1B – Albert Pujols
This great slugger’s career began in 2001. During this time he has accumulated 373 homeruns, 1,130 RBI, 1,085 runs, , a .427 on base percentage, a .334 Avg., and a .628 Slg. He won the NL MVP 3 times and finished second twice. In both of those runners up seasons he was second to a hitter who has lost the right to even be named at this point. In my opinion Phat Albert is already a 5 time NL MVP. Pujols led the Cards to 2 NL pennants and 1 World Series title. He could walk into the hall of fame already but with over a decade of years to go in his career the sky is truly the limit. Albert Pujols is on pace to set not only the career home run record but also the mark for most runs batted in. This selection was by far the easiest. Oh did I mention there have been no mentions of steroids with this man. Please Albert, don’t ruin my life.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Howard, Jim Thome, Carlos Delgado, Lance Berkman, and Prince Fielder
2B – Jeff Kent
The end of the decade coincided with the end to this future hall of famers career. Kent kicked off the decade by winning the NL MVP award over that unnamed guy in 2000. Two years later in 2002, he would play in his first World Series and lose a tough 7 game series to the Angels (Kent earned a ring in 1992 with Toronto but did not play in those playoffs due to being traded to NYM late in the season). Kent leads all second basemen in history with 377 career home runs. He picked up 216 of those big flies during the 2000’s. On top of his MVP in 2000, he also finished 6th for the award in 2002. Kent picked up 5 100+ RBI seasons and 7 seasons with 20 or more home runs. Over this decade Kent played for the Giants, Astros, and the Dodgers.
Honorable Mention: Chase Utley, Alfonso Soriano, and Craig Biggio
SS – Derek Jeter
Along with Pujols this was another obvious choice. Jeter was an immediate impact player since coming into the league in 1995. He won a rookie of the year award and was a member of 3 championship teams in the 90’s to only 2 this decade but it was in the 2000’s when his individual hall of fame success began. Jeter played in 4 World Series with the Yankees over these 10 seasons winning 2 in the first and last years. During this decade Jeter became the all time Yankees hits leader surpassing Lou Gehrig. Over this time he accumulated 5 seasons of 200 or more hits and 2 other years with 190+. The “Captain” also flashed some leather winning all 4 of his gold gloves at the very difficult short stop position.
Honorable Mention: Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes, and Miguel Tejada
3B – Alex Rodriguez
To make this very clear I know including A-ROD and leaving Bonds (Damn I named him) out is a bit hypocritical but I will explain. This player led the American league in home runs 5 times despite 3 of those seasons coming during his infamous steroid filled Texas days. He won 3 MVP’s with 2 coming during his so called clean period. It was during the 2007 season when he became the youngest player to ever hit his 500th career home run. A-ROD won 2 gold gloves at short stop before switching over to the hot corner after leaving the Rangers following the 2003 season. Rodriguez played in 2 AL championship series with New York and after 16 seasons won his first world title in 2009.
Honorable Mention: Chipper Jones (Is starter if steroids kick Alex off but also could be considered an enigma similar to Pedro), Miguel Cabrera
LF – Manny Ramirez
"Man Ram" came into his own over the past 10 seasons. Ramirez has been implicated for testing positive for steroids during his Dodger days but even leaving those years out (I honestly do believe he started roiding with LA) he is still by far one of the most feared hitters of the decade. Manny picked up two World Series titles after falling in the fall classic twice in the 90’s. He won the World Series MVP in 2004 when he helped the Red Sox break their 86 year curse. Ramirez hit his 500th career long ball in 2008 and was an all star 9 times. Manny hit 348 of his of his 548 dingers in the 2000’s. This is in contrast to only 317 home runs hit by the choice from almost everyone else, Bonds.
Honorable Mention: Lance Berkman, Bobby Abreu, Alfonso Soriano, and Barry Bonds (I will give him this honor since I started A-Rod and Manny but to be honest Manny steroids or not deserves the decade title over Barry. Bonds stat line included mostly just the first half of the 2000’s despite it being amazing)
CF – Torii Hunter
This may be the only player put on this list almost 90% for his defense. If anyone earned that right it was Torii Hunter over the past 10 seasons. Hunter won 9 gold gloves. His total of 9, which will surely be increased already places him into a tie among outfielders for third most all time behind guys like Ken Griffey, Jr., Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente. He hit over 20 home runs and stole 15 or more bases 5 times on top of playing stellar defense.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Beltran, Jim Edmonds, and Juan Pierre
RF – Ichiro (Last name Suzuki)
Similar to Mr. Pujols this players Major League career began at the turn of the century. Ichiro came over from Japan and right away made his mark. He won the AL MVP award in his rookie year which also earned him the ROY honor. Every year of his career he compiled over 200 hits leading the league 6 times. His highest total came in 2004 with 262, the record for a single season. He broke Wee Willie Keeler’s record producing 9 consecutive seasons with 200 or more hits. If you never heard of Keeler before, that is most likely because he accomplished his 8 year mark from 1894 to 1901. Ichiro has also been an all star every year of his career and was named the All Star Game MVP in 2007. He won a gold glove all 9 years of his American playing days. With just over 2,000 hits Ichiro still has a shot at the coveted 3,000 bench mark despite not entering MLB until after his 27th birthday. Unfortunately Ichiro only appeared in the post season once but was a member of both championship Japanese teams in the World Baseball Classics.
