2017 MLB All-Star Game Open Thread

Here we go, the game that used to mean something that no longer does is about to kick off down in Miami inside Marlins Park. The 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Here are the lineups and the starters, enjoy the game. This time, thankfully, it doesn’t count.

American League

Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros (.347, 13 HR, 50 RBI)

Jose Ramirez, 3B, Indians (.332, 17 HR, 48 RBI)

Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees (.329, 30 HR, 66 RBI)

George Springer, LF, Astros (.310, 27 HR, 61 RBI)

Carlos Correa, SS, Astros (.325, 20 HR, 65 RBI)

Justin Smoak, 1B, Blue Jays (.294, 23 HR, 56 RBI)

Corey Dickerson, DH, Rays (.312, 17 HR, 42 RBI)

Salvador Perez, C, Royals (.290, 18 HR, 57 RBI)

Mookie Betts, CF, Red Sox (.272, 16 HR, 53 RBI)

Starting pitcher: Chris Sale, Red Sox (11-4 with a 2.75 ERA, 178 strikeouts)

National League

Charlie Blackmon, CF, Rockies (.319, 20 HR, 61 RBI)

Giancarlo Stanton, DH, Marlins (.277, 26 HR, 58 RBI)

Bryce Harper, RF, Nationals (.325, 20 HR, 65 RBI)

Buster Posey, C, Giants (.324, 10 HR, 35 RBI)

Daniel Murphy, 2B, Nationals (.342, 14 HR, 64 RBI)

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (.301, 17 HR, 70 RBI)

Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Nationals (.330, 19 HR, 63 RBI)

Marcell Ozuna, LF, Marlins (316, 23 HR, 70 RBI)

Zack Cozart, SS, Reds (.316, 9 HR, 35 RBI)

Starting pitcher: Max Scherzer, Nationals (10-5 with a 2.10 ERA, 173 strikeouts)

Fantasy Baseball: So You Need a Catcher?

If you have played Fantasy Baseball one time or 100 times you know one thing for sure, there are certain positions you have to get a little bit early or you won’t get them at all. One position that immediately comes to mind is the closer position as there is basically a finite amount of them (unlike an outfield that has three per team and a total of 90 outfielders not counting bench pieces) and another one of them is the catcher position. There just aren’t that many run producing offensive catchers that you can snag for fantasy purposes so you may want to grab them early if you want a good one. Everyone knows the Buster Posey’s of the world as he sits atop the position but what about below him? That’s where I come in, hopefully.

Buster Posey is the best catcher in real life and in fantasy but if I were to fill out a Top 5 list behind him I would have Salvador Perez, Yadier Molina, Kyle Schwarber and Jonathan Lucroy in some order behind him. Brian McCann comes to mind as well only because he possesses 20-25 home run power and plays inside Yankee Stadium where the runs and RBI opportunities are as plentiful as the beer and the suits in the stands. If McCann is 6^th on my list then in some order behind him Matt Wieters, who should be better in his second year removed from Tommy John surgery, Travis d’Arnaud, Russell Martin, for his power only, and Yan Gomes probably fill out my Top 10.

I know many will call me crazy but if I had to stretch the list to a #11 I may go with Francisco Cervelli of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yes I know I am ignoring the likes of Yasmani Grandal, Devin Mesoraco (little protection behind him and no reason to pitch to him), Derek Norris (Petco Park), and Stephen Vogt (see Derek Norris) to name a few but they all have legitimate reasons to worry about their offensive production. Plus I like Cervelli and the player he has become since leaving New York and heading to Pittsburgh, I admit though that I may be higher on him than most. I think I’m also pretty high on Yadier Molina as well and that’s okay.

If you don’t grab one of these catchers you are taking a true risk in your league. You may get something out of J.T. Realmuto in Miami, especially with the fences drawn in a bit, or John Ryan Murphy in Minnesota over the course of a season but if you have to rely on a Wilson Ramos of Washington, Miguel Montero of Chicago, Nick Hundley of Colorado or Blake Swihart of Boston to name a few you may be in trouble just a tad. My strategy over the years, for better or worse, was to grab a catcher early so I knew that I had one. That’s the best advice I can give you, reach for Posey and settle for a guy in the Top 5. If you miss then you’re in trouble. Don’t miss. 

