I’m sorry about all the New York corner infielders, but this one was too bizarre to pass up!

Do an internet search for ‘Don Mattingly birthday’ and you get April 20, 1961. Baseball Reference also has him as being born in 1961.

So how did he get away with this, while Miguel Tejada and others have been caught? I guess it doesn’t matter if it is only one year and the supposed official birth year makes him older, right?

Regardless, Mattingly put together a brilliant first three seasons of a career. Look at all those italics! Unfortunately, he would never lead the league in anything after this card was printed. My baseball consciousness wasn’t fully alive until the early 1990s and, at that point, Mattingly was an old fogey with achy knees. Of course, that old fogey posted a .397 OBP at age 33 in 1994. Or maybe he was really only 32 when he was taking all those pitches?

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That is why Katy created the Hot ‘N’ Cold All-stars.

I know you’re just waiting for football to start (Go Eagles!), but, for those of you still winning, I’ll post some quick guys to think about down the stretch, then you can get back to football.

‘Cause you’re hot…you’re yes…you’re in…you’re up

Jim Thome – For some reason, I’ve written a ton about Thome this year, maybe it’s because he keeps putting together pretty good seven day stretches (most recent = three HRs and a .455 AVG). The dude has 21 HRs on the year. If you need power, he’s available and willing to relocate.

Ryan Kalish – Lost in the Red Sox lost season is the work Kalish has been doing. Over the last seven days, he has two steals and a .333 AVG. He got on base in the minors (.284 AVG and .372 OBP) and swiped bases and a nifty clip (84% success rate), so he could be a cheap source of steals and runs down the stretch. There could be an adjustment period, though, so don’t go adding him if you are worried about your ratio categories.

Austin Jackson – Left for dead not too long ago, Jackson has been doing work lately (eight runs and a .310 AVG over the last seven days). He is still existing based on a ridiculous BAbip (.418), but he has shown the ability to stay hot. During his hot streaks, he’ll score and steal a ton. I don’t see any reason not to add him at the moment. When he starts to strike-out again (which he will), simply dump him.

Ike Davis – The Ike test might be a great generational question. When you say the name Ike, who does it remind you of, the character from South Park or a former general turned president? Well, for Mets fans, if Ike Davis turns in seven day stretches like he has recently (two HRs and a .364 AVG), they’ll forget all about the animated series and 34th president. While his average won’t help you, he does have 17 HRs on the year. See if he continues his recent surge and, if so, add him.

Nick Hundley – I had a billion Todd Hundley rookie cards when I was a kid, which makes me kind of despise Nick Hundley. However, Nick has been real good over the last seven days (two HRs, seven RBIs). In fact, over his last 40 ABs, he has hit .293. Unlike, say, Miguel Olivo, Hundley won’t destroy your batting average. Sure he doesn’t hit for a ton of power, but you can do a lot worse at catcher.

Jordan Zimmerman – It is always nice to see players bounce back from injuries. In this case, Zimmerman has come back from a lengthy lay-off to get major league hitters out – no small feat (just ask Brien Taylor). Over the last seven days, Zimmerman pitcher 10 innings, struck out 11 and posted a 0.90/0.80 ERA/WHIP. He won’t throw a ton of innings, so his value is limited. However, in the interim, there is nothing wrong with someone who is going to strike-out a batter an inning.

Ian Desmond – I swear, even though I live in D.C., I’m not a Nats fan. Katy Perry, even though she wants to establish residency in a far inferior country, just seems to like the gleam in their player’s eyes. Desmond has long been a favorite and keeps putting up usable weeks (five runs, four RBIs and a .476 AVG). You can (and probably are) doing much worse at the middle infield position.

Luke French – It’s easy to overlook what French has done this year (just 26 Ks in 59.1 IPs), however he keeps putting up useable turns (seven shutout IPs and a 0.57 WHIP over the last seven days). He has been a tad lucky (.250 BAbip) so his season-long ERA (3.64) is a bit nicer than it should be. However, I see no problem with spot-starting him at home against weaker hitting ball clubs.

Chris Sale – Awhile back, I spoke with Joel Henard about the Chris Sale call-up. At the time, the White Sox bull-pen was in fine form, so I saw Sale as nothing other than an incredibly useful situational lefty. Well, over the last week, with relievers not getting their Rolaids, Sale struck out five batters over 4.2 IPs, got a win and a save and didn’t allow a run. For those chasing saves, he is a pretty attractive option.

Madison Bumgarner – For some reason, I find Bumgarner’s name distasteful, like a mouth-full of sand. Anyway, that’s about all I can find distasteful, as he keeps putting up solid turn after solid turn. Over the last seven days, he hurled 13.1 IPs, struck out nine and posted a 0.68/1.05 ERA/WHIP. He has been a tad lucky with a strand rate near 80%, but other than that he is a super useful pitcher. He is a nice add in mid-sized leagues.

Then you’re cold…then you’re no…then you’re out…then you’re down

Tommy Hunter – What a great name! He’s no Tommy Gunn, but, well, Gunn did end up in the trash, while Hunter should simply end up in the free agent pool. Seriously how many weeks does he have to have like the most recent (12.2 IPs, only seven Ks and a 6.39 ERA and 1.58 WHIP) before you drop him? On the year, he has a .257 BAbip and 80.7% strand rate – he has been real lucky. While his ERA is a smidge below 4.00, he has pitched much more like a pitcher with a mid-5.00 ERA. Do yourself (not your opponent) a favor and drop him for, say, Madison Bumgarner.

Javier Vazquez – The thing people haven’t realized about Vazquez is that, even amid his horrific year, he’s been lucky! That’s hard to do. Yet people still went out and added him when he got a rotation spot back. Well, he rewarded them, with 4.2 IPs, a 9.64 ERA and 1.71 WHIP over the last seven days. He has a .269 BAbip. Pinstripes turn him into something vile, just ditch him.

Anibal Sanchez – Sanchez did some damage to teams when they needed him most (11 IPs, a 5.73 ERA and 1.27 WHIP last week). Well, I’m going to ignore that and say you need to trust him this week. He has been legit all year (.316 BAbip, 70.7% strand rate and 7.01 Ks/9). Sure, he has somehow completely limited his HR/FB rate (just 3.7% this year), but I still think he is a definite match-ups play.

Carlos Pena – This is the typical spot where I say that players like Pena will end up here a lot because they strike-out a ton and thus have wide average swings. However, I’ve not going to do that. Instead, I think weeks like the last one (0/17) have become commonplace for Pena. If you don’t care about AVG and really need power, sure keep him around, but that’s the only reason to own him.

Adam LaRoche – Second-half juggernaut LaRoche hasn’t been very X-men villain-like. Sure his slugging is up a bit, but he’s on pace to hit the same amount of HRs as he did in the first half. What’s worse is that he seems to be sputtering toward the finish line (just .182 AVG over the last seven days). With the depth of the first base pool, I wouldn’t be waiting for a vintage LaRoche endgame.

Pablo Sandoval – As Jack Bauer would say, “you’re running out of time!” Seriously, Sandoval has yet to kick it in gear (.111 AVG over the last seven days) and I don’t think you should wait on him. Miguel Tejada makes a more attractive third base option at this point.

All stats as of noon September 7, 2010.

