Movers and Shakers?

From a league standpoint, not much to talk about as there was very little movement in the standings or Power Rankings. The most lopsided victory, which was a close 7-5 matchup went to Prestige World Wide as he defeated Madoff Like Bandits. The standings remain close, and as the season progresses a team like Dustys Ugly Asians could be a threat as they are starting to climb their way out of the gutter.

This Week's Matchups

Madoff Like Bandits (48-44-4) vs. Komplex Thoughts (57-34-5):  Big time matchup in the North End this week, or as big a matchup as there can be when one team has 9.5 game lead.  Licky will be looking to close the gap and take the Guru down a peg or two.

 Prestige World Wide (44-47-5) vs. Dustins Ugly Asians (37-51-8):  Pretty standard fantasy strategy from Brett here; will a new team name spur this squad to glory?  Or will his record be just as ugly as the Asians on his team come October?

OUCH!!! Benny Benny (43-49-4) vs. Team Balliet (52-42-2):  Frenchy will need a big week against AutoPick Pasqua's South End bottom feeders if he wants to hold off the winner of the Matchup of the Week.

The Cenzations (45-44-7) vs. Below Me (35-59-2):  After tearing things up for the first two weeks of the season, The Cenz has been nothing short of mediocre since.  On the other hand, while his record may not reflect it yet, Lanza has been turning things around.  Only time will tell which direction these teams are headed.

Matchup of the Week
High and Tight (47-46-3) vs. Binghamton Bombers (50-42-4):  With little movement in the standings last week, the stage has been set for a classic matchup in the South End race.  Coach is just a win over .500, but only 4.5 games out of first.  Standing in his way however, are the Binghamton Bombers, one of the more powerful lineups in the league and a side trailing Claude by just a single game.  As the calender turns to June, the contenders will seriously start to separate from the pretenders, and these two teams will need a big win if they want to be on the right side of that shakedown.


Power Rankings
1. Komplex Thoughts (LW: 1)
2. Bing Bomb (LW: 2)
3. Balliet (LW: 3)
4. Madoff (LW: 4)
5. High & Tight (LW: 6)
6. Cenzations (LW: 5)
7. Prestige WW (LW: 8)
8. Ouch Benny (LW: 7)
9. Dusty Asain (LW: 9)
10. Below Me (LW: 10)

Chin Music

Top Five Pitchers Doing Work

1.  Yovani Gallardo, MIL
2.  Clayton Kershaw, LAD
3.  Cole Hamels, PHI
4.  Michael Pineda, SEA
5.  James Shields, TB

That's Bruce...Baby

Jay Bruce, a.k.a. Doctor Cheese, Sir Cheese-A-Lot, or Jay Juice surely earned his nickname this week, taking pitchers deep on the reg.

Jay Bruce, who started out slower than slow this season had just about the best month of May of any Major leaguer, and is proving himself to be the player some refused to believe he was coming out of the gate. In the past week, Bruce has hit 4 HR with 13 RBI, not to mention an 11 RBI series against the Phils as the week got to underway. He has seen his batting average climb to .294 and leads the NL in homers with 16. I have to admit, he wasn't at the top of mine, or many other boards at the beginning of the season but with a month of May like this, we will all have our eyes peeled to see what he has in store for the month of June and beyond.

Another hitter on the rise this week was Arizona catcher Miguel Montero. Miggy Mo was able to drive in 11 runs in only 25 at bats while hitting .360, with an OPS of over one. Good numbers for any position player, and is only sweeter when it comes out of the catcher position. Another man on this list is the freak Justin Upton, who lived up to his 5 category stud reputation with a line of .417, 6 R, HR, 4 RBI, 5 SB. Pretty standard for what we've come to expect from this young man.

On the pitching front, David Price spun a gem against the AL Central leading Indians, striking out 12 while only walking two in 7 shutout innings. Price's stuff in the game looked as nasty as I have ever seen from him and that by itself is down right scary. Clayton Kershaw shut down the Marlins, giving up only two hits and walking one while striking out 10 batters, the second time he has reached double digit stikeouts in a start this season. Kershaw is young, I mean really young. He is, and will continue to be one of the best pitchers in baseball for a long time to come. For closers Heath Bell went on a rare save streak, closing out 4 games while owning a 10.80 K/9 in that span. Bell owners beware, he could be on the move, and into the setup role any day now.

3 Players UP: Kelly Johnson (ARI), Mark Teixeira (NYY), Raul Ibanez (PHI)

3 Players DOWN: Adam Dunn (CHW), Aubrey Huff (SF), Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)

5/25 Mush of the Day

Reds (26-24) at Phillies (30-19)

Bailey (3-1) vs. Lee (3-4)

Pick:  Reds

*It's almost cruel, really, to have these two teams go 19 innings and then make them come back today for a 1:05 start.  But we're not in the schedule making business here in fantasy land, we're in the mushing picks business so I'll take the Reds.  Homer Bailey has been turning it on as of late, and the Phillies are swinging slower than a rusty gate these days.  Of course, anytime Cliff Lee takes the hill, there's a good chance the forecast calls for total domination, but the hard hitting Reds will be looking to get out of Philly with their dignity intact.  There's also the chance that after the six hour, 11 minute marathon last night, nobody shows up to the park today.  Actually, let's root for that.  It would give us our first push of the year and improve our record.

Fantasy Impact: Scott Rolen is 8 for 17 with a HR in his career against Cliff Lee.

Record: 2-10 

Daily Leaders 5/254/11

Bats

1.  Carl Crawford, BOS; 4 for 4, HR, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R:  Count me in the crowd that believes Crawford is going to come around at some point this year.  Just remember, fantasy baseball is not about what a guy has done already, but about what he's going to do.

2.  Jay Bruce, CIN; 3 for 8, HR, 3 RBI, BB, R:  Bruce has been tearing it up lately, getting his average up to the .285 range.  If he can keep it there, I'll eat my words from last week.

3.  Matt Kemp, LAD; 3 for 4, HR, 2B, RBI, R:  Let the dick riding continue.

4.  Chris Coghlan, FLA; 2 for 5, 2B, 2 SB, 2 R:  There's some debate here in fantasy land about this guy.  We're not sure how to pronounce his name and we don't know if he's any good at baseball.  I say COFF-lan and yes, the Guru says COG-lan and no.  Trust the Guru.

5.  Dustin Pedroia, BOS; 2 for 6, HR, 3 RBI, R:  If I were to die today, and I went to some weird limbo afterlife, where I could only gaze upon one thing for all eternity, Dustin's swing or my daughter's first steps, I would choose the Lazer Show's swing.


Arms

1.  Mat Latos, SD; 8 IP, 6 H, ER, 7 K, W:  Latos won the battle of downtrodden aces in San Diego last night, topping Chris Carpenter and the Cards.  It's put up or shut up time for Latos, and for all those owners who've stuck with his shenanigans.

2.  ^Zack Greinke, MIL; 7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 10 K, W:  Blah, blah, blah, he's won three straight decisions. He had an awesome 10:1 K:BB ratio last night, blah, blah, blah.  Forget the pitching.  Did you see the fucking bomb he hit?  CC-esque.

3.  Jon Lester, BOS; 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 7 K, W:  Lester dominated the Tribe yesterday, and with his teammates above doing the dirty work, only needed to pitch six frames.  He's 7-1 with a 3.36/1.29, but he hasn't really been pitching well.  That's a scary thought for those going against him.

4.  Jake Arrieta, BAL; 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W:  Wow, it's uncanny.  We mention you on this blog, you go out and have a great day.  Even when we say players suck, they go out and do work, so it's great when a guy whose balls we cup gets it done.

5.  Erik Bedard, SEA; 6 IP, 6 H, BB, 4 K, W:  See?

5/25 Game of the Day

Cardinals (30-20) at Padres (19-30)

Carpenter (1-4) vs. Latos (1-6)

Pick: Cardinals

*Two highly touted aces going into the season that have totally shit the bed are facing off tonight in San Diego. Carpy and Latos, who both happen to be on the Coach's team in New Ro MLB, have a combined 2-10 record as we come down to the last week in May. San Diego is not as bad as their record shows. They are a streaky team and have showed some life in small doses at the dish so far. Fantasy owners have to be concerned at this point about both starters, but I have a hunch that they'll both do well today. I say Carpy doesn't give up double digit hits for the first time in weeks and the Matt Holliday-less Cards get the win.

Fantasy Impact: Ryan Ludwick is 0 for 12 in his last three games against his former team.

Record: 2-9

Paging Dr. Love...I Mean, Dr. James Andrews

Shit man, it gets hot in Alabama this time of year.

