Matt Kemp, CF

.324 AVG, 39 HR, 126 RBIs, 115 R, 40 SB, .986 OPS

The Dodgers outfielder solidified his place in baseball as a five-tool player and Triple Crown candidate, falling just one homer short of becoming the fifth member of the elusive 40/40 club.

Jose Bautista, RF

.302 AVG, 43 HR, 103 RBIs, 105 R, 1.056 OPS

Bautista led the AL in home runs and walks, and became just the fifth player in Major League history to record at least 40 homers, 130 walks and nine stolen bases in a season.

Miguel Cabrera, 1B

.344 AVG, 30 HR, 105 RBIs, 111 R, 1.033 OPS

The AL batting champion, Cabrera paced the Tigers to the AL Central crown, finishing second in the league in walks (108), slugging (.586) and OPS.

Ryan Braun, LF

.332 AVG, 33 HR, 111 RBIs, 109 R, .994 OPS

Half of the two-headed monster that helped lead Milwaukee to the postseason, Braun led the NL in slugging percentage (.597), OPS and extra-base hits (77).

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

.321 AVG, 32 HR, 105 RBIs, 119 R, 39 SB, .928 OPS

Ellsbury was a catalyst at the top of Boston's high-powered lineup, with a career year on offense and defense that spearheaded the Red Sox attack in 2011.

Curtis Granderson, CF

.262 AVG, 41 HR, 119 RBIs, 136 R, 25 SB, .916 OPS

The speedy Granderson brought some serious pop to the Yankees lineup, leading the AL in RBIs and ranking second in homers.

Albert Pujols, 1B

.299 AVG, 37 HR, 99 RBIs, 105 R, .906 OPS

The St. Louis super-slugger was as tough at the plate as ever, finishing the season just short of his 11th consecutive season with a .300-plus average and 100 RBIs.

Justin Upton, RF

.289 AVG, 31 HR, 88 RBIs, 105 R, .898 OPS

Upton helped power the upstart D-backs to the postseason, ranking second in the NL in doubles (39) and third in runs and extra-base hits (75).

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

.338 AVG, 27 HR, 117 RBIs, 108 R, .957 OPS

Boston's offseason addition paid huge dividends, as Gonzalez put together a monster year that saw him finish among the Top 3 AL leaders in batting average, RBIs and OPS.

Prince Fielder, 1B

.299 AVG, 38 HR, 120 RBIs, 95 R, .981 OPS

Part of Milwaukee's 1-2 punch in the heart of the lineup, Fielder ranked second in the NL in homers and RBIs while playing all 162 games at first base.

Justin Verlander

24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250 Ks, 0.92 WHIP

Verlander's fantastic season included his second career no-hitter, the AL's first 24-win season since 1990 and the top win total, strikeout total and WHIP in the bigs.

Clayton Kershaw

21-5, 2.28 ERA, 248 Ks, 0.98 WHIP

The Dodgers ace completed the NL pitching Triple Crown, leading the league in strikeouts and ERA, as well as WHIP, and tying for the lead in wins.

CC Sabathia

19-8, 3.00 ERA, 230 Ks, 1.23 WHIP

The Yankees ace was dependable all season, finishing second in the AL in strikeouts and wins. He was especially tough during June and July, going 9-2 with a 2.06 ERA.

Ian Kennedy

21-4, 2.88 ERA, 198 Ks, 1.09 WHIP

Kennedy -- like the D-backs -- broke out and rose to the top this season, finishing tied for the NL lead in wins while posting career highs in nearly every relevant statistic.

Roy Halladay

19-6, 2.35 ERA, 220 Ks, 1.04 WHIP

The defending NL Cy Young Award winner was steady all season, leading the league in complete games (8) while finishing second in innings pitched (233 2/3) and ERA.

James Shields

16-12, 2.82 ERA, 225 Ks, 1.04 WHIP

"Big Game James" was superb for Tampa Bay, ranking first in the Majors in complete games (11) and tying for the AL lead in shutouts (4). He was also third in the AL in both strikeouts and ERA.

C.J. Wilson

16-7, 2.94 ERA, 206 Ks, 1.19 WHIP

The Rangers won in five of Wilson's final six starts of the regular season, en route to clinching home-field advantage in the ALDS. Wilson ranked fourth in the AL in victories.

Cliff Lee

17-8, 2.40 ERA, 238 Ks, 1.03 WHIP

Lee was practically untouchable in June and August, during which he went 10-0 and allowed just three earned runs over 81 2/3 sterling innings.

Jered Weaver

18-8, 2.41 ERA, 198 Ks, 1.01 WHIP

Weaver was tremendous in June and July (8-1, 1.64 ERA), and he finished a close second in the AL in ERA, second in WHIP and third in wins.

