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Since David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez parted ways last summer, there has been a void left throughout baseball. Who was now the best 1-2 punch in the league?Here lies the beauty of baseball, one question can warrant a wide variety of in intelligent yet debatable answers.
"The Brewers are proof of that this season as Braun and Fielder have
flat-out carried the team. They have become the major leagues’ best run-producers in the 3-4 spots and their consistency is the biggest reason Milwaukee remains in playoff contention at midseason despite shaky starting pitching and slumping hitters elsewhere in the lineup.
“It’s been tremendous,” said third base coach Brad Fischer, who is in his first year with the Brewers. “It’s been fun to watch those two guys.”
Indeed, Braun and Fielder are the top 3-4 combination in the game this season. They’ve been better than Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees, Joe Mauer and Jason Morneau in Minnesota, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in Philadelphia and Albert Pujols and anybody in St. Louis."
Is it Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau? Jim Leyland thinks so.
"Ask Detroit's Jim Leyland what he thinks of Twins first baseman Justin Morneau and catcher Joe Mauer, who wore out his pitching staff as his team lost two out of three here, and the Tigers manager says: "It's probably the best back-to-back tandem of anyone in baseball.
"I think Minnesota has two of the top 10 players in all of baseball, Mauer and Morneau. I think, if people said name me your top 10 players in all of baseball, I think Mauer and Morneau would be in the top 10. I think Mauer probably in the top five and Morneau in the top 10."
For my money, I would take Mauer and Morneau as the best 1-2 punch in the league. Even though Mauer isn't known as a big time power hitter, his ability to hit for average and get on base is ridiculous. And as for Morneau, the dude can flat out rake. He is one of the best power hitters in baseball and in my eyes, ridiculously underrated.
By the way, we can't sleep on Chase Utley and Ryan Howard from Philadelphia or Mark Teixeira and A-Rod from the Yankees. Both of those combos, when healthy, are pretty damn good in their own right.
Thoughts?
7 comments:
If healthy, I'd still like ARod and Tex. Average, OBP, and power for each of them. And one's a switch-hitter.
Beltran and Wright would be another if healthy as both even add speed (as long as Wright's power comes back).
Out of the two you mention, I'd probably still go Braun/Fielder because they are so young and guaranteed to hit for power, unlike Mauer who you just can't be sure of.
I think A-Rod and Teixeira are the best hitting combo, and if you take defense into account, I think they are the most complete pair.
pujols and derosa. 100%
Tony Pena and Tag Hulett.
Ron,
I'm suprised you didn't go with Dayton Moore and Trey Hillman. That's quite the tandem!
And I definitely think Wright/Beltran have the potential to be the best, but I'm so frustrated by the Mets right now that I can't fathom putting those two in this group.
Anon: I'd go with Jason LaRue's beard and Ryan Franklin's underbeard thing...
jorgesaysno:
i would go with pujols and your sister. pujols is the greatest of all time and no one can compare with his numbers in every one of his major league seasons.
larue and franklin's beards are entertaining and just another reason to love the cards.
Anon: Your statement would be 100% true if I had a sister. But I'm sure Pujols and my non existent sister are still are pretty damn good 1-2 punch.
And how about some love for Rick Ankiel's short lived stashe at the beginning of the season? That made Cardinals baseball entertaining for me!
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