These are the players that stand out for me as being major factors in the sport this year--both good and bad. I guess you can say they are ranked, loosely at that.
10. Buster Posey
Gerald "Buster" Dempsey Posey III (born March 27, 1987--chew on that for awhile). Former FSU Seminole, NL Rookie of the Year, clean-up hitter on a team with lots of veterans, called games as a called-up rookie with a great pitching staff, helped his team win the World Series. Great player, humble player, and one destined for big things in the future.9. Nyger Morgan
Fascinating players do not always have to do positive things. Such is the case with Nyger Morgan. Wikipedia explains it:
On August 25, 2010, Morgan was given a seven game suspension for allegedly throwing a baseball at a fan, striking a different fan in the head, during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park; Morgan appealed the suspension and was cleared of wrong doing.
Just one week later, on September 1, 2010, Morgan was involved in an on-field altercation with Florida Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad. Morgan, incensed by a pitch that was thrown behind his back, became enraged and charged the mound taking a swing and missing Volstad's head before being clotheslined by Marlins first-baseman Gaby Sanchez leading to a bench clearing brawl. Morgan was hit by a pitch in the 4th inning of the same game, before being thrown behind in his next at-bat, which lead to the mound charging. This all came one night after Morgan ran into Marlins catcher Brett Hayes, causing a separated shoulder, while trying to score the go-ahead run for the Nationals, although he was called out. MLB gave Morgan an eight-game suspension and an undisclosed fine as a result of his actions. The suspension from the September 1, brawl was upheld and Morgan started serving his eight game suspension on September 17th. The league also gave him a $15,000 fine in addition to the eight game suspension.
8. Dallas Braden
Lefty pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He was drafted out of Texas Tech University in the twenty fourth round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the A's. On May 9, 2010, Braden pitched the nineteenth perfect game in baseball history, in Oakland, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-0. Have to give props to a guy who is only the 19th person ever to do something like that in the sport.
Also fascinating, via Wikipedia: On April 22, 2010, Braden was pitching against the New York Yankees when he accused Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez of running across the pitcher's mound on his way back to first base after a foul ball. At the end of the inning as the players were switching sides, Braden yelled at Rodriguez. Rodriguez offered no apology and later engaged Braden in the press, pointing to his short career and losing record.
7. Armando Galarraga
The picture of grace and class. The young pitcher threw a perfect game, but it will forever go down in the record books as being a one hitter. The way he handled Jim Joyce's perfect game screw up should serve as an example to all players, in all sports, for that matter. Similarly, Jim Joyce revealed his true character by apologizing, showing that we are all human and make mistakes--even umpires. Galarraga accepted the mistake gracefully, saying later, “Nobody’s perfect.” He was presented with a "Medal of Reasonableness" for his reasoned response to Joyce's call at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, held by Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
6. Felix Hernandez
A member of the Seattle Mariners, Hernández won the 2010 American League Cy Young Award as he finished the season 13–12 with a 2.27 ERA and 232 K's. His 13 wins are the fewest by a Cy Young Award winner in a non-shortened season (Fernando Valenzuela won 13 games in a strike-shortened season). Most say that if he was on a team that provided more run support, he would have easily won 20 games or more.
5. Cody Ross
Who? Where did Cody Ross come from? Well, the easy answer from the Marlins. Ross had a stellar postseason, and I compare him to a bug you can't flick off and it keeps coming back to haunt you. That's what he was to the Phillies, and to the Rangers. Here's the Wiki on him:
On August 21, 2010, Ross was awarded to the San Francisco Giants on a waiver claim, in part to block a similar claim by the San Diego Padres. He appeared in 33 regular season games for the Giants, batting .288 with three home runs, who won the National League West Division title, overtaking the Padres late in the season in the process.
In the ensuing 2010 National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Ross started all four games in right field, hit a home run to tie the deciding fourth game, and knocked in the winning runs in two of the Giants' three wins. Ross hit two home runs off of Roy Halladay in Game 1 in the following 2010 National League Championship Series, and hit a solo home run against Roy Oswalt in Game 2. Following the Giants' Game 6 win of the 2010 NLCS, Ross was awarded the MVP award for the series, in which he hit .350 with three home runs, three doubles and recorded five RBI. Three of his four postseason home runs broke up no-hitters. His home run off the Braves' Derek Lowe was the Giants' first hit in Game 4 of the NLDS. His first home run off Roy Halladay in Game 1 of the NLCS was the first hit off Halladay in 11 innings, as Halladay had thrown a no-hitter in his prior start. His home run off Roy Oswalt in Game 2 of the NLCS was the Giants' first hit of the game.
