MLB Power Rankings: Handicapping the 2011 MVP Races
Who will lead the way this season and carry the load?
Now is the perfect time to go ahead and make some predictions for the MVP races in both the American and National Leagues. Last year, Texas' Josh Hamilton took home American League honors, while Joey Votto won it in the National League.
Could they repeat? Absolutely. You saw Texas struggle last year when Hamilton was out of the lineup, but I also thought Cliff Lee became an MVP of sorts in the second half of the season after he was acquired. Votto is still very young, and should continue to improve along with the rest of a promising, young Reds team.
Baseball fans will recognize these names. I threw in a pitcher with each league too, and will be interchanging players as I go along. Let's try and have some fun here, and not take it too seriously. Go ahead and call your shots as well, whether it's just one pick from each league, or a top three.
Here's my list, with 10 from the American League and 10 from the National League:
10. AL: Felix Hernandez, P, Seattle
1 of 20
I'm going to throw some love to King Felix if not for the simple reason that he's one of maybe three bright spots for this organization. It's sad to see Seattle in such bad shape, and it's going to take a while to turn around a team that used to be incredible.
10. NL: Roy Halladay, P, Philadelphia
2 of 20
Halladay led the Phillies in all three major statistical categories last year (wins, ERA and strikeouts). I always thought Atlanta's pitching staff in the late 1990s was the most impressive I'd seen in my lifetime, but now with the addition of Cliff Lee, Philadelphia could have them beat.
9. AL: Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees
3 of 20
Last year's .270 average was the lowest for ARod since his rookie year. I have a hard time believing he'll have two back-to-back years like that. In fairness, he still did finish with 30 home runs and 125 RBIs, but those are not your typical eye-popping numbers you come to expect from him.
I've got to throw Rodriguez into the mix, but I can't put him as a strong MVP contender, especially when you consider another teammate of his.
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9. NL: Starlin Castro, SS, Chicago Cubs
4 of 20
As a lifelong baseball junkie, one of the things I always enjoy are when megastar prospects come on the scene and you get a chance to see if they live up to the hype. There were definitely times last year when I saw Castro play that left me thinking, "Wow. The kid's got freakish talent."
8. AL: Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay
5 of 20
With Carl Crawford now gone to Boston, there's going to be even more pressure put on Longoria to lead the way for the Rays. I like the additions of Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, but both are older, and you never know where Manny's head will be.
Longoria's an incredible talent, and a key reason why Tampa's become such an impressive organization.
8. NL: Buster Posey, C, San Francisco
6 of 20
The kid's still a pup, and flat-out produced in the playoffs last year. Can you imagine how good he'll be in five years?
7. AL: Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit
7 of 20
I remember when he first broke out with the Marlins, and I kept saying to myself, "Five-tool player. That guy is INCREDIBLE!" It's a shame Detroit's come up just short in its division, but Cabrera is one of the best players in the American League.
Maybe the most impressive stat about last year: He had a slugging percentage of .622.
7. NL: Jayson Werth, OF, Washington
8 of 20
I think Werth will get some consideration, but not a ton since the Nationals are still dreadful and a long ways off from being respectable. What will be more interesting is to see if he can live up to that fat contract of his he got this offseason.
6. AL: Paul Konerko, 1B/DH, Chicago White Sox
9 of 20
I thought once Chicago got Adam Dunn that Konerko was gone, so I was a little surprised to see the team hang on to him. I love Konerko's game, and I think he still has enough left in the tank to be a difference maker for the Sox.
6. NL: Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee
10 of 20
Yes, getting Zack Greinke was huge for the Brewers, but it will be up to players like Braun to lead the way and help them overtake the Cardinals, who remain the gold standard in the NL Central.
5. AL: Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
11 of 20
Cano was the Yankees' most consistent and dangerous hitter, especially in the playoffs. Cano has become a well-rounded player, and is one of the game's best defensive second basemen as well. As a Yankees fan, I hope that the captaincy will be handed over to Cano.when Derek Jeter retires.
5. NL: Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida
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I wonder if Ramirez will mature more this year, but I've got no doubt about his skills. His numbers dropped across the board last season, but he's still 27 years old and still has plenty of room to only get better.
4. AL: Vernon Wells, OF, Anaheim
13 of 20
According to reports, Wells is going to make the shift from center field to left field, but I don't see that being an issue especially for someone as athletic as Wells is. I think his bat will also provide some much needed life into the Angels offense.
4. NL: Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta
14 of 20
Chipper's about to be 39, but I'm betting right now he comes back with a vengeance following last year's knee injury. Keep in mind, it was just two years ago when he hit .364.
3. AL: Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas
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If he stays healthy, Hamilton will be right back in the mix to defend his MVP title. If he'd stayed focused when he was originally drafted, and didn't succumb to drugs and alcohol, can you imagine how many MVPs he may have won by now?
3. NL: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado
16 of 20
He's still incredibly young, but I like anyone who can offer you something in the field and at the plate. Tulo just received a fat contract extension during the offseason, so the pressure's on to show he's deserving of the money he's getting.
2. AL: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston
17 of 20
I had a hard time deciding between him and new teammate Carl Crawford (you could flip-flop either in this spot), but I'm going with Gonzalez. While Crawford's played in the division, I think Gonzalez will feed off the spotlight and pressure of playing in Boston.
2. NL: Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati
18 of 20
Is this the year Cincinnati finally takes off? I've been watching the Reds slowly re-shape themselves, and they have some amazing young talent. Votto's one of the best players in baseball, but I'd love to see what he would do in the postseason when the pressure's on.
1. AL: Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota
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When he's healthy and in the zone, Mauer is a machine. I love watching pitchers try to keep Mauer guessing and get aggressive with him, only to see Mauer make them pay each and every time.
1. NL: Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis
20 of 20
This one's simple: St. Louis needs to back the Brinks truck up, pay Pujols and end all this crazy talk before the Cardinals' first practice even begins at spring training. He is the game's best player, he's already done things in his career that may never be matched and he'll likely finish as perhaps one of the best hitters in baseball history.
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