Beat the Streak Report: May 11
Derek Jeter (obviously) and Joey Votto (whoops, sorry bout that) each went hitless to combine to eliminate 10.6 percent of our streakers on an otherwise smooth Monday.
The big news came courtesy of Carl Crawford, who went 1-for-6 to extend the streak of our brave hero and leader “cruj” to a Beat the Streak season high 34 games.
“cruj” is now 59.6 percent on his way to the summit of the BTS mountain top and I’m thinking that means he’ll be stocking up on Shreddies, Jaroslav Halak jerseys and Bret “The Hitman” Hart action figures.
That’s because our fearless leader has decided to pull a final scene from “Scobby-Doo!” and unmask himself to the public. And lo and behold, he’s Canadian.
John Gartshore is a manager of the Blackhorse Pub in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Like all Canadian legends, he crew up in a small town, this one called “Asbestos” (that’s right).
To Gartshore’s credit, he successfully escaped the Beat the Streak jinx by continuously writing in his e-mail to me how he was convinced Crawford would go hitless and thus ruin his 15 minutes of fame. Smooth.
Anyway, Gartshore grew up an Expos fan which leaves him without his childhood squad, although he has taken a liking to Evan Longoria and the Rays.
As far as strategy goes, Gartshore tends to look at opposing pitchers with high ERAs and high hits=per-nine-innings ratios when selecting his player for the day.
And obviously, no, he does not read the Beat the Streak Report.
Glad I could help, John. If you weren’t so likeable and, well, Canadian, I’d have the tech department turn your 34-game streak into poutine.
Anyway, best of luck to you John, there couldn’t be a nicer, more mentsch-like guy to have atop our leaderboard.
Time for Tuesday’s picks.
Oh, hello there …
? Ryan Howard: .353 AVG (6-for-17) lifetime vs. Rockies starter Aaron Cook
? Jose Reyes: .385 AVG (15-for-39) lifetime vs. Nationals starter Scott Olsen
? Joe Mauer: .350 AVG (7-for-20) since ’05 vs. White Sox starter Freddy Garcia
? Miguel Cabrera: .421 AVG (8-for-19) since ’05 vs. Yankees starter Javier Vazquez
? Manny Ramirez: .536 AVG (15-for-28) lifetime vs. D-backs starter Dan Haren
? Ryan Ludwick: .545 AVG (6-for-11) lifetime vs. Astros starter Brett Myers
Feeling kinda spicy?
? Geoff Blum: .625 AVG (5-for-8) since ’05 vs. Cardinals starter Brad Penny. I just don’t see this turning out well.
? Garrett Jones: .500 AVG (5-for-10) lifetime vs. Reds starter Johnny Cueto. Is there a more volatile plyer than Garrett Jones?
You’ll thank me later …
? Shin-Soo Choo: .100 AVG (1-for-10) lifetime vs. Royals starter Brian Bannister
? Paul Konerko: .143 AVG (2-for-14) lifetime vs. Twins starter Kevin Slowey
? Russell Martin: .115 AVG (3-for-26) lifetime vs. D-backs starter Dan Haren
Leaderboard time!
“jonnygoska” extended his streak to 25 games and lived to see another day thanks to Evan Longoria, who went 2-for-6 vs. the Angels.
Top MLB streakers
? Alex Rios: 11 games
? Jeff Mathis: 10 games (DL)
? Elvis Andrus: 10 games
? Miguel Cabrera: 9 games
? Alfonso Soriano: 9 games
? Kevin Youkilis: 9 games
Beat the Streak Report 
I’m going with Ichiro to get to two in BTS and Joe who do you have in Survivor since I’m back at 0 and I picked Halladay and the Phils tonight. I have Soriano in HR BTS too so yeah.
taking miggy today. vazquez cant get anyone out this year and im taking the cardinals to takedown the lowly astros in survivor
The most interesting event of the day has got to be the BlueJays playing home games in Philadelphia late in June. With a DH used! Should be very entertaining! Its too bad because we were looking forward to seeing Halladay, and Jayson Werth… both former BlueJays…
schenk, im going with “miggy” for the 2nd day in a row because he played very well yesterday. for survivor, i cant decide between the yankees and the tigers. i picked the tigers yesterday and they won, but for some reason my gut is telling me to go with the yanks tonight. something tells me vazquez will come out with a win tonight.
