Top 30 players in MLB

By Rick Morris

NOTE: These players are ranked based not merely on how they have produced this year, but also the past year or two.  These are not fantasy rankings, but are based on overall play.  Numbers in parentheses indicate where the players ranked on our 2011 rankings, with the ones who fell out of those rankings listed at the bottom.

TOP TIER

1 Josh Hamilton (18)

2 Matt Kemp (9)

3 Justin Verlander (7)

4 Joey Votto (4)

5 Clayton Kershaw (NA)

6 Ryan Braun (3)

7 Jered Weaver (15)

8 Carlos Gonzalez (16)

9 Matt Cain (28)

10 Andrew McCutchen (NA)

11 Miguel Cabrera (19)

12 Stephen Strasburg (NA)

13 Craig Kimbrel (NA)

SECOND TIER

14 Albert Pujols (5)

15 Troy Tulowitzki (10)

16 Chris Sale (NA)

17 Johnny Cueto (NA)

18 Prince Fielder (22)

19 RA Dickey (NA)

20 Adrian Beltre (NA)

21 Carlos Beltran (NA)

22 Cole Hamels (30)

23 Cliff Lee (12)

24 Gio Gonzalez (NA)

25 Jose Bautista (2)

26 Paul Konerko (23)

27 Robinson Cano (27)

28 Roy Halladay (1)

29 Adrian Gonzalez (14)

30 Mike Trout (NA)

Tim Lincecum (6)

Josh Johnson (8)

Felix Hernandez (11)

Mariano Rivera (13)

Dan Haren (17)

Josh Beckett (20)

CC Sabathia (21)

Justin Upton (24)

Jacoby Ellsbury (25)

Hanley Ramirez (26)

Curtis Granderson (29)