Daniel's Top 105 Players in Major League Baseball

Joe Posanski of Sports Illustrated put out a list of who he thinks are the 100 best players in baseball right now. The basis for his list on premised on this idea:

We're looking for the Top 100 players in baseball RIGHT NOW. We're not talking about the best in two years. We're not talking about building a team to win over the next 10 years.

I decided to make a similar list. Here are my quick thoughts:

1. I included the people who are having the best season this year. People who have been injured (Jose Reyes) or suspended (Manny Ramirez) have not been included either because their stats aren't good enough or they don't qualify.

2. Inconsistency is inevitable. It's hard to perfectly rank 105 players, especially when it's a list that mixes up pitchers (starters and closers) and position players. Good luck in trying to make one.

3. Like Posanski says, the list could never be finished. Tomorrow, I could probably make 50 edits based on the games that occur. I could add or subtract people easily. But without further ado, here's my top 105 players this season:

105. John Lannan, SP, Washington Nationals
A starting pitcher from the Nationals makes the list? Lannan is 7-7 with a 3.25 ERA. Just imagine how many more wins he would have if he played on a competent team. Lannan is a workhorse, with two complete games. Remember when he went into New Yankee Stadium and dominated the Bronx Bombers?

104. Orlando Hudson, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers
The O-Dog was an All-Star and one of four Dodgers who has 50-plus RBI. He stepped up huge when Manny Ramirez was suspended and he continues to play Gold Glove defense. Oh yeah, he also hit for the cycle earlier in the year.

103. James Loney, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Loney is one of the other five Dodgers who already has 50-plus RBI. He hasn't found his power stroke just yet, but he does drive in the runs. No (qualified) Dodger gets on base more when there are runners in scoring position.

102. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox
I'm going to get a lot of flack for ranking him this low, but I'll defend this ranking 'til the death. Pedroia continues to play great defense, is a base-stealing threat, and is reliable to score runs.

101. Kevin Millwood, SP, Texas Rangers
Milwood was clearly an All-Star snub. He is a workhorse, and has thrown two complete games. He's 9-7 with a 3.39 ERA and has brought leadership and consistency to a rotation that would be in trouble without him.

100. Russell Branyan, 1B, Seattle Mariners
The most underrated first baseman in all of baseball is Russell Branyan. He has brought a bat to a very weak Mariners offense. He is amongst the American League leaders in home runs and OPS. He would be higher, but is struggling in the second half.

99. Brandon Inge, 3B, Detroit Tigers
Inge was an All-Star, and he's been playing all year on injured knees. Ask anybody in baseball and they'll tell you he's the most athletic player. Inge is a home run and RBI threat, but is also one of the best defensive players in the game.

98. Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinnati Reds
Phillips is arguably the best defensive second baseman in baseball. He also produces the runs in one of the worst offenses in the National League. Don't forget that he's also a base-stealing threat.

97. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers
Kinsler has lost the ability to hit for average, but he's still a reliable home run and RBI producer. He bats more like a number five batter, because his on-base percentage isn't good. But he leads off because he can steal bases well. Oh yeah, he had a six-hit game where he hit for the cycle this year.

96. Ryan Ludwick, RF, St. Louis Cardinals
Ludwick was putting up MVP numbers before he went down with injury earlier in the year. People were doubting his ability to hit 100-plus RBI again, but barring injury, he's certainly will get his 30 HR/100 RBI.

95. Marco Scutaro, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
What a treasure the Blue Jays landed. He's a perfect leadoff hitter, because he gets on-base and walks a lot. Oh yeah, he also bats consistently and plays terrific defense. He might be traded, though.

94. Michael Young, 3B, Texas Rangers
Young was an All-Star, yet again. Weren't there supposed to be problems with his moving to third base from shortstop? I think not. He continues to bat consistently and does what the team asks of him.

93. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
What's more impressive than Cano's ability to consistently bat over the .300 mark? It's the massive improvement in his defense. Cano was an All-Star snub, but hey, he's only 26 years old.

92. Yunel Escobar, SS, Atlanta Braves
He may not be the best for team chemistry, but Escobar is an above average baseball player. He's been hot as of late, and continues to be an underrated consistent batter, who also plays good defense.

91. Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves
McCann is the best offensive catcher in the National League, and the local boy is a consistent bat in a weak offense. He isn't the greatest catcher, but his caught stealing percentage continues to go up each year.

90. Shane Victorino, CF, Philadelphia Phillies
The Flyin' Hawaiian has all the right tools to the play game, and earned an All-Star berth because of it. He is a consistent batter, huge base-stealing threat, and Gold Glove defender.

89. Shin-Soo Choo, RF, Cleveland Indians
Shin-soo Who? The All-Star snub is a potential five-tool talent. Keep in mind he's one of the few players in baseball with a .400-plus OBP. He can also steal bases, play great defense, and he has a rocket arm.

88. Nelson Cruz, RF, Texas Rangers
Cruz, an All-Star, is another player with five-tool potential. His batting average his taken a nose-dive, but he has hit for power and produces runs. He also steals bases well and plays a great outfield.

87. George Sherrill, CL, Los Angeles Dodgers
Trade bait? George Sherrill started off rocky, but has been solid the rest of the season. He is reliable (20 saves/23 opportunities) with his 2.40 ERA.

86. Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves
Will Larry Wayne ever slow down? He still has a .400-plus OBP, and walks a ton. He is the most clutch Brave, as he's the team leader when there's runners in scoring position and two outs. His defense has declined, though.

85. Luke Scott, DH, Baltimore Orioles
Scott's numbers would be a tad bit better if he had not spent time on the disabled list. Nevertheless, Scott has been a big boost to the Orioles offense, providing a reliable run producer.

84. Lance Berkman, 1B, Houston Astros
The Big Puma has been battling injury, and has still been a reliable bat in the Astros offense. He still is a .400-plus OBP batter, and has a .500-plus OBP over the past month. Berkman continues to be the run producer of the Astros.

83. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, San Diego Padres
Boy have his numbers dipped since the All-Star break. The Padres are the worst offense in baseball, and just imagine how much worse they would be without one of the best home run hitters in baseball. He also leads the NL in walks and plays great defense.

82. Kendry Morales, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
Add Morales to the list of underrated first basemen in baseball. He is a consistent hitter, but also an elite power hitter as he's fifth in the American League in slugging. He can also be used in the outfield, which is always a plus for the Angels.

81. Andre Ethier, RF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Ethier started off the season on-fire, and then Manny left and his numbers took a nose-dive. But anyways, Ethier has been mister clutch for the Dodgers and has the ability to hit the long-ball.

80. Matt Holliday, LF, St. Louis Cardinals
He will undoubtedly move up in the rankings after moving to St. Louis and out of that dreaded Athletics offense and stadium. Holliday has looked phenomenal in a Cardinals uniform, and Albert Pujols now finally has some protection.

79. Jonathan Broxton, CL, Los Angeles Dodgers
Broxton has just been lights out for the Dodgers. He has been a reliable closer (23 saves/25 opportunities). Oh yea, he has a sub-1.00 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in only 45.2 innings pitched.

78. Jayson Werth, RF, Philadelphia Phillies
What can't Jayson Werth do? He has proven to be a home run bopper, consistent run producer, great fielder, and base-stealing threat. He stole home earlier this year and earned a berth for the All-Star Game.

77. J.A. Happ, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Happ is the one rookie I put on this list. He has been a phenomenal rookie starting pitcher in a horrible starting rotation. Happ has a more than impressive 7-1 record and sub-3.00 ERA.

76. Francisco Rodriguez, CL, New York Mets
K-Rod has saved the bullpen of the Mets that haunted them. He has been a reliable closer (23 saves/26 opportunities). He also has more strikeouts than innings pitched and a 2.12 ERA.