The Rockies sent Jorge De La Rosa to the mound in the first game of a double header in Denver yesterday, hoping to start a twin bill sweep of Arizona.  However, all Dr. Love won was a year on the shelf and trip to scenic Birmingham, Ala., which I believe has been blown off the map by a series of tornadoes.

It was written all over Jorge De La Rosa's face yesterday, and anyone watching the game could tell.  After feeling funny on a pitch in the top of the third, manager Jim Tracy and the training staff came out to see De La Rosa.  He took a few practice pitches and made a face that said the ligaments in his elbow had just turned into a plate of spaghetti.

What to do, what to do?  De La Rosa (5-2, 3.51 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 7.93 K/9) was owned in 98% of leagues going into yesterday's start, meaning there will be plenty of owners out there looking for replacements.  The picking may seem slim, but the reality of post-steroid fantasy baseball suggests the opposite.  More and more arms are contributing valuable fantasy stats, meaning there may be more options than ever to fill De La Rosa's shoes.


Gavin Floyd, CHW; 5-3, 3.88 ERA, 1.14 WHIP,  7.61 K/9:  His numbers are incredibly similar to De La Rosa's, yet going into yesterdays games he was owned in about half the amount of ESPN fantasy leagues.

Ervin Santana, LAA; 2-4, 4.18  ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 7.65 K/9:  The ERA is a little swollen, but his control has been pretty good so far, and the strike out numbers are there. A filthy start against the Braves reminds us of his upside, but there's a reason he's owned in only about 40% of leagues.

Madison Bumgarner, SF; 1-6, 3.71 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 6.53 K/9:  A lot of people were scared off by his terrible start, meaning Bumgarner is owned in just 63% of leagues.  He's improved tremendously in May, so the chance to snag him may be gone come June.

Jordan Zimmerman, WAS; 2-5, 3.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP,  6.63 K/9:  He plays on a shitty team, so the W's will be hard to come by, but this is a guy I'm really high on. I think that K/9 will creep up slowly but surely, making up for his lack of wins.

Kyle McClellan, STL; 6-1, 3.11 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 4.52 K/9:  He couldn't strike my sister out, but he could certainly get her to roll over on an off speed pitch or pop up a well placed fast ball.  Owned in just 56% of leagues, he's sort of the opposite of Zimmerman above.

Jason Hammel, COL, 3-3, 3.59 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 5.15 K/9:  He won't blow you away, whether you're in the batter's box or just watching the game, but his control has been good.  That's a necessity if you're pitching in Coors Field, allowing you to limit those carrying fly balls to solo shots.

Tim Stauffer, SD; 0-3, 3.88 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 7.29 K/9:  Here's a guy who I've had my eye on in my NL only league, but those K's mean he may have value in all formats soon enough.  If he can get a few more wins for the last place Padres, it will go a long way to making him a viable fantasy contributor.

Erik Bedard, SEA; 2-4, 3.94 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 7.91 K/9:  I can't believe I'm writing this, but Bedard has really come around since the end of April.  He hasn't given up more than 2 ER since April 27, and has been striking people out at an impressive clip.

Bartolo Colon, NYY; 2-3, 3.77 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 8.79 K/9:  El Gordo looks like a new man in pinstripes, and you have to believe he'll be in position to win his fair share of games.  If the HGH that's now flowing through his veins holds up in the second half, he'll be owned in far more than the 32% of leagues he's in now.

Jake Arrieta, BAL; 5-2, 4.75 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 8.02 K/9:  The hefty ERA is the product of two bad starts, both of which came at Camden Yards.  Owned in just 27% of leagues, he'll remain valuable if he can maintain the strikeout rate.

Daily Leaders 5/24/11

Bats

1.  Carlos Quentin, CWS; 3 for 5, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R:  Ozzie had Quentin in the three hole last night, a move that payed off big time.  His knee is fine after missing a few games, the cocksucker.

2.  ^Carlos Gonzalez, COL; 3 for 8, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB, 3 R:  Cargo is officially heating up.  He double cheesed in the first game of a twin bill, and while he, and the rest of the Rox, were stymied in the night cap, his swing from last year was definitely making an appearance.

3.  David DeJesus, OAK;  3 for 4, 2 HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R:  David doubled his 2011 homer total with his performance last night.  That just proves that there's only one Jesus in California, and his name is Matt Kemp.

4.  Alex Avila, DET; 2 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R:  Avila, like that rat bastard Asdrubal Cabrera, already has more dingers than he did all of last year.  I'd love to give you a reason why, but I save all my baseless, unfounded steroid accusations for Jose Bautista.

5.  Curtis Granderson, NYY; 4 for 5, 2B, RBI, R, SB:  Second in the Majors in home runs, Granderson proved last night just how vital he has been so far to the Yanks.  He didn't go deep, but drove in the tying run, stole second and scored the winning run in the 9th.  Good looks, Curtis.


Arms

1.  Nick Blackburn, MIN; CG, 7 H, 2 ER, 6 K, W:  That's five straight starts with 2 ER or less for Blackburn, who has won his last three decisions.  Too bad Minnesota is playing so terribly right now or he'd have the record to match his respectable 3.20 ERA and 1.31 WHIP

2.  Jair Jurrjens, ATL; 7.2 IP, 6 H, BB, 4 K, W:  The Guru hates this guy, even though MLB The Show predicted he'd win 25 games and the Cy Young.  His low K/9 is the Guru's bugaboo, but usually he takes simmed video game seasons as gospel, so I'm not sure where his beef is.

3.  Ricky Nolasco, FLA; 8.1 IP, 7 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W: The new and improved Consistent Rick remained unbeaten last night after shutting down the Giants.  Traditionally a second half guy, if he can get on a roll before the All-Star break, I'll be a happy man.

4.  Joe Saunders, ARI; 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K, W:  Saunders won his first game since Sept. 21, 2010, and nearly ended Dexter Fowler's life in the process.  Actually, after the play at the plate it seemed that Saunders got the worst of the collision, but he stayed in for eight strong innings.

5.  Ryan Dempster, CHC; 7 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 5 K, W:  A nice bounce back after a rocky start in Miami last week, but then again, pitching against the Mets will allow you to do that.  He's had a good May, and he too has been a little better in his second halves the last three years.

5/24 Game Of The Day

Marlins (26-19) at Giants (27-19)

Nolasco (3-0) vs Cain (3-2)

Pick: Marlins

*Both Nolasco and Cain have been great this year, but more importantly for Ricky, he's been consistent as well. The meeting between the Giants and Marlins will be the first for Giants OF Cody Ross, who was claimed off waivers from Florida en route to his spectacular showing in the postseason. I think Nolasco continues to pitch well, and even if he doesn't manager Edwin Rodriguez has the league's best bullpen (2.64 ERA) to turn to in this one. Marlins win a close one, and there is a good chance Mike Stanton hits a home run in this game, just like in every single game he plays this season.

Fantasy Impact: Ricky Nolasco is 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA in two starts at AT&T Park and threw the only shutout of his career there on August 19th, 2008.

Record: 1-9

Daily Leaders 5/23/11

Bats

1.  Corey Hart, MIL; 3 for 4, 3 HR, 7 RBI, BB, SB, 3 R:  You gotta be shitting me.  I mentioned Hart in this space last week, accidentally accepted a trade for him, and he goes all Ryan Braun on me.  Be careful where you click, folks.

2.  Jim Thome, MIN; 2 for 3; 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB:  Welcome back, Mr. Thome.  His cranky back is acting up again this year, and the ball doesn't exactly fly out of Target Field without a little oomph.  Still, he's back on the road to 600.


3.  Josh Hamilton, TEX; 2 for 4, HR, 2B, RBI, R:  And welcome back yourself, Mr. Hamilton!  In the last four seasons, The Great Hambino has played in 90, 156, 89 and 133 games respectively.  His owners are hoping this isn't the "other" in that every other year scenario.

4.  Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE; 3 for 4, HR, 2B,  2 RBI, SB, R:  8 for his last 9, with 3 HR, 7 RBI and 2 SB.  Seriously, Ass Dribble, who do you think you are?

5.  Denard Span, MIN; 3 for 5, HR, BB, 2 RBI, SB, R:  Denard has been getting on base and scoring runs, but swiped only his third bag of the year last night.  On pace for the lowest stolen base output of his career, his fantasy value has to be questioned.


Arms

1.  Yovani Gallardo, MIL; 7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 9 K, W:  In Spanish, Gallardo must mean "take a seat," because that's four wins in a row for Gallardo, with 18 K in his last 13 innings.  His slow start to the season is gone with the wind, and his ERA and WHIP should soon reflect that.

2.  ^Alexi Ogando, TEX; CG, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K, W:  Ogando matched his season high in walks last night, which would have been great for those going against him if his name was say, Ubaldo Jiminez.  Some friends of mine heckled him in the bullpen during the ALCS.  They should have spit on his wife.


