Kuzul

Andre Dawson’s induction into the Hall of Fame on Sunday will mark just the second time Cooperstown will honor the legacy of the Montreal Expos.

For a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the best organization in baseball resided north of the border; where Dawson, fellow Hall of Famer Gary Carter, Steve Rogers, Tim Raines and Warren Cromartie were the vanguard of a team that sprouted prospects and fielded competitive teams that spent many a September in the heart of the National League East pennant chase.

While the team fell a game short of the World Series in 1981, Montreal’s greatest team was the 1994 edition that bolted out to a 74-40 record before the strike delivered what would prove to be the death knell to the franchise’s existence in Canada.

Currently disguised as the Washington Nationals and featuring several players (Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman) who may one day merit Cooperstown consideration, the club’s heart will always belong in Montreal, which is why we take the time to salute the 25 greatest players who donned the blue, red and white from 1969-2004.

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Vladimir Guerrero is a Hall of Famer. First ballot, no question. He was a few years ago, but if there was any doubt from potential voters, his extraordinary first season with the American League West-leading Texas Rangers puts to bed any question regarding his candidacy.

Coming off a injury-riddled final season with the Anaheim Angels in which he managed to only appear in 100 games and hit 15 homers and 50 RBI, the free-swinging Guerrero has surpassed those statistics in 87 so far with the offensively-gifted Rangers.

Currently, he is second in the major leagues with 76 RBI, bringing his career-total to 1,394. That’s still nearly 400 away from Manny Ramirez, another future Hall of Famer, and 903 less than Hank Aaron, the all-time leader.

But despite being ranked in the 80s on the list, it’s an incredible amount. He has nine 100-plus RBI seasons, and will increase that total to 10 soon enough. Who cares about rankings when that’s one of his credentials.

There’s plenty more statistical feats on his resume, too. He has 20 homers this season and 427 in his career. Usually, if you are a power hitter, you are measured by your home runs. Hitting 500 or more is seen as a shoe-in for power hitters, barring it being steroid-free, really no matter if their career average is in the .260s.

Guerrero may not reach that milestone. If the 35-year-old stays healthy and plays a few more years, he could. But he definitely doesn’t need that on his resume. When you have 2,358 hits and a career .321 batting average, that mark is meaningless as far as the Hall of Fame is concerned.

The same goes for career-long Atlanta Brave Chipper Jones . He has 433 homers as a perennial 30-plus homer hitter throughout his prime, but that’s not what stands out. He has a .306 batting average over 17-plus seasons, a .405 on-base percentage, nearly 2,500 hits, and 1,400 RBI. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols could retire tomorrow with 387 homers and find himself in Cooperstown five years from now.

Long-legged, well-built at 6’3″ 235 pounds, Vlad the Impaler as he is nicknamed, Guerrero could steal a bag or two in his heyday. His wheels didn’t last long, but he swiped 37 bases in 2001 with the then Montreal Expos and 40 the following year, his second to last with the team.

He narrowly missed joining the illustrious 40-40 club by nailing 39 homers during the latter campaign, and that was really the last he was heard from on the basepaths.

With how he impacts the team in so many other ways, the Rangers, like the Anaheim Angels, could care less if he could rack up the thefts or not. He could and clearly can still hit.

In happily counting Alex Rodriguez as a steroid-user and sadly counting David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez as well, Guerrero is one of only five clean hitters that have hit for power and average consistently over the past 20 years, joining Junior Griffey , Jones, and Pujols. None of the other four have his plate discipline, or lack thereof, however.

What makes Guerrero remarkable is that he’s never seen a pitch he hasn’t liked yet rarely strikes out. He’s aggressive but not over-zealous. He, who is one of the few players that doesn’t wear batting gloves, knows the strikezone but loves to live outside of it.

There may have been some hitter prior to my time, which lasts back until 1990, but he’s the best bad-ball hitter I’ve ever seen. For such a great hitter he’s produced some of the ugliest swings I’ve ever seen, too. He’s swung at pitches that have bounced before reaching the plate. Sometimes, he’s hit those pitches. He’s fouled off pitches that would have hit him.

This is the main reason why he’s never walked more than 84 times in a season. But his incredible ability to put the ball in play amidst the periodical craziness is the reason why he’s never struck out more than 95 times in a season. Aside from a cup of coffee with the Expos in 1996 and last season, he has annually driven in more runs than he has struck out.

