I am starting to think that I am the “bye week” in this league. But hey, them the brakes. I had some rough choices in terms of lineup selections over the week and I didn’t adjust my lineup on Sunday because I forgot while I was on the golf course. Played Fairchild Wheeler in Fairfield, the Black Course. Not easy. Finished with a 97; had a nine of a par five which made me want to die but then had a birdie on 17 which was cool.

Any who. Eric wins again, I lose again. It is Memorial Day and I am here writing this because I have some sort of a disease where I just need finish the thing I set out to do. I am going to do one of these every week, win, lose or draw. These are the rules I set out for myself, and it will happen.

Now, let’s get into.

WEEK EIGHT: May 22 – May 28

Eric led the week in hits as I was tied for fifth. Middle of the pack isn’t going to cut it when one of the best offensive teams in the league has two plays go for 11 hits. Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and and Josh Jung of the Texas Rangers both had fantastic weeks. Bryson Scott of the Philadelphia Phillies had nine hits, and Colorado’s Randal Grichuk had eight hits. I had zero players with 10 or more hits. Elias Diaz in Colorado had nine hits. Orlando Arcia of the Atlanta Braves had eight hits, four of which came in the last three games. I am not good at this hitting category; I am only 2-6 on the year while Eric is 4-4.

Again, Eric is the top team in the runs scored category so I have zero shot. Literally could not have won. Varsho and Jung each had six runs scored for Eric, and Scott and Freeman each had five runs scored. All but one player in Eric’s lineup scored at least a run, and the one player that did not only had one at-bat while in Eric’s roster. That is a very balanced lineup. I had 32 runs scored, which is pretty fine. Again middle of the pack tied for fourth in the week. Soto have seven runs scored for me which is lovely, but then I only had Diaz with five runs scored to follow him up. For the runs scored category, Eric is now 4-3-1 on the year and I am 3-4-1.

I do not have a love lot of double-digit home run weeks. I had one in week one when it was extended. I had one in week five against Michael, and then I had this explosion (of 10 home runs) against Eric. Paul Goldschmidt and Diaz had three home runs a piece. Soto only had six hits in the week but he had two home runs. Rowdy Tellez had a solo shot and Cedric Mullins had a home run; one of his two hits. Varsho and Jung had two home runs each for Eric. Three other players had one home run. Both Eric and I are now 3-4-1 in the home run category.

There as a point early in the week when Eric had more RBIs than hits. Whenever his team hit, they drove in a run. That preposterous stretch eventually cooled off, but still Eric ran away from me in this category. Cory Seager of Seattle and Jung each had seven runs batted in for Eric. Props to the AL West. Varsho was just behind that pair with six runs batted in. My team doesn’t love batting runners in, they would rather walk. My team was lead by Diaz’s five runs batted in. Goldschmidt, Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies and Soto each had three runs batted in. Eric is 6-2 in the RBIs category this season…and I am only 1-7. Ouchie mama.

Hey, Josh Lowe. Fuck you. Two steals on Sunday helped Eric win the steals category by one. I repeat. Josh Lowe, fuck you. He finished the week with three steals in, and Scott also had three swipes. Edman had one stolen bag. For myself, Taylor Walls was basically a one man army with five stolen bases. Soto contributed one bag taken as well. I really do want to give accommodation to Walls who managed to get five stolen bases while only reaching base five timesI am now 2-4-2 in stolen bases this year…despite having the third most steals this season. What in the flying fuck? Eric is 4-3-1 in stolen bases…while ranking sixth in the league.

I know I am a cynical writer right now because my team stinks, but I have nothing to complain about here. I had the best on base percentage of the week with .350 as a team. Part of me feels bad for Eric because he had the third best OBP of the week, and it took me till Sunday to get the category over him. I want to thank the Atlanta Braves for thrashing the Phillies on Sunday night and getting Arcia and Albies hot when I needed it. I was an idiot and continued to play Jarren Duran when he went 0-for-11 with no walks, but still a win is a win. Freeman had a .533 OBP in 25 at-bats with five walks for Eric, and Grichuk appeared in limited games for Eric but went eight-for-13. Eric is now 1-7 in this category this year, and I improve to 4-4.

