Daily Leaders 6/14/11

Bats

1.  Domonic Brown, PHI;  2 for 4,  2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R:  Wait, so the kid can hit?  Yes, he can indeed, but only if a righty is on the mound.  The left-handed swinging Brown is hitting just .143 off of southpaws.

2.  Curtis Granderson, NYY;  2 for 4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R:  I've run out of awesome shit to say about him, and it's only the middle of June.

3.  Jose Reyes, NYM;  3 for 5, RBI, 2 R, 2 SB:  Reyes is hitting over .450 in his last 16 games.  I traded him before the season in a keeper league, basically for the rights to CC and Jon Lester.  Can't say if I'd do it again.

4.  Drew Stubbs, CIN;  3 for 4, RBI, R, 2 SB:  Stubbs has picked up right where he left off last year, scoring runs in bunches and on pace to be a 20 HR/30 SB guy again.  He's a little older than I thought (read: older than me), and his strikeouts are up, but he's even hitting for a better average than last season.  So far.

5.  Adam Lind, TOR;  2 for 4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, R:  I love Adam Lind, in a very non-homosexual way.


Arms

1.  Justin Verlander, DET;  CG, 2 H, BB, 12 K, W:  It's not even impressive anymore.  Throw a no-hitter or GTFO.

2.  Jered Weaver, LAA; CG, 5 H, BB, 6 K, W:  Kinda looks like shit when you put it up against Verlander's outing.  That's five strong starts in a row after Weaver suffered through a down month of May.

3.  James Shields, TB; CG, 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K, W:  Three walks?  How did this guy even make the Daily Leader board with three goddamn walks?

4.  ^Cole Hamels, PHI; 7 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 6 K, W:  An earned run?  How did this guy even make the Daily Leader board...actually, in all seriousness, Hamels left the game last night with tightness in his lower back.  He should make his next start, but be aware.

5.  Johnny Cueto, CIN;  7 IP, 5 H, BB, 5 K, W:  That's 14 straight innings without allowing a run for Cueto.  On a side note, this was the easiest pitching section of Daily Leaders I've ever had to do.  Gems galore.

6/15 Game of the Day

Marlins (32-34) at Phillies (41-26)

Sanchez (6-1) vs Halladay (9-3)

Pick: Phillies

*Game 2 of a doubleheader between the two marks one of the better pitching matchups I could remember in recent days. Both starters are pitching extremely well for their clubs and both saved their top guns for the night cap. Over the past few weeks, the Philly bats have really heated up and with the resurgence of Utley, the Phills look like a really tough team to beat given the pitching staff. If the Phillies can continue to hit and feed off the bats of Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino I don't even think Anibal the "Great" has a chance here. Oh. actually I could just delete everything I just wrote and replace it with two words. Roy-Halladay.

Fantasy Impact: Around the United States, and especially Canada it is a well known fact and recognized by baseball fans everywhere that every fifth day is actually a Halladay. Also, given the circumstances where anytime I pick the Marlins in G.O.D I call a Mike Stanton Homer and have been correct, you heard it hear first. Mike Stanton will not hit one. (In the night cap that is)

Record: Don't know, but chalk this one up in the W column.

6/14 Mush of the Day

Reds (35-33) at Dodgers (31-37)


Johnny Cueto (3-2) vs. Clayton Kershaw (6-3)


Pick:  Dodgers

*I have to try something new here.  I was going to pick the Stros yesterday, but I went against my gut, thinking that there was no way I could pick the worst team in baseball for the Game of the Day.  So instead of going against my gut today, and instead of going against my head like many days before, today I'm going against my heart.  I got Cueto in a trade two weeks ago and have been diehard ever since.  I really, really, really want him to win tonight.  So that means I'm going to take the Dodgers, and hope that Kershaw gets over his recent struggles.  Feel free to bet against me.

Fantasy Impact:  Matt Kemp is 5 for 9 lifetime agaist Cueto, with two homers.


Record:  Don't ask.

Daily Leaders 6/13/11

Bats


1.  Vernon Wells, LAA;  2 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R:  There will be a ton of outfield shuffle in Anaheim now that Wells is off the DL, but not if Vernon has more nights like last night.  Peter Bourjous has played too well for the Halos to just cast aside.

2.  ^Miguel Montero, ARI;  3 for 5, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R:  Anyone who's followed Montero for the last few years know this is what to expect when he's healthy.  How long he'll stay healthy, however, is something even the Guru couldn't predict.

3.  Hunter Pence, HOU;  3 for 4, HR, 4 RBI, R:  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

4.  Jordan Schafer, ATL;  2 for 5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, R:  With multi-hit games in three of his last five contests,  Schafer may worth keeping an eye on in deep leagues or NL Only.  He's swiped a few bags when he has gotten on, so if he picks it up even a little, he could be a, well...steal in those formats.

5.  Ichiro Suzuki, SEA;  2 for 4, R, 2 SB:  Three straight games with two hits for Ichiro, who has been torturing his owners so far this year.  He does have 16 SB, which only slightly makes up for that .262 batting average.


Arms

1.  Carlos Carrasco, CLE; 7 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K, W:  The Yanks loaded the bases with none out in the first, then got second and third with none out the next inning and couldn't push anything across.  Carrasco has now won five out of his last six decisions, the piece of shit.

2.  Paul Maholm, PIT;  7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, W:  Smoke and mirrors again for Malholm, who hasn't allowed a run in his three of his last four starts.  The only bad one in that bunch came against last night's opponent, when the Mets roughed him up for six runs on June 2nd.

3.  Wandy Rodriguez, HOU; 6 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K, W:  As I mentioned yesterday, the Braves have always had trouble with Wandy.  He only allowed two hits and would have gone longer had he not walked four guys.


4.  A.J. Burnett, NYY;  7.2 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 8 K, L:  Burnett needed to bounce back in a big way after getting lit up like a Christmas tree against the Red Sox.  He came through, mostly due to excellent control, but the Yankees bats didn't show up at all.

5.  Ryan Dempster, CHC;  7 IP, 4 H, BB, 7 K:  It's gotta be heart breaking for owners to see a line like that with a no decision attached, but Dempster certainly brought his A-game against Fielder, Braun and the Brew Crew.  He's now allowed one earned run in his last 13 IP, striking out 15 and walking just two.

6/13 Game of the Day

Braves (38-28) at Astros (24-42)


Derek Lowe (3-4) vs. Wandy Rodriguez (3-3)


Pick:  Braves


*Two pitchers having decent seasons square off tonight, despite the fact that neither has the record to show for it.  If this were say, 2004, both these guys (with their sub-3.5 ERA and sub-1.3 WHIP) would almost be top tier options.  Their status today should only further indicate to you how the fantasy value of pitchers has evolved over the last 3-5 years.  As far as tonight goes, the Braves have historically struggled against Wandy, and Derek Lowe is certainly no Tommy Hanson.  Nevertheless, the Braves have the most road wins in baseball, and I can't really find it in my heart to pick Houston to win anything.

Fantasy Impact:  Lowe has not earned a win since May 6th against the Phillies, but the Braves are 5-1 in his six starts since.

Record: 6-13

Golden Arms

Top Five Pitchers Doing Work

1. Roy Halladay, PHI

2. Cliff Lee, PHI

3. Tommy Hanson, ATL

4. Zach Greink, MIL

5. Matt Cain, SF

Halfway Home

We're ten weeks into the season in New Ro MLB, with just ten more matchups before the playoffs begin.  Here's how things are shaping up as we turn down the back stretch.

Mid-Season Power Rankings

1. Komplex Thoughts (70-45-5): The Komplex Thoughts have been atop the standings all season and have made the correct moves to really bring the roster together. The pitching has been surprisingly dominant, and with a 10-2 win last week they remain in first after a surprising 3-9 loss the week before.

Biggest Stud: Prince Fielder, MIL Golden Arm: Justin Verlander, DET

2. Madoff Like Bandits (67-48-5): Madoff has been hot as of late, going 19-4-1 in the past two weeks. The staff is very strong and with his slow starting Red Sox finally turning things around, it has really helped this team.

Biggest Stud: Adrian Gonzalez, BOS Golden Arm: Anibal Sanchez, FLA

3. Team Corruption (64-53-3):  Corruption is holding a nice five game lead in the South End, due more to the underachievement of his opposition than Claudie's domination. Hitting remains the achilles heel for this bunch as the pitching has been carrying the load. Claude may need to make a few hitting moves to stay atop the division.

Biggest Stud: Jose Reyes, NYM Golden Arm: Roy Halladay, PHI

4. Binghamton Bombers (58-57-5):  Bing Bomb let a golden opportunity slip away last week while facing the league leading Komplex Thoughts. The Bombers could have made a push for the best record in the league but ended up falling 2-10. This team still has much promise as the pitching is underachieving at the moment. Look for a nice bounce back this week.

Biggest Stud: Carlos Quentin, CWS Golden Arm: C.J Wilson, TEX

5. Prestige World Wide (58-55-7):  Prestige WW has been the surprise of the league, as not many believed this was one of the circuit's top teams. The bats are superb, but the pitching is what seems to slow him down most weeks.  Scary thought: Siegel actually paid more attention, what would his record be?


Biggest Stud: Curtis Granderson, NYY Golden Arm: Josh Beckett, BOS

6. High & Tight (56-58-6): The Coach's team, ranked at #2 to start the season, has yet to stake his claim as one of the league's contenders. High & Tight has been floating around .500 and has yet to take advantage of the tight race in the South End. With the recent controversial trade, Laps looks to bounce back this week and get over the .500 mark.

Biggest Stud: Gaby Sanchez, FLA Golden Arm: Jered Weaver, LAA

7. Welcome Home King Felix (55-59-6):  Auto Pick Pasqua has changed his team name 30 times, but his place in the standings and Power Rankings always seems to be the same. Kudos to Pasqua for building his team after the Auto Pick made his roster very hitting heavy. I think his team is overall better then it was when we started, but loosing Kemp and Braun have to be hurting now.

Biggest Stud: Brian McCann, ATL Golden Arm: Matt Cain, SF

8. The Cenzations (52-59-9):  Vinny's bunch have hit a new low. After a lighting start out of the gate, this team has been the definition of a flop. Injuries play a part in this, as the team is limping and should be getting healthier soon. Eigth in the Power Rankings marks the lowest the Cenzations have been all year. Nevertheless, just seven games under .500 means a turnaround is still on the horizon.

Biggest Stud: Miguel Cabrera, DET Golden Arm: Cliff Lee, PHI

9. Below Me (46-70-4):  Don't let the record fool you; this is a team on the upswing. Matt has now got a grasp on how to run his team and his record over the past few weeks has shown that. He is sitting at about .500 over the past month, but will need to start making bigger dents in the scoreboard if he wants to compete for a playoff spot come September.

Biggest Stud: Mark Teixeira, NYY Golden Arm: Cole Hamels, PHI

10. This League Is Fucking Rigged (45-67-8):  Well, the team name speaks for itself as Brett has had some heartbreaking Sunday's over the past few months and can't seem to string wins together. With his most recent trade, his outfield looks great, but I am not so sure the return on King Felix was worth it.

Biggest Stud: Matt Kemp, LAD Golden Arm: Alexi Ogando, TEX


This Week's Matchups

Team Corruption vs. High and Tight:  Half of New Rochelle High School's coaching staff square off.  Can Laps stay in the race?  Can Frenchie extend his lead?

