With less than a week to go, the 2006 season is just about all wrapped up. It’s been a long, arduous, great season, filled with infinite ups and downs. Chris Shelton started the season off with 10 home runs and 20 RBI in April, but managed just 16 HR and 47 RBI for the entire season. Pedro Martinez went 5-0 in his first five starts through April, but put together just four more victories the remainder of the season. However, guys like Ryan Howard had just five homers through the first month, and seemed to gain steam as the season went on.

In this edition of Inside the Numbers, we will break down our top fantasy players at each and every position on the diamond. These are the guys who posted the elite numbers at their respected position when it was all said and done.

(stats through Monday, September 25th)

Fantasy All-Star Team
Catcher
1. Brian McCann, ATL .333 (140-for-421), 23 HR, 88 RBI
2. Joe Mauer, MIN .349 (176-for-505), 12 HR, 82 RBI, 83 R

Mauer has been the top hitter in the AL for virtually the entire season. In fact, he’s hasn’t been below .300 since mid-April and is head-to-head with Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano for the AL Batting Title. Can you name the last catcher to win the batting title in either league?

First Base
1. Ryan Howard, PHI .316 (177-for-561), 58 HR, 145 RBI, 102 R, 99 BB
2. Albert Pujols, STL .328 (168-for-512), 46 HR, 130 RBI, 113 R, 88 BB

Howard is two home runs shy of becoming the sixth player in major league history to hit 60 home runs in a season. After a crazy hot streak, he’s managed just two home runs in his past 15 games though. This position was the most difficult to determine, and probably holds the No. 1 and 2 MVP candidates as well.

Second Base
1. Chase Utley, PHI .307 (194-for-631), 31 HR, 98 RBI, 127 RBI, 13 SB
2. Dan Uggla, FLA .282 (165-for-586), 26 HR, 89 RBI, 103 R

Uggla is major candidate to take the NL Rookie of the Year honors after his All-Star campaign with the young Marlins. His numbers are both elite for a rookie and for a second basemen. Expect him to be one of the top second basemen selected next year.

Third Base
1. Aramis Ramirez, CHC .290 (169-for-582), 37 HR, 114 RBI, 92 R
2. David Wright, NYM .309 (174-for-563), 25 HR, 113 RBI, 94 R, 20 SB

There was a Met that was in the running for almost every position on the diamond, but I couldn’t pass up Wright. He’s got five-tool talent with the best team in the NL and he’s just 23 years old. His future is very bright…

Shortstop
1. Jose Reyes, NYM .301 (191-for-634), 19 HR, 80 RBI, 120 R, 62 SB
2. Miguel Tejada, BAL .332 (208-for-626), 24 HR, 97 RBI, 98 R

80 RBI out of the leadoff spot? No wonder the Mets were the best team in the league – there lead-off hitter is unstoppable. Reyes set career-highs across the board basically in 2006 and put together his second straight 60-SB campaign. He had just 14 homers in three seasons before smacking 19 long balls this year.

Outfielders
1. Alfonso Soriano, WAS .283 (179-for-633), 46 HR, 95 RBI, 117 R, 41 SB
2. Lance Berkman, HOU .316 (162-for-512), 43 HR, 130 RBI, 92 R, 92 BB
3. Jermaine Dye, CHW .317 (169-for-532), 43 HR, 119 RBI, 102 R
4. Carlos Beltran, NYM .276 (136-for-494), 40 HR, 92 RBI, 97 R, 108 BB, 17 SB
5. Carlos Lee, MIL/TEX .303 (184-for-608), 37 HR, 115 RBI, 101 R, 17 SB
6. Vladimir Guerrero, LAA .327 (197-for-602), 33 HR, 116 RBI, 92 R, 15 SB

Soriano entered an exclusive four-man 40/40 club this season with his legendary season in Washington. He’s one of the best hitters in just about every major Rotisserie category, and is a bone fide No. 1 selection in the 2007 season. With Ryan Howard a close second, Soriano is my MVP of the fantasy season.

Designated Hitter
1. David Ortiz, BOS .284 (156-for-550), 53 HR, 134 RBI, 111 R, 111 BB
2. Jim Thome, CHW .290 (139-for-480), 42 HR, 108 RBI, 108 R, 105 BB

D.O. deserves to take the AL MVP and it will be a travesty if he doesn’t receive it. Big Papi’s numbers are head and shoulders above the rest of the class. Home runs by the month: 10, 5, 8, 14, 10 and 6 – the guy is unstoppable!

Starting Pitchers
1. Johan Santana, MIN 18-6, 2.79 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 240 K
2. Brandon Webb, ARI 16-7, 2.95 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 167 K
3. Carlos Zambrano, CHC 16-6, 3.44 ERA, 1.304 ERA, 201 K
4. Roy Halladay, TOR 16-5, 3.19 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 132 K
5. Justin Verlander, DET 17-9, 3.63 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 124 K

Middle Relievers
1. Joel Zumaya, DET 6-3, 1 S, 1.95 ERA, 1.162 WHIP, 92 K
2. Dennys Reyes, MIN 5-0, 0.91 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 48 K

Closers
1. Joe Nathan, MIN 6-0, 35 S, 1.65 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 90 K
2. Jonathan Papelbon, NYY 4-2, 35 S, 0.92 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 75 K

Answer: The Boston Braves' C Ernie Lombardi won the batting title in 1942.

If you need to contact me, I can be reached at Matt@CREATiVESPORTS.com