Today’s recommended picks

Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners
.400 AVG (10-for-25) since ’04 vs. Yankees starter CC Sabathia

Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
.556 AVG (5-for-9) lifetime vs. Giants starter Barry Zito

Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants
.394 AVG (37-for-94) in June; Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer: .317 AVG against in ’09

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

It was a tough day for the 19.5 percent of the BTS contestants who picked Ichiro Suzuki, a group that included each of the Top 3 placeholders. Ichiro went 0-for-4 to end his 12-game hitting streak, simultaneously ending the streaks of dizzygst (28 games), misharandolph (28) and tasty_ellis_stu (27).

Fortunately, there were plenty of remaining contestants who went with other players. Albert Pujols (2-for-2), Derek Jeter (1-for-3) and Hanley Ramirez (2-for-3) were the respective picks of greg4263, redleg ump and spark5411, who took over first place at 26 games. grebecks also tabbed Hanley to take over a share of second at 24 games, and wyn11 kept pace by going with Mark Teixeira (2-for-4).

Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 19.5%, 0-for-4
2. Miguel Tejada (HOU): 4.3%, 1-for-4
3. Hanley Ramirez (FLA): 4.3%, 2-for-3
4. Albert Pujols (STL): 3.4%, 2-for-2
5. Derek Jeter (NYY): 3.3%, 1-for-3

 

Today’s recommended picks

Vladimir Guerrero, OF, Angels
.375 AVG (9-for-24) vs. Rangers starter Kevin Millwood since ’04; .384 AVG (68-for-177) lifetime at Rangers Ballpark

Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners
.463 AVG (25-for-54) during 12-G hit streak; .400 AVG (12-for-30) lifetime vs. Yankees starter Andy Pettitte

Torii Hunter, OF, Angels
.406 AVG (13-for-32) lifetime vs. Rangers starter Kevin Millwood

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

Atlanta catcher Brian McCann may not want to encounter the people behind the screen names of j.harv8, Braves10 and crowleybs in a dark alleyway. That trio represented the Top 3 BTS contestants entering yesterday’s action, and all finished the day back at square one following McCann’s 0-for-5 showing vs. the Phillies.

And so, BTS play continues with no streaks of at least 30 games for the first time in a while. dizzygst, who picked Ian Kinsler (1-for-5), and misharandolph, who went with Ichiro Suzuki (2-for-4), take over the top spot together with their 28-game streaks. tasty_ellis_stu extended his run to a tasty 27 games with the selection of Derek Jeter (1-for-5), and eight more moved into a tie for fourth place at 25 games.

Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 9.3%, 2-for-4
2. Albert Pujols (STL): 8.9%, 2-for-3
3. Brian McCann (ATL): 8.2%, 0-for-5
4. Miguel Cabrera (DET): 7.2%, 2-for-5
5. Ian Kinsler (TEX): 3.8%, 1-for-5

 

Today’s recommended picks

Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
.429 AVG (9-for-21) lifetime vs. Giants starter Randy Johnson

Brian McCann, C, Braves
.857 AVG (6-for-7) lifetime vs. Phillies starter Joe Blanton

Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers
.500 AVG (11-for-22) lifetime vs. Angels starter Joe Saunders

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

While Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp didn’t exactly light up Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies, he did manage to collect one hit in five at-bats. That was enough for j.harv8 to extend his BTS-leading streak to 34 games.

bbennett71032, who began the day in second place, didn’t enjoy as much luck. Going with Joe Mauer on a day when the Twins backstop finished with a rare 0-for-4 performance, bbennett71032 watched his 30-game run come to an end.

That enabled Braves10 to take over second place, at 29 games, with his selection of Miguel Cabrera (1-for-3). crowleybs remained one game behind by tabbing Hanley Ramirez (3-for-4), taking over third place with the end of CheckMark’s 28-game streak.

Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Joe Mauer (MIN): 9.4%, 0-for-4
2. Hanley Ramirez (FLA): 6.9%, 3-for-4
3. Matt Kemp (LAD): 6.5%, 1-for-5
4. Kevin Youkilis (BOS): 4.8%, 1-for-5
5. Dustin Pedroia (BOS): 4.6%, 1-for-3

 

Today’s recommended picks

Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
10-for-21 (.476 AVG) lifetime vs. Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez

Jason Bartlett, SS, Rays
Hit safely in 11 of 12 G in June

Vladimir Guerrero, OF, Angels
12-for-26 (.462 AVG) since ’04 vs. Rangers starter Vicente Padilla

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

With recently featured contestant FROD having fallen from the top of the pack, j.harv8 took over as the BTS top dog and extended his streak to 33 games with Michael Young’s 1-for-3 performance yesterday.

bbennett71032 got just enough from Ichiro Suzuki (1-for-5) to become only the second BTS player to own a hit streak of at least 30 games. Braves10, who picked Ryan Braun (1-for-3), and CheckMark, who went with Joe Mauer (2-for-5), are tied for third place at 28 games.

Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. David Wright (NYM): 9.9%, 0-for-3
2. Joe Mauer (MIN): 8.2%, 2-for-5
3. Ryan Braun (MIL): 7.7%, 1-for-3
4. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 7.3%, 1-for-5
5. Albert Pujols (STL): 7.2%, 1-for-3

 

Today’s recommended picks

Scott Rolen, 3B, Blue Jays
26-for-60 (.433 AVG) during 14-G hit streak; 22-for-61 (.361 AVG) vs. left-handed pitchers in ’09

Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies
.355 AVG since June 1; A’s starter Brett Anderson: .304 AVG against in ’09

Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
9-for-25 (.360 AVG) over past 7 G; .344 AVG lifetime vs. left-handers

Saturday’s recommended picks

Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs
.358 AVG during June; 5-for-11 (.455 AVG) lifetime vs. White Sox starter Mark Buehrle

Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
7-for-10 (.700 AVG) lifetime vs. Braves starter Javier Vazquez

Joe Mauer, C, Twins
.395 AVG in ’09; Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer: .315 AVG against in ’09

Sunday’s recommended picks

Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
9-for-25 (.360 AVG) over past 7 G

Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers
22-for-52 (.423 AVG) vs. left-handers in ’09

Joe Mauer, C, Twins
11-for-15 (.733 AVG) lifetime vs. Cardinals starter Joel Pineiro; .395 AVG in ’09

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

BTS leader FROD was among the 17.5 percent of fans who went with Seattle speedster Ichiro Suzuki, which turned out to be a fine pick. Ichiro racked up an impressive four hits for the day, boosting FROD’s streak to 39 games.

gozags2008 held steady in second place, at 34 games, as his seclection, Evan Longoria, did not play in the Rays’ win over the Phillies. berret (Ichiro), eltarrant (Joe Mauer) and rzeiter (Ichiro) all extended their streaks to 31 games to hold onto a share of third place.

Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 17.5%, 4-for-5
2. Joe Mauer (MIN): 7.8%, 2-for-5
3. Derrek Lee (CHC): 5.9%, 0-for-4
4. Chase Utley (PHI): 4.4%, 1-for-4
5. Kevin Youkilis (BOS): 3.1%, 0-for-1

 

Today’s recommended picks

Mark DeRosa, INF/OF, Indians
7-for-20 (.350 AVG) lifetime vs. Pirates starter Zach Duke

Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs
30-for-81 (.370 AVG) during 20-G hit streak

Joe Mauer, C, Twins
.395 AVG in ’09; 3-for-3 lifetime vs. Brewers starter Braden Looper

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

It was a significant night for BTS play, as not one, but three major streaks came to an end.

First, there was leader TannerNielsen, whose 45-game streak entering the day was tied for fourth longest in BTS history. Tanner went with Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, but the hard-hitting backstop was unable to come through with a hit in five trips to the plate.

Second-place contestant paulcmoss84 also tabbed Mauer, resulting in the culmination of his 39-game streak. And while third-place fan crtownse managed to avoid the Mauer trap, his selection of Pittsburgh’s Freddy Sanchez (0-for-4) brought an end to his 38-game run.

That left FROD as the new top dog in the BTS standings, at 37 games. gozags2008 is now in second place with his 32-game streak, and murdog33 moved up to 30 games to take over third.

Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Joe Mauer (MIN): 11.9%, 0-for-5
2. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 11.3%, 2-for-5
3. Chipper Jones (ATL): 6.6%, 0-for-3
4. Carl Crawford (TB): 4.7%, 1-for-3
5. David Wright (NYM): 3.5%, 0-for-2

Fan profiles

Paul Ryan aka. paulcmoss84 ran his hit streak to 39 games — the second-longest mark of the 2009 season — before Joe Mauer’s rare hitless day brought his impressive run to an end yesterday.