FB101’s 411: Be sure you know how to judge a hot streak. Thome, Jackson, Zimmerman, Desmond, Sale and Bumgarner make good adds. Keep your eye on Kalish, French, Hundley and Davis. You are allowed to sort of give up on Javier Vazquez, Carlos Pena, Tommy Hunter, and Pablo Sandoval.

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Artistically, this card is beautiful. The color contrast with the shading is just perfect. That YouTube double rainbow guy would be flipping out if he saw this. You also can’t beat an elephant standing on a baseball while brandishing a bat!

What strikes me as most fascinating is the “You’re the Ump” question. For some reason, it indicates that, in the American League, if a ball hits the foul pole and bounces back into play or into foul territory the hit is scored a double, whereas if the ball bounces into fair territory in the stands it is a homer. Whaa? That is some awkward backyard Wiffle Ball rules if you ask me.

Clearly there is a massive logic fail here.

Another logic fail is the idea that Gray was a hard luck loser. He had a 1.92 WHIP in 1954. That year was the only time a team let him pitch more than 26 IPs. Big guy, beautiful card, just not a good pitcher.

What do you think of this article? Did you enjoy? Has anyone else done this? Let me know if I should continue.

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That is why Katy created the Hot ‘N’ Cold All-stars.

Katy’s shirt says it all: Happy. It’s Labor Day weekend. I’m taking today off, so a short intro. Less fluff, if you know what I mean.

‘Cause you’re hot…you’re yes…you’re in…you’re up

Neil Walker – How have I not talked about Neil Walker this year? He is killing it for my NL-only team, especially over the last seven days (four HRs and a .448 AVG). Walker is simply a steady performer, someone deep league owners can rely upon to hit for a decent average and score some runs. If you’re in need of corner or middle infielders (he qualifies at second and third base) give him a look.

Daric Barton – It seems like forever and ever since I had the chance to talk about Barton as well. Barton has finally found his power stroke this year, hitting three HRs and batting .381 over the last seven days. In OBP leagues, this guy is a godsend, as he gets on base at a .401 clip. He is much less valuable in AVG leagues, but, still, will score some runs for you.

John McDonald – I swear the Blue Jays have some sort of magic power that turns light-hitting middle infielders into Jimmie Foxx. Over the last seven days, McDonald, who qualifies at every infield position except first, hit two HRs and scored seven runs. With Yunel Escobar slightly injured, McDonald is getting and using his playing time. However, once Escobar comes back, McDonald will find himself on the bench. At best, McDonald is a very short term stopgap.

Roger Bernadina – Funky ‘cool’ Bernadina is at it again (seven runs, two HRs, and two SBs over the last seven days). I’m of the opinion, and I’ve shared it, that he should be owned in way more than four percent of leagues. He is already a 10 HR/13 SB performer in just 325 ABs. That is big time performance.

Michael Morse – Did you ever think it was funny that funny man Mike Myers had the same name as scary behemoth Michael Myers? Me too! Anyway, there hasn’t been much about Morse’s career that has scared opposing pitchers…until lately…over the last seven days, Morse is 13/24 with a HR. He has worked hard to secure a spot as the Nationals starting right fielder, so, those in NL-only leagues should look at Morse as a hot hand to add down the stretch.

Willie Harris – Harris might benefit the most from Nyjer Morgan turning into a pedestrian version of Ron Artest. If you haven’t seen Katy’s favorite Gaby Sanchez Hulk Hogan Nyjer Morgan, click here. Harris, who qualifies at second and in the outfield, has gone 5/13 over the last seven days and added a home run and stolen base. If he is given the playing time, he can produce. He might get that playing time with a slew of suspensions headed Nyjer Morgan’s way.

Eduardo Nunez – True story, my girlfriend has a kick-ass friend in her public policy graduate school who is named Eduardo Nunes. As far as I know, he is Brazilian and not the guy filling in for the Centaur’ed monster. Over the last seven days, Nunez, the ball player who qualifies at short and third, has hit .364 and stolen two bases. Nunez hit .274 with a .318 OBP in the minors, so he isn’t overly adept at getting on base. Still, once on base, he did swipe 113 bases in 152 tries over six seasons. If you need some speed help in a deep league, Nunez might be your man.

Chris Narveson – Narveson might be the most surprising pitcher to strike-out over 100 batters this year. Although it wouldn’t be that surprising if you looked at this last seven days of work: 13.1 IPs, 14 Ks, a 2.02 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. While Narveson has pitched better than his 5.33 ERA would indicate (he has a 66.7% strand rate), I can’t endorse him as anything over than a stream option in somewhat deep leagues.

Barry Enright – It seems like eons ago that I talked up Barry Enright. He has become a stalwart in my NL-only league, picking up the slack for a semi-fading Lincecum. He’s been phenomenal of late, going 14 IPs and posting a 1.29/1.21 ERA/WHIP over the last seven days. Unfortunately, he only struck out six batters and has a measly 5.03 K/9 rate. What’s worse is that he’s been very lucky (88.4% strand rate and .256 BAbip). Instead of looking like a 2.45-ERA pitcher, he should look more like a 4.31-ERA pitcher. Still useful, but like Travis Wood, primed for a fall.

Justin Masterson – What to do with Justin Masterson? Just when you’re going to give up on him, he puts together an impressive week (13.2 IPs, 10 Ks, a 1.98 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP). What’s more, he’s been a tad unlucky this season (.336 BAbip, 66.2% strand rate), so his ERA is a bit inflated. In all fairness, he could be a 4.25-4.50-ERA pitcher. I love his K potential, but I’m still weary to run him out there as lefties eat him alive (.296 AVG, .389 OBP, .445 SLG). If you are thinking about using him, make sure you know what kind of line-up he is facing. If there are a few lefties, you better think twice.

Then you’re cold…then you’re no…then you’re out…then you’re down

Yovani Gallardo – Gallardo has become a scary proposition recently. In two starts last week he demolished your ERA and WHIP by posting an 11.12 ERA and 1.94 WHIP in 11.1 IPs. Unfortunately those ratios were only slightly worse than what he has put up over the last 27.2 IPs (9.11 ERA and 1.88 WHIP). His K-rate remains strong (29 over the last 27.1 IPs and 9.99 per nine IPs on the year) and his BAbip has become inflated (.344). In fact his BAbip over the last 28 days is .415, over the last 14 days, .463 and over the last seven days, .500. I think this is really just a blip – no need to panic.

Brennan Boesch – I pleaded with you to trade Boesch a long time ago. You, apparently, ignored me. Now, I’m pleading with you to drop him. He is 25 percent owned – that is way too high. Just look at what he did to you over the last seven days: 2/13. There are so many other players you should grab

Chase Headley – Remember when people thought Headley was the next Ricky Henderson – ok, not exactly, but people were believing in his SBs. Well he has 16 total stolen bases and has really hurt h2h teams when it mattered most. Over the last seven days, Headley went 5/25. He is someone I would be fine dropping for a hot hitter.

Alex Gonzalez – Further proof the Blue Jays are magic? Gonzalez has done nothing (or simply reverted back to form) since joining the Braves. Over the last seven days, he went 3/19 with two runs and one RBI. While he is getting on base more for the Braves, his slugging percentage was .497 for the Jays and rests at .427 for the Braves. The latter is far closer to his career number (.403). It is dumpsville time for Gonzalez.

All stats as of noon September 2, 2010.

