The Top Ten Right Fielders in MLB Today

Let's go!

10.) Jeff Francoeur, Kansas City Royals
2011 stats: .285 avg., 20 HRs, 87 RBI, .805 OPS, 47 doubles
Francoeur played a major role in Kansas City's surprisingly effective offense last year, one that finished sixth in the AL in runs and second in doubles.  Furthermore, Francoeur had the kind of season that was reminiscent of his early years with Atlanta, as he put together his best all-around year since 2007. Francoeur's 47 doubles and .805 OPS were both career highs, while his 20 home runs and .285 average were the second-highest totals of his career. Additionally, his 47 doubles were second among all AL hitters, trailing Miguel Cabrera by only one two-bagger. Despite his solid season, he can still be an incredibly erratic and streaky hitter. He also possesses one of the best arms in baseball out in right.

9.) Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers
2011 stats (124 games): .263 avg., 29 HRs, 87 RBI, .821 OPS
Cruz, when healthy, possesses an absolutely frightening bat that features as much power as anyone else on this list. However, the statement "when healthy," carries a significant amount of weight when discussing Cruz, as he has never played in at least 130 games in any season of his seven-year career. One can only imagine the kind of numbers he would put up if he were ever completely healthy, as you can see the amount of damage he did above in just 124 games last year. Additionally, his exploits in the postseason are not to be ignored, as he has 14 homers, 27 RBI and a 1.019 OPS in just 33 career playoff games.

8.) Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals
2011 stats: .300 avg., 22 HRs, 84 RBI, .910 OPS
Beltran split time between the Mets and Giants last year and for the first time since 2008, he played in 140 games. Beltran continues to show that he can be a significant threat at the plate when healthy, recording the third-highest OPS total of any right fielder in the game last year. Upon his arrival in San Francisco, Beltran continued to hit well, recording a .323 average and a .940 OPS in just 44 games with the club. Unfortunately, he could not carry the lineup alone, as his supporting cast around him was very ineffective (excluding Pablo Sandoval). He does not steal too many bases anymore, but he still has decent range in the outfield, and he will be looked upon to be a major contributor for the Cardinals entering 2012.

7.) Corey Hart, Milwaukee Brewers
2011 stats: .285 avg., 26 HRs, 63 RBI, .866 OPS
Lost in the power show that Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder put on last year in Milwaukee was Corey Hart and his performance. You know a team's offense is powerful when a guy can have an .866 OPS and still finish third on the team, and that is exactly what happened last year with Hart. Even though he is not on the level of power hitting that teammate Ryan Braun is on, he still brings a dangerous bat to the plate with him.

6.) Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds
2011 stats: .256 avg., 32 HRs, 97 RBI, .814 OPS
Though he may frustrate some Reds fans, Bruce had a rock-solid year last year. Although his OPS dropped by 32 points and his average dropped by 25 points, his home run and RBI totals continue to climb. For the fourth consecutive season, Bruce increased his home run and RBI output, setting new career highs in both categories. In addition to the power he displays, Bruce also brings a great throwing arm to his position. Sometimes fans can expect too much too soon, and those who are frustrated with Bruce's play need to remember that he will be 25 this year. Anybody who already has 100 career home runs and 277 RBI by the age of 25 should be looked upon with a great deal of optimism.

5.) Hunter Pence, Philadelphia Phillies
2011 stats: .314 avg., 22 HRs, 97 RBI, .871 OPS

Pence split time between Houston and Philly last year, and it is not surprising to see why Philly was jonesing for him so much. Pence is a consistent hitter, as you can be certain he will finish with 20-25 homers, 80-90 RBI and a .280-.300 average. He recorded a career-high 97 RBI last year, which was no doubt boosted by the fact that he joined Philadelphia's solid offense. Pence will definitely be an integral part of the Phillies offense this year and in the coming seasons.

