Cubs Sign Carlos Pena

Early morning Wednesday, the Cubs and Carlos Pena signed a one year, $10 million deal.  Pena brings a lot of good to the 2011 Cubs, but there is no option on either his or the Cubs' side, meaning that he can't be offered arbitration next offseason and will  need to sign a new deal to stay for 2012 and beyond.  But right now, I think extending the deal is something the Cubs should have pushed.  Pena is coming to the Cubs for just one year so that he can have a great year, revitalizing his stock after a season where hit 28 homers but only .196, and sign a big multi-year contract with somebody.  If we could have kept Pena for sure for at least two years, he would become a nice foundation to build this new young core on the Cubs with.  With just a one year contract, Pena doesn't really seem like a guy that's going to be around for very long and this might not get him as much respect.  Pena's agent, however, is the infamous Scott Boras, and the Cubs probably had to choose to give him just one year or watch him put on another uniform.  Some, especially White Sox fans still licking their chops over the Adam Dunn signing, have criticized the Cubs for giving him $10 million, considering his very low average in 2010 and perennially high strikeouts, but this is a great deal.  The Cubs could use a veteran team leader, because they were really without one.  No, I don't think Aramis Ramirez counts because of his negative body language and quieter nature.  Not sure if Derrek Lee could speak Spanish, but Pena definitely can.  This has to be a plus because he plays in an infield with three Spanish speaking players, and a starting lineup with five (out of the eight fielding positions).  Pena plays great defense (2008 AL Gold Glove Winner), which is probably the reason the Cubs went his way and didn't aggressively go after Dunn.  Pena has 230 career homers with Texas, Oakland, Boston, Detroit, and Tampa Bay.  From 2007 to 2009 with Tampa Bay, he averaged 39 HR, 108 RBI, 95 BB, 157 K, all while hitting .252 but getting on base at a great .382 mark.  In 2010, Pena only hit .196 but incredibly still managed to hit 28 HR and 84 RBI.  This Cubs team could use some patience and Pena will teach it to them.  I see Pena catching on great in Chicago, and the Cubs will try to keep him around.  Whether they do or not, not so sure. Unfortunately, they probably won't want to spend the money because he certainly is going to command more money for longer after 2010.  But for 2010, Pena is taking his talents to the Friendly Confines.  Enjoy it while you can.

Hot Stove Buzz #2

It's been a very busy week of transactions, and here on Day 3 of the Winter Meetings we find ourselves with a whole bunch of players in new uniforms.

-The Padres have acquired Jason Bartlett in a trade with Tampa Bay for two relievers.  After losing Miguel Tejada to San Francisco, the Padres have their starting shortstop.  Bartlett had a very down year in 2010, surprisingly only hitting .254.
-The Cubs want Matt Garza, and are one of four teams going after him.  The Rays, on their end of the trade, want prospects according to Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com.  I think that these prospects are definitely going to be pitchers, preferably relievers.  Unfortunately, the Rays are unloading a lot of their guys and it kind of looks like rebuilding all over again.  They had a nice three year run in winning with a star-studded team, but their small market limitations have caught up to them.
-The Orioles acquired Mark Reynolds in a trade with the Diamondbacks.  Interestingly, the Orioles have been very active on the hot stove this offseason, something we don't usually see from them.  They are now also looking into acquiring Kevin Gregg and J.J. Hardy or Brendan Ryan.  Sounds like Buck Showalter brought that winning stuff to the air in Baltimore and the front office is finally picking up the slack and getting some deals moving.  This should be a memo to other perennially bad teams that don't have front offices willing to go after who they need.
-Who knows what is going to happen with Cliff Lee?  Lee's agent just left the hotel in Florida where the baseball Winter Meetings are, and this is annoying to general managers.  Specifically, the Yankees and Rangers' respective GMs would like to know if they are going to be dishing out $100+ million or not.  No biggie, though.
-The Nationals signed Jayson Werth to a 7 year deal worth $126 million.  Many in the baseball community consider the 8 year, $136 million deal from the Cubs with Alfonso Soriano to be one of the worst contracts of the 2000s considering Soriano, coming off a 40 homer-40 steal season, has never hit more than 33 homers or stolen more than 19 bases with the Cubs.  But let me make an argument to call this one a bad contract, right off the bat (no pun intended.  With Jayson Werth, we are looking at a guy that is 32, has 120 career homers, has 87 homers and 251 RBI in the last three years, but only had 33 homers and 155 RBI in his career before that.  Werth averaged 29 homers and nearly 18 steals from 2008-2010, so far the highlight years of his career.  Alfonso Soriano, on the other hand, had averaged more than 37 homers a season from 2002-2006, the five years before the signing, and had averaged more than 34 steals a season from 2001-2006, the six seasons before the signing.  Soriano was 30 when he was signed, two years younger than Werth.  In his four seasons on the Cubs, Soriano has averaged only 26 homers and 13 steals per season.  He's hitting for a low average now, has virtually no speed, is a minus defensively, and has a bat that can only be counted on for 20 homers a season.  With four years still remaining on Soriano's contract, he has gone from being a 40-40 player to a 20-5 player.  If Werth is 32, has only proven himself for three seasons, and had less talent to begin with, how long will it be before the Nationals realize they made a big mistake?  Werth was a late bloomer, so he probably has three more elite seasons.  But after that, who knows.  These elite contracts with huge salaries towards the end snuff out trade talks extremely fast, as the Cubs could tell you.
-Adam Dunn decided to come to Chicago, but to the wrong side.  The Sox signed Dunn for four years, $56 million.  This is a great signing because it fits the White Sox.  With a great hitters park in US Cellular Field, Dunn could hit upwards of 45 homers in 2011 and beyond.  The Tigers were the main competitor to get Dunn, but they were less aggressive after their signing of Victor Martinez because Martinez can play first base.  The Nationals weren't too happy about the signing, so they are forced to look for other options.  Sox GM Ken Williams tried to get Dunn at the trade deadline but a potential deal never materialized, so he was stuck with Manny Ramirez.  The Sox may deal some of their main guys like Carlos Quentin so it's good that whatever happens the Sox have a definite guy to bat cleanup everyday.
-Paul Konerko, also of the White Sox, signed a new deal with the Sox for three years and $37.5 million.  On MLB Network today, A.J. Pierzynski said that he knows for a fact that Konerko took a discount for coming back to his 'hometown'.  Now with Adam Dunn, these two make a great combo in the middle of the lineup that can be counted on for 75 homers.  Now that there is some big pop.

-Finally, Derek Jeter signed with the Yankees.  Of course, the Yankees overpaid with $51 million for three years, but Jeter still wasn't happy about it.  “To hear the organization tell me to go shop it when I just told you I wasn’t going to — if I’m going to be honest with you, I was angry about it,” said Jeter.  He can't complain about the money, though.  For a guy that in 2010 batted .270, his worst since his rookie season in 1995, hit only 10 homers, and stole only 18 bases, more than $15 million a year is out of the question.  The majority of that money is from respect for the Yankees all-time hits leader.  Personally, I think he should shut up and take the money.  I have no sympathy for a guy fighting over millions that don't even matter and are just a sign of respect.  If he's so generous and as great a guy as the media makes him sound, he wouldn't care about the money at this point.  But if anyone is dumb enough to give him that money, he should take it.
-Mariano Rivera signed for two years and $30 million with the Yankees.  And the reason you didn't hear nearly as much about it is because Rivera had the dignity to agree to a reasonable contract.  He didn't disrespect himself and the Yankees by making things difficult when there really were no other competitors in landing him.
-Aubrey Huff resigned with the Giants, being one of the key role players in the World Series run.  He only got a modest $22 million over two years, and although he is 33, he may have been able to get more money elsewhere.  Luckily for San Francisco, he signed before he could take any real time to examine other offers. 
-I'm going to go ahead and call a contract a bust.  Jorge de la Rosa, owner of a career 5.02 ERA, earned a two year, $21.5 million contract to stay with the Rockies.  De la Rosa only has a career K/BB ratio of 1.75, and I see another Oliver Perez contract in the making.  I'm sure De la Rosa is a great guy and all, but he's got to work on his control before I'm sold on a big contract for him, or even sold on him being anything more than a perennial #5 starter.
-This is very old news, but it needs to be stated.  Victor Martinez signed with the Tigers for $50 million and four years, a good signing because now you could see him at first base, catcher, or even DH.

-A.J. Pierzynski resigned with the White Sox for two years and $8 million.  He very nearly went to the Dodgers, but the deal fell through and he ends up with the Sox.

-Lance Berkman signed with the Cardinals for just one year and $8 million.  But with Albert Pujols at first base, where will he play, you wonder.  That's right, the Cardinals signed Lance Berkman at age 34 to do something he hasn't since 2007: play the outfield.  Try not to laugh.  There are going to be some 'Puma Moments in that outfield.

-Javier Vazquez got a year for $7 million from the Marlins.  The reason he only took only year is because he needs to rebuild his stock, something he can do in 2011 with his return to the NL.  His stock dropped significantly after a bad 2010 with the Yankees, and he wants to have a year this year similar to his 2009 with the Braves and then get a big multi-year contract to probably finish out his career.

         

2010-2011 Free Agency Predictions

The following players are the best of the best out there this offseason, the top free agents of the 2010-2011 Hot Stove.  Here are my predictions on where they go with a short explanation.  These predictions are very tough because when it comes right down to it any team with budget room has a shot to sign a guy, as I have learned from past experience (see: Matt Holliday, Athletics 2009 and Adam Dunn, Nationals 2009).  Well, these are my 'educated guesses'.  Free agents are ranked based off the list from mlbtraderumors.com's top 50 free agents, but the predictions and explanations are original Cubs Insider material.

1. Cliff Lee - Yankees.  It will be a serious upset if anyone but the Yankees gets one of the best starters in baseball in Lee.  Lee beat the Yankees twice in the ALCS in eliminating the Yankees on his way to the World Series, and if the Yankees get beat by a top player they are double as likely to get him the next offseason.

2. Carl Crawford - Tigers.  With a bunch of huge contracts (Magglio Ordonez, Nate Robertson, Jeremy Bonderman, etc.) coming off the books, the Tigers are revved up to spend big time dough.  Crawford is a great fit for the spacious gaps of Comerica Park making a great duo between him and Austin Jackson.  A Detroit team that appeared lifeless at times last year could use this spark plug.

3. Adrian Beltre - Angels.  The Angels are also looking to spend and will be in the Crawford sweepstakes, but this should be their top guy.  Beltre is coming off a tremendous season with the Red Sox and the Angels want a definite power bat in the middle of the order more than a bunch of aging but somewhat effective veterans (Bobby Abreu, Hideki Matsui, Torii Hunter).

4. Jayson Werth - Red Sox.  The Red Sox have to make their annual splash, and the fan base craves a sturdy left fielder after a season with a revolving door in front of the Green Monster.  Nine players played in left field for Boston in 2010, and the Red Sox also love his power bat.

