2011 National League Best Hitting Performances (ranked by wOBA)

This is the second in a series of rankings. This is the NL, sorted by wOBA with a 130 at-bat minimum to allow us a glimpse at a few potential breakouts.

Name	Team	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	BABIP	wOBA
Ryan Braun	Brewers	629	0.332	0.397	0.597	0.265	0.350	0.433
Matt Kemp	Dodgers	689	0.324	0.399	0.586	0.262	0.380	0.419
Prince Fielder	Brewers	692	0.299	0.415	0.566	0.267	0.306	0.408
Jason Giambi	Rockies	152	0.260	0.355	0.603	0.344	0.284	0.407
Joey Votto	Reds	719	0.309	0.416	0.531	0.222	0.349	0.403
Lance Berkman	Cardinals	587	0.301	0.412	0.547	0.246	0.315	0.402
Allen Craig	Cardinals	219	0.315	0.362	0.555	0.240	0.344	0.399
Matt Holliday	Cardinals	516	0.296	0.388	0.525	0.229	0.330	0.393
Ike Davis	Mets	149	0.302	0.383	0.543	0.240	0.344	0.391
Carlos Beltran	- - -	598	0.300	0.385	0.525	0.225	0.324	0.389
Troy Tulowitzki	Rockies	606	0.302	0.372	0.544	0.242	0.305	0.389
Michael Morse	Nationals	575	0.303	0.360	0.550	0.247	0.344	0.387
Jose Reyes	Mets	586	0.337	0.384	0.493	0.156	0.353	0.386
Albert Pujols	Cardinals	651	0.299	0.366	0.541	0.242	0.277	0.385
Justin Upton	Diamondbacks	674	0.289	0.369	0.529	0.240	0.319	0.385
Carlos Gonzalez	Rockies	542	0.295	0.363	0.526	0.231	0.326	0.383
Pablo Sandoval	Giants	466	0.315	0.357	0.552	0.237	0.320	0.379
Mike Stanton	Marlins	601	0.262	0.356	0.537	0.275	0.314	0.378
Hunter Pence	- - -	668	0.314	0.370	0.502	0.188	0.361	0.378
Aaron Hill	Diamondbacks	142	0.315	0.386	0.492	0.177	0.356	0.376
Matt Downs	Astros	222	0.276	0.347	0.518	0.241	0.315	0.373
Aramis Ramirez	Cubs	626	0.306	0.361	0.510	0.204	0.308	0.373
Corey Hart	Brewers	551	0.285	0.356	0.510	0.226	0.323	0.373
Shane Victorino	Phillies	586	0.279	0.355	0.491	0.212	0.292	0.372
Jesus Guzman	Padres	271	0.312	0.369	0.478	0.166	0.360	0.371
John Mayberry	Phillies	296	0.273	0.341	0.513	0.240	0.293	0.369
Lucas Duda	Mets	347	0.292	0.370	0.482	0.189	0.326	0.368
Todd Helton	Rockies	491	0.302	0.385	0.466	0.164	0.328	0.368
Ryan Doumit	Pirates	236	0.303	0.353	0.477	0.174	0.331	0.360
Andrew McCutchen	Pirates	678	0.259	0.364	0.456	0.198	0.291	0.360
Rickie Weeks	Brewers	515	0.269	0.350	0.468	0.199	0.310	0.358
Seth Smith	Rockies	533	0.284	0.347	0.483	0.200	0.320	0.357
Paul Goldschmidt	Diamondbacks	177	0.250	0.333	0.474	0.224	0.323	0.356
Ryan Howard	Phillies	644	0.253	0.346	0.488	0.235	0.303	0.354
Reed Johnson	Cubs	266	0.309	0.348	0.467	0.159	0.394	0.354
Nick Hundley	Padres	308	0.288	0.347	0.477	0.189	0.362	0.354
Carlos Pena	Cubs	606	0.225	0.357	0.462	0.237	0.267	0.354
Miguel Montero	Diamondbacks	553	0.282	0.351	0.469	0.187	0.317	0.351
Brandon Phillips	Reds	675	0.300	0.353	0.457	0.157	0.322	0.351
Alex Presley	Pirates	231	0.298	0.339	0.465	0.167	0.349	0.350
Daniel Murphy	Mets	423	0.320	0.362	0.448	0.128	0.345	0.350
Nick Punto	Cardinals	166	0.278	0.388	0.421	0.143	0.319	0.350
Brian Bogusevic	Astros	182	0.287	0.348	0.457	0.171	0.355	0.349
Yadier Molina	Cardinals	518	0.305	0.349	0.465	0.160	0.311	0.349
Brian McCann	Braves	527	0.270	0.351	0.466	0.195	0.287	0.348
David Freese	Cardinals	363	0.297	0.350	0.441	0.144	0.356	0.348
Ryan Zimmerman	Nationals	440	0.289	0.355	0.443	0.154	0.326	0.347
Chris Iannetta	Rockies	426	0.238	0.370	0.414	0.177	0.276	0.347
Dexter Fowler	Rockies	563	0.266	0.363	0.432	0.166	0.354	0.346
Nyjer Morgan	Brewers	429	0.304	0.357	0.421	0.116	0.362	0.346
Jay Bruce	Reds	664	0.256	0.341	0.474	0.217	0.297	0.346
Chipper Jones	Braves	512	0.275	0.344	0.470	0.196	0.295	0.345
Freddie Freeman	Braves	635	0.282	0.346	0.448	0.166	0.339	0.345