3.  Kyle Lohse, STL; 8 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 5 K, W:  His value may be limited in some leagues because of his low K/9, but that hasn't stopped him from being one of the more solid fantasy performers on the bump this year.

4.  Jered Weaver, LAA; 7 IP, 6 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K:  The Angels didn't take the lead until after Weaver left the game last night, but he definitely got back on track after losing his last four starts.  There was no one better than him in April, but he hasn't gotten a win in May.

5.  Carlos Villanueva, 5 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 5 K, W:  Honestly, I could two-hit the Yankees it was my first start against them, especially if I had Villanueva's change up.  He'll be back in the bullpen once Jesse Litsch returns.

Nice Guys Finish Last...

 

You don't always need to have the best fastball, you don't always need to be able to paint the black, you don't always need to have Mariano like stuff to become a successful fantasy closer. The secret is being at the right place, at the right time.  Here is Part III  (Part I|Part II) of my Top 40 Closer Rankings going forward. 



26. Kevin Gregg, BAL; 7 SV, 3.52 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 7.04 K/9:  Another guy who is the definition of average. Gregg has experience closing, which many of the other arms in the Orioles bullpen lack. Don't be surprised if at some point the O's turn to Koji Uehara as he has a 2.64 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

27. Matt Capps, MIN; 6 SV, 3.72 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 5.59 K/9: A $7 million insurance policy tells the story of how the Twins felt about Joe Nathan before the season began. Nathan, coming off surgery was ineffective in the early going of 2011 and the Twins were not shy to put their insurance policy to work. Capps has been average at best but has lengthy experience closing games and did great as a fill in for Nathan last season. If Capps struggles do not be surprised if the two flip flop 8th and 9th inning work.

28. Brian Fuentes, OAK; 9 SV, 4.19 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 6.98 K/9:  I only put him this high because of the uncertainty with Andrew Bailey. Fuentes seems to be the guy that the A's will stick with if Bailey has any issues returning from the DL this month.

29. John Rauch, TOR; 5 SV, 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 4.86 K/9: Despite the low strikeout rate, Rauch did nothing wrong to lose the closers job to Frank Fransisco. It was just Frank's job. Expect no hesitation to bring Rauch back into the closer mix in the course of any injuries or ineffectiveness from big Frank.

30.^ Jonathan Broxton, LAD; 7 SV, 5.68 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 7.11 K/9: Despite how terrible he has been this season, one has to believe that with the slim pickings to pitch the 9th in the Dodger bullpen Brox is gonna get another shot. We all know the pitcher he can be, but the questions lie in the pitcher he will be.

31. Jose Contreras, PHI; 5 SV, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10.13 K/9: Jose made no mistakes while closing for Philly this year. If he didn't get hurt there's a good chance he'd still have the role, but with Madsen thriving and Lidge on the back burner Jose is going to need to catch a few breaks to get back in to action in the 9th.

32. Mark Melancon, HOU; 3 SV, 2.18 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 6.10 K/9: Melancon took over when Brandon Lyon went down with the old "I suck" injury and has been decent as a replacement. No word on how long Lyon will be out, so for the time being Melancon seems to be safe, although its not like Houston wins many games anyway.  Then again, they were second in the majors in save opportunities last year.

33. Daniel Bard, BOS; 0 SV, 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 8.57 K/9: He has got to be the obvious choice to close in Boston if anything were to happen to Papelbon. If Papelbum were to go down with injury or poor play, Bard would skyrocket up this list. He has all the tools to be a great closer, but as we know talent is only half the battle when it comes to saves.  Opportunity also factors in.

34. Brandon League, SEA; 9 SV, 7.01 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 6.88 K/9: Ahh, a perfect example of how opportunity is the other half of the battle. With Aardsma sidelined for longer than expected, League seems to be the only option out of the M's bullpen. It is no secret though, that he sucks. Look for Jamey Wright to get a crack if Eric Wedge can't stomach anymore losses because of League's massive shittiness.

35. Koji Uehara, BAL; 0 SV, 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 10.68 K/9: Koji! Koji! Koji! This guy could be a sleeper on the list since Gregg is known to struggle at times. I think there is a legit possibility that Koji ends up with 10 Saves on the year, just be sure you're around to ride the wave.

36. Vicente Padilla, LAD; 3 SV, 4.15 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 9.35 K/9: Not the type of arm you see every night closing games, but to everyone's surprise seems to be the most effective arm for the 9th right now for LA. Padilla is on the DL, but should be back soon and it doesn't look like anyone is blowing Mattingly away as a potential replacement. After all, his other options include Matt Guerrier and Kenley Janson.  Yikes.

37. Jonny Venters, ATL; 1 SV, 0.64 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 8.26 K/9:  Jonny lost out to Craig Kimbrel for the closing role in Atlanta, but there is more to be said here. Both pitchers are young. Extremely young. If Kimbrel starts to get shaky and the 9th seems to be overwhelming do not think that Atlanta won't close by committee, or give Venters the primary duty.

38. Brad Lidge, PHI; *DL (Has yet to take the field):  After an electric 2008 with the Phillies, Lidge has been bothered by injures and hasn't even taken the mound in 2011. He says he will be ready in 3 weeks, but with how well Madsen and Contreras have been pitching, it is going to be interesting to see how this one plays out.

39. Matt Thorton, CWS; 2 SV, 5.97 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 10.13 K/9: Oh Matt Lefty. Such promise going into the season as the teams primary closer. He struggled early, and even that's an understatement.  I have to imagine if Sergio Santos, who is pitching well at the moment, were to falter Thorton would be the next in line. Matt has had a tremendously better May than April and he is starting to look like the guy we saw all last season.

40. Brandon Lyon, HOU; 4 SV, 7.15 ERA, 2.15 WHIP, 3.97 K/9:  The numbers that you have just read are not a joke. Lyon has been absolutely AWFUL this season. He has blown more saves then he has converted and is currently on the DL dealing with the above mentioned "I Suck" DL stint. Honestly though, this guy was pretty good down the stretch last season. With all the question marks surrounding Mark Melancon and the rest of the Stros pen, it will be no surprise to me if Lyon does get another shot and ends up with 15-20 saves on the year.

5/23 Game of the Day

Rays (26-21) at Tigers (23-23)

Hellickson (5-2) vs. Coke (1-5)


Pick:  Rays

*Well, its not really like we're going out on a limb with this one, but when you start the year 1-8 you need to find a way to get back on track.  As a lifelong Yankees fan, when I need a lock, I pick against Phil Coke.  On the other hand, Jeremy Hellickson has been pretty much as advertised.  His last start was a little hairy, but he's still won his last four times out.  I think the kid will keep up the good work and Phil Coke will do his best Phil Coke impression.

Fantasy Impact:  Miguel Cabrera has hit just one homer in the month of May and went hitless against Hellickson the only time he's faced him.

Record:  1-8

May Flowers

In New Ro MLB, Pasqua was again able to handle Coach, defeating him 8-4 for his second substantial victory over the boys on High & Tight. Komplex Thoughts continue their dominance over all opponents handing Siegel and Prestige World Wide the 3-8-1 loss. With the victory, Komplex Thoughts have won at least 6 categories in every matchup this season.

Vinny Cenz was able to keep his head just above .500, managing to tie Brett despite another hefty offensive performance from the Laser Show.  Lanza's pitching finally decided to show up, forcing a tie with the increasingly powerful Binghamton Bombers.

In the matchup of the week, Claude held off Licky on the back of James Shields and a sparkling 0.88 team WHIP.  Team Franҫais was able to solidify his hold on the South End division lead with a 7-5-0 win.

This Week's Matchups

Below Me (29-54-1) vs. Team Balliet (47-36-1):  Lanza looks to build on last week's tie and prove that he can hang with the big boys as he takes on Claude's reinvigorated team.

Komplex Thoughts (52-29-3) vs. The Cenzations (40-39-5):  Vinny can ill afford a big loss this week with Siegel hot on his heels in the North End race.  The Guru has obviously rigged his league so he finishes first.

High and Tight (41-41-2) vs. Laser Show Relax (32-45-7):  What do Coach Lap's fnatasy team and a lactose intolerance convention have in common?  The answer is simple:  No cheeses.  That will be a problem against Brett's big bats this week.

Madoff Like Bandits (43-37-4) vs. Prestige World Wide (37-42-5):  Last week, Licky had his sights set on first place, but after just losing out to Claude, will have to work overtime to stave off Siegel and the rest of the North End bottom feeders.

