Rockem Sockem

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The 2021 All-Star Break is here, and semi-shockingly we have had a fairly "normal" season so far. Lots of injuries, a lot less "sticky stuff" and an exciting time in Rockem. Here are the standings as we stroll into 2021's All-Star Break:

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There is still a lot of room for movement as the categories and standings are very very close. However, here is a great factoid form this very wiki….the last 3 years we have had an all-star break ([[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2017_all-star_break|2017]], [[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2018 All-Star Break|2018]], [[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2019_all_star_break|2019]]) the person on top of the standings at the ASB went on to win the league. You have to go [[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2016_all_star_break|back to 2016]] when Jeff was winning in July only to drop to third in September, as Birdie made a huge run from 81 to 102 points to win Eets A Boat. Anything is possible, but recent history suggests the leader is in good shape…but what is history???!?!.

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Like past years, I will pick the player who most represents your team at the break. At least it gives us something to do during these days without baseball that counts….Let's switch it up from past years and just do it in standings order…

**1st Place. Ocean's Blyleven - Max Scherzer - Ranked 34th Overall**

Drafted to be Mike's ace and doing the dirty work ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0bbCn5E8iU&ab_channel=CloseCallSports|at least Girardi thinks so]]) Max has consistently delivered, and while it isn't a lights out season, it is jut another ho-hum top eight pitching performance so far in Rockem to pad his Hall of Fame career. Whose HOF?!? MLB for Max or Rockems for Mike?!? Mike is in first place, and things are tight, but he has earned the lead with performances by Max and Nat Turner, the slave rebel himself who could have also been the pick here. Last time we had a full season, [[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2019_all_star_break|2019 at the All-Star Break]] Eben was leading and somehow held on…can Mike do the same?

**2nd Place C-Town Highpockets - Ronald Acuna Jr. - Ranked 4th Overall**

BK has had a fantastic season so far, sticking in the top 2 for most of it. He always is at the top (even though [[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2021_preview2|I predicted him]] to be a lot worse this year) and Acuna is the consensus number one pick….insert screeching tire breaking noise here….or is he?!?! Has Tatis Jr. overtaken him? Also I pick these out a few days before the break and unfortunately Acuna is out for the season with a leg injury, does this sink the forever champ? 2nd half just got a bit more interesting.

**3rd Place Honey Nut Ichiros - Joe Musgrove - Ranked 57th Overall**

Jumping out to a huge lead Ferrari looked like he would "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5uM9xGOT8E&ab_channel=MadeTheCut|Beat The Freeze]]" and lap the rest of us schlubs, however injuries and a return to the median for his squad has brought his early sizzling hot starting team back to earth. This is why baseball isn't a 60 game season. John's player who represents his team is a perfect fit as Musgrove threw a no-no to start the season and still looks pretty solid at 57th overall…however for the last month he is just 440th overall…started with a bang, leaves with a fizzle, but still in decent shape….fits Birds team like a glove.

**4th Place - They Might Be Bryants - Nick Castellanos - Ranked 7th Overall**

McNally has been swatting like a mad man and pitching like a clinically insane person. While there wasn't a perfect fit for a player to represent his team, I went with Castellanos because while he is a semi surprise at having a great season, we all know the kid can hit but did anyone think he could hit this well? Also, he has dropped off as of late (77th overall last month) and so has Don, but not enough to be truly worried. Don has a ton of surprises among his bats (McCutchen, Rys, Salvatore, even Vlad) but they don't truly represent his squad as TheyMightBeBryants looked pretty good when they were drafted and they look pretty good now.

**5th Place - They Don't Dansby No' Mo - Ramon Laureano - Ranked 138th Overall**

A fairly solid season so far for the defending champ as he has pushed his way towards the top and while bouncing around a bit lately has finished in the top half of the league at the ASB. They Don't Dansby No' Mo has had an odd season from his players lots of VERY pleasant surprises (Gausman, Means, Garcia and Walsh) and VERY disappointing let downs (Bellinger, Springer). I went with Laureano because I feel like Jeff always drafts him and you know what you are going to get with him. He was ranked 129 to start, giving you a 138 overall season and Jeff is staying in the hunt like usual.