My picks lately have been awful. So, i’m going on auto pilot with Ichirio today.
Weather is cold, cloudy and damp in Chicago today. Rain has stopped but the game tonight v. Marlins will be good pitching conditions not a hitters kind of day. I’m staying away from the game.
I like the Phils tonight in Survivor and Jason Werth to go deep – he has been hot.
abk1087 i think you can find better options for survivor than picking either team in the yanks/tigers game. i think the twins and cardinals are the best picks for today. no reason not to pick against the astros and the twins have slowey going who has been decent so far this year
cruj’s interview with our Grande Amigo – I hope he survives today as the last leader went down in flames after he gave an interview.
Grande Amigo mentioned that: Is there a more volatile player that Garrett Jones? I’m lost fill me in here?
Does he mean as a hitter or loco in la cabeza?
How about Milton Bradley? I may have to email the Mariners for the name of Milton’s psyc doctor if my picks get any worse.
schenk, i dont follow other teams so i dont know how they do.
who do you follow? i finally the tigers but blso bein an all around baseball fan have basic knowledge of every other team
i mainly follow the yankees, but i hear stuff about other teams, just not enough to base my picks on.
michael young and the philles both to get me back to ONE
I think Im going with Gerald Laird today……no Im just kidding yeah right. I got Marlon Byrd today.
as a tigers fan i would have just laughed my ### off if you had taken laird. byrd sound like a good choice today. tonight will be tough with all the rain that is in the forecast. it may affect many games and it seems rainy games usually hurts the batters more.
I’m avoiding the weather plagued games and sticking with Ethier; Cards in Survivor; and Manny for HRBTS.
Survivor: Philadelphia Phillies
Beat The Streak: Ryan Howard
Going to win number 14 and hit number 4 !
Philly in Survivor
Utley in BTS
Good luck all.
That blows….So the Phillies game is post-poned?
If you picked a player that was involved in a rain out, you only lose your streak if you didn’t read the rules…. Really, read the rules and you will find that you stay where you are; streak is postponed too.
picked miggy today. my streak better not be reset to 0
What happens to my streak since I picked Jeter and the game was called due to rain due I lose my streak
My kiss of death continues!!!! 3 consecutive 0-for’s, can’t pick a winning team in Survivor (today included) and now NYY-DET is rained out. LOL! Good luck to everyone tomorrow!
yetialan im not sure in all previous years if a game was postponed and your pick was in that game your streak stayed where it was but earlier this year a game was postponed and those who picked a player in that game all got their streaks reset to 0. i think thats unfair and it better not happen today cause i had a 7 game streak going and took miggy
Thanks schenk015
Boy, those that picked Youkilis (84 Top2500 BTS players) gotta have a knot in their stomachs right about now — 4 plate appearances: 1 Sac Fly, 2 Walks, 1 HBP. May not come up again in the game!
Hope the Diamondbacks lose, lol.
Strange things happening lately:
Cano – HBP and leaves game for an 0-fer
Braun- yesterday HBP and leaves game for an 0-fer
Youkilis – Has 2 walks, HBP and Sac Fly so he has an official at bat and is looking at an 0-fer. BTS follows MLB rules and a sac fly does not show up in the boxscore as an at bat but it is in fact an official at bat. Read the rules.
Tomorrow: I’m going with McCutchen of Pirates – Got to mix it up a bit more.
Yes, but curious to see how many ppl pick players from those 2 double headers. Hopefully those that do, don’t luck out.
That sucks, I was going to pick either Yankees or Phillies tomorrow, but they both have double headers now.
Cruj stays alive for one more night, after taking Ichiro.
he is now at 36 and second place is at 25
Lol, 21 away from winning 3 million $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Seems impossible to get 57.
I can’t get past 4 in my BTS, lol.
So close, yet so far. I’m not worried about cruj yet. Not till at least 45 will I think he may accomplish 57.
Current Survivor leader is back down to 14.
Well, I’m going with Ethier tomorrow to get me back to 3 in BTS.
yetialan im not sure in all previous years if a game was postponed and your pick was in that game your streak stayed where it was but earlier this year a game was postponed and those who picked a player in that game all got their streaks reset to 0. i think thats unfair and it better not happen today cause i had a 7 game streak going and took miggy