2011 MLB: 20 Important Things We Learned This Season

The 2011 MLB season was extremely eventful, to say the least.

Major collapses from the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves capped off one of the most memorable last days of regular season baseball ever.

We bared witness to the Philadelphia Phillies triple-digit dominance, Matt Kemp's MVP-like explosion, Justin Verlander's quest for 25 wins and Evan Longoria's walk-off blast to send the Tampa Bay Rays into the playoffs.

With a variety of storylines stretching from early-April to late-September, it's hard to discuss each and every one of them, but the ones that matter most have made the cut.

Here are the 20 most important things we learned this season.

20. Jim Thome Still Has It

This season was filled with great stories, but none better than Jim Thome going back to the Cleveland Indians and showing he can still produce in the majors.

The 41-year-old has been at it for a while and his 15 home runs in 2011 helped him eclipse the 600 career mark.

But beyond record breaking performances and what it means for Thome's chances at making the Hall of Fame, it's important to realize that he simply still has what it takes to play in the bigs.

In only 553 at-bats over the past two seasons, Thome has hit 40 home runs with 109 RBI. 

Impressive, huh?

He may not have the longevity to last a lengthy 162 game season anymore, but when he straps it on and steps to the plate, Thome's dominance still reigns supreme.

19. Chad Billingsley Has Fallen off the Wagon

What has happened to Chad Billingsley?

The 27-year-old was pegged the future ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff no more than three years ago, but he's somehow fallen off the wagon.

Billingsley has no doubt fallen far behind his teammate, Clayton Kershaw, in the totem pole of Dodgers' starters, but that doesn't mean he's not being counted on to pitch well.

An 11-11 record in 2011 is far off from his 16 victories in 2008, let alone his decline to a 4.21 ERA.

At this point, Billingsley doesn't seem like the same pitcher who possessed so much promise in the NL West.

His strikeouts are down, walks are up and his WHIP has skyrocketed.

It isn't too late to recover—2011 marked the official decline of "Bills".

18. Hanley Ramirez Doesn't Really Care

Why does it seem like Hanley Ramirez doesn't want to play baseball?

I mean the guy has elite talent at one of baseball's most shallow positions, so why all the lackadaisical play and effort?

Who knows.

Ramirez was benched on numerous accounts for his lack of effort at shortstop, as well as running the bases.

His talent has never been brought into question, evident by his speed and power, but now his heart is seemingly an issue.

2011 was the first time since his rookie year that "Han-Ram" failed to record a 20-20 season.

Granted he only had 338 at-bats, his production has still taken a serious smack in the chops.

He should be good going into 2012, but the effort issues have to go away, quickly.

17. Ian Kennedy Is Much Better Than Phil Hughes

Boy, the New York Yankees have to be kicking themselves about trading Ian Kennedy instead of Phil Hughes back in 2009.

New York did land Curtis Granderson in the trade, but at that time, Hughes was more heralded than Kennedy, so trading him instead of a potential Cy Young winner would have been the correct move.

Since his departure from the Yankees, Kennedy has excelled to a top-tier pitcher in the majors.  Hughes has been given an ample amount of opportunities to prove himself; however, he down-spiraled to a 5-5 record and a 5.79 ERA in 2011.

Kennedy on the other hand, has been downright dominant.  His 21-4 record this year has proved that he is a staff ace and can handle any lineup thrown in front of him.

At this point, with a sub-3.00 ERA, 220-plus innings and a growing offense behind him, the 26-year-old could easily become one of the best starters in the MLB for the next 10 years.

16. Carl Crawford Is a Bust

Besides Adam Dunn, Carl Crawford was the biggest disappointment in 2011.

His numbers don't even resemble a shell of his former self, let alone the All-Star production that landed him a seven-year, $142 million deal with the Boston Red Sox last offseason.

Putting aside his rookie season in 2002, the 30-year-old's production in 2011 fell short of anything he's ever done.

