Coming off a season where he went 30-100-101-.282, Adrian Gonzalez has followed that up with a 35-117-101-.281 season. Gonzalez has personally  accounted for approximately 20% of the Padres runs this season on a very bad Padres team. As I type this, Gonzalez hits his 36th HR.

In my NL only snake draft league, Gonzalez was drafted in the 4th round after  the following 1bman: Howard, Pujols, Teixeira, Berkman and Fielder. Going into 2009, I can see Gonzalez getting drafted before Berkman and  Fielder. Fielder has disappointed some fantasy owners this season following his 50 HR season with "just" 34 HRs this season; and Berkman has slumped badly after a very hot start hitting in a hitter park.

Amongst NL 1bman, only Howard and Delgado have hit more HRs, and only Howard has more RBIs, than Gonzalez. That's surprising considering the lineup that hits around him in SD.

How many of you expected Gonzalez to improve upon his 2007 season? How many of you wonder how Gonzalez would perform in a better lineup?

We may get our answer over the next year or two as he is up for salary arbitration, and the Padres are already rumored to be cutting payroll next season.