NL Central Rankings

ESPN is doing a series where they come up with the top players at each position in each division. They have completed 4 of the 6 divisions and have yet to do the Central so I decided I'd see how I would rank them. The points are determined by if the club has the best player(s) they get 6 points for first 5 for second 4 for third etc... This is just my rankings let me know what you think. Btw Cozart has potential to be a lot higher but it's to early to tell right now


NL Central

Catchers:
1. Yadier Molina
2. Ryan Hanigan/Devin Mesoraco
3. Geovany Soto
4. Jonathan Lucroy
5. Rob Barajas
6. Jason Castro

First Basemen:
1: Joey Votto
2. Lance Berkman
3. Garrett Jones
4. Carlos Lee
5. Bryan LaHair
6. Mat Gamel

Second Basemen:
1. Brandon Phillips
2. Rickie Weeks
3. Neil Walker
4. Darwin Barney
5. Skip Schumaker/Tyler Greene
6. Jose Altuve

Third Basemen:
1. Aramis Ramirez
2. David Freese
3. Pedro Alvarez
4. Scott Rolen
5. Ian Stewart
6. Chris Johnson

Shortstop:
1. Starlin Castro
2. Rafael Furcal
3. Clint Barmes
4. Alex Gonzalez
5. Jed Lowrie
6. Zac Cozart

Left Fielder:
1. Ryan Braun
2. Matt Holliday
3. Alfonso Soriano
4. Chris Heisey/Ryan Ludwick
5. Alex Presley
6. JD Martinez

Center Fielder:
1. Andrew McCutchen
2. Marlon Byrd
3. Nyjer Morgan
4. Drew Stubbs
5. Jon Jay
6. Jordan Schafer

Right Fielder:
1. Carlos Beltran
2. Jay Bruce
3. Corey Hart
4. David DeJesus
5. Jose Tabata
6. Brian Bogusevic

#1 Starter:
1. Adam Wainwright
2. Zack Greinke
3. Johnny Cueto
4. Ryan Dempster
5. Brett Meyers
6. Jeff Karstens

#2 Starter
1. Chris Carpenter
2. Mat Latos
3. Yovani Gallardo
4. Wandy Rodriguez
5. Matt Garza
6. Kevin Correia

#3 Starter:
1. Shaun Marcum
2. Jamie Garcia
3. Bronson Arroyo
4. Travis Wood
5. Bud Norris
6. Charlie Morton

#3 Starter:
1. Mike Leake
2. Randy Wolf
3. Chris Volstad
4. Kyle Loshe
5. James McDonald
6. Kyle Weiland

#5 Starter
1. Erik Badard
2. Paul Maholm
3. Jake Westbrook
4. Homer Bailey
5. Chris Narveson
6. J.A. Happ

Closer:
1. Ryan Madson
2. John Axford
3. Carlos Marmol
4. Joel Hanrahan
5. Jason Motte
6. Brandon Lyon

Bullpen:*
1. Cincinnati Reds (Sean Marshall, Nick Masset, Bill Bray, Jose Arredando, Carlos Fisher, Logan Ondrusek)
2. Chicago Cubs (Kerry Wood, Jeff Smardzija, James Russell, Justin Berg)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (JC Romero, Kyle McClellan, Mitchell Boggs, Marc Rzepczynski, Fernando Salas)
4. Milwaukee Brewers (Fransisco Rodriguez, Jose Veras, Kameron Loe, Mark DiFelice, Marco Estrada)
5. Pittsburg Pirates (Evan Meek, Doug Slaten, Juan Cruz, Jason Grilli, Ross Ohlendorf)
6. Houston Astros (Wilton Lopez, David Carpenter, Wesley Wright, Fernando Abad, Zach Duke)

Intangibles:
1. St Louis Cardinals
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Pittsburg Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros

1. Cincinnati Reds (74 points)
2. St Louis Cardinals (72 points)
3. Milwaukee Brewers (67 points)
4. Chicago Cubs (57 points)
5. Pittsburg Pirates (47 points)
6. Houston Astros (23 points)

Your logic on ranking Cozart last, should also apply to Mesoraco. I don't think Arroyo is #3, but #4 at best, maybe even a five if he doesn't turn it around. I also think Gallardo should be higher ranked, and I also disagree with your CF rankings as Byrd is fading. But generally, pretty fair rankings.