I would like to thank Charlie Morton and Corbin Burnes for striking out a bunch of batters while allowing a bunch of runs. They have 14 earned runs over 22.1 innings, but they did strikeout 27 batters. That is helpful. Jon Gray was dandy striking out eight over seven innings. I suppose I should also thank Kevin Gausman for striking out eight over 5.1 innings. 58 combined strikeouts was good enough to win against Eric who had 43 strikeouts. No one had double-digit strikeouts for Eric. At least Shane McClanahan had seven Ks through seven innings and is still a damn good pitcher. I improve to .500 in the strikeouts category and Eric goes to 4-3-1.

Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller of Seattle both earned wins for the Mariners, and they enough would have drawn this category against my pitching staff. Then the aforementioned McClanahan also picked up a victory. Those three wins were enough to destroy me. Gray and Guasman each had a win and they both deserved it allowing just one earned run each. I would have liked for Dan Dunning to get a win because he tossed a nice 5.2 innings but it wasn’t enough. Eric is still yet to lose in the Wins category, going 6-0-2. I am no 2-3-3 in the wins column.

Three saves apiece for Eric and I. I had a pair of saves from Camilo Doval, and one from Yennier Cano. Cano did allow two runs this week, so are teams beginning to find his kryptonite? He had a blown save for me on Sunday. Would have been really nice to win the category. Paul Sewald, who I traded to Eric earlier this year, had two saves for Seattle. Kenley Jansen had a save for the Boston Red Sox. Eric is now 1-3-4 in the saves category this season, and I am now 3-3-2.

I want to vomit on my computer. I knew that I would never recover from Freddy Peralta’s 15.43 ERA. That’s 10 total runs, four earned, in 2.1 innings, is going to derail an entire team. It also is not helpful with Charlie Morton and Corbin Burnes allowing 14 earned runs in 22.1 innings pitched. Struggle city. Only one pitcher for Eric allowed more than three earned runs. Anthony DeSclafani of San Francisco was my only lifeline with his 7.20 ERA. Everyone else, perfectly fine compared to what I put up. My ERA record is 3-5, and Eric is 5-3.

I had the worst WHIP of anyone, ever, in the league this week. Absolutely gross display of pitching. I only had two pitchers with a lower than one WHIP. Doval is great for San Francisco with a 0.50 WHIP, and Jon Gray managed a very kingly 0.71 effort against the Baltimore Orioles. You do know what stinks; a 3.86 WHIP from Peralta, and a 2.00 WHIP from Cano. Eric had the second best WHIP of the week; aided by all but three pitchers having a sub-one WHIP. I am saying WHIP a lot. Gilbert tossed eight innings and allowed only three hits. Eric only had one pitcher allow more than five hits. Eric is now 7-1 in this category. It is a reliable one for him. I am 4-4 on the year.

Eric’s MVP of the week in my mind is someone I have never heard of before. Josh Jung, third basement for the Texas Rangers. He went 11 for 24 this week with six runs scored, seven RBIs and two home runs. He had the second highest OBP on the team as well, trailing only Freddie Freeman.

Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals did not have a good week. Edman had only four hits in 26 at-bats; three runs scored and three runs batted in. Just not a good week for the eighth ranked second basemen in fantasy baseball. But such a dominating week for Eric makes LVP seem a little meaningless.

Juan Soto is good at this getting on base thing. He walked nine times this week and had six hits. A .625 on base percentage helped me to the best OBP of the week in the league. Two home runs and a stolen base also really help.

I have plenty of options here. Taylor Walls went three-for-18, but he did have five stolen bases. Cedric Mullins did got 2-for-19, and he was the number one outfielder going into the week. But I have to go with Freddy Peralta here. 2.1 innings, allowing 10 runs, four earned, a 15.43 ERA and a 3.86 WHIP.

MVP TRACKER: Mullins (3), Goldschmidt (2), Soto (1), Verdugo (1), Walls (1)
LVP TRACKER: Albies (1), Casas (1), Gausman (1), Peralta (1), Soto (1), Sale (1), St. Louis Cardinals (1), Wisdom (1)

WEEK SEVEN SCOREBOARD

  • Eric took care of business against my sorry butt. Eric has now won two matches in a row, and I have yet to win a match since week one against Huntley.
  • Speaking of Huntley, he picked up a massive win against Vaghi, dominating the hitting categories, winning all but one. Turns out the predictions aren’t all that reliable because as of last week, Vaghi should have beaten Huntley, 10-1.
  • A battle of playoff bound (probably) teams results in a draw. 5-5-1 is the tie between Kenney and List. It is crazy that the runs category got tied at 32. On the last day, Kenney’s team scored 13 runs, completing a massive comeback.
  • Michaud wins his second straight matchup in a take down of Drakeley. He eked out runs and home runs by one, and still won the OBP with a .2925 team mark.
  • DiMaio was going for the sweep. He won the first seven categories, and Bove ready this from left to right must have been dying. Thankfully he won the last four categories to salvage something.

