The Cleveland Indians may never lose again! Friday night the Tribe won their 16th straight game, the longest streak in baseball this season, and the longest winning streak since the Oakland A’s won 20 in a row back in 2002 (and that team had Jermaine Dye and Chris Pratt!) Kind of gives you that good old fashioned hometown community pow-wow feeling. Relax Isaiah Thomas, you’re a Clevelander now. Regardless! Mike Clevinger has been a big part of the winning streak and he continues to pitch well winning his third straight start Friday night going six innings, giving up just three hits and three walks while striking out seven for his ninth win of the year. In his past three starts, Mike has gone 18 innings, allowing just 10 hits and no runs, with a 22/7 K/BB ratio lowering his ERA from 3.97 to 3.30 in that stretch. Clevinger Assemble! Mike is available in little over half of fantasy leagues, and he’s getting hot at just the right time for playoff stetch. He gets a nice home start versus the Detroit Tigers next week and after limiting them to three hits last week I will definitely be starting him there, especially if they’re going for some kind of silly 21 game win streak record by that point! Or did I just jinx by writing all this? Whatever! Pick up all the Indians! And put all your fantasy faith on Believeland right now, folks, you need to ride this magical streak while you can because the Indians keep winning! Let’s give them the chop!
Here’s what else I saw in fantasy baseball Friday night:
Michael Taylor – 4-for-5, 2 runs, Grand Slam HR (15), SB (14). Michael Taylor Major Buy. He was almost the lede, you guys, but the Indians streak gets me more clicks, and papa needs a new pair of OrthoDoc looseFit diabetic shoes! We’ll call this the, dot, dot, dot…wait for it, grand slam and legs! Were you expecting something more clever from a fantasy baseball blogger in mid-September? Well, I’m sorry I let you down. Sorrynotsorry. Taylor is hitting over .300 with 9 runs, 3 homers, 9 RBI and 4 steals over the past two weeks. He’s no Bryce Harper, but dammit if he isn’t trying to be. He’s also available everywhere. I don’t care if you can’t stand her new single, Taylor is worth a grab. Look what you made him do!
Trea Turner – 3-for-4, HR (8). Mmm. It started early April/May but unfortunately due to his injury I haven’t had enough time this year to develop an unhealthy relationship with Trea just yet. But don’t worry my virtual friends, the seeds have been planted, the postseason is coming and 2018 is a whole new year.
Edwin Encarnacion – 1-for-4, HR (34). It sure took him a while to get going but boy did he ever, and boy does Toronto look bad for letting him go and boy, you’re gonna carry that weight. Hey, that’s a song lyric! Edwin’s .505 SLG% makes me want to do a song and dance!
Drew Pomeranz – 6.0 IP, 2 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 15th win. Props the Dave Dombrowski (who I never give props to) for grabbing this guy last year at the deadline despite injury concerns, because it has paid off. The Big Smooth has been every bit the ace as anyone on the Sawx not named Sale, and he’s won three of his last four starts. Fantasy-wise, Dwew and his nasty curveball have also been a gift, I wish I could pull stats like, “he’s on XX% of playoff teams,” but I cant, I don’t have that technology. So you’ll just have to take my word for it. Pomeranz is the bomberanz.
Mookie Betts – 1-for-4, 3-run HR. Oh. My. Mookie. This is why we’re soulmates. Gotta love a 330-foot home run. It was the first opposite field dinger Mookie has hit at Fenway in ever. “When ur tryna go opposite field for contact but you end up hitting a home run cuz ur bat is lit.” Also, he made two crazy catches because that’s what he does. How does that pitcher feel right now? All the salt. All the love. I had another dream about you last night. Benny was there. The rest I won’t spoil. I’m saving it for my Red Sox Outfield fan-fiction/erotica novella.
Jose Reyes – 2-for-4, 2 HR (12), 3 RBI. Woah! More Mets! And Reyes of Light was a BUY! He’s hitting .333 with 3 homers, 8 runs, 3 steals and 7 RBI in the past week! Yeah, you should probably pick him up if you want to win this thing!
