Which player would you build a team around today, that could contend for years. Adam Jones? Evan Longoria? Josh Hamilton? Pujols? Mauer? I know I'm forgetting some, so if there is more add more.
I'm picking Evan Longoria. He turns 24 in October and he has already proven to be an offensive nightmare. Tampa was smart with their contract, locking him up for 6 years or w/e it was. When it is over, I wonder if they'll pay him the money he'll command on the market. He'll still be relatively young when his deal expires and if he stays healthy and continues to produce, he'll be a top player in baseball.
My choice has to be Joe Mauer since catcher is such an important position. There aren't many bats like his that play catcher, or as experienced that he is at his age. Not only is he a great player, but Mauer is one of those players that are likable and are easy to market.
The Homer in me wants to say Verlander, becouse you need a good, dominate ace. Becouse well Lincicom is better ill say him, becouse he is a good, dominate ace.
I completely forgot about pitchers. I was using this was offense only. I'll add one for pitching. Give me some names to throw up there. Verlander - Strasburg - Joba - Lincecum - Kershaw - Weaver
He's only what? 21? He's strung together a nice batch of games lately. The potential is there. I hate him and I think he'll be a failure ;]
I would go with Evan Longoria because 3B is a premium position and he is under team control til around 2014-15. Joe Mauer is a free agent in a year, and Albert Pujols is great but going to be very expensive and has a few years left of in his prime. Jay Bruce would be my 2nd, then Lincecum, then Jones.
Yeah, take out Joba. Dude is overrated needs to be thrown in the bullpen. There is a lot of young pitchers to build around, no specific order Lincecum Cain Kershaw Verlander Lester Billingsley Weaver
pujols = 29. he's much better than longoria and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. until someone passes up pujols, he's got to be the answer. i mean .280, 18 hr, 70 rbi doesn't exactly come close to .333, 34 hr, 90 rbi.
You're crazy if you think I'm discrediting Pujols, but no way I'm picking him now to build an lineup that I want to contend for years. Pujols is amazing, by far the best player in baseball, but I don't like the age...especially when looking at Longo's age.
Pujols. He's in the midst of his prime now but can deliver 6-8 or so more yrs of this. That is unless of course, it turns out he's older than we all think. Been some questions about that. But I'd go with Longoria next after that. Or if you take Pujols out of it. As far as pitchers, Lester comes to mind first. But I don't get the hate for Kershaw. Powering throwing lefty? He has the tools, and like mentioned, he's only 21 and only been up a yr, yr and a half? I think he can be up there. He's 8-5 with 2.95 era, Bat avg against is 193, and he's barely scratched the surface of what he can do. It'll be interesting to see if Lincecum can keep up with that delivery and for how small he is. I like Cain, too. Honestly, not sure if you could go wrong with a lot of them.