Matchup of the Week
Binghamton Bombers (45-37-2) vs.  OUCH!!! Benny Benny (38-44-2):  A little back and forth in the chat box about some bogus trades over the weekend makes this matchup one to keep an eye on as we enter Week 8.  Trailing the division lead by just a few games, the Bombers will be looking to make the South End a two horse race by week's end.  Steve Live must prove that he can beat teams other than Laps' if he wants to be considered a contender in this league.  Although, if he keeps typing in all caps in the chat box, it will be impossible to take him seriously.

Power Rankings

1. Komplex Thoughts (LW: 1)
2. Bing Bomb (LW: 2)
3. Balliet (LW: 3)
4. Madoff (LW: 4) 
5. Cenzations (LW: 6)
6. High & Tight (LW: 5)
7. Ouch Benny (LW: 9)
8. Prestige WW (LW: 6)
9. Laser Show (LW: 8)
10. Below Me (LW: 10) 
    

Living on the Black

 

Top Five Pitchers Doing Work

1. Roy Halladay, PHI
2. Justin Verlander, DEt
3. Josh Beckett, BOS
4. James Shields, TB
5. Michael Pineda, SEA

Big Names Coming Around

Alex Rodriguez, whose 2011 was quickly becoming a cause for concern, has tweaked his stance, replaced the mouthful of sunflower seeds with Skoal long cut, and is right back in All-Star form.

A-Rod performed masterfully last week, hitting .419 with 7 R and 3 HR to go along with his 1.179 OPS. Alex, who has been struggling as of late, had a few meetings behind closed doors with hitting coach Kevin Long and they have seemed to make the necessary adjustments in his swing to get him back on track. Rodriguez had two 4 hit games last week and double cheesed in Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Even at his ripe old age, you can pencil him in for his usual 100 R, 30 HR, 100 RBI and .290 batting average by season's end.

Mike Stanton, another big name that seemed to struggle early, has shaken off a hamstring injury and started to turn it on. Stanton connected on 3 HR this week, but more importantly hit .318 with a 1.087 OPS, way above his season average. Stanton is a 40 HR threat this season, with an upside that's climbing through the roof.

Sticking with the theme of the big names getting off the schnide, traditional slow stater Alexi Ramirez took huge steps in his quest for a successful season last week, hitting .417 to go along with a weekly high of 9 RBI and a staggering 1.273 OPS; impressive numbers for anyone, let alone a shortstop. There is no reason to believe he can't keep up the productive numbers now that the calendar is making the turn into June.

On the pitching front, James Shields just continues to impress, striking out 13 on Sunday to give him a total of 22 K on the week to go along with his 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP. His K/9 this week was 12.38 (Congrats to you and your family, Shields owners). Another pitcher rigging the deck was Felix Hernandez. He matched Jimmy's 22 K week and also weighed in with an identical 1.69 ERA. After a shaky start, outings like Sunday's make you remember why he is one of the most feared pitchers in the game. The "Rook" Michael Pineda was perfect this week striking out 16, winning two decisions and sporting a 0.00 ERA in 14 innings pitched. The kid is the real deal, and for Yankee fans, is just one more reason why the M's should ship the King to his rightful throne in the Bronx.


3 Players UP: Asdrubal Cabrera (CLE), David Ortiz (BOS), Andrew McCutchen (PIT)

3 Players DOWN: Andre Either (LAD), Dan Uggla (ATL), Ben Zobrist (TB)

5/20 Game of the Day

Rangers (23-21) at Phillies (26-17)

Wilson (4-2) vs. Halladay (5-3)

Pick: Rangers

*Interleague play kicks off today, seemingly earlier than usual.  MLB didn't go full on cross-town rivalry weekend, as the Dodgers are on the South Side of Chicago and the Cubs head up to Boston for the first time since they threw the 1918 World Series.  Plenty of interesting matchups this weekend, but unfortunately, not many of them are tonight.  The Phightins have been scuffling lately, particularly at the plate, so I expect Wilson to shut down a few of their big lefties.  Obviously, a guy like Doc Halladay is on your team to pull you out of slumps, but the Boys in Blue might only need a few runs here and there to put the Phils to bed.

Fantasy Impact:  Endy Chavez is 5 for 13 (.385, .429 OBP) lifetime off of Halladay, and Carlos Ruiz can't throw out base stealers.

Record: One and fucking seven

Daily Leaders 5/19/11

Bats

1.  Jason Giambi, COL;  3 for 5, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R:  The Giambino was popping off last night like it was 2001 and he was still a BALCO guinea pig.  The triple cheese raised his home run total to four on the year and his average to a whopping .194.

2.  Jay Bruce, CIN; 3 for 4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R:  The power numbers are getting there now, and he's hitting at right about his career average.  This is Jay Bruce, apparently, so take it or leave it.  I say he's a solid fantasy option, but was going too high on draft day for my liking.

3.  Justin Morneau, MIN; 3 for 5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R:  Only the second homer of the year for Morneau, who before his injuries was one of the premier, if underrated, sluggers in the AL.  He's had plenty of bad luck, but not as much as his owners, who based on their investment in him have to keep running him out there.

4.  ^Marlon Byrd, CHC;  2 for 4, HR, 2B R, 2 RBI, R:  Remember that girl in high school, the one you secretly thought was hot but was waaaaay under the radar of the rest of your friends?  Maybe she wore glasses or was really into her art classes or something else that made her the ultimate sleeper doper to everyone but you?  I feel this way about Marlon Byrd in fantasy.

5.  Nick Swisher, NYY; 2 for 4, 2B, 4 RBI, BB, R:  Swish got his first hit with a RISP and two outs of the year last night.  After playing over his head for two years in the Bronx, Nick- who I love as an individual, but not as a hitter- is back to playing like the guy who was given away by both Oakland and the White Sox.


Arms

1.  C.C. Sabathia, NYY; 8 IP, 7 H, 9 K, W:  CC was dealing last night as the rain fell in Baltimore, leading me to believe the Yanks probably should have saved some of those runs for this weekend's clash with the Mets.  Nevertheless, he followed the first rule of baseball after Cano got drilled.  Nick Markakis:  You're fucking out.

2.  Kyle McClellan, STL; 8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K, W:  McClellan has been sort of a revelation in the Lou this year, helping Jaime Garcia to pick up Chris Carpenter's slack.  He won't blow anyone away, but he keeps the Cards in games and notched his sixth win of the season last night.

3.  Madison Bumgardner, SF; 8.2 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W:  After a terrible start to 2011, one of last year's playoff darlings finally earned his first win of the season.  Since April 22, Bumgardner is just 1-3 but is sporting a sub-2 ERA.  This guy needs a nickname, Giants fans.  Any thoughts?

4.  Gavin Floyd, CHW; 7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 3 K, W:  No joke, Floyd only has good outings every other start.  There doesn't seem to be any correlation between home vs. the road, or a powerful lineup vs. a shitty one.  His WHIP is down this year, which is nice, and he's on pace to strike out nearly 200 hitters.

5.  Aaron Harang, SD;  8 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K:  The Padres eeked out a win against the Brew Crew last night, but couldn't get Harang a decision.  He's pitched well, but is a long way from the guy who lead the NL in K's back in 2006-07.  If you're counting on him as the ace of your staff, I have to question your managerial manhood.

5/19 Game Of The Day

Tigers (22-20) at Red Sox (22-20)

Verlander (4-3) vs Beckett (3-1)

Pick: Tigers

*The season is young, but these two pitchers couldn't meet up at a better time. Two of the hottest power pitchers in the game take the mound opposite each other tonight in Fenway. Verlander followed up his no-no with another stellar performance and Beckett hasn't given up a run in god knows how long. Both teams also come in with identical records, which only adds fuel to the fire. I think, well I hope, Verlander continues to roll and the Tigers take one on the road in a low scoring affair.

Fantasy Impact: Justin Verlander is 2-1 with a 3.14 ERA in four career starts in Boston.

Record: 1-6

Daily Leaders 5/18/11

Bats

1.  Cody Ross, SF; 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, BB, R, SB:  Ross' contributions to the Giants run last year cannot be overlooked, but that doesn't mean he's a regular fantasy contributor.  In deeper leagues, his eligibility makes him valuable, so keep him in mind for your second half push in all formats.

2.  Hanley Ramirez, FLA;  2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB:  Yes, that's Hanley Ramirez, shortstop for the Marlins.  That guy that was going in the first two picks.  I swear.

3.  Corey Hart, MIL; 3 for 5, 3B, R, SB:  With no home runs and only one RBI since coming off the DL, Hart owners (like myself) are getting antsy.  On the bright side, he goes into tonight's game with a nine game hitting streak.

4.  Endy Chavez, TEX; 2 for 3, 2 BB, 2 R, SB;  Since moving into the leadoff spot after his call up, the Little Endy That Could has played like a man possessed.  Grab the steals now, if you can.  Hamilton and Cruz are coming back and the Rangers OF shuffle will soon end.