Felix Hernandez

14-14, 3.47 ERA, 222 Ks, 1.22 WHIP

The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner was a workhorse again for the Mariners, ranking second in the league in complete games (5) and sixth in innings pitched (233 2/3).

Craig Kimbrel, CL

46/54 SVO, 2.10 ERA, 127 Ks, 1.04 WHIP

The hard-throwing Kimbrel burst onto the big league scene with 46 saves, an MLB rookie record.

Jeremy Hellickson, SP

13-10, 2.95 ERA, 117 Ks, 1.15 WHIP

Hellickson was superb on a Rays pitching staff filled with young talent, ranking eighth in ERA among AL starters.

Mark Trumbo, 1B

.254 AVG, 29 HR, 87 RBIs, .477 SLG

Trumbo was crucial to the Halos offense, stepping in for the injured Kendrys Morales and becoming the first Angels rookie to lead the club in homers and RBIs.

Freddie Freeman, 1B

.282 AVG, 21 HR, 76 RBIs, 67 R

Freeman finished the season with Atlanta's highest batting average among everyday players, and he ranked third on the club in homers and second in RBIs.

Eric Hosmer, 1B

.293 AVG, 19 HR, 78 RBIs, 11 SB, .465 SLG

Hosmer led AL rookies in hits (153) while his home run total was tied for fifth most by a Royals rookie and his RBI total was third most.

Ivan Nova, SP

16-4, 3.70 ERA, 98 Ks, 1.33 WHIP

In a Yankees rotation filled with uncertainty, Nova emerged as a formidable No. 2 starter and didn't lose a game after June 3.

Vance Worley, P

11-3, 3.01 ERA, 119 Ks, 1.23 WHIP

Worley helped fill out an air-tight Philadelphia pitching staff, posting an 11-1 record and 2.85 ERA through early September.

Jemile Weeks, 2B

.303 AVG, 50 R, 22 SB

Weeks finished a sterling season with the second-highest batting average, the second-most triples (8) and sixth-most stolen bases among A's rookies all time.

Danny Espinosa, 2B

.236 AVG, 21 HR, 66 RBIs, 17 SB, 72 R

Espinosa's 21 long balls established a franchise rookie record, as the talented switch-hitter became just the third rookie second baseman in Major League history to hit 20-plus homers.

Dustin Ackley, 2B

.273 AVG, 6 HR, 36 RBIs, 39 R

Ackley finished the season with seven triples, one shy of the Mariners rookie record and second among MLB rookies.

Michael Pineda, SP

9-10, 3.74 ERA, 173 Ks, 1.10 WHIP

The young right-hander finished eighth in the AL in WHIP after jumping out to a 4-1 record with a 2.01 ERA in the first month of the season.

Jordan Walden, CL

32/42 SVO, 2.98 ERA, 67 Ks, 1.24 WHIP

Walden was a critical cog in the Angels bullpen, finishing the season tied for fifth in the AL in saves.

Jose Valverde

49/49 SVO, 2.24 ERA, 69 Ks, 1.19 WHIP

Papa Grande was a perfect 49-for-49 in save opportunities for the AL Central champions en route to becoming the Tigers' all-time single-season saves leader.

John Axford

46/48 SVO, 1.95 ERA, 86 Ks, 1.14 WHIP

Axford blew two of his first five save opportunities of the season before rattling off 43 in a row to establish the longest saves streak in Brewers franchise history.

Craig Kimbrel

46/54 SVO, 2.10 ERA, 127 Ks, 1.04 WHIP

Kimbrel set a Major League record for saves by a rookie and was the only closer to notch more than 100 strikeouts.

Mariano Rivera

44/49 SVO, 1.91 ERA, 60 Ks, 0.90 WHIP

At 41, Rivera was as dominant as ever for the Yankees, passing Trevor Hoffman as the game's all-time saves leader, with his 602nd conversion and later adding No. 603.

J.J. Putz

45/49 SVO, 2.17 ERA, 61 Ks, 0.91 WHIP

Putz's dominance in the closer role helped the D-backs win the NL West crown, as the righty finished third in the NL in saves.

Joel Hanrahan

40/44 SVO, 1.83 ERA, 61 Ks, 1.05 WHIP

The hard-throwing road warrior posted a 0.93 ERA and 20 saves in 29 appearances away from PNC Park in 2011, and his 40 saves were good for third in Pirates franchise history.

Drew Storen

43/48 SVO, 2.75 ERA, 74 Ks, 1.02 WHIP

The fireballing right-hander became just the second Nationals pitcher to reach the 40-save plateau in a promising breakout season.