FB101’s 411: Be sure you know how to judge a hot streak. Neil Walker, Daric Barton (OBP leagues), and Roger Bernadina make good adds. Keep your eye on Michael Morse, Willie Harris, Chris Narveson, Barry Enright and Justin Masterson. You are allowed to sort of give up on Alex Gonzalez, Chase Headley and Brennan Boesch.

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The first card I looked at was Mike Boddicker.  Did you know that “Mike has worked as a grain elevator operator?” Neither did I. The same guy who was traded for Brady Anderson AND Curt Schilling back in the day was once a grain elevator operator! This discovery got me intrigued and so I went ahead and looked through all the cards and found some very interesting tidbits.

The first Wacky Look Back will be Howard Johnson:

Apparently, in 1985, Howard Johnson entered and dominated (well co-dominated) a rib-eating contest among professional athletes.

Obviously, the biggest question is left unanswered: HOW MANY RIBS DID HE PUT DOWN!?!? And who all was involved? Was Cecil Fielder involved? I’d guess not because he wasn’t a rookie until 1987. If Fielder wasn’t involved, does his co-crown count? Were there football players involved? If so, any lineman? Joe Montana? And perhaps most importantly, are they still doing this now? Does ESPN broadcast it? Looking at HoJo’s picture, I can’t help but think that he probably would have won that crown outright if he’d had Keith Hernandez-esque facial hair. That sucker would have sopped up a ton of BBQ sauce.

Anyway, I think this is a fantastic tidbit to put on HoJo’s career. A former first-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers in 1979 he made an auspicious debut in 1982 as a 21-year-old. He hit .316 in 54 games. He wouldn’t reach similar success again until 1987, in his third season with the Mets. His career profiles very similar to Eric Chavez – I imagine HoJo will be remembered more fondly. I already do because he ate ribs, not injured them.

What do you think of this article? Did you enjoy? Has anyone else done this? Let me know if I should continue. More importantly, what do you think of the title?

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That is why Katy created the Hot ‘N’ Cold All-stars.

Loyal readers – we can all breathe a sigh of relief, as, at long last, Katy Perry has “reclaimed her position as queen of airplay.” Since California Gurls took the summer by storm, Katy has worked hard to climb back to the top spot – this time with Teenage Dream.

Really, it’s about time. And it’s about time for you to reclaim your spot at the top of your h2h pyramid. Most leagues are either in the play-offs or in the last week of the regular season.

For those in the play-offs, know your tie-breaker. If you own the tie-breaker, you only have to win five categories that week. So, look at your past history against your opponent and try to identify the categories you are going after. I recommend streaming pitchers as much as possible to secure wins and Ks. If you have good relievers, you can then scoop up saves, meaning you only have to secure two hitting categories for the win.

If you are in the last week of contention, be sure you know what you need to secure a play-off spot. In my most competitive league, I have a three game lead. Basically, all I have to do is go 5-5 (the likelihood of the second place team winning 8-2 or 9-1) is very small, so I’m focused on gobbling up categories. Now is the time to study and come out with a game plan for getting back on top.

‘Cause you’re hot…you’re yes…you’re in…you’re up

Marcus Thames – Thames, who once started as a young Yankee prospect, is back in pinstripes and hitting like we all thought he would back in 2002. Over the last seven days, he has belted five HRs, knocked in eight runs and batted .471. At the moment, he is really only someone to watch, as he, typically, only plays against lefties (with good reason). If you are capable of streaming him, grab him when the Yanks face a southpaw (he has a career .268/.340/.521 line against lefties). He did hit 25 HRs not too long ago—so, he could provide some punch down the stretch.

Freddy Sanchez – For some reason, I’ve never connected with Freddy Sanchez-type players (Placido Polanco, Doug DeCinces, Rex Hudler, and Mark Loretta). Sanchez, especially, has garnered a lot of attention because he won a batting title, yet he has struggled to regain that form for a few years now. Still, he has looked good over the last seven days (.625 AVG and six runs) and is getting a chance to hit atop a surprisingly potent Giants line-up. This could put him in line for more runs down the stretch. As far as second basemen go, he could be a decent flier as someone who gets on base and scores.

Drew Stubbs – While I’ve never loved the Sanchez-type, I’ve always like Drew Stubbs-like players (Luis Mercedes, Devon White, Brady Anderson, Oddibe McDowell). Stubbs has been doing his best Devon White-circa 1989 impression lately (four steals and a .348 AVG over the last seven days). While he has disappointed at the plate (.242 AVG), he is closing in on a 20-30 season. He also crushed the ball down the stretch last season, so you might as well give him a look.

Kevin Kouzmanoff – Kouzmanoff, the Pac-man of available RBI guys, always seems to be the most available run producer. Over the last seven days, he knocked in eight runs and added two HRs. While his average will never help you and he doesn’t really hit for much power, he’ll get some RBIs. If that’s what you need, no harm in adding.

Todd Helton – Todd Helton was my first ever fantasy baseball selection. I also like his beard. So I was thrilled to see him shaking the dust off and putting together a useful seven-day stretch (.417 AVG and two HRs). He is also about to pass Ted Williams on the all-time doubles list! Still, I wouldn’t be running out to pick him up. Wait a week or so to see if he got his groove back before you ad.

Logan Morrison – I find myself really liking Logan Morrison, and it’s not just because I have him in my NL-only keeper league. The kid just gets on base (.320 AVG over the last seven days with nine runs). He has a .400 OBP in 116 MLB ABs and a .383 OBP across five minor league season. When you get on base, good things happen. If you need runs/AVG/OBP, give Morrison a shot.

Jason Donald – One of the “bounty” the Indians got from the Phillies, Donald hasn’t been overly impressive in his major league career (.266 AVG and .320 OBP), so far. Well so far doesn’t include the last seven days, or it does, but whatever; Donald has killed the ball of late .444 AVG and five runs). Donald has posted useful minor league stats (.371 OBP) and flashed some nice speed. He could be a better version of Ryan Theriot.

Xavier Nady – With the Derrek Lee trade done, Nady has a clearer path to a few more at bats. Over the last seven days, he hit .409 and added a HR. Capable of 25+ HR seasons in his prime, Nady could provide some useful power down the stretch.

Rick Porcello – Here I thought the Porcello bandwagon had been put out of its misery, but the young “ace” has been making some decent turns of late. In two starts over the last seven days, Porcello went 14 innings and posted a 0.64 ERA and 0.43 WHIP. He has actually been a bit unlucky this year (just a 63.5% strand rate), so his ERA could be about 0.75 lower. I still don’t love him as he doesn’t strike anyone out, but he has officially become someone who you could think about streaming. Hey, it could be worse. In case you didn’t click on the link, it was to Stephen Strasburg.

Ian Kennedy – One of the biggest mistakes of my 2010 fantasy baseball season was picking up, and then dropping Ian Kennedy – dude has 140 Ks! While it has been an up and down year, his last seven days (12 Ks over seven scoreless innings with a 0.43 WHIP) sure helped some h2h squads. For the season, he has a bit of a lucky BAbip (.273), but should remain about a 4.50 ERA pitcher who strikes out eight batters a game. If that isn’t useful in your league, you need to add some owners.

