#( and if i give you a starter for both liz and tommy WHAT THEN )

[cultbunny]

˗ˏˋ          ————        closed thread    !        [    @nightdied​    ]    .

she is... unfamiliar with him by face. but she knows his name. she knows of him. they came from the same place, the same back-alley game company in need of beta testers with no questions asked and way better pay than they should have been able to afford. he came just before her. but she doesn’t know if he’s come out with the same affliction as she.

“ tommy. ” this is vanessa talking, REALLY vanessa, fighting and trying and just a little scared. it’s been a while since the game went under, since she had a ghostglitch start piggybacking. a while since the recruiting started. a while since she started bleeding for a resurrection. days, weeks, months. ( she loses track of time so easily now, since she let him in. ) “ please. i know it’s hard. i know it’s weird. but i - i am going to understand. ” out comes her lithe hand, taking his, holding kindly, imploring. “ i PROMISE. you aren’t alone in this. ” but two’s a party, three’s a crowd. “ tell me why you left. ” she will NOT be alone in this anymore.

[yahoo-big-league-stew-blog]

MLB midseason review: Biggest surprises and disappointments

Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game is now in the rear-view mirror. The trade deadline is ahead of us and then the postseason. Right now, though, it’s time to ponder the current state of things. It’s time to assess what we saw in baseball’s first half.

This is the first of Yahoo Sports’ MLB midseason review series and we’re talking about the biggest surprises and disappointments in the league, both teams and individual players. It’s a fact of sports life that nothing ever goes exactly how we expect it, for better or worse.

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Just ask the Chicago Cubs or the San Francisco Giants. Or, conversely, the Milwaukee Brewers or Arizona Diamondbacks.

Here are our writers’ picks:

SURPRISES

Alex Wood has been one of the best starters in baseball this year. (AP Photo)

ALEX WOOD: Had Alex Wood broken out three or four years ago with the Braves, few would have been surprised. That it’s happening now, after years marred by injuries and inconsistency, and that it’s happened to the extent it has, is quite shocking. Wood has been so good, some have actually joked he’s bumped Clayton Kershaw to the Dodgers No. 2 starter. He’s the first Dodger starter to begin the season 10-0 since Don Newcombe in 1955, and only the second lefty in the last 100 years to be 10-0 with an ERA under 2.00 (1.67). For whatever reason, the light bulb has gone on for Wood, and that’s a big reason why the Dodgers are the National League’s best and most dangerous team. (Mark Townsend)

GREG HOLLAND: Holland didn’t play in the majors in 2016. Not one game, not one inning, not one blessed second. He was recovering from Tommy John surgery, and it took the entire season. The Colorado Rockies took a flier on him in the offseason, giving him a one-year deal worth $7 million. And Holland is rewarding their faith. He leads all of MLB with 28 saves, and owns a 1.62 ERA. He looks a lot like the Greg Holland of 2013-14, who notched a ton of strikeouts and boasted ERAs under 1.50. The Rockies have been a pretty big surprise this season, so it makes sense that they would employ a closer who is unexpectedly racing down the comeback trail with reckless abandon. (Liz Roscher)

The Diamondbacks have had a lot to celebrate in 2017. (AP Photo)

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Give it up for the Arizona Diamondbacks. After a 2016 season in which they had plenty offseason hype and even more regular-season disappointment, the D-backs are doing what almost no one expected. If the postseason started today, they’re a playoff team. At 53-36, they actually have the third-best record in MLB, even if they’re second in the NL West behind the Dodgers. New manager Torey Lovullo is getting the best out of this bunch and slugger Paul Goldschmidt is playing at an MVP level. But perhaps most surprising: The D-backs have the second-best team ERA in the game. That makes twice they’re behind the Dodgers. (Mike Oz)

MILWAUKEE BREWERS: Everyone thought the National League Central belonged to the world champs, but the Brewers didn’t get that memo. Milwaukee has outscored its opponents by 45 runs thus far, so it doesn’t look like a total fluke. A number of things have propelled the team to this spot. They’ve hit on key acquisitions from this winter, received breakout performances in the rotation and made strong moves as part of the rebuilding effort. Until the Cubs get their act together, the Central is now the Brewers’ to lose. (Chris Cwik)

DISAPPOINTMENTS

The reigning world champs need to get it together. (AP Photo)

CHICAGO CUBS: It was inevitable that this season would be a letdown after the Chicago Cubs’ 2016, a 103-win fairy tale season that culminated in a drought-ending World Series championship in which they came back from a 3-1 deficit. Starting the 2017 season, it was a lot to live up to. But the Cubs have managed to have a far more disappointing season than anyone anticipated. They haven’t been in first place since June 6, and they’re currently 5.5 games behind the Brewers. Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and pretty much every member of their starting rotation has been varying degrees of terrible. Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Javier Baez are all underperforming. World Series MVP Ben Zobrist is hitting .214. And Kyle Schwarber was doing so badly that he was sent to Triple-A to straighten his head out. Plus, no one looks like they’re having fun, which is just sad for a team made up of such exciting players. The Cubs have a big to-do list for the second half, but at the top of the list? Get their chemistry back. (Liz Roscher)

