At RealGM, we use the Field Impact Counter (FIC) to objectively measure how effective players are performing and in this edition we examine the previous 20 games to determine the hottest players in baseball.
Click here for more information about the Field Impact Counter and the Reina Value.
*Through Monday's games
1. Matt Holliday, COL: 67
Holliday had a 1.127 OPS in July and has been even better in August hitting 1.319 with an .842 slugging percentage.
2. CC Sabathia, MIL: 59
Even though CC Sabathia had a .429 winning percentage in Cleveland, he struck out 9.05 batters per nine innings compared to 8.21 with Milwaukee. The difference has been reducing walks and keeping the ball on the ground.
3. Marlon Byrd, TEX: 58
With an .838 OPS, Byrd is easily having his most productive season in the big leagues but has been on an absolute tear in August with a 1.319 OPS. The split between his Arlington and non-Arlington numbers is, as expected, staggering (1.009/.672).
4. Albert Pujols, STL: 54
Going through his splits, it?s rare for Pujols to post an OPS below 1.000 in any month or against any team. His low month has been July (.977), but he also went 35-for-101 with 22 runs scored.
5. Torii Hunter, LAA: 52
Hunter had nine homers in July and has a 1.170 OPS since the break.
6. Shane Victorino, PHI: 51
Victorino had just two homers entering the month of July and has nine since.
7. Manny Ramirez, LAD: 50
Manny has hit one homer per 10 at bats since becoming a member of the Dodgers. He had a few seasons in the 12?s or below until last year when he only hit one homer per 24.2 at bats.
8. Carlos Quentin, CWS: 48
Quentin leads the AL in homers with 32, hitting ten of them since the break.
9. Miguel Cabrera, DET: 47
Cabrera has three homers over his past 22 at bats.
10. Carlos Lee, HOU: 46
Lee had been playing great baseball until he fractured his left pinkie finger and is now out for the remainder of 2008.
11. Brandon Webb, ARI: 44
Webb has been almost one whole run better on the road (2.46) than he has been in the desert (3.36).
12. Bobby Abreu, NYY: 43
Abreu has five of his 15 homers in the past 20 games.
13. David Wright, NYM: 43
Wright has three homers in his past five games but just an .874 OPS in August.
14. Nick Markakis, BAL: 43
Markakis is batting .375/.464/.833 over his past 24 at bats.
15. Mark Teixeira, LAA: 42
Teixeira is batting .400/.463/.543 with eight runs in 35 at bats at Angel Stadium.
16. Placido Polanco, DET: 42
Polanco has hit two of his six homers this season over his past 27 at bats.
17. Chad Billingsley, LAD: 41
Billingsley had a 2.32 ERA in June and a 3.27 ERA in August through his first two starts.
18. Kaz Matsui, HOU: 41
After a terribly slow start, Matsui has been hitting the ball well in July and especially August (1.105 OPS).
19. Curtis Granderson, DET: 41
Granderson has been terribly inconsistent this season, but he has three homers over the past seven days.
20. Matt Cain, SFG: 41
Tim Lincecum has clearly overshadowed and outperformed Cain this season, but he has a 2.27 ERA since the break while Lincecum has been relatively ordinary (by his standards) with a 3.21 ERA.
21. Paul Byrd, CLE: 40
Byrd has a 2.88 ERA at home and a 1.69 ERA in August.
22. Jorge Campillo, ATL: 40
Campillo has a 2.17 ERA since the break for the ailing Braves.
23. Denard Span, MIN: 39
Span has an .871 OPS since the break for the Twins.
24. Ryan Ludwick, STL: 39
Ludwick has six homers and a 1.407 OPS during the month of August.
25. Aubrey Huff, BAL: 39
Huff has a .970 OPS against righties but just .761 against lefties.
26. Jimmy Rollins, PHI: 38
Rollins has a 1.169 OPS over his past seven games.
27. Melvin Mora, BAL: 38
Mora has six homers and a 1.110 OPS since the break.
28. Alfonso Soriano, CHI: 37
Over his past five games, Soriano has a 1.130 OPS and two homers.
29. Randy Johnson, ARI: 37
Since the break, Johnson has a 0.66 ERA and a 3-1 record.
30. A.J. Burnett, TOR: 37
Burnett is 4-1 with a 3.23 ERA since the break but has a 6.17 ERA in August.