Ahh! As we approach spring training (pitchers and catchers report in (10 DAYS!) and after the greatest season of my life, I thought I’d make a list or 2 about baseball. 1st list lets go with the All-Pro Team for 2009. Tomorrow, I’ll go with my All-Time, All-Pro Team.

1st Base: Albert Pujols - St. Louis Cardinals

Anyone who has seen that home run knows why; he is the best player alive. And on top of that he is the best defensive 1st baseman.

2nd Base: Chase Utley - Philadelphia Phillies

Expect anyone else? Chase was the 3rd best hitter in baseball last year…with one hip.

And like Mr. Pujols, Jesus Chase was not only the best defensive second baseman, he was the best defensive player in baseball according to the plus/minus system.

Short Stop: Hanley Ramirez - Florida Marlins

Hanley, Jose Reyes, and Jimmy Rollins are head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Hanley is the best of the group offensively; the prototypical 5-tool player. Plus, his defense, which was notoriously bad, has improved in the last two years where he now is not a minus with the glove.

3rd Base: David Wright - New York Mets

This is my pick that people will say I’m crazy for. Mind you this pick isn’t the best careers who are playing, because clearly that is Alex Rodriguez. However, right now I’d take David Wright because of the glove that he offers that A-Rod just does not. It’s the closest call.

Catcher: Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins

A case can be made for Brian McCann who offers the pop, but Mauer is one of the best pure hitters in the game, has a gold glove to his name, and his pitchers are always near the top of the stats.

Left Field: Manny Ramirez - Free Agent

Matt Holliday is good, but this year we will see how much of that was aided by Coor’s Field. Manny Ramirez at his best, which he clearly was for the last 3 months of last season, is only behind Pujols in hitting ability, so he wins this spot.

Center Field: Grady Sizemore - Cleveland Indians

Sizemore has quietly become not only the best defensive center fielder but the game’s best offensively. He can annually put up 30 hrs, 40 sb, 40 doubles, and a .375 OBP.

Right Fielder: Nick Markakis - Baltimore Orioles

This youngster is far ahead of the rest of the shallow right field pool. He’s got age, offense, defense, and speed on his side; he can get even better.

Starting Pitcher: Johan Santana - New York Mets

When I said that the 3rd Baseman category was the hardest, I lied. This is a field where you could go with one of about 5 choices, and they would all make sense. Tim Lincecum was the best last year, but one more year of that and I would pick him. Hamels has better stuff than Johan these days, but Johan has the head on straighter. Oh, and you know that guy named Carsten Charles?

Closer: Brad Lidge - Philadelphia Phillies

Should I have just used the Pujols photo again?

A great case can be made for Rivera who is bar none, the best reliever of all time. However, Lidge was the best last season, and he has shot out of his Pujols-inflicted funk and is back to the Brad Lidge of yore.

Well thats all for today. Half the team is in the NL East, which is pretty impressive. That’s a pretty damn good team we got here, but what do you think?