List of top 100 performers in the game – MLB 2012 Update - Part 22
41. Hanley Ramirez
It is quite amazing to note that one good season can make a lot difference to the career of a baseball player. Surrounded in controversy, Hanley Ramirez struggled to achieve desired results in the 2010 season (a career .306 average and .886 OPS).
Despite hitting 21 home-runs with 76 RBI’s, 32 SB and .853 OPS, Ramirez was not happy with his efforts considering the high standard he sets for himself.
The 2011 season was also a forgettable one for the striker as he missed most of the games due to health and fitness issues. His inconsistency and childish behaviour didn’t help the cause either and he was the subject of criticism for most part of the year.
To be honest, the player has an awful attitude as he struggles to get along with his team-mates and the team manager. He handled his benching at the hands of Fredi Gonzalez in a disgraceful manner.
Furthermore, his reported displeasure at the Marlins signing a contract with Jose Reyes was also something to be ashamed of. It will not be wrong to say that he is a great individual performer but not a team player.
However, when he is fully fit and healthy, Ramirez is a treat to watch as he is the most complete and gifted player in the game right now. I hope that he will work on his behaviour to put a stop to his silly ways in time. If he can concentrate on his game
play than anything else, he can surely register his name in the list of potential Hall of Famers.
"I'm sorry that all this got so ugly. My intent was not to cause a distraction," Ramirez told ESPNdeportes.com in an interview. "I'm sorry that things got this heated. The team, the fans don't deserve it.”
"We are all professionals here and we're pulling for the same side. I'll try to close this chapter and focus on playing baseball," Ramirez added.
"He told us he was sorry and he was wrong ... and he wouldn't let it happen again," team-mate Wes Helms said. "Doing it that way is a lot easier than doing it front of a whole crowd.”
42. Matt Cain
Improving himself with every passing game in Major League Baseball, Matt Cain has established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. His consistent performances also helped the San Francisco Giants return to relevance the past few seasons.
Teaming up with staff ace Tim Lincecum, he formed a desirable one-two punch in the 2011 season. Cain produced match winning performances as he went on to achieve his career best stats with a 2.88 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 1.08 WHIP and 5.2 WAR.
Cain had shown a glimpse of his immense talent since he joined MLB. Topping 31 starts in his first six seasons goes on to prove that he is durable and reliable.
Although his career GB is a mere 37.2 percent, he gets a healthy amount of his outs in the air, taking advantage of the spacious outfield in AT&T Park. The Giants will be hoping to keep him for the entire next season in hopes of supporting their offence.
Continued in Part 23
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