C.J. Cron blasted two home runs last night to help the Angels to a convincing victory over Seattle. Cron has got it going on right now, after his 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI performance last night, he’s got five homers and 18 RBI on the year and is batting a modest .255. Since being recalled from AAA Salt Lake June 29, MegaCron is hitting an insane .448 in eight games with 7 runs, 4 home runs, and 12 RBI. Cron Air, indeed! I’ve got nothing but praise for C.J. Cron right now, Nic Cage! High praise! Since his return to the bigs after struggling earlier this year, Cron has managed to raise his average from under .200 to a respectable .255. Also, dude is just 25 years and is a potential 30 home run hitter. He was batting .323 at AAA with 6 homers so there’s little doubt that he belongs here. The only issue is the playing time, The Sciosciapath may very well play a host of other shmohawks as Grey mentioned when he told you to BUY this week. Methinks if Cron keeps hitting jacks he will force Scioscia’s hand, and hopefully C.J. is Anaheim’s primary DH going forward. Regardless, he is hotter than Rihanna’s VEVO right now and if you are in need of power numbers, the young slugger has tons of upside and is worth grabbing in most leagues before he’s going, going, Cron!
Here’s what else I saw in fantasy baseball Friday night:
Alex Rodriguez – 2-for-4, HR (17), 2 RBI. Due to popular demand (seriously guys, I’m flattered by the emails but get a life!), I’m bringing back my annual mid-season fantasy all-star awards, partly because it makes writing this post a lot easier, but mostly because I just want to snub A-Rod. Lolz! You get nothing!
Clay Buchholz – 3.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 ER, 3 K. Left the game with elbow tightness and is scheduled to get an MRI this weekend. Hopefully for Boston it won’t be too serious, but realistically if the Sawx “ace” is forced to spend any time on the disabled list, their pitching staff is in trouble. Like, even more trouble than they are in already. Which is big trouble, you guyz.
Micheal Pineda – 6.2 IP, 7 hits, ER, 6 K and his 9th win. His only blemish was a solo shot to Mookie Betts, but him and Mookie are secretly bffs. Pineda has been everything the Yankees have wanted him to be lately. More quality starts and less implosions. That’s really all you can ask for, right? In his past three starts, Pineda has allowed just three runs with a 24/1 K/BB rate. That’s really all you can ask for, right? Wait. Can we ask for more? Because I want more of this, please, Michael. Keep it up, I own you everywhere!
Andrew Miller – 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 ER, 2 K. After a shaky outing, Miller rebounded to pitch a nice clean (no-pressure) ninth inning. Dellin Betances pitched the eighth so you’ll have to go back to owning him because he’s awesome, and not because he’s closer. Ho hum.
Erasmo Ramirez – 6.0 IP 4 hits, ER, 5 K. After struggling to begin the year, E-Ram has been as good as your typical young Rays pitcher is wont to be. He posted a 1.44 ERA, with 3 wins and 22 K in June, and he hasn’t given up more than 2 ER in a start since May 24. The strikeouts aren’t blowing me away but Erasmo has been solid and someone I’m definetely watching in the second half.
Jay Bruce – 2-for-3, HR (13). Bruuuuuuuuce! Jay gets the first half award for most hated player you can’t really drop. Sure, you will haaaate owning him for all but maybe 3-4 weeks of the season, but dag num if he won’t get to 20 home runs.
Mike Leake – 8.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, BB, 10 K and his 6th win. The Marlins are really bad without Stanton, you guys. Come back, Giancarlo! We never finished our scrapbook.
Noah Syndergaard – 8.0 IP, 4 hits, ER, 2 BB, 13 K and his 4th win. Forget two of every animal, where can I get two Noah Synerdergaards! He’s got a 72/14 K/BB rate in just 66 innings folks. That’s the stuff fantasy is made of, my fantasys, he wins the first half award for player I will make sure I am owning everywhere next year.
Danny Salazar – 8.2 IP, 5 hits, 0 ER, BB, 8 K and his 8th win. Speaking of high-upside and high-strikeouts, how the heck are you Danny boy?! This was Salazar’s longest outing of the season, and arguably his best. The 3.74 ERA leaves a lot to be desired but with a 116/26 K/BB rate I can look past a lot of things. That’s a 200 strikeout pitcher, people, who cares if he’s slowly destroying my ratios.
Francisco Lindor – 2-for-4, RBI. Gotta hand it to Francona for sticking with the kid. I respect that. Not enough to own him yet, but the respect is there. Mad props, Tito.
Carlos Santana – 2-for-4, SB (4). Looks like someone is starting to heat up. Thankfully, the All-Star break will likely ruin it.
