Bert Blyleven

Every season brings with it players who exceed projections. Here’s a look at those who have caught my attention.

Nelson Cruz, Rangers
With Josh Hamilton out after surgery to repair a partial tear in his abdominal wall, Cruz has been moved to the cleanup spot in the order. If he feels any pressure over that, he’s certainly not showing it.

Cruz hit eight home runs and drove in 19 runs as the Rangers went 20-9 in May. It was over the final 11 days last month that Cruz hit seven of those home runs, and that was a stretch where he mostly batted in the fourth spot in the lineup.

Cruz is making the most out of his opportunity to play, and he’s coming out of his shell. He’s making the most out of the opportunity given to him.

Cruz was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1998 by the Mets, and more than anything it’s his determination that has led him to finally deliver at the major league level. It doesn’t hurt Cruz that hitting in front of him are Ian Kinsler and Michael Young.

Adam Lind, Blue Jays
The Blue Jays drafted Lind in the third round in 2004, and this season he is busting out offensively. After hitting .282 with nine home runs and 40 runs batted in last year, Lind is batting .315, and is on pace to club 31 home runs and drive home 119 runs.

He’s an impressive young player who has helped the Blue Jays hold their own in the American League East over the first two and a half months of the season. He’ll be an important factor as Toronto tries to hang with Boston and New York in the division.

Offense more than defense is his strength. With his super quick and sweet swing, he can line balls to all parts of the field. He has power, and shows good plate discipline. He also excels at coming through in big spots. He’s got a real bright future ahead of him.

Raul Ibanez, Phillies
After two stints with the Mariners and one with the Royals, Ibanez at 37 is having a career year with the Phillies. With the Phillies, Ibanez is in a lineup that provides him with so much protection with the likes of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Jimmy Rollins.

If he keeps going at the level he’s played at since the start of the season, he could better his best season, which was in 2006 when he hit 33 home runs and had 123 runs batted in for the Royals. He currently has 21 home runs with 58 RBIs.

This is Ibanez’s first season in the National League, and usually when players switch leagues, there’s a period of adjustment before they can play at their best. That hasn’t been the case with Ibanez, who has made the transition with ease. He’s tearing up the NL.

Trevor Hoffman, Brewers
You wonder if the Padres are having second thoughts about allowing Hoffman to become a free agent last winter. At 41 he is showing in Milwaukee why he is one of the best closers ever.

The biggest key for Hoffman is control. He’s kind of like Mariano Rivera in that regard. In his first 17 innings this year, he allowed just one walk while striking out 15. That’s impeccable control.

He doesn’t have the overpowering fastball he once had, but he is still able to hit his spots. While everything keys off the fastball, his bread-and-butter pitch is a changeup, that’s one of the best in all of baseball. He also uses his wind-up to hide the ball very well. That gets batters to swing late on the fastball or early on the changeup. A true craftsman on the mound.

Justin Verlander, Tigers
He won 17 games for Detroit in 2006, and then 18 in 2007. But last year he went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA. And his struggles in April raised questions over whether he could regain the form that made him the AL Rookie of the Year in 2006 and an All-Star the next season.

He has and at 26, is probably pitching better than at any point in his career, in the opinion of his manager Jim Leyland. He's matured, growing as a pitcher and professional baseball player. One clear sign of that is he is doing less and less over-throwing.

He’s leading the AL in strikeouts, and blowing batters away because he has gone back to trusting his fastball, something he had gotten away from last season. He has too good a fastball to be throwing breaking balls and changeups in situations that require a fastball. Last year he got into a defensive mode pitching while this season he’s in an offensive mode when on the mound.

Jason Bartlett, Rays
A sprained ankle has him on the 15-day disabled list (he could be back with the team early next week), but when healthy the shortstop has shown how important he is to the success of Tampa Bay.

Rays manager Joe Maddon says Bartlett is the glue to keep the team together. Bartlett battled injuries last year, and played in just 128 games. He hit .286 with one home run, and 37 runs batted in.

This season he’s hitting .373 through 44 games, and is on a pace to hit 22 home runs and drive in 98 runs. He is coming into his own after being drafted by the Padres in the 13th round in 2001.

Bartlett shines with his dedication, leadership, and the enthusiasm with which he plays the game. It’s no wonder why Maddon gave Bartlett the most credit of any player for what the Rays were able to accomplish last year.

Russell Branyan, Mariners
Branyan, who had bounced around the big leagues for years, has been given the chance to play regularly, and he has responded. The veteran left-handed hitter has been one of the Mariners' most productive players.

He was a .230 career hitter coming into this year, but he’s batting over .300, and has been moved into the two hole in the Seattle lineup. He’s going to have a high number of strikeouts, but this season he is making more consistent contact and driving the ball. He’s cut down on his swing some, and is becoming a lot better hitter than he ever has been.

The 33-year-old Branyan is a bargain pick up for Seattle. Give credit to general manager Jack Zduriencik, who signed Branyan to a one-year, $1.4 million contract, confident he could play first base for the Mariners.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more. more photos

Edwin Jackson, Tigers
The Tigers got him in a trade last December with Tampa Bay, and he’s meant a lot to Detroit turning things around from last year’s disappointing season.

He’s got a slider and a changeup, and a 95-plus mile per hour fastball. What’s made the difference for him this season is he has gained control of that fastball. He’s keeping the ball in the ballpark, and has cut down drastically on the number or walks he’s allowing.

He won 14 games last year for the Rays, but maybe the change to Detroit is good for him. He’s got one of the top earned run averages in the American League, and is on pace to get 16 wins. He’s been a real boost to the Tigers’ rotation.

Also on NBCSports.com Rosenthal: Steelers’ struggles could sink their playoff hopes Circling the Bases: Halladay to Cubs? That’s unlikely College Football Talk: Weis to resign? That’s ‘not happening’ Opinion: So far, Nowitzki is NBA’s MVP  |  Fan Ranker Twitter: Follow us @nbc_sports

MORE FROM BASEBALL

Baseball Section Front

Twins’ Mauer wins historic AL MVP award CTB: Mauer had truly historic season CTB: Did A-Rod throw cousin under financial bus? CTB: Red Sox willing to throw money into Lowell deal DeMarco: Red Sox should take measured approach CTB: Handicapping the Halladay chase Blyleven: Pitching to be had beyond Halladay   CTB: Dye open to move at first base CTB: Mets may play some games in Puerto Rico CTB: Future Hall of Famer Vizquel joins White Sox Baseball Section Front   Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: