Joey Votto, Jason Bay, Justin Morneau, Jeff Francis, and Erik Bedard were supposed to be the elite group of Canadian major leaguers but injuries have had a crippling effect.
While Votto has impressed, Bay and Morneau have struggled, while Francis and Bedard both sport losing records.
The good news is that lesser-known talents have enjoyed major contributions out of the bullpen, while Russell Martin has rejuvenated his career with the Yankees.
Here are the top 10 Canadians currently contributing in Major League Baseball:
10) Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins
The hope was that after missing the second half of last season due to a concussion, Morneau would simply pick up from where he left off prior to the injury. Instead, Morneau struggled early to overcome the effects of the concussion, failing to belt a home run until the Twins 27th game of the season.
Then after showing some signs of life in May, Morneau again tanked with just two hits in 27 at bats in June before returning to the disabled list with a strained left wrist. It’s a tough break for the 30-year old slugger, as Morneau is missing significant parts of his prime. It’s become a lost season in Minnesota.
9) Jeff Francis, SP, Royals
Injuries have certainly taken a toll, as Francis’ career has taken a notable downturn since his stellar 2007 campaign that included 17 wins, 165 strikeouts, and a 4.22 ERA despite pitching in Coors Field. Since returning from shoulder surgery, Francis has gone just 7-16 with an ERA close to five.
Francis has evolved into a decent control pitcher, but lacks the ability to get crucial whiffs. As a result, his opposing average has soared to .289. The 30-year-old southpaw still has some good years left in him. He has pitched very well at times and with greater run support, his record could be closer to .500, rather than 3-10.
8) Ryan Dempster, SP, Cubs
Though the ERA remains a touch over five, Dempster has pitched well over the last month and a half. His control has left him at times this season, but Dempster remains a strikeout artist and on a better team could evolve into a key middle of the rotation hurler. After a recent blow-up with Cubs manager Mike Quade, look for Dempster to get traded to a contender during the second half of the season.
7) Jason Bay, OF, Mets
Similar to Morneau, Bay’s 2010 season was cut short because of a concussion. The key difference is that Morneau was thriving at the time of the injury, while Bay never quite looked comfortable in the Mets jersey.
Bay showed some signs of breaking out at the end of June with an eight-game hit streak that consisted of three home runs and 12 RBIs. However, the Mets left-fielder finished the first half with just one single in his final 19 at bats, dropping his average from .252 to a dismal .237. Mets fans are hoping that the return of David Wright will offer some relief in the lineup for Bay. More realistically, the Mets will trade Carlos Beltran, which could cripple the team’s lineup.
6) Blake Hawksworth, RP, Dodgers
The Dodgers have had a lot of problems, but Hawksworth has not been one of them. The 28-year-old right-hander broke out in 2009 with the Cardinals. He picked up four wins with a stellar 2.03 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. Last season, Hawksworth was used as a spot-starter and struggled in his undefined role with a 4-8 record and 4.98 ERA.
In his first season with the Dodgers, Hawksworth has returned to his high level of play. In 28 appearances, the reliever boasts a 2-2 record with a 3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Though he is fanning batters at a higher rate this season, Hawksworth is more of a finesse pitcher who relies on his control to get batters out.
5) Russell Martin, C, Yankees
A hot start is the main reason why Russell Martin earned a nod to the all-star game. After all, his average has declined to just .220 thanks to a .185 batting clip since the start of May. The good news is that Martin does boast 10 home runs, but only one of those has been accounted for over the last month and a half. Considering Martin usually tails off in the second half, the outlook is not very bright for the Bombers backstop.
4) Jesse Crain, RP, White Sox
A move to the hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Ballpark hasn’t had a negative impact on Crain. In fact, the Toronto native is in the midst of his best season with five wins, one save, a 2.41 ERA, and most impressively, a 0.98 WHIP.
The 30-year old veteran has not surrendered a run over his last seven appearances. Though as a reliever he does not garner much attention, Crain is one of the key reasons why the White Sox remain in contention. He may never become a team’s closer, but gets meaningful outs on a regular basis.
3) Erik Bedard, Mariners
Once considered amongst the top arms in baseball, Bedard’s career has been derailed due to injuries. This season looks to be a microcosm of Bedard’s career, as a solid start has been slowed by a sprained left knee. The good news is that Bedard’s arm is fine, which explains why he’ll likely be one of the top pitchers on the rumour mill over the next few weeks.
Though Bedard has just a 4-6 record, more indicative of his performance is the 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Of course, pitching in Safeco often explains the success of Mariners pitchers, but that’s not the case for Bedard. The southpaw is actually better on the road with a 2.16 ERA and 1.06 WHIP through seven starts. The Blue Jays may want to take a flyer, if only Seattle wanted Juan Rivera.
2) John Axford, RP, Brewers
Axford got off to an ugly start as his ERA was as high as 6.35 on May 4. However, since then Axford has been dominant. Over the ensuing two months, Axford has allowed just two earned runs over 26 innings.
The Brewers closer has made great strides with his control and is fanning 11.5 batters per nine innings. The 28-year-old closer will likely be under the microscope as the Brewers look to advance to the post-season over the final months of the season.
1) Joey Votto, 1B, Reds
The reigning NL MVP is once again having a stellar season with 13 home runs, 59 RBI, and a .324 average. Though Votto is not posting the same type of power numbers he did last season, it’s more likely a result that pitchers are more willing to pitch around him, rather than let him get good wood on the ball.
On that note, his success hinges on more consistency from the players that surround him in the lineup including streaky players such as Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce. Nonetheless, even with a minor dropoff in power, Votto remains amongst the elite in baseball, and a hot finish