A-Rod... are you kidding me?

I predicted before the season began (too bad I didn't have a blog then) that A-Rod was going to have a monster year this year. Last season... a "bad year" of 113 runs, 35 HRs, 121 RBIs, 15 SBs, and a .290 batting average. It was his lowest home run total since 1997, and despite the fact that he was ranked among the best bats at 3rd base (and at any position in the league really, for that matter), A-Rod still somehow managed to disappoint everyone. I figured he'd bounce back with a great year this year.

But wow.

Let's play a fun game called "on pace". It is very easy. First, you take how many games a player has played, then figure out what his numbers are on pace to do if he repeats his current stats consistently over a full season.

Example: Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins

19 games played, 15 runs, 4 HRs, 15 RBIs.

162 divided by 19 = 8.53. Multiplying each stat by 8.53 will give us what he is on pace to do this season;

128 runs, 34 HRs, 128 RBIs.

For my fantasy team's sake, I certainly hope so. Let's try another.

Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

18 games played, 11 runs, 5 HRs, 12 RBIs

18 goes into 162 an even 9 times; Albert has played exactly 1/9 of his season. and if he plays the other 8/9's exactly the same, he'll have...

99 runs, 45 HRs, 108 RBIs.

Bit of an off year, but not too bad. As you can see, projections and "on pace" have to be taken with a grain of salt, because a season is so long, it has its ups and downs, hot streaks and slumps, so on and so forth.

But I think you know who I'm doing next.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

18 games, 26 runs, 14 HRs, 34 RBIs.

Already beats a few player's full season projections. But hell, lets assume the next 8/9's are as good as this one;

234 runs, 126 HRs, 306 RBIs.

I'm going to type that one more time.

234 runs, 126 HRs, 306 RBIs.

If that doesn't put into perspective how impressive this guy has been for you, nothing will. Halving that projection; 117/63/153; gives you a scarily realistic look at what this season might have in store.