Tuesday, the 16th

My impending doom is near. If you have been reading daily, you may have noticed that I have improved my rank 9 days in a row. It's surely not a record streak, but a pretty damn good one nonetheless. Remember a few weeks ago when I talked about how this game keeps us humbled? Well I have to feel that my next ass kicking is overdue. I just hope that when it happens, everyone else has the same staff as me. I have added a new segment as well, that you will see in the "tomorrow" category. It's guys to stay away from. I will list batters who have really been owned by the starter they are facing. I thought about this when I saw yesterday that McLouth is 1-20 in his career vs. Harang. Keep an eye out for this new feature. I also see that our veiwership crossed well over 200 yesterday. I posted this link again on the pineapple board. For those of you that came from there, welcome, and please come again for a little more than what Hula Boy wants you to see.

YESTERDAY

It kind of felt like a doubleheader didn't it? The bats were going wild and the staffs all blew. Unfortunately, we all had the same guys anyway. I put up 74 from my bats, led by Braun (19), VMart (14), Prince (14), Choo (12), and Rivers (10). Too bad I missed out on D-ro. However, after a great start and a 8-0 lead, Lackey and the boys came back to earth and I only got 8 from the pitching. So, after all that excitement, I am still # 22 overall, but have improved my lead over 50th to 69 points. I should be safe for a day or two anyway. Like I said above, doom is eminent.

TODAY

It appears that among the Suspects and the Leaderboard, Felix and CC have split the majority of the pot, with Verlander in third. I really can't see why so many took CC in that matchbox of a park they play in, but I could be wrong. What's amazing to me is that so many of you, just like me, laid off of Verlander. I bet that it was all in fear of Pujols, too. Here's the final again.....

C: McCaan
1B: Tex
2B: Castillo (El Cheapo Especial)
3B: Wright
SS: Zobrist
LF: Ibanez
CF: Ellsbury
RF: Hawpe
DH: Rivera
PS: King Felix

TOMORROW

Weather:
Brewers/Indians 60%
Mets/ Orioles 60%
I see no reason to worry, but will check it again near the end of the night.

Teams Facing Lefty Starters:
Brewers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Astros, Pirates, Rockies, Padres

Teams Facing Rookie Starters:
Brewers vs. Huff (2-2 7.39 in 6 starts)
Rockies vs. Price (see "pitchers" below)

Players To Avoid:
Wigginton (0-12 vs. starter)
Carroll (1-10)
Byrd (0-11)

Pitchers:
Dempster (4-3 3.87, 2 R or less in 5 of last 6 starts, 3-0 4.06 at home, vs. CWS)
Lincecum (6-1 2.66, 103 K in 88 IP, 3 R total in last 5, 2-0 1.59 in June, vs. LAA)
Lannan (3-5 3.51, 1-6 6.30 on road, at Yanks)
Richmond (4-3 3.90, less than 7 Ip in 5 of last 6, at Philly)
Vazquez (4-5 3.31, 105 K in 84 IP, 2 R or less in 6 of 7, 3-1 2.87 on road, at Cin)
Ortiz (3-2 3.48, mostly pen work, at Tex)
Sherzer (3-4 3.63, 69 K in 67 IP, 1-0 0.00 in June, 1-2 1.55 on road, at KC)
Greinke (8-2 1.72, 97 K in 94 IP, 3 R or more in last 3, 6-0 1.37 at home, vs. Zona)
Jackson (6-3 2.24, 2 R or less in 6 of 7, 3-2 1.55 on road, at StL)
Price (1-0 2.37, has not gone more that 5.2 IP, 26 K in 19 IP, at Coors)
Kuroda (1-2 2.86, 19 K in 22 IP, hasn't gone past 6 IP, 0-1 1.64 at home, vs. Oak)
It is easy to narrow it down to Lince and Greinke, but then it gets tough. Initially, I like Greinke vs. Zona's bats and he has been insanely good at home. However, he has struggled lately and with Hunter out and Lince in a NL park, he is my pick once again.

First:
D. Lee
Dunn (vs. Wang)
Howard
Overbay (6-13, HR vs. Lefty)
Youk (vs. Lefty)
Pujols
Fat Al faces a good starter, for what that's worth, so I am torn between Youk, RyHo and Dunn. I have to take someone against Wang. Dunn it is.

Second:
Roberts (2-3)
Derosa (4-11)
Cano (vs. Lefty)
Utley
Scutaro (11-29, 3HR vs. lefty)
Hill (6-16 vs. lefty)
Utley is tempting, but Moyer sucks. Hill is my man.

Third:
Wright
ARoid (vs. lefty)
Zimmerman (2-4, HR vs. Wang)
Rolen (2-6 vs. lefty)
Chipper (3-6, HR but in 0-21 slump)
Young (3-8)
I'm going to stay with Wright, but Rolen kills lefties and I will keep him in mind if I need to save cap room later.

Short:
Jeter (vs. lefty)
Hanley (1-3)
Zobrist
Bartlett
I have ridden Zo pretty hard lately. Hanley is heating up and does his best work vs. lefties. The Green Monster better be ready.

Left:
Quentin (3-6)
Braun (vs. lefty)
Ibanez
Bay (vs. lefty)
C. Lee (vs. lefty)
Crawford (4-6)
Holliday (5-8)
Bruan hits over .400 vs. lefties and is hot as a firecracker. Holliday and Lee are struggling, while Bay hits righties better.

Center:
Beltran
Wells (13-38, 2HR)
McLouth (4-8)
Granderson (3-8)
If Wells was doing anything lately, I would have him vs. Moyer. But, he's not, so 'Tran is my man.

Right:
Dye (3-7)
Rios (9-19, HR vs. lefty)
Cruz (0-2)
Cuddyer (2-3)
Of this group, Rios is the only one hitting well this week. He also kills Moyer and I really want 2 Jays.

DH:
Scott (1-4)
Matsui (vs. lefty)
Johnson (vs. Wang)
A. Jones (10-24)
Blalock (1-3)
Burrell (11-16, HR)
If I knew for sure that Burrell or Andruw would play, I would take them. Since I don't Blalock is my pick. Ortiz blows and Hank the Tank is due to go deep twice.

Catcher:
AJ (4-10, HR)
VMart
McCaan (1-3)
Mauer (1-3)
Johjima (4-13, HR)
Due to cap restrictions, I think I will stay with the combo of McCaan and Wright over VMart and Rolen.

FINAL LINEUP

C: McCaan
1B: Dunn
2B: Hill
3B: Wright
SS: Hanley
LF: Braun
CF: Beltran
RF: Rios
DH: Blalock
PS: Lince

STAT CORNER

The top 10 in on base percentage year to date:
Youkilis .463
Wright .459
Pujols .442
Utley .438
Beltran .437
Fielder .421
VMart .420
N. Johnson .417
Chipper .416
Branyan .415
Braun .415

The bottom 10 in on base percentage:
C. Young .248
Rollins .254
Betancourt .263
C. Davis .266
Benji .259
Kouzmanoff .278
Giles .279
J. Lopez .279
Pudge .280
O. Cabrera .280
Atkins .282
Francouer .282

DISCLAIMER

My picks are my picks. If you choose to follow my lead, do so at your own risk. Thanks for reading, please come again, register as a follower if you like and.....

FU Kerry Wood