August, 2009
Our most recent Top 200 list was supposed to be unveiled in July of 2007. Perhaps it is a testament to what a task ranking the top 200 players of all time can be that it took over two years beyond the purported release date to bring you this list. And even with over two years of extra time, there are still guys on the list we aren't happy with.
Amazing.
So, here they finally are - the Top 200 Lists of 2007, er, 2009. Open up, devour, digest, and enjoy.
The Steroid Era has robbed baseball fans of many heroes. The latest of the National Pastime's fallen heroes was not outed for performance-enhancing use, however. Josh Hamilton, who at this time last year was the Prodigal Son who could do nothing wrong, relapsed to his self-abusive ways and is no longer even an asset on the field. Baseball is not the place to find a hero, writes Gregory.
The Pirates have spent the past 15 years overpaying for marginal free-agents and signing their underwhelming homegrown talent to huge multi-year deals after they are past their primes. Then they run out of money because they are a small-market team with an unsupportive fan base and settle for a 70-win season.
Now they are trying a different approach; trading all of the bad contracts from the previous regime and even some players signed to reasonable contracts while those players are at their highest value. A seemingly sound strategy (though try telling frustrated/ignorant Pirates fans that), but only if they are able to get some talent in return.
So how did the Pirates do in their many deals this summer? With prospects involved, it's always hard to judge right away. But not impossible.
This was not only the most active trade deadline in recent memory, but also the most significant. Because of the World Baseball Classic, all of these deadline acquisitions will have an extra week with which to impact their new clubs. With so many playoff races decided by a game or two these days, that extra week with a Cliff Lee or a Victor Martinez could make a world of difference.
So who were the winners and who were the losers? Keith takes a stab at evaluating the major deadline deals, and then Asher gives his take.
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