Kuzul

One old baseball adage states, “Speed slows down the game,” a quote likely coming from Casey Stengel or Yogi Berra.

On the surface, this statement makes no sense. But when you dig deeper, you gauge that when fast players get on base, the entire game changes. From throwing over to first base, to the pitcher stepping off the rubber, a once ncrisp moving game can get stalled as the pitcher and defense woorries about the speedy runner.

Funny thing is that the runner by himself can’t hurt the pitcher, unless he steals second, third and home. Only the hitter holding the bat can hurt the pitcher. But the runner does take the pitchers full concentration off the hitter, causing more fastballs to be thrown, often causing a big fat pitch over the middle of the plate.

Just by getting on base, the speedster affects the next couple hitters.

Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees had many of his best seasons hitting two batters behind and in his prime Rickey Henderson.

However, speedsters affect the game in many other ways, including stolen bases, tracking down long outfield drives and turning certain extra base hits into big play (and game changing) outs.

This list includes major league baseballs top 15 fastest burners, all known for their stolen bases, great defense and ability to score from first base on a hard hit double.

It is an aspect of the game in which “you can’t teach” and is top heavy with centerfielders, with many young players of recent major league status. One of the reasons these guys are now major leaguers is that after consistent drug testing, baseball has transformed itself again into a speed game.

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This is an All-Star starting lineup, as would be voted by the fans (if the fans actually knew what they were doing), plus a starting rotation and one relief pitcher.

But this is one fan’s opinion: mine. It was an easy exercise. There were several somewhat close calls, but nothing which I had to wring my hands over.

All numbers displayed are from the month of April only, and nothing these players did in the first couple of games in May had any impact.

One thing I wanted to do was to actually have a real, live designated hitter (DH) as the team’s DH, not just put any hitter who didn’t make the cut at this position.

While most positions had dominating first months, the DH position did not.
Adam Lind of the Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero of the Texas Rangers are having decent, but not great starts.

So I chose one of the “losers” from the other positions, as there were many deserving players from that second status list, and with better productivity than the real, live DH’s.

If this team played in the real, live 2010 All-Star game, the manager would be Joe Girardi, last season’s World Series manager. But for a couple of reasons, I am picking Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays as my American League manager.

First, his 2010 team has the major league’s best overall record, and second, he and I shared a drink and half hour conversation during the 2008 Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

He also coaches his players to play the game hard all the time, even in Spring Training.

I like the guy.

He was funny, direct and open to every part of the conversation, even about the recently completed World Series.

Maddon is my manager…and now for the team.

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