All-Baseball Lineup: Baseball's Best Batting Order

1) Jose Reyes: This guy is the most exciting player baseball fans have seen in the last few years. He is quick, fast, smart, and strong, which helps him do everything a manager could ask for. At the plate, he starts the game off strong for his team. He can hit for power, which combined with his speed helps him secure many triples. Furthermore, he can hit to any field. That is part of what makes him such a complete player. He can also play small-ball by pulling out many infield hits. He is leaps-and-bounds ahead of everyone else in stolen bases, which helps those behind him rack up RBI's. Simply put: this guy is a scoring machine. Anyone who can do what he does is a special player. The way I'm talking about him, you would think he is Superman. Well, not quite, but he is more than the most exciting player in the game; he may be the most important. The way he manipulates the game puts him in a league of his own.

2) Derek Jeter: The perennial all-star and prototype number two hitter, no one could craft a better player than Jeter to lead a star-filled lineup like this. He's a veteran, yet not too old to slow down as he is still in his prime. He is clutch, and maybe the most fear batter when the game is on the line. Jeter is an all-around player, classy, and a great teammate: no manager could ask for more. This is a confident pick.

3) Alex Rodriguez: This guy is having a wonderful season, and that is exactly what catapults him into the number three spot in the batting order. Last season he played miserably, but now that the dust has cleared and the rantings of New York fans have ceased, Arod is getting a chance to breathe, and he is reminding everyone about the great player he really is. He is in the middle of home run record and MVP talks, and for much of the season he was the only player carrying the Yankees. If he can carry the Yankees, he can definitely help carry this team. He has turned into an RBI machine and is the ideal number three hitter.

4) Albert Pujols: Now that we have moved out of the state of New York, we can look at some of the talent the rest of the nation contains. Arod is a little hotter this season, and I like the idea of having Pujols hit behind him to knock him in and clean up the rest of the field. Realistically, though, these guys could flip-flop and no one would complain about a lack of production. Pujols, like Jeter, is one of baseball's classiest. He is also clutch and a proven leader. He will put up great numbers, but more importantly, he will help the team win.

5) Vladimir Guerrero: There are a number of players who could hit here, but I pick Guerrero, because I want to load this batting order up fast and quick, with power that will blow opponents away from the start. And if that does not work? It still has impeccable depth towards the back. Vladimir is an awesome player to watch, and a manager's pet the way he plays the game. Yes, he swings at everything, but he also hits everything. He is a great batter, who is delivering top-of-the-league production this year once again.

6) Manny Ramirez: He could be the number three hitter, but then he started to have a below average year, while Arod started to have an above average year. Things have changed, but not enough to keep him off of this lineup. He is a great batter, with "Manny smarts" (at the plate), which makes him a dangerous batter. You don't know everyday if he will come to play a game of baseball or make-believe, but he can't hurt the lineup that much when he is in the number six spot, and he is effective when he is at his mental best. His baseball best is an obvious.

7) David Ortiz: You could put Ortiz at six, one spot above Ramirez like usual, but I'd rather have him anchor the bottom of the order. He is clutch, and if you need a big at-bat, you need Big Papi at the plate. With this lineup, there should not be many intentional walks, even at the bottom of the batting order. Put him here, and be assured that there is no drop-off this batting order. When called upon, Ortiz will come up with a big hit.

8) Magglio Ordonez: I was going to put Hanley Ramirez here, and state a case for his up-and-coming talent. I like his numbers, but I like Mags' too. He may not be a superstar like the rest of this lineup, but as is Arod's case, he is having a great season. Ordonez is yet another name to help bolster this lineup.

9) Ivan Rodriguez: C'mon, you gotta have a catcher here. I know I said defensive positions didn't matter much in this lineup, but they do mean something. That's not all, though, Pudge is a clutch veteran who is liable to come up with the big play for his team. His statistics are not what they used to be, but he can still swing the bat, and I expect him to contribute adequately to this lineup, particularly with late inning heroics.