Well saying I should rank Mesoraco as I did Cozart. I ultimately believe Hanigan will be the starting catcher on Opening Day and Mesoraco will slowly take over. Therefore I ranked that as Hanigan being the starting catcher and Mesoraco getting time. And on Arroyo I do agree with you I was torn on whether to make him a 3 or 4 but I came to the conclusion of who I think Dusty will go with. And I believed it will be Arroyo number three but I could be wrong, it's gonna be a close call. So are you saying you would take Gallardo over Latos?? And maybe even Carpenter? Byrd is as of now is fading but has still produced better than Stubbs and Morgan. But I do agree with those points overall. I'm just wondering on a few

Some issues I took with your (mostly good) rankings:

Garza is the Cubs' best starter, and he would slide in after Greinke to push Cueto down to #4.

Gallardo is above Latos.

Axford definitely above Madson.

I don't know for certain where the Reds plan on pitching Arroyo, but he should be our fifth starter. And he should be at the bottom of the list. Perhaps you're giving him some "benefit of the doubt" points for career contributions, but he was beyond abysmal last year. Okay... maybe above Happ.

You did pretty well with the position players, though.

From this, it looks we have a shot.

I think these rankings are about right. I would actually put cozart higher as well as heisey. I also wouldnt put an aging Beltran over Bruce.

what are the plans for Chapman in this rating system?

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Originally Posted by lidspinner

what are the plans for Chapman in this rating system?

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I think this is assuming he starts the year in Louisville to work on starting, so he wouldn't be on the 25 man necessarily.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alett12

I also wouldnt put an aging Beltran over Bruce.

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I would.

Beltran 2011 OPS+ 152
Bruce 2011 OPS + 119

I think people are underestimating Leake, personally I think he will have a better year than Cueto. I would move Latos ahead of Cueto right now, moving Cueto to the 3rd spot of the #2 starters, all 4 (Bailey included) ahead of Arroyo, but overall you did a nice job, thanks for doing this.

I don't think Latos is better than Cueto, at least not in 2012. I would move him ahead of Carpenter though. Carpenter is slipping.

Beltran is an aging player while Bruce is coming into his prime I think you have to consider that when ranking players. I like Leake as well he was the Reds 2nd best pitcher last year and is in my opinion a very similar pitcher going into year three of his career as greg maddux was with the exception that maddux had a little harder stuff.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alett12

Beltran is an aging player while Bruce is coming into his prime I think you have to consider that when ranking players. I like Leake as well he was the Reds 2nd best pitcher last year and is in my opinion a very similar pitcher going into year three of his career as greg maddux was with the exception that maddux had a little harder stuff.

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It's fair to consider age of course, but the difference between Bruce and Beltran in 2011 (at least as the plate) was huge. I don't think Beltran falls off enough and Bruce improves enough to make up that difference in 2012.

Another point on these rankings, how is Grienke considered better than Cueto? Grienke had an amazing season in 2009, but hasnt been anything special since. He would be the #3 pitcher for the Reds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pony Boy

It's fair to consider age of course, but the difference between Bruce and Beltran in 2011 (at least as the plate) was huge. I don't think Beltran falls off enough and Bruce improves enough to make up that difference in 2012.

Another point on these rankings, how is Grienke considered better than Cueto? Grienke had an amazing season in 2009, but hasnt been anything special since. He would be the #3 pitcher for the Reds.

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By stats he would be a number three guy but his name would put him at number 1. that is why the brewers payed as much as they did, the Yankees didn't give up nearly as much for Pindea a much smaller name who actually had better stats last year and is under team control for alot longer. I agree though that he would be a number 3 on the reds.

...what.

There is no doubt that if Zack Greinke was a Red he would instantly be our #1 pitcher, in name AND in talent.

Just last year: 10.5 (!!) K/9 and a 2.98 FIP. When he throws 200 innings again this year, he'll be one of the most valuable pitchers in baseball.

Looks pretty good, I pretty much agree. I think starters 1, 2 and 5 might even be underestimated. Hopefully this is the year that Carpenter turns into a braying donk at the # 1 - 2nd starter spot.