Canadian Jason Bay has had a disappointing season.

BY ROB SHAW
sportsnet.ca

Every fantasy baseball season brings a fresh list of Booms and Busts. While we usually focus on the Booms, such as Blue Jays surprise slugger Jose Bautista, we can't ignore the Busts.

Let's take a look back at the players who failed to live up to lofty expectations. Here's the 2010 All-Bust team.

Catcher: Bengie Molina, Rangers

Prior to the season there was a bidding war between the Mets and Giants for the services of veteran backstop Bengie Molina. As it turned out, the Mets were the lucky ones when Molina decided to stay in San Francisco for less money. After belting a career-high 20 home runs last season, Molina hit just three home runs in 61 games with the Giants this season. With his average 16 points below his career mark, and Buster Posey red-hot since his promotion, the Giants opted to deal the 36-year old veteran to the Texas Rangers. Even a move to the hitter-friendly Ballpark at Arlington has done little to help Molina. His average is just .200 in Texas and his total of five home runs would be his lowest since 2002.

1B: Lance Berkman, Yankees

With four straight years of at least 25 home runs, Lance Berkman did not appear done in Houston. After all, it was just in 2008 that Berkman stole a career-best 18 bases and hit .312. However, injuries had started to have their effect on Berkman, and he had just seven home runs and 51 strikeouts through the first 64 games this season. In July, the Texas native belted six home runs with 21 RBI, but even then his monthly average was just .221. The Astros then dealt Berkman to the Yankees and the player they call Fat Elvis has hit .290 since. The only problem for Berkman is that even in the Bombers lineup, he has yet to hit a bomb. If Berkman can't hit a home run in Yankees Stadium, you have to wonder what he can bring to the table next season.

2B: Jose Lopez, Mariners

At just 26-years old, Jose Lopez sure looked like a talent on the rise. His home run total improved in four straight seasons, most recently climbing from 17 to 25 in 2009. The home runs were not meaningless either, as Lopes has driven in 185 RBI over the last two seasons. Unfortunately, the trends did not continue. Lopez has struggled immensely this season with just seven home runs and a .237 average, his lowest since his 2004 rookie season. With a paltry .267 on-base percentage, one can argue that Lopez does not deserve to play on a regular basis.

SS: Jason Bartlett, Rays

With an average 75 points lower than the previous season, 30-year-old shortstop Jason Bartlett has been a major disappointment. Bartlett enjoyed a career season in 2009 with 14 home runs, 90 runs, 66 RBI, 30 steals and a .320 average. The numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Bartlett is best known for his fine defence. However, there is no defence for his poor offensive production this season. Bartlett has regressed in everything from power to speed. His struggles are most glaring on the road, where he is batting just .237 this season.

3B: Pablo Sandoval, Giants

With an impressive ability to reach base that matched his outsized personality, Sandoval earned the moniker Kung Fu Panda. However, this fantasy season he has just been a bear. His average has declined 67 points to .263 and his power has been cut in half from 25 home runs to 12. Somehow at home, Sandoval remains one of the elite hitters with a .327 average, but on the road, his .204 average and four home runs make him one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy baseball this season. Sandoval is plenty young, and will have to figure out his road woes to regain his fantasy value.

OF: Curtis Granderson, Yankees

When news broke that the Yankees had acquired Curtis Granderson, my initial thought was that he would breakout with 40 home runs in the cozy Yankees Stadium, while sandwiched between MVP caliber hitters. Instead, Granderson has regressed for a second straight season, and manager Joe Girardi has him hitting in the lower third of the Yankees order. Though Granderson hit just .249 last season, he did blast 30 home runs and stole 20 bases. This season, Granderson has just 18 home runs and 11 steals with his .247 average. Granted, injuries have limited Granderson at times this season, but at the end of the day, he has not delivered on the expected return on investment.

