WhiteSoxFan84
02-26-2006, 03:39 AM
JUST 5 WEEKS AWAY FROM OPENING NIGHT!
The votes are in and the winner is Jason Varitek. He received 50% (10) of the votes. Victor Martinez finished second with 25% (5) of the votes. Our very own catcher, A.J. Pierzynski finished 3rd with 10% (2) of the votes. Others who received votes include Joe Mauer, Ivan Rodriguez, and Benji Molina, whom each received 1 vote.
Week 1 (Feb. 19 - Feb 25): WSI Best Overall Catcher: Jason Varitek
Week 2 (Feb. 26 - March 4): Best First Basemen (26th-28th)/Best Third Basemen (1st-4th)
Week 3 (March 5 - March 11): Best Shortstop
Week 4 (March 12 - March 18): Best Second Basemen
Week 5 (March 19 - March 25): Best Leftfielder (19th-21st)/Best Centerfielder (22nd-25th)
Week 6 (March 26 - April 1): Best Rightfielder (26th-28th)/Best Starting Pitcher (29th-1st)
This week's position: First Base and Third Base. First we will do First Base and then on March 1st, I will put up the thread for Third Base. This is a very good list to debate here folks. We have two of the very best first basemen right here in Chicago. Our very own Paul Konerko and Derek Lee. There's also guys like Mark Texeira, Richie Sexson, Carlos Delgado, Mike Sweeney, and Todd Helton.
However, the one not mentioned so far, in my opinion is the best overall baseball player in the game. And you don't have to look far from Chicago to find him; it's St. Louis' own Albert Pujols.
The guy is the elite triple threat. He can hit, he can field, and he can run. He seems like a soften spoken guy who leads by example. But from his interviews and those of his teammates, I can tell that he is also a vocal leader who doesn't feel like he has to yell and scream to get someone's attention. Playing for Tony La Russa only makes him a better player on and off the field. The guy is tremendously disciplined and just seems very durable. He probably won't win any gold gloves as long as Derek Lee and J.T. Snow are in the National League. But he will win his share of MVPs and probably a few World Series rings. He is a consistent hitter who will hit .300, 35-45 HRs, 120-140 RBIS easily.
He will probably end up finishing his career in St. Louis as the city loves him, the organization loves him, and he loves them both right back. I doubt they will ever short-change him and will pay him whatever he wants just to keep him around. He is also the top candidate to break Henry Aaron's all-time home-run record (assuming Barry Bonds' legs fall off/his body falls apart and he doesn't break it). He has 201 career home runs at the age of 26. If he can average 45 home runs for the next 12 years, he will have 741 homers at the age of 38 and will need just 15 in his 18th major league season to break the record. If he sustains his current durability and puts up power numbers the way he is putting them up now, he will easily reach and surpass Aaron's mark.
I think Derek Lee is second in this competition and some may argue he's better than or right up there with Pujols, but I honestly don't even think Lee is close runner-up. He had one unreal year where he was just on-the-mark almost every at-bat. But towards the end of the season, he started to breakdown and his average dropped almost 100 points and his OBP dropped over 70 points.
My Top 5 first basemen:
5) Sexson
4) Konerko
3) Texeira
2) Lee
1) Pujols
Now, in YOUR opinion, who's the best overall first basemen in the majors and why?
The votes are in and the winner is Jason Varitek. He received 50% (10) of the votes. Victor Martinez finished second with 25% (5) of the votes. Our very own catcher, A.J. Pierzynski finished 3rd with 10% (2) of the votes. Others who received votes include Joe Mauer, Ivan Rodriguez, and Benji Molina, whom each received 1 vote.
Week 1 (Feb. 19 - Feb 25): WSI Best Overall Catcher: Jason Varitek
Week 2 (Feb. 26 - March 4): Best First Basemen (26th-28th)/Best Third Basemen (1st-4th)
Week 3 (March 5 - March 11): Best Shortstop
Week 4 (March 12 - March 18): Best Second Basemen
Week 5 (March 19 - March 25): Best Leftfielder (19th-21st)/Best Centerfielder (22nd-25th)
Week 6 (March 26 - April 1): Best Rightfielder (26th-28th)/Best Starting Pitcher (29th-1st)
This week's position: First Base and Third Base. First we will do First Base and then on March 1st, I will put up the thread for Third Base. This is a very good list to debate here folks. We have two of the very best first basemen right here in Chicago. Our very own Paul Konerko and Derek Lee. There's also guys like Mark Texeira, Richie Sexson, Carlos Delgado, Mike Sweeney, and Todd Helton.
However, the one not mentioned so far, in my opinion is the best overall baseball player in the game. And you don't have to look far from Chicago to find him; it's St. Louis' own Albert Pujols.
The guy is the elite triple threat. He can hit, he can field, and he can run. He seems like a soften spoken guy who leads by example. But from his interviews and those of his teammates, I can tell that he is also a vocal leader who doesn't feel like he has to yell and scream to get someone's attention. Playing for Tony La Russa only makes him a better player on and off the field. The guy is tremendously disciplined and just seems very durable. He probably won't win any gold gloves as long as Derek Lee and J.T. Snow are in the National League. But he will win his share of MVPs and probably a few World Series rings. He is a consistent hitter who will hit .300, 35-45 HRs, 120-140 RBIS easily.
He will probably end up finishing his career in St. Louis as the city loves him, the organization loves him, and he loves them both right back. I doubt they will ever short-change him and will pay him whatever he wants just to keep him around. He is also the top candidate to break Henry Aaron's all-time home-run record (assuming Barry Bonds' legs fall off/his body falls apart and he doesn't break it). He has 201 career home runs at the age of 26. If he can average 45 home runs for the next 12 years, he will have 741 homers at the age of 38 and will need just 15 in his 18th major league season to break the record. If he sustains his current durability and puts up power numbers the way he is putting them up now, he will easily reach and surpass Aaron's mark.
I think Derek Lee is second in this competition and some may argue he's better than or right up there with Pujols, but I honestly don't even think Lee is close runner-up. He had one unreal year where he was just on-the-mark almost every at-bat. But towards the end of the season, he started to breakdown and his average dropped almost 100 points and his OBP dropped over 70 points.
My Top 5 first basemen:
5) Sexson
4) Konerko
3) Texeira
2) Lee
1) Pujols
Now, in YOUR opinion, who's the best overall first basemen in the majors and why?