Baseball's 2010 Comeback Player of Year Candidates

For much of the time in the past several years, baseball has focused on the negative. Inflated salaries and steroids cloaked the uplifting tales of guys who have overcome drug problems, injuries, family tragedies and even cancer. The Steroid Era, though, appears to be in the past, and fans now can focus fully on the great stories that are sure to rise out of the 2010 season. They are the tales of the Comeback Player of the Year award winners in the two leagues. Last year, it was a pitcher, Chris Carpenter and a second baseman, Aaron Hill, who won praise for their rise from the ashes. Who will receive the honor in 2010? Well, the candidates are...

Troy Glaus: The one-time third baseman might have ignited a spark of hope this spring among Atlanta Braves fans. After missing all but two games of the 2009 season in St. Louis, Glaus arrived at Braves camp ready to put his shoulder problems behind him. Atlanta accommodated those wishes by moving Glaus to first base, and the guy who once hit 47 homers in a season, responded with a hot spring. He hit nearly .400 in spring training games. There are questions about whether he'll ever be the power hitter he once was. The shoulder might never allow him to swing the bat with the same force as in past years. Still, there's every reason to believe that Glaus could be this year's biggest comeback story. He's only 33 years old, and he might have an opportunity to bat in the cleanup spot for Atlanta. That might sandwich him between two dangerous hitters, veteran star Chipper Jones and rookie wunderkind Jason Heyward.

Daisuke Matsuzaka: Dice-K turned heads when he went 18-3 with a 2.90 earned run average in 2008. Those heads shook in disbelief, though, when he followed it with a 4-6 season and a 5.76 ERA in 2009. Matsuzaka threw just 59 innings due to multiple injury problems, and his absence likely contributed to Boston's inability to win another World Series title. This spring, back and neck stiffness lingered, and Daisuke didn't appear in a game until March 25. Due to his the limitations he faced, Boston expects to send him to the minors for some extra work before deciding when he'll have his 2010 debut.

Brandon Webb: With their workhouse primed for another solid year, Arizona hoped to compete for the National West division title in 2009. Instead, Webb pitched just four innings against Colorado on Opening Day before leaving with a serious shoulder injury that required surgery. Without Webb, the Diamondbacks virtually fell on their own sword to finish last in the division with a 70-92 mark. Now, Arizona is banking on Webb to return to form. Certainly, they're invested in the right-handed power pitcher. Webb's 2010 salary is $6.5 million. After all, this is the guy who won 22 games in 2008. The news, though, isn't good right now for Webb. He had a cortisone shot on March 31, and the doctors and Diamondbacks have no idea when he'll be ready to join the team. But nobody should count out Webb. If he's able to perform anywhere near 100 percent, 15 wins or more might be in the cards.

Jose Reyes: Between his defense and his speed, Reyes supplies all the tools needed to beat teams without ever swinging his bat. In 2009, though, injuries forced Reyes to sit for 126 games. That's not where the New York Mets wanted a guy who was making more than $6 million. Reyes batted just 147 times and stole only 11 bases in 2009, and the Mets failed yet again to claim the National League East division title without Reyes, who had 16 homers, 56 steals, 113 runs scored and a .297 batting average in 2008. Therefore, Reyes' return this spring was a welcome sight. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone quite as the team had hoped. Reyes dealt with thyroid issues in spring training and missed considerable time. The Mets opted to send him to the disabled list to start the season, and he'll have to wait until at least the second week of the season before he'll be back at shortstop. Once he returns, though, there's little to suggest Reyes will not be a potent force. His legs should be fresh, and his determination shouldn't be an issue. Expect Reyes to return to his usual ways. He should steal at least 50 bases and post about a .300 batting average. That's certainly enough to earn him comeback player consideration.

Carlos Beltran: The 33-year-old center fielder was splendid through the first half of the season. In fact, his .325 batting average, 10 homers and 48 RBIs earned him a fifth trip to the all-star game. Beltran, though, was sidelined from June 22 to September 7 with a knee injury. The Mets expected a healthy Beltran this spring, but he had another knee operation in January and has not yet started to test the knee. The Mets expect him to start the season on the disabled list, and he could miss significant time. Yet Beltran showed last season that he's a star when he's healthy. If he is able to return by May, he could generate lots of votes for the comeback player of the year when the season ends.

