With the decade of baseball from 2000-2009 about to be complete, I figured it was a great time to come up with a tentative list of who might be on my team of the next one. Granted there’s a chance several players might flame out, and several players might end up being on the team in 10 years that we haven’t heard of yet, or haven’t been drafted/signed yet- so please take it for what it’s worth.

Starting Lineup-

C- Joe Mauer. Mauer is obviously a manbeast, and there’s no reason to believe he’s going to fall apart. Personally I think this guy has triple crown like potential if he ends up getting moved to first base. He can hit for average and power, and is as good as they come when your talking about calling a game and defensive ability.

1B- Albert Pujols. Yes I do realize he’ll be approaching 40 when the next decade ends. My response to that is….so? We’re watching the best right handed hitter in our era potentially of all time. We missed guys like Mays, Dimaggio, Ruth, Williams, and Aaron. And Sir Albert might end up being better than all of them.

2B-Chase Utley. Ponyboy Curtis still is getting better and better. For a position that only a handful of guys put up good production, it’s hard trying to find someone else being better.

SS- Hanley Ramirez. He hits. He hits alot. He runs. He runs fast. Can anyone fathom what kind of numbers he’ll put up if he ends up back in Boston one day? Or Yankee Stadium?

3B-Pedro Alvarez. Yes. I realize that I’ll get alot of “heat” brought at me, but this guy is someone to watch out for next year. He’s got insane and I do mean INSANE power. 35-115 seasons are not a long shot and frankly- I felt like I needed a wild card here. Is thinking outside the box that much a crime?

LF- Ryan Braun. If he continues this pace, 500 homers should be a cinch. What a talent. He’s going to get better and he’s still under 26 years old. Yikes. Hopefully Milwaukee trades him out of the NL Central. Cub fans can only hope…right?

CF- Jacoby Ellsbury. He’s got some power. He’s got a ton of speed. He can go get it in center. He’s going to be a horror for the Yankees to deal with over the next 10 years and frankly, I’m excited to see what else this kid can do.

RF- Jason Heyword. Oh my I’ve done it again. The number 2 prospect in baseball (IMO) is ready to show why he’s the number 2 prospect in baseball. He has the ability to star and star big in Atlanta. Another one that could win numerous MVP’s if he puts it together.

My Lineup-

1) Ellsbury. 2) Utley. 3) Pujols. 4) Mauer.  5) Ramirez. 6) Braun. 7) Heyword. 8 ) Alvarez. 9) Pitcher. Sorry guys- I hate the DH.

Pitchers-

1) Tim Lincecum. The freak has 2 cy youngs in 3 years. He can strike you out with 4 pitches. He’s impossible to hit consistently. The only way he doesn’t win 5 or 6 is if he gets hurt.  Is it to early to start saying Lincecum for the Hall of Fame?

2) Felix Hernandez. King Felix has been on the prowl since he was 20. He finally put it all together last year with a 19-6 season. Who thinks he’s going to get worse?

3) Stephen Strasburg. He throws 100. His 2 seamer is ridiculous at 95. His changeup is going to get better. And his slider/curve whatever you want to call it has some nasty late bite down and away. How can you not be excited over that?

4) Zack Greinke. He won his first cy young this year for the lowly Royals. He’s obviously no longer a well kept secret.  Anyone want to place wagers on when they think the Royals trade him for 4 prospects that never play more than 3 seasons in the bigs? Too bad the Cubs couldn’t pry him off Kansas City a few seasons ago when he was going through his issues off the field. Okay- I’m sorry. No more Cub references.

5) Yu Darvish. I realize that he’s not posted yet and it might be a few more years, but if he comes over in time (and I hope he does), this kid is something special. He has like…14 pitches and all of them are awesome. Did anyone watch him in the WBC? I’m a fan. Bradley for Darvish….straight up. Come on Japan.

Closer- Andrew Bailey. I really really REALLY wanted to go with someone like Johnathon Broxton…but I was looking for this decades Mariano Rivera and Bailey reminds me alot of Mariano. So therefore he gets my nod as my 9th inning man.

I’m going to love watching to see if some of these guys live up to expectations. I hope you do too.

Close but no cigar-

C- Matt Wieters

1B- No one. Sorry…Pujols is that good.

2b- Dustin Pedroia

SS- Troy Tulowitzki

3B- David Wright

LF- Matt Holliday

CF- Grady Sizemore

RF- Justin Upton

SP- Matt Cain, Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, David Price, Madison Bumgarner, Tommy Hanson

RP- Johnathon Broxton