March 11: Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Lahore

Our XI: Azam Khan, James Vince, Jason Roy, Moeen Ali, Rilee Rossouw, Ben Cutting, Mohammad Nawaz, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Hasnain, Sohail Tanvir

NOTE: We might not always be able to tip you off about late injury (or other relevant) updates

Captain: James Vince

Vince came back into the team on Sunday and blasted a 24-ball 61 against Islamabad United. He averages 42.07 (with eight fifties) in wins and 24.28 (with four fifties) in losses in all T20s since 2018.

Vice-captain: Imran Tahir

Tahir is the joint-second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far with ten strikes. He has gone at 7.42 runs per over in this season. Having picked up eight wickets in his last four games, Tahir could prove to be the ideal person to be the vice-captain against the struggling Gladiators.

Hot Picks

Moeen Ali: Ali has had a couple of good games in the tournament but has failed to make a mark yet. He has been productive though, scoring 137 runs and picking up four wickets. He has struck at 229.16 against spinners and at 109.33 against pacers in PSL 2020 so far.

Mohammad Hasnain: The highest wicket-taker in the tournament has to be in your team. Hasnain has picked up 14 wickets at a strike rate of 12. He, in fact, has the best strike rate (12.9) in the PSL amongst all bowlers with 20-plus wickets over the years.

Ben Cutting: Cutting has been a ray of light in what has been a poor run for the Gladiators. He has scored 146 runs at a strike rate of 192.1 and also picked up eight wickets in the six games he has played this season.

Value Picks

Junaid Khan: The left-arm seamer impressed in his first game of the season, picking up 2 for 17. Khan has picked up five wickets in the powerplay at a good economy of 7.34 and 12 wickets at an economy of 9.39 in the death in his PSL career.

Mohammad Nawaz: Nawaz provides value with both bat and ball. He has bowled 11 overs in the powerplay this season, giving away just 73 runs and picking up four wickets. With the bat, he has scored 108 runs lower down the order at a strike rate of 112.5.

Points to note

• Going by the current form of the two teams, pick more players and specialists from Multan and allrounders who may get you some points from Quetta.

• At Gaddafi Stadium this season, pacers have picked up 25 wickets and have gone at 8.60 an over while the spinners have picked up ten wickets and gone at 8.11 an over.

Top-flight football in Spain will be played behind closed doors for at least the next two weeks as coronavirus continues to spread across Europe, La Liga announced on Tuesday.

The ban on supporters attending games will also extend to the country's second division.

A statement from La Liga read: "According to information from the High Council of sports [CSD], La Liga Santander and La Liga SmartBank matches will be played behind closed doors, starting today [March 10] and for at least the next two weeks.

"La Liga will continue to be in permanent contact with the Ministry of Health and the CSD to follow its recommendations and / or decisions, prioritising the health of fans, players, club employees, and journalists due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

"For weeks, La Liga has been working on alternative plans in coordination with UEFA in case health authorities decide to suspend any match, creating a plan to play these matches."

The first game affected will be Real Madrid's match against Eibar this Friday in the Spanish capital, where all schools and education centres will remain closed for the next two weeks in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Other matches affected this weekend include Barcelona's trip to Mallorca and the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis.

The decision follows confirmation earlier in the day that Barca's game against Napoli in the Champions League on March 18 will also be played behind closed doors.

Barca met with local government officials on Tuesday and quickly reached a decision to play the match against the Italian side without supporters. Barcelona drew 1-1 at Napoli in the first leg.

- Coronavirus: Cancellations and reactions in sports

It was announced on Monday that Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday will also be played in an empty stadium.

Valencia's match against Atalanta on Tuesday and Juventus' game against Lyon next week will also be played behind closed doors. Chelsea's trip to Bayern Munich is also expected to be played without supporters, although there has been no official confirmation.

RB Leipzig vs. Tottenham, Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid and Manchester City vs. Real Madrid are, as things stand, going ahead without restrictions.

A number of fixtures have also been affected in the Europa League this week, including Roma at Sevilla, Wolves at Olympiakos and Getafe at Inter Milan. Gdansk will host the Europa League final and on Tuesday it was announced that all games in the Polish top flight will be played behind closed doors until further notice.

The Catalan secretary for sport, Gerard Figueras, said on Monday that "caution would advise" Barca closed Camp Nou for Napoli's visit.

That decision, sources explained, became a much easier one to take once Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced lockdown measures for the entire country on Monday.

All public gatherings and events in Italy -- including the Italian top flight, Serie A -- have been suspended until at least April 3 as the country grapples to control Europe's worst outbreak of coronavirus.

In France, the sports minister Roxana Maracineanu has said that until April 15, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches (France's two fully professional football leagues) will either be played behind closed doors or with 1,000 spectators depending on the wishes of the organiser.

Germany's Bundesliga is also studying the possibility of playing all fixtures behind closed doors, with Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Cologne the first match to be officially announced with preventative measures in place.

Talks have taken place in England, too, about a contingency plan if coronavirus continues to spread but there are no plans to place restrictions on supporters or cancel games in the short term.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Marshal Yanda will announce his retirement this week, closing out one of the most decorated careers by a guard in NFL history, according to a league source.

Yanda, 35, played all of his 13 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, building a reputation based on toughness, technique and work ethic. The longtime anchor of Baltimore's offensive line, Yanda contemplated walking away from the game last season but returned to help the Ravens set the NFL record for team rushing yards in a single season (3,296) as well as the franchise mark for points scored (531).

A third-round pick in 2007, Yanda is one of three guards in NFL history to earn at least eight Pro Bowl nods as a guard and win a Super Bowl. The others are Larry Allen and Alan Faneca.

Yanda's retirement frees up $7 million in salary-cap space but leaves a major void at right guard. Baltimore could look to fill Yanda's spot with Ben Powers, a fourth-round pick from last year, or through free agency and the draft.

Yanda was never the most athletic lineman. He wasn't a physical specimen. There's a reason why he was the 10th offensive lineman drafted 13 years ago.

But few played the position with as much grit, determination and understanding as Yanda. He brought a country strength that came from his days of growing up on a pig farm in Iowa. A powerful run-blocker, Yanda was known for sometimes shoving three defenders out of the way to single-handedly open a hole. A top-notch pass protector, he regularly allowed the fewest sacks at his position.

In 2014, then-offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said Yanda is as good as any offensive lineman he's been around. In 2015, coach John Harbaugh offered a prediction.

"He's just a special human being and a special player," Harbaugh said, adding, "and he's a Hall of Famer someday."

Yanda is the second-best offensive lineman in franchise history behind Hall of Fame left tackle Jonathan Ogden. He earned Pro Bowl honors in eight of the past nine seasons (he missed 14 games in 2017 with an ankle injury).

"Yanda has been one of the best guards that I've seen in my career over these last 10 years," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said last season.

Yanda has also been the epitome of toughness. The tales of Yanda's willpower have reached legendary status in Baltimore.

During his rookie season, Yanda volunteered to be zapped by a stun gun three times on a $600 bet. Surprisingly, that wasn't the biggest testament to his pain tolerance.

Near the end of the 2012 season, Yanda developed compartment syndrome, which can result in the loss of a limb if not treated, and he was back on the field one game later after surgeons split a muscle in his lower leg to relieve the pressure.

"I just have a lot of respect for him and his body of work and how he plays. I always have," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "It's obvious that he's the heartbeat of that unit and has been for a long time."

The respect for Yanda extends to the top of the Ravens' organization. At practices, Yanda was the first person to get a fist-bump from owner Steve Bisciotti. During last year's minicamp, Yanda and general manager Eric DeCosta regularly chatted on the sideline.

Teammates watched in awe as Yanda approached each drill with the same steely-eyed focus. He maintained the same strict routine, hitting the hot tub and eating breakfast like clockwork each day.

If a Ravens player wanted to know how to approach film study or the weight room, team officials would simply point to Yanda.

"Marshal cares about players and people, but he mostly cares about [expletive] who can play the game," Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon said. He's like, 'If you can't play the game, shut the [expletive] up and stop [expletive]. Do your part.' When he finds out you can play, he opens up with you more."

