Head2Head Sports

Diamond Dandies: Week 12

By Brian Rothstein

Twitter: @BRothH2H

P, San Diego Padres (ID 123, $17.7)

The Padres are on fire right now. After starting the season an abysmal 5-15, the Padres have gone 30-19 to fight their way back into contention in the NL West. Their pitching staff ranks at the bottom of the NL in strikeouts, but this is a very short week with teams having 7 games. Beggars can’t be choosers and the Padres are playing as well as any team in baseball. Their schedule this week looks favorable, matching up against the Phillies and Dodgers who respectively rank 11^th and 13^th  in the NL in runs scored. I’m not sure if the Padres are for real, but they certainly are as real as it gets at the moment.

C, Jason Castro (ID 227, $5.6)

I didn’t think I would say it this season, but the Astros have a player who holds some fantasy value. He’s shown some nice pop from the catcher position; his 10 HR are already a new career high. Look for him to do some damage against the Brewers who lead the NL in gopher balls allowed. The Cubs also offer some potential for Castro. Depending on the direction of the wind, Wrigley Field can quickly turn into a launching pad. Hopefully he can keep up his hot hitting.

B1, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

With a slumping Paul Goldschmidt in Arizona, Davis becomes the best option at first base. The O’s slugger is on pace to hit 53 HR. Davis’s main series comes against the Blue Jays who’ve given up 57 HR in only 33 games at home. Couple that with his .429 average at the Rogers Centre this season and I can see where Davis is poised for another huge week.

B2, Nick Franklin (ID 448, $6.0)

The Mariners are keeping their fingers crossed that Franklin, a former 1^st round pick, works out better than another one of their first round picks, Dustin Ackley. Franklin has been impressive in his short stint in the big leagues, batting .302 with 2 HR and 6 doubles in 19 games. Seattle seems to have taken a liking to him as well; Ackley was moved to LF for their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma on Thursday. If he keeps hitting he certainly won’t go anywhere. I’m going to try the kid out and see what he can do.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

Cabrera has suddenly been eating Kryptonite as his pre-game meal. The reigning Triple Crown winner is only batting .261 in June after his torrid first two months. Cabrera isn’t the type of player to go into prolonged slumps though. I expect him to turn it around sooner rather than later. Going to Fenway Park should certainly help too. The Red Sox have allowed the 5^th most HR at home in the AL.

S, J.J Hardy (ID 601, $8.0)

Hardy leads all shortstops not named Tulowitzki in HR, but he has a chance to take the lead with Tulo’s most recent stop on the DL. Hardy is an on-base black hole, posting an abysmal .307 OBP. If he’s not hitting he won’t help your fantasy team in any other ways. Thankfully, Hardy is on a tear hitting .364 with 3 HR and 8 RBI in June. I mentioned before how poor the Blue Jays pitch at home. I can see a few bombs this week from Hardy.

O, Carlos Gonzalez (ID 706, $11.0)

CarGo is making a serious MVP run. The Rockies star outfielder ranks 1st the NL in HR, 2^nd in RBI, 10^th in AVG, 7^th in OBP, and 1^st in SLG%.  If that wasn’t enough, he’s also swiped 13 bases. CarGo is the rare, 5-tool player who can contribute in every way possible. Gonzalez already has 7 HR and 22 RBI through only half a month in June. He leaves the friendly confines of Coors Field this week, but he’s too good for me to really care.

O, Jose Bautista (ID 707, $10.9)

Bautista is starting to show signs of breaking out of a prolonged slump. After a 4-45 stretch that saw his average dip to .254, Joey Bats  is 11-37 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. He’s fared well against the Orioles in his career, homering every 13.8 AB against them. A little home cooking at the Rogers Centre might help too. Bautista is a career .283 hitter in Toronto, his 2^nd best AVG in any ballpark (min 50 AB).

O, Hunter Pence (ID 736, $8.6)

Bruce Bochy switched Pence to batting cleanup on June 7^th and it’s certainly paying dividends. Pence is batting .342 with 2 HR, 5 doubles and 8 RBI since the move. The human turkey is posting a .297/.341/.513 slash line after his disappointing 2012. The Giants main series is a 4 game set against the Marlins. Miami ranks 11^th in the NL in road ERA and Pence happens to be batting a robust .303 at home. All signs point to a good week.

Flex, Edwin Encarnacion (ID 303, $11.4)

I’m going to put all my marbles on the Blue Jays-Orioles series being a high-scoring affair. A matchup of the 22nd and 29^th ranked teams in terms of ERA should yield plenty of fireworks. Much like his teammate Joey Bats, Encarnacion has had particularly good success against the Orioles. He homers every 12.8 AB off of Baltimore pitching. Edwin has been hot recently too, hitting .318 over his last 7 games. I like this matchup.

Diamond Dandies: Week 11

By Brian Rothstein

Twitter: @BRothH2H

P, St. Louis Cardinals (ID 111, $20.5)

Everyone knows how good the Cardinals pitching staff has been. What’s been amazing is their ability to call up young arms from the minor leagues and have them be major contributors. That’s a testament to their scouting and player development. St. Louis has the best starter’s ERA by over half a run. Their bullpen has been less impressive, but they still strikeout a lot of people and don’t issue many walks, ranking 7th and 1^st in those respective categories. The Cards have the Mets, Marlins and Cubs on the docket for next week. Those weak offensive teams make this a very easy choice.