David Robertson

34 HLD, 1.08 ERA, 100 Ks, 1.13 WHIP

The fireballing right-hander set career highs in innings pitched, appearances, ERA, strikeouts and holds, emerging as a dominating force in the Yankees bullpen.

Mike Adams

32 HLD, 1.47 ERA, 74 Ks, 0.79 WHIP

Adams has been among the game's elite setup men since 2008, and 2011 was no different, as the right-hander fortified the back end of the Rangers bullpen with a 2.10 ERA in 27 appearances after being dealt from San Diego to Texas prior to the Trade Deadline.

Jonny Venters

35 HLD, 1.84 ERA, 96 Ks, 1.09 WHIP

Part of the tremendous back end of the Braves' bullpen, Venters was second in the NL in holds in just his second Major League season.

Tyler Clippard

38 HLD, 1.83 ERA, 104 Ks, 0.84 WHIP

The first-time All-Star got the win in the Midsummer Classic, led the NL in holds and topped all setup men in strikeouts.

Eric O'Flaherty

32 HLD, 0.98 ERA, 67 Ks, 1.09 WHIP

In addition to the 32 holds that ranked him fourth in the NL, O'Flaherty's sub-1.00 ERA was tops in the bigs among qualifying setup men.

Joaquin Benoit

29 HLD, 2.95 ERA, 63 Ks, 1.05 WHIP

After enjoying a career year with the Rays in 2010, Benoit lived up to the high expectations in his first season with the Tigers, helping Detroit to the AL Central crown.

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS

.976 FLD PCT, 386 assists

Cabrera broke onto the scene this year with some brilliant glove work for the Tribe, including 78 double plays and numerous Must C moments.

Brandon Phillips, 2B

.992 FLD PCT, 409 assists

Phillips' season was filled with highlight-reel plays, and the slick second baseman made just six errors along the way.

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

1.000 FLD PCT, 388 putouts

Ellsbury was as great in the field as he was at the plate in 2011, finishing the year as one of two AL position players with a perfect fielding percentage.

Brett Gardner, LF

.985 FLD PCT, 322 putouts

Gardner guarded the left-field line brilliantly for the Yankees, registering only four errors in 149 games with the second-best range factor among AL left fielders.

Mark Teixeira, 1B

.997 FLD PCT, 1,229 putouts

Teixeira helped anchor the Yankees infield, posting the second-best fielding percentage among first basemen, just .001 percentage points behind the leader.

Jeff Francoeur, RF

.986 FLD PCT, 16 assists

Francoeur flashed skill with both his glove and his arm from right field, finishing behind only teammate Alex Gordon in outfield assists.

Andrew McCutchen, CF

.984 FLD PCT, 414 putouts

The electric McCutchen was as electric as ever for the Pirates, sporting a 2.73 range factor and registering nine assists.

Adam Jones, CF

.980 FLD PCT, 16 assists

Jones had far and away the most assists among Major League center fielders this year, also finishing the season with the second-best range factor (2.67) at his position.

B.J. Upton, CF

.992 FLD PCT, 382 putouts

Upton made it look easy as he continued his stellar defensive play in 2011, registering the fifth-best fielding percentage among big league center fielders.

Cameron Maybin, CF

.986 FLD PCT, 342 putouts

The fleet-footed Maybin looks to be a fixture in San Diego's outfield after committing just five errors with the fourth-highest range factor among center fielders.

Ian Kennedy, SP

21-4, 2.88 ERA, 198 Ks, 1.09 WHIP

Kennedy won just 10 games over his first four big league seasons before breaking out to lead the NL with 21 victories while helping the D-backs to the NL West crown.

Alex Avila, C

.295 AVG, 19 HR, 82 RBIs, .895 OPS

It was unclear just how much the Tigers would rely on Avila entering the 2011 campaign, but the breakout backstop quickly proved himself for the AL Central champs, throwing out 32 percent of basestealers -- good for second in the AL -- and showing impressive pop at the plate en route to his first All-Star Game nod.

Michael Morse, 1B/OF

.303 AVG, 31 HR, 95 RBIs, 73 R, .910 OPS

Morse burst onto the big league scene to become just the fourth qualifying Nationals player to hit above .300 and only the second player in the past 19 seasons to claim the franchise's Triple Crown.

Ryan Vogelsong, SP

13-7, 2.71 ERA, 139 Ks, 1.25 WHIP

Though he hadn't pitched in the big leagues since 2006, Vogelsong returned from Japan to earn an All-Star nod, win 13 games and solidify his place in the Giants' deep rotation.

Doug Fister, SP

11-13, 2.83 ERA, 146 Ks, 1.06 WHIP

Arguably the year's best Trade Deadline acquisition, Fister went 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA with the Tigers from Aug. 3 on, including a stellar 5-0 mark with a miniscule 0.53 ERA in September.

