Appointing a Captain for All 30 MLB Teams

Baseball is one of the few sports where there isn't a captain on every team.

While some teams have captains, others only have leaders in the clubhouse.

However, what if every team had an official captain? Who would they be?

Here's a look at each team and who their captain would be, if they didn't already have one.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Paul Goldschmidt

Had this been last year, Justin Upton likely would have been the selection. But alas, he is no longer with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That leaves Paul Goldschmidt, who signed a five-year, $32-million deal with the team prior to the start of the season.

Goldschmidt is a rising star for the Diamondbacks.

He's still young and in his second full season in the big leagues. However, he's a franchise cornerstone that the D-Backs can build around.

Atlanta Braves: Brian McCann

Until Brian McCann is no longer in an Atlanta Braves uniform, he will be the captain of the team.

The only carryover from the Baby Braves of the mid-2000s, McCann is the leader of the Braves.

His production may be dropping, but there's no question he's a leader both in and out of the clubhouse.

The real question will be, if he leaves after this year via free agency, who takes over as the leader?

Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones

Adam Jones was signed to a seven-year, $91.65-million deal by the Baltimore Orioles last year.

He's clearly the face of the franchise and has played like it the last two years.

Jones is still 27 and can only get better.

With the Orioles looking like they're going to compete over the next few years, Jones' leadership will be key if they're going to make a run at the World Series.

Boston Red Sox: David Ortiz

It was plainly obvious who the captain of the Boston Red Sox was when David Ortiz gave his now infamous speech.

Ortiz has been the leader of the Red Sox ever since he came over from Minnesota.

While he was on the disabled list, all you had to do was see how Ortiz took Jackie Bradley Jr. under his wing. After every at-bat, Ortiz was talking with Bradley about it, helping the youngster along.

Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo

The Chicago Cubs have no real veterans who are expected to be with the team long-term.

While some would consider Starlin Castro as the leader of the team, but his issues with the team prevent him from taking on that role.

Enter Anthony Rizzo, who will play in his first full season with the Cubs this year.

He's young, full of life and has a lot of power.

He has some work to do to gain the respect of veterans, but he will eventually be the leader of the clubhouse.

Chicago White Sox: Paul Konerko

If there's one thing that hasn't changed for the Chicago White Sox, it's Paul Konerko.

Konerko has been the face of the franchise for the last decade.

He's hit more than 400 home runs for the White Sox and has been a staple in the middle of the lineup.

There's no question he's the leader and the captain of the White Sox.

Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto

The Cincinnati Reds have a lot of veterans who would fit in nicely for the captain's role.

In the end, the captain's role goes to Joey Votto, who has hit 136 home runs in his time with the Reds.

Votto has an MVP under his belt and is in the process of trying to get the Reds to their first World Series since 1990.

Cleveland Indians: Asdrubal Cabrebra

The Cleveland Indians have a young roster as well, but Asdrubal Cabrera is the clear leader of the team.

He's shown consistency throughout his career and is the franchise cornerstone.

With so much turnover throughout the Cleveland roster, the Indians have to have someone take the lead that will be with the club for a long time.

Colorado Rockies: Troy Tulowitzki

The Braves went through it last year with it being Chipper Jones' last year and the Colorado Rockies are going through it this year with Todd Helton.

Helton is in his final year and this is the time he's passing the torch to someone else who will be with the team for a long time.

Troy Tulowitzki is the new leader of the team and is showing he's taking his role seriously.

With Colorado having started out the season on a tear, Tulowitzki is showing the Rockies are being left in good hands.

Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander

The Detroit Tigers have multiple guys that could be considered for the captaincy, but there are none better than Justin Verlander.

A homegrown product, Verlander has been dominant since 2009.

He's clearly one of the best pitchers in baseball as is evident by his 10-year, $219.5-million contract.

Sometimes the leader of a team doesn't have to be vocal, instead just going out and doing his job every time he's called upon.

That's exactly what Verlander does. He's the guy you want with the ball in his hands when you need a key win.

Houston Astros: Jose Altuve

The Houston Astros don't have much on their roster, but Jose Altuve is a player they can build around.

For all of the jokes about his height (5"5'), Altuve sure packs a lot of punch.

While his punch may not get him more than 10 home runs in a year, Altuve will continue to hit the ball to all fields.