Below Me vs. Prestige World Wide: Siegel hasn't been able to make a move in the North End standings, so he must hope Lanza's team doesn't pick this week to start earning W's.


This League is Fucking Rigged vs. Madoff Like Bandits:  Fuck you, Brett.

Binghamton Bombers vs. The Cenzations:  Bing Bomb isn't exactly the team you want to see when you're trying to rebound after eight weeks of below .500 play.


Komplex Thoughts vs. Welcome Home King Felix:  A lot of big name players in this matchup, as the Guru will be the first opponent to welcome King Felix to the party.  Don't be shocked if these two make a trade before the week is out.

Prince Charming

The Prince Fielder Show continues to make his case for NL MVP, batting .305 with 19 HR and 58 RBI.

Prince Fielder has been hitting major league pitching like it's slow-pitch softball as of late, belting 6 HR, driving in 13 runs and hitting .500 with a season high for a week 2.143 OPS. The Prince Show is in full effect and he is certainly becoming the favorite player of fantasy owners around the globe. Prince is not only hitting home runs, but he is hitting important home runs, which is why he is my early favorite for NL MVP. Last week three of Prince's 6 HR were to put the Brew Crew ahead for good. It has been said that every other year Prince has put up MVP numbers and guess what folks: This is the other year.

Another hitter seeing softballs these days is Boston's David Ortiz. Papi looked like his old self again this week, hittin' four bombs and tying Prince for the weekly lead with 13 RBI. Big Papi is locked in and, to the disbelief of many, is showing no signs of age. Ortiz is also a good source of OPS, finishing the week with a 1.294 in that category. Speaking of ageless wonders, Paul Konerko put together yet another solid week, launching 4 HR while hitting .393 in the process. Many thought that last season would be the final hoorah for Konerko, but he seems to be silencing the critics with his 16 HR and 52 RBI on the season. Paul is also hitting .322, which to me is the most surprising part of his campaign.

On the mound, Cliff Lee was amazing this week posting a 2-0 record with a 0.63 ERA and stellar 17:3 K/BB ratio. Lee has had a few rough starts this year, but two start weeks such as this one make us realize why he was one of the first pitchers taken off the board. Another pitcher who keeps missing bats is Braves starter Tommy Hanson. Tommy also went 2-0 this week while striking out 20 batters, including a 14 K effort on Sunday against the Astros. Hanson has elite control, and with the run support could be a candidate to win 20 games. Tom gets the Rangers in his next start, and it will be interesting to see how his fares against the heavy hitting AL opponent. And how can we forget Twins lefty Fransisco Liriano. This guy puzzles me. He had an amazing week with a 16:3 K/9 ratio, a win and a 0.69 ERA. Yet Liriano remains a very streaky pitcher and his game log over the course of this season shows it. Fransisco is either really bad, or really really good and this week he happened to be really good. It will be interesting to see if he can keep up the hot arm as he gets an easy matchup this week against San Diego.

3 Players Up: Brennan Boesch (DET), Mark Reynolds (BAL), Dustin Pedroia (BOS)

3 Players Down: Russel Martin (NYY), Jed Lowrie (BOS), Vlad Guerrero (BAL)

6/10 Game of the Day

Dodgers (29-35) at Rockies (30-32)

Chad Billingsley (5-4) vs Jhoulys Chacin (6-4)

Pick: Rockies

*The Rox took the opener in a late game rally to defeat Kershaw and the Dodgers last night, yet remain two games under .500. On the flip side, Matt Kemp is doing everything in his power to keep the Dodgers afloat, but boy, could he use some help. Kemp is hitting .500 with 5 HR and 13 RBI over the first 7 games of this lengthy road trip and is showing no signs of slowing down. With that being said, baseball is a team sport and there is only so much that one man can do. I again see the Rockies pulling out a win tonight as the bats will be too much for the boys from LA. Billingsley has been mediocre thus far, even with his 5-4 record. His opposition, Chacin has been knocked around a bit but he loves pitching at home and I have every reason to believe he will turn it around. In a close one, and not as low scoring as fantasy owners who own this two pitchers would want, the Rockies will get the win.

Fantasy Impact: Matt Kemp is just 3 for 20 with 6 K's in his career against Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin.

Record: 5-13

Daily Leaders 6/9/11

Bats

1. Josh Hamilton, TEX;  2 for 4, HR, RBI, BB, R:  Josh hasn't skipped a beat since returning from the DL and is showing why he was worth the wait. His power numbers are down even in limited at bats, but he is still hitting a crisp .303 on the year and is still driving in runs.

2. Matt Kemp, LAD;  3 for 5, HR, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B, R:  The bartenders know him on a first name basis here at the good ol' Daily Leaders Pub.

3. Lance Berkman, STL;  2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI, R:  It looked for a second that he might be slowing down, but the popular "sell high" candidate has now hit home runs in four of his last five contests.

4. Troy Tulowitzki, COL;  2 for 5, 4 RBI, 2B:  Tulo has not homered since May 17th, but he is hitting .355 since the beginning of June. I love this guy but he's Coach's problem now.

5. Michael Cuddyer, MIN;  2 for 4, HR, 3 RBI, R:  Big Mike has finally found his bat and also stumbled upon 2B eligibility. He has been a good source of power and average the past few seasons, so he is someone I would scoop up if needed in a heartbeat.

Arms

1. ^Justin Verlander, DET;  8 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 10 K, W:  Verlander is arguably the best pitcher in the game right now and he happens to be on all of the Guru's teams besides one. Praise the lord. Verlander has 93 K's and sports a 0.94 WHIP going into his next start.

2. Johnny Cueto, CIN;  7 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 8 K, W:  Why he is not owned in 100 percent of leagues baffles my mind. Cueto has been around since the beginning of May, and has not given up more than 3 ER in any start while throwing up zero's three times.

