THE POST PANEL

1

What one player would you build your team around?

Bray Hanley Ramirez, Mar

lins. It helps if you are building with money (Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle, etc.). I might have gone with power-hitting teammate Giancarlo Stanton, but the name change ruins any “Be Like Mike” campaign.

Keri Justin Upton, Diamond

backs. Five-tool talent. Just 24 years old and already a borderline MVP candidate, with the promise of more improvement to come.

Parkes Brett Lawrie, eh? Just kidding. It’s increasingly difficult to even pretend that Evan

Longoria, Rays, isn’t going to be or already is the best player in baseball.

Spurrier Miguel Cabrera,

Tigers. Albert Pujols is getting older. Cabrera is still just 28 and has been just a short step behind Pujols for almost a decade. Cabrera is right in his career wheelhouse now.

2

What pitcher would you build a staff around?

Bray David Price, Rays. Or maybe Matt Moore. Or, if you have the good fortune of Tampa Bay, both. There are some tough days ahead for the left-handed hitters of the AL East.

Keri Clayton Kershaw, Dodg

ers. Also just 24 years old, with a monster strikeout-to-walk rate shows that shows he is not just a product of Dodger Stadium. And, most importantly, he has a clean bill of health.

Parkes Madison Bumgarner,

Giants. I didn’t understand the concept of a man crush until I saw Bumgarner pitch for San Francisco. Great fastball. Hard slider. Still only 22.

Spurrier Justin Verlander,

Tigers. All the tumblers clicked into place for Detroit’s ace last season and, at age 29, he has unlocked his potential for another five years of greatness.

3

Who is the best player under the age of 25?

Bray Stephen Strasburg, Nationals. Silly to go against Clayton Kershaw, who won 20 more games than Strasburg last year — and a Cy Young Award — but Strasburg still has a Sidd Finch mystique about him. Now if he can only stay healthy.

Keri Justin Upton, Diamondbacks. (See Question 1.)

Parkes Justin Upton, Diamondbacks. The way he’s playing, he could legitimately win six consecutive NL MVP awards before he turns 30.

Spurrier Clayton Kershaw,

Dodgers. You can make a great case for building your staff around a guy who won a Cy Young at 23. Two more years of something close to last season, and Kershaw will be the answer to No. 2, too.

4

Who is the best player over the age of 35?

Bray Ichiro Suzuki, Marin

ers. His 10-year run of 200-hit seasons is over, but he has more than 2,400 hits in North America, and more than 3,700 when you include his Japan numbers. Only three majorleaguers in history have more.

Keri Roy Halladay, Phillies. He turns 35 next month, and since we always peg a player’s age to July 1 in a given season, I’m picking Halladay. There’s an argument to be made that Halladay isn’t merely the best player over 35, but of any age.

Parkes Alex Rodriguez, Yan

kees. Injuries have slowed him down, but I’d still want him making important plate appearances for my team.

Spurrier Paul Konerko, White

Sox. Weighing injuries and talent, A-rod is capable of a wide range of outcomes this season. Konerko is practically a metronome for power stats. And he never gets any credit for being as good as he is.

11

Which team has baseball’s best outfield?

Bray Tampa Bay Rays. B.J. Upton, Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce can all hit 20plus homers and could combine for 100 steals. And we haven’t mentioned the Legend of Sam Fuld. Thankfully.

Keri New York Yankees. Curtis Granderson might pull back a little from last season’s onslaught, but he’s still an elite player. Brett Gardner is an onbase hound, prolific basestealer and elite defender, and Nick Swisher is an underrated hitter with consistent power and on-base numbers.

Parkes New York Yankees. They can be overlooked on such a deep team, but Gardner, Granderson and Swisher each offer different qualities and are equally great.

Spurrier Boston Red Sox. Jacoby Ellsbury is great, Carl Crawford has to bounce back, and the millstone that was J.D. Drew has finally been eliminated in right.

12

Which team has the best starting rotation?

Bray Philadelphia Phillies. Deeper than the Giants, and better this spring than last now that 24-year-old Vance Worley has replaced 34-yearold Roy Oswalt.

Keri Philadelphia Phillies. Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels are true aces, Vance Worley’s strikeout rate last season suggests he’s for real, and Joe Blanton is a reasonable fifth starter.

Parkes San Francisco Giants, even with rotting left arm of Barry Zito going every five days.

Spurrier Philadelphia Phil

lies. But do you remember when the Red Sox had Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett and Daniel Bard? Whatever happened to those guys?

13

Which team has the best bullpen?

Bray San Francisco Giants. Their bullpen was second in the majors in ERA last year, even with closer Brian Wilson bothered by injuries. And in Wilson and setup man Sergio Romo, they have some of the game’s best facial hair.

Keri Atlanta Braves, led by the lights-out trio of Craig Kimbrel, Jonny Venters, and Eric O’flaherty.

Parkes Atlanta Braves. It’s hard to argue against the combination of Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel, but their overuse makes me think Atlanta won’t have the best bullpen for long.

Spurrier Milwaukee Brewers. Based on last year’s overuse in Atlanta, we’ll assume a step backward. Last season, the Brewers had the fewest bullpen walks and fourth fewest bullpen HRS allowed.

14

What was the best move of the off-season?

Bray Rangers sign Yu Dar

vish to a six-year, Us60-million deal (and pay a US$51.7M posting fee). He could be better than Dice-k or, as unlikely as it seems, another Fat Toad, but I wanted to type the words, “It Had To Be Yu.”

Keri Angels sign Albert Pujols to 10-year, $240-million contract. Honourable mention to the Marlins signing Jose Reyes to a six-year deal for less than half that; Reyes was more valuable last year by Wins Above Replacement.

Parkes Rays sign Matt Moore to a five-year, Us$14-million contract — with three club options. And they did it before the young pitcher had faced 80 big-league batters.

Spurrier Phillies sign Jonathan Papelbon. The decision to let Ryan Madson walk looks like sorcery for Phillies GM Ruben Amaro. Madson signed with Cincinnati and tore an elbow ligament.