5. Adam Dunn - Cubs.  An admitted lover of hitting at Wrigley Field, the Cubs will need a power hitting lefty first baseman to contend in 2011.  The Tigers and White Sox will also be in competition for the veteran, but Dunn will end up with the Cubs for the first reason and also because of his past relationship with GM Jim Hendry, whom Dunn knows from their days in Cincinnati.

6. Victor Martinez - Tigers.  Detroit won't get Dunn, but still have a first baseman in Martinez.  This signing gives them lots of flexibility as they can use Martinez at either position or even rotate him, allowing the Tigers to start bench players and rookies and play the hot bat.  With Crawford, the Tigers will have impressively signed a power bat and leadoff guy, memo to the rest of the AL Central.

7. Rafael Soriano - White Sox.  The Angels are the favorite in this race, but the White Sox have lost almost all trust in Bobby Jenks are unlikely to want to have him as closer again.  GM Ken Williams always pulls off a few eye openers in the offseason, this being probably his biggest.  Williams, more often than not, gets his man.

8. Mariano Rivera - Yankees.  Tight race between the Yankees and Diamonbacks.  Yeah right.

9. Paul Konerko - White Sox.  The odds of him leaving are palpable and feasible, but he probably extended his Chicago career with his terrific comeback 2010 season.  Ripping 38 homers is enough to keep the great (owner) Jerry Reinsdorf-Konerko friendship alive.  If not the Sox, possibly the Angels or Diamondbacks.  Not joking this time.

10. Derek Jeter - Yankees.  See: Rivera, Mariano.  The Yankees are going to severely overpay for Jeter who is no longer an above average defender and earned another Gold Glove he doesn't deserve.  As the face of the Yankees franchise, there's pretty much no chance he will be playing anywhere but The House That Jeter Built (New Yankee Stadium) in 2011.

11. Hiroki Kuroda - Dodgers.  Kuroda could be an under the radar signing somewhere else, but the Dodgers like his durability and reliability.  For a team lacking in a true ace, Kuroda should be a solid middle rotation starter.

12. Jorge De La Rosa - Rockies.  A lefty middle rotation guy, he has some caution flags stuck on his shoulder, that being his control problems that have plagued him when has been ineffective.  Even when playing to his potential, he walks too many batters.  The kind of player rebuilding teams target, the Nationals, Royals, and Pirates have been linked to him as well.

13. Carl Pavano - Twins.  While the Twins still lack an ace since the departure of Johan Santana, Pavano, after pitching only 145.2 innings over 2005-2008 with the Yankees, has now pitched 420.1 innings over the past two seasons and is a workhorse.  The Twins need him as a key cog in that staff of mediocre to above average starters.

14. Jake Westbrook - Cardinals.  A low drama deal, the Cardinals will pay the man his money because they still need depth behind Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter.  Westbrook probably isn't the best they can do, but he's willing to come back and will take some innings.

15. Aubrey Huff - Giants.  2010's best bargain deal was Huff who hit 26 homers and led the Giants to the championship for only $3 million.  The Giants certainly won't want him to guy, they will get him back.

16. Juan Uribe - Mariners.  The historically terrible offense of the 2010 Seattle Mariners was an embarrassment to the franchise and GM Jack Zduriencik will make some moves.  Uribe seems like a logical pickup as current shortstop Josh Wilson doesn't hit well enough to start.  Uribe's 20 projected homers would be very welcome to Mariners fans.

17. Carlos Pena - Nationals.  A player to watch right here.  Pena couldn't even bat .200 in 2010 but still hit 28 homers.  With his stock taking a big hit with the low average, Pena could easily regain his status as one of the American League's best first basemen as he plays the field well and led the AL in homers with 39 in 2009.

18. Jim Thome - Twins.  For all Thome did for the Twins, he should be given one more year as the DH.  Worst case scenario, Thome ends up being traded at the deadline.

19. Vladimir Guerrero - Rangers.  Although the Rangers declined their $9 million option on Guerrero, they want him back.  Guerrero will likely have to take a pay cut if he stays with the Rangers, but he is inclined to stay while Texas is a winner.

20. Manny Ramirez - Athletics.  This may seem surprising, but it shouldn't be considering the man at the controls of the A's.  GM Billy Beane, known for his uncommon baseball wits and surprising signings, will bring in the bat.  Manny has more left in that bat than he showed with the White Sox, and a fresh start in his first small market since Cleveland should do him well.

21. Magglio Ordonez - Blue Jays.  As evidenced by their signing of Frank Thomas in 2007, the Jays are willing to roll the dice on veterans past their prime.  Playing half the season of 2010, he surprised many with the return of his power that escaped him in 2009.  His 37 year old bat seems to have plenty in it as he still hit .300 in 2010 for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons.  Expect a one or two year deal.

22. Orlando Hudson - Padres.  A free agent again, the O-Dog will end up in San Diego because of his positive attitude and veteran status among a very young team.  Hudson is very consistent and the Padres need to improve on their team batting average, something he can help the team with.

23. Derrek Lee - Brewers.  With Prince Fielder very likely to be traded, this trade would give Milwaukee an able bat to replace some of Fielder's production.  Lee can be picked up with a discount as his stock fell after a disappointing 2010.  The Orioles and Diamondbacks have also been mentioned.

24. Lance Berkman - Mariners.  It's no secret the Big Puma's bat has faded significantly.  He could provide a little value, though, as whatever he'll hit is most definitely better than whoever else the Mariners could start.  With Berkman, though, there are lots of teams that have a little interest; no front runners.

25. Andy Pettitte - Yankees.  Right now, he's playing the whole 'I need to be with my family' card but the truth is this guy is a true ballplayer and loves the game.  The Yankees would love to have him because amazingly he keeps returning and pitching well.  If he's not out there on a roster by Opening Day, I will be shocked.

