels career, nobody expected anything less from 32-year-old Dan Haren, the veteran leader of the Halos' starting rotation in 2012.

But anything else is exactly what the Angels got, as Haren has struggled to go deep into games—only five times has he made it through seven innings, last accomplishing that feat on May 29.

The most telling stat of them all may be that fewer than half of his starts have fallen into the "quality start" category, by far the worst percentage among any starting pitcher that was considered to be one of the 50 best players in the game.

Grade: D

Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 13-5, 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 19 QS, 8.40 K/9, 4.00 K/BB

How many games would Felix Hernandez win if he played for a team that actually had an offense?

One of the favorites to win the AL Cy Young Award, His Highness's perfect game against the Rays on Aug. 15 and league-leading 2.43 ERA certainly don't hurt his chances.

Believe it or not, Felix has actually gotten better in 2012. He is walking fewer batters per nine innings (2.1) than he ever has before, which is a bad sign for the rest of baseball.

All hail the King.

Grade: A+

Matt Holliday, LF, St. Louis Cardinals

2012 Stats: 101 G, .306/.379/.523, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 4 SB

If Matt Holliday could have avoided playing in months that start with the letter "A," he would prove to be stiff competition for Andrew McCutchen in the race for National League MVP.

In April and August, the 32-year-old Holliday batted .239/.284/.424 with nine home runs and 33 RBI.

From May through July, however, it was a different story, as he put up a .354/.441/.557 batting line to go along with 15 home runs and 57 RBI.

Grade: A

Josh Johnson, SP, Miami Marlins

2012 Stats: 26 GS, 7-11, 4.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 17 QS, 7.78 K/9, 2.78 K/BB

Let's give Josh Johnson credit where credit is due. He's been able to take the ball every fifth day without an issue, something that was anything but a given heading into the 2012 season.

After a rough start to the season, the 28-year-old started to turn things around in June. Over 15 starts since June 1, he has posted a 3.45 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched, holding opposing batters to a .235/.295/.361 batting line over 15 starts.

Over a five-start stretch in June, Johnson flashed the stuff that made him legitimate Cy Young candidate, throwing a 1.87 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 33 innings.

While his win-loss record leaves something to be desired, it's not his fault that half his team was blown up while losing key pieces like Logan Morrison and Giancarlo Stanton for significant lengths of time due to injury.

Grade: B

Ian Kennedy, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 12-11, 4.27 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 16 QS, 8.06 K/9, 3.43 K/BB

Having their stars of 2011 fail to meet expectations in 2012 has been a running theme in Arizona this season, and Ian Kennedy is one of the players leading the way.

After finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting with a 21-4 record and 2.84 ERA, Kennedy was expected to be the leader and workhorse of the Diamondbacks rotation. Instead, he's struggled to keep the team in games.

He saved his worst for August, pitching to a 5.60 ERA and 1.68 WHIP over five starts.

Grade: C-

Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 12-7, 2.84 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 20 QS, 8.82 K/9, 4.16 K/BB

The league leader in innings pitched and WHIP, 24-year-old Clayton Kershaw has put together another Cy Young-caliber season for the Dodgers.

With the substantial additions that the Dodgers have made over the past few weeks, Kershaw could be looking at more run support than he's had all season long heading down the stretch. That's a scary proposition for the rest of the National League.

Grade: A

Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers

2012 Stats: 129 G, .267/.337/.439, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 20 SB

Not a prototypical leadoff hitter, 30-year-old Ian Kinsler continues to put up solid numbers atop the Rangers lineup, though his .240 batting average for the second half of the season certainly leaves something to be desired.

His run production certainly softens the blow that the Rangers take from his below-average defense in the field, where his 14 errors are the most of any second basemen in the game.

Grade: B-

Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 8-11, 5.01 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 14 QS, 7.51 K/9, 2.66 K/BB

A fourth-place finish in last year's American League Cy Young Award voting seemed to signal that Jon Lester was the unquestioned ace of the Red Sox's starting rotation, even with his infamous September swoon.

