Achievers/Bums - 07/13/08

ACHIEVERS

Chad Billingsley – SP – Los Angeles Dodgers – Win, 7 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 13 K’s – Billingsley is the real deal. He pitched a brilliant game against the fish last night, striking out thirteen and walking none. This is a guy I have tried to get in a couple of leagues, but probably didn't try hard enough. He had a pretty good first half, and after last night's start, the window to acquire him at a fair price may have just slammed shut.

CC Sabathia – SP – Milwakee Brewers – Win, 9 IP, 2 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 9 K’s – C.C. didn't appear to have his best stuff in the early innings, but the Reds didn't capitalize on the opportunities they had, and Sabathia went nine to secure the win. The turning point in the game was when C.C. cranked a no-doubter home run into the right field bleachers off of Homer Bailey in the bottom of the third. Sabathia has looked solid in his first two starts as a Brewer, and I expect him to have a phenomenal second half.

Carlos Beltran – OF – New York Mets – 3/4, 1 HR 3 RBI – Beltran has come alive in the last month, hitting eight HRs with twenty-four RBI in that span. The Mets have won their last nine games and they'll need Beltran keep playing at this level if they're going to make the playoffs. A lot of people say Reyes is the key to the Mets' success, but I think it's on Beltran. Reyes and Wright are going to be good, but will Beltran be able to deliver that kind of second half he did with the Astros in 2004?

BUMS

Derek Jeter – SS – New York Yankees – 0/4, 2 K's – Jeter has been moved into the leadoff spot with Damon out, and has actually been pretty good in that role so far, but he was owned by A.J. Burnett yesterday. I know I pick on Yankees' hitters a lot, but remember they were supposed to be the juggernaut, bitch? (link NSFW)

Jose Contreras – SP – Chicago White Sox – Loss, 4 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's – Contreras has had some good moments in the first half, but he got mauled yesterday. Manager Ozzie Guillen - normally not prone to hyperbole - said, "I've never seen such a poorly pitched game in all of my years in baseball." So did he miss Gavin Floyd's start the other day or what?

Andrew Miller – SP – Florida Marlins – Loss, 1.2 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 5 BB, 3 K's – I guess Ozzie missed this one too. Miller's line from Sunday night is just ugly to look at. We're talking Bronson Arroyo ugly. Remember when you blew a waiver spot on this guy when he got called up by the Tigers a couple of years ago? Yeah, it might be time to go ahead and admit that was a mistake.