OF: Jason Bay, Mets

Similar to the cross-town Yankees, the Mets made a splash during the off-season by acquiring a power bat for their outfield. The investment has not paid off, as Bay played just 95 games before calling it a season due to post-concussion syndrome. Unfortunately, when he was healthy, Bay barely produced. While Bay blasted nine home runs in 49 games with the Red Sox in 2008, he managed just six this season. Bay did tie a career-high with six triples, and he swiped a solid 10 bases, but with a .259 average that is nearly 20 points lower than his career mark, Bay was a colossal bust.

OF: Nate McLouth, Braves

After back-to-back seasons with at least 20 home runs, Nate McLouth will likely be stuck in single digits when the season is through. The Braves outfielder is below the Mendoza mark with a .187 average. The 28-year-old veteran is no longer an everyday player for the Braves. Though he has enjoyed a hot start to September, McLouth has mostly performed at home where he owns a .260 average with five home runs this season. The road has been a house of horrors for McLouth as he has just 10 hits in 66 at-bats with no home runs. Furthermore, the speedster who swiped 19 or more bases in each of the last three seasons has just five steals this season. It's been an all-around rough season for the former Pirates star.

SP: Javier Vazquez, Yankees

While Javier Vazquez has secured an 11th straight double-digit win season, the 34-year-old veteran clearly pitches better in the National League. The first time the Yankees acquired Vazquez was back in 2004 after he enjoyed a stellar season with the Montreal Expos. Though he picked up 14 wins with the Yankees that season, Vazquez had his ERA spike 1.67 runs and he struck out 91 fewer batters. In 2009, Vazquez enjoyed a career season with the Braves. He earned 15 wins with a career-best ERA of 2.87. With the Yankees, Vazquez's ERA had bounced back up to 5.09, his worst since his 1998 rookie season. The poor pitching has little rhyme or reason, but the fact is that Vazquez clearly does not bode well when donning the pinstripes.

SP: Josh Beckett, Red Sox

The Red Sox ace and two-time World Champion has been downright awful this season. Beckett is just 30-years old and should be in his prime. Instead, after picking up 17 wins last season with a career-best 199 strikeouts, Beckett has just five wins with a career-worst ERA of 5.83. The problem for Beckett is that the opposition is simply hitting him. His career opposing batting average is .245, but this year, the opposition has hit .282 off him. Beckett has actually pitched well under sunlight. His record during day games is 3-0 with a 3.31 ERA. On the other hand, under the evening lights, Beckett is 2-4 with a 6.93 ERA. The second overall pick of the 1999 draft has suffered a lost season and will have to look forward to bouncing back in 2011.

SP: John Lackey, Red Sox

The big free agent acquisition of the Red Sox has been a major bust. Though John Lackey has picked up a dozen wins, he has faltered down the stretch with four consecutive losses. The burly right-hander who was once considered a strikeout artist has just 137 K's in 194.1 innings. His 4.63 ERA is currently a personal worst since his first full season in the majors. Lackey's great foible this season has been facing southpaws. They are hitting .314 off him, which is 40 points greater than his career mark. At 31-years old, the Red Sox have to hope that their large investment will pay off next season.

RP: Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers

The top closer drafted in many fantasy leagues, Jonathan Broxton is no longer closing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The hefty right-hander was dominant last season with 36 saves and 114 strikeouts in just 76 innings. He seemed to pick up from where he left off to start this season. At the All-Star break, Broxton had 19 saves with 55 K's and a sparkling 2.11 ERA. The roof has since caved in. Over the last 21 appearances, Broxton has allowed 17 runs to score, he has walked 17 batters compared to 16 strikeouts, and Dodgers manager Joe Torre was forced to give him the hook. While the 26-year-old flamethrower is now pitching middle relief, Hong Chih-Kuo has dominated in the ninth inning with nine saves and a 1.36 ERA on the season. Considering Kuo's youth, there are some questions as to whether Broxton will have a crack at closing for the Dodgers next season. He could be some enticing trade bait for a team such as the Mets who have their own closer that went bust this season.