C, A.J Pierzynski (ID 207, $8.3)

Since returning from the DL Pierzynski has hit safely in 13 of 16, raising his average 35 points in the process. He hasn’t homered, but he has 7 doubles in that span. Texas faces a struggling Toronto staff that has surrendered a whopping 80 homeruns. All 7 of the Rangers games are at home in the hitter’s haven known as the Ballpark in Arlington. I like Pierzynski this week.

B1, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

Davis is in a bit of a mini-slump going hitless in his last 3 games. However, there’s no reason to shy away from him, especially in a week in which he plays 7 games. Crush has huge power and has been the best first baseman in the AL. As long as he continues to hit over .300 with a few bombs per week he should remain in your lineups.

B2, Dustin Pedroia (ID 404, $8.9)

All Pedroia does is hit. Rain or shine, torn thumb ligament or not, Pedey is a fantasy stud. The diminutive second baseman is riding a 13 game hitting streak during which he has 6 doubles and 2 HR. Pedroia has outperformed every second baseman not named Brandon Phillips. With a slash line of .333/.416/.462 there’s nothing here not to like.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

Cabrera leads all third baseman by over 80 fantasy points. I think he’s going to have a huge week with the Twins and Orioles on the schedule. Not that every other week he has isn’t huge as well…

S, Troy Tulowitzki (ID 601, $11.0)

I would much rather go expensive here and find value in the outfield where it’s much easier. Tulo is on fire right now, batting .429 with 4 HR over his last 7 games. The Colorado shortstop ranks 2^nd in the NL with a .351 average, 3^rd with 16 HR and 2^nd with 51 RBI. There’s no greater offensive force at the position. The Rockies also have 5 home games and then 2 on the road against the horrible Blue Jays. Tulo should hit another couple HR this week.

O, Domonic Brown (ID 805, $7.3)

Where did Domonic Brown come from? He’s gone from below average to superstar in a shorter span than Kim Kardashian’s marriage to Kris Humphries. Brown has an astounding 11 HR in 16 games. He now leads the NL in HR and ranks 4^th in RBI. One month ago he was hitting .244 and slugging .429. Those numbers are up to .289 and .596. Is this a fluke or has he finally figured it out? Only time will tell, but he’s too hot not to have in your lineup.

O, Matt Holiday (ID 708, $10.8)

As good as the Cardinals offense has been, Holiday has had his struggles. His batting average had dipped to .244 about a week ago. Since that low point, Holiday has hit .407 with 4 doubles, 2 HR and 7 RBI. He has quietly put together a 7 game hit streak with 4 multi-hit games. St. Louis  should be able to beat up on the Mets, Marlins & Cubs. Holiday looks like he’s in the zone right now and their weak schedule should see him and his teammates circling the bases.

O, Gerardo Parra (ID 809, $6.0)

Parra was supposed to be the fourth outfielder, but he’s playing at an All-Star level. He’s tied for the NL lead in doubles with Jay Bruce and ranks 2^nd in BA among all senior circuit outfielders. The Dbacks have a very good offense and Parra has played a huge role setting the table for Paul Goldschmidt. At such a low price his production is an incredible bargain.

Flex, Jean Segura (ID 619, $7.0)

Segura has been outstanding all season long. He can do a little bit of everything on the baseball diamond, as evidenced by his .340 BA, 9 HR, 8 triples, 7 doubles and 17 stolen bases. Segura faces the Marlins and Astros with the Reds sandwiched in between. All 7 games are on the road where Segura is hitting .364. His last series in Cincinnati was particularly successful as well. He went 8-14 in the 3 game set. Look for him to continue the success.

Diamond Dandies: Week 10

By Brian Rothstein

Twitter: @BRothH2H

P, Detroit Tigers (ID 105, $22.5)

The Tigers lead all pitching staffs in fantasy points. The margin isn’t even close either. The Reds are a distant second, 64 points behind. Detroit leads all of baseball in strikeouts and ranks 10^th in walks. Coupled with a winning baseball team, that combination is golden. The Tigers weekend matchup against Cleveland looks good too. Only 3 teams strikeout more than the Indians. Detroit looks like the best bet this week.

C, Mike Napoli (ID 208, $8.2)

His May wasn’t as impressive as his April, but it looks like he’s getting hot again. Napoli is batting .417 with 2 HR and 8 RBI over his last 7 games. He leads all catchers in fantasy points and ranks 4^th in the AL with 45 RBI. A little extra motivation against his former team, the Rangers, might be in store as well.

B1, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

That Chris Davis for Koji Uehara really looks crappy for the Rangers. Not that Mitch Moreland isn’t serviceable, but he’s no Crush. Davis has shown prodigious power during his short career. His career AB/HR ratio of 17.72 would rank 69^th all time if he had enough at-bats to qualify. That would put him ahead of famed sluggers Johnny Mize, Ernie Banks and Johnny Bench. Davis is probably good for a few homers, but his .357 BA gives him even more fantasy relevance.

B2, Jedd Gyorko (ID 441, $6.5)

Yes, it’s pronounced Jerk-o. Aside from having an awesome name, Gyorko is having a really nice rookie campaign. The young second baseman is batting .274 with 6 HR and 21 RBI. Although he’s struggled away from Petco to the tune of a .198 average, 4 games in Coors Field should help boost his road splits.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

As ludicrous as it sounds, back to back Triple Crowns are a very real possibility. That would be the greatest individual offensive feat. Ever.

S, Troy Tulowitzki (ID 601, $11.0)

I didn’t really want to go this expensive, but Tulo’s numbers are ridiculous. He’s tearing the cover off the ball at home to the tune of a .404/.471/.697 slash line. The Rockies have 6 home games this week, 4 of which come against a Padres staff that has allowed the 2^nd most HR in the NL. I have a pretty good feeling Tulo hits a few bombs this week.

