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But he's still pretty darned good.

With the playoff pressure on, Johan Santana fired a three-hit shutout against the Marlins, with nine strikeouts.

Did we mention that it was the first time in his career he had started a regular-season game on three days' rest? And that he had thrown 125 pitches in that start three days ago?

Not only did Santana pass the 200-strikeout plateau, he also cemented the ERA crown in the National League, with a 2.53 mark.

For all the noise we heard earlier this season about how he wasn't meeting expectations, or the ridiculous notion that he was somehow "disappointing," Santana lived up to his reputation of a pitcher who gets stronger in the second half of the season, going 8-0 with a 2.17 ERA and 1.10 WHIP after the All-Star break.

Santana's wizardry was necessary, as his performance overshadowed another strong outing from Ricky Nolasco, who allowed two runs in seven innings, striking out double-digit batters for the fourth time in the past two months.

Tim Lincecum? CC Sabathia? Brandon Webb? Sure, any of those will do just fine, but one could make the case that the combination of performance and consistency still puts Santana on top of all of them.

Past editions: 9/27: Howard for MVP! | 9/26: Braun, Gallardo | 9/25: Just Joshing

Another example of why the season is a marathon and not a sprint: Miguel Cabrera was hitting .276 with seven homers after the first two months of the season, and many were asking what was wrong. Well, after going 2-for-4 with a home run Saturday, he now has 37 homers and 127 RBIs, both career highs. He has hit .306 with 21 jacks since the break. … Matt Garza was pulled after 74 pitches to keep him fresh for the playoffs, allowing three runs in five innings of work. Although he limped to the finish with a 4.73 ERA in September, he's a prime candidate to take another step forward next season. … Dontrelle Willis gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Rays. He's still battling the mechanics of an altered delivery -- he has slowed things down and simplified since his early-season meltdown -- so he's not someone we can project for a rebound next season just yet, though. … Ben Sheets, coming off elbow problems, lasted just 2 1/3 innings Saturday and was clearly laboring. He just was not his usual self. He did touch 92 mph on the gun but wasn't really able to let the ball go, and he was knocked around for four runs. If the Brewers do make the playoffs, Sheets won't pitch. "That's it. That's all I have," he told the Brewers' Web site reporter. Kudos to him for taking the chance even though he's in line for big dollars in free agency. … Gil Meche allowed one run and faned seven in six innings, giving him an even 3.00 ERA in the second half, with a 1.21 WHIP, eight wins and better than a strikeout per inning. He didn't start the season strong, but he certainly finished it off well, which is a good sign for 2009. … Jamie Moyer finished off a surprisingly effective fantasy season, with six innings of one-run ball. His 16 wins and 3.71 ERA were his best marks since he won 21 games with the Mariners five seasons ago. Not bad for a guy who is going to be 46 in a couple of months. … Sean Green worked 2 1/3 innings of relief to pick up a vulture save for the Mariners, his first of the season. … Josh Anderson, whose calling card is his speed, homered twice off Brandon Backe. Anderson will have a shot at an everyday job next season, and his stolen base potential means fantasy owners should pay close attention to him. … Shin-Soo Choo had two hits and his 14th homer of the season. If you want to talk about quiet production, how about Choo ranking fourth in the big leagues in OPS in the second half among hitters with 200 or more at-bats? The names ahead of him? Manny Ramirez, Albert Pujols and Mark Teixeira. That's pretty lofty company. … Todd Wellemeyer threw a quality start in his final outing, finishing with a 3.31 ERA in 14 second-half starts. Don't sleep on him next year. … Adam Dunn hit his 40th homer Saturday, giving him 40 in each of the past five seasons. There's a lot to be said for safe, steady production in fantasy play. … Takashi Saito picked up his first save since being activated from the disabled list as the Dodgers get him ready for the playoffs. He had appeared in five games since being activated before getting the ball in the ninth again. … Nelson Cruz went yard again, hitting his seventh homer in 30 games since joining the Rangers. He's batting .330 and slugging .607, and the 27-year-old has put himself firmly in the team's 2009 plans. … Chris Young continued to finish the season strong, with a one-run outing over six innings. He threw four straight quality starts and posted a 2.38 ERA in September to get himself ready to bounce back next year.