Speaking generally, more than just to help you maximize your lineup’s potential, my plan for this column is also to use it to start discussions over whatever enters my mind about fantasy baseball. Things like the pros and cons of Yahoo vs Espn vs other fantasy service providers, developing a model to predict which relievers will pitch on a given day, or which players will benefit from upcoming interleague play like Corey Dickerson is right now. I got things on my mind is all I’m saying, but for now those will stay there since I’ve got an hour before a friends grad party and this has to be submitted. Down to business!
Last Time & Season Results
Last Article: 21 AB, 1 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, .333 AVG
Overall (per game): 0.3 R, 0.0 HR, 0.2 RBI, 0.0 SB, .270 AVG
Although my recs are still light on the counting stats, at least they picked up plenty of hits, led by Oswaldo Arcia‘s 3-for-5 night. I can’t control whether people are on base, at least not yet! Hopefully a few of you gave Arcia the ol’ scoop in your leagues; he looks like he’ll be productive fruit going forward. Overall on the season my guys are batting a smooth .270, higher than most of your regular’s averages I’d presume.
Thursday Game Stats
16 of 30 teams playing
First Game: Red Sox @ Indians – 7:05 PM
If you think about it, it’s impossible for exactly half of teams to be playing in a given day, so Monday’s slate is as close as we’re gonna get to a half-full schedule (or half-empty for the pessimists out there). This is probably the first time I’d say Lineup Maximizer is truly necessary for most people since I started this venture a week or so ago. I love baseball but admittedly, it gets me excited to see a day with a scarcely scheduled set of games. This is where we gain our edge, dear readers! Let’s see whom with an ‘m’ Hitter-Tron likes for tomorrow’s games:
#14 Michael Saunders (L) – Sea – OF – @NYY (Phelps-R) – 7:05 PM – 14% owned
Saunders is a guy that should be owned in more leagues at this point given his stats, which are a .276 average, over 20 runs & RBI, three homers and two steals. He’s also a lefty who can hit both righties and lefties, which is more than you can say about most lefties, right? On monday he squares off against the unimposing David Phelps, who somehow has a 3.38 ERA despite getting knocked around in most starts. Especially at the Stadium Across from the Stadium that Ruth Built, I’d want Saunders in my lineup.
#19 James Jones (L) – Sea – OF – @NYY (Phelps-R) – 7:05 PM – 18% owned
Pick on David Phelps why don’t you? Uhh why not? There’s no rule against it says Patches O’Houlihan. There’s not much to say about Jones that hasn’t already been said. He gets his share of hits and steals, and plays everyday atop the Mariners lineup. Just a solid streaming option for tomorrow.
#44 Jarrod Dyson (L) – KCR – OF – @STL (Miller-R) – 8:10 PM – 5% owned
I’m really gunning for that first steal, can’t you tell? Dyson isn’t an everyday player–more like an every fourth player– but I’m betting that the Royals will give one of their outfielders an off day Monday with their packed schedule this week. Dyson’s been productive when he plays, with a .286 average and 10 steals in just 72 PA’s, and is facing Shelby Miller who looked like a bag-o-crap last time out. No offense, Shelby.
#53 Lyle Overbay (L) – Mil – 1B – vs Min (Gibson-R) – 7:20 PM – 0% owned
If Overbay’s got anything left in the tank these days, I’d think it will come against one of the easiest righties to hit in the AL in Kyle Gibson. Admittedly Overbay hasn’t shown much this year, but somewhere in there is the guy who batter .312 with 20 homers for Toronto in 2006. I’m trying to find guys who aren’t owned in leagues, gimme a break dude.
#54 Josh Willingham (R) – Min – OF – @Mil (Garza-R) – 7:20 PM – 11% owned
Willingham has come off the DL with a vengeance, or at least with as much of a vengeance as the innocuous-seeming Willingham can muster. He’s swatted two homers in his seven games back and looks worthy of being owned in way more than 11 percent of leagues. WAKE UP RCLers!!! Garza hasn’t been getting much of anyone out lately, so I like the Big Ham’s chances on Monday.
Here are a few more options for your streaming pleasure:
#58 Scott Van Slyke (R) – LAD – OF
#72 Yonder Alonso (L) – SDP – 1B
#67 Randal Grichuk (R) – STL – OF
#126 Alexei Amarista (L) – SDP – 2B/3B/OF