O, Nick Markakis (ID 742, $8.2)

Markakis ranks 4^th among all outfields in fantasy points. He might be the best contact hitter in all of baseball, having only struck out 20 times in 259 plate appearances. The Orioles are also 2^nd in the majors in runs. 4 combined games against the Astros and Angels is sure to help that statistic. Batting near the top of the Orioles lineup ensures Markakis will score a good percentage of those runs.

O, Domonic Brown (ID 805, $7.3)

Brown is so hot that I need oven mitts to even type his name. After doing virtually nothing and carrying an OBP below .300 through May 24^th, Brown has caught fire. In the 9 games since he’s launched 9 HR and driven in 15 runs. As if it couldn’t get any better, the Phillies have a 4 game set versus the dismal Brewers. Milwaukee’s pitching ranks last in the NL in ERA and HR. I’d better put on some shades too; the outlook is bright.

O, Gerardo Parra (ID 809, $6.0)

Simply put, Parra is the highest scoring outfielder for the cheapest price. At only $6 million he’s definitely a bargain. Parra carries a .311 BA and his 24 extra base hits tie him with Ryan Braun for 6^th in the NL. Parra probably won’t wow anybody, but his production will be consistent and solid.

Flex, Paul Goldschmidt (ID 308, $10.0)

If you’re a Giants fan you have to hate Paul Goldschmidt. He murders Giant pitching, having 7 HR in only 111 AB versus the reigning champs. Goldy has multi-hit games in 5 of his last 8 games and has been a force all season. Here are his NL ranks: 4^th in BA, 4^th in HR, 1^st, in RBI, 5^th in R, 5^th in BB, 2^nd in SLG% and 1^st in OPS. There’s an MVP award in his future.

Diamond Dandies: Week 9

By Brian Rothstein

Twitter: @BRothH2H

P, Atlanta Braves (ID 109, $21.2)

The Braves pitching staff has been decimated by injuries but they keep on trucking along. Atlanta is tied with Pittsburgh for the best home ERA at 2.47. Not surprisingly, based on my pick, the Braves play all 7 games at home this week. The staff won’t dazzle with strikeouts but they certainly won’t walk anyone either. Atlanta pitching has only allowed 41 free passes all season. Edinson Volquez could easily surpass that number in 1 month. All things look favorable for the Braves this week.

C, Brian McCann (ID 212, $7.7)

The Braves All-Star catcher has returned from the DL with a bang. In 16 games McCann is hitting .281 with 6 HR and 14 RBI. Evan Gattis could potentially be a problem, but Atlanta is going to get creative with him and not their expensive catcher. McCann will almost assuredly sit one of the 7 games, but should be good to deploy anyways.

B1, Paul Goldschmidt (ID 308, $10.0)

Goldschmidt’s career numbers are a little strange because he has a lifetime average 53 points higher away from Chase Field which is normally a very good hitter’s park. I don’t have an explanation for his splits, but I do know that the Dbacks have 7 road games this week. Goldschmidt leads all first baseman in fantasy points and is staking an early claim to the NL MVP award. His numbers in May have been outstanding, with a .369 BA, 7 HR and 22 RBI. I see no signs of him slowing down either.

B2, Matt Carpenter (ID 439, $6.5)

Matt Carpenter is a name the casual baseball fan may not have heard of, but he’s a very good offensive player. He’s tied for the NL lead in doubles and ranks 3^rd in all of MLB in runs scored. An old school guy who bats sans batting gloves, Carpenter has reached base in all but 3 games in May. Hitting atop a potent St. Louis lineup adds to his fantasy value. He’s a winner if he can keep hitting doubles and scoring runs.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

Nothing new to report here. He plays in a league of his own.

S, Jean Segura (ID 619, $7.0)

I really need to save some salary here so Segura is kind of a no-brainer. It doesn’t hurt that he leads all fantasy shortstops in points either. He only has 3 extra base hits over his last 10 games but he’s still getting on base. I think the extra base hits will come back facing the 24^th and 28^th ranked pitching staffs.

O, Mike Trout (ID 704, $11.7)

Trout is really starting to heat up. After a pedestrian April where he batted .261 with 2 HR and 16 RBI, Trout is hitting .354 with 8 HR and 21 RBI in May. Horrible Houston and its 5.37 team ERA roll into LA for a 4 game set too. Trout should be able to do some serious damage against the Astros

O, Carlos Gomez (ID 760, $7.1)

One thing about our game is to look for guys who are not only getting hits, but accumulating extra base hits. What’s a good marker of this? Slugging percentage. Carlos Gomez actually leads the NL with a .611 SLG%. I was surprised to learn this too. With his cheap salary and favorable schedule, Gomez should be started in every lineup.

O, Coco Crisp (ID 768, $6.7)

Crisp only has 2 extra base hits since returning from the DL but he’s still getting on base. He ranks 3^rd among AL outfielders with a .383 OBP. The games I’m really looking at for him are against the Brewers. Milwaukee has allowed 60 HR, the most in the NL. Even if he doesn’t go yard, Crisp will continue to get on base and steal bases. He’s proven he can do that throughout his career.

Flex, Adrian Gonzalez (ID 311, $9.7)

Gonzalez is the hottest hitter in baseball, albeit over the last 3 games. A-Gon has raised his average from .303 to .337 while going 9-11 with 2 HR, 3 doubles and 7 RBI. This looks like the beginning of a hot streak although those numbers are unsustainable. The Dodgers travel to Coors Field where Gonzalez has a .322 average and 14 HR in 50 games. He also abuses his former team, the Padres, to the tune of a .435 average. He’ll have 2 games against San Diego at the tail end of the week.

