1. Josh Hamilton, Rangers:
Josh Hamilton won the AL MVP and helped Texas earn a berth in the World Series in 2010. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
2010 statistics: .359 batting average, 32 homers, 100 RBIs, .411 on-base percentage, .633 slugging percentage, 1.044 OPS, eight stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: Staying healthy is a concern. Even last year when he won the AL MVP, he played in just 133 games. Still, expect him to hit 30 or more homers and drive in 100 runs.
Hamilton by the numbers: Won the 2010 American League MVP by leading the AL in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. … Was named an All-Star each of the past three seasons. … Won a Silver Slugger award in 2008 and 2010. … Led the AL in RBIs (130) and total bases (331) in 2008. That year, he bashed 32 homers and hit for a .304 batting average and a .371 on-base percentage. … Batted just .190 during the 2010 postseason, but he did hit five home runs in 16 games.
Fast Fact: He was drafted by Tampa Bay first overall in the 1999 amateur draft. … Click here to read article told by Hamilton on overcoming his drug addiction. ... Also, check out this USA Today story.
2. Carl Crawford, Red Sox:
New Boston Red Sox left fielder Carl Crawford stole 47 bases and hit .307 with 19 homers and 90 RBIs in 2010. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
2010 statistics: .307 batting average, 19 homers, 90 RBIs, .356 on-base percentage, .495 slugging percentage, .851 OPS, 47 stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: His career numbers at Fenway Park aren’t great, but it is a small sample size. Expect him to power the ball to the opposite field off the Green Monster and bat for a .315 average. Also, expect him hit around 10 to 15 homers and and to steal 50 bases.
Crawford by the numbers: Four-time All-Star. … Has led the AL in steals four times, including swiping 59 bases in 2004. … He stole 60 bases in 2009. … Has led the AL in triples four different times, including ripping 19 triples in 2004 and 13 in 2010. … Signed with the Red Sox during the offseason after spending his first nine seasons in the majors with Tampa Bay. … Has stolen 409 bases in 1,235 career games. … Won a 2010 AL Silver Slugger award. … Won a Gold Glove in 2010. … Finished seventh in the 2010 AL MVP voting.
Fast Fact: “Could have gone big-time in four different sports after high school. UCLA wanted Crawford to be its point guard. Nebraska wanted him to be its quarterback and … (Crawford) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds as a senior, according to Doug Gassaway, the scout who signed him for the Rays.” (New York Daily News).
3. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies:
Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez spent time playing all three outfield positions in 2010. But he will be Colorado's main left fielder this year. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
2010 statistics: .336 batting average, 34 homers, 117 RBIs, .376 on-base percentage, .598 slugging percentage, .974 OPS, 26 stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: He’s young and he plays his home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field. He should hit 35 homers, knock in 100 runs and bat around .300.
Gonzalez by the numbers: Finished third in the 2010 NL MVP voting. … Won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger award in 2010. … Led the NL with 197 hits, a 336 batting average and 351 total bases in 2010. … Batted .284 with 13 home runs, 29 RBIs, 16 steals and a .353 on-base percentage in 89 games in 2009. … Batted .588 in the 2009 NLDS with 10 hits in 17 at-bats. … Is 25 years old.
Fast Fact: He hit for the cycle on July 31, 2010. He completed the cycle with a walkoff home run. “It was the first time a Major Leaguer clinched a cycle with a walk-off homer since Dwight Evans did it for the Red Sox on June 28, 1984.”
4. Ryan Braun, Brewers:
Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun walks with teammate Carlos Gomez on Monday. Braun hit .304 with 25 homers and 103 RBIs in 2010. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
2010 statistics: .304 batting average, 25 homers, 103 RBIs, .365 on-base percentage, .501 slugging percentage, .866 OPS, 14 stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: Expect him to have an even better year with close to 30 homers, 110 RBIs and a .310 batting average.
Braun by the numbers: Won the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year when he hit led the National League in slugging percentage (.634) and hit 34 homers, knocked in 97 runs and batted .324 with a .370 on-base percentage. … Finished third in the 2008 NL MVP voting when he hit 37 homers, knocked in 106 runs and batted .285. … Hit 32 homers, drove home 114 runs and batted for a .320 average in 2009 when he finished 11th in the NL MVP voting. … Finished 15th in the 2010 NL MVP voting. … Won a Silver Slugger award each of the past three seasons. Was named an All-Star in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Fast Fact: The show “The Bachelor” actually contracted Braun to be on it. But he chose not to do it.
5. Matt Holliday, Cardinals:
Matt Holliday had a .390 on-base percentage in 2010. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
2010 statistics: 312 batting average, 28 homers, 103 RBIs, .390 on-base percentage, .532 slugging percentage, .922 on-base percentage, nine stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: He has been very consistent his entire career. Expect another 25-home run, 100-plus RBI season.
Holliday by the numbers: Four-time All-Star. … Won a Silver Slugger award and finished 12th in the NL MVP voting in 2010. … Has won four Silver Slugger awards. … Was second in the NL MVP voting in 2007 when he led the NL with 216 hits, 50 doubles, 137 RBIs, a .340 batting average and 386 total bases. He also hit 36 home runs and posted a .405 on-base percentage that year. … Has hit 14 or more home runs every season in MLB since entering the league in 2004. Has hit 24 or more home runs every season from 2006 onward.
