Cleveland Indians rookie Shane Bieber was dominant Friday night in just his third career start, pitching seven innings, allowing just four base runners and striking out nine for his second win. Talk about a reason to Love Yourself. The Biebs now holds a 2.45 ERA and 1.36 WHIP through his first three starts (18.1 IP) and his 22/3 K/BB is Despacito–at least I think it’s despacito, not 100% sure I know what that means. I’m saying it’s flames. Shane Bieber is striking out lots of batters. Oh Baby, Baby. Baby sign me up. Wow, you sure do know a lot of Justin Bieber songs. What do you mean? I make it my business to know all about the Beibebers. For example, in the minors this year Shane was 6-1 with a 1.29 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and a 72/6 K/BB. If those numbers make you scream like a teenage girl and and write Shane’s name is cursive flirty letters on your notebook you’re not alone, Beiber’s got the stuff to be a bonafide heart throb. He will likely see the usual rookie pitchers highs and lows, but he’s looking like the favorite to run away with the fifth rotation spot in Cleveland. He’ll get a rougher assignment than Detroit next time out taking on the Cardinals in St. Louis but I’d grab Shane for the upside alone and hope he can make a Belieber out of all of us.
Here’s what else I saw in fantasy baseball Friday night:
Franklin Barreto – 2-for-4, 2 HR (3), 6 RBI. Oakland’s Gun Show Featured Twin Barettos. Is that a pretty good headline or nah? Can you lie and be nice about it or nah? I like it but it’s so violent. Sad that violence and sex are the only thing that can get hits these days. Speaking of sex–uh, I mean hits, Franklin Barreto has gotten five of them since his call up last week, and three of them have been of the home run variety. That’s three home runs in two games if you TL;DR. He was a BUY! He was also pretty underwhelming in his previous MLB stint, which is why I’m reluctant to recommend fully, but I’ll be watching him closer than the Handmaid’s Tale finale. That is to say, with my back to the TV, peering over my shoulder with two hands over my face, trying hard not to look away as I view the scenes through my fingers. Praise be!
Matt Olson – 2-for-4, HR (16). I covered Olson a couple weeks ago. I added a link to help my statz, and you hopefully added Olson to help yours. We decided that Elizabeth is the most talented member of the family, but Matt quietly gaining on her.
Sean Manaea – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, ER, 7 K, 7th win. His second win in a row! If I told you to buy the Secret of Manaea would you think I’m a crazy person? Why do I like A’s pitchers so much!? I don’t know!
Edwin Encarnacion – 2-for-5, HR (17), 3 RBI. His first home run since June 3rd. Woof. I know he missed some time but do better Edwin.
Yonder Alonso – 2-for-4, Grand Slam HR (12). The homer was Yondo’s first in almost a month, too. What does this tell me? The Windians are either due for another massive winning streak, or the Injians need more offense? Hey Tito, Hanley might be available? He might also be in trouble with the FBI and on a plane halfway to Southeast Asia by now.
Alex Wood – 6.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, BB, 7 K, 3rd win. Now THAT certainly was encouraging and there hasn’t been a whole lot to be encouraged about for Wood since you drafted him too high in March. To be fair, however, this was the Mets and they are just awful. The true test will be his next start at home versus the Cubs. Then we’ll be able to see if this is 2017 Alex Wood or whatever he’s been doing this year Alex Wood.
Cody Bellinger – 1-for-4, Grand Slam HR (13). Belly rings up another grand slammy ding dong! I don’t care I’m calling him Belly!
Jose Bautista – 2-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI. His first home run with the Mets! This is SAD on so many levels.
Yasiel Puig – 2-for-4, HR (9). After a miserable April, Puig seems over it and back to his normal streaky self. C-Belly’s clearly righting the ship. Alex Wood looks, err, better? Kersh is coming back! Time for the Dodgers run. I’m not delusional or anything. By the way, Mike Trout, Mookie and Puig are coming by my house later to play Fortnite. #LANParty If you want to come, hit me up and I’ll come pick you up in my Maserati.
Nolan Arenado – 3-for-4, HR (17), 2 RBI. Has now homered in four straight! He’s hitting .414 in the past week with 7 runs and 13 RBI. I am trying to forget that I don’t own Nolan anymore and I’m watching TV and I see Bill Paxton and I think about Twister then my mind immediately goes to Nolan and I walk over to the window, and I stick my face in front of the window fan because I’m too poor for air conditioning. And I close my eyes and I think back, “Ahh, a Torenado.”
