The Ladies of Twitter Annoint MLB's 2010 Surprises & Busts

Originally published by The Fantasy Fix.

Times are changing and Twitter has quickly become a great source of sports information. Everyone from sports stars to professional sports writers to internet-famed sports bloggers are writing daily. So TheFantasyFix.com decided it was far by time to do a roundtable with the LADIES of TWITTER!


So here was the question:




As the conclusion of the 2010 Major League Baseball regular season approaches, we would like to identify those players who fell short of expectations (busts) and those who exceeded expectations (surprises). 




Name one bust/surprise to this point of the 2010 season (describe their 2010) and state what you expect from them in the 2011 season. (rebound, maintain, regress etc..)




And away we go!...


Biggest Bust Of 2010: Chone Figgins | 2B/3B | Seattle Mariners

After acquiring Cliff Lee, Milton Bradley and Chone Figgins over the winter, the Seattle Mariners were thought to be a key contender in 2010. However, things did not go the way the franchise had planned. Bradley took a leave of absence to deal with personal issues, leaving him on the bench as a utility man, and Lee, perennial trade bait, was sent to the Texas Rangers in July. That left Figgins to provide the Mariners with the solace that their off-season aggressiveness wasn’t all for naught.

In 2009, Chone Figgins was among American League leaders in WAR, on-base %, tripples and stolen bases. He also led the league in walks, finished 10th in MVP voting and also played in his first All-Star Game. He was batting .292 in five full seasons as an Angel, averaging 162 hits, 52 RBI, and 44 stolen bases in 850 games from 2004-2009. After swinging at a career high 22.3% of pitches outside of the strike zone in 2007, his plate discipline was improving drastically, with his o-swing% in 2008 and 2009 at 16.5% and 15.1% respectively. He was considered one of the most desirable free agents on the market following the 2009 season.

When Figgins arrived in Seattle, however, he was another player. In 127 games in 2010, Figgins is batting well below his career batting average, at .246. His o-swing% has crept to 19.7%. His saving grace from a fantasy perspective is that he has still stolen 32 bases, but for the most part, that is where his allure ends. ESPN buffs project that he will have another turn-around year in 2011, and for the sake of his 4-year, $36 million agreement with the Mariners, I hope they’re right.


Biggest Surprise Of 2010: Carlos Ruiz | C | Philadelphia Phillies

In his first three full seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Ruiz was batting .245, and averaged 83 hits and 43 RBIs in 339 games. Among MLB catchers with a minimum 330 plate appearances, his batting average ranked 15th in 2007, 23rd in 2008, and 13th in 2009. In 2010, he is batting a career high .287, second only to Joe Mauer.

To date, Chooch has started 84 games, and sat out 20 days with a concussion. Before being placed on the disabled list, Ruiz was hitting .275. Since returning to the lineup on July 10, he is batting .301 with an on-base percentage of .359 and slugging .496 in 40 games. Ruiz also has 22 of his 35 RBIs since July 10 and has had 10 go-ahead hits year to date.

What’s easy to forget is that while 2010 may be the year of the pitcher, there is a catcher behind every staff ace. On April 5, Roy Halladay made his first start as a Phillie and reportedly never shook off Chooch once. On May 29, Doc pitched the 20th perfect game in history as Ruiz called the game from behind the plate. When the Phillies honored the perfect game on August 26, Doc presented Ruiz with a ring engraved with the phrase “We Did It Together”.

Chooch has been a remarkable asset to the team both at and behind the plate, and if the projections are any indication, he will continue to lead the Phillies in their playoff hunt. Pin It Now!

Tweets From Last Night: 08.27.10 Phillies 3 Padres 2

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy of @davefromphilly

1^st Inning

@Rob_STC: Wow another first place team and no crowd. Sounds like you can hear tons of Phillies fans in San Diego.

@Phrontiersman: I really like Mat Latos. But I hope we knock him all over the field tonight.

@_C8Lin: Instead of getting called out on check swings, Ryan decides to not swing at all.
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Game Recap 08.06.10 - Phillies 7 Mets 5

AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

On Friday evening in the Bronx, the Yankees and the Red Sox met for the 2,073^rd time in one of the oldest and most well-known rivalries in baseball. However, just an hour and a half down I-95, a rivalry match-up just as intense was underway in Philadelphia as the Phillies (61-48) defeated the Mets (54-55) 7-5.

Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.65 ERA) started the evening in a way he hasn’t in quite some time. He tossed an easy 13-pitch first inning only giving up a single to Angel Pagan who would be out just moments later as Carlos Beltran batted into an inning ending double play. Going into Friday’s game, Blanton was boasting a first inning ERA of nearly eight in 2010.

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Game Recap 08.04.10 - Phillies 7 Marlins 2

AP Photo/Alan Diaz

Kyle Kendrick (7-4, 4.37 ERA) and Anibal Sanchez (8-7, 3.50 ERA) had already warmed up before the Marlins ground crew scurried to put the tarp on the field just minutes before the first pitch was to be thrown. But 58 minutes later Sanchez took the mound and it appeared the game would go on as planned.

For the second night in a row the Phillies (59-48) struck first, scoring two in the first inning on big hits by both Ross Gload and Domonic Brown. Brown, who went 1-4 with 3 RBIs, is now batting .273 after six games with the big club with 6 RBIs. But it isn’t just his bat that’s making waves in the baseball world. The Marlins (53-54) tested Brown’s arm not once, not twice, but three times in the 7-2 loss to Philadelphia.

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Tweets from Last Night 08.03.10 Phillies 6, Marlins 1

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy of @uublog

1st Inning

@SethDH: Welcome to the @MLB. You just gave up a double vs your first batter. #Phillies #Marlins

@LONG_DRIVE: I feel like Werth leads the league in striking out on that pitch.

@ctrabs74: Fun factoid: Roy Halladay has retired the last 30 of #ThoseFloridaMarlins he has faced. Only 7 pitches - all strikes - to wrap up the 1st.

@LONG_DRIVE: Watching Roy Halladay pitch is like sports porn.

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Tweets From... This Afternoon? 08.01.10 Phillies 6 Nationals 4

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy @catrob927

1^st Inning

@meechone: Dom Brown just stole second base; in my heart.

@SonOfADeitch: Every Phillie is officially hurt ... but Brad Lidge says he can still close.

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