Behind the Diamond, Michael Cuddyer

(I'll let you caption this yourself)

Michael Cuddyer, Cuddy, Cuddles, Mike. . . where do I start? You have a right arm that has no limits. You have dimples that brighten any room. You have the cutest accent and you're always saying something positive about your teammates. All around, you're just a really good guy.

Michael Brent Cuddyer
DOB: 3/27/1979
Birthplace: Norfolk, VA
Height: 6'2
Weight: 215
Bats/Throws: R/R
MLB Debut: 9/23/2001

I think we all know that the hardest part of the season for you was getting injured. No question. Here's what else, though: I had you on my fantasy baseball team (affectionately named Cuddles McPunto for a while) and you let me down. Obviously, as someone who was playing fantasy baseball for the first time, I didn't realize that the object was to get the absolute best players and not just the ones you love the most. That was my mistake. Your mistake was hurting that finger of yours. Props to D. Span for doing a fantastic job taking over right field. Still, there were plays where all I could do was turn to the person next to me (you know who you are) and say, "Cuddles would've had that," or "That never would've happened if Cuddles was out there."

Let's take a deeper look:

2005-2007 stats:

Year	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	AVG
2005	MIN	126	422	55	111	25	3	12	42	178	41	93	3	4	.330	.422	.263
2006	MIN	150	557	102	158	41	5	24	109	281	62	130	6	0	.362	.504	.284
2007	MIN	144	547	87	151	28	5	16	81	237	64	107	5	0	.356	.433	.276

2008 stats:

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	71	249	30	62	13	4	3	36	92	25	40	5	1	.330	.369	.249

Okay, so I must be lenient in my judgement due to your injury. It always seems to me that your batting average is better than it actually is. How do you fool me, Cuddy?

Positives: You played in less than half as many games in 2008 than 2007 and you stole just as many bases. I appreciate that and look forward to more of it in 2009. If you played twice as much in 2008, you might have only struck out 80 times and that's good, even though it's a statistic I just made up right now. A real fact is that you hit 4 triples in 71 games in 2008 compared to 5 triples in 144 games in 2007. I'm impressed.

Negatives: The average is not on par with how I think you could do, Mike. You're a good hitter. I expect more homeruns, and if not, I definitely expect more hits next year. Sometimes you hurt your finger. I understand that. It happens. Twice. Let's not make it three times, though. Deal? Deal.

Positive: Love the cannon, Michael.

Negative: You should take your wedding info off of the internet (but I have to say, I love seeing that M. Lecroy was a groomsman!)

I've heard talk about putting you back at 3rd base next year, and I have to say I'm torn. I love your arm to be in right field. It makes me feel safe. If you don't make a play there I can easily assume that it would have been impossible for anyone to make the play. However, D. Span has shown himself worthy of a spot on our roster. Do we put you at 3rd to allow him to show off? Maybe we'll move him to center and send C. Gomez back to AAA to learn how to stop swinging at anything within a 10 foot radius. You were good at 3rd, but you're great in right field. I guess I just can't get behind putting you in the infield when you're amazing in the outfield. I want you to know that I support you either way, Cuddles. You're like a teddy bear I wish I had.