Tom Murphy – 3-for-4, run, 2 RBI. Hitting .316 in the past week this doode was a BUY AND he’s a catcher. That is like, exactly what you came here for isn’t it? Me to tell you what catcher to pick up?
Jon Gray – 7.0 IP, 8 hits, ER, 12 K, 7th win. I don’t know whether to start him or sit him but at least Gray is guaranteed run support in Colorado. And if you didn’t start him at home against the Marlins, well, then you probably shouldn’t own him right?
JT Realmuto – 3-for-5, run. The Nats have inquired about acquiring JT but the asking price is too steep apparently? Nats are like, but why start looking for good value for your players now, Jeter? A Realmuto trade could take him from a top 3 catcher to a top 2 catcher so stay tuned!
Danny Duffy – 6.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K. If you started him with confidence in Houston, you should probably be writing this blog. He lowered his ERA to 5.18 with the fine performance. Eww. He still walked four which is what he’s struggled with all year long (76/44 K/BB) so I’d be careful with Duffy his next start in Milwaukee.
Tim Hill – 1.0 IP, SV (1). Timmy pitched a perfect ninth for his first save in ever. Hill has been used more as a situational lefty this year, which is why Kevin McCarthy and Brandon Maurer were speculated to get the first save chances post-Herrera, but Tim Hill is certainly in the mix. I’d probably hold off until there’s more clarity in the situation unless you’re really depacito for saves. Did I use it right that time?
Adalberto Mondesi — 1-for-4, run, SB (2). A SAGNOF BUY alert! But you’ll have to run much faster than that if you ever want any chance of catching The Flaaaash!
Ken Giles – 1.0 IP, 2 hits, ER, K. Another non-save situation, another blow up. Until he blows a save though, dot, dot, dot m-dash…–I’m holding.
Rossell Herrera – 2-for-5, RBI. All these Royals’ rooks! How exciting. This team is going to be real competitive in 6 years!
Shin Soo Choo – 2-for-4, HR (14), 3 RBI. Choo on that! He’s hitting .375 with 6 runs, 2 homers, 5 RBI and a steal in the past week. Try to stop the Shin-Soo Choo Train!
Jack Flaherty – 7.0 IP, 1 hit, ER, 2 BB, 13 K. That’s the second time this year he’s struck out 13, folks! A rookie pitcher with a 68/16 K/BB, you say? *swoons* He’s had trouble pitching deep into games (just four quality starts out of 10) but he’s still got an impressive 2.50 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. If that doesn’t convince you the poster of him in my locker definitely will.
Jesus Aguilar – 2-for-4, 2 HR (16). Hitting .500 with 4 homers and 9 RBI in the past week. Praise him! For he has risen! Tied for the lead league in homers from a first baseman. He’s also second in RBI amongst 1st baseman to Freddie Freeman with 49 and tops all MLB 1B with a .609 slugging percentage. I don’t know if this says more about Aguilar or MLB first basemen!
Joakim Soria – 1.0 IP, 2 K, SV (11). Another BUY! Soria’s rocking a 2.89 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. If he wasn’t the White Sox closer he’d be owned everywhere. But he is and he’s not so now’s your chance!
Sergio Romo – 1.0 IP, 1 hit, SV (5). His third save in the past week. Owning Sergio for saves is a scary proposition because you never know when Kevin Cash might decide to start him or pull him or pinch hit him or whatever. But if you’re as desperate for saves as I am for positive feedback, Romo does have three in five days.
JD Martinez – 4-for-5, 3 runs, HR (23), 5 RBI. Just Damn. Just Dong makes it look so J.D. Martin-E-Z. This guy hit everything. The Red Sox had 20 hits in this crazy game including 3 hits a piece from Mitch Moreland and Rafael Devers but it was JD who got Boston on the board in the first and then tied the game with the homer in the fourth. He holds the league lead in RBI with 60, and home runs with 23 and the .324/.393/.644 is chill as h*ck. Hard to believe believe this guy went unsigned until the end of February? I’m sorry that happened to you JD you deserve all the moneys and respects because you have all the power. He is MVP if season ends today. Do not argue. No one denies this!
Xander Bogaerts – 1-for-4, SB (2). Jammed his index finger stealing second which means I might get to take the lead in our Fortnite squad for the next few days! As for the finger, X is day to day.
Nelson Cruz – 4-for-5, 2 HR (20), 7 RBI. When Nelson Cruz does his best JD Martinez impression. When you drive in seven runs and your team still loses. #CattleMsProblems Ryon Healy also homered in this one and he was a BUY as he starts to heat up with his 14th homer. He’s certainly not as tantalizing as JD and Nelly though.