There's not much going for the Astros, except for Altuve.

If they can manage to not trade him, they could have a player that could lead the team to a resurgence four or five years down the road.

Kansas City Royals: James Shields

The Kansas City Royals have a lot of homegrown talent on their roster. However, neither Mike Moustakas or Eric Hosmer are really considered leaders of the team.

Both have their struggles and could find themselves out of Kansas City at some point in the next few years.

James Shields was acquired to be the ace of the pitching staff. He was acquired to be the leader.

This may be his first year with the team, but he's showing he could be with the team for a long time despite the fact he only has a team option left on his contract.

Los Angeles Angels: Albert Pujols

The Los Angeles Angels are competing with their cross-town rivals to see who can buy a World Series.

For the Angels, there is a lot of power throughout the lineup, but they also have one thing going for them—Albert Pujols is on the roster.

Pujols has played the game clean, showing you can hit for a lot of power without needing to cheat.

He's a leader in the clubhouse and leads by example on the field.

When you're getting paid an average of $24 million a year, a team needs more from you than just being a staple in the lineup.

He was brought in to provide leadership and that's exactly what he's doing.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Matt Kemp

The Los Angeles Dodgers may be trying to buy a World Series as well, but there is no doubt who the leader of the team is.

When Matt Kemp is on his game, he can be one of the best in the league.

His leadership was evident after the Zack Greinke brawl in which he confronted Carlos Quentin after the game.

Most may not agree with what he did, but Kemp was showing leadership.

A leader defends his teammates at whatever cost. He took exception to what Quentin did and wasn't afraid to voice his displeasure.

Miami Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton

The Miami Marlins are another team that doesn't have much, which leaves the captain's role to Giancarlo Stanton.

While Stanton could be on the trade block after voicing his displeasure with the Marlins and their fire sale this offseason, the fact remains Stanton is the most marketable player on the roster.

If he does in fact stay with the Marlins, he has to grow into his role as the leader of the team.

It may not be something he can come to terms with right now, but he will eventually understand what his role is with the team and will have to step into it.

Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun has played the game like an MVP the last two years for the Milwaukee Brewers.

He won the award in 2011, before being beat out by Buster Posey in 2012.

Braun continually goes to the plate and hits for power.

He realizes what his role is with the team, especially this year with all of the injuries.

Without Braun's leadership, the Brewers would be in a world of hurt. He's been able to keep the team focused and start the year 11-8.

Minnesota Twins: Joe Mauer

Joe Mauer is living the dream with the Minnesota Twins.

He's a hometown kid playing for the team he grew up rooting for.

While he may never be the power hitter he was in 2009, Mauer is as consistent as they come at the plate with a .324 career average.

Mauer is signed through 2018 and is looking to get the Twins through these tough years. While he may never win a world title with the team, his leadership could set the team up for long-term success well after he leaves the game.

New York Mets: David Wright

When it's all said and done, David Wright is going to retire as the New York Mets third baseman.

Just like Chipper Jones was rewarded for his loyalty to the Braves, Wright was rewarded with his loyalty to the Mets.

When all of the trade rumors popped up about Wright, he continued to be the consummate professional.

As the Mets struggled as a team, ownership realized it had to hang onto the face of the franchise if they didn't want to alienate their fans.

Wright rewarded them last year with 21 home runs and 93 RBI.

The Mets have young players throughout their roster. However, with Wright's leadership, there's no question they'll be in a playoff hunt over the next few years.

Neew York Yankees: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is the captain of the New York Yankees.

He's been a staple in the lineup since the mid-1990s, only leaving for stints on the disabled list.

Jeter is already the longest-tenured captain in Yankees history, easily doubling up the likes of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

When his career is all said and done, could Jeter be considered to have the greatest captaincy in New York history?

I'll let you decide on that one.

Oakland Athletics: Coco Crisp

There's a lot of ways you can go with the captaincy of the Oakland Athletics.

However, Coco Crisp is the best way to go for a multitude of reasons.

For starters, everything begins with him at the top of the lineup.

The team is full of relative no-names, but they manage to get the job done.

There's no way the A's could have made their late-season surge last year without a bit of leadership.

Between games 138 and 162, Crisp hit .322 as the Athletics went 14-3 down the stretch.

Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Howard

The Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of aging veterans on their roster.

However, none are more important than Ryan Howard.

When Howard was on the shelf last year, the Phillies struggled as a team, going 81-81.

Prior to that, the Phillies had won five-straight NL East crowns.

Howard has led with his bat, which is something he's aiming to do again this year as he tries to return the Phillies to prominence after a horrible 2012.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen

Andrew McCutchen is the leader of the Pittsburgh Pirates, plain and simple.

He's a five-tool player who goes out and leads by example.

It's not surprising that in a year where the Pirates started to have a resurgence, McCutchen had the best year of his career.

Now, can an even better year lead the Pirates to the playoffs?

San Diego Padres: Carlos Quentin

Carlos Quentin could have let his contract run out with the San Diego Padres and gone somewhere else and made more money.

However, playing for his hometown team is something Quentin is enjoying, which is why the Padres got a hometown discount when they signed him to a four-year deal last year.

Quentin believes in the Padres, and while they may not go anywhere the next four years, Quentin will continue to be in the middle of the lineup giving it his all for the team.

San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey

The San Francisco Giants were the ones who showed who the leader of the team was when they gave Buster Posey the nine-year, $164-million deal this offseason.

Posey was coming off an MVP year and had led the Giants to two of the last three World Series.

When he was injured in 2011, the Giants struggled as they missed the playoffs.

All the kid does is win and if the Giants wanted to ensure they would win for a long time, they had to ensure Posey was in the lineup for a long time.

Seattle Mariners: Felix Hernandez

Felix Hernandez is another one of those players you can consider as loyal to his team.

While multiple teams have been interested in Hernandez over the years, his desire has always been to play for the Seattle Mariners.

For a player that has a 2.81 ERA over the last four years, that says a lot...especially if the team is not winning.

After rewarding Hernandez with a seven-year, $175-million contract, the Mariners went out and tried to build around Hernandez.

The Mariners are still struggling, but could be on the right path to a playoff berth in the next few years.

St. Louis Cardinals: Adam Wainwright

When Albert Pujols left for Los Angeles, there was a big hole to fill for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Then, Chris Carpenter likely saw his career ended with arm issues.

So, in steps Adam Wainwright, who has been just as good of a pitcher as Carpenter since 2007.

Wainwright has shown he can lead the team by example this year, starting 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA.

Now is when his leadership will be put to the test. Can the Cardinals overcome the loss of Carpenter?

Only time will tell.

Tampa Bay Rays: Evan Longoria

At the rate the Tampa Bay Rays are letting young stars go, it's hard to bring continuity to a team.

However, Evan Longoria is the one player that will be a Ray for life as he's not eligible for free agency until 2023.

Outside of 2009, when Longoria has been healthy, the Rays have made the playoffs.

Last year saw Longoria deal with a few injuries and the Rays missed the playoffs.

His leadership in the middle of the lineup is vital to the team's success.

Texas Rangers: Adrian Beltre

The Texas Rangers are another team dealing with the loss of their leader as Josh Hamilton left for Los Angeles.

Going through the roster, the only real player that has stepped up to be the leader is Adrian Beltre.

Since coming to Texas, Beltre has belted 71 home runs.

With the Rangers having lost so much from last year's team, they've needed Beltre to continue to produce. And that's exactly what he has done, helping lead the Rangers to a 13-7 record to begin the year.

Toronto Blue Jays: Jose Bautista

The Toronto Blue Jays may have acquired a king's ransom in the offseason, but the "old guard" is what is going to get this team over the top.

Jose Bautista remembers what it's like playing for a team that was finishing at or near the bottom of the standings.

Now that he has the talent around him, his job is to create continuity on the roster even though it may be hard with Jose Reyes on the disabled list.

Bautista is one of the best power hitters in the game. If he can avoid getting injured, the Blue Jays have the possibility of turning this thing around.

Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper

The Washington Nationals are a young team throughout their roster.

However, the topic of conversation is always about Bryce Harper.

Whether it's him hitting a home run or having a multi-hit game, the media has dictated who the leader of this team is.

And, it's not a bad choice as Harper is a kid with all the potential in the world.

He'll grow into his leadership role. But for now, he'll just continue to produce and give the Nationals a shot to win every night.