Diamond Dandies: Week 8

By Brian Rothstein

Twitter: @BRothH2H

P, Detroit Tigers (ID 105, $22.5)

The Tigers pitching staff has been leading our scoring pretty much all season. Boston has surpassed them for the league lead in SO, but Detroit should claim the top spot at the end of the season. Their staff misses bats at an extremely high rate, almost 10 K/9. Detroit has struggled in May, going 8-9 with a 4.12 ERA, but I like the way their schedule shapes up with the Twins and Pirates on the docket. Verlander also makes 2 starts and I expect him to bounce back in a big way after the worst start of his career.

C, Joe Mauer (ID 202, $9.2)

Mauer had his 15 game hitting streak snapped on Sunday, but he’s been on fire. In May, the Twinkies catcher is batting .426 with 12 doubles. The Twins have a 4 game set in Detroit where Mauer is a .315 career hitter. He has one of the sweetest swings in the game and I see no reason not to ride him while he’s hot.

B1, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

I really want to put Paul Goldschmidt here because you all know what a Goldy fanboy I am. Nevertheless, I’m going with Chris Davis this week. He’s cooled off from his Ruthian start to the season, but his average has surprisingly remained over .300. The Orioles have 4 games against the Blue Jays 29^th ranked pitching staff. Sounds nice, right? But wait, there’s more. In Toronto, Davis is a career .373 hitter with a .686 SLG%. I expect a few balls to fly out of the Rogers Centre.

B2, Jason Kipnis (ID 408, $8.0)

I think I’ll show a fellow ASU Sun Devil some love this week. Kipnis has been straight killing it in the month of May, batting .314 with 14 XBH and 20 RBI. He’s certainly put his slow start to the season behind him, and is helping the surprising Indians stay atop the AL Central. Kipnis has a great all around game with his ability to steal bases. With 4 games in Boston, I think he can certainly yank a few inside the short porch in right field.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

Two words: 7 games. Don’t think about anything, don’t look at the schedule, just put him in your lineup. You’ll be happy you did.

S, Jean Segura (ID 619, $7.0)

I’m going to pick Segura even though he only has 6 games this week. The Brewers young shortstop leads the position in fantasy points. In the real world, Segura is 2^nd in the majors in BA to only Miguel Cabrera, batting a scorching .364. He has great speed, as evidenced by his 14 SB, and also nice pop for a little guy, with 17 XBH. Going with Segura also helps save a little bit of salary for my outfield.

O, Adam Jones (ID 709, $10.7)

Jones is 4^th among all outfielders in BA and 2^nd in RBI. After breaking out last year, Jones is showing that his 2012 campaign was no fluke. He only has 6 HR after belting 32 last year, but the power will be there. I think it will show up this week in Toronto, where the Jays have allowed the 3^rd most HR at home. He’ll have 4 games against their wretched pitching staff to do some damage.

O, Alex Gordon (ID 718, $9.8)

Gordon has been en fuego all year, leading all outfielders in BA at .343. He’s been even better lately, hitting safely in 14 of 16 games with 9 multi-hit efforts in May. 4 games against the Angels, whose staff has been almost as crappy as Toronto’s, bodes well for Gordon. The two games against the Cardinals and their major league leading ERA look scary, but Gordon is a lifetime .354 hitter versus St. Louis. Crisis averted. I’ll take Gordon this week.

O, Starling Marte (ID 817, $6.8)

The Pirates may have found another star to play alongside Andrew McCutchen. Marte is a major reason why the Pirates are near the top of the NL Central. He ranks 4^th among all outfielders in fantasy points and is the cheapest option in the top 10. Pittsburgh plays at Miller Park this weekend where the Brewers have the worst home ERA and allow the most home HR in the NL.

Flex, Eric Young Jr. (ID 792, $4.6)

The options are limited here because I have to go pretty cheap. Young has some upside though. With Michael Cuddyer on the DL, Young has been seeing regular at-bats atop the potent Rockies lineup. He hasn’t really found his stroke yet, but hopefully he can find his groove with some regular playing time. 2 games against Houston at the tail end of the week can’t hurt either.

Diamond Dandies: Week 7

By Brian Rothstein

Twitter: @BRothH2H

P, Boston Red Sox (ID 122, $17.9)

The Sox staff hasn’t been good lately. A 5.25 ERA over their last 8 games is nothing to get excited about. However, their schedule for the upcoming week is tantalizing. They face the Rays, Twins, and White Sox. None of those offenses is anything to worry about, and the Sox staff should continue to miss bats. They lead the majors in K’s with 363. This should be a good play.

C, Mike Napoli (ID 208, $8.2)

Napoli has cooled off a little bit, but he’s still our top scoring catcher. It’s always hard to choose a catcher because they might get an off day at any time. That’s where the luxury comes in of Napoli playing at first base. He’s played in all 38 of Boston’s games. They need his bat in the lineup, and I need his bat in mine.

B1, Paul Goldschmidt (ID 308, $10.0)

You should all know by now what I think of Goldschmidt. The guy has fantasy stud written all over him. The Dbacks look like they got an even better bargain on his 5 year $32 million extension after the Cubs absurd signing of Anthony Rizzo. Don’t even get me started on committing 7 years to a guy who was being threatened with demotion to AAA 3 weeks ago. Oddly enough, Goldschmidt has much better numbers on the road than at Chase Field. His career AVG is a whopping .69 points higher away from home. Luckily the Dbacks have 5 away games this week against the Marlins and Rockies. Looks good to me.

