Since I’m not eligible to win the $3 million Beat the Streak grand prize, I might as well try to help you out. Every weekday, make sure to check out the Beat the Streak Report to improve your odds with all the stats goodness you could ever dream of. You know, assuming you could use an extra three mill.

August 19

Geoff Croke just keeps Rolen along.

Our leader, a.k.a. “gfc2112,” is sitting pretty at 43 games after a 1-for-5 performance by the Reds third baseman last night at Arizona.

Was the .285 career hitter a slightly risky pick? Sure — he wasn’t among Wednesday’s 15 most popular selections.

But he came into the game with seven hits in his last 11 at-bats, and I can’t ever fault a streaker for picking against Rodrigo Lopez and a D-backs relief corps that close couldn’t the bullpen door, let alone a game.

Anyway, the popular picks also panned out yesterday, with 12 of the 13 most-used players advancing gamers — if you count Joey Votto and Alex Rodriguez receiving the ol’ did-not-play pass.

Vlad Guerrero and Albert Pujols led the way, each going 1-for-4 to help a combined 16.6 percent of players.

Time for Thursday’s picks

Oh, hello there …

? James Loney: .533 AVG (8-for-15) lifetime vs. Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa

? Denard Span: .429 AVG (12-for-28) lifetime vs. White Sox starter Mark Buehrle

? Ryan Ludwick: .500 AVG (7-for-14) lifetime vs. Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano

? Miguel Cabrera: .444 AVG (4-for-9) lifetime vs. Yankees starter Phil Hughes

Feeling kinda spicy?

? Howard Kendrick: .409 AVG (9-for-22) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Josh Beckett

You’ll thank me later …

? Adrian Beltre: .186 AVG (8-for-43) lifetime vs. Angels starter Ervin Santana

? Alexei Ramirez: .125 AVG (2-for-16) lifetime vs. Twins starter Carl Pavano

? Jimmy Rollins: .083 AVG (1-for-12) lifetime vs. Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez

? Andre Ethier: .091 AVG (1-for-11) lifetime vs. Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa

Leaderboard time!

Croke has pulled away from the pack Secretariat style, but “Jeabullseye” keeps chugging along in second place at 28 games.

“rtaylor2001” and “warriorcub” remain tied for third two games back.

They’ll to need to kick their picking skills into high gear to make up that 15-game gap. I recommend searching the internet for BTS cheat codes. The one that starts with A, B, left trigger usually works.

Or not.

Top MLB streakers

? Alexei Ramirez: 12 games 

? Bobby Abreu: 10 games 

? Jose Lopez: 10 games 

? Dan Uggla: 10 games 

? Carl Crawford: 9 games 

? David Ortiz: 9 games 

? B.J. Upton: 9 games 

And the beat goes on.

An Ichiro Suzuki fourth-inning single catapulted Geoff Croke (“gfc2112”) to a 41-game streak.

For those scoring at home but don’t know how, this means two things:

(1) Croke is only a 16-game streak away from $3,000,000.

(2) Croke is only a three-game streak away from displacing the oh-so-lovable Dick George and (likely) taking home $10,000.

Glad I could clear that up.

And don’t think I forgot about the rest of you streakers, as Ichiro’s
single also pressed the forward button on 25.8 percent of the entire
population.

I’d never forget about the rest of you guys. Come on!

The first commandment of streakdom is that all streaks are created equal.

Just, ya know, some are more equal than others.

Time for Tuesday’s picks

Oh, hello there …

? Placido Polanco: .800 AVG (8-for-10) since ’05 vs. Giants starter Barry Zito

? Miguel Cabrera: .636 AVG (7-for-11) lifetime vs. Yankees starter CC Sabathia

? Michael Cuddyer: .488 AVG (20-for-41) lifetime vs. White Sox starter John Danks

? Ichiro Suzuki: .405 AVG (30-for-74) lifetime vs. Orioles starter Kevin Millwood

? Asdrubal Cabrera: .458 AVG (11-for-24) lifetime vs. Royals starter Zack Greinke

? Hanley Ramirez: .500 AVG (6-for-12) lifetime vs. Pirates starter Zach Duke

? Derek Jeter: .389 AVG (7-for-18) lifetime vs. Tigers starter Justin Verlander

Feeling kinda spicy?

? Gerald Laird: .467 AVG (7-for-15) lifetime vs. Yankees starter CC Sabathia

You’ll thank me later …

? Mark Teixeira: .071 AVG (1-for-14) lifetime vs. Tigers starter Justin Verlander

? Torii Hunter: .111 AVG (1-for-9) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz

? Evan Longoria: .111 AVG (1-for-9) lifetime vs. Rangers starter Tommy Hunter

? Josh Hamilton: .167 AVG (2-for-12) lifetime vs. Rays starter Matt Garza

Leaderboard time!

“Jeabullseye” now stands alone in second place after successfully riding Miguel Cabrera to a 26-game streak.

“Jeabullseye” is only 31 games away from taking home the $3,000,000.

Wait, what’s that?

Oh, sorry, let me try that again.

“Jeabullseye” is only 31 games away and needs Croke to spontaneously combust in order to take home the $3,000,000.

Much better.

Top MLB streakers

? Alexei Ramirez: 10 games

? Bobby Abreu: 8 games

? Jose Lopez: 8 games

? Logan Morrison: 8 games

? Ian Stewart: 8 games

? Dan Uggla: 8 games 

We got ourselves a ballgame.

Geoff Croke rode the gravy train all weeekend long, extending his streak
to 40 games after Troy Tulowitzki’s mammoth performance Sunday
afternoon.

Our leader is now a mere 17 games away from immortality and a shoe box
full of cash, and is only four games away from unseating Dick George as
the season overall leader and (likely) becoming $10,000 richer.

