Top 100 Right Now, the MLB Network series that shines a light on the fascinating world of extreme hoarding ranks the best players in baseball, recently ended its 2013 run. I'm not sure who does the ranking, but it's said to be based on the following criteria:
• Emphasized stats from the last three seasons, weighting 2012
• Projected 2013 performance
• Defensive position
• Accolades
• Intangibles
Here's the complete list. See if you can pick out the obvious snub.
100. Ryan Howard - 1B - Phillies 99. Sergio Romo - RP - Giants 98. Yu Darvish - SP - Rangers 97. Elvis Andrus - SS - Rangers 96. Chase Utley - 2B - Phillies 95. Adrian Gonzalez - 1B - Dodgers 94. Jacoby Ellsbury - OF - Red Sox 93. Victor Martinez - C/DH - Tigers 92. Jordan Zimmermann - SP - Nationals 91. Michael Bourn - CF - Indians 90. Aroldis Chapman - P - Reds 89. Adam Wainwright - SP - Cardinals 88. Jon Lester - SP - Red Sox 87. Mike Moustakas - 3B - Royals 86. Brett Lawrie - 3B - Blue Jays 85. Michael Morse - 1B/LF - Mariners 84. Allen Craig - 1B - Cardinals 83. Torii Hunter - RF - Tigers 82. Carlos Beltran - RF - Cardinals 81. Carlos Ruiz - C - Phillies 80. Brian McCann - C - Braves 79. Miguel Montero - C - Diamondbacks 78. Curtis Granderson - CF - Yankees 77. Jim Johnson - RP - Orioles 76. Jason Motte - RP - Cardinals 75. Ian Desmond - SS - Nationals 74. Chase Headley - 3B - Padres 73. Adam LaRoche - 1B - Nationals 72. Yovani Gallardo - SP - Brewers 71. Madison Bumgarner - SP - Giants 70. Alex Gordon - LF - Royals 69. B.J. Upton - CF - Braves 68. James Shields - SP - Royals 67. David Freese - 3B - Cardinals 66. J.J. Hardy - SS - Orioles 65. Kyle Lohse - SP - (FREE AGENT) 64. Wade Miley - SP - Diamondbacks 63. Johnny Cueto - SP - Reds 62. Jonathan Papelbon - RP - Phillies 61. Mariano Rivera - RP - Yankees 60. David Ortiz - DH - Red Sox 59. Jason Heyward - RF - Braves 58. Austin Jackson - CF - Tigers 57. Zack Greinke - SP - Dodgers 56. Chris Sale - SP - White Sox 55. Billy Butler - DH - Royals 54. Bryce Harper - LF - Nationals 53. Derek Jeter - SS - Yankees 52. Starlin Castro - SS - Cubs 51. Troy Tulowitzki - SS - Rockies 50. R.A. Dickey - SP - Blue Jays 49. Gio Gonzalez - SP - Nationals 48. Matt Wieters - C - Orioles 47. A.J. Pierzynski - C- Rangers 46. Roy Halladay - SP - Phillies 45. Matt Cain - SP - Giants 44. Pablo Sandoval - 3B - Giants 43. Josh Willingham - LF - Twins 42. Yoenis Cespedes - LF - Athletics 41. Matt Holliday - LF - Cardinals 40. Ian Kinsler - 2B - Rangers 39. Edwin Encarnacion - 1B - Blue Jays 38. Joe Mauer - C - Twins 37. Jered Weaver - SP - Angels 36. Jay Bruce - RF - Reds 35. Justin Upton - LF - Braves 34. Dustin Pedroia - 2B - Red Sox 33. Paul Konerko - 1B - White Sox 32. Aramis Ramirez - 3B - Brewers 31. Brandon Phillips - 2B - Reds 30. Carlos Gonzalez - LF - Rockies 29. Ryan Zimmerman - 3B - Nationals 28. Jose Bautista - RF - Blue Jays 27. Craig Kimbrel - RP - Braves 26. Stephen Strasburg - SP - Nationals 25. Jose Reyes - SS - Blue Jays 24. Yadier Molina - C - Cardinals 23. Adam Jones - CF - Orioles 22. David Wright - 3B - Mets 21. Buster Posey - C - Giants 20. Cole Hamels - SP - Phillies 19. Cliff Lee - SP - Phillies 18. CC Sabathia - SP - Yankees 17. Andrew McCutchen - CF - Pirates 16. Evan Longoria - 3B - Rays 15. Giancarlo Stanton - RF - Marlins 14. Albert Pujols - 1B - Angels 13. Adrian Beltre - 3B - Rangers 12. David Price - SP - Rays 11. Prince Fielder - 1B - Tigers 10. Josh Hamilton - RF - Angels 9. Joey Votto - 1B - Reds 8. Robinson Cano - 2B - Yankees 7. Felix Hernandez - SP - Mariners 6. Ryan Braun - LF - Brewers 5. Clayton Kershaw - SP - Dodgers 4. Matt Kemp - CF - Dodgers 3. Miguel Cabrera - 3B - Tigers 2. Justin Verlander - SP - Tiger 1. Mike Trout - LF - Angels
I used to think Ben Zobrist was so underrated that he was in danger of becoming overrated. Now I think he's so underrated he's gone past overrated and back to underrated again. There aren't thirty players on that list I'd rather have on my team than Ben Zobrist. Derek Jeter? He's a million years old and a lousy defender. Carlos Ruiz? The thirty-four-year-old catcher who has to serve a 25-game suspension to start the season? That Carlos Ruiz?! Ryan Howard?!?! There aren't enough interrobangs in the world to describe my incredulity at the notion that Ryan Howard is a better ballplayer than Ben Zobrist.
What were those criteria again?
• Emphasized stats from the last three seasons, weighting 2012
Among position players, Zobrist ranks 10th in combined WAR, 2010-2012. Tied with Albert Pujols.
• Projected 2013 performance
ZiPs and PECOTA both project Zobrist to be worth more than 4 wins over a replacement player this season, better than Josh Hamilton, Jose Reyes, and Adam Jones, to pick three people at random from the top quartile of the Top 100 Right Now list.
• Accolades
Zobrist was voted team MVP the season he played for the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Also, he leads all of MLB in Valvano Count. Don't act like you're not impressed.
• Intangibles
On the episode of Top 100 Right Now I saw, "postseason performance" was offered as an example of "intangibles." Because nobody keeps stats for World Series games, you see.
• Defensive position
Now we're getting at why the Zorilla is underrated. If Zobrist played just one position, he wouldn't be so overlooked. But as a second baseman-cum-right fielder-cum-shortstop-in-a-pinch, he's hard to pin down. Bill James said that anything that breaks up a player's career, changing teams, or positions, makes him harder to see. Zobrist, playing all over the diamond in baseball's forgotten city, is the hardest player to see.
Loading comments...