Unfortunately for Lester and the Sox, last September has continued to rear its ugly head. While August has been his most productive month of the season—a 3-3 record, 3.59 ERA and 1.15 WHIP—his overall body of work has left much to be desired.

As I wrote earlier this week, Boston would be better off cutting ties with the 28-year-old southpaw this winter as they attempt to re-tool on the fly to return to the playoff picture next year.

Grade: D

Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

2012 Stats: 23 GS, 3-7, 3.67 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 14 QS, 8.68 K/9, 6.24 K/BB

I'm not ready to say that this is the beginning of the end for Cliff Lee, but the fact that he didn't win his first game of the season until July 4—his 14th start of the season—is concerning.

It's not as if Lee's pitched poorly, as he's been more in command of his pitches in 2012 than he has previously, with his 6.24 strikeout-to-walk ratio serving as the best in the league.

I'll chalk his struggles in 2012 up to one part bad luck and one part the Phillies' erratic play for the majority of the season.

Grade: C+

Tim Lincecum, SP, San Francisco Giants

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 7-14, 5.30 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 18 QS, 9.24 K/9, 2.28 K/BB

Maybe not making the All-Star Game for the first time since his rookie season was the best thing for Tim Lincecum.

Perhaps he used his unexpected time off to take a stroll up Hippie Hill to clear his head, or maybe he spent time in the Haight. Whatever it was, the two-time Cy Young Award winner has looked much more like himself in the second half of the season (3.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) than he did in the first (6.42 ERA, 1.58 WHIP).

A strong finish to the season would obviously bump his grade up, but through August, Lincecum has been about as effective as Barry Zito. It doesn't get much more damning than that.

Grade: D

Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

2012 Stats: 44 G, .292/.370/.509, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 2 SB

After Evan Longoria missed nearly three months of the season, the Rays went on a 12-3 run upon his return to action. They are now squarely back in the hunt for not only a playoff spot, but the American League East as well.

His numbers are primarily a result of his hot start to the season, not the .253/.299/.456 batting line that he's posted since returning to action.

We'll leave the grading of Longoria's season until September, when he's had another full month of action under his belt and we can make a better assessment of where he's at.

Grade: Incomplete

Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins

2012 Stats: 122 G, .312/.406/.431, 8 HR, 68 RBI, 8 SB

One of the best pure hitters in the game, Joe Mauer has stayed relatively healthy in 2012. That's a stark contrast to previous years that have seen the former MVP battle injury and face a potential position change.

While that latter hurdle might be what prolongs his career, Mauer remains one of the best catchers in the game and the unquestioned leader of a Twins team that desperately needs starting pitching to allow Mauer and the offense to win some games with their bats.

Grade: A

Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves

2012 Stats: 102 G, .234/.307/.411, 18 HR, 58 RBI, 2 SB

McCann takes the place of Toronto's Jose Bautista on our list, as the Braves' longtime backstop landed just outside my Top 50 heading into the season.

With a talented team around him, it was reasonable to expect that McCann would do what he's made a career out of doing—play solid defense, call a good game and generate runs in the middle of the Braves lineup while batting anywhere between .270 and .280.

Instead, McCann finds himself only three RBI ahead of Michael Bourn, the Braves' leadoff hitter, and with a rather embarrassing batting line to boot.

Grade: C

Andrew McCutchen, CF, Pittsburgh Pirates

2012 Stats: 126 G, .344/.409/.566, 24 HR, 79 RBI, 15 SB

This year's National League MVP will not only fill his likely role statistically, but literally as well.

There is absolutely no chance—zero—that the Pirates are contending for a playoff berth heading into September without Andrew McCutchen in the lineup on a daily basis.

Andrew McCutchen is worthy of MVP honors in every sense. And that says everything that needs to be said about the season that the Pirates' 25-year-old center fielder has put together thus far in 2012.