Can ya feel that? That little BTS tingle you have inside?

No? Just me? OK, then …

Time for Monday’s picks:

Oh, hello there …

? Ichiro Suzuki: .438 AVG (7-for-16) lifetime vs. Orioles starter Brad Bergesen

? Miguel Cabrera: .385 AVG (10-for-26) lifetime vs. Yankees starter Javier Vazquez

? Adrian Gonzalez: .444 AVG (4-for-9) lifetime vs. Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny

Feeling kinda spicy?

? B.J. Upton: .353 AVG (6-for-17) lifetime vs. Rangers starter Cliff Lee

You’ll thank me later …

? Jose Reyes: .083 AVG (1-for-12) vs. Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez

? Brian McCann: .091 AVG (1-for-11) lifetime vs. Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley

? Evan Longoria: .143 AVG (2-for-14) lifetime vs. Rangers starter Cliff Lee

Leaderboard time!

Second place is shared between “jeabullseye” and “rockybet” who each sport 25-game streaks.

This is all fine and dandy but WE HAVE A 40-GAME STREAK ON OUR HANDS!

Top MLB streakers

? Scott Podsednik: 12 games

? Alexei Ramirez: 10 games

? Bobby Abreu: 8 games

? Coco Crisp: 8 games

? Ian Stewart: 8 games 

And Stephen Drew makes 36.

The beat goes on for “gfc2112”, as our red-hot leader rode Drew’s solo
blast to a 36-game streak. The next 21 days will hopefully be quite the
exciting time in Streakland, as users have quietly watched their dreams
of gold-plated ponies and private islands dim by the day.

Will “gfc2112” have the sheer will and determination to keep this party going and supplant Mr. BTS, Dick George, in the process?

Will “gfc2112” flashdance with fate and answer the e-mail I just sent him?

Only time will tell.

Oh, I’d also like to give a shoutout to “ponyforkeana” for taking the bull by the horns and providing the BTS blog world with all the streak knowledge and goodness one needs with his little countdown posted in the comments.

And with that …

Time for Thursday’s picks:

Oh, hello there …

? Andre Ethier: .455 AVG (5-for-11) lifetime vs. Phillies starter Joe Blanton

? Mark Teixeira: .643 AVG (9-for-14) lifetime vs. Royals starter Bruce Chen

? Alexei Ramirez: .545 AVG (6-for-11) lifetime vs. Twins starter Francisco Liriano

? Denard Span: .529 AVG (7-for-19) lifetime vs. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd

? Derek Jeter: .406 AVG (13-for-32) lifetime vs. Royals starter Bruce Chen

Feeling kinda spicy?

? Jason Kendall: .444 AVG (8-for-18) since ’05 vs. Yankees starter CC Sabathia

You’ll thank me later …

? Alex Rios: .083 AVG (1-for-12) lifetime vs. Twins starter Francisco Liriano

? Delmon Young: .188 AVG (3-for-16) lifetime vs. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd

? Shin-Soo Choo: .182 AVG (2-for-11) lifetime vs. Orioles starter Kevin Millwood

Leaderboard time!

“halmuni” used Adrian Beltre to reach the 29-game streak plateau.

We get it, “halmuni”, you want to be noticed. So here ya go, dance the night away.

Top MLB streakers

? Raul Ibanez: 18 games

? Placido Polanco: 10 games

? Michael Bourn: 9 games

? Victor Martinez: 9 games

? Lastings Milledge: 9 games

? Luke Scott: 9 games 

And I’m back.

I’d like to thank Ian for pinch-hitting for me on Friday, and while it
wasn’t quite an African Safari, I was stuck in traffic for four hours
near Scranton, Pennsylvania around midnight last night. Which is even
more fun than it sounds.

Anyway, it was a pretty solid Sunday all around in Streakland, as
Robinson Cano, Joe Mauer, Adrian Beltre, Ichiro Suzuki, Nick Markakis
and Miguel Cabrera each laced hits to keep the gravy train going for
38.5 percent of the galaxy.

My condolences to those 3.4 percent who selected Delmon Young and are now officially out of the running for the $3,000,000.

But, alas, all is not lost for you fine folks. Even though you won’t be
closing out the campaign a BTS legend, reading books about yourself and
books about books about yourself, you still have time to win $10,000 and
beat out the ineffable name — Dick George — and his 43-game streak.

So there’s that.

Time for Monday’s Picks:

Oh, hello there …

? Nick Markakis: .500 AVG (6-for-12) since ’05 vs. White Sox starter Edwin Jackson

? Derek Jeter: .333 AVG (10-for-30) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Jon Lester

? Evan Longoria: .500 AVG (3-for-6) lifetime vs. Tigers starter Armando Galarraga

Feeling kinda spicy?

? Chris Getz: .455 AVG (5-for-11) lifetime vs. Angels starter Ervin Santana

You’ll thank me later …

? Miguel Cabrera: .000 AVG (0-for-7) lifetime vs. Rays starter David Price

? Johnny Damon: .111 AVG (1-for-9) lifetime vs. Rays starter David Price

? Billy Butler: .222 AVG (4-for-18) lifetime vs. Angels starter Ervin Santana

Leaderboard time!

Right in the thick of the hunt for each of hour mega grand prizes is
“gfc2112”, who eschewed Ian’s not-so sagacious advice from Friday and
rode non-blue-chipper Clint Barmes to a 33-game streak.

Shows how much Ian knows.

Top MLB streakers

? Raul Ibanez: 16 games

? Juan Pierre: 15 games

? Adrian Beltre: 14 games

? Hunter Pence: 14 games

? Omar Infante: 11 games

? Howard Kendrick: 10 games