Picks of the day
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
- 4-for-8 (.500) vs. MIN RHP Nick Blackburn
- .485 AVG during 15-game hit streak
Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers
- 8-for-15 (.533) vs. LAA LHP Joe Saunders
- .462 AVG during 19-game hit streak
Top 5 current leaders
(yesterday’s pick)
1. dalmeetz048, 34 games (Jose Reyes)
2. mday1018, 32 games (Dustin Pedroia)
3. slumley, 31 games (Ian Kinsler)
4. eazyeric, 29 games (Hanley Ramirez)
4. hdchannell, 29 games (J.D. Drew)
Season leader: spooky93, 48 games
Yesterday’s results
Beat the Streak leader dalmeetz048 took another step toward the record books on the strength of a 2-for-5 effort from Mets shortstop Jose Reyes. The leader’s 34-game streak is the sixth longest this season.
The second- and third-place contestants rode the scorching bats of Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler. The All-Star second basemen extended their own hit streaks to 15 games and 19 games, respectively, and in the process helped mday1018 and slumley keep pace with the leader.
Meanwhile, eazyeric and hdchannell rounded out the Top 5 by surviving on one-hit efforts from Hanley Ramirez and J.D. Drew.
Fans who made Chase Utley yesterday’s highest-picked player were rewarded when the second baseman went yard off Pedro Martinez in the fourth inning of yesterday’s Phillies-Mets slugfest. Chipper Jones, who leads the Majors with a .384 average and was yesterday’s fourth-most-picked player, was held hitless in three at-bats as Hiroki Kuroda tossed a one-hit gem against the Braves in Los Angeles.
Yesterday’s Top 5 most selected players
1. Chase Utley (PHI): 11.3%, 1-for-3
2. Hanley Ramirez (FLA): 7.4%, 1-for-5
3. Lance Berkman (HOU): 6.0%, 1-for-4
4. Chipper Jones (ATL): 5.8%, 0-for-3
5. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 5.5%, 2-for-4
Fan of the day
Five years ago, Scott Lumley was a fresh-faced rookie competing in his first fantasy baseball league. Today, the seasoned gamer is using his fantasy baseball knowledge to chase down a $1 million cash prize.
Scott, better known as “slumley” to his Beat the Streak presented by Mitchum competitors, entered Tuesday’s action with a 31-game streak, good for third-longest among active players.
A participant of Beat the Streak presented by Mitchum for two years, Scott also has fantasy teams in the MLB.com 2008 Open, Yahoo and ESPN leagues, and a keeper/auction league with his friends. In fact, the Ontario, Canada, resident has become so ensconced in fantasy baseball that he now favors individual players over one specific team.
“I was at one time a rabid Blue Jays fan,” Scott said. “I’ve been playing fantasy baseball so long, I no longer have a favorite team.”
Scott says his favorite hitters are Hanley Ramirez, Ian Kinsler, Alex Rodriguez, Chase Utley and Matt Holliday. And though he’s managed to keep his streak alive using studs like those listed above, one of his most memorable moments came when he called upon a less-heralded hero.
On June 30, Scott had come up empty in his search for a promising matchup until he stumbled upon the unsung Mike Aviles. Though the 27-year-old shortstop had fewer than 100 at-bats going into the game, Scott noticed that he was raking against left-handers. With southpaw Brian Burres on the hill for the Orioles that day, Scott decided to gamble on his diamond in the rough. The gritty move paid off, as Aviles ended up swatting a pair of singles and scoring the game’s winning run in the top of the 11th.
“It was really satisfying seeing the leaders’ hitters listed — there was Ichiro and Berkman and A-Rod and Jeter, and I was the only guy on the list with Mike Aviles,” Scott said.
Using lesser-known players like Aviles has helped Scott build his streak into the 30s, but the third-place contestant understands the importance of bona-fide stars as well. He says that Kinsler and Holliday have been “money” for him when he’s used them in the right spots, but one superstar he will never use is Albert Pujols. According to Scott, Prince Albert is just too lethal for his own good.
“Pitchers are perfectly happy to walk him,” reasoned Scott, “because they’re absolutely afraid of him.”
Scott’s impressive streak and extensive fantasy background are far from being the only noteworthy elements of his life. The London native describes himself as a “full-time dad” before anything else. His plan, providing he wins the $1 million grand prize, clearly displays his family-first attitude.
“I’d buy my family a home and set up a college fund for my little boy,” Scott said. “He’s only 11 months old, but you can never start that stuff too early.”
Outside of being a family man, Scott is also a contributor to the film Web site boxofficeprophets.com. And though Scott may liken himself to a prophet of the movie industry now, people may soon consider him a prophet of another sort if he continues his run into the BTS record books.
New BTS leader mday1018 celebrated his first day atop the leaderboard by extending his streak to 34 games. His surge toward the record books continued when Alex Rodriguez singled off Edwin Jackson in the third inning of the Yankees’ win over Tampa Bay. 
Beat the Streak Report 