Joel Hanrahan, CL

40/44 SVO, 1.83 ERA, 61 Ks, 1.05 WHIP

Hanrahan finished the season with 40 saves, third most in Pirates franchise history, after recording no more than nine in any of his four previous big league seasons.

Melky Cabrera, CF

.305 AVG, 18 HR, 87 RBIs, 20 SB, .809 OPS

Cabrera quietly enjoyed a breakout season in Kansas City, reaching the 200-hit mark (201) while posting career highs in batting average, doubles (44), homers, RBIs, runs (102) and steals.

Justin Masterson, SP

12-10, 3.21 ERA, 158 Ks, 1.28 WHIP

The Indians made a push for the AL Central title, thanks in large part to Masterson's role as the team's ace, as the nasty right-hander doubled his win total from 2010.

Lance Berkman, RF

.301 AVG, 31 HR, 94 RBIs, 90 R, .959 OPS

The Yankees declined to exercise their option on Berkman after his disappointing 2010 season, but the veteran slugger responded with his best overall campaign since 2008 to help the Cardinals to their 11th World Series championship.

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

.321 AVG, 32 HR, 105 RBIs, 119 R, 39 SB, .928 OPS

After playing in just 18 games during an injury-plagued 2010 campaign, Boston's leadoff man bounced back with a 30/30 season while committing no errors and displaying incredible range in center field.

James Shields, SP

16-12, 2.82 ERA, 225 Ks, 1.04 WHIP

Shields' ghastly 5.18 ERA from 2010 was sliced nearly in half in '11, as the Rays' control artist notched a 2.82 mark while leading the Majors with 11 complete games.

J.J. Hardy, SS

.269 AVG, 30 HR, 80 RBIs, 76 R

After showing minimal pop with the Twins in 2010 (6 HR, 38 RBIs), Hardy smacked 30 long balls for the first time in his career while driving in 80 runs, primarily out of the O's leadoff spot.

Russell Martin, C

.237 AVG, 18 HR, 65 RBIs, 57 R

The Dodgers parted ways with Martin following the backstop's subpar 2010 campaign, opening the door for him to join the Yankees, with whom he delivered an All-Star season while brilliantly managing a patchwork starting rotation.

Robinson Cano, 2B

.302 AVG, 28 HR, 118 RBIs, 104 R, .882 OPS

In a power-packed Yankees lineup, Cano was arguably the most feared hitter, finishing among the Top 10 AL leaders in RBIs, runs, slugging percentage (.533) and OPS, while displaying strong glovework at second base.

Jose Reyes, SS

.337 AVG, 7 HR, 44 RBIs, 101 R, 39 SB, .877 OPS

When healthy, Reyes was single-handedly worth the price of admission, delivering highlight-reel plays at shortstop, stealing bases by the bunches and capturing the NL batting title.

Mike Stanton, RF

.262 AVG, 34 HR, 87 RBIs, 79 R, .893 OPS

The explosive Marlin put on show after show -- both in batting practice and in games -- with his deep, towering home runs, as well as with his cannon of an arm in right field.

Starlin Castro, SS

.307 AVG, 10 HR, 66 RBIs, 91 R, 22 SB

The 21-year-old All-Star was electric at shortstop and became the youngest player in history to lead the NL in hits, with 207.

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS

.273 AVG, 25 HR, 92 RBIs, 87 R, 17 SB

Cabrera's superlative play in the field was worth seeing every night, and the All-Star led AL shortstops in hits (165) as well as RBIs.

Shane Victorino, CF

.279 AVG, 17 HR, 61 RBIs, 95 R, 19 SB, .847 OPS

The Flyin' Hawaiian lived up to his nickname in 2011, finishing the season tied for seventh in the NL in runs and as one of just two NL position players with a perfect fielding percentage.

Kirk Gibson

94-68 record, 1st place in NL West

In his first full season at the helm in Arizona, Gibson led the D-backs to a surprising first-place finish atop the NL West and the club's highest win total since 2002.

Tony La Russa

90-72 record, NL Wild Card, World Series champion

Despite numerous injuries to his squad, La Russa was a rock at the helm in St. Louis, helping the Cardinals rally from 10 1/2 games back on Aug. 25 to beat out the Braves for the NL Wild Card.

Joe Maddon

91-71 record, AL Wild Card

Under Maddon's leadership, the Rays made history by overcoming a nine-game deficit from Sept. 4 on to win the AL Wild Card and earn their third postseason berth in the past four seasons.

Ron Roenicke

96-66 record, 1st place in NL Central

The rookie skipper looked like a veteran at the helm, leading his squad to the NL Central title with 96 victories, the highest total in franchise history.