3. Johnathan Niese,  NYM;  7.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, W:  Although Niese walked four, he was quite effective and handled a very powerful Brewers lineup. Niese has 33 K's in his last 33 innings, while not having a bad start since May 12th at Colorado.

4. Josh Beckett, BOS;  7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W:  Beckett outpitched C.C. for the third time this season en route to his fifth win. Beckett gave up a first inning homer to Curtis Granderson but there was absolutely nothing doing for the Yanks the rest of the night....or should I say early morning.

5. Madison Bumgarner, SF;  7 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 7 K, L:  He was handed the loss as he opposed Cueto, but boy has he turned it around. Madison has lowered his ERA from 7.79 to 3.23 over his past 9 starts.

6/9 Game of the Day

Red Sox (35-26) at Yankees (33-26)

Josh Beckett (4-2) vs. CC Sabathia (7-3)

Pick: Yanks

*The Yankees dropped yet another game to the Sox last night and with tonight's starter Beckett already 2-0 on the season against the BX Bombers, things don't look so good. Boston has virtually owned the Yankees, only dropping one game to them this whole season. With all that going against them I give you two words. Carsten Charles. The tall, wide lefty has been pitching lights out as of late, and a big game against Boston when nobody else in the rotation can beat them is what this guy lives for. He has been matched against Beckett already this season (twice) both of which ended in Yankee losses. Look for C.C to lead the charge and the Yanks to finally pull out a victory against their most hated rivals.

Fantasy Impact: Robinson Cano is a career .323 hitter against Josh Beckett including 3 HR and 12 RBI.

Record: 5-12

Love, Hate and Adam Lind



Adam Lind taught us a valuable lesson this week about sticking with your studs.



I am not a well man. I'll prove it to you.

Rewind to March of 2009. I had just purchased MLB The Show for PS3, and boy was I hyped. I traded in my Xbox just for this game, and I played it non-stop. There was not a night, weekend or weekday, that I wasn't playing until at least 2am. In my travels through the game I came across this outfielder on the Blue Jays named Adam Lind. "Who the fuck is Adam Lind?" I said to myself. "Is this some guy whose name they had to change because he isn't in the player's union?" Was this another "Gary Player" (Michael Jordan) situation all over again?

No. No, it was not. No real player could be as good as Adam Lind was in that game. He won the MVP and became one of my favorite video game players not created in my own image. A serious bromance had begun before I ever saw him actually swing a bat in real life. I took Adam Lind in my '09 fantasy drafts with amazing results, making me realize two things.

1. Simmed seasons in MLB the show NEVER lie.
2. Adam Lind is fuckin' good at baseball.

Flash forwad to this past weekend....

Last Friday, June 3rd, I was hanging out at some lounge in Union Square with a few Jets players (seriously) when I looked at my phone and realized that Adam Lind was finally coming off the DL. I needed to make sure I got him in for the weekend games. Now, your first thought after reading that sentence is probably, "Why the hell is the Guru even checking his phone while drinking Patron shots with NFL players?" You'd be right in thinking that, so let me try to defend the undefendable.

I'm obsessed.

I live for this shit. I eat, sleep and breathe Fantasy Baseball. I know what every player is doing at every given moment in time, and I can't go five minutes without checking every single big league boxscore. In fact, Coach recently pointed out that obsessed is probably an understatement. Either way, the next morning I noticed that I had a bit of a problem. Because my team is so beastly, I had no where to put Adam Lind. I did my daily check to see when Michael Young could be put at second base to open up a spot, but of course he was still sitting one game short of eligibility. Just my luck. So I say to myself "Hey, Lind is great, but he has been shelved for over 3 weeks. He is going to need to shake off the cobwebs before he starts hitting again like he did before he went on the DL."

Big mistake. Not surprisingly, on his second day back Lind double cheesed, scored a pair of runs and drove in three more. Fucking heartbreaking. I was sitting at my sister's confirmation party and I was acting like it was a funeral. My day was ruined, a tell tale sign that I am way too into this shit. I lost the week 3-9 because of the Lind benching. Things were so close that if he were in my lineup that Sunday the matchup would have ended 6-6.

Keep going to Monday. Okay, new week. I try to put that miserable Sunday behind me and focus on the matchup at hand. I'm still in first place in my league and have a tough oppenent, so there is no reason to dwell on the past. I again do my check.

1. Mike Young nine games at 2B, needs one more start there.
2. No room for Lind.

But wait! I can learn a lesson with the best of them! There is no way I will sit Lind again. He is going in the lineup. Wham, 0 for 4. Tuesday comes along with Mr. Young still at nine games. Again hit with a tough decision, this time I don't start Adam Lind. BOOM. Another cheese. I honestly can't believe it. Burned yet again. After the game I say to myself "How can I be so dumb?" Maybe I can't learn a lesson after all.

But then on Wednesday, I got great news out of Dallas. It seems the seed of Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler is strong, as on Wednesday his wife gave birth and the club put him on paternity leave. This wonderful stroke of luck meant that today my lineup would be complete and I will not be faced with these gut wrenching decisions anymore. I originally had Lind in the lineup but said to myself "What's one more day?" Lind remained on the bench against a lefty and I went out to pictch another R.A. Dickey-like gem for my softball team.

Of course, the inevitable happened, and Adam Lind hit a grand slam while firmly planted on my bench. I found out the news at the bar after the softball game and I couldn't have been more upset. It felt like a bad dream. I have now been burned 3 separate times by not starting Adam Lind, and got an Ohfer the one time I did choose to start him. Life sucks. It was to the point last night that people were coming up to me and asking if something had happened between my girlfriend and I.

I'm fucking sick, I tell ya.