Pujols hasn’t k’ed more than 93 times, and that was in his rookie season. Since, he hasn’t whiffed more than 69 times, which is mind-boggling. Like-wise, Jones hasn’t reached triple-digits. Griffey did five times, from 1996-2000, but that was also his prime. And he was forgiven since those were his most productive seasons: over that span he had a ridiculous 658 RBI and 249 homers.

Griffey had Rodriguez to help him in the middle of the Seattle Mariners order. Pujols has had and currently has plenty of protection. Jones had Andruw Jones, providing a one-two punch that deepened my love for Atlanta.

Guerrero was relatively alone with the Expos. He had scrappiness behind and in front of him with the Angels, along with Garrett Anderson. And now he has Josh Hamilton, forming the deadliest duo in the majors this season.

Baseball hasn’t seen what Guerrero and Hamilton have done since the Ortiz and Ramirez smashed balls out of Fenway nightly. Hamilton started the season slow, but thanks to a June in which he was as hot as can be at the plate, he is in the hunt for the Triple Crown. He hit .454 (49-108) in the month, which is hard to believe, and socked nine homers, drove in 31 RBI, and reached base 48 percent of the time.

He has continued to hit extremely well and holds a MLB-leading .353 batting average to complement his 22 homers and 67 RBI. Forty-two homers, 143 RBI, and a .337 average. Not too shabby.

And what makes the Rangers so scary is that these two aren’t the only ones hitting. The team carries a .278 batting average, which is second to, of all teams, the lowly Kansas City Royals in the majors. The pitching staff is in the top-10 in baseball across the board. Good pitching and even superb hitting puts them five games ahead of second-place Anaheim.

But, they wouldn’t have the third-best record in baseball if not for Guerrero. Robin to Hamilton’s Batman for the dangerous Rangers. Hall of Famer. And one of the best players ever to play this grand game.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The first half of the 2010 MLB regular season was like stepping into a 1990’s time warp – with usual bottom-feeding teams such as the Cincinatti Reds, Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres leading their respective divisions – but the second half promises to bring a dose of reality back to the normal MLB landscape.  However, it is possible that one of those teams can make a run deep into the playoffs and, if everything goes as planned, should be playing in late October.  Just one of the many reasons why the conclusion of the 2010 MLB regular season guarantees to be one of the most exciting in recent years. 

My top 5 reasons for you to be excited about what is yet to come —

(5)  SOMEONE REALLY MIGHT WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN………….

Already this has been a crazy year of statistics and record breaking games.  Despite the fact that most have been dominated by pitchers with ERA’s sub-3 and perfect games being thrown (2 according the MLB HOF, but in reality we all know 3!) the possibility of having the first legitimate triple-crown batting winner since Carl Yasztrzemski did it for the Boston Red Sox (all the way back in 1967 with a .326 AVG, 44 HR and 121 RBI) truly does exist.

In the past few years, the great Albert Pujols has briefly flirted with achieving the feat.  So far it has been another strong showing for Pujols in the 1st-half of the season and he is once again a solid contender as a triple-crown candidate.  But this season, there are at least four others that have a good chance of pulling off history with the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero and Joey Votto (all currently ranking in the top 10 in all 3 najor offensive categories respectively). 

— A look at their numbers:

Albert Pujols – StL (.311 7th, 21 2nd, 64 t-4th)

Miguel Cabrera – DET (.346 2nd, 22 t-2nd, 7 1st)

Vladimir Guerrero – Tex (.325 7th, 20 t-4th, 76 2nd)

Josh Hamilton – Tex (.347 1st, 22 t-2nd, 65 4th)

Joey Votto – Cin (.314 5th, 22 t-1st, 60 t-8th)

— Some other possible contenders:

Justin Morneau – Min (.345 3rd, 18 t-8th, 59 t-14th)

Ryan Howard – Phi (.297 17th, 20 t-5th, 71 1st)

Corey Hart – Mil (.293 20th, 22 t-1st, 66 2nd)

** On a side note for trivia buffs – the triple crown is achieved with a little more frequency for pitchers.  The last triple crown winner for a pitcher was Jake Peavy for the Padres in 2007, but the list includes the likes of Sandy Koufax (3x), Roger Clemens (2x), Dwight Gooden, Randy Johnson – not too mention, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson among others.

