Let's just get this out of the way: for the most part I did a really bad job.
Oddly enough, the 2008 version saw me project the offense pretty accurately for a number of our guys. So naturally I was optimistic I'd do just as well this time around. Turns out I was just a flash in the pan.
Catchers
Name | Games | AB | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | Avg | Obp | Slg | SB |
Joe Mauer Proj | 142 | 530 | 176 | 36 | 4 | 10 | 82 | 53 | .332 | .422 | .468 | 4 |
Mauer Reality | 138 | 523 | 191 | 30 | 1 | 28 | 76 | 63 | .365 | .444 | .587 | 4 |
Mike Redmond Proj | 43 | 139 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 12 | .288 | .322 | .360 | 0 |
Redmond Reality | 45 | 135 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 19 | .237 | .299 | .289 | 0 |
Mauer - I thought I projected a good year for Joe. I need to start re-thinking what a "good year for Joe" means.
Redmond - Playing time was about right, but something fell off the table for him this year. I will always remember his triple (BELLY FLOP!), and for the last half decade you couldn't have asked for a better backup catcher. Good luck, NBP, you'll be missed.
Infielders
Name | Games | AB | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | Avg | Obp | Slg | SB |
Justin Morneau Proj | 158 | 600 | 174 | 38 | 4 | 29 | 67 | 87 | .290 | .361 | .512 | 1 |
Morneau Reality | 135 | 508 | 139 | 31 | 1 | 30 | 72 | 86 | .274 | .363 | .516 | 0 |
Alexi Casilla Proj | 128 | 431 | 119 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 35 | 51 | .276 | .331 | .360 | 15 |
Casilla Reality | 80 | 228 | 46 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 36 | .202 | .280 | .259 | 11 |
Nick Punto Proj | 130 | 429 | 112 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 64 | .261 | .324 | .333 | 12 |
Punto Reality | 125 | 359 | 82 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 61 | 70 | .228 | .337 | .284 | 16 |
Brian Buscher Proj | 96 | 306 | 86 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 27 | 45 | .281 | .339 | .402 | 1 |
Buscher Reality | 61 | 136 | 32 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 35 | .235 | .360 | .316 | 1 |
Matt Tolbert Proj | 51 | 112 | 29 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 13 | .259 | .314 | .420 | 8 |
Tolbert Reality | 71 | 198 | 46 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 37 | .232 | .303 | .308 | 6 |
Matt Macri Proj | 44 | 101 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 17 | .277 | .318 | .416 | 3 |
Macri Reality | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Brendan Harris Proj | 112 | 381 | 104 | 25 | 3 | 7 | 36 | 90 | .273 | .336 | .410 | 2 |
Harris Reality | 123 | 414 | 108 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 29 | 78 | .261 | .310 | .362 | 0 |
Morneau - Injuries played a big part in his lack of production in the second half, so had he been healthy he was probably on pace for a career year. My playing time was off but I still pegged him within 6 point of OPS.
Casilla - I was really hoping for some contributions from him this year. Instead he just looked worse. 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts was great, and a big hit in game 163 was great, but going forward I have concerns about his staying power.
Punto - He walked a lot last year. My projection was based on a typical Punto-esque year, but LNP struggled big time in the first half.
Buscher - These predictions were pre-Joe Crede. They were also optimistic based off his 2008 performance.
Tolbert - Looks like I was expecting Tolbert to be Punto with a little extra power. I still think he can be that, but I definitely missed the mark here.
Macri - Too many infielders, especially after Crede came onboard.
Harris - Every other month (April, June, August), Harris had a great month. The other three...not so much. It all culminated in a big down year for Harris, his worst since becoming a role player in 2007.
Outfielders
Name | Game | AB | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | Avg | Obp | Slg | SB |
Michael Cuddyer Proj | 138 | 511 | 137 | 26 | 3 | 15 | 54 | 69 | .268 | .338 | .419 | 4 |
Cuddyer Reality | 153 | 588 | 162 | 34 | 7 | 32 | 54 | 118 | .276 | .342 | .520 | 6 |
Carlos Gomez Proj | 119 | 402 | 106 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 27 | 98 | .264 | .310 | .386 | 27 |
Gomez Reality | 137 | 515 | 72 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 72 | .229 | .287 | .337 | 14 |
Jason Kubel Proj | 150 | 525 | 146 | 26 | 3 | 23 | 55 | 97 | .278 | .347 | .471 | 0 |
Kubel Reality | 146 | 514 | 154 | 35 | 2 | 28 | 56 | 106 | .300 | .369 | .539 | 1 |
Denard Span Proj | 122 | 427 | 123 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 64 | 81 | .288 | .381 | .424 | 21 |
Span Reality | 145 | 578 | 180 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 70 | 89 | .311 | .392 | .415 | 23 |
Delmon Young Proj | 121 | 423 | 126 | 22 | 2 | 12 | 29 | 92 | .298 | .343 | .444 | 11 |
Young Reality | 108 | 395 | 112 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 92 | .284 | .308 | .45 | 2 |
Cuddyer - I really tempered my prediction after he sorely under-performed against my 2008 projection. I'm happy to have been wrong. Cuddyer's power returned, hopefully for good now that he's healthy.
Gomez - I was hoping for improveent, but we got the opposite.
Kubel - I was looking for duplication, we got improvement. Woo-hoo!
Span - Playing time was a tough one, but I still pegged Span within two points of his actual OPS.
Young - You can't be safe on all predictions and I definitely wasn't with Young. I'll still look for improvement next year, but I'll probably reign it in. Just a little.