This is probably the most overdue honor I could give, as I’ve actually had the picture I’m using tonight for several months. Be that as it may, Ryan Finan is this season’s final SotW. The folks at Mountaire also honored Ryan on Sunday as the Shorebirds’ “Batter of the Year.”
For much of the year, Ryan’s held down the third base job and done pretty well at it. But it’s at the plate he’s done his best work. On the season he leads the team in games (127 including tonight), at-bats (413), runs (78), hits (107), doubles (tied with Mark Fleisher, 29 apiece), home runs (hit number 17 tonight), RBI (75), walks (81), slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-bats – .455) and is 5th in the SAL with a .389 on-base percentage. He’s just behind Jon Tucker’s .392 for the top Shorebirds spot but Tucker hasn’t played enough here to qualify for the league lead.
Whew! I’d say Finan’s been a dominant offensive performer. The only quibble one may have is that he’s hitting only .259 on the season but no Shorebirds with significant playing time except for Blake Davis and Jon Tucker are hitting over .270 anyway. Not bad for a guy who wasn’t taken until the 21st round in the 2004 draft. I can think of a few names on that 2004 draft list who failed to make anywhere near the impact Finan has in a Shorebirds uniform.
2006 was Finan’s second go-round with the Shorebirds; last year he appeared in 10 games here but only managed to hit .195 in 41 at-bats. Obviously this year he’s gotten the hang of this level so hopefully next season will see him moving up to Frederick full-time.
Next Thursday will be the season wrap-up for the Shorebirds as I review the season’s SotW honorees and how they fared, and pick out my Shorebird of the Year. Ryan Finan is definitely in the running!