(4) ANOTHER PERFECT GAME WILL HAPPEN……..

Alright, so I know I may as well be predicting that someone will be hit with lightning as predicting yet another perfect game to be thrown this season (the odds are something like 2 million to one) but I really feel it in my bones that another el perfecto is coming on the horizon.  Don’t all good things come in 3’s anyway?  We had Braden, Halladay and almost-Gallaraga (he was royally screwed by the way, but a class act all the way).  So in order for this things in 3 theory to work out, we need another brilliant pitching performance.

Are you reading this Stephen Strasburg??

(3) THE CONTINUANCE OF ROOKIE STAR POWER……………..

Everyone and their momma has heard the name Stephen Strasburg.  He is the second coming it would seem, at least in terms of MLB pitching prospects. The last time I can really remember that much hype for a rookie in MLB, had to have been when Ken Griffey, Jr. was a rookie in the league.  However, with Strasburg the hype is at a whole other level – a King James ‘Decision’ special type of level if you will.  With major media at every minor league appearance he made, a special countdown press conference weeks in advance to announce his arrival, and even a baseball card that was recently priced as high as $500,00 on an Ebay auction – this Strasburg kid has had nothing but high expectations to live up to.  And it appears he may be the real deal……..

So far it looks as if Stephen Strasburg may be worth all of the hype and anticipation.  Since being called up to the majors, the kid has been superbly brilliant for a horribly subpar Washington Nationals team.  He has simply broken records with massive strikeout totals and has been totally dominant in virtually every facet.  He has been beyond impressive and his stats reflect that fact.  In 8 career starts, Strasburg is currently 4-2 with a 2.03 ERA.  Even more impressively, he has struck out 68 batters in just under 49 innings pitched, while only allowing 14 BB.  He holds batters to just .203 overall and carries a WHIP barely over 1.  Pure dominance.

But the field is incredibly tough this year and candidates such as Ja son Heyward and Buster Posey are serious threats.  Heyward was a hands down candidate for ROY when he got off to a blazing start for the Braves, even winning the NL Rookie of the Month honors, but lately he has cooled considerably.  Perhaps he is nursing lingering effects from some early season dings to his body, but he may not even receive a 1st place vote if he considers at his current clip.  Heyward has been a huge plus and a nice cog for a resurgent Braves team, but his stats aren’t as strong as his presence truly presents (.247, 11 HR, 45 RBI).

Buster Posey has been a huge surprise for the equally surprising Giants and definitely deserves a look at when it comes time to cast ROY ballots.  He is limited in games played with 40 so far, but his .352 AVG, 7 HR, 26 RBI production merits consideration.  If he continues at that pace, not only is this kid a star, but if he can help the Giants find their way to the playoffs, he may still the NL ROY for 2010.

Other NL rookie surprises not to be overlooked but some not quite ROY material yet:

Tyler Colvin – CHC (.262, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 31 R, 82 GP)

Mike Leake – CIN (17 GS, 6-1, 3.53 ERA, 70 K in 109.2 IP, 1.40 WHIP)

Ike Davis – NYM (.252, 11 HR, 40 RBI through 77 GP)

Mike Stanton – FLA (.225, 5 HR, 20 RBI through 29 GP)

The AL ROY race looks a little more interesting, but it will really be a two-man battle at most. Brennan Boesch may have the race all wrapped up with the monster stats he has put up for the Detroit Tigers so far this season.  This kid is a beast.  All he does is produce.  Through 66 GP, he has hammered the ball with stats of .336, 12 HR, 50 RBI (247 AB’s, 83 H, 19 2B, 3 3B and an astounding .974 OPS).  About as close to a lock as you are going to get, well besides Strasburg of course.

Neftali Feliz has been outstanding so far this season and currently poses a serious challenge to Boesch’s ROY aspirations.  And if he leads Texas to *spoiler alert* what I envision them doing this season, and postseason, this kid should be a serious contender for the AL ROY award.  So far this season, Feliz has been solid, commandering a respectable 3.72 ERA through 40 GP and converting 23 of 25 save opportunities for the first place Texas Rangers.

Austin Jackson has been an impact presence within the Tigers lineup so far this year as well.  Like Heyward, and his teammate Boesch, he too has won a Rookie of the Month award (for the month of April in AL) and has also cooled considerably as of late.  He has managed to stay above .300 through 79 GP, hitting .303,  and he has 15 SB out of 18 attempts.  Looking even further, he has produced some pretty impressive stats.  Through 317 AB’s, he has 96 H, 21 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR, 20 RBI and 53 R. 