26. Jon Garland - Orioles.  The front office might finally get something right and improve the effort to find talent outside of the organization while they have the opportunity.  Baltimore is a team that holds momentum this offseason with their strong finish under Buck Showalter, and this signing would go a long way towards taming the kids on the staff and transforming them into pitchers.  

27. A.J. Pierzynski - Red Sox.  Pierzynski was the favorite to join the Florida Marlins, but they picked the Red Sox's top option in John Buck.  The Red Sox will take Pierzynski instead, providing great insurance for Jason Varitek.  Pierzynski was quoted as saying the Red Sox, among a few other teams, "would all be good fits."

28. Miguel Olivo - Dodgers.  Whatever happened to Russell Martin, it sounds like the Dodgers have had with him.  Olivo is one of the best offensive catchers in baseball and plays in small, usually losing markets which is why he flies under the radar so much.  What a treat, now he gets to play for a contender.

29. John Buck - Marlins.  Speaking of early birds, the Marlins and Buck beat me to this post and agreed to a three year deal already earlier this week.  Buck was the huge favorite to land the Red Sox job, but instead takes Florida where he's the best catcher they have seen since Ivan Rodriguez.

30. Javier Vazquez - Nationals.  Vazquez would enjoy going back to the National League after another unsuccessful year with the Yankees.  He also expressed interest in the Nationals, so they have to be considered the favorite.  If they could get him, he would become the best pitcher in the history of the Nationals portion of the franchise.

31. Scott Downs - Yankees.  Playing for the Blue Jays, the Yankees have seen Downs a lot.  Thus increasing his chances of becoming one.  The race for Downs will go between the Red Sox and Yankees, but remember which team has seemingly unlimited resources.  Hint, not the Red Sox.

32. J.J. Putz - Dodgers.  After having a mid career crisis with the Mets that included injuries, Putz has gotten his stuff back.  The Dodgers use their bullpen more than almost every team in the league and those cannot go to George Sherrill again, whose 6.69 ERA was surprising and just terrible.  Putz should replace him behind Jonathan Broxton, or replace him in the event of another period of struggle for Broxton.

33. Brian Fuentes - Braves.  Atlanta already has a great bullpen, but they could use a veteran to close games and need a closer after the retirement of Billy Wagner.  Fuentes blows more than a few saves, but thankfully they have the depth to cover the void.

34. Adam LaRoche - Orioles.  Much like Olivo, LaRoche usually is playing on losing and/or small market teams and isn't talked about much.  His value is real, however, and he is drawing interest from Orioles, Brewers, Cubs, Giants, and Diamondbacks just to name a few.

35. Hisanori Takahashi - Phillies.  Another under the radar pitcher, Takahashi could start for the Phillies if they want him to.  The Phillies like his flexibility, but so do the Nationals, Orioles, and Mariners.

36. Pat Burrell - Braves.  The Giants, unlike the Rays, saw that Burrell can still hit.  They also saw he still can't run or field.  The Braves outfield was a weakness last season but the addition of Burrell, along with the move of Martin Prado, could make it better.  The Padres need a slugger though, and so do the Mariners.

37. Joaquin Benoit - Rays.  The Rays are in serious trouble as their top six relievers are free agents.  If the Rays could bring back one of them, however, it probably would be Benoit who was unhittable in 2010.  Interest is not lacking by any means, the Tigers, Red Sox, and Yankees all want him and the Rays will need a great offer to compete with the bigger market teams.

38. Kevin Millwood - Brewers.  The Brewers are constantly on the hunt for pitching and the signing of Randy Wolf last offseason didn't go as well as planned.  Millwood is just the kind of pitcher the Brewers would sign, a veteran whose price tag is cut because of his struggles in Baltimore and a bad contract in Texas.  The Royals, Mariners, Pirates, and Padres are four teams that also want him, but only one is a contender and with all these offers Millwood can probably choose where he wants to go.

39. Kevin Correia - Pirates.  Pittsburgh has no pitching pretty much, and although Correia's 4.57 career ERA hardly makes him a dependable veteran, he's better than nothing.  Correia could be a good #5 starter on a good team, although the odds of a good team spending money in free agency on a #5 starter is unlikely.  The Pirates need anyone to help Paul Maholm in the rotation.

40. Arthur Rhodes - Reds.  As long as he is pitching well, there's no reason for the Reds to deny the 41 year old reliever.  The Reds need the bullpen stacked with guys who can pitch around Aroldis Chapman, their top reliever who threw the fastest pitch in history in 2010.  Many teams could use the lefty, the Phillies being one, but the Reds are the most likely to keep him.


        

Cubs Hot Stove Buzz

The Cubs have plenty of needs on their wishlist for this offseason.  One of the biggest is the left handed first baseman, preferably with power.  Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano said earlier in the season that the Cubs should focus on pitching needs this offseason and that they can handle the offense, but they haven't proved that at all over the last two seasons.  In 2009, Derrek Lee led the offense by far.  In 2010, the offense sucked for the most part.  In the first baseman market for the Cubs so far is, above all, Adam Dunn, then Victor Martinez or Aubrey Huff, then Lance Berkman.  I really do see Dunn coming to Chicago the only question is if the Cubs are willing to pay that much for a guy probably looking for $10 million.

