By Douglas Benton Now that we have covered pitching, which everyone knows decides who wins and loses in the playoffs; it is now time to look at the position players. Sadly, this will include the DH in the American League, but they will be downgraded slightly due to emphasis on defense as well as hitting. Here is the top ten: 10- Paul Konerko Chicago White Sox While the White Sox have struggled to score runs this year, people shouldn?t overlook the great season Konerko has had. He finished the year with 40 home runs and 100 runs batted in, which makes him a bona fide power threat for any team. However, with the White Sox, he holds the keys to their playoff run. If his bat stays hot, then the White Sox?s chances of going deep into the playoffs also increase. 9- Jim Edmonds St. Louis Cardinals Edmonds has been slowed this year by some nagging injuries, but that hasn?t hampered him in the field. Edmonds is still one of the best centerfielders in the game and will win at least one game for the Cardinals with his glove in the coming weeks. His bat has tailed off a bit, but he still is a force in the middle of the order. 8- Gary Sheffield New York Yankees This might be a little low for a guy who has the most vicious swing in baseball, but it just shows the depth of great players in the playoffs. Sheffield has lost a step in the field and is starting to spend more time at the DH position. As a hitter, Sheffield poses the threat of taking anyone deep and he hasn?t found a fastball he can?t catch up with. He has struggled in key situations before, so we will have to see if he can put up his big numbers who autumn is in the air. 7- Derek Jeter New York Yankees No matter what your opinion is on Jeter, he is the best clutch player we have in baseball. He has dropped out of the upper echelon of shortstops in the last few years, but once the calendar turns to October, he turns into a completely different player. With good at-bats and solid glove work in the field, there isn?t another player I would want to lead my team into the playoffs. 6- Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves Jones has taken all Braves fans for a ride they will never forget this season, which should end with an MVP award. Jones has the carried the Braves offense this entire season and won both the home runs and RBI titles in the National League. However, he has come up short too many times in the playoffs to warrant a higher ranking, but this just might be his year. With his outstanding play in the field, Jones now has the ability to win games with his bat and glove. If the Braves make it out of the first round, he has the potential to win at least three games with either his glove or bat. 5- Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Guerrero is the reigning American League MVP and could have made another run at it this year if he didn?t get injured. On a team that has had trouble scoring runs all season, it will be especially important that Guerrero continues to carry this team. He is one of the most complete players in baseball, with a cannon for an arm and one of the purest hitters in either league. 4- David Ortiz Boston Red Sox Ortiz lost some points because he primarily plays DH, but what he has done at that position is incredible. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow as a hitter over the last few years and he has quickly developed into one of the most clutch hitters in the game. Right now, he is the only player that can even rival Jeter in that category, which is saying a lot. Now, Ortiz will have to stay hot as the Red Sox will be forced to outscore their opponents all the way through the playoffs. 3- Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals Mark it down right now, Albert Pujols is going to win a Triple Crown before it is all said and done. Right of the gate, he has put up numbers fitting of his reputation and has joined some very illustrious groups at such a young age. Then in this past year, he has started to find himself at first base, which only makes him a more complete player. With these top three, you can put them in any order, but all are great players. 2- Manny Ramirez Boston Red Sox Over the past decade, Ramirez has set himself apart as the best overall hitter in the game. With his ability to hit for power and average, Ramirez has always been a tough out and is one of the few hitters I would pay to go see live. While he has had his struggles in the field, Ramirez is still one of the great talents in baseball, as evident with his eight home runs in the final 11 games of the season. 1- Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees Rodriguez has been mocked around baseball for his absurdly large contract, but if any player is worth all that money, it is him. He is one of the few five tool guys in baseball right now and has even proved his critics wrong with his superb play at third base this season. At the plate, Rodriguez has finally found his groove with the pinstripes and proceeded to break a handful of right-handed home run records for the Yankees.