Some interesting names for further study:

• Allen Craig - Cardinals
• Ike Davis - Mets
• Michael Morse - Nationals
• Matt Downs - Astros
• Jesus Guzman - Padres
• John Mayberry - Phillies
• Lucas Duda - Mets
• Paul Goldschmidt - D'Backs
• Reed Johnson - Cubs
• Alex Presley - Pirates
  

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance MVPs are...

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance has just released the winners of the American League and National League MVP awards. As a proud new member of the Alliance it gives me great pride to say that we got it exactly right.

The American League MVP is Joe Mauer. The National League MVP is Albert Pujols.

You can check out all the details of the voting on the Baseball Bloggers Alliance Site.

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance was formed in the fall of 2009 to encourage cooperation and collaboration between baseball bloggers of all major league teams as well as those that follow baseball more generally. As of this writing, the organization consists of 90 blogs spanning 28 of the 30 major league squads as well as those that focus on general baseball writing.

The BBA is organized under a similar structure as the Baseball Writers of America, where blogs that follow the same team are combined into “chapters” and only two votes from the chapter on an award are counted. Those blogs that are not dedicated to a specific team are allowed to vote on either the American League or National League award, but not both.

Top MLB 25-man Roster Surprises (National League)

Every season there are players that seem to come out of nowhere to surprise fantasy owners with their quality performances. We all wish we had drafted the Carlos Quentins of the world. One way to get a jump on the other owners in your league is to become more aware of the surprise additions (or even just the slightly unexpected in some cases) to the 25-man rosters.

Below you'll find the interesting roster developments on the Nationals League rosters. A bit later today, I'll post the American League version. And still later tonight my Waiver Wire column should be posted to CrucialTaunt.com. My article this week will feature write-ups on a lot of the more obscure additions.

The Atlanta Braves

Jordan Schafer is the starting center fielder.
The Florida Marlins

Emilio Bonifacio is the starting third baseman.

The New York Mets

Gary Sheffield was a late addition to the team and could see a significant amount of time in right field.

The Philadelphia Phillies

Chan Ho Park is in the Philadelphia rotation. Shane Victorino is betting seventh because manager Charlie Manuel doesn't believe he is quite ready for the season.

The Washington Nationals

Austin Kearns is starting ahead of Elijah Dukes.

The Chicago Cubs

Kevin Gregg being named the closer over Carlos Marmol shocked a lot of fantasy owners.

The Cincinnati Reds

Darnell McDonald winning a bench role at the expense of Jonny Gomes.

The Houston Astros

Geoff Blum is still considered the starter at third base, despite the acquisition of Jeff Keppinger.

The Milwaukee Brewers

Infielder Casey McGehee and outfielder Brad Nelson making the team as bench players when Tony Gwynn was waived and assigned to AAA.

The Pittsburgh Pirates

Nyjer Morgan is still the starter in left field.

The St. Louis Cardinals

Chris Duncan pushes Colby Rasmus to the bench as a fourth outfielder. Joe Mather and Chris Perez optioned to the minors.

The Arizona Cardinals

Minor League veteran Ryan Roberts makes the team.

The Colorado Rockies

Top prospect Dexter Fowler makes the team but will sit on the bench behind Ryan Spilborghs and Seth Smith...for now.

The Los Angeles Dodgers

James McDonald won the fifth starter job, despite the Dodgers early claim they would break him in via the bullpen.

The San Diego Padres

Everth Cabrera (a Rule V pick) makes the team by impressing GM Kevin Towers. Shawn Hill wins a rotation spot without much of an audition.

San Francisco Giants

Fred Lewis is batting third in the order. Pablo Sandoval will be the reserve catcher, a situation that could impact his playing time in a negative way.