Yanda acknowledged that he thought about retiring toward the end of the 2018 season but came back because he finished the season healthy. He then agreed to add another year to his contract (he is signed through 2020), although he acted like this was his final season.

Known for being the grizzled, old-school lineman, Yanda joked around more than ever before. After the Ravens' win over the New England Patriots in Week 9, Yanda walked into the locker room and lifted up DeCosta in what Harbaugh later described as a "double suplex wrestling move." Yanda went out of his comfort zone even more when he took over for Terrell Suggs to give the speech to teammates in the final on-field huddle before games.

What never changed was his play on the field. His eight Pro Bowls were the most among active guards. In his final season, he was named second-team All-Pro this season after allowing one sack and opening holes for the most prolific rushing attack in NFL history.

"When I tell my son or daughter about playing football, I'll tell them he was one of the best guards I went up against in the league," Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins said. "He's got nastiness. He's physical and he has finesse. He's got the whole package."

IT'S MIDWAY THROUGH the second quarter of a Jan. 18 game between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, and Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is collecting himself after a hard foul and fall. As soon as he steps to the free throw line inside Barclays Center, the cheers echo from a corner of the arena.

IR-ON MAN, IR-ON MAN! TO-NY STARK, TO-NY STARK!

Dinwiddie is in the midst of the best season of his career. At the time, he's averaging 21.2 points and 6.5 assists per game. He's drawing All-Star consideration. And he has become a leader on a team dealing with superstar guard Kyrie Irving's shoulder injury.

But this? An Avengers-level chant? There could only be one thing worthy of the craze taking over.

It's Spencer Dinwiddie Bobblehead Night.

Dinwiddie and the Nets partnered with Marvel to create the first bobblehead of his six-year NBA career, one inspired by the iconic superhero and complete with a futuristic black jersey and outstretched right arm equipped for anything from game-winning 3s to saving the world.

"When they told me, 'Hey, we're going to do it,' I was like, 'Man, that's so cool," Dinwiddie says. "Y'all not only thought about me but are going through the hoops to make it my favorite superhero."

"The most interesting man in the NBA finally got his own bobblehead. Iron Man. Dinwiddie. We ready to go."

First 10,000 fans at @barclayscenter this Saturday vs. the Bucks get a @SDinwiddie_25 as Iron Man bobblehead ? https://t.co/UBiDM7na9J pic.twitter.com/zm2CLNXbrF

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 15, 2020

To become bobble-worthy, a player has to rise to a certain level of prominence to get their likeness on a 5-inch figurine. Like a signature sneaker or seeing your jersey worn by fans, the bobblehead has become one of the biggest -- or smallest -- status symbols in the league.

"One hundred percent," Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green says. "It's one of those 'Mama, I made it' moments."

As appreciative as Dinwiddie is to have his own bobblehead night, he wishes the schedule-makers could have been more selective in picking the Nets' opponent that night. Brooklyn lost by 20.

"Damn, guys, you shouldn't have scheduled Milwaukee," Dinwiddie says. "Y'all could have given me a layup like the Hawks or something. Everybody would have been like, 'Hell yeah, we blew them out on Spencer's bobblehead night.'"

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"THERE HE IS!" Warriors senior vice president of communications Raymond Ridder says to D'Angelo Russell as he enters the locker room.

"Mr. Bobblehead!"

As Russell walks the halls prior to a Jan. 14 game against the Dallas Mavericks -- he wouldn't be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves until Feb. 6 -- the reminders of his big night are everywhere.

Boxes carrying the "Iceman Edition" bobbleheads, the final of five such giveaways the Warriors have put on for the 2019-20 season, are stacked up just outside the locker room for players who want one for themselves. Fans wait to get inside the arena and snag one of their own.

"Growing up, you always envision yourself having a bobblehead," Russell says. "And then you see the features on it -- it's kind of what people remember you as. You get the icy-type vibes going."

"It gives off those ice vibes." ❄️

First 10,000 fans in the building for tomorrow's @warriors game will receive this @Dloading bobblehead.

? » https://t.co/id4Jkv1zZt pic.twitter.com/kh0eQc9PFT

— Chase Center (@ChaseCenter) January 13, 2020

Green already had his own bobblehead night at Chase Center on Nov. 25, but it's the giveaway nights at the Warriors' former home that resonate most with the three-time All-Star forward.

Three hours before opening tip, Green would make his way to Oracle Arena via I-880 South, and he would see a similar scene play out each time. The lines stretching around the building would grow longer and longer as he crept closer to the arena entrance off 66th Avenue. "It's a surreal feeling," Green says.

And it's never gotten old.

"It's almost like this night is dedicated to you," Green says. "You see fans pouring in where the first 10,000 fans get this bobblehead. ... They're actually piling in this early."

Players compare bobblehead nights to seeing their likenesses in a video game, a different way to connect with fans lucky enough to get their hands on the collector's items.

"It just kind of puts you in awe a lot of times," Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal says. "To see fans, and especially kids, really want a bobblehead or really want your jersey, that's something you only dream of.

"Sometimes we take it for granted, don't understand the importance of it, how a little bobblehead can make somebody's day."

CHAUNCEY BILLUPS IS an NBA champion, a Finals MVP and a five-time All-Star.

His was also the first bobblehead given away at an NBA game.

"Get the f--- out of here!" Billups says, laughing, when told about his place in NBA history, made on Dec. 7, 2000, during a game between the Timberwolves and the Wizards.

"I wasn't even the star of the team, y'know what I'm saying? Pick [Kevin Garnett]."

According to Phil Sklar, the co-founder and CEO of National Bobblehead Hall of Fame in Milwaukee, the Timberwolves were the first team to bring bobblehead giveaways to the NBA after seeing the success of several baseball teams.

Including Billups, the Timberwolves would give away the first four bobbleheads in league history, with Terrell Brandon, Wally Szczerbiak and Sam Mitchell following suit soon after. (Garnett would finally get his in January 2001.)

"At that time in my career, it meant so much to me," Billups says. "I was a journeyman already. That was my fourth team in four years. So I was trying to find something, and then to now, feel appreciated by a team and a fan base -- that meant a lot to me.

"I had no idea that that was the first one."

But Billups says the Timberwolves never told him about the promotion. The first time he found out was the day he walked into the arena.

It was probably for the best. His debut in bobblehead form wasn't exactly a flattering one.

"I remember that bobblehead," Billups says. "Wasn't very impressed with how it looked. ... I just thought I was a little more handsome."

Fast-forward almost 20 years, and players around the league are still thinking the same thing.

"I remember the first time that I had my bobblehead," Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo says. "I was really excited about it. But at the same time, my bobblehead didn't look nothing like me."

The reigning MVP's sentiments echo throughout the league. As happy as players are to have their own bobblehead, they can't believe how different the actual figure is compared to real life.

"They never look like you," Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond says. "They still can't get it right. I don't even know what my first one looks like. I still think it's cool because it has my name there and I know it's for me, they made the attempt to do it.

"But yeah, it never looks like your real face."

???

Be one of the first 3K fans at Monday's game & get @russwest44's first bobblehead EVER (!!) presented by @BBVA_USA!

Tickets ➡️ https://t.co/15nHrN9K9j pic.twitter.com/1ZNutTAFTz

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 16, 2019

On Nov. 18, the Houston Rockets gave out a Russell Westbrook bobblehead to fans. It was the first of his 12-year career after never getting one with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even Westbrook could see that things were a little ... off.

"It was close enough," Westbrook says. "I'd say about 70%."

"It's weird, because you start to analyze every little thing," says Rockets forward P.J. Tucker, who had his own bobblehead night in January 2018.

Although players might have reason to complain, bobblehead design has come a long way since they rose to hoops prominence when Billups' bobblehead first appeared.

"Through the years, the skill, artistry and creativity added to what used to be a basic bobblehead doll has evolved tremendously," says Chris Fryar, co-president and owner of Alexander Global Promotions, one of the biggest bobblehead makers in the world.

"Back in the early days, when we helped create the bobblehead craze, the expectations weren't too high. Teams wanted and fans expected an item that had the team name, colors and players name and number ... the likeness was secondary."

Times certainly have changed. As bobblehead popularity continues to grow, so, too, have the expectations that come with each mini-figurine.