Before the Cubs can get too excited about spending money, they need to trade Kosuke Fukudome.  Fukudome is owed $13.5 million in 2011, so it will be tough considering Fukudome's awful value relative to salary.  Jim Hendry has a lot of critics, but everyone can agree that the one thing he has done best is dump bad contracts (see: Milton Bradley).  He only has one year left on his contract and has been a huge bust offensively but great defensively.  He will never sniff that kind of money for the rest of his baseball career.  On the pitching side, the Cubs are interested in Jon Garland who expressed interest in the Cubs last offseason.  Other mid-level starters are what the Cubs are looking for, and could find that in a guy like Carl Pavano or Javier Vazquez.  Cliff Lee is out of the Cubs price range.  Kerry Wood, who would like to return to Chicago, will have to take a pay cut if he is to do so because there is no way the Cubs will pay him $10 million that he was making last year.  I don't see the Cubs wanting to pay him more than $2 million.  The hunt for a veteran middle reliever continues.

The 2010 National League All-Division Team

This is the Part Two of the two post series MLB's All-Division Team.  The first part was published on September 17th, and the reason for the delay of this post is the huge time commitment it takes and the postseason has been a busy one.  For this post I profiled 160 National League players, including even situational stats as you will read.  The National League was tougher to decide than the American League because there are more teams in the NL and there were also more competitive teams.  The team below won't disappoint, though, with a few surprises in there, too.  The same rules stand as the AL edition, where 'best' is defined as most important to his team.  There is also an extra incentive to being consistent for an entire season, and although not every player here was exactly a model of consistency in 2010, this is the reason Troy Tulowitzki, for example, didn't make the team.  Tulowitzki had "video game stats" for September going on an unbelievable tear but the fact is his power was missing for five out of six months of the baseball season, and Jose Reyes was more important to the Mets.  Again, this is not at all a popularity contest like the All-Star team is.  My goal in this series to get past that, and actually establish a foundation for the best players in baseball.



National League East

C Brian McCann, ATL
Too bad the Braves weren't able to take advantage of his biggest hit of the season, a go-ahead three-run double in the All-Star Game that gave the National League a win securing home field advantage in the World Series.  McCann, though, picked up plenty of other big hits for the NL Wild Card Champion Atlanta Braves.  One of the National League's best hitting catchers, he has hit 18 or more homers and 77 or more RBI each of the past five seasons.  He is a durable and able catcher, catching in 136 games and setting a career high at 30% baserunners caught stealing against him.  Opponents: Josh Thole (NYM), Carlos Ruiz (PHI), Ivan Rodriguez (WAS), and Ronny Paulino (FLA).


1B Adam Dunn, WAS
During a down year from Ryan Howard, Dunn walks away with the hardware this time.  Hitting a team-high 38 HR and 103 RBI, Dunn remained to be a glue piece to the Nationals' rebuilding efforts.  Washington slipped to 69-93 but were a winner early on and much of that had to do with Dunn.  All positive reviews from his two year stay on the Beltway, Dunn completed his initially surprising contract with a lasting effect on the young players who look up to him.  Opponents: Ike Davis (NYM), Ryan Howard (PHI), Gaby Sanchez (FLA), and Troy Glaus (ATL).

2B Dan Uggla, FLA
Okay, let's get the screaming negative out of the way.  He can't field for crap.  Glad to get that over with.  Okay, so now lets stare at his 33 homers, 105 RBI and 100 runs, which helps him get the win in a very tight race with Atlanta's Martin Prado.  Uggla is just another one of those guys to come out of the Marlins' system who owns.  He is their main power threat especially after Jorge Cantu got traded to Texas.  The offensive leader of this young team (sorry, Hanley Ramirez) deserves this spot.  Opponents: Adam Kennedy (WAS), Luis Castillo (NYM), Martin Prado (ATL), and Chase Utley (PHI)

3B David Wright, NYM
Wright quietly had a great year in the power department (29 homers) not having lost his speed quite yet (19 steals).  His strikeout rate badly increased for a season total of 161 and his batting average was a career worst .283 (which isn't saying much), but the fact is he is a franchise player and he needed a good year this season to prove his continued longevity as a Met, not just a product who had a few great years. The Mets faded at the end there, but their run in first for a while later than most expected wouldn't have been possible without Wright.  Opponents: Chipper Jones (ATL), Ryan Zimmerman (WAS), Placido Polanco (PHI), and Wes Helms (FLA).

SS Jose Reyes, NYM
Much said about Wright can also be said about Reyes, who needed to prove he could steal use the speed that gave him 258 steals between 2005 and 2008.  He needs some more work on regaining plate discipline, but Reyes took 30 bases in 40 tries in nearly a full season.  Also now the Mets won't have to play him conservatively and will let him run free.  Reyes gave the Mets that spark, the energy, that completely escaped them in the nightmare that was 2009 Mets baseball.  Opponents: Jimmy Rollins (PHI), Hanley Ramirez (FLA), Ian Desmond (WAS), and Alex Gonzalez (ATL).


LF Raul Ibanez, PHI
In a weak running in this division, Ibanez still wins despite being a shadow of his 2009 self.  It took him a long time to come around to hitting like he does and his Phillies were incapable of getting on a roll until he started contributing.  Sure enough, the Phillies started winning consistently and Ibanez was doing what he does best: driving in runs.  Opponents: Josh Willingham (WAS), Melky Cabrera (ATL), Jason Bay (NYM), and Chris Coghlan (FLA).


