NBA Blockbuster! My Breakdown of the Kyrie for I.T. Mega Trade

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Anyone else feeling like this offseason just, kind of, got away from Danny Ainge?

Ainge, who is the President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics and one of the top executives in all of professional sports, has completely overhauled his roster after going 53-29, finishing with a better regular-season record than the Cleveland Cavaliers and earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Yesterday's blockbuster deal, which sent G Isaiah Thomas, SF Jae Crowder, C Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 unprotected first-round pick to the rival Cavs for G Kyrie Irving, seems awfully one-sided to me. 

In my most recent NBA Top 25 article, I ranked Isaiah 10th and Kyrie 9th. While Kyrie has a better pedigree and is actually my favorite basketball player in the world, I think most would agree that there isn't much separating him from Isaiah at this stage in their respective careers. 

Last season Kyrie averaged 25.2 points, 5.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 threes and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 47.3% from the floor, 90.5 from the stripe and 40.1 from beyond the arc. Comparatively, Isaiah posted 28.9, 5.9, 2.7, 3.2, 0.9, 46.3, 90.9 and 37.9. Isaiah finished 5th in the MVP race, while Kyrie failed to pick up a single vote. 

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Of course, roster circumstances always have to be considered -- Kyrie played second fiddle to LeBron James, while Brad Stevens' offense gave Isaiah the freedom to take whatever shots he wanted, whenever he wanted. And in the postseason, Kyrie has proven that he can be a big-time clutch performer, all the way through the final minute of NBA Finals Game 7. 

So, for the sake of moving on, let's just agree that the differences between Kyrie and Isaiah are negligible; therefore, Ainge can make a reasonable argument that Kyrie is the best player in the deal (but you could also argue the other way if you really wanted to). 

If Kyrie and Isaiah are close, from a pure basketball standpoint, how did rookie GM Koby Altman also get Crowder and a first-round pick? And we're talking about the Nets' unprotected first rounder, which ultimately results in a lottery selection. That seems like an uneven haul, right?

It's especially bizarre when you consider the fact that Ainge passed on a trade for Jimmy Butler -- one of the top 20 all-around players in the game -- because he didn't want to give up Crowder. So you won't trade him for a bona fide all-star, but you will include him as a throw-in in a deal centered on two players with negligible skillsets? I'm sorry, but you have to admit the logic is fuzzy here. 

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At this point, I'd like to compare what Ainge had, to what he has now:

HAD: Isaiah, Avery Bradley, Crowder, Al Horford, Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart, Amir Johnson, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Jonas Jerebko and Gerald Green (with Markelle Fultz readily available as the No. 1 pick in the draft).

HAS: Kyrie, Gordon Hayward, Brown, Marcus Morris, Horford, Smart, Jayson Tatum, Rozier and Aron Baynes (without another first-rounder that would have been in the lottery).

So while the second group has intensified Ainge's "star power" with Kyrie and Hayward, the first was deeper, more unselfish and better suited to Stevens' pass-and-cut, Spurs-style offense. In addition, the second group is forcing Ainge to go all-in on "his" handpicked guys, whereas the first had more assets and better long-term flexibility.

And what about the third scenario...the "what if"? I'm not sure if this is financially feasible, but it looks like Ainge could have had:

Isaiah, Butler, Hayward, Morris, Horford and Fultz. I think that's better than Kyrie, Hayward, Brown, Morris, Horford and Tatum, don't you?

At the end of the day, there's good and bad news for Ainge. Here's what I think will happen:

BAD: The Celtics will finish with less regular-season wins than last year. The first half of the season will be particularly frustrating for Boston's fans to watch, as Kyrie and Hayward learn how to play within Stevens' offense and with one another. You know, when the C's are like 10-9 in the early going, that shortsighted fans will be calling for Ainge's head.

GOOD: The Celtics will again meet the Cavs in the East Finals. The rest of the East is simply too weak. What's more, if Kyrie, Hayward, Horford and Morris can develop their collective continuity over the course of the year, this group probably gives Boston a better shot at knocking off the Cavs in the short term.

I still think the Cavs -- with a rotation of Isaiah, LeBron, Crowder, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, JR Smith, Derrick Rose and Jeff Green -- will win in 6 games or less, but you know Kyrie will be playing against them with a chip on his shoulder. Ya never know -- he's performed some real magic in the past.

Nevertheless, this article is about the trade itself. The Cavs won the transaction, plain and simple. Crowder and the first-round pick clearly push this deal in their favor, while the Celtics have depleted their assets throughout this bizarre offseason campaign.

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Danny Ainge is doing things his way; I just wonder if it's the most prudent way. You have to admire a guy who goes all-in on his instincts.

But then again, the other guy could be holding a royal flush. 

9 Games Back...Can the Mets Make a Run In the Second Half?

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After jumping out to a four-run lead last night in Seattle, Rafael Montero and the Mets stumbled into a 5-4 deficit when the enigmatic right-handed starter lost command of the strikezone. Montero, who has always combined decent stuff with a highly questionable mental makeup, continues to take one step forward then two steps back. 

On the bright side, Michael Conforto -- in a triumphant return to his home state of Washington -- laced his second home run of the game to tie it at 5 in the 8th. Neil Walker followed with what turned out to be the game-winning RBI single to left, and Curtis Granderson provided insurance with an RBI single down the right field line. In the 9th, Addison Reed nailed down his 19th save of the season. 

So the Mets, who are 7-3 in their last 10 games, are now nine games back of the Rockies for the second National League Wild Card spot. The ultimate question is...after playing outstanding second-half ball the past two seasons, can the Mets make another second-half run this year?

It's OBVIOUSLY a longshot, but let's dissect this question, one consideration at a time:

Roster Moves: Are We Buying or Selling?

1. Lucas Duda to the Rays for RH reliever Drew Smith: The first of the Three Stooges is finally gone. Now we just have to part ways with Granderson and the ringleader, Jose Reyes.

As some of you may recall, I tore Duda to shreds earlier this season because he's the master of padding his stats when his team is up or down by 10 runs. Never gets a hit in a tight game with runners on. How about having 18 homers with only 38 RBI? That tells the entire story, doesn't it? Doesn't drive in runs with anything other than meaningless solo shots. He has a .271 batting average with the bases empty, and .212 with runners on. Last year he hit .206 with runners in scoring position; .212 the year before that. Have fun with that, Tampa fans. 

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As for Smith, scouting reports indicate that he's a hard-thrower with control issues. Statistically, he's whiffed 28 batters in 28.2 innings at A+ Charlotte this year, and 12 in 11.2 innings at Lakeland. He sounds a little bit like a younger version of Daniel Bard, who the Mets signed earlier this year. It's clear that Sandy Alderson and John Ricco are ultimately trying to add velocity to their bullpen, as they are probably tired of Fernando Salas' flat 90 mph fastballs over the center of the plate. 