The moral of this rant is simply start Adam Lind every single day. For the love of god start him with confidence. He is a supreme power bat that should never see the bench of any teams roster for any reason at all. With Young gaining 2B eligibility, I will now never have to sit him. Adam Lind rakes and there is nothing worse then seeing 4 HR, 9 RBI, and 5 R sit on your bench over a 3 day span. Literally, nothing worse. I have learned my lesson.

Adam Lind, you are the man. I know tonight you will go 0 for 4 again, but at least you won't be on my bench.

Daily Leaders 6/8/11

Bats


1.  Prince Fielder, MIL;  2 for 3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB, 2 R:  This will now be referred to as the Prince Fielder Show.

2.  Todd Helton, COL;  4 for 4, HR, 2 2B, RBI, BB, 3 R:  After his hot start, Helton had been looking his age recently.  We've been shitting on Petco Park a lot lately, so Todd wrote us a very strongly worded letter defending his favorite place to play.

3.  Carlos Quentin, CWS;  2 for 5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R:  Now on pace to surpass his career year of 2008, Quentin continues to prove me wrong.  Last night's outburst gave him 4 HR's already for June, so if he stays healthy, look out.

4.  Miguel Olivo, SEA;  2 for 5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R:  When he gets regular at bats, Olivo has been one of the best sleeper options at the catcher position over the last few years.

5.  Mark Reynolds, BAL;  2 for 3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB:  He's yet to crack the Mendoza line, but Reynolds does have 10 HRs on the year.  With a cheese in three of his last five games, he may finally be getting the hang of things in Baltimore.  It will take a lot for his average to reflect it if he is.


Arms

1.  ^Matt Cain, SF; CG, 5 H, ER, BB, 11 K, W:  Matty notched his highest strikeout total since 2008 against the Nats last night to earn his second win in a row.  His record isn't so hot, but his ERA and WHIP keep him among the better SP options in the second tier.

2.  Cole Hamels, PHI;  8 IP, 6 H, 9 K, W:  Another start, another stellar performance for Hamels.  If Cain is high second tier, doesn't Hamels have to be considered up there with Doc Halladay and the rest of the NL super starters?


3.  Ryan Dempster, CHC;  6 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 8 K, W:  In the top of the first in Cincy yesterday, there was some doubt as to if Dempster could even take the ball when the Reds came to bat.  Needless to say, he took care of business, tight hip and all.


4.  Alexi Ogando, TEX; 7.2 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K, W:  At some point, you have to wonder if the innings are going to catch up to Ogando by the end of the year.  The Rangers are famous for not babying their pitchers, but it doesn't mean all the work won't get to him.  Sell high, maybe?

5.  Zach Britton, BAL;  6.1 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W:  Britton got back on track against the A's last night, earning his first win since May 1.  Let's see if he can keep it up against a harder hitting line up.

6/8 Game of the Day

Rays (32-29) at Angels (30-33)


James Shields (5-4) vs. Jered Weaver (7-4)

Pick: Halos

*Our mini-run of nailing the Game of the Day has ended, as we picked the wrong pitcher to throw a shutout in San Diego last night.  We return today with another pitcher's duel, this time between two of the best starters in the American League.   Weaver stumbled a little bit in May but seems to be returning to form lately.  Shields' career numbers against the Angels batters aren't great, but he threw eight innings of one run ball and struck out 12 in a no-decision against them on April 30.  Look for Weaver to continue his return to the top in one of the best pitching matchups of the year.

Fantasy Impact: James Shields is 1-3 with a 4.33 ERA in his last four starts.  He was 4-0, 2.03 ERA in his previous seven.

Record: 5-11.

Daily Leaders 6/7/11

Bats


1.  Carlos Lee, HOU;  2 for 3, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 R:  Lee hit his first home run since May 14th last night, but it's no surprise it came off of Jake Westbrook.  Chuckie has owned the Cardinals starter over the course of his career.  Too bad he doesn't pitch against the Stros every night.


2.  Matt Kemp, LAD;  2 for 4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R:  Blue skiiiiiiiies, smilin' at me.  Nothin' but blue skieeeeees....


3.  Kelly Johnson, ARI;  2 for 5, HR, 3 RBI, R:  Nice little power surge for Kelly, who we know can hit them out as well as any second baseman in the NL.  His average is still about 40-50 points lower than last year, but he has really picked things up since the middle of May.

4.  ^Adam Lind, TOR;  1 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R:  You can count both myself and the Guru among those fantasy owners who were eagerly awaiting Lind's return from the DL.  Now we're partying like we're back in '09.


5.  Paul Konerko, CWS;  2 for 3, HR, RBI, BB, R:  Paulie has been swinging a hot bat as of late, and he'll need to continue it as he and Carlos Quentin bail out Adam Dunn and Alex Rios.



Arms


1.  Tim Stauffer, SD;  8 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 K, W:  Those of you who read us every day know how intrigued we are are by Stauffer here in Fantasy Land.   You also know how strongly we believe that either of us could pitch a shutout in Petco.


2.  Carlos Carrasco, CLE;  8.1 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K, W:   Carrasco notched his fifth win of the season last night against the scuffling Twins, allowing just three hits in the process.  He also tied his season-high in strikeouts with six, a clear pointer of his limited fantasy value.

3.  Tommy Hanson, ATL; 6 IP, 2 H, 5 BB, 6 K, W:  Hanson outpitched a AA call up in Miami last night, but in doing so walked five Marlins.  That's obviously out of character for him, but since he allowed only two hits, he kept his WHIP down and kept the Fish from crossing the plate.


4.  Philip Humber, CWS;  7.2 IP, 5 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K, W:  Humber continued his strong 2011 with a 5-1 victory over the Mariners last night.   His phenomenal ERA and WHIP make up for his mediocre strikeout numbers.  Jake Peavy's return to the DL will only solidify Humber's role in the rotation.


