Phillies and Brewers Charging Into NL Wild Card Race

The Milwaukee Brewers' Norichika Aoki had a crucial double to help lift the Brewers to a 5-0 win over the Braves. (The Candian Press)

The Philadelphia Phillies have been disappointing all season. Underachieving meant that two of their best players, Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, ended up being traded. The Phillies pitching staff has been pretty solid all season (as expected). What wasn't quite up to par yet was the lineup and bullpen. All of a sudden, both have gotten hot as of late.

Winners of five straight coming into Tuesday night's game at home against the Miami Marlins, the Phillies looked to build upon their recent success. The Phillies got off to a great start when they scored three runs in the first inning. On the mound, Phillies ace Roy Halladay unexpectedly struggled. Lasting 6 1/3 innings, he gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Phillies veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run to increase their lead to 8-3. However, during the top of the seventh, the Marlins scored four runs to pull within one run, trailing 8-7. In the bottom half of the inning, Rollins hit a sacrifice fly to score an insurance run.

The lead was handed over to the Phillies' spotty bullpen. With the two-run lead in place, their relievers began pitching quite well. B.J. Rosenburg and Phillippe Aumont kept the lead intact, earning both of them their second hold of the season. In the ninth inning, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon threw a scoreless inning to seal the team's 9-7 victory.

Coming off a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves the previous night, the Milwaukee Brewers looked to keep their winning going at home Tuesday. Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks got the scoring started with a solo shot to center for the 1-0 lead. That is all the offense that starting pitcher Marco Estrada got while he was pitching. As it turned out, that proved to be enough as Estrada threw scoreless baseball into the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson hit Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez with a pitch to load the bases. Then, shortstop Jean Segura grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out as one run came into score. The next batter was pinch hitter Taylor Greene, who hit an RBI-single to center field. Right fielder Norichika Aoki capped off the big inning with a RBI-double. When it was all said and done, the Brewers had scored three runs to take a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Brewers cushioned their lead a little bit more on a solo home run by third baseman Aramis Ramirez. As far as the bullpen was concerned, relievers Jim Henderson, Francisco Rodriguez, and Brandon Kintzler pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to complete the 5-0 shutout.

The NL Wild Card race is wide open. With the Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals all struggling in the thick of the race, teams like the Phillies and Brewers have come out of nowhere to join the playoff picture. As a result of their wins tonight, both the Phillies and Brewers now have a 71-71 record and stand four games out of the second wild card spot.

If you had told me during the summer that the Phillies and Brewers would be in the playoff hunt in September, I would have said you were crazy. However, this is baseball, and it always seems as though anything is possible. While some things are more likely than others, it is nearly impossible to predict what will really happen. It will surely be an exciting race to the end in the National League.

Red Sox and Dodgers Near Blockbuster Trade

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine talks with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez for what may be one of their last times together. (Jim Rogash)

Sources have revealed major trade discussion between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox are almost certainly out of contention for a playoff spot. They have already begun to make moves to help them rebuild for the future. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are pushing hard to win the NL West over their rival San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers are under new ownership and not afraid to spend money to improve.

According to reports, the Red Sox would trade star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, starting pitcher Josh Beckett, left fielder Carl Crawford, and infielder Nick Punto to the Dodgers. In return, the Dodgers will send first baseman James Loney and three prospects, pitcher Allen Webster, infielder Ivan de Jesus, and outfielder Jerry Sands. There are still some hoops the teams have to get through to finalize the trade. One example of this would be that Beckett has the right to veto a trade.

Another significant factor of this trade is the money being exchanged. If the trade goes through, the Dodgers will have to pay the vast majority of the $261 million remaining on the contracts of Gonzalez (six years), Beckett (two years), and Crawford (five years). Dodgers ownership has seemed to be willing to spend that kind of money, especially when you consider who they have acquired this season.

The Red Sox willingness to depart with Gonzalez is really difficult to believe. After all, they dealt two of their top prospects, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitcher Casey Kelly to bring in Gonzalez in the first place. Then, the Red Sox convinced him to sign a seven-year, $154 million extension in April 2011. Gonzalez leads the Red Sox in hits (145), batting average (.300), RBIs (86), and on-base percentage (.343). So the Red Sox aren't trading him because of a lack of production, but rather a change in team direction.