Andrew Romine – 3-for-4, 2 runs. The most interesting thing about Andrew is that his brother is Austin Romine who Joe Kelly famously punched four times this year for charging him.
Steven Wright – 3.1 IP, 10 hits, 10 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. Allowed 3 home runs. I blame Alex Cora for letting this go on 3.0 innings longer than it should have. He’s lucky he had JD to bail him out. We are all so very, very lucky and thankful we have JD (covered above). When your knuckleball ain’t knucklin’, you’re gonna have a bad time.
Luis Castillo – 5.2 IP, 4 hits, 3 ER, BB, 5 K, 5th win. I want so badly for you to be my Ace, Luis but that 5.70 ERA and 1.40 WHIP have other ideas. Still his 81/32 K/BB ratio gives me hope and I will keep trotting him out there and I will keep falling farther and farther behind in my ratios. I will tell you to buy him only because I think he might be reading and maybe that will motivate him.
Eugenio Suarez – 3-for-4, HR (16), 2 RBI. I know Suarez trails only JD Martinezzzz for the lead league in RBI with 57 and I know that because I know everything about JD now. Go ahead, ask me what his favorite color is!
Jose Peraza – 1-for-4 2 runs, 3 SB (13). I wrote about Peraza way back in April when he was hot then he went ice ice cold and no had seen nor mentioned him or that post ever again. Until now! He’s got four steals in the past two games and the Reds are winning and hitting. Sounds like a tasty SAGNOF to me.
Odubel Herrera – 4-for-5, 4 runs, HR (12), 2 RBI. Yeah baby, he likes it raw! A little shimmy shimmy ya, perhaps? ODB is hotter than the 36 Chambers and has now homered in five straight games with six homers in his past seven games! Sweet big baby Jesus I can’t wait! He’s got your money right herrrrre!
Patrick Corbin – 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 12 K. Ahh, yes. That’s more like it. The pitchers who’ve been carrying me through this first half by pitching way over their heads are finally regressing and my position in the standings along with it. Here’s to fighting off that regression another week!
Ivan Nova – 8.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 8 K. Ivan has a 0.92 ERA with 19 Ks over his past three starts and the match ups were no walk in the park either. Super Nova is on fiire! Which is why he’ll probably get smoked by the Mets in NYC City next week. Ho hum.
Alex Cobb – 7.0 IP, 4 hits, ER, 2 BB, 6 K. Uhh, I don’t know, Rick. “Shut up, Morty! Even the pitchers are on Cobbs. Everything is on a Cobb! Must avoid Alex Cobb. Let’s get outta here, Morty!”
Sean Newcomb – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Looking at Alex Cobb’s line versus Newcomb’s you’d have no idea that this ended up being a 10-7 game with 29 hits between the two teams. Let’s hear it for those bullpens, ladies and gentlemen!
Zach Britton – 0.1 IP, 5 hits, 4 ER. Ouch. You picked him up speculating for saves and instead you get to never look at him the same on your team again.
Manny Machado – 2-for-5, HR (19), 2 RBI. Yes, I want my home team to trade for a Manny Machado four month rental. No, I don’t want to give up anyone of value. Can’t you just, give him to us, Orioles?
Andrew Heaney – 7.0 IP, 9 hits, ER, 4 K, 4th win. Heaney meanie, miney mo. I wonder what way his next start will go? Experts point to his home/away record as Andrew is 4-2 with a 2.18 ERA at home and a 5.13 ERA on the road. These numbers would suggest that benching Heaney next week at Fenway Park would probably be for the best. But he did hold the Yankees to one run back in late May in NYC City so what do these numbers know anyway? Nuttin’!
Marco Estrada – 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 7th loss. Tough seventh loss for Marco who’s been on fire in June with two wins and a 1.75 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 26/5 K/BB in four starts. I know he gets a tough match up in Houston next week but
Clayton Richard – 6.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 4 K, 7th win. His fourth win in a row and his third straight dubya on the road! Hodgepadre forgot his wasn’t in San Diago anymore. You can usually tell by the taste of the fish tacos and the much less attractive people. Clayton is hotter than Bey/Jay collab album produced by Migos. And trust me it sounds way better than it sounds. What–even Blue Ivy jumps on a track?! OMG it’s (h)ova. In the Louvre, you say!? Anyone have a Tidal login I can use? No one? Sigh. Didn’t think so.
Blake Parker – 1.0 IP, K, SV (9). Looks like he’s still the closer in Anaheim. And somehow Mike Scioscia is still the manager.
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!