B2, Robinson Cano (ID 401, $9.5)

The Yankees schedule for this week features Seattle, Toronto and Baltimore. Cano absolutely kills each team with 48 combined HR against them. Conveniently enough the 3 staffs have respectively allowed the 5^th, 2^nd and 11^th most HR this year. That’s a recipe for success.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

If you don’t think Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter in the game today, you’re wrong. I’ve always thought he could win the Triple Crown every year (you don’t have to believe me), and he finally did it last year. He can legitimately do it again this year too, already leading the majors in AVG and RBI. I really don’t care who he plays and where he plays them. He’s clearly the best 3^rd baseman in baseball and I’ll take his production pretty much every week.

S, Jean Segura (ID 619, $7.0)

Segura has been impressive. The young shortstop is batting .359 with 6 HR and 15 RBI. He also is tied for the NL lead in triples with 3. For a small guy (he’s only 5’10” and 200 lbs) Segura has shown good pop. I watched him get on top of a Mat Latos fastball and drive it out of the park to right field. I was impressed. Segura leads all NL shortstops in AVG, and ranks 2^nd in both OBP and SLG to a guy named Tulowitzki. You’re doing something right anytime you’re mentioned with Tulo. Segura has a ton of talent. Let’s see what he can do this week.

O, Ryan Braun (ID 701, $12.0)

Braun has quietly been doing what Ryan Braun does; consistently putting up top 5 numbers. The Brewers cornerstone currently owns a .306/.396/.579 triple slash line. After an off day on Monday, Braun will attempt to start another hit streak after seeing his 12 game surge snapped on Sunday. During that time Braun had 6 multi-hit games. Expect another week of solid production from Braun.

O, Hunter Pence (ID 723, $9.3)

I love watching Hunter Pence play because he reminds me of a human turkey. Everything he does is turkeyesque. I even imagine him making gobbling noises as he runs the bases. Just watch him play and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The Giants colors are even orange like Thanksgiving. It’s perfect. Combined with Panda Sandoval and Brandon Belt the baby giraffe, San Francisco more closely resembles a zoo than a baseball team. The Turkey…err, Pence, has been heating up in May, leading all outfielders in XBH. He’s posted a nice .281 AVG, 7 HR and 22 RBI through the first 6 weeks of the season. Look for that to continue against the underwhelming pitching of the Blue Jays and Rockies. Gobble Gobble.

O, Gerardo Parra (ID 809, $6.0)

Parra has done a really nice job holding down the fort until Adam Eaton is ready to return from the DL. The former Gold Glove award winner is hitting a blistering .407 over his last 7 games and has raised his season AVG to .315. Parra doesn’t have much HR power, but is tied for 3^rd in the NL in doubles. The Marlins and Rockies should give up a few more XBH to Parra.

Flex, Evan Longoria (ID 508, $8.8)

I pointed to Longoria to have a nice bounce back season in my 2013 preview and he’s done nothing to disappoint. Longoria is in some kind of a zone right now. The Rays franchise player is hitting a scorching .464 with 3 HR and 11 RBI in his last 28 at-bats. He leads all MLB third baseman in HR, and is 2^nd only to Miguel Cabrera in AVG and RBI. Longo is absolutely carrying the Rays offense right now. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t carry my fantasy squad.

Diamond Dandies: Week 6

by Brian Rothstein

P, Detroit Tigers (ID 105, $22.5)

I know that they only have 6 games next week, but they only had 6 this week and have already put up 76 points. The Tigers are the Kate Upton of pitching staffs. They have everything you could ever ask for. Except instead of beauty, brains and personality, I’m talking about strikeouts, BAA and ERA. They accumulated 46 points against the Astros this weekend and, well, wouldn’t you know it, they play Houston again next week. The Tigers lead the majors in K’s and the Astros have struck out 50 times more than the next worst team. Detroit also faces a Cleveland lineup riddled with swing and miss hitters. The only drawback is the number of games, but this staff is too good to care.

C, John Buck (ID 235, $5.1)

John Buck has easily been the most surprising player of 2013. He’s on pace to eclipse last season’s HR total (12) by the middle of this month. Buck will eventually regress, but let’s just hope the Buck doesn’t stop here.

B1, Mark Trumbo (ID 314, $9.1)

I feel like Mark Trumbo gets forgotten about on the Angels. Everybody talks about Pujols, Trout and Hamilton, but Trumbo has the most power out of all of them. Trumbo has 5 HR in his last 7 games, and looks to be improving as a hitter. His average is good for 22^nd in the AL. Trumbo has a lot of pop in that bat and could definitely hit 40 HR; something that’s not easy to do anymore. Put him in your lineups.

B2, Chase Utley (ID 418, $6.5)

Utley kind of wins by default here. I need to save some salary, and he’s the most productive option at second base for his salary. He’s mired in a bit of a slump, hitting only .105 over his last 19 AB. Hope is on the horizon though. The Phillies face the Dbacks, against which Utley is a career .293 hitter. I’ll play a hunch and go with Utley.

S, Troy Tulowitzki (ID 601, $11.0)

Tulo is the best offensive shortstop in the game. Anytime he has a full week I’m putting him in my lineup. At a weak offensive position, it’s hard to find value at a cheap price. I’d rather go expensive here and find a bargain at another position. As long as he stays healthy, it’s almost a guarantee that Tulo leads all shortstops in fantasy points at the end of the season. He currently leads all shortstops in BA, OBP, SLG, HR & RBI. What more convincing do you need?

