One common reoccurring question for anyone associated with baseball is that which current player would you first choose to start your franchise? The consensus now would be Albert Pujols since he at 30 years-old has amassed 372 HRs, 1128 RBIs, .333 BA, an amazing 821/584 BB/K ratio, a scintillating .627 SLG, and an astronomical 1.054 OPS. What is more than unfathomable is that he has not even entered his prime and has at least 5-7 peak years remaining. No player at 30 has generated this phenomenal all around offensive display since the likes of Hank Aaron and even far back as Jimmie Fox have eclipsed to those levels. That is why Albert Pujols has ascended in this past decade as the "Face" of Baseball and definitely will be a 1st time ballot inductee into the Hall of Fame, to be enshrined with all the other baseball luminaries.

There was recent debate on the forums regarding if Hanley Ramirez will eventually overtake Pujols as the top overall player in baseball. Several are inclined to believe that Ramirez potentially can, however, in order for that to happen, he must hit 30+ HRs, 100+ RBI, at least 40 SBs, .350 BA, .920 OPS and sustain that lofty level for three consecutive years. What makes it even more remarkable is that Ramirez plays at a position in which it is extremely rare to produce at that rate, whereas Pujols plays at a position traditionally known for sheer power numbers. Ramirez should be a sure fire inductee into the Hall of Fame since he is currently a trailblazer at his position and is setting new standards.

The reason why Ramirez might be drafted ahead in some instances ahead of Pujols is that there is a tremendous drop-off at SS compared to 1B, however, no one again has rivaled Pujols in quite some time to be such a threat at every facet of the game and during such a long-term period. The main concern about Ramirez is that he's produced at albeit a small sample size and there are an abundance of players who excelled to start their careers and then they hit a wall and never reverted back to their initial success. Obviously only time can tell what will ultimately materialize. Take into consideration that Ramirez at 26 has been compared to either Derek Jeter and/or Nomar Garciaparra and that is definitely intriguing in itself. Garciaparra (similar to HanRam) was drafted by the Red Sox and was primed to be a perennial MVP candidate and a guaranteed Hall of Famer, but a rash of injuries immediately put all those discussions aside. Jeter took the torch from Cal Ripken Jr. to become the uber elite at SS and started to set standards in which Ramirez is expanding on now. Ramirez at SS is more susceptible is injuries compared to Pujols at 1B and already has had some lingering ailments that has sat him out on a few occasions. Pujols has been virtually injury free for 10-years…true..he did encounter an ailing back during Spring Training, however, that obviously has not slowed him down to the slightest.

The next question are who along with Pujols and Ramirez are within the top-5 best current day players? The harsh reality is that they are far removed from the pedestals that both Pujols and Ramirez are currently hoisted on. Chase Utley is the class of current 2B, however, he is already in his 8th season (is actually younger than Pujols) and has less than 1000 career hits, less than 170 HRs and 600 RBIs, and a career .295 BA. That is not exactly redefining his position like Ramirez has or a solid dominance at an upper echelon level that Pujols has generated. Next is Alex Rodriguez who obviously there has been a shadow of doubt that has engulfed him since it was revealed of his extensive use of Performance Enhancing Drugs, so essentially there is an asterik next to all of his stats. There is then a debate whether or not that Ryan Braun and Mike Kemp are deserving to be within in the top-5, however, regardless both respectively have only produced at a high level for 2-3 seasons. Obviously not enough to warrant top billing at this time.

Who within the next ten years will be the "Face of Baseball" once Pujols' and Ramirez's careers will be both winding down and at an end? The names should include Justin Upton, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, Evan Longoria, Troy Tulowitzki, and Joe Mauer. Will they eclipse the brilliance of Pujols and define their position as Ramirez has? Probably not, but they will collectively account for most of the post season hitting awards/titles for years to come and shall also end up as Hall of Famers before it is over, said, and done with.

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deweyc0x said:

Fielder is going to be as good as even Pujols. He turns 26 this coming month and has a lot of time to improve. I actually drafted him No. 1 over Pujols and many called me an idiot after our dynasty draft. Let em. Fielder is going to be so good.

I wholeheartedly agree with you.  As I mentioned in an earlier thread…..In '09, I had the 1st overall pick for what was the first year of my keeper league…  I selected HanRam since he's the most elite SS in the league (definitely among the rare breed in how he combines that blend of power/speed at his position), knowing he is younger than Pujols, that there is a MAJOR drop-off from HanRam to the next ranked SS.

I was confident I would find a 1B in the 2nd round who could potentially rival Pujols and that gamble paid-off since I managed to grab Fielder.

Fielder is a monster….Again, I grew-up in Detroit as a die-hard Tiger fan (before I moved out to Phoenix in '02 and converted all my allegiances to the AZ teams, including the Dbacks) and I remembered when his since estranged father, Cecil Fielder, would bring in his pre-teen son, Prince, who would launch all these mammoth home-runs to the Upper Deck and Roof of Tiger Stadium.  It was extremely evident then that once Prince reaches the ML himself, that he will produce at the rate his father did and eclipse it….

Fielder is still developing and has not even yet fully tapped into his potential……I plan on posting later what Fielder's career stats at 26 were compared to where Pujols' numbers were at…at that age….

Pujols is somewhat better all-around in terms of OPS/BA, which sets Pujols aside from the rest of the pack….