MLB Network’s “Top 10 Right Now” Rankings Entering 2014

Each year I compile MLB Network’s “Top 100 Players Right Now” which airs annually before the regular season begins.

This year, I decided to supplement those rankings by giving you a place to find all of the Top 10 Right Now positional rankings as well.

I’ll add to this post as the episodes air on MLB Network over the next few weeks.

On Friday, January 10, 2014 the rankings for both Centerfielders and Shortstops were revealed. (See them below.) On Friday, January 17th both Starting Pitchers and Right Fielders were unveiled. Friday, January 24th brought us Left Fielders and First Basemen. Relief Pitchers and Second Basemen were revealed on Friday, January 31st.

Catchers and Third Basemen will be revealed on Friday, February 7th, so look for a couple more Brewers to make it.

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Centerfielders Right Now”

1. Mike Trout — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2. Andrew McCutchen — Pittsburgh Pirates
3. Carlos Gonzalez — Colorado Rockies
4. Jacoby Ellsbury — New York Yankees
5. Matt Kemp — Los Angeles Dodgers
6. Carlos Gomez — Milwaukee Brewers
7. Austin Jackson — Detroit Tigers
8. Adam Jones — Baltimore Orioles
9. Dexter Fowler — Houston Astros
10. Coco Crisp — Oakland Athletics

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Centerfielders was Darryl Hamilton. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Trout, McCutchen, Ellsbury, Gomez, Gonzalez, Jackson, Jones, Kemp, Desmond Jennings (TB), Leonys Martin (TEX)

James: Trout, McCutchen, Jones, Ellsbury, Gomez, Gonzalez, Jackson, Michael Bourn (CLE), Jennings, Denard Span (WAS)

Hamilton: Trout, McCutchen, Jones, Ellsbury, Gomez, Kemp, Jackson, Crisp, Gonzalez, Bourn

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Shortstops Right Now”

1. Troy Tulowitzki — Colorado Rockies
2. Jose Reyes — Toronto Blue Jays
3. Hanley Ramirez — Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Jhonny Peralta — St. Louis Cardinals
5. Jean Segura — Milwaukee Brewers
6. Ian Desmond — Washington Nationals
7. Elvis Andrus — Texas Rangers
8. Andrelton Simmons — Atlanta Braves
9. J.J. Hardy — Baltimore Orioles
10. Alcides Escobar — Kansas City Royal

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Shortstops was Bill Ripken. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Tulowitzki, Ramirez, Reyes, Desmond, Andrus, Peralta, Derek Jeter (NYY), Simmons, Segura, Everth Cabrera (SD)

James: Tulowitzki, Hardy, Reyes, Jed Lowrie (OAK), Simmons, Andrus, Segura, Ramirez, Erick Aybar (LAA), Escobar

Ripken: Tulowitzki, Ramirez, Hardy, Simmons, Desmond, Segura, Stephen Drew (FA), Lowrie, Andrus, Reyes

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Staring Pitchers Right Now”

1. Clayton Kershaw — Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Cliff Lee — Philadelphia Phillies
3. Felix Hernandez — Seattle Mariners
4. Chris Sale — Chicago White Sox
5. Jose Fernandez — Miami Marlins
6. David Price — Tampa Bay Rays
7. Hisashi Iwakuma — Seattle Mariners
8. Adam Wainwright — St. Louis Cardinals
9. Justin Verlander — Detroit Tigers
10. Max Scherzer — Detroit Tigers

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Starting Pitchers was John Smoltz. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Kershaw, Verlander, Lee, Hernandez, Wainwright, Yu Darvish (TEX), Scherzer, Fernandez, Madison Bumgarner (SF), Sale

James: Kershaw, Scherzer, Lee, Wainwright, Verlander, Zack Greinke (LAD), Sale, Jered Weaver (LAA), Hernandez, Darvish

Smoltz: Kershaw, Fernandez, Hernandez, Scherzer, Darvish, Verlander, Jon Lester (BOS), Stephen Strasburg (WAS), Wainwright, Price

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Right Fielders Right Now”