Crawford's 18 stolen bases were about 30 off from his yearly average and his walks, home runs, triples and most importantly his average, were all down from the year before.

As many people may point to the Red Sox' rocky starting pitching as the reason they were unable to fend off the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL Wild Card spot, a lot of blame has to be put on Crawford.

He was suppose to be the guy in charge.  Instead, his lack of production saw him batting as low as ninth during the 2011 season.

Maybe it was the change in scenery or the pressure put on his shoulders from one of baseball's most fanatic cities, but going forward into his career as a Red Sox outfielder, Crawford needs to rebuild his image as one of the best all-around players in baseball.

15. The New York Mets Have Zero Pitching

To be frank, the New York Mets pitching stinks.

Amidst a season that featured huge offensive comeback years from Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, the Mets' pitching staff was unable to capitalize on a significant offensive boost in 2011.

David Wright and Ike Davis were injured for the majority of the season, but it remains a problem when your starting pitching combines to go 50-54 with a 4.22 ERA.

Rookie Dillon Gee started out hot but his dream of being the NL Rookie of the Year fizzled out due to a high walk total and low strikeouts.

R.A. Dickey, who's no doubt New York's best starter, pitched very well through 32 games, but ended the season with 13 losses to only eight victories.

Mike Pelfrey arguably had his worst year of his career, Jonathan Niese failed to improve on his impressive rookie season and Chris Capuano proved that he's more of a stop-gap pitcher than an accountable starter.

As it stands right now for the Mets, they have the worst starting rotation in the NL East.

How long can a team wait for an injury riddled Johan Santana to miraculously get healthy?

How long can a team let their rivals bolster their rotations while a 37-year-old knuckle-baller serves as your primary threat?

The Mets need help and 2011 showed that.

14. Nolan Ryan Is a Bad Luck Charm

I'm going to keep this simple.  Nolan Ryan seriously needs to chill out.

He's becoming the Mark Cuban of the MLB, and just like Cuban, it may take Ryan's Texas franchise longer than usual to win a championship.

The reason?

There's a few.

First, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are still the two best teams in the American League.

Secondly, Ryan is simply a bad luck charm.

He lurks behind the plate in the first row like he's ready to be put in the game in the eighth-inning.

His emotions spill out at every turn of the game and I'm assuming that's not a good thing when it comes to interrupting your team's chemistry and overall demeanor.

In the end, take it down a notch Ryan.  You've had your time as a professional athlete.

13. The Yankees Are Better Off without Alex Rodriguez

It has to be disheartening to know that you're stuck paying Alex Rodriguez $128 million over the next five years.

This type of situation is exactly what's wrong with baseball and its exuberant money hungry players, but that's an argument better left for another day.

With that said, assuming the 2011 version of Rodriguez is the A-Rod of the future, the New York Yankees are better off without him.

I guess that's what you get when you sign an aging player to the richest contract ever in baseball history.

Even when Rodriguez is on the field, which hasn't been too often as of late, his numbers aren't even close to his former Hall of Fame self.

His average is dropping to the .270-.280 mark. 

His home run totals are never going to cross the 40 mark again. 

His defense is still good, but he has definitely lost a step in the field and on the base paths.

The fact that the Yankees have plenty of issues to address that a lack of funds may restrict them from doing, cutting A-Rod out of the equation would be the perfect remedy.

But, Rodriguez is here to stay and Brian Cashman and company will just have to swallow that pill.

12. Matt Moore Is the Real Deal

Following the 2011 season, which culminated into the arrival of rookie phenom Matt Moore, any worries the Tampa Bay Rays had regarding their pitching staff were put to rest.

Through 9.1 innings of work, including one start, Moore delivered an awesome array of potential, striking out 15 and posting a masterful 1.29 ERA.

His performance at the end of the regular season and leading into the playoffs seemingly mirrored the past efforts of Rays' ace David Price when he came into the league in 2008.