The trade appears to be a beneficial one for both sides. The Red Sox are able to wipe their slates clean and start fresh. Their willingness to include Adrian Gonzalez in the trade did surprise me. Most teams that are traditionally contenders don't look to trade away their best hitter. That is exactly what the Sox would be doing here. Poor clubhouse culture and connectivity appeared to be two of the biggest problems with the current Red Sox team. My concern becomes whether or not that will continue with whomever joins next season's ball club.

The Dodgers did quite well in this trade as well. Gonzalez is one of the best hitters in baseball. He should thrive with the return to hitting in the NL West. If Beckett and Crawford are even able to regain some of their former form, they could greatly affect this team as they push for the playoffs. The question for the Dodgers now becomes how their players and coaches will come together to play excellent baseball. For example, they now have seven new players in their daily lineups.The development of a winning chemistry is crucial to the success of the team. It will be interesting to see if this trade does indeed happen and which team will benefit the most down the road.

2012 MLB Trade Deadline Winners and Losers

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of my losers after treading away both Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino. (Brian Garfinkel and Kirby Lee)

The Major League Baseball trade deadline can have so much of an impact on a franchise. For a team looking to make it into the postseason, it could be adding that missing piece. On the other hand, a team looking to trade away some of their best players, might be looking for the perfect package of prospects in return. Passivity at the trade deadline is an option that can be perfectly fine or quite detrimental. I have sifted through all the trades that occurred before today's trade deadline to determine my three overall winners and losers.

Trade Deadline Winners


Los Angeles Dodgers
I don't think any team was as active at the trade deadline as the Dodgers were. The pitching has been solid all season, so the main focus was on bulking up the offense. Besides Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers offense had struggled to do much this season. When rumors began to swirl that the Miami Marlins were frustrated with former star infielder Hanley Ramirez, the Dodgers got on the phone. The two sides finally worked out a deal. You can check out my full take on that trade here. Today, the Dodgers managed to acquire another quality veteran bat in center fielder Shane Victorino from the Philadelphia Phillies. While improving their lineup even more, they didn't have to give up much in return. Finally, they bolstered their bullpen with the addition of former Seattle Mariners closer Brandon League. The Los Angles Dodgers made three great moves without giving up either of their top two prospects, Zach Lee and Allen Webster.

Los Angeles Angels
The Dodgers weren't the only ones busy making phone calls in Los Angeles. The Angels were exploring options as well. Their lineup has already been thrust into full throttle by young star Mike Trout. It was the back of the rotation that had to concern the Angels front office. Starting pitching options are always fairly bleak at the trade deadline. Plus, teams are usually looking for an arm and a leg in return. Once Cole Hamels signed a long-term extension with the Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers ace Zack Greinke became the top arm available. The Angels paid the steep price, but got a very good pitcher in return. While I do have some concerns about him pitching in a big market with his anxiety issues, this was the right move for the Angels to make, especially when you consider that their divisional rival Texas Rangers were pushing to get him as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates
I believe the Pirates could be the sneaky big winner here at the trade deadline. The Pirates' first move was to bolster their already solid starting staff. They acquired a familiar opponent in Wandy Rodriguez from the Houston Astros. The move was good because they added a very good pitcher without overpaying. You can read my full analysis of that trade here. The Pirates wanted to add a big bat next. GM Neal Huntington looked to add many different options, but once again didn't want to overpay. Instead, he settled for two smaller hitting additions. The Pirates acquired first baseman Gaby Sanchez from the Miami Marlins. When Sanchez struggled early this year, they designated him for assignment in the minors. He does hit for power though. Each of the past two seasons, Sanchez has hit 19 home runs. He was also an All-Star last season. The Pirates also traded for outfielder Travis Snider from the Toronto Blue Jays. Snider offers similar hitting potential to Sanchez. Finally, the Pirates added reliever Chad Qualls from the New York Yankees to help fill out their bullpen. All in all, the Pirates made a number of great moves, without taking away too much from their bright future in their farm system.