5.  Daniel Hudson, ARI; 7 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 7 K:  Dear Diamondbacks Bullpen- The day I trade for Daniel Hudson, you are not allowed to blow the lead he gives you in the 8th.  Thanks- Coach Lap.

Congrats to New Ro's Matt Duran

New Rochelle (NY) HS shortstop Matt Duran rounds third after hitting one of his 10 HRs during the 2011 school year.

New Rochelle (NY) High School slugger Matt Duran was selected in the 4th round (149th Overall) by the New York Yankees in the 2011 MLB Entry Draft.

Matt was a sophomore when I started coaching at New Ro High and is one of the hardest working HS ballplayers I've ever met.  His sweet swing (with power to right center) will fit in nicely at the big ballyard in the Bronx, should he be lucky enough to get his cup of coffee with the big club.

Congratulations, Matty!  Keep up all the hard work.  We're all rooting for you.

Watch two of Matt's at bats against Horace Greeley HS.  After the game, a Yankees scout watches a private round of batting practice thrown by yours truly.

6/7 Game of the Day

Rockies (28-31) at Padres (27-34)


Ubaldo Jimenez (1-5) at Tim Stauffer (1-4)

Pick: Rockies

*It's not often we have a Game of the Day in which the probable starters have just two combined wins, but this nevertheless remains an interesting matchup here in fantasy land.  Ubaldo comes off his shut out of the Dodgers to take the hill in the very pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park, with both himself and his owners looking to build toward a 2011 turnaround.  Stauffer, on the other hand, is coming off one of his worst starts of the season.  Since that start also came at Petco, and against the lowly Astros no less, I have to say that doesn't inspire too much confidence in those who thought Timmy was a sleeper FA pickup.  I say Stauffer struggles again, and Ubaldo does enough to keep the Friars quiet and get the win.

Fantasy Impact:  Tim Stauffer's ERA/WHIP at home this year are 4.41/1.53.  Away from Petco he's pitching to a 3.62/1.25 and has earned his only win of the season.

Record: 5-10.  We're going streaking.

Daily Leaders 6/6/11

Bats

1.  Brennan Boesch, DET; 5 for 6, 2 HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R:  We know the guy can hit, but can he do it with any sort of consistency?  He has multiple hits in three of his last four games, but like last year, has struggled after a good start.

2.  Nelson Cruz, TEX; 2 for 4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R;  In the midst of a ten game hitting streak, Cruz has 6 HR over that span.  Shall the beasting begin?

3.  ^Prince Fielder, MIL; 2 for 3, HR, 4 RBI, BB, R:  I am the prince of all I survey.  Your puny ballparks cannot contain my gargantuan blasts.  There shall be an abundant clubhouse feast.  Bring me the finest meats and cheeses in all the land! (I know he's a vegetarian, but you get the idea).

4.  Michael Morse, WAS; 2 for 6, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, R:  At what point does he become for real?  Do people wait as long as they did to say it about Jose Bautista to say it about Morse?  Why don't I buy it...


5.  Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE;  3 for 4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R:  Oh. Because clearly I know nothing about fantasy baseball.



Arms


1.  Cliff Lee, PHI; 7 IP, 7 H, BB, 10 K, W:  His consistency has been a well noted problem so far this year, but with his ridiculous K/9, how much cause for concern can there really be?


2.  David Prince, TB; 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 7 K, W:  The Price was right in St. Pete last night, as David didn't walk a batter.  With his ERA dropping and his WHIP hovering around one, he's done a lot to establish himself as an top tier pitcher.

3.  John Danks, CHW; 7.1 IP, 7 H, BB, 6 K, W:  Danks has had a little bad luck this year, but that really doesn't excuse the fact that he earned just his first win of the season last night.  If I'm you, I treat Danks like a cranky old neighbor's yard and stay away.

4.  Zack Greinke, MIL; 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K, W:  Despite his 5-1 record, Greinke had looked a little iffy after starting the season on the DL.  His last three starts have been much stronger, however, to the tune of three wins and three quality starts.

5.  Clayton Mortensen, COL; 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, W:  Honestly, I don't think I would allow a run if I got to start in Petco Park.  Mortensen was actually outpitched in the Battle of the Clayton's by the Padres Clayton Richard (7 IP, 1 ER, 8 K), but the Rox scored on an infield hit in the first.

6/6 Game of the Day

Dodgers (28-32) at Phillies (35-24)


Ted Lilly (4-4) vs. Cliff Lee (4-5)

Pick:  Phillies

*The struggles of Cliff Lee have been well chronicled lately, but he has been pretty solid at home this season, and has owned the Dodgers throughout his career.  Ted Lilly is coming off his best start of the year but remains just as inconsistent as Lee.  We've been on something of a roll here, coming into today with our longest winning streak of season (at two games).  Needless to say, we were nervous to put that streak on the line, but I say the Phightins hold off the third place Dodgers down on Pattison Avenue tonight.  Don't be surprised if it comes down to the bullpens, though.

Fantasy Impact:  Only one current member of the Dodgers (Juan Castro) has more than one career hit off of Cliff Lee.

Record: 4-10.

Upset Special

Huge news in New Ro MLB last week, as Madoff Like Bandits was able to close the first place gap to 3.5 games, defeating Komplex Thoughts 9-3.  It was a very close matchup in all categories, though the score certainly didn't show it, suggesting the Guru might not be coming as far back to earth as we all hope.

Prestige World Wide continues to have an up and down season defeating Dusty's Asians 8-4 and bringing himself back to one game over 500. The league is still tight, with a long way to go and it should be interesting to see how the rest of June unfolds.

