[zybar]

Now that we are quickly approaching the end of the decade, how about a little talk about who were the best baseball players over the past 10 seasons?

Here is a link to a list over at ESPN by Rob Neyer (good baseball writer) that got me thinking about this topic:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=4740695


My top five??

1.  Pujols (nobody has had a better start to their career in the modern era)
2.  Bonds (juice or no juice, nobody has EVER put together 5 seasons like Barry did from 2000-2004)
3.  A-Rod (30+ HR's and 100+ RBI's each and every year of the decade)
4.  Ichiro (2000+ hits in the decade and 200+ hits a season since he started in 2001)
5.  Jeter (only trails Ichiro in hits for the decade - best overall shortstop for the decade)

George

[Dan Banquer]

No list would be complete without Curt Schilling, or Pedro Martinez.
Take that you Yankee fan!
d.b.

[Lyndon]

George,
I'm with you on Pujols, but am saddened by the money.  St. Louis can't compete with the Yankees concerning money, George.  Pujols is frustrated with the lack of talent (mainly pitching) around him and has implied that if the front office doesn't open the bank, he may sign a contract to opt out soon, if they don't.
I think it is a sad shame that the smaller markets can't compete, and keep their stars.
Lyndon

[bpape]

Agreed.  As a St. Louis fan, I don't want to see him go.  I think he'll stay as long as he thinks the management is trying.  Holliday was a nice addition.  Now they picked up Brad Penny (not a Cy Younger but a vast improvement).  The one thing that's helping keep him here is Yadi Molina - and the best fans in baseball 

Bryan

[doorman]

The salary cap that the NFL/NHL have adopted makes small market teams competitive. Seems like it's the usual suspects in MLB who land most of the high priced help. Too bad--
Don

[sts9fan]

Good luck with Brad Penny...

[Lyndon]

+1 on the fans, Bryan.
My girlfriend in Beardstown, Illinois, had to look hard to find me a St. Louis Cardinal throw blanket.  The town is
a rotten Chicago Cub haven.   You mention Ernie Banks, and they all kneel like that scene in Mel Brooks
'Blazing Saddles' when someone mentions "You'd do it for Randolph Scott!"

[drphoto]

Another nod to the St. Louis fans. They love their Cards, but they love baseball and know the game. Hell, they'll applaud a great play by an opponent.

[turkey]

Surindip Barghava