Bats Come to Life in 6-2 Win Over Royals

Brandon McCarthy tossed 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball and five different batters drove in runs today as the Yankees bounced back perfectly from last night's 1-0 flop with a 6-2 win over the Royals.

For McCarthy, the W was his first since August 21, when he shutout the Astros to avoid a series sweep. Unfortunately, this afternoon's outing wasn't nearly as good as that one, although it was still definitely likable, with McCarthy only surrendering six hits in it while also striking out four.

Needless to say, his putting up of those numbers empowered the offense.

After KC starter Danny Duffy left after throwing one pitch with a shoulder injury in the bottom of the first, the Yankees took an early lead off reliever Liam Hendriks (4 IP, 3 ER), crossing home standing when Martin Prado doubled and Mark Teixeira got him in with a single.

Then in the third, following an Alex Gordon RBI that made it 1-1, the Yanks' bats continued to rake against Hendriks, circling the bases twice more when John Ryan Murphy led off with a flyball off the wall, Jacoby Ellsbury tripled, and Derek Jeter flew out to center. 

No, the contest wasn't over at that point, but once a Salvador Perez error and a couple more run-scoring knocks by Carlos Beltran and Ichiro Suzuki brought things to 6-1 in the next two frames it definitely was going in New York's favor, the third time that's happened in the last four days.

The Daily Dozen - August 25, 2014

The Daily Dozen - August 25th, 2014 - The Pine Tar Squared Edition
(Twelve Takeaways from Tonight's Makeup Game vs. the Royals)

1. First off...We Don't Want to be Royals...Thanks Lorde.

ROYALS - LORDE

Tigers on a Gold Leash?? Sounds kind of cool...

The last time the Royals made the playoffs was in 1985...oh...and they won it.

2. Before the game, the Kansas City organization was all class.  They handed Derek Jeter a check for $10,000 to his Turn 2 Foundation.  I bet this was one of his favorite retirement gifts!

(Photo Credit: Associated Press, Colin E. Braley)

3. Derek Jeter then got the Yankees on the board first.  So it was a ground out, which Big Game James is used to inducing.  But it was an RBI ground out!

4. Moustakas responds with a solo HR off of Pineda in the bottom of the 3rd.  Why doesn't he just change his name to Moustache already...it would just be easier on everyone.  The Yankees have been hounded by .200 hitters this year, especially in the solo HR department.  Mike Moustakas' line for the year sits at .208 average, 15 home runs, and 49 RBI...remind you of any Yankees hitters?

5. ESPN is obligated to show the George Brett Pine Tar incident anytime the Yankees play the Royals.  And now that Michael Pineda got caught with pine tar on his neck against the Red Sox it must be shown EVERY game he pitches.  Thanks ESPN for the nostalgia!

(Photo Credit: BleacherReport.com)

(Photo Credit: SBNation.com)

6. James Shields aka Big Game James.  He was 3-0 this August and 28-12 in his career in my birth month.  But not tonight, however, as he gave up 6 runs and 4 of those in the 7th after he stopped getting groundball outs.

7. Stephen Drew mashes a 3-2 pitch from Shields in the 4th.  The count started out at 0-2 and he fought back resisting swinging at 3 inside pitches.  This was the turning point in the game.

8. Ichiro and Sisler.  The announcers (which include Aaron Boone) mentioned how when Ichiro was in St. Louis for the 2009 All-Star Game, he visited George Sisler's gravesite to pay the former hits leader in a single season respect.  In 2004, Ichiro Suzuki broke the all-time single season hits record of 257 hits while a member of the Seattle Mariners.  Pretty cool stuff.  Ichiro will likely join Sisler in the Hall of Fame one day.

9. The Yankees finally start to score runs in the 7th.  Prado hit yet another big home run, Jeter got his 2nd RBI of the game, and Ellsbury was SAFE at home on a close play at the plate.

10. New York is 19 for 24 in challenges this season.  Gotta love replay...at least as a Yankees fan, right?  It really doesn't take that long and most of the time the managers are getting it right.  Technology...