Trade Deadline Losers


Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins spent tons of money this past offseason. They opened a new stadium with a new team name. The Marlins pledged to their fans that they were going to be contenders and big spenders. They did acquire veteran Carlos Lee from the Astros, but even a third grader could probably tell you that Lee has been in full decline as a hitter. Then, the Marlins let their impatience and frustration with Hanley Ramirez get the better of them. They traded him to the Dodgers when his value was much lower than it should be. As if that weren't enough, the Marlins also dealt Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez to the Detroit Tigers. So much for being contenders. This team is now somewhere muddled between being contenders and rebuilders.

Philadelphia Phillies
Which of the following is most surprising? A: The Phillies are 11 games under .500 under in August. B: The Phillies are in last place in the NL East. C: The Phillies are 15 1/2 games out of first place. D: The Phillies were big time sellers at the trade deadline. It has to be all of the above. It is hard to believe that the Phillies are having this terrible of a season. When they were first rumored to be sellers at the trade deadline, I couldn't believe it. This team isn't that far removed from being in the World Series. I was even more surprised when they decided to trade both outfielders Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, two of the team's best hitters. The Phillies are definitely not going to get any better the rest of this season. If they don't make any moves in the offseason, they could be one of the worst teams in baseball next season. I don't really see how what the Phillies did at the trade deadline helped their situation at all.

St. Louis Cardinals
I was looking at the top contenders for the postseason, and most every team made at least one considerably key move, except for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have been stuck in third place in the NL Central for awhile now. The first place Cincinnati Reds are playing great baseball and look like they are going to be difficult to catch. As I already mentioned, the second place Pirates made several key moves. The only move the Cardinals made was to add reliever Edward Mujica from the Marlins. Mujica tends to give up the home run ball and hasn't been at his best this year. The Cardinals weren't good enough to catch the Reds and Pirates before and little has happened to change that now. Unless something unexpected happens, I believe the reigning World Series champion Cardinals are going to miss the playoffs.

Marlins Trade Disappointing Hanley Ramirez to Dodgers

Infielder Hanley Ramirez had two key hits in his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Dilip Vishwanat)

When Hanley Ramirez came up with the Miami Marlins, many thought the uber-talented shortstop would be baseball's next premier superstar. From 2006-2010, it appeared that would be the case. Over that span of time, Ramirez led major league shortstops with 124 home runs and a .521 slugging percentage. He is a former NL Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star, and NL batting champion. All signs seemed to point to a prosperous and promising career.

Unfortunately, last season turned out to be a lost cause for Ramirez. Battling injuries and struggles at the plate, he saw major regression. In the offseason, the Marlins signed star shortstop Jose Reyes to a big contract. Ramirez agreed to move to third base to make room for Reyes. The Marlins hoped Ramirez and Reyes would add the one-two punch they needed to lead their offense. However, Ramirez's struggles continued this season. The Marlins tried everything they could, but finally their patience with Ramirez ran out.

They began to quietly shop Ramirez to see what they could get in return. The Los Angeles Dodgers have had an up-and-down season. They got off to a blistering start, before struggling through some injuries and cold hitting. With players getting healthier, the Dodgers are in a battle with the San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West. Looking for a spark for their lineup, the Dodgers decided to inquire about Ramirez. The two sides talked through some options and worked out a deal.

The Marlins traded Ramirez and left-handed reliever Randy Choate for young starting pitcher Nate Eovaldi and minor-league right-hander Scott McGough. Eovaldi made his major league debut last season. He hasn't looked particularly dominant, but he is still only 22 years old. Choate will help bolster the Dodgers bullpen. He is a lefty specialist who is capable of getting outs when needed.

In his debut with the Dodgers tonight, Ramirez had a great game. In the first inning, he tripled off the wall for his first hit as a Dodger. He later came home to score. During the sixth inning, the Dodgers called on Ramirez for a clutch hit. He delivered with a RBI single to tie the game. It was a solid debut for Ramirez, who will play shortstop for the time being. When former Dodgers starting shortstop Dee Gordon returns from injury, it is expected that he will shift back to third base.

There is no doubt that the Dodgers took a chance by making the deal for Ramirez. There's certainly a chance that his struggles will continue. What they hope is that a chance of scenery could make a difference. If Ramirez is able to regain his All-Star form, this trade is an absolute steal for the Dodgers. Ramirez will join Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in the heart of the Dodgers offense. If Ramirez returns to top form, the trio could be very formidable. It will be interesting to see how Hanley Ramirez does with the Dodgers.

