Well, we’ve reached the halfway point, people. So what to talk about? Do you really need another All-Star snub list to read? Of course not. You’re smart enough to figure that out yourself (though I must say that CC Sabathia and Michael Bourn not even getting on the "Final Vote" ballot is a borderline travesty). After the jump we discuss whether Jose Bautista is for real, our mid-season pick for the most contentious division, a huge fantasy tip, and last - but not least - our first ever mid-season awards.
Jose Bautista
I've gone on the record to say that I think his 2010 season was an anomaly. The statistics backed me up. He played for five - count 'em! - different organizations in 2004 alone. It wasn’t until 2006 that he even hit his first major league home run. Before last season, the most homers he hit in a single season was 16 with Pittsburgh in 2006. So please, forgive me for thinking his 2010 campaign was a fluke. And I call shenanigans on anyone who seriously expected him to have another 50 home run season. I’m not completely convinced we aren’t watching a real life remake of “Face Off” with Bautista in the Nicholas Cage role and poor Justin Morneu stuck playing John Travolta (Am I the only one who misses John Woo? I am? Moving on…).
The NL Central
This may be the most exciting division race in years. So I’m taking a mulligan and starting from scratch. Clearly I jumped the gun on the Chicago Cubs (37-55). Lou Pinella wasn’t the only problem and though Matt Garza may be striking players out, he’s far from the ace I expected him to be. So we’re going to move them to 5th in the division (It goes without saying that the Houston Astros (30-62) get 6th place and may their fans pray that Bud Selig doesn’t move them to the American League).
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| Andrew McCutchen is one of three Pirates on the All-Star Team. |
The Pittsburgh Pirates (47-43) are a great story, but if there is a team that is going to drop out of this four-horse race, it’s them. Streaky hitting and unreliable pitching doesn’t win division titles.
I still think the Cincinnati Reds (45-47) will be fighting for a wild card spot in September, but they’re falling behind and have yet to get on a streak like they did last year when they surprised to take the division. Drew Stubbs, Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce are three elite players, but they never seem to be at their best at the same time. This needs to happen if the Reds plan on playing in October again.
You have to give the Atlanta Braves (54-38) the wild card for now, but if someone were to take it from them, it’s the St. Louis Cardinals (49-43). I never expected them to contend with Adam Wainwright and Albert Pujols missing significant time, but they're tied for the top spot in the division with the Milwaukee Brewers. Maybe Pujols will throw the team on his back and finish his Cardinals Goodbye Tour off with a title. I say no, though.
Don’t let anybody tell you that great hitting can’t get you to the playoffs. The Brewers (49-43) may be the worst defensive team in the league (completely screwing over Zack Greinke, who is pitching far better than his ERA leads you to believe), but they sit atop the division and their bats haven’t even begun to heat up yet. Just wait until Casey McGhee and Yuniesky Betancourt get on track.
Thank you Adam Dunn, for single-handedly destroying my fantasy baseball season
If all it was going to take for you to turn into a bum was a move to the American League, a little heads up would have been nice!
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| Damnit Adam Dunn! (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) |
When you invest in a top-30 fantasy player, you have to stick with them through their slumps (If only because you know the second you drop them, someone else will pick them up just in time for them to break out of their rut). So I stuck with Dunn for months, patiently waiting for his home run ball to return, his average to come even close to the Mendoza line, or at the very least for him to stop throwing up Golden Sombreros every single game.
I thought interleague play would be the tune-up he needed, but he’s been hitting so atrociously that he barely even played! Even Ozzie Guillen doesn’t know what to do with him. When you render Ozzie speechless, you know you’re messed up.
Finally, as I watched in horror as he turned my team from contenders to basement dwellers, I admitted defeat last week and dropped him.
What’s the lesson I learned from all of this? Don’t skimp on first base in your fantasy draft. If Joey Votto, Mark Teixeira, or Adrian Gonzalez falls to you, don’t think you can pick up a solid guy in later rounds. You will end up with Adam Dunn. And you will lose.
Now the mid-season awards!
AL MVP
Adrian Gonzalez over Jose Bautista
NL MVP
Prince Fielder over Jose Reyes
AL CY Young
Justin Verlander over Jered Weaver
NL CY Young
Roy Halladay over Jair Jurrjens Surprise AL Team
Cleveland Indians Surprise NL Team
Pittsburgh Pirates
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