4. Joey Votto
Here's Votto's 2010 Season via Wikipedia:
Votto was not initially voted to the 2010 All-Star game in Anaheim, California, but made the roster via online fan voting through the National League's Final Vote. Votto was named on 13.7 million of the 26 million ballots submitted. Votto made the cover of Sports Illustrated on the August 30, 2010 edition.
On the season Votto hit .324 with 113 RBI, 106 runs scored, and 37 homers, including a grand slam off of Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves on May 20. He finished the season leading the Major Leagues in On Base Percentage (.424), and led the National League in Slugging Percentage (.600), and On-Base Plus Slugging (1.024). On October 31, before game four of the World Series, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and Hank Aaron announced that Votto had won the Hank Aaron Award in the National League.
On November 22, he was announced the 2010 NL MVP, coming within one vote of winning unanimously (Albert Pujols received the other first place vote, from the St. Louis BBWAA representative). He is only the third Canadian to win the MVP award after Larry Walker and Justin Morneau.
3. Roy Halladay
I am biased, but I cannot leave out Roy, the NL Cy Young Award winner for 2010. Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in the history of baseball, AND he threw a no-hitter in the playoffs against the Reds. It was only the second no-hit game in the postseason ever, behind Don Larson's perfect game in the World Series. Plus, Roy deserves to be on the list for his shear awesomeness (in my eyes at least)!
2. Stephen Strasburg
Strasburg seemed to be on autopilot when he made is MLB debut on June 8, 2010 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had 14 strikeouts in the win, and he struck out every batter in the Pirates' lineup at least once. His popularity also helped to revive the baseball card hobby (at least for me). His 1/1 Bowman Red sold for over $16,000. He seemed well on his way to a promising 2011 until an elbow injury sidelined him until 2012. He credits his grandmother with helping him develop his baseball skills as a child. She would frequently play catch and even work on pitching with him. He calls her one of his biggest inspirations.
1. Ken Griffey, Jr.
In 2010, Griffey (aka "the Kid," or "Junior") left the game of baseball the same way he played the game: quietly and with class.
Among his many accomplishments, Griffey was a 13 time all star, a 10 time gold glove winner, a 7 time silver slugger award winner, and a 3 time home run derby winner. He did much to improve the image of the game of baseball.
On June 2, 2010, weeks after being taken out of the lineup due to a lack of productivity, Ken Griffey Jr. released a statement through the Seattle Mariners organization announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball effective immediately. Griffey retired fifth on the all time home run list.
What do you think? Who would you include or take off the list? A few names I struggled with including, but couldn't bring myself to were Brian Wilson, Neftali Feliz, Aroldis Chapman, Josh Hamilton, Jayson Heyward, and Troy Tulowitski.
Gaby Sanchez should be a linebacker! But he'd have to watch a hit like that - could be 15-yards and a fine!
ReplyDeleteTake off Griffey. He left quitely but i wouldn't say gracefully. He got benched because he couldn't hit anymore and then quit. I guess you can say he could have caused a stink but didn't. Either way he wasn't a big story in 2010.
ReplyDeleteI probably would have found some way to get Aroldis Champan in the list, because of the way that the Reds surprised everyone at the beginning of 2010 to sign him and then when he did pitch for them at the end of the season he threw the fastest pitch in major league history.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea though. I wish I had thought of it.
I agree with Jonathan - I'd definitely put Aroldis Chapman on there. I'd probably take out Hernandez. He was kind of a story because of the 13-win debate, but, honestly, wasn't nearly as interesting as the others on this list. I'd want to put Heyward on there, too, but don't know who else to take out.
ReplyDelete@Adam, I think I felt compelled to include Griffey on the list due to the impact he has had on the game, his accomplishments, and the fact that he retired. But I think you are right--I'd be ok taking him off...
ReplyDelete@Jonathan, I'd love to see your list--go for it (and anyone else who feels compelled to do one)!
Great List! As a braves fan I'd have to have put Heyward on there, with all the excitement for the first half of the year. I hope he can stay healthy and produce for us for a long time to come!
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