Personally I feel that overall, based on the most recent performances; Krath has taken the leading edge in the current group of all tier one players. His grasp of the game is 2nd to none right now IMO and his play style continues to be very adaptive. His main strength is that he is very proactive in recognizing developing situations and responds accordingly in an impressively rapid fashion. I draw these inferences because I have watched countless replays of him with JJ, Tyr, Amish, Cykur, and many other notable players to name a few.
As he grows in his situational awareness, and his knowledge and experience of opponent play styles, his strategy and tactics repertoire will only further develop. Of course this case can be made for many of the upper tiered players, but in Kraths case, he is separating himself from the pack right now due to his volume of games played, innovative application of fleet composition, and his dedication to form.
And I must say that his in-game personality is assertive yet practical. He does not hesitate to offer direction to bolster his allies, or even criticisms of the consequences of their actions, but his demeanor is always realistically supportive, and not counterproductive to the combined effort of his team. He backs down from no one, and he is a fine sport in defeat.
In short, I would nominate Krath, as an excellent role model for the up and coming player, but I think he would be the first to acknowledge those respected players that helped and I'm certain continue to help him as a valuable source of input in their dialogue and camaraderie. The banter and exchange between many of the top players illustrates the fellowship involved in a loose (but in a tight way) affiliation of players committed to optimal enjoyment of the game.
Proto
Some of Krath's replays:
Mirth 88 Pack
Amish Replays
Edit: I guess what I'm saying is you need to include Krath in your "playoff picture" 
