Small Market Stars

Much talk has been made over Felix Hernandez' love affair with the Seattle Mariners and their fans. Rumors have swirled for the past few years that the small-market M's were going to trade him away for building blocks for the future, but GM Jack Zduriencik has stated repeatedly that the franchise is going to build around King Felix instead.

People can't decide whether to believe Felix when he states that Seattle is the only place he wants to be. He's become a local hero, has his own fan section in left field, the King's Court, and has apparent faith in the Mariners' front office that they will be able to build a winner with reduced payroll. He has promised to return to Seattle after his five-year, $78 million deal is up. But is he sincere, or will he just sign with the Yankees and achieve Alex Rodriguez status at Safeco?

Here are some other small-market franchise icons and their current contract situations.

Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates - The NL's leading MVP candidate avoided arbitration years and showed his allegiance to Pittsburgh in signing a six-year, $51.5 million extension in the offseason. The contract includes a club option for 2018, and is the largest deal in the 130-year history of the Pirates. McCutchen has lead the Bucs into relevancy, and put butts in beautiful PNC Park's seats, which will lead to the team expanding on its 26th-ranked $62 million payroll.

Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays - As a rookie, Longo originally agreed to a six-year, $17.5 million deal, with club options through 2016 that will push the deal to $44 million. Not bad for a player that has achieved superstar status. The Rays have become perennial playoff contenders, which can be  attributed to GM Andrew Friedman shaping the roster "years and years in advance." He scored big in taking a chance with then 22-year old Longoria, a guy who will be difficult for them to afford come 2016.

Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals - "Country Breakfast" inked a four-year, $30 million deal prior to the 2011 season, which includes a $14.5 million club option for 2015. As exhibited by the Royals' faithful during this season's All-Star festivities (booing Robinson Cano vivaciously for not picking him to represent the AL in the Home Run Derby), he is a hometown hero in KC. Right-handed bats like him (.302/.370/.508, 25 HR, 79 RBI this year) don't come around often, and he will be hotly pursued in a few years if he keeps up his production.

Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies - Tulo is basically a Rockie for life, as he is signed through 2020 in a deal that pays him $157.75 million is this decade. He is the best all-around shortstop in the game, and even while the team struggles with him hurt, he is not going to be traded for pitching prospects that the Rockies desperately need. Same goes for CarGo, who signed a seven-year, $80 millon agreement prior to the 2011 season. While the Rockies have a plethora of issues, keeping their superstars is not among them.

Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks - After such a downhill year and his current situation (which I'll get to), Upton doesn't really qualify in this "face of the franchise" category. An MVP candidate last year, things have gone downhill quickly for the 25-year-old, so much so that he has been placed on waivers. Reports are that he has been claimed by an unknown team, where he could receive a fresh start and another chance at stardom. Arizona might keep him and look to trade him in the offseason, or leave the team that acquires him on the hook for the rest of his six-year, $51.25 million deal.

Top 25 Baseball Players (20-25)

20) Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals

Why is Yadi ranked above Joe Mauer, Alex Avila, Victor Martinez, and the rest of MLB's catchers? Hitting wise, Mauer and Martinez are better, no questions asked (although Molina outhit Mauer last year by a landslide). Avila will be. But defensively, Molina is the best the game has to offer. He manages a pitching staff far better than Martinez, and pretty much everyone else outside of Carlos Ruiz. He possesses a cannon for an arm. And a .309 postseason average, where's he been the battery mate of two World Series-winning pitching staffs? Not bad.

21) Justin Upton, RF, Arizona Diamondbacks

One of baseball's brightest rising stars, Upton is still just 24 years of age. In 2010, he had an awful strikeout rate (152 in just 492 ABs), but he cut it down to 126 in 100 more at-bats in 2011. He was an MVP candidate for a D'Back team that surprised all by making a run into the playoffs. By the time his career is done, his fireplace mantel could possess that hardware.


22) Felix Hernandez, P, Seattle Mariners

Though tying a career high with fourteen wins last year (one more than his 2010 Cy Young season, proving wins to a starter don't signify anything), King Felix took a step back from the past two years. His ERA jumped 1.2 points to 3.47, and he threw sixteen fewer innings. That being said, the stuff was there (222 Ks), and 2011 shows all the signs of a slightly off year (and it was still a very impressive season). By the time his career is done, he'll possess a Hall of Fame resume.


23) Jose Reyes, SS, Miami Marlins

Yeah, he won the batting title this past season. He steals bags, too. But Reyes plays a shaky shortstop, and I'm not going to lie, sitting out the last game to preserve his batting title definitely hurt his ranking. He hasn't been clutch or produced much RBI-wise out of the leadoff hole, but heading this potent Marlins lineup could do him wonders.


24) Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

Boston fans love the grit and grind the little guy plays with. He'll probably never again touch his 2008 numbers at the plate, maybe due to the fact he goes out of his way to hit home runs. Nonetheless, Pedroia is a wonderful player, and he'll play an integral part of the Red Sox' attempt to return to the postseason.


25) Michael Young, 3B, Texas Rangers

Certainly his batting stats were inflated by his the protection of Texas' explosive lineup. But still, it takes elite skill to hit .338 under any circumstance. And 213 hits at age 34? Ridiculous. And while this doesn't pertain to rankings, he showed he's an excellent team guy (see: Stranded in Texas) by accepting his role as everyday utilityman. Young's a true professional with a ton of skill (and 2061 career hits).

Honorable mentions: Alex Avila, C, Detroit Tigers; Matt Cain, P, San Francisco Giants; Hunter Pence, RF, Philadelphia Phillies; Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins; Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers; Cole Hamels, P, Philadelphia Phillies; Mariano Rivera, P, New York Yankees

Onto the Postseason: MLB Division Series Projections

The Rays gather around home plate to welcome Evan Longoria, whose walk-off last night propelled Tampa into the Postseason.

You've probably heard what transpired last night in Major League Baseball, a night that was probably the most thrilling ever in regular season history. Following the collapses of the Red Sox and Braves, there is more baseball to be played.


Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers
Prediction: Rangers in four.

Yes, the Rays have a lot of fight in them, and their September run was riveting. But momentum doesn't always carry over, and overall the Rangers are the better team. Texas' superb offense, which ranked third in baseball with 855 runs, just won't be contained enough for the Rays to win the series. And the Rangers have a solid enough rotation that they should be able to contain the average Tampa offense enough to have the advantage on the scoreboard.

Tampa Bay also has rotation issues, as David Price just pitched yesterday, and James Shields won't be able to start until Game 2. Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, and even rookie Matt Moore are being considered by manager Joe Maddon for the Game 1 nod. Niemann and Davis both have ERAs over four, and Moore has only pitched 9.1 innings of major league ball in his entire career. But, hey, with the Rays, anything is possible.


Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
Prediction: Yankees in five.

The Tigers are actually the favored by many people across the country; an ESPN SportsNation poll had 63% of the country picking the Tigers to win the series. Detroit does have a slightly better one-two punch in their rotation, sporting Justin Verlander and Doug Fister, who both have ERAs lower than CC Sabathia's 3.00. Ivan Nova will start Game 2 for the Yankees.

The reason 63% of the country has picked Detroit to win this series is because of one person: sure-to-be AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. But in baseball, one pitcher simply can't win a series by himself. CC Sabathia has the skills to match Verlander pitch for pitch. Considering games one and four a toss-up is reasonable, since New York has the edge at the plate.


Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Prediction: Brewers in four.

Only the Phillies sport a more solid postseason rotation than the Brewers. Milwaukee should be able to shoot down Arizona's offensive core (Justin Upton) fairly easily.

That being said, the Diamondbacks are very relatable to last year's Giants. They have a triple-A call-up playing first base for them. Their ace and 21 game winner Ian Kennedy was written off by the Yankees organization just a few years ago. They didn't have postseason aspirations at the start of the season. Yet somehow, they have chugged along to an improbable 94 wins and an NL West crown that was supposed to be won by the Giants or Rockies.

You can't write off the D'Backs. It's just too hard to pick them to get past Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and the all-in Brewers. It's championship or bust with Fielder likely out following this postseason, and Milwaukee will come out with full force.


St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Prediction: Phillies in four.

The Phillies would have been better off losing to Atlanta last night, oddly enough. For one, St. Louis is a tougher matchup than division foe Atlanta, a team they were able to take care of this year. An Atlanta win also would have forced a playoff, resulting in the winning team being fatigued and without their ace to start the series.

All of that aside, Philly is still the favorite. We all know why. Heck, they have Vance Worley, a guy who went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA on the year, coming out of the bullpen. Whether Roy Oswalt will even start remains to be seen. The rotation is just unfair.

The only thing stopping the Phils from winning it all this fall will be an offensive letdown, something this veteran crew is subject to. It happened last year against the Giants, and resulted in a postseason exit.

Well, that, or a surging Albert Pujols, who is coming off a .355 September. Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday just so happen to be pretty good as well. While the Cards are capable of putting up runs against anyone, Philly should be able to contain them just enough to move on.