Cameron Maybin returned from the disabled list last night after a minimum stay and got right back to business. Leading off, Maybin went 3-for-4 scoring four runs, and stole four bases to bring his total to seventeen for the year. That’s right, folks. FOUR STEALS! Sweet sassy molassy! Killer Cam already has more steals than he did all of last year in Detroit (15), and he became the first player since 2013 to steal four bases in a game, and just the 12th player in EVER to steal four bases and score four runs. Have a day! Setting records! Making history! Years ago I wrote a lede pleading with my readers to pick up Cameron Maybin in April and he ended up having one of his most productive seasons ever. So here’s hoping lightning can strike twice, and by lightning I am of course referring to Maybin’s speed. He stole 10 bases in May in 89 at bats hitting .270 with two home runs. Basically, if you got a need for speed, you’re not going to do much better than Maybin, who is available in a little over 80% of ESPN leagues at the moment. With the Angels outfield decimated by injuries, Cam should have ample opportunity to play, and leading off can only help his stolen base numbers. He’s capable of putting up big speed numbers for your team (he stole 40 for San Diego in 2011) if he can stay healthy, which of course with Maybin is a huge Aaron Judge-sized “if.” Still, Cameron is worth riding while he’s leading off, and hitting, and stealing and healthy and I’d add him everywhere I had a need for speed. Let’s hope Maybin this time will be different.
Here’s what else I saw in fantasy baseball Friday night:
Logan Morrison – 1-for-3, 2 runs, HR (17). If you’re not going to own him the least you could do is follow him on twitter. Seth Smith, Corey Dickerson and Tim Beckham also homered as the Rays scored 13 runs on 15 hits. Grey has been telling you to BUY Morrison for weeks now. It’s not like the dude is second in the AL with 17 home runs or anything. Oh wait. He totally is! Why’s he available in over half of fantasy leagues? Much confused. Very frustrate.
Mallex Smith – 2-for-3, 3 runs, HR (1), 2 RBI, 3 SB (6). It’s a good weekend for speed! Like Alex Smith with an “M,” as in three steals, “Mmmm…tasty!” With Kevin Kiermaier’s hip injury, Mallex should be given an opportunity to impress and if this game is any indication, he could be worth an add. If he continues to lead off for the Rays and can get on base there’s plenty of speed potential here and I could see him stealing the job from Peter Bourjos. See what I did there?
Alex Cobb – 6.0 IP, 4 hits, ER, BB, 5 K, 5th win. Alex hails from the Cobb planet, where everything is on a cob. Shut up, Morty! After giving up 9 runs on 14 hits to the Mariners last week I can see why one might be hesitant to trust him but he’s been useful in the right match ups. His start in Toronto next week not being one of those match ups.
Steven Souza, Jr. – 3-for-5, HR (11), 3 RBI, SB (2). The slam & legs! In St. Petersburg, the old folks like their legs soft boiled with warm ginger ale on the side. But really, its too hot to cook, let’s just go to Steak & Shake.
Charlie Blackmon – 1-for-4, HR (14), 2 RBI. Uh-oh, I’m getting the Blackmon fever again! And no, that has nothing to do with the Idris Elba poster on my bedroom wall.
Greg Holland – 1.0 IP, 3 BB, 2 K, SV (23). When the Rockies closer still has more saves than your entire fantasy team and you start wondering if you can even do this anymore.
Dansby Swanson – 2-for-3, run, 2 RBI. When the rookie you told everyone to buy a month ago finally start to look like he might be ownable. Dan’s be good like that!
Aaron Hicks – 2-for-5, 2 HR (10), 3 RBI. Girardi has said that Jacoby Ellsbury won’t be replacing Hicks if/when he ever returns. To which Yankees fans replied, “Oh yeah, we still have Jacoby Ellsbury…?” Trrrrade? Trade? Trade. Regardless, Hicks has drawn more walks this year than he had all of last year, he’s also tied his career best mark in RBI. He needs to be owned in all leagues. Yes, even your Yankees Suck league.
Jordan Montgomery – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, BB, 8 K, 4th win. Jo-Mo has now strung together back-to-back wins with quality starts in three of his past four. Bit scary to own a fly ball pitcher in Yankee stadium, but I’d stream him while the streamings hot! He gets the Oakland A’ss next week and that’s some hot streaming people!
Rougned Odor – 2-for-5, HR (9). Buy low? *dodges tomato* ¯\_(”/)_/¯
Jonathan Lucroy – 3-for-4, HR (4), 3 RBI. Loyal readers out there (hi mom!) know I’ve been experimenting this season by trading my catcher every week. I just traded Yadier Molina (who was tough to part with) for Lucroy and I am looking so smart right now. Considering I started with Wieters in April I’m feeling pretty good. Whaddya say? I’ll give you my best catcher for your worst catcher. Let’s make it happen.
Andrew Cashner – 7.0 IP, 6 hits, ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 3rd win. Str8 Cashner, homey. I’m honestly shocked at how good he’s been. The 3.17 ERA is kind of nice, no? All his other numbers range from meh to bleh. He gets Houston next week. Pick him up if you hate yourself.
