Every MLB Team's Most Reliable Player

Every team has that player who they want on the field when it counts the most.

When the game is on the line and one player has the ability to determine the outcome, who better to have out there than the most reliable player on the team?

For example, the Philadelphia Phillies would want Roy Halladay to toe the rubber during Game 7 of the World Series.

The Boston Red Sox would want Adrian Gonzalez to be in the batter's box facing Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth.

You get the picture?

Here is a list of every MLB team's most reliable player.

Boston Red Sox: Adrian Gonzalez

The Boston Red Sox began to lick their chops as soon as they traded for Adrian Gonzalez. If Gonzalez was consistently hitting bombs in the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park in San Diego, one could only imagine how many he would hit in the bandbox of Fenway Park.

Gonzalez has certainly lived up to the hype by batting .345 with 23 home runs and 103 RBI.

Wow...

New York Yankees: Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera should be nicknamed "Mr. Reliable" due to the track record he has accumulated over his 16-year MLB career.

You want reliable?

How about a 0.71 ERA in 139.2 innings pitched during the postseason?

Tampa Bay Rays: James Shields

James Shields has always been full of potential, but was never really able to put it all together.

In his five-year career before 2011, his lowest season-ending ERA was 3.56, and he finished with 14 wins and eight losses. That isn't a bad season at all, but everyone knew Shields was capable of much more prominent numbers.

Lo and behold, Shields came in to his own this year and has posted a sub-three ERA for the majority of the year (currently at 2.96).

Toronto Blue Jays: Jose Bautista

I know, I'm still wondering the same thing: Where in the world did Jose Bautista come from?

Bautista smacked 54 home runs in 2010, more than three times the amount of his previous career-high.

Currently, Bautista is batting .312 with 38 home runs and 85 RBI.

I think it's finally safe to say he is one of the league's premier hitters.

Baltimore Orioles: Nick Markakis

Nick Markakis is one of the more underrated players in MLB today.

He's not going to blow you away with extreme athleticism or incredible power numbers.

However, he's going to do what Nick Markakis does—and that is being an extremely well-rounded baseball player.

Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander

Let's say it's Game 7 of the World Series and you could pick any pitcher to toe the rubber in the most important game of the year.

Would you pick Roy Halladay? You can't go wrong with that pick since he is the best pitcher in MLB.

Maybe Tim Lincecum? You saw what he is capable of in the 2010 postseason.

What about Justin Verlander? He arguably has the best stuff in the game and has shown he can pitch late in to games on a consistent basis.

Verlander has been on the verge of becoming the best pitcher in the game due to his 100-plus mph fastball and loopy curve ball, but has never seemed to consistently put it all together. 

It looks like he figured it all out in 2011, due to a 20-5 record, a 2.38 ERA and 218 strikeouts.

Chicago White Sox: Paul Konerko

Paul Konerko might be the only reliable player the White Sox have on their roster.

Konerko has averaged nearly 34 home runs and 97 RBI the past seven years and is well on his way to match those numbers again in 2011.

Cleveland Indians: Asdrubal Cabrera

Asdrubal Cabrera has been the lone consistent player in the Cleveland Indians' lineup.

Batting .282 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI definitely backs up that statement.

Minnesota Twins: Michael Cuddyer

Nope, its not Joe Mauer.

Wrong again, it's not Justin Morneau.

Surprisingly, Michael Cuddyer has had a pretty good season in 2011 and is the only man on the Minnesota Twins who seems to know how to hit.

Kansas City Royals: Billy Butler

If you haven't heard the name yet, Billy Butler is legit, and I envision him hoisting a batting champion trophy or two in the near future.

Although he lacks the power or a prototypical first baseman, Butler knows how to hit and get on base on a consistent basis.

Texas Rangers: Michael Young

It was hard to choose Michael Young as the Texas Rangers' most reliable player, especially with players like Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz also on the roster.

In 11 seasons with the Texas Rangers, Young is hitting .303 with 168 home runs and 868 RBI.

He also eclipsed the 2,000 career hits milestone at only 34 years old.

Los Angeles Angles: Jered Weaver

There was no doubting Jered Weaver's potential after he was drafted 12th overall in the 2004 MLB Draft.

Weaver showed what he is truly capable of in 2010 after posing a 3.03 ERA and accumulating 233 strikeouts.

Then, Weaver proceeded to take his game to another level in 2011 and got off to a sizzling start by winning his first six games with a 0.99 ERA.

Oakland Athletics: Coco Crisp

Many thought the Oakland A's were the dark-horse team to win the American League West in 2011, but their offense let them down big time.

Coco Crisp, the man with the coolest hairdo in MLB, has quietly had one of the better seasons on the A's roster.

Even though his numbers have dropped a little bit as of late, Crisp is still batting .267 with 37 stolen bases and only 52 strikeouts.

Seattle Mariners: Felix Hernandez

Although "King Felix" isn't having the same Cy Young-type of season, he is still the Seattle Mariners' best player.

Philadelphia Phillies: Roy Halladay

When you think about who is reliable in baseball, Roy Halladay is the epitome of just that.