This Week's Matchups

Prestige World Wide (52-51-5) vs. High and Tight (52-52-4):  Two of the bigger question marks in the league go head to head this week.  With both teams hovering around the .500 mark, they'll look to make their presence felt as the league begins to shake out.

The Cenzations (51-49-8) vs. Madoff Like Bandits (57-47-4):  Trying to build off his huge upset from a week ago, Licky will need his on-again off-again lineup to keep its power surge going.  Vinny was barely able to hold off Lanza last week, and will need to step it up if he hopes to remain in the conversation.

Dustin's Ugly Asians (41-59-8) vs. Team Balliet (56-49-3):  Over two months into the season and Claudie still doesn't have a team name.  As a result, he has been bounced from first place, so a week against Dusty's squad may be just what the doctor ordered.

Ouch!!! Benny Benny (50-53-5) vs. Below me (40-65-3):  Tough one for Lanza last week, who really needs the scoreboard to start reflecting his renewed consistency.  Pasqua certainly gets it done against the team's above him in the standings, so now he must hope he doesn't play down to his competition.

Matchup of the Week
Komplex Thoughts (60-43-5) vs. Binghamton Bombers (56-47-5):  The two division leaders square off this week, both looking to rebound after questionable performances.  The Bombers took over first place in the South End Monday morning, but it took everything they had to hold off High and Tight on Sunday.  In the other dugout, Komplex Thoughts were handed their first loss of the season last week, and it wasn't pretty.  There could be a serious shift at the top of the Power Rankings by this time next week, which would close the gap between every team from top to bottom.  This is the biggest matchup of the year so far, so stay tuned.

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

Pulling a String

Top Five Pitchers Doing Work

1.  Yovani Gallardo, MIL
2.  Clayton Kershaw, LAD
3.  Felix Hernandez, SEA
4.  C.J Wilson, TEX
5.  Roy Holliday, PHI

Prince Albert in a Can

Prince Albert performed wonders with the bat last week, and is reminding everyone why he'll be soaring to even greater heights come contract time.

Albert Pujols has emerged back into form and is obviously locked in, right when we all started to doubt his position on the top of everyone's draft board. Prince Albert hit 5 HR to go along with 10 RBI this week, not to mention swiping 2 bags, tallying 11 runs and his superb .444 average and 1.620 OPS. Get ready to see history folks, as there is no doubt in my mind by the start of next season Albert will be the highest paid ballplayer the game has ever seen.

Another hitter tearing the seams off the ball is Dodgers Outfielder Matt Kemp. In 7 days, Matt had a line of .409, 6 R, 4 HR, 13 RBI, and a SB- giving him crazy numbers on the year up to this point. Kemp is a semi-streaky hitter, hitting either really well or insanely out of his mind, both of which I would take on my team any day. Another bat that stood out this week was the big man, Miggy Cabrera. Mr. DUI belted 4 homers, while hitting a cool .300 with a very nice 1.381 OPS. The scary thing about his numbers so far this season, (.313, 43 R, 13 HR, 43 RBI) is that he has barely even gotten hot yet.

On the pitching side of things, C.J Wilson was able to rack up 17 K's and a win in 2 starts, both coming on the road. He now quietly has 82 Strikeouts on the season and is looking primed for another great year. Bartolo "El Gordo" Colon continues to surprise people with his HGH'd right arm, winning two games this week including a complete game shutout at Oakland. A last arm that is worth mentioning is Chris Carpenter. Although he did not record a win this week, he pitched very well compared to his disastrous May, and is seems to be getting back on track with 14 K's and a 2.57 ERA in his last two outings.

3 Players UP: Matt Kemp (LAD), Michael Morse (WAS), Rajai Davis (TOR)

3 Players DOWN: Nick Markakis (BAL), Darwin Barney (CHC), Shin-Soo-Choo (CLE)

6/3 Game of the Day

Rangers (31-26) at Indians (33-21)


Ogando (5-0) vs. Masterson (5-3)

Pick: Rangers


*Masterson got off to a great start to the year, but didn't win a single decision in May.  The Indians have been lights out at home this year (19-7), but have been terrible against the Rangers lately (3-13).  I think the luster is beginning to wear off on the Tribe, who had been riding their leather to the top spot in the AL Central.  Two errors last night and a few mental gaffes show just how vulnerable they (and every team really) are when they don't catch the ball.  That, coupled with the outfielder-turned-ace Alexi Ogando staring them down tonight means their sweet home record is going to take another hit.

Fantasy Impact:  Josh Hamilton has four hits in just six at bats against Masterson, with a double and a bomb.

Record: 3-10

Daily Leaders 6/2/11

Bats

1.  Aubrey Huff, SF; 4 for 5, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R:  Four home runs in two games for Mr. Huff, who has put together a great career for himself.  Hmm...Posey goes down and Giants keep showing up on the Daily Leader board.

2.  Carlos Peguero, SEA; 2 for 4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R:  I know.  I've never heard of him either.
 
3.  Xavier Paul, PIT; 4 for 5, 3B, RBI, 3 R, 2 SB:  He was also caught stealing in the game yesterday, so we know he'll be running if he can get some regular playing time.  I'll be keeping an eye on him in NL Only.

4.  Colby Rasmus, STL; 2 for 5, HR, 3B, 6 RBI, R:  That's what I'm talking about Colby.  You have one of the sweetest swings in baseball so it's time to step up.  He's been struggling lately, so hopefully he's turning it around.

5.  Neil Walker, PIT; 2 for 5, HR, 4 RBI, R:  Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Wait a second.  This guy is still playing baseball?  All I heard for the first two weeks of the season was Neil Walker, Neil Walker.  Then he fell off the map.


Arms

1.  Felix Hernandez, SEA; 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 11 K, W:  It didn't take much for Felix to earn his sixth win of the year, breezing through the Rays in just 97 pitches.  Seattle is still in the hunt (I know, its June) so you have to wonder if they'll be buyers or sellers come the end of July.

