The Major League Baseball season is half over. It’s hard to believe, but we’ve now entered July. With the season heating up, that just makes playing in Star Fantasy Leagues daily leagues that much more fun. And, maybe it’s the new month, maybe it’s because of a light slate of games, or maybe I’ve just gone crazy, but I’m doing something tonight that I never thought I’d do: start Marlins. I’m going to sink or swim with them as I have multiple Marlins in my lineup, and I almost went with even more. But I think it can work. If you think I’m just as crazy I as I think I am, then put together your own non-Marlins (or all-Marlins!) lineup at SFL and use the promo code “SJN” for a 40% deposit bonus.
(C) Joe Mauer $8,445 – The likely A.L. All-Star starter is having another great season, hitting .320 with 8 home runs and 49 runs scored. He’s also a .300 career hitter against Andy Pettitte, whom he will face tonight. As you’ll see below, I also have Pettitte in my lineup and, while I don’t usually like starting a pitcher and a hitter facing him at the same time, I’m making an exception here. UPDATE: Mauer has been given the day off. You can safely play Ryan Doumit.
(1B) Joey Votto $8,573 – I was debating between Votto and Paul Goldschmidt here, but I opted for the Reds first baseman. Votto has hits in 11 of his last 13 games and multiple hits in each of his last two. He’s also facing the Giants’ Mike Kickham tonight who owns a 10.57 ERA and .343 BAA on the season.
(2B) Derek Dietrich $5,673 – Here is my first Marlin sighting. Dietrich is working on a mini four-game hitting streak that includes three extra base hits. In four career games against the Padres, he’s hit .429, including a 1-for-3 performance against tonight’s starter, Jason Marquis.
(3B) Placido Polanco $4,483 – Here is my second Marlin in a row. Polanco has scored in three straight contests and has seven hits in 26 career at bats against Marquis.
(SS) Ian Desmond $6,788 – In two of his last three games, Desmond had a home run, a double, and two runs scored in four at bats. He added a home run in the game prior to those, and his 15 on the year is tied for second among all MLB shortstops.
(OF) Bryce Harper $8,820 – It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance to use Harper in a lineup. He’s been out for more than a month because of a left knee injury, but he returns to the Nationals’ lineup tonight. It can be risky to use a player in his first game back after a lengthy DL stint, but he was very good in his rehab games, going 4-for-11 with a home run. I think he’s ready and hungry to hit.
(OF) Jayson Werth $6,201 – I conclude my run on Nationals tonight with Werth. He’s coming off a huge performance last night when he had a double, a home run, two walks, and four runs. He also has hits in six of his last seven games.
(OF) Wil Myers $5,388 – Myers is now hitting .296 during his brief 13-game career. After a hitless debut, he’s had at least one hit in all but one game since. Now that he’s comfortable at the Major League level, I like him to provide me with something tonight.
(U) Paul Goldschmidt $9,337 – Since Goldschmidt lost out to Votto in my first base slot, I wanted to get him in here. He only has one hit in his last three games, but if there is a cure to a slight slump, it’s facing the New York Mets. On the hill for the Mets tonight is Shaun Marcum, who owns a 5.08 ERA and .269 BAA.
(SP) Jose Fernandez $13,278 – Hey, look. It’s another Marlin. The rookie has been excellent lately, going 2-1 in June with a 1.67 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and a 8.97 K/9 rate. He’ll face the Padres in the last game of their four-game series, and San Diego has managed just three runs in the last two games.
(SP) Andy Pettitte $10,749 – If I’m going to start any Yankee these days, it might as well be a pitcher. Pettitte has actually lost his last three starts, but hasn’t pitched terribly. He’s facing the Twins tonight, who are only 2-4 over their last six and start Scott Diamond, who has a 7.40 ERA over his last four starts.
(RP) Mariano Rivera $2,587 – Believe it or not, I almost went with another Marlin here, in closer Steve Cishek. After knocking some sense into myself, I opted for the Yankees’ closer instead. Rivera hasn’t pitched in nearly a week because New York has lost five straight. Even though the Yankees have been so bad lately, my thinking here is Pettitte won’t allow too many runs against the Twins, the awful Yankees’ lineup can manage something against a struggling Diamond, and Rivera will have a save chance because it’s bound to be a close game with limited offense. We’ll see if I’m right.
(P) Bronson Arroyo $9,447 – I round out my roster tonight with Arroyo. He hasn’t won since June 3rd, but that’s not entirely his fault. He did give up seven runs his last time out, but in his four starts prior to that, he had a 1.57 ERA and just didn’t get much run support. He’ll face a Giants team tonight that just snapped a six-game losing streak yesterday and is starting a winless Kickham.