5.  Pedro Alvarez, PIT;  1 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R:  Plenty of people had this guy penciled in for upwards of 40 home runs.  I played against him in high school and knew he had holes in his swing, but then again, I'm a baseball genius.


Arms

1.  ^Jake Peavy, CWS; CG, 3 H, 8 K, W:  Glory, glory hallelujiah.  Peavy hasn't walked a man in his two starts this year, and his velocity was reminiscent of 2007 at a few times last night.  For those who hung with him through April, congrats.

2.  Charlie Morton, PIT; CG, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, W:  Morton improved to 5-1 on the year last night with a complete game shutout in Cincy.  When you combine his good control with the fact that he pitches in the NL Central, if the Bucs can give him run support he might be a nice steal off the waiver wire.

3.  Cole Hamels, PHI;  8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, BB, 8 K, W:  All the reports out of Clearwater during spring training this year had Hamels looking like the most impressive of the Phils' Big-4.  Personally, he sounds like a whiner to me, but a whiner with a filthy change up will always have a spot on my team.

4.  Jonathon Niese, NYM;  7 IP, 6 H, BB, 7 K, W:  The Mets pushed Niese back a night after postponning a game while it wasn't raining Tuesday.  In a torrential downpour, they sent him to the mound Wednesday.  The Nationals must have been swinging umbrellas at the plate because they couldn't touch him.

5.  Bartolo Colon, NYY;  8 IP, 3 H, BB, 7 K:  In the four years since Girardi has taken over the reins, only one Yankees pitcher has gone nine innings for a complete game win.  When you have Mariano Rivera looming it's an easy decision to make, but with just 87 pitches when he came out, perhaps Colon would have closed the door himself before the 15th inning.

Lock The Doors Shut The Lights...

Back with Part II of the Guru's Top 40 Closers (Part I|Part III)

16. J.J Putz, ARI; 9 SV, 2.40 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 8.40 K/9:  He's consistently average with only one blown save on the year. Putz seems entrenched in the role, so it's a nice comeback after missing most of last season.

17. Chris Perez, CLE; 10 SV, 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 5.82 K/9: For the record, I don't think this guy is that great. He seems to be having a hard time putting up clean innings in the month of May. Luckily, I don't see much competition here anytime soon, although Tony Sipp (who's next in line) is pitching pretty well.

18. John Axford, MIL; 9 SV, 4.67 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 5.82 K/9:  Terrible start to the season, but he didn't loose his job, not even for a day. The Axe Man is pitching much better this month but is another guy riding on the coat tails of last season's success.

19. Jordan Walden, LAA; 7 SV, 3.26 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 9.78 K/9:  A draft day sleeper, Walden got his shot sooner rather than later because of Fernando Rodney's struggles. I think this guy could keep the job all year, since Rodney is no longer even an option right now. Walden has been a tad shaky as of late, so if anyone other than him is going to get the save chances it is going to be Scott Downs.

20. Andrew Bailey, OAK; DL*(Has yet to take field):  One of the better closers in the game, Bailey seems to be about a week away from pushing Brian Fuentes back into the eighth inning role.  We won't be able to tell how he is going to perform at first, making Fuentes a must-own handcuff. At least until Bailey gets his feet wet.

21. ^Sergio Santos, CWS; 6 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 10.35 K/9:  Big Serg is looking more and more like Ozzie's number one option and the numbers above do the talking. For now, there's no need to fix what isn't broken, as Santos is solidifying his hold on the role.  While his leash gets longer by the day, it doesn't go on forever.  Don't forget about "Matt Lefty" and Chris Sale, who are looming in the pen.

22. Kyle Farnsworth, TB; 8 SV, 1.26 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 5.02 K/9:  This guy lives in an apartment building by my house (not kidding).  That has nothing to do with his ability to close, but the fact that Farsnworth has simply run away with this job is quite amazing. He is holding off Jake McGee and DL'ed J.P Howell for 9th inning time, and if he keeps this up there is no reason he won't have the job all year.

23. Ryan Madsen, PHI; 6 SV, 0.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 10.69 K/9:  Tough one here as Madsen, Contreras and Lidge all have claims on the role. I think Madsen keeps it when Jose comes back, but if Lidge ever returns (and that's a huge if), he will slide back into the 8th inning role.

24. Frank Fransisco, TOR; 4 SV, 3.60 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 10.80 K/9:  Looks like he has gained the confidence of manager John Farrell and also appears to be fully healthy. With Jon Rauch pitching well, Frank is going to have to remain on his toes if he wants to keep getting the ball in the 9th.

25. Fernando Salas, STL; 4 SV, 1.02 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 8.15 K/9:  Bold ranking here, but the third time has got to be a charm in St. Louis, right? Salas not only has to deal with the pressure of pitching in the 9th, but also must fight off the MANY arms here looking to close, including Mitchell Boggs, Ryan Franklin, Eduardo Sanchez and Miguel Bautista.

5/18 Game of the Day

Giants (22-19) at Dodgers (20-23)

Cain (3-2) vs. Kershaw (5-3)

Pick:  Dodgers

*For those of you who follow us loyally here in Fantasy Land, you know that we finally picked the correct winner in our Game of the Day yesterday.  This means we are either on the road to a long and successful season of prognosticating, or more likely that we're going to blatantly fuck up today's pick.  With that in mind, I'll take the Dodgers, only because Kershaw was so dominant last time out and they're at home.  Matt Cain won't want to make Giants fans cheer too loudly in the stands tonight, lest they get their asses kicked and sent to the hospital.  Thoughtful guy, that Matt Cain.

Fantasy Impact:  Kershaw has not allowed a run in two starts against Los Gigantes this year.

Record: 1-5 (OH YEAH).

Daily Leaders 5/17/11

Bats

1.  Alex Rodriguez, NYY: 2 for 4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R:  After a nice start to the season, Rodriguez and the Yankees have cooled their jets.  Dropping a couple of A-Bombs on Big Game Jimmy Shields will help to obscure, but not erase, his pitiful May thus far.

2.  ^Brian McCann, ATL; 2 for 2, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R:  At 4:03pm yesterday, I was despondent after watching Wandy Rodriguez seemingly cruise to a win against me in my primary league.  At 4:10, McCann (my catcher in that same league) pinch hit and promptly homered... (see: Rodriguez, Wandy)

3.  Travis Hafner, CLE; 2 for 4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R:  Everyone knows that when Pronk plays, Pronk rakes.  He won't reach his 2004-07 numbers, but if he finally plays a full season again, why can't he keep this up?

4.  Carlos Pena, CHC; 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R:  Back to back multi-hit games with a homer for Carlos.  If you're in a league that doesn't count batting average (yes, they exist), he may be worth a look as the weather improves and the ball starts flying out of Wrigley.

5.  Carlos Santana, CLE; 2 for 3, HR, RBI, R:  In his first three games following a day off in 2011, Santana is batting nearly .350 and has hit every one of his six home runs.  In all other games he's hitting .149, so if Manny Acta keeps him fresh, it may keep the Tribe in first place.

Arms 

1.  Francisco Liriano, MIN; 7 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 9 K, W:  After a shaky performance following his no-hitter two starts ago, Liriano turned in an effort that was actually better than the no-no.  He'll be good when he remembers the object of pitching isn't to walk everyone who comes to the dish, but I doubt that's ever been explained to him.

2.  Wandy Rodriguez, HOU; 8 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K:  (continued from McCann, Brian) ...to steal Wandy's win.  By 4:30 I was on my way to practice with a smile on my face after MCann's second bomb won the game in the 11th.  No win for my opponent, and a double cheese from my player who didn't even start.  33 point swing and I was so hyped I used two leaders' write-ups to gloat about it.

3.   Gio Gonzalez, OAK; 7 IP, H, BB, 7 K, W:  For those of you who didn't notice, Gio was bailed out of his last start by some ungodly weather in Texas.  Instead, after last night he has won three starts in a row and is sporting some excellent fantasy stats, including ERA, WHIP and K/9.

4.  Hiroki Kuroda, LAD; 7.2 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 K, W:  Alright, alright, enough already.  Kuroda hasn't walked more than three batters in any game in 2011, and hasn't allowed a run since getting knocked around by the Mets on May 6.  Maybe he met Kate Hudson or something.

5.  Daniel Hudson, ARI: 7 IP, 8 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W:  Danny, no relation to Kate, didn't get the message that the Padres bats had been on fire coming into last night.  His 4+ ERA may be tough to look at, but his 54:18 K:BB ratio implies that the kid will be just fine.