Fast Fact: His father Tom Holliday is the associate head baseball coach at NC State.
6. Delmon Young, Twins:
2010 statistics: .298 batting average, 21 homers, 112 RBIs, .333 on-base percentage, .493 slugging percentage, .826 OPS, five stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: He is young — only 25. Expect him to only get better this year. He should have another 20 home run season and bat close to .300. Still, he needs to improve his on-base percentage.
Young by the numbers: Finished second in the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year voting when he played for Tampa Bay. That year, he played all 162 games and hit 13 home runs and knocked in 93 runs while batting .288. … Hit 10 or more home runs each of the past four seasons. … Finished 10th in the 2010 AL MVP voting. … Has played in 605 major league games and is a career .292 hitter with a .325 on-base percentage. … Has a very strong throwing arm.
Fast Fact: He was drafted first overall in the 2003 amateur draft by Tampa Bay. … His older brother Dmitri Young played 1,364 major league games, was a two-time All-Star and hit .292 with 171 home runs and 683 RBIs.
7. Martin Prado, Braves:
- Former second baseman Martin Prado was switched to left field after the Braves acquired Dan Uggla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
2010 statistics: .307 batting average, 15 homers, 66 RBIs, .350 on-base percentage, .459 slugging percentage, .809 OPS, five stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: Expect this 27-year-old to hit near .320 and bash 20 homers.
Prado by the numbers: Named to the NL All-Star team in 2010. … Finished ninth in the 2010 NL MVP voting. … Is a .307 career hitter in 1,378 at-bats. … Hit .320 in 2008, .307 in 2009 and .307 in 2010.
Fast Fact: He has started and played in only three major league games in left field. He is converting from second base this season because the Braves acquired Dan Uggla during the offseason.
8. Juan Pierre, White Sox:
Chicago White Sox’s Juan Pierre (1) has the speed to steal close to 70 bases again this season. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
2010 statistics: .275 batting average, one homer, 47 RBIs, .341 on-base percentage, .316 slugging percentage, .657 OPS, 68 stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: Expect about the same offensive numbers out of Pierre and for him to steal another 60 or more bases in 2010. He probably will hit for a higher batting average now that he is more comfortable in the American League.
Pierre by the numbers: Led the American League with 68 steals in 2010. … Has led the league in steals three different times during his career. … His 12 triples in 2004 led the National League. … Led the NL in hits with 221 in 2004 and 204 in 2006. … He is a career .298 hitter with a .347 on-base percentage and 527 stolen bases.
Fast Fact: He played in 162 games for five straight years (2003 through 2007). … He was the first White Sox player since Luis Aparicio in 1961 to lead the majors in stolen bases. (According to MLB.com).
9. Brett Gardner, Yankees:
New York left fielder Brett Gardner has stolen 86 bases in 300 career games. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
2010 statistics: .277 batting average, five homers, 47 RBIs, .383 on-base percentage, .379 slugging percentage, .762 OPS, 47 stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: He is speedy and he gets on-base. Expect him to hit .285 and to steal 50 bases. Also, expect him to post another high on-base percentage, around .380.
Gardner by the numbers: Stole 13 bases in 42 games in 2008, 26 bases in 108 games in 2009 and 47 bases in 150 games in 2010. … Is a .268 career hitter in 852 at-bats. … Hit 13 triples combined the past two seasons.
Fast Fact: Gardner initially did not make the College of Charleston baseball team.
10. Vernon Wells, Angels:
Vernon Wells was traded to the Angels during the offseason. He hit 31 homers for the Blue Jays in 2010. (AP photo/CP, Frank Gunn)
2010 statistics: .273 batting average, 31 homers, 88 RBIs, .331 on-base percentage, .515 slugging percentage, .847 OPS, six stolen bases
Chris Smith’s 2011 projection: Wells batted .227 away from Toronto in 2010. It’s difficult to predict what he will do this season. Will he thrive with a new team or will he suffer from not playing his home games at hitter-friendly Toronto? Expect his home run numbers and batting average to decline with his new team, the Angels.
Wells by the numbers: Three-time All-Star. … Three-time Gold Glove winner. … Was eighth in the AL MVP voting and won a Silver Slugger award in 2003 when he led the AL with 215 hits, 49 doubles and 373 total bases. … Is a career .280 hitter with a .329 on-base percentage. … Has hit 223 homers, knocked in 813 runs, scored 789 runs and stroked 1,529 hits during his career.
Fast Fact: Wells was a great high school football player in Texas. “Wells was popular with recruiters. The University of Texas envisioned the sturdy 6-foot-1 athlete with speed as a wide receiver. The Longhorns rule that part of the Lone Star State, and Wells wanted in. But then came baseball season, and everything changed. Wells’ senior year moved him to the top of the scouts’ charts. His power/speed combination and talent in center field made him the fifth overall pick in the 1997 First-Year Player Draft by Toronto.” According to the MLB.com. story he had signed a letter of intent with Texas and was planning to play football there.