The verdict: Addition by subtraction. In a very small sample size, the Mets have averaged 6 runs per game without Duda, while scoring just 3 in his final game in the lineup. Removing a rally killer can do wonders for an offense. I don't mind the addition of Smith, but he isn't ready to contribute to the big league club, yet. 

2. Minor leaguers Merandy Gonzalez and Ricardo Cespedes to the Marlins for RH reliever AJ Ramos: As the news was breaking, Steven Summer texted, "Oh no...they traded Cespedes for Ramos!" He wanted to get my blood pressure up, and he wasn't wrong. According to my Mets correspondent Jamie Garland, he likes what he sees from Ricardo Cespedes, too.

So, maybe Ricardo and Gonzalez will both translate into something of value in the future, but in the meantime, Ramos improves the Mets' bullpen for the rest of this and next year. His fastball velocity has steadily declined since entering the majors in 2012, but he's whiffed 47 in just 39.2 innings this season, after 73 in 64 last year. His put-away stuff is still there. 

The verdict: I don't love the deal long-term, but Ramos will help if we want to make a surprise run the remainder of this season. 

3. Promoting SS Amed Rosario from AAA Las Vegas: The rumors are swirling that Rosario is finally on his way up to the bigs, and Mets fans are licking their chops. It's a win-win situation: Rosario, who is hitting .332 this season, enters the lineup while Reyes (.227 with an embarrassing .289 OBP) rides the pine. Permanently. I hope. Ughhhh, they always seem to find a way to keep Reyes in there, anyway. 

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Rosario is widely considered one of the best all-around prospects in baseball, and it's a travesty that shitty Reyes has been playing over him all year. But hey, that's just Mets baseball, isn't it? If you want to have a good laugh, listen to former MLB GM Jim Bowden trash Alderson for this exact reason. 

The verdict: Duh. The only thing I hate more than Reyes is the New England Patriots' organization. 

4. Jacob deGrom, Seth Lugo, Reed, Rene Rivera, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jay Bruce and Granderson have all popped up in trade rumors. Granderson MUST go. deGrom and Bruce MUST stay. The others are inconsequential. 

Going forward, I want to keep the productive Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, Bruce outfield intact, but I'm not sure Alderson and Ricco feel the same. They probably want to dismiss Bruce because he's played too well. They wanna go all Daniel Murphy on us. 

The Competition

1. The Rockies haven't been to the postseason since 2009. Hoping their inexperience will hinder them in pressure situations down the stretch. 

2. The Diamondbacks haven't been to the postseason since 2011. On the flip side, these droughts have to end eventually. 

3. The Brewers' high-octane offense scares me. Hoping they win the division and the Cubs end up calling it a "lost year."

4. The Cardinals and Pirates always seem to be in contention. They'll be lurking. 

The Injuries

1. Extremely difficult to make up a 9-game deficit without your monstrous ace, Noah Syndergaard. 

2. Extremely difficult to hold small leads in big games without your proven closer, Jeurys Familia. He's often unfairly criticized by shortsighted Mets fans, but the guy saved 51 last season and 43 the year before. He finds ways to get it done. 

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3. Injuries to Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Robert Gsellman have forced Montero and Chris Flexen into roles. On the bright side, Wheeler sucks anyway. Montero will probably end up being just as good, if not better. I still think Harvey can be a decent No. 4 starter in the bigs, while Gsellman should move to a one-inning relief role, permanently. 

The Final Word

The Mets lineup is eventually going to boast Conforto, Bruce, Cespedes, Walker, Rosario and Wilmer Flores at the same time. This could have been possible from the start, but Alderson and Terry Collins were insistent upon bums like Duda, Granderson and Reyes. (Don't get me wrong -- I like Grandy, he's a super nice guy, but he can't play anymore.) In the NL, this club is already 3rd in homers and 6th in runs, so any stretch run will be dependent on mashing the ball, especially considering the injuries to Syndergaard, Familia and Harvey. 

In the end, I give us a 5% chance of reaching the playoffs. That may be more than most. 

But hey, without Lucas Duda, anything can happen...right?

My 200 Favorite Movies: Sorkin's Screenplay Sizzles in "Steve Jobs"

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I usually tackle three reviews at a time on LNB, but this will probably be a long one. When I first saw Steve Jobs in the movie theater with Jen, I was distracted by what appeared to be Aaron Sorkin on hyper-drive. 

Sorkin, who famously wrote A Few Good Men, The West Wing, The Social Network and Moneyball, seemed to be pushing the boundaries of rapid-fire, back-and-forth banter. Steve Jobs (Fassbender), his trusted assistant Joanna Hoffman (Winslet), original partner Steve Wozniak (Rogen), programmer Andy Hertzfeld (Stuhlbarg) and CEO/father figure John Sculley (Daniels) were ping-ponging dialogue so quickly that I could barely keep up with the full scope of the story. So, I came out of the movie feeling like it was somewhere around a 7 out of 10. 

But, like many other greats, Steve Jobs is a film that grows on you with multiple viewings. 

The more I watched the film on HBO On Demand, the more I picked up the beautiful nuances of Sorkin's scorching screenplay. The first time through, I wasn't very familiar with the names Wozniak, Sculley, Hertzfeld, Avie Tevanian (Adam Shapiro) or even Dan Kottke, so quick references slipped past me. Now, having seen it many times, I understand that knowing the key names and their backgrounds allows the viewer to appreciate the spectacular specificity of Sorkin's script. The more you understand about the nuances, the more powerful the central conflicts become. 

And those central conflicts are mesmerizing thanks to an absolutely incredible cast. Steve Jobs doesn't have any superheroes (unless you count Jobs himself), car chases, explosions or shootouts, and it isn't really a plot movie either; it's an actors' showcase, all the way through. In indirect ways, it reminds me of David Mamet's biting Glengarry Glen Ross, a dialogue-driven film that places dynamic performances by Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin above sets, cinematography and style. I suppose the comparison isn't a stretch, as the writing styles of Mamet and Sorkin have often been juxtaposed over the years. 

Specific to Sorkin's cast, I feel Michael Fassbender was robbed of Best Actor at the Oscars, as Leonardo DiCaprio picked up what appeared to be a career achievement award for his gritty work in The Revenant. 

Fassbender, who burst into the limelight with supporting roles in successful films like 300, Inglourious Basterds and Prometheus, is one of the most gifted screen actors in the world right now. In Basterds -- one of my all-time favorite movies -- he doesn't enter the frame until Operation Kino, and yet he feels like a lead to me. His versatility, charm and pure skill hit you right between the eyes as he bites down on Quentin Tarantino's juicy dialogue. He has the magical magnetism of a true movie star, and he's apparently a really nice guy, too. 