75. Paul Konerko, 1B, Chicago White Sox
Konerko has rebounded from an awful year and is back to being top-five in the American League in RBI and top-10 in home runs. He has also played great defense and has come up in the clutch.

74. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees
A-Rod missed a month, so his numbers aren't as good as they should be. He hasn't batted for average this year, but he does get on base a lot. It's insane that he's still on pace for 30 HR/100-plus RBI despite missing so much time.

73. Jason Bay, LF, Boston Red Sox
After a rapid hot start, Bay has cooled off massively. However, he still leads the American League in walks, and is up there in the home run and RBI categories. He's also come up big in big situations and has improved his defense massively.

72. Jonathan Papelbon, CL, Boston Red Sox
Papelbon is still one of the best closers in the game. He is still reliable (25 saves/28 opportunities). He also has more strikeouts than innings pitched and a great 2.09 ERA. Earlier in the season, he became Boston's all-time save leader.

71. Mark Buehrle, SP, Chicago White Sox
Buehrle continues to be a workhorse, and the ace of the White Sox staff. He has an 11-4 record and great 1.09 WHIP. He also pitched a perfect game and set the record for the most consecutive batters retired.

70. Matt Kemp, CP, Los Angeles Dodgers
This All-Star snub has been playing great all year. If he can find his home run swing, he's a fool-tool player. He hits for average, plays great defense, and is fourth in the National League in stolen bases. He's one of the five Dodgers with 50-plus RBI.

69. Trevor Hoffman, CL, Milwaukee Brewers
The all-time saves leader continues to dominate. He has been a godsend for the Brewers bullpen (22 saves/24 opportunities). He has a sub-2.00 ERA and can downright embarrass batters.

68. Jason Marquis, SP, Colorado Rockies
Who would of thought that Jason Marquis would be the league leader in wins? Marquis is 12-7 with a 3.47 ERA. He earned an All-Star berth, and has proven to be a workhorse, having hurled two complete games.

67. Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees
The Yankees captain continues to do his thing. He's a great leadoff because he bats for average, steals bases, and has a .400-plus OBP. Jeter has also been a good fielder, despite what sabremetricians have said.

66. Josh Beckett, SP, Boston Red Sox
Beckett now leads the American League with 12 wins. What can't Beckett do? He's a strikeout machine, workhorse (with three complete games), and he has a great WHIP and decent ERA.

65. Adam Jones, CF, Baltimore Orioles
The Mariners should regret trading this young stud. He is a five-tool player, that earned an All-Star berth. He can hit home runs and is a consistent run producer. Don't forget that he's a great fielder with a rocket arm. He is only 23 years old.

64. Juan Rivera, LF, Los Angeles Angels
Yet another potent bat in the Angels lineup. Rivera has batted for average, drove in runs, and hit home runs. He also plays good defense, but importantly has been clutch in important situations.

63. Derek Lee, 1B, Chicago Cubs
Where would the Cubs be without Derek Lee? Nowhere. Lee has been the only consistent run producer the Cubs have and he stepped up huge when Aramis Ramirez was out of the lineup. Don't forget his glove is of gold caliber.

62. Adam Lind, DH, Toronto Blue Jays
Lind has been one of the best offensive players in all of baseball. Lind is top 10 in the American League in home runs and RBI. He's provided a consistent bat as the bats of Alex Rios and Vernon Wells have gone missing.

61. Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Howard continues to be the big bopper, becoming the fastest player in MLB history to 200 home runs. Howard's still top-five in the National League in home runs and RBI, despite striking out a ton. He's improved his defense a ton.

60. Chone Figgins, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
Figgins is one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball. He's first in the American League in runs scored. He also gets on base a lot, walks a lot, looks at lots of pitches, and steals a lot of bases. The All-Star also plays spectacular defense.