CF Angel Pagan, NYM
Hmm.  Imagine if he were still on the Cubs.  Lead off issues solved.  Pagan had his finest season yet thanks to the injury to Carlos Beltran.  Pagan stole 37 bases and batted .290, playing his first full season in the majors.  He also saw time at each outfield position, and durability is key in today's game.  Opponents: Nyjer Morgan (WAS), Cameron Maybin (FLA), Nate McLouth (ATL), and Shane Victorino (PHI)

RF Mike Stanton, FLA
Wake up.  You're drooling on your keyboard.  Stanton's huge power cranked 22 homers in a bit less than a full season after getting the call-up in early June.  He led National League rookies in homers and other offensive categories.  He only batted .259 but has time to improve.  Fans came out to see this guy because of his track record.  He is a gamer, future face of the franchise.  He had a terrific rookie campaign of 2010, but for now he is stuck staring at Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla before the team truly becomes his.  Opponents: Mike Morse (WAS), Jeff Francoeur (NYM), Jason Heyward (ATL), and Jayson Werth (PHI).


SP Josh Johnson, FLA
'JJ', as he's known to Marlins fans, cooled off slighly towards the end of the 2010 season.  He didn't start after September 4th after the Marlins shut him down which caused him to fall short of 200 innings at 183.2.  However, he averaged more than 6.1 IP per start and carried a ridiculous 1.72 ERA heading into August before having a rough month and finishing at 2.30.  He was in control all season, being yanked in the middle of an inning only three times out of 28 starts.  Oh, and he also struck out 186 and walked only 48.  Opponents: Johan Santana (NYM), Livan Hernandez (WAS), Tim Hudson (ATL), and Roy Halladay (PHI).


RP Billy Wagner, ATL
Wagner's career is now over after retiring at age 38, but it's a darn shame because he hasn't lost anything at all on his stuff and is still one of the most exciting closers to watch.  He finished with a 1.43 ERA and 37 saves in 71 games and 69.1 IP.  He struck out a ridiculous 104 batters while walking only 22!  His fastball consistently hit 98 like it has his entire career and his 2010 performance highlighted one of the best bullpens in baseball on the Atlanta Braves.  He retires 5th on the all-time saves list with 422, the Astros all-time saves leader, 4th on the Mets all-time saves list, tied for 9th on the Phillies all-time saves list, 6th on the Braves single season saves list, and struck out 1196 in 903 career innings.  Wow.  Opponents: Francisco Rodriguez (NYM), Brad Lidge (PHI), Leo Nunez (FLA), and Matt Capps (WAS).


National League Central

C Geovany Soto, CHC
'Geo' went under the radar in 2010 and had a great year although injuries still got to him.  Playing only 105 games still got him the hardware.  He really worked hard on losing weight and increasing mobility behind the plate, and it showed although he only threw out 22% of baserunners.  Soto was on pace to hit more than 23 homers, his output in his rookie year but finished with 17 and also 53 RBI, batting .280.  Soto showed a newfound patience especially early in the season when his walks outnumbered his strikeouts, a stat no one saw coming.  Opponents: Yadier Molina (STL), Ramon Hernandez (CIN), Ryan Doumit (PIT), Humberto Quintero (HOU), and Jonathan Lucroy (MIL).


1B Joey Votto, CIN
As Reds TV play-by-play announcer would tell you in a second, Votto was one of the best hitters in the National League and will get many MVP votes.  He tore up the league smashing 37 homers and 113 RBI, batting .324 with an OBP of .424 due to his 91 walks.  He could not be kept off the basepaths in 2010, and although Albert Pujols had a fine season of his own, Votto was a better all around player this season.  Votto threw in 16 steals too.  Opponents: Albert Pujols (STL), Derrek Lee (CHC), Garrett Jones (PIT), Lance Berkman (HOU), and Prince Fielder (MIL).


2B Jeff Keppinger, HOU
Before you tell yourself that the writer of this blog is crazy, consider this stat: 36 strikeouts in 575 at-bats.  Keppinger was statiscally the hardest batter to strike out in the National League.  He led all full season Astros players with a .288 batting average, and was a great veteran presence for a rebuilding team.  He was the guy that kept the offense moving in Houston and was reliable all season for a team that saw lots of young players come and go.  Opponents: Skip Schumaker (STL), Ryan Theriot (CHC), Neil Walker (PIT), Rickie Weeks (MIL), and Brandon Phillips (CIN).

3B Scott Rolen, CIN
One of the best comeback stories in baseball, Rolen suffered through two injury-filled seasons with the Blue Jays before being dealt to Cincinnati midseason 2009.  Rolen cooled off at the end but still hit 20 homers and 83 RBI in 133 games, batting a surprising .285.  As always, Rolen played just superb defense.  He was an influential veteran on this young Reds team.  Opponents: Aramis Ramirez (CHC), David Freese (STL), Casey McGehee (MIL), Pedro Alvarez (PIT), and Chris Johnson (HOU).


SS Starlin Castro, CHC
While his offensive WAR (Wins Above Replacement, a sabermetric stat) was only 1.6, he did so much for the Cubs offensively.  He loosened the pressure on the veterans, being the 20 year old high energy kid that he is.  Castro should improve in the future because of his ability to hit everything.  He goes to all fields and doesn't have a weakness in the strike zone, although he is least effective when jammed inside.  He had serious trouble defensively and contributed to the Cubs ranking first in baseball in errors, but he has plenty of time to fix it.  Without Castro, I don't see the Cubs winning more than 72 games in 2010.  Opponents: Tommy Manzella (HOU), Ronny Cedeno (PIT), Alcides Escobar (MIL), Orlando Cabrera (CIN), and Brendan Ryan (STL).


LF Matt Holliday, STL
This guy was the only hope for a Cardinals team that forever struggles with lineup protection for Pujols.  Holliday didn't disappoint, playing in 158 games hitting 28 homers, 103 RBI, and a great .312 batting average.  He got on base at a .390 clip, exactly what the Cardinals want from the guy behind #5.  Opponents: Alfonso Soriano (CHC), Jonny Gomes (CIN), Carlos Lee (HOU), Jose Tabata (PIT), and Ryan Braun (MIL).