In Steve Jobs, Fassbender is tasked with a famously impossible personality, and he delivers with an intelligent, lively and complicated interpretation of one of the wealthiest and most influential people of the last two centuries. Jobs was a notorious asshole, but his passion, ingenuity and relentlessness pushed Apple to become the dominant juggernaut that it is today. You'd be hard pressed to find a single person who hasn't purchased an iPod, iPhone or iPad at some point in their lives.

In Sorkin and director Danny Boyle's (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) interpretation of Jobs' legend, he is defined by his power struggles with those closest to him, from his professional colleagues (namely Wozniak and Sculley) to his scatterbrained ex-girlfriend Chrisann Brennan (an effectively shrill Katherine Waterston) and neglected daughter Lisa, who is well played by three different young actresses: Makenzie Moss, Ripley Sobo and Perla Haney-Jardine. 

I think Steve Jobs is at its best when its title character is jousting with "Woz" and thundering away at Sculley. Rogen, one of my absolute favorite personalities in Hollywood, more than holds his own in a serious role alongside very serious actors like Fassbender, Winslet and Stuhlbarg. In particular, he hits home when he implores Jobs that "it's not binary; you can be decent and gifted at the same time." 

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I also enjoy the way he delivers, "We go back, so don't talk to me like I'm other people. I'm the only one that knows that this guy here is someone you invented. I'm standing by you because that perfect cube -- that does nothing -- is about to become the single biggest failure in the history of personal computing." Ouch. 

Daniels, who developed his mastery of Sorkin's cadence and rhythm on HBO's The Newsroom, is pitch-perfect as Sculley, Apple's first legitimate CEO. His dynamics with Jobs are multi-layered: Jobs handpicked Sculley away from Pepsi, the two became very close -- to the point where Daniels' character even refers to himself as a "father figure" -- but Jobs is fully committed the Mac, whereas Sculley prefers the company's only moneymaker, the Apple II. Jobs looks 15 or 20 years ahead, while Sculley looks directly at the proof of the present. We begin to realize that they are destined for a break-up.

All aspects considered, Steve Jobs is a surprisingly exhilarating film. At its core, its a movie about people conversing prior to computer product launches. Doesn't sound like much, right? But Sorkin, Fassbender, Winslet, Daniels, Rogen and Boyle somehow make it stimulating, intense and hypnotic. 

It doesn't quite match The Social Network (which I score as a 10/10) because David Fincher's visual style is far more interesting than Boyle's and Trent Reznor's score surpasses Daniel Pemberton's, but Steve Jobs is a difficult movie to knock for anyone who likes sharp dialogue, fantastic performances and interesting real-life figures. 

Watch it...more than once.

** FRO'S RATING:  9.5 out of 10 **

LNB's Updated Rankings:

1. Steve Jobs (9.5/10)

2. A Perfect Murder (9/10)

3. Bad Moms (9/10)

4. The Revenant (8.5/10)

5. The Shallows (7.5/10)

6. The Night Before (7/10)

7. 10 Cloverfield Lane (7/10)

8. The Walk (7/10)

9. Joy (5.5/10)
10. The Program (3/10)
11. Mother's Day (2/10)
12. Rings (1.5/10)

Reviews to Come...

Zero Dark Thirty

Untraceable

The Wonder Boys

Jackie Brown

Mean Streets

Nerve

The Hateful Eight

The Seven Five

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

How to Be Single

Basquiat

Deadpool

Ratatouille

The Spectacular Now
The Visit
Loving
In Bruges
Nocturnal Animals
War Dogs
And more...

Late-Night Boredom Reviews: The Program, Rings and Mother's Day

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Looking at my early rankings (bottom of post) for Late-Night Boredom ("LNB") Reviews, I noticed that I've been pretty generous thus far. A few of those who know me best -- Jimmy Kelly, Sam Ytuarte and Andrew Meyer -- feel as if I'm becoming lenient in my old age, so Volume III is going to be dedicated to three awful movies. Let's get to it...

THE PROGRAM (1993)

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I had high hopes for this one, coming as a long-time recommendation by Steven Summer (though he only watches about two movies per year) with David S. Ward at the helm, who famously directed the first two films of the Major League franchise. If I ever finish my Favorite 115 Movies of All Time post -- I've been chipping away at it for about a year and a half now -- you'll surely be seeing both Major League I and II in there. 

Alas, The Program failed to deliver on my expectations. The film was horribly edited by the combo of Kimberly Ray (White Men Can't Jump, Dude, Where's My Car?) and Paul Seydor (Tin Cup, The Island) resulting in extremely thin storylines, particularly in regards to the primary romances and screen time of head coach Sam Winters (an underused James Caan). 

The casting by Lynn Stalmaster (Weekend At Bernie's, Battlefield Earth) was also a disaster. A film about a college football team led by a handful of eclectic characters has to have a charismatic starting quarterback. What good is a sports movie without magnetic star players? We know what Charlie Sheen did for Major League, and Jamie Foxx for Any Given Sunday, but The Program falls flat on its face with Craig Sheffer calling the signals as Heisman hopeful Joe Kane. 

Who? Yeah, Craig Sheffer, the star of Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal and Dracula II: Ascension. This guy has so little charisma they could have substituted a long, wooden plank and no one would have noticed the difference. That means his "romance" with Camille (Kristy Swanson, who at the time was considered an up-and-comer) falls completely flat, and we can't even understand why his teammates rally around him. 

Omar Epps (flashy running back Darnell Jefferson) and Halle Berry (Autumn) fare a bit better in their attempt at romance, but we still don't care if they end up together. In general, Epps is an entertaining performer, but on the whole, the primary characters of The Program are cardboard cutouts. 

The football scenes are fine if unspectacular, and Duane Davis (as the doomed Alvin Mack) and Andrew Bryniarski (as the roided up Steve Lattimer) bring energy to their supporting roles as maniacal defensive players. Those two wackos save The Program from a 1 or 2 rating, but all aspects considered, it's a mess of a sports movie. 

** JOHNNY FRO'S RATING:  3 out of 10 **

RINGS (2017)

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Most of us hate seemingly-endless exposition, right? Rings tries to open with a high-energy hook -- which turns out to have little to do with anything else -- but even that feels like a half-assed attempt at entertainment. After the opening plane scene, Rings takes about 45 minutes to go anywhere, and when it finally gets to where it wants to go, we definitely don't care. At all. Not even a little. That goes for the story and the characters. 

Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz (seriously? That's how she wants her name listed on IMDb?) and Alex Roe are the "stars" of this poor excuse for a film, and that pretty much says it all. I'm not going to place ALL of the blame on the actors because this is a horribly written screenplay by the trio of David Loucka, Jacob Estes and Akiva Goldsman, but Lutz and Roe do nothing to get us invested in their characters. 

Rings seems like it was a doomed project from the start, but sometimes strong performances can cover up some of a film's potentially-fatal flaws. Think of what Meryl Streep did for a vanilla movie like The Devil Wears Prada or Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland. Sometimes performances ARE the movie. Take away a lead who is fully committed to their role and the entire film collapses on itself. Well, if you took Lutz and Roe away, Rings might actually improve. Who knows. 

Johnny Galecki is CLEARLY the standout of this abnormally tepid "horror" flick, though his character (Gabriel) isn't written with much clarity. What are his intentions, exactly? Regardless, Galecki plays his silly role with a sort of sinister detachment. He's definitely the most interesting thing on the screen 1 hour and 42 minutes of nothingness. 

Jen, the soon-to-be Mrs. Frascella, has gotten me into horror movies in the past few years, and I appreciate that because superhero flicks and ridiculous franchises have taken our movie industry hostage. I can't take anymore flying mutants, car chases or explosions. I was always afraid of scary movies growing up, so it's nice to discover a new genre. I've been pleasantly surprised by films like The Cabin in the Woods, Paranormal Activity, Sinister and Ouija: Origin of Evil, but Rings isn't suspenseful, scary or interesting. It's a total dud. 

I like some of the film's concluding reveal sequence, so I'll give it a half-point for that. I don't have to bother saying don't waste your time, but...don't waste your time. 

** JOHNNY FRO'S RATING:  1.5 out of 10 **

MOTHER'S DAY (2016)

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As I begin my review of this atrocity, my mind immediately jumps to A Few Good Men. Yes, Mother's Day is one of the worst movies I've ever seen, while A Few Good Men is one of my all-time favorites, but I promise there is a connection. 

When "The Apostle" Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (a seething Kiefer Sutherland) is on the stand, he sugarcoats the lackluster performance of Pfc. William Santiago (Michael DeLorenzo), who dies in the opening scene of the film. When Lt. Daniel Kaffee (the incomparably charismatic Tom Cruise) asks why he contradicted the details of his written report, Kendrick responds, "I did not see the need to trample on a man's grave."

With that in mind, director Garry Marshall died in July of 2016 of complications from pneumonia after a stroke. He was best known for rom-com hits like Overboard, The Princess Diaries and of course, his masterpiece Pretty Woman. So, I don't want to trample on a man's grave, but I also have to be honest:

Mother's Day is an overlong, under-plotted, disjointed failure of a film. This on the heels of Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve, Marshall's preceding commercial holiday movies jam-packed with recognizable names and faces. Valentine's Day was bearable, New Year's Eve was horrendous and Mother's Day is even worse than that. 

Jen and I decided to watch it one lazy evening because, well, how can you screw up a movie with Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson? Give them the tiniest shred of decent material and Roberts will mesmerize, Aniston will charm and Hudson will entertain. None of that happens in Mother's Day. The script from Anya Kochoff, Matthew Walker and Tom Hines is THAT bad. Unfunny, disorganized and incoherent. The direction isn't any better. 

As an aside, I was watching Scrubs yesterday and marveling at Sarah Chalke's (Dr. Elliot Reid) sneakily seductive acting style. I didn't particularly care for the way her character was written on How I Met Your Mother -- one of my favorite all-time shows -- but her acting was again high-caliber. So when I looked her up on IMDb to see what she's been up to lately, I COMPLETELY FORGOT that she was in Mother's Day. 

A movie that wastes a deep talent pool is rarely, if ever, a good one. 

** FRO'S RATING:  2 out of 10 **

LNB's Updated Rankings:

1. A Perfect Murder (9/10)

2. Bad Moms (9/10)

3. The Revenant (8.5/10)

4. The Shallows (7.5/10)

5. The Night Before (7/10)

6. 10 Cloverfield Lane (7/10)

7. The Walk (7/10)

8. Joy (5.5/10)
9. The Program (3/10)
10. Mother's Day (2/10)
11. Rings (1.5/10)

Reviews to Come...

Steve Jobs

Untraceable

The Wonder Boys

Jackie Brown

Mean Streets

Nerve

The Hateful Eight

The Seven Five

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

How to Be Single

Basquiat

Deadpool

Ratatouille

The Spectacular Now
The Visit
Loving
In Bruges
Nocturnal Animals
War Dogs
And more...

Johnny Fro's MLB Top 200 Players: Prepare to Be Shocked

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Last week my good friends Jamie Garland and Steven Summer (former MLB.com "Beat the Streak" champ) pointed out this utterly outlandish article to me. Dayn Perry of CBS Sports published his "Top 100 Players in MLB right now" rankings, and Antonio Senzatela was ranked ahead of Clayton Kershaw, the greatest pitcher of his generation. Zack Cozart was ranked ahead of Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant. You get the idea. 

Now, I must do my journalistic duty by highlighting the fact that Perry wrote, "The rankings you're about to see reflect nothing more than who's been the best through the first two months of the 2017 season."

Okay, fine, he made his parameters clear, but what's the point of a list based upon that? Can't we just pull up the 2017 MLB statistics and look at them? If you're not going to analyze and interpret the data -- compare it to past seasons, project performance going forward -- aren't you basically saying, "So and so has good stats so far"? I see zero value in such a list. 

So, naturally, my rankings are going to include more analysis, projection and common sense. We all know Kershaw is 100 times better than Senzatela, so what does Perry accomplish by ranking the kid ahead of the legend? Probably just trying to rile people up. Without further ado, here are my considerations:

1. If I look at this season's stats for a particular player, what do they tell me about him? Is he trending up, down or providing valuable year-over-year consistency? Is his early statistical output an aberration? 

For example, Mark Reynolds is having a very productive offensive season, but he's played for 7 teams in 11 years and is a lifetime .237 hitter who has struck out over 195 times in four separate seasons. This year he's hitting .307 and playing at Coors Field. We can interpret who the REAL Mark Reynolds is, can't we?

2. I have always, always, always valued a consistent batting average hitter over an all-or-nothing home run hitter. Professional at bats and approaches are of paramount importance to me. Obviously, the best offensive players are those who provide the best of both worlds. 

3. Throwing hitters, starting pitchers and relievers into the same pot is an EXTREMELY difficult thing to do. Try making one of these lists yourself -- reviewing the most important stat categories, trying not to forget injured or suspended stars, comparing hitter and pitcher values -- and you'll understand why it's impossible to satisfy everyone. So many individual decisions have to be made. 