Nick Blackburn – Paul McCartney’s favorite Twin has been pitching like the favorite son of a knight (last seven days: 15.2 IPs, 11 Ks, a 1.72 ERA and 0.77 WHIP). In the dead of night, Blackburn has been on the short end of the luck-o-meter (.323 BAbip and 65.1% strand rate), but has still pitched like a guy with a 5.23 ERA. In deep leagues, he can be a streaming option for those in search of wins, but I won’t endorse him anymore than that – I mean he makes Porcello look like Nolan Ryan.

Joe Blanton – Maybe it’s his portliness or the fact that I always imagine him in overalls, but I like Joe Blanton. His last seven days have been downright watermelon-festival-like: 13 IPs, 12 Ks, a 1.38 ERA and 1.00. Sure, his 2010-line doesn’t look great, but he hasn’t had much luck on his side (66.7% strand rate and a .334 BAbip). He has performed a lot more like a 4.21 ERA-pitcher than a 5.20-pitcher. He makes a pretty good add down the stretch.

Then you’re cold…then you’re no…then you’re out…then you’re down

Derek Lowe – It’s amazing what a half-decent reputation will get you. For Lowe, it’s ownership levels about 50% in Yahoo! leagues. I hope those owners weren’t paying attention over the last seven days, as Lowe threw up two clunkers (just nine total IPs, an 8.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP). That WHIP is downright scary and he hasn’t been all that useful when it comes to striking batters out (just 5.9/9). There have to be better options out there.

Travis Wood – I’ve been on the record as both a fan of Wood (hahahaha) and pessimistic about his future success. Wood was a lot more Mr. Hyde than Dr. Jekyll in him over the last seven days (nine IPs, a 10.00 ERA and 2.44 WHIP). To date, he has been pretty lucky (.260 BAbip and just 6.4 HR/FB). He’ll continue to put up a decent K-rate (7.19 on the year), but he isn’t anything more than a spot starter.

Mike Stanton – For all the love that Stanton has gotten, he is being outplayed by Logan Morrison. Over the last seven days he is 0/17 and is actually zero for his last 29. He is a streaky player, as evidenced by his other KP All-star performance, but he is someone you can drop and pick back up at the first sign that he is hot. I wouldn’t wait on it.

Ryan Howard – I’m using Ryan Howard’s horrendous last seven days (2/25) to talk about what has been a disappointing season. I know he has been on the DL, but people are going to use that an excuse, when, in fact, it is just masking the problem. Let me get this out of the way, I’ve been a Howard defender over the years and am a Philadelphia Eagles fan, so, in no way, do I harbor resentment to the big fella or the city of brotherly love. Point of fact: Howard’s HR/FB percentage has dropped 12 points since 2008. In addition, he has his worst ISO of his career at .218, substantially lower than his career average of .294. It will be interesting to see how he finishes the year as it will determine if he is the standard 40+ HR guy he has been.

Bobby Abreu – I’ve always been an Abreu fan, as I’ve always loved players who could hit the long ball but also steal a base. In addition, in my most competitive league, we use OBP instead of AVG, which has given Abreu added bonus. This year has been tough, though, as indicated by Abreu’s last seven days .048 AVG and a stolen base. He has seen his average plummet about .040 pts, and, along with it, his OBP. He is striking out a bit more this year and walking a bit less. While he is hitting for a bit more power this season than in those previous, he isn’t stealing bases with his normal success rate. If I have a chance to give him a week or so more, I’d do that. However, if I’m looking for someone who can provide me with power and speed and I’m not concerned about batting average, I’d probably take Drew Stubbs over him. It’s time to catch lightening in a bottle.

All stats as of noon on August 30, 2010

FB101’s 411: Be sure you know how to judge a hot streak. Stubbs, Morrison, Kennedy, and Blanton make good adds. Keep your eye on Helton, Donald, Porcello, Nady, Sanchez and Thames. You are allowed to sort of give up on Derek Lowe, Travis Wood, Mike Stanton and Bobby Abreu.

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Welcome to September’s “I’m a Believer” column. Yes, I got the name from a Monkees’ song. And yes, I like the song. Did you know that Neil Diamond wrote it, as well as many other songs by the Monkees? Isn’t Neil Diamond cool (Red Sox fans)?

Like the song teaches us, this column attempts to be a fun, quick read, mostly focused on what performances we can/can’t believe in.

Without further ado, I’m a believer that:

While Ryan Braun ranks in the top 30 players this year, he has had a disappointing season. Who has been the biggest disappointment on your roster? Post below!

Shockingly, the word succubus was mentioned twice on television in the past week. It’s shocking because I don’t exactly watch high brow shows.

When I wrote, “Trevor Cahill has 32 Ks in his last 33 IPs. I’d be buying him now, even with his lucky (.234) BAbip,” I never knew how right I’d be. He is currently the 20th ranked player in Yahoo!. Still, as Rob Neyer accurately points out, there is absolutely no way he keeps this up. For just one measure, he has a 2.43 ERA and 4.04 FIP.

The most underrated 2010 pitcher has been Clayton Kershaw – top five in Ks.

I thought I was crazy when I said Billy Wagner could strike out 100 batters this year. Well, he’s almost 80% of the way there (78 Ks on the season).

Buster Posey is all I thought/hope Matt Wieters would be – now I am sad.

Brad Bergesen has been improbably useful as of late – he has, unfortunately, been just as improbably (.234 BAbip over the last 28 days) lucky.

Felix Pie can really help some teams down the stretch—ditto for Michael Brantley, Logan Morison, and, gulp, Gregor Blanco. There are a lot of cheap, boutique outfielders available.

The first time succubus was mentioned was on Big Brother, when Julie Chen interviewed the “diabolical super genius” Matt following his elimination. Poor Julie thought Matt said “bitch,” and she got super flustered and remained confused even after Matt said it was an okay word.

It’s incredibly impressive what the Red Sox are doing. They have somehow made me a fan of their season. I find myself rooting for them, which is odd, considering I am super jealous and hate them.

You can’t be upset at what Dice-K has provided (103 Ks in 118 IPs). For someone who was an afterthought in most drafts, that’s a heck of a lot of Ks for no price.

I’d be trading Josh Hamilton in the off-season in my keeper leagues.

There are a myriad of reasons you should wait on drafting a first baseman (Paul Konerko, Adrian Gonzalez, Mark Teixeira, Aubrey Huff, Nick Swisher, Martin Prado and Adam Dunn are all inside the top 31 ranked players). And that list excludes the big three: Pujols, Cabrera, and Votto.

Baseball is a funny game. To wit, not among your top 10 first basemen: Prince Fielder, Kevin Youkilis, Ryan Howard and Mark Reynolds.

I’m glad I ranked David Ortiz inside my top 100 hitters this year. He seems to be having a career arc similar to Jim Thome. He’ll scuffle a bit and should never be used against lefties, but he can provide some cheap power (and he won’t kill your OBP in doing so – he’s gotten on base at a .370 clip this year).

Begrudgingly, it looks like Jose Bautista is for real – a much more reliable Mark Reynolds.

It’s hard to condemn a house member’s Big Brother strategy as the audience only sees the snippets that are most entertaining. Still, it’s pretty clear where Matt went wrong: throwing competitions. Throwing competitions is the kiss of death—he knew this—every time you think you are so safe, you are going home. Further, he knew where he stood in the brigade – quite possibly the worst alliance ever that might actually work – and yet he tried to remain loyal. What he should have done was team up with Ragan, Britney and Brendon against Enzo, Hayden and Lane – it’s the only way the others had a chance. Shame on Matt. Anyone else have thoughts?

The win is a tough stat to talk about. Without it, Felix Hernandez is a behemoth, with it he is “only” a top 20 player.

The Mariners look ridiculous for everything they did to Brandon Morrow. Will the Yankees look similarly foolish for the Joba Rules?

Speaking of Hulu (I did so above), my TIVO recently broke. I’ve had it for five years. I don’t have cable anymore and watch most of my TV online, but I’m still going to miss the little guy. He was so nice and good to me…recording such crappy shows over and over. Sure he messed up from time to time, but, it wasn’t his fault. I’m mourning…Anyone else have TIVO stories they want to share?

I’m looking pretty good for tabbing Robinson Cano as the #1 fantasy second basemen and a top 10 player.

I still don’t buy Adrian Beltre (.341 BAbip). His batting average on July 1: .346, on August 1: .333 and on August 28: .324. That BAbip is starting to correct itself (he has a lifetime .294 BAbip).

The other show that used succubus was Royal Pains. I love this show, and, more broadly, USA. I mean they have some awesome original programming: Burn Notice, Royal Pains and Psych (which Mentalist ripped off, but both are good). They are all wonderful escapist shows. You should tune in – they are on Hulu. Who else has foregone real TV for an internet TV/Netflix hybrid?

Andrew McCutchen is in for a big year next year. Though he hasn’t quite lived up to his early season success, he should finish with a 15 HR, 35 SB sophomore campaign. From there, it’s not a long leap to 20 HRs, 40 SBs.

Haruki Murakami is quite possibly the best writer you’ve never heard of. I can’t put any of his books down. While I prefer Kafka on the Shore to The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, both are excellent. Do yourself a favor and pick up several of his novels.

The torch has officially been passed from AROD to David Wright and Evan Longoria. I’m thinking Longo will be ranked a smidge higher than Wright next year, with AROD being a fourth rounder.

Chris Young (Arizona) is the new Alfonso Soriano. There will be pronounced peaks and valleys, but he’ll end up a good power and speed combination.

Justin Upton will take the game by storm someday. If he falls to the third round next year, it’ll be hard for me to pass on him.

No pitcher has been better than Daniel Hudson over the last month.

If you are looking for shortstop help down the stretch, Stephen Drew has been on a tear. Also, there is Ian Desmond. I’d rather have either of them over Alex Gonzalez, Jhonny Peralta, Starlin Castro or Jason Bartlett.

Ian Stewart has some serious sleeper potential going into next year – dude has 18 HRs in just 371 ABs.

There is very little reason to hold onto Gordon Beckham in a redraft league. He’s been better, sure, but go with someone who is killing the ball, like Wilson Betemit, Chris Johnson, or even Aramis Ramirez.

I’m happy I stuck with Wandy Rodriguez.

Brian Duensing, like last year, has saved his best for last. Still, there isn’t much upside with him – be careful when you use him.

It’s time to get on the Ryan Raburn train. He gets too many RBI chances to ignore and he qualifies at second base.

Don’t look now, but Howie Kendrick has hit .337 over his last 95 ABs. he’s a decent average buy right now.

Wade LeBlanc should make a good, light-weight, addition to most fantasy squads.

If you need Ks and don’t care about your ratios, Manny Parra could be valuable.

I’m a big Joe Blanton fan down the stretch. He’ll be very useful – mark my words.

FB101’s 411: Stick to your guns. Don’t stop believing.

All stats as of noon August 29, 2010.

h2h_Corner on Twitter (http://twitter.com/h2h_Corner)

That is why Katy created the Hot ‘N’ Cold All-stars.

I might have been a little late to the Twitter party, and might still think it is kind-of-sort-of stupid, but there is no denying the utility of the thing. People (hotties), like Katy Perry and Eliza Dushku have active and interesting Twitter handles. In fact, Katy Perry “used Twitter to announce [her] album release” yesterday morning.

Quite simply, you learn stuff on Twitter before others who look to mainstream media outlets. You don’t even have to take part, just think of it as your sports news fix. It’s where I learned Brandon Lyon was the latest Houston closer, that AROD was going on the DL, that Joe Nathan was out for the year, that Favre was retiring and then unretiring, that Sidney Rice just had surgery, etc.. Really, you learn news there before your league mates. All you have to do is get a generic handle and follow me (https://twitter.com/h2h_Corner). I pass along all fantasy baseball and football information I can.

Ok, that was completely self-serving – well somewhat, at least. Anyway, what I want to do with the rest of the column is pass along some players who will help you get into the play-offs and dominate in head-to-head leagues.  As always, if there is a player I missed that you have a question about, post a comment (or hit me up on Twitter).

‘Cause you’re hot…you’re yes…you’re in…you’re up

Omar Infante – The great Rob Neyer outlines a case where Infante might win the batting title. In so doing, Infante might give fantasy owners a similar stretch as Freddy Sanchez did in 2006. Certainly Infante’s last seven days (.452 AVG, eight runs and three HRs) pour gasoline on the fire. Still, there is nothing in the 28-year-old’s career to suggest he is anything other than a light hitting utility player capable, but not assured, of batting around .300. Enjoy the surge while it lasts, but don’t count on it.

Lyle Overbay – Overbay has been on an RBI bender over the last seven days (he has 10 of them!). Still, the writing is on the wall and it is pretty clear Overbay is toward the end of his career. He does get great opportunities for as long as he mans first base for the Blue Jays, but he might not get consistent playing time down the stretch. If he has some decent match-ups in a given week, feel free to roll with him, otherwise, unless you are in dire need of RBIs, feel free to ignore the Bay.

Gregor Blanco and Wilson Betemit – See last week’s Royals binge. Not much else to say here, except Blanco keeps swiping bags Willie Mays Hayes-style and Betemit keeps hitting ropes like I thought he would back in 2003.

Gaby Sanchez – Early in the season, I predicted Sanchez would approach 20 HRs and be as valuable as James Loney. (I also linked to awesome photos of Katy Perry, Eliza Dushku, Rachel Billson and Allison Brie – different links than those). Well technically Sanchez is ranked higher and has hit more HRs and posted a better average. Seven-day stretches like Sanchez had recently had (two HRs, nine RBIs and a .333 AVG) make him a far better option than Loney from now until the end of the year.

Brandon Inge – recently, I tweeted with @fakebaseball (a tremendous follow for any baseball fan) about possible AROD replacements. I think a decent alternative is Inge, who has been smacking the ball around since coming off the DL (last seven days: .429 AVG, five runs and six RBIs). He will never bat that high, but has the potential to hit some HRs and scoop up some Miguel Cabreras.

Roger Bernadina – Did you know Roger Bernadina and James Loney have the same number of HRs (eight) this season? Crazy eh? Well Bernadina is trying his best to get your attention – over the last seven days, he stole two bases, hit one HR and scored four runs. He has a couple of 40+ steal seasons in the minors, which makes him an attractive free agent addition from the waiver wire for those in the need of speed.

Josh Bell – It’s always fun for me when I get to talk about young Orioles with promise. It’s even more fun to watch a young blue-chip prospect smack two HRs off of Cliff Lee. In fact, over the last seven days, Bell has the two HRs, five RBIs and a .333 AVG. Bell, a switch-hitter, hasn’t really flashed much power from the right side, so he shouldn’t be used against lefty starters. Still, if you’re in a deep league and are chasing some upside, Bell is a decent add at third base.