WEEK EIGHT STATISTICS DEEP DIVE

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  • How in the flipping fuck did Mike get five wins from his staff but they had a week worst 4.993 ERA? How does that work?
  • Drakeley set a new low point this week for on base percentage with his .2566 mark; it beats his previous low that was set in week 4
  • Huntley set a new low point this week for strikeouts in a week with 36 this week; the previous low was 37 set by Bove.
  • Bove set a new best this week. Well a new low. His team had a WHIP of 0.824, which is the new benchmark for the season.
    • In this same category, I set a new worst for this season with 1.582; getting a worst mark that Bove who had a week of 1.542.
      • This is kinda crazy.
  • Over 20% of Michaud’s hits were home runs this week…He had a a week-low 52 hits but a week-high 14 home runs.

WEEK NINE MATCHUPS

THIS IS WEEK NINE, AND THERE ARE 18 WEEKS IN THE REGULAR SEASON. AFTER THIS WEEK WE WILL BE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SEASON.
  • This is David vs. Goliath when it comes to the hitting categories. Michaud its tops in the league in home runs and runs batted, while I rank last and ninth in said categories, respectively. Michaud is looking to win his third straight matchup.
    • According to the season long stats, Michaud should defeat me, 8-2-1
  • This is a statement match for Vaghi. He has been on a bit of a skid, and it isn’t because of injuries. His team needs a pick me up. Meanwhile List hasn’t lost since week 4, and looking at it, that is his only loss of the season.
    • According to the season long stats, Jack should defeat Vaghi, 7-4
  • Billy is coming off back-to-back 3-8 losses against some heavy hitters in the hitting department. Now he is matchup up with Huntley, who (no offense intended) is more even with him in the batter’s box.
    • According to the season long stats, Billy should defeat Huntley, 6-5
  • Kenney has been through the gauntlet; he went 1-1-1 against DiMaio, Vaghi and List. Now he has Bove, who hasn’t been on the winning side since week five against Huntley.
    • According to the season long stats, Michael should defeat Bove, 7-4
  • This one is a great matchup. I am excited for it. Eric and DiMaio are second and third in the standings and they have rightful claims to being the best team in the league. This as of right now, would be a playoff preview.
    • According to the season long stats, DiMaio should defeat Eric, 6-4-1

OVERALL STANDINGS

  • List remains atop the league despite a draw this week. His margin shrinks 1.5 games over Eric who moves up from third place to second place.
  • DiMaio moves up to third place and Kenney reasserts himself in the playoff picture with his draw against List. He is now in fourth place.
  • Vaghi falls all the way down from second to fifth place followed his 3-8-0 loss. He is though comfortably ahead of Michaud who is now in sixth place; still a four category margin there.
  • Huntley moves up from a tied for 10th place with myself all the way to seventh.
  • Bove shifts down from sixth to eighth, Drakeley from seventh to ninth, and I now set in the cellar alone. Dark. Sad. Contemplating. Isolated.
  • For the first time this season, Matthew Vaghi is outside of the playoffs looking in. He falls down to fifth place this week and he would be facing Michaud in the consolation ladder…why is it called ladder? Why not bracket?
  • Jack List remains atop the league and he would not play Michael Kenney who movs up from fifth place to fourth this week.
    • They tied this week in their first matchup, so this would be a pretty close playoff matchup one would assume.
  • Eric is in second place now, moving up from third, and he would play DiMaio who moved up from fourth to third.
    • Eric and DiMaio play each other for the first time this week.
CATEGORY LEADERS (Including Ties)
  • DiMaio – Hits, Runs, ERA, WHIP (4)
  • Michaud – Home Runs, RBI, OBP (3)
  • Eric – Wins (1)
  • Huntley – Saves (1)
  • Kenney – Stolen Bases (1)
  • Vaghi – Strikeouts (1)

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