What Robbie Cano does know highlights this week’s Week That Was.

Robinson Cano: Cano is on FIRE.  Whaddya know? Cano hit his 19th dinger of the year Friday night in just his 67th game.  If you assume Cano plays in 155 games, that would mean a 44-dinger season.  Do I see that happening?  Probably not but a 35-plus HR, 115-plus RBI, .300 average season is hardly out of the question.   Indeed, the advanced metrics show a slightly unlucky BABIP and a guy who is striking out less despite the power surge.  Can you say more upside?  Come on, say it!  OK, back to the matter at hand -- Cano is one of the best players in the game and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.  If there is a doubter out there, pounce now.  Do you think the Yankees miss his bat? I know this Yankee fan does.

Carlos SantanaDon’t look now but Santana is raking.  The Indians slugger bashed his 14th dinger Friday – a walk off against the pale hose.  Given that he only hit 19 HR all of last year, the power surge has been welcomed.  Yes, Santana is hitting only .226 through Friday but the .215 BABIP is surely the cause.  After all, Santana’s contact rate is up substantially, his strikeout rate is down substantially and his hard hit percentage is way up.  There is simply no reason for the .215 BABIP other than pure bad luck.  Santana makes for a great buy below market candidate.  Hopefully the Santana owner in your league does not read this column before you do!    

Didi Gregorius:  Gregorius will not make anyone forget Derek Jeter any time soon but the Yankee shortstop is raking.  After three run dingers on Wednesday and Thursday, Didi filled the stat sheet again Friday with a run, two RBI and as swipe.  As of Saturday morning, Didi had his average all the way up to .279.  The Rules of Engagement, which say that players in the 25-26 age range with 800-1,000 AB in the bigs are prime candidates to break out.  Didi is proving that point.  Given that his contact rate is way up and that his BABIP shows luck is not fueling his surge, Didi is a good bet to continue to hit – indeed he has hit .324 over the last month.   [Note – fantasy writers use a lot of advance metrics and numbers.  Watch Didi play and you will see with your own eyes that what the numbers are saying us true. This is a guy who has grown into himself and is a confident young upwardly mobile ballplayer].   

Yordano Ventura:  Ventura pitched great again Friday tossing six innings of shutout ball while walking none and striking out five.  In the two starts since the Machado incident, Ventura has thrown 13 1/3 innings giving up just one run and one walk while striking out 15.  Personally, I think the light has gone on.  Yes, I know he will miss a start due to the suspension but he seems focused (yes, a bad way to get there but still).  How many young pitchers with an average fastball velocity over 95 and more than 400 MLB innings under his belt are out there?  Oh, and he plays for a very good defensive team too.  I believe and am happy to own Ventura in two expert leagues.

Scooter GennettGennett went 3-for-4 with an RBI Friday night.  This guy is en fuego!  Over the last two weeks, Scooter (not the “holy cow” version) is hitting over .350.  So, can this hot streak last?  Well, he is not going to hit .350 the rest of the way but I think he will hit.  First, this is a 26-year-old who entered the season with over 1,000 MLB at-bats.  As noted many times before in this space, that is prime breakout territory.  Second, Gennett always hit for a solid average in the minors so there is reason to believe he can do so now that he is an experienced major leaguer.  Third, Gennett has increased his hard hit percentage substantially in 2016.  Buy before it is too late.

Cole Hamels:  Cole Hamels was great Friday, going seven shutout innings giving up just three hits and striking out six.  On the year, Cole has a solid 2.88 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  Some of the advanced metrics preach caution here (FIP of 4.85, depressed BABIP of .266) but I am not worried.  Why?  In part because Hamels just produces year in and year out.  Over the last six years, Hamels had an ERA over 3.50 once (2015) and has had a WHIP under 1.20 every one of those years.  Moreover, Hamels has struck out over 190 hitters in seven of the last eight years.  Given the solid performance thus far and other advanced metrics that say “stud” (elite ground ball and swinging strike rates), I am all in on the Rangers’ southpaw.

Jace Peterson: Peterson makes an interesting study.  He has been a highly touted prospect for a while yet is only 26 years old.  He hit over .300 at Double-A and Triple-A in 2014 and then the wheels came off (including a hideous .186 average at Triple-A this year).  So, you would think that a guy who couldn’t crack the Mendoza line in the minors will not hit in the majors right?  Not so fast.  Since his call up last week, Peterson is hitting .375 with a .500 OBP and more walks than strikeouts.  What do we make of this?  First, his minor league average was held down by a remarkably unlucky .220 BABIP (a truly depressed number for a fast player).  Second, he increased his contact rate in the minors showing that he is learning to read pitches and use his speed after putting the bat on the ball.  Third, sometimes guys who believe they belong in the show fail to perform in Triple-A because their head is not into it.  I do not know Peterson and have not talked to him but the numbers surely support the possibility of that mindset.  Bottom line – the Braves are not very good and have every reason to let the 26-year-old play and learn.  I am in.

And now the moment you well, may or may not be waiting for, the Baron of Bottom of the Page pontificates -- a.k.a. Schultz says: “NEW YORK, NEW YORK, Sunday morning. As Schultz sits and tries to say something this morning, his thoughts are inescapably interrupted by one thought: Go Cavs! GO Cavs!! GO CAVS!!!

Who can think about fantasy baseball when there is real history that could be made Sunday night in California? I'm besieged by thoughts of whether "ISIS attacks LeBron" could happen. Whether they'll call Curry's game winning 3/4 court shot at the buzzer "The Heave" or "The Prayer" or simply "The Curry." Whether Anderson Varejao's signing with the Warriors is a plot twist right out of '24.' Whether it's time for the King to deliver unto his people? 

Schultz will say things next week when he can think straight.”

Response:  Huh?  Schultz must really be out of it as he NEVER forgets to wish all the dads out there a happy fathers’ day.  So, being a good teammate, I will do it for him.  HAPPY FATHERS’ DAY to all the dads out there, including of course my own!