TOP 10 THIRD BASEMEN

Each year the MLB Network presents the "Top 10 Right Now" series, looking at the best players at each position headed into each season. They usually have multiple analysts break down their own top 10's for each position, as well as "The Shredders" top 10. "The Shredder" is the MLB Network's research department algorithm based on player performance, which accounts for both offense and defense. After watching most of these "Top 10 Right Now" and disagreeing with most of the positions, I figured I would give my opinion. I will give "The Shredders" top 10, followed by the hosts Brian Kenny's top 10, another analyst top 10 and then my personal top 10 for each position.

The position that will be looked at is Third Basemen. Like I said in a previous article, this may be the most stacked position in baseball. There are MVPs, All-Stars, and defensive wizards at this position. It use to be guys like Evan Longoria or David Wright that took over the position. Now we have young stars like Kris Bryant, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Nolan Arenado and the list goes on and on. Third base is so stacked that some of the top 100 players in the game get left out of the list. 

10. Anthony Rendon - Washington Nationals. The one thing I like about Rendon is that he looks like he's having fun every day he takes the field. Always looks like he is still a kid and seems to a best buddy thing going on with Trea Turner. But, he's not on this list because of how much fun he has, he's on the list because of his baseball skills. Rendon jumped onto the scene in 2014 and pushed the Nationals franchise player to first base and Rendon was seen as the best Nationals player. Well in 2015 he came back to life with an injury plagued season. But, in 2016 Rendon was back to being the player he bursted onto the scene to be. At this point, Rendon looks like the player that can be count on to hit 20+ home runs, 80+ RBI's, 15+ steals, hit around .280 or higher and be an excellent, versatile fielder. There's a theme here but he's another one of the five tool players that I think deserve to be in the top 10 of any position. 

9. Jake Lamb - Arizona Diamondbacks. I think many West Coast teams don't get the attention they need and it hurts some of the players credibility. It took Paul Goldschmidt years of being a stud for him to get recognition. I feel Jake Lamb gets the same treatment where he has to climb an uphill battle to get the respect he deserves. I think because I watch so many games where the Giants and Diamondbacks play, I've seen how good Jake Lamb is. I think Lamb is a top 10 third basemen in the league. Lamb is a power hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks with great defense and will only continue to get better.

8. Justin Turner - Los Angeles Dodgers. Turner has become a steal for the Dodgers. He was the utility infielder turned into everyday third base All-Star once he joined the Dodgers. Last year he hit .275/.339 and parked 27 home runs with 90 RBI. As great as Adrian Gonzalez or Joc Pederson or Yasiel Puig is, Corey Seager and Justin Turner were the heartbeat of this offense. Both of them were the MVPs of the Dodgers and they helped themselves by signing this guy to a longer deal.

7. Evan Longoria - Tampa Bay Rays. Longoria is a great example of somebody who has set the bar so high for himself throughout his career that when he has one season that dips below his All-Star game, everybody writes him off. Last year during MLB Networks top 10 third basemen, not one guy had Longoria on their top 10. He was written off as an aging player who keeps getting hurt and his best years were behind him. Since 2013 the least amount of games he's played is 160. The least amount of home runs he's hit was 21 and people wrote him off. In 2010 when the Rays made the playoffs, Longoria only hit 22 home runs and knocked in 104 RBI's but he was looked at as a possible MVP. Turner has hit 20+ home runs once in his career and he's gotten praise. I get it, these are the top 10 third basemen right now and not about their career, but when I look at Longoria's stats and predict his 2017 season, I'm pretty confident we will see 25+ home runs and 90 RBI's and now play 160 games or more. And those numbers would make him a top 10 third basemen. Plus he can make these catches and save reporters lives, haha.

6. Kyle Seager - Seattle Mariners. The older brother of LA's Corey Seager, Kyle has proven himself time and time again in the big leagues. He's another consistent and durable third basemen for the Seattle Mariners. Every year since 2012 he has hit over 20 home runs, over 150 hits each year and played less than 158 games only once. He plays great defense and is able to knock balls out of the park in Seattle, one of the toughest hitting parks. Seager is going to overlooked by his brother the rest of his career, but the older brother is still a great baseball player.

5. Adrian Beltre - Texas Rangers. Adrian Beltre is like a fine wine, he gets better with age. He's 37 years old and still plays the game like he's 25. The future Hall of Famer can still hit balls out of the park while swinging on one knee and knock in 90 RBI's probably blindfolded. For the 6th straight year he's been one of the top MVP vote getters. He's the backbone to the Rangers organization and continues to prove he can do it at whatever age he is, just don't touch his head.

4. Manny Machado - Baltimore Orioles. Machado is set to make a lot of money in a couple years when he becomes a free agent. The slick fielding third basemen feels like he's been in the league forever, but is only 24 years old. The last two years it has seemed that he has put everything together, with fielding, power, average and longevity. At any other position Machado may be number 1 or 2 at the position but because third base is so stacked the top 5 MVP finalist sinks down to 4 for me.

3. Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs. The reigning NL MVP, Bryant led the Cubs to their first title since the wheel was invented. The reason I have Bryant at number 3 instead of number 1 is because of the hype he gets. I'll admit that Bryant could be the next Buster Posey, winning all these awards and leading their team to multiple World Series championships, but because its Chicago and the story of the Cubs never winning, because of that his popularity increased like no tomorrow. I think he is as good as the next two guys, but baseball is a team sport and Im not going to give Bryant the nod over the other because his team is built better.

2. Nolan Arenado - Colorado Rockies. Arenado gets zero respect from writers or analysts, mainly because he plays in Colorado. They think he gets the advantage because he's playing in higher altitude. I'm sorry but its like golf, if you are a scratch golfer and play the white tees, you may have the advantage but you still have to hit those shots and make the putts. People who play the white tees that can shoot even from the black tees, don't start shooting 59s. The same for baseball. Its not Arenado's fault that he plays 81 games in Colorado, but he makes the most of it and his stats are unreal. I mean no body talks about Machado having a small ballpark in Baltimore, but he makes the most of it. In the past two years Arenado has had 83 home runs and 263 RBI's in 317 games. His stats are about the same on the road that they are at home. And I don't know if I've ever seen a better defensive third basemen that Nolan Arenado. If this guy were playing anywhere else he would have multiple MVP awards.

1. Josh Donaldson - Toronto Bue Jays. The 2015 MVP is still the best third basemen in the league. Donaldson basically just repeated his 2015 AL MVP Award-winning season with a fantastic line of .284/.404 and 37 homers to go with plus defense. Donaldson's been in Toronto for only two years, and he's already basically the most valuable third baseman in Blue Jays history.

MLB

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Written by

nordbyjordan

Ground Jordan

Baseball advocate and sports nut, I don't have air like Jordan.

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