List of top 100 performers in the game – MLB 2012 Update - Part 20
36. Zack Greinke
Zack Greinke, the 2009 American League Cy Young winner, was hoping for good things when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers from the Kansas City Royals at the end of 2010.
He made a very poor start to his tenure with the Brewers. Playing basketball, he fractured a rib which forced him to miss the first month of the regular season. Greinke looked very rusty when he returned to Major League Baseball as his ERA was pretty poor
in the first few games.
However, he raised the level of his game play from there on and he started to look like his old self. The right hander looked on top of his game in the second half of the season as he went 9-3 with an incredible 2.59 ERA in 15 starts.
His 1.16 WHIP and 3.52 K/BB were tremendous as he went on to produce match winning performances. Zack’s 2.87 FIP and 4.13 K/BB since 2009 is the fifth best among all starters. Furthermore, his 18.4 WAR is seventh best among all pitchers during the same period
of time.
Greinke will have a great opportunity to prove his metal in a lethal Milwaukee rotation. Along with Shaun Marcum and Yovani Gallardo, he will be hoping to help the Brewers stay competitive even if Prince Fielder decides to land somewhere else.
“I don't even realize how long it's been, ... because the whole year seems like a bunch of losses total -- not just me, the whole team. It's just nice to get a win any day," said Greinke in an interview.
He further added, “I was about 20 times smarter before this season started than I am now. I'm a totally different pitcher than I was at the beginning of the year. I don't throw the slider and I haven't really thrown the slow curve anymore.”
37. Brian McCann
In an era in which strength out of the catching position has become extraordinary, Brian McCann has been absolutely brilliant for the Atlanta Braves since his first full season with the club in 2006. The player has been a key run producer for the Braves
and he helped them win memorable games in the MLB.
Although the left hander appeared in only 128 games in 2011 season, he still managed to hit 24 home-runs to match his career best. With 66 home-runs since 2009, McCann is the second best among all catchers. His 242 RBI’s during the same time frame is only
the second best to Victor Martinez.
While there is no doubt that McCann has astonishing hitting abilities, accounts of his defence are more contradictory. Allowing more stolen bases than anyone else in the Majors, he looked a bit out of sorts last season. His career CS percentage of 2.40 is
something to be considered necessary.
However, on the other hand, his 3.61 CERA was the second best among all catchers in the MLB and he earned a reputation of being a brave fighter in baseball. Although there are few defensive shortcomings in his game play, his career averages of a staggering
.844 OPS, 25 home-runs and 99 RBI’s makes him a player, who is wanted by most teams.
Continued in Part 21
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