5/17 Game of the Day

Phillies (25-15) vs. Cardinals (23-19)

Oswalt (3-1) vs. Garcia (5-0)

Pick: Cardinals

*Well, one of these days we gotta get this thing right, so we're gonna keep taking a crack at it.  Roy Oswalt returns from back spasms for his first start since April 26.  I pretty much based one of my teams this year around that Phillies starting staff, so if he slides back into place nicely it will really help my blood pressure.  On the other hand (in this case that would be the left hand), there are far fewer question marks when it comes to Jaime Garcia.  Coming off back to back gems, Garcia will look to take advantage of an ailing Phils lineup.


Fantasy Impact:   Ryan Howard (2 for 8) is the only Phillie with multiple hits off of Garcia.  Albert Pujols (25 for 80, 5 HR) once killed a small child with a ball he hit off Oswalt.

Record: Siiiigh (0-5)

Daily Leaders 5/16/11

 

Bats

1.  Matt LaPorta, CLE; 4 for 4, 2 2B, 4 RBI, R:  Once the most coveted prospect in baseball, LaPorta has struggled to find his footing in the majors.  It's gotta be tough when you get traded for CC Sabathia, a pitcher who is a better hitter than you.

2.  Mark Reynolds, BAL;  2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI, R, SB:  If this was 2009, this would be a pretty standard night for Reynolds (and yes, he did strike out).  Mark has yet to take full advantage of the bandbox known as Camden Yards, and Buck has him batting eighth.  Yikes.

3.  ^Mike Stanton, FLA; 2 for 4, HR, RBI, BB, 2 R:  That's homers in three of his last four games for Stanton, who also scored the winning run in the top of the 11th at Shea last night. Or whatever the fuck they call it.

4.  Jose Reyes, NYM;  2 for 5, BB, 2 SB:  With four steals in two games to go along with his .310 batting average, Jose is seriously ruining his chances of getting traded to the Angels.


5.  Jed Lowrie, BOS; 2 for 4, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R:  The fact that this guy has a job really bothers me.  Lowrie, Stephen Drew and Jason Barlett can all blow me.


Arms

1.   Colby Lewis, TEX; CG, 5 H, BB, 7 K, W.  What is it, the ALCS or something?  I haven't seen Lewis this sharp since the Yankees made him look like Walter Johnson in Games 2 and 6 last October.  Actually, that's four strong starts in a row for the former ace of the Hiroshima Carp.

2.  Tommy Hanson, ATL; 7 IP, 3 H, ER, BB,10 K, W.  Hanson's ERA and WHIP have been impressive but now he's getting the credit for it.  He's won his last four decisions after starting 1-3.

3.  Michael Pineda, SEA;  7 IP, 3 H, 7 K, W.  What a stellar start to a career for Pineda, all the more totally fucking awesome to watch because I chose Tyler Colvin in the 23rd round of a keeper draft over him.

4.  Craig Kimbrel, ATL; IP, H, 3 K, SV.  Let the dick riding continue.

5.  Shaun Marcum, MIL; 7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 4 K, W.  Roy Halladay, to ex-Blue Jays teammate Shaun Marcum, at least 20 times since opening day- "Told ya this National League thing was easy."

You Don't Have To Go Home, But You Can't Stay Here

Closers seem to come and go as the season progresses, and in a sport where nothing is guaranteed, it remains the position with the most shuffle from April to October. Here is Part I (Part II|Part III) of the Guru's Top 40 Closing Options going forward this season, based on stats already compiled and the outlook for the rest of the 2011 season.

1. ^Mariano Rivera, NYY; 13 SV, 1.45 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 7.71 K/9: What can anyone say?  Really. Mo is the best closer to ever toe the rubber; the closer who consistently has ice running through his veins in every situation.  As a Yankee fan, I've been spoiled by such a late inning option, something that most fans never have and never will be able to experience. Even in his twilight years, Mo has not skipped a beat and is not only the most reliable closer going forward in 2011, but the most reliable closer of all time.

2. Brian Wilson, SF; 12 SV, 4.15 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 10.90 K/9: After a shaky start to the season upon returning from the DL, Wilson has simply been on fire. #Fearthebeard has not allowed a run in the month of May and has seen his K/9 rate improve all the way to 10.90 on the season. Let the raging continue.

3. Heath Bell, SD; 9 SV, 1.20 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 7.20 K/9: "Saved by the Bell" took a new meaning going into the 2009 season. Since then he has done nothing but continue to impress and get batters out with ease in the 9th inning. The only downside is a possible trade to a contender, meaning an ousting from the closer role. Until then, there are not many guys you would rather hand the ball to in the MLB.

4. Carlos Marmol, CHC; 8 SV, 1.62 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 11.88 K/9: Simply the definition of an overpowering strikeout pitcher, or in other words what every team is looking for out of their closer. Marmol has been lights out all year, and with his WHIP sitting around one it erases any possible concerns you could have about him.

5. Neftali Feliz, TEX; 8 SV, 0.73 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 5.11 K/9: The strikeouts are down, and a brief DL stint has his save total a little lower than it should be, but this guy can throw the baseball. Yet, the Guru's crystal ball presents an interesting scenario that could change things: Texas deals for SD closer Heath Bell, having Bell set up for Feliz this season, while prepping Neftali to be the ace of the staff come next year and entrusting Bell with the closer duties. When I said change things, I didn't mean for the worse.

6. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS; 7 SV, 2.70 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 11.34 K/9:  Oh, how I hate this guy. He is such a prick. I've never even met him and would take an ax to his right arm if I could get away with it. With that being said, he's still one of the top closing options in baseball and has seemed to find some of what he had lost the past two seasons. Only time will tell, but it doesn't help matters that the hard throwing Daniel Bard, who I personally love and think can close in this league for a long time to come, is breathing down Papelbum's neck.

7. Joakim Soria, KC; 6 SV, 4.30 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 5.52 K/9: What a disappointment thus far. Soria has one of the filthiest looking curves I have ever seen, and a knack for getting out of the pressure cooker unharmed. Not so much this year. I believe he will turn it around and those eyesore ERA and WHIP numbers will go down.  He will finish as a top 10 closer when it is all said and done. Hell...the Royals actually aren't that bad this season, a first during Soria's promising career.

8. Leo Nunez, FLA; 14 SV, 3.05 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 8.71 K/9: This may come as a surprise to some, but Leo Nunez is the league leader in saves with 14. Leo has thrived in a big way with no serious competition for the closer role in his path. He has had two poor outings this season, forcing his ERA a little higher then we would like to see out of a closer. Florida also seems to be a better team then expected, which can only help his value. At this point it is fair to say he holds the most value based on draft position out of all closers in Fantasy. I knew this. I wish I started writing this blog before last week so you all could have known as well.

9. Craig Kimbrel, ATL; 10 SV, 2.29 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 14.19 K/9: The whole Kimbrel/Venters split to start the season has turned into a "Remember when that was the case" and then we all toast beers and laugh. Kimbrel has been surprising, but not as surprising as you might think. His ability to miss bats (14.19K/9) is unreal. I mean, not even Tommy "Franchise" Lally in MLB The Show misses bats at that clip. I see this guy as a top 10 closer for many years to come. Congrats, Atlanta.

10. Huston Street, COL; 12 SV, 3.48 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 8.71 K/9: Not as in love with this guy as I used to be at one point. Street had an amazing start to the season but has cooled off considerably. I will give him the benefit of the doubt as his hot start and subsequent cool off could also be attributed to the fact that the Rockies decided to stop winning games at the end of April.

11. Jose Valverde, DET; 10 SV, 1.50 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 10.00 K/9: A late season leg injury had many scared to invest here, but it shouldn't be surprising that he looks like the same big-boned, thick-framed, high-socked dealer he has been his whole career. If Valverde can stay healthy he remains a borderline top 10 closer for the remainder of 2011.

12. Fransisco Cordero, CIN; 7 SV, 1.96 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 6.38 K/9: For years now, it seems as though every Reds game is a nail biter, yet without even being one of the top options talent-wise, Cordero ends up walking away with 45 saves.  He also challenged Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan to a 1D fight last night after hitting Pujlos in the wrist. I don't know whats more surprising, the fact that Cordero beaned Albert with runners on in the 9th to face Berkman, or the fact that the only reason why Cordero and Duncan didn't shoot the ones was because Kyle Lohse was holding him back.

13. Fransisco Rodriguez, NYM; 12 SV, 0.92 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 10.07 K/9: It is hard to see a guy with such good numbers, especially ERA (.092) be someone you have to call the "Magician" when entering games in the 9th inning. K-Rod is walking way too many batters and it seems as though every time he is in there he makes it as hard as possible on himself to collect a save. If he doesn't start finding the plate more, the surface numbers you see above will drastically change for the worse and he might never see his kids again.