Jim Leyland

95-67 record, 1st place in AL Central

Leyland's steady guidance helped the Tigers rise to the top of the AL Central following a contentious midseason race, as Detroit finished the season with the Majors' largest division lead.

Ron Washington

96-66 record, 1st place in AL West, AL champion

Washington's Rangers were the best in the AL West for the second straight year, as the skipper managed to get the most out of his players en route to 96 wins.

Joe Girardi

97-65 record, 1st place in AL East

Girardi deftly worked around rotation uncertainty and injuries to key players, leading the Yankees to the best record in the AL and their 16th postseason berth in the past 17 seasons.

Charlie Manuel

102-60 record, 1st place in NL East

Manuel led the loaded Phillies back to the postseason, helping his squad overcome a slew of injuries to key players en route to a Major League-best 102 wins.

John Mozeliak

90-72 record, NL Wild Card, World Series champion

The Cardinals wouldn't have stormed into the postseason without the pieces assembled by Mozeliak, including comeback slugger Lance Berkman, starter Edwin Jackson, shortstop Rafael Furcal and reliever Octavio Dotel.

Jon Daniels

96-66 record, 1st place in AL West, AL champion

After acquiring sluggers Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli in the offseason, Daniels bolstered the AL West champs' bullpen prior to the Trade Deadline with the additions of right-handers Koji Uehara and Mike Adams.

Doug Melvin

96-66 record, 1st place in NL Central

Melvin helped the Brewers capture the NL Central title by bringing in 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke, speedster Nyjer Morgan and closer-turned-setup man Francisco Rodriguez.

Kevin Towers

94-68 record, 1st place in NL West

The acquisition of closer J.J. Putz was among the key deals Towers executed for the D-backs, who enjoyed a 29-win turnaround on their way to the NL West title.

Andrew Friedman

91-71 record, AL Wild Card

Friedman continued to do more with less to lead the Rays to their third postseason berth in the past four years: Right fielder Matt Joyce earned an All-Star nod in his first full season, while Jeremy Hellickson emerged among the AL's top starters and fellow rookie Desmond Jennings helped fill the void left by Carl Crawford in left.

Dave Dombrowski

95-67 record, 1st place in AL Central

Dombrowski's in-season acquisitions were pivotal to the Tigers' postseason run, as Doug Fister emerged among the second half's top starting pitchers and Delmon Young proved a key addition to the lineup.

Ruben Amaro Jr.

102-60 record, 1st place in NL East

Amaro Jr. assembled a team that won a franchise-record 102 games, landing lefty Cliff Lee in the offseason and right fielder Hunter Pence before the Trade Deadline.

Brian Cashman

97-65 record, 1st place in AL East

Cashman pieced together a surprisingly successful starting rotation, as rookie Ivan Nova and veteran castoffs Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia solidified a staff that helped the Yankees to the best mark in the AL.

David Freese

.397 AVG, 5 HR, 21 RBIs, 12 R, 1.258 OPS

Freese put together one of the greatest postseasons in history in garnering NLCS MVP and World Series MVP honors. In Game 6 of the Fall Classic, he delivered a game-tying, two-out, two-strike, two-run triple in the bottom of the ninth, before drilling an 11th-inning walk-off homer that sent the Cardinals to Game 7 and facilitated the club's improbable World Series title.

Chris Carpenter

4-0 in 6 GS, 3.25 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 21 Ks

The St. Louis ace was a rock during the postseason, going unbeaten in six starts, including an NLDS Game 5 complete-game shutout against fellow ace Roy Halladay and the Phillies -- on the road in Philadelphia, no less -- and a Game 7 victory in the World Series on three days' rest for just the second time in his career.

Nelson Cruz

.226 AVG, 8 HR, 16 RBIs, 13 R, .959 OPS

Cruz was a one-man wrecking crew en route to ALCS MVP honors in the Rangers' six-game victory over Detroit, during which he smacked six homers and drove in 13 runs -- both postseason single-series records. He also tied an all-time postseason mark with eight long balls overall.

Mike Napoli

.328 AVG, 3 HR, 15 RBIs, 11 R, .914 OPS

Few players in postseason history have made as much of an impact from the bottom of a team's lineup, as Napoli became the Rangers' hottest hitter and the second player in history with four multi-RBI games in a single World Series (Mickey Mantle).

Albert Pujols

.377 AVG, 5 HR, 16 RBIs, 12 R, 1.210 OPS

Arguably the game's most feared hitter, Pujols padded his legendary resume with a brilliant postseason for the World Series champs, including an historic World Series Game 3 in which he became the third player in history to hit three homers in a single Fall Classic contest (Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson).