Three 20-win seasons, 65 complete games and seven seasons with more than 200 innings pitched in his 14-year career are some of the reasons why Halladay is baseball's iron man.

Atlanta Braves: Jonny Venters

It's simply amazing that a 26-year-old relief pitcher who is one year removed from his rookie year is the Atlanta Braves' most reliable player.

You could make the argument that Chipper Jones or Brian McCann is the team's most reliable player, but what Venters has done these past two seasons is quite remarkable. He is currently sporting a 1.33 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 74.2 innings pitched.

New York Mets: Jose Reyes

It was hard to find the New York Mets' most reliable player since everyone on the roster is always hurt.

However, Jose Reyes seems to be the best fit, even though he has spent some time on the disabled list this year.

If the Mets can't find a way to keep Reyes on the team long-term, expect New York to start blowing up their roster—figuratively-speaking—and start the rebuilding process.

Washington Nationals: Tyler Clippard

With premier players like Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse on the Washington Nationals' roster, it was hard to chose a relief pitcher who wasn't even the closer.

However, the 26-year-old dart-thrower earned a reputation in 2011 and was selected to his first All-Star game.

He did that by posting an 1.88 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 71.2 innings pitched during the 2011 campaign.

Florida Marlins: Josh Johnson

Yes, I know he's on the disabled list and has been since the second month of the season.

However, there isn't anyone else on the Florida Marlins who should be considered a reliable player.

Mike Stanton is 21 years old and hits for a ton of power. However, he strikes out frequently and doesn't get on base unless he jogs around them at his own pace.

Gaby Sanchez started off the season hot, but his numbers have dropped down to a lowly .265 batting average.

When healthy, Johnson is one of the better pitchers in MLB.

Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Braun

Even though Ryan Braun is already a legitimate MLB superstar and has been since he stepped on the diamond, the Milwaukee Brewers' slugger still doesn't get enough credit for what he does.

Braun has averaged a .313 batting average with 30 home runs and 107 RBI during his five-year career, not to mention his 30 stolen bases he has swiped thus far in 2011.

Also don't forget that Braun is only 27 years old.

St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols

You want reliable? That is exactly what you'll get with Albert Pujols.

How does 10-straight years of at least 30 home runs, 100 RBI and a batting average over .310 sound?

And, oh yeah, he started that streak when he emerged on the scene his rookie year in 2001.

Talk about being a machine...

Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto

Joey Votto is one of those players who is going to have a good at-bat every time he steps in the batter's box.

His uncanny ability to hit for power and average, as well as playing stellar defense, truly makes him one of the premier players in MLB.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen

Honestly, what can't Andrew McCutchen do?

We've seen him hit absolute bombs, steal bases with ease, run down fly balls on the warning track.

Heck, we've even seen him carry the Pittsburgh Pirates into first place in the division at one point in the year.

That's certainly an impressive feat.

Chicago Cubs: Aramis Ramirez

After a somewhat slow start to the 2011 campaign, Aramis Ramirez became the hottest man on the planet during the second-half of the season.

Ramirez combined for 17 home runs in June and July, which is 70 percent of his season total.

Starlin Castro would've been an interesting candidate for this spot, but I would think that being a reliable player entails never taking a play off.

Houston Astros: Carlos Lee

Who else feels sorry for Carlos Lee?

"El Caballo" seems like he is the only veteran left on the Houston Astros' squad after the team cleaned house before the 2011 trade deadline.

Talk about a man among boys...

Arizona Diamondbacks: Justin Upton

I don't think there is any player more valuable to his team than Justin Upton is to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

To put it simply, the Diamondbacks will go where Upton takes them.

While batting .297 with 25 home runs, 77 RBI and 20 stolen bases, Upton is one of the true five-tool players we have in MLB.

San Francisco Giants: Matt Cain

Are you surprised to not see Tim Lincecum on this list?

It has hard to pick Matt Cain over "The Freak," but I believe Cain was simply more reliable.

Lincecum's success has been well documented,—two Cy Young awards, four All-Star games and a World Series trophy in his first four seasons—but Cain's story has gone almost completely unnoticed.

If it wasn't for his lack of run support, Cain—the current longest-tenured Giant—would be a consistent 20-game winner year in and year out.

Cain also went the entire 2010 postseason without giving up an earned run (in 21.1 innings pitched), which is simply remarkable.

Colorado Rockies: Troy Tulowitzki

Troy Tulowitzki got off to an extremely hot start in 2011, but then saw his numbers decline all the way down to a .251 batting average at the beginning of June.

I'll admit, I looked away for a second, and the next thing I know, "Tulo" is batting .306 with 28 home runs and 94 RBI.

Coors Field or not: Tulowitzki is the best shortstop in MLB.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw

When talking about the best young pitchers in MLB today, Clayton Kershaw should be at the very top of that list.

The lefty ace is currently 17-5 with a 2.45 ERA and 212 strikeouts.

The National League Cy Young award is certainly his to lose this year.

San Diego Padres: Heath Bell

It's a shame that one of the best closers—if not the best—in MLB is pitching on one of the worst teams.

Heath Bell—who is also one of the better all-around guys in MLB—deserves to be pitching in the postseason this year.