Other AL rookie surprises not to be overlooked but some not quite ROY material yet:

Carlos Santana – CLE (.278, 5 HR, 17 RBI in 30 GP)

Justin Smoak – SEA (.208, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 2 teams, 74 GP)

(2) WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN.  SORRY CHW, SD, CIN, ATL…….

That’s right, I said it.  Well, I wrote it anyway.  Although each of these teams have put up legitimate fights to earn their respective division leads, but for some reason it really seems as if all will end up wanting once October baseball rolls around. 

Let’s start with the White Sox.  Without question, CHW is currently the hottest team in MLB.  They were 25-5 in their last 30 GP, before splitting the first two games of a 4 game series with Minnesota in Minneapolis.  This team is blazing hot.  On June 8th, they were in 3rd place, 9 1/2 games back.  Through July 16, they sit atop the AL Central by 1 game.  It has been a remarkable turnaround.  But short lived…… 

The CHW lineup is known to go into tailspin slumps and their bats will fizzle for a decent stretch of games, causing them to lose ground to the very tough Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.  The injury to Jake Peavy will hurt considerably as well, and that pitching staff will again fall short with the run support they receive.

Now to San Diego.  This is a tough one.  Every time I count this team out, they respond by getting stellar pitching and scoring runs.  This team looks and seems unfadeable.  But they are indeed fadeable and it is going to begin to show.  The stifled sneeze of Latos may have been the first blow in a series of blows to this franchise’s division title hopes.  Mat Latos has been the Padres ace in the hole, going 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA through 17 GS.  Even more impressive is his 0.966 WHIP in 2010 and his 99 K’s in 106 2/3 IP.  But the sneeze has put him on the 15-day DL. 

I hate to say it, but that was also the beginning of the Padres playoff run ultimately going on the DL.  They simply don’t have enough in the lineup to keep up with a team such as the LAD.  And despite the dominance of their pitching and the potential return of both Latos and Chris Young from surgery, it is hard to expect much more from such a young pitcher (Latos) and one returning from serious injury (Young).  The Padres have hung strong so far and currently hold a 3 game lead, but in reality, it has merely been a good run.

In Cincinatti, the team has whipped up Reds fans into a frenzy.  Finally, one of their crop of would-be MLB superstars has panned out into a pretty decent group major league wise.  CIN is currently 9 games above .500 and they are clinging to a 1/2 game lead over STL in the NL Central. 

Votto, Phillips, Leake, Cueto — these are just a few of the budding superstars on this young team.  Personal plea to the CIN management department, hang on to these kids.  This is not going to be your year and we all know it.  Be patient.  This is a very good young team.  But STL is built to win.  And STL will win…..

Atlanta is the toughest to call.  They have played well.  They have been hot and dominant and have simply been winning game after game, currently holding a 5 game lead over NYM and 5 1/2 game lead over PHI.  They look good.  The lineup is strong.  The pitching staff is young and strong.  But Jair Jurrjens is back and apparently healthy and the pitching staff should only get stronger.  Add to the fact that this is Bobby Cox’s last year and fate is definitely on their side.  But again, I just don’t like it.

PHI not in the playoffs?  I just can’t see it.  And I see a lot of surprise teams, like potentially even SFG making the playoffs in the wild card slot.  It’s possible.  So PHI would have to win the division outright perhaps and I see ATL potentially stumbling.  Sorry, I just do.  But again, that is a toughie……..

(1) TEXAS RANGERS WILL MAKE THE ALCS……..

That’s right, I said it again.  And if they can get past NYY somehow, they could be a surprise World Series contender.  Texas is currently a very impressive 52-38 and sits atop the AL West by 4 1/2 games over LAA.  Obviously the pickup of Cliff Lee was huge at the trade deadline.  He is the first premium, top notch, pitcher ever added to their inherently struggling rotation and immediately delivers a needed credibility for them to be a legitimate contender.

Don’t get me wrong, their pitching staff is still incredibly suspect after Lee.  Colby Lewis currently leads the team with a 9-5 record and has a respectable 3.42 ERA.  CJ Wilson is a respectable 7-5 with a 3.35 ERA.  Tommy Hunter is an intriguing prospect however, and has started the season off with a bang – going 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA through 8 starts.  Add in Cliff Lee, and there is a possibility for potential……..