Revere's grab at the wall

Aug. 22 vs. BAL

Ben Revere turned his back on the plate Willie Mays-style to track down a deep Vladimir Guerrero shot while leaping up against the Target Field center-field wall.

Cabrera's barehand starts DP

May 19 at CWS

Asdrubal Cabrera grabbed a deflection off the pitcher's glove with his bare hand and started a double play with an incredible behind-the-back feed to Adam Everett.

Lillibridge's game-saving grabs

April 26 at NYY

Seeing his first career action in right field, Brent Lillibridge made back-to-back highlight-reel catches with two men on in the ninth inning to preserve the White Sox's win over the Yankees.

Brewers triple play

Aug. 15 vs. LAD

What looked like an ordinary 4-6-3 double play turned into a triple play, when Matt Kemp tried to test the Brewers infield and Prince Fielder made a heads-up throw home for the third out.

Fuld's dive at the track

April 9 at CWS

Sam Fuld went totally horizontal to track down a Juan Pierre fly ball at the right-field warning track, preventing a would-be extra-base hit.

Francoeur goes over the wall

Sept. 9 at SEA

Jeff Francoeur got some serious air, climbing the right-field fence to pull back what would have been a sure homer for Seattle's Dustin Ackley.

Phillips' between-the-legs flip

May 3 vs. HOU

On a slow roller to second, Brandon Phillips had no choice but to charge, scoop the ball and make a between-the-legs flip to first baseman Joey Votto.

Bernadina's snow-cone catch

May 13 vs. FLA

Though he initially took a circuitous route to the ball, Roger Bernadina made up plenty of ground to rob Mike Stanton of extra bases and preserve a tie game with a diving, snow-cone catch at the edge of the warning track with his back to home plate.

Royals turn two in style

Sept. 5 at OAK

Johnny Giavotella started a nifty 4-6-3 double play with a diving snag at second before Alcides Escobar took the feed with his bare hand to throw to first and complete the double play.

Lannan's glove scoop

Aug. 13 at PHI

When John Lannan couldn't reach a short chopper on the fly, he put his glove to good use, using it to scoop the ball to home plate and nab Ryan Howard.

Johnson's homer caps 7-run rally

Sept. 28 vs. NYY

Dan Johnson became an unlikely hero when his two-out, two-strike, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the ninth capped a seven-run comeback that propelled the Rays into the postseason on the final day of the regular season.

Jeter goes deep for 3,000th hit

July 9 vs. TB

Derek Jeter homered to deep left field off David Price for his 3,000th career hit, as the Yankees captain became the 28th player to reach the historic milestone.

Thome's 600th homer

Aug. 15 at DET

Jim Thome's second long ball of the game against the Tigers made him the eighth player to reach the elusive 600-homer plateau.

Rivera's record-breaking save

Sept. 19 vs. MIN

Arguably the greatest closer in Major League history, Mariano Rivera recorded his 602nd career save to pass Trevor Hoffman as the game's all-time leader.

Dad helps Cano win Derby

July 11 at Chase Field

With the help of his father, Jose, Yankees slugger Robinson Cano beat out Boston's Adrian Gonzalez in the final at-bat of the Home Run Derby at Chase Field.

Yanks smack three grand slams

Aug. 25 vs. OAK

The Yankees became the first team in Major League history to hit three grand slams in a game when Curtis Granderson went deep during the eighth inning in a 22-9 rout of the A's at Yankee Stadium.

Guerrero sets Dominican hits mark

Sept. 26 vs. BOS

With a ground-ball hit up the middle, Vladimir Guerrero notched his 2,587th career hit to become the all-time leader among Dominican-born players.

Braun's blast clinches division

Sept. 23 vs. FLA

Braun blasted a three-run no-doubter over the left-center-field wall in the eighth inning against Florida as the Brewers secured the NL Central crown.

Jeter goes 5-for-5 with No. 3,000

5-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBIs, July 9 vs. TB

Derek Jeter not only homered to join the 3,000-hit club, but he also finished the day 5-for-5 with the go-ahead RBI in the Yankees' win over the Rays.

Verlander's no-hitter

W, 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 Ks, May 7 at TOR

Justin Verlander was absolutely dominant against the Blue Jays, walking just one batter and striking out four en route to his second career no-hitter.

Longoria blasts Rays into October

2-for-5, 2 R, 2 H, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, Sept. 28 vs. NYY

On the final day of the regular season, Evan Longoria homered in the eighth to cut the Yankees' lead to one before ending the game with a walk-off blast in the 12th that sent the Rays to the postseason as the AL Wild Card.

Zobrist's 10-RBI doubleheader

7-for-10, 5 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, April 28 at MIN

Ben Zobrist had a big day in the Rays' doubleheader, racking up seven hits -- including two homers and three doubles -- and 10 RBIs against the Twins.