4. Expanding upon one of those comments...since I'm not following Dayn Perry's model, I will be including injured and suspended players. I cannot dismiss a player's ability simply because he is injured or suspended. 

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5. I can, however, use injuries and suspensions as tiebreakers. For example, the Aroldis Chapman vs. Andrew Miller debate was a hot topic last postseason (yeah, I'm talking about you, Marty DeSantis) and since Chapman stumbled out to a slower start and got injured, I can give Miller the nod in the short-term. 

6. Consistency, consistency, consistency. For example, I'm not putting Ryan Zimmerman -- a very serious NL MVP candidate -- ahead of Adrian Beltre, simply because Zimmerman got off to a scorching start while Beltre was injured. Too small of a sample size. Compare their preceding three or four seasons, and you'll know who the better player is. 

7. Let me know if I missed anyone. It's hard to keep tabs on over 200 players. 

I'm sure there's more, but you'll get the idea as I go along. The synopses will be short because, well, this is a long-ass list. 

** EDITOR'S NOTE: The list was finalized on 6/3/2017. Most stats as of that date. **

Honorable Mention (in no particular order)

Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets

Tony Watson, CP, Pirates

Mike Foltynewicz, SP, Braves

Jarrod Dyson, OF, Mariners

AJ Ramos, CP, Marlins

Garrett Richards, SP, Angels

Antonio Senzatela, SP, Rockies (speak of the Devil)

Kelvin Herrera, CP, Royals

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Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels

Jed Lowrie, Infielder, A's

Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Phillies
Brandon Drury, 2B, Diamondbacks

Johnny Fro's Top 200 MLB Players

200. Brandon Kintzler, CP, Twins: In terms of closer's job security and pure stuff, he was an afterthought heading into the season. Now he's the steady fireman for a surprising first-place team. (2.66 ERA, 14 saves)

199. Jason Vargas, SP, Royals: This crafty veteran lefty has been a revelation this season. Based on pure stats -- 2.08 ERA, 1.10 WHIP -- he could easily be in the top 20 or 30, but this start feels fluky. 4.06 lifetime ERA. 

198. Ken Giles, CP, Astros

197. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates: Lifetime achievement award. Could soon fall out of the top 200. 

196. Hunter Renfroe, OF, Padres: Emerging player. Swing reminds me of Ryan Zimmerman. 

195. Aaron Altherr, OF, Phillies

194. Mark Reynolds, 1B, Rockies

193. Mike Napoli, 1B, Rangers

192. Nick Markakis, OF, Braves

191. Yonder Alonso, 1B, A's:  Off to a career start after hitting .253 with 7 homers for the entirety of 2016. He's in the same boat as Vargas. 

190. Ian Desmond, 1B/OF, Rockies

189. Yunel Escobar, 3B, Angels

188. Jon Gray, SP, Rockies:  Very good stuff, brutal park. Strikeout pitcher; currently injured. 

187. John Lackey, SP, Cubs:  A tremendous competitor who has never backed down from a big moment, but his stuff is deteriorating significantly. Saw him consistently around 90 MPH the other day. Could be on his way out like McCutchen. 

186. Hunter Pence, OF, Giants

185. Mitch Haniger, OF, Mariners:  Sprinted out of the gate looking like one of the most talented all-around players in the game, but quickly fell victim to injury. If he comes back healthy and continues that production, he could easily be a top 100 guy. 

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184. Justin Smoak, 1B, Blue Jays

183. Eduardo Nunez, 3B, Giants:  Excellent basestealer with valuable position versatility. 

182. Billy Hamilton, OF, Reds:  "He's the fastest kid alive." - Superbad

181. Steven Souza, Jr., OF, Rays

180. Carlos Beltran, DH/OF, Astros:  Headed in the same direction as McCutchen and Lackey. 

179. Charlie Morton, SP, Astros:  Juiced out of his mind this season, throwing 99 MPH at times. Not surprisingly, his strikeout rate has climbed in comparison to previous years. 

178. Victor Martinez, DH/1B, Tigers:  A past-his-prime professional hitter. Always liked him. 

177. Trevor Story, SS, Rockies:  Last season's 27 homers may have been a little fluky, but he's starting to heat up again after a slow start this year. Young guy with pop, plays at Coors. 

176. Seung Hwan Oh, CP, Cardinals:  Almost lost his job early in the season, but has since righted the ship. Was highly-touted coming into the year. Don't think he's quite as good as people think. 

175. Roberto Osuna, CP, Blue Jays

174. Kevin Kiermaier, OF, Rays:  A very nice all-around player. Fun guy to watch -- plays with passion, puts together quality at bats and runs the bases well while putting on an absolute show in center field with his glove.

173. Melky Cabrera, OF, White Sox:  A veteran, professional switch hitter. Off to a slowish start this year, but hit .296 last season with 42 doubles (.285 lifetime hitter).

172. Logan Morrison, 1B, Rays:  Has never been a terrible hitter, but his scorching start is well above his usual level of production. Should come back down to earth some.

171. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B, Dodgers:  Has been a hot topic around the league, but we've seen young Dodgers come up scalding before: Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig. Neither has been able to replicate their early success, when the opposing scouting reports were still under development. We'll see how Bellinger responds long-term after his first mini slump.

170. Yasmani Grandal, C, Dodgers

169. Salvador Perez, C, Royals

168. Jonathan Villar, 2B, Brewers:  Did you know that he was the #16 overall fantasy player last season? Ahead of studs like Charlie Blackmon, Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Anthony Rizzo and Daniel Murphy? Well, unfortunately, Villar's been terrible this year. The rest of the 2017 campaign will determine whether or not he drops out of the top 200 or works his way back into the top 100.

167. Masahiro Tanaka, SP, Yankees:  Could be heading the same way as Victor Martinez, Carlos Beltran, John Lackey, etc. Tanaka's once-rubber arm looks stiff and fatigued. Hopefully the hot summer days will loosen his wilting wing.

166. Tanner Roark, SP, Nationals

165. James Paxton, SP, Mariners:  Was unfortunate to see him get hurt after a blazing start. Paxton is a rare breed: A true left-handed flamethrower. His arrow is pointing up, but he'll need to stay healthy and show consistency.

164. Evan Gattis, C/DH, Astros

163. Joey Gallo, Rangers

162. Marwin Gonzalez, Utility, Astros:  Always had power and raw talent, but his batting average is surprisingly high this season (.314). Probably shining because of the Astros' incredible lineup protection. Another player with useful versatility like Eduardo Nunez and Hernan Perez. 

161. Avisail Garcia, OF, White Sox:  Mini Miggy is finally breaking out. Always had high expectations.

160. Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees:  Hasn't even been close to what he was last year, but the raw talent is still there. He'll find the rhythm again and head back toward my top 100. 

159. Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals

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158. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Indians

157. Jose Quintana, SP, White Sox:  Having a horrific year after early-season trade rumors, but has been a top-tier lefty in recent years. We'll give him a chance to bounce back. 

156. Alex Wood, SP, Dodgers:  Has never been a favorite of mine -- hittable, flat fastball -- but he's pitching extremely well and has always had an excellent curveball. Attacking the zone with no fear, as well. 

155. Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox

154. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Yankees

153. Travis Shaw, 3B, Brewers:  Off to a hot start for the second-straight season, but this time it looks a little more sustainable. Shaw is refining his approach and enjoying the friendly confines of Miller Park (ball jumps outta there). 

152. Chris Owings, SS/2B, Diamondbacks

151. David Peralta, OF, Diamondbacks:  An emerging professional hitter. Always seems to hit for a solid average with extra base hits. Just needs to stay on the field. 

150. Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Reds:  See Travis Shaw, then swap Miller Park for Great American Ballpark. 

149. Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants

148. Drew Pomeranz, SP, Red Sox

147. Yasmany Tomas, OF, Diamondbacks:  Love the mechanics of his swing and his undeniable power, but he has no position and injuries are beginning to become an issue. 

146. J.T. Realmuto, C, Marlins:  Has a beautiful hitting approach for a catcher. Nice short swing with gap-to-gap ability. 

145. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals

144. J.A. Happ, SP, Blue Jays:  A serious Cy Young contender last season. Stats have normalized this year. 

143. Michael Pineda, SP, Yankees:  The Jekyll and Hyde of big league pitchers. 

142. Kendrys Morales, DH, Blue Jays:  This savvy vet was like a poor man's David Ortiz last season. He's just at that stage of his career where he sees everything very clearly at the dish. He's a clutch hitter with a pure pro approach. 

141. Julio Teheran, SP, Braves:  Arguably the most overrated pitcher in the MLB. Just watch him pitch, and you'll know what I mean. His stuff is surprisingly mundane. Has been getting rocked this season, and had another clunker a few years ago. 

140. Alex Colome, CP, Rays

139. Raisel Iglesias, CP, Reds:  Cincinnati's prized arm. They just never quite know what to do with him. Long-term...is he a starter or reliever? Either way, he has fantastic stuff and good results early in his career. 

138. Matt Bush, CP, Rangers:  What a reclamation project by the Rangers. A former No. 1 overall pick in the draft -- a longggg time ago -- who, while driving under the influence, struck an innocent man and ruined his life. There is absolutely no doubt that Matt Bush is an asshole -- but he throws flames and gets people out. 

137. Dan Straily, SP, Marlins:  Really coming into his own over the course of the past two seasons. Strikeout rate is rising dramatically.

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136. Ivan Nova, SP, Pirates

135. Adam Eaton, OF, Nationals:  What an unfortunate injury for the Nats. Eaton is a grinder who creates havoc at the top of the order, especially one as deep and talented as Washington's. He could be a major missing X-factor in the postseason. 

134. Rick Porcello, SP, Red Sox:  See the explanation for J.A. Happ, except Ricky actually won the Cy Young. 

133. Ender Inciarte, OF, Braves:  One of the elite defensive players in the world, and he can hit .290 for you at the top of your order. 

132. Hernan Perez, Utility, Brewers:  Probably the second-best utility man in the game right now. Gets versatile stat production and can play anywhere you need him to. 

131. Mike Leake, SP, Cardinals:  Having an absolutely phenomenal season, but he's pitching over his head. His early-season stats are an outlier. Talk about a guy with average stuff. 

130. Dylan Bundy, SP, Orioles:  Could have a rising star on our hands here. As an inexperienced starter, it's extremely difficult to pitch well in the AL East. It's even more difficult pitching your home games at Camden Yards. Bundy has been as good as advertised. 

129. Gerrit Cole, SP, Pirates

128. Yadier Molina, C, Cardinals

127. Gregory Polanco, OF, Pirates:  Has some of the best pure talent in baseball, just needs to stay healthy and establish consistency of production. 

126. Rougned Odor, 2B, Rangers:  Which is the real guy...this season's bum or last year's star?

125. Greg Holland, CP, Rockies:  How many people had Greg Holland at No. 1 in their preseason closer pool? Raise your hand if you did. Anyone? No friggin' way. This guy is blatantly juicing, but his numbers have been downright astonishing, especially at Coors. 

124. Carlos Santana, DH/1B, Indians

123. David Robertson, CP, White Sox

122. Justin Upton, OF, Tigers

121. Eric Thames, 1B, Brewers:  Goes on the "Obvious Juicers Who Haven't Been Caught" list with Greg Holland, Jake Arrieta and Jose Bautista. Doesn't look like Thames' early-season heroics are even remotely sustainable. 

120. Danny Duffy, SP, Royals

119. Jeurys Familia, CP, Mets

118. Corey Knebel, CP, Brewers

117. Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners

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116. Luis Severino, SP, Yankees:  Like Knebel, this kid has incredibly filthy stuff. The question long-term will be: Will he maintain consistent success, or will he continue to show similarities to his elder teammate Michael Pineda? 

115. Scott Schebler, OF, Reds:  Has become Cincinnati's cheap-but-equally-effective replacement for Jay Bruce. Schebler is tied for 3rd in the majors with 16 dingers, after showing power potential in just 82 games last season. Stock is rising. 

114. Chris Davis, 1B, Orioles

113. Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays

112. Gio Gonzalez, SP, Nationals

111. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Tigers

110. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds:  Has gotten off to hot starts in the past, kind of like the aforementioned Travis Shaw and Eugenio Suarez, but I'll need to see him maintain his elite level of production before I move him into my top 100. Can you believe that Dayn Perry had this guy No. 4 overall?? Come onnnnn. 

109. Aaron Sanchez, SP, Blue Jays:  He's the pitching equivalent of Gregory Polanco. Show-stopping talent, but needs to stay healthy and find consistency. 

108. Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners:  Another lifetime achievement award. Arrow pointing downward. 

107. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Rangers:  A professional hitter as far as catchers go, but a bit overrated if you really examine his stats. 

106. Michael Brantley, OF, Indians:  Great to see him back and healthy. A very, very good major league ballplayer. 

105. Jay Bruce, OF, Mets:  Has displayed a much better approach with the Mets in his second go around, but has rocketed into some hard outs in the past month or so. Overall, for his career, he has been a dependable home run hitter with some RBI capability. 

104. Justin Bour, 1B, Marlins:  An emerging, bruising power hitter who uses all fields and is beginning to hit for average, as well. 

103. Todd Frazier, 3B, White Sox:  Has a ton of power, but has suddenly forgotten how to make contact with the ball. 40 homers last season, 35 the year before. 