2.  ^Jordan Zimmerman, WAS; 7 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 4 K, W:  Can't say enough about how intrigued I am by this guy.  Now, if only he could get the run support he got yesterday every time out.

3.  Bud Norris, HOU; 6 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W:  You know it was a slow Thursday when Bud Norris makes this list.

4.  Michael Kirkman, TEX; 3 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W:  A really slow Thursday.

5.  Mark Melancon, HOU; IP, BB, 2 K, SV:  Melancon has really taken a stranglehold on the closer role in Houston, a team that's perennially among the league leaders in save opportunities.  The former Yankees farmhand is owned in just 65% of leagues, which quite frankly is a travesty.

6/2 Mush of the Day

Mariners (28-26) at Rays (29-26)


Hernandez (5-4) vs. Shields (5-3)

Pick:  M's

*It's been really hard to pick against James Shields lately, and we're hoping that King Felix isn't just biding his time until he gets traded to the Yankees.  The Mariners have hit Big Game Jimmy pretty hard in the past, and Felix knows he's got to prove that he can pitch against the contenders in the AL East.  God he'll look good in pinstripes.  In fact, for a minute last night I thought he already had come to the Bronx.  Too bad the Guru's saved franchise in MLB the Show doesn't have the effects on real baseball that he thinks he does.

Fantasy Impact:  Johnny Damon owns King Felix, to the tune of 9 for 16, with a HR, 4 2B and 4 RBI.

Record:  Who even knows anymore.

Daily Leaders 6/1/11

Bats

1.  Rajai Davis, TOR; 2 for 4, HR, 3B, 4 RBI, 2 R:  You can't steal second unless you get to first, and Rajai has been getting on at quite a clip lately.  No steals yesterday, of course (although it might have given me a boner to see him steal home), but if he stays hot he's incredibly valuable.

2.  Paul Konerko, CWS; 3 for 4, HR, 3 RBI, R:  Not too shabby for Father Time, who considered retirement in the off season.  The cheese was his 12th of the year and he's now second in the AL in ribbies while hitting a cool .310

3.  David Ortiz, BOS: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R:  It's been a flashback to 2004 the last few games for Papi, who has put to bed his reputation as a slow starter from the last few years.  His average is also up around .310, and he should have fun driving in Adrian Gonzalez all year.

4.  Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE; 4 for 6, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R:  At this point, it's not even funny anymore.

5.  Mike Stanton, FLA: 3 for 4, HR, 3B,  3 RBI, R:  Damn, just a double short of the cycle for big Mike, who ended a mini power drought last night.  Turns out he's the fucking truth, huh?  Should be awesome to watch.


Arms

1.   ^Ubaldo Jimenez, COL; CG, 4 H, 7 K, W:  Did anyone notice the sun was shining a little brighter this morning, and that the song of the birds was just a little more beautiful?  Children were laughing and lovers were holding hands in the park, it was incredible.  Or so it seemed, because of Ubaldo.

2.  Colby Lewis, TEX; 8 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 8 K, W:  I know he's only 5-5, but with that 1.15 WHIP and all those K's, at what point can I start to say I told you so?

3.  A.J. Burnett, NYY; 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, W:  It was the first win in the month of June since 2009 for Burnett.  He's really only had one terrible start this year (May 16 against TB), but I'm sure owners are still waiting for the other shoe to drop.


4.  David Price, TB; 8 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 8 K, L:  Well, in keeping with guys who earn an L still making it onto Daily Leaders, Price certainly earned  a spot here today.  Texas has owned him so far in his young career and got him again last night, but he's been a beast.


5.  Brett Myers, HOU; 6 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W:  He got his ERA back under 5, but don't expect it to go much lower.  Not with that WHIP and a weak K/9.

Daily Leaders 5/31/11

Bats

1. Justin Morneau, MIN; 2 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, 3 R: A few weeks back we wondered how often Morneau would appear in this space. A few more days like today, and he'll be right back where he belongs. Which is...uh...here, I suppose.

2. Curtis Granderson, NYY; 3 for 5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, SB: God bless you, Curtis. God bless you and your family.

3. ^Danny Espinosa, WAS; 3 for 4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R: Hitting just above his weight, Espinosa remains an enigma as we enter June. His power numbers are there, but he's a real drain on roto teams with that unsightly batting average.

4. Yunel Escobar, TOR; 2 for 2, HR, RBI, 3 BB, R: Working on a 12 game hitting streak, Yunel is a shortstop that needs to be owned.

5. Corey Hart, MIL; 2 for 4, HR, 4 RBI, BB, R: Fuck you, Corey Hart.



Arms

1. Jeremy Guthrie, BAL; 8 IP, 5 H, BB, 9 K, L: Not many guys will show up on this list on a day they're on the hook for a loss, but we'll make an exception here. That's only because it's even rarer to find a guy who gets a loss without allowing an earned run.


2. Ted Lilly, LAD; 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 8 K, W: It was his first win since May 10, but Teddy certainly earned it in emphatic fashion. His high ERA is excused by his low WHIP, but it would be nice to see a few more of these high K games.


3. Anibal Sanchez, FLA; 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K, W: Let the dick riding continue.


4. C.J. Wilson, TEX; 6.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 10 K: Tough one, giving up 3 runs on just 3 hits, but the little lefty's K:BB ratio was really impressive in May. You can pretty much tell if C.J. got a positive decision just by looking at his walk numbers on a given night.

5. R.A. Dickey, NYM; 7.2 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, L: Alright, if we got one guy on here with an L, why not the knuckleballer? He struck out more guys yesterday than he did in his last three starts combined, so there must have been no humidity and just a slight wind out in Flushing last nigh.