BY ROB SHAW
sportsnet.ca
It’s time to distribute the hardware to the Masked Marvels. Joe Mauer may have lost some power, but he remains the top of the class. While Buster Posey was our favorite surprise and Orioles backstop Matt Wieters was a bust.
Top 3 Best
Joe Mauer, C, Twins
The new ballpark may have zapped his power, but Joe Mauer was still a cut above the rest. The Twins backstop upheld his career batting average with a .327 clip. Mauer actually enjoyed an incredible run of success in the second half of the season, with a .373 average.
Victor Martinez, C, Red Sox
Despite dealing with injuries, Victor Martinez blasted 20 home runs for the fifth time in his career. The Red Sox slugger also hit .302 and drove in 79 RBI. Martinez finished strong with a .316 average and 11 home runs.
Brian McCann, C, Braves
Despite hitting a career low .267, Brian McCann put in a solid season with 21 home runs, 77 RBI, and a career-best five stolen bases. He tired a bit at the end of the season, with just 21 hits over his final 95 at bats. Part of the reason for his decline in production, could be the lack of protection in the order with Chipper Jones sidelined due to an injury.
Top 3 Surprises
Buster Posey, C, Giants
The Giants kept Bengie Molina entering the season because of concerns that Buster Posey would not be ready for Major League competition. They would later acknowledge that they were wrong when they traded Molina to the Rangers and provided Posey with an everyday gig. Posey responded with 18 home runs and 67 RBI to complement a .305 average in just 105 games played.
John Buck, C, Blue Jays
Not only did John Buck establish a career-best with 20 home runs and 66 RBI, but he also enjoyed a drastic bump up in average from .247 in ’09 to .281 this season. Though Buck drew only 16 walks and struck out on 111 occasions, his power and timely hitting make him a fixture in fantasy lineups.
Carlos Ruiz, C, Phillies
Always known for his fine defense, Carlos Ruiz lifted his offense this season with a career-best .302 average. What was so shocking of the performance is that Ruiz is just two seasons removed from hitting .219. Furthermore, Ruiz also knows how to reach base through patience, as he drew a career-high 55 walks, resulting in a sensational .400 on base percentage.
Top 3 Busts
Matt Wieters, C, Orioles
If you wanted to know how much hype there was for Matt Wieters, let’s just say that as much of a surprise Buster Posey was this season, those numbers would have barely met the expectations for Wieters. People were predicting 30-home runs and yet, through two seasons the Orioles fifth pick of the 2007 draft has just 20 home runs in 800 at bats. If that wasn’t bad enough, Wieters hit just .249 this season and his 37 runs scored in 130 games, tells the tale of his lack of production.
Bengie Molina, C, Rangers
Who would have thought that the winner of the bidding war between the Mets and Giants during the off-season, would actually end up being the loser. Molina was in his prime entering this season, having hit a career-high 20 home runs in 2009. The drop-off was flat out shocking this season, with five home runs and 36 RBI to show for 377 at bats split between the Giants and Rangers.
Ivan Rodriguez, C, Nationals
This likely Hall of Famer is looking pretty washed up. He hit just four home runs this season, his lowest output since his rookie campaign nearly 20 years ago. Furthermore, his .296 on base percentage is 40 points lower than his career OBP. Even though Rodriguez is now just 183 hits shy of 3,000, he will be hard-pressed to reach that total considering his diminishing returns.