4.) Mike Stanton, Miami Marlins
2011 stats: .262 avg., 34 HRs, 87 RBI, .893 OPS
When looking at raw power and nothing else, I believe Stanton is the strongest man in the majors right now. Honestly, I feel like he did not hit a single homer under 400 feet last year! Of course, I am exaggerating, but his exhilarating power impressed many who watched him play his first full season last year, leading all NL right fielders in home runs while finishing second overall to Jose Bautista. His only flaw at the plate was his high strikeout total, whiffing 166 times. If he continues to hit with the kind of power he has, people will learn to overlook that flaw. Pencil him in for 40 homers easily in 2012.

3.) Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals
2011 stats: .301 avg., 31 HRs, 94 RBI, .959 OPS
Believe me, it feels strange putting him this high on the list, and you can be sure that he will not appear on any of my lists next year (barring an encore performance, of course). Aside from that, 2011 was a renaissance year for Berkman, as many believed he was approaching the sunset of his career with declining numbers the last several seasons. His contributions to the Cardinals were invaluable, and there is no doubt that they would not have made the postseason without the unexpected big year from him. He was one of only four right fielders to hit at least .300 last year, and his stunning .959 OPS was second among his peers at the position, trailing only the mighty Jose Bautista. Berkman will likely spend most of 2012 playing at first base. The Cardinals still have a great team even without Pujols, but if they wish to repeat as World Champions, they will likely need similar production from Berkman again.

2.) Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
2011 stats: .289 avg., 31 HRs, 88 RBI, .898 OPS, 21 SBs. 39 doubles
Upton was overshadowed by other big names in the NL that were a part of the MVP discussion last year, but there is no denying how valuable the young right fielder was to the Diamondbacks. With five seasons under his belt already, the 24-year-old had the best year of his career up to this point, recording career-highs in home runs, RBI, doubles and steals, while falling one point short of his career-high OPS total of .899 that he reached in 2009. He also helped lead a young Arizona team to a surprising division title, the franchise's fifth since their formation in 1998. The best has yet to come for this dynamic and talented outfielder.

1.) Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
2011 stats: .302 avg., 43 HRs, 103 RBI, .447 OBP, 1.056 OPS
Bautista continued his stunning rise to becoming one of baseball's elite hitters last year, as he put together an even better all-around offensive performance than his breakout 2010 season. Although he hit 11 less homers than he did in 2010, his average and OPS went up significantly, proving that he belongs in the discussion of baseball's best hitters. Not only is Bautista the best right fielder in baseball right now, you could make the argument that he is the third best hitter in the game right now, trailing Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols. What he did last year proved that 2010 was no fluke and at age 31, he will definitely have a few more years like this left in him.

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Is this it for Justin Morneau?

The struggles that Twins first baseman Justin Morneau has dealt with regarding post-concussion symptoms have been well documented. When talking with reporters from camp at Fort Myers Friday morning however, he hinted that he might consider calling it a career if he does not get better.

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

"I’m obviously not going to continue to mess around with this if it continues to be a problem. There comes a point where you can only torture yourself for so long." -Justin Morneau

Sox/Twins rivalry aside, this is just a terrible thing to watch. Morneau, when healthy, is one of the top first basemen in the game, and the Twins expected him to be one of the franchise's cornerstones for the next several seasons, along with Joe Mauer. Sadly, this goes to show you how devastating a concussion injury can be. We know more now than ever before about the lingering effects of concussions, and teams are becoming smarter when it comes to clearing players to return. An unfortunate corollary to this is the potential for careers to end or decline prematurely, as it can be incredibly difficult to return to full strength when battling with post-concussion issues (Morneau even went as far as using the word "torture" in describing his battle).

It has been nearly two years since he suffered his concussion sliding into Blue Jays second baseman John McDonald during that unfortunate night in Toronto, and I do not blame him in the least for becoming weary from battling through this adversity. Hopefully for him, the Twins, their fans and the game, he can get better and return to his elite level.

Taking a Bolingbrook Bounce.

Random news bits from around the world of baseball.