59. Jair Jurrjens, SP, Atlanta Braves
Jurrjens is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. He is 9-7, but would have more wins with more run support. He has an amazing 2.69 ERA and continues to be a workhorse for the Braves rotation.

58. Nick Markakis, RF, Baltimore Orioles
Markakis is the most underrated player in all of baseball. He does everything right. He rakes in the RBI and bats consistently. Oh yeah, he's a great fielder with a rocket arm. He also comes up clutch in big situations.

57. Joel Pineiro, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
Why aren't people talking about what a great season this guy is having? His 9-9 record isn't indicative of how he's pitching. His 2.95 ERA is impressive, but his 1.08 WHIP is even more impressive. He also has the best groundball-to-flyball ratio all of baseball.

56. Francisco Cordero, CL, Cincinnati Reds
Cordero has been a key staple in a dominating bullpen. He's been ultra-reliable (23 saves/24 opportunities). He doesn't get a ton of strikeouts, but he does have a sub-2.00 ERA and good 1.12 WHIP.

55. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Kershaw has just been amazing. The 21 year old is 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He has walked the most people in baseball, but he also has the second lowest batting average against. Once he fixes his control, he'll be unbeatable.

54. David Wright, 3B, New York Mets
Um, where has the power gone? Missing. But Wright is still a great player. Wright is fourth in the National League in stolen bases and on-base percentage, which sounds great for, say a leadoff hitter. Once his protection comes back, his numbers should increase.

53. Victor Martinez, C, Cleveland Indians
Although he's cooled down as of late, the All-Star has been one of the better offensive catchers in baseball. He's driven in a lot of runs, and has also played a bit of first base. He's also come up in the clutch.

52. David Aardsma, CL, Seattle Mariners
Aardsma filled an immediate pitching role whole, and he's done it great. Aardsma has been reliable (24 saves/26 opportunities) with his 1.68 ERA. He also has more strikeouts than innings pitched. The underrated closer of the year?

51. Jermaine Dye, RF, Chicago White Sox
Dye is the crux of the White Sox offense. Dye is a top-nine batter in home runs and OPS in the American League and continues to be underrated. Dye also is great with his glove, making great plays.

50. Miguel Tejada, SS, Houston Astros
You can add another All-Star game to Tejada's resume. Tejada is amongst the leaders in the National League in batting average. He's been reliable in driving in runs, and has been one of the more clutch players on the Astros.

49. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers
Gallardo is in serious running for the Comeback Player of the Year award. Gallardo is 9-7 with a 3.09 ERA and an astonishing 136 strikeouts. Gallardo does walk a lot of people, but he's also a workhorse and opponents have trouble batting against him.

48. Aaron Hill, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays
Hill has been the best second baseman in the American League. The All-Star is top-five in the American League in hits, home runs, and RBI. Hill is a strong candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award in the American League.

47. Todd Helton, 1B, Colorado Rockies
Age isn't slowing Helton down, whose clearly building his Hall of Fame resume up. Helton is top-eight in the National League in batting average and on-base percentage. He is also a consistent run producer, especially in the clutch.

46. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
Trust me, he would be a top-20 player had he not had stress issues. Despite Votto missing time, he's still up there in the offensive categories. Votto is hovering around .350, 50 RBI, and 1.000-plus OPS in only 69 games played. Votto is a beast.

45. Mariano Rivera, CL, New York Yankees
Enter Sandman. Rivera notched his 500th save earlier this season and has solidified his label of best closer, ever. He's still raking things up, with his impressive 2.11 ERA, sub-1.00 WHIP, and 29 saves (in 30 opportunities).

44. Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Lee's 7-9 record is not even close to indicative of how he's pitching. In fact, no pitcher in baseball has thrown more quality starts than Lee. He's still dominant, with his 3.14 ERA and 107 strikeouts. He's also a workhorse with three complete games.