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Many were expecting the NL West to be a two-team race again between the Dodgers and Giants. Instead, the Giants are battling the Phillies for the worst record in the entire league. Injuries are a big reason why San Francisco entered the All-Star break at 34-56. Losing Madison Bumgarner in a dirt-bike accident in Colorado was the biggest single blow, but there were already obvious cracks forming before then. Now those cracks are craters thanks to a roster that seems void of upside but is still owed a ton of money. I went from thinking this could be a playoff team four months ago, to wondering if it can be fixed without a complete teardown. (Mark Townsend)

Manny Machado’s sudden decline has been puzzling. (AP Photo)

MANNY MACHADO: In a year where the ball is flying out of the park, Machado is posting his lowest slugging percentage since 2014. His entire line is pretty rough, actually, as he’s hit just .230/.296/.445. His struggles are easily one of the most puzzling parts of this season. Machado was a top-5 player in baseball coming into the year, and he’s still only 25, so there’s no reason he should be seeing a steep decline now. One explanation could be his exceptionally low .239 BABIP. Machado is making harder contact this year, so it seems like it’s just a matter of time before he turns things around. His defense is still strong, so he’ll be elite again once the balls start falling in. (Chris Cwik)

EVERYTHING METS: Oh, boy. Talk about a weird season. Sure, the Cubs and Giants are disappointing, but they’re nothing compared to the mess that the Mets’ season has been. The Mets were another team with playoff expectations and World Series aspirations — with a supposed world-class pitching staff and enough offense to make the NL East interesting. Naw. Noah Syndergaard is hurt but that started with a controversy after he refused an MRI. Matt Harvey has been a complete sideshow, from his poor performance to his tabloid-fodder off-field antics. Yoenis Cespedes spent a good chunk of time on the DL. You know it’s bad when that sex-toy controversy doesn’t even rank among the top 3 of the season. At 39-47, they’ve returned to full LOLMets status. (Mike Oz)

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz

[yahoo-roto-arcade-blog]

Week 3 Fantasy Baseball waiver wire: Targeting Tampa's outfield

With the season still less than a month old, now’s the time to pounce and be aggressive on the waiver wire. The Yahoo fantasy baseball crew is here to help identify the players to go after:

Q: Which infielder, owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, are you most interested in adding to your fantasy team?

Brandon Funston: GREG BIRD. Bird, spring training’s HR and OPS leader, was one of my favorite sleepers coming into the season and I’m not going to let a 1-for-26 start turn me off of him. After all, we know the power is there – eight Grapefruit League home runs, and  12 home runs in the 57 real games he’s played in a Yankees uniform – and his power profile jibes nicely with the accommodating dimensions in right field at Yankee Stadium. He’s started to turn things around in the past week, and I expect he’ll be back in the heart of the Yankees order, roping extra-base hits with regularity, before too long. 

Andy Behrens: This will serve as last call on TRAVIS SHAW, a guy who’s eligible at two spots (1B/3B) and hitting for power in a better-than-advertised Milwaukee lineup. And I’m gonna cheat here and recommend MITCH MORELAND, too. He’s raking, and we know the power will come. 

Scott Pianowski:  The timing looks right for JEDD GYORKO; he’s off to a reasonable start (.294, three homers) and the Jhonny Peralta injury might push him to full-time activity (although Greg Garcia is around and Matt Carpenter could be a third-base option, too). Position flexibility is the name of Gyorko’s game — he qualifies at all four infield spots — and let’s not forget he clocked 30 home runs last year. (Sure, Behrens, take Moreland off my plate. I see you. I’m putting that in my notebook. For more Moreland propaganda, you can click here, or here, or here.)

DEEP DIVE: Which infielder owned in 20 percent or less of Yahoo leagues offers the most fantasy intrigue?

Funston: TAYLOR MOTTER. He can play every non-battery position on the field and the M’s plan to test those limits when Jean Segura returns next week. Motter is flashing impressive pop (4 HRs, No. 2 in batted ball exit velocity and No. 3 in HardHit%), and his minor league track record also shows the potential for double digit steals.

Behrens: JOE PANIK is just below the 20 percent line as of this writing, and he has a weekend series at Coors Field. This seems like the right time to test-drive a second baseman who’s slashing .300/.368/.420.

Pianowski: It’s very rare I’ll tell you to play the stash-and-hope game on an injured player — injury skepticism is my general fallback — but be aware DIDI GREGORIUS (shoulder) is ready for a rehab assignment and might be back with the Yankees before the month ends. We’ve long thought of him as a defense-only guy, but he quietly grew into a .276-20-70 asset last year. 

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Q: With unfortunate Starling Marte owners in mind, which outfielder, owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, are you most interested in adding to your fantasy team?

