The Baseball Review

With most teams having completed over a quarter of the 2009 Major League Baseball season, the temptation to pass judgement is just too strong to pass up. This has already been one of the most eventful years in Baseball history with headline-grabbing story after story on and off the field. Indeed, the events occurring beyond the diamond have often made it difficult to remember that Baseball was actually being played.

A brief review of what's taken place so far (deep breath required):

Worst Moment

3. Rick Ankiel hitting the wall - Anyone who saw the St. Louis outfielder collide with the wall in left-centre would have been scared for his safety. Fortunately, Ankiel suffered only a right shoulder contusion and should return to the field soon.

2. Empty seats in The Yankee's new ballpark - The new 'Mecca' of baseball is beautiful; full of new amenities and facilities whilst retaining the immense history of the old stadium, but high prices (up to $2,600 in the 'legends' suite) have kept fans away and to see empty seats behind home plate in the Bronx is a sore sight.

1. The steroid stories - Joint first place for two guys, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. J.C Romero was suspended for 50 games before the season started but his case was overshadowed, virtually forgotten when the A-bomb hit; A-Rod admitted to taking drugs while with the Rangers. A couple of months later, Manny was no longer just 'being Manny,' he had taken a substance to restart the body's natural testosterone production after a steroid cycle. His case was eerily similar to the stories we had heard in connection with Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi in the Balco scandal and despite professing his innocence, Ramirez was banned for 50 games. Baseball appeared to be beginning the long road back to absolution following the 'asterisk era' of widespread steroid use, but the sport has been rocked again by two of, if not the two, biggest stars linked to drugs. Even worse, this isn't the last we will hear about either of those cases or drugs in Baseball.

One more story that rocked the game but goes well beyond the realm of sport was the tragic death of Nick Adenhart. Adenhart, killed in a traffic accident by a drunk driver hours after pitching for the Angels, was a fine prospect and, at just 22, had a long career ahead of him. Such incidents deliver a sense of perspective, but through means that we all wish never occurred.

Best Moment

3. Jacoby Ellsbury steals home - Ellsbury is one of the quickest players in Baseball and a constant base stealing threat but he took that threat a step further against the Yankees on April 26th. With Boston 2-1 down and two outs in the fifth, Ellsbury was given a big lead on third by Angel Berroa and sped into home plate sending Red Sox nation into raptures.

2. Ian Kinsler hits for the cycle - Between April 13-17th, three players hit for the cycle but the edge goes to Ian Kinsler, going 6-6 with a HR on Jackie Robinson day. Jason Kubel and Orlando Hudson also achieved the feat, Hudson the first Dodger to do so in almost 40 years and Kubel completing the accomplishment with a Grand Slam but Kinsler's perfect night on one of Baseball's proudest days was most memorable.

1. The show goes on - Not so much a moment as a reaction. The Dodgers, Yankees and particularly the Angels have been stunned by the events of the season; the MLB itself has undergone a barrage of negative press and unfortunate incident. But the three teams in question have all responded well to tragedy and chaos, and the players on the diamond, particularly some of the young talent breaking through, are contributing to what should continue to be a very exciting season.

AL MVP

3. Kevin Youkilis - Only 97 at bats this year due to injury but the 'Youk' has fantastic numbers and has covered for the failings of David Ortiz. 6 HR, 21 RBI, a .402 BA and an OPS of, wait for it, 1.210 (which would rank 19th all time if he stayed at that level and ahead of any player still playing) while playing near perfect at first base.

2. Evan Longoria - Longoria could follow in the steps of Dustin Pedroia by winning the MVP the year after winning AL Rookie of the year. Longoria's team are slightly off the pace in the AL East, although most would expect them to turn that around, but the talented 3rd baseman has hit 11 HR and 46 RBI's already this season to go along with a .329 BA and a 1.026 OPS. Longoria has slowed a little as of late and needs to strikeout a little less but has become one of the most feared hitters in the AL.

1. Miguel Cabrera - The Detroit Tigers have surprised most people by leading the AL central with a 23-16 record and a major reason for that is the return to form of Cabrera. Miguel struggled to match the high standards he had set in Florida during his first year with the Tigers but this year he is hitting .381 with 8 HR, a 1.047 OPS and only 18 strike outs.

Victor Martinez is hitting .400, Jason Bay has 44 RBI's, Ian Kinsler seems to do everything well and all three are flying right now. At this stage in the season it is still very much guess work as to who can maintain their form until September.

NL MVP

3. Ryan Braun - The Brew crew are another surprise package but nobody has been surprised by the development of Braun. The outfielder has yet to make an error in left field, ever, and is setting career highs in OBP (.451) and BA (.326) to go along with 8 HR and 30 RBI.

2. Raul Ibanez - Easily the best pick-up of the off-season so far, Ibanez has powered the Phillies into top spot in the NL East. Ibanez has blazed 15 HR and 40 RBI already, coupled with a .349 BA and .724 SLG (1.134 OPS) and with Victorino and Rollins struggling, has helped carry the team.