But the lineup is huge!  Vladimir will end the season as AL MVP.  You heard it here first.  Well, you read it anyway.  But first, here.  Vlad for MVP.  He will continue to rake the pitchers for the rest of the season, enjoying all of the help provided by his supporting cast of Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Bengie Molina — the list just goes on and on.  They have, quite arguably, the best lineup in baseball.  And that will help them secure the AL West crown and a berth in the playoffs.  Where I fully expect them to flourish……..

So there you go.  That’s the 2010 MLB second half in a nutshell.  Well, from my nutshell anyway.  At least that’s the way I see it.  VLAD for MVP!!

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the All-Star Game now over with, it’s time to look ahead to the second half of the season.

The National League finally ended its string of losing at the Midsummer Classic, beating the American League, 3-1.

Does that mean the NL has the advantage in this year’s World Series? Or, can the Yankees create another dynasty and win their second consecutive Fall Classic?

Plus, what other teams will surprise and which current surprises will flop? Here are all of the bold predictions for what to look forward to during the stretch run of 2010.

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The fireworks were going off on the July 4. These guys were putting on a show the week leading up to our nation’s birthday. The summer nights were lit with their bats and the fire burned many pitchers on the hill.

1)      SS Rafael Furcal LAD

The Dodgers outfielder was 14-for-26 with two home runs, five RBI, one stolen base, and finished last week with a .538 AVG.

He is hitting .336 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and 45 runs for the season.

2)      DH Jim Thome Min

The Twins designated hitter was 8-for-20 with four home runs, eight RBI, and ended last week with a .400 AVG.

The Twins have been doing some shifting with their infielders and designated hitters, giving Thome more playing time.

Thome has nearly no fantasy presence with not many owners buying into his recent streak.

It would be wise to wait to see if Thome can continue his production before picking him up.

He is hitting .263 with 10 home runs, 28 RBI, 27 BB, and 20 runs for the season.

3)      DH Vladimir Guerrero Tex

The Texas slugger was 8-for-22 with three home runs, 10 RBI, and finished last week with a .364 AVG.

The Rangers are one of the best teams in baseball, and one of the reasons is because Guerrero’s power production.

He put a hurt on his old team last week with a home run and three RBI in the win over the Angels.

The deserving American League All-Star has had a terrific year. He is currently hitting .330 with 19 home runs, 72 RBI, and 54 runs for the season.

4)      OF Matt Kemp LAD

The Dodgers outfielder was 9-for-22 with three home runs, seven RBI, and finished last week with a .409 AVG.

Kemp had a horrible June. He drug around a .208 average last month.

He is hitting .267 with 16 home runs, 49 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and five runs for the season.

5)      OF Torii Hunter LAA

The Angels outfielder was 8-for-19 with two home runs, seven RBI, eight walks, one stolen base, and ended last week with .421 AVG.

He is hitting .302 with 14 home runs, 60 RBI, 39 walks, and 50 runs for the season.

6)      3B David Wright NYM

The Mets’ poster boy was 14-for-32 with three RBI, two stolen bases, and finished last week with a .538 AVG.

He is hitting .317 with 14 home runs, 64 RBI, 43 walks, 15 stolen bases, and 52 runs.

7)      IF Felipe Lopez StL

The versatile Cardinals infielder was 12-for-27 with one RBI, one stolen base and finished last week with a .444 AVG.

Lopez has only a 10 percent ownership in most leagues. He has seen a slight increase in ownership in the last few days.

He could be a solid pick-up if you need some options in your infield.

            He is hitting at .275 with five home runs, 21 RBI, three stolen bases, and 27 runs.

8)      1B Mark Teixeira NYY

The Yankees first baseman went 9-for-21 with five RBI and finished last week with a .429 AVG.

All of the fantasy owners are waiting for Teixeira to break out and provide the production he is know for. Last week might be a sign of that turn around.

You could likely get a strong trade for him if you are tired of waiting for him to bring the fantasy points you expected.

He is hitting only .241 with 14 home runs, 54 RBI, and 57 runs.

9)      1B James Loney LAD

The Dodgers first baseman went 10-for-23 with five RBI, and finished last week with a .435 AVG.

