The 2008 season was a strange one for baseball. During the year, Tampa Bay emerged, the Mets and Yankees tanked, the Brewers and White Sox made waves and the Cubs collapsed -- all right so that last one was not so strange.

But the 2009 season is only six weeks away, so it is time to look back so we can look ahead. I plan to do that by looking at what players got hosed in the overall rating department. To do this, I will be using MLB 2K9 as my guide.

Of course, time will tell whether these players were justified in the rating they received, but for right now, this is who I think got hosed or overrated in MLB 2K9.

Francisco Rodriguez
New York Mets
MLB 2K9 Rating - 96

K-Rod had a brilliant season in 2008, but enough to make him the best pitcher in the game? Not even close. In fact, Rodriguez was not even the best closer or even second-best closer in his league. Yes, he racked up the most saves in MLB history, but I would not take him over Mariano Rivera or Jonathan Papelbon. Every meaningful pitching stat backs that up, including earned runs, walks allowed and WHIP (walks and hits to innings pitched). Economy be damned, it was not a surprise that K-Rod’s only serious suitor was the bullpen-deprived New York Mets -- who would only give him a three-year deal.

Jay Bruce
Cincinnati Reds
MLB 2K9 Rating - 82

If anybody remembers Jay Bruce’s debut last spring, he hit three home runs in his first seven games. He also got on base two-thirds of the time during that span. If you also remember, he did not do much for the Reds the rest of the year. He is a super prospect entering his first full big-league season, but I would not say he should be rated higher than Justin Upton, who performed similarly in an equal amount of games.

Jacoby Ellsbury
Boston Red Sox
MLB 2K9 Rating - 81

How did Jacoby Ellsbury get the same rating as Nate McLouth? McLouth had more hits, more walks and more taters than Ellsbury. While you cannot discount Ellsbury’s stolen bases (50 in 2008 compared to 23 for McLouth), you can see clearly see that McLouth is a more valuable hitter. Ellsbury’s fielding also does not make up for his lack of plate production. If the Red Sox center fielder does deserve an 81 rating, the fact that it means he is as valuable as McLouth is misleading.

Cliff Lee
Cleveland Indians
MLB 2K9 Rating - 87

Apparently, winning the Cy Young award in the American League means you are not a top 20 pitcher. Lee was an easy choice for the award all season, with only slight resistance coming from Roy Halladay. But, hey, at least Halladay got a 90 rating. It is possible that Lee could go the Barry Zito or Bartolo Colon route of past recent winners, but it is hard to imagine his situation in Cleveland being any worse. For the statistics that Lee posted in 2008, a 90 would suffice. It would put him closer to his peers, considering he was above most of them in 2008.

Dioner Navarro
Tampa Bay Ray
MLB 2K9 Rating - 76

2K Sports is based in San Francisco. So is it a coincidence that plenty of Giants players have ratings a little higher than they should? Or is it coincidence that someone in that studio decided that Tampa Bay Rays catcher Dioner Navarro should have the same rating as Giants catcher Pablo Sandoval. This is the same Pablo Sandoval that played in 41 games. He did hit .345 in that short time, but you cannot expect that same type of output over an entire season. Navarro hit only .295 with not much power, but it was enough to make him an All-Star in the American League. I am not saying Navarro is the best hitting catcher, but he at least deserves a little something for his work in 2008.

Joe Mauer and Brian McCann
Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves
MLB 2K9 Rating - 87

To latch on to my last sentence about Dioner Navarro, Joe Mauer is the best catcher in the American League and Brian McCann in the National League. Mauer will not hit a ton of home runs, but he can still knock the ball to all fields. He does not strike out a lot, walks plenty and has been an MVP candidate during two of the past three years. His only competition is Brian McCann of the Atlanta Braves, another great hitter who received the same rating. McCann hits for much more power than Mauer but got on base fewer times. It seems that 2K Sports has taken steps to avoid giving too many players a 90 or above rating, but these guys deserve something a little better for being far and away the best catchers in baseball.


Will Jay Bruce tear it up this year? Will K-Rod prove me wrong? Is Cliff Lee ready to repeat? Sound off using the comment box below!