Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers was hurt trying to make a head-first slide into home base on Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

The Texas Rangers have looked unstoppable while sweeping the Boston Red Sox under the mat in opening weekend. People were still skeptical and said the bottom half of the Rangers rotation consisting of Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando would falter. The duo stunned everyone and had arguably better outings than C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis.

Texas Rangers (2010 record: 90-72)

The Texas Rangers won their first American League pennant, but eventually lost the World Series to the San Francisco Giants. Their drive to the Fall Classic was spurred by an MVP season from LF Josh Hamilton, a Rookie of the Year campaign from closer Neftali Feliz, and all-star efforts from five players.

It is not that I don’t like these outfielders; it’s just that I feel like their ADPs (courtesy of Mock Draft Central) have them going a little bit earlier than I’d prefer to call their names:

Julio Borbon is second in all off baseball in committing errors thus far in Spring Training. The league leaders in errors typically are infielders who have many more opportunities than outfielders. Borbon has five errors this Spring, he has a total of seven errors in his career in the regular season.

Baseball has always been a sport based mainly upon tradition. People fear change, and Major League Baseball is no different.

Nearly everything you see on this list comes from the past 35 years or so. Prior to that time, there was little room for individuality in the game. It was about tradition and the team. Players weren't supposed to bring any added attention to themselves except from their play on the field.

With the recent passing of Duke Snider, I started to wonder if our generation has an equivalent to the triumvirate of May, Mantle and Snider in the 1950s. 

Granted, no city has three teams any more, but are there three outfielders playing today that are/will be considered all-time greats that are great on defense, at the plate and/or have great speed like Willie, Mickey and The Duke?

At the age of 28 years and 41 days, Jon Daniels became the youngest GM in baseball history on October 4, 2005, succeeding John Hart.

Daniels took over a team that was restocking the roster from the outside via free agency. After turning that around completely by rebuilding through the draft he's turned around the Rangers win-loss column as well. He led the Rangers to their first World Series appearance last year in his fifth season at the helm.

These are the players who I believe to be the top 20 fantasy baseball outfielders in the American League going into the 2011 season. 

Here are my other 2011 fantasy baseball rankings:

Top 50 Hitters

Top 35 Pitchers

Following the most successful season in franchise history, the Texas Rangers have had an eventful off-season as they prepare to defend their 2010 American League Championship.

From feuds with rival franchises to dramatic encounters with their own players, the winter months have been anything but boring as the Rangers have thrust themselves into baseball's spotlight with on-field success as well as off-field controversies.