Travis Taijeron – 2-for-4, HR (1). The rookie has struggled since being called up but broke his slump with a dinger in the second. Taij has got some power, but remains to be seen if he gets the ABs to prove it this year. 6/10 will watch closely
Ian Kinsler – 2-for-4, HR (16). Has now homered in back-to-back games. Well, look who decided to show up…my fifth pick. I can’t even look at you right now.
Nick Castellanos – 1-for-4, Grand Slam HR (21). He like-a the sauce, yes! Helios! Get more sauce for da man!
Rhys Hoskins – 2-for-4, 3 runs, HR (13), 3 RBI. ALL HE DOES IS HIT HOME RUNS! ALL RHYS! Judge was 1-for-5 with 3 strikeouts bee tee dubs. Not that I’m counting.
Nick Williams – 4-for-5, 2 runs, HR (10), 3 RBI. Some nice outfielders available on waivers this week! Or is it just that everyone has given up and gone to fantasy football? Nick Williams, who I can’t picture as anything but an R&B singer for some reason, is hitting .387 with 2 homers and 13 RBI in the past week. 13 RBI! That’s Rhys Hoskins numbers, people, lezgoooooo!
Freddie Freeman – 2-for-3, HR (25). Freddie is slashing .319/.417/.617 with 64 RBI. The sad part is he leads my team in almost every category and he missed almost two months. Or is that the happy part?
Jimmy Nelson – 5.0 IP, 4 hits, 2 BB, 7 K, 12th win. Left the start early with right arm soreness but he was str8 deeeeeaaaaaling before that Brewers fans! Is this why you can’t have nice things? Too much Miller High Life.
Ryan Braun – 1-for-3, HR (15). Nice things. Case in point. Brauny’s 300th career home run. Don’t tell him his stats. It only makes him stronger. That and PEDs for elevated testosterone.
Matt Moore – 6.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 5th win. Over-the-internet friends don’t let over-the-internet friends stream Matt Moore, but the White Sox are bad this year.
Pablo Sandoval – 1-for-3, HR (2), 4 RBI. Broke an 0-for-39 streak with the home run. ZERO FOR THIRTY-NINE!!1! How much good faith do you have to have for Skip to let you go 0-for-39!? Didn’t Panda burn all his SF bridges when he left? How did Bruce Bochy think based on everything he’s done or more accurately not done this year, to keep trotting him out there? “He’s due.” Yeah, I’ll say. 0-for-39! At some point you just have to get lucky. And I guess Pablo finally did last night. OK, rant over.
Eddie Rosario – 2-for-4, HR (21). Ughguhgh! I had to drop Eddie this week so I could activate Carlos Correa. I know. I waited till the very last minute but I had to, and now I regret it. And now I hate myself. And now I’m going to stick my head in the oven.
Matt Belisle – 1.0 IP, 2 K, SV (7). Do you need saves, brah? He’s got two in the past week. He’s also readily available in most leagues and his ratios won’t destroy you. He’s also a BUY! Sounds like a match for a perfect pick up! Makeithappen!
Eric Hosmer – 2-for-4, HR (24). Slashing .319/.385/.507 and matched his career high in dingers. This is the part of the blog where we speculate where soon-to-be free agent Eric Hosmer ends up next year. You’ve served your time with the Royals admirably, Eric, time to take your talents to South Beach!
Whit Merrifield – 2-for-3, SB (28). He’s got a rapist’s whit and he’s slashing .288/.322/.466 with 17 homers, 68 RBI and also scored 69 runs. I probably told you to buy Whit in at least 10 of my posts this year so don’t blame me for your failure. I get enough of that from my parents.
