Top 5 Players in the MLB (Part 2)

For part two of ranking the five best players in the MLB for each position (nine positions in total), it is time to rank what I think will be the toughest spot; the catcher.

Wieters

    5. Matt Wieters (Baltimore Orioles)- Wieters is one of the best all-around catchers in the game. He has respectable batting stats, with an average of .262, 62 hits, 33 RBIs and seven home runs. I like that he has only struck out 43 times in 237 at bats, which makes him fairly disciplined as a hitter. I also love the fact that he is a switch-hitter who can be successful on both sides of the plate. Wieters is one of the best defensive catchers in the game. He is tied for having the best fielding percentage for a catcher (.998) and has a solid catcher's earned run average of 3.99. Two statistics of Wieters' defense stick out to me. 1. Just 28 runners have stole a base on Wieters, he has thrown 20. Therefore, Wieters has a caught stealing percentage of 42 percent, which is outstanding and the best in the league. 2. Wieters has not allowed a ball to go past him, therefore it is extremely hard to advance a base on Wieters, this stat is just extraordinary and makes him one of the best there is.

Pierzynski

   4. A.J. Pierzynski (Chicago White Sox)- Pierzynski is having another solid season in his great career. He currently has the second highest amount of hits for a catcher (73) and is batting a decent .290. Pierzynski has 13 doubles and 25 RBIs. He has only struck out 16 times which makes him a really difficult batter to face. The only unattractive number about his batting stats is his three homers, but he has never been a power-hitter. Increasing that number however, could make him a lot more of a batting threat. Pierzynski may not have the best defensive numbers, but they are still good. He has only allowed three passed balls and has a fielding percentage of .996. I like his CERA as well which is 3.72, but there is one number of his that I do not like. 56 runners have stole a base on him, and he has only thrown out 13 runners which gives him a .188 percentage of throwing a runner out. If he increases his home run total and works on throwing runners out, Pierzysnki could be in the top three easily in this list.

Mauer

    3. Joe Mauer (Minnestoa Twins) For many, I am sure only having Mauer third on this list is a huge surprise. The 2009 AL MVP could be higher on this list if he could be more healthy. Knee surgery after the 2010 season caused Mauer to b on the DL within weeks of the beginning of the 2011 season in April, and to not come back to the Twins until June 17. In his short season (20 games), Mauer has 15 hits, 7 RBIs and a batting average of .208. Do not let these stats fool you, Mauer is still one of the best pure hitters in the game with his unbelievable swing. He has great defensive numbers as well, allowing no passed balls, with a fielding percentage of .992. We have to remember though that those stats are only through 20 games. He has allowed 14 runners to steal a base, while catching two, which gives him a percentage of 13 percent when it comes to catching a runner stealing. If Mauer was completely healthy this season, he would easily be number 1 on this list.
 

McCann

 2. Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves)- The five time all-star just keeps getting better and better by the season. McCann is on pace to have the best season of career from a hitting perspective; currently having 83 hits, 14 doubles, 14 home runs, and 47 RBIs. He is currently batting an outstanding .314 with a nice on base percentage of .388 as well. The only number I do not like of McCann's is his 42 strikeouts. In my opinion, right now, McCann is the best hitting catcher in the game (Mauer still has not played like Mauer). McCann is also tough behind the plate. He has 46 assists, a fielding percentage of .993 and a CERA of 3.29 so far into the season. If McCann could improve his 21 percent success rare of throwing out a runner, McCann could be even better. He is like Wieters when it comes to being an all-around catcher, but better which makes him number two on my list.

Posey

1. Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants)- This pick is going to draw some complaints, I just know it, but the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year is the best catcher in baseball. Even though Posey is done for the 2011 season, from a collision by the Florida Marlins' Scott Cousins that resulted in Posey breaking his fibula, he still deserves this recognition. He is the best all-around catcher in the MLB. In his 45 games of the 2011 season, Posey had 46 hits, meaning he averaged a little more than a hit a game, had 4 home runs, 21 RBIs along with a .284 batting average. These are solid numbers for a 45 game span. Yes, he did have 30 strikeouts, which shows some lack of discipline as a hitter, but he is still a threat for any pitcher. I though Posey was great defensively as well. In 41 starts as a catcher, he had 333 put-outs, 24 assists, and a fielding percentage of .991. 27 runners advanced a base on him, but he threw out 15 as well, which gives him a 36 percent rate of throwing a runner out. These numbers are outstanding and if he did not get hurt, they would most likely be better. Posey is a superstar behind the plate or in the batter's box, which gives him an unlimited amount of opportunities for the 24 year old who in my opinion, is the best catcher in the game.