Neil Walker – 3-for-4, 2-run HR (7). In the past two weeks, he’s batting .400 with 13 runs, 3 HR, 11 RBI and a SB. Holy Cosmos, Neil deGrasse Walker is out of this world!
Gerrit Cole – 7.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Cole and his 2.30 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 116/28 K/BB rate and 13 wins, wins my first half award for pitcher I most wish I drafted somewhere but don’t own anywhere because of who I am as a person.
Adam Jones – 1-for-4, HR (12). Jonesy wins the first half award for player I’m still happy I own but even happier I also own Bryce Harper because he is way better and has great hair and hits dingers, you guys. And yes, that’s a real award, and Adam was honored to receive it.
Jonathan Schoop – 2-for-4, HR (5). Schoop ba doop! Schoop a loop! Hit a walk-off home run last night and now has two homers in five games since returning from the DL. Schoop looks like the man at second base in Baltimore for now, so deeper leagues and AL-Only might want to schoop him up if you need a middle infielder.
Kyle Hendricks – 7.0 IP, 5 hits 0 ER, 4 K. The ChiSox got lost in Hendricks Purple Haze and doode was untouchable. Grey and the Stream-O-Nator told you to BUY this start, but I might even buy his next start, too! Hendricks has been electric! He has pitched 20.1 scoreless innings in his past three starts with 18 Ks to just 2 walks. Yeah, I’d own that.
Carlos Rodon – 6.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 6 BB, 6 K. Rodon wins the first half award for player I wish didn’t walk so many batters but I own him anyway because I am such a K-Slut.
Kelly Johnson – 2-for-4, 3-run HR (9). In the past week, Johnson is batting over .400 with 5 runs, 3 HR and 10 RBI! In the land of the hot shmotato, the man named Kelly is king of the Kellys! Grey told you to BUY and yes, you should own him while he’s hitting all the baseballs.
Charlie Blackmon – 2-for-4, SB (2). Shame on you for owning a Blackmon! But with 23 stolen bases, I’m digging the speed and I guess I can’t blame you! (That’s racist!)
Shelby Miller – 5.0 IP, 11 hits, 5 ER, 7 K. The regression fairies were coming hard for Shelby. And these particular fairies glow bright like sunshine and talk like Amy Poehler so you never see it coming. Now that, was emotional.
Carlos Gonzalez – 1-for-4, HR (12). Hey, Grey just told you to BUY him a few days ago! Click the blue text for a link to the post. That’s how internet works!
D.J. LeMahieu – 2-for-3, run, RBI. I saw Dope in the theater this week and it was dope, indeed. I know we have a lot of old school hip-hop heads on the razzball staff, and I rarely get to throw my hat in the ring because I am so East Coast and they are so West Coast and we don’t need that kind of beef in the work place. But I think we’d all enjoy this film, and also, I now know how to sell and distribute Molly. Which could come in handy. I have enlisted the help of DJL in exchange for my collection of glow sticks, and 5% of product. LeMahieu is batting .500 in the past week and is at Coors this weekend. Not much here besides average and runs, but the high is incredible and I’ve never danced so good in my life.
Delino Deshields – 0-for-2, run, SB (14). Grey told you to BUY and he’s a Recently Activated from the DL SAGNOF!
Adrian Beltre– 1-for-4, HR (7). Yo Adrian! You win the award for player I most want to recommend you buy for the second half because of track record, but am hesitant because of the whole thumb issue. It was his first homer since May 25. If he hits another one this weekend, then OK I’m buying.
Rougned Odor – 2-for-3, run. He’s batting .391 with 6 runs, 2 HR. 7 RBI, and 2 SB in the past two weeks. What’s that Odor? He was a BUY this week and something stinks like a hot schmotato!
Melvin Upton, Jr. – 3-for-3, HR (2). Woof. I’m starting to think maybe the Upton’s share their talent, which is why they played so well on opposite coasts, and haven’t played well together. It’s all about time zones, people! Am I onto something, or is Melvin Upton just bad? Do I need to be incepted to understand the layers involved, or can Matthew McConaughey just explain time and space to me and Murph.
Hector Santiago – 7.0 IP 8 hits, ER, 7 K and his 6th win. Let’s give Hector Santiago the “Him?” award. I think a lot of us liked his upside, and saw some K potential, but no one expected a 2.33 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He’s pitched 6+ innings in four straight starts, allowing just 3 ER (27 IP), and with some better luck and run support he could easily be a 10 game winner at this point.
Mike Montgomery – 5.0 IP, 8 hits, 5 ER, 3 K. The regression fairies showed up, said “Hey, Listen!” and showed you where the nearest heart piece was. But not before making sure Mike Montgomery entered the All-Star break with low self-esteem. Fairies are kind of fickle like that.
