Baseball Week #13: Baseball Review #2-The Players

As we conclude lucky Baseball Week #13, I will now announce my All Star and Flop Star teams. I'm thinking the real All Star teams and rosters will be announced sometime soon (maybe today, but I'm not sure). Compare and contrast accordingly.

ALL Major League Team (along with league counterpart and possible backups)

1b. Albert Pujols. Player of the year in my book; no one even close so far.

AL: Kevin Youkilis. Backups: Miguel Cabrerra, Justin Morneau and Prince Fielder

2b. Chase Utley. In my book, the complete package.

AL: Aaron Hill. Backups: Robinson Cano, Freddy Sanchez

ss. Hanley Rameriez. The latest monster at shortstop.

AL: Derek Jeter. Backups: Miguel Tejada, Cristian Guzman

3b. Evan Longoria. Yes, there are some with better stats, but I think already, Longoria has proven himself as the best overall third baseman.

NL: David Wright, Michael Young, Ryan Zimmerman.

c. Joe Mauer. Maybe besides Pujols, the best overall player in baseball today.

NL: Brian McCann, AJ Pierzynski

rf. Ichiro Suzuki. The best pure hitter today.

NL: Brad Hawpe. Backups: Justin Upton, Jermaine Dye

cf. Torii Hunter. Always has had the best tools of any center fielder.

NL: Matt Kemp. Backups: Jacoby Elsbury, Carlos Beltran.

lf. Ryan Braun. Of the best young players in baseball today.

AL: Carl Crawford. Backups: Raul Ibanez and Juan Pierre

sp: Roy Halliday. By far the closest thing we have to a throwback pitcher-he pitches complete games.

NL: Tim Lincecum. Backups: Zack Greinke, Matt Cain, Dan Haren, Mark Buehrle, Felix Hernandez

rp: Joe Nathan. Ah, the Papelbon fans will kill me, but I think Nathan has the edge so far.

NL: Ryan Franklin. Backups: Jonathan Papelbon, Heath Bell, Francisco Rodriguez, Francisco Cordero

manager. Tony LaRussa. A jerk, yes, but he's done the most with the least so far this year.

AL: Terry Francona. Backups: Joe Torre, Mike Scoscia

MVP: Albert Pujols (NL) and Joe Mauer (AL). The two best players in baseball today. Hands down.

The Hunter Flop Team

And now to the ugly...the flop star team. These are the players who are either just plain bad or are playing WAY under expectations:

1b: Jason Giambi. .200BA and 11 HR. Off cycle again??

2b: Kelly Johnson. .214 BA

ss: Jimmy Rollins. .212 BA. The latest in a long line of stars forced to a temporary seat on the bench.

3b: Ryan Freel. .143 BA before being released this week. I would also say Chipper Jones at .295, who is hitting more than 100 points below where he was at this time last year.

OF: Alfonso Soriano. Just has been lost the last month or so. Hitting just .226.

OF: Brian Giles. Also way below what he used to do with a .191 BA.

OF: Grady Sizemore. Injured or not, .226 just not acceptable.

P: Francisco Lriano. So much potential wasted on a 4-8 record and 5.62 ERA

P: Jamie Moyer. Sure, he's 46 or so. How do you have an era over 6 with a 6-6 record??

P: Chien Ming-Wang. How does someone win 19 games in the past have an ERA over 10 now?

P: Rafael Perez. 30 games pitched with a 8.88 ERA

Manager: Eric Wedge. Cleveland was favored to win and now has one of the worst records in baseball

And there you have it....feel free to comment...blast me or whatever...

JP