CF Andrew McCutchen, PIT
'McClutchen' hit .286 but .315 with men on base, although only one of his 16 homers drove in more than himself.  This guy right here is marketing the Pirates to Pittsburgh, putting fans in the seats with his exciting play.  The fact that Pittsburgh still finished 15th in the NL in attendance tells you how bored the city is with this losing pandemic on the Pirates.  McCutchen stole 33 bases and was fifth in defensive range factor in center field.  Opponents: Marlon Byrd (CHC), Colby Rasmus (STL), Carlos Gomez (MIL), Drew Stubbs (CIN), and Michael Bourn (HOU).


RF Hunter Pence, HOU
The duck-footed kid had another fine year, consistent again for 25 homers, 91 RBI, and a .282 batting average.  He nearly hit the 20-20 club with 18 steals and is pretty much the face of the franchise with Carlos Lee having seen better days.  Pence was the heart of the offense and one of the formidable outfield trio in Houston with Lee, Bourn, and Pence.  Opponents: Tyler Colvin (CHC), Jay Bruce (CIN), Ryan Ludwick (STL), Lastings Milledge (PIT), and Corey Hart (MIL).


SP Brett Myers, HOU
Surprise, I know.  Shout out to Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, both did a great job but still don't get my award.  Myers wasn't expected of much by the baseball public when he signed with Houston, but has made such an incredible change on the pitching philosophy.  He was yanked from a start in the middle of an inning only four times in 33 starts, and had a streak of pitching at least six innings all the way until the last start of the season.  The results: 223.2 IP, 3.14 ERA, 180 K to 66 BB, 14-8 record.  And now he has the #3 starter, young J.A. Happ, to tutor.  Opponents: Ryan Dempster (CHC), Adam Wainwright (STL), Bronson Arroyo (CIN), Yovani Gallardo (MIL), and Paul Maholm (PIT).


RP Carlos Marmol, CHC
Breaking Eric Gagne's record of K/9 IP, Marmol's 138 K in 77.2 IP topped all NL relievers by a long shot.  He also came six short of Randy Wells' K total of 144, although Wells needed 116.2 IP more to do it.  Marmol saved 38 games with an ERA of 2.55 and although he did walk 52, he only allowed 40 hits.  Incredibly, he allowed one homer and even more incredibly, it was to Jeff Clement of the Pirates in May, an opposite field shot at Wrigley.  Marmol is, without Cubs bias, the most dominant and intimidating reliever in the National League.  Opponents: Francisco Cordero (CIN), Ryan Franklin (STL), John Axford (MIL), Brandon Lyon (HOU), and Octavio Dotel (PIT).



National League West

C Buster Posey, SF
In a very weak division for catchers, there may now be at least one star for a long time in the future.  Bengie Molina, the incumbent catcher playing in his fourth season for San Francisco, was traded to make room for Posey.  I didn't believe all the hype in Spring Training about this guy, but I'm a believer now.  Posey whacked 18 homers and 67 RBI in 105 games, and what's really remarkable is that he's generating the power from a small 6-1 frame.  Posey will be a fan favorite for the next decade.  Opponents: Yorvit Torrealba (SD), Miguel Olivo (COL), Russell Martin (LAD), and Miguel Montero (ARI).


1B Adrian Gonzalez, SD
'A-Gon' has been the face of this franchise for at least four years, as if there was any competition.  Gonzo's 31 homers led the Padres, ahead of the second place Will Venable by 18.  The hispanic star has been thrown around in trade rumors and needed a winning team this season to avoid getting dealt, probably to Boston.  It is good for the game of baseball, though, that his .298 batting average, 93 walks and 160 games played in 2010 stayed in San Diego.  If the Padres could ever get him some support, he could be an even better player with more baserunners to drive in.  Opponents: Aubrey Huff (SF), James Loney (LAD), Todd Helton (COL), Adam LaRoche (ARI).`


2B Kelly Johnson, ARI
Probably the biggest surprise on the offensively-exciting D-Backs, Johnson led the NL with 12 homers at one point.  He fell way behind in that race, but still he had a great year of 26 homers and 71 RBI, batting .284.  While Johnson set a career high with 13 steals, he needed this year to reinvigorate his career after really looking bad and getting kicked out of Atlanta.  Opponents: Freddy Sanchez (SF), Blake DeWitt (LAD), David Eckstein (SD), and Clint Barmes (COL).


3B Ian Stewart, COL
This is not the division to look in for a good third baseman.  That said, Stewart is at least consistent while Mark Reynolds, who hit 32 homers, batted .198.  He provided his regular low average yet abundant power in 2010 with 18 homers in only 386 at-bats.  He played only 121 games and the Rockies counted on him over the summer as Troy Tulowitzki wasn't getting the job done powerwise.  His 18 homers was third on the Rockies.  Opponents: Pablo Sandoval (SF), Chase Headley (SD), Mark Reynolds (ARI), Casey Blake (LAD).


SS Juan Uribe, SF
Who saw this coming?  Uribe, after wearing out his welcome with the White Sox, was picked up by the Giants before 2009 and has been great since.  Uribe set a new career high in homers with 24 and a new career high in RBI with 85, while being a huge part of a Giants team that relied on his pop.  For only $3.25 million, he has been a huge steal for San Francisco.  Opponents: Rafael Furcal (LAD), Troy Tulowitzki (COL), Everth Cabrera (SD), and Stephen Drew (ARI).


