MLB Power Rankings: Predicting the Top 25 MLB Players in 2011
Spring training is just around the corner and with it comes all the expectations of a fresh start for all 30 MLB teams. Right now every team is full of optimism, believing that they have a chance to compete if one or two things work out right.
Next year will be a great season for baseball.
There is the new four-headed pitching monster in Philadelphia. The Red Sox look like the favorites in the American League right now with all of their moves. Then there are teams that will be good but no one talks about for one reason or another, like the defending champion San Francisco Giants.
We have an idea who the great teams will be, but who will the best players be next year?
There are the usual guys like Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer, but there will be a number of guys who will have big years next year.
Here are the guys who will be the top 25 players in Major League Baseball in 2011.
Rankings will be based on expected performance and value relative to position. For example, a guy like Troy Tulowitzki will be higher than a guy like Mark Teixeira because he is playing a premium position.
Honorable Mention, American League: Carlos Santana, C, Cleveland Indians
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The Indians catcher would likely have won the AL Rookie of the Year last year if not for a nasty knee injury against Boston in early August. Santana has a great eye at the plate with a 37:29 BB:K ratio, and he is a terrific defender behind the plate.
He is a young, switch-hitting catcher who can hit in the middle of the lineup. Look for big things from Santana in 2011.
Honorable Mention, National League: Matt Kemp, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Dodgers centerfielder had a down year in 2010 but he has the talent to be one of the best players in baseball. His biggest problem has been his attitude and how hard he plays. When he wants to play he is as good as anyone. He just doesn’t always give 100 percent.
25. Ryan Braun. LF, Milwaukee Brewers
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There has never been any question about Braun’s bat. He has hit no matter where he has played, in college or professionally. His question has always been can he play defense? He will never be a great defensive player but he has improved enough in left field where he is at least adequate.
Braun, along with Prince Fielder, will anchor the Brewers team that hopes to make a postseason run.
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24. Tim Lincecum, SP, San Francisco Giants
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"Big time Timmy Jim," as the SportsCenter commercial calls him, was not quite as good in 2010 as he was in 2008 and 2009. That said, he has learned how to pitch and not just blow everyone away with a 97 mile per hour fastball. His performance in Game 5 of the World Series was one of the best in recent memory.
23. David Wright, 3B, New York Mets
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His overall numbers were much better in 2010 and he was able to rediscover his power stroke after a power outage in 2009. His on-base percentage really fell off last year (.354 compared to .390 in 2008 and 2009). If he can get his on-base back up around .400, he will be much higher on this list.
22. Jason Heyward, RF, Atlanta Braves
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Heyward is only 21 years old and he had a fantastic rookie season. He posted a .393 on-base percentage and a .456 slugging percentage. He was in a neck-and-neck race with Giants catcher Buster Posey for Rookie of the Year in 2010. Those two could compete for several MVP awards in the future.
21. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers
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In 2010, Cabrera nearly won the American League triple crown. He finished second in average (.328), third in home runs (38) and first in RBI (126). The only thing that holds him down on this list is his defense, which is terrible (minus-eight runs below the average first baseman). It’s hard to argue with that bat though.
20. Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
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If not for a terrible August, Cliff Lee likely would have won, or at least challenged for, the American League Cy Young award. He goes back to the National League, where the lineups are a bit easier to deal with. He was dominant in his first run with the Phillies and there is no reason to think he won’t do it again.
19. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston Red Sox
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Gonzalez was one of the best kept secrets in San Diego for years. Now he brings his talents to Boston, where he can shine on one of the biggest stages in baseball. It’s easy to think that his numbers will take a hit going to the much tougher American League East, but he played his home games in San Diego, which is the worst hitting park in baseball. Boston is much more hitter friendly so even with the tougher competition the park will make up for that.
18. Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees
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With Adrian Gonzalez going to Boston, Teixeira has tough competition for the best overall first baseman in the American League. Teixeira has been great in his time with the Yankees thus far. Now with A-Rod and Derek Jeter getting older and their performance slipping, he will have to take on an even bigger role for this offense to be great.
17. Shin-Soo Choo, RF, Cleveland Indians
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Choo is the most underrated player in baseball today. He is a five-tool player who goes largely unnoticed because he plays in Cleveland. He is a great hitter with some power and is one of the best defensive right fielders in baseball today. If the Indians can surround him with more talent, the country can finally take notice of baseball’s best kept secret.
16. Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants
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Posey’s path to the majors was somewhat controversial because it seemed as though the Giants front office didn’t want him to make it. When they finally gave him the chance to play, he never looked back. He got to show his talents on the biggest stage in the World Series and will continue his evolution as one of baseball’s premier catchers in 2011.