For bobblehead makers such as Fryar, who first saw their rise in prominence as a sales executive for the Seattle SuperSonics, the biggest issue is in mass producing so many bobbleheads at once; each doll is hand-carved and hand-painted even when organizations order thousands at a time.

While the process continues to improve, critics remain -- none harsher than the players themselves.

"I got a lot of freckles," Tucker says, "but they gave me a lot of freckles. Thanks, but I don't have that many freckles. ...

"[And] they messed my hair up. I ain't going to lie. I was mad about my hair."

BY THE END of this season, 18 different teams will have participated in 33 bobblehead giveaways, according to the league. The grand total: 336,500 bobbleheads distributed.

While more than half the teams in the NBA have one or two giveaways a year, the Warriors are among the league leaders in the bobblehead game. Warriors chief revenue officer Brandon Schneider says the team has had 66 different versions totaling 630,000 bobbleheads given away since Golden State started during the 2002-03 season.

Stephen Curry has had 10 different versions. Green and Klay Thompson each have had six. The organization tries to tie in a players' interest to every bobblehead. Thompson had one with his beloved dog, Rocco, but he actually prefers another model.

"I like the surfboard one, though, man," Thompson says, referencing the bobblehead given out at a Santa Cruz Warriors G League game held at Oracle Arena last season.

Thompson can't surf. "But I would love to do [it] one day," he says.

Curry has a bobblehead celebrating his love of popcorn. Now-retired fan favorite Shaun Livingston has one with his three championship trophies. The Warriors have had three preseason games in San Jose over the past few years, which has meant three different bobblehead nights with Curry, Thompson and Kevin Durant all decked out in San Jose Sharks hockey jerseys.

"You don't want to just have a Steph Curry bobblehead every year and it's just the same thing," Schneider says. "And you get more and more creative -- we'll have a couple of ideas, and then we'll go to the players and make sure that they like that and that's how they want to be portrayed."

The process of becoming a bobblehead starts long before the season begins as teams try to plan out their promotional calendars. Once they do, teams discuss which players could work for each night. Nets vice president of team marketing, Mark Fine says most players want to be involved as much as possible when planning what the bobbleheads will look like.

"In my experience, players care," Fine says. "We love that they care because that makes them more willing to really help us on the business side really push this out through all of our channels."

For Dinwiddie's Iron Man bobblehead night, the Nets' marketing team came to him for his input in July. It was a similar process for teammate DeAndre Jordan when Brooklyn turned him into a "Jedi Jordan" for his giveaway on Dec. 21.

"I was into it a lot," Jordan says. "The face, my hair, what I wore. But they did such a great job with it, it was easy for me."

Another Star Wars superfan can relate to the unique thrill each project creates.

"You grow up and you go to certain games, and as a kid, you get bobbleheads on the giveaway nights," Former Nets and current Milwaukee Bucks big man Brook Lopez says. "So it's cool to kind of be on the other side of that now, to be the bobblehead."

The Nets turned Lopez into his own version of a Jedi in 2015 and "Chew-Brook-A" in 2016, but now he's hopeful the Bucks will create a Brook-and-Robin Lopez joint bobblehead in the near future for the twin brothers and Milwaukee teammates. His latest idea requires a bit more moving parts.

"They should be like Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, right?" Lopez says. "A Rock 'Em Sock 'Em bobblehead. There we go! That's a good one!"

ONCE THE EXCITEMENT of bobblehead night fades, many bobbleheads end up in the same place: mom's house.

"My mom is my biggest fan, so she's always been more excited than anybody else," Drummond says. "She takes like 100 and hoards them."

While some teams make some extra bobbleheads to sell inside their respective arenas, many players get extra shipments sent back home.

"I'll usually keep one box at the house for people who come over and they see the bobblehead, like, 'Man, where mine at?'" Green says.

For Thompson, bobblehead life is much simpler. Unlike many of his peers, the laidback, All-Star sharpshooter keeps his out of view.

"In the closet," he says.

No matter where the bobblehead lands, each one remains special for the players. They know how much time and work brought them to this level, and they appreciate what each figurine represents.

"You never grow up thinking you'll have your own personal bobblehead," Beal says. "And then when you make it, it's like, 'Damn, here's a little mini statue.'"

The results are in, and ESPN has determined Major League Baseball's top 100 players for the 2020 season. But not everyone is going to agree with who wound up where. In the wake of the release of this year's voting by 40 of ESPN's baseball experts, we asked three of our voters -- Bradford Doolittle, Sam Miller and David Schoenfield -- what their big takeaways were from this year's ranking of baseball's best at ESPN.com.

Which top 30 ranking is the biggest surprise?

Doolittle: Alex Bregman was No. 6 last season. Then he went out and finished second in Baseball-Reference WAR (bWAR), second in FanGraphs WAR (fWAR) and first in win shares. So going into his age-25 season, we drop him to No. 12. This makes no sense to me, especially if, as I suspect, he's getting some kind of sign-stealing scandal adjustment. If Mike Trout doesn't win the MVP again this season in the American League, Bregman is the most likely player in the league to take his place.

Miller: Blake Snell has pitched four seasons in the majors, and his ERA has been just a little bit better than the league average in three of them. Of course, the exception -- 2018 -- was one of the finest seasons a pitcher had in last decade, but even that season was hard to replicate, with a 1.89 ERA but just a 2.94 FIP. It's easy to see him in next year's top 10, but it's also easy to see him in next year's bottom 10.

Schoenfield: Does Kris Bryant have top-25 potential? Of course he does; he was the 2016 National League MVP, and he's still in what should be the prime of his career. But he hasn't been a top-25 player the past two seasons. You can blame injuries in 2018, and while his overall batting line from 2019 resembles his 2016 line, this is where we point out that everyone else collectively hit much better in 2019 than 2016. In 2016, Bryant's 39 home runs ranked ninth in the majors; in 2019, his 31 home runs ranked tied for 49th. In 2016, his .939 OPS ranked ninth; in 2019, his .903 OPS ranked 28th. His 3.6 bWAR tied him with Mike Tauchman, although Bryant was also at 4.8 fWAR, tied for 23rd among position players. It's not a ridiculous ranking or anything, but I want to see a little more before I put him back in the top 25.

Who didn't make the top 100 but should have?

Doolittle: We did a pretty good job of avoiding egregious omissions. The highest-ranked player on my list who didn't make it was Carlos Santana. I can kind of understand it. He's even more one-dimensional now than he has always been. He's going into his age-34 season. He doesn't play a premium position. But the guy can still really hit. He bounced back in a big way from 2018, a season that now looks like an outlier. A player you can pencil in for an OPS+ of 115 to 130 over at least 150 games is a top-100 player.

Miller: He's got a high-enough disaster rate that I understand why he's not in the top 100, but only 12 players in baseball produced more WAR per plate appearance than Byron Buxton did last year. He's got Andrelton Simmons' defensive value as a center fielder, which gives him a 3- or 4-WAR floor in any fully healthy season. And he hit an outrageous 30 doubles in fewer than 300 at-bats in 2019, hinting, perhaps, at even more power potential than his .513 slugging percentage showed.

Schoenfield: Just eyeballing it from last year's league leaders ... maybe Jorge Polanco of the Twins? He ranked tied for 14th in bWAR among position players at 5.7; fWAR had him lower at 4.0 (still 37th). I'm not sure why there's such a big difference there because bWAR rates him only slightly above average in the field with 2 defensive runs saved. Polanco did fall off a bit at the plate in the second half (but was still good), so maybe that's it. Still, he's the type of solid all-around player who is underrated.

At the end of the season, about what player will you look back at the rankings and say, "I was right, everyone else was wrong"?

Doolittle: We've got Aaron Judge at No. 15, down from No. 11. He debuted at No. 14 during his rookie season, the year we did the rankings after the campaign had started, and he was No. 16 the year after that. So we've had him between 11 and 16 over his four full seasons. I'd rate him more like No. 50. It brings me no joy to point this out, because I think Judge is good for baseball and his ascendancy to future Hall of Fame status would be a great thing. But his rookie season now looks like an outlier. He's really good -- awe-inspiring might be a more apt description -- when he plays but misses too much time.