Giants Complete Shutout Sweep of Dodgers

Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley is tagged out by Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum while trying to score on a wild pitch. (Jeff Chiu)

A month ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a season-high 7 1/2 game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West. However, the Dodgers came into this week's series in San Francisco scuttling quite a bit. They hoped to simply hold onto their dwindling divisional lead. The Giants had other plans. They hoped to use their momentum to show that this division was going to be a race to the end. The Giants certainly had their way when it came to this series.

In Monday's series opener, the Giants offense wasted little time as they exploded for seven runs in the first two innings (8 ER total) off Dodgers starting pitcher Nate Eovaldi. That was more than enough for Giants starter Barry Zito. Zito rebounded from a string of poor outings to throw seven scoreless innings of three hit ball against the Dodgers. The Giants finished off the beatdown of the Dodgers for an 8-0 win.

The Dodgers looked to get revenge in Tuesday's game with ace Clayton Kershaw. The Giants countered with a great, young pitcher in Ryan Vogelsong. This one turned out to be a good old classic pitcher's dual. Both pitchers were attacking the strike zone and getting outs. The Giants did finally get to Kershaw in the fourth. Melky Cabrera led off the inning with a solo shot to left. Angel Pagan hit into a fielder's choice and then stole second base. Pablo Sandoval singled home Pagan to give the Giants the 2-0 lead. That was it for the Giants offense, and it turned out that the Dodgers offense never did get going. Vogelsong completed seven scoreless innings. In the ninth inning, Santiago Casilla closed out the 2-0 win for his 21st save of the season.

The Dodgers hoped to avoid the sweep Wednesday afternoon. They sought to get back on track with starter Chad Billingsley on the mound. The Dodgers banked on another poor outing my Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum to help jump start their offense. However, it was the Giants offense who struck first. Cabrera had a RBI double in the third inning. Pagan also added a pair of RBIs. Meanwhile, Lincecum showcased some of his vintage form. Billingsley did manage a double off his counterpart. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. On another wild pitch by Lincecum, Billingsley tried to score, but was blocked and tagged out by Lincecum. Lincecum went seven scoreless innings and was rewarded with his first win in nearly two months. Sergio Romo sealed the sweep of the Dodgers with a four-out save of the 3-0 win.

The Giants sweep has propelled them into first place. Their pitching was dominant in the shutout sweep. Not only did the Dodgers not score a single run in the series, Billingsley was the only Dodgers player to reach third base. As if news couldn't get any worse for the Dodgers, Matt Kemp does not appear to be ready to return from the DL anytime soon. Additionally, fellow outfielder Andre Ethier injured his oblique and could be joining Kemp on the DL soon. With their two best hitters injured, things don't look any better for the Dodgers anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Giants are enjoying their hot play and look to use it to their full advantage.

Cespedes' Walk-Off Home Run Helps A's Complete Sweep

Yoenis Cespedes celebrates his walk-off home run. (Monica M. Davey)

The Los Angeles Dodgers came into Oakland with the best record in baseball. Then, the Athletics proceeded to sweep the Dodgers out of town with the third best record in baseball. Let's see what happened.

On Tuesday night, the Athletics got off to a great start when they scored three runs in the first off Dodgers starting pitcher Aaron Harang. That's all A's starter Brandon McCarthy needed as he tossed seven scoreless innings. New closer Ryan Cook closed out the 3-0 victory with his fourth save of the season.

The Dodgers did strike first on Wednesday night when Juan Uribe doubled home a run in the second inning. From there, things went down hill for the visitors. The Athletics offense got going and put up four runs on the board. That proved to be more than enough for young starter Tommy Milone. Milone pitched a three-hitter in his first career complete game.

Yesterday afternoon, the Athletics were looking for the sweep with Australian Travis Blackley on the mound. The Dodgers countered with ace Clayton Kershaw. Neither pitcher disappointed, as runs came at a premium. In the second inning, the Athletics got one run when Brandon Inge hit a sacrifice fly to left to get Jonny Gomes home. The Dodgers tied things up 1-1 in the fourth inning when Juan Rivera singled home Elian Herrera. That's all both teams scored while the starters were out there. Blackley and Kershaw both pitched eight strong innings, giving up just the one run, before leaving the game.