Funston: STEVEN SOUZA/KEVIN KIERMAIER. Souza, as I discussed on video this week, has changed his approach at the plate, concentrating now on hitting line drives back up the middle as opposed to swinging for the fences, and the results have been impressive, so far. He’s a physical specimen with good power upside, and also offers a little hope on the base paths. His teammate, Kiermaier, offers a little less pop, but a little more speed. Both can deliver double-digit HR/SB lines, which is what you are looking to replace in Marte’s absence. If steals aren’t a pertinent need, then I’d also be targeting Minnesota’s Max Kepler, who is on a nice roll right now, and has a pedigree to believe in.

Andy Behrens: We just reviewed a few potential Marte replacements on Tuesday, focusing on speed. I’m a fan of KEVIN KIERMAIER’s fantasy game, because he offers double-digit power along with 20-steal speed. He’s capable of delivering a decent Starling impression over the next three months. 

Pianowski: STEVEN SOUZA has received plenty of love in various Yahoo spaces, and yet he still trades at the 39-percent mark. His plate discipline has improved and he’s getting quality real estate in the Tampa lineup. He’s not going to steal a bushel of bags, but he can get you 9-13 in that column, too. 

DEEP DIVE: Which outfielder owned in 20 percent or less of Yahoo leagues offers the most fantasy intrigue?

Funston: KEVIN PILLAR. I’d strike with Pillar while the iron is hot – he’s on an eight-game hitting streak in which he’s hit five doubles, a home run and has swiped a couple bases. He’s also logging a lot of time in the leadoff spot, which should eventually start paying off in the Runs department.

Behrens: KEVIN PILLAR isn’t exactly an on-base machine, but his fantasy profile isn’t so different from Kiermaier’s. He can provide acceptable pop and 20-plus steals, and he’s been scorching hot in recent days, with 12 hits in his last 26 at-bats. 

Pianowski: There are a couple of paths that push MICHAEL CONFORTO into the Mets lineup; the Lucas Duda elbow injury might slide Jay Bruce to first, and Curtis Granderson’s slow start is also a factor. Conforto’s development hasn’t followed a linear path, but he’s shown power, patience, and even some defensive moments in the early stages of 2017. 

Q: With Madison Bumgarner getting hurt in a dirt bike accident, which pitcher, owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, are you most interested in adding to your fantasy team?

Funston: LANCE LYNN. If I was looking for a long-term commitment from someone in the sub-50% starting pitcher crop, I’d roll the dice on Lynn. He missed ’16 because of Tommy John surgery, but in the four seasons prior to that, he was a reliable 15-win, K/IP, low-3 ERA type. He’s coming off seven shutout innings against Pittsburgh and has produced an average fastball (92.3 mph) that is right in line with his career average (92.6 mph).

Behrens: We’re three starts into BRANDON McCARTHY’s season, and he’s struck out 16 batters over 17.0 innings, posting a WHIP of 1.18. As long as he remains healthy, he’s a pitcher of interest. Plenty of run support here. 

Pianowski: I can’t promise HECTOR NERIS will become Philly’s primary closer, but I can confidently say his ratios will be worth owning in any roto or K/9 format. Let’s chase the skills, and let the roles fall where they may. Neris might already be a handshake contender with the Phils, getting the ball in the ninth inning Thursday. Please do not get in back of Pete Mackanin at the local donut shop. (Lance Lynn, at 40 percent, is also begging for a pickup in medium and shallow leagues.) 

DEEP DIVE: Which pitcher owned in 20 percent or less of Yahoo leagues offers the most fantasy intrigue?

Funston: ARCHIE BRADLEY. He’s throwing more than 3 mph faster (95.7 mph average fastball) in his new relief role than he did in the past as a starter, and he’s yet to allow a run in 9.1 IP (11 Ks, too). Fernando Rodney (6 ER in 6.1 IP) is doing his usual circus act in the closing role for Arizona, which means it doesn’t take a leap of faith to add Bradley with the hope that there might be some save opportunities down the line if he continues in the manner that he’s opened ’17.

Behrens: JACOB BARNES is pure evil. He really needs to be closing somewhere. The Cubs had no answers for him earlier this week. If you like triple-digit heat and 90-mph sliders, give him a look. He’s allowed just three hits in 9.1 innings so far this year, striking out 11. 

Pianowski: ROBERT GSELLMAN is an eyelash over the 20-percent threshold, but I want him to be in this piece somewhere, so I’m bending the rules. His strikeout rate is over the 10 mark and his control is fine; some bad luck with hit sequencing, and a homer here and there, have pushed his ERA over five. If you believe in the peripheral-based ERA estimators, note the 3.46 FIP and 2.99 xFIP. Let’s trust the raw stuff and K/BB ratio, and see if the story can straighten itself out. The NL East is still a good place to do your business, more often than not.

Follow the Yahoo crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Brad Evans, Brandon Funston, Liz Loza and Scott Pianowski