1. Albert Pujols - Who else? Almost impossible to strike out and a gold glove caliber 1st baseman, Pujols has the Cards up with the leaders in the NL Central. Actually in a little 'slump' by his high standards he has 14 HR, 38 RBI, a .326 BA and a 1.105 OPS. Quite simply, he is the best hitter in the game.

Honourable mention at this stage must go to Adrian Gonzalez with 15HR, Ryan Zimmerman with a .353 BA and a 30-game hitting streak (hurt though by the Nats league worst 12-28 record) and Carlos Beltran and David Wright of the Mets, who always seems to be in the race.

AL Biggest Disappointment

David Ortiz - He hit his first HR last night but trails every other designated hitter at the moment with a .642 OPS. He is being tortured by fastballs right now, over-swinging and clearly not the man that hit 50+ HR a couple of seasons ago and a career .928 OPS. The fact that Boston are 25-16 without Ramirez and Ortiz, their two biggest bats of the last few years (and some suspect starting pitching) emphasise the form shown by the likes of Bay, Lowell, Ellsbury and Pedroia. B.J Upton should be looking over his shoulder.

NL Biggest Disappointment

Geovany Soto - The Cubs catcher, and last years NL Rookie of the Year, has regressed this year about as far as his AL award counterpart, Longoria, has flourished. The Cubs have been inconsistent so far this year and perhaps teammate Milton Bradley should shoulder as much of the blame but Soto set the barometer so high last year as a rookie that he bears a great level of responsibility already. a lowly .206 BA and just the one homer at this stage are well below par however the likes of Brian Giles (.161 BA, 2 HR) and Jimmy Rollins (.275 OBP with no power) are very, very close to surpassing Soto's futility.

AL Cy Young

Zach Greinke - Arguably the MVP of the league at this stage, Greinke has been close to unhittable this year. 9 games, 7 wins, Only 6 Earned Runs, 4 Complete Games, 2 Shutouts, a 0.82 ERA and no HR. The young man has phenomenal stats, great presence on the mound and has kept the Royals in the race for the pennant. Roy Halladay, with 8 wins and a 2.78 ERA has been excellent but there is no looking past Greinke.

NL Cy Young

Johan Santana - Already a 2-time Cy Young Award winner, Santana has quashed all the talk that he was slowing down as he reached 30. This year he has recorded a 1.38 ERA and would have had more than 5 wins in his 8 starts if the Mets could provide the level of run support they average with their other pitchers and far fewer errors. Wandy Rodriguez, Jair Jurrjens and Chad Billingsley have all started well and will be on Santana's heels if he slips.

Rarely are closers in the hunt for the Cy Young but the performances of Trevor Hoffman (11 Saves, 0 ERA), Frank Francisco (9 Saves, 0 ERA), Heath Bell (11 Saves, 0.50 ERA), K-Rod (11 Saves, 0.92 ERA) and Jonathon Papelbon (11 Saves, 0.95 ERA) have all been impressive. Not one blown Save between this group.

AL Surprise Team

Toronto Blue Jays - Nobody really saw Texas or Detroit challenging atop their divisions but the Blue Jays MLB best 27 wins at this stage have them ahead of most peoples top 3 AL teams; the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays. The most Runs, Hits, RBI's and the highest BA in the AL, to go along with the second lowest ERA, and most strikeouts. Halladay, their one bonafide superstar, aside, the team has seen big contribution by Aaron Hill (.351 BA, 11 HR) and Marco Scutaro (.406 OBP, 5 HR) and together they have formed one of the most dependable infields in the Majors (The team are third in fielding percentage also). But can they keep it up? I'm not sure they have the talent of last years Rays they just got swept by the Sox but who knows.

NL Surprise Team

Milwaukee Brewers - Everybody thought that the loss of two of the games premier pitchers at the end of last season would take this team out of playoff reckoning but they have shown that they're more than just C.C Sabathia's (and Ben Sheets') arm last year. 2nd in Home Runs (in Braun, Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks they have three young, powerful hitters) and 4th in OBP in the NL tells part of the story but this team's success has been built on pitching; the second lowest ERA in the league on the back of Dave Bush (3-0, 3.74 ERA) and Yovani Gallardo (4-2, 3.83 ERA) plus their three other starters have ERA's well under 5. The aforementioned Trevor Hoffman hasn't hurt either.

The Pennant Race to watch

Anything but the NL West it seems. The NL East and AL Central will provide another dogfight and the AL West and NL Central could spring a surprise but it has to be the AL East. Nobody saw the Blue Jays coming but add them to the mix with Boston, a resurgent New York and Tampa Bay (and a young Orioles team with two of the most exciting young players in Baseball - Nick Markakis and Adam Jones) and it will be must-see television.