And if that's any indication of things to come, Tampa Bay has themselves one heck of a pitcher.

Moore made one start this postseason against the eventual AL champs, stuffing the Texas Rangers and holding them to only two hits and no runs over seven innings of work.

If Moore had pitched from the get-go, he'd arguably be the rookie of the year.

But as it is in most cases, the team took their time with such a delicate arm and it played to their advantage.

Besides his talent and expectations moving forward, there's only one thing we can say.

The 22-year-old is the real deal.

11. Craig Kimbrel Has Surpassed Mariano Rivera

Who would have thought a 23-year-old rookie for the Atlanta Braves would step into the closer's role and dominate the league like no other?

Not many.  And even though I predicted a breakout season (look at one of my first articles ever written), I never expected Kimbrel to surpass Mariano Rivera as the league's best shut-down pitcher.

Now don't get me wrong, Rivera is slightly falling off of his usual top-tier pedestal, but the guy can still get it done.

Kimbrel on the other hand, came into the 2011 season with little to no experience.  Think 20.2 innings.

By using his fastball and shear ability, the rookie was completely lights out for the majority of the season, given a few bumps here and there.  His rookie campaign was record-breaking.

Forty-six saves, 127 strikeouts and a 2.10 ERA through 77 innings.

When you factor in that the Braves lineup struggled to put runs on the board for a good portion of the season, Kimbrel's success with limited support and shaky game outcomes makes him that much better.

You also have to give praise to 26-year-old set-up guy Jonny Venters, who pitched his way into forming the best one-two punch in the MLB.

But beyond Venters and the Braves solid starting rotation, Kimbrel's numbers speak for themselves.

He is, by far, the best closer around.

10. Michael Young Is Still Underrated

I could probably get away with not throwing Michael Young on this list, but the guy has been too good for too long to go under-appreciated.

Prior to the start of the season, there was a lot of speculation surrounding the Texas Rangers' plans to either deal Young or have him come off the bench/DH.

But as it is in most cases involving a tenured All-Star, the veteran prevailed.

Young once again proved that he deserves to start for the Rangers and once again produced more consistent numbers than anyone in the lineup.

His .338 average was a career-high, along with his 106 RBI.

Young's season was downright masterful.  He logged 213 hits, including 41 doubles, six triples and a career-low 78 strikeouts.

Arguably his best season in his 12-year career.

And to do it at the age of 35, he deserves some serious recognition.

Any sort of hesitation that Texas had prior to the 2011 season regarding Young and his playing time should cease to exist.

Because in the end, he's the major reason they ended up where they did in 2011.

9. The Nationals Have a Bright Future

When you talk about the future of the league and which teams have the immediate ingredients to win a championship down the line, the Washington Nationals win the argument.

It may take them three to five years, but there's no reason why this team can't improve enough to win a ring this decade.

With Stephen Strasburg back from Tommy John surgery, and seemingly back to his old dominant ways, rookie phenom Bryce Harper on the 2012 horizon and the emergence of Mike Morse and Danny Espinosa, Washington is ready to escape the depths of the NL East.

It's not going to be easy with the likes of the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves lurking in the distance, but with some of the best young talent in the majors, and minors, Ryan Zimmerman finally has the support he needs to take this team into the playoffs.

Add to the mix Jayson Werth, John Lannan, Drew Storen, Jordan Zimmerman and Roger Bernadina, and you have an explosive supporting cast that will be around for the next five seasons.

8. Matt Kemp Is Too Good

2011 marked the year that Matt Kemp finally put it all together.

Thirty-nine home runs, 126 RBI, 40 stolen bases and a .324 average has instantly made Kemp a top-five offensive player in baseball.

However, these numbers, along with 115 runs and his on-field leadership, sort of came out of nowhere.

Kemp has always possessed the potential and five-tool ability to take the MLB head-on, but his lack of effort and dedication to the game have usually been too difficult to overcome.

