Fantasy Today: June 5th

We will look at fantasy sports from a daily perspective: the games last night, the games tonight, and the news along the way.  As we settle in and find our rhythm, we'll add new features.  Please send your feedback in the Comments section below on the day in fantasy, what you like or don't like about the column, and any ideas for new features on the blog.

So, let's get started:

YESTERDAY'S BEST (June 4th)

HITTERS

3B Mike Moustakas KCY: 3-4, HR (9), 2 RBI (27), 2 2B, 3 R (26), K (12 pts)

2B Jamey Carroll MIN: 3-3, 2 RBI (16), 3B, 2 R (20), BB, SB (5) (12 pts)

LF Josh Willingham MIN: 2-3, HR (11), 3 RBI (39), 2 R (32), 2 BB, K (11 pts)

PITCHERS

SP Jarrod Parker OAK: 8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER (2.40 ERA), 3 BB, 6 K (35), W (2-2) (34 pts)

SP Christian Friedrich COL: 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER (4.50 ERA), 2 BB, 4 K (36), W (4-1) (27 pts)

SP Kyle Lohse STL: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER (3.21 ERA), 0 BB, 3 K (42), ND (19 pts)

BY POSITION

C: Rosario COL (7 pts)

1B: Craig STL (10)

2B: Galvis PHL (4)

3B: Moustakas KCY/Carroll MIN (12)

SS: Kawasaki SEA (7)

OF: Revere MIN (9)

SP: Parker OAK (34)

RP: Affeldt SFO (16)

YESTERDAY'S GAMES

And now, a note or two on yesterday's games:

St. Louis (28-27) 5, NY METS (31-24) 4

• The only issue for OF/1B Allen Craig (2-3, HR (6), 3 RBI (22), 10 pts) is whether he can stay healthy. Otherwise, he gives you average, some pop, and positional eligibility. He is an outfielder, but he has played 11 games at first base. He can play second base in a pinch, evidenced by his 8 games at the position last season. But, he has been limited by knee and hamstring injuries, only playing in 16 of St. Louis's 55 games, totaling 62 at-bats.

OAKLAND (24-31) 12, Texas (32-23) 1

• SP Jarrod Parker (34 pts) went the other way in the Trevor Cahill deal and Oakland may already have the better of that deal. Parker only had one start in the Majors coming into this year, but the 23-year-old righthander has only allowed more than 2 earned runs once in 8 starts this year (2.40 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, .205 BAA). Parker has faced .500 teams in 6 of those starts, going 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 37 innings.

Colorado (24-30) 4, ARIZONA (25-30) 0

• Speaking of promising rookie pitchers, SP Christian Friedrich pitches for Colorado, but he has been fantastic on the road and pretty well overall lately. Friedrich won his third straight start, but his home/road splits are night and day. Friedrich, who made his ML debut on May 9th is 1-1, with a 10.64 ERA and a 2.27 WHIP in 2 starts at home, but he is 3-0, 1.80, 1.08 in 4 starts on the road.

OTHER SCORES

LA Dodgers (34-21) 4, PHILADELPHIA (28-28) 3

SAN FRANCISCO (31-24) 3, Chi Cubs (18-36) 2

Minnesota (21-33) 10, KANSAS CITY (23-30) 7

Seattle (25-32) 8, LA ANGELS (28-28) 6

TODAY'S GAMES

Chris Young makes his season debut tonight for the Mets at the Nationals, who will send out Jordan Zimmermann (3-5, 2.80 ERA, 1.09 WHIP). A win by the Mets will knock Washington out of first place in the NL East. Take a close look at Young, who was 1-0, 1.88, 0.96 in only 4 starts last year.  Will Chad Billingsley finally get off the schneid or will it be Cliff Lee?  Billingsley (2-4, 4.09, 1.44) won his first 2 starts, which were stellar starts (1 ER in 14.1 IP, 1 BB, 15 K).  But, they were against the Padres and Pirates.  In the 9 starts since then, Billingsley is 0-4 with only 3 quality starts, a 5.13 ERA, and a 1.69 WHIP.  Meanwhile, Cliff Lee has pitched well, but has not gotten a "W" this year (0-2, 3.00, 1.02). This is a simple case of run support, though in his last 3 starts, Lee has yielded more than a hit an inning (0-1, 4.95, 1.50).

When Andy Pettitte (2-2, 3.49, 1.13) lost his comeback debut against Seattle, some eyes rolled.  But, a 4-hit, no-run performance over eight innings against Cincinnati in the Bronx turned some heads.  The 39-year-old tries to duplicate that second start against a good offense in Tampa. The game will be at home and Pettitte will face James Shields (6-3, 3.95, 1.32), who has struggled in 2 starts against the Yankees (0-1, 9 ER and 13 H in 11 IP) this year.

In other matchups, Jaime Garcia (3-3, 3.78, 1.40) was pushed back from his start over the weekend because of elbow concerns, but he goes tonight at Houston and Lucas Harrell (4-4, 4.71, 1.48), who is 2-0 in his last 3 home starts.  In a battle of unlikely fantasy starters, A.J. Burnett (4-2, 3.60, 1.24) is averaging 7.6 K/9 and his Pirates are in Cincinnati to take on Homer Bailey (4-3, 3.73, 1.26) and the Reds.

MY PICK 6:

SP Jaime Garcia STL (at HOU) (on track to start tonight, has lasted 6 IP in 7 of last 8 starts)

C Wilin Rosario COL (at ARZ) (last 7 games: 9-for-26, .731 SLG, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R, 2 SB)

CI Joey Votto CIN (vs PIT) (during 10-game hit streak: 19-for-33, .909 SLG, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 10 R)

MI Allen Craig STL (at HOU) (since return from injury: 3-for-11, HR, 3 RBI)

OF Andrew McCutchen PIT (at CIN) (36-for-98, 9 HR, 23 RBI since May 1st, 7-for-20 lifetime vs. Homer Bailey)

RP Ernesto Frieri LAA (vs SEA) (last 6 appearances: 4 SV, 6.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 6 BB, 14 K)