The first week (and a bit) of the 2019 BaseballGB Fantasy League is complete. Which teams are off to flying starts? And which teams look like they are still in spring training?

Team	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS	W	SV	K	HLD	ERA	WHIP	Score
Newcastle Knights	47	16	47	3	.280	.859	4	9	110	4	2.86	1.24	11
Swindon Devil Rays	34	5	21	3	.233	.680	3	2	49	0	4.66	1.25	0

The Knights fell one steal shy of a clean sweep as they handed the Devil Rays an heavy defeat.

.400? How about .500?: Tim Anderson (Knights), .560
Safe at home: Betts (Knights) and McCutchen (Devil Rays) 9 runs
They’ve got the power: Alfaro, Muncy, Springer (all Knights), 3 HR

Wins still matter: Lucchesi (Knights) and Glasnow (Devil Rays), 2 wins
Way of the K: Clevinger (Knights), 22 strikeouts
Lockdown closer: Haders (Knights), 5 saves
Award for special effects for this fastball: Alvarado (Knights), 4 saves

Injured but not on DL: Upton and Murphy (both Devil Rays)

Team	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS	W	SV	K	HLD	ERA	WHIP	Score
Cheshunt Maltsters	49	12	40	7	.249	.759	7	6	88	8	3.40	1.04	10
The Bath Bombers	34	5	28	9	.245	.667	2	4	40	3	3.20	1.19	2

The Maltsters also hit double digits against the Bombers.

They’ve got the power: Contreras and Diaz (both Maltsters), 3 HR

RBI machine: Haniger and Pollock (both Maltsters), 8 RBIs

Need for speed: Ramirez (Bombers) 3 steals

He’s a Yankee so he must be injured: Andujar (Bombers)

Wins still matter: Gonzales (Maltsters), 3

Near no-hitter: Bauer (Maltsters)

Looking back to his best: Jansen (Maltsters), 4 saves

What we have, we hold: Trivino (Maltsters) 5 holds

Waiting for the phone to ring: Kimbrel (Maltsers)

Back to the minors: Reyes (Bombers)

Team	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS	W	SV	K	HLD	ERA	WHIP	Score
Durham Riverkings	66	23	59	9	.284	.953	5	10	92	0	2.58	1.05	9
Richie’s RBI’s	46	12	50	2	.280	.816	3	13	83	0	2.65	0.96	2

A clean offensive sweep powered the Riverkings to a 9-2 win against the Bombers.

Flexing their muscles: Sanchez (Riverkings), 6 HR; Gallo (Riverkings), 4 HR

Nine runs, 11 RBI club: Moncada and Gallo (Riverkings)

The need for speed: Smith (Riverkings) 3 steals

Canny pickup: Beckham (Riverkings) .455

Injured list: Turner (Riverkings)

Cy Young: De Grom (Riverkings), 2 wins, 24 K, 0.00 ERA

Lockdown closers: Greene (RBIs), 7 saves, Diaz (Riverkings) 5 saves, Yates (Riverkings) 4 saves

Team	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS	W	SV	K	HLD	ERA	WHIP	Score
Beckenham A&E Dept	44	9	33	9	.268	.761	5	2	73	2	3.20	1.16	2
The Cheddar Chasers	50	10	43	6	.295	.866	5	2	76	4	3.06	1.30	8

The Chasers took five out of six offensive categories as they started the year with a win against Beckenham.

MVP: Rendon (Chasers) 12 R, 4 HR, 9 RBI, .433

The need for speed: Gordon (A&E Dept) 5 steals

Wins still matter: Ryu and Doolitte (both A&E Dept) 2

Strikeout machine: Scherzer (Chasers) 28 K

Stingy ERA: Marquez (Chasers) 0.89

Whip it: Syndergaard (A&E Dept) 0.50

Team	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS	W	SV	K	HLD	ERA	WHIP	Score
Orpington Isotopes	48	17	49	2	.226	.765	4	2	72	1	7.92	1.79	4
Bunting for Britain	52	14	42	10	.292	.914	5	1	61	2	5.59	1.38	8

Bunting for Britain began their time in the BaseballGB league by defeating my Isotopes 8-4 in a matchup which wasn’t a classic for the pitchers. In fact, all of Bunting’s wins came from the bullpen.

Which hits better, the tortoise or the hare?: Astudillo (Bunting) .400

Havoc on the bases: Merrifield (Bunting) 9 runs, 3 steals

MVP: Yelich (Isotopes) 11 R, 5 HR, 13 RBIs, .361

Best shoes: Harper (Bunting) for these

By way of the K: Carrasco (Isotopes) 16 

Wins still matter: Familia (Bunting) 2

Saving the day: Osuna (Isotopes) 2

Team	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS	W	SV	K	HLD	ERA	WHIP	Score
Mighty Slugs	61	21	58	3	.284	.871	3	6	89	4	3.51	1.16	7
Norwich No II	47	24	64	6	.256	.929	5	5	82	2	5.35	1.33	5

Last, but by no means least, the Slugs squeezed past Norwich 7-5. 

MVP: Bellinger (Slugs) 17 runs, 7 HR, 18 RBIs, .455

It’s outta here: Trout and Davis (both Norwich) 5 HR, Baez (Norwich) 4 HR

Canny pickup: D Santana (Norwich) 10 R, 4 HR, 15 RBIs, 3 SB, .311

Wins still matter: Maeda (Norwich) 2

By way of the K: Strasburg and Castillo (both Slugs) 17

Closing time: Smith (Slugs) 3

Worth noting

Remember to make the most of your DL spots. If you have an injured player, put them on the DL to free up a roster spot for a replacement from the free agent pool, waiver wire of via trade.

As week two is a regular seven-day matchup, remember to make sure your team pitches at least 20 innings otherwise you will forfeit all of the pitching categories.

Week 2 match-ups

Orpington Isotopes (8th) v Beckenham A&E Dept (9th)
Bunting for Britain (5th) v Swindon Devil Rays (12th)
Cheshunt Maltsters (2nd) v The Cheddar Chasers (4th)
Durham Riverkings (3rd) v The Bath Bombers (11th)
Mighty Slugs (6th) v Richie’s RBI’s (10th)
Newcastle Knights (1st) v Norwich No II (7th)