Armando Galarraga – Galarraga isn’t my favorite kind of pitcher (just 5.8 K/9), but he will get some starts against the most woeful line-ups the AL has to offer (Kansas City and Cleveland). He should be a pretty safe deploy in those outings (over the last seven days, he started against Cleveland and went seven IPs without allowing a run, struck out eight batters and posted a 0.43 WHIP). He gets Kansas City today.

Rich Harden – Don’t blink, or you’ll miss Rich Harden’s latest attempt to stay off the disabled list. In his first start back, Harden went 6.2 no-run innings and posted a 0.75 WHIP. He also fanned six batters. Harden is always a good type to have on your bench in case you are losing ratios and trying to make a run at Ks. He’ll hurt your WHIP, typically, but the Ks will, generally, be there.

Joe Blanton – Blanton could not have found his groove any faster for the Phillies. Over the last seven days, in 13.1 IPs, Blanton struck out 16 batters and posted a 2.02 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. He has been successful in the past and has been pretty unlucky this year (.336 BAbip). He actually has a FIP of 4.28 – there might be far more good outings down the stretch than bad.

Then you’re cold…then you’re no…then you’re out…then you’re down

Jered Weaver – Jered Weaver always reminds me of three things: The Scout, the Great Earl Weaver and this scene. His last seven days must have reminded owners of a nightmare however (11 IPs, seven Ks and an 8.18 ERA and 1.64 WHIP). While his K/9 rate has clearly spiked this season (9.78 compared to 7.82 for his career), there really aren’t any underlying statistics to say his performance is absurdly lucky. His FIP (3.31) is right in line with his ERA (3.21), his BAbip is right around .300 and he has a slightly lucky strand rate (75.9%). Basically he had a couple of rough road outings and should be fine going forward.

Barry Zito – I must have mentioned a dozen times that Zito was prime for a fall. So shame on you if you were stuck with him over the last seven days (8.2 IPs, three Ks, 9.35 ERA and 2.08 WHIP). His K/9 rate has actually dropped from 7.22 last year to 6.57 this year. In addition he has a .282 BAbip and a 76.1% strand rate. He’s been a tad lucky which is why his FIP (4.13) is a decent amount higher than his ERA (3.75). All of this is by way of saying that you should be very careful with the way you use him going forward.

Tim Hudson – It appears some of Tim Hudson’s luck has run out (last seven days: 13 IPs, seven Ks, a 4.15 ERA and 1.38 WHIP). Quite frankly, Hudson’s ratios have been incredibly lucky so far this season. He has a .239 BAbip and 83.5% strand rate. In fact his FIP (3.89) is 1.6 points higher than his ERA (2.28). While Hudson is clearly not a sub-3.00 ERA pitcher, he is someone who can pitch in the 3.50-4.00 range and win some ball games – just be careful when he faces some of the more imposing line-ups in the NL.

Adam Lind – Did Jose Bautista somehow zap all of Adam Lind’s and Aaron Hill’s (more on him below) power? No one really thought Lind would repeat last season’s exploits, but he seemed a lock for 25+ HRs. Unfortunately, he has continued his miserably unsuccessful season over the last seven days (.067 AVG). At this point, if you have held onto him (he is 69% owned), it might be time to test the free agent pool. Just go with the latest hot hand – it’ll be much more worth your time than Lind.

Aaron Hill – Yucky, Aaron Hill’s 2010 campaign has been one to forget, yet people are still using him (76% owned) through the rough stretches (.053 AVG over the last seven days). Sure, second base is deep, but Omar Infante does qualify there. At the least, Infante won’t prohibit you from competing in AVG from week-to-week.

All stats as of noon on August 24, 2010.

FB101’s 411: Be sure you know how to judge a hot streak. Omar Infante, Gaby Sanchez, Gregor Blanco, Joe Blanton, and Rich Harden make good adds. Keep your eye on Josh Bell, Armando Galarraga, Roger Bernadina, Brandon Inge, and Wilson Betemit. You are allowed to sort of give up on Adam Lind and Aaron Hill.

h2h_Corner on Twitter

That is why Katy created the Hot ‘N’ Cold All-stars.

Again, I’m going to use this space to talk about a Reality TV show near and dear to my heart, Big Brother.

In case you missed it, Matt used the diamond power of veto last night to save himself and, de facto, evict Kathy. It was a long time coming for Kathy who was useless, boring and seemed dumb. At what point does “flying under the radar” turn into just plan ole poor performance. Anyway, Kathy deserved to go a few weeks ago.

Still, I was hoping Matt would put up Enzo. I use to like Enzo, but he has proven himself to be a craptastic player (ala Colby in Survivor All-stars). He hasn’t won or come close to winning anything. He talks like a fool (but, I must admit, is sometimes funny). I think Matt realizes that the brigade is a useless alliance for him and will switch to Britney, Ragan and Lane. It’d be a fierce battle between them and Hayden/Brendon/Enzo. Ultimately, Britney has the power this week and I think she nominates Brendon and Hayden. We shall see.

Either way, it’s been a great season, thanks mostly to crazy drama Queen Rachel who reminds me of Jenn from the Evil Dick season. Who do you think is going to win? I’ve still got my money on Lane, but Matt has proven to be intelligent about the game.

Anyway, you know the drill here. With time running out on the season, you need to make the strategic moves that put you over the top. So let’s delve into a bit of the performances over the past seven days.

‘Cause you’re hot…you’re yes…you’re in…you’re up

Coco Crisp – Crisp remains owned in too few leagues (19% of Yahoo!). I’ve written about him a lot. So I’ll just leave you with how helpful his last week would have been to your team: sex runs, one HR, four RBIs, four SBs and a .407 AVG).

Yuniesky Betancourt – Betancourt would have to be as hot as he is (.381 AVG, two HRs over the last seven days; five HRs and a .282 AVG over the last 30) for me to mention him. He is simply not a trustworthy fantasy commodity. He doesn’t get on base (one walk this month) and doesn’t have much upside. In a super deep league, where every viable starter is snapped up, sure Betancourt could be owned. I’d feel sorry for that owner, though.

Wilson Betemit – I’ve talk about Betemit in the past and sort of like him. He isn’t getting a ton of playing time, but when he has played he’s produced (last seven days: .368 AVG, two HRs). He seems to destroy the ball at home, so, if you need a hitter pick-up during a Royals home stand, Betemit isn’t the worst option for deep leaguers.

Matt Tuiasosopo – I mostly included Tuiasosopo because his last name is so cool to say. It even sounds good in my internal monologue. While he has had a decent seven-day stretch (two HRs, seven RBIs and a .333 AVG), this will likely be the best seven-day stretch of his career. Given he qualifies at every IF position except SS and the OF, he could be a speculative add in Al-only leagues, but don’t expect anything.

Gregor Blanco – It must be the mid-80s with all the Royals making the All-star team. Blanco has been a secretive stolen base weapon over the past few weeks. Last week alone, he swiped four bases and batted .375. If you need steals, speedster Blanco would be a good ad.

Paul Janish – With Orlando Cabrera on the DL, Janish has been given ample playing time and, well, he hasn’t been bad. Over the last seven days, Janish hit .368, and added one HR and one steal. There isn’t much upside, but he won’t kill your batting and will score the occasional run. He’s certainly more attractive than Betancourt.

