I have scored two touchdowns worth of Beat the Streak picks. To be honest, this may be the single most successful thing I've ever done. Take that as more of a slight towards myself rather than a sign of me being good at this (the leaderboard ranges from 33 to 38) or pretty much anything. Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez both put up not one but two hits each for me yesterday. I thank both of their mothers deeply for providing the world with two wonderful hitters. Now that I've made it weird, let's move on to today's picks. Firstly, I will be picking another Martinez from Detroit. Victor, I appreciate all you've done for me but today's Martinez just has to be J.D. The other Martinez, a cast-off from Houston (bet they'd like to have that one back), has been a stud for Motown this season. They have a double header against the White Sox today that they need a sweep of to potentially retake first place from Kansas City. I am staying away from the day portion of the double dip as Chris Sale takes the bump for the South Siders. Instead, I pit the younger of two Martinezes against Chris Bassitt in the nightcap. Though Bassitt has been fairly productive at Double-A Birmingham for Chicago, I think his call-up to the Majors will be met with a bludgeoning from the Tiger bats. I at least hope so since for all intensive purposes my mulligan is no longer viable. My second pick today is Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy. The Brew Crew backstop has saved several of my fantasy teams this season and I am counting on him to do the same with my Beat the Streak aspirations. Lucroy has gone 4-for-5 in his previous encounters with San Fran starter Jake Peavy. I am just asking for one hit today against the tough luck former Cy Young winner. A little bleeder. A bunt single. A hard shot that eats up the shortstop so that he can't make a throw. J.D. and Jonathan I put my trust in you to keep this improbable run going. I'll thank your mothers tomorrow if you do.
While elation runs rampant for me over on Beat the Streak, I continue to wallow in self pity over on Streak for the Cash. I watched this morning as Manchester United, the team who left a nice "pile" on my best streak, manage only a 0-0 draw with miserable Burnley. I have a three streak after Sara Errani was able to take a set from Venus Williams yesterday. I may get a second red star before the month is over. It is the little accomplishments I can take solace in because let's face it I don't really accomplish big things. I need two more W's to get that second red star and my choice for today is Ohio State covering (or pushing) a 15 point spread against Navy. Braxton Miller will not play for the Buckeyes at all this year but I think the team as a whole is too talented to get flummoxed by the multi-angled rushing attack of the Midshipmen. I may pick again later but I doubt it. Somebody who continues to pick needlessly like myself though is FATJR31. The leader has gone away from rubbing salt in the wounds of his competitors and has instead resorted to having road crew trucks dump copious amounts of rock salt into samurai sword gashes.
He is toying with fellow Streakers by making picks like this. He is like Goldberg in 1997 and most of 1998. He just can't lose. I can't even hex the guy by picking the same things as him because nobody picks the games he is. Enjoy your money kid, you won't be getting an e-Vick-tion notice any time soon.
Image Credits: Martinez/Lucroy (mlb.com), Streak picks (espn.com)