Jim Thome: He's often referred to as a future Hall of Famer. At age 39, that future is approaching every so quickly. Thome, though, took a key step to prolonging his career when he switched back to the American League in 2006 after three years in Philly. Now Thome appears to have a solid grasp on the designated hitter role with Minnesota. That could earn Thome one more year of dominance. Last season, Thome slugged only 23 homers. Other than 2005, when Thome played in only 59 games, he had never been before 30 homers since 1995. Lots of teams passed on signing Thome, who has never run well. The Twins, though, might have the last laugh.

Jeff Francis: The word in Arizona this spring was mostly positive. In fact, Francis tossed five shutout innings April 1 against the Chicago Cubs in his final spring training tune-up. That bodes well for the team and Francis, who was just 4-10 with a 5.01 ERA last season. It's difficult to gauge the upside for the 6-foot-5 lefty. After all, he was 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 2007, but he's never had a season with an ERA better than 4.16. Then there's the Colorado factor. Everyone who pitches for the Rockies is prone to a higher ERA due to the park's dimensions. What will happen in 2010 remains a mystery, but a strong spring had hopes high in the Mile High City. Then the Rockies announced just three days before the start of the regular season that Francis was experiencing some shoulder pain. How it pans out could determine whether Francis ever returns to the pitcher he once was. It also might determine whether the Rockies reach the playoffs in '10.

Dontrelle Willis: Willis was taking his lumps late this March when he received a visit on the mound from Manager Jim Leyland. That's when Willis learned that he had earned a spot in the Detroit Tigers' rotation. Chalk up the accomplishment to a strong spring. Of course, it wasn't supposed to happen this way. When Willis arrived in Detroit in 2008, he already had a 22-win season under his belt. Sure, he was just 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA in Florida in 2007, but the Tigers expected him to rekindle his spark. Instead, the flames went out altogether. Willis walked 35 batters in only 24 innings and was sent back to the minor leagues, where he earned just enough respect to receive seven starts for the Tigers in 2009. The control issues, though, stayed with him, and many wondered what would become of the guy who came to the leagues with an unconventional windup and a steaming fastball. Well, Willis showed this spring that he can still dominate when he throws strikes. If he keeps the pitches over the plate, look for Willis to win 15 or more games this season. He could be the one everyone is talking about in September, and folks should be reminded that he just turned 28 in January 2010.

Adrian Beltre: In spring 2005, everyone thought Adrian Beltre was going to do in Seattle the same stuff he did for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004. Essentially, they were looking for another season with 48 homers and 121 RBIs. Instead, Beltre finished the 2005 season with 19 homers and 87 RBIs. Beltre might never hit as well as he did during that career year, but he's a sure bet to outperform his 2009 numbers. Last season, Beltre was limited to 477 at-bats and finished with only 8 home runs and 44 RBIs. Thus, it was a bit of a surprise when the Boston Red Sox snagged him and handed him the starting job at third base this spring. Apparently, the Red Sox expect Beltre to unleash lots of balls toward the Green Monster in left field. If they guessed correctly, Beltre could be the comeback player of the year.

Juan Pierre: Nobody doubts Pierre's speed, but the 33-year-old now has an opportunity to show that his offensive skills are well-honed after 10 seasons in the big leagues. Pierre has had 50 or more RBIs just once-in 2001-but it might happen again in 2010. After all, Pierre is in the American League for the first time in his life. The lead-off hitter no longer has a pitcher batting before him. That means more opportunities to knock in runs. And Pierre showed that he can do that last season in Los Angeles. Despite platooning for most of the season, Pierre knocked in 31 runs with just 380 at-bats. When you consider that he has had as many as 699 at-bats in a season, it's easy to imagine Pierre knocking in 60 to 70 runs this season for the power-packed White Sox. Pierre also had 30 steals last season. Surely, he'll steal at least 50 for White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who stole a few bases during his own playing days. It's also important to remember that Pierre hit .308 last season for the Dodgers and had eight triples. If he plays like he did in 2008, there's no reason Pierre can't bat .300 or better with 60 RBIs, 50 steals and 10 triples. Who cares that he doesn't hit homers? With that kind of production, it's easy to understand why the White Sox signed him.

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