14. Drew Storen, WAS; 8 SV, 0.40 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 7.15 K/9: What a difference a change in his mechanics has made. After briefly loosing the role to Sean Burnett, Storen has been lights out. The Nationals acquired this young man to close so I knew his long term job was never in jeopardy, but now with his revamped delivery he seems unstoppable. Drew has not allowed a run since April 5th, and has survived 17 consecutive appearances without a scratch.

15. Joel Hanrahan, PIT; 11 SV, 1.37 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 6.86 K/9: As a sleeper target in most drafts, even I am impressed with they way he has been playing. His 99 MPH fastball has gotten him out of some tough spots, as he is still not a "Sure Thing" like some of the hurlers at the beginning of this list. I put Hanrahan in the same boat as K-Rod. If he can stop making every appearance look like some Houdini performance, he should continue to be a pleasant surprise for those owners who drafted him in the 24th round and beyond (i.e., This Guy).

5/16 Game of the Day

Blue Jays (20-20) at Tigers (22-18)

Drabek (2-2) vs. Sherzer (6-0)

Pick: Tigers

*As much as it pains me to say this, I think there's a good chance Sherzer gets rocked tonight.  Like most power pitchers, he gets in trouble when he starts to issue the free pass.  His strikeout stuff is good enough to minimize your concerns against the Oaklands and the Seattles on the world, but these are the Blue Jays and these fuckers can mash.  Not only do they mash, but they're third in the AL in walks, so if Sherzer starts falling behind batters, nobody is going to help him out.  The only things saving Sherz here is that this game is not being played in Toronto, but in cavernous Comerica, and Kyle Drabek isn't much better off facing the Tigers lineup.

Fantasy Impact:  Goddamn it.  Jose Bautista is 4 for 5 lifetime against Sherzer, with a HR, 2 2B and 3 BB.  Obviously.

Record:  Ohfer.  Yeesh.

Cream Rising in New Ro MLB?

From a league standpoint Laser Show really put on an offensive show that has to be mentioned here. Brett was able to belt 17HR, 57RBI, 52R, and hit .330 with a 1.108 OPS. Komplex Thoughts fought off the storm and still were able to come out of the week 6-5-1 due to a pitching sweep. High & Tight got a much needed 9-3 week against Below Me as he pulls back a few games over .500 and into the mix. Madoff took a huge step this week defeating Steve Live 10-2 putting him comfortably over .500 and Pasqua alarmingly under.

This Week's Matchups


High and Tight (37-33-2) vs. RB Stole My Hot GF (30-40-2):  Division rivals square off as H&T look for revenge from a few weeks back.

Prestige World Wide (34-34-4) vs. Komplex Thoughts (44-26-2):  Siegel's hot hitting and newly named squad come to take on the Commish.

Laser Show Relax (26-39-7) vs. The Cenzations (34-33-5):  Vinny looks to get back on track, but can Dusty's boys duplicate last week's offensive outburst?

Binghamton Bombers (39-31-2) vs. Below Me (23-48-1):  Lanza will need to reverse his fortunes big time to hold off the Bombers, who have their eyes on first place in the South End.

Matchup of the Week
Team Balliet (40-31-1) vs. Madoff Like Bandits (38-30-4):  Two teams are jockeying to get into good position here as we pass the quarter mark of the season.  After slapping Steve Live all over this bitch last week, Licky will be attempting to close the gap between him and the Guru/Commish even further.  Claudie, whose team name will be changed to something French if he doesn't name it soon, will be trying to hold off the hard charging Binghamton Bombers.  Can Price, Britton and Zimmerman get the job done?  With Cahill and Halladay only going once this week, Claude will need them to if he intends to keep pace with Licky's offensive output.



Power Rankings, Week 7

1) Komplex Thoughts (LW: 1)
2) Bing Bomb (LW: 4)
3) Team Balliet (LW: 2)
4) Madoff (LW: 8)
5) High & Tight (LW: 7)
6) Team Siegel (LW: 5)
7) Cenzations (LW: 3)
8) Laser Show (LW: 9)
9) RB Stole my GF (LW: 6)
10) Below Me (LW: 10)

Pitching Like They're Double Parked

Top Five Pitchers Doing Work

1. Roy Halladay, PHI

2. Justin Verlander, DET

3. Anibal Sanchez, FLA

4. Josh Beckett, BOS
5. Ian Kennedy, ARI

Superstar Set in Stone

Jose Bautista capped a masterful week on Sunday, belting three home runs.  It's becoming safer and safer to say that 2010 was no fluke for Joey Juice.

            Jose Bautista had a week for the ages, hitting .423 with 8 R, 6HR, 9RBI and an out of this world 1.708 OPS. Jose now has 16 home runs at the quarter pole of the season and is showing more and more that the 54 he hit last year were no aberration. Raking at a .368 clip to boot, Jose is getting on base more than any other player lucky enough to be playing this game at the major league level. 

         As expected, Adrian Gonzalez is also finding his stroke, stroking five homers this week with a league leading 10RBI to go with it.  Adrian could be the single most productive hitter in the MLB if the Red Sox get it all together.  Actually, after this weekend, that seems to be more of a 'when' then an 'if'. 

         Matt Joyce was a pleasant surprise this week, hitting 4HR to go along with his .450 average.  His Sunday homer off lefty Mike Gonzalez will most certainly grant him more at bats in the future against southpaws. 

        On the pitching front, Ian Kennedy struck out 16 in 14 innings this week while also sporting a 0.64 ERA and transparent 0.86 WHIP. Wow. All of it was done for the all seeing all-knowing Guru, who of course picked him up after he was traded and dropped for no reason in New Ro MLB. Josh Beckett is also one of the top dealers as he hasn't given up a run in over 17 innings, while striking out 14. Ryan Dempster has seemed to figure things out this month as he struck out 11 Giants in his last start and has given up a total of five runs in his last three starts.  That's particularly impressive when compared to him giving up 14 runs in his previous....6 Innings.

3 Players UP: Martin Prado (ATL), Victor Martinez (DET), Todd Helton (COL)

3 Players DOWN: Brian Roberts(BAL), Sam Fuld (TB), Jonny Gomes (CIN)

Daily Leaders 5/13/11

Bats

1.  Cameron Maybin (SD), 4 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R.  Someone was obviously a little tight that they didn't make Friday's Daily Leaders.  A double cheese in Colorado might be ho-hum to some, but that's two four hit games in a row for the former first round pick.

2.  Troy Tulowitzki (COL), 3 for 5, HR, 3 RBI, SB, 2 R.  So Tulo can hit against teams besides the Mets?  The man is streakier than a shitty diaper and has homered in two of his last three and three of his last seven games.  The Guru thanks him in advance.

3.  Jose Bautista (TOR), 3 for 4, HR, 2B, BB, R.  Totally didn't mean that crack about Bautista being on the juice yesterday.  Totally.

4.  Michael Brantley (CLE), 2 for 4, HR, RBI, 2 R.  After holding the lead-off spot until Grady came back, Brantley is still getting a chance to play.  Could become a decent average/steals guy, though not a lot of pop.

5.  ^Ryan Braun (MIL) 1 for 5, 3 RBI, 2 SB.  Listen, none of us are too religious here in Fantasy Land, but if you're gonna break the Sabbath and play on Friday night, you better at least put one out.  I'm not familiar with the Hebrew Hammer's beliefs, but I'm just sayin'.



Arms

1.   Clayton Kershaw (LAD), 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 11 K, W.   You really did it this time, Clayton.  With the exception of the big W, there aren't much better sights for a fantasy owner than these K's per nine and this K:BB ratio.


2.  Ricky Romero (TOR), 8.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 8 K, W.  Same old story for Ricky, he's good when he doesn't walk people.  Minnesota is god awful though, huh?

3.   Jeremy Hellickson (TB), CG, 4 H, BB, 3 K, W.  With the Yanks losing and the Rays already a half game up in the standings, Hellickson picked quite a time for his first career shut out.  Congrats, kid. Hope there's many, many more.  When the Yankees buy you in 2014.

4.  Ryan Dempster (CHC), 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 11 K, W.  Few things in this world are better than sitting next to the Guru at Yankee Stadium after Russel Martin ties the game and listening to him bitch about missing out on a gem in fantasy.


5.  Justin Verlander (DET), 8 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W.  But, few things are worse than sitting next to him after Joba blows the game and listening to him gloat about one of his guys tossing a gem.

5/13 Game of the Day

Red Sox (17-20) at Yankees (20-15)

Buchholz (3-3) vs. Colon (2-1)

Pick: C’mon, man.