10)  2B Sean Rodriguez TB

The Rays second baseman went 12-for-28 with one home run, three RBI, two stolen bases, and .429 AVG.

Rodriguez is an excellent fielder and is getting a lot of attention in Tampa lately.

            Last week’s performance has improved his stock by nearly 25 percent.

He is hitting .280 with six home runs, 29 RBI, six stolen bases, and 45 runs for the season.

Honorable Mentions:

OF Juan Pierre CWS10/24, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB, .417 AVG.

SS Cliff Pennington Oak 10/24, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, .417 AVG.

OF Dexter Fowler Col 10/24, 8 R, 3RBI, 9 RBI, 2 SB, .417 AVG.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The baseball season has been full of pleasant surprises thus far. Not only are teams like San Diego surprising fans, but many players, good and bad, are shocking spectators to the bone.

Young and old players alike are playing above and beyond expectations.

This slideshow is dedicated to the veteran oldies that have made an end-of-career surge.

The following five players are the biggest surprises of this season, with Vlad being No. 1.

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The grades are in as we approach the halfway mark of the 2010 season.

What teams have lived up to the hype in the American League West, and which have laid an egg and why?

Here is a team-by-team breakdown recapping the first 81 games (almost), and what to watch for in the second half.

Who will be the movers and shakers in the second half?

What moves should teams make going forward?

Which will be buyers and sellers at the trade deadline?

Who is in the running for individual awards?

Who are the biggest disappointments and surprises?

Who will ultimately win the division, and who will fade into the abyss?

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With close to 50 games in the bag, some player trends are starting to mold. There are some huge surprises on the list and many big names are missing. Pujols, Howard, Fielder, A-Rod, Teixeira are all guys that missed this list.

Here are your top 10 fantasy players thus far. Four are pitchers and 6 are position players. They are not necessarily in any order. Andre Ethier has been left off the list due to injury.

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Vladimir Guerrero is back after an injury-riddled 2009 season in which he played in only 100 games.

Last night he took over the RBI lead for the majors when he homered twice and drove in five runs in an 8-7 defeat of the Royals.

His .347 batting average is second in the AL behind Justin Morneau, who is hitting .383.

Guerrero has been on fire in May while hitting 10 home runs and driving in 29 runs. He has been held hitless only twice during the month of May. He needs only three homers and eight RBI to reach his 2009 numbers while batting 207 fewer times than he did last season.

He needs 690 hits to reach the 3,000-hit plateau, and he has a real shot at 3,000 if he can stay healthy since he is 35 and could play four or five more seasons. His .322 lifetime average is fifth best among active players.

Guerrero has hit 419 home runs, which places him sixth on the list for active players, but is only 11 home runs behind Chipper Jones, who has hit only two home runs so far this season, so he has a chance to move ahead of Jones into fifth place.

Baseball-reference.com compares his numbers to Hall of Famers Duke Snider, Chuck Klein, Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Mize, and Orlando Cepeda, so he is almost a lock for the Hall of Fame already and can only add to his great numbers before he retires.

Nelson Cruz has picked up where he left off before going on the DL and was the AL Player of the Week. He has three home runs and 13 RBI in his last 10 games. Since his return on May 14 he has hit three home runs and driven in 17 runs in 11 games.

The New York Mets and Oakland Athletics traded Cruz before he ever played a major league game for them, and the Brewers played him in only eight games before trading him to the Rangers in the Carlos Lee trade.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

One of the great misconceptions of fantasy baseball is that a player is destined for a monster season simply because it happens to be his walk year. Theoretically, if a player has a slow start in a contract year, he may be pressing, and just needs time to get his game together.

The beauty of a 162-game schedule is that even the most frustrated players have enough time from this point forward to turn their season around. If a big contract is at stake, a player destined for free agency in 2010 will play hurt, and is likely to be a model citizen.

That said, it’s not usually not a good thing when a player hides an injury or ailment from his coaches and medical staff in order to stay in the lineup and boost his stats. Eventually, his (as well as your team’s) production will suffer.

I’m not suggesting you avoid players in the last year of their deal, but take the contract year hoopla with a grain of salt. Here are some buy-low players with upside who are in their contract year to make a trade for, as well as some sell-high candidates who you may want to unload in spite of their expiring contract.

Finally, I have enclosed some soon-to-be free agents that you might be tempted to invest in, but should avoid at all costs.

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