B3, Josh Donaldson (ID 526, $6.3)

I was just talking about finding value at another position, and this is exactly where I’m doing it. The unheralded Donaldson has helped propel Oakland to the top of the Major League leader board in runs scored. A .241 hitter last year, Donaldson is hitting .302 and ranks 3^rd in the AL in doubles. Who knows if he can keep it up, but as of right now he’s a cheap, productive option at third base.

O, Michael Cuddyer (ID 835, $6.7)

In case you weren’t already aware, the Rockies offense is really good. If their pitching wasn’t the exact opposite they would be a serious World Series contender. Nevertheless, Colorado leads the bigs in HR and total bases. Cuddyer has been a large part of that, ranking 5^th in the NL in RBI with 24. His 7 HR are also tied for 5^th. He’s a great option with a lot of pop at a bargain price.

O, Mike Trout (ID 704, $11.7)

I was never on the Trout bandwagon like everyone else expecting him to go 40-40 this year. Some regression was to be expected, although 85% of what he was last year is still a top tier fantasy player. After a slow start out of the gate, Trout is starting to heat up. He’s batting .313 with 10 RBI and 6 XBH over the last week. I don’t see him hitting .300 or knocking 30 HR this year, but fantasy baseball is a streaky game. And what better way to continue a hot streak than facing the Astros? Look for Trout to put up another solid week; just don’t go awarding him any MVP trophies.

O, Torii Hunter (ID 733, $8.8)

Hunter may be old, but he can still play. His .361 BA is good for 4^th best in all of baseball. The Tigers have an incredible lineup and Hunter has plenty of opportunities to score runs with Cabrera and Fielder hitting behind him. His power may be fading a little, but he’s certainly still an above average player.

Flex, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

Miguel Cabrera is the LeBron of baseball. He’s simply the best at his craft. Fresh off of the first Triple Crown since 1967, Miggy is at it again, leading baseball in AVG and RBI. The MVP is on fire right now too, hitting .423 with 3 HR and 10 RBI over his past 7 games. The Tigers have 2 games against Houston at the tail end of the week. The Astros have the league’s worst ERA by almost a full run. They’re really bad and Cabrera is really good. Sounds like a win-win.

Diamond Dandies: Week 5

By Brian Rothstein

This is a short week for a lot of teams. Only 7 have 7 games. It’s good to try to get players with a full week, but remember not to reach just because a guy plays all 7. As always, follow me on Twitter @BrothH2H.

P, Boston Red Sox (ID 122, $17.9)

I was really considering the Phillies here, but having Jonathan Pettibone start 2 games is like the Chernobyl of fantasy baseball. Meaning you want to stay the hell away from that. The Sox have a less favorable schedule but rank near the top in most pitching categories. They’re 1^st in SO, 2^nd in BAA and 3rd in the AL in ERA. Not to mention having the best record in baseball. The only drawback is allowing the 4^th highest walk total. Regardless, striking out almost 10 batters per game as a staff is pretty darn good. The Sox get my choice this week.

C, Mike Napoli (ID 208, $8.2)

Hip problems? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Napoli has been on fire to start the season with a .280 average, 4 HR and 27 RBI. It’s really nice that Napoli has catcher eligibility too. That keeps first base free for another slugger. At a tough position Napoli has good pop and has 7 games this week. Looks like a win-win to me.

B1, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

Why change a good thing? Davis leads all first baseman in fantasy points with 94. His 9 HR pace the AL and his 28 RBI lead all of MLB. It’s very early, but Davis is an MVP front runner. There’s nothing not to like here.

B2, Chase Utley (ID 418, $6.5)

Utley looks great to start the season. His 4 HR are tied with Brandon Phillips for the NL lead and his 18 RBI are 2nd to Phillips as well. The Phillies’ schedule is fantastic this week with 4 games against the hapless Marlins and their 25^thranked pitching staff. Utley has 2 games in San Francisco at the tail end of the week, but that won’t scare me off.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)

This couldn’t be any better for Cabrera. The Tigers have a 4 game set against the Astros and their league worst pitching. It’s not even close either. Their ERA is well over half a run worse than the next crappiest team. I think the Astros should change their name to the Houston Hoovers because they suck so much. Sit back, grab a cold one and watch Cabrera tear apart the ‘Stros.

S, Jimmy Rollins (ID 604, $9.2)

The real draw here again is a 4 game set against the Marlins. I always look for guys with power because that’s what counts the most in our game. Rollins only has 1 HR so far but that will change this week. Shortstop is such a hard position but Rollins has been around long enough that you know what to expect from him. A little bit of pop and good speed. He should be a solid pick.

O, Justin Upton (ID 711, $10.5)

I highlighted Upton in my preseason blog. Excuse me while I pat myself on the back. I can’t stress enough how stupid the Dbacks are for trading him. Martin Prado is a good player, but you don’t trade 25 year old 5 tool players. Upton is the leading NL MVP candidate early in the season, but he only has 18 RBI. 11 of his 12 HR have been of the solo variety. That’s certainly an anomaly, but that speaks more to the team’s middling .317 OBP rather than a knock on Upton. He’ll continue to produce all season and will be near the top of the final MVP standings in the fall.

O, Shin-Soo Choo (ID 723, $9.3)

I may be biased (ok, not may be. I am) but I love Choo. The guy’s an OBP machine. He’s been in my lineup every week this season. There’s no reason to change him. Only 3 outfielders in our game have scored over 95 points (the 4^th highest scorer only has 75). Those 3 are Upton, Choo, and Coco Crisp. For more on him keep reading.