*For a while I debated taking Weaver and the Angels over Texas, or even Jason McDonald and the Buccos over Gallardo and the Brew Crew.  But I’m filling in for the Guru today and me and him are headed down to the Stadium tonight, so fuck it.  Will A-Rod and Tex join the Grandy Man on the hit parade?  Crawford and Gonzo are coming around, but will Youk and Pedroia show up too?  Fantasy owners are dying to find out.  The Yanks crushed Clay Aiken the last time they saw him, and El Gordo Colon is all HGH’d out right now.  This has 10-9 walk-off written all over it.

Fantasy Impact:  The Yanks’ hottest hitter Curtis Granderson is 0 for 8 lifetime against Buchholz.  The rest of the Yankees have hit a combined .340 off of him.

Record: 0-3

The Rise and Fall of #SamFuld

Like most 30 year old rookies, there is a reason Sam Fuld has not been able to stick in the Big Leagues.

On the morning of April 24, life was pretty good for Rays outfielder Sam Fuld.  He woke up that day hitting a cool .365, had been on base more than 40% of the time, and was the most added player in both ESPN and Yahoo fantasy leagues.  The Twitter world had taken notice and #TheLegendofSamFuld was born, which had Sammy doing everything from slaying dragons before breakfast to stealing bases from Chuck Norris.

            But, oh what a difference a few weeks can make.  Today, Sam woke up with his average over 100 points lower, only one run scored in the month of May and just a single stolen base since that April morning.  Owned in nearly 90% of all leagues at the end of April, only 39% of them have owners that still have faith in the legend. His OBP has dropped nearly 50 points and Twitter has a new favorite hero, #TheWizardofHoz in Kansas City.

            So what does this tell us, other than it’s really, really hard to hit a baseball?  Fuld made his first big league appearance in 2007 with the Cubs, and was shipped to Tampa over the winter as part of the Matt Garza deal.  Today his batting average is sitting at exactly his career mark, a very un-legendary .252.  I can’t remember a player in the last few seasons that the fantasy fates have abandoned so swiftly.

            That’s the problem with these flavor of the week guys, and the problem for owners who get caught up in the hype.  It’s rare enough for a rookie to come up to the bigs and start to rake, even rarer for a career .250 hitter to suddenly come up and figure things out.  Sure, there’s the odd case of a guy thriving once he gets a chance to play, but unless your name is Roy Hobbes or you’re on more steroids than Jose Bautista, it’s hard for fantasy studs to appear out of thin air.

            Now, every owner wants to be ahead of the curve when it comes to picking up “The It” guy, like Fuld.  I for one picked up Mike Leake over Kyle Lohse because, as I told the Guru, “They both stink, but if they do well, I’ll look smarter for picking up Leake.” Well, Leake is back in the bus leagues, Lohse is 4-2 with a sub-one WHIP, and I didn’t even get a couple of steals in the roto stats when Leake got caught shoplifting.

            Don’t go casting off a struggling player you drafted for some rook on the waiver wire.  Fantasy, like real baseball, is a marathon not a sprint, and the numbers for consistent contributors will be there when the season is over.  If you are gonna take a flyer on a guy, like I did with Eric Hosmer a few days ago, make sure you have space for him.  Don’t go nuts and drop a player that will be raking long after Fuld has gone back to New Hampshire to sell insurance.  You don’t want to be stuck with the legend of Sam Fuld when guys like Jayson Werth and Shin-Soo Choo get into midseason form.

I can’t believe I just admitted that I think Shin-Soo Choo is good at baseball.  I really am living in a fantasy land.

Daily Leaders 5/12/11

Bats

1.  Carlos Beltran (NYM), 3 for 5, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R.  Two of Chuckie Cheese’s three bombs came from the left (read: weak) side.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is, it’s not 2004 anymore.  

2.  Martin Prado (ATL), 2 for 4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R.  With multiple hits in three straight games and a knock in 14 of his last 15, perhaps Prado is coming around.  And he’d better.  I have enough .270 hitters with warning track power and no speed on my teams. 

3.  Eric Hosmer (KC), 3 for 5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R.  If you missed the Eric Hosmer Train, don’t worry.  I picked him up in my H2H points league, so he should be back in Omaha by July. 

4.  Jon Jay (STL), 3 for 6, 2B, 3 RBI, R.  Apparently, you can throw anyone in that Cardinals line up and they’ll do work.  Shit, you could bat The Guru seventh and even he’d drive in four and steal a base.  I could do La Russa’s job. 

5. Asdrubal Cabrera (CLE), 2 for 3, HR, 3B, RBI, 2 R.  Personally, I need that average to creep up a little bit, especially since it feels like he’s running less this year.  But what do you expect from a guy named Ass Dribble.

Arms

1.  Jordan Zimmerman (WAS), 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 11K, ND.  Yep, nothing quite like coming to the computer and seeing 11 strikeouts on a slow Thursday in an NL Only League.  It’s an owner’s absolute dream.  Come to think of it, so is… 

2.  Jaime Garcia (STL), 7 IP, 9 H, ER, BB, 4 K, W.  Not as dominating as his last performance but certainly helped the ole ERA.  The only thing that could top those two would be… 

3.  Matt Cain (SF), 7.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K, W.  And Matty Cain checks in with his best start of the year for good measure.  At this point, I’m just blatantly rosterbating in your face.  Thanks for reading.

 4.  ^Zach Britton (BAL), 9 IP, 3 H, 5 K.  C’mon Buck, what the hell’s going on down there?  You’ve got a kid throwing nine innings of three-hit ball and you can’t get him a W?  It’s not like Seattle had Cy Young going… 

5.  Jason Vargas (SEA), 9 IP, 7 H, BB, 4 K.  Oh.  Well, shit.

5/12 Game Of The Day

Mets (16-20) at Rockies (19-15)

Niese (1-4) vs. Jiminez (0-2)

Pick: Rockies

*This game got rained/snowed out last night and will be made up today in Colorado. The Mets will be without first baseman Ike Davis as he is likely headed to the DL. There is also something about the combination of Niese+Coors field that does not sit all that well with me. I think Ubaldo gets his first win of the season today as Tulo hopes again to pad his stats against a Mets team he has totally owned this season.

Fantasy Impact: Troy Tulowitzki is 5/10 with a HR and 3RBI in his career against Mets starter Jonathan Niese.

Record: 0-2

Daily Leaders 5/11/11

Bats

1. Adam Dunn 4 for 5, HR, RBI, 3R. Adam Dunn has 10 hits in 5 games. Yes, I swear this is true. I feel he has more hits over that span then he did the whole month of April. Oh, and one more thing. Fuck you, Adam Dunn.

2.^Jason Kubel 2 for 3, HR, 4RBI, R. Well, the secret is out. Kubel was going in the 200's around draft day and that was a sin. He is hitting .355 with 4HR and 20RBI this season and his second half of 2009 proves there is no reason to believe this is a fluke.

3. John McDonald 2 for 4, HR, 3RBI, 2R. Nice day for Johnny Mac, but it was his first one in a while and will probably be his last one for a while.  You don't get fantasy points for nice plays in the field. 

4. Starlin Castro 4 for 4, 3RBI, 3R. Slumped for a while, but of course has turned it on right in time for a matchup against yours truly. (Oh, What a Night.)

5. Jayson Werth 2 for 5, HR, 2RBI, R, SB. Watch out people. Jayson has connected for homers in each of his past two games and the swing is looking good. Damn good. If he can keep that short swing going, he may have finally found the groove that he seemed to leave at Citizen's Bank.

Arms

1. David Price 8IP, 5H, 2ER, 7K, W. I have loved this guy ever since the E:60 about him living out of his car in high school. Not only does he have some of the best stuff in baseball but I would love to take this guy out drinking. Well, make him take me out drinking...but you know what I mean.

2. Hiroki Kuroda 7IP, 3H, 8K, W. Hiroki! Nice rebound start against a surprisingly not terrible Pirates offense. Kuroda is arguably the second best pitcher on the Dodgers staff and someone Donnie can hand the ball to without hesitation (Something he can't say about most of the arms in his arsenal).

3. Ricky Nolasco 6.1IP, 5H, ER, 6K, ND. Dare I say you can use the word consistent while talking about this young man? So far so good.

4. A.J Burnett 7IP, H, ER, 6K, ND. 6 BB's was the killer in this one, yet as a Yankee fan I'm just going to call him "effectively wild" for now. The beaning of Francouer to put the tying run in scoring position was simply epic. Rule number 1: You hit Cano in the face, you're fucking out.

5. Matt Garza 5IP, 3H, ER, 7K, W. Garza only went 5 probably because of the lengthly rain delay, but even so was able to come back in and get the win and strike out seven Cards in the process. As a fantasy owner you can't be disappointed thus far.