Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

[dkgojackets]

After watching his game-winning double off Wagner last night, I realized that it is Hanley and not Cabrera that Florida revolves around (although Miguel would be the #1 man on any other club). This is the guy with the best VORP by a significant margin. The highest batting average in the National League. Second most runs scored. 20 points of OBP and 120 points of SLG over Jose Reyes, his nearest "comparable" among NL shortstop studs. A lead-off man with more homeruns than David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Travis Hafner, and Vladimir Guerrero this year. Top ten SLG percentage, again as a leadoff, 23 points higher than Pujols. Third in steals, but with the exact same success rate as Reyes, everybodies poster boy for speed.

This is with just under two years experience for the 23 year old, and of course there is a possibility of a drop-off. Continuity is the only real argument against him. He needs to continue to cut down on Ks. His below average defense should improve with time (though its not like weak D hurt Jeter's rep). His L/R splits are pretty significant (only batting .317 vs righties, .423 vs lefties). But if a guy this much better than Reyes played for certain northeastern teams or that one from Chicago, those fans and media would simply worship the ground he walked on. Boston still came away with two very good players, but Florida brought in an MVP.

[sep]

I'd take Utley over him any day.

[Chief Bstn]

You'd lose bunches of games, then.

[dkgojackets]

sepsportsfanatic said:

I'd take Utley over him any day.

Utley (before getting hurt) and Cabrera have been #2 and #3 in the NL this year. Comparing Utley and Ramirez, the numbers look very similar aside from the stolen bases. The two are right next to each other in all the major categories except RBIs, which Utley obviously gets from batting in spots with men on. I'm not sure exactly where Utley rates defensively, but I would assume he's a bit better than Ramirez at a slightly easier position.

Then again, another thing to look at is that Utley gets 19 games a year against weak Florida pitching and plays in a sandbox.

[Sportsbuck]

Maybe, but if I was picking a position player to build a team around it sure as hell wouldn't be Hanley Ramirez.

[Loki]

sportsbuck2745 said:

Maybe, but if I was picking a position player to build a team around it sure as hell wouldn't be Hanley Ramirez.

Maybe not yet but in another year with the same kind of production? You'd be an idiot not to.

[dkgojackets]

sportsbuck2745 said:

Maybe, but if I was picking a position player to build a team around it sure as hell wouldn't be Hanley Ramirez.

Who would it be then? Pujols? Cabrera? Utley? Braun?

[Sportsbuck]

Pujols.

I'd sacrifice Hanley's speed for Pujols' glove, not to mention that when he's on he's the best there is.

But, Hanley is a close second.

[wiskyfootball]

I'd pick Bonds cant lie with over 755 HR's

[dkgojackets]

Shortstop is quite a bit more difficult than first base, although Pujols is one of the best at the position. His consistency at the plate would be the major selling point.

[dkgojackets]

wiskyfootball said:

I'd pick Bonds cant lie with over 755 HR's

*Thinks about Hanley on roids*

Now that would be ****in scary.

[Chief Bstn]

Can't lie with a season or two left at best.

[darjarbinx]

Don't jinx yourself...I learned my lesson and I haven't gotten any squeeze in a couple of weeks.

[dkgojackets]

had a homerun in his first game since making this thread, and I'm not technically saying he should be MVP, but I'm just saying...

[jct32]

david said:

Shortstop is quite a bit more difficult than first base, although Pujols is one of the best at the position. His consistency at the plate would be the major selling point.

You gotta remember that before Pujols played 1st he was an outfielder. I was lucky to see a game at the old Busch Stadium and Pujols played left until Tino Martinez came out and then he moved to first.

[Sportsbuck]

And Pujols was also a bit of a third baseman before the Cards aquired Rolen..

[dkgojackets]

bump

.333/28/74/115/50

Two homers from being the third person ever in the 30/50 club. And people are making a big deal about Wright's 30/30 year with an inferior batting average by 20 points.

[Loki]

david said:

bump

.333/28/74/115/50

Two homers from being the third person ever in the 30/50 club. And people are making a big deal about Wright's 30/30 year with an inferior batting average by 20 points.

Wright's a homo. Hanley's team sucks so he's not gonna get it...I don't know what to tell you. It sucks because I don't wanna hear how great Wright is from these bandwagon Met fans when he's not.

[McGahee]

Screw Wright... and even the buzz Curtis Granderson is getting, with his 20 2Bs/ 20 3Bs /20 HRs/ 20 SBs season. Rollins is 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homeruns, and 4 steals away from 40/20/30/40, and only needs 2 triples and 2 homeruns to get to 30/20/30/30. His BA isn't at Hanley's or even Wright's, but he's got them in quite a few other stats. Incredible SB% and must less Ks in plenty more at bats, and is better in the field than at least Hanley is. Kind of hard to judge a 3B and SS when Wright has to make those harder throws, which is why I don't hold it against him that he has nearly twice as many errors...

[dkgojackets]

Hanley is batting .333/.390/.570
Rollins is .297/.348/.533

Eighty points of OPS is no joke.