Brandon Inge – Inge came off the DL swinging (two HRs and a .273 AVG over the last seven days) and is capable of prodigious home run binges. He is only owned in nine percent of leagues, yet could provide some great power numbers down the stretch (especially RBIs if he bats behind the continually walkable Miguel Cabrera).

Bud Norris – Please, just pick Bud Norris up already. He is only six percent owned, but has killed it recently (14 IPs, two wins, 18 Ks, 2.57 ERA, and 0.71 WHIP). Grab him before your league mates do.

Bryan Bullington – Speaking of the Royals, because, apparently, Katy loves blue, Bullington, a one-time number one-overall pick a long time ago, secured his first career win in a spot start for the Royals. Over the last seven days, he pitched eight innings, didn’t allow a run and posted a 0.38 WHIP. He gets the White Sox tomorrow, which could be a good outing. If you need a starter and are in a deep league, you might as well give the Bouillabaisse a try.

Brandon Lyon & Wilton Lopez – Brandon Lyon is the de facto Astros closer. If you miss him, Wilton Lopez could pick up occasional saves. Lyon is owned in only 20% of leagues, Lopez is only three percent owned. Every save counts in a lot of leagues, don’t be shy about adding one of these guys.

Ross Ohlendorf – Ohlendorf has had a sneaky good season (3.90 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 79 Ks in 108.1 IPs). He was even better over the last seven days (14.2 IPs, 12 Ks, 1.84 ERA and 0.82 WHIP). The biggest negative about Ohlendorf is that he doesn’t get to pitch against his own team. All kidding aside, he does have a minusculely lucky BAbip (.291) and his FIP is 4.43. Basically, he is benefiting from a lucky HR/FB rate (7.7%) which is about three points higher than his career norm. Still, as a low-cost option, Ohlendorf isn’t bad. He certainly won’t just fall off a cliff. I’d avoid starting him at homer-friendly parks though.

John Lannan – Don’t look know, but John Lannan is on a K-binge (last seven days: 12.1 IPs, 10 Ks, 2.92 ERA and 1.05). He has actually been fairly useful over his last 23.1 IPs (3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP). In addition, he has been a bit unlucky this year (.333 BAbip, 67.4% strand rate) and he has a FIP around 4.67. Still, he doesn’t have much upside, as he has never really posted a useful MLB K-rate.

Then you’re cold…then you’re no…then you’re out…then you’re down

Carl Pavano – The Pavano resurgence has been Alyssa Milano’ed (last week: two starts, seven Ks, a 6.57 ERA and 2.11 WHIP). He’s been downright horrible over his last 40 IPs (3.66 ERA and 1.58 WHIP). Sure he has a slightly lucky BAbip on the year (.285), but his FIP (3.72) isn’t much higher than his ERA (3.52). So what do we make of his last few miserable outings? I think they are just random poor occurrences. Over the last 28 days, Pavano has a .409 BAbip, over the last 14, a .431. If your trading deadline hasn’t passed, Pavano makes a good buy low. I wouldn’t worry about him going forward.

Fausto Carmona – It’s tough when a two-start pitcher takes it upon himself to royally screw you (7.36 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and just four Ks). Those Ks are the reason I don’t like pitchers like Carmona. There is no help when he struggles. At least Pavano (by no means a strike-out pitcher) secured seven punch-outs last week. Dr. Faustus is what he is this year, a guy with about a 4.00 ERA and risky WHIP who doesn’t K anyone. I’d be careful when I use him going forward.

Edinson Volquez – Weeks like the last one (5.06 ERA and 1.78 WHIP) highlight the reasons I told you to be weary of Volquez. While his to-date Ks are nice (35 in 34 IPs), I don’t think you can expect much relief in the ratios. In his short season to date, he has an 80.9% strand rate. Sure he has a .334 BAbip (which is unlucky), but his FIP is 5.68. I love his K upside. He is someone it’d be nice to have in the arsenal to throw out there if I wasn’t worried about my ERA/WHIP, but other than that, I don’t see Volquez as being particularly helpful.

Matt Kemp – Matt Kemp has been a top 80 player this year, which isn’t bad (unless you compare that to the top five some were predicting). Kemp, as his last seven days can attest (.087 AVG) has never got into a groove. He’ll still end up a 20/20 player, but, at this point, is a certain disappointment. So, what caused the 2010 pitfall? Well, his career BAbip is .349, while it rests at .305 this season. So there has been a bit of fluctuation. Of course, Kemp hasn’t been around forever, so we don’t know exactly what his BAbip performance will be. In addition, Kemp has lost his eye at the plate. He is on pace for about 30 more Ks this year than last. He is also getting caught stealing at a near 50% rate – far higher than anything we’ve seen from him. Looking into the crystal ball, he’ll be a top four round pick next year with some upside. It’s just a shame he didn’t continue his career arc. But, hey, players don’t (Nick Markakis)

Miguel Olivo – It’s borderline dumps time for Olivo. He has come back to earth after a scorching hot 60% of the season. Quite simply, we all knew this would happen as he has never been someone who could get on base 30% of the time, let alone hit .300. If there are more attractive options out there, feel free to bombs away. At this point, I’d like to have a backstop who didn’t destroy by AVG/OBP every week.

All stats as of noon on August 20, 2010

FB101’s 411: Be sure you know how to judge a hot streak. Crisp, Lyon, Lopez, Norris, Ohlendorf, and Blanco make good adds. Keep your eye on Inge, Lannan, Janish and Betemit. You are allowed to sort of give up on Miguel Olive.

h2h_Corner on Twitter

That is why Katy created the Hot ‘N’ Cold All-stars.

Ok, so maybe I’m showing my immaturity here, but why didn’t pop stars crash my senior prom? Sure, at that point, I was very anti-pop music, way more into folk/classic rock/DMB/Outkast, but it would have made for a good story if, like, Jewel showed up. Ok maybe not.

But I’m sure some Aussie high schools were thrilled when Katy “popped into [a] school dance taking place in her hotel in Australia when she heard the DJ playing her hit single California Gurls.”

I swear this has some value – other than reminding me of my smoking hot prom date who I ditched for a less attractive girl who would put out.

In fact, it has fantasy value because it is about time to think about the play-offs in h2h leagues. Depending on your categories, you need to start prioritizing what you can win and the weaknesses of your opponents. If you are a lower seed in the play-offs, start building your roster for your likely match-up. If you know steals might be hotly contested, go out and grab a Jose Tabata or Michael Brantley or Rajai Davis. If saves might be close, speculate widely on the Mets situation. Meanwhile, if you think you have a good shot at wins/Ks, make sure you do by adding some pitchers (Marc Rzepczynski, Bud Norris, etc.).

In short, start to take stock of your team and what categories you need to secure. Also, know your league tie-breaker (usually it’s ERA). If you can secure that category, you only need to win four out of the remaining nine to win a week. Following this method a lower-seeded team can crash the fantasy play-offs and end up in the championship.

‘Cause you’re hot…you’re yes…you’re in…you’re up

Michael Brantley – Brantley continues his surge to relevance (last seven days: .375 AVG, seven runs, two SBs). I’ve covered him a good deal because I like speedy players. He’ll be a good add for most leagues, especially those in needs of steals.