LF Carlos Gonzalez, COL
The Cubs certainly remember how good this guy is.  Gonzalez hit for the cycle against the Cubs in August, the biggest highlight of his monster season.  Gonzalez did it all batting .336 with 34 homers, 117 RBI, and 26 steals.  There is no doubt Gonzalez was the best player on the 2010 Rockies and one of the best in the National League.  He will get plenty of MVP votes.  Opponents: Manny Ramirez (LAD), Pat Burrell (SF), Gerardo Parra (ARI), and Scott Hairston (SD).


CF Chris Young, ARI
Young nearly made the 30-30 club for the second time in his career, but arguably had the best season of his career.  After disappointing many with such a low average in 2008 and 2009, it's good to see a guy with such great talent work his way back to where he needs to be.  Young hit 27 homers and stole 28 bases, batting .257, not great but acceptable.  The 26 year old also set a career high in walks for an Arizona team that struck out the most in baseball.  Opponents: Dexter Fowler (COL), Matt Kemp (LAD), Tony Gwynn Jr. (SD), and Aaron Rowand (SF).


RF Andre Ethier, LAD
It was a down year for the Dodgers and a less exciting one for Ethier, but he still got the job done.  Hitting .292 with 23 homers and 82 RBI, Ethier continued to become even more of a fan favorite.  With Matt Kemp playing alongside Ethier in center, the two make make one of the best outfielder duos in baseball, and Los Angeles has fallen in love with the play of the two stars.  Opponents: Justin Upton (ARI), Ryan Spilborghs (COL), Nate Schierholtz (SF), Will Venable (SD).


SP Mat Latos, SD
This 22 year old is a stud and a capable ace of the Padres.  Going 14-10 with a 2.92 ERA in his first full season, Latos struck out 189 in 184.2 IP.  He also walked only 2.4/9 IP, keeping his pitches under control especially his fastball which lights up the radar gun.  Latos was vital to the Padres team that came a game from getting to the playoffs as the biggest surprise in baseball.  Opponents: Tim Lincecum (SF), Ubaldo Jimenez (COL), Clayton Kershaw (LAD), and Ian Kennedy (ARI).


RP Heath Bell, SD
Bell's 47 saves were critical for a Padres team that needs to hold a lead when they get one, because it's unlikely the offense will get it back.  Bell was second in baseball in saves only behind Brian Wilson.  He was the old man of the bullpen at 32 and his 1.92 ERA was topped by a few guys in the best bullpen in baseball.  Bell may be a big man with limited mobility, but he is a great pitcher with a lively fastball and he struck out 11.1 batters per 9 innings, more than good enough for a closer.  Opponents: Brian Wilson (SF), Jonathan Broxton (LAD), Huston Street (COL), and Juan Gutierrez (ARI).



The amount of representatives is somewhat conducive to success of the team:

3 players: FLA, NYM, CHC, HOU, SD
2 players: ATL, CIN, SF, ARI, COL
1 player: WAS, PHI, STL, PIT, LAD
0 players: MIL

Interestingly, no National League team finished with more than three representatives; as opposed to the American League, where the Rangers topped it with six.  This team is obviously in my opinion so it is a cumulative mix of stats and sabermetrics with opinion.  I thank you for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it.

NOTE: I'm currently working on a project to improve the blog.  Coming soon is the ability to search a player by last name and get all the posts with that player in it, as I am tagging the posts.  I will write when the project is completed.

Pledge Your Allegiance

On September 29, 2004, the Montreal Expos welcomed a season-high crowd of 31,395 fans into Olympic Stadium for the final time.  Livan Hernandez, Jamey Carroll, and Claude Raymond each did the honor of thanking the fans for their 'support' over the years and that was it.  In 2005, the Washington Nationals popped up at RFK Stadium and sped off to a 50-31 start.  After a mediocre second half, the Nationals didn't really see any winning until 2010.  Five years and a stadium later, the Nationals, led by sluggers Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn, and Josh Willingham, are tied for second in the NL East at 20-19 with a lot of young talent.  The Nats have been on my baseball radar since they opened Nationals Park in 2008, but had two really awful seasons in which they were an interesting team but just had no pitching whatsoever.  This team is in a small-market, has nothing to lose, and are having fun.  That's what I like to see in teams.  Dunn has all the power in the world, 26-year-old Zimmerman has a great glove and a steady bat with pop, and Willingham has a smooth swing with good patience.  Livan Hernandez, back to the franchise, has been the luckiest pitcher in baseball and dealing with a 1.46 ERA.  John Lannan, Tyler Clippard, and Scott Olsen apparently are adequate enough to win games with a no name bullpen.  Matt Capps has been dominant in Washington, and he's still without a blown save in 14 opportunities.  The ballpark and logo are awesome.  The swirly 'W' is classy and cool, incorporated nicely on the uniforms and caps.  The color combination is perfect for the setting, Washington DC, and so the fans have plenty to cheer about.

Still only 46.5% of seats have been sold this year at Nationals Park, but the fans will come around.  With the Orioles not exactly contenders, the entire Baltimore/DC market will probably make the shift from not caring about baseball to waking up all the fans to watch the contenders they have in Washington.  If they could just acquire an arm or two sometime this summer, go watch them stay in the wild card race until at least July.  Look at how far this franchise has come.  They went from a dysfunctional team who never won anything (one playoff appearance in franchise history, since 1969) even though they sometimes fielded some all-star talent (Vladimir Guerrero, Livan Hernandez, Orlando Cabrera, Michael Barrett, Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez) and had a list of over half a dozen possible future destinations (Las Vegas, Portland, OR, Washington, DC, Richmond, New Jersey, Norfolk, and more) to a team with a new stadium, young talent, leading veterans, fun, and a growing fan base.