Now it looks like Judge is going to be on the shelf again to open the 2020 season. The problem with his over-ranking is not just one of value lost from injuries. There is also the loss of repetitions to improve the extreme swing-and-miss tendencies he has shown, which lead to inconsistencies. He's already going into his age-28 season. Could he end up as MVP? Absolutely. But to cement his status as that kind of player, Judge needs to be on the field for 140 to 150 games. So I hope everyone else is right and I am wrong.

Miller: Shohei Ohtani's case as a designated hitter isn't really any better than Miguel Sano's case as a first baseman, and Sano isn't in the top 100. So Ohtani's position at no. 34 is being floated by his fame and hype, or by very high expectations for his pitching. I don't have particularly high expectations for his pitching. High hopes! But my expectations are cautious, as they would be for any pitcher with an injury history like Ohtani's. I might put him in the 80s.

Schoenfield: As I predicted, German Marquez did not crack the top 100. His road ERA in 2018: 2.95. His road ERA in 2019: 3.67. I remain convinced that if you put this guy in a neutral park he's a top-15 starting pitcher in the majors. Aside from him, Corey Seager ranks 78th, which is probably fair based on 2019, but I'm predicting he'll be much higher in our 2021 rankings after he has a much better season in the middle of that loaded Dodgers lineup.

Who will be the best players in major league baseball for the 2020 season?

To determine this, ESPN polled 40 MLB writers, analysts, contributors and Insiders to determine the top 100 and rank them, voting on 200 players. For a basis of comparison, for each player, we've looked at where they ranked in 2019 -- if they made the top 100 -- as well as some additional info to consider about each going into the season.

No. 100. Michael Conforto, OF, New York Mets

2019 rank: 99

Did you know? Conforto posted career highs across the board on offense, but the most encouraging stat might be his games played, as he topped 150 for the second straight year after coping with injury issues earlier in his career. Conforto's contact rate also continues to improve and his plate discipline is excellent, lending hope that he'll keep getting better.

No. 99. Tommy Pham, OF, San Diego Padres

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Pham put up his second 20-20 season in the past three years, producing one for the Rays the year after they traded for him, and one for the Cardinals before his 2018 trade. Now that he has been traded to San Diego, can he add a third with the Padres?

No. 98. Keston Hiura, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Hiura burst onto the scene after being called up from the minors for good at the end of June, forcing his way into the Brewers' lineup. From July 1 on, he had 14 home runs, 43 RBIs and eight steals, with an OPS of .976 that ranked third among second basemen. Hiura's downside was a 30.2% strikeout rate paired with an 8.2% walk rate. Improvement in those areas could move Hiura up these rankings in 2021.

No. 97. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Los Angeles Angels

2019 rank: 64

Did you know? After back-to-back solid offensive seasons with an OPS+ over 100, Simmons slipped in 2019 as he was limited to 103 games with a pair of ankle injuries. Even so, his Gold Glove-caliber defense remains: Simmons led AL shortstops in UZR and defensive runs saved. Still, he could use a resurgence at the plate in the final year of his contract.

No. 96. Brandon Woodruff, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? In his first year as a starter, Woodruff looked good -- 11-3, 3.53 ERA, 5-1 SO/BB ratio, .647 OPS allowed -- before suffering an oblique injury July 21 that sidelined him for almost two months. He did return for a couple of appearances in September and appears to be all systems go for 2020.

No. 95. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Bichette made a big impact after finally arriving in the Show at the end of July. From the time of his call-up, Bichette was tied for fourth in baseball with 18 doubles, while his 29 extra-base hits were in the top 15 and his slugging percentage (.571) and wRC+ (142) both were in the top 30.

No. 94. Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Through mid-August, Ryu was having a season for the ages, with a 1.45 ERA and just 17 walks and 10 home runs allowed in 142⅔ innings. Despite fading, he led baseball with a 2.32 ERA for the season. Additionally, the injury-prone Ryu, who has been on the IL 10 times in the past seven years, missed only 21 days, his fewest since 2013.

No. 93. Michael Brantley, OF, Houston Astros

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Since the start of the 2018 season, Brantley has the best contact rate in baseball at 90.8%, a number that rises to 96.5% on balls in the strike zone. Only 4% of the pitches Brantley has faced over the past two seasons have resulted in a swinging strike.

No. 92. Paul DeJong, SS, St. Louis Cardinals

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? DeJong has shown significant home run power, with 30 homers last year after averaging 22 over his first two seasons with somewhat limited playing time. His uppercut swing produces a lot of fly balls -- and his average fly ball distance is in the 90th percentile -- but his batting average has dropped every year, from .285 his rookie season in 2017 to .241 in 2018 to .233 last year.

No. 91. Max Kepler, OF, Minnesota Twins

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? As part of the Twins' Bomba Squad, Kepler broke out with 36 homers, a .519 slugging percentage and .855 OPS in his age-26 season. He had big bumps in pull rate (53.4%) and hard contact rate (42.4%) but not BABIP (.244), indications he might be able to keep that power surge going.

No. 90. Austin Meadows, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? You might say Meadows was burning at both ends of last season. Through June 1, he was third in baseball in OPS (behind Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich) and second in wRC+ and wOBA (minimum 170 PA). After a summertime cooldown, Meadows was second in baseball in those three categories (behind Alex Bregman) in September.

No. 89. Mitch Garver, C, Minnesota Twins

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? One of the most surprising breakouts of 2019, Garver entered his age-28 season with seven career home runs, then launched 31 in 311 at-bats for the best AB/HR ratio in baseball. Among catchers with at least 350 plate appearances, he was No. 1 in OPS (.995) and isolated power (.357) and second in hard contact rate (47.4%).

No. 88. Trevor Bauer, SP, Cincinnati Reds

2019 rank: 39

Did you know? After a fantastic 2018 season, Bauer took a significant step back last year. He struggled through 24 starts with Cleveland, in part because of a career-worst 9.4% walk rate, then was dealt to Cincinnati, where things went from mediocre to miserable (2-5, 6.39 ERA, 12 HR allowed in 56 1/3 innings). The swing-and-miss stuff is still there, but will the results return?

No. 87. Yoan Moncada, 3B, Chicago White Sox

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Moncada took a big leap in 2019, his age-24 season. His batting average jumped 80 points (.315), his OPS 201 points (.915) and his OPS+ 45 points (141). A .406 BABIP suggests those numbers might be hard to sustain, but Moncada's youth may mean there's still room to grow.

No. 86. Jorge Soler, DH, Kansas City Royals

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Soler blossomed into a full-fledged "three true outcomes" guy in 2019, leading the American League in home runs (48) and strikeouts (178) to go with 73 walks (tied for 11th). Entering the season, he had hit a homer every 26.4 at-bats in his career; last year, he went deep once every 12.3 at-bats.

No. 85. Joey Gallo, OF, Texas Rangers

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? At last year's All-Star break, Gallo had the fourth-best OPS in baseball (1.060), trailing only Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger and Mike Trout. The key was a new patient approach as Gallo's OBP (.389) was way up and his swing percentage (38.9%) was way down. Gallo missed most of the second half of 2019 with a broken hamate bone; how he comes back is a huge storyline for the Rangers.

No. 84. Corey Kluber, SP, Texas Rangers

2019 rank: 16

Did you know? It's all about health with Kluber, who was pretty much otherworldly from 2014 to '18 (83-45, 2.85 ERA, 1.016 WHIP, 10.1 SO/9 IP, 5.51 SO/BB). Or is it? Kluber was only so-so toward the end of 2018, got shelled in his one postseason start, then was brutal in seven 2019 starts (5.80 ERA, 1.654 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9 IP) before suffering a broken arm when hit by a line drive. Will he bounce back? The Rangers are betting on it.

No. 83. Zack Wheeler, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

2019 rank: 83

Did you know? Wheeler cashed in on his second straight solid (and healthy) season with a five-year, $118 million contract with the Phillies. While his ERA jumped from 3.31 to 3.96 and his strikeout rate fell slightly (from 24.1% to 23.6%), his walk rate improved from 7.4% to 6.0% and his fastball velocity was better than ever (96.7 mph).