O, Coco Crisp (ID 768, $6.7)

Crisp leads all of baseball with 10 doubles, is 2^nd with 22 runs, and 3^rd with 16 extra base hits. The offensive juggernaut formerly known as Covelli is enjoying the best month of his career. Injuries have taken a lot of time away from him but he’s always been productive. Crisp’s most impressive stat is his 16 walks. His previous career high is 50. That shows improved plate discipline. Swinging at better pitches is certainly translating into better numbers. He might be able to keep this up.

Flex, Edwin Encarnacion (ID 303, $11.4)

Moving to the AL was the best thing for Encarnacion’s career. Watching him play third base in Cincinnati was like watching someone try to catch a greased watermelon. Now he can concentrate on what he’s good at; hitting the ball out of the ballpark. Encarnacion’s career AB/HR ratio at the Rogers Centre is 16.6. That’s excellent. Luckily the Blue Jays have 7 games this week, 5 of which are at home. He’s only hitting .227 but that’s bogged down by a horribly unlucky .208 BABIP. The average will bounce back and the power will always be there. Put him in your lineups this week.

Diamond Dandies: Week 4

By Brian Rothstein

Ok Mother Nature. What the hell? I knew it might rain in Chicago and I brazenly decided to roll with the Rangers pitching staff anyways. Not a terrible decision, but you have to add insult to injury by snowing out games in Colorado? You’re not making my job any easier here. Apparently I’ll have to add a weather report to my Twitter feed, which you can follow @BRothH2H. Regardless of all the cancelled games, I’m over 200 points (as of Monday) and only 12 points off the league lead.

P, Detroit Tigers (ID 105, $22.5)

The Tigers lead the majors in strikeouts with 179, but that’s no surprise because they have Scherzer and Verlander. Their staff walks too many hitters though. I make the McKayla Maroney not impressed face every time they have to bring in a reliever from their crappy bullpen. I can’t pass up a week in which Verlander gets two starts at home against the Royals and Twins though. Verlander’s career win percentage at home? .717. His career record against those two teams? A combined 28-9. Yeah, I’m sold too. Detroit it is.

C, John Buck (ID 235, $5.1)

John Buck has 7 HR and 22 RBI in only 17 games. What rhymes with Buck? How the…..well, you get the point. That phrase pretty much sums up my thoughts on the Mets’ catcher. A career .236 hitter whose previous career highs were 20 HR and 66 RBI is on pace for 67 HR and 209 RBI. The world has a lot of things that I don’t understand. Buck’s stellar start ranks right up there with nuclear physics. Oh well, ride him while he’s hot.

B1, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Crush, as he’s known to teammates, has been doing exactly that to the ball all year. He’s tied with Mike Napoli for the league lead in extra base hits. His average will assuredly cool off, but I’ll keep running him out there until he starts to suck. Davis is a great value too at only $8.2. His cheap salary will allow me to spend bigger elsewhere.

B2, Robinson Cano (ID 401, $9.5)

I think I’ll use some of my Davis savings here. Cano has been on fire recently, hitting .386 with 3 HR and 11 RBI over his last 10 games. The Yankees get to feast on the abysmal pitching staffs of the Blue Jays and Astros, who rank 3^rd worst and dead last in the AL in ERA. Thanksgiving should come early for Cano. I think he’ll hit a few bombs and have a great week.

B3, Miguel Cabrera (ID 501, $12.0)  

His HR numbers are slow out of the gate, but Miguel Cabrera is still the best right handed hitter in the game. Miggy has already had an unbelievable career and is still just 30 years old. I like the Tigers schedule this week with 7 home games. Cabrera has a career AB/HR ratio of 14.9 at Comerica Park. The Atlanta Braves roll in to town with the league’s best ERA but I’m not too worried. He’ll draw Maholm and Minor over the weekend. Cabrera has a career .315/.428/.547 slash line against southpaws. He’s expensive, but is the highest priced player for a reason.

S, Starlin Castro (ID 606, $8.7)

I can’t believe I’m doing this. You know those DirecTV “worse than” commercials? Having to choose a Cub is worse than every single scenario in those commercials put together. Then multiply that by 1,000,000. That’s how I feel. I loathe the Cubs more than anything (sorry North Siders) but I’ll put my revulsion aside for the sake of you, my readers. 6 of the 7 games the Cubs play this week are against the Padres and Marlins who boast the NL’s worst pitching staffs. Castro is a free swinger who hardly ever walks though. He has 102 walks in his short 3 year career. In contrast, Joey Votto will have that many by the All-Star break.  I also think he plays a terrible shortstop and has a terrible work ethic. I’ll stop spewing hate though and leave you with this. Marlins + Padres = fantasy goodness.

O, Shin-Soo Choo (ID 723, $9.3)

Think the Reds miss Drew Stubbs? I believe, hell no, is the correct response. Choo has been a machine at the top of the Cincinnati lineup, getting on base at an absurd .521 clip. Choo has 10 HBP, more than every other TEAM in the majors. If you want consistent, night in and night out production, Choo’s your man.

O, Lorenzo Cain (ID 755, $7.4)

Remember this guy? A perennial fantasy sleeper, Cain has always had trouble staying on the field. He only has 126 games played across 4 big league seasons. Cain has immense talent and may finally be showing what he can do. The young outfielder is hitting a blistering .368. Lo-Cain has been hot recently too, with 12 hits in his last 22 AB. His all-around fantasy game makes owners drool. The potential is there. As long as he stays healthy the numbers will be there too.