(Photo Credit: Ed Zurga, Getty Images)

11. Salvador Perez.  He's pretty damn good...not gonna lie.  He's the reigning Gold Glove winner at the catcher position in the AL and he's sports a decent bat with a .262 average, 15 home runs, and 55 RBI.  Basically McCann in his prime.

12. With the 8-1 win, the Yankees are now 3 games out of the 2nd Wild Card spot currently held by the Seattle Canos.  They have the ability to leapfrog the Tigers in the next series as they are 2 games ahead of the Yanks.  It obviously can be done as the Yankees continue to win (and I continue to predict them losing...thank me later).  Five wins in a row and counting!

Phelps Gives Up Seven Runs in Frustrating Loss to Royals

After watching him toss a 1-2-3, two-strikeout bottom of the first, you'd think Yankees Pitcher David Phelps would do well tonight.

The long-reliever-turned-starter, 0-3 in his last three starts, was going up against a struggling Royals offense, one that you'd want to face if you were in his position.

That didn't happen though, as the young right-hander ended up surrendering 7 earned runs in just 5.2 innings in an 8-4 loss.

Going into the bottom of the second, as I already said, Phelps seemed to be doing alright, but to start off that frame #41 couldn't get anyone out, surrendering 4 consecutive hits and 5 total in the at-bat to put the Bombers in an early 3-0 hole. 

That deficit, though not huge, held up for KC until the top of the sixth, when the Pinstripes rallied to tie thanks to an RBI Double from Carlos Beltran (his first hit since coming off the DL) and a 2-Run Single from Yangervis Solarte, both coming with two outs.

Unfortunately, the contest wouldn't stay even for long, with the Royals retaking the lead in the bottom of that frame thanks to a 3-Run Homer from Salvador Perez.

That shot to left helped take Starter Danny Duffy (ND; 5.2 IP, 3 ER), who had recently blown the lead, off the spot, and pretty much put the game out of reach, with the Yanks only scoring once more on the night when Brian Roberts grounded out in the ninth.

Note: After Matt Daley gave up another run in the bottom of the seventh, rookie Jose Ramirez entered the ballgame, tossing a scorless 1.1 innings. It wasn't perfect by any means, as the youngster did walk a batter, but overall, the outing was still successful, with 14 of Ramirez's 26 pitches going for strikes.

McCann's 3-Run Double Helps Whitley Collect First Career Win Over Royals

While yesterday's win over Oakland wasn't the slightest bit pretty, you have to acknowledge that it mattered.

The Yankees, who had lost four in a row coming into it, were obviously pretty down on themselves, making the fact that it wasn't a loss extremely meaningful. 

After tonight's 4-2 victory over the Royals, you have to think now that maybe it was actually the beginning of good times for New York's AL team, who are now a solid 31-29 on the season.

No, this evening's W wasn't perfect (the Yanks offense didn't score in their last six at-bats), but is was pretty stress-free.

After Brian Roberts put them on the board in the top of the second with a single, the Pinstripes made the game enough of a blowout to take the worry away from their pitchers in the third, when Brian McCann cleared the bases with a go-ahead, three-run double.

At that point, the Yankees possessed a comfortable 4-1 lead, enough to allow Chase Whitley to dominate.

Whitley, 0-0 in four starts coming in, tossed an impressive 7 innings of two-run ball, two trips around the bases better than his counterpart Jeremy Guthrie, who also lasted 7 frames.

Of those 21 outs, just 3 were strikeouts, as Whitley mostly succeeded in the outing due to grounders and fly balls.

After his exit, Dellin Betances and David Robertson entered for the second consecutive day, with Betances easily getting through the eighth.

Unfortunately, Robertson did have some trouble with two outs in the ninth, surrendering a double and a walk to give the home team some momentum.

He would eventually get out of the jam thanks to chopper off the bat of Salvador Perez (his 14th save in 16 opportunities), but still, the 21 pitches it took him to do so will likely keep him out tomorrow if he's needed, something pretty frustrating considering he struck out the first two hitters he faced.