Hart's 3-HR, 7-RBI game

3-for-4, 3 R, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, May 23 vs. WSH

Corey Hart tied Brewers all-time single-game records with three homers and seven RBIs, after going homerless with just one RBI in his first 76 at-bats of the season.

Giambi's 3-HR, 7-RBI game

3-for-5, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, May 19 at PHI

Jason Giambi became the second-oldest player in big league history to hit three long balls in a game en route to an explosive seven-RBI effort.

Santana's no-hitter

W, 9 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 Ks, July 27 at CLE

Ervin Santana was brilliant against the Indians, allowing just one walk and one unearned run while striking out 10 for his first career no-hitter.

Liriano's no-hitter

W, 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 2 Ks, May 3 at CWS

Despite his struggles heading into the outing, Francisco Liriano silenced his critics by delivering the Twins' first no-no since 1999.

Braun stumbles around 3rd

Aug. 31 at MIL

Ryan Braun couldn't quite finish off an inside-the-park home run when he stumbled twice coming around third base, and his teammates made sure he remembered the next day.

Squirrely development

NLDS Game 4 at STL

A daring squirrel dashed across home plate at Busch Stadium shortly after a pitch by Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt during Game 4 of the Cardinals' NLDS vs. the Phillies.

Mantis visits dugout

July 26 at WSH

The Marlins had a visitor in the dugout during a game against the Nationals when a praying mantis spent some time with Clay Hensley and Logan Morrison.

Revere's somersault triple

July 15 at MIN

Ben Revere's legs were moving too fast for his body as he rounded second base, but the speedster still managed to find his way to third base safely.

Sparks fly behind plate

Sept. 13 at CWS

Sparks flew -- literally -- when Tigers catcher Alex Avila took a foul ball off his mask.

Dempster imitates Caray

June 18 at CHC

Ryan Dempster proved he's more than just a talented pitcher, delivering a fine impression of Harry Caray as a tip of the cap to the legendary Cubs broadcaster.

Sandoval's voodoo homers

Sept. 5 at SD

Hoping to work a little voodoo magic in a game against the Padres, Pablo Sandoval had some words for his bat -- and whatever he said, it worked.

Raburn's ricochet

April 26 at DET

Ryan Raburn had a chance to make a running catch in left field but instead misread the fly ball, and gave Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo an unlikely home run to boot.

Blue Man Group joins Maddon

Sept. 9 at TB

Rays skipper Joe Maddon had some company in his pregame media session at Tropicana Field, courtesy of Blue Man Group.

Verlander gives Kelly hot foot

July 24 at MIN

Justin Verlander showed a penchant for playing with fire, as he had some fun at the expense of teammate Don Kelly in the dugout.

Gallardo interrupts interview

Aug. 2 at MIL

We all know Yovani Gallardo can throw a fastball, but pitching coach Rick Kranitz found out during this interview that the pitcher can throw sunflower seeds, too.

Longoria's HR clinches playoff berth

Sept. 28 vs. NYY

Evan Longoria had already helped fuel Tampa Bay's seven-run rally on the final day of the season before putting the game to bed in the 12th inning with a walk-off blast that gave the Rays an improbable postseason berth.

Pujols repeats extra-innings magic

June 4-5 vs. CHC

It wasn't enough for Albert Pujols to beat the rival Cubs with one extra-inning walk-off homer, as the Cardinals slugger did it in consecutive games.

Roberts' ultimate slam

Sept. 27 vs. LAD

Ryan Roberts not only connected on an ultimate grand slam to lead the D-backs over the Dodgers, but he also paid tribute to skipper Kirk Gibson by delivering Gibby's trademark walk-off fist pump while circling the bases.

Braves' wild win in 19

July 26 vs. PIT

Pirates and Braves fans may disagree about whether the home-plate umpire made the right call, but everybody can agree that it was an exciting finish to a 19-inning marathon filled with plot twists.

Bogusevic's ultimate slam

Aug. 16 vs. CHC

With the Astros trailing the Cubs, 5-2, Brian Bogusevic delivered a pinch-hit, ultimate grand slam off Carlos Marmol to give Houston an improbable victory.

Hafner's ultimate slam

July 7 vs. TOR

The Indians were down three runs in the bottom of the ninth before Travis Hafner drilled a grand slam to right field for the ultimate victory.

Napoli slides under tag

May 29 vs. KC

The relay throw from the outfield was delivered with plenty of time to spare, but Royals catcher Brayan Pena didn't get the tag down on Mike Napoli, who scored the game-winner.

Fuld's run-off triple

Aug. 10 vs. KC

A game-tying triple was not enough for Sam Fuld, who stretched the hit into the game-winning run when he advanced home on an error.