Hawk Harrelson laments about the Ozzie/Jenks feud and offers a suggestion for the Sox against Minnesota. (Chicago Tribune)

Red Sox manager Terry Francona tries to help quell the Ozzie/Jenks war of words. (Chicago Tribune)

Josh Beckett suffers a mild concussion after getting hit with a ball during BP. (Big League Stew)

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson: "We won't be well liked (by other teams)." (Big League Stew)

Chicago Cubs looking for a new P.A. announcer and are accepting applications online through March 7. (Sports Illustrated)

Reds honoring the late Sparky Anderson. (Cincinnati.com)

Royals prospects signaling end of two decade futility for Kansas City? (Sports Illustrated)

Nationals Bryce Harper makes his Spring Training debut (MLB.com)

Johnny Bench to receive statue outside of Great American Ballpark. (Cincinnati.com)

Justin Morneau really hates the White Sox. (Bugs and Cranks)

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 20- Minnesota Twins

Welcome back, everybody! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas, and I hope you all received fantastic gifts as well! Today's team to receive a report card will be the AL Central Champions, the Minnesota Twins. Let's get started, shall we?

Minnesota Twins:
Record: 87-76 (American League Central Division Champions).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Joe Mauer (.365)
Home Runs: Michael Cuddyer (32)
RBIs: Jason Kubel (103)
On-base Percentage: Joe Mauer (.444)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Scott Baker (15)
ERA: Nick Blackburn (4.03). Bullpen- Joe Nathan (2.10).
Strikeouts: Scott Baker (162)
Innings Pitched: Nick Blackburn (205.2)
WHIP: Joe Nathan (0.93). Starters- Scott Baker (1.19).
Saves: Joe Nathan (47)

Highlight of the Year: After trailing in the division by seven games as late as September 6, the Twins stormed back to win the division, taking out the Tigers at home in a one-game playoff on October 6, 6-5 in 12 innings.

Lowlight of the Year: Getting blasted by the Yankees in a three-game sweep in the playoffs from October 7-11. The Twins now have nine consecutive losses in the postseason, dating back to 2004.

The Lowdown:
After coming so close in 2008, the Twins were determined to finish the job in 2009, and that job was to win the AL Central. They were bringing back everyone from the 2008 team, with a few key additions added to the mix. They strengthened their left side of their infield by adding shortstop Orlando Cabrera and third baseman Joe Crede, and they also had outfielder Michael Cuddyer healthy and producing for a full season again. Even though their pitching regressed a bit from '08, they were still solid, and they were kept afloat by an outstanding offense that knew how to drive in runners when it mattered the most. Minnesota also played fundamentally sound baseball during the season, which meant that they rarely lost a game in which they beat themselves. Despite this, the AL Central was still a tough three team race between them, Detroit and Chicago. In the end though, it was Minnesota that prevailed once again, as they caught fire in September to take their fifth division crown of the decade.

Offense:
The Twins featured another very efficient offense in 2009, as they finished fifth in the majors in runs scored with 817. Their offensive efficiency was further exemplified by their high team average of .274, which was third in MLB behind only the Yankees and Angels. They also proved that you do not need to hit a lot of home runs to have a successful offense, as their modest total of 172 home runs was good enough for 13th in MLB. They featured a lot of key parts in their lineup, the biggest of which was catcher Joe Mauer.

Despite missing the first month of the season, Mauer did not miss a beat once he returned, as he hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season on May 1 against Kansas City. The beat did not stop for Mauer, as he continued on a torrid pace throughout the summer, finishing with a major-league best .365 average, 28 home runs and 96 RBIs, all of which were also career-highs. This spectacular season was good enough for the St. Paul native to earn his first career AL MVP, likely the first of many to come.

Mauer's right-hand man in the lineup was of course, first baseman Justin Morneau. The big lefty from British Columbia put together another fine season at the plate, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 100 to go along with a .274 average. However, his numbers would have certainly been considerably better if he did not go down with a stress fracture in his lower back on September 15, an injury which obviously ended his season.