No. 82. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees

2019 rank: 31

Did you know? Two consecutive healthy, powerful seasons were erased by a lost 2019 for the injury-plagued Stanton, who dealt with biceps and knee issues and had just 59 at-bats. And now he's dealing with a strained right calf and won't be ready for the start of the season. In his 10-year career, Stanton has played at least 145 games only four times.

No. 81. Chris Paddack, SP, San Diego Padres

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Paddack was positively tantalizing out of the gate, with a 1.93 ERA, .156 batting average allowed, .257 slugging allowed, 9.8 SO/9 IP and a 5-1 SO/BB ratio over his first nine career starts. After that, he dipped but still wasn't bad (4.13 ERA, .229 BAA, .443 SLG, 9.8 SO/9 IP, 5-1 SO/BB over 17 starts). Overall, he had a 3.33 ERA and 0.981 WHIP, not too shabby for a 23-year-old rookie.

No. 80. Yu Darvish, SP, Chicago Cubs

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Through 18 starts last year, Darvish had a 5.01 ERA and an 11.7% walk rate (fourth worst in baseball). But something swung at the All-Star break, as over his last 13 starts, Darvish had a 2.76 ERA and a 2.2% walk rate, best in baseball. In the second half, he issued only seven walks, the same number he had in his March 30 start against Texas.

No. 79. Liam Hendriks, RP, Oakland Athletics

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Blake Treinen's demise as A's closer led to the unexpected rise of Hendricks, whose career numbers entering 2019 were 12-22 with a 4.72 ERA and minus-0.4 WAR over 245 appearances. From June 22, the date of his first save, until the end of the season, he led all relievers with 25 saves, 74 strikeouts, an 18.5 SO/BB ratio and 2.6 WAR.

No. 78. Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: 49

Did you know? Seager didn't match his pre-Tommy John production and missed time with a hamstring injury, but his strong finish could be a sign of things to come in 2020. Over his last 40 games (from Aug. 11 on), Seager led all shortstops with 40 RBIs and 16 doubles to go with a .920 OPS (fifth among shortstops) and 10 home runs.

No. 77. Whit Merrifield, OF-2B, Kansas City Royals

2019 rank: 75

Did you know? Take a bow if you knew Whit Merrifield led the majors in hits each of the past two seasons. The last player to do that was Ichiro Suzuki, who was majors' top hit man from 2006 through 2010.

No. 76. Jeff McNeil, 3B, New York Mets

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? After hitting .329 in 63 games as a rookie in 2018, McNeil kept his average high but added significantly more power as his hard-hit rate jumped almost 10 percentage points and his OPS reached .916. He also showed great versatility, starting at least 15 games at second base, third base, left field and right field. He's penciled in to play the hot corner this season.

No. 75. Jose Berrios, SP, Minnesota Twins

2019 rank: 72

Did you know? Berrios has established himself as an old-school top-of-the-rotation starter (or at least what that is in 2020 terms). He's had 32 starts in back-to-back seasons and pitched into the sixth inning in all but five of them in 2019. Over the past two years, he's third in the AL in innings pitched, seventh in strikeouts and eighth in ERA.

No. 74. Vlad Guerrero Jr., 3B, Toronto Blue Jays

2019 rank: 68

Did you know? Given the hype and anticipation in advance of his debut, Guerrero's 2019 season was bound to be a letdown; of 135 hitters who qualified for the batting title, Vladdy ranked 97th in slugging (.433) and 115th in hard-hit rate (34.4%). But the tools and enthusiasm are there, he did show some flashes (an .802 OPS in May -- and maybe you saw the Home Run Derby), and he'll barely be 21 on Opening Day.

No. 73. Josh Bell, 1B, Pittsburgh Pirates

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Bell got off to an absolutely torrid start -- his 57 extra-base hits through July 1 were the most through his team's first 83 games since Hank Aaron in 1959. As one would expect, Bell eventually cooled off but still finished 16th in MLB with an OPS of .936, which was 136 points better than his previous career high.

No. 72. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Colorado Rockies

2019 rank: 55

Did you know? Whether it's the Coors Field effect or Blackmon's metronomic consistency, it seems we're taking the Rockies outfielder for granted. Over the past four seasons, he is third in baseball in batting average (.315), sixth in slugging (.558), 10th in home runs (127) and second in runs scored (429). And in 2019, his strikeout rate was its lowest and his average exit velocity its highest over that span.

No. 71. Lucas Giolito, SP, Chicago White Sox

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? With a new approach, Giolito, a first-round draft pick in 2012, finally reached his promise -- in a big way -- in 2019. He lowered his ERA by nearly three runs -- from 6.13 to 3.41 -- and improved his strikeout/walk ratio from 1.39 to 4.0. The biggest change for Giolito was essentially abandoning his sinker/curve in favor of a quicker four-seam fastball and changeup.

No. 70. Willson Contreras, C, Chicago Cubs

2019 rank: 92

Did you know? Contreras bounced back from a subpar 2018 campaign with career highs in home runs (24), slugging (.533) and OPS (.888) despite two trips to the IL (foot, hamstring). That earned him a winter of hearing his name in trade rumors, but the Cubs didn't pull the trigger on any significant deals.

No. 69. Max Muncy, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Muncy proved his 2018 breakthrough with the Dodgers was no fluke, delivering 35 HRs in both years, and becoming L.A.'s semi-regular second baseman. Like finding Justin Turner on the discard heap before 2014, Muncy shows that L.A. has a knack for discovering journeymen ready to rake.

No. 68. Justin Turner, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: 53

Did you know? In his six seasons with the Dodgers, Turner has an OPS+ of 139, five points better than that of his new teammate Mookie Betts over the same span. Other third basemen by OPS+ since 2014: Josh Donaldson 139, Kris Bryant 136, Anthony Rendon 128, Nolan Arenado 127.

No. 67. Nelson Cruz, DH, Minnesota Twins

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Since 2014, Cruz has 244 home runs, the most in the majors and 21 more than runner-up Mike Trout. And 2019 may have been his best year yet, as he had a career-best 1.031 OPS while batting .311 (his best mark since 2010) and leading baseball in fly ball exit velocity (99.9 mph) -- all while turning 39 last July.

No. 66. Tyler Glasnow, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Another of last year's stunning breakthroughs, Glasnow was perhaps baseball's best pitcher over his first eight starts, posting a 1.86 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, with 55 strikeouts and nine walks over 48⅓ innings. That all came to a screeching halt with a forearm strain, and while Glasnow came back with four solid, yet abbreviated, September starts, health has to be a concern.

No. 65. Kirby Yates, RP, San Diego Padres

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Yates had one of those video-game type seasons as the Padres closer with 41 saves, a 1.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and a 15 SO/9 IP. For the year, he issued just 13 walks and allowed just two home runs in 60⅔ innings.

No. 64. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

2019 rank: 13

Did you know? In his first year with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt had a career low OPS+ (113) and a slash line of .260/.346/.476, all full-season lows for his career. Was Goldy pressing for his new team? His swing rate of 46.4% was four points higher than his previous career high, set in 2018, and his chase rate also was a career high.

No. 63. Gary Sanchez, C, New York Yankees

2019 rank: 67

Did you know? Just five regular catchers in MLB history have had 40-homer seasons: Johnny Bench, Mike Piazza, Roy Campanella, Javy Lopez and Todd Hundley. Heading into his age-27 season, Sanchez has 33 and 34 HRs in two of his past three campaigns. Is this the year he reaches 40?

No. 62. Yordan Alvarez, DH, Houston Astros

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Alvarez had one of the most dynamic debut seasons ever, with his 1.067 OPS a record for rookies with at least 250 plate appearances. He also ranked in the top 15 in MLB in average exit velocity (92.2 mph) and barrel rate (10.3%), all at the tender age of 22. It will be interesting to see if pitchers are able to find any holes in his swing the second time around.

No. 61. Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Cincinnati Reds

2019 rank: 77

Did you know? Over the past two seasons, only Mike Trout has more home runs than Eugenio Suarez, who ripped 49 in 2019 and ranked fifth in HR/fly ball ratio (29.5%). Suarez has been consistent and durable, ranking eighth in baseball in homers and games played over the past four years, but he's dealing with a shoulder issue and could miss the start of the season.