**6th Place - Big Like A Ginkel - Jose Abreu - Ranked 63rd Overall**

Kind of like Jeff's player pairing, I picked Abreu for my team because you kinda know what you are going to get with Abreu, but this year he is just slightly down from his normal pace. My team was definitely going to hit but the pitching has been a dumpster fire. I had predicted a middle of the pack finish and that is what I am on target for but if Abreu can get back to last years MVP pace and my pitchers can return from the depths of hell, I could still make a move.

**7th Place - ephedraheartstoppers - Gerrit Cole - Ranked 20th Overall**

Moon has been on a roller coaster ride all season, early on reaching free eats heights then dipping to regulation like depths until a recent massive upswing….just like Cole's insane Sticky Stuff season. I mean, [[https://finance.yahoo.com/video/gerrit-cole-hes-used-spider-224504259.html|did you see his answers]] to the questions early on? A complete mess. J's season is still rocky but powered by a 12 K, CG-SHO from GC last week he has jumped back up showing how tight things can truly get in Rockem. Moon still may be too far away to win the league, but free eats are certainly still in play if Cole and company can lube up and fire it for the second half.

**8th Place - Dogzilla - Sandy Alcantara - Ranked 117th Overall**

Fatone has been all around this world. Starting in the doldrums to begin the year, jumping up to the top in early June and now slowly dripping back into the lower half Fatty just can't seem to stay consistent. Hence his player pairing is Alcantara who has looked dominant at times, even racking up a CG and has also looked utterly lost, getting rocked for bookoo runs. The talent is there for both, let's see if they can make a push up the charts in the second half.

**9th Place - Biz Markie Grissom - David Fletcher - Ranked 150 Overall**

Tom came out of the draft with a team that looked destined for the scrap pile and [[http://rockemsockemfantasybaseball.com/2021_preview2|were predicted to finish in 12th]]. However, things have been slightly better than expected and within the last week he has jumped up considerably higher. Fletcher fits that profile, starting the season with no fixed position or role, Fletcher has been the hottest hitter over the last week (#2 overall just behind GC) and has contributed to the Biz Markie Grissoms moving on up the rankings to 9th. While not near free eats land it is certainly respectable for what started the season as a sinking ship.

**10th Place - Chone Loc - Ke'Bryan Hayes - Ranked 565 Overall**

Consistency and injuries has plagued Bull's squad. Trout and Glasnow done for extended lengths after hot starts, Franco getting called up and not hitting hurts and whatever the hell Lance McCullers is doing, but I went with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwB3baEl0pM&ab_channel=JohnRiley|Willy Mayes Hayes because Bull can't hit for shit]]. Dead last in HR's and RBI's as this young talented player is underwhelming for both the Pirates and the Chone Loc's.

**11th Place - Bagel Droppers - Arodils Chapman - Ranked 203 Overall**

Bagel Droppers are very reminiscent of Dogzilla, both had been good this year and over the last few weeks have plummeted. Falling even further, Jay Vig gets paired with his favorite underperforming team. Chapman has been sinking the Yankees recently, guess what he is ranked last 30 days overall? Go lower…or higher…or whatever…#951…yikes. Gleyber could have been here but he hasn't done shit all year and Jay was good to start. Like Chapman.

**12th Place - Who Andujar You - Luke Voit - Ranked 947 Overall**

Continuing the theme of underperforming Yankees, Wilson gets paired with Luke Voit. Both are having forgettable seasons that could get them benched going forward…or whatever Rockems equivalent to being benched is. Just flat out disappointing for the 2019 champ…this proves that Covid really did put the world on it's ass…or maybe, just maybe, set back up the natural order of things…

That's a wrap…Enjoy the Home Run Derby. The All-Star Game…and staring at blank stats on Yahoo longingly until Thursday.when baseball is back, much love fellows.

-Commish