It's official: Joe Mauer is in fact the best player in MLB

[TwinTownBisonFan]

I really don't think there is room for debate anymore...

11 HR's in April, hitting over .400, gold glove defense, top-notch game caller, team leader and all around good guy... (hell, he's even a good neighbor, he and Morneau used to live down the block until Morneau got married)

[UNHWildCats]

He is the MVP so far... And everything you have mentioned has come in less then half the ABs of most players because he missed so much time...

11 HR, 31 RBI, 25 R

He's al;ready within 2 HR of his career high.

[Willie]

I admit, it was fun to watch him and Morneau play in NY. That ball Mauer hit into Monument Park when I was there was a shot.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

I admit, it was fun to watch him and Morneau play in NY. That ball Mauer hit into Monument Park when I was there was a shot.

his diving put-out in the 9th on Ransom was even better...

[Beef]

Albert Pujols. End of conversation.

[Willie]

I admit, it was fun to watch him and Morneau play in NY. That ball Mauer hit into Monument Park when I was there was a shot.

his diving put-out in the 9th on Ransom was even better...

That hurts...it was Gardner. Ransom sucks ball bag.

[AZGrizFan]

I really don't think there is room for debate anymore...

11 HR's in April, hitting over .400, gold glove defense, top-notch game caller, team leader and all around good guy... (hell, he's even a good neighbor, he and Morneau used to live down the block until Morneau got married)

Talk to me again in September. One month does not a "best player" make.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

his diving put-out in the 9th on Ransom was even better...

That hurts...it was Gardner. Ransom sucks ball bag.

interchangeable yankee AAAA player... what's the dif?

[TwinTownBisonFan]

I really don't think there is room for debate anymore...

11 HR's in April, hitting over .400, gold glove defense, top-notch game caller, team leader and all around good guy... (hell, he's even a good neighbor, he and Morneau used to live down the block until Morneau got married)

Talk to me again in September. One month does not a "best player" make.

ya remember the year Morneau won MVP? the guy wasn't even the MVP of his own team...

as for Pujols... the day he wins a gold glove or lowers a pitching staff era by 1.50 i'd be willing to agree... i he the best offensive player? probably... but all around? if I'm building a team around one guy, it's mauer

[UNHWildCats]

Talk to me again in September. One month does not a "best player" make.

ya remember the year Morneau won MVP? the guy wasn't even the MVP of his own team...

as for Pujols... the day he wins a gold glove or lowers a pitching staff era by 1.50 i'd be willing to agree... i he the best offensive player? probably... but all around? if I'm building a team around one guy, it's mauer

2006 :p http://www.baseball-reference.com/award ... e_nl.shtml

[AZGrizFan]

Talk to me again in September. One month does not a "best player" make.

ya remember the year Morneau won MVP? the guy wasn't even the MVP of his own team...

as for Pujols... the day he wins a gold glove or lowers a pitching staff era by 1.50 i'd be willing to agree... i he the best offensive player? probably... but all around? if I'm building a team around one guy, it's mauer

And that STILL doesn't mean that 1 month of great baseball makes someone the best player in the game.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

ya remember the year Morneau won MVP? the guy wasn't even the MVP of his own team...

as for Pujols... the day he wins a gold glove or lowers a pitching staff era by 1.50 i'd be willing to agree... i he the best offensive player? probably... but all around? if I'm building a team around one guy, it's mauer

And that STILL doesn't mean that 1 month of great baseball makes someone the best player in the game.

and again... this isn't one month of performance... the guy has been this good since entering the league... the only thing missing was the power, which he has apparently figured out.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

ya remember the year Morneau won MVP? the guy wasn't even the MVP of his own team...

as for Pujols... the day he wins a gold glove or lowers a pitching staff era by 1.50 i'd be willing to agree... i he the best offensive player? probably... but all around? if I'm building a team around one guy, it's mauer

2006 :p http://www.baseball-reference.com/award ... e_nl.shtml

you gotta be kidding me... heh, well they gave him one...

[AZGrizFan]

And that STILL doesn't mean that 1 month of great baseball makes someone the best player in the game.

and again... this isn't one month of performance... the guy has been this good since entering the league... the only thing missing was the power, which he has apparently figured out.

He's never hit over .350. He's never hit more than 13 HR's. He's never driven in more than 85 runs. He might be the best CATCHER in baseball, but I can think of 10 other guys I'd build a team around before I picked Mauer.

Hanley Ramirez
Evan Longoria
Jose Reyes
Albert Pulols
David Wright
Grady Sizemore
Johan Santana
Tim Lincecum
Ryan Howard
Chase Utley

[TwinTownBisonFan]

and again... this isn't one month of performance... the guy has been this good since entering the league... the only thing missing was the power, which he has apparently figured out.

He's never hit over .350. He's never hit more than 13 HR's. He's never driven in more than 85 runs. He might be the best CATCHER in baseball, but I can think of 10 other guys I'd build a team around before I picked Mauer.

Hanley Ramirez
Evan Longoria
Jose Reyes
Albert Pulols
David Wright
Grady Sizemore
Johan Santana
Tim Lincecum
Ryan Howard
Chase Utley

maybe those 4... the others... no way.

[SunCoastBlueHen]

I really don't think there is room for debate anymore...

11 HR's in April, hitting over .400, gold glove defense, top-notch game caller, team leader and all around good guy... (hell, he's even a good neighbor, he and Morneau used to live down the block until Morneau got married)

Talk to me again in September. One month does not a "best player" make.

AZ is 100% right on this one.

Mauer has had an amazing 23 games so far this season, but looking at the big picture Albert Pujols is easily the best player in baseball.

Pujols is a career .334 hitter and averages 40 HRs and 122 RBI a season with an amazing career OPS of 1.051. He is a solid glove at 1B ta boot.

Mauer's career OPS is a respectable .879, but not even in the same league as Pujols.

I would say talk to me in a couple years as Pujols is in the midst of his 9th straight MVP caliber season.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Talk to me again in September. One month does not a "best player" make.

AZ is 100% right on this one.

Mauer has had an amazing 23 games so far this season, but looking at the big picture Albert Pujols is easily the best player in baseball.

Pujols is a career .334 hitter and averages 40 HRs and 122 RBI a season with an amazing career OPS of 1.051. He is a solid glove at 1B ta boot.

Mauer's career OPS is a respectable .879, but not even in the same league as Pujols.

I would say talk to me in a couple years as Pujols is in the midst of his 9th straight MVP caliber season.

for me it's more about the catcher position being more important to the game, managing a pitching staff, running club in the field...