Grade: A+

Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals

2012 Stats: 111 G, .324/.375/.509, 17 HR, 62 RBI, 11 SB

Already thought of as the best defensive catcher in the game, 30-year-old Yadier Molina can now simply be called the best catcher in the game with his performance in 2012. His ability to call a game has brought stability to a Cardinals pitching staff that faced many questions heading into the season.

Leading the Cardinals in batting, Molina is either leading, tied for the lead or in the top three of virtually every offensive category amongst starting catchers around baseball.

On top of that, he's tough as nails. After being involved in a violent collision Tuesday night against the Pirates, Molina missed only one game before returning to action.

Grade: A+

Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

2012 Stats: 114 G, .282/.339/.440, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 12 SB

Love him or hate him, you have to respect the way that Dustin Pedroia plays the game, leaving it all on the field each and every game.

A scrappy player, the 28-year-old face of the Red Sox has rebounded nicely from a disappointing first half of the season with a .314/.364/.516 batting line since the All-Star break, raising his average nearly 20 points in the process.

To say that 2012 has been a disappointing season in Boston would be a gross understatement, but Dustin Pedroia is part of the solution, not the problem, and he remains one of the elite second basemen in the game.

Grade: B+

David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

2012 Stats: 26 GS, 16-5, 2.53 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 20 QS, 8.79 K/9, 3.40 K/BB

With all due respect to Felix Hernandez, this is my pick for the American League Cy Young Award. Without David Price, the Tampa Bay Rays do not seemingly rise from the ashes and become, yet again, a team that nobody wants to play heading into the home stretch.

A first half of the season that saw him go 11-4 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.20 WHIP has been improved upon—significantly—in the second half. At 5-1 with a 2.02 ERA and 0.93 WHIP since the All-Star break, the 27-year-old Price has stepped up his game when his team has needed him the most.

Grade: A+

Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2012 Stats: 122 G, .285/.345/.539, 29 HR, 87 RBI, 8 SB

Talk of his demise back in April was a bit premature, don't ya think?

Since the beginning of May, Albert Pujols has posted a .301/.363/.595 batting line with 29 home runs and 83 RBI.

Since the beginning of June? A .317/.385/.638 batting line with 21 home runs and 59 RBI.

Whether he's still the best player in baseball—or even on his own team—is debatable, but Pujols remains one of the game's elite hitters.

Grade: A-

Hanley Ramirez, SS/3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

2012 Stats (MIA): 93 G, .246/.322/.428, 14 HR, 48 RBI, 14 SB

2012 Stats (LAD): 33 G, .280/.338/.530, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 2 SB

Whether rumors of Hanley Ramirez being upset over a move to third base upon Jose Reyes' arrival in Miami were true or not, the writing was on the wall long before then that Ramirez and the Marlins needed to part ways.

Since joining the Dodgers, Ramirez has looked more like the perennial MVP candidate that many expected he was on the verge of becoming, though he's still quite a ways away from reaching those lofty heights.

Grade: B-

Jose Reyes, SS, Miami Marlins

2012 Stats: 129 G, .283/.345/.438, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 29 SB

Since finishing April with a .220 average, Jose Reyes has raised his numbers back to solid levels, though they are certainly below what the Marlins expected when they lavished a six-year, $106 million contract on the 29-year-old shortstop.

The weight of the Marlins' struggles in 2012 don't fall squarely on Reyes' shoulders, but he certainly hasn't been the explosive table setter that the team thought they had added to the lineup, either.

Grade: B

Ricky Romero, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 8-12, 5.50 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 13 QS, 6.11 K/9, 1.24 K/BB

What's the one word that best describes Ricky Romero's 2012 season?

Consistent.

Romero, the preseason pick by some for the AL Cy Young Award, is the only member of Toronto's starting rotation to take the ball every fifth day. And with very few exceptions, Romero has been consistently bad all season long.

Injuries have decimated the Blue Jays this season, so while there is certainly a reason for the team's struggles, Romero's are far more puzzling. Every month has seen him finish with an ERA well over five.

The season can't end quickly enough for the 27-year-old.