Honorable Mentions: Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Sheffield, and Bobby Abreu
C – Jorge Posada
The sexy pick seems to be Joe Mauer, so this selection may come as a bit of a shock. I feel even though Mauer would still be under consideration his career did not even begin until mid way through the decade. For that reason I decided to pick one of the most underrated players of my generation. Posada like Jeter, played in 4 World Series with the Yanks winning two. He also was a member of the 3 title teams in the late 90’s. Again like Jeter this decade his individual career took off. Jorge compiled 8 seasons with 20+ home runs as well as 8 years with 80 or more runs batted in. Those numbers for a catcher are outstanding. He finished in the top 7 in the AL MVP race twice and could provide a compelling case for having that same standing several other times in the 2000’s. The most important statistic for a catcher is durability. Posada played in over 100 games 9 times and over 140 in 6 seasons this decade. With all that said, I personally feel Jorge Posada will some day join the pantheon of New York Yankee greats in Cooperstown.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Piazza, Ivan Rodriguez, and Joe Mauer
DH – Frank Thomas
I am probably the only person to pick the Big Hurt to this spot. However, I feel it is well deserved. Thomas will be advancing into the Hall of Fame one day and even though his best years came in the 90’s he was no slouch this decade. He was selected into the top 15 of the AL MVP vote three times and was amongst the top 5 twice. He hit 40 home runs twice and jacked 39 in 2006. Thomas picked up 3 seasons with over 100 runs batted in and 2 others with over 90. The sexy pick of David Ortiz had 3 seasons with 40+ home runs and 5 years with over 100 RBI. He has now been flooded by steroid allegations. Those allegations, implicate him to being a rampant steroid user throughout the entire 10 year period. It was in 2007 when Frank knocked on the doors of Cooperstown with his 500th career home run. Thomas was also a member of the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox team. A case could be made for Jim Thome due to him spending more time as a DH then at first base overall.
Honorable Mention: Jim Thome and David Ortiz
P – Randy Johnson
The Big Unit was a dominant force for most of the decade. He followed his CY Young award in 1999 with 3 more consecutive titles. During this time he won 64 games including 2 seasons with 20+ wins and a 19 victory total campaign. Johnson also was a member of a World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks team in 2001. He was named the co World Series MVP. Over the past 10 seasons Johnson compiled 143 wins and a .647 win percentage. He also picked up 32 complete games. The unit won 17 or more games 6 times this decade and solidified his place as one of the best left handed pitchers of all time. Did I mention he also threw a complete game in 2004?
P – Curt Schilling
Johnson’s former teammate was apart of some of the biggest moments and games of the past 10 years in baseball. Schilling never won a CY Young in his career but finished second three times this decade. Schilling won three World titles, 2 with the Red Sox and 1 with Arizona in 2001, 2004, and 2007. In 2001 was co MVP in the fall classic and in 2004 was a key contributor to breaking Boston’s 86 year baseball title drought. Schilling sent the Sox to the World Series with a victory in the infamous “Bloody Sock Game” in game 7 of the ALCS. In this decade Schilling picked up 117 wins and a .650 win percentage in only eight seasons. Those are 117 wins out of only 216 totals for his entire career in the regular season.
P – Johan Santana
The third spot on my list could be given to one of two guys. My choice is Santana. Johan won two CY Young awards in the tougher American League. In these seasons he accumulated a combined 39 wins and only 12 losses. This decade marked his entire career to this point in which he has picked up 122 wins, only 60 losses, and a 3.12 earned run average. Halladay is the other candidate for this spot but Santana had been an ace for a larger portion of the decade and won two CY Young’s in comparison to Halladay’s one. Roy Halladay has also still failed to experience post season play at any point in his career.
Honorable Mention: Pedro Martinez (He is an enigma due to his prime taking place from 1997 until 2004), CC Sabathia, Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens (Steroids obviously hurt his chances but his great years took place in only first half of decade anyway)
RP – Mariano Rivera
This choice was almost as obvious as Pujols or Jeter. The only player still allowed to wear Jackie Robinson’s number, 44, could also be labeled the greatest closer in history. Rivera came into the league at the start of the recent Yankee dynasty in the mid to late 90’s. He originally was a set up man for the 1996 title team before becoming a shut down closer. In the 2000’s he added 2 more World Championship rings to the 4 he won before the turn of the century. Rivera pitched in a total of 4 World Series this decade. He joined Hoffman in the 500 save club during the later half of the decade and picked up 397 out of his 526 career saves in the 2000’s. He recorded a 2.08 ERA and even added 45 wins to his decade resume. “Mo” is a beast out of the pen and a sure fire first ballot hall of famer.
RP – Francisco Rodriguez “K-ROD”
K-ROD began his career and the decade in 2002. During this time, much the same way Rivera did in 96’, Rodriguez was the star set-up man on a World Series title Angel’s team (helping to ensure Bond’s did not win a ring certainly helped him get on my good side right away). Following that season he became the closer and had immediate success. K-ROD compiled 246 saves over his time in the majors. This included leading the league in saves 3 times and breaking the all time record for saves in a single season in 2008. In that record setting campaign he finished as the inaugural member of the 60 save club. He totaled 62 saves to set the new record. Over this time Rodriguez finished in the top 5 for the CY Young award given to the best overall pitcher in each league 3 times. He also finished 6th for the AL MVP in his record breaking season of 2008.
Honorable Mention: John Smoltz, Joe Nathan, Trevor Hoffman, Jonathan Papelbon
Baseball Player of the Decade: Albert Pujols (see above column for the reasons, impossible to dispute)
Close Calls: Mariano Rivera, A-ROD (steroids disqualify him from this highest honor), and Ichiro