102. Cody Allen, Indians:  Would easily be in the top 100 if he got ahead in counts more and walked less guys. He's extremely effective, anyway. 

101. Lance Lynn, SP, Cardinals:  Was one of my top fantasy sleepers coming back from injury this year. Has not disappointed with a 2.97 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. This guy's a bulldog. 

100. Marco Estrada, SP, Blue Jays:  Don't ask me how he does it; he just does. His stuff is shitty but he's been a consistently good pitcher the past 3 seasons. 

99. Robbie Ray, SP, Diamondbacks:  I took a lot of flack from Frank Valeriano and Steven Summer for this guy. My stance is that Ray has always had electric stuff and a penchant for strikeouts, but his control issues hurt his ERA and WHIP. This season, not surprisingly as he matures and continues to hone his craft, he has dropped down to a 3.00 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in an extremely difficult hitters' park. I don't think there's any question that Robbie is a top-tier lefty in the making.

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98. Elvis Andrus, SS, Rangers

97. Mark Melancon, CP, Giants

96. Mark Trumbo, DH, Orioles

95. Dee Gordon, 2B, Marlins:  Skill for skill, he's a little better version of Elvis Andrus to me. Basestealers who can hit for average are such a rarity these days. Just look at guys like Billy Hamilton and Rajai Davis. 

94. Ervin Santana, SP, Twins:  Guess the juice is still in his system from the season he got caught. Has been one of the best pitchers in the world this year. 

93. Wade Davis, CP, Cubs

92. DJ LeMahieu, 2B, Rockies

91. Jake Arrieta, SP, Cubs:  Frank Valeriano and Steven Summer were also pissed when I initially had Robbie Ray ahead of Arrieta. I'm going to give in to them for now because I understand that Arrieta has been one of the premier pitchers in baseball for the past handful of seasons. I have to agree that he has a better track record than Ray. However, I project that Ray will be better going forward. We'll see if I'm right at season's end. 

90. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox

89. Matt Holliday, DH/1B, Yankees

88. Jedd Gyorko, 3B, Cardinals:  I'm going to put him on "The List" with some of the other culprits. You know, the list that rhymes with berROIDS or merROIDS. Yes, I know those aren't words. Regardless, Gyorko has miraculously duplicated his tremendous production from last season. 

87. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Royals

86. Josh Harrison, Utility, Pirates:  The best utility man in the MLB, and one of Big Fro's favorite ballplayers. I can see why my dad likes him: Harrison is a consistent contact hitter who uses all fields, plays all over the diamond and plays with passion and determination every, single day. He's an old school ballplayer. There's nothing not to like. 

85. Trea Turner, SS, Nationals:  Looked like he was well on his way to becoming a top 25 player as a rookie, but just hasn't been the same as a sophomore. Ultimately I think he's a super talented young player who will work his way back into my top 50. 

84. Nomar Mazara, OF, Rangers

83. Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

82. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals

81. Cole Hamels, SP, Rangers: Look at this lefty's career stats. As steady as they come.

80. Christian Yelich, OF, Marlins:  Overall he's an impressive young player, but hasn't been as good or valuable as I thought he'd be this season. 

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79. Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins:  Becoming the face of the franchise for a Twins club that is surprising many. 

78. Michael Conforto, OF, Mets:  For once, I credit hitting coach Kevin Long for correcting a struggling hitter's flaws. Conforto stormed onto the scene as a high-impact rookie during the Mets' run to the World Series, but totally regressed last season due to blatant mechanical flaws. Conforto was tipping and losing his balance on more than half the pitches he saw. This year, from day one, Conforto has made a concerted effort to maintain level shoulders while trusting that he can drive outside pitches deep to left center. He's responded by batting .308 with 14 homers. 

77. Corey Dickerson, OF, Rays:  A veryyy tricky player to rank. With the Rockies in 2014 and '15, he hit .312 and .304, while also providing some homers and doubles. However, in 2016, his first season with the Rays, he dipped all the way down to .245, with a painfully low .293 OBP. So naturally, after a clunker of a year like that, he was dismissed as an afterthought heading into this season. It was easy for detractors to say, "He was only good because of Coors." However, Dickerson has destroyed that common sentiment by hitting .336 this year and leading the American League in both hits (79) and doubles (19). He's pacing a career-high in homers as well.

76. Zack Greinke, SP, Diamondbacks:  Bouncing back this season after an extremely rough, transitional first year with the D'Backs. It may be the same division, but Chase Field is an entirely different animal than Dodger Stadium.

75. Kyle Hendricks, SP, Cubs:  There's no way he's as good as his numbers were last season, but he's been decent enough this year to stick in my top 75. One of the game's best control-and-command pitchers, but his stuff is super underwhelming.

74. Jean Segura, SS, Mariners:  It's like he alternates with monster numbers every other season, particularly for a shortstop. He doesn't have the year-to-year consistency like middle infielders Jose Altuve and teammate Robinson Cano, but Segura is still an electric player and one of the MLB's most valuable all-around shortstops.

73. Johnny Cueto, SP, Giants:  Having a bit of a down year, but has been one of the best and most consistent starting pitchers in the NL for quite some time.

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72. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals

71. Dellin Betances, RP, Yankees:  In terms of pure stuff, there's no question he's in the top 2 or 3 in the universe. If you genetically-engineered a pitcher in a lab, he wouldn't have better intangibles or attributes than this impressive kid. Just an absolute stud. 

70. Jacob deGrom, SP, Mets:  Has hit a rough patch of late, but has been one of the premier pitchers in the NL over a four-year span. His command hasn't been as sharp after his surgery. Arrow could be pointing downward. 

69. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Nationals:  Has suddenly regained his bat speed of about 10 years ago. Slim, fit and explosive. He's on that Joey Bats "lean" juice. Regardless of how he's doing it, he's a frontrunner for NL MVP. 

68. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays:  Could be trending downward. 

67. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies

66. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers:  One of my favorite players. Adrian plays with passion and confidence, one of the best possible combinations for a professional athlete. This vet was a born ballplayer. It's in his blood. 

65. Adam Jones, OF, Orioles

64. Chris Archer, SP, Rays:  Has elite stuff and an excellent strikeout rate, just needs to cut down on his walks and pitch into better luck. His ability indicates that he should be a top 50 player. 

63. Michael Fulmer, SP, Tigers: The reigning AL Rookie of the Year is off to a fantastic start to his big league career. No sophomore slump for this pure talent. 

62. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates:  Should be a top 50 all-around player, but I'm clearly punishing him for the PED suspension. We don't know exactly HOW much the drugs have helped him to this point in his young career. Arrow could go either way, depending on how he looks upon return. 

