Best in baseball?
 

USA Today polled over 600 major leaguers at the All-Star break to see who they thought was the best player in baseball - Barry Bonds beat out Alex Rodriguez by about 10 votes, with Ichiro coming in a distant third.

So my question is: Who do you think is the best player in baseball today? I'd probably have to say A-Rod or Vlad Guerrero (with Bonds coming very close).

Collin

I'd definitely put A-Rod and Vladimir Guerrero above everyone else, as far as position players. Bonds no longer plays solid defense, and his game is relatively one-dimensional (although he does that dimension better than anyone ever has). Plus I think he's a tool.

As for pitchers, I'd put Pedro, Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in a catagory by themselves, along with probably Mariano Rivera. They're just too dominant - Pedro moreso than any when he's 'on' and healthy.

Ichiro doesn't make the 'list' for me b/c his game just isn't 'dominating' - he's an amazing player, but his game doesn't really win games by itself (whereas A-Rod's 6 rbi in a game the other week singlehandedly won it for the awful Rangers) - he's a great offensive and defensive player, but not dominant in the mode of, say, a Rickey Henderson in his prime.

An interesting result from the poll:

Randy Johnson didn't get a single vote, while Armando Rios, David Eckstein, and Corey Patterson all got at least one vote (Rios got two).

Collin

Derrick Lowe is the best this year. He is unstoppable this year. Bonds is the best in baseball. Pedro is a great pitcher and does well every year.

Hopefully, Lowe can hold up - he's never thrown more than 120 innings a season in the majors. I disagree with Barry - ARod is looking like legit triple crown - but he's certainly one of the best ever to play the game so he's a solid pick. To break it down further (in my eyes):

BEST PURE HITTER: Jason Giambi - power to all fields, huge AVG, OBP, and SLG, selective at the plate, drives the ball. Also up for consideration: Nomar Garciaparra (he would be first if this were 2000), Mike Sweeney, Todd Helton, Vlad Guerrero

BEST POWER HITTER: Bonds. No more needed. . . god I hate him though

BEST RUN PRODUCER: Manny Ramirez - just obscene with RISP, opposite-field power, and clutch like it's his job. Also up - Berkman, Giles (look at those numbers, with the Pirates no less), A-Rod

BEST DEFENSE (infield): John Olerud - makes the infield look flawless, and he plays the 'easiest' position on the field. Also up - ARod, Omar Vizquel, Robby Alomar

BEST DEFENSE (outfield): Andruw Jones - ever see this guy make a mistake? He's a walking WebGem. Also: Torii Hunter, Vlad Guerrero, Jim Edmonds

BEST ARM: Vlad Guerrero

.....pitchers......

MOST DOMINATING PITCH: Mariano Rivera (cut fastball) - straight nasty. Also - Pedro Martinez (changeup, fastball), DLowe (2-seam sinker), Schilling (4-seam fastball), Hoffman (change)

BEST CLOSER: Eric Gagne - also wins for "Hanson Brothers look-a-like", just putting up recockulous numbers

BEST RELIEVER: JC Romero - best splits, ratio, and ERA in the game . . . and no one knows

BEST STARTER: Curt Schilling - immenently prepared, and look what he did to ARod at the AS game: Told him it would all be fastballs . . . and he Ks a possible hall-of-famer

BEST 'STUFF': Pedro - 3 pitches that are near the best in the game, if not the best, plus a nasty cutter he breaks out in a pinch . . . Also: Gagne, AJ Burnett, Mike Mussina

.....futures.....

BEST YOUNG PLAYER: Alfonso Soriano - made me a believer, and put me in first place in the fantasy league. Will be sick for a long time (and remember, I hate the f-ing Yankees). Also: Adam Dunn, Berkman, Bobby Kielty

BEST YOUNG PITCHER: eh who knows anymore? The days of Tommy John surgery has almost made it beneficial to blow a ligament early . . . see: Odalis Perez . . . suggestions?

BEST MANAGER: Joe Torre, Jim Tracy, Bobby Cox

BEST PITCHING COACH: staff from Braves, Reds

Team doctor Peter Gammons thinks the red sox have the 25 best players in baseball.

Head Groundskeeper for fenway park, Peter Gammons, agrees with him.

Gotta love the Jim rome show.

Definitely dude . . . the funniest thing about Romey is how he's started using other people's quotes to bag people, and making it a 'disclaimer' - that's what happens when a few of the dudes you're shithousing call into the radio program. hahahaha

Rome's great though.

I hated the way last night's All Star game ended :mad:

bah!

All I gotta say is how far can you fall? Willie from KC had the best call ever, than his last two have been duds.

Couple of additions to the list:
BEST POWER HITTER: Gotta add Sosa to the list, some of the shots he hits are ridiculous, and he's going to be at/close to 500 after this year.

BEST DEFENSE (infield): Bret Boone. He's been a sick defensive second basemen since he was with the Mariners the first time. He's consistent, makes few mistakes, and always comes up with a few webgems - he's got helluva good range and an awesome arm for a 2-bagger.

MOST DOMINATING PITCH: Randy Johnson's slider; just nasty.

BEST YOUNG PLAYER: I love the fact you've got Soriano first - he could end up being absolutely dominant for years to come, but gotta add Albert Pujols. He's only about 22 (23?), but had a sick rookie season and is adding to it this year. Kid can hit, straight out.

Collin

... Except for he's really 26 - Gotta love Dominican accounting methods, it's Arthur Anderson-type stuff

Jim Rome rules. I'm very relieved that he picked radio.

Willie from KC irritates me. I prefer the consistent ones, like Silk-braah, Terrence from Sierra Madre, et al.

Now as for best player, I would pick Vlad "heet jonron today" Guerrero. He's got the tools and he's a youngish guy. I also like Alfonso Soriano and Albert Pujols.

Sorry guys, as much as i love the 'spos - vladdy is just plain awful on d - he's got a canon of an arm, though...from having to throw the ball 50 yards more after he misplays it.

I only included him b/c of the arm - the concept of "good defensive right fielder" basically means "good arm in right" - plus he's relatively fast . . . ie he's better off than most.

Anyone who can toss an arrow from the track to the plate is a freak of nature, and it's plain sick to watch.

Who in the hell should care?:(

I was scouted by 3 major league teams and after the first stike, now the Tie W S Game and storm clouds of another strike, I am so tired of the over paid cry babys of our so called National Sport! No more are they The Boys of sports!

The Chefs had great teams but when they got rid of the dope heads and gun toting goons they are nothing!

Just who in the hell needs that kind of money!?:confused:

Buy the big house, the big car, the jewelery, then the dope!

These are role models:confused:

SCEW THEM! I watch Golf on TV!