Luke Weaver – 5.2 IP, 7 hits, 0 ER, 7 K, 5th win. Luke is a perfect 4-0 since joining the rotation back in August and has racked up a real purdy 26/4 K/BB ratio in that stretch. Sweet sassy molassy! Some late season rookie nookie to carry your fantasy squad, perhaps? Yes please. Luke came this close to being the lede but he’s not as available as some other starters, and I couldn’t count on myself to make it through a blurb without making a Star Wars reference. Perhaps he took my advice and used the force. Did you know, this works with anyone named Luke? Wait, STOP! Ain’t no one got time for that right now. IT is out in theaters, people! Scary clown movies based on Stephen King novels only come out one every 27 years! Why 27!? Google it!
Nomar Mazara – 2-for-4, HR (19). As a New Englander, I am required to have blind unrequited love for all players and persons named Nomar. He’s got three homers in the past week! Where were you in April!?
Delino DeShields – 2-for-5, 2 runs, RBI. Delino was a BUY! He’s got three steals in the past week hitting .343, and he’s doing his best to help the razzball writers save face accumulating all his stats in the final two months. Thanks Delino!
Robinson Chirinos – 2-for-2, 2 runs, RBI. Another BUY! Another Ranger! This one is a catcher, too! Woah! It must be your lucky day! It’s almost like the Rangers have had a good team all year and just played like crap and are finally hitting their stride way too late for anyone to care or notice. Well, I notice, and I’m not just anyone. I’m No One, Faceless Man.
J.D. Martinez – 1-for-5, HR (35), 2 RBI. Six homers in the past week! Just Dong has 19 dingers total in 43 games with the Snakes. Now that’s a great trade! Are they better than the Dodgers yet? Someone give that GM a raise.
Mike Leake – 6.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 5 K, 2nd win. Leake is now 2-0 with his new squad and he gets the Rangers next week. I could see maybe considering the possibility of perhaps thinking about weighing the options of starting him next week. I don’t know though.
Josh Reddick – 3-for-3, HR (13), 4 RBI. Josh reached base five times in this one so taking the loss must have been rough. I still think Reddick is the luckiest dude in beisbol, cleaning up for Springer, Altuve and Correa. Even I could get 60+ RBI batting in that spot.
Jose Altuve – 2-for-5, HR (22). What with the hurricane, I think we’re all pretty much sold on a Houston Astros World Series championship at this point. Even with a line up as stacked as it is they still seem like somewhat of an underdog. Although I must say them adding Mr. Kate Upton Justin Verlander this late in the year certainly makes them a little less endearing.
Marcus Semien -2-for-5, Grand Slam HR (6). The grand salami tied what was a pretty wacky game in the seventh inning. If the A’s can beat the Astros you guys, what does this mean for the rest of the league? I thought we all agreed in the last blurb that we want to see as much Kate Upton as possible this October. That’s going to be tricky if the Stros are blowing 4-run leads to the lowly Athletics. Come on Houston, get your heads in the game! We’re all counting on you! #doItForKate
Matt Chapman – 3-for-4, HR (11), 2 RBI. Boog Powell was also 2-for-4 with a game tying home run in the 9th. The A’s consistently remain a great source of late season fantasy adds and for that I will always love you, Brad Pitt–uh, I mean, Billy Beane.
Carlos Gonzalez – 1-for-4, HR (10). CarGo has now homered in back to back games and as bad as he’s been all year he’s getting hot at the right time as the Rox make a run for the wild card. Too bad I stopped talking to him back in June.
Yu Darvish – 4.1 IP, 5 hits, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. Yu mad? Well, yeah, kind of. Not the best outing for Yu, but that’s 1000 strikeouts in the books, folks! The quickest to the milestone in ever. Something tells me Dodgers fans don’t care about his milestone and just want him to not pitch awful. He’s now lost three starts in a row giving up 13 runs in that stretch (12.1 IP). How many bandwagon Dodgers fans do you think they can lose before the postseason starts? Or are they all stuck in traffic? What’s the over under? I’m feeling lucky!
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!