It would seem that if the Twins lost Morneau during the time they needed him the most, their season would be doomed to another near-miss. However, Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer stepped up in his void and carried the team (along with Mauer) to the postseason. Kubel had the best year of his career by far, as he hit .300, with 28 home runs and 100 RBIs. He was complimented by Cuddyer, who also put up an outstanding year, hitting a career-high 32 home runs while driving in 94. With the performances of Mauer, Morneau, Kubel and Cuddyer, the Twins barely missed becoming the first AL team to feature four 30-home run hitters since the White Sox turned the trick in 2006.

Altogether, this is a very outstanding and very underrated lineup that should get a lot more credit for what they do. They managed to score a lot of runs, but, despite the performances of their "big four," they did not hit a ton of home runs. They are like a well-run machine; they get the man in from third with a sac-fly, they go the other way with a pitch instead of trying to jack it out of the park, and they also have smart baserunning that keeps them from running themselves out of an inning. Fundamentals never take a day off, and that's what keeps this lineup churning.
Final Grade: A+

Pitching:
As mentioned earlier, their pitching staff collectively regressed a bit from their 2008 performance. Their team ERA rose from 4.16 in '08 (13th in MLB) to 4.50 this year (23rd in MLB). Kevin Slowey going down with a season-ending injury in July was certainly a reason for this, as he was one of their best starters in '08. He was also off to a nice 10-3 start this year as well, before going down. Also, the continuing struggles of Francisco Liriano did not help matters, either. Despite this, the staff did receive some solid performances this year, as they were led by Scott Baker. He put together a decent campaign, going 15-9, with a 4.37 ERA, which was just a tad below the AL average of 4.45. He also did a fair job in not allowing runners to get on, as his WHIP was a respectable 1.19. Nick Blackburn also put together a decent season, going 11-11 with a 4.03 ERA.

Their 'pen was led by closer Joe Nathan, as always. He continues to quietly put up some of the best numbers in baseball in the closer's role, as he went 47 for 52 in saves, with a 2.10 ERA. His WHIP this year was microscopic, as it was an absolutely sick 0.93. Lefty Jose Mijares and righty Matt Guerrier also put together great seasons out of the 'pen, as they each recorded ERAs under three (Mijares- 2.34 ERA in 71 appearances, Guerrier- 2.36 ERA in 79 appearances). Guerrier's WHIP was almost on the level of Nathan's, as he finished at 0.97 on the season.

Overall, the Twins' staff was okay, as they finished 12th in runs allowed with 765. The thing that they are able to do so well is throw strikes, as they allowed the second-least amount of walks in the bigs, issuing just 466 free passes. However, this can come at a cost, as teams are usually able to put the ball into play at a higher rate. Opponents were able to .272 clip, which tied for the sixth-worst in the majors. They were still a pretty decent staff in spite of this, but they really benefited from an outstanding offense and a slightly weaker AL Central this year.
Final Grade: C+

Wild Card: Defense
Want proof of how the Twins are fundamentally sound? They only committed 76 errors on the season, which tied for the second-least in the bigs. If you are going to have a pitching staff that lets the offense put the ball in play more often than not, you better have a good defense behind you.
Final Grade: A

Overall:
This team is a classic example of "being good enough to get there, but not good enough to win it all." The Twins usually put a competitive team out on the field more often than not, but once they get to the playoffs, they usually fold. Now I know that they don't exactly have enough money to go after a big name free agent. However, I think that the time has come for the Twins to make a splash at the trading deadline. They are basically one piece away from being capable of winning it all. Their penny-pinching ownership and front office needs to just say "the hell with it" and make a splash. So what if you're unable to sign the player in the offseason after making the trade? Nobody will fault you for trying too hard. Just look at the Brewers. Nobody is exactly casting stones at them for trading for Sabathia in '08, and failing to sign him in the offseason. The Twins have come to an organizational crossroads with the possibility of Joe Mauer becoming a free agent, and it will certainly be interesting to see what they do. Will they finally break the bank to sign their hometown hero, so they can continue to be competitive, or will they play it cheap and not sign him, thus keeping the status quo of the organization?

Ugh, heaping this much praise on a franchise that I truly abhor really makes me want to vomit, but they really do a lot of things the right way.
Final Grade: A-

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Florida Marlins!