O, A.J. Pollock (ID 836, $7.0)

Pollock has been a great replacement for Adam Eaton. The Dbacks are going to be forced to keep him on the roster if he continues to play as well as he has been. Pollock leads the NL in doubles with 9. He doesn’t have a history of success but is a former first round pick. He’s showing first round talent on the field right now though. Play him while he’s hot.

Flex, Brandon Phillips (ID 405, $8.7)

Phillips has been ultra-productive in the cleanup spot ever since Ryan Ludwick went down with shoulder surgery. Phillips has 6 more RBI than his closest competitor at second base. At the rate Shin-Soo Choo and Joey Votto get on base, Phillips will have ample opportunity to drive in runs. He looks like a very solid play.

Diamond Dandies: Week 3

By Brian Rothstein

We’re off to a good start to the 2013 season. Through Monday I’m leading my league by 14 points. Let’s keep it going. As always, I’ll shamelessly plug my Twitter. Follow me @BRothH2H for fantasy news and updates.

P, Texas Rangers (ID 108, $21.3)

While it might not always be the best strategy for position players, your pitching staff should ALWAYS be a team with 7 games. That being said, I like Texas this week. Our scoring system rewards strikeouts and penalizes walks. The Rangers strike out 8.2 hitters per game while walking only 2.6. The schedule is favorable for them too, with games against the Cubs, Mariners and Angels. None of which are strong offensive teams. The weather doesn’t look good in Chicago so be wary of a rainout. Hopefully the sun will cooperate and I’ll get all 7 games from the Rangers.

C, Evan Gattis (ID 252, $4.6)

Evan Gattis is an interesting story. After being a hot prospect out of high school, he had quit baseball before resurfacing at a tiny college in Texas. Now he’s one of the stars of the Braves early season success. The young backstop is hitting .324 with 4 HR and 10 RBI on the young season. There’s nothing worse than watching your catcher have an off day during your fantasy week. The Braves insistence on getting his bat in the lineup by playing him at first base erases that fear. Nobody knows if his hot streak will continue, but ride it while he’s hot.

B1, Paul Goldschmidt (ID 308, $10.0)  

The trendy pick here is Chris Davis, but I’m going to roll the dice with Goldschmidt. Goldy has been on base in every game this year. The Dbacks have three games in hitter friendly Coors Field, and then head to San Francisco where Goldschmidt is a lifetime .352 hitter. Davis wouldn’t be a bad choice, but I like Goldschmidt’s consistent production a little bit more. I’ll get Davis into my flex position instead, but if you don’t have room for both, go with Goldschmidt.

B2, Brandon Phillips (ID 405, $8.7)

The injury to Ryan Ludwick really hurt the Reds lineup. Thankfully Brandon Phillips is versatile enough to step into the cleanup spot and produce. I personally think Phillips’ low OBP is better suited for the middle of the order. He actually has his best numbers batting 4^th when compared to anywhere else in the lineup. Plus, having the OBP machine known as Joey Votto batting ahead of him gives him plenty of opportunities for RBI. The Reds have 7 home games this week where Phillips is a lifetime .287 hitter and produces an RBI every 6.8 AB. He draws the less than impressive pitching staffs of the Phillies, Marlins and Cubs as well. I think this is a good choice.

B3, Adrian Beltre (ID 502, $10.2)

Beltre is as solid as they come. You know at the end of the year he’s going to have around 30 HR and 100 RBI. He’s gotten off to a slow start to the season, held down by an uncharacteristically low .233 BABIP. The Rangers 3^rd baseman has three good matchups against the Cubs, Mariners and Angels too. I think he’ll start to heat up this week.

SS, Troy Tulowitzki (ID 601, $11.0)

Colorado has 7 home games this week. That’s pretty much all the reason you need to start Tulo who has a career slash line of .310/.382/.542 at Coors Field. I’m going really expensive here, but it’s a weak offensive position. I’d rather go cheap on my outfield where I feel I can find good bargains. He’s the best offensive shortstop in the game and that’s good enough for me.

O, Shin-Soo Choo (ID 723, $9.3)

There hasn’t been a better leadoff man this year than Choo. I think he’s pretty much a lock for a 20-20 season. He’s been a catalyst atop the Reds order and provided a boon to their offense. The Reds problem (besides their pitching) hasn’t been getting guys on base; it’s been getting them in. Choo can’t be blamed for that though. It’s a very small sample size, but Choo has 7 HR in 60 AB at Great American Ballpark, and slugs a robust .717. Those types of numbers shouldn’t be ignored.

O, Dexter Fowler (ID 734, $8.8)

Where did the power come from? Oftentimes, as a hitter matures, their doubles start turning into HR. I think that’s what we’re seeing with Fowler. His doubles almost halved last year while his HR almost tripled. He’s not going to be a 30 HR guy, but 20 isn’t out of the question. Fowler is a must start with 7 home games this week, where his lifetime batting average is 48 points higher than on the road.

O, Norichika Aoki (ID 754, $7.5)

Aoki straight up murders Cubs pitching. He’s only had 59 AB against them, but he has 24 hits, good for a .407 average and his best slugging percentage against any opponent. Aoki already has 4 hits in 2 games against Chicago. The 2 games against the Padres MLB worst pitching staff are nice too. I don’t think Aoki will wow anyone, but his solid production is perfect for this price range.

Flex, Chris Davis (ID 324, $8.2)

He had an insane start to the season, but has only 3 extra base hits since April 5^th. Luckily for Davis, he has 7 home games Camden Yards where he homers every 14.08 AB. To put that in to perspective, he would have the 6^th best all-time mark if he sustained that number in every ballpark throughout his career. It’s a pretty safe bet that Davis will go yard a few times.