With that said, this season was different.

He completely put 2010 behind him, a season in which the 27-year-old hit for .249, 28 home runs and stole 15 bases.

Kemp should win the NL MVP unless voters go the route of selecting World Series champion Albert Pujols.

But baseball is a numbers game, always has been and always will be.  So to think the Los Angeles Dodger didn't do enough to win the coveted award seems like an injustice to me.

7. Tim Lincecum Is Human

Ladies and gentlemen, Tim Lincecum is human.

He's not from Mars nor Jupiter.

He doesn't sport an artificial body that covers up his true identity as a supernatural intelligence.

He's simply a 27-year-old, 5'11" starting pitcher from Washington.

Now while we can all take a deep breath and be thankful that Lincecum somehow seems like us normal Joes, he's still one of the best hurlers in the MLB.

It's too hard to ignore two Cy Young awards and a World Series ring, but his 2011 campaign finally showed us that he's not untouchable.

It was the first time Lincecum failed to post a .500 record in his five-year career. 

He also sported the most walks and least strikeouts in his career during a season in which he threw at least 200 innings.

Does this mean the "The Freak" is falling off?

Not at all, but it could mark the year that his ability to carry an offensive challenged team is finally called into question.

6. The Pittsburgh Pirates Are Getting Better

Similar to the Washington Nationals, the Pittsburgh Pirates are on the rise.

Boy, it still feels funny to say that.

But with young talented hitters and a starting rotation that proved its worth in 2011, my speculation isn't too far off.

We all knew that Andrew McCutchen was the real deal coming into the season, but explosive years from Neil Walker and Alex Presley showed us that Pittsburgh has depth to go along with youth.

Their experiment to bring in veterans like Ryan Ludwick and Derek Lee to try and make them a playoff team failed miserably, but I applaud the team for trying.

With that said, the future of the Pirates' success in the NL Central isn't going to hinder on inexpensive wash-ups.  Instead, it lies in the hands of young hitters like Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata, who have both shown flashes of All-Star ability in the past.

As for their pitching, Pittsburgh was lucky enough to possess a staff that posted a mediocre 4.04 ERA, which comes in much above their usual selves.

While the starting five should shift and regroup entering the 2012 season, closer Joel Hanrahan, who recorded 40 saves with a 1.83 ERA, will ultimately continue to menace other NL offenses.

If the Pirates want to be competitive they need to go against the grain of trading away all their good players, and finally make a splash in free agency for a top-of-the-rotation ace.

5. Curtis Granderson Is a Bona Fide Power Hitter

Curtis Granderson's career-high for home runs coming into the season was 30.

His career-high for RBI was 74.  Runs, 122.

Somehow, somewhere, Granderson channeled into his inner slugger and produced one of the best years from a New York Yankees outfielder that we've seen in a while.

The 30-year-old hit 41 home runs and 119 runs, stole 25 bases and scored a league-leading 136 runs, which was 15 more than anybody else.

Granderson's consistent power hitting, evident by a short porch in Yankee Stadium's right field and a timely swing on the road, helped New York produce runs when other players like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira struggled.

At this point in his career, alongside the downfalls of growing older, Granderson should continue to smack home runs as his speed decreases.

Seems like a good pay off, especially when you have a speedy Brett Gardner carrying the load on the bases and a declining A-Rod unable to hit balls over the fence.

4. Clayton Kershaw Is the Best Pitcher in the NL

I may catch some heat for this, but Clayton Kershaw proved in 2011 that he is the best starting pitcher in the National League.

You obviously have the means of arguing that Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee or Tim Lincecum deserve that title, but considering offensive support and bullpen ability, the 23-year-old lefty has captured the throne.

Coming into the season, Kershaw's success in the majors was limited by an inability to post a masterful winning percentage, mostly due to a lack luster Los Angeles Dodgers offense.