1. Yasiel Puig — Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Ryan Braun — Milwaukee Brewers
3. Jose Bautista — Toronto Blue Jays
4. Giancarlo Stanton — Miami Marlins
5. Allen Craig — St. Louis Cardinals
6. Carlos Beltran — New York Yankees
7. Jayson Werth — Washington Nationals
8. Shane Victorino — Boston Red Sox
9. Hunter Pence — San Francisco Giants
10. Jason Heyward — Atlanta Braves

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Right Fielders was Mark DeRosa. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Braun, Stanton, Puig, Heyward, Werth, Bautista, Craig, Jay Bruce (CIN), Wil Myers (TB), Pence

James: Braun, Bruce, Stanton, Heyward, Pence, Bautista, Victorino, Beltran, Puig, Torii Hunter (DET)

DeRosa: Beltran, Stanton, Bautista, Werth, Craig, Pence, Bruce, Hunter, Puig, Michael Cuddyer (COL)

You read that correctly. Mark DeRosa doesn’t Ryan Braun in his Top 10 Right Fielders Right Now despite Brian Kenny and Bill James both ranking Braun #1 and the Shredder ranking him second. DeRosa says Braun “should be 1” but since he has to earn back the respect of fans, his teammates, etc. DeRosa “hopes” he comes back and performs and is #1 next year, but he couldn’t discount other guys.

As for the Shredder, Brian Kenny said he was shocked not only that Braun wasn’t first but that Puig was. I’m guessing Braun was dinged by the Shredder for how many games he missed last year. That’ll happen in an algorithm.

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Left Fielders Right Now”

1. Matt Holliday — St. Louis Cardinals
2. Bryce Harper — Washington Nationals
3. Alex Gordon — Kansas City Royals
4. Justin Upton — Atlanta Braves
5. Shin-Soo Choo — Texas Rangers
6. Starling Marte — Pittsburgh Pirates
7. Daniel Nava — Boston Red Sox
8. Carlos Quentin — San Diego Padres
9. Josh Hamilton — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
10. Brett Gardner — New York Yankees

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Left Fielders was Eric Byrnes. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Harper, Choo, Holliday, Marte, Upton, Gordon, Gardner, Yoenis Cespedes (OAK), Domonic Brown (PHI), Khris Davis (MIL)

James: Choo, Holliday, Gordon, Gardner, Nava, Harper, Upton, Brown, Cespedes, Hamilton

Byrnes: Holliday, Harper, Upton, Choo, Alfonso Soriano (NYY), Gordon, Marte, Hamilton, Nava, Brown

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 First Basemen Right Now”

1. Miguel Cabrera — Detroit Tigers
2. Joey Votto — Cincinnati Reds
3. Paul Goldschmidt — Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Adrian Gonzalez — Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Joe Mauer — Minnesota Twins
6. Mike Napoli — Boston Red Sox
7. Chris Davis — Baltimore Orioles
8. Freddie Freeman — Atlanta Braves
9. Prince Fielder — Texas Rangers
10. Edwin Encarnacion — Toronto Blue Jays

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the First Basemen was Sean Casey. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Cabrera, Votto, Goldschmidt, Freeman, Mauer, Fielder, Davis, Encarnacion, Brandon Belt (SF), Ad. Gonzalez

James: Cabrera, Goldschmidt, Votto, Davis, Mauer, Freeman, Encarnacion, Ad. Gonzalez, Napoli, Eric Hosmer (KC)

Casey: Cabrera, Votto, Goldschmidt, Freeman, Davis, Fielder, Ad. Gonzalez, Mauer, Albert Pujols (LAA), Encarnacion

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Relief Pitchers Right Now”

1. Koji Uehara — Boston Red Sox
2. Craig Kimbrel — Atlanta Braves
3. Kenley Jansen — Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Greg Holland — Kansas City Royals
5. Joe Nathan — Detroit Tigers
6. Aroldis Chapman — Cincinnati Reds
7. David Robertson — New York Yankees
8. Glen Perkins — Minnesota Twins
9. Luis Avilan — Atlanta Braves
10. Joaquin Benoit — San Diego Padres

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode also provides three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Relief Pitchers was Dan Plesac. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Kimbrel, Holland, Jansen, Chapman, Uehara, Trevor Rosenthal (STL), Perkins, Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon (PHI), Benoit

James: Kimbrel, Jansen, Chapman, Uehara, Holland, Nathan, Papelbon, Perkins, Rosenthal, Mark Melancon (PIT)