Cook pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning for the Athletics. In the bottom half on the ninth, a poor decision by Dodgers reliever Josh Lindbolm led to two men on for the A's. Up to bat, came Cuban rookie Yoenis Cespedes. He had just one at-bat in his previous ten games due to a hamstring injury. Nonetheless, Cespedes got a pitch he could it. A's fans held their collective breath as they waited to see if it would stay fair and be deep enough. Sure enough, Cespedes' shot stayed inside the left field foul pole and into the bleachers for a home run and the first walk-off of his career.

Oakland has now won eight out of their last nine games to pull to just two games below .500 (34-36). Their pitching staff limited the Dodgers offense to just eight hits in three games. The Athletics are winning with a team stocked full of young talent and relatively unknown commodities. Their payroll for their starting lineup is just $18 million. In fact, if you take out the salary of veteran Coco Crisp, the collective salary of the remaining eight is only $12 million. This is classic Oakland A's baseball. They could be a team to watch out for. Just ask the Dodgers.

Six Mariners Pitchers Combine For No-Hitter

Mariners starting pitcher Kevin Millwood on the mound. (Otto Greule, Jr.)

No pitcher wants to leave his start early when he has a no-hitter going. Just think about Johan Santana last weekend. Despite his pitch count for the game, he was determined to finish what he started. Probably the only way you can get a pitcher to leave the game if he has a no-hitter going is injury. Unfortunately, that is what happened to Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Kevin Millwood.

Millwood was on the mound tonight for the Mariners facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had his stuff working tonight. Through six innings, Millwood had given up no hits, while walking just one batter and striking out six. While warming up prior to the seventh inning, he felt a twinge in his groin. Milwood felt as though he had no choice but to walk off the field.

Over the next three innings, the Mariners used five relievers in their effort to preserve Millwood's no-hitter. In the eighth inning, the Dodgers earned a pair of leadoff walk. A sacrifice moved the runners to second and third with just one out. The Mariners elected to bring in demoted closer Brandon League. League was clutch getting A.J. Ellis to line out and then struck out Tony Gwynn to end the threat. Tom Wilhelmsen came in closed out the no-hitter in the ninth. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but they got the job done. The combined no-hitter was the tenth in MLB history. The combined pitchers tonight for the Mariners were Kevin Millwood, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Lucas Luetge, Brandon League, and Tom Wilhelmsen. These Mariners deserve to be commended. They picked each other up when they needed to. They demonstrated true team spirit and effort in their historic feat.

Dodgers Keep Finding Ways to Win

Chris Capuano is now 7-1, tying him for the league lead in wins. (Jeff Gross)

If I had told you before the season that Matt Kemp what already be on the DL, but the Dodgers would have the best record in baseball, you would have likely called me crazy.

Despite injuries to Kemp, Juan Rivera, Mark Ellis, and Juan Uribe (to name just a few), the Dodgers have found ways to win ball games.

Since Kemp was placed on the DL May 14, the Dodgers are 9-4, have increased their runs per game to 5.1, have had a staff ERA of 2.97, and increased their lead in the NL West to 7.5 games.

The Dodgers have been getting the job done in part to some often overlooked veterans, who are proving they have something left in the tank. Today's win over the Houston Astros provided a reminder of this. 35-year old Jerry Hairston Jr. had a career-high five hits. 36-year-old backup catcher Matt Treanor added a solo home run. 38-year-old Bobby Abreu came off the bench and worked a bases loaded walk to pick up a RBI.

Then, there was today's starting pitcher. Today, he pitched seven innings of two hit ball and struck out 8. On the season, he is now 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA. If I made you guess who it was before the season, I am sure you would have said staff ace Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw's been good this year, but not as good as Chris Capuano has been. The 33-year-old Capuano took apart the Astros lineup today, just like he has done to opponents all season.

Hairston Jr., Treanor, Abreu, and Capuano, the four leading veterans in today's win, have played a combined 47 seasons for 22 MLB teams, according to the L.A. Times. That is truly remarkable, but it hasn't just been these guys producing. The Dodgers are getting dividends from throughout their lineup and pitching staff. Outfielder Ander Either is tied for the NL-lead with 41 RBIs. Catcher A.J. Ellis hit a walk-off home run in Saturday's win. Ted Lilly is 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA. I could keep naming names.