Regardless of how people measured the young ace's ability at the professional level, or for that matter downplayed his performance on the mound from 2008-2010, Kershaw has finally shut-up his doubters.

With a 21-5 record, NL-best 248 strikeouts, a league-leading 2.28 ERA and only 54 walks, the elite option has secured his spot amongst the best.  So why does he deserve to be called the most dominating pitcher in the NL?

It's easy.  Kershaw has excelled where most pitchers have not. 

His 0.97 WHIP is evidence that he consistently limits base runners and his age is relevant when you're talking about his potential to get even better.

Halladay, Lee and Linceum all failed to match Kershaw's dominance in 2011 and if the Dodgers are able to give their ace the offensive support he deserves, the next 10 years will bare witness to the best pitcher in the NL.

Justin Verlander aside, Kershaw may be the best starter in all of baseball.

3. Tony La Russa May Be the Best Manager Ever

To be honest with you, I don't know too much about Tony La Russa's heralded past as a manager from 1979-2011, but from the standpoint of a historical figure, the World Series manager may take the cake as the best skipper of all time.

The recently retired La Russa has won three rings throughout his managerial career, proving that strict coaching and game-time experience overcome payrolls and player's skill.

His 2,728 wins are third all-time, which proves he never had a problem with longevity.

He won manager of the year on three different occasions and helped secure Albert Pujols' legacy as one of the best players to every take the field.

La Russa may be out of the game for now, but his success in the dugout will never be forgotten, and his most recent championship proves that age and a team's roster ability are not issues if you know what you're doing.

2. Justin Verlander Is the League's Best Pitcher

There's really no argument.  Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in the MLB.

Even though he came up short of reaching 25 wins, his 24-5 record and 250 strikeouts do him enough justice to win the AL Cy Young for the first time in his career.

If you were to exclude 2008, Verlander would have won at least 17 games in every one of his major league seasons, making him one of the most productive pitchers ever during a six-year span.

He's recorded back-to-back seasons with four complete games and ended 2011 with two shut-outs, one no-hitter and 250.1 innings of unmatchable work.

At 28 years old, Verlander looks poised to follow in the footsteps of Roy Halladay as he seems ready to dominate the majors into his mid-30s.

It may be hard for for him to keep a sub-3.00 ERA as a strikeout pitcher in the AL, but his 100 mph fastballs that punch out hitters in the eighth inning should be enough to repeat 2011.

1. Albert Pujols Is Untouchable

Whether it was the offseason chatter revolving around contract extensions, or a simple decline at the age of 31, Albert Pujols was not himself through the first two months of the 2011 MLB season.

However, the St. Louis Cardinals slugger maintained his composure, assuring everybody that the thought of landing a huge contract this offseason never weighed too heavily on his mind.

Because for a second, and I know I'm not the only one, I truly thought Pujols was being masked by the pressure of producing in possibly his last season with the Cardinals.

But, I was wrong.

Baseball's best player proved that, well, he's baseball's best player.

Reassurance is always an admirable trait in professional baseball and in today's media where the question "what have you done for me lately" reigns supreme, Pujols' immaculate resurgence made 2011 that more special.

It was the first time the slugger failed to record 100 RBI (99) and a .300 average (.299) in his career, but you can't be bashful towards his overall performance by simply looking at one missed RBI and one missed point on his average.

Frankly, you could completely shadow his regular season numbers and still consider his 2011 campaign as a full fledged success.

Pujols' three home runs in Game 3 of the World Series proved how much he's worth to the Cardinals franchise.  He became the first player since Reggie Jackson, third player overall (Babe Ruth), to hit that many home runs in a World Series game.

Add in the six RBI and a St. Louis win, and it becomes more evident that "The Machine" may have won the series with one single performance.

Wherever he goes this offseason Pujols needs to be considered one of the best players of all-time.  His regular seasons numbers are off the chart, but his postseason success, that led to two titles, has got to be considered his most noteworthy attribute.