Ryan Raburn – Raburn has become a budget Swiss army knife of sorts for the Detroit Tigers. Now qualifying at first and second base and the outfield and batting behind Miguel Cabrera, Raburn is getting an opportunity to impact multiple fantasy line-ups. Over the last seven days, Raburn blasted four HRs and hit .360. He will not continue that HR binge, but could provide very cheap power numbers from the second base position. Think of him as a healthy version of Mark Ellis, or, if you prefer, a poor man’s Aaron Hill.

David Murphy – With injuries surrounding the Rangers outfield, Murphy is getting more and more at bats, which have translated to delicious home-cooking (over the last seven days (with five home games) he hit .389 with six RBIs and three SBs). He is a safe start at home going forward.

Luke Scott – Luke’s father must have been Eric Camden from Seventh Heaven, because Luke absolutely demolishes pitching in Camden’s yard (get it?). Come on, it was a way to link to Jessica Biel several times. Anyway, over the last seven days, Scott batted .333 and added two HRs. For his career, Scott owns a .293/.374/.575 line when he plays in Baltimore. He has 44 HRs in just 173 games started there. Not bad. Start him when he is at home.

Brooks Conrad – It’s hard to find a silver lining in Chipper going down for the year. I’ve been a fan for awhile, probably because of his real name. On the bright side, we get to see scrappy Brooks Conrad play more. Over the last seven days, Conrad batted .316 and added two HRs. He won’t provide much pop, but those of you in NL-only leagues should take notice and scoop him up.

Omar Infante – Speaking of the Braves and low-power utility men, Infante has been a very useful fantasy commodity of late (over the last seven days he posted a .360 AVG and scored five runs). He qualifies all over the diamond (everywhere but first and catcher) and should score some runs.

Logan Morrison – Morrison had an impressive stretch over the last seven days. He hit .400 and scored seven runs. An inaugural member of the David Wooderson All-Stars, Morrison has shown great plate discipline throughout his career and could post decent ratios and a bunch of runs as long as he remains in the majors.

Jim Thome – You know what you get with Thome, an average in the .260-.270 range, but serious power potential. In fact, he blasted two HRs over the last seven days and is seeing increasing playing time with Justin Morneau out indefinitely. Thome is playing his way into 10-team mixed-league relevance right now.

Russell Branyan – This, apparently, is the meat of Katy’s order, the place where cheap power flourishes. Over the last seven days, Branyan hit two HRs. While he wont add many runs or RBIs (he doesn’t get on base that often and the rest of his line-up is pretty bad), for those in need of HRs, he should be your first pick-up.

Wade LeBlanc – I admit that I wrote off LeBlanc long ago. He is making me eat my words. Over the last seven days, LeBlanc worked 12.2 IPs, secured two victories, and posted 15 Ks and a 2.13 ERA /1.03 WHIP. Those numbers match-up well with his season to-date (although the Ks are a little on the high side). So far, he is certainly benefiting from the Padres stalwart bull pen (83.3% strand rate), but that only means that his ERA could jump a bit (to the 4.20-4.40 range). He remains a pretty safe pitcher who should be owned in more than 11 percent of leagues.

Kevin Correia – Correia has had an inverse Oreo-cookie season, with the middle being cruddy and the outside being delicious. Over the last seven days, Correia went 12.1 IPs, struck-out 12 and posted a 2.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. There isn’t anything to suggest Correia isn’t the pitcher he has been this year, so kick the tires and light the fires. He’ll be a useful match-ups play down the stretch.

Marc Rzepczynski – The best Russian block export since Ivan Drago (none of this is accurate), Rzepczynski has torn up the competition since coming back to the Bigs this season (last seven days: one start, seven IPs, one win, six Ks, no runs and a 0.29 WHIP). He gets Oakland up next, so pick him up before the hordes realize.

Bud Norris – Let it be known that I love Bud Norris and his K-potential. Norris won Ks singlehandedly for teams over the last seven days (seven IPs, 14 Ks, a 2.57 ERA and 0.86 WHIP). Up to this point, Norris had been criminally unlucky (.350 BAbip, 62.6 percent strand rate), yet has posted a ridiculously awesome 9.75 K/9 rate. If he is available (he is only 3 percent owned), I’d be adding him immediately.

Homer Bailey – The Reds rotation is about as curious as curious can be. There are a ton of arms floating out there with upside (Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez, Travis Wood, etc.) which make it hard to see how the starts will be divvied up. Bailey, in his first start off the DL, did his best to muddy the waters (six IPs, a win, four Ks, no runs and a 0.50 WHIP).

Then you’re cold…then you’re no…then you’re out…then you’re down

Josh Beckett – It’s times like these that I’m happy I’ve never been a Josh Beckett fan (as a fantasy analyst – what he has done in the play-offs is very cool). Last week, in just one start, he posted a 10.80 ERA and 2.20 WHIP. Small sample size, say you? Well, he has pitched 76 IPs this year and has a 6.51 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. Sure there are some signs that he hasn’t had the luckiest of campaigns (.353 BAbip and 60.8% strand rate). But his Ks are down and his walks are up. Furthermore, he has a lousy ERA at home (4.60 in 342.2 IPs). Basically, I’d only trust him on the road against teams not named the Yankees or Rays. There is some reason for optimism that he isn’t this bad, but it’s fading with every horrible outing.

Vicente Padilla – Remember when I said Padilla was a match-ups play? Well, his last week was the reason why: two starts, 9.1 IPs, 11.57 ERA and 1.93 WHIP. He really isn’t as good as his numbers suggest (.256 BAbip), but he actually isn’t that much worse (3.96 ERA compared to 4.20 FIP). He is an upper echelon flotilla-play for the season.

Daisuke Matsuzaka – I find myself being a bigger Matsuzaka fan than most people. Sure his last seven days (12.1 IPs, 5.84 ERA and 1.46 WHIP) leave a horrible taste in your mouth, but at least he fanned 15 batters. At this point, I like him a lot more than someone like AJ Burnett. I think he can improve a bit and ends the season with a sub-4.00 ERA.

Chone Figgins – I am definitely a Figgins apologist (although only in OBP leagues). Still, there isn’t much defending I can do for a guy with a sub-.250 AVG. The 30 SBs are nice, but he scores no runs and doesn’t knock in any. His last week (.125 AVG) was indicative of his entire season. Unless you are focusing on SBs and ignoring power, there are better third or second base options out here.

Justin Upton – Man, it must be hot in the desert given how many times Upton fans (get it!?!?!?). He is three Ks away from last year’s total and well on his way to 190 Ks on the season. Anytime someone strikes out that much, his average will be volatile (to wit his last seven days: .043 AVG). Until he can keep his Ks in check (say around 125-145) he won’t be the talent that we all thought.

Lance Berkman – I don’t think Berkman ever thought he’d be dropped for someone like Bobby Parnell, but I did that in one league. There isn’t much to like about him since he joined the Yankees, especially his last seven days (.167 AVG). If you have a speculative play out there, given Berkman’s age and ailments, I think he is a very safe drop.

All stats as of noon, August 17.

FB101’s 411: Be sure you know how to judge a hot streak. Scott, Brantley, Murphy, Thome, Rzepczynski, LeBlanc and Correia and Norris make good ads. Keep your eye on Infante, Morrison, Branyan, Bailey, Raburn and Conrad. You are allowed to sort of give up on Lance Berkman and Chone Figgins.

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