One of the primary, and least predictable, joys of baseball is watching a breakout season unfold out of nowhere. Rookies bursting on the big league scene. Resurgent veterans finding the Fountain of Youth. Journeymen making the most of perhaps their only chance. Guys who suck managing to... well, suck a little less. Just when you thought you had a player pegged, the numbers prove you wrong. With the 2005 season now past its quarter point, it?s an appropriate time to examine which players have exceeded even their most optimistic performance projections. We?ll tackle the offensive side of the ledger first before moving over to the mound in my next column. Over the course of the season, we?ll revisit this list to see whose improvements were real and whose was just an extended, improbable hot streak. C: A.J. Pierzynski. It?s rare to see a lefty-hitting catcher with any pop at all on the waiver wire. After a sub par season with the bat and clashes with the pitching and coaching staff in San Francisco, that?s exactly where Pierzynski found himself last winter. Mere months after the Giants traded Joe Nathan and two promising prospects for him, the ChiSox took a flyer on him, figuring he couldn?t be any worse than the incumbent duo of Sandy Alomar and Ben Davis. Not only has Pierzynski hit with surprising power (His 7 home runs are only 4 off a career high.), but he?s only hit into one double play (long an Achilles heel) and has helped lead a resurgent Chicago pitching staff. It?s doubtful he can maintain a slugging percentage near .500, but in a season that?s been quite light on productive catchers, A.J. can afford to decline a bit and remain near the top of his position. Honorable mention: Brandon Inge. Though no longer a regular catcher, Inge could play behind the dish for most teams. He?s learned to hit since Pudge Rodriguez displaced him and his anemic bat prior to last season. Currently toting an OPS more than 200 points above his career line, Inge has been a catalyst at the top of the Tiger order. He?s learned to take walk, can steal a base and play just about anywhere on the diamond. That?s value. 1B: Tino Martinez. The always-solid Derrek Lee?s been nothing short of outstanding this season, but after two seriously sub par seasons in St. Louis and Tampa, I thought this was a Bronx nostalgia tour for the 37 year old Martinez. He?s more than exceeded the production of last year?s Yankee retreads (John Olerud, Tony Clark) though, putting up the kind of early season numbers once associated with Jason Giambi. With 12 home runs fueling a slugging percentage over .600 (Tino hasn?t been over .500 since 2001), we?ll see if Tino can continue to use Yankee Stadium?s short porch to stem his power decline. Honorable mention: Nick Johnson. If you gave me Tino?s current line for a 2005 Yankee first baseman a few years ago, I would have guessed it would have belonged to Johnson. Nick the Stick?s star has waned considerably since then, however, on account of recurring injuries and the fact that, when he was playing, it was in Montreal. The man could always hit though, and now that he?s in the lineup every day in Washington, he?s done nothing but get on base (417 obp) and show solid power (6 hrs, .510 slg). 2B: Brian Roberts. The O?s first round pick back in 1999, Roberts had never demonstrated any power at the big league level, and it was an open question last offseason whether the club would hold on to him or Jerry Hairston. They went with Roberts, and they?ve been rewarded with a performance that?s arguably been the best in the game to this point. Roberts seems to put up multiple hits and a steal (13 sb vs. only 2 cs) every night at the top of the order. Did I mention he has 33 rbi and 11 dongs to go with 35 runs. Are you serious? Honorable mention: Mark Grudzielanek. His single digit walks bode ominously for the future, but if you can hit .338 with extra base power (His present .521 slg represents a huge uptick over his career line.) in the St. Louis lineup, you?re going to score a few runs and make a few overachiever lists. 3B: Eric Hinske/ Shea Hillenbrand. Neither has played a steady 3b with the offseason arrival of Corey Koskie, but with his recent injury, both will be seeing more time at the hot corner. After his 2002 Rookie of the Year campaign, Hinske?s looked more like veteran in decline the last two years, but he?s bounced back a bit in 2005 with an 800+ ops, still not great for a corner infielder but well in excess of his recent standards. Hillenbrand, acquired on the cheap from Arizona last winter, still doesn?t walk, but that doesn?t matter as much when you?re hitting .350 with pop and doing your best to help Jay fans forget Carlos Delgado. Honorable mention: Troy Glaus. Health is the only question for Glaus, and his huge bat?s been in the lineup every day for the Snakes so far. Twelve bombs to go with 33 ribbies, a better average (276) than usual and a 1000+ OPS. The man can mash. SS: Clint Barmes. (371/415/585) A Rockie infielder outhitting Todd Helton? Believe it. Barmes has put up a ridiculous .371/.415/.585 line so far, not only putting the ball in play consistently (a must in the thin air of Coors) but hitting it hard (7 dongs). Clearly the early favorite for NL Rookie of the Year. Honorable Mention: Neifi Perez. Think Barmes is helping Colorado fans forget this guy? I?m not normally one to get excited about a .328 on base percentage, but considering Perez has logged over 4,000 at bats and barely put up a .300 obp for his career, that amounts to a solid productivity spike. When he returns to sub-replacement level standards, it?s going to get even harder for the Cubs to withstand the loss of Nomar Garciaparra. Enjoy it, Wrigley, while it lasts. OF: Cliff Floyd. Once an established slugger, Floyd?s litany of injuries made him persona non grata among teams looking for outfield help last winter. Unable to find a taker for him, the Mets held on to Floyd and, finally healthy, he?s raked to the tune of .298/.363/.573. Maybe Baltimore should have picked him up instead of Sosa after all. OF: Brady Clark. I loved the Carlos Lee-Scott Podsednik deal from Milwaukee?s perspective, and the 32 year old Clark is making it look even sweeter for the Brew Crew. In the first full-time duty of his career, Clark?s currently toting a .415 obp at the top of the order. He?s also demonstrated surprising power (6 home runs) and patience (more walks than k?s) and has already crossed the plate 33 times. If he?d stop stealing bases (7 caught already, compared to 3 successful), he?d be perfect. OF: Craig Biggio. I must confess that I thought Biggio?s Hall of Fame career was about over after a 2002 campaign in which he hit .253 and barely slugged .400. Shuttled back to second base this year despite edging up on his 40th birthday, Biggio?s nevertheless been turning back the clock to his vintage years. Fueled by a surprising uptick in power (23 extra base hits so far, including 8 homers), his current 938 ops would be the best of his career, and boy, do the Astros need it. Honorable mention: OF: Milton Bradley. Putting it all together with a gaudy .318/.361/.561 line. Off-the-field problems exiled him from an up and coming Indians team, but Bradley?s 10 home runs have so far made more noise in Chavez Ravine than his mouth. Especially in light of J.D. Drew?s hitting woes, Bradley has been huge, and at 27, this could be his breakout season. Pedro Feliz. A major reason why the Giants have stayed afloat without Barry Bonds. Feliz has always had good power, but he?s managed to get on base at a .350 clip (.295 obp career) this year in full time duty. If could he add taking a walk to his skill set, he?d be quite valuable with positional flexibility that includes shortstop and a slugging percentage near .500. Alexis Rios. The former first round pick has showed promise of late for Toronto, carrying an OPS over 800 and doing a little bit of everything, from stealing bases (5) to knocking in runs (22). His plate discipline still needs work, but at 24 he has time to learn. Brian Potter is a freelance writer and Red Sox fan based in Philadelphia. He can he reached at [email protected].