Grade: F

CC Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees

2012 Stats: 22 GS, 13-4, 3.40 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 17 QS, 9.06 K/9, 4.36 K/BB

CC Sabathia's stats don't tell the story of how well he's pitched, thanks largely in part to a rough five-game stretch to start the season. Since the beginning of May, the big lefty has pitched to a 3.06 ERA, striking out 119 batters over 120 innings of work.

A recent stay on the disabled list with some elbow soreness was somewhat concerning for the Yankees, but their 32-year-old ace has shown no ill effects since his return to action.

Grade: A

James Shields, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 12-8, 3.91 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 15 QS, 8.70 K/9, 3.59 K/BB

The workhorse of the Rays' rotation, James Shields has come back down to earth in 2012 after a career year in 2011 that saw him finish third in the American League Cy Young Award voting.

Since allowing five earned runs over six innings to the Orioles on July 26, Shields has won four of his last six starts, pitching to a 2.01 ERA while holding the opposition to a .160 average and .498 OPS.

A strong finish to the season not only helps the Rays' playoff aspirations, but it could sweeten a trade of Shields over the winter, making room for one of the Rays' assortment of talented pitching prospects while bringing back some much-needed reinforcements for the lineup.

Grade: B-

Giancarlo Stanton, RF, Miami Marlins

2012 Stats: 101 G, .291/.360/.604, 29 HR, 72 RBI, 5 SB

Tape-measure shots have become a staple of Giancarlo Stanton's repertoire during his third season in the big leagues. And at the age of 22, he's yet to fully tap into the immense raw power that he possesses.

Scary thought, isn't it?

Even after missing nearly a month of the season to repair a balky knee that had bothered him since spring training, Stanton is on track to set new career highs in nearly every offensive category.

Grade: B+

Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals

2012 Stats: 26 GS, 15-6, 3.05 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 19 QS, 11.14 K/9, 4.23 K/BB

Although Strasburg has pitched incredibly well and shown no ill effects from Tommy John surgery, the Nationals insist that they are going to play it safe and shut him down before the end of the season. That's likely just in time for the team to make the first playoff run in team history, at least since relocating to our nation's capital.

He's had his rough spots, but overall Strasburg has been electric and overpowering for most of the season, racking up 186 strikeouts in only 150 innings pitched.

Grade: A

Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees

2012 Stats: 119 G, .255/.335/.478, 23 HR, 81 RBI, 2 SB

The smoothest-fielding first baseman in the game, Mark Teixeira continues to be a run producer in the middle of the Yankees lineup, but the days of him hitting .300 are a thing of the past.

Currently on the 15-day disabled list with a strained calf that is expected to keep him sidelined for at least another week, Teixeira has posted an OPS of .800 or greater in only two months of the season, and he is likely to finish the year without 30 home runs and 100 RBI for the first time since his rookie season of 2003.

Grade: B-

Mike Trout, CF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2012 Stats: 108 G, .336/.400/.585, 25 HR, 74 RBI, 41 SB

Mike Trout wasn't even close to making my preseason Top 50, and I truly wanted to keep with the theme of the piece and not include any rookies on the list.

But you can't ignore what Trout has done, so he was the pick to replace Mariano Rivera.

As if the numbers above weren't impressive enough, let's add this: He's scored 103 runs in 108 games played. He leads the league in batting, stolen bases and runs scored.

Just as you can make a case that Buster Posey is the best catcher in baseball and that Craig Kimbrel is the best closer in the game, you can make the case that Mike Trout is the best player in baseball.

At the age of 21. Simply amazing.

Grade: A+

Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

2012 Stats: 47 G, .287/.360/.486, 8 HR, 27 RBI, 2 SB

After missing three months of the season due to a groin injury that required surgery, Troy Tulowitzki is getting closer to a return to action, though seeing him this weekend is probably a bit too optimistic, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harding.

Let's give Tulo a chance to get back into the flow before grading his performance.

Grade: Incomplete

Justin Upton, RF, Arizona Diamondbacks

2012 Stats: 120 G, .276/.357/.410, 11 HR, 54 RBI, 13 SB

I "Won't Get Fooled Again" when it comes to Arizona's Justin Upton.

Not only was I singing his praises for National League MVP in 2011, but he was my preseason pick for the honor heading into 2012. Instead of a MVP-caliber season, we've witnessed an underwhelming performance.

Upton is one of the truly gifted players in the game, and he's still young enough to get things back on track. But until he starts driving the ball consistently and with conviction, he'll just be another decent player who people look at and wonder "what if?"

Grade: C+

Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers

2012 Stats: 27 GS, 12-7, 2.80 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 20 QS, 9.08 K/9, 3.96 K/BB

As if anyone is surprised, Justin Verlander is putting together another outstanding season as the ace of the Tigers rotation. As for his win-loss record, it's not his fault that the offense has been erratic for most of the season.

He's not going to sweep the major awards as he did in 2011—nor do I believe he's deserving of the AL Cy Young Award in 2012—but Verlander remains one of the elite pitchers in the game.

Grade: A

Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

2012 Stats: 86 G, .342/.465/.604, 14 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB

Sidelined by knee injuries since mid-July, Joey Votto is nearing a return to action for the Reds—possibly this weekend against the Astros, according to Cincinnati.com's Tom Groeschen.

While his average and on-base percentage may have dropped had he been playing, chances are he'd still be among the leaders in all of baseball.

But having missed more than a month of the season, it's difficult to give Votto an accurate grade through the end of August. For his work through mid-July, however, I'd have given him a big, fat A+.

Grade: Incomplete

Jered Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels

2012 Stats: 24 GS, 16-3, 2.85 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 17 QS, 6.85 K/9, 3.47 K/BB

The American League Cy Young winner for the first half of the season (if there were such an award), Jered Weaver has, like his counterparts in the Angels rotation, not been very good since the All-Star break.

Weaver has followed up a 10-1 record and 1.96 ERA through his first 15 starts of the season with a 4.32 ERA and 6-2 record over his past nine.

Regardless of how he finishes the season, Weaver remains among the elite pitchers in baseball. You'd just like to see him dominate an entire season from start to finish, not drop off in the second half as we have seen in each of the past two years.

Grade: A

C.J. Wilson, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2012 Stats: 28 GS, 10-9, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 19 QS, 7.86 K/9, 1.96 K/BB

What started out promising, with a 2.43 ERA and an All-Star selection, has turned into a nightmare, with a 6.56 ERA since.

In August alone, Wilson has allowed 29 earned runs in 32.2 innings pitched—a 7.99 ERA. By comparison, only Ross Ohlendorf, Josh Beckett and Felix Doubront have performed worse among pitchers with multiple starts for the month.

Wilson's five-year, $77.5 million deal may very well turn out to be well worth it by the time it's all said and done, but right now, Angels owner Arte Moreno has to be wondering what exactly he's paying all that money for.

Grade: C

David Wright, 3B, New York Mets

2012 Stats: 119 G, .317/.408/.513, 17 HR, 78 RBI, 12 SB

I've done my best to avoid using this cliche throughout this piece, but you'll have to allow it just this once: It has been a tale of two seasons for David Wright.

A first half that saw him put together a .351/.441/.563 batting line with 11 home runs and 59 RBI has since seen his numbers drop precipitously across the board—a second-half line of .250/.346/.415 with six home runs and 19 RBI.

It's been a disappointing season for the Mets and their fans, and Wright's early-season performance will stand as one of the highlights.

Grade: A-

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington Nationals

2012 Stats: 114 G, .281/.349/.451, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 5 SB

Regardless of the sport, the best players have the ability to move past poor performances and get the job done.

It took him a while, but Ryan Zimmerman has done just that.

After a forgettable first half of the season—one that included a stay on the 15-day disabled list at the end of April—Zimmerman has silenced those who questioned whether he belonged in the discussion surrounding the best that baseball has to offer.

Since the All-Star break, Zimmerman is batting .360 with 26 runs scored, nine doubles, eight home runs, 16 walks and 22 RBI.

Not too shabby.

Grade: B+