Daily Notes | Brandon Belt Finally Hitting

Brandon Belt collected a hit in his fifth straight game last night and had a walk for the third time in five games. Previously his longest hitting streak was 3 games this season. That's because he has often been asked to come up as a pinch hitter, and has never been a consistent presence in the lineup. Fortunately for Belt, Aubrey Huff has been worse than anyone could have ever imagined and as his luck would have it Huff pulled a Kendry Morales during the Matt Cain perfect game. Belt is finally getting a chance, and this might be the week we look back on as the week that Belt finally arrived. 

Belt was homerless, but broke out with homers in three consecutive games to start the mini hit streak he is currently on. Perhaps the most significant part of the barrage is that all three home runs came against lefties. That will make it even harder for Huff or any member of the Giants to eventually replace Belt in a platoon role. Finding free agents that will stay on a roster for the duration of a season is harder to do at this time of the year in mixed leagues, but it would appear that Belt has the potential to do that. He should be rostered if he is avaialble.

• Brandon Beachy left his start against the Orioles in the 4th inning with elbow discomfort. Beachy bounced two curve balls to Chris Davis and then tried to throw a fastball, but his velocity was down in the mid-80s (Fangraphs has his average fastball at 91). Given that Beachy was pitching with more than a week of rest after feeling discomfort in his last start, he is likely heading to the DL. Hopefully it wasn't worse than a 15-day trip. 
• Tim Lincecum claims he wants the ball every fifth day for the Giants, but some are beginning to question if the Giants should skip him in the rotation to give him a mental break. Lincecum has not won since late April.   
• Ervin Santana was brilliant last night retiring the first 20 batters he faced. Of course nobody in a daily league benefitted from this outing out of fear from his last four starts when he allowed 23 earned runs in 20.1 innings. 
• Bud Norris has been scratched from his start today and a fellow by the name of Dallas Keuchel will get the start. Keuchel does not bring much to the table in terms of fantasy (46 strikeouts in 80 innings at Triple-A). 
• The Blue Jays have activated Brett Cecil to make his first start of the season today. Cecil had been in Double-A because poor performance at spring training. With Kyle Drabek possibly facing Tommy John surgery, Cecil will look to hang on in a suddenly wounded rotation. 
• Yoenis Cespedes was out yesterday and will be out again today for Oakland. In better news, Brandon McCarthy will start on Tuesday.