No. 60. Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals

2019 rank: 54

Did you know? Yes, there are still a few base-stealers out there, and Turner is chief among them -- the only player with 30-plus swipes each of the past four years. Turner also had an .850 OPS, his best since his abbreviated rookie season in 2016, and closed strong with an .898 OPS after July 23.

No. 59. Zack Greinke, SP, Houston Astros

2019 rank: 65

Did you know? Getting dealt to the Astros helped push Greinke past 200 wins on his career, and since he is under contract for two more seasons, that time in Houston could help him become just the 11th pitcher in MLB history to get 100 wins in both the American and National Leagues. He's earned 131 victories in the NL, and is at 74 and counting in the AL.

No. 58. Aroldis Chapman, RP, New York Yankees

2019 rank: 47

Did you know? With his fastball velocity down to the lowest average speed since 2013 last season, Chapman used his slider more than ever before, 31.1% of the time. Changing up his mix helped him record the most saves he's had in a year since that same '13 season with Cincinnati, when he had 38 -- still his career high.

No. 57. DJ LeMahieu, UTIL, New York Yankees

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? In reaching a single-season career high, LeMahieu hit as many home runs last year (26) as he had in his next two highest season totals combined. That wasn't all just "year of the home run"-related, as Baseball Savant metrics show he produced career bests in his average exit velocity and launch angle to help generate his career year for power production.

No. 56. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs

2019 rank: 38

Did you know? Rizzo set career highs in batting average (.293) and OBP (.403) in 2019, but another key component in how he gets on base so often is his readiness to take one for the team, leading the majors for a third time in times being hit by a pitch last season. Having been pelted by a pitch 145 times already, he's likely to move into the top 20 all-time at some point this summer.

No. 55. Luis Castillo, SP, Cincinnati Reds

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Castillo is one of the hardest-throwing starting pitchers in baseball, as his 96.5 mph average fastball velocity ranked sixth overall in the majors. But perhaps what makes him especially devastating is how he mixes in his elite changeup, which he throws almost a third of the time, and which was good for an MLB-best 29.4 runs above average according to FanGraphs.

No. 54. Matt Olson, 1B, Oakland Athletics

2019 rank: 87

Did you know? Despite missing more than a month last season, Olson managed to hit a career-best 36 home runs while also winning the Gold Glove at first base a second straight year. He's averaging 5.4 WAR per 162 games; to put that in perspective, Pete Alonso produced 5.8 in 161 as a rookie.

No. 53. Charlie Morton, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Entering 2017 (his age-33 season), Charlie Morton's career record was 46-71 with a 4.54 ERA, an ERA+ of 84, a 1.441 WHIP and 6.3 K/9 IP. From 2017-19, his record is 45-16 with a 3.24 ERA, a 131 ERA+, a 1.141 WHIP and 10.7 K/9.

No. 52. Aaron Nola, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

2019 rank: 24

Did you know? Not every pitcher can see his ERA go up by a run and a half in a year and still call it a successful season, but Nola's follow-up to his 2018 breakthrough was still strong as he set a career high in strikeout rate (10.2 K/9). Unfortunately, he also saw his fastball get hit hard in the "Year of the Home Run," as he saw his slugging allowed on his four-seamer climb from .336 to .509. If the live ball is a thing of the past, he could climb back up these rankings.

No. 51. Noah Syndergaard, SP, New York Mets

2019 rank: 25

Did you know? You probably know or could guess that Thor led all major league starters in average fastball velocity last season, throwing his heat at an average of 97.7 mph. And although that wasn't even his highest career single-season average, he also threw his fastball more often -- 59.2% of the time -- than in any year since his debut campaign in 2015.

No. 50. Manny Machado, 3B, San Diego Padres

2019 rank: 19

Did you know? Machado had a dreadful end to his first season in San Diego (.209/.305/.348 with six HRs in 187 AB after Aug. 1) and tied for the major league lead by grounding into 24 double plays. The Padres obviously need better from their $300 million man.

No. 49. Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros

2019 rank: 27

Did you know? Correa's hard-hit rate (44.9%) was the best in baseball last year among shortstops with at least 300 plate appearances. The catch? Correa played in just 75 games and has surpassed 110 games in just one of his five big league seasons.

No. 48. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: 41

Did you know? Heading into his age-32 season, Kershaw is already moving up all sorts of career leaderboards. He's already the franchise career leader in WAR (65.4) and third in strikeouts with 2,464 (and sure to pass Don Drysdale this season). And having already eclipsed Sandy Koufax in wins and with two years left on his contract with 169 victories, it isn't inconceivable he could become just the third pitcher to earn 200 wins for the Dodgers, joining Drysdale (209) and Don Sutton (233).

No. 47. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Indians

2019 rank: 14

Did you know? What to make of Jose Ramirez? After an MVP caliber season in 2017, he was even better in 2018 -- until mid-August, when he fell into a dreadful slump (.165/.304/.273 over his last 38 games). He wasn't much better through July last season (.214/.309/.325), then snapped out of it big time over the rest of 2019 (.321/.356/.722 with 18 homers and 53 RBIs in 202 PA). Whether the great Ramirez or the horrible Ramirez emerges could tell the tale of the 2020 Indians.

No. 46. Ozzie Albies, 2B, Atlanta Braves

2019 rank: 58

Did you know? Albies, who turned 23 in January, is the real deal. He improved on his 2018 All-Star season, leading the NL in hits (189) and scoring more than 100 runs for the second straight year. Add 43 doubles, 8 triples and 24 home runs for an .852 OPS, and you've got the best full-time second baseman this side of Jose Altuve.

No. 45. Yasmani Grandal, C, Chicago White Sox

2019 rank: 80

Did you know? Grandal is just the third switch-hitting catcher to string together at least four straight seasons with 20 or more home runs, joining newly elected Hall of Famer Ted Simmons and Jorge Posada. If he adds a fifth in 2020, he'll tie Posada (2000-2004) for the record

No. 44. Ketel Marte, 2B-OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Few, if anyone, matched the jump made by Marte in 2019. He entered the season with 22 home runs over the first four years of his career, and in 2018 he had career highs of a .768 OPS, 102 OPS+ and 3.3 WAR. In 2019, he mashed 32 home runs, had a .981 OPS, 149 OPS+, 6.9 WAR. Plus, he started 89 games in center field, adding versatility to his burgeoning value.

No. 43. Chris Sale, SP, Boston Red Sox

2019 rank: 9

Did you know? It's no wonder Sale dropped 34 spots in the rankings as he's coming off his worst season since he became a full-time starter in 2012 (six wins, 4.40 ERA, 109 ERA+ and 1.5 HR/9 IP, all career lows). Sale was shut down with elbow issues in mid-August, and while he avoided surgery, he has experienced elbow discomfort this spring after already being behind schedule because of pneumonia. Not the sort of spring Red Sox fans had hoped for.

No. 42. Mike Soroka, SP, Atlanta Braves

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Soroka's rookie season was tremendous, as his total of 5.7 WAR was the highest from any rookie pitcher in 2019 and the best single-season mark from a first-year hurler since Jose Fernandez in 2013. His 169 ERA+ ranked second among all rookies to qualify for the ERA title since 1947, again trailing just Fernandez (176)

No. 41. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, San Diego Padres

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? With his 152 OPS+, Tatis set the MLB record for a rookie shortstop (300 plate appearance minimum). If not for the back injury that shut him down for the season, Tatis would have also had a clean shot at breaking Nomar Garciaparra's MLB record for home runs from a rookie shortstop (30) or Trevor Story's NL rookie record (27), but he had to settle for 22. Having demonstrated that much value in his injury-shortened first season, it's easy to anticipate he'll rocket up these rankings if he gets a handle on his throwing miscues at short.

No. 40. Shane Bieber, SP, Cleveland Indians

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Some projections systems bet high on Bieber (looking at you, ZiPS), and were right to anticipate a big sophomore season from the right-hander. Using FanGraphs' pitch value metrics, the only other pitchers besides Bieber whose four-seams fastball and their slider were 12 runs or more above average were guys named Verlander, Scherzer, deGrom, Flaherty and Cole. If he doubles down on that, he'll go higher still in his third season.