Born and bred in Iowa, Paul is a financial accountant in the town of Oskaloosa. He began playing Beat the Streak presented by Burger King this year after a couple of his co-workers turned him on to the game, and he quickly got hooked. Paul said he originally picked players who were playing in hitter-friendly ballparks, but as his streak grew, he put more time into researching how well the hitters and pitchers involved in his selections had fared in recent games.

While Paul no doubt is unhappy to see his streak snapped, a bit of insight he shared before yesterday’s action suggests he’ll get some relief as well.

“Once the streak is over, I’ll be able to enjoy my night without hovering over MLB.com, checking in on my selection of the night,” he said via e-mail. “Making the picks has been nerve-racking the past couple weeks.”

To which we say: Paul, take a well-deserved breather, then come back for more.

Norbert Moskovits, or 0nmoskovits, was among the bevy of contestants who fell from the top of the leaderboard yesterday. He reached 33 games before David Wright’s 0-for-2 performance brought the ride to a halt.

That this cardiologist from Lawrence, N.Y., went with Mr. Wright is not surprising; he began following baseball in large part because his three sons developed into avid Mets fans. Norbert credited one of his sons, Josh, as the one who got him involved in BTS by helping him select players each day.

Having been recognized by New York magazine as one of the best doctors in the region for four consecutive years, Norbert is in the midst of another noteworthy streak. We’re sure this medicine man’s wounds will heal quickly, giving him the strength to make another run at Joe D’s record.

 

Today’s recommended picks

Joe Mauer, C, Twins
.407 AVG in ’09; Brewers starter Jeff Suppan: .299 AVG against in ’09

David Wright, 3B, Mets
5-for-12 (.417 AVG) lifetime vs. Cardinals starter Joel Pineiro in ’09; Pineiro: .299 AVG against in ’09

Justin Upton, OF, Diamondbacks
11-for-21 (.524 AVG) over last 5 G; Rangers starter Matt Harrison: .307 AVG against in ’09

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

Had David Wright not collected a hit last night, there would have been major upheaval at the top of the BTS standings.

But Mr. Wright came through with a single in his first at-bat, pushing leader TannerNielsen’s streak to 45 games. The single also extended the streaks of each of the subsequent seven contestants in the standings.

Second-place fan paulcmoss84 moved up to 39 games, one ahead of crtownse. FROD is up to 36 games, while 0nmoskovits and jrjbears share fifth place with their 33-game streaks.

 
Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Albert Pujols (STL): 37.7%, 1-for-4
2. David Wright (NYM): 19.2%, 1-for-3
3. Derrek Lee (CHC): 6.9%, 1-for-4
4. Carlos Beltran (NYM): 4.6%, 0-for-0
5. Chone Figgins (LAA): 2.8%, 0-for-3

 

Today’s recommended picks

Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
11-for-27 (.407 AVG) lifetime vs. Mets starter Tim Redding

Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs
.365 AVG (27-for-74) during 18-G hit streak

Juan Rivera, OF, Angels
14-for-31 (.452 AVG) vs. Rockies pitchers since ’04

BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56

Yesterday’s results

Front-runner TannerNielsen reached another BTS milestone yesterday, and it had little to do with him officially changing the screen name (wildtanners) that accompanied his rise up the charts.

With Freddy Sanchez’s first-inning single against Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa, TannerNielsen extended his season-high hit streak to an amazing 44 games. That “ties” the National League record set by Wee Willie Keeler in 1897 and later matched by Pete Rose in 1978. Only Joe DiMaggio compiled a longer streak in Major League history, and only four contestants have lasted longer in BTS history.

Behind TannerNielsen in the standings, paulcmoss84 extended his own impressive hit streak to 38 games thanks to a 3-for-4 effort from Ichiro Suzuki, while crtownse remained one game behind with his selection of Shane Victorino (2-for-3).

 
Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players

1. Freddy Sanchez (PIT): 8.7%, 2-for-4
2. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 8.1%, 3-for-4
3. David Wright (NYM): 6.2%, 3-for-5
4. Mark Teixeira (NYY): 4.9%, 1-for-4