Plesac: Kimbrel, Holland, Chapman, Uehara, Jansen, Nathan, Jim Johnson (OAK), Perkins, Jason Grilli (PIT), Rex Brothers (COL)

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now”

1. Robinson Cano -Seattle Mariners
2. Dustin Pedroia — Boston Red Sox
3. Ben Zobrist — Tampa Bay Rays
4. Jason Kipnis — Cleveland Indians
5. Chase Utley — Philadelphia Phillies
6. Ian Kinsler — Detroit Tigers
7. Howie Kendrick — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
8. Neil Walker — Pittsburgh Pirates
9. Aaron Hill — Arizona Diamondbacks
10. Marco Scutaro — San Francisco Giants

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode will apparently also provide three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Second Basemen was Harold Reynolds. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Cano, Pedroia, Kipnis, Utley, Hill, Zobrist, Kendrick, Kinsler, Walker, Omar Infante (KC)

James: Cano, Pedroia, Zobrist, Kipnis, Utley, Brandon Phillips (CIN), Kinsler, Infante, Jose Altuve (HOU), Kendrick

Reynolds: Cano, Pedroia, Phillips, Kipnis, Kendrick, Utley, Kinsler, Scutaro, Infante, Walker

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Third Basemen Right Now”

1. Adrian Beltre — Texas Rangers
2. David Wright — New York Mets
3. Matt Carpenter — St. Louis Cardinals
4. Evan Longoria — Tampa Bay Rays
5. Josh Donaldson — Oakland Athletics
6. Pablo Sandoval — San Francisco Giants
7. Aramis Ramirez — Milwaukee Brewers
8. Ryan Zimmerman — Washington Nationals
9. Chase Headley — San Diego Padres
10. Manny Machado — Baltimore Orioles

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode will apparently also provide three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Third Basemen was Mike Lowell. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Wright, Longoria, Beltre, Carpenter, Donaldson, Machado, Zimmerman, Headley, Kyle Seager (SEA), Martin Prado (ARI)

James: Longoria, Beltre, Wright, Carpenter, Zimmerman, Headley, Machado, Prado, Donaldson, Seager

Lowell: Beltre, Longoria, Wright, Machado, Donaldson, Ramirez, Headley, Carpenter, Zimmerman, Pedro Alvarez (PIT)

Neither Brian Kenny or Bill James included Aramis Ramirez in their personal Top 10.

Best line of the show? Kenny asked James why he put Longoria over Beltre and Wright. James’ response: “Probably fear.” He then admitted that he might be biased by working for the Red Sox.

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MLB Network’s “Top 10 Catchers Right Now”

1. Yadier Molina — St. Louis Cardinals
2. Buster Posey — San Francisco Giants
3. Salvador Perez — Kansas City Royals
4. Carlos Santana — Cleveland Indians
5. Jason Castro — Houston Astros
6. Jonathan Lucroy — Milwaukee Brewers
7. Carlos Ruiz — Philadelphia Phillies
8. Miguel Montero — Arizona Diamondbacks
9. Wilin Rosario — Colorado Rockies
10. Wilson Ramos — Washington Nationals

The rankings above are from MLB Network’s “Shredder” which takes into account a multitude of statistical factors with no human bias. Each episode will apparently also provide three additional lists: One from Brian Kenny, one from Bill James, and one from an MLB Network analyst, who for the Catchers was Dave Valle. Here are their individual Top 10's.

Kenny: Posey, Molina, Santana, Brian McCann (NYY), Perez, Lucroy, Castro, Ruiz, Russell Martin (PIT), Montero

James: Posey, Molina, Perez, A.J. Pierzynski (BOS), Matt Wieters (BAL), Santana, Rosario, McCann, Lucroy, Jarrod Saltalamacchia (MIA)

Valle: Molina, Perez, Posey, Wieters, Ramos, Martin, McCann, A.J. Ellis (LAD), Lucroy, Castro

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So there you have it. All 10 positions worth ranking in MLB by the Shredder and the MLB Network personalities.

There are five Brewers among the 100 names listed by The Shredder. They are: Carlos Gomez (CF, 6th), Jean Segura (SS, 5th), Ryan Braun (RF, 2nd), Aramis Ramirez (3B, 7th), and Jonathan Lucroy (C, 6th)