No. 39. Mike Clevinger, SP, Cleveland Indians

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Since 2017, when Clevinger made it to the big leagues for good, the Indians righty has been one of the AL's best pitchers, ranking fourth in ERA (2.96), eighth in wins (38), seventh in WHIP (1.15) and fifth in BA allowed (.215). And he's still getting better -- his velocity, strikeout rate, walk rate and HR/9 IP all were career bests in 2019. Clevinger may miss the start of the regular season after having knee surgery in mid-February.

No. 38. Josh Donaldson, 3B, Minnesota Twins

2019 rank: 90

Did you know? After playing just 52 games in 2018 (and nearly falling out of MLB Rank), a healthy Donaldson bounced back in a big way, approaching his MVP-level form of 2013-16. From June 1 on, he had 30 home runs (second among third basemen), 139 wRC+ (third among 3Bs), .388 wOBA (third) and a .934 OPS (fourth).

No. 37. George Springer, OF, Houston Astros

2019 rank: 37

Did you know? If not for a hamstring injury that cost him five weeks, Springer could have had a monster season in 2019. His production over 162 games would have translated to 51 home runs, 127 RBIs and 376 total bases, with a .974 OPS. Another season like that -- but injury-free -- in his walk year would mean huge bucks for Springer next winter.

No. 36. Josh Hader, RP, Milwaukee Brewers

2019 rank: 33

Did you know? Having demonstrated his 2018 season was no fluke, Hader has led the majors with an eye-popping 47% strikeout rate over the past two seasons, and among all pitchers used only in relief has put up years that rate eighth and 11th all-time in total strikeouts in a season among relievers, that despite never having pitched as many as 82 innings in a season.

No. 35. Marcus Semien, SS, Oakland Athletics

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? By tallying career highs in hits, walks, extra-base hits, doubles, homers, runs, RBIs, average, OBP and slugging, Semien's mind-boggling breakout season wasn't just unexpected: By adding up to an 8.1 WAR season, his 2019 season now ranks as the single greatest season by any shortstop in A's history, no mean feat when we're talking about one of the original eight clubs of the AL.

No. 34. Shohei Ohtani, SP-DH, Los Angeles Angels

2019 rank: 74

Did you know? You already know there's almost nothing Ohtani can't do, especially with the anticipation of his return to the mound in May building. But his ability to hit and hit for power could take another big step forward if last year's improvements against big league breaking stuff is any indication. As a rookie in 2018 he produced a .304 wOBA against breaking pitches, but he boosted that to .351 in his second stateside season.

No. 33. Patrick Corbin, SP, Washington Nationals

2019 rank: 52

Did you know? Only one major league lefty starter threw his slider more often than Corbin, who used the pitch 37% of the time, and finishing second to Clayton Kershaw at something done on the mound isn't something to be ashamed of. But the Nats' southpaw topped all big league lefties in value generated with his slider, with FanGraphs assessing the pitch at +21.8 runs (wSL).

No. 32. Gleyber Torres, SS, New York Yankees

2019 rank: 78

Did you know? Torres made a big move toward the top, but middle infielders who can hit 38 home runs in a season are rare birds. The only regular shortstop or second baseman in Yankees franchise history to hit more than that? Just Alfonso Soriano with his 39 in 2002 and 38 more in 2003 -- enough to make him a worthwhile bargaining chip to get Alex Rodriguez from the Rangers. But now that Torres should settle in as the everyday shortstop, there's little danger of his getting traded.

No. 31. J.D. Martinez, OF, Boston Red Sox

2019 rank: 17

Did you know? We'll let the numbers do the talking for Martinez. His ranks in baseball over the past three years: first in home runs (124); second in OPS (1.001), slugging (.615), RBIs (339) and wOBA (.411); third in wRC+ (156), and fourth in batting average (.312). To use a few words, he's one of the best hitters in the game.

No. 30. Trevor Story, SS, Colorado Rockies

2019 rank: 48

Did you know? Over the past four seasons, Story is the leading shortstop in wOBA (.367) as well as leading the position in home runs with 122. (Only a certain shortstop from the Indians has more than 100 as well, but more on him later.) But Story has top-tier value on both sides of the ball -- Sports Info Solutions reports he also just put up his second season worth 14 defensive runs saved.

No. 29. Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

2019 rank: 10

Did you know? Altuve may have tumbled from the top 10, but to put his career 126 OPS+ in perspective: Since Jackie Robinson's debut just three Hall of Fame second basemen have a higher mark -- the immortal Jackie, Rod Carew (who spent half his career at first base) and Joe Morgan. If Altuve's career bests in home runs and slugging last season are any indication, he'll belong in any future conversations about Cooperstown.

No. 28. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Boston Red Sox

2019 rank: 57

Did you know? Bogaerts, who established career highs in doubles, homers, RBIs and total bases, led all shortstops in 2019 with a .939 OPS, .555 slugging percentage and .390 WOBA.

No. 27. Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? Devers led baseball with 359 total bases in 2019, having one of the best age-22 seasons of the 2000s. His total-base mark was better than the age-22 seasons of Mike Trout in 2014 and Bryce Harper's MVP season in 2015.

No. 26. Blake Snell, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

2019 rank: 12

Did you know? Despite an injury-shortened campaign that didn't live up to his Cy Young season in 2018, Snell improved his strikeout rate from 31.6% to 33.3%. Lefty starters with reliable mid-90s velocity are rare enough, and that was key to Snell's success in both of the past two seasons; his ability to move back up the rankings will rely on his getting equally big results from his off-speed stuff.

No. 25. Bryce Harper, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

2019 rank: 15

Did you know? Harper's first year in Philadelphia may have yielded his most home runs since his MVP campaign back in 2015, but some bad luck on balls in play despite career bests in barreling pitches and exit velocity contributed to the perception that it was a disappointing introduction to Phillies fans. If he keeps hammering what he's given, expect even better results.

No. 24. Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs

2019 rank: 21

Did you know? Bryant has averaged 5.0 WAR and 31 home runs per year over his first five seasons with the Cubs. In fact, his career total of 25.1 WAR in those five years is a franchise best for the Cubs, bettering even Hall of Famers Ernie Banks (22.8) and Ryne Sandberg (21.2)

No. 23. J.T. Realmuto, C, Philadelphia Phillies

2019 rank: 28

Did you know? No player stands head and shoulders atop his position in the way Realmuto does among catchers -- over the past three years his WAR is 12.6, with Gary Sanchez a distant second at 8.4. In that span, Realmuto is No. 1 among catchers in plate appearances, runs (40 more than runner-up Yasmani Grandal), RBIs, doubles, triples and stolen bases, and is third in home runs, batting average and slugging.

No. 22. Jack Flaherty, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? In his age-23 season, Flaherty had a 4.64 ERA at the All-Star break, then broke out with an absurd second half in which he led baseball in ERA (0.91, third best in MLB history), WHIP (0.71), batting average allowed (.142) and HR/9 IP (0.45). For the season, he was the best in baseball at inducing soft contact (23.6%).

No. 21. Javier Baez, SS, Chicago Cubs

2019 rank: 29

Did you know? Baez had the best OPS in the National League against curveballs, hammering benders at 1.132 clip. And he was also among the best cleanup hitters in the league, with his .570 slugging percentage while batting fourth rating as the third-best power production in the NL.

No. 20. Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

2019 rank: not ranked

Did you know? You probably already know that his 53 home runs set a major league record for rookies, but Alonso also hit almost as many home runs as a Met as he did in his entire minor league career (59) across three seasons. And considering the Mets picked playing him from the start of the season over manipulating his service time, they were amply rewarded for making the right call on Alonso's merit.

No. 19. Walker Buehler, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: 42

Did you know? With an average fastball of 96.5 mph and the ability to mix in high-quality sliders, cutters and curves, Buehler was top 10 in baseball with a 1.04 WHIP and 5.81 K/BB ratio. He showed his tremendous upside with two games of at least 15 strikeouts and no walks last season; the rest of the league had four such games.