I am convinced that the reason this team has the best record in baseball right now is that they are simply playing great team baseball. They are getting contributions from everyone. With a record of 32-15 overall and 21-5 at home, the Dodgers are off to their best start at Dodgers Stadium in more than 30 years. While there is no guarantee they can keep this up, there is little reason to doubt them as of now. For now, I would simply like to tip my cap to a team who is winning by playing as a team and to often overlooked veterans who do not always get recognized and appreciated as they should.

Earvin Johnson Hopes to Bring Some Magic to the Dodgers

Former owner Frank McCourt has been forced to sell his baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team has been on the market for awhile, but McCourt finally agreed to an offer today. The agreed price of $2.15 billion shatters the previous sports franchise purchasing record. The purchasing group is largely funded by Guggenheim Capital chief executive officer Mark Walter and former NBA star Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The exorbitant price includes the Dodgers team, Dodgers stadium, and half of the parking lots surrounding the ballpark. The other half will remain under the control of McCourt.

The first thing that catch's viewers eyes is the money. To say it is a lot, would be like saying Michael Jordan was a good basketball player. It would be a gross understatement. For this amount of money, the new ownership group has to believe that they can make the Dodgers winners and sell tickets immediately.

When asked about what attracted him to making this purchase, Johnson emphasized a love for baseball and the heritage that comes with the Dodgers. He considers the Dodgers trademark to be one of the greatest and enough to make a considerable difference from the get go. Economists from around the country are harshly criticizing the price paid. One of the main reasons behind the price raise is the television deal for the team. Fox and Time Warner are currently in a bidding war. The Dodgers also have the option of starting their own network, like the New York Yankees have successfully done with the YES Network.

When looking at the deal from an overall standpoint, I think Magic will help revitalize the image of the team because of his deep connect with the fans of Los Angeles. However, there is really no way around the fact that the purchasing group overpaid. It does show that they are willing to spend money, which is good for the team. It is important that they turn around the team's play on the field as quickly as possible. This team needs to get back to playing Dodgers baseball the way it is supposed to be played.

Who is the Best Hitter in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp has blossomed into one of the best hitters in baseball. However, his reputation as the best hitter in LA is now up for debate, as the crosstown rival Angels added a player who might know a thing or two about hitting. The Angels signed the top free agent hitter on the market, Albert Pujols. Many LA reporters and fans are debating who the best hitter in LA is. I will take a look at both players and tell you what I think.

Matt Kemp does not have the historical numbers to back up his play like Pujols does. What he did have is a much better season last year. Kemp had a .324 average with 39 home runs, 124 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases. Conversely, Pujols hit .299 with 37 home runs, 99 RBIs, and 9 stolen bases. The concern here is that this was Kemp's breakout season. In 2010, he only hit .249 with 28 home runs, 89 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases. Kemp is five years younger than Pujols. It appears that he is entering the prime of his career, which means his numbers should only continue to rise.

Albert Pujols is one of the most consistent hitters in the history of baseball. His continual dominance is what earned him the nickname, The Machine. In Pujols' first ten years of his career, he hit .312 or better, 34 home runs or more, and had at least 103 RBIs. As you can see above, the only season of his career that he hasn't done that was last year. Some people have sighted that as a sign of decline. That seems unlikely, but even if it is true, those are some excellent numbers for a player supposedly in decline. It is true that Pujols will have to adjust to hitting in the tougher American League. He may get pitched around, but that happened in St. Louis too. No matter how good or bad the Cardinals were, Pujols consistently put up amazing numbers season after season. There does not seem to be any reason to think that will stop now.

Matt Kemp is the player on the rise, while Albert Pujols is certainly ageing. However, I cannot get around the consistency I have seen throughout the career of Pujols. Until Kemp shows me that type of consistency, I am not ready to pick him over Pujols. There is such a drastic difference between Kemp's 2010 and 2011 seasons. While I believe the latter is what Kemp's numbers will look like next few seasons, there isn't the same guarantee that a decade of Pujols play gives me. This does not mean that Kemp won't become the better hitter for the duration of their long-term contracts. It just means that right now I have more faith in Pujols.

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