Kipnis walks off with first career hit

July 25 vs. LAA

It was a memorable night of firsts for rookie Jason Kipnis, who recorded his first career hit and RBI in thrilling fashion.

Young fan shows maturity

July 20 at ARI

When a disappointed young Brewers fan missed out on a ball tossed in his direction, another young fan, Ian McMillan, generously reached out to him and presented him with the ball.

Hold the phone

Sept. 14 at TEX

Deep in conversation on his cell phone, a focused Rangers fan didn't panic as he calmly snagged a line foul and continued chatting away.

Cool catch

July 9 at LAD

Why bring a glove to a game when you can just buy a cup of ice cream and use the souvenir mini-helmet to snag a foul ball?

Veteran instincts

June 24 at NYY

A military veteran at Yankee Stadium reached over the railing and put his hat to good use to grab a foul ball, before delivering the souvenir to a young fan.

Fielder's choice

July 14 at COL

Prince Fielder was not prepared for the Rocky Mountain sun when he took the field in the fourth inning but was lucky enough to find a fan who was more than happy to lend him a pair of shades.

Dad makes tough decision

May 28 at LAD

This guy literally dropped the ball -- and his unfortunate kid, too.

Braves fan shows ups

Aug. 20 at ATL

No glove was necessary for the athletic Braves fan who made a leaping, barehanded catch to snare a screaming foul ball.

Freese's triple extends Game 6

World Series Game 6 vs. TEX

The Cardinals had their backs against the wall -- down to their last strike in an elimination game -- when hometown kid David Freese laced Neftali Feliz's delivery to deep right field and beyond the glove of Nelson Cruz, tying the game with a two-run triple in bottom of the ninth.

Freese's walk-off blast forces Game 7

World Series Game 6 vs. TEX

David Freese capped an historic night with an 11th-inning, walk-off homer off Scott Feldman that ended one of the greatest games in World Series history.

Pujols joins Babe, Reggie with 3rd HR

World Series Game 3 at TEX

Babe Ruth. Reggie Jackson. Albert Pujols. The Cardinals slugger joined elite company by becoming just the third player to go deep three times in a World Series contest with his fifth hit of St. Louis' Game 3 rout of Texas.

Carpenter completes Game 5 shutout

NLDS Game 5 at PHI

In a battle of Cy Young Award winners, Chris Carpenter outdueled longtime friend Roy Halladay by tossing a complete-game shutout to send the underdog Cardinals to the NLCS.

Berkman ties Game 6 in 10th

World Series Game 6 vs. TEX

The Cardinals wouldn't say die, as Berkman stunned the Rangers with a two-out, two-strike single up the middle to drive home a run and tie Game 6 in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Belt-tre delivers HR trifecta

ALDS Game 4 at TB

Adrian Beltre became the sixth player to go deep three times in a postseason game, helping the Rangers advance to the ALCS with a win over the Rays.

Cruz smacks walk-off grand slam

ALCS Game 2 vs. DET

After squandering a bases-loaded opportunity in the ninth, Texas capitalized in the 11th when Nelson Cruz belted the first postseason walk-off grand slam in baseball history.

T-Plush sends Crew to NLCS

NLDS Game 5 vs. ARI

Nyjer Morgan -- aka Tony Plush -- let his bat do the talking in the 10th when the electric outfielder drove in Carlos Gomez with the game-winning and series-clinching walk-off single.

Rodriguez runs over Napoli

ALDS Game 4 vs. TEX

Coming around from first on a Matt Joyce double, Sean Rodriguez lowered his shoulder and took out Rangers catcher Mike Napoli on a bang-bang play that plated a Tampa Bay run.

Cruz sets record with 6th ALCS HR

ALCS Game 6 vs. DET

With a two-run blast to left, Nelson Cruz set records for homers and RBIs in a postseason series with six and 13, respectively, as the Rangers advanced to the World Series for the second straight season in a rout of the Tigers.

Diving Elvis' fantastic flip

World Series Game 2 at STL

With two on and two out in a scoreless Game 2, Elvis Andrus made a dazzling diving stop up the middle and deftly flipped the ball out of his glove to Ian Kinsler, who stepped on the bag just ahead of the runner to halt the Cardinals' threat.

Motte finishes Cards' 11th WS title

World Series Game 7 vs. TEX

Jason Motte retired Daniel Murphy on a lazy flyout to left field, capping a remarkable comeback that started in September and ended with an improbable World Series title in front of the hometown fans at Busch Stadium.

Cruz nabs Cabrera to turn two

ALCS Game 4 at DET

Cruz threw a one-hop laser to catcher Mike Napoli in the bottom of the eighth inning to nail Miguel Cabrera at the plate and deny the Tigers the potential winning run.