Rankings/List

The 2014 MLB season has been nothing short of spectacular.

Sure, there have been an inordinate amount of season-ending injuries to pitchers and position players alike, but this year has been fantastic for the game.

We have witnessed record-setting pitching performances. International rookies are finding tremendous success on the mound and at the plate. And don’t forget about the arrival of heralded prospects in each league that have dominated the national conversation.

It might have taken a little longer than expected, but Dee Gordon has arrived. Once a top prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the son of longtime big league pitcher Tom and brother of recent first-round draft pick Nick struggled with consistency, both in performance and in playing time, over his first three big league seasons. This year, though, the speedy Gordon has gone from almost-afterthought to breakout player the only way he knows how—fast.

The San Francisco Giants have the best record in the majors (despite getting swept by the Colorado Rockies at home this past weekend), but it's still important to monitor the organization's farm system, which will largely dictate whether the team is able to replicate its recent success in the forthcoming seasons.

Imagine a world, if you will, in which MLB's All-Star Game, as you know it, does not exist.

The game has gone back to being an exhibition, no longer tied to the World Series, and the way teams are selected have changed.

Instead of fans voting for only the starting lineup from each league, they now have the power to send 30 deserving players—one from each team—to the Midsummer Classic. The voting does not take a player's position into account, opening the door for fans to select pitchers for the first time.

Outside of the MLB postseason, the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is the most exciting time to follow the game. The rumors come fast, and they come furious. 

Now, last week was the first time this season when the names being mentioned broke away from guys like Jeff Samardzija and David Price, who are commonly discussed. There were some outside-the-box suggestions that could make sense given the right circumstances.

MLB managers definitely matter. 

Just take a look at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manager Don Mattingly has guided the most expensively assembled squad in baseball to an underwhelming 36-33 (.522) start, which leaves the team 7.5 games behind the San Francisco Giants. 

The 2014 MLB draft has come and gone, and it's time to re-rank the Indians' top prospects.

The team made one of the best selections in the entire draft when University of San Francisco outfielder Kyle Zimmer fell to it at No. 21 overall. The Tribe followed that up with two more solid selections in lefty Justus Sheffield and University of Virginia outfielder Mike Papi.

For the first time in a number of years, the Seattle Mariners may consider being buyers at the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

It’s always quite an intense battle between these two California foes. The Bay Area’s Oakland Athletics taking on SoCal’s Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim in a matchup between the American League West’s top two teams; and the series was every bit as competitive as expected between these intrastate adversaries.

Last week, all eyes were on the 2014 MLB draft. Now the attention is turning toward the inevitable mayhem that accompanies the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Amidst the chaos, there is one constant. Each week, someone will step up and thoroughly dominate at their position, while others will have weeks they would just as soon forget.

Let’s focus our attention on the best MLB had to offer last week and identify the stars at each position.