43. Jason Bartlett, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
Bartlett has been the most consistent hitter on the Rays. The All-Star bats for average and has the ability to steal bases. He also plays great defense and has come up huge in the clutch, batting .400 with runners in scoring position.

42. Jason Kubel, DH, Minnesota Twins
Kubel has provided a third reliable bat behind the M&M boys. Kubel has a consistent, .300-plus bat that has driven in runs and bopped home runs. His .930-plus OPS isn't too shabby, either and he hit for the cycle earlier this year.

41. Carl Crawford, LF, Tampa Bay Rays
Crawford leads all of baseball in stolen bases. He is also a reliable .300-plus hitter that has shown the ability to hit for power. Crawford also gets on base a lot, and is the real spark of the Rays offense. His glove is also great, as we saw in the All-Star game.

40. Heath Bell, CL, San Diego Padres
Who needs Trevor Hoffman? Bell has stepped up huge as a replacement in the closer's role. The All-Star has been reliable, with 25 saves (in 26 opportunities). His 2.01 ERA and 1.07 are also great, as are his 48 strikeouts.

39. Justin Upton, RF, Arizona Diamondbacks
The little Upton is having a breakout, All-Star year. Upton has been a consistent bat in a weak offense. He has shown his ability to drive in runs and hit home runs. He also can steal bases and have a decent glove.

38. Johan Santana, SP, New York Mets
After a blazing start, Santana has slowed down just a bit. Santana is 11-8 with a 3.12 ERA and 120 strikeouts. He's still one of the best pitchers in baseball, as opponents have a hard time hitting against him and only one person has stolen a base all year on him.

37. Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers
Verlander has rebounded from a bad year to having a brilliant All-Star season. Verlander is 11-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 119 WHIP. He's a workhorse with three complete games, and no AL pitcher has thrown more strikeouts.

36. Bobby Abreu, RF, Los Angeles Angels
Abreu might not have his power numbers, but he's made up for that. He is still top-10 in RBI. Abreu has stolen lots of bases, batted for average, walks a lot, and ranks third in the American League in on-base percentage. He's also very clutch.

35. Mark Reynolds, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Reynolds was a clear All-Star snub. He can hit for power and he can steal bases. Reynolds is top-eleven in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OPS in the National League.

34. Javier Vazquez, SP, Atlanta Braves
Vazquez has been flat out dominant, and this is another case where his record isn't indicative of how he's been pitching. Vazquez has a 2.98 ERA, and even more impressive 1.07 WHIP. He's also a strikeout machine.

33. Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Boston Red Sox
The Youker is fourth in the American League in on-base percentage and OPS. Youkilis continues to rake in RBI, and he has been extremely clutch. He also plays great defense, and can play either third or first base.

32. Ryan Franklin, CL, St. Louis Cardinals
After Pujols, Franklin could be the MVP of the Cardinals. He solved a huge problem in that the Cards didn't have a reliable bullpen. Franklin has 23 saves (in 25 opportunities), a 1.21 ERA, and sub-1.00 WHIP.

31. Josh Johnson, SP, Florida Marlins
Johnson is quietly in the Cy Young race. He's 9-2 with an impressive 2.80 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He also has 113 strikeouts and is a workhorse (with two complete games). Opponents have a hard time getting hits against him.

30. Carlos Lee, LF, Houston Astros
If Lee could ever stay healthy, he has triple crown potential. He hits for average and gets on base a lot. He also rakes in home runs and is a consistent run producer. Lee also doesn't strike out a lot, as his K:BB ratio is one.

29. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
Longoria started off scorching, and has cooled down a bit. He's still on pace for one of the best seasons in Rays history. The 23-year old All-Star has shown his strokes of power and run producing abilities. He also flashes some serious leather.

28. Ben Zobrist, 2B, Tampa Bay Rays
Zobrist is super-utility man. Only Joe Mauer has a higher OBP and OPS than Ben Zobrist in the American League. Zobrist also plays great defense in all of his positions and can steal bases, not to mention how clutch he is.

27. Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Houston Astros
Wandy Rodriguez has been a dominating surprise all year. Rodriguez is 10-6 with a 2.65 ERA, and 124 strikeouts. He is also a workhorse, and he saved the Astros rotation that would be screwed without him.

26. Pablo Sandoval, 3B, San Francisco Giants
The Kung Fu Panda could win a batting title. He has provided an extremely consistent bat to a weak offense and he gets on base a lot. Sandoval is top-10 in the National League in OPS. He is also clutch in high leverage situations.

25. Jarrod Washburn, SP, Seattle Mariners
Washburn has completely rediscovered himself. He's 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA, but more impressive is his 1.07 WHIP. He doesn't strike out a lot of people, but he also doesn't walk a lot of people. He's also been a workhorse, preserving that great bullpen.

24. Brad Hawpe, RF, Colorado Rockies
Hawpe is underrated. The All-Star is top-eight in the National League in OPS and batting average and has been a key staple in the turnaround of the Rockies. He also plays great defense and he has a rocket arm.

23. Joe Nathan, CL, Minnesota Twins
Nathan is by far the best closer in baseball. There was a span this year where he hadn't yielded an earned run in over two months. He has 28 saves (in 31 opportunities) with a 1.59 ERA and minuscule 0.79 WHIP.

22. Adam Wainwright, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
No pitcher in the National League has more wins or has pitched more innings than Adam Wainwright. He's 12-8 with a 2.80 ERA and 135 strikeouts. Wainwright is one of many Cardinals being unfairly omitted from Cy Young discussion.

21. Torii Hunter, CF, Los Angeles Angels
What can't Hunter do? Even though he's injured, he was putting up MVP numbers. Hunter is top-five in the American League in OPS and top-10 in RBI. He is also a consistent and clutch hitter, and also plays Gold Glove defense.

20. Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Seattle Mariners
Ichiro continues to do his thing. Nobody in baseball has a higher batting average or has more hits than Ichiro. He also gets on base a lot, and swipes a lot of bases. The All-Star also plays great defense.

19. Edwin Jackson, SP, Detroit Tigers
Could the Tigers have gotten any better of a pickup in the offseason? Jackson is 7-5 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. He also has a 104 strikeouts and opponents have a terrible time trying to bat against him. Jackson is also a workhorse.

18. Adam Dunn, LF, Washington Nationals
Adam Dunn batting .280, who would've thought? That is absolutely great for Dunn. Dunn is an absolute beast, ranking sixth or better in the National League in home runs (4th), walks (2nd), RBI (4th), on-base percentage (6th), and OPS (5th).

17. Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees
Teixeira is certainly in the MVP race. He's become a consistent batter, who is top-four in the American League in home runs and RBI. He also walks a lot and has a great OPS. Not to mention that the Gold Glove is as good as his.

16. Ryan Braun, LF, Milwaukee Brewers
Ryan Braun has yet to slow down. He's able to hit for average and he gets on base a lot. He's also a top-10 home run hitter and RBI producer. He's also third in the National League in runs scored and plays good defense and has a good arm, with six outfield assists.

15. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers
It's hard to believe that Cabrera is only 26 years old. He's fourth in the American League in batting average and he's top-ten in on-base percentage and OPS. Cabrera has home run and RBI-producing abilities and he plays excellent defense.

14. Raul Ibanez, LF, Philadelphia Phillies
The injury bug got to Ibanez, or else he'd be in the MVP race next to Albert Pujols. Ibanez has 74 RBI in 76 games. Ibanez is ranked second in OPS and fourth in RBI in the National League. Ibanez was by far the best acquisition in the National League offseason.

13. Matt Cain, SP, San Francisco Giants
The 24 year old All-Star has provided the Giants with yet another dominant pitcher. Cain shares the National League lead with 12 wins. He also has a 2.27 ERA and is a workhorse with three complete games.

12. Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners
King Felix is only 23 years old. Hernandez is 11-4 with a 2.79 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. His 139 strikeouts are good for fourth in the American League. He is also a workhorse and could very easily win the Cy Young award.

11. Roy Halladay, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Will he be a Blue Bird for long? The Doc is 11-3 with a 2.62 ERA and minuscule 1.05 WHIP. His 123 strikeouts are good for sixth in the American League. Halladay is a workhorse that has thrown four complete games already.

10. Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
Utley is a beast, and came back early from hip surgery. Utley is top-eight in all of these categories: home runs (8th), on-base percentage (2nd), OPS (4th), RBI (6th), and runs scored (3rd). He does this while batting .300-plus and playing great defense.

9. Chris Carpenter, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
Carpenter has been dominating, but nobody has given him any credit, which is a common trend for Cardinals starting pitchers. Carpenter is 9-3 with a 2.19 ERA and great 0.96 WHIP. Opponents also have a hard time getting hits against him.

8. Tim Lincecum, SP, San Francisco Giants
What more could be said about the Freak? The reigning Cy Young is 11-3 with a 2.30 ERA and great 1.05 WHIP. His 183 strikeouts lead all of baseball. He is also a workhorse with four complete games, two of which were of the shutout variety. Lincecum could also add a Gold Glove to his collection this year.

7. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins
The most talented player in baseball is Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez leads the National League in batting average and he is an RBI-machine. He once had a 10-game streak during this season where he had an RBI in each game. He has lots of power and the ability to steal bases.

6. Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins
Mauer leads the American League in on-base percentage, slugging, and then obviously OPS. He is found his power stroke, already setting a career high in home runs. He continues to bat extremely well and is on his way to being the best catcher, ever. Mauer also plays Gold Glove defense.

5. Justin Morneau, 1B, Minnesota Twins
The M&M boys are the best consecutive punch in baseball. Not only can Morneau bat for average, he also gets on base a lot. Oh yeah, he leads the American League in home runs and RBI and is second to Mauer in slugging. His glovework is also underrated.

4. Dan Haren, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Wow, imagine where Haren would be if the played on a team with a competent offense or competent bullpen. Haren is 10-6 with a 2.19 ERA and minuscule 0.86 WHIP. His 146 strikeouts are good for third in the National League and he's a workhorse with three complete games. He also has great control, with only 22 walks.

3. Zack Greinke, SP, Kansas City Royals
Same thing applies to Greinke as for Haren. He would be in a much better situation had he been pitching for a competent team. The All-Star is 10-6 with a 2.04 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. His 146 strikeouts are the second most in the American League and he is an absolute workhorse with five complete games.

2. Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers
Too bad that there's the number one player, or Fielder would be running away with the MVP award. The home run derby champion is batting over .300 and has a .420+ OBP. Fielder has the second most RBI in the National League and is third in the league in OPS. He's also improved his defense massively and is extremely clutch.

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
Was there any doubt? Pujols is the one person in the MLB that sports analysts consider a viable triple crown threat. He's leading the league in home runs, RBI, slugging, on-base percentage, and OPS. He also walks a lot more than he strikeouts and he also has ten stolen bases. Don't forget that he plays great defense.

Others considered (in no order): A.J. Burnett, Andrew Bailey, Brian Roberts, Casey Blake, Chad Billingsley, Cristian Guzman, Curtis Granderson, Denard Span, Freddy Sanchez, Hunter Pence, Huston Street, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jim Thome, Jon Lester, J.P. Howell, Juan Pierre, Manny Ramirez, Mark DeRosa, Michael Bourn, Nick Johnson, Nyjer Morgan, Ricky Romero, Ryan Theriot, Ryan Zimmerman, Scott Podsednik, Scott Rolen, Yadier Molina, Zach Duke