Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton had a monster 2010 campaign. 

No one can take that away from him, but should fantasy owners base an early round selection on that success? Many people actually believe that he is good enough to select in the first round of 2011 drafts. 

Is it justified? Let’s take a look:

2010 Stat Line:

We should all be so lucky to make the league minimum. Before we go feeling sorry for the (relatively) underpaid workhorses of baseball, it helps to remember how much $400,000 is. That said, there are some players that represent the antithesis of the bloated big league albatross.

The New Year is quickly approaching, and as baseball fans pour over the latest Hot Stove news, now is as good a time as any to look back at the 2010 season.

From a bevy of great pitching performances, to an unlikely home run king, to the Giants improbable World Series run, the 2010 season was a memorable one.

So here are the top 50 players from the 2010 season, from the subjective view of one sports writer. I welcome you to inform me where you disagree with my rankings, as this is certainly up for debate.

Josh Hamilton won the 2010 American League Most Valuable Player award this week, and it would be difficult to argue against the selection.

Hamilton led the Texas Rangers to an incredibly rare playoff appearance and in the process continued one of the great comeback stories in sports.

He hit 32 home runs with 100 RBI and 95 runs scored in only 133 games and won the batting and OPS titles as he threatened to win the Triple Crown.

Josh Hamilton is an amazing baseball player. He had an amazing year. His story is amazing.

But his winning the MVP is a joke, an absolute joke. It spits in the face of MVP precedent.

He only won the award because of his popularity and his rehabilitation story. He missed a month of baseball. Josh Hamilton was not the most valuable player in the American League in 2010.

Begin Slideshow

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was named the American League MVP Tuesday, receiving 22 first-place votes.

He beat out Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista for the award.

Hamilton, 29, batted .359/.411/.633 in 571 plate appearances in 2010, belting 32 home runs along the way. His 1.044 OPS led the American League.

Josh Hamilton's story has been told and retold numerous times over the last few years.

The Texas Rangers star outfielder has endured countless peaks and valleys in his well-chronicled rise and fall as a one-time uber-prospect turned casualty of drug abuse and addiction.

His subsequent recovery and return to baseball's highest level represents one of sports' greatest tales of redemption.

However, this time that's not what the story is about.

Today's announcement of Josh Hamilton as the American League's Most Valuable Player means baseball's annual end-of-season awards series is over.

Few times of year breed as much controversy and debate amongst baseball fans as awards season. Over the last few weeks, we've seen countless arguments for who should win what and why, starting with Derek Jeter's Gold Glove and running nonstop until now.

Down two games to none in the World Series, the Texas Rangers desperately needed some home cookin’, and more importantly needed a win in Game 3. The guy they relied on for a big performance was Colby Lewis and like in his three postseason games prior, Lewis delivered.

Riding the pitching arm of Colby Lewis and a three-run homer from the bat of their No. 9 hitter, the Texas Rangers defeated the San Francisco Giants 4-2 to cut their series deficit to two games to one.

To many, starting pitcher Lewis and rookie first baseman Mitch Moreland (their nine-hole hitter) may not sound like World Series heroes, but tonight their stars shined the brightest before a jubilant crowd at Ranger Ballpark in Arlington.