60. Brian Dozier, 2B, Twins

59. A.J. Pollock, OF, Diamondbacks:  Has the potential to be a top 25-30 player, just needs to stay on the field. 

58. Jose Bautista, OF, Blue Jays

57. George Springer, OF, Astros:  Has been a nice sparkplug for the best team in baseball. Just not quite as good as teammates Altuve and Correa. Springer's a fellow UConn Husky!

56. Hanley Ramirez, DH/Utility, Red Sox

55. Carlos Carrasco, SP, Indians:  In that same "stuff" category as Corey Knebel and Dellin Betances. Boasts absolutely vicious stuff. 

54. Khris Davis, OF, A's:  One of the elite pure power hitters now. 

53. Starlin Castro, 2B, Yankees:  Go ahead, be one of those people who thinks Theo Epstein is a genius and/or savior. Just remember that he LOVED Jason Heyward and could not wait to get rid of Castro, who is hitting .317 with 9 homers to Addison Russell's .209 and 3 homers. Castro's one of the best contact hitters in the game. 

52. Wil Myers, 1B, Padres:  Has found his comfort zone as San Diego's franchise player. 

51. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox:  Incredibly high at bat quality. Has a fantastic eye and uses all fields. Definitely learned a lot from Big Papi.

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50. Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers

49. Manny Machado, 3B, Orioles:  Having an absolutely brutal season. Take a look at his career stats -- he's not as good as you think. Top 5 defensive player, though.

48. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers

47. David Price, SP, Red Sox:  For the regular season, I'm a big David Price guy. Sure he's battled injury early on, but last year he led the AL with 230 innings pitched in his first season at Fenway. Price has thrown over 200 innings 7 times, while sporting a lifetime 3.21 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. He's pitched in the AL East his entire career, and is unquestionably one of the best pitchers of his generation. In the postseason, however, he struggles because he attacks the zone TOO often with his fastball. I love that strategy throughout the long regular season, but in the playoffs you have to change speeds, eye levels and hit spots. Price doesn't have enough finesse to dominate in the postseason. 

46. Dallas Keuchel, SP, Astros:  Dominant season, horrible season, dominant season. I don't like soft tossers, but he's probably the best in that category. 

45. Jon Lester, SP, Cubs

44. Lance McCullers, Jr., Astros:  Has superstar stuff with a command pitcher's finesse and location. Throws his wicked hammer on 2-0 and 3-1 counts with total confidence. A star on the rise. 

43. Aroldis Chapman, CP, Yankees

42. Corey Kluber, SP, Indians:  Still feeling some of the effects of wearing out his arm during a long, hard-fought run to the World Series. Kluber was a gutsy horse for Tito Francona. 

41. Craig Kimbrel, CP, Red Sox

40. Andrew Miller, RP, Indians:  Put him in to start the inning, or give him the ball with bases loaded and the game on the line; it doesn't matter. He's lights out no matter what the situation. Throws any pitch on any count and features the best lefty slider since Randy Johnson. 

39. Carlos Martinez, SP, Cardinals

38. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs:  Never hit more than 32 homers. Never hit higher than .292. He's a "name" player. Overrated to me.

37. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Marlins

36. Yu Darvish, SP, Rangers:  Are his "gyroball" and slider the same thing? Whatever those things are, they are friggin' nasty. Moves from behind a right-handed batter's back to 5 inches off the outside corner. Insanity. 

35. Kenley Jansen, CP, Dodgers:  Has always drawn comparisons to Mariano Rivera, and he's really starting to show that kind of consistency. Kenley's the best and most reliable closer in the game right now. 

34. Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers

33. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians:  Already one of my favorite players to watch, but he's becoming a bit overrated as far as his bat goes. .301 with 15 homers last year, .267 batting average this year. He's a fun player with a jaw-dropping glove, but let's not rush him into the top 10. 

32. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals

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31. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees:  A megastar in the making? I think so.

30. Jake Lamb, 3B, Diamondbacks:  An underrated stud the past two seasons. Look at his stats. 

29. Marcell Ozuna, OF, Marlins:  Becoming the mini Vladimir Guerrero. Has "found" it like Daniel Murphy, Freddie Freeman, J.D. Martinez and the player you'll see at No. 26. Some hitters reach a divine stage in their careers where the game just seems to slow down. Everything clicks. 

28. Jose Abreu, 1B, White Sox:  Model of consistency. A born hitter. 

27. Adam Duvall, OF, Reds:  Has emerged very similarly to Jake Lamb. 

26. Matt Kemp, OF, Braves:  Has been one of the best and most reliable hitters in baseball since joining the Braves midway through last year. Just knocking the cover off the ball. 

25. Edwin Encarnacion, 1B, Indians

24. Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants:  What an unfortunate injury. 

23. Noah Syndergaard, SP, Mets:  What an unfortunate injury. 

22. Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox:  Slowing down a bit this season, but I think he'll breakout into a major hot streak. 

21. J.D. Martinez, OF, Tigers:  Beast! Remember when the Astros let him go when they could barely win 50 games?

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20. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies

19. Daniel Murphy, 2B, Nationals:  I honestly need an entire column to discuss this guy. Miss you, Murph...f**k you, Sandy!

18. Robinson Cano, 2B, Mariners:  It's like the Mariners always have the sweetest swing in the game: Ken Griffey, Jr. and now Robbie. 

17. Buster Posey, C, Giants:  The Giants are an un-sexy team, but they've won three recent World Series and Posey is the heart-and-soul of the club. Clutch hitter, solid catcher, classy leader. Some aspects of value are completely intangible. 

16. Nelson Cruz, DH, Mariners:  The best pure power hitter in the MLB. A la Albert Belle, or Sammy Sosa to a lesser degree. 

15. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers:  Body is finally starting to break down. One of the greatest hitters of our generation, and probably of all time. 

14. Yoenis Cespedes, OF, Mets:  Was the most valuable player in the National League from 2015-2016, but has simply gotten too muscular. Yo-Yo is a showstopping all-around talent, but he needs to get back on the field and stay there. If he doesn't, he's heading out of my top 20. 

13. Carlos Correa, SS, Astros:  Will soon be joining Mike Trout and Bryce Harper at the top of the list. 

12. Josh Donaldson, 3B, Blue Jays

11. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves

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10. Joey Votto, 1B, Reds

9. Kris Bryant, 3B/OF, Cubs

8. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies

7. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros

6. Max Scherzer, SP, Nationals

5. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Diamondbacks

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4. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals

3. Chris Sale, SP, Red Sox

2. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers

1. Mike Trout, OF, Angels

I think the top 10 were pretty self-explanatory. Besides, this piece took wayyyy too long to research and write. Bring on the heated debates!!