15. Matt Holliday, LF, St Louis Cardinals
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After a rough start to 2010, Holliday got back to his old self and finished the year with great numbers. He had a .922 OPS with 28 homers and his defense was outstanding in left field. Expect more of the same from him in 2011.
14. Carl Crawford, LF, Boston Red Sox
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Boston’s philosophy going into 2010 was defense. You could make a case that in this offseason they have had the same philosophy but they got better players to play for them. Last year it was guys like Mike Cameron and John Lackey brought into the fold. This year has been Adrian Gonzalez, one of the best first baseman, and Carl Crawford, the best defensive left fielder. His offense will probably get better being able to pepper the green monster in left field.
13. Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
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With Utley, the question is always, "Can he stay healthy for an entire season?"
If he does he is a legitimate MVP candidate. He has great plate discipline and great power playing a position where offense is at a premium. Oh by the way, he ain’t too shabby playing the field either. He will be the best Phillies' everyday player in 2011.
12. Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners
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The fact that the 2010 American League Cy Young race was ever in doubt is a joke. King Felix had the best year of any pitcher in the junior circuit and deserved the award that he got. He will go into 2011 with great expectations, but if anyone can live up to them it will be him. Plus, he’s only 24 and can still get better.
11. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
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Votto came out of nowhere to win the NL MVP in 2010. He was always a solid player, but last year he really stepped up his game and led the Reds to their first postseason appearance in 15 years. He may not be quite as good in 2011, but that doesn’t mean he still won’t be great. He improved as a defender at first base last year too, which gives him even more value.
10. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox
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Pedroia was having a good 2010 before he fouled a pitch off his foot and broke a bone. He will bounce back in a big way in 2011. The former MVP has such a great swing and always makes contact, plus playing in that lineup, his numbers could get even better. He is an underrated defender at second base but has excellent range and great instincts at the position.
9. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
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Last season was Cano’s breakout year. He has always been a really good player, but he would go through long stretches where he seemed disinterested or overmatched.
Cano came out in April and was fantastic from the beginning of the season. His defense has gotten better and he has turned into one of the best all-around players in baseball.
8. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
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The Rays third baseman will have to take on even more of an offensive load in 2011. With Carl Crawford gone, Longoria will enter the season as their only real threat on offense. That’s not to say that he can’t handle it, but it is a lot more pressure on him.
Given his raw ability and performance in his first three years, he seems destined to win an MVP award at some point. Could 2011 be the year?
7. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins
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Ramirez’s numbers dropped off quite a bit in 2010 (2009 OPS: .953, 2010: .853) but that is more likely an aberration then the real thing. He is only 26 years old and is just hitting his peak playing age, so look for a return to form for the Marlins shortstop in 2011 offensively. Defensively he is a mess at shortstop, but his bat makes up for a lot of those issues.
6. Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins
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Maybe it was because he set the bar so high in 2009, but a lot of people look at Joe Mauer’s 2010 season as a bit of a disappointment. He was never going to hit home runs like he did in 2009, but he was still the best catcher in baseball once again in 2010. Offensively he is as great a hitter as there is, and defensively catchers don’t get a lot better then he does.
5. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington Nationals
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A great player on a terrible team, Zimmerman might be the best all-around third baseman in all of baseball. Watching him defensively is like a work of art, he is so smooth and makes the position look so easy. Offensively he has gotten better and better each year. Look for big things from him in 2011.
4. Josh Hamilton, CF, Texas Rangers
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Josh Hamilton’s fantastic comeback story hit a new high in 2010 when he won the MVP award and led the Rangers to their first World Series appearance. He is so smooth with a bat in his hands that it almost seems unfair how good he is. His talent is limitless and he will be among the best in baseball in 2011.
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies
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The Rockies love Tulo so much that they gave him a 10-year contract extension this offseason. While that may be a little excessive there is no denying what he brings to the Colorado team. He is probably the best defensive shortstop in baseball and has been since he got to the big leagues in 2007. Offensively he brings more to the table then almost any other shortstop in the game.
If he plays 2011 like he finished 2010, he will be a shoe-in for the MVP award.
2. Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
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It’s amazing to look at how good Roy Halladay was in Toronto and realize that he actually got better last year with Philadelphia. He is a true workhorse in an era where that really doesn’t mean what it once did. He has the best array of pitches of anyone in baseball, and he commands them as well as anyone.
1. Albert Pujols, 1B, St Louis Cardinals
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When in doubt, why not go with old reliable? What is left to be said about Pujols that people haven’t already said? He is the best pure hitter in baseball today. He rarely beats himself and his eye at the plate is as good as anyone that is in the game today. He is the single most dominant player in baseball today and he doesn’t show any signs of letting up.
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