Jimmy Nelson – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 R, 0 ER, 6 K. Nelson wins one of my most highly touted over first-half fake awards, the “Most Used Streamer” award. He hasn’t been my most successful streamer, or even my favorite, but I’ve certainly rolled J-Nelly Nels out there in the right match ups more often than any other below-average starter. And that’s worth something right? A fake award from a fake baseball blogger. Congratulations, Jimmy. You made it!
Danny Duffy – 6.0 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 3 BB, 0 K and his 3rd win. This is why he deserves to be an all-star, folks! How dare you forget about the Royals. #snubbed
Salvador Perez – 2-for-4, HR (15). Has now homered in back to back games. You win my first half award for Royals Player Most Deserving of a spot at the All Star Game. I owned Sally last year and the year before, but nowhere this year because I thought catchers be dumb. Well, who be dumb now? Who, indeed?
Cole Hamels – 3.1 IP, 12 hits, 9 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Probably Hamels worst start in, well ever. Yes, in ever. Way to boost that trade value, Cole! As a fan of a potential trade partner I am lovin’ it.
Joe Panik – 4-for-6, HR (7), 3 RBI. The Giants scored 14 runs on 22 hits with four-hit games from Matt Duffy (4-for-6, 2 RBI) and Justin Maxwell (4-for-4, 2 RBI). Hunter Pence hit a grand slam, Angel Pagan and Brandon Belt each scored 3 runs. NL-Only leagues rejoice. It was a good day to be a Giant. Sorry Altuve!
Johnny Giavotelli – 3-for-5, run. Mama mia! That’s a spicy baseball-sa! He’s batting .300 in the past two weeks, and as long as he’s hitting in front of Trout and Pujols this spicy meatball can score you some runs!
Mark Trumbo – 1-for-4, 2-run HR (11). Hey, don’t look now but Trumbo has a five game hitting streak. Seriously don’t look. And that goes for the entire Mariners line up. It’s too depressing.
Mike Trout – 3-for-5, 2 HR (26), 4 RBI. Ever since me and Michael got married in Dallas two weeks ago things have been great. Our honeymoon at the Subway in the Niland, CA rest stop was crazy romantic. I watched him eat four Sweet Onion Teriyakis and then we went off-roading in the desert. Trout has been playing some of his best baseball since our union, batting .400 with 5 homers and 10 RBI in the past week! That’s because I know how to keep him happy when he’s not hitting baseballs. The key to our successful marriage: tacos and xbox.
Ervin Santana – 4.0 IP, 8 hits, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Gave up 3 home runs. Smooth Santana, but Detroit is a tough match up for any of us. I’d give Big Erv another chance to disappoint you.
Yoenis Cespedes – 3-for-5, 3-run HR (13). Yoenis wins the first half award for player I wish the Red Sox didn’t trade away because Rick Porcello is mediocre and overpaid, whereas Cespedes is just mediocre.
Victor Martinez – 2-for-5, 2-run HR (4). I’m sorry I wouldn’t own you or pick you up before, because I thought you are old and injury-prone. In reality, it is I who was old and injury-prone all along.
Miguel Sano – 2-for-3, run. He’s batting over .400 and he’s a rookie with massive power potential. You really need to grab him if he’s out there before he starts hitting home runs and he’s not out there no mo’.
Brian Dozier– 2-for-5, HR (19), 4 RBI. Hit a walk off three run homer off Joakim Soria (2 hits, 4 ER, BB) who failed to record an out. Those who sleep on Dozier probably hate this joke! He’s slashing .259/.331/.521 with 19 homers, and 9 SB. He’s got 3 homers and two steals in the past week, and he almost makes me want to own two second baseman. That’s how good he’s been!
Justin Verlander – 7.2 IP, 5 hits, ER, 6 K. Probably JV’s best start in over a year. Too bad the bullpen blew it for him. Thankfully, he has Kate Upton to console him tonight by doing the same thing. Which garners him the first half award for Player I Most Wish I Was Right Now.
J.D. Martinez – 2-for-5, HR (25). He’s got 7 homers and 14 RBI in the past two weeks. J.D.-Mart wins one of my most prestigious first half awards. The Wanna-be Miggy award. I think the more we doubt J.D. the quicker he will turn into a hall-of-famer. He also gets the Best-Value Pick Award, which I kind of think he got last year, too? Whatever. Let’s just give J.D. Martinez all the awards! They are just a lazy writing device anyway. To be perfectly honest, they don’t really mean anything! How fitting, just like the real All-Star game!
Enjoy the break! Thanks for reading! Questions? Problems? Complaints to management? Advice, small gifts or large bribes? Please leave it in the comments below. Join us next Saturday for another Friday recap as fantasy baseball continues next week, all week long!