No. 18. Matt Chapman, 3B, Oakland Athletics

2019 rank: 34

Did you know? Over his first three seasons in the major leagues, Chapman has 79 defensive runs saved, almost twice as many as any other third baseman, with Nolan Arenado's 40 ranking second. If you prefer Statcast's outs above average, he's neck-and-neck with Arenado, 28-27. Suffice to say they're MLB's premium defenders at the position.

No. 17. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

2019 rank: 18

Did you know? One of the steadiest players in the game, Freeman has averaged 31 home runs, 98 runs, 95 RBIs and .944 OPS since 2016, and his 21.4 WAR in that span is best among first basemen (Paul Goldschmidt is second at 18.9).

No. 16. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals

2019 rank: 46

Did you know? With his career-best 18 victories last season, Strasburg became the first 100-game winner on the Washington side of franchise history, while his 251 strikeouts put him ahead of Steve Rogers for the highest total for the Nationals and Expos.

No. 15. Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees

2019 rank: 11

Did you know? When healthy, Judge hasn't just shown that his 2017 season was no fluke, he has also flashed Gold Glove-caliber defense. generating an MLB-best 37 defensive runs saved over the past two seasons in right field despite playing just 182 games there.

No. 14. Justin Verlander, SP, Houston Astros

2019 rank: 22

Did you know? Verlander didn't just lead the majors in wins, he got there by throwing the most strikes (2361) while allowing the lowest batting average on balls in play (.218). That combination might be tough to be repeat going into his age-37 season, but at 225 wins and counting, Verlander has more than a trip to Cooperstown in his future: Sports Info Solutions estimates he has a 54% shot at reaching 300.

No. 13. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Los Angeles Angels

2019 rank: 32

Did you know? Rendon has averaged 146 games per season over the past four years with a 134 OPS+ over that time -- not to mention a .425 wOBA in high-leverage situations. It's a developed record for durability that the Angels are banking on after signing him to a seven-year, $245 million deal.

No. 12. Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros

2019 rank: 6

Did you know? With improvements upon his main counting stats and rates in each of the past four seasons, Bregman looks like he has become the signature star in the Astros' constellation. He already has 99 career home runs, but just 44 of them have been hit in Houston.

No. 11. Juan Soto, OF, Washington Nationals

2019 rank: 35

Did you know? Seeing Soto rise this high this fast might shock some, but he's a hitter good for 34 home runs, an OBP north of .400 (thanks in part to more than 100 walks) before his 21st birthday. He showed marked improvements in some areas of his game, slugging .584 against off-speed stuff as a sophomore after managing a mark of just .306 as a rookie; more of that kind of growth won't just keep him here, it would take him even higher.

No. 10. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians

2019 rank: 8

Did you know? While notching his third straight season with more than 30 home runs, the Indians phenom ended his five-year introduction to the major leagues tallying up 28.6 WAR, edging out Cal Ripken Jr. (28.4) for the most from an MLB shortstop in his first five seasons.

No. 9. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

2019 rank: 5

Did you know? Arenado's past five seasons have been nothing short of epic, as he's averaged .300/.362/.575 and 40 home runs while producing an average of 6.2 WAR per season. His 30.9 WAR over those years is third in the majors behind just two guys named Trout and Betts. And to be clear, that value comes on both sides of the ball -- he's averaging 15 defensive runs saved per season over that same stretch.

No. 8. Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves

2019 rank: 20

Did you know? In 2019, Acuna was three stolen bases shy of joining the exclusive 40 homers/40 steals club. The only players with 40 homers and 35 steals in a season are Acuna, Alfonso Soriano (2006), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Barry Bonds (1996-97) and Jose Canseco (1988).

No. 7. Max Scherzer, SP, Washington Nationals

2019 rank: 3

Did you know? Scherzer led the NL in strikeout rate with 12.7 K/9 (second only to Gerrit Cole's 13.8 in the majors), and he did it in part by posting his highest average fastball velocity in his career (94.9 mph) in his age-34 season.

No. 6. Cody Bellinger, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: 61

Did you know? Bellinger's MVP season was the product of just the fourth season worth 9.0 WAR or more in Dodgers franchise history, ranking fourth overall behind L.A.'s Adrian Beltre (9.6 in 2004) and Brooklyn's Jackie Robinson (9.7 in 1951) and Duke Snider (9.3 in 1953).

No. 5. Mookie Betts, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 rank: 2

Did you know? Betts is one of three players to finish in the top 10 in MVP voting each of the past four years (along with Mike Trout and Nolan Arenado) and joins Trout as the only players with a top-15 WAR each of those seasons. His average WAR of 8.45 trails only Trout's 8.95 over that span.

No. 4. Christian Yelich, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

2019 rank: 7

Did you know? Yelich built on his MVP season in 2018 by posting a higher average, OBP and slugging percentage, hitting more home runs and stealing more bases -- all that despite missing the last month of the season after fouling a ball off his knee. This kind of mid-career growth earned him a nine-year $215 million contract extension to stay in Milwaukee.

No. 3. Jacob deGrom, SP, New York Mets

2019 rank: 4

Did you know? With a huge second half, finishing second in MLB in both ERA and FIP after the All-Star break, deGrom earned a second Cy Young award, becoming the first Met to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

No. 2. Gerrit Cole, SP, New York Yankees

2019 rank: 30

Did you know? Cole won two-thirds of the AL pitching triple crown, leading the league in strikeouts and ERA. In the past nine seasons, just two other pitchers have gotten as high as No. 2 in our rankings -- Clayton Kershaw and Cole's former teammate, Justin Verlander.

No. 1. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

2019 rank: 1

Did you know? Our No. 1 player for seven straight years despite missing time in each of the past three, Trout nevertheless set a career high in home runs (45). You can't go any higher than this, but if Trout puts together a full season while helping power the Angels back into contention, you could ask yourself if he'll be here for another seven.

Eilish McColgan is inaugural grant recipient, with elite athletes and community running groups able to apply

Runners of all abilities can apply for a grant issued by The National Running Show to help facilitate the careers of the next wave of elite athletes and community running groups.

The grant programme, which launched at the third annual National Running Show in Birmingham in January, offers grants ranging from £500 to £3,000 under two grant streams – the Elite Sport grant and the Community grant.

The programme’s judging panel will feature a host of industry experts and carefully chosen individuals from the business world. The judges include Olympic silver medallist Wendy Sly; former international athlete Allison Curbishley; world gold medallist Steve Cram; British 400m record-holder Iwan Thomas; ultra runner Susie Chan; Mark Brider, CEO of Children with Cancer UK; Hannah Beecham, founder and CEO of RED Together and Jessica Robson, founder of Run Talk Run.

The Elite grant is the top tier of funding which aims to support elite runners who inspire others through their activities. The money can be used to purchase specialist equipment, access professional training and coaching and cover travel costs to events.

The second stream of funding, the Community grant, offers groups operating across England an opportunity to apply for support. The criteria for selection will identify those who help encourage inactive people to become more active, promote and encourage lasting sporting habits and help to develop positive attitudes towards running among young people.

European 5000m silver medallist Eilish McColgan is the inaugural recipient of the Elite grant and said: “The grant will be a huge help in this Olympic year.

“I will be using the grant to fund my altitude training camp and I’m also hoping to use the extra money to help bring my mum, who coaches me, out to the Olympic Games in Tokyo – should I qualify for Team GB!”

Mike Seaman, CEO at Raccoon Events and founder of the National Running Show, commented: “We have met so many inspiring runners in the three years since we launched the National Running Show, and not just athletes, runners who do a mile a week but are so motivated because the positive physical and mental outcomes.

“When I set up the National Running Show it was my aim to be able to give back to this amazing community and I am delighted to be able to do that through these grants.

“We feel passionately that running is about more than getting fit and healthy, it’s about friendship, motivation and positive mental health and we know first-hand just how important community running groups are in inspiring people who might be reticent to get out and take a few steps.”

Applications for both grant streams should be submitted by midnight on March 21, 2020, at [email protected].

Successful applicants will be notified by April 1, 2020.

For more information on the funding and how to apply visit nationalrunningshow.com/grants.

The next National Running Show takes place in London on June  13-14, 2020. Tickets are available at bit.ly/3buv19s.