Tyler Moore – 3-for-4, 2 runs, 2 HR (4), 4 RBI. Moore bang for your buy! The Moore you know! Moore than Words!? One Moore Chance! No! How about, “Hits For Me Baby, One Moore Time!” That’s the one! Tyler was almost the lede this week, so I guess that was almost the headline, but unfortunately for him and you dear readers he’s not that good. He does have 3 homers in the past week and should see plenty of at bats until Justin Bour returns in a week or two. After that likely No Moore Drama.
Giancarlo Stanton – 2-for-4, HR (16), 3 RBI. Another 450 foot home run! Giancarlo, my love! My flame! My muse! Did you get the bust of your head I carved out of dark chocolate? You know they say dark chocolate is an aphrodisiac, dot, dot, dot, call me! I wrote my number on your bathroom mirror so you can find it easily. Ha! Don’t panic, that’s not my blood! It’s yours. ; )
Dee Gordon – 3-for-6, 2 runs, SB (21). FLASH. AAA-AHHHHHH! Savior of the universe! (Well, Florida, at least. But that’s the first place I’d start). Marlins baseball: Get hooked!
Edwin Encarnacion – 3-for-4, HR (11), 2 RBI. Something tells me Edwin is about to get hot. My quantum e-meter is off the charts and he appeared in a vision at one of my latest auditing sessions. That’s Scientology talk for, I think Encarnacion has cleared some powerful thetans, and that’s a good thing.
Corey Kluber – 6.0 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 5th win. Kluber? I barely know her!
Ervin Santana – 9.0 IP, 4 hits, BB, 5 K, 8th win. Big Erv’s third shut out of the year! He even added three RBI to help his own cause. One more shut out and he’ll be the first starter with more than three shutouts in a year since 2011 or something. That 2.20 ERA is especially cray considering his 6.3 K/9. Whaa? U gon regress or nah? He is carrying my pathetic pitching staff right now, and if that’s scary to you it’s because it should be. I would tell you to sell high, but he’ll probably be more valuable on your team than anything someone will give you in a trade.
Jhoulys Chacin – 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 5th win. I remember when Jhoulys pitched in Colorado. I wonder if he remembers, or if he tries to block that period of his life out of his memory.
Salvador Perez – 2-for-4, HR (12), 2 RBI. Yes, he is better than your catcher. Next question!
Hernan Perez – 1-for-4, 2 runs, HR (8), SB (3). In Milee-wok-ay (Algonquin for “the good land”) they serve up the slam and legs in a bowl of Pabst Blue Ribbon covered in cheddar!
Jake Lamb – 1-for-3, HR (16), 3 RBI. In a world gone mad, baby, Jake’s so baaaaaad! He’s got 56 RBI! You think that’s good, you should try his shawarma!
Sam Gaviglio – 6.0 IP, 6 hits, ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Now has back-to-back quality starts and gets a decent start in Minnesota next week. I am starting to think about considering the possibility of maybe mulling over the option of possibly picking him up. I don’t know though.
Joe Biagini – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. Mama mia! Pepper roni! Morta Della! That’sa spicy pizza pie-a! I don’t know if he’s Italian, but that name, ahh I just don’t really care. Don’t spoil this for me. He gets the White Sox next week.
Joey Votto – 1-for-4, HR (17). Back by popular demand, Canada’s top baseball analysts are here to tell you all aboot how good Votto’s been lately: “Hey Terrence, did you know Joey Votto is batting .444 with 3 homers, 7 RBI and a SB in the past week?” “Wow, Phillip, if you look at the fangraphs you can see that Votto is also *FAAAART*” AHAHAHAHA. “Oh, Terrence, your fantasy advice always provides the next-level in analysis.”
Kenta Maeda – 4.0 IP, 3 hits, ER, 6 K, SV (1). Ahh, the classic four inning save. Hope you had him in your line up!
Mitch Moreland – 3-for-4, HR (8), 2 RBI. Mitch is slashing .276/.373/.485 with 17 doubles. Who cares if 13 of those doubles came in April. Irregahdless! He’s owned in just 20% of fantasy leagues. He hits righties harder than James Comey! Politics! How topical. So, is it because he can’t hit lefties? He is slashing .250/.417/.321 versus lefties this year so which ain’t so bad, right? I’m not really selling it, huh? Moving on.
Craig Kimbrel – 1.0 IP, 2 K, SV (18). Oh boy. Sheer and utter dominance along with two four-strikeout innings this year have delightfully skewed some of Kimbrel’s stats so he currently holds a 17.89 K/9 and a ridiculous 55.6 K%. Three times flame emoji. He is good at throwing baseballs.
Jackie Bradley, Jr. – 2-for-4, HR (8), 3 RBI. Whata shot! Jackie must have channeled his inner Big Papi because the go-ahead jack was a 457 footer just like David Ortiz woulda hit and it sure was purdy. 450+ feet! That’s farther than I’m allowed to leave my house without my ankle bracelet beeping. Most important takeaway from this though is that I think we all need more ski jump in our lives.
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!
